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What Will Be The Keys To The Brewers Taking Down The Dodgers In 2026 NLCS?

foxnewsweb@foxnews.com (Fox News Channel) — Thu, 08 Oct 2026 16:21:07 -0400

"So, we meet again, Buzz Lightyear … for the last time!"

For the fourth time in nine seasons, the Los Angeles Dodgers and Milwaukee Brewers will square off in the National League playoffs, as the top-seeded Brewers (103-59) defeated the San Diego Padres in the NL Division Series and the second-seeded Dodgers (100-62) beat the Atlanta Braves in the NLDS.

But the Dodgers have come out on top in each of these two teams' playoff meetings (2018 NLCS, 2020 wild-card round and 2025 NLCS), including a four-game sweep of the Brewers in last year's NLCS.

How do the Brewers flip the script? FOX Sports MLB Analyst Eric Karros has the answers.

"They come to play every single day. They grind; they don't give away anything. Offensively, I don't know if it's necessarily the hitting part as much as it's controlling the strike zone, and that means don't expand, don't chase pitches out of the zone, take your walks, be patient and just kind of wear down this Dodgers' pitching staff," Karros said about the Brewers' offense in an appearance on Thursday's edition of "The Herd. "That's really the MO that they're going to have to create offensively."

While they ultimately advanced to the NLCS on Wednesday night, the Brewers only scored 13 runs across their four games against the Padres in the NLDS. Last year, the Brewers scored just four runs against the Dodgers in the 2025 NLCS en route to being swept despite being third in MLB in both runs and hits in the regular season.

In the 2026 regular season, Milwaukee was first in the sport in hits (1,422) and on-base percentage (.341), tied for first in batting average (.258), second outright in runs (832) and tied for 10th in slugging percentage (.403). Remarkably, though, the Brewers were tied for 28th in home runs (154).

Second baseman Brice Turang has been the star of the show for Milwaukee this season, posting 23 defensive runs saved at the middle infield position, driving in a team-high 100 runs and posting 7.3 wins above replacement, which was third among MLB position players.

Elsewhere, primary first baseman Jake Bauers hit a team-high 26 home runs, while driving in 86 runs and posting a .484 slugging percentage; left fielder Jackson Chourio totaled 25 home runs, 75 RBIs, 23 stolen bases and 4.9 wins above replacement over 127 games, while posting a .291/.351/.487 slash line; Chourio hit a walk-off, two-run single in a 2-2 count with two outs in Game 2 of the NLDS; William Contreras drove in 94 runs in the regular season, which led MLB catchers, and hit two home runs in the NLDS.

All that said, as productive as Milwaukee's bats have been, pitching remains the backbone of its operation.

The Brewers' starting rotation was second in MLB in opponent batting average (.220), third outright in strikeouts (907), tied for third in WHIP (1.14) and fifth outright in ERA (3.61). Ace Jacob Misiorowski posted a 1.80 ERA, an 0.80 WHIP, a 232 ERA+ and 252 strikeouts, which were all NL-bests, over 30 starts; fellow right-hander Logan Henderson recorded a 2.47 ERA, an 0.84 WHIP and 110 strikeouts over 18 starts. Meanwhile, Milwaukee's bullpen was third in ERA (3.40) and opponent batting average (.223) and tied for fifth in WHIP (1.23).

Of course, the Brewers are facing a potent Dodgers team that's among the upper echelon of teams, if not at the top of the mountain in terms of depth.

With the bats, Los Angeles, which features the likes of Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman, Mookie Betts, Andy Pages and Kyle Tucker, among many others, was second in the regular season in slugging percentage (.424), third in batting average (.257) and on-base percentage (.338), fourth in runs (801) and tied for fourth in hits (1,399). The Dodgers also had the fourth-fewest strikeouts in the sport (1,267).

On the starting pitching front, the Dodgers were second in ERA (3.43) and opponent batting average (.220), tied for third in WHIP (1.14) and fourth outright in strikeouts (904).

Los Angeles, which already featured 2025 World Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto, two-time Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell and right-hander Tyler Glasnow, acquired back-to-back American League Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal from the Detroit Tigers at the MLB trade deadline. Ohtani hasn't pitched since July 3 due to knee inflammation, but he has remained the Dodgers' primary designated hitter.

"From a pitching standpoint, they've got Misiorowski, who's as good as anybody and actually dominates left-handers. He's much better against left-handed hitting [.114 opponent batting average] than he is against right-handers [.209 opponent batting average]. The Dodgers are top-heavy on the left side. That could help Milwaukee," Karros said about the Brewers' pitching staff. "They also have Logan Henderson. At the end of the day, this series is going to come down to the Brewers' bullpen and matchup against the Dodgers' depth position player-wise and what [Dodgers manager] Dave Roberts creates."

Milwaukee went 4-3 against Los Angeles in the regular season, with both teams winning a series in the opponent's home ballpark. Game 1 of the 2026 NLCS is on Sunday night, with the entire series airing on FOX networks.

"I'm looking forward to the series as a fan. I think it's going to be a great series," Karros said.

Sean Payton Says He’ll Call Broncos’ Offensive Plays Against Chargers

foxnewsweb@foxnews.com (Fox News Channel) — Thu, 08 Oct 2026 15:24:36 -0400

Even with a talented quarterback in Bo Nix and a new wide receiver in Jaylen Waddle, the Denver Broncos’ offense still hasn't delivered.

Payton told reporters that he will be calling the plays starting this Sunday against the Chargers.

ESPN had originally reported that offensive coordinator Davis Webb will still be the main communication with Nix, but Payton would have the final say.

Denver fell to the Chiefs in its Week 1 road opener, 31-10, in Patrick Mahomes' return from injury; it then secured home wins over the Jaguars in Week 2 and the Rams in Week 3, but suffered its second loss to the 49ers on the road.

That puts the Broncos at 2-2, with both losses resulting from 14 points or fewer on offense, calling for a new solution in play-calling.

Webb got the keys to play-calling this offseason, with Payton still close by. But Payton made it clear that offensive play-calling needed a change moving forward.

"I think our focus needs to be more on the specifics and the detail of each play regardless [of who's calling the plays]. I think Davis is very fast, very quick, and understands what we're doing. I think that the most important job I have is really evaluating the whys," according to ESPN.

Payton's involvement will help Denver’s offense improve across the board, given its numbers after Week 4. The Broncos’ run game ranks 29th in yards per game with 81, and the offense ranks 27th in yards per game with 280.

Noticing glaring issues early on, Payton noted that correcting them quickly will be vital down the road.

"I think, collectively, we all after a game, and after a four-game sample size, certainly this isn't championship football, what we see. How quickly can we correct those things?"

With a Week 6 showdown with the Seattle Seahawks, who sit atop the league in yards allowed per game with 246, implementing Payton in a larger play-calling role in Week 5 will be the prime setup heading into a home game vs. Seattle’s defense.

NFL Trade Deadline: League Execs Expect A Handful Of Standout WRs To Be Targets

foxnewsweb@foxnews.com (Fox News Channel) — Thu, 08 Oct 2026 15:21:25 -0400

We aren't even in the heat of trade deadline season in the NFL, and yet we've already seen a few noteworthy trades across the league.

Last week, the New York Giants landed quarterback J.J. McCarthy, and the Dallas Cowboys swung a big trade for cornerback Joey Porter Jr. This week, it was the Baltimore Ravens' turn to take a swing, acquiring Pro Bowl center Cam Jurgens from the Philadelphia Eagles for multiple draft picks, including a 2028 second-rounder.

Who might be the next standout to move? With just over a month before the Nov. 10 trade deadline, we asked people around the NFL which players we should be keeping an eye on over the next few weeks, and which teams could be in a spot to sell. Here's what we learned.

Ralph Vacchiano: This could be a good year for teams that are looking for a boost for their offense for the second half of the season, because several talented wide receivers could be available around the trade deadline. And the cost might not be very high.

Multiple NFL sources told me that five receivers in particular could end up on the trading block — Marvin Harrison Jr. (Arizona Cardinals), Brian Thomas Jr. (Jacksonville Jaguars), Chris Godwin (Tampa Bay Buccaneers), Quentin Johnston (Los Angeles Chargers) and Jerry Jeudy (Cleveland Browns). All but Godwin are former first-round picks, and only Godwin and Jeudy are older than 25.

"There are a lot of receivers with size, talent, speed that, for whatever reason, don’t seem to be in their team’s plans anymore," one team executive told me. "And some of them aren’t going to cost a lot more than a Day 3 pick. If you need help [at that position], the upside could be high. Sometimes a change of scenery works."

"Sometimes we look at talent more than production when it comes to trades," an assistant general manager told me. "Maybe a guy is used wrong somewhere else. Maybe it’s the system. Maybe he doesn’t like the staff or the city. But if we see talent, we think we can make it work.

"And I think a lot of the receivers that might be available have some pretty obvious talent."

Not all of those receivers will be available, of course. Several NFL sources told me they doubted Harrison, in particular, would be traded — at least not at a discount price.

"He seems like something the Cards would want to hold onto to build around," the executive told me. "There’s so much talent there and he’s still only 24. I know they’ve got a new coaching staff there, but they’ve got to think they can figure him out."

Last week, Eric explored what could be next for Harrison amid his slumping start. Former NFL star T.J. Houshmandzadeh suggested to Eric that the Las Vegas Raiders, Buffalo Bills, Indianapolis Colts and Houston Texans could be fits for Harrison.

As for which players among that group of receivers seem most likely to be moved, the assistant general manager had a pair of names in mind.

"The two I’d be looking at are Thomas and Jeudy," the assistant general manager told me. "Liam Coen looks like he’s buried Thomas there, but man, he was sensational as a rookie [in 2024]. And Jeudy is yesterday’s news in Cleveland. That team has two terrific young receivers (Denzel Boston, KC Concepcion) and a tight end to throw to (Harold Fannin). They don’t need a guy that erratic.

"But he could definitely help somebody else if he lands in the right place."

Vacchiano: The biggest problem teams face at the trading deadline each year is finding the actual sellers, because the trading deadline comes after Week 9, meaning it’s at the halfway mark of the season.

And most teams don’t want to admit their season is over and start dismantling their team.

The big exception this year could be the Chargers, who several NFL sources told me they will be watching closely, especially if their season continues to go off the rails. Jim Harbaugh’s squad is already 0-4 and facing a very difficult schedule. With the Broncos, Chiefs, Rams and Texans up next, when the deadline hits, they really might be 0-8.

"They are the most likely team to pull the plug," one NFL executive told me. "Maybe Tampa (also 0-4) is another one, but the Chargers are intriguing because they’ve got some players there. A lot of us thought they’d be good — or at least a lot better than they’ve shown.

"And if this turns into a disaster, they need a real reset in the offseason. When that’s looming, sometimes [general managers] open the doors and take whatever they can get."

The Chargers do have some intriguing and expendable pieces that maybe could help teams in the playoff race. Khalil Mack is 35 and nowhere near the edge rusher he used to be, but teams are always looking for help in their pass-rushing rotation. And receiver Quentin Johnston has never played like the first-rounder he was and has had plenty of drop issues, but he’s also a 6-foot-3, 208-pound target who had 16 touchdowns over the last two years.

"They wouldn’t get a lot for them," the executive told me. "But that’s what happens when your season goes wrong."

Eric D. Williams: Expected nationally to compete for a Super Bowl, the Los Angeles Chargers have woefully underperformed this season as one of five teams that sit at 0-4 heading into Week 5 games.

But while the Chargers are cratering and showing no signs of climbing their way out of a deep hole, two league sources I spoke with said it's unlikely the Chargers would trade major assets away.

"No," one league executive told me when asked if the Chargers would move on from players at the trade deadline.

Another longtime scout provided more words when asked to explain why the Chargers likely will not move on from players at the trade deadline.

"Harbaugh has been fairly loyal to players he’s helped acquire, and I don’t think the personnel department is any different," the scout told me. "[Khalil] Mack just needs to retire after the season. Quentin showed inconsistent hands coming out and similar vibes to why Mike Williams wasn’t a long-term player, either.

"Also, that division as a whole is much improved, so there really is no need to panic … yet."

During the 11 years general manager Tom Telesco ran the team, the Chargers seldom engineered any midseason trades. Telesco sent cornerback Desmond King to the Tennessee Titans in 2020 for a sixth-round pick. In 2017, he sent Dontrelle Inman to the Chicago Bears for a conditional seventh-round pick.

But since Joe Hortiz took over as general manager three years ago, the Chargers have made some minor moves at the deadline. Just last season, the Chargers traded safety Alohi Gilman and a fifth-round pick for pass rusher Odafe Oweh and a seventh-rounder. The Chargers also gave up a sixth-round pick for Trevor Penning and moved safety cornerback Ja’Sir Taylor to the New York Jets for a seventh-round pick.

However, the Chargers have traditionally been risk-averse when it comes to making moves at the trade deadline because few pan out over the long haul. Along with that, Harbaugh has significant say in roster decisions and will want to ride the season out as long as possible.

Erling Haaland Wants Manchester City Fans To Be United Amid Guilty Verdict

foxnewsweb@foxnews.com (Fox News Channel) — Thu, 08 Oct 2026 14:02:48 -0400

Erling Haaland called on everyone at Manchester City to "stick together" in his first public comments since the club was found guilty of large-scale financial rule-breaking in the Premier League.

City will play Liverpool on Sunday in its first match since the publication of an investigatory panel’s verdict that City artificially inflated its revenue by more than $1 billion from 2009-18 to circumvent financial fair-play rules that restricted rival clubs in that period.

City was found guilty by the panel of all 80 of the serious financial charges brought by the Premier League and could be hit with severe sanctions — including being expelled from the top flight. City has lodged an appeal against the findings.

In an interview with Sky Sports published Thursday, Haaland — City's most high-profile player — said: "We have to stick together and we have to spread the love to each other. So yeah, stick together, enjoy the ride and smile."

Asked what his message would be to City fans traveling to Anfield, where a potentially hostile reception awaits the team, Haaland said: "We have to stick together, we have to stay with each other and we have to stay positive.

"No matter what happens in life, we have always have to have a smile. So we have to stay positive, look ahead and try to win football games and then try to enjoy the situation and the game."

City manager Enzo Maresca is likely to face more severe questioning Friday when he holds his pre-match news conference with reporters. It will be Maresca's first remarks on the scandal, with domestic soccer having been on hold for the past three weeks because of an extended international break.

The return of the Premier League offers rival team coaches a first opportunity to react to the City case that has rocked the world’s most popular soccer league and is likely to have a major impact on the remainder of the season.

They weren't rushing to judgment on Thursday.

"We’ve all seen the news. It’s obviously big news," said Frank Lampard, the Coventry manager who played for City for one of the seasons — 2014-15 — that has been under investigation.

"Man City are appealing the situation so I guess my reaction is that: what can you say when an appeal is going on? I’m not inside the story, I’m outside it completely — I played for Man City a long time ago, for one year — so we’ll wait and see what the result of the appeal is."

Bournemouth manager Marco Rose preferred to stay away from the matter, saying: "I’m a football coach, not a politician," while Newcastle manager Matthias Jaissle said he was "not able to judge" as a manager of another club and "there are authorities taking care of it."

In a similar vein, Leeds manager Daniel Farke said there were "more qualified people ... able to speak about it."

Speaking at the Leaders in Sport conference in London, Leeds chairman Paraag Marathe – president of the club’s U.S.-ownership group, 49ers Enterprises – said he believed "the most just result, I’m sure, will be delivered."

"In any sport, you know, everybody wants to play by the same rules," he added, without mentioning City.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

Vikings Star Justin Jefferson Gushes Over Chance To Play With Odell Beckham Jr.

foxnewsweb@foxnews.com (Fox News Channel) — Thu, 08 Oct 2026 12:46:52 -0400

Justin Jefferson and Odell Beckham Jr. have a few things in common.

First, they each played their collegiate ball with the LSU Tigers. Second, they've each been superstar wide receivers in the NFL. And now, they're teammates on the Minnesota Vikings, and the 27-year-old Jefferson is thrilled to be teammates with the veteran Beckham.

"It's definitely cool," Jefferson said in a press conference on Wednesday afternoon about the Vikings signing Beckham. "All of the years I've watched him play and looked up to his game and his play style, both on and off the field, how he carries himself as a superstar in the league and just managing it. We've been brothers for a very, very long time. The connection has always been there. We've always kind of talked about this moment and one day being able to play with each other, but for it to actually be here is definitely crazy.

"He called me last night to tell me that he was coming down and just the excitement on his face and just the excitement that we both share together, it was definitely a cool moment."

Minnesota signed Beckham to its practice squad Wednesday, which comes in the wake of Jefferson missing the team's Week 4 win over the Miami Dolphins with an ankle injury. Beckham, who was a Pro Bowler with the New York Giants from 2014-16 and spent the first five seasons of his NFL career with the Giants (2014-18), was released by New York last week after logging just one target in the team's first three games.

Beckham didn't play in 2025. Prior to the aforementioned gap year, he had one-year stints with the Miami Dolphins (2024) and Baltimore Ravens (2023), preceded by missing the 2022 season due to a torn ACL and helping the Los Angeles Rams win the Super Bowl in 2021; the Giants traded Beckham to the Browns in 2019, with the receiver playing two-plus years in Cleveland before being waived during the 2021 season and joining the Rams.

Over the three games he has played this season, Jefferson, a two-time All-Pro and four-time Pro Bowler, has totaled 13 receptions for 179 yards and two touchdowns. While Minnesota is 4-0, its offense has struggled, as the Vikings are last in the NFL in passing yards (156.0 per game), 31st in total yards (262.8 per game), 18th in points (21.5 per game) and 16th in rushing yards (106.8 per game).

As for their collegiate careers, Jefferson, who played for the Tigers from 2017-19 and was part of their 2019 National Championship team, is tied for third in LSU history with 24 receiving touchdowns, is sixth outright with 165 receptions and seventh with 2,415 receiving yards. Beckham, who played in Baton Rouge from 2011-13, is ninth in LSU history with 2,340 receiving yards and was selected by the Giants with the No. 12 pick in the 2014 NFL Draft after a standout junior season that saw him average 19.5 yards per reception.

Jefferson, Beckham and the Vikings have a road matchup against the New Orleans Saints in Week 5 (Sunday at 1 p.m. ET on FOX).

How to Watch Nebraska vs. Indiana Volleyball: TV Channel, Streaming, Time

foxnewsweb@foxnews.com (Fox News Channel) — Thu, 08 Oct 2026 08:31:24 -0400

No. 1 Nebraska visits No. 15 Indiana on Thursday night at Wilkinson Hall, a Big Ten matchup between two ranked teams. The Cornhuskers enter at 15-0 overall and 4-0 in conference play. Indiana is 10-3 overall and 3-1 in the Big Ten.

Nebraska's most recent result was a 3-0 sweep of Maryland at XFINITY Center in College Park on Oct. 3, taking sets 25-13, 25-20 and 25-15. Indiana's most recent result was a 3-1 win at Rutgers on Oct. 4, with set scores of 25-20, 17-25, 25-21 and 26-24.

Nebraska is unbeaten this season and holds the No. 1 ranking in the latest AVCA Coaches Poll, released Oct. 5. Indiana sits at No. 15 in that same poll.

The teams met once last season. Nebraska won 25-19, 25-16 and 25-22 at Wilkinson Hall on Nov. 22, 2025, a result that clinched the Huskers the outright Big Ten title.

Here is every Nebraska match left this season that airs on FOX, FS1 or BTN, current as of Oct. 8. All times are Eastern and subject to change.

Nebraska's schedule also includes matches on B1G+ and other outlets outside FOX's family of networks. Stream every FOX, FS1 and BTN broadcast with FOX One, which brings all of FOX's Nebraska volleyball coverage into one subscription. The Big Ten Volleyball Tournament runs Nov. 20-25 at Fishers Event Center in Fishers, Indiana, and FOX will air the championship match at 8 p.m. ET on Nov. 25 if the Huskers advance that far.

Nebraska's schedule is subject to change. Check back for updated start times and TV designations.

Dodgers And Brewers Advance, Yankees Are Out: 4 Takeaways From Division Series Slate

foxnewsweb@foxnews.com (Fox News Channel) — Thu, 08 Oct 2026 01:51:04 -0400

The Dodgers and Brewers are set for another collision course, while the Yankees simply imploded.

We're down to five teams left with World Series hopes. In the National League, we'll have a rematch of last year's NLCS. And in the American League, the Rays swept the Yankees and now await the winner of the White Sox-Guardians series for a chance at the World Series.

Here are our takeaways from Wednesday's action:

Rowan Kavner: Before the National League Division Series shifted from Los Angeles to Atlanta, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts gave a vote of confidence to his struggling All-Star center fielder.

After going 4-for-51 in the postseason during the Dodgers’ 2025 World Series run, Andy Pages started this October hitless in the first two games of the NLDS. He also was banished from using ABS challenges again after another failed attempt in a year full of them.

But Roberts stuck by the 25-year-old outfielder, who was one of the Dodgers’ most productive players this season.

"I’m gonna continue to give Andy leash," Roberts said. "I believe in him. I feel that for us to win the World Series this year, we’re gonna need him to be an active part of our team."

Roberts just wanted to see better at-bats from the whiff-prone outfielder, who had struck out in half of his plate appearances over Games 1 and 2.

The Dodgers’ manager didn’t have to wait long.

Pages responded with two hits and a run scored in Game 3, then delivered a game-breaking, series-sealing, two-run knock in Wednesday’s Game 4 to send the Dodgers through to the National League Championship Series in a 4-1 win.

"I've been preparing myself all series for a moment like that," Pages said.

Braves starter Tyler Mahle gave the Dodgers’ lineup fits, just as he did to most of his opponents after getting dealt from San Francisco to Atlanta at the trade deadline. Mahle, who had a 5.13 ERA in 18 appearances with the Giants and a 1.99 ERA in nine second-half starts with the Braves, held the Phillies to one run in seven innings in the wild-card series and the Dodgers to one run through the first six innings Wednesday night.

The only hit Mahle surrendered through his first four innings was a single to Pages in the third. Four innings later, the biggest moment of the game found Pages after reliever Didier Fuentes loaded the bases and Braves manager Walt Weiss called upon Robert Suarez with two outs and the bases loaded.

The free-swinging center fielder demonstrated restraint, taking the first two pitches outside the zone. He worked a 3-1 count, fouled off a four-seamer down the middle and then delivered the blow to end the Braves’ season with a base hit back up the middle.

It was the Dodgers’ only hit with a runner in scoring position during the series.

They hit eight home runs over the four games, including three from Max Muncy, whose solo shot in the ninth inning of Game 4 gave Dodgers closer Edwin Diaz some extra insurance before he locked down his second straight save to send the Dodgers forward to the NLCS for the eighth time in the last 11 years.

They’re one series away – a rematch with the Brewers in the NLCS – from a third straight trip to the World Series.

Deesha Thosar: If there’s any team to avoid making a mistake against, it’s the Rays. The Yankees know that. They learned that lesson the hard way during their atrocious, four-error performance in Game 2 of the ALDS at Tropicana Field. On Wednesday night in the Bronx, with their backs against the wall, the last thing they could afford to do was lose focus, or even get gassed.

Yankees left-hander Max Fried appeared fatigued and wiped out on his final pitch of the night: a 77.9 mph sweeper that he could not have hung more if he tried.

That was the dagger.

Rays left fielder Victor Mesa Jr. promptly sent it to the moon, breaking up the tied game with a go-ahead, two-run rocket. It was Mesa’s first career postseason home run, and it gave the Rays a lead they would never relinquish.

And that was how the Yankees season ended, by getting swept at the hands of their division rival. It’s a story we witnessed as recently as last year. It’s a problem the Yankees do not know how to fix.

Tampa Bay defeated New York, 4-3, and advanced to the ALCS for the first time since 2020. The Rays will go up against the winner of the other ALDS matchup between the White Sox and Guardians, with Chicago owning a 2-1 edge in the series heading into Thursday’s Game 4.

The Rays received offensive production from unsung heroes in their Game 3 clincher. Third baseman Junior Caminero was quiet — besides the throwing error he committed in the eighth inning. Yandy Diaz led off the game with a single, and then was sent down in each of his next three at-bats. Jonathan Aranda contributed with an RBI single in the third, but most of Tampa Bay’s damage came from their overlooked bench players.

Right fielder Ryan Vilade, who posted a 108 OPS+ in 96 games for the Rays this year, tested Fried twice on Wednesday. In his first at-bat, Vilade sent a hard-hit fly ball to the warning track in left. In his second at-bat, he took Fried deep on a solo shot to the short porch in right field. Vilade’s fly ball to right field counted as a home run in exactly one major-league ballpark: Yankee Stadium. Wednesday was Vilade’s first career playoff game. His home run was his first career postseason hit.

"It was pretty crazy," Vilade said. "Definitely didn't expect anything, like homer being your first postseason hit. You dream about it, and then to do it was really special. And I think, in the moment of the game, it was super cool as well. Just blessed."

Rowan Kavner: The questions entering October about whether a Milwaukee offense that led the majors in batting average and on-base percentage could successfully use that contact-heavy formula in the postseason, where home runs tend to rule, will have to be tabled for now.

So far, so good.

Hours after the White Sox lineup set a postseason record striking out 19 times, the Brewers punched their return ticket to the National League Championship Series showcasing the opposite approach Wednesday night, one that helped them win a franchise-record 103 games.

In a 3-1 win in the deciding Game 4 of the National League Division Series, they did not strike out until their 29th batter of the game.

By then, the Padres were already on their sixth pitcher of the night, Mason Miller, who was on the mound one day after celebrating the birth of his first child. This time, three days after suffering a blown save in a Game 2 defeat, the standout closer had no lead to protect.

The Brewers brought San Diego to the brink despite the Padres scoring first in each of the first three games of the series. On Wednesday, they flipped that script when Sal Frelick legged out an infield single, stole second base then scored on an RBI single by Garrett Mitchell.

That was the only run surrendered through three innings by October sensation Walker Buehler, who was making his first postseason appearance since finishing off the Dodgers’ 2024 World Series win. Fernando Tatis Jr. then brought life to Petco Park when he sent his second hit of the series 429-feet out to center field for a solo shot.

But the Brewers did something few teams have, answering the noise of one of the best home-field advantages in the sport.

Their pesky offense, which put 13 hard-hit balls into play, never went away.

"When I think back to last year, I think there was an element of maybe a little bit of lack of belief that we could do it, maybe a little too much doubt," said Jake Bauers. "And I think going into this postseason, there's a different feeling around the team."

There’s a tax to pay every time a reliever enters a postseason series. Hitters gain familiarity with each appearance. That might have caught up to the Padres in Wednesday’s elimination game.

Brewers star left fielder Jackson Chourio roped an RBI single off Bradgley Rodriguez, who pitched in all four games of the series. Sal Frelick followed an inning later with a sacrifice fly off Jason Adam, who pitched in three of the four games, to score Jake Bauers, who reached base in each of his four plate appearances. The Padres were clearly missing star left-handed reliever Adrian Morejon, who had been nursing a sore shoulder and did not pitch after Game 1.

Milwaukee starter Robert Gasser and a medley of Brewers relievers kept the Padres’ offense in check after the Tatis blast until the eighth inning provided a moment of belief, when Manny Machado sent a ball 406 feet through the San Diego night sky. He thought he got it. The crowd did, too, quiet in anticipation, ready to celebrate the game-tying blast, until Mitchell fought through a sea of Padres fans in the first row of the center-field bleachers to record the out.

The Brewers cooled off baseball’s hottest team and snapped a 12-game postseason road losing streak in one of the most hostile road environments in the sport.

Now, after surviving a four-game battle against the Padres, baseball’s best team will move on to face the favorites in an NLCS rematch between the Brewers and Dodgers.

Deesha Thosar: José Ramírez picked a great time to make his postseason stamp.

After forgettable and hitless performances through the first two games of this ALDS, Ramirez had his fingerprints all over Game 3 as the Guardians defeated the White Sox, 9-3, and staved off elimination. He went 2-for-4 with two runs scored, two RBI and a walk at the plate. Ramirez became the 10th player to record a double, triple and stolen base in the same game in MLB postseason history.

And he was excellent on both sides of the ball.

Ramirez, playing in his 14th season with Cleveland, saved multiple runs from crossing the plate on a spectacular play in the dirt in the sixth inning. After right-hander Hunter Gaddis hit Sam Antonacci with the bases loaded to force in a run, White Sox third baseman Miguel Vargas ripped a liner toward short that looked like it was destined to break through the hole and into left field.

But Ramirez snagged it straight off the bat for the final out of the inning. Just for good measure, he also fired a perfect throw to first, even though the inning was already over. It doesn't hurt to be sure.

"It’s a great mindset from the team," Ramirez said through an interpreter after the win. "I think we did the best we could because there’s no way back. We came out to compete. There’s no tomorrow."

The White Sox, who went ahead, 1-0, in the first inning, had a ton of chances to take back their lead. They put pressure on nearly every pitcher who came out of the bullpen to save Cleveland’s season. Chicago went 2-for-11 with runners in scoring position and left eight men on base.

Even then, as many opportunities the South Siders had, the Guardians simply created more havoc on the basepaths. That was their plan all along. Get on base, create pressure, and force the White Sox to make near-perfect plays. Cleveland went 5-for-17 with runners in scoring position, actually piling on when they scored on Wednesday, something it had struggled to do coming into Game 3. The Guardians have Ramirez to thank for being a central figure in their critical win.

"Josy, that's why he's one of the best players in the league," Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said. "He can hurt you with the bat, the legs, and the glove. He showed all that today."

With A Taste Of Tequila, Papi Salutes Teoscar Hernandez And The Dodgers

foxnewsweb@foxnews.com (Fox News Channel) — Thu, 08 Oct 2026 00:53:17 -0400

The Los Angeles Dodgers are heading back to the NL Championship Series for the third straight season, and remain on course for a World Series three-peat.

That's a cause for celebration in itself.

Which is why MLB on FOX analyst David Ortiz didn't mind saluting Dodgers outfielder Teoscar Hernandez with a swig of tequila after the team eliminated the Atlanta Braves in Game 4 of the NL Division Series.

Ortiz lauded Hernandez's ability to deliver for the Dodgers in crucial moments despite being on a team with more celebrated stars like Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman and Mookie Betts.

"Every time you come out quietly and do some damage, brother. … You always come through when they really, really need you. You always prepare for those moments," Ortiz said.

While Hernandez went hitless in Games 3 and 4 against the Braves, the 33-year-old outfielder had a crucial two-run home run in the 5-3 win in Game 1.

Hernandez, as he was drenched with beer and champagne by his celebrating teammates in the visitors' locker room in Atlanta, said he thrives when the team needs him the most.

"I love [the moments]. Throughout my career, I'm not afraid to fail. I think that's the key, and I try to pass that to thing to the new guys – don't be afraid to fail," Hernandez explained. "I just want to be that guy in that tough spot."

Hernandez came on late toward the end of the season after struggling this summer. But things turned for him in September, where Hernández’s final month saw him hit .341 with a .965 OPS, along with four homers and 18 RBIs.

When asked by MLB on FOX analyst Alex Rodriguez about the mid-season adjustments he made as a hitter, Hernandez credited his improvement at the plate to switching up his stance.

"I had like three different stances that I used throughout the season and the way I'm hitting right now is one of them. I used to have a little bit of a leg kick. Another one is similar to Shohei, to stay on the ground.

"And another is pulling my front leg outside and doing a toe tap. I do this to control my body, to see the ball traveling and use the whole field."

Hernandez and the Dodgers will be back in action on Sunday in Game 1 of the NLCS on FOX.

NFL Catchup: Eagles' Injuries Mount; Jayden Daniels Trending Toward Return

foxnewsweb@foxnews.com (Fox News Channel) — Thu, 08 Oct 2026 00:48:39 -0400

Wednesday brought a full slate of injury news across the league as teams finalized their first reports of Week 5. Philadelphia's situation keeps growing, while there was better news in Washington and lingering uncertainty in Baltimore and Los Angeles.

Saquon Barkley and DeVonta Smith both missed practice for the Eagles, adding to an already long injury list, but Jayden Daniels is trending toward his season return for the Commanders. Elsewhere, Lamar Jackson's Week 5 status remains up in the air for the Ravens, and the winless Chargers will likely be without right tackle Joe Alt against the Broncos.

Here's the latest from around the NFL on Wednesday.

Philadelphia running back Saquon Barkley and wide receiver DeVonta Smith officially did not practice Wednesday, both sidelined by hamstring injuries as the Eagles begin preparations for Sunday's game against the Jaguars in London.

Smith was already trending toward missing extended time after sitting out all of last week's practice and being ruled out against the Rams, and Wednesday's absence does little to change that outlook. Barkley, meanwhile, is considered week-to-week after the injury limited him to just four snaps in Sunday's loss, though he's believed to have avoided anything more serious.

The two join an already lengthy Eagles injury list that includes tight end Dallas Goedert (knee), linebacker Zack Baun (concussion), cornerback Quinyon Mitchell (knee), plus guard Landon Dickerson and tight end Eli Stowers on injured reserve.

Right tackle Lane Johnson's retirement earlier this week only adds to Philadelphia's depth concerns heading into the trip overseas.

Jayden Daniels could be back on the field for game action soon.

The Commanders quarterback was a full participant in Wednesday's practice, putting him on track to start Sunday at home against the Giants three weeks after dislocating his left elbow against Dallas in Week 2 — the second such dislocation of his career.

Daniels wore a brace on the elbow during practice that he'll continue wearing moving forward, embracing a new approach to protecting himself.

"I'm going to embrace the brace," Daniels said. Coach Dan Quinn said the team has been working with Daniels on technique to avoid re-injury, comparing it to how a running back protects the ball.

Daniels said he's still adjusting to playing with the brace. "Just trying to get used to it, it's kind of part of me now. ... I'm not really just thinking about it, I'm out there playing."

Giants coach John Harbaugh said his team is preparing for Daniels to play, and edge rusher Abdul Carter said Washington's quarterback won't be eased into contact: "With the injury he has, we want him to run. We kind of encourage it, just to see how he reacts."

Lamar Jackson sat out practice for the Ravens on Wednesday, three days after injuring his ankle in a win over Tennessee, and wasn't made available to speak. Jackson's ankle rolled under an opposing player late in the first half Sunday, and he didn't return to the game.

Head coach Jesse Minter said there's still time for Jackson to prove he's ready.

"There is a lot of time between now and Sunday. To Lamar's credit, he is getting a lot of treatment and doing things. There will be a point later in the week where we will figure out kind of where it is at," Minter told reporters, adding that Jackson has the experience to play without a full week of practice if it comes to that: "I think he's in that category, based on everything that he has accomplished."

If Jackson can't go, Tyler Huntley, who led Baltimore to wins over Chicago and Green Bay last season, would start in place of Jackson.

Several other Ravens also sat out Wednesday, including edge rusher Trey Hendrickson (finger), cornerback Marlon Humphrey (hamstring/calf), tackle Ronnie Stanley (toe/ankle) and guard Andrew Vorhees (foot), while tight end Durham Smythe (Achilles) was placed on injured reserve. Baltimore plays at Atlanta on Sunday night.

The Chargers are winless through the first month of the NFL season, and they were just dealt some bad news.

Right tackle Joe Alt is expected to miss the Chargers Week 5 matchup against the Broncos due to a neck injury he suffered during last week's loss to the Seahawks, according to NFL Network.

The Notre Dame alum didn't practice Wednesday, and he is now reportedly expected to miss Sunday's game against the Broncos. The Chargers have no plans to place him on injured reserve despite the absence.

Alt went down late in the first half with a neck injury and was replaced by Travis Burke. He was one of eight Chargers who sat out practice Wednesday, a sign the team is leaning toward resting him through the week rather than rushing him back for Sunday's matchup with Denver.

The Long Road Back: NFL Ties League History With 5 Winless Teams Through Week 4

foxnewsweb@foxnews.com (Fox News Channel) — Wed, 07 Oct 2026 15:04:55 -0400

There's a race to the bottom of the NFL standings four games into the season, including some surprisingly winless teams.

A record-tying five teams are 0-4 one month in, marking just the seventh time that has happened in NFL history and the first since 2019.

Some of the winless teams aren't too surprising, with Miami there as part of a rebuild in a season when the Dolphins are carrying a record $184 million in dead money charges on the salary cap. Tennessee is winless after back-to-back three-win seasons.

The other winless teams are a bit more of a surprise: Tampa Bay is there after coming into the season as the favorite to win the NFC South, while Houston and the Los Angeles Chargers are 0-4 after making the playoffs last season.

This is just the third time in NFL history that two teams started a season 0-4 after making the playoffs the previous season. It also happened in 1999 with defending conference champions Atlanta and Denver doing it, and in 1992 with the Los Angeles Raiders and New York Jets both starting 0-4.

The Buccaneers have lost four one-score games, with their minus-20 point differential the fifth-best ever for an 0-4 team, and the best since Minnesota was outscored by 19 points over the first four games in 2011.

The Chargers haven't been nearly as competitive, getting outscored by 39 points for the second-worst point differential in the league so far.

The start for the Texans has been frustrating because they have led in the final 2 minutes in three of the four losses, including a 34-30 loss to Dallas on Sunday when the Cowboys scored the winning touchdown with 40 seconds to play.

They are the second team since at least 1991 to lose three times in the first four games after leading in the final 2 minutes. The Chargers did it in 2016. The only other teams in the Super Bowl era to start the season 0-4 despite leading at any point in the fourth quarter in three of the games were the 2013 Bucs and 2011 Vikings.

C.J. Stroud is the first quarterback since 1950, when starts were first tracked, to lose the first four games of a season without throwing an interception.

Three teams have started the season 4-0, with Kansas City and Minnesota doing it after missing the playoffs in 2025. The last time two teams started 4-0 after missing the playoffs was 2013, when the Chiefs and New Orleans did it.

Reporting by the Associated Press.

Roll The Tape: Will Mike Macdonald Again Get The Best Of Kyle Shanahan?

foxnewsweb@foxnews.com (Fox News Channel) — Wed, 07 Oct 2026 12:59:27 -0400

The Dallas Cowboys just saved their season. The Chicago Bears are surviving without Caleb Williams. The Jacksonville Jaguars are the biggest surprise in the AFC. And the San Francisco 49ers and the Seattle Seahawks have picked up right they left off last year.

Each week, I dive into the All-22 coaches' film before offering a few insights to watch. Here are four developments that could be long-term storylines involving some of the best teams and players in the NFL.

If you enjoy watching a chess match on artificial turf, you might want to tune in when the San Francisco 49ers take on the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday (4:25 p.m. ET on FOX) for the battle of wits between Kyle Shanahan and Mike Macdonald. As brilliant schemers with voluminous playbooks loaded with creative play designs from various personnel groupings, the whiteboard matchup will showcase the imagination and innovative tactics of two of the league’s best coaches.

The 46-year-old Shanahan has revolutionized football with variations of a zone-based scheme popularized by his legendary (and Super Bowl-winning) father, Mike. The 49ers' run-heavy formations are built on off-tackle plays perfectly complemented by exotic pre-snap shifts, motions and condensed alignments. With the constant movement and misdirection leaving defenders dazed and confused, San Francisco routinely generates explosive plays on blown assignments and misalignments.

The 39-year-old Macdonald, though, has often neutralized the Niners by featuring two-high safeties, light boxes and various sub-package personnel with five or six defensive backs on the field. Additionally, Seattle varies its adjustments to motions to give the quarterbacks false keys on whether the coverage is man or zone based on defensive backs running across the formation. The Seahawks will occasionally run their defenders across the field, shadowing the motion man before dropping into zone coverage. They will also "rock-and-roll" defenders and meet the motion man on the other side in man coverage.

The ever-changing tactics and intricate pre-snap disguises prevent the 49ers from exploiting the "tells" opponents give away with their alignments. With the Seahawks stockpiling interchangeable, versatile defensive backs, light boxes let the "Dark Side" use the speed and quickness of their hybrid defenders to contain the run while staying over the top of play-action passes.

To accomplish this, the Seahawks rely heavily on their imposing defensive line to control the point of attack, with Leonard Williams, Byron Murphy II and Jarran Reed whipping blockers with their individual and collective athleticism and physicality. The trio's explosiveness clogs interior gaps and forces the 49ers to the edges against a group of fast defensive backs who excel at one-on-one tackles in space.

As Macdonald preaches a "12 as one" mentality throughout his team, the Seahawks’ defense takes the mantra a step further by playing like an extra defender is on the field through their effort and physicality between the lines. Against the 49ers, the Seahawks rely on that energy and flawless execution to match up with an offensive juggernaut that features blue-chip players at every marquee position, including quarterback (Brock Purdy), running back (Christian McCaffrey), wide receiver (Mike Evans), tight end (George Kittle) and left tackle (Trent Williams).

The 49ers’ offense has been rolling with its stars and veteran role players (see: Deebo Samuel and Kyle Juszczyk), making key plays in pivotal moments in a scheme that puts defenders in a mental and physical grinder. The complex shifts, motions, and condensed alignments force quick adjustments, while the downhill running game and "catch-and-run" aerial attack test every defender's open-field tackling skills and overall physicality.

While Macdonald has typically gotten the upper hand against Shanahan — his defenses have held the Niners to less than 20 points in five of six meetings, including without a touchdown in their past two encounters — the first edition of their 2026 heavyweight battle will feature a few new tricks and tactics that keep the defensive guru running to the tablet to see how the offensive wizard is creating extra gaps in the running game and free access for his playmakers on passing plays.

Given Shanahan’s attention to detail in crafting a game plan that meshes an ultra-physical rushing attack with a razzle-dazzle passing game, Macdonald will need to come up with another masterpiece to cool off the league’s hottest team.

While there is no disputing George Pickens and CeeDee Lamb as the most dynamic pass-catching duo in football, No. 88 is making a run at the NFL’s top spot overall. He's strung together three 100-yard games, putting him atop the league's leaderboard in receptions (37) and receiving yards (498) through four games. He is also tied for second in big plays (receptions of 20-plus yards) with seven.

Such numbers are even more impressive when considering Lamb is in a playmaker-by-committee situation with Pickens roaming the opposite side of the field. Lamb is coming off his best game yet, collecting 17 catches for 189 yards and a jaw-dropping go-ahead touchdown against the Texans that showcased his spectacular route-running skills.

Although the three-time All-Pro is an unstoppable force on the perimeter, the Cowboys’ coaching staff has set him up for success by putting him in motion to give him free access to his routes. Per Next Gen Stats, Lamb has been targeted on 46.2% of his routes this season when put in motion, the fourth-highest rate among wide receivers with at least 10 such routes. Additionally, Lamb has generated the third-most yards after the catch (164), while tying for the fourth-most missed tackles among wide receivers.

As a former punt returner with exceptional balance and body control, Lamb can elude and evade defenders in space, making him nearly impossible to contain in a scheme that keeps him moving from various alignments. With an emerging superstar on the opposite side commanding double coverage, the Cowboys have found creative ways to get Lamb his touches without disrupting the offensive flow.

Moreover, they've put one of the league’s premier playmakers in a prime position to dominate the game and re-emerge as WR1 in a league loaded with blue-chip pass catchers. With Lamb on pace to notch his sixth straight 1,000-yard season and remaining a model of consistency on the perimeter, he might be primed to claim the crown as the league’s top playmaker.

Bears head coach Ben Johnson has been celebrated as an offensive wizard since building Jared Goff and the Detroit Lions into a juggernaut during his tenure as OC, but the innovative playcaller deserves Bill Walsh-like treatment for transforming the Bears into a ground-and-pound machine that can light up scoreboards with or without Caleb Williams on the field.

While Johnson is properly recognized for his work as a quarterback-friendly schemer who can help former No. 1 overall picks maximize their talent and potential, he has quietly crafted some of the league’s most explosive rushing attacks with creative playcalls and exotic formations. After terrorizing opponents with an uptempo, three-receiver offensive package in Detroit that featured multiple running backs and wide receivers shuttling in and out of the game, he has crafted an electric offense in the Windy City that use deception, misdirection and creative personnel deployment to befuddle defensive coordinators around the league.

The Bears are among the league leaders in "12" (one running back, two tight ends and two wide receivers) and "13" (one running back, three tight ends and one wide receiver) usage, with tight ends Cole Kmet, Colston Loveland, and Sam Roush taking turns threatening the defense with their dual-threat capabilities as dynamic pass catchers and rugged in-line blockers. Although the Bears like to use the illusion of run-heavy formations to create explosive opportunities in the passing game, their heavy use of multi-tight end sets is part of a shell game that keeps defensive coordinators guessing when running backs D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai are on the field.

The duo has helped the Bears lead the NFL in rushing (196.3 rush yards per game), while doing most of their damage from spread formations against light boxes. Despite featuring run-heavy formations prominently in their game plans, the explosive plays and spectacular runs are coming on wide-zone plays with one tight end or fewer on the field. Additionally, the Bears have used more under-center formations, particularly with Williams on the sidelines, to enhance their potent running game with a complementary bootleg and play-action package.

With backside defenders unable to aggressively chase off-tackle runs to the opposite side of the field, Swift and Monangai have found plenty of creases and seams on impromptu cutback runs.

As carefully scripted game plans mix under-center formations, multiple tight-end groupings and perimeter runs, the Bears’ superior talent and tactics are producing explosive runs and time-consuming drives. For a team that loves to dominate opponents with physicality and pizzazz, the Bears’ high-powered offense has old-school football fans singing Johnson’s praises as an offensive guru with a throwback call sheet.

If you are scratching your head and wondering how the Jaguars have quickly emerged as title contenders under Liam Coen, you should take a long, hard look at a turnover-obsessed defense that specializes in stopping the run and taking the ball away.

Since the start of the 2025 season, Jacksonville has forced 39 turnovers (tied with the Bears for the most during that time) while registering 13 multiple-takeaway games. Given the impact of turnovers on game outcomes, the Jags’ success in knocking the ball loose or picking off passes is directly tied to their ability to win. They led the league in points off takeaways in 2025 — 110 points off 31 turnovers — and they have continued to take advantage of the extra possessions and prime field position this season.

Part of the Jaguars' success comes from their ability to stop the run and force opponents into long-yardage situations. Defensive linemen DaVon Hamilton, Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker, along with linebackers Foye Oluokun and Ventrell Miller, clog the holes at the point of attack, creating more opportunities to attack the quarterback in obvious passing situations.

Jacksonville is stout against the run because of its discipline and physicality in the trenches. The front line avoids "hero" plays that leave open gaps when defenders chase the ball instead of squatting in the hole and waiting for the runner to come back to them. As a result of its disciplined approach, Jacksonville has not allowed even a 75-yard rusher in 21 straight games — the fourth-longest streak in the Super Bowl era.

Studying the All-22 coaches’ footage, the Jaguars’ eye discipline and violent hands show up in every clip, with 11 defenders attacking blockers on the way to the ball. The organized approach and "hustle-hard" mentality that demands defenders finish at the ball carrier create a swarming unit that rarely concedes big plays on the ground.

In pass coverage, Jacksonville's reliance on zone-based concepts lets second- and third-level defenders keep their eyes on the quarterback, leading to more aggressive breaks on the ball. Additionally, the "vision-and-break" philosophy provides defenders with more chances to snag interceptions off tipped passes or overthrown balls in their areas. With ball-hawking defenders such as Travis Hunter, Jourdan Lewis, Antonio Johnson and Jarrian Jones able to convert errant passes into turnovers, the Jaguars have snagged six interceptions, including three in the red zone.

Although the Jaguars’ vision-and-break tactics and "bend but don’t break" philosophy have frustrated some fans who prefer man coverage and a more aggressive approach, their disciplined defenders continue to come up with timely takeaways when the field shrinks and pressure from a persistent pass rush ramps up in pivotal moments.

With the umbrella coverage also limiting the "explosives" (passes over 20 yards) that directly lead to points or scoring chances, the Jaguars have kept points off the board — they rank second in scoring defense (13.25 points per game) — and produced the turnovers needed to beat title contenders. As the defense continues to follow second-year defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile’s teachings, the Jaguars are quietly becoming a championship-caliber unit that can spark a title run.

Justin Verlander Reflects On 21-Year MLB Career And Emotional Decision To Retire

foxnewsweb@foxnews.com (Fox News Channel) — Wed, 07 Oct 2026 12:07:45 -0400

Justin Verlander officially retired from MLB after spending 21 seasons in the league. Now that his Hall of Fame playing career is behind him, it didn’t take long before he made his return to the sport.

Verlander joined the "MLB on FOX Pregame" crew on Tuesday night alongside Kevin Burkhardt, Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez and David Ortiz. Making his TV studio debut, he opened up about his decision to retire and reflected on what went into finally calling it a career.

"It was pretty easy," Verlander said. "I made my first start of the season and my leg started hurting. I’ve said my entire career, man, I love this game. I love giving it everything I got. I’m going to play until the wheels fall off. The arm held out great, but the leg gave out on me."

It’s hard to imagine a more fitting farewell to Verlander’s legendary career. As he prepared to walk off the mound for the last time after allowing two runs over 5 ⅓ innings with six strikeouts, the 43-year-old was greeted by his daughter on the field. The two hugged, causing Verlander to start visibly crying with his teammates surrounding him on the mound – making for an unforgettable, emotional moment between father and daughter.

If Verlander was going to say goodbye to the game for good, it’s the kind of fairytale ending almost every pitcher dreams of.

"It still hits me," Verlander said. "There’s so many thoughts going through your head, obviously just leading up to such an emotional weekend. Then to just be completely blindsided and look over and see my daughter running at me. It obviously hit me and it was pretty special."

Verlander leaves behind an exceptional legacy.

Over his 21 seasons in the league, he built a Hall of Fame résumé highlighted by two World Series titles, three Cy Young Awards and an American League MVP. However, what Verlander reflected on most was his durability and ability to maintain an elite workload year after year.

"I'm most proud of the volume," explained Verlander, who threw 3,802 ⅔ innings between the regular season and postseason in his career. "I really pride myself on taking the ball and just being out there for as many pitches as the game would allow. When I look back, I always said that if I’m out there for every start the numbers fall where they may, but [at least] I’m doing my job."

Verlander has given more to the game than most, becoming one of just 19 pitchers in MLB history to play 21 seasons or more. As he steps off the mound for good, fans can look forward to seeing him share his insights from behind the analyst desk.

Padres Going With Seasoned Veteran As Game 4 Starting Pitcher vs. Brewers

foxnewsweb@foxnews.com (Fox News Channel) — Wed, 07 Oct 2026 12:00:57 -0400

It's Walker Buehler's turn to keep the San Diego Padres' season alive.

Following its Game 3 win over the Milwaukee Brewers in the National League Division Series on Tuesday night, San Diego announced that Buehler will start Game 4 on Wednesday night (10 p.m. ET on FS1).

Buehler missed Games 1 and 2 of the series, as he was placed on the paternity list. He was activated Monday, taking the place of fellow right-hander Randy Vásquez on San Diego's roster.

Buehler made 32 starts for the Padres in the regular season, his most in a single season since 2021 — a year that saw the right-hander earn his second All-Star nod with the Los Angeles Dodgers (2019 was his other All-Star campaign). Over said outings, Buehler recorded a 4.63 ERA, a 1.35 WHIP and an 88 ERA+, while totaling 131 strikeouts and 0.9 strikeouts over 153 ⅔ innings pitched.

The 32-year-old Buehler has made 18 starts and 19 appearances altogether in the postseason, all of them coming with the Dodgers, with whom he spent the first seven seasons of his big-league career (2017-22 and 2024). Buehler boasts a career 3.04 ERA and 1.15 WHIP in the playoffs, while totaling 114 strikeouts over 94 ⅔ innings pitched.

The Padres went 4-2 against the Brewers in the 2026 regular season and are now a combined 4-0 at home against Milwaukee, which hasn't yet named a starter for Game 4. Prior to the divisional round, San Diego swept the Chicago Cubs in the Wild Card Series, out-scoring Chicago 12-1.

Regarding Game 3, Padres ace Michael King pitched the final two innings, getting a game-ending double play after putting two runners on the basepath in the top of the ninth. King pitching the ninth inning was partially a result of superstar closer Mason Miller, ironically, being placed on the paternity list before Game 3 and, therefore, unable to pitch.

The Padres, who trail the Brewers in the series 2-1, are seeking their first trip to the NL Championship Series since 2022. Should San Diego pull off the series comeback, it would face the winner of the NLDS matchup between the Dodgers and Atlanta Braves in the NLCS.

Justin Verlander, David Ortiz Put Their MLB Memories To The Test In 'Fact Or Splat'

foxnewsweb@foxnews.com (Fox News Channel) — Wed, 07 Oct 2026 02:58:44 -0400

Between the two of them, David Ortiz and Justin Verlander have a combined five World Series rings, 20 All-Star appearances and 3,088 games played in MLB. So, recalling facts about their own illustrious careers shouldn't be too hard for them, right?

Their memories were put to the test in a new game called "Fact Or Splat," with some help from Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez. The rules are simple: If you get the answer right, you get to drop a fruit on a giant cutout of your opponent's face; if you get it wrong, your opponent gets to drop the fruit.

How did Verlander and Big Papi do? Let's see the results:

Jeter gave the hint, "It’s someone that’s in the family." Ortiz immediately knew the answer: former Dominican right-hander Ramon Martinez.

The cake was a direct hit.

Next, it was Verlander’s turn to answer his first question.

Jeter asked, "Who was your first strikeout victim ever in your career?"

The recently retired right-hander did not hesitate: "Travis Hafner."

It was a fast answer, but Verlander’s toss did not make nearly as impressive contact with Ortiz’s face.

Next up: "Papi, this one’s for you. Who was your longest-tenured teammate?"

Ortiz played 20 years in the majors, 14 of which came in Boston. It could have been any number of players.

The answer? Dustin Pedroia. Ortiz’s guess was knuckleballer Tim Wakefield.

Verlander got better on his second toss and made a direct hit on Ortiz’s face.

Verlander looked around and said, "I’m going to go with Derek."

The ace nailed it, and down went a pumpkin onto Big Papi’s face.

Papi didn’t need much time to answer this one.

"Manny Ramirez, Mikey Lowell and myself," he answered before cake went falling on Verlander’s face.

Verlander got Max Scherzer, Rick Porcello, Tarik Skubal (he got a generous hint from A-Rod to get him) and Gerrit Cole.

The four players who Verlander missed: Dallas Keuchel, Zack Greinke, David Price and Robbie Ray.

MLB Division Series Roundup: Padres Stay Alive, Dodgers Put Braves On Brink

foxnewsweb@foxnews.com (Fox News Channel) — Wed, 07 Oct 2026 01:16:12 -0400

The Dodgers took control of their NL Division Series on Tuesday night, and the Padres ensured they'll have one more game – and another chance to rock out to "All The Small Things."

In Atlanta, Yoshinobu Yamamoto struck out a postseason career-high 10 in seven innings as Kiké Hernández and Freddie Freeman homered in the same inning against Braves ace Chris Sale for a 3-1 Los Angeles win. The Dodgers lead the series 2-1 and are one win from the NLCS in their bid for a third straight World Series title.

In San Diego, Jake Cronenworth hit a solo shot and Xander Boegarts scored on a throwing error to help the Padres beat the Brewers 4-3. That means the Brewers, who lead the series 2-1, will try to advance on Wednesday to their second straight NLCS.

In the AL, Wednesday brings the ALDS Game 3s, with the White Sox and Rays each up 2-0 and the Guardians and Yankees on the brink.

Here is what stood out from Day 4 of the MLB Division Series:

Every game in the Brewers vs. Padres series has been a nail-biter, and Game 3 in front of a raucous and packed Petco Park in San Diego proved no different.

With clutch hits and some beautiful defensive plays, we kind of don't want this series to end. Thankfully, we'll have a Game 4 as the Padres held onto a 4-3 win. In fact, every game in this series has been decided by one run.

The deciding moment was a wacky play in the bottom of the sixth inning when baserunner Xander Bogaerts showed off some nifty athleticism by avoiding the barrel of Miguel Andojar's broken-bat grounder. Brewers shortstop Cooper Pratt's errant throw to first was bobbled by Jake Bauers, allowing Bogaerts to scoot home.

Kudos to Padres pitcher Michael King, as well, who came in the eighth inning in relief to earn his first save since 2023 when he was with the Yankees. He showed some guts in the ninth when he got the Brewers designated hitter Christian Yelich to ground out into a double play to secure the win.

There will be some sighs of relief across the Gaslamp Quarter tonight as the Padres will try to stave off elimination once again on Wednesday.

Kiké Hernández was the surprise of a lineup Dave Roberts shuffled before first pitch to counter Sale.

Making his first start of the playoffs, Hernández came up in the fourth inning after Andy Pages singled and turned on a Sale changeup that stayed up, driving it into the left-field seats for a two-run homer to put the Dodgers ahead.

It was his 12th postseason homer as a Dodger and the 17th of his postseason career, and it raised the Dodgers' win probability by nearly 21%.

Freeman followed one out later with a solo shot to right, his 18th career postseason homer, for a 3-0 lead. Freeman had been robbed an inning earlier when Mauricio Dubón made a leaping catch at the left-field wall.

Sale, who had dominated the Dodgers earlier in the season, was gone after allowing three runs on seven hits in five innings. Hernández has a long record as a postseason hitter, and his homer was the swing that put the Dodgers in position for a series lead.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto made his first postseason appearance since closing out Game 7 of last year's World Series, and he looked like the MVP of that series. He struck out 10 in seven innings, a postseason career high that passed his previous mark of nine in Game 2 of last year's NL Wild Card Series, and he allowed just four hits, one walk and one run.

The Dodgers hadn't used him until Game 3, starting lefties Tarik Skubal and Blake Snell against the Braves in Games 1 and 2.

The Braves loaded the bases with one out in the fifth and scratched a run across on Drake Baldwin's groundout, but Yamamoto was otherwise in complete control. "I was feeling really good with my fastball," he said.

He is the first Dodger with a postseason start of seven-plus innings, 10 strikeouts and one run or fewer since Snell in Game 1 of the 2025 Wild Card, and the third Japanese-born pitcher with double-digit strikeouts in a postseason game, joining Shohei Ohtani and Hiroki Kuroda. He is 8-1 in his postseason career.

The division series continues with the NLDS Game 4 and the ALDS Game 3s on Wednesday. Here's how it will play out:

Messi's Final Match For Argentina Sees The GOAT Score One Last Time

foxnewsweb@foxnews.com (Fox News Channel) — Wed, 07 Oct 2026 00:15:14 -0400

Lionel Messi turned his official farewell to Argentina into a gala performance, contributing a penalty and two assists in a 3-0 win over Benin in an international friendly on Tuesday at the Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires, where the crowd offered a deafening final ovation to the genius who, for over two decades, defined the footballing pulse of a nation.

In front of 85,000 fans, the superstar capped off an international career spanning 21 years, 126 goals, a 2022 World Cup victory, and two Copa América titles.

Following a corner kick taken Messi, defender Nicolas Otamendi connected with a header to open the scoring in the 48th minute. Messi then provided an assist to young talent Nicolas Paz, who paid tribute to the star with an exquisite left-foot finish in the 61st.

Ten minutes later, Messi buried a left-foot penalty into the top corner, adding to his tally as the Albiceleste’s all-time leading scorer.

"Olé, olé, Messi," the crowd chanted in his honor.

Despite still playing at a high level at age 39, Messi announced on Aug. 31 that the end of his time with Argentina was set.

Messi played his final match — his 208th for Argentina — amid a spectacular fireworks display. He wore a special edition Albiceleste jersey featuring wider vertical stripes than the standard design, a giant sun, and a golden No. 10 on the back. The back detail featured a goat’s horns in the print — a nod to the "GOAT," referencing both the animal and his status as the "Greatest of All Time."

Ten minutes after kickoff, the referee paused the match to honor the Argentine captain. Rivals and teammates approached to greet him while fans rose for a standing ovation. Messi raised his hand in acknowledgment.

"Come, come, sing with me, and a friend you’ll find; hand in hand with Leo Messi, we’ll all celebrate the victory," the crowd sang to him.

A successor to the legendary Diego Maradona, Messi made his debut for the senior national team in 2005. But his journey was fraught with frustration until 2022, when he finally lifted the World Cup — a triumph that secured his place in the pantheon of the sport’s greatest players and cemented his status as a national hero in Argentina.

Accompanied by his sons Thiago, Mateo, and Ciro, Messi was overcome with emotion as the Argentine national anthem played, sung by a veteran of the 1982 Falklands War. Goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez tried to comfort him by placing an arm around his shoulders.

"It’s not a goodbye, it’s a ‘farewell forever,’ Captain" — that was the message Rebeca Arias and Daniel Lema emblazoned on a hat designed for the occasion. On the brim, they drew various depictions of Messi corresponding to each of the six World Cups he contested. The young couple traveled more than 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) from their native Tucumán to witness his final performance.

"We believe this is a unique moment. It’s all worth it — being here, making the journey we did. Something like this might never happen again with a player," Arias remarked.

In the last World Cup, Messi went close to another title, falling just short after a 1-0 defeat to Spain in the final. However, the runner-up finish didn't overshadow his remarkable performance in the tournament — featuring eight goals and four assists.

His contribution was so pivotal that Messi has once again entered the conversation for the Ballon d’Or, competing against the two top contenders to succeed him: Spaniard Lamine Yamal and Frenchman Kylian Mbappé.

The Argentine star remains the only footballer to have won the award eight times.

Before his farewell at the stadium, Messi received an honorary doctorate from the University of Buenos Aires (UBA), a public institution.

The academic institution presented the honor at the national team’s training complex in the suburb of Ezeiza. The star was awarded a diploma and a medal in recognition of his performance with the national team, as well as his influence both on and off the pitch.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Freddie Freeman Lauds Justin Verlander In Interview After Dodgers' Game 3 Win

foxnewsweb@foxnews.com (Fox News Channel) — Tue, 06 Oct 2026 23:46:08 -0400

After the Dodgers' win over the Braves on Tuesday night, a wholesome moment between two future Hall-of-Famers on a night full of stars stole the show.

Justin Verlander joined MLB on FOX's coverage of the National League Division Series on Tuesday night, assembling the most accomplished group of analysts ever. There were 50 All-Star appearances on set between Verlander, Alex Rodriguez, David Ortiz, Derek Jeter and Dontrelle Willis.

Game 3 of the Dodgers' series against the Braves saw reigning World Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto start opposite 10-time All-Star Chris Sale. After Dodgers legend Kike Hernández hit a two-run homer to give L.A. the lead in the third inning, Freddie Freeman hit a solo shot off Sale two batters later. Yamamoto struck out 10 over seven innings of one-run ball to seal the win.

After the game, Freeman joined the crew of stars and was surprised when it was Verlander's turn to ask a question.

"Hold on, ‘J,’" Freeman said, before reflecting on Verlander's memorable exit during the final start of his career back on Sept. 27. "Congratulations, that was so awesome to watch in that final start. Congratulations on the Hall-of-Fame career. Miss you and congrats."

Freeman was referring to the final start of Verlander's career, which saw him throw five innings of two-run ball. The three-time Cy Young Award winner and 2011 American League MVP got the win over the Orioles.

It was the moment after the start that will remain in fans' minds forever. As manager A.J. Hinch emerged from the dugout to take Verlander, whom he coached in Houston and Detroit, the right-hander's daughter beat him to the mound.

Nine days later, Verlander was in the star-studded studio talking about the MLB postseason.

Verlander asked Freeman about facing Sale back in early September, when the Dodgers first baseman notched a base hit against the Braves' southpaw ace.

Verlander's question: "Does that give you more confidence going into the game that that happened six weeks ago?"

"I mean, just like you, he's going to be in the Hall of Fame," Freeman said. "He's one of the best pitchers in this game. You're just really just trying to hope he makes a mistake, and you're on time for it. Really, it's an extremely hard at-bat for a lefty.

"Like I always say, against him, you got to be prepared to die. That's the mindset. If you pull off of him, you got no chance, and he's throwing behind you. So, if he hits you in the ear, you got to be OK with it. So, that's kind of my mentality, and, you know, I was thankfully able to get a good swing on the ball."

Before the game, Verlander reflected on his decision to retire, noting that it was clear to him early in the season that it was time.

Over his 21 seasons in MLB, Verlander built a Hall of Fame resume that includes two World Series titles in addition to his personal accolades. Those honors aren't what he's most proud of, though.

"I'm most proud of the volume," said Verlander, who started 557 games in his career, throwing 3,576 2/3 innings while striking out 3,560 batters. "I really pride myself on taking the ball and just being out there for as many pitches as the game would allow. When I look back, I always said that if I’m out there for every start, the numbers fall where they may, but [at least] I’m doing my job."

Heisman Rankings: Jeremiah Smith Overtakes Kamario Taylor On RGIII's List

foxnewsweb@foxnews.com (Fox News Channel) — Tue, 06 Oct 2026 20:37:19 -0400

Robert Griffin III has a new leader atop his list of Heisman front-runners.

After another record-breaking performance, this time against Iowa, Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith has taken the top spot. And at this point, it’s pretty hard to argue with him.

Smith leads a trio of stars at the top of RGIII’s list, with Miami quarterback Darian Mensah and Alabama quarterback Keelon Russell right behind him. Mensah continued his dominant season with a statement win over Clemson, while Russell helped Alabama take down Mississippi State.

Here are RGIII's top five Heisman Trophy candidates through five weeks of the 2026 college football season.

Griffin's take: "Jeremiah Smith is absolutely balling. He's the best player in the sport right now. What he just did to Iowa was unfair — 11 catches, 206 yards, two touchdowns. But it's really all the records he's breaking, and what he's done in the last five games. His first five games of the year: 44 catches, 823 yards, 18.7 yards per catch, nine touchdowns. He broke the career marks at Ohio State for receptions, receiving touchdowns, yards — 3,381 career yards. I mean back-to-back 200-yard games."

Griffin's take: "He might be the first quarterback taken. He has a fight with Jeremiah Smith to be the first overall pick in the draft. Right now, he's playing out of his mind. Darian Mensah is absolutely balling."

Griffin's take: "I love what I'm seeing from him because he looks like he's playing free. Every game, he's getting better. His completion percentage is getting better. His ability to take shots down the field is getting better. And he makes Alabama feel like they can be a dominant outfit again. Earlier in the year, everyone was like, ‘What’s it gonna be like with Keelon?' But he hasn't blinked, not one time."

Griffin's take: "I know they lost a bad one against Alabama. But he was No. 1 on the list, and from what he's done this year, he's not worthy of falling off that list. He's not healthy. He was not healthy against Alabama. That's not an excuse. It's just a fact. Now he gets a bye week. He gets to come back and, hopefully, he'll be ready to roll, and he can use his arms and his legs to climb back up this list because he's a special player."

Griffin's take: "He's been quiet, but Notre Dame is ruthless, man. This guy has completed 71% of his passes, 13 touchdowns, only one interception. I want to continue to see how he grows. Everyone's going to talk about their schedule, but at the end of the day, CJ Carr is balling for what they're asking him to do. And that's why he's at No. 5."

Cristiano Ronaldo Is Not Retiring, Blames Coach Jorge Jesus For Portugal Walkout

foxnewsweb@foxnews.com (Fox News Channel) — Tue, 06 Oct 2026 16:27:07 -0400

Cristiano Ronaldo is not following Lionel Messi into international retirement just yet.

The Portugal superstar said he will remain available to play for his national team, despite having walked out on the squad during the current international window.

In a long statement issued through the Portuguese media Tuesday, Ronaldo said recently hired coach Jorge Jesus had not been true to his word about when he would play the striker in the latest round of Nations League matches.

Still, the 41-year-old Ronaldo said he owed his teammates an apology and expects to receive a punishment.

"I can promise all my fans, and naturally especially all Portuguese people, that we will have one or more farewell matches. There will be time for that," Ronaldo said.

He added: "Therefore, if I am physically fit, playing for my club, hopefully scoring goals, then after serving whatever suspension is imposed on me, I will be available, as I have always been until today, to compete and win for our national team."

Ronaldo said he had agreed to a plan for managing his playing time and that he expected the coach to publicly clarify the situation and accept responsibility. He said Jesus did not follow through and instead spoke aggressively at a press conference, causing a breakdown of trust.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

Ohio State Legend Urban Meyer: Michigan Is A 'Train Wreck'

foxnewsweb@foxnews.com (Fox News Channel) — Tue, 06 Oct 2026 16:18:06 -0400

A train wreck is defined as "a violent and destructive crash involving a train" or "an utter disaster or mess." But for Urban Meyer, that's just the 2026 Michigan Wolverines.

"I don't see a fast solution at all, because I have not said this yet, it's a train wreck right now," Meyer said about the Wolverines on the latest episode of "The Triple Option." "I stood right there and watched it [on the sideline against Minnesota] … This is not all on [quarterback Bryce Underwood]. Unfortunately, he plays that position that is all on him. You know, whenever they win, the quarterback gets too much glory, and when they lose, they get too much blame. But that sideline, I just didn't feel the dudes anywhere. And I was looking. I was staring. You know, plays are going on, and I'm staring because I did that for so long. I'm saying, 'Where are the grown-a-- men?'

"And I didn't feel it. I didn't see it when there had to be a big stop. I didn't see the energy, and I just didn't see it … passion, energy and toughness. I didn't see it."

Michigan is coming off a Week 5 loss on the road to the Minnesota Golden Gophers, which marked their first win at home over the Wolverines since 1977; it was the site of FOX's "Big Noon Kickoff." This defeat for Michigan came one week after it lost at home to the Iowa Hawkeyes on a walk-off, 16-yard touchdown pass.

And, of course, the Wolverines beat the Western Michigan Broncos at home in Week 1 on a 47-yard, Hail Mary pass, which came after one second was controversially placed back on the clock. The Wolverines, who are in their first season with former Utah Utes coach Kyle Whittingham as their head coach, are 3-2 and unranked.

Michigan's offense is last in the Big Ten in passing yards (180.8 per game), 17th in the 18-team conference in both total yards (315.8 per game) and points (23.0 per game) and 13th in rushing yards (135.0 per game).

Underwood, who's in his second season under center for Michigan, has totaled 881 passing yards, five passing touchdowns, four interceptions and a 132.3 passer rating, while completing 59.3% of his passes. He has also rushed for 212 yards and two touchdowns.

Of Underwood's mere 67 completions, 49 of them have gone to wide receivers JJ Buchanan (24 receptions for 446 yards and four scores) and Andrew Marsh (25 receptions for 268 yards and one score).

Meanwhile, Michigan's defense has been among the elite in the sport, as the Wolverines are second in the Big Ten in both opponent yards (241.4 per game) and opponent passing yards (146.8 per game), fourth in opponent rushing yards (94.6 per game) and fifth in opponent points (15.8 per game). Senior linebacker Troy Bowles has a team-high 40 combined tackles, while defensive end and fellow senior John Henry Daley has three of the Wolverines' 12 sacks.

Following a Week 6 bye, Michigan hosts the Penn State Nittany Lions on Oct. 17. Of its seven remaining games, Michigan has four ranked opponents: No. 7 Indiana, No. 13 Oregon, No. 21 UCLA and No. 5 Ohio State.

As for the bearer of bad news for Michigan, the Buckeyes went 7-0 against the Wolverines with Meyer, who's now a College Football Studio Analyst for FOX's "Big Noon Kickoff," as their head coach from 2012-18, a stint highlighted by Ohio State winning the national championship in the 2014 college football season.

Catch Meyer and the "Big Noon Kickoff" crew in Lincoln, Nebraska this coming Saturday, as the Nebraska Cornhuskers host Indiana (12 p.m. ET on FOX).

Arch Manning vs. John Mateer: Inside The Red River Rivalry QB Battle

foxnewsweb@foxnews.com (Fox News Channel) — Tue, 06 Oct 2026 15:25:47 -0400

There’s nothing like a college football rivalry game. Legacies are made, bragging rights are claimed and memories are created. The experience for all involved is unique, and it’s one of the reasons college football is the greatest sport on the planet.

This week’s Red River Rivalry is no different. No. 1 Texas will take on an Oklahoma team still searching for answers on offense, setting the stage for a fascinating quarterback matchup.

On one side is Texas QB Arch Manning, an early-season Heisman contender, carrying the weight of the Manning name and leading the No. 1-ranked team in the nation. On the other side is John Mateer, a signal-caller trying to find his footing and help get Oklahoma’s season back on track. But here’s the interesting part: Take a closer look at the numbers between Manning and Mateer, and maybe they aren’t so far apart?

I'm going to dive into this matchup between quarterbacks and explain what Oklahoma can do to get Mateer back on track, as well as how Manning can better utilize a red zone cheat code he has on his side.

Manning is the field general leading an undefeated Texas team, and whether you believe quarterback wins should count as a "stat" or not, an unbeaten record tends to give a QB the benefit of the doubt. But here’s where the comparison gets interesting: Mateer has statistically played better in Oklahoma’s biggest games at Michigan and Georgia than Manning has in Texas’ marquee matchups against Ohio State and Tennessee this season.

That doesn’t tell the whole story, though. Manning’s numbers have been hurt by some costly drops from his receivers. Texas has had seven passes dropped this season, nearly twice as many as Oklahoma, and a couple of those misses have had a significant impact. Junior wide receiver Ryan Wingo leads Texas with three drops and should have had an easy touchdown against Ohio State after getting wide open down the field. In that same game, transfer wide receiver Cam Coleman also found himself wide open, only for what should have been a spectacular diving catch to somehow turn into a circus interception for the Buckeyes.

When a quarterback puts the ball in the right spot and his guys make the play, it builds trust and rhythm. Those two plays alone could have dramatically changed not only the game itself, but perhaps the way we’re talking about Manning’s season through five weeks.

While Manning has been impacted by costly drops from his pass-catchers, Mateer has struggled to anticipate throws and find a consistent rhythm with his wide receivers. In fact, on Mateer’s longest touchdown pass of the season — a 53-yard strike to senior wideout Isaiah Sategna III in Oklahoma’s 14-6 win over New Mexico — the quarterback admitted he didn’t even realize Sategna was wide open until he heard the crowd react to how wide open he was.

Yes, statistically, Manning and Mateer appear to be relatively close. But how they’ve gotten there tells a much different story — and it’s a story Oklahoma will have to hope it has figured out over the course of the bye week if the Sooners want to take home the "Golden Hat."

What’s most concerning is that this is Year 4 for Mateer in Ben Arbuckle’s offense. At this point, Mateer should be able to run this offense blindfolded. The fact that he’s struggling to play from the pocket and anticipate throws is an issue, but it’s not all on Mateer.

Bottom line: Arbuckle has to devise a better plan to help his wide receivers create separation. According to PFF, Oklahoma has the fewest targets with separation in the SEC, and that shows up on film. Incorporate more bunches, stacks and pre-snap shifts and motion to help create leverage for the intended targets. Give Mateer a pre-snap coverage indicator by displacing a running back or tight end outside the formation. That simple adjustment forces the defense to show its hand: Is it playing man or zone?

Getting that answer in the passing game is half the battle. If it’s man, you typically have the matchup you’re looking for or a concept designed to create an opening for a receiver. If it’s zone, you know the progression you’re reading and which routes should be available based on the leverage of the defenders.

Those coverage indicators can make a quarterback more confident and decisive after the snap. And for Mateer, that might be exactly what Oklahoma needs.

Manning’s biggest advantage in the red zone might be the size of Coleman on the outside. Coleman’s 6-foot-3 frame has made him a big-time red-zone target for Manning this season, with three of his four receiving touchdowns coming inside the 20-yard line. It’s easy to see why. Coleman has tremendous length and the ability to stop, adjust and high-point the football at a moment’s notice. For a quarterback, that’s a huge advantage because you don’t necessarily have to be perfect with your ball placement. You just have to give your guy a chance.

I had the pleasure of playing with two big-bodied wide receivers at Notre Dame in Maurice Stovall and Jeff Samardzija. The goal was simple: Once you got into the red zone, find a way to isolate one of them and give him a catchable ball so he could use his size and adjust to it. It didn’t always have to be pretty, but it did have to be catchable. Their size advantage typically led to one of three outcomes: a touchdown, defensive pass interference or, at worst, an incompletion.

That’s the predicament a player like Coleman creates for a defense. Do you bracket him and try to eliminate him? Or do you leave him one-on-one, knowing you also have to account for the run game and the possibility of Manning pulling the ball down and running? Pick your poison.

One matchup I’ll be watching closely is Oklahoma cornerback Eli Bowen against Coleman. Bowen is listed at 5-foot-9, giving Coleman a significant size advantage on the perimeter. Don’t be surprised if Texas looks for that matchup when it gets into the red zone this weekend.

If you listen closely, you can hear the whispers about a QB playing down in the Bluegrass State. Kentucky is best known for its horse racing, bourbon and college basketball. But there’s a new signal-caller turning heads.

Kenny Minchey began his collegiate career at Notre Dame, where patience became a prerequisite. He redshirted, then watched two transfer quarterbacks leapfrog him and become QB1. His chance to compete for the starting job finally came ahead of the 2025 season, when he battled CJ Carr for the position. Minchey ultimately lost that competition and settled into a backup role, finishing the season with 26 pass attempts, completing 20 of them, before deciding it was time to find his next opportunity.

The transfer portal window opened Jan. 4, and Minchey immediately committed to Nebraska, only to flip his commitment 24 hours later following a phone call with new Kentucky head coach Will Stein. Former Kentucky starting quarterback Cutter Boley had entered the transfer portal, creating a clear path for Minchey to become QB1. Stein and Minchey haven’t looked back since.

The Wildcats are 4-1, with big road wins over Texas A&M and South Carolina, including a dramatic overtime finish against the Gamecocks. Minchey has quickly established himself as one of the SEC’s top quarterbacks, throwing for 11 touchdowns with just one interception this season.

Kentucky received the most AP votes of any team outside this week’s Top 25, but voters still appear hesitant to fully buy in. That hesitation is understandable after the Wildcats’ second-half collapse in a blowout loss to Alabama in Week 2. A win over LSU this weekend could change that narrative entirely and those whispers will turn to shouts if Minchey keeps playing well.

A BIG ONE in the BIG TEN! And I'll be there as Big Noon Kickoff heads to Lincoln this weekend for the Big Ten showdown.

Nebraska is searching for its first win over a ranked opponent in 30 games, while Indiana is defending its national title after beating six ranked opponents during its perfect 16-0 season last year. Neither team has faced a particularly challenging schedule, but both are 5-0 and led by transfer quarterbacks who have been perfect fits for their respective systems.

Josh Hoover, the former TCU signal-caller, arrived in Bloomington with more experience and production than just about any quarterback in college football. That experience has shown up in his quick decision-making and timing. Hoover has erased concerns about turnovers, throwing 15 touchdowns with zero interceptions.

I think Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti and offensive coordinator Mike Shanahan have done it again.

Meanwhile, Nebraska wanted an experienced quarterback with more dual-threat ability after parting ways with former five-star Dylan Raiola. Anthony Colandrea has been exactly that. After stops at Virginia and UNLV, Colandrea settled in at Nebraska, throwing for more than 1,100 yards while ranking second among Big Ten quarterbacks in rushing. He possesses the dual threat ability that gives opposing defenses fits.

A win would give Nebraska coach Matt Rhule the statement victory he’s been searching for in Lincoln.

Hello, Atlanta, Michael Penix & Bijan Robinson: 3 Takeaways From Falcons Win vs. Saints

foxnewsweb@foxnews.com (Fox News Channel) — Tue, 06 Oct 2026 00:01:06 -0400

Superdome (New Orleans) — After a very ugly opening two weeks of the season, the Atlanta Falcons are quickly back at .500, while the New Orleans Saints keep digging themselves into holes they can't climb out of.

The Falcons improved to 2-2 on the season with their decisive 45-24 win over the Saints in New Orleans on Monday night, but what's more noteworthy is that Atlanta is now 2-0 with Michael Penix Jr. at quarterback this season. For the second straight week, Penix quarterbacked the Falcons to a dominant win in primetime as Atlanta has firmly placed itself in the race to win the NFC South.

Here are my three takeaways from Monday night's game.

In the previous six seasons, the Falcons didn’t have a single road win by 20 points or more.

Now they’ve done it twice in the last 11 days.

First with a 34-10 win over the Packers at Lambeau Field, and on Monday night with an equally impressive win over the Saints, the Falcons have shown an ability to separate from opponents that they’ve lacked for a long time.

The two routs coincide with the healthy return of quarterback Michael Penix. Obviously, the star of the offense is running back Bijan Robinson, but that wasn’t enough in two ugly losses with backup Cooper Rush at quarterback. But in two starts, Penix has taken advantage of defenses trying to contain Robinson — an efficient 18 of 25 for 256 yards against the Packers, and 15 of 20 for 223 yards and a touchdown in beating the Saints. His passer rating of 127.7 is a career-best, too, as the Saints' 45 points were the most they've put up in a game in 10 years.

It’s a strong reflection on new offensive coordinator Tommy Rees, who came to Atlanta with Kevin Stefanski and was entrusted with the offensive play-calling. The Falcons rotate Robinson with backup Brian Robinson, who had three touchdowns of his own Monday, keeping fresh legs late in the game for both backs.

Atlanta is home for its next three games, but they’re doozies. They take on the Ravens, Bears and 49ers, who are a combined 10-2 this season, so even one win in three would be impressive. Nobody is running away with the NFC South, but the Falcons need to keep up with the 2-2 Panthers, who routed them in Week 2 before Penix was playing.

Even without first-round pick wide receiver Jordyn Tyson, who’s been out with injury, the Saints have a top-10 offense in scoring and yardage. And yet they’re 1-3, thanks to an inability to start games well on either side of the ball.

Four games in, the Saints had double-digit deficits in three of those games — down 21-0 to the Lions in a one-point loss, down 14-3 to the Ravens in their lone win, down 13-6 to the Raiders in another close loss, and routed 24-7 in the first half Monday night against the Falcons.

They missed running back Travis Etienne against Atlanta, and he’ll miss at least three more games with his hamstring injury. The Falcons have Bijan Robinson, and the Saints don't. So, the first-half rushing advantage for Atlanta was 138-15. Yikes!

When the Saints rebounded from a 1-8 start last year, their defense gave up 17.5 points per game in the final eight games, leading them to a 5-3 finish. But in 2026, they were giving up 27 points per game in their first three, and the Falcons only raised that average Monday night. They’re a bottom-10 defense against the run and on third downs. Until that changes, the offense will throw the ball a lot in the second half and look like a better offense than they really are.

The fear going into the year was that the season-ending injury loss of Jalon Walker and the eight-game suspension for James Pearce would leave the Falcons without any real pass rush in the first half of the season.

That’s basically played out so far. After finishing second in the NFL with 57 sacks last year, the Falcons have just seven in four games, on pace for just more than half as many as last season. They’d gotten 2.5 sacks from Za’Darius Smith, who came out of retirement, but he missed much of Monday’s game with a concussion, so his immediate future is uncertain.

If they’re going to have a chance in these next three home games — all against teams in the top eight of our power rankings entering Week 4 — they need to be able to get in the backfield and disrupt even the backup quarterbacks they might end up facing.

Pearce can be a boost in the second half of the season, but the lack of pass rush is part of why the Falcons' defense has just two takeaways in four games, matching the NFL low. Not sure who the help is coming from, but it’s the missing piece right now to make Atlanta better than just a good offensive team.

Eagles RB Saquon Barkley Reportedly Considered Week-To-Week With Hamstring Injury

foxnewsweb@foxnews.com (Fox News Channel) — Mon, 05 Oct 2026 21:31:53 -0400

Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley is considered week-to-week with a hamstring injury, but it is not considered to be long-term, according to NFL Network.

Barkley was hurt during Sunday's 24-20 loss to the Los Angeles Rams and did not return. Head coach Nick Sirianni did not say Monday whether Barkley will be available Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars in London. "I know he'll do everything he can do to get himself back," Sirianni said.

Backup Tank Bigsby is reportedly headed to injured reserve after suffering an injury late in the game that requires core muscle surgery. The procedure will be done at the Philadelphia-based Vincera Institute, and the hope is that he will be back in six weeks or less, per NFL Network.

Will Shipley is now the lone healthy running back on the active roster. The Eagles have Dameon Pierce, Carson Steele and Jaydon Blue on the practice squad.

Philadelphia is also dealing with injuries on the offensive line. Left guard Cam Jurgens is in the concussion protocol after self-reporting symptoms Monday morning, according to NFL Network. Jurgens had moved from center to left guard to replace Landon Dickerson, who is on injured reserve with a knee injury.

Barkley had 174 yards on 34 carries through the first three games. He finished Sunday with two carries for eight yards.

White Sox Win Again: 3 Takeaways With The Guardians Now On The Brink

foxnewsweb@foxnews.com (Fox News Channel) — Mon, 05 Oct 2026 21:23:35 -0400

Two years ago, the White Sox set a modern-day record with 121 losses. Last year, they suffered through a third straight 100-loss season.

Now, they’re one win away from advancing to the American League Championship Series for the first time since winning the World Series in 2005.

Here are my takeaways from Chicago’s 4-3 Game 2 ALDS win over the Guardians:

After dropping the first game of the series with their Rookie of the Year and Cy Young contender on the mound, the Guardians took solace in knowing that Gavin Williams would follow Parker Messick in Game 2.

Williams, who led the American League in strikeouts this year, did his job.

The burly right-hander struck out 11, tied for the second-most ever for a Guardians pitcher in a playoff game behind only Charles Nagy’s 12 strikeouts in the 1996 ALDS, and then watched his lead immediately disappear from the dugout on Monday night.

After a leadoff single by White Sox third baseman Miguel Vargas to start the sixth inning, Williams — who threw 99 pitches or more 10 times this season — was pulled at 98 pitches.

"We couldn't have asked anything more from Gavin tonight," said Guardians manager Stephen Vogt. "He did his job and then some."

After his departure, Chicago’s hitters seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.

A Cleveland bullpen that ranked third in the American League in ERA and first in MLB in strikeout rate this season was unable to build a bridge to star closer Cade Smith.

Erik Sabrowski, who allowed an RBI double to Colson Montgomery in Cleveland’s Game 1 loss, entered the game and got a groundout before walking a batter, throwing a wild pitch, getting a flyout and then surrendering a go-ahead, two-run, two-out double to rookie Braden Montgomery.

Vogt then turned to reliever Hunter Gaddis, who promptly surrendered an RBI single to Chase Meidroth for an extra — and, ultimately, vital — White Sox insurance run. Cleveland seemed to hold the obvious bullpen advantage entering the series, but it hasn’t played out that way.

The ball chopped in front of home plate and hovered in the air for what had to feel like hours to White Sox pitcher Sean Newcomb, who corralled the first-inning grounder from Nathaniel Lowe behind the pitcher’s mound, turned, then pulled his throw so far down the line that first baseman Munetaka Murakami couldn’t even muster an effort to stretch for it.

This was "Guards Ball" in action, an encapsulation of a Cleveland team that has won three straight division titles despite an offense that routinely ranks among the league’s least powerful.

But it’s a dangerous way to live in October, and a Cleveland offense that has mustered just three runs and seven hits through two games could again be its undoing.

Game 2 began with White Sox starter Anthony Kay allowing two of the first three Guardians batters to reach, first on a seeing-eye single from Steven Kwan and then on a free pass. Newcomb entered and failed to extinguish the threat. He got behind on Jo Adell, eventually intentionally walking the Guardians outfielder to load the bases, before inducing the grounder he was seeking from Lowe.

But his errant throw sailed into right field and allowed two runs to score and gave life to a meager Cleveland offense that was held scoreless in Game 1 and a Guardians home crowd that, to that point in the series, had little reason to get involved.

Sean Burke, the bulk pitcher in yet another White Sox bullpen game, would restore order. Burke allowed just one run over 5.1 innings, at one point retiring 13 straight, buying time for the White Sox offense to dig its way out of an early hole.

Then Grant Taylor, two days after throwing 42 pitches in a career-high four shutout innings to finish off the Guardians in Game 1, returned for more. Taylor allowed an RBI triple to Jo Adell in the eighth inning then shut the door on the Guardians, recording the final four outs to send the series back to Chicago with his team up 2-0.

In Game 1 of the ALDS, Murakami had the two hardest-hit balls of the day. The first was a single. The second was a two-run, 440-foot tank to start the scoring off Messick, who had allowed just three home runs over the final eight starts of his sensational season.

In Game 2, Murakami picked up where he left off, starting the scoring again for the White Sox. This time, he turned on a 99.5-mph fastball from Williams, lacing it 106.4 mph off the bat to right field for an RBI single that cut the deficit in half.

Murakami has now knocked in at least one run in three of his first four playoff games, an auspicious sign for a White Sox team that needs him to be a difference maker.

But the 26-year-old former NPB standout is far from the only young White Sox hitter contributing to Chicago’s stellar start to the postseason.

Meidroth, 25, is hitting .400 with five RBI through four playoff games. Colson Montgomery, 24, has homered and doubled. Rookie Braden Montgomery, 23, delivered the big knock on Monday, and 26-year-old All-Star Miguel Vargas has already reached base six times in the ALDS.

This is obviously a nightmare scenario for the Guardians, not only because they dropped both games at home but also because they couldn’t secure a win with either of their two best starters.

Now, they’ll have to turn to Tanner Bibee, deadline addition Foster Griffin — who had a 3.06 ERA with the Nationals and a 5.19 ERA in nine starts with the Guardians — or a combination of bullpen arms to save their season.

If they can’t find a way to generate some offense, though, it won’t matter who’s throwing.

"Backs against the wall, this is where this team thrives," Vogt said. "You don't want to be in this position. I’m not going to sugarcoat it. We've backed ourselves into a corner. We know that. If there's anything I know about this group of guys, it’s that we love challenges like this. We are going to embrace it."

Is Ben Johnson Bears' Most Important Piece? Why Last 2 Games Suggest He Might Be

foxnewsweb@foxnews.com (Fox News Channel) — Mon, 05 Oct 2026 20:24:17 -0400

The Chicago Bears are 3-1 and have won three games this season with three different starting quarterbacks. With that, Colin Cowherd believes Sunday's performance is the latest piece of evidence of who matters most in Chicago: Head coach Ben Johnson.

"It is a quarterback-first league, but the guy who builds the culture is the coach," Cowherd said on Monday's "The Herd." "I think we've discovered in the last two weeks, as gifted as Caleb Williams is, the centerpiece of the Bears is Ben Johnson."

With quarterback Caleb Williams sidelined for a second straight game with a right hamstring injury, the Bears won against the New York Jets 23-12. Backup quarterback Tyson Bagent, who threw for 268 yards, and second-year running back Kyle Monangai, who carried a career-high 30 times for 146 yards and two touchdowns, led the way in the victory.

"Yesterday, a backup running back, a seventh-round running back, with a backup quarterback. Once again, it's 400-plus yards. I mean, they had more first downs than the Jets had plays," Cowherd said. "So don't look at the 23-12 score. This could have been 50-12. It was not competitive."

New York finished with just 157 yards and seven first downs and went 0-for-7 on third down. Cowherd pointed to the time of possession, with the Bears holding the ball for nearly 43 minutes, calling it, "like a lopsided college time of possession differential."

The Bears finished with 492 yards of offense and 232 rushing yards against the Jets. They set a franchise record with 34 first downs and did not record a punt in a game for the first time since 2014.

Cowherd also pointed to the Bears' commitment to the run under Johnson.

"It is the fifth time since Ben Johnson, the Ben Johnson era, the fifth time they have had over 220 rushing yards. This is not the 80s. This is not the 90s. That is a ton of rushing yards today."

Chicago won on Monday night in Week 3, 27-7 over the Eagles, with 38-year-old Case Keenum at quarterback. Keenum threw for 247 yards and two touchdowns in that game. Cowherd credited Johnson's system, rather than any single player, for the Bears' 3-1 start.

"[Johnson]'s done it with an old quarterback who we thought was retired, Case Keenum, who was 11-for-11 against the blitz. He's done it with a backup in Bagent. He's done it with Caleb Williams stylistically. It just doesn't matter," Cowherd said. "I'm in no way marginalizing Caleb Williams."

Cowherd went on to compare Johnson to other offensive minds he believes define their franchises across the league.

"The centerpiece of this franchise, and I've said it with the Rams — got to a Super Bowl with [Jared] Goff, got to a Super Bowl with [Matthew] Stafford. The centerpiece is McVay," Cowherd said. "Kyle Shanahan got [Jimmy] Garoppolo to a Super Bowl. Kyle Shanahan is the centerpiece of the 49ers.

"I think Liam Coen does a great job. He has shown that leaving Tampa, their circle in the drain, goes to Jacksonville and elevates Trevor Lawrence. There are these offensive coaches that I think are just separating themselves from all other coaches in the league."