Author: alaskaadmin

Two weeks into the season, a third team sits atop the charts. Honestly, after the Rams fell in Week 1 and the Ravens dropped in Week 2, it seems that the famed SI jinx and Madden curse have nothing on my Power Rankings. Things will get really unsettling if the new No. 1 loses at home to the 0-2 Los Angeles Chargers this weekend. Until then, just cross your fingers, go outside, turn around three times and spit, so your favorite team doesn’t draw the wrath from high atop the thing as you read the updated rankings for Week 3. *Super Bowl odds courtesy of DraftKings Super Bowl odds: +100000 If they keep working hard, maybe they’ll gain more than 285 yards in a single game this season. Hey, dare to dream! That’s the standard for this year’s Dolphins team. Super Bowl odds: +15000 Jack Strand, an undrafted rookie out of D-II Minnesota State-Moorhead, finished the game against the Panthers at QB for Atlanta. That sums up the Falcons’ early quarterback issues, I think. Super Bowl odds: +30000 The Titans fought hard, but let’s face it: two terrible interceptions by Eagles QB Jalen Hurts are what kept them in the game Sunday. Tennessee still got a long way to go before it’s truly competitive again. Super Bowl odds: +7400 The Commanders looked like they had some momentum before QB Jayden Daniels dislocated his elbow late in the first half. Without him, though, it’s hard to see them coming back from an 0-2 start. Super Bowl odds: +20000 The Jets blew a 10-point lead to a bad Packers team in the final eight minutes and lost in overtime. New York will be in a lot of games because of its defense, but it’s still going to lose a lot of games this season. Super Bowl odds: +30000 That’s more like it – just 151 total yards of offense against the reigning-champion Seahawks. We all knew the Cardinals weren’t as good as they looked against the Chargers in Week 1. Super Bowl odds: +25000 In the words of Browns coach Todd Monken: “Browns are gonna Browns? F— that!” Amen, Coach. Super Bowl odds: +4500 The Chargers are 0-2. So, if you’re a fan, do yourself a favor and avoid looking at the next seven games on the schedule. It’s not farfetched to predict L.A. will soon be 0-9. Super Bowl odds: +5500 Losing to the Browns to fall to 0-2 is one thing. Having to wait out a two-hour-plus lightning delay to blow it in the final two minutes? Priceless. Super Bowl odds: +6500 The Cotls have given up 1,023 total yards in two games. The offense is doing OK, but they’ve got some serious defensive problems that need to be fixed. Super Bowl odds: +12500 I still think the Raiders would be smarter to play rookie QB Fernando Mendoza, but that was a heck of a game from Kirk Cousins. And who in Vegas would’ve bet on the Raiders starting 2-0? We’ll see if they can keep it up. Super Bowl odds: +5000 If that’s the way Aaron Rodgers is going to play, his last ride might be a short one. At some point, the Steelers may have to take a look at rookie Drew Allar. Super Bowl odds: +2500 Yeah, OK, they came back and beat the Jets. But the Packers had just 199 yards of offense and looked terrible until the end when they finished their comeback. Green Bay doesn’t get any credit for a comeback win that look like a mess, as it did. Super Bowl odds: +7000 Losing to the Rams didn’t drop them in the rankings, but losing QB Jaxson Dart did. The Giants could be in a lot of trouble if he’s out for an extended period. Super Bowl odds: +2200 How does a team generate six points of offense when its quarterback throws for 353 yards? When their running backs gain 18 yards on 14 carries. Yikes. That performance against the Bengals was not great and leaves the Texans windless through two games. Super Bowl odds: +2500 The Cowboys offense got on track, but their defense is still a problem. Dallas had no answer for quarterback Jayden Daniels before his injury, and the defense didn’t exactly shut down the Commanders after he got knocked out. Super Bowl odds: +9000 A second straight three-touchdown performance for QB Bryce Young, who has thrown for 648 yards in those two games and only one interception. Maybe he’s finally arrived? If so, look out for the Panthers in the NFC South. Super Bowl odds: +8000 OK, I’m a believer. The Saints pushed the Lions to overtime, then beat the Baltimore Ravens on the road. That’s enough to declare them legitimate. I believe QB Tyler Shough is legit, too. I just wonder if this early success is sustainable over the course of the entire season. Super Bowl odds: +1800 Remember when head coach Dan Campbell’s teams played defense? Me too. Good thing they can move the ball on anybody. Detroit is just in danger of losing a ton of high-scoring games. Super Bowl odds: +3000 How is this team 2-0? Thank defensive coordinator Brian Flores for that. Because they’re winning despite a bad offense and some terrible QB