Our weekly collection of the best of the NFL weekend is back, but with a twist this year. 

Instead of picking Sunday’s best performers, we’re picking our All-Stars from Thursday night through Monday night each week. We also have a new name, too, as we pick which players stood out at each skill position and defensive position while also highlighting the best offensive line in the league. 

This was not an easy week, and there were players who missed the cut at multiple positions who would make the list many weeks. We’re trying to be equitable between several teams’ strong offensive showings to open the 2026 season, as there was a tie for the most points scored in Week 1 in NFL history. Here goes …

How good was the quarterback play this week? Trevor Lawrence threw for four touchdowns in a little more than a half, and it’s hard to really give it real consideration because it was against the Cleveland Browns. Caleb Williams had four touchdowns in a 59-point outburst for the Chicago Bears in their win over the Carolina Panthers.

But we’ll go with Allen, who threw for two scores and ran for two more in a 36-31 win over the Houston Texans, who perhaps have the league’s best defense. By volume, it might be Williams, but given the strength of the opponent, we’ll go with Allen as he developed a strong connection with D.J. Moore in their first game together. 

There are some really good days missing out here. Jahmyr Gibbs had three touchdowns and 186 total yards in the Detroit Lions’ win over the New Orleans Saints. Ashton Jeanty had two touchdowns and 147 total yards in the Las Vegas Raiders’ victory over the Miami Dolphins. 

And poor D’Andre Swift. If this were like last year and we published the list after Sunday’s games, the Chicago Bears running back would’ve made this team. He ran for 124 yards on 6.9 yards per carry and three touchdowns as part of a 291-yard rushing day for the Bears in their 59-37 win over the Carolina Panthers. 

There were a pair of other running back performances that were just a bit stronger than Swift’s, though. Derrick Henry, who continues not to show his age and dominate, had 24 carries for 144 yards and three touchdowns in the Baltimore Ravens’ win over the Indianapolis Colts.

And Kenneth Walker III stole Swift’s spot on this team with his impressive performance in his Kansas City Chiefs debut on Monday night. His 60-yard touchdown helped the Chiefs pull away from the Denver Broncos early in the second half. He finished with 173 rushing yards, the most for any Kansas City back in 14 years, when Jamaal Charles went for 226 in 2012. He added a second touchdown on a short flip from Patrick Mahomes. 

In a strong week for backs all around, Walker forced his way onto this team, as Monday’s performance also doubled as a career-high in rushing yards. 

We could reach back to Wednesday night and pick Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who was electric with 122 yards and a touchdown in the Seattle Seahawks’ opening win. And Gibbs wasn’t the only Lions star to put on a show on Sunday, recording two touchdowns in their win over the Saints. 

A familiar name had one of his best performances in a while on Sunday, though. Justin Jefferson helped the Minnesota Vikings pull out a wild division win despite losing quarterback Kyler Murray early to a concussion. Carson Wentz came in and played well, with Jefferson getting 92 yards and two touchdowns as he had eight catches on nine targets. 

Jalek Coker, meanwhile, didn’t help his team to victory. His numbers were too strong to leave him off the list, though. He had eight catches for 138 yards and two touchdowns as Carolina tried to keep up with the Bears.

A real three-wide battle here. Isaiah Likely had some spectacular catches in the New York Giants’ prime-time win over the Dallas Cowboys, getting eight catches for 78 yards and two scores after following John Harbaugh to New York. 

It’s a close nod over the Philadelphia Eagles’ Dallas Goedert, who had 77 yards and two touchdowns in a close win over the Washington Commanders. And he’ll be on here a lot, but Trey McBride was his usual self in the Arizona Cardinals’ surprising win over the Chargers, with nine catches for 95 yards and a touchdown.

OL: Chicago Bears

We can’t completely shut out an offense that put up 59 points in a game this week. We also can’t leave out the unsung part of any team’s offensive success, so each week we’ll name the starting five for the league’s best line. Chicago went off for 59 points and eight touchdowns, so give credit where it’s due: left tackle Braxton Jones, left guard Joe Thuney, center Garrett Bradbury, right guard Jonah Jackson and right tackle Darnell Wright. We could have easily gone with another 500-yard effort from the Ravens, or a solid debut from a new-look line for the Lions as well. 

Some huge showings here. We’ll mention the Bills’ Greg Rousseau getting two sacks, two forced fumbles and five quarterback hits in a monster game. But we have to start with T.J. Watt, who came through with a pick-six in the fourth quarter to help the Steelers fend off the Atlanta Falcons, to go with two sacks and three tackles for loss on the day as well. And the Minnesota Vikings were only up three with five minutes to go when Van Ginkel not only sacked Jordan Love but forced a fumble and returned it to the 1, the biggest play in Minnesota’s 29-point burst to end a big division win.

Josiah Trotter is the first rookie to make the list this season. The second-round pick from Missouri became the first player in NFL history to get a pick-six and a sack in his debut, stepping up as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers tried to rally back against the Cincinnati Bengals. Roquan Smith had 11 tackles and a pick for the Baltimore Ravens, but we’ll go with the Bucs rookie — whose father Jeremiah had two pick-sixes in his career — for an auspicious first game.

You have to go back to Wednesday, but an enormous play from Josh Jobe secured the win for Seattle. New England was in range for a tying field goal, took one more shot at the end zone, and with 21 seconds left, Jobe made an acrobatic toe-tap interception off Drake Maye to give the Seahawks a big win in the much-anticipated Super Bowl rematch.

If you haven’t seen the highlight yet, take a minute and look up Owens, who drew double-coverage from Philadelphia as a gunner for Washington, stiff-arming two Eagles players to the ground and dropping the returner with a WWE-caliber takedown. The 25-year-old is in his third season as a special-teams ace for Washington, with 21 special-teams tackles in his first two years.

We should also give a nod here to Cardinals receiver Simi Fehoko, who blocked a Chargers punt to the 2-yard line in the fourth quarter of a two-point game to help Arizona pull off a great upset win. 

