Tag: Movies

Welcome to the Quarterback Notebook, where I’ll cover the past week in NFL quarterbacking — from the most interesting passers, plays and storylines to some other stuff that caught my eye while watching film this week. 

This week, we’ll look at how Aaron Rodgers is holding the Steelers’ offense back, check in with Drew Lock, and ask Baker Mayfield to chill out. 

Let’s talk quarterbacks.

The Steelers’ offense has been flat-out unwatchable to start the season. Even with the aid of a Cooper Rush turnover spree in Week 1, Pittsburgh ranks 31st in points per drive, expected points added (EPA) per play, and success rate. The offense is generating explosive plays at the fourth-lowest rate, and only the Packers have been worse on third down. 

Through two weeks, nothing is working, and Aaron Rodgers is pointing fingers at himself … kind of. 

“We need to be better, and it starts with me,” the Steelers quarterback said after Sunday’s three-point performance in a loss to New England. But just when you thought he was about to take some accountability, he kept talking: “It starts with me, at like, making sure Mike [McCarthy] knows what’s working and not working, so we can call stuff that has a better chance.” 

That’s right, Rodgers believes the solution to Pittsburgh’s offensive woes is more play-calling input from himself. 

In the second half of the Patriots game, we got a little preview of what the Steelers’ offense could look like with Rodgers running the show, and it looked a lot like the offenses we’ve seen him lead in Pittsburgh and New York over the past few years. Rodgers lined up in the gun and got rid of the ball as quickly as possible. The main aim of his preferred offensive approach seems to be reducing the hits he takes. 

Rodgers doesn’t want to hold the football any longer than he has to, and the explosive plays McCarthy is so keen on creating require it. And that’s the primary issue with the Steelers offense: Rodgers gets worse the longer he holds the ball. That’s what separates this version of Rodgers from the back-to-back MVP we saw in Green Bay at the start of the decade. 

On dropbacks that last more than 2.5 seconds, Rodgers is averaging just 5.6 yards per attempt through two weeks, per Next Gen Stats. That’s down from 6.8 in 2025, continuing a downward trend dating back to 2021.

Rodgers wants to play a point-guard-like role but is no longer interested in creating. That, of course, would require him to hold onto the ball longer and expose himself to more hits. 

And maybe that’s for the best. Rodgers still has some talent left in his right arm. He’ll show it off a few times a week, but he can no longer hit tough throws with regularity, which was a hallmark of his game when he was playing at an MVP level. He has a sub-40 passer rating on throws with a completion probability under 50%, averaging just 2.9 yards per attempt, per Next Gen Stats. 

Back in 2021, Rodgers had a passer rating over 90 on such throws, averaging 7.9 yards per attempt. Once again, we’ve seen a steady decline in his production on those plays over the past few years. 

Rodgers seems to think he can make up for his waning physical abilities with his advanced football IQ by getting the Steelers into good plays based on what he’s seeing pre-snap. Rodgers likes to boast about his pre-snap acumen, but plenty of examples show him making poor decisions at the line.

Take this play from Sunday’s loss. McCarthy has a toss play to the running back called, and the Steelers have the right blocking matchups to make it work.

But Rodgers sees Pats cornerback Christian Gonzalez playing off-coverage on DK Metcalf and decides that flipping a quick pass out to him is the better option. It was not …

Had Rodgers just stuck with the original play, the Steelers might’ve picked up a nice chunk that kept them ahead of the chains. Instead, they ended up in a second-and-long with a quarterback uninterested in pushing the ball downfield. You can probably guess how that series ended. 

I’m not sure if there are any remedies for what ails the offense, but leaning on Rodgers even more than they already have won’t fix anything. Like a Rodgers dropback, the sooner this era of Steelers football ends, the better. 

After three rough halves to start the season, the Broncos’ offense flipped a switch in their second-half comeback over the Jaguars. Whether it was first-year offensive coordinator Davis Webb or head coachSean Payton acting as a shadow play-caller, someone on Denver’s staff came up with the idea to get Bo Nix on the move, and it seemed to unlock something in the third-year passer. 

Nix connected on 4-of-5 passes made on the run and averaged over 11 yards per attempt in the second half, per Next Gen Stats. That doesn’t include this 49-yard dime to Jaylen Waddle, which led to Denver’s first points in the second quarter.

