New York’s Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio‑Cortez’s highest‑profile outing on the world stage yet at the Munich Security Conference last week has sharpened speculation about her long‑term political ambitions.
Newsweek has reached out to Ocasio‑Cortez via email for comment.
Ocasio‑Cortez’s trip to Germany marked her most prominent international appearance to date, placing the New York congresswoman alongside world leaders and senior policymakers at one of the world’s most closely watched global security forums.
She has defended the purpose of her trip and rejected suggestions that it was about positioning herself for a White House run.
But William Kedjanyi, political betting analyst at Star Sports, told Newsweek the Munich Security Conference represented a significant step in how her political trajectory is now being viewed.
“AOC’s appearance at the Munich Security Conference was a notable step, an outing onto the world stage where she received as much attention as some other heads of state,” Kedjanyi said.
“While it was not all plain sailing, the fact she was there shows an intention and a seriousness to be at the very least heavily involved in any conversation.”
Although Ocasio‑Cortez has built her reputation largely through domestic policy battles, the Munich appearance elevated her international profile and placed her within a broader discussion about future Democratic leadership.
Star Sports currently lists Ocasio‑Cortez at 12/1 to win the 2028 U.S. presidential election, placing her behind Vice President JD Vance and California Governor Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, but ahead of a wide field of potential contenders.
Within the Democratic race, she is priced at 7/1 to secure the party’s nomination, second only to Newsom, the 6/4 favorite.
“Newsom is very much dominating the betting from the Democrat side, but Ocasio‑Cortez is the only person to get close,” Kedjanyi said.
“If she were to express a serious interest in running, I’m sure that those odds would go much shorter than they are now.”
Kedjanyi also pointed to shifting dynamics on the Democratic left, where Ocasio‑Cortez is widely seen as a natural heir to the progressive movement once led nationally by Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont.
“There’s no doubt that there is a lot of youth energy behind Ocasio‑Cortez, particularly with Senator Bernie Sanders on the left of the party, perhaps not as prominent as he once was after his two runs for president,” he said.
“And despite having perhaps the largest international profile of any Democrats at this moment in time, Newsom does have an open exposed flank on his left.”
Prediction Markets
Prediction markets tracking the 2028 Democratic nomination and the presidential race more broadly largely mirror the picture seen in traditional betting, with Newsom consistently positioned as the front-runner and Ocasio‑Cortez grouped among the leading alternatives.
Kalshi and PolyMarket put her chances of securing the Democratic presidential nominee at 11 percent and 10 percent, respectively, at the time of writing, with Kalshi’s figure rising 3 percentage points since her arrival in Germany on February 12 and PolyMarket’s staying relatively flat.
While no sharp post‑Munich surge has been recorded, markets continue to place Ocasio‑Cortez firmly within the top tier of speculative contenders, reflecting her sustained national prominence and the added exposure from her highest‑profile international appearance to date.
Prediction markets tend to move decisively only after candidates signal formal intent, meaning her position could shift quickly if she were to indicate clearer presidential ambitions.
What People Are Saying
William Kedjanyi, political betting analyst at Star Sports, said: “It would be no surprise if Ocasio‑Cortez could mount a challenge from the left of the party using its progressive wing.”
President Donald Trump said of Ocasio‑Cortez following her appearance in Munich: “I watched AOC answering questions in Munich. This was not a good look for the United States.”
He added in remarks to reporters on Air Force One: “She’s just Trump deranged. She was so deranged. She is an angry woman. But I watched the other two speaking and answering basic questions.
“I never heard her speak very much, and they started answering questions. She had no idea what was happening. She had no idea how to answer, you know, very important questions concerning the world, but she can’t answer questions concerning New York City, either, because New York City has got some problems.
Representative Alexandria Ocasio‑Cortez said during a Sunday: “Progressive foreign policy has not been represented internationally in a very long time, if not ever, and I felt that it was very important to start bringing that into spaces of power.”
She added: “I remain ambitious, but my ambitions are in changing our political environment. That’s why I—when I was first elected—my ambition was to change the Democratic Party.”
New York Democratic strategist Jon Reinish previously told The Hill: “She has flubbed on foreign policy before, in speeches, in interviews, in some pretty high‑profile ways. So it was a bit surprising to me that she put herself in a position to do so again, on an even more high‑profile stage.”
What Happens Next
Ocasio‑Cortez has not officially declared any intention to run for president, and the Democratic field remains unsettled with years still to go before formal campaigning begins.
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Anne Hartnett Hi, I’m Anne Hartnett with Agent Publishing. Today we’re taking a closer look at what the 2026 housing market may actually look like based on the latest forecasts coming from across the industry. I’m joined today by Matthew Gardner, chief economist at Gardner Economics, to break down where those predictions align, where they differ, and what they really mean to real estate professionals heading into 2026. Thanks for joining me today, Matthew.
Matthew Gardner You are welcome, and good to see you again.
Hartnett Almost every forecast agrees more homes will sell in 2026. The disagreement isn’t if — it’s how fast. What’s driving that range of optimism and what ultimately determines how quickly transaction volumes will actually return?
Gardner That’s a great question, and to be honest with you, it couldn’t really get any worse. The last couple of years, sales have been really remarkably, remarkably low. So why are we going to see a change in that? Well, there’s a couple of reasons, one of which is I expect to see inventory levels rise a bit more. Therefore, there’s going to be more choice in the marketplace. That obviously is a good thing. But more importantly, I think, is that I expect that home sellers, they’re going to start becoming a little bit more, shall we say, realistic when it comes to the value of their homes. So if you start seeing some lower asking prices, well, naturally you can have home buyers or potential buyers watching, and I think we’re going to see increased sales because of that. But I also see there’s one other driver that no one’s really talking about. And that is going to come in the form of who I call “fence sitters.” Now, these are would-be buyers, and they’ve been waiting on the sidelines. And quite frankly, they’ve been waiting for one thing to happen, and that’s a housing market that’s going to collapse, and therefore they could pick up a home remarkably cheaply. Well, I think they’re now saying, well, maybe they know that’s not going to happen and the market’s not going to implode. And because of that I think they’re going to start getting more active in the marketplace as well. So when you combine greater inventory but more importantly greater demand, that means I expect to see a decent but not huge jump in the number of sales in 2026 over 2025 levels.
Hartnett The industry agrees prices will hold, not surge, signaling balance, not distress. Is 2026 the year we finally stop talking about price acceleration and start talking about price normalization?
Gardner I’m not sure that 2026 will be best described as balanced. Because I think there’s going to be plenty of markets where affordability is still going to be a very significant issue. And there are also others where we haven’t seen price drops, quite frankly, bottom out. That said, I certainly see prices being able to rise nationally a little bit more. Yes, it’ll be somewhat modest growth, and the reasons for that are going to be somewhat similar for the reasons that I expect sales to increase. Greater confidence in the marketplace will be one. We’re also seeing modestly lower borrowing costs and improving affordability in certain markets, but mainly it’ll be improving affordability because asking prices are quite likely to pull back a little bit further. And price growth also, it will go up a bit nationally, but it’s going to vary fairly significantly by region. And I expect that home prices in the Midwest, which is classically more affordable than the rest of the country, I think they can raise quite nicely, but they’ll be very modest gains in the northeast and in the south, while out west, where prices actually declined in 2025, I see them turning modestly positive in 2026. So the bottom line here, as far as I see it, is that incomes will be rising, likely a little bit faster than home prices. That’s good for affordability, but I think it’s going to take several years of this trend of very low price growth and far higher wage growth. Before we can say that the market is even close to being normal. I just don’t see that happening for quite some time. And because of that, I think it’s still going to be a fairly hard environment for all those would-be first-time buyers out there.
Hartnett Most organizations are predicting rates in the low- to mid-6% range. Matthew, you predict the lowest rate of 5.9% by Q4 2026. What’s driving that outlook and what would need to happen for rates to move meaningfully lower or higher?
Gardner Well, the primary reason that I think the rates can drop from where they are today is that although I don’t see bond yields moving much, and as we all know, mortgage rates are based on the yield on ten-year treasuries. But what we have seen is the spread between ten-year paper and mortgage rates tighten and really kind of start heading back closer to the historic average the spread was between them — that 1.8%, 1.9%. So what that means is we could actually see bond yields not move very much at all. But mortgage rates can come down if that spread continues to narrow. So yes, I think that we could likely — not guaranteed — possibly getting just marginally below 6% by the end of 2026. Now, what it would take to move significantly below that? Well, I mean, I’d be careful what I wish for. And the reason I say that is that if rates are going to drop down or could drop down into, let’s say, the mid- or low-fives, well, it would likely mean we are already in a very significant economic contraction, AKA a recession. So be careful what you wish for. On the other side of the equation, rates moving palpably higher — I really don’t see any reason for that to happen. It certainly could, and it would have to be because yields on treasuries have jumped, and that would only come from one reason and one reason alone. And that is a lack of belief in U.S. debt. I’m hopeful that that will not be the case. So because of all these factors, yes, I think modestly lower rates. Yes, I think we can get into the high fives. But I certainly do not expect rates to move significantly higher from where they are today.
Hartnett NAR stands out with a forecast of 14% sales growth, roughly double what many portals and economists are predicting. Why is NAR so much more optimistic on transaction volume, and do you think that optimism is warranted?
Hartnett Oh, I do like Laurence [Yun], however, and I say that chief economist, a nice guy. But, I really, quite frankly, don’t share his optimism. Now, it is interesting, though. I mean, most of us are looking in that 2% to 4% growth. I’m a bit more bullish than that, but no one’s in double digits. Now reading what he has put out, what NAR’s published, is that he’s looking at, quite frankly, the same reasons that I see sales able to rise in 2026: falling mortgage rates and higher inventory levels unlocking, in his opinion, pent-up buyer demand. But I mean, a 14% increase means to me that — rough math — we’d have to see sales transactions jump by close to 600,000 units. I admire his enthusiasm and his optimism, but I quite frankly don’t see any reason that would happen other than a very, very significant downturn in overall prices or in mortgage rates. And because I don’t expect to see that occurring, I think he’s a bit optimistic. But you know what — and as always — time will tell.
Hartnett Most forecasters offer fairly tight ranges for mortgage rates, but Compass predicted a wide band, from roughly 5.9% to 6.9%. Does that reflect increased caution, or simply a more realistic view of volatility?
Garder Well, I mean that obviously a very significant range that they’ve put out there, and I think that their position, and certainly I don’t want to talk for them, is that they’re offering really two scenarios: a bullish scenario, whereby we could see, mortgage rates drop down below 6%, or a bearish one, meaning that we could say rates jump up to, I think they said 6.9%. And they did the same thing with sales, which they forecast being somewhere from sales falling by 3.6% or rising by 4.6%. I think that what they’re looking at as far as mortgage rates go is that they’re looking at ten year treasuries, which is appropriate. They’re saying that could range from 4% to 4.8%. Therefore that means that mortgage rates will come in at that 5.9% to 6.9%. But they do give a single number, which is in essence the average of the two, so really they’re saying 6.4%, but at a very wide average. Now, if the economy slows as we talked about, are we heading to a recession? Certainly. Rates can drop because we will see a big move out of people moving money out of equities and into fixed income, into bonds. That means the bond price goes up and the yield comes down. So that could happen, but if rates are rising under that scenario that he’s suggesting, is that we could see potentially if the market is going to be better, or the economy is going to be better, meaning we’re seeing more robust employment growth but also we’re seeing inflation moving potentially back up from where it is today. Well, that means likely the Fed would start to jump in. They would possibly look to increase the Fed funds rate. And as much as the Federal Reserve do not control interest rates, they can certainly have a — they can form a direction for them. They can impact them to a degree. So I think that that is a big range, certainly, but I’m looking at it on both sides of the coin, right? Good market or a bad market. But I wouldn’t say that it is more realistic, because I do not expect to see a lot of volatility in rates in 2026. In fact, in 2025, we saw the lowest volatility levels, as in, the annual high and low of rates, we’ve seen in many years. So less volatile. I think they’re just looking at, it could be this, but it could be that.
Hartnett Matthew, your optimistic forecast combines three things we don’t often see together: rising sales, improving affordability and moderate price growth. What makes that combination possible in 2026, and what would need to go wrong for that outlook to change?
Gardner Well, yes, I certainly, when it comes to the U.S. housing market I am, for want of a better word, a glass-half-full economist. Well, I mean, as we discussed, my forecasts, other than for rates to fall a bit more than others expect, I’m not really far adrift from the consensus. Sales in 2023 and 2024 weren’t only disappointing, but they were well below the average levels we’ve seen from, you know, a 20 year period from 1989 to 2019. Sales over the last two years were below the number that we saw during the financial crisis. So can we get better? Well, it’s very hard to get worse. But the biggest thing is that the big numbers, the huge levels of sales we saw in 2020, certainly in 2021, that pulled a lot of demand forward. And of course, rates jumped in 2022, which, when you think about it, if you’ve got less demand because people had already bought, you’ve also seen mortgage rates doubling, that’s going to slow the market down even further. That caused a drag on sales. I think we’re over that now and we’re starting or continuing to create new households again. I think we’ve got a market out there that is now saying, well, I was hoping for rates to drop back down to 5 or 4% again. I know that’s not going to happen. Therefore, I’m going to buy now because for a lot of people, quite frankly, even if we see a very modest increase in sale prices, there’s going to be a share of people that if they don’t buy now, they won’t be able to afford to buy later on. So I think there’s going to be better demand. So we can see rising sales because of better demand. Moderate price growth — well, we can see modest price growth even though there are some issues with affordability, because the affordability concern comes very much — and it’s very much centered around — first-time buyers. You see, for us that have owned our homes for a reasonable length of time, we’ve made a bunch of money on it and affordability is less of an issue. But the affordability improving can come from lower asking prices. So I think you can actually see sales rising, modest price growth and affordability improving. But again, it’s going to be very much geographically defined. But those things can happen, and I believe that they will.
What would need to go wrong for my outlook to change? Yes, it would have to be rates for some reason or other jumping up. I find that remarkably unlikely. I don’t think that would happen. Price growth jumping to a point whereby affordability declines further? I don’t see that happening either. So I think all in all, modest improvement across the board is one that is the most likely scenario. But of course, who knows what might come around the corner. Certainly, I think that comments being made by the administration could have an impact on the equity markets and on the global markets as well, so not sure about that. We’ve obviously got a new fed chair coming in. We don’t know who it is, although I’ve got a pretty good guess. And so there’s going to be some concerns there as to whether the Fed will continue to be independent. That can have an issue on financial markets as well. So there are some geopolitical potential hiccups out there, but but in general, I believe that as long as we do not head into any form of major economic downturn, slow and steady is the way.
Hartnett All right Matthew, to wrap this up, if you had to describe the 2026 housing market in one word, what would it be and why?
Gardner I would say clarity. Yes, clarity. And why would I say that? I think that there’s a lot of uncertainty, really, quite frankly, going through Covid, coming out of Covid. We weren’t sure what was going to be happening. We saw rates plummet. Wonderful. But then they skyrocketed. Not good. People out there saying, isn’t this 2008 all over again? So I think that, yeah, I think that the market will be less opaque, in 2026. We’ll see some more clarity. And again, for people understanding the fact that for 98% of us, buying a home is the most expensive thing we ever buy in our lives, but if we’re making that decision, we want to be sure about it. So I think we’ll see more clarity and clarity will allow, I believe, prices to rise, transactions to rise. Not to the levels that I’m sure brokers would like, but they will be better in 2026 than 2025 because there will be, from a buyer’s perspective and indeed from a seller’s perspective, more clarity in the U.S. housing market.
Hartnett All right, Matthew, thanks for breaking this down. And for all our sakes, fingers crossed that your predictions, your optimistic predictions, come true.
Gardner I’m always helpful — hopeful, as well as helpful. But I appreciate that, Anne, and everyone out there have a great new year. Take care.
The last 12 months in music were eventful, to say the least. We saw the against-all-odds successful Oasis reunion, the Sean Combs trial, and, of course, the rise of artificial intelligence and the fears of how it may impact the entirety of music going forward. What can we expect in 2026? I’ve got a few predictions — which, if I’m honest, are just guesses given the volatile and unpredictable nature of the music industry. Nevertheless, here we go.
