The Phillies make an improbable comeback. An exceptionally rare stolen base. Nando’s power is back back. The Red Sox have been MLB’s best. Sunday’s MLB action provided all that and much more.

Here are all the best moments from last night in Major League Baseball:

Phillies Sweep With 6-Run 9th

The Phillies had won eight games in a row, and had already won the series against the Cardinals. If Philadelphia lost 4-0 on Sunday in the concluding game, then hey, that was still one hell of a stretch, can’t win ‘em all.

But what if you could win ‘em all? What if the Cardinals brought in closer Riley O’Brien to pitch the ninth, and he just didn’t have it? This very specific hypothetical didn’t even seem like the case at first on Sunday, as O’Brien gave up a leadoff double to DH Bryce Harper but then retired the next two batters, leaving the Phillies with a seemingly harmless runner in scoring position and just one remaining out.

A funny thing happened then, though. Not funny for the Cardinals, though. Catcher JT Realmuto singled and advanced to second on defensive indifference. Center fielder Justin Crawford walked, and suddenly the tying run was at the plate. Third baseman Edmundo Sosa hit a bases-clearing double to cut the lead to one, and then right fielder Bryan De La Cruz tied it up with a single to left in the next at-bat.

Now it was a brand new ballgame, and O’Brien was still on the mound. And he still didn’t have it, just in time to face leadoff hitter Kyle Schwarber. The Phillies’ first baseman saw six pitches, and with the count 2-2, took a 98 mph sinker left up in the zone and deposited it 459 feet away from the plate to center.

Ballgame, Phillies. From down 4-0 and making excuses for a defeat to a titanic walk-off blast — Schwarber’s MLB-leading 39th dinger of the year — and an extension of the winning streak to nine games. It was a terrible end for the Cardinals, as St. Louis fell to 5.5 games back of the last wild-card spot in the NL: the Padres hold that spot right now, and San Diego swept its opposition this weekend, too, making like more difficult for the Diamondbacks, Marlins and especially the Cardinals.

The Phillies, though, are still two games up on the Padres for that second spot, and just two behind the Cubs for the top NL wild-card. Philadelphia has more wins (73) than all but two AL clubs, despite its wild-card placement. The NL postseason is going to rip.

Salvador Perez Stole A Base!

Salvador Perez wasn’t known for his speed even before he played over 1,400 games as a catcher across 15 years in the major leagues. Before Sunday, the longtime Royals’ slugger had six career steals despite getting on base over 2,200 times since 2011. Against the Tigers, Perez made it seven career steals.

That was Perez’s first theft since 2021: he has never stolen more than one base in a season, so this might be the last one he hits in his career given that frequency. Since you’re wondering, Perez has only been caught stealing once in eight tries.

This was just the embarrassing icing on the proverbial cake for the Tigers: Detroit entered this three-game series against Kansas City having lost two games in a row, and exited it losers of five straight. The Tigers are 3.5 out of a wild-card spot in the AL, looking up at eight other teams. The Royals have somehow inexplicably rattled off eight wins in a row and are now just four games behind the Tigers in the wild-card race and AL Central, while leaving the Athletics and Angels to fight over which is the worst team in the junior circuit. 

Cubs Avenge Walk-Off Ls And Then Some

The Cubs were walked off by the Mariners on Saturday, a day after losing in the 10th inning to Seattle. Not a great weekend for Chicago when you consider all that, but the Cubs got their many frustrations out on Sunday against this same Seattle team. The Cubs would limit the Mariners to just two runs in the series finale, while scoring… more than that. A lot more.

DH Michael Conforto hit a solo homer in the third to cut the Mariners’ lead in half, and then left fielder Ian Happ blasted his 22nd homer of the year, a grand slam, to put Chicago up 5-2.

That would end up being enough for the win, but there was a lot of ballgame left for Seattle. Third baseman Alex Bregman would drive in another on a ground out in the fifth, then center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong would pick up his first RBI of the day on a single in the sixth. Catcher Carson Kelly singled in the eighth run in the eighth, then PCA went yard for his 33rd homer of the season — at nearly 111 mph off the bat — to make it a 10-2 ballgame.

The runs did not stop there. Happ walked with the bases loaded in the same inning to make it 11-2. Gabriel Arias came on as a pinch-hitter and made it 12-2 with a single. The next batter was second baseman Pedro Ramírez, and he hit the Cubs’ second grand slam of the day to bring the score to 16-2.

Chicago would score another three runs before this one ended, but things got much more embarrassing than that. In the bottom of the ninth, rather than use a reliever, the Cubs let Carson Kelly switch from catching to pitching in a game Chicago was winning. To make matters worse, Kelly retired three of the four batters he faced — the Mariners couldn’t even snap the streak of 19 unanswered runs with a position player on the mound.

Somehow, the Mariners are still just three games back of a wild-card spot, despite a weekend in which they lost a game 22-0 and another 19-2. Seattle went 3-3 against the Brewers and Cubs — a great result in a vacuum — but were outscored by 38 runs in those six games.

White Sox Win Series With 2nd Walk-Off W

The White Sox took on the Mets this weekend, and bookended the series in walk-off fashion. On Friday, Chicago won with a walk-off homer when catcher Jake Rogers hit his fourth shot of the year to give it a 6-4 victory, and on Sunday, the White Sox turned to Tristan Peters to do the same. In a 1-1 game, tied thanks to the Mets scoring in the top of the ninth, the left fielder came to the plate and launched his ninth homer of the year 406 feet to center off closer Kodai Senga.

Peters was using his Players’ Weekend banana bat for this dinger, too, as better captured by this side view of the walk-off blast.

The White Sox are 3.5 up on the Guardians in the AL Central, despite Cleveland winning four in a row. Avoiding a sweep via walk offs, plural, played a significant role in that status.

Red Sox Are MLB’s Best Since The Break

The Red Sox are 25-11 since the All-Star break, which is the best record in MLB in that stretch. Boston improved its second-half record over the weekend while hosting the Giants at Fenway, where San Francisco ended up swept.

The Sox were actually down 3-0 in the second, but the Giants wouldn’t score again until the seventh, when San Francisco pushed one more run across. In between, Boston plated five. Second baseman Nick Sogard got the Sox on the board in the bottom of the second with his second dinger of the year, then center fielder Ceddanne Rafael added an RBI single in the third. A double by catcher Connor Wong tied the game in the fourth, then pinch-hitter Mickey Gaspard doubled to give the Sox a lead they would not relinquish.

What ended up being the game-winning hit came a batter later, when Rafaela singled in Gasper to make it 5-3.

Starting pitcher Jake Bennett went seven innings allowing three earned runs and another unearned, with six strikeouts against a walk, and the bullpen took care of things the rest of the way by allowing just one baserunner. The Red Sox, who were 14 games under .500 on June 24, are 71-59, +6.5 in the wild-card standings and at +99 are a single run behind the Yankees for the best run differential in the American League.

Braves Avoid Sweep In Little League Classic

The Brewers took the first two games of the weekend against the Braves, in a battle of two of the NL’s division leaders, but Atlanta managed to avoid being swept on Sunday, during the Little League Classic in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Right fielder Ronald Acuña showed off his arm on Friday, and on Sunday got in a sliding catch.

