Category: Sports

Nottingham Forest have sacked head coach Nuno Espirito Santo, Sky Sports News has been told.

The 51-year-old, who was handed a new contract this summer having guided Forest to the Europa League, said in August his relationship with co-owner Evangelos Marinakis was “not the same” and “not so good as it was [last season]”.

Nuno’s comments were said to leave Forest bosses baffled and led to those within the club questioning his commitment to the role.

He leaves the City Ground just under two years after he was appointed in December 2023.

Forest have taken three points from their opening three Premier League games and visit Arsenal on Saturday.

WATCH: Nuno’s final interview as Forest boss

In his final interview as Nottingham Forest boss, Nuno confirmed he was still in direct communication with owner Marinakis and stated his intent to remain committed to managing the club.

Nuno and Marinakis: a timeline

August 15: In the first week of the Premier League season, Nuno Espirito Santo admits his “unbalanced” side have a “major problem” as the Premier League returns, warning they are “very, very far” from where they should be.

August 15: Forest then advance on a quadruple deal for Omari Hutchinson, Douglas Luiz, James McAtee and Arnaud Kalimuendo.

August 22: A week later, Forest boss Nuno says his relationship with Nottingham Forest co-owner Evangelos Marinakis is “not the same” and admits “where there’s smoke, there’s fire” in response to reports his position at the club is under threat.

August 22: Marinakis is understood to be “baffled” by Nuno’s comments, and there has been no intention of sacking him as the club’s manager.

August 24: Nuno takes charge of Forest’s 1-1 draw at Crystal Palace – and calls for a goalkeeper and two full-backs to complete his squad in the transfer window.

August 29: After Forest’s Europa League draw, Marinakis says Nuno is the “right man for the job” and “everything is solid” between him and the head coach. He also admits there are talks planned during the international break.

August 31: In what would end up being his final interview as Forest boss, Nuno revealed his desire to stay on in the job and said there was direct communication with Marinakis.

September 1: Forest deliver on Nuno’s demands for two full-backs and a goalkeeper on Deadline Day – completing deals for Nicolo Savona, Oleksandr Zinchenko and John Victor, while winger Dilane Bakwa also joins.

September 8: Nuno is sacked as Forest head coach.

CINCINNATI — The Bengals will be without a starting offensive lineman for multiple games.

Right guard Lucas Patrick will be out for at least one week because of a calf injury he sustained in Sunday’s win over the Cleveland Browns. Bengals coach Zac Taylor said the team will evaluate its options while Patrick recovers.

“We’ll make some decisions there,” Taylor said.

Dalton Risner, who signed with the Bengals on Aug. 28 and had just two padded practices entering the season opener, finished the game at right guard. Risner was a free agent throughout the offseason but became a serious option to join the Bengals after veteran Cordell Volson suffered a shoulder injury in training camp.

Risner, who spent the past two seasons with the Minnesota Vikings, said he wanted to be prepared for game action because of all the respect he had for the players and coaches in the locker room.

“It wasn’t the ideal situation you would draw up, but I had extreme confidence in myself to be able to step in and be a vessel to help the Bengals win when called upon,” Risner said on Monday. “I was just called upon earlier than I thought.”

Cincinnati beat the Browns 17-16 for the team’s first Week 1 victory dating back to 2021 and just the second in Taylor’s seven seasons as Cincinnati’s coach.

Scotland didn’t miss the Tartan Army too much as they picked up a crucial World Cup qualifying win against Belarus.

The fans who made the trip to Hungary were locked out of the ZTE Arena, with the hosts ordered to play games behind closed doors in a neutral venue due to the country’s support of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

It was quiet but Steve Clarke’s side made their presence felt as Scott McTominay fired wide before Billy Gilmour’s effort was turned onto the post.

Che Adams stabbed home from McTominay’s header just before half-time with Zakhar Volkov nodding Gilmour’s ball into his own net in the second half to secure the victory.

Scotland go into the home double-header against Greece and Belarus at Hampden Park next month with four points from six on the road, two clean sheets and the chance to build on a strong start, while Denmark’s 3-0 win in Greece also takes them on to four points but with a slightly better goal difference.

Solid start has Scotland on track

After a demanding evening in Copenhagen, Clarke freshened his side up as winger Ben Gannon Doak came in with Max Johnston, Scott McKenna and Billy Gilmour also starting.

In the 15th minute of a game that harked back to Covid times, there was a penalty shout when Gilmour went to ground inside the Belarus box under a challenge from Kiryl Pechenin but Montenegrin referee Nikola Dabanovic was not interested.

At the other end, a header from Pechenin required a save from Scotland goalkeeper Angus Gunn.

The match was warming up and Gilmour, defender John Souttar and midfielder Scott McTominay all had various efforts on the Belarusians’ goal – and the Napoli midfielder claimed unconvincingly for a penalty when he clashed with Yegor Parkhomenko inside the Belarus box – but the opener would not come.

With half-time approaching, Gannon Doak set up Gilmour and his powerful drive from 20 yards was tipped on to the post and away by Fyodor Lapoukhov.

The Belarus ‘keeper was eventually beaten when John McGinn’s searching delivery to the back post was headed back by McTominay with Adams bundling the ball in from a yard out, his first goal since scoring a hat-trick against Liechtenstein in the June friendly.

A second goal was needed to ease the nerves which surfaced with sporadic Belarus attacks and it came when the luckless Volkov redirected a header from Gilmour’s cross into his own net.

If not resigning themselves to defeat, Belarus did little to suggest there would be a comeback with McGinn and Adams testing their defence and goalkeeper late on.

There will no doubt be tougher tests to come before Scotland are able to book their place in the World Cup finals for the first time in 27 years.

‘Nice to go home with a smile on your face’

Scotland head coach Steve Clarke told BBC Scotland:

“It was a tough night. I expected the reaction Belarus gave. They started big guys and filled the middle of the park.

“We kept prodding, doing what we wanted to do. The message was just to stay patient and we managed to do that.

“It’s a good start, a solid start. Four points will never qualify you for anything. It’s nice to go home with a smile on your face, but I’m already thinking about next month.

“Billy [Gilmour] and Ben [Gannon-Doak] are two players who excite the public. My job is to pick a team to win the game. Both of them did very well.

“Clean sheets are what we have to build our campaign on.”

Robertson: Patience paid off

Scotland captain Andy Robertson told BBC Scotland:

“Job done. That’s the best way to describe it.

“We knew they would try to be a bit more secure and defensive. We just had to be patient and got the goal at the perfect time just before half-time.

“We could have had more, but a job well done.

“When they’ve changed their shape, it takes a wee bit of time to figure out what’s going to work. Once we got through with a great goal, we just wanted to stay professional and thankfully got the second goal.

“The gaffer put [Ben Gannon-Doak] on the left so I could look after him, but he doesn’t need much looking after. He wants to take people on and his decision-making was good on the whole.

“We put in some shift on Friday and had to freshen it up. The four that came in were excellent. We need the full squad if we’re going to qualify.”

Scotland’s World Cup qualifiers

• Greece (H) – October 9
• Belarus (H) – October 12
• Greece (A) – November 15
• Denmark (H) – November 18

Texas coach Steve Sarkisian quickly dismissed a question about Arch Manning‘s health after social media videos of the Longhorns quarterback set off a weekend of speculation.

A reporter said Monday that Manning “appeared to be having throwing pains,” and Sarkisian cut him off.

“According to who? Arch said that to you?” Sarkisian said.

The reporter responded to Sarkisian that he had not spoken to Manning, adding that videos circulating on social media appeared to show the quarterback grimacing in pain.

“I’ve never filmed any of you guys when you’re using the bathroom, so I don’t know what faces you make when you’re doing that,” Sarkisian quipped in response.

The play in question was on a throw that Manning short-hopped to receiver Ryan Wingo over the middle during Texas’ 38-7 win over San Jose State.

On the television broadcast, Manning appeared to grimace as he threw the ball. Manning was told after the game about the speculation on social media and was asked if he was having any shoulder issues.

“No, I’ve got to make that throw,” Manning said. “[Wingo] was open, ran a good dig route.”

When asked Saturday if Manning was dealing with any injuries, Sarkisian said, “I don’t know. News to me.”

After Manning struggled in Texas’ season-opening loss against Ohio State, including a few errant throws with a similar delivery, Sarkisian chalked up his mechanics to anxiousness in his footwork.

“There were a couple times where we had some crossing routes where I didn’t feel like he brought his feet to where he wanted to throw the ball, which in turn forced kind of a little bit more of a sidearm delivery, which isn’t his style of throwing,” Sarkisian said.

Manning finished Saturday’s win against San Jose State by tying a career-high with four touchdown passes, going 19-of-30 for 295 yards, and added a 20-yard touchdown scramble.

Sunday afternoon of Week 1 is the best sort of chaos. After months of projecting, speculating and believing, the opening afternoon of the NFL season is a seven-hour reality show. That quarterback you spent six months talking yourself into has to deal with blitzes at NFL speed. The Day 3 pick who wowed everyone in camp has to go up against the first-round stars. The coach who talked a big game about his team’s philosophy has to actually stick with it when the game’s on the line.

And some of what you see in Week 1 actually turns out to be meaningful. Just not everything.

Go back to Week 1 last season, for instance. The league’s top scorer was the Saints, who dropped 47 on the Panthers. The Patriots upset the Bengals with a great performance from their defense. The Commanders got blown out by the Buccaneers. And fresh off their run to the Super Bowl, the 49ers signaled that they were ready to go on another charge by beating up the Jets on Monday night.

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Obviously, some of what happens in Week 1 is something closer to a mirage — some combination of talent, luck and small-sample variance. Let’s try to sort through what was real and what wasn’t from the first full slate of the season. And naturally, while this isn’t normally the case, I have to start with what I saw Sunday night.