U2 will return
Outside of their 40-date run at the Sphere in Las Vegas, U2 has been largely absent. The last album of new material was Songs of Experience in 2017, leaving fans instead with Songs of Surrender (a 2023 album of re-recordings) and How to Re-Assemble an Atomic Bomb (a 2024 collection of odds and ends accompanying the 20th anniversary re-release of How to Assemble an Atomic Bomb). Both were placeholders to keep fans occupied while drummer Larry Mullen Jr. dealt with some serious back and neck issues. Bono has given us a few updates along the way, saying the band was working on a back-to-basics rock album and that Mullen’s health was improving and he was almost ready to return to work full-time.
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Right now, the runway is pretty clear for a new U2 album and world tour. Yes, Oasis is pretty much guaranteed to continue their reunion tour victory lap, and we’ll see more shows from Guns N’ Roses, Eagles, Bon Jovi, Iron Maiden, Aerosmith, Bruce Springsteen, Fleetwood Mac, Paul McCartney, and Pearl Jam have yet to make their intentions known. And the Rolling Stones have said they’ll be staying home because Keith Richards can’t commit to another round of shows.
Things are wide open for a return for U2. I wouldn’t be shocked if there was some kind of announcement in February, accompanied by a new single and then an album by summer.
Radiohead will return — maybe
To be fair, Radiohead has already returned with a short tour after a long hiatus. Might this mean more shows and — gasp! — a new album for the first time in a decade? They’re a sneaky bunch who love surprises. We’ll see.
The influence of Radiohead’s music
AI will become an even greater concern
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File this one under “duh.” With the rise of generative AI platforms like Udio and Suno, and with two of the major labels settling lawsuits and working on licensing agreements, AI will loom even larger in music. While some will use the technology as a tool much in the same way we learned to deal with technological advances like the synthesizer, the drum machine and sampling, there will be many abuses and crimes, including plenty of streaming fraud.
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‘We Will Rock You’ musical tackles AI with Queen’s biggest hits
Deezer, the Paris-based streamer, says its AI detection software has determined that as of November, almost 50,000 new AI songs are being uploaded to the platform each day, with plenty of tracks masquerading as material from flesh-and-blood artists. That is an increase from 10,000 per day in January 2025. Worse, Music Business Worldwide says 97 per cent of listeners can’t tell the difference between real and fake music. As one analyst put it, this kind of fraud and cybercrime has now been industrialized, with streaming fraud siphoning away at least US$1 billion annually.
There will be knock-on effects from this. Better AI detection. Demands to label songs and artists as AI-generated. More stringent curation standards for playlists and music discovery. And since AI artists can’t actually tour and perform live, their reach will be limited to online. Let’s hope that radio stays away from this music, too, although the taboo has already been broken by the success of the fake country artist Breaking Rust.
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Rock will make a comeback
When Donald Trump was elected in 2016 and the Conservatives were struggling in the U.K., conditions were ripe for a rise in angry, aggressive music, something that we’ve traditionally seen when a Republican is in the White House and a Conservative lives at 10 Downing Street. But it never happened. Instead, we got a lot of sad mid-tempo bedroom pop from artists who complained of being stressed out (cf. Twenty One Pilots) and a bunch of 26-year-olds pining for the days when they were young. Then COVID-19 appeared, changing everything about society for two solid years.
Now, though, we have a second Trump administration that seems hell-bent on dismantling American life. The war in Ukraine shows no sign of ending and China is flexing its muscles around Taiwan. There’s talk of a bad recession. It’s a scary time, and it’s starting to be reflected in the type of music being made.
There’s plenty of anecdotal evidence that Gen Z is embracing rock, both in terms of classic acts and new ones, thanks to TikTok and Instagram. If you were at an Oasis show last year, you’ll have seen plenty of people who weren’t even born when Definitely Maybe came out in 1994. The Cure has found an audience with a brand new generation. There were an incredible number of young people at the limited number of AC/DC shows this year. New bands like the Beaches, Spiritbox, Ghost, Sleep Token and Turnstile are feeding into the demand.
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Turns out Gen Zers love ’90s music as much as millennials and Gen Xers. They’re also discovering the rock of the early 2000s in droves, too, thanks to artists like Billie Eilish declaring her love of the Strokes. Mate this with Gen Zers tired of an all-digital world picking up real musical instruments again, and there’s hope for us rock and rollers. I wonder how enrolment is at those schools of rock that seem to be in every city.
Physical music will continue to be hot
Yes, vinyl outsold compact discs in Canada for the second year in a row, but don’t count them out. Young people — always the drivers of musical trends — are continuing to buy more music on physical formats. After a lifetime of dealing with music as an ephemeral and evanescent thing, many are discovering the wonders of ownership over access. Not only will vinyl records and CDs continue to sell, watch for more special collectible and limited-edition releases. Even owning a cassette without having anything to play it on is becoming a strong cultural statement.
A surprising number of people — upwards of 50 per cent — don’t even own a turntable. Vinyl represents a physical manifestation of what’s available on streaming platforms. This leaves the record (or CD) available for decorative display, allowing someone to point to a shelf full of records and say, “See? I love music so much that I have two metres of it on my wall!”
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Slow listening
In the olden days, we listened to physical albums over and over again, hoping to like as many tracks as possible. We paid attention and didn’t skip something we judged unlikeable after five seconds. Physical media encourages slow listening. Who wants to get up and cross the room to move the tone arm on the turntable?
The continuing rise of lossless audio
For years, too many people thought the audio of MP3s was good enough. And to be fair, compressed music files were really the only option, given limited bandwidth, expensive data plans and small hard drives. Now, though, most of those problems are gone, opening the way to full-fidelity, and in some cases, better-than-CD quality, digital files. Even the streaming platforms have upped their bitrates to something that finally sounds like it did coming out of the studio.
An offshoot of that is the possible resurrection of wired headphones. Bluetooth headphones and earbuds are great, but Bluetooth doesn’t have the bandwidth to transmit lossless files like FLAC. If you want the full effect, you gotta plug in a set of cans.
The hot new sound? Afrobeat
The last couple of years have seen a tremendous rise in music from Latin artists and K-pop. Next up will be the spread of African superstars like Burna Boy, Davido, Tyla, WITCH, Tems and others. There will be a Bad Bunny-like breakthrough by someone, probably via TikTok or Instagram. Then look out.
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We’ll see what happens. Let’s meet here in 12 months to see if I’m right or wrong.
Each year, we ask some top investors what they think the next year will bring. Last year, some investors thought the IPO market would be back up and running by now (which didn’t quite happen), while others thought the momentum behind AI was poised to accelerate (and they were right). This year, TechCrunch did the same thing, talking to five investors from various markets about what they are preparing for in 2026.
Here is what they said.
What will it take for a founder to raise next year, compared to last year?
Raising in 2025 requires a shift from “visionary” to “battle-tested.” In previous years, capital has been a primary moat; now investors are wary of “pilot purgatory,” where enterprises test AI solutions without an urgent need to buy. In 2026, the bar is rising. Founders must prove to VCs they have more than just traction; they need a distribution advantage. Investors are digging deeper into repeatable sales engines, proprietary workflow/processes, and deep subject matter expertise that holds up against the “capital arms race.” VCs no longer care about who’s first to market with a flashy demo. They want to know who’s building something that can last, earn trust, and scale long-term.
We believe the funding markets will always be available for the best founders, but the bar will rise. At the earliest stages, especially in AI application software, I do expect fewer mega seed rounds given intense competition and capital already deployed across many categories. Founders will need to stand out with unique distribution channels or perspectives, not just by relying on a large market opportunity and strong backgrounds. Capital moats have already formed around crowded sectors. At the Series A and B stages, top-quartile rounds will require clear evidence of explosive momentum. The market has now adjusted to these expectations with increased scrutiny on the sustainability of revenue.
Bigger, faster, better: bigger total addressable market, faster growth, better unit economics. We made 50 investments last year across 25 countries, and we expect to do more this year, so we’re seeing founders at very different stages and in very different markets. The strongest founders aren’t just showing what they’ve built so far — they’re helping investors understand where the business is going next. Real revenue and real customers still matter, but they’re not sufficient on their own. As an investor, I’m always asking: Where is this company today, and where could it realistically be in the next 12, 18, or 24 months? The founders who raise are the ones who can answer that question clearly and credibly.
A lot of founders are finding it easy to build new things because generative AI coding tools are so advanced today. But in truth, those tools are leveling the playing field for everyone, and competition is more fierce than ever. So founders building for venture scale need to make sure that they are (1) truly tackling a big idea, not just something that’s easy to vibe code; (2) building in a problem area that they are uniquely positioned to win; and (3) bringing something proprietary that can’t easily be replicated. This could be a contrarian approach with unique insights, proprietary access to data, deep networks/relationships, a technological advantage, etc. These aren’t new concepts, but the stakes and expectations are higher than ever.
For founders selling to enterprises, I think the entire world has gotten smarter on the value that AI can deliver, and as such, proving — showing line of sight to ROI — will be more important than ever to investors. Founders who can prove that their products offer much higher value have the best shot at raising capital.
What areas are you looking to invest in and why?
Norman
As a fund, we remain industry-agnostic generalists, but we are always sharpening our lens. Today we’re looking for “high-context founders.” In a world where AI has commoditized the ability to write code, the winning edge is now lived experience. We want to invest in the founder who has spent years in the trenches of a complex industry and possesses the bespoke expertise that can be 10x’d by AI. For us, the ideal investment is a marriage of deep subject matter expertise and a “day zero” distribution advantage, meaning founders don’t just know what to build but already know exactly who is going to buy it.
Blumberg
We are particularly interested in sleepy or legacy industries that sit outside core tech founder appetite, where AI can offer step-change ROI that drives adoption. These markets have lower competition and moats driven by complexity that often come with less obvious sectors. We also believe 2026 will be a great year for infrastructure supporting foundational model development, as well as frontier research categories like embodied AI and world models. Healthcare remains a major focus given clear signs of buyer demand; we focus on systems of record and platforms rather than point solutions.
Taylor
Outside the United States! The best risk-adjusted venture returns are not in Silicon Valley anymore. They are in markets like Poland, Turkey, and Greece.
When you invest across 25 countries in a single year, you stop thinking of venture as something that happens in one place and then spreads outward. Twenty years ago, roughly 90% of venture dollars went to the United States. That flipped in 2018. Today, more than half of venture investment — and more than half of the world’s unicorns — are outside the U.S.
We see this every day. Founders in Latin America, Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia are building venture-scale companies — often serving massive markets from the start. In our pipeline, it’s normal to see founders from Venezuela building in Iraq, or from Sudan building global businesses.
Chang
I’m most interested in founders who are tackling massive problems and leveraging technology for forward progress. I’m rather unmoved by the plethora of startups focused on agentically automating workflows for specific verticals. I’m much more interested in the larger platform shifts that will define this era of technological and societal progress.
Bankiya
We’ve seen tremendous impact on software from AI. I think the next frontier is at the intersection of software and hardware. Most of the world’s GDP is locked up in physical industries, and software-only solutions aren’t enough to fully unlock the world’s growth potential.
Do you think the IPO market will thaw? Why or why not?
Norman
Yes, the IPO market is likely to thaw, not because conditions are suddenly ideal, but because the system is running out of viable alternatives. We’re approaching a tipping point where the private market’s ability to sustain multibillion-dollar valuations, often disconnected from profitability or liquidity, is wearing thin. Years of “paper markups” have postponed reality, but they haven’t eliminated it. Companies, boards, and late-stage investors increasingly need a mechanism to reset expectations, generate real liquidity, and re-establish price discovery.
Private credit has acted as a stopgap, extending runways without forcing valuation discipline. But that bridge is starting to look more like a pressure cooker. Debt can delay decisions, not solve structural capital needs, especially for companies built for equity-style growth. At some point, fresh capital becomes necessary, and public markets remain the only place capable of providing it at scale. Their growth narratives and strategic importance can provide the “air cover” needed to reopen the IPO window. Once investors re-engage around category-defining leaders, it creates permission for the broader high-growth software sector to follow.
Blumberg
I think we will see a reopening of the IPO markets driven by the backlog of companies planning to list. Many large tech IPOs are anticipated, including darlings like Anthropic and OpenAI, and I believe one of these mega IPOs will drive considerable momentum for others.
Taylor
Yes — 2026 will be a big year for IPOs in New York as dozens of the top companies simply decide “it’s time.” It will also be a banner year for tech IPOs in places folks are not used to seeing them — like the stock market in Saudi Arabia.
I think people underestimate how global the thaw will be. We’ve had nearly four years of muted IPO activity, which has created a backlog of high-quality companies that are ready to be public. When the window opens, it won’t just be U.S. companies stepping through it. There’s already a cohort of major U.S.-listed technology companies from Latin America, including MercadoLibre and Nubank, and there’s another wave right behind them that public-market investors haven’t fully priced in yet. I don’t think all of those companies list in 2026, but several will.
What’s even more unexpected is what happens locally. You’re going to see meaningful technology IPOs in places like Saudi Arabia, listed on the Saudi Stock Exchange (Tadawul). When companies like Tabby [a buy now, pay later outfit] go public locally, it will challenge assumptions about where global tech outcomes happen.
Chang
We’re looking to make slightly fewer, more concentrated bets. There is a ton of startup activity, so when we meet founders who really stand out, we want to be able to back up our high conviction with a higher check size and higher ownership percentage.
Bankyia
I think a hard catalyst would be required to reset the IPO markets — something akin to mega AI players facing unprecedented cost increases or sharp revenue declines. Think, for example, of energy prices sharply rising, such that it’s unaffordable to offer compute for AI training and inference.
How are you looking at the venture market for next year as a fund manager?
Norman
We’re entering what I’d describe as a clearing event for the venture market, and next year will separate durable platforms from transient ones. The fallout will hit Fund I managers who haven’t found their footing, and active Fund II managers struggling with a [distributions-paid-in-capital, or DPI] drought from 2021 vintages. Traditional institutional anchors, particularly university endowments, are effectively in repair mode. After being squeezed by the absence of liquidity in 2021 and 2022, many are leaning on secondaries, pacing adjustments, and portfolio-smoothing strategies just to maintain existing commitments.
That means fewer new relationships and far less tolerance for emerging or undifferentiated managers. Stepping into their place are family offices that have moved from passive LP roles to active market forces. They aren’t just filling the “LP oxygen” left by retreating institutions; they are scoping direct mandates and using [registered investment advisors] to hunt for unique, high-conviction strategies.
In 2026, there is no viable middle ground. You need to have a clinical, defensible track record and/or truly unfair access to differentiated deal flow. Lightly grounded generalist positioning, soft networks, and “good enough” performance won’t survive this cycle.
Blumberg
We believe we are in the early innings of AI transformation, so we expect next year to be a strong vintage. Capital continues to concentrate in a select number of winners so we focus on being selective and operationally supporting our companies to earn our right to concentrate. We are advising our portfolio companies to strengthen their balance sheets in case of a downturn in 2026 while focusing on building for the long term rather than optimizing for fast funding.
Taylor
Amazing time to back the boldest founders building for the next 10+ years! From a fund manager’s perspective, 2026 looks strong on both deployment and liquidity. Last year we had 12 liquidity events — all through M&A and secondaries. That matters because venture has grown dramatically over the last two decades, while paths to liquidity didn’t keep pace. What’s changing now is that venture is building a more complete liquidity toolkit — M&A, secondaries, and IPOs working together.
That’s critical when founders are committing 10, 15, even 20 years to building companies. At the same time, we’re seeing real structural shifts in core sectors. Financial technology, especially stablecoins, moved from experimentation to mainstream adoption in 2025, particularly in markets like Latin America and Africa. In those places, this isn’t speculative technology; it’s infrastructure. That combination is why 2026 looks like a strong year to be deploying capital.
Bankyia
We’re still searching for phenomenal European founders building groundbreaking companies. Great companies are formed in all cycles.
What will happen to all the investor and startup interest in AI next year?
Norman
In 2026, the “AI curiosity” that fueled the last two years is being replaced by a demand for application and scale. We are moving from the era of building models to the era of building businesses. The fastest, most innovative companies aren’t the ones with the largest LLMs; they are the ones using AI to solve high-value, domain-specific problems that were previously too complex or too manual to scale. Investors aren’t looking for “AI startups” anymore; we’re looking for exceptional tech founders who have found a way to use this intelligence to 10x the efficiency of a massive, traditional market.
Blumberg
We expect investor and startup interest to continue at all-time highs. However, I do think we will start to see tuck-in acquisitions, acquihires, and wind-downs in highly concentrated sectors such as coding automation, sales automation, marketing, and advertising as market share starts to concentrate in select assets.
Taylor
It will continue. But by the end of 2026, I predict AI will stop being a separate category, as it will just be a part of all new technology companies being built.
There’s a lot of breathless talk about AI right now — and that’s understandable. We’re still very early in understanding what this technology will actually change. In moments like this, excitement tends to run ahead of clarity. Some companies will be transformational, many won’t, and pricing will take time to adjust as real use cases emerge. The opportunity isn’t in labeling everything as “AI.” It’s in understanding where AI meaningfully changes cost structures, speed, or decision-making inside real businesses. That’s where durable value gets created.
This is one of those moments when the fog is thick, and that’s when outcomes diverge the most.
Chang
I don’t see it slowing down anytime soon. We’ve seen a lot of dollars go into infrastructure and theory; this year we’ll see a lot more of that investment more clearly turn into enterprise value at the application level.
Bankyia
AI will remain a hot topic, barring negative hard catalysts that dramatically change conditions, like an energy crisis or a rise in default rates.
What is something unexpected that could happen in 2026 in the world of venture and startups?
Norman
One of the most unexpected shifts of 2026 will be the quiet end of the “ChatGPT-first” era in startups. Not because generative AI loses importance, but because no single model remains the default starting point. GPT is no longer consistently best-in-class for search, image generation, or video, which fundamentally changes how tech companies architect their products. The savvy founders in 2026 have already graduated to a multi-model world, and instead their focus has shifted to specialization.
For example, Anthropic has effectively captured the developer’s mindshare because Claude Code is better at building with you, and Google has finally activated its structural advantages. With Gemini 3, it’s pairing top-tier image and video generation with deep multimodal capability and native access to Google’s search and data ecosystem. That combination is proving hard to compete with. Model choice becomes an infrastructure decision, not a moat. The winners in 2026 won’t be the companies that “use GPT,” but the ones that orchestrate multiple models seamlessly, abstract complexity away from users, and build proprietary workflows on top.
Blumberg
We expect to see many successful startups built with only one or two rounds of capital. AI tooling (especially coding automation) enables many early-stage companies to accomplish profitability without excessive burn. From a technology perspective, while LLMs are expected to be everywhere, companies will start to scale back usage in favor of more controlled use as enterprises prioritize explainability, cost, and reliability. This could drive heavier use of small models, deterministic and probabilistic hybrid models, world models, or simulation modeling.
Taylor
The end of the Russia-Ukraine war will bring about a renaissance of investing in Ukrainian founders, who are some of the best in the world! Two additional things will genuinely surprise people. First, international companies — especially from Latin America — going public in New York at scale. Second, major technology IPOs coming out of the Middle East, listed locally. When companies like Tabby go public on the Saudi Stock Exchange (Tadawul), it will reset expectations about where global tech leadership lives.
Millions, perhaps even billions of us who got ourselves vaccinated against COVID-19 should be dead by now, or if not yet, very soon. For years, prominent wellness influencers and other internet personalities have predicted that mRNA vaccines will lead to mass casualties. Infectious disease clinician Neil Stone has helpfully (and amusingly) compiled a number of such dire predictions.
First up, enjoy health hustler David Wolfe’s graphic from 2021.
Wolfe
Stone jauntily observes: “5 billion of us got Covid vaccines. Apparently we all have 2 months left to live. Better make the most of it!”
In 2021, Dolores Cahill, an immunologist at the School of Medicine of University College Dublin, notoriously asserted in an independent documentary that “everybody who has an mRNA injection will die within 3 to 5 years, even if they have had only one injection.” In August, Stone puckishly asked, “Anyone out there who got a Covid vaccine and is still alive?”
In August 2024, vaccine naysayer Steve Kirsch snarkily posted that “25% of people who got the COVID shot regret it. The others are dead.” Stone snarked back, “Anyone out there who has had the Covid vaccine, is not dead, and does not regret it? I’ll start. Me.” Me, too.
On August 23, conspiracy theorist Alex Jones expanded the amount of time that we vaccinated folks have left before we shuffle off this mortal coil when he posted that “27 peer reviewed Doctors stated that 100% of those who are vaccinated will die by 2028 due to the mRNA tech in the vaccine.” Stone drily observed, “Apparently 3 years left for me and 6 billion others. How shall we spend them?”
And let’s not forget perhaps the most absurd claim, this time from our current Health and Human Services secretary, who in 2021 called the Pfizer mRNA COVID-19 vaccine “the deadliest vaccine ever made.”
Claims like these have been proven wrong time and again. Given the counterfactual nature of such estimates, it is hard to pin down just how many lives the COVID-19 vaccines globally saved. Estimates range from a high of about 20 million in the first year after vaccines became available to a low of around 2.5 million deaths averted by 2024.
If mass vaccine deaths are imminent, it is not evident in the global life expectancy trends. Since the rollout of billions of mRNA shots beginning in 2021, global life expectancy has risen from 70.9 years to 73.2 years in 2024. (Life expectancy fell during the pandemic from 72.6 years in 2019 to 70.9 years in 2021.)
Despite these dire warnings, President Donald Trump, who presided over Operation Warp Speed, the fastest vaccine rollout in history, got his COVID-19 booster shot earlier this month.
Disclosure: I have had nine mRNA COVID-19 shots so far.
Aledo senior running back Brady Powell runs onto the field before the start of the game against Denton Guyer at Tim Buchanan Stadium in Aledo, Texas, on Friday, Aug. 29, 2025.
Tom Marvin
Special to the Star-Telegram
Week 6 of the Texas high school football season is here.
High school sports editor Charles Baggarly and reporter Darren Lauber made predictions for top Fort Worth-area games. See if they picked your team to win:
Charles Baggarly is a high school sports editor and reporter for the Fort Worth Star Telegram. He graduated from TCU in 2023 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and served as TCU 360’s sports editor. Connect with Charles on Twitter or via email.
Discover the power of paradigm shifts in driving individual and societal transformation, from overcoming cognitive dissonance to fueling scientific revolutions.
When’s the last time you changed your mind about something?
Many people are stuck in their beliefs and worldview, especially once we reach a certain age. Our map of reality is shaped most by early life experiences, including lessons we’ve learned from parents, teachers, and friends.
A worldview can be hard to break out of on a purely psychological level.
Once we are set in a view, we seek new information that continues to confirm these beliefs by only looking at sources that already agree with us. When new information contradicts these beliefs, we can easily ignore it or distort it to keep our map of reality intact.
Accepting that we are wrong about something can be hurtful to our ego and pride, and in many ways our brains are designed to protect ourselves from this discomfort by simply ignoring contradictory information unless it has a real world effect on our lives. As Philip K. Dick once said, “Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn’t go away.”
The average person isn’t primarily driven by a search for truth, they just need a map of reality that is good enough to navigate their lives effectively and not get themselves into too much trouble, which includes social pressures to conform to certain beliefs or stay silent about others.
People can go through radical changes in beliefs though. Young adults and teenagers may go through “phases” as they come-of-age, where they question what they’ve been taught, rebel against orthodoxy, and search for their own meaning or purpose in life. These transformative years can lead to paradigm shifts that last a lifetime, such as adherence to new political, religious, or philosophical ideologies. Many may still return to their old beliefs later in life, but with a fresh new perspective.
Learning about a new worldview, ideology, or philosophy doesn’t mean you need to adopt it – and it doesn’t necessarily lead to a paradigm shift. Often times learning about radically different belief systems can give us a firmer understanding of our current beliefs. There’s wisdom in learning about worldviews you find wrong, mistaken, or incorrect; at the very least, it will give you a better understanding of where other people are coming from.
Paradigm shifts aren’t just new or updated knowledge, they represent a complete change in your perspective that makes you see and interpret old knowledge in a different way.
This shift in perspective can be jolting and uncomfortable at first. We depend on worldviews to make sense of reality, so deep changes in perspective can often make reality feel more confusing or unstable at first.
We often need to re-evaluate old knowledge and experiences through a new lens, and re-integrate them into a new and better map of reality. This is a mental shift that can sometimes take months or years before it is fully developed.
My Paradigm Shifts
My mind has changed a lot over the past decade, which hopefully is a sign that I’m learning and growing. When I first started this website over 15 years ago, my worldview was very different than what it is today.
A few ways my mindset has changed:
Less Individualistic – During my college years, I explored a lot of libertarian philosophy that emphasized the individual over the collective. This is a common starting point in many “self help” circles too, which have an ethos of “take responsibility” and “pull yourself up by your boot straps.” While I still believe strongly in individual responsibility and initiative, I’ve grown to recognize the “no man is an island” mantra and focus more on the importance of social support, community-mindedness, and asking for help. This understanding has led to changes in my political and economic views too.
Less Materialistic and Money-Focused – It’s a bit embarrassing looking back on it, but I used to want to be rich and famous. I think a lot of it is just part of America’s narcissistic culture, where everyone strives to become some type of celebrity. As I get older, I’ve discovered new core values that have helped me focus on the more important things in life. I’ve also learned that a lot of my drive for money was really a drive for independence, and those aren’t the same thing. A person can make a lot of money and be trapped in their career to sustain their luxurious lifestyle, but a person of more modest fortune, who can be happy with less, often has more independence because they can then focus on other things in life. That was a counter-intuitive idea for me that took awhile to process.
Focus on Social and Cultural Forces – When I was younger, and likely a product of my libertarian days, I used to focus more on the importance of economics rather than culture. Generally, I saw things like music, art, and film as just a peripheral aspect of society, but now I’m beginning to understand their central importance. Every culture reflects and propagates a certain set of values, and a culture that promotes harmful and destructive values will lead to a harmful and destructive society. When I look at today’s world, I see a lot of cultural forces going in the wrong direction. I’m not pro-censorship in anyway, but I find many aspects of our culture need to be analyzed, criticized, and abandoned if they are hurting the happiness and health of a people.
This is how my mindset has shifted over the years – and my mind will likely keep changing as long as I stay open to new information, new knowledge, and new experiences. At this point, most of my learning has happened outside of school and that’s a path I will continue on for the rest of my life.
The Structure of Scientific Revolutions
One of the most popular discussions on the topic of paradigm shifts is Thomas Kuhn’s 1962 book The Structure of Scientific Revolutions.
Kuhn describes that scientific progress isn’t just an accumulation of facts, which he calls “normal science,” but also periods of “revolutionary science,” where anomalies are discovered that force scientists to look at a field in a completely new way.
Common examples of paradigm shifts in science include:
The Copernican Revolution in the 16th century, where there was a change from geocentrism (“earth is the center of the universe”) to heliocentrism (“sun is the center of the solar system”)
Newtonian Physics in the 17th century, where classical mechanics discovered by Isaac Newton replaced previous models of Aristotelian physics.
Darwin’s theory of evolution and natural selection in the 19th century, which changed how humans viewed themselves in relation to animals and nature.
Often there is initial resistance to accept new paradigms, which can go through heated periods of controversy and criticism among contemporary scientists and laymen.
However, once these new paradigms were adopted, they allowed for research and discoveries into new phenomenon which ultimately expanded the boundaries of science and learning.
New paradigms completely change how a scientific field is looked at. Thomas Kuhn used the example of the duck-rabbit optical illusion to demonstrate how new paradigms can change how we see old information:
A duck or rabbit? It depends on your perspective.
New paradigms can take awhile to be fully adopted. Old facts need to be looked at through a new lens. New books, research, studies, lectures, and textbooks need to be re-written from this new perspective, leading to a type of cognitive restructuring of society. The philosopher Immanuel Kant referred to the advancements of Greek mathematics and Newtonian physics as “revolutions in thinking,” and they take time to process.
Generally, new scientific paradigms are better than old ones because they have more explanatory power over understanding natural phenomenon and predicting future outcomes.
The best measure of scientific truth is its predictive power: if a new paradigm fails to better explain or predict a natural occurrence over a previous paradigm, then there’s no real point in replacing the old model (from a scientific perspective).
Paradigm Shifts: An Antidote to Cognitive Dissonance
Paradigm shifts are spurred on when new facts don’t fit into old worldviews. This leads to feelings of cognitive dissonance which is when someone is forced to hold two contradictory beliefs at the same time.
Often the only way to reconcile this disconnect between facts vs. experience is to find a completely new paradigm that accounts for all old and new knowledge. This may require recognizing wrong or mistaken beliefs from your past, or cultivating a worldview with more complexity and nuance.
Cognitive dissonance is a painful experience that most people choose to ignore or avoid. Many people double-down on wrong beliefs when they are passionately invested in them, which leads to excessive confirmation bias and conspiracy theories when beliefs continue to be held unchecked.
At the same time, cognitive dissonance can be a catalyst for change – it’s a signal that we need to adjust our understanding of reality. This can become a real avenue for transformative thinking as long as you are honest with yourself, seek out diverse sources of information, and open-minded enough to see things in a new light.
Conclusion
Paradigm shifts are a part of learning and growing on both an individual and societal level. They are necessary for both radical self-improvement and radical scientific progress.
While it’s important not to “change your mind just for the sake of changing your mind,” honest searches for knowledge and truth inevitably come up against walls that require a paradigm shift to get over and move onto the next stage.
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In just a few days, the 17th season of the IPL will kick off, starting on March 23. I can’t help but feel the buzz as fans and pundits alike gear up for what promises to be another thrilling chapter in cricket’s most glamorous league.
Last year, the Chennai Super Kings clinched their fifth IPL title, a monumental achievement that placed them on par with the Mumbai Indians, both holding the record for the most titles won. In this post, I will discuss in detail what to expect in IPL 2024 and share some predictions about who will emerge as a new champion. There’s a lot to cover, so let’s begin.
The Heavyweights and Their Odds
It’s no surprise that Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Mumbai Indians (MI) are again at the forefront as the teams to beat, with identical odds of 6.00. Their consistency and ability to perform under pressure have been unmatched, making them the top picks for many enthusiasts, including myself.
Sunrisers Hyderabad, on the other hand, sits on the opposite end of the spectrum with odds of 13.00. However, their ambitious move to sign Pat Cummins, breaking the IPL franchise record, signals their intent to disrupt the status quo.
For those interested in exploring the world of IPL betting, some websites offer reviews, tips, and guides on the best betting apps and sites, ensuring you can make informed decisions on where to place your bets safely and securely. For more details, check thetopbookies.com.
Teams and Their Chances
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Mumbai Indians (MI): Odds at 6.00
Gujarat Titans: Following closely with odds of 8.00
Royal Challengers Bangalore: Not far behind at 10.00
The auction brought significant changes, notably Mitchell Starc joining Kolkata Knight Riders for a whopping INR 24.75 crore and Pat Cummins to Sunrisers Hyderabad for INR 20.5 crore.
Team
Odds to win IPL 2024
Chennai Super Kings
6.00
Mumbai Indians
6.00
Gujarat Titans
8.00
Rajasthan Royals
9.00
Royal Challengers Bangalore
10.00
Delhi Capitals
11.00
Lucknow Super Giants
11.00
Punjab Kings
12.00
Kolkata Knight Riders
12.00
Sunrisers Hyderabad
13.00
Teams to Keep an Eye On
Apart from the favorites, CSK and MI, there are a few other teams that deserve attention:
Gujarat Titans: Their strategic plays and team composition make them a formidable opponent.
Royal Challengers Bangalore: Always a crowd-pleaser with the potential to go all the way.
Kolkata Knight Riders: With Starc’s inclusion, they’re a team to watch.
The Dark Horse: Rajasthan Royals
Rajasthan Royals, with their potent batting lineup featuring Yashasvi Jaiswal, Jos Buttler, Sanju Samson, and Shimron Hetmyer, have shown they’re not to be underestimated. Winning 17 out of 31 matches since 2022, their performance speaks volumes. Their strategy focuses on specialists rather than all-rounders, a move that could very well tilt the scales in their favor.
Their Strength Lies in:
Batting Power: With players like Buttler, Samson, and Jaiswal, they can dominate any bowling attack.
Bowling Strategy: A reliable backup for Trent Boult in Nandre Burger and the experienced duo of Ashwin and Yuzvendra Chahal make their bowling lineup enviable.
What Makes IPL 2024 Special?
Every season of the IPL brings its share of surprises, and this year is no different. With new players and teams stepping up, the dynamics are bound to change constantly. IPL 2024 is set to be an unpredictable rollercoaster filled with thrilling performances and unforgettable moments.
What to Expect?
The IPL 2024 is shaping up to be a real spectacle with fresh faces and team vibes. Plus, playing on home turf and smart game plans are going to be more crucial than ever. The big auction in Dubai on December 19, 2023, was a blockbuster event. It was like the who’s who of cricket with some significant cash being thrown around.
Especially eye-catching was the entry of seven champs from Australia’s ODI World Cup winning team, each with a starting price tag of a cool INR 2 crore (about USD 240,000). Travis Head also made headlines, moving to Sunrisers Hyderabad for INR 6.8 crore (USD 800,000), and Rachin Ravindra landed with Chennai Super Kings for INR 1.8 crore (USD 240,000).
These newcomers are going to spice things up, bringing their A-game and forming dynamic duos and power-packed partnerships. For instance, Starc and Cummins are all set to unleash their pace attack, while Head and Ravindra will beef up the batting and spinning for SRH and CSK.
Not to forget, Josh Inglis and Steven Smith are going to add some serious batting firepower to the Lucknow Super Giants. It’s going to be one heck of a season!
FAQs
Who’s kicking off the IPL 2024?
It’s going to be a showdown between Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers Bangalore to open the season.
When’s the season starting?
Mark your calendars for March 23, that’s when all the cricket action begins.
Where’s the big finale of IPL 2024 happening?
The Narendra Modi Stadium is where it all goes down for the grand finale.
How many matches are we looking at for IPL 2024?
Get ready for a jam-packed schedule of 74 matches this season.
Who’s in the running for IPL 2024?
The teams hitting the pitch are Mumbai Indians, Kolkata Knight Riders, Chennai Super Kings, Punjab Kings, Delhi Capitals, Rajasthan Royals, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Lucknow Super Giants, Royal Challengers Bangalore, and Gujarat Titans.
How long is the 2024 season?
From the starting whistle on March 23 to the final play on May 29, that’s the whole cricket carnival.
Where’s the first match of IPL 2024 taking place?
Chennai’s Chepauk Stadium is where the action kicks off.
Final Thoughts
As the season approaches, the excitement is evident. The blend of experienced titans and ambitious challengers makes the IPL a spectacle of cricketing prowess. Teams like CSK and MI are the favorites for good reason, but as history has shown, anything can happen in the IPL. Teams like Sunrisers Hyderabad and Rajasthan Royals are prime examples of why the league remains one of the most unpredictable and thrilling competitions in the world of sports.
So, grab your popcorn and get ready to enjoy cricket at its best. The IPL 2024 is upon us, and I, for one, cannot wait to see how this season unfolds.
If you’re filling out an Oscar ballot at home, you’ll want to check the stats with a mathematician and movie lover from Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.
Ben Zauzmer from Upper Dublin calls his system “Oscarmetrics” and he wrote the book on it.
He says it all started when he was a freshman at Harvard University.
“I just wanted to find a way to calculate the percentage chance of each nominee in every category,” Zauzmer says. “I wasn’t able to find that, so I just decided to do it myself.”
This year, the Oscarmetrics predict some strong winners.
“Best Picture and Best Director are looking like ‘Oppenheimer‘ and Christopher Nolan pretty clearly,” Zauzmer says. “For the Supporting Actor race, you’ve got Robert Downey Jr. from ‘Oppenheimer’ and Da’Vine Joy Randolph from ‘The Holdovers’ as very strong front runners.”
“It would be a major shock if Da’Vine doesn’t bring that Oscar home to Philadelphia. She has a higher percentage chance than any nominee in any other category. She’s at 91%,” he added.
Best Actor, Zauzmer says, is looking good for ‘Oppenheimer’s’ Cillian Murphy, over Bradley Cooper and Colman Domingo.
“They are as split as can be on my model,” Zauzmer says. “There’s only a 1.3% difference between their two odds. It slightly favors Lily Gladstone for ‘Killers of the Flower Moon.’”
Josh Singer is up for Best Original Screenplay for ‘Maestro.’
“Josh Singer and I actually share a high school alma mater. We’re both Upper Dublin High School grads and Harvard grads as well, so it would be very fun to see him win. He also has a ‘Spotlight’ on his resume,” Zauzmer said.
But the Oscarmetrics don’t seem to be in Singer’s favor.
“That’s looking like ‘Anatomy of a Fall’ at 43%, but it’s still an open race,” he says.
Zauzmer says it’s looking good for Jennifer Lame, for Best Film Editing.
“She is at over 50% to win,” he says. “This will be her first Oscar for editing ‘Oppenheimer.’ It’s just an epic three-hour masterpiece.”
March 10 is Oscar Sunday! Watch the 2024 Oscars live on ABC.
Red carpet coverage starts at 1 p.m. ET 10 a.m. PT with “Countdown to Oscars: On The Red Carpet Live.” At 4 p.m. ET 1 p.m. PT, live coverage continues with “On The Red Carpet at the Oscars,” hosted by George Pennacchio with Roshumba Williams, Leslie Lopez and Rachel Brown.
Watch all the action on the red carpet live on ABC, streaming live on OnTheRedCarpet.com and on the On the Red Carpet Facebook and YouTube pages.
The 96th Oscars, hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, begins at 7 p.m. ET 4 p.m. PT, an hour earlier than past years.
The Oscars are followed by an all-new episode of “Abbott Elementary.”
Basketball fans around the globe eagerly anticipate the NBA Playoffs each year. The excitement builds as teams battle through the regular season to secure their spot in this prestigious tournament.
With the 2024 playoffs on the horizon, speculation and predictions about which teams will rise to the top are rampant. The journey to the NBA Finals is fraught with challenges and surprises, making every game a must-watch event.
This may be the best moment for some early predictions about the winner of the play-off. If you are interested in placing a bet on the team you think will win this season, check out bettingbonus.com
As we look ahead, certain teams have emerged as frontrunners, thanks to their impressive performances and star players leading the charge.
Eastern Conference Favorites
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics stand out as the clear favorites in the Eastern Conference. Their exceptional record reflects a team in peak form, led by a core trio that consistently delivers high-scoring games.
Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Kristaps Porzingis have become a formidable force, combining for an average of 70 points, 21.1 rebounds, and 10.3 assists per game.
Their synergy on the court positions the Celtics not just as conference leaders but as strong contenders for the championship.
Milwaukee Bucks
Despite a mid-season coaching change that saw Adrian Griffin replaced by Doc Rivers, the Milwaukee Bucks remain a powerhouse.
Their resilience and ability to adapt to changes underscore their potential to make a deep playoff run.
New York Knicks
The Knicks have made significant strides this season, bolstered by strategic acquisitions and the standout play of Jalen Brunson.
Brunson, averaging 27.5 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 6.5 assists on 48% shooting, has elevated the team into conference title contention.
The addition of players like OG Anunoby, Bojan Bogdanović, and Alec Burks from the Detroit Pistons further strengthens their roster, making them a team to watch.
Cleveland Cavaliers
After a slow start, the Cavaliers have surged up the standings, thanks to Donovan Mitchell’s exceptional performances.
Mitchell’s scoring prowess, along with improvements from Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen, has transformed the Cavaliers into a formidable opponent. Their remarkable turnaround highlights their potential to surprise in the playoffs.
Western Conference Favorites
Denver Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets, with their blend of talent and strategic prowess, stand at the pinnacle of the Western Conference.
Anchored by Nikola Jokic, the reigning MVP, Denver’s gameplay is a masterclass in basketball intelligence and versatility.
Jokic’s ability to influence the game in multiple facets, coupled with a supporting cast that excels both offensively and defensively, positions the Nuggets not just as conference leaders but as genuine title contenders.
Their depth and experience, particularly in high-stakes games, provide them with a solid foundation to build upon their previous successes.
Minnesota Timberwolves
The Minnesota Timberwolves have emerged as one of the most compelling stories of the season.
The initial skepticism surrounding the fit between Rudy Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns has dissipated, as the team has excelled defensively, ranking at the top in both points allowed and defensive rating.
Anthony Edwards, with his explosive performances, has entered the MVP conversation, highlighting the Timberwolves’ balanced attack.
This team has shown that it can compete at the highest level, making them a formidable force in the playoffs.
Oklahoma City Thunder
The Oklahoma City Thunder have captivated the league with their unexpected ascent. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, in particular, has been sensational, putting up numbers that have thrust him into MVP discussions.
His scoring efficiency, combined with his defensive contributions, has been a key driver of the Thunder’s success.
The emergence of Jalen Williams as a reliable secondary scorer and the all-around contributions from Chet Holmgren and Josh Giddey have transformed the Thunder into a team that can no longer be overlooked.
Their blend of youth and talent makes them a dangerous opponent in any playoff series.
Los Angeles Clippers
The Los Angeles Clippers, when at full strength, are among the elite teams in the NBA. The duo of Paul George and Kawhi Leonard is arguably one of the most talented in the league, capable of dominating on both ends of the floor.
The Clippers’ success hinges on their ability to stay healthy, a challenge that has plagued them in the past. If George and Leonard can remain on the court, the Clippers possess the depth, experience, and talent to challenge any team in the West. Their potential playoff journey offers a mix of high expectations and uncertainty, given their injury history.
Most Probable Final – Boston vs. Denver
The NBA Finals could see the Boston Celtics facing off against the Denver Nuggets. This matchup pits the East’s best against the West’s finest, highlighting a game of strategy, skill, and determination.
Key Players to Watch
Boston’s Strength: Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown bring scoring and defense, while Kristaps Porzingis adds size and versatility.
Denver’s Core: Nikola Jokic, the centerpiece, offers scoring, playmaking, and rebounding, supported by a strong, versatile team.
Strategies for Victory
Boston’s Game Plan: Focus on aggressive defense and exploiting fast-break opportunities. Utilizing Tatum and Brown’s scoring ability will be crucial.
Denver’s Approach: Leverage Jokic’s playmaking to control the game’s pace. Depth and bench contributions will be key factors.
FAQs
What team has 0 rings?
There are 12 NFL teams and 11 NBA teams that have never won a championship ring. The NFL teams are the Cardinals, Falcons, Bills, Panthers, Bengals, Browns, Lions, Texans, Jaguars, Chargers, Vikings, and Titans. The NBA teams are the Pelicans, Grizzlies, Timberwolves, Hornets, Clippers, Jazz, Nuggets, Suns, Nets, Magic, and Pacers.
What does 1300 odds mean?
Odds of +1300 mean that you can win $1300 on a $100 bet, or $13 on a $1 bet. Odds with a plus sign (+) indicate that this is the underdog and this outcome has a lower chance of winning compared to the favorite, but it will yield a higher profit if it wins. The implied win probability of +1300 odds is 7.14%.
How many playoffs has LeBron won?
LeBron James has won 182 games in the playoffs in his career. He has also won four NBA championships, with the Miami Heat in 2012 and 2013, the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016, and the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020. He has been named the NBA Finals MVP four times as well.
What does a +7 spread mean?
A +7 spread means that the underdog is given a 7-point advantage over the favorite. This means that the underdog must either win the game outright or lose by fewer than 7 points to cover the spread. For the favorite to cover, they must win by more than 7 points. A +7 spread is very common in the NFL due to the scoring of a touchdown and an extra point.
Summary
As the NBA Playoffs 2024 approaches, excitement is building for what promises to be an electrifying series of games. Fans are eager to see which teams will rise to the occasion, showcasing skill, strategy, and determination.
The playoffs are a time for heroes to emerge, for underdogs to defy expectations, and for the best of the best to battle it out for the ultimate prize.
The Midnight Boys are here to ring in the new year and give you their full-on impressions of Marvel’s What If…? Season 2 (08:04). Then, they give out their superlative awards for the best that season had to offer, including Best Episode (39:18). Later, they offer up their big predictions in fandom for 2024 and see who will be right in the new year (73:49).
Hosts: Charles Holmes, Van Lathan, Jomi Adeniran, and Steve Ahlman Senior Producer: Steve Ahlman Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopal Social: Jomi Adeniran
As we get closer to the one-quarter mark of the 21st century, it may seem that things are changing faster than ever before, especially in the areas of culture and media. I deal with music for a living and even I can’t keep up with everything that’s going on. But I think I can see things clearly enough to make some predictions and observations for music in 2024.
1. Music will become even more fragmented
In the olden days, we got all our music in measured doses by record labels, radio, music magazines, record stores and video channels. Today, everything ever recorded is available to us all the time. There’s no one place — like the radio or MuchMusic — where we all go to hear/see the artists that everyone is talking about. Consensus on what’s “good” and who’s “big” has completely broken down. There’s no centre to music anymore. With the exception of a few acts, “big” has never been smaller.
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Few acts unite us as they once did. There was a time when we all ran to the record store to get that one album everyone was talking about. We handed over cold, hard cash, making a financial investment in the artist. Today, there’s so much music to choose from for zero cash layout. We spend all our time idly hitting the “skip” button. We’re all overwhelmed. Music has become devalued. Today’s stars are smaller than those from days of yore.
By way of proof, American radio chart analyst Guy Zapoleon pointed out that 2023 had fewer “consensus hits” — songs that were featured on at least 50 per cent of America’s top 40 stations — than any previous year. How many? Just 18, down from 28 in 2020.
Meanwhile, there seems to be a growing disenchantment with current music. About 75 per cent of all music consumed today is older than two years. That’s not going to change.
2. The algorithms will continue to distort music
Recommendation algorithms used to be essential for working our way through music discovery. Now, though, they seem to be pushing us to things that are easily monetized instead of fulfilling our needs. If you feel that you’re being served up material that you don’t care about, you’re not alone.
Meanwhile, bot farms, fake streams, poor enforcement/moderation and AI clones are just going to make things even more confusing and frustrating.
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3. TikTok could be even more of a game-changer in 2024
TikTok has been one of the world’s most popular apps for a couple of years now. The company realizes that continued growth will depend on deeper integration of licensed music into the platform. Once it has TikTok Music, its streaming service, up and running in more countries, watch for some seismic changes in how the industry reacts.
4. Music streamers will have to consolidate — eventually
I’ve been premature with this prediction before, but it’s got to happen sometime. Right now, there are too many platforms chasing subscribers for a rapidly maturing business model. Why did Spotify CEO Daniel Ek announce major layoffs just before Christmas? Because he and his board see rough times ahead. Spotify is going into lean-and-mean mode. Meanwhile, all streamers remain hamstrung by the licensing deals under which they must work. As soon as more money comes in, more money goes out in lockstep. There’s no opportunity for efficiencies and synergies that will increase margins.
Spotify has a market cap of almost US$40 billion and has the reserves to continue to play the long game. Apple Music will survive, thanks to the fact that the parent company is worth over US$3 trillion. Anything Alphabet does (YouTube, YouTube Music) is also safe. Amazon Music has Jeff Bezos. But what about Tidal, Qobuz, Deezer, Napster and everyone else? How long can they stay independent?
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5. The language of popular music will continue to evolve
It used to be that if you wanted a global hit, you had to sing in English. Not anymore. Thanks to the widespread availability of cheap streaming music, songs are free to flow anywhere they want. Latin music has exploded. K-pop is everywhere. It’s only a matter of time before we see global hits emerging from India, China and Africa.
6. The AI-and-music panic will subside
Right now, everyone sees AI as a threat to humanity in music. But we’ve seen this movie before with the rise of synthesizers (“They’re killing jobs for musicians!”), drum machines (“Human drummers will become extinct!”) and sampling (“All music will end up just being recycled bits!”). It’ll take a few more years to sort out all the legalities and ethics of this new technology, but we’ll soon wonder how we all did without AI. Just like we did with synths, drum machines and sampling.
With so many of our legends in their 70s and 80s, it’s just a matter of time. Prepare yourself.
8. We will finally have music that sounds as good as what we had in the ’70s
A couple of generations have grown up on the inferior audio quality of MP3s and their ilk. Convenient and portable, yes. Good-sounding audio? No. But with the rise of new tech (Dolby ATMOS, Sony 360, Apple Spatial Audio, Hi-Res Audio) we’re approaching an era where music will not only sound better than MP3s and other compressed formats but better than CDs. A few things still need to be worked out (proper decoding hardware on phones, more bandwidth to allow for wireless listening), but we’ve turned a corner when it comes to getting back to proper high-fidelity music.
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9. We may finally say enough is enough to high ticket prices
Acts have been pushing hard to see how much fans are willing to pay to see a show. So far, though, fans haven’t reached the breaking point. Funflation — the idea of spending more and more money on fun things because the world seems so crazy that going to a gig is one way of coping with one existential crisis after another — can’t go on indefinitely. Once artists and promoters start seeing rows and rows of empty seats, they’ll know that we’ve reached our limit.
10. The Taylor Swift/Travis Kelce thing will end badly
Talk about a marketing powerhouse. Kelce was already a star when he crossed paths with Tay-Tay, so when their relationship became public, they became a Richard Burton-Liz Taylor-style phenomenon.
