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NFL Previews: Week 12

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NFL Week 12 Capsules

New England Patriots (9-2) at Cincinnati Bengals (3-7)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Patriots -6.5, Total 51.5
Series Rewind: The Patriots have won four of the last five meetings to extend their lead in the series to 18-10. The Bengals have not defeated New England in Cincinnati since a 13-6 victory on Oct. 6, 2013.

A victory will give New England its 28th 10-win season, tying Pittsburgh for the second most since 1970 behind Dallas (29). The Patriots are 5-0 on the road this season, the only team in the NFL without a loss. New England’s eight-game winning streak is its longest since an 8-0 start in 2019. First-year head coach Mike Vrabel’s defense ranks No. 1 against the run (84.7 yards per game) and is facing a Cincinnati offense that is tied for 31st in rushing (81.4). New England’s Drake Maye can become just the fourth player ever under the age of 24 to record 10 games with at least 200 passing yards and a 100-plus passer rating. Bengals WR Tee Higgins has caught touchdown passes in nine straight home games, joining Hall of Famers Jerry Rice and Cris Carter with that accomplishment, and steps into the No. 1 receiver role with Ja’Marr Chase suspended one game for spitting at Steelers DB Jalen Ramsey last week. The Bengals could also get TE Mike Gesicki back in the lineup from a pectoral injury that pushed him to IR. But which Joe will throw? Burrow or Flacco? Sidelined since Week 2, Burrow (toe) was a full participant in practice this week. Flacco has been playing through a right shoulder injury. A tight turnaround to Thursday’s primetime holiday game at Baltimore might weigh into the decision.

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Seattle Seahawks (7-3) at Tennessee Titans (1-9)

Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

FanDuel odds: Seahawks -13.5, Total 40.5

Series Rewind: Ten consecutive meetings between the franchises have been decided by eight points or less. The Seahawks won the most recent game in 2023 (20-17) and the Titans took the 2021 matchup in overtime (33-30), erasing a 14-point deficit in the fourth quarter with two Derrick Henry TDs.

The Seahawks are 3-1 in the past four games despite 12 turnovers thanks to an edgy defense capable of morphing on the fly due to interchangeable parts, a high-level challenge for rookie QB Cam Ward. Ward takes the field Sunday with few consistently reliable options at wide receiver, but the Titans dare not roll out a predictable game plan against mad scientist Mike Macdonald. The Titans scored only one touchdown in seven of 10 games this season and aren’t built to throw punches with heavyweights during a roster rebuild. Seattle features the NFL’s leading receiver, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, and a two-headed running back rotation Macdonald said will soon push Kenneth Walker III to the top of the pecking order. Tennessee’s run defense has been user-friendly to the tune of 134.7 yards per game this season. Smith-Njigba has seven 100-yards games and at least 93 receiving yards in nine of 10 this season. TE A.J. Barner had 10 receptions last season as QB Sam Darnold tries to unearth a reliable second option in the passing game. Darnold is coming off of a four-INT game in Seattle’s two-point loss to the Rams.

Minnesota Vikings (4-6) at Green Bay Packers (6-3-1)

Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

FanDuel odds: Packers -6.5, Total 41.5

Series Rewind: The teams split the past 12 meetings. Minnesota has won three of the past four.

Walking wounded has been a theme this season for the Packers, with continuity and consistency fleeting because of a revolving door on the offense line and WR corps. QB Jordan Love was banged up last week — he missed only seven snaps in the win over the Giants — and RB Josh Jacobs (knee) left the victory in the first half. Top targets Tucker Kraft (knee) and WR Jayden Reed (foot, clavicle) are on IR and current top receiver Romeo Doubs was limited most of the week with a wrist injury. Only the timely return of WR Christian Watson, who caught two TD passes last week, has kept the forward pass as an option. The Vikings must contend with pass rusher Micah Parsons for the first time since he was acquired by the Packers. Parsons posted 1.5 sacks last week and digs in against Minnesota’s inconsistent offensive line in Green Bay’s first look at QB J.J. McCarthy. McCarthy has been sacked 15 times with eight interceptions and six TD passes in six games and was picked off twice in consecutive one-score losses to the Ravens and Bears the past two games.

Pittsburgh Steelers (6-4) at Chicago Bears (7-3)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

FanDuel odds: Bears -2.5, Total 44.5

Series Rewind: Steelers QB Aaron Rodgers has 24 wins in 29 career games against the Bears, all during his days with the Green Bay Packers. The Bears won the first 10 games in the series, all played before 1950 when the Pittsburgh franchise was the Pirates.

Division leaders most didn’t see coming try to keep a grip on the top spot and remain in the thick of the playoff chase. The Bears are delivering in close games and have a 5-3 record when trailing in the second half this season. Only the Denver Broncos (6-1) have been better at stemming the tide than first-year head coach Ben Johnson’s bunch. He is sharing credit with defensive coordinator Dennis Allen for steadying Chicago after a horrific start. A nemesis from the past, Aaron Rodgers, strolls into Soldier Field compromised by a fracture in his left wrist. Rodgers and head coach Mike Tomlin insist he could still start for the Steelers on Sunday. Rodgers has owned the Bears to the point that he proclaimed, well, parenthood of Chicago from his time in Green Bay. The Steelers hold a slimming lead in the AFC North and are generally winning games when they don’t turn the ball over. The Bears lead the league with 22 takeaways and are first in the NFL in turnover margin (plus-16). Pittsburgh is second in the league with 18 takeaways and brings a unique, blitz-heavy attack against second-year QB Caleb Williams. Pittsburgh is 5-1 when they record a takeaway this season. Williams is responsible for keeping the ball out of the Steelers’ grasp and using his rotation at running back of D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai to move the chains. The Bears still are susceptible to allowing explosive plays and are 29th in the NFL with 80 penalties.

Indianapolis Colts (8-2) at Kansas City Chiefs (5-5)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Chiefs -3.5, Total 49.5
Series Rewind: Indianapolis has won the past two meetings and 15 of the last 19, and boasts a 3-1 postseason mark against Kansas City during the stretch.

Kansas City made a living winning tight games last season, but the Chiefs are 0-5 in one-score contests this season. That includes three losses by three points, a prime reason why Kansas City is a distant 3 1/2 games behind the first-place Denver Broncos in the AFC West. The Chiefs are outside of the wild-card race with seven AFC teams possessing more wins. Just last season, the Chiefs went 11-0 in one-score games during the regular season and added another in the playoffs against the Buffalo Bills. But ruling out a late run with Patrick Mahomes (18 touchdowns, six interceptions) and Travis Kelce (franchise-record 84 touchdowns) on the roster might be a mistake. The Colts could really stamp their arrival by winning at Arrowhead as they haven’t played in a single playoff game since 2020 and the trip prior to that was a Jan. 2019 loss to Mahomes and the Chiefs in KC. Indianapolis is one of the surprise teams of the league and possesses the lead in the AFC South. The Colts have flourished behind NFL rushing leader Jonathan Taylor (1,139 yards, 15 touchdowns) and quarterback Daniel Jones (15 TD passes) and has topped 30 points seven times, the latest coming in a 31-25 overtime victory over the Atlanta Falcons in Week 10 prior to last week’s bye. Second-year defensive end Laiatu Latu has a team-best five sacks and is tied for the team lead with two interceptions. Jones’ recent turnover woes — four interceptions, two fumbles — could be a byproduct of the 15 sacks absorbed in the past three games. George Karlaftis leads the Chiefs with 5.0 sacks this season.