Nix isn’t known for his downfield passing prowess, but when he gets outside of the pocket, that part of his game seems to open up. Nix has really struggled when throwing to the intermediate parts of the field, which is awfully important for sustaining an effective NFL passing game. He’s completed just 46% of his attempts into that range when throwing from the pocket, per Next Gen Stats. 

Put Nix on the move, though, and his completion percentage on intermediate throws jumps to 55%. He’s one of the rare quarterbacks who’s more accurate when throwing on the run.

That’s more of an indictment of Nix’s ability to throw from a stationary position than anything else. His production when throwing on the run is around league average. It’s less of a superpower and more of a crutch — a crutch the Broncos coaching staff has leaned on heavily. Since he entered the league in 2024, Nix has thrown for more passing yards on the run than any quarterback in the NFL, per Next Gen Stats. 

I’m not sure Payton and Webb can squeeze any more juice out of Nix’s mobility than they already have. And calling designed rollouts can limit the passing game, as it usually cuts the field in half for the offense. Nix must improve his play from the pocket if this offense is going to take the next step and get the most out of a stacked supporting cast. The 26-year-old did offer some glimmers of hope against Jacksonville. This was a throw Nix has rarely made with confidence throughout his career.

And there were a few other examples of Nix ripping a throw into a tight zone window with confidence and anticipation in Sunday’s game. That’s a good sign. As Nix gets more comfortable targeting the middle of the field, we should see even more of those flashes; but until he cleans up his footwork in the pocket, accuracy will be a limiting factor, and Denver’s coaching staff will have to find more creative ways to get him moving.

The ink is barely dry on the three-year, $165 million extension Baker Mayfield signed with the Buccaneers right before the season, but I’m wondering if the last two weeks have the front office already looking for an off-ramp. 

General manager Jason Licht and head coach Todd Bowles said a lot of nice things about their quarterback throughout the somewhat contentious negotiations, but it wasn’t hard to read between the lines to figure out where their concerns lay. 

“The main thing is not turning the ball over and sometimes checking it down,” Bowles said in the offseason. “Understanding when he gets out of the pocket — he makes some great scrambles — but understanding how to get down and putting himself out of harm’s way.”

We’re two games into Mayfield’s new contract, and not much has changed. He’s tied for the league lead in “turnover-worthy plays” (per Pro Football Focus), and we’ve already seen a handful of daring scrambles that make it look like Mayfield has been possessed by the spirit of Cam Skattebo. This play against the Bengals was a two-for, with Mayfield taking an unnecessary hit and coughing up the ball in the red zone.

Hopefully, someone on the Bucs coaching staff talked with Mayfield after this play in the loss to the Browns, where he decided that taking a defender head-on was a better option than running out of bounds or throwing the ball away. 

Look, when Mayfield was on heavily discounted deals, those displays of toughness were admirable. Now that he’s making top-of-the-league money, they’re unacceptable. 

For better or worse, the Bucs are locked into the Baker Mayfield business for the next three seasons. In 2029, the team can get out of the deal without taking on a massive cap penalty. If his judgment doesn’t improve—whether it’s protecting himself or the football—that will feel like a long wait.

I’ll give Drew Lock this: he’s a lot of fun to watch. Watch him whip a throw over the middle of the field, and you can see why the Broncos once viewed him as their quarterback of the future. If he can keep this up while Sam Darnold works his way back from a hip injury, another team may view him in the same light next offseason. My money’s on the Falcons. 

I’m still not a believer after Sunday’s impressive showing. Seattle’s offensive line kept him in clean pockets all day, and we still saw glimpses of the inaccuracy and shoddy footwork that sabotaged Lock’s stint in Denver. There are far better ways to spend $30 million. 

You have to watch this one from the end zone angle to fully appreciate the play Joe Burrow makes here. With pressure bearing down on him, Burrow throws a no-look pass that dekes the defender in coverage and opens up the window to hit Tee Higgins and move the chains on third down. The play requires pocket presence, accuracy, anticipation, and a little bit of creativity. 

Look, I’m not the biggest fan of Michael Penix Jr.’s game, but I am thankful that he’s returning for Week 3. I couldn’t do another week of Cooper Rush, who’s still making rookie mistakes in his 10th year. This pick was a high school-level blunder. Devin Lloyd barely moves on the play, and Rush throws it directly to him. To make matters worse, Rush badly whiffs on a tackle and nearly takes his teammate out in the process. 

