An inside barrier draw, typically seen as an advantage for many gallopers, is the sole reservation for jockey Tommy Berry concerning the prospects of Apocalyptic in Saturday’s Sheraco Stakes.

The Michael Freedman-trained mare has drawn the coveted rails position for the 1200-metre race at Rosehill, a draw Berry suggests might not be ideal given the horse’s preference for ample galloping room.

“Barrier one around Rosehill is probably going to be a little bit tricky,” Berry commented. “She’s going to be in a tricky spot at some stage, but she is going well enough to perform to a good level.”

Notwithstanding the barrier draw, Berry is adamant that Apocalyptic is performing at her absolute best.

After winning the Group 1 Flight Stakes last spring, her form in two autumn starts didn’t quite meet expectations. However, her return effort in the Toy Show Quality (1100m) was highly pleasing, where she charged from second-last to finish third, beaten by a narrow margin.

“They were probably a little bit sharp for her over the 1100,” he explained. “We were hoping to be closer, but they were running ‘ten-and-a-halfs’ (seconds to the furlong) and that’s too quick for her as a travelling speed. Then she’s run home in about 33 (seconds) for the last 600, so she’s done a good job. That was her tiring a bit late too and she has taken good improvement from the run.”

“Her work on Tuesday was as good as it’s ever been. “We’re pretty keen on her chances. I would have loved a barrier a bit more in the middle, but you can’t have everything go your way.”

The Sheraco Stakes has a history of being won by exceptional mares, including More Joyous, Catkins, and Entriviere. Sunshine In Paris claimed the prize two years prior before her subsequent run in The Everest. With Midnight In Tokyo and Ahha Ahha scratched, Apocalyptic will now contend with nine rivals, featuring Chris Waller’s pair Lady Shenandoah and Lazzura, alongside the promising Plaintiff and Weeping Woman. Consider the latest betting markets for the Sheraco Stakes with various Australian betting sites.

Given the strong depth in the three-year-old ranks this season, Tenenbaum has largely operated beneath the radar.

Nevertheless, jockey Chad Schofield would not be surprised to see that status shift, starting with Saturday’s Ming Dynasty Quality (1400m) at Rosehill.

Schofield partnered the Snitzel colt for his solid first-up victory at Canterbury, where he trailed the speed and surged clear in the straight with ease.

While the Ming Dynasty will offer a different level of challenge, Schofield is confident Tenenbaum possesses the aptitude and scope to transition successfully to stakes company.

“He’s obviously a very well bred horse and he’s got good class,” Schofield conveyed. “He is still coming through the grades and he’s untapped, but I think he’s the type who could very easily measure up.”

“It’s a big jump in grade, but there was a lot of merit to his Canterbury win. He had a big weight, and it was very soft. He gives that nice horse feel so let’s hope he can step up. He’s a colt with a great attitude and that’s half the battle.”

Trained by Brad Widdup, Tenenbaum was a $750,000 yearling purchase for stable supporters, Mulberry Racing.

From barrier six, he is drawn to enjoy a favourable run, and as a brother to the 2024 Hong Kong Derby (2000m) winner Cap Ferrat, should appreciate a distance rise to 1400 metres.

Schofield has secured the mount on Cormier for Paul Messara and Leah Gavranich in the Run To The Rose (1200m), filling in for regular rider Aaron Bullock who is unable to manage the colt’s 55kg weight.

An impressive winner of his initial start at Scone, Cormier then recorded consecutive second placings to Tron Bolt, including in the Group 1 J J Atkins (1600m) at Eagle Farm in June.

“I’ve never ridden him before, but I know him as well as I can without riding him,” Schofield said. “He’s a horse with a good deal of quality, he’s first-up and has a light weight. I’m just filling in for Aaron Bullock, but I’m thrilled to get the ride and hopefully I can make it count.”

Cormier will again face Tron Bolt in the Run To The Rose, which has attracted a characteristically strong field headed by Champagne Stakes winner Fireball, Golden Slipper placegetter Music Time and unbeaten blueblood St Gotthard.

All will be aiming to stake their claims for the Group 1 Golden Rose (1400m) on September 26. Check out these Australian betting sites for the latest action.

