Heat sends a strong warning shot to East after another signature win
Posted October 27, 2025
Gap year or not, the Miami Heat are going to force themselves into the race for one of the top 4 seeds in the Eastern Conference. That much has become clear with how strong the Heat have looked through the first few games of the regular season.
It's only been three games, but the Heat have been one of the most impressive teams in the Eastern Conference. Most recently, the Heat sent another clear message after a signature win in their home opener against the New York Knicks.
Even without a fully healthy roster, the Heat managed to control much of the game against the Knicks. Miami opened up a double-digit lead in the fourth quarter and never looked back. The Heat continues to turn in impressive results, despite being largely overlooked heading into the start of the regular season.
While the story of the first week of the season has certainly been the Heat's new-look offense, there is certainly much more to the Heat's hot start to the season than just their new up-tempo pace of play. In fact, what they've managed to done on the defensive end of the floor is almost as equally impressive.
The Heat's defense is not being talked about
The Heat has the third-best-ranked defensive rating in the league after three games. It's surely a small sample size, but you have to give that unit some credit. Especially after losing Jimmy Butler, many assumed that the Heat were going to drop tremendously on that end of the floor. That simply hasn't happened, and, somehow, their quicker pace of play has almost helped them on that front.
Speaking of the offense, even on a night when the pace was slowed down a bit, the Heat still managed to exert themselves on that end of the floor. Through three games, Miami still ranks in the top 5 of points per game, in the top 10 in 3-point makes and percentage, and 12th in offensive rating.
What was most impressive for the Heat is that even when the game slowed down against the Knicks, Miami's offense never looked broken or too bogged down. They still managed to play quickly and within themselves.
Considering their half-court offense is one of the variables that plagued them a year ago, it was a great sight to see.
The verdict is still out on the Heat, but there's no question they're
Many assumed that the Heat were going to be a non-factor in the Eastern Conference this season, but that doesn't appear to be the case. No one told the Heat that was supposed to happen. Instead, through the first few games of the season, Miami continues to send strong messages to the rest of the conference.
They're not going to go away quietly. And if the Heat plays their cards right, they might mess around and create some serious havoc in the East this season.
Eagles Give Positive Injury Update on RB Saquon Barkley
The Philadelphia Eagles may have caught a break when it comes to running back and reigning NFL Offensive Player of the Year Saquon Barkley and a scary injury moment in a 38-20 win over the New York Giants in Week 8.
Barkley was taken out of the game with a groin injury in the second half, but not until he rushed for a season high 150 yards on 14 carries to go with 1 rushing touchdown and 1 receiving touchdown.
According to Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio, Barkley could have returned if the game would have been on the line.
“Eagles running back Saquon Barkley left Sunday’s game late in the third quarter with a groin injury,” Florio wrote on October 26. “He did not return. Per the team, he could have returned to the game, if needed. He wasn’t needed.”
If Barkley was going to get even mildly injured, now would be the time.
The Eagles have their bye in Week 9 and don’t return to action for 15 days, when they face another Super Bowl contender in the Green Bay Packers.
Barkley’s Early-Season Struggles in Spotlight
Barkley’s breakout game comes after 2 months of having his every carry picked apart by the media, and for good reason.
In 2024, in his first season with the Eagles, Barkley became the ninth player in NFL history to rush for over 2,000 yards in a single season and helped lead his team to a Super Bowl win.
Barkley, who became the highest paid running back in NFL history, had yet to have a 100 yard game through the first 7 weeks of the regular season.
“It’s a shocking regression,” Fox Sports color commentator and former NFL tight end Greg Olsen said during Philadelphia’s Week 7 win over the Minnesota Vikings in which Barkley had 18 carries for 44 yards. “It’s just continued today.”
Through 7 games, Barkley had 113 carries for 369 yards and 3 touchdowns. That put him on track to rush for approximately 896 yards in a 17-game season.
Barkley’s Focus Remains On Winning Games
Whatever the talking heads might say about Barkley’s stats, the message from the player himself throughout the season has been focused solely on one thing: Winning.
“People get caught up in how winning looks … it’s winning,” Barkley said after the win over the Vikings. “It’s our team beating their team. Whatever it looks like, that’s all that matters. To win the football game. That’s what matters.”
In stark contract to that approach, star wide receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith complained publicly in 2024 about not getting the ball enough during a 10-game winning streak.
Brown did the same thing this year as the Eagles reeled off 4 consecutive wins to open the season.
While Barkley’s game has been picked apart and Brown’s diva behavior has as well, much of the blame for any offensive struggles should land on first year offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo.
Patullo was hired as offensive coordinator to take over for current New Orleans Saints head coach Kellen Moore. The Eagles currently rank 23rd in the NFL in total offense.
“Plenty of finger-pointing will occur this week after another disappointing performance by the Eagles. Since the same issues continue to occur, Philadelphia’s offensive coordinator will receive the brunt of the vitriol,” Bleacher Report’s Brent Sobleski wrote on October 10. “It’s deserved, though.”
