Author: Eternity Lab

Week 8 taught us again that anything can happen on any given Sunday. 

The Arizona Cardinals not only completed one of the biggest upsets of the 2026 season (again), but they also had the second-biggest comeback win of the year in their overtime victory over the Dallas Cowboys. We saw another dramatic comeback win in Denver, too, as the Broncos rallied from a double-digit deficit in the fourth quarter to beat the Kansas City Chiefs.

And neither of those games featured arguably the biggest result from Sunday’s slate. The Detroit Lions took down the Minnesota Vikings, handing their division rival their first loss of the season. 

As we near the halfway mark of the year, which grand statements from Sunday’s games should we take seriously? Let’s overreact to Week 8. 

Jerry Jones Must Make Someone Pay For Cowboys’ Latest Embarrassing Loss

Sunday was a game the Dallas Cowboys must have had circled for a win, and it was one that they should’ve won, too. They comfortably led the Arizona Cardinals, 24-10, early in the fourth quarter as it appeared they were about to get their season back on track and improve to .500.

But the game flipped when the Cardinals made a quarterback switch late in the third quarter. They went from Jacoby Brissett to Gardner Minshew II, who led the Cardinals to four straight touchdown drives to end regulation as running back Tyler Allgeir also put up an electric performance (191 total yards). The two helped the Cardinals complete the rally in overtime, with Arizona getting a 33-30 win.

It’s the first time in franchise history the Cowboys lost a home game after leading by at least 14 points in the fourth quarter, according to FOX Sports Research. The Cowboys had been 202-0-1 in those situations before the loss to the Cardinals. And Arizona improved to 5-0 against the Cowboys at AT&T Stadium, extending its NFL record for the most wins without a loss at the stadium.

Conclusion: Not An Overreaction

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones told reporters he doesn’t intend to make a coaching change before the season is over. However, something drastic is needed to shake the Cowboys out of the doldrums, as they have lost three of their past four games.

The Cowboys brought in Mike Pettine as a senior defensive assistant, but that change has not improved a defense that went through wholesale changes this offseason, including a new defensive coordinator in Christian Parker.

Dallas has allowed at least 20 points in 15 straight games, the longest streak in the NFL, according to FOX Sports Research. If Jones doesn’t want to make coaching changes, he at least must think about the individuals calling the plays on both sides of the ball as a way to try and improve his team in a very winnable division in the NFC East.

In just his third NFL season, Broncos quarterback Bo Nix has proven to be one of the best in the league at snatching victory from the jaws of defeat. And at home against his AFC West rivals, the Kansas City Chiefs, the Oregon product was at it again.

With his team trailing 24-13 entering the fourth quarter, Nix led the Broncos to 15 unanswered points, with rookie running back Jonah Coleman scoring the winning touchdown on a 5-yard run with 35 seconds left.

Denver’s defense engineered a goal-line stand to complete the comeback victory, sacking Patrick Mahomes on the final play of the game from the Broncos’ 6-yard line. Denver upped its record to 6-2 with the victory, taking over the top spot from Kansas City (5-2) in the AFC West.

Bo Nix picked up his 13th fourth-quarter comeback win on Sunday, which is the most for any QB through their first three seasons in NFL history (incuding playoffs). (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)

Conclusion: Overreaction … For Now

We won’t call Nix the most clutch quarterback in the NFL yet, but he has earned the nickname “Captain Comeback.” He has 13 career fourth-quarter comebacks in his first three seasons (including playoffs), breaking a tie with John Elway and Derek Carr (12) for the most for any quarterback through the first three seasons of their career.

With the win over the Chiefs, Nix became the ninth quarterback since starts were first tracked in 1950 to win 30 games in his first three seasons. Nix now has 16 game-winning drives in the fourth quarter or overtime, which is the most through a quarterback’s first three seasons since at least 1950.

Those are impressive accomplishments by Nix but also highlight his struggles early in games and the fact that the Broncos need him to create more explosive plays in the passing game to take pressure off the defense to carry the team.

However, it appears that, like his main adversary (Mahomes), Nix has the clutch gene.

The Vikings’ 6-0 Start Was Fraudulent

The Minnesota Vikings finally faced a team that wasn’t completely overwhelmed by defensive coordinator Brian Flores’ blitz-heavy scheme and needed Kyler Murray to get something going on offense.

And while Murray threw for 210 yards and led the Vikings in rushing with 35, he could not make the plays Minnesota needed in critical moments, leading to the Vikings suffering their first loss of the season. They fell to the Detroit Lions, 19-15.

The 15 points were the fewest a team has scored against Detroit this season. The setback continued to expose the struggles between head coach Kevin O’Connell and Murray in developing a consistent way to lead the offense and move the chains.

Specifically, Justin Jefferson remains one of the best receivers in the league but is visibly frustrated on the sideline after unsuccessful drives as the Vikings fail to consistently get him the football. Jefferson finished with five catches for 33 yards and a score.

Conclusion: Overreaction

The Vikings (6-1) were the last remaining undefeated team to lose this year and still sit a game ahead of the Chicago Bears (5-2) and the Lions (5-2) in the NFC North. O’Connell understood there would be growing pains as Murray learned a new offense that was more complicated than what he was used to running with the Arizona Cardinals.

Fortunately for the Vikings, they are winning while Murray goes through the predictable growing pains of learning a new offense. But at some point, the reps must kick in, and Murray needs to be playing at his best when the season matters the most, in December and January.

The Vikings still have time to make that happen.

After missing three games with a high-ankle sprain, Lamar Jackson didn’t make it through the first play of the game in the highly anticipated matchup with Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills.

Jackson hit his right thumb on his throwing hand on Buffalo edge rusher Greg Rousseau’s hand as he attempted to knock the ball down. Jackson had to leave the game for further evaluation and did not return.

Jackson’s replacement, Tyler “Snoop” Huntley, also had to leave the game and did not return with a right toe injury, meaning Joe Fagnano, an undrafted rookie out of Connecticut, had to finish the game for the Ravens.

The Ravens dropped to 4-4 with a road loss to the Buffalo Bills and Jackson is headed to the injured reserve because of surgery to fix his right thumb injury.

Conclusion: Not An Overreaction

Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti chose Jackson over John Harbaugh when he fired the longtime head coach and brought back Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter to lead the team. However, Jackson struggled to stay healthy and lead the team on the field the past two seasons.

Jackson missed four games because of a hamstring injury in 2025, Baltimore’s second losing season in a decade. Jackson has missed at least two games in four of his last six seasons. The two-time MVP desires a new deal that makes him one of the highest-paid quarterbacks in the NFL, but will the Ravens sign Jackson to a lucrative new contract if he can’t stay on the field because of injuries?

Huntley has been a serviceable replacement for Jackson. But at some point, the Ravens must take a long look at what to do at quarterback for the long term and decide if it makes sense to go with a younger and cheaper option at the position instead of investing in a franchise quarterback who has struggled to stay on the field over the last two years.  

Time For The Eagles To Trade Saquon Barkley And More At The Deadline

Stick a fork in the Philadelphia Eagles — they are done for the 2026 season.

With a disheartening 27-10 setback on the road to the Washington Commanders, the Eagles have now lost six straight games for the first time since 2012. It’s also Philadelphia’s first 2-6 start since 1999.

Even in the nose-pinching NFC East, it’s time for Eagles general manager Howie Roseman to start working the phones and seeing what he can get for his foundational players that he doesn’t envision as part of a rebuild and see what he can get in terms of draft compensation before the trade deadline.

And at the top of that list should be running back Saquon Barkley.