Center fielder Michael Harris II drove in the eventual winning run on a fielding error by Brewers’ first baseman Andrew Vaughn in the sixth to make it a 3-1 game, and Atlanta’s pen held Milwaukee to just one more run over its four innings of work in relief of starter Tyler Mahle, who looked great for five frames, but just five of them.

The Brewers threatened in the ninth, but Raisel Iglesias induced a game-ending double play to close it out, and the Braves picked up a very necessary W. After all, the Phillies are now just three games back in the NL East, after once being 10.5 behind. There is still a lot of season left to make up that small of a gap and all.

Tatis Jr.’s Power Is Back Back Back

It took until May 30 for Fernando Tatis Jr. to hit his first home run of the season. It would be another couple of weeks before he hit his second. His fourth and fifth came on the same day, however, on June 30, and since then he’s looked a whole lot more like the Fernando Tatis Jr. he was supposed to. After belting another two long balls on Sunday, he’s batting .304/.389/.609 with 14 homers in his last 47 games and 211 plate appearances.

Those two home runs on Sunday helped the Padres sweep the Twins, who had been surging in the AL wild-card picture until running into San Diego. The Padres’ right fielder broke the scoreless tie in the third with his 16th homer of the season, a 396 footer to left…

…and then added a second in the eighth, at nearly 108 mph off the bat, to make it 8-1 Padres. In between Tatis also had an RBI single as part of a 4-for-5 day.

While the Twins have been knocked out of wild-card standing and are two back, as well as five behind in the AL Central, San Diego finds itself two up on the Diamondbacks and still three ahead of the Marlins, despite Miami’s own sweep of the Nationals over the weekend. 

Dodgers Sink Pirates

No one in the NL suffered more from the Padres’ sweep than the Pirates, however, as Pittsburgh took on the Dodgers and were also swept. The Bucs were already 5.5 behind in the NL wild-card race, which was maybe more than was comfortable to sit with given how many other teams are involved, and good ones, too. Now the Pirates are 8.5 back thanks to Los Angeles delivering three-straight defeats.

The Dodgers added a run here and there on a double play, two singles and a ground out to go up 4-0, and the Pirates never responded. Pittsburgh flailed helplessly at Blake Snell for six innings, picking up two hits and three walks against six strikeouts without pushing a run across, and then managed to log just one baserunner against the Dodgers’ bullpen over three innings — a ninth-inning walk by Alex Vesia.

The three-game sweep has the Dodgers still within striking distance for the top record in the NL, but all Los Angeles truly needs is to be second in order to secure a bye of the Wild Card Series. Through Sunday, the Dodgers are four games up on the Braves for that spot.

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General manager Dana Brown and the Houston Astros have mutually agreed to part ways, the team announced Monday, when it was tied for first place in the AL West.

Brown’s contract was set to expire at the end of the season. The move comes after the Astros went 3-6 on a homestand that ended Sunday to fall into a tie with the Texas Rangers for the AL West lead.

And yet, the timing is questionable, given that the Astros remain in first place in the American League West, albeit as a sub-.500 team. At 65-66, however, Houston is still well ahead of where it was earlier in the season, when injuries ravaged the lineup and led the Astros to sit a season-low 11 games under .500 on May 20. Houston has gone 45-35 since, and finds itself in a tie with the Texas Rangers for the AL West lead as well as with the 65-66 Cleveland Guardians, which possess the third of three AL wild-card spots.

For Brown, though, this at least gives him a head start on finding a new role elsewhere in baseball, if the expectation was that he was going to be a free agent at season’s end, anyway. Similarly, Houston can begin to consider next steps for the now-vacant GM role.

Offseason acquisition Tatsuya Imai has not been the rotation stalwart that Jim Crane and Dana Brown hoped he would be, but far more has gone wrong for Houston in 2026 than just one player. (Photo by Houston Astros/Getty Images)

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Senior adviser Jeff Bagwell and assistant general managers Charles Cook, Gavin Dickey and Connor Huff will take over Brown’s responsibilities while team owner Jim Crane will oversee baseball operations during the transition.

Brown had been the team’s general manager since January 2023.

“Over the past four seasons, Dana has helped our organization win two division titles and has led our baseball front office through key scouting, draft and development efforts,” Crane said in a statement. “On behalf of the Astros, I want to thank him for his commitment, energy, and contributions to our organization. We wish he and his family the best.”

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Brown came to Houston after four seasons as vice president of scouting for the Atlanta Braves to replace James Click, who was not given a new contract and left the Astros just days after they won the 2022 World Series.

“I want to thank Jim Crane for the opportunity to serve in my first role as an MLB General Manager,” Brown said. “The Astros organization and the fans have welcomed me and my family, and I am grateful to have called Houston home for the past four seasons. I wish the organization well and I look forward to the future as I continue my 36-plus years in professional baseball.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report

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Ryan Blaney won for the third time of the year, as he paced the field for 115 of the final 164 laps at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

It was his second win in five races, and it has Blaney feeling good. The NASCAR Chase starts in just two weeks. Only the regular-season finale Saturday at Daytona remains before NASCAR cements its 16-driver field.

Thirteen of those drivers are set after New Hampshire, and maybe none were happier than Blaney. He also won at New Hampshire in 2025 but this time, he had to come back from a bad pit stop in the final stage. 

“It is cool to win here two in a row,” Blaney said in his television interview after the race.

Here are my takeaways:

1. Denny Hamlin Wins Regular Season title

Denny Hamlin is locked into The Chase and is Cup’s regular-season title winner.

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Denny Hamlin clinched the regular-season title with a seventh-place finish. That means he’ll have a 25-point lead on the second seed and at least a 50-point lead on the majority of the 16-driver Chase field.

The Joe Gibbs Racing driver has 64 Cup wins but no Cup title.

“I feel good about where our team is right now. Everyone is kind of clicking well and we don’t have a whole lot of weaknesses,” Hamlin said, according to a Toyota news release. “We’re just not as strong as the Penske cars on these types of race tracks.”

2. Chase Field Taking Shape

Ryan Preece said that he’ll go into Daytona “swinging.”

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Only seven drivers had clinched spots in the Chase prior to New Hampshire, but six drivers clinched a spot Sunday.

Kyle Larson, Joey Logano, Chris Buescher, Carson Hocevar, William Byron and Daniel Suárez don’t have to sweat it at Daytona next weekend.

Bubba Wallace has a 75-point cushion on first-driver-out Ryan Preece and needs just two points at Daytona to clinch. Austin Cindric is up by 44 points and Shane van Gisbergen is last on the good side of the bubble at 31 points ahead of Preece.

Preece and Brad Keselowski are the only drivers who have a shot of breaking into the top-16 at Daytona. Keselowski (minus-66) would have to win the race and get help to do it. 

“I’m on offense,” Preece said, according to a Ford news release. “I’m not playing defense, so we’ll go into Daytona swinging and we’ll keep digging.”

3. Blaney Wins Amid Penske Surge

Ryan Blaney said that everyone on Team Penske has been dedicated to getting better.

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Blaney’s victory continues Team Penske’s surge, as it has won four of the last six Cup races.

Penske drivers won just once in the first 19 events. But both Blaney and Logano have two wins in the last six weeks.

“Everybody in our race shop is really dedicated to getting better if we need to get better [in] places,” Blaney said in his post-race news conference.

