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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

Commanders Limp into MNF at 49ers

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SANTA CLARA – Washington Commanders running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt (groin) did not practice all week and was ruled out for Monday night’s away game against the San Francisco 49ers, coach Dan Quinn told reporters.

Along with Croskey-Merritt, Quinn said quarterback Marcus Mariota (knee), edge rusher Javontae Jean-Baptiste (pectoral) and defensive lineman Charles Omenihu (groin/ankle) will not travel with the team for the game to be played at Levi’s Stadium, just north of San Francisco, California.

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Quinn said Croskey-Merritt reinjured the groin he hurt in August.

“That’s harder, on the same injury,” he said. “We’ll work really hard to get him back.”

Croskey-Merritt leads the Commanders with 239 rushing yards and has two rushing touchdowns. He missed the final two preseason games with a groin injury.

Rachaad White (shoulder) and Austin Ekeler (chest) are expected to share running back duties, though both have been limited in practice. Jeremy McNichols, who began the season on injured reserve with a quadriceps injury, will travel with the team and could be activated Monday.

Wide receiver Stefon Diggs, who missed last Sunday’s 27-27 tie against the New York Giants, practiced Saturday, along with Terry McLaurin (hamstring). The pair have combined for 32 receptions, 373 yards and four scores this season.

Cornerback Trey Amos (ankle) and safety Nick Cross (illness) were full participants in practice and could return Monday. Amos has been on injured reserve, while Cross has been out since Week 2.

–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

NFL Thursday Night Football Preview

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DENVER – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – With a home matchup Thursday night against the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks and their “Dark Side” defense looming, Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix made an admission: “I just have to remind myself not to play hero ball.”

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“We want to be aggressive, and then you see stats and see, well, this team is causing the most turnovers in the league,” Nix said. “And then it’s like, well, OK, I can’t put my team in a position where I’m turning the football over and putting our defense in a bad spot and giving them a short field.”

“Just play the play and if the play’s there, hit it,” Nix continued. “And if it’s not there, check it down, throw it away, punt.”

It’s an approach the Seahawks (3-2) might want to adapt as well, especially after Sunday’s 32-29 loss to visiting San Francisco in which they committed four turnovers. Three of them led to 49ers touchdowns in the first half, with the longest drive being 18 yards.

“There needs to be a sense of urgency to get better and have ball security,” said Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold, who was 18-for-29 for 195 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. “For me personally, I’m going to try to be as decisive as I can be and go through my reads and trust what I see, trust my feet, all those things. But (we) can’t have turnovers, got to protect the football in this league. And if you don’t, you’ll pay.”

In the Seahawks’ other defeat this season, 33-31 on Sept. 27 at Washington, they committed three turnovers that led to 21 Commanders points.

“It’s not like we are getting blown out …” said Brian Fleury, the Seahawks’ first-year offensive coordinator. “They made some plays when we didn’t and we’re just going to keep focusing on our process, make sure that we’re getting better each week and let the outcomes take care of themselves.”

The Broncos (3-2) defeated the host Los Angeles Chargers 23-17 on Sunday in Inglewood, Calif. J.K. Dobbins rushed for 68 yards and a touchdown against his former team.

Nix was 16-of-27 passing for 123 yards and a score. He threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to Courtland Sutton. Wil Lutz kicked a pair of field goals as the Broncos rallied from a 17-10 deficit in the fourth quarter to win despite amassing just 224 yards of total offense.

“I heard long ago, I don’t know where it came from, it may have been from my parents, but if you stop enjoying the wins, you need to just go on and do something else because it’s not going to be fun for you anymore,” Nix said. “In a way, I’ve felt that a little bit.

“We’re sitting here at 3-2 and we’re having a good start to our season. There’s things we want to clean up. There’s things we want to fix. We’re leaving some things out there on the field, but we’re finding ways to win like we did last year. I feel strongly that we’re going to continue to do that, so the most important thing is winning, obviously.”

Broncos coach Sean Payton said there will be chances to “find plays that are clean” for Nix against the Seahawks, who rank first in the league in total defense (251.2 yards per game), passing defense (150.8 yards per game) and takeaways (11).

Both teams are relatively healthy. The Broncos had just safety Talanoa Hufanga (ankle) and cornerback Pat Surtain II (ankle) listed as not participating in practice on Tuesday, which was an estimation as the team held a walk-through. For the Seahawks, linebackers Drake Thomas (ankle) and Chazz Surratt (calf) did not participate, per the estimation. Wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (ankle) was listed as limited for a second consecutive day. Guard Beau Stephens (shoulder) was upgraded from limited to a full participant.

–Field Level Media

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

 

NFL Previews: Sunday Night

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Detroit Lions (2-1) at Carolina Panthers (1-2)
Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Lions -3.5. Total 50.5.
Series rewind: The home team has won four in a row in this series and the Panthers are 8-4 all-time against Detroit.

Headliners are set for a reunion of sorts when the Lions head to Charlotte. Lions RB Jahmyr Gibbs — who totaled three touchdowns and 164 yards from scrimmage in last Sunday’s 31-24 home victory against the New York Jets – and Panthers quarterback Bryce Young were college teammates at Alabama. They’ve been integral parts of powerful offenses early this season. Lions QB Jared Goff has completed 70.6% of his passes for 802 yards, eight touchdowns and no interceptions this season. The Lions have scored exactly 31 points in each of their three games and present a challenge for the Panthers, who are coming off a 21-18 loss at Cleveland. Carolina has adjustments to make with starting CBs Jaycee Horn (quad) and Mike Jackson (groin) going on injured reserve. Those spots could be replenished with Corey Thornton and Robert Rochell from the practice squad. Rookie cornerback Will Lee III is expected to be called upon for extensive duty as his role continues to grow.

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Atlanta Falcons (1-2) at New Orleans Saints (1-2)
Monday, 8:15 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Saints -2.5. Total 47.5.
Series rewind: The Falcons beat the Saints 19-17 in the 2025 regular-season finale to reclaim the edge in the all-time series (regular season only), 57-56.

On the verge of being left for dead after flopping in the first two games, the Falcons found life by plugging in QB Michael Penix Jr. at Green Bay last week. In primetime for the second consecutive week, Atlanta’s offense revolves around All-Pro RB Bijan Robinson, who helped get Penix comfortable in his first game since ACL surgery last November. Robinson’s third career 200-yard game (194 rushing, 19 receiving) included two touchdowns at Green Bay. He averages 127.3 total yards per game against the Saints, who are allowing 128.7 yards per game on the ground. New Orleans lost to the Raiders last week and has a breakout quarterback in Tyler Shough, the NFL leader in completions (91) who is also second in the league in passing yards (917). Shough and WR Chris Olave are thriving. Olave is tied for the NFL lead with 27 receptions. The extra attention has opened the middle of the field with TEs Noah Fant and Juwan Johnson each catching two TD passes last week.

–Field Level Media

NFL: Late 4pm Game Previews

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MINNEAPOLIS – (Wire Service Previews) – Here are the four game previews for Sunday’s (October 4) late afternoon NFL games:

Miami Dolphins (0-3) at Minnesota Vikings (3-0)
Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Vikings -10.5. Total 38.5.
Series rewind: Kirk Cousins outdueled Teddy Bridgewater to lead the Vikings past the Dolphins, 24-16, in the most recent meeting (October 2022), despite being outgained 458-234 in total yards. Miami has won the past two meetings and leads the all-time series 7-6.

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The Dolphins are playing with losing margins, averaging 12 points per game while giving up 28.7. Revving up the offense became more complicated last week when RB De’Von Achane (ACL) was lost for the season. Minus Miami’s top playmaker, QB Malik Willis is fighting uphill while trying to solve the NFL’s most aggressive defensive coordinator Brian Flores. Flores and the Vikings hunt with a blitz-heavy scheme to force the ball out of the quarterback’s hand early. They have 14 sacks and four interceptions this season. The Dolphins are turning to Ollie Gordon II as the primary ballcarrier while starting a pair of rookies at wide receiver: Caleb Douglas and Chris Bell. The Vikings might have to shake things up on the offensive depth chart with wide receiver Justin Jefferson (ankle) hurting.

Denver Broncos (2-1) at San Francisco 49ers (3-0)
Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: 49ers -2.5. Total 47.5
Series rewind: This is the first meeting since 2022. The series is tied 8-8 including the playoffs, highlighted by the 49ers’ 55-10 romp against the Broncos in Super Bowl XXIV.

One of two unbeaten NFC teams remaining (with Minnesota), the 49ers lead the league in point differential (plus-48) and rank second in scoring (32.7 points per game) behind the fast start of quarterback Brock Purdy (league-leading 133.1 passer rating). San Francisco is just the fourth team since 1990 to allow zero sacks in each of its first three games. Four-time first-team All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner recorded a career-high 17 tackles in last week’s win against Arizona. Denver rallied from a 16-0 deficit to stun the Rams, 30-26, last Sunday night. Bo Nix fueled the rally with two third-quarter touchdown passes and the game-winning TD run with 47 seconds left. Broncos safety Talanoa Hufanga — who played for the 49ers from 2021-24 — made NFL history with a sack and two interceptions in a single quarter. His fourth-quarter heroics against Los Angeles included a 66-yard pick-six. Five 49ers starters missed practice to start the week, including WR Mike Evans (ribs), DE Nick Bosa (knee, calf) and LB Dre Greenlaw (quad).

Kansas City Chiefs (3-0) at Las Vegas Raiders (3-0)
Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET
Fan Duel: Chiefs -4.5. Total: 47.5
Series rewind: The teams split two meetings last season. The Las Vegas victory in the second matchup when Patrick Mahomes was sidelined with his knee injury was just the Raiders’ third win in the past 17 matchups with the Chiefs.

Both teams are undefeated and fighting for first place in the AFC West? Sounds like a flashback to the Raiders’ long-ago better days in Oakland. The Raiders haven’t started 4-0 since 2002 — a season in which they reached the Super Bowl before losing to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Las Vegas hasn’t allowed a single point in the fourth quarter during the surprise start that has seen Kirk Cousins throw nine touchdown passes in 92 attempts. New Raiders coach Klint Kubiak quickly has changed the atmosphere around the team. On the other side of the ball, linebacker Nakobe Dean has been a stellar free-agent pickup and leads the squad with 27 tackles, 3.5 stops for losses and three sacks. Cornerback Hezekiah Masses has three interceptions entering a matchup in which Las Vegas wishes to slow Mahomes. Saying the two-time NFL MVP regularly carves up the Raiders is putting it nicely – he has thrown 36 touchdowns against five interceptions while winning 13 of his 15 starts. Mahomes is doing well this season on his surgically repaired knee as he has passed for 812 yards and seven touchdowns against two interceptions. Kansas City is tied for seventh in scoring at 29.3 points (the Raiders are also part of that tie) and ranks second in total offense at 416.3 yards per game as running back Kenneth Walker III has pumped life into the running game with a league-leading 360 yards. Walker has two rushing touchdowns and two receiving scores. Linebacker Nick Bolton leads the defense with 28 tackles but one problem is that Kansas City has just four sacks and seven-time Pro Bowl defensive end Chris Jones doesn’t yet have one.Buy Game Tickets

Los Angeles Chargers (0-3) at Seattle Seahawks (2-1)
Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET
Fan Duel: Seahawks -7. Total: 43.5
Series rewind: This is the first meeting since 2022 when the Seahawks recorded a 37-23 road victory. The Chargers have won three of the past five matchups after Seattle prevailed in the previous five.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba picked up where he left off after being the NFL Offensive Player of the Year last season. Smith-Njigba leads the NFL with 405 receiving yards and six touchdown catches and is tied for the league lead with 27 receptions. He has posted outings of 122, 155 and 128 receiving yards and fared well with backup Drew Lock as well as starter Sam Darnold. The latter was back from a Week 1 glute injury and threw for 379 yards and four touchdowns in last week’s 33-31 loss against the host Washington Commanders. Darnold also threw two interceptions as the Super Bowl champions saw their winning streak end at 12 games dating back to last November. Defensive tackle Leonard Williams is pacing the defensive with three sacks. The winless Chargers are nearing desperation mode and will fully be there with another loss. Of course, the 1994 team in San Diego reached the Super Bowl after opening with four straight losses when it was led by no-nonsense coach Bobby ‘Boss’ Ross and all-everything linebacker Junior Seau. But 32 years later, coach Jim Harbaugh brought in former Miami Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel to run the offense and the unit isn’t clicking and has a high of just 16 points. The Chargers rank 29th in scoring offense at 14.7 points per game and 20th in total offense at 308.7 yards per game. Quarterback Justin Herbert’s completion percentage is 59.1% — his career rate is 66.3 – and he has thrown more interceptions (four) than touchdown passes (three). Ladd McConkey’s 12 catches lead the team.

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NFL Preview: London Game

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Indianapolis Colts (1-2) vs. Washington Commanders (1-2) in London
Sunday, 9:30 a.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Colts -3.5. Total 47.5
Series rewind: Indianapolis has a 21-11 record against Washington all-time. This is the first game between the teams since the Commanders beat the Colts 17-16 in 2022.

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With four combined wins since Nov. 10, 2025 – Washington has three of them — a trip across the pond comes with a chance for one of these teams to post back-to-back wins. The Commanders’ strength on defense is stopping the run. Washington gives up only 82 rushing yards per game. Jonathan Taylor embraced the European vacation last season with a career-high 286 total yards (244 rushing, 42 receiving) and three touchdowns against the Falcons. A focus on slowing down Taylor has been good for business for Tyler Warren. He’s third in the league among tight ends with 18 catches and set a career high with nine last week. The Commanders brought quarterback Jayden Daniels along for the trip after he missed last week’s game, a Marcus Mariota-engineered victory over the Seahawks. Daniels (elbow) was injured Week 2 at Dallas and won’t play for at least another week.

NFL Previews: 1pm Games

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ORCHARD PARK – (Wire Service Previews) – Week Four in the NFL begins the very important stretch of the schedule where the contenders separate themselves from the draftniks. There’s no better example than the New England at Buffalo game where – if the Patriots lose – will plummet them into a (1-3) hole a month into the 2026 season.

New England Patriots (1-2) at Buffalo Bills (3-0)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Bills -6.5, Total 48.5
Series rewind: The AFC East rivals have split the season series during each of the past three campaigns, with all six of those meetings decided by seven or fewer points.

The Bills have a chance to start 4-0 in back-to-back seasons for the first time 1991-92. Josh Allen is just the fourth player in NFL history — and first quarterback — with six or more rushing touchdowns in at least nine consecutive seasons, joining Marshall Faulk, LaDainian Tomlinson and Jim Brown. Bills running back James Cook has two career 100-yard games against the Patriots, going for 107 yards and two TDs at New England in Week 15 last season. Buffalo linebacker Greg Rousseau is just the third player since 1982 with multiple sacks in each of the season’s first three games, along with Mark Gastineau (1984) and Kevin Greene (1998). Patriots quarterback Drake Maye has thrown six interceptions and only one touchdown pass for an offense that ranks next to last in scoring at 12.0 points per game. New England has scored only one TD on six trips to the red zone. Pro Bowl cornerback Christian Gonzalez is looking for his third straight game against Buffalo with at least five tackles and a pass breakup.

Jacksonville Jaguars (2-1) at Cincinnati Bengals (2-1)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Bengals -2.5, Total 51.5
Series rewind: The Bengals have won the last four games against the Jaguars to level the all-time series at 13 apiece. That includes their costly 31-27 win in Week 2 last season, when Joe Burrow sustained a turf toe injury that sidelined him for nine games.

Cincinnati and Jacksonville enter this week’s game off decidedly different results. The Bengals took their first loss after a costly Burrow fumble doomed them in a 30-27 setback to division rival Pittsburgh, while the Jaguars dominated the New England Patriots 35-6 to send a statement to the rest of the AFC. The Bengals enter this game with a depleted secondary as Ja’Sir Taylor and Jalen Davis are on injured reserve while Jordan Battle, Bryan Cook and Kyle Dugger have all not practiced fully this week. That could be a problem against a Jacksonville offense helmed by Trevor Lawrence, who has thrown for seven touchdowns and two interceptions through three games. The Jaguars’ ground game also has been a strength, though, 10th in the league in rushing yards per game while rushing for 95-plus yards in every game so far this season. Cincinnati’s passing game also has been on point, with Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins combining for 429 yards and four touchdown catches early this season.

Green Bay Packers (1-2) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-3)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Packers -3.5, Total 38.5
Series rewind: Green Bay leads the all-time series 34-24-1 but Tampa Bay has won three of the last four, including 31-26 in the NFC Championship Game on Jan. 24, 2021.

Both the Packers and Buccaneers could badly lose in this game. The Packers, quickly buried in what again appears to be a very strong NFC North, were handily beaten 35-14 at home by the Atlanta Falcons. Green Bay’s ground game has not remotely helped quarterback Jordan Love, with the team’s 146 total rushing yards standing as its fewest through three games since 1933. The defense also isn’t helping, giving up 30.3 points per game — tied for third most in the NFL. To make matters worse, Love is completing just 52.4% of his passes. But Green Bay at least can enjoy having its starting quarterback available Sunday, with Tampa Bay unable to say the same after Baker Mayfield sustained a dislocated thumb late in last week’s loss to Minnesota. He’ll miss at least three weeks, leaving undrafted rookie Jalon Daniels to lead the offense after he beat out Jake Browning for the backup job. Daniels accounted for 90 total touchdowns (67 passing, 23 rushing) across 49 career games at Kansas, and now becomes the first un-drafted rookie to start a game in the first four weeks of the season since the 1970 NFL/AFL merger.

Tennessee Titans (0-3) at Baltimore Ravens (2-1)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Ravens -11.5, Total 42.5
Series rewind: The Ravens have won the last two games in the series to take a 14-13 lead. These teams have faced off twice in the playoffs this decade, with Baltimore winning a 2021 wild-card matchup while Tennessee came out on top in a 2020 AFC Divisional Round game.

Derrick Henry faces the team that drafted him for the first time on Sunday. The former second-round pick ran for 9,502 yards and 90 touchdowns over his first eight seasons in the league with Tennessee. He’s already up to 301 rushing yards (fifth in the NFL) and six rushing touchdowns (tied for the league lead this season) through three games this season for the Ravens. He could be in for another big day against a Tennessee defense which is allowing 126.3 yards per game. Luckily for Baltimore, quarterback Lamar Jackson returned to full practice on Thursday after he was limited with a back injury. Even though the Titans have surrounded last year’s No. 1 overall pick with a new coaching staff and wide receivers Calvin Ridley, Carnell Tate and Wan’Dale Robinson, Cam Ward’s 80.9 passer rating ranks 29th among 39 quarterbacks who have started at least one game this season, and his 168.0 passing yards per game rank 31st. Tennessee, still seeking its first win of the Robert Saleh era, has been close the last two weeks, losing 24-20 to the Eagles and 12-7 last week at the Giants.

Los Angeles Rams (1-2) at Philadelphia Eagles (2-1)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Eagles -3, Total 43.5
Series rewind: Including the postseason, the Eagles have swept the last four meetings with the Rams. That includes a 33-26 victory in Philadelphia in Week 3 last season.

The Eagles are the only NFL team that hasn’t scored a point in the first quarter or recorded a takeaway. When these teams met last September, Jalen Hurts outdueled eventual MVP Matthew Stafford. Hurts threw for three touchdowns and ran for a fourth while Stafford was held under 200 yards with two TDs and an interception. The Rams have outgained the Eagles by more than 300 yards through three games but only have six more points to show for it thanks to a mediocre performance in the red zone. Los Angeles should get a boost from the return of wideout Puka Nacua, a full participant in Thursday’s practice after missing two games with a hip injury. Davante Adams is just 9 yards away from 13,000 for his career and has six TDs in five career games vs. Philly. They will be facing an Eagles defense that began this week without top linebacker Zack Baun (concussion protocol). No. 1 wideout DeVonta Smith also missed Wednesday’s practice with a hamstring injury.

New York Jets (1-2) at Chicago Bears (2-1)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Bears -3.5. Total 42.5.
Series rewind: The Bears beat the Jets 31-10 in their last meeting in November 2022. Chicago has won five of the past six in the series.

Maybe it’s time to believe Bears coach Ben Johnson when he asserts it doesn’t matter which of his quarterbacks start a game, trusting the collective offense to perform regardless of No. 1 QB Caleb Williams’ status. Williams (hamstring) won’t play for a second consecutive game but the Bears did just fine in demolishing the Eagles behind Case Keenum, the 38-year-old No. 3 quarterback on the depth chart. Tyson Bagent (concussion) was sidelined last week and could be in the picture Sunday. But Keenum passed for 247 yards and accounted for three total touchdowns (two passing, one rushing) in a 27-7 victory over the Eagles after Bagent spent much of the previous week in concussion protocol. Taking care of the ball has kept the Jets in every game this season. Finishing has been another story. Geno Smith will be wary in this matchup after the Bears had three takeaways in a return to the aggressive, opportunistic style that helped the unit lead the NFL in that category last season. The Jets are coming in following back-to-back losses by a combined 10 points against the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions. Revving up the running game remains an area of emphasis for the Jets. Breece Hall is week-to-week with a quad injury he suffered in last Sunday’s 31-24 loss at Detroit. He has rushed for just 61 yards on 29 carries after gaining 102 yards on 22 attempts in the season opener. Enter Braelon Allen, who figures to see an accelerated workload in the backfield. Smith  sports a 75.5% completion rate. He was 31-of-37 passing for 321 yards with touchdown passes to Garrett Wilson, rookie tight end Kenyon Sadiq and tight end Jeremy Ruckert against the Lions. Safety Minkah Fitzpatrick (groin) likely will face the Bears, providing a boost to a secondary bracing for a challenge.

Arizona Cardinals (1-2) at New York Giants (2-1)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Cardinals -2.5. Total 43.5.
Series rewind: The Cardinals have a four-game winning streak at MetLife Stadium. The Giants won the last meeting, 31-28, in Glendale, Ariz., in the 2023 season.

Jameis Winston remains the quarterback for a second consecutive week, despite the Giants trading with for J.J. McCarthy on Monday. McCarthy, acquired to provide insurance with starter Jaxson Dart out for the season with a knee injury that required surgery, will be the primary backup. The Giants came away with a 12-7 win over Tennessee despite failing to put the ball in the end zone last week. Winston is 25-of-49 for 229 yards with no touchdowns and one interception in two games this season. The Cardinals showed some resilience in keeping it close in a 36-30 loss at San Francisco last Sunday, a week after being dominated at home by the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks. Arizona’s offense has lacked the big plays, a few having been negated by penalties, but has been fairly efficient in moving the ball.

 

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NFL Throws the Book at York

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NEW YORK – (Wire Service Report) – San Francisco 49ers principal owner Jed York has been suspended for six games and fined $500,000 for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy, the league announced Friday.

York, 46, originally was charged in August with two misdemeanors: engaging in prostitution and possession of criminal tools. The prostitution charge later was amended to disorderly conduct as part of his no-contest plea agreement.

Per the NFL, York is credited with serving three of those games by virtue of steering clear of the 49ers during the league’s investigation. He will serve the next three and is eligible to return on Tuesday, Oct. 20.

“Today, the NFL concluded its review, and I accept its decision in full,” York said in a statement. “To my family, to the players, coaches, and employees of the San Francisco 49ers, to our fans and partners, I am deeply sorry.

“This was an inexcusable mistake and I take full responsibility. What I did does not reflect my values or the man I strive to be for my family.