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NEW YORK — The home dugout at Citi Field still faces the same way. The bullpen in right-center still sits where it always has, and the flags still fly in the same order past the outfield wall. 

Pete Alonso was supposed to be a fixture in the Mets organization, just like all those parts that make the building feel whole. But New York’s former Polar Bear stepped out of the visitor’s dugout on Monday night, wearing an unfamiliar black and orange jersey, onto a field that he called home for seven years. 

The Mets fan base stood up for Alonso every time they saw him, and even when they didn’t. They chanted his name 20 minutes before the first pitch, when he was still inside the Orioles clubhouse. They gave him a standing ovation every time he stepped up to the plate. They cheered when he hit a 381-foot fly ball to left field that looked like it was staying fair before it hooked late on the wrong side of the foul pole. They booed when Mets pitcher Jonah Tong walked Alonso instead of serving up a meatball for a home run. There was no shortage of respect for their 2019 National League Rookie of the Year, five-time All-Star and former face of the franchise. 

Alonso, who returned to Citi Field for the first time since he left for Baltimore, was noticeably teary-eyed during the Mets’ tribute video that chronicled the countless memories he gave the fan base. He tipped his cap to the crowd and tried to lock in for the game. Orioles manager Craig Albernaz could tell during pregame warm-ups that Alonso was emotional.

“Seeing everything happen in that quick little snapshot, and then seeing the reaction, the video I know is probably two minutes-ish,” Alonso said. “For me, I blinked, and the seven years went by. It really felt so quick. I’m just really grateful for the years, the experiences, the people. It’s really, really cool.”

(Photo by Phebe Grosser/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

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Alonso could feel the love from the Mets fan base, even if he didn’t receive the same sentiment from Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns over the winter. 

There were two chants at the stadium throughout Monday night: “Pete Alonso” and “Fire Stearns.”

Mets fans showed immense warmth — and heartbreak — as they greeted their former franchise hero with loud, sustained cheers that reflected his legendary status in Queens. One sign from a fan in the stands read: “Polar Bear is back in his habitat.” Another sign read: “Hello from the other side,” with a cartoon drawing of a tearful face. Another said: “Wherever you roam, New York will always be your home.” Loyalty and anger. These were conflicting emotions for Mets fans. As much as they loved Alonso, they knew exactly where to direct their ire. 

(Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

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“For the Mets, I respect their decision,” Alonso said. “The guys running the team, it’s their prerogative to do whatever they think is best. I respect it professionally. And I’m so stoked to be an Oriole and be a part of this organization.”

The Mets didn’t lose Alonso by accident. They made a calculation that his plate production and connection to the fan base could be replaced by someone else. On Monday night, in the building where Alonso became the franchise all-time home-run leader, that same fan base made a statement when they gave the slugger a standing ovation all three times he took an at-bat. 

It was a miscalculation all along. And, with every passing month, the Mets’ decision to overlook Alonso looks increasingly difficult for them to defend. 

“To have Pete come in as a visitor, a guy that’s played here for a long time, it was from batting practice, people chanting his name, the video, everything,” Albernaz said. “It was a really cool moment. It shows how much impact a player can make on the fan base, the city. Obviously he’s doing that already here in Baltimore. But to come back, Pete deserves every bit of that.”

Alonso is having another productive year. The Orioles first baseman has hit 35 home runs, collected 100 RBI and, as usual, has played in every game of the season. Alonso is one of two major-league players who has played every game since the start of the 2024 season. The other is Braves first baseman Matt Olson. Alonso walked into his old stomping grounds on Monday one shy of 300 career home runs — same as his former teammate, Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor.

“That could be really cool,” Alonso said when asked how meaningful it would be to hit No. 300 in Flushing. “I know Paco is chasing down that same milestone. It would be really cool if both of us could do it in the same game. And if that happens, I think it would be the first time ever. Hopefully, we win the game. If we were to do it the same day, that would be really sick.”

(Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

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Meanwhile, the Mets have failed to replace what they lost.

Over the winter, they let their beloved, homegrown slugger walk away without an offer. Alonso went to Baltimore on a five-year, $155 million deal. The Mets subsequently signed infielder Jorge Polanco to a two-year, $40 million contract.

Polanco missed significant time, over 77 percent of the season, with injuries, ultimately playing in just 37 games. He hit .148/.201/.230 with two home runs and six RBI. Last month, his season ended with ankle surgery. He played only two games at first base despite being signed with the expectation that he could help fill that role.

(Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

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The Mets’ reasons for letting Alonso walk in free agency were, they believed, legitimate. With Alonso entering his 30s, they had concerns about his age-related decline and the team’s roster flexibility. Stearns & Co. could reasonably believe that committing five years and $155 million to a first baseman whose value is heavily tied to power carried significant aging risk. They presumed his production could be replicated more economically through Polanco for a couple of years before turning to a homegrown product. 

While those arguments might sound sensible for a smaller-market team with limited resources, they don’t hold up in the backdrop of Steve Cohen’s mega-rich universe. 

Cohen, the Mets owner since he bought the franchise from the Wilpons in 2020, has a net worth of over $23 billion. Two years ago, he signed outfielder Juan Soto to a 15-year, $765 million contract that’s the largest in professional sports history. The Mets have had a top three payroll in MLB for five consecutive seasons from 2022 to 2026, but that strategy hasn’t worked.

Since Cohen took over, the Mets have made it past the wild-card round of the playoffs just once, in their magical 2024 season that Alonso extended when he hit a go-ahead home run off then-Brewers closer Devin Williams in the wild-card series in Milwaukee. On Monday at Citi Field, Alonso called that home run his favorite moment as a Met.

“Two things can be true at the same time,” Alonso said. “I’m very appreciative and happy of my time that I spent as a Met. And I’m very — I’m beyond grateful and appreciative for the Baltimore Orioles.”

(Photo by Phebe Grosser/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

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Rather than spending the money on Alonso and keeping a homegrown star and fan favorite in a Mets uniform through his entire career, the Mets front office figured it could spread Alonso’s production across a reconfigured roster. Stearns turned to Polanco to help fill the void created by Alonso’s departure. But the fit was always unusual. Polanco has essentially no first-base experience, having spent his career primarily at second base and shortstop. And he has struggled to stay healthy for a full season.

Then, everything that could go wrong did.

Polanco battled Achilles and ankle problems all year. The Mets suffered a disastrous 12-game losing streak in April that derailed their season early. Lindor and Soto, two lineup staples who take pride in being available and playing every day, missed significant time with injuries. By the time the roster was healthy and whole, the Mets season was lost. The hole they dug themselves into in the first half of the season proved too enormous to escape.

(Photo by Parker S. Freedman/Getty Images)

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Fittingly, Alonso’s Orioles officially eliminated the Mets from postseason contention with their 2-1 win in the series opener on Monday.

“I hate to say it,” Alonso said of his former team’s disappointing season. “But it happens.”

Like Alonso said, two things can be true. The Mets may have been right to worry about the back end of a long-term Alonso contract. And they were wrong to underestimate how difficult it would be to replace the front end of all that Alonso gave them.

Alonso gave New York a known quantity. He showed up, played every day, occupied the middle of the lineup and provided exceptional power. The Mets replaced that certainty with a collection of assumptions about roster flexibility, health, Polanco’s bat, and other internal production that didn’t show up until it was too late. 

And now, with Alonso getting showered with love and admiration from the Mets fan base, as he’s tied for the American League lead in RBI while flashing an OPS of .863, with the Mets eliminated from the playoffs for the second straight year, the opportunity cost is impossible to ignore. 

Ironically, the Mets may eventually have to spend big again to recreate the production they already had, and all that Alonso gave them. Even if Cohen, Stearns, and the rest of Mets upper management eventually learn from the mistake of letting Alonso go, the reaction from the crowd on Monday was telling. He will always mean a great deal to them. Just as much as the city means to Alonso.

“New York is always going to feel like some sort of homecoming,” Alonso said. “For me, the city is really special. It’s all special, professionally, and with life and family ties. I feel very fortunate that I’ve represented the Mets for the time that I did.”

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The Los Angeles Dodgers marked their record-tying 14th consecutive trip to MLB’s postseason with a toast of bubbly after Monday night’s 4-1 victory over the Cincinnati Reds.

The bigger celebrations will come later.

“It’s hard to say it ever feels routine, but it is the expectation here,” third baseman Max Muncy said. “I always laugh whenever we clinch a postseason spot, we just do a nice little toast. The guys that haven’t been here, they kind of see that and they expect a little bit more. That happens when you clinch the division.”

The two-time defending World Series champions, who joined Milwaukee and Tampa Bay as teams who have secured playoff spots, cut their magic number to three for a fifth straight NL West title and 13th in 14 seasons.

Los Angeles tied the Atlanta Braves’ postseason run from 1991 through 2005. The Braves made five World Series trips during that span, but won only in 1995.

“Thankfully we’re doing a little bit better than that,” Muncy said of the Dodgers three titles and five trips to the Fall Classic during their run.

Tarik Skubal — who pitched seven shutout innings and allowed only three hits — said the way the Dodgers handled clinching a postseason spot was definitely different compared to clinching situations he encountered the past two seasons with Detroit.

“I think it just speaks to the people in this room and what they expect out of this team. That was cool. A little toast and move on. Forget it happened. We’ve got more to accomplish this season,” he said.

Dave Roberts, who is in his 11th season as manager, said his message during the toast was that the Dodgers have accomplished a lot to this point but haven’t come close to playing their best baseball yet.

“We go through a lot of players every year, and guys find a way to step up, and so that’s the thing I’m probably most proud of, is the consistency of winning over the long term,” he said. “Any team, any organization can win in a given year where things line up, but to do it every single year when you’re expected to do this says something about the entire organization.”

The Dodgers (91-59) currently are the second seed in the NL. They are 2 1/2 games ahead of Atlanta and trail Milwaukee by 2 games for the top seed.

A first-round bye is important any time but especially this year for the Dodgers, who are not at full strength. First baseman Freddie Freeman has been plagued by right knee soreness and two-time NL MVP Shohei Ohtani is on the 15-day injured list due to right biceps inflammation.

“Given where our guys are health wise, to get that week would be huge. We’ve still got to play well to finish out the season to get to that point,” Roberts said before Monday’s game.

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We waited seven long months for NFL football to return, but a historic Week 1 made the wait well worth it.

Records fell across the league as several of the game’s biggest stars delivered unforgettable performances to begin the season. 

Josh Allen came through when the Bills needed him most, Derrick Henry further cemented his place among the all-time greats and T.J. Watt joined exclusive company. Meanwhile, the Bears and Panthers produced a Week 1 shootout unlike any the NFL had seen before.

From record-breaking individual performances to points coming at a historic pace, the opening week had a little bit of everything. Here are the numbers that put an unforgettable Week 1 into perspective:

2026 Week 1 Ties NFL Scoring Record

• The 791 points scored across 16 games this week tied 2012 for the most points scored in Week 1 NFL history.
• Sunday’s 13 games combined for 693 total points, averaging 53.3 points per game, making it the highest-scoring Week 1 Sunday in NFL history

   Points Galore in Carolina

• The 96 combined points between the Bears and Panthers is the most in a Week 1 game in NFL history; the previous record was 88 points in 2018, between the Saints and Buccaneers.
• The Bears 59 points is the 2nd most they’ve scored in a game in the Super Bowl era (61 points in Week 14, 1980 vs the Packers).
• The Bears 59 points are the most they have ever scored in a regular-season road game.
• The Bears recorded six rushing touchdowns for the second time in franchise history, and for the first time since 1941.
• The Bears and Panthers combined for 96 points, tied for the 12th-most in a game in NFL history.
• Since the start of the 2025 season, the Bears now have three games with 250+ rushing yards. The rest of the NFL only has four in that span.