“We’re really executing at the places where we’ve been really good in the past. Props to them. They’ve been fantastic on figuring out where we need to go.”

4. Wallace, Berry Eyeing First Win

Bubba Wallace hasn’t gotten into Victory Lane in 2026 but is in good position to make The Chase.

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Bubba Wallace (second) and Josh Berry (third) both had solid days but could have really used a victory.

Wallace still seeks his first win of the year but virtually locked himself into The Chase. Berry led 73 laps and showed that he can produce results as part of the Penske improved performance. Berry, who drives for Penske affiliate Wood Brothers Racing and is 29th in the standings, already knows he is out of a ride at the end of the year.

“I’m not doing anything different,” Berry said, according to a Ford news release. “Maybe I was a little rougher today than normal. I don’t necessarily like racing like that, but these guys know what I’m up against right now. I think most of them have a lot of respect for me, so I think they understand.”

4 ½. What’s Next: Daytona

Daytona won’t just be the site of the regular-season finale; it will also be the first for a new aerodynamic package with a reduced spoiler and reduced horsepower in hopes of allowing drivers to be less reliant on others to make a move.

Whether that encourages more racing and less fuel-mileage strategy remains to be seen. But how it performs will be pivotal in whether NASCAR attempts to make more changes prior to the 2027 Daytona 500.

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San Francisco 49ers owner Jed York was arrested over the weekend in Ohio and pleaded no contest to misdemeanor charges of disorderly conduct and possessing criminal tools.

York was arrested Sunday in East Palestine, Ohio, and was released after posting a $5,000 bond. He was sentenced to one day in jail for both offenses to be served concurrently and was credited with one day served when he pleaded no contest Monday morning. He also was fined $1,150.

“As this is a legal matter, which has been resolved, we will not be providing any further comment at this time,” the 49ers said in a statement Monday.

Jed York, 46, became CEO of the 49ers in 2008, and in 2024 became the principal owner. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images)

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Court records show that York initially was charged with engaging in prostitution, but prosecutors amended that to disorderly conduct. Records also show that York had a cellphone returned to him and that $160 that was seized was to be given to the Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force as part of the plea agreement. York also completed on online course.

The 49ers and the NFL didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.

The 46-year-old York took over day-to-day control of the 49ers from his parents in 2008. He became the team’s principal owner in 2024. After some initial struggles under York’s leadership, the team has been a consistent contender since hiring coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch in 2017.

The Niners have made the Super Bowl three times under York’s leadership, losing in the 2012 season under coach Jim Harbaugh and the 2019 and ’23 seasons under Shanahan and Lynch.

NFL Related Stories

York also oversaw the building of Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. The team moved from San Francisco to the new stadium in 2014. The stadium has hosted two Super Bowls, a World Cup and a College Football Playoff title game.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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We’ve passed the midpoint of preseason. The regular season is drawing near.

It’s starting to feel like we know so much about each team … and at the same time, we know absolutely nothing. Who’s going to win the NFC North? How about the NFC West? Are the Patriots going to be kings of the AFC East — or will it be the Bills? The Ravens and Eagles are really back, aren’t they? Aren’t they?! Can the Bengals finally … not get in their own way?

Let’s make sense of the league and the never-ending news cycle. This is Sound Smart, where I try to spin forward, dive deeper, think outside the box and read between the lines.

1.

The Philadelphia Eagles would’ve seen a flag on just about every play during their joint practices with the New England Patriots last week. 

Philly had as many as 13 men in the huddle. 

On purpose.

On every play, receiver DeVonta Smith would stroll into the huddle (not wearing a helmet) and listen to the play call. Then he’d stand back with the backup quarterbacks to watch the play unfold. Smith, who is dealing with a hamstring injury, is getting every mental rep he can. 

“[It’s] helping my process every play — hearing a play call, hearing the words coming out of Jay’s [Jalen Hurts] mouth, and just overall … what I’m thinking of, what I see, and things like that,” Smith said Wednesday.

It would’ve been hard enough to get promoted from WR2 to WR1 in the wake of the A.J. Brown trade. But Smith also has to learn a new offense under freshly-hired OC Sean Mannion — without taking many reps in the month of August.

So that makes it all the more important to hear every play. It’s a new language. And given how much the Eagles will be counting on Smith, he has to make up for lost time. 

Both DeVonta Smith (6) and Makai Lemon (9) have been sidelined by hamstring injuries during Eagles training camp. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)

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And then there’s the other extra guy who was in the huddle — admittedly less frequently. That was rookie receiver Makai Lemon, who is also nursing a hamstring injury. It’s a similar story. It’s hard enough to be a rookie, with the added pressure of being a first-rounder. But he is expected to contribute immediately as the team’s WR2. 

There are even more layers of complication for the newbie.

“It’s a challenge because he’s not out there getting the actual reps,” Hurts said of Lemon last week. “But just being intentional with the walkthroughs, being intentional with the moments we have off the field and after practice.”

For some teams, it can feel like training camp is dragging on forever. I’m not sure it’ll feel like that for the Eagles. It must feel more like they’re up against the clock, even with a few weeks until the first regular-season game against the Washington Commanders.

The one advantage that the Eagles have is that — even without their top receivers in the lineup — their quarterback has been through this. Hurts has had a new offensive coordinator in all but one of his seven seasons in Philly.

“I don’t know it any other way,” he said.

Sean Mannion is Jalen Hurts’ sixth different offensive coordinator during the QB’s tenure in Philadelphia. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)

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The other advantage is that the Eagles have three-time Pro Bowl running back Saquon Barkley. He seems to be this offense’s identity — it starts with him. He’ll have a major role in the running game and passing game. And even though the Eagles’ passing attack struggled mightily with inefficiency and turnovers against the Patriots, Barkley didn’t have issues finding room to run.

The more you listen to the way Barkley talks about Mannion, the more you can hear his confidence in this new system.

“When you talk to the coaches, everybody keeps mentioning it. [It’s] the work that he’s putting in,” Barkley said of the new OC. “I don’t think there’s really anybody that can beat him into the building. I think he’s still the last one to leave the building. I think that’s pretty cool when you have a guy that’s that bought in.”

2.

I have a ruling on the Dexter Lawrence trade. I saw him intercept Bears QB Caleb Williams in joint practices — and I’ve seen enough. It’s a win for the Bengals.

OK, I’m sort of kidding. But if you remember, I was a fan of the trade when the Bengals got the two-time All-Pro defensive tackle from the New York Giants in April. So now that Lawrence is proving to be a game-wrecker for Cincinnati, I will begin my first victory lap.

The Bengals traded the 10th overall pick in a package that got them Lawrence. On the clock at No. 10, the Giants took tackle Francis Mauigoa. The players available included safety Caleb Downs and edge Rueben Bain, among others. They’re good players. They’re not likely to be as impactful as Lawrence in 2026. And that’s what really matters to the Bengals.

Because QB Joe Burrow is tired of losing. He’s thinking about the Super Bowl. This year.

“You know, I’m tired of saying, ‘Next year, next year, next year.’ This is it,” Burrow told reporters. “Life is too short to keep pushing things down the road, and I’m trying to instill some urgency and some intensity in everybody to go and be great every day and try to go make it happen.”