New York Jets (2-8) at Baltimore Ravens (5-5)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Ravens -13.5, Total 44.5
Series Rewind: The Ravens own a 10-2 all-time edge over the Jets. Baltimore’s last four wins have been by an average of 17.3 points.

Baltimore has recorded four consecutive victories and is suddenly just one game behind the Pittsburgh Steelers in the NFC North. The Ravens gave up just 187 yards in last week’s 23-16 win over the Cleveland Browns and scored 13 unanswered fourth-quarter points. Lamar Jackson had a shaky game by hitting just 14 of 25 passes for 193 yards and two interceptions and also was sacked five times. Jackson is dealing with an ankle injury leading up to this contest. Derrick Henry had 103 yards and a touchdown while notching his fourth 100-yard game of the season. Lightning-fast CB Nate Wiggins has three of Baltimore’s six interceptions, while the defense has just 15 sacks. New York is going with veteran Tyrod Taylor at quarterback as the bid to have Justin Fields be a downfield passing threat has fizzled. Fields avoided turnovers with only one interception, but he was unable to threaten the deep third of the field without WR Garrett Wilson on the field. The Jets rank last in the NFL at 139.9 passing yards per game and 29th in total offense at 291.5, and Wilson won’t likely be back until December. Taylor has completed 62.3% of his 69 throws for 379 yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions. However, he has been sacked nine times. RB Breece Hall has 722 yards and is on pace for his first 1,000-yard rushing season. He fell six yards short in 2023.

New York Giants (2-9) at Detroit Lions (6-4)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Lions -10.5, Total 49.5
Series Rewind: The Lions have won four of the last five meetings to grab a 24-21-1 lead in the regular-season series with the Giants. Detroit won the only postseason clash, 26-7, in the 1935 NFL Championship Game.

Interim head coach Mike Kafka’s first road game comes in a city where the Giants haven’t won since 2013. New York hung tough with the Packers last week before falling 27-20, its fourth one-score loss of the season. Giants rookie QB Jaxson Dart did not play at Green Bay and did not clear concussion protocol this week, resulting him in being out against Detroit. To pull off the upset, the Giants will need to finally force some turnovers — only the neighboring Jets have fewer takeaways this season. The Lions went 0-for-5 on fourth down in last weekend’s loss at Philadelphia but will likely remain aggressive against a New York defense that has allowed opponents to convert 9-of-13 attempts on fourth down. Head coach Dan Campbell, formerly a tight end in the NFL, took play-calling duties on offense the past two games with mixed success. Offensive line breakdowns appeared to be the difference against the relentless Eagles. WR Amon-Ra St. Brown has receiving touchdowns in three of his last four home games, Jahmyr Gibbs has a rush TD in three of his last four home games, and DE Aidan Hutchinson has a sack in three of his last four home games.

Cleveland Browns (2-8) at Las Vegas Raiders (2-8)
Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Raiders -3.5, Total 36.5
Series Rewind: This is the second straight season these teams will face off. Las Vegas won 20-16 last year, has won the last five and holds an 18-10 lead in the all-time series.

There are no real stakes for this matchup between two teams who have stopped considering the playoffs weeks ago and have a combined touchdown deficit of minus-21 this season. But on the Cleveland side, there’s some intrigue as Shedeur Sanders is set to make his first career start with Dillon Gabriel still in concussion protocol. Sanders, the Colorado standout who fell into the fifth round of this year’s draft, will be the Browns’ 42nd different starting QB since they returned to Cleveland in 1999. No Browns rookie QB has won his debut since 1995. Sanders completed 4 of 16 passes for 47 yards and an interception replacing Gabriel last week vs. Baltimore. Las Vegas’ offense continues to sputter with Geno Smith at the helm. The Raiders converted just 3 of 12 third downs on Monday vs. Dallas and are 7-of-27 on third-down conversions over the last two games. Smith is tied for the NFL lead with 13 interceptions, more than his 12 interceptions. But Las Vegas continues to flash some promising skill-position talent. Ashton Jeanty had just seven rushing yards last week, but had six catches and ranks third among rookies with 717 scrimmage yards this season. Second-year tight end Brock Bowers had seven catches vs. the Cowboys to reach 151 for his career, tied for the second-fastest player to reach 150 catches (24 games).

Jacksonville Jaguars (6-4) at Arizona Cardinals (3-7)
Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Jaguars -2.5, Total 47.5
Series Rewind: Jacksonville and Arizona have played just six times in the Jaguars’ first 30 seasons. Jacksonville won the first two games, but the Cardinals have won the four since, last coming away with a 31-19 road win in 2021.

With a 19-point blown lead vs. Houston followed by a 35-6 beatdown of the Los Angeles Chargers the last two weeks, you never really know what you’re going to get with this year’s Jaguars team. And yet, Jacksonville sits in playoff position as the No. 7 seed, a half-game ahead of the division-rival Texans, entering Sunday’s game at Arizona. The run game has been the Jaguars’ bread and butter when things have been going well under first-year head coach Liam Coen and that was certainly the case last week when Jacksonville ran for 192 yards and three scores against a stingy Chargers defense. Rookie RB Bhayshul Tuten, who led the team in rushing yards (74) for the first time, left the Los Angeles game late with an ankle injury and has been limited in practice. So have leading RB Travis Etienne (shoulder) and lead receiver Brian Thomas Jr. (ankle), who has missed the last two games. For Arizona, even a career-high 452 passing yards from Jacoby Brissett last week couldn’t stop their extended skid. The Cardinals have lost seven of their last eight games since a 2-0 start and are 3 1/2 games back from the third-place 49ers in the NFC West. Brissett did that without leading receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. (appendix surgery), who will be out again this week. Brissett has certainly revitalized the Arizona passing game with 1,570 yards, 10 touchdowns and three interceptions in five starts since replacing Kyler Murray, who is out at least two more games. But it hasn’t translated into wins.

Atlanta Falcons (3-7) at New Orleans Saints (2-8)
Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Saints -1.5, Total 39.5
Series Rewind: New Orleans has prevailed in 11 of the last 15 meetings. The teams face each other again in Week 18.

