Digital Sports Desk

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Archives for September 2025

High Priced Pitchers Square Off

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BRONX – (Wire Service Report) – Max Fried and Garrett Crochet lived up to expectations in sparkling debut seasons as No. 1 starters for the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox.

Now it gets real.

Crochet (Red Sox) and Fried (Yankees) delivered after being acquired in the offseason to become staff aces at the center of baseball’s most historic rivalry, and the left-handers find themselves front and center as Game 1 starters in the American League wild-card series starting Tuesday night at Yankee Stadium.

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The AL East archrivals fight it out in the wild-card round for the first time and best-of-three series winner advances to the division series.

Celtics Open Camp; No Tatum in ’25-26

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BOSTON – (Wire Service Report) – Celtics star Jayson Tatum said he’s not feeling any pressure to push his recovery from a ruptured Achilles tendon.

“No pressure from (Celtics president of basketball operations) Brad (Stevens), (coach) Joe (Mazzulla), the team or the organization,” Tatum said Monday at the Celtics’ media day. “The most important thing is that I’m 100 percent.”

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Tatum suffered the injury in May in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals. Boston lost the series to the New York Knicks.

While Tatum downplayed any urgency he or the team may feel to get him back on the court, he did discuss his difficult recovery process.

“I think the toughest part was at the beginning and kind of being in disbelief. For me, I had to accept it,” he said. “I started to see a turning point, but then you’re on crutches, and you’re on a scooter, you’re in a boot. And then you can drop one crutch and then you can drop both crutches … That made me feel a little bit more normal.”

Tatum is expected to miss most, if not all, of the upcoming season. The Celtics were overhauled in the offseason amid lower expectations without their superstar. Veteran starters Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis were traded without much in the way of established NBA talent added.

“We have a lot of guys that are unproven,” Stevens said. “They’re younger and maybe not quite as experienced and maybe not quite as full of NBA wisdom.”

The Celtics are just 15 months removed from winning the 2023-24 championship. They’ll rely heavily on the leadership of players from that title team like Payton Pritchard, Derrick White and perennial All-Star Jaylen Brown.

“We have a chance for other guys to step up,” Brown said. “Empowering other guys, trusting your teammates more and trying to accelerate guys’ learning curve and play some good basketball. I think that’s what people want to see.”

–Field Level Media

NFL: Monday Night Football

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Cincinnati Bengals (2-1) vs. Denver Broncos (1-2)

Monday, 7:15 p.m. ET

FanDuel odds: Broncos -7.5, Total 43.5

Series Rewind: It’s their fourth meeting on “Monday Night Football,” with the Bengals winning in 2004 and 2014 and the Broncos victorious in Week 16 of their Super Bowl season in 2015.

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It’s a rematch of last season’s Week 17 thriller, when Broncos QB Bo Nix tied it with a 25-yard TD to Marvin Mims Jr. with eight seconds left in regulation, only to fall 30-24 on Joe Burrow’s short TD pass to Tee Higgins with 1:07 left in overtime. This time, Burrow-less Cincinnati limps into Denver still smarting from the most lopsided loss in franchise history: 48-10 last weekend at Minnesota. Despite their winning record, the Bengals have been outscored 91-58 and have more turnovers (eight) than touchdowns (seven). They’ll need a whopper from Ja’Marr Chase, who has 43 catches for 585 yards and five TDs in four appearances on “MNF.” Nix is 6-0 with a 102.6 rating in his last six home starts for the Broncos. J.K. Dobbins has rushed 33 times for 294 yards (8.9 average) and four TDs against the Bengals while going 4-0 in his career.

New York Jets (0-3) at Miami Dolphins (0-3)

Monday, 7:15 p.m. ET

FanDuel odds: Dolphins -2.5, Total 44.5

Series Rewind: Miami is 4-1 in the past five games against the Jets, who claimed a 32-20 win in the 2024 regular-season finale.

The loser will be looking at an 0-4 start and the knowledge it is OK to start focusing on 2026 draft preparations. Miami badly needs to win this contest or coach Mike McDaniel will see the heat pick up. The Dolphins have allowed more than 30 points in each of their three games, and the offensive precision has dipped. Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has thrown five touchdown passes but has been picked off four times. Tyreek Hill is averaging 13.2 yards per catch but has just 198 receiving yards. Linebacker Bradley Chubb always goes all-out and has three of the team’s six sacks. The Jets might be going with Tyrod Taylor for the second straight week after fellow quarterback Justin Fields sustained a concussion in Week 2. Taylor helped New York overcome a 17-point fourth-quarter deficit last week before the Tampa Bay Buccaneers walked it off with a 29-27 victory. Receiver Garrett Wilson (229 on 21 catches) is the only Jet with more than 80 yards or in double digits in receptions. Putting LB Quincy Williams (shoulder) on injured reserve is a blow for the Jets’ defense.

Europe Keeps the Ryder Cup

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OLD BETHPAGE – (Wire Service Report) – Shane Lowry of Ireland drained a 6-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole to halve his match, and Team Europe survived a surprise rally by the United States team to retain the Ryder Cup on Sunday at Bethpage State Park’s famed Black course.

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As defending champions, the Europeans needed to reach just 14 points to ensure the Cup stayed with them. Despite starting the day just 2 1/2 points away, it took about five hours, 15 minutes from the first tee time before Europe finally clinched it.

Lowry entered No. 18 1 down in his match against Russell Henley, after Henley missed a 10-footer to put away the match at No. 17. Henley hit a remarkable shot from the sand onto the 18th green, only to miss another 10-footer to seal his victory.

Lowry drained his putt to give Team Europe the final half-point boost it needed to reach 14, and several teammates joined him on the green in raucous celebration.

It marks Team Europe’s 11th win in the last 15 Ryder Cups and its second in a row under captain Luke Donald of England.

The United States was outplayed throughout Friday and Saturday and needed 10 of an available 12 points to pull off the largest comeback in Ryder Cup history.

Despite clutch performances by Cameron Young, Justin Thomas and Scottie Scheffler — who won his first point after an 0-4-0 start — the Americans and first-time captain Keegan Bradley came up short and will have plenty to address before the 2027 Ryder Cup in Ireland.

The United States’ loss also ended a five-match winning streak for the hosts in the event. No visiting team had won the Ryder Cup since Europe’s “Miracle at Medinah” comeback in 2012.

Europe entered the day leading 11 1/2 points to 4 1/2, but the scoreline became 12-5 before a match began.

Norway’s Viktor Hovland withdrew from singles after hurting his neck Saturday morning and being unable to move it when he awoke Sunday. The U.S. took Harris English out of the lineup in the event’s rarely used “envelope rule,” and the match counted as a draw.

–Field Level Media

Sox Beat Tigers: Will They Be Back?

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BOSTON – (Wire Service Report) – The Boston Red Sox defeated the Detroit Tigers sealing the Tigers’ fate as the No. 6 seed in the American League Postseason while the Sox will hold the No. 5 and play at the Bronx against their longtime rival, the New York Yankees. The Toronto Blue Jays took the American League East title.

Boston now plays New York on Tuesday, Sept. 30, Wednesday, Oct 1 and, if necessary, Thursday, October 2. The winner of the Boston vs. New York wild card will face the No. 1 seed Blue Jays.

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To close out the season today, Boston spot starter José De León pitched a career-high 6 2/3 innings in his first outing in two years. Red Sox DH Masataka Yoshida and second baseman David Hamilton homered to give the Boston Red Sox a 4-3 victory. The Tigers’ loss gave the AL Central title to the Cleveland Guardians.

After each team wrapped up a playoff berth during the final series of the regular season – the Red Sox on Friday and the Tigers on Saturday – they both sent out lineups for the regular-season finale that allowed some regulars to rest. That included Red Sox third baseman Alex Bregman.

De León, called up from Triple-A so the Red Sox could line up their starters for the AL Wild Card series, allowed three runs on eight hits and three walks. He struck out eight. Greg Weissert pitched the ninth for his fourth save. Detroit starter Chris Paddock suffered his 12th loss against five victories on the 2025 season.

Detroit lost 13 of their final 16 and 22 of their last 31 regular season games to allow Cleveland to grab the Central title. Coincidentally, Detroit will travel to Cleveland for their best-of-three game Wild Card series, with the winner to play the Seattle Mariners.

 

 

Patriots Take Care of Carolina Biz

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FOXBORO – (Wire Service Report) – Marcus Jones sparked New England with a pair of huge punt returns, including one for a touchdown, and Patriots’ quarterback Drake Maye accounted for three touchdowns as New England beat the visiting Carolina Panthers, 42-13, on a busy sports Sunday afternoon in Massachusetts.

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Jones set a franchise record with 167 punt return yards on three attempts. Maye threw two touchdowns and added a rushing score against his hometown team.

New England (2-2) didn’t record its second victory last year until Oct. 27.

Maye was 14 for 17 for 203 yards. Hunter Henry and Mack Hollins caught his scoring passes. Stefon Diggs gained 101 receiving yards on six catches.

Trailing 42-6 less than a minute into the fourth quarter, the Panthers (1-3) were in danger of suffering the most lopsided loss in team history (43 points vs. the Raiders in 2000).

After driving for points on the game’s opening possession, Carolina didn’t score again until backup Andy Dalton’s 2-yard fourth-down pass to Mitchell Evans on the first play following the two-minute warning. Quarterback Bryce Young was 18 for 30 for 150 yards and a touchdown.

Jones returned a punt 87 yards for New England’s first points with 5:34 left in the first quarter. The Patriots also scored on their next three possessions, expanding their lead to 28-6 at halftime.

Maye, on the first snap of the second quarter, and TreVeyon Henderson both scored on 5-yard runs, while Antonio Gibson got into the end zone from 1 yard out.

That last TD drive of the first half covered only 14 yards after Jones’s 61-yard punt return.

To begin the game, the Panthers moved 76 yards, scoring on Young’s 7-yard pass to Tommy Tremble.

The Panthers have trailed by at least 17 points at halftime in all three of their losses.

Carolina’s Ryan Fitzgerald, whose extra-point kick bounced off the upright, missed on a 55-yard field goal attempt in the second quarter.

Maye threw 31 yards to Henry to open the second-half scoring.

The Panthers lost receiver David Moore to an injury on the first play from scrimmage.

–Field Level Media

TL’s Sunday Sports Column | Sept 29

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Bethpage State Park (file photo)

By TERRY LYONS, Editor of Digital Sports Desk

OLD BETHPAGE – The datelines read “FARMINGDALE” but the Bethpage State Park I grew up alongside was in Old Bethpage, New York – one of Long Island’s smaller towns. Old Bethpage was so old …

How old was it?

It was so old that Old Bethpage had a Village Restoration Museum and its records show that the USA Ryder Cup team of 1636 lost to England, 18 1/2 to 9 1/2. We kid, we kid – it was actually England, 11-1 as it wasn’t until 1961 when the number of points available doubled from 12 to 24.

Back in Revolutionary War times, the biggest battle of ‘em all was “The Battle of Long Island” which was fought August 27, 1776, just a little bit more than a month after the USA declared its independence day of July 4, 1776.

Yes, you have to go pretty far back to find a US victory.

Now, why all the gloom and doom. This column is being written after Europe shredded Team USA on Day 1, 5 1/2 to 2 1/2, and then concluded the Saturday morning matches much to the same tune. At publication time, the USA trailed Europe, 8 1/2 to 3 1/2 with the afternoon matches teeing off just as Notre Dame was playing Arkansas (ND 56-13 winners) and a few hours before Cal took on the local Boston College team (Cal won, 28-24).

*Upon further review in the 8 o’clock hour, the European lead over the USA was of record proportions, a la the largest lead going into Sunday singles under the current format that dates to 1979.

ABC sports television commentator Al Michaels once exclaimed, “Do you believe in MIRACLES?” Well, yes we do, but the trouncing Europe has given the USA over the first sets of matches in the 2025 Ryder Cup makes it very difficult to think our man and team captain, Keegan Bradley, can orchestrate a comeback.

It’s not unprecedented, as the 1999 “Battle of Brookline” at The Country Country Club in Massachusetts proved. The USA trailed Europe, 10-6, heading into the Sunday final round of singles. The United States battled back and won the first six matches of the day, then went on to win 14 1/2 to 13 1/2 when American Justin Leonard holed a 45-footer which was followed by Spain’s José María Olazábal miss from 22 feet which halved the hole and gave the USA it’s remarkable win. However, there’s a considerable difference between 10-6 and 11 1/2 to 4 1/2.

If there’s a miracle to be had, think of the day the New England Patriots trailed the Atlanta Falcons by the score of 28-3 in Super Bowl LI (SB-51 in 2017), only to come back and win, 34-28, in overtime, and cement the legacy of QB Tom Brady as the Greatest NFL QB of All-Time.

Although the NBA’s Michael Jordan is roaming the fairways at Bethpage Black, Tom Brady will not, so the USA might need Brady, Bill Belichick and even James White to comeback on Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood and Jon Rahm.

Some of you will be reading this late Saturday night and others early on Sunday morning. The Ryder Cup singles matches begin at 12:01pm (ET), so we’ll all see if there’s a new “Miracle Mile” to be constructed on Long Island and that is highly unlikely given the 11 1/2 to 4 1/2 whooping the Europeans handed the Amerks over the Friday-Saturday span.

Column contributor, the Marvelous T, looked out his backyard window with Bethpage State Park in sight, and came up with this:

“The outlook wasn’t brilliant for the American Twelve today

The score stood 11.5 to almost nothing with but one more day to play

And when Henley slumped at the First, then Cantlay did the same

A pall-like silence fell upon the patrons at Bethpage

Then from eighty thousand throats and more there rose a raucous yell;

It rumbled through the Island breeze, it rattled in Farmingdale;

It knocked upon Garden City, and recoiled upon Cliffs of Sea,

For Scottie, mighty Scottie, was advancing to Bethpage’s tee

“Fore” cried the maddened thousands, and Echo answered Rough;

But one scornful look from Scottie and the audience was Fluff,

They saw his face grow stern and cold, they saw his muscles strain,

And they knew that Mighty Scottie couldn’t let a match go down again.

Oh, somewhere in this favored island, the sun is shining bright;

The Band is playing somewhere, and in Montauk hearts are light,

And somewhere men are laughing, and somewhere children shout;

But there’s no joy in thee Island Trees, as Mighty Rory just holed out.”

– Apologies to Ernest Thayer

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: All of the scuttlebutt about Bethpage Black and Bethpage State Park, in general, brings back a lot of memories, mostly from the 1960s and ‘70s when we were growing up on Long Island.

The State Park was a bicycle ride away, even with a set of golf clubs draped over your shoulders. Bethpage Black was – pretty much – forbidden territory. It was just too difficult and would cost an amateur golfer about 36 lost golf balls, at the least. But the great thing about Bethpage was the fact the public golf courses numbered – FIVE! Yes, five golf courses, all color coded, almost like the seats at Madison Square Garden. Without looking it up, I’ll review:

  • Yellow – The Yellow Course was the easiest of the five and one we played often.
  • Green – I enjoyed playing the “Green” the most as it was medium-easy but played to a lefty’s slice. The greens and aprons were well kept and a short chip-in with a 7-iron was my specialty.
  • Blue – The “Blue” was a bit longer and more difficult as it include a ton of trees and some hills. The course could east up lost balls, many under pine cones and needles.
  • Red – The “Red” was long and pretty tough. Hit a chipmunk and you won! There were chipmunks and squirrels everywhere you looked.
  • “The Black” – It was only with neighbor, we’ll call him, Ernie, when we were allowed to accompany the scratch golfer and friend of the starter for a late afternoon round, often just nine holes. It was Ernie who taught us, “The Ernie Explosive,” a technique to easily remove a golf ball from one of the zillions of sand traps (bunkers) protecting every green in Bethpage like a Doberman would protect his family.

The “Ernie Explosive” combined with the “best golf tip I’ve ever heard,” made escaping from sand traps as easy as baking a cake in an “Easy Bake Oven.” Ernie’s advice was to choke up a bit on your sand wedge, with a very firm grip. Then to take some sand and follow through completely. Pretty simple.

Part two – the best tip ever (from Golf Magazine) – was to use Ernie’s exact philosophy but to picture taking a slice out of the sand – the width and shape of a $1 bill – slicing it out directly under the ball in the sand. That vision along with “Ernie’s Explosive” made for the perfect mental and physical combination to hit highly successful and very accurate wedge shots from the sand – worry free – not matter how big or deep the trap might be.

Good old Ernie.

TIDBITS & NUGGETS: An hour or so after watching Cal defeat BC in person at a highly entertaining, yet disappointing game for hometown BC fans, the television was turned on to the Alabama at Georgia SEC game. … The reaction? … It’s two different sports. The same goes for Ohio State, Penn State and “The “U” of Miami, Florida, amongst a handful of others. … The size of the players alone put the SEC, the BIG TEN and the upper echelon of the ACC in another category.

THE GREATEST RUSHING OF THE FIELD: “Without regard to human life!”

Says NBA broadcaster Kevin Harlan, quoting his Dad, “If you wake up every morning and your feet hit the ground and you’re excited about your day, that’s what – I found out what it was!”

September 28: Today marks 25 years since the Quarterfinals of the men’s basketball tournament at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games. The USA defeated Russia 85-70 in that round. Lithuania knocked off the former Yugoslavian Republic, 76-63, to set up the epic Semifinal match of September 29th. Click for the complete bracket: HERE

Reminder: Your NFL Sunday kicks-off early (9:30am ET) as Minnesota will face Pittsburgh at Croke Field in Dublin, Ireland.

THIS JEST IN: The WNBA suspended Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve for Game 4 of the semifinal series against the Phoenix Mercury. Reeve was ejected during the final minute of Minny’s 84-76 loss to the Mercury in Game 3 on Friday night and she then unloaded on the game officials in a post game press conference.

“Her conduct and comments included aggressively pursuing and verbally abusing a game official on the court, failure to leave the court in a timely manner upon her ejection with 21.8 seconds to play in the fourth quarter, inappropriate comments made to fans when exiting the court and remarks made in a post-game press conference,” said the WNBA’s statement.

SNF on NBC

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Green Bay Packers (2-1) at Dallas Cowboys (1-2)

Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET

Odds: Packers -6.5, Total 47.5

Series Rewind: Green Bay has never lost at AT&T Stadium. The Packers have won seven of the past eight meetings.

You might have heard the Packers are coming to Dallas and bringing an old friend to visit the Cowboys. Micah Parsons, the NFL leader in pass-rush pressures and the only player in the league with eight-plus pressures in multiple games this season, has a new crew and it includes the league leader in sacks (Rashan Gary, 4.5).

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Green Bay gives up 16 fewer points per game than the Cowboys (30.7) and arrives angry after laying an egg — much gentler terms than Parsons used — at Cleveland in a 13-10 loss last week. Dak Prescott is playing at a high level but Dallas went scoreless in the second half of both losses. CeeDee Lamb (ankle) won’t play this week and the Cowboys are down key personnel on the offensive line. The shuffled starting 11 on offense features George Pickens as the No. 1 wide receiver; TE Jake Ferguson (13 catches last week) will have a bigger share of the play-call sheet this week, according to coach Brian Schottenheimer. Dallas’ best weapon has been the ground game with a rejuvenated Javonte Williams averaging 4.7 yards per carry. Jordan Love is also behind a modified blocking scheme because of injuries. Against a Dallas front adding Jadeveon Clowney, Love figures to let it fly after the Cowboys’ pass defense was roasted by the Giants and Bears.

Ryder Cup | Sunday Pairings

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2025 RYDER CUP | 12 Sunday Pairings for Match Play

Match 1, 12:02 p.m. ET: Cameron Young (USA) vs. Justin Rose (EUR)
Match 2, 12:13 p.m. ET: Justin Thomas (USA) vs. Tommy Fleetwood (EUR)
Match 3, 12:24 p.m. ET: Bryson DeChambeau (USA) vs. Matt Fitzpatrick (EUR)
Match 4, 12:35 p.m. ET: Scottie Scheffler (USA) vs. Rory McIlroy (EUR)
Match 5, 12:46 p.m. ET: Patrick Cantlay (USA) vs. Ludvig Aberg (EUR)

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Match 6, 12:57 p.m. ET: Xander Schauffele (USA) vs. Jon Rahm (EUR)
Match 7, 1:08 p.m. ET: J.J. Spaun (USA) vs. Sepp Straka (EUR)
Match 8, 1:19 p.m. ET: Russell Henley (USA) vs. Shane Lowry (EUR)
Match 9, 1:30 p.m. ET: Ben Griffin (USA) v. Rasmus Højgaard (EUR)
Match 10, 1:41 p.m. ET: Collin Morikawa (USA) vs. Tyrrell Hatton (EUR)
Match 11, 1:52 p.m. ET: Sam Burns (USA) vs. Robert MacIntyre (EUR)
Match 12, 2:03 p.m. ET: Harris English (USA) vs. Viktor Hovland (EUR)

NFL Week 4: Previews

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Minnesota Vikings (2-1) at Pittsburgh Steelers (2-1)

Sunday, 9:30 a.m. ET (in Dublin)

Odds: Vikings -2.5, Total 40.5

Series Rewind: Sunday is the first leg of an international double-dip for the Vikings. Minnesota plays the Browns in London next week. The Vikings are 4-0 in international games, most wins without a loss among NFL clubs.

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Minnesota is making the two-city tour of Europe and the AFC North starting with the first-ever NFL regular-season game in Dublin. Head coach Kevin O’Connell raised a glass to backup Carson Wentz for his play as the fill-in starter for J.J. McCarthy last week and handed Wentz a second start. McCarthy is dealing with a high-ankle sprain, and Wentz — starting for his sixth team in the past six seasons — is backed by a strong running game and high-performing defense that produced two touchdowns last week to bury the Bengals. Pittsburgh’s vaunted defense did enough to get a win at New England last week but hasn’t discovered its usual game-changing footing in the early portion of the schedule. Minnesota continues to shuffle the offensive line with left guard Blake Brandel breaking into the front five, making for a third different alignment in four games. Steelers QB Aaron Rodgers has preferred RB Jaylen Warren in the passing game. He’s the leader on the roster with 11 receptions for 142 and has 43 carries for a team-best 132 yards. While Rodgers said this week he’s excited to be at the home of beer brand Guinness, he’ll get brain tests from Vikings coordinator Brian Flores. Rodgers has had plenty of big games in 29 starts and 30 total appearances against the Vikings in his career. Rodgers has 7,401 passing yards, 63 TDs (59 passes), 11 interceptions and a 105.4 passer rating all-time facing the Vikings.

Cleveland Browns (1-2) at Detroit Lions (2-1)

Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

Odds: Lions -9.5, Total 44.5

Series Rewind: Lions QB Jared Goff is tied for the NFL lead with a passer rating of 100-plus in 22 games since 2023.

The Lions have ratcheted up the offense with 90 points and 937 yards while winning the past two weeks. They put up 224 rushing yards — including a career-high 151 from David Montgomery — in Monday’s 38-30 victory over the Baltimore Ravens. The sledding will be tougher against the Browns, who lead the league in rushing defense (57.3 yards per game) and total defense (204.3). Of course, Myles Garrett (four sacks) promises to keep Goff on his toes. Goff has completed a league-best 77.9 percent of his passes and is tied for second with seven passing touchdowns. Lions star wideout Amon-Ra St. Brown is tied for the league lead with four scoring receptions. Cleveland’s offense isn’t scaring anyone with Joe Flacco being an underwhelming starter. The 40-year-old is undefeated in three career starts against the Lions. But he has thrown four interceptions this season and the Browns rank 30th in scoring offense (15.3). Protecting Flacco will be a big need against a Lions defense that racked up seven sacks against Ravens elusive star Lamar Jackson. Browns rookie running back Quinshon Judkins flashed some skills with 94 yards and a score in last week’s 13-10 win over the Green Bay Packers.

Carolina Panthers (1-2) vs. New England Patriots (1-2)

Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

Odds: Patriots -5.5, Total 43.5

Series Rewind: This will mark the ninth meeting with the all-time series split 4-4. The Patriots won the most important game in the series, defeating Carolina on Adam Vinatieri’s last-second field goal for a 32-29 Lombardi-clincher in Super Bowl XXXVIII in 2004.

Carolina enters this road trip to New England with some confidence coming off a 30-0 shutout of Atlanta for its first win of the season and first shutout since 2020. Bryce Young had only a rushing TD last week, but also delivered his first turnover-free game of the season after throwing three picks and fumbling twice in the first two games. WR Tetairoa McMillan is still looking for his first TD, but he does lead all rookies in receiving yards (216). He didn’t practice Wednesday with a calf injury and was limited Thursday. Patriots QB Drake Maye, who grew up in the Charlotte area, will face his hometown team for the first time this week. He has five TD passes to two interceptions with a 101.3 passer rating and is also tied for the team lead with 87 rushing yards. New England’s defense has held its first three opponents to 181 rushing yards (second fewest in the league) and could get a boost this week with All-Pro cornerback Christian Gonzalez trending toward possibly making his season debut vs. Carolina.

Philadelphia Eagles (3-0) vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-0)

Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

Odds: Eagles -3.5, Total 44.5

Series Rewind: In their past 25 games, including the playoffs, the Eagles are 0-2 against the Buccaneers and 21-2 against the rest of the league.

The only NFL matchup of unbeaten teams this week is an early battle for NFC supremacy. The cardiac Bucs are the first team in the Super Bowl era to open a season with game-winning scores in three straight games in the final minute of regulation. The swashbuckling Baker Mayfield made the Eagles walk the plank in their last visit to the Pirate Ship in Week 4 last season, throwing for 347 yards and with three TDs (two passing, one rushing) in a 33-16 win. The Eagles were without top receivers DeVonta Smith and A.J. Brown in that loss. In this game, Mayfield will be without star wideout Mike Evans (hamstring) on Sunday but slot receiver Chris Godwin, out since last October with a nasty ankle injury, is expected to be available. The Eagles pulled off their own stunner last weekend, rallying from 19 down in the second half to beat the Rams. Off to a slow start, Saquon Barkley needs 173 scrimmage yards to hit 10,000 for his career. Philadelphia’s passing game has been lightly used and produced an average of just 146.7 yards through three games.

Washington Commanders (2-1) vs. Atlanta Falcons (1-2)

Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

Odds: Commanders -1.5, Total 45.5

Series Rewind: After losing six consecutive games to Atlanta from 2006-18, the pigskin pendulum has swung in Washington’s favor with four straight wins in the 2020s.

Commanders coach Dan Quinn returns to Atlanta, where he compiled a 43-42 record from 2015-20 as head coach. It’s worth noting that the Falcons are 34-48 since firing Quinn after their 0-5 start in 2020. He will face a languid Atlanta offense that was blanked 30-0 by Carolina last weekend and has scored three or fewer points in eight of 12 quarters so far. Only two of seven trips to the red zone have resulted in a touchdown. Michael Penix got benched for Kirk Cousins against the Panthers but Penix has played well at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, where he looks for his third straight home game of 295-plus passing yards with at least one passing and one rushing TD. The Commanders are going back to ex-Falcons quarterback Marcus Mariota with Jayden Daniels (knee) ruled out and set to miss a second consecutive game with a knee injury. Mariota (5-8 as the Falcons’ starter in 2022) will join Quinn on the Atlanta reunion tour. Wide receiver Terry McLaurin is out with a quad injury.

New Orleans Saints (0-3) at Buffalo Bills (3-0)

Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

Odds: Bills -15.5, Total 48.5

Series Rewind: Winless in nine career starts, Saints QB Spencer Rattler is the only quarterback with 25-plus completions in every game this season.

Kellen Moore heads to Buffalo still chasing his first win as a head coach but New Orleans is facing a tall order. The biggest underdog on the board this week at more than two touchdowns, the Saints will face a Bills team still without injured DT Ed Oliver and LB Matt Milano. Rattler completed more than 70 percent of his passes in each of the past two games and hasn’t hampered the Saints with decision-making. But New Orleans is missing the big-play elements to throw punches with heavy-hitting Buffalo. WR Chris Olave’s 10 receptions went for 57 yards last week at Seattle. The Bills lead the NFL in total offense and rushing yards, and reigning NFL MVP Josh Allen is looking to extend Buffalo’s home winning streak to 14 games. Allen hasn’t thrown an interception in 11 of his past 12 starts and has been content in the pocket with teams altering their approach to slow down RB James Cook. Cook is one of four NFL players with at least 100 yards from scrimmage in every game this season.

Tennessee Titans (0-3) at Houston Texans (0-3)

Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

Odds: Texans -7.5, Total 38.5

Series Rewind: Tennessee has won three of its past four games at Houston. Rookie quarterbacks are 2-7 against Houston head coach DeMeco Ryans.

Quarterbacks coach Bo Hardegree takes over play-calling duties for the Titans, who are struggling to sustain drives and protect No. 1 pick Cam Ward. He’s ready for Sunday but was limited by a lower-leg injury to begin the week. Houston’s defense has teeth and a pass rush capable of collapsing the Titans’ offensive line, which will again be without starting OT J.C. Latham (hip). The Titans have averaged just 3.6 yards per play, worst in the NFL, putting Ward in third-and-long situations and in harm’s way too often. The Texans changed offensive coordinators and have yet to leave the runway in 2025. C.J. Stroud has two touchdowns and three interceptions, and Houston ranks 28th or lower in the NFL in yards per game, points per game and third-down percentage. Offensive line changes are not working out. LT Laremy Tunsil was traded to the Commanders and Stroud has not had time to plant and throw in critical passing situations, muting the big-play ability of WR Nico Collins. Collins and Titans CB L’Jarius Sneed became a more compelling watch this week when Sneed asked “Who?” in response to a reporter’s question about contending with the wideout. Stroud has a 105.6 passer rating on attempts intended for Collins in 2025. His rating is 65.8 when targeting any other player.

Chicago Bears (1-2) at Las Vegas Raiders (1-2)

Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET

Series Rewind: The Bears beat the Raiders 30-12 in 2023, their last meeting, and have wins in three of the past four matchups.

A faster start to the game is a vital part of the plan for the Bears, who scored a 31-14 win — the first of the Ben Johnson era — last week and play four of their next five games on the road. This week they visit the Raiders, who also are 1-2 under new coach Pete Carroll. In the first three games with Johnson at the helm, Chicago has scored 28 first-quarter points, tied for tops in the league and one more than they managed in 17 games last season. Caleb Williams passed for 298 yards and four touchdowns last week. Williams spread the ball — and scoring passes — to receivers Luther Burden III, Rome Odunze, DJ Moore and tight end Cole Kmet while compiling a career-best passer rating of 142.6. Las Vegas rarely blitzes but has a streak of 38 consecutive games with a QB sack. Raiders defensive tackle Jonah Laulu leads the team with three, but Johnson especially is concerned about end Maxx Crosby, a four-time Pro Bowl selection. Las Vegas gained 354 yards while leaning into a special connection between quarterback Geno Smith and receiver Tre Tucker. Smith completed 19 of 29 passes for 289 yards and three scores, all to Tucker, who gained 145 yards on eight receptions. Smith has passed for 831 yards through three games, second in the NFL, while throwing for four touchdowns against four interceptions. Las Vegas is aiming to shore up its running game. Rookie Ashton Jeanty was hit at or behind the line of scrimmage on 11 of 17 carries against Washington. Las Vegas’ Brock Bowers is planning to play while nursing an ailing knee.

Indianapolis Colts (3-0) vs. Los Angeles Rams (2-1)

Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET

Odds: Rams -3.5, Total 49.5

Series Rewind: Indianapolis leads the all-time series 23-21-2 but has lost the past four games against the Rams, last beating them when they were still in St. Louis in 2009.

Almost unrecognizable in his ability to function and even flourish in the face of pass-rush pressure, Indianapolis QB Daniel Jones has kept things rolling for the Colts’ high-powered offense. He’s third in the league in passing yards (816) and the offense ranks second in total offense (418.7 yards/game) and scoring offense (34.3 points/game). Jones is the only QB in the league with 225-plus yards, a touchdown pass and no interceptions in each of the first three games this season. He’s supplemented by Jonathan Taylor, who leads the league in rushing yards (338). This game appeared likely to be a battle of 3-0 teams before Los Angeles blew a 19-point lead last week at Philadelphia. The Rams defense, tied for the league lead with 12 sacks and fifth in total defense (268.3) allowed three second-half touchdown passes. WR Puka Nacua leads the league in catches (29) and receiving yards (333) early this season.

Jacksonville Jaguars (2-1) vs. San Francisco 49ers (3-0)

Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET

FanDuel odds: 49ers -3.5, Total 46.5

Series Rewind: San Francisco leads the all-time series 5-2, and has won the past five games and each of its two home games vs. Jacksonville.

San Francisco is just one of six unbeaten teams left, but enters this game battered and bruised. Starting QB Brock Purdy (left shoulder, toe) and his backup, Mac Jones (knee) were limited in practice. Jones said he’ll be ready to play while Purdy gave a less definitive answer but his mobility was improved. Whoever starts could have a somewhat limited pool of skill-position players available. Tight end George Kittle (hamstring) and receiver Brandon Aiyuk (knee) remain out while receivers Jauan Jennings and Jordan Watkins have not practiced this week and Ricky Pearsall has been limited. Jacksonville’s defense has held opposing offenses without a touchdown until the fourth quarter in two of its first three games this season. Arik Armstead (1.5 sacks) will be facing his former team for the first time after spending his first nine seasons in San Francisco. Cornerback Jourdan Lewis recorded his second pick of the season last week and leads the league with six pass breakups.

Baltimore Ravens (1-2) at Kansas City Chiefs (1-2)

Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET

Odds: Ravens -2.5, Total 48.5

Series Rewind: The Chiefs have won five of the past six meetings in the series.

