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The wait is over for the NFL season, and it kicks off with a Super Bowl rematch from just seven months ago. bet365 is letting new users join the excitement of the season opener, giving them $365 in bonus bets when they use promo code FOX365, win or lose.

A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs were added to this New England offense with the hopes of making it more explosive and scoring more points. With newly added weapons for Drake Maye, the Patriots look for a different outcome than what took place in the Super Bowl.

Meanwhile, Sam Darnold and Jaxon Smith-Njigba look to pick up where they left off, even with a new offensive coordinator calling the plays. The Seahawks will find out how much of an impact Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III made, as they let him walk in free agency.

With new faces on both teams but the same head coaches on the sidelines, let’s see who will come out on top of this Super Bowl rematch. Use the bet365 promo code FOX365 to get $365 in bonuses, win or lose.

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NE Patriots	+3 (−102)	O 44.5 (−108)	+142
SEA Seahawks	−3 (−118)	U 44.5 (−112)	−170

How to Watch Patriots vs. Seahawks

[–>
• When: Wednesday, September 9, 2026 at 8:20 p.m. ET
• Where: Lumen Field, Seattle, WA
• TV: NBC
• Streaming: Peacock

Players to Watch

With TreVeyon Henderson ruled out for the opener, Stevenson steps into one of the clearest volume roles in this matchup. He is expected to handle the bulk of New England’s snaps and touches out of the backfield, with Corey Kiner serving as the top understudy and additional depth likely coming from the practice squad.

That workload is what makes him so important against Seattle. The Patriots can lean on Stevenson on early downs and in the passing game, which gives him a direct path to shaping tempo and keeping the offense on schedule. If New England is going to control this game, Stevenson is the player most likely to set that tone.

For Seattle, the passing game spotlight naturally lands on Smith-Njigba because this opener puts him across from one of New England’s top cover corners. He is projected to remain a central piece of the Seahawks’ receiving group, and his role carries even more weight in a game where individual matchups on the perimeter could decide key possessions.

Last season, Smith-Njigba produced 119 catches, 1,793 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns, and that kind of production is why he is the receiver to track every snap. He gives Seattle a proven target who can stress coverage in multiple areas of the field. A strong night from him would go a long way toward opening the entire Seahawks offense.

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Michigan escaped a huge scare last Saturday, and now the books have responded. 

Should the Wolverines be that big of an underdog and at home? 

And when it comes to NFL Week 1, should the Browns — who’ve been in shambles since forever — be expected to put up a fight against a solid Jaguars squad?

Here’s why I’m backing these underdogs this week.

This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports.

Behold, a battle of two 1-0 teams. 

OK, that does not nearly tell the story of what happened last week in Ann Arbor, as Michigan escaped 13-12 over Western Michigan in a controversial ending that will be remembered forever. 

As four-touchdown favorites, Michigan looked inept on offense and questions about who will play quarterback going forward have been asked all week. As bad as Michigan looked, however, it’s important to keep in mind the look-ahead line for this week’s game was Michigan -2.5. 

Michigan certainly deserves to be downgraded after a poor showing in the opener, but the line for this week’s game now has Oklahoma laying 6. 

An 8.5-point adjustment based on one game is perhaps an over-adjustment. The Wolverines still appear to have a very solid defense and will hear all week how they didn’t deserve to win, about how poorly they played. They should be able to adopt an “Us vs. The World” mentality — especially as a home ‘dog.

I expect Michigan to bounce back and have a much better showing in Week 2.

Hill’s Pick: Michigan +6

Last year, the Raiders went into Foxborough and beat the New England Patriots on the road in Week 1. 

The Patriots went 14-3 and won the AFC title; the Raiders went 3-14 and won the right to pick first overall in the NFL Draft. 

Weird things happen in the opening week, and with starters playing so sparingly in the preseason these days, upsets are bound to happen. While the Browns have been in the news a lot this summer for their quarterback controversy between Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders, the rest of the roster shows some promise. 

Rookie wide receivers KJ Concepción and Denzel Boston have drawn rave reviews in training camp, and the aforementioned Watson is 7-1 in his career against the Jaguars. 

