This week in Europe, Tottenham need a win against Red Star and Real Madrid can't afford another bad result as they travel to Galatasaray. But heading into Matchday 3, we thought we'd do a little myth-busting when it comes to Europe's top competition. Even though things don't normally get spicy until the knockout rounds, there's been more than enough to go around so far.
Myth: The Champions League has been boring so far
It's always hard to know what to expect from the group stage of the tournament, especially when the seedings and pots always make it fairly evident that the biggest and best clubs will reach the round of 16 even while dropping points everywhere from Paris to Prague. But the early going this year has felt different. Not only are a couple of the pre-competition elite currently winless (Real Madrid, Inter Milan) but several others (Barcelona, Liverpool) have looked vulnerable.
We've enjoyed gaudy scores and jaw-dropping upsets. We've had absurd goals and seen records shattered. Take Paris Saint-Germain's 3-0 thumping of Real in Matchday 1. Bayern slamming seven at Tottenham's shiny, new home. How about Liverpool racing to a 3-0 lead at home to FC Salzburg, only for the Austrian side to pull level before Mohamed Salah's winner? Or Ajax, who lost their two best players (Frenkie de Jong, Matthijs de Ligt) over the summer but won their first two games by a combined 6-0 score?
There's a palpable sense of tension this season and with 97 goals so far, we've got more goals per game (3.1) than four of the big five European leagues, second only to the Bundesliga for entertainment on a per-90 basis. We can expect more of the same, too, with four rounds to go and several teams needing to up their game. -- James Tyler
Myth: Real Madrid won't escape the group stage
However you assess Real Madrid sitting bottom of their champions league group ahead of Matchday 3, two facts must be faced.
For the last hour of their match in Paris and during 45 brutally embarrassing minutes at home to Club Brugge, Real Madrid were awful. A complete shadow not only of recent (Euro-dominant) seasons, but also of quite a good proportion of their domestic form in 2019-20. Utterly out-muscled and made to look exhausted in Paris, they topped that with a complete inability to recognise -- never mind blunt -- Philippe Clement's tactical plan via which the Belgian league leaders ripped Los Blancos to shreds and made a hero out of two-goal Emmanuel Dennis.
You could say that these uncharacteristic performances and the shocking group position flow from the famous "death by a thousand cuts" -- there isn't one major factor but a hemorrhage of minor problems. It's a nice metaphor but Real Madrid ain't dead. Not by a long way. The fundamental problem that's driven Zinedine Zidane mad with frustration is that a combination of injuries and suspensions have stripped him of the chance to establish a pretty steady first XI and then start that lineup in, say, four out of five consecutive matches.
The fitness and conditioning adjustments needed when a new specialist coach, Gregory Dupont, joined much later in the summer than was ideal, have not helped. But his work is slowly paying dividends. And across the team there are niggling worries but because Zidane is gradually correcting them, the keys are simple. Until Eden Hazard is a fixture in this team, who 'unlocks' dogged, packed defences? And if Karim Benzema doesn't have his scoring boots on, who will step up to the plate and damage rivals like Luka Jovic was supposed to?
Long term solutions are required and will be found but in the short term, Zidane needs heroes this week in Istanbul. -- Graham Hunter
Myth: No players have really stood out so far
The Champions League may not have showcased the best of, say, Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi yet but that doesn't mean it's been lacking.
Take, for example, Bayern Munich's Serge Gnabry. It spoke volumes that the German giants were quite content with moving on from the twin wide threat of Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery given the 24-year-old's potency and his display against Spurs felt like confirmation of his arrival in the top bracket. Gnabry scored four times in the second half, his finishing a bewitching combination of precision and sheer confidence, and has continued in that vein since. "He's world class; there's nobody else with his abilities in the Bundesliga," his manager, Niko Kovac. It remains baffling that Arsenal didn't invest in him.
Another to catch the eye is FC Salzburg's Erling Haaland. While the whole team has looked breathtaking in the early going -- the creative forces of Hwang Hee-chan and Takumi Minamino, who already have three assists apiece, almost helped them earn a famous upset at Liverpool in a 4-3 defeat -- 19-year-old Haaland has captured the imagination. His well-taken treble against Genk rightly made headlines but he followed that up by making a huge contribution at Anfield just four minutes after emerging from the bench. The son of former Leeds and Manchester City utility man Alf Inge Haaland will surely join one of Europe's giants sooner or later.
Then there's Mislav Orsic of Dinamo Zagreb. It feels like "better late than never" for the 26-year-old forward but his blistering hat-trick against Atalanta on matchday one announced him to the world. Orsic had barely featured on the European radar until this season because between 2015 and 2018, he had been playing his football in China (with Changchun Yatai) and South Korea (with Jeannam Dragons and Ulsan Hyundai). "I'm probably a surprise for some who did not know me as I was playing in Asia, but I think there is still room for improvement in my game," he said after that salvo against the Italians. Orsic was seen as a hot prospect earlier in his career and now, under the brightest spotlight at last, he seems determined to make up for lost time.
If those three aren't enough, Dortmund's Achraf Hakimi (now in his second season on loan from Real Madrid) has been showing his versatility to stellar effect. First he shone at right-back in the goalless draw with Barcelona, keeping a leash on Antoine Griezmann and Jordi Alba; then, deployed on the left wing at Slavia Prague, he capped a fine personal performance with the two goals that won the game. Or Dennis, whose two goals at the Bernabeu in Club Brugge's 2-2 draw were unorthodox, but who cares? How 21-year-olds go to Europe's most famous citadel and do what he did? He even capped it by mimicking Cristiano Ronaldo's once-familiar celebration in front of the crowd that used to adore the Portuguese star.