• T.J. Watt recorded his 10th interception of his career; he joins Julius Peppers as the only players in NFL history to record 100+ career sacks and 10+ interceptions.
• T.J. Watt is the first player in NFL history to have two sacks and an interception in two different season openers; his last one came in 2017 (sacks became an official stat in 1982).

• Josh Allen became the first quarterback in NFL history with 80 career rushing touchdowns.
• Josh Allen recorded his first career road win at the Texans; entering Sunday, he was 0-4 at Houston, including the playoffs, with just two total touchdowns; this was also the Bills’ first road win at Houston since 2006.
• Josh Allen recorded his ninth game with 2+ passing touchdowns and 2+ rushing touchdowns; no player in NFL history has more than four (Steve Young).
• DJ Moore recorded 100 receiving yards in his Bills debut, the second-most by a Bills player in their debut in franchise history (John Brown had 123 in 2019).

• Derrick Henry recorded his 26th career game with 100+ rushing yards and multiple rushing touchdowns, passing Jim Brown (25) for the most such games in NFL history.
• Henry finished with three rushing touchdowns, giving him eight career games with 3+ rushing touchdowns; he is the sixth player in NFL history to reach that mark, joining LaDainian Tomlinson (12), Jim Brown (10), Priest Holmes (nine), Emmitt Smith (nine), Marshall Faulk (eight)
• He is now up to 33 career games with multiple rushing touchdowns, the third-most in NFL history behind Emmitt Smith (36) and LaDainian Tomlinson.
• He passed Marcus Allen for the third-most rushing touchdowns in NFL history, now up to 125.
• Since 2016, Henry now has 125 rushing touchdowns, which is 51 touchdowns more than the next running back in that span (Josh Jacobs and Ezekiel Elliot have 74).

• Gibbs became the fourth player in NFL history to record 14 career games with 2+ rushing touchdowns before turning 25 years old, joining Jim Brown (15), Todd Gurley (15) and Christian McCaffrey (15).
• Gibbs is now the sixth player in NFL history to accumulate 50 touchdowns in his first 50 career games, joining Chuck Foreman, Jim Brown, Steve Van Buren, Larry Johnson, and Marcus Allen.

New Look Giants

• John Harbaugh wins his first game as the New York Giants head coach.
• Tonight is just the third Giants win over the Cowboys in their last 19 meetings.
• The Giants have now defeated the Cowboys in consecutive meetings (Week 18 of 2025 and Week 1 of 2026) after Dallas had previously won 8 consecutive games.
• Jaxson Dart completed 23 of 29 passes (79.3%), posting the highest completion percentage of his career. This was also Dart’s 2nd career game with 3+ pass touchdowns.
• Prior to Sunday, the Giants were 0-8 against the Cowboys in Week 1 primetime games. It was their first win over Dallas in primetime in Week 1.
• Jets and Giants have won their openers for the first time since 2009.

• Justin Jefferson is the third-fastest player in NFL history to reach 8,500 career receiving yards (95 games); the only two players ahead of Justin Jefferson (95 games) are Julio Jones and Lance Alworth, who both reached 8,500 career receiving yards in 90 games.
• With two touchdowns on Sunday, Jefferson has already matched his receiving touchdown total from last year.
• Justin Jefferson’s 39-yard touchdown reception from Carson Wentz was Jefferson’s first deep touchdown (20+ air yards) since Week 16, 2024.

• Josiah Trotter became the only player with a sack and a pick six in their NFL debut; prior to Sunday, no player had ever accomplished this in their NFL debut.

• With a 59-yard reception against the Broncos, Travis Kelce passed Jason Witten for the second-most receiving yards by a tight end in NFL history.
• Kelce now trails only Tony Gonzalez, who holds the NFL record for receiving yards by a tight end with 15,127.

• In his Chiefs debut, Kenneth Walker III rushed for a career-high 173 yards, surpassing his previous high of 167 rushing yards against the Chargers on 10/23/22.
• Walker is now the first and only player in Kansas City Chiefs franchise history to record 150+ rushing yards, a 50+ yard rushing touchdown, and a receiving touchdown in the same game.
• Walker had 105 scrimmage yards in the first half, the most in any first half of his career.
• Walker had two rushes of 25+ yards on Monday night, which is already more than any Chiefs running back last season.
• Walker’s 173 rushing yards and 191 scrimmage yards are both the most by a running back in a game started by Patrick Mahomes.
• Walker outgained the entire Broncos offense Monday night, finishing with 191 scrimmage yards compared to Denver’s 176 net total yards.
• Walker generated +101 rushing yards over expected against the Broncos, the most by a Chiefs running back since at least 2018. Walker also forced 14 missed tackles, the most by any Chiefs player in a game over that span.
• Walker has the most rushing yards in a team debut since Michael Turner with the Falcons in 2008 (220).

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Chaos.

That’s the only way to describe Week 1 across the NFL, and not just because the superteam Rams went down, down under. Some of the best teams in the league struggled to find their early footing. Meanwhile, the Jets, the Raiders and the Cardinals all won their openers!

It has made an absolute mess out of my Power Rankings. Here’s what the carnage looks like heading into Week 2.

*Super Bowl odds courtesy of DraftKings

Super Bowl odds: +50000

The expectations for this team couldn’t have been much lower, and they still couldn’t meet them. It’s going to be a long season in South Florida. Hope the weather is nice, at least.

Super Bowl odds: +30000

How long will Todd Monken stick with Deshaun Watson at QB? Maybe longer than you think. Better question: Does it even matter?

Super Bowl odds: +20000

Brian Daboll’s offense managed just 195 yards against the Jets — and 65 of those came on the final garbage-time drive of the game. Robert Saleh’s Tennessee debut was a total disaster. 