Lawrence is helping carry out that vision. The Bengals need to keep investing in that vision.

3.

Fernando Mendoza’s second preseason game left me wanting more — not always in a good way. Before we dive in, I want to rewind to his first outing against the Arizona Cardinals. In that game, Mendoza looked … solid. Nothing exceptionally good or bad. But it was a performance he needed to build on, if he was going to put additional pressure on presumed starter Kirk Cousins.

Because, to be clear, Mendoza looks solid on the whole. If the Raiders wanted to play him, they could. And he’d struggle and learn on the job. But that’s not what they want. They want him to be better than Cousins before he plays. And that’s just not where Mendoza is at — yet. 

In the first preseason game, he put together a nice drive, which included a chunk play to Malik Benson and an anticipation throw (which seemed to demonstrate pre-snap confidence in reading the defense) in the red zone for a 6-yard touchdown to receiver Jack Bech. Those were plays where Mendoza’s timing was ideal. But there were others when he was late to throw — when he waited too long and missed his window.

That made perfect sense. 

He has taken more than twice as many snaps under center in just these two preseason games (13) than he did in his entire season at Indiana (6). This will take time.

So back to his second preseason outing. You probably know by now that he threw an interception, which the Texans returned for a touchdown. It was a rookie mistake, with Mendoza looking off a throw that he could make and turning to the wrong checkdown at the wrong moment — too late. It’s a play he needs to throw away.

Mendoza, again, looked a beat late on several plays.

And then there was the stuff beyond his control.

He took a sack that wasn’t his fault, with pressure coming up the middle instantaneously. He took pressure much quicker than expected on a screen pass, which ruined the timing of the play, which could have gone for 50 yards — but ended up with nine.

I still like Mendoza. I still think he’ll start at some point this season. And while the Raiders would love for him to show progress (which he has!), they also have made it clear they’d prefer to keep him on the bench for as long as possible. 

His interception was the perfect excuse to do just that.

He can make these rookie mistakes in practice, where he can do them behind closed doors — and without external scrutiny. If that’s what they really want, that’s what they can now do.

4.

Eli Manning famously rejected the San Diego Chargers leading into the 2004 NFL Draft. Peyton Manning famously returned to Tennessee and college football rather than land with Bill Parcells’ Jets in 1997. 

Would their nephew, Texas QB Arch Manning, do something similar ahead of the 2027 NFL Draft? 

There are a few strong candidates to lock up the No. 1 overall pick in 2027. The Jets and Cardinals make sense. But after the Cleveland Browns named Deshaun Watson as QB1, no other team is in a better position to get the top pick. 

Cleveland’s quarterback situation would be considered untenable for any other organization. The Browns have a plan, which is that they’ll explore Watson (and probably QB Shedeur Sanders, too) in 2026 and likely draft their next franchise QB in the upcoming class, which is supposed to boast several elite prospects. 

It’s actually not that bad of a plan. Objectively, no one wants to play Watson. Sanders has yet to live up to his “LEGENDARY” brand name. But if there was any season to tank, this would be it, with a swath of outstanding QB prospects eligible for next year’s draft.

Unless … well, the plan could backfire. 

If the Browns pick at No. 1, then it’s possible that a handful of the elite prospects won’t want to land in Cleveland. And if one guy stays in school, that could lead others to follow suit. 

Might Arch Manning skip the 2027 NFL Draft to stay in school and avoid being picked by the Browns? (Photo by David Buono/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

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The biggest flight risk might be the top projected prospect, Manning. He might be the highest-profile prospect since Peyton.

“I’ve spent a lot of time with Archie [Manning] and [Arch’s dad] Cooper [Manning],” draft analyst Todd McShay said on the “Brandon Walker College Football Show.” “I’ve spent a lot of time in Thibodaux, Louisiana, talking to the Manning family. The 2027 draft is not — by any stretch — a guarantee that Arch is going to be in it.”

Oregon Ducks QB Donte Moore, in play to be the No. 1 prospect, is only a redshirt junior. Same with South Carolina QB LaNorris Sellers, who could play his way into first-overall contention. The good news is that there are others: Notre Dame’s C.J. Carr, Ohio Sate’s Julian Sayin and USC’s Jayden Maiava. 

The Browns should end up with a good QB if they’re picking at No. 1. But it’s worth considering whether they might repel the best of the best.

If Manning stays in school, he’ll see the Jets, Cardinals and Browns draft QBs in Round 1. So that means avoiding some of the historically awful franchises for a QB. It’s a long way away. But it already makes sense.

5.

The good news for Stroud is that he entered the NFL as a serviceable quarterback. The bad news for Stroud is that, in 2026, he’s roughly as serviceable.

As the Texans and Stroud begin negotiations on what the QB is worth, they are apparently not particularly close, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. And I can imagine why. Stroud is the same guy who gave Caleb Williams advice after a game, with the Texans QB speaking down to Williams, like Stroud had years of NFL experience — like he was an accomplished vet.

The moment lacked self-awareness.

And now Stroud probably wants to get paid like an accomplished vet.

Maybe those demands, again, lack self-awareness. 

In all likelihood, the Texans will have to pay Stroud. But not before making him prove himself — and get that nasty taste of the team’s last playoff run out of the Texans’ mouths.

6.

1. I think I’m worried about Titans QB Cam Ward again. 

Last week, I felt like I was being a little melodramatic about Ward’s calamitous first preseason outing. Because it’s only preseason, right? But yet again this week, Ward looked like one of the worst QB1s who played. Last week’s excuse was that the sample size was too small. But that sample is getting bigger and nothing has changed. I’m still worried.

2. I think this throw from Rams QB Stetson Bennett was utter nonsense. 

How did he do it?
 

3. I think a few rookie receivers are coming back down to earth. 

There were a few names during the early weeks of training camp who seemed to be the next Randy Moss: Chiefs receiver Cyrus Allen, Browns receiver Denzel Boston, Saints receiver Jordyn Tyson. 

Allen literally seemed like the second coming of Tyreek Hill — but then he was WR5 in the preseason game this weekend, going in after Tyquan Thornton and Jaylen Royals. Boston had all the hype before the team got into pads, but I’ve seen his name fade since then. And Tyson, who was a human highlight reel at Saints camp, suffered a serious hamstring injury that’s going to mean he misses some time.

4. I think a few rookie receivers are not coming back down to earth. 

All you fantasy folks out there, keep an eye out for receivers Ja’Kobi Lane (Ravens), De’Zhaun Stribling (49ers) and Caleb Douglas (Dolphins). I also like Allen a lot, even with this rearrangement of the depth chart. He might not be Hill 2.0, but he’s still probably going to be good.

5. I think I’m relieved Raiders RB Ashton Jeanty is OK. 

He went down in practice on Sunday with an ankle injury, but he appears to be OK per multiple reports. He will likely miss some of the regular season. But man, it would’ve been truly awful to see him miss the season before it began, particularly after such a disappointing rookie year behind a crappy offensive line.

6. I think Ben Johnson loves keeping Caleb Williams humble. 

There was a throw that made the rounds on social media from the Chicago Bears QB. Williams targeted tight end Colston Loveland on a seam route near the end zone, and the QB put the ball in a hard-to-reach spot. Who was at fault? Should Loveland have caught it? 

Johnson cleared up any confusion: “I probably would go somewhere else with the ball on that one.”

