Chiefs maintain on, Cowboys fall brief, Vikings dominate once more; Tennessee makes a press release

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🏈 The Soccer 5

1. The Chiefs are 3-0 by the pores and skin of their enamel, getting two late red-zone stops in a 22-17 win over the Falcons. Nick Bolton, who was wonderful, made the game-saving fourth-down cease with underneath a minute left.
2. The Ravens racked up 274 yards speeding and held on for a 28-25 win over the Cowboys. Derrick Henry had 174 whole yards, and after the sport, Jerry Jones said the Cowboys couldn’t afford Henry this offseason. That is … lower than inspiring. Dallas has actual points on either side of the ball. As Will Brinson writes, “How can you not be freaking the bleep out if you’re the Cowboys?”
3. Oh, so that is why the Eagles received Saquon Barkley. The famous person working again ran for 147 yards and two touchdowns — each within the fourth quarter, together with a 65-yarder — as Philadelphia topped New Orleans 15-12 regardless of being with out A.J. Brown and losing both Lane Johnson and DeVonta Smith (concussions) through the recreation. The Saints managed simply 219 yards on 4.0 yards per play; they entered the sport averaging 406 and 6.9, respectively.
4. In school soccer, Missouri barely escaped Vanderbilt, 30-27, in double overtime.
5. This was a wild one: James Madison beat North Carolina 70-50 — yes, 70-50! — in what Will Backus referred to as “a historic low” for UNC underneath Mack Brown. After the sport, Brown offered to step down(?!?!?!), however his gamers urged him to not. The Tar Heels have been one of many week’s biggest losers.

🏈 Good morning to all, however particularly to …

JUSTIN FIELDS AND THE PITTSBURGH STEELERS …

They’ve had the protection for years. Now, they could have the quarterback, too. Justin Fields had his finest recreation in a Steelers uniform, and Pittsburgh moved to 3-0 with a 20-10 win over the Chargers, who additionally entered the sport undefeated.

Fields was high-quality throughout Pittsburgh’s first two victories, throughout which they scored one landing. However in opposition to the Chargers, he stepped up with 245 yards passing, one landing by the air and one other on the bottom. He received off to a robust begin — 10 consecutive completions — and completed with aptitude, discovering Calvin Austin III for a 55-yard landing midway by the fourth quarter.

Fields’ sack fee — a serious concern his first three seasons — has plummeted whereas his accuracy has skyrocketed as he is relied extra on shorter passes. He can nonetheless push it downfield successfully, too.

Defensively, Pittsburgh notched 5 sacks, one in every of which ended Justin Herbert‘s day (ankle), and restricted the Chargers’ speeding assault to 61 yards on 20 carries. T.J. Watt is superb, and Nick Herbig had a pair of sacks.

It won’t at all times be fairly, however so long as it is not ugly at quarterback, the Steelers could make it work.

… AND SAM DARNOLD AND THE MINNESOTA VIKINGS

This is no fluke. The Vikings, with their journeyman quarterback, their famous person extensive receiver and their actually wonderful teaching employees, are legit. Minnesota thumped Houston, 34-7, behind a four-touchdown day for Sam Darnold and one other defensive masterpiece coordinated by Brian Flores.

Darnold, it needs to be famous, will undergo an MRI on his knee after an ungainly fall; he missed only one play. Exterior of that, although, Kevin O’Connell, Darnold and the offense are completely cooking. Aaron Jones (148 whole yards), Justin Jefferson, Jalen Nailor and Johnny Mundt all caught touchdowns. Jeff Kerr calls Darnold the best quarterback in the NFL this year.

Flores’ protection is pretty much as good, if not higher. C.J. Stroud, very like Brock Purdy last week, was flummoxed, and solely the Ravens have allowed fewer yards speeding per recreation this season. Minnesota earned an “A+” John Breech’s Week 3 grades.

😁 Honorable mentions

🏈 And never such a great morning for …

THE SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS AND THE MIAMI DOLPHINS

The 49ers and Dolphins — each with sky-high expectations for 2024 — simply aren’t near assembly these expectations, and given the accidents, perhaps we should not be shocked.

San Francisco ran out of steam in a shocking 27-24 loss to the Rams, a recreation the 49ers led by 10 midway by the fourth quarter and by seven with underneath two minutes left. Christian McCaffrey, Deebo Samuel and George Kittle missed the sport, however the offense was high-quality. It simply wasn’t ok to beat particular groups miscues (missed discipline purpose, faux punt conversion allowed) and penalties (seven for 111 yards). The 49ers had been 50-0 when up double digits within the second half underneath Kyle Shanahan. That is no extra.

