If an NFL game is going to finish in a tie, it might as well be the second-highest-scoring tie in the history of the league.

That’s what happened in the Week 4 edition of ‘Sunday Night Football,’ with the Green Bay Packers and Dallas Cowboys finishing the back-and-forth affair deadlocked in a 40-40 tie.

Packers kicker Brandon McManus sealed the game’s fate with a 34-yard field goal as time expired in the extra period. It capped a 13-play, 64-yard drive Green Bay strung together to follow up on the Cowboys’ 76-yard field goal drive to open overtime.

Former Cowboys edge rusher Micah Parsons had a mostly quiet night, but his first sack of the game came at a big time. He dragged down his former teammate, quarterback Dak Prescott, behind the line of scrimmage to save a touchdown near the halfway point in overtime. It was Parsons’ first solo tackle of the game and his second sack of the season.

Here’s a full look at what happened on Sunday night. USA TODAY Sports provided updates for the Cowboys vs. Packers game on Sunday night below:

Watch Cowboys vs. Packers live with Fubo (free trial)

Cowboys vs Packers instant takeaways

George Pickens steps up in the absence of CeeDee Lamb: Maybe George Pickens and CeeDee Lamb were right when they dubbed themselves as two No. 1 wide receivers in the offseason. Pickens joined the Cowboys from the Pittsburgh Steelers in a May 7 trade, which immediately raised questions about how he’d fit into a passing offense that already featured Lamb as a clear-cut lead receiver. Well, with Lamb sidelined in Week 4 with a high ankle sprain, Pickens stepped up. His eight-catch, 134-yard, two-touchdown night gave the Cowboys every reason to believe their offense will be just fine, even without Lamb.
Dallas kept Micah Parsons in check: The Cowboys had a plan for Parsons. The former Dallas edge-rusher had a mostly quiet night in the box score with zero solo tackles and zero sacks in regulation. The Cowboys’ offensive line was double-teaming Parsons all night and managed to keep their quarterback clean until overtime. In the extra period, Parsons made a touchdown-saving tackle from behind Prescott on an attempted scramble in the Packers’ goal-line stand. There were pressures from Parsons, to be sure, but his one sack nearly didn’t count as a sack, and that’s a win for Cowboys owner/general manager Jerry Jones and his team’s offense.
Green Bay has a lot to improve to be a contender: Matt LaFleur’s clock management and struggles in the red zone continued. The Packers nearly lost the game by running out of time at the end of a 10-minute overtime period. They were, frankly, lucky that Jordan Love’s final pass attempt hit a defender with one second left and gave McManus a chance to kick his game-tying field goal as time expired. Without that small bit of luck, the Packers would be staring down a two-game losing streak and a 2-2 record through four weeks.

Micah Parsons stats vs Cowboys

3 total tackles
1 solo tackle
1 sack
3 quarterback hits

Romeo Doubs stats vs Cowboys

8 targets
6 receptions
58 yards
3 touchdowns

Jordan Love stats vs Cowboys

31-of-43 (72.1%) completion rate
337 yards
3 touchdowns
118.1 passer rating
3 rush attempts for 28 yards

Dak Prescott stats vs Packers

31-of-40 (77.5%) completion rate
319 yards
3 touchdowns
124.9 passer rating
1 rush attempt for 2 yards and a touchdown

Kenny Clark stats vs Packers

2 total tackles
1 solo tackle
1 quarterback hit

George Pickens stats vs Packers

11 targets
8 receptions
134 yards
2 touchdowns

Cowboys vs Packers highlights

Cowboys vs Packers final score: Packers 40, Cowboys 40

Cowboys vs Packers score: Brandon McManus knocks field goal through to tie in overtime

Jordan Love’s 3rd-and-14 throw fell incomplete with one second left on the clock, and McManus knocked through a 34-yard field goal as time expired to complete the tie.

Trevon Diggs blows up screen pass

The Packers tried a quick throw on 1st-and-10 from the Cowboys’ 15-yard line.

Diggs had other plans for the play, tackling Matthew Golden behind the line of scrimmage for a two-yard loss and forcing the Packers to call their final timeout.

Packers convert on crucial fourth down in overtime

Green Bay faced a 4th-and-6 play that it needed to convert to avoid a loss.

Quarterback Jordan Love found rookie first-rounder Matthew Golden sitting in a hole in zone coverage and zipped a pass over the middle. Golden completed the catch for a first down that extended the Packers’ drive.

Green Bay made it into Dallas territory ahead of the two-minute warning in overtime. A touchdown would win the game, and a field goal would likely result in a tie.

The Cowboys lead, 40-37, with two minutes left in overtime.

Cowboys vs Packers score: Brandon Aubrey puts Cowboys ahead

Dallas wasn’t able to score a touchdown in its first overtime possession despite starting a set of downs at the Packers’ 5-yard line after Tolbert’s big catch.

Aubrey made sure the Cowboys came away with some points as he knocked through a 22-yard field goal.

The Cowboys lead, 40-37, with 4:40 left in overtime. Aubrey’s great kickoff pinned the Packers back at their own 20-yard line to begin their first overtime drive.

Micah Parsons tallies his first sack against former team

Parsons’ first sack against the Cowboys could not have come at a better time for the Packers.

Cowboys quarterback Prescott appeared to break free from pressure with a scramble to his left side with a route to the end zone open in front of him, four yards away. Parsons chased down his former teammate from behind to record his first sack of the game, holding Prescott to no gain and saving a touchdown.

Prescott completes unreal, 34-yard fadeaway throw in overtime

The Cowboys’ quarterback is coming through in the clutch on Sunday night.

Facing pressure from former teammate Micah Parsons and defensive lineman Colby Wooden, Prescott slung a deep throw down the right sideline. His pass found Jalen Tolbert on the Packers’ 5-yard line, and the receiver completed the catch with a nice toe-tap reception to put Dallas in the red zone.

Pickens comes through again with big catch in overtime

Prescott continues to connect with his top receiver in Week 4. His 3rd-and-5 throw to Pickens at the start of overtime went for 22 yards and gave the Cowboys another set of downs to work with.

NFL overtime rules

In the regular season, NFL games tied after four quarters of regulation will enter a 10-minute overtime period. OT begins with a coin toss to determine who gets the ball first. Each team will have the opportunity to possess the ball even if the team that gets the ball first scores a touchdown on the opening possession.

There are no coach challenges; all reviews will be initiated by the replay official.
Each team gets two timeouts.
The point after try is not attempted if the game ends on a touchdown.
If the score is still tied at the end of the overtime period, the result of the game will be recorded as a tie.

Cowboys vs Packers score: Packers 37, Cowboys 37

This one’s going to overtime.

McManus nailed his 53-yard field goal attempt to tie the game and end regulation. The Packers’ seven-play, 39-yard drive ended the streak of six straight possessions with a lead change, but it was enough to draw Green Bay even and force an extra, 10-minute period.

The Packers won the toss and elected to kick, so Dallas will begin overtime with possession.

Cowboys vs Packers score: George Pickens reclaims Cowboys’ lead late

Dallas has needed to lean on Pickens in the wake of Lamb’s high ankle sprain. He’s done plenty to give the Cowboys confidence with the 28-yard catch-and-run he took to the house after running a nice comeback route and spinning away from his defender.

The touchdown, Pickens’ second of the game, gave the wideout 108 receiving yards for the game. More importantly, it represented a sixth straight lead change, giving the Cowboys the 37-34 lead with less than one minute to play in the fourth quarter.

Kavontae Turpin’s big return gives Cowboys good start

Dallas will begin its ensuing drive with excellent field position. Turpin fielded McManus’ kick at the Cowboys’ 1-yard line and returned it all the way to the 46.

The Cowboys start the drive just shy of Green Bay territory. Dallas still needs a touchdown to reclaim the lead with 1:35 left to play.

Cowboys vs Packers score: Romeo Doubs scores third touchdown of the night

For a fifth straight drive, the lead changed hands once again. For the third time tonight, Doubs found the end zone.

The Packers receiver found a spot over the middle of the field and hauled in the 15-yard pass to complete his Sunday night hat trick. Doubs is up to five catches for 52 yards and three touchdowns in Week 4.

Green Bay holds a 34-30 lead with 1:45 left to play.

Romeo Doubs’ big catch extends Packers’ drive

Facing a 3rd-and-8 situation from their own 22, the Packers were able to convert thanks to a nifty catch from Doubs over his defender and along the right sideline.

His 18-yard reception extended the Green Bay drive with a new set of downs. The Packers have the ball at their own 40-yard line with fewer than four minutes to go.

Josh Jacobs injury update: Packers RB returns after a knee injury

NBC reported that Jacobs sustained a cut on his right knee on the Packers’ previous offensive drive. He received treatment for the cut in the team’s locker room.

Jacobs was still on the sideline to begin Green Bay’s next drive with 4:50 to go, but he returned to action one play later.

Cowboys vs Packers score: Javonte Williams takes back the Cowboys’ lead

Williams took a direct snap behind a jumbo right formation and powered through the left side of the Cowboys’ offensive line for the score.

His one-yard rush gives Dallas the lead and pushes the streak of lead changes to four straight drives.

The Cowboys lead once again, 30-27, with under five minutes remaining in the fourth quarter.

Dak Prescott nails Pickens for fourth-down conversion

The Cowboys went for it on 4th-and-2 on their own 43-yard line. Prescott made his head coach’s decision pay off with a perfect throw over the middle to find a sliding Pickens.

Dallas’ drive continues, now in Green Bay territory, with eight minutes to play.

Cowboys vs Packers score: Josh Jacobs finds the end zone again

The veteran running back made a couple of slick cuts during his 18-yard touchdown run.

Jacobs’ second touchdown of the game gives the Packers a 27-23 lead after McManus’ PAT and extends the streak to three straight drives with a lead change.

The Cowboys will take over with 11:39 left in the game.

Jordan Love rips off 25-yard scramble

The Packers quarterback found a seam in the Cowboys’ defense and took advantage of the opening with his legs. His 25-yard run pushed his team back into Dallas territory early in the fourth quarter.

End of third quarter: Cowboys 23, Packers 20

Dallas is in line for its second win of the season with 15 minutes left to play. The Cowboys’ 80-yard touchdown drive near the end of the third quarter seized back the lead from Green Bay, 12 plays after the Packers had taken back the lead with a touchdown drive of their own.

Green Bay will start the fourth quarter with a 2nd-and-7 play from its own 33-yard line.

Cowboys vs Packers score: Jake Ferguson puts Dallas back on top

The Cowboys’ tight end, whom the team extended late in the offseason, pulled in a touchdown on a bullet pass from Prescott with his team-leading fifth catch of the night.

Aubrey’s PAT made it a 23-20 Cowboys lead with 34 seconds left in the third quarter. It’s a second straight lead change in the third quarter.

Micah Parsons injury update: Packers DE sustained possible back injury

Parsons went to the blue medical tent on the Packers’ sideline after he was involved in a tackle on the Cowboys’ ensuing offensive drive. NBC cameras showed him back on Green Bay’s sideline after exiting the tent, though he was still holding his lower back.

Cowboys vs Packers score: Josh Jacobs gets lead back for Green Bay

The Cowboys’ defense nearly held strong after Kraft’s overturned touchdown. A false start penalty backed the Packers up to the 6-yard line, and Dallas stopped Green Bay short on first and second down.

Jacobs eventually was able to punch the ball into the end zone for a score on third down to give his team the lead once again.

It’s 20-16 Packers after McManus’ PAT was good. The Cowboys get the ball back with seven minutes left in the third quarter.

Tucker Kraft touchdown dive overturned on review

The Packers’ tight end dove for the front-left pylon for what was initially ruled a 15-yard touchdown on the field.

After a review, the officials ruled Kraft down at the 1-yard line. His elbow went down just before the ball crossed the goal line.

Another penalty wipes out big Cowboys defensive play

It appeared that edge rusher Sam Williams managed to get to Love for the Cowboys’ second sack of the game. But his hand curled around Love’s face mask, resulting in a personal foul call that not only wiped away the sack but gave Green Bay 15 yards and a first down.

The Packers’ drive moves into Dallas territory after the penalty. They have a first down on the Cowboys’ 38-yard line with over 10 minutes left in the third quarter.

Cowboys forced to punt to open second half

Dallas mustered one first down on its first possession to begin the third quarter, but Prescott’s deep pass attempt to Jalen Tolbert fell incomplete on 3rd-and-14.

The Packers take over after the punt at their own 24-yard line two and a half minutes into the second half.

Bad Bunny will headline the Super Bowl 60 halftime show

The Puerto Rican singer will be the headline performer at Super Bowl 60 in February, Apple Music announced in a social media post.

The three-time Grammy winner released his latest album, ‘Debí Tirar Más Fotos’ in January of this year.

Micah Parsons halftime stats

The former Cowboy didn’t have a heavy presence in the first half of ‘Sunday Night Football.’

Through two quarters, Parsons had one total tackle (0 solo) and one pressure on a quarterback hit. He has yet to record his second sack of the season through three and a half games.

Halftime score: Cowboys 16, Packers 13

Dallas staged a massive comeback in the final moments of the first half. After a Packers touchdown began the second quarter, the rest of the first half was all Cowboys.

They followed up a 95-yard touchdown drive with a takeaway deep in Packers territory, and turned that into another quick score to take the lead just before halftime.

Cowboys vs Packers score: Dallas takes improbable first-half lead after takeaway

Dallas took full advantage of James Houston’s efforts to regain possession of the ball.

One play later, Prescott hit Pickens over the middle for a 15-yard touchdown pass. Suddenly, the Cowboys lead, 16-13, with nine seconds left in the half.

Cowboys force turnover on strip sack

Dallas edge rusher James Houston got to Love on a 1st-and-15 play with just seconds left in the first half. His strip and fumble recovery gave the Cowboys the ball back on Green Bay’s 15-yard line with 13 seconds remaining in the half.

Cowboys vs Packers score: Prescott takes it himself for first Cowboys TD

Pickens’ big catch gave Dallas a few chances to punch in the ball for their first score on offense. After a one-yard loss on a Williams run, Prescott punched it in on a quarterback draw play from two yards out.

Brandon Aubrey’s ensuing PAT cut the Cowboys’ deficit to four points.

It’s 13-9, Packers, with 41 seconds left in the first half.

George Pickens hauls in acrobatic 28-yard catch over two defenders

The Cowboys’ wide receiver got his team down to the Packers’ 1-yard line with a leaping grab over two Green Bay defenders converging on his point next to the sideline. He was able to get both feet down as he fell to complete the catch.

Pickens has been serving as Dallas’ leading receiver with CeeDee Lamb sidelined with an ankle injury and made his mark in a big way with the sideline catch.

Cowboys force punt after miscue

Dallas had another nice play overturned by a penalty. A seven-yard loss by the Packers’ offense turned into a 15-yard gain and first down when officials flagged rookie defensive end Donovan Ezeiruaku for unnecessary roughness.

Nevertheless, the Cowboys stopped Green Bay’s offense for the next three plays to force a punt, which the Packers downed at the Dallas 5-yard line. It’s the Cowboys’ ball with 5:50 left in the half.

The Packers still lead, 13-2.

Matthew Golden lit up on punt return

Golden, the rookie first-round pick and punt returner for the Packers, opted not to call for a fair catch on his ensuing punt return. After making the catch, he spun and immediately took a big hit from Cowboys linebacker Marist Liufau.

Golden was able to hold onto the ball, but the big hit prompted some pushing and shoving between the Cowboys’ punt team and Packers’ punt coverage unit.

Cowboys’ big gain erased by penalty

For a second straight drive, a big play by Dallas has been called back because of a penalty. First, it was Trevon Diggs’ interception on the Packers’ last touchdown drive.

This time it was on offense. A 23-yard Kavontae Turpin reception was erased by an illegal formation penalty on third down, and the next attempt to convert wound up short.

The Cowboys once again punt after a three-and-out drive, and the Packers take over with 8:33 left in the half

Cowboys vs Packers score: Cowboys return blocked PAT to the house

Dallas finally got on the board in the second quarter thanks to its special teams unit. Safety Juanyeh Thomas blocked McManus’ PAT, and fellow special teams safety Markquese Bell returned the blocked kick more than 75 yards for a Cowboys two-pointer.

The score is now 13-2 Packers with 10:30 left in the first half.

Cowboys vs. Packers score: Romeo Doubs scores his second TD, extends Packers lead

This time, Doubs lined up on the left side and ran a one-yard quick slant to get open before Love found him for the pair’s second touchdown connection of the game. Running back Josh Jacobs had set up the score with a 28-yard catch-and-run on the play prior.

The Packers extend their two-score lead less than five minutes into the second quarter.

Trevon Diggs interception overturned by penalty

Dallas had too many players on the field when Love snapped the ball on a 3rd-and-5 play. The flag overturned what would have been Diggs’ first interception of the season after he made a diving play near the sideline.

Instead, the Packers’ drive continues with another first down thanks to the penalty.

End of first quarter: Packers 7, Cowboys 0

Green Bay scored on its first drive, but since then, Week 4’s edition of ‘Sunday Night Football’ has primarily been a defensive battle.

However, the Packers were driving to end the first quarter. They have the ball at the Dallas 38-yard line to begin the second quarter.

Packers cut Cowboys drive short

Dallas only managed five plays and 15 yards on its second drive. The Packers’ defense came up big with one ball batted down by cornerback Keisean Nixon on a deep throw, then with strong tackling on tight end Jake Ferguson to keep him short of the first-down marker.

The Cowboys punted away on fourth down, and after a short return from Golden, the Packers will take over from their own 32-yard line with just over one minute left in the first quarter.

Micah Parsons records first pressure on Dak Prescott

Parsons made his presence felt early on the Cowboys’ second drive, getting to quarterback Dak Prescott just a moment after he released the ball. Prescott completed his throw to Williams for four yards and a Cowboys first down.

Cowboys force a Packers punt after brief drive

Green Bay just managed to enter Cowboys territory on its second drive but were stopped shy of field goal range.

Packers punter Daniel Whelan booted the ball away, and Dallas returner Kavontae Turpin signaled for a fair catch at his team’s 11-yard line. The Cowboys’ second drive will start deep in their own territory with just over four minutes left in the first quarter.

Super Bowl halftime show announcement at halftime of Cowboys vs Packers

The NFL announced that the performer for the 2026 Super Bowl halftime show will be revealed during the Sunday Night Football game between the Green Bay Packers and the Dallas Cowboys.

Cowboys go 3-and-out on first possession

Dallas ran the ball three straight times on its first possession and failed to pick up more than three yards on any play. The last play was a Javonte Williams run to the opposite side of Packers edge-rusher Micah Parsons, who did not record a stat in his first defensive drive against his former team.

Cowboys vs Packers score: Romeo Doubs puts the Packers ahead early

The Packers completed an eight-play, 69-yard drive with a touchdown. Doubs ran a perfect goal-line fade route, and Love found him in the back-right corner of the end zone for the two-yard touchdown pass.

It’s 7-0 Packers after Brandon McManus knocked through his PAT. The Cowboys will get their first possession with just over 10 minutes left in the first quarter.

Jordan Love finds Matthew Golden for 46-yard gain

On the third play of the game, both Golden and Dontayvion Wicks broke open as they streaked down the left sideline. It was Golden, the rookie first-round pick, who ended up coming down with the catch, putting Green Bay just outside of the red zone early.

What TV channel is Cowboys vs. Packers on?

TV channel: NBC

NBC will broadcast the Cowboys vs. Packers ‘Sunday Night Football’ matchup. Mike Tirico and Cris Collinsworth will be on the call, with Melissa Stark providing updates from the sideline.

2025 Cowboys schedule

Dallas Cowboys record 2025

The Cowboys enter their ‘Sunday Night Football’ matchup with the Packers at 1-2. They suffered losses in Weeks 1 and 3 to the Eagles and Bears, respectively, with their sole win being an overtime victory against the Giants in Week 2.

When will CeeDee Lamb return?

Lamb is expected to be sidelined for at least two games, which would keep him out until Week 6.

The Cowboys haven’t provided much clarity on the situation in the aftermath. Team owner Jerry Jones confirmed to All City DLLS’ Clarence Hill Jr. on Monday that the team expects to be without Lamb for a month. He added that placing the receiver on injured reserve (IR) is a discussion the team will have.

Micah Parsons trade details

Below are the full terms of the Micah Parsons trade:

Packers get:

EDGE Micah Parsons

Cowboys get

DL Kenny Clark
2026 first-round pick
2027 first-round pick

How much do the Cowboys cheerleaders get paid?

Salaries for the Cowboys cheerleaders are not disclosed, but reports indicate that a veteran on the team makes around $150,000 a year after the group received a 400% increase in pay prior to the 2025 NFL season. However, they do not receive health insurance from the team.

The news of the increase was revealed by member Megan McElaney, a four-year veteran from Oceanside, California, on the Netflix series ‘America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders.’

‘Our efforts were heard and they wanted to give us a raise,’ McElaney said, via the Associated Press. ‘And we ended up getting a 400% increase, which is like, life-changing.’

Cowboys vs. Packers live stream

Live stream:Fubo | Peacock

Peacock, NBC’s proprietary streaming service, will carry the ‘SNF’ game.

Fubo will also carry Cowboys vs. Packers. Fubo has NBC, as well as CBS, Fox, ABC, NFL Network and the ESPN family of networks, meaning you can catch NFL action all season long with the streaming service. Fubo also offers a free trial.

Watch ‘Sunday Night Football’ with Fubo (free trial)

Cowboys vs. Packers prediction

Both teams are coming off surprising Week 3 losses: The Cowboys on the road to the Bears, and the Packers on the road to the Browns. Even with Jayden Reed out, expect the Packers to have their way with Dallas’ porous secondary –and a Parsons likely hellbent on revenge probably adds a bit more fuel to the fire, too. With CeeDee Lamb out, Prescott will have to find George Pickens early and often. That’s not going to be an easy task. The Packers win by a touchdown.

Prediction: Packers 27, Cowboys 20

Cowboys vs. Packers live betting odds

Packers inactives vs. Cowboys

CB Kamal Hadden
OL Zach Tom
OL Aaron Banks
OL Anthony Belton
DL Warren Brinson

Cowboys inactives vs. Packers

Damone Clark (LB)
Jaydon Blue (RB)
Tyler Booker (G)
Ajani Cornelius (OT)
CeeDee Lamb (WR)
Jay Toia (DT)

Packers 2025 record

The Packers walk into AT&T Stadium at 2-1 on the season. They have wins against the Lions and Commanders, with the Browns gaining an upset win over them in Week 3.

Packers schedule 2025

Cowboys vs. Packers injury report

When do the Cowboys play next?

Start time: 8:20 p.m. ET | 7:20 p.m. CT
Date: Sunday, Sept. 28 (Week 4)

The Cowboys and Packers matchup gets underway at 8:20 p.m. ET. The Packers travel to AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas for the tilt.

Micah Parsons’ impact on Packers defense

It is still early on in the 2025 season but Green Bay’s defense has taken another step under Hafley with Parsons in the lineup. Like last year, the improvement is reflected in both standard and advanced metrics.

Green Bay has the top scoring defense in the league in 2025 at just 14.7 points allowed per game – a step up from 19.9 allowed in 2024. But there’s even more improvement in each phase without a massive change in personnel outside of Parsons’ arrival.

Here’s how Green Bay’s defense has improved in multiple metrics with its league ranking in parentheses.

EPA figures from SumerSports; pass rush win rate via ESPN Analytics.

Again, it’s only been three games but Parsons’ impact on the Packers defense is notable in all phases. This comes despite Parsons playing just 63% of snaps on defense so far; he’s hit at least 80% in each of his prior four seasons.

What time does Cowboys vs. Packers game start?

Tonight’s game kicks off at 8:20 p.m. ET which is 7:20 p.m. CT in Green Bay and Dallas.

Jake Ferguson stats

Week 3 at Bears: 13 receptions, 14 targets, 82 yards, 0 touchdowns
Week 2 vs Giants: 9 receptions, 12 targets, 78 yards, 0 touchdowns
Week 1 at Eagles: 5 receptions, 6 targets, 23 yards, 0 touchdowns

In Week 3, with CeeDee Lamb out for most of the game, Ferguson caught 13 passes on 14 targets for 82 yards. This season, he has 27 receptions, which is the second most in the NFL and the highest for any Cowboys player in their first three games.

Cowboys WR depth chart

Here’s what the Cowboys will trot out at receiver while Lamb is sidelined:

CeeDee Lamb (injured)
George Pickens
Jalen Tolbert
KaVontae Turpin
Ryan Flournoy

Pickens figures to be Dak Prescott’s top weapon, while Tolbert slides into Lamb’s role.

Who did the Cowboys get in the Micah Parsons trade?

Clark was the lone current asset the Cowboys acquired in the Parsons trade. The 29-year-old spent the first nine seasons of his career with the Packers, making three Pro Bowls (2019, 2021 and 2023) and racking up 417 tackles and 35 sacks across 140 games in Green Bay.

Thus far through three games with the Cowboys, Clark has totaled 10 tackles and one sack while playing 64% of Dallas’ defensive snaps. Pro Football Focus currently has him graded as the 22nd interior defender among 91 qualifiers. – Jacob Camenker

Micah Parsons contract details

Parsons signed a four-year extension with the Packers upon being traded. Below is a look at the full details of that contract, per Spotrac.com.

Term: Four years
Total value: $186 million
Average annual value (AAV): $46.5 million
Guaranteed money: $136 million

Parsons had one year left on his contract when the Packers acquired him. He is due to have just a $1.17 million base salary, but because he received the entirety of his $44 million signing bonus. – Jacob Camenker

Packers WR depth chart

The Packers are well-stocked at the wide receiver position. The franchise selected Matthew Golden with its first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft and has multiple young players at the position.

Here’s how things look entering tonight’s game vs. Cowboys:

Romeo Doubs
Matthew Golden
Dontayvion Wicks
Malik Heath
Savion Williams
Jayden Reed (injured)
Christian Watson (injured)

Green Bay also has wide receivers Mecole Hardman, Will Sheppard and Isaiah Neyor signed to the practice squad. –Ayrton Ostly

Micah Parsons salary, year-by-year cap hits

Parsons carrying a cap hit of just $9.97 million. That number is derived from his $1.17 million base salary and $8.8 million of his signing bonus, which was prorated over five years.

Parsons also has three ‘void years’ – an accounting method used to defray the present-year salary cap cost of a player by prorating a signing bonus over additional years – attached to the end of his contract.

Below is a look at Parsons’ year-by-year cap hits with the Packers:

2025: $9.97 million
2026: $19.24 million
2027: $26.85 million
2028: $42.29 million
2029: $73.79 million
2030 (void): $19.99 million
2031 (void): $12.39 million
2032 (void): $5.5 million

And here is how much Parsons will be taking home in total earnings each of his seasons under contract in Green Bay:

2025: $45.17 million
2026: $40.84 million
2027: $38 million
2028: $41 million
2029: $45 million

Micah Parsons arrives for game vs. Cowboys

The star defensive end has arrived at AT&T Stadium for his first game against Dallas since being traded to Green Bay.

Micah Parsons contract incentives

Much of Parsons’ nine-figure deal with the Packers is guaranteed, but there are some small incentives he can earn via his on-field performance. Below is a breakdown of those incentives, per Spotrac.com:

Annual per game active bonus: Up to $200,000 ($11,764 per game)
2027-29 Pro Bowl escalator: $250,000 per year
2027-29 All-Pro escalator: $250,000 per year
2029 Pro Bowl incentive: $250,000
2029 All-Pro incentive: $250,000

If Parsons is able to earn all of those bonuses, he will add an extra $3 million in value to his contract.

Highest-paid NFL defenders: Where Micah Parsons ranks

Parsons is the highest-paid NFL defender in both AAV and total contract value. Here’s a look at the top 10 defenders in each category:

AAV

Micah Parsons, edge, Packers: $46.5million
T.J. Watt, edge, Steelers: $41 million
Myles Garrett, edge, Browns: $40 million
Danielle Hunter, edge, Texans: $35.6 million
Maxx Crosby, edge, Raiders: $35.5 million
Nick Bosa, edge, 49ers: $34 million
Chris Jones, DL, Chiefs: $31.75 million
Sauce Gardner, CB, Jets: $30.1 million
Derek Stingley Jr., CB, Texans: $30 million
Nik Bonitto, edge, Broncos: $26.5 million

Total contract value

Micah Parsons, edge, Packers: $186 million
Nick Bosa, edge, 49ers: $170 million
Myles Garrett, edge, Browns: $160 million
Chris Jones, DL, Chiefs: $158.75 million
T.J. Watt, edge, Steelers: $123 million
Sauce Gardner, CB, Jets: $120.4 million
Maxx Crosby, edge, Raiders: $106.5 million
Nik Bonitto, edge, Broncos: $106 million
Milton Williams, DL, Patriots: $104 million
Zach Allen, DL, Broncos: $102 million

While Parsons tops defensive players in AAV and total contract value, he ranks just 12th and 15th across the two categories league-wide, behind a plethora of high-paid quarterbacks.

Micah Parsons takes the field in Dallas wearing Packers uniform

Kenny Clark contract details

Clark is in the first season of a three-year, $64 million extension he signed with the Packers in 2024. Below are the full details of Clark’s contract, per Spotrac.com.

Term: 3 years
Total value: $64 million
Average annual value (AAV): $21.33 million
Guaranteed money: $17.5 million

While Clark’s deal runs through the 2027 NFL season, the Cowboys are not on the hook for any guarantees until the veteran’s $11 million roster bonus for 2026 hits on the third day of the new league year in March.

As such, Clark’s pact with Dallas is more of a year-to-year variety, as the team can get out of it with ease after each season.

Below is a full look at what Dallas will owe Clark yearly over the course of his contract:

2025: $2.3 million
2026: $21.5 million
2027: $20 million

By comparison, the Packers gave Parsons a four-year, $186 million contract extension to make him the NFL’s highest-paid defensive player in AAV. He is due $120 million in guarantees, which is nearly three times what Dallas will pay Clark over the remainder of his deal.

Will the Cowboys have a tribute video for Micah Parsons?

The Cowboys will not have a tribute video for Parsons on Sunday night.

‘It’s not appropriate,’ Jones told All City DLLS’ Clarence Hill Jr. on Sept. 22.

Jones hasn’t hid his displeasure with how the negotiations played out, routinely taking aim at Parsons’ agent, David Mulugheta, throughout the process – especially during an appearance on Michael Irvin’s YouTube channel in August.

‘When we wanted to send the [contract] details to the agent, the agent told us to stick it up our ass,’ Jones said. ‘Micah and I talked and then we were gonna send it over to the agent. We had our agreements on term, amount, guarantees, everything.’

Who is Jeff Hafley?

Hafley spent the first decade of his coaching career at the college level with stops at Worcester Polytechnic, Albany, Pittsburgh and Rutgers. Though he played wide receiver in college for the Siena Saints, Hafley’s spent the majority of his coaching career on defense. He was either a defensive assistant or defensive backs coach in that first decade.

He followed former Rutgers coach Greg Schiano to the NFL in 2012 with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He coached defensive backs for the franchise in 2012 and 2013.

When Schiano was fired after the 2013 season, Hafley went to Cleveland for two seasons before a three-year stint in San Francisco. His year with Ohio State in 2019 led to his hiring at Boston College in 2020, where he spent four season and went 22-26 with one Bowl game victory.

Green Bay hired Hafley in 2024 and saw immediate improvement by both standard and advanced statistics. Green Bay went from one of the four worst run defenses in 2023 to a top-10 unit in 2024. By expected points added (EPA) per play, the Packers went from 23rd in 2023 to fifth in 2024, according to SumerSports.

Like Macdonald’s success with Baltimore in 2023, Hafley will likely get head coaching interest for the 2026 hiring cycle.

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Who are the announcers for Cowboys vs. Packers on NBC? 

Mike Tirico will handle play-by-play duties during the game, with Cris Collinsworth providing color commentary and Melissa Stark reporting from the sidelines.

NBC’s weekly ‘Football Night in America’ pregame show will begin at 7 p.m. ET and feature insight from a panel of analysts, including Maria Taylor, Jason Garrett, Chris Simms, Mike Florio, Devin McCourty, Tony Dungy, and more. 

The Dallas Cowboys are seeing Micah Parsons in a different light now.

After years of benefitting from the All-Pro’s pass-rushing shenanigans, Dallas is getting a taste of their own medicine. The Cowboys opted to trade Parsons to the Green Bay Packers a month ago after a contract dispute ended on a sour note.

It took Parsons more than regulation time to reintroduce himself to the Dallas crowd, registering his first sack against the Cowboys on ‘Sunday Night Football’ in overtime.

Take a look:

Former teammate Dak Prescott was on the receiving end of the hit from the Packers star, and it was a critical sack to notch: It potentially stopped Prescott from scoring a touchdown. The Cowboys would settle for a field goal after a third-down incompletion.

Parsons has been relatively quiet in the sack department through three games. He came into the night with just 1.5 sacks on the season, but that hasn’t stopped opposing offenses from feeling his presence.

PFF has credited for 15 total pressures in 2025, a hefty number through three games. He was credited with several pressures on Sunday night, but didn’t notch the sack until overtime.

Prior to Sunday night, it didn’t seem real that Parsons was playing for the ‘Cheeseheads’ in Wisconsin. There is no denying that reality now for the Cowboys and their fans.

Bad Bunny is headed to the Super Bowl.

A week after he concluded his 31-date Puerto Rico residency, the reggaeton superstar was revealed as the headliner for the Super Bowl LX halftime show in 2026. The news was announced Sunday, Sept. 28, during the Sunday Night Football game between the Dallas Cowboys and Green Bay Packers.

Hours before the announcement was officially shared, rumors of Bad Bunny as the headliner were circulating online. Then, finally, Bad Bunny − in a collaboration post with the NFL, Apple Music and Roc Nation − shared a video of himself sitting atop a goal post on a beach as his ‘Callaíta’ plays in the background.

‘Super Bowl LX. Bay Area. February 2026,’ the post was captioned.

In a nod to his Puerto Rican heritage, Bad Bunny wore a pava, a traditional hat made from leaves of the Puerto Rican hat palm. ‘What I’m feeling goes beyond myself,’ Bad Bunny said in a statement shared by the NFL. ‘This is for my people, my culture, and our history.’

Bad Bunny to perform at Super Bowl 2026 amid world tour dates

‘Ve y dile a tu abuela, que seremos el HALFTIME SHOW DEL SUPER BOWL,’ the musician added, which translates to, ‘Go on and tell your grandma that we’ll be at the Super Bowl halftime show.’

Bad Bunny may have wrapped his sold-out residency at the Coliseo de Puerto Rico, but he’s not necessarily taking a holiday before hitting the Super Bowl stage in February. The ‘Tití Me Preguntó’ artist kicks off his 24-date Debí Tirar Más Fotos world tour in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, on Nov. 21.

The tour will include stops in Colombia, Mexico, Brazil, Australia, Japan, Spain and the United Kingdom.

The 2026 Super Bowl, scheduled for Feb. 8, lands a day after Bad Bunny wraps three nights in Santiago, Chile, Feb. 5-7. The football game will be held at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.

Bad Bunny technically made his Super Bowl debut in 2020 when he performed during Shakira and Jennifer Lopez’s co-headlining halftime show.

Jay-Z says what Bad Bunny has done for Puerto Rico ‘is truly inspiring’

On Sept. 28, rapper Jay-Z said in a statement he was ‘honored’ to have Bad Bunny on ‘the world’s biggest stage.’

‘What Benito has done and continues to do for Puerto Rico is truly inspiring,’ he said.

‘Bad Bunny represents the global energy and cultural vibrancy that define today’s music scene. As one of the most influential and streamed artists in the world, his unique ability to bridge genres, languages, and audiences makes him an exciting and natural choice to take the Super Bowl halftime stage,’ said Jon Barker, SVP of plobal event Production for the NFL, in a statement.

‘We know his dynamic performances, creative vision, and deep connection with fans will deliver the kind of unforgettable experience we’ve come to expect from this iconic cultural moment.’

Super Bowl halftime news comes amid Bad Bunny’s ICE comments

In an interview with I-D magazine published earlier this month, the ‘Caught Stealing’ star said his decision to omit the U.S. from his upcoming world tour was out of concern for the U.S. political climate.

‘There were many reasons why I didn’t show up in the U.S., and none of them were out of hate,’ he told the outlet. He cited the Trump administration’s mass deportation of Latinos as a motivation for his decision to stop doing shows in the U.S.

‘ICE could be outside (my concert). And it’s something that we were talking about and very concerned about,’ he said.

Taylor Swift was rumored to be the Super Bowl halftime show performer

Before Sunday night’s big reveal, it had been rumored that Taylor Swift might strengthen her NFL ties by headlining the 2026 Super Bowl. Responding to speculation, however, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell told the ‘Today’ show that he couldn’t ‘tell you anything about’ it but that ‘it’s a maybe.’

The Super Bowl halftime show was most recently headlined by Kendrick Lamar in February. The rapper delivered an electrifying performance that featured Samuel L. Jackson as Uncle Sam and tennis legend Serena Williams. Lamar’s set included his massively popular song ‘Not Like Us,’ a diss track directed at Drake.

Lamar ‘defied conventions, dazzled with metaphoric wordplay and jabbed the ears of those who scowled at the idea of a rapper headlining solo,’ USA TODAY music writer Melissa Ruggieri said. SZA also joined the rapper during the performance.

The prior year, Usher headlined the Super Bowl halftime show in 2024. He brought out Alicia Keys, H.E.R., Will.i.am., Lil Jon, Jermaine Dupri and Ludacris as special guests. In 2023, Rihanna took the stage and revealed she was pregnant with her second child. And in 2022, the halftime show featured performances by Eminem, Mary J. Blige, Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre and Lamar.

Other halftime show performers in recent years have included The Weeknd, Shakira and Jennifer Lopez, Maroon 5 and Justin Timberlake.

Who’s performed at the Super Bowl halftime show? Kendrick Lamar, Rihanna, more

Kendrick Lamar (2025)
Usher (2024)
Rihanna (2023)
Eminem, Dr. Dre., Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar and Mary J. Blige featuring 50 Cent and Anderson .Paak (2022)
The Weeknd (2021)
Shakira and Jennifer Lopez featuring Bad Bunny, J Balvin and Emme Muniz (2020)
Maroon 5, Travis Scott, Big Boi (2019)
Justin Timberlake featuring The Tennessee Kids (2018)
Lady Gaga (2017)
Coldplay featuring Beyoncé and Bruno Mars (2016)

PHOENIX— The Phoenix Mercury are headed back to the WNBA Finals.

The No. 4 seed Mercury completed a double-digit comeback to defeat the No. 1 seed Minnesota Lynx 86-81 in Game 4 at PHX Arena on Sunday, punching their ticket to the best-of-seven championship series for the first time since 2021. The Mercury await the winner of the semifinal series between the No. 2 seed Las Vegas Aces and No. 6 seed Indiana Fever. 

The Lynx led by as many as 14 points and had a 13-point lead entering the fourth quarter, but the Mercury went on a 19-2 run to take a four-point lead with 2:44 remaining. Phoenix outscored Minnesota 31-13 in the fourth quarter in front of a sold-out home crowd of 16,919.

‘We’re going to the the Finals, baby!’ Mercury forward Dewanna Bonner shouted as her team gathered on the court to celebrate postgame. Bonner added 13 points off the bench, including three 3-pointers in the fourth quarter.

Sunday’s victory marks the Mercury’s second double-digit comeback win of the best-of-five semifinal series after overcoming a 20-point deficit in a Game 2 win in Minnesota.

Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas finished with a team-high 23 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds, falling two rebounds shy of her 10th triple-double of the season. Satou Sabally added 21 points, six rebounds and three assists.

‘It took everybody, everybody on this team.’ Thomas said. ‘We’re hungry, we are super ready for this moment and I am just super proud of the way we fought today.’

The Lynx were without MVP runner-up Napheesa Collier (left ankle) and head coach Cheryl Reeve, who was suspended by the league. Lynx guard Kayla McBride finished with a game-high 31 points and four rebounds in the loss. Courtney Williams added 20 points and six assists.

Here’s everything you need to know about Game 4:

End of Q3: Lynx 68, Mercury 55

The Minnesota Lynx threw the first punch, jumping to a 14-point lead in the first quarter. But the Mercury immediately punched back and outscored the Lynx 24-13 in the second quarter to tie it up at 38. The third quarter belonged to the Lynx and Kayla McBride, specifically, continuing the seesaw nature of Game 4. 

McBride scored 14 of her 25 points in the third quarter and started to heat up from beyond the arc, knocking down four 3-pointers in the frame. The Lynx are now 6-of-12 from 3 after starting the contest 0-of-6. Lynx guard Courtney Williams is up to 15 points and six assists, while forward Jessica Shepard added 14 points and seven rebounds.

Forward Satou Sabally leads the Mercury with 21 points and Alyssa Thomas is on triple-double watch with 13 points, eight rebounds and eight assists.

The Lynx have a slight advantage on the boards (33-31) and are leading in the paint (32-22) and in transition (20-11). The Mercury have conceded 11 points off 10 turnovers.

Bridget Carleton in foul trouble

After knocking down a 3-pointer for her first points of the game with 6:45 remaining in the third quarter, Bridget Carleton was called for her fourth personal foul and was subbed out for Natisha Hiedeman.

Halftime: Lynx 38, Fever 38

The Lynx had all the momentum in the first quarter, but the Mercury flipped the script in the second. Phoenix outscored Minnesota 24-13 in the second quarter to tie it up after trailing by as many as 14 points.

Mercury forward Satou Sabally has a game-high 18 points in the first half, with 10 coming in the second quarter. Sabally is 5-of-9 from the field, 3-of-6 from 3. Alyssa Thomas added 11 points, six rebounds and five assists. 

Lynx forward Jessica Shepard has 12 points and five rebounds. Kayla McBride has 11 points, three rebounds and two assists.  

Both teams are struggling from beyond the arc. The Lynx are 0-of-6 from the 3-point line, while the Mercury are 4-of-14.

What time is Mercury vs. Lynx Game 4?

Game 4 of the WNBA semifinal series between the No. 1 seed Minnesota Lynx and No. 4 seed Phoenix Mercury is scheduled to tip off at 8 p.m. ET Sunday at PHX Arena in Phoenix .

How to watch Mercury vs. Lynx WNBA playoffs: TV, stream for Game 3

Time: 8 p.m. ET (6 p.m. PT)
Location: PHX Arena (Phoenix)
TV: ESPN
Stream: Fubo, ESPN Unlimited

Stream Lynx-Mercury series on Fubo (free trial)

End of Q1: Lynx 25, Fever 14

The Lynx came out with a level of desperation in Game 4 on Sunday and jumped to a 25-14 lead over the Mercury after leading by as many as 14 points. 

Lynx forward Jessica Shepard, who is starting in place of the injured Napheesa Collier, has a team-high 10 points, two rebounds and one steal. Kayla McBride added seven points and three rebounds, while Courtney Williams added four points. 

The Mercury looked tight to start Game 4, shooting a dismal 23.5% from the field and 1-of-6 from the 3-point line. Satou Sabally leads the Mercury with eight points, while Alyssa Thomas has four points two rebounds and one assist. 

The Lynx are dominating the paint to start, scoring 16 of their 25 first-quarter points in the paint. The Mercury have four turnovers, which has led to two points for the Lynx. 

Lynx come out the gate swinging

We’re underway at PHX Arena. 

The Lynx jumped to a 10-1 lead with 6:19 remaining in the first quarter behind four points from Courtney Williams. Four of the Lynx’s five starters have scored so far. Kayla McBride, Jessica Shepard and Alanna Smith each added two points. Eight of the Lynx’s 10 points have come in the paint. 

Phoenix is looking for its first field goal, opening Sunday’s contest 0-of-6 from the field and 0-of-2 from the 3-point line. Satou Sabally knocked down one of two free throws for the Mercury’s sole point.

WNBA starting lineups today

Minnesota Lynx starting lineup

Acting head coach: Eric Thibault

6 Bridget Carleton | F 6′ 2′ – Iowa State
8 Alanna Smith | F 6′ 4′ – Stanford
10 Courtney Williams | G 5′ 8′ – South Florida
15 Jessica Shepard | F 6′ 4′ – Notre Dame
21 Kayla McBride | G 5′ 11′ – Notre Dame

Phoenix Mercury starting lineup

Head coach: Nate Tibbetts

25 Alyssa Thomas | F 6′ 2′ – Maryland
0 Satou Sabally | F 6′ 4′ – Oregon
2 Kahleah Copper | G 6′ 1′ – Rutgers
4 Natasha Mack | C 6′ 4′ – Oklahoma State
8 Monique Akoa Makani | G 5′ 11′ – Cameroon

Minnesota Lynx injury report

Napheesa Collier was ruled out of Game 4 on Sunday with a left ankle injury suffered in the Lynx’s Game 3 loss against the Mercury on Friday.

Lynx guard Dijonai Carrington (left foot) has been ruled out the remainder of the postseason with a significant mid-foot sprain suffered in the Lynx’s Game 1 win against the Golden State Valkyries on September 17. 

Both Collier and Carrington were spotted sitting on scooters during warmups.

Phoenix Mercury injury report

The Mercury have all players available for Game 4.

Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve suspended for Game 4

The WNBA suspended Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve for one game after she criticized the officiating and failed to leave the court after being ejected in the Lynx’s 84-76 loss to the Phoenix Mercury in Game 3 of the WNBA semifinals.

Reeve will sit out Game 4 against Phoenix on Sunday. The WNBA said Reeve’s suspension was for ‘conduct and comments included aggressively pursuing and verbally abusing a game official on the court, failure to leave the court in a timely manner.’ Read Scooby Axon’s full story here.

Opinion: WNBA suspending Cheryl Reeve for Game 4 looks like retaliation

Way to put your thumb on the scale of the playoffs, WNBA.

Regardless if you think Minnesota Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve’s f-bomb-laced tirade about officiating was out of bounds or that she crossed a line by “aggressively pursuing” officials on the court, suspending her for what is an elimination game is a far greater offense.

Penalize Reeve, sure. But don’t punish her team in the process. Because now it just looks like the league is retaliating for Reeve having the guts to speak the truth about the W’s culpability in Napheesa Collier’s injury and its long-standing indifference to the health and safety of its players. Read Nancy Armour’s full story here.

Can the Minnesota Lynx channel 2017 magic for another title?

The Minnesota Lynx have a chip on their shoulder. After losing the 2024 WNBA Finals to the New York Liberty in a winner-take-all Game 5 that went to overtime, Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve emphatically called out “disappointing officiating,” saying the championship was “stolen from us.”

The heartbreaking loss lingers 10 months later, as the league-leading Lynx are in position to make another deep playoff run. “You feel that loss for a long time,” Lynx guard Natisha Hiedeman told USA TODAY Sports. It has been the driving force behind the Lynx’s record-breaking season with the same goal: Winning a championship.

Read Cydney Henderson’s full story on the Lynx’s redemption season here.

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

Mets missed the MLB playoffs on the final day of the year, Juan Soto’s first season in Flushing.
New York’s slow-motion descent began back in June as rotation began to fall apart.
Homegrown star Pete Alonso is a free agent again this winter. Will Mets bring him back?

In the end, it was not a collapse for the New York Mets, even if it will be labeled as such. They simply were not very good.

Collapse? That’s a sudden act, a building collapsing in an earthquake. The Mets have not collapsed so much as they got lost in quicksand, with a 38-55 record since June 14.

Still, the utter mediocrity of the National League’s wild card contenders and the everybody-in nature of the modern playoff format extended the misery, tempting the Mets, taking it down to a Game 162 where they needed a win over the Miami Marlins and a Cincinnati Reds loss to get in.

Appropriate, then, that the Reds would lose and leave the door open a crack, even if only for one last Mets indignity.

It came in a 4-0 loss to the Marlins that was equal parts storm clouds from the Baseball Gods, managerial malfeasance and personnel shortcomings that doomed the Mets from the jump.

MLB PLAYOFFS: Full postseason bracket for march to World Series

Even with a $765 million superstar in newly acquired Juan Soto, who nearly turned in a 40-40 season that ultimately was MVP caliber. Even with $341 million shortstop Francisco Lindor, again the heartbeat of the club. And with old friend Pete Alonso, who they let fester all winter only to welcome him back in February on a make-good deal – and get rewarded with 38 home runs and 126 RBIs.

“There are no words to describe what we are going through,” manager Carlos Mendoza told reporters in South Florida after the defeat.

“We came in with a lot of expectations and we are going home.”

It was mildly appropriate that Game 162 was started by Sean Manaea, symbolic of their injury-plagued and poorly-performing pitching staff.

One year ago, Manaea was a hero, the Mets winning two of his three playoff starts as they made a wild run to the National League Championship Series. Rewarded with a $75 million contract to come back, he never got off the ground.

Manaea was hurt before the start of spring training, limited to 12 starts, and brought a 5.80 ERA into the finale.

And he gave what he could – recording five outs and keeping the Mets level with the Marlins before departing. But predictably, a seven-man bullpen relay blew a tire – Mendoza for some reason had Ryne Stanek’s 5.30 ERA on the mound in a 0-0 do-or-die game – and, stunningly, that was that.

The Baseball Gods? They chipped in when Alonso’s hardest-hit ball this season – a 116-mph screamer with the bases loaded in the fifth inning that was hit right at Marlins left fielder Javier Sanoja. The ball looked destined for the gap, a 4-3 game, and an abundance of hope.

Then again, for as much as Mets fans like to personalize their gloom as somehow superior to other flailing franchises, there was no mystique about that. An uncanny bit of positioning by the Marlins, a nice catch, Alonso able to only embrace Lindor, who nuzzled his head in Alonso’s chest after the inning.

The Mets were only out of playoff position for nine days this entire season. The flip side? Nobody ever wept for an 83-79 team missing the playoffs.

“Super-talented team,” says Alonso, who confirmed he will opt out of the second year of his $54 million deal, “and the reality is we fell short.

“We didn’t even get to October. We fell short’

While owner Steve Cohen’s pockets may, in fact, be bottomless, his boutique purchases did result in a lopsided roster. Soto, Lindor and Alonso combined for 15.8 WAR; their most valuable starting pitcher, Kodai Senga, produced 2.2  and ended the year in the minor leagues.

The ill-advised signing of injury-prone Frankie Montas set the group back immediately. A deft backstop signing of Griffin Canning seemed to rescue them, until Canning blew out his Achilles.

And then there were the kids, arriving one after another – Nolan McLean, Jonah Tong and Brandon Sproat, asked to save the season. Only the first one up – McLean, who posted a 2.06 ERA and struck out 10.7 batters per nine innings in eight starts – was up to the task.

So it was spackle and hope for the best and that closer Edwin Diaz remained intact. That he did, firing two dominant innings in a desperation appearance in Game 162, the look of disgust on his face suggesting what the hell he was doing pitching with a 4-0 deficit.

Such is the nature of do-or-die games, one that a club with an estimated $85 million luxury tax bill might have figured was beneath them.

Yet even an expensive trinket can be poorly put together. And now the club faces a big decision on Alonso this winter.

“That’s one of the reasons why this sucks,” Lindor told reporters in Miami. “There’s a lot of good guys here, and it’s not going to be the same. It doesn’t feel good for not accomplishing what we set out to do.”

Beyond that, they’ll have to decide how young they want to go in the rotation or if they want to try and go the luxe route yet again, three years after the Justin Verlander-Max Scherzer experiment failed.

Those questions came quicker than they would’ve preferred, thanks to an eight-game September losing streak and two losses in three games in Miami, when just one more win would do.

Collapse? Not really. The warning lights have been lit since June.

Rory McIlroy and Team Europe won the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black, fulfilling a promise made two years prior.
Despite losing his individual match to Scottie Scheffler, McIlroy expressed pride in the team’s overall accomplishment.
McIlroy stated that winning an away Ryder Cup in New York silenced many doubters.

FARMINGDALE, N.Y. – With a Peroni sitting in front of him, Rory McIlroy made a proclamation two years ago that put the United States’ Ryder Cups hopes in 2025 at Bethpage Black on notice. 

“I’ve said this for the last probably six or seven years to anyone that will listen,” McIlroy said in Rome in 2023 after the Europeans trounced the Americans to win back the trophy. “I think one of the biggest accomplishments in golf right now is winning an away Ryder Cup, and that’s what we’re going to do at Bethpage.” 

Two years later, McIlroy and the Europeans kept that promise, even if he lost his daylong duel to world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler by one hole and the rest of his teammates nearly coughed up what appeared to be an insurmountable lead heading into the final day of competition. 

Scheffler won the match. Europe won the Ryder Cup, 15-13, and McIlroy once again took to the podium for a news conference, but with a different beer (Stella Artois), this time. Once the Europeans finished off the Americans in Rome, McIlroy and his teammates turned their attention to “trying to do something that everyone thought was pretty impossible to do,” he said. 

“Not just win here in America,” he said, “but in New York.

“When you think about the last away Ryder Cup, about what people were saying about decades of American dominance, whether it was home for them or away, and to be able to do what we’ve done in Rome and then here, you know, it shut a lot of people up.” 

McIlroy, whose double-bogey on No. 10 and bogey on the par-3 14th cost him in the 1-up victory for Scheffler, said he didn’t have a lot left in the tank during his final match of the tournament.

“I didn’t feel I put up that much of a fight against Scottie. He wasn’t at his best, either,” McIlroy said. “If we were at our best, the level of golf would have been better. When you win a Ryder Cup, it isn’t about you. It’s about the team, and we did enough to get the job done.”

That’s not to say there wasn’t some solid golf. On the par-5 13th, McIlroy recovered after his second shot somehow wound up underneath the stands behind that hole. Both birdied the 15th, with McIlroy sinking his putt from the fringe. He turned to face the crowd, arms outspread, and pounded his chest twice. Scheffler answered with a birdie putt of his own and raised his putter with his left arm while making two fist pumps with his right.

McIlroy and Scheffler facing off was the rare instance of the world No. 1 (Scheffler) facing the second-ranked player (McIlroy). It was Scheffler’s lone victory of the week and left him with a 1-4 record at Bethpage. 

“I don’t really think about that stuff very often,” he said of the matchup against McIlroy. “Like I said, I was just proud to be able to get a point up on the board. We needed to get some red up on the board early and we were able to do that.” 

“I don’t think we should ever accept that in golf,” McIlroy said. “I think golf should be held to a higher standard than what was seen out there this week.” 

Golf unites people, McIlroy said. It’s an ideal medium for life lessons, such as etiquette and playing by the rules and respect. 

“Sometimes, this week, we didn’t see that,” he said. “So, no, this should not be what is acceptable in the Ryder Cup.” 

Before the 2027 Ryder Cup in Ireland, McIlroy will be sure to instruct the fans that “what happened here this week is not acceptable.”  

“And for me, it’s – you know, come and support your home team. Come and support your team,” the career major grand slam winner said. “I think if I was an American, I would be annoyed that people – I didn’t hear a lot of shouts for Scottie today, but I heard a lot of shouts against me. It’s like, support your players. That’s the thing. 

“Look, it was a rough week for all of us. But at the same time, we shut them up by our performance and how we played, and we tried to – I chirped back a few times because it got to me a few times, but we tried to handle everything that came our way with class and poise, and for the most part, I felt like we did that.”

He certainly silenced those haters in the end. 

“It’s nice to be right,” McIlroy said.

The NFL’s opening month is drawing to a close. And whether you’re about to be 4-0 or 0-4 – or anything in between – there’s still a multitude of reasons to look forward to the rest of the season. Just look at all the unexpected developments that have taken place since the start of the season.

Unfortunately, not all of those early surprises have been pleasant ones, as fans of one of this year’s consensus first-round fantasy draft picks can attest. We’ll get to that and more as we sort through Sunday’s action to uncover our fantasy winners and losers for the week.

Fantasy football winners for Week 4

RB Ashton Jeanty, Las Vegas Raiders

After being called out in this space last week for his slow start, the Raiders rookie finally had his breakout game. Granted, it was against the porous Chicago Bears defense, but Jeanty showed off the breakaway speed that had been missing from his first three games. Jeanty posted career highs with 21 carries and 138 rushing yards, including a 64-yard scoring jaunt. He also caught a pair of TD passes and finished as the week’s top-scoring fantasy running back (pending Monday night’s results).

RB Woody Marks, Houston Texans

A waiver wire find a week ago, Marks pushed aside Nick Chubb as the Texans’ top back. He carried the ball 17 times to Chubb’s 13, and outgained the veteran 69-47 with a touchdown. Marks also made his mark as a receiver, catching four of his five targets for 50 yards and another score. Yes, it came against the winless Tennessee Titans, but he was still the team’s best offensive player by a significant margin.

RB Kenneth Gainwell, Pittsburgh Steelers

Hopefully fantasy managers woke up early enough to find out Jaylen Warren was inactive for the game in Dublin. Fantasy managers who were able to insert Gainwell into their lineups enjoyed the luck of the Irish when he tallied 99 yards and two TDs on 19 carries. He also caught well with six receptions for another 35 yards. However, there isn’t much actionable information here with the Steelers on bye next week and Warren expected to be back at full strength for Week 6.

WRs Xavier Worthy, Kansas City Chiefs and Jordan Addison, Minnesota Vikings

If there were any doubts about either player’s value after a few weeks of inactivity, they were erased on Sunday. Worthy returned to the field for the first time since suffering a shoulder injury on the season’s first series and was an instant focal point of the Chiefs offense. He caught five of his eight targets for 83 yards, and also contributed a 35-yard run. It was probably not a coincidence Patrick Mahomes had his best day of the season, as well.

Meanwhile, Addison completed his three-game suspension and caught four passes for 114 yards, just barely being dragged down short of the goal line on an 81-yard catch-and-run. Fellow wideout Justin Jefferson (10 receptions, 126 yards) also had his best game of the season, with Addison’s presence likely a contributing factor.

QB Jaxson Dart, New York Giants

Making his first NFL start, the rookie from Ole Miss injected some life into the Giants offense with his athleticism and his versatility. Although his numbers on the stat sheet were rather pedestrian (13-for-20, 111 passing yards, plus 10 carries, 54 rushing yards), Dart did throw for a touchdown and run for another – finishing Sunday as the QB6 on the week. Not a bad start to the Dart era.

Fantasy football losers for Week 4

QB Jaxson Dart, New York Giants

Then again … Dart got perhaps the worst possible break with the loss of star wide receiver Malik Nabers to a season-ending knee injury in his first half as a starter. Fantasy managers are now left wondering what might have been had Dart and Nabers been able to grow together for the rest of the season. Time for RB Cam Skattebo and WR Wan’Dale Robinson to step up.

QB Daniel Jones and RB Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis Colts

Both Colts standouts had long touchdowns negated by a miscue from one of their teammates. The same teammate, in fact. Jones lost a TD when WR Adonai Mitchell lost the ball just before he crossed the goal line on what would have been a 76-yard scoring play. And then later in the game, Taylor had what would have been a 53-yard TD run called back because of a holding call … on Mitchell. Both players had decent games, but they could have been much better.

RB David Montgomery, Detroit Lions

The problem with treating Montgomery as an every-week fantasy starter is that there’s always the risk of him being overshadowed by the Lions’ other big playmakers. Against the Browns, RB Jahmyr Gibbs ran for 91 yards and a TD, while star wideout Amon-Ra St. Brown caught a pair of short-yardage touchdowns. That didn’t leave much room for Montgomery to shine. He had just 12 yards on nine carries and a single target in the passing game.

WR Ladd McConkey, Los Angeles Chargers

Also getting lost in the shuffle of a high-powered offense, McConkey has surprisingly been the third-most productive wide receiver on the Chargers through the first four games. He hit rock bottom in Sunday’s game against the Giants, catching just one pass (on six targets) for 11 yards. Meanwhile, QB Justin Herbert continued to look for Quentin Johnston (8-98, TD) and Keenan Allen (5-37) ahead of McConkey.

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Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Adonai Mitchell fumbled the ball out of the end zone while celebrating a would-be touchdown.
The Colts committed three turnovers and 11 penalties in their 27-20 loss to the Los Angeles Rams.
Despite the errors, the Colts took a lead in the fourth quarter before the Rams scored two late touchdowns.

INGLEWOOD, CA – Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Adonai Mitchell took responsibility for his premature celebration that cost his team a touchdown during the team’s 27-20 loss to the Los Angeles Rams.

“It definitely stings,” Mitchell said postgame. “The ball was put in my hands to make a play for the team. It was a matter of losing focus. Just a play that just can’t happen. Just unacceptable. I just got to be better for the team and for the organization.”

Mitchell’s miscue occurred during the third quarter with the Colts down 13-10. The wideout did a good job of tracking the football and had a nice 75-yard reception. As Mitchell was about to cross the goal line for the go-ahead score, he lost the football as he attempted to celebrate, and it bounced out of the end zone for a touchback.

It was the second time in as many seasons the Colts celebrated a touchdown too soon to only let the ball trickle out of the end zone for a touchback. Running back Jonathan Taylor had the lapse in judgement last December.

Mitchell’s fumble was part of three turnovers for the Colts. Daniel Jones threw his first interception of the season four plays into the contest. The Colts quarterback then tossed a game-sealing pick late in the fourth quarter.

Rams safety Kam Curl was the recipient of both interceptions.

But, amazingly, despite three turnovers and 11 total penalties, the Colts still nearly won the ballgame.

The Colts defense stopped the Rams on three straight possessions after Mitchell’s gaffe. Indianapolis managed to take a 17-13 lead on an 11-play, 90-yard touchdown drive. And added a field goal off a Rams fumble to extend their advantage to 20-13 in the fourth quarter. But the Rams answered with back-to-back touchdown drives, which included an 88-yard touchdown pass from Matthew Stafford to receiver Tutu Atwell that ended up as the game-winning score.

“All those plays and times when you hurt yourself, self-inflicted stuff, turn the ball over, penalties, and all that stuff is going to be magnified in a game against a good team,” Jones said. “We fought and went back and forth, but ultimately we shot ourselves in the foot.”

The Colts entered Sunday as one of the hottest teams in the NFL. Jones hadn’t thrown an interception and the team came into Week 4 having only punted once, the fewest punts by a team in its first three games of a season since at least 1940.

Jones had two picks. Colts punter Rigoberto Sanchez punted four times.

Sunday was a measuring-stick game for the previously undefeated Colts. They measured up with the NFC contending Rams through four quarters despite a slew of execution errors. The Colts showed they are a viable threat for their first AFC South title since 2014. They can compete with the top teams in the league.

Although Colts coach Shane Steichen has plenty of teachable film to rehash after Week 4.

“I thought our team responded. It was back and forth,” Steichen said. “Even after the fumble, our defense, getting three stops there, and then us taking the lead. Credit to those guys, our guys in the fight they got. Obviously, just wasn’t enough at the end.”

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

Major League Baseball’s 2025 postseason field is set, with the Cincinnati Reds securing the last National League playoff berth on the final day of the regular season.

Meanwhile, the Guardians clinched the AL Central crown, completing a stunning late-season comeback to prevail over the Detroit Tigers – who Cleveland will host in the best-of-three wild card series beginning Tuesday.

The Toronto Blue Jays won the AL East title for the first time in decade with a win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday, prevailing on the tiebreaker over the New York Yankees – who also won their final game. Now, the Yankees will host the rival Boston Red Sox for the wild-card series in the Bronx.

Here’s a look at the 2025 postseason bracket:

MLB playoff bracket

American League

Byes: Blue Jays, Mariners
AL wild card series

Tigers at Guardians
Red Sox at Yankees

ALDS

Blue Jays vs. Yankees/Red Sox
Mariners vs. Guardians/Tigers

National League

Byes: Brewers, Phillies
NL wild card series

Reds at Dodgers
Padres at Cubs

NLDS

Brewers vs. Cubs/Padres
Phillies vs. Dodgers/Reds

AL wild card standings

Top three reach playoffs

New York Yankees (94-68): // clinched postseason berth
Boston Red Sox (89-73) // clinched postseason berth
Detroit Tigers (87-75) // clinched postseason berth

NL wild card standings

Top three reach playoffs

Chicago Cubs (92-70): // clinched home-field in wild card series
San Diego Padres (90-72) // clinched postseason berth
Cincinnati Reds (83-79) – won head-to-head tiebreaker vs. Mets
New York Mets (83–79)

AL East

Toronto Blue Jays (94-68) – won head-to-head-tiebreaker vs. Yankees
New York Yankees (94-68) – clinched postseason berth

AL Central

Cleveland Guardians (88-74) – clinched AL Central title Sept. 28
Detroit Tigers (87-75)

AL West

Seattle Mariners (90-72) – clinched AL West title
Houston Astros (87-75)

NL East

Philadelphia Phillies (96-66) – clinched NL East title
New York Mets (83-79)

NL Central

Milwaukee Brewers (97-65) – clinched NL Central title
Chicago Cubs (92-70) – clinched postseason berth

NL West

Los Angeles Dodgers (93-69) – clinched NL West title
San Diego Padres (90-72): – clinched postseason berth

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The Philadelphia Eagles may have won in Week 4 to remain undefeated, but that might not have been good enough for star wide receiver A.J. Brown.

Brown took to social media website X to post a cryptic screenshot after his quiet day in the box score against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The quote in the image was from the Bible, citing a gospel verse: Mark 6:11.

‘If you’re not welcomed, not listened to, quietly withdraw,’ the quote reads. ‘Don’t make a scene. Shrug your shoulders and be on your way.’

Brown finished Sunday’s win with the fewest number of receiving yards of any Eagles pass-catcher to record a reception against the Buccaneers.

Eagles fans on social media were quick to call out Brown’s behavior on social media and its potential to be a distraction for an undefeated team.

‘I’m sorry you have to deal with all this winning,’ one fan wrote in a reply. ‘I’m sure you’d be much happier getting passes from (New England Patriots quarterback) Drake Maye with a 6-11 record as long as you get your 1500 (yards) and 11 TDs.’

Here’s what to know about Brown’s Sunday outing:

A.J. Brown stats Week 4 vs. Buccaneers

Brown led the team in targets on Sunday but finished with the fewest receiving yards of any of his teammates with at least one catch.

Targets: 9
Receptions: 2
Yards: 7
Longest catch: 9 yards

No other Eagles pass-catcher had more than four targets against Tampa Bay on Sunday.