In Saturday’s Top 25 college football matchup between Washington and USC, quarterback Caleb Williams — a past Heisman Trophy winner and projected 2024 NFL draft first-round pick — passed for 312 yards and three touchdowns for the Trojans (7-3, 5-2 Pac-12) in the 52-42 loss.

He was strip-sacked late in the second quarter and three plays later, the Huskies went up 35-28 before the half. It was the fifth time in the last six games the Trojans defense gave up at least 40 points.

After the game, Williams, 21, was shown sitting on a railing in the stands and embracing his mother with his face covered by a poster. He was visibly overcome by emotion, likely from the frustration of seeing his conference championship hopes dissipate despite his own best efforts. As he cried in his mother’s arms, the national broadcast cameras stayed there for a minute as ABC announcers Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit, in tones suitable for the situation, provided context to what Williams could be feeling.

Disappointment, while not one of the more fun emotions, is something we all experience. You learn to live with it. Hopefully, you grow from it. But it comes. And sometimes it comes despite how hard we may have worked. It doesn’t come alone and it can bring along any variety of feelings, including but not limited to anger, self-doubt and sadness.

To some viewers, Williams’ vulnerability should’ve been saved for the locker room, far away from the cameras and the eyes of others. While I would agree maybe it wasn’t a time for cameras, Williams should be allowed to cry if he wants to — and so should the rest of us.

Losing sucks. Everyone knows it, from fans to athletes.

Williams transferred to USC after coach Lincoln Riley left Oklahoma to lead the Trojans following the 2021 season. It was a move the QB made because of his relationship with Riley and their desire to win together. In the two seasons since, they haven’t been able to win a Pac-12 conference championship and now their hopes for this year are gone after Saturday’s loss.

Crying is a perfectly normal response to that and while I wasn’t surprised to see those types of reactions, I humbly ask you to reconsider your stance if you don’t think it is.

When a team wins a championship and players cry, no one cares. No one asks them to go do it somewhere else. We simply don’t because we understand the joy of seeing the results of hard work. We understand sometimes people can be so overcome with joy that they cannot contain it, and crying can be an expression of it.

We watch athletes yell, chest bump, chant and cheer as they compete. We should be OK with the other side too. The impact of our passion hits us all in different ways. A good cry can be cathartic, cleansing. Encouraging others, or ourselves, to bottle up feelings and save them for another time keeps us emotionally unintelligent.

As a society, we should have positive responses to seeing other people’s emotions. If Williams’ reaction made you uncomfortable, perhaps that’s something to think about and explore. We should welcome him being comfortable enough with how he feels to let it out in a healthy way. How can we encourage young people to take care of their mental and emotional wellness if we also tell them there is shame in crying?

A few months ago, I wrote about the emotional connection fans have to sports. We would be remiss if we didn’t also acknowledge athletes have those connections as well.

College athletes are playing for their futures. They’re living their dream while chasing another and doing it in front of thousands of fans each week. Fans who sometimes can be awful because of a mistake made on the playing field.

“I want to go home and cuddle with my dog and watch some shows,” Williams said when asked how he felt after yet another big performance wasn’t enough.

“Like, we lost the game,” he added. “I work hard throughout months, years to have big games like this, try and go win and play your best, each and every one of us. We came out with a loss today, so emotionally I want to go home and I want to play with my dog.”

Who among us hasn’t?

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The Chicago Bears lost their seventh game of the season Sunday in New Orleans, coming unraveled late and committing three of their five turnovers in the fourth quarter of a 24-17 loss to the Saints.

Rookie quarterback Tyson Bagent had three interceptions and a lost fumble in the game and no Bears player was able to deliver the game-on-the-line playmaking impact the team has lacked for the past two seasons.

The Bears will now make a quick turnaround before their Week 10 Thursday night home game against the Carolina Panthers.

As the dust settles from Week 9, Tribune writers Dan Wiederer and Colleen Kane sift through four notable topics in “true or false” format.

Kane: True or false? Montez Sweat’s debut as a Bear was encouraging Sunday in New Orleans.

Wiederer: True. The “encouraging” label fits. Officially, Sweat played 41 of the team’s 63 defensive snaps and flashed some of his most valuable gifts. He was credited with a pass defensed in the third quarter when he beat Saints right tackle Ryan Ramczyk around the edge and swatted Derek Carr’s shoulder as he threw, forcing an incompletion and almost getting there early enough to cause a fumble. In the fourth quarter, Sweat’s tackle on a 13-yard Taysom Hill run was H.I.T.S. principle teach tape with the 262-pound defensive end coming from the backside of the play and showcasing his speed to run Hill down from behind and perhaps save a touchdown. For a player who first walked into Halas Hall on Wednesday afternoon, Sweat handled himself well in his first game as a Bear and drew early raves from teammates for fitting in so quickly during such a chaotic and eventful week.

So, yes, this first game was encouraging. But now? With a $98 million contract extension? The Bears need Sweat to be productive. Every week. In fact, he needs to make an impact in every half of every game going forward. He has been rewarded with a star’s salary which now brings expectations that he performs like a star for as long as he’s with the Bears.

Kane: I’m glad you brought up that tackle against Hill because it was quite a play. He ran in a semicircle across the field and then closed with a huge burst over the final 5 yards to take Hill down, the kind of moment that makes you better understand the type of athlete Sweat is. And it was impressive that he and Bears coaches were able to get him ready to go for the game so quickly after just five days.

But you’re absolutely right that there needs to be more ahead. The Bears paid Sweat because they need a playmaker, someone who is going to help them increase their totals of 10 sacks (ranked 32nd in the NFL) and nine takeaways (tied for 24th). The Bears got neither of those Saturday against the Saints and Derek Carr. Sweat, who joins the Bears with 35 1/2 career sacks and nine career forced fumbles, is going to be expected to provide them on a regular basis.

Wiederer: Sticking with a similar topic. True or false? Ryan Poles can feel good about what he accomplished just before and after the trade deadline.

Kane: True. I was of the belief that Poles’ trade of a 2024 second-round pick to obtain Sweat made sense as long as Poles was able to sign Sweat to a long-term deal. And four days after making the trade, Sweat signed his $98 million extension with $73 million guaranteed. Would it have been better if Poles could have signed a player such as Sweat to that contract without giving up a draft pick? Of course. But Poles paid that draft capital to not miss his chance at securing an impact player for one of the Bears’ biggest areas of need, reasoning the market for edge rushers could be depleted by the time free agency hits in March. The Sweat trade was a better decision than the Chase Claypool trade in 2022. Now, whether the contract was worth it is something we have to let play out.

Poles also signed nose tackle Andrew Billings to a two-year, $8.5 million extension last week, a good move to secure a player who has been key to the run defense this year. Because of those two deals, I think Poles can feel good — but maybe not great. The stalled contract negotiations with cornerback Jaylon Johnson are unfortunate, with a disconnect between the two sides. Poles should try his best to fix the situation as soon as he can.

Wiederer: At this point, Johnson may have added incentive to get to the open market of free agency to measure his true value to teams around the league. So it will be interesting to see if the Bears believe in his future enough to sweeten any possible extension offers between now and then.

As you mentioned with Sweat, Poles was certainly determined to get a jump on addressing some of this team’s biggest needs before the 2024 offseason. Hence, the aggressive deal to acquire the standout pass rusher and the massive investment quickly made in Sweat via that four-year contract extension. Poles talks a lot about “moving the needle” and the hope is Sweat is the kind of player who will do just that. Poles calls him a “multiplier” and the contract reward shows faith that Sweat will become a major difference-maker and playmaker. That’s a box checked.

But I’m also careful to offer much more than a nod of approval for these kinds of moves and to keep any celebration urges tempered until a profound impact is truly felt. Think back to the March trade for DJ Moore, which was justifiably lauded for addressing a need with a proven player. But the assessment of that trade also needed to account for some of the roster-building mistakes made — the drafting of Velus Jones Jr. and the trade for Chase Claypool among them — that made the addition of Moore a need-based move for the offense. Moore has been solid through his first two months. But his presence alone hasn’t significantly elevated the offense or the team yet.

Kane: A big-picture question. True or false? The Bears’ inability to regularly beat even middle-tier opponents is telling about the team’s overall direction.

Wiederer: True. Telling and dispiriting. I was in my hotel room Sunday night catching up on all the day’s highlights from around the NFL and it was wild to see so many ordinary or below-average teams having so much fun. The Vikings, who were just 1-4 when they came to Soldier Field last month, somehow stole a 31-28 win in Atlanta — their fourth consecutive victory — with an emergency quarterback in Josh Dobbs who didn’t know his teammates’ names, hadn’t thrown a practice pass to any of his receivers and was teaching his offensive line his cadence on the sidelines during the game. The Washington Commanders, fresh off trading away a handful of key players including Sweat and Chase Young, went to New England and toppled the Patriots. The reeling Raiders, who fired general manager Dave Ziegler and coach Josh McDaniel last week, rallied behind interim coach Antonio Pierce and blasted the Giants to get back to .500 for the season. And those feisty Houston Texans, who foolishly won their way out of the No. 1 overall pick in last season’s finale, improved to 4-4 behind explosive rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud. (More on that shortly.)

The Bears, meanwhile? They lost for the 17th time in their last 19 games. Read that again. Seventeen losses in the last 19 games. With stumbles this season against ordinary or below-average teams like the Packers, Buccaneers, Broncos, Vikings, Chargers and Saints, there’s a mountain of evidence to show that this team doesn’t have enough game-changing talent and/or strategic advantages to climb even one level in the NFL’s pecking order. With eight games still remaining, this is another season that is circling the drain far too early. And yes, that’s telling.

Kane: I don’t think you are the only one around Chicago watching all those middle-tier matchups and wondering why the Bears haven’t been able to cash in more often against a weak early-season schedule. It has been a surprise to me that the Bears haven’t at least climbed into this very large tier of average teams this year. With offseason additions like DJ Moore and Tremaine Edmunds and the expected improvement of Justin Fields, I didn’t think the Bears would be on pace for just four wins at the halfway point of the season. The Fields injury has made it harder to ascribe big-picture meaning over the last few weeks though. Backup quarterback Tyson Bagent has looked good at times and also has made too many mistakes, as you might expect from a rookie, and the Bears team around him hasn’t been good enough to help make up for such errors.

But the big question as we consider the direction this team is headed: What will happen when Fields returns? Will he pick up the progress he showed in a couple of games this year and elevate this Bears team? Will his thumb injury hinder him at all as he tries to get back on track? And what if he and the Bears show more inconsistency? You can’t pin the state of this team entirely on Fields, but the answers certainly will play a big part in how the rest of the season plays out.

Wiederer: One more on Poles. True or false? Bryce Young’s early-season struggles for the Panthers validate Poles’ decision to trade away the No. 1 pick last spring.

Kane: False. And I say that for a few reasons but mostly because I think the verdict is not something that can be determined yet. On Sunday, in a loss to the Indianapolis Colts, Young threw three interceptions, including two pick-sixes to Colts cornerback Kenny Moore. Young has had his struggles while throwing for 1,375 yards and eight touchdowns with seven interceptions, 26 sacks and a 1-6 record. But he still is just seven games into his career and should be given more time to grow and develop. Young also wasn’t the only quarterback Poles could have picked at No. 1. He could have taken C.J. Stroud, whom the Houston Texans selected No. 2 in this year’s draft. Stroud just set NFL rookie records as he threw for 470 yards and five touchdowns with a 147.8 passer rating in a win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

And there’s even more to consider when evaluating Poles’ decision to stick with quarterback Justin Fields for this season and trade that No. 1 pick for DJ Moore and some draft picks. How will the rest of Fields’ 2023 season play out? What will be the full scope of Moore’s impact in Chicago? What will Poles do with the 2024 first-round pick he acquired from the Panthers in the trade? We are still a long way away from being able to properly evaluate the decision.

Wiederer: It’s hard to disagree with any of that. And we need to watch the quarterback situation play out a little longer to truly know whether the Bears made a sound decision or a significant error. Poles said last winter that he’d have to be “blown away” to draft one of the Class of 2023 quarterbacks and pivot off Fields. And the early March trade with the Panthers cut short the Bears’ evaluation opportunities late in the pre-draft process.

Sticking with Fields made sense given the flashes he showed in 2022 and the guesswork involved in trying to identify potential stars at quarterback in the draft class. But if Fields isn’t part of the team’s plans in 2024 and if Stroud or Young emerge as stars for their respective franchises, the second-guessing will be inevitable.

Stroud’s explosion in the first eight games of his rookie season has been impressive. In eight starts as a rookie, he has already thrown for more yards than Fields did in 15 starts in his second season. He sure looks like the real deal. And when the Bears landed the No. 1 pick for the 2023 draft, they had the ability to choose any player in the class to change the fortunes of their franchise. In short, the moves they made with that No. 1 pick will continue to be judged over time and contextualized properly.

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Each week of the NFL season, The Baltimore Sun will rank all 32 NFL teams. The rankings will take into account not just weekly performance, injuries and roster depth, but how well each team measures up as Super Bowl contenders.

Here are the rankings heading into Week 10:

1. Ravens (7-2, No. 3 last week)

Last week: Win vs. Seahawks, 37-3

Up next: vs. Browns

There isn’t a more complete team than Baltimore. Led by a dominant defense and an MVP-caliber quarterback, the Ravens have completely dismantled two NFC title contenders at home over the past three weeks. Coordinator Mike Macdonald’s defense is playing at a historically high level, getting a combined 16 sacks from Justin Madubuike, Jadeveon Clowney and Kyle Van Noy and a league-leading six interceptions from safety Geno Stone to pair with the league’s best linebacker tandem in Roquan Smith and Patrick Queen and dangerous Swiss Army knife Kyle Hamilton. On offense, the Ravens have the most versatile attack in the league, capable of gashing opponents on the ground with sledgehammer Gus Edwards and breakout star Keaton Mitchell and picking them apart through the air with a ruthlessly efficient Lamar Jackson, who leads the league in completion rate (71.5%) while rushing for 48.9 yards per game, tops among quarterbacks. Time will tell if this promising start will lead to better postseason results, but the Ravens have the look of a potential Super Bowl champion.

2. Philadelphia Eagles (8-1, No. 1)

Last week: Win vs. Cowboys, 28-23

Up next: Bye

Led by star quarterback Jalen Hurts, there’s a calmness to the Eagles that stands out in close games. Despite trailing 17-14 at halftime with Hurts seemingly hobbled by a lingering knee injury, Philadelphia took control with two straight touchdown drives to open the second half and held on late behind a huge sack from Josh Sweat with 27 seconds left. The Eagles are 5-1 in one-score games this season, and while that’s usually asking for trouble, they’ve proved more than capable of making big plays in big moments.

3. Kansas City Chiefs (7-2, No. 2)

Last week: Win vs. Dolphins, 21-14, in Germany

Up next: Bye

The Chiefs’ first meeting against star wide receiver Tyreek Hill since trading him to Miami highlighted why that deal should be considered a win for Kansas City. While the Chiefs have struggled to replace Hill’s explosiveness, one of the picks they acquired for him turned into cornerback Trent McDuffie, who’s playing at an All-Pro level and forced a fumble by Hill late in the first half Sunday that was returned for what proved to be the decisive touchdown. The Kansas City defense actually outranks its offense (No. 5 vs. No. 6) in FTN Fantasy’s DVOA this season, giving Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes a different kind of weapon in the race for the top seed in the AFC.

4. Cincinnati Bengals (5-3, No. 11)

Last week: Win vs. Bills, 24-18

Up next: vs. Texans

That 1-3 start feels like a distant memory, doesn’t it? With Joe Burrow back to playing at an elite level, the Bengals are starting to resemble the Super Bowl contender everyone expected to see this season. The reemergence of wide receiver Tee Higgins (eight catches for 110 yards) and a promising tight end group of Irv Smith Jr., Drew Sample and Tanner Hudson (combined 10 catches for 101 yards and two touchdowns against Buffalo) — not to mention a defense that has few weak spots — creates plenty of optimism about the Bengals’ chances in a loaded AFC.

5. Jacksonville Jaguars (6-2, No. 6)

Last week: Bye

Up next: vs. 49ers

6. Detroit Lions (6-2, No. 9)

Last week: Bye

Up next: at Chargers

7. San Francisco 49ers (5-3, No. 7)

Last week: Bye

Up next: at Jaguars

8. Miami Dolphins (5-3, No. 4)

Last week: Loss vs. Chiefs, 21-14, in Germany

Up next: Bye

As encouraging as that second-half comeback bid was against Kansas City, the Dolphins have yet to beat a team with a winning record this season. That’s telling, particularly during a time when the top teams are starting to separate from the pack. Injuries on the offensive line have made life difficult for Tua Tagovailoa, but he hasn’t looked capable of carrying the team the way an elite quarterback should against top competition. Vic Fangio’s defense has been the bigger disappointment, but a solid performance against Mahomes with cornerback Jalen Ramsey back in the lineup could signal brighter days ahead.

9. Dallas Cowboys (5-3, No. 5)

Last week: Loss vs. Eagles, 28-23

Up next: vs. Giants

Like the Dolphins, the Cowboys continue to come up short in their biggest tests. This time, it was agonizingly close. Tight end Luke Schoonmaker being tackled inches short of a touchdown, Dak Prescott stepping out of bounds on a 2-point conversion attempt, an incomplete pass to Jalen Tolbert on fourth-and-8 in Eagles territory and Prescott’s final pass to CeeDee Lamb short of the goal line on the final play ultimately made the difference. Until the Cowboys start making those plays in big games, they’ll continue to be bridesmaids in the postseason.

10. Buffalo Bills (5-4, No. 8)

Last week: Loss vs. Bengals, 24-18

Up next: vs. Broncos

The Bills are still right in the mix for a playoff spot, but so much more was expected of a team that entered the season with Super Bowl hopes. That 48-20 win over the Dolphins in Week 4 seemed to establish Buffalo as one of the best teams in the AFC, but they’ve followed with alternating wins and losses and have been far from dominant. The emergence of rookie tight end Dalton Kincaid (10 catches for 81 yards) on Sunday night is encouraging, but there are big questions about a defense that is among the league leaders in missed tackles and has just three takeaways since Week 5.

11. Cleveland Browns (5-3, No. 12)

Last week: Win vs. Cardinals, 27-0

Up next: at Ravens

With Deshaun Watson back from a shoulder injury, the Browns have to be taken seriously. While his performance against Arizona (19-for-30 for 219 yards and 2 TDs; 41.7 QBR) was not exceptional, his ceiling is much higher than P.J. Walker’s. He’ll have to be better to overcome injuries along the offensive line, which lost left tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. for at least four weeks to a knee injury and is already without right tackle Jack Conklin. The defense, which ranks No. 1 above the Ravens in DVOA and pitched its first shutout since 2007, gives Cleveland a fighting chance.

12. Pittsburgh Steelers (5-3, No. 14)

Last week: Win vs. Titans, 20-16

Up next: vs. Packers

Mike Tomlin has never won NFL Coach of the Year, but this season could change that. There has never been a louder campaign to fire an offensive coordinator than the one aimed at Matt Canada, and yet Pittsburgh is sitting two games above .500. According to the Elias Sports Bureau and ESPN Stats & Info, the Steelers are the 34th team in NFL history to be outgained in their first eight games and the only one to have a winning record. Credit Tomlin and the defense for finding a way to keep this team afloat despite injuries to key players and some truly awful offensive performances.

13. Seattle Seahawks (5-3, No. 10)

Last week: Loss vs. Ravens, 37-3

Up next: vs. Commanders

There’s no shame in getting blown out in Baltimore this season, but this recent stretch from quarterback Geno Smith is cause for concern. He’s thrown six interceptions over his past four games and could easily have tossed another one that Hamilton dropped Sunday. The offensive line is doing him no favors, either, with injuries forcing 41-year-old Jason Peters into the lineup and left tackle Charles Cross struggling after a promising rookie season.

14. Los Angeles Chargers (4-4, No. 13)

Last week: Win vs. Jets, 27-6

Up next: vs. Lions

The Chargers have their defense and special teams to thank for Monday night’s win, getting an 87-yard punt return for a touchdown by Derius Davis as well as eight sacks and three turnovers. The offense made plays when it needed to, going 7-for-16 on third down and converting on short fields, but the Chargers only averaged 3.4 yards per play and were extremely fortunate to recover six fumbles. Los Angeles is still a tier below the Ravens, Chiefs and Bengals in the AFC.

