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The Buffalo Bills were ripe for the taking. They were turning the ball over at a ridiculous rate. They were killing themselves with penalties. Even the great Josh Allen seemed like a mess. So, how did they end up winning by a touchdown? That’s how bad things are these days for the Los Angeles Chargers, who lost an incredibly winnable game in Buffalo on Sunday, 24-16. They forced five turnovers. They watched the Bills commit 10 penalties. They throttled Allen for most of the game. And still they found a way to give another game away. Yeah, the Bills might be the best team in the NFL. But don’t forget, the Chargers are a team that way too many people foolishly believed was a sleeper Super Bowl contender. Obviously, they were all very, very wrong. Here are my 3 takeaways from the game that kept the Bills undefeated and sent the spiraling Chargers to 0-3: This should be pretty obvious to everyone around the NFL by now, but never, ever count Josh Allen out. The Bills quarterback looked about as bad as he’s capable of looking early in this game. He had two ugly first-half interceptions and even added a fumble in the second half. He couldn’t get anything going at all, which is unusual considering how spectacular the Bills offense has been. But then in the fourth quarter, just when everything was looking dire, he found his magic. On fourth-and-6 from the Chargers’ 43-yard line, he was stuck in the pocket and in the grasp of a Chargers defender, and he still managed to stretch up and float a pass to running back Ty Johnson. It was actually a 43-yard touchdown pass, but it was called back to the 24 on a holding penalty after the catch. Even with the penalty — a far-too-common occurrence from the Bills in this game — the pass extended the most important drive of the game. And six plays later, Allen scored on a quarterback sneak to give Buffalo its first and only lead. Allen wasn’t particularly good in this game. He was just 16 of 26 for 204 yards, no touchdowns and those two interceptions, and he ran seven times for just 23 yards (though he did score twice). That was quite a drop-off after throwing for 582 yards and 5 touchdowns while running for 92 yards and 4 touchdowns in his first two games. But he did what Allen always does, what true MVPs always seem to do: He found a way to overcome whatever was happening and make his biggest plays in the most important moments. That’s why even after this ugly performance, Allen is the clear MVP frontrunner three games into the season. Even when he’s completely off his game, he’s going to be tough to beat. Justin Herbert is hardly the only one to blame for this Chargers mess. It’s true that his receivers drop too many passes. It’s correct to point out his protection isn’t good, or that his receivers don’t get open enough. It’s fair to blame a Mike McDaniel scheme that so far doesn’t seem to suit him. But once again, Herbert is failing to make those around him better and he can’t be counted on to make the big plays, even when they’re sitting there. His defense absolutely handed him this game. He was gifted with five turnovers, three of which were on the Buffalo side of the field. And he turned those into just 10 points. Sure, the Chargers killed themselves on offense with penalties and Cameron Dicker missed a 45-yard field goal. And there were some terrible dropped passes (everyone is looking at you, Quentin Johnston). But don’t overlook the plays Herbert missed, like his crushing, fourth-quarter interception on the goal line to Bills safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson. The Chargers got the ball on an Allen fumble on the Bills’ 28-yard line, nursing a 13-10 lead. If they score there, they might put the game away. But Herbert killed them by going deep on 3rd and 5 from the 23 and never seeing Gardner-Johnson lurking near WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling, in perfect position to jump the route and pick it off. As usual, Herbert’s numbers were … blah. He completed 20 of 34 passes for 226 yards, with one touchdown and one interception. The Bills defense had given up 736 yards and 62 points in two games, but Herbert couldn’t take advantage of them. Once again, he’s far from blameless in this 0-3 Chargers mess. But great quarterbacks — and he was always supposed to be one — rise above their surroundings, make their teammates better, and make big plays when it matters most. None of that describes Herbert, and we can’t keep pretending that it does. For all the deserved blame that Justin Herbert and the offense got for the Chargers’ ugly 0-2 start, the defense was owed some of the discredit. They gave up nearly 700 total yards to the Cardinals and Raiders, who most figured would be two offensively challenged teams. So give them credit for stepping up against the Bills’ juggernaut offense on Sunday and doing everything they could to give Herbert a chance. They set the tone early when DE Justin Eboigbe popped the ball loose from Bills RB James Cook hands and ended up with five turnovers in all. They also sacked Bills QB Josh Allen three times and held Buffalo to 350 total yards (76 below their average) — 134 of which came in the fourth quarter. It was looking like the Chargers had taken a big step back defensively after old coordinator Jesse Minter left to become the head coach of the Baltimore Ravens and Jim Harbaugh made the questionable decision to bring back former safeties coach Chris O’Leary as the new DC after one year at Western Michigan. But maybe all they needed was some time. Both their pass rush and coverage were strong against the Bills, and they certainly delivered hard hits whenever they could. That certainly could help them as they try to salvage the rest of this season. It won’t be easy. They’ve got some dangerous offenses coming up over the next two months. But at least this was finally a positive start.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Look, Texas has the best win in the sport — against a top-5 Ohio State at home. On Saturday, the Longhorns added another victory — against undefeated AP Top 25-ranked Tennessee. Given that Texas remains undefeated with two of the most impressive wins in the sport, there is no good and reasonable argument for ranking the Longhorns anywhere other than No. 1. However. This sport is irrational and runs on emotion and vibes. And my vibe is: If maleficent Martians had a death laser pointed at the Earth with a crusty gnarled finger on a button ready to press it unless one of the top-25 teams on this list could beat a hypothetical otherworldly college football squad, and I am tasked with selecting that team, I’m choosing Georgia. I’m selecting Kirby Smart and the Dawgs because, despite having played little (Tennessee State) and (a new) nobody (Oklahoma), that feels like the most complete and devastating team in the sport through Week 4. Put aside that Oklahoma has become the kind of team that turns college football fans into productive members of society on Saturdays. Then ask yourself which one of the teams ranked below you’d pick to beat a team that has crushed every other team it’s played by 28 points or more this season? If it ain’t Georgia, let’s hope the Martians make it quick because you’d be wrong. With that, here are my top-25 rankings after a thrilling Week 4. Week 4 game: 20-19 loss vs. IowaWeek 5 game: At Minnesota Despite one loss on paper — and two for those of us who watched the end of regulation in Michigan’s home-opener against Western Michigan — the Wolverines are a mere one (OK, two) second(s) from being 4-0. And