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Yes, we already knew who every team was playing in the 2026 NFL season. However, after Thursday’s schedule release, it’s now a bit easier to predict the year ahead in the NFL. With dates of all 272 regular-season matchups set, we can take a closer look at the ebb and flow of schedules for specific teams and hazard a guess as to what the potential outcomes might be. Last year, I predicted the demise of the Kansas City Chiefs, along with bounce-back seasons for the San Francisco 49ers and New England Patriots. But I also believed the ever-optimistic Pete Carroll would lead the Las Vegas Raiders to respectability in his first season and the Washington Commanders would reach the Super Bowl, so I’m not exactly puffing my chest out. So, here are five bold predictions for the upcoming season with the release of this year’s schedule. It’s finally Joe Burrow’s time to shine — again. The Cincinnati Bengals have the third-easiest schedule, based on the projected win totals of their opponents. However, the Bengals had one of the easiest schedules last year and still finished 6-11. Of course, Burrow could not stay out of the training room, playing in just eight games in 2025. Cincinnati traded for Joe Flacco to rescue the offense, but the defense couldn’t keep up, allowing at least 30 points in serve games. So, in the offseason, the Bengals finally went all in and spent major resources to fix an ailing defense, trading with the New York Giants for Pro Bowl defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence. They also signed defensive tackle Jonathan Allen and edge rusher Boye Mafe, along with safeties Bryan Cook, Kyle Dugger and Ja’Sir Taylor in free agency. The Bengals added defensive linemen Cashius Howell and Landon Robinson, along with cornerback Tacario Davis, in the draft. So, the defense should be much better than No. 31 in total defense, which is where the Bengals finished last season. Along with that, the Bengals’ three other AFC North rivals all have new head coaches (Mike McCarthy, Pittsburgh Steelers; Jesse Minter, Baltimore Ravens; Todd Monken, Cleveland Browns). In all, the Bengals play nine games against teams with head coaches leading them for the first time this season (the Miami Dolphins, Atlanta Falcons and Tennessee Titans are the others). Cincinnati has the advantage of most continuity in the division, including all 11 players returning for one of the most explosive offenses in the NFL and one of the top quarterbacks in the league when healthy in Burrow. If the LSU product can stay upright, it’s the Bengals best shot at reaching the Super Bowl since Burrow led them there after the 2021 season. If not, the Bengals have an experienced backup with a Super Bowl ring in Flacco. New Miami Dolphins general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and head coach Jeff Hafley are taking a long-term approach to building a winner in South Beach. That means there will be some bumps in the road with new quarterback Malik Willis leading them. Expect some struggles for Miami this season, going winless on the road amid a first-year rebuilding effort. That might not seem like a surprise when you consider that they have games at the New England Patriots, Buffalo Bills, Denver Broncos, San Francisco 49ers and Green Bay Packers on their slate. That slate is made even more difficult when you consider that Miami was 1-7 in games that were 45 degrees or colder at kickoff under head coach Mike McDaniel, and four of those aforementioned games take place in November or later. But the Dolphins also have road games at the Las Vegas Raiders, New York Jets and Indianapolis Colts, giving them opportunities to win games on the road. And while you might think there’s a team that goes winless on the road every season, that hasn’t been the case as of late. There’s only been one winless team on the road in the last four seasons. On top of that, the last time Miami went winless on the road was in 2007, when the Dolphins finished 1-15. That was Cam Cameron’s first and only season leading the Dolphins. (Miami hired Tony Sparano and he finished 11-5 the following year.) Miami moved on from a handful of the team’s best players this offseason in wide receiver Tyreek Hill, wide receiver Jaylen Waddle, defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick, edge rusher Bradley Chubb and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. Under first-year head coach Mike Vrabel, the Patriots rode the third-easiest schedule in the league last year to a magical Super Bowl run. Drake Maye emerged as an MVP-worthy candidate in his second season, and the Patriots returned to their mantle as one of the dominant teams in the NFL. However, New England played only three teams that reached the playoffs during the regular season, the fewest of any team in the league. The Patriots finished 1-2 against those teams during the regular season. Well, fast-forward to this season and Vrabel is now dealing with off-the-field distractions. The Patriots are also coming off a Super Bowl where they were dominated up front on both sides of the ball, losing in ugly fashion to the Seattle Seahawks. And after enjoying a schedule that allowed them to travel no further than New Orleans in 2025, the Patriots will travel the fifth-most miles this season (27,590). The inevitable addition of No. 1 receiver A.J. Brown should help an offense that lacks explosive plays and moved on from the team’s best receiver in Stefon Diggs this offseason. But the Patriots have the sixth-hardest schedule in the league. The Patriots face nine playoff teams from last season. Only the Seahawks (10) face more. The previous two Super Bowl losers failed to have a winning record the following season, with the 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs stumbling in each of the last two years. Expect the Patriots to follow a similar path. The New Orleans Saints return Louisville product Tyler Shough at quarterback in 2026 after the second-rounder showed promise as a rookie in 2025. Shough took over as the starter midseason and finished 5-4 as the team’s starter, so the Saints believe they have their franchise quarterback of the future. New Orleans certainly approached the offseason with that mindset as well. The Saints surrounded Shough with playmakers on offense, including first-round pick receiver Jordyn Tyson, an athletic tight end in the third round in Oscar Delp and underrated receiver Bryce Lane. The Saints also added running back Travis Etienne, veteran tight end Noah Fant and offensive lineman David Edwards in free agency. The Saints finished 7-10 last season and have the second-easiest schedule, based on opponents, based on the projected win totals of their opponents. New Orleans also plays in one of the easiest divisions in football in the NFC South. The Carolina Panthers won the division at 8-9 last season.  The Saints also face the fewest playoff teams this season at five. So, expect the Saints to reign supreme in the NFC South and win their first division title since Drew Brees was their quarterback. Yes, the Los Angeles Rams are the current betting favorite to win the Super Bowl. But Father Time is undefeated. Matthew Stafford is 38 years old and coming off a year when he played in all 17 games for the first time since 2021, winning the NFL’s MVP Award for the first time in his 17-year career. Can Stafford play at that level again and stay healthy? Stafford had a balky back that forced him to miss time during training camp in 2025. And oddly enough, Stafford-led teams finished below .500 in three of the four seasons after he started and won double-digit games. The only time that didn’t happen was this past season, when the Rams followed up a 10-7 record by going 12-5, reaching the NFC Championship Game and finishing four points short of reaching the Super Bowl. If Stafford does suffer an injury, the Rams no longer have an experienced backup in Jimmy Garoppolo. Instead, it’s surprise first-round pick Ty Simpson, who some scouts I spoke with around the league did not believe was a first-round pick. Los Angeles also has the fifth-hardest schedule, based on projected win totals, facing nine teams that made the playoffs in 2025. That includes two late-season matchups against the defending Super Bowl champion Seahawks, facing Seattle twice in the final three weeks. Teams with five of the six hardest projected schedules finished under their projected win totals last year. The Rams travel the second-most miles in the league this season (35,487), including a season opener against their NFC West rival in Australia against the San Francisco 49ers. That’s just the start of a five-game stretch that includes games at the Broncos and Eagles, plus a home game against the Bills.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

The truth of the NFL schedule is this: It’s not who you play, it’s when you play them. A team that looks tough on paper now might be a shell of itself when injuries hit in October. Maybe even sooner. That said, strength of schedule is at least a guide to the challenges each team will face. And it’s the last piece of the puzzle for ranking the teams from best to worst before training camp begins. So, now that the full 2026 schedule is out, here are my final Power Rankings of the offseason. Super Bowl odds: +40000 They have a real chance to start 0-13 against a brutal schedule before they get to their bye week. After that, they will have the chance to rack up some wins against the Jets, Saints and Raiders, but by that point they’ll have to ask themselves, “Why?” Super Bowl odds: +30000 If they tanked for the top pick, would anyone know? Their last six games, and nine of their last 11, are against teams projected to win nine or more games. After opening against the Raiders, the slate gets ugly fast. Super Bowl odds: +15000 It’s hard to find a soft spot in this schedule for the Raiders to put top pick Fernando Mendoza in. Maybe Week 8 against the Jets or Week 12 against the Browns, but those are the only weak games after September for a while. Super Bowl odds: +20000 The Jets’ schedule is relatively easy. They just have to survive Robert Saleh’s revenge quest in the opener and three straight games against the NFC North to get to the easier part that starts in Week 5. Super Bowl odds: +15000 They have the NFL’s easiest schedule based on last year’s record and travel fewer miles than all but one team. In theory, they have plenty of time to find their way — if they can find a quarterback. Super Bowl odds: +12000 After Robert Saleh (likely) exacts his revenge on the Jets in Week 1, things get at a lot tougher. On paper, the Titans’ schedule is easy. In reality, it’s a lot harder than it looks. Super Bowl odds: +8000 Once they get past Detroit and Baltimore