The best offense in the NFL last season (L.A. Rams) made it to the NFC title game. The second- and third-best offenses (Dallas, Detroit) missed the playoffs. 

The fourth-best offense? It lost in the Super Bowl (New England). 

Take from all of that what you will. 

Let’s check out the odds for the highest-scoring teams in the NFL this upcoming season, at DraftKings Sportsbook as of Aug. 18. 

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.

Regular-Season Highest Scoring Team

Rams: +550 (bet $10 to win $65 total)
Bills: +600 (bet $10 to win $70 total)
Lions: +650 (bet $10 to win $75 total)
Cowboys: +750 (bet $10 to win $85 total)
Bengals: +900 (bet $10 to win $100 total)
Bears: +900 (bet $10 to win $100 total)
Ravens: +900 (bet $10 to win $100 total)
Packers: +1600 (bet $10 to win $170 total)
49ers: +1600 (bet $10 to win $170 total)
Seahawks: +1600 (bet $10 to win $170 total)
Chargers: +2000 (bet $10 to win $210 total)
Chiefs: +2500 (bet $10 to win $260 total)
Eagles: +2500 (bet $10 to win $260 total)
Patriots: +3000 (bet $10 to win $310 total)
Jaguars: +4000 (bet $10 to win $410 total)
Colts: +4000 (bet $10 to win $410 total)

Here’s what to know about this oddsboard:

The Favorites: Although they have only led the NFL in scoring once in the last four seasons (2024-25), the Lions have been in the top five in total points and points per game in each of those seasons, which explains why they are near the top of this board. Last season, despite missing the playoffs, they finished tied for fourth in total points (418) and PPG (28.3). Atop the board are the Rams, who led the NFL in points (518) and PPG (30.5) last season. They were the only team to score over 500 points and average more than 30 points. The season prior, four teams crossed the 500-point threshold and three teams averaged 30 or more. As for the Bills, they have been in the top six in scoring in each of the last six seasons. The all-time record for points per game belongs to the 2013-14 Denver Broncos, who scored 606 points that season, an average of 37.9 per game.

Coaching Matters: As does quarterback play. The Bears are tied for the fifth-shortest odds to lead the NFL in scoring, which makes sense with head coach Ben Johnson at the helm and Caleb Williams at quarterback. However, those two appear to be the only reason Chicago is high on this board. The Bears finished ninth in scoring last season (441 points, 25.9 PPG). Prior to that, they had not finished top-10 in scoring since the 2018-19 season. In short, Chicago has no recent history of being a high-powered offense. Welcome to the Johnson-Williams era.

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The Dodgers bounced back from their slump with an 11-5 victory over the Rockies on Monday behind two Shohei Ohtani home runs, the Red Sox emphatically snapped their brief skid with an 11-1 blowout of Arizona, and the AL Central race continues to stay packed with four teams separated by just 5.5 games. 

Most of the MLB divisions range from hotly contested to at least up for grabs, while the wild-card race in both leagues remains wide open.

Here is where the postseason races stand with just over a month remaining in the MLB season.

JUMP TO:

AL: East | Central | West | Wild Card
NL: East | Central | West | Wild Card

The Rays extended their division lead to 6.0 games over New York after earning a 7-6 victory over Baltimore on Monday. 

The Yankees hold second place and occupy the top AL Wild Card spot. Max Fried continues to work back into the rotation alongside Gerrit Cole. However, New York remains without Aaron Judge (rib fracture) and Cody Bellinger, who is out four-to-six weeks with a hamstring strain. 

The Red Sox sit 8.5 games behind Tampa Bay and 2.5 games behind the Yankees, but rebounded in style on Monday with an 11-1 win over Arizona to stay firmly in the wild-card picture.

The White Sox remain in first place despite a walkoff 10-inning loss to the Cubs on Monday. Chicago has weathered slugging rookie Munetaka Murakami’s extended injury absence while maintaining a +45 run differential. 

Detroit sits in second place, 4.5 games behind Chicago at 61-64, while Minnesota lurks 5.0 games back following a 4-2 win over Atlanta on Monday. Cleveland sits 5.5 games behind at 60-65. 

Four teams are still fighting in this division with the postseason lurking around the corner.

The Astros hold a slim 2.0-game lead in the AL West at 63-62 over the Rangers. Seattle sits 4.0 games off the pace. 

The most wide-open division in MLB might be the AL West, in part because top contenders carry negative run differentials: Texas sits at minus-47, Houston at minus-30, and Seattle at minus-23. 

However, Seattle has allowed the fewest runs in the division (512). 

This is anybody’s division in part because no one is stepping up to take it.

The Yankees, who hold an eight-game cushion for the top wild-card position, and Red Sox occupy the top two AL Wild Card spots.

Meanwhile, Texas, Detroit, Minnesota, and Cleveland remain packed within 1.5 games of each other, fighting fiercely for that final spot.

Boston’s midseason turnaround helped erase much of the early damage to its season—as noted by Monday’s 11-1 victory over Arizona—but nothing is locked up yet for any of these clubs as four Central and West contenders stay right on their tail. The AL is a mess, but in a way that will be fun these last two months.

Atlanta dropped its road series opener 4-2 to Minnesota on Monday after capping its homestand with a 5-3 victory over Arizona on Sunday to maintain a 6.5-game division cushion over Philadelphia.

The Braves dropped two of three over the weekend after reaching 74 wins, however, Atlanta still holds one of the most commanding division leads in MLB. Ronald Acuña Jr. continues to lead the lineup on offense and defense since returning in late July.

Acuña Jr. has five homers and a .520 slugging percentage since returning in late July, energizing Atlanta’s lineup at the top of the order. Atlanta remains significantly stronger with Acuña in the lineup in 2026, continuing to comfortably outpace its record without him.

Philadelphia was just 12-19 at the end of April, but a four-game winning streak—capped by a 6-5 victory over Miami on Monday—has kept pressure on the division race. July was less kind, but even so, the Phillies hold a solid wild-card position to fall back on.

The Brewers have been their typical steady selves, continuing to hold the most wins in the national.

