Category: Sports

Argentina Weren’t Just Outclassed By Spain. They Were Embarrassed.

It’s a fine thing to lose a match where you’re an underdog. But there are such things as competitiveness and losing with grace, holding your head high as you go home knowing you gave it all you had. After a lifeless showing in the World Cup final where they showed more fight with their fists than their feet, Argentina can’t do any of that.

Cover photo taken from Getty Images.

It’s a fine thing to lose a match where you’re an underdog. The other team is better than you, plain and simple.

But there are such things as competitiveness and losing with grace, holding your head high as you go home knowing you gave it all you had. We’ve seen that time and time again at this World Cup, from Cape Verde and Egypt to Norway and Mexico.

After a lifeless showing in a 1-0 loss to Spain in the World Cup final where they showed more fight with their fists than their feet, Argentina can’t do any of that.

Most well-informed prognosticators would have told you that Spain were the clearly superior side heading into the final. It didn’t take very long to realize how truly substantial that gap in quality was.

From the opening whistle, Spain were in complete control of the match thanks to their patented possession domination and boa constrictor-like defending. Having 65% possession and completing 763 passes to Argentina’s 357 felt like numbers that we could have guessed on Sunday morning.

That in and of itself was not a surprise. The shock came in just how effectively they neutralized one of the best attacking teams at this tournament, spearheaded by the so-called GOAT, Lionel Messi.

Argentina became the first team in World Cup history to not muster up a single shot in 90 minutes of play — an unfathomable stat by its lonesome. And even after the additional 30 minutes, that total sat at a measly two shots, none of which were on net. The defending champs finished without a single big chance, a drab 0.22 xG and just eight touches in the Spanish box.

Lionel Messi and Argentina had no answers for Spain on Sunday. (h/t NBC News)

It’s fair to say that Spain didn’t make the most of their attacking chances, putting many of their shots right down the middle for easy saves or failing to even convert a big chance into a shot. Still, they wound up with a whopping 20 shots, 12 shots on net and 2.29 xG with 32 touches in the opposing box.

Forget a World Cup final — that would be a shocking discrepancy if this was Spain and Curaçao. If it wasn’t for another unbelievable Dibu Martinez effort in the Argentina net, this final would’ve been over before it even started. Thank goodness Ferran Torres found the back of the net in the 106th minute, because I think Messi and company would have actually won a penalty shootout with Dibu playing like he was.

But the poor quality of play might not even be the biggest embarrassment that Argentina provided on Sunday afternoon in New Jersey. They diluted and spoiled the match with their trademark thuggery and baseless crybaby mentality, all while the referees let them get away with their usual shenanigans for quite some time.

It started early when Mac Allister leapt for an ill-advised slide tackle attempt on Dani Olmo and crunched him to the ground without making a shred of contact with the ball. A whistle blew for a foul, but no card was shown; if you’re going to use the excuse of it being “too early” in the match for a booking, then you’re beyond mistaken. A challenge like that deserves a yellow card, regardless of it being the first or 90th minute.

Fast forward a few minutes and Lamine Yamal was brought to the ground by Nicolas Tagliafico in a challenge that would get an NFL player fined for a hip-drop tackle. The 19-year old winger was grabbed by the shoulders before Tagliafico leapt into the air and got nearly parallel to the ground before dragging Yamal to the turf. Again, no yellow card despite the fact that a more “successful” challenge could’ve resulted in a game-changing injury.

Nothing to see here. (h/t AP Photo)

Color was finally shown after halftime when freshly-subbed-on Leandro Paredes pushed Rodri in the back, sending him to the ground with some admittedly unnecessary embellishment.

Enzo Fernandez was shown a yellow in the 82nd minute for simulation — a booking that he could only smile about — and it felt like he, as a key member of the Argentina attack, would conduct himself with a little more decorum, especially as extra time seemed like more and more of a certainty. But no, he leapt into Pau Cubarsi with one of the most puzzling challenges you’ll ever see in stoppage time, sending the eventual Best Young Player award winner flipping in the air. It was an easy decision for a second yellow, despite Enzo’s nonsensical petitions, wagging his finger in the air in protest.

It was a final to forget for Enzo Fernandez. (h/t The Mirror)

Playing extra time with 10 men, even Messi got in on the action to try to level the playing field by raising his hand and calling for the referee after Marc Cucurella briefly brought his hand to his mouth during a stoppage of play, appealing for a red card. It was embarrassing, akin to a school bully appealing to his teacher because the little guy finally fought back — completely beneath the station of the consensus best player ever.

And to wrap it all up in a neat bow, Paredes incited a post-game scuffle right after the final whistle, getting in the chest of Eric Garcia and eventually grabbing him by the throat leading to a mild brawl between six or seven Spaniards and Argentines. And though they stayed on the pitch for Spain’s celebrations, Argentina turned their backs to the stage while their necks were weighed down with silver medals that they neither wanted nor deserved.

It’s sad that this is what the defending champions have been reduced to. From Messi’s studs-on-calf challenge against Algeria not resulting in a foul, to the disallowed Egypt goal and subsequent claims of racism by Hossam Hassan, to the wild red card that sent off Breel Embolo of Switzerland and finally provoking Jude Bellingham of England and all the ballyhoo of the final. Argentina provided so much excitement to this tournament with their late-game heroics, but we will only remember them for their non-football antics that sullied an otherwise memorable run in Messi’s last hurrah.

Lionel Messi couldn’t ride off into the New Jersey sunset. (h/t Getty Images)

The 2026 FIFA World Cup was the biggest, most grandiose edition of the globe’s greatest competition to date. It was filled with heartwarming stories, unlikely heroes and incredible theater with some of the best games we’ve ever seen. The past six weeks in North America provided some of the most indelible sights and sounds in history, and we will never forget this incredible tournament on home turf.

For Argentina — the defending champions who are led by perhaps the greatest player to ever touch a football — to have gone out so sad and disgraced is equal parts unsurprising and disappointing.

German football legend Toni Kroos said it best on Twitter yesterday after the Spanish victory: football won.

Still Not Home: England Fumbles Away World Cup Semifinal To Argentina

For 30 minutes, it looked like it might finally happen. But Thomas Tuchel’s tactics turned an attempt to defend a lead into a willing loss of control. Bending your defense out of structure invites pressure, chances and chaos. England weren’t trying to win — they were trying to not lose.

For 30 minutes, it looked like it might finally happen.

After a wonderful connection between Morgan Rogers and Anthony Gordon in 55th minute put England in front of Argentina, 1-0, at the World Cup semifinal in Atlanta, the Three Lions knew what they had to do — spend the next half-hour and change keeping the ball out of their net.

And for 30 agonizing minutes, they succeeded. But it always felt like Argentina were closing in on that elusive equalizer, especially with their attacking subs now in the fold.

On cue, Enzo Fernandez ripped a screamer into the top left corner from about 25 yards out to knot the game in a tie in the 85th minute. And a mere seven minutes later, a picturesque Lionel Messi cross was laid right on the forehead of super sub Lautaro Martinez for the stoppage time winner, sending Argentina back to the World Cup final to defend their title against Spain.

It’s the latest installment in a knockout run littered with drama and late-game comebacks for Argentina, and their resilience deserves to be celebrated. But I can’t help but feel like England lost this game more than the defending champions won it.

Forget the fact that they only took five shots and accumulated a mere 0.53 xG. They got on the board first thanks to a lovely ball from Rogers and a really difficult finish from Gordon. After that, their lone responsibility was defending that lead. Easier said than done, sure, but the manner in which they went about it can be pinpointed as the reason for this result.

England manager Thomas Tuchel almost immediately shifted the shape of his squad, opting to put five men at the back and play as deep as possible to prevent Argentina from scoring. Three defenders were subbed on in a 10-minute span before the equalizer as his squad was consistently playing nine or 10 deep. He probably knew that the blitz was coming, seeing what happened to Egypt in the Round of 16, but the emphasis was on preventing goals, not preventing chances.

Thomas Tuchel will rightfully face a fair share of criticism for his second-half tactics.

But bending your defense out of structure can create its own problems. You invite pressure, you invite chances and you pretty much invite chaos.

England essentially never held any meaningful spells of possession after scoring; they just let Argentina put together attack after attack. By the end of the match, Argentina had 1.84 xG, 64% possession, over 250 more accurate passes, triple the number of shots (15) and four times the amount of touches in England’s box (28). Jordan Pickford kept a couple of attempts out of the net, but he was never going to keep that up until the full time whistle.

The dam was bound to break eventually. And when it did, England were flooded.

It’s one thing to want to defend your lead, it’s another to play on your heels entirely. It felt like Tuchel just let Argentina have their way, putting too much trust in his defense — which hasn’t exactly been the strongest — and living with the results. That’s no way to win a game of this magnitude.

It’s like folding at the river with two kings because you fear the man across from you has pocket aces. You’re not trying to win, you’re trying to not lose.