in the opening weeks, they have a real chance to build on last year with one of the NFL’s easiest schedules based on expected wins. They also are set up for a strong finish with no games against 2025 playoff teams in the last four weeks. Super Bowl odds: +5000 Seven of their last nine games are against teams projected to win 9-11 games. Aaron Rodgers’ 42-year-old body should be aching pretty good by then. Super Bowl odds: +6500 Surviving their first eight games may not be possible. They only play three of those on the road, but they’re at Philly and Dallas to open the season and then off to San Francisco in Week 6. They also play the Seahawks and Rams. They don’t really have a break until they get to Arizona in Week 12. Super Bowl odds: +6500 The only real problem with their schedule is they open against the Ravens, Chiefs and Texans. That’s three tough tests for either a backup quarterback or a still-healing Daniel Jones. It gets a lot easier after that, though. Super Bowl odds: +5000 The first half of their schedule is easy compared to what awaits them in the second half. Their last nine games include trips to Chicago, Detroit and Baltimore and home games against the Chargers and Rams. Super Bowl odds: +2500 They have the third-toughest schedule when measured by expected wins for their opponent, and they travel more than all but three NFL teams (27,980 miles). Add in five prime-time games and they have an exhausting road. Super Bowl odds: +12000 Their road slate is easy, but their home schedule is ugly. Their first six home games are against the Panthers, Ravens, Bears, 49ers, Chiefs and Lions, and that doesn’t count the “home” game against the Bengals in Madrid. Wow. Super Bowl odds: +7000 The NFL teed up the first six games for John Harbaugh, with only a road trip to the Rams looking impossible. They better build up a nice cushion, though, because life gets tough after their Week 8 bye. Super Bowl odds: +8000 The good news is nobody travels fewer than the 8,740 miles the Panthers will travel this season. The bad news is they play the third-hardest schedule, based on projected wins, along the way. Super Bowl odds: +5000 If they can hang on in the division, they’re set up for a fantastic finish. Three of their last four games are at home. One is against the Commanders. And their only road trip in that stretch is to New York to play the Jets. Super Bowl odds: +1600 The opening will feel easy to them against the Cardinals and Raiders. But the next eight weeks are as ugly as it gets, starting with a four-game stretch that includes trips to Buffalo, Seattle and Kansas City, with a home game against the Broncos in between. Ouch. Super Bowl odds: +1800 They have the NFL’s easiest schedule based on projected wins, but the NFL found a way to make it difficult. They get to open the Bills’ new stadium in Week 2. Then three of their last four games are against division opponents on the road. Super Bowl odds: +1600 Their schedule is filled with soft spots, so they shouldn’t have an extended losing streak at any point. And down the stretch, most of their tough games (Bills, Texans and Lions) are at home. Super Bowl odds: +1700 Here’s a fun fact: The 49ers will set an NFL record this season by traveling more than 38,000 miles, including trips to Melbourne, Australia and Mexico City. They’ll cross 58 time zones. Surviving that might be impossible. Super Bowl odds: +1500 The good news is the schedule is backloaded, so they might survive the first five weeks if Patrick Mahomes is rusty. The bad news is it’s backloaded, so things won’t be easy when Mahomes might be back to form. Super Bowl odds: +2200 Joe Burrow is back. They strengthened their awful defense. And on top of that, they get one of the NFL’s easiest schedules. They play just two 2025 playoff teams over the last 14 weeks. Super Bowl odds: +1800 The good news for the NFL’s best defense is they don’t play a lot of offensive powerhouses on the road. Most of their toughest tests (Bengals, Cowboys, Bills) come at home, and early. Super Bowl odds: +2500 They drew the NFL’s toughest schedule, though it’s a touch easier if you base it on expected wins in 2026 instead of the 2025 record. They also have seven prime-time or stand-alone games, so the whole world will be watching. Super Bowl odds: +3000 They have one home game in the first six weeks (against the Patriots) and two international games. If they can survive that, though, they’ll have a pretty smooth ride the rest of the way. Super Bowl odds: +1600 They have basically the same brutal schedule as the Bills, only more home games toward the end. So why did they drop behind them? Because the Patriots aren’t used to a slate like that. And their coach has been a bit … um … distracted. Super Bowl odds: +1000 It’s bad enough that their schedule includes the AFC West and NFC North, but they have to play at New England, Green Bay and Denver in December. The bright side is they will be very battle-tested for the playoffs. Super Bowl odds: +950 I was told ranking them this high was controversial. Then I saw their schedule, and I’m not sure I’ve ranked them high enough. They won’t be tested until Week 7 at home against the Bengals. Super Bowl odds: +1600 Take out three games against NFC West teams and their schedule is soft as butter. Also, they get their two toughest games at home (Rams, Seahawks), and by the time they travel to San Francisco, the frequent-traveling 49ers should be exhausted. Super Bowl odds: +950 They have basically the same tough schedule as the Rams, only with about 12,000 fewer air miles. But honestly, the battle between these two NFC West rivals will be decided by what happens when they play those two games over the final three weeks. Super Bowl odds: +800 My colleague, Eric Williams, doesn’t share my rosy view of the Rams. I remain bullish, but I got squeamish when I looked at their schedule. They’ll travel 34,847 miles this season, which can’t be good for Matthew Stafford’s 38-year-old back. And facing the Seahawks twice in the final three games caps a brutal final two months. Super Bowl odds: +2000 Their first six games are just terrible. But assuming they survive that, there is a real soft middle of the schedule that could put them on a real run from Weeks 7 to 15. That should be enough for the class of the AFC, and a team that is motivated by the knowledge they should’ve been in the Super Bowl last year.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

The MLB weekend slate brings some intriguing regional rivalries, including the first Subway Series of the season. While the Yankees are hopping onto the 7 Train to face the Mets, the Cubs are taking the Red Line down to visit their Windy City counterparts, the White Sox. Meanwhile, the Dodgers will endure some freeway traffic to take on the Angels. Let’s take a look at some of the notable MLB teams in action this weekend: 1. The Yankees top the AL in HR, RBI and OPS. Cam Schlitter feels like a Cy Young candidate. What’s their weakness? Kavner: This looks like the team to beat in the American League, but the bullpen and the bottom of the lineup have some weak spots, and now there’s suddenly a lot more pressure on Gerrit Cole to return looking like himself after Max Fried left his start with elbow soreness. Opponents are hitting .260 against David Bednar, Fernando Cruz is missing a ton of bats but also walking too many hitters — a primary reason for his 1.44 WHIP — and Camilo Doval, Jake Bird and Paul Blackburn all have ERAs well over 4.00. They should be able to grab another leverage arm at the trade deadline. The other issue is what happens when a pitcher gets past the Ben Rice-Aaron Judge-Cody Bellinger portion of the lineup. While every team would like more offensive depth, the Yankees’ No. 6-9 hitters rank 25th in batting average, 22nd in on-base percentage and 19th in OPS. Those numbers are too low for a team with championship aspirations. They need to find a way to get Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Austin Wells going. 2. What’s a fix the Mets can make to at least climb up the NL East standings? Thosar: The Mets finally looked like they’re capable of making a run that fans will get behind after sweeping the Tigers at a re-energized Citi Field this week. Much of that energy came from the surprising promotion of top prospect A.J. Ewing, who hasn’t experienced a loss since coming up to the big leagues. The 21-year-old outfielder is enjoying a fast start, batting .333 with four walks, three RBI, three runs scored, one stolen base and four strikeouts in three red-hot games. His confidence while grinding out at-bats has been contagious. The front office making the desperate but necessary decision to promote Ewing was the first real fix this club needed to try and climb back up the NL East standings. Any and all conversations about the Mets resembling a playoff contender begin with their underperforming offense. Some of their bad outcomes are self-inflicted, like expecting center fielder Luis Robert Jr. and infielder Jorge Polanco to stay healthy. But others are downright perplexing, like third baseman Bo Bichette forgetting how to hit, and the young core in Brett Bay, Mark Vientos and Francisco Alvarez unable to find consistency in what is now their fifth season in the major leagues. Bichette went from boasting a 129 OPS+ last year to recording a 62 OPS+ in over 40 games this year. If Bichette can get back on track, Francisco Lindor can return from his calf injury soon, and the young Mets can do their part, the Mets can attempt to crawl out of their hole. 3. Speaking of the NL East, the Braves feel like they could run away with the division. What’s been behind Atlanta’s hot start? Thosar: The Braves have the best pitching staff in the National League, which is a supreme success given that the rotation looked out of commission before the season even began. First it was Spencer Schwellenbach who went down with injury. Then it was Hurston Waldrep, Joey Wentz, and eventually Spencer Strider. The Braves are running away with the division despite all of that, rocking the second-best rotation ERA (3.04) and third-best bullpen ERA (3.10) in MLB. Beyond the continued excellence from future walk-in Hall of Famer Chris Sale, nobody expected right-hander Bryce Elder to be this terrific. The Braves starter owns a 1.81 ERA and 1.01 WHIP, outperforming his 3.09 FIP and suggesting he’s run into some good luck. In reality, the pitching staff didn’t even need to be this dominant given how dangerous the offense has been. First baseman Matt Olson is leading the lineup’s ascendency with an NL-leading 184 OPS+ and 2.4 fWAR. The 32-year-old’s 14 home runs are tied for the fourth-most in the majors. Right behind him is catcher Drake Baldwin, who’s following up his 2025 NL Rookie of the Year award with a