play. Kyler Murray’s potential Week 3 return will be a big boost to an offense that won last week despite scoring just nine points. Super Bowl odds: +2500 I want to put the Jaguars in the top 10. I really do. Putting up an offensive dud against the Broncos while the defense wilted in the second half, though, hinders me from doing that. Super Bowl odds: +2200 Take the win and thank old man Aaron Rodgers for that. For the second straight week, quarterback Drake Maye did not look good. Super Bowl odds: +3000 Three points? After scoring 59 the week before? What in the name of Ben Johnson was that? I’ll keep them in the top 10 for now, but they won’t be there for much longer without quarterback Caleb Williams. Super Bowl odds: +950 It was never going to be easy without wide receivers Zay Flowers and Ja’Kobi Lane, but that doesn’t explain how the defense gave up two long touchdown drives to the Saints in the fourth quarter. That was a tough loss that deserves a big drop in the rankings. Super Bowl odds: +1300 They needed all of overtime to escape the Colts, but look at what Patrick Mahomes did with 382 yards and three touchdowns. There’s no more doubt: The Chiefs are back. Super Bowl odds: +1600 This team still worries me, but quarterback Jalen Hurts showed he still has the “clutch” gene after throwing two interceptions against the Titans. He also has a good receiving corps and a fantastic No. 1 receiver in DeVonta Smith. Super Bowl odds: +2000 It looked like the Broncos were going to plummet in the rankings again. At the last moment, though, quarterback Bo Nix remembered how to play and offensive coordinator Davis Webb learned how to call plays. The Broncos looked like a different team in the second half against the Jaguars. Super Bowl odds: +650 OK, so maybe it was the jet lag in Week 1. The Giants were no match after Jaxson Dart’s injury, but the Rams have at least started to flex their superteam muscles with an impressive performance on Monday night. Super Bowl odds: +1700 Ja’Marr Chase is just ridiculous, and Joe Burrow hasn’t even gotten started yet. It’s the defense that really has me believing in Cincy, though, after two strong performances to open the season. Super Bowl odds: +1200 The 49ers might be the most complete team in football. A terrific QB, great running game, excellent receivers, strong line, tough defense and a brilliant coach. They’ve got it all. Super Bowl odds: +1000 You’re all correct. The defending champs probably should be No. 1. The truth is that they probably would be if their quarterback wasn’t Drew Lock for now. Super Bowl odds: +780 Josh Allen has five passing touchdowns and four rushing touchdowns through two games. If he keeps playing anywhere close to this the rest of the way, there may be no stopping the Bills.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

SOFI STADIUM (Los Angeles) – The Los Angeles Rams rebounded from an embarrassing loss in Australia to start the year by cruising to a 28-6 victory over the visiting New York Giants on Monday Night Football in the team’s home opener. Dubbed the “Dream Team” to start the year because of the team’s blockbuster moves to secure defensive game changers like defensive end Myles Garrett, cornerback Trent McDuffie and the return of defensive tackle Aaron Donald, the Rams finally looked like a team that could possibly live up to that billing in front of the team’s home fans at SoFi Stadium. However, Los Angeles was buoyed by New York losing quarterback Jaxson Dart (knee) for the game in the first quarter. Ultimately, the Rams improved to 1-1 with the win, while the Giants dropped to 1-1. Here are my takeaways: The Rams almost traded Adams to the Philadelphia Eagles this past offseason in a deal that would have brought wide receiver A.J. Brown to them in return. However, head coach Sean McVay decided to hold onto Adams in part because of his great chemistry with quarterback Matthew Stafford. With Brown now on the injured reserve with the New England Patriots due to a high ankle sprain, the decision has potentially proven to be a good one for the Rams. Without Puka Nacua on Monday because of a hip injury, Adams more than filled the void, totaling eight catches for 195 yards and two touchdowns. Adams led the league in receiving touchdowns with 14 in 2025. He’s now tied for No. 4 in the NFL all-time with Marvin Harrison Sr. and Cris Carter with 29 two-touchdown games. As they leaned into last year, the Rams were effective using 13 personnel (three tight end sets). Per Next Gen Stats, Los Angeles used 13 personnel on 28 plays (54.9%) of the offensive snaps, averaging 10.4 yards per play and scoring two touchdowns with that personnel grouping. When the Rams used 13 personnel, that left Adams on the field as the lone receiver – and he thrived. Stafford finished with 327 passing yards and four touchdown