Jump to a section:
Ravens on fourth down | Lions’ offense
Bengals’ defense | Jets’ run game
Rodgers in Pittsburgh | Kicks/kickoffs
Commanders’ run game | Colts’ offense
Dolphins’ offense | Nix’s second year

Real: The Ravens made a brutal mistake on fourth down Sunday night

I normally don’t cover the Sunday night game in my Monday morning column, since I’m usually writing and recording my weekly hit with “The Domonique Foxworth Show” during the game. (I catch up and watch the game Monday afternoon.) But with the Bills and Ravens playing out a classic, I had to stop what I was doing and watch the fourth quarter of what might very well end up being the best game of the season.

There are a million things to say about the game, but I’m going to focus on one that ended up playing a critical role in deciding who won. After the Bills failed on a 2-point try that would have tied the game at 40 with two minutes to go, the Ravens took back the ball with a chance to seal up a huge victory. After two runs produced one yard, a crosser to DeAndre Hopkins forced the Bills to use their last timeout with 1:33 remaining. The Ravens faced a fourth down with exactly 2.6 yards to go, per NFL Next Gen Stats.

You know what happened, but let’s consider what coach John Harbaugh was facing in this moment. On one hand, a first down wins the game. While the Ravens had not picked up significant yardage on the first two runs of this series, they had Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry in their backfield, two players who had combined to run for 239 yards on 24 carries. Jackson said after the game that he was dealing with cramps, but the Ravens had three timeouts and could have used one of them to give Jackson some time before that fateful final snap. They also could have given the ball directly to Henry, who has plenty of experience in the Wildcat, if Jackson was unavailable.

On the other hand, the alternative was punting to Josh Allen, who would have just over 90 seconds and no timeouts. The Bills would need a field goal, but that kick would win them the game — not just push it to overtime. They were dealing with a kicker new to the organization in Matt Prater, but the 41-year-old is known for his booming leg, having gone 9-of-12 from 50-plus yards as recently as 2023 with the Cardinals. And with the game on the line, the Ravens were going to need to either force a turnover, have a missed field goal or stop Allen with all four downs in play.

The Ravens are one of the most analytics-friendly organizations in the league, and that extends down to Harbaugh, who is certainly open to data and unconventional thinking in his decision-making. They have been comfortably making aggressive calls in the past, even when they’re unpopular. They haven’t shied away from those decisions, even when the results have turned out poorly.

I can’t speak to what Baltimore’s model said in that moment, but ESPN’s model had this as a major mistake:

Hate to do this to my team, but we had a strong go rec out to 4, and marginal out to 6 yds to go with 1:33 to play. pic.twitter.com/taraHIcjIi

— Brian Burke (@bburkeESPN) September 8, 2025

And again, consider the context. What’s the strength of the Ravens? Where are their best players? What about the Bills? What do they do best? How confident is Baltimore that its defense, which had already been chasing Allen all over the field for 68 snaps, was going to have the gas it needed to come up with four consecutive stops? I don’t want to be outcome-driven and base criticism on what happened, but it’s difficult to imagine that the Ravens weren’t in better shape keeping their offense on the field and trusting one of their two future Hall of Famers to get 2.6 yards and end the game.

Every team makes mistakes. (The Bills threw a fade to Keon Coleman on their 2-point try to tie the game at 40.) Perhaps Harbaugh would have felt differently if Jackson hadn’t been cramping up. Maybe the Ravens go for it on fourth-and-1 instead of fourth-and-2.6. Instead of leaning into what they do best, though, Harbaugh let Buffalo’s best player decide the game. And he did.

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Real: There are concerns about the Lions’ offense

As Detroit has grown into the cream of the NFC North crop over the past few years, Lions fans have dismissed the idea of being challenged by the Packers for the division title. Beginning with their fateful performance in knocking the Packers out of a playoff spot in Aaron Rodgers‘ final game with the organization at the end of the 2022 season, the Lions had won four of their past five against Green Bay, including a clean sweep in 2024.

The mood changed Sunday. Buoyed by the debut of new star edge rusher Micah Parsons in front of a raucous home crowd, the Packers got out to a 10-0 lead in the first quarter against their rivals and didn’t really look back. It took a spectacular catch from rookie wideout Isaac TeSlaa in the final minute to earn the Lions their only touchdown of the day in a 27-13 thumping.

Parsons was the story. While he played only 29 of 65 snaps in his first game with the Packers, the newly acquired defender managed one sack and three pressures. He helped create a Jared Goff interception in the red zone at the end of the second quarter by beating Penei Sewell to the inside, the second time Parsons beat his fellow perennial All-Pro to the interior. The pressure prevented Goff from seeing safety Evan Williams breaking on his throw to Amon-Ra St. Brown, costing the Lions points before halftime.

Goff had a disappointing game, especially putting aside what he did in garbage time. Through three quarters, he was 21-of-25 — but those throws created only 152 yards and eight first downs. Goff turned a league-high 43.8% of his throws into first downs last season; the 32% rate he hit on against the Packers would have ranked 28th in the league a year ago.

During his turnaround over the past few years in Detroit, Goff thrived by avoiding pure dropback situations, with the Lions often playing from ahead and Ben Johnson turning the play-action dial harder than any other coordinator in football. Goff was excellent as usual with play-action against the Packers, going 9-of-10 for 86 yards. Without the play fakes, though, he went 22-of-29 for just 139 yards — and that even includes the fourth quarter.

And to work things all the way backwards, the Lions couldn’t get their play-action game going because they weren’t a threat to run the football. The game script didn’t help matters, but David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs combined for just 44 yards on 20 carries. They had nearly as many stuffs for no gain or a loss (six) as they did successful rush attempts (seven), per NFL Next Gen Stats. This came against a team that lost its two best run defenders on the interior during the offseason in T.J. Slaton Jr. (who led the NFL in run stop win rate) and Kenny Clark (who was sent to the Cowboys as part of the Parsons trade).

While Goff has been excellent in his role, that run game has been at the heart of what the Lions have accomplished on offense. And there are reasons to be nervous about what we saw. Detroit is rebuilding on the interior of its line after Frank Ragnow retired and Kevin Zeitler left in free agency. The Lions have moved Graham Glasgow to center and are starting Christian Mahogany and rookie Tate Ratledge — who had a combined two career starts before Sunday — at guard. While the Lions have a great offensive line coach in Hank Fraley and have been excellent talent developers, it’s just unfair to lose one of the league’s best centers and a very good veteran guard and expect everything to just keep rolling.

On Sunday, that Lions ground game came to a halt. Mahogany was overpowered by Colby Wooden and beat to the inside by Nazir Stackhouse to create a pair of tackles for loss. Glasgow had trouble with his double-teams, including a whiff of a forearm shiver to leave Gibbs with a lineman in his face in the backfield. The execution from what often looked like such a well-oiled unit in 2023 and 2024 was lacking. The idea of establishing the run to create a basis for play-action is faulty, but the Packers weren’t afraid of Detroit’s run game yesterday. They didn’t have any reason to be.

That pushes Goff into the dropback passing game, which creates problems. Over the past four years, Goff is first in the NFL in QBR when unpressured — but 28th by the same metric when pressured. The Packers overloaded Ratledge with a double A-gap pressure for one sack, while Lukas Van Ness put Mahogany on skates for another. Taylor Decker struggled with Rashan Gary. And when Sewell is struggling with Parsons, well, there’s nothing for the Lions to fall back on. They’ll face easier defenses than the Packers, but the NFC North is officially a real fight. And the Lions have a weakness other teams are going to be picking at in the weeks to come.

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Fake: There should be excitement about the Bengals’ defense

It couldn’t be much worse than it was last season, and it was certainly better on Sunday. On a day where the Browns continued to flummox Joe Burrow and limited the Bengals’ offense to 17 points on nine meaningful drives, the eyes of Cincinnati fans turned to new defensive coordinator Al Golden. The much-maligned defense succeeded, holding the Browns to 16 points while coming up with six consecutive stops to end the game.

A win’s a win, and for a Bengals team whose mandate throughout the offseason was to avoid getting off to yet another slow start, I don’t think they’ll care too much about how the game played out. If we’re evaluating what the Bengals did on defense and how it will carry over against tougher competition, though, I’m not quite as optimistic as the victory would suggest.

To start, Cincinnati only won this game because of two critical misses by debuting Browns kicker Andre Szmyt, who had gone 19-of-21 in the UFL a year ago. Szmyt missed an extra point that would have given the Browns a three-point lead in the third quarter. And after the Browns drove into range for a field goal to take the lead back with 2:25 to go in the ballgame, Szmyt missed a 36-yarder, swinging Cleveland’s win probability by more than 28 percentage points.

In calm conditions and without a significant rush on the kick, NFL Next Gen Stats estimates that Szmyt should make that game-winning field goal 90% of the time. We don’t know how the game plays out if Szmyt makes those kicks, of course, but the misses were two gifts from the Browns to their division rivals, and ones the Bengals can’t count on every week.

They weren’t the only kind offerings the Browns provided on Sunday. The Bengals made two huge plays with a pair of interceptions. Jordan Battle‘s pick in the third quarter set the Bengals up with a short field for what would be the game-winning field goal, while DJ Turner‘s interception with 1:30 to go poured cold water on what would be Cleveland’s last realistic shot of driving into field goal range for a shot to win the game.

I’d love to say that those interceptions were the product of brilliant positioning or excellent reads, but they were two bizarre Browns drops. Jerry Jeudy was wide open for a deep curl from Joe Flacco, but a low throw bounced off Jeudy’s hands and into the arms of Battle. And when Flacco threw another curl to Cedric Tillman with anticipation, another low pass deflected off Tillman’s fingertips and into the hands of Turner, who made the sort of slick diving catch his opponents seemingly could not. Again, those plays mattered on Sunday, but it’s tough to count on your opponents deflecting two passes into your hands every weekend.