standout sophomore season. Baldwin’s 37 runs scored lead MLB, and his 155 OPS+ trails only the A’s Shea Langeliers’ 173 OPS+ among all big-league catchers. Those two bats in particular have helped Atlanta possess the best offense in baseball. The Braves lead MLB in average (.271), slugging (.252), OPS (.786), runs scored (237), and RBI (232). Their combination of high contact and elite power is menacing, and it all looks sustainable for this battle-tested team. 4. The White Sox are hanging tough in the AL Central. Should the South Siders be thinking about the postseason? Kavner: The fact that we’re talking about this at all a year after they won 60 games and two years after the worst season in modern baseball history is an incredible achievement in itself. The surprise signing of Munetaka Murakami has provided a real jolt — they’re 22-21 entering their three-game series against their Northside neighbors and would currently hold the second wild-card spot in the uninspiring American League — and their success to this point goes beyond the powerful and polarizing NPB sensation. The Miguel Vargas offensive breakout is finally upon us, Colson Montgomery now has 32 homers in 113 career games, and Davis Martin has a 1.62 ERA through eight starts. They’ve also gotten to this point without standout catcher Kyle Teel, who should be returning soon. If they find a way to sneak into the playoffs, that’s an unbelievable success. But they’re not going to mortgage their future to make it happen, and this isn’t a team built to make a deep run in 2026. This year is still about development for their intriguing young talents, and I can’t imagine the White Sox will sacrifice them for “win-now” moves. It will, however, be interesting to see what, if anything, they do with Murakami. If they’re unable or unwilling to extend him, they have to at least listen to offers from contenders while his value is this high. 5. Blake Snell’s return gives the Dodgers a boost, but are they facing some tough decisions? Kavner: They will, and really those roster decisions already began earlier this week when Mookie Betts was activated and they optioned Alex Freeland. On the pitching side, an even tougher call looms when Tyler Glasnow is ready to return, even with their six-man rotation. Most likely, one of Justin Wrobleski, Emmet Sheehan or Roki Sasaki will have to move to the bullpen, get optioned to Triple-A or be placed on the injured list. Based on performance thus far, the most obvious decision would be sending Sasaki either to the minors or back to the bullpen, but the Dodgers don’t sound inclined to do either. They’ve been adamant that they believe the best thing for his development is to have him continue making starts in the majors. He has performed better lately, but it’s hard to make a case that he’s more deserving of a rotation spot than Wrobleski, who had a 0.56 ERA through his first five starts, or Sheehan, who has a 3.38 ERA over his last five starts. Still, it seems most likely that the odd man out will be either Wrobleski, who proved last October that his stuff can play up in a relief role, or Sheehan, who has had trouble holding his velocity through starts. They’ll “kick the can down the road” on that decision, as they like to put it, as long as possible.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

The best Indianapolis 500 finish could be subjective, depending on which driver a fan was rooting for to win. It certainly is in the eye of the beholder. So take this list for what it’s worth. One view of the 10 best finishes in Indianapolis 500 history. Of course, it skews to more recent decades when the runs have come a little faster and the finishes have had a tendency to be a little closer. We’ll add one each day to this list of fantastic finishes ahead of the 110th running of the Indy 500 on May 24 (12:30 p.m. ET on FOX). 10. Ericsson outduels O’Ward (2022) After a red flag, Marcus Ericsson held off Pato O’Ward in a two-lap shootout. The shootout didn’t last two laps, though, as there was a crash on the final lap behind them. Ericsson had a comfortable lead when the red flag came out for a crash with four laps to go, a situation where in past Indianapolis 500 races, they likely would have ended the race under caution with Ericsson as the winner. 9. Foyt survives chaos (1967) How does a driver who wins by two laps end up on this list? It’s because the win nearly didn’t happen on the last lap. A big crash with cars and debris littering the frontstretch just ahead of Foyt as he came to the checkered flag forced him to navigate through the wreckage for the win. 8. Sato can’t catch Franchitti (2012) This was one of those finishes where the leader holds on for the win, but boy did the leader have to hold on. Takuma Sato tried to pass Dario Franchitti early on the final lap but to no avail and Franchitti sped off for the victory. This was one of those Indy 500s that made you hold your breath all the way to the checkered flag. 7. A 0.16-second winning margin (1982) Gordon Johncock held onto the lead as Rick Mears tried to duck to the inside as they crossed the start-finish line with one lap to go. And then he did it again coming to the checkered flag, winning by just 0.16 seconds. It was Johncock’s second Indy 500 win and certainly the most nail-biting — his first came in a rain-shortened race nine years earlier.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

The release of the NFL regular-season schedule can be exciting, but also a bit overwhelming. We finally found out when all 272 regular-season games in the 2026 NFL season will be played on Thursday night, causing us all to scroll around to find out when the biggest games will be played. But you can now take a deep breath, as we’re able to pinpoint the 10 best games set to be played in the regular season. This year’s 272-game slate should be a thrilling one, too. We’ve got a Super Bowl rematch to open the season, and plenty of matchups featuring fierce division rivals who should be contenders this season, including one on Christmas Day. So, as you can take your time scrolling through your favorite team’s schedule and optimistically check off wins, let’s take a closer look at the top 10 games to watch for the upcoming season. A big AFC West tilt between the Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Chargers offers a good opportunity to see how new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel creates a scheme that gets the most out of talented quarterback Justin Herbert. The Bolts face the Seattle Seahawks the previous week on the road, so hopefully they make it through that game unscathed and ready to host Denver. For the Broncos, it’s a tough early-season test to see whether quarterback Bo Nix is fully healthy after finishing the season with a fractured ankle. The defending AFC West champs, it’s another chance to show they are still kings of the division. The Detroit Lions look to rebound from a disappointing season after missing the playoffs last year. They have an easier schedule this season and face a New England Patriots squad that has a much more difficult schedule after reaching the Super Bowl in Mike Vrabel’s first year leading that team. The Patriots play in Germany for the second time in franchise history, while it’s the first time the Lions will play there. This game also pits two potential MVP candidates against each other in Drake Maye and Jared Goff. Kenneth Walker III said he knew the entire season last year that he would not return to Seattle in 2026. The Memphis native and Super Bowl MVP gets an opportunity to face his old team at Lumen Field on the road in Seattle. Walker should be adjusted to the Kansas City Chiefs’ offense by this point in the year and comfortably leading the running game. For Seattle, it’s an opportunity to show out in front of a national audience on “Sunday Night Football” as it seeks to become the second team to repeat as Super Bowl champs in the last two decades. Head coach Mike Madonald is leading one of the best defenses in the NFL again, going up against the best quarterback in the league in Patrick Mahomes. The San Francisco 49ers have owned this series of late, winning the last four games against the Dallas Cowboys. However, this game is on the road at AT&T Stadium and who knows how healthy San Francisco’s roster will be at this point in the season. The Cowboys look improved on defense, with first-round draft picks Caleb Downs and Malachi Lawrence. And with one of the most explosive offenses in the league led by Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens, the Cowboys should make things interesting in this matchup between two playoff hopefuls. The two teams expected to compete for the AFC North title meet for the first time here. Lamar Jackson and Joe Burrow remain two of the top quarterbacks in the NFL, but both have had trouble staying healthy for the duration of a marathon NFL season. This game also marks the first time talented edge rusher Trey Hendrickson plays against his old team, signing with the Baltimore Ravens in free agency after the team rescinded their trade for star edge rusher Maxx Crosby. Two of the best young quarterbacks match up in this NFC North division battle between two heated rivals in the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers. Bears head coach Ben Johnson has made it plain he does not care for the Packers and head coach Matt LaFleur, adding juice to this storied rivalry. All three games last season were decided by one score. The Packers won the game at Lambeau thanks to a game-sealing interception of Caleb Williams in the final seconds. Two weeks later, the Bears dramatically took down the Packers at Soldier Field after they tied the game in the final minute before Williams threw a game-winning touchdown pass in overtime. But the drama from the playoff matchup trumped them all, with Chicago coming back from an 18-point deficit to beat Green Bay. A Super Bowl rematch to start the season. The last time these two teams met, it wasn’t much of a contest as Seattle dominated from start to finish. However, the Seahawks lost Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III to Kansas City in free agency. Along with losing that key contributor on offense, the Seahawks must replace edge rusher Boye Mafe and defensive backs Coby Bryant and Riq Woolen, who also left in free agency. And with the anticipated arrival of A.J. Brown via trade and another year of development for Drake Maye, the Patriots could make things interesting. At this point in the season, we will know if Jalen Hurts can function at an elite level in new offensive coordinator Sean Mannion’s offense, and if the Philadelphia Eagles have enough playmakers on the perimeter with A.J. Brown potentially out of the picture. The Eagles have won back-to-back NFC East titles, but can they hold off an improved Cowboys squad looking to reclaim their title as the best team in the division? Prescott still owns a 10-5 record against Philadelphia, and both games came down to the wire last season, decided by a combined seven points. Two of the best quarterbacks on the planet face off again, making this game must-see TV. Josh Allen and Mahomes are 5-5 against each other in 10 meetings, although Mahomes holds a 4-0 record in the playoffs. Allen failed to take advantage of a rare opportunity to reach the Super Bowl with Mahomes, Burrow and Jackson not in the postseason last year. But with a new head coach in Joe Brady and a new No. 1 receiver in D.J. Moore, Allen must figure out a way to get back to the playoffs. And that run starts in this late-season matchup against another team fighting to get back into the postseason in the Chiefs. How much more do we need to say? In a rematch of the NFC Championship Game, these two teams face off in two of the final three weeks of the season. And if last season was any indication, we’re in store for some late-season dramatics. The Rams and Seahawks split the two regular-season contests, as the two games were decided by one score. But Seattle won the rubber match 31-27 in a hard-fought game to advance to the Super Bowl Both teams are favorites to reach the Super Bowl again this season, and if you look at most power rankings, the Rams and Seahawks occupy the top two spots, too. So, the expectation is another highly charged contest.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