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Caleb Williams has a habit of making us — the NFL world — uncomfortable. 

He doesn’t care about optics. He doesn’t waste thought on what the average NFL fan (or GM or coach) might think. He reacts authentically.

He’s sensitive. He feels. He hurts — publicly.

You don’t see that often in the NFL. You don’t see that enough, frankly.

Think back to when he sought out his mother to cry in her arms at USC. Think back to when he used to let his mother paint his nails. Think back to that photoshoot where Williams was sitting in a — how to put this? — vulnerable position. 

And, of course, think back to Sunday when he sat on the injury cart and pumped his fist with tears in his eyes.

That’s the incident that’s all over social media.

You can guess by now: I don’t have a problem with it.

And it’s hilarious to watch people crying on social media with criticisms about … another man crying. But it’s no surprise. Hypocrisy isn’t hard to find on X, Instagram or TikTok. 

The criticism is getting absurd.

The memes — well, some of them are objectively funny. The silliness is fair, now that we know he could play again in Week 3. This is 2026. Williams isn’t just a public figure — he’s the NFL’s rising superstar, fed to fans all offseason through the media and Madden hype. He has opted into some of that, but not all. (The Bears and Williams, for example, declined a one-on-one interview when I visited camp this summer, in part because the buzz was going too far.) After putting up 59 points in Week 1, the Bears’ matchup against the Vikings was the most anticipated matchup of Week 2.

When he does something objectively theatrical, people will respond with good-natured jokes.

But the genuine pearl-clutching and hand-wringing? 

The idea that the injury cart is somehow sacred and reserved only for career-ending injuries?

Get out of here.

Let’s go back to the play where the injury happened for context. 

Trying to escape a sack late in the fourth quarter, Williams slid. He held his hamstring and screamed, captured clearly by the broadcast. He banged the turf with his fist in frustration. The team got out the cart, and — this part you’ve surely seen — he covered his face with a towel, eventually pulling it away to show his red, watery eyes. He pumped the air, like he was Kobe Bryant after tearing his Achilles.

This is high drama worthy of reality television.

But folks, I hate to break it to you. The NFL is reality television. 

The NFL is all about its drama. It’s no mystery why Madden wanted to put Williams on its cover. He’s fascinating on and off the field. He’s a great football player. But he’s also unique. And it’s this sensitivity that — I think — makes him different than the average NFL player, coach or fan.

I can see why Williams was upset. It’s not all that different than the last time we saw him publicly crying after that big loss at USC. It was the sheer disappointment of a missed opportunity. He was on the 6-yard line — just a handful of yards away from a go-ahead touchdown. In an ugly game. Against a division rival. If he and the Bears had scored, no one would have cared that the Vikings won the X’s and O’s and stymied what was supposed to be a historic Bears offense. That’s a tough thing for an injury to take away.

Caleb Williams has worn his emotions on his sleeve dating back to his college days. (Photo by Jevone Moore/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

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We also have no idea what that injury might have felt like — the level of pain. But I’m sure everyone can relate to a disappointment of this magnitude. The season looked so promising, even in that ugly game. For the rest of the fourth quarter, it looked like Williams’ season might be in jeopardy. Williams had to reconcile with his game — and his season — ending in major disappointment.

Then we got the first sign of good news.

“I’m actually happy it’s nothing with the knee. That was my first inclination,” coach Ben Johnson said during a postgame press conference. “But yeah, the hamstring could be pretty damaging as well. So, we’ll see how bad it is tomorrow and we’ll go from there. … We need the points desperately at that point. It’s a shame.”

Now here’s a criticism that I’ll buy: Williams’ theatrics distracted the team’s focus at the game’s most crucial moments.

“Everybody wants to keep morale up,” Bears defensive lineman Grady Jarrett told reporters after the game. “Because Caleb is the guy here, and so nobody wants to see him go down. Definitely have got to rally up, do more. We’ve got to finish the game at the end of the day.”

Caleb Williams didn’t have an impressive performance against the Vikings, but the team’s issues run beyond him. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)

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It’s a bit hypothetical for my taste to wonder if the Bears would’ve won if Williams hadn’t taken the cart, hadn’t pumped his fist and didn’t have tears in his eyes?

If the answer is yes, then the Bears have to examine their team-wide focus before examining Williams’, because one man’s tears should not leave the other 47 players without resolve. 