Loveland should never have been the target. Receiver Kaden Davis was wide open underneath. This is the philosophical battle between Johnson and Williams: Take the killshot or take the easy ones.

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There’s no position in sports that’s debated more than quarterback. And for the first time in years, there’s plenty of debate about who the best quarterback in the NFL is.

After Patrick Mahomes’ and the Kansas City Chiefs’ underwhelming 2025 season, there’s no consensus on who is the No. 1 quarterback in the league. Matthew Stafford is the reigning MVP winner, while Josh Allen played at an elite level again last season following his MVP win in 2024. Then there are the likes of Lamar Jackson, who is a two-time MVP winner, and Joe Burrow, who has been statistically dominant when healthy.

So, which quarterback is actually the best in the league entering the 2026 campaign? Here is how the six of us ranked the 10 best quarterbacks. 

Jared Goff has statistically been a top-five passer since he joined the Lions in 2021. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)

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Greg Auman: Goff finished second in the NFL last year behind only Matthew Stafford in both passing touchdowns (34) and passing yards (4,564). He’s topped 4,400 passing yards four years in a row, and his 130 passing touchdowns since 2022 are 13 more than any other quarterback. 

What’s missing? Goff only has two playoff wins in five years in Detroit, so the best thing he can do to elevate his status is beat other top quarterbacks head-to-head in January. If Detroit is healthy on defense and a reshuffled offensive line can work, it’ll be a playoff team again and potentially a dangerous one. 

Detroit’s last two games are at Chicago and Green Bay, so it very well might be that its playoff run starts in Week 17. Can Goff outduel Caleb Williams and Jordan Love on the road down the stretch?

Justin Herbert’s first six seasons have been historic, but he’s still missing success in the postseason. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

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Eric D. Williams: At 6-foot-6 and 236 pounds and blessed with one of the strongest arms in football, Herbert possesses all the physical tools to be considered one of the elite quarterbacks in the league. The Oregon product also has the stats to back up that claim. Herbert’s 24,820 passing yards through the first six seasons of his career are second in league history. He is the only player ever to eclipse 4,000 yards in each of his first three years and his 31 games with 300-plus passing yards rank tied for second in the NFL since 2020.

Still, Herbert has failed to get it done in the postseason, going 0-3 so far in the playoffs. The Chargers believe the addition of new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel will unlock a higher level of play for Herbert and the Bolts’ offense, which will lead to a deep postseason run in head coach Jim Harbaugh’s third season with the team.

Jordan Love hasn’t dominated in traditional stats to start his career, but he’s been one of the NFL’s most efficient passers. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)

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Henry McKenna: I’m happy we have Love on this list. I’m not sure that Love’s statistical breakthrough season is coming this year, given that he still doesn’t have a bona fide WR1. But I will say that his breakthrough season — from a decision-making and consistency standpoint — was last year. His game was clunky and filled with easy mistakes in 2024, perhaps because of pressure or perhaps because of injuries. But in 2025, he looked like the NFL’s best decision-maker, capable of managing games from throw to throw and drive to drive. He didn’t throw a million passes, but he generated the explosives when they presented themselves and largely took what the defense gave him. 

I’m expecting another impressive year on film and in advanced statistics, even if I can’t promise he’s a top-10 fantasy QB.

Dak Prescott had his fourth 4,000-yard passing season in 2025. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)

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Ben Arthur: While playoff success has eluded him, Prescott has long been considered a top-10 quarterback. The 33-year-old this past season led the NFL in completions for the second time in his career (404) and registered his fourth 4,000-yard passing season. The former fourth-round pick ranked in the top five in passing yards, passing touchdowns, EPA (expected points added) per dropback and completion rate over expected in 2025. 

Notably, Prescott is one of the NFL’s most aggressive passers. He led the league in tight window rate for the third time in the last four years last season. Entering his second year with the CeeDee Lamb-George Pickens tandem at receiver, the four-time Pro Bowler is positioned to continue putting up big numbers in 2026. 

Drake Maye either led the NFL or was in second in many quarterback stats in 2025, including completion percentage. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

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McKenna: The guy made it to the Super Bowl in his second year. Admittedly, he got trounced immediately after arriving in the big game. But it was a testament to his ascendance in a season when he finished second in MVP voting behind Matthew Stafford. 

Last year, Maye was outstanding in just about every measurement. You want wins? He had 14 in the regular season and three more in the postseason. You want touchdowns? He scored 35 total last year. You want efficiency and advanced stats? He completed 72% of his passes and finished with an EPA per dropback of .25 (first in the NFL). 

Last season was an ascent comparable only to what we’ve seen from Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes. Now the question is whether — with a tougher schedule — Maye can maintain what he’s built. Whether he can meet this new standard. That uncertainty is what’s keeping him out of the top five.

Joe Burrow led the NFL in passing in 2024, but a toe injury caused him to miss most of the 2025 campaign. (Photo by Ben Jackson/Getty Images)

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Auman: Burrow had five playoff wins and a Super Bowl appearance in his first three years in the league, but the Bengals have now missed the playoffs three years in a row. That’s on a terrible defense and Burrow’s bad injury luck. Can both change in 2026? The Bengals are the AFC’s Cowboys, led by a prolific quarterback and two elite receivers but hobbled by a bottom-five defense. 

Can Burrow stay healthy and get back to his dominant 43-touchdown form in 2024? That, and even a mediocre defense, will put the Bengals back in the playoffs and give Burrow a chance to reset himself among the elite quarterbacks in the league, not by reputation, but on production. Their schedule is super-easy, with only five games out of 17 against the top half of our most recent power rankings.

Lamar Jackson is one of three active quarterbacks who have won multiple MVP awards. (Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)

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Arthur: Jackson missed four games last season due to injury, but he remains on the shortlist of superstar quarterbacks when healthy. In 2024, his last full season, the two-time MVP led the NFL in touchdown rate, yards per attempt and passer rating. He also added 915 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns on a league-high 6.6 yards per carry that year. 

Entering his age-29 season, the mobility that has made Jackson arguably the best dual-threat quarterback of all time could start to diminish. It’ll be paramount for the four-time Pro Bowler to continue making massive strides as a passer. In 2024, the former first-round pick registered his first 4,000-yard passing season. 

Matthew Stafford won his first MVP in 2025, leading the league in touchdown passes in passing yards. (Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)

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Williams: Stafford deservedly won a close competition over Drake Maye for the NFL MVP award last season — the first time the 38-year-old signal caller took home the trophy in his illustrious, 18-year career. Stafford lit up the scoreboard for L.A.’s offense in 2025, leading the league in touchdown passes (46), passing yards (4,707) and finishing second in passer rating (109.2). Stafford threw a league-high 32 touchdowns and just one interception against the blitz during his MVP season.

Stafford missed most of training camp last year with a balky back, so can he make it through a full season healthy again? The Rams drafted Ty Simpson in the first round as insurance, but he’ll likely not be ready to lead this team, heavily favored to win the Super Bowl. So, it will be up to head coach Sean McVay to keep Stafford upright. Stafford played a full, 17-game season for the first time last year since 2021.

