Tag: sports

NFL Week Three Winners and Losers

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Week three of the NFL regular season featured many pivotal games. Most divisions are slowly showing which teams will stand out as playoff favorites before Halloween. While a lot of wins and plays stood out, some were more eye-opening than others. Here are this weeks winners and losers.

Winners: John Harbaugh

The Giants had as bad a week that any a team could have in week two. They were blown out on primetime last Monday night and lost their starting quarterback to a season-ending injury. Most teams would have caved in on a short week and played a similar type of game the following weekend. Big Blue was the opposite on Sunday.

Head coach John Harbaugh united the locker room on a short week and the Giants played a stellar defensive home game against Tennessee. While backup quarterback Jameis Winston completed 14 of 22 passes for a paltry 118 yards, he led the now-anemic offense to four scoring drives. New York’s defense held the Titans to seven points, less than 175 total yards and intercepted quarterback Malik Willis at the end of the game to seal a win.

The most impressive part of the Giants’ win Sunday afternoon was their special teams. Harbaugh is a former special teams coach and does his best work with kickers and returners. Kicker Dominic Zvada made all four of his field goal attempts and scored all of New York’s points. Punter Jordan Stout averaged 50 yards per punt, including a whopping 74 yarder early in the second quarter.

Not all of the Giants’ wins will be pretty this season under John Harbaugh, but New York desperately needed a response after last Monday night’s disaster. A solid performance by any side of the ball would have meant a lot. All three sides did more than enough for a win and to put the Giants back over .500.

Washington Commanders

Like their division rival New York, Washington was soundly embarrassed on primetime last week and lost their young, franchise star quarterback to injury. No one gave the Commanders a chance to beat the defending Super Bowl champions at home. The Seahawks were on a 12 game winning streak and had starting quarterback Sam Darnold back. Washington did not care.

The Commanders never trailed Sunday. After forcing a Jadarian Price fumble on the Seahawks’ second possession of the game, Washington ran through Seattle’s battered defense on four plays to score a touchdown. The Seahawks came back to tie the game early in the second quarter, but Washington’s offense then responded with a long scoring drive of their own.

It did not matter how well the Seahawks played. The Commanders capitalized off every mistake and didn’t let up. Washington forced three turnovers and got touchdowns after all of them. The Commanders converted 20 points from turnovers. This was the first game they scored 20 or more points off turnovers since Week 17 of the 2005 regular season. Washington also forced the Seahawks to commit a turnover on downs late in the second quarter.

Commanders head coach Dan Quinn is unfairly on the hot seat this season and an 0-2 start after week two made it warmer. Quinn, backup quarterback Marcus Mariota (who’s now 3-0 against Seattle) and an older Commanders defense had what could (or should be) their best game of their season. There is a lot to build off after Sunday’s win that will keep Washington relevant in the NFC East.

Talanoa Hufanga

Denver’s epic, comeback win on Sunday night will be one of the top games of the regular season, even if it was in week three. Although the Broncos offense had a sluggish start, they woke up in the second half and delivered. However, the offense would not have gotten the win if it wasn’t for the outstanding play of the defense led by safety Talanoa Hufanga.

Hufanga was on another level Sunday night. Signed by Denver last season, Talanoa Hufanga is one of the most underrated NFL safeties. If he stays healthy, he can go toe-to-toe with the best offenses. In a Sunday night home win versus Los Angeles, Hufanga recorded five tackles, one sack and two interceptions. His first one was returned for a touchdown and gave the Broncos their first lead of the game. His second pick was the last play of the game that sealed the stunning win.

The Denver defense has not been at the same elite level many have watched the last few seasons, but there are still valuable players who can turn a game around instantly. Talanoa Hufanga is one, and if the Broncos have aspirations to go back to the AFC championship game, they will need him at full health. Hufanga is more than capable of playing like this more often.

Losers: Joe Burrow

Cincinnati quarterback Joe Burrow is mostly an elite NFL passer. He has endured a lot of losses and lows despite reaching the Super Bowl and other meaningful highs in his six year career. There are also times when he’s the reason the Bengals have come up short and lost. Sunday was one of those times.

Burrow played a great road game Sunday. He completed 28 of 37 passes for 282 yards and three touchdowns. Joe Burrow kept Cincinnati in a divisional shootout game and did everything he was supposed to…except he committed a costly error on Cincinnati’s last possession of the game. Burrow fumbled the ball at mid-field and Pittsburgh recovered. Instead of the Bengals going for a game-winning score and cementing themselves as the best team in the AFC North, they lost and now every team in the division is tied at 2-1.

Joe Burrow is the Bengals best player, and he deserves heaps of praise. He also deserves a rightful amount of criticism. PFWA sports writer Scott Kacsmar found a fascinating statistic after the loss: Joe Burrow is 1-34 when (he and) the Bengals trail in the last eight minutes of an NFL game. We could say that’s on Cincinnati’s usually terrible defense, but 35 games seems an objective sample-size. Burrow’s supposed to be a clutch passer and franchise star under pressure. He is anything but when his team trails, and that’s an issue the team must address this season.

Houston Texans (specifically the defense)

Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell gave us one of the best sports quotes this decade after his team lost to San Francisco back in the 2024 NFC championship game. After leading by double digits, San Francisco came back to win. Campbell knew the loss made the team look bad and told the media and players, “This might have been our only shot”. Everyone knows Campbell meant that one shot was to go to and win the Super Bowl. That’s the most accurate thing to think and talk about with this year’s Houston Texans.

Houston has never played well on the road in Indianapolis, but the Colts had not won a game in over ten months despite playing hard. The Texans had a wakeup call in a resounding loss against the Bengals in week two. One would expect more urgency in week three. That was not the case Sunday.

This is Houston’s second season starting 0-3 under head coach DeMeco Ryans. Last year, the defense played at a level many had not seen in the conference in almost a decade. This year feels different. The defense is not the same elite unit and struggles to create turnovers, shut down star receivers and keep opponents out of the endzone. Houston’s defense ended September with no interceptions, gave up 252.5 passing yards a game, 338 total yards a game and 37.5 points per game. That’s not an elite defense. That’s a defense teams like Chicago, Dallas and Detroit would covet and feel playoff hopes with.

There’s still a lot of time for the Texans to fix a lot of things on every side of the ball, but there are serious questions after a second straight sloppy start to the season for Houston. The defense should not have to fix a lot of the team’s issues, and the offensive line has to play better at the line of scrimmage. That might not happen given how a lot of teams were repeatedly told the Texans were Super Bowl caliber this season.

Tyler Shough

New Orleans has again enamored audiences by how competitive they play and how close they keep games no matter the opponent. At some point, the Saints offense must learn how to put opponents away late in the second half. That starts with sophomore starting quarterback Tyler Shough.

Shough completed 29 of 42 passes for 255 yards and four touchdowns. He looked like the best player on the field and was close to unstoppable. The undefeated Raiders’ defense struggled to get a read on Shough and couldn’t shake him mentally…until the fourth quarter.

A turnover-plagued fourth quarter allowed Las Vegas to get back into the game and steal a win in New Orleans. All of New Orleans’ possessions in the last quarter ended in turnovers. Three of those were on Tyler Shough.

The first one was a strip sack and recovery by defensive end Malcolm Koonce. The Raiders scored a touchdown and never trailed again after the turnover. The next possession, Shough was intercepted by cornerback Hezekiah Masses. Las Vegas scored another touchdown three plays later.

Tyler Shough wasn’t done though. This time it was safety Jeremy Chinn who forced a fumble the following possession and ended a four and a half minute drive. The recovery by cornerback Taron Johnson gave the Raiders the ball back for a minute, but the damage was done.

The NFC South will be a tight race all season and one or two wins could determine how early the division is won. If New Orleans doesn’t win the south, they can point to this game for why. Their offense, especially their starting quarterback, turned the ball over too many times instead of sealing an important home win.

2026-27 NHL Eastern Conference Playoff Picks

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Last season was a championship three-peat for the eastern conference. The Carolina Hurricanes became the first eastern conference team to end the Sunshine State’s six year monopoly of the Stanley Cup finals. This year, they will face a fully healthy Panthers and a reinvigorated Lightning. Outside of Florida and Carolina, other teams will challenge for the championship. Washington and Montreal will be two top teams many think will push back. Ottawa, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia will take the next steps and be closer to the championship round than they were last year. Teams like the Bruins, Sabres and Rangers will have a lot to say too.

The conference is again loaded with the deepest and most dangerous teams in the NHL. It’s time to break down which eight eastern teams will make the 2026-27 playoffs.

Atlantic: Florida Panthers

The healthier the roster, the more wins Florida goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky will pile up.

Florida didn’t have a chance to defend their reigning champion season last year because of the amount of serious injuries that piled up. The Panthers finished their 2025-26 season without their captain, their best playmaker and veteran enforcer, and still finished with more than 80 points.

Now they get everyone back to start the season Tuesday in Carolina. Florida also added former captains Radko Gudas and Brady Tkachuk, and goaltender depth with Jacob Markstrom and Akira Schmid. The Panthers will be the favorites to win the championship all year for good reasons.

Tampa Bay Lightning

Tampa Bay’s core returns for another chance to win the Stanley Cup.

Tampa Bay could have gone to the eastern conference finals had Montreal not gotten lucky in their game seven matchup. While there’s a debate that could have been the Lightning’s last chance to win a Stanley Cup without the rival Panthers being in the way, Tampa Bay still boasts an elite roster. Jon Cooper is still one of the NHL’s best coaches and Andrei Vasilevskiy remains the world’s best goaltender. The defensive additions in the offseason should help the Lightning go further in the playoffs this year.

Ottawa Senators

This is a big season for Ottawa. Gone are the days when their young core could play however they wanted to and make mistakes with little blowback. The Senators have a lot of pressure this year to at least win a playoff series and finish as a top six team in the east. Linus Ullmark stunned viewers last season when he had the best playoff series of his career against reigning Cup champion Carolina. Despite a sweep, the defense proved it can hang with the NHL’s best. The offense has a lot of playmakers and remains a force on the power-play. No pressure on coach Travis Green.

Montreal Canadiens

Montreal had a cinderella 2025-26 season. Now they’re targets for making it to the conference finals.

Montreal rounds out a crowded Atlantic that will do a lot of damage in the playoffs. The Canadiens dazzled many with their long playoff run last year. Cole Caufield continues to stay under the radar among top NHL scorers. Lane Hutson has some of the best eyes and skills for any current young player. Jakub Dobes will continue to gain interest from many who love watching goaltenders play. Montreal might not replicate last year’s stellar success, but they will remain one of the most dangerous teams in the east.

Metropolitan: Carolina Hurricanes

Nobody dominated the 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs like Carolina. It won’t be as easy this season with both Sunshine State teams back in contention.

The reigning Cup champions return with a mostly intact, deep roster. If Florida or Tampa Bay don’t reach the finals, it will be Carolina.

Washington Capitals

Coach Spencer Carberry has made Washington one of the top teams again in the Metropolitan. While the roster is still known for its scoring prowess, there is better defensive depth and more goaltenders Carberry can turn to should injuries/slumps arrive. The Capitals should be one of the best teams in the conference not found in Florida or North Carolina.

Philadelphia Flyers

Philadelphia stunned many by upsetting Pittsburgh in the first round of the playoffs and stealing a win from Carolina in the second.

Not only did Philadelphia impress in the playoffs but they got better in the offseason. Rick Tocchet showed viewers why he is one of the best NHL coaches. The Flyers defense and continued offensive progress could make them one of the top two teams in the metropolitan and a true threat to atlantic division opponents.

Pittsburgh Penguins

It’s hard to pick what fourth team could make the playoffs from this division. Columbus could be one of the NHL’s worst teams this season. New Jersey will have issues with their defense and goaltenders again, and both New York teams will face a lot of drama from coaching to more roster trades before March. None of these four look like stable options that could come close to making the playoffs.

That leaves Pittsburgh as the lone choice. The Penguins should build off last season’s progress, do better on offense and solidify their goaltending options. Arturs Silovs is a good choice to name as starter. Now Pittsburgh needs to improve on special teams, especially the power-play. While a lot of people aren’t happy the Penguins haven’t won a series in almost a decade, there will be plenty of time to work on and figure that out in a long season. At least this is a Pittsburgh team most people can stomach to watch.

Regular season eastern conference playoffs prediction record: 3-5

2026-27 NHL Western Conference Playoff Picks

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The western conference is in a championship drought. Vegas won the championship in 2023. Three years have passed and no team in the west has come close after Edmonton forced a game seven against Florida in 2024. All 16 teams in this conference have massive amounts of pressure to not just win the Stanley Cup, but to at least make it to the finals and force the eastern opponent to play scared.

Despite the desperation, the conference had the most entertaining playoffs. Many viewers were stunned at Anaheim’s progression last season. Minnesota finally won a first round series for the first time in a decade. Utah held their own and looks like a breakout team this season. This could also be a last dance for Dallas and Los Angeles’ star-studded rosters. Finally, no matter the success teams have out west, Colorado and Vegas remain the big names every team must get past. Eight incredibly deep and talented teams will make the 2027 Stanley Cup playoffs. It’s time to break down which teams in each division have the best chances to make the 2026-27 postseason.

Central: Colorado Avalanche

As long as coach Jared Bednar is with Colorado, the Avalanche will make the playoffs.

It would take the annihilation of the state of Colorado for the Avalanche not to make the playoffs. Even if 75% of the roster is on injured reserve, coach Jared Bednar would find a way to get this team into the postseason. Easiest pick in the conference.

Minnesota Wild

The biggest hurdle Minnesota had to clear last season was winning a playoff series. Now they can play like a championship favorite many predicted they would be in the past. The stacked roster will go blow for blow with the Avalanche all year.

Utah Mammoth

Unlike the NHL Network, this website has Karel Vejmelka as (at least) a top ten goaltender. Vejmelka is a big reason why Utah made the playoffs last year, and their depth behind him is better this season.

Utah put on a show in the playoffs against the western conference champion Golden Knights. The Mammoth’s young core isn’t in their prime yet, but they do show improvement every year. From coach Andre Tourigny to the fourth line, Utah should be the team to watch in the central division this season. It wouldn’t be a surprise if they wind up as the third best team and go further in the 2027 playoffs than they did in 2026.

Dallas Stars

There’s no doubt Dallas has top tier talent to make the postseason. One thing the Stars lack are players who enjoy playing physical and making goaltenders uncomfortable for more than one period. General manager Jim Nill traded most of those players away and it cost Dallas in the 2026 playoffs. Nill has to get some of the depth back and the Stars have to continue playing better defense. Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin are another season closer to retirement and Dallas has to find a way to get them back into the championship round.

Pacific: Vegas Golden Knights

A roster this deep will return to the 2027 Stanley Cup playoffs.

Vegas is the favorite in the pacific to make it back to the playoffs. While the defense has to continue last seasons improvement, the offense and special teams should be more than enough to get the Golden Knights a top three spot in the division.

Los Angeles Kings

Anze Kopitar may have retired but Los Angeles still has an incredible roster. While new captain Drew Doughty is also close to retirement, the offense should be in the NHL’s top half in scoring while the defense continues to snuff out scoring chances. As long as the Kings don’t run into Colorado or Edmonton in the first round again, they should be fine.

San Jose Sharks

Is the third year the charm for San Jose’s Macklin Celebrini to make the playoffs? Additional help signed and drafted in the offseason combined with a bastion of minor league talent should be the difference this year.

Move over Connor McDavid and Edmonton. There is a younger, more gifted and standout league darling who is the next big thing. San Jose’s Macklin Celebrini made all-time great parallels with his stats, play and comparisons last season while the Sharks barely missed out on a playoff spot. The pacific division is clearly the worst of the four, but that could change if San Jose takes the next step or two this season.

The Sharks also did what the Oilers failed to do with McDavid and Leon Draisaitl in the past: they added more skill on defense while growing their minor league systems. Buffalo traded them third year defenseman Phil Kesselring and San Jose signed former captain Jacob Trouba. Trouba’s physical play and veteran experience are more valuable than his speed (of which the Sharks have plenty on offense and defense). That will help Darnell Nurse play a more limited role in this defense and make San Jose a more formidable opponent for every team this season.

Anaheim Ducks

Anaheim’s Leo Carlsson (91) signed a lucrative five year, $90 million extension in the offseason. That could come back to bite the Ducks’ championship chances.

At this moment there is little to no confidence that Calgary, Edmonton, Seattle and Vancouver will make the playoffs. Two teams are in long-term re-builds, one is just terrible for fun and the other is about to have a firesale by next season. That leaves Anaheim as the lone option standing.

It’s possible the Ducks are just as good, if not better than last season. Anaheim’s problem is they lost some good defensive players in John Carlson and Jacob Trouba to extend younger stars like Leo Carlsson. The defensive losses in free agency weren’t patched up and coach Joel Quenneville is not the type to favor defense first. The Ducks will have an interesting season since there weren’t high hopes for them last year. This year, Anaheim will be taken more seriously almost every night by their rivals and out of conference opponents.

Regular season western conference playoffs prediction record: 6-2

NFL Week Two Winners and Losers

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It’s hard to have a spectacular follow-up week of games after the NFL’s regular season premiere, but week two didn’t disappoint. There were comebacks and interesting stories that will dominate headlines and progress the following months. Here is who and what stood out most after this season’s week two.

Winners: Green Bay Packers

Green Bay had not won a game in 286 days before Sunday. They had given up consecutive double digit leads to division rivals in back-to-back games. Head coach Matt LaFleur and starting quarterback Jordan Love faced constant criticism throughout all of 2026. The Packers needed a win to get back to .500.

Not only did Green Bay get a win Sunday, they won after trailing by ten points midway through the fourth quarter. Love found Christian Watson for a three yard touchdown the possession after the Jets extended their 17-7 lead. The Packers got the ball back after forcing another punt from New York and tied the game their following possession.

LaFleur and the offense could have mentally checked out after the Jets took a ten point lead. Instead, Green Bay rallied to win an overtime, road thriller. New York will be a better team this season, but they went through some growing pains against a veteran Packers team that is now tied for second in the NFC North.

Kyle Shanahan

Matt LaFleur wasn’t the only head coach who impressed in a win against an AFC East opponent Sunday. San Francisco dominated Miami in their first game back in the United States this season.

Kyle Shanahan’s 49ers left no doubt which team was superior start to finish. San Francisco jumped out to an early 14-6 lead to end the first half. The 49ers dominated the first two quarters so they could take as much time off the clock as possible. However, the undermanned Dolphins played hard and tried to keep the game close.

Shanahan made the necessary changes and San Francisco made it a rout in the second half. The 49ers scored three third quarter touchdowns and sealed an easy win before the fourth. Brock Purdy threw two touchdowns that quarter; one to tight-end George Kittle and the other to fullback Kyle Juszczyk. The second scoring pass capped off a five minute drive that exhausted all of Miami’s defensive players.

Many viewers did not think San Francisco would be undefeated after two games because of the mounting injury concerns. Free agent wide receiver addition Mike Evans left because of a hip injury in the dominant win yesterday. It is increasingly difficult to ignore the mounting injury concerns with the 49ers wide receiving room. They are even more thin after another game. Despite this serious analysis, head coach Kyle Shanahan guided San Francisco to another winning record that again seems next to impossible because of how competitive the NFC West is. It will be hard to beat the 49ers each week because of how the roster, no matter the replacements, is well-coached.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba

Few wide receivers can claim to be the NFL’s best. Fewer can dominate every facet on offense. When all is said and done, Seattle’s Jaxon Smith-Njigba could easily be the best wide receiver and offensive player the NFL sees every week.

After a week and a half off, the Seahawks played their first road and division game late Sunday afternoon. Arizona impressed many with a dominant road win in Los Angeles last week. Anyone who has paid attention to the NFL for a few years knows the Cardinals last beat Seattle almost five years ago. Jaxon Smith-Njigba made sure Arizona came up empty-handed again and even surpassed the Cardinals offense in total yards by himself.

Smith-Njigba dominated from the second snap of the Seahawks first offensive possession. He started the game with an 82 yard catch and run for a touchdown. Jaxon Smith-Njigba had 100+ yards before halftime despite a tie. The reigning Offensive Player of the Year came out the second half and gave Seattle their second lead of the afternoon the first possession. Smith-Njigba then added to the Seahawks lead to begin the fourth quarter and seal up another road win. Yesterday’s win was also Seattle’s 12th straight, their longest in franchise history.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba is one of the hardest players to cover and get a read on. As FOX’s Tom Brady analyzed in last year’s playoffs, Smith-Njigba always hides what routes he’s running by keeping his body parallel, head and shoulders stiff, and not giving away any movements pre-snap. Arizona’s secondary struggled to cover him all afternoon and even franchise great safety Budda Baker had no solutions on how to eliminate Smith-Njigba one-on-one. The nine catch, 155 yard, three touchdown performance is an impressive stat-line, but the Seahawks’ best receiver plays a complete game whenever one watches him. It’s not a surprise he has all of Seattle’s receiving touchdowns two weeks into the season (He is the first receiver to have scored his team’s first four receiving touchdowns in a season since Minnesota’s Ahmad Rashad did in 1979).

Sunday Night Football

Indianapolis usually plays Kansas City well. The Colts are one of the few teams that give Andy Reid, Patrick Mahomes II, Steve Spagnuolo and Travis Kelce heart palpitations no matter who is on their roster. Despite a devastating loss last season, Indianapolis came out swinging early Sunday night and didn’t let up.

Although the Chiefs have played two games this season, Sunday night’s home win could go down as their most impressive so far. Defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo threw everything he could at Mahomes who still found a way to throw for over 300 yards and three touchdowns. Kenneth Walker III had another 100 yard night and the offense was elite in the redzone.

Despite Kansas City’s big stars playing well, the Colts either tied or took the lead several times. In overtime, Indianapolis nearly won the game on their only possession. Their decision to kick a field goal on fourth and eight after Spagnuolo’s defense smothered the previous three plays was smart. However, Mahomes is just different. He and Walker III led the offense the final possession in overtime and got enough yards for kicker Harrison Butker to attempt and make a 40 yard field goal.

Patrick Mahomes is undefeated in his eight, regular season overtime games. Sunday Night Football on NBC gave viewers one of, if not the best game in September. There have been valid criticisms of what games the NFL gives for the U.S.’ top country program early in the season, but there are none after week two. If anything, we should watch these two teams on primetime more often.

Losers: Jason Licht

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers ended their 50th season in franchise history on a dismal note. They bottomed out of the NFC South division race and gave up countless leads. The worst may have been the week 15 Thursday night loss to Atlanta when Kirk Cousins led a double digit comeback. Anyone with working eyes knew a head coaching change and a roster overhaul was inevitable. Yet, Tampa Bay’s front office and upper management decided to delay the inevitable and keep head coach Todd Bowles and most of the roster intact. Two weeks into the regular season, those delays have cost the team in many ways.

Cleveland came into Tampa’s Raymond James Stadium Sunday off a humiliating 34-10 loss to Jacksonville. Everything that could have gone wrong for the Browns off and on the field, did. The Buccaneers had nothing to worry about after losing a tight game to Cincinnati. All they had to do was handle business and make Cleveland’s offense uncomfortable. That worked for one half.

The second half was almost all about the Browns. Tampa Bay went up by ten after quarterback Baker Mayfield threw a five yard touchdown to sophomore star receiver Emeka Egbuka. The Buccaneers then lost control and made Deshaun Watson look like his old Houston self the rest of the game. Even with a two hour lightning storm delay, Tampa Bay could not complete a two-minute drive. They bumbled around on offense and gave up big chunk plays to less experienced playmakers on defense.

One could say this is all on head coach Todd Bowles for not having the Buccaneers ready to play better. This is on management, especially the Glazer family and general manager Jason Licht for delaying more serious moves in the offseason and not understanding this would carry over to begin the regular season. When Tampa’s all-time best receiver decided to move on and play for another NFC team, Licht should have recognized it was time for necessary, massive changes. Instead the Buccaneers top brass decided to sit on their hands, cross their fingers and hope last season was a mirage. Last season was a warning. Now it’s a nightmare.

The 2024 quarterback draft class

We are in the third season of the 2024 draft class leaving their mark on the NFL and while there have been highlights, it has mostly been a mess for the quarterback position. Usually there aren’t too many memorable weeks where a specific quarterback class makes headlines, but this one did Sunday. Almost none were for good reasons.

The 2024 quarterback class includes number one overall pick Caleb Williams, second overall pick Jayden Daniels, third overall pick Drake Maye, eighth overall pick Michael Penix Jr., tenth overall pick J.J. McCarthy, twelfth overall pick Bo Nix, and late rounders Spencer Rattler, Jordan Travis, Joe Milton, Devin Leary, and Michael Pratt. Clearly the late rounders are not starting on any of the 32 teams. Fine. Rattler did start for New Orleans last year, but couldn’t prove he was the guy who could keep the Saints competitive. The first round quarterbacks though were all supposed to be both good and starting worthy. Well, most are starting worthy, but all have faced unfortunate fates.

Sunday was bad luck for most of the starters. Both Williams and Daniels left their divisional bouts after suffering serious injuries. While Caleb Williams injured his hamstring running on a play deep in Minnesota territory, Jayden Daniels dislocated the same left elbow he injured last season. This time it was in Dallas before the first half ended. The injury was so outlandishly bad, it made FOX’s Tom Brady swear live on-air during the call re-play. While Williams and Daniels won’t be out the rest of the season, they will miss time and their teams will play more low-scoring games.

The other two quarterbacks who played Sunday also struggled. Defenses are adapting to Drake Maye and Pittsburgh became the newest team to halt the potent Josh McDaniels offense, limiting it to 13 points. Maye threw an interception and was sacked three times. Bo Nix again played a great half of a game, but he still struggles to play a full four quarters and dazzle both his coaches and audiences. One never knows when or which Nix will show up each game.

At least the previous four got to play. Michael Penix Jr. remains out with multiple leg injuries and his team plays like they miss him…or any good quarterback with a pulse. Finally, there’s J.J. McCarthy. By all appearance, he is an all-time bust up there with JaMarcus Russell, Ryan Leaf, Brodie Croyle, Johnny Manziel and Nathan Peterman in the Super Bowl-era.

All the quarterbacks (minus McCarthy) are all talented and can in theory lead their teams far into the playoffs if given the chance. The problem is none of them can stay healthy long enough for that to happen. This could become the most cursed quarterback class in a long time.

Baltimore Ravens defense

Baltimore has one of the most talented defenses in the NFL. They have a deep linebacker core, a fantastic secondary, and generate a lot of pressure on opposing quarterbacks and offenses. When head coach Jesse Minter was hired this offseason, the hope was he’d turn it back into a fearsome unit similar to the Ray Lewis-led days or what previous coordinator Mike Macdonald had three years ago. That could still happen, but the defensive issues stand out after an unexpected week two loss.

The Ravens led by eight points twice in their home game against New Orleans. Although the Saints kicked field goals to trim Baltimore’s lead multiple times, there was no threat of a lead change…until the fourth quarter. The Ravens defense forgot how to cover New Orleans’ receivers, gave up big plays, and played sloppy in their own redzone.

Baltimore’s defense gave up both a touchdown and a tying two-point conversion after a five and a half minute drive in the fourth quarter. What was worse was how the Saints didn’t get the conversion the first time. The Ravens committed a holding penalty that gave New Orleans a second attempt and the successful conversion after.

The most controversial play in the game was Tyler Shough’s one yard touchdown run on fourth-and-goal. There is an angle where Shough broke past the goal-line for the score, but many believed the touchdown didn’t count. The problem is if the play was reversed, defensive captain and middle linebacker Roquan Smith would have been flagged for a blatant face-mask penalty that would have been an automatic first and goal and a fresh new set of downs inside the one yard line. That would have been a probable touchdown for New Orleans anyway.

It was a sloppy sequence at the end and a mess of a second half for the Ravens defense. Baltimore’s defense should improve during the season, but that was a game that could keep the Ravens lower in the playoff seeding later in the year.

Second half Jacksonville Jaguars

Denver had a great, comeback home win against Jacksonville after Kansas City thumped them last Monday Night in Kansas City. Since the Broncos needed everything to go right in order to win, that meant everything that could go wrong for the Jaguars, did.

Both teams had four possessions each in the second half. Both got field goals their first possession. Denver still needed to get at least a touchdown against the hottest team in their conference. They got two.

The two touchdowns were only possible because Jacksonville’s offense gave the Broncos hope. Quarterback Trevor Lawrence was intercepted by cornerback Riley Moss. Denver tied the game after a five minute drive the following possession.

Yet, the Jaguars still had a chance to take a lead and shut down the Broncos offense after. However, kicker Cam Little missed a 54 yard field goal attempt and gave Denver the ball back at mid-field. The Broncos predictably went downfield and scored another touchdown to take a seven point lead. Jacksonville’s last gasp was a five play final drive that resulted in a punt.

The Jaguars could still be one of the AFC’s best teams this season, but by not closing out a winnable game on either side of the ball, Jacksonville showed why many viewers still don’t believe they are a serious championship contending team. Denver was humiliated by a division rival not even a full week ago and somehow the Jaguars could not capitalize off that. It will eat at them most of the season.

NFL Week One Winners and Losers

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Except for the inevitable injury or two, the first week of the NFL regular season is typically mild. Not this week. It was anything but mild on Sunday. Week one is seen by some as a fluke week, while others see it as a prelude of what will come as teams settle in. Here are the winners and losers from Sunday’s games.

Winners: Aaron Glenn

New York has been terrible for a long time. The last time the Jets won a week one Sunday game was 2015 against Cleveland. A lot has changed since then.

After Sunday, Aaron Glenn finally has a winning record in the regular season. The Jets won a one-sided road game in Tennessee. They capitalized on the game’s first possession after Titans kicker Joey Slye kicked the ball out of bounds on the kickoff. Kenyon Sadiq’s three yard touchdown run put Tennessee in an early hole and let the Jets cruise to an easy win.

New York’s offense looked good. In Geno Smith’s second stint as starter with the team, he completed 19 of 24 passes for 215 yards and a 104 quarterback rating. Breece Hall had 22 carries for 102 yards and a touchdown. The offensive line dominated Tennessee’s defensive line.

On defense, the Jets sacked sophomore quarterback Cam Ward three times. While New York’s defense didn’t force a turnover, they suffocated the Titans offense. Tennessee had a total of 200 offensive yards and scored their lone touchdown when the game was decided late in the fourth quarter.

Last year was a miserable season for head coach Aaron Glenn. Despite some positives, management traded away valuable players and the team lost more confidence. Glenn needed a strong, opening week to show there has been progress since last season’s messes. He left no doubt about the positive changes Sunday.

Cincinnati Bengals defense

If Cincinnati is going to win the AFC North, the defense has to have to step up and improve in something. Well, the Bengals defense started the regular season with a solid performance against a talented Tampa Bay offense.

Cincinnati got their first lead of the game when defensive end Myles Murphy and linebacker Barrett Carter strip sacked Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield. Linebacker Demetrius Knight Jr. recovered the ball and ran for a 27 yard touchdown.

Tampa Bay never recovered and was in panic mode most of the game. Their next possession, runningback Bucky Irving fumbled a catch and new Bengals defensive end and former Super Bowl champion Boye Mafe recovered the ball. Cincinnati capitalized on offense with another touchdown, taking a double digit lead.

The Bengals didn’t let up in the second half. Despite Cincinnati’s offense giving up an interception return touchdown in the third quarter, the defense forced another turnover when Mafe strip sacked Mayfield and defensive tackle T.J. Slayton Jr. recovered the ball. The Bengals gave up a late touchdown when the game was all but won. While the Buccaneers have more issues to address, Cincinnati can build off the week one progress.

Carson Wentz

Once Kyler Murray was named starting quarterback in Minnesota, the main question became who would back Murray up if things went downhill. Head coach Kevin O’Connell picked Carson Wentz at the last second and thankfully bumped J.J. McCarthy and Max Brosmer to the practice squad. That decision looks genius after Wentz led the Vikings to a stunning, double digit home opening win against division rival Green Bay.

Carson Wentz played most of the game after Murray left during the first possession because of a concussion. Wentz completed 12 of 19 passes for 133 yards and three touchdowns. Two of his scores came after the Packers took a 12 point lead early in the third quarter.

Minnesota doesn’t need a Pro-Bowl caliber quarterback. They need someone who can get the ball to a fantastic receiving core, balance the run-pass game, and not make mistakes or turn the ball over. Carson Wentz took three sacks in a physical divisional game, but he didn’t turn the ball over or do anything that could harm the team. The long-time veteran needed some confidence after the constant lows suffered from previous seasons. This comeback win should make both Wentz and Minnesota interesting to watch the rest of September.

Philadelphia Eagles offense

There is a lot of pressure on Philadelphia’s offense to be better than they were last season. With A.J. Brown traded to New England (and now out for at least a month with an ankle injury), the Eagles offense needed a convincing performance and to not be a punching bag for both local and national sports media. Philadelphia will delay those conversations for at least another week.

The Eagles offense played well Sunday afternoon against division rival Washington. Quarterback Jalen Hurts completed 14 of 25 passes for 203 yards and three touchdowns. The receiving trio of Dallas Goedert, Dontayvion Wicks and Devonta Smith combined for nine catches for 203 yards and three touchdowns. Wicks and Smith had some great catches and plays near the sidelines that dazzled Commanders defenders.

What might be a relief and the most positive news was how great runningback Saquon Barkley looked. The former rushing champion had 15 rushes for 83 yards. While it wasn’t an all-time great performance, Barkley looked like the elite runner everyone remembered before 2025. If the Eagles get this version of Barkley moving ahead and the receiving core continues to play well, Philadelphia will be hard to beat.

Losers: Ian-Yates Cunningham

It will be agonizing to keep up with the NFC South division race most of this season. As was written in the 2026 NFC playoff picks, there is a lot to like for each of the four teams, but there is as much that will drag all four down the rest of the calendar year. Atlanta may have the fewest roster weaknesses, but they have the biggest one of any four teams: no quarterback. That issue goes up to the Falcons front office and general manager Ian-Yates Cunningham.

To re-cap the current quarterback issues, Atlanta let go of Kirk Cousins because they wanted Michael Penix Jr. to be the franchise starting quarterback. That’s a nice idea, but it turns out Penix can’t stay healthy. Then Cunningham went out and signed Tua Tagovailoa in free agency, brought in Cooper Rush as a third option and added undrafted rookie Jack Strand to the practice squad. Someone had to emerge as the de facto starter.

Turns out, the starter picked was Cooper Rush. Since this is the Falcons, it’s fitting Rush was also dealing with injuries before Sunday’s kickoff. Atlanta could have promoted the undrafted rookie Strand to start his first NFL game, but the Falcons fear that if Strand’s good, that would de-rail any chance of Michael Penix Jr./Tua Tagovailoa getting their chance to be franchise stars. While that sounds bizarre for readers not used to watching the NFL, both latter players were high, first round picks that have stood out over the last two years. Yet, neither can stay healthy. And that showed how not having a competent starting quarterback doomed any chance for Atlanta to play well.

Pittsburgh took advantage of that deficiency and won an ugly, low-scoring home game. Viewers who watched that mess all agreed Atlanta is a wreck and their lack of quarterback talent is going to doom any chance the team has of winning the division. Those issues start with management flailing about while adding any washed up, injury prone passer they could find.

Carolina Panthers defense

In many ways, Cincinnati and Carolina are in the same boat when it comes to their atrocious defenses. The Panthers had the worst defense in 2024 and things have barely improved since. While the Bengals added players in the offseason, they haven’t been hit with injuries yet. Carolina did in pre-season and in on-field practices, and it showed in a wild, shootout home loss against Chicago.

In the Panthers’ first game of the regular season, they gave up more than 500 yards of offense. The Bears scored 50+ points for the first time since 2012. Their 59 points were the most in an NFL season opener. Chicago’s six rushing touchdowns were the most in a season opener for the franchise and the first for a team since the 1922 Canton Bulldogs. Two runningbacks had 100+ yard performances. Carolina’s defense was a sieve start to finish.

Injuries may play a factor for how bad the Panthers defense could be for a few months this season, but no team should be giving up multiple NFL records on an opening day game. If Carolina’s defense is this bad in their next two games (Atlanta and Cleveland), we could witness the worst defense in league history.

C.J. Stroud IV

This website does a great job at objectivity when it comes to a player and team’s total play. It’s rare to find a player on here (not a kicker) be blamed for one or two specific plays and wind up right in the loser’s column. Houston quarterback C.J. Stroud IV unfortunately deserves to be here.

Believe it or not, Stroud had a good game against Buffalo. The Bills and Texans went blow for blow, and he stepped up almost every time. The key word here is almost. This is what has gotten C.J. Stroud a lot of deserved criticism: he cannot get the job done when it matters most. Houston’s last possession of the game was a great example.

Stroud’s last two plays before Buffalo won will be talked about all week, if not all month. A third down incompletion was thrown too hard and fast for number one receiver Nico Collins. His fourth down blunder stands out most. C.J. Stroud was about to be sacked by defensive end Greg Rousseau. However, Stroud fumbled the ball and Buffalo’s Terrell Bernard recovered it. The Bills ran out the clock and won.

Many will say Houston’s defense is another main reason Buffalo won. The Texans defense does not appear to be the same elite unit we watched last year. When Houston could have gone to the Super Bowl with that defense, Stroud played awful in a forgettable divisional round loss in New England. C.J. Stroud wants to get paid a lot of money in an upcoming contract extension. Houston general manager Nick Caserio and the front office won’t budge until Stroud proves he is worth the money. That final drive in a grueling week one loss is ammunition for Caserio’s case and a big reason why Stroud may not get that lavish extension.

Los Angeles Chargers

There were a few week one games many analysts believed would be easy decisions. Arizona versus Los Angeles was one of them. The Cardinals have one of the hardest schedules this season and were predicted to win three games max because of it. The Chargers are supposed to be a playoff team that can get to at least the divisional round. Neither team played like it Sunday.

Los Angeles didn’t just lose to Arizona. They were spanked start to finish. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Cardinals rookie head coach Mike LaFleur became the first Arizona full-time coach to win his debut since Don Coryell in 1973. Many believed new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel would make the Chargers one of the NFL’s best offenses each week. LaFleur’s Cardinals overwhelmed them on all but two possessions. Franchise star quarterback Justin Herbert threw a frantic interception and was sacked three times. Arizona’s defense rattled Herbert every chance they got and stifled what used to be a strong running game.

The Chargers defense kept the game close, but special teams were the key in Arizona pulling away for a double digit win. JK Scott’s punt was blocked by both Arizona and Los Angeles players. The Cardinals scored a touchdown two plays after, and the Chargers never scored again.

If Los Angeles wants to be a serious contender in both their division and conference, they must beat teams not favored to reach the playoffs. The Chargers have the talent, but they look disorganized or uncommitted to winning like several teams in the AFC are. Los Angeles will regret this loss the closer we get to January.

2026 NFC Playoff Picks

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The NFC didn’t just win two straight championships, they demolished their AFC opponents. Philadelphia crushed the AFC best Chiefs two years ago. At one point, they led 40-6 in their game. Then Seattle whooped New England. The Patriots didn’t score until the fourth quarter, and the Seahawks sacked regular season MVP candidate Drake Maye six times. Seattle lost three games last season by a total of nine points. Head coach Mike Macdonald became the eighth head coach in NFL history to win a Super Bowl in his first postseason appearance. The Seahawks and Eagles are the undoubted favorites in the NFC to go far in the playoffs this year.

However, the conference isn’t just a two team race. Many see the Los Angeles Rams as the Super Bowl representative this year. The entire NFC North will be up for grabs and at least one team won’t make the postseason. Dallas, Carolina and Tampa Bay are seen as playoff contenders. Every division race will be a slugfest and have a lot of drama.

Unfortunately, not all the teams mentioned above will make the playoffs since there are seven spots. It’s time to break down which seven teams in the conference have the best chance to reach the playoffs this season. There are a lot of quality teams, so expect a thrilling journey to the end of the season and some surprises based on this years draft and last years film.

NFC West: Seattle Seahawks, Los Angeles Rams

The reigning Super Bowl champion Seahawks brought most of last year’s roster back, including Leonard Williams (left, contract extension) and DeMarcus Lawrence (who announced this is his last season).

There is no doubt two teams make the playoffs in the NFC West. Unlike last season, there won’t be a three team race for first place. Arizona will be a bottom three team in the league and San Francisco’s long mess of a calendar year will continue. Seattle and Los Angeles are two of the three titans in the conference that eyes will lock onto and the NFL will push to the forefront. While both teams play each other twice in the last three weeks of the regular season, pressure will mount each month and both team philosophies will constantly clash in sports media.

East: Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys

Head coach Nick Sirianni surprisingly has a lot of pressure on him to do well this season despite getting Philadelphia into the playoffs every year since his hiring and a Super Bowl championship. Despite the harsh criticisms, the offense and defense must play better this year.

Philadelphia is the other juggernaut in this conference and will be a favorite to advance past wild-card weekend. The Eagles traded receiver A.J. Brown after a drama-filled 2025-26 season, replaced their offensive and defensive coordinators, and revamped the offensive line. Better play-calling and play from the offense and secondary should erase speculation of how good head coach Nick Sirianni is at his job.

It is tempting to go with a more talked about team this offseason like New York or if Washington can climb back to where they left off two years ago, but neither seems favorable. The Giants still have a messy roster and the older, more decrepit unit the Commanders trot out won’t be enough to sniff the postseason. That leaves Dallas as a good wildcard pick.

Former Eagles defensive backs coach Christian Parker should have some success this year after Dallas’ defense set franchise and league worst records last season.

The Cowboys wound up surprising viewers last year after the offense and special teams dragged them to a sub-.500 record. Quarterback Dak Prescott was in MVP conversations for half the season and kicker Brandon Aubrey cemented himself as one of the league’s best kickers. The defense was dreadful, but more talent was added this offseason. Head coach Brian Schottenheimer has his players fully committed into practices and games. Though the offense and special teams might not be as stellar this season, the defense should improve and make sure there are some easier wins. That would be good enough to get Dallas back into the postseason.

South: New Orleans Saints

New Orleans is a playoff contender because of head coach Kellen Moore’s optimism and thoroughness.

Yet again, the NFC south will be awful. Do not be surprised if another sub-.500 team makes it out with a home game next wildcard weekend. The true headache is figuring out which team will win this division. All four teams have plenty of weaknesses, but some are too much to look past. Atlanta has no starting caliber quarterback to make a difference, which is a shame because the current roster would give many teams fits in the playoffs if any of the NFL’s top 20 quarterbacks were on the Falcons. Tampa Bay is already fractured because of last year’s dismal end to the regular season and a worse offseason. Carolina will be most analysts’ pick, but season ending injuries to most of their incoming draft class and defensive talent means this could be another year of dreadful play from the Panthers. There is one team that stands out though.

That would be New Orleans. Yes, the Saints are not fully stable at quarterback yet, but they play hard and are coached well. Kellen Moore made the most out of a terrible situation last year and New Orleans almost made the playoffs in the last two weeks of the regular season. Tyler Shough is a work in progress but proved to viewers he can win crucial games, especially in the division. That might be enough to squeak into the fourth conference seed if the defense and offensive talent around Shough keep improving.

NFC North: Minnesota Vikings, Chicago Bears

Kyler Murray (with ball) is back to full health and on a new, more competitive team. Thankfully, that means audiences don’t have to watch J.J. McCarthy or Max Brosmer anymore.

At first glance, the North seems the most competitive division in this conference. A closer look shows it’s a two team race. Green Bay is in serious trouble over the Micah Parsons trade and a regressing offense. Detroit’s defense is already banged up and a regular season game hasn’t been played yet. The Lions can’t beat teams by outscoring them with outrageous numbers every week. That leaves Minnesota and Chicago as the two competent teams.

The Vikings already have an elite defense thanks to coordinator Brian Flores. They also have a good special teams unit. What they needed was a quarterback who didn’t play blind, untalented or as the common civilian like J.J. McCarthy or Max Brosmer do. Minnesota signed Kyler Murray, Arizona’s former 2019 number one overall pick. Murray is debatably the best running/scrambling quarterback on an NFL roster. With Kyler Murray out of the west and with a more competent head coach in Kevin O’Connell, he could put up career best numbers this season. There is a lot of pressure on the Vikings to make a deep playoff run, and the players feel and want it. Minnesota could surprise many throughout the year.

Chicago’s Ben Johnson could have the last laugh on which teams face each other in the playoffs.

Then there is Chicago. The Bears had a whole lot of luck last season and were at least a DJ Moore catch away against Los Angeles from making the conference championship. A number of analysts believe the Bears will come back down to earth and have some regression. There are valid reasons: the pass rush and run defense look to be among the lower half of the league, and it doesn’t help that Chicago lost a good amount of talent in their secondary. Still, the offense should make progress and play consistently for all four quarters more than they did last season. Special teams and scheduling will be questioned each week. Since the Bears wound up first in the north last year, it will take a lot more skill to repeat as division champions. Chicago has more going for it than Green Bay and Detroit, and there isn’t another NFC team able to step up or close the gap even if the Bears are in a slump. A wildcard spot is just right in Johnson’s second season as head coach.

Total 2025-2026 regular and postseason NFC picks: 7-6

2026 AFC Playoff Picks

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The last two years have been tough for the American Football Conference. Despite more competition with Kansas City, the AFC is much weaker compared to the NFC. That weakness has led all 16 teams in this conference to re-think and approach roster construction differently. While the Chiefs, Bills, Ravens and Texans are favorites to reach the Super Bowl, at least a half dozen other teams are playoff hopefuls, and two plan to defend their conference championship appearance. Of the four divisions, the west is the strongest. Meanwhile, the other three divisions could have any team come up on top and no wild card team make the postseason.

As all 16 AFC teams prepare for another season, the conference must continue to address their management issues, roster construction/adjustments, and how to win another Super Bowl. It’s time to break down which seven teams in the AFC have the best chance of reaching the playoffs in 2027.

AFC North: Baltimore Ravens

A fully healthy Lamar Jackson (8) and new head coach with better game-planning makes Baltimore the easiest choice to win the north.

No team was sicker Seattle’s head coach Mike Macdonald won Super Bowl 60 last season than the Baltimore Ravens. Macdonald was the architect of an elite, shut-down defense before the Seahawks hired him (after letting go of their all-time winningest head coach Pete Carroll) in 2024 and the Ravens continued to support John Harbaugh. Owner Steve Bisciotti quickly fired Harbaugh and brought in the closest coach/person to Mike Macdonald they could find: Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter. Minter was also on Baltimore’s staff when Macdonald ran the defense.

This season, Baltimore should return to what many were used to seeing from them before the last two seasons. Jesse Minter will have some rough patches, but the veteran, exceptionally talented roster will make his first year as a head coach smoother than what most first year hires will have. What helps Minter more now will be how the other three north teams won’t be much of a factor toward their division winning paths. Any positive gains Cleveland and Pittsburgh make on offense this season will be erased by their depleted or older defenses. Cincinnati is elite on offense and special teams, but they have no linebacker or secondary depth. That will be exposed as the season goes on and injuries become a factor.

East: Buffalo Bills, New England Patriots

Buffalo is taking a chance with their Super Bowl window after they hired a new, inexperienced head coach take over. Former head coach Sean McDermott got the Bills close to multiple championship appearances.

The east could be the hardest division to figure out in the conference this season. Yes, Buffalo and New England are the front runners to win the division. However, both teams could face a series of setbacks this season. While the Bills have a new head coach and more importantly, a season long experiment switching from a 4-3 defensive scheme to a 3-4 one, they are more poised to win the east.

Buffalo’s Joe Brady will have a lot to prove this season. Like New England, the Bills will have a rough first half to their schedule. One positive they have over the Patriots is the lack of off-field distractions. Buffalo also addressed their position needs in the offseason, adding receiver DJ Moore, linebacker Bradley Chubb, center Lloyd Cushenberry and safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson. The Bills could have a slow start, but watch out the closer we get to 2027.

A.J. Brown was the most coveted player by New England’s front office, coaching staff and…Diana Russini? What a season this will be for the Patriots.

While Buffalo will be scrutinized for their play, New England will be criticized and watched closely on and off the field. General manager Eliot Wolf had a great off-season, adding more talent at wide receiver with the signing of Romeo Doubs and trading for disgruntled Philadelphia star A.J. Brown. Wolf also bulked up the defense by signing turnover magnet safety Kevin Byard III and linebacker Dre’Mont Jones. In many ways, the Patriots have a better roster than they did last season.

Despite New England’s active offseason, they will have a rough time this year. The Diana Russini scandal that almost every major sports outlet, journalist and reporter tried to downplay and cover up in the offseason will be in front of every NFL fandoms’ mind, especially with fanbases of teams New England plays this year. Speaking of schedule, the Patriots one is just as vicious as Buffalo’s. New England may not have won the Super Bowl last season, but they still went to the championship round and won a conference championship. They have just as large a target on their back as Seattle, Los Angeles and Denver. This could be a great season for the Patriots, but it could also be a hellacious year that won’t ease up on or off the field. As Mike Vrabel could learn from his predecessor, sometimes less is more.

South: Houston Texans

Houston made a smart move this season extending defensive end Will Anderson Jr. He’s a reason the Texans have one of the NFL’s best defenses.

On paper, the South is the second best division in the AFC. On the field, there are both a lot of inexperience and question marks. Tennessee will have more growing pains on the offensive line, defense and special teams. Indianapolis has a decaying roster and Jacksonville will face regression on both offense and defense.

That means Houston is the de facto best team. The Texans beefed up depth on the offensive line and wide receiver after last year’s season ending injuries to Nico Collins and Dalton Schultz. On defense, Houston retains almost all their star playmakers in the secondary and even added more talent like former Philadelphia safety and defensive captain Reed Blankenship. Starting quarterback C.J. Stroud IV now has no excuses heading into his fourth season. If he plays poorly this year and the Texans don’t have a deep playoff run, Houston will look for another quarterback to compliment a Super Bowl worthy roster.

West: Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, Denver Broncos

Kansas City’s odds to return to the Super Bowl improved when they signed Super Bowl 60 MVP Kenneth Walker III in free agency.

Great news everybody! No prediction in the AFC West this year about every team making the playoffs! Las Vegas should have a bold and educational first season with Klint Kubiak as head coach, but the other three teams will capitalize on the Raiders’ early season mistakes to keep them at the bottom for now. The other three teams are serious contenders to at least make it to the divisional round.

Kansas City will again lead the way. Until head coach Andy Reid’s brain stops working, quarterback Patrick Mahomes II can’t throw a ball anymore or defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo forgets what a defense is, the Chiefs will remain the favorites to go all the way in the conference. Love it or hate it, that is how all 15 teams in the AFC see it every season. Mahomes back to full health is the deciding factor for which team takes the division.

Could this be the season six year veteran Justin Herbert finally wins a playoff game?

Kansas City will have two teams in the division nipping at their heels. Throughout most of the Reid-Mahomes era, Denver and Los Angeles have played them close, and this year will be no different. The Chargers look to at least be second best in the west with the addition of former head coach Mike McDaniel at offensive coordinator. Los Angeles should have one of the best offenses in the NFL…if they can get past a brutal seven game schedule that has them facing Buffalo, reigning Super Bowl champion Seattle, Denver, Kansas City, the Rams, Houston, and Baltimore. If the Chargers leave that seven game stretch over .500, they will coast into the playoffs.

Los Angeles could lose out on the division title because of the defense and special teams. New defensive coordinator Chris O’Leary has his hands full with an aging defense that features solid depth but no standout players outside of safety Derwin James Jr. and tackle Teair Tart. Jesse Minter made Los Angeles’ defense one of the more appreciated units in the NFL. O’Leary’s defense may not feature a lot of the same creativity and precision. As for the special teams, kicker Cameron Dicker had one of his best years last season. Those who have followed the NFL for a while are aware the Chargers have been plagued by special teams problems when everything else goes well and no one expects it. Given how great they were last year, a regression is likely.

Expect this look on Sean Payton’s face for a good part of the 2026-27 season!

It was hard to pick which NFL team would round out the top seven in this conference. Any of the south teams (after Houston) have a good case to be playoff bound. The Jets are a great dark horse pick, but they don’t have the talent to enter this conversation. That leaves Denver, which will be an interesting team to watch throughout the season.

Like New England, the Broncos will face more resistance just for playing in the conference championship. While Denver played an ugly game outside of their first score, they took out the Super Bowl favorite Bills and upended the franchise’s title aspirations with Sean McDermott as head coach. The Broncos will also face similar offensive issues much like they did last season with quarterback play. Inconsistent starter Bo Nix returns after he broke his leg earlier in January.

The biggest issue Denver could face is with play-calling. Offensive coordinator Davis Webb will call plays instead of head coach Sean Payton because Payton desperately wanted him to stay on staff. Sean Payton will have to give Webb a good amount of autonomy throughout the season since the promotion, but many wonder if that will be the case the longer the season goes and Denver plays to secure a high playoff seed, much less a playoff game. Expect a lot of Broncos drama this season, but enough determination from them to clinch one of the lower two wildcard seeds.

Total 2025-2026 regular and postseason AFC picks: 7-6

2026 North America World Cup Championship Final Prediction

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The semi-finals were some of the best FIFA matches anyone watched this tournament. There was almost a fight, some penalty shots, and upsets. It may be difficult for the championship final to live up to the same expectations. The two teams remaining are the best and most competitive ones we’ve seen this summer. As mentioned in the last FIFA article, there are no draws nor points given from ties. Every round is elimination, meaning overtime and shootouts/penalty shots will decide winners. Before picks are made, the numbers are for which teams finished at the top two in each group, and the letters are from the group each one was in. Here are the predictions for which team wins the 2026 FIFA World Cup trophy.

1H Spain v. 1J Argentina

This will be the match of a lifetime for Spain’s Lamine Yamal and Argentina’s Lionel Messi.

The two most talented, qualified and best teams reached the championship round. None of us should be surprised that the finalists are the most recent champions on their own continents. No team has an answer for Spain’s defense while no team can hold a lead against Argentina’s offense. Both teams have veteran, match-changing depth that can change a match at any time. It is possible the championship could be determined in extra time because of how well both teams mirror each other.

Both goal keepers have been exceptional this tournament. Unai Simón has given up one goal in seven matches while Emiliano Martinez slammed the door on most opposing offenses the last 25 minutes of regulation play. Both coaches have surprisingly built around their defenses first to ensure their forwards and midfielders have an easier time creating transition scoring chances. Their offenses can play better once the defense sets the tone early in each match.

Match deciding factor: Marc Cucurella and La Roja’s defense versus Lionel Messi and La Albiceleste’s offense

Argentina has fallen behind in every elimination match played this tournament. La Albiceleste has patiently waited to see what their opponents will do the first 70 minutes of regular time. Then they blitz the defense late in the second half and score. It will be no different with Spain. La Roja will probably be the first team to score given how they love to dominate time of possession, pass the ball and create open spacing for quality shot selections. Spain is also aware of how Argentina will play given the quality opponents they faced in elimination. La Roja jumped on France early, and they let Portugal dawdle for 85 minutes.

While one could argue that Lionel Scaloni versus Luis de la Fuente is the bigger matchup or deciding factor, many would agree that de la Fuente has run circles around Spain’s opponents this tournament while Scaloni’s squeaked by despite his accurate substitution decisions. This matchup will come down to how one of the best football stars of all-time will deal with this tournament’s best defender entering the prime of his career. Lionel Messi has been on another level this World Cup, which is saying something because he’s usually the best player on the pitch. His vision, passing and timing of when to score is why La Albiceleste made it this far. However, Marc Cucurella has blanked out and smothered every team’s top play-makers and star scorers. Austria, Portugal, Belgium and France are four top teams loaded with prolific names. Cucurella’s defensive play kept them all off the scoreboard and led Spain to a FIFA tournament record six shutouts.

Marc Cucurella isn’t Argentina’s only worry. Spain’s defense has gotten better each match to where Cucurella can focus on whichever elite player gets open. Pedro Porro and Marcus Llorente are great complimentary defenders while older midfielders Rodri and Fabian Ruiz help take some pressure off. Argentina’s offense will probably test them more than any European team did because of how crucial, talented and physical players like Enzo Fernandez, Julian Alvarez, Lautaro Martinez and Alexis Mac Allister are in contested spaces.

While Yamal and Messi will be the top players to watch in this championship, Rodri (16) and Enzo Martinez (24) will be decisive factors in which team wins.

Argentina will learn fast that taking their time against Spain is not a good idea because of how consistent and sharp-minded La Roja is. France could not get a shot on net until the 80th minute. La Albiceleste will also learn that starting the match with faster offensive pressing and scoring early is something Spain doesn’t allow. Argentina must get creative with their set-pieces, kicks, throw-ins or penalty shots. They must also use the whole pitch to their advantage against a team that stays locked in and doesn’t make easy mistakes.

Verdict: On paper, this looks like the match of the century. Two football giants that have consistently won on every level, on a collision course for dynasty conversations. Spain has become La Gran Máquina Roja after tweaking their famous Tiki-taka style of play. Argentina has been the football team of the 2020s. Yet, there is one more factor that could decide the winner: Accumulated yellow cards.

Valuable defensemen on both sides have a yellow card heading into this match. Spain’s Marc Cucurella and Argentina’s Lisandro Martinez and Cristian Romero all drew one in their semi-finals appearances. While many would think Cucurella would face more pressure here, it is actually the pair of Martinez and Romero who feel it more. La Albiceleste tried to intimidate England early and it backfired. It wasn’t until the Three Lions went into FIFA’s version of prevent defense that Argentina finally played their preferred offensive style and pull out a win. Not only is playing more physical a non-option for La Albiceleste when Spain is on offense, but La Roja will try and exploit that often and see if they can goad either into drawing another yellow and be up one man for a part of the final.

It is not just the defensemen either. Veteran mid-fielder Rodrigo de Paul also drew one against England. Argentina at least has quality midfielder depth if de Paul is substituted out earlier than usual, but Spain’s Luis de la Fuente will keep this in mind. In many ways, de la Fuente is FIFA’s version of Seattle’s Mike Macdonald: he gets the team to study and re-innovate tactics, has the players laser-focused on overwhelming their opponents, and is a proven winner on every level. It will take everything Argentina has to beat Spain. Even then, it might not be enough.

2026 North American World Cup championship prediction: Spain wins 4-2 and takes home their second FIFA World Cup Trophy

Golden Ball winner: Marc Cucurella

Golden Glove winner: Unai Simón

Quarterfinals prediction record: 4-0

Total 2026 World Cup prediction record: 30-6

2026 North America World Cup Quarter Finals Predictions

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What a fun, early July for World Cup play. The round of 16 filtered the contenders from the remaining pretenders. While most of the eight teams knocked out showed promise and fight, the remaining eight were better and earned their wins to make round four. Since group play is over, that means there are no draws nor points given from ties. Every round is elimination, meaning overtime and shootouts/penalty shots will decide winners. Before picks are made, the numbers are for who finished at the top two in each group, and the letters are from the group each team was in. Here are the predictions for which four teams advance to the semi-finals.

1I France v. 2C Morocco

Morocco and France face off in another thriller after their 2022 semi-finals matchup.

Talk about a bang to start the quarter finals! It’s a shame these teams have to play each other this round. Morocco and France dominated most of their matches this tournament and showed few weaknesses. After a 2022 shutout win by France, Morocco will try to split their World Cup series this decade.

That will be tough since France showed global audiences they aren’t intimidated by rough, physical play. Captain Kylian Mbappé laughed off Paraguay’s brutish and (at times) racist antics to clinch a shutout win last round. Morocco is a much better team than Paraguay, but France has the best manager, players and roster depth in the tournament.

Prediction: France advances 3-1

1H Spain v. 1G Belgium

Lamine Yamal (19) and Ferran Torres celebrate after a 1-0 shutout win versus Portugal Monday afternoon.

Two weeks ago, many believed this matchup would have been a near unanimous win for Spain. La Roja has not impressed as much as audiences anticipated, but they are still a solid team.

However, Belgium has dazzled since their 86th minute against Senegal in the second round. The Red Devils crushed the Yanks last round without Jérémy Doku, Romelu Lukaku and Kevin de Bruyne in the starting lineup. This should be a great match.

Two factors will determine which team advances: injuries and coaching. The loss of Amadou Onana is big for Belgium’s mid-field and puts more pressure on manager Rudi Garcia to pick better substitutes. Speaking of substitutions, the way Garcia has used his and made bolder changes in decision making could cost the Red Devils against an actual championship caliber team like Spain. La Roja’s manager Luis de la Fuente is practical in his substitutions and puts the best players in at the best times to keep overwhelming opposing defenses late in matches. Belgium has impressed viewers by finding another gear for their golden generation’s last dance, but Spain is better top to bottom.

Prediction: Spain advances 3-2

2I Norway v. 1L England

Norway’s Erling Haaland might be Mr. Inevitable, but he’ll need help if the Vikings want to beat England.

The most underrated matchup of the quarter finals. Norway might be a dark horse to make the finals, but they play like a championship caliber team on every side of the pitch. Again, the pressure falls on England to use all their star talent and advance to the next round.

Erling Haaland and Harry Kane have been stellar this tournament. Both have scored six or more goals and are in the race for the Golden Boot. Yet if the Vikings want to win this match, they need other players not named Haaland to step up. This is where England separates itself.

Regardless of what viewers think about manager Thomas Tuchel’s sideline theatrics, one cannot argue he has gotten the Three Lions to play their best against serious contenders. England dominated against Croatia and Mexico, two teams many believed could return to the quarterfinals. Norway’s great defensive play has been led by veteran goalkeeper Ørjan Nyland. However, the offense could be the Vikings downfall if England starts scoring more than two goals. Given how well Kane, Jude Bellingham and Anthony Gordon have played, it’s likely the Three Lions get out to an early lead and don’t look back.

Prediction: England advances 5-2

1J Argentina v. 1B Switzerland

Switzerland celebrates their shootout win over Colombia Tuesday afternoon. The Swiss have a chance to knock out Argentina Saturday.

This could be one of the best matches of the quarter finals because of how both teams play. Argentina’s looked vulnerable in both elimination rounds after they dominated group play. The Swiss thumped Algeria and beat Colombia in a thrilling shootout. Whichever team earns the win will have earned their trip to the semi-finals.

The biggest factor could be the health of Switzerland’s Johan Manzambi. Manzambi’s play catapulted the Swiss into a top position in both group play and on their side of the knockout bracket. However, Johan Manzambi didn’t play in the penalty kicks win against Colombia and it showed. Switzerland still has a lot of underrated talent at forward and midfield, but they will need everyone to show up against the reigning World Cup champions. That could be too much for them.

Prediction: Argentina advances 3-2

Group Play Predictions: 26-6

2026 FIFA World Cup Group Stage Play Picks in North America

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Time has flown by since the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Erling Haaland has made Norway a respectable, serious team. Various teams in Africa and Asia are relevant again. Spain’s Lamine Yamal is the most talented young adult in the sport. Several legendary players could take the stage in their (potentially) last World Cup tournament.

The format many of us were used to before 2022 is thankfully back. There is no desert heat in any match hosted in North America, but there will be three nations hosting matches for the first time in FIFA World Cup history. Most teams will have different issues to contend with like public transportation, but that’s something every team should have figured out.

For those not familiar with how round one of the World Cup works or the new rules that are now in place, this explanation should help. 12 groups containing four teams each compete to advance to the next round. The top two teams in each group, plus eight third place winners will make round two. The 32 teams that advance must have high point totals or tie-breakers. Winners of each match get three points, those who draw receive one, and losers gain none. All four teams play each other in their own group. It is therefore better to strategize how to play all three teams in order to advance. FIFA has added more rules that should be read before and during the tournament. Now that you understand the main parts of this format better, it is time to break down which teams from Groups A through L have the best chance of advancing to round two.

Group A: Mexico and Czech Republic

Draws against Portugal and Belgium, and wins against Ghana, Australia and Serbia have Mexico feeling confident heading into Thursday.

The tournament interestingly begins with Mexico playing South Africa. The former has racked up impressive results in their last five matches. El Tri has consistently played well enough to get out of round one in all but one of their World Cup appearances this century.

The Czech Republic is the other team favored to advance. Despite a turbulent time at the 2024 Euros, changes at coach and captain bore fruit in 2025. South Korea isn’t an intimidating team for Repre or Mexico, and South Africa does not have the offense to keep either teams listed at a tie. Therefore, these are the two teams this website sees advancing from Group A.

Group B: Canada, Switzerland

Les Rouges may have an easier time advancing to round two this time after a solid 2024 Copa America campaign.

Despite Qatar being the Asian champions, there is a clear difference in skill when they play talented teams. Bosnia and Herzegovina rely on talented teams playing them half-heartedly (yes, we’re looking at you Italy). However, the Dragons could surprise many and somehow make round two if they’re a strong contending third place/fringe second place team. That mostly depends on the other two teams.

Switzerland is easily the best team in this group. They’re the deepest, most veteran and talented. They also hold their own against many of the world’s best teams despite flying under the radar. It would be a shock if the Swiss don’t finish first in this group.

Canada will be the determining factor. Les Rouges play smart and held their own against most of of South America’s best teams. If a win isn’t possible, Canada makes sure to play to a tie. Various talented teams in the World Cup have found this out the hard way. A win against Qatar is assured given the Canucks talent advantage. If they play both Bosnia and Herzegovina and Switzerland to a draw (which is likely given Switzerland knows how to attack the Dragons better), Canada is the best option to clinch second place and make the elimination round.

Group C: Brazil, Morocco, Scotland

Morocco was the first African team to clinch a World Cup spot.

Given the talent level in this group, it’s safe to say Haiti is the easy last place team. Still, the Caribbean island returning to the tournament for the first time in 52 years is an accomplishment. If Haiti was in a less talented group, they would have a better chance to advance.

Brazil and Morocco are easy picks. Both are super talented and aren’t likely to drop to third place. The Atlas Lions are also in their golden era and are one of the top two teams in Africa.

Scotland has a team that could give analysts fits. The Tartans are one of the peskiest teams for any opponent, and they flustered a lot of European rivals the last few years. However, they have also struggled against most teams outside of the continent. There is a lot to like due to the competitive nature Scotland has each match, but there are serious questions whether this team can do enough to make round two. Given how their last two years have gone, the Tartans have a better chance than lesser talented third place teams on this list.

Group D: U.S., Paraguay, Türkiye

The U.S. might have the toughest group of the three North American host teams.

This may be the hardest group to predict because all four teams are solid and all have a lot of flaws. There is little doubt three of the four will make the second round. The question is which team will be at the bottom.

The U.S. and Paraguay seem to be the top two teams in Group D. Paraguay’s offensive depth makes them a problem for all three opponents, especially Australia and Turkiye. The U.S. has home pitch advantage and can at least tie two of their opponents.

Türkiye is a good pick for third place. Still young and shoddy at times, the Crescent-Stars impressed in the 2024 Euros and tied with Spain a few months ago. If Türkiye plays well, they could go far in this tournament.

The odd team out is Australia. There is nothing the Socceroos do that can counter the other three teams or gain advantages. If Australia was in a weaker group, they would qualify as a solid second round pick.

Group E: Germany, Ecuador, Ivory Coast

Forward Nick Woltemade has been one of the most important players in Germany’s resurgence.

It is safe to say Curaçao is the easy team out for this group. It’s impressive they clinched their first ever World Cup spot, but The Blue Wave has no chance of winning or tying a game.

That’s because Germany, Ecuador and Ivory Coast will all clinch a spot to round two. All three are veteran teams and have gotten better since 2022. It will be hard for a lot of teams to eliminate the Group E hydra.

Group F: Netherlands, Sweden

Netherlands will again be a favorite to go deep into the World Cup tournament.

The most veteran and skilled team is easily the Netherlands. Their coaching, scoring depth and defense can go blow for blow with any of the top football teams. Meanwhile, Japan and Tunisia don’t have enough of either. Neither should be good enough to make round two.

That leaves Sweden, one of the last teams to clinch a World Cup berth, as the second team that should advance to the elimination stage. The Swedes impressed and played better throughout the last nine months. That streak should continue these next few weeks.

Group G: Belgium, Iran, Egypt

No one has a weirder path throughout the 2026 World Cup like Iran.

Group G is a group that on paper, one looks at and assumes the two or three teams that advance will stick. Well, one of these teams didn’t make round two back in 2022 despite having every available advantage, and one team can only stay in Mexico given the current world conflicts in west Asia. Every match in this group will be a must-watch because the results might not have been the same if Iran was allowed to stay in the western U.S.

It seems New Zealand is the odd team out regardless. They don’t have the offensive firepower or shutdown defense either of the three teams have, and that might be the only decisive part of this group. The added number of teams is the one factor that should get the underwhelming trio of Belgium, Egypt and Iran into round two. Although we’ve seen stranger things happen (specifically with Belgium), the more interesting part is what happens if and when Iran advances.

Group H: Spain, Uruguay

Spain’s Lamine Yamal has been the biggest new name in international football the last few years.

This is the easiest of the 12 groups to predict. Spain is disputably the best football team in the world while Uruguay remains a hard-to-beat veteran and feisty team. Saudi Arabia and Cabo Verde are the complete opposite. The end.

Group I: France, Senegal, Norway

While France and Norway will be the talk of most FIFA conversations within Group I, Senegal is the only current continental winners among the four.

Group I is the second hardest group to predict. Three teams will advance, and like Group D, one team will be left out. That team is likely Iraq, the last team that clinched a spot for the tournament. A big reason is because of how talented and durable the other three teams are. France is one of five favorites to make the final. Norway has the best scorer in Erling Haaland and a solid team that plays well around him. Senegal is one of the most balanced teams in the tournament and the best squad in Africa. This should be a fun group to watch every match.

Group J: Austria, Argentina, Algeria

No matter how well Argentina does in this year’s World Cup, it will be the last one we see of their super star Lionel Messi.

The reigning champs and the deep, veteran Austria seem easy locks to advance. The big question is whether Jordan or Algeria get to advance and play an elimination match. Algeria strangely has impressed throughout the last calendar year and knows how to play to their strengths and ties rather than taking unnecessary losses. This website believes The Desert Warriors will advance, but another team could do better in the third place points total and keep them on the outside looking in.

Group K: Colombia, Portugal, Democratic Republic of the Congo

Colombia has two tournaments left to win something for their current golden generation.

There might not be more pressure on a South American team (outside of maybe Brazil) than Colombia to make a deep run and get to the World Cup final. Los Cafeteros were one goal away from winning Copa America and have overwhelmed their global opponents. Colombia should be a favorite to win their first few elimination games after group play.

If Portugal can play their own style with their younger stars and not worry about when to play aging forward Cristiano Ronaldo, they should be heavy favorites to claim second place. The Democratic Republic of the Congo is the decisive pick for a third place, second round team with their offensive talent and shutdown defense. Uzbekistan should be applauded for making it to the tournament for the first time since the USSR’s dissolution, but there is little they can do to stop the other three teams.

Group L: Croatia, England, Panama

Like other legends this in the 2026 World Cup, this will be the last tournament Croatian midfielder Luka Modric plays in. Modric’s role might be limited since he’s returned from a fractured cheekbone.

Two veteran European teams with grizzled captains will give it one more go this tournament. It’s almost certain Croatia’s Luka Modric and England’s Harry Kane will play in their last World Cup given their ages and the direction to which the national teams are transitioning. Yet, both teams have enough star power to advance to the elimination round.

The biggest question for this group is can Ghana or Panama solidify into third place and make the round of 32? Ghana is not as well rounded as Panama and lacks firepower on offense. Panama has proven they can hold their own against stronger North and South American teams. Panama could strangely be a team nobody expects to advance and then wins two elimination matches after group play.

2022 Group Play predictions: 12-4