Morning Brief · Monday, Oct. 19, 2026 · 8:00 AM ET
Packers roll past the Cowboys, the Rays move within a win of the World Series, and Mahomes matches Brady
8-minute read
The brief in 30 seconds
Green Bay beat Dallas 23-13 on Sunday night for its third straight win.
Tampa Bay won Game 5 in Cleveland 3-1 to lead the ALCS 3-2. Game 6 is tonight at 8 PM ET.
Patrick Mahomes matched Tom Brady's pace to 100 wins as the Chiefs moved to 5-0.
Arizona stunned the Rams 18-16 on six field goals, and Josh Allen tied Jim Kelly's Bills touchdown record.
Full Week 6 scoreboard below, with Commanders at 49ers tonight at 8:15 PM ET.
Top Stories
Final Packers handle the Cowboys on Sunday night for a third straight win
Green Bay PackersDallas CowboysJordan Love, Packers QB
Green Bay never let this one get interesting. The Packers scored on their opening drive, led 17-0 at halftime and beat Dallas 23-13 at Lambeau Field, according to the Associated Press. Jordan Love went 23 of 41 for 276 yards, threw a 9-yard touchdown pass to Matthew Golden and ran one in from a yard out. The AP counted three more would-be touchdowns that were dropped.
Golden still had 104 receiving yards. The Packers came in as the league's worst third-down offense and converted nine of their first 10 tries, ESPN's Rob Demovsky reported. Evan Williams and top draft pick Brandon Cisse each intercepted Dak Prescott in the first half.
Dallas fell to 2-4 and has scored 29 points in its last two games, ESPN's Todd Archer noted. Returner KaVontae Turpin hurt his rib on the opening kickoff (coach Brian Schottenheimer said X-rays were clean), and linebacker Dee Winters left with an Achilles strain, according to ESPN.
Green Bay (4-2) also expects running back Josh Jacobs to come off the commissioner's exempt list on Monday, according to ESPN and the AP.
Final Rasmussen shuts down Cleveland, and the Rays are one win from the World Series
Tampa Bay RaysCleveland GuardiansDrew Rasmussen, Rays SP
Tampa Bay won both weekend games in a cold, rain-scrambled stay in Cleveland. Drew Rasmussen held the Guardians to one run on four hits over seven innings, striking out six, and the Rays won Game 5 3-1 to take a 3-2 lead in the American League Championship Series, the Associated Press reported. He is 2-0 with a 1.29 ERA in three postseason starts.
The Rays chased rookie Parker Messick after two innings, in which he allowed two runs and walked three, according to ESPN. Yandy Díaz had three hits.
Game 6 is tonight at 8 PM ET at Tropicana Field on TBS and truTV, with a Game 7 on Tuesday at 8 PM ET if needed, according to ESPN's schedule. ESPN lists Freddy Peralta as Tampa Bay's probable starter. Cleveland had not named one early Monday, and manager Stephen Vogt ruled out Gavin Williams, the AP reported. The winner opens the World Series on Friday in Milwaukee.
History leans toward the Rays. Teams down 3-2 after five ALCS games have come back seven times in 23 tries, the AP noted, though the last two to face that deficit (Texas in 2023 and Toronto last year) both did.
Final Mahomes reaches 100 wins at Brady's pace, and Allen ties Jim Kelly
Kansas City ChiefsPatrick Mahomes, Chiefs QBBuffalo BillsJosh Allen, Bills QB
Kansas City is the AFC's last unbeaten team. The Chiefs beat the winless Chargers 22-6 at Arrowhead to improve to 5-0, and Patrick Mahomes earned his 100th regular-season win in his 131st start, tying Tom Brady for the fewest starts needed to reach 100 since 1950, ESPN's Nate Taylor reported. Kenneth Walker III ran for 128 yards and two touchdowns, according to ESPN's box score.
They did it without receivers Rashee Rice and Tyquan Thornton, ESPN noted. The Chargers fell to 0-6.
In Las Vegas, Josh Allen threw for 255 yards and two touchdowns as Buffalo held off the Raiders 33-30, the AP reported. His scrambling 12-yard throw to Keon Coleman in the third quarter was his 258th touchdown pass as a Bill, tying Jim Kelly's franchise record. After Las Vegas tied it at 23 late, James Cook's 3-yard run with 4:43 left put the Bills ahead for good. Buffalo is 5-1.
Final Six field goals and no touchdowns: Arizona stuns the Rams at the gun
Arizona CardinalsLos Angeles RamsChad Ryland, Cardinals K
Arizona never reached the end zone and still won. Chad Ryland made six field goals, including a 43-yarder as time expired, to beat the Rams 18-16 at SoFi Stadium, according to ESPN. Los Angeles had gone ahead 16-15 on a Colby Parkinson touchdown catch with 47 seconds left, but a Jacoby Brissett completion and a Rams personal foul set up the winner.
ESPN's Josh Weinfuss called it the biggest upset of the NFL season so far. Ryland is the first kicker to make six field goals in a game this season, and the win ended the Cardinals' eight-game losing streak against NFC West teams, according to ESPN. The Rams, who entered the season as Super Bowl favorites according to ESPN's betting desk, are 2-4.
Winners in yellow. Records are after each game. Times ET. Houston played Jacksonville at Wembley Stadium in London.
Byes: Cincinnati, Detroit, Miami and Minnesota. Scores and records are from ESPN's scoreboard.
Source: ESPN NFL scoreboard.
Breaking
Since yesterday's Afternoon Brief. As of about 7:20 AM ET Monday.
New Kings' Ben Simmons tears his Achilles tendon in practice
Sacramento KingsBen Simmons, Kings G
Sacramento announced Sunday that Ben Simmons tore his Achilles tendon during a live drill at practice and will have surgery, ESPN's Anthony Slater reported. ESPN described it as a likely season-ending injury for the 30-year-old, who signed with the Kings in September.
Source: ESPN (Anthony Slater).
Tonight Monday night: Commanders at unbeaten 49ers, with Nick Bosa out
Washington CommandersSan Francisco 49ers
Week 6 ends tonight at Levi's Stadium, where 5-0 San Francisco hosts Washington (1-3-1) at 8:15 PM ET on ESPN and ABC, per ESPN's schedule. The 49ers have ruled out defensive end Nick Bosa (calf) and safety Marques Sigle (ankle), and Commanders receiver Stefon Diggs is listed as questionable with a hamstring injury, according to ESPN's injury report. Washington is coming off a 27-27 tie with the Giants.
Source: ESPN scoreboard and injury report.
New Giants won't name a Week 7 starter yet after McCarthy nearly rallies them
New York GiantsNew Orleans Saints
New York coach John Harbaugh would not say after Sunday's 34-27 loss to New Orleans whether Jameis Winston or J.J. McCarthy starts next week at Houston, ESPN's Jordan Raanan reported. Winston threw two interceptions and was pulled early in the fourth quarter, and McCarthy threw for 243 yards and led three scoring drives before his fourth-down throw into the end zone in the final seconds sailed incomplete. The Saints scored 34 straight points to snap their skid, according to the AP.
Tonight WNBA Finals Game 2 tonight in San Francisco
Golden State ValkyriesAtlanta Dream
Golden State leads Atlanta 1-0 after Saturday's 68-64 win, and Game 2 is tonight at 8 PM ET at Chase Center, according to ESPN's schedule, which lists the game on USA Network, CNBC, Peacock and E!. The Dream have Brionna Jones listed as out with a leg injury on ESPN's injury report. Neither franchise has won a title.
Sources: ESPN WNBA scoreboard and injury report.
What's Being Talked About
SEC fines Tennessee $500,000 for the field storming after Alabama
Tennessee VolunteersAlabama Crimson Tide
The Southeastern Conference fined Tennessee $500,000 on Sunday after fans rushed the Neyland Stadium field following Saturday's 26-10 win over Alabama, the Associated Press reported. Under league policy, the money goes to Alabama. The commissioner can reduce the fine if a school shows it made a full effort to keep fans off the field, the AP noted, but that did not apply here.
Source: Associated Press (via ESPN).
Colts fans boo after the loss to previously winless Tennessee
Indianapolis ColtsTennessee Titans
Indianapolis fans booed and chanted for the firing of general manager Chris Ballard as the Colts lost 26-20 to the Titans, who had not won all season, ESPN's Stephen Holder reported. Coach Shane Steichen said he understood the frustration.
Source: ESPN (Stephen Holder).
NBA opening night is Tuesday, and Curry's ankle tweak is not serious
Golden State Warriors
The NBA season starts Tuesday with a three-game opening night on NBC, according to ESPN's schedule: Celtics at Pistons (ESPN lists a 3 PM ET tip), 76ers at Knicks at 7 PM ET and Thunder at Spurs at 9:30 PM ET. Golden State opens Wednesday against the Lakers in Los Angeles. Stephen Curry limped off after tweaking his right ankle at the Warriors' open practice on Sunday night, but coach Steve Kerr said he was fine, and a team source told ESPN's Anthony Slater the injury is not serious.
Sources: ESPN (Anthony Slater); ESPN NBA schedule.
Betting
Rays are heavy series favorites heading home
After Game 5, DraftKings lists Tampa Bay at -400 to win the ALCS, with Cleveland at +310, according to ESPN. For Game 6, the Rays are -150 on the moneyline with a total of 6.5 runs. Lines can move before first pitch.
Source: ESPN (DraftKings odds).
49ers favored by more than a touchdown on Monday night
San Francisco is a 7.5-point favorite over Washington with a total of 51.5, and the Valkyries are 2.5-point favorites in WNBA Finals Game 2, according to ESPN's DraftKings lines. ESPN's betting desk also noted that the Rams' loss to Arizona rattled survivor pools. Lines can change before tip-off and kickoff.
Source: ESPN (DraftKings odds, betting buzz).
Betting coverage is news and information only. It is not betting advice, and no outcome is guaranteed. You must be 21+ (18+ where applicable), and gambling is not legal everywhere. Problem gambling? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Edge Rush Daily is not affiliated with any league, team or sportsbook. About our betting coverage.
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Green Bay Packers
Dallas Cowboys
Jordan Love, Packers QB
