The Milwaukee Brewers had the best record in baseball during the regular season – and in their first game of the postseason, they showed why. Jumping on Chicago Cubs starter Matt Boyd early, the Brew Crew bashed their way to a 9-3 victory in the best-of-five National League Division Series.

The Cubs will try to rebound in Game 2 Monday night in Milwaukee with left-hander Shota Imanaga (9-8, 3.73 ERA in regular season) on the mound. The Brewers will counter with lefty reliever Aaron Ashby serving as the opener and right-hander Quinn Priester (13-3, 3.32) likely following him.

The Brewers have leadoff hitter Jackson Chourio back in the lineup after he tweaked his right hamstring in the series opener legging out an infield single. It was the same injury that caused him to miss a month of action during the regular season.

What time is Cubs vs Brewers?

The second game of the National League Division Series doubleheader begins at 9:08 p.m. ET on Monday, Oct. 6, at American Family Field in Milwaukee.

How to watch Cubs vs Brewers NLDS Game 2

The Cubs-Brewers game will be televised by Turner Sports with Alex Faust handling play-by-play duties, Ron Darling providing the analysis and Lauren Jbara reporting from the field.

• TV: TBS, TruTV
• Streaming: HBO Max, Sling TV

Watch NLDS on Sling TV

Cubs lineup today

1. Justin Turner (R) 1B
2. Nico Hoerner (R) 2B
3. Kyle Tucker (L) DH
4. Seiya Suzuki (R) RF
5. Ian Happ (S) LF
6. Carson Kelly (R) C
7. Pete Crow-Armstrong (L) CF
8. Dansby Swanson (R) SS
9. Matt Shaw (R) 3B

Brewers lineup vs Cubs for NLDS Game 2

1. Jackson Chourio (R) LF
2. Brice Turang (L) 2B
3. William Contreras (R) C
4. Christian Yelich (L) DH
5. Andrew Vaughn (R) 1B
6. Sal Frelick (L) RF
7. Caleb Durbin (R) 3B
8. Blake Perkins (S) CF
9. Joey Ortiz (R) SS

Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh said Hampton will be placed on injured reserve because of an ankle injury. The rookie running back will miss a minimum of four games.

“He has been getting into a really good rhythm, playing really well,” Harbaugh said Monday. “Special player. That was an unfortunate occurrence.”

Hampton injured his left ankle during the third quarter of the Chargers’ 27-10 loss to the Washington Commanders. The injury appeared to occur when Hampton was inadvertently tripped while running a short pass route on fourth-and-2. Hampton fell to the turf and got up favoring his ankle.

The Chargers running back checked out of the game and didn’t return.

Hampton was in a walking boot inside the Chargers’ locker room after the game.

The Chargers backfield has been depleted by injuries. Veteran running back Najee Harris suffered a season-ending ruptured Achilles in Week 3.

Hampton and Harris were slated to be the team’s top two running backs this year. Hampton leads the Chargers with 314 rushing yards and two rushing TDs. He also has added 20 receptions for 136 yards.

With Hampton now out for at least four weeks, the Chargers will turn to running backs Hassan Haskins and Kimani Vidal to shoulder the load.

The Chargers have lost two games in a row after starting the season 3-0. They travel to Miami to take on the Dolphins in Week 6.

Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Tyler Dragon on X @TheTylerDragon.

• New England won in Buffalo for first time since 2021, knocking Bills from ranks of unbeaten.
• Despite being conjoined since 1960, Pats and Bills have never really been good simulataneously.
• Next question: Are Pats ready to reclaim divisional throne and end Buffalo’s five-year rule?

For decades now, it’s seemed like the Buffalo Bills and New England Patriots have been ships passing in the void – which is typically what the AFC East is otherwise. But the Pats’ 23-20 upset win Sunday night in Orchard Park in front of a prime-time television audience offers fresh promise that these two franchises might finally be headed for a potentially entertaining collision course – particularly at a time when New England has some fresh protagonists.

Second-year quarterback Drake Maye was nearly perfect after halftime, connecting on 13 of his 14 passes for 184 yards and putting New England in position for Andy Borregales’ game-winning field goal with 15 seconds to go – a 52-yarder that staked Buffalo, the league’s final unbeaten team.

Seems Maye, who passed for 273 yards in sum Sunday, has learned a few things amid his growing personal relationship with Bills counterpart and reigning league MVP Josh Allen.

“He’s just the ultimate,” Maye said of Allen last week. “He wants the ball in his hands to win the game. With the game on the line, the ball is in Josh’s hand a lot, and he ends up making the play. That’s what I’ve learned.”

Apparently.

And if the former divisional rulers toppling the current ones wasn’t enough – though Buffalo (4-1) remains a game up on New England in the divisional table – there was also the return of expatriated (and now re-Patriot-ed) wideout Stefon Diggs, the former Bills star playing in Western New York for the first time as a visitor … while catching 10 balls for 146 yards.

“It was lit, prime time,” Diggs said. “I’ve played here before, playing on the other side. It was electrifying. I knew it was going to be a test for us. It speaks volumes that we are taking steps in the right direction.”

There could be a lot more tests and steps ahead for a pair of organizations that have rarely been in serious conflict despite being birthed together as divisional rivals in the American Football League in 1960. The Patriots’ social media team even attempted to light 65 years’ worth of kindling by doctoring an image of Diggs side-eyeing Allen 18 months after their divorce.

Maye himself took a playful shot at the Bills and their mantra, simply distilled years ago by Hall of Fame Buffalo coach Marv Levy.

“(G)reat environment, playing the Buffalo Bills. Where else would you rather be?” Maye said after his team’s win.

Good.

As you Maye or Maye not recall, the Bills ruled the roost – and the AFC at large – in the first half of the 1990s, qualifying for a record four consecutive Super Bowls between the 1990 and ’93 seasons. Then the Patriots emerged under coach Bill Parcells, reaching the Super Bowl themselves to end the 1996 campaign, before blossoming into perhaps the league’s greatest-ever dynasty with Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady during the first two decades of the 21st century. Then TB12 left for Tampa, and Allen’s Bills awoke from their long, cold winter – claiming New England’s erstwhile throne and now in pursuit of a sixth consecutive AFC East crown.

Unless they’re unexpectedly usurped.

With little evidence that the New York Jets or Miami Dolphins are anywhere close to their occasional spasms of relevance, it appears the Patriots are approaching a resurrection led by Maye and first-year coach Mike Vrabel − as a player, the former linebacker, along with Brady, Belichick, et al., helped keep the Bills basically dead and buried for the 17 seasons preceding head coach Sean McDermott’s arrival in 2017. Allen was drafted a year later.

Sunday night was the Patriots’ first win at Buffalo since a quirky, windswept game in 2021, when then-New England quarterback Mac Jones attempted three passes in a 14-10 victory – and following it, McDermott wanted no part of hearing what a brilliant tactician Belichick was. And by that point the Patriots had largely abdicated anyway – which was quite evident when the brief Jones-Belichick edition was dismissed 47-17 in their playoff return to Highmark Stadium a month later.

What could be different moving forward is that the prime years of Allen and his quasi-football clone, Maye, could actually overlap when both are at or near their peaks. That was never really the case for Jim Kelly and Drew Bledsoe or Brady and Allen. Or even Bledsoe and Brady, originally teammates in Foxborough and briefly adversaries later − though Bledsoe ultimately finished 1-5 against New England, which chose him atop the 1993 draft … and paid him exorbitantly until Belichick (correctly and unceremoniously) kicked the injured QB to the curb in 2001, when Brady went on to lead the Patriots to the first of their six Lombardi Trophies. Bledsoe was exiled to Buffalo months later.

But it’s New England that’s morphed into a football version of Siberia in recent years, and now it’s the Patriots who want to come in from the cold.

“What Coach Vrabel says is that’s where we want to go, where we want to be at is where the Bills have been the past couple years: contenders, winning the division and playing well at home,” Maye said last week.

“So, it’s a tough environment, and, like I said, they’re a great football team with some great players. So, we’ve got our hands full, but we’re excited.”

The rest of the football universe should be, too – especially during a season when rivalries like Ravens versus Steelers or Chiefs versus the universe might not have quite the same juice. The stakes should be a lot higher when the Patriots and Bills − both currently projected as playoff teams at this very early juncture − next meet Dec. 14 at Gillette Stadium.

“(I) think it’s important that we can take the next step, show that we are ready and that maybe some of our identity has a chance to let itself out,” Vrabel last week.

Mission accomplished. Maye it be the first of many.

Edmonton Oilers star Connor McDavid signed a two-year contract extension on Monday, Oct. 6, but it won’t make him the highest-paid player in the league or even his team.

McDavid agreed to a team-friendly, two-year contract extension worth $25 million for a $12.5 million cap hit, matching his current mark. That keeps him below Oilers teammate Leon Draisaitl, who will average $14 million, starting this season.

The lack of a raise gives the team the chance to add players around the McDavid-Draisaitl duo.

‘Connor’s commitment to our team and our city is surpassed only by his singular focus on bringing a Stanley Cup back to fans of the Edmonton Oilers,’ general manager Stan Bowman said in a statement.

Minnesota Wild forward Kirill Kaprizov signed the richest deal in NHL history – eight years, $136 million with a $17 million cap hit – during training camp.

McDavid, a three-time MVP, had been the top-paid player when he signed an eight-year extension that averaged $12.5 million. It took effect in the 2018-19 season.

He since has been surpassed by Nathan MacKinnon ($12.6 million), Auston Matthews ($13.25 million), Draisaitl and Kaprizov.

McDavid said after the Stanley Cup Final, where the Oilers lost to the Florida Panthers for the second year in a row, that he needed some time to regroup and talk to his agent and family. He said there was no rush on the decision.

A key to his decision would be whether the Oilers could finally get over the top and also what was best for himself and his family.

Edmonton traded Evander Kane and Viktor Arvidsson, and let Corey Perry, Connor Brown, Jeff Skinner and John Klingberg go to free agency. The Oilers re-signed Evan Bouchard and Kasperi Kapanen and added free agents Andrew Mangiapane and Curtis Lazar. They traded for Hobey Baker Award winner Isaac Howard and signed him to an entry-level contract. They traded for goaltending depth in Connor Ingram.

After the McDavid signing, the Oilers announced a seven-year, $49 million extension for defenseman Jake Walman.

This story has been updated to add new information.

The Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning don’t like each other after meeting in the playoffs in four of the last five seasons.

That led to Saturday’s feisty preseason game, which led to 322 total penalty minutes, suspensions to Tampa Bay’s Scott Sabourin and J.J. Moser, plus two fines.

The 2025 playoffs, won by Florida, had been particularly nasty with Brandon Hagel suspended one game for a hit on Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov and Aaron Ekblad suspended two games for injuring Hagel with an elbow.

The teams remembered that when they met Thursday, Oct. 2, and combined for 186 penalty minutes. A.J. Greer was fined for roughing and injuring Hagel.

Saturday’s preseason game blew past that with 65 penalties and 322 penalty minutes.

The rough stuff started early when Sabourin took down Ekblad in the first period and then punched him when he got up. Ekblad wouldn’t return to the game and Sabourin received a match penalty for intent to injure. Ekblad was back at practice on Monday.

The NHL suspended Sabourin on Monday, Oct. 6 for four games for delivering an ‘ungloved sucker punch.’ He will forfeit $16,145.84 in pay after the NHL Player Safety department determined his actions were retribution.

Before the end of the first period, Tampa Bay’s Moser and Florida’s Carter Verhaeghe and Jonah Gadjovich received game misconducts.

Moser was suspended for two games for boarding Florida’s Jesper Boqvist. He’ll will forfeit $35,156.26.

The scrums and penalty minutes continued to pile up in the second period.

Early in the third period, a hit by Tampa Bay’s Oliver Bjorkstrand led to him and other players being ejected.

All told, the game featured five fights, 20 roughing minors, six misconduct penalties and 12 game misconducts.

At one point, the Lightning had three players on the bench.

‘That’s a first for me,’ Lightning coach Jon Cooper told reporters. ‘I think we had more coaches than players on the bench at one point.’

The Panthers won 7-0. The teams will next meet on Nov. 15 at the Panthers’ Amerant Bank Arena.

NHL Player Safety disciplinary action after Lightning-Panthers preseason game

• Sabourin was suspended four games for roughing Ekblad.
• Moser was suspended two games for boarding Boqvist.
• Tampa Bay’s Gage Goncalves was fined $3,125.00 for cross-checking Florida’s Evan Rodrigues.
• Tampa Bay’s Roman Schmidt was fined $2,098.52 for cross-checking Verhaeghe.

This story has been updated with new information.

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast.Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

The New England Patriots’ backfield took a hit during the team’s signature 23-20 victory over the Buffalo Bills on Sunday night.

Running back Antonio Gibson suffered a season-ending torn ACL during the win, an MRI confirmed on Monday, a person close to the situation told USA TODAY Sports. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter.

The injury occurred during the second quarter when Gibson was hit hard on a kickoff return. He immediately grabbed his right knee and was in visible pain on the field.

The Patriots quickly ruled Gibson out for the remainder of the contest.

Gibson’s season-ending knee injury is a blow to New England’s special teams unit and offensive backfield.

Gibson was the team’s top return man. His 28.5 yards kick return averaged ranked in the top 10 in the league. He had a 90-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in Week 2. It’s the longest kickoff return in the NFL this season.

On offense, Gibson was New England’s No. 3 option at running back behind Rhamondre Stevenson and rookie TreVeyon Henderson. Gibson tallied 25 carries for 106 yards and a touchdown this year.

The sixth-year running back spent the first four years of his career in Washington. He signed with the Patriots in 2024.

Gibson has 787 carries, 3,287 rushing yards and 24 rushing TDs in 83 career games. He’s averaged 25.1 yards per kick return during his career.

Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Tyler Dragon on X @TheTylerDragon.

• Philadelphia Phillies are in the postseason for the fourth year in a row
• Owner John Middleton’s team has the third-highest payroll in baseball.
• Dave Dombrowski joined the club in 2020 and has built a juggernaut roster.

PHILADELPHIA — They are friends – business partners really – who share the same passion and goals, but they can’t sit together.

One looks like a GQ model, often wearing a sports jacket, his hair combed perfectly, always looking relaxed and composed. The other dresses like he could be a stadium worker, constantly in motion, pacing by the batting cage, even picking up baseballs after batting practice as if he’s trying to justify a minimum wage salary.

One is comfortably rich. The other generationally wealthy.

Together, John Middleton and Dave Dombrowski are baseball’s incomparable power couple, striving to create a legacy that will forever be remembered in Philadelphia Phillies’ history.

Middleton, 70, is the managing partner who owns the Phillies.

Dombrowski, 69, is the president of baseball operations who runs the Phillies.

Together, no owner-front office tandem in baseball may be more closely aligned, sharing the ultimate respect and admiration for one another, while doing everything in their power to bring a World Series championship to Philadelphia.

“This is all I think about,’ Middleton told USA TODAY Sports, whose team faces a 1-0 deficit in this best-of-five NL Division Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers with Game 2 at Citizens Bank Park. “This is the most important thing I’ve ever done professionally. It means more to me than anything I’ve done, really.

“I want to bring a World Series championship to Philadelphia. This is the best team we’ve had since I became owner, and it’s also the toughest team we’ve ever had. They keep taking punches, get off the canvas, and hit the other team back in the nose. It’s a little bit like that ’80 [World Series championship] team with the toughness to get them over the hump.

“I really think that we are the best team in baseball.

“Now, we’ve got to go out and prove it.’

Middleton, whose family goes back 150 years in Philadelphia, lives and breathes each night with the Phillies. His wife’s family has been in the area even longer.

He sits in on scouting and development meetings. He roams the clubhouse to talk with players before games. He’s in the stands with the fans during games. He’s always on the move.

“I love walking through the stands,’ Middleton says. “People always ask me why don’t I bring security with me. I say, ‘Why would I need security? If I need security at my own stadium, I’m clearly not doing my job well.”

And when he’s not walking, he’ll sit in his own ballpark suite with his wife, Leigh, but never ventures into Dombrowski’s suite.

“I can’t sit with Dave,’ Middleton says. “He and his staff don’t need me in the room. Frankly, I don’t think they want me in the room.

“My guess is he probably would let me if I asked. I’m also quite sure that he would prefer me not to ask.’’

Middleton, wearing a red Phillies shirt and khaki pants, is the one responsible for the entire organization, with Dombrowski in charge of the baseball side, but the reality is they are true business partners.

“They’re great together because they’re all about winning,’ agent Scott Boras says. “It’s clear they make their own decisions independently, but from a development standpoint, from a negotiating free-agent standpoint, they’re a committed group. They have a real idea what they want.’’

That, of course, is to deliver the Phillies’ first World Series championship since 2008, and only the third in the 143-year history of the franchise.

“I have told Dave that his job is to figure out how to win,’ Middleton says. “My job is to figure out how to get him the money so he can do his job well.’’

Middleton and Dombrowski have been together nearly five years now but can’t think of a single disagreement. Middleton controls the money, and Dombrowski has virtual full carte blanche on baseball decisions, working in unison to make the Phillies one of baseball’s premier destinations.

“I don’t think you could have – from my perspective, an organization’s perspective, a team’s perspective, a fan’s perspective,’ Dombrowski says, ‘a better owner than John. He’s just absolutely tremendous. He wants to win. He wants to do things first class. He lets you do your job, and he cares so passionately.

“That’s why I know what this would mean to bring a championship to John, this organization, and this city. I mean, anybody you talk to, I don’t think there’s a more passionate place in the game.’

Dave Dombrowski, hard to get

Their relationship began after the COVID season when the Phillies began looking for a new head of baseball operations after re-assigning Matt Klentak. Middleton and Phillies president Andy MacPhail decided to make separate lists of potential candidates.

Middleton submitted his list of top candidates.

MacPhail jotted down only one name: Dombrowski.

When MacPhail called him, Dombrowski had no interest. He and his wife, Karie, had just moved to Nashville, built their dream home and were involved in a group trying to lure an expansion franchise to the city.

The Phillies then turned to Thad Levine of the Minnesota Twins. They brought him in, determined he was their man, only for Levine to change his mind, and stay with the Twins.

So, Middleton had MacPhail reach out to Dombrowski again. Same answer.

Middleton told him to try again. For the third time, Dombrowski said no.

“I finally told Andy that if I’m going to hear ‘no,’ I want to hear it from (Dombrowski’s) mouth,’ Middleton says.

MacPhail reached back out and asked Dombrowski if it was OK for him to talk to Middleton. Middleton called, Dombrowski said no again, but Middleton demanded to know the reason. Dombrowski explained that while he was flattered by the Phillies’ interest, he was committed to Nashville and their group, trying to either land an expansion team or have the Tampa Bay Rays or Oakland A’s relocate to Nashville.

“I had nothing against the Phillies,’ Dombrowski said, “but what it really came down to is that I made a commitment to the people in Nashville. I gave them my word.’

Middleton’s response: “Dave, as chairman of the ownership committee, I can tell you right now, there’s no chance of you getting an expansion team anytime soon. And there’s no chance of a team relocating to Nashville anytime soon.’

If Dombrowski didn’t believe Middleton, he invited him to call Manfred directly.

Dombrowski called, and Manfred echoed Middleton’s opinion. Expansion wouldn’t happen until at least 2030, maybe 2031.

Dombrowski called Middleton, reciprocated interest for the first time, and Middleton told him: “Here’s what we had in mind for a salary and I’ll put in a clause that you could void the contract if Nashville has a chance to land a team.’

Dombrowski, without a single negotiation, accepted. He only asked Middleton for his vision.

Middleton: “I want to win now, and I want to win in the future.’

The conversation lasted only a few minutes. Dombrowski was hired on Dec. 11, 2020.

“It all happened within a day,’ Dombrowski says. “I mean, it was boom, boom, boom.’

And ever since Dombrowski’s arrival, the Phillies have won. They produced their first winning record in 10 years in 2021 and reached the postseason in each of the past four seasons, but have fallen short of the ultimate prize.

Yet, World Series trophy or not, the two have grown so close that it’s almost comical how their own contract negotiations have transpired.

Where else would you have an owner offer his employee a lucrative four-year contract extension in 2022, only for the employee to negotiate a three-year deal for less money?

“I remember asking him what he wanted in years and dollars,’ Middleton recalls. “Dave says, ‘Two years seems fair, and you already pay me a lot of money, so I don’t need an increase.’

“I told him, ‘I would like to extend you four years and forget about no increase.”

Dombrowski: “How about we split the different and settle on three years?’’

The contract was finalized two days later.

Where else would you have a boss declare that you have lifetime security only for the employee to tell him not to be silly?

“I offered Dave a lifetime contract,’ Middleton says, “and he said that was too much and would raise questions. So, I told him he has a lifetime contract anyway. My biggest concern with Dave is just making sure he is happy in Philadelphia.

“I have been privileged in my career to work with a handful of executives who are truly elite, world class. When I am lucky enough to find someone that is that good, I hold onto them as tightly as I can because replacing them is impossible. Dave is one of those.’

‘It’s just money’

Everything, of course, is judged by a World Series in Philadelphia. Anything short of a championship trophy and a parade is considered a failure. This is why they went out and dominated the trade deadline. Dombrowski acquired All-Star closer Jhoan Duran, center fielder Harrison Bader and signed free-agent reliever David Robertson in July.

They pulled off the coup by trading four prospects, but none of their most prized ones: Andrew Painter, Aidan Miller or Justin Crawford.

The only real cost to Middleton was money, paying Robertson $6 million, which translates to a $12 million expenditure for salary cap ramifications. It increased their luxury tax payroll to $311 million – third-largest in baseball behind the Dodgers and New York Mets.

“It didn’t cost us players, it didn’t cost us prospects,’ Middleton said, “it was only money. I want to win. If you win a World Series, does it really matter how much you had to spend? Does anyone know whether the ’27 Yankees made money? Did they lose money? Nobody knows. Nobody cares.

“All anyone remembers is that they were great. We want to be great, too. We want to be World Series champions.’

Middleton, who became the Phillies’ control person and managing partner in November 2016, isn’t about to let money stand in the way of building a perennial championship contender.

He opened his checkbook and signed outfielder Bryce Harper to a 13-year, $330 million contract in 2019, and didn’t stop. Twenty-two months later, he signed shortstop Trea Turner to an 11-year, $300 million contract. Then came DH Kyle Schwarber with a four-year, $79 million contract and outfielder Nick Castellanos to a five-year, $100 million deal in the same week. And then they signed ace Zack Wheeler to a record three-year, $126 million extension.

“It’s just money,’ says Middleton. “The fans don’t care how much I make or how much I lose. They just want to know how many World Series trophies you win.

“So do I.’

