A pig’s head was thrown onto the field during a match between Sao Paulo rivals Corinthians and Palmeiras in the Brazilian championship.
The incident occurred as Palmeiras were preparing to take a corner in the first half and Corinthians striker Yuri Alberto ran from the area to kick the ball out of bounds before play continued.
Alberto scored and Corinthians won the match 2-0.
“I almost broke my foot, I thought it was a cushion, I went to take it off with my foot, I gave it a kind of kick. It was a pig’s head, I almost hurt my foot,” Alberto told O Globo’s SporTV., external
“I have something new: the big traditional Sao Paulo derby, Corinthians-Palmeiras and someone threw a pig’s head onto the field (Palmeiras’ symbol is a pig),” South American football correspondent Tim Vickery wrote in X.
The situation was reminiscent of when Barcelona fans threw a pig’s head onto the pitch when their former midfielder Luis Figo returned to the Camp Nou playing for arch-rivals Real Madrid in 2002.
Globo and ESPN Brazil, external He reported that police are investigating and two fans were arrested following the incident, before being released.
Palmeiras fans adopted the pig as their mascot in 1986.
In a match against Santos they heard rival fans chanting “pig” and responded by shouting “And go ahead, pig! Ole Ole Ole.”
A few days later, the sports magazine Placar published a photo of Palmeiras player Jorginho Putinatti holding a pig in his arms.
Before we start things off here, I’d like everyone to know that if all my betting picks are wrong this week, I blame the time change.
The first week after turning the clock back is always a nightmare for me, but especially this year, and that’s mostly because I have a 4-month-old baby, and babies don’t understand how time changes works. I tried to explain it to him, but I don’t think he heard a word I said because he was too busy trying to eat his hand.
Of course, the irony there is that I’ll probably try to eat my hand on Sunday morning just so I have something to do to pass the time while watching the Giants and Panthers game that’s being played in Germany. On paper, that is easily the worst game of Week 10 and possibly the worst game that’s ever been on any nfl schedule ever. I mean, Giants fans barely want to watch the Giants play, Panthers fans barely want to watch the Panthers play and no one wants to watch them play each other. Moving that game 4,000 miles away was definitely the right move. Kudos to the nfl.
All right, the baby just opened one of the betting apps on my phone and I think he’s trying to bet the Panthers, so let’s hurry up and get to the picks so I can go stop him. Can’t have the baby betting on Carolina.
Thursday, 8:15 p.m. ET (Amazon Prime) Point spread pick: Bengals (+6.5 at FanDuel)
We’ve got a huge showdown on Thursday night with Joe Burrow returning to the stadium where his wrist snapped last season.
When I look at this game, all I can think about is the fact that Bengals BLEW a 10-point lead in the final six minutes against the Ravens back in Week 5 when Baltimore beat Cincinnati, 41-38. If the Bengals don’t blow that lead, then both teams would currently be sitting at 5-4 and no one would have any idea who to take in this game. Instead, the Ravens won and they’re now favored by 6.5 points.
Joe Burrow threw an interception with roughly three minutes left to play in the first meeting against the Ravens and I feel like he’s still bitter about it because he didn’t even bother celebrating after the Bengals beat the Raiders on Sunday. The man threw five touchdown passes against Las Vegas and he looked despondent after the win and I’m guessing that’s because all he can think about is beating the Ravens.
Not not only did Burrow throw five TD passes against the Raiders, but he also threw five against Baltimore, which means he has more five-TD games this year (2) than every other QB in the nfl combined (1). The nfl‘s other five-TD game actually came from Lamar Jackson, which makes me think we might be getting another shootout.
The Ravens have won six of their past seven games and a big reason that’s happened is because Jackson is playing some of the best football of his career. He’s coming off a game against the Broncos where he finished with a perfect passer rating, which makes him the FIRST QB in nfl history to record a perfect rating in four different games. Patrick Mahomes? Peyton Manning? Tom Brady? They didn’t do it. Lamar Jackson did. He’s also thrown for at least 275 yards in five straight games, which is a franchise record for the Ravens.
The Ravens passing game has opened up because everyone is so focused on stopping Derrick Henry. The only thing working in the Bengals favor is that they’ve already played the Ravens this year, so they know exactly what they’re up against. In their first meeting, Henry had just 30 yards through the first three quarters while Jackson had thrown for just 184.
Basically, the Bengals were holding Baltimore’s offense in check until the wheels fell off the wagon in the fourth quarter. The wagon then exploded with the Bengals still inside it and Cincinnati ended up losing.
The last time around, I picked the Bengals and not much has changed about how I feel about the matchup that we’re going to see. The Ravens still can’t stop the pass (They’re given up 280.5 yards per game, which ranks dead last in the nfl) and the Bengals defense still struggles to stop any team that’s even remotely talented on the offensive side of the ball (They’ve played four teams this year that are currently above .500 and those four teams averaged 35.5 points per game against the Bengals).
I see another shootout coming, but this time around, the Bengals aren’t going to blow their fourth-quarter lead. Also, I should note that the Bengals are now 1-0 since Macaulay Culkin dressed up as Joe Burrow for Halloween.
That’s not going to impact my pick this week, but I’m going to have to take into account the Culkin effect if the Bengals beat the Ravens on Thursday.
The pick: Bengals 34-31 over Ravens NOTE: I’m 6-1 picking my last seven Thursday games, and although you don’t have to call me “Mr. Thursday Night” just yet, you can if you want to.
Bonus: The SportsLine Projection Model reveals all its picks for Week 10, and has the Ravens prevailing in a ‘TNF’ shootout against the Bengals. Check out SportsLine for the rest of the predictions, including a shocking upset.
Pittsburgh (6-2) at Washington (7-2)
1 p.m. ET (CBS) Point spread pick: Steelers (+2.5 at BetMGM)
This is easily the biggest thing going on in Washington this week. Sure, there’s a presidential election happening on Nov. 5, but those happen all the time. I mean, this is the seventh one we’ve had since 2000. You know what doesn’t happen all the time? The Commanders starting the season with a 7-2 record.
As a matter of fact, the last time it happened came when Bob Dole was running for president, and if you don’t feel like Googling when that was, I’ll just tell you: It was 1996.