Football is a sport where toughness is — quite literally — on a player’s scouting report. Obviously, this series of events left us questioning Williams’ toughness. But bigger than that, if Williams is a superstar and he isn’t “tough,” can he be successful in the NFL? 

The way I see it: The tears don’t matter. The hamstring injury does.

If there was a way for Williams to play through the injury, then there’s a problem there, because his departure worsened their chances. If there was no way for Williams to get back on the field, then what are we arguing about? The manner that he left the field?

Again, get out of here.

Let’s all take this opportunity to take a deep breath and try to get comfortable with seeing a grown man cry. From my vantage, that’s what this is about. People don’t like seeing their quarterback cry. I’m not one of them. I’m all for it. 

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Tuesday brought a fresh wave of concerning news out of the NFC, headlined by a significant setback for one of the league’s top young quarterbacks. 

Jaxson Dart is now facing a potential season-ending knee injury after initially appearing to have avoided serious damage, and Chicago backup Tyson Bagent has entered concussion protocol as Caleb Williams continues to work his way back from a hamstring injury. 

Elsewhere, the 49ers added some experienced depth at receiver, signing veteran Brandin Cooks to the practice squad.

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

The outlook for Jaxson Dart took a turn for the worse Tuesday. 

The Giants quarterback’s knee injury, suffered in Monday night’s loss to the Rams, is more serious than initially believed and could keep him out for the rest of the season, according to multiple reports.

The exact nature of the injury hasn’t been revealed, but Dart is expected to be sidelined for an extended stretch.

Dart went down on New York’s opening drive after getting hit by a pair of defenders following an incomplete pass. He initially walked off under his own power and was evaluated in the medical tent before being ruled out, with the injury not appearing serious at the time.

Jameis Winston took over on New York’s second drive and played the rest of the Giants’ 28-6 loss, and he’ll be expected to start any games Dart misses.

The Giants host the Titans and Cardinals over the next two weeks before a stretch against the Commanders, Saints and Texans ahead of their Week 8 bye. Winston, for his part, went 0-2 as a starter for New York last season and 2-5 with Cleveland in 2024.

Chicago’s quarterback situation grew more complicated Tuesday when backup Tyson Bagent entered the NFL’s concussion protocol, according to NFL Network. 

The news adds another layer of uncertainty for a Bears team already navigating the absence of starter Caleb Williams, who’s considered week-to-week with a hamstring injury suffered on a non-contact scramble during Sunday’s 9-3 loss to the Vikings.

Bagent entered in relief of Williams and nearly led Chicago to a game-winning drive, going 5 of 9 for 54 yards before being sacked on the final play of the game — the same play that’s believed to have caused the head injury, though the exact timing remains unclear. 

With both quarterbacks potentially sidelined, third-string quarterback Case Keenum could be positioned to be Chicago’s starting QB against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 3.

Veteran wide receiver Brandin Cooks is signing with the 49ers’ practice squad, according to NFL Network, giving the injury-riddled receiver room a veteran option.

Cooks, 32, joins San Francisco as wide receiver Demarcus Robinson is dealing with an ankle sprain from Week 2, and Mike Evans picked up a hip injury in the win over Miami. Both injuries add to an already thin 49ers receiver room that’s already missing Ricky Pearsall for the season and De’Zhaun Stribling for roughly two months following ankle surgery.

The 2014 first-round pick has played for six teams across 12 NFL seasons, including stops with New Orleans, New England, the Rams, Houston, Dallas and Buffalo, and finished last season with the Bills after the Saints waived him in November. 

He brings career totals of 734 catches for 9,811 yards, 60 touchdowns and six 1,000-yard seasons to a 49ers offense that’s been hit hard by injuries at the position.

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Playing in perhaps baseball’s toughest division, the Tampa Bay Rays were the class of the field this season.

The thrifty Rays clinched their fifth AL East title with a 6-1 victory over the New York Yankees in the second game of a day-night doubleheader Tuesday as Drew Rasmussen allowed one hit in 6 2/3 innings and Yandy Diaz hit a pair of two-run singles.

Tampa Bay took the AL East for the first time since 2021 and surpassed that team by three days with the earliest division clincher in team history. The club also won division crowns in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season along with 2010 and 2008, when it reached the World Series and had the franchise’s first winning season.

