Una notte da cinema. Difficile chiamarla altrimenti. Nell’ottava giornata (nottata per noi europei) di NFL, i Green Bay Packers hanno vinto 27-19 contro i Carolina Panthers, con una giocata decisiva di Christian Watson che è entrato in campo direttamente… dall’ospedale. Il giocatore dei Packers, infatti, aveva subito un bruttoinfortunio che lo aveva costretto non solo al cambio, ma addirittura agli accertamentisanitari in una struttura ospedaliera.
“Stavo sputando sangue“, ha riferito Watson, che infatti è stato sottoposto a esami più approfonditi. Tuttavia, la TAC ha evidenziato “solo” una costola rotta, senza nessuna emorragia interna. Da qui la decisione del ragazzo di tornare al Lambeau Field – in visibilio alla vista dell’incredibile rientro del loro giocatore – per concludere la partita: la presa decisiva per chiudere il match, proprio come nella migliore delle storie hollywoodiane, sarà proprio sua.
Il giovane a fine partita ha attribuito il merito del suo gesto al supporto dei tifosi: “È stato surreale tornare in campo e sentire i tifosi che mi sostenevano in quel modo”, ha detto Watson. “È sempre difficile quando devi uscire dal campo, pensi di esserti infortunato o di avere qualche problema. Quindi, tornare qui e ricevere quel tipo di reazione dai tifosi è stato incredibile”. Ora però gli è stato consigliato almeno un po’ di riposo.
Disney has embraced TikTok's Live feature to do red-carpet interviews for premieres, featuring personalities like Carter Kench.
Julian Hamilton/Getty Images
Influencer marketers from Disney, the NFL, and more shared novel ways they're using platforms today.
They're embracing Substack for cultural cachet, Threads to experiment, and YouTube for entertainment.
Brands are also bringing creators in earlier, treating them more like creative partners.
Creators are jumping among an ever-wider mix of platforms and formats — and brands are scrambling to follow them.
We asked the most innovative marketers working with influencers which platforms and tactics have their attention right now — and why.
Marketers from Disney, e.l.f. Beauty, and others told us they're using platforms like TikTok to own the red carpet, Substack to align with tastemakers, and Threads to experiment.
"YouTube is a home for creators. TikTok is a great way to get discovery," said Ian Trombetta, the National Football League's senior vice president of global social, creator, and content marketing. "And then Instagram is another big one for us as it relates to discovery. Even platforms like X and Reddit have a really important role to play."
Beyond platforms, brands like Keurig Dr Pepper are also exploring ways to work directly with creators, involving them earlier in the campaign process.
"A major shift has been pivoting away from rented reach to true collaboration," said Samim Sadrzadeh, Disney's director of creator content and partnerships. "For a long time, the industry treated creators as ad placements. We think that significantly undersells the value they actually bring."
Substack, Threads, and more
YouTube and creators are taking over the living room, and marketers like e.l.f. Beauty and St. Jude's fundraising organization ALSAC are leaning in, not wanting to be left behind.
"We have a lot of plans around long-form content, and that's a great place to show up," said Patrick O'Keefe, e.l.f. Beauty's chief integrated marketing officer. "We've been on YouTube for years. We're now looking at it from the lens of entertainment."
Others, like Poppi and Rothy's, are embracing the newsletter platform Substack to partner with creators. For some creators, Substack has become a way for them to get more personal with their biggest fans. That helps Poppi plan collaborations, said Sophia Sesto, Poppi's vice president of culture.
Under creator marketer Kemma Kefalas, Yahoo has leaned into Threads to try out new things.
Yahoo
Yahoo has found value in Meta's Threads as a way to try out ideas in a lower-key environment before putting them out on bigger platforms, especially if it's jumping on a cultural moment and isn't sure how the effort will go over. When Taylor Swift released "Patient Zero," Yahoo riffed on it with a Thread that tied the "Os" in its name to the song.
"I think it's a little less precious over there, and it feels like a fun place to kind of gut check certain things, see how they'll perform," said Kemma Kefalas, Yahoo's senior director and head of Creative Lab. "It's just been a nice kind of litmus test for us."
