LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- The NFL regular season is less than one month old, and the Chicago Bears find themselves in a precarious situation.

The Bears' top-ranked defense looks Super Bowl-ready, but quarterback Mitchell Trubisky looks far from it.

"[My confidence is] good. It's good," Trubisky said last week. "You just got to believe this week is going to be the week."

The Monday Night Football matchup against the Washington Redskins is Trubisky's 30th career start (including the postseason). Thus far, the 25-year-old quarterback's overall body of work has raised more questions than it has provided answers.

Trubisky puttered through a relatively nondescript rookie season in an offensive system that lacked any innovation or true playmakers outside of running backs Tarik Cohen and the since-traded Jordan Howard.

In 2018, Trubisky's second season, that changed. New head coach Matt Nagy ditched the archaic offensive style preferred by former coach John Fox. Nagy, an assistant in Kansas City under Andy Reid, brought a more dynamic, forward-thinking scheme.

He also worked wonders for Trubisky.

There were bumpy moments, but Trubisky finished with 3,223 passing yards (66.6 completion percentage), 24 touchdowns, 12 interceptions, 421 rushing yards, three rushing touchdowns and a quarterback rating of 95.4. The Bears also won the NFC North for the first time since 2010.

All signs pointed toward continued improvement in 2019.

So far, the opposite has happened.

Through two games in 2019, Trubisky's completion percentage (58.3), passing yards (348), touchdowns (zero), Total QBR (27.5), yards per attempt (4.8) and number of attempts that traveled 10-plus yards in the air (16) are substantially worse when compared to Trubisky's play in the opening two games of the 2018 season, according to ESPN Stats & Information.

"We haven't been executing the way we want to," Trubisky said. "There are definitely some things that we are missing on film, but we're coming together and we're correcting them."

Coming together won't be an issue. The young quarterback is popular inside the locker room, where he seamlessly meshes with teammates. Trubisky's work ethic has never been called into question.

"The biggest thing that I see is that the head coach is very hesitant to trust the quarterback," ESPN NFL analyst and former quarterback Dan Orlovsky said. "He's very hesitant to trust him with playcalls. When you get a playcaller that trusts you as a quarterback, they're constantly aggressive because they think, 'I know that if this guy doesn't make the throw here or if he doesn't like what he sees here, he'll check the ball down, get it out of his hands, and I'll call it again.' I'll call a chunk play again. And you don't see that from Matt Nagy right now."

Starting the season with the Green Bay Packers and Denver Broncos certainly isn't a good way to ease into the season. Both are giving up under 340 yards per game this year. And Nagy accepted blame for the uneven playcalling in the season-opening loss to Green Bay, when the Bears tried 50 passing plays versus 15 rushing plays.

But whatever the cause, the Bears' offense has lacked cohesiveness and explosive plays. The Bears have gained five or more yards on just 18 of their 51 first-down plays. That is in turn making it harder for Trubisky & Co. to keep drives going. Per ESPN Stats & Information, the Bears have faced third-and-7 or worse on 16 of 26 conversion attempts (62%). Last year, the Bears needed seven or more yards on just 43% of their third-down plays.

Trubisky hasn't helped his own cause much, often missing on the few deep throws he has attempted. Through two weeks, Trubisky has attempted just nine passes of 20 yards or more and thrown 19 balls at or behind the line of scrimmage. Trubisky's 4.8 yards per pass attempt ranks 32nd in the NFL.

"We just have to believe those explosive plays are coming," Trubisky said.

Trubisky has demonstrated big-play ability outside of the pocket. The former North Carolina Tar Heel is dangerous on the move, where he can use his exceptional athleticism to his advantage -- either as a runner or thrower.

But there are concerns about how Trubisky processes the game from inside the pocket.

"I just don't see enough consistency in the pocket," one NFC scout said. "I think when people pin him inside, you can see the wheels spinning a little bit. He'll make throws you like, sometimes ones you really like, but big-picture accuracy has to be better, and it's just an opinion, but I think if he had a better feel pre-snap of where [pressure] is coming from, he would do better with that first read and not force things."

Great quarterbacks are instinctual; it's almost as if they have a supercomputer in their brain that allows them to read a defense in milliseconds.

