Will Fuller is a threat when on the field. Photo by Edward Clarke
Six things headed into the weekend to ponder about the NFL. Drink it in.
1. How about Baker Mayfield playing hero in the third game of the season for the Browns. I love Mayfield. He's a baller and I believe he will be very good in the league. He can put it where he wants it with ease and as soon as the coaching gets better around him Cleveland will have a dangerous weapon. Think about the AFC at the quarterback position right now. It's incredible. 13 of the 16 teams have their franchise guy or future franchise guy. (Miami, Jacksonville, and Denver in case you were wondering.)
2. The Kansas City Chiefs have the hardest task of any undefeated team trying to stay unbeaten. While they are at home, the 49ers are coming to town. The Chiefs have allowed almost 900 yards passing in two games but thanks to Patrick (Insert Nickname Here) Mahomes and his 10 touchdowns they're 2-0. I imagine Jimmy Garoppolo and Kyle Shanahan will have plenty cooked up for a putrid Chiefs defense.
3. Ryan Fitzpatrick has been one of the best stories in the early part of the NFL season. FitzMagic has the Buccaneers off to their best start since 2010 despite being a 35-year-old journeyman who seemed to be placeholding Jameis Winston's spot. The NFL doesn't usually have happy endings and stellar stories like his rarely last. The Steelers are desperate and aren't that different from the 2017 team which finished fifth in total defense. Magic isn't real and Monday, unfortunately, FitzMagic comes to an end as well.
4. Will Fuller's return can't be understated. He's a potential star at the wideout position and is a far more complete pass catcher than many thought he could be in the NFL. Eli Apple is the Giants starting corner opposite Janoris Jenkins and he hasn't practiced. With Apple out, it could be backups on Fuller meaning another huge day for him.
5. The Giants allowed six sacks on Sunday against the Cowboys and have allowed eight this season. Dallas didn't have to send much pressure to get some of those sacks either. The Texans have only allowed one less sack and also have put Watson in danger plenty. Each team has underperformed rushing the passer with the Giants having one lone sack and the Texans just three. When there is so much underperforming someone is bound to impress Sunday.
6. The Texans and the Giants both desperately need a win. Just 2.9 percent of the teams who start 0-3 have ever made it to the postseason. The last time a 0-3 team made the playoffs was the 1998 Buffalo Bills. They were one of five teams to ever do it. None of those teams played for a conference championship. If the Texans have designs on a successful season avoiding the bad part of history is in their best interest.
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A new challenge awaits, and the Astros know what’s at stake
Jun 27, 2025, 2:05 pm
The Houston Astros didn’t just sweep the Philadelphia Phillies. They sent a message.
In three tightly contested games against one of the best teams in baseball, the Astros leaned on their elite pitching and timely offense to secure a statement sweep. Hunter Brown was electric in the finale, shutting down the Phillies’ lineup and showing the kind of dominance that’s become a defining feature of his game. Bryan Abreu slammed the door with four strikeouts to close out the win, and rookie Cam Smith delivered the deciding blow — an RBI single in the eighth to drive in Isaac Paredes, lifting the Astros to a 2-1 victory.
It wasn’t a series filled with offensive fireworks, but that’s exactly the point. Both teams sent out top-tier pitching throughout the series, and Houston was the team that kept finding a way. For much of the season, the Astros’ inconsistent offense might’ve been a concern in a series like this. But this time, it felt different. The bats showed up just enough, and the pitching did the rest.
Now, with Houston on pace for 96 wins at the halfway point, the question becomes: Is the league officially on notice?
Maybe. Maybe not. But one thing is certain, the Astros have the third-best record in baseball, they’re 17-7 in one-run games, and they’re playing with the kind of rhythm that’s defined their near-decade of dominance. Unlike last year’s uneven campaign, this version of the Astros looks like a team that’s rediscovered its edge. Whether or not they need to take care of business against the Cubs to validate it, their recent run leaves little doubt: when Houston is clicking, there are very few teams built to stop them.
Off the field, however, a bit of long-term uncertainty is starting to creep in. Reports surfaced this week that extension talks with shortstop Jeremy Peña have been put on hold as he recently signed with super-agent Scott Boras. The combination has led many to wonder if Peña might follow the same free-agent path as Alex Bregman, Carlos Correa, and others before him. Boras clients rarely settle early, and Peña, now one of the most valuable shortstops in the game, could command a price tag the Astros have historically avoided paying.
If Peña and even Hunter Brown are likely to get priced out of Houston, the front office may need to pivot. Isaac Paredes could be the most logical extension candidate on the roster. His approach — particularly his ability to pull the ball with authority — is tailor-made for Daikin Park and the Crawford Boxes. Last year, Paredes struggled to leave the yard at Wrigley Field, but in Houston, he’s thriving. Locking him in long term would give the Astros offensive stability and the kind of value they’ve typically targeted.
As for Cam Smith, the breakout rookie is far from free agency and will remain a cost-controlled piece for years. That’s exactly why his contributions now, like his clutch eighth-inning knock to beat Philadelphia, matter so much. He's one more reason why the Astros don’t just look good right now. They look dangerous.
And the rest of the league is starting to feel it.
There's so much more to get to! Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!
The MLB season is finally upon us! Join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and Charlie Pallilo for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday.
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