In Driver’s Eye with James Hinchcliffe, the six-time INDYCAR winner will bring you inside the mind of a racer while breaking down the nuts and bolts of the sport for fans. The Indianapolis 500 is the biggest race in the world. More than 300,000 people show up on race day. Millions more watch on TV. The pre-race ceremonies last an hour and build up the anticipation for the start of The Greatest Spectacle in Racing. It’s unlike any other sporting event on the planet. But before you get the privilege of experiencing that moment on the starting grid of the Indy 500, you first must qualify for the race. The stakes, and the speeds, will never be higher. THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE FAST: INDY 500 QUALIFYING The Indy 500 is unique in many ways, but one of the most famous is the tradition of starting 11 rows of three cars. Thirty-three drivers in 33 cars take the green flag after the field is set in qualifying. And that qualifying session is, by far, the most intense, most terrifying but most rewarding thing an INDYCAR driver will do all season. Qualifying for the Indy 500 is done by posting your best average speed of a four-lap run around Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s iconic 2.5-mile oval. Speed is measured down to one-thousandth of a mile an hour, and sometimes that makes the difference. We’re talking about four laps, 10 miles, faster than 230 miles per hour, and every thousandth counts. The level of preparation for teams’ speedway cars for those four laps — and the Indy 500 itself — cannot be overstated. Countless hours are dedicated to special body work on the cars to reduce and eliminate every seam and every gap. Teams build special uprights to allow the wheels to turn freely and gearboxes with less internal friction to transfer more of the power from the engine to the rear wheels. These parts aren’t built to last. They are built to go as fast as possible for exactly four laps around IMS. When it comes time to make your qualifying run, it’s just you, the car and the track. You have the speedway all to yourself and the pressure is immense. There is no point in the year when the speeds will be higher than this moment. With faster speeds comes higher risk, and the driver needs to be willing to risk it all to come out on top. In my career, I ran the gambit of emotions during qualifying. I’ve started near the front, in the middle, on the last row. One year I didn’t qualify for the Indy 500, which was one of the hardest days of my career. On the other hand, I was lucky enough to start the famed race from the pole position back in 2016. Starting on pole for the Indy 500 is a big deal for these teams and drivers. Because of all the work that goes into building the cars, if you build the fastest one, every member of the team feels tremendous pride that their hard work paid off. For the drivers, it’s the fastest you go all year. Under colossal pressure, a slight misstep could end in the biggest wreck of your career. So to come out on top — to be the one who walked the line between victory and tragedy the finest — it’s something to be proud of. For sure, in a 500-mile race, starting up front is neither a guarantee of, nor a prerequisite for, success on race day. But it definitely helps your chances by keeping you up front and out of some of the potential trouble that could be brewing mid-field or further back. [VICTORS AND HOPEFULS: What Makes The Indy 500 So Hard To Win?] SOUND LIKE AN INDYCAR EXPERT: PRANK SEASON As big a deal as the Indy 500 is for every driver, when you are living at one race track for nearly an entire month — and I do mean living, as most drivers reside in motorhomes inside Indianapolis Motor Speedway during the Month of May — you can get a bit of cabin fever. And that can manifest itself in different ways, the most entertaining of which is pranks in the bus lot. It seems every year, somewhere in the middle of Week 2, drivers start looking for ways to decompress, and pulling a fast one on your friends and colleagues seems to be a popular method. And no one is safe. Making sure your motorhome is locked is key to survival in the bus lot. I made that mistake once and came home to a bus where all the toilet seats had been removed. Conor Daly once arrived back after a long night of sponsor dinners to find his bus packed to the brim of helium balloons that were too big to fit out of the door, so they had to be popped one by one. Only, they weren’t only filled with helium, and each “pop” resulted in a shower of glitter across the floor, which also was scattered with Solo cups filled with water. Another time, Marco Andretti awoke to find his two golf carts Saran-wrapped together. Romain Grosjean’s scooter magically found its way to the roof of the pagoda. And who can forget when Daly’s inflatable hot tub was filled with Orbeez and rendered useless?! As much as these pranks are a needed (and hilarious) release for drivers during a stressful month, it really highlights that while we are all fierce competitors on the track, there is a camaraderie between us. Drivers in this series know that we take big risks out on track and can have each other’s lives in our hands. We travel the country together week in and week out for half the year. It becomes like a big family. A traveling circus. It’s nice to see that people who drive 230 miles an hour, inches apart from one another, can still disconnect and cause a little chaos in the bus lot together. Oh, and just FYI, Daly brought the hot tub to the track again this year… [INDY 500: The Definitive Guide To Choosing Your Favorite INDYCAR Driver] 1 FOR THE ROAD INDYCAR recently implemented a rule change — one that most people agree is a good step for the series. It came off the back of the Indy Grand Prix — another reason drivers live at IMS all month — where a car was stopped on the frontstraight with a mechanical issue. But because the leaders were in the middle of a pit cycle, a local yellow was thrown to give everyone a chance to pit before a full-course caution was displayed, which would close the pit lane for service. Employing local cautions is a protocol we have used for years and was actually implemented at the behest of the teams and drivers. It could be advantageous, depending on where you are on track. Teams always advocate for consistency in these types of calls, and race control has done a great job of that recently. Teams and drivers also always advocate for driver safety. And unfortunately, those two things were at odds last weekend. By being consistent with the procedure, it arguably put a driver at risk. Race control was in a “damned if you do, damned if you don’t” scenario. As has always been the mentality of INDYCAR racing, driver safety is paramount and must come first and foremost. Given that, the decision about full-course cautions being thrown will no longer take pit cycles into account and will be solely dependent on the situation with the car or cars in question. It’s a good step for driver safety, and it has a knock-on effect of making strategy that much tougher to call for drivers running up front. The risk of staying out too late and a yellow affecting your race has gone up, and every time the strategy is harder to call, the fans at home benefit. MORE DRIVER’S EYE:​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

One of the final cuts from the United States roster for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, Mark McKenzie has been a consistent call-up for current U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino since the Argentine took over the sideline for the 2026 tournament co-hosts 19 months ago. Four years later, McKenzie — who plays at French club Toulouse — is expected to make the USA’s 26-player World Cup roster. He could even be in Pochettino’s starting lineup in Los Angeles when the Stars and Stripes kick off Group D against Paraguay on June 12, which could instantly turn the central defender from Bear, Delaware into a household name for the millions of fans watching at home. So who is Mark McKenzie? To find out, I sat down with the soft-spoken 27-year-old defender in March before the USA’s World Cup tune-ups against Belgium and Portugal. You were born in the Bronx and grew up in Delaware, but your father kept his job in Manhattan after you moved. How did he do it? I was five when we moved. He worked at the Hospital for Special Surgery. It’s a four-hour drive away, but for a number of years he commuted to New York almost every day. He’d leave at four in the morning and get home at nine at night, sleep for a few hours and do it again. He’d stay at my grandmother’s house in the city if it was a long night, but he tried to get home as much as possible, especially as my sister and I were getting into different sports. He always wanted to be present. Watching your dad do that, what message did that send? At a young age you don’t understand it exactly. But as I got older, I started to realize that he was doing it for the betterment of the family and not necessarily because he loved driving on the turnpike. He’s probably one of the biggest inspirations of my life. He’s an immigrant. He came from Jamaica with very little and earned everything he’s gotten. He instilled