"He still looks like an athlete trying to play the quarterback position, rather than a quarterback with good positional instincts," former Bears receiver Tom Waddle said. "When he gets out on the edge and the play breaks down, he's brilliant, because he's just being an athlete and he doesn't have to process a ton of stuff."

Yet so far, that hasn't happened. Trubisky has attempted just nine throws outside the pocket. He has run the ball only four times.

"Let him run," ESPN analyst and former NFL defensive tackle Booger McFarland said. "Do what Baltimore is doing with Lamar Jackson. Let him run 10-15 times per game. Don't try to make him into something he's not. Just take what he is and build on it."

"He much more comfortable when things break down than when things are in structure, which is crazy, right?" Orlovsky added. "Normally it's the opposite thing for quarterbacks. He's a thrower that is a good athlete right now. He's not a quarterback that's a good athlete just yet. ...

"He also showed signs of being a quarterback that is a good athlete last year. That's the odd thing to me."

It's two games into the season, and although the Bears are 29th in total offense, Monday night could be a good starting point for the Bears and Trubisky to try to reach their form of a year ago. While Trubisky ranks 28th in Total QBR, Washington has the second-worst passing defense by Total QBR, where opposing quarterbacks are averaging an 89.0 rating.

"For Mitch and our offense, we have to make sure we have the earmuffs on and the blinders on," Nagy said. "It's hard in this world today. Because it's everywhere. People are talking and saying things and when you're doing real well, everyone's all about it. When you're not doing well, everyone's all about it. So we have to make sure that we control what we can control, and that's today's practice."

ASHBURN, Va. -- His introduction to Walter Payton occurred via the internet. A young Adrian Peterson searched for footage of the former Chicago Bears great. He saw Payton run over defenders; he saw him cut one way as a defender fell another; he saw him sprint past defenders on long touchdown runs.

Eventually, Peterson saw something else: himself.

"I would say I'm more similar to Walter Payton than anyone else," the Washington Redskins running back said as his team prepares to host Chicago on Monday (8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN). "A lot of people say Eric Dickerson because I run upright, but if you look at Walter's and my game, I would say it's similar as far as getting it by any means."

Which is why Oct. 14, 2007 -- a date Peterson loudly introduced himself to the NFL in Week 5 -- meant so much to him. He rushed for a Minnesota Vikings franchise record 224 yards against Payton's old team and at Soldier Field, Payton's former home. Nobody has rushed for more yards or gained more all-purpose yards (361) against the Bears.

All of this coming against a team whose defense led a run to the Super Bowl the previous season.

"That's what made it a big game for me," Peterson said. "It was something I was looking forward to, not only that but playing in this historical stadium where Walter Payton played. It's like, come on, how can you not be prepared to play there?"

There's a reason Peterson has his white No. 28 Vikings jersey from this game framed in a glass case at his home in Houston.

As Peterson prepares to play the Bears once more, it's worth remembering that game. Three weeks later, Peterson made an even louder pronouncement with 296 yards rushing against the Chargers. But Peterson never had more all-purpose yards in one game than he did against the Bears -- and it ranks as the third most in NFL history.

"I get in that zone and get locked in and my nose is smelling that end zone," Peterson said.

His nose must have been working like a bloodhound on a hunt: Peterson found the end zone three times. Here's how it went down:

Touchdown No. 1: 67 yards

Peterson's speed to the outside was among the reasons Minnesota drafted him No. 7 overall in 2007. But it stood out even more seeing it in person during the team's rookie minicamp. The quarterback in that camp, Jimmy Terwilliger, had a tough time on the outside zone handoffs.

"I remember how hard he had to run away from center to reach the ball out to stretch it to Adrian," said Brad Childress, the Vikings coach at the time and now a senior offensive assistant with Chicago. "You couldn't deny what kind of speed he had to the edge and watching him cut up was like: Holy cow!"

This play ended with another "holy cow." Peterson again ran untouched on an outside zone to the left, running through a wide gap in the defense five yards downfield. He remained untouched for the first 12 yards. Then Peterson took over: He broke a tackle at the 46-yard line, cut inside a safety sprinting from the middle, stutter-stepped and left cornerback Charles "Peanut" Tillman (a future first-team All-Pro) leaning backward as Peterson bounced around him to the right.

And then: speed.

"He was all-of-a-sudden, and once past that initial wave, be careful," former Bears All-Pro linebacker Brian Urlacher said. "That was his whole career. He was so all-of-a-sudden. You didn't want the DB to be one-on-one with him. You always had to make sure you took leverage with him and force to the help. It wasn't like you were tackling Jerome Bettis. That's not to say he was easy to tackle -- in no way shape or form was he easy. But once you got hold of him he went down. You just couldn't get hold of him."

Urlacher said the Bears were well aware of Peterson. He had rushed for 383 yards and a touchdown in the first four games that season. The linebacker had even seen highlights of Peterson from his Texas high school days.

"He might have come out of high school and been good in the NFL," Urlacher said.

Peterson made it look easy on this day, too.

"Just some great blocking and just the effort I was putting in there to get to the end zone," he said. "I was just out there playing football, enjoying myself."

Touchdown No. 2: 73 yards

Peterson has used vision and speed to help accumulate his 13,343 rushing yards. This play provided a perfect example of both. He starts right and, as the Bears linebackers flow hard with him, a gulf opens to the left.

Cornerback Danieal Manning has contain, but out of the corner of his eye Peterson saw him falling for quarterback Tarvaris Jackson's boot action. As Manning starts at Jackson, Peterson quickly stutter-steps and bursts to the middle of the field. He shakes another defender, cuts outside to the left and is off.

"That's a great example of feeling that flow," Peterson said. "You feel the flow and actually trusting your eyes and use your God-given ability and quickness, the explosive power to stop on a dime and get back and take over.

"Vision is key to everything. You can take care of the body and all, but you have to have the eyes to be able to see that crease, or to see a hole develop, or to see if a linebacker is scraping over the top."

As on the first touchdown, it became a footrace between he and Tillman. The cornerback dove helplessly at Peterson's feet at the 10-yard line.

"He went from zero to full speed in two steps," said Urlacher after rewatching the play. "It was amazing how fast he was running at the line; he hit the holes and it felt like he was running full speed every time. Maybe he wasn't, but it looks like he was. I saw Peanut trying to catch him; he's not gonna catch him."

Peterson said, "Tillman tried his hardest to get there."

Touchdown No. 3: 35 yards

Once again: excellent blocking from the line and speed from Peterson. A one-handed swipe at his legs nearly seven yards downfield failed, as did an attempt by Manning to knock the ball out at the 10-yard line.

"I don't know what he was thinking," Peterson said of Manning.

But this play was indicative, once more, of Peterson's burst. For the day, Peterson averaged a career-best 11.2 yards per carry, a career best.

"If everyone's in their gap, then there's no place to run," Urlacher said. "The problem is he runs through arm tackles. If you pop your head out of the gap for half a second, he's gone. You can't peek and see where he's going. If you do, he's running through the gap. It's his ability to set guys up good, too. He'll set you up and the cutback makes you peek, and once you peek he's gone."

The kick return: 53 yards

Minnesota blew a two-touchdown lead in the final four minutes and, with 1 minute, 38 seconds remaining, Chicago opted to kick to the rookie.

Why?

"Because our kickoff coverage was good," Urlacher said. "Until it happens, you never expect [opponents] to break one on you. We thought we could pin him and didn't. It's not like Devin Hester back there, plus he's still a rookie. We didn't know what we didn't know because he was still a rookie."

Mistake.

Peterson, catching the ball at the 9-yard line, returned it 53 yards to set up the game-winning field goal. It was his fourth return of the day; the first three totaled 75 yards. Hester, a first-team All-Pro return man and receiver gained 272 all-purpose yards that day; he was upstaged.

"We had practiced [Peterson] at kick return, but he wasn't going to return kicks in that game," Childress said. "Right at the end of the game, he had a tremendous game and he says, 'Coach, let me take the kickoff return.' It was good blocking, but sheer force of will."

This was the sort of game Peterson knew he could have; it was the kind of game that Minnesota dreamed of after the draft.

