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Fireballers Take the Stage

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NEW YORK – (Wire Service Preview) – While Cam Schlittler’s first full season with the New York Yankees was among the best in team history, Payton Tolle delivered a strong rookie campaign for the Boston Red Sox.

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Both starting pitchers did more than enough to earn their teams’ trust for Game 1 of the best-of-three wild-card series that begins Tuesday night.

After the intense Schlittler starts for the Yankees, Max Fried has been tabbed for Game 2 followed by Gerrit Cole if Game 3 is necessary. Sonny Gray follows the easygoing Tolle for the Red Sox, who will turn to Ranger Suarez in Game 3 if needed.

Schlittler, 25, won Game 3 in last year’s wild-card series against the Red Sox by striking out 12 in eight dominant innings as New York advanced with a 4-0 victory. He did enough in 14 starts over the final two months of last season to be entrusted with that start after Clarke Schmidt needed elbow surgery.

This season, Schlittler was an important part of the rotation from the start and the Walpole, Mass. native ranks as the prohibitive favorite to win the American League’s Cy Young Award after going 14-6 with a 1.95 ERA and 239 strikeouts in 33 starts.

“It’s special,” Schlittler said. “Being able to get that experience last year in Game 3, it’s a good feeling to go out there and get the first one.”

Schlittler tied Dylan Cease for the AL’s second-most strikeouts. He joined Cole (2.63 in 2023) as the only Yankees to lead the AL in ERA since 1980.

Schlittler also held hitters to a .185 average and ended the season by going 6-1 with a 1.81 ERA in his final 15 starts that spanned 89 2/3 innings.

“We obviously love his makeup,” manager Aaron Boone said Monday. “He’s obviously super-talented and really skilled, but he’s also mentally really tough and able to focus and it seems like the bigger the game, the better he seems to be here in his young career.”

Schlittler also thrived against the Red Sox, who had the pick before the Yankees selected the right-hander in the seventh round of the 2022 draft. Schlittler went 2-1 with a 0.74 ERA in four starts against Boston this year. In those games, he struck out 27 in 24 1/3 innings while holding hitters to a .174 average.

“You’ve got to rely on your strengths,” Schlittler said. “At the same time, you got to see what adjustments they make and kind of just go from there.”

Tolle, 23, didn’t get to make as big of an impact as Schlittler last year. After making three starts and four relief appearances during the regular season, he got to face just one batter in the playoffs — and the lefty retired Trent Grisham for the final out of the eighth inning in Game 2.

This season, he debuted by striking out 11 in six innings against the Yankees during a no-decision on April 23. He stayed in the rotation the rest of the year and posted a 9-6 record with a 3.03 ERA.

Tolle was fourth among qualified AL rookies in ERA and second behind Cleveland’s Parker Messick with 171 strikeouts. He notched 97 of those strikeouts while going 5-0 with a 2.66 ERA over his final 13 starts, as the Red Sox recovered from a 32-46 start by winning 32 of 37 games, including a 15-game winning streak in July.

“When he’s starting, you’re not as much worried about who’s in the lineup, you trust him either way,” Boston manager Chad Tracy said. “I just feel like we’re pretty confident in who he is as a pitcher and what he brings to the table regardless of who he’s facing as far as difficulty to hit. That’s what we felt like was best.”

Tolle was 1-0 with a 0.69 ERA in two starts against the Yankees — both at Fenway Park. New York was 4-for-43 with 18 strikeouts in their two encounters with Tolle, who held hitters to a .222 average overall.

“It means a lot,” Tolle said. “I think it’s something that you work for for a long time. To be able to get this opportunity is really special. To be able to go out there and try to set the tone as best I can is really special.”

Both pitchers could face lineups missing prominent bats, as Aaron Judge and Willson Contreras are question marks with injuries. The teams must lock in their rosters by the 10 a.m. EDT deadline on Tuesday.

Judge missed the final 10 games with a strained right calf that Boone said was moderate last week. During Sunday’s rainout, he hit and did some throwing indoors. During Monday’s workout, he took batting practice on the field.

The Yankees were 41-25 in games Judge played and 52-43 in games he missed.

Contreras was hit on the hand Sept. 17 and did not return until getting two at-bats in Sunday’s regular-season finale. Tracy seemed to think the first baseman would be on the roster.

– Field Level Media

TL’s Sunday Sports Notes | Sept 27

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By TERRY LYONS

While We’re Young (Ideas) is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

FENWAY – Earlier this season, the Boston Red Sox were 9-19 at Fenway Park, and then the Olde Town Team fell to the depths of an early June record of 27-40 at America’s Most Beloved Ballpark.

At that point in time, playing the Red Sox was truly beloved by every visiting team.

Now, as the season ended and the Red Sox and Chicago Cubs traveled to Tampa-St. Pete to play their 162nd game of the season, the Sox left behind a 41-39 record at Fenway – a miraculous midseason turnaround. Boston won 18 of their final 30 series, including 10 of their final 16 home series, dating back to June 12.

On Friday, against the Chicago Cubs, Boston recorded its AL-leading 18th pitching shutout of the season and second of their last four games. They also shutdown Cleveland on Sept. 23rd. The Sox lead the AL but trail Philadelphia (19) for the MLB lead in shutouts. For Boston, it’s the second most shutouts in the Live-Ball Era (since 1920) behind 1972 when they registered 20.

Amongst the most miraculous of turn-arounds has been the season of Brayan Bello who was demoted to the minors earlier in the season but has bounced back in his 13 games (including three starts) since the All-Star break. Bello is 4-1 with a 2.12 ERA in 51 innings with 43 strikeouts.

On the offensive side, no Sox player has been more inconsistent than Jarren Duran. Dialing it back to 2023, Duran batted .295 (BA)/.346 OBP; In 2024, .285 (BA)/.342 OBP with career highs in At Bats – 671; Doubles 48 and Triples 14. He had a 20/20 season with Home Runs and Stolen Bases.

This year, Duran is batting .208 (BA)/.267 (OBP). While Duran registered another 20/20 season, his WAR (Wins Above Replacement) went from a luxurious 9.0 in ‘24 to a measly 0.6 this season. Duran’s season-long Runs Batting went from (31) in ‘24 to (-19) this season.

Looking ahead to a Wild Card series against the New York Yankees, this season Duran batted .211 in 38 At Bats. At least .211 > .208.

The streaks, stats and game scores over the course of 161 games, underlines the fact the Red Sox are about as inconsistent as a team can be. One month – invincible. Another – anemic. And, it’s not just Duran. It’s everyone.

Outfielder and leadoff man Roman Anthony had been sidelined for the vast amount of the season but has returned to his position in left (or DH) and on top of the Red Sox batting order and he’s been hot, including a three-for-four performance Friday by way of two doubles and a triple. After that, the Sox can’t put three hot bats together on any given night.

Since September 19, the Sox have lost games by the score of 2-1, 5-1, 3-2 and 1-0. That’s four runs in four key games. That noted, they head into the final game of the regular season with a three-of-four win streak.

Regarding the New York Yankees, the Red Sox lost three of four between August 28-30, splitting a doubleheader on the 29th. Back in late June, Boston took four straight between June 25 and June 28th. Those four wins began a run to take the Sox from a dismal 26-35 on June 4th to 64-51 on August 7th. That’s a 38-16 maneuver into playoff contention. It eventually locked the Sox into the No. 5 Wild Card seed, facing the Yankees (No. 4) while the No. 3 Houston Astros face the No. 6 Chicago White Sox.

The Red Sox will play New York in a best-of-three Tuesday-Wednesday-Thursday (Sept. 29-Oct 1).

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: The WNBA Playoffs begin Sunday, September 27 with a 30-minute WNBA Countdown (Presented by Google Pixel) at 1:30pm ET on ABC and streaming on the ESPN App, followed by a first-round doubleheader. At 2:00pm, Napheesa Collier and the top-seeded Minnesota Lynx, the No. 1 seed for the second consecutive year, host Breanna Stewart and the No. 8 New York Liberty in a rematch of the 2024 WNBA Finals. At 4 p.m., reigning WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson and the No. 3 Las Vegas Aces begin their title defense against Caitlin Clark and the No. 6 Indiana Fever.

ESPN is coming off its most-watched WNBA regular season ever as the league celebrated its 30th season. This season also marked the third straight year ESPN has delivered its most-viewed WNBA regular season on record. Across 29 games, the WNBA on ESPN networks averaged 1.37M viewers, up 17% year-over-year and ranking as ESPN networks’ most-viewed WNBA regular season on record. ESPN presented 17 games this season, averaging 1.24M viewers, up 32% year-over-year, while 12 games on ABC averaged 1.56M viewers, up 9% year-over-year.

WNBA Playoff games will be telecast by Prime Video, USA Network, CNBC, along with ESPN and ABC.

TIDBITS & NUGGETS: The Travelers Championship recently announced that the 2026 tournament generated more than $5 million for 290 charities, setting record highs in both categories. Funds were distributed to representatives from participating nonprofits at the annual Travelers Championship Charity Celebration at TPC River Highlands.

Howie Singer, longtime producer and director for New York Knicks games on the MSG Network became the first television director to receive the prestigious Governors’ Award at the New York Sports Emmy Awards reception this past week. Singer began in the 1981-82 season and has worked Knicks games ever since. Along the way, he directed dozens of NBA Playoff games for Turner Broadcasting, produced and directed USA Basketball Showcase and Olympics/World Cup games, NBA Finals and NBA All-Star Games for the league’s World Feed.

Golden State’s Stephen Curry agreed to a two-year contract extension reportedly worth $116 million that would take him through the 2028-29 season. Curry was eligible to command up to $136 million, so he is giving his club a discount as he backs up his longstanding commitment to finish his career with the Warriors.

Gary Bettman will begin his 34th season as NHL Commissioner. The one time General Counsel of the NBA under then-Commissioner David Stern and Deputy Commissioner Russ Granik is now the longest-serving commissioner among the major North American sports leagues.

“We’re coming off a season of record revenues and record attendance, said Bettman to the Sports Business Journal. “Our ratings were through the roof in the United States, we’re over 80 national sponsors and we want to continue to first make sure the game maintains its entertaining, compelling nature because we’ve had a spectacular run on the ice.”