The 24th-ranked Louisville Cardinals look to rebound from an opening game loss when they take on the Villanova Wildcats in their 2026 home opener on Friday. Louisville is 71-33-3 all-time in home openers, including a 3-0 mark under coach Jeff Brohm. The Wildcats (1-1), who finished second in the Coastal Athletic Association and 12-3 overall in 2025, are coming off a 17-16 win over Bucknell in Week 1. The Cardinals (0-1), who tied for seventh in the ACC at 4-4 and were 9-4 overall a year ago, dropped a 41-38 decision at Mississippi on Sunday.  Claim the latest Polymarket promo code CBSSPORTS to get a $50 bonus after $10 in trades:

Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. ET from L&N Stadium in Louisville, Ky. The Cardinals are 37.5-point favorites in the latest Villanova vs. Louisville odds. The over/under for total points is 56.5. This will be the first-ever meeting between the teams. Before making any Villanova vs. Louisville picks, check out what SportsLine college football expert Emory Hunt has to say. 

Hunt is a CBS Sports HQ analyst who also is featured on SportsLine’s Early Edge show breaking down NFL and college football matchups. He enters this week on a 7-3 roll over his past 10 college football picks on college football betting sites. He has also returned $358 to $100 players on betting sites on top-rated CFB picks. Anyone following could have seen huge returns.  

Now, Hunt has locked in another confident pick for Villanova vs. Louisville. You can visit SportsLine now to see his picks. Here are the FBS college football odds and trends for Louisville vs. Villanova:

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Top Villanova vs. Louisville predictions

One of Hunt’s top picks for Villanova vs. Louisville: He’s going Over 56.5 total points (-110) as Louisville enters as the -37.5 favorite at betting apps. Hunt is confident the Cardinals can dominate the Wildcats’ defense. Louisville easily moved the ball against Ole Miss last week, registering nine plays of 20 yards or more, including seven passing and two rushing. Quarterback Lincoln Kienholz amassed 376 total yards of offense, including 307 passing in his first collegiate start. 

“QB Lincoln Keinholz looked dynamic and confident as a playmaker, nearly leading his team to victory,” Hunt told SportsLine. “There ought to be some positive momentum coming into this home game vs Villanova.” Head to SportsLine to see Hunt’s Villanova vs. Louisville spread pick. 

How to make Villanova vs. Louisville picks

In addition to going Over on the point total, he’s found a crucial X-factor that makes one side of the spread a must-back. You absolutely need to see what it is before locking in any picks of your own.  

So who wins Villanova vs. Louisville on Friday, and what x-factor makes one side of the spread hit hard? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread to jump on, all from college football expert Emory Hunt, who is 7-3 (+358) over his last 10 college football picks, and find out.

The San Diego Padres are back in the postseason! They’ll likely go back and forth as the season continues before they face off against the Arizona Diamondbacks for the final Wild Card spot. The Friars swept the Washington Nationals after Jackson Merrill‘s two homer day. He finished a double shy of the cycle, with a single, a triple and two home runs. That production led the Padres to a 9-2 win in the series finale.

San Diego will now embark on a crucial road trip, facing the San Francisco Giants and Colorado Rockies. Both are divisional opponents who are very beatable for the Friars. Not only that, but both teams have been eliminated from the playoffs so they aren’t playing for as much. The Padres should be able to clean up against the two clubs, with the Friars beating San Francisco, 6-4, in the season series.

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Taking the mound

Anthony Molina (SF) v. Robbie Ray (SD)

In a short stint with the Giants, Molina has managed to immensely impress. In three appearances (two starts), Molina owns a 1.88 ERA through 14 1/3 innings pitched. Prior to that, Molina had been on the Atlanta Braves, where he pitched just five innings in relief before he was traded for starting pitcher Tyler Mahle.

Molina doesn’t have an abundance of experience at the big-league level. He’s spent two seasons with the Rockies, posting an ERA over 6.00 in both years. Molina worked primarily out of the bullpen but has worked as a starter for San Francisco. It’s worked to mostly solid results, with Molina surrendering three runs in his last three starts.

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This will be Ray’s homecoming since being traded by the Giants at the Trade Deadline. The veteran lefty has pitched incredibly well this season but has struggled with the Friars. He’s coming off of a miserable start in which Ray gave up five runs in just 2 1/3 innings versus the New York Yankees.

This is the perfect team for Ray to face in order to turn his Padres tenure around. Not only does Ray know these hitters well, having shared a clubhouse with them, but they have struggled immensely to produce runs this season. That said, San Francisco is on a three-game win streak after sweeping the St. Louis Cardinals.

Batter up!

Apart from Merrill’s hot day at the plate, the San Diego lineup still looked fantastic on Wednesday afternoon. The offense (without Merrill) went a combined 12-for-33. Three of the Padres had three-hit games (Ty France, Merrill and Fernando Tatis Jr.) while five had multi-hit games.

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After Cronenworth’s day off on Wednesday, he’ll likely be back in the lineup for the series opener versus San Francisco. He’s spent most of the second half batting behind Tatis. That has worked pretty well for the Padres, but Craig Stammen could tinker a little bit after Merrill’s recent hot streak.

Relief corps

After Walker Buehler was pulled from the game early (perhaps accidentally), the Padres’ bullpen locked it down. With the bases loaded in the third inning, Kyle Hart stymied the Nats. Hart then pitched 1 2/3 more innings before David Morgan, Yuki Matsui, Wandy Peralta and Griffin Canning covered the final 4 1/3 innings.

With the off day on Thursday, San Diego will have all of its relievers available for the series opener. However, those who didn’t pitch in the series finale on Wednesday will be preferred over the rest. Mason Miller, Adrian Morejon, Bradgley Rodriguez and Randy Vásquez will be available out of the ‘pen for San Diego. Vásquez seems likely to pitch only if Ray struggles to work deep into the game.

GOLF Magazine this week announced its 2026 class for the World Golf Teachers Hall of Fame. The inductees include Todd Anderson, Martin Hall, Ted Sheftic and the late Dana Rader.

These inductees will be honored at the 2026 GOLF Top 100 Teachers Summit, which will take place Nov. 1-4 at the Omni La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, Calif.

“Each of the instructors we have chosen to enter the World Golf Teachers Hall of Fame this year has earned the distinction in their own unique way,” said Hoyt McGarity, CEO and President of 8AM Golf, the parent company of GOLF Magazine and GOLF.com. “The groundbreaking efforts and longevity of the careers of Todd, Martin, Ted, and Dana are something to behold and it’s an honor to recognize each of them for their extraordinary contributions.”

The World Golf Teachers Hall of Fame was established in 1999 and has inducted 22 teaching greats, including Mike Adams, Harvey Penick, Claude and Butch Harmon, David Leadbetter, Jim McClean and Peggy Kirk Bell.

See below for a brief overview of each of the new inductees’ bona fides.

Todd Anderson

Director of Instruction, TPC Sawgrass

— 2010 PGA National Teacher of the Year

— 2016 Michigan Golf Hall of Fame inductee

— Golf Magazine Top 100 Teacher since 2004

— Students have combined for 57 victories across the four major U.S. professional tours, including two FedEx Cup Champions

— Coached 26 players to the PGA Tour

— Helped more than 100 student-athletes earn Division I scholarships

— Developed 43 Collegiate All-Americans

— Developed 53 American Junior Golf Association All-Americans

Martin Hall

Director of Instruction, The Club at Ibis

— Holds dual membership in the PGA of America and PGA of Great Britain and Ireland

— Director of Instruction at The Club at Ibis since 1997

— Named 2008 PGA Teacher of the Year

— GOLF Magazine Top 100 Teacher since 1996

— Hosted Golf Channel’s “School of Golf,” producing more than 430 episodes

— Authored four books

— Presented at the PGA National Teaching and Coaching Summit seven times

Ted Sheftic

Founder & Director, Ted Sheftic Golf Learning Center

— GOLF Magazine Top 100 Teacher from 2003 to 2023

— Earned the Top 100 Lifetime Achievement Award for 20 consecutive years on the list

— Named Philadelphia Section PGA Teacher of the Year across four decades (1987, 1994, 2000 and 2013)

— Received the Horton Smith Award in 1999

— Inducted into the Philadelphia PGA Hall of Fame in 2016

— Co-developer of the PGA’s Get Golf Ready initiative

Dana Reader

Founder, Dana Rader Golf School

— Named LPGA National Teacher of the Year in 1990

— GOLF Magazine Top 100 Teacher

— Received the Ellen Griffin Rolex Award, the LPGA’s highest teaching honor

— North Carolina Golf Hall of Fame inductee

— Authored Rock Solid Golf

GOLF Top 100 Teachers Summit

The 2026 GOLF Top 100 Teachers Summit is set to take place Nov. 1-4 at Omni La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, Calif. The retreat will serve as a premier instruction and education event hosted by GOLF Magazine and GOLF.com and will be attended by the Top 100 Teachers in golf.

If you are an instructor and interested in attending, sign up using this link.

The Ciaron Maher stable has a well-defined 12-month blueprint for Shockletz, which they are hopeful will prove fruitful at Flemington.

The 2026 Melbourne Cup has been a long-term objective for the daughter of Shocking, a horse who himself triumphed in the Cup.

However, Shockletz must earn her way into the Cup calculations, a goal the Maher team aims to achieve this Saturday in the Group 3 Archer Stakes over 2500 metres.

Victory in the Archer Stakes grants the winner automatic entry into the Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on November 3, bypassing the ballot.

Another ‘Cup qualifier’ race will be held at Flemington, The Bart Cummings on October 3, with the Geelong Cup and Moonee Valley Gold Cup following later that month, both also offering ballot exemptions to their winners.

Twelve months ago, Shockletz enjoyed a strong period of form, winning four races with Harry Coffey in the saddle.

Her last win in that successful stretch was in October, with her sole subsequent victory coming at Pakenham in December.

Coffey is set to ride the mare again on Saturday, and Jack Turnbull, the National Assistant Trainer for Ciaron Maher Racing, confirmed that blinkers will be applied.

“We’ve put some headgear on her,” Turnbull said.

“She travels well, but when they quicken, she’s flat-footed, and then she picks up again.

“We are third-up, a mile-and-a-half, essentially, and a bit of headgear, it should play to her favour, plus she likes big tracks and this has been a 12-month plan for her.

“We were conscious of what she did two preps ago and then we freshened her up to be on fresher legs, so that if she does qualify, she has not been taxed come the bigger races.”

The Maher team has a history of success with stayers who race through the winter and subsequently perform strongly in the Melbourne Cup.

Turnbull pointed to Persan, Grand Promenade, and Berkshire Breeze as horses that fit this profile.

Stablemate Jennivamoose is also entered for The Archer, having finished fourth in the race last year.

Jennivamoose has had only two starts since, finishing third on both occasions at Caulfield, and Turnbull indicated she will appreciate the rise in distance.

“She ran enormous at Caulfield last time,” Turnbull said.

“She’s had two wide gates this prep and had to go back and made really good ground.

“We’re looking forward to her getting out to this trip.”

Consider the available racing betting markets for the Archer Stakes at various betting sites.

European champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen produced another barnstorming run to win the men’s 5000m at the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championships in Budapest.

The Paris Olympic champion kept a low profile in the middle of the pack before storming around the outside to surge clear in the closing 100m.

American Parker Wolfe came to the front at the bell but was unable to prevent Ingebrigtsen powering away to a comprehensive victory, winning in 12:59.24. Cole Hocker was second in 13:00.05 and Wolfe clung on for third in 13:00.13.

“Easy work,” Ingebrigtsen said afterwards with a grin, before collecting the trophy at the brand-new event – along with a winner’s cheque for $150,000, which all individual champions will receive.

The Norwegian – frighteningly for his rivals – is still not at 100% fitness as he continues his comeback from an Achilles injury which required surgery in February.

The 5000m is something of a warm-up event for the 1500m on Sunday night, which will see hostilities resume between rivals Ingebrigtsen and Hocker as well as Commonwealth Games champion and new mile world record holder Josh Kerr.

Ingebrigtsen clashed again with Hocker a week after the Norwegian called his opponents “cowards” and “losers” for their performances in the Diamond League Final.

The American installed his own pacemaker only to hang back as the race began, with Ingebrigtsen frustrated at having to front-run before fading to fourth.

He later apologised for his comments but doubled down on the sentiment. He explained: “They told the other athletes and the organisers that they were targeting a specific pace and were bringing in their own pacemaker to set that pace, but then they did something completely different.

“When you promise the crowd a fast race, you have a responsibility to follow through – at least in my view. This isn’t about me losing. I wasn’t good enough. It’s about taking responsibility for the commitments you’ve made to the meeting organisers, the crowd and your competitors.”

The Week 1 NFL schedule has already seen a pair of games unfold, but 14 are still to come over the course of Sunday and Monday. Potential playoff previews are all over the schedule with matchups such as Ravens vs. Colts (+3.5), Chiefs vs. Broncos (-2.5) Bills vs. Texas (+1.5) and Packers vs. Vikings (-1.5) on the slate. New to sports trading? Visit our Kalshi promo code review and get a $25 bonus after $25+ in trades with the Kalshi promo code CBSSPORTS:

The highest total on the NFL odds board this week is 50.5 in Buccaneers vs. Bengals, while the lowest is 38.5 in Titans vs. Jets as new Tennessee head coach Robert Saleh debuts against the team that fired him in 2024. Before making any Week 1 NFL picks on those games or others, be sure to see the exact Week 1 NFL score predictions from SportsLine’s proven model.

The model, which simulates every NFL game 10,000 times, is up well over $7,000 for $100 players on betting sites on top-rated NFL picks since its inception. The model enters the 2026 NFL season on a 53-37 run on top-rated picks dating back to 2024. Anybody following its picks at NFL betting sites could have seen strong returns.  

The model also ranked in the top 10 on NFLPickWatch four of the past six years on straight-up NFL picks and beat more than 94% of CBS Sports Football Pick’em players four times during that span. Anyone following at sportsbooks and has seen strong returns at their best sports betting app.

Now, the model has simulated every Week 1 game 10,000 times. You can only see the model’s Week 1 NFL exact score predictions at SportsLine.

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Top Week 1 NFL picks

After diving into every game on the Week 1 NFL schedule, the model is backing the Philadelphia Eagles (-5.5) on betting apps to beat the Washington Commanders, 28-18, at home. The Eagles have dominated this series recently, winning seven of the last 10 meetings against the Commanders. Washington has dropped eight of their last 10 games overall, while Philadelphia has won three of its last five games. 

In addition, the Commanders are 5-4-1 against the spread in their last 10 games against Philadelphia. The model projects Jalen Hurts of the Eagles will throw for 213 yards and 1.79 touchdowns, while running back Saquon Barkley is projected to rush for nearly 100 yards and one touchdown. DeVonta Smith is also expected to catch five passes for nearly 75 yards. 

Quarterback Jayden Daniels of Washington is projected to throw for over 175 yards passing and one touchdown, while running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt will rush for nearly 50 yards. Philadelphia covers 60% of the time, while the Over hits with 1.5 points to spare. See the model’s other Week 1 NFL score predictions at SportsLine. 

How to make Week 1 NFL score predictions

In addition, the model has locked in exact score predictions for every other matchup. It’s also calling for an underdog to pull off a shocking upset. Nailing these results is key to making profitable Week 1 NFL picks. You can only see them at SportsLine. 

Who wins each Week 1 NFL game, and which underdog pulls off a shocking upset? Visit SportsLine now to get the model’s NFL Week 1 score predictions, all from the model on a 53-37 roll on top-rated NFL picks, and find out. 

In the NFL, good vibes are fleeting.

Just 19 months ago, the Eagles and Commanders were headed into the offseason feeling like they had world-beaters at quarterback. Philadelphia had just conquered the football world, blowing out the Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX with Jalen Hurts taking home MVP honors. 

Washington, meanwhile, was fresh off its first NFC Championship Game appearance in over 30 years with rookie phenom Jayden Daniels leading the way. Life was good, and that conference championship game felt like the first installment of the NFL’s next great quarterback rivalry.

The 2026 season opener will be the first time Hurts and Daniels have faced off since that playoff game and there’s been a significant vibe shift on both sides of the matchup. Both quarterbacks are coming off frustrating 2025 seasons that may have cast some doubt on their long-term future with their respective teams.

Hurts and Daniels will be seeking massive contract extensions in the offseason. At that point, Hurts will have one year left on the extension he signed in 2023, and Daniels will be entering his third offseason, when first-round quarterbacks either sign their first big-money extension or end up in contract purgatory, a la Bryce Young in Carolina. 

So, the stakes are clear for both quarterbacks in 2026: A bounce-back season will be rewarded with a big payday. But if last year’s struggles bleed over into this season, contract talks might be put on hold.

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The bar for a successful season is lower for Daniels than it is for Hurts, with Washington expected to finish in the bottom half of the NFC East. 

If the third-year pro can just stay healthy for the full 17-game slate, that will be considered a win. If Daniels stays healthy and rediscovers his 2024 form, Washington will write him a blank check in the spring. It’s just hard to envision a repeat of that magical rookie season given the current state of the Commanders offense.

Jayden Daniels faces a crucial upcoming season amidst uncertainties around the Commanders roster. (G Fiume/Getty Images)

The offensive line was an issue last season and will be worse off in 2026 with star left tackle Laremy Tunsil out indefinitely with a torn triceps. Also, it will be up to first-year offensive coordinator David Blough, who’s just three seasons into his coaching career, to work around that massive weakness.

It would be understandable if Daniels doesn’t fully bounce back, but Washington may be reluctant to fork over a top-of-the-market deal for a player coming off two disappointing seasons, especially if more injuries pop up. The Commanders wouldn’t have to move off Daniels, but they’d likely push contract talks into the following offseason, which is typically a bad sign for a first-round quarterback.

Daniels had issues targeting the middle of the field in 2025, but it was less about his reluctance to make those throws and more about his inability to complete them. Per Pro Football Focus, his accuracy rate on intermediate throws dropped by nearly 10% compared to his rookie season. There were a lot of poorly placed passes on his 2025 film.

But the statistical dip can’t be pinned entirely on Daniels, who was throwing into tighter windows last season. With wide receiver Terry McLaurin out hurt, the Commanders were trotting some abysmal receiving groups out there. It got to a point where tight end Zach Ertz became Daniels’ best option against man coverage. Ertz is still a useful player, but when a 35-year-old is your most reliable option on key passing downs, it’s awfully hard to play quarterback.

Daniels’s regression from Year 1 to Year 2 can mostly be explained by his performance against man coverage and the blitz, which are closely linked. Washington didn’t have receivers who could punish a defense for playing aggressively, and Daniels loses accuracy when he’s forced to drive a throw into tight coverage. He’s one of the NFL’s better quarterbacks when throwing with touch in between the lines of a zone defense. He just didn’t get to do it often last season.

Washington’s offense should be more equipped to deal with aggressive coverage in 2026. Stefon Diggs, who joined via free agency, was one of the NFL’s most productive receivers against tight man-to-man coverage last season. McClaurin is healthy again. And the team prioritized explosive athletes to fill out the rest of the receiving corps, including third-round rookie Antonio Williams and former first-round pick Treylon Burks. 

Even with the upgrades, this isn’t a world-beating receiving corps, so Daniels will have to take a step as an intermediate passer to make it work.

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Last week, Eagles general manager Howie Roseman defended Hurts and denied that the clock is ticking on his time in Philadelphia despite the team’s passing game struggles over the past few seasons. “I think the bottom line for us … is winning football games,” Roseman said on a recent appearance on the “Move the Sticks” podcast. “And all [Hurts] does is win football games … for me, the barometer is winning football games.”

I don’t expect Roseman to get into the nuances of quarterback evaluation during a podcast hit, but that’s a reductive view of Hurts that also suggests his value to the team is directly tied to its winning percentage. If the Eagles have a down year, and the passing game doesn’t improve, will the front office view of Hurts shift? If that’s the case, then it does feel like there’s a lot riding on this season in regard to his future with the team.

Last season ended for Jalen Hurts with a wild-card loss at home to the 49ers. (Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)

Supporting talent is less of a concern for Hurts – who is still surrounded by blue-chip players even after the team traded away his top receiver, A.J. Brown – but he’ll also be getting his play calls from an inexperienced offensive coordinator with Sean Mannion coming over from Green Bay.

While Hurts is no stranger to OC changes, this is the first time in his NFL career where he’ll have to learn an entirely new offense from the ground up. Mannion is Nick Sirianni’s fifth offensive coordinator in Philly, but it’s the first time he’s gone outside of his coaching tree to make a hire. 

This won’t be some subtle rebrand. The Eagles offense will be an entirely new thing. Hurts won’t be playing in the shotgun nearly as much and there will be fewer spread formations. It will look more like the 49ers and Rams offenses, with the quarterback under center, condensed formations, and a lot of play-action passing.

That’s the hope, at least.

In April, ESPN dropped a report on the team’s growing frustration with Hurts’ reluctance to step outside of his comfort zone, which created a lot of the issues that have plagued Philly’s passing game over the past three seasons.

Here’s a key excerpt from the report: “He has pushed back on changes that would diversify the scheme, sources said, including when it comes to him going under center more. He has shown a reluctance to let it rip at times, particularly against zone coverage.”

Jalen Hurts faces a potentially big adjustment to new Eagles offensive coordinator Sean Mannion’s offense this season. (Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)

The report also covered Hurts butting heads with former offensive coordinator Kellen Moore over the use of pre-snap motion. Moore, who’s been calling plays for NFL offenses since 2019, is a big proponent of the tactic but dialed back his usage in 2024 to suit Hurts’ preferences.

ESPN also quoted sources close to Hurts who denied those claims, but this season will give us a clear answer. Mannion’s offense is built around all the tactics that are supposedly outside of the quarterback’s comfort zone. This system doesn’t work without pre-snap motion. It doesn’t work without going under center. And it doesn’t work when the quarterback is reluctant to “let it rip” over the middle of the field against zone coverage.

Hurts’ reluctance to throw over the middle of the field isn’t just theoretical at this point. Per Next Gen Stats, Hurts targeted the middle third of the field at the league’s lowest rate in 2025. It was the fifth year in a row he’s accomplished that feat. He’s had four different offensive coordinators over that span, so there’s a clear common denominator.

My theory: Hurts doesn’t have top-end arm strength but makes up for it with a keen understanding of his own limitations. Hurts avoids the middle of the field for the same reason Jared Goff doesn’t throw on the run: it’s not his game. Making throws into tight zone windows with repeated success isn’t in his wheelhouse and not a winning strategy for him. It can hold back the offense at times, but it limits turnovers. Here’s an example from the Eagles’ loss to the Broncos last season.

You can see Hurts consider making the stick throw to wide receiver DeVonta Smith between two zone defenders before thinking better of it and settling for an out-of-structure heave downfield.

But when the windows are clearer – or the Eagles are in catch-up mode late and turnovers are less of a concern – Hurts will take his shots over the middle.

If this scheme change is going to work, one of two things needs to happen: Either Mannion is the second-coming of Shanahan and consistently provides Hurts with clear throwing windows over the middle, or Hurts takes more chances, even if it leads to a small bump to his interception totals.

Sunday’s opener will be our first glimpse at the new offenses in Washington and Philadelphia. While it’s important to give these first-year coordinators some grace and give their quarterbacks time to get acclimated to their new digs, the game will provide a perfect stress test for Daniels and Hurts thanks to the defensive matchups on both sides. 

How will Daniels fare against an Eagles secondary that closes throwing windows as well as any defense in the league? Will Hurts look comfortable going under center and turning his back to the defense on play-action defense against a Washington scheme built around pre-snap disguises and post-snap chaos?

The answer to those questions will have ramifications that stretch far beyond the final score on Sunday. They’ll determine how far the Eagles and Commanders can go in 2026 and how much confidence they should have in their franchise quarterbacks beyond this season.