IRVING, Texas – Lt. Gen. Richard Clark, the superintendent of the Air Force Academy, was announced Friday as the new executive director of the College Football Playoff.

Clark will replace Bill Hancock, who is retiring, and will take over as the playoff prepares for its expansion to a 12-team format in the 2024 season.

“Gen. Clark’s experience leading the U.S. Air Force Academy as a three-star general and also being a four-year letter winner with the U.S Air Force football team gives him a strong background to excel in this crucial leadership role,” said Mark Keenum, Mississippi State president and chairman of the CFP Board of Managers.

Hancock was the first full-time director of the NCAA Final Four for men’s basketball and the first administrator of the Bowl Championship Series (BCS), which was replaced by the CFP. He took that job in 2012 and as the CFP’s only employee at the time, he was charged with finalizing a media rights agreement, negotiating agreements with bowl games and host cities, building a staff and forming a selection committee.

The first four-team playoff launched at the end of the 2014 season, ending with Ohio State beating Oregon for the national championship. Hancock announced his retirement in June but will stay on until February 2025 to aid in the transition.

Like Keenum, Clark thanked Hancock and said he was leaving “big shoes to fill.” He said it will be hard to leave the military after 38 years.

“College football is an American tradition unlike any other,” Clark said. “Especially now, as the playoff is expanding from four teams to 12 teams, this is an exciting time for fans and everyone involved in this great game.”

Clark’s long military career began after he was a four-year letter winner at Air Force. During his senior season, the Falcons went 12-1 and were ranked eighth in the final AP Top 25.

The midway point of the NFL season might not be a time that yields abundant certainty about where each team is heading, but it gives a good enough indication where every franchise stands.

With Week 10 on the horizon, there’s plenty of time for organizations to set a different course and reshape the playoff picture. By now, however, there’s a large enough sample size to make some conclusions about each team’s identity.

And while there’s no accounting for taste, some franchises are more adept than others at commanding observers’ attention and rewarding them with some fun.

With that in mind, here’s our entirely unscientific ranking of all 32 NFL teams from most to least entertaining:

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1. Miami Dolphins

A three-game lull in which the NFL’s most prolific offense averaged just over 20 points per contest has put a damper on things, but the Dolphins still deserve the nod for the top spot. Mike McDaniel’s group is averaging almost a full yard more per play (7.1) than the next closest team, with explosive gains coming both via the air and ground. Tyreek Hill, meanwhile, is making a strong push to be the first ever wideout to win NFL MVP as he makes more progress toward his goal of becoming the first ever 2,000-yard receiver. And that’s to say nothing of a defense that only grows more intriguing with star cornerback Jalen Ramsey back in action after being sidelined by knee surgery. Yes, Miami has to add some substance to its style by producing against winning teams. But with the Dolphins’ utilization of ‘cheat motion’ being adapted by opposing offenses throughout the league, it’s clear McDaniel and Co. are the cool kids at the table that everyone else is trying to emulate.

2. Baltimore Ravens

The NFL schedule-makers haven’t afforded Charm City many chances to seize the national spotlight. Better start paying attention now, as the Ravens are drumming opponents in their own distinct manner. Don’t be misled by the stats, as Lamar Jackson has made a strong MVP bid by dicing defenses in the intermediate to deep range, even as he has been held to under 200 yards passing while being let down by his receivers in some key spots. If Todd Monken’s offense really clicks in the second half, watch out. And coordinator Mike Macdonald is getting career bests out of tons of key players on a defense that’s swallowing up everything in its path. This team should be appointment viewing down the stretch.

3. San Francisco 49ers

High placement for a team riding a three-game losing streak? Not if you’re willing to write off many of the team’s issues as stemming from the absences of offensive tackle Trent Williams and wide receiver Deebo Samuel. The Brock Purdy experience should level out somewhere in between the hyperbolic highs of the early season and lows of the ongoing skid. Yet despite those problems – as well as the sagging defense – the 49ers have still shown a knack for dismantling aspiring contenders (see: Cowboys) and rank second in yards per play (6.3).

4. Philadelphia Eagles

If comparison is the thief of joy, the Eagles have been robbed of a lot of jubilation this season by constantly having to live up to last year’s Super Bowl standard. Nevertheless, it’s refreshing to see the Eagles continue to be one of the league’s standard-bearers in offensive aggressiveness, ‘tush push’ or otherwise. And even after his record six-game streak of netting at least 125 yards was recently broken, A.J. Brown continues to churn out some of this season’s best highlight-reel plays.

5. Kansas City Chiefs

Sure, this is a far cry from what we’ve come to expect from Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes, with the offense ranked a pedestrian 12th in scoring after five consecutive years of finishing no worse than sixth. But it’d be foolish to write off any improvement down the stretch from this unit, and Mahomes remains a singular talent capable of reeling off seldom-seen highlights with the flick of his wrist. And, in a rarity, the defense is a source of excitement rather than consternation.

6. Detroit Lions

Offensive coordinator Ben Johnson is sure to be one of the hottest names in coaching searches this offseason after crafting a scheme that has Detroit behind only the Dolphins in yards per game (390.6). Rookie running back Jahmyr Gibbs is building his case as one of the NFL’s most dynamics newcomers after tallying 315 yards from scrimmage in the last two games, and tight end Sam LaPorta and defensive back Brian Branch have also made an immediate impact. Ultimately, however, it’s difficult to put a Jared Goff-helmed team in the top tier.

7. Dallas Cowboys

Dan Quinn is doing usual Dan Quinn things, orchestrating a third-ranked defense with swarming tendencies. And Mike McCarthy is doing Mike McCarthy things, inviting queries on why an offense that piles up yards somehow routinely loses its way as soon as it hits the red zone. CeeDee Lamb has stepped up in a major way since the drubbing in San Francisco, making the most of his increased opportunities by recording 30 catches for 466 yards in the last three games. As always, though, the regular season is essentially an extended preseason for a franchise that will always be judged by its playoff performance.

8. Cincinnati Bengals

Have to ding Cincinnati for an unsightly start when Joe Burrow was injured, as the Bengals rank just 27th in yards per play and are tied with the Raiders for fewest pass plays of 20-plus yards. But during the ongoing four-game win streak, Burrow has completed nearly 76% of his passes and averaged 283.3 yards per game with 10 touchdowns and two interceptions. Arrow firmly pointing up once again.

9. Buffalo Bills

Josh Allen remains one of the NFL’s top performers, with the quarterback tying for the league lead in interceptions (nine) while continuing to shoulder a disproportionate load of the offensive burden. There’s only so much fun to be had, however, in watching what too often resembles a one-man show, and Buffalo has quickly grown more stale. The pressure is on for offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey to rediscover many of the elements that made this team one of the league’s most vexing matchups.

10. Jacksonville Jaguars

The wait continues for the passing attack to break through into the league’s elite tier, though Trevor Lawrence is hardly to blame for the problems on that front. Jacksonville’s burgeoning defense, however, has taken significant strides while tying for the league lead with 18 takeaways. There’s still something captivating brewing here, even if it hasn’t fully come together with abundant style points.

11. Seattle Seahawks

The perennial oddballs of pro football always carry a high entertainment value despite Geno Smith and the formerly high-flying offense appearing to have hit a wall. There’s plenty of enjoyment to be had from what Seattle can offer, especially with hard-hitting rookie cornerback Devon Witherspoon emerging as an instant star.

12. Houston Texans

Yes, really. The Texans have no prime-time games and play just once outside the 1 p.m. time slot this season. But if you make time to tune in, you’ll surely be rewarded. C.J. Stroud is mounting what could go down as one of the best ever seasons for a rookie quarterback, with plenty of panache coming from first-year offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik’s scheme.

13. Los Angeles Chargers

The Bolts might easily belong higher were it not for a finger injury to Justin Herbert that has coincided with one of the worst statistical stretches of the quarterback’s young career. Most expected more from Kellen Moore’s scheme – particularly from a rushing attack that has been dormant since Week 2 – but there’s still time to set things right.

14. Minnesota Vikings

Perhaps Minnesota will lose some of its luster down the stretch, with Joshua Dobbs charged with the seemingly implausible task of keeping this current wild-card team afloat after Kirk Cousins suffered a torn Achilles. Regardless of what happens, coach Kevin O’Connell and defensive coordinator Brian Flores have clearly conjured a little magic in stringing together a four-game win streak despite rampant challenges. And with All-Pro wide receiver Justin Jefferson on his way back from injured reserve, the passing game might get a much-needed boost.

15. New Orleans Saints

Derek Carr’s integration into the Saints’ offense has already featured its fair share of hitches – and not the route. At least the speedy Rashid Shaheed has done his part to animate the attack with his league-leading 19.3 yards per catch. In a division that is shaping up to be every bit as uninspiring as it seemed to be before the season, New Orleans might be the only club with any staying power.

16. Indianapolis Colts

Might be high for a fairly anonymous team that won’t appear in prime time all year and is without its first-round rookie quarterback in Anthony Richardson, who underwent season-ending shoulder surgery. But first-year coach Shane Steichen has exhibited some creative playcalling to power an offense that ranks seventh in scoring (25.8 points per game).

17. Washington Commanders

Say this for Sam Howell: He’s not boring. When the second-year quarterback hasn’t been rocked by defenders – his 44 sacks putting him on a record pace for the most taken by one passer in a season – he’s shown off a distinct moxie with his devil-may-care approach, though he’s grown more efficient and composed as the Commanders embrace more of the quick passing game. Yet after leaving a sieve of a defense even more vulnerable by trading away Montez Sweat and Chase Young, Washington doesn’t seem to have much invested in the rest of this year beyond its development plan.

18. Atlanta Falcons

Is there a more frustrating watch anywhere else in the NFL? There’s enough production to keep this group out of the bottom tier, but a franchise with this level of skill-position talent should be much higher. That, of course, would depend on competent quarterback play and something other than Arthur Smith’s inscrutable offensive plan, which frequently has sidelined explosive playmakers in Bijan Robinson and Kyle Pitts while still finding opportunities for tight end Jonnu Smith to throw a pass and run a jet sweep at the goal line.

19. Cleveland Browns

Much of this placement is thanks to a sublime defense allowing the fewest yards per game (234.8) of any unit. On the flip side of the equation, the offense is just now getting off the ground after Deshaun Watson returned last week from a shoulder injury by throwing for 219 yards and two touchdowns against the moribund Cardinals.

20. Pittsburgh Steelers

Whether it’s a testament to Mike Tomlin’s coaching or merely a matter of lucky breaks, Pittsburgh has somehow managed to push to a 5-3 mark while becoming the only team in NFL history to have a winning record after being outgained in each of its first eight games. The viewing experience, however, is a decidedly tough hang. Oft-scrutinized (and memed) offensive coordinator Matt Canada has been at the center of it all, but quarterback Kenny Pickett and his highly erratic ball placement have amplified the problems. Can the Week 9 win in which Pittsburgh rushed for a season-high 166 yards serve as a turning point?

21. Tennessee Titans

If not for Will Levis’ breakout debut, this would be the embodiment of a team fit for a 1 p.m. game. But Mike Vrabel’s crew has kept games close – four of five losses coming with a deficit of one score – and should have more sizzle down the stretch after turning the page on the Ryan Tannehill era.

22. Denver Broncos

Sean Payton has squeezed a level of respectability out of this roster after an 0-3 start, with the breaking of a 16-game skid to the Chiefs serving as notice to the rest of the league that the Broncos shouldn’t be buried. That effort just hasn’t been particularly enthralling to take in as the offense embraces an efficient but not notably dynamic ground game.

23. Los Angeles Rams

Puka Nacua’s September star turn temporarily distracted many from the Rams’ self-acknowledged truth that this is a team in transition. Already fading fast, the Rams need Matthew Stafford to return from a thumb injury after the bye to retain what little relevance they can cling to.

24. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The flame from a 3-1 start has died down to a few scant embers amid a four-game skid. Baker Mayfield might be enough to keep the Buccaneers in the NFC South slog, but he looks ill-equipped to put Tampa Bay over the top during a rapid defensive decline.

25. New York Jets

Seemed like Aaron Rodgers’ arrival might spark a long-awaited football renaissance in New York. Instead, with Rodgers sidelined by a torn Achilles, it’s been back to the dark ages – at least offensively, as Zach Wilson and the rest of the offense squander another dominant defense that has defied the odds in keeping this team competitive. Of course, if Rodgers does return later this year, this team would rocket up the rankings.

26. Green Bay Packers

Even if it can’t stay competitive for a full season, one of the NFL’s youngest rosters should be providing more reasons for fans to tune in. Yet the error-prone Packers have stumbled their way into a tie for the league lead for penalties, and a lack of support has left little clarity on whether Jordan Love can be the quarterback of the future – though the early returns aren’t promising.

27. Chicago Bears

It’s unconscionable that this organization, which finished with the worst record in 2022, somehow was granted four prime-time games. Tyson Bagent is a fun story line, with the Shepherd University product admirably stepping in when Justin Fields dislocated his thumb. The quarterback’s four-turnover game against the Saints, however, reinforced that there’s only so much one can expect when putting an undrafted Division II rookie behind center.

28. New England Patriots

Ahead of the team’s Germany game Sunday, there’s undeniably a schadenfreude factor for many gleefully watching Bill Belichick deal with the most disastrous campaign of his Patriots tenure. Yet there’s no argument that the on-field product is worth taking in for anyone except diehard fans. New England is ranked 31st in scoring and lacks any offensive building blocks beyond offensive lineman Mike Onwenu.

29. Las Vegas Raiders

Maybe Josh McDaniels’ firing revitalizes this group, as the Silver and Black showed a heretofore unseen spark under interim coach Antonio Pierce. Still, workmanlike fourth-round rookie quarterback Aidan O’Connell doesn’t scream excitement as he takes the reins, and there are somehow three more exclusive broadcast windows for this group left on the schedule.

30. Arizona Cardinals

At least the since-traded Joshua Dobbs helped this team defy initial expectations with a surprisingly competitive early-season run, which included the season’s most unfathomable upset in Arizona’s takedown of the Cowboys. Those days are long gone, however, replaced by the current outfit that managed just 58 yards against the Browns, the franchise’s lowest total since 1955. Kyler Murray’s return gives the franchise some measure of hope – and intrigue.

31. Carolina Panthers

Amid C.J. Stroud setting the bar for rookie signal-callers, the Panthers have had to strip their offense down to the studs to make things workable for Bryce Young. Not much fun watching this team finds its way while the No. 1 pick force-feeds 33-year-old Adam Thielen, who accounts for more than a third of the team’s receiving yards.

32. New York Giants

An absolute pox on prime time. Rampant injuries – 13 players were on IR as of Wednesday – have aggravated Big Blue’s issues, but that’s not the lone reason this group averages a league-worst 4.1 yards per play and 11.2 points per game. And if the puntfest against the Jets and drubbing by the post-McDaniels Raiders are any indication, things are only going to get worse. Yet there’s still two ‘Monday Night Football’ slots on the schedule. Why have newly implemented flex rules if you’re not prepared to use them for situations like this?

Here is a look at the first-round order for the 2024 NFL draft after the events of the opening game of Week 10, with the Chicago Bears’ win over the Carolina Panthers having a profound impact at the top.

The Bears own the Panthers’ first-round pick as a result of a 2023 pre-draft trade that gave Carolina the No. 1 pick, which it used to select Alabama quarterback Bryce Young. That trade now has the Bears — by way of the Panthers’ 1-8 record — at the top of the 2024 NFL draft after the results of ‘Thursday Night Football.’

The draft order is determined by record, and uses strength of schedule as a tiebreaker (record and strength of schedule are official tiebreakers to determine the draft order). 

The final 14 first-round spots will be determined by playoff results. For now, those teams will be ordered based on playoff seed, if the season ended today.

The 2024 NFL draft is scheduled to be held in Detroit from April 25-27.

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NFL draft order

(as of Nov. 10; * denotes wild-card team and # denotes division leader)

Chicago Bears (from Panthers) — Carolina Panthers’ record: 1-8 (strength of schedule: .532)Arizona Cardinals — Record: 1-8 (.539)New York Giants — Record: 2-7 (.506)New England Patriots — Record: 2-7 (.595)Chicago Bears — Record: 3-7 (.453)Los Angeles Rams — Record: 3-6 (.547)Green Bay Packers — Record: 3-5 (.465)Denver Broncos — Record: 3-5 (.535)Tampa Bay Buccaneers — Record: 3-5 (.563)Tennessee Titans — Record: 3-5 (.574)Las Vegas Raiders — Record: 4-5 (.429)Washington Commanders — Record: 4-5 (.444)Atlanta Falcons — Record: 4-5 (.467)Indianapolis Colts — Record: 4-5 (.526)Arizona Cardinals (from Texans) — Houston Texans’ record: 4-4 (.507)New York Jets — Record: 4-4 (.522)Los Angeles Chargers — Record: 4-4 (.529)Buffalo Bills — Record: 5-4 (.468)*Minnesota Vikings — Record: 5-4 (.487)*Dallas Cowboys — Record: 5-3 (.420)*Seattle Seahawks — Record: 5-3 (.435)*Cincinnati Bengals — Record: 5-3 (.500)*Houston Texans (from Browns) — Cleveland Browns’ record: 5-3 (.522)*Pittsburgh Steelers — Record: 5-3 (.552)#New Orleans Saints — Record: 5-4 (.377)#San Francisco 49ers — Record: 5-3 (.456)#Miami Dolphins — Record: 6-3 (.430)#Detroit Lions — Record: 6-2 (.493)#Jacksonville Jaguars — Record: 6-2 (.543)#Baltimore Ravens — Record: 7-2 (.514)#Kansas City Chiefs — Record: 7-2 (.526)#Philadelphia Eagles — Record: 8-1 (.462)

Teams without a first-round pick: Carolina Panthers, Cleveland Browns

The club will celebrate Messi’s eighth Ballon d’Or award on Friday night with a friendly against New York City FC at DRV PNK Stadium. Apple TV will broadcast the match, which kicks off at 8 p.m. EST.

“He is the great architect of this match, and not only do we have to accompany him in the celebration of his eighth Ballon d’Or, but it is also an opportunity to compete again, even if it is at a friendly level, so that people can see Leo and his teammates on the field, and as well to say goodbye to the season,” Inter Miami coach Tata Martino said.

Time, TV channel for Messi, Inter Miami match vs. NYCFC?

The match begins at 8 p.m., and will be broadcast on Apple TV.

Zidane says Messi is ‘pure magic’ in Adidas conversation

It turns out Zinedine Zidane did a little more than just check out Messi play during a September Inter Miami match.

Messi and Zidane sat together for an extended conversation, which was posted on the Adidas YouTube channel this week. And it’s a real treat for soccer fans.

“It’s a pity that we couldn’t play together,” Zidane told Messi. “This is the moment for me to pass you the ball.”

Zidane also said to Messi: “Today is a very important day for me because I can tell him how much I admire him… I think it is magic, pure magic.”

Watch the interview here:

Will Messi play in Inter Miami friendly?

Martino said Messi may not play the entire friendly against NYCFC.

“I am not sure if he will play the full 90 minutes, but he will play,” Martino said this week.

While the match serves as a final tune-up for Inter Miami’s offseason, it could also serve as preparation for two 2026 World Cup qualifying matches with Argentina later this month.

Inter Miami will honor Messi’s 8th Ballon d’Or Award

The friendly against NYCFC, named Noche d’Or by the club, will see Messi honored on the field at 7:45 p.m. before play gets underway.

Messi, Inter Miami managing owner Jorge Mas and MLS Commissioner Don Garber are expected to speak. Messi’s Ballon d’Or trophy will also be presented to the fans at DRV PNK Stadium.

Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders seems to have found an effective solution for his pain and mobility problems in recent weeks.

After his teammates on the offensive line couldn’t block well enough to keep him upright, Sanders got some good blocking from somewhere else – a pain-blocking injection off the field.

He’s received such injections at least two games in a row, according to his head coach and father, Deion Sanders.

And it’s worked almost like a miracle drug, as judged by his performances before and after receiving these shots. But it’s obviously not advisable as a long-term answer, even if it might be a tempting tool to use in the final three games of the regular season starting Saturday in the home finale against Arizona (6-3).

“Of course, he’s suffered injuries. You think he’s walking like me for nothing?” said Deion Sanders, who walks with a limp stemming from recent surgeries. “He’s hurting. He’s hurting. You’d have to check with the trainers on that one, but he’s hurting. But he’s gonna be all right… He’ll be OK come Saturday.”

Much remains at stake for him and Colorado (4-5). The Buffaloes need two more wins to become eligible for a postseason bowl game. Further damage to Shedeur’s body also could harm his draft stock in the NFL.

In the meantime, Shedeur Sanders has pulled off a statistical performance for the ages as measured by success in the face of physical beatdowns. Despite being the most-sacked quarterback in major college football (45 times), he ranks second nationally in passing yards per game (320.2) and 11th in completion percentage (70.1%).

Have painkillers helped Shedeur Sanders?

Deion Sanders hasn’t said what kind of painkillers his son has taken, only that he received an injection at halftime of a 28-16 loss at UCLA Oct. 28 “to block some of the pain.” Last week, in a 26-19 loss against Oregon State, Deion Sanders also indicated Shedeur got an injection in the team’s locker-room facility near the end of the third quarter “so he could finish.”

‘He don’t even like needles … but he had to get a shot,’ Deion Sanders said Thursday on the Colorado Football Coaches Show. ‘And he had to get a shot to numb certain areas so he could play.’

Shedeur Sanders then returned for the fourth quarter, when he sprung to life and completed 9-of-14 passes for 179 yards and two touchdowns on his team’s final two drives of the game.

Before that, in the first three quarters, he completed 15-of-25 passes for only 66 yards and no touchdowns. Deion Sanders said Thursday that Shedeur had an ankle injury that affected his footwork on deep passes, causing them to come up short.

“I left, you know, because I had a lot of pain in my body,” Shedeur Sanders said afterward. Then he said he ‘just got mad.’

‘When I get mad, you know, it’s just a different me.’

It was similar in the UCLA game. Before the injection at halftime, when Colorado trailed 7-6, he was sacked five times as he completed 15-of-26 passes for 98 yards and no touchdowns or interceptions. After the injection, he completed 12-of-17 passes for 119 yards and one touchdown.

In both games combined after injections, he has a pass-efficiency rating of 180.4, which would rank fourth nationally in the NCAA rankings. By contrast, in the same two games before the painkiller injections, he has a pass-efficiency rating of 85.8, which would be too low to be included in the top 110 rankings.

“No one wants to take the shot until you have to,” Darrell Colbert, Shedeur Sanders’ private quarterback trainer, told USA TODAY Sports. “That’s the type of player he is, to go in, take a shot, just to make sure you can finish the game with your teammates. It just shows the type of leader he is and the type of quarterback, because a lot of people wouldn’t do that.”

Is an end in sight for Michigan sign-stealing saga? The College Football Fix dives in.

How long can this trend continue?

Shedeur wasn’t available to news media this week to address this topic. And it’s not clear how many other times this season he’s resorted to painkiller injections, if any. But the use of painkillers in pro and college football has been controversial and comes with risk from overuse, including the fact that they effectively turn off the body’s warning system for health problems and can lead to further injuries.

Just ask Matt McChesney, a former Colorado and NFL lineman.

“I don’t know how many painkillers I’ve taken, but it’s a lot,” McChesney told USA TODAY Sports. “I don’t know how many shots I’ve taken in my life, but it’s a lot. I have to walk sideways down the stairs. I have a five-level cage fusion in my back, and I can’t lift my left shoulder. I’m only 42, and I’m beat to (expletive). And this kid (Shedeur) is taking a beating.  

‘I was delivering. I was an offensive and defensive lineman. I very rarely got hit. I was always hitting someone. He’s getting hit, and absorbing blows is more catastrophic than delivering them and then taking the residuals.”

McChesney has closely followed the Buffs and has grown concerned. Shedeur Sanders is the best quarterback at Colorado since Kordell Stewart in 1994. He’ll also likely be the first Colorado quarterback selected in the NFL draft since Koy Detmer was picked in the seventh round in 1997. By contrast, Shedeur Sanders might be a first-round pick, either in 2024 or 2025, depending on how long he wants to stay in college.

“I think it’s extremely fixable,” McChesney said. “If they don’t (fix it), you’re sacrificing a guy in Shedeur Sanders who’s really, really special and tough as (expletive) nails, too. At some point, the offensive line and the defensive line have got to be tougher than the quarterback, and right now the quarterback is the toughest guy in the room.”

What can be done to protect Shedeur Sanders?

McChesney said Shedeur is an NFL-level quarterback who would benefit from being in a more traditional pro-style system instead of a college spread system at Colorado that’s become predictable for being overly reliant on Shedeur with no credible running game. For example, why not two tight ends and a fullback to help block for Shedeur, instead of one tight end sometimes? And why not put Shedeur under center sometimes instead of shotgun to make it harder for the opposing team to know what’s coming?

Otherwise, McChesney said, Colorado is “trying to rely on five guys (on the offensive line) who can’t block the other five.”

Help might be on the way, however. Florida high school prospect Jordan Seaton visited Colorado last week as the No. 1 offensive tackle recruit in the nation, according to 247Sports’ composite rankings.

Shedeur Sanders still has three games left this year in the meantime. Deion Sanders said Tuesday his son’s body was “tremendously sore” and that he’s doing some things he normally doesn’t do to get ready for the next game. He didn’t say what that was.

But there’s also something ironic about the beatings Shedeur has taken this season. While it’s not good for his health, his performance in spite of it shows he can play in the NFL, especially for bad teams with high draft picks.

“The ability for him to show toughness and be that guy, that’s what they’re looking for,” McChesney said. “Let’s be real. That is absolutely, unequivocally what they are looking for at the next level.”

Follow reporter Brent Schrotenboer @Schrotenboer. Email: bschrotenb@usatoday.com

Quarterback Kyler Murray will start Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons, Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon announced Friday.

His teammates welcomed the news, which comes with word that starting running back James Conner also could return from injury for Sunday’s game at State Farm Stadium.

Murray’s return had been expected throughout the week, especially after he was activated and added to the 53-man roster.

He will return to the field in a game for the first time in 11 months. He tore an ACL early in a game against the New England Patriots last December and had to be carted off the field, then had surgery a few weeks later. He had been rehabbing and then practicing with the Cardinals ever since.

‘I’m honestly excited for the guy. I’ve seen what he’s had to go through the last, you know, eight months or so, however long I’ve been here,’ Gannon said. ‘And you know, what he’s put into it and how bad he wants to be out there and the competitor that he is, he wants to be out there with the guys and help his team win. So that’s what I’m most excited to see.’

NFL STATS CENTRAL: The latest NFL scores, schedules, odds, stats and more.

Murray’s teammates are excited about his return. His competitive desire to win permeates the locker room.

‘Anytime you can have your number one quarterback play in this league, of course, that’s definitely something special,’ said Cardinals safety Budda Baker, like Murray a team captain. ‘He is a special talent and a special guy who can do anything a quarterback can do, run inside the pocket, outside the pocket, throw.’

Tight end Trey McBride said the return of Murray is a ‘huge asset’ for the Cardinals. McBride figures to be on the other end of some Murray passes right away, having played with Murray last season before the quarterback got hurt.

‘He’s exactly what I remember him. He’s a freak athlete, he’s a guy who makes plays happen and obviously it’s a little different with a different quarterback in there, the way he … rolls around and stuff, but it’s been good, I’m excited,’ McBride said. ‘The opportunity’s gonna be there. He’s gonna make some plays happen. Something about Kyler, you know, he makes plays happen when there’s not much going on. … As pass catchers we gotta be ready for scramble drill, for things to happen after the play (breaks down), things like that.’

Rookie wide receiver Michael Wilson is hoping to play this week after missing last week’s game with a shoulder injury. He said the receivers have to help Murray, and that he can relate to the first game back from a long-term injury.

Wilson said Murray has a zing on his throws that not all quarterbacks have.

‘Obviously, he’s the leader of our franchise and so I feel like there’s a different feel when he’s commanding the offense, a different type of leadership that is present,’ Wilson said of Murray. ‘Sort of like that star power when he’s commanding the offense.’

And then there is wide receiver Marquise ‘Hollywood’ Brown,’ Murray’s close friend and former college teammate at Oklahoma now in his second season with the Cardinals.

‘It’s like he never left, for me,’ Brown said. ‘And I know the competitor he is, you know, you hear a lot of the bad talk, this and that, but he’s a competitor and he’s hungry to go out there and play.’

Conner nears return

Conner was limited in practice all week after four games missed on injured reserve with a knee injury, but he has a chance to play Sunday.

Conner is ‘trending in the right direction,’ Gannon said.

‘He’s our workhorse in the run game. So it’d be good to get him back and it helps not only Kyler, it helps our team,’ Gannon added.

Conner is questionable to play Sunday, and there remains a chance that two injured starters on the offensive line, left tackle D.J. Humphries and right guard Will Hernandez, could play a week after getting hurt. They might be game-time decisions, Gannon said, though neither practiced Wednesday or Thursday and Humphries missed Friday as well.

Both are listed as questionable.

Tight end Geoff Swaim (back) and linebacker Zeke Turner (hamstring) are also questionable. Turner, a special teams core player, didn’t practice all week.

Who’s your MVP?

Maybe this is the year the NFL Most Valuable Player award finally lands in the hands again of a non-quarterback.

After all, Tyreek Hill went on blast before the games began and predicted that he would break the NFL’s single-season record for receiving yards. And look at him now. As the NFL officially crosses the midseason marker, the electric Miami Dolphins receiver is on pace to make good on his word.

If Hill, sizzling in the NFL’s most exciting (and highest scoring) offense, pulls off his goal of topping the 1,964 yards that former Detroit Lions receiver Calvin Johnson put up in 2012, what better way to make the MVP argument?

It would take something extraordinary.

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Or maybe not. When Johnson, aka “Megatron,” set his record, it still wasn’t enough to garner MVP honors – in part because of an extraordinary achievement by another superstar: Adrian Peterson.

A 2,097-yard rushing season propelled Peterson to his MVP trophy, and it was the last time a non-quarterback won the award. Selected by a panel of 50 voters polled by The Associated Press, it’s been 10 MVP quarterbacks in a row and 15 QBs of the last 16 MVPs.

So, as impressive as Hill’s 119.6 yards a game are, the odds that “The Cheetah” – or for that matter, Philadelphia Eagles star A.J. Brown, averaging 111.7 yards per game – will become the first wide receiver to win MVP honors are as long as they’ve always been.

No, the great Jerry Rice, for all of his fingerprints on the NFL record book, never won a season MVP award to go with his Super Bowl 23 MVP award.

In considering Hill or Brown, remember that Johnson’s record was set during a 16-game season – when he averaged 122.8 yards per game.

Yet receivers can feel only so slighted when considering other positions. Since the award was established in 1957 and won by the legendary Jim Brown when it was called the Most Outstanding Player Award, no defensive end has ever claimed the honor, either. It’s been all about quarterbacks and sometimes running backs. This makes the award that Lawrence Taylor won as the New York Giants marched to a Super Bowl crown during the 1986 season even more impressive. It was the last time, and only the second case, that a defensive player was so honored.

Yes, there have been exceptions. Rare exceptions. In 1971, Alan Page, ringleader of the “Purple People Eaters” for the Minnesota Vikings, was the only defensive tackle named MVP. And in 1982, Washington’s kicker, Mark Moseley, nailed it.

With that history out of the way, back to the here and now.

It may be time to rename the award the MVQB.

That said, as the NFL rolls into its second half and the playoff races take sharper focus, the MVP race will sort itself out with the quarterbacks leading the charge for an intriguing subplot during the stretch run.

According to BetMGM, the current odds of winning the MVP begin with Patrick Mahomes (+275) scoring a repeat honor, followed by Jalen Hurts (+300), Lamar Jackson (+400) and Tua Tagovailoa (+600).

The highest-rated non-quarterback on the board isn’t Hill. It’s Christian McCaffrey, the San Francisco 49ers running back who, dating to last season, has scored a touchdown in 17 consecutive games to match the NFL record streak of Hall of Famer Lenny Moore.

My pick? At the moment it’s the multi-faceted Jackson, who has quickly found a comfort zone in the Baltimore Ravens offense designed by new coordinator Todd Monken. It has helped that Jackson is supported by a defense that is allowing the fewest points in the league and the No. 1-ranked running game that Jackson puts his stamp on by leading NFL quarterbacks with 426 rushing yards.

In two weeks, perhaps Hurts will be pick. There’s a strong argument with Hurts, playing for weeks on a tender left knee, leading the Eagles (8-1) to the NFL’s best record. If he leads Philadelphia to a victory in the Super Bowl rematch at Kansas City in Week 11, it solidifies the case.

Then again, with a brutal schedule on the horizon, it may be a week-to-week plot.

Mahomes, meanwhile, hasn’t been as efficient or dominant as we’ve seen in the past. Yet he still ranks third in the league in passing yards and fourth in TD passes while playing with an evolving receiving corps. That the reigning MVP is challenged to match the standard that he has demonstrated for several years is, well, a problem that most others can only wish for.

Early in the season, Tagovailoa was the favorite. He is undeniably still in the MVP mix, leading the league in yards, TD passes and efficiency rating. Like the other top candidates, what happens over the stretch run will settle this issue.

So there. All the clarity that sets up a compelling race for MVP honors. In other words, for now your pick is as good as mine.

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