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Chicago Bears coach Ben Johnson already told the world that he wanted to “have the highest-scoring offense ever,” and then his club went out and put 59 points and 552 yards on the Carolina Panthers on Opening Day to back his words up. But that wasn’t the part that should really set alarms off around the league. This part is: The Bears head coach wasn’t satisfied. He wanted more. He thought his offense could have done better. And he’s probably right. Because despite all the talk about the superteam supposedly assembled in Los Angeles, the Bears have the offense that has quietly been the talk of the NFL all summer long within league circles. They look ready to explode in Year 2 under Johnson, who many acknowledge as the new best playcaller in football and the man with the best offensive system in the NFL. And he has a quarterback in Caleb Williams, who looks primed to make a run at league MVP. And there’s also one other thing that makes the Bears a legitimate Super Bowl contender: Johnson is arrogant and never satisfied — even more so than usual for an NFL coach. It’s not just that he declared “there was still a number of things out there that I didn’t love” about his offense after the Bears’ 59-37 win in Carolina on Sunday. It’s that he had his foot on the gas from the beginning of the game and never let up. The Bears scored touchdowns on their last four possessions, turning the game into a blowout. He even went for it on fourth-and-1 from his own 21-yard line before the second quarter was five minutes old. That was a bad decision — the Bears didn’t get it, and the Panthers turned the faux pas into a game-tying touchdown — but it proved his aggression is limitless. Johnson thinks this Bears offense can do anything. Because it can. Just think of what Chicago did last year when Johnson, after three years running the dynamic offense in Detroit, took over an anemic offensive team with a struggling young quarterback and turned it all into a top-10 team. He did it with a complex and creative offensive system that Williams, at times, seemed like he struggled to learn. Now the third-year quarterback knows what he’s doing, and look at the results. Williams was 21 of 29 passing for 269 yards and two touchdowns versus the Panthers, while running 10 times for 65 yards and two scores. He was a dynamic and dangerous passer outside the pocket and couldn’t be contained on the run. And he wasn’t even the real story of the game. Even Johnson said that was his running back duo. D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai combined for four touchdowns and 224 rushing yards — announcing their presence as perhaps the best 1-2 punch in the game. Yeah, the Bears’ defense let Panthers quarterback Bryce Young go off for 361 yards, and it’ll need to get a lot more pressure when facing the better QBs in the league. But this Bears offense that averaged 26 points and 370 yards per game last season might just be unstoppable in 2026. If Williams can improve his completion percentage (it was a disappointing 58.1% last season), he might be the most dangerous dual-threat quarterback outside of Baltimore and Buffalo. He’ll be in the MVP race right until the end. As for Johnson’s stated goal, the 2013 Denver Broncos made NFL history when they averaged 37.9 points per game on their way to Super Bowl XLVII. To beat them, the Bears need to average 36.6 points the rest of the way. That doesn’t seem impossible after the Bears scored more points than they ever had in an opener, and the fourth-most points they’ve ever scored in a game overall. And this is probably only the beginning. Because Johnson is the kind of coach who isn’t likely to stop until he gets it all. And with this team, he just might. A healthy Joe Burrow is enough to make the Bengals a contender this season, but a defensive revival is what will put them over the top. And for one week, at least, it looked like their offseason overhaul worked. The Bengals forced fumbles on three straight drives in the first half to set the tone — and then another in the fourth quarter — on their way to a 33-27 win over the Buccaneers. Cincinnati returned one fumble for a touchdown and battered Bucs QB Baker Mayfield with constant pressure and four sacks. The Bengals appear to have a formidable front with newcomers Dexter Lawrence and Jonathan Allen in the middle and Boye Mafe off the edge, and that might be just enough. They’re going to score a ton of points with Burrow and all his offensive weapons. All they need to do is play decent defense and be able to get after opposing quarterbacks late in the game. Last year they couldn’t. As a result, they had one of the worst defenses in football. This season it looks like that defense, and thus the Bengals, might be for real. There is still a long way to go for Derrick Henry to become the NFL’s all-time leading rusher. After Sunday’s Week 1 outburst, he remains 5,193 yards behind Emmitt Smith (18,355), which means at least four more really productive seasons. In other words, Henry would still have to be a 1,300-yard back at 35 years old. But doubting the 6-3, 252-pound Henry might be as pointless and painful as trying to tackle him, because he remains a freak of a man who defies any conventional wisdom. He’s topped 1,500 rushing yards in five of the past seven seasons — those five seasons are tied with Barry Sanders for the NFL record — and looks ready to do it again after plowing his way for 144 yards and three touchdowns in the Ravens’ 41-23 win over the Colts. The three scores put Henry in third place all time in rushing touchdowns (125). And he’s now up to 13,162 rushing yards (and an insane 29,879 yards when you add his glorious high school and college careers, too). That’s 16.9 miles — more than the length of Manhattan. Imagine doing that while taking hits every few yards over more than 17 years. And yet, when he runs, he always seems to deliver far more punishment than he absorbs. Injuries at his age, especially for running backs, are always a concern. But he’s only missed 12 games in his career, and more than one game in a season just once — in 2021, when he broke his foot. The man is a marvel, which is why it’s a good bet that King Henry becomes the Rushing King sometime in 2029 or 2030. Mike McCarthy has a ton of faith in his past and current quarterback, Aaron Rodgers, but their reunion debut had to be a bit concerning. The Steelers beat the Falcons 20-13, but they needed a pick-six by edge rusher T.J. Watt to do it because the offense stalled under Rodgers, who was just 24 of 40 (60%) for 221 yards and a touchdown. The 42-year-old showed all the same issues he had last year. Almost all his throws were short. His deep throws were wobbly or held up in the air way too long. His mobility is gone — a fact McCarthy seems to know, since Rodgers’ only “runs” were three kneels in victory formation at the end of the game. Rodgers spent the weeks before the opener on a media rampage, going from podcast to podcast spouting his conspiracy theories, settling scores with old girlfriends and declaring himself the victim of media witch hunts. But if he wants to drag this Steelers team to the playoffs in his final season, surely there are better ways to spend his time. Because on Sunday, the Steelers won in spite of him. I believe he can still play, but this offense he’s directing needs a lot more work. And in an improved division, with the Ravens and even the Bengals possibly emerging as Super Bowl contenders, the Steelers won’t survive if Rodgers keeps looking like a mediocre quarterback more interested in holding a grudge off the field than excelling on it. Was anyone really dumb enough to buy into the Los Angeles Rams and do something crazy like … I don’t know, put them atop their NFL Power Rankings? Yeah, OK, we all make mistakes. But a long career has taught me never to read too much into the first game of the season — especially when it comes on a Friday morning in Australia, and the Rams made the questionable decision to fly 16 hours and land in Melbourne just 27 hours before kickoff. And considering Kyle Shanahan historically has Sean McVay’s number (12-7 in head-to-head matchups), maybe the 49ers’ blowout over the Rams was an anomaly, not a warning sign. The loss of Myles Garrett for a month, though, is much more concerning. The arrival of the reigning Defensive Player of the Year was expected to transform L.A.’s defense. There was going to be no way to block him, Byron Young and the returning Aaron Donald. The pressure on opposing offenses figured to be immense. But surviving without Garrett may not be so easy in the loaded NFC West as the Rams wait for Donald to round into form, especially if their offense has any lingering jet lag in the coming weeks. Good thing for them, they get a relatively soft landing against the Giants back in L.A. next Monday night. They should be angry and rested. But keep the panic button handy, just in case. Final Thoughts From Sunday … In NFL Fallout, Ralph Vacchiano breaks down the impact of the biggest events every Sunday.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