With an Over/Under set at 40.5, oddsmakers are expecting a low-scoring game, and in a game where points are perhaps hard to come by, an upset becomes more possible. 

Hill’s Pick: Browns +8.5

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From national champion to top-10 pick, J.J. McCarthy was supposed to usher in a new era of Minnesota football. Instead, he now finds himself sitting third on the Vikings’ depth chart with his future with the organization up in the air.

Head coach Kevin O’Connell announced Wednesday morning that J.J. McCarthy will move down the depth chart. Veteran Carson Wentz will serve as the primary backup to starter Kyler Murray for this weekend’s matchup against the Green Bay Packers.

Even though Wentz gets the backup nod for Week 1, O’Connell made it clear that the depth chart behind Murray will be evaluated on a “week-to-week” basis.

Selected No. 10 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft, McCarthy’s time in Minnesota has been defined by adversity. A torn meniscus during his rookie preseason sidelined him for the entire year before his career could even take off.

Not only did he miss his entire rookie season, but he had to watch Sam Darnold lead the Vikings to a 14-3 record and a playoff berth. When Minnesota decided to let Darnold walk in free agency to join the Seattle Seahawks, the franchise was officially handed over to McCarthy.

McCarthy’s first year as the starter didn’t go as planned for him or the Vikings, compounded by the fact that Darnold went on to win the Super Bowl in his very first season with the Seahawks.

NFL Related Stories

Injuries and on-field struggles limited McCarthy to just 10 starts last season. Even though he posted a 6-4 winning record, his stats reflected the growing pains after he completed 57.6% of his passes for 1,632 passing yards, 11 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. 

McCarthy’s career is far from over, but with his inconsistent play and the addition of Murray in the quarterback room this offseason, his future in Minnesota is truly up in the air.

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The controversy surrounding the ending of the Western Michigan and Michigan game hasn’t slowed down heading into Week 2. Despite formal appeals, statements and lingering concerns the backlash shows no signs of stopping anytime soon.

How much time was actually left? 

That still hasn’t been determined with so much discrepancy surrounding the play and the cannon of an arm that Wolverines quarterback Bryce Underwood showcased on Saturday night. As things stand now, the call will stand and there will be no action or league involvement.

Here’s a timeline of everything that’s happened since the controversial call in Ann Arbor:

Saturday Night

Michigan entered the matchup as a nearly four-touchdown favorite. However, Western Michigan hung in there and remained competitive until the final whistle, at one point leading 12-6 and standing on the brink of pulling off the biggest upset in program history.

However, that lead was put to the ultimate test as the clock hit zero and Underwood unleashed a final Hail Mary. As the ball bounced off multiple defenders in the back of the end zone, the game seemed over… or was it?

While the TV broadcast clock showed zero, replay officials came together and confirmed one second remained when the previous pass hit the turf out of bounds. Given one final chance, Underwood this time launched a game-winning Hail Mary touchdown to JJ Buchanan as time expired.

The wild final play was only the start of a controversial sequence that would become the talk of the college football world.

Later On Saturday Night 

The controversial call made waves across the sport. Both Michigan coach Kyle Whittingham and Western Michigan coach Lance Taylor shared their thoughts on the final play, which was impactful enough to prompt official statements from both the MAC and the Big Ten.

“But as I looked, I knew it was close,” Whittingham said after the game. “When the ball sailed back to the end zone, I glanced up at the clock, and it was just ticking to zero, and somebody had touched it. I didn’t know who had touched it, but apparently it was a defender that had already established an out-of-bounds position. I’m assuming they got it right. They looked at it and their technology that they have is very advanced, I guess.”

Even with Whittingham coming out victorious, he offered an honest opinion and backed the officials. Similarly, Taylor focused on why his defense failed to execute as they should have, refusing to make excuses.

“I know when I looked up at the clock, it was past zeros before we touched it,” Taylor said. “I knew that they would review it. It was the last play of the game, and because we defended it so well, wasn’t worried or concerned about our guys going out and defending it the second time. Unfortunately, we did not defend it as well the second time.”

