VIRGINIA WATER, England – As his fellow professionals marveled at Danny Willett’s start at the BMW PGA Championship, the Englishman had to admit that his play through two rounds at the European Tour’s flagship event was “out of the blue.”

For Willett, whose career was derailed after winning the 2016 Masters by injury and poor play, the return to Europe after his first full season on the PGA Tour is shaping up to be a welcome homecoming, thanks to a front-nine 29 that propelled him into a share of the lead at Wentworth at 11 under par.

“One of those days, really. We hit a lot of good shots. Holed some nice kind of mid-range putts and I think with the wind picking up it's probably better that you don't expect that coming in,” said Willett, who is tied for the lead with Jon Rahm after a second-round 65.

Willett relocated with his family to the United States this year and focused almost exclusively on the PGA Tour until the FedExCup Playoffs concluded last month. His attention is now squarely on the European Tour where he has a busy schedule planned the with starts at next week's Dunhill Links Championship, the Italian Open and, if he qualifies, the DP World Tour Championship, where he is the defending champion.

Former world No. 1 Stacy Lewis will likely miss the rest of this season recuperating from the injury that led to her withdrawal from the Solheim Cup last week.

Upon returning home to Houston, Lewis was more definitively diagnosed with a rib cage injury, according to her management team. The injury is expected to require up to eight weeks of rest and rehabilitation.

“Given the nature of my injury, I will likely not return until the start of next year,” Lewis said in a statement. “The time off will give me the chance to get healthy and stronger, and to spend time with my family.”

Lewis, 34, was named one of Juli Inkster’s two captain’s picks for the U.S. Solheim Cup, but she began feeling pain in her lower back at the Cambia Portland Classic, her last start before going to Scotland for the biennial international team event. She alerted Inkster before traveling overseas that her back might be an issue there. Three days before the competition began, Lewis withdrew, with alternate Ally McDonald taking her place on the roster.

Lewis stepped away from the LPGA late in the summer of 2018 to prepare for the birth of her first child, Chesnee, who was born last October. Lewis has been adjusting to life on tour as a new mom. She’s 52^nd on the LPGA money list with three top-10 finishes this season.

VIRGINIA WATER, England – Like most top players, Jon Rahm needed to decompress following the end of the PGA Tour season and this week’s BMW PGA Championship is his first start since last month’s Tour Championship.

But if the Spaniard was rusty after his three-week break he hasn’t looked the part through two rounds at Wentworth. Rahm opened with rounds of 66-67 that left the Spaniard tied for the lead with Danny Willett at 11 under.

“No matter how much time off I have or I don't, it's always great to get off to a start like this,” he said. “After 36 holes it's important to have a chance, especially on a course that I've never seen before and a tournament this important.”

Rahm hadn’t been able to play the European Tour’s flagship event because of scheduling conflicts when it was held in May, but this year’s move to September allowed him to add the event to his schedule for the first time.

Although Rahm got off to an interesting start on Friday, with two bogeys and four birdies through his first six holes, he said the normal learning curve on a new course has been straightforward.

“There's a few lines off the tee you need to learn. After that, it's right in front of you,” he said. “That's the great thing about this golf course, it's not overly complicated. It's right in front of you.”

It will happen at some point this season, possibly as early as November. Chelsea will play a game with seven homegrown players in their starting XI. Thus far, we've seen four: Andreas Christensen and Fikayo Tomori at the back, Mason Mount in midfield, Tammy Abraham up front. With Mount doubtful for Sunday's clash with Liverpool, we'll probably see three but that is sure to change when Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Reece James and Callum Hudson-Odoi become available. (Loftus-Cheek is out until November, but the latter two have resumed training.)

Clubs so heavily reliant on Academy products aren't exactly new. We all remember Pep Guardiola's first Barcelona side, the one that further burnished the legend of their La Masia academy: Lionel Messi, Xavi, Andres Iniesta, Sergio Busquets, Carles Puyol, Gerard Pique, Pedro, Victor Valdes, etc. Plus, of course, Manchester United's Class of '92, with Ryan Giggs, David Beckham, Nicky Butt, Paul Scholes and the Nevilles. All were Academy products, except there's a difference when it comes to Chelsea, one that makes this group potentially unprecedented, at least among bigger clubs in bigger leagues.

Apart from Christensen, who joined the club at 16, the other six all were in the Chelsea system from before the age of 10. That's a hefty distinction.

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In many cases, when clubs boast about the players they "produce," you should take it with a grain of salt. It's one thing to take a kid at 8 and nurture him all the way into the first team. It's an entirely different matter to cherry-pick talented 16-year-olds from other clubs, put them into your Academy for a year or two and then claim them as your own. One is a full-service, K-12 educational institution; the other is finishing school.

This isn't to say that one is necessarily more virtuous than the other, just that the skill-sets involved are rather different. Guessing that an 8-year old might have the necessary athleticism, personality and coordination to become a professional footballer, and then giving him high-quality coaching and guidance for a decade is one thing. Acquiring, say, Paul Pogba and Raheem Sterling at 16, after they had played international football for their respective countries at the youth level, is quite another.

Chelsea are a prime example of this because over the years, they've done plenty of both. In fact, the reason they were hit by a transfer ban in the first place is linked to irregularities in signing youth players from other countries. (That ban, of course, has had a silver lining. While Frank Lampard insists the likes of Mount would be playing regardless this season, there's little question that the inability to bring in players has created opportunities that weren't there before.)

Except for certain specific situations, FIFA regulations stipulate that players under the age of 16 can't move internationally. And because you can't sign a binding contract until you're 16 in most countries, raiding other clubs (especially abroad) for talent in the "magical window" just after a player turns 16 became a way of life. It still required scouting and contacts and fees (sometimes straight up, sometimes in the form of tribunal compensation) and there was often fierce competition, but almost everybody did it and Chelsea seemed to do it better than most. While they arguably never quite hit the jackpot in terms of acquiring a superstar who would then play many years in their first team, over the past five seasons along they netted in excess of $60m in transfer fees and loan fees from the likes of Nathan Ake, Gael Kakuta, Tomas Kalas and Lucas Piazon.

Yet even as they were doing that on an international level, they were pushing their ground game hard in their backyard: the sprawling London metropolitan area. At one point, Tomori, James, Loftus-Cheek, Hudson-Odoi, Abraham and Mount were all aged 12 or younger and all in Chelsea's system. And it wasn't just them. So too were Eddie Nketiah, an England Under-21 international, and Declan Rice, who has five England caps.

Nketiah and Rice were both released by Chelsea: the former is now at Leeds United, on loan from Arsenal, the latter is at West Ham. They're evidence of how easy it is for clubs to get things wrong in deciding which youngsters to back and which to let go.

Where do players come from: Europe's talent hotspots

Chelsea have 10 development centers that cover Under-7s and Under-8s. About 160 kids enter the system, usually by invitation. Each year they are whittled down and kids from elsewhere are invited to try out. It continues until they join the Academy at age 9 and, from there, there is the annual risk of being released until you sign a professional contract.

If it sounds rather dog-eat-dog, that's because it is. There is a ton of competition for players to get into the system and there is an equal moment between clubs to attract players. Because while London may offer a huge catchment area of talent, Chelsea have to compete with the likes of Arsenal, Tottenham, West Ham, Queens Park Rangers and more for that same gifted kid.

Clearly though, Chelsea are doing it right at youth level. They've won the FA Youth Cup seven times in the past 10 seasons and the UEFA Youth League (aka the Champions League for kids) twice. The challenge has been ascending into the first team and that lack of pathway is something for which Chelsea has long been criticized in the past. It's something the club have taken on the chin while pointing out that very few of the Academy graduates who they sold on would likely have had a major impact on the first team. (In that sense, they have a point. It's not as if the Premier League is filled with Chelsea youth alums who have come back to haunt them. Most had the tools to be very good professionals, but not regulars at Chelsea.)

No more. The combination of the transfer ban and the return of Frank Lampard as manager (with Jody Morris -- himself a Chelsea Academy product and former youth coach -- as his assistant) has opened the door to throwing the youngsters in at the deep end. It's working on many levels, not least the fact that it has bought the club time with fans and media.

The trickiest part is deciding whether it was a statistical quirk that so many gifted footballers gravitated to Chelsea before they learned their multiplication tables at some point between 2004 and 2008. And, of course, the classic nature vs. nurture debate: was it Chelsea that made them what they are or would they have reached this level regardless? (Yes, obviously the answer is a bit of both, but the challenge is determining to what degree each contributed.)

Either way, the transfer ban is proving to have a massive silver lining for the club. And for that they can thank the work done over the past decade, both in assembling this group and in developing them from childhood through adolescence into adulthood.

When Waqar Younis twice served as the Pakistan head coach in the past - 2010 to 2011 and 2014 to 2016 - Misbah-ul-Haq was the Test captain on both occasions. Three-and-a-half years since his last stint with the team, Waqar has returned to the support staff set-up as the bowling coach and Misbah is now the head coach.

Waqar will, as a result, work under Misbah after the PCB overhauled the support staff that was led by Mickey Arthur until the World Cup. Waqar and Misbah have shared a cordial relationship and the former fast bowler brings with him loads of coaching experience. This will be his fifth term in the Pakistan support staff, having served twice as the head coach, as the bowling coach in 2006-07, and the bowling and fielding coach briefly in 2009-10.

His two stints as head coach had not ended on a good note earlier as he resigned both times before the end of his tenure. In 2011 he stepped down amid differences with then limited-overs captain Shahid Afridi and in 2016 he quit after a dispute with the PCB's management following that year's T20 World Cup.

Will working under Misbah be a "demotion" of sorts for Waqar? He doesn't think so.

"As far as thinking like it's a demotion, it's only a myth that you go up or down," Waqar said. "Our goal is how to make Pakistan a better team. For me the exciting thing is to try and help some of the promising youngsters who are in the pipeline, and some more who will come in the near future too.

"You come directly under a head coach as it's his domain and you work according to his mindset. The others are helping hands like the fielding coach and bowling coach. We will try to help Misbah as much as possible and move forward.

"In three years lots of things have changed," Waqar said when asked what made him come back. "The format has changed in domestic cricket, new people have come, there are new coaches, new thinking has come. I am not here to make controversies, I will try to make the Pakistan bowling attack a good one."

Waqar clarified that he wasn't "mentally ready" to apply for the post of head coach again and he knew that Misbah was the main contender for the job. Waqar applied for the bowling coach position and he was the main candidate after another shortlisted applicant, Mohammad Akram, withdrew at the last minute.

"I decided that I wasn't mentally ready to get back into the set-up [as head coach] so I applied for bowling coach," Waqar said. "I think I have a very good chemistry with Misbah, I've got a very good understanding with him and it will help in the future. The PCB has given Misbah an opportunity and it's our responsibility to support and back him because he's a very honest man and passionate about the game.

"My role is very simple and well-defined. I had done both the roles as a head coach and a bowling coach so I have an idea. The best thing is that I know about Misbah's mindset because whatever coaching I had done was with Misbah as the captain."

Their first assignment together will be two limited-overs series against Sri Lanka starting September 27 in Karachi with three ODIs followed by as many T20Is in Lahore next month. Currently, Waqar and Misbah are holding a training camp at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore where Waqar is working with young fast bowlers.

"The emphasis of the camp is on training and fitness, we are always focusing on fitness with our bowlers," Waqar said. "We have bowlers in the pipeline like Mohammad Hasnain and Nasim Shah and in the next few months they will come on the scene.

"The best thing is Sri Lanka is coming, it's a plus for Pakistan, and other teams should also come. Our short-term goal is that we should win matches early on and build the confidence."

Moeen Ali will miss England's two Tests in New Zealand in November, and may also be omitted from the red-ball leg of the South Africa tour in December and January, after requesting a break from Test cricket in the wake of a gruelling English season.

The news came as Moeen was omitted from England's list of centrally contracted Test players for the 12 months to September 2020, which was announced on Friday at Lord's by England's director of cricket, Ashley Giles.

Although he retains his white-ball contract, and will be a central part of England's plans for the World T20 in Australia next year, this was the first time since 2014-15, the year of his England debut, that Moeen had been overlooked for the top tier of ECB contracts - a run that reflects the amount of international cricket, 186 matches in all formats, that he had been playing in the preceding five years.

"It's just to get away from it a little bit. I feel like I want to enjoy my batting and this will give me a bit of a break," Moeen told ESPNcricinfo on the eve of T20 Finals Day at Edgbaston, where he is hoping to captain Worcestershire to back-to-back titles in the Vitality Blast.

"I want to spend some time with the family. I've been playing for England for five years and it's been quite tough. The intensity is obviously higher in Test cricket so this is just to give me a break and then we will see what happens after that.

"I'm not ruling out playing Test cricket in the future. I've had long chats and thought about it quite a lot. I just want to give myself a bit of time to refresh my batteries and see where it goes after that."

Speaking at Lord's, Giles was equally keen to stress that Moeen's decision did not spell the end of his 60-Test career - a period in which he has claimed 181 wickets, second only to Graeme Swann among English spinners this century.

However, Giles did indicate that Test retirement had been discussed during their conversations, as Moeen came to terms with a disappointing summer in which he was dropped after England's defeat in the first Ashes Test at Edgbaston, having already lost his starting berth in the World Cup-winning team.

"For all the guys, not just Moeen, it's been a really challenging summer," Giles said. "A World Cup and an Ashes back-to-back has had a massive effect on many of these guys psychologically, as much as physically. And some of those guys are still carrying [those issues], one of them being Moeen.

"His experience in the first [Ashes] Test wasn't a great one, but that's cricket. He's has been a great servant for his team. And that's why I encouraged him to leave that option open to come back. He might just need to go away and freshen up. But he's been a really good servant for this team. And he's still relatively young."

England are due to tour Sri Lanka for two Tests in March and April, a country where Moeen last year claimed 18 wickets at 24.50 as part of a successful three-spinner attack, and that could, in theory, be an obvious time for him to return to the fray.

However, with Jack Leach established as England's first-choice spinner and with a new coach likely to be in place by that date, Moeen's decision to step back from Test cricket comes with obvious risk - especially at a time when England have signalled their intention to redouble their focus on the format after a four-year cycle in which it played second fiddle to the needs of the white-ball squad.

"The two Tests in New Zealand are not part of the World Test Championship, but actually they form a really important part of the build-up process to South Africa, which is a series that we've got to go and win," said Giles. "And New Zealand are a strong team. We are not going there lightly, so we've got to be ready."

A further consideration for Moeen is that the Sri Lanka tour falls close to the start of the 2020 IPL, a tournament for which he has a lucrative contract with Royal Challengers Bangalore. While Giles insisted that Moeen's decision would not be solely driven by any desire to play a full part in RCB's campaign, he was adamant that the rewards of the tournament were not merely financial - as shown by the big-game experience that many of England's 50-over stars were able to lean upon in key moments of the World Cup.

"It is going to be very difficult for us to stop players going [to the IPL] without risking losing them," Giles said. "We've got to accept that and manage our players outside that. They have to be reasonable in accepting we are making space for them, because their main duty is to represent England. But that window [in the schedule] is left open for them for a reason."

Giles acknowledged, too, that the incredible demands placed on England's cricketers in the summer to end all summers were unsustainable, and that the board had a duty of care towards Moeen, and others who have struggled with the team's multiple ambitions.

"These are extraordinary circumstances, and some players deal with it better than others," he said. "Some players are in different cycles of their own game, and where they are in terms of confidence - look at where [Ben] Stokes has been all summer compared to Moeen - but we're going to support these guys to come back into the side. Our whole system has got to be better at picking them up and making sure that they're better prepared for the rigours."

He conceded, too, that England's achievement in drawing the Ashes with a memorable victory in the fifth Test at The Oval was a credit to the character of a team that "really ran through the line" for themselves and for their captain, Joe Root.

"The players all suffered in different ways really," said Giles. "But I have to say great credit to every one of them. It would have been easy to roll over and just give in. But they saw it right through, and if you started the summer and offered us a World Cup win and a drawn Ashes series, we probably would have taken it.

"'Neglected' might be a strong word, but for the last four years, we know we focused primarily on white-ball cricket, and Joe has done a great job in challenging circumstances. And when a team runs through the line like they did for him this year, I think that's great credit to him.

"I said to Joe before Headingley, and this wasn't a case of taking any eyes off the ball, that if we won this series, it would have been a fantastic effort. But it would have been more on pure performance than anything else."

Additional reporting by Paul Edwards.

The NFL has placed a temporary ban on all flame effects and pyrotechnics used on its playing fields as it investigates a fire at the Tennessee Titans' Nissan Stadium in Week 2.

The league confirmed the moratorium in a statement Friday morning, saying it will remain in place at least until its review of the incident is completed. According to a separate statement from the Minnesota Vikings, teams can still use pyrotechnics away from the field, such as those released along the roof of U.S. Bank Stadium.

Last Sunday, one of the pyrotechnics machines the Titans use during pregame player introductions caught on fire after the Titans welcomed former players back to the field to celebrate the retirement of the jerseys of Eddie George and Steve McNair.

Flames shot horizontally from one of the units. No one was standing in the path of the flames when it malfunctioned.

The staff at Nissan Stadium rushed to the unit and doused it with fire extinguishers while that corner of the field was evacuated. Nobody was injured. The area where the accident happened was off the field in the corner of the end zone, where the Titans come out of the tunnel. The machine was covered with sand.

ESPN Titans reporter Turron Davenport contributed to this report.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick, who said he wouldn't have any comment on off-the-field issues regarding wide receiver Antonio Brown, cut his Friday morning news conference short after fielding seven questions on the topic.

"I know there are questions about Antonio. We take all the situations with our team very seriously," Belichick said at the end of an opening statement that began with his thoughts on Sunday's opponent, the New York Jets. "There are some things that we're looking into, but I'm not going to have any comment on any of the off-the-field situations or questions on that. Anything on football, I'm happy to answer."

Belichick was then asked how he balances the off-field issues with football as it relates to Brown, who participated in his sixth practice with the team on Friday.

"When we work on football, we work on football," Belichick said.

Belichick said he wouldn't get into what Brown's role might be Sunday against the Jets.

"We're going to do what's best for the team, like we always do," Belichick said.

Belichick was then asked how he weighs what's best for the team when considering a player's performance on the field compared to his off-the-field actions.

"That's a big-picture question," he said. "We answer it the best we can. There's no set formula."

Asked how important it is, Belichick said, "Everything is important."

After he confirmed that Brown is still on the team's roster, Belichick's patience ran thin.

"I think I've already addressed this, so we're going to get ready for the Jets here," Belichick said, when asked a similar question on whether Brown's status on the team has been affected by a Sports Illustrated report regarding text messages Brown allegedly sent to an artist who had worked at his Pennsylvania home in 2017. "I'm happy to answer any football questions. But the rest of it, I'm done with the rest of it."

After another question about Brown was asked, Belichick walked off, saying, "I'm good. Thank you."

The Week 3 NFL slate is stacked with great matchups. Our NFL Nation reporters bring us the keys to every game, a bold prediction for each matchup and final score predictions.

Additionally, ESPN Stats & Information research provides a stat to know, and the Football Power Index (FPI) goes inside the numbers with a matchup rating (on a scale of 1 to 100) and a game projection. ESPN Fantasy's Kyle Soppe and ESPN Chalk's Mackenzie Kraemer hand out helpful nuggets as well. It's all here to help get you ready for a loaded weekend of NFL football.

Let's get into the full Week 3 schedule, starting with a Patrick Mahomes-Lamar Jackson showdown at Arrowhead.

Jump to a matchup:
BAL-KC | ATL-IND | DET-PHI
DEN-GB | NYJ-NE | OAK-MIN
MIA-DAL | CIN-BUF | NYG-TB
CAR-ARI | HOU-LAC | NO-SEA
PIT-SF | LAR-CLE | CHI-WSH

Thursday: JAX 20, TEN 7

Ravens (2-0) at Chiefs (2-0)

1 p.m. ET | CBS
Matchup rating: 80.3 | Spread: KC -6.5 (52)

What to watch for: The Ravens defended Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs about as well as any opponent did last season. Can Baltimore give Mahomes fits again? The Chiefs, who didn't score in the second half of their Week 2 game against the Raiders, are depleted, facing the Ravens without wide receiver Tyreek Hill, left tackle Eric Fisher and potentially running back Damien Williams. -- Adam Teicher

Bold prediction: Mahomes throws for five touchdowns. Baltimore was able to contain Mahomes last season because of its pass rush, but the Ravens won't be able to get consistent pressure on Mahomes, who will make Baltimore pay this time. -- Jamison Hensley

Stat to know: Ravens QB Lamar Jackson has completed 57% of his passes thrown 15-plus yards downfield, up from 39% last season.

What to know for fantasy: Since 2014, Mahomes (2018) and Jackson (2019) are responsible for two of the four best QB performances through their teams' first two games. See Week 3 rankings.

Betting nugget: Kansas City has covered nine consecutive September games. Read more.

Hensley's pick: Chiefs 48, Ravens 41
Teicher's pick: Chiefs 31, Ravens 27
FPI prediction: KC, 71.8% (by an average of 8.1 points)

Matchup must-reads: From tantrums to tears: Lamar Jackson absolutely hates losing ... Mahomes picks Demarcus Robinson as his latest flavor of the week

Falcons (1-1) at Colts (1-1)

1 p.m. ET | CBS
Matchup rating: 62.2 | Spread: IND -1 (47)

What to watch for: All eyes will be on Adam Vinatieri to see if the Colts' veteran kicker has figured out the "demons" in his head. The NFL's all-time leading scorer, he has missed seven kicks in the past three games (including a playoff loss to Kansas City last season). He said there's no added pressure on him Sunday, but the Colts might view that differently, considering they worked out six kickers on Tuesday. -- Mike Wells

Bold prediction: Falcons QB Matt Ryan will throw four touchdown passes without an interception -- including two to Calvin Ridley -- as he silences the talk about him throwing five interceptions over the first two games. -- Vaughn McClure

Stat to know: The Colts are 14-2 all time against the Falcons, the best record by one team versus a single opponent in the Super Bowl era (minimum 15 meetings). But the Colts have also lost five consecutive home openers.

What to know for fantasy: Indianapolis running back Marlon Mack has at least 20 carries in three straight games, but he has just 11 receiving yards in those games. See Week 3 rankings.

Betting nugget: Atlanta is 0-11 against the spread (ATS) in its past 11 games against AFC opponents, including Super Bowl LI. And since 2013, Atlanta is 5-20 ATS against AFC teams. Read more.

McClure's pick: Falcons 28, Colts 17
Wells' pick: Falcons 27, Colts 20
FPI prediction: IND, 55.8% (by an average of 2.1 points)

Matchup must-reads: Inside Julio Jones' first NFL touchdown that was almost taken away ... Adam Vinatieri: Trying to get 'demons' out of my head ... Falcons unconcerned with key injuries to NFC South foes

Lions (1-0-1) at Eagles (1-1)

1 p.m. ET | Fox
Matchup rating: 56.3 | Spread: PHI -6 (46)

What to watch for: The Eagles are likely to be without top receivers DeSean Jackson (abdominal strain) and Alshon Jeffery (calf), meaning Nelson Agholor steps into the role of lead receiver. Expect the Eagles to lean on Jordan Howard, Miles Sanders and the ground attack more than usual. And look for Detroit's receivers to have big days against a secondary that has yielded six touchdown passes through two games. -- Tim McManus

Bold prediction: Despite that depleted receiving corps, Carson Wentz throws two touchdown passes, including the winner with under five minutes remaining. -- Michael Rothstein

Stat to know: The Eagles have allowed 680 yards passing through two games, second most in the NFL. And Matthew Stafford's 630 passing yards is the league's fifth most. His 8.40 yards per pass attempt would be highest in his career.

What to know for fantasy: After going scoreless in his final five games of 2018, Kenny Golladay has scored in both games this season. See Week 3 rankings.

Betting nugget: Since the start of last season, Philadelphia is 3-10 ATS with Wentz as its starter, including 1-6 ATS at home. Read more.

Rothstein's pick: Eagles 24, Lions 20
McManus' pick: Eagles 23, Lions 20
FPI prediction: PHI, 65.1% (by an average of 5.5 points)

Matchup must-reads: Carson Wentz shows he's up for any style of fight ... Lions' offense is a work in progress, but the signs are pointing up ... Eagles are looking into Jalen Ramsey, but there's much to weigh

Broncos (0-2) at Packers (2-0)

1 p.m. ET | Fox
Matchup rating: 55.6 | Spread: GB -7.5 (44)

What to watch for: It's Vic Fangio versus Aaron Rodgers. Fangio is a first-year head coach, but he beat Rodgers all four times he faced him as the 49ers' defensive coordinator (including two playoff games). However, Rodgers did get the better of him over the past four years that Fangio ran the Bears' D. While Rodgers is still figuring out new coach Matt LaFleur's offense, he should have a good idea of what Fangio's defense will try to do against him. -- Rob Demovsky

Bold prediction: Despite having zero sacks or forced turnovers in their first two games -- the first time that's happened since 2007 -- the Broncos drop Rodgers at least four times and force two turnovers. The Bears got Rodgers five times in Week 1, and if Denver does that, it'll have a chance for its first victory of the season. -- Jeff Legwold

Stat to know: Rodgers has a 36.1 Total QBR so far this season (24th in the NFL), but he did post 408 passing yards and four touchdowns through the air in his only career home game against Denver (Week 4, 2011).

What to know for fantasy: Packers running back Aaron Jones is coming off of his first career 20-plus-carry game and his second game with 30 receiving yards. See Week 3 rankings.

Betting nugget: Each of the past 10 Denver games has gone under the total. Read more.

Legwold's pick: Packers 21, Broncos 13
Demovsky's pick: Packers 27, Broncos 16
FPI prediction: GB, 67.8% (by an average of 6.5 points)

Matchup must-reads: Aaron Jones offers Packers more than one way to cure offensive blahs ... Elway calls out OT Garett Bolles for holding penalties ... The Smiths go to Green Bay: Preston, Za'Darius thrive with Packers ... No sacks or turnovers? Broncos' defense searching for answers

Jets (0-2) at Patriots (2-0)

1 p.m. ET | CBS
Matchup rating: 51.4 | Spread: NE -22 (43.5)

What to watch for: How do the Patriots configure their offensive line without starting left tackle Isaiah Wynn and starting center David Andrews? One possibility is moving left guard Joe Thuney to left tackle, but that could weaken the line in two spots. This is the Jets' best chance to make it a game, with their strong defensive line winning the matchup up front. -- Mike Reiss

Bold prediction: The Jets, with third-string quarterback Luke Falk making his first NFL start, will fail to score a touchdown for the second consecutive game. Truth be told, the offense wasn't functioning well with Sam Darnold and Trevor Siemian, so it's unreasonable to expect a former practice-squad QB to provide the spark. Le'Veon Bell will get 30 touches, but coach Bill Belichick won't let the run game beat him. -- Rich Cimini

Stat to know: Bell has just one touchdown in four career games against the Patriots, including the playoffs. Considering New York's QB situation, the Patriots could become the first team since the 1937 Bears to allow zero touchdowns in each of the first three games of the season, per Elias Sports Bureau research.

What to know for fantasy: Patriots RB Sony Michel has scored in each of his past five games in which he got at least 15 carries (playoffs included). See Week 3 rankings.

Betting nugget: New England is 0-4 ATS in the Belichick era as a favorite of at least 20 points. The most recent such game happened in 2011. Read more.

Cimini's pick: Patriots 35, Jets 6
Reiss' pick: Patriots 30, Jets 9
FPI prediction: NE, 90.2% (by an average of 18.1 points)

Matchup must-reads: Patriots' D could match 1937 Bears by holding Jets without a TD ... Gase tries to set new culture even if it means upsetting players ... Party like it's 2007? Barnwell's case for 16-0

Raiders (1-1) at Vikings (1-1)

1 p.m. ET | Fox
Matchup rating: 50.9 | Spread: MIN -8 (43.5)

What to watch for: Quarterback Kirk Cousins said his future with the Vikings is on the line after one of the worst performances of his career in Green Bay. Meanwhile, the Raiders' pass defense gave up 249 yards and a touchdown to Denver in Week 1, and 443 yards and four passing touchdowns to Patrick Mahomes in Week 2. So if there's a time for Cousins to earn a bounce-back victory, Week 3 presents the best chance. -- Courtney Cronin

Bold prediction: Kicker Daniel Carlson, a former Vikings fifth-round draft pick who was cut in 2018, will drill a game winner for the Raiders. Carlson is 19-of-20 on field goal attempts since signing with Oakland last Oct. 23. "That was some tough times, obviously, getting cut early on in my NFL career, but it's been fun just seeing how it's all worked out," Carlson said this week. "I think I'm in a great spot here in Oakland ... it's not some personal vendetta for me." -- Paul Gutierrez

Stat to know: Derek Carr has thrown multiple touchdown passes in just one of his past 15 road games (14 TDs, 15 interceptions in those games). And the Raiders have lost 10 of their past 11 road games.

What to know for fantasy: There were 234 instances in which a quarterback completed at least 23 passes in a game last season. Cousins has completed just 22 combined through two weeks. See Week 3 rankings.

Betting nugget: Mike Zimmer is 30-12-1 ATS at home as Minnesota's head coach. Read more.

Gutierrez's pick: Raiders 23, Vikings 21
Cronin's pick: Vikings 28, Raiders 17
FPI prediction: MIN, 77.9% (by an average of 10.8 points)

Matchup must-reads: Vikings have 'utmost confidence' in struggling Kirk Cousins ... Rookie Josh Jacobs: 'I don't want to be labeled as a soft back' ... Dalvin Cook carrying Vikings, but challenge is to preserve him for season ... Raiders' in-flux secondary taking positives from torching by Chiefs

Dolphins (0-2) at Cowboys (2-0)

1 p.m. ET | Fox
Matchup rating: 47.1 | Spread: DAL -22.5 (47.5)

What to watch for: The Cowboys will look to continue their fast start offensively, even without their leading receiver, Michael Gallup. The Dolphins' defense has allowed 12 touchdowns in two games, while the Cowboys have scored touchdowns on nine of 19 possessions in two games. -- Todd Archer

Bold prediction: After scoring just one touchdown through the first two weeks, the Dolphins double up, scoring two to slightly cover the 21.5-point spread. Miami's offense has been abysmal, but we are getting bold. Even so, Dallas still wins easily. -- Cameron Wolfe

Stat to know: Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott is 22-of-24 for 318 yards, four touchdowns and zero interceptions on play-action passes this season.

What to know for fantasy: With Gallup out, it's worth noting that since 2017, Amari Cooper is averaging 22.3 points per game when seeing at least eight targets. See Week 3 rankings.

Betting nugget: Teams that are underdogs by at least 20 points have covered all five games in the past 15 seasons. Read more.

Wolfe's pick: Cowboys 38, Dolphins 17
Archer's pick: Cowboys 33, Dolphins 13
FPI prediction: DAL, 93.7% (by an average of 21.4 points)

Matchup must-reads: How are the Dolphins handling 0-2? 'Want light at end of tunnel' ... With Robert Quinn's return, Cowboys' D-line deeper, stronger ... The worst NFL starts ever, and the Dolphins' chances of going 0-16 ... With three first-round draft picks in 2020, pressure is on Dolphins GM

Bengals (0-2) at Bills (2-0)

1 p.m. ET | CBS
Matchup rating: 28.4 | Spread: BUF -6 (44)

What to watch for: The Bengals average the second-most passing yards per game in the NFL this season but are dead last in rushing yards. Meanwhile, the Bills' defense ranks in the top 10 against both the pass and the run. If Cincy can't get its run game going, it could be a long Sunday in Buffalo's home opener. -- Marcel Louis-Jacques

Bold prediction: Joe Mixon will get 75 yards from scrimmage. This doesn't seem like a bold prediction, but as Marcel pointed out, the Bengals do have the worst ground attack in the NFL, and Mixon has been stifled through two games. Look for the running back to get the ball in various ways against the Bills. -- Ben Baby

Stat to know: Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen has at least one passing touchdown and one rushing touchdown in three consecutive games dating back to last season. The only player since the 1970 merger to both rush and pass for a score in four consecutive games was Michael Vick with the Eagles in 2010.

What to know for fantasy: Cincinnati's John Ross is the only player in football with a 50-plus-yard reception in both weeks this season, but opponents have completed just one deep pass (15-plus air yards) against Buffalo this season. See Week 3 rankings.

Betting nugget: Since 2017, 0-2 teams are 12-4 ATS and 11-2 as underdogs. Read more.

Baby's pick: Bills 24, Bengals 17
Louis-Jacques' pick: Bills 28, Bengals 13
FPI prediction: BUF, 67.9% (by an average of 6.5 points)

Matchup must-reads: Bills' D dominating, but you have to look beyond sack totals ... What numbers say about Andy Dalton's uneven start under Zac Taylor ... Bills' odd schedule provides huge opportunity to build momentum

Giants (0-2) at Buccaneers (1-1)

4:05 p.m. ET | Fox
Matchup rating: 31.5 | Spread: TB -6 (48)

What to watch for: In Week 2, the Bucs held Christian McCaffrey to a career-low 2.9 yards per touch and no touchdowns. But they believe the Giants' Saquon Barkley is an even bigger test. "They're on different planets," Tampa Bay coach Bruce Arians said of McCaffrey versus Barkley. "Saquon's bigger, stronger, faster. He's got more 50-yard runs than anybody I've seen in a long time." -- Jenna Laine

Bold prediction: New Giants starting quarterback Daniel Jones throws for 300-plus yards in his NFL debut. The first-rounder will show that the preseason was not a fluke and that the future isn't so bleak for the Giants, experiencing more success against the Bucs than most anticipate. -- Jordan Raanan

Stat to know: Jones was 7-of-8 with two passing touchdowns on throws 15-plus yards downfield and outside the numbers in the preseason.

What to know for fantasy: Buccaneers receiver Mike Evans has only 14.9 points this season. He finished 2018 as WR9, and he had a two-game stretch in Weeks 9-10 when he scored just 10.7 points. See Week 3 rankings.

Betting nugget: New York is 7-2 ATS in road games under Pat Shurmur, including 7-0 ATS in games against teams other than Dallas. Read more.

Raanan's pick: Bucs 26, Giants 23
Laine's pick: Bucs 24, Giants 13
FPI prediction: TB, 74.1% (by an average of 9.1 points)

Matchup must-reads: Daniel Jones brings new dimensions to Giants' offense ... Bucs need a win at Raymond James before five-game, 49-day, 18,000-mile journey ... Eli Manning's legacy through the eyes of those who know him best

Panthers (0-2) at Cardinals (0-1-1)

4:05 p.m. ET | Fox
Matchup rating: 23.4 | Spread: ARI -2.5 (43.5)

What to watch for: How the Cardinals perform in the red zone will determine whether they win this game. Quarterback Kyler Murray will continue to pile up yards between the 20s, but this weekend might be different. Coach Kliff Kingsbury has shown he can adapt as a playcaller, and Week 3 will be another chance for him to adjust to the NFL. -- Josh Weinfuss

Bold prediction: Undrafted second-year quarterback Kyle Allen will be more productive than former Texas A&M teammate Murray. He'll throw for more than 250 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions to run his record as an NFL starter to 2-0. -- David Newton

Stat to know: The Cardinals have run the fifth-most plays on offense (136) through two games. They average 23.4 seconds per play, the second-fastest time of possession per play behind ... the Panthers (23.1 seconds).

What to know for fantasy: Arizona receiver Larry Fitzgerald is the only player with 10 targets and 100 receiving yards in each of the first two weeks this season. See Week 3 rankings.

Betting nugget: Carolina is 2-8 ATS in its past 10 games (1-9 outright). Read more.

Newton's pick: Panthers 24, Cardinals 17
Weinfuss' pick: Cardinals 31, Panthers 17
FPI prediction: ARI, 55.9% (by an average of 2.1 points)

Matchup must-reads: Kyler Murray has Larry Fitzgerald off to the best start of his career ... Don't overlook Kyle Allen if he faces former nemesis Murray

Texans (1-1) at Chargers (1-1)

4:25 p.m. ET | CBS
Matchup rating: 67.6 | Spread: LAC -3 (48)

What to watch for: This game features two of the best receivers in the game in Houston's DeAndre Hopkins and Los Angeles' Keenan Allen. Hopkins and Allen are second and third in the NFL in receptions (224 and 215, respectively) since the start of the 2017 season. Hopkins' fellow Clemson product Mike Williams is averaging an impressive 22.4 yards per reception through two games. -- Eric D. Williams

Bold prediction: Deshaun Watson is sacked more than four times. The Chargers have only two sacks through two games, tied for 28th this season. But even though the Houston offensive line played better in Week 2, Watson will still continue to get hit. -- Sarah Barshop

Stat to know: Watson is throwing 20.3% of his passes into tight windows, the third-highest rate in the NFL, both according to NFL Next Gen Stats research. And among wide receivers targeted 15-plus times, Hopkins is facing press coverage 35.4% of the time this season (fifth in NFL) to average just 5.2 yards of cushion (seventh least), per NFL Next Gen Stats data.

What to know for fantasy: Austin Ekeler and Le'Veon Bell are the only two players with 50 rushing yards and six receptions in both weeks this season. In 2018, Christian McCaffrey, Ezekiel Elliott (twice) and Todd Gurley were the only backs to have consecutive such games. See Week 3 rankings.

Betting nugget: Watson is 8-2 ATS in his career as an underdog, including 7-1 ATS as a road underdog. Read more.

Barshop's pick: Texans 24, Chargers 21
Williams' pick: Chargers 27, Texans 24
FPI prediction: LAC, 56.4% (by an average of 2.3 points)

Matchup must-reads: Shoutouts are mandatory for Texans and their 'fine commissioners' ... Durable Philip Rivers a constant amid Chargers' injury woes ... With Jadeveon Clowney gone, Texans depend on Whitney Mercilus ... In video chat, Melvin Gordon says he'll play 'somewhere'

Saints (1-1) at Seahawks (2-0)

4:25 p.m. ET | CBS
Matchup rating: 65.1 | Spread: SEA -5 (44.5)

What to watch for: Teddy Bridgewater will be trying to keep the Saints' playoff hopes on track while Drew Brees recovers from thumb surgery expected to sideline him more than a month. Bridgewater's first start of the season comes against a Seahawks defense expected to have defensive end Ezekiel Ansah making his Seattle debut opposite Jadeveon Clowney. -- Brady Henderson

Bold prediction: The Saints will run for 120-plus yards against Seattle's fourth-ranked run defense. Coach Sean Payton will get creative with his use of Bridgewater and Taysom Hill in Brees' absence. But he'll also lean heavily on one of the most loaded offensive lines in football. Payton was hard on his line after the Week 2 loss in L.A., chastising it for getting "whupped" up front by the Rams. He'll demand it leads the charge this time around. -- Mike Triplett

Stat to know: According to ESPN pressure metrics using NFL Next Gen Stats data, the Seahawks' offensive line has a pass block win rate of 33% this season, the second worst in the NFL. Russell Wilson has been sacked eight times already, tied for third most.

What to know for fantasy: Chris Carson outcarried Rashaad Penny 15-6 in Week 1 and ran for a touchdown. But in Week 2, Carson's edge fell to 15-10, and Penny ran for the score. See Week 3 rankings.

Betting nugget: Bridgewater is 12-2 ATS in his career as an underdog. Read more.

Triplett's pick: Seahawks 23, Saints 20
Henderson's pick: Seahawks 27, Saints 20
FPI prediction: SEA, 55.4% (by an average of 2.0 points)

Matchup must-reads: Sean Payton has the brains, bravado to win without Brees ... With Brees out, Teddy Bridgewater's Saints audition begins ... DK Metcalf is the big receiver Pete Carroll always wanted

Steelers (0-2) at 49ers (2-0)

4:25 p.m. ET | CBS
Matchup rating: 50.6 | Spread: SF -6.5 (43)

What to watch for: How will Mason Rudolph perform replacing an injured Ben Roethlisberger as the Steelers' starting quarterback? And will the 49ers find a capable fill-in for stalwart left tackle Joe Staley? Stepping in for Roethlisberger or Staley is no easy task, and the team that does a better job coming up with solutions likely will be the one to come away with the victory. -- Nick Wagoner

Bold prediction: James Washington will score two touchdowns. The wide receiver was one of Rudolph's favorite targets in college, and he'll be a solid safety blanket for Rudolph's first NFL start. Washington hasn't been very involved in the Steelers' offense and has only one NFL touchdown, but everything changes with Rudolph as QB1. -- Brooke Pryor

Stat to know: Matt Breida has averaged 5.4 yards per rush since start of 2018, the most among running backs, and he has nine rushes reaching 15-plus mph this season -- third in the NFL -- per NFL Next Gen Stats data.

What to know for fantasy: Thirty-two of Washington's 39 collegiate touchdown receptions came from Rudolph. See Week 3 rankings.

Betting nugget: San Francisco is 1-12-1 ATS in its past 14 games as a favorite (5-9 outright), including 0-4 ATS last season (1-3 outright). It is also 0-11-1 ATS in its past 12 games as a home favorite. Read more.

Pryor's pick: 49ers 23, Steelers 20
Wagoner's pick: 49ers 23, Steelers 17
FPI prediction: SF, 79.8% (by an average of 11.7 points)

Matchup must-reads: George Kittle is solid, but do the 49ers have other credible fantasy options? ... What Steelers' offense looks like with 'mad man' Rudolph ... Kyle Shanahan's creative playcalling accelerates Jimmy Garoppolo's progress

Rams (2-0) at Browns (1-1)

8:20 p.m. ET | NBC
Matchup rating: 69.6 | Spread: LAR -3 (47.5)

What to watch for: Can Cleveland's beleaguered offensive line protect Baker Mayfield facing off against Aaron Donald and a ferocious Rams front? Only two other quarterbacks have held the ball longer on average through two weeks than Mayfield, according to NFL Next Gen Stats research. -- Jake Trotter

Bold prediction: Donald sacks Mayfield at least twice. The two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year has zero sacks through two weeks. That spells trouble for Mayfield behind a Browns offensive line that has been less than stellar. The Rams' pass rush has been solid from the edges, but on Sunday, it will be Donald who dominates. -- Lindsey Thiry

Stat to know: Over the first two games, the Rams have scored just 19 of their 57 points in the first half after ranking second in the league last season with an average of 17.4 points per first half.

What to know for fantasy: Mayfield has failed to throw for multiple scores in each of his first two games this season, but he has never had three consecutive such games. See Week 3 rankings.

Betting nugget: Los Angeles has covered six of its past seven games, with the only exception being Super Bowl LIII, and the Rams have covered all five games as a favorite in that span. Read more.

Thiry's pick: Rams 28, Browns 21
Trotter's pick: Rams 28, Browns 24
FPI prediction: LAR, 61.0% (by an average of 4.0 points)

Matchup must-reads: Note to OBJ: No divas in the Rams' receiving room ... Mayfield and the new world of expectations in Cleveland ... Fan gets OBJ autograph tattooed after MNF ... Aaron Donald making his presence felt with or without sacks

Bears (1-1) at Redskins (0-2)

Monday, 8:15 p.m. ET | ESPN/ESPN App
Matchup rating: 35.6 | Spread: CHI -4 (41.5)

What to watch for: It's a matchup between a struggling quarterback (Mitchell Trubisky) and a struggling defense (Washington ranks 30th in yards per game allowed and has just two sacks in 72 pass attempts). The Redskins' offense will want to get the ball down the middle of the field to receiver Terry McLaurin, but that could be tough against this Chicago defense. -- John Keim

Bold prediction: Bears rookie David Montgomery rushes for more than 150 yards. Chicago coach Matt Nagy is expected to ride the hot hand Monday night, and that probably won't be Trubisky. The Bears believe Montgomery only scratched the surface with his performance last weekend in Denver (18 carries, 62 yards and a touchdown). -- Jeff Dickerson

Stat to know: McLaurin had at least 60 receiving yards and one receiving touchdown in each of his first two career games. He is the first player to accomplish that feat since Calvin Johnson in 2007, and if McLaurin posts those numbers Monday night, he would be the second player since the 1970 merger to do so in each of his first three career games (Louis Lipps in 1984).

What to know for fantasy: Montgomery had just 18 rushing yards in his NFL debut, but in Week 2, he had 18 carries. See Week 3 rankings.

Betting nugget: Since 2015, Washington is 0-6 outright and ATS in Monday Night Football games. Read more.

Dickerson's pick: Bears 19, Redskins 7
Keim's pick: Bears 13, Redskins 10
FPI prediction: CHI, 57.4% (by an average of 2.7 points)

Matchup must-reads: Redskins' season could hinge on beating Bears ... Bears rally around Eddy 'Dinero' Pineiro, the kicker with swag ... Money for nothing: Redskins not getting much from key investments

Forward Thabo Sefolosha has agreed to sign a fully guaranteed one-year deal with the Houston Rockets for the veteran's minimum, sources confirmed to ESPN on Friday.

Sefolosha, a 13-year veteran, has been among several free agents who attended the Rockets' voluntary minicamp in Las Vegas this week.

Sefolosha, 35, has earned a reputation as a quality defender during his career. He has career averages of 5.9 points and 3.8 rebounds.

Sefolosha is a trusted teammate to Rockets stars James Harden and Russell Westbrook, having played with them with the Oklahoma City Thunder. He started at shooting guard and served as a mentor to Harden when he was a sixth man in Oklahoma City.

The New York Times was the first to report the Rockets' agreement with Sefolosha.