in me a lot of that same work ethic, that same understanding of what sacrifice looks like. I know things don’t happen overnight all the time, and that small progressions are very important. Ultimately, those pay dividends. You mentioned different sports. What other sports did you play growing up? Pretty much everything. Basketball. Flag football, because my mom wouldn’t let me play full contact. Swimming. A little bit of tennis. I even did tap dancing. My mom wanted a dancer — thankfully my sister fulfilled that for her. I’m just competitive. I had that from a young age, hated losing video games. I would cry if I lost playing Monopoly with the fam. When did you have to focus on soccer exclusively? Once I hit eighth grade, the Philadelphia Union academy was starting to come into the picture. But with school, I wasn’t able to make the commute back from Delaware every day. But once I got to high school, I made the decision to commit to soccer. Also, I didn’t feel like I was tall enough for basketball then. I grew a bit more in the years to come, but obviously it’s worked out pretty well. Were you always a defender? No, I was a midfielder until I was about 10 or 11, and then moved up to forward. Then I got to the Union’s pre-academy, and they saw that I didn’t have the same sense of arrogance sometimes that forwards have or the same selfishness to score. So they were like, maybe you should be a center back. I’m guessing that was tough to hear. Absolutely. You go from being the guy who’s getting goals and making plays to the guy trying to stop that happening. You’re facing attackers who want to embarrass you any moment they can. It was an adjustment. My dad was like, “You can throw a hissy fit if you want, but you’re getting an opportunity. If it’s at center back, be the best center back possible.” Central defenders are so skilled with the ball nowadays. Did being an attacker as a teenager help? Yes, and not just with my feet: Also in understanding how attackers move, their habits, the spaces they want to get to, the timing of their runs — stuff like that. Are you a sports fan? Any soccer clubs that you follow? As a kid, I would get up in the morning on the weekends and watch Premier League games. Arsenal’s been my favorite Premier League team since. I loved Thierry Henry and his style, so getting to meet him was really special. When did you meet Thierry Henry? When he was coaching Montreal in 2020, my last season with the Union. I also met him unofficially at a New York Red Bulls game back when I was 12. Got a chance to get a shirt signed by him. It was special. What about NFL or NBA teams? I’m a big LeBron James fan. I’ve always admired LeBron, the way he plays and carries himself.  I liked the Miami Heat back when he was there with Dwyane Wade. In terms of American football, unfortunately, I’m a Giants fan. Beating Tom Brady in the Super Bowl twice is the one thing we can live on. Your father loves soccer. Is that how you were introduced to it? I remember kicking the ball around with my dad on the streets of New York before we moved. He was my first coach, with my local YMCA team. That’s really how I really started to love it. Do you still have family in Jamaica? Have you been there? When I was younger, before soccer started to pick up, we went back a few times during the summers. And over the last probably five to seven years, we’ve been able to go and spend time with my cousins. I also played against Jamaica in the Nations League game we won in Kingston at the end of 2024, one of Mauricio’s first games. What’s your mom like? She’s the rock of our family, somebody who I draw a lot of strength from. Her name is Lynette. She’s a Black woman who’s earned everything, like my dad has. She’s also a breast cancer survivor. With my dad not around during the day, she’d go to work early, then after, take me to training or a youth clinic or camp while also managing my sister’s dance schedule. My parents are the reason I’m here today. Your sister is four years younger? Yeah. Madison is a dancer who has worked with some of the best choreographers out there. She’s chipping away at it day by day. I’m proud of her. You left MLS in 2021 and signed for Belgian team Genk in 2021. What was that like? Very different. I was coming off the best season of my life, and I’d always dreamed of taking that next step. Belgium was a great landing spot. I was able to experience Europe but also get minutes. My teammates were from all over the world, guys with international experience or who’d played in the Champions League. I think that was important. Who are you closest to on this U.S. team? Chris Richards and Tim Weah. Tim and I met at [age] 10 at this regional training program for players from New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Delaware. We just enjoyed being around each other. Plus, his mom is Jamaican. So we share that as well. Did you know Tim was the son of Ballon d’Dor winner George Weah? Not then. When I met his dad I still didn’t know who he was. Now, I call him Uncle George. His mom is Auntie. It’s amazing to flash forward to where we are today. You’re a big music guy, right? I love music, but my taste has changed. I’m a man of God. And a lot of music, unfortunately, has some negative takes to it. Gospel music keeps me in the right headspace. There’s some Christian rappers who I enjoy listening to. I also became a dad recently, so lots of baby music. Your son Micah was born just after you’d spent 40 days away at the 2025 Gold Cup. How did your wife feel about that? Carley understands that my job is not normal. She’s used to it. We’ve been together for seven years, and she knows that this career is not forever. It’s all about being the best player possible and experiencing football’s highest levels. Her support is essential to my success. She allows me to be great. How has fatherhood changed you? It’s the most beautiful experience. I see life and my career differently. The best way I can explain it is, my son doesn’t care what I do. He doesn’t care if I win the World Cup or Champions League. He only cares about the fact that I’m his dad. He loves me for me and there’s nothing like that. To see him smile and laugh and grow and change each day adds a level of importance to being present. That’s what I’ve tried to focus on. You didn’t play much at that Gold Cup. Some players who make the World Cup roster might not see the field at all this summer. How can they still help the team? It’s tough as a competitor. I want to play. But with the national team it’s about the collective. You’re representing more than just yourself. My role was to demand more of not only myself in training, but the guys around me. I was also preparing myself in case I had to step in. We need 26 players pushing in the same direction. When you have even one kink in that line, it’s difficult to be successful.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

The NFL’s content teams put on a show for the 2026 schedule release Thursday night, flexing their creative muscles in what’s become known as the social media Super Bowl. But which franchise had the best schedule release video this year? Here’s my top 10, in descending order: The Browns nailed the “Street Fighter” theme, bringing out Ohio native and internet personality MatPat to introduce the “video game.” The arcade vibe and retro sound effects and graphics take older Millennials back to their childhood. The Giants featured the always-entertaining Jameis Winston in their schedule release video, having the QB and offensive lineman Jermaine Eluemunor hang outside the Vessel in New York’s Hudson Yards. That’s where “Winston Van Gogh” played Pictionary with fans — if the fans named the team that Winston was referring to with his drawing within 15 seconds, they won Giants tickets. Winston sported a beret, giving him an artsy aesthetic, fitting for the occasion. With an art craft blend theme, the Jets had the most visually mesmerizing schedule release video this year. The sped-up blend of colors — leading into each opponent — was satisfying. No words were spoken, but nothing felt missing. The Raiders doing a “Step Brothers” parody starring quarterbacks Fernando Mendoza and Kirk Cousins was simply perfect. The bit included everything from the opening scene of them eyeing each other down, to Cousins showing the No. 1 overall pick how things are done around the facility. The Falcons’ content team told me earlier this week that their new football regime of head coach Kevin Stefanski, president of football Matt Ryan and general manager Ian Cunningham would be involved in their schedule release video. As it turned out, they played a significant role. Atlanta hit a nostalgic vein by incorporating the old “SportsCenter” commercial theme as well. The reference to the Drake-Kendrick Lamar rap beef and cameo by Atlanta music legend Jermaine Dupri was a nice touch, too. The Cowboys brought out the “Tylers” on their offensive line — Tyler Booker, Tyler Smith and Tyler Guyton — to headline the “TIA” (Tyler Intelligence Agency), which has secret agents (most of them named Tyler) on each of Dallas’ opponents in 2026. The incredibly detailed video, which includes a cameo from quarterback Dak Prescott, features strong digs at the Packers, Rams and Eagles (of course). The Bears put a modern spin on the late Bob Ross’ “The Joy of Painting” television series, with wide receiver Rome Odunze — dressed like Ross — guiding viewers through an oil painting interpretation of each of Chicago’s 2026 opponents. The best part was undoubtedly the dig at the rival Packers. Odunze pulled out a cheese grater to use on the edge of the canvas, then looked at the camera and said: “Isn’t that satisfying?” Maybe one day the Titans’ man of the street approach, which the team has used a couple of times, will get old. But not this year. Tennessee’s social team managed to find look-a-likes of key figures of their 2026 opponents on Broadway Street and other parts of downtown Nashville. The best one may have been a Myles Garrett jersey-wearing Browns fan who hilariously looked nothing like the reigning AP Defensive Player of the Year. The Colts crushed their “Simpsons”-themed video, which was jam-packed with small jokes, including the mess that was their 2025 schedule release and season at-large. This year’s video hilariously references how Indianapolis hasn’t won in Jacksonville in more than a decade with the viral scene of Homer Simpson hiding in the bushes. The Chargers have done it once again. Widely considered to be the gold standard on schedule release day, L.A.’s content team created a “Halo”-themed video loaded with excellent digs into their 2026 opponents. Some of the best include a nod to Cam Newton’s viral take on Bills receiver Keon Coleman and Texans QB C.J. Stroud giving Bears QB Caleb Williams advice after their primetime showdown in 2024.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

The New England Patriots finished in last place in the AFC East in 2023 and ‘24, winning just four games each season. But they engineered a dramatic turnaround in 2025, exploding for 14 wins in the regular season to secure their first division title since 2019. New England’s rags-to-riches storyline was one of the biggest of the season, but it was hardly unprecedented. In fact, the NFL has a rich history of teams rising from the ashes in a single year. The 2025 Patriots, who went on to reach the Super Bowl, were the 26th NFL team since 2002 to go from worst to first in a single season. Who will be the 2026 version of the Patriots? Which team has the best chance to go from last to first in its division — and potentially make a deep postseason run? In descending order, I rank the fourth-place finishers from last season by the likelihood they will win their division in 2026: Not only do the Cardinals still have major roster issues — they don’t have a clear QB1 — but they also happen to play in the toughest division in football. The Seattle Seahawks won the Super Bowl last season. The Los Angeles Rams, who had the league’s best offense in 2025, reached the NFC Championship Game (where they lost to Seattle). The San Francisco Niners have won at least 12 games in three of the past four seasons. Arizona has some exciting offensive skill players to build around, including running back Jeremiyah Love, the No. 3 overall pick in the draft. The team took a flier on Miami QB Carson Beck in the third round. New head coach Mike LaFleur, the former Rams offensive coordinator, brings hope of an optimistic future. But the Cardinals’ chances of competing for the NFC West crown in 2026 are unrealistic. On paper, the Jets have had a strong offseason. They upgraded at quarterback with Geno Smith. WR1 Garrett Wilson has pass-catching help in first-round tight end Kenyon Sadiq and second-round receiver Omar Cooper Jr. No. 2 overall pick David Bailey provides pass-rush juice on the edge. The floor of the secondary has been raised with the additions of five-time All-Pro safety Minkah Fitzpatrick and second-round pick D’Angelo Ponds as well. But challenging for the AFC East title is a huge reach. The Bills still have Josh Allen. Mike Vrabel’s off-the-field issues could be a distraction for the Patriots, but New England still has one of the best teams in the NFL. The Jets have a great chance of climbing out of the cellar in this division, though, if for no other reason than the Dolphins look like the least competitive team in the AFC East. Brighter days could be ahead in Las Vegas. The Raiders have the present and future secured at the quarterback position in Kirk Cousins and No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza. Their revamped defense still has five-time Pro Bowl edge Maxx Crosby in the fold, as his trade to Baltimore was nixed. So Vegas should be more competitive in 2026. But the AFC West features three playoff-caliber teams, including the Denver Broncos — who were a win away from the Super Bowl last season — and a Kansas City Chiefs team that’s getting Patrick Mahomes back. The Raiders making noise in this division would be a surprise. With star quarterbacks Lamar Jackson and Joe Burrow healthy for the Ravens and Bengals, respectively, the Browns’ chances of competing for the AFC North title are unlikely. But if Cleveland can get competent play from the quarterback position — Deshaun Watson has emerged as the favorite to start over Shedeur Sanders — this becomes a team to watch. The wide receiver and offensive line rooms have been revamped. Plus, the Browns still boast one of the best defenses in football. The Titans have plenty of reasons to be optimistic. The top of the AFC South is somewhat fragile. For the Jacksonville Jaguars, a first-place schedule and losing key starters like linebacker Devin Lloyd and running back Travis Etienne Jr. in free agency could set the team back in Year 2 under Liam Coen. The Houston Texans, meanwhile, still have questions on offense, despite having arguably the NFL’s best defense. With new coach Robert Saleh, Tennessee has raised its floor substantially. Its defense has a chance to be good, particularly on the defensive line. The cast of pass-catchers around QB Cam Ward is respectable. If Ward makes a big Year 2 jump, the Titans become a wild card. It’s a new age in New York with John Harbaugh. The Super Bowl-winning coach has inherited a talented roster that’s added two top-10 picks (LB Arvell Reese, OL Francis Mauigoa). Harbaugh has also brought in two former Ravens — All-Pro fullback Patrick Ricard, tight end Isaiah Likely— who figure to be pivotal in setting a new culture. The Philadelphia Eagles are a candidate to step back in 2026. For the Dallas Cowboys, their defense is a bit of a wild card. The Washington Commanders are trying to rediscover their 2024 magic. With one of the NFL’s best coaches, the Giants could be in the mix for the NFC East crown — as long as QB Jaxson Dart makes a second-year jump. No division is more wide open than the NFC South, which had three eight-win teams in 2025. If quarterback Tyler Shough takes a step in Year 2, the possibilities open up for New Orleans. No. 8 overall pick Jordyn Tyson is expected to be a top-end wide receiver alongside star Chris Olave, and free-agent acquisition Travis Etienne Jr. is one of the better running backs in the NFL. The Lions are too talented to finish in last place in the NFC North again. Sure, they weren’t even bad in 2025 — they were above .500 with nine wins — but with a fourth-place schedule, it feels inevitable that Dan Campbell & Co. will get back into NFC contention with a double-digit win season. The Chicago Bears, who won the division last year, could cool off a bit with a first-place schedule. The Green Bay Packers face uncertainty regarding the health of edge Micah Parsons (ACL tear in December) and tight end Tucker Kraft (ACL tear in November) and the void created by receiver Romeo Doubs’ departure in free agency. The Minnesota Vikings aren’t even sure who their starting quarterback will be. Watch out for the Lions.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Each year, the release of the NFL schedule brings hope to all 32 fan bases, as everyone charts out how their favorite team can make the playoffs. Well, now it’s time for us to determine whether those hopes are valid. As the NFL released its full regular-season schedule on Thursday, we’re predicting the records for all 32 teams. The Los Angeles Rams remain the favorite to win the Super Bowl following Thursday’s schedule release, but are we sure they’re destined to make another run with Matthew Stafford in 2026? Will the Seattle Seahawks have a strong enough regular season to show they’re a true threat to repeat as Super Bowl champions? We’re planting our flags on the answers to those questions and how every team will perform in the 2026 regular season. AFC East Record prediction: 11-6 Ralph Vacchiano: The Buffalo Bills still have Josh Allen, have improved their defense and probably have a stronger overall team. But the schedule is sneaky dangerous for Joe Brady’s first season as head coach. They already have the eighth-toughest schedule based on last year’s records, but even that’s deceiving because the slate is filled with teams that underachieved in 2025 — like the Kansas City Chiefs, Detroit Lions and Baltimore Ravens (whom the Bills face at home). Add in road trips to Green Bay, Denver and Los Angeles to face the Rams, and there won’t be many breaks. It’s a good thing for them that half the AFC East remains terrible. Record prediction: 5-12 Greg Auman: This is actually an optimistic projection, taking the Dolphins to clear their extremely low over-under of 4.5 wins after going 7-10 last season. The Miami Dolphins have done a full rebrand – new coach, new general manager, new quarterback – and that’s not likely to all take shape in the first year. Looking for easy wins, they have the New York Jets twice and the Las Vegas Raiders. They’ll be an underdog everywhere else, so five wins means Malik Willis holds up well in his first full season as an NFL starter, and Miami’s defense overcomes a young and underwhelming front seven. The reasonable Year 1 challenge for Jeff Hafley’s team is to stay ahead of the Jets and set things up to be competitive in 2027, when they have $145 million in 2027 cap space (only the Jets and Arizona Cardinals have more), so you want to be seen as a franchise on the rise that doesn’t have to overpay to import free-agent talent. Record prediction: 10-7 Henry McKenna: It’s like night and day when looking at the New England Patriots’ home schedule and their schedule on the road. They’ll face five playoff teams on the road, including the Seattle Seahawks (and not including the Detroit Lions and Kansas City Chiefs, who seem primed for comeback years). It’s actually rare for a Super Bowl loser to miss the playoffs altogether, and I don’t think that’ll happen here — not as the Patriots continued to invest in their weakness on offense and built even more depth to their defense. For now, the Patriots must be pleased to have added wide receiver Romeo Doubs and rookie offensive tackle Caleb Lomu. The biggest prize, however, is sure to be A.J. Brown, expected to join New England in a trade later this offseason. Still, the Patriots won’t match their 14-win season last year. Record prediction: 6-11 McKenna: The New York Jets will definitely want to draft a quarterback in 2027. But head coach Aaron Glenn needs to post results this year in the win column. And that’ll take priority, particularly given the Jets have multiple first-rounders, so they can package picks to move up — if they do win more games than expected. Their offense looks young and loaded, with the exception of veteran quarterback Geno Smith. Their defense is totally rebuilt in Glenn’s image. The Jets have a lot of potential easy wins, from the Miami Dolphins (2x), Las Vegas Raiders, Tennessee Titans and Arizona Cardinals. And I think they can steal a game or two away from more impressive teams. AFC North Record prediction: 12-5 Vacchiano: It’s been 28 years since the Baltimore Ravens suffered back-to-back losing seasons, and don’t expect it to happen now that Jesse Minter has taken over for John Harbaugh. With a healthy Lamar Jackson, they are still the class of the AFC North. And they have a great chance to pad their record with games against teams from two of the NFL’s weakest divisions (the NFC South and AFC South). More than half their games are against teams that missed the playoffs last year, and maybe only one — a road trip to Buffalo — is against an obvious Super Bowl contender. If they can avoid