​EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — Welcome to West Coast Read, a weekly spin around what’s happening in the NFL on the Left Coast. And to kick things off, we start with a conversation I had with new Los Angeles Chargers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel and his plans for Justin Herbert. McDaniel displayed flashes of excellence as the head coach of the Miami Dolphins, but things ultimately fizzled in four seasons on South Beach. However, McDaniel was highly sought after this offseason by several teams, both as a head coach and offensive coordinator, because of his reputation for innovation as a playcaller. With plenty of options on the table, McDaniel chose the Chargers because of the vast array of skills Justin Herbert has at his disposal, providing a stark contrast to the limited skill set his previous quarterback in Miami had in Tua Tagovailoa, taken one spot above Herbert at No. 5 overall in the 2020 draft. McDaniel told me his 20 years of coaching in the NFL prepared him for this crossroads moment of his career in coaching the most talented quarterback he’s ever worked with in the league. "It’s as simple as I’m not sure there are many players in my entire career that are more talented to play the quarterback position than Justin," McDaniel told me in a conversation after practice during training camp. "And so, with those talents, I learned and built offensive systems around players who are not as talented, so it forces you to try and get really high-level play from guys that don’t have those supreme skill sets. "Your offense and problem-solving are at its best, where maybe you don’t have to solve those problems from a coaching perspective [with Herbert]. There’s a certain coverage or a certain defensive issue that’s presented, and your quarterback can scramble and go get the first down. And you don’t have to solve the problem as a coach. That’s the greatest blessing of bouncing around NFL teams as you evolve as a coach, because you get exposed to so many types of talents. So, you’re not pigeonholed." McDaniel provided this example: if he had landed in New England early in his coaching career working with someone like Tom Brady back in 2007, he would have benefited from one of the best quarterbacks ever at solving pre-snap issues, changing plays and protections that put his offense in the best situations. And maybe that would have stunted his growth as a play designer. "And then, when you don’t have him, what type of coach can you be?" McDaniel told me. "I think as a young coach, I would have really screwed it up. I would have asked for Justin as young as possible, but I’m very much glad I’m finally getting the opportunity to coach him now, after solving problems with guys that can’t throw it as far or overcome a poorly designed play where things are gloved and just scramble for the first down." McDaniel said he maintained discipline installing the offense, making sure to focus on Herbert’s footwork and improving his ability to get the ball out quick on short completions before getting to the good stuff — how to take advantage of the Oregon product’s otherworldly arm strength. That occurred midway through training camp, and the results of that were evident when Herbert connected a long touchdown pass to Quentin Johnston during a preseason game against the Los Angeles Rams. McDaniel will fix L.A.’s offense, so Herbert plays at an MVP level by making sure he doesn’t get bored with short completions that help move the chains and providing a more consistent running attack led by a healthy Omarion Hampton. But McDaniel needs to accomplish two things to be deemed a successful season for himself and Herbert: No. 1, his quarterback can’t continuously get belted like a piñata, leading the league in sacks and quarterback hits. And second, Herbert’s postseason stat line must improve from a career 54.7 completion percentage, with two touchdowns and five interceptions for a 64.7 passer rating. Herbert is 0-3 in the playoffs and under his direction in the postseason, L.A.’s offenses have averaged 15 points per game. McDaniel believes good things are in store for Herbert and the Bolts, but that must translate into some postseason wins. "It’s been an interesting, very cool process — bucketing all the stuff we’re getting him to work on and then taking some of the stuff that he’s done at a very high level and making sure that isn’t lost in this offense," McDaniel told me. "That’s why I was front-loaded in watching all the film from his career so that I could build an install that both incorporated the stuff I wanted to work on but allowed for the field to distribute so that later in plays he can make off-schedule stuff happen like he always has. "There’s different parts of the field that he can access that most throwers can’t. So, there’s been some work on just making sure that skill set is utilized. Which, from an offensive perspective, is even a more powerful way to make the defense defend the entire field. Balancing that stuff out — we didn’t work on anything that was big arm down the field until probably the last week — so, really focused on small ball, getting the ball out on plant throws and quick-timing plays. I knew that was the biggest jump he needed to make. I was very proud of myself because I put off all the fun, down-the-field stuff until just recently." Speaking of the Chargers, they have a chance to pair up with their crosstown rival Rams and achieve something unprecedented in the NFL. Former Raiders CEO and Los Angeles native Amy Trask served as an intern when the Los Angeles Raiders won the Super Bowl after the team’s 1983 season after relocating from Oakland. So, Trask understands what an all-Los Angeles Super Bowl would mean for the city. "I’ve heard a number of discussions about this," Trask told me. "Some have suggested that would be disappointing for tourism and for the hotels industry because arguably you’d have far less people traveling to the game if neither of the teams were located outside of Los Angeles. "But I have a different view. While I understand the point that is made, I think it could be a tremendous opportunity for the region to showcase itself. The Los Angeles area and the region itself did a spectacular job during the World Cup. We of course have the Olympics coming in a couple years. But with the Super Bowl coming in February, if it is the Los Angeles Chargers vs. Los Angeles Rams, think about what the region can do to showcase itself." The Rams are a heavy favorite to win the Super Bowl after executing blockbuster trades for Myles Garrett and Trent McDuffie, along with the return of All-Pro Aaron Donald from a two-year retirement. After back-to-back 11-6 seasons under Harbaugh and quick exits from the postseason, the Chargers have the sixth-best odds to win the Super Bowl at +1700. This year’s Super Bowl is set to take place at SoFi Stadium on Feb. 14. The last time the Super Bowl was played in Los Angeles was in 2022, when the Rams defeated the Cincinnati Bengals 23-20 on their home field. The first Super Bowl in L.A. took place at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in 1967, with the Green Bay Packers defeating the Kansas City Chiefs, 35-10. In all, nine Super Bowls have been played in Los Angeles. Only Miami (11) and New Orleans (11) have hosted more. The Chargers won their only championship in 1963, a 55-10 victory over the Boston Patriots for the American Football League title at Balboa Stadium in San Diego. Along with winning it all four years ago, the Rams also lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers at the Coliseum in 1980 in Super Bowl XIV. Rams CEO Kevin Demoff recently recognized it’s been 10 years since the Rams moved back to Los Angeles. It’s been nine years since the Chargers relocated from San Diego to Los Angeles. During that time, the two teams have combined for 11 playoff appearances and a Super Bowl victory for the Rams after the 2021 season in the stadium that Rams owner Stan Kroenke built. Yes, the same Kroenke who just bought the Los Angeles Angels. A Rams-Chargers Super Bowl could be kismet. "Having grown up in Los Angeles and living in Los Angeles, you’ve got everything here," Trask said. "It’s a very reasonable drive from the mountains, which will have snow on them, the desert, which will be very beautiful, and the beaches, which are always beautiful. Exploit the region. Show off the region. That’s what I think can be done if it ended up Chargers-Rams." Jeremiyah Love, whom the Arizona Cardinals took with the third overall pick in this year's draft, flashed electric playmaking ability in his first and only action during the preseason, totaling 58 yards on 11 carries in a Week 1 contest against the Raiders. But Love suffered a high-ankle sprain and hasn’t practiced since, making his availability in his team’s season opener on the road against the Chargers a question mark. While most NFL observers consider Love the most talented running back in this year’s draft class, a longtime NFL talent evaluator believes Love’s backup at Norte Dame, Jadarian Price, might be the better player. Scott McCloughan served as San Francisco’s top personnel man for four seasons and Seahawks general manager John Schneider’s right-hand man as senior personnel executive from 2010 to 2013. McCloughan also worked in personnel for the Cleveland Browns and Washington Commanders and currently serves as a draft consultant for teams and agents that hire him to evaluate NFL prospects. "I think he’s Nick Chubb," McCloughan told me about Price. McCloughan was in Cleveland when they drafted Chubb. "He’s a big guy who can run downhill. He’s got some speed. He’s got some elusiveness and ball skills. I told Johnny [Schneider] when they drafted him, ‘You just got a hell of a player dude.’" At 5-foot-11 and 210 pounds, Price ran a 4.49-second, 40-yard time at the NFL Scouting Combine. And while he doesn’t possess the elusiveness or pass-catching ability of Love, he has a clearer path to a workhorse role for the Seahawks, with Kenneth Walker signing with the Chiefs in free agency and Zach