In Buffalo, no plate of wings can be complete without a side of bleu cheese.

The wings are the star of the show, but it’s hard to argue that the main event isn’t elevated by the presence of the popular dipping sauce. And in the hearts of Buffalo residents, that dipping sauce is the clear No. 1.

After dropping two straight, it has become obvious that the Buffalo Bills need some bleu cheese because ranch isn’t getting it done.

Quarterback Josh Allen might be the reigning league MVP and a superstar, but his lack of a WR1 was, once again, on full display in prime time. The Atlanta Falcons defense dominated on ‘Monday Night Football’ in Week 6, delivering a 24-14 win over Buffalo in a game that wasn’t as close as the score indicates.

As Allen & Co. attempted to stage a comeback, they were doing so with the likes of Khalil Shakir, Keon Coleman, Elijah Moore and Tyrell Shavers. The need for a top receiver was clear before, but it has become even more glaring as injuries mount.

While fixing that issue might not be possible at the trade deadline, the team can certainly try. Here are some trade targets for the Bills at the receiver spot heading into trade season.

Bills WR trade targets

A.J. Brown, Philadelphia Eagles

It’s hard to imagine Brown being on the move and it’s even harder to imagine the Eagles dealing him. The star receiver just inked a three-year contract extension with Philadelphia, meaning the salary cap reality is a major factor. However, disgruntled players have a way of making things happen and Brown certainly fits that mold.

Jakobi Meyers, Las Vegas Raiders

As for the more realistic targets, Meyers headlines the bunch. The Raiders’ receiver requested a trade during the offseason after contract extension talks failed to progress and plays for a team that appears primed to miss the playoffs.

Meyers is set to hit free agency, meaning he is a pure rental from the trade market perspective. He has become somewhat of a forgotten man after posting his first 1,000-yard receiving season in 2024, further opening the door for a deal. The seventh-year pro is a good candidate to be on the move as Vegas shifts their focus to the youth in their receiver room.

Chris Olave, New Orleans Saints

New Orleans has been committed to rebuilding on the fly in recent years, making it unclear which direction they’ll opt for this offseason. However, the bill is coming due for Olave and Rashid Shaheed – who are both on contract extension watch at season’s end. Quarterback Spencer Rattler has been better than expected in his first full season as a starter, but is it enough to convince coach Kellen Moore to stay the course?

The Saints could instead opt to dive into the trade market and recoup some draft capital for Olave, who had a pair of concussions that limited him to eight games in 2024. With 1,000-yard seasons in two of his first three years, this is the type of receiver the Bills could use. Olave may not be the big body target, but he is certainly consistent and knows how to get open.

Rashid Shaheed, New Orleans Saints

Unlike Olave, Shaheed is heading for free agency after the season. That reality could spell the end of his time in the Big Easy as the speedster could command a hefty payday in free agency. His presence could stretch the field in ways that the current group of Buffalo receivers can’t, making him an intriguing target ahead of the deadline.

Calvin Ridley, Tennessee Titans

Ridley’s contract situation could complicate matters, but the Titans waived the white flag on the season after firing Brian Callahan. The front office did not sign Ridley in free agency, meaning they have no connection to the receiver and could move on.

Tennessee would likely have to eat some money to facilitate a deal, however, both sides could benefit from this potential transaction. However, it’ll be important to see what becomes of the hamstring injury that forced Ridley out of action in Week 6.

James Franklin’s midseason dismissal from Penn State has created one of eight current head coaching vacancies in FBS college football.
The coaching changes could set off a domino effect of moves across the Power Four conferences.
Openings at Virginia Tech, Oklahoma State, Stanford, Oregon State, and Alabama-Birmingham are also ranked based on their appeal.

James Franklin’s surprising midseason dismissal at Penn State leaves eight college football openings in the Bowl Subdivision, with many more set to open in what is shaping up to be one of the wildest coaching carousels in recent history.

Depending on where the Nittany Lions go in their search, Franklin’s replacement could trigger a domino effect that results in corresponding moves across the Power Four. Likewise with the opening at Arkansas, currently the only unfilled position in the SEC.

There is currently at least one opening in each of the Power Four leagues. For now, Penn State easily represents the most appealing open destination in the FBS and will draw the most impressive pool of candidates.

USA TODAY Sports ranks the current FBS openings based on appeal and the chance for immediate and sustained success:

1. Penn State

Excepting the COVID-19 season, Penn State hasn’t posted a losing finish since 2004. While his tenure imploded in the past three weeks, Franklin built a program capable of competing for national championships and will leave a foundation for immediate success. The Nittany Lions have an enviable recruiting base, nearly unmatched support and the resources to stand atop the FBS.

2. Arkansas

Arkansas will fall down the list of SEC openings once Florida becomes available, for one, and there’s always the chance that Auburn follows suit. This is not an easy place to win by any means — the Razorbacks have totaled more than eight victories just once since 2011 — but the draw of the SEC will entice a strong list of candidates looking for an entry point into college football’s best conference.

3. UCLA

UCLA has financial constraints that will essentially exclude established and successful Power Four head coaches from anything more than casual consideration. In the best-case scenario, the Bruins land a proven head coach with questionable job security who is looking for a soft landing spot in the Big Ten. One coach who might fit the bill is Franklin, who would come at a relative discount because of the exorbitant buyout due to him from Penn State.

4. Virginia Tech

After swinging and missing on a first-time head coach in Brent Pry, the Hokies’ search for a program-wide reboot should lead to a focus on more experienced candidates. While landing Shane Beamer is unrealistic barring a second-half collapse at South Carolina, the program can tout the athletics department’s renewed financial commitment and an easier pathway to the College Football Playoff coming out of the ACC.

5. Oklahoma State

This is maybe the most unique opening in the Power Four given how Mike Gundy stood as the face of Oklahoma State football for well over two decades. The school could opt to go in an entirely new direction and lean toward a defense-oriented coach such as Penn State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles, who was an assistant at the school, or maintain an offense-driven path with a candidate such as North Texas coach Eric Morris.

6. Stanford

A recent $50 million donation earmarked for the football program does make Stanford at least somewhat more appealing to candidates who might otherwise be intimidated by four factors: the long travel as members of the ACC, hurdles in recruiting and talent retention, difficulties in managing the portal and the hard work needed to build an unimpressive roster. Working with general manager Andrew Luck is a draw, though, and David Shaw proved not too long ago that you can win and win consistently with the Cardinal.

7. Oregon State

Oregon State will be part of the new-look Pac-12 next season, bringing some stability to one of the most unstable situations in the FBS. This is clearly an opening destined to be filled by either a sitting Group of Five coach or one of the top Power Four assistants working in the Beavers’ general footprint. The school could also evaluate recently fired coaches looking to get back on the sideline in the same way UNLV pounced on Dan Mullen this past hiring cycle.

8. Alabama-Birmingham

UAB finally jettisoned Trent Dilfer, but the damage is already done. The Blazers’ decline over the past three seasons after the departure of Bill Clark makes this a much less appealing position overall, though the opening will be slightly more tempting given the program’s move to the American in 2023.

Keep up with the latest news and analysis from college football’s top two conferences: Check out our Big Ten Hub and our SEC Hub to get school-by-school coverage from across the USA TODAY Network.

Oklahoma football coach Brent Venables compared the SEC schedule to its old Big 12 schedule at his weekly press conference on Oct. 14, saying the Sooners can’t dominant like they used to given the tougher schedule.

“This isn’t the old Big 12 days where Oklahoma destroys everybody every single week except one game of the year,’ Venables.’

The Big 12 brought up receipts.

‘Coach Venables lost eight conference games in his two seasons in the Big 12,’ the account wrote on X.

In Venables’ defense, he won seven Big 12 conference titles as the defensive coordinator at Oklahoma from 1999-2011 and went 10-2 in the regular season in his second season with the Sooners. He did, however, finish with a 3-6 conference record in 2022.

But college football doesn’t care about the past, just look at Penn State firing coach James Franklin on Oct. 12. That sentiment is especially true when the chance to troll comes up.

‘The Big12 found a kid on the street abandoned since age 12 with major scores to settle and said “run our social media…you will answer to nobody,’ college football personality Josh Pate wrote in response to the post.

Oklahoma is still looking to get back on track under Venables, as the former Clemson defensive coordinator has a 27-18 record in his fourth season as the Sooners’ head coach. Oklahoma is coming off a 6-7 finish in 2024 in its first season in the SEC, and fell to Texas 23-6 on Oct. 11 despite starting the season 5-0.

The Sooners are looking to get back in the win column on Oct. 18 when they travel to South Carolina in their third conference game of the season.

It appears the Big 12 might be closely watching for any future social media content.

The two-year qualifying process for the 2026 World Cup is nearly done, with multiple nations booking their spots in next summer’s tournament in recent days.

The most recent qualifiers have mostly come from Africa, which concluded the main phase of the region’s qualifying process on Tuesday. There are some familiar powers among the teams to qualify from the continent thus far in October, including Egypt, Ghana, and South Africa. However, tiny Cape Verde — with a population under 600,000 — is also on the list, having stunned Cameroon to claim the top spot in Group D in the Confederation of African Football’s qualifying process.

Tuesday saw Qatar become the 24th country to claim one of the 48 available World Cup berths, with Canada, Mexico, and the United States set to host a newly-expanded format next year. England, Ivory Coast, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, and South Africa followed shortly thereafter, taking the total number of claimed spots up to 28. Portugal could have made it 29, but conceded a stoppage-time equalizer against Hungary in a UEFA qualifier on Tuesday, leaving them stuck on the brink.

There are also pivotal matches in Concacaf (the region comprising North and Central America, along with the Caribbean) and elsewhere in Europe, with some teams having to endure a tense wait for the next round of qualifying in November to discover their fate.

Here’s what to know about where qualifying stands for the 2026 World Cup, including who could secure their berth next:

Who has qualified for World Cup 2026?

The 2026 World Cup will include 48 teams, a huge jump up from the 32 that participated in Qatar 2022. As October’s qualifiers play out, 28 nations have qualified.

Here is a complete list of every country to qualify for the 2026 World Cup as of the afternoon of Tuesday, Oct. 14:

Host nations: Canada, Mexico, United States
Asia: Australia, Iran, Japan, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Uzbekistan
Africa: Algeria, Cape Verde, Egypt, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa, Tunisia
Concacaf: None yet
Europe: England
Oceania: New Zealand
South America: Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Uruguay

World Cup qualifying: Who could clinch a 2026 spot next?

There aren’t that many rounds of World Cup qualifying left to get through, though each confederation’s schedule and process mean each continent will wrap up at different points.

At the moment, there are eight teams (mostly hailing from Europe) that could claim a place at the 2026 World Cup with the right results in the coming days:

Austria: After missing out on six straight men’s World Cups, Austria could clinch a berth next month. A win on Nov. 15 at Cyprus combined with Bosnia and Herzegovina failing to defeat Romania would mean party time in Vienna.
Croatia: The Faroe Islands’ shock win over the Czech Republic on Sunday means that Croatia needs just one more point to win Group L and qualify for an eighth straight World Cup. The Croats host the Faroese on Nov. 14 in Rijeka.
France: ‘Les Bleus’ nearly won UEFA’s Group D after just four rounds of games, but will have to wait until November for a shot at finishing the job. France hosts second-place Ukraine in Paris on Nov. 13, and a win would guarantee the hosts a spot at the World Cup.
Honduras: ‘Los Catrachos’ have a path to clinch in the next round of play in Concacaf’s Group C. A win at Nicaragua on Nov. 13 combined with a draw between Haiti and Costa Rica in a game played earlier that same day would give Honduras entry into their fourth World Cup ever.
Netherlands: The Dutch control their own destiny in UEFA’s Group G. A win on Nov. 14 at Poland would clinch a place at next summer’s tournament for the ‘Oranje.’
Norway: The Norwegians have been a surprise in Group I, with Erling Haaland and Co. close to mathematical certainty of a World Cup spot. If Norway’s result against Estonia on Nov. 13 is superior to what Italy can do against Moldova, the job will be done.
Portugal: Dominik Szoboszlai’s stoppage-time equalizer for Hungary left Portugal frustrated, but they’re still highly likely to qualify. A road win on Nov. 13 over the Republic of Ireland would clinch their berth, as would Hungary failing to defeat Armenia earlier that same day.
Switzerland: The Swiss will head into the November window with a chance at clinching in UEFA’s Group B. All they need to do is pick up a better result than Kosovo on Nov. 15. A Swiss win plus Kosovo draw, or Swiss draw and Kosovo loss, will settle the issue.

World Cup qualifiers: How many spots for each region?

Here is a complete breakdown of how FIFA divided all 48 berths at the 2026 World Cup:

Host nations (3): Canada, Mexico and the United States all qualified as soon as they were picked to host the tournament.
Asia (8): Six Asian countries have qualified. The Asian Football Confederation’s fourth round (which will settle who claims the final two automatic bids) will conclude on Tuesday.
Africa (9): African qualifying sorted 54 countries into nine groups of six (though Eritrea withdrew from Group E before play began). The nine group winners have qualified, while the four best runners-up — Cameroon, DR Congo, Gabon, and Nigeria — will convene for a dramatic playoff in Morocco in November. The winner of that event will enter the intercontinental playoff.
Concacaf (3): The region’s third round — featuring three groups of four — began on Thursday, Sept. 4. Group winners qualify directly, while the two best runners-up will enter the intercontinental playoff.
Europe (16): UEFA qualifying features 54 teams broken up into 12 groups. Group winners qualify for the World Cup, while the second-place finishers (along with the top four teams from the UEFA Nations League who didn’t win their qualifying groups) will enter a playoff for Europe’s final four berths that is set for March 2026.
Oceania (1): New Zealand has already claimed Oceania’s only guaranteed berth at the 2026 World Cup, while New Caledonia is headed to the intercontinental playoff.
South America (6): CONMEBOL’s marathon qualifying tournament has concluded, with six teams getting places at the World Cup. A seventh (Bolivia) claimed the region’s spot in the intercontinental playoff.
Intercontinental playoff (2): New Caledonia and Bolivia have locked in spots in what will be a six-team tournament scheduled for March 2026.

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.

Georgia coach Kirby Smart appeared to call a timeout but then convinced officials he did not, resulting in a ‘do-over.’
The incident highlights recent questionable officiating calls within the SEC.
Officials gave Georgia back its timeout and reset the play clock, a decision the article calls a ‘charade.’

There’s something going on with this Kirby Kerfuffle, and we should be annoyed as all get out. 

The only person talking is Georgia coach Kirby Smart, who just happens to be the center of the controversy. Or charade.

A sleight of hand in Georgia’s 20-10 victory over Auburn last weekend has underscored a rash of questionable officiating in the SEC, while at the same time revealing an unspoken power structure within college football’s biggest, baddest conference.

True or not, believe it or not, it sure looks like the best coach in college football has his own set of rules. 

“I talked to no one, SEC office-wise,” Smart said Monday, two days after the scene of the crime, uh, kerfuffle. “I stand by what I talked about after the game.”

Yeah, well, we all have eyes, Kirby. You can’t tell us what we saw.

The kerfuffle, I mean charade, recap: Georgia leads Auburn 13-10 early in the fourth quarter when facing a 3rd-and-9 from the Auburn 28. The play clock is winding down, and Smart sprints to the side judge — clearly calling timeout by using one pointed hand pushed into the other open hand, and saying what looks like, “stop!”

The SEC official then gives Smart a timeout, and all hell breaks loose.

Smart starts screaming at the official, declaring he didn’t call timeout — but that he was clapping his hands in response to what he believed was an Auburn defender clapping his hands in an effort to use disconcerting signals to get Georgia to false start in one of the loudest stadiums in college football.

Got all that? Wait, it gets better. 

So after video evidence clearly shows Smart calling timeout, he convinces the SEC officiating crew he wasn’t calling timeout, and that he reminded those same officials before the game Auburn players have used disconcerting signals before. So, you know, get your stuff together. 

What do the officials do, you ask? Capitulate to the greatest coach in college football, of course.

And call a do-over.

A flipping do-over at the highest level of college football, where every play may as well be life and death. Officials then not only agree with Smart, they retroactively give him back the precious timeout, and — are you ready for this? — start the play clock over at 25 seconds.

This isn’t rocket science, everyone. It’s either a timeout, or a penalty on Georgia for delay of game.

There’s no gray area like the other questionable call in the game, where what looked like an Auburn touchdown at the goal line was ruled a fumble. That kerfuffle can be easily eliminated by saying there’s not enough evidence to change the call on the field.

But a do-over is a completely different animal.

The coach who should’ve been screaming during the charade is Auburn’s Hugh Freeze. But instead of Coach Eeyore demanding an explanation from the referee — or demanding collaborative replay look at actual video evidence of Smart calling timeout — Freeze stands on the other sideline and takes it. 

“We find ways to not win football games,” Freeze would later say. 

A quick aside: Auburn isn’t paying Freeze $6.7 million annually to just take it. (Dear, Aubie: just pay the $15,437,500 walkaway money and be done with this nonsense). 

But here’s the best part: it looks like everybody just took it — despite the obvious video evidence. Smart tantrums, and an important game that could eventually be the difference between who plays in the SEC championship game and who doesn’t, reverts to a do-over. 

A do-over. From the conference that runs college football.

There’s no way to explain it. Either Smart called a timeout — like the official clearly saw and called — or he didn’t. There’s no damn do-over.

There was, however, the classic makeup call ON THE VERY NEXT PLAY.

Officials flagged Georgia running back Cash Jones with a personal foul for an illegal block on Auburn linebacker Bryce Deas. And if you think that block was illegal, I’ve got some pristine beachfront property for you in Lee County, Alabama.

Georgia eventually missed a field goal on the drive, but that doesn’t eliminate what we all saw. Despite what Smart said immediately after the game, while trying to explain why he called timeout. I mean, didn’t call timeout.

“Go lip read, because I’m screaming, ‘They’re clapping!’” Smart said. “I didn’t need a timeout because we were going to get it off before the shot clock. It was two, one. It was the fact that they were clapping. I wanted him to call it because it’s a penalty.”

I don’t even know what to say here, ladies and gentlemen. This is the point where you’re so good at what you do, when you’ve reached the top of your profession, and you can pretty much say and do whatever you want on a football field during 60 highly-competitive and massively intense minutes.

And get away with it.

What’s the SEC going to do, admit their officials were wrong again? They already had to publicly apologize to — wait for it — Auburn when Oklahoma used a sleight of hand to keep wide receiver Isaiah Sategna III on the field while standing at the sideline, looking like he wasn’t part of the play. A disconcerting formation, no less.

Seconds later, Sategna was uncovered and scored on a 24-yard touchdown pass from John Mateer in a game OU won by seven points. So the SEC suspended the crew for a game, and delivered the apology. 

But this kerfuffle is different. Georgia won by 10, so let’s just make like it never really happened. Sort of like what Smart did. 

It is here where I give you the kicker to this masterpiece of a controversy. I mean, charade. 

Georgia informed the SEC office Sunday that Auburn had someone in the front row of the stands blowing a whistle during the first drive of the game. A disconcerting whistle, no less.   

Because, you know, these games need to be fair.

No matter what your eyes see.

Matt Hayes is the senior national college football writer for USA TODAY Sports Network. Follow him on X at @MattHayesCFB. 

The Buffalo Sabres are off to a poor start in their quest to end a 14-season playoff drought.
New York Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer, the 2025 No. 1 draft pick, has been impressive in his first few games.
Veteran stars Alex Ovechkin and Andrei Vasilevskiy are off to slow starts after dealing with injuries in training camp.

The NHL season is one week old on Oct. 14, and the worst thing to do is to overreact and try to extrapolate an entire season out of a short sample size.

But it isn’t a stretch to say that the Buffalo Sabres’ 0-3 start isn’t good for a team looking to end a record 14-season playoff drought. Usually, the Sabres start well and go through a season-wrecking slump later in the season.

Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams traded No. 2 scorer J.J. Peterka during the summer and the Sabres have two goals this season. Their minus-8 goal differential is worst in the league.

But the Sabres are dealing with multiple injuries. Josh Norris has been limited to four games since arriving last season at the trade deadline. He left the opener with an upper-body injury after a faceoff and could miss eight weeks, NHL insider Elliotte Friedman reported.

No. 1 goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen is also hurt and forward Zach Benson has yet to play after being hit in the face by a puck during practice. Michael Kesselring, acquired in the Peterka trade, is week-to-week.

The Sabres probably aren’t a playoff team with those players in the lineup, but it certainly hurts their chances with them out.

Here are some overreactions from the first week of the season:

Hand Matthew Schaefer rookie of the year

The New York Islanders defenseman and No. 1 overall pick of the 2025 draft has looked impressive in the first three games of his NHL career. He has a point in each game, is a terrific skater and is putting up major minutes. He played more than 26 minutes in his second and third games. He leads all rookies with 13 shots. He’ll have plenty of competition, though, with Jimmy Snuggerud, Zeev Buium, preseason favorite Ivan Demidov and others.

Give the Florida Panthers another Stanley Cup

They came back to earth in Monday’s loss to the Philadelphia Flyers with backup Daniil Tarasov in net. But they opened 3-0 without injured captain Aleksander Barkov and winger Matthew Tkachuk. That’s not surprising, considering the team’s depth. No. 1 goalie Sergei Bobrovsky is helping with a 1.67 goals-against average and .925 save percentage. There will be more setbacks, especially with defenseman Dmitry Kulikov now out, but the Panthers are back-to-back champions for a reason.

Big paydays look like bargains

Kirill Kaprizov (eight years, record $17 million average), Jack Eichel (eight years, $13.5 million average) and Kyle Connor (eight years, $12 million average) signed lucrative extensions and are putting up big numbers early. Connor had a hat trick in the opener. Kaprizov and Eichel are tied for second in the league with seven points in three games. Kaprizov is helping the Wild’s power play click at a 47.1% rate. There will be some regression, but those players got their big contracts for a reason.

Alex Ovechkin off to slow start

The NHL’s all-time leading goal scorer entered the season needing three goals to reach 900. After one week, he still needs three goals. But the Washington Capitals star was bothered by a lower-body issue in training camp and slow starts aren’t unusual for him. In his past three seasons, he didn’t get his first goal until his fourth or fifth game. Last season, he had no goals in three games, then took off and finished with 44 (despite missing 16 games with a broken leg) to top Wayne Gretzky’s record.

Andrei Vasilevskiy starting slowly

The Tampa Bay Lightning goalie has an unwieldy 4.62 goals-against average and .855 save percentage after two games. But he, too, was dealing with an injury in training camp that limited him to one preseason game. The Lightning had him back up on Monday because the team is playing on back-to-back nights. That gave him an extra day of rest.

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL –  Lionel Messi could represent Argentina against Puerto Rico in an international friendly at Inter Miami’s Chase Stadium on Tuesday, Oct. 14.

It’s unclear if Messi will start or come off the bench in a unique opportunity to play with his national team at his home Major League Soccer stadium.

Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said before the match he would speak to Messi about how many minutes he could play.

“I’ll talk to him and if he’s in condition, he’ll play [Tuesday],” Scaloni told reporters a day before the match.

“We’re going to see if he’s fit to play from the start or for a few minutes. I think he’ll get those minutes, but I couldn’t say how many. What I can say is that we’ll definitely see him so that everyone can enjoy watching him.”

The friendly between Argentina, the defending World Cup champions, and Puerto Rico, eliminated from World Cup contention earlier this summer, also falls during the final week of the MLS season.

Messi is expected to rejoin Inter Miami for its regular-season finale against Nashville SC on Saturday, Oct. 18.

Follow along here as USA TODAY Sports provides live updates from the Argentina vs. Puerto Rico match:

Is Messi playing today vs Puerto Rico?

Messi is expected to play. His status will be confirmed when Argentina announces its lineup roughly an hour before the match.

What time is Argentina vs Puerto Rico match today?

The match begins at 8 p.m. ET (9 p.m. in Argentina).

Where to watch the Argentina vs. Puerto Rico match on TV and live stream

The match will be broadcast by beIN Sports in the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico. It will also be available to live stream on Fanatiz.

Watch Argentina vs Puerto Rico on Fubo

Here’s the latest on Messi with Inter Miami and Argentina

Messi has trained with the Argentine national team this week as they held two matches in the South Florida area.

Messi did not play in Argentina’s match against Venezuela at Hard Rock Stadium on Oct. 10, opting to play in in Inter Miami’s 4-0 win at home against  Atlanta United on Oct. 11 – where he scored twice with an assist.

Messi scored two goals with an assist against Atlanta, assuming the MLS lead with 26 goals and 18 assists (44 total goal contributions) – which could influence him being the first back-to-back MLS MVP.

Philadelphia (66 points) and FC Cincinnati (62 points with 19 wins) are ahead of Inter Miami (62 points with 18 wins) in the MLS Eastern Conference.

Messi is expected to be back in action with Inter Miami for the MLS regular-season finale on the road against Nashville SC on Oct. 18.

When was Messi’s last game with Argentina?

If Messi plays with Argentina against Puerto Rico, it’ll be his first match with the national team in a month.

Messi scored twice in a 3-0 win against Venezuela on Sept. 4 at Mas Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires. He treated the match like his final match in his home country because Argentina is not scheduled to host any matches in the next year.

Will Messi play in the World Cup?

Messi has not yet officially declared he will play in the 2026 World Cup, saying his age and health would be factors.

“Because of my age, the most logical thing is that I won’t make it. But well, we’re almost there so I’m excited and motivated to play it,” Messi said after scoring twice for Argentina against Venezuela in his final World Cup qualifier in his home country on Sept. 4.

‘Match by match, I’ll finish the season, then I’ll have preseason, and there will be six months left. So, we’ll see how I feel. Hopefully I’ll have a good preseason in 2026, and finish this MLS season well, and then I’ll decide.’

The New York Jets flight has been anything but smooth through six weeks. To make matters worse, the flight crew is set to lose a key piece for the foreseeable future.

Garrett Wilson, the Jets’ leading receiver and arguably best player, suffered a knee injury during the team’s Week 6 loss to the Denver Broncos in London. He was seen exiting the field multiple times during the game, appearing to be at less than 100%.

After the game, it was revealed that Wilson would be getting an MRI to determine the severity of the issue and those results are in.

The Jets will now get to experience life without their WR1 for a bit. Here’s how long Wilson will be sidelined.

Garrett Wilson injury update

Wilson suffered a hyperextended knee and will miss a couple weeks, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

The Jets have two games remaining before their bye week, which would seemingly put Wilson on track to return in Week 9 against the Cleveland Browns on Nov. 9.

Wilson inked a four-year, $130 million extension over the offseason, keeping him with ‘Gang Green’ going forward. New York spent the 10th overall pick in the 2022 NFL draft on the former Ohio State star and Wilson has been as advertised despite a less-than-ideal quarterback situation.

After reuniting with his college quarterback, Justin Fields, Wilson has seen 56 targets through six games, hauling in 36 receptions for 395 yards and four touchdowns.

The Jets’ passing game undoubtedly revolves around their WR1, meaning an already struggling offense is set to take a major hit in Wilson’s absence.

Jets WR depth chart

Garrett Wilson (injured)
Josh Reynolds
Arian Smith
Allen Lazard
Tyler Johnson

It’s an uninspiring room at best for offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand in the immediate future. The Jets already lacked depth and top-end talent at the position before Wilson’s injury.

The task becomes even more daunting without him.

LANDOVER, MD – After a sleepless night and a frigid shower, Jake Moody was mobbed by virtual strangers for doing a job he didn’t know he’d have until the day before.

Such is the life of an NFL kicker.

Moody’s 38-yard field goal – through the Maryland mist and at the final gun – defeated the Washington Commanders 25-24 in his Chicago Bears debut Monday night.

“(I)t feels amazing, obviously,” said Moody, a third-round pick out of Michigan two years ago by the San Francisco 49ers, who waived him last month after he failed to find a consistent groove with them.

“Hitting a game winner is always a good time. Doing it for a new team, my first game – it’s huge. … So, glad to be a part of a team like this, and we’re going to keep moving forward.” 

Moody, who joined Chicago’s practice squad Sept. 12, found out Sunday he’d be filling in for Cairo Santos, whose injured quadriceps muscle wouldn’t allow him to play. Over the ensuing 24 hours, Moody continued to get familiarized with his new teammates while also tossing and turning in an uncomfortable hotel bed − he thought it was a twin − when he wasn’t getting scalded in the bathroom.

“(T)ook a nice ice shower before the game and that might be the new tradition that I start, we’ll see,” he said after also being flummoxed by a hotel showerhead that only operated at extreme temperatures.

But whatever makes for a successful routine.

Prior to Monday, when he converted four of five field-goal attempts and his lone extra-point try, Moody had been something of an adventure with the Niners. His 74.2% field-goal conversion rate in Silicon Valley – including 10 misfires in 34 attempts in 2024 – was a non-starter, especially when he missed two of three in this season’s opener.

Since then, he’s been biding his time behind Santos, working with performance coaches and rebuilding his confidence – which didn’t waver even after his 48-yard try to start the fourth quarter, one that would have given Chicago the lead but came off his foot low, was blocked.

“Just get reps, simple as that,” said Moody, who won the Lou Groza Award in 2021 as college football’s top place-kicker. “I like to think if you’re over-prepared for something, there’s no reason that you shouldn’t be confident.”

Santos, who made the trip to Washington, also provided welcome assistance on a wet and windy night.

“He’s kicked here a fair amount, and he was able to kind of help me with the wind, with the field surface, all that stuff,” said Moody.

“Shoutout Cairo. He’s been a great help through all of it.” 

But it was Moody who was helped off the field by his appreciative and victorious – if still unfamiliar – teammates, who enjoyed their third consecutive victory at the Commanders’ expense nearly a year after losing on a Hail Mary in this same building.

“Amazing,” running back D’Andre Swift said of Moody. “I introduced myself to him on the sideline – first time I spoke to him. He did a great job.

“Resilient, man. I’m proud of him. Happy to have him on the team, too.” 

Said Bears quarterback Caleb Williams: “I didn’t necessarily fully know who (Moody) was when he got here. So being able to hear about his story when he got here, being able to see him work and being able to kind of have this moment – I know he’s been through some tough moments, and so having this moment for him I know is important.

“Kudos to him, and we love him for that.”

Moody loved it, too, even if he was only temping for Santos for one prime-time night.

“It’s a pretty cool series of events,” he said. “A couple days ago, I didn’t know I was playing and to get lifted up by my teammates. It’s an amazing feeling, and I’m really glad I got to share that moment with them.”