Red Sox Re-Up Breslow, Sign Tracy

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BOSTON – (Wire Service Report) – The Boston Red Sox dropped the interim tag on Tuesday and named Chad Tracy as the 49th manager in franchise history. Tracy agreed to a three-year contract that will extend through the 2029 season with a club option in 2030.

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Also on Tuesday, the Red Sox exercised their 2029 and 2030 contract options on Craig Breslow, the team’s chief baseball officer.

No financial terms were released.

“Craig and Chad are two exceptionally talented leaders who have earned these opportunities in very different ways,” Red Sox president and CEO Sam Kennedy said in a statement. “Over the last three years, we have watched Craig bring clarity, discipline, and conviction to the work of building our baseball operation. Chad was asked to step into a difficult situation with little notice, but the trust he immediately commanded at the major league level was earned through years of work across our organization.

“What this team has accomplished over the past several months has been historic. Results matter greatly in this business, but so do judgment, character, and the ability to bring out the best in others. Craig and Chad have demonstrated all of those qualities, and they have earned our confidence in leading us forward.”

Breslow, 46, was named to his position on Oct. 25, 2023. The Red Sox have posted a 254-226 record under his watch.

Tracy, 41, was named the interim manager on April 26, taking over a team that owned a 10-17 record under former manager Alex Cora. They have qualified for a wild-card berth in the American League playoffs and have an 84-72 record heading into the final six games of the season.

Boston’s success under Tracy was highlighted by a 27-3 mark from July 3-Aug. 7 that served as the best 30-game span in franchise history.

“It became pretty clear early on,” said Breslow. “We didn’t want it to become a distraction and it was pretty easy to get it (the three-year deal) across the finish line.”

“All the focus can be on October baseball,” said Tracy.

–Field Level Media

College Sports Act Moves Forward in DC

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WASH DC – (Wire Service Report) – The Protect College Sports Act took a step forward on Tuesday when the U.S. Senate voted 74-24 to move the bipartisan measure closer to a vote of the full body.

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The vote count to invoke cloture easily exceeded the 60 needed to prevent a potential filibuster.

One of the bill’s co-sponsors, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), said ahead of the vote on the Senate floor, “This bill brings order to (college  sports). It helps women and Olympic sports, and it sets up a commission to look at the real future, which I think should include collective bargaining. …

“Let’s bring some sanity. Recognize that athletes do deserve revenue sharing, and that this bill will put that into law for the first time.”

The other co-sponsor is Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas).

The multifaceted bill would, among many other items,:

–Nationalize the name, image and likeness policies that are currently different in each state.

–Cap the amount of revenue schools can share with student-athletes at 22%, which currently comes out at $21.5 million.

–Institute a “retention pool” of $27.5 million that would cut down on third-party NIL involvement.

–Ensure athletes could continue to use their scholarships for 10 years following the expiration of their eligibility to pursue a degree.

–Bans schools from pulling scholarships due to an injury or a poor performance.

–Permit athletes one transfer with immediate eligibility at the new school.

–Allow conferences to choose whether to pool media rights revenue.

–Permanently codify the NCAA’s new five-year eligibility rule.

–Stop football coaches from moving to a new school midseason, a provision that is being referred to as the “Lane Kiffin rule” as a nod to the coach who left Ole Miss ahead of last season’s College Football Playoff to take over at LSU.

Should the Senate approve the bill, it then must get the OK from the House of Representatives, where a close vote is expected.

If both chambers pass the Protect College Sports Act, it would move to President Donald Trump for his signature. Trump has said he would sign the bill to make it law.

–Field Level Media

NFL: Monday Night Football Preview

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Philadelphia Eagles (2-0) at Chicago Bears (1-1)
Monday, 8:15 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Eagles -4.5, Total 41.5
Series Rewind: The Eagles have won their last three games at Soldier Field, including a 16-15 wild-card victory on Jan. 6, 2019. The Bears racked up 425 yards in last season’s 24-15 Black Friday win in Philadelphia.

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Philadelphia extended its September winning streak to six games with a last-minute touchdown drive at Tennessee in Week 2. It was the eighth fourth-quarter comeback by Jalen Hurts since 2023, second in the NFL over that span to Green Bay’s Jordan Love (nine). Hurts does have a losing record (5-6) on “Monday Night Football,” however, with 15 interceptions and just nine touchdown passes. Saquon Barkley, on the other hand, has at least 100 scrimmage yards in five straight Monday nighters. The Eagles brought back Zach Ertz this week after losing fellow tight end Dallas Goedert to a knee injury. Injury was the word of the week in Chicago’s locker room, where QB1 Caleb Williams (hamstring) and QB2 Tyson Bagent (concussion) may have to watch QB3 Case Keenum shake the rust off his 38-year-old arm in prime time. With wideout Rome Odunze off to a slow start (five catches, 95 yards), the Bears may need to lean on D’Andre Swift, who rushed for more than 1,000 yards in a Pro Bowl season for Philly in 2023.

–Field Level Media

NFL: Sunday Night Football Preview

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Los Angeles Rams (1-1) at Denver Broncos (1-1)
Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Rams -2.5, Total 44.5
Series Rewind: The Rams have won the past five meetings, including two in St. Louis. Denver’s last victory was a 23-16 triumph in 2002.

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Rams WR Puka Nacua (hip) is doubtful and expected to miss his second straight game, meaning veteran Davante Adams will again be the lead attraction for the Los Angeles passing attack. That worked well during Monday night’s 28-6 victory over the Giants as Adams stood tall with eight receptions for 195 yards and two touchdowns. The yardage was the fourth-highest of his 13-year career and just 11 shy of his career high set in 2021 as a member of the Green Bay Packers. The six-time Pro Bowler led the NFL with 14 touchdown receptions in 2025 in his first season with Los Angeles. Rams QB Matthew Stafford threw four touchdown passes — marking the 22nd time he has thrown at least four in a single game — and moved into sixth place in league history with 427 career touchdown passes. Broncos four-time Pro Bowl CB Patrick Surtain II will look to help silence the pair in the Mile High atmosphere. Denver got into the victory column last Sunday with a 20-13 home win over the Jaguars. QB Bo Nix passed for 288 yards on 31 attempts one week after having just 131 on 28 passes in a 31-10 loss to the host Chiefs on Sept. 14. Denver has won nine straight games against NFC teams since losing to the Seahawks in Week 1 of the 2024 season. Interestingly, the Rams have rattled off eight straight victories against AFC opponents since losing to the Dolphins in Week 10 of the 2024 season.

NFL Week 3 Previews: 4pm Games

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Minnesota Vikings (2-0) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-2)
Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Vikings -1.5, Total 42.5
Series Rewind: Tampa Bay has won the last two games and eight of the last 10 against Minnesota. However, the Vikings hold a 33-24 edge in the all-time series.

Kyler Murray returns to Minnesota this week with the team in a great spot. Since he exited in the first quarter of the Vikings’ season opener vs. Green Bay, the team has won both of its first two games and is atop the NFC North. All-Pro wideout Justin Jefferson has 15 catches for 147 yards and two touchdowns in two games despite playing most of that time without Murray. Minnesota will also have starting running back Aaron Jones Sr. available after he missed Wednesday’s practice and his status was initially in doubt. Tampa Bay followed up a 33-27 road loss at Cincinnati in Week 1 with a surprising 23-19 home loss to Cleveland last week. Baker Mayfield, fresh off signing his three-year contract extension, has a pedestrian 86.6 passer rating and has thrown for 398 yards, one touchdown and one interception. The Buccaneers will be without a pair of rookies taken in the first two rounds of April’s draft in linebackers Rueben Bain Jr. (groin) and Josiah Trotter (shoulder).

Arizona Cardinals (1-1) at San Francisco 49ers (2-0)
Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: 49ers -8.5, Total 48.5
Series Rewind: The 49ers swept the Cardinals last season to improve head coach Kyle Shanahan’s career record against Arizona to 9-9.

Only Lions QB Jared Goff (25) has a longer active streak of consecutive games with a TD pass than Jacoby Brissett, who is going for 15 straight games with a scoring toss. Fans are clamoring for one of those passes to land in the hands of Marvin Harrison Jr. The 2025 first-round pick has only one catch this season, but Michael Wilson is a familiar villain for the San Francisco defense. Wilson set career highs with 15 receptions for 185 yards in the last meeting. 49ers QB Brock Purdy has 13 touchdowns (one rushing) in five career starts against the Cardinals and Arizona never enjoys seeing Christian McCaffrey coming. He has three touchdowns or more in three of the past four meetings. This is San Francisco’s first close-up with Cardinals first-round rookie RB Jeremiyah Love. The 49ers have allowed only 20 total points this season.

Las Vegas Raiders (2-0) at New Orleans Saints (1-1)
Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Saints -3, Total 43.5
Series Rewind: The Raiders won the most recent meeting, 25-10 in New Orleans, in 2024. Las Vegas has won three of the past four games between the teams.

The Raiders finished in a four-way tie for the worst record in the league last season (3-14), and their reward for such a poor season — No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza — hasn’t even been a factor. He has been an understudy to 15-year veteran Kirk Cousins, who is thriving in first-year head coach Klint Kubiak’s offense, throwing three touchdown passes in each of the first two games. New Orleans head coach Kellen Moore, a former quarterback, noted that he and Cousins entered the NFL the same season (2012) after being teammates in the Senior Bowl. Cousins’ experience is paying off for Las Vegas. The Saints are one of five teams that began the season with consecutive road games. Only they, the Browns and Packers managed to win a game while the Dolphins and the Commanders both started 0-2. But like the Raiders, the Saints are emphasizing that an encouraging start doesn’t mean much this early in the season. QB Tyler Shough leads the NFL in passing yards (662). New Orleans, however, is 28th in rushing (78 yards per game). The Saints are one failed two-point conversion in their opener away from being 2-0 despite facing early double-digit deficits in both games. They fell behind Detroit 21-0 before Shough led a comeback to reach overtime, where his two-point conversion pass went incomplete on the final play of a 31-30 loss. Last week, they fell behind the Ravens 14-3 before Shough led another comeback and sneaked one yard on fourth down for a late touchdown that produced a 24-17 victory.

Baltimore Ravens (1-1) at Dallas Cowboys (1-1) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Ravens -3.5, Total 52.5
Series Rewind: The Ravens have won six of seven meetings with the Cowboys.