And beyond the interceptions and missed field goals, the Bengals didn’t do a great job of handling what projects to be one of the worst offenses in the NFL. The Browns went 11-of-19 on third and fourth down and scored two touchdowns in their three trips inside the red zone. They held the ball for 37 minutes, controlling the clock while keeping the Cincinnati offense off the field. The Bengals also handed the Browns four first downs via penalties. And while they pressured Flacco 17 times on 47 dropbacks, the Trey Hendrickson-led pass rush sacked one of the league’s most immobile quarterbacks only twice.

The Bengals will have better days on offense, and when they do, they won’t need to hold their opponents to 16 points and rely on missed kicks and tipped interceptions to sustain their leads. If the goal is to be better on defense than they were in 2024, Week 1 was a step in the right direction. I’m just not sure it was much more than a baby step.

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Real: The Jets can run the ball

If there was ever going to be hope for the Jets on offense this season, it was going to come through their run game. Justin Fields has been a below-average passer during his time in the NFL, but he has made up significant value by running for 2,509 yards and 19 touchdowns over his four years with the Bears and Steelers. New offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand came over from a Lions team that fielded what might be the polar opposite of quarterbacks in Goff, but Detroit ran the ball effectively and built a creative offense around that rushing attack. With an offensive line stuffed with first-round picks and a mobile QB added to the equation, the Jets were going to need to run to survive on offense.

Even without one of those first-rounders in guard Alijah Vera-Tucker — who suffered a season-ending triceps injury days before the season began — the Jets thrived on Sunday. Facing a Steelers defense which ranked 13th in the league in rush defense DVOA a year ago, Fields and a trio of halfbacks combined to run the ball 39 times for 189 yards and three touchdowns. Combining his work as a passer and runner, Fields’ 79.9 Total QBR was his fourth-best start as a pro and his best in any single game since the 2022 campaign.

The first offensive snap of the game encapsulated why Jets fans should be excited. It’s one thing to copy a run concept and another to build in some subterfuge and manipulate the best player on the opposing defense. The Jets were going to start with a zone run to the left side, away from T.J. Watt, who is one of the league’s best edge defenders at chasing down those runs from behind and making plays. Just before the snap, Engstrand brought tight end Mason Taylor in motion from out wide into the backfield, which isn’t anything shocking. At the snap, though, Taylor reversed course and ran back into the flat where he had come from. Fields was always handing the ball off, but to Watt, this looked like a play-action bootleg to his side. As a result, Watt stayed home, giving Breece Hall an extra moment to find his cutback lane on what ended up being an 18-yard run.

The Jets got real contributions from their lesser-known players. Josh Myers, inserted into the starting lineup at center after Vera-Tucker’s injury, pancaked a Steelers lineman on that first run and had a very solid game as a run blocker. Josh Reynolds, playing ahead of Allen Lazard at wide receiver, was effective blocking on the edge and even pitching in on Braelon Allen‘s touchdown. John Simpson, arguably the team’s best lineman in 2024, was excellent at the point of attack throughout the day.

It wasn’t all sleek design, either. Isaiah Davis hit a 15-yard run on a counter concept where Patrick Queen tried to peek around a defender, leaving Davis room to abandon where the run was supposed to go and simply sprint upfield. Fields actually appeared to make a couple of incorrect reads on run concepts, but the Jets were athletic enough to overcome their mistakes. An excellent double-team from Myers and Simpson produced a 17-yard gain on a zone run where Watt steamed down the line. Fields would probably look back and say he should have kept the football there, too; he just simply outran the superstar edge rusher to the sideline for a 15-yard run early in the game on another zone-read look.

One mistake did come back to haunt the Jets. On a third-and-3 as they tried to close out the game with four minutes left, it looked as if Hall would have had a pretty solid shot of earning a first down on a split zone run concept. Instead, Fields kept the ball and immediately had to deal with Alex Highsmith, who was bearing straight for the QB off the edge. The play lost 2 yards, and after they punted the ball away, the Jets lost their lead.

While things ended in a disappointing way, there was a lot to like about what we saw from the Jets on offense. The best version of Fields has always been some combination of the quarterback run game and a vertical passing attack built off the threat of those runs, and we saw both Sunday. He hit Garrett Wilson for a 33-yard touchdown pass on a deep crosser designed to stress the single-high coverage the Steelers employed to try to get an extra safety in the box. On the day, Fields went 13-of-17 for 182 yards and that touchdown against single-high shells. If the Jets play like this every week, they’re going to be a genuine problem on offense.

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Let’s set expectations appropriately. The big story coming out of Sunday’s 34-32 win in his return to MetLife Stadium, of course, is that Rodgers torched his old team for four touchdown passes. That’s true, but I’m not sure that’s really the best measure of how he played. One of those touchdowns was a tap pass on a jet sweep to Jonnu Smith, a play Arthur Smith has been longingly drawing up in his diary over and over again after a year spent apart from his favorite tight end in 2024. Another came on a short field after the Jets fumbled away a kickoff to the Steelers.

By Total QBR, Rodgers’ 63.2 mark was 12th in Week 1, which seems a little more realistic. His receivers, led by DK Metcalf, averaged 7.8 yards after the catch per completion, second-most for any quarterback in the league behind Lamar Jackson. Rodgers took four sacks, and while he didn’t throw an interception, a wild pass under pressure might have produced a pick-six if Brandon Stephens hadn’t fallen down as he tried to catch the football.

What we did get was a quarterback who seemed entirely functional within Smith’s offense. Rodgers wasn’t always fond of play-action and wanted to keep his eyes downfield at all times in Green Bay and New York. But on Sunday, he went 8-of-10 off play-action for 71 yards and three touchdowns, with Smith keeping him in the shotgun for most of his dropbacks and aligning the run game accordingly. Thirteen of the 19 designed runs for Pittsburgh’s running backs came out of the shotgun, a shift for a team that ran two-thirds of its carries from under center last season.

That run game wasn’t good, which might be a little concerning. I’m not sure how sustainable the offense will be in terms of generating that sort of yards after catch, too, and Rodgers didn’t even attempt a single throw 20 or more yards downfield (though he had a few come very close). Still, Rodgers was accurate and he didn’t turn the football over, and that’s usually enough for the Steelers to pull out victories.

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Real: Sunday afternoon’s best play was a kick

Leaving aside a wild Ravens-Bills game on Sunday night and a spectacular performance from Derrick Henry, the best single play of Sunday afternoon was a kick. Chris Boswell‘s game-winning 60-yard field goal against the Jets was an absolute missile, essentially a perfect kick that made it through the center of the uprights with plenty of room to spare. It had a real shot at being good from 70 yards, and doing that in the Meadowlands isn’t exactly easy.

The Steelers, as is their wont, swung a game with big special teams plays. In addition to Boswell’s 60-yard field goal, they forced the game’s only turnover when Kenneth Gainwell stripped Xavier Gipson on a kickoff return, with Pittsburgh recovering and converting the short field into a touchdown. With the changes to the league’s K-balls and another rule shift I’m about to touch on, this is feeling like a season in which special teams could mean more than usual. That’s a positive for the Steelers, who perennially outperform their opponents in the third facet of the game.

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Real: The updated dynamic kickoff is going to create more returns

Disincentivizing teams from booting the ball through the end zone by setting touchbacks at the 35-yard line (moved up from the 30) is going to fuel more returns in 2025. Just 18.6% of kickoffs produced a touchback in Week 1, down from 64.5% in Week 1 last season and 77.6% in Week 1 of the 2023 campaign. This isn’t going away.

Those plays are going to create real differences and tangible opportunities for teams that do a good job in separating themselves from the competition as the year goes along. The Titans picked up three points when Chimere Dike returned a kickoff 71 yards with 16 seconds to go in the first half against the Broncos. The Rams nearly set themselves up with a 74-yard return from Jordan Whittington in the first quarter of their win over the Texans, only for the run to be called back for holding.

There might be some teams that decide to just take a touchback against the league’s best return units, but that will be a real advantage for offenses once they take the field. Over the past five years, drives starting within 1 yard of the 30-yard line have generated an average of 2.0 points. Move that up to the 35-yard line, and that jumps to 2.3 points — an increase of 15%. And teams score touchdowns 14% more often with that 5-yard boost to their starting field position. There’s now a real reason to invest in kickoff returns and a real benefit, both on offense and special teams.

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Real: The Commanders’ run game is really good

Sunday was sort of an odd performance for the Commanders, who controlled what would eventually be a comfortable 21-6 victory over the Giants with their defense. Daron Payne and Dorance Armstrong led the way for a defense that pressured Russell Wilson on nearly 49% of his dropbacks. The highlight of the game came in the second quarter, when the Giants drove inside the 10-yard line and ran seven plays without scoring. The Commanders gave them a new set of downs with an illegal hands-to-the-face penalty, but after the Giants failed to score with seven cracks at the end zone, Brian Daboll essentially rage-quit the drive and kicked a 20-yard field goal. The Giants also failed four times from the 3-yard line with three minutes to go, long after the game had been decided.

It was an uneven performance for Jayden Daniels, who missed Terry McLaurin for what could have been a long touchdown and wasn’t always at his best. At the same time, the Commanders got into second-and-long situations over and over again throughout the day, at which point Daniels would almost immediately bail them out and march them forward. At different points on Sunday, the Commanders faced second-and-16, second-and-19, second-and-21, second-and-14, second-and-17 and second-and-15. Daniels converted all of those series into first downs in two plays or less, and frankly, he didn’t seem particularly stressed while doing so.

The Commanders aren’t going to do that every week, but they also aren’t going to be backed up in second-and-forever as often. One way to avoid that is to lean more into their run game, which was excellent Sunday. Even leaving Daniels’ impact as a scrambler aside, Washington generated 0.2 EPA per designed run, the second-best rate for any offense during the afternoon slate. (The Dolphins generated 0.33 EPA per designed run, but they ran the ball only 10 times after quickly falling behind.) Doing this against a Giants team with a stacked defensive line and without their best interior lineman in Sam Cosmi is another good sign for the Commanders continuing on this track throughout the season.

While Daniels made an impact and Deebo Samuel took a pin/pull sweep 19 yards to the house for a touchdown, the most exciting runner of the day was rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt, who turned his 10 carries into 82 yards and a touchdown. Croskey-Merritt’s touchdown and his four 10-plus yard runs came on five different run concepts, which speaks to how diverse and difficult the Commanders’ run game can be to stop. He was clearly comfortable working out of the pistol and shotgun run game, which wasn’t always the case for Brian Robinson Jr., who was more efficient under center over his three years with Washington. Installed in Robinson’s role as part of a timeshare with Austin Ekeler, Croskey-Merritt looked entirely comfortable and capable of immediately stepping in as an above-average back.

One of my reservations about the Commanders living up to last year’s performance is how dominant they were on fourth downs and how so many of their drives required at least one fourth-down conversion to score points. Well, one way to solve that is to score before you get to fourth down. The Commanders didn’t need to attempt converting a single fourth down on offense Sunday. They’re off to a great start.

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Fake: The Colts have one of the league’s best offenses

On a day when Peyton Manning was in the building to honor late Colts owner Jim Irsay, Daniel Jones and the Indy offense did their best imitation of the organization’s glory days on the offensive side of the ball. Facing a Dolphins team that seemed shocked to find out they had to play a football game on Sunday, the Colts scored on each of their seven possessions, going an entire game without a punt or a turnover for just the second time in franchise history. (Manning did it once in a 2003 playoff victory over the Chiefs.)

After enduring frustrating performances from Anthony Richardson Sr. and his backups over the past two years, the Colts got a smooth, reliable performance from Jones. He went 22-of-29 for 272 yards, throwing one touchdown pass and adding two more scores on sneaks. The oft-sacked quarterback was only taken down once all game, a surprisingly pleasant development.

While Jones didn’t need to do much with his legs Sunday, there were some positive signs that he might be something better than what we saw over the past two years with the Giants. He went 5-of-6 for 74 yards and a touchdown under pressure. And while Jones averaged a modest 6.8 air yards per throw, he went 5-of-8 for 116 yards and a touchdown on throws traveling 10 or more yards downfield, giving the Dolphins at least some reason to worry that the Colts might hit them over the top.

I’m skeptical of these Colts, but I’m more optimistic about their receivers and playmakers than most, given how much they were dragged down by Richardson’s inaccuracy. I believe there’s a fun receiving corps here, especially if Tyler Warren makes an immediate impact. The rookie first-round tight end led the team with seven catches on nine targets, turning them into 76 yards.

Nobody’s expecting the Colts to go all season without punting, but is it realistic to raise our expectations for what they are capable of on offense based on what Jones & Co. showed us Sunday? Maybe a little bit, but I wouldn’t go much further. The Colts went 10-for-18 on third and fourth down, started three of their drives from beyond their own 40-yard line and played the entire game from an extremely positive game script. Playing with a lead is always going to make life easier for an offense, and I would expect the sacks that have plagued Jones to rear their head more often if and when Indianapolis is playing from behind.

The other issue is that the Dolphins just don’t have an NFL-caliber secondary. Losing Storm Duck to an early ankle injury didn’t help, but he isn’t exactly Pat Surtain. Guys they signed in training camp, such as Jack Jones and Rasul Douglas, were playing significant roles at cornerback. Fifth-round picks Jason Marshall Jr. and Dante Trader Jr. were called on for meaningful snaps in their NFL debuts.

And frankly, the Dolphins looked as if they accidentally ran out their third-stringers for a real NFL game. They were getting smoked off the line, struggling to communicate and sort out route combinations, and couldn’t consistently handle stacks and motion. When they did pressure Jones and he got the ball out, they couldn’t get close enough to Indy’s receivers to make quick tackles. They looked lost. It’s possible that the Colts secretly snuck prime Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne and T.Y. Hilton onto the field, but I suspect the Colts will have more trouble moving the ball against the Broncos next week.

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Real: The Dolphins’ offense looks cooked

The Dolphins were every bit as bad as the Colts were good on offense. While the Colts were ending each of their drives with scores, the Dolphins were flailing. They ended their first five drives with an interception, a fumble, a punt, another interception and a wildly overthrown checkdown from Tua Tagovailoa that finished the fifth possession on downs. De’Von Achane scored a garbage-time touchdown to give Miami some semblance of a positive moment.

While Miami ran the ball well — turning 12 carries into 78 yards — they fell behind too quickly to have any hope of relying on the ground game. It would be easy to say that Tagovailoa struggled after being made one-dimensional, but he was struggling before that, too. He finished 14-of-23 for just 114 yards with a touchdown pass and two picks. His 2.7 Total QBR is not a typo; it was the worst performance of his career.

Both interceptions, as Steven Ruiz noted on Twitter, came with a defensive lineman dropping off the line and into the middle of the field to serve as a robber underneath. Lou Anarumo was trying to muddy the windows for Tagovailoa and the Dolphins’ offense, with the D-lineman playing underneath and allowing the second-level linebackers to drift deeper into coverage.

With that being said, this wasn’t strictly some schematic hack. Tagovailoa had a relatively open Tyreek Hill on his first interception and just sailed his throw. On the second, he held the ball when his initial read wasn’t open and then threw late to the middle of the field, passing up an open checkdown in the process. That’s bad quarterback play.

The Dolphins couldn’t handle pressure. Tagovailoa was strip-sacked on a play-action pass where Kenny Moore II came flying in off the slot and Achane didn’t abandon the fake quick enough to get a block on the cornerback. Nick Cross came out of the slot totally unaccounted for by the protection from Tagovailoa’s blind side and laid him out for another sack. Indianapolis lined up DeForest Buckner at defensive end on a third down, and the Dolphins decided to slide their protection away from the Colts’ best pass rusher, leading to an attempt to block Buckner from poor angles by Achane and wideout Tanner Conner. That resulted in a Samson Ebukam cleanup sack. And while Hill was open for an easy conversion on a fourth down, Miami’s inability to handle a twist up front meant Tagovailoa couldn’t get to the backside of the play and threw a checkdown over Conner’s head.

The saving grace for the Dolphins might be their schedule. While they have games against the Bills and Chargers, they also host the Patriots and Jets and travel to play the Bills, Panthers, Browns and Falcons over the next two months. It’s not wild to imagine them coming out of that stretch with a presentable record before the schedule gets much more difficult at midseason. This team’s strengths are running the football and rushing the passer, and that’s going to play up when Miami is ahead and mostly fall by the wayside when it is trailing.

And yet, the problems with this team aren’t going away. There’s no reliable help coming at cornerback. The offensive line isn’t going to hold up well in dropback passing situations. The organization basically pretended to forget about Hill quitting on the team in Week 18 last season without any real semblance of accountability, and Hill looked less than thrilled on the sideline Sunday.

Since you’re probably thinking about it, I’ll just tell you that the Dolphins would save just under $14.5 million or so on their 2025 cap by trading Hill, though they would have $15.6 million in dead money on their cap next year as a result. The acquiring team would owe Hill about $11.1 million for the remainder of the season, a figure that drops by about $650,000 every week. I don’t think a Hill trade makes sense for Miami unless the mercurial wideout forces his way out, a move which seems entirely plausible if things don’t pick up with the Dolphins.

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Real: Bo Nix struggling to make a leap

Broncos fans were understandably excited about what they saw from Nix during his rookie season, and after he led Denver to an unexpected playoff berth in Year 1, they were hoping for a leap forward in Year 2.

That still might come, but there weren’t any signs of it Sunday. Nix struggled badly in a narrow victory over the Titans, going 25-of-40 for 176 yards, a touchdown pass, two picks and a strip sack on a play where he ran almost directly into Titans star Jeffery Simmons. He had at least one more near-interception and didn’t make a huge impact as a runner, with just one successful 11-yard scramble and two sneaks for first downs before a third failed and turned the ball over on downs.

Nix’s 19.3 Total QBR ranked 28th of the 30 quarterbacks who have already started games in Week 1. The good news is that one of the two QBs below him was Tennessee’s Cam Ward, who averaged just 1.8 yards per dropback while spending most of the day running for his life against the Broncos’ pass rush. Denver’s defense had a dominant day, overcoming what was sloppy play by its offense and special teams that helped keep the Titans in the game for 60 minutes.

I’ve talked this summer about how Sean Payton did a great job of essentially shielding Nix last season, using the run-pass option game to create clear decisions and easy completions while mixing in league-high rates of screens and underneath throws in obvious passing spots. There’s nothing wrong with that if the offense is generating first downs and scoring points, but it obviously raises questions about whether that can keep up against stiffer competition. The Broncos had just one win against teams with a winning record in 2024 before blowing out a Patrick Mahomes-less Chiefs team in Week 18. Nix struggled to move the ball in big losses against the likes of the Bills and Ravens.

Here, against a Titans defense that doesn’t project to be very good, Nix managed only nine first downs on 42 dropbacks. He averaged 4.4 yards per attempt and was just 3-of-9 for 52 yards on throws traveling 10 or more yards downfield. Two of those nine attempts were interceptions, and on both picks, Nix simply didn’t see a defensive back who was able to easily undercut his throw. When the Titans got pressure on him, he went 2-of-7 for 8 yards with two picks.

Not throwing deep successfully very often isn’t the same thing as not being able to hit those throws. Broncos fans will rightfully point out that Nix made a great pass on a seam route to Courtland Sutton for a 22-yard score in the second quarter. His ball placement was actually very impressive early in the game before his first interception. But after that, it was entirely scattershot, with throws hitting his receivers in awkward places and creating either incompletions or the sort of tough catches that inhibit the yards after catch that Nix needs to thrive. He visibly showed up tight end Lucas Krull on the field when the backup failed to settle on a route as Nix expected, and while he might have been correct, that speaks to how frustrated the quarterback was about his disappointing performance.

One bad game isn’t any reason to draw massive conclusions, and the Titans might even turn out to be better on defense than we expect. The designed run game eventually carried the Broncos over the hump, as a 50-yard run by rookie RJ Harvey and a 19-yard touchdown from J.K. Dobbins gave the Broncos an 8-point lead in the fourth quarter. If the run game can generate explosives, it’s going to take some of the pressure off Nix in the passing game. If teams do sell out to inhibit Nix’s scrambling, which was a huge positive for the Denver offense a year ago, the designed run game will need to pick up some of the slack.

And yet, it’s also fair to point out that this was hardly a statement game for a second-year quarterback. The story on Nix in 2024 was that he struggled against stiff defenses while trailing and was very good when facing weaker teams and playing in positive game scripts. Well, the Broncos were in this game from start to finish — against the worst team in the league last season. This was the sort of matchup where Nix excelled last year, but instead, he was wildly disappointing in this season opener.

Tougher defenses are ahead. Even if we don’t assume the Colts are secretly the 1985 Bears in disguise, the Broncos get the Chargers in Week 3 and the Eagles in Week 5. They have nine games against teams that ESPN’s Football Power Index projected to be in the playoffs before the season began. Their defense appears to be up to the task of competing with anybody. But is Nix?

Boxing legend Mike Tyson is heading back to the stage to perform his latest one-man show, “Return of the Mike,” exclusively at four Hard Rock Live venues across the United States beginning in November, representatives for Tyson and Hard Rock International told ESPN on Monday.

News of Tyson’s return to the stage comes on the heels of last week’s announcement that the 59-year-old former heavyweight champion will take on Floyd Mayweather Jr., 48, in an exhibition fight next spring. Tyson’s new show will mark the first time that Tyson has performed on stage since his 36-city, three-month national tour for “Mike Tyson: The Undisputed Truth” in 2013. Like “The Undisputed Truth,” his new show will be broadcast on a “major global streaming platform” in 2026, according to Tyson and Hard Rock International representatives, with the taping for that show taking place on Dec. 14 in Hollywood, Florida.

“A lot has happened since the last time I did a one-man show,” Tyson told ESPN. “I get to tell you guys about all of my new lawsuits that you don’t know about and some other pretty exciting stuff that has happened in my life. It’ll be very exciting, pretty riveting, a few sad stories and a totally different insight on the things that you may have already known about.”

Tyson revealed that he has been writing alongside his wife, Lakiha “Kiki” Tyson, the past few years and calls his latest show a “no-filter self-analyzation” that will delve into his battles with addiction and mental health along with candid personal stories and reflections about his celebrated boxing career. He also told ESPN that he would talk in depth about his recent record-breaking boxing match with Jake Paul and his health issues heading into the fight, including an ulcer flare-up aboard an airplane that delayed the fight from July to November.

“There are so many things I’m going to talk about with that fight,” Tyson said. “I didn’t know how dangerous an ulcer was. I thought it was going to calm down in an hour or two, but I passed out on the plane. I was just bleeding everywhere. There was so much blood. They had to stop the flight and take me to the hospital.”

Tyson said that he had to practically beg doctors to clear him to fight Paul, but his health wasn’t a concern the night of the fight. He was scared of something else entirely.

“It was scary [walking to the ring that night], because I hadn’t walked out for a professional fight [in front of a crowd] in 20 years and I wasn’t prepared for all the love the fans gave me that night. It overwhelmed me,” said Tyson, whose 2020 exhibition against Roy Jones Jr. at the Staples Center in Los Angeles had no audience because of Covid-19 restrictions. “But in all actuality, that fight should have never taken place. The doctors didn’t want the fight to happen [after the ulcer flared up].”

The four-city tour kicks off on Nov. 9 at Hard Rock Casino in Rockford, Illinois. Tyson will then head to Cincinnati for his second show on Nov. 23. He will perform at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida, on Dec. 14 for a special taping in front of a live audience before making his final stop at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey, on Jan. 23, 2026. While preparing for his latest show, Tyson will also have to get in shape for his fight with Mayweather. He admitted that training for a fight as he approaches his 60th birthday is difficult, but preparing to perform on stage by himself is also a daunting task.

“[Preparing for the stage and preparing for a fight] are dead even,” Tyson said of the work that goes into his show. “But what I found out is that athletes like myself and entertainers are able to perform because we like the pressure. So being on stage, talking and acting is nothing.”

Presale ticket sales begin Tuesday, and general sale tickets will be available beginning Friday.

“As the proud host of ‘Return of the Mike,’ this show will add to Hard Rock’s legacy as a curator of one-of-a-kind experiences,” Keith Sheldon, president of entertainment and brand at Hard Rock International and Seminole Gaming, said in a statement to ESPN. “We’re excited to give Mike Tyson fans exclusive access to one of the greatest athletes in history, in his most honest and entertaining form.”

Formula 1’s 2025 grid features eight new driver pairings and so the battles for supremacy at each team are set to prove particularly fascinating this year.

Check back here after each race weekend in the season for the latest scores to see which driver at each team is ahead in the qualifying, race and championship points head to heads…

Statistics correct up to and including the Italian Grand Prix on September 7.

Lando Norris vs Oscar Piastri – McLaren

Into their third season as team-mates, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri took McLaren to their first Constructors’ Championship title in 26 years in 2024 and are now each determined to become drivers’ champion for the first time this time around. But who will ultimately come out on top in the head to head and will it yield the sport’s ultimate prize?

QUALIFYING
Grand Prix: Norris 7-9 Piastri
Sprint: Norris 0-3 Piastri

RACE
Grand Prix: Norris 8-8 Piastri
Sprint: Norris 1-2 Piastri

CHAMPIONSHIP
Points: Norris 293-324 Piastri
Placing: Norris 2nd-1st Piastri

Charles Leclerc vs Lewis Hamilton – Ferrari

The team-mate head to head which has been most eagerly anticipated ever since Lewis Hamilton stunned F1 by signing for Ferrari from this season. Will it be the 40-year-old seven-time world champion or Ferrari’s long-time protege who wins the key battles in year one?

QUALIFYING
Grand Prix: Leclerc 12-4 Hamilton
Sprint: Leclerc 2-1 Hamilton

RACE
Grand Prix*: Leclerc 12-2 Hamilton
Sprint: Leclerc 1-2 Hamilton

CHAMPIONSHIP
Points: Leclerc 163-117 Hamilton
Placing: Leclerc 5th-6th Hamilton

*no score awarded for Chinese GP as both drivers were disqualified and both drivers retired from the Dutch GP

Max Verstappen vs Yuki Tsunoda – Red Bull

Yuki Tsunoda is the next driver to take on four-time world champion Max Verstappen, parachuted into the Red Bull seat from Racing Bulls from the third round in Bahrain with Liam Lawson demoted after just two races following struggles in the RB21 car.

QUALIFYING
Grand Prix: Verstappen 14-0 Tsunoda
Sprint: Verstappen 2-0 Tsunoda

RACE
Grand Prix: Verstappen 13-1 Tsunoda
Sprint: Verstappen 1-1 Tsunoda

CHAMPIONSHIP
Points: Verstappen 230-12 Tsunoda
Placing: Verstappen 3rd-19th Tsunoda

Lawson was demoted to Racing Bulls after two rounds.

QUALIFYING
Grand Prix: Verstappen 2-0 Lawson
Sprint: Verstappen 1-0 Lawson

RACE
Grand Prix: Verstappen 2-0 Lawson
Sprint: Verstappen 1-0 Lawson

George Russell vs Kimi Antonelli – Mercedes

After three years faring well up against the illustrious Hamilton, George Russell has experienced something of a role reversal for 2025 with the Briton now Mercedes’ experienced hand up against teenage rookie Kimi Antonelli. Like Russell, Antonelli is a graduate of the team’s young driver programme and performing well against Russell will bode well for his nascent career.

QUALIFYING
Grand Prix: Russell 15-1 Antonelli
Sprint: Russell 2-1 Antonelli

RACE
Grand Prix: Russell 16-0 Antonelli
Sprint: Russell 3-0 Antonelli

CHAMPIONSHIP
Points: Russell 194-66 Antonelli
Placing: Russell 4th-8th Antonelli

Fernando Alonso vs Lance Stroll – Aston Martin

Aston Martin’s pairing are in their third year in tandem. Two-time champion Fernando Alonso has unsurprisingly dominated the intra-team battle up to now, but Lance Stroll will be keen to close the gap in the 2025 campaign.

QUALIFYING
Grand Prix: Alonso 16-0 Stroll
Sprint: Alonso 2-1 Stroll

RACE
Grand Prix: Alonso 9-7 Stroll
Sprint: Alonso 0-3 Stroll

CHAMPIONSHIP
Points: Alonso 32-30 Stroll
Placing: Alonso 12th-11th Stroll

Pierre Gasly vs Franco Colapinto – Alpine

Franco Colapinto became Pierre Gasly’s team-mate from the seventh round in Imola after he replaced Jack Doohan, who was dropped.

QUALIFYING
Grand Prix: Gasly 7-3 Colapinto
Sprint: Gasly 1-0 Colapinto

RACE
Grand Prix: Gasly 6-4 Colapinto
Sprint: Gasly 0-1 Colapinto

CHAMPIONSHIP
Points: Gasly 20-0 Colapinto
Placing: Gasly 14th-20th Colapinto

Doohan spent the opening six events as Gasly’s team-mate.

QUALIFYING
Grand Prix: Gasly 5-1 Doohan
Sprint: Gasly 1-1 Doohan

RACE
Grand Prix*: Gasly 4-1 Doohan
Sprint: Gasly 2-0 Doohan

*no score awarded for Chinese GP as Gasly was disqualified

Esteban Ocon vs Oliver Bearman – Haas

The Haas team’s all-new pairing represents an intriguing mix between the experience of race winner and four-time podium finisher Esteban Ocon and the youth of Oliver Bearman, who impressed in three stand-in drives for the team and backers Ferrari in 2024.