Patrick Mahomes still rankgs first in league history in passing yards per game (285.2), even after an underwhelming 2025.  (Photo by Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

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Arthur: Mahomes may be the “GOAT” of this era, but his passing numbers in recent years have been nowhere near as spectacular as they were at the start of his career. He’s also coming off the first major injury of his career: a torn ACL. In 14 games last season, he completed 62.7% of his passes for 3,587 yards and 22 touchdowns with 11 interceptions.

The reality, though, is that he remains one of the most gifted and creative quarterbacks of all time. He ranks first in league history in passing yards per game (285.2) and passing success rate (51.9%). His postseason success is also unparalleled among his peers: three Super Bowl rings, three Super Bowl MVPs, five Super Bowl appearances and seven AFC Championship Game appearances. 

If Rashee Rice is healthy and focused, Mahomes will have his best wide receiver room in years. Having reigning Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III in the backfield takes pressure off him as well. 

JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA – JANUARY 11: Josh Allen #17 of the Buffalo Bills reacts after the play against the Jacksonville Jaguars during the fourth quarter in the AFC Wild Card Playoff game at EverBank Stadium on January 11, 2026 in Jacksonville, Florida.  (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images)

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Ralph Vacchiano: If Allen could just win one championship, he might end up being in the conversation with Patrick Mahomes as the greatest quarterback of their generation. And really, he should be anyway. He’s finished in the top five in MVP voting four straight years, and five of the last six. That also includes four finishes in the top four. 

Allen still has the strongest arm in the game and is a lock to run for 500 yards and double-digit touchdowns every year. He may not be putting up the gaudy numbers he did earlier in his career, but he’s still averaged 3,700 passing yards and 27 touchdowns the last two seasons with a questionable arsenal of weapons and no true No. 1 receiver. Allen was also the MVP in 2024 and might have ended up finishing higher than third last year if the Bills could have prevented him from getting sacked a career-high 40 times. 

This year, the Bills upgraded his receiving corps a little with D.J. Moore and he could get an even bigger boost with his old offensive coordinator Joe Brady now running things his way as the Bills head coach. Allen is 30, so he isn’t exactly running out of time. But there is definitely a feeling in Buffalo and around the league that his time may be right now.

 

 

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College football returns Saturday with four Week 0 games worth watching, headlined by Memphis at UNLV at 10 p.m. ET on FOX. Dan Mullen’s Rebels open Year 2 against a Memphis team making its debut under Charles Huff.

Here’s how to watch the Week 0 slate, plus the biggest storylines for North Carolina vs. TCU in Dublin, No. 14 USC’s opener and the season’s first ACC matchup.

College Football Week 0 Top Games Schedule

Memphis at UNLV

• Date: Saturday, Aug. 29
• Time: 10 p.m. ET
• TV: FOX
• Stream: Watch 3 days free on FOX One
• Location: Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas

College football’s first FOX game of 2026 gets the late window in Las Vegas. Memphis and UNLV have never met, giving Week 0 a fresh matchup between programs with new-era expectations.

Charles Huff makes his Memphis debut opposite Dan Mullen, who begins his second season at UNLV. Rebels running back Jai’Den “Jet” Thomas enters the year as the Mountain West’s preseason all-conference selection at his position. The game also marks UNLV’s first regular-season appearance on FOX.

Other Big College Football Games

North Carolina vs. TCU

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• Date: Saturday, Aug. 29
• Time: Noon ET
• TV: ESPN
• Stream: ESPN Unlimited – Get the FOX One / ESPN Bundle
• Location: Aviva Stadium, Dublin

Week 0 opens overseas with the Aer Lingus College Football Classic. It is the first international game in North Carolina history and TCU’s first game outside the United States. The matchup also gives the teams a second consecutive season-opening meeting.

North Carolina running back Demon June arrives on the Doak Walker Award preseason watch list. TCU counters with safety Jamel Johnson, a Bednarik Award watch-list selection who gives the Horned Frogs a proven playmaker on the back end.

San Jose State at No. 14 USC

• Date: Saturday, Aug. 29
• Time: 3 p.m. ET
• TV: NBC
• Stream: Peacock
• Location: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles

USC is the only AP-ranked team in this four-game guide, opening at No. 14 in the preseason poll. The Trojans begin at home against a San Jose State team led by Ken Niumatalolo.

Quarterback Jayden Maiava enters the season with Big Ten preseason honors and control of the USC offense. San Jose State gets an immediate national-stage test before moving into the rest of its September schedule.

 College Football Related Stories

NC State at Virginia

• Date: Saturday, Aug. 29
• Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
• TV: ESPN, with an alternate presentation on ACC Network
• Stream: ESPN Unlimited – Get the FOX One / ESPN Bundle
• Location: Scott Stadium, Charlottesville, Virginia

The first ACC game of the season stayed in Week 0 after receiving an NCAA waiver, even after the matchup moved from Rio de Janeiro to Charlottesville. It will be the 1,400th game in Virginia football history.

NC State quarterback CJ Bailey enters the year as a team captain and a Walter Camp and Maxwell Award watch-list selection. Virginia linebacker Kam Robinson is the only returning semifinalist from the 2025 Butkus Award field.

The Joel Klatt Show

Joel Klatt breaks down the biggest topics in the world of college football. Joel relies on his experience on the field, detailed film analysis and unmatched preparation to give you the most consistent, fair and best analysis in the sport. Each week, Joel dives into his Top 10 teams, answers questions and discusses the biggest storylines in college football.

How to Watch College Football Week 0

Memphis at UNLV airs on FOX at 10 p.m. ET and is simulcast on FOX One and FOXSports.com. It is the only FOX broadcast-network game in this curated Week 0 guide, so there is no overlapping regionalized FOX window to navigate.

The two ESPN matchups are available through ESPN’s current direct-to-consumer offering and supported providers. The linked FOX One / ESPN Bundle calls to action direct readers to the current bundle page. San Jose State at USC airs on NBC and streams on Peacock.

Subscriptions, authentication requirements and availability can vary by service, plan and location. Check your provider and local listings before kickoff because college football schedules remain subject to change.

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Deshaun Watson or Shedeur Sanders? That has been the question throughout training camp and the preseason for the Cleveland Browns, but it’s now answered.

Veteran quarterback Deshaun Watson will be Cleveland’s starter in Week 1, head coach Todd Monken confirmed on Monday, bumping Sanders to the backup role. Monken told reporters that he doesn’t anticipate his decision at quarterback to be a “week-to-week” decision.

“That question is not a quarterback question,” Monken said. “It is everybody’s position. Every single week we have to prove it. That’s what we do. As pros, we have to prove it every week. It doesn’t matter what position. Ultimately, we expect him to play well or we wouldn’t be starting him.”

Sanders started seven games and made eight appearances for the Browns in his rookie 2025 after falling to the fifth round of the NFL Draft. He made the Pro Bowl as a late substitute, despite having 10 interceptions against seven touchdowns and 1,400 yards passing and a 56.6% completion rate.

Sanders had the chance to start in part because Watson was unavailable — now that Watson is back and presumably healthy, the job is his for the first time since 2024, in the final season of a fully guaranteed, five-year, $230 million contract signed in 2022.

(Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images)

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Watson missed all of 2025 recovering from a second surgery on his torn Achilles, suffered on Oct. 20, 2024. He was limited to seven starts that season due to the injury, but that was also a continuation of how his tenure in Cleveland had gone to that point. Watson, after making three straight Pro Bowls for the Houston Texans from 2018-20, missed the entire 2021 season due to requesting a trade and multiple allegations of sexual assault. Watson was accused of sexual assault and inappropriate conduct by over two dozen women and faced as many civil lawsuits, which didn’t wrap up until 2024.

Watson would end up suspended for 11 games in 2022 for those allegations, his first since the Browns acquired him from the Texans in a March trade, before debuting in Week 13 in early December. Watson looked like a QB who hadn’t suited up for a couple of years rather than the one who led the NFL in passing yards in 2020, and rotator cuff injuries in 2023 limited both his production and playing time in the follow-up season.

All told with the Browns, Watson has started and appeared in 19 games, in which he’s thrown for 3,365 yards with 19 touchdowns against 12 interceptions. This past weekend, Watson was booed by Browns’ fans for his performance against the Buffalo Bills, and postgame discussed how these same fans cheered when he tore his Achilles in 2024.

Watson told reporters on Monday that he understands the “frustration” that Browns fans might feel about him being their starting quarterback after his recent comments, which he called “emotional.”

“Just human nature, just myself being very emotional, putting a lot of time these last two years to get back and spend time in this facility, in the city, meeting a lot of different people in the community,” Watson said. “I thought I was going to get a little different response, but I think my emotions got the best of me and my comments wasn’t intending to go at any of the fans around in the city because there’s been a lot of great fans that have been supporting me.”

On Sunday, Sanders outperformed Watson by going 8-for-11 with a TD and a pick, and 74 yards passing.

Dillon Gabriel and Tayler Green are the other two quarterbacks the Browns have in the room this preseason, but the competition was always between Watson and Sanders. For now, it’s Watson who will lead the Browns.

Browns Related Stories

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In 2025, only six quarterbacks surpassed 4,000 passing yards. 

Matthew Stafford, Jared Goff, Dak Prescott, Drake Maye, Sam Darnold and Trevor Lawrence all accomplished the feat, with Stafford being the only QB to throw for more than 4,700 yards in his MVP season. 

In 2024, six QBs also exceeded the number, with Burrow leading the league with 4,918 passing yards, while Goff and Darnold found themselves on the list in consecutive seasons. 

So, which QBs will top 4,000 passing yards this season?

Let’s check out the latest odds at DraftKings Sportsbook as of Aug. 24.

Matthew Stafford led the NFL in passing yards in 2025 (Harry How/Getty Images).

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QBs to Throw 4,000+ Regular-Season Passing Yards

Jared Goff: -135 (bet $10 to win $17.41 total)
Joe Burrow: -110 (bet $10 to win $19.09 total)
Dak Prescott: -110 (bet $10 to win $19.09 total)
Matthew Stafford: +120 (bet $10 to win $22 total)
Brock Purdy: +130 (bet $10 to win $23 total)
Drake Maye: +135 (bet $10 to win $23.50 total)
Trevor Lawrence: +140 (bet $10 to win $24 total)
Josh Allen: +165 (bet $10 to win $26.50 total)
Sam Darnold: +175 (bet $10 to win $27.50 total)
Caleb Williams: +175 (bet $10 to win $27.50 total)
Patrick Mahomes: +185 (bet $10 to win $28.50 total)
C.J. Stroud: +190 (bet $10 to win $29 total)
Justin Herbert: +200 (bet $10 to win $30 total)
Jordan Love: +230 (bet $10 to win $33 total)
Baker Mayfield: +230 (bet $10 to win $33 total)
Bo Nix: +250 (bet $10 to win $35 total)

Here’s what to know about the oddsboard.

The Favorites: In the last two seasons, Jared Goff has been second in the NFL in passing yards, trailing only Joe Burrow in 2024 and Matthew Stafford in 2025. The Lions QB has thrown 4,000+ passing yards in six of his 10 NFL seasons, including in four straight. Goff has the shortest odds at -135 to throw for 4,000+ passing yards once again. Next on the board are Burrow and Prescott. In every season he has remained healthy, Burrow has reached this number with ease. In the other three years, when injuries forced him to miss significant time, he hasn’t come close. Health is wealth, and Burrow’s availability will likely determine whether the Bengals QB reaches this number again in 2026. Similarly, Prescott has surpassed 4,400 passing yards in three of his last five seasons, with injuries limiting him from reaching that mark in the other two. Prescott was third in the NFL last season with 4,552 passing yards. 

Mahomes’ Bounceback: Surprisingly, Patrick Mahomes has led the league in passing yards just once, throwing for a career-high 5,250 yards in 2022. Last season, Mahomes posted a career-low 3,587 passing yards as he dealt with an inconsistent offensive line and receiving corps before missing the final three games of the season with a torn ACL. The two-time MVP has since been fully cleared and is expected to be ready for Week 1 against the Broncos. Before falling short of 4,000 yards in both 2024 and 2025, Mahomes surpassed that mark in each of his first six seasons as a starting QB, including four seasons with more than 4,700 yards. The three-time Super Bowl champion is +185 to get back over 4,000 passing yards in 2026.

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Welcome to the Quarterback Notebook, where I’ll be covering the past week in NFL quarterbacking — from the most interesting passers, plays and storylines, to some other stuff that caught my eye while watching film.

In this preseason edition of the notebook, I’ll make the case for Fernando Mendoza to start in Las Vegas, weigh in on the Rams’ backup quarterback competition, examine the Drew Allar hype, and more. 

Let’s talk quarterbacks.

The Raiders plan to subject us to a full season of Kirk Cousins as part of Fernando Mendoza’s developmental plan. While that’s disappointing, the reasoning is easy to understand. We’ve seen bad supporting casts stunt a young quarterback’s development. And if you’ve looked at the Raiders’ offensive depth chart at any point this summer, you know it lacks the supporting talent that most rookie passers need to have a successful campaign. 

After watching Mendoza’s first two preseason games, though, the Las Vegas brain trust, led by Tom Brady, should feel confident that Mendoza isn’t like most rookies. He’s already showing the polish and refinement coaches want to see from developing quarterbacks before handing them the keys to the offense.

Rookie Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak certainly isn’t treating him like a rookie quarterback with his playcalling. In games against the Cardinals and Texans, Kubiak essentially threw Mendoza into the schematic deep end, with very few schemed-up throws, like screen passes or run-pass options, and a healthy dosage of big-boy dropback concepts that even veteran passers can find difficult to execute.

Fernando Mendoza talks with Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak after their preseason game against the Houston Texans. (Tim Warner/Getty Images)

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Mendoza has certainly shown some signs of his youth, especially when his first read doesn’t pop open, but the good has easily outweighed the bad.

I’ve been most impressed with Mendoza’s eyes. They always seem to go to the right spots based on the coverage. The Raiders have dialed up a lot of “pick a side” concepts that see Mendoza read the safeties and pick a side of the field to work based on the coverage shell. That’s not exactly 400-level quarterbacking, but young QBs routinely botch those reads, and Mendoza has had no such issues so far.

If you’ve ever heard Mendoza talk about quarterbacking, that’s hardly surprising. The dude is a robot who sounds like his brain is synced with an AI chatbot trained on coach axioms and old Bill Walsh playbooks.

