AUSTIN, Texas — Mauricio Pochettino meant what he said about protecting the health of his players.

Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, Ricardo Pepi, Marlon Fossey and Zack Steffen will return to their clubs and miss Tuesday’s friendly against archrival Mexico in Guadalajara. They won’t be replaced on the roster, leaving the U.S. men’s national team with 20 players against El Tri.

A successful European club coach before taking over the USMNT, Pochettino understands better than most the delicate balance between players wanting to represent their countries and clubs not wanting them to risk injury. He expressed concern about Pulisic’s workload ahead of Saturday’s 2-0 win over Panama, in which the U.S. star had an assist, and left McKennie on the bench because the regular starter was a little banged up when he arrived in camp.

“I told you that we were going to analyze and (evaluate) the health of the player,” Pochettino said when asked why McKennie didn’t play against Panama, adding that it’s “common sense” not to put players who aren’t fully fit at risk for what is, essentially, a meaningless game.

“We need him 100% in his club. And, of course, next time, whether that’s Tuesday or in the next camp, be 100% to help the team to achieve the thing that we want.”

U.S. Soccer said McKennie, Pepi, Fossey and Steffen all have minor injuries. Pepi was the only one of the four who played against Panama, coming on in the 67th minute and scoring deep in stoppage time.

Pulisic’s departure was classified as “load management,” which doesn’t come as a surprise given what Pochettino had already said.

Pulisic has had a goal or an assist in all but three of his last 12 games for club and country, and Pochettino on Friday called him “one of the best offensive players in the world.” But Pochettino also said he was worried about overworking his new star player.

Pulisic has appeared in every one of AC Milan’s nine games this season, playing 70 minutes or more in eight of them. Coach Paulo Fonseca had already indicated Pulisic would play in the Serie A match against Udinese next Saturday, which would have meant a very quick turnaround if he’d stayed with the USMNT for the Mexico game.

“We are a little bit worried,” Pochettino said. “Sometime we (might) need to protect (him). We’ll see.

“(I want) to build a very good relationship with the club and try to help,” Pochettino added. “And when we really need him, then he’ll need to be in form, happy, strong. The quality is there because he has an enormous talent. He’s a fantastic player.”

If Major League Baseball’s made-for-TV postseason is the ultimate in reality programming, then the first two rounds of this tournament should come with an important assurance for viewers:

No top seeds were harmed in the production of this film.

The best-of-three wild-card series and best-of-five Division Series have been completed, and for all the angst-ridden fan bloviating and endless takes from the take factories, you’d think any team winning more than 90 games was suddenly an endangered species.

Yet here we are, through three years of this expanded format, and everything’s working out pretty OK.

The 94-win New York Yankees, 98-win Los Angeles Dodgers and 92-win Cleveland Guardians are onward to their respective League Championship Series, and after the Guards’ scintillating Game 5 victory over Detroit in the ALDS, we’re assured that the World Series won’t feature anyone with fewer than 89 wins to their name.

Follow every MLB game: Latest MLB scores, stats, schedules and standings.

That’s a departure from last year, when the 84-win Arizona Diamondbacks caught a gust at their back and made it to an all wild-card World Series against the eventual champion Texas Rangers. Paired with the 87-win Philadelphia Phillies getting all the way to Game 6 of the ’22 World Series against the Houston Astros, there was fodder for the school of thought suggesting the new, 12-team format was inherently unfair for a sport that measures its greatness largely over 162 games.

That perspective was tainted by the notion that somehow, a bye through the wild card series was damaging, that teams would rather have to win five games instead of three to advance to the LCS, so long as they avoid the crippling “rust” that apparently settles in with five days off.

It was an illogical and mathematically dubious stance, and this postseason proved as much.

Rest is good

Beyond avoiding a dangerous best-of-three shootout, let’s not forget that ducking the wild card gives a significant chance to lick wounds and plot strategy. Just look at the Dodgers.

If they don’t ensure a first-round bye, there would have been no Freddie Freeman in the wild-card series. Instead, their All-Star underwent aggressive treatment all week and, with the help of the training room, slapped four hits in 14 at-bats. More important, he lengthened a Dodgers lineup whose decisive Game 5 blows against San Diego were struck by the Nos. 4 and 7 hitters, Teoscar and Kiké Hernández (no relation).

Meanwhile, a bullpen that hit a mid-year wall was gassed up and nearly perfect, as the Dodgers erased a 2-1 series deficit by tossing 24 consecutive shutout innings, 19 by their relievers, to flip the result. All those zeroes probably aren’t hung if they had to survive a wild-card round as well, given how bullpen returns can diminish with each subsequent round.

All this can’t fully explain how the 95-win Philadelphia Phillies flopped so badly against the Mets. Nor is it scientifically possible to explain what’s “rust” and what’s simply folding under playoff pressure.

We’re pretty sure most of Philly would agree it was the latter, as the Phillies were dogged by terrible plate approaches, bad swing decisions, and a questionable handling of the bullpen by manager Rob Thomson that pretty much doomed them after they wasted a sparkling Game 1 start from ace Zack Wheeler.

And you could also see this coming. The Phillies were 33-33 in the second half, prone to extended offensive slumps. All-Star reliever Jeff Hoffman’s ERA more than tripled (1.12 to 3.81) in the second half, a 4.87 mark in August and September.

Heck, the break did the Phillies good, too, as lefty Ranger Suarez was able to iron out issues that produced a 6.54 ERA in his last 11 starts; he managed 4 ⅓ innings of shutout ball before the Phillies were eliminated in Game 4.

The Phillies were the most conventionally pleasing squad entering the playoffs: Four really good to great starters, a bullpen with plenty of live arms and a near billion-dollar lineup known for its quick October strikes. But in this modern playoff structure, concocting the winning recipe is tougher than asking a 5-year-old to whip you up a nice risotto.

Wanna find the ‘hot hand?’ Good luck!

Oddly enough, the team most “built” for success this October did everything wrong in the run-up.

They traded their No. 2 starter and two useful bats at the trade deadline. Called up a bevy of rookies in August and September, including their starting shortstop and some high-leverage relievers.

Yet even though the Detroit Tigers are finally out, rest assured the surviving teams are breathing a sigh of relief.

One ace and “chaos” the rest of the week, supported by a contact-hitting lineup with come-and-go power, does not seem the playoff ideal. But the Tigers were the game’s best team in the last two months and behind lefty Tarik Skubal, flicked aside the Astros in the wild-card round, breaking Houston’s seven-year streak of ALCS appearances.

Yeah, they couldn’t finish the Guardians after grabbing a 2-1 ALDS lead. But the Tigers’ mantra – “Don’t let us get hot” – perfectly distills how fluky this October thing is getting.

Always has been, really.

The best team never won all the time, anyway

Hey, this whole “100-win team goes down in flames” thing (not that there’s one of those this year) has been going on for decades. In the final 32 years (1946-68) when the league winner advanced to the World Series, the team with the best record still won just 52% of the time.

And when the League Championship Format was adopted in 1969, that was lopped nearly in half, to 28% through 1993. The wild card era only blunted that further; there was really no turning back since 1997, when a 92-win, Florida Marlins wild card team upended the 101-win, division-winning Atlanta Braves dynasty in the NLCS and went on to capture the World Series.

So perceived injustices are nothing new; they’re just a little more exacerbated now.

Hey, we don’t think this format is perfect, by any means. There was both a little more juice and a little less sitting around in the 10-year wild-card game format, which provided the adrenaline of a one-game knockout while idling the division winners for just three or four days before the Division Series began.

Yet every player I’ve talked to prefers the best-of-three, that any season shouldn’t come down to one game. A fair point, but after three years, the Game 1 winner is also 12-0 in winning the series; just two series have gone the full three games.

But we’ve learned nothing’s ever permanent with the postseason format. And with TV rightsholders always holding many of the cards, and ESPN, the godfather of the wild card round, set to opt out of its deal after 2025, the game and its championship tournament may look much different in two, five, 10 years.

And when that time arrives, perhaps we’ll look back on this format and worry they might mess up a good thing.

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Are we having fun yet? The College Football Playoff race is a wild, muddy glorious mess, but the list of national championship contenders is much shorter.
Texas headlines the list of college football’s elite, but Ohio State and Oregon aren’t far behind.
Georgia, Penn State and, yes, still Alabama form the next tier of national championship contenders.

Are we having fun yet?

Well, it’s no barrel of laughs at Florida, where fired-coach-in-waiting Billy Napier still doesn’t grasp that you’re only allowed 11 players for special teams.

And they’re feeling glum at Ole Miss, where all that NIL spending bought a defense that collapsed at the close of losses to Kentucky and LSU.

And they’re pulling their hair out in victory at Alabama, where fans fume over a defense that’s as casual as Kalen DeBoer’s fashion.

At Southern California, they’re questioning why they’re paying Lincoln Riley a fortune to be worse than Arkansas’ Sam Pittman in his last 13 games.

And, at Tennessee, they’re wondering about their quarterback investment, because the state’s best quarterback plays ball at Vanderbilt.

They’re all smiles at Texas, though, which made the SEC its playpen. In this wild, messy conference, Steve Sarkisian’s squad stands above the fray.

And they’re having a grin at Penn State, where James Franklin assembled a complete team that can win big games. Maybe now he can even whip up that airport renovation in State College.

“You can sleep when you die, right?” Ducks coach Dan Lanning told reporters of a memorable 24 hours in Eugene, Oregon.

That’s the mood at LSU, too, after the Tigers won a 4-hour, 16-minute game in which the only time they ever led was after the final play. LSU shot off approximately 9,749 fireworks to celebrate – OK, maybe a minor exaggeration – and fans stormed the field, while linebacker Whit Weeks traveled from one goal line to the other amid the carnival, hollering in excitement the whole way.

“It was fun, for sure,” Weeks said of LSU’s comeback victory, a comment apropos of a drama-filled Saturday of college football.

Four Top 25 teams won in overtime, and Alabama couldn’t exhale in a 27-25 escape against South Carolina until after an interception on the game’s final play.

Take a breath, because we’re only at the season’s midpoint, and still more than 30 teams have hopes and dreams of making the inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff.

HIGHS AND LOWS: Winners and losers from Week 7 in college football

MISERY INDEX: Lincoln Riley’s project at USC getting worse and worse

Here’s what I’m eyeing from the “Topp Rope,” while I come up for air before the next overtime begins:

Which teams can win the national championship?

We live in a reality in which Indiana, Pittsburgh, Army and Navy are all undefeated. Each is a playoff contender. You didn’t really think the 12-team playoff would make the regular season less interesting, did you?

Wacky and woolly and engaging though the playoff race will be, that doesn’t change that a chasm separates the hunk of teams that are playoff contenders from the smaller class of crème de la crème that are true national championship contenders.

Six teams that look like they can win it all:

1. Texas (6-0). The Longhorns are without obvious weakness. They’re tough at the lines of scrimmage, they teeming with playmaking wide receivers, and they have not one but two standout quarterbacks. Texas props up an otherwise muddy and murky SEC.

2. Ohio State (5-1). Yes, I know Oregon won the game, but a one-point road loss against a premier opponent didn’t turn me off the Buckeyes, who got burned by an offensive pass interference penalty in the final minute that pushed them out of field-goal range. Ohio State’s roster is loaded, although I’d prefer the starting quarterback from a few other teams listed here.

3. Oregon (6-0). Lanning finally prevailed in the big game, and quarterback Dillon Gabriel played up to his preseason Heisman Trophy contender billing. Like fellow Big Ten bully Ohio State, Oregon is believed to have spent big, big, big bucks on this roster. The Ducks and Buckeyes are seeing return on investment.

4. Georgia (5-1). The Bulldogs played seven consecutive quarters of sloppy football in a narrow win at Kentucky and a loss at Alabama, but in a sport where talent assembly goes a long way in determining champions, the Bulldogs remain among the handful of teams that possess enough ability to climb atop the heap – although they haven’t looked the part since early September.

5. Penn State (6-0). The Nittany Lions present as a lite-beer version of 2023 Michigan. They lack the receivers of frontrunners like Texas and Ohio State, but, on the whole, they rate as one of the nation’s most balanced teams. As cross-country road trips trip up Big Ten teams, it’s noteworthy Penn State persevered in a 33-30 overtime win at USC.

6. Alabama (5-1). I nearly bumped the Tide off this list, but I can’t ignore my standard that college football operates as a function of talent assembly, and the Alabama boasts more than most, plus a coach who won a number of too-close-for-comfort games at his last stop. Alabama’s weekly high-wire act resembles 2021 Alabama. That team needed a number of white-knuckle victories and every ounce of Bryce Young’s magic to reach the national championship game. This team will go as far as Jalen Milroe takes it.

I’m nearly ready to consider … : Miami (6-0), Clemson (5-1).

Three and out

1. Let’s revisit my previous point that Alabama’s heart-thumping victories didn’t begin after Nick Saban’s retirement. They began after NIL and transfer freedom kicked in before the 2021 season. Alabama, in 2021, beat Florida by two points; LSU by six points; Arkansas by seven points, and Auburn by two points; and lost to Texas A&M by three points. None of those five teams I rattled off finished better than 9-4. This win-at-the-finish act is what Alabama has become. That predates DeBoer, although losing to Vanderbilt with a coaching wearing a T-shirt started with DeBoer.

2. After the Longhorns snacked on the Sooners in a 34-3 rout, Sarkisian entered the postgame news conference chowing down on a corn dog. “It’s amazing,” the Texas coach said of his deep-fried treat. Sooners coach Brent Venables had pledged before the game to eat a corn dog if OU won, but he worried his body “might shut down” if he had to follow through with it. No worries, coach, you never came close to having to eat that dog.

3. The latest ‘Topp Rope’ 12-team playoff projections: Texas (SEC), Ohio State (Big Ten), Kansas State (Big 12), Miami (ACC), Boise State (Group of Five), plus at-large selections Georgia, Alabama, Texas A&M, Penn State, Oregon, Clemson and Notre Dame. Next up: Iowa State, Brigham Young, Tennessee, LSU.

Blake Toppmeyer is the USA TODAY Network’s national college football columnist. Email him at BToppmeyer@gannett.com and follow him on Twitter @btoppmeyer.

The ‘Topp Rope’ is his football column published throughout the USA TODAY Network.

Subscribe to read all of his column

The NFL sent a marquee quarterback matchup to London this weekend. Caleb Williams, though, was the headlining star.

Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears destroyed Trevor Lawrence and the Jacksonville Jaguars in London in Week 6, 35-16. Williams finished with four touchdowns in the effort, as the quarterback continues his ascent.

Williams, the No. 1 overall selection in the 2024 NFL draft, seems to be figuring things out. With two 300-plus-yard performances in his last three games, the rookie passer came up a touchdown shy of tying the NFL record for touchdown passes by a rookie QB in the matchup.

Lawrence, No. 1 overall selection in the 2021 draft, has waded through difficult early season waters so far, and Sunday’s matchup was no different. Lawrence threw two touchdowns in the game, but one was a little bit too little, too late to wide receiver Gabe Davis.

USA TODAY Sports provided live updates, highlights and more from the Week 6 London matchup between the Bears and Jaguars below:

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

End of game: Bears roll, dismantle Jaguars in London

There was maybe some hope for the Jaguars in the first quarter, but that was quickly doused by a high-flying Bears offense through the remainder of the game. Caleb Williams finished with four touchdowns in the massive win over the hapless Jaguars in London.

Jaguars backup QB Mac Jones enters game in relief of Trevor Lawrence

Trevor Lawrence will take in the rest of this pending Jaguars loss from the sidelines. Mac Jones has entered the game for mop-up duty, keeping Lawrence on the sidelines for this forgettable performance.

Bears vs. Jaguars score: Gabe Davis secures second TD catch

The Jaguars are alive, but barely breathing. Trevor Lawrence found Gabe Davis for his second touchdown catch of the day. After a failed 2-point try, the Jaguars trail 35-16.

Bears vs. Jaguars score: D’Andre Swift hits pay dirty for touchdown

After D.J. Moore came up just inches shy of giving Caleb Williams his fifth touchdown on the day, running back D’Andre Swift bullied his way into the end zone for the score. The Bears lead 35-10 following the score.

Trevor Lawrence throws backbreaking INT

Trevor Lawrence hasn’t lit the box score on fire, but he will ignite plenty of takes come Monday morning.

Lawrence threw a ghastly interception to Bears DB Josh Blackwell in the early goings of the fourth quarter to set up the bears for another scoring opportunity.

Bears vs. Jaguars score: Caleb Williams throws fourth TD of the day

Caleb Williams has arrived, both in London and the NFL.

After some flashes of brilliance in recent weeks, Williams has erupted in London for four touchdown passes. The fourth, a fade to Keenan Allen for his second TD grab of the day. The Bears lead 28-10 with 14:56 remaining in the fourth quarter.

Why do the Jaguars always play in London?

In 2012, the Jacksonville Jaguars agreed to play one home game at Wembley Stadium each year from 2013 to 2016, later extending that agreement through 2020. As a result, the Jaguars became a staple of the NFL London games, playing overseas for 10 consecutive seasons.

What is the ‘GSH’ on the Bears jerseys?

The ‘GSH’ on the shoulder sleeves of the Bears uniform are the initials of George S. Halas, the founder and former owner of the Chicago Bears.

Bears vs. Jaguars score: Trevor Lawrence finds Gabe Davis for TD

When the Jags needed a score, Trevor Lawrence delivered. While the passer has been more than a bit off on the drive, he escaped the pocket and found Gabe Davis for six. The extra point would cut into the Bears’ lead, which now sits at 21-10.

Travis Etienne injury update: Jaguars RB questionable to return

Jaguars running back Travis Etienne has been a topic of early trade speculation, but now he may have to overcome a little injury to get back on the field.

Etienne was listed as questionable to return with a hamstring injury midway through the third quarter. Etienne also dealt with a shoulder injury earlier this season.

Bears pause for tea time after TD

The ‘T’ in ‘TD’ actually stands for ‘tea.’

After Caleb Williams’ third touchdown pass of the day, the Bears gathered in the end zone for a little celebration: Apropos of their matchup in London, Chicago called for a tea party celebration.

Did anyone bring the crumpets?

Bears vs. Jaguars score: Caleb Williams throws dart to Keenan Allen for TD

The Evan Engram fumble proved costly. Caleb Williams would connect with Keenan Allen for his third touchdown pass of the day to put the Bears up 18 points on the Jaguars in London.

Evan Engram fumble sets up Bears

The Jaguars needed a score to come out of half with some urgency, but an Evan Engram fumble set up the Bears with good field position to lengthen their lead.

Halftime: Bears turn tide in second quarter, lead Jaguars

It was a tale of two quarters before halftime: The Jaguars dominated the first half, while it was all Bears in the second quarter. The Bears lead the Jaguars on the back of two Caleb Williams-Cole Kmet TD passes, 14-3.

Bears vs. Jaguars score: Caleb-Cole connection converts again

It was another easy pitch and catch for Caleb Williams and Cole Kmet for the duo’s second touchdown connection of the day. It put the Bears up 14-3 with 13 seconds left in the half.

Caleb Williams throws interception to Andre Cisco

The Bears offense seemed to be humming, until Caleb Williams left too much air under a deep ball to D.J. Moore. Andre Cisco had a healthy return with the throw to set up the Jaguars with another drive.

Rome Odunze stats

Midway through the second quarter, Rome Odunze has yet to secure a catch vs. the Jaguars. D.J. Moore, Cole Kmet and Roschon Johnson all have catches.

Bears vs. Jaguars score: Caleb Williams connects with Cole Kmet for TD

It looks like the Bears offense showed up to London a little late. After having just seven yards on offense in the first quarter, the Bears offense came alive in the second quarter, with Caleb Williams leading a scoring drive and capping it off with a TD pass to Cole Kmet.

Kmet would truck a Jags defender en route to the end zone – and then would snap the ball on the extra point.

Bears up 7-3 in the second.

Evan Engram stats today

Evan Engram is back for the Jaguars today, and it doesn’t look like he’s missed a step. The Jags tight end has been a much-needed security blanket for Trevor Lawrence, with three catches for 39 yards through one quarter of play vs. the Bears.

End of first quarter: Jags dominate Bears, but scoreboard tight

A long, long Jaguars drive that ended in a field goal sucked up most of the time in the first quarter vs. the Bears. Chicago can’t seem to get much going offensively, with just seven total yards at the end of the first quarter. That said, the Jags lead by just a field goal heading into the second quarter.

Brian Thomas Jr. stats

Jaguars wideout Brian Thomas Jr. entered the matchup with 397 yards on the season. That puts him on pace for over 1,300 yards should he stay healthy. He has two receptions for 21 yards entering the late stages of the first quarter vs. the Bears.

Bears vs. Jaguars score: Jaguars settle for field goal after lengthy possession

A methodical, clock-chewing possession by the Jaguars stalled in the red zone. After a number of penalties and a Gabe Davis end zone drop, the Jags settled for a Cam Little boot for three points. The Jaguars lead the Bears 3-0 in the first quarter.

Jaguars force three-and-out on first possession

Those looking for some early American fireworks from Caleb Williams will have to wait at least one more drive. The Jaguars defense forces the Bears into a punt after Williams was stopped on third down. Referees may have missed a facemask call on Williams, as well.

What time is Jaguars at Bears in London? 

Start time: 9:30 a.m. ET

The Bears vs. Jaguars Week 6 London matchup gets underway at 9:30 a.m. ET. The game should take viewers almost right up to the 1 p.m. slate of games in Week 6.

Bears vs. Jaguars TV channel

TV channel: NFL Network (national) | CBS 47 (Jacksonville market) | Fox 32 (Chicago market)
Live stream:Fubo, NFL+

Nationally, the Jaguars vs. Bears matchup will air on NFL Network. Locally, CBS 47 (Jacksonville) and Fox 32 (Chicago) will broadcast the game.

The game is also available to stream on Fubo.

How to watch the Chicago Bears game today

TV channel: NFL Network (national)
Chicago market: Fox 32

The Jags vs. Bears matchup will air on NFL Network to a national audience, and on Fox 32 in the Chicago market.

How to watch the Jaguars game today

TV channel: NFL Network (national)
Jacksonville market: CBS47

The Jags vs. Bears matchup will air on NFL Network to a national audience, and on CBS47 in the Jacksonville market.

Bears vs. Jaguars predictions, picks

Here’s how the USA TODAY Sports staff feels the Bears vs. Jaguars Week 6 matchup in London will shake out:

Lorenzo Reyes: Bears 26, Jaguars 20
Tyler Dragon: Bears 21, Jaguars 20
Jordan Mendoza: Bears 22, Jaguars 16

Bears vs. Jaguars odds, moneyline, over/under

The Bears are favorites to defeat the Jaguars , according to BetMGM NFL odds. Looking to wager? Check out the best mobile sports betting apps offering NFL betting promos in 2024 including the ESPN BET app and Fanatics Sportsbook promo code.

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

Spread: Bears (-1.5)
Moneyline: Bears (-125); Jaguars (+105)
Over/under: 44.5

Not interested in this game? Our guide to NFL betting odds, picks and spreads has you covered with Thursday Night Football odds, Sunday Night Football odds and Monday Night Football odds.

New to sports betting? USA TODAY readers can claim exclusive promos and bonus codes with the best online sportsbooks and sports betting sites.

FEELING LUCKY? Here are the best parlay bets and odds for NFL games this week 

Tottenham Hotspur Stadium: Capacity, details

Tottenham Hotspur Stadium – home of the Premier League’s Tottenham Hotspur F.C – is a state-of-the-art facility which opened in 2019.

Located in Tottenham, London, England, the stadium seats almost 63,000 fans. It features a retractable pitch that makes way for a football field underneath, an engineering marvel.

What is the Jaguars record in London?

The Jaguars have played in London 11 times over the past ten seasons and have a 6-5 record in those games.

The Jaguars played back-to-back games in London in 2023 and will do so again in 2024. They are scheduled to play the Bears in Week 6 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and then the New England Patriots in Week 7 at Wembley Stadium.

The Jaguars are 2-0 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and 4-5 at Wembley Stadium.

Who are the highest paid NFL players at each position?

We have a complete list at every position: 

Quarterbacks
Running backs
Wide receivers
Tight ends
Offensive tackles
Offensive guards
Centers
Edge rushers
Interior defensive linemen
Linebackers
Cornerbacks
Safeties
Kickers
Punters

Who is the highest-paid NFL player? 

The NFL’s top 18 players in average annual salary are all quarterbacks, according to OverTheCap.com. Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott became the league’s highest-paid player on Sunday morning, agreeing to a four-year, $240 million deal. Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson is the first non-quarterback on the highest-paid list after striking a four-year, $140 million contract extension this offseason. 

Complete list of the league’s highest-paid players

Trevor Lawrence contract details

The Jaguars and quarterback Trevor Lawrence have agreed to terms on a five–year, $275 million contract extension – with $200 million guaranteed – ahead of the 2024 season, a person close to the situation informed USA TODAY Sports.

At the time, the deal matched Lawrence with the Cincinnati Bengals’ Joe Burrow as the NFL’s highest-paid quarterback and highest-paid player in league history (in per-season average salary). Dak Prescott later eclipsed that mark.

Who is the highest-paid NFL quarterback?

Dak Prescott is currently the highest-paid NFL quarterback in terms of AAV. He signed a four-year, $240 million extension with the Dallas Cowboys on eve of the 2024 NFL season to leapfrog Lawrence and Burrow for the top spot.

Prescott also has the most guaranteed money in his contract among quarterbacks. A whopping $231 million of his deal is guaranteed, which surpassed Deshaun Watson’s previous record of $230 million in his infamous fully guaranteed deal.

Prescott’s contract isn’t the NFL’s largest contract overall, however. That honor belongs to Patrick Mahomes, who is penciled to make $450 million as part of the 10-year contract he signed with the team in 2020.

AFC South standings

Entering the Week 6 Sunday slate of games, the Jaguars are in the cellar of the AFC South. Here’s how they stack up in the division:

Houston Texans (4-1)
Indianapolis Colts (2-3)
Tennessee Titans (1-3)
Jacksonville Jaguars (1-4)

NFC North standings

The Bears have a little work to do to catch up to the Vikings in the division. Here’s how the NFC North looks entering Week 6 Sunday games:

Minnesota Vikings (5-0)
Detroit Lions (3-1)
Chicago Bears (3-2)
Green Bay Packers (3-2)

Caleb Williams stats

The Bears rookie QB may have flipped a switch. Williams has two 300-plus yard passing performances in his last three games.

Williams has thrown for 1,091 yards, five touchdowns and four interceptions through five games this season. He’s coming off his best performance, throwing two touchdowns vs. the Panthers in Week 5.

Where are the Bears playing today?

Chicago jumps the pond to take on the Jaguars in Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England.

The matchup counts as a Bears home game.

Bears inactives vs. Jaguars

Guard Nate Davis is a healthy scratch, while the team will be without DB Jaquan Brisker as he’s in the concussion protocol.

Here’s the full look at Bears inactives today:

Jaguars inactives vs. Bears

The Jags get tight end Evan Engram back this weekend. Here’s the list of inactives for Sunday’s matchup vs. Chicago:

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(Reuters) – Kenya’s Ruth Chepngetich put on a performance for the ages as she obliterated the women’s marathon world record in Chicago on Sunday, taking nearly two minutes off the previous best to win in an unofficial time of two hours, nine minutes and 56 seconds.

Chepngetich ditched the competition by the halfway mark and ran through a chorus of cheers through the final straight as she claimed her third title in Chicago and crushed Ethiopian Tigst Assefa’s previous record of 2:11:53, set last year in Berlin.

Ethiopia’s Sutume Kebede crossed the line seven minutes and 36 seconds later while Kenyan Irine Cheptai (2:17:51) was third.

‘This is my dream that has come true,’ said Chepngetich, whose time was originally recorded as 2:09:57 but was later adjusted.

Her compatriot John Korir won on the men’s side in 2:02:44.

Chepngetich set a blistering pace from the start, running the first five kilometres in 15 minutes flat and by the halfway mark she had built a 14-second cushion between herself and Kebede.

Television commentators were astonished as she grinded through the course, comparing her attempt at a sub-2:10 marathon to the moon landing, and she only seemed to gain momentum as she sprinted through the final two miles.

Chepngetich, the 2019 world champion, hunched over in utter exhaustion after breaking the tape and dedicated her performance to compatriot Kelvin Kiptum, who broke the men’s world record a year ago in Chicago and died in a car crash four months later.

‘World record was in my mind,’ she said in televised remarks. ‘Chicago, as I said in the press, is like home.’

The day began with a moment of silence at the starting line for Kiptum, who ran last year in 2:00:35, as runners took off under pristine conditions in the Windy City.

Korir stuck with a crowded men’s lead pack through the first 30 kilometres before making his move and was nearly 30 seconds clear of the rest of the field by the 35-kilometre mark.

He glided through the final kilometres, holding his arms out wide as he finished his textbook performance in a personal best time for his first major title.

Ethiopia’s Mohamed Esa was second in 2:04:39 while Kenyan Amos Kipruto (2:04:50) finished third.

‘Today I was thinking about Kiptum,’ said Korir. ‘I had to believe in myself and try to do my best.’

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans suffered an injury early in the second quarter against the New Orleans Saints in Week 6. The star wide receiver exited the game and went to the locker room. He has not returned to the contest.

Evans is off to an outstanding start to the 2024 season, and his absence will result in a significant loss for the Buccaneers’ high-flying offense.

Here’s the latest on the Buccaneers wideout’s status:

Mike Evans injury update

Mike Evans returned to the game at the two-minute mark in the second quarter. The team has not provided an update on what prompted the wide receiver to go to the locker room earlier in the quarter.

All things Buccaneers: Latest Tampa Bay Buccaneers news, schedule, roster, stats, injury updates and more.

Evans went to the locker room immediately following a Baker Mayfield interception in Tampa Bay’s Week 6 game against New Orleans.

Evans left the game with 12:25 left in the second quarter, with Tampa Bay leading 17-10.

Mayfield was intercepted by Paulson Adebo, and Evans possibly injured himself during the interception return. Evans was chasing Adebo for 15 yards before he was taken down.

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BOULDER, Colo. – By the time this crazy whirlwind game was over, coach Deion Sanders and his Colorado football team could barely keep track of everything they lost here against Kansas State.

∎ They lost two-way superstar Travis Hunter, who left the game with a shoulder injury and didn’t return.

∎ They lost three other receivers to injury, including star Jimmy Horn Jr.

∎ They lost a four-point lead in the final three minutes of the game.

∎ They even had a chance to win at the end when they got the ball back with 2:14 left. But then they lost that, too, before finally losing the game, 31-28.

“We made a statement that we lost,” Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders said afterward. “That’s the statement: that we lost… A loss is a loss. A loss is a loss. You can’t get that back.”

The Buffaloes still nearly won with another frenetic finish and even took a 28-24 lead with 3:12 remaining. All they had to do after that was stop the No. 19 Wildcats in front of another sold-out crowd at Folsom Field (53,972). 

It was too much to ask of them, apparently. And now the big question is what the fallout will be for the Buffaloes (4-2), including just how seriously Hunter was injured after becoming a top candidate for the Heisman Trophy.

What did Deion Sanders say afterward?

He discussed the loss of four receivers to injuries during the game, including Hunter and Horn, who limped off the field in the second quarter.

“Certainly, losing Travis and Jimmy and others was tremendous because they’re a vital part of our team, vital part of our identity; they’re a vital part of who we are,” Deion Sanders said. “So that took a blow… That look a lot out of us. But other guys had the opportunity to step up and they did. So I’m proud of them.”

Sanders likely will give an update about Hunter on Tuesday. He came off the field after making a 14-yard catch in the second quarter, when he took a hard hit to his right shoulder from the helmet of Kansas State safety Daniel Cobbs. Colorado then gave up three straight scoring drives to Kansas State (5-1) without Hunter playing cornerback on defense – two touchdowns and a 48-yard field goal that put the Wildcats up 24-14 at the end of the third quarter.

“We didn’t tackle well today, whatsoever,” Sanders said. “We didn’t get to the ball as a unit today, whatsoever. We had some busts and a few things. I’m telling you, I hear the calls, and (defensive coordinator Robert Livingston) called a pretty darn good game. He called a really good game, and we just got to execute the calls.”

So what the heck happened?

The Buffs were down by as much as 21-7 in the middle of the third quarter but still came back. With 4:03 remaining, they even faced a potential knockout punch when the Wildcats drove to the Colorado 31-yard line and decided to go for it on fourth down and 6 with a 24-21 lead. A conversion could have helped seal the win for KSU. A field goal on fourth down also could have put the Wildcats up 27-21.

But Kansas State head coach Chris Klieman said afterward he didn’t want his team to attempt a field goal on that fourth down because he was worried Shedeur Sanders would get the ball back and score to take the lead.

“I knew I would probably kick myself in the butt if we kicked the field goal, (then) they take it down and score… with the best quarterback in the country (Sanders), and we lose 28-27,” Klieman said. “I wasn’t going to let that happen.”

Avery Johnson’s fourth-down pass instead was tipped to the player who replaced Hunter at cornerback on defense – Auburn transfer Colton Hood, who nearly ran it back for a touchdown but fell short at the Kansas State 17-yard line. Two plays later, Shedeur Sanders threw an 11-yard touchdown pass to receiver LaJohntay Wester with 3:12 remaining. Colorado suddenly led, 28-24.

“Tremendous,” Deion Sanders said of Hood’s big play. “It was a natural high. That was phenomenal.”

A few stops on defense could have made the difference for Colorado after that. The Buffaloes instead gave up two massive plays – a 34-yard pass from Johnson that brought the ball to the 50-yard line and then a 50-yard touchdown pass from Johnson to receiver Jayce Brown with 2:14 remaining. The Wildcats had retaken the lead, 31-28, less than a minute after the Buffaloes had seemed to pull off another miracle. Three weeks earlier, they used a Hail Mary pass to force overtime before beating Baylor.

What does the loss mean for Colorado and Deion Sanders?

The Buffs are 2-1 in Big 12 Conference play and just showed they can hang with possibly the best team in the league. They next play Saturday at Arizona (3-3).

“This team has heart,” Deion Sanders said. “They have integrity. They’re tough. They love to play this game. We just came up short. We got to just learn how to win these particular games.”

Last year, the Buffs also had a 4-2 record at this point but never won another game before finishing 4-8. They lost five games last year by seven points or fewer.

“This is a totally different team,” Sanders said.

But what do they do without Hunter and Horn? Receivers Omarion Miller and Terrell Timmons also suffered injuries Saturday. The good news for the Buffs is that they’re deep at the receiver position. Nine different players caught balls Saturday from Shedeur Sanders, who completed 34 of 40 passes for 388 yards and three touchdowns with one interception.

Shedeur also was sacked six times but almost had another chance at the end when his final pass looked like it could have been flagged for pass interference by Kansas State near the Wildcats’ 40-yard line. The pass instead fell incomplete on fourth down with no penalty called.

“Whatever the ref called, he called,” Shedeur said.

Johnson finished with 15-of-23 passing for 224 yards and two touchdowns with one interception for Kansas State. He also ran for an 8-yard touchdown in the first quarter – a play he celebrated by doing the Deion Sanders “shuffle” dance in the end zone.

Kansas State running back DJ Giddens had 182 yards on 25 carries.

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

(This story has been updated to add a video.)

The New York Giants and Cincinnati Bengals, two of the NFL’s most enigmatic teams, meet on ‘Sunday Night Football.’

The high-powered Bengals have had trouble finding wins this season. Despite scoring 25 points or more in 4 of 5 games, the Bengals have just one win through Week 5. They’re coming off a dreadful overtime loss to the Ravens, one which left Joe Burrow with a salty taste in his mouth when discussing the team’s performance.

On the other sideline, the Giants traveled to Seattle and left with a big win in Week 5. Daniel Jones had his best game of the 2024 season, tossing two touchdowns in the win. What’s more impressive is Jones didn’t have Malik Nabers in the matchup, who missed the game with a concussion.

Now, two teams that are seemingly trending in opposite directions meet in a crucial ‘SNF’ matchup.

USA TODAY Sports will provide live updates, highlights and more from the Week 6 ‘Sunday Night Football’ matchup between the Giants and the Bengals.

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

What time is Bengals at Giants? 

Start time: 8:20 p.m. ET (7:20 p.m. CT)

The Giants vs. Bengals ‘Sunday Night Football’ matchup will get underway at 8:20 p.m. ET. The Bengals travel to MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey to take on the Giants.

How to watch Giants vs. Bengals

TV channel: NBC

The game will air on NBC and Peacock. The game is also available to stream on Fubo.

Mike Tirico (play-by-play) and Cris Collinsworth (analyst) will be on the call, with Melissa Stark adding reports from the field for NBC. 

Giants vs. Bengals predictions, picks

Here’s how the USA TODAY Sports staff feels the Giants vs. Bengals ‘Sunday Night Football’ matchup will shake out:

Lorenzo Reyes: Bengals 30, Giants 13
Tyler Dragon: Bengals 27, Giants 20
Jordan Mendoza: Bengals 27, Giants 25

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