Many believed the Cincinnati Bengals were dead and buried after the team lost four straight games following Joe Burrow’s significant turf toe injury.

Instead, Joe Flacco breathed life into the team by leading them to a 33-31 ‘Thursday Night Football’ upset over the Pittsburgh Steelers in his second start with the team.

Flacco and the Bengals played with poise Cincinnati’s offense hadn’t shown since Burrow exited the team’s Week 2 game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The 40-year-old veteran demonstrated great chemistry with Ja’Marr Chase (16 catches, 161 yards, one touchdown) and Tee Higgins (six catches, 96 yards, one touchdown) throughout Thursday’s contest.

Meanwhile, the rest of Cincinnati’s offense played with a level of desperation it hadn’t previously shown, knowing another loss could do considerable damage to their playoff chances even at this early stage in the 2025 NFL season.

Now 3-4, the Bengals are just a game-and-a-half back of the Steelers in the AFC North race. They will get a chance to claw their way back to .500 in Week 8, when the Bengals face a New York Jets squad that has yet to win a game.

As for the Steelers, they’ll go back to the drawing board, knowing Aaron Rodgers’ two-interception outing coupled with a poor defensive performance cost them an opportunity to keep the Bengals buried.

USA TODAY Sports provided live updates, highlights and more from this week’s ‘Thursday Night Football’ matchup below:

Bengals vs. Steelers takeaways

• Joe 2.0: Maybe Joe Burrow was sharing some of his secret stuff. Joe Flacco did exactly what he should have done: Take advantage of the weapons at his disposal. Big games from both Chase and Higgins helped resuscitate the Bengals offense, and that should give Cincy fans a modicum of hope while Burrow recovers.
• Throwback Thursday: While Aaron Rodgers wasn’t quite vintage in this performance, he did move up the NFL’s career passing yards leader list, surpassing Ben Roethlisberger for fifth place all time.
• Mike drop? Mike Tomlin now has a relatively curious record on ‘Thursday Night Football.’ The Steelers head coach is 0-7 on the road vs. AFC North opponents on Thursdays, which is oddly specific and probably apropos of nothing. Still, 0-7 vs. anyone in any situation isn’t necessarily a positive.

Bengals vs. Steelers highlights

Bengals win after Aaron Rodgers’ Hail Mary knocked down

Rodgers’ 41-year-old arm still has plenty of juice, as the quarterback heaved a 70-yard prayer to the end zone. But the pass was knocked down just inside the goal line, giving Cincinnati the stunning win on Thursday night.

Bengals vs. Steelers score: Evan McPherson puts Cincy ahead late

Thanks to Higgins’ play, a few kneel downs and a short field goal off of Evan McPherson’s foot puts the Bengals up with seven seconds left in regulation.

Bengals 33, Steelers 31

Tee Higgins makes high-IQ play

The Bengals wide receiver hauled in a pass from Joe Flacco and had a clear lane to the end zone – but Higgins slid short of the goal line, forcing the Steelers into a predicament.

By sliding short of the end zone, the Steelers are forced to use one of their two remaining timeouts. That will allow the Steelers to kneel out the clock, leaving roughly 10 seconds until they have to try a chip-shot field goal to take the lead.

Steelers take lead after Aaron Rodgers hits Pat Freiermuth for 68-yard TD

For the first time since they led 10-7, the Steelers are back on top. The Bengals lost Freiermuth in coverage and allowed him to catch a deep ball from Rodgers on a second-and-20 and run untouched into the end-zone.

Chris Boswell made the extra point, and the Steelers are now winning 31-30 with 2:21 left in regulation.

Steelers force Bengals punt, get ball back with 2:46 remaining

T.J. Watt finally got more pressure on Joe Flacco, which helped the Steelers force the Bengals to punt. The Steelers get the ball back to their 42-yard line after a nice return by Ke’Shawn Williams with a chance to mount a potential game-winning TD drive.

Joe Flacco rushes for 12 yards on second-and-10

The Bengals pulled out a bold play on second-and-10 from their own territory. They ran a zone read with Flacco, a 40-year-old not known for his mobility. 

It worked to perfection, as no Steelers players expected Flacco to run, allowing him to pick up the first down.

Steelers forced to punt after Pat Freiermuth can’t haul in third-and-4 pass

The Steelers went three-and-out following Cincinnati’s field goal. Aaron Rodgers tried to throw a quick strike to Freiermuth on third-and-4, but the tight end couldn’t bring it in amid tight coverage.

Corliss Waitman’s punt was a good one, checking up at the 9-yard line and being downed at the 10. The Steelers will need to quickly stop the Bengals, who are leading 30-24 with 5:16 left in regulation, to get another shot to mount a game-tying drive.

Ja’Marr Chase stats today

Chase has benefitted greatly from playing with Joe Flacco. The star receiver has been targeted 19 times, the most of any player in a game this season, and has made 14 catches for 128 yards and a touchdown.

Steelers defense limits Bengals to field goal

The Steelers let Joe Flacco and Ja’Marr Chase move down the field, but they ultimately came up with a key stop after Joey Porter Jr. had tight coverage on Tee Higgins on third-and-13.

Evan McPherson came on to attempt a 45-yard field goal. He makes it, putting the Bengals up 30-24 with 6:58 left in regulation.

Bengals 30, Steelers 24

Darnell Washington catches 2-yard TD from Aaron Rodgers

The Steelers have scored three touchdowns on Thursday. All have been by tight ends, with the 6-7, 264-pound Washington joining Pat Freiermuth and Jonnu Smith as scorers on a middle-of-the-field strike from Rodgers.

Chris Boswell’s extra point is good, and Cincinnati’s lead is down to 27-24 with 11:03 left in regulation.

Bengals 27, Steelers 24

Bengals vs. Steelers score: Joe Flacco hits Noah Fant for TD to open fourth quarter

Flacco continues to look sharp, capping off an 8-play, 67-yard drive with a pass over the middle of the field to the wide-open Fant.

Evan McPherson makes the extra point and takes a 27-17 lead with 14:57 left in regulation.

Bengals will face key third-and-goal to open fourth quarter, leading 20-17

The third quarter saw the Steelers cut into the Bengals’ lead thanks to an impressive third-and-18 touchdown pass from Aaron Rodgers to Pat Freiermuth, but Cincinnati continues to move the ball with ease against Pittsburgh’s defense.

When the fourth quarter opens, Joe Flacco and Co. will be facing a third-and-goal from the 5-yard line. The Bengals are outgaining the Steelers 345-244 and are winning the turnover battle 2-0.

Steelers cut into Bengals lead with 19-yard TD pass to Pat Freiermuth

The Steelers were facing a third-and-18 when Aaron Rodgers finally decided to throw a pass to the intermediate portion of the field. He got time to throw and managed to rip one up the seam to Pat Freiermuth, who was open and managed to catch the score with ease.

Chris Boswell’s extra point is good and the Bengals are now leading 20-17.

Bengals vs. Steelers score: Evan McPherson field goal lengthens lead

The Steelers managed to keep the Bengals out of the end-zone on third-and-goal, but McPherson drilled a 23-yard field goal with ease to extend the Bengals’ run of unanswered points to 20.

The Bengals are now up 20-10 and at up more than seven minutes of the third quarter on their first drive of the half. They have already possessed the ball for 21:45, and should be able to continue wearing out the Steelers’ defense.

Bengals 20, Steelers 10

Joe Flacco pushes ahead for 1-yard gain on fourth down

The Bengals convert their fourth down opportunity after the unsuccessful challenge. Flacco simply pushed ahead for a 1-yard gain on a quarterback sneak to create a first-and-goal opportunity.

Zac Taylor unsuccessfully challenges spot on Andre Iosivas catch

Iosivas was tackled a yard short of the line to gain on a third-and-7 catch. The Bengals lined up to go for it on fourth-and-1, but just one second before the play clock expired, Taylor challenged the spot.

A review revealed Iosivas was, in fact, short of the line to gain, costing the Bengals a timeout. The team had been planning to run a QB sneak with Joe Flacco before the stoppage, so it will be interesting to see if they choose that path again.

Aaron Rodgers stats at halftime

Rodgers started the game strong but threw a couple of interceptions in the second half. Overall, he has completed 13 of 19 passes for 118 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions.

Rodgers continues to have trouble pushing the ball down the field. If he can’t more consistently find and hit his targets in the intermediate-to-deep part of the field, the Bengals will continue to sit on the short routes.

Bengals vs. Steelers score: Evan McPherson makes field goal for halftime lead

After a slow start, the Bengals have dominated the Steelers. Cincinnati has scored 17 unanswered points while forcing Aaron Rodgers into multiple interceptions.

Joe Flacco has been in rhythm all night, completing 14 of 21 passes for 129 yards and two touchdowns in the first half. He has shown great chemistry with Ja’Marr Chase, who has seven catches for 61 yards and a touchdown, and Tee Higgins, who racked up three catches for 54 yards and a score.

Meanwhile, Chase Brown has had his best day of the season on the ground already, generating 74 yards on just five carries.

The Steelers defense will need to button things up in the second half after allowing three consecutive scoring drives to close the first half. If they can’t, Flacco and the Bengals will have a chance to snap a four-game losing streak and get back in the AFC North race.

DJ Turner rips interception out of DK Metcalf’s hands

The Bengals have created another big-time turnover. Aaron Rodgers nearly had a first-down completion to Metcalf, but the veteran receiver had the ball ripped out of his hands as he was going to the ground.

Turner managed to gain control of the ball and get a knee down in bounds. The Bengals will now have 40 seconds to mount a scoring drive before halftime. They have one timeout remaining.

Aaron Rodgers climbs to 5th on the NFL’s all-time passing list, passing Ben Roethlisberger

Rodgers has officially climbed ahead of Roethlisberger, a Steelers legend, on the NFL’s all-time passing list after his 15-yard completion to Jaylen Warren.

Below is a look at Rodgers’ present ranking on the passing list:

1. Tom Brady: 89,214
2. Drew Brees: 80,358
3. Peyton Manning: 71,940
4. Brett Favre: 71,838
5. Aaron Rodgers: 64,089

Bengals vs. Steelers score: Joe Flacco hits Tee Higgins for 29-yard TD

Flacco and the Bengals offense are starting to heat up. After the interception, the 40-year-old veteran managed to move Cincinnati down the field in a hurry. Chase Brown had a 37-yard carry but the drive was capped off by a strike to Tee Higgins, which saw the 6-4 wideout run straight up the middle after the catch to get into the end zone untouched.

Evan McPherson makes the extra point, and the Bengals are ahead for the first time of the evening, 14-10.

Aaron Rodgers tosses deep-ball interception after overthrowing DK Metcalf

Rodgers tried to create a big play down the field to Metcalf, but the Bengals had quality double-coverage on the play. 

Safety Jordan Battle came over the top to make the interception and had a nice return. However, the return was nullified after review, as Metcalf managed to touch Battle on the helmet as he went to the ground.

