Digital Sports Desk

Online Destination for the Best in Boston Sports

Digital Sports Desk

MLB: Positive Signs from Fans

by

NEW YORK – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Major League Baseball attendance experienced its largest growth in 30 years in 2023, the league announced in a statement. Total attendance of 70,747,365 was up 9.6 percent over 2022 (64,556,636) and the average attendance of 29,295 was up 9.1 percent.

Seventeen of the 30 teams drew more than 2.5 million fans, matching the most in MLB history, and eight attracted more than 3 million.

Eleven weekends drew more than 1.5 million fans, compared to a total of five such weekends over the previous four full seasons (2018-19, 2021-22) combined.

Spectators also set streaming records this season with 12.7 billion minutes watched on MLB.TV, a 9 percent boost from last season’s total of 11.7 billion.

The number of users watching MLB.TV increased by 14 percent from 2022 and fans watched 17 percent more games than last season.

Factoring into the sport’s increased watchability was the marked decrease in the average length of the games, thanks in part to pitch clocks. Games in 2023 averaged 2 hours, 39 minutes and 49 seconds, the shortest since 1985 and a decrease of 24 minutes from last season. Only nine games lasted 3 1/2 hours or longer, down from 390 such games back in 2021.

–Field Level Media

MNF: Sleepless in The Meadowlands

by

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Rookie cornerback Devon Witherspoon returned an interception 97 yards for a touchdown and had two of Seattle’s 11 sacks as the Seahawks continued their Monday night mastery with a 24-3 victory against the New York Giants in New Jersey.

Embed from Getty Images

Kenneth Walker III rushed for 79 yards and a touchdown and Geno Smith threw a TD pass to DK Metcalf as the Seahawks (3-1) improved to 29-12 all-time on “Monday Night Football,” with their .707 winning percentage the best in league history.

Seattle’s sack total tied the franchise’s single-game record.

The Giants (1-3), who played without star running back Saquon Barkley (ankle), managed just 248 yards of total offense.

New York quarterback Daniel Jones completed 27 of 34 passes for 203 yards with two interceptions and a lost fumble. He also rushed for a team-high 66 yards on 10 carries.

With the Giants trailing 14-3 late in the third quarter, Jones scrambled for a 10-yard gain on fourth-and-1 from the Seattle 16 on New York’s lone trip into the red zone. Two plays later, Jones tried to hit Parris Campbell, but the throw was behind the receiver and was picked off by Witherspoon.

Smith finished with 110 yards on 13-of-20 passing. He missed the final 9:28 of the second quarter while being evaluated for a knee injury. Drew Lock stepped in under center and led a TD drive in Smith’s absence.

The Seahawks opened the scoring on the final play of the first quarter. Smith scrambled to his right and threw a 6-yard touchdown pass to a diving Metcalf in the back corner of the end zone. That capped a two-play drive set up by Mario Edwards Jr., who sacked Jones and forced a fumble that was recovered by Jordyn Brooks at the New York 15-yard line and returned to the 7.

The Giants, who have yet to score a first-half touchdown this season, got a 55-yard field goal from Graham Gano with 3:05 remaining before intermission.

Lock led the Seahawks on a seven play, 75-yard drive, capped by Walker’s 1-yard scoring run, to make it 14-3 with 1:39 left in the second quarter. Walker’s TD plunge came after a third-and-10 screen pass to tight end Noah Fant, who broke a tackle and tight-roped down the sideline for 51 yards to the 1.

Seahawks safety Jamal Adams, playing in his first game since tearing his quadriceps in the 2022 season opener, lasted just nine plays before sustaining a concussion when getting kneed in the head while trying to make a tackle on a scrambling Jones. Adams didn’t return.