Related

Insiders help us answer the Eagles’ biggest questions.

Conclusion: Not An Overreaction

Barkley only finished with 30 yards on 13 carries, but you can point to Philadelphia’s struggles up front for the Penn State product’s lack of production, along with a nagging hamstring injury that’s slowed him down.

However, once fully healed, Barkley can still be an impact runner in the right situation. At 29 years old, Barkley still has some gas left in the tank. Along with Barkley, the Eagles should be looking to see what they can get for players like cornerback Riq Woolen, tight end Dallas Goedert and edge rusher Nolan Smith. They all could make sense as trade pieces, as each of them is either on an expiring deal or only has one year left on their contracts. 

Just like the Indianapolis Colts, Roseman’s Eagles should be sellers at the trade deadline.

Stop The Panic: Rams Will Be Just Fine

The Los Angeles Rams played the worst team in the league, defeating the winless Los Angeles Chargers, 24-9, in the “Battle of LA.” Still, Los Angeles won its second game in a row to scratch back to the .500 mark. The Chargers have not scored a touchdown in nine quarters, going 27 straight drives without scoring a touchdown.

Opening the season as heavy favorites to win the Super Bowl, the Rams would be on the outside looking in if the playoff were today. However, the Rams are finally looking like the team NFL observers expected to see when the season started. One of the Rams’ prized offseason additions, cornerback Trent McDuffie, had his best game with his new team, finishing with a season-high nine tackles and an interception.

On defense, the Rams held the Bolts to under 300 yards and forced Justin Herbert to throw two interceptions. And Los Angeles should be even better on that side of the ball when Myles Garrett returns from his knee issue.

Conclusion: Not An Overreaction

One thing head coach Sean McVay can be pleased about is an improvement in the kicking game. The Rams had veteran kicker Brandon McManus and Joshua Karty active for the game, becoming the first team to have two kickers on their game-day 48-man roster since the New England Patriots in 2022.

McManus finished 3-of-3 on extra points and converted his only field goal, a 30-yarder, while Karty handled kickoffs and had two of his attempts fall short of the landing zone, allowing the Chargers to start drives at the 40-yard line.

But overall, the Rams were finally more buttoned up in the kicking game.

The Rams also ran the ball effectively on the ground for a second straight week, finishing with 129 rushing yards on an efficient 4.8 yards per carry. 

Give Cleveland’s Todd Monken credit for creating a winning culture in his first year as head coach, leading the Browns to their first 5-2 start that had them in first place in over 30 years. However, the Browns were exposed on the road in a humbling loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

In a game for the top spot in the AFC North, Cleveland was never in contention to win on Sunday. The Browns scored six points, didn’t get in the end zone and didn’t score a point in the second half.

Deshaun Watson finished with decent numbers, completing 27 of 39 passes for 324 passing yards, zero touchdowns and zero interceptions as Pittsburgh’s defense constantly harassed him throughout the game. Watson was sacked a season-high eight times and leads the league in sacks taken with 33. The Browns totaled 34 rushing yards while the Steelers rolled with 200 rushing yards.

Deshaun Watson has thrown for just seven touchdowns this season and hasn’t thrown a touchdown pass in three weeks. (Photo by Lauren Leigh Bacho/Getty Images)

Conclusion: Not An Overreaction

It’s understandable why Monken went with Watson as his team’s starting quarterback to start the year. He’s still on the books for $46 million in guaranteed money for the 2026 season, and is the most talented, experienced quarterback on the roster to lead this team.

However, this season has always been about who the Browns should start at quarterback in 2027. And we know it will not be Watson. After making the drastic mistake of trading for Watson and signing him to a guaranteed $230 million deal, it’s unfathomable that owner Jimmy Haslam would double down and sign Watson to a new contract.

Right?

Instead, with the Browns clearly not in position to compete with the best team in the AFC North, it’s time for Cleveland to see what they have behind Watson in Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel, now that he’s healthy.

Give Watson credit for playing good enough football to lead the Browns to a winning record at this point of the season. But he’s not the long-term answer. Cleveland has two first-round selections in 2027, giving the Browns a chance to secure their franchise QB next spring. 

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The Pac-12 is back, and now features one of the most historic men’s basketball programs. Hawaii won the Big West, and then left the conference. Utah State did the same, finishing its Mountain West tenure on a high note. 

Ahead of the 2026-27 men’s college basketball season, 26 teams changed conferences. Nine mid-major leagues welcomed in new teams, and saw others leave, while the Power Four remained the same.

But two seasons ago, UCLA, USC, Oregon and Washington joined the Big Ten; Arizona, ASU, Utah and Colorado went to the Big 12; and Stanford and Cal became members of the ACC. Then in 2025, five more mid-major teams changed conferences. 

Now, ahead of the 2026-27 season, let’s do it again.

It’s crucial to keep up with these alterations because the winner of each conference earns an automatic NCAA Tournament bid. So, here’s a look at who came, who went and who remained in each NCAA men’s basketball conference. 

Pac-12

Mark Few and Gonzaga won 23 West Coast Conference regular-season titles before moving to the Pac-12 ahead of the 2026-27 season. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)

Additions: Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, San Diego State and Utah State (from Mountain West), Gonzaga (West Coast Conference), Texas State (Sun Belt)

Holdovers: Washington State, Oregon State

Losses: None

Mountain West Conference

Erin Ganot and Hawaii won the 2026 Big West tournament championship before moving to the Mountain West. (Photo by C. Morgan Engel/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)

Additions: Hawaii and UC Davis (Big West), Texas El Paso (Conference USA)

Holdovers: Air Force, Grand Canyon, Nevada, New Mexico, San Jose State, UNLV, Wyoming

Losses: Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, San Diego State, Utah State 

Big Sky Conference

Additions: Southern Utah and Utah Tech (WAC)

Holdovers: Eastern Washington, Idaho, Idaho State, Montana, Montana State, Northern Arizona, Northern Colorado, Portland State, Weber State

Losses: Sacramento State

Southern Conference

Additions: Tennessee Tech (Ohio Valley)

Holdovers: Chattanooga, Citadel, Eastern Tennessee State, Furman, Mercer, Samford, University of North Carolina-Greensboro, Western Carolina, Wofford, Virginia Military Institute

Losses: None

Big West Conference

Kyle Getter is entering his first season as Cal Baptist head coach as the program prepares for its first season in the Big West Conference. (Photo by Melina Pizano/Getty Images)

Additions: Sacramento State (Big Sky), Cal Baptist, Utah Valley (WAC)

Holdovers: Cal Poly, Cal State Bakersfield, Cal State Fullerton, Cal State Northridge, Long Beach State, UC Irvine, UC Riverside, UC Santa Barbara, UC San Diego

Losses: Hawaii, UC Davis

Western Athletic Conference (United)

Additions: Austin Peay, Central Arkansas, Eastern Kentucky, North Alabama, West Georgia (from the ASUN), Little Rock (Ohio Valley)

Holdovers: Abilene Christian, Tarleton State, UT Arlington

Losses: Cal Baptist, Utah Valley, Southern Utah, Utah Tech

West Coast Conference

Carson Johnson averaged 20.1 points per game in his sophomore year at Denver to lead the Summit League. (Photo by Christopher Hook/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Additions: Denver (Summit League)

Holdovers: Loyola Marymount, Pacific, Pepperdine, Portland, Saint Mary’s San Diego, San Francisco, Santa Clara, Seattle 

Losses: Gonzaga

Sun Belt Conference

Additions: Louisiana Tech (Conference USA)

Holdovers: Appalachian State, Arkansas State, Coastal Carolina, Georgia Southern, Georgia State, James Madison, Louisiana Lafayette, Louisiana Monroe, Louisiana Tech, Marshall, Old Dominion, South Alabama, Southern Mississippi, Troy

Losses: Texas State

Horizon League

Additions: Northern Illinois

Holdovers: Cleveland State, Detroit Mercy, Green Bay, IU Indy, Milwaukee, Northern Kentucky, Oakland, Purdue Fort Wayne, Robert Morris, Wright State, Youngstown State

Losses: None

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The Dallas Cowboys are too talented to be doing this once, let alone multiple times in a season (and seemingly every season). Idiotic mistakes. Stupid losses. It’s all synonymous with the Cowboys organization.

Even as the Arizona Cardinals fumbled and stumbled their way into contention in the fourth quarter, they simultaneously gave the Cowboys multiple chances to avoid the upset. And Dallas missed every opportunity, letting Arizona pull off a victory in a game the Cowboys had a 98% chance of winning, per Next Gen Stats. It should be enough for the Cowboys to make some changes, particularly in their coaching staff. 

It should be.

Meanwhile, the Lions and Broncos produced quality wins and shored up some of the concerns around their contender status. Detroit QB Jared Goff, in particular, put an exclamation mark on what has been an outstanding season. The Chiefs, meanwhile, are in a tough spot after losing two straight.

Let’s dive into all of that — and more.

Welcome to Sound Smart, where I take you beyond what’s obvious. Let’s go below the surface. Let’s spin it forward, dive deeper, think outside the box and read between the lines. If I do my job, you’ll be fluent in the NFL’s Week 8 action.

1.

What Stood Out To Me Most From Sunday: It’s Time For The Cowboys To Make A Coaching Change.

Up in the owners box, Jerry Jones muttered: “Gotta be kidding me.” Down on the field, the Dallas defense allowed a last-minute touchdown that sent the game into overtime, where the Cardinals would end up winning it, 33-30.

It’s getting easier for Jones to justify the removal of coach Brian Schottenheimer. It’s just that Jones is in no hurry to make a change.

“That’s not in my mind at this time,” Jones told reporters after the game.

It should be. It really should be.

It would’ve been bad enough to lose to Arizona. But the Cowboys lost it to Cardinals backup quarterback Gardner Minshew, who went in for a benched Jacoby Brissett in the second half. The Cowboys also had a real chance at winning in overtime; they had a possession where all they needed was a field goal to win it. They couldn’t move the ball. 

On their only overtime drive, they ran three plays — and moved backward five yards.

The offense — Schottenheimer’s specialty — couldn’t get it done when it mattered most. You have to ask yourself: What does he do well? Jones has to ask himself the same question.

The Cowboys owner has only once fired a coach during the season, parting ways with Wade Phillips after a 1-7 start to the 2010 season to make way for Jason Garrett as interim coach. After the loss on Sunday, Jones was asked about that situation — and whether this situation might be similar.

“I made a change and I don’t want to mention it because I’m not proud of it,” Jones said. “But I made a change with Wade Phillips there in the middle of the season and I don’t see that here.”

I don’t know what Jones sees here. How could he see anything other than incompetence?

Obviously, the passing offense is awesome. But that’s the expectation for a unit with a top-10 QB (Dak Prescott) and a top-five wide receiver tandem (CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens). The Cowboys are paying huge sums for those three guys.

Even if the run game has been inefficient, Schottenheimer can point to the offense as a success. And he could fire first-year defensive coordinator Christian Parker to buy himself some time. But that ignores the simple premise of being a head coach.

You need to be more than a coordinator.

Mike McDaniel failed in Miami for a lot of reasons — but mostly because he couldn’t hold together anything except offense. Brandon Staley failed with the Chargers because he couldn’t get it done with his defense. Head coaches need to elevate all three units. And head coaches need to manage the in-game situations.

Which brings us to the next strike against Schottenheimer: He’s not particularly good at managing late-game situations. We saw him make four or five different mistakes in the team’s loss to the Ravens earlier this year.

The Cowboys still have a 33% shot at making the playoffs, per Next Gen Stats. I don’t think they can trust Schottenheimer to make it happen when facing those odds. Maybe offensive coordinator Klayton Adams is the next guy in line. But it feels like madness to carry on with Schottenheimer.

The irony, of course, is that Jones is the one to blame. He should never have hired Schottenheimer to begin with. He was a solid offensive coordinator back in 2024 when Jones promoted him. That’s really all Schottenheimer is now. It was clear to see that there were better candidates on the market back in 2024. And it’s easy to imagine that Schottenheimer’s budget-friendly contract had something to do with it.

Because, remember, the Chicago Bears paid big to hire Ben Johnson that same offseason.

Even last offseason, Jones could’ve and probably should’ve hired Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores. It won’t be too late in 2027 — if the Cowboys are lucky enough for Flores to accept the interview. Then again, I wouldn’t blame Flores if he respectfully declined.

2.

I Can’t Shake This One Thought: The Criticism Of Jared Goff Has Gotten Out Of Hand.

Say what you want about the Detroit Lions. But let’s hold off on the discussion — the relentless criticism — around Jared Goff. Particularly the storylines about how he folds against pressure.

I’m guilty myself. I wrote about it in September. In 2025, it was empirically true: Goff was the NFL quarterback most impacted by pressure. He swung from playing like one of the best QBs in the league in a clean pocket to being one of the worst when facing pressure. (I also noted his steady improvement — with some hesitation.)

But those statistics are dated. That storyline is tired.

Because this season, Goff has improved massively against pressure, now the sixth-best QB in the NFL with a minus .19 expected points added per dropback, per Next Gen Stats. (For context, every QB in the NFL has a negative EPA against pressure.) And this puts Goff just above Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow, another pocket QB who gets way more love than Goff.

Lions quarterback Jared Goff has vastly improved his performance against pressure this season, as he showed in Detroit’s win over the Vikings in Week 8. (Photo by Steven King/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Before giving Goff his flowers, I wanted to see how he fared against the Vikings, the absolute champions of blitzes and pressures. Because Detroit has actually done a nice job protecting Goff this year, with the QB ranking 21st in pressures this season. He is also 26th in QB pressure rate (30.1%), down with Josh Allen (31%) and Matthew Stafford (29.7%). 

Now, the Lions’ schedule up until Week 8 had been nothing special. But this win over the previously undefeated Vikings changes that.

The Minnesota defense was able to pressure Goff on only three of his 25 dropbacks. That was despite the fact that the Vikings blitzed on almost 90% of the Lions’ passing plays. In Goff’s three dropbacks against pressure, he was 2-of-3 for 14 yards. Nothing special. Nothing catastrophic. Against the blitz, he was 17-of-23 for 130 yards, one touchdown and one interception. And the interception — Goff’s first of the season — looked more like the result of a stumble and/or a miscommunication with receiver Jameson Williams and not a case of the defense outsmarting or pressuring the QB into a mistake.

You can’t pressure Goff as easily as you could last year. So to me, that means two things.

1. Detroit’s offensive line has been absolutely excellent. And it was especially good against the Vikings.
2. Goff is processing better and quicker than he ever has.

I’m not saying that pressure won’t crop up as an issue for Goff. It does for every QB. But this has been an impressive season from Goff, who has quietly improved in the area that was his biggest weakness. And now we’ve seen it’s for real, with the QB holding up against the Vikings’ front — even if some of it is thanks to the offensive line. 

This Minnesota defense rendered Bears star QB Caleb Williams basically useless. This defense twisted veteran Buccaneers QB Baker Mayfield into knots. But not Goff.

