Joel Klatt said he didn’t want to spend this much time on one game in the latest episode of “The Joel Klatt Show,” but after Texas and Ohio State played what he called an instant classic in Week 2, he couldn’t help himself.

The Longhorns rallied from 20 points down to beat Ohio State by one, and Klatt said that result, not a blowout over an unknown opponent, is exactly what should define the top of his rankings. So, as you’d expect, Texas climbed up to No. 1 in his most recent rankings. But what should we make of Ohio State? Which other teams are threatening Texas for the top spot?

Now that we have two weeks of college football in the books, here are Klatt’s 10 best teams in the country.

Klatt’s thoughts: I have an apology — I did not include Utah in my preseason top 25. What a miss from your boy. Well, they’re back. Death, taxes, and Utah football — Utah is No. 10 at 2-0. I know Arkansas isn’t a great program, but it’s still the SEC. Utah fell behind 3-0 in that game, then scored the next 43 points. They were up 43-3 before Arkansas got a late touchdown. 

We know they can run it, but they threw for 300 yards too, leaning on Devon Dampier. Their new coach, Morgan Scalley, has been there for years; he knows the culture, he knows how to win. I love to say there’s death and taxes and Utah football, and I love that it drives BYU fans crazy every time I say it.

Previously ranked: 10 ↑

Klatt’s thoughts: USC is 3-0. It wasn’t their best performance; they beat Louisiana 49-30. I like Mark Bowman; he had a big game: six catches, 83 yards, a couple of touchdowns. Jayden Maiava now has 10 touchdowns and one interception through three games. I wish their defense would’ve played a little better in this one, but that’s still a good team. Would it surprise anybody if they beat Oregon, now that we’ve seen Oregon play terrible two weeks in a row? They’re going to welcome Oregon in a few weeks, and I don’t think anyone should be shocked if USC wins that game.

Klatt’s thoughts: Alabama didn’t look great early — in the first half, 16 carries for five yards. I’m like, here we go again, Alabama can’t run the football, they won’t run the football. Then they come out in the second half and run it for 150 yards and just bludgeon Kentucky to death. They found themselves in a battle, outscored Kentucky 32-0 in the second half, ran it for over 150 yards at six per carry. That’s something — sustaining the run game like that is not something Ryan Grubb has historically done, and it’s one of the reasons Seattle had such a problem with it.

Previously ranked: 5 ↓

Klatt’s thoughts: Yeah, I get it, 52-0 against Rice, but come on — this is one of those games where I know nothing about Notre Dame. I’m a little concerned. That’s two straight games under four yards per carry. It was 5.7 last year, fourth-best in college football. I know they lost Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price, but they’re at 3.6 yards per carry this season — 117th in the country. I like CJ Carr, but it’s really tough to play quality quarterback football independent of a run game. Notre Dame and Miami — we’re going to know nothing about either of them until they actually play each other.

Previously ranked: 8 ↑

Klatt’s thoughts: Indiana beat Howard 55-0. Nothing we learned there. Charlie Becker, by the way — he’s got six catches on the year, five touchdowns.

Previously ranked: 3 ↓

Klatt’s thoughts: I moved LSU down a little bit. They struggled through the Louisiana Tech game before pulling away in the second half again. They were urgent against Clemson; I think they were complacent last week. No team is ever as good or as bad as we think; that’s an old adage I love. You’re never as good as you think after the game, you’re never as bad as you think after the game. You are what the film says that you are. That’s why the film is so important.

Previously ranked: 4 —

Klatt’s thoughts: I really like Miami, and I know nothing about them. I want to like Miami a lot — I know nothing about them. They beat Florida A&M 70-something, 156 yards of total offense, twice as many touchdown passes as incompletions for their quarterback. Malachi Toney is the real deal. Miami and Notre Dame — we’re not going to know anything about them until they play. It’s so frustrating, because their schedules are drastically different in difficulty compared to Texas and Ohio State.

Previously ranked: 6 ↑

Klatt’s thoughts: Georgia beat Western Kentucky by 50. They’re averaging 8.7 yards per carry. They might be great — I just don’t really know it yet. You might whine and cry and say Notre Dame was dominant, Miami was dominant, Georgia was dominant, and Ohio State lost. Yeah, but Ohio State played Texas. The Miami and Notre Dame schedules are night and day compared to what Texas and Ohio State are going to see the rest of the season. These are real schedules, as opposed to what some other teams are playing.

Previously ranked: 1 ↓

Klatt’s thoughts: I’m actually more impressed with what Ohio State did here, even with the flaws, than with teams that “won” against nobody. They had a 20-point lead at Texas and lost it by one — but they’re my No. 2 team in the country. Compare that to fanbases sitting there asking, “Did you see us play?” Yeah, against air. I know nothing about those teams. Nothing. Ohio State’s remaining schedule is brutal: at Iowa, at Indiana, at USC, Oregon at home, Nebraska and Michigan. Not easy. They played Texas, and they’re going to keep getting tested all season. That earns real credit.

Previously ranked: 2 ↑

Klatt’s thoughts: I didn’t want to talk about this game for this long, but it was too good, and I had to. Texas is my No. 1 team in the country. Ohio State led by 20 at Texas on a Saturday night — Texas came back and won by one. I’m giving them full credit for playing that game and winning it. This is why I’m not going to be like the AP: I won’t knock a team down for a loss in a matchup game like this. Texas’ remaining schedule is a gauntlet too — at Tennessee, Oklahoma, Red River. These are real schedules, not cupcakes, and that’s exactly why Texas earns the top spot.

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Mike Macdonald has not lost his touch or his mastery over the Patriots, kicking off this NFL season exactly how he finished the last one: with a statement win over New England. The Super Bowl-champion Seattle Seahawks reminded the league that they’re the team to beat by taking down the Patriots in the 2026 NFL opener.

But the Seahawks were hardly the only team to announce themselves as contenders. The 49ers manhandled the Rams in Australia on Thursday. The Bears swallowed the Panthers whole. And the Minnesota Vikings somehow erased a 12-point third-quarter deficit and took down the Green Bay Packers despite losing new quarterback Kyler Murray after just 10 offensive snaps.

That’s what was obvious this week. Now let’s go below the surface. This is Sound Smart, where I try to spin forward, dive deeper, think outside the box and read between the lines. If I do my job, you’ll be fluent in the NFL’s Week 1 action.

1.

Jalen Hurts and Tom Brady got to talking about how to play quarterback. How to make the position easy. Or, at least, how to avoid making the position more difficult than it needs to be. 

Here’s what they talked about during the production meeting for the FOX broadcast leading into the Philadelphia Eagles’ 24-22 win over the Washington Commanders in Week 1.

“When you’re playing the position, a lot of it is about making sure you’re in the right play,” Hurts told reporters after the game. “When you’re doing the right thing, that takes no talent. So are we in the best run? Are we protecting ourselves in protection? Is everybody aligned? Doing those little things first — I think that’s most important. It’s more of an operation and being able to set the table and manage the things that you’re tasked with managing as a quarterback.”

