Will Hill's Parlay Of The Week: Back Dodgers In Game 3; Jags Over Texans

This week in sports features a desperate Dodgers team trying to get in the win column and the last two college football national champions facing off against one another. What better time than now to throw those matchups and a few others into a parlay. Here's what I'm looking at. 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. It’s now or never for the back-to-back champs, as they head home trailing the Brewers 2-0. The Dodgers certainly don’t look like the Dodgers of old. Instead, they seem more like just old Dodgers. However, at home, desperate, and with a pitching advantage, I’ll take them to win and get this series to 2-1. The battle of the last two national champions should be a fun one on Saturday, but I’m betting on the Buckeyes to get their points against Indiana. Indiana is at home and hasn’t lost a game since a week before Christmas 2024. However, the Hoosiers' defense looks vulnerable. It gave up nearly 300 yards passing to Northwestern and almost 400 total yards last week against Nebraska. Ohio State star receiver Jeremiah Smith should have yet another big day. It will be an electric atmosphere in Provo, Utah, on Saturday, as BYU gets a rare visit from Notre Dame. The crowd can only take you so far, though. Without running back LJ Martin, BYU and its limited weapons will struggle to find much success offensively against this unforgiving defense of Notre Dame. The Jaguars were sloppy, despite their victory last week in London over the Eagles. I expect a much more efficient performance this week, with an emphasis on eliminating penalties. The Jaguars have been in London all week preparing. Meanwhile, the Texans will head there following a road win against the Titans. There's a big situational and travel edge for the Jags, who can all but finish the playoffs hopes of the Texans with a win. When these teams met a year ago, it was a 40-40 tie. The Cowboys are still just as lethal on offense as they were a year ago and might somehow be worse defensively this season. It’s hard to go wrong betting the Over in Cowboys games.

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Roll The Tape: Why The Eagles' New Offense Is A Bad Fit For QB Jalen Hurts

The Philadelphia Eagles are struggling like never before with QB Jalen Hurts. The Denver Broncos' offense isn't any better. Former blue-chip wide receiver prospect Marvin Harrison Jr. has a new team. The New York Jets have a new star defender. Each week, I dive into the All-22 coaches' film before offering a few insights to watch. Here are four developments that could be long-term storylines involving some of the best teams and players in the NFL. It is rare for a Super Bowl MVP to land on the hot seat shortly after feeling the confetti fall on his shoulders, but Philly natives are growing restless after watching the Eagles’ offense sputter and stall again under Jalen Hurts. The perennial title contenders are sitting at 2-3, with an offense that ranks near the bottom of the league in most major statistical categories. The Eagles’ anemic running game is accompanied by a scattershot aerial attack that doesn’t appear to have any rhyme or reason under new offensive coordinator Sean Mannion. To be fair, the Eagles are dealing with numerous personnel issues, from injuries (Saquon Barkley and DeVonta Smith) to departures (A.J. Brown, Lane Johnson, Cam Jurgens) that have wrecked an offensive lineup built to overwhelm opponents with superior talent. Now, Hurts is overseeing a patchwork offense that lacks the star power to roll over opponents, while being asked to do more in a traditional scheme that wants him to operate like a pass-first point guard instead of a playmaker who scores in multiple ways. Without an elite wideout on the perimeter, Hurts is expected to get it done with a wide receiver-by-committee approach that features a borderline WR1 (Smith) and a collection of B-list pass catchers (Hollywood Brown, Dontavyion Wicks, Makai Lemon, and Darius Cooper) who don’t scare opposing defensive coordinators or defenders with their individual or collective talents. Although some Eagles’ supporters might dispute that sentiment based on the first-round pedigrees of Brown and Lemon, neither has made an impact in Philly that demands attention from their opponents thus far. Until they are able to spark the offense with splash plays, the Eagles will rely heavily on Smith and Dallas Goedert as Wicks makes key contributions in a supporting role. While the Eagles have succeeded without a marquee pass-catcher in the past (see: 2017), the lack of five-star perimeter talents puts more pressure on the offensive line and running game to produce results to help the quarterback find positive plays down the field. Barkley has been a non-factor this season due to injuries limiting the bulk of his work to two games (Washington and Chicago). Despite averaging 5.1 yards per carry in those contests, his absence and the losses of Tank Bigsby and Will Shipley have forced the Eagles into a one-dimensional attack that was doomed from the start. In that past, the Eagles’ stellar offensive line could mask their playmakers’ woes because they could dominate the line of scrimmage and allow marginal backs to churn out yards between the tackles. However, the loss of respected offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland and the aforementioned departures of Jurgens and Johnson, leaves the Eagles searching for an identity within the trenches with a bunch of newcomers trying to figure it out in a new system. Speaking of schematics, the addition of Mannion as the offensive coordinator also appears to be a poor fit based on his preferred system and Hurts’ abilities. Mannion, of course, is the fifth OC head coach Nick Sirianni has hired in his six-year joint tenure with Hurts. While the Sean McVay/Matt LaFleur disciple brings over Xs and Os that have helped several quarterbacks flourish in the pocket, Mannion's traditional dropbacks and play-action concepts from shotgun and under center are a far cry from the RPO (run-pass option) concepts that helped turn Hurts into an unstoppable force as the Eagles’ QB1. Although the franchise quarterback should be able to adapt and adjust to a new playbook as an experienced starter with a 59-28 career record, the tactics don’t mesh well with his talent, so his 2026 struggles are not surprising. Watching the Eagles’ operation in Week 5, the disconnect between Hurts and the rest of the offense is startling. From the stagnant ground attack due to lackluster runners plunging into clogged holes, to the "dink-and-dunk" throws to covered receivers, the Eagles’ lack the personnel and playbook to challenge heavyweight opponents right now. Perhaps more time on task and the return of their frontline stars can help revive Philly into a title contender, but the offense’s struggles are destined to continue until Hurts is put in an offense that leans more into his playmaking rather than exposes his flaws as a passer. After watching his offense sputter under new offensive coordinator Davis Webb, Broncos head coach Sean Payton snatched the call sheet from the former NFL journeyman QB to help Bo Nix and Co. find the balance and rhythm that has been missing in 2026. Despite promising to stay out of the way of the first-time playcaller, Payton stepped in to keep the Broncos from missing a potential Super Bowl run while Davis finishes his on-the-job training. With the Broncos ranking 26th in scoring offense and Nix playing the worst ball of his career, the offensive wizard needed to take the call sheet back to help a promising young quarterback rediscover the magic that helped him lead 10 game-winning drives over his first two seasons, while completing 64.8% of his passes with a 54:23 touchdown-to-interception ratio. Most importantly, Nix led the Broncos to back-to-back playoff appearances and last season's AFC Championship Game thanks to his steady play under Payton. Part of his success as a young QB can be attributed to Payton's conservative approach, which eased the pressure on the former first-rounder. The offense blended a movement-based passing game with a diverse running game to keep opponents from attacking Nix with exotic pressures from every angle. Although the Broncos lacked a premier running back in the backfield, their rotation forced opponents to prepare for a creative running game that featured role-playing specialists (Javonte Williams, Jaleel McLaughlin, J.K. Dobbins and R.J. Harvey) anchoring a mid-ranking running game that was just good enough to keep opponents from loading up against an efficient aerial attack. Stretch zone runs and complementary bootlegs, plus the inside run and various RPO combinations, allowed Nix to maximize his playmaking potential as an athletic passer with plus-running skills. Nix’s impromptu scrambles and occasional designed runs added another dimension to the offense as Payton sought to build a ball-control unit that complemented a disruptive defense. In Week 5, the Broncos returned to a complementary game, with Payton balancing the call log to feature a 50-50 run-pass ratio. The Broncos ran 29 times and passed 27, while capitalizing on the prime scoring opportunities the defense created. Although the stat sheet was far from impressive, with the team amassing just 224 net yards and Nix finishing with the second-lowest passing output of his career (123 yards), the offense’s flow matched his strengths as a "game manager" with a keen understanding of how to play winning football (avoiding sacks and turnovers) for a playoff contender. While Payton must find more ways to incorporate wideouts Jaylen Waddle and Courtland Sutton into the game plan to increase the offense’s explosive potential, he must do it while rebuilding Nix’s confidence with high-completion throws and "chain-moving" plays that keep the offense on schedule. With Nix also thriving in "tempo" situations at the end of games, the Broncos could mix in some no-huddle to help the young quarterback face more vanilla defensive looks that allow him to operate in attack mode from the pocket. After taking back the call sheet to help his franchise quarterback and offense get back on track, Payton must continue to take bold measures to get the Broncos back to playing the efficient brand of ball that has made them title contenders under his direction. Is one's trash another's treasure? That's what the Texans are betting on after acquiring once-ballyhooed Ohio State standout Marvin Harrison Jr. and reuniting him with quarterback C.J. Stroud. Although the football world has seemingly soured on MHJ after posting 1,578 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns in 33 career games, the third-year pro needed a winning organization with a demanding culture to get back on track after an up-and-down journey with the Cardinals. The Texans’ impressive track record of turning top picks into stars (see: Stroud, OLB Will Anderson and CB Derek Stingley) bodes well for the 6-foot-3, 220-pound Harrison, who flashed elite receiving skills before falling out of favor amid a slump that exposed his flaws as a playmaker. Harrison’s inability to separate against bump-and-run and tight coverage led to too many 50-50 balls for a big-bodied pass catcher expected to anchor the passing game like Larry Fitzgerald once did in Arizona. With MHJ's effort and concentration waning near the end of his tenure, the Texans are hoping a change of scenery, a new scheme and better connection with his quarterback will help the super-sized pass-catcher regain his swagger as a high-end WR2 for an offense that desperately needs a reliable threat opposite Pro Bowler Nico Collins. Studying the All-22 coaches’ footage from MHJ’s rookie season shows he entered the league with the tools to be a designated playmaker in an offense built around his game. In the second game of his career, he totaled 130 receiving yards and a pair of scores on just four catches against the Los Angeles Rams. The tape reveals a sticky-fingered receiver with outstanding balance, body control, and awareness. As a natural pass-catcher with strong hands, Harrison can climb the ladder on boundary alley-oops or post up smaller defenders on curls and in-breaking routes between the hashes. He also flashes enough speed and quickness to beat squatting defenders on vertical routes that accompany play-action or misdirection fakes in the backfield. For a Texans squad that needs a dependable weapon with big-play potential, Harrison’s revival could resurrect the team’s playoff hopes and ignite an offense that has been looking for a spark plug on the perimeter. If the 2026 regular season ended today, Jets defensive end David Bailey should be the undisputed choice as the NFL’s Defensive Rookie of the Year. The No. 2 overall pick has dominated as expected as a speed-rushing phenom with exceptional first-step quickness and closing burst. Through five games, Bailey has recorded five sacks, including a hat trick against the Cleveland Browns that showcased his speed, quickness and burst around the corner. The 6-foot-3, 251-pounder posted a jaw-dropping 40-yard dash time (4.50) prior to the draft, and his explosive quickness shows up repeatedly as he blows past blockers on simple speed-rushing moves. In studying each of Bailey’s three sacks against Cleveland, the rookie standout showed he can mix force with finesse to keep blockers guessing on the edges. On his first sack, Bailey attacked rookie offensive tackle Spencer Fano with a two-handed bull rush and dog-walked the blocker into Deshaun Watson’s lap. The explosive move exploited the blocker’s fear of his speed by running through him as he waited for a "dip-and-rip" off the edge. Bailey’s second sack came from a cleverly designed blitz from a "Double Mug" (six-man front with linebackers walked up on each side of the center) front that sent Bailey off the edge, with Jarvis Brownlee shooting inside through the B-gap (space between the right tackle and right guard), creating a two-on-one matchup against OT Tytus Howard on the edge. With the veteran opting to protect the inside gap because of the quarterback's proximity, Bailey waltzed in for an easy quarterback takedown. With the Browns unsure how the rookie would attack, given his diverse repertoire of pass-rush moves, the hat trick on his patented "dip-and-rip" rush shouldn’t surprise anyone who studied his game at Stanford and Texas Tech. Bailey exploded off the edge facing OT Dawand Jones, and the veteran couldn't kick-step quick enough to stay in front of the hard-charging pass-rusher. As Jets coach Aaron Glenn continues to find fun and creative ways to deploy Bailey as a designated pass-rusher with elite playmaking skills, the football world can expect to see the rookie continually making splash plays.

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Saints Owner Gayle Benson Explains Why She Will 'Not Accept' Team's Slow Start

The New Orleans Saints have lost four of their five games, and owner Gayle Benson is letting them hear about it. "We are 1-4. That is not acceptable to me, and it falls short of what our fans truly deserve. I hear the frustration directed toward our team and our organization. It is not lost on me. Our fans invest their time and their hearts in the Saints. They are right to expect more than we have given them. As an owner, the responsibility does start with me. I will not make excuses, and I will not accept this level of performance as our standard," Benson said Tuesday at a meeting of the Greater New Orleans Quarterback Club. "I am committed to making the decisions necessary to improve this team. Everyone in this organization understands the urgency. We must prepare better, execute consistently and correct the mistakes that are costing us the games. Words will not restore our fans’ confidence. Our performance must do better." Following a Week 1 overtime loss on the road to the Detroit Lions where New Orleans failed to convert a game-winning, two-point conversion, the Saints defeated Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens on the road in Week 2. However, they've since lost three consecutive games, perhaps low-lighted by a 45-24 loss at home on Monday Night Football to the Atlanta Falcons in Week 4, which saw New Orleans trail by as many as 28 points. The aforementioned NFC South divisional loss marked the 20-year anniversary of the Saints' return to the Superdome after Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans. That stung for Benson. "Twenty years ago, the Saints returned to the Superdome after Hurricane Katrina, and we all remember Steve Gleason’s blocked punt. The roar of the crowd and what it meant to see our city come together once again. Losing this year’s anniversary game to Atlanta [was] truly disappointing," Benson said. "Hearing our fans’ memories of that homecoming reinforced how deeply this team is woven into their lives." In last week's loss at home to the Minnesota Vikings, quarterback Tyler Shough threw for just 96 yards and tossed two interceptions, with the Saints registering only 142 yards of total offense. Through five games, the Saints' offense is 29th in the NFL in rushing yards (81.8 per game), 20th in total yards (322.0 per game), 16th in points (23.6 per game) and 11th in passing yards (240.2 per game). Meanwhile, the Saints' defense is 31st in the NFL in opponent points (30.2 per game), 30th in opponent rushing yards (148.8 per game), 25th in opponent total yards (361.0 per game), tied for 20th in sacks (10.0) and 11th outright in opponent passing yards (212.2 per game). New Orleans is coming off a 6-11 season that saw the Saints win four of their last five games in what was their first year with head coach Kellen Moore. But if the losses continue, no one is safe. "Kellen Moore and his coaches are responsible for preparing our players to perform. [General manager] Mickey Loomis and our football staff are responsible for building a roster capable of sustained success. Our players are responsible for their preparation and execution," Benson said. "I am responsible for holding this organization accountable. "There’s a great deal of football ahead of us, but our response must show up on the field." The Saints have a road tilt against the New York Giants (3-1-1) in Week 6 (Sunday at 1 p.m. ET on FOX).

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Mahomes Mountain Week 6: Jared Goff Rises, Patrick Mahomes Remains At The Summit

Nick Wright’s quarterback hierarchy saw a handful of names tumble this week but one signal caller stayed at the top of the mountain: Patrick Mahomes is alone at the summit. Jalen Hurts falls again, Dak Prescott drops after an underwhelming Thursday night, and Matthew Stafford actually climbs despite a loss — while a trio of backups quietly moved up the board. Here’s how Wright sees the league’s quarterbacks this week: Injured: Wright's thoughts: "Off the mountain, injured and off the mountain because of performance. Injured: Lamar should be back, Caleb should be back, Baker should be back. Jaxson Dart won’t be back." Off the mountain: Wright's thoughts: "Cam Ward, Malik Willis, Tyson Bagent — yikes. And Justin Herbert, who I don’t see, how, right now, he’s not one of the 28 best quarterbacks in the league. They got the ball back down six, and I felt like they had no shot whatsoever. I don’t know what’s wrong. We’ll talk about him later." 7th Row: Wright: "Bottom of the mountain. Jalen Hurts has to fall again. I understand there’s a lot working against him, the injuries, the retirement [of offensive tackle Lane Johnson], the head coach — I get it. But the offense is also not functional. His whole thing had been, hey, the stats might not be pretty, but we’re winning. You don’t have that either on a three-game losing streak. He tumbles a bit. "Daniel Jones, Deshaun Watson drop a bit. Bo Nix, Geno Smith and Jacoby Brissett, Jameis Winston — they’re probably bottom-row guys at this point in their careers. Not a problem, probably not going off the mountain, but bottom-row guys." 6th Row: Wright: "Sixth row, fair is fair, move them up. Kyler finally got a little juice in that offense — nice touchdown pass to Justin Jefferson, looked good for his first time in a Vikings uniform. He moves up. Tyler Huntley, maybe he needs to take the mantle as the best backup quarterback in the league. They went about half the games with him, and they didn’t look like a knee-capped operation that had no chance of moving the ball. He moves up. "Sam Darnold has not looked great yet this year, and the benefit of the doubt he’s built up is shrinking just a bit. He drops. Tyler Shough — maybe it turns out a lot of the optimism was from playing the Lions, and playing Detroit can do a lot for whoever’s on the other side. "Shout out to Jalon Daniels for Thursday night and Jalon Daniels' delightful interview with his mother that I liked a lot. "Jayden Daniels is back on the mountain because you're healthy again. The stuff you did with your legs in this game was actually really dynamic, and there were a lot of positive moments. I can't get over the ending. I understand. All probably David Blough's fault. I like my quarterbacks to have you know an idea of what quarter it is, what the rules are, if you have timeouts." 5th Row: Wright: "Look at Drake Maye — back in, back. That’s the steady climb back up the mountain. He almost got row four after a five-touchdown performance. Aaron Rodgers is playing really well — fair is fair, two of his last three games, he’s been excellent. C.J. Stroud stays where he is, even though they finally got a win. It took three quarters against the Titans, but he’s been consistent all year, playing really well. "Penix got hit in the ribs — I don’t know if he’ll miss time, so he’s not off the mountain for injury, but after a shaky early part of that game I thought he looked really sharp against Baltimore. And Kirk Cousins falls to the fifth row. Feels fair." 4th Row: Wright: "Fourth row — Bryce had a bye week, so he stays where he is. Stafford moved up in a loss — I thought Stafford was really good. Dak moves down after an awful Thursday Night Football performance — well, he wasn’t awful, but he wasn’t great. "Jordan Love, holy moly, how about that possession — chucking it deep, offensive pass interference, chucking it deep again, dropped, doing it again, touchdown. Jordan Love looked really good. He moves up." 3rd Row: Wright: "The prince made it onto the ballot but drops on the mountain. I didn’t think Trevor (Lawrence) was great in that game — the fourth-and-five throw to Parker Washington was awesome, an unbelievable catch, but there’s no shame in being on row three. "Look who he’s with: Josh Allen, who, despite only completing 12 passes, was dynamic in the fourth quarter and overtime and deadly with his legs all game, and Joe Burrow. An interesting year where he hasn’t made terrible mistakes and has obviously been good, but by his standards the numbers are just good, not great. Three of the six best plays in the NFL this season are by his receivers in the last few weeks, so Higgins and Chase are doing a lot this year. Burrow’s still great. The team’s good, not great yet." 2nd Row: Wright: "A change in row two: Jared Goff. They’re scoring more points than anyone in the league, they have one of the most efficient offenses ever. He's not turning the ball over. He’s been fantastic; they have to score these kinds of points. "Brock Purdy almost moved up to the top — he was brilliant late in that game. However, it was also the lowest passer rating he’s had this year, the fewest yards, and the first time he’s been intercepted this year. I thought it was not his worst performance of the year, but I’d rather it be next week, when he takes the all-time passer rating lead." 1st Row: Wright: "Still atop the mountain, because unlike Brock Purdy, he was not intercepted this week. Patrick Mahomes."

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The Week 5 Plays That Stood Out, From Jayden Daniels' Blunder To Mike Evans' Dominance

2026 has seen a lot of sloppy football, and Week 5 may have been the sloppiest. The Eagles and Jaguars gave us a chaotic start in London. Jacksonville made enough mistakes for a woefully short-handed Philadelphia team to stick around in a game it had no business winning before a roller-coaster ending. The Commanders found a new way to blow a win in overtime against the Giants. Even the game of the day, the 49ers-Seahawks thriller, came down to which team made the fewest mistakes (spoiler: it wasn't the team quarterbacked by Sam Darnold). Those games weren't exactly well played, but they still delivered plenty of drama. Let's take a closer look at the plays that shaped Week 5 in the NFL and see what they may mean for the future. Last week, I called Kansas City’s acquisition of Kenneth Walker the move of the offseason, but I’m ready to reopen the discussion after watching Mike Evans torch the Seahawks for 113 receiving yards and a touchdown on seven receptions in a thrilling 49ers road win. I don’t know where the 49ers would be without Evans, but I can say this confidently: they would not be 5-0. Seattle had no answer for him on Sunday. Whenever they needed a play, Brock Purdy looked his way. Their most significant connection – and the one that best illustrates how Evans has transformed this offense – came early in the fourth quarter, with the Niners trailing by five and facing third-and-10 around midfield. Evans lined up to Purdy’s right with Seahawks cornerback Josh Jobe across from him. The Seahawks elected to play man coverage, with one safety back deep and the other lurking in the middle. That gave Seattle more bodies in the middle of the field, where the 49ers were looking to attack, but it left Jobe in single coverage on Evans. Even with Jobe playing inside of Evans and cheating on in-breakers, the veteran receiver found a way to get open. A subtle shoulder feint outside and a sharp break in the other direction let Evans box out Jobe at the catch point, and Purdy trusted his new WR1 to take care of the rest. The throw was high and a bit behind Evans, but that catch radius could erase any inaccuracy. We’ve seen it all season with these two. If Purdy can put the ball in Evans' general vicinity, the big receiver will come down with the ball. Per Pro Football Focus, the 33-year-old has caught 96% of his catchable targets and has come down with 10 of his 13 contested targets. Both would be career highs for Evans. Evans gives Purdy an answer for man coverage that he hasn’t had since Brandon Aiyuk was at his peak in 2023. Since Purdy’s breakout campaign, the 49ers haven’t fared well against defenses that can play sticky coverage. With Evans in the fold, they’ve punished opponents for trying. The takeaway: Evans has been everything the 49ers could have hoped for, but the depth chart is thin, and injuries are ravaging the receiving corps once again. San Francisco lost rookie second-round pick De’Zhaun Stribling for an extended time in training camp, Ricky Persall went down for the season with a torn PCL in August, and now Deebo Samuel is expected to miss a few weeks with a hamstring injury. The offense is rolling now, but an injury to Evans, who hasn’t been fully healthy all season, could wreck the passing game. Head coach Kyle Shanahan is acting accordingly. He’s been overly protective of his veteran receiver, limiting him to no more than 28 routes in a game this season. On Sunday, he didn’t run another snap after the 49ers took the lead in the fourth quarter. With Shanahan calling the plays for Purdy, perhaps the offense could stay afloat without Evans, but the Niners coach clearly has no interest in finding out. This sequence of blunders by the Commanders has been reviewed more times than the Zapruder film, but how about one more viewing? It’s been over 24 hours since the Commanders gave away a win with some of the worst clock management you’ll ever see, and I’m still not sure where we should be pinning the blame. But we have to blame someone, right? Jayden Daniels ultimately made the decision to go to the ground without enough time to line up and spike the ball, but I agree with Dan Quinn, who said after the game, "It's an outside throw or a clock. Those are the two [options]: an out-of-bounds throw or a clock. That has to come from me. I don't have to put [Daniels] into that spot." The prospect of a 10-second runoff made it a trickier situation for Daniels to manage. Just chucking the ball out of bounds or into the first may have drawn an intentional grounding flag, which would have ended the game. Several erroneous intentional grounding calls were made around the league on Sunday, so leaving the game up to a referee’s judgment call isn’t great process – even if Daniels could have sailed the ball over Ben Sinnott’s head with a throwaway. Simply put, Quinn overcomplicated the situation for his young quarterback. In an ideal world, the Commanders would have a timeout and could manipulate the clock to make any Washington field-goal attempt the final play of the game – as they did in 2024 at the end of an early-season game against these same Giants. Without that timeout, though, the margins get smaller. As we saw, any screw-up puts the Commanders on the clock and forces them to scramble to spike it or rush the field-goal unit on. When a field goal ends the game, there’s no need to go to the lengths Washington did to milk the clock. Patrick Mahomes wasn’t standing on the other sideline. It was Jameis Winston. Quinn complicated things to avoid giving the ball back to Jameis freaking Winston with just a few ticks left on the clock and 40 yards between him and range for a game-winning field goal. But if Quinn wanted to run the clock down, there was a far simpler way. Washington could have lined up on the ball immediately after the first-down run that got the clock moving with around 50 seconds to go. If Daniels had taken the snap after the clock passed the 40-second mark, the play clock would have been turned off, and the Commanders could have calmly lined up and spiked the ball with just enough time for the game-winning kick. The takeaway: That NFC title game run in 2024 feels like ages ago now. Quinn may not last the season after Sunday’s debacle, and confidence in Daniels is waning with the third-year quarterback entering a pivotal offseason. If this coach-quarterback duo wants another shot at righting the ship, they’ll have to avoid these embarrassing episodes that have become all too familiar to a once-proud fanbase. Ultimately, the coach and quarterbacks are caretakers, whose main job is not to screw things up. We have never seen a team screw up in the manner Washington did on Sunday. I’ll let Philadelphia media and WIP callers handle the criticism of Nick Sirianni for mismanaging the clock and allowing the Jaguars to steal a win. Eagles rookie Makai Lemon should have stayed in bounds on second down to keep the clock running. In hindsight, Jake Elliott probably should have booted the ensuing kickoff out of the end zone for a touchback. Sirianni could have done more to raise Philly’s win probability by a few percentage points, but saying he threw away the game ignores that Jacksonville still had to make a remarkable play to get in position for Cam Little’s game-winner. Let’s give some love to the Jaguars players who made it all possible, starting with Ameer Abullah, who is somehow still kicking around the league more than a decade after you wasted that fourth-round pick on him in your fantasy draft. The journeyman back had just enough speed to break through the Eagles' kick coverage, and I’m not sure if he would’ve done it without a running start. But as Elliott’s kick flies toward Abdullah, you can see him take a few steps back, gather momentum, and catch the ball. Abdullah needed every bit of that little head start. He reached 17.7 mph on the return. That’s fast for me or you, but it’s relatively slow by NFL standards. Aaron Rodgers hit 17.1 mph in Week 3. Abdullah still managed to run 57 yards in seven seconds, a minor miracle. But Abdullah received plenty of help from his blockers. If even one of them fails to execute, he’s tackled short of the 50-yard line, and Jacksonville loses the game. The play's success hinges on the double-team block by running back Chris Martinez Jr. and tight end Tanner Koziol. Those two stonewall E.J. Jenkins, sealing off Abdullah’s left side. Tight end Quintin Morris and wide receiver Josh Cameron make the key blocks that seal off the right side for Abdullah. Cameron’s effort is remarkable. The rookie receiver, who’s earned offensive snaps thanks to his perimeter run blocking, is back deep with Abdullah when the ball is kicked. When the kick arrives, Cameron is over 29 yards from his block assignment, Kelee Ringo, and must close that gap in seconds. He not only does that, but he also lands a solid block on Ringo once he arrives, giving Abdullah enough space to break into the open field. Morris gets just enough Arnold Ebiketie to block him off from Abdullah, as well. Linebacker Branson Combs also makes a key block. Every time I rewatch the play, I find another Jaguar doing their job and making the return possible. And even with the top-shelf block, Abdullah still had to hurdle Elliott’s diving attempt at a tackle to get past midfield into Little’s range. The takeaway: Look, I get the rush to dunk on Sirianni after a highly avoidable loss, but he didn’t just hand Jacksonville the game. The Jags had no margin for error. Everything had to go right for Abdullah’s return to produce that result. Sirianni’s teams are typically on the right side of these inexplicable losses, which is why Sunday's result was such a shock. You can criticize Sirianni for a lot of things, but game management usually isn’t the issue. But if this becomes a pattern, and the Eagles start giving away close games, it will be harder to ignore the myriad issues that have marred the offense for a few years running. Even if Sirianni isn’t fully to blame for the loss, he can’t afford to take it with the way things are going in Philadelphia. 1. Kyler Murray has stacked two solid performances in a row, and both have been highlighted by unreal throws, but it’s this 14-yard scramble that has me excited for what this Vikings offense can eventually become. Murray hit 20.8 mph on that run. It’s the top speed a quarterback has reached all season, narrowly beating out Caleb Williams, and the first time Murray has gotten over 20 mph since 2024. It felt like hearing Odysseus pluck his bow. The version of Murray who looked like a fringe top-10 quarterback just two seasons ago may have returned. 2. If there was any lingering doubt about Drake Maye, Sunday’s three-touchdown masterclass against the Raiders should have proved he is all the way back. This two-play sequence convinced me. The Patriots run the same "dagger" concept on two consecutive dropbacks. On the first play, the weak-side safety, Jeremy Chinn, runs with the clear-out route, leaving Romeo Doubs open on the deep in-breaker. After a run on first down, the Patriots ran the same pass concept. This time, Chinn jumps the in-breaker run by Kyle Williams, leaving Pop Douglas's clear-out route open. That clear-out route is an "alert" and rarely gets thrown. That Maye felt it would be open and made the throws tells me he’s seeing the field much better than he did earlier in the season. 3. Since we’ve spent a lot of time criticizing coaches for strategic mistakes in crunch time, I wanted to give a shout-out to Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph for sending a blitz on the Chargers' Hail Mary attempt. Justin Herbert was sacked before his receivers could get downfield, eliminating any chance L.A. had of forcing overtime. Some may see that as a risky play call, but the numbers suggest it’s the safest approach in Hail Mary situations. There have been 178 Hail Mary plays since 2020, per Pro Football Focus. Defenses have blitzed 35 of those. Defenses sacked the quarterback on 32% of those plays and gave up no completions. The other 143 plays resulted in nine touchdowns. The best way to defend a Hail Mary is to keep the offense from even getting a pass off.

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QB Stock Market Week 6: Can Dak Overcome Cowboys? Can Seahawks Overcome Darnold?

Kyler Murray had the best throw of the week. Dak Prescott had some of the worst. Sam Darnold threw a pair of interceptions versus the 49ers, and Jayden Daniels took a sack at the end of overtime that ensured a tie against the Giants. Meanwhile, Jared Goff — of all people — is off to a historically prolific start for the Lions. Let’s get into all of it. These aren’t your typical QB rankings. I’m focused on contextualizing the fluctuations of starters' performances throughout the season. No one — not even Josh Allen — is safe at the top. No one — not even Malik Willis — is stuck at the bottom. There is room for quick ascent — and rapid decline. One question holds the most importance: What have you done for your team lately? Previous: Offseason | Preseason | Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 Daniel Jones has looked overwhelmed — all season — by what the Colts have asked him to do. Their plan stunk from the beginning. I’ve been on record saying this season was destined for implosion. Unfortunately, I’ve been correct. On offense, it simply never made sense. It’s one thing to return from his Achilles injury. It’s another thing to face expectations that — somehow — this offense would regain its form from the beginning of 2025 (which was already fading at the time of his injury). But the biggest issue is that the Colts have struggled to keep receiver Alec Pierce on the field because of injuries — and they traded away receiver Michael Pittman, a trustworthy possession receiver. Without WR1 or WR2 from 2025, Jones has had to make the most of receiver Josh Downs, whose explosive plays aren’t enough to carry a whole offense. That’s not exactly a surprise. The surprise is that tight end Tyler Warren is averaging 7.1 yards per reception — struggling to find room to run after his 30 receptions, the eighth-most in the NFL. There’s more that’s underwhelming. Running back Jonathan Taylor is averaging 3.9 yards per carry — on pace for his worst season and well behind his previous worst at 4.4 in 2023 when he played only 10 games. That’s in part because he’s faced the fifth-most stacked boxes (21) in the NFL. Colts opponents are stacking those boxes because they’re not afraid of Jones, especially when he doesn’t have Pierce to throw to. The Colts' offense is functioning at an even lower level than you’d expect. In turn, so is Jones. In Week 5 against the Steelers — whose defense is good but beatable — Dimes couldn’t find the end zone. He was 24 for 44 for 267 yards. His completion percentage (CPOE) was -3.8 and was especially bad when the Steelers did not blitz him (-8.5%). Defenses are daring him to pick them apart. He can’t do it. Defenses are daring him to throw deep. He can’t do it. Defenses are making Indy's middling starting QB look like a backup, which is especially frustrating for this franchise when considering Jones' cap hit in 2026 is just $19 million. Big changes are coming for the Colts, who don’t even have their 2027 first-round pick to look forward to. (They traded it to the Jets.) I’ve been tracking Sam Darnold’s season, but for the most part, I thought he was about as bad (and good) as he’d been last year. But that’s not the case. He’s worse. Much worse. Through four appearances (and, really, just three, because he left Week 1 after only a few plays), he has 755 passing yards, seven touchdowns and five interceptions. The turnovers are a red flag, but … at least he’s posting production in yardage and scoring. Right? Well, the advanced stats tell a different story. Darnold has a -.19 expected points added per dropback, which is a tough fall from a much healthier .07 in 2025. The loss to the 49ers emphasized Darnold’s struggles with inconsistency and turnovers. The team around Darnold also felt different. Last year, the Seahawks figured out how to win games like this past Sunday. They’d do it despite Darnold. During their postseason run, they hit the sweet spot where Darnold was playing the best football of his life — and it meshed perfectly with ascending superstars Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Kenneth Walker III and an elite group of defensive playmakers. Without Walker this year, the running game hasn’t supported Darnold with shorter second and third downs. So Darnold is facing longer odds at conversions, and he’s forcing it, leading to more mistakes and more turnovers. It’s making me think that maybe Darnold is something of a Joe Flacco. Both QBs strung together a memorable playoff run when they caught fire and played at a level they’d never reached before. But the work before and the work after? That’s all fallen somewhere in a range of slightly below average and slightly above average. And for what it’s worth, Darnold also shares Flacco’s propensity for trusting his arm too much — and forcing the football into turnover-worthy plays and interceptions. Maybe Darnold finds his 2026 postseason form again — and this current lapse is a lingering issue from the Week 1 hip injury. But it’s more likely that this is who Darnold is. The 3-2 Seahawks, whose next three games are against the Broncos, the Chiefs and the Bears, will have to figure out how to get back to working around their QB. Jayden Daniels' performance in Week 5 was a reminder of how young he is as a pro football player. Maybe too young, if you ask me. Maybe immature on a few levels. But it’s important to remember this was just his 30th appearance in the NFL, given all his injuries. He hasn’t played two full seasons yet. That won’t make the Commanders’ final play make any more sense. But it does add context to their fiasco in overtime, where they let time expire after Daniels took a sack to let time run out. We know, per coach Dan Quinn, that the fateful play was designed for an outside throw (where the pass-catcher can get to the sideline and stop the clock) or a clock-stopping throwaway. Quinn took blame for even calling that play when they didn’t need to gain any more yards. But his revelation — "outside throw or a clock" — is an indictment of Daniels’ situational awareness. Because he ran to the left and took a sack near the line of scrimmage. Did he think he had a timeout and was he placing the ball on the left hash? I’m not sure. But the quarterback was clearly confused about the situation. "We’ve gotta stop the clock," Daniels said. We know the situation. We’ve gotta relay that as an offense. It starts with everyone — top down. Ultimately it’s on me," It’s overtime. You need to know how many timeouts you have. Period. Most high school quarterbacks have more situational awareness than Daniels demonstrated. It’s good that he concluded by saying it’s on him. Because before that, he vaguely pointed his fingers at the coaching staff — perhaps for not reminding him that he didn't have a timeout left. It reveals two points of immaturity: 1) Daniels needs reminding of timeouts (and general hand-holding) at the game’s most crucial moments, and 2) Daniels isn’t wise enough to simply take the public blame. His comments have, no doubt, accelerated coach Dan Quinn’s departure. The ending sequence marred what was otherwise an impressive game from Daniels. He had 300 total yards (199 passing; 103 rushing) and two rushing touchdowns. He had the most scramble yards of his career, per Next Gen Stats. And Daniels hit 20.54 mph on his 38-yard TD run, the fastest play of his career. Kyler Murray had the best throw of the week, given the stakes and the risk and the … everything. The Vikings were trailing by a point in the third quarter when Murray stood in a clean pocket and fired the ball into the deep left corner of the end zone. There was Justin Jefferson, of course. It’s basically always a sensible decision to throw to him. But standing all around JJ, there were three defenders. It was double coverage with a third Saint running over to help in any way possible. He couldn’t. New Orleans was beyond help. Murray put the ball in a perfect spot — just beyond the defenders' reach. And Jefferson elevated to snatch the ball. The margin for error is always small when throwing in an area with so many defenders. But it’s even smaller when dealing with the sideline and the back of the end zone. This was the throw that should worry folks around the NFL. So far this season, Murray has been the ultimate game manager. He demonstrated restraint in all the ways the Vikings hoped he would (and all the ways Murray seemed to feel he couldn’t afford in Arizona, where he was constantly trying to do it all). Murray went 24 of 30 (80% completion rate and a +6.8 CPOE) for 229 yards and a touchdown. He also had 10 carries for 51 yards (+15 RYOE). In other words, he’s quietly helping Kevin O’Connell get the most out of this Vikings offense. It seems that, together, Kyler and O’Connell are getting their groove back. There's been plenty of drama around a Cowboys staffer telling Dak Prescott that the team’s loss to the Buccaneers this past Thursday was "embarrassing." That wasn’t how I saw it. Sure, Prescott was no revelation — nor did he redeem his team for its terrible performance. But he was fairly steady in a game where his pass-catchers were struggling with separation — and having difficulty wrangling the contested catches that basically define this offense’s success. The Cowboys had three drops against Tampa Bay, per PFF. Both of Prescott’s interceptions went off the hands of a receiver — and on well-thrown balls. You’ll hear people talk about how sacks are a quarterback stat. (Which is about 75 percent true.) And you’ll hear people asking that some interceptions get scored against receivers. Well, these two picks were perfect examples of why. Dak finished with a 57% completion rate, but PFF scored him an adjusted completion rate at 67.5. That includes the drops and other on-target throws that should’ve been completions. This doesn’t totally excuse Prescott for struggling with ball placement. He should’ve been sharper, leaving meat on the bone when throwing to George Pickens. Yes, believe it or not, Pickens’ big day (nine catches, 130 yards and a TD) should’ve been even bigger. Prescott's M.O. is pinpoint accuracy, and he can’t blame all the incompletions on his receivers. I just can’t fault him too deeply for a night where his teammates and coaches were the ones making the biggest mistakes. Jared Goff is now at 12 passing touchdowns and zero turnovers for the first five games. He’s the first QB in NFL history to do that. He’s leading the NFL in passing yards and is tied for second in passing touchdowns. And his connection with Jameson Williams finally clicked in this game — which I’d been saying for weeks was a reason why this offense could actually get better. It did get better — with Williams and Goff making up for lost time and missed opportunities. They connected on two touchdown passes, including one from 39 yards out in the Lions' shellacking of the Cardinals. The one point of context from the first five weeks: the Lions have faced the worst scoring defense (Cardinals), second-worst (Saints), fifth-worst (Bills) and seventh-worst (Panthers). The Jets are the best unit the Lions have faced, and to the latter's credit, they put up 31 points against New York’s stingy defense, which is allowing an average of 19.2 points per game (fifth-best). Amid this quietly historic run, Goff is making small improvements around his career-long difficulties with pressure. When facing pressure, he has an EPA per dropback of -.19. Without pressure, he has an EPA per dropback of .45. The former mark is still pretty bad. But this represents a better split than it has been from 2023 to 2025, when Goff saw the biggest drop-off in the NFL (falling from .43 without pressure to -.42 against it). It’s also a heck of a lot better than Michael Penix, who falls from .63 unpressured to -.82 pressured. Goff will spend his season contending with his defense — which is among the worst in the league. That’s his most obvious problem. But the Lions also won't go anywhere until their veteran QB figures out how to handle and neutralize pressure, both with pre-snap adjustments and with post-snap poise. That’s the final frontier for Goff. Of course, it has been for quite some time. In an incredible road win over the Rams in overtime on Monday night, Josh Allen did what won him the MVP in 2024. He overcame his mistakes (and I actually thought his interception was downright smart as far as turnovers go). He overcame James Cook’s mistakes. And he did it with his WR1, D.J. Moore, out with an injury. Allen wasn’t even that good as a passer, but with his 121 yards rushing and two total touchdowns, he completely took control of the game.

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Big Bets Report: Huge Wager On Ravens Moneyline Cashes In For Six Figures

The past week perfectly displayed the Yin and Yang of betting on NFL odds, particularly for high-rollers, who aren’t necessarily sharp, but certainly have a lot of disposable income. Last Monday night, a six-figure bet landed on the Falcons to beat the Saints. On Sunday night, an even larger six-figure play dropped on the Ravens to beat the Falcons. And in between, the Cowboys were dealt the season’s biggest upset by the Bucs, vaporizing a six-figure wager while making a big winner of a prediction markets trader. More on all that activity, along with a parlay that rode Oklahoma’s upset to a five-figure payday, plus a seemingly ridiculous Polymarket trade on the Jaguars that needed just eight seconds to cash out. 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. In the final game of Week 4, the Falcons and Saints got together last Monday night in New Orleans. At Caesars Sports, a customer ponied up $150,000 on Atlanta moneyline +105. Then the two-headed monster of Bijan Robinson and Brian Robinson combined for five touchdowns, as the Falcons rolled to a 45-24 victory. The bettor bagged $157,500 profit, for a total payout of $307,500. But as they say, what comes around, goes around. In NFL Week 5 odds, the Falcons were home favorites vs. the Ravens because Baltimore didn’t have quarterback Lamar Jackson, who was out with an ankle injury. That led to a lot of Atlanta support from the public betting masses. In Las Vegas, though, a high-roller put a whopping $272,194.60 (yep, 60 cents, too, and don’t ask me why) on Ravens moneyline +155 at Red Rock Resort. The Falcons led much of the night, including 23-15 after a field goal with 2:31 remaining. But the Ravens then drove for a touchdown, and Derrick Henry ran in the 2-point conversion to tie it at 23 and force overtime. Then backup QB Tyler Huntley led a 14-play, 68-yard drive, capped by his 1-yard TD plunge. A Ravens interception subsequently ended the Falcons’ possession and the game, giving Baltimore a 30-23 victory. And giving the bettor a massive win of $421,901.65, for a total payout of $694,096.25. The Cowboys were the biggest favorite on the NFL Week 5 oddsboard, closing at -9.5 against the winless Bucs. And there were more signs that pointed to an easy Dallas victory: A Caesars Sports customer got a better number than the closer, putting $106,000 on Cowboys -8. But at no point was Dallas covering, and in fact, the Pokes trailed almost the entire second half, including 24-10 after the third quarter. The Cowboys ultimately lost 24-16, making that wager a six-figure donation to the house. On the flip side, though, a trader at Kalshi put $84,000 worth of faith into the big underdog Buccaneers. The transaction was at a price of 20%, which correlates to +400 in betting odds. Behind a clean game from Daniels and a big night from running back Bucky Irving, Tampa Bay held on for a 24-16 victory. And the Kalshi customer bagged a huge profit of $336,000 (total payout $420,000). If you can accurately predict underdogs winning outright, then you stand to make some good money. Much easier said than done, of course. But a Fanatics Sportsbook customer rode four college football upsets to a big payday, capped by one of the day’s biggest games, Texas vs. Oklahoma. The bettor put $100 on a parlay that included two teams as even bigger underdogs than Oklahoma: Buffalo at Toledo, and California at home vs. Virginia Tech. Surprisingly, Buffalo scored the first 16 points vs. Toledo en route to a 23-8 victory. And Cal got a touchdown with 18 seconds left to knock off VaTech 25-20. Houston had zero trouble with Kansas State, rolling 35-16. And Oklahoma finished it off, rallying from a 17-7 halftime deficit to upend No. 1 Texas 27-24 on a final-seconds field goal. At hefty odds of +14676 — just shy of 147/1 — that hundred bucks turned into $14,676 profit. Now that’s an upset. Prediction markets remain a controversial topic but are still operating and seeing a lot of football trades made across the country. And there were some big transactions over the past few days. On Sunday, though, a far smaller trade actually proved to be the most interesting, and the ROI was fantastic. A Kalshi customer put $175 on Giants vs. Commanders ending in a tie, at a price of just 2%. That translates to odds of about +4903. Washington took a 27-13 lead on Jayden Daniels’ second TD run of the game, with 11:05 remaining in the fourth quarter. But New York rallied with two touchdowns to tie it at 27 with 1:43 left, and the game went to overtime. Then neither team scored in OT, with Washington completely blowing an opportunity to kick the winning field goal in the waning seconds. Instead, the clock ran out after Daniels was sacked at the Giants’ 24-yard line. So the game ended in a 27-27 tie, and the trader profited $8,581 (total payout $8,756). No, it’s not a six-figure payday. But anytime you can 49x your money, it’s been a great day. And how about this maneuver at Polymarket: After the Jaguars went down 17-16 on an Eagles field goal, with just eight seconds remaining, a trader put $2,817.99 on Jacksonville to win the game. That trade was also in the 2% range of succeeding. But Ameer Abdullah had other ideas, returning the ensuing kickoff 53 yards to the Eagles’ 39-yard line. Adbullah was brought down with just one second on the clock, and Cam Little then booted a 57-yard field goal to give the Jags a shocking 19-17 victory. And the trader profited $122,426.01 (total payout $125,244). It’s not all about making big bets or cashing out huge on a 10-leg parlay. Which, to be clear, is rare. Sometimes, it’s about putting 10 bucks on a single straight bet, backing a long shot or semi-long shot, and getting a solid return on investment. For example, backup tight end Teagan Quitoriano somehow had two of the Cardinals’ three touchdowns in a 45-21 blowout loss to the Lions. At Caesars Sports, Quitoriano was +45000 (450/1) to score two or more TDs. If you’d just taken a $10 flier on that player prop, then you’d be sitting on $4,500 profit. But that’s a huge long shot. In the more realistic realm: How about QB C.J. Stroud scoring the first touchdown of the Texans-Titans game? Stroud was +3500 (35/1) to do so at DraftKings Sports. Strangely, the game’s first TD didn’t come until midway through the third quarter, but it was on a 2-yard Stroud run. Ten bucks on that would’ve netted $350 profit. In the Bucs’ Thursday night upset, Bucky Irving was +1500 to score two or more touchdowns, at FanDuel Sports. He scored in the second and third quarters. A tenner on that turns into $150 profit. If you got frisky and bet $100, then you’d pocket $1,500. And if you’re one of those who likes to take an alternative shot on First Touchdown Scorer, then the Ravens-Falcons game provided just such an opportunity. Seven minutes into the first quarter, Atlanta safety Jessie Bates III got a scoop-and-score off a Mark Andrews fumble, returning it 36 yards to put the Falcons up 7-3. In the First TD Scorer market, FanDuel had Atlanta’s defense at +3500. Ten dollars on that would have your wallet $350 fatter today. The biggest reported bet on either NFL Week 5 odds or college football Week 6 odds arrived at Caesars Sports on Saturday’s Texas A&M vs. Missouri showdown. The customer dropped an eye-popping $850,000 on Tigers moneyline -173. All Mizzou had to do was win, by any margin. It was a no-sweat bet, as the Tigers coasted to a 27-6 victory. The bettor turned a profit of $491,329 (total payout $1,341,329). Parlaying big favorites isn’t always the best idea. But it can pay off, and it did for a Station Sports customer on Sunday in Vegas. The bettor put $139,000 on Bengals moneyline -170/Lions moneyline -250. So all that was needed was for Cincinnati to beat Miami and Detroit to beat Arizona, regardless of margin. The Lions routed the Cards 45-21, while the Bengals held off Miami 31-24. At -128 odds, the bettor profited $108,194 (total payout $247,194). Other notable wagers on NFL Week 5 odds and college football Week 6 odds: It’s always worth reminding that these high-profile, high-net-worth customers have the ability to make big bets and often absorb big losses. For you and me, not so much. So keep your bet size and expectations reasonable. Never bet more than you can afford to lose.

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