If they still adorned milk cartons with faces of the missing, this fall’s packaging would be covered with mugshots of Kansas City Chiefs.

The dwindling dynasty stands at 1-2 and facing a showdown with 1-2 Baltimore. It’s hard to determine just who is most to blame for the Chiefs’ offensive struggles. QB Patrick Mahomes is 13th in the league in passing yards, 20th in touchdown passes. TE Travis Kelce has just 10 receptions, and RB Isiah Pacheco has but 92 yards.

They’re not the only ones sparking fantasy maven panic. Here are some prominent players who have come up empty through three weeks:

Ashton Jeanty (Raiders RB): Probably still the best of what is turning into a mediocre rookie running back class. Just 144 rushing yards with one TD. More concerning, he has only five receptions so far.

Ashton Jeanty #2 of the Las Vegas Raiders tackled during the second quarter against the Washington Commanders at Northwest Stadium on Sept. 21, 2025 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images)

Chase Brown (Bengals RB): Wasn’t producing much even before Joe Burrow’s departure. Has only 93 rushing yards and a single touchdown for an offense that waved the white flag last week in Minneapolis.

Chase Brown #30 of the Cincinnati Bengals is tackled by Josh Metellus #44 of the Minnesota Vikings during the second quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium on Sept. 21, 2025 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty Images)

Brock Bowers (Raiders TE): Top-ranked tight end has 14 catches for 179 yards, but most of that came in the early part of Week 1 before injuring his knee. He just hasn’t been 100 percent since.

Brock Bowers #89 of the Las Vegas Raiders is tackled by Tuli Tuipulotu #45 and Troy Dye #43 of the Los Angeles Chargers during the third quarter at Allegiant Stadium on Sept. 15, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ian Maule/Getty Images)

Brian Thomas Jr. and Travis Hunter (Jaguars WRs): Neither of the Jags’ feature wideouts has impressed yet, combining for only 17 catches and 191 yards, which would be merely OK stats for a single receiver.

Travis Hunter #12 of the Jacksonville Jaguars is tackled during the second half against the Carolina Panthers at EverBank Stadium on Sept. 07, 2025 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/Getty Images)

Marvin Harrison Jr. (Cardinals WR): Former top draft pick has never been lower than after his critical drop cost Arizona a Week 3 victory in Santa Clara. Just one touchdown among his 10 catches for 142 yards.

Marvin Harrison Jr. #18 of the Arizona Cardinals attempts to catch a pass in front of Upton Stout #20 of the San Francisco 49ers during the third quarter at Levi’s Stadium on Sept. 21, 2025 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

Calvin Ridley (Titans WR): Only eight catches for 11 yards and zero TDs, as former Falcon has been surpassed in the Tennessee pecking order by Chig Okonkwo and one of this week’s deepest sleepers you’ll read about in a few paragraphs.

Calvin Ridley #0 of the Tennessee Titans makes a catch during the second quarter against the Indianapolis Colts at Nissan Stadium on Sept. 21, 2025 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Johnnie Izquierdo/Getty Images)

Sitting stars

First, we’d start zero Jaguars against the 49ers defense this week, and RB De’Von Achane is the only Dolphin we’d feel totally safe with against the Jets. … Seattle RB Kenneth Walker III will lose a chunk of carries with the expected return of Zach Charbonnet. … Cleveland’s great defense will put a crimp on Detroit’s offense, especially on WR Jameson Williams and TR Sam LaPorta. … Baltimore WR Zay Flowers has cooled off and will remain so against Kansas City. … Three quarterbacks we also expect to chill a bit are Pittsburgh’s Aaron Rodgers against the Vikings in Dublin, Tampa’s Baker Mayfield versus Philly and, yes, Indiana Jones will come down to earth against the Rams.

de’von Achane #28 of the Miami Dolphins is tackled by the Buffalo Bills in the first half of the game at Highmark Stadium on Sept. 18, 2025 in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Bryan M. Bennett/Getty Images)

Matchup game

Two Vikings we especially like Sunday in Ireland: RB Jordan Mason and returning WR Jordan Addison. … Denver RB J.K. Dobbins will be running through Cincinnati’s defense. … New England’s meager defense will be great news for Carolina RB Chuba Hubbard and rookie wideout Tetairoa McMillan. … Houston WR Nico Collins will finally break out against the Titans. … Chiefs backup receiver Tyquan Thornton will keep getting open against Baltimore’s disappointing defense. … Quarterbacks we especially like this week include Carolina’s Bryce Young against the Patriots, Denver’s Bo Nix versus the Bengals and Green Bay’s Jordan Love, in a bounceback game against the Cowboys.

Jordan Mason #27 of the Minnesota Vikings celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Cincinnati Bengals during the second quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium on Sept. 21, 2025 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty Images)

Injury watch

Week 3 saw season-ending injuries to Cards RB James Conner (making Trey Benson the starter) and Chargers RB Najee Harris (boosting Omarion Hampton’s prospects). … Dallas WR CeeDee Lamb could miss the next three to four weeks. … Same for Giants RB Tyrone Tracy. … Tampa Bay is losing WR Mike Evans for a few weeks but is getting Chris Godwin back. … And three injured quarterbacks may return this week: Commanders’ Jayden Daniels, 49ers’ Brock Purdy and Jets’ Justin Fields.

Arizona Cardinals running back James Conner (6) is tackled by San Francisco 49ers safety Marques Sigle (36) and defensive tackle Jordan Elliott (92) during an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025, in Santa Clara, Calif. (AP Photo/Scot Tucker)

Deepest sleepers

We’ve got two receivers worth grabbing this week. Las Vegas’ Tre Tucker is tied for the NFL lead with four touchdown catches, three of them last week against Washington. … And Tennessee’s Alic Ayomanor has emerged as Cam Ward’s favorite target over the past two weeks with 11 receptions and two TDs.

Tre Tucker #1 of the Las Vegas Raiders reacts after a first down against the Washington Commanders during the second quarter at Northwest Stadium on Sept. 21, 2025 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Jess Rapfogel/Getty Images)

The Thursday pick

Seahawks at Cardinals (-1½)
Pick: Cardinals by 3

Kyler Murray #1 of the Arizona Cardinals is sacked by D.J. Wonnum #98 of the Carolina Panthers at State Farm Stadium on Sept. 14, 2025 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images)

You can hear Kevin Cusick on Thursdays on Bob Sansevere’s “BS Show” podcast on iTunes. You can follow Kevin on X — @theloopnow. He can be reached at kcusick@pioneerpress.com.

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The assassination of Charlie Kirk has cast a dark shadow over the country, not only because the deed itself was abominable, but also because the reaction to it has been so disturbing. Instead of bringing out the best in America, as tragedies once did, it is bringing out the worst — in both parties.

It should go without saying that political violence — and gun violence — is always wrong. Yet on the left, there have been instances of dancing on Kirk’s grave. When human decency and basic civility fall victim to partisanship and ideology, and abhorrence of violence becomes tempered by political aims, monstrosities and tyrannies become possible.

For Democrats, who frequently accuse Republicans of fascism and whataboutism, such conduct is the height of hypocrisy — and they should forcefully denounce it when it appears online or anywhere else.

Celebrating a murder is disgraceful, and reprimands and firings in the workplace can be appropriate consequences for it, but criticism of anyone’s political views should always be fair game. Overzealous policing of speech has already led to punishments for comments critical of Kirk’s positions and supporters. And using law enforcement to crack down on “hate speech,” as the administration has threatened to do, would run afoul of the First Amendment, as Kirk himself said. It’s a sad irony that some of his supporters are using his death to undermine the core constitutional principle that he defended in life.

While talk of vengeance and retribution fills the air, the fact is: The overwhelming majority of Americans of all political persuasions are horrified by the shooting, and the shooter’s hatred should not be projected onto others as a pretext for repressing political opposition and free speech. Attempting to do so would only make intolerance for dissent — and the violence that intolerance breeds — worse. Many on the left are now learning this the hard way, but many on the right have long known it and should speak up more forcefully.

The partisanship fueling such animosity is a cancer that is consuming and weakening the body politic. The good news? There’s a simple cure: leadership.

Asking all Americans to rise above hostile and narrow-minded thinking — and to seek, as Abraham Lincoln once said, “the better angels of our nature” — is what real leadership is all about. In times of crisis, strong leaders ease tensions. They don’t inflame them. They seek solutions, not scapegoats. They pull us together, rather than pushing us apart. And they remind us of the values that transcend party.

Throughout American history, that approach to leadership has been essential to our ability to overcome dark days, including in the modern era — from the assassinations of JFK, RFK and MLK to the attacks of Sept. 11.

Hopefully the president will recognize that making concerted efforts to foster unity is not only the right thing to do for the good of the country and the safety of Americans, but it’s also good politics. If he seized the opportunity, his approval rating would rise, giving him more political capital to push through his priorities. Otherwise, he risks hurting his poll numbers, agenda and legacy.

We need leaders in both parties, and at every level of government, to provide stronger leadership in these times. It is not enough for governors, mayors, members of Congress and state legislators to issue the usual statements denouncing violence.

We need them, and civic leaders of all kinds, to stand together physically in displays of bipartisan unity, as more than 20 members of Congress did last week on the steps of the Capitol.

We need them to highlight the values and principles we share as Americans.

We need them to urge their own sides to cool down and not be swept up by overheated rhetoric, including talk of war.

We need them to speak honestly about how much this division and vitriol is costing us as a country, and how much we stand to gain by shaking hands rather than shaking fists.

We need them to actively model civil and respectful discourse — to “disagree better,” as Utah Governor Spencer Cox has been working to do.

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Stopping political violence is an increasingly urgent and essential mission, one that can only be accomplished with bipartisan cooperation. Success will require leaders who understand the power of our shared national values, and who inspire more Americans to unite in putting country over party.

Michael R. Bloomberg is the founder and majority owner of Bloomberg LP, the parent company of Bloomberg News, and the founder of Bloomberg Philanthropies.

Today is Wednesday, Sept. 24, the 267th day of 2025. There are 98 days left in the year.

Today in history:

On Sept. 24, 1906, President Theodore Roosevelt established Devil’s Tower in Wyoming as the first U.S. national monument.

Also on this date:

In 1789, President George Washington signed a Judiciary Act establishing America’s federal court system and creating the post of attorney general.

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In 1869, thousands of businessmen were ruined in a Wall Street panic known as “Black Friday” after financiers Jay Gould and James Fisk attempted to corner the gold market.

In 1957, the Los Angeles-bound Brooklyn Dodgers played their last game at Ebbets Field, defeating the Pittsburgh Pirates 2-0.

In 1960, the USS Enterprise, the first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, was launched at Newport News, Virginia.

In 1963, the U.S. Senate ratified a treaty with Britain and the Soviet Union limiting nuclear testing.

In 1968, the TV news magazine “60 Minutes” premiered on CBS.

In 1969, the trial of the Chicago Eight, later the Chicago Seven, began. (Five were later convicted of crossing state lines to incite riots at the 1968 Democratic convention, but the convictions were ultimately overturned.)

In 1988, Jackie Joyner-Kersey won gold and set a world record in the women’s heptathlon at the Summer Olympics in Seoul.

In 2013, a powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake rocked southwest Pakistan, killing at least 376 people.

In 2015, a stampede and crush of Muslim pilgrims occurred in the holy city of Mina, Saudi Arabia. While the official Saudi death toll stood at 769, The Associated Press estimated that more than 2,400 people were killed.

In 2017, more than 200 NFL players kneeled or sat during the national anthem after President Donald Trump criticized the players’ protests in a speech and a series of tweets.

In 2022, Russian forces launched new strikes on Ukrainian cities as Kremlin-orchestrated votes took place in occupied regions of Ukraine to create a pretext for their annexation by Moscow.

Today’s Birthdays:

Football Hall of Famer Joe Greene is 79.
Actor Gordon Clapp is 77.
Actor Harriet Walter is 75.
Filmmaker Brad Bird is 68.
Actor Kevin Sorbo is 67.
Actor-screenwriter Nia Vardalos is 63.
Celebrity chef Robert Irvine is 60.
Actor Jackie Sandler is 51.
Actor Ian Bohen is 49.
TV personality Ross Matthews is 46.
Olympic gold medal gymnast Paul Hamm is 43.
Actor Spencer Treat Clark is 38.
Actor Grey Damon is 38.
Actor Ben Platt is 32.
Actor Joe Locke is 22.

ARLINGTON, Texas  — Zebby Matthews allowed his only run on a leadoff homer while pitching seven innings for the Minnesota Twins in a 4-1 win Tuesday night over the Texas Rangers, who lost their eighth game in a row and were eliminated from the playoff chase.

The Rangers (79-78) were within two games of the AL West lead on Sept. 13 and in the thick of the wild-card chase after a 13-3 span with a pair of six-game winning streaks. They haven’t won since and dropped to 5 1/2 games behind Houston for the American League’s final playoff spot with five games left.

Joc Pederson’s ninth homer gave Texas the quick lead. Matthews (5-6) allowed only three singles after that and struck out six without a walk while matching the longest of his 25 career starts.

Minnesota (68-89) went ahead after Kody Clemens had a leadoff double in the third and scored on a fielder’s-choice grounder by Byron Buxton, who came home on a single by Ryan Jeffries. Clemens added an RBI single in the sixth.

Patrick Corbin (7-11), the first of six Texas pitchers, allowed two runs on four hits over 3 2/3 innings.

Cole Sands worked a 1-2-3 ninth for his third save.

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