15. Houston Texans (4-4, No. 20)

Last week: Win vs. Buccaneers, 39-37

Up next: at Bengals

This team is serious, folks. C.J. Stroud delivered a rookie-record 470 passing yards and five touchdowns Sunday, including the winning 15-yard pass to fellow rookie Tank Dell with six seconds left. According to ESPN Stats & Info, Stroud is the sixth player in NFL history to record at least 450 passing yards, five passing touchdowns and zero interceptions in a game. With a quarterback capable of putting up those kinds of numbers, Houston must be considered a playoff contender.

16. Minnesota Vikings (5-4, No. 18)

Last week: Win vs. Falcons, 31-28

Up next: vs. Saints

Have no fear, Joshua Dobbs is here. With rookie Jaren Hall knocked out of the game with a concussion in the first quarter, Dobbs stepped in and rallied the Vikings to victory just five days after being acquired from the Cardinals at Tuesday’s trade deadline. While all hope seemed lost after Kirk Cousins’ season-ending Achilles tendon injury, Dobbs is more than capable of keeping this hot streak going, which includes five wins in the past six games. If and when wide receiver Justin Jefferson returns from injured reserve, Minnesota could be a dangerous wild-card team.

17. New Orleans Saints (5-4, No. 15)

Last week: Win vs. Bears, 24-17

Up next: at Vikings

The Saints barely got past a bad Bears team starting a backup quarterback, but they’ve reached the midseason point in first place in the NFC South. They can thank a defense that has forced a league-high 18 turnovers, including three interceptions — two by cornerback Paulson Adebo — and two fumble recoveries Sunday. The offense, thanks to a generous sprinkling of quarterback-tight end Taysom Hill, at least looks ready to hold up its end of the bargain.

18. Indianapolis Colts (4-5, No. 24)

Last week: Win vs. Panthers, 27-13

Up next: vs. Patriots in Germany

Panthers rookie quarterback Bryce Young is going to be having nightmares about Colts cornerback Kenny Moore II, who tied a franchise record by returning two interceptions for touchdowns. Moore fueled a bounce-back performance for the defense, which had allowed 38 points per game during a three-game losing streak. Backup quarterback Gardner Minshew has been solid in relief, but the Colts need to see more from running back Jonathan Taylor, who is averaging fewer yards per carry (4.1) than teammate Zack Moss (4.7).

19. New York Jets (4-4, No. 17)

Last week: Loss vs. Chargers, 27-6

Up next: at Raiders

The Jets’ three-game winning streak ended with a thud in what could be a pivotal game for playoff seeding. The defense has been carrying quarterback Zach Wilson all season, but it couldn’t force the turnover it desperately needed to swing Monday night’s game. Wilson throwing 49 times is not a recipe for success, and there was plenty of visible frustration from the offense with missed throws and dropped passes. It feels like another slide is coming.

20. Atlanta Falcons (4-5, No. 16)

Last week: Loss vs. Vikings, 31-28

Up next: at Cardinals

Taylor Heinicke didn’t win his first start in Atlanta, but he showed enough in coach Arthur Smith’s eyes to earn another shot next week after completing 21 of 38 passes for 268 yards with one touchdown and one interception. The lack of touches for running back Bijan Robinson and tight end Kyle Pitts remains maddening, however. Tight end Jonnu Smith is a solid veteran, but there’s no reason he should have more catches than Pitts, the No. 4 overall pick in 2021.

21. Denver Broncos (3-5, No. 23)

Last week: Bye

Up next: at Bills

22. Washington Commanders (4-5, No. 25)

Last week: Win vs. Patriots, 20-17

Up next: at Seahawks

Don’t count out the Commanders just yet. While trading away starting defensive ends Chase Young and Montez Sweat signaled a focus on the future, Washington still has a puncher’s chance of climbing into the postseason race after a win in New England. Even if they fall short, the Commanders might have found their quarterback of the future in Sam Howell, who has looked impressive in recent weeks.

23. Tennessee Titans (3-5, No. 19)

Last week: Loss vs. Steelers, 20-16

Up next: at Buccaneers

A banged-up offensive line did him no favors, but rookie quarterback Will Levis looked like he belonged in Thursday night’s loss in Pittsburgh. The second-round pick showed toughness in hanging in the pocket and delivering throws downfield, perhaps earning enough of the coaching staff’s trust to give him the permanent job over Ryan Tannehill.

24. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-5, No. 22)

Last week: Loss vs. Texans, 39-37

Up next: vs. Titans

Baker Mayfield’s blank expression on the sideline at the end of Sunday’s loss says it all. A once-promising season has been derailed by four straight losses, the latest coming after a blown 20-10 lead in the second half. A defense that was expected to keep Tampa Bay in the NFC South race was shredded by a rookie quarterback, perhaps signaling it’s time for a rebuild after a few years of going all-in with Tom Brady.

25. Las Vegas Raiders (4-5, No. 26)

Last week: Win vs. Giants, 30-6

Up next: vs. Jets

Maybe interim coach Antonio Pierce is exactly who the Raiders needed. It came against a reeling Giants team down to its third-string quarterback, but Sunday’s performance at least creates some hope that Las Vegas can be competitive down the stretch. Rookie quarterback Aidan O’Connell looked solid, and playmakers such as running back Josh Jacobs and wide receiver Jakobi Meyers finally showed some life. Given their backloaded schedule, the Raiders could play a large role in the playoff race.

26. Green Bay Packers (3-5, No. 29)

Last week: Win vs. Rams, 20-3

Up next: at Steelers

The Packers ended a four-game losing streak in impressive fashion, outgaining the Rams and backup quarterback Brett Rypien 391-187. The offense looked much better, piling up 184 rushing yards and going 7-for-14 on third down as Jordan Love averaged 8.8 yards per pass. A defense that started a pair of seventh-round picks in cornerback Carrington Valentine and safety Anthony Johnson Jr. also played well. Perhaps this win gives Green Bay some confidence to turn around its season.

27. Los Angeles Rams (3-6, No. 21)

Last week: Loss vs. Packers, 20-3

Up next: Bye

Coach Sean McVay believes quarterback Matthew Stafford will be back after the bye week, but it might be too late to save the season. The Rams looked lifeless on offense against Green Bay, as Rypien finished 13 of 28 for 130 yards with an interception and a fumble. At one point in the first half, he went three straight drives without a completion. That should be impossible with Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua running routes and McVay calling the plays.

28. Chicago Bears (2-7, No. 27)

Last week: Loss vs. Saints, 24-17

Up next: vs. Panthers

Backup quarterback Tyson Bagent’s four turnovers were too much to overcome, but the Bears moved the ball pretty well against a good Saints defense, averaging 5.8 yards per play while rushing for 156 yards. When Justin Fields returns, Chicago should at least be able to get a good assessment of what it has in the 2021 first-round pick before deciding on his future with the team.

29. New England Patriots (2-7, No. 28)

Last week: Loss vs. Commanders, 20-17

Up next: vs. Colts in Germany

It’s bizarre to watch a Bill Belichick-coached team struggle so much. Whether it’s a defense that can’t generate any pressure, an offense that’s barely scoring any points (15.0 per game) or a special teams unit that ranks among the worst in the NFL (No. 29 in DVOA), there are problems all over the field. It’s hard to find many bright spots this season.

30. New York Giants (2-7, No. 30)

Last week: Loss vs. Raiders, 30-6

Up next: at Cowboys

A season-ending torn ACL might signal the end of quarterback Daniel Jones’ tenure in New York. While he’s owed a guaranteed $35.5 million in 2024 after signing a new deal in the offseason, the Giants can get out of the deal after next season with $22.2 million in dead money. With Tyrod Taylor on injured reserve, undrafted rookie Tommy DeVito and veteran Matt Barkley are expected to compete for the starting job. With New York likely headed for a top pick in the draft, general manager Joe Schoen and the front office will have an important decision to make.

31. Carolina Panthers (1-7, No. 31)

Last week: Loss vs. Colts, 27-13

Up next: at Bears

If the season ended today, the 2024 first-round pick the Panthers traded to Chicago as part of the package for the 2023 No. 1 overall selection would be No. 2. That’s a steep price to pay for rookie quarterback Bryce Young, who took a major step backward Sunday with three interceptions, including two pick-sixes. While Carolina’s decision seemed like a smart bet at the time, it might have miscalculated how quickly Young and the roster could compete for a playoff spot.

32. Arizona Cardinals (1-8, No. 32)

Last week: Loss vs. Browns, 27-0

Up next: vs. Falcons

Kyler Murray could be on his way back. Coach Jonathan Gannon said the two-time Pro Bowl quarterback will start Sunday “if the week goes well,” and that’s music to the ears of everyone who saw Murray go down with a torn ACL last December. It’s also a bit unsettling, given that Arizona just allowed seven sacks. Regardless, it will be fascinating to see whether Murray looks like the same player who earned a five-year, $230.5 million contract in 2022.

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The Chicago Bulls snapped a short losing skid with a decisive 130-113 win over the Utah Jazz on Monday night.

It was a season-high in scoring for the Bulls as eight players scored in double digits. Zach LaVine logged 24 points and DeMar DeRozan added 21 points while Coby White dished out eight assists.

Here are six takeaways from the game:

1. Bulls capitalize on Jazz mistakes

One single scoring margin set the tone for the entire game — points off turnovers.

The Bulls dominated this category, taking advantage of a plentiful supply of Utah mistakes. The Jazz turned the ball over 22 times resulting in 30 points. The Bulls turned the ball over eight times, but the Jazz only scored one point off those mistakes.

Scoring off opponent mistakes had already been a strong suit for the Bulls, who averaged 19 points (11th in the NBA) off turnovers entering Monday’s game. But this was their most clinical display of making an opponent pay for their errors.

2. Heating up behind the arc

The Bulls have not been a strong 3-point shooting team this season, shooting at a 34% clip in their first seven games. But Monday the shooting scales began to tip in their favor as the offense finished 18-for-34 from behind the arc. White went 4-for-6 from 3-point range and Jevon Carter went 4-for-8 from behind the arc.

The total tally of 3-point attempts reflected improvement upon the team’s goal to take more 3-pointers this season, especially in a game dominated by open-court play.

3. Lauri Markkanen stood out against his former team

The one bright spot for the Jazz was Lauri Markkanen, who dished out another explosive performance against his former team.

Markkanen was drafted No. 7 in the 2017 draft, then acquired by the Bulls in the same trade that brought Zach LaVine to Chicago. He struggled with a stagnant start to his career with the Bulls and watched his scoring numbers dwindle in a frustrating stretch from 2019 to 2021, when he was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

But in Utah, Markkanen has found himself. He earned his first All-Star selection last year while averaging 25.6 points, forging an identity as one of the most efficient scorers in the league.

Markkanen led the Jazz with 29 points Monday, adding five rebounds, three assists and a blocked shot.

“You knew how good he was when he was here, and then you really didn’t get to see how good he was until he left,” LaVine said. “It’s unfortunate but I’m so happy for him and his career and his development and the type of person he is. We still talk and text to this day. It’s great to see the man he’s become.”

4. Jevon Carter leads the bench unit

Carter continues to bring an immediate lift to the Bulls off the bench as the primary guard of the secondary rotation.

Carter scored 12 points on 4-for-8 shooting from 3-point range, taking all of his shots against the Jazz from behind the 3-point arc.

He was the defensive marshal of the bench unit as they pressured the Jazz along the perimeter to force errors, then immediately pushed the pace in the open court once a turnover occurred.

5. Andre Drummond records 10,000th career rebound

Andre Drummond etched himself into the league’s history books in the first half of Monday’s game as he recorded his 10,000th career rebound.

Drummond is the 43rd player in NBA history to record 10,000 or more rebounds in his career — and one of only three active NBA players alongside DeAndre Jordan and LeBron James. Pau Gasol and Dennis Rodman are the only other players to reach the milestone while playing for the Bulls.

Drummond finished the game with seven rebounds.

6. Alex Caruso plays through a bruised right arm

Alex Caruso played a normal rotation while he continued to nurse a bruised right arm, which he originally banged up after a hard collision while completing a dunk in Saturday’s game against the Denver Nuggets.

The injury was enough to keep Caruso out of the remainder of Saturday’s game. He attempted to return for one minute, but coach Billy Donovan quickly pulled him when it became clear Caruso was still playing through pain.