passes, moving past Philip Rivers (425) on the all-time TD list with 426. Not all was great for the Rams, though. Kicker Harrison Mevis missed a 43-yard field goal wide left, as special teams remained an issue. And the Rams also had two turnovers – a Stafford interception on a ball forced into double coverage to Adams and a fumble by running back Kyren Williams that led to a 24-yard field goal for the Giants. New York lost its starting quarterback on the opening drive of the game when Dart was sandwiched between Los Angeles edge rusher Byron Young and Josaiah Steward, suffering a left knee injury. Dart left the field on his own, but after being evaluated by New York’s medical staff in the injury tent, he then went to the locker room for further evaluation. Dart did not return to the game and was replaced by veteran backup Jameis Winston. The absence of Dart severely limited the Giants’ offense. New York’s No. 1 receiver Malik Nabers also had to leave the game in the first half with a shoulder injury but later returned. With the team’s two top playmakers out, the Giants were held to 182 total yards of offense. Along with Dart, Chicago quarterback Caleb Williams suffered a hamstring injury at the end of his team’s 9-3 loss to the Minnesota Vikings, and is week-to-week. And Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels dislocated his left elbow again in a loss to the Dallas Cowboys and is out indefinitely. After a two-year absence and months of anticipation, Donald finally took the field for the Rams. The Pittsburgh native received a loud ovation from fans during player introductions. Once the game got going, Donald was a contributor, making a big run stuff on running back Najee Harris to force a field goal near the goal line. He finished with three combined tackles and one quarterback pressure on 32 defensive snaps, playing 58.2% of the defensive plays for the Rams. “Aaron’s looked great,” Rams head coach Sean McVay said before the game. “He’s really impacted a lot of positive things. I think our defense is feeding off his energy. He’s been a real positive for us.” 3 ½. What’s Next? The Rams will try to keep the positive vibes going with a trip to the Mile High City, taking on the Denver Broncos in Week 3 on Sunday night. The Broncos rebounded with a big home win over the Jacksonville Jaguars following a disappointing loss in their season opener against the Kansas City Chiefs. However, Los Angeles is still looking up at the 2-0 Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers in the NFC West division standings. The Giants will look to rebound at home against the 0-2 Tennessee Titans. All eyes will be on Dart this week and whether he can get back on the field.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Monday brought a rough round of quarterback news from across the league, with several franchises facing tough questions about who’ll be under center in the coming weeks. Caleb Williams avoided the worst-case scenario in Chicago, but not every team was so fortunate. Washington’s Jayden Daniels is facing an uncertain timeline after dislocating his left elbow for the second time in as many years, while the Falcons confirmed Michael Penix Jr. will undergo season-ending surgery after suffering a partially torn ACL. There was at least a silver lining in Minnesota, where Kyler Murray appears on track to return from concussion protocol in time for Week 3. And the bad injury news continued into Monday night, with New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart departing their loss to the Los Angeles Rams early. Here’s the latest from around the NFL on Monday. The Bears might not be without Caleb Williams for long, if at all. Williams avoided a major hamstring injury and could be in line to start against the Eagles in Week 3, according to a Monday report, after undergoing an MRI to confirm the severity. Williams went down without contact late in Chicago’s 9-3 Week 2 loss to the Vikings on Sunday, scrambling before pulling up in visible pain. He was helped off the field and eventually carted to the locker room, a scene that initially raised fears of a longer-term absence. But the Bears later clarified it was a hamstring injury, and Williams was seen walking under his own power shortly after. Should Williams be unable to go against Philadelphia, Tyson Bagent would step in under center. Bagent has flashed in relief before, nearly leading Chicago to a game-winning drive after entering Sunday’s loss, and he’s 2-2 as a starter in his career. The Bears follow their Week 3 matchup with a stretch against the Jets, Packers, Falcons and Patriots. There was another injury scare involving a young quarterback on Monday night. Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart departed Monday night’s game against the Los Angeles Rams after suffering a knee injury on the opening drive. It initially appeared that Dart’s injury could be serious and keep him out for several weeks. However, Dart was able to walk off the field under his own power and Giants general manager Joe Schoen told ESPN that the quarterback was going to be fine. Dart didn’t return to Monday’s game following the injury, but ESPN later reported that he tried to re-enter the game in the first half. After suffering a dislocated left elbow on Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys, Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels is evaluating his options. According to NFL Network, he will consult with specialists in the coming days. Daniels dislocated his elbow against the Cowboys just before halftime. The injury was just as gruesome as last year’s elbow dislocation, which highlighted an injury-riddled 2025 season that limited Daniels to just seven games. Staying healthy has been one of the biggest hurdles for Daniels since being selected No. 2 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft. With Daniels sidelined once again, veteran backup Marcus Mariota will take over under center moving forward. The timeline for Daniels return to the field has yet to be determined and he hasn’t been placed on injured reserve. Following another win on Sunday, the Minnesota Vikings received even more positive news Monday. Head coach Kevin O’Connell told reporters that quarterback Kyler Murray has officially cleared concussion protocol. Murray will also get the start against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday. Murray suffered a concussion in Week 1 on a hit to the head while sliding to give himself up on a first-quarter scramble. After remaining down for a few moments to be evaluated by medical staff, he was able to walk off the field under his own power. With Murray cleared and healthy, he offers the Vikings offense a spark that was missing under veteran backup Carson Wentz. Murray’s dual-threat ability gives Minnesota a much higher ceiling heading into Week 3 after relying on a grind-it-out, 9-3 win in Week 2. Signed to a $1.3 million deal earlier this offseason, Murray is looking to capitalize now that he’s back under center for a 2-0 Vikings team. All eyes will be on how dynamic the offense can be with Murray leading the way, but most importantly, staying fully healthy. After an offseason spent rehabbing a season-ending knee injury, Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. is set to return to the field. On Monday, the team officially announced that Penix will start this Thursday night. With Penix Jr. officially cleared to start against the Green Bay Packers, Thursday will mark his first game action since Week 11 of last season. With Tua Tagovailoa sidelined by an oblique injury, Penix now has a prime opportunity to seize control of the starting quarterback spot. Selected No. 8 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft, Penix Jr. has just 14 games under his belt. Across those appearances, he has completed 59.6% of his passes for 2,757 yards, 12 touchdowns, and six interceptions. For an 0-2 Falcons team in a wide-open NFC South, getting Penix Jr. back this early in the season is a huge boost. With both he and Tagovailoa sidelined, the offense has struggled under Cooper Rush and Jack Strand. Penix Jr.’s return should bring much-needed stability and familiarity back to the offense.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Where did all the scoring go? After a record-breaking opening week for offenses, defenses hit back in Week 2. The league scoring average dropped by about eight points per game, and only three games on Sunday saw both teams score at least 20. Despite the lack of scoring, Week 2 still delivered plenty of drama and memorable plays, including the Eagles’ last-second touchdown to beat the Titans, the return of the Chiefs’ downfield passing game, and Ja’Marr Chase’s jaw-dropping catch in Houston. As always, we’ll dive into the strategies, the matchups, and everything else that created Sunday’s most memorable moments – along with what those moments mean for the future. The Eagles are masters of drama. A week after the defense prevented overtime with a two-point stand, Hurts stepped into the hero role with a game-winning touchdown pass in the final seconds. That was a bit of redemption for Hurts, who played well despite throwing two costly interceptions that kept the Titans in the game. But the first pick – which cost the Eagles at least three points and set up Tennessee’s first touchdown – may have provided Hurts with the intel he needed for the game-winning play. Philadelphia lined up in the same formation on both plays: a bunch set to the right with Hurts lined up in the gun. On both plays, the Titans put seven defenders on the line of scrimmage in an all-out blitz look. Here’s the pre-snap look