"I've been a Cristiano fan forever and was very upset when he left Madrid," Dennis said afterwards of his idol's move to Juventus. He now has six goals in all competitions this season and could find himself emulating Ronaldo on a more regular basis if he keeps up this kind of form. -- Nick Ames
Myth: Liverpool aren't playing well enough to defend their crown
Liverpool's start to the Champions League season does not particularly scream "kings of Europe," with five goals conceded and a serious scare against FC Salzburg, but Jurgen Klopp's side will not be too concerned given their first two fixtures of the triumphant 2018-19 campaign also had a return of one defeat, one win and question marks against the defence. The Merseysiders have shown a nous in navigating continental challenges, reaching three European finals under Klopp and dispatching heavyweights like Barcelona and Bayern Munich in the process.
Do they need to improve in the tournament? Yes. Will they? Absolutely. That instantly means elevating their performances away from home. Liverpool have won only one of their last 10 Champions League group stage matches on the road, losing each of the last four. Klopp's record away from Anfield in the competition is just 11 wins in 31 games. Wednesday's trip to Genk provides the perfect tonic to remedy that given the Belgians have zero victories at 14 times of trying in Europe's premier competition. -- Melissa Reddy
Myth: This is still a three-team tournament
Last month, I told you it was a Big Three. Either Manchester City, Liverpool or Barcelona were going to win the Champions League and anything else was a flight of fancy. A couple of weeks later and those three teams remain the three biggest favorites to lift the European Cup, but the numerical designation warrants a change. It's not a Big Three anymore; it's a Big One.
Just two games into the competition, City's odds of winning it all have dropped from +320 to +300, while Liverpool's and Barcelona's odds have increased from +550 to +600 and +650, respectively.
Why the sudden change? And is it an overreaction?
Well, for teams that begin in the group stages, the entire Champions League will last for no longer than 13 total matches. The winner's tournament is already 15 percent of the way there. Barcelona and Liverpool have played significantly harder schedules so far but despite OK-ish results that have them both sitting in second place in their groups, they each have negative expected-goal differentials so far, per the website FBRef. City, meanwhile, lead the way in both xG for (6.7) and against (0.8). In other words: Through two matches, City have looked like an all-conquering Champions League champ, while Liverpool and Barcelona have been the second-best teams in their groups -- at best.
So, it's time for a minor reset of our expectations. City are even bigger favorites than when this thing started. And Liverpool and Barcelona -- along with Paris Saint-Germain (+700) and Bayern Munich (+750), who both pummeled recent Champions League finalists in their opening pair of games -- are now part of the chasing pack. -- Ryan O'Hanlon
Netherlands 104 for 5 (O'Dowd 35, Ackermann 34*) beat Singapore 101 (Chandramohan 28, van der Gugten 3-9, van der Merwe 3-22) by five wickets
Somerset allrounder Roelof van der Merwe spearheaded the Netherlands past Singapore, taking three wickets with his left-arm spin before calming Oranje nerves in a tricky chase to strike the winning runs for a five-wicket victory on Tuesday.
After Singapore went through the Powerplay unscathed, the wily veteran struck a huge blow on the first ball of the seventh over to beat Singapore batsman Tim David's drive and knock back the stumps for 19. He struck again in the 12th over, enticing Manpreet Singh to drive to long-off before rounding off his spell with a successful lbw appeal after Sidhant Singh played back to a skiddy ball off a good length.
Van der Merwe was well supported by the Dutch pace unit - particularly Timm van der Gugten, who missed the birth of his first-born child to stay with the Dutch squad in Dubai and was rewarded with figures of 3 for 9 off three overs.
Surendran Chandramohan was the first of van der Gugten's scalps, driving flat to Colin Ackermann at mid-off for a top score of 28. Van der Gugten later came back to clean up the tail in the 18th over, claiming Selladore Vijayakumar caught behind driving and Amjad Mahboob bowled after he was beaten for pace.
Navin Param, the star of Singapore's win over Bermuda, entered at No. 5 but quickly ran out of partners thanks to van der Merwe and van der Gugten. He was last man out for 13 when his attempted scoop off Paul van Meekeren was tracked down halfway to the fine leg rope by wicketkeeper Scott Edwards, who pulled off a magnificent one-handed diving catch to end the innings.
What looked like an opportunity for the Dutch to go for a net run rate boost soon turned into an awkward endeavor due to a gritty effort from Singapore's bowling and fielding unit. Tobias Visee drove to long-on in the second over and Ben Cooper edged a back foot drive behind to end the third over at 16 for 2. Max O'Dowd had been peppering the off-side boundary, including a trail of fours off Mahboob in the fourth over, but finally perished in the ninth after a failed charge to Vijayakumar.
Ryan ten Doeschate was then yorked for 1 by the 19-year-old Janak Prakash before Pieter Seelaar chipped a low full toss off the toe of the bat to David at midwicket off Sidhant to make it 65 for 5 in the 12th.
Van der Merwe had entered at No. 5 and No. 6 in the first two Dutch wins but was pushed back to No. 7 on this occasion with Ackermann coming into the XI for his first match of the tournament at the expense of Fred Klaassen, who was suffering from heatstroke. Van der Merwe's experience paid off as he settled nerves to give Ackermann the support he needed to ice the chase. Van Der Merwe eventually struck a full toss over square leg for the winning runs with 21 balls to spare at ICC Academy Oval 1.
Robin Peterson, the former South African left-arm spinner, has been appointed interim head coach of the Port Elizabeth (PE) based Warriors franchise, replacing Rivash Gobind, who has joined Afghanistan's support staff. Peterson retired in 2016 and has since had coaching stints with the South African under-19 and A teams, the national academy and in the CPL, IPL and the T10. Peterson will also be the assistant coach to Eric Simons at the Nelson Mandela Bay Giants in the MSL, which starts next month.
His appointment means that four of South Africa's six franchises are coached by former Test cricketers. Ashwell Prince is in charge of the Cobras, Mark Boucher of the Titans and Imraan Khan of the Dolphins. Ordinarily, this may not be worth pointing out but it has become a particularly important fact in the aftermath of the Test team's drubbing in India. There, the lack of experience among the squad and depth in the domestic system was under the microscope with captain Faf du Plessis lamenting the lack of recent retirees' lack of involvement in South African structures. Now, at least there is evidence that ex-players are being brought into the fold and Peterson, who hails from the Eastern Cape is delighted to be involved.
"It's especially a privilege being a PE boy and having spent the best part of my career playing for the Warriors and now getting the opportunity to help develop and guide the team. This is a huge thrill. They have the right mix of youth, experience, and talent to do something special as a collective and push for silverware, he said.
Peterson joins the franchise in the third week of the domestic season. They are currently playing against the Titans at St George's Park. The Warriors are third on the points table after losing their opening fixture to the Knights and then beating the Lions.
The Warriors have never won the franchise first-class competition and have only claimed three trophies in franchise history. In 2009/10, under former South Africa and current Bangladesh coach Russell Domingo, they won both the one-day and twenty-over competitions and in the 2017/18 summer, they shared the one-day cup with the Dolphins.
Nonetheless, they have supplied South Africa with some of its recent talents and seem set to provide a few more. Anrich Nortje, the fast bowler who made his Test debut in India, is in the Warriors squad alongside promising young batsmen Matthew Breetzke and Sinethemba Qeshile, and the exciting quick Lutho Sipamla.
The NFL power rankings are a weekly litmus test of where each team stands. But we're going to go beyond that this week, as we feel that six to seven games is enough of a sample size to reevaluate each team's most realistic path of success going forward.
So that's what our NFL Nation writers did. Based on what they've seen so far, they have recalibrated expectations for their teams for the rest of the season and beyond. Many can stay the course of their preseason expectations, but seven weeks allows for some teams to dream bigger (yay, 49ers) or go the other way (sorry, Falcons). Our power panel -- a group of more than 80 writers, editors and TV personalities -- evaluates how teams stack up throughout the season.
File this one under the "lather, rinse, repeat" category, going on about 20 years now. While the Patriots have shown areas of vulnerability through seven games this season, they are still a top contender -- led by the two old standbys, Bill Belichick and Tom Brady. -- Mike Reiss
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Orlovsky: The Saints are the best team in the NFL
Dan Orlovsky calls the Saints the best team in the NFL due to their depth and how they've won games while missing star players like Drew Brees and Alvin Kamara.
It took two miracle finishes to knock the Saints out of the playoffs the past two years. And now they have somehow strengthened their case as a top contender by thriving without injured QB Drew Brees the past five weeks. Brees should be back in the next game or two, and the Saints will be very hard to beat if the defense continues to dominate the way it has in his absence. -- Mike Triplett
Recalibrated expectation: Winning the NFC West ... at minimum
The shorter-term goal for the division-leading Niners should be winning the division, and if that happens, all doors are open. But when you're undefeated through six games, everything should be on the table, including a trip to the Super Bowl. Obviously, the Niners still have plenty to prove, and the schedule will get tougher in the coming weeks, but with a dominant defense and the forthcoming return of some key injured starters, there's still room for this team to get markedly better, which makes them a legitimate NFC contender. -- Nick Wagoner
Recalibrated expectation: Winning the NFC, despite what Aaron Rodgers says
Maybe Rodgers was just trying to temper Super Bowl expectations for a little while longer when he said after Sunday's rout of the Raiders: "I think it's a little early at this point." But he admitted, "I think that we're trending in the right direction." And that direction is toward one of the NFC's top postseason seeds. Rodgers has proved he can make do in less-than-ideal circumstances (i.e. Davante Adams' absence and a lack of weapons) this season, and first-year coach Matt LaFleur has captivated the locker room. -- Rob Demovsky
Recalibrated expectation: A Super Bowl title ... still
The injury to Patrick Mahomes is an obstacle the Chiefs weren't counting on, but given that he's going to return well before the playoffs, the Chiefs can still realize their goal of reaching and winning the Super Bowl. That task is going to be more difficult than it otherwise might have been and will depend greatly on how the Chiefs fare until Mahomes is back. But the Chiefs should still win the AFC West, and earning a first-round playoff bye also isn't out of the question. With Mahomes back in their lineup, they'll be a tough out in the postseason. -- Adam Teicher
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Clark: Jackson is better than Vick
Ryan Clark details why he believes Lamar Jackson is a better dual-threat quarterback than Michael Vick.
Recalibrated expectation: Contend for an AFC title
The Ravens have a stranglehold on the AFC North with a 2½-game lead over the Browns and the Steelers. Baltimore also has the look of a team that can make noise in the postseason, especially after beating the Seahawks on the road. Lamar Jackson is the ultimate equalizer because of his ability to scramble and make tacklers look foolish in the open field. The biggest question mark is the defense, which has been inconsistent and has a tendency to give up big plays. The Ravens are right there with the Patriots as the class of the AFC. -- Jamison Hensley
Contending for the playoffs should always be the Seahawks' baseline as long as they have Russell Wilson. With a 5-2 record and enough pieces around him, winning the division is still a realistic goal even with Seattle sitting two games behind the undefeated 49ers in the loss column. How much the Seahawks can do beyond that is hard to gauge given they have only a plus-five point differential, with four of their victories coming by a combined eight points. The 30-16 loss to Baltimore on Sunday was a troubling sign for their ability to win when Wilson isn't playing at an MVP level. -- Brady Henderson
Recalibrated expectation: Compete for the NFC North crown
Four weeks ago, frustrations on offense were front and center in Minnesota. Now this unit looks unstoppable in the midst of an insane stretch by Kirk Cousins where he became the first quarterback in NFL history to record at least 300 passing yards and a passer rating of 135 or higher in three consecutive games. With the way this offense looks at the halfway point, anything short of a playoff berth would be considered a major disappointment. It might take more than 10 wins to capture the NFC North crown, but the way the Lions and Bears are regressing can only benefit the Vikings, who are in prime position to battle down the stretch with Green Bay. -- Courtney Cronin
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Jackson: Vikings finally look like they're on the same page
Tom Jackson says that when coach Mike Zimmer and QB Kirk Cousins are on the same page the Vikings are a "team to be reckoned with."
