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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.

When you own the team you can do whatever you want.

The problem for some owners is that what they want to do is not good for their team. I know what you’re thinking before I write this next line, but I’m not referring to Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, not yet anyway, but rather the owner of the team that his squad is meeting this week in Indianapolis, the Colts.

The ownership of the Colts franchise has been in the Irsay family since the current owner’s grandfather, Robert Irsay, purchased the Los Angeles Rams from the estate of the late owner, Dan Reeves, for $19 million. Irsay wanted a National Football League team closer to his primary business located in Chicago, so soon after acquiring the Rams he made an ownership swap with Baltimore Colts owner Caroll Rosenbloom.

The Rams thrived under Rosenbloom's ownership while the Colts floundered. One of the NFL franchises with the richest history in the game, read that as Johnny Unitas, was relegated to second tier status. In the dead of night, Robert Irsay moved the Colts from Baltimore and relocated the team to Indianapolis in 1984.

The Colts redemption began in 1998 with the drafting of future Hall of Fame Quarterback Peyton Manning. By this time, the franchise was being run by Robert Irsay’s son, Jim Irsay, who had a reputation as good as his dad’s was bad. The Colts enjoyed mostly successful years with the younger Irsay running the franchise and captured a Super Bowl to complete the 2006 season, which was ten years after Robert had died.

On May 21, 2025, Jim Irsay died and following his death the ownership of the Colts transferred to his three daughters, Carlie, Casey and Kalen. Carlie became the team’s principal owner and CEO.

The Denver Broncos opened this season with a crushing three-touchdown loss to their primary competition in the AFC West Division, the Kansas City Chiefs. Last week, against the Chiefs again, the Broncos put on a fourth quarter comeback to edge Andy Reid’s team, 28-24.

The victory turned around a season that started on a sour note, into a first place standing in their division a half-game in front of the second-place Chiefs.

That was last week, and next week the Broncos head into their bye with first place seemingly in hand. On Sunday, Sean Payton’s squad meets another first-place team, but while the Broncos have a winning record with six wins in eight decisions, their opponent this week leads the NFC South Division with a losing record.

That’s right, it is another season where the winner of the NFC South may just end the year with a losing mark. That was the case last season when the Carolina Panthers advanced to the postseason with an 8 and 9 record. This year, Carolina is again leading their division with a losing mark, they have three wins in seven decisions. The two teams that are behind the Panthers in second place also have three wins, but the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Atlanta Falcons have not yet had their bye week, and each have five losses.

The Panthers have run hot and cold this year. They lost their opener at home to the Chicago Bears by 22 points, 59-37, and then beat the Atlanta Falcons on the road by 31, 34-3. A loss at Cleveland was followed by a win over the Detroit Lions.

They came out of their bye week with a double-digit win over the Philadelphia Eagles and then lost by 30 points to a Tampa Bay team that had only one win coming into that Week Seven contest. Carolina suffered a second straight loss last Thursday night in Green Bay and now are at home and underdogs to the Denver Broncos.

The Baltimore Ravens host the Jacksonville Jaguars tonight in a game that has shifted dramatically over the past five days.

Last Sunday, the Ravens visited the Buffalo Bills in a perfect spot to take advantage of the return of Lamar Jackson and down a quality Buffalo team to climb back into the thick of their AFC North Division race. Then, on the first offensive play Jackson ran on Sunday, he broke his thumb and will probably miss the rest of the season.

Okay, on Sunday the Ravens now had an uphill battle with backup Tyler Huntley running the home team’s offense. But the Bills have a less than dominating defense so Baltimore still has a chance in this critical game for their playoff hopes. Then Huntley suffers an injury that required surgery this week and the Ravens are left with undrafted rookie Joe Fagnano to lead the Ravens offense.

Chances gone, lopsided loss for Jesse Minter’s squad a near certainty and realized in a 36-10 defeat.

Fagnano will get his first NFL start tonight when the Jaguars come calling. The Jaguars have a better defense than Buffalo and are expected to dominate the action just as the Bills did last week when Fagnano made his first NFL appearance.

So, a game that was slated to favor the Ravens on the spread by 4½ points before the season began, has now been relegated to a battle between the have and have nots. Tonight’s primetime game would have had a great matchup between two elite quarterbacks; Jackson and the Jaguars Trevor Lawrence. Now this contest is a mismatch on the spread that has the visitors favored by 10 points.