Video Shows Michigan State’s Mel Tucker In Altercation With Fan - Sports Illustrated

There was no shortage of controversy following Michigan’s 29-7 win over Michigan State on Saturday, because of an altercation between a group of Michigan State players and one Michigan player in the tunnel on the way to the locker rooms.

Additionally, a separate incident between Michigan State head coach Mel Tucker and a fan took place on the way into the tunnel.

As Tucker was walking off the field and into the locker room with his team, a fan appeared to reach down and touch Tucker’s head from the stands. That led to Tucker reacting immediately by slapping the fan’s hand away and saying something to the fan.

Tucker didn’t address the altercation with the fan while speaking with the media after the game. He did issue a statement Sunday morning about the tunnel fight, saying that there was “no excuse for behavior that puts our team or our opponents at risk.”

The Spartans’ loss was Tucker’s first loss vs. Michigan as the head coach at Michigan State, having won the previous two meetings.

More CFB Coverage:

For more Michigan State coverage, visit Spartan Nation. 

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Denver Broncos vs Jacksonville Jaguars in London, England - Live Updates - Mile High Report

In-Game Updates

6:02 AM MT: The Broncos and Jaguars release their gameday inactives. For Denver, no real surprises. Devin Ozigbo was promoted from the practice squad as veteran Marlon Mack will spend his first game in the orange and blue inactive as he gets up to speed on the playbook.

7:46 AM MT: Russell Wilson got off to a rough start. His first two passes went straight to a defender, with the second being an interception. Trevor Lawrence and the Jags converted that short field into a 22-yard touchdown pass to Evan Engram to take an early 7-0 lead.

8:04 AM MT: The first quarter comes to an end with the Jaguars up 7-0, but threatening inside the red zone. Denver’s defense committing costly turnovers to keep extending this drive.

8:30 AM MT: After giving up a field goal, Russell Wilson and the Broncos offense came alive. Wilson went 6 for 6 for 55 yards and a touchdown to cut the Jaguars lead to three points. The big play was a 25-yard pass play to Jerry Jeudy right before getting him the TD pass as well.

8:55 AM MT: Lloyd Cushenberry is questionable to return to the game with a hip injury. He went down on the Broncos final drive of the half.

8:57 AM MT: Denver got a chance to score again late in the first half, but Wilson took a bad sack at midfield to kill their chances to tie things up. Jaguars up 10-7 at halftime.

9:26 AM MT: With the Broncos first possession of the third quarter, Russell Wilson drove the Broncos 98-yards for a big touchdown and the 14-10 lead. Rookie Greg Dulcich accounted for 78 of those yards with three huge catches on the drive.

9:43 AM MT: The third quarter comes to an end with the Broncos up 14-10 and the defense playing well. Another score by the offense would certainly be nice to give the defense some breathing room in the final quarter.

Game Preview

The Denver Broncos and Jacksonville Jaguars are each 2-5 and nursing four-game losing streaks. On of these two teams is going to bail some water out from their sinking ships this season.

There have been some legit rumors that if Broncos’ Head Coach Nathaniel Hackett fails to bring the team through to a win this week, he’ll be fired. This rumor comes on the heels of new owner Greg Penner offer less than optimistic comments on Hackett’s first seven games.

“I support Nathaniel and really want to see him succeed,” Penner said on Friday. “He’s a first-time head coach. There’s a lot of new things to get in place. He and I talk every week and I love talking with him about the game. He’s incredibly passionate. But he knows we’re not performing at the level we expect but we’ve got high expectations for him in the second half.”

This game could be it for Hackett or he might be able to buy himself another week to get things going in the right directly. It sure feels like a week-to-week kind of deal now.

Kickoff is set for 7:30 a.m. Mile High time on Sunday, October 30, 2022 at Wembley Stadium in London, United Kingdom. You can watch the live stream of the game through ESPN+.

My Prediction

In partnership with DraftKings Sportsbook, I am covering all my picks this year on TallySight. I just can’t stop predicting Broncos wins each week. At some point, my losing streak will end and it will end the same week the Broncos’ losing streak ends. Let’s make it this week, eh!

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Ohio State's J.T. Tuimoloau shines with pick-6, fumble grab - ESPN

6:06 PM ET

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- Ohio State defensive end J.T. Tuimoloau had already produced an incredible performance, easily the best of his college career. But the sophomore had one more magic moment to deliver.

With 2 minutes, 47 seconds left and Ohio State leading Penn State 37-24, Tuimoloau pushed offensive lineman Bryce Effner to the turf, leaped, caught Sean Clifford's pass and then strolled into the end zone.

"The play happens and I just blacked out," Tuimoloau said.

The pick-six capped one of the best single-game performances in Ohio State history and one of the best nationally, as the second-ranked Buckeyes rallied to beat No. 13 Penn State 44-31. According to ESPN Stats & Information research, Tuimoloau became one of three FBS players in the past 15 seasons to record two sacks, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, an interception and a touchdown in a single game, joining Appalachian State's Demetrius Taylor (2019 at North Carolina) and UCLA's Keisean Lucier-South (2018 at Cal). Tuimoloau pulled in two interceptions on his big day.

A five-star recruit and ESPN's No. 4 overall prospect in the 2021 class, Tuimoloau entered Saturday with only nine tackles, four for a loss, and one sack -- recorded the previous week against Iowa.

"To intercept balls like that as a defensive end and get a defensive score, I don't know if I've ever seen that before," Ohio State coach Ryan Day said. "That's big time. JTT has put so much hard work into this. He's an unbelievable player, but he's a better person, and you can see his talent.

"This was kind of his coming-out party today."

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Senior defensive end Zach Harrison, the beneficiary of Tuimoloau's tipped pass that led to Clifford's first interception, saw Tuimoloau had several interceptions in practice leading into the Penn State game. But Tuimoloau saved the best for game day.

"He had two picks, bro, at D-end, and a pick-six," Harrison said. "I've never seen that."

Tuimoloau said he last recorded an interception as a high school sophomore for Eastside Catholic School against Seattle Prep. His last touchdown also occurred in high school.

He attributed his ball skills to also playing tight end in high school as well as basketball. Tuimoloau had scholarship offers to play basketball from major programs.

"Basketball allowed me to move laterally and be quick enough," he said.

Day had seen Tuimoloau come close to several sacks this season before getting his first against Iowa. He had 2.5 sacks and 4.5 tackles for loss last season.

"He's been getting better every week," Day said. "He's wanted it. He'll probably tell you he's pressed a little bit at times. He's wanted to get there. He's believed in [defensive line coach Larry Johnson], he's believed in the scheme, and believes in his teammates."

Ohio State needed the lift from Tuimoloau in a game it trailed at halftime and then with 9:26 to play after an exhausting Penn State series -- prolonged by an Ohio State pass interference penalty on third-and-16 and a Buckeyes illegal formation penalty after a missed field goal attempt -- ended with a 1-yard Kaytron Allen touchdown. But Ohio State's offense came alive, driving 75 yards on three plays and scoring on a 41-yard TreVeyon Henderson run.

After Tuimoloau's strip, sack and recovery of a Clifford fumble, quarterback C.J. Stroud found tight end Cade Stover, who broke three tackles to reach the end zone. Day said Stover's run reminded him of Binjimen Victor's 47-yard touchdown against Penn State in 2018.

"Every game has its own story, and this is one that will be told for a while," Day said. "They believed. We don't always have to play four quarters. We knew we were going to have to play four quarters today."

After collecting only 16 points and 263 yards in the first three quarters, Ohio State exploded for 28 points and 189 yards in the fourth. Penn State squandered a lead of five points or more against Ohio State for the third time since 2017.

"We responded today, and that's why it's so satisfying," Day said. "Can we clean things up? Yeah, but that's football. And you see it every single week. You see games go back and forth. This environment, this is a hard place to play, and it always is, so for us to do that, that locker room was on fire afterwards."

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Ryan Tannehill officially out for Sunday - NBC Sports

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All signs pointed to Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill missing Sunday’s game in Houston when he missed Saturday’s walkthrough practice with an illness and the Titans have now made it official.

The team announced that Tannehill, who has also been dealing with an ankle injury, will not travel with the team to Houston and has been ruled out for Week Eight. Third-round pick Malik Willis will make his first NFL start.

The Titans also announced that they have elevated quarterback Logan Woodside from the practice squad to serve as Willis’ backup.

Defensive lineman Larrell Murchison was called up as well. He and Woodside will revert to the practice squad after Sunday’s game.

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Tom Brady and Gisele Bündchen Divorce After 13 Years of Marriage - The New York Times

The closely watched celebrity couple said on Instagram that they had finalized a divorce after 13 years of marriage.

The star N.F.L. quarterback Tom Brady and the supermodel Gisele Bündchen are ending their marriage of more than 13 years, Brady said on Instagram on Friday.

Brady said in his post that he and Gisele had finalized their divorce in recent days.

“We arrived at this decision amicably and with gratitude for the time we spent together,” Brady said. “We arrived at this decision to end our marriage after much consideration. Doing so is, of course, painful and difficult, like it is for many people who go through the same thing every day around the world. However we wish only the best for each other as we pursue whatever new chapters in our lives that are yet to be written.”

Bündchen said in a post on Instagram that she and Brady will continue co-parenting their children “to give them the love, care and attention they greatly deserve.”

“The decision to end a marriage is never easy but we have grown apart and while it is, of course, difficult to go through something like this, I feel blessed for the time we had together and only wish the best for Tom always.”

Brady, 45, has played professional football for more than two decades, and Bündchen, 42, has publicly spoken about wanting him to retire and spend more time with their family. Brady retired after last season, then reversed his decision and chose to return to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

It is not clear yet how Brady and Bündchen are approaching the legal filings for their divorce, even though they said they had reached an agreement. A representative for Brady declined to comment, while a representative for Bündchen referred to her statement on Instagram.

There is no filing from either of them in Hillsborough County, which encompasses Tampa and where the family previously rented a home owned by Derek Jeter. A clerk for the court in Miami-Dade County, where Brady and Bündchen were building a house, said it may take up to 72 hours for any new filing to be assigned a case number.

Since they met, Brady, a star quarterback, and Bündchen, a supermodel, have been a high-profile couple, constantly under the public eye. By the time they had met, Brady had already won three Super Bowls with the New England Patriots and Bündchen was one of the most famous people in the world, a fixture on magazine covers and one of the top figures in the fashion industry. In 2016, she was reportedly the world’s highest paid (and richest) model.

In the time that they were together, Brady went on to win four more championships, including one with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, with Bündchen often seen supporting him at games and during trophy celebrations.

Brady and Bündchen married in 2009, after meeting through a friend and going on their first date in 2006.

“The moment I saw him, he smiled and I was like, ‘That is the most beautiful, charismatic smile I’ve ever seen!’” Bündchen told the magazine in 2009. “We sat and talked for three hours. I had to go home for Christmas, but I didn’t want to leave. You know that feeling of, like, you can’t get enough? From the first day we met, we’ve never spent one day without speaking to each other.”

They had two ceremonies, one at a Catholic church in Santa Monica, Calif., and another with friends in Costa Rica.

“Sometimes I tell people that my husband and I love each other so much we got married twice,” Ms. Bündchen wrote in “Lessons: My Path to a Meaningful Life.”

Bündchen and Brady have two children together — a son, Benjamin, 12, and a daughter, Vivian, 9. Brady has also has a son, Jack, 15, from a previous relationship with the actress Bridget Moynahan.

After 22 seasons in the N.F.L., Brady announced his retirement in February, but he then announced in March that he would return to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for another season. Since then, there has been much speculation over whether Brady and Bündchen fought over his decision to return to football. That has also led to questions over whether their marital struggles have affected Brady on the field this season.

The Buccaneers are 3-5 this season and are currently on a three-game losing streak — the first such streak for Brady since 2002.

Before the season began this year, Brady missed several practices, including a preseason game. Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles told reporters in August that Brady had been excused while he was “going to deal with some personal things.”

Kevin Draper and Jenny Vrentas contributed reporting.

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Jake Paul claims Dana White has attempted to 'sabotage' boxing event vs. Anderson Silva - MMA Junkie

GLENDALE, Ariz. – Jake Paul claims UFC president Dana White has been active behind the scenes attempting to disrupt his upcoming boxing event.

On Saturday, Paul is set to take on former UFC champion Anderson Silva in an eight-round boxing match that headlines the Paul vs. Silva event at Desert Diamond Arena. However, he claims White, with who he has had multiple back-and-forth verbal exchanges, has made attempts to “sabotage” the event.

“The list goes on, and some of it I can’t even speak on,” Paul told reporters during a media scrum following Thursday’s pre-fight news conference. “But he’s been sending cease and desists for my content promoting this fight, and just doing things behind the scenes that are really shady. And we’re just finding out more and more stuff as the promotion goes on. I’m sure I’ll speak on it more at a later date.”

While Paul would not get into the specifics of White’s alleged actions, he explained why he believes the UFC boss has targeted him ahead of the toughest fight of his young professional boxing career.

“I think it’s because I’m the No. 1 figurehead that is exposing his business model and how much of a shark he is and how poorly he treats his fighters,” Paul said. “He said I wouldn’t fight Anderson Silva, who is one of UFC’s greats, and now here I am fighting him. And he largely, in part, promoted that. He’s the reason why I took this fight, is to prove him wrong and shut him the hell up.”

Paul has been vocal in calling for improving fighters’ rights, and their salaries. He has also challenged White to change how he treats fighters under the UFC banner.

Recently, White has been dismissive of Paul, but he did weigh in on the Silva matchup when the fight was in the process of being finalized. However, as the back-and-forth between the two continued, White grew tired of questions about the boxing YouTuber.

“He’s also telling reporters not to talk about me because he doesn’t want my fights to be big,” Paul said. “He wants to be the only cash cow in town. He wants to run the fight game and I’m a threat to him being able to do that.”

Earlier this year, when White was more accepting of questions about Paul, he advised him to leave his business partner Nakisa Bidarian, who was a former accountant for the UFC.

With everything Paul claims he has been through, he says he has found motivation in the attention from White.

“There’s been some big fires, but I can’t really talk about it,” Paul said. “I’m sure it’ll – the truth always comes out. … What he doesn’t realize is he’s just adding fuel to the fire. But he’s trying to do anything he can to stop me, but it is cool that I am so on his radar that he feels threatened enough to care this much to try and sabotage my event.”

For complete coverage of the card, check out MMA Junkie’s event page for Paul vs. Silva.

Gallery

Photos: Jake Paul vs. Anderson Silva open workouts in Phoenix

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Kadarius Toney trade grades: Giants move on from former first-round pick; Chiefs take worthy gamble on wideout - CBS Sports

USATSI

Just one year -- and 12 game appearances -- into his Giants career, Kadarius Toney is headed elsewhere. Drafted No. 20 overall by New York in 2021, the former Florida wide receiver has been acquired by the Chiefs, as first reported by theScore and confirmed by CBS Sports NFL insider Jonathan Jones.

Toney, 23, struggled to stay on the field in his short-lived Giants career, but is now set to catch passes from Patrick Mahomes in Kansas City, relocating in exchange for 2023 third- and sixth-round draft picks, the former being a compensatory selection.

The move comes five days ahead of the Nov. 1 trade deadline, and one day after the Giants' NFC East rival Eagles landed pass rusher Robert Quinn from the Bears. Toney has been sidelined recently with a hamstring injury, so his status for the Chiefs' upcoming Week 9 matchup is unclear. Kansas City is on a bye this week.

A multipurpose offensive weapon coming out of college, Toney flashed big-play ability as a rookie, most notably during a 10-catch, 189-yard breakout against the Cowboys -- a game from which he was ultimately ejected for throwing a punch. But he was limited to 12 games in 2021 due to an oblique injury and multiple stints on COVID reserve. This season, despite a glaring lack of competition at wide receiver under new coach Brian Daboll, he remained in the background, totaling four touches in the Giants' first two games before hamstring issues sidelined him indefinitely.

The Chiefs invested in veteran wideouts after dealing star No. 1 Tyreek Hill to the Dolphins, and both additions -- JuJu Smith-Schuster and Marquez Valdes-Scantling -- have made recent contributions in their passing game. But Mahomes has leaned mostly on tight end Travis Kelce this year, leading to speculation Kansas City might pursue WR help ahead of the trade deadline. The Chiefs will control Toney's rights through at least the 2024 season, and possibly through 2025, thanks to the receiver's rookie contract. 

Let's break down the trade between the Giants and Chiefs and hand out grades.

Kansas City receives: 

• Kadarius Toney

New York receives:

• 2023 third-round pick (compensatory selection)
• 2023 sixth-round pick 

Trade grades

Chiefs: This is the definition of a boom-or-bust bet from the Chiefs, but if anyone's positioned to get the better end of the bargain, it's the team employing Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes, no? Toney can't be considered a reliable prospect at this point, missing extensive time in each of his first two NFL seasons. But imagine if his speed and shiftiness can be rediscovered for games at a time; you could be looking at a difference-making weapon for a title contender. Better yet, Toney wouldn't have to be the No. 1 everyone needed him to be in New York, as he's best suited to complement the tough possession targets (Travis Kelce, JuJu Smith-Schuster) and downfield threats (Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Mecole Hardman) already on their roster. Grade: B

Giants: New York, it seems, was destined to part ways anyway, failing to secure Toney's buy-in despite new coach Brian Daboll engineering a turnaround. So getting a Day 2 pick for an apparent lost cause isn't necessarily bad. It may even end up a steal, if Toney remains a frequent absentee. Still, it's hard to celebrate auctioning off a top-20 pick just 1.5 seasons in, no matter who's most at fault for the failed partnership. New York still has a dire need at the position, and now it's guaranteed not to see the full potential of a recent premium investment. Grade: C+

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World Series 2022: Ranking all 52 Phillies, Astros players - ESPN

7:00 AM ET

The Houston Astros haven't yet lost a game in the playoffs, so it's no surprise that they're sizable favorites to win the World Series over the Philadelphia Phillies. One big reason, though, is how loaded they are with top-shelf, battle-tested talent, as evidenced by the first tier of this ranking of players in the World Series.

This isn't a straight ranking of regular season WAR -- it's about how these players will be used in this series. I'm ranking these players based on how good they are right now, using the role that they will likely play this week as a tiebreaker. For instance, I slightly prefer Aaron Nola to Zack Wheeler (as I did before the playoffs started, when my sources indicated a toss-up), and since Nola is starting Game 1 and thus could appear three times, he gets the slight nod. (Due to my tie-breaker rule, Wheeler would have slid ahead if he were the Game 1 starter.) Nick Castellanos has had a disastrous 2022 on all fronts but will probably start every game for Philly, so he'll slide ahead of some players who had better seasons but will only be used as defensive replacements.

The toughest part of this (and something that will split fans and analysts) is balancing season-long performance with how a player is performing in the past few weeks. The analytical types will say the hot hand should carry little weight; fans will say "but this guy is red hot!" The answer is somewhere between the two, but, to be clear, it's hardly a science.

Potential Difference Makers (11: 7 Astros, 4 Phillies)

1. Bryce Harper, DH, Phillies
The bad news first: Harper's overall value is a bit lower than normal due to the elbow injury that has kept him at designated hitter because he can't throw. He missed time this season with a hand injury and underperformed his underlying stats while also being a bit worse than last year.

And now the good: The talent of last year's National League MVP has never been in question. He's statistically better in the playoffs than the regular season, he's on a heater right now with a 1.351 OPS this postseason, and he hit one of the more cinematic homers in recent memory (especially when scored by the best baseball movie of all-time).

Sure, you could argue he should slot somewhere else in this top tier and that would be fine -- but I'll round up on vibes when given the chance.

2 Related

2. Yordan Alvarez, DH, Astros
I can feel my former front office brethren cringing as I slot two DHs atop this list, but hear me out. Alvarez was the second-best player in the batter's box this year behind Aaron Judge and the underlying numbers (xwOBA in this case) suggest Alvarez was Judge's equal on a per plate appearance basis: Judge's .463 just barely edged Alvarez's .462. The third-best player was all the way down at .403. Alvarez also has been good in the playoffs (.889 OPS) -- Judge (.490 OPS) *ahem* was not.

Yes, a starter like Justin Verlander or Nola could make three starts if the series goes seven, but starters often can't deliver three times if that happens. They'd be on short rest and will often get pulled early even if they are performing well. If Harper wasn't the prospect prince that was promised on a crazy hot streak with a recent iconic moment, Alvarez would be an easy number one here.

3. Alex Bregman, 3B, Astros
Bregman posted another ho-hum five-win season and is making his sixth straight playoff appearance. He's been better than Alvarez in the small sample this fall (.975 OPS) but the notable difference this season is that Bregman's contact rate has improved two years in a row, including a crazy low 6% strikeout rate in seven postseason games -- that's a stat that many think is the key to consistent postseason performance.

4. J.T. Realmuto, C, Phillies
Realmuto has long been considered the most athletic catcher in baseball and also one of the better hitting catchers in baseball. Somewhat under the radar, he's progressed from a terrible pitch framer to a solid average one, and maybe a little less under the radar, he has one of the best arms and best exchanges amongst catchers which gives him the best pop times to second base in the league (and by a good margin).

5. Justin Verlander, RHP, Astros
As I covered in the postseason ace rankings, Verlander's 2022 regular season was incredible and deserves a lot more attention. He could really put a cherry on top of a Hall of Fame career and an exclamation point on his pending free agency with two or three strong starts in this series.

6. Aaron Nola, RHP, Phillies
7. Zack Wheeler, RHP, Phillies
Wheeler and Nola are very close to overall talent and not that far from Verlander. There's a zillion ways to evaluate a pitcher's season but a major one (FanGraphs' WAR) had Nola first in baseball and Verlander third, with Wheeler just behind them due in large part to missing six starts late in the season because of forearm tendonitis. Wheeler does throw three ticks harder than Nola, which can be an important variable in the difference between regular season and playoff baseball, but Nola gets the ball in Game 1 and I think he's just a hair better.

8. Jose Altuve, 2B, Astros
Similar to Bregman, Altuve recorded another ho-hum six-win season -- the oft-booed second baseman is now quietly within a couple similar seasons of a Hall of Fame-caliber résumé. He slid toward the back of this elite group as he's been pretty bad in the playoffs thus far (.296 OPS) and while that's a small sample that may not mean much, strikeout and walk rates stabilize most quickly in small samples and they are notably worse than the regular season.

(It's worth noting that this top tier is a deep group of role-7 and role-8 players who are posting 5-plus win seasons annually and I'm trying to guess who will be best in the next week or so, so shuffling some names around is a series of coin flips.)

9. Framber Valdez, LHP, Astros
Valdez still doesn't feel like a household name, but he's just a notch behind the three name-brand starters listed above. He has an elite 93-95 mph sinker, an elite curveball, and an elite ability to work his way deep into games. He's been dealing in his two playoff starts, but the risk remains that letting the ball be put in play could lead to a pitch or two ruining an otherwise good start.

10. Jeremy Pena, SS, Astros
I'm still a little worried that he swings too much and his swing decisions aren't good enough but 1) Pena has been making that work all year at the plate, 2) he's been scorching-hot in the postseason and 3) he's an elite defender and runner that brings value in other ways.

11. Kyle Tucker, RF, Astros
Tucker has long been a personal favorite of mine, dating back to his high school underclass days. He's delivered on that amateur promise with back-to-back 4.8 WAR seasons. He kept it up in last year's playoffs, but this season, like Altuve, has a ballooning strikeout rate, so he slides to the back of this tier.

Very Good Players (7: 4 HOU, 3 PHI)

12. Kyle Schwarber, LF, Phillies
In an ideal world, Schwarber is DHing for the Phillies and Harper is playing in the outfield, but there's no way you take this bat out of the lineup. So Philly fans just cross their fingers while he stands in left field.

13. Lance McCullers Jr., RHP, Astros
McCullers will never be a regular-season workhorse but his bananas raw stuff, ability to pitch in any role and intense demeanor seem perfectly suited to the modern playoffs.

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14. Ryan Pressly, RHP, Astros
The ace reliever is the biggest example of a player whose value is enhanced the most by a long playoff series. Pressly is the best reliever in this series and there's fewer than 10 relievers in baseball I'd rather have than him here.

15. Cristian Javier, RHP, Astros
Javier snuck onto the end of the playoff ace rankings due to his scorching-hot finish to the regular season and sterling peripherals. He's a very strong fourth starter for Houston, but might also be used in a few roles in a long series, especially if they go back to Verlander on short rest.

16. Chas McCormick, CF, Astros
McCormick has already surpassed his prospect projections of being a solid fourth outfielder. He's now an elite defender with real speed, some pop and a good enough approach.

17. Rhys Hoskins, 1B, Phillies
Hoskins doesn't offer much in the way of speed, defense, positional value or batting average, but he's patient -- and he hits bombs.

18. Ranger Suarez, LHP, Phillies
Suarez's prospect projections were long reliever or back-end starter and he's already been a bit better than that the last few years. As a sinker-balling lefty starter, he's a lower rent version of Valdez.

Solid Players (11: 7 PHI, 4 HOU)

19. Bryson Stott, SS, Phillies
Stott is a rookie and has been good-not-great at the plate, but the selling point has always been that he's average-to-above at everything, rather than best-in-the-league at one thing.

20. Seranthony Dominguez, RHP, Phillies
The best Phillies reliever is fastball-heavy (70%) with his sinker, which is one of the top ten in the game, though he also throws a cutter and slider. He's been excellent in the playoffs and might be used often in a long series.

21. Jean Segura, 2B, Phillies
A steady veteran middle infielder -- a hit-first type, but well-rounded.

22. Brandon Marsh, CF, Phillies
Marsh was a football player in high school until a strong spring made him a real prospect headlined by plus athleticism, speed, defense and arm strength. That's still largely what he is, as the offensive approach hasn't clicked yet, but that's a solid low-end starter.

23. Luis Garcia, RHP, Astros
Garcia is a solid third/fourth starter in terms of skill level across the whole league, but he's the fifth-best starter on the Astros and thus is the long relief solution for when things go wrong.

24. Zach Eflin, RHP, Phillies
Eflin is a solid starter who's transitioned into a solid reliever in the playoffs and can play multiple roles based on what's needed.

25. Bryan Abreu, RHP, Astros
Abreu has below average command but sits 96-98 mph and has one of the top 15 sliders in the sport. He throws 54% breaking balls and that's probably smart for him as they are his best pitches.

26. Jose Alvarado, LHP, Phillies
Alvarado is a human manifestation of the fire emoji: He sits 99.6 mph with his heater and throws a slider that averages 93.8 mph, throwing those two pitches a combined 99% of the time.

27. Alec Bohm, 3B, Phillies
Bohm gave glimpses of a Kris Bryant-type in college but has instead leaned into contact in pro ball. He's still a below average defender at the hot corner, so he could be lifted for a defensive replacement late in some games.

28. Yuli Gurriel, 1B, Astros
Like Castellanos (below), he had a really down regular season but has been hot in the playoffs, so maybe he's back on track?

29. Rafael Montero, RHP, Astros
He's been surprisingly excellent in a bulk relief role, backed by a heavily used fastball with steadily rising velocity that is now up to 96.5 mph on average.

Role Players (23: 12 PHI, 11 HOU)

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30. Hunter Brown, RHP, Astros
The Top 100 prospect made his big league debut this year and his command is still below average, but he has three plus pitches, headlined by a plus-plus curveball.

31. Trey Mancini, DH, Astros
Offers little in terms of speed or defense but does have some righty thump for situations that call for it.

32. Hector Neris, RHP, Astros
Longtime former Phillies righty throws almost exclusively a mid-90's heater and mid-80's splitter and really makes it work.

33. Nick Castellanos, RF, Phillies
He's in the first year of a $100 million deal, he's 30 and he's been terrible the whole year (-0.7 WAR and he was actually a bit lucky at the plate). That said, he's going to play and he's the type that could catch fire at any time (especially if solemn news is being delivered in the booth).

34. Noah Syndergaard, RHP, Phillies
Scouts keep insisting that "Thor" will age quickly given how he pitched and his injuries. He's now a somewhat ordinary starter that may get squeezed into the bullpen for this series.

35. Edmundo Sosa, UT, Phillies
Sosa is the righty-hitting, contact-oriented, can-play-anywhere utility guy that basically every team has (and needs!)

36. Martin Maldonado, C, Astros
The primary catcher for the Astros, but he's a lesser hitter than Vazquez, so it's arm strength and intangibles like game-calling winning out.

37. David Robertson, RHP, Phillies
He only throws a cutter, slider and curveball. And he's 37! But it's still working.

38. Christian Vazquez, C, Astros
A deadline acquisition who has played less than Maldonado in a timeshare, Vazquez is the better hitter of the two.

39. Ryne Stanek, RHP, Astros
Veteran righty sits in the upper-90's but has always had below average command. He gets squeezed out of regular usage by the deep Houston pen.

40. Matt Vierling, CF, Phillies
Vierling has a bag of above-average tools (speed, arm, raw power), but his jumps in the outfield are just okay and he doesn't walk much.

41. Aledmys Diaz, UT, Astros
Veteran utilityman can passably play in a lot of spots and be the right-handed part of a platoon.

42. Connor Brogdon, RHP, Phillies
The 6-foot-6 righty sits in the mid-90's but throws his changeup (43%) more than his fastball (32%).

43. Andrew Bellatti, RHP, Phillies
Slider-heavy middle reliever also has a mid-90's fastball and has been good in five playoff appearances.

44. Kyle Gibson, RHP, Phillies
He's always been a low-90's, pitch-to-contact type starter, and that type always becomes a long reliever in a playoff series.

45. Jose Urquidy, RHP, Astros
Another solid backend starter squeezed out of a role in the playoffs. He hasn't appeared yet, but he'll be needed in a long series.

46. Garrett Stubbs, C, Phillies
Stubbs, a former Astro, is an athletic backup catcher who can move around the diamond if needed.

47. Mauricio Dubon, UT, Astros
Dubon is a versatile, sure-handed utility type that can make contact but doesn't have much pop.

The Phillies are headed to the World Series! Check out all our coverage from their unlikely journey to the Fall Classic.

Phils win NLCS &#187 | Inside Harper's big night &#187

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48. Brad Hand, LHP, Phillies
Veteran lefty outperformed mediocre peripherals this season and has been passed by Alvarado as the top lefty in the Phils pen.

49. David Hensley, DH, Astros
Hensley is a late-blooming, plus-power-and-patience type who could be dangerous as a pinch hitter.

50. Seth Martinez, RHP, Astros
Martinez is a somewhat generic fastball-slider reliever that sits 90-93 mph; his slider is his best pitch.

51. Bailey Falter, LHP, Phillies
Falter is a crafty, fastball-reliant lefty swing man who doesn't throw that hard but gets by due to extension, funk and angle.

52. Dalton Guthrie, UT, Phillies
I've been scouting Guthrie since he was back in high school -- he's always been a solid hit-first utility type.

As I mentioned above, the Astros are favorites because of their recent history, scorching-hot start to this postseason and edge in elite talent, winning the top tier battle here seven-to-four. Beyond that, the Astros' top reliever (Pressly) is better than the Phillies top reliever (Dominguez), and Houston is also better in leftover starting pitchers who can fill multiple roles -- and both of those superiorities could become key in a long series when the one-inning middle relievers are spent and starters are mostly five-and-dive.

Reasonable tiebreakers would be regular season performance (the Astros had the second-best record in baseball behind the Dodgers, 19 games ahead of Philly) and playoff experience (Astros also have a big edge) -- so you can see why the Astros are seen as clear favorites. All that said, these teams are both playing well and baseball is much more of a team game than football or basketball, so this is far from a sure thing -- particularly if there's an injury, a couple underperformers or some luck in one direction or another. And let's be honest -- I think Philly fans prefer being underdogs, anyway.

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World Series 2022: Ranking all 52 Phillies, Astros players - ESPN
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Thursday Night Football: Let's not forget, the Tom Brady story is still incredible - Yahoo Sports

One of the main storylines from "Thursday Night Football" this week will be Tom Brady's decline, and how far he has slipped at age 45.

In a different space, we'd be celebrating a 45-year-old quarterback who is playing at Brady's level. It has never happened before, or even close. The problem is that 44-year-old Brady set the bar too high.

Brady's season and the struggles of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will be a big focus of the Amazon Prime Video broadcast when the Bucs take on the Baltimore Ravens. Tampa Bay is coming off back-to-back losses against the Pittsburgh Steelers and Carolina Panthers, who are 2-10 against the rest of the NFL. Brady and the Bucs were shut out for three quarters last week, then got a field goal in the 21-3 loss to Carolina. The Buccaneers are in danger of losing for the fifth time in six games, which Greg Auman of The Athletic said has never happened to Brady in his long career.

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Brady hasn't been bad. Far from it. But he's not playing at an MVP level this season, and everyone has noticed.

Tom Brady is one of a kind

Let's forget that Brady was the greatest 44-year-old quarterback by a mile. And the best ever, at least by passer rating, at age 40, 41, 42 and 43 too. He's the best at 45 basically by default. Almost nobody else has even really lasted this long.

Here's the entire list of quarterbacks who attempted a pass at age 45 or older, before Brady:

George Blanda: 7-of-22 for 116 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT over four seasons.

That's it. Blanda never started a game after age 41. What Brady is doing this season isn't simply unprecedented. It's so far ahead of anything that has happened since the NFL started in 1920 that it's unfathomable. At some point, that should be a big part of what we remember from Brady's 2022 season.

But not yet. Now the story is that Brady isn't playing up to his normal standard. That's not fair, because Brady is being compared to his own greatness. Last season he led the NFL in passing yards and touchdowns and finished second in the NFL MVP voting. Looking back, he probably should have won the award over Aaron Rodgers.

He won't win an MVP award this season. A dip in play — though not to a below-average level — and all the other circumstances surrounding Brady's odd 2022, make it seem like the sky is falling.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady and his team are off to a 3-4 start this season. (Winslow Townson/AP Images for Panini)

Most other QBs faded in their 30s

We have seen great quarterbacks, usually in their late 30s, hit a wall hard. Ben Roethlisberger the past two seasons is a good example. Peyton Manning in 2015 is an obvious example, though the football gods smiled on him and sent him out with a Super Bowl ring, thanks to a great Denver Broncos defense. We've seen the expiration date hit other quarterbacks, and they suddenly fall apart.

Brady isn't close to the wheels falling off. He has been pretty good. In seven games he has 1,942 yards, eight touchdowns and one interception. His passer rating of 92.8 is tied for ninth among passers with at least 100 attempts. Brady is the sixth-best quarterback this season in Pro Football Focus' grades. His numbers are down across the board from last season, aside from his interception rate, but we have to remember he was pretty amazing last season. He has been a good-not-great NFL quarterback this season and again, that's absolutely unbelievable for a 45-year-old. Consider this stat:

Brady touchdown passes after his 45th birthday: 8

Combined completions for every other QB after their 45th birthday: 7

You'll hear a lot about Brady's rocky season. It included a 40-day retirement, a much-publicized rift with his wife and criticism for taking a leave during training camp and being excused from a walkthrough practice to attend Patriots team owner Robert Kraft's surprise wedding earlier this month. It also has included a 3-4 record for the Buccaneers with some shocking losses in which the offense does close to nothing.

However, it's still historic. There needs to be some perspective on Thursday night and the rest of the season. Brady is still a heck of a story, even if he's not quite as great as he was for two decades.

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Texas A&M football suspends three players indefinitely after locker room incident, per reports - USA TODAY

Bengals QB Joe Burrow, Giants QB Daniel Jones among Players of the Week - NFL.com

Joe Burrow was slinging it on Sunday, putting up phenomenal passing numbers, while Daniel Jones was a dazzling dual threat.

Burrow and Jones were lauded for their efforts Wednesday when the NFL Players of the Week were unveiled.

Burrow captained the Cincinnati Bengals to a 35-17 win over the Atlanta Falcons and earned AFC Offensive Player of the Week honors in the process. Completing 81% of his passes (34 of 42), Burrow posted 481 yards passing and three touchdowns with no interceptions and a 138.2 rating. He added a rushing score, as well.

Jones was dangerous through the air and on the ground Sunday, leading his New York Giants to a 23-17 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars and garnering NFC Offensive Player of the Week for his efforts. Jones completed 19 of 30 passes for 202 yards and a touchdown, and added 107 yards and a touchdown on 11 rushes.

New York didn't have just one award winner. New York Jets rookie cornerback Sauce Gardner hauled in AFC Defensive Player of the Week. Gardner led a stupendous Gang Green defensive effort in his squad's 16-9 win over the Denver Broncos on Sunday, tallying 10 tackles and three pass breakups.

During a 22-point run on Thursday night, Arizona Cardinals cornerback Marco Wilson's 38-yard interception return for a touchdown might well have been the biggest score of them all in his team's 42-34 victory. Wilson leaped into the end zone to give Arizona a 20-14 lead, and the Cards never looked back. Wilson tallied three tackles and two pass breakups in addition to his INT score to earn NFC Defensive Player of the Week.

In a crucial divisional win, the Tennessee Titans defeated their AFC South rivals, the Indianapolis Colts, on Sunday, 19-10. Titans kicker Randy Bullock scored 13 of his team's points and has been recognized as AFC Special Teams Player of the Week. Bullock was a perfect 4 for 4 on field goals, good from 27, 28, 38 and 48 yards, to go with an extra point.

Week 7 concluded with the Chicago Bears trouncing the New England Patriots, 33-14, and NFC Special Teams Player of the Week Cairo Santos played a major part in the victory. The Bears kicker was perfect on all seven of his kicks, making three point-after attempts and four field goals, which included makes from 22, 38, 42 and 50 yards. Santos has converted all 11 of his field goal attempts this season and has hit on 17 in a row dating back to last year.

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Bengals QB Joe Burrow, Giants QB Daniel Jones among Players of the Week - NFL.com
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Fantasy Football Rankings for Week 8, 2022: Model says start Travis Etienne, sit Aaron Jones - CBS Sports

USATSI

Christian McCaffrey's return to the Bay Area as a member of the San Francisco 49ers was a forgettable one from a Fantasy perspective. Following his trade from Carolina, he logged 10 total touches against the Kansas City Chiefs and finished with 38 rushing yards, 24 receiving yards and no touchdowns. Prior to the season, McCaffery was a certain top-five Fantasy pick, but where does he belong in the Week 8 Fantasy football rankings?

The 49ers move on to a big matchup against the Los Angeles Rams, and while San Francisco has had their number in recent years, the Rams are coming out of a bye and the 49ers are coming off of back-to-back losses. McCaffrey already played Los Angeles once this season and finished with 69 yards on the ground and 89 through the air, but what will he do for an encore, and should he be among your Fantasy football picks? Before you lock in your lineups, be sure to check out the Week 8 Fantasy football rankings from the advanced computer model at SportsLine.

When it comes to ranking players, SportsLine's model beat human experts in Fantasy football for the past several seasons especially when there were big differences in ranking. Over the course of a season, that could literally be the difference between winning your league or going home empty-handed.

Last week, the model was extremely high on Seahawks RB Kenneth Walker III, saying he'd finish as a top-five player at his position. The result: Walker recorded 23 carries for 168 yards and two touchdowns in Sunday's win over the Chargers. Anybody who had him in their lineup was well on their way to a huge week.

Now, the model, which simulates every NFL game 10,000 times, has revealed its Fantasy football rankings for Week 8 of the 2022 NFL season. Head to SportsLine now to see them.

Top Week 8 Fantasy football picks  

One player the model is high on this week: Jaguars running back Travis Etienne. The writing was on the wall for James Robinson after he finished last week's loss against the New York Giants without a single carry. Meanwhile, Etienne got the majority of the workload and had 14 carries for 114 yards and a touchdown.

Following the game, the Jaguars traded Robinson to the New York Jets in the wake of rookie running back Breece Hall's ACL tear. Jacksonville takes on that same Denver team in London on Sunday morning, and the Broncos' defense has given up 546 rushing yards to opponents over the last four weeks. Without a timeshare to worry about in the Jags' backfield, Etienne is a clear top-15 running back in SportsLine's Week 8 Fantasy football RB rankings. See who else to target here.

And a massive shocker: Packers running back Aaron Jones, who finished with over 75 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns last week, stumbles big-time and doesn't even crack the top 20 at his position. Jones rushed eight times for just 23 yards in Sunday's loss against the Commanders but brought in nine of 10 targets for 53 yards and two scores.

The Packers are struggling offensively, averaging just 18.3 points per game this season. Plus, Jones and the Packers will square off against the Buffalo Bills, a defense that's giving up just 281.5 yards per game this season, which ranks first in the NFL. With one of the toughest NFL matchups, Jones is a player to consider putting on the bench in Week 8. See who else to fade here.

How to set Week 8 Fantasy football rankings

The model is also calling for a surprising quarterback you aren't even thinking about to finish in the top 10 of its Week 8 Fantasy football rankings. This pick could be the difference between winning big and going home with nothing. You can only see who it is here.

So who should you start and sit this week? And which surprising quarterback could lead you to victory? Visit SportsLine now to get Week 8 Fantasy football rankings for every position, plus see which QB is going to come out of nowhere to crack the top 10, all from the model that has outperformed experts big-time.

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Klay Thompson Ejected, Taunts Suns After Words With Devin Booker (Video) - Sports Illustrated

It’s early in the NBA season, but Warriors shooting guard Klay Thompson did something during Tuesday night’s game against the Suns that he had never done in his NBA career: He got ejected.

The 32-year-old received two technical fouls in quick succession after getting into an argument with Phoenix’s Devin Booker. After the first technical, Thompson kept jawing from across the floor, needing to be restrained by Warriors personnel. He eventually turned his verbal sparring toward referee Ed Malloy, who issued Thompson his second technical that sent him to the locker room.

On his way there, Thompson continued his outburst, yelling and gesturing toward the Suns’ bench.

Tuesday was Thompson’s 651st career regular season game, so it’s an impressive streak that came to an end. The ejection was a fitting end to an overall frustrating night for the five-time All-Star, who finished shooting just 1-for-8 from the floor with two points and two assists.

It’s been a slow start to the season for Thompson so far. Through four games played, he’s shooting 35.6% from the field and just 28.6% on three-point attempts.

More NBA Coverage:

For more Golden State Warriors coverage, go to Inside The Warriors. 

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Week 8 NFL Power Rankings: Seahawks and Cowboys Making Moves in the NFC - The Ringer

After the undefeated Eagles, the NFC’s hierarchy is a mess, but that leaves room for new teams to move into the top 15. Who else is rising and which teams are falling? Here are our new rankings.

Getty Images/Ringer illustration

While the Kansas City Chiefs put on a dominant display against the San Francisco 49ers last week, it wasn’t enough to knock the idle Buffalo Bills and Philadelphia Eagles from the top two spots in our power rankings heading into Week 8. But just because there’s no change at the very top doesn’t mean there isn’t movement, and the rest of the NFL continues to fluctuate week to week. The Dallas Cowboys, Seattle Seahawks, and Las Vegas Raiders all jumped up at least four spots this week, while the Green Bay Packers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers continue a slow and steady descent to the depths of mediocrity.

The Best of the Best

1. Buffalo Bills (5-1, last week’s ranking: 1)

Much has been made of Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs dominating the 49ers in Week 7 and laying claim to the top offense in the NFL, but none of that changes the Bills’ no. 1 ranking on this list as they return from their bye. Josh Allen is still the favorite to win MVP and Buffalo is still the favorite to win the Super Bowl, and rightfully so on both counts.

2. Philadelphia Eagles (6-0, last week: 2)

Like Buffalo, nothing changed for the Eagles during the bye week, and their status as the NFC’s top team remains secure. They’re a clear betting favorite to win the conference, at +200; no other team has better odds than +650, according to FanDuel. While Jalen Hurts hasn’t been perfect in recent weeks, he doesn’t have to be with how complementary the team is playing on both sides of the ball.

3. Kansas City Chiefs (5-2, last week: 3)

The Chiefs entered their Week 7 matchup against the 49ers and DeMeco Ryans’s top-ranked defense with the league lead in offensive expected points added (EPA) per drive (1.14). Then they hung 44 points on the Niners on the road and improved that figure to 1.38, putting an even larger gap between themselves and other NFL offenses. Mahomes’s EPA per dropback when kept clean is 0.59, which is 0.20 points better than any other quarterback in the NFL.

Deep Postseason Contenders

4. Baltimore Ravens (4-3, last week: 5)

The Ravens have led by double digits in every game this season, including their Week 7 win over the Browns, but they’ve been a mess in late-game situations. It nearly happened again Sunday with a fourth-quarter Justice Hill fumble. This time the Ravens survived, and while they’ve proven they can put up points and get out to leads early, the first- and second-half splits remain a significant concern.

Baltimore is tied for third in first-half point differential (45) but just 24th in the second half (-25). Lamar Jackson’s EPA per dropback average drops from seventh in the league in the first half (0.20) to 29th in the second half (-0.22). Opposing teams are adjusting to slow down Jackson and the offense in the second halves of games, turning two-score blowouts into nail-biters every single week. The result has been just two wins with two-score leads and three too many one-score losses.

5. Minnesota Vikings (5-1, last week: 4)

With Green Bay losing again in Week 7 while Minnesota was on bye, the Vikings’ odds to win the NFC North shifted from -290 to -550, according to FanDuel. Do I have any increased trust in Kirk Cousins being the guy in a prime time spot? No. But the road to the playoffs is getting easier.

6. Cincinnati Bengals (4-3, last week: 7)

The Bengals offense is evolving: They are now running the ball less on early downs and pivoting to a shotgun-heavy, light personnel offense, and it’s working. After dropping two straight against the Steelers and Cowboys to start the season, Cincinnati ranks third in offensive EPA per drive (0.82) and second in EPA per dropback (0.27) since Week 3. No quarterback has been more efficient over the last two weeks than Joe Burrow, and his top-flight receiving corps is finally living up to the hype, as Tyler Boyd (155) and Ja’Marr Chase (130) finished Week 7 first and second in total receiving yards. This is a Bengals offense fit for a return to the postseason.

7. Miami Dolphins (4-3, last week: 8)

Tua Tagovailoa’s return to the starting lineup was hot and cold. He still managed to finish the week 12th in EPA per dropback (0.08) after Miami’s Sunday night win over the Steelers, but was saved by multiple dropped interceptions that could have swung the game the other way. His confidence and overall command of the offense didn’t skip a beat, however—a good sign that he and Mike McDaniel will be able to correct mistakes moving forward and return to the type of offense we saw in September, when they led the NFL in offensive EPA per drive (1.14) through the first three weeks.

8. Dallas Cowboys (5-2, last week: 12)

Dak Prescott answered plenty of questions on Sunday in his return from the thumb injury he suffered in Week 1, completing 19 of 25 passes for 207 yards and a touchdown. He finished the week ranked sixth among QBs in EPA per dropback (0.14) and fifth in completion percentage (76 percent). Notably, he showed accuracy and touch on multiple downfield throws and improved as the game progressed, completing 10 of 11 throws for 103 yards and a touchdown in the second half. With a healthy Prescott under center and a defense that ranks second in yards per play allowed (4.70), Dallas could be primed for a deep postseason run in an NFC bereft of consistency.

Flawed Postseason Contenders

9. New York Giants (6-1, last week: 10)

It isn’t pretty, but it doesn’t have to be. Every single one of the Giants’ wins this season has been by eight points or less, and the team ranks 24th in point differential in the first three quarters of games at -16. They’ve led going into the fourth quarter just once in seven games. But the Giants keep finding ways to turn it on in the final 15 minutes; only the Jets have a higher point differential than the G-Men (36) in the fourth quarter.

Daniel Jones is at the center of a lot of the Giants’ success, as he ranks 12th in EPA per dropback this season (0.06) and fourth in just the last four weeks (0.26). But Saquon Barkley, who is the favorite to win Comeback Player of the Year (-200) and the league’s second-leading rusher behind Nick Chubb entering Week 8, is also playing like a man possessed. According to Pro Football Focus, Barkley ranks seventh in yards after contact per attempt (3.40) and forced missed tackles (24). He also ranks third in total runs of 10-plus yards (17) behind Chubb and Josh Jacobs.

10. Los Angeles Chargers (4-3, last week: 6)

Joe Lombardi’s offense is failing to create open throws downfield for Justin Herbert. Brandon Staley’s defense still can’t stop the run. Cornerback J.C. Jackson suffered a season-ending injury against Seattle, and top wideout Mike Williams is expected to miss “weeks” with an ankle injury. Yet the Chargers are still 4-3 and priced at -150 to make the playoffs through Sunday’s games, per FanDuel.

Lombardi, Staley, Herbert, everyone else involved needs to perform better if they’re going to live up to the preseason hype, and some of the errors are fixable. Herbert is a top-10 quarterback in EPA per attempt on throws of 10 or more air yards; Lombardi and the offense needs to get more creative, specifically on early downs. No offense has played more third downs than the Chargers through Week 7 (106), and Herbert’s average depth of target on early downs is the lowest in the league (5.17).

11. San Francisco 49ers (3-4, last week: 11)

As good as DeMeco Ryans and the 49ers’ defense has been all season, this league is run by the top quarterbacks—Jimmy Garoppolo is not among them. He lost a fumble on a strip-sack, took a safety, and threw one of the worst red-zone interceptions of the season, all before being benched for Brock Purdy in garbage time against Kansas City. The 49ers are still the favorites to win the NFC West (+130) and currently priced at -180 to make the playoffs, according to FanDuel, but Jimmy G represents a hard ceiling on the offense and therefore the team’s potential postseason success.

12. Los Angeles Rams (3-3, last week: 13)

Los Angeles’ offense has been one of the five least efficient offenses in the NFL to start the season, but the pieces are still in place for Sean McVay, Matthew Stafford and Cooper Kupp to turn things around after the bye. An extra week to get healthy and prepare for their Week 8 matchup with the 49ers gives the Rams a significant edge as the team sits second in the NFC West behind the Seahawks at 3-3.

13. New York Jets (5-2, last week: 16)

Among the seven teams with five or more wins this season, the Jets have the worst odds to make the playoffs (+144), according to FanDuel. The team with the second-worst odds is the Giants at -270. That price is largely because the Jets play in one of the toughest divisions in the NFL with a runaway favorite to win (Bills), but season-ending injuries to RB Breece Hall and guard Alijah Vera-Tucker are also contributing factors. All of that combined with inefficient quarterback play casts doubt over the Jets’ postseason aspirations in 2022.

Zach Wilson has had highlight-reel flashes in his four starts this season, but the down-to-down consistency is worrisome. Only Carson Wentz has a lower EPA per dropback than Wilson (-0.16) since Week 4, and Wilson’s 57.4 completion percentage is the second-lowest—just ahead of Cooper Rush.

14. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-4, last week: 9)

The Buccaneers offense is in absolute shambles. After finishing the 2021 regular season third in offensive EPA per drive (0.63), Tampa Bay ranks 23rd in the same statistic in 2022. The team is also tied for just 25th in total points scored (124).

Offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich is under fire every single week because Tom Brady doesn’t look like Tom Brady and the offense just isn’t scoring points. But conservative play calling isn’t the issue. Leftwich and Brady just can’t find consistent success on third downs and in the red zone, and the run game is nonexistent. Tampa Bay ranks 26th in third-down conversion percentage (35.1 percent) and is tied for 27th in touchdown percentage in the red zone (47.4 percent). And no team ranks lower in yards per rush (3.05) and EPA per rush (-0.19).

On the Bubble

15. Seattle Seahawks (4-3, last week: 20)

Geno Smith is at the helm of the most electric offense in football right now. No team has a higher explosive play rate than the Seahawks (14.5 percent) entering Week 8. Smith is the league leader in EPA per attempt on throws of 15-plus air yards (1.09), and the rushing attack is tied for second in total runs of 15-plus yards (17). Seattle can beat anybody—even with one of the league’s worst defenses—if Smith and Co. continue to light up the scoreboard with reckless abandon.

16. Green Bay Packers (3-4, last week: 14)

Both of these things can be true: Aaron Rodgers’s supporting cast, including coach Matt LaFleur, isn’t performing at its best right now, and neither is Rodgers himself. Rodgers’s EPA per attempt (0.08) and yards per attempt average (7.30) on throws made beyond the line of scrimmage are his lowest since 2015. The only qualifying quarterbacks ranked lower in EPA per dropback through seven weeks are Carson Wentz, Joe Flacco, Davis Mills, Mitchell Trubisky and Baker Mayfield—not the sort of company Rodgers is used to keeping. In a league where Daniel Jones is one of the most efficient passers with a practice squad receiving corps, there are no excuses for Rodgers. He has to play better for Green Bay to bounce back from its three-game losing streak to make the playoffs.

17. Tennessee Titans (4-2, last week: 21)

After back-to-back losses to start the season, the Titans have won four straight—including a sweep of the Colts—and now sit atop the AFC South at 4-2. The offense ranks just 18th in offensive EPA per drive (-0.13) in that five-week stretch (including their Week 6 bye), and the defense ranks 21st in yards per play allowed (5.75), but the Titans are winning because they’ve found success in critical areas like third downs and the red zone. Since Week 3, the Titans offense ranks first in touchdown percentage in the red zone (81.8 percent), while the defense ranks first in opponent third-down conversion percentage (26.5 percent).

18. Arizona Cardinals (3-4, last week: 22)

DeAndre Hopkins’s return to the starting lineup was exactly what an ailing Cardinals offense needed last week. Hauling in 10 receptions for 103 yards on 14 targets in his 2022 debut, Hopkins had 48.3 percent of the Cardinals’ targets—the most of any pass catcher with at least 20 routes in Week 7—and finished fourth in yards per route run (3.55). With Marquise Brown expected to miss at least a month with a foot injury, quarterback Kyler Murray and the Cardinals will need Hopkins to repeat that success in future weeks, especially on deep throws, as Brown led the team with seven receptions 15 or more yards downfield in the team’s first six games. Hopkins already picked up three such catches in his first game back in action.

19. Las Vegas Raiders (2-4, last week: 27)

Coming off two wins in their last three games, the Raiders are primed for a successful run entering Week 8. All four of Las Vegas’ losses have been by six points or less, and their next four opponents (Saints, Jaguars, Colts, and Broncos) each have three or fewer wins on the season. The defense remains an Achilles heel, but Derek Carr and the offense are among the league’s best—they are currently sandwiched between the Chiefs and Bills in the top three offenses in EPA per drive. Carr is seventh in EPA per dropback (0.11), and running back Josh Jacobs has rushed for over 140 yards in three consecutive games. Jacobs ranks first in total rushing yards (441) and fourth in yards per carry (6.39) since Week 4.

20. Denver Broncos (2-5, last week: 15)

It’s easy to be negative about the Broncos every week. Russell Wilson has drastically underperformed and now he’s hurt; backup Brett Rypien similarly struggled in Wilson’s stead in Week 7; Nathaniel Hackett’s game management has been questionable at best. Nothing is going right… on offense.

But let’s tip the proverbial cap for first-year defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero. The Broncos defense isn’t without high-caliber starters (e.g. Bradley Chubb, Patrick Surtain II), but Evero is still maximizing the star talent and the supporting players around them. Denver’s defense leads the NFL in yards per play allowed (4.52) and yards per pass attempt allowed (5.46), and also rank top-five in total points allowed (115) and quarterback pressure rate (36.7 percent).

21. New England Patriots (3-4, last week: 23)

Mac Jones returned to the starting lineup in Week 7 after missing three games with an ankle injury, but he didn’t last long. He completed just three passes for 13 yards and threw an interception before Bailey Zappe replaced him in the second quarter. Zappe, who was 2-0 as a starter while Jones was sidelined, immediately led back-to-back drives for touchdowns, but the Patriots didn’t score another point in their Monday night loss to the Bears. The spark Zappe brought off the bench faded quickly. He completed just nine passes for 76 yards and two interceptions in the second half.

The unfortunate reality for New England is they don’t have an obvious answer at quarterback. Zappe ranked fourth in EPA per dropback in the two-week stretch he was the starter, but had his fair share of struggles against Chicago. Additionally, Jones had a slow start to the season, suffered a painful ankle injury, and was benched on Monday Night Football. The path to the postseason starts and ends with the Patriots figuring out their quarterback situation.

Long-Shot Playoff Hopefuls

22. Atlanta Falcons (3-4, last week: 17)

No. 1 cornerback A.J. Terrell left the game with a hamstring injury in the first quarter in Week 7, after which an already bad Falcons defense completely collapsed. The Falcons allowed season highs in points (35), total yards (537) and yards per play (8.14) Sunday against the Bengals. Now, Atlanta ranks 30th in yards per game allowed (406.9) and 31st in yards per play allowed (6.22) on the season. With an offense predicated on running the ball and controlling the clock, the Falcons just aren’t built to come back if they continue to fall into deep early holes like they did last week.

23. Chicago Bears (3-4, last week: 30)

Justin Fields is playing a lot better in Chicago of late. After closing out Week 3 as the 28th-ranked quarterback in EPA per dropback (-0.14), Fields ranks 12th in the same statistic (0.03) over his last four games. He now leads the league in total yards on scrambles (285), and the offense is starting to lean on his legs even more. According to Next Gen Stats, Fields totaled 63 yards on 12 designed runs in the Bears’ win over the Patriots in Week 7. He had just 83 yards on 38 total designed runs in his first 18 career games prior.

24. Indianapolis Colts (3-3-1, last week: 18)

The Colts deciding to bench veteran QB Matt Ryan for Sam Ehlinger after seven games should be a relief for Matt Ryan, but it doesn’t solve the Colts’ problems. Ryan has been under duress all season and has struggled because of it, ranking 31st in EPA per dropback when pressured (-0.67). But he’s been the 10th-ranked quarterback in the same statistic on the limited dropbacks he’s been kept clean (0.28).

The Colts’ offensive line, not Ryan, is the catalyst for nearly all of their struggles. With or without RB Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis can’t create consistent push up front. The team ranks 31st in EPA per rush (-0.17) and 30th in yards before first contact per attempt (0.89). The offensive line also ranks 22nd in pressure rate allowed (33.7 percent) and tied for 29th in total sacks allowed (24).

25. Jacksonville Jaguars (2-5, last week: 19)

Jacksonville has the worst record of the 14 teams with a positive point differential this season after losing four straight one-score games to the Eagles, Texans, Colts and Giants. In that four-week stretch, Trevor Lawrence and the offense have been middle-of-the-pack in efficiency, but the defense has fallen off a cliff. Through the first three weeks of the season, the Jaguars ranked fifth in defensive EPA per play (0.15); since then, the unit ranks 26th by the same measure (-0.09).

26. Washington Commanders (3-4, last week: 29)

After getting off to a slow start that included an ugly pick-six to Packers LB De’Vondre Campbell, Washington QB Taylor Heinicke put together a resurgent second half to captain a comeback over the Packers. Heinicke, making his first start of the season in place of an injured Carson Wentz, took just one sack and completed 13 of 16 passes for 162 yards and a touchdown in the second half against Green Bay. Only Patrick Mahomes was better in the second half of a Week 7 game, as measured by EPA per dropback in the third and fourth quarters (0.62). If Heinicke can carry such momentum into future starts across all four quarters, he’ll likely keep Wentz sidelined even when he returns from IR.

27. New Orleans Saints (2-5, last week: 24)

Let’s start here: Andy Dalton isn’t the problem in New Orleans. His three interceptions against the Cardinals, including two pick-sixes, put the Saints in too big of a hole to overcome, but he’s still been a significant improvement over Jameis Winston, who remains sidelined with a back injury. Since taking over as the starter in Week 4, Dalton ranks 10th in EPA per dropback (0.05) and 11th in yards per attempt (7.22).

The bigger concern is the defense. No team has allowed more points (200), and the pass rush is nonexistent. New Orleans ranks 32nd in quarterback pressure rate at 21.2 percent, and no team has had a lower pressure rate through the first seven weeks of the season in the last three years, according to TruMedia.

28. Cleveland Browns (2-5, last week: 25)

Jacoby Brissett and the Browns offense have more than exceeded expectations to start the season, as the team enters Week 8 ranked fourth in offensive EPA per drive (0.44). The problem for the Browns is the defense isn’t holding up its end of the bargain. Cleveand ranks 32nd in defensive EPA per rush (-0.15) and 27th in success rate against the run (57.4 percent). And even though Myles Garrett and Co. are creating pressure at the third-highest rate in the league (38.2 percent), the Browns pass defense ranks 26th in yards per attempt allowed (7.55).

29. Pittsburgh Steelers (2-5, last week: 26)

The offense had nowhere to go but up when rookie Kenny Pickett replaced Mitchell Trubisky in Week 4, and while some things have improved with Pickett’s presence, neither quarterback has proven they can truly elevate the offense. Both Pickett and Trubisky rank bottom-10 in EPA per dropback through Week 7, and the Najee-Harris-led rushing attack ranks 27th in success rate (38.9 percent). With one of the league’s least-efficient offenses and a defense ranked 28th in yards allowed per game (394.3), Mike Tomlin and the Steelers are on a runaway train for the franchise’s first losing record since 2003.

Bottom of the Barrel

30. Detroit Lions (1-5, last week: 28)

After starting the season off hot with the fifth-ranked offense in EPA per drive (0.74) through the first four weeks, the Lions have crashed back down to earth in recent weeks. Detroit ranks 32nd in the same statistic (-1.82) since Week 5; the offense has scored just six points in the past two games. Injuries to running back D’Andre Swift and wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown have obviously contributed to the inefficiency, but the recent offensive woes start with QB Jared Goff. He ranks last in EPA per dropback (-0.33) among the 27 quarterbacks with 60 or more dropbacks since Week 5.

31. Carolina Panthers (2-5, last week: 32)

Two games into the post-Matt-Rhule era, and the Panthers finally look competent. Even with Robbie Anderson and Christian McCaffrey traded away and QB Baker Mayfield injured, Carolina pulled off an impressive 21-3 win over the Buccaneers in Week 7.

Quarterback P.J. Walker, making his second start of the season in Week 7, showed significant improvement from last week. He completed five passes that traveled 10 or more yards downfield, including his two touchdowns, which was five more than he had in his season debut in Week 6. Star wideout D.J. Moore also finished with single-game season highs in receptions (7) and receiving yards (69) against Tampa Bay.

32. Houston Texans (1-4-1, last week: 31)

Dameon Pierce is the lone highlight in Houston right now. The fourth-round rookie RB ranks fifth in yards after contact per attempt (3.96) and second in forced missed tackles (38), according to PFF. He is second behind Kenneth Walker III in Offensive Rookie of the Year odds (+300) and one of a select few pieces that should survive the next phase of the Texans’ rebuild.

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