–Field Level Media

NFL: Week 4 Previews

by

NFL Week 4 Preview Capsules

(Staff and Wire Service/Field Level Media Report)

Falcons (2-1) vs. Jaguars (1-2), in London: Atlanta rookie Bijan Robinson entered the week leading all running backs with 14 receptions. The Falcons rarely threaten over the top, relying on QB Desmond Ridder to manage the game with high-percentage passes and Robinson to pair with Tyler Allgeier to move the chains. TE Kyle Pitts had a career-high nine receptions for 119 yards in his previous International Series game. In the franchise’s ninth game at Wembley Stadium, the Jaguars look to former Falcons WR Calvin Ridley to spark the offense. RB Travis Etienne had 138 yards from scrimmage last week and Atlanta is giving up 117.7 rushing yards per game.

Dolphins (3-0) vs. Bills (2-1): No team has ever produced more yards in the first three games of the season than Miami (1,651) and the Dolphins are on pace to set the NFL scoring record with an average of 43.3 per game entering Week 4. But Buffalo has won eight of the past nine meetings in the AFC East rivalry and the Bills’ defense is out to prove a point this week. Buffalo’s defense became the first since the Chicago Bears (1985) with nine sacks and four INTs in a game. The Bills have drilled the Las Vegas Raiders and Washington Commanders by a combined score of 75-13 since the Week 1 overtime loss to the New York Jets. QB Josh Allen averaged 317.7 yards and three TD passes (zero interceptions) in his past three games in the matchup. Tua Tagovailoa had three TDs and zero INTs in two starts against the Bills in 2022.

Broncos (0-3) vs. Bears (0-3): Good luck finding two NFL teams more eager to get back on the field than these winless clubs. The Bears have lost 13 straight games dating back to last season, surrendering at least 25 points in each contest. Denver allowed 70 points to the Dolphins in a 50-point blowout loss at Miami in Week 3 and has a 6-20 record since Thanksgiving 2021. Broncos QB Russell Wilson hasn’t played poorly with 300-yard games in back-to-back starts. The Bears are trying to unlock Justin Fields from a mystifying start. Fields was sacked 13 times and had a 67.7 passer rating in the first three games.

Vikings (0-3) vs. Panthers (0-3): Rookie QB Bryce Young found his energy during a week on the mend from an ankle injury and showed some spark in Panthers’ practice this week. Carolina had 27 points in a loss at Seattle with Andy Dalton running the offense, matching the point total Young produced in the first two games. Head coach Frank Reich plans to work the ball to lead receiver Adam Thielen (20 receptions), who spent 10 seasons with the Vikings before being released in the offseason. Minnesota has six receivers with a TD catch — QB Kirk Cousins leads the NFL with 9 TDs — but still hasn’t scored in the first quarter. A faster start could be salve for a team wounded by turnovers, namely seven lost fumbles, though Cousins would realize a huge benefit from a more stable running game. Minnesota’s offensive line woes have hindered the ground game to just 66.3 yards per game.

Browns (2-1) vs. Ravens (2-1): Cleveland’s No. 1-ranked defense had Titans QB Ryan Tannehill seeing ghosts last week when he wasn’t sprinting the opposite direction of DE Myles Garrett. The Browns allowed just one offensive touchdown in three games while leading the NFL in both scoring defense (10.7 points allowed per game) and total defense (163.7 yards allowed per game). The scoring average would be even lower if the Pittsburgh Steelers didn’t score two defensive touchdowns in the Week 2 matchup. If the offense catches up in Cleveland, watch out. The Browns are minus-5 in turnover differential and have split the past four games with the Ravens. When QB Lamar Jackson has time, he can deliver from the pocket. He leads the NFL in completion percentage on passes thrown beyond the sticks. Health was a major hurdle last week with seven starters, four on offense, out in the tie with the Colts. That forced Jackson to run more often, which tends to work out, too. He posted his 13th career 100-yard game. Jackson is 5-1 in his past six starts against the Browns.

Texans (1-2) vs. Steelers (2-1): The Texans blitzed the Jacksonville Jaguars for a 37-17 win last week and rookie QB C.J. Stroud went 20-for-30 passing for 280 yards and two touchdowns. Dealing with Pittsburgh’s defense, which has eight takeaways, presents a greater challenge. Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans called pass rusher T.J. Watt “probably the most impactful defensive player in the league.” Watt has a league-high 6.0 sacks and two fumble recoveries (tied with Colts defensive end Kwity Paye) through three games. Houston’s hope is to use a page from Ryans’ previous team – he was defensive coordinator of the 49ers prior to taking over the Texans – and make Pittsburgh one-dimensional. The Steelers rank 30th in the NFL in rushing offense (67 yards per game), but they surpassed 100 yards for the first time against Las Vegas with 105. Najee Harris is averaging 4.0 yards per carry but has only 35 in three games.