Bengals vs. Steelers score: Ja’Marr Chase gets Bengals on board with 8-yard TD from Joe Flacco

One play after dropping a potential touchdown, Chase was able to beat Jalen Ramsey for a score. Flacco managed to drop the lob pass in the bucket to him to get the Bengals on the board.

Evan McPherson makes the extra point and the Steelers’ lead is down to 10-7.

Steelers 10, Bengals 7

Joe Flacco threads pass to Ja’Marr Chase in end-zone, but WR can’t complete catch

Flacco made a near-perfect throw to Chase in the end-zone, but the veteran receiver wasn’t able to secure the ball going to the ground. He was clipped by Chuck Clark in a tight window, which caused him to be unable to secure the pass.

Originally, the officials ruled Chase’s catch a touchdown but it was overturned after an expedited review.

Ja’Marr Chase turns juggling catch into 8 yards

Chase nearly had a bad drop on a quick pass from Joe Flacco. Instead, he juggled it a few times and reeled it in, with his final bobble actually preventing him from being hit hard by cornerback Darius Slay.

How old is Aaron Rodgers?

The Steelers passer is 41 years old, and turns 42 on Dec. 2. He’s the oldest active player in the NFL.

Bengals vs. Steelers score: Pittsburgh settles for field goal

The Steelers got into a fourth-and-1 scenario and were poised to go for it. They were going to attempt a ‘Tush Push’ with tight end Connor Heyward, but the right side of Pittsburgh’s line jumped early.

After the penalty, Chris Boswell trotted out for a 41-yard field goal attempt. He nailed it to give the Steelers a 10-0 lead.

Steelers 10, Bengals 0

Jaylen Warren TD run wiped out by holding penalty

The Steelers briefly appeared to be in the end zone for a second time after a nice cut-back by Warren, but center Zach Frazier was penalized for holding on the play. The Steelers will now face a second-and-11 instead of doubling their lead.

Steelers leading Bengals 7-0 after strong first-quarter showing

The Steelers clearly have the advantage over the Bengals after 15 minutes. Pittsburgh has out-gained Cincinnati 122-44, as the Bengals have been unable to get any semblance of pressure on Aaron Rodgers without Trey Hendrickson.

Rodgers has completed 7 of 11 passes for 79 yards and a touchdown. He has been able to extend plays on multiple occasions, including one where he had 8.63 seconds to throw before finding Jonnu Smith for a touchdown.

Meanwhile, Joe Flacco has shown well considering he has been in Cincinnati for just 10 days. He has completed 4 of 8 passes for 36 yards but has been victimized by a couple of drops from Chase Brown and Andre Iosivas.

The Steelers will have the ball to start the second quarter and are already nearing Chris Boswell’s field goal range.

Steelers force another punt after critical Chase Brown, Andre Iosivas drops

The Bengals aren’t helping Joe Flacco much thus far tonight. Flacco did a great job sniffing out a first-and-10 blitz and delivered a perfect checkdown to Brown. The back would’ve had running room, but he failed to reel in the well-thrown pass.

Then, on third-and-11, Iosivas dropped a pass that hit him in the hands, forcing another Bengals punt.

Making matters worse, the Bengals ran into Steelers return man Ke’Shawn Williams while he tried to make a fair catch, resulting in a 15-yard penalty. Pittsburgh will get the ball at its own 27-yard line instead of its 12 as a result.

Steelers go three-and-out on second possession

The Steelers weren’t able to replicate the success they enjoyed during their first drive. They gained six yards on a dump-off to DK Metcalf but followed that up with back-to-back incompletions, including a flea flicker the Bengals snuffed out.

Corliss Waitman’s punt went 39 yards and pinned the Bengals at their own 17-yard line to start their second drive.

Was Andrew Whitworth on the Bengals?

Andrew Whitworth was a second-round pick for the Bengals in the 2006 NFL Draft. He quickly developed into a starter for them at left tackle, spending the 2006 through 2016 seasons in Cincinnati.

Whitworth spent the final five seasons of his career with the Los Angeles Rams and won Super Bowl 56 against the Bengals in his final NFL game.

Who did Joe Flacco play for?

Flacco played for the Cleveland Browns in 2025 before being traded to the Bengals. Below is a look at the full career timeline for the 40-year-old quarterback.

• Baltimore Ravens (2008-18)
• Denver Broncos (2019)
• New York Jets (2020)
• Philadelphia Eagles (2021)
• New York Jets (2021-22)
• Cleveland Browns (2023)
• Indianapolis Colts (2024)
• Cleveland Browns (2025)
• Cincinnati Bengals (2025)

Bengals forced to punt after first drive

Joe Flacco hit Tee Higgins on an impressive, 18-yard strike to convert a third-and-long and avoid a three-and-out, but a couple of nice tackles by DeShon Elliott and Juan Thornhill didn’t allow Cincinnati to advance further.

Ryan Rehkow’s punt traveled just 37 yards and Ke’Shawn Williams returned it 10 yards to the Steelers 26-yard line.

Steelers vs. Bengals score: Aaron Rodgers finds Jonnu Smith for 10-yard TD

The absence of Trey Hendrickson showed up in a big way on the Bengals’ first defensive drive. Rodgers had a whopping 8.63 seconds to through on a third-and-6 in the red-zone before finding tight end Jonnu Smith open in the end-zone for a score.

Chris Boswell made the extra point, giving the Steelers an early 7-0 lead on the road in Cincinnati.

Steelers 7, Bengals 0

Aaron Rodgers, Steelers take the field

The Steelers received the opening kickoff in Cincinnati, and take over at their own 35-yard line to get the game underway.

What channel is Bengals vs. Steelers on?