Their tryst has been a win-win for everyone, including the NFL, which has seen ratings in certain demos skyrocket. A sizable portion of the population is invested in the couple, but for the story to be complete, it has to end with a tragic breakup. More than one person has written that if the Kansas City Chiefs tank down the stretch and into the playoffs, Swift will be made into a scapegoat by Chiefs fans for causing such a distraction. I’ve already seen her referred to as “Yoko” a number of times. But just think of the songs she will get out of it!
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That may end up being the start of the Tay-Tay backlash. You can’t become as ubiquitous as Taylor Swift is now forever. At some point, people will begin to tire of hearing and reading about her every day. It won’t be the end of her, however. She’s proven far too savvy when it comes to managing her career and she’ll survive any downturn. But Taylormania as we know it right now will subside. That’ll be a nice break.
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Alan Cross is a broadcaster with Q107 and 102.1 the Edge and a commentator for Global News.
Subscribe to Alan’s Ongoing History of New Music Podcast now on Apple Podcast.
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
As a technology enthusiast and business leader, I have been keenly observing the rapid growth and adoption of ChatGPT over the past few months. Keeping aside the debate around various moral dilemmas associated with artificial intelligence (AI) tools such as ChatGPT, all I can say at this point is that they are going to transform industries and revolutionize the way we live and work. At the risk of sounding a tad presumptuous, I believe AI is not going to replace humans — just like the internet never took over the human world despite so many people raising the alarm that it would.
So, instead of feeling all doom and gloom, the optimist in me is looking ahead to the next 10 years to understand what it is going to be like in a place we have never been before. It is essential to identify the emerging trends that will shape the future of AI. From advancements in machine learning and robotics to the ethical implications of AI, I would like to delve deep into the exciting possibilities and potential challenges that lie ahead.
1. Reinforcement learning and self-learning systems
Reinforcement learning, a branch of machine learning, holds great promise for the future of AI. It involves training AI systems to learn through trial and error and get rewarded for doing something well. As algorithms become more sophisticated, we can expect AI systems to develop the ability to not only learn but get exponentially better at learning and improving without explicit human intervention, leading to significant advancements in autonomous decision-making and problem-solving.
AI is also going to greatly help people who want to self-learn using the latest technology aids available to them. Going back to my earlier observation about ChatGPT, this AI model is capable of generating ideas and answering simple to complex questions. However, it requires precise prompts and clear instructions to perform optimally. When it comes to honing self-learning skills, it becomes essential for individuals to first develop the ability to provide such prompts and instructions. When done right, there are endless possibilities to garner knowledge by training the brain on how to distill problems into their essence and think with clarity in order to find the best solutions.
2. AI in healthcare
The healthcare sector is likely to benefit a lot from advancements in AI in the coming years. Predictive analytics, machine learning algorithms and computer vision can help diagnose diseases, personalize treatment plans and improve patient outcomes. AI-powered chatbots and virtual assistants can boost patient engagement and expedite administrative processes. I am hopeful that the integration of AI in healthcare will lead to more accurate diagnoses, cost savings and improved access to quality care.
3. Autonomous vehicles
The autonomous vehicle industry has already made significant progress, and the next decade will likely witness their widespread adoption. AI technologies such as computer vision, deep learning and sensor fusion will continue to improve the safety and efficiency of self-driving cars.
4. AI and cybersecurity
Technology is a double-edged sword, especially when it comes to dealing with bad actors. AI-driven cybersecurity systems are adept at finding and eliminating cyber threats by analyzing large volumes of data and detecting anomalies. In addition, these systems can provide a faster response time to minimize any potential damage caused by a breach. However, with similar technology being used by both defenders and attackers, safeguarding the AI systems themselves might turn out to be a major concern.
The impact of AI on the employment sector appears to be a fiercely debated topic with no clear consensus. According to a recent Pew Research Center survey, 47% of people think AI would perform better than humans at assessing job applications. However, a staggering 71% of people are against using AI to make final hiring decisions. While 62% think that AI will have a significant impact on the workforce over the next two decades, only 28% are concerned that they might be personally affected.
While AI might take over some jobs, it is also expected to create new job opportunities. Many current AI tools, including ChatGPT, cannot be fully relied on for context or accuracy of information; there must be some human intervention to ensure correctness. For example, when a company decides to reduce the number of writers in favor of ChatGPT, it will also have to hire editors who can carefully examine the AI-generated content to make sure it makes sense.
6. Climate modeling and prediction
AI can enhance climate modeling and prediction by analyzing vast amounts of climate data and identifying patterns and trends. Machine learning algorithms can improve the accuracy and granularity of climate models, helping us understand the complex interactions within the Earth’s systems. This knowledge enables better forecasting of natural disasters, extreme weather events, sea-level rise and long-term climate trends. As we look ahead, AI can enable policymakers and communities to make informed decisions and develop effective climate action plans.
7. Energy optimization and efficiency
AI can optimize energy consumption and enhance the efficiency of renewable energy systems. Machine learning algorithms analyze energy usage patterns, weather data and grid information to improve energy distribution and storage. AI-powered smart grids balance supply and demand, reducing transmission losses and seamlessly integrating renewable energy sources. This maximizes clean energy utilization, reduces greenhouse gas emissions and lessens our dependence on fossil fuels.
8. Smart resource management
AI can revolutionize resource management by optimizing resource allocation, minimizing waste and improving sustainability. For example, in water management, AI algorithms can analyze data from sensors and satellite imagery to predict water scarcity, optimize irrigation schedules and identify leakages. AI-powered systems can also optimize waste management, recycling and circular economy practices, leading to reduced resource consumption and a more sustainable use of materials.
As AI becomes more integrated into our lives, prioritizing ethical considerations becomes paramount. Privacy, bias, fairness and accountability are key challenges that demand attention. Achieving a balance between innovation and responsible AI practices necessitates collaboration among industry leaders, policymakers and researchers. Together, we must establish frameworks and guidelines to protect human rights and promote social well-being.
Inspired by Quentin Tarantino’s book, Cinema Speculation, I resolved to spend 2023 going deep into the movies of the late 1960s and through the ’70s. Tubi has been my friend for the D-grade grindhouse and horror films that Tarantino loves (I do, too) while other on-demand channels have filled in some gaps.
One of the first things I did was re-watch 2001: A Space Odyssey for the 945th time, paying close attention to the things Stanley Kubrick and Arthur C. Clarke got right and wrong about the future. Yes, they were pretty optimistic about the future of space exploration, but they viewed things from the space race era, a period when we went from janky rockets that exploded if you looked at them wrong to landing on the moon in less than 10 years. Why wouldn’t we have space tourism, moon colonies, and an atomic power mission to Jupiter overseen by a homicidal AI by 2001?
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Both keeping a New Year’s resolution and predicting the future are hard, but I’m going to try to do both.
Resolution:Learn more about the coming metaverse. I’ve had several eye-popping demonstrations of metaverse technology that make me think this will be a big part of the future of music. If I’m going to keep up, I’m going to have to buy some new hardware.
Prediction: I’ll buy Apple’s new AR/VR headset when it comes out, use it for about a week, get bored, and move on to the next shiny object. My wife will then yell at me. I need help.
Resolution:Start buying physical music magazines again. Having electronic issues delivered to my iPad is fine, but paper versions seem to contain a lot more.
Prediction: I used to spend thousands on the monthly editions of Q, Mojo, Rolling Stone, Alternative Press, Record Collector, Prog, Classic Rock, and a ton of others. Some are still publishing actual magazines, but given the decline in inventory on magazine racks, they’re getting harder to find. Time to subscribe. I’m already enjoying having quarterly issues of the newly resurrected CREEM magazine show up in my mailbox. I feel good about this one.
Resolution:Use the record review sections of those magazines to create fresh Spotify playlists. There’s too much music in the universe for anyone to sort through on their own. These review seconds are a godsend.
Prediction: Already started. My Spotify Wrapped for 2023 is gonna be…weird.
Resolution:Cancel reoccurring subscriptions to streaming services I don’t use. During the pandemic, I ended up subscribing to all kinds of services just to keep myself occupied. It’s to the point where I don’t know everything I have. I really need to go through my credit card statements.
Prediction: This is going to be a hassle, but it’s the fiscally responsible thing to do. Have I ever used BritBox more than a couple of times? How did I end up with two accounts for Qello? And who’s idea was it to get AMC+? Does this household really need that much Walking Dead content?
Resolution:Change all those passwords that Google says have been compromised. That seems…important.
Prediction: I must make time for this. I just have to figure out which password manager is best.
Google releases Canada’s top trending searches for 2022
Resolution:Expand my musical range. In years past, I vowed to learn more about jazz and opera and failed at both.
Prediction: I’ve given up on opera (I just can’t do it). Country will always be a no-go for me (I’ve tried so hard to no avail) And although I’ve made some headway with jazz (Brubeck, Davis), it’s still a struggle in most areas. Same with a lot of current hip-hop (I’m looking at you, Drake). I am, however, gaining ground with reggaeton and some African music, especially material coming out of Nigeria. It’s an eye- and ear-opening break from Western music. Recommended.
Resolution: Keep an eye on AI-generated music. This is a part of the recorded music industry that’s set to explode.
Prediction: I believe it’s only a matter of time before we have a string of hit songs generated by AI. Computer scientists know that if they can get a machine to create reasonable facsimiles of songs, it will be a major technological breakthrough. HYBE, the entertainment company behind K-pop juggernauts BTS, recently bought an AI firm capable of doing some amazing things with music. I wouldn’t be surprised to hear new BTS material over the next few years while the members complete their national service in South Korea. In the army? No problem. We’ll have AI cover off your parts.
Resolution: Buy more merch at concerts. Especially swag from smaller bands at smaller venues. Merch sales are an important revenue stream. A good night at the merch table and the band can afford to sleep in a hotel instead of begging for space on a fan’s couch.
Prediction: Done deal. Got vinyl for sale at your gig? I’m in.
Resolution:Make time to listen to more of my vinyl collection. There’s no excuse not to. Besides, I’m buying vinyl at gigs.
Prediction: I’m such a big fan of the format and the warm sound it delivers. Instead of binge-watching yet another true crime series on Netflix, my mind will be better served by being immersed in music. I can do this.
Resolution: Clean up my CD closet. I have a small room off my home office with shelves and drawers full of CDs, all long since full. On top of the shelves is a pile of several hundred discs that have yet to be filed anywhere. The only way this is going to work is if I cull my collection. No problem. There are only about 10,000 CDs in there. The good thing is that they’re in alphabetical order. Mostly.
Prediction: For the fifth year in a row, I’ll find some excuse to put it off. Meanwhile, that pile of unfiled discs will just get bigger. Better luck in 2024.
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Alan Cross is a broadcaster with Q107 and 102.1 the Edge and a commentator for Global News.
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
At the beginning of the quarter, one share of Meta Platforms Inc, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, was traded at $378. Less than two months in, the technological juggernaut collapsed to under $89 a share — reaching the trading levels of 2015.
But Meta is not alone. The Nasdaq 100 took a 38% hit from its peak.
Layoffs have followed suit across the titans of technology — with tens of thousands of employees losing jobs across Meta, Amazon, Microsoft and Twitter alone.
Heading into 2023, the future is tumultuous. What geoeconomic changes are about to resurface in the new year?
A favorite trend of venture capital funds and investors is the promise of the “hockey stick” growth curve. This translates to a predictable and scalable influx of new users (or revenue) subject to doubling down on sales or paid acquisition channels.
The premise is straightforward — market penetration or even domination. Obtaining unicorn status and acquiring users at all costs. The model works in theory, but in the land of funding, this usually comes at the expense of piles of debt and no profit whatsoever.
It’s easy to scale a business with a freemium model that gets funded by investors. But infrastructure, staff, warehouses and vendors are entitled to their own funding. And unless this model converts at the same pace as a standard business cost plus a profit margin, companies will face severe consequences.
Prioritizing profitability again will become a reality check of 2023.
Over 910 tech companies laid off over 143,000 employees in 2022 alone. The tracker relies on public data that doesn’t account for medium and large businesses outside the public purview (whereas the numbers are likely to exceed 200,000 or even 250,000 at the time).
Financial scrutiny, combined with unfavored financing tools thanks to the aggressive interest rate hikes by the Federal Reserve, is limiting access to funding to combat the effects of hyperinflation.
With unlimited resources, it’s easy to get sidetracked and keep pouring more people, money and servers into a problem. This anecdotally conflicts with Brooks’s law (a known adagio in project and product management), where adding workforce to a software project that’s running late is dragging it even further.
While unemployment rates are still normalized, the pressure on high-tech and communications will disrupt the current numbers over the first two quarters of 2023.
TCI Fund Management, an Alphabet (Google’s parent company) stakeholder, issued an open letter to CEO Sundar Pichai. Billionaire Christopher Hohn called out Google’s overhiring practices and its passive actions compared to other industry leaders.
Moreover, the letter pointed at the disparity of salaries in high tech and even among Google compared to other competitive companies where “median compensation totaled $295,884 in 2021”. Hohn’s further analysis quantified the comp offer as “67% higher than at Microsoft and 153% higher than the 20 largest listed technology companies in the US.”
Competitive salaries are a key instrument for leading brands to acquire top talent. However, scrutinizing the future of existing business models — such as the downside of advertising businesses in social companies or tens of billions invested in the metaverse by Meta requires careful consideration and getting back to operational efficiency first and foremost.
Remote work has been a conflicting topic at best. In 2010, I was openly advocating for the adoption of remote work, quoting Cisco’s 2009 study of cost savings and employee satisfaction and success stories by companies like Automattic or Basecamp.
As the 2020 pandemic made it possible for office jobs, it was a blessing to tens of millions of workers. However, several conflicts arose:
Public records on social media and interviews with employees taking endless lunch breaks, leaving their computers on, or casually responding to emails while playing video games or at the gym
Managers trying to combat the lack of remote principles with endless waves of Zoom and Teams meetings, taking over 20 hours a week for senior leaders and experts
The goal of becoming “over employed” while being shielded from office peers or monitoring gathered over 120,000 disciples on Reddit alone
Workers moving across the country or even internationally – causing actual employment violations in adhering to insurance or health policies in most countries, lacking working permits, and masking their locations
During the boom of 2021, corporations negating remote work opportunities were dismissed or even publicly banished. With a recession coming in, this talent pool is the first one to crack for many business leaders.
The reality check and the renowned focus on profitability come at the hidden cost of innovation. A key reason why most technology leaders are taking a hit is a dip in revenue.
Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat and YouTube rely heavily on ads to support their freemium networks. Other businesses are also pressured to cut costs due to limited business opportunities and expectations of salary raises. For many, sales and marketing (especially advertising) expenses are the first lines of cuts.
Microsoft’s computer sales plummeted, and Amazon’s shipped revenue is declining as hyperinflation raises costs while employees’ net worth stays flat.
The international energy crisis is fueling inflation further, making the problem worse.
As tech companies get pressured, and layoffs occur, this often starts with sectors that lose money. Innovation and R&D — think of autonomous vehicles, the Metaverse, new cryptocurrencies or digital wallets, or blockchain adoption for networks that currently operate on a client-server model — slow down or get frozen for the time being.
As spare money is no longer available, this hits consumers and other tangible markets — from the broader crypto world (with several large exchanges filing for bankruptcy) to a massive dip in selling NFTs or any unproven asset classes only made popular due to stable income and influx of capital during the past few years.
Everyone is affected
The most important takeaway here is that everyone is affected by the recent crash in tech.
The Great Recession of 2008 started with real estate and banking, but this carried over consumers losing their households due to interest hikes, construction companies going out of business, unemployment rates going from 5 to 10%, and negative GDP affecting retail, restaurants, travel, logistics, manufacturing. The house of cards trickles down to dependent people and businesses.
Even if your business appears to be doing well at the time, buckle up and keep an eye on the latest industry news. Recessions come and go – and making the most out of the coming year would set you up for success forward.
You can always tell it’s going to be an eventful vacation when it starts with the discovery of a body—sorry, bodies—during a carefree ocean meander, right? That’s where we started this season of Mike White’s celebrated resort mystery show, where there’s as much drama as there is Aperol (read: so much).
The first episode of the series set up the central mystery in the first scene, when Daphne (Meghann Fahy) giddily wades into the Ionian Sea on the final day of her vacation, only to bump right into the pale leg of a corpse, floating facedown in the water. Talk about a buzzkill.
Like the show’s first season, this isn’t just a whodunit but a who is it as well. In that same opening scene, we learn through conversation that “a few” hotel guests “have been killed,” not just the owner of that calf we spotted. Undisclosed number! Undisclosed identities! Talk about a PR crisis.
We’ve been following the lifestyles of the rich and the miserable on Still Watching all season as they vacation and absolutely hoover cocaine in Sicily, but all good things must come to an end. With the season finale looming on Sunday, here are the VF staff’s theories on who’s going to bite the big one on The White Lotus, and how.
It’s Greg.
Maybe the most boring possibility, but it still feels true. Greg (Jon Gries), who we now know to be apparently in cahoots with scheming Quentin (Tom Hollander), is still planning to return to Sicily. And though Tanya (Jennifer Coolidge) is the one who is most obviously in danger, Mike White still doesn’t seem like the kind to willingly kill off Jennifer Coolidge. So we imagine that poor, hoodwinked Tanya gets her moment of redemption, pushes Greg off that giant cliff we saw in episode four, and rides off into the sunset…hopefully on her way to The White Lotus season three. —Katey Rich
It’s Ethan.
I think Ethan (Will Sharpe) could take out Cameron (Theo James) in a deliberate Jet Ski collision. I think the hospitalized piano player (Federico Scribani) could return and, seeing he has been replaced by Mia (Beatrice Grannò), will spike her drink (she always seems to carry around a tall plastic cup with a straw), maybe even working in cahoots with the former front desk guy (who was moved poolside by Valentina, played by Sabrina Impacciatore). I think Jennifer Coolidge’s Tanya, who always seems to shake out of her fog at the right moment, could well awaken to the scheme Greg, Quentin, Jack (Leo Woodall), and the new Romeo are all plotting—and, possibly with Portia’s (Haley Lu Richardson) help—deliberately or inadvertently kill whoever turns out to be Coolidge’s would-be assailant (either from a balcony or the back of the yacht). Assailant overboard!
And maybe Dominic’s wife (Laura Dern) shows up and surprises the Di Grassos—or, in a coda, the Di Grassos return home to LA, Lucia (Simona Tabasco) in tow—and Dern’s character knifes poor Dominic (with a blade similar to one we’ve seen in the murals in the show’s opening-credits sequence). —David Friend
It’s Quentin.
If The White Lotus’s sophomore season has turned our masculinity crisis into a slow-motion car crash, then its ultimate victim must be someone who believes himself to be in the driver’s seat. Sure, Cameron, Ethan, and the Di Grasso men are suffering, but, at the end of the day, they have their place within the system. Quentin, however, does not. His likely ties to Tanya’s husband—and “relationship” with Jack—belie a character who desperately wants a power he’s without. Wouldn’t it be fitting to see that blow up in his face? Whatever Quentin and Greg have planned, Portia will return in time to save her boss from the worst-possible outcome. In the process, Jack will accidentally kill the man who once rescued him. Daphne will discover his corpse in the water. And, though Portia will want to help him, Jack, a man with no goals, will allow himself to be arrested for his crimes. —Tyler Breitfeller
It’s Cameron.
Let’s zoom out for a moment, shall we? He’s a pompous, entitled jerk with apparent money troubles and a passion for adultery. He hits on Harper (Aubrey Plaza), even as he tries to siphon an investment out of Ethan, and he doesn’t pay Mia and Lucia when it’s time to settle up, even though they know where he’s staying. He’s right on the verge of pushing the wrong person too far, landing him squarely in the dead-body pileup mentioned in the first episode. Even Daphne, his smiley wife (and iconic series breakout), has her reasons to want him gone. Who’s to say she isn’t using this trip as a sun-soaked chance to put him out to pasture, skitter back home, and collect his life insurance? She’s a self-professed Dateline obsessive who has already done some chilling stuff. (Kidnapping Harper in Noto? The casual trainer/baby daddy reveal??) She’s also laid the groundwork for a strong alibi, from that dramatic opening beach scene in the first episode, to letting slip to Harper that Cameron’s coworkers are evil psychopaths. Either way: Cameron’s spent their entire vacation making enemies. It’s only a matter of time before it blows up in his face. —Yohana Desta
It’s…complicated.
I’m going to say there are four dead people, because Rocco says “a few,” which means more than two more (in addition to the one in the ocean), but probably not more than three more, which would be “a lot” or “molti.” And I am going to spread my bets on the manner: accidental, intentional, natural, and some combination of accident/intent.
The Week 6 NFL schedule for the 2022 season is stacked with great matchups, and we got you covered with what you need to know heading into the weekend. Our NFL Nation reporters bring us the biggest keys to every game and a bold prediction for each matchup.
Additionally, ESPN Stats & Information provides a big stat to know and a betting nugget for each contest, and our Football Power Index (FPI) goes inside the numbers with a matchup rating (on a scale of 1 to 100) and a game projection. ESPN researcher Kyle Soppe hands out helpful fantasy football intel, as well. Finally, Seth Walder and Eric Moody give us final score picks for every game. Everything you want to know is here in one spot to help you get ready for a loaded weekend of NFL football.
Let’s get into the full Week 6 slate, including another edition of Patrick Mahomes vs. Josh Allen, an NFC East showdown between Philadelphia and Dallas and a rushing battle between the Giants and Ravens. It all culminates with a Monday Night Football matchup between the Broncos and the Chargers on ESPN. (Game times are Sunday unless otherwise noted.)
What to watch for: The Ravens get to face former defensive coordinator Wink Martindale, who went to the Giants after 10 years with the organization this offseason. “It was nothing negative, it was just time,” he said this week of the breakup. Martindale knows Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson‘s game, and Jackson knows Martindale’s defense, having gone against it every day at practice the previous four seasons. Both are having success this season — Jackson is eighth in the NFL with a QBR of 63.6, while Martindale’s defense hasn’t allowed more than 23 points in a game. — Jordan Raanan
Bold prediction:J.K. Dobbins will produce more rushing yards than Saquon Barkley. Dobbins is coming off his most explosive game, averaging a season-best 3.25 yards after contact. The Giants have struggled against the run, giving up an average of 2.36 yards after contact (fourth-worst in the league). It could be a challenging day for Barkley against Baltimore, which has allowed just one running back to rush for more than 80 yards in a game since the start of 2021 (Dalvin Cook in Week 9 last season). — Jamison Hensley
Stat to know: Jackson has a 12-0 record as a starting QB against NFC teams in his career, per Elias Sports Bureau. That’s the second-longest inter-conference win streak to start a career since the 1970 merger.
What to know for fantasy: Barkley has more than 15 receiving yards in every game this season, not a bad trend for a player who also has at least 13 points as a rusher in four of five games this season. See Week 6 rankings.
Betting nugget: Jackson is 17-7-2 ATS on the road in his career. Read more.
Moody’s pick: Ravens 24, Giants 21 Walder’s pick: Ravens 27, Giants 16 FPI prediction: BAL, 64.8% (by an average of 4.5 points)
What to watch for: The Saints are short on receivers. Seriously short. Kick returner Deonte Harty has a significant toe injury, Michael Thomas hasn’t practiced in weeks, Jarvis Landry‘s status will likely be up in the air and Chris Olave is still going through the concussion protocol. That means things might fall on the shoulders of Alvin Kamara and Taysom Hill for the second straight week. If Hill comes anywhere close to repeating last week’s four-touchdown performance, the Saints just might be OK. — Katherine Terrell
Bold prediction: Kamara goes for 125 total scrimmage yards. Baltimore had success attacking Cincinnati horizontally and picking up decent gains. With New Orleans having several offensive question marks, Kamara could be the most reliable asset for the Saints. — Ben Baby
Stat to know: The Saints are seeking their first home win against the Bengals since Jan. 2, 1994.
Doug Kezirian explains why he is taking the over in the Bengals vs. Saints matchup.
What to know for fantasy:Ja’Marr Chase has failed to score even 13 fantasy points in four straight games. He had a run of five straight games with fewer than 14 fantasy points in the middle of last season (Weeks 8-13). You take the bad with the extreme good. See Week 6 rankings.
Betting nugget: Cincinnati has gone under the total in 10 straight games including playoffs, one shy of the longest streak in the last 35 seasons. Read more.
Moody’s pick: Bengals 28, Saints 21 Walder’s pick: Bengals 33, Saints 19 FPI prediction: CIN, 63.1% (by an average of 3.9 points)
What to watch for: Just fast forward to the second half of this game, because that’s where it will be decided. The Packers have scored seven or fewer points in the second half in four of their five games. The Jets have scored 61 points combined in the second half this season, third most in the AFC behind only Buffalo and Kansas City. — Rob Demovsky
Bold prediction: In the battle of the two-headed backfields, the Jets’ young guns (Breece Hall and Michael Carter) will outrush the Packers’ more heralded tandem (Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon). Jones-Dillon is averaging 127 yards per game, compared to 87 for Hall-Carter, but the Jets’ two runners are coming off a big game against the Dolphins. The Jets are also starting to create a run-first identity on offense. — Rich Cimini
Stat to know: Should the Packers lose, they’ll be 3-3 after six games for the first time since 2012. A Jets win in that situation would mark their first 4-2 start since 2015.
Betting nugget: Under Matt LaFleur, Green Bay is 10-0 outright and ATS following a loss. Overall, Green Bay has won and covered 12 straight games following a loss, the longest streak by any team since the 1970 AFL/NFL merger. Read more.
Moody’s pick: Packers 27, Jets 23 Walder’s pick: Packers 21, Jets 13 FPI prediction: GB, 82.6% (by an average of 11.1 points)
What to watch for:Skylar Thompson will become the 10th rookie to make his first career start for the Dolphins since 1966. He can also become just the third rookie to win their first start, joining David Woodley and Tua Tagovailoa. They haven’t fared well as a group, however, throwing for six touchdowns against 11 interceptions; only Dan Marino and Ryan Tannehill eclipsed the 200 passing yard-mark. — Marcel Louis-Jacques
Bold prediction:Dalvin Cook will have his best game of the season, rushing for at least 100 yards and two touchdowns. The Dolphins’ run defense has actually been pretty good this season, ranking No. 7 in the NFL based on expected points added. But it has allowed seven rushing touchdowns, tied for sixth-most in the league, and Cook — a Miami native — has averaged more than 100 yards per game dating back to college when he played Florida-based teams in Florida. — Kevin Seifert
Stat to know:Kirk Cousins has 75 passing first downs this season, the third-most in the NFL behind Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen (78). He is facing a Dolphins defense that allows 8.29 passing yards per attempt, the third-worst in the NFL.
Eric Moody gives his thoughts on how fantasy managers should approach the Dolphins’ skill positions with Skylar Thompson at QB.
What to know for fantasy: We are five weeks into the season and 47.7% of Jaylen Waddle‘s 2022 production has come in a single game (Week 2 at BAL: 40.1 fantasy points). See Week 6 rankings.
Betting nugget: Minnesota is 1-5 ATS in its last six road games (0-2 ATS this season). Read more.
Moody’s pick: Vikings 21, Dolphins 20 Walder’s pick: Dolphins 23, Vikings 17 FPI prediction: MIN, 65.3% (by an average of 4.6 points)
What to watch for: The Falcons have rushed for more than 150 yards in every game but one this season no matter who the running back is. Cordarrelle Patterson, before the knee injury that landed him on injured reserve, was third in the NFL in rushing. In his place, the Falcons have used a combination of Tyler Allgeier, Caleb Huntley and Avery Williams — all with two years or less of experience in the league. — Michael Rothstein
Bold prediction: The 49ers will have more rushing yards than the Falcons. Something has to give in a matchup featuring Atlanta’s third-ranked rushing offense against the Niners’ top-ranked rushing defense. San Francisco could be without some key defenders, which means Atlanta will have its chances to gain yards on the ground, but the Niners also boast a strong ground game of their ownand the Falcons have been middle of the road in stopping the run. Give the slight edge to the 49ers in an area that will go a long way in determining a winner. — Nick Wagoner
Stat to know: The 49ers have allowed the third-fewest passing yards in the league while the Falcons have thrown for the third-fewest passing yards in the NFL (834).
What to know for fantasy:Jeff Wilson Jr. has gone over 70 rushing yards in four straight games (season best 20.2 fantasy points last week in Carolina) and is averaging 5.4 yards per carry in the process. See Week 6 rankings.
Betting nugget: Atlanta remains the only team undefeated ATS following its backdoor cover last week against Tampa Bay. Only two teams in the last decade have started 6-0 or better ATS (2021 Dallas, 2018 Kansas City). Read more.
Moody’s pick: 49ers 27, Falcons 17 Walder’s pick: Falcons 20, 49ers 19 FPI prediction: SF, 52.0% (by an average of 0.7 points)
What to watch for: After finishing the 38-3 loss to the Buffalo Bills without their top three cornerbacks, the Steelers still figure to be short-handed in the secondary against the Buccaneers. While safeties Minkah Fitzpatrick (knee) and Terrell Edmunds (concussion) will likely play, the status of the corners — Cam Sutton (hamstring), Ahkello Witherspoon (hamstring) and Levi Wallace (concussion) — is less certain. That’s bad news against a Bucs offense that averages 281.8 passing yards per game and is getting stronger as its receiving corps gets healthier. — Brooke Pryor
Bold prediction:Tom Brady will throw for more than 350 passing yards for a third consecutive game, tying 2011 and 2013 for the longest streak in his career. The Steelers have surrendered 11 passing touchdowns so far this season — tied for third most in the NFL. They’ve also allowed five wide receivers to eclipse the 100-yard mark, including 171 yards from Gabe Davis last week. Pro Bowl wide receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin should benefit. — Jenna Laine
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Kimberley Martin explains why Mike Tomlin should be facing criticism for the Steelers’ poor record.
Stat to know:Leonard Fournette has back-to-back games with 50 receiving yards and a touchdown. He could become the first Bucs RB to do it in three straight games.
What to know for fantasy:Najee Harris was drafted eighth overall this summer after averaging 17.7 fantasy PPG as a rookie last season, but he has yet to hit 14 points in a single game this season. Not once! See Week 6 rankings.
Betting nugget: Pittsburgh is in its largest home underdog role since 1989 when Pittsburgh upset Minnesota as an 8.5-point home underdog. Read more.
Moody’s pick: Buccaneers 30, Steelers 14 Walder’s pick: Buccaneers 27, Steelers 10 FPI prediction: TB, 82.9% (by an average of 11.3 points)
What to watch for: Browns QB Jacoby Brissett faces off against the team that drafted him. Brissett, who started two games as a rookie for the Patriots in 2016 due to Tom Brady‘s Deflategate suspension and an injury to Jimmy Garoppolo, has never started against Bill Belichick or the Patriots before. — Jake Trotter
Bold prediction: The Browns, who lead the NFL in rushing yards per game behind Nick Chubb, Kareem Hunt and a solid offensive line, will be held below their average of 192.4 rushing yards. This is a tall task for a Patriots run defense that hit a rough patch from the second half of their Week 3 loss to the Ravens through their Week 4 loss to the Packers, but there were decisive signs of a bounce-back in a shutout win over the Lions in Week 5. — Mike Reiss
Stat to know: The Browns have allowed the third-worst yards per rush (5.32). They will be facing Patriots RB Rhamondre Stevenson, who ranks eighth among qualified running backs in yards per rush (5.5).
What to know for fantasy: Four times in five weeks has a New England receiver scored over 18 fantasy points … those four performances have come by three different players (Jakobi Meyers, Nelson Agholor and DeVante Parker). See Week 6 rankings.
Betting nugget: Bill Belichick is 8-2 outright and 7-3 ATS against Cleveland. Read more.
Moody’s pick: Patriots 20, Browns 16 Walder’s pick: Browns 24, Patriots 16 FPI prediction: CLE, 73.7% (by an average of 7.3 points)
What to watch for: The Colts have inexplicably gone 3-8 versus the Jaguars in road games since 2012. But the Colts have dominated the Jaguars at home, going 8-2 in the same span. The Jaguars’ last road win in the series came in 2017, when the Colts finished 4-12 due in large part to quarterback Andrew Luck missing the season with a shoulder injury. — Stephen Holder
Bold prediction: Jaguars WR Christian Kirk will have 10-plus catches. The Jaguars’ offense has been at its best when he’s involved, and he had just three combined catches the last two games after having 18 in the first three. Gus Bradley’s defense keeps things in front of them, and there are times when a linebacker will be matched up with Kirk — a matchup Kirk exploited in the earlier meeting. He’ll do it again. — Mike DiRocco
Stat to know:Trevor Lawrence has a 2-1 record with four touchdowns and zero interceptions in his career vs. the Colts. He is 0-5 with four touchdowns and 10 interceptions vs. all other AFC South opponents.