‘Wouldn’t chnage it for the world’

It was the signing of Harper that started the renaissance. Middleton negotiated around the clock for two days with Boras, Harper’s agent, in Las Vegas. The meetings concluded, there was no deal, and Middleton flew back to Philadelphia. Middleton stopped long enough to grab some clothes, pick up his wife, Leigh, and immediately returned to Las Vegas for a dinner date with Harper and his wife, Kayla.

It was a table of five, but it was virtually a conversation of one. Leigh talked about her passion and love for the city of Philadelphia and the Phillies. She talked about their love affair that began on a blind date set up by their own mothers, with Leigh and John born at the same hospital and the families attending the same church. They got engaged after Leigh turned 19 in 1976, married on June 17, 1978, and have been inseparable since, raising two children.

Leigh was the one who ultimately convinced Harper and his wife that Philadelphia is where they needed to spend at least the next 13 years of their lives.

“Leigh kind of sold me, man’ Harper says. “She had such a knack of talking to us. It was all about family. It was all about Philadelphia and her love for the Phillies and how much the Phillies meant to the city. We had so much fun being able to sit there and talk to John and Leigh about everything Philly.’

It turned out to be the best career decision Harper says he ever made, and even with 22 players earning more money this season, he never once has he regretted not having an opt-out clause.

“It’s been so great here, I wouldn’t change it for the world,’ Harper said. “I didn’t want an opt-out. The biggest thing for me was that I didn’t want everybody talking about where I was going. That’s all anybody talked about when I was in D.C.

“When I signed here, John really talked about these next 13 years, what it was going to look like and how we were going to communicate. He’s always had his door open from the jump. Always. He just wants to win so bad. It’s the same with Dave. Anything we really need, he’s talking to us about it, from families to planes to food or stuff in the training room, technology, everything. They always communicate or have an answer for us.

“It just goes to show how much they want to win, in any capacity, on the field, off the field, always trying to get use that leg up on everything.’

The Phillies have purchased the most advanced technology. They spent $4 million creating space for 60 new offices for their research and development department. They are in negotiations on a massive project to make their Clearwater, Fla., spring-training complex into a state-of-the art facility. They expanded and remodeled their family room at Citizens Bank Park at the tune of $8 million. The players make requests, Dombrowski and Middleton listen, and they deliver.

“There’s something about having an owner who wants to win and will do everything in his power to help us win,’ Harper says. “You just don’t see that in today’s game. You can tell how much he loves this team, and not just him, but the whole family. Man, they really enjoy it.

“That’s why it would be so great for John and Leigh and the fans to and everyone here to win this thing. We’ve been here in the playoffs the last couple of years, but we haven’t gotten the job done.

“The time is now.’

‘I feel more urgency for this group’

The Phillies know the window isn’t closing, but this team still will look different next year. They have four key free agents – Schwarber, catcher J.T. Realmuto, starter Ranger Suarez and Bader. They will do everything in their power to re-sign Schwarber, who led the NL with 56 homers and is the Phillies’ clubhouse leader, but surely can’t sign them all.

“I think Kyle likes it here,’ Middleton says, “and we intend to do everything to make him like it here.’’

It’s not just the amount of money that will determine Schwarber’s decision, but the chance to win, the people he’ll be surrounded by, and the community itself.

Advantage: Middleton.

“If there’s anything we need, he wants to make sure that’s going to be provided because he wants the best out of us,’ Schwarber says. “That’s something that you can’t underestimate because it doesn’t happen everywhere. He’s very invested in Philadelphia. He’s very invested in what he does with Citizens Bank [Park]. And he’s very invested with this team.

“It’s been like that ever since I signed here, and as a player you appreciate that because it could be just the status quo. But he’s always checking in and making sure how guys are doing and seeing how morale is. And what’s really cool is that whenever someone has a charity event or something outside of the field, he and Leigh are always there to support, making donations to help the community.

“We all want to perform well for him because we know how much he cares for us.’

Middleton wouldn’t have traveled with the team to Los Angeles – even sitting on the tarmac for hours before their flight departed – if he didn’t want to share his team’s euphoria when they clinched the NL East. He even took a few swigs from the beer bong passed around in the clubhouse, something he doesn’t remember doing before.

“I feel more urgency for this group,’ Middleton says. “I mean, I’m getting older, too. But you age as an owner an executive differently than a world-class competitive athlete. So, there’s a tomorrow for me that there isn’t for some of the players.

“I want this group to win. We’ve had such a great regular season record (368 victories, tied for 5th most) the last four years, which is nice, but without the title, it seems a little hollow.

“At the end of the day, there’s only one winner. There are 29 losers.

“I want to be that winner.’

Follow Nightengale on X: @Bnightengale

• The Cardinals suffered one of the biggest letdowns of Week 5 with their late, error-filled collapse against the Titans.
• The Bills’ loss to the Patriots robbed them of the title of the NFL’s last unbeaten team standing – and it could prove even costlier in the playoff race.
• The Broncos notched a major win with a fourth-quarter surge on the road against the Eagles.

As temperatures dip as the calendar flips to October, Week 5 in the NFL saw a number of teams lose their cool.

On Sunday alone, five teams had double-digit leads give way to eventual losses. The day also featured the NFL’s only two remaining undefeated teams – the Buffalo Bills and Philadelphia Eagles – being dealt their first blemishes, while several struggling franchises – including the Arizona Cardinals, New York Jets and Baltimore Ravens – suffered their most deflating defeats yet. Throughout the league, the time for excuses is up as the march toward midseason begins.

Here are the biggest winners and losers from Week 5 in the NFL:

NFL Week 5 winners

New England Patriots

Mike Vrabel’s first impression as the Patriots coach left many feeling a little empty, as the Patriots stumbled to a 1-2 mark with mistake-riddled setbacks against the Las Vegas Raiders and Pittsburgh Steelers. Yet a 23-20 breakthrough against the Bills gave reason to believe that the many imported pieces are coming together. An uncharacteristicly sloppy outing from Sean McDermott’s crew provided a massive opportunity for New England, which failed to fully capitalize on the errors in the early going. But the defense did its part to keep Josh Allen (22-of-31 passing for 253 yards) in check while also bottling up James Cook (49 yards on 15 carries), and Drake Maye did superlative work to fuel Stefon Diggs’ revenge game effort. Now standing at 3-2 after their first back-to-back wins since 2022 with their next three games coming against three one-win teams, the Patriots are shaping up to be serious threat for the wild-card mix.

1972 Miami Dolphins

With the Bills going down in ‘Sunday Night Football’ after the Eagles met the same fate, the wait for the league’s last undefeated team to slip up is already over. Not since 2014 have the members of that legendary Dolphins team been able to pop the champagne this early. At least someone in the South Florida world has cause to celebrate.

Denver Broncos

Sean Payton’s plan is starting to come to fruition. While Bo Nix and Denver’s offense had some rough patches that led many to question whether the unit really was in line for a substantial leap in Year 2 of the quarterback’s reign, Sunday’s 21-17 road win over the Philadelphia Eagles showed what’s possible when all of the new elements are properly incorporated into the attack. Though Nix looked stumped by Vic Fangio’s defense for the bulk of the day, J.K. Dobbins’ work to help the ground game get going late helped rev up the entire operation. Nix then found more success attacking downfield, and tight end Evan Engram finally made a difference with his touchdown catch that preceded the go-ahead two-point conversion. Philadelphia has shown itself exceedingly difficult to best in these close contests, so Payton managing to pull this off stands as a major validation of what he’s building in Denver.

Jonathan Taylor

His early season performance has been somewhat overshadowed by backfield mate Daniel Jones’ resurgence. Still, the Indianapolis Colts running back is on a roll, piling up three more rushing scores in a 40-6 romp against the Raiders. That was his second outing of 2025 with three scores on the ground; no other player in the NFL has one such performance. At a time when few backs can truly be called stars, Taylor is putting himself in a league of his own among all ball carriers. And with fewer than 20 carries for the fourth time this season, he’s boosting the offense without having to shoulder a disproportionate load that could weigh him down later in the campaign.

Kellen Moore

The New Orleans Saints didn’t look as hapless as the NFL’s other winless teams through the first four weeks of the season. Now, the standings finally reflect that dynamic. With a 26-14 victory over the New York Giants, Moore notched his first win as a head coach and broke a losing skid that reached back to Week 14 of last season. The Saints neutralized the Giants’ imposing pass rush by largely emphasizing a quick passing game, though Spencer Rattler did manage to connect with Rashid Shaheed on a deep heave that went for an 87-yard touchdown. New Orleans hasn’t had much to build on at the beginning of the ongoing reset, but this at least gives the team some proof of concept moving forward.

Rico Dowdle

The spotlight has largely eluded the fifth-year running back, who even flew under the radar in 2024 while posting a 1,079-yard season as the Dallas Cowboys’ starter. But with lead back Chuba Hubbard ruled out with a calf injury Sunday, Dowdle delivered a career day with 206 rushing yards and a touchdown in the Carolina Panthers’ 27-24 win over the Miami Dolphins. His ground output was the highest for any player so far this season and fell just short of DeAngelo Williams’ franchise record of 210 yards, a mark Dowdle said he would have topped if not for calf cramps that sidelined him late. His performance seemed to help stabilize the offense after two early turnovers from Bryce Young, with the defense also buckling down late. After an offseason in which he signed a one-year, $2.75 million deal in a tepid free agency market, the South Carolina native already seems to have paid off for his home team in a major way. And any fantasy owners who had the foresight and conviction to start Dowdle should enjoy their well-earned victories this week.

Eric Collins

In his first NFL broadcast for Fox, the play-by-play announcer for the NBA’s Charlotte Hornets quickly proved himself up to the task of elevating a Dolphins-Panthers game that otherwise might have been reduced to Red Zone background noise for many. Collins quickly built an overwhelmingly positive buzz on social media for his emphatic calls, which captured the unexpected entertainment value of the early window matchup. Given his background, it probably should come as little surprise that he’s adept at bringing some genuine fun to a market that has been short on it in recent years.

An elite uniform matchup – and Week 5’s best game

After a September slate replete with meetings between leading contenders, the NFL opened October with a set of games that seemed like a serious step down from previous weeks. The Seattle Seahawks and Tampa Bay Buccaneers faced off in what appeared to be the possible highlight of the afternoon. Sartorially speaking, the two teams were on another level with their respective throwbacks. But the game also ended up being the most appealing on-field product of the weekend, with the Buccaneers coming out just barely ahead in the 38-35 shootout. Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold engineered a historic duel, as no previous game has ever featured two quarterbacks throwing for more than 325 yards while completing more than 80% of their passes. It was a needed break from a run of games that otherwise featured a good deal of sloppiness.

Jordan Addison

Maybe people are taking Justin Jefferson’s greatness for granted, as the two-time All-Pro wideout repeatedly propped up the Minnesota Vikings’ wounded offense on Sunday. But it was Addison who stepped up late in a 21-17 win in London, catching the game-winning 12-yard score and snaring two more grabs on the final drive. That’s quite the way to salvage a game in which the third-year receiver was held out for the first quarter due to a missed walkthrough earlier in the week. After serving a three-game suspension stemming from a 2024 DUI citation, Addison has already made a sizable mark on a wobbly offense. But Jefferson saying postgame that he ‘had words’ with Addison clearly indicates that more is expected of the former first-rounder.

NFL Week 5 losers

Arizona Cardinals’ composure

Facing expectations of a third-year breakout under Jonathan Gannon, the Cardinals couldn’t seem to get out of their own way in the first month of the season, going 2-2 despite a favorable setup. But a new low for the coaching staff arrived Sunday, when two critical fourth-quarter errors by Arizona allowed the previously winless Tennessee Titans to mount a stunning rally for a 22-21 victory. The game swung on a massive blunder by running back Emari Demercado, who slowed down after a 71-yard run and then let go of the ball before crossing the goal line, erasing a touchdown that would have nearly iced the contest. A Titans offense that had managed just two field goals in the previous three quarters went 80 yards in six plays for a touchdown on the ensuing drive after the touchback, cutting the deficit to 21-12. Tennessee’s hopes appeared dashed when Cam Ward threw an interception with under five minutes remaining, but Dadrian Taylor-Demerson’s fumble was recovered in the end zone by Titans wide receiver Tyler Lockett for a truly bizarre touchdown. After an Arizona punt, Tennessee then set itself up for the game-winning field goal with an impressive 38-yard connection between Ward and Calvin Ridley. Between poor decision-making and outright blunders, this might have established a new standard for ugly losses in 2025. And with the Colts and Green Bay Packers up next before the bye, the Cardinals could find themselves needing to make up ground in a hurry if they don’t clean up the operation.

Buffalo Bills

If you dress like a different team, you might end up playing like one, too. Decked out in their icy ‘Rivalries’ uniforms, the Bills certainly didn’t resemble their usual selves with three turnovers and 11 penalties. That identity crisis proved substantially costly, with the Patriots mustering enough to prevent Buffalo from turning the AFC East race into a stroll before Halloween hits. But the real toll could eventually be felt in the push for the conference’s No. 1 seed, as Buffalo squandered a chance to maintain some distance at a time when the Kansas City Chiefs appear to be finding their form once again.

Baltimore Ravens

The skeleton crew that the Ravens trotted out Sunday more closely resembles the kind of lineup one might see in an irrelevant Week 17 game than an early October tilt. What, then, could be expected from a group that started five rookies on defense? A nightmare start to the season dragged on with the Houston Texans’ 44-10 rout. The Texans’ previously floundering offense coasted, with C.J. Stroud racking up four touchdowns through the air. Another nearly came via the ground when Stroud, who last week said he felt as though he had lost a step as a runner from his high school days, pulled away from nearly all comers on a season-long 30-yard scramble. A franchise that once set the bar for defensive excellence now finds itself as the only outfit in the Super Bowl era that has given up 37 or more points in four of its first five games. On the other side, Cooper Rush didn’t give hope for any notion of a shootout, throwing three interceptions on the day. John Harbaugh is trying to stay the course, saying after the game that he’s sticking with defensive coordinator Zach Orr. But with a showdown against the Los Angeles Rams looming before the bye, the Ravens are facing a rapidly increasing likelihood of this becoming a lost season.

Eagles’ offensive consistency problems

When Saquon Barkley broke his longest rush (17 yards) of the season early against the Broncos, it seemed that Philadelphia might finally be set for a breakthrough that many hoped had been bubbling for weeks. With a heavy dose of RPOs opening up the run game and putting Philadelphia in more favorable spots on early downs, the long-awaited deep shots – including a 52-yarder to DeVonta Smith and 47-yard score to Saquon Barkley – finally materialized. But the Eagles once again saw everything come to a screeching halt. The next four drives produced a grand total of 3 net yards as Denver pushed ahead. And when forced into an obvious passing situation on the final drive, Philadelphia’s offense was unable to pose a serious threat. The first loss of the season shouldn’t be cause for outright panic, but the consternation regarding what’s preventing this unit from achieving any semblance of sustained success will live on for at least another week.

Aaron Glenn

On Sunday, Glenn took his place as the only Jets coach to start 0-5 in his first year with the team. Yet even more discouraging than the results themselves has been the manner in which Gang Green continues to plunge to new depths. Miscues remain plentiful, as New York’s defense had 13 missed tackles in the first half alone, according to Next Gen Stats. The team also became the first to go winless and without a single takeaway through the first five weeks of the season. Meanwhile, New York’s offense was largely rudderless, scoring just six points until the game was in hand in the fourth quarter. This season always seemed bound to entail a good deal of pain up front, but the sloppiness that has become the hallmark of the new regime’s inaugural group might demand significant action from Glenn, though the coach already brushed off the notion of taking defensive play-calling duties away from coordinator Steve Wilks.

Jaxson Dart’s encore

With a win in the rookie quarterback’s starting debut to be followed by a meet-up with the 0-4 Saints, the Giants seemed to have plenty going for them in helping Dart settle in. That optimism seemed justified early against New Orleans, with a pair of first-half touchdown passes to tight end Theo Johnson and a series of runs showcasing the new elements the No. 25 overall pick brings to the offense. But everything came unspooled shortly thereafter. The Giants turned the ball over on five consecutive drives, including a fourth-quarter fumble that Saints safety Jordan Howden returned 86 yards for a touchdown. Dart took responsibility after the game in a move that highlighted his maturity, but the outcome underscored that the Giants’ faulty build likely can’t yield the nearly flawless conditions required for the offense to succeed in its current form.

Raiders

It would be easy to pin all of the Giants’ problems on Geno Smith, who threw two more interceptions to extend his league-leading total to 9. But there’s no way to process a 40-6 defeat as anything other than an all-around failure. Visions of Smith and Pete Carroll restoring the franchise to respectability in short order are fading fast, with special teams problems and third-down defense woes – Indianapolis converted eight of 10 attempts – continuing to pile up. Said Carroll after the game: ‘I’m just kind of waiting for that moment where we kick it in, we have the answers, we make the right choices, we make the right plays, the right calls.’ It’s shaping up to be quite the wait.

Los Angeles Chargers’ early season success

When it comes to safeguarding Justin Herbert, the Bolts have been in full-on crisis mode for the past two weeks. That trend continued Sunday, when the Washington Commanders put together a 27-10 win thanks in large part to a persistent pass rush. Herbert took four sacks and was hit nine times while finishing with a season-low 166 yards passing. And for the second consecutive week, a Chargers team that opened the year in fine form was off in a variety of ways, from two turnovers to basic procedural problems. It was only two weeks ago that Los Angeles seemed poised to pad its early lead in the AFC West and gain some separation from the Chiefs. But a win by Kansas City on Monday against the Jacksonville Jaguars will create a three-way tie atop the division, leaving the distinct sense that the Chargers squandered their promising start.

• Texas and Penn State auditioned for the starring roles in college football’s flop fest.
• Don’t forget about Clemson in flop fest, but at least Tigers beat North Carolina.
• Bill Belichick’s buyout, you ask? More than $20 million.

Texas and Penn State auditioned in Week 6 for the starring roles in college football’s fraud fest.

No more can we say UCLA is the worst Power Four team, not after its stunning takedown of Penn State. Who’s here for the Nico Iamaleava redemption story? Texas coach Steve Sarkisian needs to evaluate his starting quarterback situation after another bad showing from Arch Manning.

Oh, the drama!

No. 1 Ohio State avoids drama, at least. The most intrigue in a Buckeyes game is whether the opponent will cross the goal line.

Here are some questions left on my mind after an eventful Week 6:

Which team is college football’s biggest flop?

∎ Top flop: Clemson. When Clemson’s shining moment is a decisive win against hapless North Carolina, that’s a sign of how bad it got for the Tigers in September. Billed as a national championship contender in August, Clemson faceplanted in three losses that now have it earmarked for an also-ran bowl. Preseason rank: No. 6. Current rank: Unranked.

∎ Runner-up: Texas. It’s not just that Arch Manning was grossly overhyped. This whole team got blown out of proportion in the preseason. Manning’s a bust, but he’s also received little support. The offensive line is flimsy, the run game is insufficient and the defense isn’t nearly as fierce as its billing. Preseason rank: No. 1. Current rank: No. 19.

∎ Third: Penn State. Those thinking in August that James Franklin would produce a national championship and that Drew Allar was a Heisman contender must have been sipping some kind of Kool-Aid. Franklin and Allar have upheld their reputations for wilting in big games, but this loss to woebegone UCLA is a new wrinkle for misery. Preseason rank: No. 3. Current rank: No. 22.

∎ Fourth: Kansas State. Never travel to Ireland. Not if you’re a college football team. A year ago, Florida State lost in Ireland to open the season and never recovered. Now, it’s Kansas State, which lost a close one to Iowa State in Dublin, the first of four losses. A preseason Big 12 frontrunner, the Wildcats will struggle to reach a bowl game. Preseason rank: No. 20. Current rank: Unranked.

∎ Fifth: SMU. The Mustangs returned their star quarterback from a playoff team. That should have laid groundwork for another year of playoff contention, except SMU was actually an average team in 2024 that qualified for the playoff thanks to a weak schedule and some poor logic by the committee. SMU’s mask slipped in two September losses. More losses await. Preseason rank: No. 16. Current rank: Unranked.

Rounding out the top 10: Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, Notre Dame, Boise State.

What’s Bill Belichick’s buyout?

Belichick would be owed more than $20 million if North Carolina fires its coach after one season. That buyout affords Belichick some protection for a second season, but UNC cannot hope to recapture the energy that surrounded the program barely more than a month ago, when Tar Heels fans wanted to believe a six-time Super Bowl winner with the New England Patriots would spur an uprising. He’s spawned embarrassment.

By the second half of a 38-10 loss to Clemson, Kenan Stadium looked emptier than a beach in a hurricane.

Spare me the excuse Belichick’s roster features more than 70 new players. Most new coaches nowadays undergo a significant roster overhaul, and the transfer portal allows opportunity for instant upgrade. In Curt Cignetti’s first season at Indiana, he infused a mass influx of transfers to turn a 3-9 program into an 11-win playoff qualifier.

When I watch UNC, I don’t see a squad that will improve greatly with another year of seasoning. I only see a bad team Belichick and his staff assembled.

Ohio State or Miami for No. 1 ranking?

There’s two ways to go about this.

If voting based purely off resumé, Miami should be No. 1. The Hurricanes look formidable and without weakness, and they own wins against Notre Dame, Florida, Florida State and South Florida, the last of which has a case for being the Group of Five’s best team. That’s an unmatched collection of wins. Miami dazzles on the eye test, too.

If voting based on sheer dominance, then Ohio State is the play. The Buckeyes have allowed two touchdowns all season. No opponent has reached 10 points against them. Quarterback Julian Sayin keeps getting better, and the Buckeyes’ wide receivers form one of those rare groups that’s even a notch better than Miami’s wideouts.

Ohio State doesn’t have Miami’s resumé. Its best win, in the season opener against Texas, lost luster after the Longhorns were subsequently revealed to be a fraud.

Not many nits to pick with the Buckeyes’ performance, though.

If I had a vote, I’d put Ohio State No. 1, followed by Miami, followed by whichever team wins Indiana-Oregon this weekend.

Is Billy Napier off the hot seat after Florida beat Texas?

Not by a long shot. Credit Napier for not turtling up and sticking his hand out for the buyout check. That’s never been his style. He saves his finest coaching for when his rump sits on a scalding hot seat. He outcoached Steve Sarkisian in a 29-21 victory at The Swamp.

Napier now owns wins against Sarkisian, Brian Kelly and Lane Kiffin within the past calendar year. The problem is, those aren’t his only games, and that loogie-logged loss to South Florida is a stain that won’t scrub away with one win against Texas.

Napier remains a sub-.500 coach in his fourth season, and the remaining schedule is daunting. He’ll need several more triumphs like this one against Texas to escape the heat, but allow the man a victory lap for throttling Texas. He earned that much.

Blake Toppmeyer is the USA TODAY Network’s senior national college football columnist. Email him at BToppmeyer@gannett.com and follow him on X @btoppmeyer.