Colts (2-1) vs. Rams (1-2): On the road for the third time in four games, the Rams are planning for two quarterbacks but expecting rookie Anthony Richardson to get the call after sitting out last week in concussion protocol. The Colts harassed Lamar Jackson with blitz pressures last week and have 12 sacks and a plus-2 turnover differential, numbers that mean something when you start a rookie QB. Indianapolis is also finding its footing with a rushing attack that featured Zack Moss (145 yards from scrimmage at Baltimore) again. With no such running game (84 yards per game), the Rams are exposing QB Matthew Stafford to heavy fire. He has been sacked seven times with four interceptions this season.

Saints (2-1) vs. Buccaneers (2-1): RB Alvin Kamara returns from a three-game suspension with the Saints welcoming Baker Mayfield to New Orleans for the first time. The Bucs swept the series in 2022 but have a new look without Tom Brady. Mayfield has done his part and established a strong rapport with WR Mike Evans (17 receptions for 297 yards, three TDs) while waiting for a bigger boost from the ground game. The Bucs won’t hold much back with an early bye in Week 5. New Orleans might not have its new QB under center this week as Derek Carr (shoulder) is week-to-week. Jameis Winston couldn’t hold a 17-0 lead at Green Bay last week but is anxious for another shot at his former team. Winston has eight TD passes in four career home starts for the Saints.

Eagles (3-0) vs. Commanders (2-1): First-year starting QB Sam Howell crashed from a 2-0 start in a 37-3 loss to the Bills in Week 3. Howell and the Commanders lost 32-31 at Philadelphia last season and have dropped three of the past four in the series. One new face the Commanders will greet is first-round pick Jalen Carter, who has six pressures on six double-team pass-rushing opportunities and gets more attention from offensive linemen every week. The Eagles have had no reservations handing the ball off this season (185.7 yards per game) and are giving up just 48.3 yards per game on the ground. The Eagles are 3-0 for the second consecutive season for the first time since 1992-93. Jalen Hurts had six touchdowns (five passing) in his last two starts against Washington.

Chargers (1-2) vs. Raiders (1-2): The Raiders have three quarterbacks on their roster, and any of them could take the field on Sunday afternoon at the Los Angeles Chargers. Jimmy Garoppolo started and finished the first three games of the season for Las Vegas, but he was placed in concussion protocol following a 23-18 loss to the visiting Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday night. Raiders coach Josh McDaniels said that Garoppolo was still in protocol on Wednesday and did not practice but has been participating in meetings. If he’s not cleared, 37-year-old journeyman Brian Hoyer would make his 41st career start. Hoyer has 12 consecutive losses as a starter and the Raiders are tied for 29th in the NFL in points per game (15.0). The Chargers are second in the NFL in total offense but have only one win because they’ve allowed 29 points per game. The Chargers prevented another agonizing last-minute loss by intercepting a pass in the end zone with under 10 seconds left. Austin Ekeler, the No. 1 running back for Los Angeles, returned to practice on Wednesday but was limited after missing the past two games with an ankle injury.

Cowboys (2-1) vs. Patriots (1-2): Dak Prescott starts for the 101st time in his career going for a duplication of his previous performance against the Patriots. Prescott passed for more yards than a Bill Belichick defense has ever allowed (445 yards, three TDs) in the 35-29 win over New England in 2021. The Cowboys’ passing game isn’t clicking on all cylinders leading to a huge workload for Tony Pollard, the NFL leader in total touches through three games. He’ll get a chance to prove his value as Ezekiel Elliott returns to Dallas as a backup with the Patriots. New England has gone 16 games in a row without scoring 28 points but the Patriots snuck past the Jets last week with a 15-point effort.