"I had a lot of confidence in what I could do," Peterson said. "I remember doing an interview before the draft, not cocky, but with confidence that it would be an easy transition for me. I remember seeing the faces of some of the people I was talking to like, 'He's in for a rude awakening.' But they were in for a rude awakening, you know?"

Minnesota knew. That's why the Vikings engaged in subterfuge before the draft. They sweated out Arizona at No. 5, knowing the Redskins -- who picked sixth -- already had their back in Clinton Portis.

"We were so happy Arizona took [lineman] Levi Brown," Childress said. "We were like, 'Yeah!' We were putting disinformation out on [Peterson] that the collarbone was broken and wasn't going to heal and was chronic. He only knew one speed, even in walk-through on Saturday morning we had to grab him by the back of his pants to slow down so he wouldn't run into the offensive linemen. When I watch him with the Redskins, it's full blast."

After the Chicago game, teammates chanted Peterson's nickname -- "All Day! All Day!" -- in the locker room after the game. Peterson, too, knew what this game meant.

"You had some good guys on the other side of the ball," Peterson said. "You had Urlacher; [linebacker Lance] Briggs, Tillman. That Chicago defense was good and me coming in as a rookie and really trying to prove myself. That was the first time we played a defense that solidified 'we're serious as an offense and I'm serious as a ball carrier.'"

WASHINGTON -- Philadelphia Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto is out of Monday night's lineup against Washington with right knee soreness after leaving Sunday's loss in Cleveland in the eighth inning.

Realmuto, who is hitting .275 with 25 homers and 83 RBIs, has started 130 of Philadelphia's first 154 games at catcher. He made his second All-Star Game appearance this year.

"J.T. was prepared today," manager Gabe Kapler said. "He was open about being willing to play today. It was a decision I made on his behalf to protect him and look out for his best interests."

Realmuto said he suffered the injury while running out a double-play grounder in the fifth inning. He said he didn't feel anything while running but experienced discomfort while catching.

Realmuto said he would undergo an MRI as a precautionary measure.

"I don't want to take any chances," Realmuto said. "I don't see it being anything too serious. I should feel better tomorrow."

TAMPA -- Gary Sanchez is hopeful that he'll be able to return to the New York Yankees' lineup sooner than later, but the All-Star catcher is being cautious as the regular season winds down.

Sánchez has been sidelined since September 12, when he suffered a left groin strain in the second game of a doubleheader against the Detroit Tigers as he was thrown out in an attempt to steal his first base of the season.

"Right now with everything I've done, I feel better," Sanchez said after a full workout day at the Yankees' minor league complex in Tampa on Monday. "Hopefully in the next few days, with all I have to do, and after working with the trainers, I can feel the way I feel now."

Sanchez, who missed 16 games earlier this season also due to a strained left groin, worked out under the supervision of hitting coach Marcus Thames and head athletic trainer Steve Donohue. The Yankees traveled Sunday night to Tampa ahead of a two-game series against the Tampa Bay Rays, which starts on Tuesday.

"I ran the bases a bit; played some defense too. I took regular batting practice in the cage and I took BP outside. I feel good," Sanchez added. "Everything I have done has gone well. There have been no problems at all. We have to wait to see how things go in the next couple of days."

For the Yankees -- who established a new major league record by sending 31 players to the injured list this season -- not having Sanchez has been a blow down the stretch after having lost outfielders Mike Tauchman and Aaron Hicks for the year.

Even though the Yankees already locked up home-field advantage for the American League Division Series, they are still battling the Houston Astros for the best record in the majors.

Nonetheless, Sanchez told ESPN he doesn't feel any pressure to return this week and his focus is solely on being healthy for the postseason. When healthy, Sanchez has enjoyed an extremely productive season, slashing .233/.318/.531 with 34 home runs through 104 games.

"I was always hopeful, from day one, that I would be back," Sanchez told ESPN. "I knew that because our trainers do tremendous work and I knew they were going to be able to put me in the position of how I feel right now. I feel very good, and all I need is to be ready for the playoffs."

Designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion, who is rehabbing a left internal oblique strain he also suffered during the Detroit series, was also at the team's minor league complex on Monday. Encarnacion, who ran, played catch, and took batting practice, told ESPN that he was feeling good and expected to play in the second game of the Tampa series.

During their last home stand, manager Aaron Boone said that Encarnacion should be able to return to the lineup during their end-of-the-season road trip, which includes the two games in Tampa and three against the Rangers in Arlington.

"I feel pretty good that it will certainly be the games in Arlington, it could even be Tampa," Boone said. "We'll see how these next few days go. [Encarnacion] is doing pretty well, so we'll see whether it's midweek or the weekend; feel like he's on track for that."

When it came to Sanchez, the Yankees' manager refused to set a timeline for a possible return.

"I don't think he's on as fast a track as Edwin," Boone said, "but I'm feeling more confident certainly by the playoffs and hopefully at some point maybe in that final series he could get in."

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Ned Yost did something that few thought possible when he took over the Kansas City Royals in 2010: He not only built the organization into a winner but delivered the long-suffering organization its first World Series title in three decades.

Now, he's leaving the next rebuilding job to someone else.

Yost announced Monday that he will be retiring at the end of the season, ending a nine-year tenure that included two American League pennants and that dramatic 2015 championship.

The announcement came on an off-day for the Royals, who lost 12-8 on Sunday to the AL Central-leading Twins to fall to 57-100 -- their second consecutive season with at least 100 losses.

The Royals wrap up their season -- and their skipper's big league managerial career -- with two games against the Braves beginning Tuesday night, then a weekend series at home against Minnesota.

Yost, 65, who has been on a year-to-year contract, will retire as the club's career wins leader with 744 to date. He is the only manager to lead the Royals to back-to-back World Series, losing to the Giants in seven games in 2014 and beating the Mets in five the following year.

"I've thoroughly enjoyed my time here as your manager and will never forget the good and the hard times we had together as an organization and a fan base," Yost said. "I will never forget the fact that you fans supported us through it all. Kansas City will always have a special place in my heart, and I look forward to rooting the Royals on to their next world championship very soon."

Yost and general manager Dayton Moore are expected to address reporters Tuesday.

Like many small-market clubs, the Royals were forced to gut their roster after their stunning run of success once their foundational stars became too expensive to keep. That began a massive rebuilding effort last year that has continued into this season.

Yet unlike last season, the Royals showed signs of hope this summer. Building blocks such as shortstop Adalberto Mondesi, third baseman Hunter Dozier and outfielder Jorge Soler -- who broke the franchise record for homers in a season -- gave Royals fans a reason to return to the ballpark, while a bevy of talented pitchers in the minor leagues offers more hope for the future.

"With the development of our young players and our returning veterans, I feel and hope the worst is behind us in this rebuilding phase of our organization," Yost said. "My plan all along was to get us through the rough times then turn it over to a new manager to bring us the rest of the way.''

The Royals are not expected to move quickly in hiring Yost's replacement, though bench coach Dale Sveum and special adviser Mike Matheny would provide their young core with a seamless transition.

Both of them have managerial experience, with Sveum replacing Yost after he was fired in Milwaukee and Matheny with the cross-state rival St. Louis Cardinals. And should Matheny get the nod, it would be remarkably similar to the circumstances in which Yost got the Kansas City job: He moved from an advisory role within the rebuilding Royals in 2010 to replace the fired Trey Hillman.

Yost began his career in baseball as a catcher when he was drafted out of Chabot College in 1974. He made his big league debut six years later for Milwaukee and went on to play parts of six seasons with the Brewers, Rangers and Expos before moving into coaching.

That's where he ultimately made a name for himself.

After a long tenure on Bobby Cox's staff in Atlanta, he was hired by the Brewers in 2003 and immediately set about rebuilding that franchise. He had them within sight of the postseason in 2008 when he was fired with just 12 games remaining in the regular season.

Sveum guided them into the playoffs, where they lost to Philadelphia in the divisional round.

Yost got a second chance to rebuild a franchise when he took over for Hillman in Kansas City. The once-proud organization had just one winning season since 1993, and had not reached the playoffs since beating the Cardinals to win the Royals' then-only World Series title in 1985.