Milwaukee has rotation depth, led by NL Cy Young frontrunner Jacob Misiorowski—who became the second-fastest pitcher in MLB history to reach 200 strikeouts in a season earlier this month, bringing his total to 204—and a lineup that has added rookies Cooper Pratt and Luis Lara to fill holes at short and in right. Milwaukee also picked up Dustin May at the deadline, and he picked up a deserved W in his Brewers’ debut.

The Cubs might have lost 10 games in a row in mid-May, but also won 10 games in a row on two occasions and stayed hot with Monday’s 10th-inning walk-off victory over the White Sox. Pete Crow-Armstrong has established himself as an MVP candidate after a slow start, and leads the majors in WAR as he completed a 30 homer, 30 stolen base season with his walkoff homer against the White Sox.

The Diamondbacks remain in the race for the NL west, along with the Padres,who have gone on a heater and now they have Robbie Ray and Casey Mize in the rotation. None of that seems to matter to the Dodgers, though, as Los Angeles expanded its lead to 8.0 games after bouncing back on Monday with an 11-5 victory over Colorado.

Los Angeles has already weathered the storm of Mookie Betts’ offense disappearing and injuries to the likes of Tommy Edman. Two of the Dodgers biig offseason acquisitions Kyle Tucker and Edwin Diaz, have struggled in routing outings, with Tucker dropping two pop flies within a three day span and Diaz’ ERA rising to 11.85. While the dust from the Tarik Skubal has started to settle, the Dodgers’ issues are beginning to show.

This is a team much more than one minor crisis away from collapsing, but even with the Dodgers’ eight game lead it remains worth watching how they navigate the stretch.

The Cubs have proved they can hang with the league’s best, sitting atop the wild-card standings after Monday’s walk-off victory, while the Phillies, despite a recent slide, have regained their momentum on a four-game winning streak after beating Miami on Monday.

The Padres currently hold the final wild-card spot, but the Diamondbacks are right in the mix just 1.0 game back, with the Marlins, Cardinals, Reds, and Pirates all hovering within striking distance of the postseason picture. 

Source

Wait a minute, INDYCAR is racing where?

Yes, the streets of Washington, D.C.

But not near the Capitol, right?

Well, across the street.

And by the Washington Monument and Smithsonian? Yup.

That’s sick.

In what is guaranteed to be a spectacle, INDYCAR drivers will navigate a 1.7-mile, seven-turn course on streets well known to the world, including Pennsylvania Avenue (the course does not reach The White House) and through the National Mall on Sunday afternoon.

The FOX prerace show will begin at 11:30 a.m. ET on Sunday with the green flag scheduled for 1:13 p.m. ET.

Here’s what to know about the Freedom 250 this weekend.

Where Is The Course?

The start-finish line is across from The Capitol on 3rd Street. It then takes a left on Pennsylvania Avenue — a street wide enough to include a pit road. There then will be a left on 9th, a left on Constitution Avenue and then a right on 7th where the Washington Monument will be in the backdrop. The cars then take a left on Independence Avenue by the Smithsonian to get back to 3rd Street.

The course layout for Sunday’s race in D.C.

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How Long Is The Race?

Loooooong. The race, at 250 miles, is the longest street race since some of the early Cleveland airport races in the mid-1980s. The race will likely be close to three hours instead of the usual two hours.

“It very well will be a three-hour race,” ECR driver Alexander Rossi told me and other reporters last week. “It’s awesome. We have a four-[pit] stop street race. That’s just really cool.

“It opens up the strategy and what you can do and the variables that go along into that.”

For comparison, here is the length (in miles) of the other five street courses on the INDYCAR circuit.

Arlington: 191
Markham: 189
St. Petersburg: 180
Long Beach: 177
Detroit: 164

“It’s going to be tough. It’s going to be super long, especially on a street course where the races already feel long and there’s so much going on,” series points leader and three-time series defending champion Alex Palou told me and other reporters last week.

“It will be like an endurance race, a survival race, where we just need to be able to stay alive, keep our nose clean and get to the end. It will be fun. It’ll be super challenging for everyone, and hopefully we’re good there.”

The U.S. Capitol Building will be visible at the finish line of the Freedom 250 Grand Prix.

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So Will That Be A Problem?

Maybe.

“I kind of look forward to it because I love those sort of challenges,” Andretti Global Will Power told me and other reporters last week. “That last 50 [laps] will be pretty tough. I think once you see the end coming, things just get easier because you know you’re going to get there.

“You’re probably going to be at the halfway point going, at [lap] 70 or 75, ‘We’ve got another 75 to go? Oh my God.’”

Will The Heat Be A Concern?

For sure. Well, the humidity. The mugginess of Washington, D.C., will make this a miserable race for the drivers. They train for it and they have cool shirts — shirts where cold water is bumped through to keep them cool — but the current INDYCAR is incredibly hot because it wasn’t built with the current aeroscreen in mind.

“The humidity makes it much tougher because the cooling is just nowhere near as efficient — you go from St. Pete to Long Beach, it’s about the same temperature, but the difference of physicality is massive just because of the humidity,” Power said.

Drivers do train during the offseason and then throughout the year to be able to handle the high temperatures.

“I’m sure there’s going to be drivers out there that fall out of the seat, there’s no doubt,” Penske driver Scott McLaughlin told me and other reporters last week. “But at the same time, you feel like you train for this and get ready for it.”

As of Tuesday, the forecast is for a heat index in the upper-80s. Not great but certainly not as hot as it was in Washington in the last month.

“It’s going to test us for sure,” Pato O’Ward told me last week. “When you build in the humidity and the heat, that’s what makes it tougher. We don’t get a lot of fresh air into these races.

“Some guys are going to feel it. I think we’re all going to feel it. There’s some that are going to feel it much more than others.

Alex Palou remains in search of a fourth-straight INDYCAR title.

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Will It Be Physical?

Oh, yes. These cars do not have power steering. It will test their arm strength.

What About Pit Crews?

The pit crews will be tested, too. Typically, the debate on the street courses is whether there will be two or three stops. This race likely will have four pit stops.

Did They Adjust The Schedule?

A little bit. Typically, on street and road courses, INDYCAR has one practice Friday, another practice and qualifying Saturday and race on Sunday. But to limit disruptions in the city, they are only on track Saturday and Sunday.

That will put both practice and qualifying on Saturday. Ironically, because the track last weekend in Markham wasn’t finished on Friday, the schedule ended up being the same as it will be this weekend in Washington.

The schedule means limited time in evaluating data and deciding on the changes to improve the car to get ready to race.

“Markham being a two-day event was hard for everyone but at least we got a taste of it,” Andretti Global driver Kyle Kirkwood told me Monday. “We kind of understand what the cadence needs to be on a street course to be ready for qualifying at the end of the day on Saturday.

“It’s going to be hard. It’s not going to be easy for anybody, but we got a taste of it last weekend, so it might actually help.”

Will The D.C. Course Be Ready?

All indications are that Penske Entertainment, which is handling this race (and also operates INDYCAR, promotes street races at Detroit and Long Beach and owns Indianapolis Motor Speedway), is on good pace. There are streets that they don’t get access to until this week, which isn’t rare for a street event. For instance, when NASCAR raced in Chicago, it didn’t get full access to Michigan Avenue until the day before the race.

Will President Trump Be There?

Yes. 

Drivers David Malukas, 2026 Indianapolis 500 winner Felix Rosenqvist and reigning series champion Alex Palou met President Donald Trump ahead of the Freedom 250 Grand Prix.

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What Other Parts Of The Spectacle Will Be Cool?

Don’t want to give everything away. But among the pagentary, this race will have an epic flyover. 

Will It Be A Good Race?

Don’t know. This is part race and part spectacle. And it depends on who you talk to on whether that matters.

“It’s the fact that this a race that is a showcase for our series and the nation,” Rossi said. “That’s really cool.”

Of course, a good race makes it even a little more of a showcase.

“Ultimately, we’re in the entertainment business, and if we’re not entertaining, then our jobs are going to be no longer,” Kirkwood said. “This is obviously going to be an event that a lot of people around the world, particularly in America, are going to be watching. … We want it to be a good competition, something that gets people jazzed up for INDYCAR.”

But It’s Important To Win, Right?

Yes, for two reasons. Drivers always want to win. But this also most likely will be the only time they race on this circuit. 

“I’m a competitor — I want to win the race,” two-time INDYCAR champion Josef Newgarden told me Monday. “I want my team to be successful, but I want the series to be successful, and I want to get as many eyeballs on the sport as possible.

“I’m hoping that this D.C. event will draw more attention to our sport, which will draw more interest. As a driver, I’m going to be focused on the competition side more than anything. Everything else around it will sort of take care of itself.”

Will There Be A Freedom 251?

While the Washington, D.C., area potentially could have another race, it most likely wouldn’t be on this circuit.

“It’s an event that as soon as it was announced, you were counting the days until you get to do it,” Rossi said. “As we all know, it’s probably going to be a one-and-done thing.

“So I’m just super looking forward to getting there and experiencing it and doing something that very few people will get to do.”

WHAT YOU SHOULD READ NEXT

Markham was good to Marcus Ericsson. How far did his first win since 2023 move him up the rankings?

Source

The INDYCAR Series heads to Washington D.C. on August 23 for the Freedom 250 on FOX and on FOX One. Coverage begins at 8:30 a.m. ET on Sunday.

The inaugural race celebrates the 250th anniversary of the United States of America as drivers compete on a 1.7-mile, seven-turn course on the streets of D.C. A highlight of the race is that it will run through the National Mall.

Will Alex Palou get win No. 7 on the season, or will another driver emerge from the field to take the checkered flag?

Here are the latest odds at DraftKings Sportsbook as of Aug. 18.

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.

Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington, D.C. 2026

Alex Palou: 7/5 (bet $10 to win $24 total)
Kyle Kirkwood: 16/5 (bet $10 to win $42 total)
Christian Lundgaard: 15/2 (bet $10 to win $85 total)
Marcus Ericsson: 8/1 (bet $10 to win $90 total)
Will Power: 12/1 (bet $10 to win $130 total)
David Malukas: 12/1 (bet $10 to win $130 total)
Scott McLaughlin: 15/1 (bet $10 to win $160 total)
Pato O’Ward: 15/1 (bet $10 to win $160 total)
Louis Foster: 16/1 (bet $10 to win $170 total)
Felix Rosenqvist: 18/1 (bet $10 to win $190 total)
Scott Dixon: 20/1 (bet $10 to win $210 total)
Rinus Veekay: 30/1 (bet $10 to win $310 total)
Josef Newgarden: 30/1 (bet $10 to win $310 total)
Marcus Armstrong: 50/1 (bet $10 to win $510 total)
Graham Rahal: 50/1 (bet $10 to win $510 total)
Alexander Rossi: 50/1 (bet $10 to win $510 total)
Romain Grosjean: 60/1 (bet $10 to win $610 total)
Caio Collet: 60/1 (bet $10 to win $610 total)
Christian Rasmussen: 80/1 (bet $10 to win $810 total)
Santino Ferrucci: 100/1 (bet $10 to win $1,010 total)
Dennis Hauger: 100/1 (bet $10 to win $1,010 total)
Nolan Siegel: 150/1 (bet $10 to win $1,510 total)
Mick Schumacher: 150/1 (bet $10 to win $1,510 total)
Kyffin Simpson: 150/1 (bet $10 to win $1,510 total)
Sting Ray Robb: 500/1 (bet $10 to win $5,010 total)

Here’s What To Know About The Oddsboard:

The Favorite

Alex Palou is in control of his own destiny heading into D.C.

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Alex Palou just missed the podium last week at Markham with his fourth-place finish. But he’s still in control of his championship destiny. This season, Palou has six poles, 11 top fives and six wins. He sits 133 points above the next closest driver for the title, and that driver is …

One To Watch

Can Kyle Kirkwood bounce back after a lackluster Markham?

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Kyle Kirkwood won INDYCAR’s inaugural race at Arlington earlier this season, so he could be one to watch at D.C. However, his performance at Markham last week left much to be desired. He started 22nd and finished 21st. On the season, Kirkwood’s got eight top-five finishes, one pole and one win.

Source

The wait is almost over. Fall is upon us, and college football is right around the corner. 

Over the last three years, a Big Ten team has won the National Championship, with Michigan winning in 2023, Ohio State in 2024 and Indiana shocking the sport in 2025. So, will the Big Ten make it four straight, or will a new conference emerge on top in 2026?