Still, it doesn’t help that England got nothing offensively from start to finish. Only one big chance in the match, a mere seven touches in the Argentina box and two shots on goal isn’t going to cut it in a World Cup semi. Aside from the long ball that set up the English goal — Harry Kane was virtually nonexistent with just 26 touches, none of which came in the opposing box — and no successful dribbles. Jude Bellingham picked the worst time to turn in his worst shift of the tournament, only garnering a single successful tribble while losing over half (7-of-13) of his ground duels.

Jude Bellingham and England let this one slip away.

Simply put, if you told anyone that Kane and Bellingham would combine for 0.02 xG (all from the former) today, nobody would have picked England to win. As such, they got the result they deserved.

It’s a shame for an English team that inspired so many with their grit and determination all tournament long. And it may have been their best shot at ending their 60-year trophy drought; who knows what Harry Kane’s fitness will be in four years’ time, and England’s best young players not named Jude still have a long way to go. But that’s a story for 2030.

And so we have our matchup in the 2026 World Cup final; La Roja vs. La Albiceleste in a game with no shortage storylines and intricacies that we’ll get into as we get closer to Sunday.

In the meantime, England will play France on Saturday for the proverbial bronze medal of the tournament, living with the devastation that they could have finally brought football home this year.

Spain’s Semifinal Masterclass Proves They’re The Best Team In The World

Dominance at the highest level isn’t frequent, and that makes it all the more emphatic and impressive. It makes you feel something — either awe or envy or even gratitude that you get to witness greatness. Spain just gave us that feeling in spades, proving they are the best footballing nation in the world.

Cover photo taken from NBC News.

It’s fairly easy to ascertain when you’re watching the best in the world at something. Dominance at the highest level isn’t frequent, and that makes it all the more emphatic and impressive. It makes you feel something — either awe or envy or even gratitude that you get to witness greatness.

Spain just gave us that feeling in spades, proving they are the best footballing nation in the world and punching their ticket to their second ever World Cup final with a 2-0 win over France.

An early penalty from Mikel Oyarzabal and a beautiful second-half finish from Pedro Porro provided the Spanish the cushion they needed to seal away the French, who looked as rattled and discombobulated as they ever have under Didier Deschamps.

I said in yesterday’s preview that Spain were more than capable of making France play their brand of football, suffocating them in the midfield and squeezing out their defensive opportunities while making the most of their attacking chances. But I could never have seen that formula come to fruition as prominently as it did on Tuesday afternoon in Arlington.

Though possession and passing totals were near dead even, this felt like one of the more lopsided contests between two squads of such high quality that I can remember. The Spaniards converted their 10 shots into 1.63 xG (helped by the aforementioned penalty) while France accrued a measly 0.30 xG from just as many attempts. They simply looked flustered from the word go, physically and mentally outmatched by the first side to match their intensity at this tournament.

Kylian Mbappe had absolutely nowhere to go with the few chances he had on the ball with just three successful dribbles out of eight, only accruing a drab 0.09 xG. Ousmane Dembele was a ghost until a couple of late brute force shots on net to try and muster up any sort of offense. Michael Olise closed out a brilliant tournament with a whimper, losing possession a whopping 2o times and failing to conjure up a single successful dribble with only 0.07 xA en route to being hooked after 72 minutes. Bradley Barcola essentially did an hour of cardio before being subbed out in the 57th minute.

In short, Spain shrunk one of the greatest attacking units we’ve ever seen into the most miniscule of threats.

Nowhere to run. (h/t Athlon Sports)

It’s a masterclass in midfield management and defensive dominance. Marc Cucurella was outstanding with seven defensive contributions and four tackles while winning four of seven ground duels. Rodri and Fabian Ruiz were infallible as always with a combined 13 defensive contributions, eight tackles, 12-of-19 ground duels won and 4-of-4 aerial duels won (all by Rodri). And Pedro Porro netted the aforementioned dagger in the 58th minute, slipping behind the sleeping French defense after a cheeky give-and-go with Dani Olmo.

It certainly helped that Spain’s attack put in a shift that was par for the course for them at this tournament, if not a little bit better. Oyarzabal continued his scoring ways while Dani Olmo picked up a massive assist and completed 29 of his 30 passes. But most importantly, Lamine Yamal left a much more tangible impact on the wing, winning the first-half penalty and keeping the French fullbacks honest with a couple of really good-looking runs — one of which led to a brilliant goal that was disallowed for a slight offside. It feels like his best is yet to come, and he’s in for a massive performance in the final on Sunday.

He just keeps scoring. (h/t Evening Standard)

France will undoubtedly be doing some soul-searching after having it snatched. This was a classic exposé of their deficiencies in midfield and defense — 90 minutes to completely forget if you’re anyone not named Adrien Rabiot, who didn’t even play the second half on a yellow card. Losing William Saliba to injury after 30 minutes didn’t help, but the seeds were already planted for the back line to be decimated. Lucas Digne in particular will face a healthy dose of criticism for his awful challenge which conceded the penalty and generally poor play.

But this is not all on any one Frenchman. As a collective, it was one of the worst performances they ever could have put together. And that’s why Spain deserve all the flowers for making it happen when it looked like France could and would bulldoze everyone in their path en route to another world championship.

Now, it’s La Roja who fit that description.

I certainly don’t envy England or Argentina. Your prize for grinding out a semifinal win is playing this Spanish team in the final? Sounds more like a punishment.

2026 World Cup Semifinals Preview

The top four teams in the world. A quartet of former champions. A rivalry with decades worth of bad blood. The budding football rivalry of the generation. Five of the tournament’s top six scorers. The GOAT and the heir apparent. Simply put, we have never seen a star-studded semi slate like this.

Cover photo taken from GMA Network.

We have reached the final four of a thrilling 2026 FIFA World Cup. And if I’m being honest, it’s the best semifinal lineup the world’s most prestigious sporting event has ever seen.

This is the first time since FIFA introduced its ranking system in 1992 that the teams ranked Nos. 1-4 have each made the semifinal. Each of these proud footballing nations have won a World Cup — a semifinal first since 1990. The four squads feature five of the tournament’s top six scorers, one of whom is heralded as the GOAT while another is chasing that title for himself.

Simply put, we have never seen a star-studded semi slate like this.

Les Bleus vs. La Roja in the budding football rivalry of the generation. The Three Lions vs. La Albiceleste in a rivalry that has decades worth of bad blood.

Lionel Messi and Argentina. Kylian Mbappe and France. Lamine Yamal and Spain. Jude Bellingham and England. All with their eyes set on the final on Sunday afternoon in New Jersey.

Buckle up, folks. This week is going to be a doozy.

France vs. Spain

Tuesday, July 14, 3 p.m. ET

I previewed this titanic showdown a few days ago, but there’s still so much more to be looked at within the margins of this showdown to determine what’ll separate these Goliaths tomorrow afternoon.

Truth be told, the pressure is on Spain in this match to do what they do best: control the pace of play, lock down the midfield and limit opposing chances. Luis de la Fuente’s side aren’t looking to live in the attacking third like Didier Deschamps’ French crew (although they do lead the tournament in touches in the opposing box). It took them all the way until the first half of their quarterfinal matchup with Belgium — a whopping 649 minutes — to concede a goal, and it’s safe to say they want that to be the only blemish on their record this summer.

And I honestly think they can accomplish that. They have the superior midfield when it comes to ball control even if Pedri doesn’t start or play a full 90 minutes. Their defense has been ironclad having allowed a miniscule 1.80 xG in six games, and they lead the tournament with an average of 66% possession per game. If there’s a team that can force the opposition into playing its brand of football, it’s Spain.

But you can go ahead and throw all of that out of the window when it comes to this France side. They are simply going to score, and there’s nothing you can do about it. If you give them an inch, they’ll take more than a mile. 14.3 xG and an average of 7.8 shots on goal in 27 total big chances at this tournament are numbers that shouldn’t make sense, but they do because this team has established a new norm.

They don’t need much to create an opportunity; something as simple as a giveaway to Michael Olise in the midfield can lead to an Mbappe or Ousmane Dembele goal in the blink of an eye, leaving the defense shell-shocked.

You can’t stop them. You can only hope to contain them. (h/t Roundtable)

That’s what I’m choosing to back. At the end of the day, this game is about scoring. And there’s no more prolific attacking team than the French, who are putting together one of the most unstoppable attacks I’ve ever seen at this level. The Spanish, on the other hand, just haven’t put that side of the ball together with only 17 big chances at this tournament. Yamal is still yet to provide that signature performance, and this run of late-game heroics isn’t a sustainable formula at this stage of the tournament.

de la Fuente is a winner through and through, having never lost any of his 13 major tournament games, seven of which have been knockout matches. But France are just as used to victories, roaring into their third consecutive semifinal. And I just think their attacking pedigree will prove to be the difference against a Spanish side that, quite frankly, still hasn’t put together its best form yet. If that attack figures itself out, Spain should be in the driver’s seat in this game. But if they find themselves playing from behind, it could get really uncomfortable really quickly. So, give me another pair of Mbappe and Dembele goals as Les Bleus reach a monumental third consecutive World Cup final.

Prediction: France win 2-1

England vs. Argentina

Wednesday, July 15, 3 p.m. ET

Speaking of unsustainable winning formulas, is anyone else getting the feeling that this Argentina pixie dust is about to wear off? Just me?