With their current 5-1 record and one of the NFL's easiest remaining schedules, there's no excuse for the Bills not to make the playoffs for the second time in three seasons -- something that hasn't happened since they made back-to-back postseason appearances in 1998 and 1999. They're only one game back of the AFC East-leading Patriots, but overtaking them for what could end up being the conference's No. 1 seed seems less realistic than capturing a wild-card berth. -- Marcel Louis-Jacques
Recalibrated expectation: A second straight division title
There was a lot of excitement around the Texans after they beat Mahomes and the Chiefs in Kansas City in Week 6, but Houston came back down to earth with a loss to the Colts the following Sunday. Even though they dropped into second place in the AFC South with the loss, the Texans are still contenders to win the division for the second year in a row. -- Sarah Barshop
Recalibrated expectation: Keep their playoff streak alive
The two-time-defending NFC West champions are in third place in the division, three games behind the 49ers in the loss column. There is little to no margin for error through the remainder of their schedule if they want to keep hopes of a third consecutive division title alive. More likely, the Rams are playing for a wild-card berth. The schedule will get tougher after a Week 9 bye, but the offense has another chance at a get-right game coming up against the winless Bengals, while the defense received a boost in Jalen Ramsey. Clay Matthews is expected to return in November too. -- Lindsey Thiry
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Irvin gets heated defending the Cowboys to Stephen A.
Stephen A. Smith and Michael Irvin have a passionate debate about the Cowboys' win over the Eagles.
Getting a read on the Cowboys is difficult after they opened with three consecutive wins, then lost three in a row. They were dominant against Philadelphia, but are they a true contender? The remaining schedule is difficult, but this should be a playoff team. If the Cowboys continue to play like they did against the Eagles, then they could be a Super Bowl contender. Until this team can show the ability to handle success and not sniff themselves, as Dak Prescott referenced, it is difficult to write that down in pen. What helps is the NFC East is struggling at the moment, and the Cowboys look to be the best in the division. -- Todd Archer
The Colts have survived -- so far -- the sudden retirement of quarterback Andrew Luck back in April by having a complete roster instead of one that depends on a player or two. They're in sole possession of first place of the AFC South after back-to-back victories over playoff-caliber teams in Kansas City and Houston. The schedule has shifted in the Colts' favor, as their next four opponents have a combined record of 7-19. Three of those four games are at home. Jacoby Brissett, who replaced Luck as the starter, is third in the NFL in touchdown passes with 14. -- Mike Wells
Recalibrated expectation: Simply make the playoffs ... for now
Right now the Panthers are a serious playoff contender with a four-game win streak, but the next three games will determine how serious. Carolina goes to undefeated San Francisco, faces the Titans at home and then is at one-loss Green Bay. Win two of those games and playoff contender could change to Super Bowl contender. But there's still the matter of two division games against 6-1 New Orleans, which is 5-0 without Drew Brees. Defensively, the Panthers are legitimate, with a league-best 27 sacks. Offensively, they must figure out the Kyle Allen/Cam Newton quarterback dilemma. Allen is 4-0 this season and 5-0 overall as a starter, but Newton is nearing a return. -- David Newton
Recalibrated expectation: Dial it back and win the NFC East
The Eagles entered with expectations of being among the NFC's elite, but at 3-4, the focus needs to be on capturing the division. They are a game back of the Cowboys following a blowout loss in Dallas on Sunday night. As bad as that was, they still have four division games remaining, including a home tilt against the Cowboys in December. The clearest path to the postseason is through a division title in a down NFC East. -- Tim McManus
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Greenberg: No chance Bears trade for a QB
Mike Greenberg doesn't see the Bears trading for a quarterback because Ryan Pace is still the general manager and he traded up in the draft to take Mitchell Trubisky.
The Bears no longer resemble a playoff team -- not with Mitchell Trubisky at quarterback. Chicago's offense ranks 30th in total yards per game, 30th in yards per play, 28th in passing yards per game and 28th in rushing yards per game. That's not expected to change anytime soon -- even if Matt Nagy eventually pulls the plug on Trubisky in favor of Chase Daniel. -- Jeff Dickerson
The Lions looked like they could be contenders -- and have been competitive in every game -- but at 2-3-1 with a porous run defense, no pressure on opposing quarterbacks and perhaps an injured running back in Kerryon Johnson, reaching the playoffs as a wild-card team would be the best-case scenario for Detroit. But more realistically, hanging around .500 is probably where the Lions will end up this season. -- Michael Rothstein
Recalibrated expectation: Make a second-half run into the playoffs
At 3-3 and almost finished with their nearly two-month road trip (the Raiders last played in Oakland on Sept. 15 and won't see the Black Hole again until Nov. 3), the Raiders are eyeing a run here shortly. Yes, we're talking playoffs, so pipe down with your incredulous Jim Mora impressions. Especially if they upend the Texans this week before a three-game homestand against the Lions, Chargers and Bengals. "We can put ourselves in a position to make a run with a lot of home games," quarterback Derek Carr said. "We get a lot of home games down the stretch. I'm excited about that. I am tired of traveling, but we'll do it one more time, we'll grit it out and hopefully come back home with a win." -- Paul Gutierrez
Recalibrated expectation: Break the playoff drought
The Browns are off to a bumpy start, yet their goal of snapping the NFL's longest playoff drought (2002) remains intact. For one, they play in the surprisingly weak AFC North and already have a road win over the division-leading Ravens. Two, they still have the talent. And three, they own one of the NFL's easiest remaining schedules. -- Jake Trotter
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Hasselbeck: Coaches don't think they can fix Mariota
Tim Hasselbeck details why Jameis Winston has a better chance at remaining with his current team in 2020 than Marcus Mariota.
