The Minnesota Lynx have had one goal since losing in the WNBA Finals last season: Get back and win it.

The Phoenix Mercury showed they won’t just roll over and let that happen by clawing their way back from a 20-point deficit to win in overtime on Tuesday. The 20-point comeback was the third-largest in the history of the WNBA playoffs and Phoenix’s first postseason win at Minnesota after 10 consecutive losses. The victory evened the WNBA semifinal best-of-five series series at a game apiece.

Alyssa Thomas had 19 points and 13 assists and Satou Sabally scored 11 of her 24 points in the fourth quarter for the Mercury.

“We’re confident in us, and we’ve been battling all season long,” Sabally said. “You can’t give up a basketball game if you’re down.’

The Lynx have a chance to earn back home court by winning one of two upcoming games in Arizona. The teams play in Phoenix Friday night (9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2).

What time is Mercury vs. Lynx Game 3?

Game 3 of the WNBA semifinal series between the No. 1 seed Minnesota Lynx and No. 4 seed Phoenix Mercury is scheduled to tip off at 9:30 p.m. ET at PHX Arena in Phoenix .

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

Time: 9:30 p.m. ET
Location: PHX Arena (Phoenix)
TV: ESPN2
Stream: Fubo, ESPN Unlimited

Stream Fever-Aces series on Fubo (free trial)

The early returns on the top 2026 NFL draft quarterback prospects have been unfavorable, with Arch Manning and Cade Klubnik among those struggling.
Dante Moore has been one of the biggest early-season surprises behind center, and the Oregon quarterback could build a substantial draft buzz.
Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza has been nearly flawless in his first four games, though tests against tougher opponents are still ahead.

Wait until next year.

That’s frequently been the refrain awaiting NFL teams and fans regarding the strength of the quarterback class in an upcoming draft. Of course, an industry centered on looking past what’s immediately at hand and instead gazing far down the line is partly to blame for that mentality. But after only two passers made the first-round cut in April, there seemed to be legitimate reason to believe that a sunnier outlook at the position was ahead.

The prevailing school of thought regarding the 2026 crop of signal-callers was that a group that appeared more promising for its depth rather than its top-tier talent would surely give rise to another version of Cam Ward, who shot up from off the Day 1 radar before last season to become the No. 1 overall pick by the Tennessee Titans. As September closes out, however, few – if any – of the most promising quarterback prospects in the mix for next year have entrenched themselves as surefire first-round selections, let alone worthy of a top-five pick.

That means the inflection point has arrived for a handful of players who could shape the future for several NFL teams.

With no clear-cut preseason front-runner to go No. 1 overall, many pointed to Arch Manning of Texas as the figure who had the best chance of surging past all his peers in his first year as a starter. But the ‘way-too-early’ predictions quickly proved to be exactly that, as his clear discomfort has at least temporarily tabled any conversations about his potential to be the face of a pro franchise in less than a year. Meanwhile, Clemson’s Cade Klubnik, who also garnered some extremely premature consideration as a potential top choice, has also been a major disappointment in this initial stretch.

Of course, the class hasn’t been without a few bright spots. LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier has continued to build a case to be the top quarterback off the board. Miami’s Carson Beck has also helped himself after struggling mightily in 2024 with Georgia, though concerns about his velocity might be hard to shake. And several other signal-callers more likely in the Day 2 or 3 range at the moment – including TCU’s Josh Hoover, Baylor’s Sawyer Robertson and Arkansas’ Taylen Green – have stood out with strong performances.

But the wait continues for someone to push all the way to the front of the group. And there are plenty of NFL teams that could be eager to see a more robust set of options deserving of a lofty investment next April.

With two first-round picks, the Cleveland Browns have a sizable opportunity to move on from the Deshaun Watson era and this year’s acceptance of quarterback purgatory. The New York Jets and New Orleans Saints could join them as teams with uncertainty behind center that are also positioned to land early in the draft order. The Pittsburgh Steelers are due to make some kind of investment in a passer given the likelihood of Aaron Rodgers retiring after this season. And the Los Angeles Rams, who also have two Day 1 choices after April’s deal with the Atlanta Falcons, could be drawn to a possible successor for Matthew Stafford.

But while quarterbacks undoubtedly continue to be pushed up draft boards amid the massive value the league affixes to them, teams have made it clear that they won’t take passers in the first round simply for the sake of doing so. That lesson was reinforced not only this past spring but in 2022, when Kenny Pickett at No. 20 was the lone player to hear his name called in the first 32 picks.

Still, there’s plenty of season left for prospects to sway minds. Here are five players who could save this quarterback class from becoming a full-blown crisis:

Dante Moore, Oregon

If there’s a wild card capable of significantly altering the landscape of this class relative to preseason expectations, it’s Moore. The former five-star recruit had plenty of career rehabilitation to do after completing just 53.5% of his attempts with 11 touchdowns and nine interceptions as a true freshman at UCLA in 2023. But after sitting a year behind Dillon Gabriel, Moore has kept the Ducks’ offense in top form, throwing for 11 touchdowns and one interception in four contests. With his ability to extend plays, layer passes and easily push the ball downfield, almost every throw is accessible to the 6-3, 206-pounder. Yet Moore also stands out thanks to his uncommon cool. Standout Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq, who also played with Gabriel and Bo Nix, went as far as to say Thursday that Moore is ‘one of, if not the calmest quarterback I’ve ever played with.’ Given his shortage of experience, Moore could always return for another season if he falters down the stretch in Big Ten play. If he keeps this up, however, there might not be much reason to.

Fernando Mendoza, Indiana

With a Football Bowl Subdivision-high 14 touchdowns and no interceptions through the Hoosiers’ first four games, the Cal transfer has perhaps fared better than any other signal-caller in the early season. And while he still needs to prove himself against heightened competition, last week’s five-touchdown outing in a demolition of a stout Illinois defense represented a sterling start to a tough stretch. So far, Mendoza has made great strides in being more discerning with his throws and better navigating pressure. The 6-5, 225-pounder might not offer the same immense physical upside as others on this list, as his arm strength and athleticism skew closer to passable than promising. But even with his limitations as a creator, there are plenty of franchises that would relish the opportunity to place a reliable rhythmic distributor at the center of their attacks.

LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina

Many of the offseason discussions on who was the most likely candidate to follow the Ward trajectory landed on Sellers. The 6-3, 240-pound signal-caller entered the season having seized his place as one of college football’s most dangerous playmakers, as he’s equally adept at uncorking deep heaves as plowing over defenders as a runner. Yet he entered the fall a good bit behind many of his peers as a passer, with his anticipation and processing particularly in need of development. For a while, his progress seemed under threat after he was erratic against South Carolina State and was knocked out of a loss to Vanderbilt with a head injury. But a 308-yard, two-touchdown outing against Missouri served as a reminder of his captivating potential, as Sellers delivered dazzling downfield strikes both on the move and from the pocket. Still just a 20-year-old redshirt sophomore, Norris has time to grow and find the stability that’s largely eluded him early in his career. If he figures it all out this fall, however, he’s a virtual lock to skyrocket to the top of draft boards.

John Mateer, Oklahoma

His stock was unquestionably ticking up in the early season, but the Washington State transfer figured to pose one of the trickier evaluations given his roller-coaster play. Now it will be even harder to get a proper read on Mateer after multiple reports indicate surgery for a broken hand could sideline him for a month. The 6-1, 224-pounder’s fearless style was sure to be a selling point for many, as he repeatedly reeled off big gains as both a passer and runner by conjuring up some magic in the face of chaos. But the jump passes and other dangerous throws that he routinely utilizes won’t fly in the NFL, and he might have to demonstrate that he can dial back his other dangerous tendencies. Missing a crucial stretch of the season surely is a setback, but the first round still could be within reach if Mateer continues to showcase his creativity upon his return while making strides in some pocket-passing fundamentals.

Drew Allar, Penn State

In April, I gave Allar the nod as the early favorite to be selected No. 1 in 2026, with the expectation that the former five-star recruit would make the stratospheric leap many had long been waiting on. So far, however, he’s still the same streaky thrower that has vexed outsiders with his unpredictability on a down-to-down basis. Glimmers of his upper-echelon talent have still burst through on occasion, with the 6-5, 235-pound passer threading some of the most impressive deep completions made at this level. But breakdowns in his footwork and mechanics too often leave him wild on his ball placement for even the easiest throws. Through three games, he’s done little to remedy those concerns, managing just 686 yards against subpar competition. His pro prognosis, however, will be determined in the months to come, as a much more imposing slate of games – starting Saturday against Oregon – will reveal whether he finally can step up against top competition after repeatedly falling flat in his first two years as a starter. If he proves to be a true catalyst rather than a conduit for the Nittany Lions’ offense, he’ll have no shortage of suitors. But discussions about his ability can’t be rooted in hypotheticals much longer.

The Philadelphia 76ers will go as far as star center Joel Embiid takes them.

Embiid, the 2022-23 Most Valuable Player and seven-time All-Star, played just 19 games last season as he dealt with various ailments, most notably a persistent left knee injury that shut him down and led to arthroscopic surgery in April.

As the 76ers reported to training camp Friday, Sept. 26, a noticeably slimmed-down Embiid addressed his knee and said he felt ‘pretty good’ and that he has ‘made a lot of progress.’ He didn’t offer specifics on a timeline on ramping up to full action but hinted that he would be limited early in training camp.

“I want to be as honest as possible,” Embiid told reporters during a news conference. “I think, going forward, I’m just going to listen to the body. It’s going to be unpredictable at times, and if there is something that happens, it’s okay. Focus on fixing it and keep going. We’ve got to work with that.”

Throughout his career, health and availability has been a frustration for Embiid, who is 31 and is entering his 10th season in the league; Over the last two seasons, Embiid has appeared in just 58 of a possible 164 regular season games.

Embiid described last season as “so unpredictable” and “mentally draining.” He said he has participated in on-court sessions and that he and the Sixers have a plan in place, though he did not specify what that meant.

76ers general manager Daryl Morey took a similarly cautious approach when discussing expectations on Embiid’s availability and participation levels during training camp and early in the season.

“We’re not getting into the expectations game,” Morey told reporters. “The doctors’ advice, on what Joel said about listening to his body, which is a big component of how doctors manage injuries — that’s going to be what carries the day this year.”

Several photos circulated over the past several weeks on social media showing Embiid noticeably slimmed down, and that was evident as he took the podium.

“I’ve done a few (things),” Embiid said of his workouts and live drill participation headed into training camp. “Just taking it day-by-day. The goal is to play consistently and not be in the position that we were last year. So, whatever the plan is, I think the focus is on just checking all those boxes.”

Just like they were last year, the 76ers are already facing injury issues across the roster. Not only is Embiid facing the slow ramp-up from his knee surgery, but forward Paul George underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee, and second-year guard Jared McCain tore his ulnar collateral ligament in his right thumb Thursday, Sept. 25.

“For us, the biggest thing is health,” Embiid said. “That’s really the biggest thing. So I’m focused on doing the right things every single day. On the court, we have almost the same team as last year, but we’ve got a lot of talent, so it’s all about putting it together. But you can’t put it together if everybody is not on the same page and is not healthy.

“The main focus is just taking it day-by-day and just be with each other.”

Embiid averaged just 23.8 points and 8.2 rebounds per game last season, which were down considerably from his totals from the previous year (34.7 points and 11 rebounds per game).

“Everybody who knows me knows I want to play,” Embiid said. “I want to play every game. I’ve been pretty unlucky when it comes to that.”

The 76ers, dealing with all their injuries, finished the season 24-58, in 13th place in the Eastern Conference. It was the team’s lowest win total in 10 seasons, when the Sixers went 10-72 under former coach Brett Brown.

For some of you, it feels like do-or-die time at 0-3 or 1-2 in your fantasy football leagues. That is understandable, as falling even further behind in the standings makes it harder to reach the fantasy playoffs.

It isn’t impossible, but starting 0-4 or 1-3 does make the climb more difficult.

If you are in one of those spots, you’re likely dealing with struggling players and looking for other options to give your roster a boost until they figure it out.

This week’s streamers offer 10 players who can provide that boost in a pinch and help get you moving back in the right direction.

*Streamers are players who are rostered in 50% or less of Yahoo! leagues.

Fantasy Football Streamers for Week 4

Quarterbacks

A few quarterbacks should be returning this week, which is welcome news given the lack of strong streaming options.

Geno Smith, Las Vegas Raiders

Smith has finished as a QB1 in two of three weeks this season, and he has a strong chance to do it again.

He gets the Chicago Bears, who have allowed the third-most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks. With the Raiders likely playing from behind as usual, Smith should be forced to throw plenty.

Carson Wentz, Minnesota Vikings

Wentz didn’t light up the scoreboard last week even though the offense put up 34 points. Jordan Mason scored twice on the ground, and the defense scored twice, which capped Wentz’s need to throw and his fantasy output.

Still, 15 fantasy points on only 20 pass attempts is respectable. The return of Jordan Addison should give a boost to an underwhelming passing attack, and the matchup is favorable against a Pittsburgh Steelers defense that has allowed the fourth-most points to quarterbacks.

Running backs

Fantasy managers lost James Conner and Najee Harris last week, just adding to the growing list of injured running backs.

Ollie Gordon II, Miami Dolphins

Gordon is a touchdown-or-bust player, but given the usage last week, there is a good chance of that happening.

Gordon has all the rushing attempts for the team inside the five this season and took all the short yardage snaps last week for the Dolphins.

Woody Marks, Houston Texans

The Texans’ running game and overall offense have struggled this season. Marks, however, looks on the verge of taking over as the team’s RB1.

In the last game, he logged just one fewer snap and three fewer carries than Nick Chubb. That didn’t amount to much against the Jacksonville Jaguars, who allow the fifth-fewest points to running backs this season.

This week should be easier for both Marks and Chubb, as they face the Tennessee Titans, who allow the third-most points to running backs.

Chris Rodriguez, Washington Commanders

With the Commanders using all three running backs – Rodriguez, Jacory Croskey-Merritt and Jeremy McNichols – it is hard to recommend streaming any of them. However, Croskey-Merritt is questionable for Sunday’s matchup against the Falcons.

If he does miss the game, then Rodriguez and McNichols are in for a boost in usage, with most of it going to Rodriguez.

Wide receivers

It is getting increasingly difficult to start some “stud” receivers – Brian Thomas Jr. and Calvin Ridley, for example. Injuries this week include CeeDee Lamb and Mike Evans, which are requiring managers to pivot.

Romeo Doubs, Green Bay Packers

It is becoming hard to trust any Packer receiver as they spread the ball around. This was mentioned last week as well when Doubs was suggested, too.

Last week was a much tougher matchup than most expected for the Packers, and it led to a very disappointing performance for Doubs and all the Packers players.

This week should be much easier facing the Dallas Cowboys, who allow the most fantasy points to opposing receivers.

Troy Franklin, Denver Broncos

Quite the tale of two weeks for Franklin. Two weeks ago, he put up a monster game with nine targets, eight receptions, and a touchdown for 20 fantasy points. Then last week, he saw just four targets, catching two for eight yards.

The Los Angeles Chargers defense is legit and played a major role in shutting everybody down for the Broncos passing game, except Courtland Sutton.

This week, Franklin should have a lot more success against the Cincinnati Bengals secondary, who rank in the bottom third in passing defense DVOA.

Elic Ayomanor, Tennessee Titans

Not a ton of targets or yardage so far on the season for Ayomanor, which is probably why he is not rostered more.

On the positive side, he is second on the team in targets and leads the receiving room in receptions. He is also the only player to catch a touchdown from Cam Ward – two games in a row in fact.

Chasing touchdowns is risky, but such is life when you are streaming players.

Tight ends

Brenton Strange, Jacksonville Jaguars

It has not been a great start to the season for most of the Jaguars’ pass catchers, with Trevor Lawrence and company struggling to produce in Liam Cohen’s offense.

Strange, although not great, has not been terrible by tight end standards. He is tied for second on the team with 16 targets and actually leads them with 13 receptions. Right now, he is TE15 with just those numbers. If he had been able to find the end zone even once, he would be TE10.

Defense

Streaming a defense is a fantastic strategy as even the best defenses will struggle with they play the likes of the Buffalo Bills, Baltimore Ravens, Detroit Lions, etc. Here is the top streaming defense for the week.

New England Patriots

The Patriots defense already has two above-average fantasy performances this season: Week 1 against the Las Vegas Raiders and Week 2 against the Miami Dolphins.

This week they get the Carolina Panthers, who are allowing the 10th-most points to opposing defenses on the season.

Better yet, per the Defense Stream-O-Matic on Fantasy Six Pack, they are the top option that is rostered in 50% or fewer of leagues. This is thanks to a low implied point total for the Panthers and their third-worst offensive DVOA.

We finally made it to the conference schedule portion of the 2025 college football season. It’s now time for teams to make statements against similar competition on a weekly basis.

Week 4 featured the first conference slate of games this year. It offered up plenty for NFL draft evaluators to analyze ahead of the 2026 draft class, which features many more quarterbacks worthy of first-round consideration.

It’s still early on, though. This time a year ago eventual No. 1 pick Cam Ward wasn’t on anyone’s radar for the first round, let alone the top pick.

This year’s class is more top-heavy with established names to follow. Many of them had their first proper test of the year in Week 4 and responded in varying ways.

Heading into Week 5, the top four quarterbacks remain entrenched in their order from a week prior. All four have their biggest tests of the season coming up on Saturday so we’ll know much more 72 hours from now. Until then, here’s how things stand in our top eight quarterback prospects entering Week 5 of the college football season:

2026 NFL Draft QB prospect rankings

1. Garrett Nussmeier, LSU (last week: 1)

Week 4 vs. Southeastern Lousiana: 25-31 (80.6%) passing, 273 yards, three touchdowns; three carries, 30 yards, one touchdown

Nussmeier bounced back from a so-so week against Florida to post his best stat line of the season so far. Granted it was against what will likely be the easiest opponent on the Tigers’ schedule but Nussmeier posted his first four-touchdown performance of the year.

He continued his weekly standard of extending plays in the pocket to find open receivers including a third-and-goal strike to Zavion Thomas with time running out in the second quarter. He found his footing (literally) earlier than in other games with his footwork in a good spot before halftime.

Coach Brian Kelly said Nussmeier’s recovering well from a torso injury sustained in the offseason which will lead to better results for both the quarterback and offense overall.

Nussmeier and the Tigers have a tough test ahead of them in Ole Miss in Week 5. He and Trinidad Chambliss could make for a scoring spree in their SEC tilt.

2. LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina (last week: 2)

Week 4 at Missouri: 18-28 (64.3%) passing, 302 yards, two touchdowns; five carries, 18 yards

Sellers bounced back from his injury in Week 3 against Vanderbilt to have his best game as a passer this season.

He passed the 300-yard mark for just the third time of his career. He had multiple passing touchdowns for the first time this year and boasted the highest average depth of target (ADOT) he’s had all season at 15.7 yards, per Pro Football Focus (PFF).

The Gamecocks used a lot of quick game early on to get Sellers some easy completions and get his rhythm. But his decision-making was more touch and go than you’d want to see. He got lucky twice in the first half with turnover-worthy throws. A few passes over the course of the game should’ve been interceptions, including multiple in South Carolina territory. He also passed up check downs or throw aways and instead took sacks multiple times.

Sellers and the Gamecocks take on a rested Kentucky team this week. He’ll need to cut down on those decisions to move past Nussmeier on this list.

3. Fernando Mendoza, Indiana (last week: 3)

Week 4 vs. Illinois: 21-23 (91.3%) passing, 267 yards, five touchdowns; five carries, 18 yards

Mendoza and Indiana continued their march on offense with a lopsided win over visiting Illinois. His 14 touchdowns are the most in the counry through four weeks.

Illinois decided to pressure Medonza and the Indiana offense responded by leaning even more into their run-pass option (RPO) sets. This didn’t allow a ton for evaluation on Mendoza. Instead, it was more of a good look at his physical profile. Mendoza stands as one of the bigger bodies at the position in this class at 6-foot-5 and 225 pounds. But that doesn’t mean he has a rocket arm; he has good mobility and is a dual-threat quarterback but he’s not a weapon in the mold of Josh Allen.

The stat line jumps out but it’s important to know his ADOT was 6.4, the lowest of the season. A lot of his production came from short passes that took advantage of Illinois’ gameplan on defense.

He’ll likely have his biggest test of the season in Week 5 against Iowa and their stout pass defense.

4. Drew Allar, Penn State (last week: 4)

Week 4: BYE

Penn State had Week 4 off ahead of their biggest game of the year so far. Week 5’s tilt against Oregon is one of the best games of the weekend. Allar will have to operate against a defense with first-round talent at edge rusher (Matayo Uiagalelei) and safety (Dillon Thieneman).

5. John Mateer, Oklahoma (last week: 6)

Week 4 vs. Auburn: 25-37 (67.6%) passing, 268 yards, one touchdown; 11 carries, 45 yards, one touchdown, one fumble

Unfortunately, Mateer will miss time after surgery to his hand which was injured against Auburn. That is a shame after how well he was playing in Week 4.

Auburn boasts one of the top edge rushers in the 2026 draft class in Keldrick Faulk but you wouldn’t know it from how Mateer played. He was pressured a season-high 17 times but took just one sack. His average time to throw was 2.66 seconds – his second-highest of the season. This was not a performance like Mendoza’s that took advantage with quick, short passes against an aggressive defense.

His lone touchdown pass went to wide receiver Isaiah Sategna III, who had easily 10 yards of space from the nearest Tigers defender, early in the second quarter. He later hit Sategna III for a chunk gain in the second quarter but did set him up for contact over the middle. Ball security was an issue in this one as well as Auburn scored a touchdown after recovering his lone fumble on the night.

Hopefully Mateer will be back soon because he’s earned his way into the top five prospects.

6. Arch Manning, Texas (last week: 5)

Week 4 vs. Sam Houston State: 18-21 (85.7%) passing, 309 yards, three touchdowns; four carries, 12 yards, two touchdowns

Manning put together his best game of the season in Week 4. Still, it came against Sam Houston State – arguably the worst team on the Longhorns’ schedule this season.

Even his early completions weren’t very inspiring. Manning found DeAndre Moore Jr. for his first completion of the day but it was too low for Moore to do anything after the catch despite ample room to run. Things improved from there with a heavy dose of passes to out-breaking receivers and a couple of good runs, including a five-yard score.

Moore was back in the lineup after missing Week 3 and Manning went to him often. That connection provided him with more confidence throughout the game.

He’s still not moving up these rankings because of the competition level. He’ll have a bigger test against future NFL talent in Week 5 against Florida. A good game there could have him back in the top five.

7. Dante Moore, Oregon (last week: 7)

Week 4 vs. Oregon State: 21-31 (67.7%) passing, 305 yards, four touchdowns; six carries, 62 yards

Moore keeps his spot on this list thanks to a prolific game against Oregon State at home. It took until well into the second quarter for Moore to find his rhythm after a few misses against Oregon State’s stout coverage.

He made more plays with his feet in Week 4 than in previous games, though. A season-high 62 rushing yards stands out; Moore’s strong suit entering the season was his deep passing prowess. His quick release was on full display as well as the Ducks offense ground down the Beavers defense.

All of this is building to a massive showdown in Week 5 against Penn State. If Moore can hold up on the road against a top College Football Playoff (CFP) contender, that’ll go a very long way in his draft outlook.

8. Sam Leavitt, Arizona State (last week: NR)

Week 4 at Baylor: 22-32 (68.8%) passing, 221 yards, one touchdowns; 15 carries, 64 yards, one touchdown

Leavitt reutrns to these rankings after a standout performance through the air and on the ground against Baylor.

The Sun Devils’ passer set a season-high in completion percentage against the Bears without sacrificing aggression (8.2 yard ADOT, per PFF). He’s not higher because Arizona State did provide a pretty clean pocket for him (six pressures on 36 dropbacks).

The final stat line was good but did leave a little to be desired. One of his best throws of the night – a third-and-13 deep shot to Derek Eusebio that traveled 49 yards in the air – was slightly underthrown. Eusebio had to slow down to corral the ball and could’ve gained more after the catch. It’s a small nit to pick but notable when evaluating him for the next level.

Two minutes of game time later, Leavitt found top wideout Jordyn Tyson for a go-ahead score that shows promise for both at the NFL level.

Arizona State continues its Big 12 slate against TCU in Week 5 and Leavitt could continue building his case with another dual-threat performance against the Horned Frogs.

Next two up: Jayden Maiava, USC: Carson Beck, Miami

Week 3 of the 2025 NFL season may be behind us but there’s still room for a little drama in the aftermath of those results.

Sunday’s slate from Week 3 featured a matchup between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New York Jets. Tampa Bay won the game 29-27 on a Chase McLaughlin field goal from 36 yards out as time expired.

After the game, Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield said the win was personal because the Jets’ defensive coordinator Steve Wilks was the interim coach in Carolina when the Panthers waived Mayfield back in 2022.

Wilks took his chance to respond to Mayfield’s comments today.

‘A lot of respect for Baker,’ Wilks said. ‘Tremendous football player and he’s doing a hell of a job with those guys down there. So nothing really to say beyond that.’

But he did add to that opening statement.

‘I don’t know how long you’ve been doing this but I’m sure you’re quite educated on it,’ Wilks said gesturing to a reporter. ‘I don’t really think an interim coach has that much authority over personnel.

If that was the case, I would’ve never gotten rid of our best player, Christian McCaffrey.’

Wilks took over as interim head coach in Carolina in 2022 when Matt Rhule was fired after a 1-5 start. Carolina traded McCaffrey to the San Francisco 49ers less than two weeks after Wilks was named interim head coach.

Mayfield was the Panthers’ starting quarterback to open the season and missed some time with a high-ankle sprain. He reportedly wanted out of Carolina as the season wore on and he was waived on Dec. 5, 2022 after going 1-5 as a starter.

Wilks said at the time that it was the best move for the team.

‘He felt and we felt we wanted to give him the opportunity to seek whatever him and his agent felt was best for him,’ Wilks said. ‘He has been nothing but a professional for us, so I wanted to extend that courtesy.

I wouldn’t say that he failed. I would say it just didn’t work out. He’s still a good football player. Just like coaches, just like players sometimes, they just need a change.’

A change turned out to be good for the former No. 1 overall pick. Mayfield bounced back immediately a surprising comeback victory with the Los Angeles Rams the same week he was released by Carolina. He signed with Tampa Bay that next offseason and has thrown a league-best 75 passing touchdowns since the start of the 2023 season.

The Seattle Seahawks defeated the Arizona Cardinals 23-20, improving their record to 3-1.
Seattle kicker Jason Myers made a 52-yard game-winning field goal after previously missing a 53-yard attempt.
The Seahawks have now won eight consecutive games against their NFC West rival, the Cardinals.

It generally wasn’t pretty – meaning the football game itself – but did wind up providing the fourth-quarter drama that typifies most NFL games nowadays.

In the end, the Seattle Seahawks blew a two-touchdown fourth-quarter lead but recovered in time to defeat the Arizona Cardinals 23-20 in a battle of NFC West rivals. Now 3-1, the ‘Hawks are a half-game behind the San Francisco 49ers for first place. Meanwhile, the Cards dropped their second straight, falling to 2-2 − the losses to Seattle and San Francisco by a combined four points − and are the only squad in the division that currently doesn’t sport a winning record.

That wasn’t all that happened on a night with a far-flung constituency of winners and losers. Here they are:

WINNERS

Reimagined Seahawks

Seattle fell a tiebreaker shy of winning the NFC West in 2024 – and wound up with the best record (10-7) of the 18 teams that missed the playoffs last season. Nevertheless, longtime GM John Schneider and second-year HC Mike Macdonald gave their roster a significant makeover in the offseason – swapping out QB Geno Smith for Sam Darnold, WR DK Metcalf for Cooper Kupp and offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb for Klint Kubiak while also making several defensive modifications. Now, the Seahawks seem to quickly be coalescing into the football team Macdonald envisioned – one that plays smashmouth but exotic defense, leans on a ball-control offense and judiciously makes big plays on both sides of the ball with an emphasis on limiting mistakes. Mission (generally) accomplished Thursday.

Sam Darnold

Gritty. Calm. Efficient. The third overall pick of the 2018 draft, now on his fifth team, continues his belated development into a reliable passer, throwing for 242 yards and a TD and adding a 24-yard scamper for good measure. Darnold’s 111.4 passer rating marked the 15th time since the start of the 2024 season that reached at least the 100.0 plateau in a game − most in the NFC over that span.

“Sam’s playing out of his mind right now,” Macdonald said. “(H)e’s such a cool customer.”

And, evidently, an optimal fit for the surging Seahawks, winners of three in a row.

‘Rivalries’ uniforms

The Cards became the first team to wear Nike’s recently unveiled alternate uniforms – kits meant to emphasize NFL teams’ cultural intersections with their communities. AFC East and NFC West teams will wear them one time apiece during the 2025 season. Arizona’s sandblasted, desert-themed version is arguably the best of the bunch. Extending the uniform theme, the Cardinals’ end zones were also gloriously painted.

‘Rivalry’ dominance

Though Macdonald, Darnold et al. are hardly responsible for the bulk of it, the Seahawks have now beaten the Cardinals eight consecutive times.

Jason Myers

The Seahawks kicker missed a 53-yard field goal on Seattle’s penultimate drive that could have put the game out of reach. (The Cardinals tied the contest 20-20 on the ensuing possession.) But Myers subsequently made a 52-yarder at the gun … that definitively put the game out of reach.

Former Ohio State wide receivers

Coming out of Columbus, Arizona’s Marvin Harrison Jr. was the highly regarded fourth overall pick of the 2024 NFL draft. A year earlier, Seattle chose former Buckeye Jaxon Smith-Njigba 20th overall. Harrison caught six balls, including a spectacular 16-yard TD from QB Kyler Murray in the corner of the end zone. Late in the fourth quarter, Murray and Harrison hooked up on a sweet back-shoulder throw into the red zone that helped set up Arizona’s game-tying TD. JSN had a game-high 79 receiving yards on four receptions − all in the second half − and his 22-yard grab on Seattle’s final drive helped set up Myers’ game-winning kick.

LOSERS

Former Ohio State wide receivers

Another game, another bad drop for Harrison – Thursday’s butterfingers episode leading to an interception for Murray. The supposed franchise quarterback and his supposed go-to receiver also seemed to have communication issues for much of the evening given the difficulty Murray had making Harrison’s targets count − six of the 10 resulting in connections. Like 2024 draftmate Caleb Williams of the Chicago Bears, MHJ may yet blossom into a superb pro. But right now? Malik Nabers, Rome Odunze, Brian Thomas Jr., Ladd McConkey and Xavier Worthy have all been or shown they could be more highly impactful players than Harrison … to date anyway. JSN is rounding into a legit No. 1 option for the ‘Hawks, however his holding penalty in the fourth quarter nullified a touchdown that could have iced the win for Seattle much earlier. Jawing at referee Alex Kemp afterward, Smith-Njigba was fortunate he didn’t get tossed.

Coby Bryant

Imagine how out of hand this game might have gotten if Seattle had retained possession on S Coby Bryant’s first-quarter interception … as they probably should have after a shaky ruling from the officials.

Cardinals’ run game

In Arizona’s first game without injured RB James Conner, who suffered a season-ending foot injury in Week 3, they managed all of 44 yards from their running backs. Murray’s 41 yards on the ground led the team.

Chad Ryland

After the Arizona kicker knotted the game 20-20 with his PAT with 28 seconds to go, his kickoff missed the landing zone and set Seattle up on its 40-yard line to start what turned out to be the pivotal drive.

Russell Wilson

Benched five minutes ago by the New York Giants and minding his business 2,500 miles away from Thursday night’s game – perhaps as his career is concluding despite his wishes – Wilson nevertheless was catching strays from Prime Video’s pre-game show. Hall of Famer Tony Gonzalez and Richard Sherman, Wilson’s teammate for six seasons in Seattle, agreed the quarterback’s case as a potential Hall of Famer has been significantly weakened … by Wilson himself.

Kyler Murray

Purportedly Arizona’s franchise passer, he doesn’t look like a Hall of Famer, either, coming up short again in another big game. Murray made it interesting at the end, but too little (too short?), too late.

Hopefully Patrick Mahomes, Justin Herbert and other stars from Week 1’s Chiefs-Chargers game brushed up on their Portuguese. It could come in handy over the next few years.

The NFL announced today it has agreed on a multiyear deal to play at least three regular season games over the next five years in Rio de Janeiro starting in 2026.

NFL action first came to Brazil in 2024 when the Philadelphia Eagles and Green Bay Packers played their Week 1 game in São Paulo. The Chiefs and Chargers did the same this year. Now, the NFL has its sights set on a city that has hosted world-class athletic events.

“Building on the success of the games in São Paulo, we could not be more excited to play in one of the world’s most iconic cities — Rio de Janeiro,” NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. “We look forward to working closely with our city and state partners in Rio along with the historic Maracanã Stadium to deepen our ties to the tens of millions of fans in Brazil and across South America.”

The Maracanã Stadium opened in 1950 to be used as a host site for the 1950 FIFA World Cup. It was also used during the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 Summer Olympics.

“The National Football League’s multiyear partnership with Rio, a vibrant city where people want to be, is a perfect match,” Rio de Janeiro mayor Eduardo Paes said in the announcement. “It will be a historic event, as NFL games will be included on our city’s official calendar. I’m looking forward to seeing an American football game at Maracanã, the most iconic temple of world football.”

League officials say Brazil has more than 36 million NFL fans, making this a welcome event in the country of 212 million.

“Brazil is now the second-largest consumer of American football outside the United States, and thousands of tourists and sports fans have dreamed of experiencing this event at the world’s most famous stadium,’ Cláudio Castro, governor of the State of Rio de Janeiro, said in the announcement. ‘Bringing the NFL to Rio is a milestone that will boost tourism, create jobs, stimulate the economy, and show the strength of our state as an international sports destination.”

Rio de Janeiro is one of two international cities set to host NFL games for the first time in 2026. The other is Melbourne, Australia.

The NFL has not confirmed any specifics on when the matchups will be and the teams involved.

NFL international games 2025

Chiefs-Chargers was the first of seven international games for the 2025 season. Here are the other six:

Week 4: Minnesota Vikings vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

Date: Sunday, Sept. 28
Start time: 9:30 a.m. ET
Location: Dublin
Venue: Croke Park

Week 5: Minnesota Vikings vs. Cleveland Browns

Date: Sunday, Oct. 5
Start time: 9:30 a.m. ET
Location: London
Venue: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

Week 6: Denver Broncos vs. New York Jets

Date: Sunday, Oct. 12
Start time: 9:30 a.m. ET
Location: London
Venue: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

Week 7: Los Angeles Rams vs. Jacksonville Jaguars

Date: Sunday, Oct. 19
Start time: 9:30 a.m. ET
Location: London
Venue: Wembley Stadium

Week 10: Atlanta Falcons vs. Indianapolis Colts

Date: Sunday, Nov. 9
Start time: 9:30 a.m. ET
Location: Berlin
Venue: Olympiastadion

Week 11: Washington Commanders vs. Miami Dolphins

Date: Sunday, Nov. 16
Start time: 9:30 a.m. ET
Location: Madrid
Venue: Bernabéu Stadium