Mets stun Brewers to advance to NLDS with Pete Alonso house run; Kirk Cousins units data in Falcons comeback

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⚾ 🏈 Good morning to all, however particularly to …

THE NEW YORK METS …

It might have been the final at-bat of his Mets profession. As a substitute, it is the best of his profession, one of many best in franchise historical past and one which ensures him and the Mets extra playoff baseball to come back. Trailing 2-0 within the high of the ninth inning, Pete Alonso drilled a three-run home run off star reliever Devin Williams, and the Mets shocked the Brewers, 4-2, in a winner-take-all Game 3 of their NL Wild Card Sequence.

The Mets will face the Phillies subsequent, a basic NL East showdown arrange by a basic Mets rally.

After Jake Bauers and Sal Frelick delivered back-to-back homers to provide Milwaukee a 2-0 lead within the seventh, the Brewers seemed to be on their approach to advancing. However within the ninth, Francisco Lindor drew a leadoff stroll, Brandon Nimmo singled, and Alonso went deep to the other area — the Mets’ first ever go-ahead ninth-inning house run in a playoff elimination sport. Starling Marte added an RBI single, and David Peterson slammed the door within the ninth.

Alonso was a simple decide for series MVP — Mike Axisa picked every Wild Card Series MVP — and the way can one not wax poetic a few free-agent-to-be, struggling all collection, coming via? Matt Snyder did just that.

That is who the Mets are. Their eight wins when trailing coming into the ninth inning this season had been most by any staff since 2019. They rallied to clinch a playoff berth. And, with their backs in opposition to the wall, they rallied but once more.

Playoff baseball. There’s nothing higher.

Listed here are the up to date bracket and schedule the Divisional Sequence.

And, after all, our expert picks are in.

… AND ALSO A GOOD MORNING TO KIRK COUSINS, KHADAREL HODGE AND THE ATLANTA FALCONS

When all regarded misplaced, Kirk Cousins discovered one thing, and for the second time in 4 days, the Falcons received on their ultimate offensive play. Cousins threw for a franchise-record 509 yards and four touchdowns, together with the time beyond regulation winner to KhaDarel Hodge, in a jaw-dropping 36-30 win over the Buccaneers.

Trailing 30-27 with below two minutes left, Cousins threw an interception to Lavonte David deep in his personal territory, and it regarded like that will do it. As a substitute, Tampa Bay went backwards and did not even get to aim a area objective. Cousins then drove Atlanta 46 yards in 1:14 with no timeouts, spiking the ball with one second left to arrange a game-tying 52-yard area objective from Younghoe Koo.

After the Falcons received the time beyond regulation coin toss, extra magic unfolded.

• Cousins drove Atlanta into Tampa Bay territory when Drake London obtained damage after a tough sort out.
• Into the sport got here Hodge, he of 1 profession landing catch and 0 catches this season.
• Cousins threw a dart to Hodge, who spun away from a diving defender, turned up area and outraced everybody to the top zone. Sport over. Comeback full.

It is Cousins’ fifteenth game-winning drive during the last 4 seasons, 4 greater than anybody else.

4 days earlier, Atlanta received regardless of zero offensive touchdowns because of a decide six, a muffed punt picked up for a landing and 4 Koo area objectives. Thursday, the offense could not be stopped. What a turnaround, and what a second for Hodge, for Cousins and for Atlanta. The Falcons have their man behind heart, and my goodness is he delivering.

👍 Honorable mentions

⚾ And never such a great morning for …

THE MILWAUKEE BREWERS

I imply, what can I say? It is a intestine punch in each sense. Williams had a 1.25 ERA this season. He has a 1.83 profession ERA. He’s excellent. He simply wasn’t when the Brewers wanted him most. Because the legendary John Sterling would say, “That is baseball, Suzyn.”

Here’s what’s next for Milwaukee.

👎 Not so honorable mentions

🏈 NFL Week 5 picks

We are able to solely hope the remainder of the week lives as much as the drama of Buccaneers-Falcons, and it begins with Jets-Vikings in London. Pete Prisco’s pick is …

• Prisco: “The Vikings are undefeated and Sam Darnold is enjoying at an MVP degree. However dealing with this Jets protection can be an actual problem. The Jets offense was lifeless final week within the loss to Denver, and Aaron Rodgers will face a troublesome check from Minnesota’s attacking protection. His line had points final week and can once more right here. It is shut however low scoring because the Jets take it behind their protection. Choose: Jets 19, Vikings 16“

Later within the day, there are some enormous AFC clashes, together with a Stefon Diggs revenge alternative in Payments-Texans in addition to an AFC North Ravens-Bengals battle, so make sure you learn all of our skilled picks/greatest bets:

Pete Prisco | Will Brinson | John Breech | Jordan Dajani | Tyler Sullivan

And eventually, after going 2-1 final week, we right here on the CBS Sports activities HQ AM Publication are 7-3 on the yr. This weekend, let’s roll …

• Jaguars over Colts
• Cowboys over Steelers
• Broncos over Raiders

🏈 Faculty soccer Week 6 picks, previews

It is October, the month the place Faculty Soccer Playoff contenders start to separate themselves from the pretenders. Convention play will get into full swing, and, as Will Backus notes, the month is filled with games with major postseason implications.

That begins with an enormous one: No. 9 Missouri visiting No. 25 Texas A&M.

• Backus: “It is a enormous check for Missouri for a number of causes. It will likely be the Tigers’ first journey outdoors the pleasant confines of Faurot Discipline this season. In addition they misplaced a little bit of luster after beating Boston Faculty by simply six factors and needing time beyond regulation to take down Vanderbilt. To go to Texas A&M and win the one sport that includes ranked groups in Week 6 could be fairly an announcement. A win for the Aggies would vault them proper again into the CFP dialog.”

Mizzou is not the one top-10 staff hitting the street. No. 4 Tennessee heads to Arkansas (preview here), and in The Six Pack, Tom Fornelli has his best bet for Volunteers-Razorbacks.

🏀 What to observe for in NBA preseason

The NBA preseason begins immediately, and as such, we have rounded up offseason grades for every team.

We have examined the Knicks‘ facet of the newest massive transfer — Karl-Anthony Cities becoming a member of New York — however what in regards to the Timberwolves, who earned an offseason “B” from Sam Quinn? James Herbert has best- and worst-case scenarios for Minnesota, the place Julius Randle says he feels “wanted.”

As for preseason storylines, the LeBron James-Bronny James father-son duo in motion ranks among the many largest, Jasmyn Wimbish writes.

📺 What we’re watching this weekend

Friday

🏀 NBA preseason: Celtics vs. Nuggets, midday on NBA TV
🏒 Devils vs. Sabres, 1 p.m. on NHL Community
🏀 WNBA semifinals Sport 3: Lynx at Solar, 7:30 p.m. on ESPN2
🏈 Michigan State at No. 6 Oregon, 7:30 p.m. on Fox
🏈 Syracuse at No. 25 UNLV, 9 p.m. on FS1
🏀 WNBA semifinals Sport 3: Liberty at Aces, 9:30 p.m. on ESPN2
🏀 NBA preseason: Timberwolves vs. Lakers, 10:30 p.m. on NBA TV

Saturday

🏒 Sabres vs. Devils, 10 a.m. on NHL Community
🏈 No. 9 Missouri at No. 25 Texas A&M, midday on ABC
🏈 Navy at Air Pressure, midday on CBS/Paramount+
⚾ ALDS Sport 1: Tigers at Guardians, 1:08 p.m. on TBS/truTV
🏈 Iowa at No. 3 Ohio State, 3:30 p.m. on CBS/Paramount+
🏈 Auburn at No. 5 Georgia, 3:30 p.m. on ABC
🏈 No. 12 Ole Miss at South Carolina, 3:30 p.m. on ESPN
⚾ NLDS Sport 1: Mets at Phillies, 4:08 p.m. on Fox
🏈 No. 1 Alabama at Vanderbilt, 4:15 p.m. on SEC Community
⚾ ALDS Sport 1: Royals at Yankees, 6:38 p.m. on TBS
🏀 NBA preseason: Warriors vs. Clippers, 7 p.m. on NBA TV
🏈 No. 4 Tennessee at Arkansas, 7:30 p.m. on ABC
🏈 No. 10 Michigan at Washington, 7:30 p.m. on NBC
⚾ NLDS Sport 1: Padres at Dodgers, 8:38 p.m. on FS1
🏈 No. 8 Miami at Cal, 10:30 p.m. on ESPN

Sunday

🏈 Jets vs. Vikings, 9:30 a.m. on NFL Community
🏀 NBA preseason: Nuggets vs. Celtics, 10 a.m. on NBA TV
🏈 Ravens at Bengals, 1 p.m. on CBS
🏈 Payments at Texans, 1 p.m. on CBS
🏀 *WNBA semifinals Sport 4: Liberty at Aces, 3 p.m. on ABC
🏈 Cardinals at 49ers, 4:05 p.m. on Fox
⚾ NLDS Sport 2: Mets at Phillies, 4:08 p.m. on FS1
🏈 Packers at Rams, 4:25 p.m. on Fox
🏀 NBA preseason: Knicks at Hornets, 5 p.m. on NBA TV
🏀 NBA preseason: Bucks at Pistons, 8 p.m. on ESPN
⚾ NLDS Sport 2: Padres at Dodgers, 8:03 p.m. on FS1
🏈 Cowboys at Steelers, 8:20 p.m. on NBC

*if crucial