The Titans are in the thick of things for the AFC South title or a wild-card spot. The offense seems to be more in sync with Ryan Tannehill under center, but there's a lot of football left to be played. If they can string together some wins and continue to stay competitive on offense, things will go well given the strength of Tennessee's defense. Fortunately for the Titans, their next game is against the Bucs, which should allow them to keep things rolling on offense. It isn't unreasonable to say the Titans could contend for a wild-card spot. -- Turron Davenport
Recalibrated expectation: Rebound to grab a wild card
The Steelers haven't lived up to expectations through the first quarter of the season. With the Week 2 season-ending injury to Ben Roethlisberger, some factors contributing to their record have been out of the team's control. Averaging 2.5 takeaways per game, the Steelers' defense is turning into a dominant force, but the No. 28-ranked offense is still a work in progress. The Steelers trail the Ravens in the AFC North by 2½ games, but there's still a realistic path to the playoffs if the offense stabilizes. The three-game swing from Week 11 to Week 13 against division opponents will be the defining stretch of the season. -- Brooke Pryor
Recalibrated expectation: Division title still in play
Nobody is running away with the division, so the Jaguars are still alive and thinking playoffs. The run game is cranking (Leonard Fournette is the AFC's leading rusher), rookie QB Gardner Minshew II has done a good job in place of Nick Foles, and Foles is on track for a Nov. 17 return. Injuries are starting to mount, especially at linebacker, so that's problematic, and the red zone production is not very good either, so there are some major issues to overcome. However, three of the Jaguars' next four games are against division opponents, so the season will be determined in that stretch. -- Mike DiRocco
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Stephen A.: Murray better than Jones in all aspects, except height
Stephen A. Smith would take Kyler Murray over Daniel Jones right now because height is the only thing Murray doesn't have in comparison to Jones.
After starting 0-3-1, the Cardinals have won three straight. Granted, those wins were against teams that have gone 3-18, but the Cardinals are beating teams they should. Now that Arizona sits at 3-3-1, a six- or seven-win season is not out of the question. If the offense continues to evolve and improve while the defense gets to the quarterback like it did against the Giants, then the Cardinals could be looking at eight or -- dare I say -- nine wins. They'd have to beat some good teams, but Kliff Kingsbury has shown the ability to adapt to coaching in the NFL and be creative offensively while doing it. -- Josh Weinfuss
Recalibrated expectation: Turn it around and make a run
Anthony Lynn appears on his way to his first losing season as head coach of the Chargers. At 2-5, the Chargers have dropped three straight and are dealing with significant injuries on both sides of the ball. And the Bolts still have to play the Chiefs twice, along with NFC North powers Green Bay and Minnesota. Even though his team is struggling, Lynn believes the Bolts can turn things around, pointing to L.A.'s 0-4 record at the start of his tenure in 2017, only to finish 9-7. "I know the character of this team," Lynn said. "We have been through a lot together, and I know all of these men work every single day, so I expect them to bounce back." -- Eric D. Williams
Recalibrated expectation: Match last year's record
With one of their best players already on injured reserve for the remainder of the season (Bradley Chubb), a sputtering offense, a defense that hasn't played its best in most of the important moments and a still-leaky special teams unit, the Broncos have to use every ounce of whatever they have left in the tank to equal last season's 6-10 mark. To do better they will have to show more than they have to this point. Two of their remaining opponents (the Chiefs and Colts) currently lead their divisions while three others (the Vikings, Texans and Bills) are currently second. -- Jeff Legwold
Recalibrated expectation: Not end with a losing record
The playoffs aren't out of the question for the Bucs. While Bruce Arians said it's still too early to call games "must-wins," just 18 of 193 teams (9%) that have started 2-4 have ended up making the playoffs since 1990 (when the playoffs were expanded to 12 teams). The one thing that could help a late-season push? Having five of their final eight games at home after a heavily frontloaded road schedule in which the Bucs spent six of their first eight games on the road, including a "home" game in London. Still, with the erratic play of quarterback Jameis Winston and a very young, inexperienced secondary, it's looking like the best this team can hope for is 8-8. -- Jenna Laine
Recalibrated expectation: Improvement from last season
The Giants are in an all-too-familiar position near the bottom of the NFC. Their goal this season was to show progress. They went 5-11 last season and were hoping to at least improve in terms of building for the future. Not much has changed. They might not top five wins, but at least they need rookie quarterback Daniel Jones to make noticeable strides in order to provide hope this organization is heading in the right direction, as they seem destined again for a top-10 pick. -- Jordan Raanan
Recalibrated expectation: Reach predicted also-ran status
Widely projected as an also-ran (7-9 was a popular prediction, and the Jets will be hard-pressed to reach that record), New York has underachieved for a variety of reasons, and, despite having the easiest remaining schedule, will finish with a top-10 pick. The previous regime, fired in the offseason, built a win-now team. This season has proved they're a long way from winning now. -- Rich Cimini
Recalibrated expectation: Get a top-five draft pick
With one win in seven games, this season has gotten away from the Falcons with little hope for a turnaround. So a top-five pick in next year's draft looks more realistic, and they need to use that pick to draft an impact pass-rusher. -- Vaughn McClure
The Redskins' chances for the top spot probably ended when they beat Miami two weeks ago. With road games left at Minnesota, Buffalo, Carolina, Green Bay and Dallas, there is no turnaround in sight. Not that being at home helps -- they've lost seven in a row at FedEx Field and have been outscored 199-82. The Redskins have fired their coach, so the rest of the season is about reestablishing some sort of identity, one that would entice another coach to take this job. It'll also be, at some point, about rookie quarterback Dwayne Haskins' development. The Redskins have been reluctant to play him, but it'll be hard to keep him on the sidelines as losses pile up. Their future is tied to Haskins. -- John Keim
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Is it time to play Dwayne Haskins in Washington?