the slow start that’s doomed them the last two seasons, this team has a shot to build a lot of momentum and hit the postseason on a roll. Record prediction: 11-6 Ben Arthur: With a healthy Joe Burrow, the Cincinnati Bengals win at least nine games. Their offense is that good in a vacuum. But as we know, what’s held Cincinnati out of the playoffs the last couple of seasons, has been its defense, which ranked 31st in yards allowed and 30th in points given up in 2025. To the Bengals’ credit, they’ve been aggressively building up that side of the ball this offseason. They’ve remade their defensive line with Dexter Lawrence II, Boye Mafe and Jonathan Allen. They added a reliable veteran in Bryan Cook at safety. I don’t think the moves Cincinnati has made are enough to get it back into the AFC’s upper echelon, but the team should be back in the postseason mix. Record prediction: 6-11 Vacchiano: The Cleveland Browns revamped their offensive line, added some young receivers and even strengthened their top-tier defense. But new coach Todd Monken still has the same old problem at quarterback. The only good news is that he might have some space to figure that out against what, based on last season’s records, is the easiest schedule in the league. They face only five games against 2025 playoff teams. Four of their road games are against teams that drafted in the top eight. They only play four teams all season that had a winning record last year. If, by some miracle, they can find a competent quarterback, this could be a real bounce-back season for the Browns. Just don’t hold your breath waiting for that miracle to happen, even against a slate this soft. Record prediction: 8-9 Vacchiano: So much of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ season is riding on the old shoulders of Aaron Rodgers — whether he plays again, or whether he can defy his age for one more season. Whoever their quarterback is will immediately have a tougher challenge if Lamar Jackson and Joe Burrow can stay healthy, making the AFC North games much more of a minefield. The Steelers also have to go on the road to New England and Philadelphia, and even their trip to Jacksonville won’t be easy. Playing the NFC South and AFC South gives them plenty of soft spots in the schedule. But finishing first last season gave them their division’s toughest schedule. Given their fragile state, stuck between contending and rebuilding, that’s not much of a prize. AFC South Record prediction: 11-6 Auman: The Houston Texans opened 2-4 last year and then won 10 of 11 behind the best defense in the NFL. Can an overhauled offensive line help them find a top-10 offense to match? The AFC South should be a two-horse race with the Jacksonville Jaguars, but Houston’s second-place schedule might actually be tougher than Jacksonville’s, facing the Buffalo Bills, Green Bay Packers and Los Angeles Chargers, all projected to win more games than their division’s defending champs. Can C.J. Stroud get back to the promise of his rookie year? Adding running back David Montgomery should give the offense more balance after an ineffective run game in 2025 that ranked 29th in yards per carry. Getting Stroud up to 25-plus touchdown passes might be the difference between good and great, with the Texans likely on the road in the AFC divisional round again in 2026. Record prediction: 5-12 Arthur: The Indianapolis Colts’ gamble on Daniel Jones is risky — coming off an Achilles tear in December, there’s no telling how quickly he can get back to the level he was playing at in the beginning of the 2025 season, if at all. Sure, Jonathan Taylor is still around to carry a big load, but the pass game also has a big void with Michael Pittman Jr. out of the picture. And it’s difficult to have confidence in the defense, either. The Colts still have a hole at edge rusher opposite Laiatu Latu. Linebacker Zaire Franklin is gone (traded to the Green Bay Packers), and reliable nickelback Kenny Moore could be joining him, too. Colts owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon was confident in running it back with coach Shane Steichen and general manager Chris Ballard in 2026, but there are too many unknown variables. Record prediction: 10-7 Auman: Everyone expects the Jacksonville Jaguars to take a step back after a wildly successful 13-4 debut season under Liam Coen. Can the defense come close to 31 takeaways this year? Can Trevor Lawrence match (or exceed) a career-best 29 touchdown passes? Jacksonville let two of its top young stars leave in free agency in running back Travis Etienne and linebacker Devin Lloyd, so will they be missed? Is Travis Hunter the playmaker they drafted him to be, or a non-factor again? With a quiet free agency, no first-round pick and a few reaches in the draft, you can argue they lost more talent than they added in the offseason. But the Jaguars had six wins of 14-plus points in the final eight weeks of the regular season; no other team had more than three in that span. If that’s who the 2026 Jaguars are, they’ll win much more than 10 games. Record prediction: 6-11 Arthur: Arguably the NFL’s most talent-deficient team the last two seasons, the Tennessee Titans have raised their floor substantially in the span of a few months. Their defense should be more than competent, particularly on the defensive line. Cam Ward now has a respectable receiver room around him, highlighted by No. 4 overall pick Carnell Tate. That should lead to at least a couple more wins in 2026. Having a last-place schedule (again) will help. But how much of a step does Ward take in Year 2? That’s the big question. The Titans’ future hinges on it. Ward’s showing against some of the NFL’s best defenses as a rookie is reason for optimism. AFC West Record prediction: 11-6 McKenna: It’s a tough draw, adding the superpowered NFC West onto a schedule that doubles up on the outstanding AFC West. If not for that tough schedule, I would’ve increased the Denver Broncos’ win totals significantly. That’s why I envision this season being a bit of a slog for Denver. The addition of wide receiver Jaylen Waddle is thrilling, and he should be a truly sensational option across from Courtland Sutton. The defense might not perform at the same level as last year — just because there tends to be variance from year to year with defenses — but this team should still be really excellent. They were, after all, a Super Bowl favorite, if not for Bo Nix’s injury. If their quarterback stays healthy, this team will again make a deep playoff run. Record prediction: 8-9 McKenna: Out of an abundance of caution, the Kansas City Chiefs probably won’t start quarterback Patrick Mahomes in Week 1. He might be ready ahead of schedule. But the risks are too significant, whether that’s the quarterback suffering another injury, or simply that he doesn’t quite look the same right away. Justin Fields will be in the building to buy Mahomes some time. And while Fields doesn’t strike fear into opponents, coach Andy Reid will find the best ways to use the toolsy, dual-threat quarterback. But this is a team that’s firmly on the fringe of the playoffs, between Mahomes’ injury and the general uncertainty about personnel on offense. Do they have the right wide receiver? Do they have the right tackles? Can Travis Kelce do much more than rotational play? That’s a lot of questions. And with his ACL recovery, Mahomes will have fewer answers than normal. Record prediction: 4-13 Eric D. Williams: In his first year as a head coach, Klint Kubiak’s primary job is to make sure there are no hiccups in No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza’s development. That’s why the Las Vegas  Raiders signed Kirk Cousins, so they don’t have to rush the Indiana product onto the field if he’s not ready. Raiders general manager John Spytek did a nice job of improving the roster through the draft and free agency with signings like center Tyler Linderbaum, and defensive draft picks in safety Treydan Stukes and cornerback Jermod McCoy. The Raiders also benefited from the Ravens rescinding a trade for Maxx Crosby, getting the team’s best player back on the roster. But there will be an uphill climb for Las Vegas to escape the bottom of the AFC West. Record prediction: 10-7 Williams: Securing the services of offensive innovator Mike McDaniel was one of the biggest signings in the league this offseason. McDaniel will design an offense that gets the most out of talented signal caller Justin Herbert, while also doing a better job of keeping him clean. The Los Angeles Chargers will miss departed defensive coordinator Jesse Minter, now the head coach in Baltimore. The Bolts could have used another playmaker on offense and another pass rusher on defense, but head coach Jim Harbaugh will have his team buttoned up and in position to make the playoffs. One-and-done in their first two postseasons together, Herbert and Harbaugh must figure out how to make it happen once they get there. NFC East Record prediction: 6-11 Arthur: An elite offense got the Dallas Cowboys seven wins last season. So, with the same offense and an improved defense entering 2026, getting above .500 should be more than doable. It helps that the NFC East isn’t as threatening as it was a year ago at this time. But their non-division schedule is brutal. The Cowboys have the Jacksonville Jaguars, Baltimore Ravens, San Francisco 49ers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers at home. Away, they’ll see the Green Bay Packers, Houston Texans, Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams. Apart from the Texans, all those teams have offenses that are good to great, ones that should pose big challenges for a first-time defensive coordinator in Christian Parker. The Cowboys’ offense won’t have an easy going, either. Expectations are high in Dallas, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see it take a step back. Record prediction: 7-10 Vacchiano: The New York Giants are expecting big things in the first year of the John Harbaugh era and their second year with Jaxson Dart, especially after enduring one of the NFL’s toughest schedules last season. They’re more in the middle of the pack this year, but the NFC East could be much tougher to navigate. They also play seven 2025 playoff teams, and they have to go on the road to face the defending Super Bowl champs (Seattle Seahawks), plus tough trips to Houston, Philly, Detroit and Los Angeles (the Rams). They do have a chance to build up some equity at home, where they face the Tennessee Titans, Cleveland Browns, Arizona Cardinals and New Orleans Saints, so that will help. But the rough road could put a cap on any overall improvements that they make. Record prediction: 12-5 Vacchiano: The Philadelphia Eagles are as loaded as ever, and if they can just get some consistency up front