That’s right, the Commanders are off to their best start in nearly 30 years and all it took was Jayden Daniels falling into their lap with the second overall pick in the 2024 nfl Draft. Although Daniels has been the best rookie quarterback in football this year, I don’t have high expectations for him this week and that’s because he’ll be going up against a Mike Tomlin defense.
If you’ve ever watched a hot dog eating contest involving Joey Chestnut, you’ll notice that they’re never close and that he always wins. That’s basically what happens whenever Tomlin faces a rookie quarterback. Mike Tomlin is Joey Chestnut and the rookie quarterbacks are the hot dogs. Since taking over the Steelers head-coaching job in 2007, Tomlin has had 31 games where he faced a rookie quarterback, and he’s gone 25-6 in those games.
When you have a rookie quarterback, one thing that helps your offense is when you can get your running game going, because that takes some pressure off the QB. The Commanders have done that well so far: They rank third in the nfl with 163.9 rushing yards per game and they’re 6-0 on the season when they rush for at least 140 yards.
The problem for the Commanders this week is that no one has been able to run on the Steelers. There are only four teams in the nfl that are surrendering less than 100 yards per game on the ground and the Steelers are one of them. This feels like a game where T.J. Watt and the Steelers defense could take over, which is exactly what Tomlin is probably hoping to see.
Also, I should probably point out that the Steelers offense looks totally rejuvenated with Russell Wilson running the show. In his two starts, they’ve gone over 400 yards each time, which is notable, because that’s not something we usually see from the Steelers. Before Wilson came along, the Steelers hadn’t gone over 400 yards in back-to-back games since 2018.
The Steelers are coming off a bye, although I’m not sure Wilson actually took any time off, because he apparently doesn’t believe in bye weeks. He spent his “off” week THROWING PASSES on the football field that he had built in his backyard.
My first rule of making nfl picks is never pick against Mike Tomlin when he’s facing a rookie QB and I will not be breaking that rule this week. My second rule is never pick against a guy who has a football field in his backyard.
The pick: Steelers 23-20 over Commanders
Philadelphia (6-2) at Dallas (3-5)
4:25 p.m. ET (CBS) Point spread pick: Eagles (-6.5 at DraftKings)
Check out the latest DraftKings promo to get in the game.
When Jerry Jones told everyone during the offseason that the Cowboys were going to be “all in” this season, I’m starting to think that he actually meant that they were going to be all in on getting the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 draft, because at this point, that’s the only thing that makes sense.
The Cowboys offseason was bizarre, even by the Cowboys standards. For one, they could have made a play to sign Derrick Henry, but instead, they decided to use their free agency money on Ezekiel Elliott, who I’m not even sure wants to be playing for the team any more.
Elliott has missed THREE team meetings. I’m guessing that Henry has never missed a meeting in his life and if he has, it was probably to save a baby from a burning building. As we head into Week 10, Henry has nearly 400 rushing yards more than EVERY PLAYER on the Cowboys’ roster combined (1,052-656).
The Henry move comes one year after Dallas made the decision not to bring back Kellen Moore, which I’m only mentioning now because Moore is with the Eagles. Moore was the Cowboys’ offensive coordinator for four seasons and they were a top-10 offense for three of those four seasons, but apparently, that wasn’t good enough for the Cowboys. Moore ended up landing with the Eagles in 2023 and I’ll let you guess which team now has the statistically better offense. If you guessed the Cowboys, that was a dumb guess and you’re wrong.
The Eagles are averaging 377.1 yards per game this year, which is well ahead of the Cowboys, who are averaging 336.1 yards. One reason Mike McCarthy decided to move on from Moore is because he wasn’t the running the ball enough, which is a statement that is now dripping in so much irony that we all might drown in it and die.
If your plan is to run the ball more, you know who’s nice to have on your team? DERRICK FREAKING HENRY.
The Cowboys are a dumpster fire this season: Their two best offensive players are both banged up (Dak Prescott won’t be playing and CeeDee Lamb is dealing with a shoulder injury) and if they lose this game, it will likely be the final nail in the coffin for their season. I have to think that there’s nothing the Eagles would love more than to hammer in the final nail on the Cowboys’ season.
The pick: Eagles 38-17 over Cowboys
N.Y. Jets (3-6) at Arizona (5-4)
4:25 p.m. ET (CBS) Point spread pick: Jets (+1.5 at FanDuel Sportsbook)
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If you would have asked me two weeks ago who was going to win this game, I would have said the Cardinals by 30, but that was before I found out that Aaron Rodgers is drinking some sort of new secret concoction: cayenne pepper and water.
Before Rodgers started drinking the stuff, the Jets couldn’t beat anyone. But now, they look unbeatable. In what would be the most Jets thing ever, it’s starting to look like there’s a chance that their season could be saved by cayenne pepper and water. If they beat Arizona, I’m going to start drinking cayenne pepper and water before every meal. If they win again in Week 11, I may start bathing in the stuff.
Speaking of baths, Rodgers might need to drink an entire bath tub full of his pepper water if he’s going to lead the Jets to an upset over the Cardinals. At 5-4, Arizona has been one of the biggest surprises in the nfl this year, but their defense hasn’t been great. The Cardinals have been bulldozed on the ground and if the Jets want to win, that’s likely what they’ll have to do on Sunday. The Cards are 3-0 on the season when they hold their opponent under 100 rushing yards, but they’re 2-4 when their opponent tops 100 yards and BOTH of those wins came by exactly one point (The Cardinals also trailed by double digits in the second half of both of those games).
If the Jets team that beat the Texans in Week 9 shows up for this game, then New York should be in a good spot. They showed off a well-rounded offense and that’s exactly what you need to beat the Cardinals. Also, the Jets played on a Thursday in Week 9, which means they’ll have had 10 days of rest before this game, which means Aaron Rodgers will have had a few extra days to chug his special pepper water, and I can’t pick against a guy who chugs pepper water.
The pick: Jets 27-24 over Cardinals
Detroit (7-1) at Houston (6-3)
8:20 p.m. ET (NBC) Point spread pick: Lions (-3 at BetMGM)
Check out the latest BetMGM promo to get in the game.
First, let me start things off here by thanking the Lions. As someone who picked them to go the Super Bowl this year, I’ve never felt smarter than I do now. Last year, I picked the Cowboys to get to the Super Bowl out of the NFC and I still cry myself to sleep at least twice a week over that pick.
