Max Verstappen feels that the pace he and Red Bull displayed during Friday practice for the Singapore Grand Prix was “not really representative” amid delays caused by set-up changes.
Verstappen was restricted to 28 laps over the course of FP1 and FP2 at the Marina Bay Street Circuit – less than half a race distance – as set-up adjustments “took a bit longer” than anticipated.
Having claimed P2 to Mercedes rival Lewis Hamilton in opening practice, the Dutchman had to settle for P4 in the second session – more than three-tenths off the pace set by Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz.
Verstappen said: “I think it started off quite well in FP1; I think the car was working quite well. For FP2 we wanted to try a few things, but they just took a bit longer to change. Then we wanted to try something else and, again, that took quite a long time to change again.
"We couldn’t really run a lot [so] that’s why I think it’s not really representative, what we showed in FP2. Of course, there’s still a lot of room for improvement, but it’s not the worst day.”
Sergio Pérez felt 'more comfortable in FP1' at Singapore GP practice
Asked if he had any concerns about being unable to complete a longer run in FP2, Verstappen commented: “Well, around here it’s most important that you’re quick over one lap. We’ll analyse a lot of things. We did a little bit of a long run in FP1, so I don’t think it will be the end of the world.”
Verstappen’s team mate Sergio Perez was a second back in ninth position, having also encountered delays and failed to post a clean lap with the soft tyre compound.
Recapping his day, Perez said: “We lost a bit of track time in FP2 and we had a few issues with the engine, with the driveability, and then we did a lot of set-up changes.
“[There’s] a lot of information to go through tonight. [We’ll] just pick up the best bits for tomorrow and, as usual, try to do the best with what we have.”
As for the early pace of Red Bull’s rivals, he added: “We knew [Mercedes] were going to be strong and certainly Ferrari is looking pretty strong, so we’ll see what we’re able to do tomorrow.”
Curt Schilling gave his opinion on YES Network’s Michael Kay during his call on Aaron Judge’s 61st home run Wednesday night in Toronto.
Appearing on OutKick’s "Don’t @ Me with Dan Dakich," Schilling wasn’t a fan of how Kay didn’t let the moment "breathe" as Judge rounded the bases.
"I just wanted to see and feel the moment," he said. "I didn’t need Michael Kay to explain to me that he just hit his 61st home run and that it was more than anybody since Roger Maris. We all knew it. So, shut your mouth and let the moment breathe."
Former pitcher Curt Schilling of the Boston Red Sox is introduced during a 2018 World Series championship ring ceremony at Fenway Park in Boston on April 9, 2019. (Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)
Schilling, a three-time World Series champion, has broadcast experience himself after spending years in the booth at ESPN. And in those times, he explained what he was taught.
"I was always taught, one of the things I think that helped me in the booth, was there are some moments that speak for themselves," he said. "I thought that was one of them. He could’ve said everything he said after the fact. Everybody watching the game knew exactly what happened. They knew what the number was. But it’s also partial of today’s announcers."
Schilling did admit, however, that there is "personal bias" on his end when it comes to Kay, who has been the Yankees’ play-by-play announcer with YES since 2002. Kay’s first taste of calling Yankees games came at the seat next to John Sterling during radio broadcasts in 1992 on WABC.
Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees hugs his mother. (Thomas Skrlj/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
Judge is primed to hit his record-breaking 62nd home run in a single season, which would surpass Maris as the record holder in the American League, at Yankee Stadium this weekend for the team’s final regular season home stand against the Baltimore Orioles.
New York Yankees broadcaster Michael Kay (Porter Binks /Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)
Kay will be on the call for that game, as Amazon Prime Video is allowing YES to have a simulcast of the game, though Kay and his team would’ve still called the game either way.
Scott Thompson is a sports writer for Fox News Digital.
Favre’s charity, Favre 4 Hope, donated more than $130,000 to the University of Southern Mississippi Athletic Foundation from 2018 to 2020, according to multiple reports.
The reported findings in tax records came days after texts revealed former Gov. Phil Bryant texted in 2019 with Favre about getting additional cash for an indoor practice facility for the University of Southern Mississippi football team. Bryant told him federal money for children and low-income adults is "tightly controlled" and "improper use could result in violation of Federal Law."
Quarterback Brett Favre, of the Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles, calls the snap count from under center during the Golden Eagles 30-26 victory over the Florida State Seminoles at Roberts Stadium in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. (Getty Images)
Favre 4 Hope, a foundation that "supports charities that provide support to underserved and disabled children and breast cancer patients," gave the school’s athletic foundation $60,000, and in 2019, gave just over $26,175, according to multiple reports. Between 2011 and 2017, the foundation reportedly gave nearly $48,000 and additionally gave his daughter’s high school $70,000 between 2013 and 2015.
"He has been very generous to Southern Miss since he played ball there," Bud Holmes, Favre’s attorney, told ESPN. "Those particular things [the donations in question] I don't know, but I know he has always given back, something most athletes don't do."