49ers (3-0) vs. Cardinals (1-2): Fresh off of his first career win, QB Josh Dobbs gets a close-up with the clamp-down defense of the 49ers. San Francisco’s hard-hitting back seven vows to treat Dobbs like a running back after he rushing for 55 yards in a healthy diet of RPO calls that slowed down the Cowboys’ pass rush. Dobbs leans heavily on TE Zach Ertz, who has just 83 yards on 14 receptions. The 49ers have allowed 42 points this season and only 12 total in the second half. QB Brock Purdy hasn’t thrown an interception and is 10-0 in games he has started and finished, including the playoffs. San Francisco is two wins shy of the franchise streak for consecutive regular-season wins and currently have 13 victories in a row, which includes two over the Cardinals last season by a combined scored of 76-23.

Jets (1-2) vs. Chiefs (2-1): Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is 5-0 on SNF with 14 TDs and threw five TD passes the last time he faced the Jets. New York’s offense continues to be reshaped without Aaron Rodgers as QB Zach Wilson reacclimates to the leading role and the Jets work through offensive line issues that are stunting the running game (91.3 yards per game). Chiefs TE Travis Kelce has two TD catches and leads the team with 11 receptions despite missing Week 1 with a knee injury and rookie WR Rashee Rice leads the WR corps with 10 grabs. Kansas City surrendered only 40 points in the first three games — 20 in the fourth quarter — and the Chiefs have 8.0 sacks. The Jets, averaging 14 points per game in 2023, look to establish big-play back Breece Hall (147 yards from scrimmage in Week 1) and Dalvin Cook to open up passing lanes for Wilson downfield.

Giants (1-2) vs. Seahawks (2-1): Seattle has formed a dynamic 1-2 punch at running back alongside QB Geno Smith with Kenneth Walker and Zach Charbonnet combining for 277 rushing yards and 11 receptions. The Giants’ run defense was gouged for 138 rushing yards per game and six TDs in the first three games. Teams that load up to stuff the run must contend with DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett and Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who’ve caught 37 of Smith’s 71 completions this season. QB Daniel Jones would enjoy the return of RB Saquon Barkley (ankle), who had 38 touches in the first two games. Without Barkley last week, Jones was under attack. Trouble has found the Giants when they fall behind. Jones has been sacked 12 times and has only one completion over 30 yards.

–Field Level Media

Boston College with Comeback Win

by

CHESTNUT HILL – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Liam Connor’s 42-yard field goal with 2:11 remaining helped Boston College overcome an early two-score deficit to beat visiting Virginia 27-24 in Saturday’s Atlantic Coast Conference contest in Boston.

Embed from Getty Images

Thomas Castellanos shook off a pair of first-half interceptions and finished 16-of-26 passing for 183 yards and touchdowns to Joseph Griffin Jr. and Lewis Bond in the third quarter. The scores highlighted the Eagles’ (2-3, 1-2 ACC) 17-point run to erase a 21-7 deficit.

BC outgained the visitors 176-12 in the third, ultimately taking the lead on Bond’s 33-yard touchdown reception at 1:04 of the quarter.

After BC scored on four straight drives, the Cavaliers forced back-to-back fumbles but only managed to tie the game on Will Bettridge’s 44-yard field goal with 7:10 left in regulation.

Bond logged a game-high 104 yards on seven receptions. Pat Garwo accounted for 87 of BC’s 203 total yards and a touchdown on the ground. Castellanos also ran for 78 yards.

Virginia (0-5, 0-2) quarterback Tony Muskett was 22 of 34 for 247 yards and three touchdowns in his first start since suffering a shoulder injury in the season opener against Tennessee. Malik Washington (9 receptions, 97 yards) and Malachi Fields each caught touchdowns for Virginia.

Star BC receiver Ryan O’Keefe was carted off the field after colliding with Virginia cornerback Malcolm Greene early in the fourth quarter.

BC first cut into its deficit when Connor drilled a 42-yard field goal to complete an 11-play, 63-yard drive over the first 5:10 of the third quarter.

After forcing a 3-and-out, BC needed just four plays to score on Griffin’s 4-yard, over-the-shoulder catch with 6:09 left in the third.

