The Washington Commanders and New York Giants tied 27-27, but that’s not the biggest storyline from the game.

Quarterback Jayden Daniels drove the Commanders into field-goal range, seconds away from securing a win. But instead of spiking the ball to stop the clock, he snapped it, scrambled to the side, and went down.

This allowed the final seconds of overtime to tick away.

Players, coaches, and fans watching at home were left baffled by the decision. Even Commanders co-owner Magic Johnson voiced his frustration on social media, posting that he was in “total disbelief” over the team’s late-game clock management.

“I’m in total disbelief my Commanders had such poor clock management in today’s overtime game against the Giants,” Johnson wrote. “All we had to do was kick the field goal and we would have won the game.”

When asked about the play after the game, Daniels kept it short and brief with reporters.

“We’ve gotta relay that as an offense,” Daniels said. “It starts with everyone — top down. Ultimately it’s on me.”

Similar to Daniels, Commanders head coach Dan Quinn took full accountability. In fact, Quinn absolved Daniels of any blame for the final play. 

“The sequence of that does not fall on him,” Quinn said. “It’s an out-of-bounds throw or a ‘clock’. That has to come from me.”

Quinn also second-guessed his decision to not go for the field goal sooner.

“We can finish the kick earlier, we don’t need to gain more yards,” Quinn said. “That’s on me.”

With the tie, the Commanders moved to 1-3-1 on the season. Sure, they didn’t lose any distance from the 3-1-1 Giants in the NFC East race. However, that didn’t change the feeling among those in Washington.

“[It] feels like a loss,” Quinn said. 

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The saying “football is a game of inches” exists for a reason.

The 49ers are still undefeated, but San Francisco’s fourth-down stop that decided Sunday’s 32-29 win over the Seattle Seahawks was the biggest play of the game.

After the 49ers kicked a field goal following the two-minute warning to take a 32-29 lead, the Seahawks moved the ball to midfield and faced a fourth-and-10. 

Cooper Kupp looked like he would be stopped well short of the marker, but the veteran wide receiver fought along the sideline and stretched the ball toward the line to gain as he went out of bounds.

Officials ruled Kupp short. 

Because the play came inside two minutes, it was automatically reviewed from the booth, and the call on the field stood. That gave San Francisco the ball, who lined up in victory formation to take a knee and end the game.

On the broadcast, Tom Brady and Kevin Burkhardt were stunned by how close the play was, and Brady asked FOX rules analyst Dean Blandino how officials could possibly mark it.

Blandino explained that because Kupp’s feet were in bounds, the spot is determined by where the ball crosses the sideline, not where Kupp is.

“Take that sideline and a plane of glass going up. Where does it cross?” Blandino said. “This is so close.”

Tom Brady singled out a sideline throw from Sam Darnold to Jaxon Smith-Njigba on Seattle’s final drive, saying it was “going to come back to haunt both those guys tomorrow morning.”(Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

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Blandino said the ball appeared to cross right at the line to gain, the 40-yard line, and noted that the officials had to piece together multiple camera angles without a clean look down the line. 

Blandino predicted the call would stand, pointing to an earlier tight call in the game.

“Remember the call earlier that was really tight on the Deebo [Samuel Sr.] fumble. So if they’re going to be consistent, I would think they’ll stay with this,” Blandino said.

Burkhardt agreed there was no definitive angle, saying the spot looked “like it’s just a total guess,” and Brady added that horizontal camera angles made the play “impossible” to judge.

Once the ruling was confirmed, Burkhardt credited Blandino for getting it right.

“Oh my goodness! Talk about close, so close,” Brady said.

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Charlotte Motor Speedway (Concord, N.C.) — Chase Briscoe indicated Saturday that he had to adjust to the Joe Gibbs Racing attitude that winning races is the expectation.

He came from a Stewart-Haas Racing organization, a place where he felt victories were celebrated more. 

Now Briscoe is feeling the pressure at an organization that has a history of winning races and championships.

Briscoe made it back-to-back victories — the seventh and eighth of his career — as he won Sunday at Charlotte Motor Speedway, a week after winning at Las Vegas. 

He did both in dramatic fashion. The one on Sunday came as he held off a charging Christopher Bell by just 0.029 seconds, the second-closest finish in Cup history at the track.

Chase Briscoe’s win at Charlotte gave him wins in back-to-back weeks.

–>

Briscoe has earned six of his eight career wins the last two years since joining JGR.

“When [JGR] signed me [for 2025], I had one career Cup win and there was obviously a ton of question marks about what I guess my potential was. And for [Joe Gibbs] to take a chance on me and to be able to drive this car, it’s just a privilege,” Briscoe said in his post-race news conference. 

Here are my takeaways after the sixth race of the 10-race Chase:

1. Larson Hangs Onto Points Lead

Larson maintained his lead in The Chase standings.

–>

Kyle Larson saw his points lead increase by nine points, as he entered Charlotte with a 40-point lead over Denny Hamlin and left 49 up on Hamlin. Briscoe, with the win, is fourth in the standings at 65 points back (he entered at 84 points behind). Bell is 51 points behind (he entered 55 points back).

Larson, the two-time and defending Cup champion, won the opening stage, finished fourth in the second stage and wound up sixth in the race. Five of the top-six finishers were the championship leaders: Ryan Blaney (85 points behind) finished third, followed by non-Chase driver Josh Berry, Hamlin and Larson.

The four remaining races in The Chase are Phoenix, Talladega, Martinsville and Homestead.

“Just a good solid day,” Larson said in his USA Sports interview after the race “That’s what we’ve had. I feel like we maximized it.”

2. Hamlin Not Great When Needed

Denny Hamlin didn’t have the day he needed at Charlotte.

–>

Denny Hamlin thought he had a race-winning car for the first 100 laps, but he failed to earn points in the opening stage after one of his crew members fell over the pit road wall when reaching to grab a tire. That is considered a safety violation.

The conventional wisdom had Hamlin, the regular-season champion, winning at least one race by now in The Chase.

Instead, he has just one top-three finish and two top fives.

Hamlin told me and other reporters that his confidence is “so-so” to win his first Cup title.

