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NFL: Week Two Previews; 1pm Games

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FOXBOROUGH – (Wire Service Previews by Field Level Media) – Week Two of the 2026 NFL season might be a bit early to declare a “must win” situation, but according to historical data tracked since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger, only 43 out of 422 teams (10.1%) that started 0-2 managed to rebound and secure a postseason berth. Since 2020 (14-Team Bracket Expansion): The odds jump slightly to 12.2% due to the added wild card spot and the 17-game schedule.

For the New England Patriots, overcoming an 0-2 start this year would be a grueling task due to their upcoming schedule. Following the Steelers game, New England faces a difficult stretch:

  • Week 3: At the Jacksonville Jaguars
  • Week 4: At the Buffalo Bills (who are already off to a dominant 2-0 start).

Pittsburgh Steelers (1-0) at New England Patriots (0-1)
Sunday, 1:00 PM ET
FanDuel odds: Patriots -4.5, total 41.5
Series History: The Steelers lead 16-15; the Patriots have won three of the last four.

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The Steelers let their defense do the dirty work in Week 1. LBs T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith combined for four sacks, Watt had a pick-6 and the Falcons leaned almost entirely on RB Bijan Robinson for offense. The Patriots welcome back RB TreVeyon Henderson after he sat out Week 1 with an ankle injury. He brings a valuable speed and big-play threat, and QB Drake Maye could use a crutch after his three-INT opener at Seattle. Maye also lost No. 1 WR A.J. Brown (ankle) in the loss and Romeo Doubs didn’t make a great first impression with costly drops. Steelers QB Aaron Rodgers (221 yards, one passing TD), back in Mike McCarthy’s scheme, worked from the middle of the field to the sideline last week.

Carolina Panthers (0-1) at Atlanta Falcons (0-1)
Sunday, 1:00 PM ET
FanDuel odds: Panthers -2.5, total 43.5
Series History: The Falcons lead the all-time series (37-25), but the Panthers have won four of the past five.

Carolina’s offense exploded for 478 yards in Week 1 behind Bryce Young’s 361 yards and three touchdowns passing, but turnovers and defensive breakdowns doomed the Panthers in a 59-37 loss to the Bears. Young has historically played well against Atlanta. WRs Tetairoa McMillan and Jalen Coker and RB Chuba Hubbard give them multiple explosive options. Falcons RB Bijan Robinson has to be salivating after the Panthers allowed 291 rushing yards to the Bears. However, Atlanta didn’t make a call at quarterback. It’s likely Cooper Rush will make another start with Michael Penix Jr. (knee) possibly planning to return Thursday at Lambeau Field in Green Bay. Robinson, who posted 173 scrimmage yards in Week 1, has four consecutive games against Carolina with 100-plus yards from scrimmage. Atlanta struggled offensively in its loss to Pittsburgh, managing just 13 points and 238 total yards. Rush was particularly ineffective on third down, converting only 16.7% to first downs. Za’Darius Smith’s two sacks and a strong secondary featuring A.J. Terrell and rookie Xavier Watts helped the Falcons stick around.

New Orleans Saints (0-1) at Baltimore Ravens (1-0)
Sunday, 1:00 PM ET
FanDuel odds: Ravens -8.5, total 46.5
Series History: The Ravens have won four of the past five meetings.

The Saints went for two and the upset victory of Detroit in overtime in a one-point loss, but their offense came away looking like a winner. QB Tyler Shough’s 410-yard, three-touchdown performance generated plenty of excitement around the young quarterback. WR Chris Olave had 182 receiving yards and New Orleans held up reasonably well in pass protection but did allow five sacks. Still, Shough was able to take consistent shots downfield. The Ravens overwhelmed Indianapolis in Week 1, generating turnovers and consistent pressure on Daniel Jones. Baltimore also put on an offensive show at Indy. QB Lamar Jackson appeared to have quickly mastered new play-caller Declan Doyle’s scheme. Jackson threw for 324 yards and added a rushing touchdown, while Derrick Henry delivered a vintage performance with 144 rushing yards and three scores. Where Jackson will go with the ball on pass plays will depend on whether WR Zay Flowers (hamstring) is back in the lineup. Flowers posted a career-high 150 yards in Week 1 without playing a snap in the second half.

Minnesota Vikings (1-0) at Chicago Bears (1-0)
Sunday, 1:00 PM ET
FanDuel odds: Bears -4.5, total 47.5
Series History: In the 2020s, the Vikings are 9-3 in this matchup. They swept the season series in 2021, 2022 and 2024.

Rain and wind could become a factor Sunday as the Vikings venture outside the dome for a second consecutive division matchup. Minnesota opened the season with a 39-22 win over Green Bay despite losing Kyler Murray (concussion) in the first half. Carson Wentz led the rally with four consecutive TD drives in the second half. Wentz had three touchdown passes and leaned heavily on WR Justin Jefferson, who finished with 92 yards and two scores. The Vikings did allow nearly 400 passing yards as they lived and died with the blitz, firing five-plus defenders into the pocket on more than 65 percent of their snaps. There will be a risk-reward balance at Chicago. The Bears put up 59 points with a dominant ground game producing six touchdowns. QB Caleb Williams said he’s looking forward to the cat-and-mouse game with Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores. Williams had 269 yards and two touchdowns through the air and added two rushing TDs. D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai combined for 224 rushing yards. The Bears did not throw a perfect game defensively at Carolina and getting pressure on Wentz will be of significant importance.

Cincinnati Bengals (1-0) at Houston Texans (0-1)
Sunday, 1:00 PM ET
FanDuel odds: Texans -2.5, total 45.5
Series History: The Texans have won four of the past five meetings.

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Joe Burrow completed 71% of his passes and the Bengals generated 351 total yards against the Buccaneers, but they had their defense — and three forced fumbles — to thank for coming out on top. The Bengals had four sacks and four takeaways. They shift their focus to C.J. Stroud, who won’t have No. 1 WR Nico Collins (hamstring) available. Stroud threw for 274 yards and two touchdowns in Week 1 while RB David Montgomery carried the offense with three TDs. The Texans can get to Burrow, but the issue last week was communication in the back seven. Houston was hammered by Josh Allen and the Bills for 409 total yards. With Collins out, the Bengals can tip the scales in their favor by handling Montgomery.

Green Bay Packers (0-1) at New York Jets (1-0)
Sunday, 1:00 PM ET
FanDuel odds: Packers -3.5, total 44.5
Series History: The Packers have won three of the past four meetings.

There could be changes afoot on the Packers’ offensive line. QB Jordan Love threw for 387 yards in a loss to the Vikings but felt pressure consistently. It might be too soon for major changes on defense, but coordinator Jonathon Gannon admitted this week Green Bay won’t win games surrendering 39 points. WR Christian Watson looked the part as Love’s go-to guy. He worked in the slot often, where his size and speed make him a nightmare for most defenses. Watson finished with 147 yards and two touchdowns. Second-year pro Matthew Golden added 95 receiving yards. The Packers are still searching for a rotation they can trust at running back with Josh Jacobs on the exempt list. The Jets opened their season with a convincing 23-10 win over Tennessee, highlighted by a balanced offensive attack and strong defensive play. Geno Smith was aggressive and efficient, completing nearly 80% of his passes. RB Breece Hall likely has Gannon concerned after he dominated with 118 total yards.

Cleveland Browns (0-1) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-1)
Sunday, 1:00 PM ET
FanDuel odds: Buccaneers -8.5, total 41.5
Series History: The Browns won the last meeting between these teams and hold a 7-4 advantage all-time.

Baker Mayfield gets a chance to show the Browns what they’re missing after choosing Deshaun Watson over the former No. 1 pick in 2022. Mayfield, who bounced from Carolina to the Rams and then signed with the Buccaneers, said in the offseason this was a game he circled on his calendar. Watson kept the starting job after the Browns fell behind 31-0 at Jacksonville and lost 34-10. Rookie WR Denzel Boston caught a 59-yard touchdown in garbage time, the only highlight in a miserable offensive outing. The Browns struggled to protect Watson, who was sacked five times, lost a fumble and was intercepted. The Buccaneers lost three fumbles, and the costly mistakes tipped the scales in a Week 1 shootout loss to Cincinnati. Mayfield completed 82% of his passes and added a rushing touchdown. RB Bucky Irving contributed 93 scrimmage yards, and WR Emeka Egbuka (five catches, 63 yards) showed strong chemistry with Mayfield. The Browns had little choice but to abandon the running game and Quinshon Judkins. To keep this one tight, they’ll need to generate longer drives and keep the vengeful Mayfield on the sideline.

Philadelphia Eagles (1-0) at Tennessee Titans (0-1)
Sunday, 1:00 PM ET
FanDuel odds: Eagles -7, total 39.5
Series History: The Eagles lead the all-time series 8-5.

He heard some boos and then generated the opposite in the opener, but Jalen Hurts threw three touchdowns against the Commanders. RB Saquon Barkley rushed for 83 yards and TE Dallas Goedert delivered two touchdowns as the Eagles kept Washington’s defense guessing. The Titans have a few riddles of their own to solve. They lost to the Jets in Week 1 and managed only 195 total yards. Cam Ward averaged only 4.4 yards per pass attempt which clogged lanes near the line of scrimmage in Brian Daboll’s first game as offensive coordinator. On the defensive side, Titans LB Anthony Hill was exceptional, posting 16 tackles and two pass breakups. Ward will be responsible for creating big plays to keep pace with Philadelphia. If the Titans can slow Barkley and force Hurts to throw early and often, Tennessee can keep it tight.

 

Patriots, Maye Face Tough Pitt D

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FOXBOROUGH – (Wire Service Report) – New England QB Drake Maye will be seeking a bounce-back performance when the Patriots face the Pittsburgh Steelers  in Massachusetts today.

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Maye was intercepted three times in the fourth quarter of New England’s 13-10 loss to Seattle in Week 1. The Patriots were in field goal range when Josh Jobe picked off a Maye pass in the end zone with 21 seconds to play.

“The decisions a quarterback makes have a lot to do with wins and losses,” Maye said. “I know that and respect that and realize what I need to do to help the team win. … I’m looking forward to getting back out there and having another chance. Another week.”

Maye, the runner-up to Matthew Stafford as the NFL MVP last season, completed 23 of 33 passes for 178 yards and a touchdown in the loss.

“I think there’s a difference between being reckless and being aggressive,” New England coach Mike Vrabel said. “We want to be aggressive. That’s how we want to play, but we also have to make great decisions when there’s a look or something that maybe would take a play away.”

The Patriots will be without wide receiver A.J. Brown, who was placed on injured reserve after sustaining a high ankle sprain in the third quarter against Seattle. Brown, who caught three passes for 26 yards against the Seahawks, is expected to miss six weeks.

Running back TreVeyon Henderson, who did not play against Seattle because of an ankle injury, was a full participant in practice Wednesday. Tackle Dametrious Crownover (knee) and cornerback Carlton Davis III (neck) did not practice, while offensive lineman Ben Brown (knee), linebacker Dre’Mont Jones (foot) and linebacker Robert Spillane (knee) were limited participants.

Mike McCarthy won his first game as Pittsburgh’s head coach when the Steelers opened the season with a 20-13 win over Atlanta.

T.J. Watt delivered the game’s key play, intercepting a Cooper Rush pass early in the fourth quarter and returning it 35 yards for a touchdown that gave Pittsburgh a 20-10 lead. Watt, who also recorded two sacks in the victory, was named the AFC Defensive Player of the Week.

“Not only did he make the play, but the ability to get up and finish, it was incredible,” McCarthy said. “It was a great finish by the whole defense, and the momentum swing that came with that, that was obviously huge. That was clearly the biggest play in the game.”

Pittsburgh quarterback Aaron Rodgers completed 24 of 40 passes for 221 yards, including a 6-yard touchdown pass to tight end Pat Freiermuth, but the Pittsburgh offense struggled for most of the game. The Steelers failed to convert on 10 of their 13 third-down opportunities and were held to 58 yards on the ground. Jaylen Warren led the team in rushing with 46 yards on 10 carries.

“We’re going to trust our menu of offense, and we’re going to line up and try to attack their defense the way we feel gives us the best chance to be successful,” McCarthy said. “Nothing’s changed with how we feel about throwing the ball short, long, intermediate, all that. It’s important to have all those components of your pass game.”

Pittsburgh offensive tackle Troy Fautanu (ankle) and tight end Darnell Washington (personal reasons) did not practice Wednesday, while receiver Michael Pittman Jr. (foot) was limited.

Cornerback Joey Porter Jr. (not injury related/conditioning) continues to work his way back onto the field and was also a limited participant in Wednesday’s practice. Porter was inactive against Atlanta and is still dealing with a back injury that kept him sidelined through training camp and the preseason.

–Field Level Media

Rays Walk On, Walk Off

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ST. PETE – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Richie Palacios produced a two-out, walk-off single in the ninth inning as the Tampa Bay Rays edged the Boston Red Sox 2-1 on Saturday afternoon in Florida to even their final home series of the regular season.

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Against Garrett Whitlock (7-2), Palacios looped a 1-2 sinker into shallow right to score Junior Caminero as the Rays (94-60) hit their third walk-off winner during the nine-game homestand.

Jonathan Aranda homered while Liam Hicks and Chandler Simpson posted two hits apiece as Tampa Bay improved to 7-1 on the homestand.

Bidding for a fifth consecutive win over five starts, Freddy Peralta received no decision after yielding just one run on four hits over 5 2/3 innings that took 97 pitches. He struck out six and walked two.

Caleb Durbin stroked two doubles and scored for the Red Sox (84-71), who lost for the first time in three games.

Starting pitcher Brayan Bello went a season-best eight innings and allowed one run on five hits with a career high-tying 11 strikeouts. The Rays got an out with the infield drawn in and appeared to escape trouble in the third. Then Roman Anthony, who homered and had three RBIs in Friday’s 4-2 win in the opener, remained hot and made it 1-0 with a two-out double that scored Durbin.

Cedric Mullins laid down a bunt single and reached second on Durbin’s throwing error to open the third, but he was picked off and caught trying to steal third on Jorge Mateo’s failed sacrifice bunt.

In the fourth, Aranda tied it 1-all when he rocked his 22nd homer to left field as he took Bello’s 97 m.p.h. four-seam fastball the opposite way.

With Bello still in the game in the seventh, Hicks led off with a single and Simpson dropped one into right with no outs. Following a groundout and a fielder’s choice, Bello ended the threat by whiffing Mullins on a foul tip.

Durbin lined his second double with one out in the ninth, but Hicks tossed him out trying to steal third. Jarren Duran followed with his fifth triple, but Isiah Kiner-Falefa grounded out to deep third to end the inning off Bryan Baker (4-2).

–Field Level Media

 

Anthony Does His Job

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ST. PETERSBURG – (Wire Service Report) – Roman Anthony homered and had three RBIs, Jahmai Jones went deep and the Boston Red Sox cooled off the first-place Tampa Bay Rays with a 4-2 victory on Friday night in Florida.

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The Red Sox (84-70) opened their final road series of the regular season by scoring all of their runs in the first three innings to win for the second consecutive night. Anthony went 2-for-5, while Caleb Durbin was 2-for-3 as the team produced nine hits. Sox starting pitcher Ranger Suarez (8-4) fought control issues but went 5 2/3 innings in earning the win. He allowed one run on three hits while striking out five and walking five.

Junior Caminero doubled, walked twice and drove in a run for Tampa Bay (93-60), but the American League’s top club had only five hits, was a brutal 0-for-13 with runners in scoring position and had its six-game winning streak snapped.

Starter Ian Seymour (9-7) was hit hard in the first two innings and finished by allowing four runs on seven hits in five frames. He whiffed five and walked two.

On the third pitch of the game, leadoff hitter Anthony crushed a Statcast-estimated 438-foot blast to center field. It was the left fielder’s fifth homer.

Caminero’s RBI groundout tied it in the bottom half, but Anthony did more damage by ripping a two-out single to right for a 3-1 lead in the second.

Jones made it 4-1 leading off the third by lining Seymour’s changeup out to left for his sixth homer.

Suarez got out of a slight jam in the third after Caminero walked and Ryan Vilade singled, but he retired red-hot Chandler Simpson and Jonny DeLuca to maintain the three-run lead.

The home club put together a strong threat in the sixth after Wyatt Olds relieved Suarez and issued two walks to fill the bases with two outs. However, he battled back in the count against pinch hitter Jake Fraley and struck him out.

In the ninth, Jonathan Aranda’s groundout scored a run, but Erik Miller got Simpson to ground out to second with the bases loaded for his fifth save.

–Field Level Media

College Sports Act Moves Forward in DC

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WASH DC – (Wire Service Report) – The Protect College Sports Act took a step forward on Tuesday when the U.S. Senate voted 74-24 to move the bipartisan measure closer to a vote of the full body.

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The vote count to invoke cloture easily exceeded the 60 needed to prevent a potential filibuster.

One of the bill’s co-sponsors, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), said ahead of the vote on the Senate floor, “This bill brings order to (college  sports). It helps women and Olympic sports, and it sets up a commission to look at the real future, which I think should include collective bargaining. …

“Let’s bring some sanity. Recognize that athletes do deserve revenue sharing, and that this bill will put that into law for the first time.”

The other co-sponsor is Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas).

The multifaceted bill would, among many other items,:

–Nationalize the name, image and likeness policies that are currently different in each state.

–Cap the amount of revenue schools can share with student-athletes at 22%, which currently comes out at $21.5 million.

–Institute a “retention pool” of $27.5 million that would cut down on third-party NIL involvement.

–Ensure athletes could continue to use their scholarships for 10 years following the expiration of their eligibility to pursue a degree.

–Bans schools from pulling scholarships due to an injury or a poor performance.

–Permit athletes one transfer with immediate eligibility at the new school.

–Allow conferences to choose whether to pool media rights revenue.

–Permanently codify the NCAA’s new five-year eligibility rule.

–Stop football coaches from moving to a new school midseason, a provision that is being referred to as the “Lane Kiffin rule” as a nod to the coach who left Ole Miss ahead of last season’s College Football Playoff to take over at LSU.

Should the Senate approve the bill, it then must get the OK from the House of Representatives, where a close vote is expected.

If both chambers pass the Protect College Sports Act, it would move to President Donald Trump for his signature. Trump has said he would sign the bill to make it law.

–Field Level Media

TL’s Sunday Sports Notes | Sept 20

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The “New” Belmont Park (NYRA)

By TERRY LYONS, Editor in Chief of Digital Sports Desk

BOSTON – Back in the 1970s, the weekly comedy show “Monty Python’s Flying Circus” would always incorporate a very simple segment within the show to change directions, usually to a rather bizarre topic. “And now, for something completely different” was the phrase and that theory incapsulates an attempt for this week’s column to bring a completely different series of notes, rather than the usual NFL, College Football, and Major League Baseball beat.

First up? It’s Horse Racing and the Grand Opening of the New Belmont Park in Elmont, New York – a stone’s throw away from the UBS Center, home ice for the New York Islanders. The new Belmont has a lengthy Fall meet, running from September 19 to December 6.

At this point, we’ve only seen the joint via artist renditions and a few new pictures provided by the New York Racing Association this week, but the “real thing” was unveiled this weekend and it looks gorgeous. New York State invested a ton of money to build the brand new horse racing track and it’s no minor renovation. It’s a complete do over.

A quick look for the facts had three different dollar figures listed under the first three stories referenced.

  • MSN.com – Listed the investment at $450 million
  • The Associated Press listed the price tag at $500 mil
  • The Albany Times-Union – a paper of the record for NYRA – wrote it’s $550m

As we did with many a Peter Vecsey “Inside the NBA” column back in the day, let’s trust the New York Post which listed the grandstand re-do at $455m. (The Daily News wrote $550m).

NYRA wrote of its own Grand Opening news on Friday, stating: “Following a three-year project to transform the home of the Belmont Stakes into a world-class sports and entertainment destination, a new Belmont Park opened its doors to welcome the return of racing to Long Island.

“Friday’s unveiling of the new Belmont Park commenced with a ribbon-cutting ceremony where New York State Governor Kathy Hochul joined NYRA officials and guests prior to the first race to unveil the modernized venue.”

“It’s an extraordinary time for racing fans from around the globe as we welcome them back to Belmont Park for the first time in three years,” Governor Hochul said. “Here on Long Island, the new Belmont Park is a state-of-the-art, world-class facility with brand new fan amenities and huge expansions in accessible green space. And the improvements go far beyond the grandstand, with four brand new racing surfaces that will host not just the return of the Belmont Stakes and the 2027 Breeders’ Cup, but year-round racing for the first time in the history of this iconic track.”

Aqueduct Raceway is now a thing of the past and Saratoga will return to its wonderful mid-summer meet, including the running of the great Travers Stakes. That leaves Belmont.

NYRA history was made on Friday with Race 1 going off at 1:30pm a 1 1/4-mile maiden special weight event for fillies and mares, 3-years-old and up, on the inner turf. The race was won by Andrew Rosen’s British homebred Lisa Joy for Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey. Jockey Antonio Fresu was aboard for the historical win.

McGaughey, a stalwart member of the New York racing community and winner of the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes in 1989 with Easy Goer, expressed his happiness to be back racing on Long Island.

“I think it’s a beautiful place,” he said. “It’s different than what I expected. We just need to get the kinks out and get the people in it and it’ll be really special. I think it’s going to be great when everything gets settled in. I’m really excited about it and I think the track is great. I like the turf, and I’ve been training on the main track, too, and it’s been great.”

Friday’s nine-race card race generated total wagering of $13,997,422.99.

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: The 2026 PLL season will come to a close (Sunday) September 20 with the championship game between the Denver Outlaws vs. Philadelphia Waterdogs. The game will be televised at 12:30pm (ET) on ABC and the ESPN app as it’s played at Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison, New Jersey.

ESPN’s Drew Carter will handle play-by-play duties with Paul Carcaterra and Ryan Boyle as analysts and Quint Kessenich reporting. Dana Boyle will be on site to host halftime coverage and the trophy presentation.

Denver delivered an 11-5 semifinal win over Utah, sprinting to a 9-1 halftime lead behind Brennan O’Neill, Pat Kavanagh and a defense anchored by Logan McNaney. Philadelphia’s CJ Kirst, Michael Sowers and Kyle Lewis, who scored his first career hat trick, helped send the Waterdogs to their first title game of the Bill Tierney era.

Previously, Tierney led the men’s lacrosse team at the University of Denver. He became the first college lacrosse coach to win an NCAA DI Championship for a school located west of the Eastern Time Zone. All totaled, he coached seven NCAA DI championship teams, including six at Princeton University and one at the University of Denver.

MOTOSPORTS: Keeping with the “completely different theme,” the Monster Energy SMX World Championship is in its second of a three week, season ending playoff. The 22 best riders on the circuit are competing on the world’s most challenging track that feature big air jumps, fast straightaways, technical rhythm sections, and elevation changes. An escalating points system allows the racers the opportunity to remain in the hunt for the championship trophy until the winner is crowned. World Champions Jett Lawrence and Jo Shimoda are trying to defend their titles against Eli Tomac, Ken Roczen, Haiden Deegan, Cole Davies and the rest of the field. The entire season comes down to this and next weekend.

TIDBITS & NUGGETS: Election Day can not come fast enough. The election results are not the impetus for the wisg for the day to pass, but rather the need to rid ourselves of the New Hampshire Senatorial race advertisements plastered all over Boston TV channels. … Switchi ng gears, when a batter challenges a pitch and claims it’s a ball and the ABS system shows the entire baseball is within the strike zone, said batter should be ejected from the game.

A REMINDER FOR THOSE WHO VOTE: The First Amendment of the Constitution of the United Sates of America reads as follows:

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

Taken that a step deeper, it means: “News organizations and individuals can publish information and opinions freely without government interference.” … “It primarily stops the government from restricting these rights and protects journalists and media outlets as they have the right to investigate, criticize, and report on the government’s actions without fear of censorship or retaliation.”

This week, an authoritarian government official retaliated against CNN, Politico and MS Now TV and restricted access to the government of the USA as a whole.

All news media from all walks of coverage and life need to stand up and fight hard against a totalitarian government and unconstitutional acts. Individuals can exercise their rights and peacefully protest against these illegal actions and ultimately use their vote to vote out and reject those in power who act illegally.

In most cases, moves like those taken this week (Ban on media, or the Pentagon releasing its sixth batch of UFO files, and details on “secret military programs” of the past are blatant distractions to deflect coverage of the real news of the day.

THIS JEST IN: The Southeastern Conference stepped up to enforce its rules, regardless of the NCAA or other court rulings. Wrote the D-1 Ticker: The SEC announced it will enforce the following policy: “An SEC institution is not permitted to have an athlete on its roster who has: 1. previously declared for the NFL, NBA or WNBA Draft, and did not appropriately withdraw, 2. signed a contract with an NFL (or other professional football league), NBA/G-League, or WNBA (or affiliate) team, or 3. been listed on an NFL (or other professional football league), NBA/G-League, or WNBA (or affiliate) roster. The commissioner is authorized to enforce this expectation with penalties against member institutions.”

Let the lawsuits begin.

CAN’T MAKE IT UP: The NHL’s Boston Bruins open their 2026-27 season with a preseason game against the Washington Capitals on Sunday at 5:00pm at TD Garden. The New England Patriots kick-off at 1:00pm the same day and five NFL games start between 4:05 and 4:25pm.

TABLE FOR EIGHT: It’s so difficult to get a reservation for a table at Rao’s in NYC that a New York Yankees Foundation auction has a current bid of $17,000 and that’s just for a table of eight. It does not include the money for dinner-drinks-gratuities. Back in the UES neighborhood, we called it a “Table for None.”

Rangers Extend Win Streak vs Sox

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ARLINGTON – (Wire Service Report) – The Texas Rangers will have plenty to play for when they wrap up a three-game series against the visiting Boston Red Sox on Thursday night in Texas.

A victory would give the Rangers (76-76) a three-game sweep and keep them in at least a tie for first place in the American League West. Their 7-3 victory over Boston on Wednesday, plus Kansas City’s 5-2 win against Houston, left the Rangers and Astros tied at the top of the division standings. Houston will face Kansas City again Thursday.

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The Astros own the tiebreaker.

Nathan Eovaldi held Boston scoreless for the final four innings Wednesday to earn the win. The victory stretched Texas’ winning streak to four games.

“We just have to keep playing baseball,” Eovaldi said. “Keep doing the things we’ve been doing. We’ve been playing well lately and I think it’s a combination of everybody stepping up and doing their part.

“Obviously guys are grinding right now, but for us to be able to come out and play well in these first two games against the Red Sox — we have to make sure we’re able to bounce back tomorrow — but I think it just shows the grit that we have in the clubhouse in all the guys.”

Eovaldi surrendered one hit and threw 46 pitches in relief.

“Once it got tied up, just felt like he (Eovaldi) was the guy to take us to the end,” Texas manager Skip Schumaker said. “We didn’t have (Jacob) Latz available. We didn’t have (Robert) Garcia available today. … What he provided was enormous because we were a little bit limited in the back end.”

The game was tied, 3-3, until Texas scored three runs against reliever Erik Miller in the seventh, an inning that featured a walk, a hit batter and two hits.

“They put some good swings on him,” Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy said. “I don’t know what else to say other than that. He hit the leadoff guy so you put traffic out there, and they got some pitches up in the zone and they hit him hard. He’ll be fine. He’s really good, but they were able to get some good swings on him today.”

Boston (82-70) received a two-run home run from Willson Contreras but was held to three hits. In their 4-2 loss on Thursday, the Red Sox had six hits but struck out 15 times.

“We’re going through it a little bit,” Tracy said. “We didn’t create a ton of opportunities. Obviously Willson with a big swing to give us the lead and only a couple other chances, one of which was a ball that was stung by Izzy (Isiah Kiner-Falefa) on a contact play for a double play. And then we gave ourselves one other chance. … Just not creating a ton of opportunities for ourselves.

“We got some guys going through it. You could see one or two big swings and it could turn completely in the other direction. We just gotta keep plugging away at it.”

The Red Sox have a hold on the second AL wild card, up five games over the third spot.

Boston will send right-hander Sonny Gray (17-5, 2.76 ERA) to the mound Thursday as they attempt to avoid the three-game sweep. Gray is 12-5 with a 2.81 ERA in 20 career appearances (19 starts) against Texas.

Tyler Alexander (5-2, 3.38) is expected to be the opener for the Rangers before giving way to fellow left-hander Cody Bradford (0-5, 4.72) as the bulk reliever. He has a 7.36 ERA in one career start against Boston, that coming in a 7-4 win on Aug. 3, when he gave up three runs on four hits — including two home runs — in 3 2/3 innings. He did not figure into the decision.

Alexander has seven career appearances (one start) against the Red Sox and is 1-0 with a 5.63 ERA. He pitched one scoreless innings of relief in the win on Tuesday.

–Field Level Media

Bills Open New Stadium Tonight

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BUFFALO – (Wire Service Report) – The Buffalo Bills, the pride of Western New York State, will pull back the curtain on its brand-new digs in primetime Thursday night and Detroit coach Dan Campbell knows the Lions understand the assignment at Highmark Stadium.

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He put Victory Monday in Detroit on fast-forward to share film of Bills quarterback Josh Allen shredding Houston for four touchdowns — two rushing, two passing — in a Week 1 win. The Lions needed overtime to escape the Saints, 31-30, a win that generated a long list of necessary corrections with minimal prep time to implement fixes before heading to Buffalo.

“That’s the challenge of the short week,” Campbell said, knowing all too well the perils of trying to step in front of Allen and the Bills.

The last time they met, Detroit and Buffalo locked into a shootout. It was the highest-scoring game of the 2024 season — and a 48-42 Buffalo win. Allen had four touchdowns — two rushing, two passing — and generated 430 yards of offense.

“I can’t say enough about this quarterback,” Campbell said. “He’s the catalyst for them.”

Allen led the Bills to a 36-31 road win over the Texans last week, barely blinking in the face of the NFL’s top pass rush.

Detroit can get after quarterbacks. Defensive end Aidan Hutchinson plays a monster role in the success rate of the pass defense. But the secondary stepping on the field in Buffalo isn’t the brand-name version the Lions might prefer. Kerby Joseph, the league leader in interceptions (16) since 2023, had knee surgery; Brian Branch is nine months into recovery from surgery to repair a torn Achilles. Neither will be available until at least Week 5.

Saints quarterback Tyler Shough carved up the Lions after New Orleans fell behind 21-0. He threw for a career-high 410 yards — tops in the NFL in Week 1 — and three touchdowns against Detroit, the type of film Campbell might want to fast-forward. Of course, Allen will take in every detail this week. He averaged 11.5 yards per attempt and hit 20 of 29 passes for 334 yards at Houston.

One particular Allen observation might concern Campbell on the short week. A lot of New Orleans’ success came after the Saints went to an up-tempo, no-huddle operation. No-huddle is an Allen favorite.

“Buffalo does some of that anyway. They’ve always done some of those things. That showed up a little bit,” Campbell said. “It’s those things you address, which we have. You understand what you’re getting ready to face and why wouldn’t they test us there. We would do the same thing.”

The Lions’ offense has shown up consistently and won’t back away from a shootout if one develops Thursday.

Running back Jahmyr Gibbs had a career-high 29 carries for 156 yards and two touchdowns in the season opener. He felt at least two other runs could’ve been bigger plays, even touchdowns, while accounting for 186 total yards. The Lions had 369 yards total offense.

“They’re extremely talented. They’re an explosive offense,” Bills defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard said. “They have been for years. (Jared) Goff has been playing at an extremely high level now for a long time. So, it’s not fun to watch them on tape, but you do know what the issues are — and we’re going to need to solve those problems.”

Rest – or the lack thereof – is a potential problem for both teams.

Gibbs had only two 20-plus carry games in 2025. But he’s confident he’ll be full strength Thursday night. The last time he had to follow up a 20-carry game, Gibbs responded with 120 total yards, seven receptions and three touchdowns on 19 touches against the Dallas Cowboys in December.

Bills first-year head coach Joe Brady went shirtless to celebrate with his team in the postgame locker room on Sunday. But like Campbell, he said he’ll punt sleep for a few days to prepare for a juggernaut offense.

“A couple of people have asked me how I celebrated the win, and I went straight (home) and had to watch an overtime game,” Brady said. “That’s part of the Thursday night games. We can sleep on Friday, but let’s do everything we got to do to help put our guys in position to have success.”

 

Filed Under: NFL

Rangers, deGrom Defeat Red Sox

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ARLINGTON – (Wire Service Report) – Jacob deGrom struck out eight in five innings, and the Texas Rangers scored four runs in the second inning to defeat the visiting Boston Red Sox 4-2 Tuesday in the opener of a three-game series in Texas.

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DeGrom (11-9), who dealt with groin tightness in his start against Seattle on Thursday, held Boston to two runs on three hits and walked one.

Boston (82-69) had the tying run at the plate after Roman Anthony singled with two outs in the ninth, but Jacob Latz struck out pinch-hitter Jahmai Jones for the game’s final out. Latz pitched 1 2/3 scoreless innings to earn his 30th save. He allowed one hit, walked one and struck out three.

Boston starter Patrick Sandoval (1-6) was pulled with two outs in the third. He allowed four runs on four hits and walked two.

Ezequiel Duran and Corey Seager each collected two hits for the Rangers, who have won three in a row. Despite the win, Texas (75-76) remained a game behind division-leading Houston in the American League West standings.

Nick Sogard homered for Boston, which left the bases loaded in the fifth and eighth innings. The Red Sox struck out 15 times, stranded nine baserunners and were 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position.

The Rangers took the lead for good in the second. After singles by Brandon Nimmo and Duran, Elias Diaz hit a two-run double to open the scoring. Seager later extended the lead to 4-0 with a two-out, two-run single.

Sogard’s two-run home run off deGrom in the third made it 4-2. It was his fifth home run of the season and followed Caleb Durbin’s one-out single to center.

Latz was one of four Texas relievers who combined to hold Boston to three hits over the final four innings.

–Field Level Media

Texas Rangers Host Red Sox

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ARLINGTON – (Wire Service Report) – The Texas Rangers are far from healthy but find themselves one game out of first place in the American League West as they kick off a nine-game homestand with a matchup against the Boston Red Sox on Tuesday.

Texas (74-76) had lost its last eight road series until it beat Arizona 7-6 on Sunday to take two of three games against the Diamondbacks. Sunday’s win moved the Rangers a game behind Houston in the division, although the Astros own the tiebreaker.

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It was a big road series,” Texas manager Skip Schumaker said. “After a tough final game in Seattle, to come here and win two out of three against a really good team (is great). Hopefully we can build that momentum going into a good homestand against some more tough teams. But that was a big win, and a much-needed win.

“We need this off day (Monday), 1,000%, but I’m proud to be part of this team. They are showing fight and resiliency. They are doing whatever they can to get on the field. I’m positive that some of them probably shouldn’t be playing, and they are. And, so, that’s why I think we’re in a really good spot mentally because the guys are playing for each other.”

Third baseman Josh Jung is among those playing at less than 100%. He was activated from the injured list (left calf) before Saturday’s game in Arizona and went 4-for-9 with two RBIs in the final two games of the series, but he was pulled from Sunday’s game in the bottom of the sixth inning.

“It was the first time I’ve had some soreness since I started playing again, but we managed,” Jung said. “It was good enough. And I’m going to play every day. I might be sore. I might be running really slowly. But I’m going to be out there and do the best I can.”

There’s also concern regarding outfielder Joc Pederson, who was hit by a pitch on his left hand Saturday and was wearing a brace Sunday. Schumaker said Pederson was scheduled to see a hand specialist in the coming days.

Pitchers Cal Quantrill (back) and Jacob deGrom (groin) are dealing with injuries as well.

The injury news is better for Boston (82-68), which activated first baseman Willson Contreras from the 10-day injured list Sunday. Contreras, who leads the team with 26 home runs, batted fourth and went 2-for-3 in a 4-1 triumph over the Kansas City Royals.

Contreras was booed by fans at Fenway Park twice in August for failing to run out ground balls while managing a sore hamstring and was placed on the IL on Aug. 31.

“Felt good overall,” Contreras said. “Good game. We won, most important thing. I had to (run the bases). I don’t want to get booed again, so I made sure my hamstring was 100%.”

The Red Sox, who are currently in a position to face the New York Yankees in an American League wild-card series, will start left-hander Patrick Sandoval (1-5, 4.58) on Tuesday. Sandoval is 1-3 with a 3.29 ERA in nine career appearances (eight starts) against the Rangers.

Texas has not announced a probable starter.

–Field Level Media