–>

Following a missed 2025 season due to an undisclosed foot injury, veteran running back Joe Mixon will remain a free agent. 

The Seattle Seahawks have reversed course on signing Mixon after he underwent a physical with the team, as first reported by ESPN. While the exact reasoning hasn’t been disclosed, it remains unclear if the decision is tied to the foot injury that kept him out last season or another medical concern.

With rookie RB Jadarian Price placed on injured reserve, running back has quickly become an area of need for the Seahawks. For now, head coach Mike Macdonald and GM John Schneider appear content sticking with their in-house options.

Now 30 years old, Mixon had an impressive 2024 season (1,016 rushing yards, 12 total touchdowns, 36 receptions), but missing all of last year with a foot injury leaves his NFL future up in the air. It’s unclear if another team will give him another opportunity in the league.

Since Price’s injury, the Seahawks’ offense has split touches in the backfield between Emmanuel Wilson and George Holani. While the void left behind by Kenneth Walker has certainly been felt, adding a proven runner could still happen, but not as of now.

The Seahawks’ offense has stayed productive this season, even with both Sam Darnold and Drew Lock taking snaps under center. The rushing attack has provided a steady foundation, averaging 110.3 yards per game to rank 13th in the league.

The Seahawks look to keep the offense moving by leaning on a running back by committee approach while Zach Charbonnet and Price return from injured reserve.

–> Get more from the National Football League Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more [–>

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Sometimes, a little patience pays off. 

That was definitely the case for one high roller who invested in NFL Week 4 odds.

Before Sunday’s Chiefs vs. Raiders game, Kansas City was -235 on the moneyline to just win the game, regardless of final margin. But halfway through the first quarter, K.C. trailed 7-0, and the moneyline moved into -120. 

That’s when a Caesars Sports customer decided to drop seven figures on the Chiefs.

More on that major wager, a $5 parlay that cashed out for high four figures and a mistake that worked out well for Barstool Sports’ Dave Portnoy.

This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports.

Hail To The Chiefs

The Chiefs got all they could handle from the Raiders on Sunday. Las Vegas set the tone early, taking a 7-0 lead on Kirk Cousins’ 27-yard touchdown pass to Ian Thomas.

That made Kansas City’s in-game moneyline much more attractive than the pregame price. So the Caesars customer put a whopping $1.2 million on Chiefs’ moneyline -120.

The lead changed hands multiple times the rest of the way, but K.C. got two Kenneth Walker III touchdowns in just 19 seconds — the second coming after a Raiders fumble — to take a 30-19 lead late in the fourth quarter.

Ultimately, that was just enough cushion to narrowly hang on for a 30-27 victory. So the big bettor banked a $1 million win, for a total payout of $2.2 million.

That same wager on the pregame price of -235 would’ve netted less than half that, at $425,532. Not that all of us wouldn’t be happy with such a windfall.

Parlay Partay

At Hard Rock Bet, a customer put a much more relatable $5 on a four-leg Anytime Touchdown Scorer parlay:

• Buccaneers running back Kenneth Gainwell +475
• Eagles wideout Darius Cooper +600
• Dolphins running back Ollie Gordon II +325
• Seahawks wideout Tory Horton +800

Seattle’s Tory Horton helped get one bettor’s parlay over the line (Getty Images).

–>

Nabbing four players at those prices adds up to a parlay with hefty odds of +153856. Or in easier-to-digest terms, almost 1539/1.

The only real sweat was Gainwell, and it’s not like it went down to the wire. Rather, on the second play of the fourth quarter vs. the Packers, he caught a 10-yard TD pass.

Cooper scored against the Rams in the second quarter, and Gordon and Horton found paydirt in the third quarter, vs. the Vikings and Chargers, respectively.

That turned five bucks in $7,697.81. Not a bad Sunday’s work.

Favorable Error

Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy thought he’d put in a $10,000 five-leg moneyline parlay on Sunday’s NFL games. Meaning he’d need all five teams to win.

So when the Raiders lost to the Chiefs 30-27, Portnoy thought his ticket was dead.

But it wasn’t. Because he’d actually bet those five teams against the spread.

Dave Portnoy’s winning ticket after making a 5-leg parlay.

–>

So Las Vegas covering the number actually kept the ticket alive. 

The Rams and Bears both covered as favorites. Los Angeles did it in comeback fashion vs. the Eagles and the underdog Jaguars and Panthers won outright against the Bengals and Lions, respectively.

At odds of +2533 — just beyond 25/1 — the ticket profited $253,361.41 (total payout $263,361.41). 

That’s the kind of mistake we’d all like to make.

Missed It By That Much

Something to always keep in mind when adding legs to your bets: Parlays are a bookmaker’s best friend.

Each leg makes it much less likely that you’ll win. All it takes is one outcome to foul it up.

A Fanatics Sportsbook customer came quite close to turning a hundred bucks into nearly $64,000, on a six-leg parlay. Five of those were tied to touchdown scorers and the sixth to soccer star Lamine Yamal scoring for Spain against the Czech Republic.

The first five picks got there, leaving only Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs to score two or more touchdowns Sunday night.

Gibbs scored late in the second quarter vs. the Panthers, tying the game at 13. But he didn’t find the end zone again in Detroit’s 32-26 loss.

So close. But close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades — not parlays.

Knew The Script

On a more successful parlay note, a FanDuel Sports customer played the role of Nostradamus in Thursday night’s Steelers vs. Browns matchup.

The bettor put $25 on a five-leg wager tied to Pittsburgh’s first drive.

On the game’s opening drive, Cleveland went three-and-out and the Steelers started out on their 22-yard line.

By the time the 78-yard drive was complete (almost 10 minutes later), Jaylen Warren had 21 yards rushing, Aaron Rodgers had 53 passing yards, Warren and Darnell Washington each had a reception and Pittsburgh scored a touchdown.

At odds of +5076 (about 51/1), the $25 bet turned into $1,294.07. All before the first quarter even ended.

Prediction Market Winners & Losers

A Kalshi Sports trader put $191,295 on the underdog Browns beating the Steelers. The trade was at a price of 42%, which correlates to about +138 in betting odds.

Cleveland pulled the modest home upset, winning 27-24 on Andre Szmyt’s 56-yard field goal in the waning seconds. So the trader profited $264,170 (total payout $455,465).

Also at Kalshi, a trader put $174,000 on the 49ers beating the Broncos. San Fran won 24-14, netting $126,000 profit (total payout $300,000).

Another Kalshi trader put $106,000 on the home ‘dog Bucs beating the Packers. That didn’t work out in a 17-14 loss, so that’s six figures in the loss column.

Interestingly, each week, there are several risk-a-lot-to-win-a-little trades. A whopping example: $276,323 on LSU beating overmatched McNeese State on Saturday.

No surprise, the Tigers rolled 63-14. And the Kalshi trader netted all of $2,870 profit (total payout $279,193).

Here’s Hoping You Had It

At FanDuel Sports, the Raiders’ Thomas was +10000 (100/1) to score the first touchdown vs. the Chiefs. As noted above, midway through the first quarter, Thomas put Las Vegas up 7-0 on a 27-yard TD catch.

A tenner on that would’ve netted $1,000 profit. If you got frisky and put a C-note on it, then you’d have profited a hefty $10,000.

Similarly at FanDuel, Eagles wideout Darius Cooper was 100/1 to score two or more touchdowns. Cooper found the end zone twice in the second quarter, and one bettor actually had 10 bucks on that prop, winning $1,000.

In the Thursday night game, Caesars Sports had Steelers wideout Roman Wilson at +2000 to score the first TD. Late in the first quarter, Wilson delivered on a 12-yard catch.

A $10 bet would’ve netted $200. It’s not a four-figure payout, but it’s certainly a nice bankroll boost.

At DraftKings Sports, Browns running back Jaleel McLaughlin was +3000 in the Anytime TD market. McLaughlin broke through in the second quarter vs. the Steelers.

Ten dollars on that prop would’ve netted $300.

I Like Big Bets And I Cannot Lie

The biggest bet to come in on either NFL Week 4 odds or college football Week 5 odds was the aforementioned $1.2 million play on the Chiefs. 

But there were a boatload of other major wagers.

Station Sports, which operates several sportsbooks in Las Vegas, took a couple big pops involving the Lions. And those were big losers.

One customer put $500,000 on Lions’ moneyline -245. That left a significant bruise after Detroit lost to Carolina 32-26.

Station also had a $200,000 moneyline parlay of Chiefs -220/Lions -200. Kansas City narrowly saved one leg, but Detroit couldn’t finish the job, another painful parlay lesson.

Other notable NFL wagers:

• $300,000 Browns moneyline +127 vs. Steelers (Caesars). As noted above, Cleveland got the W, so this bettor pocketed $381,000 profit (total payout $681,000)
• $100,000 Jaguars moneyline +120 vs. Bengals (Station). Jacksonville won 22-17, and the bettor profited $120,000 (total payout $220,000)
• $50,000 Lions moneyline -185 vs. Panthers (DraftKings). That’s another loser
• $50,000 Patriots-Bills Over 49.5 (Caesars). With a 29-26 Pats win, the Over cashes, and the bettor profited $45,871 (total payout $95,871)
• $50,000 Colts moneyline -193 vs. Commanders (Caesars). Indianapolis won 30-13, and the bettor bagged $25,906 profit (total payout $75,906)

A bettor raked it in after wagering on Georgia to beat Vandy. (Getty Images)

–>

And on the college front:

• $140,969 Georgia moneyline -3500 vs. Vanderbilt (Caesars). Georgia rolled 38-14, but at those massive favorite odds, the bettor won just $4,027 (total payout $144,996).
• $73,500 Alabama-Mississippi State Over 61.5. Alabama nearly got the total on its own in a 56-23 blowout. The bettor profited $70,000 (total payout $143,500).

Keep in mind that these whale customers have the disposable income to make such bets and to absorb those big losses. We average Joes and Janes can’t do that. 

Keep your bet size and expectations reasonable. Never bet more than you can afford to lose.

Source

Amid the revelry inside the bowels of Petco Park last Wednesday after their wild-card sweep, Padres stars Manny Machado and Jackson Merrill stood in the middle of their clubhouse shirtless with sunglasses covering their face, the only obstacle standing between the Budweiser bottles pouring all around them and the burn in their eyes. 

From the side of the room, shortstop Xander Bogaerts surveyed the scene, unpacking everything that had just transpired during the Padres’ decisive victory over the Cubs.

(Photo by Meg McLaughlin/The San Diego Union-Tribune via Getty Images)

–>

The Cubs entered the series with the best offense in baseball and the presumptive National League MVP. They ended it with just one run scored, stifled by Padres starter Michael King in Game 1 and a cavalcade of San Diego bullpen standouts in Game 2 and smothered by a crowd of more than 47,000 towel-waving fans each night. 

“It had a real impact,” Padres president of baseball operations A.J. Preller told me. “You can feel our players raising their level up, and their focus and intensity up, just by feeling the crowd’s intensity.” 

(Photo by K.C. Alfred / The San Diego Union-Tribune via Getty Images)

–>

This is why the Padres, who now face a daunting 2-0 deficit in the National League Division Series and needing three straight wins to keep their season alive, can’t be counted out as they return home with the odds stacked against them. 

In the wild-card series, even the veteran Padres players felt their Petco Park advantage had gone to places previously unseen. 

Machado is a 15-year MLB veteran who has played in 55 career playoff games and has been in San Diego since 2019. This is his fifth playoff run with the Padres, a stretch that has included multiple battles against the rival Dodgers. 

And yet what he experienced last week against the Cubs — in front of 47,084 rowdy fans in Game 1 and another 47,513 raucous fans in Game 2 — stood out from the past.

“Playing here these last two days, I’ve never felt anything like it,” Machado told me after sealing the sweep. “I never have.” 

(Photo by K.C. Alfred / The San Diego Union-Tribune via Getty Images)

–>

It helped that the home team gave its fans immediate reasons to ignite both nights. Game 1 began with a three-pitch strikeout of Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong in the top of the first inning, followed by a first-pitch home run from Padres outfielder Fernando Tatis Jr. to start the bottom of the frame. Eight runs from the San Diego offense instantly had San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter celebrating.

The home lineup didn’t explode quite the same way one night later, but another strikeout of Crow-Armstrong — this one complete with a failed ABS challenge — to begin the evening again turned up the decibels. Then, with the crowd chanting “Ho-ly Sheets,” pinch-hitter Gavin Sheets delivered the decisive blow with a two-run shot. 

“To get in front of these fans — and I think it’s the best fanbase in baseball, the best ballpark — they brought it,” Sheets said. “Obviously, we fed off of it.”

The Sheets hit reminded Bogaerts of the San Diego offense and role players from their 2024 run, a time when many — including the eventual champion Dodgers — considered the Padres one of MLB’s top title contenders.

A similar energy, arguably an even more electric one, filled Petco Park last week. At one point, Bogaerts recalled peeking over at the Cubs’ dugout. He thought he saw a team visibly shaken by the surroundings. 

“I might be wrong,” Bogaerts told me, “but I felt like they were like, ‘Damn, this is a tough place to play.’ They probably won’t admit it, but seeing some of the faces over there, and the yellow flags — it gets loud with the flags — it can be intimidating for the other side.”

With the Padres suddenly facing elimination, they will need it to be. 

“Definitely a task, unfortunately, down 2-0,” Machado said. “Not the ideal position you want to be in. But these boys, this group, we’ve been up against the wall all year. A lot of people didn’t think we would be in this position to begin with, and here we are.”

(Photo by Meg McLaughlin/The San Diego Union-Tribune via Getty Images)

–>

On July 23, the Padres were 50-53, counted out as contenders, left for dead with just 7.4% odds to make the postseason. Their offense was among the worst in the sport, their starting rotation not playoff caliber. They were in third place in the National League West, 15 games back of the Dodgers, four games back of the Diamondbacks and four games back in the wild-card race. 

And then something magical happened. 

They won eight of their next nine games to convince their front office to buy at the deadline and finished the year with MLB’s best record over the season’s final 60 games, sparked by an offense that transformed into one of baseball’s best. 

At home, they were virtually unstoppable. 

In 30 games at Petco Park after the break, they went 24-6. Including the wild-card series, they’re 53-30 at home this year.

(Photo by Meg McLaughlin/The San Diego Union-Tribune via Getty Images)

–>

Now, their toughest test awaits following two brutal losses in Milwaukee, one in which a potential go-ahead home run ricocheted off a roof cable and another in which the most dominant closer in baseball was unable to hold a lead and even the series. 

Only 10 MLB teams have ever come back from a 2-0 deficit in a best-of-five format. The 2017 Yankees were in the same boat as the Padres are now. They lost each of their first two games on the road, then stormed back with three straight victories, in part by suffocating the opposing offense back at home. 

That is now the Padres’ formula, as they try to keep the party alive with a team they feel is as equipped as any to make a deep run. 

“Since I’ve been here, we’ve been to the playoffs four times,” Padres pitching coach Ruben Niebla told me after the wild-card sweep. “It feels like, for the first time, we’re actually all jelling — offense, defense, bullpen, starting pitching. Everything’s kind of jelling. This is the first time I feel like, ‘Damn, we really do have a complete team right now.’” 

It looked that way throughout the last two months for the Padres, who displayed their resiliency by rewriting the final chapters of a season that once seemed cooked. 

As the NLDS shifts to San Diego, can they do it again? 

“We can,” Machado said Monday. “And we’re going to do it again.” 

]–>

Source

I played offensive line for eight seasons in the NFL, and before that I spent my Saturdays in Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon, blocking for guys who ended up on lists like this one. So when I watch college football now, I watch for the stuff that signaled to me in the huddle whether a guy was for real.

I’m picking the 10 players who impressed me most during the previous weekend. Not just the gaudiest stat lines, but the performances that hold up when you turn the tape on. Some weeks, that’ll be an edge rusher wreaking havoc. Other weeks, it’ll be a lineman you’ve never heard of who didn’t lose a rep all afternoon. I have a soft spot for those guys. 

Let’s take a look at this week’s group. 

I try really hard to not include the same guys every week. But how could I ignore what Jeremiah Smith did this weekend? With his 11 catches for 206 yards and two scores against Iowa, he became Ohio State’s all-time leader in receptions (207), receiving yards (3,381) and receiving touchdowns (37). He is truly not from this planet.

This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports.

Another stud who makes my list again, Austin Simmons helped his Tigers win their first game against a top 10 team since Eli Drinkwitz became their head coach in 2020. Simmons was an efficient 23 of 30 for 340 yards and two touchdowns. Missouri had an offensive perfomance that ranked in the 93rd percentile in expected points added, and that was on the arm of Simmons.

John Curry led his Red Raider defense in tackles in a dominating performance by his group on Saturday. Colorado scored only seven points on their first drive of the game. Texas Tech forced four interceptions including a unique pick-six by Curry. It was a zero-yard touchdown after Curry jumped to intercept an Issac Wilson pass in his own end zone. Heck of an athletic play.

Flora had a monster game for Iowa State, with the Cyclones scoring 17 fourth quarter points to beat West Virginia. The redshirt sophomore had 22 carries for 212 yards and three rushing touchdowns. He also completed two passes, both for touchdowns. That’s five touchdowns out of the six Iowa State scored on Saturday. He joined Vince Young as the only players in Big 12 history with two passing touchdowns, two rushing scores and 200 rushing yards in the same game. An absolutely incredible performance.

The Miami pass rusher had 2.5 sacks for the Hurricanes in their 41-13 blowout win against Clemson on the road. The Missouri transfer was tied for third in the SEC last season with nine sacks, and has been a pressure machine for Miami this year. 

Xavier had three sacks and two forced fumbles in Georgia State’s win over Old Dominion. He’s now up to seven sacks this season, which has helped Georgia State sit with the third most sacks this season (19). Esqillion ranks third in all of FBS with his seven sacks, trailing only Collin Simmons and Princewill Umanmielen. 

All Bear Bachmeier does is win. He was only 11 of 24 with 62 yards passing in BYU’s win vs. TCU, but he also added 66 rushing yards and two rushing scores. Since 2000, he has the fourth-best record of all Big 12 quarterbacks against unranked opponents at 14-0. He trails only Heisman runner-up Vince Young (21-0), and two Heisman winners— Jason White (21-0) and Eric Crouch (17-0). 

Daniels has quietly been prolific for the Seminoles, already reaching 1,111 passing yards and 278 rush yards this season along with 15 total touchdowns. On Saturday, he went for a whopping five rushing touchdowns against Virginia, becoming just the second ACC quarterback to reach that mark in a game since 2000 (TaQuon Marshall in 2017). He led Florida State to a dominant 38-7 victory against Virginia as 1.5-point underdogs. 

RBs Caleb Komolafe, Joe Himon II

OC Chip Kelly

Northwestern Wildcats

For offensive run game enthusiasts like myself, the Northwestern rushing attack on Friday night against Penn State was electric. Offensive play-caller Chip Kelly has implemented some single wing and veer concepts into the Northwestern playbook and they dominated the Nittany Lions. Komolafe had 25 carries for 188 yards while Himon had 10 carries for a whooping 162 rushing yards. It was unbelievably fun to watch. 

TE Teigan Pelletier

WR Nate Bailey

Harvard Crimson

Harvard had one final play on Saturday vs. Colgate— a 44-yard Hail Mary attempt to win the game. Quarterback Charlie Smith launched the ball to his 6’6 tight end standing a few yards from the end zone. Pelletier caught the ball amongst a group of Colgate defenders who tried to wrestle him to the ground. Before that happened, he pitched the ball to Bailey who ran to the pylon to win the game for the Crimson! 

Source

This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports. 

Monday Night Football closes out Week 5 with an NFC South rivalry as the Atlanta Falcons visit the New Orleans Saints and Kalshi is giving new users a $$55 bonus with promo code FOXSPORTS.

The Falcons enter Monday night coming off a win over the Green Bay Packers in Michael Penix’s return, while the Saints look to get back in the win column after last week.

With divisional stakes on the line, Atlanta and New Orleans give traders plenty of markets to follow throughout Monday Night Football.

Sign up and use Kalshi promo code FOXSPORTS to get a $55 bonus ahead of Falcons vs. Saints. 

For more information and full terms and conditions, visit our Kalshi promo code page.

How to Claim the Kalshi Welcome Bonus

1. Click this ‘Claim Now’ link to visit Kalshi and start the signup process.
2. Create a new Kalshi account using your email address and basic registration details.
3. Enter Kalshi promo code FOXSPORTS during signup, so the welcome offer is attached to your account.
4. Complete identity verification, which Kalshi requires before users can deposit and trade.
5. Deposit funds and trade at least $25 in prediction markets to receive up to $55 in trading credit.

*Probabilities are subject to change* 

Teams	Chance	Yes	No
Atlanta Falcons	49%	49¢	52¢
New Orleans Saints	51%	54¢	48¢

More markets available on Kalshi.

How to Watch Falcons vs. Saints

• When: Monday, October 5, 2026 at 8:15 p.m. ET
• Where: Caesars Superdome, New Orleans, LA
• TV: ESPN
• Stream: ESPN Unlimited – Get the FOX One / ESPN Bundle

Players To Watch

New Orleans’ passing game has carried the offense through three weeks, and Tyler Shough has driven it at a heavy clip. He has completed 68.9 percent of his throws for 917 yards, 8 touchdowns and 3 interceptions, and the Saints rank fourth in the league in passing yards per game at 281.3. In last week’s 35-27 loss to Las Vegas, he went 29 of 42 for 255 yards and a career-high 4 touchdowns, keeping New Orleans in a shootout it couldn’t quite close.

tlanta’s defense is allowing 263 passing yards per game, third most in the league, a number that fits the volume Shough has already put up.

No Saints target has been busier than Chris Olave through three games. He has turned 36 targets into 27 catches for 375 yards and a touchdown, already clearing 100 receiving yards twice, including a 9-catch, 107-yard day in last week’s loss to Las Vegas.

Atlanta’s secondary has been active without much to show for it, breaking up 17 passes but coming away with just 1 interception all season. That aggressive, low-reward profile is exactly what Olave has picked apart all year.

Atlanta’s ground game exploded last time out, and Bijan Robinson was the reason why. He carried 29 times for 194 yards and 2 touchdowns in the Week 3 win over Green Bay, adding 19 receiving yards and a 55-yard burst. He is up to 349 rushing yards and 3 total touchdowns through three games, and Atlanta ranks second in the league in rushing yards per game at 173.0.

New Orleans is allowing 27.7 points per game, fifth most in the league, having given up 83 points through three weeks. Robinson’s workload and burst are built to keep piling onto a defense that’s already leaking points.

New Orleans’ pass rush has been busy without turning many takeaways, and now it draws a receiver coming off the best game of his career. Drake London caught 9 of 10 targets for a career-high 194 yards in the Week 3 win over Green Bay, including back-to-back fourth-quarter gains of 68 and 40 yards. Through three games he has 15 catches for 274 yards on 20 targets, a surge that lined up with Michael Penix Jr.’s return under center.

The Saints have 7 sacks this season but are tied for 25th in the league with just 1 interception. A group that gets to the passer without finishing plays is the kind London has already made pay this year.

]–>

Source

This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports. 

Monday Night Football closes out Week 5 with an NFC South rivalry as the Atlanta Falcons visit the New Orleans Saints, and Polymarket is giving new users a $25 bonus when they use promo code FOX. 

Atlanta and New Orleans meet early in the season with plenty at stake in the NFC South, giving fans another divisional matchup to follow as Week 5 comes to a close. 

New users can use Polymarket promo code FOX to claim a $25 bonus ahead of Saints vs. Falcons on Monday Night Football. 

With both teams looking to gain ground in the division, Saints vs. Falcons offers plenty of storylines and markets to follow throughout Monday Night Football.

For more information and full terms and conditions, visit our Polymarket promo code page.

How to Claim the Polymarket Promo with Code FOX

1. Click here to download the Polymarket app on iOS or Android.
2. Create a new Polymarket account using your email address.
3. Enter promo code FOX in the promo code or invite code field during registration.
4. Complete identity verification as prompted inside the app.
5. Deposit a minimum of $10 to your Polymarket account.
6. Your $25 trading bonus will be credited to your account automatically after the qualifying deposit.
7. Deposit funds and trade at least $25 in prediction markets to receive up to $25 in trading credit.

*Probabilities are subject to change* 

Teams	Chance	Yes	No
Atlanta Falcons	48%	49¢	52¢
New Orleans Saints	52%	53¢	48¢

More markets available on Polymarket.

How to Watch Falcons vs. Saints

• When: Monday, October 5, 2026 at 8:15 p.m. ET
• Where: Caesars Superdome, New Orleans, LA
• TV: ESPN
• Stream: ESPN Unlimited – Get the FOX One / ESPN Bundle

Players To Watch

New Orleans’ passing game has carried the offense through three weeks, and Tyler Shough has driven it at a heavy clip. He has completed 68.9 percent of his throws for 917 yards, 8 touchdowns and 3 interceptions, and the Saints rank fourth in the league in passing yards per game at 281.3. In last week’s 35-27 loss to Las Vegas, he went 29 of 42 for 255 yards and a career-high 4 touchdowns, keeping New Orleans in a shootout it couldn’t quite close.

tlanta’s defense is allowing 263 passing yards per game, third most in the league, a number that fits the volume Shough has already put up.

No Saints target has been busier than Chris Olave through three games. He has turned 36 targets into 27 catches for 375 yards and a touchdown, already clearing 100 receiving yards twice, including a 9-catch, 107-yard day in last week’s loss to Las Vegas.

Atlanta’s secondary has been active without much to show for it, breaking up 17 passes but coming away with just 1 interception all season. That aggressive, low-reward profile is exactly what Olave has picked apart all year.

Atlanta’s ground game exploded last time out, and Bijan Robinson was the reason why. He carried 29 times for 194 yards and 2 touchdowns in the Week 3 win over Green Bay, adding 19 receiving yards and a 55-yard burst. He is up to 349 rushing yards and 3 total touchdowns through three games, and Atlanta ranks second in the league in rushing yards per game at 173.0.

New Orleans is allowing 27.7 points per game, fifth most in the league, having given up 83 points through three weeks. Robinson’s workload and burst are built to keep piling onto a defense that’s already leaking points.

New Orleans’ pass rush has been busy without turning many takeaways, and now it draws a receiver coming off the best game of his career. Drake London caught 9 of 10 targets for a career-high 194 yards in the Week 3 win over Green Bay, including back-to-back fourth-quarter gains of 68 and 40 yards. Through three games he has 15 catches for 274 yards on 20 targets, a surge that lined up with Michael Penix Jr.’s return under center.

The Saints have 7 sacks this season but are tied for 25th in the league with just 1 interception. A group that gets to the passer without finishing plays is the kind London has already made pay this year.

]–>

Source

The Chicago Bears are 3-1 and have won three games this season with three different starting quarterbacks. With that, Colin Cowherd believes Sunday’s performance is the latest piece of evidence of who matters most in Chicago: Head coach Ben Johnson.

“It is a quarterback-first league, but the guy who builds the culture is the coach,” Cowherd said on Monday’s “The Herd.” “I think we’ve discovered in the last two weeks, as gifted as Caleb Williams is, the centerpiece of the Bears is Ben Johnson.”

With quarterback Caleb Williams sidelined for a second straight game with a right hamstring injury, the Bears won against the New York Jets 23-12. Backup quarterback Tyson Bagent, who threw for 268 yards, and second-year running back Kyle Monangai, who carried a career-high 30 times for 146 yards and two touchdowns, led the way in the victory.

“Yesterday, a backup running back, a seventh-round running back, with a backup quarterback. Once again, it’s 400-plus yards. I mean, they had more first downs than the Jets had plays,” Cowherd said. “So don’t look at the 23-12 score. This could have been 50-12. It was not competitive.”

New York finished with just 157 yards and seven first downs and went 0-for-7 on third down. Cowherd pointed to the time of possession, with the Bears holding the ball for nearly 43 minutes, calling it, “like a lopsided college time of possession differential.” 

The Bears finished with 492 yards of offense and 232 rushing yards against the Jets. They set a franchise record with 34 first downs and did not record a punt in a game for the first time since 2014.

Cowherd also pointed to the Bears’ commitment to the run under Johnson.

“It is the fifth time since Ben Johnson, the Ben Johnson era, the fifth time they have had over 220 rushing yards. This is not the 80s. This is not the 90s. That is a ton of rushing yards today.”

The Bears won against the New York Jets led by backup quarterback Tyson Bagent, who threw for 268 yards, and second-year running back Kyle Monangai, who carried a career-high 30 times for 146 yards and two touchdowns.  (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

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Chicago won on Monday night in Week 3, 27-7 over the Eagles, with 38-year-old Case Keenum at quarterback. Keenum threw for 247 yards and two touchdowns in that game. Cowherd credited Johnson’s system, rather than any single player, for the Bears’ 3-1 start.

“[Johnson]’s done it with an old quarterback who we thought was retired, Case Keenum, who was 11-for-11 against the blitz. He’s done it with a backup in Bagent. He’s done it with Caleb Williams stylistically. It just doesn’t matter,” Cowherd said. “I’m in no way marginalizing Caleb Williams.”

Cowherd went on to compare Johnson to other offensive minds he believes define their franchises across the league.

“The centerpiece of this franchise, and I’ve said it with the Rams — got to a Super Bowl with [Jared] Goff, got to a Super Bowl with [Matthew] Stafford. The centerpiece is McVay,” Cowherd said. “Kyle Shanahan got [Jimmy] Garoppolo to a Super Bowl. Kyle Shanahan is the centerpiece of the 49ers.

“I think Liam Coen does a great job. He has shown that leaving Tampa, their circle in the drain, goes to Jacksonville and elevates Trevor Lawrence. There are these offensive coaches that I think are just separating themselves from all other coaches in the league.”

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Two years ago, the White Sox set a modern-day record with 121 losses. Last year, they suffered through a third straight 100-loss season. 

Now, they’re one win away from advancing to the American League Championship Series for the first time since winning the World Series in 2005.

Here are my takeaways from Chicago’s 4-3 Game 2 ALDS win over the Guardians:

After dropping the first game of the series with their Rookie of the Year and Cy Young contender on the mound, the Guardians took solace in knowing that Gavin Williams would follow Parker Messick in Game 2. 

Williams, who led the American League in strikeouts this year, did his job. 

The burly right-hander struck out 11, tied for the second-most ever for a Guardians pitcher in a playoff game behind only Charles Nagy’s 12 strikeouts in the 1996 ALDS, and then watched his lead immediately disappear from the dugout on Monday night. 

(Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images) –>

After a leadoff single by White Sox third baseman Miguel Vargas to start the sixth inning, Williams — who threw 99 pitches or more 10 times this season — was pulled at 98 pitches. 

“We couldn’t have asked anything more from Gavin tonight,” said Guardians manager Stephen Vogt. “He did his job and then some.”

After his departure, Chicago’s hitters seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. 

A Cleveland bullpen that ranked third in the American League in ERA and first in MLB in strikeout rate this season was unable to build a bridge to star closer Cade Smith.  

Erik Sabrowski, who allowed an RBI double to Colson Montgomery in Cleveland’s Game 1 loss, entered the game and got a groundout before walking a batter, throwing a wild pitch, getting a flyout and then surrendering a go-ahead, two-run, two-out double to rookie Braden Montgomery. 

Vogt then turned to reliever Hunter Gaddis, who promptly surrendered an RBI single to Chase Meidroth for an extra — and, ultimately, vital — White Sox insurance run. Cleveland seemed to hold the obvious bullpen advantage entering the series, but it hasn’t played out that way. 

2. Relievers Shut Down ‘Guards Ball’

The ball chopped in front of home plate and hovered in the air for what had to feel like hours to White Sox pitcher Sean Newcomb, who corralled the first-inning grounder from Nathaniel Lowe behind the pitcher’s mound, turned, then pulled his throw so far down the line that first baseman Munetaka Murakami couldn’t even muster an effort to stretch for it. 

This was “Guards Ball” in action, an encapsulation of a Cleveland team that has won three straight division titles despite an offense that routinely ranks among the league’s least powerful. 

But it’s a dangerous way to live in October, and a Cleveland offense that has mustered just three runs and seven hits through two games could again be its undoing. 

(Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) –>

Game 2 began with White Sox starter Anthony Kay allowing two of the first three Guardians batters to reach, first on a seeing-eye single from Steven Kwan and then on a free pass. Newcomb entered and failed to extinguish the threat. He got behind on Jo Adell, eventually intentionally walking the Guardians outfielder to load the bases, before inducing the grounder he was seeking from Lowe. 

But his errant throw sailed into right field and allowed two runs to score and gave life to a meager Cleveland offense that was held scoreless in Game 1 and a Guardians home crowd that, to that point in the series, had little reason to get involved. 

Sean Burke, the bulk pitcher in yet another White Sox bullpen game, would restore order. Burke allowed just one run over 5.1 innings, at one point retiring 13 straight, buying time for the White Sox offense to dig its way out of an early hole. 

Then Grant Taylor, two days after throwing 42 pitches in a career-high four shutout innings to finish off the Guardians in Game 1, returned for more. Taylor allowed an RBI triple to Jo Adell in the eighth inning then shut the door on the Guardians, recording the final four outs to send the series back to Chicago with his team up 2-0. 

3. Young Sluggers Rising To Occasion

 In Game 1 of the ALDS, Murakami had the two hardest-hit balls of the day. The first was a single. The second was a two-run, 440-foot tank to start the scoring off Messick, who had allowed just three home runs over the final eight starts of his sensational season. 

In Game 2, Murakami picked up where he left off, starting the scoring again for the White Sox. This time, he turned on a 99.5-mph fastball from Williams, lacing it 106.4 mph off the bat to right field for an RBI single that cut the deficit in half. 

Murakami has now knocked in at least one run in three of his first four playoff games, an auspicious sign for a White Sox team that needs him to be a difference maker. 

But the 26-year-old former NPB standout is far from the only young White Sox hitter contributing to Chicago’s stellar start to the postseason. 

Meidroth, 25, is hitting .400 with five RBI through four playoff games. Colson Montgomery, 24, has homered and doubled. Rookie Braden Montgomery, 23, delivered the big knock on Monday, and 26-year-old All-Star Miguel Vargas has already reached base six times in the ALDS. 

3 1/2.   What’s Next?

This is obviously a nightmare scenario for the Guardians, not only because they dropped both games at home but also because they couldn’t secure a win with either of their two best starters. 

Now, they’ll have to turn to Tanner Bibee, deadline addition Foster Griffin — who had a 3.06 ERA with the Nationals and a 5.19 ERA in nine starts with the Guardians — or a combination of bullpen arms to save their season. 

If they can’t find a way to generate some offense, though, it won’t matter who’s throwing.

“Backs against the wall, this is where this team thrives,” Vogt said. “You don’t want to be in this position. I’m not going to sugarcoat it. We’ve backed ourselves into a corner. We know that. If there’s anything I know about this group of guys, it’s that we love challenges like this. We are going to embrace it.”
 

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Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley is considered week-to-week with a hamstring injury, but it is not considered to be long-term, according to NFL Network.

Barkley was hurt during Sunday’s 24-20 loss to the Los Angeles Rams and did not return. Head coach Nick Sirianni did not say Monday whether Barkley will be available Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars in London. “I know he’ll do everything he can do to get himself back,” Sirianni said.

Backup Tank Bigsby is reportedly headed to injured reserve after suffering an injury late in the game that requires core muscle surgery.  The procedure will be done at the Philadelphia-based Vincera Institute, and the hope is that he will be back in six weeks or less, per NFL Network.

Will Shipley is now the lone healthy running back on the active roster. The Eagles have Dameon Pierce, Carson Steele and Jaydon Blue on the practice squad.

Philadelphia is also dealing with injuries on the offensive line. Left guard Cam Jurgens is in the concussion protocol after self-reporting symptoms Monday morning, according to NFL Network. Jurgens had moved from center to left guard to replace Landon Dickerson, who is on injured reserve with a knee injury.

Barkley had 174 yards on 34 carries through the first three games. He finished Sunday with two carries for eight yards.

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Cowboys receiver CeeDee Lamb showed us his best. Jaguars cornerback Travis Hunter showed us what he’s capable of, even if what he did didn’t actually count. Sean McVay showed us why he’s a phenomenal coach — in a different way than we’re used to. 

The Eagles’ offense showed us … well, not much of anything. 

Those are some of the things that jumped out to me in Week 4. For my Best and Worst superlatives this week, I touch on those teams and topics as I focus on individual plays, coaching performances and offenses across the league. 

Let’s break it down: 

Best Play This Week: Travis Hunter’s INT Juke

In full transparency, this play by Travis Hunter was negated by a roughing-the-passer penalty, but it was too jaw-dropping to pass up.

After picking off a Joe Burrow throw intended for Tee Higgins late in the first quarter, Hunter hit Higgins with a nasty juke move that left the Bengals receiver tackling the air and falling to the ground near the sideline. Hunter then looked back at Higgins before taking off for 30 yards.  

For the 3-1 Jaguars, Hunter’s production to this point hasn’t justified how much it cost to grab him in 2025. Jacksonville sent a package to the Cleveland Browns that included two first-round picks and a second-rounder for the right to select Hunter No. 2 overall. The former Colorado two-way star missed 10 games as a rookie, and this year he’s been a non-factor offensively — in four games, he has one catch on one target for eight yards. 

But he is starting to flash defensively. He has an interception and four pass breakups entering Week 5, and he recorded a career-high 58 coverage snaps against the Bengals. He was targeted seven times, registered two passes defensed and allowed four catches for 30 yards, according to Next Gen Stats. 

Just 11 games into Hunter’s career, we can’t render a verdict on the 2024 Heisman Trophy winner. But he’s started to show why many league observers wanted him to focus on defense/cornerback coming out of college. And maybe that’s the position where he converts flash into star production.

“I don’t give two F’s about value, and neither does he,” Jaguars coach Liam Coen said last week of the Hunter discourse. “We care about winning, and that’s it.”

Worst Play This Week: Chargers’ Trick Play Down 27-6

With the Chargers trailing 27-6 at the 5:05 mark of the third quarter, with a fresh set of downs at the Seahawks’ 9-yard line, offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel called a pass play targeting … Justin Herbert. 

The Chargers quarterback flipped a pass in the backfield to wide receiver Tre’ Harris, who launched a throw from the opposite hash to Herbert, who ran a fade route. The pass was broken up by Seahawks safety Nick Emmanwori near the pylon.

It was a baffling play call on a number of levels. It had been the deepest the Chargers had been in Seahawks’ territory at that point in the game. You’re trailing by three scores in the second half, trying to get back into the game. Your season has been a disaster to this point. Why are you getting cute? And why are you making your franchise quarterback vulnerable like that against an elite defense? 

I get the desire to give your offense a spark. You want to catch the other team off guard, too. But doing that kind of play at that point in the game, in that situation, and exposing your quarterback in that way considering how the season has gone, was incredibly foolish and irresponsible.

Chargers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel (left) is drawing heavy criticism for calling a trick play with his team down three scores on Sunday. (Photo by Luke Johnson/The San Diego Union-Tribune via Getty Images)

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Herbert was fine after taking a tumble on the play, there were no yards lost (or a turnover) and the Chargers actually scored a touchdown on the next play. They made it a game down the stretch before eventually falling 30-23. But in many ways, that trick play encapsulated what the Chargers have been so far this season: a disappointing team that has no idea what its doing under McDaniel, who was expected to take L.A.’s offense to new heights.   

Best Coaching Performance This Week: Sean McVay

One of the greatest offensive minds in NFL history, Sean McVay reminded the league that he’s also a phenomenal leader in the Rams’ 24-20 comeback victory over the Eagles. 

With Los Angeles down 20-10 late in the third quarter after a fourth straight scoreless drive, McVay did something unusual: He huddled up the entire offense on the sideline and delivered a passionate message. McVay had the full attention of the surrounding circle, including stars Matthew Stafford, Puka Nacua and Davante Adams. 

Whatever McVay said worked. In the fourth quarter, the Rams forced a turnover on downs at their own 2-yard line and finished the game on a 14-0 run to get the massive win. It was L.A.’s most improbable comeback victory in the McVay era, according to Next Gen Stats. The team’s win probably was as low as 3.2% with 8:17 left in the fourth quarter. 

I’d argue that this win saved the Rams’ season. They’re in the NFL’s best division and a loss to the Eagles would’ve dropped them to 1-3, with matchups against the Bills (Super Bowl contender), Cardinals (division rival) and the 3-1 Raiders looming in the coming weeks. With a win, the Rams have momentum entering the stretch at .500.

Worst Coaching Performance This Week: Todd Bowles

With their loss to the Packers, the Bucs are 0-4 for the first time since 2013. Tampa will be without Baker Mayfield for multiple weeks due to a dislocated right throwing thumb — undrafted rookie Jalon Daniels is the team’s quarterback for the foreseeable future. But head coach Bowles’ shortcomings have played a significant role in the Bucs’ predicament as well. 

All four of Tampa’s losses have been by one score, which shows a failure on the margins. Dating back to last season, the Bucs have just one win over their past nine games. 

Against Green Bay, they gave up runs of 27 and 31 yards to a team that had been averaging just 48.7 rushing yards per game entering Week 4. Tampa also didn’t sack quarterback Jordan Love, who’s been the second-most pressured quarterback in the league through Sunday’s games, according to next Gen Stats. The inability to exploit a Packers offensive line that had been a disaster through three weeks is a big indictment of Bowles, a defensive-minded coach. 

Dating back to last season, Todd Bowles’ Bucs have just one win over their past nine games. (Photo by Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

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The last time the Bucs started 0-4, they fired their head coach at the end of the season (Greg Schiano, 2013). But it’s not that simple with Bowles, who signed a multi-year extension in June 2025. Tampa may have missed the playoffs last season, but it finished in second place in the NFC South and won the division each of the three years prior (albeit never winning more than 10 games). 

Bowles hasn’t been great, but he also hasn’t been bad enough to fire. And in a division that seems to be very winnable every year, he may be protected. 

Best Offense This Week: Cowboys

The Cowboys had the NFL’s most unstoppable offense in Week 4, pouring 34 points on the reeling Texans. They did it through the air and on the ground, highlighted by CeeDee Lamb, who had the best performance by a wide receiver so far this season and arguably the best game of his career. 

The Pro Bowler caught a career-high 17 passes on 21 targets (also a career-high) for 189 yards and the go-ahead touchdown with 40 seconds left. He became the fourth player in league history to have at least 17 receptions, 180 receiving yards and a touchdown in a game, according to Next Gen Stats. That highlighted a game in which Dallas had a season-high 324 passing yards.

Running back Javonte Williams also had a career-high three rushing touchdowns, all of which came in the second half. 

This is a performance from the Cowboys that shouldn’t surprise anyone. They’re capable of this offensively every week, considering the talent across the board. The question is if they can get strong, consistent play from their defense to be a truly complete team. And the hope is that the acquisition of cornerback Joey Porter Jr. from Pittsburgh last week brings them closer to that goal. He logged 24 defensive snaps in his Dallas debut. 

Worst Offense This Week: Eagles

The Eagles in 2025 had a nightmare season on offense, and it’s somehow becoming even worse this year.

Philadelphia went scoreless in the second half of its loss to the Rams, who finished the game on a 14-0 run. And it could’ve been a lot worse for the Eagles if they hadn’t taken advantage of short fields on two separate occasions to create touchdowns. 

Philly went 0-for-12 on third down, the most third-down attempts in a game without a conversion by any team since the 2020 season, according to NFL on FOX research. The Eagles also had just 172 net yards, their fewest in a game in 12 years (Week 14 of 2014; 139 yards). 

Quarterback Jalen Hurts struggled mightily, completing just 12 of 27 throws for an abysmal 93 yards and two touchdowns with a 78.2 passer rating. His 44.4% completion rate marked a career-low for games in which he played 100% of the offensive snaps. 

The Eagles’ offensive prospects are bleak moving forward because it’s not just one problem. It’s scheme, personnel and health. The offensive line, which has been an anchor for the team for years, is a liability right now. Philly played last week played without their top receiver (DeVonta Smith), right tackle (Lane Johnson) and tight end (Dallas Goedert), then lost star running back Saquon Barkley early in the game with a hamstring injury. 

None of that helps Hurts, who’s pacing for career-lows in completion rate, passing success rate and yards per attempt as a full-time starter. 

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