The Playbook

Kylian Mbappé scored for the seventh match running as Real Madrid won 3-0 at Valencia on Saturday 7 November, with Federico Valverde opening the scoring, The Guardian reported. The Guardian also noted that Valencia were reduced to 10 men at Mestalla. Real Madrid are second in La Liga on 30 points from 12 games. Celta Vigo visit the Santiago Bernabéu next, and the date and kickoff time are not yet confirmed. Elsewhere, BBC Sport reports that the tennis great Rafael Nadal is set to join the club's board of directors. On the pitch, Madrid have won each of their last five games, four in La Liga and one in the Champions League. Mbappé has 17 goals in 16 appearances in all competitions, far more than any teammate.

THE ANALYST’S DESK

Defence is the foundation of Real Madrid's season, and the numbers say so plainly. Madrid have conceded 10 goals in 12 league games, the joint-fewest in La Liga. Their goal difference is plus 21, built on 31 scored, and they have 10 wins from 12 with no draws at all, so a Madrid game ends in a win or a loss with nothing in between.

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Juventus drew 2-2 at Fiorentina on 8 November, three days after a 2-1 win at AZ Alkmaar in the Europa League. The draw leaves them seventh in Serie A on 18 points from 11 games, with five wins, three draws and three defeats. Before the Europa League trip they beat Napoli 2-0 at home on 1 November, having lost 2-0 at Genoa on 28 October. The scoring is spread thinly: Randal Kolo Muani and Nick Woltemade have four goals each, and the defender Bremer has three. Zeki Çelik, also a defender, has two goals. Juventus host Venezia at the Allianz Stadium after the international break. The question for the winter is whether a second reliable scorer emerges alongside Kolo Muani.

THE ANALYST’S DESK

Seventh is a fair reading of Juventus's season so far, and the gap to the Champions League places is larger than one good week can close. After 11 league games they have 18 points from five wins, three draws and three defeats, six points short of fourth place. A goal difference of plus three is the record of a side in the pack rather than one pressing on the leaders, and it suggests the table is not hiding a better team.

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Barcelona came from behind to win 2-1 at Atlético Madrid on Sunday 8 November, and Fermín López scored twice, according to BBC Sport and The Guardian. The Guardian wrote that the win held the doubts at bay for another day, after a home Clásico defeat to Real Madrid on 25 October. Barcelona are top of La Liga on 33 points from 12 games. Hansi Flick's side now turn to Villarreal, who visit Spotify Camp Nou on Sunday 22 November, with the kickoff time still to be confirmed. Away from the pitch, The Guardian reports that the club has inaugurated a memorial at the Camp Nou, part of the stadium upgrade, with 26,000 niches where supporters can deposit their ashes. Fermín López now has 8 goals and 7 assists in all competitions.

THE ANALYST’S DESK

The attack carries Barcelona's season, and the defence is the part with some room to improve. Barcelona have scored 48 league goals, the most in La Liga, and their goal difference is plus 35 from 12 games. They have conceded 13, which is only the fifth-fewest in the division, so the margin for error comes from scoring rather than from keeping goals out.

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Chelsea lost 1-0 at Sunderland on Sunday 8 November, with a Le Fée penalty settling it, according to The Guardian. Chelsea are fifth in the Premier League on 16 points. Their last four league games have alternated between wins and defeats, which is the heart of the consistency question under Xabi Alonso. Sky Sports' Paul Merson says missing the Champions League would be a massive failure. BBC Sport reports that the club warned staff over Fantasy Premier League use after João Pedro's injury appeared to be disclosed through team selections. The injury would test a squad in which Morgan Rogers leads the scoring with six goals and four assists across all competitions. Leeds United visit Stamford Bridge on Saturday 21 November, with kickoff at 10:00 am ET.

THE ANALYST’S DESK

Chelsea's attack is strong, but it only just covers the defence. Their 19 league goals is the third-highest total in the division, while the 16 conceded leave a goal difference of plus three and 16 points. A side with that profile wins its share of games but gives itself little room when the defence has an off day.

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Bournemouth won 2-1 at Ipswich on Sunday 8 November, their fifth win in five matches across all competitions. The first of the five was a 3-0 win at Manchester United on 25 October. A 3-0 Carabao Cup win over Aston Villa followed on 28 October, then a 2-0 home win over Leeds on 31 October and a 3-1 Europa League win at Sparta Prague on 5 November. Bournemouth are 7th on 15 points. Evanilson leads the scoring with seven goals and five assists in all competitions. The next test is Nottingham Forest at the Vitality Stadium on Saturday 21 November at 10:00 am ET, after the international break. The run has now covered the Premier League, the Carabao Cup and the Europa League, and a home game is the next chance to extend it.

THE ANALYST’S DESK

Bournemouth's defence is the weak point in a top-seven case. They have conceded 14 league goals this season, which leaves a goal difference of only plus 2 despite 16 scored. A side with an attack that productive would usually carry a bigger margin, and the goals against are what keep it small.

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Next: Manchester City vs Fulham  |  2026-11-21  |  2026 27 English Premier League

The metrics that define this season

The Playbook

Atlético Madrid lost 2-1 at home to Barcelona on Sunday 8 November, after a 2-0 home defeat to Bayern Munich in the Champions League on 3 November. Atlético are third in La Liga on 28 points from 12 games. The league record is still nine wins, one draw and two defeats, which makes this a wobble more than a collapse, though the goals dried up in both defeats. The next test is away: Atlético visit Getafe at Estadio Coliseum on Sunday 22 November, with kickoff at 3:00 pm ET. A tight defence gives them a base to end the losing run quickly, as long as someone in attack scores. Álex Baena leads the squad with 5 goals and 4 assists in all competitions, and finding more scorers is the story of the next few weeks.

THE ANALYST’S DESK

Defence carries Atlético's season, and the attack gives it less help than a top-three side usually gets. Atlético have conceded 10 goals in 12 league games, the joint-fewest in La Liga. They have scored 23, well short of the two sides above them, for a goal difference of plus 13. An elite back line with a middling attack can win a lot of league games, as Atlético have, but it has less cover when the goals stop.

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AS Roma beat Sassuolo 3-0 at home on 7 November, four days after a 3-2 Champions League defeat at Manchester United. The win keeps them third in Serie A on 27 points from 11 games, unbeaten in the league with eight wins and three draws. Donyell Malen leads the scoring with 12 goals in 14 appearances, and The Guardian says Rodrigo Mora is rising alongside him. Matías Soulé has four goals and five assists as well, and Niccolò Pisilli has four goals from midfield. Roma have scored 31 league goals and conceded 10, the best goal difference in Serie A. Roma won 5-2 at Udinese on 31 October and 4-2 at home against Cagliari on 27 October. Roma travel to Parma next, on Saturday 21 November, with kick-off at 12 pm ET.

THE ANALYST’S DESK

Roma's goal difference is the best in Serie A, and it says their title case is better than their position suggests. Over 11 games they have scored 31, the most in the league, and conceded 10, a goal difference of plus 21. The record is eight wins and three draws, worth 27 points and third place, and no defeat in the league. A team with a margin like that tends to finish near the top.

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Arsenal beat Hull City 1-0 at the Emirates on Saturday 7 November and lead the Premier League on 27 points, five clear of second place. BBC Sport's Darren Cann says Arsenal should also have been awarded a penalty for a foul on Kai Havertz, a call that did not matter in the end. It was the latest narrow win in a run that includes a 1-0 win at Liverpool and a 2-1 victory at Slavia Prague. Nine wins from ten league games tell the story of a side that finds a way, and Arsenal have conceded only five league goals all season. The next test is Newcastle United at St. James' Park on Saturday 21 November, with kickoff at 12:30 pm ET.

THE ANALYST’S DESK

Arsenal's attack is the question the winter will ask of their title lead. They have scored 15 league goals in ten games, a modest total for a leader and well short of the division's highest. The defence has carried the record so far, with only five goals conceded, but a lead built on narrow margins needs a reliable source of goals for the days when a clean sheet slips.

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Inter Miami finished the regular season with a 3-3 home draw against Charlotte FC at Nu Stadium on 7 November, and they end it second in the Eastern Conference on 60 points from 34 games. The record reads 16 wins, 12 draws and six defeats, and the attack scored 80 goals while the defence conceded 59. The last five results include a 2-1 win at New England on 1 November and a 2-2 home draw with Cincinnati on 28 October. Round One of the playoffs brings Columbus Crew to Nu Stadium on Saturday 21 November, with kick-off at 6 pm ET. The attack never dried up, with a 3-1 win at Atlanta United on 17 October one of the better results of the month. Miami will need the defence to tighten after letting in three goals on the final day.

THE ANALYST’S DESK

Inter Miami's 80 goals were the most in MLS this season, and that attack is what earned a home start in the playoffs. The season record was 16 wins, 12 draws and six defeats, worth 60 points and second place in the East. The defence conceded 59, a goal difference of plus 21. A margin that wide shows how often the attack decided games.

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THE ANALYST’S DESK

Hull's season has been built on draws, and the question for the winter is whether that is enough. Two wins and five draws from ten league games give them 11 points and 13th place. In a league where a single result can reshuffle the lower half, a points total built mostly on draws is a cautious way to stay safe, and it leaves little protection if the draws start turning into defeats.

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Liverpool won 3-1 at Crystal Palace on Sunday 8 November, and the result steadied a difficult week. Liverpool are fourth in the Premier League on 18 points. Sky Sports reports that an independent panel has ruled Liverpool should have been given a penalty in the 1-0 home defeat to Arsenal on Sunday 1 November, when Jurrien Timber pulled Alexander Isak's shirt. The ruling changes nothing in the table, but it adds to the sense that the Arsenal game could have gone differently. The Palace win also answered a 3-2 Champions League defeat at Fenerbahce on Wednesday 4 November. Isak has eight goals across all competitions, and Alexis Mac Allister has five from midfield. The next test is the biggest home date of the autumn: Manchester United visit Anfield on Sunday 22 November, with kickoff at 11:30 am ET.

THE ANALYST’S DESK

Liverpool's attack is the weak side of the profile. They have scored 14 league goals in ten games, the fewest of any side in the top four, and the defence has held the position together by conceding only ten. A side that wins by narrow margins needs its back line to keep performing, and over a long season that is a demanding way to hold a Champions League place.

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Leeds United beat Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 at Elland Road on Saturday 7 November, with Noah Okafor scoring the only goal, according to The Guardian. Leeds are ninth in the Premier League on 14 points. The win ended a lean league spell that had brought two defeats and two draws in the previous four games. Dominic Calvert-Lewin leads the scoring with four goals across all competitions, and Okafor now has two goals and one assist. The defence remains the strongest part of the side: Leeds have conceded eight league goals in ten games. The Guardian's report also noted that Jayden Bogle did well to escape a red card. Chelsea are next, at Stamford Bridge on Saturday 21 November, with kickoff at 10:00 am ET.

THE ANALYST’S DESK

Defence is Leeds' route to a top-half finish. They have conceded eight league goals in ten games, the third-fewest in the division, and five draws show a side that is hard to beat. The 10 goals they have scored is a low return for a side in the top half.

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Inter beat Como 2-0 at San Siro on 8 November. They are second in Serie A on 28 points from 11 games, a point off first. The win followed a 3-0 Champions League victory at Feyenoord on 3 November, and both were clean sheets after the 3-1 derby defeat at AC Milan on 31 October. Marcus Thuram and Lautaro Martínez share the lead in scoring with six goals each, and Lautaro has done it in half the appearances. Carlos Augusto has four goals from defence. Pio Esposito has four goals as well, so the scoring is not resting on one name. Before the derby they had won 2-0 at Venezia. After the international break Inter visit Atalanta on Sunday 22 November, with kick-off at 2:45 pm ET.

THE ANALYST’S DESK

Inter's 11-game record is close to the best title case in Serie A. They have nine wins, one draw and one defeat, with 28 goals scored and 13 conceded, a goal difference of plus 15. That is worth 28 points and second place, one point behind the side at the top. A team that has lost once in 11 league games has built the kind of record that wins titles, and the numbers back it up on both ends of the pitch.

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Paris Saint-Germain head into the international break with every recent result a win. They beat Troyes 1-0 at the Parc des Princes on 7 November, four days after a 6-0 win at Villarreal that BBC Sport called a continuation of their impressive Champions League campaign. Before that came a 5-1 win at Le Havre. In Ligue 1 they are first, on 23 points from 10 games. Ferran Torres leads the scorers on seven goals, while Ousmane Dembélé has set up five. The next match is at Nice, at the Allianz Riviera on Saturday 21 November, with kick-off at 11:15 am ET. Paris arrive there with the league lead intact and a front line that scores from several places, which is the story of their autumn so far.

THE ANALYST’S DESK

Paris Saint-Germain's lead in Ligue 1 is built mostly on attack. Their 22 league goals are joint-most in the division, and the 10 they have conceded are respectable rather than remarkable. The record is seven wins, two draws and one defeat from 10 games, good for 23 points and first place. A goal difference of plus 12 is the clearest sign that scoring, not stinginess, is doing the work.

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Napoli drew 1-1 with Lazio at the Maradona on 8 November, four days after a 4-1 Champions League defeat at FC Porto, and have now gone three games without a win. The run began with a 2-0 defeat at Juventus on 1 November. In the league Napoli are tenth on 15 points from 11 games, with four wins, three draws and four defeats. Scott McTominay leads the scoring with five goals in 11 appearances, and Kevin De Bruyne has four goals and two assists. The conceding is the worry: three went in at home to Roma on 24 October and four at Porto. Matteo Politano has three goals and four assists. Torino visit the Maradona on Saturday 21 November, with kick-off at 2:45 pm ET.

THE ANALYST’S DESK

Napoli are only barely a top-half side. Over 11 league games they have four wins, three draws and four defeats, with 18 goals scored and 14 conceded, a goal difference of plus four. That is worth 15 points and tenth place. A record that is exactly level on wins and defeats, with a handful of draws, is the profile of a side in the middle of the pack rather than one on the edge of the places that matter.

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Julia Zigiotti Olme came off the bench to score the only goal as Manchester United Women won 1-0 at Aston Villa on Sunday 8 November, BBC Sport reports. United are 5th on 15 points. The win left them unbeaten in five matches: a 3-1 win at Charlton on 18 October, a 1-1 draw with Manchester City on 25 October, a 3-0 League Cup win over Burnley on 28 October, a 0-0 draw at Everton on 31 October and the win at Villa. Mared Griffiths leads the scoring with six goals in all competitions, and Lea Schüller has five. The next game is Crystal Palace at Leigh Sports Village on Saturday 14 November at 7:45 am ET. The home fixture is the next chance to keep the run going.

THE ANALYST’S DESK

Fifth is sustainable only if the goals come. United have 15 points from nine league games with a goal difference of minus 1, and the position is built on avoiding defeat rather than on margins.

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Manchester United drew 4-4 with Aston Villa at Old Trafford on Sunday 8 November, and the question hanging over the club is now bigger than the scoreline. The Guardian reports that United have reached a framework agreement with Mauricio Pochettino and that Michael Carrick's fate is still to be settled; no sacking or appointment has been confirmed, and Carrick remains the manager. United sit 18th in the league on 8 points from ten games, with one win, five draws and four defeats. A 3-2 Champions League win over AS Roma on Tuesday 3 November showed the squad can still win. Whoever is in the dugout then faces Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday 22 November, with kickoff at 11:30 am ET.

THE ANALYST’S DESK

United's season reads as a defensive problem more than a scoring one. Their 14 league goals in ten games is an ordinary return, but the 19 conceded is among the most in the division. A side with that record can put up respectable attacking numbers and still find itself in the bottom three, because every game becomes a negotiation about how many it will let in. The goal difference of minus five sums up the imbalance.