Disney has especially found success with TikTok's Live feature, finding it a customizable way to build excitement for premieres. For "Zootopia 2," it had the viral squirrel character Nibs interview cast on the red carpet, while internet personality Carter Kench played host for the "Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special."
"Those moments work because we treated the platform as a canvas for a new kind of storytelling that connects directly to audiences in real time," Sadrzadeh said.
Brands are going direct
Platforms may always be a necessary part of doing business with creators. But going direct has become a bigger buzzword as many brands seek to bypass platforms entirely.
Keurig Dr Pepper, for one, wouldn't typically hire a creator through a platform's marketplace, said Lindsay Burstein, senior director of integrated social and communications, using TikTok as an example.
"We would hire the creator, have them post on TikTok. Then we have the ability to use that content and distribute it across multiple channels, but slice it up in different ways that make sense for that channel."
Influencers spent a long time trying to convince marketers to take them seriously. This year, marketers are expected to spend $44 billion with creators, more than tripling in five years, per the Interactive Advertising Bureau.
As brands increasingly treat creators as long-term partners, they're engaging with them earlier in the marketing process.
Yahoo's approach is to find creators who are entertaining and figure out how to insert itself into their work, rather than vice versa, as it did with TV persona Kyle Cooke to promote its new Yahoo Weather app.
"We're working with them for the entertainment that they bring to people, and we'll Yahooify it," Kefalas said. "Our briefs are often loose in those regards. We're not doing a lot of 'talk to camera, promote products' kind of thing. We've gotten a lot of positive feedback from creators that they've loved that opportunity to just do what they do best."
George Kittle playfully reacts as wife Claire names Michael B. Jordan among her Hollywood crushes during their podcast appearance with Mac Jones, leading to a hilarious exchange.
The Green Bay Packers opened Week 8 with a crucial win, keeping pace in a tightly contested NFC North race.
Jordan Love threw for 288 yards and three touchdowns as Green Bay defeated the Carolina Panthers 27-19 at Lambeau Field Thursday night.
Bryce Young was sacked six times and threw an interception as Carolina lost its second straight game. Despite the setback, the Panthers remain atop the NFC South and hold the head-to-head tiebreaker after defeating division rival Atlanta in Week 2.
Packers wide receiver Christian Watson got taken to the hospital after injuring his chest in the second quarter, only to return to the game in the second half.
Watson’s injury occurred as he made a 53-yard catch, with Panthers cornerback Will Lee also getting hurt on the play while making a diving stop. Lee was carted into the locker room with a hamstring injury and didn’t return to the game.
After getting sent to the hospital for examination, Watson returned to Lambeau Field and received a huge ovation as he headed back to the field after the Packers had extended their lead to 27-10 in the third quarter. Watson returned to the game later in the third, after Ryan Fitzgerald’s 50-yard field goal made it 27-13.
Brewers take victory lap at Lambeau Field
Less than 24 hours after the Milwaukee Brewers captured the franchise’s first World Series title, the team’s celebration continued roughly 120 miles north at Lambeau Field.
Brewers pitcher Brandon Woodruff brought the Commissioner’s Trophy onto the field Thursday night at the end of the first quarter. Teammates Christian Yelich and Sal Frelick also joined the celebration.
Seemingly every other game in the NFL these days, there's a scary injury that requires transportation and tests at the hospital. Just in the past few weeks, Jalen Hurts' blood clots and Terry McLaurin's awful leg injury were major stories around the league.
During Thursday night's game, that injury went to Green Bay Packers star wide receiver Christian Watson. On a play that also hurt a defensive back.
Watson was in the middle of a huge night against the Carolina Panthers at Lambeau Field, racking up six catches for 100 receiving yards in the first half. His big play came when he brought in a 53-yard catch on a deep ball from Jordan Love about midway through the second quarter, setting the Packers up in great field position as they drove down for another score.
But he hit the ground hard while colliding with Panthers cornerback Will Lee III, and was slow to get up. Lee himself also had to be helped to his feet thanks to a hamstring injury, eventually needing the cart to leave the field.
But Watson's injury, at first glance, seemed more serious. The 27-year-old was transported in an ambulance to a hospital near Lambeau Field, undergoing precautionary checks for a chest injury, while Lee was deemed doubtful to return to the game himself. But that's where the story gets crazier, and so much better.
Not long after leaving for the hospital, Watson, miraculously, returned to Lambeau Field. Quite literally driven back to the stadium in the ambulance, cameras caught him running out of the tunnel back in full pads to, unsurprisingly, a raucous reception from the home crowd.
Seems like Watson either never got out of pads while going to the hospital, going through medical tests while in full uniform, or did an extremely fast quick change. Then he was driven back to the stadium in an ambulance, running directly from the tunnel out to the field. Less than an hour after sustaining what looked to be a scary, and painful, injury.
And sure enough, Watson returned to the game not long afterward. Even pulling in another reception, as Love found him for a six-yard completion in Carolina territory right at the start of the fourth quarter. Incredible.
That drive wound up in a Love interception, but the Packers still took a 27-13 lead into the middle part of the fourth quarter. And they have their star wide receiver back, somehow, after a brief detour to a local hospital. Not that most fans doubt NFL players are tough, but absolutely nobody will be questioning Christian Watson's toughness and commitment to his team anytime soon.
Travis Kelce put team success ahead of personal records after the Kansas City Chiefs' loss to the Seattle Seahawks, while addressing his injury concerns and demanding a stronger response before the...
Timmy Chang, Hawai’i’s current head coach, became the NCAA’s all-time passing yards leader under the tutelage of Jones. He said "words can’t express the sorrow" he feels learning of his old coach’s passing.
"Coach Jones was a father figure, a mentor, and a visionary who revolutionized the game," Chang said in a statement, per ESPN. "He believed in a young kid from Hawai’i and gave me the opportunity of a lifetime to run his offense. And his impact didn’t stop when my playing days ended. He guided me every step of the way as I transitioned into coaching, always making time to share his wisdom and support me when I took over this program.
"He put Hawai'i football on the map and showed us all what was possible. We lost a true legend today, but I will spend the rest of my career trying to honor his legacy, his passion for this university and the Aloha he shared with everyone he touched. My deepest condolences go out to his 'ohana and all those who he impacted."
After playing college ball at Hawai’i, Portland State and Oregon, Jones signed as an undrafted free agent with the Atlanta Falcons, whom he spent four seasons with, backing up quarterback Steve Bartkowski. He started five games in his NFL career, winning just one.
Jones’ coaching career began right after his playing days were over. He eventually worked his way to become the Falcons’ head coach from 1994-96, and he would be named the interim head coach of the San Diego Chargers in 1998.
He had an opportunity to remain in place, but he decided to head back to Hawai’i to become its head coach. Jones led the Rainbow Warriors to conference titles in 1999 and 2007, the latter season being a historic one.
Hawai’i began the season 12-0 and made the school’s first-ever BCS bowl game (Sugar Bowl).
"The 2007 season and making the Sugar Bowl, that went over what anybody ever thought was possible," Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi, a former Rainbow Warriors player and assistant coach, said in a statement. "I was on the field for the game [against] the University of Washington. We were down 21 points, not once but twice, and still came back to win against a very formidable opponent. That kind of coaching and who he was was very, very special. He leaves an incredible legacy here. June was very special, we will miss him, but his legacy will live on."
Pat McAfee posted screenshots of threats this week, and Leah Vann replied with a hard truth about what women in sports media endure online. Here is why her point is landing.
Mac Jones may be able to deliver a strike with a 300-pound defensive lineman about to hit him, but the Pro Bowler can’t handle seafood. Or coffee.
Jones, 28, is single and was asked about his biggest dating red flags. Claire Kittle, wife of San Francisco 49ers star tight end George Kittle, answered for him.
"You don’t eat seafood!" Kittle said during an episode of "The Kittle Things." "Oh, and you don’t drink coffee. That one might be worse."
"Yeah. I’d say that those are probably my two biggest ones," Jones said on "The Kittle Things."
The 49ers backup quarterback joked that he would ask for the kids’ menu at a seafood restaurant. Jones said he has recently gotten back into the dating game and offered some advice for anyone interested.
Claire praised Jones for maintaining a positive attitude during difficult stretches of the season, such as when the team deals with injuries or consecutive losses.