QUALIFYING
Grand Prix: Ocon 9-7 Bearman
Sprint: Ocon 2-1 Bearman

RACE
Grand Prix: Ocon 9-7 Bearman
Sprint: Ocon 1-2 Bearman

CHAMPIONSHIP
Points: Ocon 28-16 Bearman
Placing: Ocon 13th-17th Bearman

Liam Lawson vs Isack Hadjar – Racing Bulls

After just two races alongside Tsunoda before the Japanese driver’s unexpected call-up to the senior Red Bull team, Isack Hadjar’s rookie season of F1 will now be measured against the only slightly more experienced Liam Lawson, who is swiftly back at Racing Bulls for what is already his third different stint at the junior squad.

QUALIFYING
Grand Prix: Lawson 3-11 Hadjar
Sprint: Lawson 0-2 Hadjar

RACE
Grand Prix: Lawson 3-10 Hadjar*
Sprint: Lawson 0-2 Hadjar

*no score awarded for British GP as both drivers retired

CHAMPIONSHIP
Points: Lawson 20-38 Hadjar
Placing: Lawson 15th-9th Hadjar

Tsuonda was Hadjar’s team-mate for the first two race weekends in Australia and China.

QUALIFYING
Grand Prix: Tsunoda 1-1 Hadjar
Sprint: Tsunoda 1-0 Hadjar

RACE
Grand Prix: Tsunoda 0-1 Hadjar*
Sprint: Tsunoda 1-0 Hadjar

* No score awarded for Australian GP as Hadjar crashed on formation lap and did not start race

Alex Albon vs Carlos Sainz – Williams

Williams have their strongest driver pairing for years after four-time race winner Carlos Sainz’s winter arrival from Ferrari and the match-up with Alex Albon is going to be one that is closely monitored all season to see which of the highly-rated pair comes out ahead.

QUALIFYING
Grand Prix: Albon 8-8 Sainz
Sprint: Albon 2-1 Sainz

RACE
Grand Prix*: Albon 11-4 Sainz
Sprint: Albon 2-1 Sainz

CHAMPIONSHIP
Points: Albon 70-16 Sainz
Placing: Albon 7th-18th Sainz

*No score awarded for Austrian Grand Prix as both drivers retired

Nico Hulkenberg vs Gabriel Bortoleto – Sauber

Like rivals Haas, Sauber field a completely new line-up for this year and one which blends experience with rookie youth. Nico Hulkenberg is a reliable yardstick for Gabriel Bortoleto, the reigning F2 champion, to measure himself against.

QUALIFYING
Grand Prix: Hulkenberg 6-10 Bortoleto
Sprint: Hulkenberg 1-2 Bortoleto

RACE
Grand Prix*: Hulkenberg 9-6 Bortoleto
Sprint: Hulkenberg 1-2 Bortoleto

CHAMPIONSHIP
Points: Hulkenberg 37-18 Bortoleto
Placing: Hulkenberg 10th-16th Bortoleto

*no score awarded for Bahrain GP as Hulkenberg was disqualified

Watch all 24 race weekends from the 2025 Formula 1 season live on Sky Sports F1. Stream Sky Sports with NOW – No contract, cancel anytime

Real Madrid are looking at Bayern Munich‘s Dayot Upamecano and Liverpool‘s Ibrahima Konaté as free-agent signings, while Federico Chiesa is linked with a move to Turkey. Join us for the latest transfer news, rumors and gossip from around the globe.

Transfers homepage | Done deals | Men’s grades | Women’s grades

TOP STORIES

– Konaté on Madrid talk: Mbappé calls every 2 hours
– Sources: Man Utd’s Onana in talks with Trabzonspor
– Alex Morgan unworried by stars leaving NWSL

TRENDING RUMORS

– A move for Bayern Munich defender Dayot Upamecano is being lined up by Real Madrid, according to Bild. Los Blancos are interested in signing the 26-year-old, who entered the final year of his contract at the Allianz Arena in the summer, as they continue to identify future options to reinforce their defence. The Bundesliga champions are expected to prioritise signing Upamecano to a new deal by beginning negotiations soon. Meanwhile, Fabrizio Romano reports that the LaLiga club are also looking at Liverpool’s Ibrahima Konaté. The Reds are yet to secure the 26-year-old’s future at Anfield beyond the summer of 2026, and after Real Madrid made an enquiry in the summer, they are prepared to make another move if an opportunity arises to sign him as a free agent.

– Besiktas have had an approach for Liverpool winger Federico Chiesa dismissed, reports Fabrizio Romano. The Super Lig are keen to sign a winger before the transfer window closes on Friday, but the Reds are unwilling to consider a loan offer for the 27-year-old. Chelsea winger Raheem Sterling, 30, is also on the radar of clubs in Turkey, but he is yet to make a final decision on his future as the Blues look to part ways with him.

– There are no plans by Barcelona to send on-loan winger Marcus Rashford back to Manchester United in January despite reports, according to The Sun. The Blaugrana and manager Hansi Flick are “still giving their full support” to the 27-year-old, who has played 95 minutes across three LaLiga matches. An option clause in the loan deal agreed with the Red Devils would allow him to be signed for a fee of £30 million.

– AC Milan want Christian Pulisic to sign a new contract, reports Calciomercato. The Rossoneri have made contact with the 26-year-old’s representatives as they look to agree a new four-year deal, with manager Massimiliano Allegri considering the 26-year-old to be a key part of his project. The Serie A club are also aware of interest from other clubs. Pulisic turned down a move to Saudi Pro League side Al Nassr in the summer.

– Lazio remain keen on free agent winger Lorenzo Insigne, according to Calciomercato. The 34-year-old has been without a club since leaving Toronto FC in the summer, and he has his sights set on a return to Serie A. The club’s hierarchy are exploring options to improve their financial situation to make a deal possible, and they could have to offload players.

EXPERT TAKE

OTHER RUMORS

– Several clubs are keeping tabs on the progress of on-loan Aston Villa winger Jadon Sancho. (Football Insider)

– Al Shabab are keen on signing free agent midfielder Oriol Romeu. (Marca)

– Barcelona want to sign defender Eric Garcia to a new five-year contract, with hopes of getting the deal over the line before Christmas. (Diario Sport)

– Clubs in MLS are interested in free agent striker Patrick Bamford, who recently left Leeds United (Football Insider)

– Al Qadsiah have agreed a deal to sign Al Nassr attacking midfielder Otavio, who is expected to sign a two-year contract. (Fabrizio Romano)

– AC Milan midfielder Yacine Adli is closing in on a switch to Al Shabab. (Sport Italia)

– Tottenham Hotspur are willing to listen to offers for midfielder Yves Bissouma in the January transfer window. (Football Insider)

– A deal worth €20 million has been agreed by Neom SC to sign Bahia forward Lucho Rodriguez. (Fabrizio Romano)

– Talks are ongoing between Lazio and Anderlecht regarding a move for defender Jan-Carlo Simic. (Calciomercato)

– Juventus full-back Jonas Rouhi is set to join Westerlo on loan. (Fabrizio Romano)

GREEN BAY, Wis. — Beginning 0-1 is a less-than-ideal start for the Detroit Lions, but coach Dan Campbell reminded his players after Sunday’s loss that it’s also “not what it appears to be” inside the visitors locker room.

After suffering a 27-13 loss to the Packers, snapping Detroit’s three-game winning streak at Lambeau Field, the Lions’ offense failed to score a touchdown through three quarters for the first time since 2023 in Week 7 at Baltimore, per ESPN Research.

After leading the league in points per game (33.2) last season, Campbell says the Lions never got in a rhythm offensively, and it showed.

“I thought we would be cleaner than we were. I thought we’d be much cleaner than we were,” Campbell said. “And it wasn’t as clean, but there again, you’re talking about a few plays that were critical. But, like I told the team, these are so correctable. Everything that showed up is so correctable, and we will hit it head-on.”

They’ll have to continue working out the kinks of acclimating new offensive coordinator John Morton, as well as a revamped offensive line, with new starting guards Christian Mahogany and rookie Tate Ratledge in the mix. The Lions struggled on both sides from the start of the game, trailing 17-3 at halftime, and never recovered.

“So, like I told them, let’s clean up the tape. We made some critical errors at the worst times possible, and if you don’t do those, you take those out of the equation, it looks different,” Campbell said. “You feel like it could be a totally different scenario, but we did make those critical errors at the worst time. So, we’re going to learn from it.

“We’ll clean it up. It gives us a little barometer of where we’re at Game 1 and that’s OK. It’s always about improving, no matter what. We’re going to take it and we’re going to improve.”

Detroit averaged 3.8 yards per play, which was the second fewest in any game under Campbell since his 2021 arrival. The Lions’ 246 total yards were also their second fewest in any game since 2022, as quarterback Jared Goff struggled to find a groove.

Goff, who was sacked four times, was 31-of-39 for 225 passing yards with a touchdown and an interception. His lone passing touchdown came in the final minute of the fourth quarter, throwing a 13-yard TD to rookie wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa on his first career reception.

However, Goff is confident that the Lions can move past their early struggles as they prepare to face the Chicago Bears at home for Week 2.

“We’ve got good players. We’ve got good coaches. We’ll be fine,” Goff said. “There needs to be an urgency of improvement. There has to be. Today wasn’t even close to being good enough offensively, and we’ve got a lot of work to do.”

Entering Sunday’s game, the Lions had scored 14 points in their past 25 games (including the playoffs), which was the longest active streak in the NFL.

Early on, they tried to feed running back Jahmyr Gibbs, but he struggled with 50 yards on 19 touches. Gibbs’ team-high 10 receptions for 31 yards were the fewest receiving yards when recording at least 10 receptions in a game since the NFL-AFL merger in 1970, per ESPN Research.

Lions All-Pro receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown believes that better preparation and more accountability throughout this upcoming practice week will help them rebound from the season-opening loss. They’ll rely on their veteran players to address and fix their shortcomings.