Text messages between Bryant and Favre were filed in court documents by the former governor’s lawyers, which seek to show that Bryant was willing to help Favre raise private money for the volleyball facility in 2017 and was unaware that more than two years of the state’s welfare money was going toward the project.
Favre’s request for money from the Mississippi Department of Human Services, made on July 28, 2019, to fund the football facility went nowhere. Favre played college football at Southern Miss, and his daughter played volleyball at the school in 2017.
Brett Favre hits his drive on the 12th hole during the first round of the BMW Charity Pro-Am presented by SYNNEX Corporation held at Thornblade Club on June 6, 2019 in Greer, South Carolina. (Michael Cohen/Getty Images)
Court papers suggested Bryant first learned Favre was trying to raise money for a volleyball arena on April 20, 2017. Texts showed Favre asked for Bryant’s "influence to get donations or sponsor ships." Bryant replied, he was "all in" on the volleyball facility.
In July 2017, Favre texted Bryant about the facility again asking whether the then-governor knew of anyone who would build it for free.
"It is important to note that, in these early text messages, Favre never mentioned the use of public funds, much less the use of TANF funds for the construction of the facility," Bryant’s attorney wrote Friday. "At this time, the discussions between Favre and Governor Bryant were focused on private donations and corporate sponsorships."
The Athletic first reported on Favre’s foundation’s donations.
The Pro Football Hall of Famer is under investigation amid the welfare scandal. He received $1.1 million in appearance and speaking fees he allegedly never made, according to the state auditor. He paid the money back, but the state is still seeking $228,000 in unpaid interest.
Gov. Phil Bryant speaks about his legacy following a life of public service in his office at the Capitol in Jackson, Mississippi, on Jan. 8, 2020. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis, File)
A former director for the Mississippi Department of Human Services, John Davis, pleaded guilty last week to federal and state felony charges in conspiracy to misspend welfare money. Bryant appointed Davis to the position in February 2016 and fired him in July 2019. Davis agreed to testify against others.
Attorneys for the Mississippi Community Education Center, a nonprofit run by Nancy New and Zachary New, sent a subpoena to Bryant in late July seeking communication between Bryant and Favre. The News pleaded guilty to state charges of misusing welfare money and agreed to testify against others.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Ryan Gaydos is the sports editor for Fox News Digital.
The Cincinnati Bengals and Miami Dolphins have released their final injury reports ahead of tomorrow’s Thursday Night Football matchup.
For the Dolphins, quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (back/ankle) is officially questionable to play. The same is true for left tackle Terron Armstead (toe), wide receiver Jaylen Waddle (groin), defensive tackle Raekwon Davis (knee), safety Brandon Jones (chest), and cornerback Xavien Howard (groin/glute). That’s six key starters who could miss this game, though I’d venture to guess most of them end up playing.
For the Bengals, right tackle La’el Collins (back) and linebacker Germaine Pratt (knee) are questionable, while Drew Sample (knee) and D.J. Reader (knee) have been ruled out. Collins and Pratt both went full on Wednesday, so I’d expect them to be active vs. the Dolphins.
Carry-for-carry, Chicago running back Khalil Herbert may have already been the better running back in the Bears' backfield. After David Montgomery left last week's game Herbert ended the week as the top-scoring Fantasy running back. Chicago head coach Matt Eberflus says Montgomery is "day to day," but where should you slot Herbert in your Week 4 Fantasy football rankings? Detroit running back Jamaal Williams has also made the most of extra looks on offense as starter D'Andre Swift battled an ankle injury. Williams finished just behind Herbert last weekend and could be a secret weapon in your Week 4 Fantasy football strategy once again when the Lions take on a weak Seattle run defense. Before you lock in your lineups, be sure to check out the Week 4 Fantasy football rankings from the advanced computer model at SportsLine.
When it comes to ranking players, SportsLine's model beat human experts in Fantasy football for the past several seasons especially when there were big differences in ranking. Over the course of a season, that could literally be the difference between winning your league or going home empty-handed.
Last week, the model was extremely high on Jaguars running back James Robinson, saying he'd finish as a top-10 player at his position. The result: Robinson rushed 17 times for 100 yards and a touchdown, while also catching all three of his targets for 16 yards in Jacksonville's win over the Chargers. Anybody who had him in their lineup was well on their way to a huge week.
One player the model is high on this week: Texans running back Dameon Pierce. After Pierce finished with just 11 carries for 33 yards in Week 1, head coach Lovie Smith commented that he needed to get more carries in the offense, and he's stuck to that sentiment. In Week 2, Pierce had a productive 69 yards on 15 attempts, and last week, he had a breakthrough with 20 carries for 80 yards and a touchdown.
This week, the Texans face the Los Angeles Chargers, who finished with the third-worst rush defense in the NFL last season and gave up 151 rushing yards to the Jaguars in a loss last weekend. Pierce also finished with a pair of receptions for 21 yards against the Bears and could be more involved in the passing game again this week since the Chargers have allowed 134 receiving yards and two touchdowns to opposing running backs. The model projects him to be a top-10 Fantasy running back this week, ahead of others like Austin Ekeler, Aaron Jones and Najee Harris. See who else to target here.