“We haven’t lit the world on fire by any means, and we’re still hanging around,” Hamlin said. “It’s all we’ve got right now, and obviously, we’ve got to clean a lot of things up to get the best out of our days.

“But when it really counted with race-winning speed today, we just didn’t have it.”

3. Briscoe A Threat?

Could Chase Briscoe be a legitimate threat in The Chase?

–>

Not that people thought Briscoe couldn’t drive, but now that he has two wins, could he be a contender in this Chase? His crew chief, James Small, said that the team could “step on their throats” to win the title.

But that doesn’t always seem to be Briscoe’s mentality.

“He may not show it on the outside, but I know deep down he wants to win as bad as us,” Small said in his post-race news conference. “We’ve been on his ass to make sure that he hates finishing second as much as we do.”

Briscoe said he can go out and have a dominate-the-race mentality.

“The only way you’re going to cut into the gap is by winning races,” he said.

4. Wallace OK After Hard Crash

Bubba Wallace is doing fine after his crash at Charlotte.

–>

Bubba Wallace was OK after a hard crash where Alex Bowman got loose and over-corrected, spinning into Wallace, who then also hit the inside wall.

Wallace joked he still “got nine fingers and nine toes” after the crash, so that he was fine.

“Unfortunately, Alex got loose and we were just a byproduct,” Wallace told me and other reporters after being released from the infield medical center. “No hard feelings.”

4 ½. What’s Next: Phoenix Raceway

Can Kyle get another win at Phoenix next week?

–>

The series heads to Phoenix, which was the site of the championship the last several years before the finale moved to Homestead. 

But Phoenix plays a pivotal role in The Chase as a 1-mile flat track.

It has not been a good track for Hendrick Motorsports — even though Larson clinched the title there last year.

It has been a great one for Team Penske. Ryan Blaney won there in March as well as in the season finale in November.

For the Toyota teams, it’s been a solid track. It’s the place where Hamlin last year was cruising on his way to the title until a late caution resulted in pit stops and Hamlin’s four-tire stop put him too far back to rally for the title.

“Phoenix is difficult for us here lately, the last three or four races there,” Larson told me and other reporters after the race. “Hopefully, we can hit on something and be a little bit more competitive.

“And then Talladega can go either way. … You can’t get ahead of yourself.”

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The math has spoken. Winning matters in The Chase.

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In his 13th NFL Season, Mike Evans showed he still has plenty of gas left in the tank as he was named Tom Brady’s LFG Player of the Game after a standout performance in the San Francisco 49ers’ win over the Seattle Seahawks.

The San Francisco 49ers wide receiver caught seven passes for 113 yards and a touchdown as San Francisco outlasted Seattle, 32-29, to improve to 5-0. 

Tom Brady’s LFG Player of the Game: 49ers’ Mike Evans Week 5

Tom Brady awards San Francisco 49ers WR Mike Evans with the LFG Player of the Game after his big performance against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 5.

Evans’ 2-yard touchdown catch in the first quarter was the 111th of his career, tying Hall of Famer Tony Gonzalez for ninth on the NFL’s all-time list. 

He also caught the two-point conversion that gave the 49ers a 29-26 lead in the fourth quarter, and he had four catches for 75 yards on the go-ahead touchdown drive.

Brady, who called the game on FOX as part of “America’s Game of the Week,” opened his conversation with his former Tampa Bay teammate by praising what Evans gave San Francisco on a day he was visibly hurting.

“This is the first time I’ve had the chance to do this, and there’s nobody I loved playing with more in the NFL than Mike,” Brady said. “Today, you’re grimacing, you’re limping and you just kept coming back for more. How bad do you need that ice bath tonight?”

“I need it bad. I need it bad,” Evans said. “But it was all worth it.”

The Niners’ wide receiver dismissed Seahawks’ former Pro Bowl cornerback Trevon Diggs as he began to chirp at Evans, asking Diggs, “Who are you?”

Evans, who played through a rib injury a week earlier, was Brock Purdy’s most reliable target. Purdy finished 19 of 29 for 189 yards and two touchdowns, and Evans caught seven of his 10 targets. 

Brady asked how Evans knew Purdy would find him in one-on-one matchups.

“He just told me to stay the course,” Evans said. “Scoring on that first drive, the ribs got me a little bit. But as soon as I got warmed up, he kept giving me opportunities. He’s having a great season so far. So, it’s my job to do my best to get open for him and make plays.”

Mike Evans caught Tom Brady’s 600th career regular-season touchdown pass in 2021 when the pair played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers together. (Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images) –>

Brady then turned to the touchdown that tied Gonzalez, and to a memorable moment from their time together in Tampa. 

Evans caught Brady’s 600th career touchdown pass in 2021 and handed the ball to a fan in the stands, not realizing its significance, before the Buccaneers negotiated to get it back.

“You had a great touchdown catch today, tying Tony Gonzalez [on the all-time list],” Brady said. “I was actually going to come out of the booth and run down there and throw the ball into the stands, like you did with my 600th touchdown pass. So, you’re lucky I didn’t do that.”

“I’m not mad about that,” Evans said. “I appreciate you.”

And Evans really let it be known that he has great appreciation for Brady when the two finished their conversation. 

“Appreciate you, GOAT,” Evans said. “Love you. Let’s f-ing go!”

NFL Related Stories

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NFL Week 6 is nearly here, and it will kick off with a Thursday tilt between the Seahawks and Broncos. 

The Bengals, Lions, Dolphins and Vikings have byes.

Here are the lines for every Week 6 matchup at bet365 Sportsbook as of Oct. 12. 

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.