Veteran Kirk Cousins is back as the starter after Michael Penix Jr. was lost to a season-ending left ACL injury during last week’s 30-27 overtime loss against the Carolina Panthers. The 37-year-old Cousins has mostly been a highly paid spectator while firing just 52 passes this season. He tied for the NFL lead with 16 interceptions in 14 games last season before losing the job to Penix. The Falcons have lost five straight games and coach Raheem Morris said the offense will be tweaked to fit Cousins’ style. Star running back Bijan Robinson had 104 yards against the Panthers for his third 100-yard rushing effort of the season. Top receiver Drake Lewis (810 receiving yards) will sit out with a knee injury. New Orleans is coming off a bye and knocked off the host Panthers 17-7 in Week 10. Tyler Shough, a second-round rookie, stood out in his second career start by passing for 282 yards and two touchdowns. He completed 70.4% of his passes and wasn’t intercepted, two facts that surely pleased coach Kellen Moore, one of the most efficient college quarterbacks ever during his playing career at Boise State. The New Orleans defenses will aim for a repeat showing after limiting the Panthers to 102 yards through the air and 175 total. Linebacker Demario Davis has a team-best 91 tackles.

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Philadelphia Eagles (8-2) at Dallas Cowboys (4-5-1)
Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Eagles -3.5, Total 47.5
Series Rewind: The Eagles have won the last three clashes, including 24-20 in this year’s season opener, but would need to sweep the next 13 regular-season meetings to erase the Cowboys’ 71-58 lead in the heated rivalry.

The Cowboys’ Dak Prescott is a sparkling 21-2 at home against NFC East opponents in his career, a .913 percentage that is the highest at home by any QB against his division since the 1970 merger. His last loss in Arlington in a divisional game was on Nov. 19, 2017 against the Eagles. Standout wideouts CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens face an Eagles secondary that has allowed only two touchdown passes during their four-game winning streak. Lamb had an uncharacteristic bout of drops in the Week 1 loss at Philadelphia, including on a potential game-winning drive late in the game. Philadelphia has compiled the best road winning percentage (.718) with a 28-11 record since Nick Sirianni became the coach in 2021, including nine wins in their last 11 away games. Jalen Hurts has thrown one interception in his last 16 regular-season starts and the Eagles have turned the ball over a league-low four times this season. Hurts had two rushing TDs against the Cowboys in the season opener, which came before Dallas acquired DT Quinnen Williams. Williams gives Dallas another big body between the tackles to resist the rugby-scrum quarterback sneak play. He had 1.5 sacks and five QB pressures at Las Vegas in his Cowboys’ debut last week. The Eagles have an X-factor on their side: They are 5-0 in their Kelly green throwback jerseys since bringing them back in 2023.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-4) at Los Angeles Rams (8-2)
Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Rams -6.5, Total 49.5
Series Rewind: Los Angeles leads the all-time series 19-10 and has won eight of the last 10 against Tampa Bay. But the Buccaneers won the last matchup in 2022.

Tampa Bay and Los Angeles enter Sunday night’s game as division leaders of the NFC South and NFC West, respectively, but without much room to spare. Los Angeles leads Seattle by just one game and San Francisco by 1 1/2 games while the Buccaneers have a half-game lead over Carolina. The Rams have been largely led by their offensive firepower this season, with Matthew Stafford throwing a league-high 27 touchdown passes through the first 11 weeks of the season. However, Los Angeles showed it is more than capable of winning in multiple ways last week when Stafford threw a season-low 130 yards and the Rams defense recorded four interceptions in a 21-19 win over the Seahawks. With a touchdown catch last week, Los Angeles WR Davante Adams became just the third player in NFL history (along with Terrell Owens and Brandon Marshall) to record 10-plus touchdown catches in a season for three different teams. This week’s game presents a third straight opportunity for Tampa Bay to come away with a win over a contending team. The Buccaneers lost the last two weeks against the New England Patriots and Buffalo Bills to fall to the brink of falling out of first place in the division for the first time this season. This will be a trip of significance for Tampa Bay QB Baker Mayfield, who revived his career with the Rams in 2022 before signing with the Buccaneers as a free agent the following offseason. However, it was the ground game which led the way last week in Buffalo, as Tampa Bay racked up 202 rushing yards led by a career-high 106 yards from Sean Tucker with Bucky Irving (foot/shoulder) out. Irving and WR Chris Godwin (leg) have a chance to return after missing multiple weeks.

–Field Level Media

Nets Beat Celtics in NBA Cup

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BOSTON – (Wire Service Report) – Brooklyn’s Michael Porter Jr. scored 33 points and Nic Claxton recorded his first career triple-double, fueling the visiting Nets to a 113-105 victory over the Boston Celtics on Friday to salvage a split of their home-and-home series. Porter sank 13 of 21 shots from the floor — including 4 of 6 from 3-point range — to extend his career-best run of games with at least 20 points to eight in a row. He scored 16 points in the fourth quarter.

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Brooklyn, which avenged its 113-99 home court setback on Tuesday, improved to 1-2 in NBA Cup Group B play. The Celtics, in turn, fell to 1-2.

Noah Clowney scored 19 points and Claxton had 18 to go along with 12 assists and 11 rebounds. Rookie Egor Demin added 12 points, six rebounds and five assists for the Nets, who have recorded all three of their wins this season on the road.

Jaylen Brown collected 26 points and eight rebounds while dealing with foul trouble for the Celtics, and Anfernee Simons added 23 points off the bench.

Boston trimmed a 15-point deficit down to four at 96-94 following a 17-4 run to start the fourth quarter before Demin drained a crowd-silencing 3-pointer with 5:04 remaining. Porter sandwiched shots from the interior along with a 3-pointer to push Brooklyn’s lead to 106-97 with 2:50 to play. Neemias Queta made a tip-in to bring the Celtics within three points at 71-68 midway into the third quarter before the Nets ignited a 19-4 run. Ziaire Williams threw down a dunk in transition to cap the sequence.

Brooklyn capped a 40-point second quarter with an 11-2 run. Demin scored four points during that sequence and recorded a crucial steal and set up a Clowney for a layup with 2.8 seconds remaining to give the Nets a 62-53 lead at halftime. Porter drained a 3-pointer to stake Brooklyn to a 19-12 lead with 5:14 remaining in the first before Boston began a 16-3 run to end the quarter. Payton Pritchard converted three times from beyond the arc and Luka Garza added a 3-pointer during that sequence and the Celtics took a 28-22 lead after 12 minutes.

Brooklyn converted 43 of 82 shots from the floor (52.4%), while Boston attempted eight more shots, but sank one less field goal (42 of 90, 46.7%).