The 49ers have certainly dealt with their fair share of injuries this season, but they have managed to overcome them and are 6-1 and atop the NFC West. With starting quarterback Brock Purdy healthy, Jones has appeared in just one game this season, entering after the 49ers had already put the game out of reach.
The Kansas City Chiefs brought in Justin Tucker amid Harrison Butker’s struggles, but special teams coordinator Dave Toub made it clear who the starting kicker is.
Butker has struggled this season, making just 11 of 16 field-goal attempts, with four of his misses coming over his last four games. Amid those woes, the team brought in Tucker to provide competition, but Toub remained steadfast in his support of Butker.
"Butker is our kicker," Toub told reporters on Thursday. "We’re trying to improve, we’re trying to get Butker right. That’s what this whole thing is about."
Toub said Butker has performed well in practice this week despite windy conditions and Tucker’s presence.
"He went 10-for-10 yesterday with Tucker standing right there," Toub said. "And he went 10-for-10. On a windy day, it was 28-mile-an-hour gusts yesterday, and he went 10-for-10. And I thought right before out to practice, I was going, ‘This poor bastard,’ I mean, it’s 28-mile-an-hour gusts and he’s got to go out there and try to — and he did it. He went 10-for-10, so that’s a good thing. So we’re going to keep working it."
The Chiefs worked out Ben Sauls, Harrison Mevis and Tucker, and Toub was asked why the team chose the former Baltimore Ravens kicker.
"Because (Justin Tucker) he is a good kicker. And I've heard he's been out making the rounds, and we talk. All the special teams coaches talk. He had four workouts before we brought—we were his fifth workout, tryout. And the word was that he was hitting the ball great, and I wanted to see it. I always thought he was a great kicker, and those two guys right now, Harrison and him, they idolized each other in the league when they were kicking together. He was out there, he did his 10-game suspension, so he was available, we brought him in," Toub said.
Toub said he put the kickers through a "grueling workout" that included a "30 kick," extra points, seven attempts from beyond 50 yards and one from 60 yards. Tucker made every kick with exceptional accuracy.
"Not only did he make them, he was accurate. 60 percent of his kicks were inside of a six-foot cylinder in the middle of the uprights. Somebody that's struggling as a kicker is not able to put the ball with that kind of accuracy," Toub said. "So, he was off the charts good. That's the reason why we signed him to the practice squad."
Tucker served a 10-game suspension for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy after 16 female massage therapists accused him of sexual misconduct and inappropriate behavior during sessions between 2012 and 2016, according to reporting by The Baltimore Banner in January 2025.
On Feb. 16 of last year, the same outlet reported that seven more women had come forward with allegations of sexual misconduct against Tucker. The longtime Ravens kicker denied the allegations in a statement to OutKick.
"I maintain I did not act inappropriately at any point before, during, or after a professional bodywork treatment session, nor have I ever been told I am unwelcome at any massage therapy provider," he said. "These claims are simply not true."
"I can assure whoever is reading this that I have never intended to disrespect anyone, cross any boundary, or make anyone feel uncomfortable in any way whatsoever."
While Toub said Butker is still the team’s kicker, that could change if his struggles continue. Toub described Butker’s missed 45-yard field goal in the team’s loss to the Seattle Seahawks as a "bad miss."
"You’ve got to make the kicks," Toub said. "The short kicks — that’s considered a short kick — you’ve got to make those in situations where it’s a tight game like that. It was an issue in that game, for sure."
The Chiefs next game is against the Denver Broncos at 4:25 p.m. ET on Sunday.
With the Indianapolis Colts already beginning their fire sale, NFL trade deadline speculation swirls around running back Jonathan Taylor.
Will the Colts let their biggest offensive weapon go to accumulate my draft stock?
Taylor was asked about the rumors, and for one, he has not requested a trade. He has reaffirmed his desire to stay, but also understands that’s not his call at the end of the day.
Business is business in the NFL, and he understands that.
"I haven’t heard anything," he said on Thursday, per FOX59’s Mike Chappell. "I can’t control that, obviously. Like you guys know, I’m proud to wear the horseshoe, proud to be here. Similar to Quenton [Nelson] and [DeForest Buckner], they were proud to wear the horseshoe, they were proud to be here. But obviously, circumstances may cause otherwise. Hopefully that day may not come, but I can’t control that."
The Colts initiated a blockbuster to kick off the trade deadline period, sending Nelson, an All-Pro guard, to the Seattle Seahawks in exchange for a 2027 third-round pick and 2028 fifth-round pick on Tuesday.
Then, fellow All-Pro DeForest Buckner, who is also a three-time Pro Bowler, reunited with the San Francisco 49ers, the team that took him seventh overall in the 2016 NFL Draft, after the Colts traded him for a 2027 fourth-round pick later on Tuesday.
Since then, wide receiver Josh Downs has reportedly requested a trade from Indianapolis. And this all comes after owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon fired GM Chris Ballard on Oct. 19 following a 10-year stint with the team that went 72-82-1 under his roster construction.
So, it’s hard to focus on the weekly grind when those trade rumors are flying around with other players, but Taylor, despite him being atop team’s list if available, is trying his best to block it out.
"The only thing that I can control is rallying these guys in the locker room, helping us put together a great plan and executing a great plan for Jacksonville because it's a division game and they're licking their chops right now. They think they're going to kick us while we're down and that has to be the point of emphasis," he added.
Irsay-Gordon reportedly does not want to move Taylor, who signed a two-year, $44 million contract extension in August. But we’ve already seen players, who signed extensions get dealt, with the Tennessee Titans reaching a blockbuster deal with the Chicago Bears on Thursday despite inking a three-year, $105.8 million deal that made him the highest-paid defensive tackle in the league back in June.
The Colts also landed New York Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner this time last year after he signed an extension. So, anything is in the cards, especially when there’s a lot of time left for teams to consider trades before the deadline on Nov. 10.
Meanwhile, head coach Shane Steichen will continue to prepare his club. He was asked if Taylor had asked for a trade.
"Those are hypothetical things right now," he responded. "I know there’s stuff floating around there, but JT’s on our football team."
If the Colts are indeed willing to trade Taylor for the right package, a team would be getting one of the best at his position in the NFL. The 27-year-old has rushed for at least 1,100 yards in four of his six NFL campaigns, and he’s on pace for another after rushing for 587 yards with eight touchdowns through seven games.
The Bears acquired All-Pro defensive tackle Jefferey Simmons and a 2028 fifth-round pick from the Tennessee Titans in exchange for Chicago's 2027 and 2028 first-round picks and 2027 fourth-round pick, the Titans announced Thursday.
The cost is steep, as Simmons is the first defensive tackle since 1967 to be traded for multiple first-round picks, according to ESPN. Since the Titans drafted Simmons with the No. 19 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, he has been one of the best defensive tackles in football.
The four-time Pro Bowler has recorded 414 tackles and 46.5 sacks in 106 career games. Titans owner Amy Adams Strunk said the organization is forever grateful for Simmons.
"There are few people like Jeff Simmons. We are forever grateful for all he has given this team and this city. His formidable presence on the field was surpassed only by what he did off it. He gave Nashville more than football. The Give ’Em A Reason Foundation has changed lives in Middle Tennessee and in Mississippi, and I have no doubt it will continue to wherever he goes," Strunk said in a statement.
"Jeff — thank you. For how you played, how you led, and how you represented our team."
The Bears are 5-2, and the acquisition of Simmons will help shore up a questionable defensive line. While the Bears are still generating plenty of sacks, those have largely come from blitzing linebackers and defensive backs rather than defensive linemen.
Simmons, who led the Titans with four sacks, six tackles for loss and four passes defended, is a major upgrade to a defensive front that has ranked near the bottom of the NFL in pressure rate since Dennis Allen took over as defensive coordinator in 2025. The Bears' 28.8% pressure rate is tied for 20th in the NFL, according to StatRankings.
Not only are the Bears adding Simmons to their defensive line, but star defensive end Montez Sweat is also set to return on Monday night against the Seattle Seahawks after a two-game suspension.
At 5-2, the Bears are second in the NFC North behind the undefeated Minnesota Vikings (6-0). The Bears hope adding Simmons can help them overtake the Vikings atop the standings and earn a home playoff game in January.
Simmons will help the Bears not only this season but also for the next several years after signing a three-year, $105.8 million contract extension that keeps him under contract through the 2030 season.
The Titans, on the other hand, are 1-6 and have traded away one of their franchise cornerstones. Entering the season, they hoped to contend in the AFC South with new coach Robert Saleh and quarterback Cam Ward, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, entering his second season.
Instead, they are in the AFC’s basement and appear further away from contention than ever, as Ward has struggled mightily this season.
The Chicago Bears have traded two first-round picks and a 2027 fourth-round pick to acquire Tennessee Titans star Jeffery Simmons. The Bears will also receive a 2028 fifth-round pick as they...
If you're a fan of a team that's struggling, it's easy to feel like your home stadium or arena is haunted, and a new survey just crowned the most haunted sports venue in North America.
Arlington, Texas' AT&T Stadium takes the top spot, which makes sense because on more than one occasion we've seen expressions on the faces of Dallas Cowboys players as if they had just seen a ghost.
This info comes to us from The Sports Geek, which employed a more scientific approach to this than I've ever seen in an episode of "Ghost Hunters."
They scored 47 venues across the US and Canada based on their haunted lore, age, proximity to burial sites, and, finally, an "other" category for the rest of each one's ghoulish attributes.
In a shocker, Jerry's World — which opened in only 2009 — out-ghosted Dodger Stadium and 112-year-old Wrigley Field for the top spot.
Man, this really puts my long-running argument of there being no new ghosts to shame...
Former stadium employee Selena Sixtos wrote an article in 2018 for Dallas Sports Fanatics in which she cites several odd occurrences. These included some poltergeist-like activity in a kitchen, a chill around a room named after legendary coach Tom Landry, and an incident in which she heard someone in a bathroom stall, only for it to be unoccupied.
Which, in fairness, is actually way down the list of scary things to find in a stadium restroom, but creepy nonetheless.
The stadium is also built next to a graveyard, per The Dallas Observer, and a worker was killed in an accident during its construction. That helps account for why it was able to overcome its comparatively young age.
The most shocking thing of all is that the stadium might be the first to top a "most haunted" list with no sightings of Civil War soldiers or early or 20th-century widows.
A recent study found that roughly 75% of deceased NFL players had at least some case of CTE.
Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is a progressive, degenerative brain disease linked to repeated head impacts rather than a single injury, according to the Mayo Clinic.
The study from Boston University researchers consisted of more than 2,300 deceased former players aged 80 or older who died between 2008 and 2023, nearly 400 of whom were donors.
Out of the 396 who donated their brains to research, 93.5% of them were diagnosed. Researchers estimated that former NFL players with clear cognitive symptoms were roughly five times more likely to donate their brains than those without such symptoms.
Donors also died younger on average - 67 years old compared to almost 75.
CTE can only be diagnosed after death and is identified in four stages, with stage 4 being the worst.
"Many cases may have been early stage at the time of death and possibly symptom free," the study noted.
The study also estimated that 27.2% of the players had a history of all-cause dementia during life, but it did not conclude whether dementia was caused by CTE.
A study released in August found that at least 1 in 4 people who have played in the NFL might expect to end up with CTE at some point in their lives.
The symptoms found in those with CTE include memory loss, mood swings, erratic behavioral actions and more.
While the disease was first found in boxers, it has become associated with football players in this modern era due to the repeated blows to the head sustained on every snap of the ball. It has, however, also been found in athletes participating in hockey, rugby and other sports.
But its connection to football became public when beloved players like Junior Seau, Mike Webster, Frank Gifford and others were diagnosed with CTE after their deaths. Webster was dubbed "Patient Zero" after Dr. Bennet Omalu examined his brain and became the first to diagnose an NFL player with CTE, jump-starting a concussion crisis within the game.
There were 168 documented in-game concussions during the 2025 NFL season, which was a 30% increase from the 129 recorded during the 2024 campaign. There were a total of 538 evaluations and 26 medical timeouts as well.
OutKick's Scott Thompson contributed to this report.
Football is back for Week 8, and it is hard to believe we are almost halfway through the regular season. I still feel like we don't really know all that much about these teams. Are some of these teams that have good records actually bad (the Chiefs), or are some of the bad-record teams actually good (the Cowboys)? Maybe those two teams aren't even the best examples of those situations. There are two teams on Thursday Night Football that are a bit hard to judge, as the Panthers and Packers take each other on.
The Carolina Panthers are 3-3 for the season and 2-1 on the road. Bryce Young is searching for a contract extension, or maybe at this point a new home. The good news for him is that he has looked fantastic in his fourth year under center. He is on pace to have the best season of his career. The running game has been solid for the team, even if they don't really use it as much as they probably need to. Chuba Hubbard is averaging about 4.5 yards per carry, but the team has attempted roughly 100 more passes than runs.
Defensively, this team has struggled against the run, but has been very good against the pass. They have the worst defense in football when it comes to stopping the run. However, against the pass, they are ranked sixth. That might be a good thing against a Packers team that has struggled to run the ball this season. What is interesting to me is that, if you look at the schedule, the Panthers have won games against Bijan Robinson, Jahmyr Gibbs and Saquon Barkley. They lost to the Bears, Browns and Buccaneers. No knock on those three, but I don't think their team's running backs would be as feared as the ones they beat.
The Green Bay Packers are 4-3 for the season and have done a good job of protecting their home field, entering with a 2-1 record. Jordan Love is having a really strong season and is arguably being asked to do more than ever before. The team was missing starting running back Josh Jacobs, who was away from the team due to legal issues. Without Jacobs, the Packers really struggled to find any traction on the ground this season. His return last week wasn't transformational; Jacobs only had 36 yards on 11 carries.
The Packers will continue to rely on Love's arm to get the job done. He's already thrown the ball 270 times this season, which is almost double the number of times they've called a run play. That does make the offense a bit one-dimensional, and against the Panthers' defense, they could struggle.
The Packers, in general, don't score all that many points. They are averaging 20.6 points per game, 25th in the NFL, putting them in the same company as the Cardinals and Broncos.
It would be really hard to imagine that the Panthers and Packers play in a shootout tonight. Despite both of these teams excelling in the passing game, they aren't exactly elite offenses. Both are pretty good at stopping the pass. I think this game is likely to be a slow-starting game with both trying to figure things out. I'd be surprised if it goes over 47.5 for the game, but I think the under in the first half is even more likely. Neither team is a fast-starting team. Give me the under 23.5 for the 1st half.
The Kansas City Chiefs have been urged to trade for Stefon Diggs before the NFL trade deadline. Find out why the $12 million wide receiver could be a good fit for Patrick Mahomes.
The partnership between Mike McDaniel and the Los Angeles Chargers has not gone according to plan. Through the first six games of the season, the Chargers have yet to record a victory.
The offense has been particularly underwhelming, fueling calls for the team to make a change at offensive play caller. But head coach Jim Harbaugh is staying the course with Mike McDaniel. "We're very confident in Mike and his talent, his work ethic and his ability," Harbaugh said Wednesday, according to The Athletic. "We continue to be."
Harbaugh said the Chargers’ bye-week self-evaluation played a role in the decision.
"I feel like every stone, any part that we could look to better, that's the way we responded," Harbaugh said.
The Chargers were on a bye in Week 7 after scoring just six points in a Week 6 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. The performance lowered their league-worst scoring average to 15 points per game.
Every other NFL team has won at least one game, leaving the Chargers as the league’s only winless team.
McDaniel's four-season run as the Miami Dolphins ended in January. Harbaugh then hired McDaniel, who has widely been regarded as one of the better offensive minds in the league.
McDaniel described Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert as one of the most talented players he's seen play the position. He said he wanted to help Herbert "own" the position.
McDaniel’s influence was evident in the offseason, when Herbert changed his shotgun stance by moving his left foot ahead of his right. Herbert also worked on his footwork and simulated throws with a green water ball instead of throwing.
McDaniel was the architect of the Dolphins’ 2023 offense, which scored a record 70 points and produced more than 700 yards in a win over the Denver Broncos.
Green Bay Packers star Micah Parsons has a blunt message for Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs. After a rough night in Seattle, he explains why a missing deep threat could be holding the...
Micah Parsons explains why the Kansas City Chiefs need a star receiver after their 20-3 loss to the Seattle Seahawks exposed major weaknesses in their passing game.
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