Thursday, Oct. 15

Spread: Seahawks -3
Moneyline: Seahawks -156, Broncos +131
O/U: 41.5

Sunday, Oct. 18

Spread: Jaguars -2.5
Moneyline: Jaguars -148, Texans +124
O/U: 43.5

Spread: Ravens -4.5
Moneyline: Ravens -235, Browns +190
O/U: 41.5

Spread: Eagles -1.5
Moneyline: Eagles -117, Panthers -103
O/U: 42.5

Spread: Bears -3.5
Moneyline: Bears -182, Falcons +152
O/U: 48.5

Spread: Saints -1.5
Moneyline: Saints -118, Giants -102
O/U: 44.5

Spread: Patriots -7
Moneyline: Patriots -340, Jets +270
O/U: 44.5

Spread: Steelers -2.5
Moneyline: Steelers -151, Buccaneers +126
O/U: 40.5

Spread: Colts -7
Moneyline: Colts -330, Titans +265
O/U: 44

Spread: Rams -12.5
Moneyline: Rams -750, Cardinals +525
O/U: 52.5

Spread: Bills -6
Moneyline: Bills -270, Raiders +220
O/U: 52.5

Spread: Chiefs -8.5
Moneyline: Chiefs -410, Chargers +325
O/U: 42.5

Spread: Packers -1.5
Moneyline: Packers -112, Cowboys -108
O/U: 52.5

Monday, Oct. 19

Spread: 49ers -7.5
Moneyline: 49ers -400, Commanders +320
O/U: 50.5

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The NFC East belonged to the Philadelphia Eagles for most of the past four seasons, but their reign of terror is over. It’s clear that this season just isn’t going to turn out the way they wanted.

So it’s time for the organization to start focusing on rebuilding for next year.

In fact, the first signs that they might be willing to raise a white flag on 2026 came last week with their bizarre decision to trade guard Cam Jurgens while they can barely piece together an offensive line of their own. But if that wasn’t a sign of surrender, they should really consider it now, after their soul-crushing 19-17 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars in London on Sunday.

It was a game they deserved to lose by a lot more than that, yet still could’ve won if they hadn’t become so inept at just about everything. They lost it when head coach Nick Sirianni failed to run the clock down on what would’ve been a game-winning field goal, then chose to kick off to the Jaguars instead of ordering the ball kicked through the end zone or even out of bounds with eight seconds remaining. Doing neither opened the door for a long kickoff return and a long field goal, which is precisely what the Jaguars pulled off to win at the buzzer.

Sirianni’s brain freeze and the ensuing comedy of errors were only part of the Eagles’ many mounting problems, though. Their offense, under first-year, first-time coordinator Sean Mannion continues to be a mess. Philly had just 232 yards, bringing its average up to 217.3 over the past three weeks. And that slog has taken a toll on a defense that has given up 47 fourth-quarter points through five games.

Meanwhile, the injuries are becoming insurmountable. The Eagles are currently down to their fourth running back, after injuries to Saquon Barkley, Tank Bigsby and Will Shipley. Their receiving corps is missing DeVonta Smith and Hollywood Brown. They’ve lost Jonathan Greenard and now Jalyx Hunt from their pass rush. And that’s before you get to a once-powerful offensive line that has lost Lane Johnson (retired), Landon Dickerson (IR), Jurgens (traded) and now center Drew Kendall and guard Tyler Steen, too.

The Eagles are almost literally a shell of their former selves. The only thing keeping them afloat right now is that the NFC East still stinks. Neither the New York Giants, Dallas Cowboys nor the Washington Commanders have shown any signs of being capable of pulling away. 

Staying afloat in muddy waters shouldn’t be enough for Philadelphia. That’s not the standard this franchise has set. The team brass has to face the painful truth that this year’s Eagles just aren’t nearly as good as they used to be. And they can’t be OK with that.

But Philly could be good again soon, if GM Howie Roseman and Co. continue to be shrewd and forward-thinking between now and the trading deadline on Nov. 10. They should try for more deals like the one with Jurgens, trading players that don’t fit for valuable draft picks. They should dump some bloated contracts if they can. They should even consider adding some young, affordable talent, if the price is right.

Because they’re going to be doing that all offseason anyway, when everything will be on the table — from the job security of Sirianni to the long-term future of quarterback Jalen Hurts. Owner Jeffrey Lurie, who insisted with a straight face this week that he still has his sights set on the Super Bowl this season, has obviously set a high bar for his Eagles over the years. To him, there is championship-caliber, and there is not, and there is really nothing much in between.

To get back to being championship-caliber, he has to know these Eagles will look a lot different next season. Their offensive line is heading into what could be a multi-year process of being completely rebuilt. Saquon Barkley is 29 and already showing signs of slowing (not to mention mounting injuries). They need help at receiver and in the pass rush. It’s even been a while since Hurts has looked like the dangerous, dual-threat weapon he once was.

Jalen Hurts has rushed for just 107 yards through five games, including only 2 yards in the Eagles’ narrow loss to the Jaguars. (Photo by Vince Mignott/DeFodi Images/DeFodi via Getty Images)

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In other words, change is going to come, so why wait? The ceiling for the current Eagles is mediocrity. They’re too depleted and too flawed to be much more than that. Building a better future should be the Eagles’ priority now, over a few more meaningless wins.

It’s just too late for this season. It can’t be what the Eagles hoped. But it’s not too early to start thinking about what comes next.

49ers Prove They’re The Best Team In The NFL

The NFL world focused its offseason attention on Southern California, where it looked like the Los Angeles Rams were assembling a “Dream Team” destined for a Super Bowl run. But it turns out we were all off by about 400 miles.

The 49ers are the ones living the dream.

It really shouldn’t be a surprise anymore that they are 5-0 and looking like the best team in the NFL, because that’s exactly who they are. They cemented that on Sunday when they beat the defending champion Seattle Seahawks, 32-29. They pounded the superteam Rams back in Week 1, too.

The 49ers didn’t do as much cosmetic surgery as the Rams did this past offseason, but they did add Mike Evans, who, at 33 years old, is reminding everyone why he’s the best receiver of this generation. He had another seven catches for 113 yards and a touchdown on Sunday, and now has a 24-326-3 stat line through the first five games (and was named Tom Brady’s LFG Player Of The Game on Sunday).

Evans added a dimension that the 49ers didn’t have last year. And really, they already have everything else. Christian McCaffrey remains the NFL’s best two-way running back. Brock Purdy isn’t flashy, but there isn’t a quarterback more efficient. George Kittle, at age 33, is still a dangerous tight end. And behind 38-year-old left tackle Trent Williams, the Niners’ offensive line is one of the best in the league.

And as they showed on Sunday, holding the Seahawks to 251 yards and forcing three turnovers, they might have the NFL’s best defense, too.

Add in Kyle Shanahan, easily one of the top three coaches in the league, and the 49ers are the complete package. All that they’ve been missing the past few seasons is good health. If they finally have that, the path to Super Bowl LXI is indeed going to run through California.

Just not the part of California that we all thought.

Sean Payton’s Playcalls Can’t Fix Broncos’ Personnel Problems

Broncos head coach Sean Payton dishonorably discharged offensive coordinator Davis Webb from his playcalling duties last week, hoping to use his own elite skills to fix the problems with the Broncos’ offense. But it turns out the problems run a lot deeper than plays.

Quarterback Bo Nix is regressing. And the 3-2 Broncos have no running game at all.

That’s not a playcalling problem as much as a personnel problem. And Nix is the most mysterious one. Maybe he’s still recovering from the broken ankle he suffered this past January, but he’s basically turned himself into a relative statue in the pocket, incapable of making plays on the run like he did in the past.

Worse, he’s become a game-manager — and not a very good one. In the past three games, he’s completed just 56.3% of his passes. He was 16-of-27 (59.3%) for 123 yards as Denver squeaked by the 0-5 Chargers.

It doesn’t help that the Broncos can’t run the ball. They weren’t great in that department last season, either, but the duo of J.K. Dobbins (229 yards in five games) and R.J. Harvey (56 yards) aren’t packing much of a punch.

The Broncos rallied to beat the Chargers in Week 5, but their issues on offense are as evident as ever. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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Normally, when an offense is struggling, a playcaller will keep it simple: Lean on the run and make the quarterback throw high-percentage passes. But what exactly is the coach supposed to do when neither of those two things work?

The running game may truly be unfixable at this point, but Payton has to figure out a way to get Nix going. If not, his offense isn’t going to get going at all, and the Broncos won’t be the Super Bowl contenders they thought they were going to be.

Kyler Murray Could Be The Missing Piece To The Vikings’ Championship Puzzle

Kevin O’Connell looks like he’s done it again.

The Vikings coach with the well-earned reputation as a quarterback whisperer may have created another monster in new quarterback Kyler Murray. And if he has — if Murray really turns out to be his latest successful reclamation project — Minnesota will be tough to beat in the NFC.

Murray finally looked a lot like his old self on Sunday versus New Orleans, completing 24-of-30 passes for 229 yards and a touchdown, while running seven times for 54 yards (before game-ending kneel-downs). It was by far the best of his four starts for the 5-0 Vikings. And it was the first time he really looked like the dangerous, dual-threat quarterback he was years ago before injuries began to derail his career.

It’s just one game, but Murray does have history on his side, since O’Connell has done this before. This could be reminiscent of 2024, when the Vikings coach took another left-for-dead quarterback in Sam Darnold and turned him into a viable starter and more. 

It took a long time for everyone to start believing in that Vikings team, too, despite a 5-0 start to their season. But they finished 14-3 and came within a season-ending loss in Detroit of being the No. 1 seed in the NFC.

There’s a long way to go before Murray becomes the next Darnold. But he’s only 29, and on Sunday it looked as though knee and foot injuries over the years haven’t sapped him of all his elusiveness. He also now has WR Justin Jefferson on his side — the best receiver he’s played with in his eight NFL seasons — and a coach who has long been one of the NFL’s best offensive minds.

So it’s all there for him and the Vikings, if Murray can stay healthy. There’s no doubt their defense is championship-caliber. They just need Murray to give them a little help along the way.

Commanders HC Dan Quinn Has No More Excuses After Inexcusable Tie

Jayden Daniels’ return is the best thing that’s happened to Commanders coach Dan Quinn. Unless it turns out to be the worst.

Daniels returned to the Commanders on Sunday, just three weeks since dislocating his left elbow, and completed 17-of-25 passes for 199 yards on a wet day in Washington, while running nine times for 103 yards and two long touchdowns. He looked like his old self and was basically the reason why the Commanders led the Giants by 14 points with 11 minutes to go. 

It was a reminder of how far the quarterback is capable of carrying a very flawed team.

But it was also a reminder that if Quinn can’t find a way to win with him, he’s going to end up fired — and maybe soon.

Because for all of Daniels’ heroics, Washington ended up in a 27-27 tie with the Giants, after Daniels inexplicably let the clock run out in overtime with the offense well within field goal range. It doesn’t matter that Daniels should’ve known better. His coach can’t let that happen. Quinn had to have his team better prepared in that situation and know exactly what to do.

The time bungle was bad enough (even Commanders part-owner Magic Johnson said he was “in total disbelief” on social media). But Quinn’s issues went deeper than that. The Commanders (1-3-1) were up two scores before their defense, which Quinn built and now is calling again, failed to stop a Giants team with Jameis Winston at quarterback. Daniels gave the Commanders almost everything they needed to win, but Quinn couldn’t ensure that they hung on.

Daniels carried Quinn and the Commanders to the NFC Championship Game just two seasons ago. But with Daniels out with injuries for half of last season, the Commanders went 5-12. And the absence of Daniels was a convenient excuse, and surely a huge reason why Quinn was brought back.

He’s out of excuses now. With Daniels in the lineup again, Quinn’s seat is hotter than ever. He has a chance to win a lot of games with his dazzling young quarterback at the helm. 

And he better. If he can’t, he’ll soon be out of a job.

• The Texans showed their first signs of life on Sunday, blowing out the Titans. And now they’ve acquired WR Marvin Harrison Jr. from the Cardinals. Maybe he’ll prove to be worth the high cost (essentially a second-round pick), but don’t expect his presence to suddenly make the Texans contenders. Defense was their primary issue in their 0-4 start. DeMeco Ryans took back the playcalling and maybe that will help. But more likely, the hole they’ve dug is just way too deep. Even with the win, they’re three games behind the Jaguars in the AFC South.
• This is why teams don’t panic, even when everyone else does: Drake Maye had one touchdown pass and six interceptions and was averaging 195 passing yards through the Patriots’ 0-3 start. In the past two weeks — both wins — he’s thrown seven touchdowns with just one interception while averaging 321.5 passing yards. New England’s schedule is still a lot tougher than it was last season. But if Maye can keep playing like the near-MVP he was last season, it’ll prove everyone was wrong to count him and the 2-3 Patriots out.
• The Dallas Cowboys’ loss at home this past Thursday to the previously winless Buccaneers was embarrassing, but it should be a wake-up call that whatever new coordinator Christian Parker is doing on defense isn’t working. Maybe it’s too early to take the playcalling away from the first-time coordinator, but they may have to think about it soon. Jerry Jones, as he’s pointed out, has pumped way too much money into that defense for it to be this bad.

In NFL Fallout, Ralph Vacchiano breaks down the impact of the biggest events every Sunday.

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One game into the National League Championship Series, and the Brewers have already demonstrated that they’re not the same team they were a year ago.

After getting swept by the eventual champion Dodgers in last year’s NLCS, the Brewers took Game 1 of the rematch on Sunday by beating Tarik Skubal, the ace who got away at the trade deadline. 

Here are my takeaways:

1.   A Different Type Of Duel

It was billed as one of the all-time great postseason pitching matchups: The National League Cy Young favorite and hardest-throwing starter the sport has ever seen, Jacob Misiorowski, against Skubal, the defending two-time American League Cy Young Award winner and ace who slipped out of Milwaukee’s grasp at the deadline. 

Only, it didn’t play out that way. By the sixth inning, both stars were out of the game.

The first three innings went exactly to script for the Dodgers, who hoped to work Jacob Misiorowski the same way the Padres did last series.

In Game 1 of the NLDS, Misiorowski needed 88 pitches to get through four innings. In Game 1 of the NLCS, he needed 94 pitches to get through 4 1/3. 

“It’s more a little bit conceding the slug, hitting the ball out front, to then seeing the ball a little bit longer to spoil pitches, to shoot the ball the other way,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said before the game. “That’s how you’ve got to beat this guy. To think you’re going to catch him out front and pull it in the air is bananas.”

Jacob Misiorowski only lasted 4 1/3 innings, but he escaped jams and allowed just one run. (Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) –>

The second inning epitomized the approach of the Dodgers, who worked counts, fouled off pitches and generally repeated the formula that helped them beat Chris Sale in their previous series.

Shohei Ohtani, whose issues chasing played a part in him going 2-for-13 in the NLDS, began the frame with a walk. Teoscar Hernández followed with a single. After a Max Muncy strikeout, Andy Pages continued his October turnaround with an RBI single to start the scoring. That was followed by a 10-pitch walk from Kyle Tucker.

“You can’t go in a game with a game plan and plan to strike out 17,” Misiorowski said. “You’ve got to just do what they give you and roll with the punches.

Misiorowski threw 35 pitches in the second inning alone, ensuring he would not be long for the night. Meanwhile, Skubal was cruising. He needed only 40 pitches to get through three innings, at which point he had amassed six strikeouts and allowed just one hit.

But the Dodgers failed to build a cushion, again struggling to bring runners home after going 1-for-16 with runners in scoring position in the NLDS. And with one big swing in the fourth from Brice Turang, who broke out of a 2-for-17 funk to start the postseason, the game was tied. An inning later, the Brewers plated the go-ahead run in a 26-pitch fifth inning for Skubal.

That would be it for Skubal, who threw 81 pitches in the shortest outing — both by innings and pitches — of his postseason career. 

Tarik Skubal dominated for three innings, but he allowed one run in both the fourth and fifth. (Aaron Gash/MLB Photos via Getty Images) –>

2.

There was a world in which Skubal and Misiorowski would have both been pitching in the same rotation this October rather than facing off against each other.

The Brewers were among the finalists for Skubal at the deadline and were understandably criticized for not pushing their chips in and parting with the young pieces necessary to land the deadline prize. 

“I am very happy it’s Skubal vs. Miz,” Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said before Game 1, “and not Miz and Skubal in the next two.”

On Sunday, though, some of the young pieces the Brewers refused to deal were the reason they beat the ace that got away.

Cooper Pratt, who got an eight-year extension in April, started multiple double plays defensively at shortstop on Sunday and moved over the eventual winning run with a sacrifice in the fifth. That run scored because of 21-year-old Luis Lara, who followed with an RBI single up the middle off Skubal.

“He’s very committed to not letting his teammates down, and I think that’s what makes the guy special,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said. “Both him and Pratt are up here not knowing they were going to be in the big leagues, and they both are very conscientious about getting it done the right way.”

It was just the second start and first hit this postseason for Lara, a rookie who received a seven-year extension in June.

“Lara played one game last week, but now he’s getting another chance, so he’s feeling like, ‘They believe in me and I have a place here,’” Murphy said before the game.

The Brewers, who won their first two games of the NLDS despite trailing early in both, continue to prove they’re never out of it. Including the postseason, they have a winning record this year in games in which the opponent scores first. 

Cooper Pratt moved Garrett Mitchell to second base in the fourth inning, and Mitchell scored when the next batter, Luis Lara, singled him home. (Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) –>

3.

The toughest part about having the oldest team in baseball this year, according to manager Dave Roberts, was finding time to get some of his regulars extra rest during the regular season. 

“Once you get through the marathon, and you get to the sprint of the postseason, advantage goes to us in the sense of the experience,” Roberts said.

That may be true, but another effect of their age is a lack of team speed. The Dodgers grounded into more double plays this year than any team in the National League.

The Brewers turned three double plays for starter Jacob Misiorowski. (Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) –>

And in Game 1, against one of the best defensive teams in baseball, the issue reappeared and prevented them from breaking the game open against Misiorowski. 

In the first, Freddie Freeman singled before a Will Smith double-play grounder ended the threat. An inning later, Misiorowski’s 35-pitch frame could have been far more problematic, but Kiké Hernández grounded into a double play with the bases loaded. 

Then, after the Dodgers knocked Misiorowski out of the game in the fifth, Murphy turned to lefty D.L. Hall to get a lefty-lefty matchup against Freeman with one on and one out. Freeman grounded into the Dodgers’ third inning-ending double play in the first five innings, and Misiorowski erupted with joy from the dugout. 

The Dodgers finished 1-for-6 with runners in scoring position and left nine runners on base. Four Brewers relievers combined to hold the Dodgers scoreless for the final 4 ⅔. 

“I think the approach, how we went about it, was fantastic,” Roberts said. “We saw their four leverage guys tonight, and we just couldn’t muster anything.”

3 1/2. What’s Next?

This win felt vital for the Brewers, considering who they’ll be facing next.

In Game 2, the Dodgers will send World Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto to the mound coming off a playoff career-high 10-strikeout win in the NLDS. 

The Brewers, meanwhile, will turn to Logan Henderson, another one of their many talented young pieces they refused to trade at the deadline.  

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Week 5 brought another round of records, led by young stars making history and teams heading in very different directions.

Jahmyr Gibbs passed Barry Sanders, while Trey McBride topped Jimmy Graham as both continued rewriting the record books early in their careers. The 49ers kept their dream start rolling, and Jordan Love’s connection with Christian Watson fueled a breakout performance for the Packers.

Elsewhere, the Eagles late-game struggles continued, while Justin Herbert’s fourth-quarter numbers made simply spiking the ball look like a better option.

From historic milestones to struggles that defy belief, here are the numbers that defined Week 5:

• Jahmyr Gibbs now has 58 career scrimmage touchdowns, passing former Lions star Barry Sanders for the most in NFL history before turning 25.
• Including today, Gibbs has three games with at least 200 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns since 2025, the most in the NFL ahead of Bijan Robinson’s two.
• Gibbs also has 16 career games with multiple touchdowns, the most in NFL history before turning 25, passing Jim Brown, Todd Gurley and Christian McCaffrey, who each had 15.
• His 23 career games with at least 100 scrimmage yards and a touchdown rank third all-time before turning 25, behind Sanders (26) and Emmitt Smith (25).

• Jordan Love has thrown at least two touchdown passes in each of the first five games this season, becoming the first Packers quarterback to do so since Aaron Rodgers in 2011.
• Love’s 359 passing yards and counting are the most ever by a Packers quarterback against the Bears at Lambeau Field.
• Love has thrown 15 touchdown passes and just two interceptions in his career against the Bears.
• Love’s six completions of 20+ air yards today were the most in a game in his career.

• With 388 career receptions (eight today), Trey McBride has officially passed Jimmy Graham (386) for the most receptions by a tight end in his first five NFL seasons in NFL history.
• McBride is now the first tight end in NFL history with at least seven receptions in each of his team’s first five games of a season.

Birds Continue to Fall

• The Eagles’ second-half struggles continued. Over their last three games, Philadelphia has scored just three points on 18 second-half drives, with 10 three-and-outs and only 12 first downs. The Eagles have converted just two of their 20 third-down attempts during that stretch.
• Eagles-Jaguars was the first NFL game in the last 50 seasons — since 1977, as far back as available research goes — to feature two lead-changing field goals in the final 15 seconds of regulation and finish without overtime.
• At 2-3, the Eagles are below .500 for the first time since they were 6-7 in 2021. Back then, Jason Kelce was their center, A.J. Brown was still with the Titans and Shane Steichen was Philadelphia’s offensive coordinator, four coordinators ago. Aaron Rodgers was on his way to his fourth MVP award, and Tom Brady was in his second-to-last NFL season.

• Jaylen Warren’s 80-yard touchdown catch was just the second touchdown reception of at least 80 yards by a running back in Steelers history. The only other came in 1946, when Bill Dudley caught an 80-yard touchdown pass on the road against the Boston Yanks.
• Warren is the first player since at least 1991 to have a receiving touchdown of 75-plus yards and a rushing touchdown of 50-plus yards in the same game. The last player to record one of each over an entire season was Jonathan Taylor in 2021.
• Warren scored more touchdowns of at least 50 yards today (two) than all Steelers running backs combined over the team’s previous 264 games (one).

• Jets rookie David Bailey recorded three sacks against the Browns, including two in the first half, bringing his season total to five — the most among NFL rookies.
• Bailey became the first Jets rookie with multiple sacks in a game since Lorenzo Mauldin in 2015 and the first with multiple sacks in a half since Quinton Coples in 2012.
• Next Gen Stats credited Bailey with nine pressures against Cleveland, tying Jared Verse’s Week 7 performance in 2024 for the most by a rookie in a game since 2024. Bailey also leads all rookies this season in total pressures (26) and quick pressures (nine).

• Christian Watson now has nine scrimmage touchdowns of at least 40 yards since 2022, which is tied with Rashid Shaheed and Jameson Williams for third-most in the NFL. Only Ja’Marr Chase (13) and Tyreek Hill (11) have more.
• Watson joins Billy Howton (1952, 1956) and Don Hutson (1942, 1945) as the only Packers with at least 400 receiving yards and six receiving touchdowns through the first five games of a season.
• Since 2022, Watson is tied for fourth in the NFL with 17 plays of at least 40 yards, trailing only Derrick Henry (19), Hill (18) and Saquon Barkley (18).
• Watson’s 10 catches of at least 50 yards since 2022 are tied with Hill for second-most in the NFL, behind only Nico Collins (12).
• Watson became the first player with two scrimmage touchdowns of at least 40 yards in a regular-season game since Zay Flowers in Week 18 last season.
• Matthew Golden and Watson each topped 100 receiving yards, giving the Packers two 100-yard receivers in a game for the first time since 2021 when Marquez Valdes-Scantling had 123 yards and Davante Adams had 115 against the Vikings.

• Malik Nabers and Isaiah Likely became the second wide receiver-tight end duo in NFL history to each record 11 receptions, at least 90 receiving yards and a receiving touchdown in the same game.
• Nabers 20 targets tied for second-most in Giants history since targets began being tracked in 1992. Odell Beckham Jr. holds the record with 21 on Dec. 28, 2014, and also had 20 on Dec. 22, 2016.

Is this the Year?

• The 49ers have improved to 5-0 for the third time under head coach Kyle Shanahan. In the previous two instances (2019 and 2023), San Francisco went on to reach the Super Bowl.
• The 49ers are 3-0 against the Broncos, Seahawks and Rams this season, becoming the first team since the 1981 Broncos to record three wins in their first five games against teams that reached a conference championship game the previous season.
• Brock Purdy has completed 24 of 34 passes targeting Mike Evans this season for 406 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions, averaging 11.9 yards per attempt. His 149.9 passer rating when targeting Evans is the highest among the 55 QB-receiver duos with at least 25 attempts this season.

• Through five games this season, Justin Herbert has posted a 38.2 fourth quarter passer rating. For context, if he spiked the ball into the ground on every single fourth quarter play, his passer rating would be higher at 39.6.
• Justin Herbert is the only QB in NFL history to start 0-5 with an INT and multiple sacks taken in each of his team’s first five games
• The Chargers have now lost eight straight games dating back to last season (including playoffs). This is the longest active losing streak in the NFL currently.

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The Milwaukee Brewers drew first blood in their NLCS rematch with the Los Angeles Dodgers, holding on for a 2-1 win in Game 1 on Sunday night at American Family Field despite an unexpected night from their ace, Jacob Misiorowski.

Misiorowski lasted only 4 1/3 innings in Game 1, giving up one run on five hits with three walks and five strikeouts on 94 pitches. The Brewers’ bullpen took it from there: DL Hall, Abner Uribe, Aaron Ashby and Trevor Megill combined for 4 2/3 scoreless innings, and Megill worked around two walks in the ninth to earn the save. 

Derek Jeter admitted that if he’d been told before the game that the Brewers would get only 4 1/3 innings from Misiorowski, he would have expected Milwaukee to lose. But he added that this Brewers team has been built for exactly these kinds of games.

“The Milwaukee Brewers have been playing these types of games all season long,” Jeter said during Sunday’s postgame show on FS1. “Low-scoring games, not only their starters, but their bullpen has been unbelievable all year, and they showed it again tonight. So you would anticipate this series being low scoring throughout.”

(Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) –>

Alex Rodriguez said this series already feels different from last year’s NLCS, when the Dodgers swept Milwaukee on their way to a second straight World Series title.

“We were here last year, and last year definitely felt like David versus Goliath,” Rodriguez said. “Just from the time we walked into the stadium … there’s a little bit of a swagger. It feels like Goliath versus Goliath.”

But he issued a warning to both teams following the superstar pitching matchup between Misiorowski and Skubal.

“Not one of these pitchers threw a pitch in the fifth inning,” Rodriguez said. “It is unsustainable in a seven-game series to depend on 12-15 outs from the bullpen. The more the hitters get to see you, advantage: hitters.”

The Dodgers and Brewers will continue the NLCS on Monday with Game 2 at American Family Field. Coverage begins at 4 p.m. ET on FOX.

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Sunday’s NFL slate somehow had a little bit of everything.

We arguably had the best game of the young season, with the San Francisco 49ers taking down the Seattle Seahawks in a thriller to remain undefeated. The Philadelphia Eagles and Jacksonville Jaguars had two lead changes in the final 15 seconds of their game in London. Sunday also brought us our first tie of the year, and a rare headliner trade on a game day that helps set the course for an interesting trade deadline. 

Suffice it to say, Sunday brought us a lot of things we could overreact to. Which overreactions are legitimate, and which ones aren’t? Let’s break it down. 

The 49ers Are The Team To Beat In The NFC

With the win over the Seahawks, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan erased the perception that he can’t defeat a Mike Macdonald-led defense. And with the win, the 49ers are 3-0 against the Broncos, Seahawks and Rams this season, becoming the first team since the 1981 Broncos to record three wins in their first five games against teams that reached a conference championship game the previous season.

It’s the third time San Francisco has started the season 5-0 under Shanahan. The previous two instances (2019 and 2023), the 49ers reached the Super Bowl.

Conclusion: Not an overreaction

The 49ers also easily handled the Super Bowl champions of the offseason, defeating the Los Angeles Rams 27-7 in Australia to start the year. Brock Purdy is the frontrunner for league MVP, even though he struggled at times against one of the best defenses in the league on the road at Seattle.

And receiver Mike Evans has been one of the best free-agent additions of the offseason, finishing with game highs in receiving yards (113) and receptions (7). Through the first part of the regular season, the 49ers have shown the NFC goes through Levi’s Stadium.

Kenneth Walker played his best when the games mattered most, leading the Seahawks to a championship last season. That was particularly true in Super Bowl LX, when he ran for 135 yards and earned the game’s MVP honors. 

But that wasn’t enough for Walker to stay in Seattle this offseason. The Seahawks promptly let Walker go in free agency, where he signed a three-year, $45 million contract extension to join the Kansas City Chiefs this offseason. Paired with quarterback Patrick Mahomes, Walker has been the most dominant running back in the NFL, leading the league in rushing yards.

That move has led to some second-guessing in Seattle, which drafted Jadarian Price with its first-round pick in April’s draft. The Seahawks are also awaiting the return of Zach Charbonnet, who is still on injured reserve due to a knee ailment he suffered last season. 

Conclusion: Not an overreaction

Price has failed to come close to Walker’s production so far, dealing with fumble issues (he’s lost two fumbles) before recently landing on IR due a chest injury. With Charbonnet still out, the combination of free-agent pickup Emanuel Wilson and George Holani hasn’t produced the same explosive running game with Walker in the backfield last year.

That wasn’t apparent in Sunday’s loss to the 49ers. The Seahawks were averaging 110 rushing yards a contest entering Week 5 and had just 86 in a loss to San Francisco. Holani had two costly fumbles, including one recovered by San Francisco rookie defensive lineman Gracen Halton for a touchdown. During the team’s Super Bowl run, the Seahawks averaged 130 rushing yards a contest and did not turn the ball over in the postseason.

With the running game falling short, Sam Darnold has had to deal with a larger burden. That hasn’t produced great results, with Darnold throwing two interceptions on Sunday. Of the three games Darnold has started and finished this season, he’s thrown multiple interceptions in two of them — and both resulted in losses. 

The Cardinals finally pulled the trigger by trading Marvin Harrison Jr. to the Houston Texans. The Cardinals received pretty good compensation, netting a second- and sixth-round pick while also sending a seventh-rounder with Harrison to consummate the deal.

With the move, the Cardinals give up on developing the No. 4 overall selection in the 2024 draft just three years into his NFL career, while Harrison gets a chance at a fresh start in a new environment with someone he had a lot of success with at Ohio State in Houston quarterback C.J. Stroud.

But will the deal help change the course of the Texans’ season? 

Conclusion: Overreaction

Considered the best receiver in his draft class and one of the best receiver prospects in years, Harrison has to take some ownership and accountability for things not going well in Arizona. But he also wasn’t the only one to blame, as the Cardinals did not do a great job of putting Harrison in positions to excel based on his skill set and surrounding him with proper talent. 

That said, there are now no excuses for Harrison. He must figure out how to produce for a new team in a new offense, and that transition will likely take some time. And there isn’t much time for the Texans to figure it out. Sure, they won on Sunday, but they’re 1-4 and face the 4-1 Jacksonville Jaguars in London next week. 

Nick Sirianni Has Little Wiggle Room Left As Eagles HC

 

In a week where folks openly questioned whether the Eagles have given up on the season, Nick Sirianni made another questionable decision that led to an improbable 57-yard game-winning field goal by Jaguars’ kicker Cam Little. The loss dropped the Eagles to 2-3 on the year, marking another woeful defeat in a year where the NFC East feels very winnable. 

The Eagles appeared to have won the game after Jalen Hurts marched the offense into scoring position and Jake Elliott drilled a 48-yarder with eight seconds left. However, instead of instructing Elliott to kick the ball into the end zone, he placed it in the field of play and Ameer Abdullah returned it 53 yards to put Jacksonville into field goal position for the winning score.

Bottom line: Philadelphia lost a game it should have won, and Sirianni is shouldering the blame for the loss.

Conclusion: Not an overreaction

Sirianni has had success in Philadelphia, winning two NFC titles and a Super Bowl in five seasons, but Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie is more concerned about what his head coach has done for him lately. And through five games this season, it’s been a hot mess for Philadelphia.

But this is when teams led by Sirianni are usually at their best — when everyone counts them out and their backs are against the wall. And after Lane Johnson’s retirement and the trade of center Cam Jurgens, it appears that everyone will shovel dirt over the Eagles’ season, especially after Sunday’s loss.

However, if Sirianni is going to orchestrate an in-season turnaround this year, he’s going to need to overcome some early obstacles. The Eagles continue to struggle in the second half of games. In 18 drives in the second half this season, Philadelphia has 10 three-and-outs and is 2-of-20 on third down, per FOX Sports Research. Philadelphia has managed just three points in the second half all season.

While the defense has kept them competitive, Sirianni has struggled to get the offense right. And down three starters on the offensive line, two running backs and No. 1 receiver DeVonta Smith, the Eagles have failed to consistently find answers under offensive coordinator Sean Mannion.

And Sirianni might end up paying the price. 

In a rivalry game where both head coaches don’t like each other, Jordan Love finally played like the MVP candidate NFL prognosticators expected to see this season. Love completed 80.6% of his passes for 367 yards and two scores in the Green Bay Packers’ decisive win over the Chicago Bears. For the second time this season, Love didn’t throw an interception. 

Christian Watson (143 yards) and Matthew Golden (123) both had 100-yard receiving performances, as the Bears struggled to defend the deep ball. Green Bay’s much-maligned offensive line did a decent job of keeping Love upright for the most part, as he was sacked just twice. Love finished with six completions of at least 20 yards.

Conclusion: Overreaction

As good as Green Bay’s passing game looked, it still struggled to run the football. Other than bulldozing his way for two scores, MarShawn Lloyd finished with just 31 rushing yards. Entering Sunday’s contest, the Packers were rushing for a league-low 58 yards per game. The running game didn’t look any better against the Bears, as they ran for 70 yards on Sunday.

Also, rookie kicker Trey Smack missed two field goals and an extra point. With the inevitable close games that playoff-contending teams play late in the year, the Packers are going to need more consistency from their young kicker.

The Las Vegas Raiders lost their second game in a row, and veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins wasn’t at his best. Cousins completed 67.9% of his passes for 243 yards and a touchdown, posting a 106.7 passer rating. But his numbers were better than his play might suggest, with the Raiders scoring just 10 points through the first three quarters. 

As a result, the Raiders were boat-raced by the New England Patriots, 45-17, and No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza got his first taste fo regular-season action when he closed out the day. He finished 6 of 8 for 48 yards in mop-up duty, getting into the red zone in his only drive before turning the ball over on downs. 

Conclusion: Overreaction

The Raiders paid Cousins good money for a reason, and that was to take the pounding in the tough part of the first half of the schedule. And with the Raiders getting off to a surprising 3-2 start, Cousins should be the quarterback for the next six games as they face the Bills, Rams, Seahawks, Broncos and 49ers.

It’s better for Cousins to see if he can get through that gauntlet in one piece and give Mendoza two weeks to prepare for his first start after the bye in Week 12. More importantly for Cousins and Mendoza is the Raiders figuring out how to effectively run the football to create balance on offense. Las Vegas finished with just 38 rushing yards against New England.

Needing a jumpstart on offense, the Jaguars leaned on Washington to create some big plays, and he produced. Washington finished with six receptions for 124 yards and two touchdowns, one of which was a 51-yard score to start the game, while the other was a pretty, one-handed catch for a score in the fourth quarter.

Washington entered Sunday tied for third in touchdowns (4) and ninth in receiving yards (352). Should a performance like Sunday’s solidify Washington’s spot among the game’s top pass-catchers? 

Conclusion: Not an overreaction

My colleague and Jaguars radio announcer Bucky Brooks has pointed out Washington’s consistent work ethic and compared him to another explosive playmaker: Carolina Panthers icon Steve Smith Sr. Washington led the Jaguars in receiving last season and is one of the reasons quarterback Trevor Lawrence is in the MVP conversation for a second straight season. 

Now, it looks like the duo might be ready to take the next step. 

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