Author: Eternity Lab

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Week 3 brought another round of records, led by three players who keep finding new ways to make history.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba joined Jerry Rice and Marvin Harrison Sr. on exclusive lists, while Jahmyr Gibbs matched a mark set by fellow Lions running back Billy Sims. Derrick Henry climbed two all-time leaderboards and Josh Allen continues to find a way to get it done. 

Elsewhere, last season’s MVP frontrunners had a tougher time. Drake Maye’s turnover troubles continued, and Deebo Samuel made history in a way few could have ever imagined. 

From familiar names rewriting the record books to one of the strangest plays of the season, here are the numbers that defined Week 3:

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• Jaxon Smith-Njigba joined Jerry Rice (1989) as the only players with at least 120 receiving yards and a touchdown in each of their first three games of a season.
• Smith-Njigba also joined Marvin Harrison Sr. (1999) as the only players with at least 400 receiving yards and six receiving touchdowns through three games. He, Harrison and Calvin Johnson Jr. (2011) are the only players with six receiving touchdowns through three games in the last 40 years.

• Gibbs became the second player in NFL history with at least 300 rushing yards, 150 receiving yards and six touchdowns through three games of a season. The other was fellow Lions running back Billy Sims in 1980.
• Gibbs scored at least three touchdowns against the Jets for the fifth time in his career, tying Jim Brown and Todd Gurley for the most such games before turning 25. He also tied Brown, Gurley and Christian McCaffrey for the most multi-touchdown games before age 25.
• With two rushing touchdowns against the Jets, Gibbs passed Sims for second in Lions history with 43. Only Barry Sanders (99) has more.

• Josh Allen became the second quarterback in NFL history with at least two rushing touchdowns in three consecutive games, joining Billy Kilmer, who did it with the 49ers in 1961.
• The Bills won despite a minus-four turnover margin, their first victory with a margin that poor since beating the Colts in 1997. Jim Harbaugh started at quarterback for Indianapolis in that game.

• Aaron Rodgers and Mike McCarthy reached 100 regular-season wins together, becoming the seventh starting quarterback–head coach duo to hit that mark. They’re the only duo to do it across two teams.
• With the Steelers win, Rodgers tied Ben Roethlisberger for fifth-most wins by a starting quarterback since 1950 with 165. Only Tom Brady (251), Brett Favre (186), Peyton Manning (186) and Drew Brees (172) have more.

• Derrick Henry passed Eric Dickerson for ninth on the NFL’s all-time rushing yards list, now with 13,319 yards. He is 344 yards away from passing Jerome Bettis for the seventh-most all-time.
• Henry also scored his 133rd career touchdown, passing Cris Carter for eighth in NFL history.

• Patrick Mahomes earned his 98th win as a starting quarterback, passing Tom Brady for third-most through a quarterback’s first 10 seasons. He trails only Peyton Manning (105) and Russell Wilson (104).
• With their win vs. the Dolphins, the Chiefs have snapped a six-game road losing streak dating back to last season. It was their first road win since Week 3 of last season.

How About the Jaguars?

• Jacksonville is 10-1 in its last 11 regular-season games, the best record in the NFL over that span.
• Trevor Lawrence threw three touchdowns against the Patriots, passing Blake Bortles for second in Jaguars history with 105 career touchdown passes. Only Mark Brunell (144) has more.

• Drake Maye has committed 15 turnovers in seven games since the start of the 2025 playoffs. He had 11 in 17 regular-season games last year.
• Maye is the first quarterback since 2007 with one passing touchdown and at least six interceptions through his first three games of a season. Rex Grossman and Drew Brees both did it that year.

• Matthew Stafford became the sixth player in NFL history to reach 65,000 career passing yards, joining Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Peyton Manning, Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers.
• Stafford also became the first player in NFL history to throw for at least 20,000 yards with two franchises.
• Stafford also made history he’d rather avoid. His interception returned for a touchdown in the loss to the Broncos was the 33rd of his career, passing Brett Favre for the most in NFL history.

• Deebo Samuel had 80 receiving yards but zero catches Sunday. He gained all 80 yards on a hook-and-ladder play, which is the most receiving yards in a game without a reception since at least 1950.
• His 80 yards were also the most by a player on a receiving touchdown play without being credited with a catch since at least 1991.

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The Los Angeles Rams appeared to be cruising to a second victory in a row on the road against the Denver Broncos, but Bo Nix had other plans.

The third-year quarterback authored a 30-point, second-half comeback to take a 30-26 victory over the visiting Los Angeles Rams on Sunday night. 

Dubbed the “Dream Team” before the start of the regular season because of blockbuster offseason moves for players like star pass-rusher Myles Garrett and cornerback Trent McDuffee, the Rams dropped to 1-2 with the loss. Denver improved to 2-1.

The Rams had one last chance from Denver’s 19-yard line, but Matthew Stafford’s attempt to Davante Adams was intercepted by safety Talanoa Hufanga, his second of the game.

1.

Denver’s offense was nowhere to be found in the first half. The Broncos were blanked on the scoreboard by L.A.’s defense while the Rams offense stayed on the field for most of the first two quarters.

It was the same story as the first two weeks of the season. Denver has now scored 10 first-half points through its first three games this season.

But that all changed in the second half, as Nix led his offense on back-to-back touchdown drives and successful two-point conversions, allowing Denver to tie the game at 16-all with two minutes left in the third quarter.

Bo Nix and the Broncos scored 30 second-half points to beat the Rams on Sunday night. (Justin Edmonds/Getty Images) –>

On the game-winning drive, Nix and the Broncos benefited from two defensive penalties – a defensive pass interference on cornerback Josh Wallace where he appeared to intercept the ball, and then an illegal hands to the face on safety Quentin Lake – that allowed the drive to continue.

Nix eventually scored on a quarterback sneak from a yard out for the victory.

2.

The Rams’ 38-year-old reigning MVP had a roller-coaster performance against one of the best defenses in the league in facing the Broncos.

Stafford struggled against Denver’s dominant defensive front. When Stafford was blitzed, he was 11-of-23 for 204 yards, according to Next Gen Stats, with two touchdowns and two interceptions by Hufanga, including one returned 66 yards for a score.

When Stafford faced any pressure, he was 5-of-18 for 70 yards and an interception.

It was Stafford’s 33rd pick-six of his career, the most in NFL history. He was seen holding his elbow after that interception but didn’t miss any snaps.

However, Stafford also finished with 390 passing yards and two TDs, including a 48-yard touchdown to wide receiver Konata Mumpfield that put Los Angeles up late in the fourth quarter.

Stafford was helped by the running game. Running back Kyren Williams finished with 158 scrimmage yards and looked like the best player on the field at times, while Adams was excellent, as well. 

Stafford kept his team in the game and kept the pressure on Denver’s defense, but it ultimately wasn’t enough.

Matthew Stafford struggled for the majority of the second half against the Broncos. (Aaron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post) –>

3.

Los Angeles played a second straight game without the team’s No. 1 receiver Puka Nacua, who sat out with a groin injury. 

Fortunately for the Rams, they have another elite receiver in Adams.

Adams finished with 195 receiving yards and two touchdowns last week in a vintage performance against the Giants on Monday night. He followed that up with seven receptions for 138 yards matched up against one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL, the Broncos’ Patrick Surtain II. Per Next Gen Stats, Adams against Surtain.

For the second straight week, wide receiver Davante Adams stepped up in a big way without Puka Nacua. (Justin Edmonds/Getty Images) –>

Adams also got open deep twice on double moves against Surtain, but he was overthrown both times.

Nacua has a chance to return to play next week, when the Rams head east to take on the Eagles. In Nacua’s absence, Adams has been productive in leading the passing offense, stepping up and filling the role of WR1 very well.

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Two teams that started the season undefeated tumbled, as the Seattle Seahawks snapped a league-leading 12-game winning streak with a loss to the Washington Commanders, and the Cincinnati Bengals also fell from the ranks of the unbeaten with a defeat to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The Buffalo Bills almost joined the list, but they overcame three Josh Allen turnovers in a come-from-behind victory over the hapless Los Angeles Chargers. The Las Vegas Raiders joined the Bills in the undefeated club, also picking up a comeback win over the New Orleans Saints. 

Some teams continue to surprise, like the 2-1 Cleveland Browns and New York Giants, while Super Bowl-contending teams like the 0-3 Houston Texans and the 1-2 New England Patriots are searching for answers again.

Here are my overreactions for Week 3. 

The Chargers had their best defensive output of the season under new coordinator Chris O’Leary. Entering Sunday’s contest, Josh Allen hadn’t thrown an interception in his last 190 regular-season pass attempts, the longest active streak in the NFL. But the Chargers ended the streak by forcing two Allen interceptions, both secured by rookie defensive back Genesis Smith.

Add in three Buffalo fumbles (one by Allen) and the Chargers totaled five takeaways. But the Chargers scored just 10 points off those miscues. Buffalo had lost 16 straight when committing at least five turnovers, with the last win coming in 1997 against Indianapolis. Playing quarterback for the Colts that day? Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh.

The Chargers finished 1-for-4 in the red zone and managed just 13 points on offense. Since taking over the Bolts in 2024, Harbaugh-led teams are 20-2 when they score at least 20 points. But they’ve been unable to reach that mark in three games led by Mike McDaniel, considered one of the best offensive coordinators in the league.

In fact, the Chargers have now scored fewer than 20 points in six straight games dating back to last season (regular and playoffs) — their longest streak since 1998.

Herbert is playing his worst football since joining the Chargers in 2020, with career lows in completion percentage (59.3%), passer rating (71.6) and average passing yards per game (200.5).

Conclusion: Not An Overreaction 

You can’t lose a game when the defense forces five turnovers. In one of the most critical moments of the game, Herbert once again fell short when his team needed a winning play. With his team in control of the game and driving to score up 13-10, Herbert tried to force a ball into double coverage to Marquez Valdes-Scantling in the back of the end zone.

Instead, the ball was picked off by veteran defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson, who returned it close to midfield. Herbert was picked off once but could have thrown as many as three interceptions. Allen drove the Bills and scored the go-ahead touchdown, allowing Buffalo to escape with a victory even though he acknowledged afterward they did not deserve it.

The play was a microcosm of Herbert’s time with the Chargers. He has fallen short in those situations more times than expected, including a 0-3 playoff record. The Chargers played well defensively, ran the ball for 131 yards on the road against one of the best teams in football.

They just needed Herbert to play efficient, mistake-free football on offense. Instead, they turned the ball over, had another handful of head-scratching pre-snap penalties, dropped passes and a missed field goal by kicker Cameron Dicker, his second of the year.

The Chargers don’t need heroics from their star quarterback — just competent play that leads to winning games.  

A strong consideration to win the league’s MVP award last year, Drake Maye has looked like a shell of himself so far this season. It started with a three-interception performance in the fourth quarter against the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks to start the year. 

However, that has proven to not be a blip on the radar, but a trend that continued through the first quarter of the season. Maye finished with two interceptions and a lost fumble in an embarrassing 35-6 road loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. Maye has thrown a league-high six interceptions and just one touchdown through three games. Maye threw eight interceptions all last year.

Maye’s 58.6 passer rating is the worst among qualifying passers this season. The second-worst? Herbert (73.4)

Conclusion: Overreaction

Maye certainly could benefit from better pass protection from a banged-up offensive line, but sometimes it helps young quarterbacks by giving them a breather so they can watch the game from the sidelines. Bryce Young certainly benefited from that approach from head coach Dave Canales with the Carolina Panthers a few years ago, and the Alabama product is now playing at a Pro Bowl level.

The Patriots also had Maye start out his rookie season watching Jacoby Brissett play before putting him in the starting lineup in 2024. New England’s backup is Tommy DeVito, who’s 3-5 as a starter and would give the Patriots a chance to win if placed in the lineup.

But Maye is the team’s franchise quarterback for a reason, and he needs to figure out how to work through this adversity at the start of his career. He has a better chance of breaking out while playing on the field instead of watching from the sideline. Also, Maye is missing his best receiver, A.J. Brown (ankle) out. 

  Defenses Will Hold Ravens, Cowboys Back

Every year, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones cranks up the hype train, tricking us into believing his team has a chance to compete for a Super Bowl after a three-decade absence. And every year the season starts and we realize that we’ve been hoodwinked again.

This year, the Cowboys were supposed to have a much-improved defense to along with one of the best offenses in the league – a group infused with young talent and enthusiasm led by a new energetic defensive coordinator in Christian Parker. But through three games, consistent tackling has evaded the Dallas defense and (stop me if you’ve heard this before) the Cowboys can’t figure out how to stop the run.6

Meanwhile, the Baltimore Ravens hired defensive guru Jesse Minter to turn that side of the ball around. But through three games, the Ravens are allowing 26 points a contest. 

Conclusion: Not An Overreaction

The Ravens needed a last-second 26-yard pass to Zay Flowers to set up a game-winning 56-yard field goal for a 34-31 win over the Cowboys in Brazil. It’s a tough way for Dallas to lose and once again shows the youth and injuries affecting the secondary for the Cowboys. 

The Dallas defense did have an impressive goal-line stand led by rookie linebacker Jayshawn Barham, but the Cowboys still struggled to stop the run, allowing the Ravens to rush for 192 yards on the ground.

The Ravens didn’t fare much better in this shootout, giving up 415 total yards, including 148 on the ground against an explosive Cowboys offense. If both teams want to legitimately compete for a postseason berth later in the year, they need improved play from their defenses. 

The Chiefs Are The Best Team In The NFL

With the Bills squeaking past the hopeless Chargers at home and the Seahawks and Bengals all falling on the road, the Chiefs have a claim to the title of best team in football. Yes, Kansas City struggled on the road against the worst team in football, the Miami Dolphins. 

But good teams find ways to win games when they aren’t playing their best. Kenneth Walker III continues to play well, finishing with 73 scrimmage yards and two scores. And Kansas City’s defense is holding opponents to 252.5 total yards per game, which is the third-best mark in the NFL. 

Conclusion: Not An Overreaction

The Chiefs have rebounded from a disappointing 6-11 campaign last season by starting the year undefeated. Kansas City has benefited from an easier schedule, with back-to-back AFC West games against the Chargers and Raiders over the next two weeks. 

But the No. 1 reason the Chiefs are back has been the play of Patrick Mahomes, who has been efficient and is playing at an MVP level just nine months from returning from a season-ending ACL knee injury that required surgery. 

Broncos OC Davis Webb No Longer Under Pressure

Davis Webb was promoted to offensive coordinator this offseason, taking over playcalling duties for head coach Sean Payton. Through three games, it’s been an up-and-down experience for quarterback Bo Nix and Denver’s offense.

The Broncos did not score a touchdown against the Los Angeles Rams until midway through the third quarter. Webb’s inability to consistently move the football put pressure on Denver’s defense, considered one of the best in the league.

The Broncos were able to beat the Rams, but Davis Webb’s offense only put up 257 yards in the victory. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

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However, the Broncos’ offense got into a rhythm in the second half, scoring 23 points and earning a comeback win over the Los Angeles Rams. 

Conclusion: Overreaction

Payton has served as one of the best offensive play-callers for most of his NFL coaching career. It’s one of the reasons he was hired as head coach of the Broncos, and something that has given him an edge in years past.

While the second-half performance against one of the better defenses in the league generated confidence for Nix and the offense, it will be tough for Payton to not at least consider taking back play-calling duties because of the success he’s had with quarterbacks like Drew Brees in years past.

So, Webb needs to string together another solid offensive performance for the return of Payton as the team’s play caller to go away as a talking point nationally.

Aaron Rodgers looked like a four-time MVP winner in his team’s 30-27 victory over the visiting Cincinnati Bengals. Rodgers threw for 292 yards, with three touchdown passes. His only blemish was an interception by Bengals safety Jordan Battle.

Specifically, head coach Mike McCarthy and Rodgers finally figured out a way to push the ball down the field and loosen up an improved Cincinnati defense, finishing with five passing plays of at least 20 yards. Pittsburgh also got the running game going, with Jaylen Warren totaling 127 yards rushing on 17 carries. 

The reigning AFC North champs, the Steelers, now sit tied atop the division with the Browns at 2-1. Pittsburgh is traveling to Cleveland next week. 

Conclusion: Overreaction 

While the improved numbers are certainly a good sign for McCarthy and Rodgers, we need to see more. With the relationship between the head coach and veteran quarterback, though, it makes sense that Rodgers would figure out a way to make it work.

Rodgers completed passes to nine different receivers. But the most important connection was a 6-yard touchdown to DK Metcalf, his first of the season. If the Steelers are going to consistently create explosive plays, Rodgers must figure out how to regularly get Metcalf the football. 

The Raiders Are A Legitimate Playoff Contender

After victories over winless teams to start the year against the Dolphins and Chargers, the Raiders earned their most impressive triumph this season with a 35-27 road win over the New Orleans Saints.

With the win, the Raiders are one of six undefeated teams to start the year. The decision to start veteran Kirk Cousins over Fernando Mendoza has proven the correct one for Las Vegas, as the Michigan State product has been surgical in his execution of head coach Klint Kubiak’s offense.

Cousins threw for 248 yards and three scores; he has nine touchdowns on the year. The Raiders snapped a 39-game streak without reaching 30 points by scoring 35 against the Saints, per FOX Sports Research.

Conclusion: Not An Overreaction

The Raiders have not reached the playoffs since the 2021 season, the last time Las Vegas started the season 3-0. And they have a legitimate chance to compete for a spot in the postseason if they can continue at this pace. 

Las Vegas entered Week 3 with the second-most takeaways in the NFL (5) and added four more on Sunday. They also have one of the best defensive closers in edge rusher Maxx Crosby, who has 14 quarterback pressures and 1.5 sacks through three games. But the reason for success in the desert has been the change in culture by Kubiak off the field, creating a belief that Las Vegas can compete with anybody in the NFL.

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NASCAR Hall of Fame driver and broadcaster Darrell Waltrip will step back from the limelight and public appearances as he has been diagnosed with having cognitive issues that impact his personality.

Forever legend Darrell Waltrip was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2012.

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Here is the statement from Darrell, his wife Stevie and family:

“We wanted to share a health update with all of Darrell’s friends and fans who have supported him throughout his racing career. Recently, Darrell has been diagnosed with Frontotemporal Degeneration (FTD) complicated by possible Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) — likely from injuries incurred during his racing career.

“While this disease will inevitably progress, thankfully, it is currently limited to some minor noticeable symptoms. As a result, he will be stepping further away from the public limelight. Be assured, Darrell is happy and otherwise healthy — spending his time with his wife, Stevie, two daughters and his three young grandchildren. We are all grateful for your continued prayer, love and support!”

Waltrip laughed after being presented a commemorative Bruton Smith trophy for being the winningest Coca-Cola 600 driver back in 2019.

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The statement ended with Waltrip’s signature line:

“Boogity! Boogity! Boogity!”

Waltrip, now 79 years old, won three Cup titles and ranks fifth all time in Cup victories with 84 during a career that spanned from 1972-2000. 

Darrell Waltrip famously got into Victory Lane in 1989 at the Daytona 500.

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The 1989 Daytona 500 winner moved to the FOX broadcast booth in 2001 and spent 19 seasons as FOX Sports’ primary NASCAR analyst.

One of NASCAR’s most notable and well-known personalities, Waltrip was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2012, the third five-member class to be enshrined after the Hall’s 2010 opening.

Darrell Waltrip continues to be a fan favorite among NASCAR enthusiasts.

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The Mayo Clinic states that frontotemporal degeneration causes atrophy of the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain, the areas that impact personality, behavior and language.

CTE, a disease that kills nerve cells in the brain and can impact one’s thinking and emotions, can only be fully diagnosed after someone dies. 

According to the Mayo Clinic, it is believed to be caused by multiple head injuries and is more prevalent in those who participate in contact sports or military combat.

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Heading into Week 4 with a comfortable 3-0 record, how will No. 1 Texas continue its success on the road, facing No. 14 Tennessee? It’ll be up to quarterback Arch Manning. 

Manning has spent all season at the top of every NFL Draft prospect list and earned praise for taking down top-ranked Ohio State in Week 2. Especially under head coach Steve Sarkisian, the buzz around the Longhorns and Manning only continues to grow.

After last year’s first season as starting quarterback, his underwhelming start drew plenty of criticism, especially with the expectations his last name carries. However, his strong finish defeating then-No. 7 Texas A&M made him an intriguing quarterback — amongst a deep NFL Draft class of signal-callers — to watch this season.

But what does FOX Sports’ Joel Klatt think of Manning’s performance entering Texas’ pivotal Week 4 matchup? Klatt thinks Manning has not lived up to the hype. 

“Arch has just been OK, at best,” Klatt said while appearing on Wednesday’s edition of “The Herd with Colin Cowherd.” “He played really gritty for three series against Ohio State and competed his butt off … Outside of that, against UTSA … he needs to play better.”

Through three games this season, Manning has completed 59-of-96 passes for 661 yards, seven touchdowns and two interceptions. What does help Manning’s case for his talent and his potential this year is his surrounding cast. In the offseason, Sarkisian reloaded with weapons like wide receiver Cam Coleman and running back Daylan “Hollywood” Smothers, giving Manning a balanced offense against a difficult conference schedule. 

Looking ahead to facing true freshman Faizon Brandon and the Volunteers, Klatt did not hesitate to acknowledge the difficulty of winning on the road, especially against a top-25 team. 

“I think it helps that they can run the football. They have some backs that they trust. They need to play quality defense,” Klatt said. “The other part of this …it’s really tough to win on the road. Think about every single big game this year, the home team wins. I think it’s going to be close. I picked Texas, but I think it’s going to be a very close game.”

After its road contest at Tennessee, the Longhorns still have to face No. 4 Ole Miss and No. 21 Florida at home, as well as No. 10 LSU and No. 23 Texas A&M on the road. If Manning can lead Texas to a strong SEC win on the road, momentum could carry the Longhorns into a successful regular season which could turn into a return to the College Football Playoff. 

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Last Saturday morning, most American sportsbooks were reporting an avalanche of betting tickets on LSU as a 3-point road favorite at Ole Miss in Lane Kiffin’s highly anticipated return to Oxford.

Naturally, Ole Miss won the game outright.

Fast-forward to this week and the pendulum has furiously swung toward the Rebels. They are now the public darling, armed with a No. 4 ranking in the AP Top 25 and the newest Heisman favorite, quarterback Trinidad Chambliss.

Ole Miss is a 3.5-point underdog Saturday at Florida.

And the public loves the idea of getting points.

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“The greatest spot this week would be Florida,” former Las Vegas bookmaker Ed Salmons told me. “The line is telling you who’s going to cover this game. Ole Miss just won the game of all games against LSU. It’s not easy for these college kids to bottle that energy and run it back the next week.

“The one thing I’ve learned over the years, these games where the lower ranked team in the polls is favored, the favorite does pretty well.”

Are Trinidad Chambliss and his Ole Miss squad in for a surprise when they face Florida? (Getty Images)

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Florida is much improved, considering multiple oddsmakers have increased its power rating by a touchdown or more after three games.

“These kids at Ole Miss have no idea what they’re stepping into against this new Florida team,” Salmons said. “The Gators won pretty easily at Auburn and they had 16 penalties, which the coach absolutely ripped them for.

“I don’t think any team has improved as much as Florida.”

Not great for my Gators Under 7.5 wins ticket.

“Ole Miss waited nine months to play LSU,” professional bettor Vegas Rick told me. “That was the Super Bowl of Super Bowls. If Ole Miss wins this game in The Swamp, they’re a phenomenal football team.”

Elsewhere, undefeated Penn State opened as a 10-point home favorite against Wisconsin, but early sharp support showed for the Badgers at +10.

“The wise guys bet against Penn State all the time,” Salmons cracked. “The pace in this game should be so slow. I watched Penn State’s first series last weekend against Buffalo and Penn State kicked a 50-yard field goal on 4th and 2. Against Buffalo. I changed the channel right away.”

“You don’t lay 10 in this spot,” Vegas Rick said. 

“Laying that many points with Matt Campbell is never fun,” professional bettor Slice added. “It’s a no-fly zone for me.”

Slice is an aggressive oddsmaker who adjusts his numbers more rapidly than most guys I know. He leans into injuries and his own opinions a ton.

“I moved Miami down,” he said. “Miami just hasn’t impressed me. I’m not sold on them. Now their top two cornerbacks are hurt. And Stanford getting beat down by Duke didn’t help either.”

“I make Notre Dame -7 at home against Miami,” Salmons said.

As for quarterback watch this week, the two biggest names on my injury list are Hawaii’s Micah Alejado and Navy’s Braxton Woodson. Both players are listed as questionable, and they’re both important to the betting line.  

Closing college thoughts, Ed?

“I think Georgia is as good as anyone.”

Kirby Smart and his Bulldogs are playing like one of the best teams in the country. (Getty Images)

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To the NFL, here come the Kansas City Chiefs.

Patrick Mahomes looks like himself after a quick recovery from his torn left ACL and LCL and the Chiefs are back on top in the AFC West. All summer on “Bear Bets,” we discussed the 16 and 18-to-1 prices on Kansas City to win the Super Bowl being insanely high given their past and potential.

And now those prices are long, long gone.

“The Chiefs certainly look much improved from where they were last season,” Caesars Sportsbook head of football Joey Feazel said. “Kenneth Walker has already made a significant impact on the offense and his presence has helped Travis Kelce look like his former self.

“It’s still early but based on what we have seen over the past two weeks from their offense, the Chiefs look like they‘re back in business.” 

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Cristiano Ronaldo weighed ending his Portugal career after the World Cup and acknowledged Wednesday some critics at home want him out of the team.

The 41-year-old Ronaldo was confirmed by coach Jorge Jesus as a starter for this 234th Portugal game — on Thursday against Wales in the Nations League.

Asked at a pre-game news conference if he thought of stopping his international career in July, after Portugal’s round-of-16 loss to Spain, Ronaldo said: “Yes, I did. Of course, I’m always thinking on my decisions, my future, the present also.”

“I had a conversation with our president, with our coach,” he said of Jesus, whose previous job was leading Ronaldo’s club Al-Nassr to the Saudi league title in May. “I still believe that I’m able to help the national team to reach what they want, and will finish when I feel like I’m not doing anything here.”

Ronaldo, who captained Portugal to the previous Nations League title in 2025, is closing in on 1,000 career goals.

“One thousand goals, yes, and the national team. Winning the Nations League, the competition starts tomorrow,” Ronaldo said. “This is a new young generation,” he said. “But for me the basic point is to be able on the pitch to score the goals and to help the team win games.”

The superstar player is not universally still admired in his home country.

“I feel the Portuguese fans like me, but I do understand that some TV channels want to criticize me,” he said. “They are dying for me not to come to the national team anymore, but I can still move away from it.

“Anyway, I am used to it. For over 20 years I have been doing this, but my memories are with people who love me. I know why young kids love Cristiano, because they see me as an example, and I will continue to do that. Even when I am retired … in 10 years,” Ronaldo said, smiling.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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The MLB postseason is round around the corner and playoff spots still need to be decided in both leagues. Underdog new users can use promo code FOXSPORTS to get a $1,000 deposit match.

The Guardians can clinch a playoff berth with a win at Boston and a loss by either the Rangers or Astros, putting added importance on their matchup with the Red Sox. The White Sox can clinch with a win at Kansas City and a Rangers loss. The Astros and Rangers remain tied in the AL West, with the Astros holding the tiebreaker.

Elsewhere, the Cubs can clinch with a win over Miami or an Arizona loss. The Phillies can clinch with a win over the Brewers and a loss by either the Diamondbacks or Padres, while the Padres can clinch with a win at the Dodgers and a Diamondbacks loss. 

New users can use Underdog promo code FOXSPORTS to get a $1,000 deposit match and join Wednesday’s MLB games with the Cubs, Phillies, Padres, Guardians, White Sox, Rangers and Astros all involved in important playoff races.

How to Sign Up and Claim the Underdog Promo Code

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4. Make your first deposit, and Underdog applies a 50 percent match up to $1,000 in bonus funds.
5. Jump into Keep Your Million to start with a virtual $1,000,000 pot and play through the season.

Wednesday’s Key Games:

• Brewers at Phillies, 6:40 p.m. ET
• Guardians at Red Sox, 7:10 p.m. ET
• Padres at Dodgers, 10:10 p.m. ET

Current Potential Postseason Series

American League

• No. 3 Houston Astros vs. No. 6 Chicago White Sox
• No. 4 Yankees vs. No. 5 Red Sox
• No. 2 Cleveland Guardians plays the winner of Astros/White Sox
• No. 1 Tampa Bay Rays plays the winner of Yankees/Red Sox

National League

• No. 3 Atlanta Braves vs. No. 6 San Diego Padres
• No. 4 Chicago Cubs vs. No. 5 Philadelphia Phillies
• No. 2 Los Angeles Dodgers plays the winner of Braves/Padres
• No. 1 Brewers plays the winner of Cubs/Philles

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Week 2 of the 2026 NFL season didn’t feature as much scoring as Week 1, but there were still several quarterbacks who impressed, at least in Tom Brady’s eyes. 

In the most recent edition of Tom Brady’s power rankings, the GOAT pinpointed a handful of quarterbacks who have starred through the first two weeks. Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen was among them, with Brady saying that he’s playing “very dangerous football” following his five-touchdown performance. 

But was Allen’s performance enough to help the Bills unseat the Seattle Seahawks at No. 1 in his power rankings? Here’s a closer look at Brady’s top 10. 

Record: 1-1

Previous ranking: 9 ↓

Brady’s thoughts: I know they sneak in at 1-1, but look, it was a short week in Buffalo. That’s pretty tough. Buffalo was opening up a new stadium. That’s as hard as it gets. Bills Mafia was out in full force.

Jared Goff, give him his love. He’s playing lights out. He’s got six touchdowns and no picks in his first two games. I kind of like their prospects here as the season goes on.

Record: 2-0

Previous ranking: Unranked

Brady’s thoughts: Listen, it’s not hometown bias by me. Their plus-26 point differential is third in the league. Kirk Cousins has six touchdowns in two games. C’mon, that’s pretty impressive. They go on the road and beat the Chargers. 

Look, undefeated is undefeated. What’s that saying? Just win, baby.

Kirk Cousins has thrown for six touchdowns this season, which is tied for the most in the league. (Photo by Jordon Kelly/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

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Record: 2-0

Previous ranking: Unranked

Brady’s thoughts: They’re 2-0 in the division with their backup quarterback. What? No Kyler Murray. No J.J. McCarthy. Give Kevin O’Connell and Brian Flores a lot of credit. It’s a great coaching job. They held Chicago to three points. Yeah, the weather was a little nasty. But three points for Chicago a week after the Bears put up 59? Interesting.

I think Kevin has amazing IQ, EQ and charisma. I think if you stack all three together, and he’s a great leader of men. So, he’s given his team a scheme advantage, getting them hyped up and ready to play every single game and he’s got an amazing intelligence about what he does. He knows how to read his guys and what they need to hear. He’s always going to put those guys in a position to win.

Record: 1-1

Previous ranking: Unranked

Brady’s thoughts: The Australia trip — that’s in the past. That’s way behind them. It’s been overtalked about, overplayed — all of it. They took care of business back at home. Look, they had no Myles Garret, no Puka Nacua and they limited Aaron Donald [against the New York Giants]. 

This team is more than big names. Davante Adams went off for 195 yards and two tuddies. That’s exactly what they needed to get back on track. 

Record: 2-0

Previous ranking: 10 ↑

Brady’s thoughts: I’m very impressed with this start as well from Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals. A lot of complementary football — that’s what I’m seeing from Cincy. How about that defense? That’s music to the Bengals fans’ ears. We haven’t talked about that in a few years. They have eight sacks and four takeaways just to start the season in these first two weeks. That’s winning football.

Two catches in Week 1 for Ja’Marr [Chase], but two touchdowns in Week 2 — possibly the catch of the year with that toe-tap on the sideline. 

Record: 2-0

Previous ranking: 6 ↑

Brady’s thoughts: Week 1 was kind of funny and some teams are winning big, but the Eagles are winning close ones. That’s nothing new to Eagles fans. It’s not a bad thing to have a close road test under your belt in September in very hot, humid conditions. They showed a lot of toughness, and that’s not easy to do for a team from the Northeast. 

Record: 2-0

Previous ranking: 7 ↑

Brady’s thoughts: Through two games, these four teams have kind of set themselves apart. [Patrick] Mahomes’ rust is completely non-existent. He looked invincible the other night. A vintage overtime performance at Arrowhead with almost 400 yards passing and Travis Kelce going off. Kenneth Walker, he’s been an absolute menace for these defenses.

However, I will say their defense needs to find a way to pressure the QB. I’ve got an idea, though: Steve Spagnuolo, that guy calling the plays on defense, he’s the right guy to figure it out. 

Record: 2-0

Previous ranking: 5 ↑

Brady’s thoughts: The Bills got out to a fast start in their new stadium, which I’m really looking forward to seeing. And Detroit, they were literally playing catch-up the entire night. Tough to go on the road against a team like that; that’s really hot. The Bills’ offense had 36 points against Houston and 41 against Dan Campbell and the Lions. 

No turnovers across the board from Josh Allen in two games. Very impressive. I’m very impressed with Josh’s ability to eliminate the negative plays. I think early in his career, he was always trying to make a big play. He was a little bit inaccurate in the passing game. He’s really settled down and become an accurate passer. He knows when to take his chances. He’s playing very dangerous football. That’s going to be a tough team to beat.

Record: 2-0

Previous ranking: 3 ↑

Brady’s thoughts: They get home from Australia and that travel didn’t bother them. They dominated the Dolphins. They have a plus-42 point differential this year. That’s almost double the next best in the NFL. Their offense is averaging eight [yards] per play and had no turnovers on Sunday. 

Are you seeing a trend here? Brock Purdy, how about this guy? He’s just always making the right decisions with his pre-snap reads. I always feel like he’s in total control. He’s very poised. I like the way Purdy’s playing.

This Niners team — watch out. No one thought about them.

Record: 2-0

Previous ranking: 1

Brady’s thoughts: In order to be the best, you’ve got to beat the best. Seattle is 2-0, winning in all three phases of the game: offense, defense and special teams. Great complementary football. 

And who can forget about JSN (Jaxon Smith-Njigba)? He’s got four tuddies in two games. 

Sam Darnold goes out a few plays into the season and in comes Drew Lock, who is completing 73% of his passes. And even more impressive, I talk about negative plays a lot, he’s had zero interceptions. That’s hard to do. 

They had 162 yards last week — a true running back by committee. They might miss Kenneth Walker a little bit, but you can’t keep everybody. They seem to have picked the right guys so far.

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Arch Manning, the betting favorite to be the first overall pick in the NFL draft, visits his uncle’s old stomping grounds as No. 1 Texas takes on No. 14 Tennessee in Knoxville. No. 20 Oregon also takes on No. 12 USC in a massive Big Ten showdown. 

That’s just two of the six top 25 matchups this weekend, but beyond these massive showdowns, there are several games flying under the radar and could offer intriguing betting opportunities.

Here are five of the best sleeper games to watch and wager on in Week 4 of college football.

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.

Spread: Mississippi State -6.5

The Outlook: Mississippi State quarterback Kamario Taylor continues to fuel his Heisman campaign after last week’s win at South Carolina. Despite trailing by 16 points in the second quarter, Taylor and the Bulldogs outscored the Gamecocks 41-7 from that point until the early fourth quarter.

On the other sideline, Missouri has done nothing but outscore its opponents, 119-52, averaging nearly 40 points per game while allowing just 17.3. However, Mizzou found itself down 10-0 early against Troy last weekend, but a 24-point second quarter propelled the Tigers to a 27-17 win. Quarterback Austin Simmons threw for just 91 yards and a touchdown in the victory, but he’s still third in the SEC in passing touchdowns (8) and has proved he can win a game through the air.

Playoff Implication: If you haven’t heard about Taylor or Mississippi State yet, you will soon enough. The Bulldogs made their first appearance in the top 25 after last week’s win over South Carolina and moved to 3-0. Missouri, meanwhile, has steadily climbed from its preseason No. 25 ranking. 

Both teams enter this SEC showdown 3-0, but if they want to stay undefeated and continue climbing the SEC standings, they’ll have a gauntlet of ranked conference foes to navigate.

The Bulldogs begin a stretch in which four of their next five opponents are ranked. Same deal for the Tigers, who have four consecutive ranked teams on the schedule, starting with the Bulldogs.

Spread: UCLA -1.5

The Outlook: UCLA has the fifth-best rushing attack in the country, and running back Wayne Knight is leading the way. Knight has 345 yards and eight touchdowns, ranking eighth and first, respectively, in the country. In the Bruins’ win over Purdue, Knight ran for 177 yards and two touchdowns, the second-most rushing yards of his career.

Meanwhile, a career day for Maryland quarterback Malik Washington still wasn’t enough to lead the Terrapins to a win against Virginia Tech last week. Washington passed for 359 yards, the second-most in his career. The Terrapins now start conference play at 2-1, looking to avoid dropping to 2-2.

Playoff Implication: Not many people have UCLA on their radar, but the Bruins are 3-0 for the first time since 2023 and already 1-0 in conference play. If they can pull off a win in College Park, improving to 2-0 in the Big Ten, the Bruins could quickly start getting more attention around the country.

A long shot could be an understatement for Maryland’s hopes of competing in the Big Ten, but they can play spoiler for this UCLA team.

Spread: Louisville -12.5

The Outlook: No. 16 Louisville was the last team standing in its high-scoring affair against No. 22 SMU, 41-31. Running back Keyjuan Brown’s 53-yard scamper gave the Cardinals the lead, and they never gave it back. Even after its Week 1 loss against Ole Miss, Louisville sits near the top of the ACC with its win over SMU.

Wake Forest gave Miami its best shot, but it still wasn’t enough for the win as the Demon Deacons fell 33-20. Wake Forest held the Hurricanes’ offense to just seven points in the second half. If they can keep that offense out of the end zone, they should have no trouble with Louisville’s.

Playoff Implication: If anybody wants to help Miami represent the ACC in the CFP, Louisville has one of the best chances to do so. The Cardinals are averaging 46 points per game, but they’re also giving up 28.3, both third-most in the ACC.

Spread: West Virginia -1.5

The Outlook: West Virginia is coming off a huge rivalry win over No. 25 Virginia, 38-27, and is 3-0 for the first time since 2018. Mountaineers quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. and running back Cam Cook combined for 246 rushing yards. Along with his 123 rushing yards and three touchdowns, Hawkins Jr. had 190 passing yards and two touchdowns.

Oklahoma State followed up its stunning upset over Oregon with a throttling of Murray State, 59-0. Quarterback Drew Mestmaker threw for 324 yards and five touchdowns in the rout. The Cowboys racked up 662 yards of offense while holding the Racers to 160 total yards.

Playoff Implication: Oklahoma State already shocked the world once with its upset win over No. 6 Oregon at the time. If it wants to continue to put the nation and the Big 12 on notice, it needs to keep the train rolling, but this West Virginia team is no slouch. Hawkins Jr. and Cook are in the top five in the Big 12 in rushing and could cause major problems for this Cowboys defense.

Spread: Boise State -7

The Outlook: Boise State’s Dylan Riley ran for 198 yards and two fourth-quarter touchdowns to lift the Broncos past South Dakota, 38-24. After that performance, Riley ranks third in the country in rushing yards, giving Boise State another workhorse in the backfield.

Western Michigan looked poised to pull off one of the biggest upsets ever in Week 1 against Michigan. Instead, the Broncos had what could have been an all-time victory and moment in college football taken away. Western Michigan didn’t let that derail its season, though, and bounced back with two straight wins. However, much like Boise State, these Broncos needed two fourth-quarter touchdowns to secure a Week 3 win over Rice.

Playoff Implication: In this battle of the Broncos, everything is on the line for both teams. This could be an elimination game for these programs’ hopes of representing the Group of 6 in the College Football Playoff.

For Western Michigan, the defense has been its identity so far this season. Michigan needed a last-second Hail Mary to score 13 points against the Broncos. For Boise State, its punishing ground game has been the driving force behind its offense and 2-1 start. One of these strengths will have to give in this game. Which will it be?

Week 4 Parlay Slip

Bet $10 to win $239.14 if:

• No. 19 Missouri (+6.5) vs. No. 24 Mississippi State (-112)
• UCLA Moneyline vs. Maryland (-120)
• Wake Forest (+12.5) vs. No. 16 Louisville (-110)
• West Virginia vs. Oklahoma State OVER 60.5 points (-108)
• Western Michigan (+7) vs. Boise State (-105)

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