Elijah Jones hauled in BC’s first interception of the season on the following series, and Bond’s go-ahead score capped a 9-play, 65-yard drive.

Muskett led a 10-play, 75-yard drive off the opening kickoff, finding Mike Hollins out of the backfield for a 5-yard score 4:35 into the game.

The Cavaliers forced a turnover on downs and intercepted a Castellanos pass on BC’s second and third series, respectively, before doubling their lead on Washington’s 18-yard touchdown with 12:11 left until halftime.

Castellanos got the Eagles moving as a 34-yard strike to Bond along the sideline set up Garwo’s 2-yard rushing score with 47 seconds left in the first half.

Fields hauled in a 39-yard Hail Mary touchdown as the first-half clock expired to give Virginia a 21-7 lead.

–Field Level Media

Orioles Keep Eye on Playoffs

by

As Red Sox and Orioles Close Out the Regular Season, Orioles Look Ahead and the Red Sox Look to Rebuild

BALTIMORE – The Baltimore Orioles have had a win mentality all season. They don’t want to back off during the last weekend of the regular season.

The Baltimore Orioles have had a win mentality all season. They don’t want to back off during the last weekend of the regular season.

“I still want to play well,” manager Brandon Hyde said. “I want to play to win.”

The Orioles and visiting Boston Red Sox will meet in the third game of their four-game series on Saturday night.

Embed from Getty Images

The Orioles (100-60) had won five in a row before losing 3-0 on Friday, a night after they clinched the American League East title with a 2-0 victory over the Red Sox.

“It was a big night for us (Thursday) night, and we just didn’t play our best baseball (on Friday), and those things happen,” Hyde said. “Hopefully, we’ll rebound and play a better game.”

Boston (77-83) ended a five-game skid on Friday.

“There’s a lot of good things that are happening in that clubhouse,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “They’re still playing hard.”

Boston’s offense still has holes. The Red Sox ended a 23-inning scoreless streak when Trevor Story hit a two-run homer in the fifth inning on Friday, but it still was far from an offensive outburst.

The Red Sox aren’t done learning about their personnel, even with just two games left in the season. That’s what was among the takeaways from seeing Nick Pivetta throw seven shutout innings and strike out 10 on Friday.

“It has been fun to watch,” Cora said. “He’s going to work hard in the offseason to keep getting better. He should be one of the guys next year when we talk about it.”

The Orioles have more pressing matters. Though they will have nearly a week off before opening the playoffs at home on Oct. 7, they want to start formalizing a plan, and that could dictate some moves this weekend.

“Nothing’s set in stone right now,” Hyde said. “We’re seeing who we’re playing (in the first postseason series), and we have some time.”

Hyde gave right fielder Anthony Santander the night off Friday, putting Heston Kjerstad in the lineup for his first start in the outfield.

“You’re going to see him play probably two, if not all three, of these games and give him the at-bats,” Hyde said. “I want to give him four or five at-bats a night if I can and see what he’s like against big-league pitching.”

Right-hander Kyle Gibson (15-9, 4.86 ERA), who already has a career-high win total, will be the Orioles’ starting pitcher on Saturday. Baltimore has won three of four September games pitched by Gibson, who is 2-1 with a 2.96 ERA in those contests. He faced the Red Sox in the season opener on March 30 and earned a win despite giving up four runs in five-plus innings.

Gibson will make his career-high 33rd start. He is 4-4 with a 3.72 ERA in nine career starts against Boston.

The Red Sox are set to give the ball to right-hander Kutter Crawford (6-8, 4.23), who has gone six consecutive outings without a victory. Boston went 1-5 in those games, while Crawford was 0-2 with a 6.26 ERA. Most recently, he yielded three runs in 5 1/3 innings during a 3-2 loss to the Chicago White Sox on Sunday.

Crawford surrendered 11 runs across 3 2/3 innings covering two appearances (one start) last year in his only career matchups with the Orioles.

Baltimore is 6-5 in September home games, dropping their season mark at Camden Yards to 48-31. The Orioles will have home-field advantage throughout the American League playoffs.

