Rams roll past Giants as Jaxson Dart will have MRI of knee; shake-up in latest CFB Power Rankings

Plus is Arch Manning a first-round prospect in the 2027 NFL Draft?

Sep 22, 2026 at 8:48 am ET • 5 min read

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🤯 Five things to know Tuesday

1. The Rams rolled as the Giants lost Jaxson Dart. After the way their season started, the Rams needed a get-right game and they got it against the Giants on Monday night. Los Angeles pummeled New York 28-6 as Matthew Stafford threw for four TDs and moved into sixth place on the league's career passing TD list and Davante Adams dominated with 195 receiving yards and two scores. To add insult to injury for the Giants, Jaxson Dart left early in the first quarter with what is believed to be a sprained MCL (he's expected to have an MRI on Tuesday), while Malik Nabers, Andre Thomas and Brian Burns got banged up as well.
2. We got updates on Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels. Unfortunately, Dart isn't the only talented young quarterback who went down with an injury in Week 2. Williams and Daniels suffered what appeared to be serious injuries on Sunday, and we know a little more about both. Williams received good news about his hamstring injury, though he may still miss some time. Meanwhile, Daniels is seeking expert opinions about his dislocated elbow.
3. Michael Penix Jr. will start for the Falcons in Week 3. The news surrounding quarterback health isn't all bad. After missing the first two games of the season, Penix will start for the Falcons when they visit Lambeau Field Thursday night. Penix was limited in training camp as he recovered from a torn ACL he suffered in November, but he's back at full health. The timing couldn't be better for Atlanta, which suffered a horrific loss to the Panthers in Week 2.
4. Cubs star Alex Bregman is eyeing a postseason return. Bregman suffered a scary injury on Sunday when a foul ball struck him in the face in the on-deck circle. Bregman suffered multiple facial fractures, and the timing couldn't be worse for the Cubs with the playoffs set to begin in just over a week. The good news is that Bregman is "hopeful" he will be available for the postseason. In the interim, Chicago can seal its spot in the playoffs with a win or a Diamondbacks loss.
5. The Liberty are surging at the right time. If you believe that a team can peak at the right time, then you have to like the way the Liberty are playing with just a few days left in the WNBA regular season. Breanna Stewart has kept New York's hopes of landing a top-four seed alive while pushing her team into the top five of our WNBA Power Rankings. Meanwhile, Dawn Staley has thrown her support behind A'ja Wilson for MVP.

📈 Do not miss this: Dawgs rise in CFB Power Rankings

Through the first three weeks of the college football season, it's been easy to forget about No. 2 Georgia with chaos unfolding everywhere else.

The Bulldogs haven't exactly played a gauntlet, but they have been a well-oiled machine through 12 quarters of football. Following its 45-17 beatdown of Arkansas in Week 3, Georgia has now outscored its opponents by a 138-point margin. As a result, the Dawgs have steadily climbed to No. 2 in our CFB Power Rankings, as Brandon Marcello explains.

• Marcello: "The Bulldogs took care of business in a 45-17 win at Arkansas. They ran the ball incessantly through the first two and a half quarters. Kirby Smart improved to 28-0 against unranked teams, and the Bulldogs won their 12th straight SEC opener. Next up is a stout Oklahoma defense, the first challenge of the season."

Be sure to review the complete rankings, but he's a look at a few more teams:

16. Florida (+8)
17. Oregon (+2)
18. Iowa (--)
19. BYU (+1)
20. Oklahoma (-3)

Next up for Georgia is Oklahoma, which just dropped three spots after struggling with New Mexico, but the Sooners didn't have the worst week in the SEC. That honor might belong to Texas A&M, which sank 13 spots in the CBS Sports 138 after getting bullied by Kentucky in Kyle Field.

🏈 Arch Manning's NFL Draft concerns

Arch Manning is already under an NFL Draft microscope, and there are still seven months until Roger Goodell takes the stage in Washington, D.C.

Manning has as many proponents as detractors, but our Ryan Wilson reviewed the film and broke down the numbers to drill down on the truth. While there's no reason to panic about Manning's NFL future, there are some concerns about his first-round prospects.

The biggest red flag might be his lack of efficiency from relatively clean pockets.

• Wilson: "So far, though, the play hasn't matched those expectations. Manning is near the bottom in yards per attempt, average depth of target, passing grade and EPA per dropback. At the same time, he's near the top in time to throw -- and that's the disconnect: he's holding the ball like a quarterback hunting big plays, but the results look like one of the least aggressive passing attacks in the group."

All eyes will be on Manning again this weekend as he takes No. 1 Texas into Knoxville for a matchup against No. 14 Tennessee -- one of a record-setting four top-25 matchups in the SEC.

👍👎 The best (and not-so-best) of the rest

• Why is Colston Loveland off to such a miserable start with the Bears?
• Florida coach Jon Sumrall is blaming "good drugs" for the eye-catching Ole Miss spread.
• Pirates ace Paul Skenes is blaming the WBC for his velocity issues in 2026.
• No deal: The Pistons have upped their contract offer to Jalen Duren, but he remains unsigned.
• If injuries have decimated your fantasy team already, check out some appealing waiver wire options.
• The Clippers have named an interim governor while Steve Ballmer serves his suspension.
• Former Pitt QB Phil Jurkovec allegedly stole a truck from a hospital.
• The 2026 Presidents Cup is almost here, and these are the five biggest storylines.
• Here's everything you need to know about the UEFA Women's Champions League.
• Justin Gaethje and Joshua Van have made UFC Fighter of the Year a tough call.
• Penta earned his Money in the Bank ladder match spot at WWE Raw.

📺 What we're watching Tuesday

⚽ UCL (W): Manchester City at Bayern Munich, 12:45 p.m. on Paramount+
⚽ UCL (W): PSG at Real Madrid, 3 p.m. on Paramount+
⚾ Rays at Yankees, 7 p.m. on TBS
🏀 Lynx at Fever, 8 p.m. on ESPN
🏀 Sparks at Aces, 10 p.m. on ESPN
⚾ Padres at Dodgers, 10:10 p.m. on TBS