Eagles’ Jalen Hurts discusses his conversation with Tom Brady during production meeting before Week 1

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After that? Everything should come naturally: first downs, touchdowns, wins.

I’d argue that in 2024 and 2022, Hurts made it look too easy. It looked so effortless for him to play the position that everyone chalked up his success to running back Saquon Barkley, receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, tight end Dallas Goedert and coach Nick Sirianni. Hurts still doesn’t get credit for his role. He’ll never ask for it.

But for the past 12 months, Hurts has not made the position look easy. Even this week, I don’t think anyone would say Hurts made it look easy, not even with 203 passing yards, three passing touchdowns and 46 rushing yards. The criticism surrounding Hurts has led even me, an aficionado of the QB’s unorthodox playing style, to wonder if the Eagles might part ways with him if things get ugly this year.

Jalen Hurts celebrates after the Eagles’ 24-22 win over the Commanders at Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)

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But let’s hold off that conversation. Because on Sunday, Hurts got back on track. It wasn’t perfect. It wasn’t always fun to watch. But the result was a Week 1 win.

Hurts delivered the fourth-quarter touchdown that helped the Eagles stave off a comeback by the Commanders. The Eagles QB delivered a clock-eating drive in the fourth quarter, where he hit on a 22-yard carry and, later, a 43-yard touchdown pass to Dallas Goedert.

Sirianni was quick to praise Hurts’ clutch scramble after the game.

“You don’t care how you get explosive plays,” Sirianni said.

Just that you get them.

It would be hyperbole to say that Hurts took over the game. It would even be hyperbole to say Hurts was dominant. But the beauty of what we saw on Sunday was that the Eagles let Hurts play football how he wanted.

Yes, that’s an indirect reference to former Eagles receiver A.J. Brown and former Eagles offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo. I don’t think Hurts loved working with either guy last year, with Brown applying pressure about what the offensive identity should be — and Patullo largely seeming like a bad fit for the gig, which applies its own kind of negative pressure.

It appears new offensive coordinator Sean Mannion is giving Hurts the freedom he needs — and frankly deserves. Hurts is running an offense that sets up him to succeed — and play the game how he likes. He’s good at winning — historically good.

Against the Commanders, Hurts overcame some difficulties from guard Landon Dickerson, who allowed a team-high five pressures, per Next Gen Stats. Hurts set up Saquon Barkley for an efficient game, with the running back ganing 83 yards on 15 carries. And Hurts made good use of newcomer Dontayvion Wicks, who hit on a 64-yard reception and a nine-yard touchdown. 

The Eagles barely made use of first-round receiver Makai Lemon, who spent most of training camp recovering from a hamstring injury. DeVonta Smith was fairly quiet. Barkley wasn’t as explosive as he should have been, in part because this offensive line is still getting used to the new run scheme. In other words, there’s room to grow.

But Hurts and the offense looked solid — not structurally infirm, like the offenses of years past. And it looked like it had the potential for healthy, linear progress. Again, unlike the erratic offenses of years past.

You’d never hear or see Hurts get energized during his press conferences. So this quote is about as close as it gets.

“I think collectively, we’ve got a lot to build on — and obviously a lot to correct,” Hurts said. “I’m excited to get back into the process of becoming the team that we’re supposed to become.” 

And that is, of course, not just a Super Bowl contender, but a Super Bowl winner.

2.

Ben Johnson has many goals. The question isn’t whether they’re ambitious. It’s whether they’re delusional.

And it was easy to feel a sense of skepticism around the Chicago Bears entering 2026. They seemed to be getting a tremendous amount of hype for a team with an enormously difficult schedule. But in Week 1, the Bears sent the message that they will not regress. They will not back down. They will not turn into a one-year wonder.

They blew out the Panthers 59-37. It was — more or less — what the second-year Bears coach told us his team would do.

“You’ve got 31 other teams coming to training camp saying, ‘Our goal is to win the Super Bowl.’ I want more than that,” Johnson told The Athletic during training camp. “I want to have the highest-scoring offense ever, which happens to be the 2013 Denver Broncos. I know how many points per game they scored [37.9], and I want to surpass them.”

The offense’s 59 points on Sunday were the second most in franchise history in the Super Bowl era, per FOX Sports research. Chicago also recorded six rushing touchdowns in a game for the first time since 1941.

During the offseason, Johnson told me that he wanted quarterback Caleb Williams, who completed just 58.1% of his passes last year, to top 65% this season. He’s at 72% through one week.

What’s even more impressive is that Williams threw for 269 yards and the Bears scored 59 points without the QB throwing a touchdown to receivers Luther Burden and Rome Odunze — or tight end Colston Loveland.

“I don’t think I called a really good game there in that first half,” Johnson said at the postgame podium.

This was another promise — with Johnson emphasizing that he’d seek explosives in the rushing game, rather than doing what most teams do, using the run game to stay on schedule and move the chains. Johnson wants the end zone. He wants points. He wants a Super Bowl.

“Obviously, this is going to be our worst game,” Williams said in a postgame press conference. “I know the points don’t necessarily show that.”

Worst game? What a humblebrag.

Look out, NFL. Here come the Bears.

3.

This game was going to be hard enough to win. Drake Maye didn’t need to make it any harder.

But he found a way to make things worse.

In some ways, the New England Patriots quarterback was set up to fail on Wednesday night against the Seattle Seahawks. Opening the season against the team that beat him handily in the Super Bowl is tough because Maye undoubtedly felt the complicated emotions of a Super Bowl rematch, but he also faced one of the NFL’s most confusing and deceptive defenses.

To top it off, Maye and the Patriots had to travel across the country and then lost star wide receiver A.J. Brown to a high ankle sprain in the first half.

Maye made everything worse with interception after interception … after interception. He had picks on back-to-back-to-back drives to end the game. All in the fourth quarter.

Eventually, Maye clinched a Seahawks win with his final turnover, a bad interception in the end zone with 26 seconds remaining. The Patriots were down three and in field goal position. He’d squandered a shot to win.

“You just have to throw it away and say, ‘We can’t win it on this throw.’ Drake will learn from it, we will all learn from it, and hopefully we will be better for it in the end,” coach Mike Vrabel said in the wake of the game.

With the whole offseason to ruminate over the film from the Super Bowl, you’d think Maye would’ve have a few more answers for what Macdonald threw at him. Even more important, you’d think that Maye would have kept his cool when Macdonald didn’t throw anything at him. In the case of Maye’s three interceptions, he had clear keys and reads. He forced the ball into coverages he shouldn’t have. 

Most egregious, he did it at moments in the game that didn’t call for him to make a huge play. His situational awareness was appalling.

Afterward, he offered an honest and on-point assessment of how he played.

“I thought we had the game under control. I thought we had a good plan to try to start chipping away and just be patient. And yeah, lost patience. And it cost us,” Maye told reporters after the game in Seattle. “It’s unacceptable.”

This isn’t doomsday for Maye. But it perpetuated the idea that his MVP runner-up play last season was simply a product of the Patriots’ easy schedule.

I think he’ll be OK. He’s a good player, whose situational awareness and processing speed (in reading defenses) have been trending upward. But this was a stinker, comparable to what he did in the Super Bowl. 

So, why didn’t he learn from the Super Bowl? 

He had all offseason to do so. Now we’re left to wonder: When will he learn?

4.

Tom Brady pulled out a piece of NFL history during the Eagles’ win over the Commanders. It was the call sheet that Brady and Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels referred to as a “Picasso.”

It was the call sheet that won Super Bowl LI for the Patriots, coming back from a 28-3 deficit against the Atlanta Falcons. Brady showed the call sheet on the broadcast and broke down how the Patriots organized their plays for that particular game.

“You see third down. You see red area. Everything is very specific to the situation that we’re in. You’re not just looking down at 120 calls. You’re actually looking at a very segmented set of plays,” Brady said on the FOX broadcast.

So how did they pick which play appears at the top of each situation?

“If it’s the first one of the game, that’s the first one he’s going to call, because that’s what the quarterback wants,” Brady said. “Interesting thing is, all these reasons that these [plays] get put in the boxes is there’s a lot of tendencies going in [to the Super Bowl]. The problem with September football is they’re not showing any of these tendencies.”

It’s one thing to peel back the curtain on playcalling. It’s another thing to see the sheet that sprung the biggest comeback in Super Bowl history.

5.

Per Next Gen Stats, the 49ers offense featured motion at the snap on 65.6% of plays against the Rams, their highest rate in a game in the Kyle Shanahan era (since 2017).

There were a lot of reasons to send fullback Kyle Juszczyk in pre-snap motion during this game. And one of them was fairly simple (as Juszczyk alluded to in a tweet about his elite cardio): The 49ers looked like they had fresh legs after a week in Australia. The Rams, fresh off the plane, looked like they did not. They looked stiff and disoriented from the first snap to the last.

But there were clear schematic advantages for San Francisco, too. 

It wasn’t long ago that the Miami Dolphins popularized the “cheat motion,” where former coach Mike McDaniel would send receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle in motion — and upfield — to give them an advantage to beat coverage, particularly press coverage. The NFL tweaked its rulebook and began to officiate it harder in an attempt to tighten that down.

Well, we’re seeing something similar but different in the 49ers’ offense. Their motions with Juszczyk sometimes sent him flying upfield and hurtling toward the Rams’ defense, giving him a running start to lead the way for running backs Christian McCaffrey and Kaelon Black. The movement also created new gap assignments for the opposing defender, forcing increased communication for L.A. It wreaked havoc on the Rams.

So, yes, this is for real.

And the new wrinkle was so effective that, if the NFL doesn’t start flagging it, it will be implemented into playbooks league-wide. 

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Statements were made in the first 15 games of Week 1.

The Seahawks and 49ers started the season with impressive victories, and then Sunday brought a plethora of points and other teams that stood out. Entering Monday night, the biggest movers this week were the 49ers, Jaguars, Bills and Bears, all of whom moved up at least three spots from my preseason rankings last week.

With Week 1 behind us, let’s see where the Top 10 teams stand.

Don’t look now, but Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry are back in business as the league’s most dangerous 1-2 combination. The duo turned back the clock with a vintage performance that showcased the former MVP’s versatility – Jackson finished with 364 total yards and a pair of touchdowns – and the two-time NFL rushing leader’s dominance between the tackles: Henry rumbled for 144 yards and three scores on 24 carries. 

With offensive coordinator Declan Doyle pushing the right buttons to unlock the Ravens’ most explosive players, Baltimore looked as good as advertised as a dark horse contender in the AFC. 

Lamar Jackson was all smiles after a vintage performance in Week 1. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

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The Kyler Murray Quarterback experiment didn’t last long before the injury bug forced Kevin O’Connell to pivot to a veteran backup also attempting to revive his career. Carson Wentz stepped in and provided a spark as a big-play hunter, finding wideout Justin Jefferson and tight end TJ Hockenson for three scores. 

Though the performance was far from flawless, it showcased the explosive potential of a talented offense that simply needs competent quarterback play to light up scoreboards. 

The hype has subsided around the NFL’s beloved “super team” after an embarrassing loss to their division rival, the 49ers. The disappointing showing – and the injury to their marquee defensive acquisition, Myles Garrett – have led to questions about Los Angeles’ ability to live up to expectations as a juggernaut. 

Although one game doesn’t make or break a season, the Week 1 dud delivered by the Rams has the haters out in full effect.

After traveling across the globe to whoop the presumptive Super Bowl favorites, the 49ers are back on the list of dark horse contenders looming in the NFC. 

New defensive coordinator Raheem Morris has put his own spin on the 49ers’ vaunted scheme with more pre-snap disguise and five-man fronts to confuse quarterbacks and play callers around the league. If Fred Warner and Nick Bosa continue to dominate their roles as the unit’s designated playmakers, the 49ers could make a run solely on the strength of the defense.

The 49ers were the winners of the first-ever NFL game in Australia. (Photo by Martin KEEP / AFP via Getty Images)

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The upstart Jaguars took care of business against an overmatched Cleveland Browns squad in the season opener. Quarterback Trevor Lawrence played like an MVP frontrunner with four touchdown passes to four different receivers, while picking apart the Cleveland’s defense with surgical precision. 

Jacksonville’s defense continues to take the ball away like bandits behind a physical frontline that bludgeons opponents at the line of scrimmage. With a big showdown looming in Week 2 at Denver, the football world will get a chance to see if the Jaguars are legitimate contenders early this season. 

Josh Allen continues to carry the Bills with his heroics as a dazzling late-game playmaker. The former MVP QB put up 300-plus passing yards against one of the league’s most-feared defenses in Houston, while showcasing outstanding efficiency by getting the ball to seven different pass catchers, including a pair of 100-yard producers in tight end Dalton Kincaid and wide receiver DJ Moore. 

Not to be outdone, the Bills’ pesky defense came up with a few timely plays that preserved a win in the season opener and showed the league that all is not lost with Sean McDermott no longer roaming the sidelines. 

Credit new offensive coordinator Sean Mannion for helping the Eagles’ offense rediscover the big play element that disappeared in 2025. Relying on play-action passes and a few impromptu scrambles to keep the defense guessing, QB Jalen Hurts finished with three touchdowns in a workmanlike performance that showcased the explosiveness of a rugged offense that wants to blend finesse and power. 

With a defense that is fully capable of pitching shutouts behind Zach Baun and Co., the Eagles are built to take on and take down the heavyweights around the league. 

There’s a new offensive coordinator in Philadelphia, and he had the Eagles’ offense rolling in Week 1. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)

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The high-powered offense Ben Johnson has crafted around QB Caleb Williams could set the league on fire. The Bears dropped 50-plus points in the season opener – without the offense clicking on all cylinders. If Williams and Co. can avoid some of the miscues – like fumbles and penalties – that led to a sluggish start, they might live up to the bold vision of their bold and bodacious head coach, and average 40 a game as the league’s most explosive offense. 

However, the defense must improve for the Bears to become a legitimate Super Bowl contender. 

The Broncos play the Chiefs tonight. I have high hopes for Denver, which improved its offense this season by adding wide receiver Jaylen Waddle and already has one of the best offensive lines in the NFL to protect quarterback Bo Nix.

Bo Nix missed last season’s AFC Championship with an injury, but he’s back for 2026. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

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The defending champs look primed for another title run with or without quarterback Sam Darnold in the lineup. The Seahawks’ defense is a destructive force with a collection of interchangeable defenders taking turns making big plays, in a hyper-aggressive scheme that utilizes creative blitzes and simulated pressures to keep opponents guessing. 

While the offense becomes a pedestrian unit without QB1 on the field, the Drew Lock-Jaxon Smith-Njigba connection is capable of producing enough splash plays to support a defense-led approach that will keep the wins coming while Darnold is away. 

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When the season began, FanGraphs projected the Rays to finish last in their division and the Brewers to win 83 games. 

Now, with two weeks left in the regular season, the Brewers (93-57) and Rays (90-59) have already punched their tickets into the postseason and look to secure the top seeds in their respective leagues. 

Still, no team is infallible, and even the best clubs in baseball have their flaws. Here are our latest contender rankings, along with one reason for optimism and pessimism for every team on the list. 

(Note: Only teams within five games of a playoff spot as of Monday morning are included in our rankings. The Marlins, Cardinals and Twins were knocked off the list this week.) 

They’re only here by default because the AL West is putrid enough that a team 10 games under .500 is just five wins behind the division leader. We know the offense has been a problem all year, but a rotation that should be among the best in baseball has an ERA over 5.00 for the past month. The only real reason for optimism is the schedule; seven of Seattle’s last 12 games are against the Angels. 

Remember when they got up to .500 at the end of August? Well, the O’s have gone 3-9 since then and have the lowest slugging percentage and OPS in baseball in September. Third baseman Coby Mayo’s late-season resurgence has been a bright spot amid the slide, though. He has the highest OPS against left-handed pitching of any qualified hitter in the sport. 

Coby Mayo’s late-season power surge has been a bright spot for the Orioles. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images)

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Corey Seager is heating up, and Nathan Eovaldi and Josh Jung were just activated from the injured list. None of them, however, can address a bullpen that has been a problem all year and nearly cost the Rangers their latest series win in Arizona. 

Vladdy finally did it. It’s almost unfathomable that Vladimir Guerrero Jr. didn’t have a home run at home all year until Sunday, in the Blue Jays’ 150th game of the season. But he finally went deep as part of a four-hit day, and maybe that provides a spark. Their postseason push is not made easier by the fact that their besieged rotation lacks depth behind ace Dylan Cease. 

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. watches his first home run of the season at Rogers Centre leave the yard on Sunday. (Photo by Michael Chisholm/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

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Despite the Astros’ many flaws, having Yordan Alvarez playing at an MVP level always provided hope. However, Alvarez is hitting just .238 with three home runs over his past 31 games and is now dealing with an ankle injury that forced him out of two games this weekend. His absence underscored the Astros’ lack of depth as they got swept by the AL-best Rays. 

The reason for optimism in Houston? The Astros play in the AL West, and their pitching has been better than expected in September (or, at least it had been until Sunday). 

As terrific as the bullpen is — and it is terrific, boasting the highest strikeout rate in MLB this season and a 2.24 ERA in September — an inconsistent starting rotation (6.33 ERA in September) and anemic offense (29th in OPS this season) make it tough for this club to find any consistency. 

Rookie Travis Bazzana is heating up at the right time, though, and Steven Kwan is having a much better second half. Still, it’s hard to imagine the Guardians doing anything of note unless or until José Ramírez finds another gear. 

José Ramírez fractured the hamate bone in his left hand in mid-June and has struggled to regain his form at the plate since his return in late July. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)

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The South Siders’ ability to mash is what got them to this point, but they’ve scored the fourth-fewest runs in baseball in September and rank 29th in OPS this month. Munetaka Murakami, Miguel Vargas and Colson Montgomery are all ice-cold at the same time. Meanwhile, the deadline addition of Luis Castillo has done nothing to help the rotation. 

On a positive note, they rank sixth in MLB in home runs on the year, and adding rookie Hagen Smith to the bullpen in a multi-inning role has provided more stability to a problem area. Maybe the offense finds it again before it’s too late. 

Arizona boasts the lowest team ERA in the NL this month, and the D-backs’ rotation suddenly looks like it might be a strength now that Corbin Burnes, Zac Gallen and Michael Soroka are all back from injury. The offense, however, has yet to put it all together (21st in OPS this season). It doesn’t help that Corbin Carroll’s back is banged up or that the D-backs did little to help their lineup at the deadline. 

The Padres are doing what they need to do, beating up on lesser teams to work their way into the playoff mix. It already looks like it’ll be a two-team battle between them and the D-backs for the NL’s final playoff spot, but at this rate, either could also end up the No. 4 or 5 seed. 

The deadline additions of Casey Mize and Robbie Ray have not exactly worked out, but if Fernando Tatis Jr. and Jackson Merrill continue to hit the way they are now, that’s a trade-off the Padres might take. 

Ranger Suarez, Sonny Gray and Payton Tolle have a combined 1.15 ERA in September. That should get the Red Sox excited about October. Less exciting? Their offense still isn’t inspiring a ton of confidence. And after going 3-3 this week against the Angels and Royals, the Red Sox now have to finish the season against four contending teams (Rangers, Rays, Guardians, Cubs). 

While the lineup hasn’t looked quite as dynamic lately — Chicago scored 12 runs total while getting swept by the first-place Brewers last week — the Cubs still have the best offense (No. 1 in OPS and wRC+) and defense (No. 1 in defensive runs saved and outs above average) in baseball this season, and Alex Bregman is playing his best baseball at the right time. That’s a heckuva starting point for any postseason hopeful. 

The problem? The pitching still lacks reliability and playoff-caliber stuff both in the rotation and the bullpen even after a medley of deadline moves.

Aside from a clunker in Cristopher Sánchez’s last start, the Phillies’ rotation has been dynamite in September. The bullpen, meanwhile, is another story. And as good as Bryce Harper and Alec Bohm have been at the plate lately, the depth of the lineup remains a concern. The Phillies have to hope Jesus Luzardo’s stiff shoulder is only a temporary issue, because a lot is riding on that rotation carrying the team next month. 

A number of important pieces in the Yankees’ lineup (e.g. Ben Rice, Cody Bellinger, Luis Garcia Jr.) look great right now. The biggest superstar, however, is still finding his way. Aaron Judge is 3-for-17 with nine strikeouts and no extra-base hits since returning from the injured list. 

There’s a similar situation going on in the rotation, as Cy Young favorite Cam Schlittler, Carlos Rodón, Max Fried and Will Warren have combined for a 1.29 ERA in September while Gerrit Cole has allowed seven homers in 16.2 innings this month. If they can get Judge and Cole right by October, there’s obviously a lot to like here. 

Aaron Judge has started slowly at the plate since his return from the stress fracture in his rib that had kept him out since late April. (Photo by Evan Bernstein/Getty Images)

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Questions loom about the depth of the Braves’ rotation behind ace Chris Sale come October, but deadline addition Tyler Mahle (1.25 ERA in seven starts) is providing more optimism. Overall, the Braves’ lineup hasn’t exactly torn the cover off the ball lately; however, Ronald Acuna Jr. is looking like a star again. That might matter more than the rest of the offense’s September cold spell. 

A top three of Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tarik Skubal and Blake Snell might render all the Dodgers’ other problems moot, but the bullpen isn’t nearly as reliable as the top of the rotation. In addition, some encouraging signs lately from Teoscar Hernández and Kyle Tucker — plus the spark provided by top prospect Josue De Paula — can’t make up for the fact that both Shohei Ohtani and Freddie Freeman are banged up at a brutal time. 

With Shane McClanahan on the shelf, the Freddy Peralta resurgence is coming at the right time. Peralta has a 0.78 ERA over his last four starts, and along with Drew Rasmussen, Nick Martinez, Ian Seymour and potentially McClanahan (if he’s healthy), there should be enough capable arms for the pitching to be a strength. 

The Rays’ offense, meanwhile, ranks first in batting average and second in steals, but it remains to be seen how their contact-heavy approach — they rank 21st in homers, 28th in expected slugging percentage and 29th in hard-hit rate — will play in October. There’s a lot riding on the power of Junior Caminero.

It still would have been nice if they had added another impact bat at the deadline, but their lineup is leading MLB in every slash-line category in September, and Brice Turang, Jackson Chourio and William Contreras all look capable of carrying an offense right now. Strangely, considering how masterful their entire pitching operation is, the Brewers can’t feel supremely confident about their options to start games in October apart from Jacob Misiorowski and Logan Henderson. 

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Favorites and Overs are the lifeblood of the public betting masses. 

In NFL Week 1 odds, specifically in Sunday’s early games, the public got a transfusion that ultimately carried the day.

“The first NFL Sunday of the season was a champagne-popping day for bettors, while the book was left cleaning up the corks,” Caesars Sports head of football trading Joey Feazel said.

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

This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports.

Outright Delight

On any given NFL Sunday, all favorites need to do is win — not necessarily cover the spread — for the betting masses to have a big day. And the favorites did so this week, often in high-scoring affairs, an even better outcome for the customers.

“Seven of the eight [early] favorites won outright, six games flew over the total — many reaching that mark by halftime — and eight of the 10 most popular touchdown scorers found the end zone,” Feazel said.

Those seven favorites were the ones that mattered. The eighth favorite was the Titans, who were -1.5 vs. the Jets and lost 23-10. But let’s be honest: Who’s taking Tennessee? I wouldn’t bet the Titans with your money.

The reason outright winners matter more than covering the spread is moneyline parlays. The public loves to thread together NFL moneyline favorites, looking to turn a little into a lot.

But Sunday nearly fell apart for bettors when the Saints forced the Lions to overtime, tied at 24. However, Detroit then won 31-30 to clinch countless moneyline parlays, after a gutsy New Orleans move failed.

“The biggest decision came in Detroit, where the Saints’ 2-point conversion attempt in overtime had the book on its knees with anticipation,” Feazel said. “Unfortunately for the book, the attempt was unsuccessful, locking in one of the biggest results of the day in the bettors’ favor.”

Feazel said the Jaguars, Ravens and Bengals also saw substantial moneyline parlay play in the early games, and all delivered wins. On the spread, the Bears, Jags, Bengals and Eagles were the most popular plays, and only Philadelphia failed to cover, in the marquee late-window game.

After a late Commanders touchdown, the Eagles — 6-point favorites — stopped the 2-point attempt to preserve a 24-22 victory.

And as Feazel alluded to, a bunch of Overs came in, led by the Bears’ 59-37 blasting of the Panthers, with a total of 47.5.

The Bears went over the point total by their lonesome in their Week 1 win (Getty Images).

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Late Comeback

BetMGM trading manager Adair Horne echoed Feazel’s sentiments.

“What the bettors got right was basically the entire early slate,” Horne said Sunday night. “There were plenty of successful parlays and same-game parlays for the bettors.

“Today was one for the bettors, after a bit of a bloodbath for them Saturday with college football.”

BetMGM customers’ biggest successes:

• The Steelers 20-13 win as 6.5-point home favorites vs. the Falcons
• The Ravens’ 41-23 victory as 3-point road favorites vs. the Colts
• The Bears’ 59-37 rout of the Panthers as 3-point road favorites.

However, Horne said the book got a little back in the four-game late window and especially in the Cowboys-Giants Sunday night tilt. New York was a 3-point home underdog and won 28-20.

“Cowboys vs. Giants was a lovely result, with the Giants getting an upset,” Horne said. “The next-best result for the book was the Cardinals surprising an overhyped Chargers team. Then third-best was the close Commanders vs. Eagles game.”

Indeed, Arizona pulled a stunner, going to L.A. as a 9-point underdog and winning 26-14. And as noted above, Washington came within a whisker of forcing OT in Philly, covering as a 6-point underdog.

Popular Player Props

The NFL props of First Touchdown Scorer and Anytime Touchdown Scorer are wildly popular in every game. Anytime Touchdown was the main pain point for bookmakers on Sunday.

And again, that pain came quickly. Several of the most-bet players found the end zone in the first half of the early games:

• Ravens running back Derrick Henry
• Bills QB Josh Allen
• Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs
• Ravens QB Lamar Jackson
• Bears running back D’Andre Swift
• Colts running back Jonathan Taylor
• Falcons running back Bijan Robinson
• Texans running back David Montgomery

As Feazel mentioned above, eight of the 10 most popular anytime TD bets cashed on Sunday.

“There was a time when the book only had to sweat the main markets,” Feazel said, pointing primarily to the spread, moneyline and total. “With the evolution of the product and increased market depth, Anytime Touchdown Scorers are now firmly front and center.

“Given their popularity, the liabilities can pile up fast.”

On Campus

Texas failed to cover in Week 2, but it was the win over OSU that mattered (Getty Images).

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As Horne noted above, BetMGM had a big Saturday in college football Week 2 odds. The only exception was the Ohio State vs. Texas showdown.

The Longhorns trailed 23-3 entering the fourth quarter, then surprisingly rallied for a 24-23 victory. Texas failed to cover as a 2.5-point home favorite, but there was a ton of moneyline action on the Longhorns to simply win the game, regardless of margin.

“Texas winning outright was big for the bettors,” BetMGM trading manager Seamus Magee said. “But it was a great day for the house Saturday. Michigan and Oklahoma State winning outright were parlay killers.”

Michigan was a 5.5-point home underdog vs. Oklahoma and notched a 17-10 upset. Oklahoma State was a 24.5-point home ‘dog vs. Oregon and shocked the Ducks 39-31.

That’s the same Cowboys squad that, in Week 1, lost to Tulsa 24-10 as a 13.5-point road favorite.

South Point sportsbook director Chris Andrews concurred with Magee on college football results.

“All in all, it was a pretty good Saturday,” Andrews said. “Michigan beating Oklahoma was really good, and Oregon losing was really good. Ohio State-Texas wasn’t actually a big decision for us. But we had great two-way action.”

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Offenses didn’t need any time to shake off the rust.

They lit up the scoreboard in one of the highest-scoring opening weeks in NFL history.

The Bears beat Carolina 59-37, falling three points shy of tying Atlanta’s 53-year-old record for the most in Week 1. The game featured 1,030 total yards and the most combined points (96) ever in an opener.

Josh Allen led the Bills to a stunning performance against Houston’s once-stingy defense in a 36-31 road win. The Texans allowed the second-fewest points (17.4 per game) and fewest yards (277.2 per game) in 2025. But Allen threw for 334 yards and Buffalo scored on eight of its 11 possessions before kneeling down to win coach Joe Brady’s first game.

Ten teams scored more than 30 points, and six had at least 24 in the first half.

Maybe starters don’t need to play in the preseason. Quarterbacks were in midseason form as 13 posted a passer rating over 100.

All those joint practices must have benefited offenses more than defenses.

One of Chicago’s team goals set by coach Ben Johnson is to break the NFL record for most points in a season. Johnson believes the Bears still have room to improve despite scoring touchdowns on their last four drives.

“There’s still a number of things on there that I didn’t love just from the sideline perspective,” Johnson said.

Entering the Broncos-Chiefs game on Monday night, teams have combined to score 750 points. The record in Week 1 is 791 in 2012.

Here are 10 takeaways from Sunday’s games:

Caleb Williams In Control

Caleb Williams kicked off his second season in Johnson’s offense playing like a guy who is going to be an MVP candidate. He made precision throws, big plays with his legs and was in command for Chicago’s offense from start to finish.

Ravens Were Dominant

Lamar Jackson, Derrick Henry and the Ravens were impressive in a 41-23 victory at Indianapolis, giving coach Jesse Minter his first win. Baltimore has high expectations and the team’s core players were spectacular.

Jackson, who dealt with injuries last season, played like a two-time MVP. The 32-year-old Henry ran like he’s 22. Zay Flowers had a career day.

The Colts have now lost eight straight games after starting 8-2 last year. Quarterback Daniel Jones was ineffective in his first game back from a torn Achilles, and the defense was poor.

Impressive Debut For John Harbaugh’s Giants

John Harbaugh had a better day than brother Jim. Jaxson Dart, Cam Skattebo and the New York Giants defeated Dallas 28-20 in their first game with their new coach. The Giants played like Harbaugh’s old Ravens teams. 

They controlled the ball for almost 37 minutes and kept Dak Prescott and the Cowboys’ playmakers off the field.

Mike McDaniel’s Offense Fizzled

Justin Herbert and the Chargers had an inconsistent start in Mike McDaniel’s first game as offensive coordinator and the Cardinals pulled off the biggest upset of the week with a 26-14 win in Los Angeles.

Rookie coach Mike LaFleur had an excellent game plan and QB Jacoby Brissett executed it well to lead Arizona, which was a 9.5-point underdog.

Big Plays Boost Philly

Jalen Hurts and the Eagles were up and down in offensive coordinator Sean Mannion’s first game, relying on big plays to overcome inconsistency. 

Hurts made enough splash plays to lead Philadelphia to a 24-22 win that was secured by the defense stopping a 2-point conversion. Saquon Barkley got half of his 83 yards rushing on a 42-yeard carry. He’s going to need more running lanes.

Packers Still Can’t Win Without Micah Parsons

The Packers knocked Kyler Murray out of the game and had a 12-point lead in the second half only to see Carson Wentz rally the Vikings to a 39-22 victory. Green Bay fell to 0-6 without All-Pro pass rusher Micah Parsons, who is still recovering from ACL surgery. 

Jordan Love and the offense can’t afford to continue having so many miscues.

Bengals Torment Baker Mayfield

The Bengals bolstered a defense that desperately needed a makeover and it paid off early. 

Dexter Lawrence, Jonathan Allen and other new starters harassed Baker Mayfield throughout the game in a 33-27 victory. Mayfield lost three fumbles in his first game since signing a new contract. Joe Burrow didn’t have to be prolific thanks to Tampa Bay’s four turnovers.

Tyler Shough Matures On The Spot

The Saints’ comeback bid fell short in overtime when coach Kellen Moore went for the victory and the 2-point conversion was stopped by Detroit. But Shough’s performance is reason for optimism. He overcame a poor start, showed poise, maturity and had a strong finish to help New Orleans rally from a 21-0 deficit.

Same Old Deshaun Watson

Deshaun Watson’s stat line don’t tell the true story. The Browns were overmatched and overwhelmed by the Jaguars, 34-10. It’s hard to imagine Watson will start Cleveland’s home opener in Week 3.

Last Ride Needs Help

Aaron Rodgers began his last season in the NFL with a win in his reunion with coach Mike McCarthy. 

The Steelers beat the injury-depleted Falcons and third-string QB Cooper Rush 20-13. Rodgers is clearly comfortable in McCarthy’s offense and the 42-year-old still is an elite passer. But DK Metcalf struggled and the run game was lackluster.

Reporting by the Associated Press.

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The second week of the college football season gave us top-25 meltdowns, redemption and a comeback for the ages.

Then-No. 4 Texas stunned formerly top-ranked Ohio State by coming back from down 20 points in the fourth quarter to win, Michigan responded to last week’s almost disastrous outcome by beating then-No. 11 Oklahoma at home and then-No. 6 Oregon was outplayed by an Oklahoma State team with a brand-new roster.

It was a fun and wild weekend, complete with College Football Playoff and conference title ramifications. And with that, let’s get to it with our college football Week 2 superlatives.

  Game Of The Week: Texas Stuns Ohio State

Running back Hollywood Smothers runs in a fourth-quarter touchdown against Ohio State. (Photo by David Buono/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

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Austin was rocking on Saturday night as more than 100,000 fans packed Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium in the hot, steamy late-summer air for a top-5 showdown between Texas and Ohio State. The sideline was star-studded, with Texas celebrities ranging from Matthew McConaughey to Kevin Durant.

The Buckeyes looked like a team capable of winning the national championship in the first half, racing to a 20-3 halftime lead as the Longhorns turned the ball over early. Quarterback Julian Sayin and wide receiver Jeremiah Smith were unstoppable, and Texas’ revamped defense had no answers for them. 

Ohio State remained in control until the fourth quarter, up until its 23-3 lead evaporated. Led by quarterback Arch Manning, Texas put together three drives spanning 40 plays and more than 14 minutes, scoring 21 points in the process. It all culminated in an epic 73-yard drive — we’ll get to that later — after a missed Buckeyes field goal that would have essentially sealed the game.