And a massive shocker: Raiders wide receiver Davante Adams, who's scored a touchdown in every game this season, stumbles big-time and doesn't even crack the top 20 at his position. After spending his first eight seasons in Green Bay, Adams was traded to the Las Vegas Raiders in the offseason. In his first game as a Raider, Adams hauled in 10 receptions for 141 yards and a touchdown against the Chargers. However, the veteran has recorded only seven receptions for 48 yards across his last two contests.
Adams and the Raiders will now face a stingy Denver Broncos defense. The Broncos are giving up just 170.3 passing yards per game this season, the third-best mark in the NFL. Denver has also allowed just one passing touchdown in its last two games, which doesn't bode well for Adams' Fantasy value this week. With such a tough matchup on Sunday, Adams is a player to consider putting on the bench in Week 4. See who else to fade here.
How to set Week 4 Fantasy football rankings
The model is also calling for a surprising quarterback you aren't even thinking about to finish in the top 10 of its Week 4 Fantasy football rankings. This pick could be the difference between winning big and going home with nothing. You can only see who it is here.
LAS VEGAS — There are first overall draft picks, and then there are guys like LeBron James, Peyton Manning and Sidney Crosby. They are the greats among the great, guys who aren’t only stars but change the fortunes of the franchise and the city that lands them.
"Dana White’s Contender Series" has essentially turned into the draft for the UFC, and on Tuesday, in the finale of Season 6, it looks like the UFC may have nabbed the next James, Manning or Crosby.
Bo Nickal is so talented, so confident and so impressive that after finishing Donovan Beard in just 52 seconds with a triangle choke Tuesday at Apex to finally earn a UFC contract, he casually called out Khamzat Chimaev.
That’s what the greats do, because they believe in themselves so thoroughly.
Of course, White shot that idea down in his post-fight news conference, but if Nickal turns out to be who he appears to be, it won’t be long before a fight of that caliber is actually made for him.
James was one of the NBA’s best players before his rookie season was 2 months old. The same was true of guys like Manning and Crosby, as well.
Nickal gives every indication that he’s not going to just be your garden variety first-round pick, but an impact performer of that caliber.
White didn’t give Nickal a contract when he won his first Contender Series fight in 1:02 of the first round in the opening week of Season 6, but brought him back for another go. He was clearly vindicated by Nickal’s performance, but also blown away by it.
“My God,” White said. “Incredible, man. The kid’s incredible. He looks great. Obviously, this was a big step up in competition. He fought someone 7-1, reach advantage, height advantage. The kid’s confidence in himself is unbelievable. His game is amazingly well-rounded. Yeah, he was impressive.”
Nickal was the 2019 Hodge Trophy winner at Penn State after a collegiate wrestling career in which he won three NCAA championships and was a four-time All-American. He’s made the world’s most difficult sport look easy, winning his three MMA fights in 33, 62 and 52 seconds, respectively.
Bo Nickal needed just 52 seconds to secure a win and a UFC contract Tuesday during "Dana White's Contender Series." (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
He comes from a highly athletic family, so he’s got the genes that could help him go a long way in the sport. His grandfather and father were wrestling coaches, his father played college football and his mother not only played college basketball, she also did some amateur boxing. They were all quickly on board when he said he wanted to fight, and it’s proving to be a shrewd choice.
White said he’ll move him like he does any other prospect though Nickal isn’t like any other prospect. He’s a guy that is going to be making noise at the highest level very soon.
“Everyone I’m close with knows what I’m capable of and knows what I can do, but when the time comes, more and more people will continue to jump on the bandwagon,” Nickal said. “It’s about developing and getting better and sharpening all my skills.
“I’m always going to have a better wrestling base than anybody I fight. But at the end of the day, that’s not going to be enough to become UFC champion and No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world, which is my goal. So I need to sharpen my wrestling and all of my other skills.”
His other skills were on display Tuesday right from the get-go. There was a joke among reporters at Octagonside about how quickly Nickal would shoot for the takedown. Instead, he dropped Beard with a crunching left and rolled to his back to be able to slap on the fight-ending triangle choke.
On a night of brilliant performances — Mateus Mendonca looked amazing and he and Rafael Estevam, Jack Jennkins and Sam Patterson all earned contracts — Nickal stood head and shoulders above the rest. And no, he wasn’t joking about facing Chimaev.
“I feel that’s a good matchup,” Nickal said of Chimaev. “Obviously, he’s a high-level grappler and a high-level fighter. He’s one of the top fighters not only in the division, but also in the UFC. I have a lot of respect for his skills, but I also know what I’m about.”
What he seems to be about is being one of the most talented fighters in the company’s history. He has to turn that potential into performance, clearly, but he’s off to a good start at this stage.
The Medina County Sheriff's Office has released body camera video showing first responders tending to Myles Garrett on Monday afternoon following a single-car crash, with the video providing additional details about the state of the passengers following the crash and just how far the Browns star's Porsche went off the road.
The crash happened around 3 p.m. on State Road near Sharon Copley Road near Wadsworth. Garrett was driving his 2021 Porsche. An unidentified woman was also in the vehicle with Garrett.
Video from the scene shows first responders treating Garrett, who was responsive and coherent. A firefighter can be seen speaking with Garrett, asking him if he's able to move his arms. A short time later, Garrett stands up, wobbles a bit and walks towards an ambulance with the firefighter.
The woman can be seen laying down while another first responder treats her.
The video shows where the Porsche came to a stop at the edge of a field away from the road. The car is heavily damaged, with broken windows and the rear bumper crumpled. It also appears the driver and passenger's side airbags deployed.
Garrett was on the way home when the car went off the right side of the road and flipped several times. Both occupants were wearing seat belts when the crash occurred.
Garrett and his passenger were taken to a nearby hospital and have non-life-threatening injuries. Authorities said Garrett's injuries were minor.
Drugs/alcohol aren't thought to be a factor in the crash, authorities said. Traffic charges are pending. The cause of the crash is still unknown.
There's no word yet on whether this will impact Garrett's on-field status. The next Browns game is in Atlanta on Sunday, Oct. 2.
The Green Bay Packers held on for a 14-12 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday.
The game came down to a critical two-point conversion stop by the Packers defense late in the fourth quarter.
Aaron Rodgers hinted after the game that he had seen something on the Jumbotron that gave away the Buccaneers plan.
The Green Bay Packers held on for a 14-12 win over the Buccaneers on Sunday, escaping Tampa Bay with a crucial second win to start the season.
While the Packers had led for most of the game, the Buccaneers made a push to tie things up late in the fourth quarter, driving 89 yards to score a touchdown with just 14 seconds left on the clock to put the score at 14-12. The Buccaneers would need a two-point conversion to force overtime.
In a strange turn of events, Tampa Bay took a delay-of-game penalty before the two-point try, pushing their offense back to the seven-yard line.
When the Buccaneers finally got the snap off in time, the Packers defense stopped the play.
While Aaron Rodgers wasn't on the field for the decisive defensive stop, he may have had a hand in it.
After the game, Rodgers hinted that the Buccaneers had given something away while their sideline was being broadcast by the Jumbotron ahead of their final offensive play.
"Sometimes you see things in the game," Rodgers said. "Sometimes the Jumbotron shows things they probably shouldn't show, even at home. I saw something and just passed on the information."
Rodgers was cryptic in his retelling of the story, and given his penchant for playing with the media, it's possible he was just having a laugh. That said, Rodgers is also one of the best quarterbacks to ever play the game, and undoubtedly could have spotted something of a tell from the Buccaneers huddle if he caught them at the right time on the Jumbotron.
On Monday, Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles was asked about Rodgers' comments, and said the team would be working to figure out what, if anything, went wrong.
"We're meeting this afternoon," Bowles said, when asked if had spoken with the gameday ops team about keeping the camera off the sidelines during key situations.
Once basketball resumes, the Brooklyn Nets will be the biggest story in the NBA — ceding that space for the moment due to issues in Boston and Phoenix rightfully taking up more oxygen in this ecosystem.
Before the Nets can go about the business of staking a claim in a conference that hasn’t been this top-to-bottom competitive in perhaps two decades, they must get their own house in order.
There was very little discussion about championship expectations or even avenging the embarrassing first-round sweep at the hands of the Celtics — a slight mention of it, though — because so much attention was focused on how the Nets got here.
And not about where they’re going.
When employing a player of Durant’s talent, championship discussion should be the bare minimum. But the Nets are surrounded by so much other stuff, you wonder if it’ll be possible for them to galvanize themselves for the next eight to nine months.
June is a long way away, with a long and winding road between now and then. Durant voiced his concerns with the Nets, laying out the issues that led to his trade request, and then subsequent retreat once it was clear the Nets had no incentive to move him.
Oh, and along the way he wanted the Nets to fire general manager Sean Marks and head coach Steve Nash as a condition to keep him. It was a sloppy power play, one that resulted in everyone having to kiss and make up — or pretend it wasn’t as damaging as it appeared.
Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant speaks during the Nets' media day on Monday. (Dustin Satloff/Getty Images)
Durant termed it a “standoff,” one in which he understood why the Nets were in no rush to trade a man as great as he is with four years left on his contract.
On one hand, he adamantly claims he wants no part of being in charge.
“First of all, I never walk into any GM office, coach office and demand anything. Tell them to sign anybody or run a play for me,” Durant said. “I come in and do my job as a player. A lot of people have it in their minds that I control everything here with the Nets.
“I’m not the liaison between Kyrie and the organization, I always told them that. I told Sean and Kyrie, ‘Y’all gotta build y’all relationship.’ Everybody’s different.”
Durant could honestly believe that, and this space isn’t here to question him. But there’s another side. How the organization handles its business affects how Durant sees his future — and how the Nets approach business has to consider what could be best for Durant, whether he voices it or not.
He said the games he missed due to his MCL injury brought out the Nets’ issues, some he might’ve obscured with his individual greatness. Once-banished Irving was brought back on a part-time basis, James Harden started acting up once Irving refused to be vaccinated, leading to his trade to Philadelphia and all hell subsequently broke loose.
“We’ve seen Steph Curry with the Warriors, injured coming into the playoffs. That team still fought and won games,” Durant said. “Luka [Doncic], he was hurt, his team still won games. That’s what grew some doubt in my mind, when adversity hit, can we keep pushing through it?”
Discount Durant’s titles with the Warriors if you like, but he’s not wrong about everything, or this thing. Diagnosing what he sees is spot on — it’s figuring out the reasons behind it is where one can part ways.
Just as Durant doesn’t want to be responsible for reading Irving’s mind, the Nets can be just as confused in figuring out what Durant wants and needs as he enters a critical juncture in his career.
Imagine Durant having to explain Irving’s sentiment when Irving made it appear he was being noble in “sacrificing” $100 million in an extension he didn’t receive last summer due to being unvaccinated, or Irving claiming he doesn’t understand where the thought he doesn’t want to play every night when there’s a full body of evidence that shows living up to his contractual obligations appears as optional.
It’s a burden Durant knows he’s ill-equipped for, especially if he has the right to feel just as confused as the average basketball observer at Irving’s actions, regardless of the friendship.
“Awkward, very awkward,” Irving said of Durant’s trade request, which came after he opted into the last year of his contract.
The word of the day was “culture.” Everyone pointed to it, talked about it but could provide only cursory definitions as to what it meant to each person. Marks pointed to Spurs culture and Heat culture, but said the Nets want to have their own — which is what?
One can only assume Durant, who mentioned the word plenty, had some level of conversation with Irving.
Did Irving feel the accountability applied to him, too, or just everyone else?
“I sit and listen, a student because he’s been through a lot. I honored his wisdom,” Irving said. “He’s seen championship runs, been a part of them. Won some, lost some. I wanted to hold space … be held accountable to where he feels comfortable at that level. Just meet each other where we are.”
Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving speaks with Kevin Durant as he walks to the podium for a news conference at Nets media day on Sept. 26, 2022. (Dustin Satloff/Getty Images)
To be fair, no answer would satisfy given the circumstances in which the Nets were last en masse. The equity all seemed to gain in a valiant second-round loss to Milwaukee in 2021 was squandered, and the Nets are starting from scratch.
“A year of us looking in the mirror, we [messed] up as a team,” Durant said. “It only makes you better. I’m banking on that we got competitive people in this building.”
There’s only one bankable commodity in this entire motley crew, and that’s Durant’s on-floor excellence. Irving is singularly productive when healthy and in attendance, but is better served as a supporting player than the entity everything revolves around. Simmons is talented and dynamic — perhaps even more impactful to winning than Irving, potentially — but is armed with as many questions on the floor as off.
Can anyone truly assess how good Nash is as coach, or at the least, how commanding he is? And Marks has shown he can put together an overachieving team full of try-hards but charting a championship course has yet to be determined.
The culture gets in the way of the practicality — is the roster championship-ready, independent of the three big pieces? Did Marks do enough to answer questions of the deficiencies on the floor?
Is Markieff Morris an answer? How about Royce O’Neale or T.J. Warren?
There are things to like about the Nets, who are not a total disaster on paper. But they won’t be given the benefit of the doubt, not for a while.
“Just get to work,” Nash said. “There’s no easy way, I can’t sit and diagram. We work, communicate, set goals, boundaries. Like Sean said, culture is evolving. When you ask us, ‘How’s our culture?’ Ask me tomorrow.”
Welcome to the Monday edition of the Pick Six newsletter!
I wasn't planning on talking about butts today, but I have no choice since history was made on Sunday with the NFL's first-ever butt-punt safety. If you didn't see the butt-punt or don't know what a butt-punt is, don't worry, because we'll be talking about it in today's newsletter.
Week 3 was absolutely crazy and I know that because the butt-punt wasn't even the most bizarre play of the day thanks to the fact that Jimmy Garoppolo exists. The 49ers QB gave the Broncos two free points when he safetied himself on Monday night. We'll also be talking about that, and you know what, it seems like we have a lot to talk about, so let's get to the rundown.
As always, here's your weekly reminder to tell all your friends to sign up for the Pick Six newsletter. To get your friends to sign up, all you have to do is click here and then share this link with them.
1. Today's show: Week 3 winners and losers, plus full recap
It's Monday, which can only mean one thing: I stayed up until 3 a.m. last night recording a podcast with Will Brinson and Ryan Wilson that touched on everything you need to know about Week 3, and let me just say, it's probably for the best that you listen. We covered all 14 games from Sunday, which means we likely spent some time talking about your favorite team.
One thing we do every week is hand out our weekly winners and losers from Sunday's action. Here's a look at who made our list.
