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Good morning! Today, the schedule has forced us to be East Coast-biased.
While You Were Sleeping: A weird week ends with two doinks
For the last two seasons, the New York Jets have been the most interesting — and maybe messiest — story in tbe NFL. The last week has been no different, with the head coach fired, the offensive playcaller switched and the team somehow still within a win of first place in the division.
Did they play well last night? Yes, kind of. Was it just … extremely Jets-ian? Also yes. In a 23-20 loss to the Bills, the Jets incurred 11 penalties for 110 yards and managed to doink two field goals off the goal post.
Oh, and Aaron Rodgers also completed the fourth Hail Mary pass of his career:
Aaron Rodgers 🤝 Hail Mary TDs
🎥 @NFLpic.twitter.com/HCavyY70Zf
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) October 15, 2024
So normal. Buffalo, on the other hand, will go back to western New York in an extremely normal way: as leaders of the AFC East at 4-2, where we always thought they’d be.Â
The Jets’ loss was the only defeat for the New York City metro area last night, though:
We’re Hitting Here: New York is for winners (cont.)
It is early, and unfair, but the vision forms in my brain all the same. We are inching closer to another Subway Series, a repeat of 2000’s ballyhooed all-NYC World Series that led to a third consecutive Yankees title.
Let me be clear: We are not that close to it. Not yet. But last night provided a roadmap. Er, subway map.
- In the Bronx, the Yankees crushed baseballs and the Guardians to open the ALCS with a 5-2 win. Carlos Rodón was fantastic over six innings, Juan Soto and Giancarlo Stanton hit dingers and this crew just looks complete. Stanton has turned back into Babe Ruth during this playoff run, as he is wont to do once October begins.
Doesn’t feel like that big of an overreaction to say the No. 1 seed in the American League looks ready for a World Series berth, right?
- Meanwhile, the Mets are heading back to Queens after finding a Dodgers bullpen game extremely appetizing in their 7-3 win, a huge shift in favor of the postseason’s most charmed team. Francisco Lindor (who else?) ended L.A.’s scoreless pitching streak in the first at-bat of the game, and Mark Vientos — who did not make this team in spring training — uncorked a grand slam in the second inning.
It’s one game, but it’s hard to imagine a worse outcome for the Dodgers, the No. 1 seed in the National League, as they head to New York at 1-1. Walker Buehler, who gave up six runs in his only playoff start this year, will take the mound with the season teetering.
News to Know
Lonzo (finally) returns
It has been 1,005 days since Bulls guard Lonzo Ball last played an NBA game, a streak that will end tomorrow if all goes to plan. Ball, who has missed the last two and a half seasons with a knee injury, will attempt to become the first player in NBA history to ever come back from meniscus and cartilage replacements. For now, the plan is to play Ball in Chicago’s final two preseason games before giving him limited minutes in the early stages of the season. I’m rooting for him. Read more here.
George injures knee
Oppositely, new 76ers star Paul George left Philadelphia’s preseason game last night with a knee injury, an extremely concerning development for both team and player. George, who signed a $212 million contract this offseason, will have an MRI today to determine the severity of his injury. The implications here are worrisome.
Sirianni apologizes for outburst
Eagles coach Nick Sirianni apologized yesterday for yelling at the home crowd during Philadelphia’s 20-16 win over the Browns, a bizarre story that shows how awkward things are with the Eagles right now. Sirianni initially declined to elaborate on the entire incident after the game. See our full story here.
More news
Watch, Listen and Play
đź“ş MLB: Guardians at Yankees
7:38 p.m. ET on TBS/truTV/Max
Tensions are extremely high here. Just turn it on.Â
đź“ş NHL: Flyers at Oilers
10 p.m. ET on ESPN
Something we are keeping tabs on: Edmonton, everyone’s darling heading into the year, is 0-3. Hm.Â
Get tickets to games like these here.
🎧 Two for you today: “Scoop City” details why the vibes are so bad in Philadelphia right now, while “The Athletic Women’s Basketball Show” reacts to the first two games of the WNBA Finals.
Try today’s Connections: Sports Edition beta. No mistakes, but there are two devilish clues in there.
Pulse Picks
So … what’s the Deshaun Watson escape plan? Mike Sando lays it out here, for whenever the Browns are ready to accept the end.Â
On the other hand, Caleb Williams is officially showing Chicago the Bears are in a new era. He’s been that good.Â
David Aldridge writing about Vince Carter’s induction into the Hall of Fame would make anyone my age emotional. You had to be, as the kids say, outside when Vince was changing basketball. Read David’s piece here.Â
More nostalgia: “Hoop Dreams” premiered 30 years ago today. James Jackson talked to the documentary’s subjects, William Gates and Arthur Agee, about the film that still means so much to so many.Â
A troubled tale from across the Atlantic: Questions remain about the tragic death of Mark Townsend, a West Bromwich Albion fanatic who died at a game over the weekend. Our reporters came away with a startling report on the “failings” of the on-site medical response.Â
Most-clicked in the newsletter yesterday: Our story on the latest AP Top 25. I assume it’s because you’re all as invested in LSU as I am.
Most-read on the website yesterday: Chris Vannini’s ranking of all 134 FBS teams. Is everyone mad Oregon is No. 1?
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(Top photo: Elsa / Getty Images)