“It means a lot,” Díaz said through a translator. “It’s a tough division. It’s a competitive division almost every single year. With this group we knew that from the beginning, but we still believed in ourselves every single way. So here we are in Yankee Stadium celebrating and we feel really happy that we got the job done.”

Tampa Bay (96-61) opened a six-game lead over the second-place Yankees (90-67) with five to play and will be the No. 1 seed with home-field advantage in the American League playoffs. The Rays are two games behind the Milwaukee Brewers for the best record in the majors and home-field advantage throughout the postseason.

The Rays have led the division since June 27 and spent 128 days in first place ahead of the Yankees, who only had Aaron Judge for 66 games due to a fractured right rib and a sore right calf that likely will keep the slugger out of next week’s best-of-three Wild Card Series at home.

Tampa Bay initially moved into first place following an 8-5 win over the Chicago White Sox on April 14 but lost the lead despite winning 13 of 18. The Rays regained the lead following a 4-1 win at Boston on May 10 and stayed there until June 13 when they lost seven of 13.

“We played really good baseball up to this point,” said Rasmussen, who underwent elbow surgery in 2023. “We got off to a little bit of a slow start in April but to play as we have since the beginning of May, this group’s different. We have a lot of fun together. We love being together and we’re trying to spend as much time as we can possibly together.”

The Rays won their latest division crown after returning to Tropicana Field and going 55-26 at home this season. Last year, Tampa Bay finished 77-85 overall and played home games at Steinbrenner Field, the spring training home of the Yankees, because the domed roof at the Trop was ripped off during Hurricane Milton in October 2024.

The Rays secured this AL East title after getting approval on a financing plan that will allow them to build a new stadium in Tampa, Florida, that is expected to open in 2029.

“Everything the franchise has been through, to have the Tampa Bay on the chest tonight, the staff, the players for Tampa Bay, all of it, just, it’s really special,” president of baseball operations Erik Neander said.

After closer Bryan Baker retired Yankees rookie George Lombard Jr. for the final out, the Rays shook hands on the field and exchanged hugs near the dugout to start their celebration.

As many Yankees fans left the stadium, Rays fans moved closer to the visitors’ dugout and began cheering for the newly minted division champs. Once the party moved inside, the Rays sprayed bubbly and beer on each other while jumping up and down and dancing to loud music in their clubhouse.

“I’m very happy because this is a special group,” third baseman and AL MVP candidate Junior Caminero said. “When I (went) to spring training (the) first day, I saw this group and (thought), we’ve got a playoff team this year, and we did it.”

Rasmussen held the Yankees hitless until Heliot Ramos started the seventh inning with a double to left field. The right-hander exited after walking Jazz Chisholm Jr., but Kevin Kelly retired Austin Wells after allowing Lombard’s run-scoring single.

After finishing with three hits during a 2-0 loss in the opener, the Rays all but locked up the division title with a three-run seventh in the nightcap. Taylor Walls had a bunt single and Díaz lined a single to center field for a 4-0 lead. Díaz added another two-run single in the ninth for his AL-leading 175th hit.

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Mississippi moved into the top five with its win over LSU, the Tigers stayed in the top 10, and Florida and Mississippi State cracked the rankings to give the Southeastern Conference 10 teams in The Associated Press Top 25 college football poll released Sunday.

The Rebels, who held off Lane Kiffin and LSU 32-24 on Saturday night, jumped over the Tigers and three other teams to land at No. 4 for their first top-five ranking since they were No. 3 in the final poll last season. LSU slipped three spots to No. 10.

Texas was No. 1 for the second straight week and followed by Georgia, Notre Dame, Ole Miss and Indiana. Miami, Ohio State, Alabama, BYU and LSU completed the top 10.

The Longhorns followed up their win over Ohio State with a solid 30-6 victory over UTSA and topped the ballots of 58 of the 69 media members on the Top 25 voting panel. Indiana got four first-place votes, Georgia and Ole Miss three apiece and Miami one.

Louisville was the biggest gainer, rising seven spots to No. 16 after its 41-31 victory over SMU, which dropped six rungs to No. 22. Texas A&M took the biggest fall, going from No. 9 to No. 23 after its 31-21 home loss to unranked Kentucky.

This week’s Top 25 marked the seventh time in the poll’s history the SEC has had at least 10 teams ranked in a regular-season poll. The SEC had a record 11 ranked teams in back-to-back polls last September.

In And Out

No. 21 Florida made its season debut in the AP top 25 after a 44-39 win over Auburn. (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images)

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No. 21 Florida made its season debut in the rankings following a 44-39 road win over Auburn. The Gators are 3-0 for the first time since 2019 under first-year coach Jon Sumrall and in the Top 25 for the first time since Sept. 2, 2025.

No. 24 Mississippi State is in the Top 25 for the first time since 2022, when its coach was Mike Leach. That team was No. 20 in the final poll. Jeff Lebby’s Bulldogs, led by rising star quarterback Kamario Taylor, has won back-to-back road games for the first time since 2014, erasing a 16-point deficit to beat South Carolina 41-34.

Oklahoma struggled offensively for a second straight game in its 14-6 win over New Mexico and went from No. 24 to out of the Top 25. Virginia, which had been No. 25 two straight weeks, was knocked out after losing 38-27 to West Virginia.

Poll Points

— No. 7 Ohio State has been ranked in 100 straight Top 25s, third among active streaks behind Alabama’s 299 and Georgia’s 152. The Buckeyes have their lowest ranking since Dec. 1, 2024.

— No. 9 BYU hadn’t been ranked in the top 10 so early in a season since 2009.

— No. 24 Mississippi State has its highest September ranking since it was No. 23 on Sept. 23, 2018. That doesn’t include a No. 16 ranking on Sept. 27, 2020, when the Big Ten was not yet playing because of the pandemic.

Conference Call

The Bulldogs handled Arkansas 45-17 in its SEC opener. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)

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SEC (10 ranked teams): No. 1 Texas, No. 2 Georgia, No. 4 Mississippi, No. 8 Alabama, No. 10 LSU, No. 14 Tennessee, No. 19 Missouri, No. 21 Florida, No. 23 Texas A&M, No. 24 Mississippi State.

Big Ten (7): No. 5 Indiana, No. 7 Ohio State, No. 12 USC, No. 13 Penn State, No. 17 Iowa, No. 18 Michigan, No. 20 Oregon.

Big 12 (4): No. 9 BYU, No. 11 Texas Tech, No. 15 Utah, No. 25 Houston.

ACC (3): No. 6 Miami, No. 16 Louisville, No. 22 SMU.

Independent (1): No. 3 Notre Dame.

Ranked vs. Ranked

No. 1 Texas at No. 14 Tennessee: First meeting since the 1969 Cotton Bowl.

No. 4 Mississippi at No. 21 Florida: Kewan Lacy ran for 224 yards and three touchdowns in Rebels’ come-from-behind win last year. Will Lacy be health for this one?

No. 17 Iowa at No. 18 Michigan: Iowa’s 111 points through three games are its most since 2003.

No. 19 Missouri at No. 24 Mississippi State: Bulldogs go for their first 2-0 SEC start since 2014.

No. 20 Oregon at No. 12 Southern California: Ducks playing for a fifth straight win in the series.

No. 23 Texas A&M at No. 10 LSU: Aggies look to win two straight years at Death Valley.

Full AP Top 25: 

25. Houston
24. Mississippi State
23. Texas A&M
22. SMU
21. Florida
20. Oregon
19. Missouri
18. Michigan
17. Iowa
16. Louisville
15. Utah
14. Tennessee
13. Penn State
12. USC
11. Texas Tech
10. LSU
9. BYU
8. Alabama
7. Ohio State
6. Miami (Fla.)
5. Indiana
4. Ole Miss
3. Notre Dame
2. Georgia
1. Texas

Also receiving votes: Washington 107, Kentucky 98, West Virginia 93, Oklahoma 91, Oklahoma State 50, Boise State 48, Virginia Tech 46, Western Michigan 27, Duke 20, Tulsa 18, Arizona 12, Pittsburgh 10, UCLA 10, James Madison 7, North Dakota State 6, Kansas State 3, Nebraska 2

Reporting by the Associated Press.