on the first-quarter interception: And here’s the pre-snap picture before Hurts’s game-winning throw: Tennessee played the same coverage on both plays. The secondary is technically in man-to-man coverage across the board but can switch assignments if needed. The corners also have inside help from two defenders dropping off the line of scrimmage to pick up quick in-breaking routes. On the interception, Titans safety Amani Hooker sees the help is taking care of his man, so he falls off his original man to undercut Hurts’s throw. Hurts and first-year offensive coordinator Sean Mannion banked that information for later in the game. Fast-forward to the end of the fourth, and the Eagles bust out that same formation, only this time, wide receiver DeVonta Smith motions into the bunch. The aim was to cross Tennessee’s wires by forcing some last-second communication on who’s covering who. And that’s exactly what happened with two defenders picking up Smith’s quick out-breaker. Smith slips, but it doesn’t matter with Darius Cooper running wide open in the back of the end zone. Hurts quickly adjusted and found the open man. Ball game. The takeaway: It’s still early, and the Eagles offense has been overly reliant on explosive plays and late-down magic, but I like what I’m seeing from this Hurts-Mannion partnership through two games. Hurts is making throws we haven’t really seen from him before, and Mannion has shown a knack for calling the right play at the right time. The game-winner against the Titans shows the young play-caller isn’t just going through the motions. He’s reacting to what he sees from the defense and coming up with counters on the fly. If Mannion can just get the run game going – which looks like a big ‘if’ after two bad weeks for the ground game – this offense will take off. The deep ball is back in Kansas City! At least it was for one night. If you squinted, you might have thought you were watching a game from the early days of the Mahomes era, back when the Chiefs quarterback used to chuck the ball downfield with regularity. These days, it’s rare for Mahomes to hit one deep pass in a game, but in Sunday night’s overtime win over the Colts, he hit two. Wide receiver Tyquan Thornton, who was doing his best impression of Tyreek Hill against Indy, caught both. Thornton’s second big catch may have saved the day for Kansas City. With the Chiefs facing third-and-12 on their first overtime possession, they dialed up the most famous play call in franchise history to move the chains: Wasp. Any Chiefs fan will instantly recognize that design from the biggest play of Mahomes’s first Super Bowl win over the 49ers back in 2020. Kansas City runs it out of a trips formation, with the middle receiver running the “Wasp” route. That receiver starts as if he’s running a deep over route across the field, then breaks back toward the sideline. It’s really designed as a counter against defenses sitting on those deep crossers the Chiefs were known for when Hill was on the team. Obviously, Hill is no longer around, but the play was just as effective with Thornton burning the Colts secondary on a deep crosser earlier in the game. On the Wasp play in overtime, the Chiefs line up in the same formation. At first, it looks like they’re running the same play, with three in-breaking routes working across the field, right before Thornton breaks off the route, leaving Colts safety Kapena Gushiken a few steps behind. The takeaway: We’ll have to see the Chiefs do it again before we can say the deep passing game is officially back, but Kenneth Walker III’s presence has changed the math for opponents, who can no longer sit back in deep zone coverages against this offense. Mahomes hitting one deep ball would have been a good sign on its own. That he also hit the counter play for another big gain is the most significant sign of life this deep passing game has produced in years. Whether Thornton can sustain the downfield attack on his own is a fair question, but it’s nice to know Mahomes can still hit those big plays when given the opportunity. Typically, I focus on plays in high-leverage situations, but I’m making an exception for this Chase touchdown reception that opened the scoring in Cincinnati’s impressive win in Houston. First off, holy crap. I shouldn’t be surprised by anything Chase does on a football field anymore, but that play left my jaw on the floor. He’s mid-stumble with the ball in the air, regains his balance, and somehow contorts his body to find the ball while keeping two feet in bounds – all in one seamless motion. It’s an inexplicably athletic play. Even Chase couldn’t describe what he had just pulled off. “I literally don’t even know what I did,” Chase said after the game. Chase’s effort defies description, but even the decision to throw that ball is difficult to explain. Here’s a still of