He looked unbothered.

Goff looked as good — if not better — than he ever has.

3.

Monday Morning Controversy: The Chiefs Refuse To Run The QB Sneak, And It Might Have Cost Them A Win.

The Kansas City Chiefs got down to the 1-yard line with 32 seconds left in Denver. It was second down. They had one timeout. And they proceeded to run three plays — none resulting in a touchdown. And so the Chiefs lost, 28-24, to the Broncos.

None of those plays was a QB sneak, because, of course, none of them was a QB sneak. As far as we can tell, it hasn’t been in the Chiefs’ playbook since 2019.

That was when Patrick Mahomes suffered a dislocated patellar tendon on a QB sneak. And I get that it must’ve been scary to see the best quarterback of his generation suffer an injury on a play that’s more dangerous than your average dropback or carry. But it seems overcompensatory to have avoided the play entirely for the past seven years.

Particularly when it would’ve been a pretty darn helpful play on Sunday.

Patrick Mahomes leaves the field after the Chiefs blew an 11-point fourth quarter lead over the Broncos in Denver. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

Not everyone runs the Tush Push. Not everyone can. The Eagles invented it and haven’t run it that much this year, even before quarterback Jalen Hurts went on injured reserve with a blood clot diagnosis. The Bills have a buffalo at quarterback in Josh Allen. It makes sense to sneak with him. The Seahawks use tight end AJ Barner for their take on it. The Chiefs could do that — with backup tight end Noah Gray.

But you don’t have to run the Tush Push. You can just run … a QB sneak. Mahomes can run it. But if the Chiefs are really that worried, then backup QB Justin Fields can run it. Or Gray. Whoever, really. It’s a useful play that the Chiefs have inexplicably ignored. 

This is a clear sign: Get it back in the playbook.

4.

Nobody Had a Worse Day Than: Cowboys Rookie Safety Caleb Downs.

I’m really picking on the Cowboys this week, but my goodness, there were some embarrassing moments for Caleb Downs during the team’s loss to the Cardinals.

The worst? Hard to say for sure. But let’s start with the moment where Cardinals star tight end Trey McBride broke to the sideline and beat Downs for an easy third-down conversion. That wasn’t even the bad part. McBride tossed the ball in Downs’ direction and asked him.

“You a first-round pick? First-round pick? For what?” McBride asked.

That’s cold.

The Cowboys rookie safety later met running back Jeremiyah Love, the No. 3 overall pick, in a hole to stop the Cardinals rookie from scoring a touchdown. Which was a nice answer from Downs to show why he was a first-rounder. 

But the glory didn’t last long. The next time we saw Downs on a notable play, it was a devastating lowlight. On Cardinals running back Tyler Allgeier’s 52-yard carry in the fourth quarter, Downs got bowled over not once but twice by Cardinals guard Hjalte Froholdt, who had pulled 20-yards downfield.

I have full faith that Downs will be a great pro. He has the makings of it. But this was a day to forget.

5.

For The Nerds: How Did The Buccaneers Win Without Baker Mayfield Completing A Single Pass?

Atlanta Falcons QB Michael Penix Jr. threw more passes to Buccaneers players than Baker Mayfield did. In fact, Penix had more interceptions (4) than Mayfield had pass attempts (3).

When the clock hit zero on Tampa’s 16-0 win over the Falcons, Mayfield was 0-of-3 with a sack — and a QBR of 2.6 (out of 100). He also fumbled three times — (somehow) losing none of them.

Per FOX Sports research, the 2026 Buccaneers were the first team to win by double digits without completing a pass since the Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Chicago Cardinals 23-0 in Week 8 — of 1945. That same year, World War II was just coming to a close. The trampoline was patented. The movie “Anchors Aweigh” hit theaters, starring Frank Sinatra and Gene Kelly. 

To win Sunday, the Buccaneers did it all on the ground.

Running backs Bucky Irving and Kenneth Gainwell both set career-high rushing totals. There was Irving, who had 27 carries for 170 yards. And there was Gainwell, who had 25 carries for 140 yards. Their success was, in part, thanks to a torrential downpour in Tampa that made conditions nearly impossible for the defense (which often suffers more from foul weather when it comes to footing and change of direction).

But this is hardly the first time Tampa’s ground game has taken over. The Buccaneers have rushed for 925 yards over their past four games, shattering the franchise record for any four-game span in team history (previously 768 yards from Nov. 24 to Dec. 15, 2024), per FOX Sports research. 

Mayfield’s biggest — or most surprising — contribution might’ve been a lead block.

“If I’m not going to throw the ball, I’ve got to get active somehow. So me and [Falcons safety] Jessie [Bates] were out there playing in the mud,” Mayfield said. 

The Buccaneers (3-5) are still in the hunt for the NFC South division title — behind the Carolina Panthers (3-4). Before they see the Panthers in four weeks, the Bucs have tough matchups against the Bears and Lions (with a bye in between).

“When stuff’s hitting the fan, guys are coming together — and not spreading apart, pointing fingers at each other,” Mayfield said.

6.

One Play Says It All: Running Back Jonah Coleman Is A Godsend For Bo Nix And The Broncos.

Bo Nix is getting a whole lot of credit for a fourth-quarter performance that was largely fueled by his new RB1, Jonah Coleman. 

Don’t get me wrong. Nix played better than he’d been playing. He was not disrespecting the quarterback position, as former NFL QB Ryan Fitzpatrick once accused. But Nix continued to check the ball down, even with a full-strength roster of pass-catchers, from Jaylen Waddle to Courtland Sutton to Marvin Mims. 

But you know who was probably best of all? It legitimately could have been Coleman, the fourth-round rookie. He produced the biggest play of the game: a 51-yard reception. He also scored on the next play, with a 5-yard touchdown run.

Coleman led the team in rushing yards (41) and receiving yards (63) with two touchdowns. After weeks of watching J.K. Dobbins and RJ Harvey struggle to make things happen out of the backfield with consistency, Coleman could change the complexion of this offense — creating an efficiency from drive to drive that the Broncos have sorely lacked.

I don’t know if Nix will find the downfield passing that made him impressive last year. I don’t know if Nix will get back to rushing the football to generate big plays. I just know that the Broncos will need Nix less than they’ve ever needed him. If Coleman can get going, he and the defense can probably win games all on their own.

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Another week, another new No. 1.

Sunday delivered a wild slate of games, ranging from the last unbeaten team going down, to Patrick Mahomes blowing a double-digit lead in the fourth quarter. The team that now finds itself at No. 1 continues to roll through opponents, led by a dynamic quarterback who is the MVP favorite through eight Sundays.

Let’s get into it, starting with the Steelers.

Record: 6-2

Previous ranking: N/A ↑

Aaron Rodgers walks off the field after the Steelers’ convincing win over the Browns. (Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)

Super Bowl odds: +5000

Don’t look now, but Aaron Rodgers and Mike McCarthy have the Steelers poised to take over the AFC North. The offense remains a little clunky, but the veteran quarterback and grizzled coach are maximizing the talent around Rodgers to get the job done. 

With the defense adapting to defensive coordinator Patrick Graham and his intricate schemes, the Steelers are a dark horse to fear down the stretch.

Who Stood Out: T.J. Watt had two sacks against Cleveland on Sunday, passing Terrell Suggs for the most career sacks against the Browns. Watt also has the record for most against the Ravens, which means he’s just the ninth player in NFL history to hold the career sack record against multiple teams.