Will the first-round pick get in the game against the Vikings on Thursday night?
Any hopes of a playoff push in coach Zac Taylor's first year disappeared weeks ago. At 0-7, the Bengals appear to be a lock for a top-five pick and could be in contention for the top spot. The Week 16 game against Miami, the other winless team in the league, could be for the No. 1 pick. -- Ben Baby
Recalibrated expectation: A chance at Tua (or another top QB in the 2020 draft)
The winless Dolphins would love to get off the schneid and secure their first victory, but the organization has bigger goals in mind, like getting the first overall pick. The Dolphins are the overwhelming favorite to land that spot and have their choice of top quarterback prospects to be the face of their rebuild going forward. -- Cameron Wolfe
The Lake Show has been playing nonstop at U.S. sportsbooks, leaving bookmakers staring at sizable liabilities on the Los Angeles Lakers to win the NBA championship.
As the season tips off, more money has been bet on the Lakers to win the title than on any other team at sportsbooks around the nation. It's not even close.
Nearly 30% of the money that has been wagered on bookmaker William Hill's odds to win the title is on the Lakers -- almost three times as much as the team with the second-highest total.
At Caesars Sportsbook, the Lakers have attracted nearly 2.5 times as much money as has been wagered on the second-highest team, the LA Clippers.
Nearly one in every five NBA titles bets at MGM sportsbooks is on the Lakers.
"We've taken a lot of large wagers on the Lakers, just continuous support on them," Jeff Sherman, vice president of risk and head NBA oddsmaker for the SuperBook at Westgate Las Vegas, told ESPN.
Five-figure bets on the Lakers have been showing up since the summer. Sherman said he took a $10,000 bet on the Lakers on June 15, shortly before news broke that superstar Anthony Davis was headed to Los Angeles to join LeBron James. William Hill also reported taking big bets ($10,000 and $9,500) on the Lakers in mid-June.
The Lakers have not made the playoffs since 2013 and finished with a losing record in each of the past six seasons.
"Except for the Lakers, we're in a pretty good spot on every other team in the West," Dave Sharapan, oddsmaker for Las Vegas sportsbook operator CG Technology, said.
The 76ers have been a popular bet at sportsbooks on the East Coast. At DraftKings, more title bets have been placed on Philadelphia than on any other team. The 76ers and Lakers account for nearly 50% of the money that has been bet on DraftKings' title odds.
There has also been support for the New York Knicks in the East. At FanDuel, the Knicks, at 250-1 odds, have attracted more bets to win the title than 16 other teams, including the Indiana Pacers, San Antonio Spurs and Miami Heat.
Golden State Warriors star guard Klay Thompson is unlikely to play at all this season as he recovers from a torn ACL, according to coach Steve Kerr.
Thompson tore the ACL in his left knee on June 13 in Game 6 of the NBA Finals, and Warriors general manager Bob Myers said last month that the five-time All-Star would be sidelined until at least the All-Star break.
"It's unlikely that he's going to play this year," Kerr told NBC Sports Bay Area, which plans to publish the entire interview later Tuesday. "So we have to understand that."
Thompson, 29, had surgery to repair the tear on July 1.
"You have to look at it realistically," Kerr told NBC Sports Bay Area. "I had an ACL (tear) in college, and I missed a whole season. Generally, an ACL for a basketball player is a full-year recovery, and if it's a full year for Klay, that puts them out for the season."
Myers noted on Sept. 30 that the reference to the All-Star break was simply the timeline for a firm update on Thompson's status -- not necessarily an expected date for his return to the Warriors.
Kerr reiterated that stance during his interview with NBC Sports Bay Area, saying that April 1 would mark the "nine-month mark" from when Thompson had the surgery.
"We've kind of left the door open in case the rehab goes perfectly and the doctors say he can go," Kerr said. "But the reality is, on April 1, that's the nine-month mark. ... April versus nine months post-op for an ACL.
"We have to prepare our young guys to fill that role behind him, and when he gets back, whenever that is, hopefully these young guys now are developed and in the rotation and ready to really be contributors on a playoff team and we can get better."
Thompson echoed those sentiments last month during the Warriors' media day availability, saying that he's done his "due diligence" but that he will defer to "what the team says."
"The last thing you want to do is rush back, especially for a player like me who wants to play until he's in his late 30s," Thompson said on Sept. 30. "I want to play at a high level until that point, too. As much as it kills me not to be on the court, patience is a virtue, and rushing back would be not very smart."
Matches played in driving rain, mud everywhere and spectators with cold toes on the touchline. Then, all is made better by a warm shower followed by food and drinks with team-mates in the clubhouse after.
This will be the scene in rugby clubs across the UK as we get deeper into the season. But not so in Japan.
There is still rain, sometimes typhoons, but it is much warmer, with temperatures around 20C. Mud is nowhere to be seen on artificial pitches and the clubhouse after? There is no clubhouse, although karaoke could be on the cards later.
Rugby has been front-page news in the country after the Brave Blossoms' historic run to a first World Cup quarter-final.
Japan proved their ability against tier-one teams in the pool stage, powering past Ireland and Scotland to reach the last eight.
That fairytale was ended by South Africa on Sunday, but afterwards Japan head coach Jamie Joseph said Japanese rugby was in a good place now. It does not, however, seem quite like that at grass-roots level.
There are around 80 amateur clubs registered with the Japanese Rugby Football Union (JRFU) in Tokyo, but very few can afford a permanent home because of high property prices. Instead they rent pitches from the local council once a week.
A culture of long working days means there is rarely time to train and, with sports such as baseball much more popular, only a few clubs can field more than one team.
A 'primitive' match day
Tokyo Gaijin Rugby Football Club is a team of ex-pats and Japanese players - Gaijin means foreigner - based in the city.
On the Sunday after Japan's pool-stage victory against Samoa, they gathered at a train station in Yokohama, about half an hour from the city centre.
Due to a lack of players they were combining with another team, Odawara, to take on a touring side from Beijing, but they had to make it to the ground first.
After queuing behind a crowd of schoolchildren for a public bus, the players eventually squeezed on and made their way up the hill to the sports complex where the match would be played.
Many were playing together for the first time, including a United States fan who had come to Japan for the World Cup and found the team on social media, so they used the journey to get to know each other.
This match-day routine is perhaps why Tokyo Gaijin's club president Tommy Nasuno describes Japanese rugby as "primitive".
Although the national side has impressed on the world stage, the club game seems to be a labour of love for individuals such as 29-year-old Nasuno. There is hope that could change, though.
"Union support is the biggest issue," Nasuno said. "There's not enough funding.
"I haven't been able to gauge the effect of Japan's run yet. That being said, it has definitely lit a fire in everyone's eyes, especially the Japanese, bringing hope for the future.
"If the JRFU invests into youth rugby, we will be able to sustain this momentum and actually fight with the best and secure tier-one status?
"Only time will tell. The Rugby World Cup in four years' time will determine if it was a fluke or the real deal."
No clubhouse, but a train station
Rugby may not be as established at an amateur level as it is in the UK, but there are of course benefits to playing in Japan.
David McElhinney, a freelance rugby and travel writer from Belfast who lived in Tokyo for two years and plays for Nasuno's team, cites matches at the base of Mount Fuji as one.
And then there is the social side to the sport. The team never miss post-match drinks, although the location is slightly different to the clubhouse he is used to back home.
"We always play on Sundays, but win or loss, rain or shine, we go for drinks," the 25-year-old said.
"We do just drink on the street outside the train station. You go in the convenience store and then sit around doing after-match things like picking man of the match.
"Sometimes you might go to karaoke if it stays on really late. It always starts at the train station but sometimes we'll go elsewhere."
'Japanese players never start the scuffles'
There are differences on the pitch too. At full-time, teams bow to each other then form a circle where the captains give a short speech and exchange gifts.
Japanese people are usually reserved and boisterous behaviour is not encouraged in society as a whole.
Sometimes a fight will happen in games, but McElhinney says there is slightly different etiquette in Japanese teams.
"Any time there's a bit of a scuffle, the Japanese will never start it and they'll always try and calm it down straight away," he explains.
"There definitely is more of an element of respect. I guess there is back home but the way we show it is going for a drink after."
'Universities are more important than clubs'
One reason Japanese club rugby has such meagre resources could be that it is seen as much less important than the university game.
In January, Meiji University won the All-Japan University Rugby Championship in front of a crowd of more than 20,000 and at its peak in the 1980s the competition's final attracted more than 60,000 fans.
But club rugby does not benefit from the same prestige and McElhinney had hoped the World Cup might have provided the impetus needed to improve the situation.
"University level definitely seems more important than the club set-up," he explains.
"You can tell just from playing rugby here with the lack of funding, energy and resources to develop the grass-roots sport that there's not too much of an interest on making it a big thing.
"The pitch leaves a lot to be desired. They're mostly artificial but the worst pitches are grass because it's not tended to. There's a patch of basically gravel in front of the posts.
"Japan has known it was going to host the World Cup for a long time so they had time to get grass-roots systems in place and it hasn't happened."
'There's not enough interest to field school teams'
Rugby may be popular in some Japanese universities but Nasuno says it rarely is in schools, except for in certain regions like Osaka.
Having spent four years playing rugby while at Exeter university in England, Nasuno is well-placed to examine the differences between the British and Japanese approaches to the sport.
He explains that Japanese schoolchildren can only choose one activity to do for the whole academic year; they do not change depending on the season as in the UK.
For this reason, rugby loses out to more popular sports like baseball or football and a lot of schools do not have enough interested students to field a full team.
"In the UK you get into rugby really young," Nasuno added. "Here it's common for people to start rugby when they're on a year abroad.
"In schools, you have to make sure you have the numbers. If you don't have the interest, you can't start the club."
Has that interest been ignited by Japan's inspiring run to the World Cup quarter-finals?
Japanese fans have embraced the tournament, giving local amateur players hope that club rugby could soon be more than a select few teams playing on rented pitches in the suburbs on a Sunday afternoon.
Who knows? Maybe one day Nasuno and his side might even get a clubhouse.
CONCORD, N.C. – While two championship battles will come to a conclusion during the Can-Am World Finals at The Dirt Track at Charlotte on Nov. 7-9, a third has already been decided.
For Rocket1 Racing, it’s been a dominant season on the World of Outlaws tour. In terms of consistency, they’ve again set a new bar for repeated long-term success across a national dirt late model series. They have posted 36 consecutive top-five finishes, finishing outside the top 10 only once all season. It’s simply remarkable.
Then there’s the win column — a record-tying 18 wins in 39 races and a chance for World of Outlaws history at The Dirt Track at Charlotte. Two more chances, to be exact, on a track he’s where he’s won three times. With the usual huge car count and tough competition at the Can-Am World Finals, Sheppard will have his hands full to earn what has now become a bit of an elusive 19th win of the season.
Sheppard’s last six World of Outlaws starts have all been top-five finishes, but no trips to victory lane, making it the longest stretch of his season without a win. But, if history at The Dirt Track serves as any indication, the Rocket1 team should have hope to get the job done at least once over the weekend.
Last year’s edition of the Can-Am World Finals brought much different storylines into play. Chris Madden trailed eventual champion Mike Marlar by 22 points heading into Friday’s portion of the event on Saturday afternoon before suffering a broken oil line on lap six of the feature, taking him out of the championship equation.
Meanwhile, Sheppard picked up the win after a back-and-forth battle with Tim McCreadie in the closing laps, setting him 34 points back of Marlar in the championship standings with one race remaining.
Saturday’s feature again went well for Sheppard, as he collected a solid third-place finish after 50 laps around the four-tenths-mile. However, Marlar did just what he needed to stay within sight of Sheppard and the championship points battle, finishing sixth in the race and earning the crowning achievement of his career, a World of Outlaws championship.
Fast forward to this year, and the scenario is entirely different. Sheppard has built a whopping 320-point lead ahead of second-running Chase Junghans, leaving Sheppard and his crew to focus on winning their 19th race rather than holding off somebody for the championship. This will be the sixth World of Outlaws title in 18 seasons for team owner Richards, the third in the past four years with two different drivers.
That other driver has a lot in common with Sheppard. Mark’s son, Josh Richards, shares the 18-win season record with Sheppard that they each established; Richards in 2016, Sheppard in 2017. Both of those seasons were also highlighted with a very large points gap heading into the final race weekend.
In addition to Sheppard’s strong season, Ricky Weiss has also officially earned a great honor of his own, and has a chance for a unique superlative as well.
With his 16 top-fives and 29 top-10s over 39 starts, Weiss has clinched the World of Outlaws Rookie of the Year title, becoming the first Canadian-born driver to win the honor. The Headingley, Manitoba-native also held the runner-up spot in the overall points standings for quite a stretch of time over the summer, but now finds himself in fifth, 32 points out of second place after a couple DNFs in his past six starts.
Should Weiss overcome his misfortunes and reclaim at least third place in the standings before the final checkered flag falls on Nov. 9, he’ll also become the highest-finishing rookie in series history. Devin Moran, the 2017 Rookie of the Year, is the current owner of that record after a fourth-place points result three seasons ago.
Even though the series champion and Rookie of the Year have been decided, a battle for second place in the overall standings has heated up in the past three races and will come to a full boil at The Dirt Track. Spots two-through-five are separated by 32 points, and it’s anybody’s race for a $60,000 points fund check – a $30,000 difference between second and fifth.
Expect Junghans, Darrell Lanigan, Shane Clanton and Weiss all to be in tip-top shape and at each other’s throats in less than three weeks’ time.
PARRAMATTA, Australia – Following a public outcry from race fans about the reported destruction of Valvoline Raceway in Australia, local government officials have announced plans for a new speedway in New South Wales.
Track officials revealed Monday that the land where the track is located is part of a compulsory land acquisition to facilitate a new rail system, which will take passengers from Paramatta into Central Sydney.
However, following the public outcry that followed the announcement, Minister for Transport Andrew Constance said in a press release agencies across the government will work together to build a new speedway.
“The community and racing fans can be assured that the NSW government remains absolutely committed to relocating speedway racing in Sydney,” Constance said.
“I acknowledge the long standing presence of the current Sydney Speedway (Valvoline Raceway) and its significance to Western Sydney over the last 42 years. I am absolutely committed to ensuring that speedway racing has a bigger and brighter future in the region for decades to come. The NSW Government owns sufficient land in Western Sydney to accommodate a new speedway facility.”
Track owner Barry Waldron had already begun negotiations with the Sydney Speedway land owners, Crown Lands, about a long-term lease for the facility prior to being informed by the local government about the need for the land as part of the new rail system.
Valvoline Raceway will continue to operate as normal through the 2021 season, at which point the local government will take possession of the facility and begin demolition in order to build a stabling yard and operations center as part of the rail project.
VALENCIA, Spain – The NASCAR Whelen Euro Series will visit seven European countries and major cities next year as part of a busy schedule featuring 13 rounds of racing.
New for next year are the extension of the season-ending playoffs to six rounds, a new event in Rome, Italy and the Euro NASCAR Finals at the Hockenheimring.
“This is probably the best calendar in the series’ history,” declared NASCAR Whelen Euro Series President and CEO Jerome Galpin. “We are very proud and fortunate to work with such fantastic track partners. We all share the common goal to offer to European fans a unique at-track experience based on Pure Racing, full access to the competition and great American fun festivals.”
“Next year’s schedule is a testament to the strength and popularity of the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series,” said Gene Stefanyshyn, NASCAR Chief International Officer. “The series will bring exciting, side-by-side NASCAR racing to fans in seven countries across Europe. Our proximity to several big cities – including the new American Festival in Rome – will continue to make it easy for families to see our style of racing up close.”
The European NASCAR season will kick off on April 25-26 with the traditional opening rounds in Valencia, Spain. The Valencia NASCAR Fest at Circuit Ricardo Tormo will celebrate its seventh edition. Six weeks later the series will head to Brands Hatch, England, for the American SpeedFest. The historic 1.9-km Indy Circuit will host the British NASCAR GP for the eighth time on June 6-7.
After the inaugural event in 2019, on June 21-22 Most and the Czech Republic will welcome the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series again – fresh off a multi-year contract renewal – with the second edition of the Autodrom Most NASCAR Show. Raceway Venray will once again wrap-up the regular season on July 11-12 with a repeat of the successful formula featuring one 70-lap Euro NASCAR 2 (formerly ELITE 2) race on Saturday and on 100-lap Euro NASCAR PRO (formerly ELITE 1) race on Sunday at the fastest half-mile oval in Europe.
After the summer break, it will be playoff time again with six races awarding double points. On Sept. 12-13 a brand new American Festival will make its debut in Rome, Italy at the 4-km Vallelunga road course. The Italian event will be followed three weeks later, on Oct. 3-4 by the sixth edition of the NASCAR GP Belgium at the historic Circuit Zolder in the forest of the Limburg region.
The Hockenheimring, in Germany, will host the Euro NASCAR Finals for the first time on Oct. 17-18. The iconic German track will crown the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series champion in the fourth edition of the American Fan Fest.
Valencia, Most, Zolder and Hockenheim will host the four rounds making up the 2020 EuroNASCAR Club Challenge calendar. The regularity-based division of the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series will hit the track on Thursday at the four venues and contest its fourth season.
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