The Eagles just know how to win football games. Even with the Commanders driving for a possible game-tying score, it felt like Philadelphia would make the play to put the game away. They eventually did. It came on a Washington two-point conversion attempt that would have put the game into overtime. Jayden Daniels flipped the ball to tight end John Bates, who was immediately wrapped up by Moro Ojomo well short of the end zone, sealing a 24-22 home win to open the season. The game didn’t feel as close as the score implies. The Eagles offense generated most of the big plays in the game, and they had their way with a new Washington offense. It was less of a statement and more of a reminder that the NFC East still goes through Philadelphia. Here are my takeaways: The highs were certainly high. Jalen Hurts threw three touchdowns and hit a couple deep balls to lead the Eagles on four scoring drives, but the offense stalled out for the stretches in between those big plays. The new offense under first-year coordinator Sean Mannion didn’t feel all that different from the offenses we’ve seen in Philadelphia the past few seasons. The first touchdown drive was sparked by Mannion’s play calling. Hurts threw a beautiful deep ball to Dontayvion Wicks off play-action, beating Washington’s busted coverage for 64 yards. Wicks beat Mike Sainristil for a second time on Philly’s second touchdown. Sainristil was cheating inside, allowing Wicks to cross him up badly. Hurts just had to float the ball to the back corner of the end zone. Hurts connected with Smith on another deep ball and found Goedert up the middle for a catch-and-run that extended the Eagles’ lead in the fourth quarter. Outside of those plays, Hurts struggled to find open receivers downfield. If not for a few miracle scrambles by Hurts, the Eagles offense may have stalled out completely in the second half. Philadelphia’s new run game — built around outside zone run plays from under center — needs more work. Barkley’s runs from under center produced just 2.3 yards per pop, and his one explosive run came on an inside zone run from the gun, a staple of the old offense. It wasn’t effective on its own, but the run game served another purpose against Washington. It took the teeth out of the Commanders’ pass rush and kept Hurts in clean pockets, which he used to hit those downfield shots. Those were nice, but the run game was concerningly inefficient outside of Barkley’s 42-yarder, and the big plays came on coverage mistakes by Washington. The big plays were enough to grind out a close win against a mediocre team, but will it be enough going forward? We need to see how this new Eagles offense looks against a playoff-level defense to get a true sense of their capabilities. That first real test won’t come for a few more weeks, with matchups against the Titans and Bears, who gave up 35 to Carolina, up next on the schedule. The Rams will visit them in Philly in Week 4. Maybe that’s an overreaction after a game against an elite defense, but the season-opening loss in Philadelphia confirmed what many had speculated about Washington’s offense all summer: the Commanders haven’t put enough around Jayden Daniels. And with the third-year quarterback hitting his extension window, he won’t be playing on a discounted rookie contract for much longer, making it even more difficult to surround him with talent when he’s taking up a bigger chunk of the cap. Daniels could have been better himself, but Washington’s offense provided him with no margin for error. He was on the run for most of the game. When the Eagles weren’t getting quick pressure, Washington’s receivers were struggling to separate from Philadelphia’s secondary. He was pressured on half of his dropbacks and averaged just 1.7 yards per play under duress, per Next Gen Stats. New offensive coordinator David Blough was expected to install a new offense, built around heavier personnel and fewer spread formations, but the Commanders couldn’t move the ball without resorting to tactics from the old offense. The offense started to produce once Blough put Daniels in the gun, spread things out, and let him play up-tempo. But even when things were “working,” Daniels had to grind. Daniels didn’t get much help, but he’s not totally blameless for the disappointing performance of the offense. He did little to elevate his teammates on Sunday. Outside of one ridiculous scramble, that featured a double spin move, Daniels didn’t make many plays with his legs. He scrambled for only one first down. Before getting hot in the fourth quarter, Daniels squandered the few downfield opportunities his receivers gave him. If this Washington offense is going to be better, its quarterback will have to be better. But he sure could use some help. Even if the offense has plenty of room for improvement, Philadelphia showed why it still belongs on any shortlist of contenders. The Eagles defense has been one of the best units of the past two seasons, and it might be even better in 2026. It looked the part in Sunday’s win over Washington. I’m giving general manager Howie Roseman the credit for the improvement. He added cornerback Riq Woolen, who had been cast off by the Seahawks, in hopes of patching up the one hole that remained on the unit. Based on the first game of Woolen’s Philly tenure, the hole at the CB2 spot is officially patched. He surrendered just one catch for a single yard in his debut. The rest of the Eagles secondary played to its lofty standards, as well. Defensive tackle Jalen Carter dominated the trenches and spearheaded an Eagles pass rush that made Daniels’ life miserable. There’s a lot of pressure on Jalyx Hunt and Nolan Smith Jr. to produce on the edges, and they responded with 13 combined pressures in the opener. Philadelphia did that without its other big defensive addition, edge rusher Jonathan Greenard, who missed the game with an injured pectoral. We haven’t even gotten to the best player in Sunday’s game, linebacker Zach Baun. The All-Pro linebacker made plays all over the field. The Eagles can dominate a game at all three levels of the defense, which will come in handy in January. 3 ½. What’s Next? The Eagles get a bit of a reprieve from the NFC grind with a trip to Tennessee next week. The Titans looked first-overall-pick bad on Sunday, and their defense could be exactly what this Philadelphia offense needs to break out. It needs to sharpen up quickly, with games against the Bears and Rams rounding out the first month. By the end of that stretch, we’ll know if this team is ready to compete for a title or if it’s due for another roller-coaster season. Washington’s season may already be on the brink of collapse with a trip to Dallas next week and a visit from the Seahawks following that. Teams rarely climb out of an 0-2 hole to make the playoffs. An 0-3 start, and it might be time to start looking toward the draft.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