With a win and a loss under their belts, the Cowboys and Ravens roll into Brazil with questions to answer. Dallas has been torched after a miserable performance got defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus fired in 2025. Christian Parker is still finding the right mix of personnel, and enters a rough week for experimenting. The Cowboys are allowing 173.5 rushing yards per game and their win over the Commanders might have turned out differently had Washington not lost quarterback Jayden Daniels to injury on the final play of the first half. Daniels was carving up the Cowboys with his feet; he had 69 rushing yards in the half. Derrick Henry is second in the league in rushing (212 yards) and QB Lamar Jackson is seventh in the NFL in total passing yards and is averaging a league-leading 10 yards per attempt. Jackson also has 74 yards rushing this season. Baltimore hasn’t been perfect, with injuries limiting what Jackson can do in the passing game. WR Zay Flowers had 150 yards in the first half of Week 1 but hasn’t played since because of a hamstring. Uncertain field conditions might give first-year head coach Jesse Minter pause about playing Flowers this week. The Cowboys can also go right at a Baltimore secondary that didn’t hold up well against the Saints in a home loss last week. Dak Prescott threw four TD passes Week 2.

Filed Under: NFL

NFL Previews: 1pm Games

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DETROIT – (Wire Service Previews) – The Detroit Lions are at home for a match-up against the New York JETS.

New York Jets (1-1) at Detroit Lions (1-1)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Lions -6.5, Total 47.5
Series Rewind: The road team has won four consecutive games in this matchup. The Lions defeated the Jets 20-17 in the last meeting in 2022.

Aaron Glenn returns to Detroit with one of the league’s statistical leaders in defense. Glenn coached with Lions head coach Dan Campbell for eight years — four in New Orleans when they both served on Sean Payton’s coaching staff and four as his defensive coordinator with the Lions — and they know each other well. But Glenn insists he’s in the Motor City not for nostalgia but to add to Detroit’s defensive misfortune. They’re allowing more than 35 points per game so far. Lions QB Jared Goff was always quick to tip a cap to Glenn during his time as Detroit’s defensive coordinator. Now that he’s preparing to play Glenn’s defense again, he’s seeing a full team in green taking on the identity of their no-nonsense coach who believes the aggressor usually wins. The Jets haven’t turned the ball over in the first two games of the regular season for the first time in more than 50 years. Last week they had a chance to put the Packers away in regulation and failed to gain traction in overtime. The secondary, in part due to injuries, has been a nightmare for the Lions. That’s not great news with WR Garrett Wilson forming a strong rapport with QB Geno Smith. Goff and WR Amon-Ra St. Brown are clicking, too. St. Brown has two TD catches in each of the first two games and is on pace for more than 130 receptions.

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Seattle Seahawks (2-0) at Washington Commanders (0-2)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Seahawks -7.5, Total 40.5
Series Rewind: Seattle has won three of the last four meetings, including a 38-14 road romp in Week 9 last season. That snapped a streak of four straight games in the series that were decided by five or fewer points.

The defending Super Bowl champion Seahawks are allowing only 8.5 points and 214.0 yards of offense per game, a significant challenge for a Washington offense playing without electric quarterback Jayden Daniels (elbow). Seattle coach Mike Macdonald (29-10, including playoffs) can become just the sixth head coach since 1970 to win 30 of his first 40 games, joining George Seifert, Matt LaFleur, Chuck Knox, Ted Marchibroda and Steve Mariucci. After leading the league with 1,793 receiving yards in 2025, Seahawks star Jaxon Smith-Njigba currently is on pace for more than 2,300 yards. Quarterback Sam Darnold (glute) was a full participant in Thursday’s practice. The Commanders will once again turn to Marcus Mariota, who has a winning record (2-1) in his career vs. Seattle. Washington is 2-0 in home openers under coach Dan Quinn, who will need to see improvement from a secondary that has already allowed seven touchdown passes. Veteran Stefon Diggs has three TD catches but has never found the end zone in four previous games against Seattle.

Los Angeles Chargers (0-2) at Buffalo Bills (2-0)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Bills -7.5, Total 50.5
Series Rewind: The Bills have won the past two meetings after losing the previous four. Josh Allen is 2-1 against the Chargers.

The Bills lead the NFL with 77 points after beating the Texans and the Lions while the Chargers tallied just 28 in losses to the Cardinals and Raiders. Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen was in fine form last week by throwing for three touchdowns and rushing for two during a 41-31 home win over the Lions. Allen has passed for 582 yards and five touchdowns and rushed for 92 yards and four scores. James Cook III rushed for 135 yards and a touchdown against Detroit and is fifth in the league with 192 rushing yards. Tight end Dalton Kincaid is off to a big start with 12 receptions for 225 yards and one score. Buffalo hopes star defensive tackle Ed Oliver (hip) can make it this week after sitting out against Detroit. The Chargers are looking to avoid their first 0-3 start since 2017, which came in their first season in Los Angeles after the controversial move from San Diego. Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert was supposed to take off under new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel but the results haven’t matched that forecast. Herbert has passed for just 401 yards — 23rd in the NFL — with two touchdowns and three interceptions. His 59.3 completion rate is well off his career mark of 66.4. Ladd McConkey (eight for 117) is the lone receiver with more than 75 yards but has just nine yards after the catch. The defense has just three sacks and one takeaway, an interception by cornerback Cam Hart.

