The NFL wrapped up its Week 6 action with a ‘Monday Night Football’ doubleheader, where the Atlanta Falcons beat the Buffalo Bills and the Chicago Bears earned a victory over the Washington Commanders.

With those contests in the books, the NFL season is now a third of the way over.

That seems like as good a time as any to take a way-too-early look at the league’s playoff picture – though plenty of fans will surely echo Jim Mora’s notorious press conference tirade in response to that notion.

At present, the NFL’s playoff picture is looking a lot different from what many expected entering the season.

On the AFC side of the bracket, Super Bowl favorites like the Kansas City Chiefs, Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens are presently on the outside looking in. Meanwhile, the surprising Indianapolis Colts are occupying the conference’s No. 1 seed while the New England Patriots are ahead of the Buffalo Bills in the AFC East title race.

There aren’t as many surprises on the NFC side of the bracket, but the NFC West currently has three times inside the field of seven, while the reigning Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles are now the conference’s No. 4 seed after back-to-back losses.

Below is a look at the current NFL playoff picture and what the field would look like if the postseason began today.

NFL playoff picture

AFC playoff picture

Indianapolis Colts (5-1, AFC South leaders)
Pittsburgh Steelers (4-1, AFC North leaders)
Los Angeles Chargers (4-2, AFC West leaders)
New England Patriots (4-2, AFC East leaders)
Buffalo Bills (4-2, wild card No. 1)
Jacksonville Jaguars (4-2, wild card No. 2)
Denver Broncos (4-2, wild card No. 3)

In the hunt: Kansas City Chiefs (3-3), Houston Texans (2-3), Cincinnati Bengals (2-4), Las Vegas Raiders (2-4), Baltimore Ravens (1-5), Miami Dolphins (1-5), Cleveland Browns (1-5), Tennessee Titans (1-5), New York Jets (0-6).

NFC playoff picture

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-1, NFC South leaders)
Green Bay Packers (3-1-1, NFC North leaders)
San Francisco 49ers (4-2, NFC West leaders)
Philadelphia Eagles (4-2, NFC East leaders)
Seattle Seahawks (4-2, wild card No. 1)
Detroit Lions (4-2, wild card No. 2)
Los Angeles Rams (4-2, wild card No. 3)

In the hunt: Atlanta Falcons (3-2), Minnesota Vikings (3-2), Chicago Bears (3-2), Carolina Panthers (3-3), Washington Commanders (3-3), Dallas Cowboys (2-3-1), Arizona Cardinals (2-4), New York Giants (2-4), New Orleans Saints (1-5).

Projected NFL playoff matchups entering Week 7

AFC playoff bracket

1. Indianapolis Colts (5-1), BYE
2. Pittsburgh Steelers (4-1) vs. 7. Denver Broncos (4-2)
3. Los Angeles Chargers (4-2) vs. 6. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-2)
4. New England Patriots (4-2) vs. 5. Buffalo Bills (4-2)

NFC playoff bracket

1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-1), BYE
2. Green Bay Packers (3-1-1) vs. 7. Los Angeles Rams (4-2)
3. San Francisco 49ers (4-2) vs. 6. Detroit Lions (4-2)
4. Philadelphia Eagles (4-2) vs. 5. Seattle Seahawks (4-2)

MILWAUKEE — Talk about a momentum swing in Game 1 of the National League Championship Series.

The Milwaukee Brewers appeared to be in a world of hurt in the top of the fourth, with the bases loaded and just one out against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Max Muncy took a ball deep to center field and it looked like it was going to be a grand slam – and a deep hole for the Brewers.

But Sal Frelick saved the day with one of the wildest plays you’ll see in this postseason. Or any other.

Frelick leapt at the wall, and the ball hit his glove before popping out and hitting the wall. Frelick was able to grab it again and, because it hadn’t hit the ground, the ball was still live. Frelick rifled it in to Joey Ortiz, who whipped it to catcher William Contreras.

Contreras planted one foot on home plate and stretched to make the catch, just beating Teoscar Hernandez to gett one out. The Dodgers appeared confused at to just what was happening — join the club! — and Will Smith stayed at second. An alert Contrerars sprinted up the third-base line and tagged the base, getting Smith out, too.

The play was upheld after a review, ending the inning and giving the Brewers a massive break. 

The official scoring? 8-6-2 GIDP.

We’re still a way off from a World Series matchup. But it’s starting to come into view, just a bit.

In a frenetic few hours, Game 2 of the American League Championship Series and Game 1 of its National League counterpart unfolded, revealing more and more about the four teams still vying for a spot in the Fall Classic.

With that, USA TODAY Sports breaks down the winners and losers from a wild day of playoff developments:

Winners

Blake Snell

Beyond joining folks like Sandy Koufax and Don Larsen in postseason lore, perhaps the most remarkable thing about Blake Snell in NLCS Game 1 was just how unbothered he was.

Was the man’s heart rate even measurable? Did he exult, even a little, after any of his 10 strikeouts? Was he nervous watching the bullpen nearly unravel his eight near-perfect innings as he sipped on his purple drink of electrolytes in the dugout?

Snell became the first pitcher since Don Larsen’s World Series perfect game in 1956 to face the minimum 24 batters through eight innings of a postseason game, Caleb Durbin’s scratch hit immediately erased when Snell picked him off first. And he joined Koufax and Clayton Kershaw as the only Dodgers with a 10-strikeout game in a scoreless postseason start.

Snell’s postseason to date: 21 innings pitched, six hits, two runs, 28 strikeouts, four walks. 

Had Rōki Sasaki and Blake Treinen conspired to blow this masterpiece in the bottom of the ninth, the discourse would have been wild: Dave Roberts questioned for yanking Snell after 102 pitches, the wound from Snell’s early hook – against the Dodgers no less – in Game 5 of the 2020 World Series reopened.

Instead, the Dodgers held on and Snell’s masterpiece had no smudges.

Jorge Polanco

If we had our way and a Conn Smythe Trophy was awarded for baseball’s ever-expanding playoffs, Polanco would be firmly entrenched in the favorite’s role.

What an eight-day run: A two-homer game off Tarik Skubal, a walk-off, ALDS-ending 15th-inning RBI single, a go-ahead hit in Game 1 of the ALCS and then the go-ahead, three-run homer in Game 2 that sent Seattle home with a real chance to win its first pennant.

His postseason tote board so far: Eight hits, 11 RBIs and a folk hero status for life, probably, for a team that declined his option one year ago yet brought him back. Good thing.

The Mariners bullpen

They coughed up Game 4 of the ALDS – and have been essentially unhittable since. These fellows – with help from a couple of starters making cameos – covered 10 innings, giving up just one run, in the 15-inning ALDS Game 5 epic.

And in the ALCS? Through two games: Nine innings, one hit, no runs, four strikeouts, four walks.

Bryan Woo

Remember this guy? Best pitcher on the Mariners? Well, an ill-timed pectoral strain kept him out of the ALDS, but his mates rallied to extend the season. The Mariners put him on the ALCS roster, scheduled a bullpen session and held their breath that they might not need him for a minute.

Now, they have a 2-0 lead and can safely slot Woo into a Game 5, if necessary. Or get him into a game at his leisure, ideally in a low stress environment that shakes the cobwebs so he can steer fully into a potential World Series start.

Losers

Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

After pulverizing Yankees pitching in their ALDS, Guerrero seemed destined for an October star turn. Instead, he’s hitless in his first seven ALCS at-bats and the Blue Jays are starving for offense.

Certainly, it can turn in a hurry for sluggers like Vladdy, and the Blue Jays typically play well at T-Mobile Park, though we’ll see how many fans straggle down from British Columbia with playoff ticket demand as it is.

John Schneider

Been a rough couple games for the Toronto manager, who didn’t give ace Kevin Gausman the chance to finish the sixth inning after he was stellar up to that point in Game 1. A reliever allowed the go-ahead run to score, and the Blue Jays have been down since.

A night later, with phenom Trey Yesavage’s velocity down a bit, Schneider decided to let him go out for the fifth. Two batters later, it was first-and-second, nobody out, Louis Varland trying to punch out of the mess and Polanco dinged him for the pivotal three-run homer.

The decisions won’t get any easier as the series winds on, with Shane Bieber likely to create a similar early- or middle-innings conundrum in Game 3, and a potential bullpen fest in Game 4.

Thanksgiving, Canada-style

Those Canadians are on to something: If you drop Thanksgiving in early October, it gives the holiday the run it deserves, and we’re not exposed to Halloween candy on store shelves by August.

Yet this Canadian Thanksgiving fell on the high holy day of ALCS Game 2 – and it was ruined in part by a native son. Josh Naylor, hailing from Mississauga, about 25 kilometres from Rogers Centre, put Game 2 out of reach with a sky-high two-run home run to right field.

Naylor has been an absolute godsend for the Mariners since coming over in trade from Arizona, stealing bases and hitting bombs and largely providing stout defense and veteran leadership. Just don’t expect them to save him any turkey legs up north this year.

Tagging up

If you’ve heard it once, you’ve heard it a few thousand times: “Tag! Tag! Tag!”

That’s the siren call of the third base coach, and it’s almost always wise to heed it. Yet Teoscar Hernández got stuck in no man’s land by one of the strangest plays in baseball history, one that likely left third base coach Dino Ebel singing a different tune.

“Run! Run! Run!”

Hernández was on third when a bases-loaded fly ball was seemingly hauled in by Brewers center fielder Sal Frelick. Yet the ball popped out of his glove enough that Hernández saw that flash of white, stopped his run home, went back to the bag and finally began his journey of 90 feet toward home.

Alas, the ball was never caught, as it grazed the wall between Frelick bobbles, making it a force play at home. And somehow, the Brewers made 8-6-2 from about 400 feet away a reality, Hernández sliding in just late as William Contreras recognized the situation and stretched like a first baseman to ensure the out.

As a little treat, the Brewers got a double play out of it thanks to the confusion on the basepaths. And the rest of us were reminded of an oft-forgotten provision about tagging up: The runner can leave as soon as the defense touches the ball, not when the catch is completed.

Hey, this isn’t the NFL.

MILWAUKEE — The Los Angeles Dodgers survived the Milwaukee Brewers’ magic act, shrugged off their bad luck, and by the end of Monday night, just won a postseason game the old-fashioned way.

The Dodgers, riding the golden arm of Blake Snell, and the powerful bat of Freddie Freeman, outlasted the Brewers for a 2-1 victory in Game 1 of the National League Championship Series at American Family Field.

While the Brewers turned perhaps the wildest double play in postseason history, and emptied their bullpen trying to suffocate the Dodgers’ offense, the Dodgers resorted to the traditional way to win games.

Snell, the two-time Cy Young winner, put on one of the greatest postseason pitching performances in history. He never gave the Brewers a chance, facing the minimum batters through eight innings, striking out 10, and giving up just one hit – a third-inning single up the middle by Caleb Durbin. He was so dominant that he gave up just one fair fly ball to the outfield the entire game, inducing 11 ground balls.

Snell became the first pitcher in postseason history to strike out at least 10 batters and give up one hit without a walk in eight innings.

“He’s a bona fide ace,’ Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “Having him take the ball, feeling that he’s always essentially going to be the best option on the mound.’

Certainly, there has not been a hotter pitcher on the planet. Snell is yielding a 0.68 ERA in his last six starts, pitching 40 innings, yielding 15 hits, and striking out 56 batters.

In Snell’s three postseason starts, he’s 3-0 with a 0.86 ERA, giving up just seven hits in 21 innings, striking out 28 batters.

Despite injuries limiting him to 11 starts in the regular season, Snell has been worth every penny of that five-year, $182 million contract in the first year of his free-agent deal.

“I’ve known Blake a long time,’ said Andrew Friedman, Dodgers president of baseball operations, who drafted and signed Snell with the Tampa Bay Rays. “Just getting a chance to watch that maturation over a 12-year period and seeing that growth, we felt really strongly that not only could he help us in the regular season in accomplishing that first goal, but what he would bring to our staff in October. I think for some it is literally a part of their identity and what they yearn for more than anything.’

It turned out that the Dodgers needed every one of those outs Snell provided. The Dodgers turned to closer Roki Sasaki in the ninth, but he ran into trouble, gave up a run, and departed with two outs and runners on the corners. Roberts pulled Sasaki and went to veteran Blake Treinen.

Treinen, after walking William Contreras to load the bases, struck out Brice Turang to end the game, and overcome the play in the fourth inning that nearly stole the show.

The Dodgers were in the process of breaking the game open in the fourth inning, loading the bases, when Max Muncy sent Quinn Priester’s cutter 404 feet towards the center-field wall for a potential grand slam.

Brewers center fielder Sal Frelick leaped, brought the ball back, but it bounced off the yellow stripe back into his glove.

The Dodgers, who initially thought the ball was going over the fence, froze. Then, they thought Frelick caught the ball, even though left-field umpire Chad Fairchild ruled the ball was in play.

Teoscar Hernandez, who had gone back to tag up at third base, raced home. Frelick threw a strike to cutoff man Joey Ortiz, who fired home, just ahead of Hernandez, who didn’t know it was a force play.

Meanwhile, Brewers catcher William Contreras, realizing that Will Smith, who was heading back to second base believing the ball was caught, sprinted to third base. Smith hurried ot third. Too late.

Out at home. Out at third. Double play.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts asked for a replay review, which confirmed that Hernandez was out at home.

And after the umpires huddled, they confirmed that Fairchild called the ball correctly that the ball indeed bounced off the fence, and there was no catch.

The Brewers ran off the field leaving the Dodgers dazed, and the sellout crowd going bonkers not believing what they just witnessed.

It technically went down as your routine 8-6-2, 404-foot GIDP.

It was the first 8-6-2 double play in postseason history, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

“The Brewers are a really good team,’’ said Friedman, Dodgers president of baseball operations. “Team speed, defense, they don’t chase, put the ball in play. They do a lot of things well. And I think the depth of their roster really helps them withstand 162 games and also puts them in position to be a really competitive team in October.’’

Friedman joked that the Dodgers were hoping to win just a game against the Brewers considered the Brewers went 6-0 against them during the regular season, but of course, those games weren’t played in October.

This is the Dodgers’ time of the year.

And, for another night, they proved it again.

— Bob Nightengale

Here’s how Game 1 unfolded:

Dodgers hang on in the ninth for 2-1 win

The Brewers pushed a run across and loaded the bases with two outs, putting the go-ahead run on second base. But Blake Treinen struck out Brice Turang to end the game.

Dodgers add insurance run in ninth

Abner Uribe loaded the bases with two outs in the top of the ninth and then walked Mookie Betts with a full count to drive in a run and extend the Dodgers’ lead to 2-0.

Blake Snell keeps it going into the ninth

The Dodgers left-hander sailed through the eighth inning and NLCS Game 1 is heading to the ninth with the Dodgers clinging to a 1-0 lead. Snell struck out 10 and gave up only one hit in eight innings, but will likely give way to Roki Sasaki for the ninth.

To the eighth: Dodgers 1, Brewers 0

Blake Snell got through his seventh scoreless inning, facing the minimum with nine strikeouts. He’s at 91 pitches and the Dodgers bullpen is quiet, meaning it’s likely the left-hander gets the ball for the eighth.

Blake Snell dominating through six

Blake Snell has the faced the minimum 18 hitters through six innings, racking up eight strikeouts with no walks on 77 pitches. The only hit he surrendered up came in the second inning, but SNell picking off Caleb Durbin after his single.

Freddie Freeman home run breaks the deadlock

Freddie Freeman hit a solo home run off Chad Patrick with one out in the top of the sixth, opening the scoring in Game 1 of this NLCS.

The World Series MVP last year, the homer was Freeman’s first of the 2025 poseason.

Brewers escape on absolutely insane play

With the bases loaded and one out, Max Muncy hit a drive to the center field wall that bounced off center fielder Sal Frelick’s glove, then the wall and was grabbed before hitting the ground – a live ball, not a catch for an out. The baserunners were confused and held up initially, with Teoscar Hernandez thrown out at home trying to score from third, a bizarre 8-6-2 forceout.

Still having no idea what happened, Will Smith, never advanced to third and he was then forced out to complete the double play.

Quinn Priester takes over for Brewers

Milwaukee right-hander Quinn Priester came on to replace opener Aaron Ashby to begin the second inning. He walked Max Muncy, but stranded the runner with a strikeout of Enrique Hernandez to end the second.

In the third, Priester set down Andy Pages, Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts in order to keep the game scoreless. The Dodgers are without a hit through three innings.

Priester was a revelation for the Brewers this year, going 13-3 with a 3.32 ERA in 157.1 innings.

Aaron Ashby puts up a zero in the first

Brewers opener Andy Ashby worked around a leadoff walk of Shohei Ohtani in a scoreless first, getting Mookie Betts and Teoscar Hernandez before striking out Freddie Freeman to strand Ohtani.

Ashby, the nephew of two-time All-Star Andy Ashby, made four appearances in the five-game NLDS against the Cubs.

When is Shohei Ohtani pitching? Dave Roberts won’t say

MILWAUKEE — With Blake Snell starting Game 1 for the Los Angeles Dodgers and Yoshinobu Yamamoto getting the nod for Game 2, that means Shohei Ohtani and Tyler Glasnow won’t take the mound until the series shifts to Los Angeles later this week. Asked if he’s already decided which games they’ll start, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said yes. 

Would he care to share that information?

‘No,’ Roberts said, smiling. 

Aaron Ashby starts Brewers’ pitching parade

MILWAUKEE — Brewers manager Pat Murphy is completely focused on Game 1 while already thinking ahead. 

Huh? 

With only two starters – 1 ½, really – the Brewers will be leaning heavily on their relievers to get them through the seven-game series that includes just two off days. Which means Murphy has to be smart in how he uses them. Let one go an extra inning, or two, in Games 1 or 2, and Milwaukee could pay for it down the road. 

‘It’s win tonight, but when you get to about Game 4, you better be careful of what you’ve done to your pitching staff. It might show up in Game 4, Game 5,’ Murphy said ahead of Game 1. 

‘Especially the third game, OK, we just had a day off. How much do you want to use here? What do you think about?’ Murphy continued. ‘That’s where you can get exposed because now your thinking is, `We’re not playing to win tonight,’ we’re playing, `Hey, we’ve got to pitch these guys because these (other) guys are gassed.’ We’ve got to try to keep ourselves from that situation.

‘Comes down to depth and quality of depth.’ 

That helps explain Murphy’s decision to add Tobias Myers to the roster for the NLCS and remove Nick Mears. Mears has been ‘unbelievable’ for Milwaukee, Murphy said. But he’s better in short spurts, and the Brewers will need someone who can go longer. — Nancy Armour

Dodgers lineup today

Shohei Ohtani (L) DH
Mookie Betts (R) SS
Teoscar Hernández (R) RF
Freddie Freeman (L) 1B
Will Smith (R) C
Tommy Edman (S) 2B
Max Muncy (L) 3B
Enrique Hernández (R) LF
Andy Pages (R) CF

Brewers lineup

Jackson Chourio (R) RF
Christian Yelich (L) DH
William Contreras (R) C
Brice Turang (L) 2B
Andrew Vaughn (R) 1B
Sal Frelick (L) CF
Caleb Durbin (R) 3B
Isaac Collins (S) LF
Joey Ortiz (R) SS

Dodgers NLCS roster

The Dodgers have added right-handed pitcher Ben Casparius to the mix in place of third catcher Dalton Rushing, apparently signaling Will Smith should be able to handle a greater share of the duties behind the plate in the NLCS. Smith was limited over much of September and early in the playoffs by a fracture in his right hand.

The Dodgers will also have veteran left-hander Clayton Kershaw on the roster, despite his rocky outing in Game 3 of the NLDS against the Phillies when he gave up five runs (four earned) in two innings of work.

The Seattle Mariners are going home with a commanding advantage in the American League Championship Series. 

The pitching-centric team is crushing the Toronto Blue Jays in all facets of the game, slugging three home runs in Game 2 to cruise to a 10-3 victory Oct. 13 at Rogers Centre. 

And now, history is overwhelmingly on their side. 

They will take a 2-0 lead home to T-Mobile Park, knowing that in LCS history, a team that won the first two games on the road has advanced 86.8% of the time. 

They can thank Jorge Polanco and a possibly peerless bullpen for the happy flight home to the Pacific Northwest. 

Polanco broke a 3-3 tie with a three-run home run off reliever Louis Varland in the top of the sixth inning. Polanco also provided the go-ahead and insurance RBIs in Seattle’s 3-1 victory in Game 1. 

‘It felt amazing,’ Polanco said in a postgame interview with Fox Sports, ‘to see that ball go over the wall.’

And for the second consecutive game, Blue Jays manager John Schneider’s mid-game maneuvers failed to pan out. 

One night after removing Kevin Gausman after just 76 pitches, only for a reliever to let in the go-ahead run, he was perhaps too hesitant to remove rookie Trey Yesavage, who allowed an infield single and then intentionally walked Cal Raleigh before Varland gave up the decisive blast to Polanco. 

Re-signed after the Mariners declined his option a year ago, Polanco is now 4-for-9 with five RBIs in this series, and has eight hits and 11 RBIs this postseason, six of the game-winning or go-ahead variety. 

Meanwhile, Seattle’s bullpen combined for six innings of scoreless, one-hit relief, giving them nine scoreless innings this series. Eduard Bazardo and Carlos Vargas were particularly solid, contributing two innings and giving up just a hit and a walk, respectively. 

All have combined to keep Blue Jays superstar Vladimir Guerrero hitless in seven at-bats this series. 

— Gabe Lacques

Here’s how ALCS Game 2 unfolded:

Canadian Josh Naylor’s home run extends Seattle lead

On Canadian Thanksgiving, an Ontario native might have put the Toronto Blue Jays to sleep in Game 2 of the ALCS. 

Josh Naylor, a Mississauga product, skied a two-run home run to right field in the top of the seventh inning, giving the Seattle Mariners a 9-3 lead and further quieting the masses at Rogers Centre. 

Naylor’s blast off Braydon Fisher was the Mariners’ third home run of the game, following three-run blasts in the first inning by Julio Rodriguez and the fifth inning by Jorge Polanco. 

Now, the stout Mariners bullpen needs just nine more outs with a six-run lead to go home with a massive 2-0 ALCS lead.

Mariners get insurance run in sixth inning

The Seattle Mariners added on, and are drifting even closer toward a commanding lead in the ALCS. 

Pinch hitter Mitch Garver, the balding, part-time 34-year-old DH, smacked a triple off the center field wall and J.P. Crawford drove home pinch runner Leo Rivas as Seattle extended its lead to 7-3 heading into the bottom of the sixth.

The Mariners bullpen has been up to the task, as Eduard Bazardo pitched two innings of one-hit relief after starter Logan Gilbert was removed after three innings. 

Jorge Polanco home run puts Mariners back in front

Jorge Polanco just might singlehandedly carry the Seattle Mariners’ offense to a 2-0 ALCS lead. 

Polanco broke open a tie game with the Mariners’ second three-run homer of the night as Seattle took a 6-3 lead at the halfway point of Game 2. 

Polanco drove in the go-ahead run and an insurance run in their 3-1 Game 1 victory. A night later, he came up with runners on first and second and one out against Blue Jays set-up ace Louis Varland. 

He drove the pitch just over the high wall in right field, turning a 3-3 tie into a 6-3 Blue Jays lead. 

Logan Gilbert done after three innings

If the Seattle Mariners are to snag the first two games of this ALCS at Toronto, they’re going to need their bullpen to be on point for six innings. 

Manager Dan Wilson pulled starter Logan Gilbert after three innings and 58 pitches, perhaps feeling confident after he got six innings from starter Bryce Miller the night before. 

Eduard Bazardo relieved Gilbert in the fourth and pitched a clean inning, extending to four the number of perfect frames by Seattle’s bullpen in this ALCS. 

The game remains tied, 3-3, in the top of the fifth. 

Toronto ties it up in the second

It took just two innings for the Toronto Blue Jays to erase Julio Rodriguez’s three-run homer. 

Ernie Clement led off the bottom of the second with a single and came around to score on Nathan Lukes’ RBI hit as ALCS Game 2 was tied, 3-3, heading to the third inning. 

While the score is tied, the starting pitchers are trending in different directions. Mariners starter Logan Gilbert is already up to 46 pitches and has allowed a half-dozen baserunners. Blue Jays starter Trey Yesavage also needed 46 pitches to work two innings, but needed just 13 to retire the side in the second. 

Blue Jays answer quickly with two in bottom of first

Much to the Seattle Mariners’ disgust, the Toronto Blue Jays’ lineup wasn’t going to stay down forever. After Julio Rodriguez’s first-inning, three-run homer, they answered back with two runs in the bottom of the inning. George Springer lashed a leadoff double, Nathan Lukes reached on an infield hit as Springer scored on an error and Alejandro Kirk knocked an RBI single to right, scoring Lukes. 

After one inning: Mariners 3, Blue Jays 2 as Trey Yesavage needed 33 pitches to finish the inning, and Logan Gilbert expended 19.

Julio Rodriguez home run gives Mariners 3-0 lead

Trey Yesavage is no longer spotless – and the Mariners are positioned to take a commanding lead in the ALCS

The Blue Jays rookie right-hander who was near perfect in his playoff debut against New York got knocked around immediately in Game 2 of the ALCS, hanging his notorious split-finger pitch to Julio Rodriguez, who crushed it for a three-run home run. 

Yesavage, 22, who’d made just three major league starts before his 11-strikeout, no-hit dominance in  5 1/3 innings against the Yankees, knew almost immediately this one would be different. The Mariners remained patient out of the gate, as Yesavage hit Randy Arozarena with a full-count pitch and then walked Cal Raleigh. 

Yesavage then jumped ahead 0-2 on Rodriguez, threw one splitter in the dirt and then made a fatal mistake, hanging it for Rodriguez to guide just fair down the left field line. 

Sure, there’s still 8 ½ innings to play but it’s not too early to think: Of the 38 teams that won the first two games of an LCS on the road, 33 (86.8%) have gone on to the World Series.

Mariners lineup today for ALCS Game 2

Randy Arozarena (R) LF
Cal Raleigh (S) C
Julio Rodríguez (R) CF
Jorge Polanco (S) 2B
Josh Naylor (L) 1B
Eugenio Suárez (R) 3B
Dominic Canzone (L) DH
Victor Robles (R) RF
J.P. Crawford (L) SS

Blue Jays lineup today

George Springer (R) DH
Nathan Lukes (L) RF
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (R) 1B
Addison Barger (L) 3B
Alejandro Kirk (R) C
Daulton Varsho (L) CF
Ernie Clement (R) 2B
Davis Schneider (R) LF
Andrés Giménez (L) SS

Trey Yesavage says people close to him ‘being attacked’

Trey Yesavage, who will start Game 2 of the ALCS against the Seattle Mariners, began his press conference in advance of that outing decrying the attacks and negativity on loved ones since no-hitting the New York Yankees for 5 ⅓ innings in just his fourth big league start.

‘Living in this world where there’s so many different opinions and feelings which results in a lot of hate, it’s sad to see that people close to me are being attacked for my performances on the field,’ Yesavage told reporters. ‘These people have done nothing to warrant negativity for my actions, whether that’s my parents, my brothers, my girlfriend, family. It’s just really sad.

‘I know I have the platform to address it, so I am. I hope that people can realize that those individuals have nothing to do with what happens on the field or whatnot.

Have the Mariners ever won a World Series?

Seattle is one of five teams that has never won a World Series title and is the only club in Major League Baseball that has never even reached the Fall Classic.

The Mariners came into existence in 1977 and didn’t make the playoffs for the first time until 1995. This year marks Seattle’s fourth appearance in the ALCS after losing in 1995 (Cleveland), 2000 (Yankees) and 2001 (Yankees).

When did the Blue Jays win the World Series?

The Toronto Blue Jays won back-to-back World Series championships in 1992 and 1993.

They defeated the Atlanta Braves in six games in 1992 for their first title and then beat the Philadelphia Phillies in six to repeat, clinching on Joe Carter’s walk-off home run.

Brian Branch’s decision to start a dust-up at the end of the Detroit Lions’ loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday will cost the safety, both in his bank account and on the field.

The NFL on Monday announced Branch will be suspended for one game without pay for unsportsmanlike conduct after he struck Chiefs wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster, igniting a postgame brawl.

“Your aggressive, non-football act was entirely unwarranted, posed a serious risk of injury, and clearly violated the standards of conduct and sportsmanship expected of NFL players,’ NFL vice president of football operations Jon Runyan wrote to Branch in a letter. ‘Your conduct reflected poorly on the NFL and has no place in our game.”

Branch is appealing his suspension, according to NFL Media. If his ban stands, he will miss the Lions’ ‘Monday Night Football’ matchup with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The third-year veteran expressed his remorse for the incident after the game but said his frustration with Smith-Schuster had been bubbling throughout the contest.

“I did a little childish thing,” Branch told USA TODAY Sports’ Jarrett Bell after the Lions’ 30-17 loss. “But I’m tired of people doing stuff in between the plays and the ref don’t catch it, trying to bully me out there.’

As the final seconds ticked off with the result in hand, Branch ignored Patrick Mahomes extending his hand toward him. When Smith-Schuster confronted Branch, the Pro Bowl defensive back struck the receiver. Smith-Schuster then charged toward Branch, who was being held back by Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco, and a melee ensued.

Smith-Schuster didn’t accept Branch’s rationale, which included the allegation that he had been blocked in the back on a play that drew no flag.

“I made a good block,” Smith-Schuster told USA TODAY Sports. “He obviously responded after the game. At the end of the day, it’s about the team win.”

Lions coach Dan Campbell held Branch to account after the game.

‘I love Brian Branch, but what he did is inexcusable and it’s not going to be accepted here,’ Campbell said. ‘It’s not what we do, it’s not what we’re about.’

Branch’s absence further hurts an already shorthanded Lions secondary. Top cornerback D.J. Reed landed on injured reserve two weeks ago, leaving him out through at least the rest of October as he works his way back from a hamstring injury. Fellow starting cornerback Terrion Arnold and backup Avonte Maddox also missed Sunday’s contest with hamstring injuries.

Mahomes made quick work of Detroit’s defense, throwing for three touchdowns while adding another via the ground.

Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady could be a top candidate for the Titans’ coaching vacancy after Brian Callahan’s firing.
Kliff Kingsbury and Mike McCarthy could also be leading options if the team wants an offensive mind to mold Cam Ward.
If Tennessee is open to going the defensive route, Brian Flores, Vance Joseph and Jesse Minter could be among the potential options.

The Tennessee Titans will have plenty of time to do their homework to find their next coach.

In firing Brian Callahan on Monday, the team pulled the plug on a coaching regime after just 23 games. The results – a 4-19 mark that featured an abundance of errors and little to suggest a turnaround was in store – proved sufficient to warrant the abrupt change in direction. At 1-5, the Titans will be left to play out a season that quickly revealed itself to be nearly devoid of promise, even as No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward took the reins to the offense.

Instead, the focus is decidedly on the future.

Despite the cloud that has hung over the franchise dating back to the final two seasons of Mike Vrabel’s run, there is legitimate reason for optimism. Ward’s struggles have been pervasive as he navigates an offense equipping him with little support, but he’s also demonstrated the playmaking streak that helped propel him to become the top selection this past April. Tennessee is currently on track to have an NFL-high $113.8 million in cap space for 2026, according to Over The Cap, which general manager Mike Borgonzi and president of football operations Chad Brinker could utilize to plug the myriad holes throughout the roster. And with a new stadium set to open in 2027, the organization looks intent on getting off to a solid start as it opens a new era.

But just where does Tennessee turn from here?

Perhaps Ward’s presence creates somewhat of a mandate to turn to an offensively inclined candidate, and it stands to reason that the Titans would want an experienced play-caller after Callahan struggled to balance those duties with his head-coaching responsibilities. But a franchise that has won just 17 games since it earned the No. 1 seed in the 2021 AFC playoffs probably needs to entertain all opportunities for growth, no matter what form they come in.

With that said, here are 10 candidates who could draw the team’s eye as Callahan’s replacement:

Tennessee Titans coaching candidates

Joe Brady, Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator

On resume alone, there might be no more attractive candidate than Brady, who helped Josh Allen ascend to MVP status last season. But his allure extends beyond what he can do for one player. The 36-year-old is renowned for his ability to deploy a highly flexible attack capable of beating opponents in several different forms, with Buffalo entering Monday night’s contest ranked second in rushing yards (154.4 yards per game). As important as honing Ward’s considerable skills is to his development, Brady could also provide substantial assistance by lightening the ask of the talented passer in the early going. Landing Brady, who last season pulled out of the New Orleans Saints’ coaching search, could be difficult given that he might be the most sought-after option at the coordinator level. But he’d make plenty of sense for a Tennessee team desperate to clean up its act.

Kliff Kingsbury, Washington Commanders offensive coordinator

His work in helping Jayden Daniels become the nearly unanimous Offensive Rookie of the Year made him a hot commodity for the near future, but Kingsbury showed no urgency to jump ship after his first year on Dan Quinn’s staff. His offensive acumen and prior experience leading the Arizona Cardinals could make him a considerable draw for the Titans. He’s also shed some concerns about his predictability as a play-caller, instead building a more malleable system catered to Daniels’ strengths. Jumping to Tennessee and working with Ward would require a similar bespoke approach, but Kingsbury seems as though he would be up to the task – if he finds the opportunity enticing enough.

Mike McCarthy, former Dallas Cowboys and Green Bay Packers head coach

The 61-year-old might not be seen as a natural fit for a franchise in need of rejuvenation. But he’s also a proven entity who could prove capable of stabilizing an organization that has repeatedly tripped itself up in recent years while making various pivots. Not only did he notch three consecutive 12-win seasons with the Cowboys from 2021-23, but his offenses also led the league in scoring twice during that span. Brinker rose up the ranks with the Packers and overlapped with McCarthy for a good stretch (2009-18), so there may be some common ground to explore here.

Arthur Smith, Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator

He’s another figure who won’t dazzle as a hire, and a reputation for rigidity in executing his scheme might make him somewhat of a strange fit as a potential mentor for Ward. But Smith has proven more malleable than many expected in getting aligned with Aaron Rodgers, and he was firmly on the NFL’s radar for a second try in the head-coaching ranks this past offseason. He certainly knows his way around the building after serving in several capacities as an assistant from 2011-20. In his final season in Nashville as offensive coordinator, he orchestrated a group that finished fourth in scoring and second in total yards, marking the only time since the franchise relocated from Houston that it has finished that high in either category.

Brian Flores, Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator

If Tennessee isn’t set on hiring an offensive mind, he’s probably the first call among the defense-oriented options. Flores occupies a singular space in the coordinator ranks, with his vexing scheme flustering opposing quarterbacks and play-callers alike. After interviewing with the Chicago Bears, Jacksonville Jaguars and New York Jets this past offseason, he could be nearing his opportunity for a second shot at a head-coaching role. But his outstanding lawsuit against the NFL could complicate his standing with teams, and he’ll have to answer for his strained relationship with Tua Tagovailoa during his time leading the Miami Dolphins.

Jesse Minter, Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator

Jim Harbaugh’s immediate revival of the Chargers is the stuff that struggling NFL franchises dream of. Recapturing that effect won’t be easy, but it’s understandable why teams might be drawn to Minter to execute a comparable turnaround. Los Angeles allowed the fewest points in 2024, his first year as defensive coordinator at the NFL level, and he looks due to become a staple of the interview circuit this winter.

Vance Joseph, Denver Broncos defensive coordinator

He’s another candidate who, in addition to his strong ongoing work at the coordinator level, would provide NFL head-coaching experience after his run leading the Broncos from 2017-18. Entering Week 7, Joseph’s current group leads the league with 30 sacks while ranking second in both yards allowed and scoring. In Tennessee, he could help ramp up a pass rush that ranks 27th in pressure rate (29.1%), according to Next Gen Stats, despite the considerable contributions of defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons.

Jeff Hafley, Packers defensive coordinator

At the start of the season, Hafley looked as though he might rocket to the top of several coaching hot boards amid the Packers’ dazzling defensive debut. His stock might have cooled down a bit with Green Bay looking a little more wobbly in recent weeks, but don’t discount him as a potential major player in the upcoming hiring cycle. If the former Boston College coach is willing to let Ward be as aggressive as he asks his defenses to be, this could be a fruitful partnership.

Josh Grizzard, Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator

This is veering into long-shot territory, but don’t rule it out. Grizzard, 35, is in his first year as an NFL offensive coordinator, so experience could prove prohibitive in landing a top job right away. But he’s sure to garner interest if he continues along this trajecory. In taking over for Liam Coen, Grizzard has managed to add his own wrinkles to a Buccaneers attack that ranks sixth in scoring. That’s largely due to him helping Baker Mayfield tap into MVP-caliber play. But he’s also done laudatory work in managing a spate of early-season injuries, including a full-blown reset up front while All-Pro left tackle Tristan Wirfs was out.

Klint Kubiak, Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator

The Seahawks’ offense has been one of the more pleasant surprises of the early going. That’s a credit to Kubiak, who was tasked with shaping what amounted to a complete overhaul in philosophy after Ryan Grubb’s pass-happy approach last year clearly wore on head coach Mike Macdonald. The rugged ground game hasn’t materialized, but Kubiak has created an environment in which Sam Darnold can take calculated shots downfield. That no doubt would serve Ward well, especially as the organization figures out how to solve its longstanding problems along the offensive line.

Rookie quarterback Cam Ward’s blunt assessment of the Tennessee Titans last month shed light on the state of the team.   

The Titans made their first major decision to change the trajectory of the franchise Monday when they fired head coach Brian Callahan after less than two seasons.

‘After extended conversations with our owner and general manager, we met with Brian Callahan this morning to tell him we are making a change at head coach,” Titans president of football operations Chad Brinker said in a statement. “While we are committed to a patient and strategic plan to build a sustainable, winning football program, we have not demonstrated sufficient growth. Our players, fans, and community deserve a football team that achieves a standard we are not currently meeting, and we are committed to making the hard decisions necessary to reach and maintain that standard.’

Callahan went 4-19 in 23 games as the Titans head coach. One might think parting ways with a head coach after 23 games is premature, but when the No. 1 overall pick and franchise quarterback sounded the alarm after the Week 4 loss, it was only a matter of time before changes would be made in Tennessee.

The Titans are a bad football team. Tennessee has the NFL’s worst total offense (232.3 yards per game), they average the second fewest number of points (13.8) and rank No. 22 in total defense, allowing 343.3 yards per game.

Ward is among a few players on the roster that generate tangible optimism for the future. In Week 5, Ward and the Titans became the first team to overcome a deficit of at least 18 points and win with a rookie starting quarterback since the New York Giants on Sept. 22, 2019. He leads all rookies in passing yards (1,101) and passing yards per game (183).

“Everybody talks about his work ethic, how early he’s there, how late he stays,” franchise legend and Hall of Fame QB Warren Moon told USA TODAY Sports of Ward earlier this season. “He just loves to work. That’s what you want your best player being. You want him to be one of the hardest workers on the team. You want him to be a guy that doesn’t blink. That has tremendous confidence, but he puts in the work to back it up.”

Sure, Ward is experiencing rookie growing pains. He’s completed under 40% of his passes between 10-19 yards and has a 40% success rate on pass attempts beyond 20 yards, per Pro Football Focus. While his 55% overall completion percentage ranks last among starting quarterbacks.

But the Titans haven’t necessarily surrounded Ward with weapons. Does a receiving corps that consist of Calvin Ridley, Elic Ayomanor, Van Jefferson and Tyler Lockett strike fear on opponents? Or tight ends Chig Okonkwo and Gunnar Helm?

Tony Pollard is a solid starting running back, but he’s currently averaging 3.9 yards a carry.

The Titans must do a better job of building around Ward. That starts with whomever they hire as head coach.

The positive news is the Titans have enough resources. Tennessee enters the 2026 season with the most salary cap space in the NFL, per Over The Cap.

The Titans made the correct decision in taking Ward No. 1 overall in the 2025 draft. Now they must do right by the quarterback. The development and success of Ward is contingent upon the Titans’ ability to build around him and implementation of an offensive system that caters to his skill set.

Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Tyler Dragon on X @TheTylerDragon.