NEW YORK — The schedule makers at Major League Baseball got it right this year, arranging the Subway Series to take place during the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. After an emotional pregame ceremony before Friday’s series opener, it took no time at all for the melancholic sentiments to flip. The Yankee Stadium PA announcer began his pregame introductions, revealed Juan Soto was batting second and playing left field, and over 40,000 fans vociferously booed the former Yankee like he should be shortlisted as the biggest traitor in American history. And we were off. The Yankees (86-63) are in the middle of a pivotal stretch run, attempting to pass the Tampa Bay Rays and win the AL East. The Mets have nothing to play for in another lost season, but they didn’t mind spoiling the Yankees’ fun. In the end, the Bronx Bombers took two out of three from the Amazins, but they’re still four games behind the Rays for the division title. The Mets, who’ve been on a roll since the trade deadline, showed glimpses of their future potential throughout the hard-fought weekend. Let’s dive into four takeaways from a special Subway Series in the Bronx. 1. Gerrit Cole Has A Home Run Problem Once upon a time the Yankees ace, Gerrit Cole can officially pass that torch to Cam Schlittler after yet another disappointing outing. Cole was able to complete just 4 ⅓ innings on Saturday against a Mets team that’s only competing to avoid finishing in last place. Worse still, the veteran right-hander has allowed seven home runs in his last 11 ⅓ innings pitched — and his whiff rate has gone way down. Cole’s 24.6% strikeout rate is the lowest it’s been since 2017 with the Pirates (23.1%). His home run rate (4.2%) is tied for the highest of his career in a full season. With Schlittler, Max Fried and Carlos Rodon all dealing and performing well in the stretch run, it’s fair to say Cole is the biggest concern on the Yankees’ starting staff as we approach October. “A straightforward observation is that the hitters are seeing the ball well and able to deliver good strikes to it, regardless of the pitch type or really the location,” Cole said when asked why he’s struggled with the long ball. “This is one of those times in the season where you gotta start making adjustments. Sometimes adjustments are hard, but that’s the demand of the game.” Even though Cole has a 5.96 ERA in his past four outings (22.2 innings pitched), he’s had a solid season overall in his return from Tommy John surgery. The 36-year-old owns a 3.67 ERA and has recorded 117 strikeouts in 20 starts and 115 ⅓ innings this year, his most innings pitched since 2023. In that context, it’s logical to presume that Cole’s arm might just be taxed at this stage of the season. When asked, Cole refuted that idea and said he feels healthy. He maintained he just needs to make an adjustment between starts, and Yankees manager Aaron Boone reiterated that if there’s anyone he’s not concerned about, it’s Cole. Still, with only two weeks remaining in the regular season, this is the worst time for Cole to start spiraling. Yankees general manager Brian Cashman did not pick up a single pitcher, starter or reliever, at the trade deadline, in part because of his trust in veteran arms like Cole. The 2023 Cy Young award winner has to figure out a way to turn it around – and fast — because giving the ball to the bullpen after abbreviated outings is not a strategy for success. 2. Yankees’ Volatile Bullpen Is Concerning Right-hander Paul Blackburn, who has recently climbed up the ladder in Boone’s circle of trust, has been fading of late. He loaded the bases and allowed a run to score in the seventh inning Friday before Boone called on left-hander Brent Headrick to secure the final out of the inning. Then Headrick, who is also one of the few high-leverage arms in New York’s bullpen, copied Blackburn’s shaky performance and loaded the bases with one out in the eighth. The Yankees had no choice but to go to their closer, David Bednar, for a five-out save — against a Mets team that is arguably the most disappointing club in baseball this season. Bednar got the job done, albeit after allowing a leadoff home run to Mets outfielder A.J. Ewing in the ninth, which cut the Yankees’ lead to two runs. Bednar has been outstanding this season, sporting a 2.66 ERA and 34 saves in 59 appearances. It’s the rest of the relief corps that has a ton of questions right now. Even though the Yankees pulled out a win in the series opener, it’s concerning that their leads are never safe with a bullpen this volatile, particularly with their lack of reliable high-leverage arms. Right-hander Fernando Cruz was Boone’s go-to set-up man before he hit the injured list with a partial tear in his right UCL at the end of August. Cruz is trending toward avoiding surgery, but it’s still a long shot he’ll return this season. There’s help on the way. Right-hander Clarke Schmidt is nearing his return from a second-career Tommy John surgery. He could join the Yankees as soon as their next road trip. Left-hander Ryan Weathers (left forearm flexor strain) is also expected back before the regular season wraps up. Both Schmidt and Weathers are likely to shift into the bullpen in October, and the Yankees have no choice but to cross their fingers and hope they’ll have a smooth transition and clear up some of the relief concerns. 3. Thornton Emerges As Promising Young Mets Arm One of the most prolific hitters in the sport was up at the plate, and Mets starter Zac Thornton didn’t so much as flinch. In the first inning, ahead on an 0-2 count against Aaron Judge, Thornton challenged the reigning AL MVP with a 95.5 mph fastball up and in. It was the hardest pitch Thornton has thrown this season. Judge froze and watched the heater sail right past him for strike three. The Mets rookie southpaw kept up that same energy and aggression all day Saturday in the Mets’ dominant 12-2 win over the Yankees. Thornton delivered seven strong innings and allowed just two earned runs on five hits, while striking out four batters and walking one on just 81 pitches. The Yankees were impressed with the 24-year-old’s talent. “He does a really good job of maintaining a quick tempo, attacking different parts of the zone, keeping the guys off balance,” Yankees outfielder Spencer Jones said. “I think he just did a good job of limiting hard contact and preventing guys from getting on early, and he had a lot of success today.” When it looked like Thornton was tiring in the seventh after putting two men on base, Mets manager Andy Green walked to the mound and Thornton told him to leave him in, he’d get out of the inning. Sure enough, Thornton got Anthony Volpe to ground into a double play to escape the inning unscathed. Saturday’s outing, Thornton’s 13th start of his major-league career, was a fantastic bounce-back effort after he allowed six earned runs in five innings to the Giants his last time out. Afterward, Thornton said: “I think I shine when my back’s up against the wall. I try to rise to the occasion.” Thornton joins the list of emerging young Mets arms alongside right-handers Nolan McLean and Christian Scott as promising options for next year’s rotation. It’s a good thing, too, because Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns is going to have a hard time finding a reliable starter on this winter’s free agent list — beyond the top available arm in Tarik Skubal. In order to seriously contend next season, Stearns and the Mets need their trio of young starters to take the next step forward as soon as 2027. Thornton is the latest Mets pitcher who looks like he’s up for the challenge. 