Tennessee Titans (0-2) at New York Giants (1-1)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Giants -2.5, Total 38.5
Series Rewind: After losing five straight meetings with Tennessee, New York has taken two of the last three. The Titans are 3-0 in the 21st century against the Giants in East Rutherford, N.J., including a 17-0 win in 2018.

First-year Tennessee head coach Robert Saleh is back at MetLife Stadium, where he coached the Jets from 2021-24. Titans offensive coordinator Brian Daboll also returns to East Rutherford, where he guided the Giants from 2022-25 and earned 2022 NFL Coach of the Year honors. Daboll’s replacement, John Harbaugh, opened his Big Apple tenure with a Week 1 victory against the rival Cowboys but then lost starting QB Jaxson Dart for the rest of the regular season to a knee injury in Monday’s loss to the Rams. Jameis Winston is a capable backup with a 5,000-yard season on his resume, but he has not won a start since November 2024 with the Browns. The former No. 1 overall pick could use some help from Cam Skattebo, who has gained 402 scrimmage yards and scored five rushing touchdowns in four career home games. Tennessee is looking to avoid a third straight 0-3 start after letting a win against the Eagles slip away last weekend in Nashville. Titans receiver Wan’Dale Robinson played for the Giants from 2022-25.

Kansas City Chiefs (2-0) at Miami Dolphins (0-2)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Chiefs -10.5, Total 45.5
Series Rewind: Kansas City has won five straight games against Miami to take a 17-16 lead in the all-time series. The Dolphins last beat the Chiefs in 2011.

The Chiefs have already scored 31-plus points as many times in two games this season as they did all of last season. But after a pair of home victories over Denver and Indianapolis, Kansas City hits the road for the first time this weekend at Miami. Patrick Mahomes hasn’t missed a step in his return from injury, passing for 566 yards and five touchdowns (to five different receivers) against one interception. The Chiefs’ defense, however, is looking for improvement after giving up 24 first downs in the overtime win over the Colts. A Miami offense which is second-worst in the NFL in scoring offense (13 points per game) could be what ails that for Kansas City. Offseason acquisition Malik Willis has thrown for 417 yards, one touchdown and one interception through his first two games. He’s also been sacked nine times, while Miami’s defense is the only one in the league still looking for its first sack of the season.

Cincinnati Bengals (2-0) at Pittsburgh Steelers (1-1)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Bengals -3.5, Total 42.5
Series Rewind: The AFC North foes have split their season series each of the last two seasons, with the home teams both winning in 2025 and road teams each winning in 2024. Pittsburgh leads the all-time series 72-41.

Cincinnati is seeking its first 3-0 start since 2015. In order to get there, it’ll need to beat Pittsburgh on the road, which it has done three times in the previous five seasons. While the Bengals’ offense has been clicking with Joe Burrow getting both Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins heavily involved in the passing game, the defense led the way in last week’s 20-6 win over Houston, keeping the Texans out of the end zone and limiting them to 60 rushing yards and a 29.4% success rate on third down (5-for-17). Pittsburgh is hoping to move past a 20-3 loss at New England. The Steelers’ offense completed just 2 of 12 third downs, with Aaron Rodgers limited to 187 passing yards. Pittsburgh surrendered a fourth-quarter strip-sack which was returned for a touchdown and effectively put the game to bed. Rodgers is still seeking his first completion this season on a pass that travels 20-plus yards in the air.

New England Patriots (1-1) at Jacksonville Jaguars (1-1)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Jaguars -2.5, Total 45.5
Series Rewind: New England won eight straight games over the Jaguars from 2003-18, including the AFC championship game to end that streak. But Jacksonville has won two of the three matchups since, home games in 2018 and 2024.

New England, which was a perfect 8-0 in regular-season road games a season ago, looks to start a new road winning streak at Jacksonville after losing its first game of this season at Seattle in Week 1. The Jaguars have won five straight regular-season home games dating back to last season. Patriots quarterback Drake Maye is still looking to get into gear off his second-place NFL MVP finish last season, with one touchdown to four interceptions through the first two games. New England’s defense, which is allowing a league-best 8.0 points per game, has carried the day through these early struggles. Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence had a stellar debut (four touchdowns to four different players) but was then held under 200 yards and without a touchdown in last week’s 20-6 win at Denver. Parker Washington (181 yards) has carried over the success he found in his breakthrough 2025 campaign.

 

“It’s On to Tampa Bay”

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FENWAY – (Staff Report from Official Team News Statement) – Major League Baseball announced today that the Red Sox series finale against the Chicago Cubs will be relocated to Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida. Originally set for 7:15 p.m. on September 25 at Fenway Park, the new game is scheduled for 3:05 p.m. on Sunday, September 26 at the home of the Tampa Bay Rays.

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The change was made in continued consultation with the Boston Red Sox and the Chicago Cubs due to the unchanged forecast of a major nor’easter expected to bring heavy rain, high winds, and potential flooding to the region during the weekend. Tickets purchased directly from the Red Sox will be automatically refunded back to the original payment. The ticket will hold no cash value. Refunds will be completed within 7 days. Sunday’s game will be televised on NESN

Red Sox Rally Past Cubs

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FENWAY – (Wire Service Report) – Boston left fielder Roman Anthony went 3-for-3 with three runs, including one on Connor Wong’s tie-breaking RBI double in the seventh inning, leading the Red Sox to a 4-3 win over the visiting Chicago Cubs in the first game of their Friday doubleheader.