What to know for fantasy:Travis Etienne Jr. played nine more snaps than James Robinson last week and scored a season-high 14.4 fantasy points against the Texans. He has produce at least six PPR fantasy points as a pass catcher in three of his past four games. See Week 6 rankings.
Betting nugget: Indianapolis has gone under the total in 10 straight games, one shy of the longest streak in the last 35 seasons. Read more.
Moody’s pick: Colts 26, Jaguars 24 Walder’s pick: Jaguars 30, Colts 7 FPI prediction: JAX, 59.7% (by an average of 2.9 points)
What to watch for: The Seahawks are in the midst of their third straight miserable start on defense, struggling equally against the run and the pass. They’ll get a break with Arizona’s backfield being shorthanded, but then again, Seattle got run all over last week by Taysom Hill to the tune of 112 rushing yards and three touchdowns. — Brady Henderson
Bold prediction: With the Cardinals down to just one of their top four running backs this season — Eno Benjamin — Arizona had to restock its running back room this week with guys off the street. Kyler Murray will make sure the running attack isn’t lacking, rushing for 75 yards and two touchdowns in Seattle, including breaking a long one that’ll silence the hyped-up crowd. — Josh Weinfuss
Stat to know: The Cardinals have been outscored 38-0 in the first quarter this season, the only team without points in the first quarter this season. The Seahawks have scored the second-most first-quarter points this season (41).
What to know for fantasy: For his career, Murray is averaging 36.8 rush yards and completing 69.3% of his passes against the Seahawks (more than 16 fantasy points in four of those five games). See Week 6 rankings.
Betting nugget: Arizona is 10-1 ATS on the road since the start of last season (2-1 ATS as road favorite). Read more.
Moody’s pick: Seahawks 31, Cardinals 27 Walder’s pick: Seahawks 33, Cardinals 27 FPI prediction: ARI, 63.8% (by an average of 4.2 points)
What to watch for: The Panthers and Rams have the second- and third-worst offensive EPAs in the NFL this season, respectively, according to ESPN Stats & Information research. Matthew Stafford‘s seven interceptions and 21 sacks are both tied for the most in the NFL this season, and Los Angeles has scored just one touchdown in its last nine quarters. The Panthers’ defense ranks just 22nd in Football Outsiders’ pass DVOA and has three interceptions this season. — Sarah Barshop
Bold prediction: The Panthers, with only eight sacks on the season, will sack Stafford six times to keep this one closer than most expect. Stafford has been sacked 12 times the past two games, the Rams are tied for last in the NFL in sacks allowed with 21 and interim Carolina coach Steve Wilks is known for his aggressive blitz packages as a defensive coordinator. — David Newton
Stat to know:PJ Walker has a 15.1 career Total QBR, the worst of any QB with 100-plus attempts since 2020.
What to know for fantasy:Christian McCaffrey is again pacing the position in terms of percentage of team RB touches (89.9%). Saquon Barkley has been the star of 2022 (85.2%), and Jonathan Taylor (76.9% in games he has played) was the player we all debated with McCaffrey at the top overall spot. See Week 6 rankings.
Betting nugget: Los Angeles is 1-4 ATS this season (0-3 ATS at home). Read more.
Moody’s pick: Rams 24, Panthers 10 Walder’s pick: Rams 26, Panthers 9 FPI prediction: LAR, 75.8% (by an average of 8.1 points)
What to watch for: Don’t be surprised if the game’s winner is determined by which QB runs for more yardage. Patrick Mahomes has averaged 43 rushing yards in four career games against the Bills, more than any other opponent, while Josh Allen has run for 64 per game against the Chiefs. Both have also thrown it well in this rivalry, with Mahomes having a QBR of 86.1 against the Bills and Allen, 83.5 against the Chiefs. — Adam Teicher
Bold prediction: Wide receiver Stefon Diggs will have his first 100-yard game against the Chiefs as a Buffalo Bill. In four games against the Chiefs since 2020, Diggs has averaged 49.8 receiving yards per game, but he’s averaging 101.6 yards per contest this season. The Chiefs defense will also have to deal with a now-healthy Gabe Davis coming off three receptions for 171 yards against the Steelers. Along with slot receiver Isaiah McKenzie and tight end Dawson Knox returning to the field, the success of other players will open up opportunities for Diggs against a defense that is 24th in the NFL in allowing 255.6 passing yards per game. — Alaina Getzenberg
Stat to know:Travis Kelce‘s seven receiving touchdowns this season are tied for the second-most by a tight end in the team’s first five games in NFL history.
What to know for fantasy: Backwards trend for Diggs? Certainly has played out that way recently, as Diggs has failed to score 15 fantasy points in five of his past seven games with an over/under of 50-plus. See Week 6 rankings.
Betting nugget: Allen is 20-10-2 ATS on the road. Read more.
Moody’s pick: Bills 31, Chiefs 27 Walder’s pick: Bills 34, Chiefs 31 FPI prediction: KC, 60.5% (by an average of 3.0 points)
What to watch for: Four of the Eagles starting offensive linemen are battling injuries, including left tackle Jordan Mailata, who plans to play but will be wearing a sleeve and a cuff around his right shoulder to limit arm mobility. The Cowboys’ pass rush ranks first in pressures (85) and second in sacks (20). When healthy, the Eagles’ O-line versus the Dallas defensive front is strength on strength. Keep an eye on how Philly holds up in the trenches. — Tim McManus
Bold prediction:Micah Parsons will record the first interception of his career but not get a sack. It’s about the only thing Parsons has not done in the first two seasons of his career. But Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts has been intercepted four times in two starts against the Cowboys, the most against any opponent. — Todd Archer
Stat to know: The Cowboys currently lead the league in pass rush win rate this season, while the Eagles rank sixth in pass block win rate.
Stephen A. Smith details why the Cowboys’ wide receivers are the key to getting a win vs. the Eagles.
What to know for fantasy:Ezekiel Elliott averaged more than 100 total yards against the Eagles last season, including his best game of the season (26.6 FP in Week 3). See Week 6 rankings.
Betting nugget:Cooper Rush is the sixth quarterback in the Super Bowl era to begin his career 5-0 outright and ATS Read more.
Moody’s pick: Eagles 24, Cowboys 17 Walder’s pick: Eagles 27, Cowboys 20 FPI prediction: PHI, 75.2% (by an average of 8.0 points)
What to watch for: ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson has been battling a partially torn lat near his right shoulder, but Broncos coach Nathaniel Hacket said that no limitations will be placed on Wilson against the Chargers. He’s a competitor, he’s doing great. This extra little mini-bye that we’ve had has been fantastic for him and really our whole team,” Hackett said of the 10-day span between their Week 5 Thursday night game and Monday night’s Week 6 matchup. The Chargers are on a two-game win streak despite playing without top pass-catcher Keenan Allen, who has been sidelined four games because of a nagging hamstring injury. — Lindsey Thiry
Bold prediction: Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert has been one of the most difficult starters to sack in the season’s first five weeks — he’s been sacked one or zero times in four of the Chargers’ five games this season — but the Broncos will get him three times. The Broncos defense, which has been one of the bright spots in the clunky 2-3 start, is tied for fourth in the league in sacks, and Herbert will put the ball in the air enough to give the Broncos a chance to test their rush. Herbert has only had nine games in his career when he’s been sacked at least three times, and the Chargers are 3-6 in those games. — Jeff Legwold
Stat to know: Herbert has 972 career completions and could reach completion number 1,000 against the Broncos, his 38th career start. That would make him the fastest, by QB starts, to 1,000 completions since at least 1950. Matthew Stafford currently holds that distinction at 41 starts.
What to know for fantasy: Remember all that complaining within the industry about Austin Ekeler‘s slow start? Well, through five games, he is just 5.6 points behind of where he was at during his 2021 breakout. In fact, he actually has two more touches through five games this year than last. See Week 6 rankings.
Betting nugget: Los Angeles is 4-1 ATS this season, while Denver is 1-4 ATS Read more.
Moody’s pick: Broncos 23, Chargers 16 Walder’s pick: Chargers 24, Broncos 12 FPI prediction: LAC, 74.1% (by an average of 7.5 points)
The Week 4 NFL schedule for the 2022 season is stacked with great matchups, and we’ve got you covered with what you need to know heading into the weekend. Our NFL Nation reporters bring us the biggest keys to every game and a bold prediction for each matchup.
Additionally, ESPN Stats & Information provides a big stat to know and a betting nugget for each contest, and our Football Power Index (FPI) goes inside the numbers with a matchup rating (on a scale of 1 to 100) and a game projection. ESPN researcher Kyle Soppe hands out helpful fantasy football intel, as well. Finally, Seth Walder and Eric Moody give us final score picks for every game. Everything you want to know is here in one spot to help you get ready for a loaded weekend of NFL football.
Let’s get into the full Week 4 slate, including our first London game of the season, Josh Allen vs. Lamar Jackson, Jaguars coach Doug Pederson facing his old team in Philadelphia, Derrick Henry vs. Jonathan Taylor and a big Chiefs-Bucs meeting on Sunday night. It all culminates with a Monday Night Football matchup between the Rams and the 49ers on ESPN. (Game times are Sunday unless otherwise noted.)
What to watch for: The Saints could be relying heavily on wide receiver Chris Olave, who was just named the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Month. He has seen a large amount of targets recently and that should continue with wide receivers Michael Thomas and Jarvis Landry dealing with injuries. Quarterback Jameis Winston‘s back injury also continues to linger, which has contributed to offensive struggles this season. Perhaps a meeting with Minnesota is just what New Orleans needs. The Vikings have allowed 1,240 yards this season, the third most in the NFL, and at least 300 scrimmage yards in 11 consecutive games. — Katherine Terrell
Bold prediction: Saints CB Marshon Lattimore will hold Vikings receiver Justin Jefferson to less than 50 yards receiving. Lattimore uses the same kind of close-in, physical approach that Eagles CB Darius Slay and Lions CB Jeff Okudah have utilized to slow down Jefferson in the past two weeks. Until Jefferson proves he can beat that type of approach, opponents will continue using it. — Kevin Seifert
Stat to know: The Vikings have 13 total penalties through Week 3, second fewest in the NFL this season. But the Saints have 28 — tied for the second most.
What to know for fantasy: “Air yards” are not a fantasy stat, but they do have a way of hinting at upside. Olave leads the league in that category … by 164! See Week 4 rankings.
Betting nugget: Favorites are 18-12 against the spread (ATS) in London games. Overs and unders are split 15-15. Read more.
Moody’s pick: Vikings 23, Saints 20 Walder’s pick: Vikings 27, Saints 13 FPI prediction: NO, 51.3% (by an average of 0.4 points)
What to watch for:Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson are two of the NFL’s most impactful running quarterbacks. The Bills are 12-3 (.800) when Allen runs for over 50 yards, and the Ravens are 16-1 (.941) when Jackson goes for 90 or more yards rushing. Allen and Jackson are among the favorites for NFL MVP this season because they are two of the three quarterbacks to account for over 83% of their team’s total yards (passing and rushing) through the first three games. — Jamison Hensley
Bold prediction: Bills wide receiver Stefon Diggs will have over 125 receiving yards for the second time this season, while the team’s receiving group deals with multiple injuries. Jake Kumerow (high ankle), is not expected to play, nor is Gabe Davis (ankle) trending in a positive direction for the game against the Ravens. Allen connecting with Diggs at a high level would go a long way in the Bills coming away with a win. Baltimore has allowed a league-high 95 total completions and 353.3 passing yards per game, which should provide opportunities for the Bills’ passing offense despite the injuries. — Alaina Getzenberg
Stat to know: Buffalo has allowed just 173 total rushing yards, the second fewest in the NFL (Jaguars, 165) — including seven rushes for 20 yards by opposing quarterbacks.
What to know for fantasy: No team has allowed more deep completions this season than the Ravens, and Gabe Davis’ average depth of target for his career is over 14 yards. See Week 4 rankings.
Betting nugget: Baltimore is 12-2-1 ATS when the line is between +3 and -3 since 2019. Read more.
Moody’s pick: Bills 37, Ravens 30 Walder’s pick: Ravens 33, Bills 30 FPI prediction: BAL, 55.5% (by an average of 1.6 points)
What to watch for: Doug Pederson, the only Super Bowl-winning coach in Eagles history, makes his return to Philadelphia as head man of the Jags. QB Trevor Lawrence has grown leaps and bounds under him. The reigning AFC Offensive Player of the Week has completed 69.4% of his passes with six touchdowns to just one interception. The coach-QB tandem will face an Eagles defense that ranks sixth in pass defense (186.7 YPG) and second in sacks (12). “I have a very high opinion of Doug,” said Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon. “He’s a very good playcaller. He doesn’t have a lot of tendencies. You can’t bank on certain things coming. He’s doing a good job with the quarterback playing extremely fast.” — Tim McManus
Bold prediction: Eagles QB Jalen Hurts will rush for 100 yards and a touchdown. The Jaguars’ defense has been very good through three games, but it hasn’t faced a mobile QB like Hurts yet (Carson Wentz, Matt Ryan and Justin Herbert with broken rib cartilage). While the pass rush has been good (21 QB hits, 7 sacks), Hurts’ ability to escape pressure will allow him to make some plays with his legs, especially if the Jaguars are in man coverage. — Mike DiRocco
Stat to know: Hurts ranks first in yards per attempt (9.35) this season, and his 13 offensive plays (12 pass, 1 rush) of 20-plus yards are tied for most in the NFL.
What to know for fantasy: The Jaguars have been a great surprise thus far, and running back James Robinson is a big reason. Coming off the Achilles injury, Robinson ranks third at the position in fantasy points this season, trailing only Saquon Barkley and Nick Chubb. See Week 4 rankings.
Betting nugget: Philadelphia and Miami are the only teams to start 3-0 both outright and ATS. Read more.
Moody’s pick: Jaguars 31, Eagles 28 Walder’s pick: Eagles 27, Jaguars 21 FPI prediction: PHI, 67.3% (by an average of 5.1 points)
What to watch for: These are two of the best rushing teams in the NFL through four weeks. The Bears with the duo of David Montgomery and Khalil Herbert are second in the NFL, averaging 186.7 yards per contest. Giants defensive coordinator Wink Martindale considers Chicago’s running game “elite.” The Giants, meanwhile, are riding Saquon Barkley. They’re fourth in the NFL, averaging 169.3 yards per game on the ground. This is expected to be the week’s lowest-scoring game with the over/under at 39.5 according to Caesars Sportsbook. — Jordan Raanan
Bold prediction: The Bears leave MetLife Stadium with three sacks — matching half of their current total through three weeks — including two from Robert Quinn. Daniel Jones was pressured 24 times by Dallas, the most pressure a Giants QB has faced since 2009. Chicago’s pass rush hasn’t been all that effective (33 pass block wins, ranked 31st in the NFL), but this is the week it finally gets home with a heavy dose of new-look pressures and blitzes typically not seen from this scheme. — Courtney Cronin
Stat to know: The Bears have attempted 45 passes this season, fewest of any team through three games since the 1982 Patriots (44). Justin Fields has been intercepted on 8.9% of his attempts this season, highest in the NFL. And his 23.0 QBR ranks 31st among the 32 qualified QBs this season (only Baker Mayfield is worse).
What to know for fantasy: Don’t call it a comeback. Barkley is touching the ball 22 times a game and is on pace for over 2,000 total yards. For most, that would be the product of a small sample size, but for Barkley, it’s just pacing himself for a repeat of his rookie season in 2018. See Week 4 rankings.
Betting nugget: New York is 6-0 ATS on short rest since 2020. Read more.
Moody’s pick: Giants 17, Bears 14 Walder’s pick: Giants 20, Bears 9 FPI prediction: NYG, 65.0% (by an average of 4.4 points)
What to watch for: The Cowboys have won seven straight NFC East games as they host the Commanders at AT&T Stadium. Cooper Rush will look to become the first Cowboys quarterback to win the first four starts of his career. While the pass game has been efficient, the run game has helped, too, with Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard picking up 274 yards on 52 carries in Rush’s starts. Carson Wentz has a 4-4 record against Dallas in his career, but he is coming off a game in which he was sacked nine times. The Cowboys enter Week 3 with an NFL-best 11 sacks and have three players — Micah Parsons, DeMarcus Lawrence and Dorance Armstrong — with six sacks. — Todd Archer
Bold prediction: Speedy Dallas receiver Michael Gallup will make a big splash in his debut. He is returning from a torn ACL and will take advantage of a Washington defense that has yielded big plays by catching a 40-yard touchdown pass. The Commanders have allowed an NFL-high five passes of 40-plus yards and 12 plays overall of that length. They played better defensively in Week 3 vs. the Eagles, but big plays remain the issue. — John Keim
Stat to know: Washington receiver Terry McLaurin is coming off his 11th career game with 100-plus receiving yards, but he has never had one against the Cowboys.
What to know for fantasy: The Commanders have coughed up a 100-yard receiver in each of the first three weeks this season, and CeeDee Lamb was a dropped pass away from a career night against the Giants on Monday Night Football last week. See Week 4 rankings.
Betting nugget: Ten of the past 13 meetings have gone over the total. Read more.
Moody’s pick: Commanders 24, Cowboys 20 Walder’s pick: Cowboys 19, Commanders 16 FPI prediction: WSH, 53.3% (by an average of 1.1 points)
What to watch for: This game, in theory, will have two of the NFL’s top three rushers — Cleveland’s Nick Chubb (No. 1, 341 yards) and Atlanta’s Cordarrelle Patterson (No. 3, 302 yards). Patterson, though, didn’t practice on Wednesday or Thursday, so that could take some luster out of the matchup if he can’t go. These two teams have some interesting ties, too, including both Falcons offensive coordinator Dave Ragone and defensive coordinator Dean Pees growing up in Ohio as Browns fans. — Michael Rothstein
Bold prediction: Atlanta tight end Kyle Pitts will double his career TD reception total, with two against the Browns. The Falcons, and their underrated offense, will hang around with Cleveland into the fourth quarter. — Jake Trotter
Stat to know: The Browns have scored on 14 consecutive red zone drives dating back to last season, the third-longest active streak in the NFL behind the Cowboys (24) and Titans (16).
What to know for fantasy:Amari Cooper dropped 23.1 fantasy points on the Steelers last week, giving him consecutive 20-point games for the first time since Weeks 5-6 of the 2016 season. See Week 4 rankings.
Betting nugget: Both teams have gone over the total in each of their first three games. The only other team 3-0 to the over is Detroit. Read more.
Moody’s pick: Browns 31, Falcons 23 Walder’s pick: Falcons 22, Browns 17 FPI prediction: ATL, 50.1% (by an average of 0.1 points)
What to watch for: Jets QB Zach Wilson is making his season debut. The Steelers’ lack of experience against him, along with his mobility, create challenges for a defense that’s still struggling to find an identity without T.J. Watt. The Steelers have just two total sacks since Watt went out with the pectoral injury, and the run defense is again ranked near the bottom of the league after giving up 171 rushing yards to the Browns. — Brooke Pryor
Bold prediction: Rookie running back Breece Hall will record the first 100-yard rushing day of his career. After throwing a league-high 155 times in the first three games, the Jets want to be balanced with Wilson back. Michael Carter, and especially Hall, will be the beneficiary of strategic shift, as they run through the Steelers’ suspect run defense. — Rich Cimini
Stat to know: The Steelers have a 33% third-down conversion rate this season, the second worst in the AFC after the Texans. They went 1-9 on third-down conversions against the Browns in the Week 3 loss — tied for the third-worst conversion rate since Mike Tomlin took over in 2007.
What to know for fantasy: New year, same problem. Last season, Najee Harris was king of volume, but his carries were only so valuable because he was hit at or behind the line of scrimmage on 30.6% of his totes. This season … 35%. See Week 4 rankings.
Betting nugget: Pittsburgh is 16-1 outright with extra rest since 2017 (8-7-2 ATS). Read more.
Moody’s pick: Steelers 28, Jets 17 Walder’s pick: Steelers 27, Jets 20 FPI prediction: PIT, 67.9% (by an average of 5.4 points)
What to watch for: A hobbled Lions team could limp into the Week 4 matchup after missing several key players throughout practice during the week, including running back D’Andre Swift (ankle/shoulder), tight end T.J. Hockenson (foot) and wide receivers Amon-Ra St. Brown (ankle) and Josh Reynolds (ankle). Both teams are entering the contest with matching 1-2 records, trying to bounce back after close, one-score losses the previous week. An interesting matchup to watch is Lions cornerback Jeff Okudah against DK Metcalf. The Seahawks receiver recently said Okudah isn’t really “locking people down” and has a safety under helping him. — Eric Woodyard
Bold prediction: The Seahawks will hold Detroit to under 115 rushing yards. That qualifies as bold given that Seattle has allowed the second-most rushing yards per game this season, including 189 and 179 the past two weeks. They might get a break Sunday with the Lions’ Swift injured, and they could get a boost with outside linebackers Boye Mafe and Darryl Johnson playing more on early downs in place of Darrell Taylor, who has struggled against the run. — Brady Henderson
Stat to know: The Lions are scoring 31.7 PPG — the second most in the NFL — and are allowing 31.0 PPG, the most in the NFL.
What to know for fantasy: Through three weeks, both Detroit running backs rank as top-10 players at the position, but only one of them will be active this week. Jamaal Williams and his four rushing touchdowns are set to take center stage with Swift’s shoulder injury set to sideline him for at least the short term. See Week 4 rankings.
Betting nugget: Detroit is 3-0 ATS this season and 14-6 ATS under Dan Campbell. Read more.
Moody’s pick: Lions 31, Seahawks 21 Walder’s pick: Lions 30, Seahawks 15 FPI prediction: DET, 65.3% (by an average of 4.5 points)
What to watch for: The Colts currently have a minus-3 turnover margin, an alarming number for a team that ranked first in this category in 2021 and second in 2020. There are two reasons: Matt Ryan has had an exceedingly rare stretch, turning the ball over six times in three games. And the defense — after finishing last season second in takeaways — has produced just three turnovers to date. Alternatively, Titans QB Ryan Tannehill has thrown just three interceptions through three games. If the Colts’ defense can somehow force turnovers — and not commit turnovers — they will have a better chance at their second win of the season. — Stephen Holder
Bold prediction: Titans running back Derrick Henry will get his first 100-yard rushing performance this season. That’s bold considering the Colts are allowing a league-low 2.6 yards per carry. Henry had a season-high 65 yards after contact last week. Offensive coordinator Todd Downing feels Henry is on the verge of breaking off a long run if “they can finish blocks, that last shove, last bit of effort to will spring him into the secondary.” — Turron Davenport
Stat to know: Ryan has been sacked 12 times, the fourth most in the NFL so far this season. That’s the second-most sacks he has taken in his team’s first three games of a season in his career (13 in 2011). That is also the second-most sacks taken by a Colts QB since the franchise moved to Indianapolis in 1984 (Jim Harbaugh took 16 sacks in 1997).
What to know for fantasy: It might not be what you signed up for, but don’t panic … Jonathan Taylor has 14.8 more fantasy points through three games this season than he did during his historic 2021 campaign. See Week 4 rankings.
Betting nugget: Eight straight Indianapolis games have gone under the total, including all three this season. Read more.
Moody’s pick: Colts 27, Titans 24 Walder’s pick: Colts 20, Titans 17 FPI prediction: IND, 60.4% (by an average of 3.0 points)
What to watch for: Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert has the fourth-most passing yards in the NFL (910), but the Texans’ pass defense has been exceptional. They’ve held opposing quarterbacks’ completion percentage to 55.1%, which is the second best in the NFL, according to Next Gen Stats. The Texans have 10 sacks on the year, coming in at fourth best. The coverage in the secondary has been stout, as quarterbacks are completing only 44% of their passes when targeting cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. This should be interesting as the Chargers are coming off a down week, losing to the Jaguars in Week 3. –– DJ Bien-Aime
Bold prediction: The Chargers will clamp down on defense and keep the Texans out of the end zone. This is bold considering the Chargers’ defense is averaging the most points allowed in the AFC at 28 per game. But the Texans are among teams who are struggling to score, averaging 16.3 points per game. Watch for the Bolts’ defense behind Khalil Mack and Derwin James to play inspired, wanting to prove that it should not be counted out despite losing star edge rusher Joey Bosa indefinitely. — Lindsey Thiry
Stat to know: Los Angeles’ Austin Ekeler is the only running back in the NFL who is currently leading his team in both targets (22) and receptions (21).
What to know for fantasy:Dameon Pierce got 87% of the Texans’ RB carries last week in Chicago. Not a bad role to take into a matchup with the Chargers, the third-worst defense in terms of running back yards per carry since the beginning of last season. See Week 4 rankings.
Betting nugget: Los Angeles is 0-3 outright as a road favorite under coach Brandon Staley. Read more.
Moody’s pick: Chargers 31, Texans 20 Walder’s pick: Chargers 26, Texans 10 FPI prediction: LAC, 70.4% (by an average of 6.3 points)
What to watch for: Panthers quarterback Baker Mayfield ranks 31st in the NFL in completion percentage (51.9), and a big issue has been poor footwork due to a lack of full trust in his offensive line that has allowed nine sacks. He should have more confidence going up against an Arizona defense that ranks 31st in sacks with only two through three games. — David Newton
Bold prediction: With the weather playing a factor, the Cardinals will commit to the run, and James Conner will have 100 yards for the first time this season and Kyler Murray will eclipse 50 for the first time. — Josh Weinfuss
Stat to know:Christian McCaffrey has two straight games of 100-plus rush yards after going 18 games without reaching 100. He has not had three straight 100-yard rushing games since Weeks 8-10 in 2019.
What to know for fantasy: It’s hard to know what will happen in four weeks when DeAndre Hopkins returns after Week 6, but Marquise Brown is coming off a career day and is the ninth-highest-scoring fantasy receiver this season (just ahead of first-round picks Justin Jefferson and Davante Adams). See Week 4 rankings.
Betting nugget: Arizona has won seven straight games outright as a road underdog, tied for the longest streak since the 1970 AFL/NFL merger. Read more.
Moody’s pick: Cardinals 28, Panthers 17 Walder’s pick: Cardinals 31, Panthers 14 FPI prediction: CAR, 52.8% (by an average of 0.8 points)
What to watch for: There are some telling streaks at play: Aaron Rodgers has won five straight games against AFC opponents,; the Packers have won 14 straight regular-season home games, which is the longest active streak in the NFL; and Patriots likely starting quarterback Brian Hoyer has lost 11 consecutive starts, which is the longest streak among quarterbacks currently on NFL rosters. — Rob Demovsky
Bold prediction: Patriots running backs Damien Harris and Rhamondre Stevenson will come close to totaling 200 rushing yards between them. This will have to be the formula for New England to have a chance to pull the upset. The Packers have shown some vulnerability against the run, with the Bears totaling 180 yards on 27 carries in Week 2, and the Vikings with 126 yards on 28 carries in Week 1. But here’s a potential problem for New England: With Rodgers completing 75% of his passes in back-to-back games, the possibility of falling behind early could make the Patriots more one-dimensional than they desire. — Mike Reiss
Stat to know: The Patriots’ defense owns a 9.3% sack rate this season, which is the third best in the NFL. And Rodgers has taken eight sacks in three games this season.
What to know for fantasy:Romeo Doubs saw 23.5% of the targets last weekend in Tampa Bay, the highest rate for a Packer this season and potentially a sign of things to come for the promising rookie. See Week 4 rankings.
Betting nugget: Green Bay is 17-7 ATS as a home favorite under coach Matt LaFleur, including 7-1 ATS since the start of last season. Read more.
Moody’s pick: Packers 28, Patriots 13 Walder’s pick: Packers 24, Patriots 0 FPI prediction: GB, 88.8% (by an average of 14.7 points)
What to watch for: Raiders edge rusher Chandler Jones has zero sacks through three games, and is fast becoming a target for impatient fans. Keep an eye, then, on the four-time Pro Bowler possibly getting untracked against his favorite target in Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson. Jones has sacked Wilson 16.5 times in his career, the most sacks Jones has against any one QB. It’s a rivalry that dates to Jones’ days in Arizona and Wilson’s in Seattle. “He thought he could get away from me, leaving [the NFC West],” Jones said with a laugh back in March, “but I’m right here with him again. So, that’s going to be fun, getting after him a little bit.” — Paul Gutierrez
Bold prediction: Fire the confetti cannons in Denver, Broncos quarterback Wilson will have his first multiple-touchdown game with the team after having just two passing touchdowns over the first three games. And while that might not move the needle on the “bold” meter in some NFL outposts, the Broncos keep saying they’re close to something that resembles the offense they hoped to have when they exited the preseason. Plus, the Raiders have surrendered four pass plays of at least 30 yards in the first three games to go with five passing touchdowns by opposing quarterbacks. — Jeff Legwold
Stat to know: The Broncos are averaging 14.3 PPG, second worst in the NFL. Forty-three total points in the first three games are their fewest since 2006.
What to know for fantasy: The Denver passing game has yet to really hit its stride, and yet, only four receivers in the entire league have more receiving yards than Courtland Sutton. See Week 4 rankings.
Betting nugget: All three Denver games have gone under the total by over 10 points this season. Read more.
Moody’s pick: Broncos 26, Raiders 17 Walder’s pick: Raiders 30, Broncos 19 FPI prediction: LV, 58.3% (by an average of 2.4 points)
What to watch for: The Bucs will have wide receivers Mike Evans (suspension) and Julio Jones (knee) back this week, with wide receiver Chris Godwin (hamstring) and left tackle Donovan Smith (elbow) also possibilities. Having scored only three offensive touchdowns in three games so far this year, they need all hands on deck to keep pace with a Chiefs team averaging 29.3 points per game. On the other side of the ball, the Chiefs’ rebuilt offensive line is eager to show this wasn’t the same group from Super Bowl LV — their two sacks given up are tied for fewest in the league right now. — Jenna Laine
Bold prediction: The sixth meeting between Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes will be the lowest scoring yet. The Chiefs and Bucs are struggling to score, with the Chiefs’ offense producing just 37 points in the past two games and the Bucs averaging just 17 points per game through the first three. These teams don’t look like they will combine for 39 points, the lowest output so far for a Brady-Mahomes game. It certainly won’t approach the 83 points the two generated in a 2018 game between the Chiefs and Patriots. — Adam Teicher
Stat to know: The Buccaneers are looking to avoid a fourth straight game held under 20 points. Only one Brady-led team has been held under 20 points in four straight games — the 2002 Patriots.
What to know for fantasy:Leonard Fournette got loose in Week 1 for 127 yards on 21 carries. In the two games since (Mike Evans was ejected in one and suspended for the other), he has picked up just 100 yards on 36 carries. The Bucs welcome their WR1 back this week with the hopes of reopening the lanes that were there in the Week 1 win at Dallas. See Week 4 rankings.
Betting nugget: All three Tampa Bay games have gone under the total this season. Read more.
Moody’s pick: Buccaneers 24, Chiefs 21 Walder’s pick: Chiefs 30, Buccaneers 17 FPI prediction: TB, 63.3% (by an average of 3.9 points)
What to watch for: The 49ers have had the Rams’ number in recent years, winning six straight regular-season games, but the Rams won the one that mattered most in January, advancing to the Super Bowl with a fourth-quarter surge in the NFC Championship Game. After a road loss last week in Denver, the Niners are in danger of falling two games back of the Rams in the NFC West with a loss here. To avoid that, they’ll need quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo to find a groove in a hurry behind an offensive line missing star tackle Trent Williams. Garoppolo is 6-1 as a starter against Los Angeles, but his eight interceptions are the most he has thrown against any opponent. — Nick Wagoner
Bold prediction:Cooper Kupp sets a career high for receptions with 14 catches. He leads the NFL with 28 receptions, including tying his career high of 13 in Week 1 against the Bills. Kupp’s target share through three games (35%) is higher than it was during the 2021 season (32%), and that continues against the 49ers on Monday night. — Sarah Barshop
Stat to know: The Niners’ Deebo Samuel has 111 rushing yards this season, the most among players who are primarily wide receivers. He is also one of two wideouts with a rushing touchdown in 2022. The other? Kupp.
What to know for fantasy:Allen Robinson II is one of just seven players who has seen an end zone target in each of the first three weeks. His managers might be getting impatient, but converting targets like that could make up for a slow start in short order. See Week 4 rankings.
Betting nugget: San Francisco has covered all five meetings since 2020 including playoffs. Read more.
Moody’s pick: 49ers 24, Rams 21 Walder’s pick: 49ers 23, Rams 17 FPI prediction: LAR, 60.0% (by an average of 3.0 points)