their only loss is to an undefeated and top 25-ranked Iowa. Week 4 game: 47-21 loss vs. OregonWeek 5 game: Washington Even with a College Football Hall of Fame defensive play-caller in Gary Patterson, the Trojans defense remains a glaring weakness for Lincoln Riley’s team. (However, a new defensive coordinator doesn’t mean this is a new problem for Riley.) This season the Trojans have allowed four of their five opponents to score at least 26 points and at least 35 in their last two games. Week 4 game: 42-28 win vs. Georgia SouthernWeek 5 game: UCF Quarterback Connor Weigman accounted for six total touchdowns in a rout of a program Houston’s Willie Fritz coached from 2013 to 2015. Welcome back, Cougars. Week 4 game: 41-24 win vs. West VirginiaWeek 5 game: Bye The Cowboys took down previously unbeaten West Virginia with more than 600 yards of offense, a 300-yard passer (Drew Mestemaker), 180-yard rusher (Caleb Hawkins) and 190-yard receiver (Wyatt Young) with a third-straight game of scoring 39 points or more. And after Oregon’s win against formerly undefeated USC, Oklahoma State’s win against the Ducks looks rather impressive. Week 4 game: 21-14 win vs. Boston College Week 5 game: Pitt James Franklin’s Hokies got this win done in the midst of a nor’easter storm — wind gusts of more than 40 miles per hour and heavy rain — to remain unbeaten and a trendy pick to earn a chance to play for the ACC championship. Week 4 game: ByeWeek 5 game: Wyoming Week 4 game: 31-24 loss vs. Mississippi StateWeek 5 game: Florida Despite taking a one-score lead into the fourth quarter, the Missouri defense couldn’t hold the line — giving up 14 points in the final 15 minutes — and the offense couldn’t score. Quarterback Austin Simmons hit 59% of his passes for 295 yards with three passing touchdowns in the loss. Week 4 game: 54-3 win vs. MarylandWeek 5 game: Bye The Bruins continued their undefeated start to the Bob Chesney era with a 51-point demolition of (not-so) longtime Big Ten member Maryland. UCLA allowed just 39 rushing yards and created five Terrapins turnovers. Week 4 game: 20-19 win vs. MichiganWeek 5 game: Ohio State In a karmic win for many college football fans, Hawkeyes quarterback Hank Brown hit receiver Reece Vander Zee for a touchdown as time expired at the Big House to keep Iowa undefeated. In a twist, the Hawkeyes passing offense (227 yards), led by Brown, out-gained the Hawkeyes rushing attack (59 yards) while playing turnover-free football. Week 4 game: 20-17 loss vs. TexasWeek 5 game: Auburn Despite being gifted 155 yards in penalties and an outstanding effort from the Vols defense, we learned — the hard way — that Tennessee will only be as good as true freshman quarterback Faizon Brandon can be. Against the Longhorns, he wasn’t great with 17 completions on 29 attempts for 145 yards with a touchdown. And he was sacked 10 times. Week 4 game: 31-17 win vs. Iowa StateWeek 5 game: Bye Utah opened Big 12 play with a workmanlike win against the Cyclones with nearly identical passing (206) and rushing (205) yards and absolutely no turnovers. Week 4 game: 52-28 loss vs. FloridaWeek 5 game: Bye Pete Golding’s defense gave up 302 rushing yards and 498 total yards to a Florida team that set about breaking the Rebels’ will early. Heisman Trophy candidate Trinidad Chambliss accounted for 342 total yards with three total touchdowns and two turnovers. Week 4 game: 31-24 win vs. MissouriWeek 5 game: Alabama Mississippi State quarterback Kamario Taylor engineered a 14-point fourth quarter to earn the Bulldogs their first ranked win and against an undefeated foe. If you’re looking for the 2026 version of 2025 Vanderbilt, it’s playing ball in Starkville, Mississippi, this year. Week 4 game: 41-27 win vs. USCWeek 5 game: Bye With starting quarterback Dante Moore knocked out of the game early, former Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola stepped in and took charge with a brilliant performance. Saturday against USC — the last team he played against as a Husker, and broke his leg — Raiola completed 19 of 25 passes for 289 yards with two touchdowns. Week 4 game: ByeWeek 5 game: At TCU Week 4 game: 35-6 win vs. Texas A&MWeek 5 game: McNeese The Tigers bounced back from their emotional loss to Ole Miss by absolutely crushing a Texas A&M team that had no business being ranked in the AP Top 25 this week. (Aggies haven’t been on my list for two weeks now.) Before leaving the game due to injury, quarterback Sam Leavitt completed 17 of 23 passes for 312 yards with two touchdowns. Week 4 game: 49-14 win vs. Sam HoustonWeek 5 game: At Colorado In one of the wildest two-play sequences, linebacker Austin Romaine picked off two different Sam Houston quarterbacks, in back-to-back plays, and returned both interceptions for touchdowns. Week 4 game: 49-18 win vs. South CarolinaWeek 5 game: At Mississippi State The Crimson Tide have a burgeoning star in quarterback Keelon Russell, who completed 21 of 27 passes for 365 yards with four passing touchdowns in a demolition of a South Carolina team many NFL Draftniks believe possesses a future first-rounder at quarterback in LaNorris Sellers. Alabama might beg to differ after holding Sellers to just 185 passing yards and one touchdown, plus intercepting him once. Week 4 game: 52-28 win vs. Ole MissWeek 5 game: At Missouri Jon Sumrall’s Gators have scored at least 40 points in every game they’ve played this season, and they hung 52 on the AP No. 4-ranked team in the country, Ole Miss, which had wins against top-ranked opponents LSU and Louisville before Florida crushed its dream of an undefeated season. Week 4 game: 42-19 win vs. IllinoisWeek 5 game: At Iowa Buckeyes wide receiver Jeremiah Smith notched a career-high for receiving yards in a game with 12 catches for 217 yards with four receiving touchdowns. That performance will keep Smith at the front of the Heisman Trophy conversation. Week 4 game: 29-23 win vs. NorthwesternWeek 5 game: At Rutgers Following a win against Western Kentucky last weekend that did not look as convincing on the field as on the scoreboard, Curt Cignetti chastised Hoosier fans. “Don’t bitch about a 38-0 win.” What about a 29-23 win where your Hoosiers blew a double-digit lead against a Northwestern team that gave up a safety in its first play from scrimmage? What about a 29-23 win that was under threat until the last 40 seconds of the game? Yes, Indiana remains undefeated. But instead of asking if this team is dominant, we’re left asking: How long can it keep its winning streak going if it insists on playing down to its competition? Week 4 game: 52-3 win vs. Central MichiganWeek 5 game: At Clemson The Hurricanes are simply crushing every team they play so far, with quarterback Darian Mensah throwing for 338 yards on 23 of 27 passing with three touchdowns before being pulled from the game. Wide receiver Malachi Toney added six catches for 120 yards with a touchdown too. This team, like the next one, looks flawless. Week 4 game: 49-10 win vs. PurdueWeek 5 game: At North Carolina In what most consider a ho-hum 39-point win for the Fighting Irish against a Big Ten cellar-dweller, Notre Dame accomplished a first: Finished the month of September undefeated in the Marcus Freeman era. Perhaps that’s a harbinger of a national title to come? Week 4 game: 41-13 win vs. OklahomaWeek 5 game: Vanderbilt It’s less like Georgia defeated Oklahoma, and it’s more like Oklahoma never gave Georgia a chance to beat the Sooners worse than the Sooners could be themselves. Didn’t matter, though. No. 2 Georgia beat Oklahoma (41-13) by the same margin that it beat Arkansas (45-17) last week: 28 points. Week 4 game: 20-17 win vs. TennesseeWeek 5 game: Bye The Longhorns defense bullied the Volunteers, and true freshman quarterback Faizon Brandon became the most popular piñata in the city of Knoxville for three hours. Brandon was sacked 10 times with five coming at the hands of defensive end Colin Simmons, who — despite a stupid, notable penalty — fell just short of setting the single-game record for sacks against what once was a top-15 team in the AP rankings and a top-20 one here.