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NFL Week 2 Schedule

• Panthers vs. Falcons, 1 p.m. ET on FOX
• Vikings vs. Bears, 1 p.m. ET on FOX
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• Steelers vs. Patriots, 1 p.m. ET on CBS
• Packers vs. Jets, 1 p.m. ET on FOX
• Eagles vs. Titans, 1 p.m. ET on FOX
• Saints vs. Ravens, 1 p.m. ET on CBS
• Browns vs. Buccaneers, 1 p.m. ET on CBS
• Jaguars vs. Broncos, 4:05 p.m. ET on CBS
• Raiders vs. Chargers, 4:05 p.m. ET on CBS
• Seahawks vs. Cardinals, 4:25 p.m. ET on FOX
• Commanders vs. Cowboys, 4:25 p.m. ET on FOX
• Dolphins vs. 49ers, 4:25 p.m. ET on FOX

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How to Watch Seahawks vs. Cardinals

• When: Sunday, September 20, 2026 at 4:25 p.m. ET
• Where: State Farm Stadium, Glendale, AZ
• TV: FOX
• Stream: Watch 3 days free on FOX One

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Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams exited Sunday’s game against the Minnesota Vikings in the middle of the fourth quarter after suffering a hamstring injury. He was ruled out very late in the Bears’ loss with just 6 seconds left in the game. 

Unable to put pressure on his leg, Williams had to be helped off the field by the team’s medical staff. He was then carted to the Bears locker room with a towel over his head.

FOX Sports’ Jay Glazer reported that Williams was seen walking around in the locker room, under his own power, after the Bears’ loss to the Vikings.

Glazer added that Williams is scheduled to get an MRI Monday to determine the severity of the injury.

On first and goal at the Vikings’ 6-yard line, Williams scrambled to his left on a play-action pass play. He was tripped up by Vikings linebacker Blake Cashman before rolling on the ground in clear pain.

After the game, Bears head coach Ben Johnson told reporters that Williams is “in good spirits.” He also said they won’t know how serious the injury is until Monday.

Backup quarterback Tyson Bagent took over for Williams and couldn’t lead Chicago into the end zone. The Vikings then blocked kicker Cairo Santos’ 23-yard field goal attempt.

Williams left the game with the Vikings leading 6-3 in what was a defensive battle in the NFC North.

Williams and the Bears offense were the main story from Week 1 in the NFL, scoring 59 points in a win over the Carolina Panthers. Williams was 21-of-29 passing with 269 yards and two touchdowns against Carolina, adding 10 carries for 65 yards and two more touchdowns.

He did not replicate that success against the Vikings at a rainy Soldier Field on Sunday. Williams left the game 15-of-26 for 138 yards and an interception, although he did have five carries for 42 yards.

This story is developing and will be updated.

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The Chicago Bears and Minnesota Vikings combined to score 98 points in Week 1. However, when the two got together for a rain-soaked game at Soldier Field, they could only manage a combined 12 points.

Defense ruled the day in this NFC North division tilt, with the Minnesota Vikings earning a 9-3 victory to improve to 2-0. The Bears dropped to 1-1 but will have bigger worries in the form of their starting quarterback’s hamstring.

Here are my takeaways:

1.

After putting himself in the MVP conversation with an impressive performance against the Carolina Panthers, Williams struggled mightily against the Vikings, ending the game on the sideline with a right hamstring injury suffered while trying to scramble for a touchdown. Williams, who was taken to the locker room on a cart, was replaced by Tyson Bagent.

The USC product failed to consistently handle Minnesota’s pressure, finishing 15-of-26 (57.7%) for 138 yards, with no touchdowns and an interception. Williams was sacked three and finished with 42 rushing yards, posting a 56.2 passer rating.

Specifically, Williams struggled against Minnesota’s pressure. Per Next Gen Stats, the Vikings blitzed 81.8% of the time, and Williams finished 12-of-21 for 124 yards, with no touchdowns and an interception, posting a 54.5 passer rating when blitzed.

Penalties were also an issue for Williams and the Bears. A week after leading the NFL with 12 penalties, the Bears finished with eight accepted penalties for 58 yards, including four on just one offensive drive for the Bears.

The Vikings forced four Chicago punts, holding the Bears to 5-of-14 on third down.

While Williams is more than capable of making the “wow” plays, he still has room to grow in consistently leading the offense and playing a clean game. And with the injury, Chicago will have to wait and see how long the team’s superstar quarterback will be out.

2.

A lot had been made throughout the league of Chicago’s innovative head coach chasing the league’s scoring title, held by the 2013 Denver Broncos. But on this day, the Bears couldn’t muster a touchdown against Minnesota’s blitz-heavy defense.