“You can’t dwell on this loss too long,” said St. Brown, who finished with four catches for 45 yards. “Obviously, you’re going to correct what was wrong, but after that, you’ve got to move on and be able to wash it away and move on to next week because you’re only as good as your last week in this league. It’s Week 1. It’s early.”

Great Britain and Ireland slumped to a heavy 17-9 Walker Cup defeat to the USA as they picked up just 1.5 points from the closing afternoon singles.

Trailing 6.5-5.5 after the first day at Cypress Point, California, the visitors halved the morning foursomes to remain within a point heading into the decisive session.

But hopes of a first Walker Cup win since 2015 – and first on US soil since 2001 – evaporated as the hosts took control in the afternoon.

Connor Graham managed a half point after a tough battle of two 18-year-olds with US amateur champion Mason Howell, but a string of US victories took them to the brink of victory.

Preston Stout confirmed the result when his 2&1 win over Luke Poulter, son of European Ryder Cup star Ian, took them to the required 14 points.

Gavin Tiernan claimed Great Britain and Ireland’s only singles victory of the afternoon, holding off Michael La Sasso 2&1 as fog descended on the closing holes along the Pacific coast.

How can I watch the next Ryder Cup?

Sky Sports will continue to be the home of the Ryder Cup, with all three days of the 2025 exclusively live.

There will be extended live coverage from every day of Ryder Cup week, starting on Monday September 22, with round-the-clock coverage then live from 9am on Friday September 26. Not got Sky? Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract on NOW.

It has been said by some — well, by me, at least — that Week 1 is the Super Bowl for the Overreactions column.

Last year in Week 1, the Patriots beat the Bengals … then didn’t win again until Week 8. The Saints scored 47 points and 44 more in Week 2 … then didn’t win again until Week 10. The Commanders, with rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels, lost 37-20 to the Buccaneers … then reached the NFC Championship Game.

So go ahead and pretend that everything in the NFL is figured out. Assume the Chiefs are done, that the Eagles can’t cover anybody, that the Giants won’t score a touchdown all season and that the Falcons continue to be cursed. It’s Week 1 of an 18-week schedule. You’re almost certainly overreacting.

But that’s what we do here — sort through the weekly overreactions to figure out which ones might hold up and which ones are mirages. Week 1 is tricky because we have so little evidence, but that’s also what makes it so much fun.

Jump to:
Chiefs’ AFC West run is over?
Dolphins drafting No. 1?
Dart to be Giants’ QB1 soon?
Steelers’ offense is playoff-ready?
Packers class of NFC?

The Kansas City Chiefs won’t win the AFC West this season

Friday night’s opener in Brazil didn’t go well for the nine-time defending division champions. The Chiefs lost 27-21 to the rival Chargers. The offense, after losing speedy wideout Xavier Worthy because of a dislocated shoulder on the third play, looked out of sync and nonexplosive. The defense couldn’t slow Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert. Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes was running for his life a lot like he did last season. A Kansas City team that we expected to come out angry about being embarrassed in the Super Bowl didn’t look much different than in said Super Bowl.

Worthy might have to miss time, and top receiver Rashee Rice is suspended for five more games. To top it off, the AFC West-rival Chargers looked fantastic and now have a game in hand on the Chiefs in what could be an intense three-way race between these two teams and a scary-looking Broncos squad. Not the way Kansas City wants to start its season.

Verdict: OVERREACTION

Obviously. This is still the Andy Reid/Mahomes Chiefs. They looked lousy offensively all last season and still went 15-2 and got to a third straight Super Bowl. Should things be tougher this season? Absolutely. And 15-2 doesn’t feel overly repeatable, especially when the first game is a loss. But no team over the past decade has more consistently addressed and solved its problems during the season.

The Chiefs are extremely excited about rookie left tackle Josh Simmons, and he should improve. Rice will be back after Week 6, and Worthy should return at some point. Mahomes still delivered a few patented magical moments, and the Chiefs get three extra days to rest and prepare for their Week 2 game against … checks notes … oh, the Eagles. Perhaps we should revisit this next week.

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The Miami Dolphins will be picking first in the 2026 draft … and looking for a QB

I went out on a limb this preseason, thinking that the Dolphins might not be as bad as many thought. Maybe that impulse will eventually be right. After all, Sunday’s 33-8 loss to the Daniel Jones-led Colts was only one game, and it could end up being Miami’s worst game of the season. But hoo boy, this was ugly.

It was 30-0 before Miami finally scored with under seven minutes remaining in the game. Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was a miserable 14-for-23 for 114 yards, with 2 interceptions and a lost fumble. The defense, which has been hit hard by injury on the back end and lost cornerback Storm Duck because of injury during the game, gave Jones just about everything he wanted. The former Giants’ first-round pick was 22-for-29 for 272 yards and a touchdown pass, and he ran for two more scores. It was a nightmare opener for a Dolphins team that wanted to turn the page on a disappointing 8-9 season in 2024.

Verdict: NOT AN OVERREACTION

Again, I didn’t enter the season expecting Miami to be one of the NFL’s worst teams. But a lot of people did, and I’ve certainly been wrong before. It’s possible the defense never gets fully healthy and looks this vulnerable all season. It’s possible Tagovailoa keeps struggling, though he has generally played well under Mike McDaniel when healthy. This program might never rediscover the promise it showed in 2022 and 2023, when the Dolphins made the playoffs in McDaniel’s first two seasons.

It’s important to note that Tagovailoa has $54 million in fully guaranteed money in 2026 and will almost certainly still be the Dolphins’ starter at least through that season (if healthy). But if this season bottoms out and the Dolphins are picking at or near the top of what’s thought to be a QB-rich draft, it’s not a huge leap to expect them to think about the future at that position.

It was only one game, but it was ugly in all the ways Miami’s doubters feared it would be. And when that happens, even in Week 1, some alarm bells are justified.

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Jaxson Dart will be the New York Giants‘ starting quarterback by the end of September

You want to talk about looking ugly? I watched the Giants lose 21-6 to the Commanders in person Sunday, and this offense does not look competitive with Russell Wilson running it. Wilson was pressured on 16 of his 45 dropbacks (36%) and handled that pressure quite poorly. He was 2-of-12 for 26 yards and was sacked twice when pressured.

He wasn’t much better when he had time to throw, finishing 17-for-37 for 168 yards. He ran for 44 yards on eight carries, mainly scrambles to get away from said pressure. The Giants moved the ball at times and got into some goal-to-go situations but could not score a touchdown. New York had 231 total yards, averaged 4 yards per pass attempt and 3.2 yards per rush. The best thing you can say about the Giants’ offense Sunday is that the unit didn’t turn the ball over. Yet, the Giants still lost by 15.

Verdict: NOT AN OVERREACTION

Giants coach Brian Daboll doesn’t want to be pressured into starting Dart, his first-round rookie quarterback, before he’s ready. Daboll doesn’t want Dart to feel that pressure, either. But when asked after the game whether Wilson would start next week in Dallas, Daboll wasn’t definitive.

What we know is that the Giants made Dart their No. 2 quarterback Sunday, which means they trusted him to go into the game and run their offense if something had happened to Wilson. We also know they’ve worked with Dart on some specific packages (but those were implemented Sunday) that would take advantage of his running ability. Dart looked fantastic in the preseason, and though the regular season is a different story and the Giants have a daunting early schedule, his athleticism would potentially add some juice that Wilson doesn’t offer at this point in his career.

Dart will start sooner or later. Daboll and the Giants’ coaches have been methodical about their development plan for him and do not want to accelerate it because the offense is struggling. But Dart might be the better option now. And perhaps he could handle the responsibility.

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The Pittsburgh Steelers finally have an offense that can help them advance past the wild-card round of the playoffs

Aaron Rodgers‘ Steelers debut was a thriller. Rodgers rolled into MetLife Stadium to play the Jets, who released him this spring after two very disappointing seasons. He threw four touchdown passes, and the Steelers stole a victory after Chris Boswell nailed a 60-yard field goal late in their 34-32 win.

In a game between teams we thought would want to slow things down and lean on their run games, Rodgers and his New York replacement, Justin Fields, delivered a breathless shootout. The Jets seemed to have things under control, leading 26-17 in the fourth quarter, but a fumbled kickoff after a Pittsburgh touchdown set up Rodgers to put the Steelers ahead with 14:07 left. Even after Fields led the Jets on a go-ahead touchdown drive, Pittsburgh still got into position for Boswell to win it with a monster kick.

The Steelers scored more than 34 points twice last season with Fields and Russell Wilson at quarterback. So, Sunday’s performance surely has Steelers fans dreaming big about an offense that hasn’t scored in this manner since Ben Roethlisberger was quarterback.

Verdict: OVERREACTION

I mean … really? Yes, 34 points is great. But this was a long way from a playoff game, and the Steelers took advantage of some serious gifts. The Jets outgained them 394 yards to 271, committed seven penalties and produced the game’s only turnover at a pivotal time. And the Steelers still needed a 60-yard field goal to win. Play that game in Buffalo, Baltimore or Kansas City in January, and you ain’t winning it.

Be encouraged that this Steelers offense might be more consistently productive and exciting than in 2024, but don’t be sold. And don’t gloss over the fact that the defense, which is supposed to be the constant in Pittsburgh, couldn’t stop Fields and the Jets.

Rodgers hasn’t won a playoff game since the 2020 season, and he’ll be 42 when this year’s playoffs start. Great game, great start, but it will take a lot more for me to be convinced that the Steelers can reverse their recent trend of playoff fizzle-outs.

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You might argue for the Colts or Chargers, but no team looked better through the Sunday afternoon games to me than the Packers, who swallowed up the Lions on both sides of the ball and made a strong early statement with a 27-13 victory. Green Bay defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley is in his second season with the team, and Year 2 in a new scheme generally will produce a big improvement.

Holding the defending division champion Lions to a late touchdown and 246 total yards is no joke. Green Bay quarterback Jordan Love was efficient, three Packers players scored touchdowns and Micah Parsons was clearly a factor despite playing limited snaps. The Lions should be fine, but the Packers needed this one and they got it with authority.

Verdict: NOT AN OVERREACTION

The Packers were my preseason pick to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl, and nothing I saw Sunday makes me waver. Last season (including playoffs), Green Bay went 0-6 in games against the Lions, Vikings and Eagles — the NFC’s top three teams in the regular season — and 11-1 against everyone else.

The 2024 Packers were on the edge of greatness, but couldn’t beat the conference’s best teams. They had the youngest roster in the league last season and do again this year, but they’re deep and talented with highly skilled playcallers on both sides of the ball. And a Week 1 victory over the Lions — particularly a dominant one like Sunday — is what the Packers needed to get their season off to a confidence-fueled start.

HARRISON, New Jersey — You can say this about the United States men’s national team: They are singing from the same songbook of positivity, even as the players looked like they’re far from being on the same page in a 2-0 defeat to South Korea.

U.S. manager Mauricio Pochettino said his team was “better than South Korea” because it created more chances and allowed just one shot on target in the second half. Midfielder Tyler Adams added that getting new faces into the national team and bringing back some old standbys was a positive. “I don’t think it was a bad performance,” the U.S. captain added.

This isn’t to say that Pochettino & Co. should be ripping each other in front of the assembled press, but the public pronouncements flew in the face of the available evidence.

– USMNT player ratings: 3/10 for Poch as defensive issues exposed
– U.S. to continue World Cup prep vs. Uruguay, Paraguay
– World Cup: Who has qualified, and how rest can make it

The Taegeuk Warriors stretched the U.S. defense from the outset, going direct at first to Son Heung-Min, but that only served to soften up the Americans’ midfield and back line, and soon enough there was space underneath to be exploited. Lee Jae-Sung, under zero pressure, found U.S. defender Tristan Blackmon on an island, and his through ball found Son in stride to fire past goalkeeper Matt Freese in the 18th minute. Then just before halftime a clever combination put Son through on goal. He was upended by Freese, only for Lee Dong-Gyeong to backheel the loose ball into the net.

On both goals, the U.S. backline was stretched too far apart, leaving defenders isolated. U.S. defender Tim Ream didn’t dispute that assertion.

“There were moments where guys were getting pulled [out] a little bit more than we usually do and a little bit more than we work on,” Ream said. “And again, it’s one of those things that you look at a few guys who it’s their first game back with the national team. Tristan [Blackmon], it’s his very first game, first cap, so it was bound to happen a little bit, I think a little bit of eagerness to try to get to areas that we maybe necessarily couldn’t get to.”

While Blackmon is deserving of criticism, this goes beyond one player making his U.S. debut. Sergiño Dest didn’t offer much help defensively, showing that for all of his attacking ability, he can still be a defensive liability. The midfield was at fault as well, offering little in terms of backline protection, and was much too passive.

“I think our roles got a little bit twisted,” Adams said. “They found solutions pretty easily in the first half. We talked about it at halftime. … And I think we just missed our [defensive] triggers on a lot of them and we were a little bit too late to jump, and when you’re too late to jump, you end up chasing shadows, and that’s what it felt like at times.”

There was improvement in the second half, especially around the hour mark, when the U.S. brought in defender Chris Richards — who Pochettino said wasn’t fully fit — and went to a three-man back line (a formation the coach hinted that he might use again in the future.) But the U.S. could never find the one goal to make South Korea sweat — with Richards and fellow substitute Folarin Balogun missing clear chances — even as the home side finished the match with a 17-5 shot advantage. With the two-goal cushion, South Korea never had to open up and have its defense exposed.

All of this is why it’s hard to take too many positives away from the match. It’s also difficult to not feel alarm over the direction this U.S. team is heading. Ask yourself, when was the last time the U.S. delivered an impressive performance against a World Cup-caliber opponent? The 0-0 draw against England at the 2022 World Cup? The subsequent 1-0 win over Iran? It’s hard to think of any match since then. Certainly not in the year that Pochettino has been in charge.

Pochettino tried to explain the defeat by pointing out that players like Son are world-class. Indeed, the LAFC attacker is, and he tormented the U.S. defense. But the 2026 World Cup will be littered with such players. It’s not like the U.S. will get a break from that kind of competition next summer.

Pochettino even went so far as to say that results won’t be important until next summer’s World Cup, recalling how the 2002 Argentina team he was part of entered the tournament on a roll, only to flame out in the group stage. Granted, pre-World Cup form isn’t a guarantee of anything. But hosting a World Cup on home soil is a rare opportunity to drive the sport forward in this country. Generating some momentum will not only do that, but also instill some confidence in a side that is at a low ebb.

“I mean, I love the feeling of winning, so I would like to win games before the World Cup,” Adams said. “But I understand [Pochettino’s] thought process and we talked about it in there is you could still have good performances and not necessarily get the result. But yeah, I think at a certain time it’s important to have some results.”

Part of the issue is that preparation time for the World Cup is evaporating, yet Pochettino seems to think that there is time to still hunt for different players. That’s a laudable goal, and one that would make perfect sense in a normal World Cup cycle. But this cycle has been compressed from the get-go, given that the last World Cup didn’t happen until the end of 2022. Combined with the coaching change that saw Pochettino hired, this cycle is anything but normal.

The combinations of players aren’t always making sense, either. Last cycle, the pairing of Tim Weah and Dest on the right side worked because Weah is a player willing to track back and provide some defensive protection. Pairing Christian Pulisic and Dest on the same side risks exposing the U.S. defense. You don’t want Pulisic having to track back anyway. But it was no accident that South Korea’s first goal came from Dest’s side. He was left ball-watching on the second.

In many ways, Pochettino is taking an immense gamble. He’s betting that he’ll find the necessary on-field chemistry before the clock on his World Cup preparations runs out. That runs the risk of encountering scenarios at the tournament that he didn’t prepare for with his first-choice players, all because he’s giving reps to performers that are long shots to make the squad.

For now, Pochettino insists that wins are just around the corner.

“I think the results will arrive soon for sure,” he said.

What’s still unknown is which corner. The hope is that it starts on Tuesday against Japan.

The first “Sunday Night Football” matchup of the season puts two of the AFC’s top teams against each other as the Buffalo Bills host the Baltimore Ravens.

They last faced off in the divisional round last season, with Buffalo winning 27-25 in a matchup that came down to the wire.

Bills quarterback Josh Allen won the MVP award last season while Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson finished just behind him in the voting. Per the Elias Sports Bureau, it marks the first season-opening meeting between the top two players in the MVP voting from the prior season since at least 1970. It also marks the fifth time the MVP winners from the prior two seasons faced each other in a season opener since 1970, according to Elias.

Buffalo and Baltimore both boast championship aspirations, and the odds reflect that: The two teams are tied for the shortest odds to win the AFC (+325) at ESPN BET Sportsbook.

Can the Bills start their final season at Highmark Stadium with a victory, or will the Ravens avenge their playoff loss?

Follow along for live updates, highlights and the biggest moments from Buffalo.

Carlos Alcaraz admits he was “brilliant” and at his “best level ever” in his US Open final victory over Jannik Sinner in New York on Sunday.

Alcaraz dethroned Sinner in sensational fashion to seal his second US Open title and become new world No 1 after security delays frustrated fans with the of United States president Donald Trump.

Ultimately centre stage belonged to Alcaraz, who sealed his sixth Grand Slam title with a serving masterclass, winning 6-2 3-6 6-1 6-4.

The 22-year-old now owns six Grand Slam titles – the youngest man since Bjorn Borg to achieve the feat – adding a second trophy here to his French Open and Wimbledon doubles.

“In general, I think it has been my best level during the two weeks. Since the first match until the final I think I’ve been playing great tennis,” Alcaraz told Sky Sports’ Laura Robson on Arthur Ashe Stadium.

“The focus was really, really high. I didn’t lose the focus at all in any of the matches, which I’m really happy about.

“With the serve, I’ve been really focused on it. I got broken just three times, once in the final. In general, I just played amazing tennis.”

Asked what part of his game he was most proud of executing against big rival Sinner, Alcaraz replied:

“I just maintained my best level since the first game until the last one. Tactically, I tried to be perfect.

“Matches against Jannik are all about being good tactically, and physically it’s really demanding as well. I think I have to be perfect against him.

“Today, I just was brilliant, to be honest. In the second set, a few mistakes, but in general, I just was brilliant.

“If I want to beat Jannik on the biggest stage, I have to be brilliant, which I’m really happy about.”

Coach Juan Carlos Ferrero felt the performance of Alcaraz was “perfect” and the Spaniard was in full agreement.

“He’s right. I think I played perfect. I played perfectly. I mean, I got to say that. If I want to win the US Open, if I want to beat Jannik, I have to play perfect, and I think he was right,” beamed Alcaraz.

“I feel like this is the best tournament. Since the first rounds to the end of the tournament, the best tournament so far that I have ever played.

“The consistency of my level during the whole tournament has been really, really high, which I’m really proud of, because it’s something that I’ve been working on, to be really consistent.”

Sinner looks to become more “unpredictable”

Sinner admits his main goal is to become more “unpredictable” to become a better player following his four-set defeat this his arch-nemesis.

The Italian said: “Well, I was very predictable today. Now it’s going to be on me if I want to make changes or not… trying to be a bit more unpredictable as a player, because I think that’s what I have to do, trying to become a better tennis player.”

Despite the disappointment, Sinner maintained perspective on his extraordinary year.

“I’m still proud of myself, about the season I’m playing, and making… four Grand Slam finals of the year,” he added. “You know, two Grand Slams won, two times lost in the final, it’s incredible results?”

Sinner added with a smile: “I’m a very, very solid, you know, baseliner. I’m a very strong hitter. I’m a good player..”

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