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Skying into the Los Angeles night, Oregon receiver Dakorien Moore slipped on his best red cape and silenced the Tinseltown faithful as he snatched a deep-ball away from defensive back Elbert Hill IV, crashed into the end zone and scored the Ducks’ go-ahead fourth-quarter score on Saturday. On an evening where the Ducks lost starting quarterback Dante Moore minutes into the contest, it was the other Moore whose score pushed Oregon to a 41-27 victory in a Pac-12 After Dark-esque prime-time affair under the lights at the Los Angeles Coliseum. Two weeks after a debilitating loss to Oklahoma State, it was the Ducks who suddenly thrust themselves back into the College Football Playoff conversation. The hometown Trojans, meanwhile, looked up to the task — until fourth quarter misfires saw Lincoln Riley drop his seventh game in eight tries against Associated Press Top 25 teams. Here are my takeaways from the heavyweight West Coast clash between Oregon and USC. 1. Can Dylan Raiola Anchor Oregon At Quarterback? Oregon’s nightmare start to the season seemingly took an even more stark turn when Moore exited Saturday’s contest on a stretcher following an egregious hit from USC linebacker Desman Stephens II. Enter Raiola, the ex-five-star recruit and perceived Nebraska savior. Two plays after Moore left the game, Raiola fired a touchdown pass to Evan Stewart to put the Ducks ahead early. He finished completing more than 75% of his passes for 289 yards and a pair of scores, while flashing the arm strength and mobility that made him one of the more sought-after quarterback recruits in recent memory. Raiola’s career has been well documented. He played at three high schools in four years, before flipping his commitment three different times during the recruiting process. He eventually landed at Nebraska, where he flashed massive arm talent, but lacked the consistency to really elevate the Cornhuskers beyond average. He finished his time in Lincoln suffering a broken fibula, coincidentally against USC, that ended his 2025 campaign before he entered the transfer portal. The plan, at least in theory, was for Raiola to spend the year backing up Moore in the Dan Lanning school of quarterbacking. Now he’s squarely in the mix — depending on when Moore could return — for a team that had national championship-or-bust aspirations. Can he be good enough to meet those preseason expectations? We’ll find out — the Ducks still have Ohio State, Michigan, Washington and an upstart UCLA on the schedule. Oh, and the Ducks’ trip to Lincoln on Oct. 17 just got a hell of a lot more interesting. 2. Dierre Hill Jr. And Oregon’s Run Game Steadies The Ducks While Oregon’s offense has shouldered the load in recent years, the Ducks struggled to run the ball effectively the first few weeks of the season. Lanning’s squad only netted 119 yards on 25 touches in the season-opening win over Boise State — albeit a result that continues to look better by the week — and mustered just three yards per carry on 30 attempts in the loss to Oklahoma State. That wasn’t the case on Saturday. The Ducks looked far more efficient on the ground against a disruptive USC front-four that created its share of issues in the pass game early. Jordon Davison managed 61 of his 66 yards on 11 carries in the opening 30 minutes, while the team averaged 5.2 yards per touch in the first half. Oregon picked up where it left off in the second half behind the legs of Dierre Hill, who scampered for 63 yards on 15 touches and added another 105 yards on four receptions out of the backfield. It’s not clear how long Dante Moore might be out for the Ducks — more on that in a second — but Lanning’s squad will need the run game to remain steady if Dylan Raiola needs any time to ease into starting again. 3. Dan Lanning Is Maturing As A Coach — And Saturday Was Proof It was there for the taking. A Pac-12 title. A CFP berth. A national championship? Maybe down the line. Again and again, Lanning and his Ducks were stopped on fourth down in a 2023 loss at Washington. They finished the night 0-for-3. Lanning was skewered for the decision-making in the immediate aftermath. Perhaps he’s learned something. Tied at 10 with seconds remaining in the first half, Oregon was thrice stopped inside the 10-yard line as it tried to put a touchdown on the board before the break. If history tells us anything, Lanning in seemingly any other moment would’ve tried a fourth down attempt. He didn’t, the Ducks kicked a field goal and marched into halftime up 13-10. By night’s end, those three points weren’t necessarily crucial, but offered a glimpse into the psyche of the nostril’s flared, youthfully exuberant head coach who suddenly has his Oregon squad pushing in the right direction. Lanning, for all intents and purposes, is among the faces of the sport. His tutelage under Kirby Smart and Nick Saban made him a fast-riser. His efforts in Eugene have seen him push into the upper echelons of the profession. But it’s decision-making like that in the waning seconds of the first half that has doomed him in big spots. It didn’t on Saturday — and that should scare the rest of the Big Ten. 4. Lincoln Riley And USC Lose Another Against Big Ten’s Elite Should we really be surprised? USC has been a perpetual underperformer under Lincoln Riley, and Saturday’s loss to Oregon was another prime example on a growing laundry list of efforts where the Trojans haven’t gotten over the line. In fairness, the Trojans went score for score with the Ducks for 52 of 60 minutes on Saturday. But even with Oregon onto its backup quarterback — experienced as he might be — it was another evening that surely left those around the USC program asking, “What now?” Losing a game to a talented Oregon team that plenty picked to win the national title in the preseason isn’t disqualifying or a complete indictment of a coaching tenure. It’s more a matter of what’s to come — and that it feels like it’s only going to get worse for Riley and the Trojans, no matter how much more competent this squad seems. USC still has Indiana, Ohio State, Penn State, Washington and UCLA to come this season. It almost certainly won’t lose all those games. It also almost certainly won’t win all of them. Riley isn’t going to be fired for losing to a good Oregon team, but it’s a luxury he surely would’ve loved to have. It’s been an open secret within the college football world that Lincoln’s relationship with athletics director Jen Cohen is, shall we say, frosty. The hiring of general manager Chad Bowden was another move in recent years aimed at rectifying the issues Riley had faced in the early going of his tenure in Los Angeles. This was to be the year the Trojans put it all together. Saturday was another speed bump — a productive one, but a speed bump nonetheless — in Riley’s rocky USC tenure. Hit a few more down the stretch and the pitchforks will be out in full force.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

