WASHINGTON – Rob Thomson will spend Monday in Philadelphia, cooped up, he says, in his Citizens Bank Park office, preparing his Phillies team for their date in the postseason. Yet in reality, the manager has the day off.

Especially considering what two of his potential playoff opponents will be up to come the afternoon.

For the first time in this frenetic three-year run on Broad Street, the Phillies are National League East champions. They’ve earned the right to put up their feet, stay hot with a Wednesday intrasquad game, and let their two potential opponents battle their way through the best-of-three wild-card series shootout.

The Phillies will never know if winning the East might have saved enough gas in the tank for them to overcome the Houston Astros in a 2022 World Series they lost in six games. Or held the line in the 2023 National League Championship Series, when they blew leads of 2-0 and 3-2 to lose a seven-game gut-puncher to the upstart Arizona Diamondbacks.

No, this time they’ll gladly “worry” about whether the club will get rusty over a five-day layoff, rest their bones and hand the ball to Cy Young Award hopeful Zack Wheeler one week from now in Game 1 of the NL Division Series.

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Meanwhile, the wild-card hopeful Arizona Diamondbacks are playing for their lives this weekend against the San Diego Padres. The New York Mets and Atlanta Braves are trying to hang onto playoff position with series against the playoff-bound Brewers and Royals – and then they must congregate in Atlanta to make up a pair of games on Monday, should they impact the playoff field (they likely will).

Sure, the Phillies seemingly found their footing in two-game wild-card sweeps of St. Louis in ’22 and the Miami Marlins a year ago. Yet putting their best foot forward – and ending the Braves’ six-year reign atop the division – was a point of emphasis.

Now, 94 wins later, the Phillies can enjoy the quiet their labor earned.

“As soon as I got here, the first thing I kept hearing was, ‘We gotta keep playing good because we’re going to win the division,’” says closer Carlos Estévez, acquired at the trade deadline as the final piece of a deep bullpen.

“It’s not, ‘We want to,’ it’s, ‘We’re going to win the division.’ That’s one thing that shows truly, really, a lot of confidence within the group.”

Philadelphia enters the NL playoffs as the No. 2 seed behind the Los Angeles Dodgers and can ensure World Series homefield advantage with a win in their season finale Sunday against the Washington Nationals. Yet that’s relative minutiae.

The Phillies are poised for a run, and quietly seem to know it.

‘That’s Cy Young-worthy’

It starts with Wheeler, who finished his season in spectacular fashion Saturday.

He struck out 11 Nationals against just two walks, the lone blemish a two-run homer yielded to rookie James Wood. Wheeler went out for the seventh inning, struck out Juan Yepez, and then Thomson went and got him after 97 pitches.

The far more significant number: 200 innings pitched, right on the nose, a mark few pitchers reach these days, particularly in the dominant fashion Wheeler did.

He finished the season with a 2.57 ERA and 224 strikeouts.  Saturday’s outing was his 25th start of at least six innings and fewer than two runs given up.

“I just told him it’s been a hell of a year,” says Thomson of their conversation at the mound.

“That’s Cy Young-worthy, to me.”

Wheeler topped 200 innings once before in his career – 2021, when he pitched 213 ⅓ innings but finished second to Corbin Burnes – despite pitching 46 ⅓ more innings than the Milwaukee ace.

Sale will likely win the NL pitching triple crown – he has one more strikeout than Wheeler and a 2.38 ERA.

Yet he also has pitched 22 ⅓ fewer innings, pending a potential assignment Sunday or Monday. Sensing a pattern?

“I did the best I could,” says Wheeler. “Chris had a really good year, also, and he’s deserving of it for sure. It’s pretty cool to see him come back from missing the last four years or whatever it was.

“Good for him and glad to see him be back to being Chris Sale.”

Yet this might have been the best version of Zack Wheeler. He worked with pitching coach Caleb Cotham on enhancing his split-finger pitcher as a weapon against left-handers, and the result was a career-best in batting average against (.193) and WHIP (0.96).

His next start will come Saturday night, Game 1 of the NLDS at Citizens Bank Park.

‘We’re ready for it’

And that’s the Phillies’ other ace in the hole.

They are 54-26 at their home ballpark this season, the best mark in the majors, and in the past two postseasons has featured the most raucous, roaring atmosphere among all playoff venues.

 Estévez got his first taste of that Monday, when he pitched the ninth inning of the Phillies’ NL East clincher.

“That felt amazing. The energy, the atmosphere was just insane,” he says. “I really liked that. I felt amazing out there.”

The Bank, as it’s colloquially known, can certainly serve as an antidote to the five-day layoff the top two seeds endure. To be certain, far too much has probably been made about the effects of “rust,” thanks in large part to the Phillies’ multiple series victories as a wild card the past two years, and Arizona’s World Series run last year.

This expanded playoff sample is just two years old, and a team with a bye (the ’22 Astros) captured one World Series, while a wild card (the ’23 Texas Rangers) snagged another.

“I think it’s just an excuse if you want it to be, or a good time to rest, if you want to be,” says shortstop Trea Turner, who slugged his 21st home run Saturday. “I feel like the adrenaline of the postseason kind of locks you in and makes up for that five days off.

“You’re not going to feel sluggish or like you haven’t played in a long time. I think the adrenaline makes up for that.”

So do Wheeler and Aaron Nola, the other half of Philly’s nearly peerless 1-2 pitching punch. These Phillies might enter the playoffs with the most conventional-looking team: Four defined starters, a bullpen with four All-Stars, and a veteran, star-studded lineup featuring four players with 21 to 38 homers.

The lone fly in the ointment right now is No. 3 starter Ranger Suárez, who keyed both Philly postseason runs with clutch pitching performances in Game 1 NLDS starts against Atlanta. He has struggled in seven starts since returning from the injured list following a back problem, pitching to a 5.74 ERA. The Phillies have lost his last three outings.

But given the health issues the Dodgers’ rotation faces, Sale’s iffy status in Atlanta and the crucible their NL opponents must survive before the playoffs even begin, the Phillies will take it.

 “It’s about competing in that moment,” says Turner. “And I think we’re ready for it.”

Not for a few days, anyway. They might dispassionately watch the Braves-Mets jamboree on Monday, or not. Rest the limbs, or tune up on high-tech pitching machines or in bullpen sessions.

Either way, they are primed – and, in a first for this generation of Phillies, holding the upper hand.  

“The team goal is one goal,” says Wheeler. “And that’s to win the World Series – no matter how it’s done.”

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First Down: What could’ve been for Jalen Milroe, Alabama

Let me take you to January of 2023, when then-Alabama coach Nick Saban needed a replacement for offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien and tried to hire Ryan Grubb away from Washington.

And instead was forced to settle for Tommy Rees.

It’s delicious to imagine what Grubb – new Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer’s right-hand man for more than a decade at multiple stops – and the DeBoer offense could’ve meant last season to star Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe, who looks like a different player in DeBoer’s system.

Milroe wasn’t only the best player on a field full of future NFL talent in Alabama’s thrilling 41-34 victory Saturday night over Georgia, he was a completely changed quarterback. The days of run first, pass second are long in the rearview.

He’s still electric in the run game, can still beat any defense to the edge. But he’s now an accurate and dangerous thrower: he had 374 yards passing and two touchdowns, and 117 yards rushing and two more touchdowns against Georgia ― including the game-winning 75-yard touchdown deep ball to Ryan Williams after Alabama blew a 30-7 lead.

Milroe sees the field and makes good decisions under DeBoer and OC/QBs coach Nick Sheridan (who was also with DeBoer at Washington), and is thriving in the quarterback-friendly offense ― an offense that, schematically and structurally, is less predictable and based on smarter and easier throws.

Alabama under Rees was forced into too many third-and-make-a-play situations for the quarterback. More to the point: there’s zero chance Grubb calls zone-read on fourth-and-goal from the three in last year’s Rose Bowl College Football Playoff semifinal against Michigan.

In fact, with Grubb, it’s not a stretch to say Alabama would currently be defending national champion.

Milroe’s emergence looks eerily similar to that of former Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr., who developed into a Heisman Trophy finalist under DeBoer and Grubb (now with the NFL’s Seahawks).

After Saturday night’s win over Georgia, Milroe has jumped to the front of the line in the early race for this year’s Heisman.  

‘He’s got more ahead of him,’ DeBoer said of Milroe. ‘He has more room to grow.’

HIGHS AND LOWS: Alabama-Georgia classic leads Week 5 winners and losers

TUSCALOOSA PARTY: Jalen Milroe leads way as Alabama humbles Georgia

Second Down: Kentucky corralling Lane Kiffin, Ole Miss

It had to happen just like this. Another fourth down, another huge upset on the line.

“Your analytics will tell you to punt it,” Kentucky coach Mark Stoops said about 30 minutes after he didn’t punt.

This, of course, is directly opposite to what Stoops did two weeks earlier against then-No. 1 Georgia, when the Wildcats punted from midfield late in the fourth quarter and never got the ball back in 13-12 loss.  

This time, on fourth and seven from the Kentucky 20 against No. 5 Ole Miss, and what the heck – chuck it deep.

The 63-yard completion to Barion Brown led to the game-winning points (on a fumble recovery in the end zone, no less), which led to one last stop for the Kentucky defense, which led to the obvious: Stoops didn’t forget how to coach overnight.

All of those overreactions that Stoops had reached his ceiling of overachieving at Kentucky now look as silly as Stoops’ decision to punt against Georgia. Some teams develop later than others, especially those playing a new quarterback who has been with the team all of nine months.

Want to know why Kentucky has grown so quickly in two weeks? It’s Vandagriff’s development.

He has gone from a quarterback who Kentucky couldn’t trust against Georgia (he averaged 4.2 yards per attempt), to one who could win the game against Ole Miss (8.7 yards per attempt). The ball went beyond first level throws, and the Wildcats dictated tempo with a ball control offense that held the ball for 40 of the 60 minutes.

Third Down: The Big Ten shuffle

Welcome to the College Football Playoff race, Penn State. Welcome to this fun fall game we call football, Indiana.

As impressive and CFP-worthy as Penn State’s 21-7 rock fight ranked win over Illinois was, it wasn’t the biggest headline in a day full of them in the Big Ten.

Michigan gutted out a tug of war and kept the Little Brown Jug for another year with a win over Minnesota. Ohio State finally played someone with a pulse, and had an easy time with Michigan State. Meanwhile, we give you unbeaten Indiana.

Really, Indiana.

That was Curt Cignetti last November, when asked what he brings as the new Hoosiers coach, matter-of-factly proclaiming, ‘I win, Google me.’

Now look who’s 5-0 for the first time since 1967, and if you haven’t Googled Cignetti yet, you might want to check it out. He has won everywhere he has coached, and his impact at Indiana is undeniable ― despite the easy September schedule.

Nothing football-related has been easy for Indiana. Ever.

Yet Cignetti has quarterback Kurtis Rourke completing 76 percent of his passes with 10 TDs (8 pass) and 0 INTs, and playing nearly flawlessly. The defense is giving up 13 points a game.

I don’t want to be the bell ringer of the Big Ten, but Indiana is on the verge of beginning the season with nine wins. These are the next four games: at Northwestern, Nebraska, Washington, at Michigan State. The comes a Nov. 9 game at home against Michigan.

That’s right, a November game of significance in Bloomington.

Fourth Down: Change, finally, at Florida State

It took three interceptions, a pick six and a 26-point deficit, but Seminoles coach Mike Norvell finally benched quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei.

A 42-16 loss at SMU was FSU’s fourth loss in five games this season, and underscored the poor quarterback play all season Uiagalelei has completed 57 percent of his passes, and is averaging a paltry 6.7 yards per attempt. The offense isn’t reaching second- and third-level throws, and has been predictable all season.

Norvell finally moved to backup Brock Glenn in the fourth quarter, but it didn’t make a difference. Glenn missed on all four pass attempts.

Now comes the heavy lifting for Florida State, whose next three games are against Clemson and at Duke and Miami ― teams with a combined 14-1 record. A 1-7 start to the season isn’t out of the question from the team that had won 19 consecutive games before losing to Georgia in last year’s Orange Bowl.

The College Football Playoff bracket

No. 1. Alabama

No. 2. Ohio State

No. 3. Miami

No. 4. Kansas State

No. 12 Boise State at No. 5 Georgia

No. 11 Michigan at No. 6 Texas

No. 10 Oregon at No. 7 Tennessee

No. 9 Missouri at No. 8 Penn State

After a first round full of sweeps, the WNBA semifinals are officially here.

The four teams left standing, the New York Liberty, Minnesota Lynx, Connecticut Sun and Las Vegas Aces, all tip off Sunday in the first games of their respective series. It just so happens that the four teams left are also the top four teams from the WNBA regular season.

The Liberty won all three matchups this season against the Aces by an average margin of victory of eight points.

In the regular season series between the Lynx and the Sun, Connecticut took two of the three meetings, though Minnesota won the most recent matchup, 78-76, earlier this month.

Here’s what to know for Sunday’s playoff action:

No. 1 New York Liberty vs. No. 4 Las Vegas Aces

Time: 3:00 p.m. ET
TV, streaming: ABC, ESPN
Location: Barclays Center, Brooklyn, N.Y.
Series standings: 0-0

What happened in the previous round? The Liberty and Aces each swept their respective first-round series. New York prevailed over the Atlanta Dream and Las Vegas over the Seattle Storm. In the Liberty’s clinching game over the Dream, a 91-82 victory, guard Sabrina Ionescu went off for 36 points on 12-of-23 shooting. In the Aces’ seven-point victory over Seattle in the decisive Game 2, Kelsey Plum and A’ja Wilson combined to score 53 points.

What’s on the line? This is the first game of the semifinal series between both teams. A win would give that squad significant momentum in the best-of-five series. It is a rematch of the 2023 WNBA Finals, a series Las Vegas won in four games.

No. 2 Minnesota Lynx vs. No. 3 Connecticut Sun

Time: 8:30 p.m. ET
TV, streaming: ESPN
Location: Target Center, Minneapolis, MN
Series standings: 0-0

What happened in the previous round? The Lynx and Sun each swept their respective first-round series. Minnesota prevailed over the Phoenix Mercury and Connecticut over the Indiana Fever. In the Lynx’s clinching game over the Mercury, Napheesa Collier poured in 42 points on 14-of-20 shooting and also hit 12-of-14 free throws. In the Sun’s six-point victory over Indiana five different players reached double digits in scoring.

What’s on the line? This is the first game of the semifinal series between both teams. A win would give that squad significant momentum in the best-of-five series.

It’s Week 4 of the 2024 NFL season and injuries are taking a toll on teams across the league. Some got good news ahead of this week’s games, like the Detroit Lions who expect tight end Sam LaPorta (ankle) to play on Monday Night Football. Same for San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle, who missed Week 3 with a hamstring injury but is expected to play on Sunday.

That luck isn’t shared by all other teams, though. Here’s a list of the inactives for Week 4’s Sunday games.

NFL Week 4 injury report: Active and inactive players

Players names in italics are listed as questionable, doubtful or missed their most recent practice leading to Sunday’s games:

Arizona Cardinals

TE Trey McBride (concussion, out)
DT Khyris Tonga (knee, out)
G Isaiah Adams (thumb)
T Kelvin Beachum (hamstring)

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Atlanta Falcons

T Kaleb McGary (knee, out)
DT Grady Jarrett
T Jake Matthews
DT David Onyemata
DE Ta’Quon Graham

Baltimore Ravens

CB Jalyn Armour-Davis (hamstring, out)
C Tyler Linderbaum (knee)
DT Michael Pierce (shoulder)
G Andrew Vorhees (ankle)

Buffalo Bills

LB Terrell Bernard (pectoral, out)
T Tylan Grable (groin, out)
CB Taron Johnson (forearm, out)

Carolina Panthers

S Lonnie Johnson (hip, out)
G Damien Lewis (elbow, out)
DT Shy Tuttle (foot, out)
G Robert Hunt (hip)
WR Diontae Johnson (groin)
DE A’Shawn Robinson (knee)
S Nick Scott

Chicago Bears

TE Stephen Carlson (collarbone, out)
DT Zacch Pickens (groin, out)
CB Terell Smith (hip, out)
S Kevin Byard (back)
DT Andrew Billings (knee)
WR Keenan Allen (heel)

Cincinnati Bengals

T Trent Brown (knee, out)
DT Sheldon Rankins (hamstring, out)
S Daijahn Anthony (illness)
TE Tanner Hudson (knee)
DT B.J. Hill (hamstring)

Cleveland Browns

T Jack Conklin (hamstring, out)
TE David Njoku (ankle, out)
RB Pierre Strong Jr. (hamstring, out)
T Jedrick Wills (knee, out)
LB Jordan Hicks (ribs, elbow)
T James Hudson
T Dawand Jones
DE Alex Wright

Denver Broncos

S JL Skinner (ankle, out)

Green Bay Packers

RB Marshawn Lloyd (IR)
G/T Jordan Morgan (shoulder, out)
CB Carrington Valentine (ankle, out)
CB Jaire Alexander (quadricep)

Houston Texans

RB Dameon Pierce (hamstring, out)
WR Tank Dell (chest, out)
S Jimmie Ward (groin, out)
RB Joe Mixon (ankle)

Indianapolis Colts

CB Kenny Moore II (hip, out)
DE Kwity Paye (quadricep, out)
C Ryan Kelly (neck)
CB Chris Lammons (knee, ankle)
DE Tyquan Lewis (calf, wrist)
T Braden Smith (knee)

Jacksonville Jaguars

TE Evan Engram (hamstring, out)
LB Foye Oluokun (foot, out)
WR Gabe Davis (shoulder)
CB Jarrian Jones (shoulder)
LB Devin Lloyd (knee)
S Darnell Savage (quadricep)
RB Tank Bigsby
DE Arik Armstead

Kansas City Chiefs

DE Michael Danna (calf, out)

Las Vegas Raiders

WR Davante Adams (hamstring, out)
LB Divine Deablo (oblique, out)
TE Michael Mayer (personal, out)
CB Decamerion Richardson (hamstring, out)
RB Ameer Abdullah (back)
DE Maxx Crosby (ankle)
LB Kana’i Mauga (calf)
T Thayer Munford Jr. (knee, ankle)

Los Angeles Chargers

DE Joey Bosa (hip, out)
LB Junior Colson (hamstring, out)
T Rashawn Slater (pectoral, out)
T Joe Alt (knee)
WR Derius Davis (hamstring)
CB Kristian Fulton (knee)
QB Justin Herbert (ankle)
CB Ja’Sir Taylor (fibula)

Los Angeles Rams

WR Cooper Kupp (ankle, out)
WR Puka Nacua (IR)
TE Davis Allen (back, out)
T Rob Havenstein
T Alaric Jackson
CB Tre’Davious White

Minnesota Vikings

LB Ivan Pace Jr. (ankle, out)
CB Stephon Gilmore
S Harrison Smith

New England Patriots

CB Alex Austin (ankle, out)
G Mike Jordan (ankle, out)
T Vederian Lowe (knee, out)
C David Andrews
LB Anfernee Jennings (shoulder)
CB Jonathan Jones (shoulder)
G Sidy Sow (ankle)
T Caedan Wallace (knee)

New Orleans Saints

WR A.T. Perry (hamstring, out)
LB Demario Davis (hamstring, out)
C Cesar Ruiz (knee, out)
RB Alvin Kamara (hips, ribs)
WR Chris Olave (hamstring)
WR Cedrick Wilson Kr. (ankle)

New York Jets

T Morgan Moses (knee, out)
LB C.J. Mosley (toe)

Philadelphia Eagles

WR DeVonta Smith (concussion, out)
WR A.J. Brown (hamstring, out)
T Lane Johnson (concussion)

Pittsburgh Steelers

LB Alex Highsmith (groin, out)
TE MyCole Pruitt (knee, out)
RB Jaylen Warren (knee, out)
QB Russell Wilson (calf)
G Isaac Seumalo (pectoral)

San Francisco 49ers

RB Christian McCaffrey (IR)
DT Javon Hargrave (IR)
LB Curtis Robinson (IR)
DT Jordan Elliott (foot)
S Talanoa Hufanga (ankle)
WR Deebo Samuel Sr. (calf)
CB Charvarius Ward
T Trent Williams (illness, toe)
LB Dee Winters (ankle)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

DT Calijah Kancey (calf, out)
S Antoine Winfield Jr. (foot, out)
LB Lavonte David
WR Mike Evans
T Luke Goedeke (concussion)
RB Bucky Irving (hamstring)
WR Kameron Johnson (ankle)
TE Ko Kieft (ankle)
DT Vita Vea (knee)
T Tristan Wirfs

Washington Commanders

WR Jamison Crowder (calf, out)
RB Austin Ekeler (concussion, out)
DE Clelin Ferrell (knee, out)
TE Zach Ertz

Week 4 of the NFL season started off with a ‘Thursday Night Football’ game between the Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants. It was the first of five divisional games this week across the NFL, with four more on Sunday’s slate.

Longtime NFC South rivals New Orleans and Atlanta match up for the first time this season. As do early NFC contenders Green Bay and Minnesota in what could be an early season game with playoff implications. Though ‘Sunday Night Football’ isn’t a divisional tilt, Buffalo and Baltimore are two of the top teams in the AFC through three weeks of NFL action.

Here’s what to know about Sunday’s Week 4 NFL games.

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

NFL Week 4 schedule

New Orleans Saints at Atlanta Falcons

Time/TV: 1 p.m. ET (FOX)
Location: Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta
Betting odds: ATL (-2.5); O/U: 42

Week 4 marks the second NFC South matchup of the season for the Saints (2-1) following their Week 1 win over Carolina. New Orleans heads back on the road to take on Atlanta (1-2), who dropped a close loss to Kansas City on Sunday Night Football last week.

Cincinnati Bengals at Carolina Panthers

Time/TV: 1 p.m. ET (FOX)
Location: Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte
Betting odds: CIN (-4.5); O/U: 47.5

Cincinnati is one of just three teams sitting at 0-3 entering Week 4. The Bengals face a Panthers team coming off their best offensive performance since December 2022. Carolina (1-2) beat Las Vegas 36-22 behind former Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton. He’s set to make his first home start as a Panther Sunday against a team he led to two AFC North titles.

Los Angeles Rams at Chicago Bears

Time/TV: 1 p.m. ET (FOX)
Location: Soldier Field in Chicago
Betting odds: CHI (-3); O/U: 41

The Bears (1-2) dropped a second game in a row in Week 3 with a 21-16 loss to Indianapolis on the road despite their best offensive performance of the year. They return to Soldier Field in Week 4 to take on the Rams (1-2), who earned their first win of the season in a fourth-quarter comeback over the 49ers. Los Angeles is dealing with injuries throughout their lineup, especially on offense.

Minnesota Vikings at Green Bay Packers

Time/TV: 1 p.m. ET (CBS)
Location: Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis.
Betting odds: GB (-2.5); O/U: 43.5

Minnesota’s been one of the surprises of the season so far. The Vikings (3-0) have one of the top defenses in the league and quarterback Sam Darnold leads the league in passing touchdowns (eight). Green Bay (2-1) has won two straight without starting quarterback Jordan Love behind the top rushing attack in the league. The winner of this one will have an early edge in the race for the NFC North title.

Jacksonville Jaguars at Houston Texans

Time/TV: 1 p.m. ET (CBS)
Location: NRG Stadium in Houston
Betting odds: HOU (-6); O/U: 45.5

Houston (2-1) struggled in a Week 3 loss to Minnesota on the road. They have a chance at a get-right game at home against AFC South foe Jacksonville (0-3) fresh off a big loss to Buffalo on ‘Monday Night Football.’ Jacksonville is 30th in scoring and 28th in points allowed entering of Week 4.

Pittsburgh Steelers at Indianapolis Colts

Time/TV: 1 p.m. ET (CBS)
Location: Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis
Betting odds: PIT (-1.5); O/U: 40

The Steelers (3-0) are undefeated to start the season despite ranking 24th in scoring in the NFL. That’s thanks to the top scoring defense in the league through three weeks. They’re on the road again in Week 4 taking on Indianapolis (1-2), who just earned their first win of the season over the Bears. The Colts’ defense is struggling so far and placed DeForest Buckner on IR.

Denver Broncos at New York Jets

Time/TV: 1 p.m. ET (CBS)
Location: MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.
Betting odds: NYJ (-7.5); O/U: 39.5

Denver (1-2) won their first game of the year in Week 3 in the best game of the year on both sides of the ball. The Broncos stay on the road in Week 4 with a matchup against New York (2-1) and former Denver head coach Nathaniel Hackett. The Jets have won two straight games, including last week in their best offensive performance since last October.

Philadelphia Eagles at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Time/TV: 1 p.m. ET (FOX)
Location: Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla.
Betting odds: PHI (-1.5); O/U: 43

In the third game between these teams in the last year, Philadelphia (2-1) is fresh off a bounce-back win over New Orleans last week. The Eagles’ defense stepped up in Week 3 to slow down the Saints’ offense. Tampa Bay (2-1) struggled on offense at home against Denver in the Buccaneers’ first loss of the year. Tampa Bay’s struggled to run the ball recently with just 80 yards per game over the last two weeks.

Washington Commanders at Arizona Cardinals

Time/TV: 4:05 p.m. ET (FOX)
Location: State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz.
Betting odds: ARI (-3.5); O/U: 50.5

This is the highest over/under point total of the week. Washington (2-1) has a winning record following a statement win in primetime over Cincinnati last week. The Commanders boast the No. 5 scoring offense in the league behind rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels, who leads the league in completion percentage (80.3%). Arizona (1-2) ranks No. 4 in the NFL in scoring but managed just 13 points last week against Detroit.

New England Patriots at San Francisco 49ers

Time/TV: 4:05 p.m. ET (FOX)
Location: Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif.
Betting odds: SF (-10.5); O/U: 40.5

San Francisco (1-2) had another strong outing on offense despite the loss last week to the Rams. The 49ers and their No. 3-ranked scoring offense are back home in Week 4 to take on the Patriots (1-2). New England have extra time following their Thursday Night Football loss to the Jets last week to prepare for their second consecutive road game. The offense is struggling, though, and managed just 139 yards in that loss.

Kansas City Chiefs at Los Angeles Chargers

Time/TV: 4:25 p.m. ET (CBS)
Location: SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif.
Betting odds: KC (-7); O/U: 39.5

Kansas City (3-0) held on for a third consecutive one-score win to open the season. The Chiefs are seventh in the NFL in scoring following their win over the Falcons last week. They stay on the road in Week 4 to take on Los Angeles (2-1). The Chargers dropped their first game of the year to the Steelers in Week 3 but still have one of the top scoring defenses in the league through three weeks.

Cleveland Browns at Las Vegas Raiders

Time/TV: 4:25 p.m. ET (CBS)
Location: Allegiant Stadium in Paradise, Nev.
Betting odds: LV (-2); O/U: 37

Cleveland (1-2) enters Week 4 following a tough loss to the New York Giants last week. The Browns offense ranks 25th in the league in scoring and 31st in yards. Las Vegas (1-2) had a tough loss to Carolina last week. The Raiders are 17th in scoring but are the worst rushing offense in the NFL through three weeks.

Buffalo Bills at Baltimore Ravens

Time/TV: 8:20 p.m. ET (NBC)
Location: M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore
Betting odds: BAL (-2.5); O/U: 46.5

‘Sunday Night Football’ features two defending division winners and two of the better offenses in the league. Buffalo (3-0) leads the league in scoring and have beaten opponents by a combined 78-20 over the last two weeks. Baltimore (1-2) got in the win column with a victory over Dallas last week following one-score losses to Kansas City and Las Vegas. They’re the top offense by yards in the league and rank 11th in scoring.

The single best decision Kirby Smart has made in nearly a decade at Georgia was hiring an assistant coach he had never worked with and had no previous connection to the Bulldogs program. 

That coach was Todd Monken, and the offense he brought to Georgia was dynamic and relentless. It was both physical and creative. It kept opponents off-balance because it was so multiple that teams struggled to prepare. Most of all, it made sure Smart’s defense didn’t go to waste – and the national championship-winning results spoke for themselves. 

But now we must ask if Smart followed the best decision of his tenure with the worst: Did he screw up by replacing Monken with his close friend and veteran playcaller Mike Bobo? After watching Georgia lose to Alabama 41-34 on Saturday, it’s fair to wonder if the Bulldogs have what it takes offensively to turn this around should they meet again in the SEC championship game or the College Football Playoff. 

Yes, Georgia scored 34 points and finished with 519 yards. And yes, Georgia came all the way back to briefly take the lead with 2:31 remaining.

If you dig even a little bit under the surface, though, most of what Georgia accomplished offensively came in the fourth quarter when they had no choice but to chuck it and connected on a handful of huge plays.

It made the game chaotic, and it improbably gave Georgia a chance to win after trailing 28-0 early. But if you are calling that a good offensive performance by the Bulldogs, you’re missing the big picture. 

HIGHS AND LOWS: Alabama-Georgia classic leads Week 5 winners and losers

TUSCALOOSA PARTY: Jalen Milroe leads way as Alabama humbles Georgia

As has been the case all season, Georgia struggles to run the ball these days. It came into the game ranked 39th nationally in yards per rush and averaged 3.1 on 26 attempts against Alabama. And though quarterback Carson Beck ended up with 439 passing yards and three touchdowns, he threw three interceptions – including on Georgia’s final drive – and missed more throws than you’d like to see from a 22-year old who has been on campus for five seasons. 

What do you believe about Georgia’s offense right now: The stats or the mistakes? 

Which brings us back to Bobo, the former Georgia quarterback who called the Bulldogs offense under Mark Richt from 2007-2014 and had a handful of other jobs before returning to his alma mater as an analyst in 2022. 

Georgia fans were nervous when Smart elevated his good friend to offensive coordinator in 2023, and with good reason. They’d seen this act before. “Run the dang ball, Bobo” isn’t just one of the great college football memes of all time, it’s the manifestation of every complaint fans had about him as the playcaller during a decade when Georgia couldn’t quite get over the line.

Sure, it’s hard to run the ball when you fall behind 28-0. Fair enough. But what about two weeks ago when Georgia ran it 30 times for 102 yards against Kentucky in a 13-12 escape? What about last season in the SEC championship game when Georgia needed to beat Alabama to make the College Football Playoff and only managed 78 rushing yards on 31 carries?

Yes, this is a trend. It’s a problem. And it’s one that is going to hound the Bulldogs all season unless they can get another shot at Alabama and show the kind of complete, ruthless offensive arsenal that they remember from the national championship runs in 2021 and 2022.

All of this is relevant because it has happened within the context of a coaching tenure that began with serious concerns about how Smart was handling the offensive side of the ball. 

Before Smart plucked Monken out of the NFL where he’d been an offensive coordinator for the previous four years, Georgia’s offense was heavily criticized. Sure, they had the physical talent to mash most teams up front, but there was usually something missing against the truly elite opponents. 

For a couple years there, fans and opponents questioned whether Smart was just too conservative or too tethered to his defensive identity to evolve offensively the way Nick Saban had. Don’t forget, Smart had Justin Fields on his roster in 2018 but had no real feel for how to use him. Ryan Day didn’t have that problem after Fields transferred to Ohio State and became the two-time Big Ten offensive player of the year. 

But all that changed once Smart made a leap into the unfamiliar and handed everything offensively over to Monken. In both 2021 and 2022, Georgia finished No. 4 nationally in yards per play and were in the top 10 in points per game. The Bulldogs had four running backs that averaged five yards a carry and a receiver room deeper than anyone in the country. Smart recruited big-time playmakers, and Monken made sure the ball got into their hands. 

After the second national title, Monken went back to the NFL. And Smart went back to a friendship dating back decades.

It’s not the same. 

Beck looks under-developed and mistake-prone. Trevor Etienne, the transfer from Florida getting most of the running back carries, can’t get loose. Outside of Dominic Lovett, the receivers Georgia’s relying on have been more second-tier guys who stuck around long enough to become first-tier guys. 

Coaching staff atrophy happens to programs that win the way Georgia won in 2021 and 2022, but it looked like Smart had this thing rolling to such a degree that it wouldn’t matter much who he plugged in at offensive coordinator. 

After watching Georgia through four games this season, that’s no longer the case. What Monken brought to the table made a real difference in two national title runs. Now he’s gone, and there’s a clear drop-off. 

Bobo won’t get the benefit of the doubt from Georgia fans much longer. His history with the program is too long, and his flaws as a playcaller have been well-known not just at Georgia but South Carolina, Auburn and Colorado State. 

If this season doesn’t live up to expectations for the Bulldogs, there’s no doubt who’s going to get the blame. 

Alabama football’s next great quarterback is born. Jalen Milroe becomes a hero while Alabama humbles Georgia.
Kalen DeBoer coached circles around Kirby Smart until Georgia’s furious rally.
Who needs Nick Saban? Not Jalen Milroe. He’s perfect for Kalen DeBoer.

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Pandomonium filled the air, and Bryant-Denny swelled with so much energy it’s a wonder it didn’t burst.

Alabama fans hugged and chest bumped and high-fived and shook pompoms and generally lost their minds.

Amid all that euphoria, Jalen Milroe stood calmly on the turf and extended two fingers in the air.

Alabama’s star quarterback had just completed the biggest pass of his career. More work to do, though. The 2-point conversion awaited.

Milroe completed that, too. Is there anything he can’t do? Not on this night.

Milroe completed nearly every pass he threw. He juked and sprinted and turned corners with the speed of a track sprinter and the power of a fullback. He laid waste to Kirby Smart’s defense in a way few have.

On a night of celebration here, No. 4 Alabama recaptured exalted status, Milroe ascended to superhero fame, and the Crimson Tide humbled No. 1 Georgia, 41-34.

Jalen Milroe to Ryan Williams sends Alabama football into euphoria

Even a premier quarterback needs a little help from his friends. Milroe threw so many pinpoint passes that led his receivers to the perfect spot on the field and left Georgia’s defenders no hope.

But, Milroe’s 75-yard touchdown pass that gave Kalen DeBoer a statement victory in his first SEC game? That was a jump ball into 1-on-1 coverage.

Who better to throw it to than than 17-year-old Ryan Williams, Alabama’s wunderkind wide receiver?

‘I just have so much trust in him,’ Milroe said.

Williams outdueled Georgia defensive back Julian Humphrey to come down with the catch. Oh, but he wasn’t finished.

Williams had 45 yards to go to the end zone. He spun and sprinted and stiff-armed his way across the goal line and provided Alabama with some sweet, sweet ecstasy after it frittered away every bit of its 23-point halftime lead.

Alabama makes a statement, before Georgia rallies

Who needs Nick Saban? Not Milroe. Not Alabama (4-0). Not anymore, anyway.

The GOAT passed this program into capable hands. He also left a great quarterback in the cupboard. DeBoer and Milroe are cooking. Together, they roasted Georgia.

‘We had a solution to everything they were going to present to us,’ Milroe said.

Billed as a showdown, this became a beatdown – for three quarters, anyway.

Georgia mounted a furious fourth-quarter rally and captured the lead with less than 3 minutes remaining before Milroe responded with his final haymaker.

Milroe finished with 491 combined yards and enough highlights to fill a Heisman reel.

Milroe played like a complete package, while Georgia’s Carson Beck threw two interceptions and lost a fumble before carving up Alabama’s secondary throughout a furious finish. His third interception of the game ended the Bulldogs’ hopes for good.

Georgia (3-1) looked overmatched, outwitted and outmuscled from the opening drive, when Milroe steered the Crimson Tide 70 yards with such ease that you could’ve mistaken Georgia for pushovers. Never mind that Georgia had not allowed a touchdown throughout its first three games.

Smart built a fierce defense while winning consecutive national titles. That unit’s long gone.

Jalen Milroe takes flight after Nick Saban retires, hands reins to Kalen DeBoer

Jan. 10 became a mournful day for Alabama fans. They grieved Saban’s retirement and laid Coca-Colas, Little Debbie oatmeal pies and pompoms at the foot of Saban’s statue.

He’s alive, folks. Saban just hung up his whistle – and, for Milroe, how fortunate that he did.

Tommy Rees, Saban’s final offensive coordinator, proved a poor choice. Liberated from Rees and Saban, Milroe looks like a different quarterback, an elite quarterback, as he stars for DeBoer.

DMX’s “Party Up” blared on the stadium sound system after Alabama reached a crisp 30 points in the second quarter after scoring a safety. The DJ chose the right tune for the moment. The party was, indeed, on, and it stayed that way, right up until Georgia’s fourth-quarter stampede nearly spoiled the moment.

Georgia’s rally gave Milroe one final grand stage. He seized the moment.

While Williams celebrated his touchdown to cap a 177-yard receiving night, Milroe held those two fingers in the air.

‘I think it’s so important at the quarterback position to be calm, cool, collected,’ Milroe said.

Unflappable ’til the end.

Alabama’s next star quarterback is born.

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

Subscribe to read all of his columns.

The WNBA playoffs are down to the final four teams, and it’s no surprise that they were the four teams with the best regular-season records.

The Las Vegas Aces are attempting to accomplish something that hasn’t been done in North American sports in more than 20 years: win three consecutive championships. With plenty of star power on hand in the semifinals, the New York Liberty and Connecticut Sun are each trying to break through and win their first title, while the Minnesota Lynx look to get back to their dominant ways when they won four championships in seven years in the 2010s.

Players to watch for hardcore fans and casual viewers:

For the love of watching the world’s best

A’ja Wilson, Las Vegas and Breanna Stewart, New York

Wilson’s dominant MVP season has put the Aces in position for a three-peat. It’s not just that Wilson (26.9 ppg, 11.9 rpg, 2.3 apg, 1.8 spg) does it on the offensive end, she is a force defensively and makes it her mission to punish anyone who gets in the lane trying to score an easy bucket. Her ability to take over a game gives underdog Las Vegas a legitimate chance. Last year’s MVP, Stewart ,and the Liberty swept all three regular-season games, have home-court advantage for the series, and are more than capable of ending the Aces dynasty.

For the love of passing

Chelsea Gray, Las Vegas

Outside of Caitlin Clark, perhaps no player sets their teammates up better for high-percentage shots than Gray, with a flair for the dramatic. Gray, who averaged 8.0 assists a game, can also put the ball in the bucket when needed, and even though the Aces still won the championship last season after Gray was injured, her availability will be critical for any chance at advancing to the championship round.

For the love of logo 3’s

Sabrina Ionescu, New York

The most consistent long-distance shooter left in the postseason is Ionescu, who has the green light to shoot it once she is past half-court. Her outside shooting is key to neutralizing Las Vegas, but her 33% shooting from the 3-point line during the regular season shouldn’t be looked at as any sort of a disadvantage but an anomaly. Ionescu’s 36 points against Atlanta in Game 2 of their first-round series tells you all you need to know about her and her impact on the game.

For the love of great defense

The Minnesota Lynx and Connecticut Sun

Rewind a year, and the Lynx couldn’t stop a cold team, much less any team in the WNBA. A commitment to defense has Minnesota on the brink of another championship, led by defensive player of the year Napheesa Collier, who averaged 1.9 steals and 1.4 blocks. The Lynx’s defensive efficiency improved by 11 points. But it was the Sun who led the league in defensive rating, so don’t be surprised if there are some final scores in the best-of-five series in the 60s and 70s. An intriguing matchup could decide the series if Collier is up against perennial All-Star Alyssa Thomas. The Sun could be in trouble when Collier starts lighting it up as she did in Game 2 of Minnesota’s series-clinching win against Phoenix when she poured in 42 points.

For the love of trash-talking

Kelsey Plum, Las Vegas

Although the discourse of how fans talk to the players has become a focus this season, there are no such problems when the players talk to each other and use colorful language to gain a psychological edge.

Plum has said she doesn’t speak unless someone engages her first, but no one is immune, including fans, to the venom that comes out of her mouth once she gets going.

Follow Scooby Axson on social media @ScoobAxson

Through three weeks, almost nothing has played out as expected. Jayden Daniels is the QB2. Sam Darnold is the QB4. J.K. Dobbins is RB1. Jauan Jennings is the WR1 (no, seriously). And three of the top six tight ends have had a game in which they’ve scored fewer than one point.

To assist with your most difficult lineup decisions, you’ll find my Week 4 fantasy football rankings below. Toggle between standard, half PPR (point per reception), and full PPR to see where players rank in your league’s format.

Our team at the USA TODAY Sports Network also has you covered for all your fantasy football needs. Looking for up-to-date player news? We’ve got it. Need to know who the best starts and sits of the week are? We have an article for that. We also have fantasy defense rankings, kicker rankings, and a trade value chart to help with all your trade decisions.

Given the volatility of this league and fantasy football in particular, these rankings will be updated up until a half hour before the Sunday afternoon games kick off. Let’s get to it.

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

Week 4 fantasy football quarterback rankings

STOCK UP: Baker Mayfield has finished as a top-five quarterback in two of his three games this year. Jordan Love and Kirk Cousins both posted top-12 performances against the Eagles’ defense.
STOCK UP: Caleb Williams squares off with a Rams defense that has allowed the third-most points to opposing quarterbacks. He’ll also have his full arsenal to work with, as Keenan Allen is expected back in the lineup after missing two games due to a heel injury.
STOCK DOWN: Anthony Richardson has finished as the QB21 and QB27 over his last two games. This week, he’ll go up against a Steelers team that’s ceded the fewest fantasy points to opposing signal-callers.
STOCK DOWN: Matthew Stafford will once again be without his top weapons against a Bears team that has held C.J. Stroud and Anthony Richardson to a combined 21.4 fantasy points over the last two weeks.

Week 4 fantasy football running back rankings

STOCK UP: Chuba Hubbard posted an RB5 finish on 26 touches last week after the Panthers made the QB switch from Bryce Young to Andy Dalton. The Bengals are not a cakewalk matchup, but that kind of volume makes him a plug-and-play RB2.
STOCK UP: Zack Moss gets a mouthwatering matchup in the Carolina Panthers. Prior to going up against the nonexistent run game of the Raiders, the Panthers had allowed Alvin Kamara and J.K. Dobbins to finish as top-six running backs against them. Moss has received at least 13 opportunities (carries + targets) in every game this season.
STOCK DOWN: J.K. Dobbins will face a Chiefs front that’s held Derrick Henry and Bijan Robinson to 10.6 and 12.2 half-PPR points, respectively, and he’ll likely be doing so without both of his starting tackles.
STOCK DOWN: D’Andre Swift has finished as the RB37 on 18 touches and the RB38 on 15 touches over his last two games. Despite a good matchup, you’d have to be desperate to insert Swift into your lineup.

Week 4 fantasy football wide receiver rankings

STOCK UP: DeAndre Hopkins showed a real rapport with Will Levis last week. Considering how vomit-inducing this offense has looked to start the season, they should try to build on that connection.
STOCK UP: Jahan Dotson has a grand total of three catches this season, but he should be the Eagles’ de-facto WR1 without A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith in the lineup. Dotson is a worthwhile flex dart throw in deeper leagues.
STOCK DOWN: Michael Pittman Jr. has finished as the WR61, WR72, and WR53 through three weeks. Things won’t get easier versus a Steelers secondary that has surrendered the sixth-fewest points to opposing wideouts.
STOCK DOWN: Xavier Worthy racked up two touchdowns in Week 1 but has managed just 52 scoreless yards on eight targets in the two games since. A matchup with a banged-up Chargers team could lead to low volume once again for the rookie.

Week 4 fantasy football tight end rankings

STOCK UP: Dallas Goedert dropped career-highs in receptions (10) and yards (170) in Week 3 and should have a massive role as the passing game’s top option in Week 4.
STOCK UP: Speaking of being his passing game’s top option, Brock Bowers faces the Browns without Davante Adams in the lineup for the Raiders. Double-digit targets should not be hard to come by in this one.
STOCK DOWN: Mark Andrews ran just four routes and had one target in Week 3. The Bills have given up the eighth-most points to the position but start him at your own risk this week.

Week 4 fantasy football rankings