and a little better play out of their offense, they’ve got a chance to be a Super Bowl contender. They sure will have to run the gauntlet of contenders to get there, though. They’ve got home games against the Los Angeles Rams, Houston Texans and the defending champion Seattle Seahawks, plus road trips to San Francisco, Chicago and Jacksonville. The NFC East is better too, but the Eagles are still the class of that division, by far. And they can fatten up their record on AFC South teams, too. But they will be tested constantly this season against some of the NFL’s elite. If nothing else, it’ll be very clear where they stand heading into the playoffs. Record prediction: 6-11 Vacchiano: The Washington Commanders are counting on the healthy return of Jayden Daniels to vault them into contention, but even that could be tough unless the complete rebuild of their league-worst defense actually works. They’ll find out because they face six of the top 11 offensive teams from last season, plus two more teams (Philadelphia Eagles, Cincinnati Bengals) that could be in the top 10 this year. In fact, outside of road trips to Arizona and Tennessee, they don’t face anyone who doesn’t have a legit shot at the playoffs in 2026. Daniels’ return will surely give them a boost, but they are plugging in so many new pieces, including two new coordinators, that they might need time to figure it all out. But this schedule really doesn’t give them any breaks. NFC North Record prediction: 11-6 McKenna: The Chicago Bears have something special in Ben Johnson and Caleb Williams. And 11 wins is actually quite generous, given their schedule, the toughest in the NFL (in terms of opponents’ combined winning percentage in 2025). Williams and Johnson have continued to develop the level of trust that’s instrumental for long-term success in the NFL. Even with the Bears winning a lot of close victories (and even with those sorts of teams tending toward regression), I believe in what Johnson is building. I believe in the ways the coach is developing Williams. And I see a clear path from general manager Ryan Poles in building up the offense last year (still reaching maturity) before addressing the defense in a big way this year. Defensive coordinator Dennis Allen has way more tools to improve that unit. This Bears team will be more consistent — and, in turn, better. Record prediction: 10-7 Arthur: On paper, the Detroit Lions’ offense is worse off. Standout RB2 David Montgomery is out of the picture. There are shuffling parts on an O- line that struggled in 2025. But with a fourth-place schedule, Detroit is poised to have a bounce-back year. Of the Lions’ 11 non-division games, just three are against teams that made the playoffs last year — New England Patriots, Buffalo Bills and Carolina Panthers. Their road slate includes favorable matchups: Atlanta Falcons, Miami Dolphins and Arizona Cardinals. The Lions clearly have a path to double-digit victories. It remains to be seen, though, if they can get back into the NFC’s elite with all the personnel changes. Record prediction: 10-7 Arthur: The Green Bay Packers’ path to being one of the NFC’s top contenders is filled with “ifs.” If Micah Parsons is healthy. If Tucker Kraft is healthy. If 2025 first-round pick Matthew Golden steps up at receiver, filling the void left by Romeo Doubs’ departure. Throw in the fact that they have a second-place schedule, too. But Green Bay is somewhat fortunate with its game slate. Outside the division, games against the Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers and Miami Dolphins should be wins at home. On the road, the Packers have the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium, which doesn’t provide the best home-field advantage. This should be a double-digit win season for Green Bay. Record prediction: 7-10 McKenna: The discount for Kyler Murray was incredible. The quarterback-value contract did not, however, embolden the Minnesota Vikings to go out and fix their many problems. In fact, they shipped off edge Jonathan Greenard, one of their best players, in a trade. And without much of a free agency class (due to cap constraints), the Vikings will have to rely upon their rookie defensive linemen Caleb Banks and Domonique Orange to contribute right away. Given Banks’ injury history (a 300-pound man with foot issues), I have concerns. Last year was the year when they were supposed to contend. Because that flopped, this might have to be their get-right year. NFC South Record prediction: 8-9 Auman: Adding Kevin Stefanski as head coach should be good for an Atlanta Falcons offense that ranked 24th in scoring last year, but they didn’t sign a free agent making more than $5 million a year (and that was tackle Jawaan Taylor), and they lost four free agents making at least that much. They didn’t have a first-round pick due to trading up for edge rusher James Pearce Jr. last year, so there isn’t much of an influx of talent. Do they want Tua Tagovailoa or Michael Penix to be the starting quarterback? Or neither and draft another in 2027? Atlanta lost seven of eight games in the middle of 2025 – win just one more of those and it’s somehow division champs. The NFC South is close enough that any of the four teams can enter 2026 with confidence, but it still feels like a ninth straight year missing the playoffs. Record prediction: 9-8 Auman: Could the Carolina Panthers have a better record than 2025 and still miss out on a division title? Finishing first last year means they get to play the Seattle Seahawks, Denver Broncos and Philadelphia Eagles, and it’s hard to see them going better than 1-2 in those games. Carolina actively upgraded its defense, writing big checks to land edge rusher Jaelan Phillips and linebacker Devin Lloyd. The Panthers put their top two draft picks into both sides of the line of scrimmage, addressing clear needs. Head coach Dave Canales has given up play-calling duties, so there’s uncertainty in how a first-time playcaller in Brad Idzik can handle that challenge. Bryce Young’s three NFL seasons have seen his touchdown pass total rise from 11 to 15 to 23 – if he can continue that rise in 2026, the Panthers aren’t far from repeating as division champs. Record prediction: 8-9 Auman: The New Orleans Saints were the opposite of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last year, opening 2-10 then surprising with four wins in the final five weeks. Can quarterback Tyler Shough sustain that strong finish over a full season? New Orleans actively upgraded the offense around him, signing running back Travis Etienne and guard David Edwards before drafting receiver Jordyn Tyson and adding much-needed depth at receiver and tight end. Can the return of linebacker Kaden Elliss offset the loss of Demario Davis? Can a young secondary step up after losing key names over the last two years? A last-place schedule is a major help, giving them the Arizona Cardinals, Las Vegas Raiders and New York Giants as three winnable games. All four NFC South teams went 3-3 in division, so if anyone can just take care of business in those games, the division title could go with that. Record prediction: 10-7 Auman: Can the Tampa Bay Buccaneers stay healthy in 2026? They pushed through injuries in their 6-2 start and were scuttled by them in losing seven of eight down the stretch, a collapse that nearly cost Todd Bowles his job. The defensive front is much improved – a healthy defensive tackle Caliah Kancey, vet Al-Quadin Muhammad and rookies Rueben Bain Jr. and Josiah Trotter will make life easier for the secondary. How do they adjust to losing two franchise icons with Lavonte David retiring and Mike Evans signing with the San Francisco 49ers? Can the offense under new offensive coordinator Zac Robinson look more like 2024 under Liam Coen, with Kenny Gainwell sparking what should be a solid running game? The NFC South plays the NFC North this year — three years ago, the Bucs won the division going 3-1 against the North when the rest of the division went 2-10. If they can even go 2-2, it could be the difference in a tightly bunched division. NFC West Record prediction: 4-13 Williams: Playing competent and competitive football under first-year head coach Mike LaFleur is the goal for the Arizona Cardinals. Arizona ignored the pocket protectors, eschewing positional value in favor of taking, who many NFL scouts I spoke with believed was the best player in the draft, running back Jeremiyah Love at No. 3. Intimately familiar with a diversity of run game schemes, LaFleur will build an offense that best uses Love’s unique skill set. Not finishing last in the NFC West would be a big win for the Cardinals. Record prediction: 9-8 Williams: The Los Angeles Rams pushed all their chips into the middle of the table for the 2026 season, making a blockbuster trade with the Kansas City Chiefs for versatile slot corner Trent McDuffie and signing his teammate, outside cornerback Jaylen Watson, in free agency, significantly upgrading a defense that let them down in the NFC Championship Game at Seattle. However, Matthew Stafford is 38 years old and played all 17 games last season for the first time since 2021. And slated to back Stafford up is surprising first-round pick Ty Simpson, who has never taken an NFL snap and is a play away from leading a team that is the current betting favorite to win the Super Bowl. The Rams also must make sure Puka Nacua’s off-the-field issues are in the rearview mirror. Record prediction: 10-7 Williams: The San Francisco 49ers improved on offense with the additions of veteran receivers Mike Evans and Christian Kirk, and the return of linebacker Dre Greenlaw in free agency should help bring intensity and juice back to the defense. The returns of Fred Warner and Nick Bosa from season-ending injuries should help that as well. San Francisco still has one of the most talented teams in the league. But the 49ers are also one of the older teams, and it’s hard to see them staying healthy for an entire season. Looks like the Super Bowl window of this version of Kyle Shanahan’s team is closing. Record prediction: 11-6 Williams: The Seattle Seahawks have the league’s Offensive Player of the Year returning in wide receiver Jackson Smith-Njigba and everyone else on offense, other than Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III. They also lost some important players defensively in free agency, like cornerback Riq Woolen, safety Coby Bryant and edge rusher Boye Mafe, but the foundational pieces remain and the Seahawks still have one of the youngest rosters in the league. The bottom line is that the Super Bowl window is still wide open, and the Seahawks have a chance to appear in back-to-back NFL title games for the first time since the 2013-2014 seasons.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports