FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- New York Jets defensive coordinator Gregg Williams refuted Odell Beckham Jr.'s accusations that he coaches his players to injure opponents, claiming Friday, "We don't do that. Never done that anywhere I've been."

Williams also seemed to scoff at the perception that Beckham is a "dynamic" player, suggesting the New York Giants traded him because they feel the same way he does.

It made for a contentious interview session three days before the Jets face Beckham's current team, the Cleveland Browns, at MetLife Stadium.

The polarizing Williams got testy and tried to change the subject when, as a follow-up to his claim that he doesn't teach dirty tactics, he was asked about the New Orleans Saints' Bountygate scandal. He was suspended for a year by the NFL for his role.

"Was that right or wrong?" he asked. "Again, I don't want to talk about that. Do you want to talk about Cleveland? Next!"

Williams said he teaches his players to play within the rules, but he refused to answer when it was mentioned he was caught on tape telling his players to injure former San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Michael Crabtree.

Williams' past became an issue Thursday, when Beckham told reporters in Cleveland that Williams teaches "cheap shots" and "dirty hits." The receiver blamed Williams for his preseason ankle injury two years ago that impacted his career.

At first, Williams responded to the charge with humor, saying, "Odell who?" -- a joking reference to Dallas Cowboys' owner Jerry Jones' recent remark about Ezekiel Elliott. Williams defended himself, then blamed the media for making it a story.

"You guys are cooperating, giving him attention," he said. "Just don't give him attention."

When a reporter prefaced a question by referring to Beckham as one of the most "dynamic" players in the league, Williams interrupted.

"That's your opinion. What's New York's opinion?" he said, alluding to the controversial trade. "The Giants' opinion? What did the Giants do? That's not a question for me."

The outspoken Williams, 61, the Browns' interim coach for the final eight games of the 2018 season, said he doesn't consider Beckham's comments a personal insult.

"No, I don't. This is not part of what we do, OK?" he said. "You believe what you believe. The people that know me know me. I don't have to defend it."

Williams and Beckham have a history. Williams was the Rams' defensive coordinator in 2014, when the Rams and Giants played a fight-marred game in which Beckham complained that he was targeted.

"We play hard, fast, physical," Williams said. "We play tougher for longer. We do that. It's not professional flag football, OK? This is what we do. We play very, very hard and we have to do everything not to hurt the team. Attack, that's what we do."

Defensive end Leonard Williams said Williams doesn't coach players to injure opponents, but he acknowledged there's a delicate balance.

"He tells us to get the ball out, impose our will, be nasty on defense, hit the ball carriers," Williams said. "He always says play on the edge, live on the edge, but don't hurt the team. It is a fine line. You can play on the edge, you can play nasty, but don't hurt the team. Don't get penalties and don't try to hurt guys intentionally and do stuff that's going to hurt our team. It's like playing on a fine line."

Browns coach Freddie Kitchens, who was on the Cleveland staff last season with Gregg Williams, wanted no part of the story on Friday.

"I don't have anything to say about that," he said of Beckham's accusations. "I haven't seen anything, and I coached with the guy for a year."

Kitchens said Beckham hasn't expressed any concerns about Williams to him.

MILLINGTON, Tenn. – The Great American Guaranteed Million just keeps getting bigger.

Already the first guaranteed-to-win $1 million purse for bracket racers, the massive race added another exciting layer on Wednesday, as promoters Britt Cummings and Gaylon Rolison announced a special Factory Stock Showdown race at the event.

The race, which takes place May 20-25, 2020 at Memphis Int’l Raceway, will include the popular class as one of the marquee attractions on Saturday, May 23, with Cummings already receiving commitments from many of the top names in the class.

“We’ve already got 15 verbally-committed entries and I only called 16 people,” Cummings said. “With the million-dollar race finishing up earlier in the day on Saturday, we wanted to keep the show going and have people in the stands.

“For me, this is the class I want to highlight. It’s a badass class, I love what it’s all about and I think the fans and everyone in the bracket racing world will dig it.”

The class has grown – both in popularity and participation – at an incredible rate in recent years, and will be given marquee billing and a marquee payout at the Great American Guaranteed Million in Memphis.

Cummings will keep the same $3,000 entry fee that is in place for the million-dollar bracket race, and it will be a 16-car qualified field.

He noted that 85 percent of the entry money will go back into the purse, meaning the greater number of entries, the bigger the purse. Though he’s still working through the final details, Cummings envisions the payout going to the winner and runner-up.

“With 24 entries, the purse I would like to see is $50,000 to the winner and $11,200 to the runner-up. That’s what I would like to see,” Cummings said.

That makes for a massive payout to the racers in the class, and whatever rules package in place at the time will be used at the event.

Cummings said certified NHRA tech people will also be on-site in Memphis and the class will race quarter-mile.

As far as names, Cummings has received verbal commitments from the likes of Leah Pritchett, the 2018 NHRA champ in the class, Mark Pawuk, Bo Butner, David Barton, Stephen Bell, Arthur Kohn, the Skillman family and several others.

With an impressive list of star power already, Cummings is excited to see it all come to fruition next year as the class gets major billing at one of the top events of 2020.

“These drivers were all excited. They’ve got a lot invested in these cars, running for $2,000, so this is something they want to do,” Cummings said. “They’re excited and it’s going to be great.

“I was 100 percent committed to doing this after watching this class race in Gainesville this year. I saw them go down and nobody in the bleachers left. That’s when I was sold. To see what they’re doing with these cars is phenomenal and I think it’s a great fit for this event.”

Cummings believes it adds another thrilling layer to what will be one of the most anticipated races of the year. But Cummings hints the Factory Stock Showdown won’t be the only major addition to the race, noting there will be plenty of surprises leading up to Memorial Day.

“We’re trying to keep it fresh and we’re excited with all the other things we’re working on for this race,” Cummings said.

Pre-entries open for the Great American Guaranteed Million on Oct. 11.

The race will also include a trio of $40,000-to-win races on Thursday, Sunday and Monday, with parking starting on Tuesday, May 19. Testing kicks off the event the following day, with the first of the Triple 40s taking place on Thursday. On Friday, each racer will get a timed entry and then they will run the opening round and the re-entry round before finishing for the night. Racing for $1 million will start Saturday morning with a time run before the winner is crowned.

CONCORD, N.C. — Justin Haley was the surprise winner of the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona Int’l Speedway in July.

It was a great story — an underdog making his third series start for a low-budget team in Spire Motorsports steals the victory from the top stars of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series thanks to the timely intervention of Mother Nature.

However, instead of joy and excitement, many on social media lambasted NASCAR’s decision to call the event when persistent rain storms prevented officials from restarting the race.

A joke some called it. Ridiculous others said. Many others used words that wouldn’t make it past our editor.

Why the hate?

Justin Haley and Spire Motorsports played the game perfectly.

Everyone on the track had the opportunity to do what Haley and Spire Motorsports. Any lead-lap driver ahead of Haley could have stayed out during the final caution period.

Instead, they all played it safe, came down pit road for fuel and tires and came back out on track behind Haley, who was declared the winner when rain engulfed the massive 2.5-mile track.

Haley was not the first driver to steal a race at NASCAR’s top level in this particular fashion.

In the aftermath of Haley’s upset win at Daytona, we dug through the archives to find some of NASCAR’s other big upsets for a historical feature on SPEEDSPORT.com. Here are just a few that caught our attention.

Remember when Chris Buescher won at Pennsylvania’s Pocono Raceway?

During his rookie season in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series in 2016, Buescher was the leader of the Pennsylvania 400 during a round a pit stops when fog moved in over the track.

The horrendous fog forced first a caution flag, then a red flag. With no lights at the track and the race past halfway, NASCAR officials declared the race over and awarded Buescher his only Cup Series victory.

How about David Reutimann’s upset victory in the 2009 Coca- Cola 600?

Rain was a factor in the Florida driver earning his first series victory. Driving a race car with damage on the right side from a previous meeting with the wall, Reutimann was the leader when rain brought out a caution flag on lap 227 of the 400-lap event. He spent the next hour waiting patiently until NASCAR pulled the plug, awarding him his first of two Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series victories.

Then there is fuel strategy. How many drivers have stolen NASCAR Cup Series victories because of fuel mileage? Two particular instances come to mind.

The first came during the 2007 Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway when Casey Mears used a fuel mileage strategy to score what would turn out to be his only victory at NASCAR’s top level in a Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet.

Then there was Paul Menard, who stole a victory in the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway from Jeff Gordon thanks to a brilliant fuel strategy call from his crew chief, Richard “Slugger” Labbe.

Because these drivers used the timely intervention of Mother Nature or fuel strategy gambles, does that mean they aren’t as deserving of being called a NASCAR Cup Series race winner as the likes of Kyle Busch, Jimmie Johnson or Brad Keselowski?

The answer is no.

The Spire Motorsports team and Haley gambled on Mother Nature helping them out and they got lucky. That doesn’t mean they didn’t deserve the victory, it just means they played the game better than 39 other drivers and teams that Sunday afternoon at Daytona Int’l Speedway.

If you don’t like it? Too bad. Sometimes life isn’t fair and things don’t work out for your favorite driver or team. But sometimes, just sometimes, things go exactly right for that one driver and that one team you never thought would be in position to win a race.

On July 7, 2019, at Daytona Int’l Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla., everything went perfectly for Haley’s No. 77 Spire Motorsports team. They took home the trophy and the prize money and Haley is a Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race winner.

No one will be able to take that away from him. It’s a title, whether you like it or not, that the 20-year-old from Winamac, Ind., has earned and will carry with him the rest of his life.

Well done Justin Haley, well done.

MISANO ADRIATICO, Italy – Maverick Viñales put his Monster Energy Yamaha bike on the top of the MotoGP practice charts Friday at Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli.

Viñales led the way overall and during the second practice with a fast lap of 1:32.775, which was just enough to give him the top spot over Fabio Quartararo, who was fastest in the first practice.

“Honestly, today I tried to keep the good feeling from the test going, because we worked in a really good way,” Viñales said. “For sure it was very difficult because the track was very slippery today, but somehow I was still able to hit the lap times, so I’m quite happy and enthusiastic for that reason. Anyway, there’s still a lot of work to do. For sure we, with two or three riders, are a little bit ahead of the competition, but they will come to our level, so we need to keep working and see what we can improve. The track felt difficult today because it’s very slippery, especially on the initial laps on the tire, but we’ll see. We only tried the medium tire, never the hard or a long run on the softs, so tomorrow we will see more properly.”

Championship leader Marc Marquez was third fastest, .396 seconds off the pace set by Viñales. Valentino Rossi was fourth on the second Monster Energy Yamaha, followed by Franco Morbidelli in fifth to give Yamaha four of the top-five spots in practice.

Pol Espargaro was sixth for Red Bull KTM, followed by the Ducati duo of Michele Pirro and Danilo Petrucci, Aprilia’s Aleix Espargaro and the Ducati of Andrea Dovizioso.

INDIANAPOLIS – A week from IndyCar’s return to historic WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, Andretti Autosport’s Alexander Rossi is convinced that NTT P1 Award qualifying on Sept. 21 will play a key role in determining which driver wins the NTT IndyCar Series championship.

With the field of 24 competitors as close in performance as any group in Indy car history and all four title contenders capable of winning the 90-lap race, scoring the pole’s bonus point and getting early track position on the 11-turn, 2.258-mile permanent road course figures to be critical.

Then there’s the fact that 14 times in the 22 Indy car races at Laguna Seca the pole winner went on to win the race. Twelve drivers contributed to that distinction.

The Firestone Fast Six qualifying, a 75-minute, three-round knock-out format, will be televised live on NBCSN beginning at 4:35 p.m. ET (1:35 p.m. PT local).

“I’ve been saying for a while this championship very well could be decided in qualifying at Laguna,” Rossi said. “It’s no secret that we’re expecting it to be a challenging race to pass just because of (the track’s) history.

“So, yeah, it’s 100 percent going to be a critical qualifying session that you’re going to have to be inch perfect and nail it through all three rounds,” Rossi said. “The guy that’s on pole, if he’s one of the guys that is in the championship fight, it’s going to make their job to win the thing a whole lot easier.”

Series leader Josef Newgarden of Team Penske leads Rossi by 41 points and teammate Simon Pagenaud by 42 points. Newgarden can clinch his second career title by finishing in the top four. Rossi and Pagenaud likely need to win the race to win the title, and Chip Ganassi Racing’s Scott Dixon is in a must-win situation if he hopes to claim his sixth series championship.

In terms of one of the contenders taking the pole position, Team Penske has dominated the season with Newgarden, Pagenaud and Will Power sitting on the pole in nine of the 16 races. Newgarden earned poles at Belle Isle (second race), Pocono and World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway while Pagenaud collected his at the Indianapolis 500, Toronto and Iowa.

Rossi has been one of the few to break through the Penske dominance with a pair of poles, the first at Long Beach and most recent at Belle Isle (first race). Dixon has yet to win a pole this season, but has started on the front row three times (Long Beach, Indianapolis Grand Prix, Texas).

Dixon is the only one of the four title contenders with Indy car experience at this track, but those two starts came in 2001 and ’02. This will be the first Indy car race at the track since 2004, which means this generation of competitors and equipment face a variety of unknowns heading into the four days of track activity.

The first action is Thursday, Sept. 19 with six hours of testing beginning at 9:15 a.m. PT local.

“It’s a blank slate for everyone, (and) that’s exciting,” Rossi said. “It will definitely reward the team and the drivers that come to grips with everything the quickest. It will probably reward them in a championship.”

Joe Mansueto has bought out Andrew Hauptman's controlling interest in the Chicago Fire, giving the founder of investment management firm Morningstar 100 percent ownership of the MLS team, the Fire announced on Friday.

Mansueto, who in 2018 purchased a 49-percent stake in the team, will take on the role of chairman as sole owner of the Fire, effective immediately. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

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"I joined Andrew as a partner because he developed a tremendous platform for continued soccer growth across Chicago and beyond," said Mansueto. "He and the entire organization have worked tirelessly to dramatically increase the profile of the Chicago Fire Soccer Club, MLS and the game overall and have left a wonderful legacy for our city."

The transaction coincides with the Fire's soon-to-be-completed move back to Chicago's Soldier Field. The Fire spent the past 13 years at suburban Bridgeview's SeatGeek Stadium, but recently concluded an agreement with the Village of Bridgeview to exit their lease agreement. Earlier this week, the Fire received approval from the Chicago Park District board to move toward an agreement that will enable the team to play its 2020 season at Soldier Field.

"The timing of this transaction couldn't be better as we return the world's game to the city I love," added Mansueto. "Andrew and his family will always be part of the Fire family that he cares so very much about."

The sale concludes Hauptman's lackluster tenure as the Fire's owner. Hauptman, chairman of Andell Inc., purchased the team for "in excess of $30 million" in 2007. Initially, there was success on the field as the Fire qualified for the MLS playoffs in each of Hauptman's first three seasons as owner. But on-field success then proved elusive. The Fire qualified for the MLS playoffs just twice in the following nine seasons, and attendance was similarly underwhelming. The Fire drew just 14,806 fans per game in 2018, after drawing 17,383 -- during a run to the playoffs, it should be noted -- the previous campaign.

The Fire sit 10th in MLS' 12-team Eastern Conference in 2019, with 34 points from 30 matches. Seven of their eight wins this term have come in Bridgeview.

"I'm extremely proud of the positioning of the club at this historic juncture," said Hauptman. "I know that the next step of returning to Soldier Field will make Chicago proud and I look forward to cheering on Joe, the club and its supporters as they continue this legacy."

England 294 (Buttler 70, Root 57, Marsh 5-46) and 9 for 0 lead Australia 225 (Smith 80, Archer 6-62) by 78 runs

If Australia want to take a series victory as well as retaining the Ashes they will have to do it the hard way after Jofra Archer claimed his second six-wicket haul, and Sam Curran enjoyed an eye-catching return to the side, to earn England a priceless 69-run lead despite another fine innings from Steven Smith.

To no one's surprise, Smith top-scored but this time fell for 80 - his lowest score of the series - when he was lbw to Chris Woakes, the moment when England probably believed they could end the innings with an advantage. While Smith was there, even with the tail, anything was possible and England would have feared the worst when Joe Root dropped him at slip on 66.

Neither was it a quiet end to the day with Joe Denly, who was late to the ground on the second day after the birth of his daughter, dropped in the slips by Marcus Harris and against the final delivery Rory Burns was given lbw to a ball which DRS showed had pitched well outside leg stump. A day of solid batting - and that's far from assured from either side in this series - and England will have share of the series in their sights.

Marnus Labuschagne continued in his role as Smith-lite but either side of that pair there were familiar problems for Australia with the openers again dispatched cheaply - David Warner with a hint of DRS controversy - and the middle-order failing to offer the support Smith needed.

The major shift in the innings came after tea when Australia lost 4 for 27 - including the scalp of Smith - with Curran producing a terrific six-over spell of left-arm swing which accounted for Tim Paine and Pat Cummins in consecutive deliveries. Archer then claimed his fifth wicket to halt a troublesome ninth-wicket stand between Peter Siddle and Nathan Lyon before a spectacular catch at gully by Burns round up Australia. It left Archer, who didn't bowl his fastest but had an excellent control, with 6 for 62 to follow his 6 for 45 at Headingley.

England had resumed on 271 for 8 with Jos Buttler and Jack Leach taking their stand to 68 before the innings was wrapped up by Mitchell Marsh's first five-wicket haul in Tests. If there had been a lot about the home side's display that felt like groundhog day, the same could certainly be said when Australia came out to bat.

Warner managed to get off the mark for the first time in four innings but didn't go much further. It wasn't Stuart Broad who removed him this time, instead a slash at a wide delivery from Archer which Ben Stokes, at second slip, was convinced had been edged and encouraged Root to review. The initial replays suggested daylight between bat and ball, but then a spike appeared on Ultra Edge. Warner appeared happy enough to walk off.

Harris has struggled since replacing Cameron Bancroft and was squared up from around the wicket by Archer, who claimed 2 for 7 off seven overs in his opening spell, with Stokes again in the action as he grabbed a low catch at second slip to leave Australia 14 for 2. That marked the next stage of the contest: Labuschagne and Smith. Either side of lunch it went Australia's way, although Smith was more uncertain than previously in the series, particularly against Archer and the different angled presented by Curran to whom he twice padded up leaving the ball.

It was Archer who sparked England early in the afternoon with a hostile spell to Labuschagne who took a painful blow on the right arm before being pinned lbw, a plan coming to fruition for Archer who had probed away for such a dismissal - similar to how he removed him in the second innings at Old Trafford. After tea he would strike again, having Marsh caught at long leg off a poorly controlled half-hearted pull following another series of short deliveries which had also seen a rare error from Smith when he top edged short of deep square.

Matthew Wade wanted to be positive but was beautifully set up by Curran who sent down a series of away swingers before bringing one back into the pads which Wade played across. That was just a prelude from Curran when, after tea, he produced trademark left-arm dismissals by slanting one across Paine then swinging one back into Cummins' boot in a spell that would read 6-4-6-2. There is a feeling no one really knows what sort of cricketer Curran will become, and how to best fit him in an England Test side, but the bare facts are he has won six out of six Tests at home and played a key role in most of them.

Before all that, Smith had moved to another half century by depositing Leach over long-on - in the process moving beyond 700 runs for the series and into the top 20 of all time - but Curran should have had the most prized scalp to his name as well when Smith tried to upper cut a short delivery. The edge flew high towards Root, but Stokes started to go for the catch which may have disturbed the England captain and it burst through.

For a short while it looked more likely that he would run out of partners than be dismissed, but the first ball of a new spell from Woakes brought the moment England have strived so hard for when Smith missed a straight one. This has been a series full of surprising moments and that was another.

Middleweight world champion Canelo Alvarez will climb two weight divisions to challenge light heavyweight world titlist Sergey Kovalev in a fight that was finalized Friday.

Alvarez, who did not demand a catchweight in an attempt to drain Kovalev lower than the division limit of 175 pounds, and Kovalev will meet Nov. 2 (DAZN) at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

Golden Boy Promotions had hoped to stage the fight at the larger T-Mobile Arena, but the NHL's Vegas Golden Knights have a home game on Nov. 2.

Kovalev is by far the biggest name in the light heavyweight division.

Alvarez, who pressed for the fight, will have the opportunity to win a world title in a fourth weight division after claiming belts at junior middleweight and middleweight and a secondary title at super middleweight.

If Alvarez wins, he would become only the fourth fighter in boxing history to win world titles at junior middleweight and light heavyweight. The other three -- Sugar Ray Leonard, Thomas Hearns and Mike McCallum -- are in the International Boxing Hall of Fame.

"The second phase of my career is continuing just as we had planned, and that's why we are continuing to make great fights to enter into the history books of boxing," Alvarez said. "That's also why I've decided to jump two weight classes against one of the most feared champions of recent years.

"Kovalev is a dangerous puncher, and he's naturally the bigger man, but that's the kind of challenges and risks that I like to face."

Alvarez, boxing's biggest star, has never fought at a weight heavier than 167¼ pounds, which is what he was for his third-round knockout win over Rocky Fielding to win a secondary super middleweight belt in New York in December. Alvarez returned to the 160-pound middleweight division for his next fight in May, a unanimous decision to unify three belts against Daniel Jacobs.

The deal between Golden Boy, Alvarez's promoter, and Main Events, which represents Kovalev, had been close for the past week. However, it got hung up, sources told ESPN, when Top Rank, which has rights to Kovalev stemming from a deal it made with Main Events to put his February rematch with Eleider "Storm" Alvarez on ESPN+, sought a low seven-figure fee to give up its involvement in the bout.

After days at a stalemate, Main Events agreed Wednesday to pay Top Rank what it was seeking. Once that contract was signed, Main Events signed the deal it had made with Golden Boy to finalize the Nov. 2 fight. Part of the agreement gives DAZN rights to future Kovalev fights, at least one if he beats Alvarez -- possibly a rematch -- and two if he loses, before he would return to ESPN under his Top Rank agreement, according to a source.

"We promised to make this fight happen, and now we are delivering it," Golden Boy Promotions CEO Oscar De La Hoya said. "Historic fights have been a hallmark of this company, and we are pleased to once again live up to the high expectations we've set for our fans. The best pound-for-pound fighter is also boxing's biggest star. Few fighters in boxing history can claim to be both like Canelo Alvarez. Now, he'll look to become a four-division world champion against one of the most dangerous fighters of recent years, and I'm certain that he will stop him."

Golden Boy and Main Events both said there were no arguments over the weight for the bout or that the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association would randomly test both fighters.

"In order to be the best, you have to beat the best," Kovalev said. "I have always tried to fight the toughest opponents in my division, but many have ducked me throughout my career. Canelo wanted to fight me; to step up to higher weight and challenge for my belt. I will be ready on Nov. 2."

The sides had tried to make the bout for Sept. 14, but by the time a possible fight with middleweight contender Sergiy Derevyanchenko had fallen apart and Kovalev was offered the fight, Kovalev had already committed to an Aug. 24 mandatory defense against Anthony Yarde in the Los Angeles-based Kovalev's hometown of Chelyabinsk, Russia.

Alvarez announced he would not fight on the weekend of Mexican Independence Day as usual and would instead fight later in the fall so there was more time to make a deal with a top opponent.

DAZN, which is going into the third fight of an five-year, 11-fight, $365 million deal with Alvarez, wanted a third bout with rival Gennady Golovkin. The streaming service signed Golovkin to a nine-figure contract earlier this year, in large measure to assure itself of their third meeting. However, Alvarez (52-1-2, 35 KOs), 28, did not want to fight him next, so who his next opponent would be became a major sticking point.

Various candidates were approved by DAZN, including unbeaten middleweight titleholders Demetrius Andrade and Jermall Charlo, Derevyanchenko (who will face Golovkin on Oct. 5 for a belt stripped from Alvarez) and unbeaten super middleweight titleholders Callum Smith and Billy Joe Saunders. However, a fight with Kovalev, a big puncher with a big name and long track record of fighting top opponents, was the most significant of any fight Alvarez could make outside of GGG.

When the fight between Kovalev and Yarde proved too complicated to get out of, Kovalev (34-3-1, 29 KOs), 36, went through with the bout and scored a one-punch knockout in the 11th round of an exciting battle.

Golden Boy and Alvarez elected to wait until Kovalev-Yarde was in the books before pursuing another opponent, so when Kovalev won -- the first defense of his third world title reign -- the camps picked up negotiations in the days after the fight.

As an insurance policy, a source told ESPN that Golden Boy had struck a deal with Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn for Alvarez to face Andrade had Kovalev either lost to Yarde or in the event they were unable to close the deal with Main Events. But Alvarez, the source said, still had not signed off on fighting Andrade.

After Kovalev's second title reign came to an end by seventh-round knockout to Eleider Alvarez in August 2018, he regained the belt by convincing unanimous decision in an immediate rematch on Feb. 2 before taking on Yarde.

"Canelo is to be praised for asking to challenge Sergey Kovalev," Main Events CEO Kathy Duva said. "Win or lose, he will make history, and Sergey is extremely pleased to get the chance to test his mettle against another future Hall of Famer. Anyone who cares at all about the sweet science should circle Nov. 2 on their calendar. I have a feeling that this will be one for the ages."

The Week 2 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 provides a stat to know, and the Football Power Index (FPI) goes inside the numbers with a matchup rating (on a scale of 1-100) 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 2 schedule, starting with an NFC North showdown between the Vikings and Packers.

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

Thursday: TB 20, CAR 14

Vikings (1-0) at Packers (1-0)

1 p.m. ET | Fox
Matchup rating: 73.5 | Spread: GB -2.5 (44)

What to watch for: The Packers want to run the ball more like the Vikings did last week and improve on the 2.1 yards per carry that Green Bay averaged against the Bears in Week 1. OK, maybe the Packers won't be looking to run 38 times with only 10 passes like Minnesota did Sunday against the Falcons, but coach Matt LaFleur has put an emphasis on the run game this week. But it won't be easy executing against another potential top-10 defense. -- Rob Demovsky

Bold prediction: Both quarterbacks will be sacked a minimum of four times. Minnesota has sacked Aaron Rodgers an average of four times per game since 2015. The improvements the Packers have made to their defensive front forced Mitchell Trubisky down five times last week, so Kirk Cousins could be under duress quite a bit at Lambeau Field, too. -- Courtney Cronin

Stat to know: Packers receiver Davante Adams will likely receive coverage from Minnesota cornerback Xavier Rhodes this week. According to NFL Next Gen Stats, Rhodes was the closest defender to Adams on 16 targets last season, which Adams turned into 12 receptions, 124 yards and two touchdowns.

What to know for fantasy: Vikings receiver Stefon Diggs has scored in each of his past five meetings with the Packers, averaging 24.4 points per game in the process. See Week 2 rankings.

Betting nugget: Teams that start 1-0 are 5-18 against the spread (ATS) when they go on the road in Week 2 -- as the 1-0 Vikings do this Sunday -- since the start of 2016. Read more.

Cronin's pick: Vikings 20, Packers 17
Demovsky's pick: Vikings 24, Packers 21
FPI prediction: GB, 54.9% (by an average of 1.8 points)

Matchup must-reads: WR Adams: Nowhere to go but up for Packers' offense ... Vikings confident leaning on Kearse in big nickel role ... Packers admire 'old school' CB Williams' play, if not his choice of music

Colts (0-1) at Titans (1-0)

1 p.m. ET | CBS
Matchup rating: 64.0 | Spread: TEN -3 (44.5)

What to watch for: How will the Titans' wide receivers match up against those Colts cornerbacks? Rookies A.J. Brown and Rock Ya-Sin are two physical players, setting up for a fun battle, while Adam Humphries versus Kenny Moore II is a duel of cat-quick players. Perhaps the best one-on-one for Tennessee will be Corey Davis against Pierre Desir. -- Turron Davenport

Bold prediction: The Titans will not have more than two sacks. Tennessee sacked Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield five times (and intercepted him three times) in Week 1. But the Colts have a better offensive line, as they limited Joey Bosa, Melvin Ingram and the rest of the Chargers' defense to just two sacks in Week 1. -- Mike Wells

Stat to know: The Colts have won eight of their past 10 road games against the Titans dating back to 2009, averaging 27.1 points per game in those contests.

What to know for fantasy: Derrick Henry is one of only two running backs (Christian McCaffrey) to have scored at least 27 points on three different occasions since Week 14 of last season. See Week 2 rankings.

Betting nugget: Indianapolis is 13-2 straight up and 11-4 ATS in its past 15 games against Tennessee. Read more.

Wells' pick: Titans 21, Colts 20
Davenport's pick: Titans 28, Colts 24
FPI prediction: TEN, 65.7% (by an average of 5.8 points)

Matchup must-reads: Going deep with Brissett: Colts QB and conspiracy theorist ... How Eddie George helped RB Henry take off for Titans

Chargers (1-0) at Lions (0-0-1)

1 p.m. ET | CBS
Matchup rating: 54.6 | Spread: LAC -2.5 (47.5)

What to watch for: After 154 all-purpose yards in Week 1, Chargers running back Austin Ekeler will face a good defensive front in Detroit. If Ekeler can shake loose against the Lions, it could be a long day for Detroit because it would open up even more passing lanes for Philip Rivers. -- Michael Rothstein

Bold prediction: Joey Bosa records three sacks. The Chargers should heat up the pass rush against a Lions offensive line that allowed three Matthew Stafford sacks in the team's season opener against the Cardinals. -- Eric D. Williams

Stat to know: Rivers posted a Total QBR of 80 on the road last season, the second-best number in the NFL. And the Lions lost four of their final five home games last season and scored 16 points or fewer in each of the four losses.

What to know for fantasy: Ekeler racked up 39.4 fantasy points last weekend, a total that is 3.3 points higher than Melvin Gordon's career high. See Week 2 rankings.

Betting nugget: Los Angeles is 16-8-2 ATS in its past 26 regular-season games that start at 1 p.m. ET. Read more.

Williams' pick: Chargers 30, Lions 23
Rothstein's pick: Lions 27, Chargers 24
FPI prediction: LAC, 49.9%

Matchup must-reads: Expect Chargers to lean on WR Allen with TE Henry out ... Hockenson's record debut gives Lions a glimpse of what's to come ... 'Underappreciated' Rivers, streak awe Stafford

Seahawks (1-0) at Steelers (0-1)

1 p.m. ET | Fox
Matchup rating: 51.2 | Spread: PIT -4 (46.5)

What to watch for: In the 30-point loss to the Patriots, Pittsburgh was successful on 25% of its third downs and picked up one of three fourth downs. And the Steelers failed to convert on three third-and-1 situations. They will be trying to remedy their previous shortcomings against a tough Seattle front that now includes Jadeveon Clowney. -- Jeremy Fowler

Bold prediction: The Seahawks' secondary will have a new look and much better results compared to the opener, when Seattle allowed Andy Dalton to throw for a career-high 418 yards. Free safety Tedric Thompson, who misplayed a ball that resulted in a 55-yard touchdown, may be out of the starting lineup due to that mistake and/or a leg injury that kept him from practicing Wednesday. -- Brady Henderson

Stat to know: Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was 6-for-8 for 75 yards and a 95 QBR when targeting JuJu Smith-Schuster on Sunday. But when he looked elsewhere, he completed just 54% of his passes and his QBR fell to 12.

What to know for fantasy: Each of Roethlisberger's top eight career fantasy performances has come at home. See Week 2 rankings.

Betting nugget: The over is 11-2 in Pittsburgh's past 13 games as a home favorite. Read more.

Henderson's pick: Seahawks 24, Steelers 23
Fowler's pick: Steelers 21, Seahawks 17
FPI prediction: PIT, 53.6% (by an average of 1.3 points)

Matchup must-reads: Inside Big Ben's chance to change his legacy ... Seahawks' secondary, shredded in Week 1, must rebound or change ... Roethlisberger optimistic after big loss: 'Sky's still blue'

Jaguars (0-1) at Texans (0-1)

1 p.m. ET | CBS
Matchup rating: 50.4 | Spread: HOU -9.5 (43)

What to watch for: Can Laremy Tunsil and the Texans' offensive line protect Deshaun Watson? In Week 1, the Jaguars did not sack Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, but Watson was sacked an NFL-high six times in the Texans' season opener. -- Sarah Barshop

Bold prediction: The Jaguars will give running back Leonard Fournette 30 touches (or close to it) in Gardner Minshew's first start at quarterback. The Texans' pass-rushers should be pretty eager to get after the rookie, especially J.J. Watt, who did not record a sack, QB hit or tackle against the Saints for the first time in a game in his career. -- Mike DiRocco

Stat to know: Minshew posted the highest completion percentage (88%, min. 15 attempts) in an NFL debut in league history, and his 13 consecutive completions to begin his career was the longest streak by a player who debuted over the past 40 years. Per Elias Sports Bureau research, Minshew will be the first rookie QB drafted in the sixth round or later to start a game this early in the season since Don Majkowski did so for the Packers in 1987.

What to know for fantasy: Jags receiver Dede Westbrook is averaging 7.6 targets per game over his past five contests. That's more than Brandin Cooks averaged in 2018. See Week 2 rankings.

Betting nugget: The past 24 quarterbacks to make their first career start as an underdog of at least seven points are 16-8 ATS. Read more.

DiRocco's pick: Texans 27, Jaguars 17
Barshop's pick: Texans 24, Jaguars 16
FPI prediction: HOU, 73.7% (by an average of 9.0 points)

Matchup must-reads: How many hits can QB Watson endure? ... Issues that took down Jags' 2018 season have returned

Cardinals (0-0-1) at Ravens (1-0)

1 p.m. ET | Fox
Matchup rating: 49.7 | Spread: BAL -13 (46)

What to watch for: How will the Ravens defend the Air Raid offense with their banged-up secondary? Cornerback Jimmy Smith (ankle) and nickelback Tavon Young (neck) are out Sunday, and top corner Marlon Humphrey (back) is not at full strength. The Cardinals will test the depth of the Baltimore secondary, as they used at least four wide receivers on 58 plays in Week 1. -- Jamison Hensley

Bold prediction: Arizona QB Kyler Murray will throw for more than 300 yards and three touchdowns. Murray showed just what he's capable of during the fourth quarter in Week 1. It's safe to say that coach Kliff Kingsbury learned his lesson and won't be as creative early on in Baltimore. -- Josh Weinfuss

Stat to know: Lamar Jackson enters the matchup at 7-1 as a starting quarterback. Only 12 QBs in the Super Bowl era have started their careers at 8-1 or better through nine starts.

What to know for fantasy: In Week 1, Jackson had more touchdown passes (five) than rush attempts (three). In his rookie season, Jackson had six touchdown passes and 147 rushing attempts. See Week 2 rankings.

Betting nugget: Baltimore is 31-0 all-time straight up as a double-digit favorite, the only active franchise to never lose such a game. However, it is 3-10 ATS in the past 13 such games. Read more.

Weinfuss' pick: Ravens 38, Cardinals 24
Hensley's pick: Ravens 30, Cardinals 20
FPI prediction: BAL, 85.7% (by an average of 15.1 points)

Matchup must-reads: QB Jackson sends message, via airmail, to every NFL defense ... Kingsbury's Cardinals offense a mix of old and new ... Laughter and gladiator masks: OLB Suggs' Ravens reunion is historic

Cowboys (1-0) at Redskins (0-1)

1 p.m. ET | Fox
Matchup rating: 46.1 | Spread: DAL -5.5 (46.5)

What to watch for: The Redskins' passing game -- with tight end Jordan Reed working the inside and rookie receiver Terry McLaurin (125 yards last week) on the outside -- will be something to watch in this NFC East matchup. But Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott is 5-1 versus Washington, with six touchdowns and no interceptions. And he connected eight times with Amari Cooper for 180 yards in a win over Washington last season. -- John Keim

Bold prediction: The Redskins' Adrian Peterson will rush for more than 100 yards and score to break a tie with Hall of Famer Jim Brown for the fifth-most touchdowns in league history with 106. The Cowboys allowed only three 100-yard rushers last season, but Peterson came close with 24 carries for 99 yards at FedEx Field. -- Todd Archer

Stat to know: Prescott set career highs on play-action last week, going 14-of-15 for 207 yards and three touchdowns. He was also 9-for-11 on throws 10-plus yards downfield.

What to know for fantasy: Dallas receiver Michael Gallup had seven catches for 109 yards through six weeks last season. On Sunday against the Giants, he caught all seven of his targets for 158 yards. See Week 2 rankings.

Betting nugget: Regarding Washington, 0-1 teams that are home underdogs in their second game of the season are 25-8 ATS and 19-15 straight up since 2010. Read more.

Archer's pick: Cowboys 30, Redskins 21
Keim's pick: Cowboys 31, Redskins 23
FPI prediction: DAL, 60.7% (by an average of 3.9 points)

Matchup must-reads: Is Prescott finally ready to be consistently great? ... 40 years ago, 'Too Tall' Jones walked away, returned like Witten ... RB Guice has knee injury; Peterson back in mix

Patriots (1-0) at Dolphins (0-1)

1 p.m. ET | CBS
Matchup rating: 42.3 | Spread: NE -18.5 (48.5)

What to watch for: You could see potential career days for Sony Michel, James White and the Patriots' running game. The Dolphins loaded the box to stop the Ravens' run game last week, and as a result, they were torched by Lamar Jackson's arm. But even then, they still gave up 265 rushing yards to Mark Ingram II and the rest of the Ravens' backfield. -- Cameron Wolfe

Bold prediction: Assuming the NFL doesn't step in and place him on the commissioner's exempt list, Pats receiver Antonio Brown will play and score at least one touchdown. Tom Brady will want to get Brown involved early in his New England debut. -- Mike Reiss

Stat to know: The Dolphins sustained blocks through 2.5 seconds just 35% of the time in Week 1, the second-worst rate in the NFL according to ESPN's pass block win rate using NFL Next Gen Stats. Meanwhile, Michael Bennett had a pass rush win rate of 39% in Week 1, third-best among individual pass-rushers.

What to know for fantasy: The Patriots have struggled in Miami recently, but Brady has been a top-three fantasy quarterback in two of his past three trips to South Beach. See Week 2 rankings.

Betting nugget: No team in the Super Bowl era has ever been more than an 18-point favorite on the road before the end of September. The largest home underdog in that span was 18 points, done twice (1969 and 1970). Both of those underdogs were shut out and did not cover. Read more.

Reiss' pick: Patriots 37, Dolphins 16
Wolfe's pick: Patriots 44, Dolphins 20
FPI prediction: NE, 85.7% (by an average of 15.2 points)

Matchup must-reads: Why daunting Dolphins rebuild will be done The Brian Flores Way ... Patriots worried about Brian Flores' familiarity? Nope ... Dolphins players can check out or use embarrassment as fuel

49ers (1-0) at Bengals (0-1)

1 p.m. ET | Fox
Matchup rating: 39.1 | Spread: CIN -2 (46)

What to watch for: San Francisco created four turnovers in the win over Tampa Bay, including two interceptions returned for touchdowns. The 49ers will be a good test for a revamped Bengals offense under rookie coach Zac Taylor. In last week's loss to the Seahawks, the Bengals racked up 418 passing yards. -- Ben Baby

Bold prediction: The 49ers will get five sacks. San Francisco sacked Jameis Winston three times in Week 1, but it could have been more had Winston not been so adept at evading the rush. Andy Dalton isn't as slippery, and the Bengals yielded five sacks to Seattle in their first game. -- Nick Wagoner

Stat to know: San Francisco only made two interceptions last season, the fewest by any team since 1940. But then it picked off three passes in a Week 1 win to start 2019. The Niners have not had multiple interceptions in each of their first two games of a season since 1974.

What to know for fantasy: Bengals receiver John Ross III has caught seven touchdown passes in his past eight games played without A.J. Green. See Week 2 rankings.

Betting nugget: San Francisco is 5-12 ATS in 1:00 p.m. ET games since 2015. Read more.

Wagoner's pick: 49ers 27, Bengals 23
Baby's pick: 49ers 24, Bengals 17
FPI prediction: SF, 54.1% (by an average of 1.5 points)

Matchup must-reads: What lessons did rookie Bosa learn in his 49ers debut? ... Bengals WR Green out of boot; no timeline for return

Bills (1-0) at Giants (0-1)

1 p.m. ET | CBS
Matchup rating: 18.5 | Spread: BUF -1.5 (43.5)

What to watch for: Saquon Barkley ran for 120 yards on just 11 carries in Week 1, the second-fewest carries in his career. That's not likely to happen again, especially against a Bills defense that has been so good against the pass since the start of last season. "We all know that Saquon is a focus of our offense. ... Yeah, we want him to get the football," coach Pat Shurmur said. It's not hard to see where this one is headed, for good reason. -- Jordan Raanan

Bold prediction: Bills quarterback Josh Allen set a career high in Week 1 with 254 passing yards -- he'll set another career high in Week 2 with his first 300-yard game through the air against a Giants secondary that just surrendered 405 passing yards to Dak Prescott. -- Marcel Louis-Jacques

Stat to know: The Giants are 4-12 at home over the past two seasons, the worst home win percentage (.250) in the NFL during that span. But they need a win to avoid a sixth 0-2 start in their past seven seasons.

What to know for fantasy: Eli Manning has thrown for 300 yards in three consecutive games, matching the longest streak of his career. See Week 2 rankings.

Betting nugget: New York is 6-15-1 ATS in its past 22 September games since 2013, and it has failed to cover its past seven Week 2 games. Read more.

Louis-Jacques' pick: Bills 24, Giants 10
Raanan's pick: Bills 22, Giants 20
FPI prediction: BUF, 50.3% (by an average of 0.2 points)

Matchup must-reads: Are the Giants being honest with themselves? ... QB Allen, Bills' offense learning to beat blitz ... Barkley bigger, better in Year 2? Bank on it

Chiefs (1-0) at Raiders (1-0)

4:05 p.m. ET | CBS
Matchup rating: 69.8 | Spread: KC -7.5 (52.5)

What to watch for: The Raiders would like nothing more than to duplicate their 13-play, 95-yard drive in 8:35 on Monday night against the Broncos to keep Kansas City's offense off the field. They have beaten the Chiefs only twice in their past 12 meetings, but both of those games were in Oakland. As Kansas City coach Andy Reid said, "There's just something about that place that's crazy." -- Paul Gutierrez

Bold prediction: The Chiefs will score at least 35 points against the Raiders for the third consecutive game despite losing wide receiver Tyreek Hill. The Chiefs topped 35 points early in the fourth quarter last week against Jacksonville and still have plenty of weapons, including rookie receiver Mecole Hardman and veteran running back LeSean McCoy. -- Adam Teicher

Stat to know: Oakland running back Josh Jacobs tallied 113 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns in his NFL debut. Only two players since 1970 have gained 100 scrimmage yards and scored twice in each of their first two games: Kareem Hunt in 2017 and Billy Sims in 1980.

What to know for fantasy: Since the beginning of last season, only Sammy Watkins, Zach Ertz and Amari Cooper have multiple games with at least eight catches, 100 receiving yards and multiple receiving scores. See Week 2 rankings.

Betting nugget: Regarding Kansas City, 1-0 teams that are road favorites in Week 2 are 0-9 ATS since 2016 and 6-24 ATS since 2010. Read more.

Teicher's pick: Chiefs 37, Raiders 31
Gutierrez's pick: Chiefs 38, Raiders 30
FPI prediction: KC, 70.0% (by an average of 7.5 points)

Matchup must-reads: RB McCoy could see bigger role with Chiefs based on Week 1 ... Williams more than ready for his close-up as Raiders' primary receiver ... 'Clemson days' Watkins makes Chiefs even more dangerous

Saints (1-0) at Rams (1-0)

4:25 p.m. ET | Fox
Matchup rating: 79.6 | Spread: LAR -2.5 (52)

What to watch for: Watch for the Rams to weather an early storm led by Saints quarterback Drew Brees and running back Alvin Kamara, who gained 169 all-purpose yards last week. But how much the Rams will deploy running back Todd Gurley II remains a mystery. If he is let loose, he could have himself a day against a Saints run defense that struggled mightily last week and allowed 180 rushing yards to the Texans. -- Lindsey Thiry

Bold prediction: Greg Zuerlein strikes again with a game-winning field goal in the final minute after his 48-yarder forced overtime in the NFC Championship Game and his 57-yarder sent the Rams to the Super Bowl. This is the toughest game on the Saints' 2019 schedule and it should come down to the wire. -- Mike Triplett

Stat to know: In Week 1, the Saints pressured Deshaun Watson on 44.7% of his dropbacks, New Orleans' third-highest rate in a game over the last three seasons. And in their lone win against the Rams over that time (including the playoffs), the Saints pressured Jared Goff on 33% of his dropbacks. Goff was pressured on only 26% of his dropbacks in the Saints' losses to Los Angeles.

What to know for fantasy: Gurley's streak of 33 straight games with a red zone carry was snapped last week. See Week 2 rankings.

Betting nugget: Since 2014, New Orleans is 21-8 ATS as an underdog. Only New England has a better cover percentage in that span (7-1). Read more.

Triplett's pick: Rams 24, Saints 23
Thiry's pick: Rams 30, Saints 28
FPI prediction: LAR, 59.3% (by an average of 3.4 points)

Matchup must-reads: Goff now a partner, not just a pupil of Sean McVay ... No pitch count, just fastballs for RB Kamara in dynamic opener ... Talib: Botched PI call 'not an L.A. problem'

Bears (0-1) at Broncos (0-1)

4:25 p.m. ET | Fox
Matchup rating: 48.0 | Spread: CHI -2.5 (40.5)

What to watch for: It will be the tale of two pass rushes. The Bears sacked Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers five times in the opener. Meanwhile, the Broncos didn't sack Raiders quarterback Derek Carr at all and didn't even register a single hit on him. It was the first time in more than four seasons the Broncos had not registered a quarterback hit in a game. -- Jeff Legwold

Bold prediction: Bears rookie running back David Montgomery will touch the ball 15-plus times. Chicago coach Matt Nagy took tons of grief for not using Montgomery (seven touches) more in Week 1, but the Bears will not repeat that mistake. -- Jeff Dickerson

Stat to know: Denver is 5-1 when Phillip Lindsay has 100-plus scrimmage yards since the running back debuted last season. But it is 1-9 when he does not reach that threshold over that span.

What to know for fantasy: Bears receiver Allen Robinson has three straight games, including the playoffs, with at least six catches and 85 receiving yards. The only receivers who have had a longer such streak since the beginning of last season are Adam Thielen, Julio Jones and DeAndre Hopkins. See Week 2 rankings.

Betting nugget: Denver has won 13 straight September home games (8-3-2 ATS). Read more.

Dickerson's pick: Bears 20, Broncos 10
Legwold's pick: Broncos 13, Bears 10
FPI prediction: CHI, 50.8% (by an average of 0.3 points)

Matchup must-reads: Meet Allen Robinson: The Bears' No. 1 receiver and the anti-diva ... Broncos' offense disjointed at key times in season-opening loss

Eagles (1-0) at Falcons (0-1)

8:20 p.m. ET | NBC
Matchup rating: 66.8 | Spread: PHI -2 (52.5)

What to watch for: What adjustments will the Falcons make in their red zone offense? The Falcons are 2-of-9 in the red zone in their past three games against the Eagles, all losses. Matt Ryan went 4-of-17 for 19 yards with one touchdown and one interception in the red zone during those games and was sacked twice. -- Vaughn McClure

Bold prediction: Tight end Zach Ertz will score two touchdowns. Week 1 was all about the long ball to DeSean Jackson, but Carson Wentz will have to play a more methodical brand of offense against Atlanta's Cover 3 defense, which will give up passes underneath to avoid the big play. That should lead to a good day for Ertz. -- Tim McManus

Stat to know: Against the Eagles since 2016 (including the playoffs), Ryan has posted a Total QBR of 30, averaged 243 passing yards and completed just 55% of his passes. Those numbers are significantly below what they are against all other opponents: Total QBR of 74, 294 passing yards per game and a 69% completion percentage.

What to know for fantasy: The Falcons' Calvin Ridley has caught a touchdown pass in three straight games after catching a total of two touchdown passes in his previous 10 contests. See Week 2 rankings.

Betting nugget: Since drafting Ryan in 2008, Atlanta is 10-1 straight up and 10-1 ATS in home openers. Ryan is also 11-4 ATS as a home underdog. Read more.

McManus' pick: Eagles 30, Falcons 27
McClure's pick: Eagles 28, Falcons 24
FPI prediction: ATL, 50.1% (by an average of 0.1 points)

Matchup must-reads: Wentz 2.0: QB adjustments spark Eagles ... Falcons' O-line plan in disarray after losing Lindstrom ... Eagles provide roadmap to analytics-driven future of NFL

Browns (0-1) at Jets (0-1)

Monday, 8:15 p.m. ET | ESPN/ESPN App
Matchup rating: 29.7 | Spread: CLE -6.5 (44)

What to watch for: Without quarterback Sam Darnold (mononucleosis), the Jets will turn to Trevor Siemian to save them from an 0-2 start. The Gregg Williams-coached defense will have to play out of its mind to beat Baker Mayfield and Odell Beckham Jr., who accused Williams of teaching his players how to execute dirty hits. Williams, fired by the Browns after last season, will "have a chip on his shoulder," as New York safety Jamal Adams said. -- Rich Cimini

Bold prediction: Much like in last year's Bud Light Fridge Game against the Jets, Mayfield dazzles under the lights with three prime-time touchdown passes, placing Cleveland's hype train back on its track after that disastrous Week 1 performance. -- Jake Trotter

Stat to know: In their Week 1 loss to the Titans, the Browns had at least three wide receivers on the field for 60 of their 63 snaps (95%). That was the team's second-most such snaps in a game over the last 10 seasons (61 snaps versus the Chargers last season). But Mayfield did not throw a touchdown and tossed three interceptions -- all in the fourth quarter -- while targeting Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry.

What to know for fantasy: In Week 1, the Jets were the second-worst team in preventing yards before first contact. Why does that matter? Since the beginning of last season, Browns running back Nick Chubb ranks as the fifth-best back after first contact. See Week 2 rankings.

Betting nugget: Cleveland has not been a road favorite of at least five points since 1995, when Bill Belichick was still its head coach. Read more.

Trotter's pick: Browns 30, Jets 24
Cimini's pick: Browns 24, Jets 14
FPI prediction: NYJ, 58.8% (by an average of 3.2 points)

Matchup must-reads: Siemian faces massive challenge in trying to save Jets' season ... Inside Gregg Williams' world: Wolves, lions and payback to Browns ... Browns' offseason of hype comes crashing down. Now what? ... Gase shows who's boss, sends message to WR Anderson

Guard Shaun Livingston, who won three NBA championships with the Golden State Warriors during his 15 seasons in the league, announced his retirement Friday.

Livingston, who was waived by the Warriors on July 10, made his announcement on Instagram.

View this post on Instagram

After 15 years in the NBA, I'm excited, sad, fortunate and grateful all in one breath. Hard to put into a caption all of the emotions it takes to try and accomplish your dreams. I wasn't supposed to be here. Anybody that has beat the odds understands the mental and emotional strain it takes to inspire yourself on an uphill war, let alone inspire others. "The injury" gave me a chance to find and prove to myself (and the world) that I wouldn't be defined by my circumstances. With my time in the League what I will be most proud of is the fact that my character, values and faith were tested, and I persevered. To my pops that told me to "go get the big ball" I THANK YOU. To my Grandpa that always showed me there was more to life than basketball I THANK YOU. To my Uncles that helped raise me like I was one of their own, THANK YOU. To my wife and kids...the future IS BRIGHTER than our past, and I couldn't see myself taking on this chapter without you. To all of my teammates, coaches, TRAINERS, staff, my journey is a collection of experiences, and those of you that helped me along the way, THANK YOU! To all the fans and anybody else that inspired me, supported me, cheered for me, or even said good words about me, THANK YOU. "The greatest gift we can give is service to others" #Raiseaglass ?

A post shared by Shaun Livingston (@sdot1414) on Sep 13, 2019 at 8:30am PDT

The versatile 6-foot-7 Livingston, who turned 34 on Wednesday, came back from a devastating knee injury early in his career to become one of the league's savviest players and a strong locker room presence.

Livingston averaged 15 minutes per game over the past two seasons for the Warriors, with whom he spent five seasons and won titles in 2015, 2017 and 2018.

"Shaun was a huge part of three NBA championship teams with the Warriors, but his overall journey is what is most remarkable," Warriors CEO Joe Lacob said in a statement. "He overcame incredible odds following a devastating injury, wore nine different NBA uniforms during his comeback, had a stint in the D-League and, fittingly, ended up being a major contributor on one of the best teams in NBA history."

Livingston was drafted out of high school by the LA Clippers with the fourth overall pick in 2004.

In a game against Charlotte on Feb. 26, 2007, Livingston suffered a severe knee injury, dislocating his left kneecap and snapping his leg after landing awkwardly. He suffered a torn ACL, PCL and lateral meniscus, sprained his MCL and dislocated his patella.

After missing the 2007-08 season, he resumed playing with the Miami Heat in 2008 before being traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder later that season.

He bounced around with several teams -- Washington, Charlotte, Milwaukee, Cleveland and Brooklyn -- before signing with the Warriors before the 2014 season.

Livingston finished his career having averaged 6.3 points, 2.4 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game.