–Field Level Media

Rays Hobble Into Fenway for Pair

by

BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The Tampa Bay Rays’ chances of an American League East championship are fading as their injury list grows ahead of Tuesday’s visit to Boston, the first of a two-game series against the division rival Red Sox.

With a wild-card spot already in hand, Tampa Bay (95-62) sits 2 1/2 games behind the first-place Baltimore Orioles in the East with a week of the regular season to play, but three more players were sidelined for at least part of this past weekend’s series at Toronto.

The Rays lost 9-5 in Sunday’s deciding game of the series – and lost All-Star first baseman Yandy Diaz due to right hamstring tightness in the second inning.

“It’s going to be very difficult (down the stretch),” infielder Isaac Paredes said through a translator. “We’ve lost a lot of key players and position players as well. I think we need to just make sure these young guys are going to do a good job of making up for it.”

Paredes hit his 30th home run of the season during the Sunday loss.

Outfielder Randy Arozarena (right quad tightness) and setup man Robert Stephenson (neck soreness) missed the entire weekend. And that was after center fielder Jose Siri and second baseman Brandon Lowe were among four additions to the injured list in a 12-day span.

“The expectation this year was to win at a high clip and put ourselves in position to get to the postseason,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said. “(But) if you would have told me in spring training that all of this stuff would have happened – the injuries and everything else – I probably would have been scratching my head a little bit.”

With Aaron Civale “under the weather,” according to Cash, the Tuesday pitching nod goes to fellow right-hander Zach Eflin (15-8, 3.44).

The 29-year-old Eflin struck out double-digit batters in two of his past six starts, including his Thursday outing against the Los Angeles Angels when he fanned 10 across five innings of two-run ball but did not factor into the decision. His two starts prior were victories.

Eflin has made three starts against Boston in his career, logging a 6.43 ERA and 21 strikeouts over 14 innings.

After consecutive one-run losses and not scoring more than three runs in all three weekend games against the Chicago White Sox, Boston (76-80) will counter with Tanner Houck (5-9, 4.92) in its penultimate home game of the season.

The 27-year-old righty allowed two runs in four innings Tuesday at Texas, breaking up a streak of three straight five-inning starts that included six shutout frames against the New York Yankees five days earlier.

Houck, Kutter Crawford and Garrett Whitlock are all essentially auditioning for a spot in the starting rotation to begin next season. Crawford struck out seven over 5 1/3 innings in Sunday’s rain-shortened loss.

“I think it applies to all (three),” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “I mean, you can always adjust to the other role. Right now, we don’t know (who will be starters in 2024). … And then at one point, somebody’s going to take over, and if we have to make adjustments, we will.”

Houck is 0-2 with a 6.30 ERA in two career starts against Tampa Bay.

The Red Sox have also seen contributions from youngsters in the lineup in September, including the talented, versatile Ceddanne Rafaela and fellow rookie Wilyer Abreu, who hit his second career homer Sunday.

–Field Level Media

RB “Peep-iel” Elliott a Factor for Pats

by

DALLAS – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer is concerned longtime Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott and quarterback Will Grier are telling secrets.

Embed from Getty Images

As the New England Patriots prepare to travel to Dallas to face the Cowboys on Sunday, Elliott and Grier add tangible value with their knowledge of the inner workings of the Cowboys’ operation.

“Certainly Will knows where a lot of the bones are buried,” Schottenheimer said. “Zeke obviously does as well. Those are thing you talk about, and you think about, ‘OK, let’s adjust this one.’ We certainly have more than one hand signal for most of our core concepts, and sometimes you can use it to your advantage because they think they know what’s coming. And they hear something they think, ‘Oh, hey, it’s this,’ and we’re smart enough to adjust those things.”

Grier was waived in August when the Cowboys made a trade to acquire Trey Lance from the San Francisco 49ers.

Elliott played 103 career regular-season games in Dallas and was released in the offseason. He’s a close friend of Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott and has unique insight, despite the team changing offensive coordinators from Kellen Moore to Schottenheimer. But head coach Mike McCarthy has taken over play-calling this season.

The cat-and-mouse game can work both ways.

Cowboys cornerback Stephon Gilmore played for the Patriots from 2017-20 and was a prized pupil of head coach Bill Belichick. Well-traveled wide receiver Brandin Cooks spent the 2017 season in New England.

“Everybody does it, you get a player that’s been somewhere, you talk to him about different things,” Schottenheimer said. “And then you’re very selective about how much you put into it. Excited to see Will, it’ll be great to see him, but I’m sure he is definitely being interrogated and spending a lot of late nights with their defensive coaching staff.”

Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien belly-laughed when asked if he interrogated the new practice squad quarterback.

“Interrogating?” O’Brien asked rhetorically Tuesday. “Schotty is a good guy, I’ve known Schotty for a long time. I think that’s the way it is in this league — and it goes both ways. It’s always going to happen. At the end of the day, you’ve got to study the film.

“I’ve never thought in all of my years in the league that any of that was an overriding factor in a win or a loss. I don’t think we’re trying to hold a light over anybody and (asking), ‘Tell me what you did on July 20, 2023.’ We’re not doing that. We’re not interrogating anybody. We’re trying to put together the best game plan we possible can.”

–Field Level Media

The Human Vacuum Cleaner Passes, 86

by

BALTIMORE – (Staff and Wire Services) – Hall of Fame third baseman Brooks Robinson of the Baltimore Orioles, the man they called the “Human Vacuum Cleaner” for his ability to gobble up tough ground balls at the “hot” corner of third base, died at the age of 86.

Embed from Getty Images

The Associated Press called out Robinson’s “deft glove work and folksy manner (which) made him one of the most beloved and accomplished athletes in Baltimore (sports) history.

The Orioles announced his death in a joint statement with Robinson’s family Tuesday evening. The statement did not say how Robinson died.

Coming of age before the free agent era, Robinson spent his entire 23-year career with the Orioles. He almost single-handedly helped Baltimore defeat Cincinnati in the 1970 World Series and homered in Game 1 of the Orioles’ 1966 sweep of the Los Angeles Dodgers for their first crown.

Robinson participated in 18 All-Star Games, won 16 consecutive Gold Gloves and earned the 1964 AL Most Valuable Player award after batting .318 with 28 home runs and a league-leading 118 RBIs.

White Sox Take Washed Out Finale

by

BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Starting pitcher Mike Clevinger allowed two runs in six innings to help the visiting Chicago White Sox defeat the Boston Red Sox 3-2 Sunday in a game that ended after six innings because of rain.

Embed from Getty Images

Clevinger (9-8) gave up five hits and didn’t walk or strike out a batter.

The White Sox (60-96) won two games in the three-game series. It was their first series victory since they took two out of three against the New York Yankees on Aug. 7-9.

The loss dropped the Red Sox (76-80) to 39-40 at home.

Boston starter Kutter Crawford (6-8) took the loss. He allowed three runs on four hits in 5 1/3 innings. Crawford struck out seven and walked three.

Wilyer Abreu (No. 2) and Adam Duvall (No. 21) homered for the Red Sox. Abreu was in the starting lineup for the first time in a week after dealing with hand soreness. He hurt his left hand when he slammed into the outfield wall during last Sunday’s game in Toronto.

Abreu’s home run handed the Red Sox a 1-0 lead in the second inning, but Chicago led 2-1 after scoring twice in the fifth. Gavin Sheets and Korey Lee each walked, then scored on an Elvis Andrus two-out double.

The White Sox stretched their advantage to 3-1 in the sixth, when Eloy Jimenez doubled, moved to third on an Andrew Vaughn single and scored on Gavin Sheets’ sacrifice fly.

Duvall’s home run trimmed Chicago’s lead to 3-2 in the bottom of the sixth. The game entered a rain delay in the top of the seventh and was then ruled official because the forecast called for continued rain.

 

Props for NFL Week Three

by

CLEVELAND – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Bye weeks are on the horizon, but with all 32 teams in action this week, another full smorgasbord of prop picks shuffles in along with NFL Week 3. Newer bettors can be overwhelmed by the almost limitless offerings. Viewing your props as merely a derivative of how you expect the game to unfold is critical.

Embed from Getty Images

With that strategy in mind, here are our top five player props for Week 3.

Ryan Tannehill over 197.5 passing yards (-118 at FanDuel) Per DVOA metrics, the Browns rank second defensively. However, a big part of their ranking involves the three points allowed the Bengals on a wet day in Cleveland.

Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow had all sorts of problems during the game, and it’s not a stretch to say that he’s nowhere near fully healthy this season due to a lingering calf injury.

In Week 2, Pittsburgh’s Kenny Pickett threw for 222 yards.

FanDuel has a projection under 200 passing yards for Tannehill, and that number is short.

It’s worth noting that according to the NFL’s Next Gen Stats, Tannehill ranks seventh in intended air yards per attempt (8.6 per game), whereas Burrow and Pickett rank 23rd and 24th.

Tyler Allgeier over 40.5 rushing yards (-115 at BetMGM) – The Atlanta Falcons are flying high and off to a 2-0 start. A big part of their success has been the running game behind the duo of Allgeier and Bijan Robinson.

Robinson will get the bulk of the headlines as a first-round rookie, but Atlanta head coach Arthur Smith seems committed to getting Allgeier touches, especially near the goal line.

Interestingly, Allgeier (31) has two more carries than Robinson (29) through two games.

And although Atlanta is tied for first (51%) with Dallas in average run rate, their average margin of victory (+7.5) is 22.5 points less than the Cowboys.

Allgeier posted at least 48 rushing yards in his two games against the Panthers (ninth) and Packers (14th), two teams ranked higher in run defense EPA than the Lions.

Look for the Falcons to continue to share the workload with Allgeier rushing for over 40.5 yards.

Jordan Love over 1.5 passing touchdowns (+135 at BetMGM)
Green Bay missed a golden opportunity to stay perfect on the season after blowing a 12-point lead in the fourth quarter against the Falcons.

The 1-1 Packers host New Orleans to take on a Saints team off to a 2-0 start.

New Orleans (+2.0) has the lowest margin of victory of any of the remaining undefeated teams. And according to TeamRankings, the Saints sit third in their luck factor metrics.

We’ve noticed with Green Bay the offense might not always look fluid, but it has been potent inside the red zone — tied for first with an 83.3 percent touchdown conversion rate.

Love ranks fourth (75.2) in the league in Total QBR with six touchdowns on the season and has yet to throw an interception.

Raheem Mostert under 13.5 receiving yards (-110 at BetMGM) – I don’t want to rely on too many overs, which ushers in this play on Mostert receiving yards.

The Dolphins running back had a heavier workload in Week 2, with 18 rushing attempts compared to 10 in the season opener.

Mostert gets the bulk of carries, but Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel will continue to use Mostert sparingly in their passing game.

In Week 1, the Dolphins had 466 receiving yards against a Chargers team that ranks 29th in EPA against the pass, and Mostert still finished with two catches for 13 yards.

Miami already has five players with at least 65 receiving yards, and McDaniel said he’s ready to roll out rookie running back De’Von Achane in a more consistent role starting Sunday.

JuJu Smith-Schuster under 35.5 receiving yards (-115 at PointsBet) – Smith-Schuster signed a three-year deal worth $33 million and signs pointed to the former Steelers and Chiefs receiver playing a major role.

Through two games, he’s averaging just 30.5 receiving yards and has yet to score a touchdown.

A closer look at his NFL Next Gen Stats reveals that Smith-Schuster (-2.1) ranks 97th among 99 players in yards after catch above expectation (YAC +/-) with at least eight targets.

Enter the New York Jets, a team with a strong secondary.

New York ranks 13th in defensive DVOA, and Smith-Schuster will likely line up against Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner.

Per Pro Football Focus, Gardner is tied for 10th in pass coverage with a 79.2 rating.

Despite being tied for second on the team in targets (13), Smith-Schuster is only fifth in total reception yards (61).

Given the matchup with Gardner and this being a divisional game, I like the Patriots wide receiver to stay under 35.5 receiving yards.