–Field Level Media

Big East Update: UConn Edges BYU

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BOSTON – BIG EAST teams were 4-2 on Saturday, highlighted by No. 3/3 UConn’s win over No. 7/7 BYU in Boston in one of the top games of the 2025-26 season.  Georgetown moved to 4-0 with a win over Clemson, while St. John’s and Villanova used their high-powered offenses to earn victories at home.

UConn 86, BYU 84 – Box Score

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In one of the best games of the non-conference slate so far, No. 3/3 UConn held off a late surge from No. 7/7 BYU at TD Garden in Boston.  UConn connected on nearly 57% from the floor – including 8-of-18 from the perimeter.  A trio of Huskies tallied 21 points apiece – Silas Demary Jr., Alex Karaban, and Tarris Reed Jr.

Georgetown 79, Clemson 74 – Box Score

Four Hoyas reached double figures, led by a career-high 26 from KJ Lewis, as Georgetown moved to 4-0.  Lewis also tallied four boards, two assists, and five steals.  In a game that saw nine ties and two lead changes, a Malik Mack 3-pointer with 14:33 remaining started a 12-3 run, putting Georgetown ahead for good.  Mack finished with 16 points and seven rebounds.

St. John’s 93, William & Mary 60 – Box Score 

A 27-2 run to start the second half put the game out of reach for No. 13/13 St. John’s.  Five Red Storm players reached double digits – and 10 different players scored – in the win.  Bryce Hopkins and Joson Sanon each had 15 points for St. John’s, which has scored more than 90 points in each of its first three games for the first time since the 1971-72 season.

Villanova 87, Duquesne 77 – Box Score 

Villanova trailed by as many as six early, but used a 30-13 surge to close out the first half and never looked back.  Acaden Lewis led a trio of Wildcats in double figures, with a season-high 19 points to go along with six rebounds.  Bryce Lindsay had 18 points and Matt Hodge 15 in the win.  Duke Brennan corralled 13 boards.

SMU 87, Butler 85 – Box Score

Trailing by seven with 1:41 to play, Butler’s furious finish came up two points short on the road.  Finley Bizjack had 18 points on the night, connecting on 5-of-9 from the outside, while Michael Ajayi added 14 points. His 3-ball with 37 ticks remaining tied it at 85-85.  Butler made 13 3-pointers in the game.

Maryland 89, Marquette 82 – Box Score

A game of runs saw Marquette come up short at home.  The Golden Eagles got within five late but could not get any closer at home against Maryland.  Chase Ross scored a career-high 31 points on 10-of-18 shooting.  Ben Gold added 18 points and Zaide Lowery 14 in the loss.  Former BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year and All-American Jerel McNeal had his jersey retired in a halftime ceremony.

Georgia Tech Needs “W” at The Heights

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CHESTNUT HILL – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – No. 16 Georgia Tech wasted no time moving past its first loss of the season.

With their second bye week in the rear view, the Atlantic Coast Conference-leading Yellow Jackets (8-1, 5-1) are ready to bounce back when they visit Boston College (1-9, 0-6) for the first time since 2020 on Saturday afternoon on the gorgeous campus of Boston College.

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“We’ve got to use those emotions and feelings (of a 48-36 loss to NC State on Nov. 1) to continue to push us forward,” coach Brent Key said. “I talked to the team on Sunday about this. I said, you work from January when we first organized workouts and weight training…you do all that in hopes of playing meaningful games in November, and here we are.”

The loss came despite quarterback Haynes King racking up a school-record 511 total yards and four touchdowns. The redshirt senior accounted for 408 yards through the air, helping to up his ACC-best total yardage to 330.3 per game.

Conversely, NC State’s six touchdowns in 10 possessions and 583 total yards did in the Yellow Jackets. Playing without injured starting nickelback Jy Gilmore and cor

Cornerback Ahmari Harvey did not help, but they could be closer to returning to game action after practicing last week.

“(Their possible return) changes some of the coverages you can play, it changes how you look to protect a certain guy,” Key said. “At the end of the day, we’ve got to perform and play good defense. We’ve got to be able to stop the run and keep the explosives from going over our heads.”

Their status will become clearer later in the week, but Key is excited about where the team stands following the bye.

“Time is the best cure-all. It is,” Key said. “They’re all out there right now. … I thought Sunday’s practice, we came out and it was as fast and crisp and as much energy as we’ve had.”

Boston College coach Bill O’Brien was an assistant at Georgia Tech from 1995-02, a stint during which Key was a team captain. O’Brien knows that his Eagles will have to defend an ultimate weapon in order to have success against his former player’s team and earn their first FBS win of the season in the home finale.

“This guy has a ton of their production. The way they use him is incredible to me,” O’Brien said of King. “(Key and coordinator Buster Faulkner) do a good job with their offense, and he is the leader of it. He is a competitive, tough player.”

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The quarterback position has been uncertain for the Eagles of late, with both Alabama transfer Dylan Lonergan and incumbent starter Grayson James seeing significant action. O’Brien has not confirmed a starter for Saturday’s game.

In last week’s 45-13 loss to SMU, James attempted just two passes and got sacked three times before Lonergan — who started the previous game against Notre Dame — entered in relief and went 25-for-37 passing for 232 yards and a touchdown.

“They have to give us confidence. It’s important for us to have confidence in them,” O’Brien said. “They’ve each played a lot, and they’ve done some good things and some not so good things.”

Senior receiver Lewis Bond enters the game needing just three catches to break Zay Flowers’ all-time receptions record of 200. His 7.3 receptions per game rank fifth nationally.

“For him to have a chance to break the record is really a testament to him, his work ethic, his toughness, his competitiveness,” O’Brien said.

–Field Level Media

Henderson Leads Patriots Over Jets

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FOXBORO – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – TreVeyon Henderson found the end zone three times and the New England Patriots sailed to their eighth straight win, 27-14 over the New York Jets on Thursday night in Massachusetts.

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Henderson ran for a pair of 7-yard touchdowns during the second quarter and added a 6-yard scoring catch after halftime to put the Patriots (9-2) in firm control. Drake Maye completed 25 of 34 passes for 281 yards, and Henderson tallied 93 total yards (62 rushing, 31 receiving on five catches).

New England’s Stefon Diggs hauled in nine catches for 105 yards.

Justin Fields ran for a touchdown and threw for another for the Jets (2-8), who had a modest two-game winning streak ended. John Metchie III, in his second game as a Jet following a trade from the Philadelphia Eagles, had three receptions for 45 yards and a score.

The Patriots only led 21-14 entering the final quarter but soon tacked on two field goals by Andy Borregales (44, 26 yards). The latter kick was set up when Fields fumbled a low snap on the first play of a drive in the shadow of the Jets’ goalpost.

Fields took the Jets into the red zone on a late drive, but he was sacked by Elijah Ponder on third down and threw incomplete on fourth down. Fields connected on 15 of 26 passes for 116 yards and led the Jets with 67 rushing yards.

