Up 17-3 at halftime against the New Orleans Saints, the Chargers lost 19-17 after failing to score in the second half. While losing in preseason is hardly terminal damage, the fact the Chargers failed to score in three quarters against the Saints will be a mild source of concern. The Bolts were limited to just 78 rushing yards, as they continued to be without Melvin Gordon. The running back told the Chargers last month he would not report to training camp until he got a new contract and he has stuck to his word so far....

Because our preseason rankings weren’t enough, we will keep doing weekly updates based on the natural fluctuation of football’s most important position. This week, the focus turns to the award that essentially rewards the top quarterback in the NFL in a given season — league MVP. Three quarterbacks have emerged as the strongest candidates through the first half of the season based on how much they’ve carried their teams, but now a fourth — the reigning MVP, no less — is set to return to make up some major ground....

Of course, in 2019, chatter around NFL officiating has been as loud as ever, leaving referees to explain questionable calls made by their crews after most games. With the addition of pass interference to the NFL’s replay review system this year, senior vice president of officiating Al Riveron’s performance is also under the microscope. Each week, the NFL announces its referee assignments for its slate of games on Thursday, Sunday and Monday....

Then defensive coordinator Vic Fangio sent Sherrick McManis on a blitz, and the cornerback sacked Josh Rosen to preserve the victory, placing the 2-1 Bears at the top of the NFC North standings. Though it’s still early in the 2018 season, Chicago looks like the most improved team in the NFL, and much of its success can be traced back to general manager Ryan Pace’s moves over the last couple years....

For several — think Trevor Lawrence, Zach Wilson and Justin Fields — the only way to go following their rookie campaigns is up. Then there’s Mac Jones, who clearly played the best of the bunch in 2021, resulting in high expectations for his second year in New England. What about Trey Lance? He has arguably the best physical attributes of any second-year quarterback, but is still unproven after playing sparingly as a rookie in San Francisco....

On Thursday night, the surging, 6-2 Panthers travel to Pittsburgh to face the 5-2-1, AFC North-leading Steelers. It’s the teams’ first regular-season meeting since 2014 despite several preseason matchups. On Sunday night, the Cowboys travel to Philadelphia for a key NFC East tilt against the Eagles. Both teams are chasing Washington in the division standings. MORE: Watch the NFL live and on-demand with fuboTV (7-day free trial) Below is the full schedule for Week 10 of the 2018 NFL season....

Elsewhere, the Cowboys look to rebound from a disappointing Week 2 loss with a Monday night matchup against the Arizona Cardinals. Marshawn Lynch and the Oakland Raiders face a tougher test in Week 3, as they take on the Redskins in Washington on Sunday night. Below is the full NFL schedule for Week 3 with kickoff times (all Eastern) and TV coverage. NFL WEEK 3: Power Rankings | Picks straight up | Picks against spread...

Primetime games this weekend include a couple divisional matchups in Bills-Jets and Lions-Packers. The Lions look to challenge the Packers in the NFC North in Green Bay’s second game without Aaron Rodgers. On Sunday night, the Raiders take on the Dolphins in Miami. Below is the full NFL Week 9 schedule, with kickoff times (all ET) and TV coverage. NFL WEEK 9: Power Rankings | Picks straight up | Picks against spread...

Plenty of talented players went undrafted, including Alabama linebacker Dylan Moses, Oregon State edge defender Hamilcar Rashed Jr. and Pitt safety Paris Ford and Florida State defensive tackle Marvin Wilson, among others (including a host of kickers and punters). Those players and more were undoubtedly disappointed their names weren’t called in the NFL Draft. But that doesn’t mean their professional careers are over before they’ve begun. MORE 2021 NFL DRAFT:Full results | Team-by-team grades | Winners & losers...

Here’s an early-week update on the point spreads and totals for the Week 1 betting card. The lines below are from the LVH SuperBook, which posted Week 1 numbers when the league released its schedule in April. Monday’s spreads and totals are as of 12:30 p.m. ET. Check current betting lines from around Las Vegas on our live odds board. Thursday, September 4 Packers at Seahawks Monday’s spread and total: Seahawks -5....

Thursday’s game features a 46.5-point total, and the Bears are listed as three-point favorites. Check out more betting numbers and information about the matchup on BetQL! Week 1 DFS Lineups:FD Cash | DK Cash | FD GPP | DK GPP | Y! GPP | Y! Cash Last year’s meetings These teams split last year’s series. The Packers erased a 20-3 fourth quarter deficit to win 24-23 in Week 1. In Week 15, the Bears sacked Aaron Rodgers five times and forced him into a season-low quarterback rating of 68....

Based on AccuScore calculations, the projected NFL playoff teams in the AFC are the New England Patriots, Kansas City Chiefs, Pittsburgh Steelers and Tennessee Titans, with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Baltimore Ravens taking the wild-card spots. In the NFC, AccuScore projects the Philadelphia Eagles, Seattle Seahawks, New Orleans Saints and Detroit Lions to make the postseason as division winners, with the Carolina Panthers and L.A. Rams making it as wild cards....

Andrew Quarless replaced Finley at tight end, but that’s not who will likely pick up the tight end’s targets while he’s out. We’re expecting Aaron Rodgers to lean more heavily on his receivers, especially Randall Cobb on intermediate passing routes. That could help James Jones become a little more consistent, but that remains to be seen. While the Packers have plenty of weapons to help replace Finley, it might not be so easy for his fantasy owners....

Green Bay led 24-0 midway through the third quarter before Dallas put the pedal to the floor, but it was too little, too late. Packers running back Aaron Jones erupted for a career-high 182 scrimmage yards — 107 rushing and 75 receiving — and four touchdowns on 26 touches, while Aaron Rodgers threw for 238 yards without an interception. Meanwhile in Los Angeles, the Broncos spoiled Melvin Gordon’s long-awaited return from his contract holdout with a 20-13 victory to end Denver’s eight-game losing streak thanks to a stout defensive effort that forced three turnovers and a flawless performance by veteran quarterback Joe Flacco....

MORE: Get the latest NFL odds & betting advice at Sportsbook Review That is why will focus our attention on what might be better opportunities against the NFL odds for Week 8 and do our homework in finding on the field advantages that could work in our favor. That is precisely the method we will take, looking at favorites with weaknesses the underdog could exploit and making it worth a look for NFL picks for both against the spread or money line action....

Before we break down the Week 8 forecast, here’s a reminder that if you have any questions about sports weather or how weather could impact play (and, potentially, your fantasy, DFS, and gambling decisions), don’t hesitate to reach out on Twitter @KevinRothWx or check our hourly NFL weather forecasts on RotoGrinders. To take your game to the next level, subscribe to RotoGrinders’ exclusive WeatherEdge tool and see how different weather conditions have impacted historical scoring....

NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith sent a letter to all player agents asking them to urge players to save money in the event of a yearlong work stoppage in 2021, SportsBusiness Journal reported. “We are advising players to plan for a work stoppage of at least a year in length,” Smith wrote in the letter, a copy of which was obtained by ESPN. “We are also encouraging players to save 50% of their salary and bonuses and to save the entirety of their Performance Based Pay amounts they should earn over the next two regular seasons....

Despite some front offices climbing over one another to identify the next Ilya Kovalchuk or Alex Tanguay, more and more teams are becoming cognizant of the reality that control of the game and possession of the puck are the bigger drivers to individual and team success. Tuesday’s example: The Maple Leafs hiring stats bloggers Cam Charron, who has written for Sporting News, and Rob Pettapiece; and Daryl Metcalf, who created the influential advanced stats site Extra Skater....

Hockey is making its official return to the ice more than four months after the 2019-20 season was suspended March 12 because of the global coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. The league and its players agreed to resume play in four phases, with Phase 4, the current phase, being the last step. Here’s what you need to know about the NHL’s “bubble” and hub city setup: What is the NHL bubble & hub cities?...