Super Bowl odds: +15000

RB Ashton Jeanty was healthy, which is good, but QB Kirk Cousins still turns the ball over too much. Winning is nice, but good thing Las Vegas was only playing Miami.

Super Bowl odds: +13000

Their fall isn’t just about their ugly loss in Pittsburgh. It’s about their broken QB room that left them with Cooper Rush having to start despite back spasms. Ouch.
 

Super Bowl odds: +25000

Efficient on offense, stingy on defense. Could the Jets actually be … good? Probably not. The Titans are just that bad.

Super Bowl odds: +6500

Jayden Daniels didn’t look like his old, dynamic self, but the Commanders still nearly upset the Eagles. Not sure whether that says more about Washington or Philadelphia.

The Commanders were a two-point conversion short of taking the Eagles to overtime. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)

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Super Bowl odds: +30000

Where did that come from? The Cardinals shut down QB Justin Herbert and thoroughly beat a Chargers team some think is a sleeper Super Bowl contender. So much for predictions of an 0-13 start.

Super Bowl odds: +5500

For $165 million over three years, the Bucs expect a lot better than this from QB Baker Mayfield. He has too many weapons for the offense to be as bad as it looked.

Super Bowl odds: +9000

What does $170 million get you these days? That’s about what the Panthers spent this offseason to rebuild their defense … which gave up 59 points and 552 yards in Week 1. No refunds, by the way.

Super Bowl odds: +2500

It’s bad enough that all that work they did to fix their defense didn’t work. But if their vaunted offense is really as mediocre as it looked on Sunday night, this could be a painfully long season in Dallas.

Brou WAS WRONG about the Cowboys, Bills beat Texans, Will the Bears be the best offense? | FTF

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Super Bowl odds: +6500

They ran into a Baltimore buzz saw, but there were encouraging signs. QB Daniel Jones looked healthier than I thought he’d be, which could bode well when they start playing lesser teams.

Super Bowl odds: +2000

Well, at least one Harbaugh brother had a good day, because Jim’s opener was a stinker. His defense got run over by a Cardinals team that figured to be one of the worst in football. And where was Mike McDaniel’s brilliant, energy-induced offense? What a dud!

Super Bowl odds: +9000

QB Tyler Shough was terrible. Then he was brilliant. In the end, the Saints were one two-point conversion in overtime away from pulling off an upset that would’ve defined their season and proven to everyone they might be the surprise of the NFL this year.

Super Bowl odds: +2000

Jordan Love threw for a lot of yards, and it looks like he has some good WRs. But an offense without Josh Jacobs and a defense without Micah Parsons feels like too much for the Pack to overcome.

The Packers blew another double-digit lead to a division foe in the second half. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)

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Super Bowl odds: +5000

It’s a well-deserved leap in the rankings after John Harbaugh’s debut showed he has a tough, well-rounded and healthy team. When WR Malik Nabers is off his pitch count, this versatile offense is going to cause problems for everyone.

Super Bowl odds: +5000

Aaron Rodgers was OK, not great, but he didn’t need to do a lot thanks to a defense that was stifling against a battered Falcons team playing its third-string QB.

Super Bowl odds: +4000

It was, and still is, easy to underestimate the Vikings because of their QB issues. But Kevin O’Connell is a terrific coach, and that defense was outstanding in the fourth quarter against the Packers when it mattered most.

Super Bowl odds: +1900

I know they were playing the Bills, but giving up 36 points and 409 yards? What happened to the best defense in the NFL?

Super Bowl odds: +1800

Coming within a failed, two-point conversion pass in overtime of losing to the Saints at home isn’t great. Then again, the Saints are better than a lot of people think.

Super Bowl odds: +1400

They’re baaaaack. Patrick Mahomes didn’t even look like his old self Monday night and the Chiefs still dominated the Broncos. When Mahomes rounds into form, KC might be ready to reclaim its throne.

Super Bowl odds: +2500

Yeah, yeah, Liam Coen’s team looked great. Trevor Lawrence looked unstoppable. I’ll be way more impressed if the Jags do this against anyone other than the Browns.

Super Bowl odds: +2100

Three interceptions by Drake Maye, an injury that will cost WR A.J. Brown a month, and they couldn’t beat a Seahawks team led by Drew Lock. Unfortunately, their schedule won’t get any easier.

Super Bowl odds: +1700

Jalen Hurts did what he had to do to win, but I’ve got the same feeling about the Eagles that I had last year: That offense really should be better. Why is it always such a struggle for them?

Super Bowl odds: +2000

Denver was one game – and Bo Nix injury – away from the Super Bowl last season after winning 14 games and earning the No. 1 seed in the AFC. The Broncos looked really far from that level after one week, though, following a blowout loss to the Chiefs. You can scratch Nix off any lists of early contenders for MVP after his disastrous showing.

Super Bowl odds: +1400

They heard all the talk about the dream team Rams and became L.A.’s worst nightmare. If the Niners stay healthy, they actually could end up the best team in the dangerous NFC West.

Super Bowl odds: +1900

They got relentless pressure and forced four turnovers to prove they might have a defense this year. If they do, Cincinnati will be hard to stop.

Super Bowl odds: +650

The big debate is how far they should plummet because of their opening flop? It could turn out to be a travel-induced anomaly. But if the Rams lose to the Giants on Sunday, you’ll find them in the high teens next week.

Super Bowl odds: +950

They put up 36 points and 409 yards on a Houston defense that gave up an average of 17 points and 277 yards per game last year. Apparently, Joe Brady can coach and call plays at the same time.

Super Bowl odds: +1100

They still have a championship-caliber defense. But with QB Sam Darnold out with a hip injury, that offense didn’t look primed for another Super Bowl run.