Smith was targeted eight times in the first half, racking up 110 receiving yards and a touchdown. In the second, he was held to 54 yards. Sayin finished 17-of-32 for 278 yards with one touchdown and one interception, while Manning went 23-of-37 for a touchdown and an interception. Both quarterbacks, who are in the Heisman Trophy conversation this season, were sacked twice.

This was the third meeting between these non-conference opponents in less than two years, with Ohio State winning the first two.

“We couldn’t lose to them again,” Manning told the broadcast postgame. “I had nightmares about that game last year.”

  Moment Of The Week: Ohio State’s Missed FG

Kicker Connor Hawkins kicks a field goal against Texas during Ohio State’s one-point loss. (Photo by David Buono/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

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Ohio State led Texas 23-17 late in the fourth quarter when kicker Connor Hawkins had a chance to all but close things out with a 45-yard field goal. Hawkins had been perfect up to that point, going 3-for-3 on the night, including a 48-yarder he made in the third quarter. But the kick sailed wide left, giving Texas good field position with 4:10 left and an opportunity to go down the field and win.

Which is exactly what the Longhorns did. Manning, who had been inconsistent earlier, engineered a 73-yard game-winning drive that ended with NC State transfer running back Hollywood Smothers scoring on a one-yard touchdown run to give the home team a 24-23 victory.

Ohio State had 25 seconds to get into field-goal range, but Sayin’s final heave was intercepted.  

This was undoubtedly one of the biggest wins in Steve Sarkisian’s tenure at Texas, and was the first time a Ryan Day team lost when leading by at least 20 points.

Coaching Win Of The Week: Kyle Whittingham

(Photo by Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images)

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In one week, Michigan went from needing one second added back to the clock to beat Western Michigan to stunning No. 11 Oklahoma, 17-10, at the Big House. It was a statement win for Kyle Whittingham in just his second game as the Wolverines’ head coach.

Michigan was the underdog entering this game, with Oklahoma viewed as a favorite to make a second straight run to the College Football Playoff. Quarterback Bryce Underwood, who was shaky at best in Week 1, responded by leading the Wolverines with 111 passing yards and 87 rushing yards while adding a 38-yard touchdown run in the first quarter. 

There had been some awkwardness earlier in the week when Whittingham said that Underwood is “our quarterback right now. It’s not something that’s infinite.” And when the signal-caller was asked about those comments, he said he hadn’t seen that but said, “It’s cool.”

Doesn’t matter now — the Wolverines are feeling confident after knocking off Oklahoma and are 2-0. They’ll face UTEP next week before conference play begins.

Player Of The Week: Drew Mestemaker

Oklahoma State quarterback Drew Mestemaker led the Cowboys to a historic upset win over Oregon. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)

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Meet Oklahoma State quarterback Drew Mestemaker, who outplayed Oregon Heisman Trophy contender Dante Moore in a shocking 39-31 upset of No. 6 Oregon on Saturday.

Mestemaker, who followed coach Eric Morris from North Texas to Oklahoma State, threw for 317 yards and two touchdowns, while rushing for 109 yards and another score. He opened the game with a 75-yard run on the Cowboys’ first play from scrimmage and later soared into the end zone for a touchdown that quickly went viral.  

The quarterback, who is emerging as a top 2027 NFL Draft prospect, was swarmed by field stormers after the win.

“Someone took my helmet,” Mestemaker said after the game. “I was getting, like, carried off the field by some cops to do some interview or something. It was wild. But I’m so glad we got that done, and I’m so glad the fans got to experience that, too.”

CFP Impact Game Of The Week: Oregon Falls To Oklahoma State

Oklahoma State fans rush the field after the Cowboys beat Oregon in Week 2. (Photo by WJ/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

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Oregon had been a popular pick to win the national championship this season. After two weeks, that seems less likely.

In Week 1, the Ducks got what coach Dan Lanning called a “wake-up call” when they needed to rally to beat Boise State in their home opener. In Week 2, the cracks became more apparent when they were outplayed by Oklahoma State in Stillwater and ended up on the wrong side of a field storm celebration.

Moore went 14-of-29 for 191 yards and two touchdowns, but the offense managed only 281 total yards. Oregon had 12 first downs and was 5 of 14 on third down. As a team, the Ducks committed seven penalties to the Cowboys’ two.

Entering the season, Oregon was considered to have one of the most talented rosters in program history. Oklahoma State, meanwhile, was expected to have more of a transitional year with a new coach in Morris and 92 new players on the roster. Yet that group snapped the Ducks’ 41-game win streak against unranked opponents.

It’s not looking great in Eugene right now and Oregon is certainly in danger of missing the playoff if it doesn’t fix things. It’ll have to do it quickly with a Big Ten showdown against USC coming up in two weeks.

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  Biggest Week 3 Storyline: Kiffin’s Return To Oxford

There’s no question about this one: The biggest storyline entering Week 3 is Lane Kiffin’s return to Oxford where No. 7 LSU visits No. 8 Ole Miss. 

Lane Kiffin celebrates during LSU’s win against Louisiana Tech in Week 2. (Photo by Derick Hingle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

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In case you forgot — though, how could you?! — Kiffin left Ole Miss, where he coached from 2020-25 before last year’s CFP to take the head coaching job at LSU. Now, less than a year later, and in the third week of the season, he’ll take his new team on the road to play his old one.

Kiffin isn’t a stranger to these awkward returns. He went back to Tennessee, where he coached for one season, when he was Alabama’s offensive coordinator and again when he was at Ole Miss. So he knows what to expect from angry fans who might shout or even throw things at him. He’ll be facing plenty of former players, too, including Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss and running back Kewan Lacy. 

This is the game of the week. And, by the way, it’s also a top-10 matchup.

MORE CFB

How big was Texas’s comeback win over Ohio State? Joel Klatt Show

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After spending time during training camp trying to manage Myles Garrett’s knee injury, it was the Los Angeles Rams’ dismal season-opening loss to the San Francisco 49ers that made it evident to everyone that the star defensive end needed surgery.

Garrett did not record a tackle or sack while playing 61.5% of the defensive snaps in the Rams’ 27-7 defeat in Melbourne, Australia. Coach Sean McVay said Monday that conversations with Garrett immediately after the game last Thursday made it clear a different approach would be needed, leading to the decision that Garrett needed to be operated on.

“We had been aware of this, thought it was something he would be able to work through,” McVay said. “Obviously, being out there and playing in a real game, you learn like, ‘Hey, maybe that’s not the case. So let’s change course with that.'”

Myles Garrett was a massive offseason add for the Rams, but Los Angeles will have to wait until he’s recovered before it can benefit. (Photo by Kevin Terrell/Getty Images)

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McVay did not have an updated timeline for Garrett’s recovery beyond the four-game minimum that comes with being placed on injured reserve, pending the results of the procedure.

Garrett missed most of training camp because of swelling in his knee. The Rams acquired the reigning AP Defensive Player of the Year from the Cleveland Browns in a blockbuster trade for pass rusher Jared Verse and three draft picks in June knowing that Garrett’s workload had been carefully managed in recent seasons. That was acceptable to McVay, who has frequently limited practice time for veteran players to maximize their game-day performance.

“The reality is our job is to put our players and our team in positions to have successful outcomes. Thought we would take an approach where he’d be feeling good enough to go contribute positive change and be the player that he’s capable of. That wasn’t the case, and so the next right thing for us is to be able to get this thing fixed,” McVay said.

Garrett took to social media following the Rams’ opening loss to the 49ers to express that, “I wasn’t the player that I wanted to be. I didn’t feel like I was the player I’ve been before when I stepped onto that field. I got to do what I can to get back to that.”

Rams Related Stories

McVay said Garrett’s absence would not have any impact on when defensive tackle Aaron Donald will return to the field after ending his retirement last month.

Donald, a three-time AP Defensive Player of the year, did not travel with the team to Australia as he works his way back into playing shape following two seasons out of football. McVay said it was too early to know if Donald would play in the Rams’ home opener against the New York Giants next Monday.

“He’s going to continue to work his process, and we’ll see what that looks like,” McVay said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Only three drivers were able to cut into Denny Hamlin’s margin in a wild race at World Wide Technology Raceway.

The 1.25-mile track — located across the river from St. Louis and commonly referred to by its previous Gateway name — featured a race where nearly all Chase drivers were involved in an incident one time or another.

Here are my Chase contender rankings with eight races left, the next one coming Saturday night in the Bristol Motor Speedway night race.

On The Verge (Alphabetical Order):

Chris Buescher (RFK Racing No. 17 Ford, -111 points behind leader): A brake failure at St. Louis resulted in him losing 23 points to Hamlin. He did win at Bristol in 2022 but hasn’t had a top 10 in his last four starts there.

William Byron (Hendrick Motorsports No. 24 Chevrolet, -114): The good news is Byron, who finished fourth at St. Louis, didn’t lose any points to Hamlin last weekend. The bad news is that he didn’t gain any. He was already 114 points behind and hasn’t had a top five at Bristol since 2022.

Austin Cindric (Team Penske No. 2 Ford, -108): Cindric moved up a couple of spots to 12th in the standings after a 10th-place finish at St. Louis but still didn’t gain on Hamlin. His average finish at Bristol is 22.7.

Carson Hocevar (Spire Motorsports No. 77 Chevy, -88): Hocevar was eighth, one spot ahead of Hamlin at St. Louis, but the battles with Brad Keselowski and other drivers could still haunt him. And Bristol is a track where you need friends. He was 10th there in the spring.

Ryan Preece (RFK Racing No. 60 Ford, -111): Preece was 17th at St. Louis, nowhere near good enough to rally. He has never led a lap in Cup at Bristol.

Daniel Suárez (Spire Motorsports No. 7 Chevy, -119): Suárez had a day to forget at St. Louis (in 29th) and his main hope is to just get higher in points. Bristol is one of his worst tracks, a place where he has a 19.7 average finish.

Contender Rankings

10.

With a 14th-place finish, Wallace had a rough race at St. Louis. But there are some of his better tracks coming up in the final eight races of The Chase. Unfortunately, Bristol isn’t one of them. He has just two top 10s in 14 career starts there. He was 11th in the spring.

9.

Logano is seventh in the standings but until this team can show it will have the speed on the 1.5-mile tracks, it’s hard to feel good about them being able to rally. He needed a win at St. Louis, but he did gain 21 points at Hamlin with a third-place finish. He has had two back-to-back top-10 finishes at Bristol after a string of nine finishes outside the top 10 at the track.

8.

Elliott was showing more speed at St. Louis than he typically has. That was until the brake rotor failure ended his day. He has two second-place finishes in the Next Gen era at Bristol but has finished 15th or worse in his last three starts at the track.

7.

Whether Gibbs (18th at St. Louis) can rally is debatable, as it typically would require a driver with more Chase experience to navigate the final two months. Gibbs did win at Bristol in the spring, so it is possible that it could be a springboard.

6.

Reddick’s car seemed like a magnet at times, as he had a couple of incidents where he received damage and wound up 25th. Can he find that magic from the first two months of the season? He’ll need it. Bristol is far from his best track. He had seven consecutive finishes outside the top 10 until he was fourth in the spring.

5.

Briscoe was one of the few drivers whose incident late in the race had nothing to do with anything other than being at the wrong place at the wrong time. If there is a driver and team that can come back from this type of deficit, it’s Briscoe (and maybe Logano). He has two top fives in the Next Gen era at Bristol, including a fifth in the spring.

4.

Blaney’s brake rotor issue came at a track where the Fords had one of their best chances to get a win. He does have three consecutive top fives at Bristol, including a second-place finish in the spring.

3.

Bell (19th at St. Louis) missed a golden opportunity to take the points lead and be in control of The Chase. Those don’t come around too often. Bell, though, is the defending winner of the Bristol night race and has four top-five finishes in the Next Gen era at the track. He was 27th in the spring.

2.

Larson gained 40 points on Hamlin, thanks to his St. Louis victory. If he gets on a roll, he’ll be tough to beat. Larson has two wins and six top-five finishes (including a third in the spring) in the seven Next Gen races at Bristol. It could be a Hamlin-vs.-Larson battle if they can separate themselves next week.

1.

He hasn’t had two great races but has retained the lead. Only three drivers cut their gap to Hamlin in the race at St. Louis. He’s due for some big points’ days, and the tracks coming up are among the best for him. It starts with Bristol, where he has only one finish outside the top 10 in the Next Gen era, including two victories. He was ninth in the spring.

WHAT YOU SHOULD READ NEXT

It’s official. Josh Berry will replace John Hunter Nemechek in 2027.

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Deshaun Watson’s struggles won’t cost him his starting job. Well, at least not yet. Despite a 34-10 blowout loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Cleveland Browns are sticking with their quarterback.

Anyone expecting a quarterback controversy in Cleveland will have to wait. Speaking to reporters Monday morning, head coach Todd Monken stood firmly behind Watson, insisting the film showed plenty of bright spots despite the loss.

“Confirmed it when I looked at the tape,” Monken said of his decision. “We got to play better around him. We got to call better and he’s got to play better. It wasn’t just our inability to function consistently as an offense, but it was a byproduct of coaching and playing.”

After a sluggish start that left the Browns trailing 24-0 at halftime, Watson found more rhythm in the second half. He finished 16-of-22 for 205 yards, one touchdown, and one interception, though the offense struggled to push the ball downfield for most of the game.

Second-round pick Denzel Boston found the end zone late, but fellow rookie KC Concepcion was held under 50 yards while Jerry Jeudy remained ineffective. To make matters worse, second-year tight end Harold Fannin Jr. was also kept in check.

Much of Watson’s production came far too late to change the result. Regardless of what Monken saw on tape, the heat on Watson is bound to turn up as the Browns wait for a return on their massive investment.

With the Browns heading back on the road to face Tampa Bay, all eyes will be on Watson’s performance. If he continues to struggle, quarterback speculation will inevitably shift toward Shedeur Sanders, the 2025 NFL Draft fifth-round pick who started seven games for Cleveland a year ago.

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