Category: Sports

This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports. New users on Kalshi can receive a $10 trade bonus when they use promo code FOXSPORTS ahead of Sunday’s MLB action. The Los Angeles Dodgers and Philadelphia Phillies close out their series with two dangerous sluggers ready to take the field. Shohei Ohtani and Kyle Schwarber are some of the most dangerous power hitters in the National League. The Chicago Cubs are putting their recent stretch behind them and Pete Crow-Armstrong is helping lead the way as they face the Cardinals. New users can click here to claim a $10 trade bonus with Kalshi’s promo code FOXSPORTS get started ahead of Dodgers vs Phillies, Cubs vs Cardinals, and the rest of Sunday’s MLB schedule. For more information and full terms and conditions, visit our Kalshi promo code page. How to Claim the Kalshi Welcome Bonus Kalshi Odds *Odds/Probability are subject to change* Los Angeles Dodgers – Top Players & Team Stats Team Stats (Season Performance) Trend Note: Los Angeles has won four of its last five games despite Saturday’s 4-3 loss to Philadelphia. The Dodgers hold a significant pitching edge in Sunday’s matchup with Yoshinobu Yamamoto (3.09 ERA, 0.98 WHIP) facing Andrew Painter (5.40 ERA, 1.46 WHIP). Shohei Ohtani, Andy Pages, and Freddie Freeman continue to anchor one of baseball’s most productive lineups, which ranks well ahead of Philadelphia in batting average, on-base percentage, and runs scored. Philadelphia Phillies – Top Players & Team Stats Team Stats (Season Performance) Trend Note: Philadelphia has won four of its last five games and evened this series with a 4-3 victory on Saturday. Kyle Schwarber remains the club’s top power threat, while Brandon Marsh has been the most consistent hitter by average. The Phillies will need a strong outing from rookie Andrew Painter against a dangerous Dodgers lineup after allowing 505 hits and 305 runs through their first 58 games. Chicago Cubs – Top Players & Team Stats Team Stats (Season Performance) Trend Note: The Cubs have won three of their last four games and bounced back with a 6-1 win over St. Louis on Saturday behind a big day from Pete Crow-Armstrong. Chicago has scored 28 runs over its last four victories and owns advantages over the Cardinals in runs scored, batting average, on-base percentage, and WHIP. The biggest question entering Sunday’s rubber match is starting pitcher Jordan Wicks, who carries a 16.62 ERA in limited action this season. St. Louis Cardinals – Top Players & Team Stats Team Stats (Season Performance) Trend Note: St. Louis has lost four of its last five games and has scored just 15 total runs during that stretch. Jordan Walker continues to be the centerpiece of the offense, leading the club in average, home runs, and RBIs. The Cardinals will look to Matthew Liberatore to provide stability on the mound after allowing six runs in Saturday’s loss and dropping back to third place in the NL Central standings.

This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports. DraftKings has upped the bonus bets as the stage gets bigger. New users can now win $200 in bonus bets instantly when they bet $5 on the NBA Finals or Stanley Cup Finals. Two championships. Four teams. Every possession brings championship intensity. The Stanley Cup Final begins Tuesday between the Carolina Hurricanes and Vegas Golden Knights. Two squads that have absolutely been on fire this postseason. Each score, assist, defensive stop and power play have led them to the NHL’s biggest stage. In the NBA, the New York Knicks have finally returned to the NBA’s grandest stage for the first time in 27 years. They’ll face the franchise that ended their dreams of capturing a title, the San Antonio Spurs. Led by a generational star, Victor Wembanyama, the Spurs look to grab their sixth title and defeat the Knicks again while doing it. For bettors, DraftKings makes it simple to get involved—place a $5 wager and unlock $200 in bonus bets instantly as the Stanley Cup Finals and NBA Finals begin this week. DraftKings Claim the New User Offer No Promo Code Needed Stanley Cup and NBA Finals Game 1 Odds Who wins the Stanley Cup and NBA Title? NBA Finals MVP NHL Playoffs MVP

The Los Angeles Rams have done it again! The Rams acquired two-time Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett from the Cleveland Browns in exchange for edge rusher Jared Verse, a 2027 first-round pick, 2028 second-round pick and a 2029 third-round pick on Monday, proving once again that they’re in “F them picks” mode. General manager Les Snead, who has been with the team since 2012, ushered in the “F them picks” era not long after the Rams moved to Los Angeles in 2012. They’ve given up several premium draft picks over the last decade, surrendering a swath of valuable selections to help build their Super Bowl-winning roster in 2021. That led to Snead creating the term “F them picks” during the team’s celebration. As a result, the Rams have made just two first-round picks since 2018. They took Verse in 2024, who was just traded in the deal for Garrett, and quarterback Ty Simpson in this past NFL Draft, a rare move that signaled that the team was building for the future. The Rams’ Super Bowl title in 2022 and 10 playoff victories since 2018 are proof that this aggressive philosophy has paid off in a big way. Now, following the blockbuster move for Garrett that shocked the entire NFL world, let’s take a look at the timeline of the major trades that helped build the Rams into the powerhouse franchise they are today. Timeline Of Rams’ Blockbuster Trades The Rams acquired 2015 Defensive Rookie of the Year Marcus Peters and a 2018 sixth-round draft pick for a 2018 fourth-round draft pick and a 2019 second-round draft pick. He was a key piece in helping the Rams reach Super Bowl LIII. The Rams acquired Brandin Cooks and a fourth-round pick from the Patriots in exchange for the No. 23 overall pick in the 2018 first round and a sixth-round selection. Cooks spent two seasons in Los Angeles, emerging as a key deep-threat weapon during the team’s run to Super Bowl LIII. The Rams acquired All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey from the Jacksonville Jaguars in exchange for first-round picks in 2020 and 2021, plus a 2021 fourth-round pick. Ramsey was an instrumental part of their Super Bowl run in 2022. The trade that changed everything. This blockbuster trade redefined the NFL over the last five seasons and is widely considered the biggest win-win trade in NFL history. Matthew Stafford brought a Super Bowl to LA, won an MVP and has been one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL over that span. The Rams acquired Sony Michel from the Patriots in exchange for a 2022 fifth-round pick and a conditional sixth-round pick that later became a fourth-round selection after Cam Akers suffered a torn Achilles during a preseason workout. The trade occurred just before the start of the 2021 season and proved to be a valuable addition. Michel rushed for 845 yards and four touchdowns during the regular season, then added 140 rushing yards and a touchdown during the Rams’ Super Bowl-winning playoff run. At the 2021 trade deadline, the Rams pushed all their chips to the center of the table, acquiring Von Miller from the Denver Broncos in exchange for second-round and third-round picks in the 2022 NFL Draft. Miller played a massive role in the Rams’ Super Bowl LVI championship run, recording 31 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, eight quarterback hits, and 5.0 sacks in just eight regular-season games. He then elevated his play in the postseason, adding 14 tackles and 4.0 sacks during the Rams’ four-game march to a Super Bowl title. After coming up just short in the 2025 NFC Championship game, the Rams have now gone all in once again. With their secondary a glaring issue last season, the Rams traded a 2026 first-round pick (No. 29 overall), a 2026 sixth-round pick and a 2027 third-round pick for McDuffie. Shortly after the trade, the Rams signed the 25-year-old Southern California native to a record-setting four-year, $124 million contract extension, making him the highest-paid cornerback in NFL history. The current Super Bowl favorites have acquired the reigning Defensive Player of the Year and arguably the best defensive player in the NFL. Garrett logged 23 sacks last season, setting the NFL’s single-season all-time sack record.