I have been pleasantly surprised by how crafty Mendoza has already proven to be. This throw from the preseason opener against Arizona is a good example of Mendoza working outside of the scheme to make a play.

There isn’t much of a window there with the Arizona linebacker dropping underneath the deep stop route, so Mendoza looks outside to hold the defender out of the throwing lane just long enough to zip a ball past him. From the end-zone angle, you can see that Mendoza is looking to the outside of the defender before throwing the ball back inside of him.

Now that is 400-level quarterbacking.

Here’s another throw you don’t often see from rookie quarterbacks, with Mendoza hitting a backside “drift” route after Arizona covers up his frontside read.

That’s a staple play-call in Kubiak’s scheme, which is heavily influenced by his former boss, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan. If you can’t make that throw, you can’t play in this offense. That Mendoza already seems to have it down is a sure sign that he’s game-ready. If I were to nitpick that play, I would point out Mendoza’s awkward footwork as he works to the backside. He can’t get his base under him as he makes the throw.

But that’s exactly why he should be on the field getting reps. Mendoza already has the mental acuity to play NFL quarterback. He just needs to get comfortable executing against a live defense. That won’t happen on the bench.

That 35-yard connection between Bo Nix and new Broncos wide receiver Jaylen Waddle set off an internet debate over the quality of that throw. 

My take: It’s complicated.

All things considered, the throw itself is fine. Sure, Nix slowed Waddle down and probably cost him a long touchdown, but we can’t ignore the pass rush’s effect on the pass. Packers defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt is bearing down on Nix and gets a hand up to disrupt his throwing motion. He has to snap it off early and can’t get a proper follow-through.

That’s probably why Next Gen Stats had the completion probability at just 46%, even with Waddle running wide open down the seam. The throw wasn’t the layup that it looks like if you’re only focusing on the catch point.

But that’s not where the analysis should end. Nix had the time and space to slide up in the pocket into a cleaner throwing platform, which would have lowered the pass’ degree of difficulty considerably.

Pocket management has been the most glaring issue in Nix’s game early in his career, and that has had a downstream impact on his accuracy, as it did in this instance. If the third-year quarterback is going to make the leap Denver is hoping for this season, he’ll have to clean up this one particular issue. 

Stetson Bennett vs. Ty Simpson Is A Matter Of Taste

There hasn’t been much separating Stetson Bennett and Ty Simpson this preseason as they battle for the right to back up reigning MVP Matthew Stafford. Simpson was the better quarterback in the first game, but Bennett hit back in game two, leading the Rams to 20 points on five drives against the Saints while L.A.’s first-round pick was merely fine. With just one more week left in the preseason, the competition still appears to be wide open.

Rams head coach Sean McVay’s final decision will give us a clue as to how the offense might run if Stafford has to miss time during the season. Simpson has been the cleaner of the two, completing nearly 80 percent of his passes, while Bennett has been the more ambitious quarterback with a much higher average air yards per attempt (8.7 yards to 4.7). 

The rookie hasn’t logged a single deep attempt, according to Next Gen Stats, which tells me the Rams haven’t taken the training wheels off for Simpson. Nearly a quarter of his throws have been to the flat, per Next Gen Stats, with many of those coming after play-action fakes. Los Angeles has been spamming bootlegs throughout the exhibition games, and it’s helped pad Simpson’s completion percentage.

The play-call menu has been more expansive when Bennett is out there, with more straight dropbacks and passing concepts that allow the 28-year-old to scan the entire field. It looks more like the offense we’ll see Stafford run during the regular season with Bennett on the field.

The Simpson offense has looked more like McVay’s early days in Los Angeles when he was calling plays for a young Jared Goff. McVay was eager to part ways with Goff and level up his passing game with Stafford. Unless the Rams coach wants to return to the pre-Stafford offense, Bennett will be the next man up if Stafford goes down. If he wants a steadier hand and a safer offense, Simpson could steal the backup job.

Simpson has the higher upside, but I’d roll with Bennett for now. He’s willing — but not always able — to make the tougher perimeter throws, like this audacious touch throw he made in the win over New Orleans.

And McVay lauded Bennett’s scrambling after he rushed for two touchdowns Saturday night. That second-reaction ability adds another layer to the Rams’ offense that even the league’s MVP can’t provide.

The Steelers have already made it clear that Drew Allar’s rookie season will be a redshirt year, so there’s no need to rush into debates on how the third-round pick’s career will turn out. But with Allar putting a handful of flashy throws on tape over the first weeks, including this perfectly weighted ball down the sideline against the Jets, there’s been a rush to anoint him as Pittsburgh’s long-term answer at quarterback.

I guess we’ll be spending these last few weeks before the regular season debating the future of a quarterback who was largely an afterthought during the draft cycle. So, let’s get into it.

That’s admittedly a sweet-looking throw, with Allar dropping it in a bucket near the sideline 38 yards downfield. The play loses some of its luster when you zoom out to the all-22 angle and see that tight end Lake McRee was running into acres of open grass and provided his quarterback with a wide margin for error.

That’s a throw you’d expect most NFL quarterbacks to make — and there are plenty of them who would have made things a bit easier on the receiver, which has been a theme through the two preseason games. Pittsburgh’s receivers have burned Allar with a few drops, but the rookie throwing outside the frame of his target has contributed to some of those missed connections.

If I were a Steelers fan, I’d also be giddy about Allar’s start — but I’d be just as concerned with some of the red flags. 

Allar’s tendency to drift back in the pocket rather than stepping up is chief among them. The rookie has the arm talent to make throws while fading back, but he’d make things a lot easier for himself if he threw with a firm base more consistently. Good quarterbacks don’t make things harder for themselves. The good ones find a way to make the difficult things look easier play after play.

It’s not surprising that Allar has made some impressive throws. His pre-draft scouting report touted him as a quarterback with a talented arm who had issues reading coverage and maintaining proper throwing mechanics. We’ve seen plenty of those weaknesses over the past two weeks. After two up-and-down preseason games, there’s no need to update that scouting report on what he could be.

Allar has yet to show us anything we (and the NFL teams that let him fall to the third round) didn’t already know. The Steelers should continue to develop him, but the team’s search for its next franchise quarterback isn’t over just yet.

Other Preseason Takes

With over a hundred quarterbacks taking reps in the preseason, it’s impossible to cover everything in this notebook, so here are five quickfire thoughts and takes on some quarterbacks around the league.

1. Tua Tagovailoa and Michael Penix Jr. are competing for the Falcons’ starting job, but undrafted free agent Jack Strand, a standout Division II Minnesota State–Moorhead quarterback, might be the best quarterback on the roster.

2. Jordan Love’s MVP odds are far too low. The Packers are going to be in some shootouts, and based on what he showed in Denver on Friday night, he may have leveled up his game.

3. If the offensive line keeps Geno Smith clean like it did Friday, the Jets’ offense is going to be a lot better than you think.

4. I’m still not ready to give up on Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson, whose preseason tape has been a lot better than the numbers imply. Teams like Miami, Cleveland and Atlanta should give the Colts a call if Riley Leonard ends up winning the QB2 job behind Daniel Jones in Indy.

5. Joe Milton has been my favorite watch of the preseason. He’s more than just a strong arm. Dak Prescott is one of the better quarterbacks in the league, but the Cowboys’ offense won’t fall off a cliff if he has to miss time this season.

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