The Jets opened the game with a 14-play, 72-yard touchdown march, only for the Patriots to match it with a 13-play, 69-yard scoring drive.

New York converted four third downs on its opening drive before Fields hustled to the right corner of the end zone for a 5-yard touchdown. New England converted a fourth-and-2 with Maye’s 7-yard completion to DeMario Douglas before Henderson notched his first rushing score of the night in the first minute of the second quarter.

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The Patriots forced three consecutive three-and-outs while adding Henderson’s second score to build a 14-7 halftime lead. Borregales missed a 45-yard field-goal attempt as time expired in the half.

Henderson plucked a pass out of the air in the back of the end zone to put the Patriots up 21-7 with 7:46 to go in the third quarter.

The Jets responded when Fields hit a wide-open Metchie for a 22-yard touchdown with 3:10 left in the third.

–Field Level Media

Patriots at Buccaneers Preview

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New England Patriots (7-2) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-2)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Buccaneers -2.5, Total 48.5
Series Rewind: In the most recent meeting, Tampa Bay recorded a 19-17 road victory in 2021 to end a streak of four straight New England wins in the series.

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New England has excelled under first-year coach Mike Vrabel and holds a half-game lead over the Buffalo Bills in the AFC East. The Patriots have won six consecutive games, including an impressive 23-20 win at Buffalo on Oct. 5. Second-year QB Drake Maye has stood out, throwing for 2,285 yards and 17 touchdowns against four interceptions. Maye has been highly consistent, never reaching 300 yards and never falling below 200. He leads the NFL in completion rate at 74.1%. The NFC South-leading Buccaneers figure to pressure Maye. He has been sacked 34 times, including six times in each of the past two games. Tampa Bay is coming off a bye and QB Baker Mayfield enjoyed the break since he is still battling knee and oblique injuries. The struggles were evident while Mayfield passed for a season-low 152 yards as the Buccaneers recorded a 23-3 win over the host New Orleans Saints in Week 8. Still, he has 1,919 passing yards and 13 touchdowns against just two interceptions. Tampa Bay will likely be without top running back Bucky Irving (foot/shoulder) for the fifth straight game. That could represent a problem since New England allows a league-low 75.4 rushing yards per game. The Buccaneers are seventh (92.6) against the run.

MLB: Possible Free Agent Destinations?

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – As the light turns green to signal the open of Major League Baseball free agency, the looming threat of the two-time defending World Series champion Dodgers casts a larger shadow than ever over the other 29 teams.

Most of them are dealing with a level of wallet envy as Los Angeles collects World Series titles and All-Stars at an epic clip.

With perennial MVP Shohei Ohtani front and center, it’s easy to forget the Dodgers scored offseason wins each winter before and after onboarding the two-way stud as a free agent in 2024.

The same year he signed a (largely deferred) 10-year, $700 million contract that runs until 2033, the Dodgers spent $325 million over 12 years (2035) on World Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto, signed third baseman Max Muncy to an extension and re-upped with right-hander Tyler Glasnow after a trade from the Tampa Bay Rays.

The annual average value of those four deals? A cool $134 million.

Milwaukee was no match for the Dodgers in the National League Championship Series. Worth noting is the current payroll allocation for next season from the Brewers: $45 million.

Don’t look now, but this could be the winter the Cincinnati Reds ($39M), Chicago White Sox ($37M) and Miami Marlins ($23M) combine to reach $100 million in total player payroll contract commitments.

Well, maybe not.

Without ballclubs having the cash or credentials to spend Dodgers dollars — or even Brewers bucks — the biggest fish in free agency are not incentivized to float toward smaller markets, lighter spenders or generally away from LA or New York.

Will there be a surprise bidder for any of the top talents on the free agent market this winter?

Don’t rule out the San Francisco Giants, an NL West division rival of the Dodgers and playoff-qualifying Padres all too aware of MLB’s devolved state as a spenders market.

Here’s our early projection for the landing spot of the top 10 players in free agency:

1. Kyle Tucker, RF, Chicago Cubs
Free Agent Destination?: Los Angeles Dodgers
If Tucker truly wants $400 million as is widely speculated, cross off a return to the Chicago Cubs. Yes, he’s 28 and was dogged by hand and calf injuries, but the starting rotation is a higher priority in Chicago. Tucker hit .266/.377/.464 with 22 home runs, 25 doubles, 87 walks and 25 stolen bases in 597 plate appearances.

If the Phillies shock their peers by trading Bryce Harper, they could make a bid and the Yankees are always in play.

2. Kyle Schwarber, DH, Philadelphia Phillies
Free Agent Destination?: Philadelphia Phillies
At 32 going on 33 (March 2026), Schwarber is nowhere close to a perfect candidate for most teams looking for power. But his resume can take a bullet. Other than Yankees bomber Aaron Judge, Schwarber has been baseball’s most consistent HR hitter in MLB the past decade. Schwarber doesn’t fit in the field — anywhere — but the Chicago Cubs might come knocking with full knowledge of perceived shortcomings and the Atlanta Braves are intrigued, too.

3. Alex Bregman, 3B, Boston Red Sox
Free Agent Destination?: New York Mets
If you guessed Bregman was out of gas before last season, your reading was proven wrong. But the exercise is doomed to become annual because of Bregman’s age — he’ll be 32 in March. Still a solid defensive third baseman, his clubhouse leadership is on par with David Wright and he’d bring a bat to help offset the potential loss of Pete Alonso.

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4. Pete Alonso, 1B, New York Mets
Free Agent Destination: Boston Red Sox?
Following a similar map to the one Boston used to reel in Bregman last offseason, the Red Sox could be getting a player capable of being an 80 extra-base-hit threat at Fenway Park. There is the looming return of Triston Casas for Boston to balance with their bidding, but a rotation at 1B-DH would suit if the Mets tag out of the bidding.

5. Bo Bichette, 2B, Toronto Blue Jays
Free Agent Destination: New York Mets?
Cringe away, but the Dodgers make all the sense in the world if the vision is to utilize Bichette as a corner outfielder and second baseman. Of course, he would have a say in buying into that vision. Who else might have the funds for a 28-year-old borderline MVP candidate? All set at shortstop, the Mets would be adding Bichette to play second base and only after the Blue Jays drop the pen and walk away from contract talks. A return to Toronto might still work out, and there are teams with more money capable of forcing Bichette to listen — Los Angeles Angels? — on a 10-year offer.

6. Cody Bellinger, RF, New York Yankees
Free Agent Destination: New York Yankees
Long-term security would appeal to Bellinger, 30, if such an offer exists. More likely, he’s back in pinstripes to give New York balance in the lineup and insurance in case bids for the heavier hitters on this list turn them away.

7. Framber Valdez, LHP, Houston Astros
Free Agent Destination: Chicago Cubs
Reassigning the money ticketed for Tucker to Valdez would be ideal for the Cubs, who have rotation needs and didn’t pick up the option on left-hander Shota Imanaga. Valdez might fetch a $200 million offer from the likes of the Giants and Blue Jays. Will the Cubs blink or swim?

8. Ranger Suarez, LHP, Philadelphia Phillies
Free Agent Destination: San Francisco Giants
We see the Mets and Red Sox kicking the tires on Ranger, but a reunion with the Phillies appears less likely. In the starting pitching market, a team overeager to make a splashy move is always a strong bet. Based on Buster Posey hiring University of Tennessee manager Tony Vitello and both harping on the importance of pitching in the National League West, the Giants fit that profile.

9. Dylan Cease, RHP, San Diego Padres
Free Agent Destination: Chicago Cubs
Once traded by the Cubs to the White Sox, Cease is no longer in Cy Young conversations. He is a workhorse. Cease made at least 32 starts in five consecutive seasons and was No. 1 in the National League in Ks/9 at 11.5 in 2025. The Padres have a Michael King decision to make. It’s possible the new regime prefers Cease or has other (trade) targets queued up. The New York Mets and San Francisco Giants could be in play, and the Detroit Tigers might make a run if they decide Tarik Skubal is worth more as the biggest offseason trade chip due to the direction of contract talks.

10. Josh Naylor, 1B, Seattle Mariners
Free Agent Destination: Seattle Mariners
At 28, Naylor should be the clear priority to return to the Mariners. Acquired from the Arizona Diamondbacks at the trade deadline, Naylor hit 20 home runs and 29 doubles with 92 RBIs between the two stops in 2025. Naylor and third baseman Eugenio Suarez, another Seattle deadline deal last season, are also targets of smaller-market franchises because of the bang for the bucks. Naylor’s contract is likely to be in the 3-5 years, $75 million-$110 million range or approximately $45 million-$60 million less than Schwarber’s.

–Field Level Media

NFL: Week 9 Previews

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Atlanta Falcons (3-4) at New England Patriots (6-2)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Patriots -5.5, Total 44.5
Series Rewind: New England has won its last seven games against Atlanta and leads the all-time series 10-6. The Patriots have won the last two regular-season games since rallying from down 28-3 to beat the Falcons in overtime of Super Bowl LI.

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The Patriots are riding high on their longest winning streak in four years entering this week’s game. Drake Maye has thrown 10 touchdowns to one interception over New England’s five-game winning streak, playing his way into the MVP conversation in his second season. He’s been helped by the league’s fourth-best scoring defense (18.3 points per game) and having this level of offensive success despite the fact that the Patriots still don’t have a 300-yard rusher this season. The Falcons are feeling low after last week’s 34-10 home loss to Miami when QB Michael Penix Jr. was sidelined due to a bone bruise in his left knee. It was the team’s second straight loss coming out of its bye week. Penix and leading receiver Drake London (hip) have both been limited through the team’s first two practices of the week. Atlanta coach Raheem Morris labeled them as “day-to-day” while Penix said he’s trending in the right direction. That’s badly needed for an offense which has generated 20 points the last two weeks.

Indianapolis Colts (7-1) at Pittsburgh Steelers (4-3)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Colts -3, Total 50.5
Series Rewind: The Colts have won the past two meetings after Pittsburgh prevailed in the previous eight matchups.

Colts running back Jonathan Taylor might be the best overall player in the league. Taylor has scored three touchdowns four separate times this season and leads the NFL with 850 yards and 12 touchdowns on the ground. He has 14 total touchdowns, giving him a chance to challenge the total touchdowns record of 31 set by then-San Diego Chargers great LaDainian Tomlinson in 2006. Taylor’s touchdown count is more than the grand total of four different teams and is tied with another. Indianapolis has topped 30 points in each of the past four games and quarterback Daniel Jones is excelling with 2,062 passing yards, 13 touchdowns through the air and three interceptions. Pittsburgh is looking to rebound after back-to-back setbacks against the Cincinnati Bengals and Green Bay Packers. Veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers lost 35-25 to his former club (the Packers) while completing 24 of 36 passes for 219 yards and two touchdowns. The Pittsburgh defense featuring stars such as outside linebacker T.J. Watt and defensive tackle Cam Heyward has allowed more than 30 points in consecutive games and four times overall. The Steelers sustained a huge blow when safety DeShon Elliott was carted off with a hyperextended left knee against Green Bay and later placed on injured reserve. Pittsburgh traded for New England safety Kyle Dugger on Wednesday to help soften the loss.

Los Angeles Chargers (5-3) at Tennessee Titans (1-7)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Chargers -9.5, Total 43.5
Series Rewind: The Chargers have won four of the past six meetings, including last season’s 27-17 home triumph.

The Chargers looked great at the outset of the season with three straight victories and were dominant while crushing the Minnesota Vikings 37-10 last week. But in between, they lost three of four games so who knows which team makes up the real Chargers. Quarterback Justin Herbert has thrown three touchdown passes in back-to-back games and is tied for third with 16 scoring passes. He also leads the league with 2,140 passing yards. Unsung Kimani Vidal has saved the running back position by rushing for 117 yards against the Vikings, 11 days after collecting 124 against the Miami Dolphins. He became the starter after injuries to Najee Harris (Achilles) and rookie Omarion Hampton (hamstring). This is the first of four straight home games for the Titans but that gift from the schedule makers isn’t going to vault Tennessee into the playoffs. The Titans have a bunch of injuries to deal with and rookie quarterback Cam Ward is experiencing weekly growing pains while surrounded by minimal talent. However, interim coach Mike McCoy surely would like to deliver some payback against the organization that fired him following the 2016 campaign after four seasons. Star defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons (4.5 sacks), the best overall player on the squad, is in danger of missing his second straight game. Simmons (hamstring) sat out last week and hasn’t practiced yet this week.

Minnesota Vikings (3-4) at Detroit Lions (5-2)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Lions -8.5, Total 48.5
Series Rewind: The Lions buried the Vikings, 31-9, in the regular-season finale last season to win the NFC North title. Detroit took six of the past seven games in the series.

A QB carousel the Vikings appeared to have resolved last season with Sam Darnold has spun once more with J.J. McCarthy returning to the QB1 role and Carson Wentz hitting injured reserve. McCarthy was hurt in this second career start but has practiced for two weeks to prove his health while recovering from a high ankle sprain. This is his first division game since a miraculous comeback for Minnesota at Chicago in Week 1. Keeping up with the Lions might require another gear. Chief concerns for the Vikings start with protecting McCarthy. Starting tackles Christian Darrisaw and Brian O’Neill are banged up and lead blocker C.J. Ham (hand) was limited all week. Building a wall in front of McCarthy could spare him an unceremonious introduction to Lions defensive end Aidan Hutchinson. Hutchinson has three sacks and five tackles for loss in two games in Detroit against the Vikings. If he has time to throw, McCarthy can dial up Justin Jefferson, who has 72 catches and averages 120.6 yards per game in 10 career meetings with Detroit. Lions QB Jared Goff thrives in this matchup, too. In 10 career games, he averages 288.4 passing yards with 18 TDs, five INTs and a 105.1 passer rating.

Denver Broncos (6-2) at Houston Texans (3-4)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Texans -1.5, Total 40.5
Series Rewind: Houston recorded a 22-17 home victory last season after the Broncos won four of the previous five matchups.

Both teams have excelled on the defensive side this season so a low-scoring contest won’t be a surprise. The Texans lead the league in scoring defense (14.7) and total defense (266.9) and Denver ranks fifth in both categories – 18.9 and 281.4, respectively. Houston has allowed more than 20 points just once this season and features star pass rushers in Will Anderson (five sacks) and Danielle Hunter (four) as well as standout cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. (two interceptions). Denver has allowed 17 or fewer points on four occasions but has got the offense cranked up during its current five-game winning streak. The Broncos scored 33 fourth-quarter points to rally past the New York Giants by one point two weeks ago and torched the Dallas Cowboys 44-24 last week. Denver quarterback Bo Nix threw four touchdown passes for the third time in his two-year career in the win over Dallas. The bad news is that cornerback Patrick Surtain II (pectoral) was hurt against the Cowboys and could miss multiple games. Surtain is the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year. Linebacker Dre Greenlaw is back after a one-game suspension for berating referee Brad Allen after the comeback win over New York. Houston will get back Nico Collins (concussion) after a one-game absence while fellow wideout Christian Kirk (hamstring) might be back after missing two games. Collins topped 1,000 receiving yards in each of the past two seasons.

Chicago Bears (4-3) at Cincinnati Bengals (3-5)

Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Bears -3, Total 50.5

Series Rewind: Chicago has three consecutive wins over the Bengals. The last meeting (September 2021) featured 27 total fourth-quarter points; the Bears won 20-17, sacked Joe Burrow five times and intercepted three passes.

Cincinnati’s run defense is the worst in the league, yielding 151.9 yards per game. The Bears are determined to attack weaknesses, which could mean more of rookie seventh-rounder Kyle Monangai in an expanded role. D’Andre Swift has been fighting a groin injury. Head coach Ben Johnson noted the importance of setting up a defense with success on the ground to ease the burden and simplify the pre-snap process for the skill-position group. Caleb Williams has 11 touchdowns and three interceptions in his past eight road games. The Bengals are thriving on downfield throws since Joe Flacco jumped into the lineup. Flacco is dealing with a shoulder injury but has pushed to play. WR Ja’Marr Chase had 12 catches for 91 yards last week and leads the league in catches. He has 38 receptions in his past three games, tied for the most in a three-game span in league history. Even if Flacco makes the start, there is a chance he won’t be able to finish the game given the severity of his shoulder (AC injury) issue. Bengals DE Trey Hendrickson has a QB sack in each of his three career games against the Bears. He’s still dealing with a hip injury suffered at Green Bay on Oct. 12.

San Francisco 49ers (5-3) at New York Giants (2-6)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: 49ers -2.5, Total 48.5
Series Rewind: San Francisco has won three of the last four meetings to take a 22-21 lead in the series, including a 4-4 split in the playoffs. New York won both NFC Championship clashes (1990 and 2011 seasons).

Both teams are 2-3 in their last five games, the 49ers following a 3-0 start and the Giants after an 0-3 start. It could be a big day for 49ers star Christian McCaffrey, as the Giants are giving up a league-high 5.7 yards per carry and have allowed 10 rushing touchdowns this season. Niners coach Kyle Shanahan said he can’t name a starting quarterback until he sees how Brock Purdy’s troublesome toe fares in practice this week, but here’s one interesting stat of note: Mac Jones is 0-5 against NFC East opponents in his career and Purdy is 6-0. Whoever starts better keep both eyes on Giants linebacker Brian Burns, who has sacks in seven of his past eight games. New York rookie Jaxson Dart has won both of his home starts so far (versus the Chargers and Eagles) but won’t have sparkplug running back Cam Skattebo, handing the ball instead to erstwhile starter Tyrone Tracy Jr.

Carolina Panthers (4-4) at Green Bay Packers (5-1-1)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel Odds: Packers -13.5, Total 43.5
Series Rewind: Green Bay beat the Panthers on Christmas Eve at Carolina in 2023, 30-13, and the Packers have won three in a row in the series.
Packers head coach Matt LaFleur said it’s fair to view TE Tucker Kraft as the team’s No. 1 receiver after his 7-143-2 performance last week in QB Jordan Love’s 10th career game with three TD passes. Kraft has a TD catch in three home games in a row and the Panthers are committed to the ground game to prevent engaging in a shootout at Lambeau. Carolina’s wide receivers gain only 3.2 yards after the reception this season, forcing the offensive line to create push for the tandem of Rico Dowdle and Chuba Hubbard on early downs. Dowdle has 364 rushing yards on first down since Week 5, which is the most in the league. Shifting away from ball control always sparks the Packers’ potent pass rush featuring Micah Parsons and Rashan Gary, who have combined for 14 sacks. The Packers have given up on six points in the first quarter and leads the NFL with an average of 7.3 points allowed in the first half in 2025.

Jacksonville Jaguars (4-3) at Las Vegas Raiders (2-5)
Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Jaguars -3, Total 44.5
Series Rewind: The Raiders won 19-14 last season in their first matchup in Las Vegas since the team’s relocation. Jacksonville leads the all-time series 6-5, last beating the Raiders in 2016.

Jacksonville is hoping the bye week it just concluded can be a reset of sorts for the final 10 games of the regular season. After jumping out to its first 4-1 start since 2007, the Jaguars limped into their bye week with a home loss to Seattle followed by an uncompetitive 35-7 loss to the Los Angeles Rams in London. The Jaguars could be limited at receiver against the Raiders, with Brian Thomas Jr. (shoulder) and Tim Patrick (groin) both limited in the first two practices. Two-way sensation Travis Hunter Jr. (knee) was also limited in Thursday’s practice after he had no designation on Wednesday. Las Vegas, also coming out of a bye, will be playing its first game since co-owner Carol Davis, The First Lady of Raider Nation, passed away on Oct. 24 at the age of 93. The offense, shut out the last time out by Kansas City, should get a spark with the return of All-Pro tight end Brock Bowers, who will return after missing the last three games and been out of the starting lineup since Week 1 with a knee injury. Standout defensive end Maxx Crosby (back) didn’t practice Wednesday and was limited Thursday.

New Orleans Saints (1-7) at Los Angeles Rams (5-2)
Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Rams -14.5, Total 43.5
Series Rewind: Los Angeles leads the all-time series 45-35 and has won four of the last five games against the Saints, including each of the last two years.

After throwing for five touchdowns last time out vs. Jacksonville in London, Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford remains tied for the NFL lead in touchdown passes (17) coming out of the team’s bye week. He did that without leading receiver Puka Nacua, who missed the game with an ankle injury, but it appears that will be just a one-game absence as Nacua was a full participant in Thursday’s practice. That’s timely for Los Angeles, which remains in a tightly contested NFC West race, with three of the four teams either 5-2 or 5-3. New Orleans made a quarterback change midway through last week’s 23-3 home loss to Tampa Bay, bringing rookie Tyler Shough off the bench. After completing 17 of 30 passes for 128 yards and an interception, Shough’s first start will be a steep challenge against a Los Angeles team which ranks third in scoring defense (16.7 points per game), second in sacks (26) and eighth in takeaways (10). It remains to be seen if Shough will have either of his top two running backs available, as both Alvin Kamara and Devin Neal have been limited in practice with ankle injuries.

Kansas City Chiefs (5-3) at Buffalo Bills (5-2)
Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Chiefs -1.5, Total 52.5
Series Rewind: Josh Allen’s Bills are 4-1 in the regular season vs. Patrick Mahomes, but Mahomes’ Chiefs are 4-0 vs. Allen in the postseason. Their teams have won a combined 14 division titles since 2016.

Kansas City has won three straight and five of six since an 0-2 start to the season. Buffalo snapped a two-game slide with a 40-9 pounding of the Panthers last weekend. Mahomes is looking for his fourth straight game with three or more touchdown passes, while Allen is looking for his sixth straight game at home with two or more TD passes and a 100-plus passer rating. Mahomes actually leads the two quarterbacks in rushing, 280-261, although Allen holds a 5-4 edge in rushing TDs. Chiefs star Travis Kelce needs 26 yards to become the fourth tight end in NFL history with 500-plus yards in 12 seasons. Bills running back James Cook is coming off a career-high 216-yard game against the Panthers and has scored at least one rushing TD in seven of his last eight home games. Kansas City is the only team that has not lost a fumble this season.

Seattle Seahawks (5-2) at Washington Commanders (3-5)
Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Seahawks -3, Total 47.5
Series Rewind: The last four regular-season meetings (since 2017) were all decided by five or fewer points, with each side winning once at home and once on the road.

The Seahawks are 3-0 away from home this season and have won nine straight road games under second-year coach Mike Macdonald, while the Commanders are 9-3 at home under second-year coach Dan Quinn. Future Seahawks Ring of Honor member Bobby Wagner is in his second season with Washington and is the only NFL player with eight or more tackles in eight games this season. Seattle’s Jaxon Smith-Njigba is trying to become the first WR since 2018 (Adam Thielen) with 100-plus receiving yards and a TD in four straight games. Commanders fans are excited about the expected return of quarterback Jayden Daniels, who has thrown for at least 200 yards and two TDs in three straight prime-time games. Counterpart Sam Darnold threw four TD passes in his only previous appearance against Washington (2019 with the Jets). The Seahawks are 2-0 under the lights so far this season and the Commanders are 0-3.

–Field Level Media

One-Sided Holy War in Chestnut Hill

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A One-Sided Holy War Today in Chestnut Hill

No. 12 Notre Dame Faces Desperate Boston College

CHESTNUT HILL – (STAFF REPORT) – One used to look at a battle between the Jesuits of Boston College and the priests of Blessed Basil Moreau’s Congregation of Holy Cross as being an even fight. Not anymore.

A college football contest will take center stage today at Alumni Stadium, where No. 12 Notre Dame (5-2) invades Boston College (1-7) in a lopsided ACC-Independent clash kicking off at 3:30 p.m. ET on ESPN. The Fighting Irish, fresh off a bye week and riding a two-game win streak, enter as 28.5-point favorites desperate to keep their College Football Playoff dreams alive. Meanwhile, Bill O’Brien‘s Eagles limp in on a five-game skid, winless in ACC play (0-5), searching for any spark in a nightmare 2025 campaign. Their only victory came against their fellow Jesuits of Fordham on the first weekend of the season.

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Irish on the Hunt: Playoff Push Meets Perfect Storm

Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman‘s squad has rebounded masterfully from an uneven start, blistering NC State 36-7 before gutting out a gritty 34-24 road win at USC – where RB Jeremiyah Love erupted for 228 yards and a score. The Irish offense hums at 462 yards per game (19th nationally), fueled by a 191.7 rushing average (32nd) and explosive 39.1 points per contest (10th). Sophomore QB CJ Carr has settled in as the triggerman, posting 1,758 yards, 14 TDs, and just 4 INTs (65.8% completion) – a bold preseason gamble by Freeman paying massive dividends.

Defensively, Notre Dame stuffs the run (100 yards allowed per game, 17th) and boasts a +8 turnover margin (9th), primed to feast on BC’s turnover-prone attack (-5 margin). Challenges loom with injuries sidelining LG Billy Schrauth (knee) and WR Jaden Greathouse (hamstring), but the depth chart – headlined by Love (758 rush yards, 9 TDs) and Jadarian Price (509 yards, 8 TDs) – should overwhelm.

Eagles’ Desperation: Can O’Brien Conjure a Miracle?

Boston College’s 371 yards per game (83rd) and 26.8 points (76th) pale against a defense hemorrhaging 34.4 points (126th) and 410 total yards (111th) nightly. QB Dylan Lonergan (1,394 yards, 9 TDs) leans on WR Lewis Bond (547 yards), but a woeful 102.1 rushing average (130th) screams vulnerability. RB Turbo Richard (431 yards, 5 TDs) offers hope, but injuries have decimated the secondary – leaving O’Brien’s squad ripe for exploitation.

Key Matchups

  • ND Run Game vs. BC Front Seven: Love and Price could eclipse 300 yards combined against a run defense yielding 163 yards per game.
  • Carr’s Air Raid vs. BC Secondary: With Bond as the lone threat, Irish LBs like Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa (27 tackles) feast.
  • Turnover Battle: ND’s ballhawks (+8) vs. BC’s fumblers (-5) – expect multiple Irish picks.

Holy War History: Irish Domination

Notre Dame owns the series (leads ~10-4 overall, 9 straight wins), including a 44-0 demolition in 2022. BC’s last triumph? 1994. This isn’t a rivalry – it’s a rout in waiting.

Prediction: Irish Roll, 45-10

Expect Notre Dame’s rested legs and ground-and-pound to bury BC early, piling up 500+ yards en route to a 35-point blowout. Love notches 150+ yards and 2 TDs; Carr throws for 250+. The Eagles hang tough for a quarter, then fold – handing Freeman a statement win to vault back into playoff contention.