Seahawks are ‘the team to beat’, Patriots struggle in loss, Can Seattle dominate the NFL? | FTF

Super Bowl odds: +2100

Ben Johnson doesn’t want to just beat other teams. He wants to destroy them. And with that offense, his team is going to break some bodies and records along the way.

Super Bowl odds: +900

Vindication, after all the criticism I took for ranking them too high. The 1-2 punch of Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry looked as potent as ever, and Jesse Minter’s defense is strong, too. Injuries to WRs Zay Flowers and Ja’Kobi Lane could be a looming problem, though.

NFL Related Stories

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Week 1 is in the books, but the injury report is just getting started as several teams spent Monday sorting through the fallout from their openers.

The Philadelphia Eagles lost starting left guard Landon Dickerson to injured reserve after he admitted to playing through pain in Sunday’s win over the Washington Commanders. In Minnesota, Kyler Murray’s concussion from Sunday’s win over the Green Bay Packers has left his Week 2 status very much in doubt. 

There was better news elsewhere, though, as running back TreVeyon Henderson looks set to return to practice for the New England Patriots, and Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Ladd McConkey appears to have avoided a long-term injury. 

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

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kyler Murray left Sunday’s season opener against the Green Bay Packers after taking a violent hit to the head while sliding. Murray was placed in concussion protocol, leaving his status for Week 2 in serious doubt.

Speaking to reporters Monday afternoon, head coach Kevin O’Connell said Murray remains in concussion protocol. He had no update on his availability against the Chicago Bears, but said the team will monitor his progress throughout the week.

Murray struggled in his first start in purple and gold, throwing an interception on his opening drive. He then exited on the third drive after suffering a concussion, and his timeline for a return remains unclear.

If Murray is unable to clear protocol in time, Carson Wentz would seemingly start, with J.J. McCarthy serving as the backup. Wentz is coming off a strong performance against the Packers, throwing three touchdowns after stepping in for the injured Murray.

The Eagles are going to be without one of their starting offensive linemen for at least a month. Philadelphia is placing left guard Landon Dickerson on injured reserve with a knee injury, a move that will sideline the three-time Pro Bowler for a minimum of four games.

Dickerson struggled in Sunday’s 24-22 win over the Commanders, later admitting on 94 WIP in Philadelphia that he’d been playing injured, which affected his level of play.

“I played like s— yesterday,” Dickerson said. “I was a complete liability yesterday and again, that was my fault. I know I said I shouldn’t be out there until I feel healthy. A few weeks ago I got rolled up on in practice; I thought as the week went by it would get better and it didn’t.”

Dickerson said he underwent imaging on the knee Monday before the team settled on injured reserve as the path forward, as he later described the injury as a bone bruise.

“Bone bruising doesn’t really heal if you keep banging it and doing stuff. It’s one of those things where you have to shut it down and not do anything,” Dickerson said, remaining optimistic that the injury won’t linger once he’s off IR.

The move continues a rough stretch of lower-body injuries for the 27-year-old, who had meniscus surgery last August that he admitted he probably returned from too soon. 

With Dickerson out, second-year lineman Drew Kendall is the favorite to step into the starting lineup at left guard, though rookie Willie Lampkin could also factor in.

The New England Patriots are coming off a brutal Week 1 loss against the Seattle Seahawks, but reinforcements could be on the way for the offense. Even with injury setbacks in the receiving room, running back TreVeyon Henderson could return on Sunday.

When speaking to reporters on Monday, head coach Mike Vrabel said that Henderson will be returning to practice this week. This is a positive sign, as he hasn’t practiced since August 24 during training camp.

With star wide receiver A.J. Brown on injured reserve, bringing an explosive playmaker like Henderson back into the mix is pivotal for the offense.

The Patriots offense was limited to just 10 points in the loss to the Seahawks. If Henderson isn’t cleared for Sunday, expect Rhamondre Stevenson to handle a heavy bell-cow workload once again.

After taking a hit in the middle of the field, Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Ladd McConkey left with a chest injury and didn’t return. Head coach Jim Harbaugh updated reporters on Monday afternoon, describing it as a rib injury and that he’s day-to-day.

McConkey’s availability against the Las Vegas Raiders is up in the air, but he appears to have avoided a stint on injured reserve.

While the exact nature of McConkey’s rib injury remains unclear, he put together a strong performance before exiting against the Arizona Cardinals.

McConkey was able to haul in five receptions for 82 yards and a touchdown.
Should McConkey miss time, expect Quentin Johnston, Tre Harris, and rookie Brenen Thompson to step into larger roles this weekend.

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For Josh Allen, the grass is most definitely greener across the street.

As the Buffalo Bills moved closer to their first regular-season game Thursday in their new Highmark Stadium, the quarterback looked forward to not having to deal with the added wear and tear his body previously experienced playing on the artificial turf of the team’s now-demolished old facility.

“I’ve gotten numerous, numerous burns on my legs from artificial turf, to the point I can’t sleep at night because it’s bubbling over. It’s very painful,” Allen said, noting he still feels it after the Bills practice on the turf inside their fieldhouse. “If I could snap my fingers and make every field grass, that’s what I would do for sure.”

The new Bills stadium and Allen’s comments reflect an increasingly heated debate in the league over whether teams should play on artificial turf or natural grass. It follows a World Cup in which tournament organizers mandated converting seven NFL stadiums from turf to grass, only to switch back to artificial surfaces for the pro football season.

Players Overwhelmingly Support Grass

NFL players and their union overwhelmingly favor natural grass and are perplexed about why the league’s billionaire owners can’t do what FIFA did for the World Cup.

“It’s a little bizarre, but what can you expect?” 49ers defensive lineman Nick Bosa said.

As with most debates, it’s about money. Though the NFL does not provide cost figures, it’s widely accepted that artificial turf is much more affordable than grass, which requires year-round maintenance and constant resodding. NFL grass fields generally have a lifespan of about seven events.

Artificial fields also require some maintenance to replace infill, and generally have a lifespan of between three to seven years.