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Bayern Munich head into the international break with news off the pitch as well as on it. They won 2-1 at Mainz on 7 November, four days after a 2-0 win at Atlético Madrid in the Champions League, which BBC Sport described as a continuation of their unbeaten start in the competition. BBC Sport also reports that head coach Vincent Kompany is back at training and "on the road to recovery" after his recent collapse and a spell in hospital. Harry Kane signed a new contract running until 2029. In the Bundesliga Bayern are first, on 21 points from nine games. Cologne visit the Allianz Arena next after the international break, on Friday 20 November, with kick-off at 2:30 pm ET.

THE ANALYST’S DESK

Bayern's scoring rate is enough to keep them top through the winter, on the evidence of the season so far. Their 29 league goals in nine games are the most in the Bundesliga, and with six wins and three draws they are unbeaten in the league on 21 points. Only nine goals have been conceded, giving a goal difference of plus 20 that is the largest cushion any side holds.

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AC Milan won 2-1 at Genoa on 8 November, three days after a 2-0 home defeat to Ferencvaros in the Europa League. The league win keeps them fourth in Serie A on 24 points from 11 games, with seven wins, three draws and one defeat. The Guardian wrote that Ruben Amorim's side were given a lift by a tactical victory over Inter in the derby, which Milan won 3-1 on 31 October. Three days before the derby Milan had lost 4-2 at home to Bologna, and home form is the question for the winter. Adrien Rabiot has five goals and five assists, and Alphadjo Cissè leads the scoring with eight goals. The next match is at San Siro against Frosinone on Sunday 22 November, with kick-off at 12 pm ET.

THE ANALYST’S DESK

Milan's record is that of a top-four side rather than a title side. Over 11 league games they have seven wins, three draws and one defeat, with 23 goals scored and 13 conceded, a goal difference of plus 10. That is worth 24 points and fourth place, five points behind the team at the top. It is a strong return, but a title challenger usually needs to turn its draws into wins, and Milan have three of those.

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Toronto FC's 2026 season is over. A 4-1 defeat at Philadelphia Union on 7 November closed the campaign, six days after a 3-1 defeat at Atlanta United on 1 November. Toronto finished 12th in the Eastern Conference with 39 points from 34 games, a record of nine wins, 12 draws and 13 defeats, and they miss the playoffs. The defence decided the year: the goals were 52 for and 67 against. The last five results brought two wins, at Red Bull New York and at home to D.C. United, and three defeats. There is no match to look ahead to until 2027, so the work now is in the off-season, and the question for the club is how to cut the goals conceded before the next campaign starts.

Newcastle United drew 1-1 at Fulham on Saturday 7 November, five days after a 1-0 home defeat to Everton on Monday 2 November. Newcastle are 12th in the Premier League on 12 points. The point at Craven Cottage stopped a run of defeats, and it came away from home, where the side has looked more comfortable lately. Harvey Barnes leads the scoring with four goals and two assists across all competitions, and Joe Willock has three. St. James' Park has not offered much comfort: Aston Villa and Everton both won there 1-0, and Newcastle failed to score in either game. Arsenal are the next visitors on Saturday 21 November, with kickoff at 12:30 pm ET, and a home goal would be a start.

THE ANALYST’S DESK

Newcastle's problem is at both ends. They have scored 13 league goals and conceded 16 in ten games, leaving a goal difference of minus three and 12 points from three wins, three draws and four defeats. Neither column offers an obvious fix, which is why the table position is so ordinary.

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Aston Villa shared eight goals in a 4-4 draw at Manchester United on Sunday 8 November, the fourth match in a row without a win in any competition. Away from the pitch, Sky Sports reports that Ian Maatsen has signed a new contract. Villa are 10th on 13 points. Their last victory was the 2-1 home win over Manchester City on 24 October, and since then they have lost 3-0 at Bournemouth in the Carabao Cup, drawn 1-1 with Fulham and lost 3-0 at Barcelona in the Champions League. The run can end at Villa Park on Saturday 21 November at 10:00 am ET, when Sunderland visit after the international break. Villa have conceded 17 league goals this season, so a steadier afternoon at the back would be as welcome as another thriller.

THE ANALYST’S DESK

Not yet: Aston Villa's defence is the reason a top-half finish is still unproven. Villa have conceded 17 league goals this season and carry a goal difference of minus 3, a poor return for a side with 14 goals scored. A top-half side usually wins the close games, and Villa's margins have run the other way.

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Seattle beat Arizona 17-3 at Lumen Field on Sunday to reach 5-4, but quarterback Sam Darnold is listed out for Sunday's game at Las Vegas. Drew Lock, who has 597 passing yards this season, is listed questionable with a right elbow and oblique problem and was limited in Wednesday's practice. Offensive tackle Charles Cross and guard Quenton Nelson are both listed doubtful, which puts the line in question too. Jaxon Smith-Njigba has 1,036 receiving yards and is the constant on offense. The Seahawks kick off against the Raiders at Allegiant Stadium on Sunday at 4:05 pm ET, with the passing game in doubt. Seattle beat Kansas City 20-3 on 25 October and lost 17-34 to Chicago on 2 November, so the recent results have swung both ways. Emanuel Wilson leads the rushers with 403 yards.

THE ANALYST’S DESK

Seattle's defense is good enough to keep a 5-4 team in games, and it has done the heavy lifting in Seattle's best wins. The Seahawks have scored 202 points and allowed 162 across nine games, a differential of +40, and the best evidence of the defense is that it held Kansas City to three points in a 20-3 win on 25 October and Arizona to three in a 17-3 win.

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Kansas City beat the Jets 35-12 on Sunday to reach 6-2, then agreed to acquire receiver Josh Downs from the Colts, a deal CBS Sports said gives the Chiefs much-needed help in their receiving corps. Patrick Mahomes is listed questionable with a right elbow and knee problem but was a full participant in Wednesday's practice, and receiver Xavier Worthy, listed questionable with a hamstring, was also a full participant. Travis Kelce leads the team with 482 receiving yards and Rashee Rice has 292, while Kenneth Walker III has 872 rushing yards and Mahomes has 2,037 passing yards. Defensive tackle Peter Woods is also listed questionable. Kansas City beat the Chargers 22-6 on 18 October. It then lost 20-3 at Seattle on 25 October and 28-24 at Denver on 1 November before the win over the Jets. They visit Atlanta at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Sunday at 1 pm ET.

THE ANALYST’S DESK

Kansas City's 6-2 is built partly on its run game and partly on a stingy defense, and the season totals show both. Kenneth Walker III has 872 rushing yards, far more than any other Chief on the ground, and Emmett Johnson adds 111, which shows how heavily the backfield leans on one runner. The Chiefs have scored 202 points and allowed 143, a differential of +59, which is the kind of margin a contender carries.

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Dallas won 27-23 at Indianapolis on Sunday when rookie safety Caleb Downs intercepted a pass with 35 seconds left, The Guardian reported, moving the Cowboys to 4-5. Dak Prescott threw for 335 yards and CeeDee Lamb caught 10 passes for 195 yards. The cost may be at running back, where Tyler Goodson is out with ACL and MCL sprains in his knee, and tight end Jake Ferguson is also listed out. Prescott has 2,381 passing yards this season, Lamb has 904 receiving yards, and George Pickens has 533 and is listed questionable. The Cowboys lost 30-33 to Arizona on 1 November before the win, and beat Philadelphia 38-21 on 26 October. Javonte Williams has 629 rushing yards, and cornerback Joey Porter Jr. is listed questionable. San Francisco visit AT&T Stadium on Sunday at 4:25 pm ET.

THE ANALYST’S DESK

Dallas's bigger problem is stopping, not scoring. The Cowboys have scored 246 points and allowed 236, a differential of +10. The offense has done most of its part, and a margin that thin for a 4-5 team points to the defense as the weak half. Cornerback Joey Porter Jr. and linebacker DeMarvion Overshown are listed questionable, and safety P.J. Locke is out.

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Jacksonville beat Baltimore 33-10 at M&T Bank Stadium last Thursday to reach 6-2, with Trevor Lawrence throwing for 242 yards and a touchdown, The Guardian reported. The injury report is the story now. Running back Bhayshul Tuten, who leads the team with 521 rushing yards, was a non-participant in Wednesday's practice, and receiver Jakobi Meyers was also held out. Defensive end Travon Walker did not practice with a rib injury, and running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. was limited with a hand injury. Lawrence has 1,932 passing yards this season and Parker Washington leads the receivers with 493. Jakobi Meyers has 374 receiving yards. In its recent results Jacksonville lost 31-34 to Houston on 18 October and beat Indianapolis 42-7 on 1 November. The Jaguars visit Tennessee at Nissan Stadium on Sunday at 1 pm ET.

THE ANALYST’S DESK

The defense is the best part of this 6-2 team, and the season totals make the case. Jacksonville has allowed 121 points in eight games against 229 scored, a differential of +108, and the allowed total is the number that stands out. Baltimore managed 10 points last Thursday.

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Philadelphia lost 19-11 to the Giants at Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday and sits at 2-7, with every one of its five recent results a defeat. There is no game this weekend, so the Eagles have an open week before Pittsburgh visit on Sunday 22 November. The offense is the question the break has to answer, with 148 points scored through nine games. Receivers DeVonta Smith and Dontayvion Wicks are listed out, along with linebacker Jihaad Campbell. Jalen Hurts has 933 passing yards, Tanner McKee has 638, and Saquon Barkley has 296 rushing yards, while Makai Lemon leads the receivers with 312 yards. Hurts has also run for 107 yards. Cornerbacks Jonathan Jones and Michael Carter II are listed out as well.

THE ANALYST’S DESK

By margin, this Eagles team is as poor as its record says. Philadelphia has scored 148 points and allowed 221 across nine games, a differential of -73, and the record of 2-7 is the honest summary of that gap rather than a run of bad luck. Nine games is enough to call it a trend.

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Miami lost 19-9 to Detroit at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday to fall to 1-7, and defensive tackle Zach Sieler, the team's captain, ruptured his biceps on the opening play and is out for the season, CBS Sports reported. Sieler finished the game and has been placed on injured reserve. Quarterback Malik Willis, the team's leading passer with 1,396 yards, is also on injured reserve, and Kyle McCord is set to start at quarterback in his place. Ollie Gordon II has 463 rushing yards, and receivers Malik Washington and Caleb Douglas have 350 and 296 receiving yards. Miami has scored 126 points and allowed 200 this season. The only win in the recent results was 28-25 at the Jets on 25 October. Tight end Will Kacmarek did not practice Wednesday with a quadriceps injury, and center Aaron Brewer is listed questionable. The Dolphins visit Indianapolis at Lucas Oil Stadium on Sunday at 1 pm ET.

THE ANALYST’S DESK

Miami's 1-7 is an honest reflection of its margin. The Dolphins have scored 126 points and allowed 200 in eight games, a differential of -74, so the record and the numbers agree.

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Buffalo beat Minnesota 23-6 on Monday night to reach 7-1, matching its best eight-game start since 1993, according to The Guardian. James Cook carried 31 times for 107 yards and a late touchdown, and linebackers Terrel Bernard and Dorian Williams each intercepted a pass. The deadline then brought safety Amani Hooker from the Titans for a second-round pick, per CBS Sports, which said Buffalo had a clear need in the secondary. Cornerback Christian Benford was limited with a wrist injury on Wednesday, and tackle Dion Dawkins was limited with ribs. Tight end Dalton Kincaid was also limited, with an ankle injury, and Josh Allen has 2,027 passing yards this season. The Bills' only defeat so far was 26-29 to New England on 4 October. The Bills visit the Jets at MetLife Stadium on Sunday at 1 pm ET, carrying a run of four straight wins into the game.

THE ANALYST’S DESK

A record of 7-1 is only as good as the margin beneath it, and Buffalo's margin is solid. The Bills have a points differential of +69 across eight games. They have scored 256 points and allowed 187 this season. In the recent results its closest margin was three points and its widest 26, a 36-10 win over Baltimore on 1 November. The record is backed by the scoreboard rather than luck.

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The Giants, 5-2-1 after a 19-11 win at Philadelphia on Sunday, host Washington at MetLife Stadium tonight, Thursday, at 8:15 pm ET. The teams met on 11 October and tied 27-27 at Washington. Cornerback Colton Hood is out after dislocating a finger in Tuesday's practice, the head coach told reporters, while quarterback J.J. McCarthy is listed questionable with a hip injury but was a full participant on Tuesday. Jameis Winston has 1,028 passing yards and McCarthy has 622. Malik Nabers leads the receivers with 648 yards, and tight end Isaiah Likely has 448, so the targets are in place whoever throws to them. In their recent results the Giants lost 27-34 to New Orleans on 18 October and won 27-21 at Houston on 25 October. Cam Skattebo has 418 rushing yards and is working back from a hamstring injury, and Devin Singletary has 111. The game has not been played at press time.

San Francisco beat Las Vegas 38-17 on Sunday to reach 7-1, then added veteran receiver Keenan Allen from the Colts for a Day 3 pick, per CBS Sports. The move comes with the receiver room stretched. Brandon Aiyuk was reinstated and the club was granted a two-week roster exemption, but he is listed out, while Mike Evans and Deebo Samuel Sr. are both questionable. George Kittle leads the team with 483 receiving yards and Evans has 420. Brock Purdy has 1,980 passing yards, and Christian McCaffrey has 457 rushing yards. Cornerbacks Deommodore Lenoir and Renardo Green are also listed questionable. The only defeat so far came 20-29 at Atlanta on 25 October. The Niners travel to face the Cowboys at AT&T Stadium on Sunday at 4:25 pm ET.

THE ANALYST’S DESK

San Francisco's 7-1 rests on a defense that keeps games within reach, and the season totals support that reading. The Niners have allowed 156 points in eight games and scored 235, a differential of +79. The only loss came 20-29 at Atlanta on 25 October. In the recent results the defense held Denver to 14 points in a 24-14 win on 4 October and Washington to 17 in a 23-17 win on 19 October, and it allowed 17 again in Sunday's 38-17 win over Las Vegas.

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THE ANALYST’S DESK

Baltimore's hole is deep by margin. The Ravens have scored 189 points and allowed 236 across nine games, a differential of -47, and the 4-5 record reflects it. Baltimore's 189 points scored is the lower number, and the defense has not made up for it. Four straight defeats sit at the end of it.

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THE ANALYST’S DESK

A 6-2 record built on 146 points scored can hold up only if the defense keeps carrying it. Minnesota has allowed 116 points in eight games against 146 scored, a differential of +30, and the defense is the reason the record is where it is.

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The metrics that define this season

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The Dodgers won 100 games and were swept by Milwaukee in the National League Championship Series, the last a 6-4 home loss on Thursday 15 October. The regular season ended at 100-62, and the postseason run had included a 4-1 win in Atlanta on Wednesday 7 October before the Brewers ended it. There is no fixture until next season. CBS Sports has a hot-stove item on what the winter holds, saying the Dodgers could be Tarik Skubal or bust. The injury list is mostly pitchers, with Gavin Stone, Ben Casparius and Will Klein all out, and catcher Dalton Rushing was scheduled for a hybrid internal brace procedure on his right elbow. The winter question is whether the front office answers that list with one big move.

The Blue Jays' offseason has opened under the Santander story. CBS Sports reports that general manager Ross Atkins has responded to Anthony Santander's anti-Muslim social media posts, under a headline calling them "extremely disappointing", and that Atkins said he told Santander he needed to address his comments publicly. Santander, a right fielder, did not return from a shoulder injury before the season ended. Toronto finished 79-83 and missed the postseason. The last game was a 5-1 home win over Cincinnati on Sunday 27 September, and there is no fixture until 2027. On the field, Kazuma Okamoto hit 33 home runs and Dylan Cease posted a 2.40 earned run average with 239 strikeouts. The winter now opens with a roster question as well as a health one.

Next Fixture: Between seasons — check club channels for the new schedule.

The metrics that define this season

The Playbook

Cleveland beat the Knicks 115-107 at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday, ending a run of four straight New York wins. The night before, the Knicks had beaten Milwaukee 117-85 at home. They now stand at 6-5 and travel to Indiana for a 7:00 pm ET game on Friday. Off the court, the story is Taylor Swift. CBS Sports and The Guardian both report that the club defended Swift after Tyler Kolek and Deuce McBride characterized her fandom as performative. The row has not shown up in the results yet, and Jalen Brunson still leads the team at 25.9 points a game. Karl-Anthony Towns adds 20.9 points and 13.8 rebounds. The Knicks need Friday in Indiana to put the Cleveland loss behind them.

Next: San Antonio Spurs vs Golden State Warriors  |  Fri 13 Nov 2026  |  NBA

The metrics that define this season

The Playbook

Next: Boston Bruins vs Montreal Canadiens  |  2026-11-12  |  NHL

The metrics that define this season

The Playbook

THE ANALYST’S DESK

The Canucks' hole is very deep. Three wins, sixteen regulation losses and one overtime loss from 20 games leaves seven points, and the record has almost no room in it. Sixteen of the 20 games have ended in regulation losses, which means the club has rarely even collected the single point that an overtime defeat brings.

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Next: Seattle Kraken vs Carolina Hurricanes  |  2026-11-12  |  NHL

The metrics that define this season

The Playbook

The New York Islanders lost 3-2 in a shootout at San Jose on Monday, their fourth straight defeat and the second in a row beyond regulation. They lost 5-3 at home to Carolina on Thursday 5 November, then 5-4 in overtime at home to New Jersey on Saturday 7 November. The Islanders are 7-6-4 with 18 points from 17 games, and they play the Kings in Los Angeles on Thursday at 10:00 pm ET. Ryan Pulock, a defenceman, is out, Alexander Romanov, a defenceman, and Calum Ritchie, a centre, are on injured reserve, and Matias Maccelli, a left wing, has a lower-body injury. Bo Horvat has 7 goals and 10 assists, and Matthew Schaefer has 5 goals and 12 assists. The overtime and shootout defeats each brought a point, but the defence is short.

THE ANALYST’S DESK

The Islanders' points pace is fragile. Eighteen points from 17 games is just over a point a game, but it leans on four losses in overtime or a shootout, each of which earned a point.

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The Toronto Maple Leafs lost 6-3 to the Colorado Avalanche at Scotiabank Arena on Tuesday, their fourth straight defeat, every one of them at home, after a 4-2 loss to Montreal and a 4-0 loss to New Jersey. CBS Sports headlined its latest NHL power rankings with the line that the Leafs continue to slide as Sergei Bobrovsky struggles, and the goaltending question hangs over Thursday. The Minnesota Wild visit Scotiabank Arena at 7:00 pm ET with Toronto at 8-10-2. Auston Matthews and William Nylander have 11 goals each, so the scoring has not dried up. The injury list is the harder part: Colton Sissons is out, Morgan Rielly is day-to-day on the blue line, and Zack MacEwen is day-to-day too, while Nick Blankenburg and Marshall Rifai remain on injured reserve. Toronto need a night where the goals against stop arriving.

THE ANALYST’S DESK

Eighteen points from 20 games is below a point a game, and the Maple Leafs' 8-10-2 record leaves them with ground to make up rather than a cushion to protect. Eight wins from 20 starts is well short of half, and ten of the twelve games without a win ended in regulation, so the record offers few of the consolation points that soften a poor start. Recovery is possible, but it needs a run of wins rather than a handful of extra-time points.

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The Edmonton Oilers beat the Philadelphia Flyers 3-2 in overtime at home on Wednesday, a third straight home win after a 4-2 victory over Vancouver on Saturday 7 November and a 3-1 win over the Rangers on Monday 9 November. The Oilers are 14-3-3 and play at the Toronto Maple Leafs at Scotiabank Arena on Saturday at 7:00 pm ET. Connor McDavid has 11 goals and 38 assists, and Leon Draisaitl has 18 goals, so the scoring runs through two names. Evan Bouchard has 11 goals and 22 assists. Goaltender Frederik Andersen, who has a knee injury, is not expected back until maybe December, head coach Mike Babcock said in late September. Vasily Podkolzin has 9 goals. Only three of the Oilers' 20 games have ended in regulation losses. The road test comes next.

THE ANALYST’S DESK

The Oilers are playing at a contender's pace. Fourteen wins, three regulation losses and three overtime losses from 20 games gives 31 points, which is well above a point a game. Only three of the 20 games ended in regulation losses, and the three overtime defeats still earned a point each.

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The New York Rangers won 3-1 at Calgary on Wednesday after a 4-3 win at Seattle on Saturday 7 November and a 3-1 loss at Edmonton on Monday 9 November. The Rangers are 11-8-1 and continue on the road at the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Arena on Friday at 9:00 pm ET. Goaltender Igor Shesterkin is out for the season and will need surgery and a lengthy rehab on his right knee. Defencemen Sean Durzi and Alberts Smits are on injured reserve. Adam Fox has 2 goals and 20 assists, Alexis Lafrenière has 9 goals, and Mika Zibanejad has 5 goals and 13 assists. Adam Sykora, a left wing, is also on injured reserve. The Rangers have won two of three away from home.

THE ANALYST’S DESK

Eleven wins, eight regulation losses and one overtime loss from 20 games gives the New York Rangers 23 points, which is just above a point a game. It is a borderline pace for a playoff place rather than a comfortable one, and the eight regulation losses are the figure that keeps it from looking secure.

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The San Jose Sharks lost 3-2 to the Pittsburgh Penguins in a shootout at home on Wednesday. They had beaten the New York Islanders 3-2 in a shootout at home on Monday 9 November, after a 4-3 loss at Dallas on Saturday 7 November. The Sharks are 8-11-2 with 18 points from 21 games and visit the Utah Mammoth at Delta Center on Saturday at 9:00 pm ET. Macklin Celebrini has 8 goals and 15 assists, Will Smith has 7 goals and 7 assists, and Ivar Stenberg has 6 goals and 6 assists. Tyler Toffoli has 5 goals and 6 assists, and Michael Misa has 4 goals and 7 assists. Igor Chernyshov, a left wing, is on injured reserve, and he is the only name on the injury list. The shootout loss still earned a point, and the next game is on the road.

THE ANALYST’S DESK

The Sharks' 8-11-2 record is a pattern rather than a bad stretch. Eleven regulation losses in 21 games means more than half of San Jose's starts have ended with no point at all, and 18 points from 21 games is below a point a game. The two overtime or shootout losses and the eight wins are the only things keeping the total from being lower.

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Toronto finished 11-33, ending with an 81-95 loss at Connecticut on Thursday 24 September. The Tempo play no game until next season, so the offseason is now the story. Nyara Sabally has had arthroscopic left knee surgery and is expected to make a full recovery ahead of the 2027 season. The closing stretch also came without Marina Mabrey, who missed the final four games with a hip injury, and Aneesah Morrow and Brittney Sykes, who were out for the rest of the season. The last five results were all losses, and the club's priority now is health and depth. A full recovery for Sabally would give the Tempo one more healthy forward for next season, when the roster will need every one of them.

Max Verstappen started the Brazilian Grand Prix on 8 November from 21st on the grid after an engine penalty and finished second. Hadjar was third, and Lando Norris won the race. Motorsport reported that team principal Laurent Mekies said no simulation could have predicted the charge, adding: "He's beating the sim on a regular basis." Both Red Bull cars scored. Red Bull are third in the constructors' standings. Three races remain, and the next is the Las Vegas Grand Prix, which starts at 11:00 pm ET on Saturday 21 November. It is round 21 of 23. Verstappen is second in the drivers' standings and has all three of the team's wins, so the question for the last three rounds is how much Hadjar adds to the table alongside him.

THE ANALYST’S DESK

Almost all of Red Bull's season rests on one driver. Verstappen has all three of the team's wins and is second in the drivers' standings. Hadjar is eighth with no wins. Those two lines describe a team with one race winner and one points scorer. Whatever Red Bull have won this year, they have won through Verstappen, and all three of those wins came in the five most recent races.

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Ferrari left Brazil on 8 November with both cars in the top ten and an awkward result to explain. Leclerc was eighth and Hamilton ninth, and Lando Norris won the race. Hamilton had started 20th after an engine penalty, then spun in the closing laps, and he told fans he was devastated, Motorsport reported. The result came a week after the Mexico City clash between the two Ferrari drivers on 1 November. Ferrari are second in the constructors' standings. Three races remain, and the next is the Las Vegas Grand Prix, round 21 of 23, which starts at 11:00 pm ET on Saturday 21 November. Hamilton and Leclerc are close in the drivers' standings, and how freely they race each other is the question that travels with the team to Las Vegas.

THE ANALYST’S DESK

Ferrari's season is built on consistency rather than outright speed. Before Brazil, the team's best car finished second in three straight races: Singapore on 11 October, the United States on 25 October and Mexico City on 1 November. The race on 4 October brought third. Ferrari did not win any of those four, and the team has two wins all season, one each from Hamilton and Leclerc. Of the five most recent races, Verstappen won three, Antonelli one and Norris one.

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Shuri Sakuma won the TOTO Japan Classic on 8 November at 20 under. The LPGA Tour now moves to The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican, which starts today, Thursday 12 November, and runs through Sunday 15 November, on CNBC and Golf Channel. The week brings a debut: the Greensboro News and Record reports that Macy Pate, a Wake Forest star, will make her LPGA Tour debut at The ANNIKA. Sakuma's win was the latest in an autumn stretch in which no player has won twice, so nobody arrives at The ANNIKA with an obvious hold on the Tour, and the week is a chance for a new name to emerge. Away from the tournament, Sky Sports has a guide to the women's TGL schedule, with Charley Hull, Lottie Woad and LPGA Tour stars taking part.

Blades Brown, 19, won the World Wide Technology Championship on 8 November at 23 under, beating Ben James in a playoff. BBC Sport reported that he is the youngest PGA Tour tournament winner in 95 years. The Tour now moves to the Austin Championship presented by Compliance Solutions, which starts today, Thursday 12 November, and runs through Sunday 15 November, with coverage on ESPN+ and Golf Channel. The week arrives with the Tour's youth story fresh and with The Guardian reporting that LIV Golf is in bankruptcy proceedings and that the DP World Tour expects an influx of players from LIV Golf next year. Separately, Ewen Ferguson has set his sights on a PGA Tour place in 2027, according to BBC Sport.

The 2026 UCI WorldTour season is complete. All 36 of the 36 scheduled races have been run, and none remains on the calendar. The last was the Tour of Guangxi, held from 13 to 18 October, which Jarno Widar won, with Tom Pidcock second and Louis Barré third. Before it came Il Lombardia on 10 October, won by Paul Seixas, with Enric Mas second and Giulio Ciccone third. Evenepoel, del Toro and Mas won the three September races before that. The calendar is finished, and the next WorldTour racing belongs to the 2027 season. What remains is the record, and the last five races produced five different winners, with Seixas and Mas the riders who kept turning up near the top.