In the battle to determine the real UT — and settle the debate over who wears the better shade of orange — Texas escaped Neyland Stadium with a dramatic 20-17 SEC win over Tennessee on Saturday afternoon. The last time these storied programs met, on Jan. 1, 1969, Texas was running Darrell Royal’s wishbone at the Cotton Bowl and cruised to a 36-13 victory. This time, the No. 1 Longhorns needed a pass breakup in the end zone on a Hail Mary to deny the No. 14 Volunteers and preserve the win. It was a much-anticipated game. President Trump was in attendance, and it marked the first time Texas quarterback Arch Manning played at his uncle Peyton’s alma mater. But the younger Manning didn’t have his best afternoon, completing 14 of 19 passes for 201 yards and an interception. He acknowledged as much during his postgame interview on the broadcast, saying, “I didn’t play very well.” It didn’t matter, at least not on Saturday. Texas found a way to win and improve to 4-0. Here are my biggest takeaways from this Week 4 showdown: 1. Arch Manning Hasn’t Taken That Next Step The prevailing sentiment around the college football world, at the end of last season, was that Manning was poised to take the next step in his development. He finished his first season as a starter strong, making that expectation seem more than reasonable. Manning entered the 2026 campaign as a Heisman Trophy candidate and one of the top prospects in the 2027 NFL Draft. But four weeks in, he hasn’t elevated his game enough. Yes, Manning led Texas to an epic comeback victory over Ohio State two weeks ago. But outside that performance, the junior quarterback has been inconsistent at best. On Saturday, Manning threw no touchdowns, tossed an interception and was sacked six times. He took a delay-of-game penalty and was flagged twice for throwing an illegal forward pass. At times, he appeared slow to recognize what was happening around him and struggled to make decisions quickly. It was hardly the performance he envisioned in front of his uncle Peyton, his grandfather and mentor Archie, and much of his family, who were seated together in a box. It wasn’t all on Manning, of course. Texas couldn’t get its running game going, rushing for just 61 yards on 1.7 yards per carry behind a shaky offensive line. The Longhorns also lost receiver Cam Coleman, who had just one catch before leaving the game with an apparent injury. For Texas, the hope is that Manning continues to grow before the SEC schedule gets even tougher. The Longhorns’ next test comes against Oklahoma on Oct. 10. 2. Way Too Many Costly Penalties For The Longhorns Texas had 11 penalties for 115 yards, and seven of those came in the first half. Three of the penalties were by Manning and one was by defensive end Colin Simmons, who was called for a vulgar unsportsmanlike conduct penalty in the first half after making his second sack of the game. “We took him out, we addressed it and put him back in,” Sarkisian told reporters afterward. “At that point, I’m not going to give the guy the death penalty over an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. We have to fix it. That can’t continue as we move forward.” Another costly penalty came in the third quarter when Texas’ special teams tried to get sneaky on a punt. Ryan Niblett put his hands up as if he were going to catch the ball, hoping to convince Tennessee that he was the returner when he was actually serving as a decoy. Instead, Jermaine Bishop Jr. caught the punt and returned it, only for the play to be overturned because Niblett’s signal was ruled a fair catch. Then, with 21 seconds remaining and Tennessee down three points while trying to get into field-goal range, Zina Umeozulu was flagged for a facemask on third-and-19, giving the Vols a first down and a better chance to complete the comeback – though Tennessee ultimately couldn’t capitalize. The number of penalties against Texas shouldn’t come as a surprise. The Longhorns have struggled with discipline throughout Sarkisian’s tenure, finishing as the fifth-most penalized team in the country last season after ranking among the nation’s most-penalized teams the two years prior. 3. The Longhorns’ Defense is Becoming Their Identity Despite his crude and unnecessary unsportsmanlike penalty in the first half, Simmons was dominant throughout, finishing with five sacks, which tied a program single-game record. He lined up in different positions, constantly keeping the Tennessee offensive line and freshman quarterback Faizon Brandon on edge. “That’s a real player right there,” Manning said on the broadcast after the game. Simmons and the Texas defense — which is now run by defensive coordinator Will Muschamp — limited Tennessee’s offense to 221 total yards and 2.9 yards per play. And while they let Brandon lead the Vols on a 10-play, 80-yard touchdown drive in the fourth quarter to make it a three-point game, the Longhorns came through in the end when defensive back Jelani McDonald batted down Brandon’s Hail Mary pass. While Manning and the Texas offensive line find their way, it will be the defense driving the program for now. 4. CFP Stakes Get Higher, Games Get Tougher We’re at that point in the season now where everybody is firmly entrenched in conference play. And in the SEC, that means the College Football Playoff stakes get higher and the games get tougher. Texas is idle next week before traveling to Dallas to face Oklahoma in the annual Red River Shootout. Neither Texas nor Oklahoma have proved to be consistent or dominant performers this first month of the season, but it’s a must-win for CFP hopes and, obviously, bragging rights. Then the Longhorns go through a top-25 gauntlet where they’ll face five straight ranked opponents in a row in October and November. Tennessee has a much more manageable schedule. The Vols only have three ranked opponents remaining (as of right now), all of which are winnable matchups, meaning they could go on a run and give themselves a chance of making the CFP.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Hand Jeremiah Smith the Heisman Trophy now. Ohio State’s superstar wide receiver was downright unstoppable Saturday, torching Illinois for a career-high 217 receiving yards and four touchdowns on 12 catches in Ohio State’s 42-19 victory. Smith shattered his own single-game receiving record in the process, putting together the kind of jaw-dropping performance that made him the current betting favorite for the Heisman. “It just started back in practice on Tuesday,” Smith said when asked by FOX Sports’ Jenny Taft what went into his performance. “It all showed up today on the field.” And don’t think Smith’s historic marks stopped there. According to FOX Sports Research, Smith became the fifth player in Ohio State history to have four receiving touchdowns in a single game; Bob Grimes (1952), Terry Glenn (1995), Dane Sanzenbacher (2010) and Noah Brown (2016) are the other four players. Three of Smith’s four touchdowns came in the first half, which marked the first time an Ohio State player has done so since Noah Brown back in 2016. His 12 receptions, 217 receiving yards and four receiving touchdowns against the Illini were all career highs. And what type of company does Smith’s record-setting day put him in? The All-American wideout is now the fifth player in Big Ten history to have 3,000 career receiving yards and 30 receiving touchdowns, joining Michigan’s Anthony Carter and Braylon Edwards, Purdue’s Brian Alford and Minnesota’s Tyler Johnson. “It goes back to his work ethic and the way he practices every day,” Ohio State head coach Ryan Day said of Smith. “A lot of these guys here look up to him. He’s a great example, not only for the young players in our program, but just a whole generation of kids that watch this guy here. He’s special.” As a freshman, Smith set Ohio State records for receptions (76), receiving yards (1,315) and receiving touchdowns (15) while helping lead the Buckeyes to a national championship. Meanwhile, Smith led the Big Ten in receiving yards in both 2024 (1,315) and 2025 (1,243), while leading the conference with 15 receiving touchdowns in 2024 and 87 receptions in 2025. Smith, the consensus No. 1 recruit in the Class of 2024, was a 2025 All-American and finished sixth in Heisman Trophy voting. Smith entered Week 4 having totaled 21 receptions for 400 yards (19.0 yards per reception) and three touchdowns. He became the Buckeyes’ all-time leader in receiving yards in their Week 3 win over Kent State.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

LOS ANGELES – Through a haze of cigar smoke, next to a concoction of Budweiser, Bud Light and Avissi Prosecco that had formed into a growing puddle in the middle of Dodger Stadium’s visiting clubhouse, a shirtless Walker Buehler walked up to a shirtless Ethan Salas and handed the youngest active player in Major League Baseball a beer funnel. The contents inside that funnel, of course, were strictly for the veteran Padres pitcher, who has grown accustomed to this celebratory exercise. Buehler, who threw the final out of the 2024 World Series as a Dodger, has already built his reputation as an October standout. Salas, whose directive at the moment was simply to hold the funnel for Buehler, has not. Called up to the big leagues just 22 days ago, Salas was mature enough to help boost the Padres to their third straight postseason clinch Thursday night — he broke up Tyler Glasnow’s no-hitter with one out in the sixth inning and scored the go-ahead run, then delivered an RBI single an inning later to put the Dodgers away — though not yet old enough to imbibe. So, the 20-year-old found other ways to participate in the revelry, including an assist to Buehler. “It feels good to be a part of it,” Salas told me, referring to his output on the field in the clinching victory. “It’s awesome. It feels even better when you’re contributing.” The Padres’ top prospect began this year at Double-A, got promoted to Triple-A at the end of July and was called up to help with the postseason push on Sept. 2, when — at 20 years, 93 days old — he became the youngest player to catch in an MLB game since Ivan Rodriguez debuted for the Texas Rangers in 1991. His manager, Craig Stammen, told me that he knew Salas could handle the pressure from the moment he met him. “You feel his maturity and his knowledge of baseball and ability to retain information,” Stammen said. “Then, I think once we brought him up, you want to see and test him in certain situations, see how he’s going to handle it.” Salas went hitless in his first 14 at-bats, but the Padres stuck by him in a part-time role. They’re now reaping the rewards. Salas is slashing .381/.409/.762 over his last nine games. He tripled on Sept. 13, became the youngest catcher ever with two home runs in a game on Sept. 16, walked the Padres off with a win on Sept. 19 and came up clutch again Thursday in Los Angeles, helping San Diego seal a spot in the playoffs before hosting Arizona this weekend. “He’s been built for these moments,” Padres president of baseball operations A.J. Preller told me. “From the time we first started scouting him and seeing him, at 16 years old, we thought he was somebody we wanted to challenge. And, he has responded.” That Salas is here at all comes as a surprise, but the same can be said for his Padres team, which was 48-48 with the worst offense in baseball at the All-Star break. At the time, Manny Machado was hitting .203, Fernando Tatis Jr. had five home runs, and Jackson Merrill was the 12th-worst qualified hitter in the sport. “We knew if we just bought enough time, these guys would get hot,” Stammen told me. “It was just going to happen.” But things got worse before they got better. On July 23, the Padres were 50-53. They had the fifth-worst record in the National League and a 7.4% chance to make the postseason. Stammen, a first-year manager with the playing experience to understand the ebbs and flows of a season, tried to keep the faith. His belief was justified. “He’s responsible for a lot of this,” Preller said. Two months later, for the fifth time in seven seasons, the Padres have punched their ticket back to the playoffs. “There were some tough moments that first half,” Preller acknowledged. “Honestly, we were looking around kind of not really knowing what to think because we had so many great players in the room and they were just struggling at a level we had never seen.” Tatis and Merrill eventually shook off their slow starts to look like superstars again. They’re the only set of teammates this year to produce 25-homer, 25-steal seasons, and Tatis is the first player ever to hit 25 home runs in a season after going homerless through his first 50 games. As a team, San Diego ranks first in batting average, second in slugging and third in on-base percentage since the break. The Padres are tied with the Brewers for MLB’s best record in the second half (41-22). “I kept trying to tell the media every day, ‘They’re going to get hot. We’ve just got to be patient,’” Stammen repeated. “That patience paid off. Finally, they did, and they’ve taken our season to another level.” Tatis, who has the highest OPS among all qualified MLB hitters in the second half, got into the action in Thursday’s clinch with two hits, including an RBI single during the Padres’ quick three-run fusillade that put the game away. The offense didn’t need to do much, considering the way Nick Pivetta and the bullpen pitched. The club’s biggest concern entering October is their rotation, which was supposed to be patched up after moves for Casey Mize and Robbie Ray at the deadline. The newcomers, however, have done little to assuage the problem area. Mize, who had a 2.70 ERA in 16 starts for the Tigers, has a 6.64 ERA in nine starts with the Padres. Ray, who had a 3.08 ERA in 22 outings with the Giants, has a 5.02 ERA in nine starts since getting traded to San Diego. But Thursday’s playoff clincher offered hope beyond staff ace Michael King, who has been the rotation’s stabilizing force all year. There were fears that Pivetta might have to miss the rest of the year after a flexor strain in his right elbow wiped out nearly five months of his season. He returned on Sept. 7 for his first outing back since April 12 and fired five scoreless innings. He followed that up with a four-inning, two-run outing and a five-inning, one-run outing before holding the Dodgers scoreless for 4.2 innings Thursday. If Pivetta can keep doing that in October, even if he’s not especially efficient, the Padres will take it. They have arguably the most overpowering bullpen in the sport ready to pick up wherever he leaves off. That group got another boost on Thursday, as Jason Adam returned from injury and threw a scoreless frame in his first game back since June 29. The Dodgers scratched across a couple late runs, but Mason Miller preserved his 38th save to finish off the clinch. The Padres still have something to play for in the final weekend of the season as they look to seal home-field advantage for the wild-card series. That will be important, considering they’re 49-29 at Petco Park and 40-41 on the road. They’ll be relying primarily on their usual cast of characters, but some new faces could help them avenge last year’s wild-card defeat. Ty France has been one of the team’s steadiest hitters in the middle of the lineup in a career year. Buehler brings with him the experience of pitching in 19 playoff games with a career 3.04 postseason ERA. And Salas, who, after helping the Padres secure their first series victory at Dodger Stadium in two years, appears primed to become the youngest catcher ever to play in a postseason game next week. As the partying finally began to simmer down late Thursday night, he held up a sign: Baby’s First Clinchmas. “It’s so much fun to see him out there, in this moment, playing like that,” Preller said. “It’s a bright future. But to do it right now, that’s why we brought him up.”​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Is it time to take the Falcons seriously? It certainly looks like that now that Atlanta has its starting quarterback in the lineup. Michael Penix Jr. looked as good as anyone expected in his first game back from a major knee injury, and Bijan Robinson looked unstoppable on the ground in a surprisingly uncompetitive 35-14 win over the Packers in Green Bay. Meanwhile, the Packers look like a broken team with no clear fixes as they fall to 1-2. Here are my takeaways: Is it fair? Probably not. LaFleur is undoubtedly a good coach who revived Aaron Rodgers’ career and developed Jordan Love into a top-10 quarterback. He’s had Green Bay’s offense near the top of the league’s statistical charts throughout his coaching tenure. But you don’t get to hang banners for expected points added (EPA) or DVOA, and it feels like the Packers are further away from winning a Super Bowl than they’ve ever been in LaFleur’s eight years on the job, which has produced just three playoff wins. A 1-2 start isn’t impossible to climb out of, and Green Bay will eventually get Micah Parsons back; but this team’s problems may not be solvable. The offensive line is certainly beyond saving, and as we saw on Thursday night, it’s holding back the entire offense. The Packers came into the game with the league’s worst rushing game and that won’t change after a 17-yard performance. Pass protection has been an even bigger issue. Love’s been under fire all season, and the Falcons pressured him on 42% of his dropbacks with an average time-to-pressure of 2.28 seconds, per Next Gen Stats. The defense had been better than expected coming into the game — and former first-round pick Lukas Van Ness has been a bright spot — but Thursday’s performance will not inspire confidence. After an early interception of Michael Penix, Atlanta marched up and down the field with little resistance. This is a bad football team right now. If LaFleur can’t turn this season around, questions about his job security will persist. Whether or not the Packers actually move on from him is another matter. LaFleur just signed a contract extension in the offseason, and this is the one NFL team that doesn’t have a billionaire owner who can eat that kind of money. Even if the team wants to move on from the 46-year-old coach, it may not be able to afford it. With all due respect to Jahmyr Gibbs, there’s no better viewing experience than watching Robinson glide through defenses. He put on a show Thursday night in Green Bay, racking up 194 yards and two touchdowns on 29 carries. It was Robinson’s 11th game with at least 150 yards from scrimmage since he entered the league. Only Derrick Henry has more since 2022. The case for Robinson as the NFL’s best running back is strong. He has an OK offensive line and a passing game that doesn’t give him much protection, but the 2024 first-round pick keeps producing big plays for an offense that desperately needs them. On Thursday night, he forced eight missed tackles and produced 175 rushing yards after contact, per Next Gen Stats. Few running backs can carry an offense on their own, but Robinson is definitely on that short list. If Atlanta’s passing game can just be competent, this team should score enough points to stay in the NFC South race all season. The Falcons will be back in primetime the next two weeks. That looked like an error in judgment by the schedule makers coming into Thursday, but the Bijan Robinson Show is can’t-miss television. We had to wait until the third week of the regular season, but the Falcons quarterback competition has finally been settled. We’ll have to wait for confirmation from Kevin Stefanski, but Michael Penix Jr. should be the unquestioned starter after his performance in Green Bay. Penix shook off a shaky start that included an ugly interception, but was lights out the rest of the night, averaging over 10 yards per attempt. While he got rid of the ball in a hurry, it didn’t prevent him from pushing it downfield. He unlocked Drake London, who was off to a sleepy start to the season but broke out with a 194-yard performance, including two big gains of 68 and 40. The Falcons’ passing game was always going to improve with a legitimate starter replacing Cooper Rush, but few expected it to look this good in Penix’s first game since tearing his ACL last season. The third-year pro should get even better as he gets reacclimated to playing against live defenses after missing all of the preseason and most of training camp. Penix doesn’t have to be a world beater to thrive in this talented offense. Robinson will do most of the heavy lifting, and guys like London and Kyle Pitts will regularly turn routine throws into big plays. It was easy to forget how stacked this offense is when Rush was out there, but the sky’s the limit for the unit if Penix can replicate this performance. We’ll find out if the Falcons can compete for the division next week when they travel to New Orleans. That’s followed by a tough stretch of games against true NFC contenders, so Atlanta may need to win it to make a real playoff push. Green Bay goes on the road to take on a desperate Buccaneers team before their first matchup with the rival Bears. If the Packers fall to 1-3 going into that Chicago game, the chatter about LaFleur’s job will only get louder.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Thursday brought a mixed bag of injury news as teams wrapped up practice ahead of Week 3. In the NFC East, the Eagles and Cowboys both had a concerning injury report, while in the NFC West there was better news out of Seattle and a bit of uncertainty out of Los Angeles. Puka Nacua’s hip injury still isn’t trending in the right direction for the Rams, and the Cowboys will be down four defenders for their trip to Brazil, but Sam Darnold could be nearing a return for the Seahawks. In Philadelphia, Saquon Barkley and DeVonta Smith both landed on the injury report as the Eagles prepare for Monday night’s game against the Bears, who are dealing with their own injury issues under center. Here’s the latest from around the NFL on Thursday. Philadelphia’s injury situation is starting to pile up ahead of Monday night’s game against the Bears. Running back Saquon Barkley returned to practice Thursday in a limited capacity as he continues managing a stinger suffered in Week 2, while wideout DeVonta Smith didn’t participate at all due a hamstring issue. Smith was seen warming up with the team but didn’t have pads on or take part in drills. Barkley’s stinger dates back to Philadelphia’s comeback win over the Titans, an injury that limited him to just four carries for nine yards and two catches for 11 yards in the second half. The Eagles are already thin at the position with backups Tank Bigsby and Will Shipley limited at practice Wednesday, and now Smith’s absence adds another name to watch. Philadelphia will have two more practices to sort out the picture before Monday’s matchup at Soldier Field. Dallas will be down a few defenders for Sunday’s game against the Ravens in Rio de Janeiro. The Cowboys ruled out cornerback Cobie Durant, safeties Malik Hooker and P.J. Locke, and linebacker DeMarvion Overshown. None of the four will make the trip to Brazil. All four sat out practice again Thursday. Durant, who started the first two games and has played 87 defensive snaps, and Locke, who stepped into the starting lineup in Week 2, are both considered likely to miss multiple weeks. Shavon Revel Jr. and Markquese Bell are expected to fill in across the secondary. “I thought both guys having played and getting their experience was good but it’ll definitely be different,” Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer said of the pair of defensive backs. Hooker played just 12 snaps in the opener before his injury, while Overshown, who started in Week 1 for Dallas, has been given a “low probability” of returning earlier in the week. The biggest worry for the Cowboys is in the secondary, where they will be without three players who have played important roles this season. Puka Nacua’s Week 3 availability is looking increasingly unlikely. The Rams wide receiver missed practice for the second straight day Thursday, and head coach Sean McVay said Nacua is “not making great progress” in his recovery from a hip injury that’s kept him out in Week 2. “Usually time is the best thing that allows that thing to heal. And then once you get to a certain point, then I think you feel pretty good moving forward,” McVay told reporters earlier in the week. McVay has also described the issue as soreness in the groin area, though he’s said there’s no threat of a long-term absence and no hernia concern. Nacua will get one more chance to work in Friday before the Rams make a call on his status for Sunday night’s game at Denver. If he can’t go, Davante Adams has shown he’s comfortable operating as Matthew Stafford’s No. 1 target. Sam Darnold could be on pace to make his return for the Seahawks sooner than expected. Head coach Mike Macdonald said Thursday that the quarterback is “on a good track” to play Sunday against the Commanders after a glute injury suffered in the season opener. Darnold told reporters he was “feeling good,” in his return to practice. “For me, especially during this week, taking it day by day. Continuing to balance the reps and do everything I need to get ready,” Darnold added. Darnold was initially considered week-to-week with the soft-tissue injury, and while Seattle never placed him on injured reserve, his return had been viewed as more likely for Week 4 or later. Instead, he’s progressed faster than expected and is trending toward reclaiming the starting job from Drew Lock, who’s gone 2-0 in Darnold’s absence has shown he can hold down the offense if needed. A final call on Darnold’s status is expected as the week progresses.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

If you’re a fan of one of the eight 0-2 teams in the NFL, you’ve likely seen the stats by now that say your team is unlikely to make the postseason. We’ll still give you a reminder, though. In the last 10 years, only 12 of the 84 teams that have lost their first two games have gone on to make the postseason that year (14.3%). Last season, three of the 10 teams that started 0-2 made the postseason. So, yes, we are telling you that there’s a chance your 0-2 team can make the playoffs, but it’s pretty slim. So, which 0-2 team is the most likely to beat the odds? We each made our picks, and a common answer emerged. It pains me to say this, because I picked the Chargers to win the Super Bowl, but the Texans are the 0-2 team in the best shape to turn their season around. They’ve all but trademarked this, starting 0-2 in three of the last four years, even going 0-3 last year before turning things around in a big way. The Texans would do well to start that turnaround Sunday at the Colts, who they swept last year, and they have all three division road games in the first six weeks of the season. Go 2-1 in those, beat the Dallas Cowboys next week, and they’ll be back on track with one of the league’s best defenses as a foundation. If they can get the run game to click (David Montgomery is averaging 2.7 yards per carry), that will make life easier for C.J. Stroud as well. I must admit: I don’t believe in any of these teams. Back in May, I picked the Chargers to make the playoffs — but after seeing L.A.’s disastrous offense (and the Chiefs’ resurgence), I can’t see the Chargers turning things around. The AFC West is much more competitive than anyone could have imagined. So it’s basically a toss-up between the Buccaneers and the Texans, and I’ll give the edge to Houston — in part because of the history that Greg pointed out and in part because I think the AFC South is worse than the NFC South. It would be one thing if the Bucs could stroll through their division, but I think the Saints and Panthers are going to be tough to beat — at least for Tampa. The Texans can stroll through their division, with the Titans and Colts looking messy. Maybe C.J. Stroud and the Texans’ highly touted coaching staff can figure this thing out. (Maybe.) I’m torn between the 0-2 Texans and the 0-2 Colts, and their game in Indianapolis on Sunday will probably tell the tale. It’s a tough call because both teams ran into buzzsaws early in the season. The Texans lost to the Bills and Bengals. The Colts lost to the Ravens and Chiefs. Those are four possible Super Bowl contenders that the two teams play. But I’m going to go with the Colts for this reason: I have way more faith in their offense. Indy quarterback Daniel Jones right now is just better than quarterback C.J. Stroud. And even without wide receiver Alec Pierce, who just went on injured reserve, they have plenty of weapons. That includes running back Jonathan Taylor, one of the best in the league, who gives them the running game that the Texans just don’t have. Their defense obviously needs to be a lot better. They’ve given up a ridiculous 1,029 yards through two games — an insane pace that could doom them in the long run. But I think they’ll settle in over the next few weeks against some offensively challenged teams (the Texans, Commanders, Steelers, Titans and Vikings are up next). Once they settle down, they’re good enough to stay in the playoff race, as long as Jones and Taylor stay healthy all year long. We’ve already seen this movie before. Last year, the Texans got off to a miserable 0-3 start and then lost two games the rest of the way. I expect a similar turnaround this season. This defense is way too good — the Week 1 performance notwithstanding — and C.J. Stroud is playing solid ball despite what the numbers say. The next few weeks will tell us whether the run game is as useless as it looked against Cincinnati, but many teams will struggle to run the ball against that front. Even if the running game doesn’t improve, Houston has worked around that issue for the last few years. I don’t see why this season will be any different. The schedule should also help spark a turnaround. Houston will be favored in nearly every game it plays for the next two months, with a trip to Jacksonville as the only difficult matchup between now and an early-December game against the Ravens. I still think this team is good enough to make an AFC title game run, but even if it isn’t, they should rack up enough low-quality wins to stick around the playoff race all season. I tried to be different from my colleagues here. I kept coming back to the Texans. When you’ve been in this spot before, it helps (Houston started the 2023 and ‘25 seasons 0-2 and 0-3, respectively, and finished a game away from the AFC Championship Game both years). But the Texans’ defense, which finished second in points allowed last season, is too good to not return to elite form. Quarterback C.J. Stroud, who has regressed over the last two years, has been encouraging through two games — he’s third in passing yards entering Week 3 (627). Houston is 0-2, but it faced two of the NFL’s best teams in the early season in the Bills and Bengals. Star receiver Nico Collins didn’t play against Cincinnati, either. And if you look at the next five weeks, there’s a great opportunity for the Texans to get back on track — they face the Colts, who they swept last year, and also have meetings with the lowly Titans and Giants, who just lost Jaxson Dart for the season. If Houston wins all three of those games and splits matchups with the Cowboys (Week 4) and Jaguars (Week 6), they’ll be at .500 entering their Week 8 bye.  