4. Judge Still Looking For His Timing The Yankees lineup sure is glad the best hitter on the team is back from the injured list. The difference in performance from the top of the lineup, especially, was noticeable. With Judge’s presence looming in the heart of the order, the surrounding batters got better pitches to hit throughout the Subway Series, and the Yankees capitalized. As encouraging as the Yankees offense was throughout their six-game homestand against bottom dwellers like the Rockies and Mets, it was just as evident that Judge is still looking for his timing. That’s expected. Judge returned from the IL on Tuesday after a three-plus month layoff due to a fractured right rib. He was completely shut down from baseball activities for the majority of that layoff, and only recently started ramping up and facing live pitching. Judge opted to forgo a rehab assignment so that he could return to the lineup and help out the Yankees in their pennant race. Instead of recapturing his timing in the minor leagues, Judge is still searching for it in the majors. Making that task more difficult, the Yankees stuck to their plan for Judge and pulled him early from some games, while completely giving him an off day in another. The 34-year-old slugger is 3-for-14 with one walk, one run scored and six strikeouts in four games since coming off the IL. He’s still searching for his first home run, RBI and extra-base hit since May. He still has some time to look like himself at the plate, but the Yankees would prefer if Judge could find his timing at least by the time they host the Rays in a crucial four-game series in the Bronx next week. When I asked Judge if he felt like he was still in a spring training ramp-up, he said, “I don’t have time for a spring training-type ramp-up. I have to turn it on soon here. And I will.”​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Patrick Mahomes is returning from an ACL tear, and the Kansas City Chiefs went 6-11 to miss the playoffs for the first time in over a decade in 2025. However, they made some intriguing moves over the offseason to provide optimism that they can return to the mountaintop in 2026. That’s why FOX Sports’ Charles Woodson views the Chiefs as the top storyline entering the 2026 NFL season. On “FOX NFL Kickoff,” Woodson said he’s looking forward to seeing how Mahomes and Kansas City respond in 2026 to their shortcomings in 2025. “Last year, we were deprived in the playoffs of seeing the best of the best,” Woodson said. “Patrick Mahomes has been Superman. Over the last 10 years, this Kansas City Chiefs team has been to five Super Bowls, and they won three of them. This past year, he had his first major injury where he had to miss significant time. “So, I want to know how that affects him mentally, because he’s had to carry this team rushing the football over this 10-year span. Over this 10-year span, they’ve only had one 1,000-yard rusher, and that was back in 2017.” The Chiefs signed running back Kenneth Walker fresh off his Super Bowl LX MVP performance for the Seattle Seahawks to try and help those rushing woes. That wasn’t the only notable addition that the Chiefs made, either, selecting LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane with the sixth-overall pick in the sixth overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft before adding Clemson defensive tackle Peter Woods later in the first round. Those moves should help the Chiefs compete in an ultra-competitive AFC West. Both the Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Chargers made the playoffs last season, with Denver going 14-3 and earning the No. 1 seed in the AFC. Expectations remain high for the Chiefs, too. Their projected win total is 10.5, and they have the sixth-best Super Bowl odds. The Chiefs will be put to the test right away, hosting the Broncos on Monday night. That’s followed by a home game against the Indianapolis Colts before taking on the Miami Dolphins and Las Vegas Raiders on the road.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Three days after their season-opening loss to the San Francisco 49ers, the Los Angeles Rams took another hit on Sunday. Star edge rusher Myles Garrett underwent arthroscopic surgery on his knee and will be placed on injured reserve, ruling him out for at least four games, The Ringer first reported. FOX Sports NFL insider Jay Glazer later confirmed the news. “Myles Garrett didn’t do a lot of practice in this training camp,” Glazer said on “FOX NFL Kickoff.” “He had a knee injury. You saw him there the other night against [San Francisco 49ers offensive tackle] Trent Williams; he just wasn’t right. So the team decided they’re going to have him undergo arthroscopic knee surgery.” As a result, Garrett will miss a few matchups against 2025 playoff teams as the Rams will face the Denver Broncos, Philadelphia Eagles and Buffalo Bills. The Rams host the New York Giants in Week 2. Garrett dealt with a knee injury for the majority of training camp, keeping him sidelined. Following L.A.’s 27-7 loss to the 49ers on Thursday, he bluntly said that the injury was still bothering him. “This was the worst version of myself that I’ve put out there,” Garrett told reporters. “And I’ve got to be better. I got to find a way to recover and get back to the player I know I can be and I’ve shown that I’ve been before.”I wasn’t the player that I wanted to be. I didn’t feel like I was the player I’ve been before when I stepped onto that field. I got to do what I can to get back to that.” Garrett didn’t log a single tackle, sack or quarterback hit in Thursday’s loss. The underwhelming performance came as the Rams waited to arrive in Australia for their matchup with the 49ers until the day before the game. FOX Sports NFL analyst Michael Strahan believes that with the injury to Garrett and the tough slate that awaits them, the team made a mistake with their travel plans to Melbourne. “This team lost by 20 points. This team, last year, lost five games by a combined 17 points. It was hard to get on the plane and fly to the West Coast and play,” Strahan said on “FOX NFL Sunday.” “I think Sean McVay is kicking himself for making the decision to fly at the last minute. Also, in this division, probably the toughest division in football, you put yourself in a quagmire because now you’re behind Seattle already and you just lost to the 49ers. I think it’s a game you’re going to regret down the road.” Still, Strahan isn’t hitting the panic button for the Rams, with Aaron Donald waiting in the wings to make his return. “Everyone looked at them as a super team, a super defense — this obviously sets them back. I know Aaron Donald’s thinking, ‘I came back, but this isn’t what I came back for,'” Strahan said. “But, at the same time, he will be back, and I think Aaron Donald will get his feet under him. It takes a while when you’ve been out for that long.” The Rams landed Garrett in the offseason in a blockbuster trade, giving up a slew of draft picks for the former Cleveland Browns star. Garrett recorded an NFL single-season record of 23 sacks in 2025, earning him his second Defensive Player of the Year award. This is a developing story and will be updated.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