Let’s check out the odds for who will win the College Football Playoff, at DraftKings Sportsbook as of Aug. 18.

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.

Indiana is +900 to repeat as National Champions in 2026 (Erick W. Rasco/Getty Images). 

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2026 CFP Championship Winner Odds

Ohio State: +600 (bet $10 to win $70 total)
Notre Dame: +600 (bet $10 to win $70 total)
Oregon: +750 (bet $10 to win $85 total)
Texas: +750 (bet $10 to win $85 total)
Georgia: +850 (bet $10 to win $95 total)
Indiana: +900 (bet $10 to win $100 total)
Miami: +1000 (bet $10 to win $110 total)
LSU: +1700 (bet $10 to win $180 total)
Texas Tech: +2200 (bet $10 to win $230 total)
Alabama: +2500 (bet $10 to win $260 total)
Texas A&M: +2500 (bet $10 to win $260 total)
Ole Miss: +3000 (bet $10 to win $310 total)
Oklahoma: +3000 (bet $10 to win $310 total)
USC: +3500 (bet $10 to win $360 total)
Michigan: +4000 (bet $10 to win $410 total)

Ohio State is tied with Notre Dame at +600 as the favorites to win the National Championship (Todd Kirkland/Getty Images).

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Here is what to know about the oddsboard:

The Favorite(s): The two teams that faced off in the 2024 national title game are favored to win it all next season: Ohio State and Notre Dame. Ohio State has made the CFP in 2014, 2016, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2024 and 2025, most recently winning the national championship in 2024. The Buckeyes return quarterback Julian Sayin, who threw for 3,610 yards and 32 touchdowns as a freshman. He will once again have one of the best receivers in the country in Jeremiah Smith, who recorded 1,243 yards and 12 touchdowns last season after posting 1,315 yards (the most by a true freshman since 2000) and 15 touchdowns the year before. Smith will lead a talented receiving corps that also features five-star freshman Chris Henry Jr. and veteran Brandon Inniss. The Irish, meanwhile, have not won a national championship since 1988. Notre Dame was the last team left out of the Playoff in 2025 and will enter this season with a chip on its shoulder, a loaded roster and preseason Heisman favorite CJ Carr under center.

Ones To Watch: Miami came oh-so-close to spoiling the Hoosiers’ perfect season a year ago, falling just short in the national title game. Heading into 2026, the Hurricanes sit seventh on the oddsboard at +1000. Just behind Ohio State and Notre Dame are Texas and Oregon, tied at +750. The Longhorns opened last season as the favorites to win it all behind the arm of Arch Manning, but their title hopes faded quickly after losing two of their first five games. Manning is back, though, and will once again be expected to have the Burnt Orange in title contention after finishing 2025 on a high note. From Week 9 on, Manning ranked seventh in the country in touchdown passes (12) and 10th in passing yards (1,493), leading the SEC in both categories over that span. Meanwhile, Dante Moore will return for Oregon after completing 71.8% of his passes for 3,565 yards and 30 TDs last season. FOX Sports’ lead CFB analyst Joel Klatt believes the Ducks are the best team in the country heading into the season. 

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Highmark Stadium (Orchard Park, New York) — Joe Brady’s predecessor took the Buffalo Bills to the playoffs and won at least 10 games in each of the last seven seasons. He won a playoff game in each of the last six years. He won 66% of his games overall.

And yet he was fired because, in the words of Bills owner Terry Pegula, “I felt like we hit the proverbial playoff wall, year after year.” In other words, all those wins didn’t matter in the end, since he couldn’t get the Bills to the Super Bowl for the first time since 1993.

So no pressure, Joe Brady. All you have to do to be considered a success in your first year as the head coach of the Bills — and your head-coaching job at 36 years old — is win as much as Sean McDermott did, and then, when it really matters, win some more. You have been handed a championship-caliber team and you will be judged on that scale.

In other words, fix what’s broken in Buffalo without breaking what’s already been fixed.

No pressure at all.

“I never felt pressure because I’m ready for this,” Brady told me before practice on Tuesday morning at the Bills’ new home, Highmark Stadium. “I don’t think about the Super Bowl, but no one has higher expectations than myself. I knew why I took this job and I knew what came with it. That doesn’t mean I am talking about it every single day or that I can’t handle all that comes with it. But I’ll just be myself and everything will go from there.”

Joe Brady (left) replaced the head coach he worked under for four seasons, Sean McDermott (right). (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images)

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Brady may be young, but he’s obviously not naïve. He knows exactly what the expectations are in Buffalo. They are a loaded team, with a Hall-of-Fame-bound quarterback, good enough to be the class of the AFC. And they are an organization with a fan base that has been absolutely tortured by shocking playoff losses over the last seven seasons, which compounded the original sin of the Bills’ teams of the early 1990s that lost four straight Super Bowls and then never went back.

They are starving for their first Super Bowl in 33 years, and they feel like the team is more than ready. So there will be no honeymoon for this first-year coach. The only way he’ll be viewed as a success is if he leads his team to Super Bowl LXI in Los Angeles in February.

To his bosses and probably to most of Western New York, absolutely nothing else will do.

“I hope the city wants that. I hope the players want that,” Brady told me. “But I don’t listen to it. I don’t feel any more pressure because I have high expectations for myself.”

Maybe he really is “Joe Cool” and doesn’t feel the weight of the expectations. But that doesn’t necessarily make the job any easier. Brady was on McDermott’s staff for the last four years, serving as his offensive coordinator for the last two. So in a way, that makes him both part of the problems of the past, and part of the hoped-for solutions of the future.

That’s a tough line to straddle, simultaneously selling himself as something old and something new and improved.

“I don’t think it’s a tough balance for me, and I think it’s a natural transition for the rest of the organization and building,” Brady told me. “There’s a component of ‘Hey, we’ve known him.’ Sometimes there’s a comfort level. But it was also important to me to come in and say, ‘Hey, we’ve never worked together. This is Year 1 with everything. Let’s figure it out together and not assume that it’s business as usual.”

Joe Brady was Josh Allen’s offensive coordinator for the last two-plus seasons, helping him when MVP in 2024. (Photo by Bryan Bennett/Getty Images)

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That’s important, because “business as usual” in Buffalo has been good, but not good enough. This city and region are desperate for a championship. Really, at this point, they’d take one in any sport. But a Bills championship would just hit different here, especially for anyone old enough to remember Scott Norwood’s wide right kick in 1991 — a mere 16 months after Brady was born.

“The fact that I’ve been here, you do envision it,” Brady told me. “But I’ve never envisioned it for myself. Everything I do is because I want to see a guy like Josh Allen hold the trophy. I want to see Dion Dawkins, guys that have been here for a while, and knowing what it means for the city. It has nothing to do with me.”

Other Observations

• It’s still hard to watch this team, even in practice, and not imagine what the Bills would be like if they had gone out and gotten quarterback Josh Allen a No. 1 WR. They did add D.J. Moore, trading for him just before the Chicago Bears were going to release him, and Moore should definitely help. But he’s also 29 years old and has had a pretty sharp decline over the last three seasons. He had just 50 catches for 682 yards as his role diminished in Chicago last year. The drop-off from him to the next two receivers — Keon Coleman and Khalil Shakir — is sharp, though. Yes, Allen is good enough to make the passing game better than the sum of its parts. But the Bills’ life would sure be easier if general manager Brandon Beane had done a better job of getting him some help.
• Bills defensive tackle Ed Oliver wasn’t practicing on Tuesday, but they really need him to be healthy this season. He was held to just three games last season thanks to an ankle injury and then a torn biceps. That wasn’t the only reason the Bills’ run defense plummeted to 28th in the league, giving up 136.2 yards per game, but it sure didn’t help. The 2019 first-round pick is still only 28 years old and is a solid presence in the middle of the line, even if he’s never quite lived up to his potential. New Bills defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard thinks Oliver can be the kind of impact, disruptive player his defense needs.
• For all the complaints about obstructed-view seats at Highmark Stadium, the building overall is just spectacular. It has wide concourses, mostly great views even from the top seats, and all the amenities everyone expects from modern stadiums. But mostly, it just feels like the Bills’ home. They did a great job with the design and the blue and red seats, so there is no doubt about who plays here on Sundays. Trust me, as someone who has watched too many games at the sterile and grey MetLife Stadium in New Jersey — a stadium that has no personality at all — that’s more important than you’d think.

The 5-foot-11, 190-pounder announced his presence last season as one of the best backs in the NFL when he led the league with 1,621 rushing yards and ran for 12 touchdowns, too. And since his offensive line returns intact after a dominant season last year, there’s absolutely no reason to think Cook can’t do it again.

Cook and Josh Allen really are a perfect 1-2 punch. They combined for 2,200 rushing yards and 16 rushing touchdowns last season, and they play off each other perfectly. It’s impossible at times for a defense to guess which one is going to run. And because they’re both seemingly unstoppable at times, they have to be ready on all downs for both.

And that’s even more important late in the year when the weather starts to turn, especially in Buffalo. That’s why getting home-field advantage in the playoffs is so important for them. They don’t just get an advantage from the crowd. They get an advantage from their style and from the power of Cook, too.

Quote Of The Day

“The grass is definitely soft. It breaks up a little bit. But it feels amazing. It feels like your body is running in clouds.”

— Bills wide receiver Joshua Palmer on the grass field at Highmark Stadium, which in one recent report was described as “ass.”

Long-Term View

Yes, this really could be their year!

The biggest shame about the Bills’ failure last season was that their white whale was finally beaten. The Kansas City Chiefs didn’t make the playoffs. The Bills’ path to the Super Bowl was clear. So when they went down to the Denver Broncos, 33-30, in the divisional round of the playoffs, it was one of the most disappointing defeats in the Bills’ storied history of disappointing defeats.

So why should anyone believe this year should be any different? Because the Bills are better, for one thing. They still have Josh Allen and  James Cook, which is mostly enough. They added the best receiver they’ve had in years, even if D.J. Moore is fading a bit at 29. And they added Bradley Chubb to boost their pass rush. And a healthy Ed Oliver will help, too.

That’s tinkering, more than splashing. The splash was firing Sean McDermott and promoting offensive coordinator Joe Brady to head coach. Given his relationship with Allen, and how stale the Bills often seemed under McDermott, there’s a good chance that gives Buffalo a boost.

And if they get that … well, the Chiefs are still down (though not for long once Patrick Mahomes returns to full strength), and the New England Patriots are about to get a smack in the face with a much harder schedule. There are challenges from teams like the Ravens and the Broncos, but the Bills could make a case that they are the class of the AFC.

Whether they get to Super Bowl LXI is probably a matter of fate, which rarely seems to be on the Bills’ side. But things do seem to be teed up for them this year.

Of course, it looked that way last year, too.

Next Stop: Home

One last six-hour drive through the beautiful Finger Lakes, past Mirabito Stadium (home of the Binghamton Rumble Ponies), by the Dunder-Mifflin Paper Company, through the Poconos, and home.

By the time I get there on Wednesday morning, I’ll have traveled a little more than 1,900 miles over 10 days, making stops in seven football towns while visiting with nine teams and watching about 15 hours of football practices. 

I’ll have stepped onto a real-life holodeck in Berea, Ohio, learned that there is no more picturesque setting for a training camp than Latrobe, Pennsylvania, sat down for interviews with four head coaches, consumed immeasurable amounts of coffee, and became as convinced as ever that the Miami Dolphins are going to be terrible this year (I probably didn’t need to travel to Ashburn, Virginia, to learn that last part).

Then, once I’m home, the three-week countdown begins to Opening Day.

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The trumpets will not be blaring at Dodger Stadium for the foreseeable future.

The Los Angeles Dodgers are placing closer Edwin Diaz back on the injured list with an undisclosed injury less than a month after his activation from the 60-day injured list, according to The Athletic.

The Dodgers are expected to call up right-handed pitcher Emmet Sheehan from Triple-A to serve as relief length in the corresponding roster move.

Diaz has struggled significantly since returning in late July from elbow surgery, allowing 11 earned runs on 16 hits since his return. Diaz currently has an ERA of 11.85.

(Photo by David Crane/MediaNews Group/Los Angeles Daily News via Getty Images)

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His recent performances have presented further issues, marked by three blown saves in five opportunities since August 7, along with nine earned runs allowed over five innings.

Manager Dave Roberts attempted to provide low-leverage opportunities for Diaz to adjust his mechanics, including the ninth inning of Monday’s 11-5 victory over the Colorado Rockies. Diaz surrendered three runs before securing the final out.

The roster move occurs while Los Angeles contends with a difficult stretch, posting a 6-10 record in August after dropping a key four-game series to the Milwaukee Brewers. 

The Dodgers face the Rockies again tonight in Colorado for the second of a three-game set with an 8.0 game lead in the NL West.

MLB Related Stories

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Before Von Miller can start hunting quarterbacks in Dallas, he has a much trickier negotiation to tackle. 

The future Hall of Famer has conquered Super Bowls, contract extensions and double teams, but now has to convince a fellow Cowboy to part with the No. 40 jersey number.

How far is Miller willing to go? How much cash is he ready to spend? 

As it turns out, negotiations with fullback Hunter Luepke started with a rather unique offer on Tuesday. Miller is offering him a lifetime supply of chicken in exchange for the No. 40 jersey, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported.

That’s right, no cash, just chicken. Luepke has yet to bite, but Miller isn’t bluffing. 

As the co-founder and co-owner of Texas-based Greener Pastures Chicken, Miller can easily deliver on his poultry-fueled promise. Now, the ball is in Luepke’s court to see if a lifetime of chicken is tasty enough to swap jersey numbers.

Here are three unique gifts athletes have traded to get their favorite jersey numbers:

Adrian Wilson Bought His Jersey Number With… Diapers?

As it turns out, fatherhood makes for a surprisingly effective negotiation tactic. After wearing No. 24 for 12 seasons with the Arizona Cardinals, safety Adrian Wilson was willing to do whatever it took to keep his number when he signed with the New England Patriots in 2013.

The negotiation wasn’t simple, as cornerback Kyle Arrington was already wearing No. 24 with the Patriots. Knowing Arrington had just become a father, Wilson took a unique approach by offering a full year’s supply of Pampers to seal the deal.

Adrian Wilson was released during final roster cuts in 2013 and never played a regular season snap with the Patriots wearing his career-long No. 24 jersey. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

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Arrington ultimately accepted Wilson’s offer. However, the veteran safety was released during final roster cuts and never played a regular season snap with the Patriots wearing his career-long No. 24 jersey.

Juan Soto Puts His $765 Million New York Mets Contract to Good Use

After signing a massive 15-year, $765 million contract with the Mets during the 2024 offseason, Juan Soto had one priority before taking the field. He was going to do whatever it took to secure his signature No. 22 jersey from Bretty Baty.

After a bit of negotiation, Soto officially sealed the deal by the start of Spring Training. 

How did he do it? Soto surprised Baty with a brand-new $92,000 Chevy Tahoe to hand over the jersey. The best part? “Thanks for #22” was written across the back window of the SUV and Baty officially made the switch to No. 7.

Soto still rocks the No. 22 jersey and remains one of baseball’s most captivating stars for a reason.

Donovan McNabb Traded An Ice Cream Cone For His Vikings Jersey

When McNabb joined the Vikings in 2011, his signature No. 5 jersey was already taken by punter Chris Kluwe. Usually, a veteran with McNabb’s resume wouldn’t have much trouble buying a number, but Kluwe made sure the negotiations were anything but typical.

Instead of pulling the quarterback card, McNabb went along with one of the funniest jersey negotiations in NFL history. All it cost him was a $5,000 charity donation, a public shoutout for Kluwe’s band Tripping Icarus and an ice cream cone.

Donovan McNabb spent the 2011 season with the Minnesota Vikings after being acquired in a trade with Washington. He was benched after just six starts in favor of rookie Christian Ponder.

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Just like that, the deal was sealed with an ice cream cone. In the end, McNabb only started six games for Minnesota, making his time in purple little more than a footnote, but his jersey negotiation remains an all-time classic.

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White Sox vs. Cubs

*Probability is subject to change*

Chicago Cubs	63%	63¢	38¢
Chicago White Sox	38%	38¢	63¢

Braves vs. Twins

*Probability is subject to change*

Atlanta Braves	58%	58¢	43¢
Minnesota Twins	43%	43¢	58¢

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Chicago White Sox @ Chicago Cubs

• Records & Standings: The Cubs are 73-53, commanding the top NL Wild Card position. The White Sox are 65-59, clinging to a narrow lead at the top of the AL Central.
• Pitching Matchup: Bryan Hudson (3-4, 3.14 ERA) vs. Kevin Gausman (6-11, 4.53 ERA).
• Key Team Stats: The Cubs feature an elite home-field advantage with a 37-26 record at Wrigley Field. 
• Top Hitters: Pete Crow-Armstrong is scorching hot for the Cubs, coming off a clutch 10th-inning walk-off heroics on Monday night. The White Sox lean heavily on international breakout star Munetaka Murakami and rookie catcher Edgar Quero.
• Playoff Positioning: High anxiety for both sides in the Crosstown Classic. The Cubs look to cement their wild card advantage, while the White Sox are trying to ward off surging division rivals in Minnesota and Cleveland.

San Diego Padres @ New York Mets

• Records & Standings: The Padres are 67-59, 2nd place in the NL West. The Mets are 57-69, sitting in 5th place in the NL East.
• Pitching Matchup: Robbie Ray (10-7, 3.28 ERA) vs. Zac Thornton (3-3, 2.78 ERA).
• Key Team Stats: San Diego features elite run prevention, sporting a stellar 2.80 team ERA over their last 10 games. The Mets are dangerous at home, riding a four-game home winning streak at Citi Field.
• Top Hitters: Manny Machado anchors the surging Padres lineup. The Mets counter with star outfielder Juan Soto (.283 AVG, 21 HR) and a resurgent Bo Bichette at shortstop.
• Playoff Positioning: San Diego cannot afford a slip-up, as the Diamondbacks sit right on their heels just one game back in the Wild Card race.

Atlanta Braves @ Minnesota Twins

• Records & Standings: The Braves are 74-50, 1st place in the NL East. The Twins are 61-65, 3rd place in the AL Central.
• Pitching Matchup: Tyler Mahle (4-9, 4.64 ERA) vs. Zebby Matthews (6-8, 5.34 ERA).
• Key Team Stats: The Braves’ pitching staff ranks 2nd in the NL with a collective 3.65 ERA. The Twins possess a lethal offense at home, ranking in the top tier of the American League with a .405 team slugging percentage.
• Top Hitters: Matt Olson and Ronald Acuña Jr. anchor the middle of a potent Atlanta order. The Twins, slugger Byron Buxton, currently leads Minnesota with 25 home runs this season.
• Playoff Positioning: Atlanta holds a comfortable lead in the NL East division race. Minnesota desperately needs to pile up wins to climb back into the highly packed AL Wild Card mix.

Los Angeles Dodgers @ Colorado Rockies

• Records & Standings: The Dodgers are 75-51, firmly in 1st place in the NL West. The Rockies are 50-75, sitting at the bottom of the division.
• Pitching Matchup: Eric Lauer (7-6, 4.67 ERA) vs. Ryan Feltner (5-6, 5.59 ERA).
• Key Team Stats: The Dodgers are dominant against right-handed pitching, ranking 2nd in Major League Baseball in overall on-base percentage (.335). Colorado struggles inside their home park, yielding a league-worst 5.47 team ERA.
• Top Hitters: Shohei Ohtani anchors the Dodgers’ elite lineup, coming off a spectacular 4-hit, 2-homer game on Monday night. The Rockies rely heavily on catcher Hunter Goodman, who has slugged an impressive 34 home runs this year.
• Playoff Positioning: The Dodgers hold an active 7-3 lead in the season series against Colorado. A win tonight allows them to pull further away from San Diego and Arizona in the NL West race.

Miami Marlins @ Philadelphia Phillies

• Records & Standings: The Phillies are 68-58, the second NL Wild Card spot. The Marlins are 64-62, sitting in 3rd place in the NL East and fighting to stay in the postseason conversation. 
• Pitching Matchup: Cade Gibson (2-0, 5.61 ERA) vs. Zack Wheeler (10-4, 2.89 ERA). 
• Key Team Stats: Philadelphia’s offense is firing on all cylinders during their four-game win streak, scoring at least six runs in all four contests. The Marlins rely on high-contact hitting, grinding out 14 total hits in their narrow 6-5 loss yesterday.
• Top Hitters: Kyle Schwarber powers the heavy-hitting Philadelphia core with 37 home runs on the season. Miami leans heavily on Otto Lopez, who anchors the club with a .310 batting average and 152 hits. 
• Playoff Positioning: The Phillies enter on a four-game winning streak and look to secure the head-to-head season tiebreaker over the Marlins. Miami is desperate to steal a road win to close the gap on the final NL Wild Card positions.

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Until the College Football Playoff committee comes together and determines the 12-team playoff, the voices covering college football will shape the sport’s rankings. 

FOX Sports’ RJ Young and Joel Klatt took their individual stances on those rankings before the season kicks off in RJ Young’s ultimate 138 and Joel Klatt’s preseason top 25. Among the many differences, Young and Klatt were split on Notre Dame, Michigan and defending champion Indiana. Young and Klatt’s rankings also diverge from the Associated Press’ official top 25, with all three having a different No. 1 overall team and 2025 semifinalist Ole Miss earning some respect. 

Here’s a look at the comparison between the top-10 teams according to Young, Klatt and the AP. 

RJ Young’s Top 10

10.

Yes, head coach Lincoln Riley is great. Yes, quarterback Jayden Maiava is good. But Gary Patterson is one of the best defensive play-callers the sport has ever seen, and he’s running the defense at USC in 2026. That alone is enough for me to believe the Trojans can make a real run at a CFP appearance. – RJ Young

9.

Offensive coordinator Holmon Wiggins and quarterback Marcel Reed must take a major leap if A&M is going to chase its first conference title of any kind since 1998. Reed is one of just two returning SEC quarterbacks to throw for 3,000 yards and rush for at least 550. – RJ Young

8.

LSU made Lane Kiffin one of the highest-paid coaches in the sport and the highest-paid ever without a championship on his résumé. They also gave him the resources to bring in former Arizona State quarterback Sam Leavitt, Colorado offensive tackle Jordan Seaton and Ole Miss defensive end Princewill Umanmielen. For a program that hasn’t won a national title since 2009, LSU fully looks built to change that. – RJ Young

Lane Kiffin enters his first season at LSU after six years at Ole Miss. (Photo by Parker S. Freedman/Getty Images)

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7.

Along with Darian Mensah, running back Mark Fletcher and wideout Malachi Toney could give the Canes the best QB-RB-WR trio not just in the ACC, but in the entire country. – RJ Young

6.

Coach Marcus Freeman’s Fighting Irish won’t face anything resembling a ranked opponent until Oct. 17 against BYU, and they shouldn’t lose before then — if they lose at all. – RJ Young

5.

Former Arizona State RB Raleek Brown and former NC State RB Hollywood Smothers enter the fold, as well as former Auburn WR Cam Coleman. They should help the most bankable player in the sport, Arch Manning, propel the Longhorns to what they hope will be their first national title appearance since 2009. – RJ Young

4.

Provided Oregon runs the ball and plays defense the way it did a year ago — and it should — there’s no reason the Ducks can’t win the first national championship in program history. – RJ Young 

3.

The SEC still belongs to Georgia. The Bulldogs have lost just once at home since 2019, but they still haven’t won a CFP game after earning a first-round bye in the 12-team era. That’s why so much of this season centers on returning quarterback Gunner Stockton. – RJ Young

Kirby Smart and Georgia are seeking their first national championship in the 12-team CFP era. (Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

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2.

Ohio State hasn’t completed the triple crown since 2014, but the pieces are in place to make it happen. That doesn’t mean the road will be easy. The Buckeyes must replace 11 NFL Draft picks, including three first-round selections, while also breaking in a new offensive coordinator. – RJ Young

1.

Lost in the shuffle of quarterbacks — a third new starter in as many years — and the rather exhausting list of talent and veteran leadership that departed Bloomington are a few important facts: 1. Curt Cignetti is still the head coach. 2. The best record in the sport over the last two seasons (27-2) belongs to Indiana. 3. The Hoosiers are the reigning national champions and the first team since 1894 to finish 16-0. – RJ Young

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Joel Klatt’s Top 10

10.

I probably have Michigan ranked higher than most, and I think the Wolverines are the second-biggest wild card in college football this season. But for a long time I said, “death, taxes and Utah football.” Well, I should really say: “death, taxes and Kyle Whittingham.” I believe in Whittingham’s structure and fundamental traits to make Michigan a great football team. – Joel Klatt

9.

This is a team that plays great defense under Brent Venables. That was one of the best defenses in college football, but the offense was woefully short of that standard due to the Sooners’ inability to run the football. If I’m an OU fan, I’m wondering if we can finally marry an elite defensive unit with an offense that can be at least OK. – Joel Klatt

8.

This is the biggest wild card in the country. LSU could climb into the top three. It could also fall out of the top 25. I think the Lane Kiffin experience will work, but who knows? – Joel Klatt

7.

Texas has things it needs to fix, and we can’t assume that everything will be fixed until we see it. The biggest area the Longhorns needed to fix was the offensive line and running the football. Going back to his time at Washington, Steve Sarkisian’s best teams are effective at running the football… The entire question for me about Texas is not about Manning, and if your question is about Manning, you don’t know what you’re looking at. – Joel Klatt

Texas QB Arch Manning threw for 3,163 yards and 26 touchdowns in 2025. (Photo by David Buono/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

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6.

Georgia’s still the class of the SEC. The roster is great. Kirby Smart is a great coach. You can’t kill Georgia, either, because quarterback Gunnar Stockton is a gamer who is tough as nails and absolutely tough as nails. – Joel Klatt

5.

Candidly, this might be too low. Curt Cignetti was the best head coach in the country last year, and he kept his coordinators. I know the Hoosiers lost a lot and don’t have Fernando Mendoza. However, Josh Hoover is the best of the three quarterbacks Cignetti has had at Indiana based on what they were at their previous school. – Joel Klatt

4.

Former Duke quarterback Darian Mensah, wide receiver Malachi Toney and running back Mark Fletcher are a talented group to complement that. Miami still has to clean up some of the blunders it had in close losses last year, but it’s heading in the right direction. – Joel Klatt

3.

This team is coming into this season about the opposite of what it was a year ago. Ohio State will have one of the best offenses in the country, with quarterback Julian Sayin, wide receiver Jeremiah Smith (the best player in college football) and several other starters on that unit returning. So, the question is if the Buckeyes can replace the defensive stars that were selected in the first round of the NFL Draft. – Joel Klatt

2.

I love Notre Dame, and this team is angry. Notre Dame has 15 returning starters, and I love that. That’s the MO for success in college football these days. – Joel Klatt

1.

Oregon is the clear frontrunner, and I don’t know why there isn’t more of a consensus that the Ducks aren’t the No. 1 team in the nation. Every team in the country has a question on their roster, except for Oregon. The only question is if Oregon can eventually get over the hump. – Joel Klatt

AP Top 10

10.

RJ: unranked Klatt: No. 9

The Sooners could have a breakout year because Brent Venables will have the defense firing on all cylinders and John Mateer’s ceiling was unrealized as he played through injury in 2025. A healthy Mateer could push himself into the conversation with Dante Moore, Arch Manning and the other elite college quarterbacks, and boost Oklahoma up the standings. 

9.

RJ: unranked Klatt: unranked

Young and Klatt seem to think it was Lane Kiffin more than Trinidad Chambliss, but the AP disagrees. Pete Golding did pick up where Kiffin left off, leading the Rebels to wins over Tulane and Georgia, but it will be clear quickly Golding can continue to match Kiffin’s success when Ole Miss faces LSU on Sept. 19. 

Pete Golding was promoted from interim to head coach at Ole Miss after Lane Kiffin’s departure. (Photo by Parker S. Freedman/Getty Images)

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8.

RJ: No. 9 Klatt: unranked

The Aggies were dominant on their way to an 11-1 regular season, but that stopped when the games started to matter more. If quarterback Marcel Reed takes another step, that’s a scary proposition for SEC opponents. 

7.

RJ: No. 4 Klatt: No. 7

It seems it might be forgotten that the Hurricanes were the team to face Indiana in the 2025 national championship — and gave the dominant Hoosiers a run for their money, nonetheless. Miami replenished the quarterback position for the third year running with Duke transfer Darian Mensah. Running back Mark Fletcher Jr. and wide receiver Malachi Toney make for one of the most dynamic sets of weapons. 

6.

RJ: No. 1 Klatt: No. 6

The Associated Press’ rankings sided with Klatt in doubting the defending national champions. Coach Curt Cignetti relishes being the underdog, and somehow even after winning the CFP in 2025, the Hoosiers find themselves in that position again. TCU transfer Josh Hoover’s development will largely determine if the skepticism is warranted or not.

5.

RJ: No. 5 Klatt: No. 7

Texas could be ranked close to its floor if quarterback Arch Manning is who we thinks he is. The Longhorns have a chance to jump to the top of these rankings early in the season with a matchup against No. 1 Ohio State on Sept. 12. 

4.

RJ: No. 6 Klatt: No. 2

With Notre Dame starting the season inside the top 5, they shouldn’t fall out of it. The Fighting Irish have only three top 25 teams on their schedule as they seek to return to the CFP after missing out in 2025. 

Marcus Freeman will try to lead Notre Dame back to the CFP championship one year after missing the playoff entirely. (Photo by James Black/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

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3.

RJ: No. 3 Klatt: No. 6

Can Georgia return to being great instead of consistently solid? Quarterback Gunner Stockton brings an undisputed floor, but Kirby Smart and the Bulldogs need to find X-factors throughout the roster to rediscover that national championship ceiling.

2.

RJ: No. 4 Klatt: No. 1

Is this the year Dan Lanning and the Ducks get over the hump? Retaining quarterback Dante Moore is a good first step. He gets wideout Evan Stewart back from injury, and Dakorien Moore with another year of development. Sophomore Brandon Finney Jr. and Minnesota transfer Koi Perich make this Ducks’ secondary one of the strongest groups in the nation.

1.

RJ: No. 2 Klatt: No. 3

The Buckeyes continue to sport electric perimeter talent with wideouts Jeremiah Smith and Chris Henry Jr. The rise of Kenyatta Jackson Jr. could give the Buckeyes defense a similar pop. 

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