Ryan Wilson
Winner: Doug Pederson. Pederson has only been the Jaguars coach for three weeks and he already has as many wins as Urban Meyer. One week after shutting out the Colts 24-0, the Jags were arguably even more impressive on Sunday as they throttled the Chargers 38-10. The Jags haven't topped three wins a single time over the past three years and Pederson is already close to accomplishing that.
Loser: Jimmy Garoppolo. He might be extremely handsome, but even handsome people can have a bad day once in awhile. Not only did Garoppolo give the Broncos two free points by stepping out of the end zone for a safety in the second half against Denver, but on the possession before that, he also lost a fumble after bobbling a snap. Basically, Garoppolo's first start of the season definitely didn't go well for the 49ers (If you want to see what it looks like when a player safeties himself, be sure to click here).
Will Brinson
Winner: Will Brinson. Is it totally conceited to name yourself a winner? Yes, but in this situation, Brinson is totally justified. During the preseason, Brinson predicted that the Eagles would make the Super Bowl out of the NFC and that the Jaguars would win the AFC South, and although those predictions seemed kind of crazy just one month ago, they don't seem so crazy now. Also, Brinson doesn't seem so crazy now. The year of Brinson might be upon us.
Loser: Jameis Winston. The Saints offense needs to go back to the drawing board and they need to do it now. Not only have the Saints been struggling on offense, but they can't get out of their own way to start games. They scored zero points in the first half against the Panthers and have now only scored 10 first half points on the season.
John Breech
Winner: Thomas Morstead. If the Dolphins had lost to the Bills, Morstead would have been the butt of jokes for years to come due to his butt-punt that led to a safety and two free points for the Bills during a pivotal moment late in the fourth quarter of Miami's 21-19 win. However, since the Dolphins won, Morstead and the rest of the team will be able to laugh about the hilarious play for years to come (If you missed the butt punt, you can see a video here and you can see an already iconic picture of it here).
Loser: Carson Wentz. His game against the Eagles was supposed to be a revenge game, but instead, the Eagles got revenge on him for going 3-8-1 during his final season in Philadelphia. Wentz got destroyed by an Eagles defense that sacked him nine times, including six that came in the first half alone.
2. Week 2 injuries: Mac Jones injures ankle, plus Tua injury controversy
Hopefully we won't need to have an injury roundup every week, but there were so many injuries around the NFL over the weekend that we definitely needed one for today.
Here's a look at the biggest injuries from Week 3:
Mac Jones could miss some time. The Patriots QB left the game in the fourth quarter after injuring his leg and according to multiple reports, he suffered a high ankle sprain. Jones is going to be looked at today and if an MRI confirms the injury, the QB could potentially be placed on IR, according to NFL.com. If that happens, Jones would miss at least four weeks.
Tua injury controversy. The Dolphins QB appeared to suffer a concussion in the first half after hitting his head on the turf. The QB was so shaken up that he couldn't even walk off the field (You can see video here). After the game, the Dolphins insisted that Tua had actually suffered a back injury and that his back locked up on him, which is why he couldn't walk off the field. The NFLPA is now going to investigate the injury to figure out exactly what happened, because if he did suffer a head injury, he probably shouldn't have gone back in the game.
Josh Allen gets hand examined. Allen had to undergo x-rays following Buffalo's loss to the Dolphins. Apparently, the QB banged his hand on a defender's facemask so the Bills decided to have him checked out as a precaution. After the game, Allen said he's "fine," so it appears that Bills fans won't have to worry about him missing any time.
49ers lose Trent Williams. The 49ers lost their All-Pro left tackle after he suffered an ankle injury against the Broncos. If Williams is out for any extended period of time, that would be a devastating blow for the 49ers offense.
Dalvin Cook's status could be up in the air for Week 4. The Vikings running back had to leave the game against the Lions after injuring his shoulder. According to NFL.com, Cook dislocated his shoulder and the team is hoping he'll be able to play in Week 4 when the Vikings travel to London to face the Saints.
D'Andre Swift could miss time. Dalvin Cook wasn't the only running back to suffer a shoulder injury in the Lions-Vikings game on Sunday as Swift also injured his shoulder. According to NFL.com, Swift suffered a shoulder sprain and although he won't need surgery, he could miss some time.
Chargers could be in trouble. Not only is Justin Herbert dealing with his rib injury, but the Chargers added two more players to their injury list on Sunday: Nick Bosa and Rashawn Slater. Both Bosa (groin) and Slater (biceps) exited the game and didn't return. If either players misses multiple weeks, the Chargers once promising season could slowly start to take a turn for the worse.
Bears lose David Montgomery. The Bears running back was knocked out of the game in the first quarter against the Texans after suffering what appeared to be a lower leg injury. Bears coach Matt Eberflus said that Mongomery is dealing with both a knee and ankle injuries and that the running back is considered "day to day."
There's one more Week 3 game being played tonight and although Dak Prescott won't be on the field for the Cowboys, the team is apparently still hoping that he can be ready to play by Week 5.