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Anthony hit two doubles and walked before lining a one-out triple down the right field line off Cubs reliever Aaron Civale (6-8) to spark the Red Sox in the seventh. Wong then drove in Anthony, lining a double over third baseman Matt Shaw’s leap and into the left field corner.

Adley Rutschman was 2-for-4 with two RBIs for the Red Sox (86-74), tying the game with a two-run single in the fifth.

Greg Weissert (4-2) pitched 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief to earn the victory. Raymond Burgos locked down his second save of the season, striking out three of the final six batters.

Shaw and Michael Busch both had multiple hits and Miguel Amaya drove in two for the Cubs (88-72), who clinched a National League playoff berth Thursday and remain in the running to host a wild-card series.

Alex Bregman returned to Chicago’s lineup just five days after sustaining multiple facial fractures from a foul ball. He went 0-for-4 as the designated hitter.

The Cubs struck first in the opening frame. After Red Sox opener Alec Gamboa struck out leadoff hitter Pete Crow-Armstrong, Seiya Suzuki walked and scored when Tyrone Taylor hit a two-out RBI double into the wind and off the Green Monster two batters later.

Back-to-back hits by Shaw and Busch to start the second helped Chicago extend its lead to 3-0. After Shaw was cut down on Dansby Swanson’s fielder’s choice, Amaya knocked a two-run double down the left field line.

The Red Sox wasted Anthony’s leadoff double in the first and two on with one out in the second, but cut into their deficit with a run in the third. Anthony drew a leadoff walk and reached second on Rutschman’s single to right before scoring on shortstop Swanson’s overthrow while attempting to double up Wilyer Abreu.

Rutschman’s game-tying single up the middle came after Caleb Thielbar relieved Holmes in the fifth. Setting the table, Isiah Kiner-Falefa hit a leadoff single to left before Anthony doubled into the corner.

Jake Bennett pitched 3+ innings of three-hit shutout ball behind Gamboa.

Cubs starter Clay Holmes allowed three runs (two earned) in his 4 1/3-inning start.

Red Sox catcher Mickey Gasper left with right biceps discomfort after striking out in the fifth.

–Field Level Media

The Road to Inglewood via Jacksonville

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JACKSONVILLE – (Wire Service Preview) – The New England Patriots were the best road team in the NFL last season, a perfect 8-0 in the regular season.

New England travels to Jacksonville on Sunday afternoon looking to start a new streak against the Jaguars. The Patriots lost at Seattle to begin the regular season.

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It won’t be easy against a Jacksonville crew going for its sixth consecutive regular-season home win dating back to last season.

“They play well at home. They’ve been getting great first-half leads,” Patriots coach Mike Vrabel said of Jacksonville. “They feast off turnovers. They’ve been creating turnovers and turning those into points.”

Division winners in the AFC last season, Jacksonville and New England have taken opposing paths to their respective 1-1 records.

The Jaguars opened with a convincing win over the Cleveland Browns before blowing a fourth-quarter lead in last week’s 20-13 loss at Denver.

Trevor Lawrence threw a touchdown pass to four different receivers in the opening win, then was held under 200 passing yards with no touchdowns against the Broncos.

Jacksonville hasn’t found the same consistent offensive success as it had in Liam Coen’s first season as head coach.

The 2025 Jaguars finished sixth in the NFL in scoring offense (27.9 points per game) and 11th in total offense (337.4 yards per game). This year’s team ranks 15th in scoring (23.5 ppg) and total offense (314.0 ypg) through two games.

Wide receivers Brian Thomas Jr. (80 yards) and Jakobi Meyers (68) and tight end Brenton Strange (48) haven’t carried over their production which buoyed the 2025 offense.

Parker Washington, however, has built on his breakthrough 2025 campaign, following up his 847 yards and five TDs with a team-high 181 yards and a touchdown this season.

“Obviously, he’s super talented. He gets open, creates separation. He’s a really good route runner, great ball skills, can make contested catches. All those things are part of it,” Lawrence said of Washington’s success. “I trust him. Our chemistry has grown more and more over the past year of him being put in a lot of different situations and excelling and winning his 1-on-1s. All those things kind of play into that.”

New England features a lockdown cornerback in Christian Gonzalez, who has excelled since signing a record-breaking four-year, $135 million extension before the regular season began. Gonzalez locked up DK Metcalf in the Patriots’ win last week. Washington isn’t the same type of physical specimen, but has been more productive.

He’s No. 2 in the NFL in target share behind Jaxon Smith-Njigba at 36.7% which is why he warrants the attention of Gonzalez.

The Patriots were unable to beat the Drew Lock-led Seahawks in their opener but bounced back with a resounding 20-3 home win over Aaron Rodgers and Pittsburgh last week.

New England is allowing a league-best 8.0 points per game, while Drake Maye scrambles to recapture the momentum of his second-place MVP finish last season.

The third-year quarterback has one touchdown pass and four interceptions. Vrabel is trusting the process over the early results.

“Being decisive, believing in what you see,” Vrabel said of what he wants to see from Maye. “All we ask all our players to do is prepare to try to play fast and aggressively and make great decisions. So, yeah, we could always say, ‘Man, we should have let that one rip,’ or ‘We’ve got to make a better decision.’

“Ultimately, it’s his responsibility to be able to distribute the football as quickly and decisively as possible in the places that it’s supposed to go.”

Meyers (thumb), running back LeQuint Allen Jr. (hip), offensive linemen Robert Hainsey (elbow/groin) and Cole Van Lanen (knee) as well as defensive tackle DaVon Hamilton (back) were all limited in Jacksonville’s practice on Thursday. Cornerback Christian Braswell (knee) pracaticed in full one day after being limited.

A pair of New England linebackers in Dre’Mont Jones (shoulder) and Quintayvious Hutchins (knee), along with safety Craig Woodson (shoulder) and tight end Eli Raridon (thigh) didn’t practice Thursday, while starting right tackle Morgan Moses (foot) was limited.

Jacksonville has won the last two times it hosted New England, most recently in 2024, but the Patriots hold a 12-3 edge in the all-time series, including postseason play.

–Field Level Media

Cubs Visit Cold, Rainy Boston for Finale

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – As Boston braces for an extended nor’easter, the Red Sox and the visiting Chicago Cubs are looking to get ahead of the storm and make sure baseball gets played with a Friday doubleheader.

The teams will begin their final regular-season series with 1:05 and 6:05 p.m. games today. The opener originally was slated for Sunday. The clubs’ final regular-season game remains set for Saturday night, but it could be moved to another location with multiple days of continued wind and rain in the Boston-area forecast.

“There have been discussions around an alternate site. They’ve talked about a handful of different places. But at this point, nothing is concrete,” Red Sox manager Chad Tracy said before his team’s 1-0 loss to the Cleveland Guardians on Thursday.

The Cubs (88-71) earned a 2-1 win over the Miami Marlins on Thursday afternoon, clinching their second straight postseason berth.

It was a memorable day in Chicago even before the result. Pete Crow-Armstrong became the seventh 40-homer, 40-steal player in major league history after stealing second base in the first inning. The National League MVP favorite has 45 homers to go with his 40 steals.

“You’re just part of enjoying it,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. “And I think it’s the things you remember about the job, moments like that and moments that he’s provided all of us.”

Chicago’s Seiya Suzuki homered and Nico Hoerner had the deciding RBI in the playoff clincher.

The Cubs have work to do this weekend if they want to host a best-of-three wild-card series. Chicago sits in the second NL wild-card spot, one game behind the San Diego Padres (89-70) and one game up on the Philadelphia Phillies (87-72). The top wild-card team stays home through the opening round of the playoffs.

“It’s a time when things feel stronger — the end of the season with a lot on the line,” Hoerner said. “Those are also times with the greatest opportunity, too. So just really leaning into all of it.”

The Cubs are expected to start Clay Holmes (6-8, 3.25 ERA) and David Peterson (9-8, 4.96) — both midseason acquisitions from the New York Mets — in the Friday games.

Holmes allowed six runs in 5 1/3 innings in a Sept. 18 loss to the Cincinnati Reds, and he is 0-2 with a 9.39 ERA in three starts this month. He has faced the Red Sox 21 times in his career (one start), going 4-2 with a 3.42 ERA and four saves.

Peterson threw six innings of one-run ball while fanning seven in each of his past two outings, including Sunday against the Reds. He is 2-1 with a 2.79 ERA in five career outings (three starts) opposite Boston.

The Red Sox (85-74) have lost four of their last five, scoring no more than two runs in any contest over that span. The recent series loss to Cleveland finished a split of consecutive 1-0 games, a Red Sox win on Wednesday and a Guardians victory on Thursday.

In the series finale, Boston managed only two hits, singles by Nick Sogard and Jarren Duran, wasting a solid five-inning pitching performance from Ranger Suarez.

Andruw Monasterio snapped an 0-for-21 skid with a game-winning RBI single the previous night.

“Over these next three games, if you see some (offense) bust out, that would be great,” Tracy said. “We did have some quality plate appearances from certain guys, which was good to see.”

Tracy’s lineup on Thursday included Ceddanne Rafaela in center field. One night earlier, Rafaela exited the game due to right hamstring tightness. However, first baseman Willson Contreras sat out his sixth game in a row.

Contreras was hit in the right hand by a pitch a week ago, and he couldn’t swing a bat the past two days. Tracy hopes to have him back for postseason play on Tuesday, but the first baseman gave a disappointing update about his condition.

“It’s really frustrating when you’re doing the best you can do, you’re expecting to heal faster and it doesn’t happen,” Contreras said.

Rookie southpaw Alec Gamboa (1-0, 1.16 ERA) will pitch for the Red Sox in the Friday afternoon game. He has made 20 appearances this season, including two outings as an opener. In his past 13 outings, he has allowed just two runs, one earned, in 18 innings (0.50 ERA).

Gamboa will be facing the Cubs for the first time.

Right-hander Brayan Bello (6-7, 4.49) is slated to start the nightcap after striking out 11 Tampa Bay Rays over eight innings of one-run ball on Saturday.

In two career starts vs. the Cubs, Bello is 1-1 with a 4.50 ERA.

–Field Level Media