That still doesn’t square with players, even as the NFL continues trending toward artificial surfaces.

“Natural grass isn’t out of reach. Prioritizing players shouldn’t be either!” Colts running back Jonathan Taylor posted on his X account with the hashtag “WorthTheCost.”

With Buffalo, 16 of the NFL’s 30 facilities will feature grass this season, including Green Bay’s Lambeau Field, which is made up of 95% grass and reinforced with polyethylene fibers.

Of the 18 NFL facilities built since 2000, 11 have artificial surfaces, and those don’t include Carolina and Tennessee, which recently made the switch to turf. Cost and maintenance appear to play more of a factor than geography, with six of the NFL’s seven coldest markets and all three Florida-based teams featuring grass surfaces.

Where there is consensus is that NFL playing surfaces are far more advanced today than 50 years ago when several teams, starting with the Houston Oilers, played on AstroTurf — essentially a thinly padded carpet laid over concrete or asphalt.

NFL/NFLPA Set Standards For All Fields

Nick Pappas, the NFL’s director of field surfaces, said the advancements in turf technology are night and day since the AstroTurf era. The focus now, he said, is the NFL and NFLPA working with all turf manufacturers to establish standards for surfaces based on player feedback and metrics from testing conducted by the league.

This led to the league and union jointly releasing a series of standardized playing surface requirements each facility must meet by 2028. The list of criteria covering both playing and practice surfaces includes minimum standards for impact, traction, and guidelines for when to resurface.

The objective is to achieve as much consistency as possible across all 30 NFL playing surfaces, whether grass or artificial.

“The goal is that we take the emotions out of the material makeup,” Pappas said. “What the composition of the field is should only be secondary to how the field performs.”

In the past, Pappas said, the guidelines for field composition were easy to comply with, leading to teams choosing their turf by cutting the best deal with a manufacturer. Now, the league and union are having manufacturers present their products for testing before being certified.

“That’s really the course correction,” Pappas said. “It’s, bring us a product once you believe you’ve met (the criteria). And then we’ll run it through the wringer and get it in front of our athlete and ensure that we feel comfortable putting it into play.”

The NFL cites its own studies in saying there has been no significant difference in injury rates when comparing artificial turf and grass over the past three seasons. And last season’s lower-extremity injury rate was half of the average level that occurred from 2018-22.

And yet players, and even some NFL owners, prefer grass.

That was the case in Las Vegas, where Raiders managing general partner Mark Davis cited player safety as one reason to install grass despite moving into an indoor facility.

The same applied in Buffalo, where owner Terry Pegula considered installing natural grass in the team’s old facility before electing to wait until the new one was built.

Already Resodding In Buffalo

The Bills have encountered a few hiccups in making the switch, and that’s despite installing heating coils, grow lights and ventilation systems to spur growth. The team recently elected to resod its entire field ahead of schedule after divots and worn areas became exposed after just two preseason games and two practices.

The Bills elected to resod after their final preseason game to take advantage of a three-plus-week window before their home opener. And they’re expected to resod the field at last once more before the season is over.

Pappas called it a trial and error process, because there’s a learning curve involved to determine how grass reacts to a new environment.

“Obviously, we were seeing a grass that maybe didn’t have the strength that everybody had hoped for and was pulling apart a little more than expected or preferred,” said Pappas, who personally inspected the Bills’ field before and after the team’s preseason finale last month. “They’ll continue to adapt and make adjustments as they need to. … And I do anticipate things will continue to improve.”

The NFLPA, meantime, applauded the Bills for installing grass in the first place, and sticking with it despite the additional costs involved.

Cost isn’t an issue as far as Bills President Pete Guelli is concerned.

“I understand the economics of why people want an artificial turf field,” Guelli told The Associated Press. “But if you’re really putting your players first, there’s no other choice but grass.”

Reporting by the Associated Press.

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You gotta win the pennant before you win the World Series. 

Here are the odds for which teams will win their respective leagues (DraftKings Sportsbook as of Sept. 15), as well as what to know about each race.

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.

2026 AL Pennant Odds

Rays: +300 (bet $10 to win $40 total)
Yankees: +310 (bet $10 to win $41 total)
Astros: +600 (bet $10 to win $70 total)
Red Sox: +600 (bet $10 to win $70 total)
White Sox: +650 (bet $10 to win $75 total)
Blue Jays: +1200 (bet $10 to win $130 total)
Rangers: +1400 (bet $10 to win $150 total)
Guardians: +1400 (bet $10 to win $150 total)
Mariners: +10000 (bet $10 to win $1,010 total)
Orioles: +10000 (bet $10 to win $1,010 total)
Tigers: +12000 (bet $10 to win $1,210 total)
Twins: +35000 (bet $10 to win $3,510 total)

What To Know: The Rays and Yankees are in a heated race to win the AL East, and those two teams also top the AL pennant oddsboard. They have a four-game series in New York from Sept. 22-24 that could determine both the division and who nabs the No. 1 seed in the American League playoffs. A member of the AL East has won the pennant in each of the last two seasons (Yankees in 2024, Blue Jays in 2025), and the Rays last won it in 2020.

2026 NL Pennant Odds

Dodgers: +110 (bet $10 to win $21 total)
Brewers: +380 (bet $10 to win $48 total)
Braves: +700 (bet $10 to win $80 total)
Phillies: +800 (bet $10 to win $90 total)
Cubs: +900 (bet $10 to win $100 total)
Padres: +1600 (bet $10 to win $170 total)
Diamondbacks: +4500 (bet $10 to win $460 total)
Pirates: +25000 (bet $10 to win $2,510 total)
Cardinals: +35000 (bet $10 to win $3,510 total)

What To Know: Of course, the Dodgers are favored here, but the Brewers aren’t far behind — which should be the case. Milwaukee has had the best record in baseball for a while now, and it is staring at its first 100-win regular-season in franchise history. It can pull it off by going 7-5 or better in its final 12 games. L.A. has won five of the last nine NL pennants, and three of the last six World Series. The Brewers are the only current NL team that has never won an NL pennant.

