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The fact that our airways and internet are clogged with false information and overstatements is not news. Some of the rumors that are accepted as fact and embellished in some corners have real-world consequences. To a far lesser extent a rumor that has been picked up on multiple sources this week carries less consequences. Heading into the start of the 2026 National Football League season I have heard from multiple sources that underdogs are a solid and overwhelming play against the point spread in the opening week.

Admittedly, that is of a lot less significance than a lot of false news … unless you make a wager based on a false pretense and lose money.

The Jacksonville Jaguars are playing this week in their home city away from home when they host the Houston Texans at Wembley Stadium in London. The Jaguars are the most common visitor to venues across the pond and are playing their second straight game in London. Last week, they used up one of their miracle wins when they edged the Philadelphia Eagles at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium with a last second field goal, 19-17.

The victory kept the Jaguars firmly in first place in the AFC South Division over three division foes that don’t have a winning record. The Jaguars have won four of their first five games, their only setback a narrow loss to the Denver Broncos on the road.

The rest of the AFC South has struggled. The Indianapolis Colts have won twice in five starts while the Houston Texans got their first win of the season last week over the Tennessee Titans, who are winless in five decisions.

The Texans are the best team in football with only one win. They have lost a number of close games to quality opponents in which they had a chance to win all but one of their losses at the end but failed. On opening day, they had driven into the redzone late in the fourth quarter while trailing the Bills by five points and then suffered a turnover.

After losing by two touchdowns on their home field to the Cincinnati Bengals in second week action, they allowed a last-minute touchdown to get edged in Dallas by the Cowboys, 34-31. The following week, at Indianapolis, they suffered a last second Colts field goal that edged them by two points, 19-17.

Close games, but four losses to open the season. This is rugged terrain for a team that hopes to land a playoff date in January. Only one team in NFL history, the 1992 San Diego Chargers, earned a postseason berth after losing their first four games. Last year, the Texans opened with three losses over the first four weeks and did go on to not only qualify but opened the playoffs with a win over the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Two teams that are working the extremes this season, one for the good and one for the bad, meet this Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium when the Kansas City Chiefs entertain the Los Angeles Chargers.

This was projected to be a year in which the Chiefs had a lot more questions to answer heading into their season than they have had over the past decade while pretty much dominating the league. Behind Patrick Mahomes, the Chiefs have appeared in five Super Bowls over the past seven seasons and won the Vince Lombardi Trophy three times.

But, after getting blown out by the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LIX and winning only six games last year, there were a lot of questions for Andy Reid’s team entering the 2026 season. Mahomes was injured late last season, and his recovery was iffy for being ready by the start of this campaign. The Chiefs defense was not nearly as dominant last year as it had been for nearly a decade, and Reid was faced with questions on what veterans were ready to pack it in.

On top of that aging list was tightend Travis Kelce, who didn’t seem to have the burst in his step last year as he had in his younger days. No one can avoid the aging process, and for athletes the expiration date on their effectiveness comes relatively early in life.

Meanwhile, the Chargers came into this year buoyed by the return of their two stalwart offensive linemen, Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt. Both missed significant time last season. Slater was injured during an August workout and was sidelined the entire 2025 campaign, while Alt went down with a season ending injury in November

This year, with their return and another year of development for the team under highly successful head coach Jim Harbaugh, all looked good for the Chargers when they reported to camp in July.

I’m more comfortable driving than being a passenger.

I love the feel of wind in my face while driving a motorcycle; hate the uneasiness I feel while a passenger on the back and holding onto the driver for dear life.

Still, there are times I will hand the controls over to someone more skilled at guiding the craft than me. I have never requested a pilot allow me to take over on a flight from New York to San Francisco or requested my friend J.R. surrender the controls while he is navigating his airboat in search of alligators in the marshes.

Few times, do I feel the need to hand over the control of picking a National Football League game. Most people would be well served to turn those duties over to me with confidence I had control of the situation. I only say all this because tonight I am surrendering control in light of being overwhelmed by the number of people in the know laying the points in this Monday night clash between two of the NFL’s best teams.

The contest is staged at SoFi Stadium, and the homestanding Rams are favored by three-and-one-half points. That appears a lot of points to lay when arguably the visiting Bills have looked better this season than the Rams. Buffalo lost their first game of the season last week to the New England Patriots, and Los Angeles on the same day needed a furious fourth quarter rally to clip the Philadelphia Eagles.

On the season, the Bills have one loss and the Rams have been defeated twice. The Rams got blown away in their opener in Rio by the San Francisco 49ers, 27-7, and were beaten in Denver at Mile High Stadium while surrendering a 16-point halftime lead.