And then they have the Chargers, who’ve been imploding, right out of that break. In just a month and a half, Houston’s season could be in great shape. Now that the Bolts have disappointed national prognosticators who tagged them as the chic, trendy pick to win the Super Bowl (again), get ready for the Chargers to do Chargers things on the road against the best team in the NFL in the Buffalo Bills, right? Nope, when everyone expects them to fall on their face, these are the moments the Chargers rise up and hit teams over their heads. In their first year in Los Angeles under first-year head coach Anthony Lynn, the Chargers started a nightmarish 0-4, with opposing teams regularly taking over their cozy temporary home in Carson. However, the Bolts rallied and finished the year 9-7. I expect a similar resuscitation effort from Jim Harbaugh here.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Tom Brady went viral for a call he made in the Dallas Cowboys’ victory over the Washington Commanders in Week 2, but he wasn’t proud of the moment. In the most recent edition of #AskTom, Brady shared some regret over the “piss missile” remark he made about one of Dak Prescott’s completions while calling the game for FOX. “I’m actually kind of embarrassed,” Brady said. “There’s a lot of grandmas at home that probably aren’t very happy with my mouth on FOX. I’m going to fix that. Sorry, I apologize.” Brady called Prescott’s 35-yard completion to CeeDee Lamb in the fourth quarter of the Cowboys’ 37-20 win, as Dallas’ quarterback made a well-placed throw along the sideline in tight coverage. But as Brady expressed regret at that remark, he also explained how passes like the one Prescott made are piss missiles. On top of that, Brady said which stadium enjoys broadcasting from the most and which team other teams in the league should be fearful of this season. Here’s more of what Brady said in this week’s #AskTom. Tom, I have to ask a piss missile question. Did your form change when you knew you had to dial one up or is it as simple as just throw it harder? Brady: That’s a great question. Look, when I was trying to throw piss missiles, I had to get all the things that mattered for throwing that thing hard and doing the right thing. The first thing is ground-force production — transfer from my lower half into a really good hitch into my throw. The second thing was torquing my body, rotating my shoulder to the target while keeping my hips closed. And three, keep a really relaxed arm so it ends up being a whip. When all three of those things align, a piss missile is what’s coming your way. I fully expect you to bleep out those piss missiles, OK? You can’t say that, because that swear job is getting way too full in my house. My kids are getting way too happy with me filling up that jar. I wanna see that next week, the Tom Brady swear jar. It has to be overflowing at this point. Brady: Too many. I’m actually kind of embarrassed. There’s a lot of grandmas at home that probably aren’t very happy with my mouth on FOX. I’m going to fix that. Sorry, I apologize. Tough week for QB injuries. Hopefully they’re not out for long. How do you keep your confidence in that position when you get back on the field? Brady: When you have the rhythm of the season, you go through training camp and you have the first game of the season, and then, all of a sudden, you get nicked up and you get injured, that’s not the place where you want to be. It’s hard to help the team from the training room. You’ve got to continue to stress the urgency, mentally. It’s one thing to not be on the field physically, but you’ve got to stay up to date with everything that’s happening in the meeting rooms. You can’t miss a beat from a mental perspective. You’ve got to take part in all the walkthroughs and be out there for practice because when you get back, all the teams you’re playing are just making improvements every single week and you’re kind of staying the status quo. So, to me, the great ones really still engage mentally. They’re working through their rehab process to get back to game speed so that when they do go back, it feels like they haven’t missed a beat. But there’s always going to be a little bit of rust, even if it’s only three or four plays as you go through the rehabilitation from an injury. What’s your favorite stadium to broadcast in? Brady: Such a great question, and never in my wildest dreams did I ever think I’d get picky about a stadium environment in a broadcast booth. But you get really spoiled when you go to some of these really fancy new indoor stadiums and everything is climate-controlled and I pick the suit I want to wear, I can get a little soft. Some of these outdoor stadiums, I used to never mind the cold. I never minded the snow or the rain or the wind. As a broadcaster, give me a dome team and a nice, controlled environment. One of my favorite places to go is actually Dallas to cover the Cowboys. They play well at home, I’ve got Jerry’s World to pull into and I’ve got Jerry-tron in front of me. It’s actually the most amazing — I think a lot of people just watch the game on the television screen. I sometimes even wonder if Jerry [Jones] looks at that screen like a lot of football fans and goes, “You know what, should we go a little bit bigger next year?” That’s what I would do. Tom, I do worry now that the Jets, Bills and maybe the Packers are going to be turning up the AC in the winter when they have you in the booth after they’ve heard this. Brady: Don’t think that the electricity bill is going to go down when I’m in the booth. I’m telling you to jack that thing up to Florida weather. I’ve got iguana blood now, so anything less than about 65 degrees, I’m freezing. I know, it’s kind of embarrassing to say, but sorry, I’m a Floridian now. Is there a unit that’s doing something new this year that’s really impressed you offensively or defensively? Brady: I think one thing that’s not only impressed me, but should honestly scare the rest of the NFL is the Chiefs’ running game. That’s kind of been an afterthought, even in all of their championship seasons. It wasn’t really a running team. It was a lot of passing the football. A lot of passing to [Travis] Kelce, Tyreek Hill and Sammy Watkins. Now, when you add this running game and you’ve got Kenneth Walker running the way he has, [opposing defenses] have got to come down and try to tackle him. As soon as they do that, that exposes a lot of 1-on-1 opportunities for [Patrick] Mahomes and you know he’s going to find those. So, I think this offense being able to run the ball becomes exponentially more explosive, and that should scare a lot of teams in the NFL.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports