Category: American Style Football

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The Green Bay Packers had the early advantage in their joint practice with the Arizona Cardinals, but Arizona eventually got the better of Green Bay in the starters-vs.-starters portion of the session.

Neither team plans to play its starters in Friday's preseason finale, shifting the focus to the backups. That's another area where Arizona impressed during the joint practice, giving me confidence in the Cardinals heading into this matchup.

That has me backing Arizona in my Cardinals vs. Packers predictions for Friday night.

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Cardinals vs Packers prediction

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Pick	Probability
Cardinals moneyline	49%
Over 34.5	59%

Percentages courtesy of Kalshi, one of the best prediction market apps.

Who will win Cardinals vs Packers: Cardinals

Kalshi probability: 49%

The Green Bay Packers opened as a 74% favorite to get the win in the team’s final preseason contest. That has narrowed significantly, with Green Bay now holding the slimmest of advantages at 51-49%.

Kyle McCord is trying to win the Green Bay backup quarterback job from veteran Tyrod Taylor. McCord has been efficient but not spectacular in games, passing 24-of-35 for 230 yards, while Taylor has been a 50% passer. McCord hasn’t thrown any touchdowns, however. Both were shaky against the Arizona Cardinals’ defense in practice, throwing interceptions on their first attempts. McCord also missed a wide-open receiver on his second pass.

Arizona’s Gardner Minshew and Kedon Slovis have been much better in the preseason, giving the Cardinals a quarterback edge. Slovis was 9-of-10 in one game and 7-of-9 in another.

 TOP PICK
Cardinals vs Packers Over/Under pick: Over 34.5

Kalshi probability: 59%

That point total is extremely low, and the probability is too high to really be interesting. If possible, I’d boost the total by two points and take Over 36.5 at 45%. Neither team has gone Over this preseason. The three Cardinals games have produced 63, 41, and 47 points, and only 28 points have come in the first quarters of those games. So the fact that the starters aren’t playing shouldn’t slow down the scoring.

The two Packers contests have produced 46 and 37 points, and both games have seen double-digit scoring in the fourth quarter.

The Packers identified “finishing games” as a priority after several high-profile collapses last season. They did just the opposite in the joint practice, starting fast and fading. So look for Green Bay to keep pressing the gas, even as the likely cuts take the field in the waning moments. Some late scoring should help keep this game Over.

COVERS INTEL: Minshew has been very efficient in his two preseason games, passing 33-of-39 for 278 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Slovis is 18-of-26 for 211 yards and one score. Minshew also threw a touchdown pass against Green Bay in the joint practice.

Cardinals vs Packers trend to know

Including the preseason, Green Bay and Arizona have each gone Over in six of their last eight games.

Cardinals vs Packers live odds

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Cardinals vs Packers weather

The tundra is not frozen yet. Temperatures in Green Bay will be in the 70s at kickoff before potentially dropping into the high 60s. Conditions should be partly cloudy with little wind, so weather shouldn’t have much impact on the game.

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Cardinals vs Packers latest injuries

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The defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks close out their preseason schedule Friday night with a trip to Arrowhead to face the Kansas City Chiefs.

Seattle enters the exhibition finale as a 1.5-point road favorite, and with the Seahawks expected to give at least some of their key players work, there is plenty to like about the visitors in this matchup.

That has me siding with Seattle in my Seahawks vs. Chiefs predictions and NFL picks for Friday night.

Kickoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET on ESPN Unlimited.

Seahawks vs Chiefs prediction

For help understanding Kalshi probabilities, see our odds calculator.

Pick	Probability
Seahawks -1.5	51%
Total pick	50%

Percentages courtesy of Kalshi, one of the best prediction market apps.

 TOP PICK

Who will win Seahawks vs Chiefs: Seahawks -1.5

Kalshi probability: 51%

Anyone hoping for a Kenneth Walker III revenge game against his former team will be disappointed, as the Kansas City Chiefs' offseason pickup sits alongside Patrick Mahomes — who hasn’t taken a preseason snap. 

I expect the Seattle Seahawks to have the edge in starter usage, with Sam Darnold and key starters expected to see some action as they install Brian Fleury’s offense. 

There’s also motivation at RB, with Zach Charbonnet on the PUP list and Jadarian Price competing for the starting role. 

K.C. has scored just one preseason TD without Mahomes in two games. Seattle’s superior depth and expected snap advantage make -3.5 a playable bet. 

Seahawks vs Chiefs Over/Under pick: Under 36.5

Kalshi probability: 50%

A line like this could be obliterated in the regular season, but preseason is different. Kansas City has scored just 27 points in two losses, with 21 coming from the boot of Harrison Butker. 

Seattle has been even quieter, totaling 23 points in losses to Dallas and Tennessee. 

Chiefs’ seventh-round pick Garrett Nussmeier hasn’t topped 100 passing yards in either game, while Seattle’s defensive depth remains formidable. 

Sam Darnold should generate some offense, but both teams have little incentive to push the pace or risk key players. This looks more like a 60-minute tune-up than a shootout.

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Seahawks vs Chiefs weather

Mostly clear skies expected with temps at 85 F at kickoff, dipping into the 70s by the end. Southeast winds expected around 8 mph, which should have minimal impact.

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The Pittsburgh Steelers’ preseason is in the books following a loss to the Buffalo Bills in the finale Aug. 27. 

The next major waypoint on the way to their NFL Week 1 matchup with the Atlanta Falcons on Sept. 13 will be roster cut-down day on Sunday, Aug. 30. GM Omar Khan and coach Mike McCarthy will need to shave their camp roster down to just 53 players. 

Here’s USA TODAY’S final look at where we think they will land with their decisions. Check out our previous projection here. 

Required reading: Steelers winners, losers vs Bills: QBs Will Howard and Drew Allar fail to impress

Quarterbacks (4) - Aaron Rodgers, Mason Rudolph, Will Howard and Drew Allar

This would be an exceptional move. NFL teams rarely carry four quarterbacks for any length of time. Will Howard also didn’t perform exceptionally in the preseason. He led exactly one scoring drive longer than 30 yards, and that came back in the opener against the Green Bay Packers. Nevertheless, reports have indicated that he’s probably safe, so we’re reflecting that expectation here. 

Running backs (3) - Jaylen Warren, Rico Dowdle and Kaleb Johnson

It’s been really hard to get a read on whom the team prefers here. If you base the decision on preseason production, then Lew Nichols should probably be the guy. If you base it on NFL track record and special teams ability, it should probably be Travis Homer. And if you base it on draft capital investment, Johnson makes sense as a 2025 third-round pick. We went with Johnson here because of the extensive look he got in the second preseason game against the Jets, when more starters and top depth players were in the lineup. But this one could go either way. 

Receivers (6) - DK Metcalf, Michael Pittman Jr., Germie Bernard, Roman Wilson, Kaden Wetjen and Ben Skowronek

Max Hurleman made a valiant attempt to make the roster in the preseason finale with three receptions for 50 yards. He’s been productive with 99 yards in three exhibitions. Wetjen’s punt return touchdown against the Bills validated the team’s belief in his special teams skills, though. And Skowronek is a Pro Bowler on kick coverage, so this group feels pretty unshakable until injuries start taking their toll. 

Tight ends (4) - Pat Freiermuth, Darnell Washington, Robert Tonyan and Riley Nowakowski

Nowakowski was the only one of the four who played in Buffalo, and even he saw only 17 snaps. That seems like a pretty clear signal that McCarthy had seen enough to make his decisions here a while ago. 

Offensive line (9): Max Iheanachor, Broderick Jones, Troy Fautanu, Dylan Cook (T), Zach Frazier, Brock Hoffman (C), Gennings Dunker, Mason McCormick, Spencer Anderson (G)

The way things have played out, Hoffman seems like the only player in this group who could even be in remote jeopardy. We haven’t seen enough of Max Iheanachor for him to become the only swing tackle over the experienced Broderick Jones, even if the latter has struggled at times in the preseason. And Dunker is a 2026 third-round pick whom the team will want to develop. Hoffman is a McCarthy guy from Dallas, so we expect little drama here. 

Defensive line (6) - Cam Heyward, Derrick Harmon, Keeanu Benton, Yahya Black, Dean Lowry and Gabriel Rubio

We’ve swapped Rubio in for Sebastian Joseph-Day here because the former has made strides as a 2026 sixth-round pick while the latter has been dealing with an injury. Dean Lowry didn’t dress against the Bills, signaling he’s probably got a spot locked up. It’s very possible McCarthy will lean on Joseph-Day’s experience in the end, but it’s also possible he could be an early stash on injured reserve to see how the Rubio situation develops. 

Outside linebackers (4) - T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith, Nick Herbig, Jack Sawyer

Not much to say here. The top three are making big money. Sawyer led outside linebackers in preseason pressures after getting rotation exposure as a 2025 fourth-round pick, per Pro Football Focus data. That should be enough to make this an open and shut case. 

Inside linebacker (5) - Patrick Queen, Payton Wilson, Cole Holcomb, Elandon Roberts, Carson Bruener

The preseason snap counts raise an eyebrow here. Roberts got 73 in two games. Bruener saw 75 and Holcomb saw 95. Few players on the entire roster were deployed more extensively. It’s enough to make one wonder if that trio is competing for two spots, prompting McCarthy and DC Patrick Graham to want extended looks at them. And whether this is a place the Steelers could free up a roster spot to accommodate the extra QB. We kept all three here because each has fairly deep organizational ties. But we won’t be shocked if one of them gets left off the 53. 

Cornerback (6) - Joey Porter Jr., Jamel Dean, Asante Samuel Jr., Jalen Ramsey, Daylen Everette, Bradin Echols

The protracted contract negotiations with Porter Jr. make the Steelers unlikely to play many games here. Samuel had a nice preseason. Everett is a 2026 third-round choice. And Echols proved to be reliable depth a year ago. Ramsey is also expected to be deployed at safety a good bit, making the other five players even more important from a roster building perspective. 

Safety (3) - DeShon Elliott, Jaquan Brisker, Rayshawn Jenkins

We made Robert Spears-Jennings the odd man out to accommodate the extra quarterback. Ramsey’s versatility makes a second depth safety expendable. Even a speedy one who showed some positive signs like Spears-Jennings, a 2026 seventh-round pick. 

Specialists (3) - Chris Boswell (K), Cameron Johnston (P) and Christian Kuntz (LS)

There was no meaningful competition at these spots, so we’ll send these three straight on through to Week 1. 

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Final Steelers 53-man roster project: Will Howard stays in mix for now

Legendary NFLbroadcaster Al Michaels took a not-so-subtle jab at President Donald Trump during Thursday night’s NFL preseason broadcast, joking about the president’s decision to rename Lake Ontario “Lake America.”

The moment came during Amazon Prime Video’s broadcast of the Cleveland Browns’ preseason game against the New England Patriots. As the broadcast returned from a commercial break, the camera showed an aerial view of Cleveland, Ohio, with Lake Erie in the background.

Michaels, 81, used the shot to reference Trump’s executive order, which he signed earlier Thursday directing the federal government to rename Lake Ontario “Lake America” for federal purposes. The move came as tensions with Canada over a trade deal continue to escalate.

“That is Lake Erie. We think it is still called Lake Erie. We’re not quite sure at this point,” Michaels said. “But we’ll be by Lake something like Ontario or whatever it’s going to be called by the time we get to Buffalo [for Week 1].”

Michaels added, “Anyway, you know what I’m talking about. Some of you do. Read the news.”

His broadcast partner, Kirk Herbstreit, 57, appeared to stay out of the joke, responding only with a brief “Some of us do [know about the name change].”

The joke came just hours after Trump signed the executive order renaming Lake Ontario. The change applies to U.S. federal usage and does not change what the lake is called in Canada.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney rejected the name change, saying the lake’s name is more than 400 years old and predates both the founding of Canada and the U.S.

Carney said on X that Canadians would continue to call it Lake Ontario “then, now and always.” Other Canadian officials, including Ontario Premier Doug Ford and Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston, also dismissed Trump’s move.

Ford wrote on X, ‘It’s Lake Ontario to Canadians and the rest of the world. Now and forever,” while Houston said, “It’s Lake Ontario, buddy.”

New York Governor Kathy Hochul, whose state borders the lake, likewise rejected the new name, saying, “New York won’t be calling it that.”

Trump’s executive order directs the U.S. Interior Department to update the federal Geographic Names Information System and requires federal agencies to use “Lake America,” but it does not have authority over Canada or other countries, international organizations or private entities.

Trump's order is the latest in a series of geographic name changes pursued by his administration. In 2025, Trump directed the federal government to use “Gulf of America” instead of “Gulf of Mexico,” while his administration also restored the name Mount McKinley for Alaska’s Denali.

Michaels has been Amazon Prime Video’s lead Thursday Night Football play-by-play announcer since 2022, working alongside Herbstreit. He is a legendary broadcaster best known for his famous “Miracle on Ice” call at the 1980 Winter Olympics.

The Independent has contacted the White House and Amazon Prime Video for comment.

The San Francisco 49ers' preseason finale against the Las Vegas Raiders ended with the visitors walking away with an 18-12 victory at Allegiant Stadium in Nevada on Aug. 27.

The Niners took a 12-9 lead with 9:09 remaining in the game after a 59-yard field goal from Eddy Piñeiro, who went 6-for-6 on field goals (24 yards, 25, 48, 59, 51, 54) in the final preseason game for San Francisco.

The Raiders answered on the next possession. Matt Gay hit a 48-yard field goal, tying the game 12-12 with 7:38 left.

The 49ers responded, going 50 yards in 12 plays and capping the possession with a 51-yard field goal to give San Francisco the lead with 1:51 remaining. The 49ers' defense stopped the Raiders and gave the ball back to their offense, which was able to extend the lead on a Pineiro 54-yard field goal.

No touchdowns were scored in the game, a credit to both defenses.

Here's a breakdown of the winners and losers from the preseason finale matchup between the 49ers and Raiders:

Winners from 49ers' preseason finale

49ers running back room

San Francisco might have one of the best running back groups in the NFL. Everyone knows that MVP candidate Christian McCaffrey is capable of putting up more than 1,000 yards rushing or receiving. However, with the depth that the Niners have in the backfield, San Francisco can spread his touches around and keep him readily available throughout the season.

Kaelon Black seems to be a fine draft pick. Black has shown a mix of power and speed when taking handoffs. Against the Raiders on Aug. 27, the rookie running back averaged 7 yards per carry, showcasing his promising skillset.

Jordan James has also shown that he could be a trusted back capable of making something happen on any given snap. He made a catch out of the backfield and added 35 rushing yards in eight attempts. Khalil Herbert isn't one to sleep on. He led San Francisco on the ground with 40 yards on six touches against Las Vegas.

Sincere McCormick has had moments, however he did not have a great performance against Las Vegas with seven touches for just 8 yards.

Don't forget that San Francisco signed Deebo Samuel Sr. in the offseason. He's expected to line up at running back at times.

The Cleveland Browns named Deshaun Watson their starting quarterback to begin the 2026 NFL season over Shedeur Sanders.

Former NFL quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick believes that could actually end up working to Sanders' benefit.

Fitzpatrick expressed his thoughts about Cleveland's quarterback battle during Amazon Prime Video's broadcast of the Browns vs. New England Patriots preseason game. The 43-year-old voiced little faith in Watson holding onto the starting job for the entire season.

Tony Romo is facing three charges after his July arrest in Milwaukee County.

Romo, who was arrested on suspicion of operating a vehicle while intoxicated on July 23, faces three charges stemming from that arrest, online court records show: unsafe passing on the right, possessing open intoxicants and operating a vehicle while intoxicated (OWI). All three charges were filed on Thursday, Aug. 27.

The former Dallas Cowboys quarterback and CBS NFL analyst was stopped going southbound on I-43 and "performed poorly on SFSTs (standard field sobriety tests)." On July 28, new details emerged as body cam footage surfaced.

The arresting officer indicated that Romo was stopped for "unsafe passing on the right," and "cutting across the gore," the former of which is reflected in the citation. An open container was found in the passenger seat of Romo's vehicle during the stop.

Romo also refused to take a breathalyzer test following the arrest.

He is scheduled to appear in court on Sept. 21, court records show.

Romo has been placed on leave by CBS. On Aug. 11, CBS Sports president David Berson said there's no timetable for Romo's return to the broadcast booth.

Tony Romo bodycam video

Days after Romo's arrest, traffic stop bodycam footage surfaced showing Romo explaining he was heading to his grandparents' house after visiting a nearby golf course where he played in the Wisconsin Amateur Championship. After a back-and-forth with the officer, Romo exited his vehicle and was placed under arrest and into the back of the police cruiser.

Later footage showed Romo undergoing a field sobriety test and declining to take a breathalyzer test.

Romo placed on leave from CBS

On July 31, CBS placed Romo on leave following his arrest.

J.J. Watt, who operated on CBS' second team alongside Ian Eagle, was called up to replace Romo and work alongside Jim Nantz.

When asked when Romo may return to the network, CBS Sports president David Berson said they must consider their "image" when making a decision.

"We have to consider the impact on our image and on our brand," Berson said.

Jerry Jones throws support behind Romo

The Dallas Cowboys owner was asked about his longtime quarterback during an interview with KDFW Fox 4, revealing that he had "been talking to" Romo in the aftermath of his arrest. Jones spoke glowingly about his former quarterback's character and talent.

"I love him," Jones said of Romo. "I love what he’s about. I love his character. I love his love of sport. And he’s a very, very unique talent. And the real question is – and I don’t even have to ask what the answer is: Do you think Tony Romo knows how to get up when he gets knocked down? He had a life of that. And absolutely, that’s one of his greatest attributes, is that he can handle adversity."

Contributing: Chris Bumbaca, Nick Brinkerhoff

This story will be updated.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Tony Romo faces three charges after OWI arrest, new court records show