23 games played, by sport.
MLB The Padres are at the Dodgers, and with San Diego chasing a wild card spot every out matters, so watch how deep the Dodgers' starter can go before the manager goes to the pen. Milwaukee brings the best record in baseball into Philadelphia looking to keep the heart of the order rolling against a Phillies club still fighting for playoff position. Don't sleep on the Rays at Yankees either, a tight late-season tilt where a starter working a clean seven could flip the series, and either bullpen coughing up a lead late could mean a walk-off.
MLS The marquee game tonight is Real Salt Lake heading to Lumen Field to take on the Seattle Sounders FC, with playoff positioning on the line as both clubs jockey for a spot down the stretch. Seattle is favored at home, but Real Salt Lake has been the more prolific side this season and will look to find the net early rather than settle for a draw. Keep an eye out for a clean sheet from either goalkeeper, since a scoreless stalemate would leave both sides frustrated with the postseason picture still murky.
NCAA Football The lone marquee matchup tonight is a Group of Five showdown as Liberty travels to Coastal Carolina, with the Flames favored by a field goal and change on the road. Liberty enters 2-1 looking to prove they can move the ball against a scrappy Coastal Carolina defense at home, while the Chanticleers, sitting at 1-2, need to avoid another slow start and keep this one close in the red zone. With the total sitting at 50.5, keep an eye on whether either offense can sustain drives and control time of possession, or if this turns into a special-teams and turnover battle under the lights in South Carolina.
NFL The marquee game is the Atlanta Falcons visiting the Green Bay Packers on Thursday night, with Green Bay favored by five and a half and the total sitting at forty-two and a half. Atlanta is 0-2 and needs to find a way to move the ball consistently and win time of possession or this could get out of hand early, while Green Bay is 1-1 and looking to establish smashmouth football at the line of scrimmage in front of the Lambeau crowd. Watch whether Atlanta can stay competitive in the red zone instead of settling for garbage-time stats after falling behind, because if Green Bay covers easily it says a lot about where this Falcons team really stands.
NHL The night's headliner is a home-and-home doubleheader between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators, with both preseason tilts puck-dropping at 7 PM and Toronto still hunting its first win. Also worth a glance is Boston Bruins at Philadelphia Flyers, where a Bruins team off to a perfect start will look to keep cashing in on the power play against a winless Flyers squad. If either game gets tight late, watch for empty-net drama once someone pulls the goalie with three minutes left in the third.
WNBA The marquee matchup is Atlanta Dream at New York Liberty, with the Dream's 29-14 record putting them a game up on the Liberty and Atlanta laying 4.5 on the road, so expect buckets in bunches. Don't sleep on Minnesota Lynx hosting Indiana Fever, a top-of-the-standings clash between two of the league's best, and Las Vegas Aces at Phoenix Mercury has A'ja Wilson looking to keep carving teams up in the paint. Golden State Valkyries at Los Angeles Sparks rounds out the slate with the Valkyries chasing a statement road win against a Sparks squad that could use a dagger of their own.