A new No. 1 emerged after Week 2 because the rankings matter, playing games in your respective weight class is important and top-5 matchups in September are hallowed and heralded as holidays. For this, we give thanks and genuflect. But onto business. It’s always good to win. But is it better that Ohio State lost to Texas? Is it better to beat Oklahoma or lose to Michigan? We don’t have to know the answer to that question now, but it’s reasonable to believe we’ll need to know by December. In fact, Oklahoma showed that to be true last season. A loss to Texas was not as bad as Texas’ loss to Florida. The difference? Florida had a terrible 4-8 record. Texas had a 9-3 one. All things equal — all things being wins — the program with the best loss usually gets the nod. It’s one of the quirks of our sport. Like Michigan, which won a game on the scoreboard but who I dropped to No. 25 and the AP Top 25 Poll dropped entirely because of how it won that game. Style points matter. And your opponents influence your style. Both Michigan and Oklahoma need each other to be great for the rest of this season if they want to leave no doubt about their worthiness for inclusion into the College Football Playoff. And they’ll get to play Ohio State and Texas, respectively. But no matter who won Saturday night, a new No. 1 was always going to emerge. It’s a perk of playing a top-5 matchup when the rest of the sport is too cowardly to schedule such a game on its own. So now, Texas holds the best win in college football and an undefeated record. That gives it the strongest argument to stand atop the sport after Week 2. That also means Ohio State owns the best loss in the sport, and no self-respecting college football expert or fan is going to hold this loss against the Buckeyes nearly as much as, say, Michigan’s controversial win against Western Michigan. And so it goes for the next 11 weeks. Before we move onto Week 3 or beyond, here are my top-25 rankings from Week 2. Week 2 game: 59-3 win vs. Norfolk State The Cavaliers performed like we’ve come to expect them to since their breakthrough season last year. Beating up on FCS opponents isn’t a great metric for finding out how good a program is, but more than 230 rushing yards and six yards per carry on average is a healthy stat for Virginia coach Tony Elliott’s team. Week 2 game: 38-32 win vs. Air Force The Bison proved they can be a big-play offense when they need to and against a service academy at that! North Dakota State created eight explosive plays in the definitive win against the Falcons. Week 2 game: 45-24 win vs. Georgia Tech A workmanlike win for a top-25 team against an unranked opponent on the road? A rarity in this ruckus Week 2. But it’s worth saying: Tennessee did not make this win harder than it needed to be, unlike others in the SEC who did, such as LSU, or just flat-out losing like Oklahoma. Style points from me for simply taking care of business. Week 2 game: 43-10 win vs. Arkansas Utah continues to look like a team that can not only contend for the Big 12 title but also one that could break into the College Football Playoff for the first time in school history. And all in Utah coach Morgan Scalley’s Year 1. Week 2 game: 56-10 win vs. UC Davis Mustangs quarterback Kevin Jennings put together a second-straight 300-yard passing performance Saturday against the Aggies and was nearly perfect in the execution: 14-of-16 completions for 337 passing yards with five touchdowns. I find it more instructive, though, that SMU did not commit a single turnover in this game after posting four in its season-opener against Florida State. Week 2 game: 16-14 win vs. Utah State White-knuckling a win against a program FCS Idaho State beat last week is not ideal for a Huskies team that has aspirations of playing for the Big Ten title this season. Week 2 game: 52-3 win vs. Campbell Florida not only scored 35 points in the second quarter, but it also got three touchdowns from wide receiver Vernell Brown III, who returned back-to-back punts for touchdowns and caught one to cap an outstanding day against an underwhelming opponent. I would love to see the Gators play the Wolverines. Week 2 game: 17-10 win vs. Oklahoma The Wolverines looked like a Kyle Whittingham team Saturday, and I wrote about it. They weren’t amazing offensively, but they were committed to running the ball. Defensively, they played man coverage and sought one-on-one pass-rushing matchups against a Sooners offense it routinely beat. For some, it was the first win of the season for the Wolverines. For Michigan, it’s undefeated, and that’s everything. Week 2 game: 77-6 win vs. Southern U Bruh, the score was 70-6 at the end of the third quarter. I daresay Southern coach Marshall Faulk has never suffered a worse whooping as a football professional. The Cougars ran the ball for 388 yards with six rushing touchdowns. Houston quarterbacks completed 15 passes combined, and five of those were touchdowns. Week 2 game: 27-9 win vs. Temple The Nittany Lions began shaky, but quarterback Rocco Becht is good. He finished the day with 273 passing yards and three touchdowns in the win. Yes, Penn State started slowly, but this is a good football team with a chance to be a great one this season. Week 2 game: 38-21 win vs. Kansas I’m convinced quarterback Austin Simmons is an elite passer, and he can be the difference-maker for a Mizzou team that played a consecutive week without Ahmad Hardy, the SEC’s best running back in 2025. Simmons completed 19-of-29 passes for 292 yards with three touchdowns, but several of those incompletions were dropped by his receivers. Week 2 game: 39-31 loss vs. Oklahoma State Damn, Dan. Look, I wrote about this loss. And without piling on here, suffice it to say, this isn’t the end for the Ducks. But try convincing an Oregon fan of that. Week 2 game: 28-17 win vs. Arizona The best part of this win was getting to see quarterback Bear Bachmeier actually uncork a 25-yard touchdown pass to receiver Reggie Frischknecht to seal the victory late for the Cougars. Bachmeier hasn’t received a lot of opportunities to hit defenses over the top because so much of the Cougars’ philosophy revolves around a steady and abundant run game. But now, we know he’s got that throw in his arsenal when BYU needs it. Week 2 game: 35-24 win vs. Oregon State Texas Tech led a middling-to-bad Oregon State, 14-7, at halftime despite not allowing a single first down and just 22 total yards. Did the Red Raiders find a way to pull this game out? Yes. Did they learn their secondary can get roasted by Beavers wide receiver Jesse Legree for 240 receiving yards on eight catches with a pair of touchdowns? Also, yes. Week 2 game: 45-17 win vs. Kentucky Alabama didn’t take a lead in this game until there were three minutes left in the third quarter, and that lead came after the Crimson Tide scored their first offensive touchdown. And then the dam the Wildcats had so carefully built broke loose. The Tide scored 32 in the second half on five straight scoring drives. Week 2 game: 41-9 win vs. Charlotte Charlotte is in a tailspin of its own. The Niners haven’t beaten an FBS program since 2024 and haven’t beaten a Power Four one since 2021. Ole Miss beating Charlotte was less a win and more of a formality. Week 2 game: 49-30 win vs. Louisiana USC is the Big Ten’s only Week 2 top-10 team that played like one. Neither the offense nor the defense gave an inch to Louisiana, and Riley’s Trojans continue to look formidable. Week 2 game: 48-20 win vs. Arizona State Unlike some in the top 10, the Aggies hosted a Sun Devils program that could’ve given them a game — and did. Texas A&M coach Mike Elko will take a hard look at his secondary after it allowed Arizona State wide receiver Reed Harris to make nine catches for 189 yards with two touchdowns. Week 2 game: 45-14 win vs. Louisiana Tech The Tigers committed four turnovers in the first half. Three of those were interceptions thrown by quarterback Sam Leavitt, and the Bulldogs were in a 10-7 rock fight with the Tigers, despite Louisiana Tech accruing zero — yes, zero — total yards in the first half. Lane Kiffin better fix whatever broke for two quarters against a team that LSU was supposed to annihilate, start to finish. Week 2 game: 24-23 loss vs. Texas Before losing to Texas, the Buckeyes had won 115 consecutive games when leading by 20 points or more. Prior to this game, the last team to come back and win against the Buckeyes while down 20 points was 2011 Nebraska. But hey, best loss of anyone so far. Week 2 game: 77-7 win vs. Florida A&M Pad the stats, Miami. Putting up a school record of 856 offensive yards against an HBCU program you paid $760,000 — including $40,000 to The Marching 100 — to travel eight hours south isn’t as impressive as Canes fans would like to think. But, sure, go off. Week 2 game: 52-0 vs. Rice The Fighting Irish led their Group of Six opponent, 42-0, at halftime, and quarterback CJ Carr had his way against an Owls team that doesn’t represent the kind of competition we’d expect to test Notre Dame. Carr’s stat line — 16-of-20 completed passes for 253 yards with four touchdowns — is indicative of how easy beating Rice was for him and this team. Week 2 game: 70-20 win vs. Western Kentucky As is often the case when top-tier teams play Group of Six squads, Georgia made light work of the Hilltoppers in a game that will do wonders for Bulldogs quarterback Gunner Stockton’s Heisman Trophy campaign. And he put up some Tecmo Bowl stats: completed 13-of-16 passes for 234 yards with five passing touchdowns. Week 2 game: 55-0 win vs. Howard The Hoosiers performed exactly as they should against a private HBCU to which they guaranteed $525,000 for visiting Bloomington. Indiana wide receiver Charlie Becker caught three passes, and all three went for touchdowns. This happened alongside Hoosiers running backs Leo Beebe, Jr. and Turbo Richard each rushing for more than 100 yards. Week 2 game: 24-23 win vs. Ohio State The Longhorns became the first team to come back from a 20-point deficit to defeat the AP’s No. 1-ranked team in 30 years. After a good game, a historic comeback and the best win of the season, Texas deserves the top spot.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Normally, college football fans have to wait until the first snow flurries of the year for the biggest regular-season games. That wasn’t the case this year, as we were treated to a thrilling early-season showdown between Ohio State and Texas on Saturday night. Both teams entered the matchup loaded with future NFL Draft picks, but let’s face it: Most of the attention was on quarterbacks Arch Manning and Julian Sayin, along with star pass-catchers Cam Coleman and Jeremiah Smith. Sayin and Smith were spectacular in the first half, while Manning looked like a future franchise quarterback in the second. The end result? A wild, fun-filled affair that ended with the Longhorns pulling off a 24-23 comeback win. Here are my takeaways from Texas’ thrilling win over Ohio State, with an NFL Draft twist. These four prospects are ranked in the order in which I would currently select them if I were building an NFL roster. 1. Jeremiah Smith Is The Top NFL Prospect In The Country – And It’s Not Close Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith wasn’t just the best player in this game. He’s the top NFL prospect in the country and one of the highest graded prospects I’ve evaluated in nearly 30 years as a professional scout. I’ve often compared Smith to future Hall of Famer Julio Jones, but in reality, that is short-changing the Buckeyes’ star wideout. Like Jones, Smith offers an exceptional combination of size, strength and speed. He is already a far better route-runner than Jones was at this point in his collegiate career.Smith has the ability to sink his hips and change direction like you would see from a smaller wide receiver. But at 6-foot-4, 222 pounds, he not only has strong and reliable hands, but he is also savvy at shielding the ball from defenders. He displayed that late in the first half, setting up a Texas defender before contorting his body in the air to make a highlight-reel catch. Smith easily blazes by the cornerback and is wide open, but he’s forced to turn around and adjust his body midair to make the grab. He uses his strong hands to come down with the football, giving the Buckeyes a first down and putting them in scoring position. Smith finished with a game-high eight catches for 164 yards and a touchdown. He was undoubtedly the best player on the field, despite the Buckeyes’ loss. NFL Player Comparison: Julio Jones NFL Draft Grade: Top-5 selection 2. Arch Manning Possesses The Traits To Be A Franchise QB While Smith was the top player on the field Saturday night and the best overall prospect in the 2026 draft, the top quarterback will almost surely be the first pick. Quarterbacks make more money because they matter more. Fair or not, that’s just the reality of football. I’m not ready to pronounce Manning as the best quarterback in college football, but I do believe he can become that, with a few relatively small improvements. He possesses all the physical traits to project as a franchise quarterback and there is plenty of evidence that he also has the requisite mental toughness, given the microscope he’s played under his entire life. That’s just the reality of growing up a Manning. Throws like this one are just expected. Manning has endured nearly impossible expectations, with his occasional growing pains frequently cited by critics and his moments of brilliance either ignored or too often credited to his head coach, Steve Sarkisian. Some have even already labeled him as “overrated” or a “bust.” Given that he now has 40 touchdowns and just 11 interceptions in his college career, including Saturday night’s historic comeback win over the No. 2-ranked Buckeyes, it seems like Manning is being held to a higher standard than any other quarterback. He’s a quarterback, not Amazon delivery. High-level quarterback play takes time. There just aren’t many quarterbacks in college — or even the NFL — who can make throws like the one above or lead their team to 21 fourth-quarter points against an Ohio State defense littered with NFL-caliber talent from top to bottom. That is why Manning is a first-round lock. NFL Player Comparison: Trevor Lawrence NFL Draft Grade: Top-5 selection 3. Cam Coleman Is Silky Smooth — But We Didn’t See It One of the reasons I am so bullish on Manning taking his game to another level this fall is the fact that Texas lured Coleman from Auburn to Austin. In most other drafts — including last year’s — Coleman would be the top-ranked wide receiver. He’s silky smooth, with excellent agility and acceleration, and possesses the body control to make difficult receptions look easy. Early in the first quarter, Manning dropped back and threw a deep ball to Coleman, who extended his body and appeared to come down with the ball. The ball popped out of Coleman’s hands when he hit the ground and into the hands of Ohio State safety Jaylen McClain. The replay appeared to show Coleman dragging his foot while maintaining possession, but the play was ruled a pick. Now, to be clear, Coleman’s knack for making circus catches does not automatically make him a future No. 1 receiver in the NFL. He needs to show greater nuance as a route-runner and cut down on dropped passes. He finished with only three catches for 35 yards while being targeted five times on Saturday night. I believe Coleman will improve in each of these areas at Texas. Quarterbacks and receivers typically need time to develop a rapport. And while we didn’t see many highlight-reel moments from Coleman on Saturday, he did haul in two touchdown catches in the Longhorns’ Week 1 win, including a 44-yard bomb down the right sideline. It isn’t often that a receiver competing against SEC competition has 15 touchdown receptions in just 24 career games and is still only scratching the surface of his potential. That is the case with Coleman. NFL Player Comparison: A.J. Green NFL Draft Grade: Top 10 4. Julian Sayin Has Elite Diagnostic Skills And Touch Projecting Sayin to the NFL is a tougher task than projecting Manning for a variety of reasons. Most importantly, he simply isn’t as physically gifted. He isn’t as tall, strong-armed or athletic. Sayin has also been blessed with remarkably talented wide receivers. It is easier to complete passes, of course, when the receivers are seemingly always open and catch everything thrown in their general direction — which we saw in the first half with Smith on Saturday night. What Sayin lacks in arm strength, however, he makes up for with his processing ability and touch. Last year, as a redshirt freshman, he led the country with a 77% completion rate after throwing 301 passes, the most of any Big Ten quarterback. Sayin isn’t a checkdown magnet, and he rarely puts the ball in harm’s way. He is very effective on layered throws between the second and third levels of the defense and consistently shows the ability to stand tall in the pocket and deliver a pass where only his receiver can make a play on it, just as he did on this touchdown pass to Smith. Sayin isn’t the type to wow