The MAC and Big Ten both issued statements following the game, and everyone accepted the outcome despite the controversy.

Sunday Statement Released

NBC Sports Releases Statement

On Sunday, NBC Sports addressed the growing controversy on air during the Washington vs. Washington State game. Host John Fanta delivered a statement on behalf of the network regarding a clock dispute from the game.

He made sure to remind viewers that the TV graphics don’t dictate official game time.

“Now, the official time of the game is kept by the Big Ten,” Fanta said. “Our cameras are not the official arbiter of timekeeping within the game. That is the Big Ten and game officials’ responsibility. After the game last night, the Big Ten released a statement and raw video from its replay process that showed how and why the decision was made.”

Monday: Rules and Extra Seconds Continue to Dominate the Conversation

Rules Analyst Mike Pereira Joins ‘The Joel Klatt Show’

When it comes to the rules of the sport and how officials operate, few people are more qualified than FOX Sports rules analyst Mike Pereira. He joined “The Joel Klatt Show” on Monday to break down the latest controversy.

His explanation for why Big Ten officials didn’t follow protocol focused on the discrepancy, saying that they needed to rely on the television footage.

“The official replay officials have been told that if there is a discrepancy, use the television footage,” Pereira said. “Do not use your footage in the command center. Use the footage that 10 million people are watching, not the one that’s three.”

Despite heavy criticism of the call, Pereira defended the officials but criticized the review result, stating that the game crew made the best possible decision in real time with the information they had.

“When it’s all said and done, that’s what should have happened, and there shouldn’t have been another play,” Pereira said. “They did not look at the television copy of what was being shown to all of us.”

Tuesday: MAC Decides To Appeal Ruling

After initially accepting the ruling, the MAC reversed course and decided to appeal. On Tuesday, MAC Commissioner Jon Steinbrecher released a statement indicating that proper replay protocol was not followed.

Following a careful review, the NCAA denied the MAC’s appeal, as the Football Bowl Subdivision Oversight Committee stated that it does not have the power to alter the outcome or final score of a game. 

With that in mind, Michigan remains the winner of the game, even with all the controversy surrounding the result. Both Michigan and Western Michigan will be heading into Week 2 with an outcome that will always be known as the “what-if” game.

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When the Seattle Seahawks take the field against the New England Patriots on Wednesday, it’ll mark the culmination of Sam Darnold’s comeback. The team Darnold quarterbacked to a Super Bowl title will be celebrated one last time, with the banner commemorating the victory being unveiled ahead of the season-opening matchup.

Can we see another quarterback have such an epic turnaround soon? That’s the question being asked by any NFL team that doesn’t already have a great quarterback in place. Who, of all the brutal disappointments at football’s most important position, is actually a Pro Bowl passer capable of leading your team to a Super Bowl and winning it?

The most honest answer is that there isn’t another Darnold this year; such a delayed arrival in the NFL is just too rare. Baker Mayfield enjoyed a similar career renaissance a year earlier in 2023 with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. However, Mayfield wasn’t nearly as bad as Darnold was before his emergence. 

And before you go ruling anyone out as just too crappy to become a great quarterback, let’s remember who Darnold was two years ago. He was 27, a former top-five pick of the New York Jets, having flamed out there and bounced to the Carolina Panthers and San Francisco 49ers. His only start in 2023 was a Week 18 rest-your-starters game, in which he threw one touchdown pass and lost to Carson Wentz. 

If you ranked all 39 quarterbacks who threw at least 1,000 passes from 2018-23, Darnold ranks dead last in passer rating at 78.3. He was 21-35 as a starter at that point, with 63 career touchdown passes and 56 interceptions.

With all that, Darnold still got a $10 million deal from the Minnesota Vikings in 2024, but only really got the opportunity he got for a breakout year because first-round pick J.J. McCarthy sustained a season-ending injury in the preseason. Then boom, 14-3 as a starter, 35 touchdown passes against 12 picks, good enough to land a three-year, $100 million deal from the Seattle Seahawks. 

Another 14-3 season came after, this time with 25 touchdown passes and 14 picks, but played enough to win a Super Bowl.

So that’s what you’re looking for.

Scanning the league, we’ve identified five quarterbacks who have dealt with similar struggles to Darnold, either already discarded or trending toward being let go by teams that drafted them with high picks. You might not even be aware of where they’re playing now, but their résumé today looks better than Darnold’s did two years ago.

Mac Jones went 5-3 in eight starts last season, filling in for an injured Brock Purdy in the first half of the season. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images)

–>

Like Darnold, Mac Jones was a first-round pick in the AFC East, and arguably did more with his first team, making the Pro Bowl as a rookie with the New England Patriots in 2021. He went 10-7 as a rookie, helped New England to the playoffs and threw 22 touchdowns. Then he and his team got worse, going 2-9 in Bill Belichick’s last season. He got traded to the Jaguars, then signed a two-year, $8 million deal with the 49ers in 2025.

Jones played well last year, going 5-3 filling in for an injured Brock Purdy, throwing 13 touchdowns against six interceptions. Had he not signed a two-year deal, he would have been coveted as a free agent, but the 49ers resisted the temptation to trade him, wanting the same security of a solid backup in case Purdy got injured again.

He totally fits the Darnold profile: 27 years old, high draft pick, initial struggles, 25-32 as a starter and bounced around to two other teams. He just needs an injury to get on the field this season, but if that happens, he has the talent around him to have a Darnold-level breakout. If that doesn’t happen, he should be a top choice among the veteran options in free agency in spring 2027.

Justin Fields went 2-7 before the Jets benched him in 2025, quarterbacking an anemic offense. Will playing behind Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid’s guidance help him? (Photo by Mike Carlson/Getty Images)

–>

Same profile: former first-round pick (Chicago Bears), discarded for a late-round pick (Pittsburgh Steelers), did well to get a $40 million contract from the New York Jets and again traded for a sixth-round pick to Kansas City. His overall numbers are better than Darnold’s were two years ago: 52 touchdowns against 32 interceptions, and he rushed for 1,143 yards as a quarterback in Chicago in 2022. He is 16-37 as a starter — and that’s with a 4-2 record in Pittsburgh — but now finds himself the top backup to Patrick Mahomes, who is coming back from a torn ACL.

So it would take another Mahomes injury for Fields to get any real opportunity to show what he can do this year. But even a small window could help him, with better coaching and a stronger supporting cast than what he’s had. Fields has 12 touchdowns against two interceptions in the last two seasons, with another nine rushing touchdowns, so him finding success as a dual-threat passer is something you can’t exactly rule out.

Malik Willis gave the Packers serviceable quarterback play when called upon over the last two seasons, helping him earn a three-year, $68 million deal. (Photo by Peter Joneleit/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

–>

I’m including Malik Willis here because he’s a good answer if you’re simply looking for an unexpected breakout star at quarterback, but otherwise he doesn’t fit the profile. Willis is 27, yes, but he’s barely played at all in four NFL seasons — 3-3 as a starter between the Tennessee Titans and Green Bay Packers, with all of 155 career pass attempts. For perspective, Darnold has 131 in his four playoff games alone.

But Willis represents unrealized potential — without the bad body of work to overcome — so he got a three-year, $68 million deal from the Miami Dolphins with $45 million guaranteed. He was with Jeff Hafley in Green Bay and now joins him in Miami, albeit with a depleted roster that many think will be the worst in the NFL. Wide receiver Tyreek Hill is gone and fellow standout pass-catcher Jaylen Waddle was traded to the Denver Broncos, so the challenge for Willis in 2026 is to cobble together enough success that the Dolphins don’t feel compelled to use what will be a very high draft pick in 2027 on a quarterback to replace him in their long-term plans.

Speaking of quarterbacks who could pass for the next Darnold, we should mention Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson, who is a high draft pick who has struggled early on, much like Darnold. He’s still only 24 and has only 15 career starts with an 8-7 record, but if he were to get a fresh start and play well, you’d hear him compared to Darnold.

J.J. McCarthy is already on the bench just two years after being a top-10 pick. (Photo by Bailey Hillesheim/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

–>

McCarthy went 6-4 as a starter last year, so you might wonder: Is he bad enough right now to be the next Darnold? Yes, he is.

McCarthy has more interceptions (12) than touchdown passes (11) in his NFL career, and if you look at the 49 quarterbacks with 200-plus pass attempts over the last two seasons, he ranks 47th in passer rating, ahead of only Shedeur Sanders and Anthony Richardson. His completion percentage — 58% — is also 47th, and in interception percentage, he leads the way at 4.9%.

That Minnesota would so quickly hand the franchise over to Kyler Murray shows what they think of McCarthy (who is QB3 behind Murray and Carson Wentz). He still has two years on his rookie contract, but you’d think he’s either traded for a late-round pick or cut at some point unless Murray struggles so much that McCarthy gets another shot in Minnesota.

Zach Wilson is already playing for his fourth different team after joining the Saints this offseason. (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images)

–>

Did you even know Zach Wilson was in New Orleans? Or that he spent a full season in Denver? Before you immediately think that Wilson is too bad to be the next Darnold, just remember that he lines up very closely with who Darnold was two years ago. Top-three pick of the Jets, went 12-21 as a starter, traded in a pick swap to the Broncos (where he didn’t play a snap), signed with the Dolphins and couldn’t beat out seventh-rounder Quinn Ewers for the look-see when Tua Tagovailoa was done. If you rank the 36 quarterbacks in passer rating with 1,000 career pass attempts since 2021, he’s dead last at 36th.

Wilson has just 23 career touchdown passes against 25 interceptions, and yet he lands in New Orleans, where Tyler Shough is set as the starter but still capable of injury or ineffectiveness. He’s on a $1.4 million deal, within $200,000 of the league minimum for veterans, but he’s young (he turns 27 in August) and would have a chance to reset himself if he could get on the field and play well, two decently big ifs given what he’s been in five NFL seasons. If it seems incredible or impossible, No. 35 on that list of 36 quarterbacks is Bryce Young, who could easily get a huge contract to stay with the Carolina Panthers with any kind of success in 2026.

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This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports. 

The NFL season is finally here, and Kalshi is giving new users another reason to get in on Week 1. Use promo code FOXSPORTS to get a $25 bonus while following the biggest games on the opening slate, starting with the Super Bowl rematch between the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks.

New storylines shape this season opener after both teams made changes since last year’s Super Bowl. The Patriots added A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs to give Drake Maye dynamic weapons.

The Seahawks will be missing two big parts of their Super Bowl win. Kenneth Walker III was the game’s MVP and is now carrying the load for the Kansas City Chiefs. Offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak took the Raiders’ head coaching vacancy. How will Sam Darnold and Jaxon Smith-Njigba adjust to the major changes on offense?

Kalshi also gives fans a way to follow the rest of the Week 1 slate, whether you’re focused on the Super Bowl rematch or looking ahead to the rest of the NFL’s opening week, use promo code FOXSPORTS to get the $25 bonus and follow the biggest storylines across Week 1.

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5. Deposit funds and trade at least $25 in prediction markets to receive up to $25 in trading credit.

*Probabilities are subject to change* 

Seattle Seahawks vs. New England Patriots

Teams	Chance	Yes	No
Seattle Seahawks	61%	62¢	38¢
New England Patriots	39%	38¢	62¢

SEA Seahawks Win by Over 3.5 Points	47%	47¢	54¢
Over 44.5 Points Scored	48%	49¢	52¢
SEA Seahawks Over 23.5 Points	53%	53¢	48¢
NE Patriots Over 20.5 Points	50%	51¢	50¢

More markets available on Kalshi.

How to Watch Patriots vs. Seahawks

[–>
• When: Wednesday, September 9, 2026 at 8:20 p.m. ET
• Where: Lumen Field, Seattle, WA
• TV: NBC
• Streaming: Peacock

Players to Watch

With TreVeyon Henderson ruled out for the opener, Stevenson steps into one of the clearest volume roles in this matchup. He is expected to handle the bulk of New England’s snaps and touches out of the backfield, with Corey Kiner serving as the top understudy and additional depth likely coming from the practice squad.

That workload is what makes him so important against Seattle. The Patriots can lean on Stevenson on early downs and in the passing game, which gives him a direct path to shaping tempo and keeping the offense on schedule. If New England is going to control this game, Stevenson is the player most likely to set that tone.

For Seattle, the passing game spotlight naturally lands on Smith-Njigba because this opener puts him across from one of New England’s top cover corners. He is projected to remain a central piece of the Seahawks’ receiving group, and his role carries even more weight in a game where individual matchups on the perimeter could decide key possessions.

Last season, Smith-Njigba produced 119 catches, 1,793 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns, and that kind of production is why he is the receiver to track every snap. He gives Seattle a proven target who can stress coverage in multiple areas of the field. A strong night from him would go a long way toward opening the entire Seahawks offense.

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With an on-fire Raphinha leading its attack, Barcelona doesn’t seem to need another striker after all.

The fiercely competitive Brazilian kept up his great start to the season on Wednesday by scoring twice to lead Barcelona’s 5-1 rout over Feyenoord in their Champions League opener.

His double combined with his La Liga-leading six goals makes Raphinha the top scorer in Europe with eight.

Raphinha got going at Camp Nou just three minutes into the match when he took a pass from Lamine Yamal in the box. He used one tap to send a pair of defenders sliding the wrong way, leaving him to size up the goal and fire home.

Raphinha made it 3-0 from a pass by Pedri in the 57th, adding to a goal by Karim Adeyemi.

Substituted late, Raphinha was first out of the dugout to embrace Yamal on the touchline after the Spain star stroked in a free kick to add to the victory.

“The truth is that a season has its ups and downs, and to start this season gives us a lot of confidence,” Raphinha told Movistar Plus.

Barcelona Wanted A New Striker

(Photo by Pierre-Philippe MARCOU / AFP via Getty Images) –>

The versatile Brazilian, who wears the No. 11 and combines energy and ruthless finishing like few others, was not supposed to spearhead Barcelona’s attack.

Barcelona lost both Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres in the offseason and had been after Atletico Madrid’s Julian Álvarez to replace them. It had to settle for a hurried deal to acquire Gabriel Jesus from Arsenal at the end of the transfer window. With Jesus — who went on late and scored Barcelona’s fifth on Wednesday — expected to mainly be used as a substitute, questions were raised in Barcelona if the team would have trouble scoring.

Now it looks like not spending big on another striker might have been the best non-move of a summer which saw the club add Rodri from Manchester City as well as wingers Anthony Gordon and Adeyemi.

Hansi Flick sure looked happy with his squad after a fifth win. The Barcelona coach lauded the energy that Raphinha gives his team up front, leading the press that the German insists on to quickly recovering the ball near scoring positions.

“Raphinha, we saw it today, his energy is great,” the Barcelona coach said. “We have a lot on the transition, on the counter, and when we keep the ball and wait to create situations.”

Raphinha Is Constantly Evolving

(Photo By Javier Borrego/Europa Press via Getty Images) –>

The 29-year-old Raphinha has successfully reinvented himself before.

He joined from Leeds in 2022 with the reputation as a hardworking, fast winger. But after Lamine Yamal erupted as its first-choice right-side player, Raphinha looked to be on his way out of the club.

Instead, Raphinha showed he could play just as well on the left side or even in an interior position. The result was explosive: 34 goals in the 2024-25 season as he helped Barcelona win La Liga, the Copa del Rey, and reach the Champions League semifinals.

Raphinha struggled with injuries last season and had his World Cup with Brazil cut short because of a hamstring pull. That likely played into him not making the 30 finalists for the Ballon d’Or that were announced on Tuesday. He finished fifth in the voting in the 2025 edition of the award.

This season, Raphinha has been a big reason why Barcelona is off to an intimidatingly good start in La Liga, where it has outscored opponents 17-2 in four rounds. That goal difference of plus 15 over the first four games is the best start in the history of the club.

When asked about not being on the Ballon d’Or list, Raphinha said he didn’t want to talk about it.

“I only talk about how Barça is having a great season,” he said.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

]–>

Source

Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembele scored titleholder Paris Saint-Germain’s first goals of the new Champions League campaign, and his first goals the season, when he netted twice in a 6-1 home win against Slovan Bratislava on Wednesday.

He also set up a goal in each half for new signing Ferran Torres, whose well-taken hat trick took Spain’s World-Cup winning forward onto five goals since joining from Barcelona in the offseason.

It was a welcome return to form for Dembélé, one of France’s World Cup stars with six goals, following a frustrating start to the domestic season.

He was taken off at halftime in PSG’s Ligue 1 opener after a lackluster performance against Rennes in a 2-2 draw, and was then left out of the next game against Lille by coach Luis Enrique. Dembélé was ineffective as a late second-half substitute in a 2-1 home loss to Monaco last Friday.

Dembélé put PSG ahead in the 17th minute against Slovan, reacting quickly after Nuno Mendes’ swerving shot hit the post and steering the rebound inside the right post.

He clipped a shot wide from just inside the left of the penalty area moments later, before heading in his second goal in the 23rd from 18-year-old midfielder Dro Fernandez’s right-wing cross.

Dembélé then set up Torres, who drifted in to meet his cross.

Moments later, Dembélé dropped to his knees in frustration when he somehow hit the crossbar from close range as PSG sliced Slovan apart. Ten PSG players were nominated Tuesday on the shortlist of 30 for the Ballon d’Or, which Dembélé won for the first time last year.

Before facing Slovan at Parc des Princes, PSG had failed to win its previous four games, conceding seven goals and losing the French Super Cup to Lens.

One-sided Affair

In a far easier contest, PSG took advantage of weak opposition to muster 35 shots on goal and 13 on target.

Torres showed delightful skill for his second goal moments after the break, taking a deft touch to control Maghnes Akliouche’s pass before curling the ball in from the edge of the area.

Akliouche created the goal with a jinking run from deep, the type he produced for Monaco against PSG last season. Torres guided in Dembele’s corner from the right for his hat trick in the 57th before Suleiman Camara replied for Slovan moments later with a fine finish.

Camara’s performance was a rare positive for an overwhelmed Slovan side, whose sloppy defending gifted Fabian Ruiz the ball for the sixth goal late on.

Shake Up

As Bradley Barcola started in attack for new club Liverpool, his replacement Akliouche took the field for PSG alongside Torres and Dembélé. The trio combined well as Slovan’s limited defense was often stretched.

Another star of PSG’s Champions League-winning campaign last season, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, was on the bench, as Luis Enrique fine-tunes his attack following the departures of Barcola and striker Gonçalo Ramos to AC Milan.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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The NFL season is finally here, and DraftKings is giving fans multiple ways to get in on the Super Bowl rematch between the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks. 

New users can bet $5 and get $200 in Bonus Bets, while the King of the Endzone promotion puts a share of $5 million in Bonus Bets on the line for the player who scores the longest touchdown in the opener.

The Patriots enter the season opener as 3-point underdogs, but they have plenty of offensive weapons capable of making an impact. Rhamondre Stevenson could be a bigger part of the offense with Treveyon Henderson sidelined, while A.J. Brown gives Drake Maye a new explosive target on the outside. 

On Seattle’s side, Jaxon Smith-Njigba is coming off a monster season along Sam Darnold, but now the offense is without Kenneth Walker III and playcaller Klint Kubiak. With the losses on offense and defense, can the defending champs get a win in the opener? 

Whether you’re looking at Stevenson, Brown, Smith-Njigba or another touchdown threat, DraftKings gives fans plenty of ways to follow the action. Bet $5 and get $200 in Bonus Bets, then check out the King of the Endzone promotion for a chance to win a share of $5 million.

How to Join DraftKings’ King of The Endzone

1. After Opting-In, you’ll be issued one (1) single-use Qualifying Bet Token that works on any prematch NFL Touchdown Scorer Prop on NE vs. SEA (Under “TD Scorer” – First TD Scorer, Anytime TD Scorer, 2+ TDs)
2. Minimum Bet: $5
3. If the player in your qualifying bet scores the longest touchdown in NE vs. SEA, you’ll win a share of $5,000,000 in Bonus Bets –Passing Touchdowns do not count as King of the End Zone winners – only the player that scores the longest touchdown of the day.
4. Qualifying Bet is Singles only
5. One Qualifying Bet Token per customer for this promotion
6. Qualifying Bet Token expires at 8:20 PM ET on 9/9
7. Wagering on this promotion must use funds from your cash balance or DK Dollars. Bets placed with other bonus rewards are void. Cashed out bets and voided bets will void this promotion.
8. Winners will be credited within 24 hours of the conclusion of NE vs. SEA

Check Out How You Can Claim the New Users Promo

1. Sign up for a new DraftKings Sportsbook account.
2. Deposit funds (minimum $5).
3. Select the New Customer Token.
4. Place a $5+ cash bet (-500 odds or longer).
5. You will receive $200 in bonus bets instantly, regardless of the outcome of your qualifying wager.
6. Works the same on desktop & mobile.

*Odds are subject to change*

NE Patriots	+3 (−102)	O 44.5 (−108)	+142
SEA Seahawks	−3 (−118)	U 44.5 (−112)	−170

How to Watch Patriots vs. Seahawks

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• When: Wednesday, September 9, 2026 at 8:20 p.m. ET
• Where: Lumen Field, Seattle, WA
• TV: NBC
• Streaming: Peacock

Players to Watch

With TreVeyon Henderson ruled out for the opener, Stevenson steps into one of the clearest volume roles in this matchup. He is expected to handle the bulk of New England’s snaps and touches out of the backfield, with Corey Kiner serving as the top understudy and additional depth likely coming from the practice squad.

That workload is what makes him so important against Seattle. The Patriots can lean on Stevenson on early downs and in the passing game, which gives him a direct path to shaping tempo and keeping the offense on schedule. If New England is going to control this game, Stevenson is the player most likely to set that tone.

For Seattle, the passing game spotlight naturally lands on Smith-Njigba because this opener puts him across from one of New England’s top cover corners. He is projected to remain a central piece of the Seahawks’ receiving group, and his role carries even more weight in a game where individual matchups on the perimeter could decide key possessions.

Last season, Smith-Njigba produced 119 catches, 1,793 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns, and that kind of production is why he is the receiver to track every snap. He gives Seattle a proven target who can stress coverage in multiple areas of the field. A strong night from him would go a long way toward opening the entire Seahawks offense.

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Carlo Ancelotti started his complete overhaul of Brazil’s national team on Wednesday by announcing a squad with few of the players he took to the World Cup three months ago and several young talents.

His team will play two friendlies against Australia, on Sept. 25 in Townsville and 29 in Brisbane, and its first ever match against India on Oct. 3 in Kolkata, where it has millions of fans.

Ancelotti, as he promised in an interview with The Associated Press in July after the round of 16 World Cup elimination against Norway, called up several players who will also be eligible for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, hoping he can use them as the spine of his squad in the 2030 World Cup.

FULL BRAZIL SQUAD

Goalkeepers: Hugo Souza (Corinthians), Pedro Morisco (Coritiba), Otavio (Cruzeiro).

Defenders: Artur Dias (Athletico Paranaense), Wesley (Roma), Marquinhos (Paris Saint-Germain), Gabriel Magalhaes (Arsenal), Douglas Santos (Zenit St. Petersburg), Jair (Nottingham Forest), Matheuzinho (Corinthians), Maurio Júnior (PSV Eindhoven), Vitor Reis (Manchester City).

Midfielders: Bruno Guimaraes (Arsenal), Andrey Santos (Manchester United), Danilo Santos (Botafogo), Douglas Luiz (Juventus), Breno Bidon (Corinthians), Gabriel Bontempo (Santos).

Forwards: Endrick, Vinicius Junior (Real Madrid), Raphinha (Barcelona), Rayan (Bournemouth), Joao Pedro (Chelsea), Samuel Lino and Pedro (Flamengo).

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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