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The next race on The Chase calendar runs on Sunday, Sept. 13 at World Wide Technology Raceway, also known as Gateway.

The field will get the green flag at 3 p.m. ET.

Will one of the drivers tied atop the oddsboard get into Victory Lane or will a long shot emerge from the field?

Here are the odds as of Sept. 13 via DraftKings Sportsbook.

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.

NASCAR Cup Series Enjoy Illinois 300 2026 – Race

Ryan Blaney: +400 (bet $10 to win $50 total)
Joey Logano: +400 (bet $10 to win $50 total)
Christopher Bell: +400 (bet $10 to win $50 total)
Denny Hamlin: +600 (bet $10 to win $70 total)
Kyle Larson: +750 (bet $10 to win $85 total)
Chase Briscoe: +1200 (bet $10 to win $130 total)
Ty Gibbs: +1600 (bet $10 to win $170 total)
Austin Cindric: +1600 (bet $10 to win $170 total)
Josh Berry: +1800 (bet $10 to win $190 total)
Chase Elliott: +1800 (bet $10 to win $190 total)
Tyler Reddick: +1800 (bet $10 to win $190 total)
Bubba Wallace: +2000 (bet $10 to win $210 total)
Carson Hocevar: +2500 (bet $10 to win $260 total)
William Byron: +3500 (bet $10 to win $360 total)
Ryan Preece: +4500 (bet $10 to win $460 total)
Chris Buescher: +5500 (bet $10 to win $560 total)
Ross Chastain: +6500 (bet $10 to win $660 total)
Brad Keselowski: +7500 (bet $10 to win $760 total)
Alex Bowman: +9000 (bet $10 to win $910 total)
Michael McDowell: +10000 (bet $10 to win $1,010 total)
Erik Jones: +10000 (bet $10 to win $1,010 total)
Daniel Suárez: +11000 (bet $10 to win $1,110 total)
Zane Smith: +13000 (bet $10 to win $1,310 total)
Shane van Gisbergen: +15000 (bet $10 to win $1,510 total)
Connor Zilisch: +15000 (bet $10 to win $1,510 total)
Austin Dillon: +18000 (bet $10 to win $1,810 total)
Todd Gilliland: +25000 (bet $10 to win $2,510 total)
Riley Herbst: +25000 (bet $10 to win $2,510 total)
Ricky Stenhouse Jr.: +25000 (bet $10 to win $2,510 total)
John Hunter Nemechek: +25000 (bet $10 to win $2,510 total)
Noah Gragson: +30000 (bet $10 to win $3,010 total)
Austin Hill: +35000 (bet $10 to win $3,510 total)
AJ Allmendinger: +35000 (bet $10 to win $3,510 total)
Ty Dillon: +50000 (bet $10 to win $5,010 total)
Cole Custer: +50000 (bet $10 to win $5,010 total)
Cody Ware: +50000 (bet $10 to win $5,010 total)

Here’s What To Know About The Favorites On The Oddsboard:

Ryan Blaney

Ryan Blaney had a fourth-place finish at Darlington last week.

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Ryan Blaney comes into the weekend sitting third in The Chase standings. At Darlington last weekend, he just missed the podium, finishing fourth after leading only one lap. When the series raced here in September 2025, Blaney also had a fourth-place finish.

Joey Logano

Joey Logano secured the pole at Gateway.

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Joey Logano finished fifth when Cup raced at Gateway in 2025, but he should feel especially optimistic about his chances this weekend after securing the pole. Over the course of the last four Cup races at this track, Logano has landed in the top, dating back to 2022.

Christopher Bell

Christopher Bell finally found himself in Victory Lane at Darlington.

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Christopher Bell finally got his first win of the 2026 season after a string of second-place finishes. Can he do it again at Gateway? FOX Sports Motorsports Insider Bob Pockrass noted that Bell has been consistent but not dominant here. However, Bell’s big victory at Darlington last weekend helped him tighten the gap between himself and Denny Hamlin in The Chase.

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During an appearance on “FOX NFL Sunday,” insider Jay Glazer highlighted one training camp standout from each conference. The first player earning glowing reviews out of camp is Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts.

“They have so much attention on them all the time and Jalen Hurts always has a lot of negative attention on him,” Glazer said. “This guy was the talk of camp in a positive way, which I wasn’t expecting.”

Following rumors of friction between Hurts and former Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown last season, the three-time Pro Bowl QB appears to be taking a new approach. He’s making sure to go out of his way to strengthen his connections with his teammates.

“You go in there and they said, ‘Man, first of all, the offense is way better suited for him, the offensive line and everything,’” Glazer said. “He is trying to be a different guy and man, he’s gone out of his way to connect with this guy, that guy, this guy, that guy.”

Jay Glazer’s Training Camp Takeaways: Jalen Hurts adopts new approach; Travis Kelce locked, loaded … and improved?

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Glazer highlighted the noticeable impact of Hurts’ new approach in the locker room. In fact, teammates across the board have praised his effort and noted a clear shift from last season.

“They were really impressed with how much he was trying to change things up for himself,” Glazer said. 

When it comes to the AFC, Glazer made sure to highlight just how different Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce looks. It seems marriage to Taylor Swift is agreeing with him. 

“Travis Kelce, when I went to that [training camp], that’s the leanest he’s been in years,” Glazer said. “It’s as fast as I think I’ve ever seen him. He has locked in and this is a guy that the Chiefs didn’t think was even going to come back.”

With speculation mounting that this could be the 36-year-old Kelce’s final NFL season, the praise coming from head coach Andy Reid and quarterback Patrick Mahomes is impossible to ignore. 

“Andy Reid was talking about how great he is,” Glazer said. “[Patrick] Mahomes is talking about how great he is. It was great to see that old Travis Kelce back there.”

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