Specifically, the Vikings did a nice job of slowing down Chicago’s potent running game, holding D’Andre Swift to just 38 rushing yards on 12 carries for a 3.2 per-carry average. Swift totaled 124 yards and three touchdowns in Week 1, earning the NFC Offensive Player of the Week award.

How bad was it for Swift? The Bears had first-and-goal from the 1-yard line on the opening drive of the second half with a chance to take the lead, but defensive tackle Jalen Redmonnd forced Swift to fumble at the goal line and Minnesota cornerback Isaiah Rodgers recovered to save the touchdown.

Rodgers also blocked a 23-yard Cairo Santos field goal in the fourth quarter that would have tied the game.
The Bears had four rushes of at least 25 yards in Week 1. The rest of the league combined for five. Chicago’s longest run against Minnesota was 17 yards.

Johnson’s quest for the scoring title is admirable, but Chicago’s focus should be on winning football games, no matter what the score.

3.

Chicago’s defense played much better against Minnesota backup quarterback Carson Wentz, who did a nice job of managing the game for the Vikings. Wentz understood the assignment, leaning into a dominant defense by the Vikings in inclement weather.

Carson Wentz did everything he needed to as the Vikings improved to 2-0. (Getty Images) –>

Wentz finished with 140 passing yards, but more importantly, he didn’t turn the ball over. The Vikings leaned on running back Aaron Jones, who finished with 105 rushing yards.

Wentz did a nice job of managing the offense, but a healthy Murray offers more explosive playmaking ability and should return to the starting role when healthy.

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After two years away from the game, Los Angeles Rams All-Pro defensive tackle Aaron Donald will make his return on Monday night.

During “FOX NFL Sunday,” insider Jay Glazer revealed the Rams’ game plan for Aaron Donald against the New York Giants. Donald is not only expected to play, but he will get the start and operate on a rotation.

“I was texting with him last night, and he’s going to start in this game tomorrow night,” Glazer said. “He’s going to play in a rotation. The last phase of him officially being back is just getting that first game under his belt.”

Glazer also said that Donald told him that he’s planning to go out on the field, dominate and have fun.

More eyes will be on Donald than previously expected. Reigning Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett was placed on the injured reserve after Los Angeles’ season-opening defeat to the 49ers. Garrett’s knee did not respond well to his first game action of the season.

It doesn’t sound like that injury will increase Donald’s workload, though. The Rams still want to ease him back after two years off.

Los Angeles will need him on defense, though. The 49ers dominated the Rams in the season opener en route to a 27-7 victory in Melbourne, Australia. 

Myles Garrett (center) is going to miss at least the Rams’ next four games. (Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images/Getty Images) (Set Number: X164949)

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The next test for the Rams is a home matchup against the Giants, who looked extremely impressive in Week 1 by beating the Cowboys. Quarterback Jaxson Dart looked great, while running back Cam Skattebo powered an impressive Giants ground game.

Donald hasn’t played a snap since the 2024 NFC Wild Card loss to the Detroit Lions. Now returning to action, the 10-time Pro Bowler and 8-time First-Team All-Pro still remains one of the most decorated and dominant defensive linemen in NFL history.

Throughout his 10-year career, Donald did nothing short of dominate. He was able to record 542 tackles, 111 sacks and 24 forced fumbles along with capping off a legendary run by helping the Rams win Super Bowl LVI.

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Shohei Ohtani could make his return for the Los Angeles Dodgers sooner rather than later.

Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts provided an encouraging update on Ohtani, revealing that he could return as early as Wednesday and is expected to play every game down the stretch once activated.

Roberts also believes it’s important for Ohtani to get as many at-bats as possible once he returns to the field.

Through 130 games, Ohtani is batting .277 with 30 home runs, 80 RBIs, and a .902 OPS. While his offensive numbers rank among the league’s elite, Ohtani won’t return to the mound this season or during the playoffs as he focuses exclusively on hitting.

Regardless of his status on the mound, the plan remains to maximize Ohtani’s impact at the plate as much as possible. The Dodgers continue to hold firm control of the National League West with a 95-60 record and a nine-game lead in first place. 

If Ohtani can return on Wednesday against the San Diego Padres, it will mark his first game back since Sept. 7. For a Dodgers team eyeing a historic three-peat, inserting Ohtani’s bat back into the lineup provides a massive boost heading into the postseason.

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