This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports. With both the Stanley Cup Final and NBA Finals set to begin this week, sportsbooks like DraftKings, FanDuel, theScore Bet, BetMGM and more are rolling out some of their biggest and best offers of the season. One of the top promotions available is a Bet Reset up to $1,000, giving new users added protection as they wager on championship action. The Vegas Golden Knights and Carolina Hurricanes open the Stanley Cup Final on Tuesday. Carolina has only lost once in their dominant playoff run, but Vegas isn’t backing down after sweeping the NHL’s best team in the regular season, the Colorado Avalanche. Then on Wednesday, the San Antonio Spurs and New York Knicks tip off an NBA Finals rematch from 1999. Superstar Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs are ready to start a new dynasty of Spurs basketball. The Knicks are back in the Finals for the first time in decades and ready to bring an NBA title back to New York for the first time since 1973. FanDuel How to Claim the $150 in Bonus Bets, No Promo Code Needed Stanley Cup and NBA Finals Game 1 Odds DraftKings Claim the New User Offer No Promo Code Needed Who wins the Stanley Cup and NBA Title? theScore Bet How to Sign Up and Claim the theScore Bet New User Promo NBA Finals MVP Fanatics Sportsbook How to Sign Up and Claim the Fanatics Sportsbook Bonus Code NHL Playoffs MVP Kalshi How to Claim the Kalshi Welcome Bonus Kalshi’s Odds: NBA Finals Winner *Odds/Probability are subject to change* Polymarket How to Claim the Polymarket Promo with Code FOX Stanley Cup Finals Winner *Odds/Probability are subject to change* Caesars Sportsbook Sign Up and Claim the Caesars Sportsbook Promo Code bet365 How to claim bet365 Promo with Bonus Code ‘FOX365’. BetMGM How to Sign Up and Claim the BetMGM Sportsbook Bonus Code

If you didn’t already think the Los Angeles Rams were going all-in for a Super Bowl in 2026, they made it clear that’s the case on Monday. Now, Colin Cowherd doesn’t think anyone is on the same tier as the Rams ahead of the new season. Following the Rams’ trade for two-time Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett, Cowherd crowned them as the clear Super Bowl favorite even though they gave up two-time Pro Bowl edge rusher Jared Verse, a 2027 first-round pick, a 2028 second-round pick and a 2029 third-round pick to Cleveland in exchange for Garrett. “Myles Garrett to me is worth making this move,” Cowherd said. “You give up a first-rounder and Jared Verse. Now, the other thing to remember is that when the Rams took a quarterback, everybody was like, ‘Whoa,’ well, now you see why, because they’ve been in discussions with Cleveland with Myles Garrett. “It all makes sense now, right?” Cowherd added. “All the critics [were] like, oh, they’ll get Ty Simpson in-house for two years, [he] does not have to play now. They get Trent McDuffie with a first-round pick and now Myles Garrett and they will be an overwhelming Super Bowl favorite.” Garrett is widely regarded as one of the NFL’s most dominant defensive players, fresh off his second Defensive Player of the Year award. A multiple-time Pro Bowler and All-Pro selection, he also became the first reigning Defensive Player of the Year winner in league history to be traded, getting moved after he set the NFL’s single-season all-time sacks record. As players like Garrett rarely get moved, Cowherd made another big statement about the player the Rams got. “He is, and I’ve said this 10 times on this show, take out Lawrence Taylor and that’s the best rush edge I’ve ever seen in my life,” Cowherd said. “Myles Garrett and Lawrence Taylor are the best I’ve ever seen.” The move signals a clear win-now push from Los Angeles as they look to maximize their current Super Bowl window. It also instantly transforms their pass rush into one of the most feared units in the league, with Garrett already on a Hall of Fame trajectory. And while it’ll be tough for Garrett to match the 23 sacks he recorded last year, it’s evident that he’s still got some strong seasons ahead of him. He’s logged at least 14 sacks in each of the last five years, and his tackles for loss (33 in 2025) have increased over the last two seasons. “Myles Garrett, shockingly, is only 30 years old,” Cowherd said. “[Jared] Verse is already 25, which it seems like Garrett’s been in the league forever. He is right now in the middle of his peak years. Cowherd framed the deal as a rare win-now gamble that prioritizes elite talent over draft capital. In his view, it also helps justify the Rams’ decision to take Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson with the No. 13 overall pick, a move that was widely scrutinized. “They don’t have a first-round pick,” Cowherd said. “Let me ask you: do you think it’s worth it to draft Ty Simpson now and have Ty Simpson in-house for a year or two with Matt Stafford and not have Myles Garrett? I mean, you tell me, what are the options? I’m going to go with it.” Outside of the Rams’ side of the deal, Cowherd also sees positives for the Browns. Verse may not be Garrett, but he was named Defensive Rookie of the Year in his first season and is a player Cowherd believes could develop into a star. “You get your next Myles Garrett, Maybe not, [Verse is] 75- 80% [of the player Garret] is. Verse is a good player from Ohio, 25 years old, going into his prime,” Cowherd said. “You’ll have him. He’s not getting paid a ton yet. The Rams now have the MVP in Matt Stafford and the Defensive Player of the Year in Myles Garrett.” Cowherd made it sound like this wasn’t just a big swing but a calculated move the Rams have been setting up for a while. “But oh, they reached on Ty Simpson at quarterback,” Cowherd said. “[This was] all part of the plan.”

Attorneys for Brendan Sorsby and the NCAA presented arguments before a district judge Monday as the Texas Tech transfer quarterback seeks an injunction to allow him to play next season after he acknowledged making thousands of impermissible bets while in college. There was no immediate ruling from Senior Judge Ken Curry after the two-hour hearing, or any indication of when he would rule on a temporary injunction against the NCAA. An injunction would not change Sorsby being declared permanently ineligible by the NCAA, but would put that on hold as the case proceeds. Sorsby did not attend the hearing in the 99th District Court in Lubbock County, where Texas Tech is located. Jeffrey Kessler, the attorney who negotiated the House settlement against the NCAA and is now representing Sorsby, requested a ruling by June 15. That would be a week before the deadline for Sorsby to apply for the NFL supplemental draft if he remains ineligible to play for the Red Raiders this fall. Kessler told the court the 22-year-old Sorsby has a diagnosed addiction and anxiety-driven compulsion. He said the quarterback was never motivated by financial gain in his gambling and never sought to alter or compromise the outcome of a game. Sorsby, who transferred to Texas Tech for a reported multimillion-dollar deal after playing for Cincinnati the past two seasons, recently completed a month-long residential treatment program for gambling addiction. According to a clinician who treated Sorsby, Kessler said, not allowing the quarterback to play would hurt his mental health and impede the progress of his recovery. NCAA lead attorney Taylor Askew questioned how being allowed to play again in college, and putting him back into the situation that triggered his behavior, would help Sorsby’s mental health. As for NCAA rules, Askew said, Sorsby would have been ruled ineligible long ago had his gambling been known in the past. Court filings revealed that on March 11 the NCAA received a tip from an online gambling book, which had been informed by law enforcement, about Sorsby’s gambling activity. Texas Texas was notified April 14 that the NCAA was doing an investigation. “If this were just one or two violations, it would still render him ineligible,” Askew told the judge. “This is thousands of violations, 40 individual bets on Indiana football when he was a member of the team, he was on the roster. He just wasn’t traveling. A member of the team, that’s permanent ineligibility.” The bets made by Sorsby According to court documents, Sorsby made thousands of bets totaling at least $90,000 while in college. That included at least 40 bets on Indiana football when he was a Hoosiers freshman in 2022, though none on games that he played in over two seasons there. The documents show that Sorsby made at least 2,900 bets totaling more than $30,000 while at Indiana from June 2022 through December 2023. He continued betting after transferring to Cincinnati, though not on the Bearcats. He provided more than $60,000 to a friend to deposit into a shared FanDuel account registered in another name. Sorsby transferred to Texas Tech after last season, to a state where online betting is illegal, and electronically transferred about $5,000 to other individuals who placed bets on his behalf. Texas Tech seeks Sorsby’s reinstatement Texas Tech announced on April 27 that Sorsby was taking an indefinite leave of absence to enter a residential treatment program. Coach Joey McGuire said last week that the quarterback would still be able to participate in offseason workouts with the Red Raiders after returning to campus. Their season opener is Sept. 5 at home against Abilene Christian. Texas Tech won the Big 12 last season before a loss in the College Football Playoff capped a 12-2 season. Sorsby sought the injunction against the NCAA in a lawsuit filed May 18, the same day Texas Tech ruled him ineligible, a necessary step before the school could pursue his reinstatement. Tech filed that request for reinstatement the following day, and the NCAA denied it May 22. Texas Tech is appealing that ruling. Reporting by the Associated Press.

LIV Golf star Bryson DeChambeau has been searching for answers on the course during a quiet stretch of play over the past few months. That skid has included missing the cut at both the Masters and the PGA Championship. However, he appears to have rediscovered his form after finishing third at the LIV Golf Korea event, closing with a 5-under 65, just one shot out of a playoff. To find ways to improve his swing and break out of his slump, DeChambeau has taken an unconventional approach. He’s now turning to AI and Google Gemini to analyze and refine his game in search of a new edge. “I spent some long hours on the range trying to figure some stuff out and I was talking to AI quite a bit last night trying to go through some different physics principles that make the club turn over, having some alpha torque and gamma torque put in there,” DeChambeau said. “I was like, what makes that possibly do that, and was talking about just grip pressure and tension.” The process marked a rare dive into technology-driven experimentation for the two-time major champion. It also reflects his ongoing search for consistency after an uneven stretch in recent weeks. “I came out here today with just a little bit more freer hands and I felt the club a lot better,” DeChambeau said. “I felt like I could close the club a lot more effectively and then I started stripping it.” Reporters spotted DeChambeau on the range between 7:30 and 8 p.m. on Saturday night, visibly frustrated as he slammed his club into the ground. The moment goes to show the intensity of his struggles as he works through ongoing swing issues, prompting him to explore Gemini. “I was frustrated,” DeChambeau said. “I’ve been trying everything in my body. I didn’t actually figure it out on the range. I went back and started talking to Gemini and trying to figure out just what it could be to passively make the club turn over.” The experimentation reflects DeChambeau’s broader effort to better understand the physics behind his swing and find a repeatable solution. He believes those late-night conversations helped him identify a key adjustment that finally clicked. “Hands just felt like they were moving forward and I couldn’t get the club to turn over even if I tried to stop it, here and [it] just wouldn’t turn over,” DeChambeau said. “So I left kind of frustrated, and then learned later that night, I needed to relax my grip pressure and let the thing fold over naturally.”

The Rams continue to tell the NFL world that they’re all-in on winning the Super Bowl. Just over two months after trading for All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie, Los Angeles on Monday acquired reigning Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett from the Cleveland Browns in a blockbuster deal. The Rams gave up ascending edge rusher Jared Verse and premium draft capital in the trade — a 2027 first-round pick, a 2028 second-round selection and a 2029 third-rounder. With Garrett in the fold, how does the Rams’ defense stack up with the NFL’s best? Here’s my ranking of the league’s top five units in descending order: Key additions: OLB Jonathan Greenard (trade), CB Riq Woolen (FA), OLB Arnold Ebiketie (FA)Key losses: OLB Jaelan Phillips (FA), LB Nakobe Dean (FA), S Reed Blankenship (FA) Losing Jaelan Phillips in free agency was a big loss for the Eagles, but they shouldn’t lose a step in the pass rush after trading for Jonathan Greenard in April. Before a down year in 2025, the former Pro Bowler had back-to-back seasons of 12 sacks. The signing of ex-Seahawk Riq Woolen on a one-year deal represents a low risk, potentially high reward boost to what’s already a strong secondary. If edge rusher Jalen Carter is healthy, playcaller Vic Fango has one of the truly elite defenses in the NFL. Key additions: DT Tyler Oyedim (draft)Key losses: DL John Franklin-Myers (FA), S P.J. Locke (FA) The Broncos last season had the NFL’s best pass rush, the No. 2 total defense and ranked third in points allowed. John Franklin-Myers’ departure in free agency is significant, but Denver still has the core of its defense and drafted defensive tackle Tyler Onyedim, a third-round pick who could suffice as a Franklin-Myers replacement. Denver has had a top-three defense in back-to-back seasons under DC Vance Joseph. Key additions: DE Myles Garrett (trade), CB Trent McDuffie (trade), CB Jaylen Watson (FA)Key losses: OLB Jared Verse (trade), CB Cobie Durant (FA) With Garrett in the picture, the Rams now have the league’s most tantalizing defense. Los Angeles could be truly dominant in stopping the pass — it has added two All-Pro talents in Garrett and cornerback Trent McDuffie — while still being great against the run (the Rams ranked 12th in run defense last season). But could having such an elite offense — especially through the air — keep Chris Shula’s defense on the field longer than expected? Despite leading the league in scoring last season, the Rams were 14th in average time per drive (2:53). Key additions: DE Dante Fowler Jr. (FA), S Bud Clark (draft), CB Julian Neal (draft)Key losses: S Coby Bryant (FA), DE Boye Mafe (FA), CB Riq Woolen (FA) The Seahawks return 10 full-time starters from their No. 1 ranked scoring defense that led the way to the franchise’s Super Bowl LX victory, but their depth losses aren’t insignificant. If rookie defensive backs Bud Clark (second round) and Julian Neal (third round) play a big role early, Mike Macdonald’s defense may not lose a step. Key additions: S Reed Blankenship (FA), DL Logan Hall (FA), DT Kayden McDonald (draft)Key loss: DT Tim Settle (FA) The Seahawks last season barely edged the Texans as the league’s top-scoring defense (Seattle at 17.2 PPG allowed, Houston at 17.4 PPG allowed). So with the losses the Seahawks have suffered this offseason, the Texans — who also return 10 starters — are in the top spot by default. Not to mention, an already feared Houston defense added a high-quality veteran safety in Reed Blankenship via free agency and landed Ohio State defensive tackle Kayden McDonald in the second round of the draft.

Another big trade has gone down in the NFL on Monday. The New England Patriots have agreed to a deal to land the star wide receiver from the Philadelphia Eagles, ESPN reported. New England will reportedly surrender a 2028 first-round pick and a 2027 fifth-round pick to Philadelphia in order to acquire Brown. Brown’s desire to leave the Eagles had been building since last season, with the Patriots widely being speculated as the top landing spot for him over the last few months. He was largely fueled by frustration with the Eagles’ offense’s inconsistency in 2025, making multiple comments about the matter last year. He told fans to “get rid” of him if they had him on their fantasy football team at one point, and that playing “Madden NFL 26” was the only way to find “highlights” of him. As Brown expressed his frustrations, the 2025 season was his least productive in his four years with the Eagles. He narrowly surpassed the 1,000-yard mark, finishing with 78 receptions for 1,003 yards and seven touchdowns. The 1,003 receiving yards Browns had were his fewest in a single season since his final year with the Tennessee Titans in 2021, a year in which he played just 13 games. Brown will now reunite with his former Titans head coach, Mike Vrabel, who is coming off his first season with the Patriots, during which he led the team to a Super Bowl appearance. Brown and Vrabel enjoyed some strong success together over their three seasons in Tennessee, helping the Titans make the playoffs in all three years. They also reached the AFC Championship Game when Brown was a rookie in 2019, but the Titans traded Brown to the Eagles for a first-round pick and a third-round pick in 2022. After falling short in Super Bowl LX, the Patriots have been active in reshaping their wide receivers room this offseason. They released Stefon Diggs, who led the team in receiving yards last season, but signed former Green Bay Packers standout receiver Romeo Doubs. They also signed veteran guard Alijah Vera-Tucker and used their first-round pick on Utah offensive tackle Caleb Lomu to help bolster their offensive line and protect quarterback Drake Maye, who finished second in MVP voting last season. Defensively, New England’s notable additions include safety Kevin Byard and defensive lineman Dre’Mont Jones. Still, the Patriots lacked a clear No. 1 wide receiver prior to their trade for Brown. FOX Sports NFL writer Ralph Vacchiano recently ranked New England’s supporting cast around Maye 16th in the league, noting that a deal for Brown would change the Patriots’ ranking. “He’s the No. 1 receiver the Patriots thought they were getting in Stefon Diggs last season, only he’s bigger and four years younger,” Vacchiano wrote. “New England’s strength is in the potent 1-2 RB punch of TreVeyon Henderson and Rhamondre Stevenson. But the real key for this team will be the offensive line. It improved from 2024 yet still gave up a ridiculous 47 sacks in the regular season and a record 21 in four playoff games.” But even before the trade for Brown, most analysts have been bullish on the Patriots heading into the 2026 season. Following their 14-3 2025 campaign, Vacchiano put the Patriots at No. 7 in his most recent power rankings, although he thinks their tougher schedule will likely lead to a few more losses this year. “They have basically the same brutal schedule as the Bills, only more home games toward the end,” Vacchiano wrote. “So why did they drop behind them? Because the Patriots aren’t used to a slate like that. And their coach has been a bit … um … distracted.” As for the Eagles, their moves this offseason indicated that Brown would likely get traded. They signed veteran receiver Marquise “Hollywood” Brown and traded for receiver Dontayvion Wicks from the Packers. Those moves preceded what they did in the draft, trading up to select USC wide receiver Makai Lemon in the first round. Prior to Monday’s trade, Vacchiano ranked the Eagles’ supporting cast around quarterback Jalen Hurts the fourth-best in the league. “They looked so dysfunctional all last year, but it was never because of a lack of talent around QB Jalen Hurts. The truth is, Philly is still loaded on offense,” Vacchiano wrote. “Saquon Barkley has 2,000-yard potential. The offensive line is the envy of most teams, despite coming off a relative down season. Dallas Goedert, as long as he stays healthy, is a reliable and dangerous tight end. “DeVonta Smith is a worthy No. 1. In fact, he could become a top-five receiver once he’s out of Brown’s needy shadow. The Eagles also traded for Dontayvion Wicks and drafted Makai Lemon in the first round, and they signed Hollywood Brown, who is still only 28. All three wideouts could contribute a lot.” And the Eagles are still expected to contend in 2026. The two-time reigning NFC East champs were placed at No. 4 in Vacchiano’s most recent power rankings. “Take out three games against NFC West teams and their schedule is soft as butter,” Vacchiano wrote. “Also, they get their two toughest games at home (Rams, Seahawks), and by the time they travel to San Francisco, the frequent-traveling 49ers should be exhausted.”

After the World Cup group stage, things go from intense to do-or-die. In previous years, the Round of 16 was the first knockout stage match, but with an expanded field of 48 teams— it is now the second. Let’s check out the odds for which countries are favored to win at least one knockout stage game and make it to the Round of 16, at FanDuel Sportsbook as of June 1. This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports. To Reach Round of 16 France: -450 (bet $10 to win $12.22 total)Spain: -390 (bet $10 to win $12.56 total)England: -360 (bet $10 to win $12.78 total)Germany: -280 (bet $10 to win $13.57 total)Brazil: -270 (bet $10 to win $13.70 total)Portugal: -270 (bet $10 to win $13.70 total)Belgium: -260 (bet $10 to win $13.85 total)Argentina: -200 (bet $10 to win $15 total)Switzerland: -165 (bet $10 to win $16.06 total)Mexico: -155 (bet $10 to win $16.45 total)Netherlands: -145 ((bet $10 to win $16.90 total) USA: -130 (bet $10 to win $17.69 total)Norway: -130 (bet $10 to win $17.69 total)Colombia: -120 (bet $10 to win $18.33 total)Canada: +100 (bet $10 to win $20 total)Türkiye: +110 (bet $10 to win $21 total)Ecuador: +115 (bet $10 to win $21.50 total)Morocco: +125 (bet $10 to win $22.50 total)Croatia: +130 (bet $10 to win $23 total)Uruguay: +130 (bet $10 to win $23 total)Ivory Coast: +155 (bet $10 to win $25.50 total)Egypt: +180 (bet $10 to win $28 total)Japan: +180 (bet $10 to win $28 total)Austria: +190 (bet $10 to win $29 total)South Korea: +200 (bet $10 to win $30 total)Czechia: +210 (bet $10 to win $31 total)Senegal: +210 (bet $10 to win $31 total) Here’s what to know about this oddsboard. The Favorites: France and Spain are favored to win the tournament, making them heavy favorites to at least reach the second round of the knockout stage. In 2014, France made it to the quarterfinals, followed by a championship in 2018 and a runner-up finish in 2022. The last time it failed to make it out of the group stage was back in 2010. For Spain, it lost in the Round of 16 in both 2022 and 2018, and failed to make it out of the group stage in 2014, after winning the World Cup in 2010. The Host Nations: Each of the three host nations — Mexico (10th on the oddsboard), USA (12th) and Canada (15th) — are expected to make it out of the group and win their Round of 32 matchup. Mexico has a familiar relationship with the round of 16, having lost in that round every tournament from 1994 to 2018 — seven straight tournaments. In 2022, Mexico didn’t make it out of group play. As for the USA, it made the Round of 16 in 2022, did not qualify for the tournament in 2018, and made the Round of 16 in 2014 and 2010. Lastly, Canada has never won or drawn a match at the World Cup, let alone make it out of the group stage.