A goalless draw might not sound like a breakthrough, but for the Canada men’s national team, Tuesday’s result against Colombia was exactly that — a sign of growth and maturity under Jesse Marsch.
Against one of South America’s toughest opponents, Canada showed composure, discipline, and a collective understanding that has often eluded them in high-pressure games.
“We are looking more like an experienced team, the leaders are looking more and more like leaders, and the young players are developing where they look more like the regular players,” Marsch told reporters after the match.
It was a performance defined not by flair but by control and rigidity. Canada didn’t panic when Colombia pushed forward, and they looked increasingly comfortable managing the tempo themselves.
That steadiness is something Marsch has emphasized since taking charge, aiming to build a team that can trust its identity regardless of venue or opponent.
“I believe that the way we play, in the way that we commit to games, is going to ultimately benefit us more down the road,” Marsch said.
For a program focused on long-term progress heading toward the 2026 World Cup, Tuesday’s draw felt like a small but meaningful step.
With the October international break now in the rearview mirror, Lazio will resume their Serie A campaign with an away fixture against Atalanta.
Atalanta vs Lazio: Kick-Off Time, Location & Where to Watch
The Serie A clash between Atalanta and Lazio kicks off at 18:00 local time on Monday, October 19, at the New Balance Arena in Bergamo.
To find out how to watch Atalanta vs Lazio in your respective country, check out this verified list of international TV listings.
Atalanta Form Guide: Recent Results & Table Position
Ivan Juric’s reign in Bergamo began with two disappointing draws against Pisa and Parma, but the team then bounced back with two victories over Lecce (4-1) and Torino (3-0). However, Atalanta dropped more points in the last two rounds, sharing the spoils with Juventus and Como.
With two wins and four draws in the first six rounds, La Dea sits sixth in the Serie A table with 10 points. While they were hammered by Paris Saint-Germain on the opening matchday of the Champions League, they remain unbeaten on the domestic stage this season, so it remains to be seen if Lazio will have something to say about it.
Lazio Form Guide: Recent Results & Table Position
Lazio have started their campaign on a slow note, only collecting two wins in their first six rounds. While their victories over Hellas Verona and Genoa were large and convincing, their defeats to Como, Sassuolo and Roma highlighted the team’s limitations.
In their most recent outing, the Biancocelesti salvaged a point in the last minute following a back-and-forth clash with Torino, which puts them 13th in the Serie A table with just seven points in the bag.
Atalanta vs Lazio: Match Insights
Lazio gunning for back-to-back wins in Bergamo: Having emerged victorious last April thanks to Gustav Isaksen’s winner, the Aquile are aiming for a second away win in a row against Atalanta for the third time in their history after 2002 and 2012.
Juric targeting historic record: The Croatian boss is only the second Atalanta manager to avoid defeat in his first six matches in charge, but he’ll be keen to tie, and perhaps surpass Giovanni Vavassori’s record, which stands at eight.
Expected Starting Lineups
Atalanta (3-4-2-1): Carnesecchi; Djimsiti, Hien, Scalvini; Zappacosta, Ederson, Pasalic, De Roon; De Ketelaere, Sulemana; Krstovic.
In the current day and age, Lazio may struggle to earn a result in Bergamo even with a complete squad at Maurizio Sarri’s disposal. Therefore, with key players like Taty Castellanos, Nicolo Rovella, and (most likely) Mattia Zaccagni ruled out of action, avoiding defeat could be a daunting mission for the Biancocelesti.
This should be an entertaining contest, but Atalanta’s superior depth and overall quality could be enough to tip the scales in their favor.
WR Kameron Johnson. The second-year pro’s first career catch last week was a 34-yard TD and he finished with four receptions for 64 yards. If Mike Evans doesn’t return, the Bucs won’t have their top four receivers. Johnson has made an impact as a returner and now he’s poised to do it as a receiver.
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Lions player to watch
DE Aidan Hutchinson. He has a sack in five straight games, setting a single-season franchise record. Hutchinson has a sack and a forced fumble in four consecutive games, making him the first to pull off the feat since Khalil Mack in 2018, to match the longest streak since at least 1999. He has six sacks, ranking fourth in the league.
Key matchup
Bucs QB Baker Mayfield against Detroit’s short-handed secondary. Mayfield is tied for third in the league with 12 TD passes and is sixth in passer rating. The Lions have a handful of defensive backs banged up and took another hit when S Brian Branch was suspended one game by the NFL for throwing a punch and triggering a fight after last week’s loss at Kansas City.
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Key injuries
Buccaneers: Rookie WR Emeka Egbuka (hamstring) and RG Luke Haggard (shoulder) were injured last week. … WR Mike Evans (hamstring), RB Bucky Irving (foot, shoulder), WR Chris Godwin (fibula), RT Luke Goedeke (foot), CB Benjamin Morrison (hamstring) and CB Zyon McCollum (thumb) didn’t play in Week 6. DL Calijah Kancey (pec), TE Ko Kieft (leg) and G Cody Mauch (knee) are done for the season.
Lions: OT Taylor Decker (shoulder) practiced Thursday, moving closer to playing after missing two games. S Kerby Joseph missed 11 of 64 defensive snaps after aggravating a knee injury last week and CB Terrion Arnold (shoulder), who didn’t play at Kansas City, were held out of practice Thursday.
Series notes
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The road team has won eight of the past nine matchups. Baker Mayfield had an 11-yard TD on a designed run one snap after converting a third down with another 11-yard run late in the third quarter of last season’s win. The Lions turned it over on downs at the Bucs 6 with 53 seconds left and again at their 26 with 2 seconds left in the loss. Lions QB Jared Goff threw two INTs against Tampa Bay last season when the Lions went 1 of 7 in the red zone. Detroit beat the Bucs 31-23 in the divisional round on Jan. 21, 2024, and advanced to the NFC championship game for the first time in 32 years.
Stats and stuff
NFC South-leading Tampa Bay has the best record in the conference and is tied with Indianapolis for the NFL’s best mark entering Week 7. … After the Bucs became the first team in NFL history with four wins by three or fewer points in their first five games of season, they beat San Francisco by 11 points. … Mayfield threw for 256 yards with two TDs and no INTs for a season-high 139 rating last week. … Egbuka, the No. 19 pick overall, leads the team with 27 catches, 469 yards receiving and five receiving TDs. … RB Rachaad White had season-high 86 yards from scrimmage and ran for his fourth TD last week. … The Lions have not lost two consecutive games in the regular season in nearly three years. In coach Dan Campbell’s second season, they dropped five in a row and fell to 1-6 on Oct. 30, 2022. Since then, Detroit is an NFL-best 39-11 followed by the teams — Kansas City (38-12) and Philadelphia (36-14) — that combined to win the past three Super Bowls. … Goff (10,594 yards passing and 81 TD passes) and Mayfield (10,083 yards passing and 81 TD passes) lead the league in yards passing and TD passes since 2023. … Goff has completed an NFL-high 75.9% of his passes and leads the league with 14 TD passes, ranking second in passer rating. … S Kerby Joseph has an INT in two straight home games. … If Hutchinson forces a fumble, he will join Robert Mathis (2005) as the two players this century to do that in five straight games in one season.
Fantasy tip
Goff is great at Ford Field. He has accounted for 50 TDs in his past 19 starts at home, throwing for 47 scores, rushing for two and catching one.
Tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders is closing in on a return to the Panthers lineup.
Sanders has missed the last three games with an ankle injury, but he was upgraded to full practice participation on Thursday. The Panthers will issue injury designations for Sunday’s game against the Jets on Friday.
Sanders had 11 catches in the first three games of the season.
Cornerback Jaycee Horn (shoulder) also moved up to full practice participation. Wide receiver Jalen Coker (quad) and center Austin Corbett (knee) fully participated for the second straight day.
Left guard Damien Lewis (chest) was added to the injury report. He did not participate.
Cornerback Akayleb Evans (hamstring), running back Chuba Hubbard (calf), right tackle Taylor Moton (elbow), and defensive tackle Tershawn Wharton (toe) remained limited.
At just 25 years old, former Denver Broncos safety Caden Sterns is hanging up his cleats.
Sterns announced in an Instagram post on Thursday that he’s retiring from the NFL. He spent the first three years of his career in Denver and struggled to stay healthy. After being drafted by the Broncos in the fifth round of the 2021 NFL draft out of Texas, Sterns played in 15 games as a rookie, but he then missed 12 games in 2022 and all but one game in 2023.
Sterns suffered a torn patellar tendon in Week 1 of the 2023 season, and he struggled to get back on the field after that knee injury. Denver cut the safety in 2024 and he was initially picked up by the Carolina Panthers, but they waived him after he failed a physical. Sterns then went on a roller coaster ride with the Philadelphia Eagles, bouncing on and off the practice squad.
Now, after failing to break back into the NFL, Sterns posted this message on social media:
Goodbye Football.
Well… damn. Crazy to say it’s been over two years since I last stepped on a field. I spent that time trying to just be healthy & functional again — then fighting like hell to get back to the game I love. As I sit here writing this reminiscing, tears rolling down my face, I feel everything: pain, sadness, gratitude, peace. I didn’t become the player I thought I would be… but who am I to question God’s plan? Some chapters are meant to end rough — yet the story still goes on.
This isn’t a sorrow post. It’s one of joy. Pure joy. Because this game gave me everything. Purpose, brotherhood, identity, discipline — all of it. Football molded me, broke me, built me, as I got up everyday despite how I felt chasing the vision.
To every teammate, coach, fan, trainer, and friend — thank you. You made this journey special. To my family, for never letting me forget who I was outside the helmet — I love y’all.
I realized success was never about the numbers or the highlights — it was about the man I became through the struggle. It’s about holding faith when everything you planned goes sideways, and still showing up with gratitude. It’s about growth — the kind that only comes through pain and patience.
This chapter’s over, and I’m at peace with it. The same drive that once fueled the grind still burns — the target’s still the same, the scope’s just different.
So again, thank you, football. For allowing me to stand for something far bigger than myself. You’ll forever live within me — the lessons, the love, the memories.
With Much love, Caden S.
Sterns tweeted in January that he had comeback ambitions, and he worked out for the New York Giants in August, but he has now decided to walk away from the game. Sterns totaled 49 tackles, nine pass breakups, four interceptions and two sacks in 21 career games with the Broncos. The talent was there, but injuries derailed his career.
Each week, fantasy football analyst Joel Smyth goes through 10 storylines that will define the week. After six weeks of injuries, turmoil, and breakouts, how will the trends of fantasy football define Week 7?
Rashee Rice returns
You’ve waited six weeks; now it’s time. Rashee Rice was the WR1 through three weeks in 2024 on a Chiefs offense ranked ninth in pass rate over expected. In 2025, Kansas City ranks first. Rice’s supreme volume from last year has a great shot of returning, as no Chiefs player has above a 20% target share.
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Upside is the key to fantasy football, and it’s what separates Rice from other WRs in his fantasy trade range. He’s coming off an LCL injury, has a low sample of elite production and zero games played in 2025. The risk is there, but a fantasy WR1 is much different than an overall WR1. Since Week 12 of 2023, Rice is the WR2, averaging 19.5 fantasy PPG in PPR.
Travis Kelce was the main victim of Rice’s success from that point. With Rice breaking out, Kelce’s targets per game dropped to six. Worthy moves more to boom-bust territory as his 20% target share is likely the highest it reaches with Rice returning. A large portion of Worthy’s success at the end of 2024 came from designed targets, an area that Rice ranked second in the NFL prior to his season-ending injury. Rice’s ceiling is undeniable, but it may come at the cost of consistency for the other Chiefs’ receivers. Below is the current target share of the 2025 Chiefs with my projection going forward after doing a research deep dive.
Target Share without Rice
Here’s a look at the Kansas City target share percentages while Rice has been out due to suspension this season.
Projected Target Share with Rice
Here’s a look at what the target share in Kansas City might look like with Rice back in the fold.
Rico Dowdle vs. Chuba Hubbard
The money says it’s Chuba Hubbard, Rico Dowdle says it’s Chuba Hubbard… but is it actually Chuba Hubbard? When Hubbard was healthy, he had zero missed tackles forced and 10+ yard runs on only 4% of carries. The offensive line has been great, but with great volume, Hubbard was only the RB17 through month one. When Dowdle led the backfield, he was the overall RB1.
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Dowdle’s rushing efficiency has been off the charts. Second to Bijan Robinson in yards after contact per attempt, and was already getting all the goal-line work. I believe this will be a pure committee. If Dowdle leads the way, I believe he can be a great fantasy RB on only 60% of the volume. I can’t say the same for Hubbard. Dowdle’s usage increased every game leading up to the Hubbard injury in Week 4. Is that trend really going to end after back-to-back 200-yard games? Doubt it.
Which Rams WR will step up with Puka Nacua hurt?
Jordan Whittington or Tutu Atwell? Why not both? Whether you have Puka Nacua or one of the other 20 injured fantasy WRs, the Rams’ backups can provide some hope abroad. In 2024, there were two games without Nacua where Atwell and Whittington both played. They had nearly identical numbers, each having double-digit fantasy points in both games. Below is a table outlining their total stats in Weeks 4 and 5 while Nacua was sidelined.
Player
Routes
Targets
Receptions
Receiving Yards
Jordan Whittington
72
18
13
151
Tutu Atwell
71
16
10
140
Without Nacua for Matthew Stafford to pepper targets to, the Rams continue to target wideouts versus other positions. Whittington and Atwell each had around a quarter of the targets when on the field. Davante Adams will be the biggest benefactor, but Nacua’s league-leading 35% target share is enough to support more than just a small Adams bump. Whittington is most similar to Nacua’s role, as Atwell is much more of a downfield big-play threat. Nacua has a lower rate of vertical routes with 21%, Atwell’s is very high at 51%, while Whittington’s is at 31%. Against a Jaguars defense ranked eighth-worst versus WRs, both have hope as desperate flex fill-ins.
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CeeDee Lamb with George Pickens
CeeDee Lamb is set to return in Week 7 to a Cowboys offense firing on all cylinders. Since Lamb left in Week 3, George Pickens is the overall WR1 and Jake Ferguson is the overall TE1. That alone should give managers confidence that it’s not going to completely disappear. Excluding his Week 5 matchup when Jets CB Sauce Gardner followed him snap-to-snap, Pickens’ target share has increased each game, peaking at 32% last week. The chemistry between Dak Prescott and his new wideout has shown consistent growth since their Week 1 dud.
Pickens and Lamb can co-exist. As a 50% slot WR, Lamb can control the majority of the underneath volume, as Pickens’ primary role will stay as a downfield playmaker. It is not a coincidence that Pickens’ best day in terms of target share was also Prescott’s highest average time to throw.
How will Lamb’s return impact Jake Ferguson?
Ceedee Lamb’s return will have a larger effect on Jake Ferguson, in my humble opinion. Since Lamb’s injury, Ferguson has had an average depth of target of fewer than four yards downfield. With Ferguson playing 50% in the slot and 50% as a true tight end, his role is actually more similar to Lamb’s despite not being a true wideout.
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Jake Ferguson is the rare tight end (really just Trey McBride besides him) that is an elite fantasy option due to his extreme volume. Ferguson gets some red-zone work and is great after the catch, but he’s the overall TE1 because his volume is better than anyone else. In total targets, Ferguson ranks ninth in the entire NFL. I still believe he will be a valuable TE1, but the difference between the overall TE1 and a mid-level TE1 is stark.
David Montgomery usage
David Montgomery had his lowest carries in a healthy game since 2019 last week, with six attempts. Jahmyr Gibbs has slowly received a larger workload with his percentage of RB touches peaking in Week 6 at 75%. Head coach Dan Campbell has stated he’d like the RB split to be more even going forward, which I would like to believe; he is, in fact, the coach who compared Montgomery to Walter Payton less than a year ago.
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His production is not the issue in the slightest. Montgomery ranks fourth among RBs in fantasy points per touch, behind only De’Von Achane, Bijan Robinson and Jonathan Taylor. The issue with his Week 7 matchup is that it’s the opposite of his usual strengths. The Buccaneers are fourth-best against fantasy running backs on the ground, but 23rd versus receiving backs. Last season, Montgomery averaged 16.3 touches per game. He’s passed that mark one time this season. If he has yet another game of low volume after Campbell’s comments, my confidence in him being trusted going forward would take a dive.
Nico Collins’ usage
A new offensive coordinator comes with the risk of change for fantasy players. With Nico Collins, that change has been primarily negative so far. Collins has failed to reach seven targets in over half of his games this season after hitting that mark (and usually much higher) in 10 of 12 completed games in 2024. You can say that is partially due to back-to-back blowouts for Houston, but digging deeper brings out more concerns.
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In terms of his “expected points per route” or total volume on a per route basis, Collins has dropped from fifth-best in 2024 to 23rd to start the year. Overall, he is set up well in Week 7. Seattle is dealing with injuries in the secondary, are 26th against fantasy WRs and the game is projected to be a close contest. C.J. Stroud has taken a significant dip under pressure, so the question becomes does the Seattle D-line that pressures the QB 40% of the time ruin his opportunity? Off the bye week, I believe this to be a pivotal point in projecting the rest of Collins’ season.
Eagles vs. Vikings defense coming off the bye
The Philly offense has had issues, and they’re about to get some more. If Jalen Hurts wants a challenge, it’ll come in the biggest form yet: Brian Flores. The Vikings defensive coordinator excels in what the Eagles weakness is.
Philadelphia and Jalen Hurts have always been dominant against man coverage, especially in fantasy. This season, Hurts is averaging 0.79 fantasy points per dropback against man defense. The issue: the Vikings barely run man. They have the No. 1 defense in EPA/dropback, playing 80% zone coverage. Hurts points per dropback drops from 0.79 to 0.27 when playing against zone. With the Vikings coming off a bye week, it’s an incredibly difficult spot for the Philly offense, which desperately needs a bounce-back game.
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D’Andre Swift hot streak?
Last season, D’Andre Swift was the overall fantasy RB1… from games 4-7. A four-game stretch where the Chicago RB dominated and cemented his volume for the season, posting over 100 scrimmage yards in each game. After that stretch, even with bellcow volume, he didn’t have 100 yards in a game until… Monday night. Off the bye week, Ben Johnson gave Swift his lowest snap share of the season, but it led to a ceiling performance in fantasy. Swift has yet to have a game this season under 15 touches. With Chicago hosting the Saints this weekend, Swift has the opportunity to once again cement his volume for the season by starting another hot streak.
After starting the season with 14.3 touches per game, Swift jumped to 18 the rest of the way after game seven. The Bears are currently the top team in run block win rate, along with being a top-10 scoring offense. Johnson is setting up another fantasy gold mine for running backs, and Swift has the opportunity to take advantage. If he keeps up his receiving and stays hot on the ground, Swift would quickly approach fantasy RB1 levels for the rest of the season.
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Justin Herbert vs. Colts
Six games into the season and Justin Herbert has been pressured the second-most in the NFL. Being down three offensive tackles makes it difficult to protect your quarterback. Who knew? Herbert’s yards per attempt this season drops from 8.00 to 4.7 when under pressure. Especially important for a team No. 2 in dropbacks this season.
The Colts defense has been great this season, but they haven’t pressured the quarterback too often. Indianapolis ranks fifth in pressure rate over expected while the Chargers have gone extremely pass heavy this season. With such a hot start, the Colts defense has faced the highest pass rate in the NFL entering Week 7, setting Herbert and this Chargers attack up well for a successful day through the air.
Sunday’s matchup between the Minnesota Vikings and the Philadelphia Eagles is pivotal for both teams as they are at an inflection point during their seasons.
For the Vikings, they are coming off a much-needed Bye Week as they healed up and looked to turn the page on some inconsistencies in their game. Players like Andrew Van Ginkel, J.J. McCarthy, and Donovan Jackson have all been pivotal to their success in 2025, but have missed time over the last few weeks, affecting both sides of the ball. Despite all the injuries, this team does seem to be ready for the matchup at hand with the Eagles in Week 7. They will welcome the defending Super Bowl champions to their home and hope to send them back to Philadelphia with another loss on their record.
While looking at the game, we wanted to identify areas where the team might have advantages over the Eagles. Three areas stood out to us that should allow the Vikings to rely on and secure a win on Sunday.
Safety
The Vikings’ safety duo of Theo Jackson and Josh Metellus have been playing great football for the team in 2025. When Harrison Smith missed the start of the season, many people expected the group to take a step back, especially after losing Camryn Bynum in free agency as well. What has happened instead is a group that is great in run support, helps in pass coverage, and has covered up the missing pieces they have had on defense throughout the year. The Eagles have some playmakers at the position, but none like the duo the Vikings have.
Pass Rushers
The Vikings’ pass rushers have been dealing with injuries on and off all year, but Jonathan Greenard has remained a reliable piece in their defense. What they have seen take a big step in 2025 is the pass rush of their interior guys, especially Jalen Redmond. The second-year defensive lineman has become a constant presence in opposing backfields, and as a result, the team has been able to not miss Andrew Van Ginkel as much as they would have last year. And on that note, there is a potential for Van Ginkel to return this week, and if he does, then this pass-rushing group is better than the Eagles by a country mile.
Quarterback
Based on how they are playing right now, I am favoring either J.J. McCarthy or Carson Wentz over Jalen Hurts. The Eagles quarterback has struggled to get the team’s passing game going much, to the point that A.J. Brown has made more social media posts than he has receptions this year. It feels like that. Whereas, despite all the ups and downs the quarterbacks have had in Minnesota, Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison have remained threats to opposing defenses.
The 2025-26 women’s basketball season will be the second for Tennessee under head coach Kim Caldwell.
The Lady Vols have five freshmen on roster this season. All five Tennessee freshmen play guard: Jaida Civil, Lauren Hurst, Mia Pauldo, Mya Pauldo and Deniya Prawl. The 6-foot-3 Hurst also plays forward.
Caldwell discussed the Lady Vols’ five freshmen at SEC media days in Birmingham, Alabama on Wednesday.
“I think our newcomers have elevated the level of our practice,” Caldwell said. “Anyone can have a great practice. You can’t show up and just walk in the gym. You have to show up ready or you’re going to get your tail kicked.
“We have five freshmen. They’re doing a great job. They’re tough. They are not scared of anyone. They’re not scared to talk, to lead. They win our sprints. They have been great. If you don’t show up ready, and in the right mindset to practice, a freshman is going to, again, make you look bad.”
Nine weeks into the fall season, Star sports reporters Joe Curley and Dominic Massimino discuss a pivotal upcoming week of football games, as well as cross country news from across the area. Give it a watch here!