I’m just not very impressed by this side. For starters, they’ve made a six-game path to the semifinal where the highest-ranked team they played was No. 19 Switzerland look excruciatingly difficult. They have relied on a heaping of beneficial officiating decisions — from a bizarre VAR redirect leading to a red card for Switzerland to an unfathomable disallowing of a wonderful Egypt goal and everything in between. Let’s just say it’s not surprising that Argentina lead this tournament in penalties; weird to think that Messi has missed two of them.

I don’t know if this team is capable of putting together 90 good minutes against a team of relative quality, and that would scare me if I were a fan of them. But, they can score with the best of them, leading the tournament with 17 goals and reaching three in five of their six contests.

That’s not to say that England have been the most impressive side either. Thomas Tuchel would be the first to tell you that this team hasn’t played up to par and is leaving plenty of meat on the bone (just don’t relay that sentiment to Jude Bellingham).

But what they have more than any team at this tournament is grit and determination. As such, they’ve won four games in a row for the first time since they brought football home in 1966. Wins against DR Congo, Mexico and Norway were absolute grinds highlighted by resilience and — as Tuchel would highlight — mental fortitude.

This is an English team playing some of the most inspired ball that you can find, led by Bellingham, who is changing the game at age 23. He’s the first player since Maradona in ’86, ironically, to score two or more goals in consecutive knockout games with a total that has ballooned to six. That matches Harry Kane’s number as the two have become the first duo to ever score six apiece at a World Cup.

Jude Bellingham is transcending the game. (h/t Goal.com)

In any case, this might shape up to be the more dramatic of the two semifinals sheerly based on the vitriol these two nations share for each other. A heated 1966 quarterfinal where former England manager Alf Ramsey tried to stop swappings of shirts with the Argentinian players after a win that helped propel them to their lone World Cup victory. The infamous “Hand of God” goal from Diego Maradona in the quarterfinal that’s stamped in every football fan’s brain as one of the cornerstone moments in the history of the sport. David Beckham’s likely undeserved 1998 red card for hardly kicking Diego Simeone, then the Englishman’s winning penalty for revenge four years later. What does the latest installment in the rivalry have to offer?

Probably not the greatest quality of football you’ll ever see, but there will be no shortage of theatrics. Neither side’s ability to play a complete game has led to some of the most exciting moments of the tournament, and I expect that to continue on Wednesday afternoon. These are the only two semifinalists that have allowed more than two goals, each conceding six along the way. Each side’s star players have been the proverbial Flex Seal on the leaking water tanks, so what gives?

I think it’s the aforementioned grit of the Three Lions. They’re the likelier team simply because it feels like they want it more. While Argentina have been getting by against vastly inferior competition, England have been getting their hands dirty and winning by all means necessary. I think they are the hungrier dog in this fight, and I think that will be the prevailing factor after 90-120 minutes of back-and-forth action.

Prediction: England advance on penalties, 2-2 AET

outro

France-Spain Is The World Cup Climax We Deserve

Some collision courses are inevitable. France and Spain have been on an extended one for years now. And these squads are going to provide us with what might just be the true climax of a World Cup that has surpassed all the hype.

Cover photo taken from ESPN.

Some collision courses are inevitable. France and Spain have been on an extended one for years now.

It started with Les Bleus’ 2-1 victory in the 2021 Nations League Final before Spain returned the favor with the same scoreline in the 2024 Euro semifinal. Things boiled over a touch in the final of last year’s Nations League tournament with a wacky 5-4 Spanish victory. And coming into the 2026 FIFA World Cup, many a prognosticator predicted that these same two footballing titans would clash once again in the knockout rounds.

Well, here we are.

Rivals Lamine Yamal and Kylian Mbappe will face off once again on July 14 in Dallas. (h/t ESPN)

It’s honestly a shame that the bracket seeding prevented this from being the final, because it feels like that’s what this should be. That’s nothing against the four brilliant squads on the other side of the bracket — England, Norway and especially Argentina can definitely find themselves lifting the trophy in nine days’ time. But coming into this tournament, France and Spain were undoubtedly the co-favorites to bring glory home.

Now, only one can reach that final stage.

The French have arrived at this juncture by following their tried and true formula: keep playing it forward, and the goals will come. 22 shots and nine shots on target embodied that in their 2-0 quarterfinal win over Morocco. Despite missing a first-half penalty, Kylian Mbappe curled a peach of a strike into the far corner to thrust France ahead before Ousmane Dembele provided the dagger with a perfectly-placed roller into the bottom right. That gave the all-world duo eight and five goals, respectively, at this tournament, becoming the first tandem to reach such a figure since Ronaldo and Rivaldo did it for Brazil in 2002. And when you add Michael Olise to the mix, the trio’s 23 goal involvements top that of those two and Ronaldinho 24 years ago. Oh, and that pushed the French scoring total to 16 in six games with just two being conceded. Pretty, pretty good.

Mbappe having 20 World Cup goals in as many appearances is asinine no matter how you slice it. He is likely the best World Cup performer we’ve ever seen, shining blindingly bright in just his third appearance on the ultimate global stage. Only a higher power knows what that total will be 10 years from now.

He just keeps scoring. (h/t AP Photo)

Spain once again needed some late-match heroics to pull past an opponent they could’ve and should’ve beaten more soundly, but they’ll take the result no matter what. Friday’s 2-1 win over Belgium featured their first goal conceded at the tournament, but it really never felt like the Spanish were going to lose. They won the xG battle 2.04 to 0.36, had 17 shots and eight shots on target and dominated possession with 68%.

But this reinforces the common issue that Spain have had at this tournament: it just doesn’t look like they’ve put it together yet. They’re getting by because they’re so dang good, but we just need more out of that attack. They don’t lack for chances, but the finishing needs to improve to keep up with a squad like France.

Maybe Lamine Yamal can finally catch his stride. It’s been a very lackluster summer for the player many hail as the best in the world. If he wants to retain that title, or perhaps snatch it back from Mbappe, he’ll need a signature performance on Tuesday afternoon. It’s not that he’s been bad — he’s actually won several Man of the Match awards and his impact on the game can’t be understated — but the production simply hasn’t been there. The good news for him is that he’s undefeated against Mbappe in single-elimination knockout games across club and country. The bad news is that this will be far tougher than all of those matchups.

In any case, the reality is that these squads are going to provide us with what might just be the true climax of a World Cup that has surpassed all the hype. And that’s what we as the fans deserve. I have no doubt that Norway-England will be a tremendous game, and the subsequent semifinal and eventual final will be the same level of theater that the rest of the tournament has given us.

But it’s the collision course that catches our gaze. And this is the one we’ve been waiting for this whole time.

2026 World Cup Quarterfinals Preview

A raucous and thrilling 2026 FIFA World Cup has reached its final stages as the quarterfinals kick off this evening in Boston. Here’s my breakdown of each game and predictions for who will advance to the final four.

Cover photo taken from France 24.

And then there were eight.

A raucous and thrilling World Cup has reached its final stages as the 2026 quarterfinals kick off this evening in Boston. I’m here to break down each of the four matchups on tap this weekend and predict who’ll make it to the final four.

France vs. Morocco

Thursday, July 9, 4 p.m. ET

The quarters begin with perhaps the most enticing match of the entire round as France and Morocco get the party started in a rematch of the 2022 semifinal in Qatar. The Atlas Lions — who have become the first African nation ever to reach consecutive World Cup quarterfinals — will be looking for revenge against Les Bleus, but between France’s form and Morocco’s health, it won’t be easy.

The French have been bulldozing the competition from the opening whistle of the tournament, winning all five games and netting 14 goals along the way — half of which have come from superstar Kylian Mbappe. When he’s flanked by Ousmane Dembele with Michael Olise conducting everything from the midfield, it’s no wonder why this squad has lived up to the billing as one of the best in the world. Paraguay became the first team to hold them to under three goals at this World Cup, using brute force physicality to do so, but that didn’t stop France from grinding out a 1-0 victory courtesy of an Mbappe penalty in the second half.

Kylian Mbappe has lived up to the billing once again at the World Cup. (h/t ESPN)

Morocco also enter the quarters unbeaten, but it’s been a bit more of a grind. Entering 2026 with high hopes after reaching the semifinal four years ago, they’ve been as strong as advertised, winning each of the last four matches after opening with a 1-1 draw with Brazil. An early goal took care of Scotland before Haiti gave them a bit of a push in a 4-2 thriller. Drawing the Netherlands in a Round of 32 clash that was far too good of a matchup for so early in the tournament was daunting, but stoppage time heroics from Issa Diop led to a thrilling back-and-forth penalty shootout that saw Morocco go through to the last 16. After a very slow first half, they returned to form to knock off co-hosts Canada with an emphatic 3-0 showing.

But, that win didn’t come without a loss. Star winger Ismael Saibari — who netted three goals in the group stage — suffered a hamstring injury that is likely to keep him out of the rest of the tournament. Azzedine Ounahi scored two goals after being subbed on for Saibari against Canada, but the tasks only get tougher from here. Morocco will need the finest performances possible from Brahim Diaz and Achraf Hakimi to continue the dream and reach their second consecutive semifinal.