• TV channel (national): N/A
• TV channel (Pittsburgh market): ABC4
• TV channel (Cincinnati market): ABC9

The Bengals vs. Steelers matchup will air on Amazon Prime Video, meaning it will not air on traditional cable this week.

Viewers in the Pittsburgh TV market can catch the game on ABC4, while those in the Cincinnati market can view it on ABC9.

What year was Joe Flacco drafted?

Flacco was selected in the first round of the 2008 NFL Draft. The Baltimore Ravens chose the Delaware product 18th overall, making him the second quarterback selected after No. 3 overall pick Matt Ryan.

What year was Aaron Rodgers drafted?

Aaron Rodgers was selected in the first round of the 2005 NFL Draft. The Green Bay Packers made him the 24th overall selection in that year’s draft after one of the most notable draft slides in NFL history.

Many expected Rodgers to be the No. 1 overall pick, but the San Francisco 49ers instead spent the top selection on Alex Smith.

Darnell Washington size, height and weight

Washington – who has started the last three games for the Steelers at tight end – is listed at 6-7, 264 pounds on the Steelers’ official website. His size makes him a mismatch threat at the position and should eventually turn him into a threatening red-zone weapon.

Steelers vs. Bengals kickoff time

• Start time: 8:15 p.m. ET | 7:15 p.m. CT

The Bengals and Steelers are set to kick off at 8:15 p.m. ET on Thursday night. That’s the traditional start time for ‘TNF.’

Is Joe Burrow playing tonight?

No, Burrow is not playing in Week 7. He isn’t expected to return to the field until mid-December after suffering a severe turf toe injury in the Bengals’ Week 2 win over the Jaguars.

That said, Burrow is expected to be on the sidelines for Thursday’s divisional clash, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

Did Joe Flacco win a Super Bowl?

Yes, Joe Flacco won Super Bowl 47 following the 2012 NFL season with the Baltimore Ravens. 

Flacco completed 22 of 33 passes for 267 yards and a three touchdowns during the game, a 34-31 victory for John Harbaugh’s Ravens over the San Francisco 49ers, then coached by Jim Harbaugh. Flacco was named Super Bowl MVP after posting a 124.2 passer rating during the game.

When will Joe Burrow return?

Burrow had surgery to repair a Grade 3 turf toe injury he suffered against the Jaguars. He is expected to miss a minimum of three months because of the injury.

That said, the exact timetable for Burrow’s return remains unclear. The Bengals have not provided one since the 28-year-old signal-caller got hurt, as Zac Taylor merely made reporters aware Burrow would need surgery to repair the malady.

The three-month timeline would put Burrow on track to return at some point in December at the earliest – barring any setbacks.

Bengals vs. Steelers stream

• Live stream:Amazon Prime Video

The Bengals vs. Steelers Week 7 matchup will air live on Amazon Prime Video for national viewers. Amazon Prime Video is the exclusive home of ‘TNF’ in 2025 and beyond.

Al Michaels will be on the call with Kirk Herbstreit at his side. Kaylee Hartung will provide updates from the field.

Watch ‘Thursday Night Football’ with a Prime Video subscription

Bengals vs. Steelers prediction

Joe Flacco certainly will do his best to make the most use of the Bengals’ weapons in his second go of it in their offense, but their issues extend far beyond the quarterback position. Cincinnati has had a tough time getting to the passer this year, while Aaron Rodgers has made a habit of getting rid of the ball quickly. That makes for a tough recipe for Cincinnati to defend, even at home. The Steelers win this one by a touchdown.

Prediction: Steelers 24, Bengals 17

Bengals vs. Steelers injury report

Bengals inactives vs. Steelers

Trey Hendrickson is the most notable name inactive for the Bengals tonight, as he is dealing with a back injury. The rest of the list:

Steelers inactives vs. Bengals

No real surprises on the Steelers’ inactive list vs. Cincinnati, with Calvin Austin headlining the group:

Bengals vs. Steelers live betting odds, moneyline, O/U

LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Dodgers have no idea what happened to Shohei Ohtani’s bat.

They can’t tell you who will be their closer tomorrow.

Freddie Freeman has been held relatively in check.

Yet the Dodgers are one game away from a return trip to the World Series.

They once again beat the Milwaukee Brewers, 3-1, and can complete the four-game sweep Friday night at Dodger Stadium.

Simply, this National League Championship Seires has been an absolute mismatch.

Tyler Glasnow was the latest Dodgers starter to shut down the Brewers, giving up three hits and one run through 5 ⅔ innings, with four different relievers giving up just one hit the rest of the game.

The Brewers have now scored a grand total of three runs.

They have only nine hits.

They have played 27 innings and trailed in 26 of them.

Certainly, the Brewers aren’t going anywhere with their top bats disappearing in the postseason.

Cleanup hitter Christian Yelich hit a run-scoring double in Game 1 of the 2018 NLCS against these same Dodgers, but hasn’t driven in a run in the 25 postseason games since. He is 2-for-12 since Game 2 of their NLDSagainst the Chicago Cubs, striking out in his last three at-bats Thursday.

Second baseman Brice Turang is 2-for-23 since Game 1 of the NLDS with 11 strikeouts.

The Brewers’ lone bright spot once again was their pitching, in particular, rookie Jacob Misiorowski. He nearly single-handedly kept the Brewers in the game, entering after Aaron Ashby coughed up a run and could retire one batter in the first inning.

He completely suffocated the Dodgers’ offense for five innings, facing 15 batters and retiring 14 of them, with eight strikeouts.

The Miz was so overpowering that only one player, Mookie Betts, even hit the ball out of the infield until the sixth inning. And the only batter who had reached base against Misiorowski was Dodgers center fielder Andy Pages with a two-out infield single.

Yet, along came the sixth inning, along with fatigue. He gave up a one-out single to Will Smith. He walked Freddie Freeman on a full-count fastball that missed, and then then Tommy Edman made him pay by lining a run-scoring single to center, breaking the tie.

It ended Misiorowski’s afternoon and the Dodgers turned it into a 3-1 lead on Brewers reliever Abner Uribe’s throwing error.

If the Brewers didn’t already have enough offensive woes, their best player, Jackson Chourio, left the game in the middle of his at-bat with a right leg injury in the seventh inning, hobbling down the dugout steps into the clubhouse.

Ohtani, who had been missing since the wild-card series with a 2-for-25 slump, at least joined the Dodgers’ party by opening the first inning with a leadoff triple, the first postseason leadoff triple by a Dodger since the Davey Lopes in the 1977 World Series.

It was Ohtani’s first extra-base of the postseason, snapping a season-long seven-game skid, with optimism that he’ll soon be back to being the most dangerous hitter in the game.

The Dodgers and Ohtani went to extremes to snap him from his slump by having him take extra batting practice, on the field Wednesday instead of his routine in the cage. It’s the first time he took batting practice on the field since joining the Dodgers. They even played  his walk-up song, “Feeling Good,’ from Michael Buble over the Dodger Stadium speakers.

“The other way to say it is that, if I hit, we will win,” Ohtani said. “I think he thinks that if I hit, we will win. I’d like to do my best to do that.”

Ohtani denied that pitching in the postseason has contributed to his struggles, but he hit just .222 with four homers and 21 strikeouts on the days he pitched in 2025 and .147 with two homers and 10 stirkeouts the day afterwards.

His slump began in Game 1 of the NLDS when he pitched six innings against the Philadelphia Phillies, going 0-for-4 with four strikeouts at the plate.

“I don’t know if there’s a direct correlation,’ he said. “Physically, I don’t feel like there’s a connection.”

Yet, the numbers have been loud and clear.

“Certainly, there’s frustration,” Roberts said. “He’s obviously a very, very talented player, and we’re counting on him. He’s just a great competitor. He’s very prepared. And there’s still a lot of baseball left.”

The World Series begins in a week.

The Dodgers should be there waiting.

Follow Nightengale on X: @Bnightengale

Here’s how Game 3 unfolded:

Jackson Chourio injury forces Brewers star from Game 4

Taking a swing in the top of the seventh against Blake Treinen, Jackson Chourio appeared to suffer a leg injury and was removed from the game.

Tommy Edman gives Dodgers the lead

Jacob Misiorowski was cruising but gave up a single to Will Smith and then walked Freddie Freeman to bring Tommy Edman to the plate with two on and out out. Edman, last year’s NLCS MVP, singled to center to bring Smith home and gives the Dodgers a 2-1 lead.

Abner Uribe came on to replace Misiorowski and with two outs, made a throwing error trying to check Edman, allowing Freeman to score a crucial insurance run.

Tyler Glasnow comes out in the sixth

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts pulled starter Tyler Glasnow with two outs in the sixth inning after the right-hander walked Andrew Vaughn. Lety Alex Vesia came on and struck out Sal Frelick to end the top of the sixth.

Glasnow finished his day with eight strikeouts and three walks, giving up a run on three hits.

To the sixth: Dodgers 1, Brewers 1

NLCS Game 3 remains tied heading into the sixth inning. Brewers rookie Jacob Misiorowski has tossed 4 ⅔ scoreless innings since coming on in the bottom of the first.

The right-hander has now retired 10 Dodgers in a row, racking up eight strikeouts so far in his relief outing.

Through three: Dodgers 1, Brewers 1

Jacob Misiorowski has struck out five in 2⅔ innings after replacing opener Andy Ashby and the teams are headed to the fourth inning tied 1-1.

Jake Bauers ties it up in the second

Caleb Durbin hit a one-out triple against Tyler Glasnow in the top of the second and then scored on Jake Bauers’ RBI single with the Dodgers infield pulled in, tying the game 1-1.

Bauers is now 4-for-9 with 3 RBIs in the 2025 postseason.

Bauers proceeded to steal second and then reached third on Glasnow’s error trying to pick him off second – but was cut down at the plate on a brilliant play by third baseman Max Muncy on Joey Ortiz’s ground ball.

Mookie Betts RBI double puts Dodgers in front

Shohei Ohtani led off the bottom of the first with a triple into the right-field corner against starter Aaron Ashby and on the next pitch, Mookie Betts laced an RBI double to center field, bringing Ohtani in to score the first run of the game.

Making his seventh appearance in the Brewers’ eight postseason games, Ashby was replaced by Jacob Misiorowski with one out and the rookie struck out Tommy Edman and Teoscar Hernandez to strand two runners.

Tyler Glasnow works out of trouble in the first

Game 3 is underway at Dodger Stadium and Los Angeles starter Tyler Glasnow worked around a two-out walk to William Contreras and Christian Yelich’s infield single to put up a zero in the first inning.

This is Glasnow’s third appearance of the postseason after posting 7⅔ scoreless innings in the NLDS against the Phillies.

Dodgers lineup today: NLCS Game 3

1. Shohei Ohtani (L) DH
2. Mookie Betts (R) SS
3. Will Smith (R) C
4. Freddie Freeman (L) 1B
5. Tommy Edman (S) 2B
6. Teoscar Hernández (R) RF
7. Max Muncy (L) 3B
8. Enrique Hernández (R) LF
9. Andy Pages (R) CF

Brewers lineup today

1. Jackson Chourio (R) RF
2. Brice Turang (L) 2B
3. William Contreras (R) C
4. Christian Yelich (L) DH
5. Andrew Vaughn (R) 1B
6. Sal Frelick (L) CF
7. Caleb Durbin (R) 3B
8. Jake Bauers (L) LF
9. Joey Ortiz (R) SS

Dave Roberts on Shohei Ohtani’s struggles

Shohei Ohtani is just 2-for-25 (.080 average) since the NLDS against the Phillies began, and mixed up his routine the day before Game 3 by taking batting practice on the field at Dodger Stadium, an extraordinarily rare occurence.

‘The postseason is like a street fight and not like a boxing match. And with that, there’s urgency,’ Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. ‘And I think that if this was a regular-season situation and you’re looking at an expanse of small sample – eight, nine games, whatever it might be – he probably wouldn’t be out on the field.

‘So with the urgency, the postseason, then he needs to make an adjustment, wanted to make an adjustment on his own. And that adjustment was getting on the field. So I think that’s a great thing in his understanding and appreciation for playing with urgency.’

Dodgers pitching rotation dominates

Just 24 hours after Blake Snell became the first pitcher since Don Larsen’s perfect game in 1956 to face the minimum number of batters through eight innings in a postseason game, Yoshinobu Yamamoto gave up a home run on his first pitch of the game, and just two hits in his next 110 pitches, striking out seven with one walk. He was so dominant that he permitted just two fly ball outs the entire game, with 15 grounders.

“It’s been incredible,” Dodgers catcher Will Smith said after Game 2. “That’s probably the two best back-to-back games pitched ever that I’ve seen.” — Bob NIghtengale

The Cincinnati Bengals snapped a four-game losing streak in a 33-31 upset of the Pittsburgh Steelers on ‘Thursday Night Football.’

Bengals star Ja’Marr Chase was chasing history throughout the critical victory, which prevented the Steelers from taking a commanding lead in the AFC North standings.

How good was Chase in the Bengals’ win over the Steelers? Here’s a look at his stats from the game.

Ja’Marr Chase stats today

Flacco attempted 47 passes during the Bengals’ Week 7 win over the Steelers. Chase was targeted on a whopping 23 of those attempts, good for a 48.9% target share and the most targets a player has seenin a single game during the 2025 NFL season to date.

Below is a full look at Chase’s numbers from the contest:

• Targets: 23
• Receptions: 16
• Receiving yards: 161
• Receiving TDs: 1
• Yards per reception: 10.1

Chase’s 16 catches were the most he has posted across his 69 career NFL starts and set a new franchise record for the Bengals. The previous franchise record also belonged to Chase, occurring when he had 15 catches for 192 yards and three touchdowns against the Arizona Cardinals in 2023.

Most receptions in an NFL game

While Chase owns the Bengals franchise record for most receptions in a game, he couldn’t climb to the top of the NFL’s all-time list. Brandon Marshall still remains perched alone atop that list from his 21-catch game with the Denver Broncos in 2009.

Still, Chase’s 16 catches were good enough to crack the top-10 leaderboard, albeit it in a nine-way tie for ninth place. Below is a look at the players to log at least 16 receptions in an NFL game.

• Brandon Marshall, Denver Broncos (2009): 21
• Terrell Owens, San Francisco 49ers (2000): 20
• Keenan Allen, Los Angeles Chargers (2023): 18
• Jason Witten, Dallas Cowboys (2018): 18
• Brandon Marshall, Denver Broncos (2008): 18
• Tom Fears, Los Angeles Rams (1950): 18
• Antonio Brown, Pittsburgh Steelers (2015): 17
• Clark Gaines, New York Jets (1980): 17
• Ja’Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals (2025): 16
• Keenan Allen, Los Angeles Chargers (2020): 16
• Michael Thomas, New Orleans Saints (2018): 16
• Antonio Brown, Pittsburgh Steelers (2015): 16
• Wes Welker, New England Patriots (2011): 16
• Troy Brown, New England Patriots (2002): 16
• Keenan McCardell, Jacksonville Jaguars (1996): 16
• Jerry Rice, San Francisco 49ers (1994): 16
• Sonny Randle, St. Louis Cardinals (1962): 16

Dallas traded their star edge rusher to Green Bay a week before the start of the 2025 NFL season. Now a Packer, Parsons has helped Green Bay’s defense to a top-10 standing in points allowed entering Week 7 of the season.

At 3-1-1, the Packers are at the top of the division two weeks after their bye. But things could be better. Parsons spoke today about how he’s officiated in the NFL as he enters his fifth season in the league.

“Five years of not getting a call, you eventually stop worrying about it,’ he said. ‘I think I just got to keep going… that’s part of the challenges. Like, you just got to keep going. And that’s bothersome. That’s worries them, they know that. Part of being one of the best, it comes with some territory where [there are] parts that you hate and parts that the league lets go.’

Parsons elaborated on what specifically NFL referees are calling one side of the ball versus the other.

‘You can tell how they call the games. They don’t call offsides for offense, but they’ll call it on defense,’ he said. ‘They won’t call offensive pass interference, but they’ll call defensive pass interference immediately. Like, we know what they’re trying to do. They want to load the points up so fans can be happy. They’ll call defensive holding but they won’t call offensive holding.

‘Let’s just wake up. It’s just one of those things that we know with the higher-ups [are] trying to do. The [referee] will say ‘I know that’s a hold’ but what, like, you’re not going to call it? Come on. It’s just one of those things that I’m over and I’m just have to keep going, push through.’

Parsons acknowledged he may be fined for his comments but was willing to speak his mind.

During Green Bay’s Week 6 win over the Cincinnati Bengals, tight end Noah Fant poked Parsons in the face while run blocking late in the second quarter.

“Like, what are we doing here?’ Parsons said. ‘A guy can consistently keep putting his hands in my face. This was blatant. It literally popped a blood vessel in my face. I changed my whole facemask. I have to protect my face. It’s brutal.”

Parsons has drawn three penalties this season: two holding calls and a hands-to-the-face penalty. His mentality going into games hasn’t changed much this year.

“They’re going to call what they’re going to call,” he said. “All we can do is hope we get called a fair game. Like I don’t care what the fans want sometimes. If your team holds, they should get better tackles, better guards… don’t blame it on us.”

It’s been a little over one year since 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports filed a federal lawsuit against NASCAR and its chairman, Jim France. The suit accuses the series of restraining fair competition and violating the Sherman Antitrust Act, preventing teams from competing ‘without accepting the anticompetitive terms’ it dictates.

The teams filed the lawsuit Oct. 2, 2024, in the Western District of North Carolina and claimed the ‘France family and NASCAR are monopolistic bullies.’

NASCAR has pushed back hard on the suit, filing numerous counterclaims in front of U.S. District Court Judge Kenneth Bell. The two race teams have in turn submitted numerous motions, as hearings and appeals pile up before the scheduled December 2025 trial date.

Here’s a recap and timeline of all the developments since the lawsuit was first filed:

Who owns 23XI Racing, and who are the drivers?

Basketball Hall of Famer Michael Jordan and Joe Gibbs Racing driver Denny Hamlin own 23XI Racing along with longtime Jordan advisor, Curtis Polk. The race team fields three cars in the NASCAR Cup Series. Bubba Wallace drives the No. 23 Toyota, Riley Herbst the No. 35 Toyota, and Tyler Reddick the No. 45 Toyota. Wallace and Reddick qualified for the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs but were eliminated from championship contention following the Oct. 5 race at Charlotte Motor Speedway that concluded the second round.

Who owns Front Row Motorsports, and who are the drivers?

Tennessee-based businessman Bob Jenkins, who owns a number of restaurant franchises belonging to Yum! Brands, including many KFC and Taco Bell locations, is the owner of Front Row Motorsports. FRM fields three cars in the NASCAR Cup Series: the No. 4 Ford, driven by Noah Gragson; the No. 34 Ford, driven by Todd Gilliland; and the No. 38 Ford, driven by Zane Smith.

NASCAR lawsuit timeline

Oct. 2, 2024

23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports file antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR’s sanctioning body and CEO Jim France. The lawsuit argues that NASCAR presented a take-it-or-leave-it deal to the teams on Sept. 6, 2024, giving them until 6 p.m. to sign or risk not having a charter for the 2025 Cup Series season.

Both teams say in a statement that NASCAR operates without transparency and unfairly benefits from the sport at the expense of fans, drivers, owners and sponsors.

Nov. 4, 2024

The two sides meet in a courtroom to decide whether or not the two teams can race in 2025 without signing the charter.

Front Row Motorsports and 23XI Racing wanted a clause in the new charter agreement that prevented signees from bringing antitrust action against NASCAR waived so they could race in 2025. NASCAR argued that the charter was no longer available to 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports because they brought a lawsuit.

Nov. 8, 2024

23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports’ injunction request is denied. Judge Frank Whitney ruled that it was too soon for both teams to meet the standards of harm that would justify the request.

Nov. 26, 2024

23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports file a new preliminary injunction request, providing examples of how both teams could lose their drivers and sponsors without being guaranteed a charter for the 2025 season. Both teams were in the process of gaining a third charter from the downsizing Stewart-Haas Racing team for the 2025 season. The new request included those acquisitions as potential harm done without the injunction.

Dec. 2, 2024

NASCAR motions to dismiss the lawsuit. The sanctioning body argued it is not a monopoly in stock car racing and that NASCAR does not want to work with the two teams because of the suit. NASCAR also indicated it would not allow the two teams to acquire a charter from Stewart-Haas Racing without accepting the new charter agreement.

Dec. 12, 2024

Both teams argue NASCAR backtracked on initial approval for acquiring a charter from Stewart-Haas Racing. NASCAR reiterated its original request to dismiss the lawsuit and stated both teams were now seeking more than what was in previous filings. As such, it should be viewed as a new motion.

Dec. 16, 2024

The teams and NASCAR agree on a Jan. 10 deadline for initial disclosures. NASCAR asked for discovery to be completed by Oct. 17, the two teams asked for that to be completed by July 18.

Dec. 18, 2024

Judge Bell grants 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports their preliminary injunction request.

Bell, who took over on the case in early December from Judge Whitney, rules that both teams can race with their original two charters in 2025 as the lawsuit continues. He cites the possibility of losing drivers as a clear reason to grant the request. Bell also found that NASCAR holds monopoly power in stock car racing.

Dec. 23, 2024

Judge Bell rules that both Front Row Motorsports and 23XI Racing be approved for a third charter acquired from Stewart-Haas Racing but in different ways. NASCAR had to approve Front Row Motorsports’ acquisition, but 23XI Racing had to ask the court specifically for the charter purchase to be approved by NASCAR in a separate motion.

Jan. 10, 2025

Judge Bell denies NASCAR’s motion to dismiss the lawsuit, stating, ‘this case is going to be tried this year, and deserves to be tried this year.’

Bell also denied NASCAR’s motion to have both teams post bond in excess of $10 million for each of their cars. NASCAR had argued for that in case it won the lawsuit and was entitled to damages, but Bell reasoned the sanctioning body could ask for damages at a later date.

Feb. 12, 2025

NASCAR files its appellate brief to the injunction that allows 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports to operate as charter teams while suing NASCAR for antitrust violations.

NASCAR argued that the two teams are not likely to succeed on the merits of the case, reiterating that 13 of 15 teams signed the charter agreement, there are other racing options 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports could join and the NASCAR Cup Series can’t be the defined ‘market’ when it comes to antitrust issues.

March 5, 2025

NASCAR files counterclaim, stating 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports violated antitrust laws during negotiations for a new charter agreement. These claims include that the teams colluded to get better terms, and 23XI Racing co-owner Curtis Polk tried to boycott a qualifying event.

Chris Yates, lead attorney for NASCAR in this case, stated that they believe the two teams misused antitrust laws to force a renegotiation.

March 14, 2025

23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports file response to NASCAR’s brief to appellate court on Feb. 12, which opposed the judge allowing the teams to operate charters while suing NASCAR for antitrust violations.

March 26, 2025

23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports motion to dismiss NASCAR’s March 5 counterclaim, arguing there’s no evidence of an attempted boycott and that teams work together in negotiations, just like in other sports.

April 9, 2025

23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports subpoena Formula 1 as well as NFL, NBA and NHL teams to provide evidence on how other sporting bodies and their teams operate.

May 9, 2025

A three-judge panel hears the appeal by NASCAR to an injunction ruling on Dec. 18, 2024 allowing 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports to race as chartered teams in 2025 while this legal battle plays out.

June 5, 2025

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit rules in favor of NASCAR and revokes the Dec. 18 injunction. The judges note in their ruling that there is no precedent for this case and the teams’ antitrust argument ‘is not supported by any case of which we are aware.’

They also reason that there’s no indication that the teams will likely be successful in their lawsuit.

June 17, 2025

In a hearing for a motion to throw out NASCAR’s counterclaim of collusion, the teams’ attorney, Jeffrey Kessler, outlines the teams are looking for:

• NASCAR divestment of racetracks it also owns, currently 20 on the Cup Series calendar
• NASCAR to no longer prohibit Cup tracks to run similar stock car races
• NASCAR to no longer prohibit Next Gen cars to be used in non-NASCAR events
• Insure two teams can compete as chartered teams going forward
• Financial damages to be tripled

June 18, 2025

In a new filing for NASCAR’s March 5 counterclaim, NASCAR asks for chartered teams in the Cup Series grid to turn over financial documents, calling some of these ‘critical to NASCAR’s defense.’

June 20, 2025

23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports ask for a rehearing following the June 5 appeals court ruling overturning the injunction, which allowed them to compete as chartered teams during the 2025 season.

June 25, 2025

Judge Bell denies 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports’ motion to dismiss NASCAR’s counterclaim, stating that the sport had done enough to continue its counterclaim. But he also narrowed the amount of financial information other chartered teams had to provide NASCAR.

July 9, 2025

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit hears the two teams’ argument for reversing the June 5 decision, which would revoke their charters during the 2025 season, and denies their request.

July 14, 2025

Ahead of the NASCAR Cup Series race at Dover Motor Speedway, the two teams looked for a potential way to remain chartered and decided on filing for a restraining order and new preliminary injunction.

The teams argued NASCAR informed them they’d ‘immediately move to sell or issue Plaintiffs’ charters to other entities,’ which could keep the teams from getting their charters back.

July 17, 2025

23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports are denied a temporary restraining order to keep NASCAR from revoking their chartered status and are forced to compete as open teams for upcoming races at Dover and Indianapolis. The teams each have had three cars with chartered status this season, but that status expired after the U.S. Court of Appeals reversed an earlier injunction. 

July 22, 2025

Judge Bell sets an Aug. 28 hearing on a new motion from 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsport for an injunction to keep them chartered for 2025. Bell writes in his order that NASCAR has represented to the court that the teams will be guaranteed spots in races and that NASCAR will not sell nor transfer the charters in question until a ruling on the injunction.

Aug. 19, 2025

NASCAR files response to the teams’ motion that they return to chartered status for the rest of the 2025 season. NASCAR states in its filing that it must start the process of selling those charters immediately, and 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports should be forced to return the money awarded to them as chartered teams for the first half of the 2025 season.

Aug. 25, 2025

In filings in advance of an Aug. 28 hearing for a new injunction requested by 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports to retain their charters, NASCAR says it plans to issue a charter to an unnamed team for the 2026 season. The teams said in their own filing that if the charters they had earlier this year are sold, they would shut down ‘following the 2025 Cup Series season.’

The teams’ filing also alludes to ‘smoking-gun documents that admit NASCAR viewed competitive entry as a threat’ and ‘internal NASCAR documents with top executives describing how NASCAR used its monopoly power to impose a one-sided’ charter agreement.

Sept. 3, 2025

Judge Bell denies the preliminary injunction request from 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports seeking to remain chartered teams following an Aug. 28 hearing, ruling they would not suffer irreparable harm.

NASCAR tells the court it won’t change any rules that would keep 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports from missing the final nine races of 2025 and it would leave at least six charters available in case it loses at trial.

Oct. 3, 2025

NASCAR files a motion for summary judgment, making a final attempt to get the case dismissed before the scheduled December 2025 trial. In its motion, NASCAR submits statements from several NASCAR team owners and executives supporting the charter system and urging the litigation be resolved in a way that ‘does not put the sport at risk’ and ‘before any real damage is done to the sport.’

23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports attorney Jeffrey Kessler issues a statement saying the teams are willing to have settlement talks and that the owners’ statements support their case.