Not less than the 49ers had an opportunity. The Tua Tagovailoa-less Dolphins by no means did in a 24-3 loss to the Seahawks. Skylar Thompson was ineffective earlier than struggling a rib damage. Tim Boyle, who joined the observe squad just some weeks in the past, took over. However Miami has non-quarterback points throughout — offensive line, extensive receiver depth — too.

This leads me to one in every of my favourite anecdotes. As soon as, former Colts offensive coordinator Tom Moore was requested why Peyton Manning‘s backups did not get extra observe reps. Moore responded: “Fellas, if 18 goes down, we’re f—ed. And we do not observe f—ed.”

The Dolphins is likely to be … effectively, you fill within the clean.

Lastly, Sean McVay and Mike Macdonald deserve large props.

😞 Not so honorable mentions

🏈 Tennessee thumps Oklahoma in Josh Heupel homecoming; Michigan tops USC; Colorado escapes after Hail Mary, OT

This weekend of school soccer was filled with statements. Let’s run by a number of:

First, Tennessee is prepared for big-time soccer, and Oklahoma‘s welcome to mentioned big-time soccer within the SEC was a rude awakening. The Volunteers confirmed they’re greater than a high-flying offense in a 25-15 road win, so thorough a win that they gave the Sooners a quarterback conundrum after Jackson Arnold‘s benching.

Talking of Sooners quarterbacks, Tennessee coach Josh Heupel was once one. He gained a title as one. He later coached his alma mater … and received fired by it. The return was an emotional one, however this game was about the future, not the past, Brandon Marcello writes.

Subsequent, Michigan delivered a blast from the previous in a 27-24 win over USC. The Wolverines turned to Alex Orji at quarterback and he ran the ball 46 occasions for 290 yards, 159 of which got here from Kalel Mullings. The quarterback change helped Michigan rediscover its identity and showed USC the rugged ways of the Big Ten. Additionally, shoutout to record-breaking cornerback Will Johnson. What a participant.

Final however definitely not least, Colorado confirmed it has extra resilience than some could give them credit score for. Shedeur Sanders completed a Hail Mary to LaJohntay Wester to pressure time beyond regulation in opposition to Baylor, and Travis Hunter pressured a fumble in time beyond regulation to seal the win. The 14-point comeback is the most important in Deion Sanders‘ teaching profession, and Coach Prime apologized to the Bears and Dave Aranda, who needed to wade by field-rushing college students. Shehan Jeyarajah takes us inside the comeback.

Here is extra:

⚾ MLB playoff races coming right down to the wire

We’re inside per week till the tip of the MLB season, and it is going to be a wild subsequent six days. Let’s begin with the groups already within the playoffs: The Guardians (AL Central) clinched their division over the weekend, becoming a member of the Brewers (NL Central) as division winners. The Yankees, Dodgers and Phillies even have clinched postseason spots.

OK, now for the playoff races. Within the AL wild-card image, the Tigers have crashed the party. They have been 8.5 video games again of the Twins firstly of August. Now, they’re tied for the second AL wild-card spot. Listed here are the standings:

1. Orioles (+4 video games)
2. Royals (–)
3. Tigers (–)
4. Twins (1 GB)
5. Mariners (2 GB)
6. Rays (4 GB)
7. Purple Sox (4 GB)

The Diamondbacks helped make the NL wild-card race a bit tighter, too, however not in a great way: Arizona blew an eight-run lead — the largest blown lead in franchise history — and issues now appear to be this …

1. Padres (+3.5 video games)
2. Mets (–)
3. Diamondbacks (–)
4. Braves (2 GB)

Here is Matt Snyder’s Power Rankings.

🏀 A’ja Wilson wins MVP as WNBA playoffs start; Caitlin Clark struggles

The WNBA playoffs got underway Sunday. Listed here are the complete outcomes:

• The day she was introduced as unanimous MVP, A’ja Wilson overcame a sluggish begin because the Aces rallied for a 78-67 win over the Storm. Seattle scored two factors within the fourth quarter.
• The Solar shut down Rookie of the 12 months Caitlin Clark (11 factors, 4-for-17 taking pictures) in her playoff debut. Connecticut received a team-high 27 factors from Marina Mabrey off the bench within the Solar’s 93-69 victory.
• The highest-seeded Liberty cruised previous the Dream, 83-69. Leonie Fiebich, whom Jack Maloney identified as an X-factor, had 21 factors.
• The Lynx outlasted the Mercury, 102-95, behind 38(!) factors from Napheesa Collier.

📺 What we’re watching Monday

🏈 Jaguars at Payments, 7:30 p.m. on ESPN
🏈 Commanders at Bengals, 8:15 p.m. on ABC