Through nine weeks, the Lions clearly look like the best team in the NFC and a big part of that is because Jared Goff is on one of the most insane runs that any quarterback has ever gone on in nfl history.
Over Detroit’s past six games, the Lions have gone 6-0 and that’s mainly because Goff has done this: He’s completed 82.8% of his passes, he’s thrown 13 touchdown passes compared to just one interception and he has a passer rating 140.1 passer. His passer rating and completion percentage are both an nfl record for a six-game span. Goff is officially doing things that Tom Brady, Patrick Mahomes and Peyton Manning never did.
And remember, he’s doing this with the Lions. Winning six straight games is almost unheard of in Detroit. Before this year, the Lions hadn’t won six games in a row in the same season since 1995.
I thought that playing outdoors might slow him down in Week 9, but instead, Goff was even better, and now, he gets to go back indoors to face the Texans.
Goff will actually be getting a stiff test this week and that’s because the Texans have one of the pass defenses in the nfl. Houston is surrendering just 167.4 yards per game through the air, which is the third-best number in the league. Of course, my guess is that the Lions are well aware of how good the Texans are at stopping the pass, so I fully expect them to only run the ball this week. As good as Goff has been this year, the Lions are arguably better on the ground. With David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs running the show, the Lions have averaged 152.6 rushing yards per game, which makes them one of just six teams in the nfl that’s averaged more than 150 yards per game this year.
I think the Lions are going to plow through the Texans defense. Nico Collins is eligible to come off injured reserve this week and if that happens, I could see Houston keeping this close, but if not, then I think the Lions win by double digits.
Actually, now that they’ve traded for Za’Darius Smith, I think they win by double digits even if Collins does play.
Giants 24-17 over Panthers
Bears 20-17 over Patriots
Bills 30-20 over Colts
Chiefs 27-20 over Broncos
Falcons 31-23 over Saints
49ers 34-24 over Buccaneers
Vikings 23-16 over Jaguars
Chargers 27-17 over Titans
Rams 30-23 over Dolphins
BYES: Browns, Raiders, Packers, Seahawks
Last Week
Best pick: Last week, I predicted that the 2-6 Jets would beat the 6-2 Texans, and guess what happened? The 2-6 Jets beat the 6-2 Texans. I would love to take all the credit for getting this pick right, but I have to give all the credit to the pepper water. As soon as I found out that Rodgers was drinking that stuff, I knew the Jets were going to win. No one who drinks pepper water ever loses at anything. Maybe the Cowboys should start drinking pepper water.
Worst pick: After watching one good game from Jameis Winston in Week 8, I immediately jumped on his bandwagon for Week 9 and that thing went off a cliff. Winston has been in the nfl since 2015 and he does the same thing every year: He wows you in one start, but then immediately throws 12 interceptions in his next start. Somehow, I forgot the second part of the Jamies Winston experience and I paid dearly for that in Week 9 when I picked the Browns to beat the Chargers, and let me just tell you, the Browns definitely didn’t win. Instead, Jameis went full Jameis and threw three interceptions with all of them coming in the second half. If I’ve learned one thing in Winston’s career, it’s that he’s completely unpredictable and I will now be flipping a coin for all of his starts going forward.
Finally, if you guys have ever wondered which teams I’m actually good at picking, here’s a quick look at my best and worst teams when it comes to picks this year.
My best picks record by team (Straight up): Titans (7-1), Texans (7-2), Jaguars (7-2), Raiders (7-2), Chiefs (6-2) My worst picks record by team (Straight up): Steelers (3-5)
Every other team is somewhere in the middle.
Picks record
Straight up in Week 9: 13-2 SU overall: 82-56
Against the spread in Week 9: 9-6 ATS overall: 68-67-3
You can find John Breech on Facebook or Twitter and if he’s not doing one of those things, he’s probably out buying $700 worth of cayenne pepper so that he can make his own pepper water at home.
November’s PlayStation Plus Essential games have been released.
This month’s essential PlayStation Plus titles are Hot Wheels Unleashed 2 – Turbocharged (PS4, PS5), Ghostwire: Tokyo (PS5), and Death Note Killer Within (PS4, PS5).
PlayStation Plus members can claim all three games until December 2, after which they will be replaced by a new set of titles.
Death Note Killer Within is a brand new game from developer Grounding Inc and publisher Bandai Namco, which also launched today for PC.
It is an online social deduction game for up to 10 players. “Players will be divided into two teams with different objectives,” reads an official description. “To win the game, players will have to discover each other’s identities and eliminate L, who threatens Kira’s power, or seize the Death Note.”
As always, October’s Essential games are available to anyone with a PlayStation Plus membership, regardless of tier.
They will remain in the player’s library for as long as they have an active PlayStation Plus subscription. If your subscription ends, you will also have access to the games, but when you rejoin the service, they will be available again.
Official PS5 Pro specs were revealed this week ahead of the console’s launch on Thursday.
Welcome to Week 10 of the 2024 nfl season. The trade deadline is here, and it’s midseason.
The Kansas City Chiefs are the lone undefeated team, after beating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday. Three teams — the Detroit Lions, Buffalo Bills and Washington Commanders — boast seven wins this season, while nine teams have only two victories.
In addition to the updated rankings, we asked nfl Nation reporters to pick the most important game of the second half of the season for each team. This could be a rivalry game, a matchup with playoff implications or one that might affect the team’s draft standing.
Let’s start with the Chiefs.
Our power panel of more than 80 writers, editors and TV personalities evaluates how nfl teams stack up against one another, ranking them from 1 to 32.
Jump to a team:
ARI | ATL | BAL | BUF | CAR | CHI | CIN
CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GB | HOU | IND
JAX | KC | LAC | LAR | LV | MIA | MIN
NE | NO | NYG | NYJ | PHI | PIT | SF
SEA | TB | TEN | WSH
Most important game remaining: Week 11 at the Bills
The Chiefs lead in the race for the AFC’s No. 1 playoff seed and the conference’s only playoff bye. The Bills are one of the few teams that can realistically catch them. If Buffalo wins, the race might get interesting down the stretch. If the Chiefs win, they can start making plans for a bye week during the wild-card round of the playoffs. — Adam Teicher
Most important game remaining: Week 17 at the 49ers
Lions All-Pro offensive tackle Penei Sewell said he rewatched last year’s NFC Championship Game loss to the 49ers at least 10 times in the offseason. After blowing a 17-point halftime lead, the Lions want revenge against San Francisco. That game still stings. Yes, the Week 15 game against the Bills is perhaps the toughest remaining matchup, but facing the 49ers again for a “Monday Night Football” showdown will be the perfect shot at redemption. — Eric Woodyard
Most important game remaining: Week 11 vs. the Chiefs
This game has an exclamation point next to it. Not only is it another matchup involving the Bills and Chiefs, but it is an opportunity for the Bills to take a step forward in seeding for the playoffs. The teams have met four times in the regular season since 2020 (the Bills have won three of four), but only one of those games was in Orchard Park (Chiefs won in 2020). During that stretch, the Chiefs have won all three playoff meetings, including last season. Beating the Chiefs in the playoffs is the big test, but this regular-season game has plenty of significance. — Alaina Getzenberg
Most important game remaining: Week 16 vs. the Steelers
This game could determine whether the Ravens repeat as AFC North champions for the first time since 2018-19 and get a home playoff game. The last time the Ravens beat the Steelers in Baltimore was 2019. The Steelers have been one of the few teams to frustrate quarterback Lamar Jackson. He’s 1-3 against Pittsburgh, throwing four touchdowns and seven interceptions. Pittsburgh is the only team Jackson has faced multiple times and recorded more interceptions than touchdown passes. — Jamison Hensley
Most important game remaining: Week 12 vs. the Cowboys
There are multiple reasons for this game. Washington plays two tough games in a row — hosting Pittsburgh and playing at Philadelphia on a Thursday night. If those games don’t go well, then the Cowboys’ game becomes one to regain momentum. But, even if those games don’t go poorly, this would be a chance to perhaps end Dallas’ realistic playoff hopes. And if Washington wins at Philly, it could get to 4-0 in the NFC East. A huge tiebreaker advantage. — John Keim
play1:01
Schefter: Players are interested in playing for the Commanders
Adam Schefter reports that players, ahead of the trade deadline, are telling their agents they would like to be traded to the Commanders.
Most important game remaining: Week 17 vs. the Packers
At this point, the Lions are in the driver’s seat in the NFC North. The Vikings have already lost to them once, and have a worse conference record if it comes to that tiebreaker. But beating the Packers, and sweeping the season series, could well be key to them securing a wild-card berth. The Vikings have already won at Lambeau Field and would presumably have the advantage in the second matchup as well. — Kevin Seifert
Most important game remaining: Week 16 vs. the Ravens
The Steelers don’t play an AFC North team until their first meeting with the Ravens in Week 11, but they exit their Week 9 bye still ahead of Baltimore. Every divisional game is important — especially for a team that hasn’t played any — but beating the Ravens could go a long way in division and playoff seeding. It also sets the tone for a potentially pivotal meeting with the Chiefs on Christmas Day four days later. — Brooke Pryor
Week 9 result: Lost to the Lions 24-14 Week 9 ranking: 4
Most important game remaining: Week 14 at the Lions
If the Packers have any chance to win the NFC North, they probably can’t afford to be swept by the current division leaders. They have already lost at home to the Lions (7-1) and Vikings (6-2) in the only two division games they’ve played to date, making the Thursday night rematch in Detroit a near must-win game. — Rob Demovsky
Most important game remaining: Week 16 at the Commanders
The Eagles play the Commanders twice in the second half of the season: On Thursday, Nov. 14, at home and on Dec. 22 at FedEx Field. Those games could very well determine the division winner with Washington (7-2) and Philadelphia (6-2) neck and neck right now. As it stands, the Commanders have a 50.6% chance of winning the NFC East compared to 48.2% for the Eagles, according to ESPN’s FPI. — Tim McManus
Most important game remaining: Week 14 at the Vikings
The Vikings are one of the toughest NFC teams left on the Falcons’ schedule, which ESPN’s FPI has ranked the weakest remaining in the league. There could be playoff implications here. More than that, though, it’s a revenge game for quarterback Kirk Cousins. The Vikings were not willing to commit to the veteran over the long term for what he was asking. Now, Cousins, at age 36, has led the Falcons’ resurgence with the third-most passing yards (2,328) and touchdowns (17) in the league. — Marc Raimondi
Week 9 result: Lost to the Jets 21-13 Week 9 ranking: 5
Most important game remaining: Week 17 vs. the Ravens
The Texans’ 2023 season started and ended against the Ravens. This matchup comes after they play the Chiefs on the previous Saturday. This will be a good test to see where they stack against the best teams in the AFC ahead of the playoffs. Since the Texans are on track to win the AFC South after sweeping the second-place Colts, their matchup against the Ravens could determine who earns the No. 1 seed in the conference. — DJ Bien-Aime
Most important game remaining: Week 12 at the Seahawks
While the most important game of the season might end up being Week 18 against the 49ers, which, very well, could decide the NFC West, for now, it’s this game against Seattle. If Arizona wins, it’ll be 3-0 in the division with wins against each NFC West team. That’ll help put the Cardinals in the driver’s seat of the division as long as they continue winning. — Josh Weinfuss
Most important game remaining: Week 12 vs. the Ravens
This game will be coach Jim Harbaugh’s first chance at revenge since losing to his brother, John, in Super Bowl XLVII with the 49ers. It will also be revenge for many of the Ravens’ castaways who are playing or coaching for Los Angeles. The Ravens are a Super Bowl contender, so the game will be a measuring stick for a Chargers team that has only one win over a team with a winning record, which came in Week 6 against the Broncos. — Kris Rhim
play2:23
The importance of playing catch for Jim Harbaugh
Jim Harbaugh chats with Alex Smith over a game of catch about his long-term expectations for the Chargers.
Most important game remaining: Week 10 at the Buccaneers
The Bucs game isn’t only important because it’s next on the Niners’ schedule but because of what that game could tell us about where this season is headed. The 49ers have made a habit of kicking into gear post-bye under coach Kyle Shanahan. Since Shanahan took over in 2017, the Niners are 43-18 after their bye week. San Francisco is also expecting to get running back Christian McCaffrey back from Achilles tendinitis. How he looks and how the 49ers fare on a long trip should offer strong clues on whether another finishing flourish is on the way or if this team is as middling as its first-half record would indicate. — Nick Wagoner
Most important game remaining: Week 15 at the 49ers
The Rams enter Week 10 tied with the 49ers (4-4), holding the tiebreaker over San Francisco after winning in Week 3 at SoFi Stadium. Los Angeles has three more division games — at San Francisco and then versus Arizona and Seattle at home to end the season — but a prime-time matchup with the reigning division champions in five weeks should give a clear picture of how the teams stack up down the stretch. — Sarah Barshop
Week 9 result: Lost to the Chiefs 30-24 (OT) Week 9 ranking: 13
Most important game remaining: Week 10 vs the 49ers
If the Falcons start to run away with the division, the Bucs will need to rely on a wild-card spot to reach the playoffs as they did in 2020, which is where a 4-4 Niners team comes in. Considering the Bucs haven’t beaten the Niners since 2018, it would be a huge momentum boost as they enter their Week 11 bye. Then after the bye, Mike Evans (hamstring) returns, and their only remaining opponent with a winning record would be the Chargers in Week 15. — Jenna Laine
Week 9 result: Lost to the Ravens 41-10 Week 9 ranking: 16
Most important game remaining: Week 11 vs. the Falcons
A win in Baltimore this past Sunday would have changed some things, but the 31-point loss to the Ravens might have recalibrated the Broncos’ confidence a bit. The road game against the Bengals in Week 17 looms large for the Broncos’ playoff hopes, but they have to keep themselves in the race first. The now 5-4 Broncos are in Kansas City on Sunday, where they haven’t won since 2015. If they don’t break that streak, they’ll need to beat the Falcons to remain above .500. And if they are going to cling to the playoff chase, they need to get to their Week 14 bye with no more losses to be ready for a stretch push. — Jeff Legwold
Week 9 result: Lost to the Rams 26-20 (OT) Week 9 ranking: 14
Most important game remaining: Week 11 at the 49ers
You could pick any of the Seahawks’ four remaining division contests given how tightly packed the NFC West is, with only one game separating first-place Arizona and last-place Seattle. But their next game is the most important one, and not in a coach-speak sense. There’s the practical matter of needing to beat the 49ers to avoid a season sweep and the tiebreaker going to San Francisco. But they also need a win given how deflating it would be to lose six of their past seven games and seven straight to their divisional rivals — coming off a bye, no less. — Brady Henderson
Most important game remaining: Week 11 vs. the Chargers
Let’s look at this according to quarterback Joe Burrow’s napkin math. For Cincinnati to make the playoffs, the Bengals can lose only two more games before things get dicey. Per ESPN’s FPI, the Chargers have a slight advantage in a home game against Cincinnati. If the Bengals lose to the Ravens on Thursday, a defeat to the Chargers the following week will leave no margin for error if Cincinnati wants to feel remotely confident about the postseason. — Ben Baby
play0:35
Why Tyler Fulghum is taking the over for Ravens-Bengals
Tyler Fulghum breaks down why he’s leaning towards the over in a potential shootout between the Bengals and Ravens to kick off Week 10.
Week 9 result: Lost to the Cardinals 29-9 Week 9 ranking: 15
Most important game remaining: Week 10 vs. the Patriots
Coach Matt Eberflus’ future in Chicago is hanging in the balance after two confounding losses coming off the team’s bye week. The first 10 weeks is where the Bears needed to stack wins given how difficult their schedule becomes in Week 11 with six NFC North games in eight weeks. If the Bears don’t beat the Patriots to get back over .500, the noise around whether Eberflus is the right fit after three seasons and whether he’s a hindrance to quarterback Caleb Williams’ growth will grow only louder. — Courtney Cronin
Week 9 result: Lost to the Vikings 21-13 Week 9 ranking: 21
Most important game remaining: Week 10 vs. the Bills
The Colts’ season is in a precarious spot, with Indianapolis falling below .500 after Sunday night’s loss. If the Colts are going to stay in the playoff race, they need to steal a win in a rare home game amid a stretch of five of seven road games. Can the Colts get their offense — and quarterback situation — figured out against a defense that’s top 10 in scoring defense (19.2 points per game), defensive EPA (12.2) and opponent QBR (50.4)? — Stephen Holder
Week 9 result: Lost to the Falcons 27-21 Week 9 ranking: 20
Most important game remaining: Week 10 vs. the Eagles
Why wait? After losing three in a row, the Cowboys need a win in a bad way. Dallas is pinning its hopes on winning the division, which makes this game even more important. With a loss, its odds go down. But according to ESPN Research, at least one team starting 3-6 or worse has made the playoffs in each of the previous four seasons. But what would make you believe the Cowboys can make it five straight seasons? — Todd Archer
Week 9 result: Lost to the Bills 30-27 Week 9 ranking: 23
Most important game remaining: Week 10 vs the Rams
Looking ahead is a luxury reserved for teams whose seasons aren’t on the line. The most important game for the Dolphins, to borrow a term from many football coaches over the years, is the next one. If the Dolphins fall to 2-7, a playoff run would require perfection through the final eight games of the season. ESPN’s FPI gives Miami a 6.6% chance at making the playoffs; another loss probably would shift focus from the 2024 season to the 2025 draft. — Marcel Louis-Jacques
Most important game remaining: Week 10 vs. the Cardinals
Yes, that’s right, this week. At 3-6, the Jets have virtually no margin for error to keep alive their faint playoff hopes. They played their best half of the season in Thursday’s win over the Texans, outscoring them 21-6 in the second half. That might have been a turning point — or maybe it was just a tease. How they fare against the streaking Cardinals, winners of three straight, will go a long way toward defining their season. — Rich Cimini
Week 9 result: Lost to the Chargers 27-10 Week 9 ranking: 26
Most important game remaining: Week 11 vs. the Saints
Five of the Browns’ final eight opponents have winning records, but Cleveland enters its bye week as one of nine teams with two wins. The Browns’ road game against the Saints could have huge ramifications for the franchise’s long-term prospects. ESPN Analytics gives Cleveland a 36.9% chance to get a top-five pick in the 2025 draft, slightly below the Saints’ projections. That head-to-head matchup could loom large for draft positioning and possibly acquiring a franchise quarterback. — Daniel Oyefusi
Week 9 result: Lost to the Eagles 28-23 Week 9 ranking: 30
Most important game remaining: Week 11 at the Lions
The Jaguars and Lions were supposed to be on similar trajectories after they both finished the 2022 season 9-8, but the Lions are now one of the best teams in the nfl and the Jaguars have gotten worse. This game will show just how far apart the two franchises are — and the gulf is considerable, especially with the Jaguars fielding one of the nfl‘s worst defenses. The bye week follows and if owner Shad Khan decides to make a coaching move before the season ends, that would be the logical week to do it. — Michael DiRocco
Week 9 result: Lost to the Commanders 27-22 Week 9 ranking: 28
Most important game remaining: Week 10 vs. the Panthers
The Giants are playing Sunday morning in Germany for the football world to see. Losing this game to what many consider the nfl‘s worst team would be a bad look, and it would provide a sinking feeling heading into the bye. Coach Brian Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen need to avoid another 2-8 start, which could spiral out of control with a quarterback decision on the horizon. — Jordan Raanan
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Daniel Jones’ Week 9 fantasy recap
Check out the stats and figures behind Daniel Jones’ fantasy performance in the Giants’ loss vs. the Commanders.
Most important game remaining: Week 12 vs. the Texans
The Titans have faced an AFC South division opponent only once this season, resulting in a 20-17 loss to the Colts. Week 12 kicks off a stretch of five divisional matchups in their final seven games. Starting off with a win over the Texans, who probably will still be on top of the AFC South, would give Tennessee a tremendous boost and help the Titans finish strong. — Turron Davenport
Week 9 result: Lost to the Panthers 23-22 Week 9 ranking: 24
Most important game remaining: Week 10 vs. the Falcons
The game against the Falcons is the most important on the schedule because it’s the next one. It might be a cliché, but the Saints need a win, any win, to even attempt to salvage a season that went completely south after a 2-0 start. The Saints fired coach Dennis Allen on Monday after losing to the Panthers, but they still have a lot of games left on the schedule to get through, so they’ll need to figure out how to win the first one before anything else. — Katherine Terrell
Week 9 result: Lost to the Titans 20-17 (OT) Week 9 ranking: 29
Most important game remaining: Week 12 vs. the Dolphins
The Patriots are one of nine teams with only two wins this season, which means their draft position could vary considerably depending on how things shake out. The Dolphins, who already recorded a 15-10 win over the Patriots in Week 5, are among that group. The rematch between the teams takes place in South Florida, which has traditionally been a hard place for the Patriots to win. — Mike Reiss
Week 9 result: Lost to the Bengals 41-24 Week 9 ranking: 25
Most important game remaining: Week 11 at the Dolphins
Or, the next one. And why not? The Raiders will be coming off their bye week with a new offensive playcaller in place, new position coaches at QB and O-line and perhaps a new starting quarterback in Desmond Ridder. Coach Antonio Pierce says he is using the bye week to “reset” the season for the Raiders, who are riding a five-game losing streak for the first time since 2018. Obviously, the most important game for such a team is its next one. — Paul Gutierrez
Most important game remaining: Week 10 vs. the Giants
Any momentum the Panthers gained from Sunday’s win against the undermanned Saints will be wasted if they can’t follow it up with a win against the 2-7 Giants. The rest of the schedule is tough with the Chiefs, Buccaneers and Eagles before the next possible winnable game against the 3-5 Cowboys. Then they close against the hot Cardinals, Buccaneers and Falcons. To make any kind of a run, it has to start now. — David Newton
Sylhet Division They are No. 1 in the table after their four-wicket win against Rangpur Division in the third round of the NCL in Bogra. Rejaur Rahman Raja was the all-round hero after his maiden half-century helped Sylhet chase 190 in the fourth innings.
Sent as night watchman on the third night, Rejaur added 56 runs for the third wicket with Pinak Ghosh, who made 42, before making 59 runs that lasted two and a half hours on the fourth day. Sylhet captain Amite Hasan completed the 190-run chase with his unbeaten 37.
Sylhet fast bowlers clinched their victory in the low-scoring game by taking all ten wickets in Rangpur’s first innings. Rangpur were bowled out for 158, before Sylhet took a 31-run lead. Rangpur responded with 220, with fifties from Tanbir Hayder and Nobin Islam. The pair added 149 runs for the seventh wicket. Sylhet remains the only undefeated team in the NCL.
Batting first, Khulna made 376 with centuries from openers Anamul Haque and Amit Majumder. They are the second opening pair from Khulna to score centuries in the same innings. Amit top-scored with 145, also the highest score of his career, with 14 fours and three sixes. Anamul’s 125 was his 24th century in first-class cricket, but Khulna collapsed from 330 for 2 to 376 all out.
Mahedi took 5-62 to help defeat Dhaka Metro for 210 runs, before Marshall Ayub led a counter-attack with his 152. It was his 26th first-class century as he batted for over six hours. Aminul Islam made 73 and the pair added 182 runs for the fifth wicket. Mahedi took 5-88.
Khulna then chased down 207 runs in 35 overs with quick fifties from Anamul and Imrul Kayes.
Rajshahi Division defeat Barishal Division through six windows in Cox’s Bazar. Batting first, Barishal was bowled out for 205 runs despite Iftakhar Hossain’s maiden century. He hit 12 fours and a six in his 116 off 205 balls. Ali Mohammad Walid took four wickets.
Rajshahi took a 75-run lead thanks to Pritom Kumar’s 80, before veteran left-arm bowler Sunzamul Islam took 6-41 to bowl out Barishal for 137 in their second innings.
Rajshahi chased down their target of 68 runs in 15 overs, losing four wickets in the process.
defending champions Dhaka Division Meanwhile, they remain winless after three rounds, after drawing against Chattogram division at the Cox’s Bazar Academy ground.
Batting first, Chattogram scored 391 with Sajjadul Haque making his first first-class century at the age of 34. Sajjadul hit 14 fours and five sixes in his 139. He added 221 runs for the second wicket with Parvez Hossain Emon, who got out. for 95.
Dhaka responded with 401 with Mahidul Islam Ankon, fresh off his Test debut against South Africa, making 99. He hit five fours and three sixes in his 155-ball stay, before falling to Ahmed Sharif. There were fifty of Ashiqur Rahman Shibli, Joyraz Sheik and Taibur Rahman. Chattogram reached 124 for four in their second innings.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 received a major patch that, along with general fixes to things like stability and progression, also made radical adjustments to its multiplayer weapons.
In a blog post, developer Treyarch stated that it had been monitoring game data along with player feedback since launch to “prepare for a full tune-up pass in Season 01.” You have now introduced these weapon settings in advance.
“We’ve seen the discussions about the relative balance of assault rifles and submachine guns, and we’re making some early general changes to adjust their effective ranges,” the Black Ops 6 team wrote.
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“For ARs, we’re getting minimal damage ranges and decreasing the impact of headshots at close range. SMGs are getting damage range increases to improve their effectiveness at medium range.”
The maximum damage range of the XM4 Assault Rifle has been increased from 0 – 7m to 0 – 16.5m. Meanwhile, the Goblin Mk2’s maximum damage range has been increased from 0 – 6.4m to 0 – 39.4m.
As for gear, the team has reduced the duration of the Flashbang Tactical screen effect by 20 percent, which will likely please those players who complained about the effect lasting longer than expected.
On the zombie side, GobbleGum names will now update correctly when switching between level tabs as part of this update.
The full patch notes can be found on the Call of Duty blog.
As a general point, some complained that this update had introduced a bug that caused any equipped optics to be removed when players entered Gunsmith; However, the developer has now fixed this issue.
Image credit: Activision
We’re calling Call of Duty: Black Ops 6’s campaign a “return to form for the series.”
“If you can trust yourself to separate good from evil after a heavy dose of the usual CoD treatment, there’s no doubt you’ll have a great time playing it,” our Chris wrote in the Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 campaign from Eurogamer. review. Be sure to stay tuned for his thoughts on multiplayer, coming to the site soon.
LONDON — After the softest of finishes at Stamford Bridge – two goals from Harry Wilson at the death turned a West London derby in Brentford’s favor – Fulham sit remarkably high in the Premier League. It’s not just that they are ninth. The top four are only three points away. Newcastle and Manchester United sit in the rearview mirror. As Frankie Valli resonated around SW6, you couldn’t take your eyes off Fulham.
At the center of this rise and the exciting events of Monday night was Antonee Robinson. Harry Wilson will grab the headlines for his brilliant brace, particularly a 93rd minute equalizer that will surely be in the running for goal of the season, but it’s fair to wonder whether Brentford’s normally excellent rearguard was worn down by a pinned left flank by the American International.
From the start, Robinson and the former Arsenal duo of Emile Smith Rowe and Reiss Nelson glided alongside him, dragging the Brentford defense to the touchline with wide overloads designed to create a route for one of the three to break through. would slide in a direct pass. Twice it was Robinson who offered that killer shot, each of his teammates denying him only with good defensive coverage within the first 17 minutes.
It was no surprise to see two Hale End children knitting patterns they have been working on since they barely left primary school. Robinson, however, has spent most of this season with Alex Iwobi ahead of him. He didn’t seem to miss a beat. He remained the man who could do it all for Fulham. Nobody had so many touches. Nobody launched more crosses, even if his teammates had to wait until the 98th minute for one to land on their heads, Harry Wilson’s goal was worth the wait for the home fans. Only Nelson surpassed Robinson in expected possession value of passes, only Smith Rowe in chances created, only Iwobi in expected assists. In almost every attacking metric you can imagine, the Fulham left-back was at or near the top.
That the equalizer came from Fulham’s right perhaps spoke to a Brentford defense that had been putting too much into repelling the threat on the opposite flank, where 1.12 of the Cottagers’ expected 1.55 assists came from. When a flick of Wilson’s left calf broke the bloody Brentford, Craven Cottage knew there was something left in this contest. .
Robinson then sent in a right-footed cross, Wilson’s shoulder went off and Fulham were rewarded for a game they had dominated before and after Vitaly Janelt’s shot. In the center of that domain, his left back.
But here’s the thing. Robinson absolutely could have been forgiven for a quiet night offensively. After all, he was facing one of the most intimidating assignments for a left back in the league. It has been a thankless task this season trying to stop Brentford’s star striker Bryan Mbuemo. No matter what the circumstances are, no matter how the day goes, he will get his shot and there is a good chance it will end in a goal. However, not when he’s paired with Robinson.
For the first time this season, Mbeumo finished a Premier League match without a shot to his name. The duels had not gone the way he wanted, Robinson had suffocated him. One of the fittest strikers in the league barely even sniffed.
Marco Silva’s first inclination is to give credit to the collective and rightly so. Kenny Tete was no less effective against Keane Lewis-Potter and in front of the back four Sander Berge was winning possession at a remarkable rate. Brentford would finish this match with just five shots and 0.59 xG. They would have gotten better numbers at Tottenham and Manchester City.
“We played sixty or seventy percent of the time in our offensive half,” Silva said. “Not giving any chance not only to Mbeumo, Lewis-Potter, [Yoanne] Wissa, [Mikkel] Damsgaard also behind the striker. We didn’t give them any chance to make a dangerous counterattack. Our reaction when we lost the ball was top-notch. Our balance was always there.
“It was Brentford’s fifth game away from home, they have played against Manchester United, City, Tottenham and Liverpool, I think away from home. If you look at those games, they have always been creating opportunities, they have always been a threat in the attacking line .Tonight we kept them very calm, we didn’t give them anything to create opportunities other than [one Carvalho] chance.
“We didn’t give anything for them.”
Silva may not want to cherry-pick people, but hey, we’re an American publication. And this is a special American international. Monday might have been the best version of Robinson, but he’s not far above the levels he’s been hitting since at least the start of last season. That’s enough time for it to be fair to call him what he is: one of the best players in his position in the Premier League, at the very least. It is no surprise then that Fulham are enjoying such a brilliant start to the season.
Kylian Mbappé must learn to play as a central forward at Real Madrid because he will not be able to displace Vinicius Junior on the left, says former Club forward Karim Benzema.
French star Mbappé, who joined Real after his contract with Paris St-Germain ended in July, has eight goals in 14 appearances for his new club but has scored just one in his last five games.
The 25-year-old’s favorite position is the left wing, but coach Carlo Ancelotti has kept Brazil international Vinicius in that position, forcing Mbappé to play center back.
“The problem, in my opinion, is that [Mbappe] “He is not a central forward, not even in the national team, every time he plays as a nine he does not feel good, because that is not his position,” former French forward Benzema said on the Spanish television program El Chiringuito., external
“On the left he has a boy who is at the same level as him, Vinicius, so there is a problem, you can’t play with Vinicius as the number nine or on the right, because when he plays on the left he makes the difference in every game.
“Mbappé is not a true number nine. People ask a lot of him and he is under a lot of pressure, this is not Paris St-Germain.”
Benzema is Real Madrid’s second-highest scorer of all time, behind Cristiano Ronaldo, and the Frenchman won the Ballon d’Or while at the club in 2022 before joining Saudi Arabian side Al-Ittihad last year.
The 36-year-old coach, winner of five Champions Leagues and four Leagues during 14 seasons at the Bernabéu, warned Mbappé that “if you go two or three games without scoring you are going to have a lot of problems.” .
Aside from scoring just once in his last five games, Mbappe failed to make an impact as Real’s 42-match unbeaten run in La Liga ended with a painful 4-0 home defeat to rivals Barcelona.
His teammate Vinicius came second behind Manchester City midfielder Rodri in voting for the men’s Ballon d’Or last month, awarded to the best footballer of the year.
Regarding his advice to Real’s current nine, Benzema said: “Don’t give up, because I don’t think he’s going to pressure Vinicius to move. He’s the best player in the world at the moment.”
“Mbappé needs to get it into his head that today he is number nine and forget about the left flank for a while.”
It is a delightfully common sight when observing Bukayo Saka. The winger, still only 23, comes flying down the right, captivates a fast-moving ball with a single touch, sends a veteran defender who should have known better flying to the ground, because what else could he do? But panic? — and picks his point with power and precision, a prototypical Sake goal, and one that can’t help but make you think of the legendary Thierry Henry. This is a name that is advisable to use in North London. Arsenal haven’t had a player like the Frenchman since he left in 2007. They may never have another.
Saka would be the first to object to any comparison with Henry. The trophies are not there yet. There may have been moments for the Ealing youngster, but few like those he intends to replicate on Wednesday at the San Siro, scene of one of the defining moments of Henry’s legend. However, two decades after a legendary 5-1 victory there, the parallels are increasingly difficult to ignore.
That night expectations weighed heavily on the Gunners but the results had not been as desired. For Arsene Wenger’s future Invincibles, the problems were in Europe, where they had ground to make up after a point from their first three group games. Mikel Arteta is not under as much pressure on the European stage on Wednesday night, but with two defeats in three Premier League games, a big night is needed. Its brightest stars will have to shine like never before.
Saka knows how far he has to go before his achievements match those of Arsenal’s greatest ever player, a man who may not have won a Ballon d’Or but was the most feared striker in Europe for a generation. However, he is determined to learn and give his game some Henrician flashes.
“The main thing I learned from him is confidence,” Saka tells CBS Sports. “When you see the way he plays, the fear he instills in defenders is enough. I tried to take it away. I tried to play with more confidence, that belief that you are almost unplayable.”
As Andrew Robertson can attest, that belief flows through Saka. A brilliant first game against Liverpooljust nine minutes into his return from injury, it was as convincing evidence of a superstar as Arsenal’s star man on the right has provided so far. And this already has the feel of the year as Saka propels himself into the upper echelon of the global game. In 12 games in all competitions so far this season, Saka has four goals and seven assists, all of them in the Premier League. He is providing for others at a rate that could see him equal Henry’s record, which he holds jointly with Kevin De Bruyne, of 20 assists in a Premier League campaign.
It’s not just production and stardom that unites these two. Anyone who watched Arsenal’s number 7 join CBS’ Champions League tonight after his starring role in his side’s 2-0 Champions League victory over Paris Saint-Germain will have an idea of the link between Saka and Henry. This isn’t just Arsenal’s past and present sharing some tropes with each other, there’s a familial connection between these two. Sometimes very infrequently, but sometimes YouTube comments say it best. “Imagine growing up and having Henry as your idol and growing up to score in your kids’ club Champions League and Titi asking you when you’re coming to tea.”
As Saka points out, Henry had been guiding his career long before he became the Emirates Stadium favourite. “The first interaction we had was when he was at the academy. From 14 to 15, he came and was doing his coaching badges. Obviously we all knew about him and even though he had retired, he still had the same quality. Finishing with him , he was better than all of us!
“Since then, he has reached out to me and is always there to help me. Anything I need to tell him, anything he wants to tell me, I’m open. In tough times, he’s always open. He says, ‘I’m always free if you want talk to me.’ There are times when I can call him and get good advice.
“He has done what I want to achieve, win titles with Arsenal. I am very grateful to have that relationship with him. He is an excellent guy.”
Both have to fight for stardom on and off the court. Those are the requirements to be the face of one of the biggest teams in England. Suddenly, top brands decide they’d like some of their reflected shine. He never seemed to rob Henry of his ‘va va voom’. Another lesson Saka must learn.
“He’s very focused on football,” he says. “It’s similar to me. We try not to think about other things.
“When we were kids, I aspired to be a footballer. I aspired to be a great player at Arsenal. The rest, off the field, was not part of the dream. Of course, when you’re here, it comes with that, but I’ll just keep that focus, having football as the main priority and keeping my feet on the ground.
Starting today, November 5, in Pokémon TCG Pocket, players have a chance to win a powerful Lapras EX (as well as other nice card variants) in a limited-time PvE battle event. You have about 13 days until the event expires, so get to work!
You also don’t need a great deck, or even an expert mind, to participate. The Lapras EX event has several difficulties available, all of which share the same odds of getting an illustrious promotional package. These packs only contain one card, so you’ll have to open a bunch to secure all the special cards available.
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We have a complete guide on the Lapras EX promotional event here, which will explain everything you need to know about the entire debacle. It’s good to see more content in the game, just a few days after the release of TCG Pocket. Although it would be nice to see some PvP events in the game. Hopefully in the next few weeks we will achieve something.
Pokémon TCG Pocket is extremely popular right now and as such is said to be making an absurd amount of money. Countless thousands of players are jumping into the game and opening packs, and given the slow trickle of card packs you get, many are opting for a free trial of the Premium Pass that gives you a bonus pack every day. It’s worth thinking about if you’re in this for the long haul!
Let us know if you’ve had any luck with the Lapras EX event in the comments below, as well as what deck you’re running!
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