with his physical attributes, but I am impressed with his steadiness and poise. Those traits can translate even better at the NFL level than a flashy arm or scrambling ability. But he needs to play well in big games to continue to develop that reputation. After finishing the first half 12-of-16 for 192 yards and a touchdown, Sayin completed just five passes after halftime as the Buckeyes were held to three second-half points. NFL Comparison: Kirk Cousins NFL Draft Grade: Third Round​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Oklahoma State hadn’t won a football game since last September. It was a 21-game losing streak to FBS opponents, to be exact. But Saturday, the Cowboys beat the No. 6 team in the country, so fans in attendance celebrated accordingly. Oklahoma State fans rushed the field at Boone Pickens Stadium immediately after the final whistle blew on a 39-31 upset win over No. 6 Oregon, tore down one of the goal posts, and carried it around campus and into Theta Pond — a small campus body of water that’s become the traditional dumping ground for goal posts after big Cowboys wins, notably dating back to the Cowboys’ 2023 Bedlam win over Oklahoma. As the goal post went on its way toward Theta Pond, Oklahoma State fans then rubbed salt into Oregon’s wound. The Cowboys blasted “Shout” over the stadium speakers — the same song Oregon plays between the third and fourth quarters at Autzen Stadium to fire up its home crowd. The Cowboys entered Saturday as roughly 24-point underdogs while carrying the longest active losing streaks in the country: 12 straight games overall and 21 consecutive losses against FBS competition. With the win, Oklahoma State became the first program in FBS history to snap a losing streak of 10 or more games by beating a top-10 opponent. It was also the Cowboys’ first win over an FBS opponent in nearly two full seasons. The result carried extra weight given recent history between the two programs. Almost exactly a year earlier, Oregon routed Oklahoma State 69-3, the worst loss of Mike Gundy’s two-decade tenure as head coach. Oklahoma State finished that season 1-11, Gundy was fired, and Eric Morris was hired to replace him. In his first game as head coach in Stillwater, Morris beat the same team that had delivered his predecessor’s lowest point. While the fans took over the field after the game, quarterback Drew Mestemaker led the way during regulation. He outplayed Oregon quarterback Dante Moore, a name already circled by NFL scouts ahead of the 2027 draft, finishing with 317 passing yards and two touchdowns while adding 109 rushing yards and a score on the ground. Oregon briefly took a 31-30 lead early in the fourth quarter on a 38-yard touchdown pass from Moore to Evan Stewart. Mestemaker answered, leading Oklahoma State on a 13-play, 75-yard drive that ended with a 10-yard touchdown run to put the Cowboys back in front. Kicker Sam Keltner added a 31-yard field goal to push the margin to eight, and Oklahoma State’s defense closed it out by forcing a fumble on Oregon’s final possession. See ya later, goal post. You will be remembered for generations to come.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood had a week to think about it. A week to hear head coach Kyle Whittingham openly discuss his status as the team’s starting quarterback. A week to sit with an uneven performance against Western Michigan that raised legitimate concerns about whether he was ready to be “the guy.” Then Underwood went out and answered the call. The second-year Michigan quarterback wasn’t perfect, but he looked like a guy who was up to the challenge, providing the kind of response Whittingham needed to see from his quarterback — and his team as a whole — in a 17-10 win over No. 11 Oklahoma. “We still got a lot of things to clean up,” Whittingham told FOX Sports’ Jenny Taft following the game. “But I’m very proud of how they responded after the performance last week.” Here are my takeaways from “Big Noon Saturday.” 1. Neither Of These Teams Are National Championship Contenders If we learned one thing from Michigan’s 17-10 win over No. 11 Oklahoma on Saturday, it’s this: Neither of these teams have what it takes to make noise in this year’s College Football Playoff.That is what these big non-conference games are all about. They allow fans to distinguish between tiers.- Tier 1: Can you win the national title? – Tier 2: Can you make the College Football Playoff? – Tier 3: Literally everybody else. Through 60 minutes of action on Saturday, it became very clear there are too many ingrained weaknesses for both of these teams. Neither quarterback can beat a high-level defense. Neither defense can be counted on to take the ball away. And neither team boasts a player who can take over a game. The floor is low. The ceiling isn’t high. 2. Bryce Underwood Bounced Back When Michigan Needed Him Most After looking and sounding completely unfazed by the prospect of Whittingham benching him if his play doesn’t improve, Underwood demonstrated a level of poise he seemed to lack in the Wolverines’ win against Western Michigan a week ago. Against Oklahoma, he was not perfect — putting the ball on the floor — but he was elite in the open field, running the ball and serviceable throwing it. Underwood finished with 111 yards through the air, while adding 87 yards on the ground and a rushing score. He showed poise throughout and didn’t show signs of regression, which was a legitimate concern following his uneven Week 1 performance. “That was a great response by Bryce,” Whittingham told Taft following the Wolverines’ win. “I thought he played an excellent game.” 3. Oklahoma Quarterback John Mateer Is Still A Mixed Bag Much of the conversation surrounding Oklahoma’s signal-caller this past offseason was based around the idea that he had improved as a passer. That he’d show a change in arm angle, in footwork and, ultimately, completion percentage because he’d spent hours retraining himself. But 11 months after his thumb surgery, 11 months after losing to Texas, and nine months after throwing the second-most egregious pick-six of the 2025 College Football Playoff — sorry, Oregon quarterback Dante Moore — nothing seems to have changed. Mateer is still slinging the ball out of a sidearm slot, inaccurate in intermediate crossing patterns and unable to read the coverage quickly post-snap. At times, he looked like a senseless armadillo crossing a busy six-lane highway. This became especially evident during the Sooners’ final drive, when Mateer missed an open receiver in the middle of the field on seocnd-and-12, which would have put OU in scoring position and offered a chance to tie the game. Instead, Mateer’s intended pass to tight end Rocky Beers sailed incomplete, and then he was sacked on the final play as time expired. 3 ½. What’s Next? Michigan now improves to 2-0 and will finish non-conference play next week against a UTEP team that got blasted by Oklahoma in Week 1, 51-0. It’s another chance to show improvement for Whittingham’s team before Big Ten play begins with a conference showdown against No. 21 Iowa. For Mateer and the Sooners, it’s back to the drawing board ahead of a Week 3 matchup against a New Mexico team that finished 6-2 in the MWC last season. Brent Venables’ team needs to show me something next week ahead of opening up SEC play against No. 2 Georgia and No. 4 Texas in back-to-back weeks. Yikes.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

