Author: Eternity Lab

Max Fried gave up two home runs, the New York Yankees had one taken off the board by fan interference and then their season ended Thursday night with a whimper.

After Anthony Volpe’s would-be tying homer in the bottom of the sixth inning turned into a double on video review, the Yankees did not get a runner past second base. When leadoff hitter Trent Grisham struck out to end the ninth, it capped a 4-3 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays in Game 3 of the AL Division Series and a series sweep that extended the Yankees’ championship drought to 17 years.

Without injured slugger Aaron Judge, they were one-hit and shut out in the opener, when catcher Austin Wells’ baserunning blunder loomed large. Game 2 included four errors to get pushed to the brink of elimination.

The Yankees didn’t go quietly — at least initially. When Fried gave up a run apiece in the third and fourth innings, the bats responded each time to tie the score.

Victor Mesa Jr. crushed Fried’s 80th and final pitch for a go-ahead, two-run home run that was far from a short-porch homer like Ryan Vilade’s earlier. It looked like New York would get it right back in a redemption moment for Volpe, but a Jeffrey Maier-esque moment came back to haunt the home team 30 years later.

With rookie George Lombard Jr. on base — and Wells would have been if not for a successful ABS challenge by the Rays — Volpe turned on right-hander Griffin Jax’s 95.9 mph sinker and hit it 357 feet to left field. It was a matter of inches as to whether a fan reached over the fence and interfered with the ball or it would have cleared the wall entirely.

Called a home run by the umpires on the field, video review determined the fan did interfere. The replay official scored it an RBI double for Volpe with a run scored, but the run that did not turned out to be the difference.

With the air sucked out of Yankee Stadium, Spencer Jones — who singled and doubled in his first two plate appearances — struck out swinging to end the threat. The eighth started with Paul Goldschmidt reaching on a throwing error and finished with fellow pinch-hitter with Giancarlo Stanton striking out in just his second at-bat of the postseason.

Stanton got chances to swing the bat after strained calf muscles in each of his legs sidelined him since April 24. Judge was not afforded the same opportunity, left off the rosters for the AL Wild Card Series and the ALDS because of his calf injury.

Aaron Boone again fell short of a title in his ninth season as New York’s manager, and some fans chanted “Fire Boone!” as they streamed to the exits.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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Wednesday brought a full slate of injury news across the league as teams finalized their first reports of Week 5. Philadelphia’s situation keeps growing, while there was better news in Washington and lingering uncertainty in Baltimore and Los Angeles.

Saquon Barkley and DeVonta Smith both missed practice for the Eagles, adding to an already long injury list, but Jayden Daniels is trending toward his season return for the Commanders. Elsewhere, Lamar Jackson’s Week 5 status remains up in the air for the Ravens, and the winless Chargers will likely be without right tackle Joe Alt against the Broncos.

Here’s the latest from around the NFL on Wednesday.

Barkley, Smith Both Miss Practice Wednesday

 

Philadelphia running back Saquon Barkley and wide receiver DeVonta Smith officially did not practice Wednesday, both sidelined by hamstring injuries as the Eagles begin preparations for Sunday’s game against the Jaguars in London. 

Smith was already trending toward missing extended time after sitting out all of last week’s practice and being ruled out against the Rams, and Wednesday’s absence does little to change that outlook. Barkley, meanwhile, is considered week-to-week after the injury limited him to just four snaps in Sunday’s loss, though he’s believed to have avoided anything more serious.

The two join an already lengthy Eagles injury list that includes tight end Dallas Goedert (knee), linebacker Zack Baun (concussion), cornerback Quinyon Mitchell (knee), plus guard Landon Dickerson and tight end Eli Stowers on injured reserve.

Right tackle Lane Johnson’s retirement earlier this week only adds to Philadelphia’s depth concerns heading into the trip overseas.

Jayden Daniels could be back on the field for game action soon.

The Commanders quarterback was a full participant in Wednesday’s practice, putting him on track to start Sunday at home against the Giants three weeks after dislocating his left elbow against Dallas in Week 2 — the second such dislocation of his career.

Daniels wore a brace on the elbow during practice that he’ll continue wearing moving forward, embracing a new approach to protecting himself. 

“I’m going to embrace the brace,” Daniels said. Coach Dan Quinn said the team has been working with Daniels on technique to avoid re-injury, comparing it to how a running back protects the ball.

Daniels said he’s still adjusting to playing with the brace. “Just trying to get used to it, it’s kind of part of me now. … I’m not really just thinking about it, I’m out there playing.” 

Giants coach John Harbaugh said his team is preparing for Daniels to play, and edge rusher Abdul Carter said Washington’s quarterback won’t be eased into contact: “With the injury he has, we want him to run. We kind of encourage it, just to see how he reacts.”

Lamar Jackson sat out practice for the Ravens on Wednesday, three days after injuring his ankle in a win over Tennessee, and wasn’t made available to speak. Jackson’s ankle rolled under an opposing player late in the first half Sunday, and he didn’t return to the game.

Head coach Jesse Minter said there’s still time for Jackson to prove he’s ready. 

“There is a lot of time between now and Sunday. To Lamar’s credit, he is getting a lot of treatment and doing things. There will be a point later in the week where we will figure out kind of where it is at,” Minter told reporters, adding that Jackson has the experience to play without a full week of practice if it comes to that: “I think he’s in that category, based on everything that he has accomplished.”

 If Jackson can’t go, Tyler Huntley, who led Baltimore to wins over Chicago and Green Bay last season, would start in place of Jackson.

Several other Ravens also sat out Wednesday, including edge rusher Trey Hendrickson (finger), cornerback Marlon Humphrey (hamstring/calf), tackle Ronnie Stanley (toe/ankle) and guard Andrew Vorhees (foot), while tight end Durham Smythe (Achilles) was placed on injured reserve. Baltimore plays at Atlanta on Sunday night.

The Chargers are winless through the first month of the NFL season, and they were just dealt some bad news.

Right tackle Joe Alt is expected to miss the Chargers Week 5 matchup against the Broncos due to a neck injury he suffered during last week’s loss to the Seahawks, according to NFL Network.

The Notre Dame alum didn’t practice Wednesday, and he is now reportedly expected to miss Sunday’s game against the Broncos. The Chargers have no plans to place him on injured reserve despite the absence.

Alt went down late in the first half with a neck injury and was replaced by Travis Burke. He was one of eight Chargers who sat out practice Wednesday, a sign the team is leaning toward resting him through the week rather than rushing him back for Sunday’s matchup with Denver.

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The Los Angeles Dodgers are heading back to the NL Championship Series for the third straight season, and remain on course for a World Series three-peat.

That’s a cause for celebration in itself. 

Which is why MLB on FOX analyst David Ortiz didn’t mind saluting Dodgers outfielder Teoscar Hernandez with a swig of tequila after the team eliminated the Atlanta Braves in Game 4 of the NL Division Series.

Ortiz lauded Hernandez’s ability to deliver for the Dodgers in crucial moments despite being on a team with more celebrated stars like Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman and Mookie Betts.

“Every time you come out quietly and do some damage, brother. … You always come through when they really, really need you. You always prepare for those moments,” Ortiz said. 

While Hernandez went hitless in Games 3 and 4 against the Braves, the 33-year-old outfielder had a crucial two-run home run in the 5-3 win in Game 1.

Hernandez, as he was drenched with beer and champagne by his celebrating teammates in the visitors’ locker room in Atlanta, said he thrives when the team needs him the most. 

“I love [the moments]. Throughout my career, I’m not afraid to fail. I think that’s the key, and I try to pass that to thing to the new guys – don’t be afraid to fail,” Hernandez explained. “I just want to be that guy in that tough spot.”

Hernandez came on late toward the end of the season after struggling this summer. But things turned for him in September, where Hernández’s final month saw him hit .341 with a .965 OPS, along with four homers and 18 RBIs.

When asked by MLB on FOX analyst Alex Rodriguez about the mid-season adjustments he made as a hitter, Hernandez credited his improvement at the plate to switching up his stance. 

“I had like three different stances that I used throughout the season and the way I’m hitting right now is one of them. I used to have a little bit of a leg kick. Another one is similar to Shohei, to stay on the ground. 

“And another is pulling my front leg outside and doing a toe tap. I do this to control my body, to see the ball traveling and use the whole field.” 

Hernandez and the Dodgers will be back in action on Sunday in Game 1 of the NLCS on FOX. 

‘I Just Want to Be The Guy’ Teoscar Hernández on his CLUTCH Playoff Moments as Dodgers’ Advance

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If you’re a fan of offensive battles, then you must have enjoyed Sunday night’s Detroit Lions-Carolina Panthers game. 

The Panthers improved to 2-2 thanks to a dominant performance from wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan, defeating the Lions 32-26. Both offenses logged over 440 yards in a matchup that felt like no one could be stopped by the time the fourth quarter rolled around. However, Carolina was able to make a pair of fourth-down stands on Detroit’s final two possessions of the game, sealing the win.

Here are my takeaways from the Panthers’ impressive win over the Lions. 

1. Panthers’ Offense Is Humming Around Bryce Young

When Carolina put up 37 points in Week 1, it was overshadowed by their defense giving up 59 to the Bears in the same game. A 34-3 rout of the Falcons validated that in Week 2, and Sunday night’s 32-26 win over the Lions allows us to appreciate how well Bryce Young is playing in his third season with Dave Canales.

Young’s connection with second-year receiver Tetairoa McMillan was the centerpiece against Detroit — the two connected 14 times for 192 yards and two touchdowns (on 16 targets, no less). Add in a solid 120 rushing yards for Chuba Hubbard, and the Panth

ers were over 400 yards of offense in improving to 2-2 on the season and, for a day at least, sole possession of first place in the NFC South.

Carolina has already picked up Young’s fifth-year option for 2027, so there was a commitment in place, but games like Sunday will put Young in the $50 million-a-year club, and arguably ahead of his draft-class contemporary, Houston’s C.J. Stroud. Consider his four-year passing numbers, going from 11 touchdown passes as a rookie to 15 in his first year with Canales to 23 last year and now on pace for 38 (!) in 2026. The team single-season record is 36, thrown by Steve Beuerlein in 1999, two years before Young was born.

2. Lions’ Defense Is The Worst In The NFL

For all the excitement about the Lions getting back to playoff form this season, their defense has been a major liability, literally giving up more points than any defense in the league.

The Lions went into Sunday night giving up 31.7 points per game. The Panthers topped that midway through the fourth, putting them on track to have one of the worst scoring defenses ever. At 31.8 points allowed per game, the Panthers are on pace to allow the third-most points per game in NFL history. And the Lions were ranked 31st in three key categories entering Sunday: total defense (416 yards per game), third-down defense (56 percent) and red-zone defense (90%).

Detroit can point out that defensive backs Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch are still out with injuries, but its problems run deeper than that. 

3. Dave Canales, Panthers’ Coaching Staff Shine Through Injuries

Carolina’s resounding win is all the more impressive considering how many key players it was missing Sunday night. The Panthers put both starting corners — Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson — on injured reserve this week, meaning they won’t have either for at least four games, but Akayleb Evans stepped up in a big way in his first start in two years, with nine tackles.

The Panthers were also without two solid receivers in Jalen Coker and Xavier Legette, but that didn’t stop Young from throwing for more than 300 yards. Backups Brycen Tremayne and John Metchie, who had combined for six catches in the first three weeks, had five for 69 on Sunday.  And Carolina had to play without guard Damian Lewis, with second-year pro Corey Bullock getting his first NFL start and playing without penalty.

Carolina won’t get healthy anytime soon, but their schedule has a run of middling teams that aren’t nearly as difficult as they seemed going into the season — their next three are at the Eagles, home against the winless Buccaneers and at the Packers, with a tough game against Denver after that. The NFC South is very much wide-open, so Carolina’s chances of repeating look more promising if it can continue to win while playing at less than full strength.

 

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Week 4 brought another round of records, led by stars putting up career-best performances and teams finding improbable ways to win.

Kenneth Walker III continued his historic start, while CeeDee Lamb set a career high in catches and Puka Nacua climbed past Randy Moss. Patrick Mahomes keeps chasing Tom Brady while Dak Prescott added their names alongside franchise legends, and Jonathan Taylor made history overseas.

Elsewhere, the 49ers proved age is just a number, the Bears dominated the Jets and the Rams turned a 3.2% chance of victory into a stunning comeback.

From individual milestones to a comeback few saw coming, here are the numbers that defined Week 4:

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• Kenneth Walker III’s 537 rushing yards are the most through the first four games of a season over the last decade. The last player with more was Arian Foster, who had 539 in 2010.
• Walker’s 537 rushing yards are the most through the first four games of a season in Chiefs history.
• Walker’s 177 rushing yards against the Raiders set a new career high, surpassing his previous mark of 173 from Sept. 14, 2026.
• Walker has six runs of 20+ yards through four games, twice as many as the Chiefs had in all of 2025 (three, the fewest in the NFL).
• Walker is the fourth player in NFL history with 175+ scrimmage yards in three of the first four games of a season, joining Christian McCaffrey (2019), Billy Sims (1980) and Jim Brown (1963).

• CeeDee Lamb set a new career high with 17 receptions on Sunday.
• Lamb is the first player in Cowboys history with 15+ receptions, 150+ receiving yards and a receiving touchdown in a single game.
• Lamb recorded his third consecutive 100-yard receiving game, marking his fifth career streak of at least three straight. That ties Michael Irvin for the most such streaks in Cowboys history and leads the NFL since Lamb entered the league in 2020.
• Sunday also marked Lamb’s 30th career 100-yard receiving game, the second-most in Cowboys history behind Irvin (47).
• Most games with 10+ receptions in Cowboys history: CeeDee Lamb (13), Jason Witten (11) and Michael Irvin (seven).

• Puka Nacua passed Randy Moss (4,272) for the fifth-most receiving yards through a player’s first 50 career games in NFL history, reaching 4,390 in just his 46th game on Sunday. He trails only Justin Jefferson (4,825), Lance Alworth (4,785), Odell Beckham Jr. (4,695) and Julio Jones (4,471).
• Despite playing only 46 games, Nacua already ranks third in receptions (327) and fifth in receiving yards (4,390) among players through their first 50 career games.

• Tetairoa McMillan’s final stat line: 14 receptions and 192 receiving yards, both career highs, plus two receiving touchdowns, tying his career high.
• Receiving yards (192): Tied Muhsin Muhammad (Sept. 13, 1998) for the second-most in Panthers regular-season history, trailing only Steve Smith Sr.’s 201 yards on Oct. 30, 2005.
• Receptions (14): Tied Christian McCaffrey (Sept. 16, 2018) and Smith (Nov. 20, 2005) for the second-most in Panthers regular-season history, behind McCaffrey’s franchise-record 15 on Dec. 22, 2019.
• McMillan became the only player in Panthers history with at least 14 receptions, 190 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns in a single game.
• McMillan reached 10 receptions, 150 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns in the third quarter, joining Smith (Week 3, 2005) as the only players in franchise history to reach all three marks in a single game.
• McMillan joined Amari Cooper and HOFs Randy Moss and Isaac Bruce as the only players in NFL history to have at least 190 receiving yards and 2 receiving touchdowns in a primetime win prior to age 24.

• With the Chiefs Week 4 win, Patrick Mahomes joined Peyton Manning (seven) and Tom Brady (six) as the only quarterbacks since 1950 to start 4-0 in their first four starts of a season at least five times.
• Mahomes has 99 career regular-season wins in 130 starts. With a Week 6 victory over the Chargers, he would tie Tom Brady (131 starts) as the fastest quarterback to reach 100 regular-season wins in NFL history.

Father Time Can Wait

• The 49ers 11 touchdown catches by players age 30 or older are the most by any team through four games in NFL history: George Kittle (four, age 32), Deebo Samuel (three, age 30), Mike Evans (two, age 33), Demarcus Robinson (one, age 32) and Kyle Juszczyk (one, age 35).
• The 49ers are 4-0 for the fifth time in franchise history. They reached at least the NFC Championship Game in each of their previous four 4-0 starts: 2023 (12-5, reached Super Bowl LVIII), 2019 (13-3, reached Super Bowl LIV), 1990 (14-2, reached NFC Championship Game) and 1984 (15-1, won Super Bowl XIX).
• The 49ers have allowed an explosive play rate of just 3.5%, the lowest by any team through four games since 2000. They’ve allowed only nine plays consisting of a run of 10+ yards or a reception of 20+ yards.
• Brock Purdy is the only quarterback in NFL history to start 4-0 with one or fewer combined sacks, fumbles and interceptions.

Ben Johnson’s Ground Game

• The Bears outgained the Jets by 240 yards in the first half, their largest first-half yardage advantage since Sept. 30, 2018, against the Buccaneers (+255).
• The Bears had more first downs (34) than the Jets had offensive plays (32) on Sunday.
• The Bears have four games with 230+ rushing yards since 2025, the most in the NFL. No other team has more than two.

• With Sunday’s win over the Texans, Dak Prescott earned his 85th regular-season victory as a starting quarterback, tying Hall of Famer Roger Staubach for the second-most in Cowboys history. Only Troy Aikman (94) has more.
• Prescott now has 28 career game-winning drives (27 in the regular season, one in the postseason), tied for the fifth-most in the NFL since he entered the league in 2016. He ranks second in Cowboys history behind Tony Romo (30).

• Jonathan Taylor now holds the NFL record for career rushing yards in international games.
• Taylor has 19 career games with multiple rushing touchdowns, tied for the fourth-most by a player before turning 28 in NFL history.
• Taylor’s 75 rushing touchdowns tie Eric Dickerson for the fifth-most through a player’s first 90 career games in NFL history.

A 3.2% Chance

• According to Next Gen Stats, the Rams win probability fell to 3.2% with just over eight minutes left in regulation. After stopping the Eagles at the goal line while trailing by 10 with 7:26 remaining, the Rams scored 14 unanswered points to secure a 24-20 comeback win.
• The Rams win over the Eagles was just their second against Philadelphia in the last 20 years, improving their record to 2-9 in that span.
• Sean McVay improved to 2-6 against the Eagles after entering Sunday with a 1-6 record.

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Sunday’s National League Division Series Game 2s delivered the kind of October drama that leaves fans at home staring at the screen in disbelief.

In Milwaukee, the Brewers were down to their final strike when Jackson Chourio lined a two-run single off Mason Miller for a 4-3 walk-off win, their second comeback against the Padres in 20 hours and a 2-0 series lead. 

Hours later in Los Angeles, the Braves beat the Dodgers 3-2 in a bullpen game to even their series, with Michael Harris II’s seventh-inning double driving in the winning run and Didier Fuentes retiring the first 11 Dodgers he faced.

Both series now head to Game 3 on Tuesday. The Padres need a win in San Diego to stay alive, while the Braves send Chris Sale to the mound against the Dodgers in a tied series.

Here is what stood out from Day 2 of the MLB Division Series:

Biggest Moment

Chourio came through again for Milwaukee, and this time with the Brewers down to their final strike. 

San Diego led 3-2 when one of baseball’s top closers, Mason Miller, entered trying for his first six-out save since 2024. Miller retired the side in the eighth, but after a groundout in the ninth, he issued the first postseason walks of his career to Christian Yelich and Sal Frelick. 

Pinch-hitter Gary Sánchez walked on a full count to load the bases, and Chourio lined a 101.3 mph fastball up the middle, past Jake Cronenworth’s diving backhand, for a two-run RBI single to walk it off.

Jackson Chourio hits walk-off two-run single, helping Brewers defeat Padres, 4-3

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Miller threw 40 pitches, his most since 2023, with 18 of them topping 100 mph and the fastest a 103.5 mph offering that Chourio fouled off. 

The Brewers never led until the final swing, and they won despite committing three errors, which led to two unearned San Diego runs. 

Chourio tied Game 1 with a two-run homer for his fifth career postseason homer, a franchise record, and he made the play of the series when he caught Ty France’s ball off the roof in the ninth. 

The Padres now need a win Tuesday to stay alive.

Best Hitter

Michael Harris II brought his bat for a Braves team that needed every run it could get. 

The Atlanta center fielder went 3 for 4 through seven innings, adding a single in the third, a triple in the fifth and a two-run-scoring double in the seventh, leaving him a home run shy of the cycle. 

His biggest hit came in the fifth inning with the game tied at 1-1. 

With two outs, Harris smacked a ball the other way that Teoscar Hernández misplayed into a triple, and he scored on a wild pitch by Kris Bubic to give Atlanta a 2-1 lead. In the seventh, he lined a two-out double into the gap against Edgardo Henríquez, driving in Matt Olson to extend Atlanta’s lead.

Harris comes up clutch for the Braves once again after hitting a three-run homer in Game 3 of the Wild Card series against the Phillies.

Best Pitcher

Four days after taking the loss on Alec Bohm’s 10th-inning homer in Wild Card Game 2, Didier Fuentes delivered the best relief outing of the postseason in a 3-2 Braves win.

The right-hander took over in the sixth inning of a 2-1 game and retired the first 11 Dodgers he faced. That included a perfect eighth inning in which he struck out Will Smith and Freddie Freeman.

In the ninth, Fuentes got Kyle Tucker to fly out and Andy Pages to ground out, and he was one strike from finishing the job when Max Muncy homered to cut the lead to 3-2. Raisel Iglesias then got Josue De Paula to pop out to end it.

Fuentes closed the game started by opener Ray Kerr, who threw 2 2/3 scoreless innings, in a bullpen game in which Atlanta used six pitchers. The Dodgers hadn’t put a runner on base since the fifth inning until Muncy’s homer and were 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position through five innings.

What’s Next

The division series continues with the ALDS Game 2s on Monday and the NLDS Game 3s on Tuesday. Here’s how it will play out:

• Monday, Oct. 5: White Sox at Guardians (Game 2), 5 p.m. ET. The White Sox lead the series 1-0.
• Monday, Oct. 5: Yankees at Rays (Game 2), 8 p.m. ET. The Rays lead the series 1-0.
• Tuesday, Oct. 6: Dodgers at Braves (Game 3), 6 p.m. ET on FOX. Chris Sale will start for the Braves, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto will pitch for Los Angeles.
• Tuesday, Oct. 6: Brewers at Padres (Game 3), 9:30 p.m. ET on FS1. The Padres are one loss from elimination.

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The Braves took a big gamble with their pitching plan on Sunday night at Dodger Stadium. The plan paid off.

Chris Sale started Game 1 of the Braves’ wild-card series last Tuesday against the Phillies. He then appeared in Game 3 two days later, which the Braves considered to be his bullpen day.

So, Sale would have had a full four days of rest ahead of Sunday night’s Game 2 against the Dodgers in the National League Division Series. Instead, the Braves opted for a third straight bullpen game. 

It’s the second time this postseason left-hander Ray Kerr started a game, and it’s the second time he thrived.

Against the Phillies on Thursday, Kerr threw 3 1/3 innings, allowing no runs on one hit and one walk with two strikeouts. On Sunday at Dodger Stadium, he went 2 2/3 scoreless, allowing two hits and a walk while striking out four.

“How about Ray Kerr?” Derek Jeter said on the MLB on FOX postgame show. “Let’s just give it to the young man. I mean, he pitched Game 3 against the Philadelphia Phillies. No one really knew, maybe outside of the Braves organization, that he was going to pitch in a pivotal Game 2 when you’re down at Dodger Stadium when the whole world’s picking the Dodgers to win. And he went out and did the exact same thing.

“So, he deserves a lot of credit. He set the tone for the Braves pitching staff and it just snowballed after that.”

Kerr started it, and Didier Fuentes ended it with 3 2/3 innings of one-run ball. That one run came when Max Muncy homered in the ninth inning to end Fuentes’ outing. Closer Raisel Iglesias came in and got pinch-hitter Josue De Paula to pop out in foul territory to seal the win.

In the biggest game of his life, Ray Kerr delivered a scoreless outing at Dodger Stadium. (Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) –>

Fuentes made a major impression back in spring, when he allowed one run, two hits and one walk over 13 2/3 innings in Grapefruit League play. He struck out 18 and allowed an opponent batting average of .049.

He eventually joined the big-league club after starting the season in the minors and thrived. He had a 2.45 ERA over 58 appearances (73 1/3 innings). Now, so far in his postseason career, he has allowed two runs in his first 6 2/3 innings.

“What can you say about Fuentes?” Alex Rodriguez asked. “Just turned 21 years old, the native from Colombia was fantastic – 3 2/3 (innings), only that one hit, the home run. Really impressive win for this team.”

Next up is a heavyweight showdown on Tuesday in Atlanta for Game 3.

For the Dodgers, it will be reigning World Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who, in two years with the team, has already become a legend for his impressive October performances. Opposite him will be Sale, who has rejuvenated his career in Atlanta after being traded there from the Red Sox in December 2023.

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DODGER STADIUM (Los Angeles) – With Chris Sale unavailable, and with the Braves needing two bullpen games to get through the first two games of the National League Division Series on the road against two Cy Young Award winners, they still found a way to return to Atlanta with the series tied at one game apiece.

Dodgers deadline addition Tarik Skubal came “as advertised” in Game 1, but Blake Snell couldn’t pick up where Skubal left off. 

The Braves patiently waited out the lefty, who couldn’t find the zone in a short outing, and held the high-powered Dodgers offense to one run until two outs in the ninth inning, when Max Muncy cut his team’s deficit in half with a solo shot off reliever Didier Fuentes. 

Down to his last out, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts summoned rookie Josue De Paula for his first career playoff appearance. Braves manager countered with closer Raisel Iglesias, who induced a pop-up to end the 3-2 win. 

Here are my takeaways:

On one side was Blake Snell, a two-time Cy Young Award winner. On the other was Ray Kerr, a two-time junior college attendee. 

Naturally, it was the latter who departed the game with a 1-0 lead. 

This is Ray Kerr’s October, and we’re all just living in it. 

(Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) –>

“Ray Kerr is amazing, man,” Weiss said. “He did it again.” 

Kerr found out he was starting Sunday’s bullpen game the morning of the game. 

“I was like, ‘All right, let’s get it,” Kerr said. “Just another Sunday, right?”

It certainly looked that way, the way he calmly handled the high-pressure stakes. 

Considering his journey, and the will and resilience it took for the 32-year-old to get to baseball’s grandest stage, maybe it shouldn’t come as a surprise. 

Kerr grew up in foster care, attended junior college, became academically ineligible, returned home to Reno, Nevada, worked at 7-Eleven and a movie theater and figured that might be what the rest of his life looked like. But then he made his way to another community college, pitched well, excelled during Alaska summer league, got noticed by the Mariners, signed a minor-league deal and worked his way up the professional ladder. 

He was coming off a two-year hiatus following Tommy John surgery when he returned to a big-league mound this year for the first time since 2024. After making nine regular-season appearances for the Braves, he got the ball to start the deciding Game 3 of the wild-card series and outdueled the Phillies’ Aaron Nola with 3.1 scoreless innings.

For his encore, he was only expected to go an inning or two. Instead, he outpitched Snell over 2.2 scoreless innings, striking out four batters and setting the stage for the Braves’ upset. 

“That was a huge start, or open, or whatever you call it, in two huge games for us,” catcher Drake Baldwin told me. “It says a lot about him.” 

2. Dodgers Rotation May Not Be As Invincible We Thought

If the Dodgers’ postseason rotation was supposed to be impenetrable, indomitable, unconquerable, Sunday night demonstrated otherwise. 

Early last October, Snell looked like the pitcher the Dodgers paid for, combining to allow two runs with 28 strikeouts and five walks over 21 innings in his first three starts of the 2025 postseason.

That was not the version of the left-handed pitcher who showed up Sunday in his first start of the 2026 postseason. 

 (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images) –>

Snell allowed five free passes in Game 2 of the NLDS alone, looking rusty after dealing with a late-season groin injury that limited him to just five innings of work over the final two weeks of the regular season. Lacking control, it took Snell 90 pitches to labor through his 3.2 innings. He needed four pitches or more against each of the last 10 batters he faced and was unable to get out of the fourth inning following his fifth and final walk of the day. 

“He just was fighting himself with his delivery all game,” Roberts said. “I think that just, overall, it wasn’t the groin. He just wasn’t sharp tonight.” 

He did, however, limit the Braves to just one run after Brock Stewart entered and retired Ronald Acuña Jr. to clean up his fourth-inning mess. 

Still, it was hardly the outing they expected out of Snell after he recorded a 1.13 ERA in his final eight starts of the regular season after returning from an elbow procedure. 

3. Harris Outshines Freeman

 

A troublesome right knee had sapped Freddie Freeman’s power in the season’s second half, playing a role in the star first baseman hitting just one home run after the All-Star break and one extra-base hit in all of September. 

But he tends to find a different gear when the calendar flips to October. 

On Sunday, he found it. 

The man who hit a walk-off grand slam (plus three more home runs) in the 2024 World Series and who ended an 18-inning World Series Game 3 marathon against the Blue Jays last year with another walk-off blast made his first major mark on the 2026 postseason Sunday with a game-tying solo shot off Grant Holmes in the fourth inning. 

The blast finally gave the Dodgers some momentum and a crowd of 50,729 fans, who had been quieted by Snell’s shaky performance, a reason to get rowdy. 

But Michael Harris II ensured that was short-lived.

Dodgers reliever Kris Bubic, pitching for just the sixth time as a Dodger after returning from an elbow injury, was one pitch away from a perfect fifth inning. He breezed through the first two batters, then got Harris down 0-2 before the Braves center fielder poked a sweeper well outside the zone the other way. 

The ball carried, and carried, and carried, eventually up and over the outstretched arm of left fielder Teoscar Hernandez, whose circuitous route and failed attempt to make the play allowed the ball to ricochet off the wall and helped Harris stretch his double into a triple. 

“I knew I didn’t fully get it,” Harris told me. “I knew it was slicing away from them. As I got closer to first, I was kind of blocked by his body, so I didn’t know if he caught it or not. Then I had seen it bounce off the wall, and I just had to keep digging. 

Getting to third was consequential, as Bubic then fired a wild pitch to bring in the go-ahead run. 

It was one of three hits on the day for Harris, who also singled and doubled and is leaving his imprint on the 2026 postseason. Harris’ three-run home run off Nola in Game 3 of the wild-card series helped send the Braves to the NLDS. 

3 1/2.   What’s Next?

It’s about as star-studded of a pitching matchup imaginable for Game 3. 

The Braves played a dangerous game using Sale to face the final five batters in Game 3 of the wild-card series, two days after he started Game 1. That extra work between starts meant he was unavailable for Games 1 and 2 of the NLDS in Los Angeles, a risky proposition in a best-of-five series. 

“We needed to win that series, and that was our best chance to do it,” said Weiss. “So, I have zero regrets about pitching Chris Sale in that last game.” 

The decision did not come back to burn him in Los Angeles, as the Braves still managed to steal Game 2 despite missing their ace, setting them up nicely for Sale to pitch in Atlanta in Game 3 on four days of rest since his wild-card relief appearance and six days of rest since his last start. 

The Dodgers also have to feel good about their chances, too, with Yoshinobu Yamamoto beginning his World Series MVP postseason follow-up campaign. 

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And then there were three.

Four weeks into the NFL season, three undefeated teams remain: the Kansas City Chiefs, the San Francisco 49ers and the Minnesota Vikings, who are among this year’s biggest surprises. 

Week 4 was another barn burner, with nine one-score games heading into Monday’s contest between the Atlanta Falcons and the New Orleans Saints. The comeback kids, the Denver Broncos, could not overcome an 11-point, second-half deficit, losing to the 49ers 24-14. Sean Payton’s Broncos must work on avoiding slow starts, scoring just 13 points in the first half through four games.

And Kenneth Walker III remains the best offseason acquisition, totaling 177 rushing yards and two scores in the Chiefs’ road win over the previously undefeated Las Vegas Raiders.

Now, let’s overreact to Sunday’s Week 4 action. 

The Los Angeles Rams came back from a 10-point deficit against the Philadelphia Eagles behind the strength of running back Kyren Williams on offense and edge rusher Byron Young on defense en route to a 24-20 victory on Sunday. Williams finished with 146 scrimmage yards and the final two touchdowns of the game for Los Angeles, including the game-winner — a gutsy 7-yard run where he broke a handful of tackles and dove in for the score.

Defensively, Myles Garrett and Aaron Donald were not available for the Rams due to injury, and Young was up for the task. He finished with 2.5 sacks, including a strip-sack of Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts to help close out the game.

And Rams head coach Sean McVay earned his first victory over Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni as L.A. moved to 2-2. However, McVay’s team still has issues.

Special teams remain a work in progress. The Rams gave up a 41-yard punt return by Britain Covey that set up a Philadelphia score. Kicker Harrison Mevis missed a 48-yard field goal and kicked the ball out of bounds on a kickoff late in the game.

That might not be the biggest problem the Rams face, though. Stafford’s two interceptions in the first half had the Rams down early. The 38-year-old’s miscues have been a disturbing trend for the Rams this season. 

Conclusion: Not an overreaction

At the center of L.A.’s issues on offense have been the struggles of Stafford. While Stafford is third in the league in passing (1,189), he’s also tied for second in interceptions (6) and has a pedestrian passer rating (80.1).

As my colleague Ralph Vacchiano pointed out, Stafford was 20 for 36 for 177 yards and two picks with 7.5 minutes left in Sunday’s game. Then, he heated up on the final two drives, finishing 12 of 15 for 140 yards.

That’s Stafford this season in a nutshell. He’s played terribly for long stretches, sometimes too long. When the Rams need him to play well, though, Stafford has mostly heated up enough to make them competitive. But Stafford just has not been the elite, consistent performer he was last season, when he won MVP. 

For the Rams to truly reach Dream Team status, they need the prime Stafford from last season.

The Patriots Are Back

The Patriots finally looked like the team that reached the Super Bowl last season on Sunday, defeating one of the best teams in the NFL and their AFC East rivals, the Buffalo Bills, 29-26. Drake Maye looked like the guy who competed for an MVP as well, finishing with 269 passing yards, three touchdown passes and an interception as he led New England to a game-winning touchdown in the final minutes. 

Maye also used his legs, leading his team with 54 rushing yards. Defensively, the Patriots forced two Buffalo turnovers and held the Bills to 340 total yards, keeping Josh Allen in check. 

Conclusion: Overreaction

After taking advantage of playing one of the easiest schedules in the league last year, the Patriots still have some tough games ahead, including the much-improved Las Vegas Raiders next week at home and the Chicago Bears on the road in Week 7.

And while it was good to see Maye play well, the Patriots are still missing No. 1 receiver A.J. Brown on offense and have yet to consistently run the ball effectively. We’re not sounding the alarm on the Patriots anymore, but we’re in wait-and-see mode for now. 

Hit The Panic Alarm For The Eagles’ Offense

New Eagles offensive coordinator Sean Mannion hasn’t been able to figure things out yet in Philadelphia. The Eagles’ offense hasn’t been explosive enough or effective enough so far under Mannion. Philadelphia is averaging just 18.3 points per game (down from 22.3 points per game last season) and quarterback Jalen Hurts finished with only 93 passing yards as Philadelphia was 0-for-12 on third down in its loss to Los Angeles. 

Jalen Hurts has thrown for just 713 yards this season. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)

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Even worse, Mannion has been unable to get Philadelphia’s potent running game going. Yes, Saquon Barkley had to leave the game with a hamstring injury, but even when the star running back’s been healthy, Philadelphia’s running game has been inconsistent. The Eagles finished with 104 rushing yards and are averaging just 4.16 per carry, ranking toward the bottom of the league. 

Conclusion: Not an overreaction

Hurts still doesn’t look totally comfortable in the offense, and the Eagles are even having trouble converting traditional plays they are usually effective at, like the Tush Push. Hurts is averaging just 206 passing yards a contest and has just five passing touchdowns on the year.

The Eagles are battling through injuries to key players like receiver DeVonta Smith, tight ends Dallas Goedert and Eli Stowers and right tackle Lane Johnson. But the bottom line is that the Eagles are no longer dangerous on offense.  

Buccaneers Should Part Ways With Todd Bowles

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been in every game, but are now 0-4 after losing Sunday’s game to the Green Bay Packers, 17-14. The loss is an extension of the skid Tampa went on to end last season, when it lost seven of nine. Quarterback. Baker Mayfield has regressed (although he missed Sunday’s game) and the Buccaneers have struggled to keep healthy players on the field.

In a winnable NFC South that the Bucs were expected to compete in, the season feels like it’s over, and we just began October. 

Conclusion: Overreaction

While the Bucs are scuffling, it wasn’t that long ago that Bowles made the Buccaneers a model of consistency in the NFL. Just two years ago, Bowles coached the Buccaneers to their fourth straight NFC South title and fifth straight playoff appearance. Those streaks were only a game short of being extended last season, but his success has gone hand-in-hand with Mayfield’s career resurgence, which recently landed the quarterback a three-year, $165 million contract extension.

There are things that the defensive-minded Bowles needs to fix. Their defense entered Sunday 24th in points allowed, but did look a bit better against the Packers as they were able to force multiple turnovers in the red zone. They only have six sacks, though, as they didn’t sack Packers quarterback Jordan Love once on Sunday.

Still, there’s a path for the Buccaneers to compete in the NFC South. They’re only two games behind the division-leading Carolina Panthers, and they’ve yet to play a divisional game. 

The Las Vegas Raiders Are For Real

The Raiders played the Kansas City Chiefs tight and gave them a tough battle before Kenneth Walker III took over the game and the most clutch player in the league, Patrick Mahomes, did Patrick Mahomes things. But give Las Vegas credit, it gave Kansas City a good scare and appeared ready to compete with the top teams in the NFL in its 30-27 loss. 

Specifically, what’s been impressive about the Raiders has been the play of their defense. Linebackers Nakobe Dean and Quay Waker have given Las Vegas a strong presence inside, while young defensive backs Hezekiah Masses and Treydan Stukes have shown that the moment hasn’t been too big for them. Maxx Crosby is still one of the top pass rushers in the league.

Conclusion: Not an overreaction

Kirk Cousins has been an efficient game manager on offense, keeping the Raiders in games by helping to move the chains. He threw for 365 yards on Sunday, making several big throws to help the Raiders battle for all 60 minutes. 

More importantly, head coach Klint Kubiak has the Raiders believing. He exuded confidence in his halftime interview with CBS’ broadcast of Sunday’s game, confidently saying that the Raiders would win the game. 

That didn’t come to fruition, but it’s evident that the Raiders can hang around with some of the NFL’s best. If Las Vegas keeps this going, maybe Fernando Mendoza doesn’t play this season.

Commanders Need To Move On From Head Coach Dan Quinn

Entering a season with high expectations after a disappointing 2025 campaign, the Commanders sit at the bottom of the NFC East at 1-3 following their loss to the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday. And the start of 2026 unfortunately looks a lot like last season for Quinn and the Commanders.

With dynamic star quarterback Jayden Daniels out again with a dislocated elbow, Quinn also lost his backup Marcus Mariota to a knee injury early in Sunday’s loss. That meant the Commanders were down to Athan Kaliakmanis, a seventh-round rookie out of Rutgers.

Injuries continue to be the downfall of this team, with foundational players in receiver Terry McLaurin, guard Sam Cosmi, tackle Laremy Tunsil and Daniels all out on offense.

Conclusion: Overreaction

Quinn is still two years removed from leading this group to the NFC Championship Game and had success at his last head coaching spot with the Atlanta Falcons, leading them to a Super Bowl during his tenure there. Quinn deserves some time to see if he can turn things around.

Specifically, Quinn should get an opportunity to lead this team for an extended period with a healthy Daniels to see if he can compete in an improved NFC East.

Mike McDaniel Is Out Of Time As Chargers OC

Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh gave Mike McDaniel a nod of approval after their 30-23 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, saying his offensive coordinator isn’t going anywhere. But the fact that Harbaugh even had to say that publicly speaks to how badly this year has started for the Chargers, who fell to 0-4 with Sunday’s loss.

Los Angeles has lost seven straight games dating back to last season, with an offseason of heightened expectations in the middle of all that thanks to the arrival of McDaniel. The weight of those losses falls mostly on the offense, though. Quarterback Justin Herbert continues to play the worst football in his seven-year NFL career, throwing a pair of woeful interceptions in Sunday’s loss. 

Herbert finally got some things going in the second half, and we’ll see if that can serve as a spark as the Bolts host the Denver Broncos at SoFi Stadium next week.

Conclusion: Not an overreaction

It’s hard to believe the McDaniel-led Chargers’ offense is one of the worst in the NFL right now, but that’s where they are at. Herbert went 5 of 14 for 36 passing yards and two picks in the first half before turning things around in the second half, allowing the Chargers to tie (or potentially win) the game in the final minutes. However, Los Angeles’ drive ended with Herbert getting strip-sacked. 

Hebert has thrown a league-high six interceptions trying to throw the ball over 20 yards down the field, per Next Gen Stats. The Bolts are averaging just 14.7 points per game, No. 28 in the league. Herbert only has four touchdown passes to go with a 70.6 passer rating. Atrocious.

McDaniel needs to turn things around quickly if it isn’t already too late. 

Bryce Young is certainly playing like one of the top quarterbacks in the league, and he showed why in the Carolina Panthers’ 32-26 win over the Detroit Lions. Young finished 29 of 41 for 329 yards, with two touchdowns and no interceptions for a 110.7 passer rating. It’s the second time Young has thrown for over 300 yards this season.

Young leads the league in passing yards (1,268), is tied for third in passing touchdowns (9) and has an impressive 100.0 passer rating. He’s also tops in the league in some of advanced metrics, including yards under pressure (411), touchdowns under pressure (4), deep passing yards (321) and touchdowns outside the numbers (7), per Next Gen Stats.

Conclusion: Not an overreaction

Despite his diminutive stature, Young has played big for the Panthers, putting them in contention to defend their NFC South title by guiding one of the most explosive offenses in the league. And Young has been buoyed by the play of second-year pro receiver Tetairoa McMillan, who finished with 14 catches for 192 yards and two touchdowns in Sunday’s win. 

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The Atlanta Falcons visit the New Orleans Saints on Monday, October 5, 2026 at 8:15 p.m. ET from Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, LA. 

Both teams enter 1-2. The Saints are averaging 27.0 points per game and allowing 27.7. The Falcons are averaging 17 points per game and allowing 22.7.

The Saints are 2.5-point favorites over the Falcons, with a total of 47.5 and a moneyline of -148 for the Saints and +125 for the Falcons.

Below, we’ll give you all the details you need to know about how to watch this game.

How to Watch Falcons vs. Saints

• When: Monday, October 5, 2026 at 8:15 p.m. ET
• Where: Caesars Superdome, New Orleans, LA
• TV: ESPN
• Stream: ESPN Unlimited – Get the FOX One / ESPN Bundle

Players To Watch

New Orleans’ passing game has carried the offense through three weeks, and Tyler Shough has driven it at a heavy clip. He has completed 68.9 percent of his throws for 917 yards, 8 touchdowns and 3 interceptions, and the Saints rank fourth in the league in passing yards per game at 281.3. In last week’s 35-27 loss to Las Vegas, he went 29 of 42 for 255 yards and a career-high 4 touchdowns, keeping New Orleans in a shootout it couldn’t quite close.

tlanta’s defense is allowing 263 passing yards per game, third most in the league, a number that fits the volume Shough has already put up.

No Saints target has been busier than Chris Olave through three games. He has turned 36 targets into 27 catches for 375 yards and a touchdown, already clearing 100 receiving yards twice, including a 9-catch, 107-yard day in last week’s loss to Las Vegas.

Atlanta’s secondary has been active without much to show for it, breaking up 17 passes but coming away with just 1 interception all season. That aggressive, low-reward profile is exactly what Olave has picked apart all year.

Atlanta’s ground game exploded last time out, and Bijan Robinson was the reason why. He carried 29 times for 194 yards and 2 touchdowns in the Week 3 win over Green Bay, adding 19 receiving yards and a 55-yard burst. He is up to 349 rushing yards and 3 total touchdowns through three games, and Atlanta ranks second in the league in rushing yards per game at 173.0.

New Orleans is allowing 27.7 points per game, fifth most in the league, having given up 83 points through three weeks. Robinson’s workload and burst are built to keep piling onto a defense that’s already leaking points.

New Orleans’ pass rush has been busy without turning many takeaways, and now it draws a receiver coming off the best game of his career. Drake London caught 9 of 10 targets for a career-high 194 yards in the Week 3 win over Green Bay, including back-to-back fourth-quarter gains of 68 and 40 yards. Through three games he has 15 catches for 274 yards on 20 targets, a surge that lined up with Michael Penix Jr.’s return under center.

The Saints have 7 sacks this season but are tied for 25th in the league with just 1 interception. A group that gets to the passer without finishing plays is the kind London has already made pay this year.

Falcons vs. Saints Odds

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