Charbonnet working his way back from season-ending knee surgery, Along with Love’s injury concerns, he’s also in a stacked running back room that includes experienced veterans Tyler Allgeier and James Conner. Love is actually listed as the No. 2 running back on Arizona's depth chart. But McCloughan believes Price will be a more productive back than Love in their NFL careers. "You know what, it was very close," McCloughan told me. "I mean, it wasn’t a slam dunk. And don’t get me wrong, Love’s really good. And of course, Love was the starter. But Jadarian, I think he’s going to be a really good NFL running back. I know Nick just recently retired, but when he was in his prime, he was kicking ass. "He’s got a lot of power, but he also has speed." Rams head coach Sean McVay predominantly used three-receiver sets during his time with the Rams, usually leading the league in that personnel grouping. However, due to injuries and effectiveness, McVay’s Rams led the league by using three tight end personnel groupings on 331 snaps in 2025, averaging 6.2 yards per play. It’s by far the most a team has used that formation over the past decade in a single season. The second-most was 183 by the Cleveland Browns in 2021. League-wide, teams used three tight ends 5% of the time in 2025, up from 3.5% in 2024. Moreover, 21 tight ends were selected in this year’s draft, the most since 2002 (24). The Rams drafted another tight end this year in Max Klare and are carrying five on the active roster, so McVay could be planning to lean on three TE sets again. However, new Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Brian Fleury, who served as the San Francisco 49ers tight ends coach before taking his new job, does not expect the Rams to use three tight end sets as often this season. "Last year, I think they caught a lot of people off guard by doing that, especially in those first few weeks," Fleury said. "When you get into bigger groupings, usually it simplifies the defensive menu. But as they continue to put it on the field, the defensive menu continues to grow as people become more prepared. "Going into this season, while that might seem like an advantageous trend for an offense to do, the entire league has had the entire offseason to come up with their plan for defending their team personnel. So, I don’t think you’re going to see quite the same advantages. We will have some of it available and deploy it when we feel appropriate. But I don’t know that you are going to get quite the level of production that the Rams had out of it league-wide." A weekly look at the top five teams among the NFC and AFC West: 5. Kansas City Chiefs I’m tempted to put the Chargers here, but even though he’s recovering from a knee injury, I trust Patrick Mahomes more than Herbert. 4. San Francisco 49ers They’re a M*A*S*H unit on both sides of the ball, but Shanahan will figure out how to cobble together enough healthy bodies to play winning football. 3. Denver Broncos They have one of the best defenses in the league and one of the most underrated QBs in Bo Nix. 2. Los Angeles Rams In Sean McVay we trust, unless it’s booking travel arrangements. 1. Seattle Seahawks To be the best, you must beat the best. Showing the defending champs some respect here, unlike the rest of the country. "There’s only three players that I would stand up and watch play: LT (Lawrence Taylor), Reggie White and Aaron Donald. Those are three guys where I would watch every play because I’ve never seen nothing like it. And I think Myles [Garrett] could be that same type of player here, for sure." Eric Dickerson to me on the impact Myles Garrett could have on the Los Angeles Rams. Read More

​This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports. Underdog is launching a new promo for the new NFL season kicking off today. Keep Your Million for Week 1, giving fans a new way to follow the biggest games on the opening slate. New users can enter promo code FOXSPORTS to unlock a 50% first-time deposit match worth up to $1,000 in bonus funds, then jump into Underdog's free-to-play Keep Your Million survival game for a chance to work through a virtual $1 million bonus-funds pot. The season kicks off today with a Super Bowl rematch between the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks. Seattle will look for Jaxon Smith-Njigba to keep up where he left off in his monster 2025 season. Another superstar receiver is looking to make an impact, this time on a different team. A.J. Brown was traded to the Patriots in the offseason, pairing him with Drake Maye and former head coach Mike Vrabel. After today's opener, Week 1 continues with the 49ers facing the Rams on Thursday in Australia, then Sunday continues the full slate of matchups featuring some of the top contenders and teams who could be the biggest surprises. Keep Your Million lets eligible customers put their football knowledge to the test. Every eligible customer receives a virtual $1,000,000 pot in bonus funds, then picks a ‘Higher’ or ‘Lower’ question, such as whether a quarterback will finish above or below a passing-yard total. Players split their million between the two sides, lock in their pick before the game and keep whatever they placed on the winning side once the result settles. New users can enter promo code FOXSPORTS to get the 50% first-time deposit match worth up to $1,000 in bonus funds and jump into Keep Your Million for Week 1. How to Sign Up and Claim the Underdog Promo Code How to Watch Patriots vs. Seahawks Thursday, Sept. 10 Sunday, Sept. 13 Monday, Sept. 14 Read More

​On the phone with Ron Rivera, I brought up the 2015 season — and its conclusion. If you don’t remember, the Denver Broncos beat the Carolina Panthers 24-10 in Super Bowl 50. Rivera, now the Cal Bears’ GM, was the Panthers' head coach. A decade later, the fine details of that game remain vivid in his mind. Rivera mentioned an incompletion to Carolina receiver Jerricho Cotchery that he felt was a catch and, in turn, changed the game. "Can you tell, Henry, I’m still bitter?" he asked. Imagine what that must have been like just seven months removed, when his Panthers opened the 2016 NFL season with a Super Bowl rematch. The New England Patriots don’t have to imagine. On Wednesday night to open the 2026 NFL season, the Super Bowl losers have a rematch with the Super Bowl winners in Seattle. Back in 2016, the Panthers traveled to Denver. And Carolina lost, 21-20. Is New England next? "A lot of people say it’s not sour grapes. Well, it is sour grapes," Rivera told me on Tuesday when asked about having to go through a Super Bowl rematch to open the season. There were moments and details that Rivera did not mention that I found interesting. For example, he didn’t bring up Cam Newton’s infamous fumble, the one that still haunts the QB. Maybe Rivera had remembered — and seen — that moment too many times. The Super Bowl rematch was a controversial decision back then, at least to Rivera, who was outspoken in his discontent. And that’s probably why we haven’t seen the NFL do it again — until now. "I am not going to reflect back on it," Patriots coach Mike Vrabel said last week. "We say the same thing every time we lose. We got outcoached; we got outplayed. When we win, it is on our players. But that is a long time ago and we will need to play better. We will need to coach better to give ourselves a chance in that environment." But it's a Super Bowl loss. You must look at the microscopic things you could have done differently. "The hard part is now New England's got to relive it," Rivera told me. The Patriots — with most of the same players — will stand on the field while the Seahawks raise their championship banner. Even if the Patriots tell themselves that this is a new team, new season, new game, the Seahawks will display a reminder of what happened this calendar year. It's the Seahawks' right to raise that banner. But it's almost cruel that the Patriots are the team that has to watch it. "I just didn’t think that it was right to do that," Rivera said when asked about having a field-level view of the banner ceremony in 2016. "Let them have their moment in front of somebody else. Why do we want to rub it in, even more so? Why do we want to make … the team that lost the Super Bowl relive it?" Rivera said he doesn't remember the ceremony, admitting he probably did what he could to ignore it. He did, however, speak to his players about how they should handle it — thinking about the upcoming game and the upcoming season despite the pageantry. He also planned for the possibility that the rematch might not go well. It was one of the pieces of advice from the late, great coach John Madden. "He was mentoring me," Rivera told me. "[Madden] asked, ‘What happens if you lose?’ Because you put so much energy into trying to win that game, trying to avenge what happened. … He said you've got to be very careful with it. You've got to make sure they're in the right frame of mind." For the past few weeks, the Patriots have been rewatching the Super Bowl to prepare for this game. New England also watched the game film immediately after losing in February as part of their normal process. There is no doubt they're sick of that film at this point. "You really don't want to see certain parts of that game again, everything from the missed opportunities to …" Rivera trailed off, then added: "I still struggle with that ball that was ruled incomplete for Jerricho Cotchery. That play where the ball hits the ground, according to one referee, and everybody else thought it was a catch. That's what's crazy. We see all the replays. You relive that one." The Panthers went 6-10 in 2016 and finished fourth in their division. It wasn’t simply because of that season-opening matchup, but surely it didn’t help. It would be an absolute stunner if New England did something similar. But this season-opening matchup might not help. The Patriots don't have to win this game. That's the truth. But the Patriots cannot let this matchup define the 2026 season. And as Rivera is quick to point out, that's much more difficult than anyone realizes. Read More