The loser of these two AFC powerhouse teams will be saddled with a 1-3 record so playoff-type intensity could be unleashed. The Chiefs have struggled to score — they are tied for 21st in scoring offense at 20 points per game — while Baltimore can score but can’t seem to stop anyone. The Ravens average a league-high 37 points per game but rank 31st in scoring defense (32.0 points per outing) and last in total defense (415.0 yards). In Monday’s 38-30 loss to the Detroit Lions, Baltimore allowed a stunning 224 yards on the ground. Patrick Mahomes leads Kansas City with 125 rushing yards so there shouldn’t be a repeat. Mahomes would like to get points earlier against the Ravens as slow starts have been an issue this season. The 22-9 win over the New York Giants last weekend represents Kansas City’s best point total of the season. Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson has thrown a league-high nine touchdown passes, is first with a 141.8 passer rating and hasn’t been intercepted. Ravens star running back Derrick Henry is fourth in the NFL with 242 rushing yards but his three fumbles (two lost) have tarnished his solid start.

Green Bay Packers (2-1) at Dallas Cowboys (1-2)

Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET

FanDuel odds: Packers -6.5, Total 47.5

Series Rewind: Green Bay has never lost at AT&T Stadium. The Packers have won seven of the past eight meetings.

You might have heard the Packers are coming to Dallas and bringing an old friend to visit the Cowboys. Micah Parsons, the NFL leader in pass-rush pressures and the only player in the league with eight-plus pressures in multiple games this season, has a new crew and it includes the league leader in sacks (Rashan Gary, 4.5). Green Bay gives up 16 fewer points per game than the Cowboys (30.7) and arrives angry after laying an egg — much gentler terms than Parsons used — at Cleveland in a 13-10 loss last week. Dak Prescott is playing at a high level but Dallas went scoreless in the second half of both losses. CeeDee Lamb (ankle) won’t play this week and the Cowboys are down key personnel on the offensive line. The shuffled starting 11 on offense features George Pickens as the No. 1 wide receiver; TE Jake Ferguson (13 catches last week) will have a bigger share of the play-call sheet this week, according to coach Brian Schottenheimer. Dallas’ best weapon has been the ground game with a rejuvenated Javonte Williams averaging 4.7 yards per carry. Jordan Love is also behind a modified blocking scheme because of injuries. Against a Dallas front adding Jadeveon Clowney, Love figures to let it fly after the Cowboys’ pass defense was roasted by the Giants and Bears.

Cincinnati Bengals (2-1) vs. Denver Broncos (1-2)

Monday, 7:15 p.m. ET

FanDuel odds: Broncos -7.5, Total 43.5

Series Rewind: It’s their fourth meeting on “Monday Night Football,” with the Bengals winning in 2004 and 2014 and the Broncos victorious in Week 16 of their Super Bowl season in 2015.

It’s a rematch of last season’s Week 17 thriller, when Broncos QB Bo Nix tied it with a 25-yard TD to Marvin Mims Jr. with eight seconds left in regulation, only to fall 30-24 on Joe Burrow’s short TD pass to Tee Higgins with 1:07 left in overtime. This time, Burrow-less Cincinnati limps into Denver still smarting from the most lopsided loss in franchise history: 48-10 last weekend at Minnesota. Despite their winning record, the Bengals have been outscored 91-58 and have more turnovers (eight) than touchdowns (seven). They’ll need a whopper from Ja’Marr Chase, who has 43 catches for 585 yards and five TDs in four appearances on “MNF.” Nix is 6-0 with a 102.6 rating in his last six home starts for the Broncos. J.K. Dobbins has rushed 33 times for 294 yards (8.9 average) and four TDs against the Bengals while going 4-0 in his career.

New York Jets (0-3) at Miami Dolphins (0-3)

Monday, 7:15 p.m. ET

FanDuel odds: Dolphins -2.5, Total 44.5

Series Rewind: Miami is 4-1 in the past five games against the Jets, who claimed a 32-20 win in the 2024 regular-season finale.

The loser will be looking at an 0-4 start and the knowledge it is OK to start focusing on 2026 draft preparations. Miami badly needs to win this contest or coach Mike McDaniel will see the heat pick up. The Dolphins have allowed more than 30 points in each of their three games, and the offensive precision has dipped. Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has thrown five touchdown passes but has been picked off four times. Tyreek Hill is averaging 13.2 yards per catch but has just 198 receiving yards. Linebacker Bradley Chubb always goes all-out and has three of the team’s six sacks. The Jets might be going with Tyrod Taylor for the second straight week after fellow quarterback Justin Fields sustained a concussion in Week 2. Taylor helped New York overcome a 17-point fourth-quarter deficit last week before the Tampa Bay Buccaneers walked it off with a 29-27 victory. Receiver Garrett Wilson (229 on 21 catches) is the only Jet with more than 80 yards or in double digits in receptions. Putting LB Quincy Williams (shoulder) on injured reserve is a blow for the Jets’ defense.

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