Unfortunately, I just don’t see that happening. France’s form is arguably the best in the world, and I don’t think any defense in this tournament has what it takes to stop the Mbappe-Dembele-Olise triumvirate. It should be a close fight, similar to their matchup in Qatar four years ago, but I see a second-half French flex en route to their third straight trip to the semis, where they’ll be hunting a three-peat of World Cup Final appearances.

Prediction: France win 2-0

Spain vs. Belgium

Friday, July 10, 3 p.m. ET

Spain have been ironclad at this World Cup, still standing as the only team to not concede a single goal despite facing some heavy hitters. We may have thought the sky was falling after opening the tournament with a 0-0 draw against Cape Verde, but in retrospect, that was just a sign of things to come for the underdog story of the year. The defending European champions easily dispatched of Saudi Arabia, Uruguay and Austria before grinding out a 1-0 win over Portugal in the Round of 16 that was much more lopsided than the final result would indicate.

Yet, it still feels like we haven’t seen this Spanish team play its best ball. Lingering injuries have meant superstar winger Lamine Yamal and maestro midfielder Rodri have been letdowns, but we all know how scary this attack can be if they figure it out. And that’s what the missing piece is; we can clearly see that this defense is the best in the world, they just need the consistent production from the offense to complement them. He has been outstanding as usual, but Mikel Oyarzabal can’t do all the goalscoring for this team.

The Spanish need Lamine Yamal to be his usual self if they want to win this World Cup. (h/t ESPN)

As such, all the pressure is on Spain in this game. Belgium are essentially playing with house money, still riding the high of a roller coaster tournament highlighted by a dramatic comeback against Senegal in the Round of 32 and an emphatic thumping of the co-host Americans earlier this week. The Belgian “golden generation” is certainly over, but you wouldn’t know it watching this squad, which has played some inspiring ball as of late.

Needless to say, Belgium will play freely and apply the same pressure that the whole nation saw them enforce on the USMNT on Monday. But, it’s much harder to do that against a Spain team that’s certainly more in lockstep than the Americans were. The key to victory for the Spanish is the same as it has always been: let the defenders do their thing and finish off those one or two attacking chances that are necessary to pull away. That strategy has served them well at this tournament, so I don’t see any reason why it’ll stop now. And if the attackers put it together like I mentioned before, this could be the game where Spain emerge as the frontrunners to win the whole thing.

Prediction: Spain win 1-0

Norway vs. England

Saturday, July 11, 5 p.m. ET

It’s been about a millennium since the Vikings last attacked the British mainland, but we’re about to see one hell of an encore from this upstart Norway team that you just can’t seem to take your eyes off of.

We know why that is, of course. Erling Haaland has been an international revelation since the day he netted nine goals in a World Cup qualifier, but it seems like Norway’s golden boy has reached a whole new level of stardom with his dominance at this tournament. Two goals in the opener against Iraq, then two more against Senegal (in a thrilling match that I was lucky enough to attend in-person) before netting the winner in the waning moments of a Round of 32 clash with Ivory Coast was just the setup for a dramatic brace to put away five-time world champions Brazil on Sunday. His seven goals lead the way at this tournament as he’s put an entire nation on his back. Reaching the knockout rounds for the first time wasn’t enough; Haaland has the whole dang thing in his sights.

Erling Haaland has the world in the palm of his hands. (h/t TIME)

Though Brazil may have boasted the flash, it really is England that will be the Norwegians’ toughest test yet. The Three Lions have been on a roller coaster at this tournament, going from an electric 4-2 win over Croatia to a lifeless 0-0 draw with Ghana and 2-0 win over Panama. Harry Kane heroics got them out of a stunning 1-0 hole against DR Congo in the Round of 32 before they overcame the tall task of playing Mexico at Estadio Azteca, escaping with a shorthanded, thrilling 3-2 victory that will live on forever in the English history books. In short, we seem to get a different England side every time we flip on the television, but each iteration we’ve gotten has shown a level of quality that we know is capable of achieving great things.

As such, I can easily visualize another back-and-forth affair between these two teams that have given us no shortage of theatrics. If there’s any matchup in these quarterfinals that screams penalty shootout to me, it’s this one. I can already see the Haaland goal followed by a dramatic Kane or Jude Bellingham equalizer that leads to an enthralling shootout. And, in that case, I just trust the experience and pedigree England a little bit more to get the job done as they continue the search to bring football home.

Prediction: England advance on penalties (1-1)

Argentina vs. Switzerland

Saturday, July 11, 9 p.m. ET

To say that Argentina have taken years off the lives of their fans this summer is probably putting it lightly. The defending champs breezed through a very weak group, winning all three games by a combined score of 8-1, but the knockout stage has been quite the opposite. Tournament darlings Cape Verde pushed them to the brink, responding to every punch with one just as heavy before an own goal off the arm of a defender pushed Lionel Messi and co. through to the last 16. It seemed as though that was where the title defense would come to an end, staring a 2-0 — should have been 3-0, but I digress — hole in the face with less than 15 minutes to go against Egypt. But, perhaps the most furious comeback in World Cup history saw Christian Romero, Messi and finally Enzo Fernandez reach the back of the net and turn the match, and perhaps the whole tournament, upside down.

To beat the champ, you gotta knock ’em out. (h/t CNN)

The Swiss’ journey to the quarterfinal has been much quieter. They’re almost certainly the most under-the-radar squad left, but that doesn’t mean they’re without quality. We saw that shine through in their penalty shootout victory over Colombia on Tuesday night, where keeper Gregor Kobel delivered a masterpiece to help send his team through. It was by far the top moment this Switzerland side has had this summer; I mean, that distinction isn’t exactly going to a 1-1 draw against Qatar or a breezy 2-0 Round of 32 victory over Algeria.

This feels like the most straightforward of the quarterfinal matchups: Argentina are still a top-5 side in the world even through these ups and downs of the knockout round and should be able to dispatch of this Swiss team. But, this will still be a fight. I can definitely see the Argentines getting off to another hot start — probably supplanted by another Messi goal, extending his all-time record — and holding off a late Switzerland push to get back to the semifinals, where their toughest test by far will await them.

Prediction: Argentina win 2-1

Needless to say, these four games should continue to provide the drama and theatrics that this World Cup just can’t seem to stop giving us.

Post-Week 7 Power Rankings

After a week where 14-of-15 favorites won their games, there’s not too much shakeup in this week’s rankings. But, a familiar face at the top spot and more shuffling in the middle highlight the changes.

Cover photo taken from Imagn Images.

1 – Chiefs (4-3) 7

Forget records. We all know Kansas City is the best team in the league.

Patrick Mahomes is playing at an incandescent level. Rashee Rice being back completes the offense. The defense is finding its groove. They’re back to looking like they’re simply bored out there, practicing for the playoffs as they plan for another trip to the Super Bowl.

Monday night isn’t going to be fun for me.

2 – Colts (6-1)

Best record in the NFL? Check. Quarterback playing at an MVP level? Check. Elite offensive line and running game? Double check.

The Colts have found a damn near foolproof winning formula that’s going to carry them to an easy division title. I think it remains to be seen how truly formidable they’ll be in the playoffs, especially as the defense continues to find itself, but this offense is playing at a level that’ll be hard to beat when the time comes. Shane Steichen is cooking with grease.

3 – Lions (5-2)

Arguably the most inspired performance of the young season belongs to the Lions defense on Monday night. Starting players I’ve never remotely heard of before, they played lights out against an elite — albeit shorthanded — offense and made MVP candidate Baker Mayfield look like his Browns self.

If that type of performance can be replicated, the Lions become frightening. Because the passing offense did nothing. It was old school, smash-mouth football: pounding run game and hounding defense. Good luck beating this iteration of Dan Campbell hoops.

4 – Rams (5-2)

No Puka Nacua and a weird travel plan to London? No problem. Ho-hum sleepwalking five-touchdown game from Matthew Stafford and the defense’s best performance of the season gets the job done.

We know what the Rams are by this point. Stafford is a dog, Nacua and Davante Adams are probably the best WR duo in football and the secondary is playing incredible hoops. If you want to argue that this is the best team in the NFC, I’ll allow it.

5 – Seahawks (5-2)

The great teams stay cooking. Sensing a trend?

The Seahawks are still the Seahawks. Jaxon Smith-Njigba is just a delight to watch and the best receiver in football right now. This defense is fast, athletic and suffocating. Sam Darnold should take better care of the ball, but it didn’t matter on Monday night. For a team that lacks relative “star power,” this is a real Super Bowl contender.

6 – Buccaneers (5-2) 5

Oof.

I can’t blame Tampa too much; the injuries have finally caught up to them and are now getting worse with Mike Evans out for the season. But Baker Mayfield playing like the worst version of himself and the run defense getting gashed are two things that are complete aberrations.

I’ll choose to believe that this was a bad game, not a bad sign. But I’m on alert now with the Bucs.

7 – Packers (4-1-1)

The most annoying, confusing and straight up “who cares?” good team in the league right now.

I feel like the only thing I can say with confidence about the Packers is that Josh Jacobs is a stud. That’s about it. Jordan Love is playing fine and protecting the ball, but the passing attack is just boring. The defense is still solid, but not exactly game-wrecking like they were earlier in the year. I feel like Green Bay was lucky to get out of Arizona with a win, because it seemed like they were largely outplayed.

They’re just boring. But still fine. And that’s good enough… for now.

8 – Bills (4-2) 2

Let’s see some life out of the bye week, particularly on defense. You should be able to do that against Andy Dalton, right?

9 – 49ers (5-2) 3

Kyle Shanahan continues to prove me wrong.

The 49ers keep on winning despite the injuries, tough schedule, apparent roster shortcomings and so on and so forth. They’re just a damn good team with elite coaching. Robert Saleh is getting blood from a stone with these young pieces on the defensive side (I do recognize that Michael Penix Jr. kind of stinks, but still) and it’s pretty cool to see. Mac Jones is doing his thing in keeping this ship afloat. Oh, and Christian McCaffrey is still Christian McCaffrey.

How long can they keep this going? I guess there’s no end in sight.

10 – Patriots (5-2) 1

Like so many other teams this week, the Patriots just kept on doing their thing. That was Drake Maye shredding a horrible team and the defense making some splash plays to notch another easy win as they continue to bank Ws and prepare for the postseason.

The 2025 Patriots are the 2024 Commanders. It’s that simple.

11 – Eagles (5-2) 5

The Eagles are the NFL’s greatest enigma.

They don’t want to air it out. But when they do, it’s explosive like it was on Sunday in Minnesota or a few weeks ago against the Rams. But sometimes that doesn’t happen, like last week against the Giants. And one week the defense is great. But the next week it sucks. But they can still make splash plays. But this, and that, and there, and this. What the hell is this team?!

If this is what the Birds are going to be on offense, then they can make another run despite their defensive shortcomings. But they’re far too inconsistent and simply weird to fully trust them.

12 – Broncos (5-2) 3

That was bats—t insane. And I have no idea what to make of it.

I love this defense, but they got shredded by Jaxson Dart. I don’t like the quarterback, but he made every play necessary to win. The run game stunk again, but then found a groove when they were down by a bunch. Nothing makes sense!

But, like many other teams that I don’t have a grasp on, the Broncos have done well to bank wins early in the year to get to a comfortable position where they should make the playoffs again. And that’s good enough.

13 – Steelers (4-2) 3

The NFL’s most obvious paper tiger just crumpled. Shocker!

I do have to admit: Unc still got it. Aaron Rodgers can still sling that pill against bad teams. That part is obvious. But man, this defense is hard to watch. They do the same thing over and over again and it gets beat and beat and beat. And that’s going to hold them back in the playoffs, assuming they get there.

14 – Chargers (4-3) 3

The Chargers somehow get moved up this week because the middle of the league is so… bad?

I guess Justin Herbert was slinging that thing, but he also threw a pair of picks. The run game is just invisible. The defense stinks. It just feels like it’s falling apart, doesn’t it?

LA has the talent and coaching to be a playoff team. But these problems feel close to insurmountable right now.

15 – Vikings (3-3) 3

Minnesota gets a bump this week for the same reason the Chargers did. It has nothing to do with their play on the field, although Sunday wasn’t all bad.

If the Vikings could finish drives with seven points instead of three, maybe they could’ve pulled out the upset win over the Eagles. But they looked completely inept in the redzone and refused to put the ball in the endzone. That’s a problem, especially when Carson Wentz has his moments and turns the ball over.

I honestly might be more concerned with the defense anyways, since it got shredded by Jalen Hurts. But this is a sound team. They’ll bounce back regardless of who’s playing quarterback (side note: is JJ McCarthy ever coming back? Or is he a figment of our imagination?).

16 – Bears (4-2) 4

Ben Johnson is doing a tremendous job of hiding Caleb Williams in plain sight. A playmaking defense and resurgent run game also helps with that.

The Bears are doing what they need to do: stacking wins against bad teams to stay afloat in the playoff race. The cupcakes are few and far between from here on out, so we’ll see how long they can keep up the winning ways.

17 – Panthers (4-3) 4

Fair enough, Carolina. Winning in the NFL is hard. Ripping off a few in a row to get above .500 for this franchise is something to hang your hat on. You’ve gotta feel good for them.

Losing Bryce Young for a week or two hurts, but Andy Dalton is a capable backup. And it might not matter with how elite this rushing offense has been. The defense has been a nice surprise, too, highlighted by Jaycee Horn having magnets in his gloves. The Panthers are squarely on frisky watch.

18 – Falcons (3-3) 7

Michael Penix Jr. is developing a penchant for following up some of the best games of his career with some of the worst. Because Sunday night was extremely hard to watch, to the point where putting Kirk Cousins in at any point in the weeks to come shouldn’t be out of the question.

That’s honestly the story for the Falcons right now. The defense is fine, as is the run game. Penix has to be the guy that guides them, and right now, they’re lost at sea with him any time they face a defense worth a damn. I understand it’s still early for him, but the dude is 25 and now dealing with even more injuries. The clock is ticking fast.

19 – Cowboys (3-3-1) 3

Defense is overrated when your offense is this explosive. Fairs.

The sheer talent between Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens, Javonte Williams and Jake Ferguson is biblically greedy. The only question remains: is it good enough to carry Dallas to the playoffs in a brutal NFC? I think we’re about to find out.

20 – Commanders (3-4) 7

I’m planning on releasing a column covering the current, dismal state of this team at some point this week, so be on the lookout for that.

In the meantime, we can just call the Commanders what they are: a bad football team. Can’t tackle, can’t cover, can’t force turnovers, can’t catch, can’t convert third downs, can’t run the ball, can’t get open, can’t stay on the field, can’t get off the field. It’s over.

21 – Bengals (3-4) 7

Joe Flacco buddy ball might be enough to keep this ship afloat. Turns out force feeding Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins is a winning formula. Who knew?

22 – Jaguars (4-3) 8

It might be over.

Trevor Lawrence is becoming unwatchable. The run game is getting worse by the week. The defense isn’t as good as we thought they were when they’re not forcing turnovers. It just feels like it’s falling apart at the seams in Jacksonville.

23 – Texans (2-4) 4

You know what the Texans are? The Browns with better PR.

The defense is elite and ballhawking, getting after the quarterback and forcing turnovers at will. The offense is unwatchable with an offensive line that couldn’t pass for 300-pound traffic cones and a quarterback that suffers because of it. And because of that, this team is going nowhere fast. And it’s a crying shame for one of my favorite young squads in football.

24 – Giants (2-5) 1

What a weird team. And what an unfathomable way to lose a football game.

I won’t dog the Giants for finding a historic way to blow a massive late lead because everyone else has done that for me by now. And I won’t sit here and praise them for finding their guy at QB with some other solid young pieces, because everyone has done that too.

I’ll just sit here and say that this team is fun and all, but that’s about it.

25 – Ravens (1-5) 1

Let’s see what life — if any — this team has on the plus side of the bye now that Lamar Jackson is back.

I won’t get my hopes up, but beating the Bears would be a good first step.

26 – Cardinals (2-5) 1

I guess I feel bad for the Cardinals, but again, being competitive is only worth so much in this league. Maybe you should actually win a game or two for once.

Five straight losses by a combined 13 points might be a tough pill to swallow, but winning close games is a skill and losing them is indicative of a larger problem. The Cardinals will get no grace from me.

27 – Browns (2-5) 2

I honestly think if we were in 1970, the Browns would be dominant. Quinshon Judkins is a legit bell cow back and this defense simply has a penchant for making plays.

But, the quarterback ain’t good, and that’s what will matter against the real football teams on their schedule.

28 – Saints (1-6) 1

Both competitive-slash-frisky and bad. The quarterback is both passable and terrible. The talent is both there in pieces and nonexistent.

At the end of the day, you are what your record says you are. And the Saints suck. They’re just a fun version of sucking unlike teams like Miami, Vegas, the Jets, etc.

29 – Dolphins (1-6) 3

Not worth talking about until Mike McDaniel gets fired (I still don’t think it’s his fault, I don’t know) or Tua Tagovailoa gets benched.

This is the NFL’s equivalent of a dead man walking. It’s a dead team playing.

30 – Raiders (2-5)

The Raiders had less offensive plays than the Chiefs had points on Sunday.

Read that again. Then go look at the rest of the box score. Then wash your eyes out.

31 – Titans (1-6)

Maybe Cam Ward just sucks.

I don’t know. The kid’s got a ton of talent, and we need to see him in a competent offense before I make any crazy judgements. But I feel less encouraged by the week with his complete lack of care when it comes to ball security.

32 – Jets (0-7)

Not worth talking about until Aaron Glenn gets fired.

But at least Justin Fields is being benched! That’s step one, right?

Post-Week 5 Power Rankings

The wackiest week in a wild NFL season has produced the weirdest set of rankings I’ve ever concocted.

Cover photo taken from The Washington Post.

1 – Lions (4-1) 2

In a league with no clear cut No. 1 team, the Lions stand out as the most consistent, in-form squad. Their four-game win streak is the longest in football, and they have straight up kicked ass ever since being handled by Green Bay in Week 1.

The bright spot has honestly been their defense, considering we know what to expect from the other side of the ball. But, when you’ve played Jake Browning and Joe Flacco in your last two games, that might be a little skewed.

Still, Detroit was the only team I was comfortable putting on top this week.

2 – Colts (4-1) 7

Why not? The Colts have been on a ridiculous tear since the season started, with their only loss coming in largely self-inflicted fashion. The offense is a machine and the defense wreaks havoc. Everything is working hand in hand in Indianapolis, and it’s resulting in wildly efficient and electric football.

Now that we can throw precedent out the window and judge teams simply based on what they’ve been through a month, I feel comfortable saying the Colts have been the best team in the AFC through five weeks.

3 – Buccaneers (4-1) 5

I was hesitant to put the Bucs this high considering all four of their wins have been by three points or less, which isn’t exactly sustainable. But, at least they won the damn games. That goes quite a long way!

I said in the preseason that Tampa was a sneaky 1-seed candidate because of how their schedule shaped up, especially down the stretch. Well, they’re 4-1 and about to wrap up the “hard part” of said schedule, all with injuries galore on offense and a Swiss cheese secondary.

Until that bites them, they’re going to keep winning because Baker Mayfield is a psychopath and Emeka Egbuka is already a superstar. This team is appointment television every week.

4 – Bills (4-1) 3

No team in the NFL goes undefeated. A loss was always going to show up for Buffalo, and I’m not surprised that it was to a divisional opponent with an up-and-coming quarterback and terrific coach.

I’m more surprised that the Bills were lifeless for about 50 minutes on Sunday night. That’s not what we’ve come to expect from this team. Maybe they were complacent because they’ve been sleepwalking to victories over the likes of the Jets and Saints. Maybe they simply underestimated their division rivals. Regardless, I didn’t like what I saw. They were outplayed and outcoached, they couldn’t establish any semblance of a run game and Josh Allen got his lunch money taken by Drake Maye.

But, the Bills aren’t the type of team to stay complacent for long. They’ll bounce back in a big way against the fluff they continue to be gifted in this schedule.

5 – Packers (2-1-1)

The Packers are one of several teams that I had no idea what to do with here. Didn’t help that they didn’t play this week. They should dispose of the Bengals easily this week, but I can’t imagine we’ll learn much about Green Bay until they go to Arizona in two weeks time.

6 – 49ers (4-1) 9

Putting the Niners this high seems a little… kneejerk to say the least. But damn, this is the coaching operation of the year. And that’s worth a hell of a lot in this league.

Kyle Shanahan is coaching his tail off, getting this team to continue grinding out close wins over quality opponents despite their Costco receipt of injuries. He’s getting Mac Jones to play lights out, for crying out loud. Christian McCaffrey has been the ultimate weapon that we know he can be, freaking Kendrick Bourne is turning into Justin Jefferson for some reason and that young defense is really starting to come into its own — Alfred Collins had an eye-popping performance on Thursday night.

Just imagine what it’ll look like when this team is as healthy as they can be.

7 – Rams (3-2) 3

The Rams only have themselves to blame for not being 5-0. Horrendous kicking operations, less-than-ideal fourth down decision-making and untimely turnovers have doomed them in their two losses.

But we all know this team is of an incredibly high quality. Matthew Stafford is playing at an MVP level, Puka Nacua is your OPOY through a month and that defense is all over the place. They just need to clean up the little things, because they’re snowballing into much, much bigger things. That can’t keep happening.

8 – Jaguars (4-1) 5

Hell yeah. This Jags team is absolutely electric. Monday night’s thrilling victory over the Chiefs was the epitome of that.

The story has to start with that defense, which continues to drop jaws. The takeaway total has reached 14, highlighted by Devin Lloyd — who would be the DPOY if the season ended today — taking a goal-line interception the distance for the game-flipping score. They make key plays in every key moment, which allows the offense to do the rest. And while I still don’t think that side of the ball is anything crazy, there’s no denying how good they’ve been in the clutch.

That win on Monday is the type of victory that can catalyze a strong regular season run. With plenty out there for the Jaguars to accomplish, who’s to say that they won’t?

9 – Seahawks (3-2) 1

I don’t know what the hell happened to this defense on Sunday, but it made for some excellent theater. Seeing Sam Darnold and Jaxon Smith-Njigba go band for band with Baker Mayfield and Emeka Egbuka was the most electrifying offensive football we’ve seen in 2025.

I do lean towards that defensive debacle being an aberration and not something that could become a trend. And while many could knock Darnold for his pair of interceptions, I’m not the type of guy to hate on a QB for throwing a pick on a tipped ball, or trying to make a play with the game on the line. He has still been wildly efficient behind a so-so offensive line with a so-so run game. If you’re looking for Darnold slander, it won’t come from me.

10 – Commanders (3-2) 2

I told you so. Turns out I was right all along about the impact that Jayden Daniels being in the lineup has. You guys should trust me on this stuff.

I will admit that this team looked completely lifeless for 20-or-so minutes on Sunday before Quan Martin’s forced fumble on Quentin Johnston completely turned the tide. Jayden, Jacory Croskey-Merritt and the Washington offense completely dominated from there on out while the defense tightened up and made every play they needed to. Yes, the Commanders were aided on penalties here and there, but they weren’t bad calls or anything like that. They took advantage of the Chargers’ mistakes.

I thought Daniels played a terrific second half, Bill clearly had the best game of his young career — and should be the clear every-down back from here on out — Deebo Samuel continued to be the best playmaker on the roster. And it all culminated in the closest feeling to 2024 that we’ve had in ’25. I like that feeling.

However! I still hate so much of the coverage schematics. That was the type of the game where the defensive line takes over, which is awesome to see. Javon Kinlaw and Daron Payne are playing out of their minds right now, and I loved to see the little sprinkling of Jordan Magee, who was a shot out of a cannon on several plays. But the countless third down conversions with wide open spots in the zone drove me nuts. Please, for the love of anything and everything that’s holy, clean that up.

11 – Broncos (3-2)

Thank you. Just… thank you. If I could move you into the top-10 on the principle of beating the Eagles alone, I would.

But honestly, I still have my qualms with the Broncos, particularly on offense. I just don’t understand why they still have Bo Nix playing with training wheels on, even with how solid the run game has been. They don’t want to throw over the middle — in fact, it feels like all they want to do is hit the sidelines with jump balls to Courtland Sutton or quick passes to the flat. And that works, but it won’t work consistently. In a strange way, I just feel like Sean Payton either doesn’t trust Nix right now, or they’re not on the same page.

But, if the offense can keep doing enough to match their defense’s ability to keep them in games, Denver can keep on winning. I just feel like Nix’s current level of play puts a low ceiling on how good they can be.

12 – Eagles (4-1) 10

Forget the 2024 Chiefs. These Eagles feel more like the 2020 Steelers.

No offensive identity. The players don’t like each other. The style of winning isn’t sustainable. The record doesn’t mean much when you throw on the tape.

Again, it has been a month. We can throw away precedent now. I don’t care that they won the Super Bowl eight months ago. This feels like a shell of the team that whooped the Chiefs in New Orleans. That dominant rushing team can no longer run the ball with Saquon freaking Barkley. AJ Brown continues to be alarmingly invisible. The once-lockdown secondary isn’t exactly fearsome. And teams can actually run on that front. At least the defense has been serviceable. The offense can’t say remotely the same.

I know I said that the Eagles will keep finding ways to win, but what happens if they can’t? Well, Sunday happens. And with a very tough schedule, that could continue to happen if this operation doesn’t tighten up. At least they get the Giants in two of their next three games.

It’s okay, Philadelphia. At least you have the Phillies! Oh wait.

13 – Chiefs (2-3) 7

I really did not want to bump the Chiefs this low, but I had nowhere else to put them. So, here you go. Just know that I don’t think you’re this low, Kansas City. It’s a matter of circumstance.

I’m just so perplexed at what this team is. When I watch them, I don’t get it. More than anything, I don’t understand why this defense is as underwhelming as it is. They have consistently given up major plays in the clutch to let down Patrick Mahomes and the offense. It feels like that side of the ball is starting to click, but it doesn’t matter because the D is failing them.

Let me be clear: I think the Chiefs are going to be fine despite a tough schedule, and I’d still easily pick them to win the AFC because they’re the Chiefs and Mahomes is still under center. But that doesn’t mean I can just put them in the top-5 or something. Because this isn’t a top-10 team in football right now, let alone a top-5 one.

14 – Patriots (3-2) 9

“Welcome to the f—ing show.” – Will Ferrell in The Campaign (2012).

The Patriots have arrived. I had my doubts about whether or not this would happen, but here we are. Drake Maye is here, folks. And he is really freaking good. His innate playmaking ability, his throwing prowess on the run and ever-improving decision-making has turned him into one of the league’s best-performing QBs thus far in 2025. The country got to see it in full, dazzling display on Sunday night.

Like I said with the Jaguars, that’s the type of win that can catalyze the run that determines the season. With the way Maye and Stefon Diggs are playing, with an improving defense, and with a TreVeyon Henderson that’s waiting to explode and with a Charmin-soft schedule, who knows what’s in the cards for the Patriots all of a sudden?

15 – Chargers (3-2) 8

You hear that? That’s the sound of the wheels falling off.

The offensive line situation has become untenable. The Chargers had to use two different right tackles and three separate right guards against the Commanders, and by the fourth quarter, they couldn’t keep the pocket clean if they had a full bottle of Windex.

Justin Herbert can only do so much — though, I’ve got to tell you, he’s not doing all that much anyways. There’s no semblance of a run game or a deep threat. It’s all dink and dunk, which is fine and dandy against the Raiders and all, but you can’t win every game like that. Now, Omarion Hampton is heading to IR, and the OL isn’t going to magically get healthier. This is a real make-or-break stretch coming up for LA.

16 – Steelers (3-1) 2

Bye weeks are fun when they mean I don’t have to watch the Steelers play football. Now I have to watch them play… Dillon Gabriel and the Browns? Great.

17 – Vikings (3-2) 2

Here’s what we know: this defense is still insane, and so is Justin Jefferson, and Kevin O’Connell is a remarkable coach. As long as those things remain true, the Vikings will continue to stay afloat.

Again, I’m interested to see what this operation looks like when JJ McCarthy returns, because I’m not so sure that they shouldn’t just stick with Carson Wentz as a steady hand to keep this thing upright. Only time will tell.

18 – Cowboys (2-2-1) 3

All it took to make this defense look good was playing the Jets. Seems legit.

In any case, this offense is still stupidly good. Javonte Williams has turned into Ladanian Tomlinson for whatever reason, Dak Prescott continues to play like an MVP, there are weapons everywhere and they are all making impacts. Ryan Flournoy is making plays for crying out loud.

I still think the Cowboys will have to win a shootout every week to stay out of the loss column when it comes to playing good teams. But shoot, maybe they can do it.

19 – Texans (2-3) 1

Hello, we’re back department? I’d like to file a claim.

I won’t get my hopes up because the Ravens are legitimately dreadful on both sides of the ball right now, but seeing CJ Stroud turn in a 2023-esque performance while the defense goes nuclear fills me with joy. That is the Texans team I feel like I’ve been waiting to see forever. If they can just keep consistently playing at or near that level, they can get right back in the thick of things.

Unfortunately, they’re going to stick around down here until I see that.

20 – Falcons (2-2) 4

I have no idea what this team is going to look like coming out of the bye, but I’m fascinated to find out. It’s a shame I’ll be missing that MNF matchup with the Bills due to being at the back-end of the ESPN/ABC doubleheader in Landover.

21 – Bears (2-2) 1

See you on Monday, my friends.

22 – Ravens (1-4) 8

It might legitimately be chalked in Baltimore. I don’t see how the Ravens turn this thing around in the immediate future, especially while Lamar Jackson is out.

This defense has now given up 41, 38, 37 and 41 points in their four losses this year. They cannot defend a scarecrow in an open field. The offense is lifeless without Lamar with absolutely zero rushing threat (any fellow Derrick Henry fantasy owners in shambles?). And the coaching doesn’t seem to be doing any favors.

The schedule will lighten up when Lamar is back, but will that matter if the Ravens are 1-5 or even 1-6? Because that’s a hell of a hole to dig out of.

23 – Cardinals (2-3) 6

You’re lucky I don’t put you at 32. That was one of the most embarrassing, inexplicable and laughable losses I’ve ever seen in nearly two decades of watching the NFL. And I don’t know that there’s any coming back from it.

Losing three games in a row on walkoff field goals with the latest being that absolute calamity can do irreparable damage to a locker room. We’re about to find out what this team is made of. My hopes aren’t very high.

24 – Panthers (2-3) 5

Oh look, another win! Shoutout Rico Dowdle.

This defense still stinks — though they’ve been better than anticipated — and I’m losing hope for Bryce Young by the quarter. But maybe, just maybe, the Panthers can find a little something on offense and keep it going into a favorable matchup against Dallas’ defense.

25 – Dolphins (1-4) 3

Ah, yes. The ol’ blown three-possession lead against the Panthers. Classic.

Miami has probably found something in Darren Waller. Jaylen Waddle and De’Von Achane are studs. But this offense still isn’t very good. And holy hell, that defense is abysmal. And that’s pretty much all there is to say about this team right now.

26 – Browns (1-4) 1

The nicest thing I can say about the Browns right now is that their defense is obviously great.

But offensively, it doesn’t feel like they’re trying to win. It feels like they play to not lose. I understand the limitations with that offensive line and an undersized and not-very-talented rookie quarterback, but come on guys. Let’s show some life.

27 – Saints (1-4) 4

You know what? Spencer Rattler has been good this season. I give the guy a ton of credit. The offense isn’t much to look at, but the sophomore quarterback has turned in some nice outings. None of the bad stuff happening in New Orleans is his fault.

The Saints defense is also playing at a solid level, and now we know what a turnover fest can look like for them. But, they’re not playing the Giants every week.

28 – Giants (1-4) 4

Jaxson Dart this, Cam Skattebo that. News flash: the Giants still suck! Who would’ve thought?!

Sunday’s game was necessary for Dart. He needs to make his rookie mistakes and learn that he’s not invincible. I’m just glad we can go back to pretending that New York is anything close to good or frisky. They’re bad.

29 – Titans (1-4) 3

No team in the NFL goes winless. Good for the Titans to get one, even if it took the looniest game I’ve ever watched to get it done.

I really think Cam Ward has it, man. He’s got the goods to make all the throws and the composure to be a franchise QB. Tennessee’s got one — they just have to surround him with the right pieces and infrastructure. I know you can see it too.

30 – Bengals (2-3) 4

The Jake Browning experiment ends… and the Joe Flacco experiment begins? A 40-year old QB behind that offensive line?

Good luck!

31 – Raiders (1-4) 6

It’s a pure, unmitigated disaster in the desert. Geno Smith has been one of the worst quarterbacks in football and Pete Carroll has no grip on anything in that locker room.

There is nothing remotely positive to say about the Raiders right now. It might be time to start over… again.

32 – Jets (0-5) 2

One is the loneliest number. The Jets sit alone as the NFL’s single winless squad.

When will that change? Not sure. When will Aaron Glenn look like a real head coach with any sort of grip on this organization? Also not sure.

New York might want to get comfy down here.

2025 NFL Playoffs and Super Bowl Predictions

It’s time to be wrong. We’ve previewed each of the league’s 32 teams; now it’s time to see how it’ll all play out in the postseason. Hopefully this isn’t the disaster that I’ve been known to produce in the past.

Cover photo taken from The SportsRush.

It’s time to be wrong. We’ve previewed each of the league’s 32 teams; now it’s time to see how it’ll all play out in the postseason. Last time I did this, I predicted the Super Bowl correctly (Chiefs over 49ers in 2023), so I’ve got a reputation to uphold here. Hopefully this isn’t the disaster that I’ve been known to produce in the past.

First, a look at the playoff picture:

NFC Standings

1 – Philadelphia Eagles (13-4)
2 – Green Bay Packers (12-5)
3 – Los Angeles Rams (12-5)
4 – Tampa Bay Buccaneers (11-6)
5 – San Francisco 49ers (12-5)
6 – Washington Commanders (11-6)
7 – Detroit Lions (10-7)

AFC Standings

1 – Kansas City Chiefs (15-2)
2 – Buffalo Bills (14-3)
3 – Baltimore Ravens (12-5)
4 – Houston Texans (10-7)
5 – Los Angeles Chargers (12-5)
6 – Denver Broncos (11-6)
7 – Cincinnati Bengals (10-7)

And now, for the playoff prediction:

Wild Card Weekend

Buccaneers over 49ers

Better team wins a real toss-up. Home-field advantage and an offense with more playmakers puts the Bucs over the top in a shootout.

Packers over Lions

Lambeau finally holds its own as a fortress as Green Bay’s defense proves to be the difference-maker in a hard-fought divisional game.

Commanders over Rams

Jayden Daniels’ homecoming is an explosive one against an inexperienced Rams secondary with Washington winning an exciting road playoff game with plenty of burgundy and gold in the stands.

Texans over Chargers

See: last year’s playoff game.

Ravens over Broncos

Denver’s defense keeps Baltimore’s offense in check for a bit, but the Ravens’ overwhelming talent breaks through late for a close, hard-fought win.

Bills over Bengals

The wheels fall off Cincinnati’s defense as Josh Allen and the Bills get revenge for the 2022 Divisional.

Divisional Round

Eagles over Commanders

Sigh. We’ll see if the idea of revenge fires us up, but I still just don’t know if we have what it takes to keep up with the Birds right now. I’d love to be proven wrong.

Packers over Buccaneers

Tampa can’t keep up in the frozen tundra as the Packers offense explodes for a dominant win to get back to the NFC Championship for the first time since 2020.

Chiefs over Texans

See: last year’s playoff game.

Bills over Ravens

See: last year’s playoff game. I think Baltimore is the best team from top to bottom in the league, but until I see them win in January, I’ll trust what my eyes have seen repeatedly before picking them to finally win it all.

Championship Weekend

Packers over Eagles

Someone has to beat them, right? The Micah Parsons trade makes the Packers a bonafide Super Bowl contender, despite some of their shortcomings in the secondary. This feels like a year that it can all come together for them — from Jordan Love’s ascendancy to Micah’s game-wrecking ability off the edge, I think they’re able to go on the road and knock off the team that’s been the class of the NFC in recent years. Or so I hope.

Chiefs over Bills

Like I said with the Ravens, I actually have to see the Bills win this game to predict them to do so. I do think it’s a matter of when, not if, that Buffalo and/or Baltimore finally knocks off Kansas City. But it’s not for me to say that it’ll be now. I need to see it to believe it. If Buffalo winds up hosting this game, they’d almost have to win it — there would be no better way to send off the Ralph than finally getting the Mahomes monkey off their back and get back to the Super Bowl. And the thought of opening the new stadium with a banner dropping gives you chills. I genuinely hope that it happens. But I’ve seen this film before. We know how it ends.

Super Bowl LX Prediction

(you guys are gonna hate me for this)

Chiefs over Packers

I said it when I picked Patrick Mahomes to win MVP: this season screams 2022 for the Chiefs. That season, everyone wrote them off only for them to go on a run where Mahomes took home that award en route to another ring and Super Bowl MVP.

Well, here we are again. Everyone is discarding the Chiefs after they got crushed in Super Bowl LIX against the Eagles and once again pushing their chips towards the center of the table for Baltimore and Buffalo. Well, only one active quarterback has ever beaten Mahomes in the AFC playoffs, and his defense ain’t getting him to a position where he can do it again. So, to pick KC to get back to the big game feels simple enough.

This would be a very tough test against what’s going to be a vaunted defensive front, but we’ve seen the Chiefs get the job done in this spot time and time again. As I always say, it’s simply them until proven otherwise.

32 Teams in 32 Days: Denver Broncos

The Broncos have quietly vanquished financial demons and assembled one of the best rosters in the NFL, putting them in a position to genuinely contend for a Super Bowl in 2025.

Cover photo taken from PFF.

Welcome to 32 Teams in 32 Days, a daily series leading up to kickoff of the 2025 NFL season where I preview every team in the league as decided by a wheel spin and project what their season will look like. You can keep up with everything right here.

We’re sticking in the AFC West, where the Broncos have quietly vanquished financial demons and assembled one of the best rosters in the NFL, putting them in a position to genuinely contend for a Super Bowl in 2025.

No, I’m not exaggerating. And I’ll tell you why.

The Broncos have done everything right since moving on from Russell Wilson. While it felt like that trade and contract were going to bury them from years, they’ve risen from the hypothetical ashes as a literal phoenix to do everything they need to do to win football games.

In this league, you can get the QB right, then let the rest fall into place. This, however, is the alternative: a three-step equation that precedes getting a quarterback right.

Step one: hire the right coach. Denver knocked it out of the park by bringing in Sean Payton last season, who clearly had plenty of juice left after “retiring” several years ago. He just knows how to win, and he knows how to work with the quarterbacks of his choosing.

Step two: build the trenches. My God, have the Broncos done that. They were one of two teams to finish in the top-10 of pass block (1st) and rush (2nd) win rate as well as run block (1st) and stop (8th) win rate. The other was the Super Bowl champion Eagles.

Step three: Build a championship defense. I’d like to think that this unit that ranked 1st in EPA/play, 2nd in success rate, 1st in dropback EPA and 2nd in rush success rate fits the bill. That’s what happens when you have the defensive player of the year in Patrick Surtain II — who has clearly emerged as the league’s best DB. But it’s more than that. Edge rusher Zach Allen had the third-best pass rush win rate in the league last year while DT DJ Jones was second in the NFL among tackles in run stop win rate. Nik Bonitto has blossomed into one of the league’s brightest young talents at linebacker. Now, he has Dre Greenlaw alongside him with Talanoa Hufanga patrolling the defensive backfield and first-round pick Jahdae Barron locking down the opposite boundary of Surtain. I mean, good lord.

So, all of that elite roster-building by GM George Paton allowed them to tie it all together with the franchise QB of their choosing. And at first, I wasn’t sure about the choice. But Bo Nix has proven his worth after being picked 12th overall a year ago. That being said… I don’t think he’s that good yet.

Nix definitely finished the year way stronger than he started it, which goes a long way. In September, he clearly still had the training wheels on — a little odd for a five-year college starter — and the speed of the pros seemed to rattle him. But, by December, he was vastly improved, finishing the year with 3,775 yards, 29 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.

What’s his ceiling? (h/t PFF)

I usually hesitate to call guys “system quarterbacks,” but it just felt like Nix was a small cog in a larger system than the one that drove the bus. He was just 19th in EPA+CPOE and 22nd in success rate while the offense ranked 16th in EPA/play. That’s a whole lotta mid. I don’t know if he has what it takes to elevate the guys around him, and I worry that what we saw last year was his ceiling as a pro; after all, he was only taken where he was because the Broncos had no other choice.

Here’s the good news: in the case that I’m right, Denver is still going to be fine. Nix and Payton have a perfect marriage and I think he’s good enough within the confines of this system (especially with that offensive line) to put them in a position to contend in the AFC. Him not being an elite quarterback is fine. Teams like the Jimmy Garoppolo 49ers prove that you don’t need crazy good QB play when the rest of the roster is as ridiculously talented as it is.

X-Factor: The Pass-Catchers

It would certainly help Bo Nix if this wide receiver and tight end corps develops into a better one. Yes, Courtland Sutton has been a great player for a long time and got a well-deserved extension this offseason. But after that, there’s some potential left to be reached considering no other player had more than 503 receiving yards — less than half of Sutton’s total — last year. I think guys like Marvin Mims and Troy Franklin could turn into truly elite deep threats in the slot, and this year’s third-rounder Pat Bryant has the frame and skillset to turn into a really nice complement to Sutton. Plus, Evan Engram could turn into a reliable security blanket at tight end considering how many targets he saw in Jacksonville. All of that would go a long way in helping Nix and elevating this offense to be better than the frankly mediocre one they were a year ago.

Team MVP: The Offensive Line
Best starting five in the league. (h/t Getty Images)

I could’ve gone a number of ways here. I really wanted to give it to Patrick Surtain, but sometimes, you gotta show love to the hog mollies.

The incredibly high level of play that this OL had a year ago is astounding. By the numbers, this might’ve been the best offensive line I’ve ever seen and was one of the biggest reasons why Bo Nix was such a success in his rookie season. Garrett Bolles, Ben Powers, Luke Wattenberg, Quinn Meinerz and Mike McGlinchey are by far the best starting five in the league. I already mentioned how this OL was first in both pass block and run block win rate in 2024, so I’m just going to leave these here for you to look at:

Garrett Bolles: 7th in PBWR among OT, ranked 5th in pass blocking grade among OT by PFF

Ben Powers: 5th in PBWR among IOL, 1st in RBWR among IOL

Luke Wattenberg: 2nd in PBWR among IOL, ranked 2nd in pass blocking grade among centers by PFF

Quinn Meinerz: 3rd in PBWR among IOL, ranked 3rd-highest overall guard by PFF (6th in pass blocking, 3rd in run blocking), voted First Team All-Pro

Mike McGlinchey: 6th in PBWR among OT

I rest my case.

Breakout Candidate: RB R.J. Harvey

I held off talking about Harvey for this long, so let’s get into it. A solid and consistent run game is what was missing from this offense last year. Javonte Williams, Jaleel McLaughlin and Audric Estime were a mediocre committee at best, hence why Williams and Estime are now gone. JK Dobbins was brought in to be a steady vet in the backfield, but the real guy to watch is the second-round pick from UCF.

Harvey was an absolute stud in college with nearly 3,000 yards and 40 touchdowns on the ground in his final two seasons. Those are ridiculous numbers. He might be smaller in size, but he’s got the burst and quickness to make up for it. More than anything, I have a feeling that he’s going to emerge as a security blanket for Nix in the passing game, turning into a Bucky Irving of sorts by catching a ton of checkdowns and making his money after the catch. In any case, I think he’ll be the starting tailback in no time sheerly by having the highest upside of anyone in that backfield.

Record Prediction: 11-6

I have pretty high hopes for this team. I think they should be a playoff team fairly easily despite the rest of this division being a gauntlet and tough games against Washington, Philadelphia, Cincinnati, Houston and Green Bay. The offensive infrastructure and defensive dominance will be enough to get to double digit wins and a Wild Card spot. I just think the lack of elite QB play will prevent them from winning the division. Plus, as I’ve been saying with these AFC West teams, I won’t believe that the Chiefs can be dethroned until I see it. But I’m a massive fan of this roster, and I’m excited to see if they can build off last year’s success and be better this fall.

Next up: Las Vegas Raiders