3. Week 3 grades: Chiefs get a 'D' for upset loss,
Every week I team up with six of my colleagues here at CBSSports.com to hand out grades, and this week, the Colts got a 'D' on their report card for their meltdown against the Colts.
Here's a look at the grades from two notable games that were played Sunday:
Chiefs takeaway: The Chiefs offense had a bad game, their special teams play was an absolute disaster and although the defense actually played pretty well for the better part of three quarters, it also eventually melted down. The special teams play was the biggest surprise with the Chiefs leaving at least seven points on the field. Not only did kicker Matt Ammendola miss an extra point, but he also miss went wide left on a 34-yard field goal that would have given Kansas City a 20-13 lead with just under nine minutes to play. The Chiefs also called for a fake field goal on fourth-and-11 that had no chance of succeeding. As if that's not bad enough in the special teams department, Skyy Moore also muffed a punt that gave the Colts the ball on the 4-yard line in the first quarter. Grade: D
Colts takeaway: The Colts weren't perfect on Sunday, but they gladly took advantage of every mistake the Chiefs made in this game. Indy's first touchdown came on a 4-yard drive following a muffed punt by Kansas City. Indy's second and final touchdown came after a missed field goal and it came on a drive that only stayed alive because the Chiefs got flagged for a 15-yard unsportsmanlike penalty after a third down sack of Matt Ryan (If the penalty didn't happen, the Colts would have been facing a fourth-and-14 from their own 31 with five minutes left and trailing 17-13, but instead, they got a first down). Matt Ryan fumbled twice and got sacked five times, but he bounced back from all that to lead a game-winning TD drive. That drive ended with Ryan's second TD pass to Jelani Woods. It wasn't a pretty win, but the Colts will gladly take it, because when you're 0-1-1, you don't care how sexy your wins look. Grade: B+
Jaguars takeaway: For the first time since 2019, the Jags won a road game and they did it in shocking fashion. The Jaguars went into Los Angeles and abused the Chargers for four straight quarters. Trevor Lawrence, who threw for 262 yards and three touchdowns, thoroughly outplayed Justin Herbert. The Chargers had no idea how to slow down the suddenly high-powered Jags offense. Besides Herbert's three touchdowns, the Jags also got 100 rushing yards and a touchdown from James Robinson. As impressive as the offense was, the defense was even better. The Jags made a statement in the first half by forcing two punts and two turnovers on the Chargers' first four offensive possessions and that set the tone for what ended up being a dominant day for Jacksonville. Grade: A+
Chargers: The Chargers should just go ahead and burn the film from this game, then pick up the ashes and set those on fire, too. This game was an absolute disaster from start to finish. The Chargers defense got embarrassed by a Jaguars offense that was basically able to score at will. The only upside of being blown out is that Brandon Staley could have pulled Justin Herbert out of the game early, but HE DIDN'T DO THAT. Despite the fact that Herbert has an injured rib cage, Staley left his QB in to take a beating until the bitter end. Grade: F
Every Sunday night, I get an email from our research department here at CBS Sports, and every Sunday, that email always includes some amazingly wild facts about the games that were just played.
With that in mind, here are 11 crazy facts about Week 3:
Raiders are the NFL's only 0-3 team. It's not often that you see just one winless team left after only three weeks of play, but that's the case this year. According to ESPN.com, the last time there was only one 0-3 team after three weeks came in 1959 when the Lions were the lone team to start 0-3. The Lions finished 3-8-1 that year.
Bills can't win one-score games. Since the beginning of last season, the Bills are 0-7 in one score games. The only other team that's gone winless in one-score games over that span is the Texans, who are 0-6-1.
Broncos' improbable win. In their 11-10 victory over San Francisco, Denver won the game by scoring exactly one touchdown, one field goal, and one safety. Before Sunday, that hadn't happened since 2008 when the Vikings beat the Lions 12-10, according to ESPN. In what can only be described as an insane coincidence, that was also the last game to feature a quarterback safetying himself (Dan Orlovsky famously ran out of the end zone to give the Vikings two points).
Lions' record streak comes to an end. The Lions scored a touchdown in each of the first three quarters on Sunday, which gave them a streak of 18 straight quarters with at least one TD. Although the streak ended in the fourth quarter, it still set the record for second-longest streak in NFL history, behind only the 1942 Packers, who who scored a TD in 19 straight quarters.
Trevor Lawerence has something in common with Peyton Manning. Lawrence lost the first nine road games of his career before finally winning in his 10th, which is exactly how Manning's career started. Even crazier is that both players picked up their first road win in a Week 3 game against the Chargers.
Jaguars end record losing streak. Going into Week 3, the Jaguars had lost 19 straight road games, which was the fourth-longest road losing streak in NFL history, but that streak is now over thanks to the Jags' 38-10 beatdown of the Chargers.
Jaguars seem to love the underdog role. The Jaguars beat the Chargers by 28, which is notable, because it makes them just the second team in the Super Bowl era to go into consecutive games as an underdog AND win both those games by 24 points or more (via ESPN Stats and Info).