the moment when Joe Burrow decides to throw it up to his star receiver. You’ll see Texans cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. in perfect position to defend the go-ball. He has about four yards of cushion over the top of Chase, and he’s forcing the Bengals receiver toward the sideline, reducing the window for the throw. Most quarterbacks would see an All-Pro corner playing over the top of their guy and move on to the next read. Burrow just sees that No. 1 on the back of the jersey and says, Screw it, Ja’Marr’s got me. More often than not, that strategy works out. While the play didn’t come in a high-leverage spot, it did end up being the game-winning play for the Bengals, with the Texans managing just six points. The takeaway: If it wasn’t clear before the season, it is now: Chase is the best receiver in the sport. Some worthy competitors for his throne remain. Justin Jefferson is still amazing despite an untenable quarterback situation. Jaxon Smith-Njigba is one of the smoothest route runners in league history and just dropped three touchdowns on the Cardinals. But Chase breaks the rules of football. It doesn’t matter if the defense throws an extra body at him or if a star cornerback has leverage on him. Chase makes his quarterback right even when he’s kind of wrong. 1. Sometimes you just have to call it as you see it, and Tom Brady was right: this was an “absolute piss missile” from Dak Prescott to CeeDee Lamb. No defensive call is perfect, but the Commanders aren’t far off here. The Cowboys are running one of their staple pass concepts. Some call it “Middle Read,” others call it “989,” but it’s the same design either way. The two outside receivers run go routes, and the slot receiver reads the safety shell and either splits the safeties against two-deep coverage or runs a crossing route against single-high. Washington is playing with two deep safeties, with a linebacker running with that middle route, so the only way for Prescott to beat the coverage is to hit a hole shot along the sideline. And you’re not hitting a hole shot against Cover 2 without throwing an … Prescott’s touchdown that made him the all-time leader in franchise history also came on the same “Middle Read” concept. Washington’s coverage made things a bit easier the second time around, and no piss missiles were necessary. 2. Bears-Vikings turned out to be a soggy dud, but let’s give Brian Flores his, um, flores for the work he did against Ben Johnson’s offense. The Vikings defensive coordinator won the first-down battle, which had a domino effect on Chicago’s passing game. The Bears found themselves in several unfavorable situations, which allowed Flores to load the line of scrimmage with potential blitzers and dare Caleb Williams to figure out who was coming and who was dropping into coverage. The second-quarter interception came in one of those situations. With the Bears facing third-and-12, Flores sent a six-man pressure with five Vikings defenders dropping into coverage. That’s all they needed to glove up Chicago’s play call. It’s as if Flores was in the huddle when Williams called the play. Linebacker Blake Cashman drops right into the throwing window to Kalif Raymond. He passes Raymond’s route off to another linebacker who had just passed his initial man off to the deep safety. Meanwhile, the rush flushes Williams out of the pocket but doesn’t let him turn the corner to scramble and forces the risky throw. It’s a perfect snapshot of team defense. 3. Before Jets head coach Aaron Glenn’s woeful clock management cost his team the game in overtime, offensive coordinator Frank Reich made a tactical blunder that got the Packers back in it. New York faced a fourth-and-1 with 1:20 left. Glenn made the right call to go for it, but Reich left many Jets fans miffed – a feeling they’re undoubtedly familiar with – by lining up Geno Smith in the shotgun and calling a run straight up the gut. Fans wanted to see the Jets go under center and pound the rock. And the numbers back up that strategy in fourth-and-short situations. Over the last five years, lining up under center on fourth-and-1 has produced a 70% success rate for offenses, while shotgun formations have a success rate of just 59%, per Next Gen Stats. That’s a healthy gap. And while we’re on the subject, lining up a tight end off the ball and asking him to cut off an edge rusher, as the Jets did with Jeremy Ruckert, is bad process and deserved punishment. Lukas Van Ness, who was unblockable all day, easily beat Ruckert inside to make the fourth-down stop and give the Packers life. The Jets defense held the Packers and forced overtime, but that failed fourth-down conversion cost New York a chance to win it in regulation and gave Glenn a chance to blow the game with a few odd decisions.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports