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NFL: Patriots v. Lions @Munich (9:30am)

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New England Patriots (5-4) vs. Detroit Lions (6-2)
Sunday, 9:30 a.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Lions -2.5, total 50.5
Series Rewind: The Patriots have won five of the last six meetings, including a shutout (29-0) in their most recent clash in 2022. New England is 3-2 in international games, while Detroit is 1-1 but has not played overseas since 2015.

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This showdown in Munich marks the fifth straight season the NFL has played in Germany, including the Patriots’ 10-6 loss to the Colts in Frankfurt in 2023. Lions star Amon-Ra St. Brown has a homefield advantage of sorts, as his mother is from Germany and he wears a decal of the nation’s flag on his helmet. Teammate Jahmyr Gibbs leads the NFL in yards from scrimmage (1,132) and is tied for the lead with 11 touchdowns (nine rushing, two receiving). Detroit’s Jared Goff has thrown at least one TD pass in 29 of his past 30 games and leads a unit that ranks No. 5 in scoring (27.8) and tied for fourth total offense (379.8). Aidan Hutchinson has two sacks in his last six games after recording two in Week 1. Patriots QB Drake Maye has the NFL’s longest active streak with six straight games of two or more TD passes. Cornerback Christian Gonzalez has allowed only one receiving touchdown. The reigning AFC champions are tied for last in the league with a minus-11 turnover margin.

 

NFL: Patriots Game Preview

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Green Bay Packers (5-3) at New England Patriots (5-3)

Sunday, 4:25 p.m.

FanDuel odds: Patriots -3, Total 44.5

Series rewind: Green Bay leads the series 7-6, won the last game the teams played 27-24 in overtime in 2022 and beat the Patriots 35-21 in Super Bowl XXXI in January 1997.

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After each got off to slow starts, both teams have won four of their last five games. Green Bay quarterback Jordan Love is averaging 280.8 passing yards per game, has thrown 16 touchdowns passes and been intercepted six times. Love leads the NFL with 2,246 passing yards and is also No. 1 among quarterbacks in pass attempts of at least 20 yards (52). Green Bay has been forced to throw because of its lackluster running game. The Packers are averaging 2.9 yards per carry, last in the league. Green Bay could become the first NFL team to finish a season with a rushing average of less than 3.0 yards per carry since the 1994 Patriots. New England quarterback Drake Maye got off to an exceptionally slow start in the follow-up campaign to finishing second in MVP voting last season. He has passed for 15 touchdowns and has been intercepted eight times, but has 14 TD passes and two interceptions in his last five games. He’ll be facing a Green Bay defense that has forced 15 turnovers, second-most in the NFL. Ten of those turnovers have been interceptions. Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson leads the Patriots with 119 touches; no other player has more than 57. Stevenson has a team-high 367 rushing yards, and his 23 catches rank third on the team.

Maye’s Second Half Beats Miami

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MIAMI – (Wire Service Report) – Drake Maye completed 16 of 20 passes for 199 yards and two touchdowns, and did most of his damage in the second half to lead the New England Patriots to a 24-19 comeback win over the host Miami Dolphins on Sunday.

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Maye threw both of his touchdown passes in the second half when he went 9 of 10 for 146 yards after the Patriots (5-3) fell behind 13-3 at halftime to the upset-minded Dolphins (1-6), who were looking to string together back-to-back AFC East wins after an 0-5 start.

Instead, Maye led a second-half comeback after recording his fifth consecutive game with three or more total touchdowns, and tied a Patriots single-season record with three games in which he’s thrown two touchdown passes of 30 or more yards, tying Tom Brady and Steve Grogan, who both did it twice.

And Maye did this despite the Patriots playing without A.J. Brown (ankle/knee) and down to four active receivers. Tight end Hunter Henry also exited the game early in the second quarter with an apparent foot issue and did not return.

Maye found Kyle Williams for a 43-yard touchdown pass to cut the Dolphins’ lead to 13-10 with 9:23 left in the third. Maye’s 2-yard touchdown run with 59 seconds left in the third put the Patriots ahead 17-13.

On Miami’s ensuing drive, Kevin Byard III intercepted a pass by Malik Willis that was deflected high in the air off DaQuan Jones’ helmet. DeMario Douglas, who caught three passes for 76 yards, extended the lead to 24-13 with 12:39 left in the fourth when he caught a throw on the run by Maye and raced for a 48-yard touchdown.

Willis completed 21 of 32 passes for 211 yards, two touchdowns, one interception and was sacked five times in the first half.

The Dolphins drove 11 plays and 45 yards into New England territory, but Zane Gonzalez missed a 43-yard try wide left with 6:41 to go in the fourth.

Willis found Kevin Coleman Jr. open for a 35-yard touchdown pass with 2:04 left to cut New England’s lead to 24-19, but Miami’s two-point try failed on an incomplete pass. The Patriots recovered an onside kick and ran out the clock. Rhamondre Stevenson totaled 82 yards on 19 carries for New England. Ollie Gordon II had 69 yards on 19 carries for Miami.

–Field Level Media

A “Bear” to Deal With for Patriots

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CHICAGO – Bears QB Caleb Williams threw for 308 yards and two touchdowns on Thursday night, leading the Chicago to a 30-24 victory over the visiting New England Patriots.

Chicago’s Luther Burden III caught four passes for 130 yards and a touchdown. Colston Loveland and D’Andre Swift scored the Bears’ other touchdowns, and Williams completed 22 of 33 passes.

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The Bears (5-2) also received three field goals from Cairo Santos, who made a career-best 58-yarder to give Chicago a 30-21 lead with 1:34 to play.

New England cut its deficit to six points on Andy Borregales’ 47-yard field goal with 37 seconds left, but the Bears recovered the ensuing onside kick and ran out the clock.

Patriots quarterback Drake Maye produced 321 yards and two touchdowns on 24-of-31 passing. Maye, who was intercepted once, also ran for a touchdown.

Rhamondre Stevenson and Eli Raridon had New England’s TD catches. Stevenson caught five passes for 93 yards.

The Patriots (4-3) entered the contest on a three-game winning streak.

The Bears jumped out to a 10-0 lead in ethe first quarter thanks to a Santos 43-yard field goal and Swift’s 4-yard touchdown run.

New England responded when Maye scored on a 7-yard run early in the second quarter, but Santos made a 31-yard field goal to give Chicago a 13-7 lead with 7:04 remaining in the period.

The teams traded touchdowns in the final 14 seconds of the half. After Williams connected with Burden for a 24-yard TD pass, New England scored on a 48-yard pass from Maye to Stevenson with no time remaining on the clock.

Stevenson caught the pass on the Chicago 47 and eluded several defenders on his way to the end zone. Borregales made the extra point, which pulled the Patriots within 20-14.

Chicago extended the margin to 27-14 when Loveland capped the second half’s opening drive with a 12-yard TD catch, but New England answered with a 30-yard scoring pass from Maye to Raridon on the ensuing drive.

–Field Level Media

NFL Week 6 Previews: 1pm Games

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New York Jets (2-3) at New England Patriots (3-2)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Patriots -7.5. Total: 43.5.

Series Rewind: The Patriots have won 18 of the past 20 meetings.

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Wide receiver A.J. Brown could be back for the first time since he hurt his right ankle in a 13-10 Week 1 loss to Seattle. The Patriots are waiting until at least Saturday to gauge whether Brown is fully ready. The Jets snapped a three-game losing streak by beating Cleveland 17-12 last week. The Jets have committed just three turnovers through five games, with quarterback Geno Smith throwing six touchdown passes and no interceptions on 147 attempts. New York wide receiver Garrett Wilson has 31 receptions for 374 yards and three touchdowns. New England cornerback Christian Gonzalez practiced Friday and could be back for another showdown with Wilson. In three head-to-head meetings, Gonzalez limited Wilson to eight receptions for 72 yards on 51 total routes. The Jets have the NFL’s fifth-best scoring defense (19.2 ppg) and will be facing a New England offense that may not have running back TreVeyon Henderson (ankle) or starting left tackle Will Campbell (knee). Henderson and Campbell were both injured against the Raiders, and, like Brown and Gonzalez, were limited in Wednesday’s practice. New England quarterback Drake Maye was intercepted seven times during New England’s first four games, but completed 26 of 34 passes for 374 yards and four touchdowns without an interception during the Patriots’ 45-17 victory over Las Vegas last week.

Chicago Bears (3-2) at Atlanta Falcons (2-3)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Bears -1.5. Total: 51.5.

Series Rewind: The Bears demolished the Falcons, 37-17, in the last game between these teams in 2023. Four different Bears scored TDs in a matchup of quarterbacks Justin Fields (Bears) and Taylor Heinicke (Falcons).

Caleb Williams and Michael Penix Jr. were drafted seven picks apart in the 2023 draft. Health willing, they’ll play on the field again Sunday for the first time since the ’23 college season. That Top 25 matchup ended a 52-42 victory for Penix and the No. 5 Washington Huskies over Williams and No. 24 USC. If either team wants to hit that level this NFL season, protection in the pocket has to become a higher priority. That’s why head coach Ben Johnson said he’s bringing a meat-and-potatoes approach to the offense with a focus on a timeshare at running back and controlling time of possession. The Falcons have less cause for concern this week after Chicago lost top pass rusher Montez Sweat to a two-game suspension for performance-enhancing drugs. Atlanta never needs an invitation to pound the rock with running back Bijan Robinson. He’s second in the NFL with 732 total yards this season.

Tennessee Titans (0-5) at Indianapolis Colts (2-3)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Colts -6.5. Total: 44.5.

Series Rewind: The Colts have swept the season series from the Titans three consecutive seasons. Tennessee’s last win was in 2022, a 19-10 victory in which the lone touchdown for the Titans was Andrew Adams’ 76-yard interception return.

The Colts ran into plenty of problems last week in Pittsburgh, specifically 188 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns from the Steelers’ Jaylen Warren and 235 passing yards and three TD passes from Aaron Rodgers. That was too much to overcome for an Indianapolis offense looking to regain the form that carried the team to an 8-2 start last year. Indianapolis is scoring 24.8 points per game this season (11th in the NFL) but ranks in the bottom half of the league in rushing, passing, total yards and third-down conversion percentage. Although Jonathan Taylor has rushed for 398 yards and six touchdowns in five games, quarterback Daniel Jones hasn’t been quite as efficient. Losing No. 1 wide receiver Alec Pierce hasn’t helped, but Jones has averaged 5.8 yards per attempt. Tennessee could help Jones find the explosive plays the offense has been missing. The Titans are allowing opponents to complete 74% of their passes, a rate surpassed only by the Miami Dolphins’ 76.6%. Tennessee’s offense has been consistently ineffective, averaging a league-low 11.6 points per game. The Titans suffered a 26-3 home loss to the previously winless Houston Texans last week. Tennessee ranks last in total offense, 31st in passing, 27th in rushing and last in average time of possession. Second-year quarterback Cam Ward is averaging 5.8 yards per attempt, the same as Jones. Since the start of the 2024 season, the Titans have lost 33 of 39 games, with four of the defeats coming against the Colts.

New Orleans Saints (1-4) at New York Giants (3-1-1)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Saints -1.5. Total: 45.5.

Series Rewind: New Orleans has won three consecutive games against the Giants. The all-time series (regular-season games only) between the teams is tied 17-17.

Jameis Winston played four seasons in New Orleans and made 10 starts for the Saints. Now he’s the Giants’ starter after Jaxson Dart’s season-ending knee injury. Winston is 2-0-1 as the starter in potentially his most extended opportunity since being Tampa Bay’s No. 1 quarterback from 2015-19. The Giants leaned more heavily on Winston last week than they had previously and he responded by passing for 326 yards and three touchdowns in leading the team back from a 14-point deficit midway through the fourth quarter to escape Washington with a 27-27 tie. He passed for 254 yards and all three touchdowns after halftime. New York is 3-0 at home, including a 28-20 season-opening win vs. the Cowboys, the only full game Dart played. The Saints played their last three games at home and lost all three, prompting owner Gayle Benson to publicly call the team’s performance “not acceptable to me” and to say she was committed “to making the decisions necessary to improve this team.” After the game Sunday, the Saints will fly to Paris to face the Pittsburgh Steelers on Oct. 25, then have their bye week, meaning they won’t play at home again until Nov. 8 against the Cleveland Browns. During the final nine quarters of the three-game homestand, New Orleans turned the ball over eight times, including three interceptions and two fumbles by Shough.

Baltimore Ravens (4-1) at Cleveland Browns (3-2)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Ravens -3.0. Total: 39.5

Series Rewind: Baltimore swept last season’s two meetings and has won the past three. The Browns have started Dillon Gabriel, Joe Flacco, Bailey Zappe, Jameis Winston, Deshaun Watson and Dorian Thompson-Robinson at quarterback in the past six meetings.

The Ravens will see former offensive coordinator Todd Monken, who’s now on the enemy side as Cleveland’s first-year coach. Watson has received another chance with Monken around and he’s been productive early with 1,010 yards and seven touchdowns against two interceptions. Wideout Denzel Boston has been an immediate hit, leading all rookies with 330 receiving yards and leading the NFL with a 20.6 average per catch. The Browns are improved but the old warts were back during last week’s 17-12 loss to the New York Jets. Cleveland had just 198 yards in the contest. Overall, the Browns are struggling offensively and rank 29th in total offense (273.6) and are tied for 27th in scoring offense (18.6). Cleveland defensive tackle Mason Graham (knee/ankle) practiced Friday after missing last week. The Ravens are hoping that quarterback Lamar Jackson (ankle) will be ready after he missed last week’s 30-23 overtime victory over the Atlanta Falcons. But he missed his second consecutive full week of practice. Tyler “Snoop” Huntley could land another start. Huntley scored the game-winning points on a 1-yard run against the Falcons and completed 24 of 32 passes for 201 yards and two touchdowns. Running back Derrick Henry rushed for 102 yards against Atlanta. He ranks fifth in the NFL in rushing yards (476) and is tied for second with seven rushing touchdowns.

Pittsburgh Steelers (3-2) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-4)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
Fan Duel odds: Steelers -2.5. Total: 38.5.

Series Rewind: Pittsburgh has won six of the past seven meetings and 10 of 12 all-time. Tom Brady was Tampa Bay’s quarterback the last time these teams met in 2022 and the Buccaneers fell 20-18 after Brady’s two-point conversion throw was broken up by Devin Bush with 4:38 remaining.

Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has thrown three touchdown passes in three consecutive games and completed a season-best 71% of his throws in last week’s 34-22 home win over the Indianapolis Colts. Rodgers has overall passed for 1,234 yards and 10 touchdowns against four interceptions. But the MVP of the offense has been 5-foot-8 Jaylen Warren, who became the sixth player in NFL history to have a rushing touchdown of 50 or more yards and a receiving score of 80 or more yards in the same game. Warren had a career-high 188 scrimmage yards (101 rush, career-best 87 receiving yards) against the Colts and is tied for sixth in the NFL with 410 rushing yards. Steelers star linebacker T.J. Watt continues to excel and has 4.5 sacks and an interception return for touchdown. Undrafted rookie quarterback Jalon Daniels is in line to make his third straight start with Baker Mayfield still recovering from a dislocated right thumb. Mayfield missed practice again Thursday. Daniels guided the Buccaneers to a 24-16 victory over the host Dallas Cowboys on Oct. 8 as he completed 19 of 25 passes for 189 yards and one touchdown. But the biggest contributor was running back Bucky Irving, who had a career-best 165 rushing yards to go with two touchdowns (one rushing, one receiving) to fuel a ground attack that rolled up 241 yards. Irving ranks eighth in the NFL with 406 rushing yards.

Carolina Panthers (2-2) at Philadelphia Eagles (2-3)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Panthers -3.5. Total 38.5.

Series Rewind: The Eagles are 9-4 against the Panthers in the regular season. The last four meetings have been decided by six or fewer points, including Carolina’s 22-16 loss at Philadelphia the last time they met in Week 14 in 2024.

Philadelphia has lost three straight games and is playing without Jalen Hurts and possibly Saquon Barkley and DeVonta Smith. Fourth-year backup quarterback Tanner McKee is poised to make just his third NFL start after drawing Week 18 assignments in each of the past two seasons. He will need help from wideouts Darius Cooper (four touchdowns on seven catches this season) and Dontayvion Wicks, who has averaged just 37.7 yards during the losing streak. Coordinator Vic Fangio’s defense ranks 29th in the NFL with only three takeaways, including zero fumble recoveries. The Panthers are rested after a bye week and looking to climb above .500 for the first time this season. Bryce Young leads the NFL with 317 passing yards per game and has thrown three TD passes in each of his past two starts. Running back Chuba Hubbard has had success in the past against Philadelphia with a combined 241 yards from scrimmage and one score in two meetings. The defense ranks 31st against the run (156.5 yards

Patriots Roll on Vegas, 45-17

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FOXBOROUGH – New England quarterback Drake Maye completed 26 of 34 passes for 374 yards and four touchdowns and also rushed for a TD to help the Patriots defeat the visiting Las Vegas Raiders 45-17 Sunday in Massachusetts.

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Rhamondre Stevenson added a 5-yard touchdown run for New England, which outgained Las Vegas 536-306. DeMario Douglas had two TD catches for the Patriots.

The Raiders (3-2) received a touchdown catch from tight end Brock Bowers (eight receptions, 110 yards) and a TD run from running back Dylan Laube.

Maye tossed two touchdown passes in the first half, when New England (3-2) built a 21-7 lead.

The Patriots struck first on a 35-yard pass from Maye to Douglas with 11:23 left in the first quarter, but Las Vegas tied the game 7-7 on a 13-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Kirk Cousins to Bowers with 8:19 to go in the period. Stevenson’s touchdown run gave New England a 14-7 lead with 1:30 left in the first.

Maye’s second touchdown pass was an 11-yard completion to tight end Hunter Henry with 24 seconds remaining in the first half.

The Patriots extended their lead to 28-7 on a 34-yard scoring pass from Maye to Kyle Williams with 12:58 left in the third quarter.

Las Vegas’ Matt Gay made a 46-yard field goal with 8:30 left in the third to make it 28-10, but Maye responded with a 3-yard scoring run to push the lead to 35-10 with 3:10 remaining in the period. Andy Borregales’ 28-yard field goal 48 seconds into the fourth quarter extended the margin to 38-10.

Laube scored his first NFL touchdown on a 2-yard run with 10:49 to play to trim New England’s lead to 38-17. The Patriots answered with an 8-yard scoring pass from Maye to Douglas with 6:06 on the clock.

New England lost two key offensive players to injuries in the first half. Running back TreVeyon Henderson (ankle) and left tackle Will Campbell (knee) both went down in the second quarter. Neither returned to the game.

–Field Level Media

 

What’s With Drake Maye?

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FOXBORO – (Wire Service Report) – Have we already seen the worst of quarterback Drake Maye this season?

Have we already seen the worst of quarterback Drake Maye this season?

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That’s the question undoubtedly on the minds of New England fans as the Patriots prepare for an AFC East matchup with the Buffalo Bills on Sunday in Orchard Park, N.Y.

Through three games, Maye has looked nothing like he did a year ago, when he led the Patriots (1-2) to the Super Bowl and finished as the runner-up to Matthew Stafford in voting for the NFL’s Most Valuable Player award. Maye has thrown one touchdown pass and has been intercepted six times.

Although he practiced on Wednesday, Maye was on New England’s injury report due to a right shoulder issue. He said the injury has not affected his play on the field.

“No, it hasn’t,” he said. “It hasn’t. And it doesn’t impact my decision-making. That’s what makes and breaks play for quarterbacks. I don’t feel like we’re struggling to move the ball. I think we’re turning the football over, doing things that are preventing us from scoring touchdowns. And I think that’s one of the biggest things for me.”

Maye has also been sacked nine times this season.

“You turn on the tape from last year, and it was dynamic,” Buffalo defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard said. “You just have to put some pressure on him and hope that the trend continues. Great players are eventually going to come out the other side. You just hope it’s after you play them.”

The Patriots are tied for the NFL lead with eight turnovers.

“If we want to get where we need to get to, we’re going to have to go through bumps along the way,” New England coach Mike Vrabel said. “This is all a part of the journey. When we talked about preparing for the journey, the journey wasn’t always going to be 10 wins in a row, road warriors and everything else. It comes, sometimes, with turnovers, you give up touchdowns, you miss a field goal, and sometimes that’s what the journey looks like.”

Buffalo (3-0) is one of three unbeaten teams in the AFC, joining the Kansas City Chiefs and Las Vegas Raiders, but the Bills turned the ball over five times last week in a 24-16 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers. Quarterback Josh Allen was intercepted twice and lost a fumble in the win, though he ran for two touchdowns.

“I’m not concerned with Josh,” Buffalo coach Joe Brady said. “It’s so hard to play the quarterback position. You can look at Josh, for example. The questions I’m getting about Josh this week are different than the first two weeks. … It’s a week-to-week league.”

Buffalo running back James Cook III ranks third in the NFL with 346 rushing yards. The Bills are averaging 5.2 yards per carry, which is tied for second in the league.

“(The Patriots) were a great defense last year, and through three games they haven’t taken any dropoffs,” Brady said. “They’re a hard team to game-plan for. …

“We’re not the same as we were last year, they’re not the same as they were last year. It’s two teams that are just still trying to figure out who they are at this point in the season, and it’s going to be great football game.”

Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez (shoulder), offensive tackle Morgan Moses (foot) and defensive tackle Christian Barmore (shoulder) did not practice on Wednesday.

New England outside linebacker Dre’Mont Jones (shoulder) and tight end Eli Raridon (thigh) returned to the field on Wednesday as limited participants after sitting out the Patriots’ 35-6 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars last week.

Bills linebacker Joe Andreessen (knee), cornerback Christian Benford (toe), wide receiver Keon Coleman (ankle) and defensive tackle T.J. Sanders (illness) sat out the team’s Wednesday practice.

–Field Level Media

NFL Previews: 1pm Games

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DETROIT – (Wire Service Previews) – The Detroit Lions are at home for a match-up against the New York JETS.

New York Jets (1-1) at Detroit Lions (1-1)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Lions -6.5, Total 47.5
Series Rewind: The road team has won four consecutive games in this matchup. The Lions defeated the Jets 20-17 in the last meeting in 2022.

Aaron Glenn returns to Detroit with one of the league’s statistical leaders in defense. Glenn coached with Lions head coach Dan Campbell for eight years — four in New Orleans when they both served on Sean Payton’s coaching staff and four as his defensive coordinator with the Lions — and they know each other well. But Glenn insists he’s in the Motor City not for nostalgia but to add to Detroit’s defensive misfortune. They’re allowing more than 35 points per game so far. Lions QB Jared Goff was always quick to tip a cap to Glenn during his time as Detroit’s defensive coordinator. Now that he’s preparing to play Glenn’s defense again, he’s seeing a full team in green taking on the identity of their no-nonsense coach who believes the aggressor usually wins. The Jets haven’t turned the ball over in the first two games of the regular season for the first time in more than 50 years. Last week they had a chance to put the Packers away in regulation and failed to gain traction in overtime. The secondary, in part due to injuries, has been a nightmare for the Lions. That’s not great news with WR Garrett Wilson forming a strong rapport with QB Geno Smith. Goff and WR Amon-Ra St. Brown are clicking, too. St. Brown has two TD catches in each of the first two games and is on pace for more than 130 receptions.

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Seattle Seahawks (2-0) at Washington Commanders (0-2)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Seahawks -7.5, Total 40.5
Series Rewind: Seattle has won three of the last four meetings, including a 38-14 road romp in Week 9 last season. That snapped a streak of four straight games in the series that were decided by five or fewer points.

The defending Super Bowl champion Seahawks are allowing only 8.5 points and 214.0 yards of offense per game, a significant challenge for a Washington offense playing without electric quarterback Jayden Daniels (elbow). Seattle coach Mike Macdonald (29-10, including playoffs) can become just the sixth head coach since 1970 to win 30 of his first 40 games, joining George Seifert, Matt LaFleur, Chuck Knox, Ted Marchibroda and Steve Mariucci. After leading the league with 1,793 receiving yards in 2025, Seahawks star Jaxon Smith-Njigba currently is on pace for more than 2,300 yards. Quarterback Sam Darnold (glute) was a full participant in Thursday’s practice. The Commanders will once again turn to Marcus Mariota, who has a winning record (2-1) in his career vs. Seattle. Washington is 2-0 in home openers under coach Dan Quinn, who will need to see improvement from a secondary that has already allowed seven touchdown passes. Veteran Stefon Diggs has three TD catches but has never found the end zone in four previous games against Seattle.

Los Angeles Chargers (0-2) at Buffalo Bills (2-0)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Bills -7.5, Total 50.5
Series Rewind: The Bills have won the past two meetings after losing the previous four. Josh Allen is 2-1 against the Chargers.

The Bills lead the NFL with 77 points after beating the Texans and the Lions while the Chargers tallied just 28 in losses to the Cardinals and Raiders. Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen was in fine form last week by throwing for three touchdowns and rushing for two during a 41-31 home win over the Lions. Allen has passed for 582 yards and five touchdowns and rushed for 92 yards and four scores. James Cook III rushed for 135 yards and a touchdown against Detroit and is fifth in the league with 192 rushing yards. Tight end Dalton Kincaid is off to a big start with 12 receptions for 225 yards and one score. Buffalo hopes star defensive tackle Ed Oliver (hip) can make it this week after sitting out against Detroit. The Chargers are looking to avoid their first 0-3 start since 2017, which came in their first season in Los Angeles after the controversial move from San Diego. Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert was supposed to take off under new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel but the results haven’t matched that forecast. Herbert has passed for just 401 yards — 23rd in the NFL — with two touchdowns and three interceptions. His 59.3 completion rate is well off his career mark of 66.4. Ladd McConkey (eight for 117) is the lone receiver with more than 75 yards but has just nine yards after the catch. The defense has just three sacks and one takeaway, an interception by cornerback Cam Hart.

Tennessee Titans (0-2) at New York Giants (1-1)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Giants -2.5, Total 38.5
Series Rewind: After losing five straight meetings with Tennessee, New York has taken two of the last three. The Titans are 3-0 in the 21st century against the Giants in East Rutherford, N.J., including a 17-0 win in 2018.

First-year Tennessee head coach Robert Saleh is back at MetLife Stadium, where he coached the Jets from 2021-24. Titans offensive coordinator Brian Daboll also returns to East Rutherford, where he guided the Giants from 2022-25 and earned 2022 NFL Coach of the Year honors. Daboll’s replacement, John Harbaugh, opened his Big Apple tenure with a Week 1 victory against the rival Cowboys but then lost starting QB Jaxson Dart for the rest of the regular season to a knee injury in Monday’s loss to the Rams. Jameis Winston is a capable backup with a 5,000-yard season on his resume, but he has not won a start since November 2024 with the Browns. The former No. 1 overall pick could use some help from Cam Skattebo, who has gained 402 scrimmage yards and scored five rushing touchdowns in four career home games. Tennessee is looking to avoid a third straight 0-3 start after letting a win against the Eagles slip away last weekend in Nashville. Titans receiver Wan’Dale Robinson played for the Giants from 2022-25.

Kansas City Chiefs (2-0) at Miami Dolphins (0-2)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Chiefs -10.5, Total 45.5
Series Rewind: Kansas City has won five straight games against Miami to take a 17-16 lead in the all-time series. The Dolphins last beat the Chiefs in 2011.

The Chiefs have already scored 31-plus points as many times in two games this season as they did all of last season. But after a pair of home victories over Denver and Indianapolis, Kansas City hits the road for the first time this weekend at Miami. Patrick Mahomes hasn’t missed a step in his return from injury, passing for 566 yards and five touchdowns (to five different receivers) against one interception. The Chiefs’ defense, however, is looking for improvement after giving up 24 first downs in the overtime win over the Colts. A Miami offense which is second-worst in the NFL in scoring offense (13 points per game) could be what ails that for Kansas City. Offseason acquisition Malik Willis has thrown for 417 yards, one touchdown and one interception through his first two games. He’s also been sacked nine times, while Miami’s defense is the only one in the league still looking for its first sack of the season.

Cincinnati Bengals (2-0) at Pittsburgh Steelers (1-1)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Bengals -3.5, Total 42.5
Series Rewind: The AFC North foes have split their season series each of the last two seasons, with the home teams both winning in 2025 and road teams each winning in 2024. Pittsburgh leads the all-time series 72-41.

Cincinnati is seeking its first 3-0 start since 2015. In order to get there, it’ll need to beat Pittsburgh on the road, which it has done three times in the previous five seasons. While the Bengals’ offense has been clicking with Joe Burrow getting both Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins heavily involved in the passing game, the defense led the way in last week’s 20-6 win over Houston, keeping the Texans out of the end zone and limiting them to 60 rushing yards and a 29.4% success rate on third down (5-for-17). Pittsburgh is hoping to move past a 20-3 loss at New England. The Steelers’ offense completed just 2 of 12 third downs, with Aaron Rodgers limited to 187 passing yards. Pittsburgh surrendered a fourth-quarter strip-sack which was returned for a touchdown and effectively put the game to bed. Rodgers is still seeking his first completion this season on a pass that travels 20-plus yards in the air.

New England Patriots (1-1) at Jacksonville Jaguars (1-1)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Jaguars -2.5, Total 45.5
Series Rewind: New England won eight straight games over the Jaguars from 2003-18, including the AFC championship game to end that streak. But Jacksonville has won two of the three matchups since, home games in 2018 and 2024.

New England, which was a perfect 8-0 in regular-season road games a season ago, looks to start a new road winning streak at Jacksonville after losing its first game of this season at Seattle in Week 1. The Jaguars have won five straight regular-season home games dating back to last season. Patriots quarterback Drake Maye is still looking to get into gear off his second-place NFL MVP finish last season, with one touchdown to four interceptions through the first two games. New England’s defense, which is allowing a league-best 8.0 points per game, has carried the day through these early struggles. Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence had a stellar debut (four touchdowns to four different players) but was then held under 200 yards and without a touchdown in last week’s 20-6 win at Denver. Parker Washington (181 yards) has carried over the success he found in his breakthrough 2025 campaign.

 

The Road to Inglewood via Jacksonville

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JACKSONVILLE – (Wire Service Preview) – The New England Patriots were the best road team in the NFL last season, a perfect 8-0 in the regular season.

New England travels to Jacksonville on Sunday afternoon looking to start a new streak against the Jaguars. The Patriots lost at Seattle to begin the regular season.

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It won’t be easy against a Jacksonville crew going for its sixth consecutive regular-season home win dating back to last season.

“They play well at home. They’ve been getting great first-half leads,” Patriots coach Mike Vrabel said of Jacksonville. “They feast off turnovers. They’ve been creating turnovers and turning those into points.”

Division winners in the AFC last season, Jacksonville and New England have taken opposing paths to their respective 1-1 records.

The Jaguars opened with a convincing win over the Cleveland Browns before blowing a fourth-quarter lead in last week’s 20-13 loss at Denver.

Trevor Lawrence threw a touchdown pass to four different receivers in the opening win, then was held under 200 passing yards with no touchdowns against the Broncos.

Jacksonville hasn’t found the same consistent offensive success as it had in Liam Coen’s first season as head coach.

The 2025 Jaguars finished sixth in the NFL in scoring offense (27.9 points per game) and 11th in total offense (337.4 yards per game). This year’s team ranks 15th in scoring (23.5 ppg) and total offense (314.0 ypg) through two games.

Wide receivers Brian Thomas Jr. (80 yards) and Jakobi Meyers (68) and tight end Brenton Strange (48) haven’t carried over their production which buoyed the 2025 offense.

Parker Washington, however, has built on his breakthrough 2025 campaign, following up his 847 yards and five TDs with a team-high 181 yards and a touchdown this season.

“Obviously, he’s super talented. He gets open, creates separation. He’s a really good route runner, great ball skills, can make contested catches. All those things are part of it,” Lawrence said of Washington’s success. “I trust him. Our chemistry has grown more and more over the past year of him being put in a lot of different situations and excelling and winning his 1-on-1s. All those things kind of play into that.”

New England features a lockdown cornerback in Christian Gonzalez, who has excelled since signing a record-breaking four-year, $135 million extension before the regular season began. Gonzalez locked up DK Metcalf in the Patriots’ win last week. Washington isn’t the same type of physical specimen, but has been more productive.

He’s No. 2 in the NFL in target share behind Jaxon Smith-Njigba at 36.7% which is why he warrants the attention of Gonzalez.

The Patriots were unable to beat the Drew Lock-led Seahawks in their opener but bounced back with a resounding 20-3 home win over Aaron Rodgers and Pittsburgh last week.

New England is allowing a league-best 8.0 points per game, while Drake Maye scrambles to recapture the momentum of his second-place MVP finish last season.

The third-year quarterback has one touchdown pass and four interceptions. Vrabel is trusting the process over the early results.

“Being decisive, believing in what you see,” Vrabel said of what he wants to see from Maye. “All we ask all our players to do is prepare to try to play fast and aggressively and make great decisions. So, yeah, we could always say, ‘Man, we should have let that one rip,’ or ‘We’ve got to make a better decision.’

“Ultimately, it’s his responsibility to be able to distribute the football as quickly and decisively as possible in the places that it’s supposed to go.”

Meyers (thumb), running back LeQuint Allen Jr. (hip), offensive linemen Robert Hainsey (elbow/groin) and Cole Van Lanen (knee) as well as defensive tackle DaVon Hamilton (back) were all limited in Jacksonville’s practice on Thursday. Cornerback Christian Braswell (knee) pracaticed in full one day after being limited.

A pair of New England linebackers in Dre’Mont Jones (shoulder) and Quintayvious Hutchins (knee), along with safety Craig Woodson (shoulder) and tight end Eli Raridon (thigh) didn’t practice Thursday, while starting right tackle Morgan Moses (foot) was limited.

Jacksonville has won the last two times it hosted New England, most recently in 2024, but the Patriots hold a 12-3 edge in the all-time series, including postseason play.

–Field Level Media

Defense! … Defense!

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FOXBOROUGH – (Wire Service Report) – New England linebacker Elijah Ponder had a sack and also returned a fumble 19 yards for a touchdown to help the Patriots defeat the Pittsburgh Steelers 20-3 Sunday in Massachusetts.

Ponder’s touchdown came after defensive tackle Christian Barmore stripped the ball from Pittsburgh quarterback Aaron Rodgers. The TD plus the Andy Borregales point-after kick gave the Patriots a 20-3 lead with 13:37 to play.

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TreVeyon Henderson (16 carries, 76 yards) scored New England’s other touchdown on a 39-yard run. The Patriots (1-1) also received two field goals from Borregales (30 and 45 yards).

Drake Maye completed 14 of 22 passes for 208 yards. He was intercepted once. Romeo Doubs had three receptions for 96 yards, and tight end Hunter Henry caught three passes for 40 yards.

Pittsburgh (1-1) was limited to 235 yards of offense (3.5 yards per play) and was 2 of 12 on third down. The Steelers’ offense has produced one touchdown in eight quarters this season.

Rodgers was 23 of 39 for 187 yards and was intercepted once. Germie Bernard was Pittsburgh’s leading receiver with four catches for 35 yards.

Linebacker Christian Elliss led New England with 12 tackles (seven solo). He recorded one of New England’s four sacks.

New England opened the scoring on Henderson’s 39-yard touchdown run with 8:22 remaining in the first quarter. It was a four-play, 49-yard scoring drive.

Borregales made a 30-yard field goal with 14:14 left in the first half that extended the lead to 10-0, and Pittsburgh’s Chris Boswell kicked a 56-yard field goal on the first half’s final play to make it 10-3 at halftime.

The Patriots had a 13-3 lead after Borregales made a 45-yard field goal with 43 seconds left in the third quarter.

New England rushed for 136 yards in the win.

–Field Level Media