Lamar Jackson accomplishes an NFL first. According to NFL research, Jackson is the first player in the Super Bowl era to finish a game with at least three touchdown passes and 100 rushing yards in consecutive games.
Bears have given up on the pass. Through three games, the Bears have completed just 23 passes, which is close to a historical low. It's the fewest passes that any team has completed through three weeks (in a non-strike season) since 1978 when the Buccaneerscompleted just 21 passes through three weeks.
Saints haven't been showing up in the first half. After going scoreless in the first half on Sunday, the Saints have now gone scoreless in the first half a total of four times over the past 20 games since Drew Brees' retirement. To put that in perspective, the Saints were only shut out a total of four times in the first half during Brees' 228 games as the starter from 2006 to 2020 (via NFL research).
Justin Tucker is the king of long-range field goals. With a 56-yard field goal against the Patriots, Tucker now has 50 career field goals of 50 yards more, making him just the fourth player in NFL history to accomplish that feat. Tucker joins Matt Prater (66), Sebastian Janikowski (58) and Jason Hanson (52)
5. Monday preview: Prepping you for Cowboy at Giants
There are only three undefeated teams left in the NFL and the Giants are somehow one of them. If the Giants want to keep their unbeaten record, they'll have to take down a Cowboys team that has beaten them in nine of the past 10 meetings between these two teams.
My good buddy Jared Dubin put our deep-dive preview for this game here at CBSSports.com, and here's how he sees the game playing out:
Why the Cowboys can win: With Cooper Rush still running the show, the Cowboys will likely rely on their running game tonight. If Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard can both have big games, then you have to like the Cowboys' chances of winning.
Why the Giants can win: During a Week 1 loss to the Buccaneers, the Cowboys gave up six yards per carry to Leonard Fournette. If the Giants can replicate that kind of success with Saquon Barkley, then they should be able to control the game. Feeding Barkley would also take a lot of pressure off of Daniel Jones, who has struggled in primetime in his career. The Giants QB has never won a night game, going 0-8 since his rookie year in 2019 (For more on his primetime struggles, be sure to click here).
If you're thinking about betting on the game, Tyler Sullivan has put together a full gambling preview.
ONE PROP TYLER LIKES: Ezekiel Elliott total rushing yards OVER 58.5 (-115): "The Giants are giving up 4.9 yards per carry on the ground this season and have seen the opposing feature back go over this rushing yard total in each of their games thus far. Elliott wasn't particularly efficient in Week 2 (averaged 3.5 yards per carry), but has historically been solid against the Giants, averaging 82.7 rushing yards per game."
ONE PROP I LIKE: Saquon Barkley OVER 3.5 receptions (+106): Through two weeks, the Giants have been trying to get Barkley more involved in the passing game, which has led to the running back being targeted 11 times in two games. The Cowboys have a strong pass-rush, which means this will likely be a game where Daniel Jones will be more than happy to check down. Due to those two factors, it won't be surprising at all to see Barkley get four or more receptions.
Dubin's pick: Giants 17-14 over Cowboys
Sullivan's pick: Giants 23-17 over Cowboys My pick: Giants 16-13 over Cowboys
Over on our CBSSports.com picks page, our eight experts are split down the middle with four of them taking Dallas and four taking New York.
6. NFL changing Pro Bowl format plus Super Bowl halftime show revealed
The NFL made some huge announcements over the past 24 hours and those announcements started on Sunday when the league revealed who would be handling the Super Bowl halftime show this year.
Rihanna tabbed for Super Bowl halftime show. The Barbadian singing sensation will be the headliner for Apple Music's first-ever halftime show (The previous 10 halftime shows were all sponsored by Pepsi). Rihanna will soon join a long list of halftime performers that includes such big names as Jennifer Lopez, Shakira, Justin Timberlake, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Bruno Mars, Prince and Madonna. Rihanna will be taking the stage on Feb. 12, 2023 in Phoenix.
Jay-Z seems pretty thrilled to have Rihanna on board. As the founder of Roc Nation, an entertainment agency that helps the NFL pick the performer for the halftime show, Jay-Z seems thrilled that they were able to land Rihanna, "Rihanna is a generational talent, a woman of humble beginnings who has surpassed expectations at every turn. A person born on the small island of Barbados who became one of the most prominent artists ever. Self-made in business and entertainment," Jay-Z said.
In another big announcement, the NFL has decided to totally revamp the Pro Bowl.
The main event will now be a flag football game. Instead of playing an actual football game, the NFL has decided that the Pro Bowlers will now be pitted against each other in a game of flag football that will be played on Feb. 5 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
The lead up to the game will feature multiple skills competitions. The Pro Bowl might not end up being that exciting, but that NFL has added some spice to the entire week leading up to the Pro Bowl by adding some skills competitions. It's not yet clear what those competitions will be, but the NFL has had some interesting events over the years, including dodgeball, a QB challenge and even a game of "Kick-Tac-Toe" that took place in 2018. As the game draws closer, look for the NFL to make more announcements about what the skills competitions will look like.
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