When we surveyed people around the NFL on which player could be the next Drake Maye or Jaxon Smith-Njigba and make a sudden leap in 2026, one common answer emerged. New Orleans Saints quarterback Tyler Shough was routinely mentioned by scouts and executives we spoke with as a rising star to watch this season. In fact, one NFL executive told us that there’s no young quarterback “better set up for success” than Shough, while a scout told us that he was the best rookie quarterback last season. There were also a pair of Chicago Bears standouts that people around the league have their eyes on this season as rising stars. So, let’s unpack what we’re hearing about potential breakout candidates this season. Ralph Vacchiano: Even the New Orleans Saints weren’t quite sure what they had in second-round quarterback Tyler Shough at the start of last season. But by the end of the year, it looked like they had found their quarterback of the future. He was also the best of the quarterback class of 2025, even though he made just nine starts. And some around the NFL think he should be even better in Year 2 since the Saints have surrounded him with a stellar supporting cast. “There is no young quarterback better set up for success than [Shough],” an NFL executive told me. “Kellen Moore is a brilliant offensive mind, for starters. And look what they surrounded him with. He already had [wide receiver Chris] Olave and [tight end Juwan] Johnson. And in the right hands, Travis Etienne is a terrific running back — way better than Alvin Kamara at this stage. “In a bad division, they could surprise some people. And his numbers could pop.” Things would have looked even better for Shough if it wasn’t for the hamstring injury suffered by rookie wide receiver Jordyn Tyson, a player the executive told me “might be the best receiver in the draft.” He’s out at least the first four weeks of the season, and he could be sidelined until mid-October, according to some reports. “That’s a blow for sure,” one NFC scout told me. “But I think there’s still enough there for Shough to grow. Look at what he did last year. He’s got a much better team around him now.” Vacchiano: The Saints were 6-11 last year, but that was enough to finish just two games out of first place (and the playoffs). Shough completed 67.6% of his passes for 2,384 yards, 10 touchdowns and six interceptions. He showed off a little mobility too (186 rushing yards, 3 touchdowns). “I don’t think there was a better rookie quarterback last year,” the scout told me. “Maybe [Giants quarterback Jaxson] Dart will be better because he’s a real true dual-threat quarterback. But Shough has the ability to be an outstanding passer. And he’s certainly in the right hands.” And as Shough showed promise toward the end of last season, the executive I spoke with expects him to take a step forward in 2026 now that he’s spent a year in Moore’s offense. “He was good at everything. But mostly he was poised and efficient and really ran that offense well without a lot of mistakes,” the executive told me. “Moore will push him more this season, and I think he’s up to the task.” Eric D. Williams: Shough was a pleasant surprise for the Saints in the second half of the 2025 season, and talent evaluators I spoke with expect him to take another jump in his development in 2026. Shough, who was taken in the second round of last year’s draft and was the third quarterback taken behind Cam Ward and Dart, lost the training camp battle with Spencer Rattler before becoming the starting quarterback for the final games. As Shough went 5-4 as a starter, one talent evaluator I spoke with noted one area he grew in as his rookie season progressed. “Shough took a large leap last year in the last quarter of the season handling pocket pressure,” an NFL senior talent evaluator told me. “I think a full offseason with Kellen Moore will pay more dividends. A strong offensive line, nice receiving options and a proven offensive coach puts him in a great situation.” A longtime NFL scout, meanwhile, noted that the 26-year-old’s seven years in college should help him even more in 2026. “He is an experienced college QB who is coupled with a good player caller in the head coach,” the scout told me. “He made a jump in the last part of the season, and I expect that to continue. The head coach will play to his strengths.” Williams: During Shough’s final year in college, Louisville head coach Jeff Brohm got an up-close view of what his quarterback could do at the next level. In a collegiate career marred by injuries at Oregon and Texas Tech, Shough transferred to Louisville for his final college season, looking to reestablish himself as an NFL prospect. “For us, when we took him out of the portal, he wasn’t one of the hot names at all,” Brohm told me. “He was somebody who had been injured and kind of gone through some ups and downs – been a starter, been benched – whether it was due to injury or whatever. And I think he wanted one last chance to show what he was made of. “It was a great fit. We wanted a guy who was hungry and wanted to make one year work. He wanted to prove he was durable. And when we researched it, when he got hurt a lot of times, it was because of designed runs. I told him we’re not going to do that; we’re going to run more of an NFL system here. We can work around that and get it to our running backs, and that’s what we did. He lasted all year.” Louisville provided a dream scenario for Shough. He completed 63% of his passes for 3,195 yards, with 23 touchdowns and just six interceptions, leading the Cardinals to a 9-4 record. “He was durable,” Brohm said. “He did a great job and played well in games. He was a good leader, had a good arm. He’s a natural leader and guys liked him. He was very approachable; he played hard and tough, and had grit. And when things didn’t go well, he didn’t point the finger at anybody. He just had a natural way to lead. He had really good qualities and intangibles that carried over to his talent and skill.” Shough also helped his draft ascent at the combine, throwing the ball with zip during quarterback drills and running a 4.63-second, 40-yard time. Brohm said he wasn’t surprised by the success Shough had in his rookie season and expects him to have a solid NFL career. “I had a feeling that whoever took him was going to really like what they got,” Brohm told me. “And I think that definitely showed through in the first year of his NFL career. He’s in a good system. It’s always great to start the year not as the starter, but as the backup. Which I thought was great because I knew maybe they wouldn’t perform well, and then when that happens midway through the year, everyone’s clamoring for him. And he stepped in and showed what he’s made of. So, I was very happy for him. He earned it and I think he’ll do great from here on.” Vacchiano: Chicago Bears coach Ben Johnson has had a knack over the years of turning his offensive players into dangerous weapons. And he has two more in the pipeline in Chicago that might be ready to break out. An NFC scout told me that he thinks wide receiver Luther Burden III and tight end Colston Loveland are going to become “elite” players under Johnson’s guidance, and it could happen as early as this season — though that depends on how much Johnson features them in what could be a very diverse offensive attack. “I actually think Burden is going to end up as their No. 1 receiver ahead of Rome Odunze,” the scout told me. “He’s got way better hands and is more reliable. Odunze is more explosive, probably, but at some point you lean on the guy who can make more plays. That’s Burden. He’s got great hands and strength. “And Loveland is right there with him. Johnson loves to rely on his tight ends too, so he’ll have plenty of opportunities. And you saw down the stretch last year what he can do with them.” Loveland, the 10th overall pick in last year’s draft, did go off late last season after a very slow start. He caught just 11 passes for 116 yards in the first six games before he had his breakout. He was truly elite in his final four games, though — including two in the playoffs — when he had 28 catches for 378 yards and two touchdowns. Burden, meanwhile, put up only average numbers (47-652-2), but he also was only the target of 10.6% of Williams’ passes. Considering he caught 78.3% of the balls thrown his way, that target share surely will increase. “I’m telling you, Johnson is going to lean on those two,” the scout said. “Let the defenses target Rome. Those are the two guys that will kill you.”​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports