The seven members of the Hockey Hall of Fame’s Class of 2024 are an eclectic group.

A multiple Stanley Cup-winning forward from Russia (Pavel Datsyuk), a hard-shooting Canadian defenseman (Shea Weber), a high-scoring American forward (Jeremy Roenick), two staples of the U.S. women’s Olympic hockey team (Natalie Darwitz and Krissy Wendell-Pohl), a longtime NHL executive (Colin Campbell) and the NHL’s winningest general manager of all time (David Poile).

The seven will be recognized during the Hall of Fame Game in Toronto on Friday night and be inducted on Monday night at the Hall of Fame.

What to know about this year’s Hall of Fame induction ceremony:

When is the Hall of Fame Game?

The Detroit Red Wings will visit the Toronto Maple Leafs at 7 p.m. ET Friday. The seven Hall of Famers received their rings earlier in the day.

When is the Hockey Hall of Fame induction ceremony?

The ceremony begins at 8 p.m. ET on Monday. It will be broadcast on NHL Network.

Who are this year’s Hockey Hall of Fame inductees?

Players

Natalie Darwitz: She played for the USA at the 2002 (silver), 2006 (bronze) and 2010 (silver) Olympics. She also won gold medals at the 2005, 2008 and 2009 world championships, plus silver medals in 1999, 2000, 2001, 2004 and 2007. She played three seasons at the University of Minnesota, winning two championships.

Pavel Datsyuk: The Detroit Red Wings’ 1998 seventh-round pick won Stanley Cup titles in 2002 and 2008. He was a stickhandling wizard and defensive standout who won three consecutive Selke trophies. He also won four consecutive Lady Byng trophies for sportsmanship, capturing both awards in 2007-08.

Jeremy Roenick: The nine-time All-Star finished with 1,216 points, fifth best in NHL history among Americans. In addition to his offensive skill, he played a hard-charging style on the ice. He even threw an occasional check at the All-Star Game. He was outspoken on league issues and moved into television after his retirement.

Shea Weber: The seven-time All-Star defenseman won the hardest shot competition four times. That shot helped him score 224 times. He played for the Nashville Predators and Montreal Canadiens and was captain of the Predators for six seasons before his trade to Montreal. He went to the Stanley Cup Final in his last season, was runner-up for the Norris Trophy twice and won Olympic gold for Canada in 2010 and 2014.

Krissy Wendell-Pohl: She played 147 games for the USA, recording 106 goals and 247 points. She played in the 2002 and 2006 Olympics and in six world championships, winning a gold medal and being named tournament MVP in 2005. Wendell also played for the University of Minnesota.

Builders

Colin Campbell: He was associate head coach for the Stanley Cup-winning 1993-94 New York Rangers. He was named head coach the following season after head coach Mike Keenan went to St. Louis. After he retired from coaching, he joined the NHL as senior vice president and director of hockey operations. He created a centralized video review location called the ‘Situation Room’ that has been copied by other leagues.

David Poile: He oversaw the Washington Capitals (14 playoff appearances in 15 seasons) and Predators for a combined 36 seasons. He joined the Predators before the 1998-99 expansion team’s first season and retired after last season. He reached the Stanley Cup Final with Nashville in 2017 and was named GM of the year that season. He is the only NHL general manager to lead two separate clubs for 1,000 games and 500 wins

Who else is being honored by the Hockey Hall of Fame?

Elmer Ferguson Award (writer): Scott Burnside, ESPN.com, The Athletic and others

Foster Hewitt Award (broadcaster): Pierre Houde, RDS

The college football season is officially in the home stretch with the dawn of the second Saturday of November. The committee will now weigh in every week the rest of the way, but in truth all the teams still in the mix know what they need to do. But that won’t stop us from having some fun watching some other teams that might not have a realistic shot at the field of 12 but are still enjoying the game.

The Week 11 schedule features only a couple of ranked matchups, but there are plenty of other tantalizing contests on the docket to keep you entertained throughout Saturday. Here are our top seven choices.

No. 11 Alabama at No. 13 LSU

Time/TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, ABC.

Why watch: When all the resumes are considered, a three-loss team might still be among the top 12 in the final playoff rankings. But for all practical purposes, both these teams must treat this contest like an eliminator, so expect a high degree of intensity with a fully-fueled night atmosphere in Baton Rouge. This will be LSU’s first action since being overrun in the second half by Texas A&M two weeks ago, so the Tigers would like to make something good happen early to erase any bad memories. Alabama’s most recent outing, a 34-0 blanking of Missouri, was a much more positive experience. LB Jihaad Campbell and the Crimson Tide should be in for a stronger challenge from LSU QB Garrett Nussmeier, who likely will be more comfortable in friendly environs. Alabama QB Jalen Milroe has struggled with accuracy since his magnum opus in the win against Georgia, and he’ll need to hit some throws quickly to quiet the crowd. LB Whit Weeks, the centerpiece of the Tigers’ defense, will lead the effort to keep him contained.

Why it could disappoint: It couldn’t possibly, could it? Given that neither team has exactly been secure with the lead, we fully expect a lot of wild momentum swings and plenty of fourth-quarter drama.

WEEKEND FORECAST: SEC clashes top Week 11 picks for all Top 25 games

BUCKLE UP: Bumpy road to College Football Playoff starts with Week 11

No. 2 Georgia at No. 12 Mississippi

Time/TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC.

Why watch: Only two SEC contests remain for the Bulldogs, but neither will be a walk in the park. Up first is this trip to Oxford, where the Rebels are coming off their most dominant offensive performance of the year in a romp at Arkansas. Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart had his way with the Razorbacks despite missing his top weapon, WR Tre Harris. He remains questionable, but Jordan Watkins is also a dependable big-play threat. Slipping behind Georgia DB Malaki Starks is usually difficult, and the Bulldogs can generate a lot of heat up front as well. Georgia QB Carson Beck has been alarmingly pick prone of late. He’s now been intercepted 11 times on the season, and Rebels CB Trey Amos could add to that total if his carelessness continues.

Why it could disappoint: We’ve seen Ole Miss struggle with physical defenses – think Kentucky –, so that might not bode well against the Bulldogs. Conversely, Georgia has let a lot of opponents hang around thanks to inconsistent execution in different facets of the game. It probably won’t get away from either side, but it might not always be pretty.

No. 24 Colorado at Texas Tech

Time/TV: 4 p.m. ET, Fox.

Why watch: With bowl eligibility already checked off the to-do list, the Buffaloes are now focused on being in the thick of the Big 12 race. The Red Raiders, meanwhile, return home to Lubbock after handing Iowa State its first loss and could still be in the mix themselves. Texas Tech got a much better performance from its defense in last week’s upset win at Iowa State. But LB Jacob Rodriguez and Co. might have a harder time contending with Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders and his array of playmakers, including WR LaJohntay Wester and two-way star Travis Hunter. The Red Raiders are well equipped to keep pace in a track meet, with QB Behren Morton and RB Tahj Brooks providing a one-two punch from the backfield. The Buffs can struggle to mount pressure from the front line, but LB Nikhai Hill-Green and DB Cam’Ron Silmon-Craig are good tacklers who can also be deployed on blitzes.

Why it could disappoint: Both teams have been involved in several games that came down to the final possession. It’s reasonable to expect this one to stay close throughout given the explosive potential of both offenses, but a rash of mistakes could put one or the other in a hole.

South Carolina at No. 25 Vanderbilt

Time/TV: 4:15 p.m. ET, SEC.

Why watch: There’s no SEC title on the line here (Vandy is mathematically alive but needs a whole lot of favorable results to make the title game), but these two programs have already overachieved this season and should stage an entertaining contest. The Gamecocks still need another victory to go bowling. The Commodores hit the six-win mark last week and are now looking for more in their best campaign in recent memory. The headliner for Vanderbilt of course is QB Diego Pavia, who makes excellent use of TE Eli Stowers and RB Sedrick Alexander to control the clock with long drives. It will be up to DE Kyle Kennard and the Gamecocks’ front line to get third-down stops. South Carolina will counter with QB LaNorris Sellers and RB Raheim Sanders, whose big plays in the ground game spurred last week’s takedown of Texas A&M. Vandy LBs Bryan Longwell and Langston Patterson must make their tackles stick.

Why it could disappoint: By design, Vandy games can be grinding affairs. The Gamecocks do a lot of their damage on the ground as well, so if you like aerial fireworks this might not be the game for you. A close finish is likely, though, so be sure to look in on it late.

No. 19 Army at North Texas

Time/TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2.

Why watch: Army’s first season as a member of the American Athletic Conference has already been a smashing success. With just two league contests to go, a spot in the league title game could be in the offing. Up first is this long road trip to Denton, where the Mean Green look to snap a two-game skid to stay in the league hunt. The Black Knights got by Air Force without starting QB Bryson Daily. RB Kanye Udoh was eventually able to take over the game, but Army will probably need more from the aerial attack, possibly from backup Dewayne Coleman if Daily remains sidelined, to keep pace with the Mean Green’s more accomplished offense. Scoring points hasn’t been the issue for North Texas, putting up over 40 points a game with QB Chandler Morris at the controls. But the defense gave up 97 combined points in high-scoring setbacks against Memphis and Tulane.

Why it could disappoint: As impressive as the Black Knights have been, none of the FBS opponents they’ve beaten thus far has a winning record. We have yet to see how Army responds in comeback mode, though the Mean Green haven’t fared well themselves of late in close contests.

No. 9 Brigham Young at Utah

Time/TV: 10:15 p.m. ET, ESPN.

Why watch: A few weeks ago, this renewal of the interrupted ‘Holy War’ rivalry appeared to have top-10 potential. Unfortunately, the Utes’ offense has been derailed by QB Cam Rising’s season-ending injury, but an upset of the Cougars would go a long way toward salvaging a lost year in Salt Lake City. We aren’t likely to know until gametime whether Isaac Wilson, who has been playing through an injury himself, or Brandon Rose will be at the controls for the Utes. We do know that RB Micah Bernard gives the Utes their best chance to generate yardage, but LB Harrison Taggart and the BYU run stoppers are equally aware of this. Cougars QB Jake Retzlaff can be hot and cold with his passes, but when he needs a big play he usually looks for WR Darius Lassiter. The Utah defense can still be formidable, with DL Van Fillinger leading the charge into the opposing backfield.

Why it could disappoint: Utah’s best hope to keep this competitive is to make it a defensive slog, and a battle of punts might test the staying power of the #Big12AfterDark audience. A couple of quick scores by the Cougars could mean it’s time for bed.

Michigan at No. 10 Indiana

Time/TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, CBS.

Why watch: One team in this Big Ten tilt enters the game with a perfect record and eyeing possible league title and playoff berths – and the other is Michigan. If you haven’t seen this Indiana squad in action yet, this might be worth a look just to marvel at how the conference landscape has changed in less than a year. The Hoosiers look to continue what can only be described as a historic season in Bloomington, while the Wolverines at this point are just trying to get to the finish line of a disappointing follow-up to a championship campaign. Michigan’s defense is good enough to cause issues, with next-level talents like DL Josaiah Stewart. But the Hoosiers have QB Kurtis Rourke back after a one-game absence, and his injured thumb didn’t appear to trouble him in last week’s rout of Michigan State. The Hoosiers’ defense has been somewhat overshadowed by Rourke’s big year but has been every bit as impressive, with DL Mikail Kamara leading the push up front. That’s not good news for the Wolverines’ beleaguered QB tandem of Davis Warren and Alex Orji, who are going to need a lot of help from RB Kalel Mullings to keep drives alive.

Why it could disappoint: Like Utah, Michigan will need to keep the score down to have any shot at shaking up the standings. That said, there’s a curiosity factor to see how the Hoosiers stack up against the Wolverines in comparison to Michigan’s last opponent, top-ranked Oregon.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The word to describe Inter Miami’s vibe before its decisive Game 3 playoff match against Atlanta United: Tranquilo.

Lionel Messi’s club is calm, cool and without worries as their first-round series in the MLS Cup Playoffs comes down to a deciding game Saturday at 8 p.m. ET inside Chase Stadium.

Inter Miami also got some encouraging news Friday afternoon: Sergio Busquets will be questionable for the match. He practiced separately from the club, and could return after a knock resulted in pneumonia-like symptoms last week.

‘We’re confident in the progression of his recovery, and are hopeful he’ll be available for tomorrow’s match,’ the club said in a statement.

Inter Miami needs a win to continue its historic season that included winning the Supporters’ Shield and setting the points record (74) with the best regular season in league history. Anything short of winning the MLS Cup final Dec. 7 would be a disappointment – especially a first-round exit.

‘It is better to be relaxed, and what happens here is that there is a background of a work that has been going on for a year and a half,” Inter Miami coach Tata Martino said Friday. ‘We have spent all this time keeping calm, working, not saying inappropriate things and in the same way we face matches knowing that the results can be any of the three possible ones.”

Inter Miami likes its chances for a win, and even a draw to force a penalty shootout. But a loss would leave a sour taste to Messi’s first full season in Major League Soccer.

Messi has been scoreless in the first two MLS playoff games: Inter Miami beat Atlanta 2-1 in Game 1, while Atlanta won Game 2 by the same score.

When is Inter Miami vs. Atlanta United Game 3 of the MLS Cup Playoffs?

The final match of the first-round series is Saturday at 8 p.m. ET (9 p.m. in Argentina).

How to watch Inter Miami vs. Atlanta United live stream

The match is available to stream here: MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.

Is Messi playing?

Yes, Messi is expected to start and captain Inter Miami in Saturday’s decisive playoff game.

Inter Miami’s Sergio Busquets questionable, but Yannick Bright is out

Messi, Busquets, Luis Suarez and Jordi Alba will help Inter Miami lean on their experience, even without a key starter.

Busquets, considered the best midfielder in the sport’s history, is medically cleared to play and could contribute defensively.

Rookie midfielder Yannick Bright, who roamed the midfield allowing Busquets to play as a centerback defender, will miss Game 3 due to a hamstring injury he suffered in Game 2.

Inter Miami and Atlanta will play each other for a fifth time this season on Saturday: Atlanta has two wins, Inter Miami has one, and they’ve played to a draw in the others.

“Tomorrow is a very tough game, a game that we know we have no margin for error, and that if you win you are in the next stage and if not, you go home,” Inter Miami’s Leo Campana said. “So, we are focused on what is coming. We are very confident in what we can do.”

This story has been updated with an injury update on Inter Miami player Sergio Busquets.

The highly anticipated SEC matchup between No. 13 LSU and No. 11 Alabama is bringing the ‘College GameDay’ crew out to Baton Rouge this weekend, marking the 13th time the show has featured a matchup between the two schools, tied with Ohio State vs. Penn State for the most ‘College GameDay’ matchups of all time (13).

This is a pivotal matchup for LSU and Alabama, which are both looking to keep their College Football Playoff hopes alive with a win. LSU (6-2) is currently outside looking in the 12-team College Football Playoff bracket after the selection committee ranked the Tigers No. 15 in the first of six official rankings. Alabama (6-2), on the other hand, earned the No. 11 seed in the first bracket.

Here’s what to know for the eighth ‘College GameDay’ of the season.

Where is ESPN’s ‘College GameDay’ this week?

‘College GameDay’ is set to broadcast live from Baton Rouge at LSU’s Quad, adjacent to Tiger Stadium, on Saturday for the 14th time in the pregame show’s history. It will mark the ‘GameDay’ crew’s first time back to Baton Rouge since October 2019, when Joe Burrow led the Tigers to a 42-28 win over the Florida Gators.

Who is the ‘College GameDay’ celebrity guest picker this week?

LSU royalty will be in the house. Power couple Paul Skenes and Livvy Dunne will serve as the Week 11 guest pickers on ‘College GameDay.’ Skenes, a pitcher, led the Tigers to a College World Series championship in 2023 before he was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates with the first overall pick of the 2023 MLB draft. Dunne, a gymnast, helped the LSU gymnastics team win its first national championship in program history in April and is returning to the team for another year.

When is ESPN’s ‘College GameDay?’

‘College GameDay’ will air from 9 a.m. ET to noon ET on Saturday, Nov. 9.

How to watch ESPN’s ‘College GameDay’

‘College GameDay’ will air on ESPN and be available to stream on ESPN+ and Fubo. 

Stream College GameDay with Fubo

ESPN’s ‘College GameDay’ crew

Recently retired Alabama coach Nick Saban is a new addition to ‘College GameDay’ this season. Alongside Saban will be:

Rece Davis
Kirk Herbstreit 
Lee Corso
Desmond Howard
Pat McAfee
‘Stanford’ Steve Coughlin

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

“I was looking for him after the game, and I couldn’t find him,” said the Baltimore Ravens coach shortly after his team clawed out a 35-34 victory over Chase’s Cincinnati Bengals.

Harbaugh then paused ever so briefly in a comic moment of collective self-awareness before adding: “I think that was appropriate.”

The response drew chuckles from reporters in the M&T Bank Stadium press room after a hard-fought win. But Harbaugh also knows his team’s glaring flaw may be no laughing matter.

The Ravens became the third AFC team to seven wins this season with the victory. Their offense entered the night averaging 7.13 yards per play – the second-highest in NFL history through nine games – and put on another show with 28 second-half points and four touchdown passes from quarterback Lamar Jackson, who continues to burnish his latest MVP résumé.

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

But a game the Ravens promoted with a “Purple Rising” theme – a nod to their new alternate helmets – proved quite appropriate for a defense that was bruised, beaten and maybe even exposed by the Bengals.

Chase, quite obviously Cincinnati’s primary offensive weapon – and especially so on a night when fellow wideout Tee Higgins was inactive with a quad injury – constantly ran through and past Ravens defenders, piling up 11 catches for 264 yards and three scores, including a 67- and 70-yarder. Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow passed for 428 yards and threw a fourth TD to tight end Tanner Hudson.

“That’s just not our standard of defense, and we know that,” said Pro Bowl defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike.

“We’re going to find ways in practice to improve and get better, and I know that guys in that locker room feel the same way as me and we’re going to get that done.”

Yet this wasn’t merely a bad night at the office. It’s a concerning pattern. The Ravens began Thursday ranked last in the league in pass defense. Then the Bengals netted 421 yards through the air – 50 more than Baltimore’s previous worst performance of 2024.

Cincinnati attacked without fear, Burrow repeatedly targeting and often connecting with Chase on long gainers. The Bengals scored touchdowns on all three of their red-zone trips, opted to go for it on fourth down four times and racked up 470 yards offense.

The Ravens’ penchant for self-sabotage included extending Cincinnati drives with untimely penalties, one a defensive holding call on cornerback Brandon Stephens on fourth-and-goal of the game’s opening possession. Running back Chase Brown powered in for a touchdown on the next play.

Stephens had an especially tough night, just missing an end-zone interception when his foot clipped the sideline. He was also attempting to cover Chase on the 70-yard bomb but didn’t seem to get the inside safety help he was expecting. To Stephens’ credit, he answered every question thrown his way afterward.

“We’ve got to go look at the film, see what it was, but just a coverage breakdown,” he said of Chase’s biggest play.

“Honestly, man, we can’t afford mistakes. We can’t afford lapses in coverage, communication – they’re costing us big plays. They’re exposing our mistakes.”

Further complicating matters was the ankle injury suffered by All-Pro defensive back Kyle Hamilton near the end of the second quarter. He was in street clothes after halftime, though Harbaugh didn’t seem especially concerned about it after the game.

But he should be worried by the downward defensive trend.

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These Ravens can score almost at will, their 31.8 points per game average the AFC’s best. But Thursday’s win was nevertheless their fourth that was within one score.

And when Baltimore starts running into better defensive teams than Cincinnati – and the Ravens will hit the road to play the Pittsburgh Steelers and Los Angeles Chargers in their next two games – they’re likely to find the offense can’t bail them out at every turn, much as it couldn’t against the defensively oriented Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs in last season’s AFC championship game.

“(W)e have to turn over every stone on that as a defensive staff, and we have to figure out a way to stop those plays from happening,” said Harbaugh, “because they shouldn’t be happening.”

In fairness, this is a unit with a rookie coordinator in Zach Orr, and one that lost several key pieces during free agency – to say nothing of Orr’s predecessor, Mike Macdonald, now head coach of the Seattle Seahawks. It probably wasn’t realistic to expect Baltimore would again surrender the fewest points in the league as it did in 2023.

Yet there were positive signs Thursday.

Madubuike constantly harassed Burrow, sacking him three times after entering the game with just a pair on the season. Down 21-7 in the third quarter, cornerback Marlon Humphrey stripped Brown for a crucial fumble that led to a subsequent touchdown and sparked Baltimore’s comeback. And with the game hanging in the balance, the Ravens held strong – and you could argue the officials held their flags, too – in the final minute when Cincinnati failed to convert what would have been a go-ahead two-point conversion.

But if those are building blocks to improvement, Harbaugh knows there’s extensive work to do if Baltimore is going to overtake the first-place Steelers in the division and, down the road, potentially wrest the Lombardi Trophy from Kansas City.

“That’s not the standard,” said Harbaugh, sounding like Pittsburgh counterpart Mike Tomlin.

“We have to be much better. We have to take pressure off our offense, too. We’re required to do that on the defensive side. But for them to keep fighting the way they did and find a way to win the game – at the end of the day, that really is the important thing.”

Especially if Harbaugh and the Ravens want confetti to find them following the season’s final game.

***

Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Nate Davis on X, formerly Twitter, @ByNateDavis.

No better image could capture how he and his teammates felt after another one-possession loss, one that makes the team’s quest to reach the postseason that much more of an “uphill climb,” as Joe Burrow put it. 

“Yeah,” the Cincinnati quarterback said of the 2024 season, “this one has been frustrating.” 

The Bengals were 2 yards from a clean slate, a 5-5 record and another step up what will be the crowded ladder that is the AFC playoff picture – with the real chance of defeating one of the best teams in the league, a division rival, on the road. 

Instead, Burrow threw high to Hudson on what would have been the go-ahead two-point conversion with 42 seconds remaining. A night that started with aggression and ended with more of the same resulted in a Baltimore Ravens 35-34 win on “Thursday Night Football”. In the process, the Bengals wasted a historic game from wideout Ja’Marr Chase, who torched the depleted Ravens secondary – playing without safety Kyle Hamilton for the second half – for 11 catches, 264 receiving yards and three touchdowns. Burrow completed 34 of 56 passes for 428 yards and four scores. 

All things Bengals: Latest Cincinnati Bengals news, schedule, roster, stats, injury updates and more.

The defense, however, could not carry over momentum from the first half and allowed Lamar Jackson and the Ravens to score four consecutive touchdowns to close out a game Cincinnati once led 21-7. Running back Chase Brown’s fumble that set up a short field for Baltimore to make it 21-14 was an example of the Bengals outside of Burrow and Chase doing their teammates little favor. 

Coach Zak Taylor had been aggressive all night, as the Bengals started the game by going for a fourth-and-goal attempt from the Baltimore two-yard line. The referees whistled Ravens cornerback Brandon Stephens – one of 11 against Baltimore for 81 yards – for a defensive holding penalty, and Brown scored on the next play. Cincinnati finished 2-for-4 on fourth down, and the two misses came on Burrow deep shots to Jermaine Burton in single coverage; neither were particularly close to being completed. 

“We’ve got to find a way to close out these games,” Taylor said. “We had our opportunity. We got down there, went for two, and it just didn’t work out for us.” 

Battling back from 1-4 to 5-5 would indicate the erasure of the dismal start to the Bengals’ campaign. Instead, being 4-6 makes them unable to forget it. 

“We’ve got a good football team. Our record doesn’t yet show that. There’s still time. This team is going to hang in there. We are going to be there at the end,” Taylor said. “This is a tough one because you are right there, and it felt like (you) kind of let that one slip away.” 

In three of their losses, the Bengals have demonstrated they can hang with the class of the conference – the Kansas City Chiefs and the Ravens – and lost those matchups by a combined five points. 

“It sucks losing to those guys,” Chase said.

He added: “I think we just got to find a way to finish. Every loss we had, we didn’t finish.”  

A 37-17 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Oct. 27 is the lone Bengals loss of the season that has been by more than six points. 

“Look at our losses, it’s pretty much one-possession losses outside of that Philly game,” cornerback Mike Hilton said. “It’s definitely frustrating.” 

None of the Bengals were interested in using the absence of a penalty when tight end Mike Gesicki was mauled or contact was made to Burrow’s helmet on the two-point attempt as an excuse. Starting left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. was out again, as was wide receiver Tee Higgins. With Burrow and Chase, the Bengals have one of the most explosive offenses in the league – twice they scored on the first play of the drive, and Chase’s four touchdowns against Baltimore this year came from 41, 67, 70 and 70 yards away. 

“Elite. The best. There’s no other explanation,” Gesicki said. “They were incredible. It’s funny how No. 1 (Chase) gets that wide open all the time. It’s crazy.” 

Burrow took 13 hits – bound to happen with that number of dropbacks – and was sacked three times by Nnamdi Madubuike.

The Bengals finished 8-for-16 on third down and entered the contest converting at the third-best rate in the NFL (46.9%). Every time the Bengals and Ravens entered the red zone, they scored a touchdown. 

The Bengals’ defense contained Derrick Henry and the Ravens’ rushing attack but couldn’t make Jackson uncomfortable after forcing five punts in Baltimore’s first six drives of the game. Cam Taylor-Britt appeared to pick off Jackson with about five minutes remaining immediately after the Bengals tied the game at 28, but he couldn’t control the ball before it hit the ground. Cincinnati lost the turnover battle 1-0. 

“We had a chance to close it out. We just didn’t. Came back to bite us,” Hilton said. “One of those tough losses.

“In those critical moments, we got to find a way to get a turnover or get off the field.” 

Since Burrow’s arrival in 2020, the Bengals have been a team that typically wins the close games during their contending years (essentially, when Burrow is healthy). Now Burrow is left wondering if those past teams had an intangible quality that doesn’t exist in this group.

“In past years, we’ve hit the opportunities,” he said. “This year, we haven’t. Guys just got to make plays down the stretch to close these games out. And we haven’t.” 

The next time the Bengals play is once again in prime time, next Sunday against the Los Angeles Chargers. They have a bye Week 12 and finish the season with the Pittsburgh Steelers (twice), Dallas Cowboys, Tennessee Titans, Cleveland Browns and Denver Broncos on the schedule. 

Taylor was adamant his team was better than 4-6 and every player agreed with him. They also know their record means something at this point in the season. 

“I think your record is what your record is and you are what your record is,” Burrow said. “So, we’re a 4-6 football team right now. Certainly going to be an uphill battle to get back into this thing. I like the guys we have in the locker room. I like the coaches we have.”  

What is particularly troublesome for the Bengals is to have Chase and Burrow playing at that level and still own a sub-.500 winning percentage. 

“Yeah, it’s crazy to say that,” Chase said. “I would never in a million years expect me to play this well and (Burrow) to play this well and still have a record like this.”

That’s the type of one-in-a-million season the Bengals were hoping to avoid in 2024. But it’s the reality they will deal with for the next 10 days.

The NHL season is more than a month old and there have been two trades plus extensions signed by Jake Oettinger, Alexis Lafreniere, Linus Ullmark and others.

Other top players also remain eligible for extensions, including Igor Shesterkin, Mikko Rantanen, Mitch Marner, John Tavares, Brock Boeser.

There will be more trades as teams build toward a Stanley Cup or make moves for their long-term future. Here are key dates to watch: the holiday roster freeze in December, the league’s break for the 4 Nations Face-Off in February and the trade deadline in early March.

Follow along here this season for signings, trades, transactions and other news from the NHL:

Nov. 8: Kings’ Tanner Jeannot suspended for illegal check to head

Los Angeles Kings forward Tanner Jeannot was suspended for three games for an illegal check to the head that injured the Vancouver Canucks’ Brock Boeser. The NHL Department of Player Safety said Jeannot’s first-period hit made Boeser’s head the principal point of contact and was avoidable. Boeser left the game and didn’t return. Jeannot will forfeit $41,640.63 in pay in the first suspension of his career. He had been fined earlier in his career for an infraction.

Nov. 7: Flyers rookie Matvei Michkov to be healthy scratch

Coach John Tortorella called the move ‘part of the process.’

‘With young guys, they can watch games, too, as far as development,’ he told reporters. ‘It’s trying to help them.’

Michkov, 19, has 10 points in 13 games and a minus-8 rating and was NHL rookie of the month in October. He had just one point in his last five games and his ice time dropped in the last four.

Nov. 4: Sharks’ Macklin Celebrini ready to return from injury

San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 draft, is ready to return to action after aggravating an injury in the season opener, according to NHL.com.

He took part in practice Monday on the top line with Tyler Toffoli and Mikael Granlund and is looking to play his second game season Tuesday night against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Celebrini said he reinjured his hip on his first shift of the opener but played the full game and had a goal and assist.

He has missed 12 games. The Sharks opened the season 0-7-2 but are 3-1 in their last four games.

Also: The Colorado Avalanche said Valeri Nichushkin has been cleared to practice with the team. The suspended forward remains in Stage 3 of the NHL/NHL Players’ Association Player Assistance Program and would have to be cleared to play. … St. Louis Blues defenseman Philip Broberg will be out four to six weeks with a lower-body injury. He needed help getting off the ice Saturday after he was checked by the Toronto Maple Leafs’ Mitch Marner. … The Boston Bruins signed forward Tyler Johnson to a one-year, $775,000 contract. He won two Stanley Cups with the Tampa Bay Lightning and spent the last three seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks.

Nov. 2: Islanders’ Mathew Barzal, Adam Pelech go on injured list

New York Islanders No. 1 center Mathew Barzal was placed on long-term injured reserve with an unspecified upper-body injury. He’ll be out four to six weeks. He had 80 points in 80 games last season but had been limited to five points in 10 games this season as the Islanders have struggled to score.

Islanders defenseman Adam Pelech also will be out four to six weeks after being hit in the face by a puck. He went on the injured list.

Oct. 30: Sharks acquire Timothy Liljegren from Maple Leafs

The Toronto Maple Leafs get defenseman Matt Benning, a 2025 third-round pick and a 2026 sixth-rounder. Liljegren, 25, had been limited to one game in Toronto this season, and the Maple Leafs recently committed to blue-liner Jake McCabe with a five-year extension. But Liljegren should fit in well in San Jose, which is building around younger players. Benning, 30, and Liljegren are signed through 2025-26.

This is the second day with an NHL trade after none previously since the season opened in North America.

OILERS: Connor McDavid out with ankle injury

Oct. 29: Utah acquires defenseman Olli Maatta from Red Wings

The Utah Hockey Club gives up a third-round pick as it addresses a desperate need for a veteran defenseman. Sean Durzi and John Marino are out long-term after surgery. Utah has been leaking goals during a four-game losing streak, including blowing a 4-1 lead late in the third period against the previously winless San Jose Sharks. Maatta is solid defensively and has nearly 700 games of NHL experience.

Oct. 28: Maple Leafs sign Jake McCabe to five-year extension

The Toronto Maple Leafs signed defenseman Jake McCabe to a five-year extension with an annual average value of $4.51 million. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports there is some deferred money in the deal. McCabe, 31, had been acquired from the Chicago Blackhawks in a February 2023 trade and ranks fourth on the team in average ice time this season. He has three assists in nine games and a team-best plus-6 rating.

Also: The New York Rangers recalled rugged forward Matt Rempe from the American Hockey League after he played two games there. The Rangers play the Washington Capitals on Tuesday in what has become a feisty rivalry.

Oct. 26: Penguins send goalie Tristan Jarry to minors

The Pittsburgh Penguins sent two-time All-Star goaltender Tristan Jarry to their American Hockey League affiliate on a conditioning loan after his early season struggles. He had been sent home from the Penguins’ road trip to work on his game after recording a 5.47 goals-against average and .836 save percentage in three games. He was pulled from his last start on Oct. 16 and gave up six goals in the opener.

Jarry is in the second season of a five-year contract that carries a $5.375 million cap hit. Rookie Joel Blomqvist has had the most starts in the Penguins net this season and Alex Nedeljkovic recently returned from an injury.

Also: The New York Islanders signed rugged forward Matt Martin for the rest of the season. He had been to camp on a tryout agreement after spending 13 of his 15 seasons with the Islanders. … The Calgary Flames activated forward Yegor Sharangovich from the injured list. The team’s top goal scorer last season had yet to play this season.

Oct. 25: Rangers’ Alexis Lafreniere gets seven-year extension

The New York Rangers and Alexis Lafreniere have agreed to a seven-year extension as he builds on last season’s breakthrough. The 2020 No. 1 overall pick will average $7.45 million in the deal, according to lohud.com, part of the USA TODAY Network. That’s up from this year’s $2.325 million cap hit. Lafreniere, 23, broke through with 28 goals and 57 points last season and added eight goals and 14 points in the playoffs. He is averaging a point a game this season through seven games and scored his fourth goal of the season on Thursday. He is signed through 2031-32.

Also: The Rangers have sent fan favorite Matt Rempe to the American Hockey League to get him more playing time. The 6-7 forward made a name for himself last season with his epic fights and big hits, one that led to a four-game suspension. But he has played only two games this season.

Oct. 24: Golden Knights’ Shea Theodore signs for seven years

Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Shea Theodore will average $7.425 million in the extension, which kicks in next season and runs through 2031-32. Getting him signed now is important after the Golden Knights lost Jonathan Marchessault, Chandler Stephenson and others from their 2023 Stanley Cup team to free agency during the summer.

Theodore, 29, is the franchise’s top-scoring defenseman with 296 points and has opened this season with seven points in six games. Vegas’ top three defensemen (also Alex Pietrangelo and Noah Hanifin) are signed through at least 2026-27.

Oct. 24: Devils’ Brett Pesce, Luke Hughes returning from injury

The New Jersey Devils will get two players back on their defense when Brett Pesce and Luke Hughes make their season debuts Thursday at the Detroit Red Wings.

Pesce, signed as a free agent, has recovered from surgery for a broken leg. Hughes hurt his shoulder in September. He was a finalist for the Calder Trophy last season, leading all rookies with 21 power-play assists and 25 power-play points.

Their return comes at a good time because the Devils have yielded 14 goals over their last two games.

Also: New York Islanders forward Anthony Duclair (lower body) will miss four to six weeks, a blow to the 2023-24 playoff team that ranks 30th in scoring this season. … The Los Angeles activated goalie Darcy Kuemper from the injured list. Pheonix Copley was loaned to the AHL’s Ontario Reign. … The Colorado Avalanche loaned goalie Kaapo Kahkonen to the AHL’s Colorado Eagles on a conditioning assignment. He was claimed off waivers from the Winnipeg Jets earlier this season.

Oct. 23: Utah’s Sean Durzi, John Marino out long-term after surgery

The Utah Hockey Club, who beefed up their defense in the offseason, will be without two key blueliners long-term after they had surgery.

Sean Durzi, who was injured in an Oct. 15 game, will miss four to six months after shoulder surgery. John Marino, who has yet to play this season, is out three to four months after back surgery.

Utah added defensemen Mikhail Sergachev, Marino and Ian Cole in the offseason. Durzi, acquired last season when the team was in Arizona, signed a four-year, $24 million contract during the summer.

In other injury news, St. Louis Blues forward Robert Thomas has a fractured ankle and will be evaluated in six weeks.

Oct. 22: Panthers give coach Paul Maurice contract extension

Maurice, who joined the Panthers in 2022-23, went to the Stanley Cup Final in his first season and won it last year. His 29 playoff wins are a franchise record.

He has 98 regular-season wins with Florida and his 873 career wins rank fourth all time in NHL history.

Also: The Blues signed forward Jake Neighbours to a two-year, $7.5 million contract extension.

Oct. 17: Stars’ Jake Oettinger signs eight-year contract extension

The Dallas Stars signed goalie Jake Oettinger to an eight-year, $66 million contract extension that kicks in next season. The $8.25 million cap hit matches the deals recently signed by the Bruins’ Jeremy Swayman and Senators’ Linus Ullmark.

Oettinger has led the Stars to the Western Conference final the past two seasons.

Oct. 14: Matthew Tkachuk’s illness to keep him out a week

Already down one star, the Panthers will be without another one.

Coach Paul Maurice said Matthew Tkachuk’s illness will keep him out more than a week. The team is targeting an Oct. 22 return.

Tkachuk missed Saturday’s game. So did captain Aleksander Barkov, who injured his leg in the second game of the season and is expected to miss two to three weeks.

Oct. 12: Aleksander Barkov, Macklin Celebrini are injured

The NHL season is young, but two prominent players are already out with injuries.

Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov will miss two to three weeks after crashing leg first into the boards while trying to prevent an empty net goal on Thursday. His stick had broken but he couldn’t stop Ottawa’s Tim Stutzle from scoring. The time frame should allow Barkov to participate in the two Global Series games against the Dallas Stars in Tampere, Finland, on Nov. 1-2. Barkov is the first Finnish NHL captain to win the Stanley Cup. He won the Selke Trophy last season for the second time as top defensive forward.

Meanwhile, the San Jose Sharks placed No. 1 overall pick Macklin Celebrini on injured reserve with a lower-body injury. Coach Ryan Warsofsky said Celebrini is week-to-week. He had been dealing with an injury in training camp but played in this week’s season opener, scoring a goal and an assist.

Oct. 11: Avalanche claim goalie Kaapo Kahkonen off waivers

In a busy day for goalie transactions, the Colorado Avalanche claimed Kaapo Kahkonen off waivers from the Winnipeg Jets. Colorado lost 8-4 in the opener, with Alexandar Georgiev giving up five goals and backup Justus Annunen giving up two goals on four shots. The Avalanche are Kahkonen’s fourth team in a year. He split time last season between the San Jose Sharks and New Jersey Devils.

In other moves, the Minnesota Wild called up Jesper Wallstedt, their goalie of future, who will join Game 1 winner Filip Gustavsson and Marc-Andre Fleury. The Nashville Predators sent down Matt Murray, who backed up Scott Wedgewood on Thursday with injured No. 1 goalie Juuse Saros unable to play.

Oct. 10: Hurricanes-Lightning game postponed because of Milton

Saturday’s game between the Carolina Hurricanes and Tampa Bay Lightning has been postponed as the Tampa Bay area recovers from Hurricane Milton. The league said a makeup date would be announced as soon as it can be confirmed.

The Lightning are playing their season opener in Carolina on Friday. Saturday’s game was to be the start of a three-game homestand (also Tuesday and Thursday).

Amalie Arena got through the storm fine, though Tropicana Field, home of MLB’s Tampa Bay Rays in St. Petersburg, Florida, suffered major damage to its roof.

Oct. 10: Blue Jackets captain Boone Jenner has surgery

Jenner had shoulder surgery to repair an injury he suffered during training camp and could miss up to six months.

‘Our hope is he can return before the end of the season,’ said Columbus Blue Jackets general manager Waddell. ‘His loss will be felt by our club, but we have a strong leadership group in place and players will be given an opportunity to take on greater roles on and off the ice.’

Boone, who finished second on the Blue Jackets last season with 22 goals and is the franchise leader in games played, has been the team’s captain since 2021-22.

Oct. 9: Linus Ullmark, Joey Daccord get contract extensions

Ullmark, who won the Vezina Trophy with the Bruins in 2022-03, was traded to the Ottawa Senators this offseason so Boston had the room to re-sign Swayman. Ullmark will get four years, $33 million from the Senators and have the same $8.25 million cap as Swayman.

Meanwhile, Seattle Kraken goaltender Joey Daccord received a five-year, $25 million extension. He filled in for Philipp Grubauer after that goalie’s injury last season and got the NHL’s first shutout in the Winter Classic. Both contracts will take effect next season.

Oct. 8: Rangers’ Igor Shesterkin turns down extension offer

ESPN’s Kevin Weekes posted on social media Tuesday that the New York Rangers offered Shesterkin an eight-year, $88 million contract, with an $11 million average annual value that would have eclipsed Carey Price’s high-water mark of $10.5 million. A person with knowledge of the situation confirmed those numbers to lohud.com, part of the USA TODAY Network.

It’s not a huge surprise that the 28-year-old Russian would reject it on the eve of New York’s season-opener in Pittsburgh. Another person familiar with the situation recently indicated the two sides have been far apart in negotiations, and that the chances of striking a deal before the start of the new season weren’t looking very promising. That could always change if Rangers team president Chris Drury decides to up the ante, but Shesterkin seems content to bet on himself and wait it out. – Vincent Z. Mercogliano, lohud.com

Also: The defending champion Florida Panthers announced after their opening victory that forward Carter Verhaeghe had agreed to an eight-year extension. It’s worth a reported $56 million.

We’re on to the second half of the 2024 NFL season.

With nine weeks complete, the league has officially crossed the midway point of this year’s campaign. From the playoff chase to individual awards, very little is settled, with several teams still having ample opportunity to begin an ascent that could lead all the way to the postseason. And if Thursday night’s thriller between the Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens is any indication, the final two months of the season should feature several scintillating showdowns.

With all that in mind, here are bold predictions for NFL Week 10 games from several of USA TODAY Sports’ writers and editors:

Christian McCaffrey will score 2 TDs…and produce more receiving yards than rushing yards

Christian McCaffrey makes his long-awaited 2024 debut for the 49ers at Tampa Bay with a bang. While Jordan Mason proved to be a more-than-capable fill-in to keep the running game intact (685 yards, 5.3 per carry), the NFL’s reigning Offensive Player of the Year will remind us just how lethal of a multi-tasking weapon he is out of the backfield. The 49ers sorely missed CMC’s impact in the passing game – which was needed even more with the injuries that struck San Francisco’s receivers corps. Well, as McCaffrey gets well from his Achilles setback, so do Brock Purdy’s numbers in the passing game as his ace running back not only runs routes as well as a polished wide receiver but opens up windows for other targets. I’m expecting that CMC will strike paydirt twice on Sunday with his fresh legs and crack 100 yards from scrimmage on the turf in Tampa — with more than half the output coming in the passing game.

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

— Jarrett Bell

DeAndre Hopkins will surpass 100 receiving yards for first time this year

DeAndre Hopkins is going to cement his status as the Chiefs’ new No. 1 wide receiver.

Hopkins hasn’t eclipsed 100 receiving yards in a single game since Week 14 of last season. The veteran wide receiver will top the century mark in his second home game in Kansas City versus a stingy Denver pass defense that features cornerback Pat Surtain II. Hopkins will have 100-plus receiving yards and one touchdown, giving him three touchdowns in his first three games in a Chiefs uniform. Hopkins’ performance will help the Chiefs improve to 9-0, as the franchise will become just the fifth reigning Super Bowl champion to win its first nine games. Furthermore, Patrick Mahomes’ dominance against the AFC West is going to continue. A win will increase Mahomes’ record to 33-5 versus divisional opponents.

– Tyler Dragon

Blowouts sweep league in uneven matchups

The NFL has been lucky enough to enjoy another record run of close games, with 75 having been decided by seven points or fewer. That dynamic might be on hold this week, however, with several contests looking particularly lopsided. Five of my picks for Week 10 featured deficits of at least 21 points. The Jacksonville Jaguars’ tilt against the Minnesota Vikings might be especially ugly, with quarterback Trevor Lawrence expected to sit out with a shoulder injury. The New Orleans Saints (vs. Atlanta Falcons), Denver Broncos (at Kansas City Chiefs), Tennessee Titans (at Los Angeles Chargers) and Dallas Cowboys (at Philadelphia Eagles) all could be staring down some serious setbacks as well.

— Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz

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