Record: 4-2-1

Previous ranking: 10 ↑

J.J. McCarthy will be feeling good coming off the bye week with the Giants still in first place. (Tim Warner/Getty Images)

Super Bowl odds: +6500

Head coach John Harbaugh has quickly transformed the Giants into the rugged squad no one wants to face down the stretch. The defense, in particular, has enough pass rushers and roughnecks to make life miserable for opposing passers and runners. 

If the J.J. McCarthy experiment continues to produce positive results, the G-Men could win the NFC East amid a rebuild that could turn them into a perennial contender.

Who Stood Out: In five quarters of action with the Giants, McCarthy has completed 63.3% of his passes (31-of-49) for 495 yards and a 95.2 passer rating.

Record: 5-2

Previous ranking: 9 ↑

Jared Goff (left) and Jahmyr Gibbs handed the Vikings their first loss of the season. (Mike Mulholland/Getty Images)

Super Bowl odds: +1800

The Lions’ offensive pizzazz and physicality give them a chance to whoop any opponents at home or on the road. Jared Goff can throw for 300-plus on any given Sunday, or Jahmyr Gibbs can set the pace as a 100-yard rusher with big-play potential. 

If the defense continues to come up with a few key stops in clutch moments, the Lions could scratch and claw their way into the championship rounds in the playoffs.

Who Stood Out: Gibbs became the fifth player in NFL history prior to age 25 to have at least 1,000 scrimmage yards and 10-plus touchdowns in his team’s first seven games of a season. He joins Christian McCaffrey (2019), Edgerrin James (2000), Eric Dickerson (1983) and Jim Brown (1958) as the only players to do so. 

Record: 5-2

Previous ranking: 7

Caleb Williams and the Bears face a tough test against the reigning-champion Seahawks to close out Week 8. (Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)

Super Bowl odds: +1100

A Monday night matchup with the Seattle Seahawks could determine whether the Bears reside in the contender or pretender category at the halfway mark. It will also mark the debut of three-time All-Pro defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons, for whom Chicago dealt two first-round picks to the Titans last week.

Head coach Ben Johnson’s squad looks Super Bowl-ready but needs a few more pelts on the wall to cement its status as an elite team.

Who Stood Out: In his four games this season, Caleb Williams has led the Bears to a 3-1 record while completing 71.0% of his passes (88-of-124) for 1,020 yards (255.0 per game).

Record: 5-2

Previous ranking: 4 ↓

Patrick Mahomes couldn’t deliver a game-winning touchdown late against the Broncos. (Dustin Bradford/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Super Bowl odds: +950

A positive came out of Kansas City’s loss to Denver on Sunday in the form of rookie running back Emmett Johnson’s emergence. Adding a high-end RB2 could stir head coach Andy Reid’s creative juices as he attempts to build the Chiefs’ offense into a more explosive unit. 

With Kenneth Walker III and Johnson capable of making plays as runners and receivers, the Chiefs’ ball-control offense could revolve around their dynamic stable of running backs.

Who Stood Out: Despite throwing for 321 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions, Patrick Mahomes lost for just the third time in his NFL career when leading by double digits in the fourth quarter. His record in those games, including the playoffs, fell to 80-3. 

Record: 6-2

Previous ranking: 6 ↑

Bo Nix celebrates Jonah Coleman’s game-winning touchdown in the fourth quarter against the Chiefs. (Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)

Super Bowl odds: +1600

Head coach Sean Payton has whipped the Broncos into championship shape with his mix of swagger and tough love. Denver’s comeback win over the Chiefs was impressive and showed a lot of character.

The Broncos are far from perfect, but they play with a grittiness that will make them a tough out in the postseason.

Who Stood Out: With his comeback win over the Chiefs, Bo Nix now has 16 game-winning drives in the fourth quarter or overtime in his career. It is the most through three seasons since at least 1950.

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Record: 5-2

Previous ranking: 5 ↑

Running back Bhayshul Tuten powered the Jaguars’ comprehensive blowout win over the Colts. (Don Juan Moore/Getty Images)

Super Bowl odds: +1000

The Jags are quietly dominating opponents with an electric offense that is showcasing Trevor Lawrence’s growth as a playmaker. Lawrence didn’t even have to do too much against the lowly Colts, going 10-of-14 for 210 yards and three touchdowns in the air. The former No. 1 overall pick is playing at an MVP level, with an efficient yet explosive passing game clicking on all cylinders.

Lawrence’s 10 completions went to seven different players, one of whom was third-year receiver Brian Thomas Jr. Touted as a potential trade candidate, Thomas becoming a factor on offense would be a big boost for the Jags.

Who Stood Out: Bhayshul Tuten became the first player in Jaguars history with at least 100 rushing yards, 50 receiving yards, a rushing touchdown and a receiving touchdown in a single game.

Record: 6-1

Previous ranking: 1 ↓

Super Bowl odds: +1900

There’s no doubt the Vikings’ defense can carry them to a Super Bowl, but quarterback Kyler Murray and the offense must improve significantly to make a title run. The defense did its part in containing the Lions on Sunday, but the offense was unable to score enough points for Minnesota to remain undefeated.

Head coach Kevin O’Connell must find a way for his offense to put more points on the board to alleviate the pressure on the defense to pitch a shutout in pivotal games down the stretch.

Who Stood Out: Justin Jefferson has reached 100 receiving yards in just three of 23 games since the start of the 2025 season, including none of his six games in 2026.

Record: 6-1

Previous ranking: 3 ↑

Brock Purdy comes off the 49ers’ bye week as one of the MVP favorites. (Getty Images)

Super Bowl odds: +580

The bye week comes at a perfect time for a squad that needed a rest and recovery period for its aging roster. Despite featuring several 30-year-olds at prominent positions, the 49ers’ collective experience and expertise could be their superpower in the postseason.

Who Stands Out: Among quarterbacks who have started at least seven games this season, Brock Purdy is third in QB rating behind Trevor Lawrence and Joe Burrow.

Record: 6-1

Previous ranking: 2 ↑

Josh Allen and the Bills kept on rolling against the Ravens, who lost Lamar Jackson early on Sunday. (Michael Owens/Getty Images)

Super Bowl odds: +650

Josh Allen & Co. aren’t a flawless squad, but their superior effort and nearly flawless execution make them hard to beat. The Bills outwork and outlast their opponents over 60 minutes, which speaks to their competitive stamina and championship-caliber pedigree.

Buffalo was fortunate when star quarterback Lamar Jackson left their Sunday matchup with a thumb injury on the Ravens’ first offensive play, but the Bills made sure that Baltimore didn’t have any hope down the stretch. It was another statement from Buffalo as it moves into the top spot of my rankings.

Who Stood Out: With his 259th and 260th touchdown passes (including both the regular season and playoffs), Allen became the Bills’ all-time leader, surpassing Jim Kelly for the most passing touchdowns in franchise history.

Source

NFL Week 8 odds featured a back-and-forth battle between bookmakers and the public betting masses.

And in one matchup, there was something to be happy about on both sides: The Cardinals’ stunning 33-30 overtime victory vs. the Cowboys.

“Arizona provided the biggest bailout … erasing a 14-point deficit to beat Dallas in overtime and remove a considerable Cowboys liability,” Caesars Sports head of football trading Joey Feazel said.

However, when it looked as if the Cards were dead in the fourth quarter, down by 14 points, some customers thought: Why not take a flier on Arizona in-game moneyline +1250?

“Plenty of bettors took a shot on the Cardinals at around 12/1 before the comeback,” Feazel said. “The wagers were generally modest, so there was not a significant amount of money behind Arizona at that stage.

“[But] it became a great result for those bettors who believed Gardner Minshew could turn the ship around on the Cowboys.”

Oddsmakers from Las Vegas and across the country chimed in to recap the weekend that was in NFL and college football betting.

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.

Public Payouts

BetMGM trading manager Adair Horne termed Sunday “a bit of a mixed day for bettors and the book alike.”

One key decision in favor of the public masses was the Lions getting a late touchdown to beat the Vikings 19-15 and narrowly cover as 3.5-point home favorites.

“The worst result for the book was the Lions covering against the previously undefeated Vikings,” Horne said, while also adding that BetMGM — unlike Caesars — needed the Cowboys.

Further, although the Bengals — 13.5-point home favorites — got nowhere close to covering while beating the Titans 43-36 in an overtime thriller, Cincy just winning salvaged bundles of moneyline parlays.

“Cincinnati’s overtime win rewarded the heavy Bengals moneyline support,” Feazel said. “Moneyline favorites carried the day for bettors, with most of the public’s biggest positions cashing.”

Joining the Lions and Bengals in that category were the Bills, Jaguars and Steelers. Buffalo rolled to a 36-10 win over the Ravens, who lost Lamar Jackson almost as fast as they got him back. Jackson suffered a thumb injury on Baltimore’s first play from scrimmage and will miss four weeks minimum, perhaps much longer.

Jacksonville thumped Indianapolis 42-7 and Pittsburgh slowed Cleveland’s roll in a 27-6 decision. The Jaguars (-10.5), Steelers (-3.5) and Bills (-3) joined the Lions in also covering the spread, another bonus for the betting masses.

And all those key favorites played in Sunday’s 1 p.m. ET slate of games.

“The book spent much of the [early window] on the ropes and needed a few well-timed Unders to limit the damage,” Feazel said.

The biggest of those Unders came in Ravens-Bills, with a season-high 55.5 total, and Vikings-Lions (total 46.5).

“The Unders and a handful of underdog covers slowed the momentum, but bettors still finished the day comfortably ahead,” Feazel said.

Another Lamar Jackson injury likely contributed to the Under in Bills-Ravens (Getty Images).

Bookmaker Bonuses

Horne pointed to three key decisions that helped BetMGM post a modest win for the day.

“The best results for the book were the Broncos over the Chiefs, the Raiders’ upset of the Jets and the Patriots beating the Dolphins in a one-score game,” Horne said.

Denver trailed 24-13 in the fourth quarter and rallied for a 28-24 victory as a 1-point home underdog. Kansas City was literally on the doorstep at the 1-yard line in the waning seconds, but couldn’t punch it in for the win.

Las Vegas was a 1.5-point underdog at New York and also had a comeback win, 38-33. New England was a popular play to cover as a 7-point road favorite, yet had to rally from a 13-3 halftime deficit to beat Miami 24-19.

Player Props Pop

Several popular player props were also a boon for bettors Sunday, with Bengals QB Joe Burrow leading the way.

“The end-zone celebrations rarely stopped during the early slate, and many of the most popular players joined the party,” Feazel said. “Joe Burrow threw five touchdowns, Josh Allen (Bills) and Trevor Lawrence (Jags) cashed popular passing props, and Ja’Marr Chase (Bengals) surpassed 100 receiving yards.”

In the late window of games, the Rams’ Puka Nacua and Kyren Williams — both well-bet as anytime touchdown scorers — found the end zone in a 24-9 win over the Chargers. And while Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes was dealt a loss in Denver, he delivered on props with 321 passing yards and three TDs.

However, Feazel noted that Caesars got off the hook with one player.

“The book caught its biggest break when Kenneth Walker III, the day’s most popular touchdown selection, was stopped at the 1-yard line on Kansas City’s frantic final drive,” Feazel said.

Kenneth Walker skipping the end-zone hurt his Anytime TD bettors (Getty Images).

On Campus

College football Week 9 odds proved less back-and-forth than the NFL, with bookmakers having a better Saturday. 

Upsets will do that.

Particularly Saturday night’s semi-stunner in Los Angeles, where USC — a 6.5-point underdog — never trailed while upending Ohio State 30-18.

“Bettors struggled the most in the Ohio State vs. USC game,” Horne said.

Additionally, Indiana nearly losing outright and falling miles short of covering the spread didn’t help bettors’ cause. The Hoosiers were 20.5-point home favorites vs. Minnesota and escaped in overtime 23-16.

Interestingly, Cincinnati was a trendy home underdog vs. unbeaten Utah, with the Bearcats fresh off a big upset of Texas Tech. But the Utes plowed to a 49-25 victory as 7.5-point favorites.

“Cincinnati was [expected] to at least give a good offensive fight against Utah. But in reality, the Bearcats got absolutely crushed,” Horne said.

Horne said popular SEC favorites helped bettors claw some money back on Saturday:

• Georgia (-11.5) rolled over Florida 27-8
• Ole Miss (-10.5) punched out Auburn 45-15
• Texas (-20) routed Mississippi State 31-3

“Overall, it was a nice day for the book. But there were still multiple games that proved to be successful for bettors,” Horne said.

Source

NFL Week 9 is nearly here, and it begins with a Thursday clash between Jacksonville and Baltimore.

The Titans and Steelers have byes.

Here are the lines for every Week 9 matchup at bet365 Sportsbook as of Nov. 3. 

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, Nov. 5

Spread: Jaguars -9.5
Moneyline: Jaguars -490, Ravens +370
O/U: 42.5

Sunday, Nov. 8

Spread: Bengals -3.5
Moneyline: Bengals -160, Falcons +135
O/U: 52.5

Spread: Saints -2.5
Moneyline: Saints -142, Browns +121
O/U: 43.5

Spread: Cowboys -5.5
Moneyline: Cowboys -265, Colts +215
O/U: 51.5

Spread: Broncos -2.5
Moneyline: Broncos -154, Panthers +129
O/U: 43.5

Spread: Lions -6.5
Moneyline: Lions -350, Dolphins +275
O/U: 50.5

Spread: Rams -5.5
Moneyline: Rams -245, Commanders +200
O/U: 47.5

Spread: Giants -3.5
Moneyline: Giants -181, Eagles +151
O/U: 39.5

Spread: Chiefs -9.5
Moneyline: Chiefs -490, Jets +370
O/U: 46.5

Spread: Texans -4.5
Moneyline: Texans -220, Chargers +180
O/U: 40.5

Spread: Seahawks -10.5
Moneyline: Seahawks -650, Cardinals +475
O/U: 43.5

Spread: Patriots -2.5
Moneyline: Patriots -154, Packers +129
O/U: 46.5

Spread: 49ers -9.5
Moneyline: 49ers -550, Raiders +400
O/U: 51.5

Spread: Bears -6.5
Moneyline: Bears -280, Buccaneers +230
O/U: 46.5

Monday, Nov. 9

Spread: Bills -3.5
Moneyline: Bills -180, Vikings +150
O/U: 46.5

Source

Miami holds the No. 1 spot in Joel Klatt’s top 10, but the biggest shake-up came a spot below, where Ohio State fell from No. 2 to No. 9 after a 30-18 loss at USC.

The Hurricanes survived against North Carolina 38-35 to stay unbeaten, while Georgia climbs three spots to No. 2 after a 27-8 win over Florida. UCLA and Utah, both 8-0, both move up in this week’s ranking.

Klatt’s No. 1 and No. 4 teams meet next Saturday, when Miami visits Notre Dame. 

Here is how he ranked the country’s 10 best teams, on the latest episode of “The Joel Klatt Show”.

Record: 6-2

Previous ranking: Unranked ↑

Keelon Russell and Alabama return to Klatt’s top 10 at No. 10 ahead of a big matchup against LSU. (Photo by Jason Clark/Getty Images)

Odds to make CFP: -280 (fifth)

Odds to win national title: +1100 (eighth)

Klatt’s thoughts: “Alabama was off this past week. Obviously, they’ve got the huge matchup against LSU on the road Saturday. They’re coming off that comeback win over A&M. 

“Keelon Russell has gone through some growing pains as a first-year starter, but he’s a guy that I believe in, in particular with his ability not only to throw the ball down the field but also with his legs. As a first-year starter, he has shown me great ability in both areas, and now it’s just about consistency and in a big moment, and this LSU game is going to be a big moment. They were right there with Georgia three weeks ago.”

Record: 6-2

Previous ranking: 2 ↓

Jeremiah Smith didn’t reach the end zone until late as Ohio State tumbled seven spots to No. 9 in Klatt’s top 10 after a 30-18 loss in Los Angeles. (Photo by Keith Birmingham/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty Images)

Odds to make CFP: -156 (ninth)

Odds to win national title: +1000 (tied for fifth)

Klatt’s thoughts: “I know it was a frustrating game. There’s no doubt, and they have to play better in a lot of areas. The effort was there, but too many mistakes, special teams, big plays on defense that they gave up. Just a couple, and they ultimately lose the game. 

“I still think Ohio State can fix some of those issues. In particular, [quarterback Luke] Fahey should get better. A big jump from his first start to his second start. If he’s able to do that, I think they can get some things done on the offensive side.

“I’ve got them inside of my top 10. I know that the AP moved them outside of the top 10. I think that was a bit of an overreaction. I’ve got them at nine.”

Record: 7-1

Previous ranking: 9 ↑

Kenny Minchey and Kentucky (7-1) were off this week but still climb a spot to No. 8 in Klatt’s top 10. (Photo by Jeff Moreland/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Odds to make CFP: +170 (tied for 14th)

Odds to win national title: +9000 (tied for 16th)

Klatt’s thoughts: “I’ve got Kentucky at No. 8. Will Stein’s crew is sitting on that one loss in the SEC. They control their destiny to get to the SEC Championship Game. Off this past week, they get a huge test against Tennessee. That’s going to be a monster game.”

Record: 6-2

Previous ranking: 8 ↑

Arch Manning threw three touchdown passes in Texas’ 31-3 rout of Mississippi State, and the Longhorns move up a spot to No. 7 in Klatt’s top 10. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)

Odds to make CFP: -150 (tied for 10th)

Odds to win national title: +1050 (seventh)

Klatt’s thoughts: “I know everyone’s going to be upset about this, but you know what? I don’t care. I’ve got Texas at seven. If you look at their strength of schedule, their wins, if I was in the committee room I would have them up there. They took care of Mississippi State 31-3. That team’s just not the same without Kamario Taylor. 

“The defense was great. They only gave up three points. Linebacker Rasheem Biles was terrific. He had three sacks and a strip sack that led to a scoop and score. The offense was fine. That’s a joke we have on our crew: If you say something is fine, it means it’s bad. But it was fine. 

“They had 280 total yards. Arch [Manning] took five sacks in that game. They’ve got to get better than that. They’ve got to figure out how to run the football first, like they were able to do in stretches against Ole Miss.”

Record: 8-0

Previous ranking: 7 ↑

Cornerback Elijah Davis and 8-0 Utah move up a spot to No. 6 in Klatt’s top 10 after a 49-25 win at Cincinnati. (Photo by Ben Jackson/Getty Images)

Odds to make CFP: -240 (sixth)

Odds to win national title: +3000 (10th)

Klatt’s thoughts: “At No. 6 I’ve got Utah. They ran all over Cincinnati, 268 yards on the ground, six per carry. They were up 42-6 at halftime. That’s a week after Cincinnati beat Texas Tech. But what do we know about college football? 

“Nobody wins a big game, an emotional game, then comes back and plays well the next week. By the way, Holy War this week! Boom, love that.”

Record: 8-0

Previous ranking: 6 ↑

Bob Chesney became the first coach in UCLA history to start his tenure 8-0 after a 27-0 shutout of Nevada, and the unbeaten Bruins move up a spot to No. 5 in Klatt’s top 10. (Photo by Jeff Antenore/MediaNews Group/Orange County Register via Getty Images)

Odds to make CFP: -190 (seventh)

Odds to win national title: +6500 (12th)

Klatt’s thoughts: “At No. 5, I’ve got UCLA. Nevada is not a great opponent, but they shut them out 27-0. Nobody has scored 17 points on this defense since September. They lead the country with 26 takeaways. They’re playing great defense. They’re second in the country with a plus-15 turnover margin. They had plus-four against Nevada on Saturday. I know it wasn’t a huge day for them offensively, but they lead the Big Ten in rushing.”

Record: 7-1

Previous ranking: 4 

CJ Carr, chased here by Navy’s Ikenna Ozurumba, and Notre Dame hold at No. 4 in Klatt’s top 10 after rallying past Navy 35-13, with a Nov. 7 showdown against Miami next. (Photo By Winslow Townson/Getty Images)

Odds to make CFP: -550 (fourth)

Odds to win national title: +550 (second)

Klatt’s thoughts: “Number four is Notre Dame. That’s my last team that I’m going to reveal right there. Slow start against Navy. They trailed in the first half. Didn’t love it. Classic look-ahead, and I can’t wait for that game [against Miami] either.”

Record: 8-1

Previous ranking: 3 

Backup quarterback Grant Wilson replaced Josh Hoover at halftime and threw the game-winning touchdown in overtime of Indiana’s 23-16 win over Minnesota, and the Hoosiers hold at No. 3 in Klatt’s top 10. (Photo by Jeffrey Brown/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Odds to make CFP: -1000 (third)

Odds to win national title: +1000 (tied for fifth)

Klatt’s thoughts: “So where do I have Indiana? If you tell me that you’re going to maximize Becker and Marsh, I think this is a top-five team. I think it’s a top-three team. 

“I think Indiana is No. 3 in the country right now … They were banged up, and they were trying to figure it out on defense. They found a way. I don’t think they played great defense. There were a couple of runs that Minnesota was able to get loose on, but they made the plays necessary. It’s one of those defenses that I rely on, and I feel like I can rely on if I’m watching that from afar.”

Record: 7-1

Previous ranking: 5 ↑

Chris Cole’s late first-half fumble return for a touchdown helped Georgia rout Florida 27-8, and the Bulldogs climb three spots to No. 2 in Klatt’s top 10. (Photo by Perry McIntyre/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images)

Odds to make CFP: -6000 (tied for first)

Odds to win national title: +350 (first)

Klatt’s thoughts: “[Georgia is] No. 2, guys. I think that’s pretty easy. I tried in my head to make an argument for why they should be the number one team in the country, and I couldn’t do it. 

“What’s different about them from a lot of these SEC teams that have two losses is their strength of schedule. Georgia’s strength of schedule is actually not anywhere near what a Texas or an Alabama strength of schedule is. It’s not even close to what Ohio State’s strength of schedule is.

“I’m looking at this through the lens of the committee, and I’m looking at Miami, and I’m like, ‘Man, that strength of schedule is just no good. Aren’t we going to reward good wins and quality schedules?’ I tried in my head, but I just couldn’t do it. So Georgia is going to be at number two.”

Record: 8-0

Previous ranking: 1 

Darian Mensah and Miami stay No. 1 in Klatt’s top 10 after escaping North Carolina 38-35, with a trip to Notre Dame next. (Photo by Samuel Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Odds to make CFP: -6000 (tied for first)

Odds to win national title: +620 (third)

Klatt’s thoughts: “After last weekend, Miami is number one. I think you could have made an argument for Ohio State if they would have beaten USC. They did not. Miami is undefeated. They go up there at number one, even though their strength of schedule has not been great. I do love that offense.”

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Source

What more is there to say in these rankings than what was said last week?

The Hendrick Motorsports team will say all the right things, but they’ve got to feel good about their position for Kyle Larson to win his third Cup title as he enters the season finale Sunday at Homestead-Miami Speedway with a 67-point lead on Christopher Bell and a 70-point lead on Denny Hamlin.

Max points in a race is 76, with NASCAR awarding points on a 10-to-1 scale to the top 10 in each stage. 

One point goes to the driver with the fastest lap in the race and 55 points to the winner and the rest of the race finishers on a 35-to-1 scale.

Eliminated (Alphabetical Order)

Ryan Blaney (Team Penske No. 12 Ford)
Chase Briscoe (Joe Gibbs Racing No. 19 Toyota)
Chris Buescher (RFK Racing No. 17 Ford)
William Byron (Hendrick Motorsports No. 24 Chevrolet)
Austin Cindric (Team Penske No. 2 Ford)
Chase Elliott (Hendrick Motorsports No. 9 Chevrolet)
Ty Gibbs (Joe Gibbs Racing No. 54 Toyota)
Carson Hocevar (Spire Motorsports No. 77 Chevrolet)}
Joey Logano (Team Penske No. 22 Ford)
Ryan Preece (RFK Racing No. 60 Ford)
Tyler Reddick (23XI Racing No. 45 Toyota)
Daniel Suarez (Spire Motorsports No. 7 Chevrolet)
Bubba Wallace (23XI Racing No. 23 Toyota)

Here’s What To Know About Clinching Scenarios:

— Larson owns the tiebreaker with three wins in The Chase, while Bell has one and Hamlin has none.

 — Larson clinches with nine points at Homestead, which is 28th place with no stage points. Eight stage points or seven stage points and the fastest lap point will also clinch it.

— Bell needs to win and earn 14 stage points (or 13 stage points and the fastest lap point) for any chance.

— Hamlin needs to win and earn 17 stage points (or 16 stage points and the fastest lap point) for any chance.

So my contender rankings should be obvious, as only three drivers remain of the 16 who started the playoffs.

3.

Can Hamlin win at Homestead? It’s doubtful, as he has finishes of seventh, 30th, third and fifth at the track in the Next Gen era. He just isn’t typically as strong as Larson, Tyler Reddick and others at the track that rewards running up against the wall.

2.

Bell won the 2023 race at Homestead, which was just the second Next Gen race at the track. He was 11th in 2022, fourth in 2024 and 29th in 2025. He could be a threat. He hasn’t won on a 1.5-mile track all year but did earn 73 points in his victory to open The Chase at Darlington.

1.

Larson wins the title as long as he doesn’t beat himself. He occasionally does beat himself at Homestead, as the track lends itself to a driver willing to drive on the edge to make something happen. But this track will also occasionally bite a driver trying to make a move. If he needs to take his mind off what could happen, maybe he should just start working on his championship speech.

WHAT YOU SHOULD READ NEXT

William Byron ended his dry spell with a win at Martinsville, but Kyle Larson is one step closer to adding another trophy to his case.

Source

Eagles running back Saquon Barkley said he’d love to stay with the team amidst trade rumors after six straight losses.

“I would love to be here,” Barkley told reporters after Philadelphia’s 27-10 loss to Washington on Sunday night. “I plan on being here. I don’t like the way the season is going, but I am not one of those guys that wants to jump ship. That’s not the type of person you want to have, and that’s not the person I am. I’d rather be a part of a solution to the problem and hopefully be a reason we fix it.”

Now, with one game remaining before the trade deadline, on Nov. 10, the Eagles (2-6) are in last place with the NFC East-leading Giants headed to Philadelphia next Sunday. And with a handful of other injuries on the roster, including to quarterback Jalen Hurts, Barkley had to address his future with the team Sunday.

Barkley had 14 touches for 54 yards and a touchdown against the Commanders, but certainly didn’t play a full allotment of snaps as he has dealt with hamstring and back injuries.

The Eagles have already traded offensive lineman Cam Jurgens to the Ravens for two draft picks, which has opened the door to conversations about future moves.

Barkley, though, says he’d like to stick in Philadelphia. And it seems the Eagles want him to stay, too, per ESPN.

“When that message was relayed to me, it definitely does mean a lot. … The whole time my mindset was, we have a little issue going on right now and I feel like I’m the type of player and the type of leader that can help us get out of it, and I want to be one of the reasons why we fix it.”

Barkley, who rushed for an NFL-leading 2,005 yards in 2024 and also led the league in yards from scrimmage with 2,283, had a comparatively down 2025 with 1,140 yards on the ground and nine total touchdowns. In his third season with the Eagles, the 29-year-old Barkley has rushed well — 4.9 yards per carry — but not often, gaining just 274 yards on 56 carries with two rushing touchdowns. He’s also caught seven passes for 41 yards in his six games. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

NFL Related Stories

Source

Former Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz go to trial Monday on charges that they accepted bribes as they colluded with gamblers who made hundreds of thousands of dollars betting correctly on individual pitches.

Their careers and possibly their freedom are at stake in the jury trial expected to unfold over the next month in Brooklyn federal court. Several professional baseball players, including catchers and baseball executives, are among witnesses expected to testify.

Clase, the Guardians’ former closer, and Ortiz, a starter, have pleaded not guilty to conspiracy charges and are on nondisciplinary leave from the club without pay while their fate is determined.

According to an indictment, the pitchers accepted several thousand dollars in payoffs to help two gamblers from their native Dominican Republic win at least $460,000 on in-game prop bets on the speed and outcome of certain pitches.

Before his trial, Emmanuel Clase spent years in the majors as one of baseball’s most dominant closers, earning three All-Star selections and two AL Reliever of the Year awards in Cleveland. (Photo by Tanner Gatlin/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

Prosecutors allege that Clase began providing the bettors with information about his pitches in 2023 and recruited Ortiz into the scheme in 2025. Lawyers for Ortiz unsuccessfully sought to have Ortiz tried separately from Clase.

Judge Kiyo A. Matsumoto said at a conference Friday that she hopes to complete jury selection quickly enough that lawyers can deliver relatively short opening statements in the afternoon.

Clase, 28, is a three-time All-Star and two-time American League Reliever of the Year who had completed his fourth season of a $20 million, five-year contract when charges against the pitchers were revealed in November 2025.

Ortiz, 27, had earned $782,600 as a starting pitcher for the Guardians during the 2025 season.

The pitchers have been charged with wire fraud conspiracy, honest services wire fraud conspiracy, money laundering conspiracy and conspiracy to influence sporting contests by bribery.

Defense lawyers are expected to argue that the pitchers did not collude with gamblers and instead were varying the placement of pitches strategically to fool batters.

On Friday, the judge ruled that prosecutors cannot show the jury proof that Clase owed $500,000 in U.S. taxes because they had only provided the evidence to defense lawyers several days earlier and long after a deadline had passed to turn over evidence to their adversaries.

A prosecutor had argued that the government wanted to put the evidence in the trial to offset any claim by Clase’s lawyers that he had no incentive to collude with gamblers because he had several million dollars in financial accounts in the Dominican Republic.

Major League Baseball and the Guardians have both said they’ve fully cooperated with authorities. MLB has said it contacted federal law enforcement when it began investigating unusual betting activity.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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