Zone Coverage

For nearly a year, Matt LaFleur and the Green Bay Packers couldn’t find a satisfying answer to Ben Johnson and the Chicago Bears. After the late-season collapse at Lambeau Field and the stunning playoff defeat that followed, a growing sense emerged that Johnson had figured out how to beat Green Bay when it mattered most. That had made the rivalry increasingly uncomfortable. On Sunday afternoon, LaFleur finally responded.

T.J. Hockenson suffered a concussion early in the Minnesota Vikings’ 23-13 win over the New Orleans Saints. Gavin Bartholomew stepped in and did his part in Minnesota’s road win in the noisy Superdome. Defense and special teams continue to carry the Vikings to an undefeated record so far this season, but a glimmer of offensive hope is starting to appear. Kyler Murray is getting comfortable in Kevin O’Connell’s offense, and he’s using his favorite target — tight end — to move the ball.

After picking off eight passes in his first season in green and gold, Xavier McKinney had a quieter 2025, raising questions about his impact in the Green Bay Packers’ defense. However, his two interceptions against the Chicago Bears on Sunday reminded everyone how ridiculous those takes were in the first place.

Anthony Edwards didn’t need long to remind everyone what he can do. Still, that didn’t stop him from putting on a show at Madison Square Garden on Monday night. Edwards put together his best preseason performance yet, and he keeps getting better every game. He scored 20 points in the first half against the New York Knicks. His biggest moment came right before halftime, when LaMelo Ball found him at the logo as the clock wound down.

Remember with the 1980 Miracle on Ice team, the Americans had to beat Finland to secure the gold medal from the Soviets? Same sentiment for the latest edition of Gopher football. Heading into last weekend’s away game at West Lafayette, the Gophers were on the best possible mojo after starting 2-0 in Big Ten play, including a monumental rivalry win over Michigan, where they brought home The Little Brown Jug.

Locks NCAA Football (0.5 Unit) Florida International/Jacksonville St Under 43.5 (-110; Odds via Caesars): 7:00 PM CT on ESPNU Get ready for a snoozer, as this game should be low and slow. Low as in on the ground, since both teams prefer to run the ball and don’t have much of a passing game to speak of anyway. Jacksonville has the better passing unit, but will face an FIU defense ranked 11th in completion percentage allowed and 14th in yards per completion.

Justin Jefferson was emotional following the Minnesota Vikings’ 23-13 win in New Orleans. He had six receptions for 79 yards and hit the griddy in the New Orleans Saints’ end zone. His eyes looked glassy in his on-field post-game interview. “I mean, so many emotions going on right now,” he told Fox Sports’ Kristina Pink after acknowledging the Vikings fans who flew down to the Big Easy.

In their only other game this season at Lambeau Field, the Atlanta Falcons embarrassed the Green Bay Packers in a blowout loss. On that night, Jonathan Gannon’s defense couldn’t stop a nosebleed. On Sunday afternoon against the Chicago Bears, Gannon’s defense never let up in a truly dominant performance. The Green Bay defense looked so bad against Atlanta at home that it may have been ranked third or fourth among all defenses that had played at Lambeau Field in 2026 up to that point.

There are many talking points after the Minnesota Vikings’ 23-13 win in New Orleans. Kyler Murray is playing better, and the offense looked much better than it had (which isn’t saying much). However, injuries are still an issue. The defense is still doing incredible things, and the Vikings are still 5-0. Here are three takeaways from the game.

From now on, the first thing I’ll ask any Green Bay Packers fan I meet is what they think of Christian Watson, because it’s probably the best way to tell whether they actually watch the games or just check the box scores. Christian Watson is one of the biggest ball-knower tests for Packers fans and football fans in general. And thankfully, I’ve always been on the right side of the discourse.