The Royals lost at least 90 games in each of Yost's first two seasons, but with young stars such as Eric Hosmer and Mike Moustakas arriving, they had finally become competitive. They won 86 games the following year and finally broke through in 2014, advancing all the way to the World Series.

Their championship season in 2015 was celebrated by an estimated 800,000 people who turned out in downtown Kansas City for a parade, a surreal sight for those who had followed the Royals for years.

The final week! A good time for 10 questions ...

What's left to play for?

The Cardinals' four-game sweep of the Cubs at Wrigley -- just the second time in MLB history that a team lost a four-game series at home with all four losses by one run -- did a lot to clarify what had been a crowded National League playoff race. Here's where we stand:

• The Cardinals are three games up on the Brewers, who swept the Pirates and are 10-2 since Christian Yelich went down for the season (11-2 if you include the game Yelich was injured).

• The Brewers and Nationals are now effectively tied for the two wild cards, although the Nationals have played two fewer games (they have a five-game series at home against the Phillies, including a doubleheader on Tuesday, while the Brewers have a day off Monday). Both teams are a comfortable four games up on the Cubs and 4 1/2 up on the Mets. The Brewers won the season series against the Nationals, so if the clubs end up with the same record the wild-card game will be played in Milwaukee on Tuesday, Oct. 1.

• If the Brewers manage to catch the Cardinals in the NL Central race and they end up tied, the tie-breaker game would be Monday, Sept. 30, at St. Louis (the Cardinals won the season series 10-9).

• The Astros and Yankees are both at 102 wins as they battle for best overall record and home-field advantage, although the Yankees have to finish with the better record since the Astros own the tiebreaker. The Astros finish with two at Seattle and four at Anaheim while the Yankees have two at Tampa Bay and three at Texas.

What about the American League's wild cards?

The Athletics have opened up a two-game lead on the Rays and Indians as they've gone 15-5 in September. They finish with two in Anaheim and four in Seattle. The Rays host the Red Sox on Monday, play the Yankees for two games and finish with three games at Toronto. Cleveland has a six-game road trip against the White Sox and Nationals.

The most likely tiebreaker scenario at this point is the Rays and Indians tying for the second wild card. That tiebreaker game would be in St. Petersburg, since the Rays crushed the Indians in the season series 6-1, outscoring them 41-18.

What's interesting right now is how the two teams' rotations line up, especially now that the Rays have Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow back (although neither has gone more than three innings yet). Scheduled starts right now for the week are as follows:

Tampa Bay: Snell (Monday), Brendan McKay (Tuesday), Charlie Morton (Wednesday), Glasnow (Friday), Ryan Yarbrough (Saturday), Snell (Sunday).

Cleveland: Aaron Civale (Tuesday), Mike Clevinger (Wednesday), Shane Bieber (Thursday), Zach Plesac (Friday), Adam Plutko (Saturday), Civale (Sunday)

Assuming those rotations stick, that would set up Morton going for the Rays in either Monday's tiebreaker game or Wednesday's wild-card game, while the Indians would have Clevinger in a tiebreaker game and either Clevinger or Bieber in the wild-card game.

Just for giggles, what happens if the Cubs suddenly get hot and force a tie?

The Cubs finish with three at Pittsburgh against the reeling Pirates and three at St. Louis. The Brewers are on the road against the Reds and Rockies, and the Nationals have those five at home against the Phillies and then three against Cleveland. We could get a three-way tie for two wild cards at 88-74 if this happens:

Cubs: 6-0
Brewers: 2-4
Nationals: 3-5

Possible, although unlikely. The Cubs' playoffs odds are down to 2.4 percent, according to FanGraphs. If we do somehow end up in a three-way tie, we go to the three-teams-for-two-spots tiebreaker, which involves designating teams A, B and C. The Brewers have first choice because they won both season series. The Nationals pick second. Club A hosts Club B. The winner is one wild card. Club C would then host the loser of the first game for the second wild card.

What's going on with the Yankees?

It's a never-ending story for the Yankees, and now Domingo German is out for the postseason because of a domestic violence investigation. Giancarlo Stanton returned to the lineup last week for his first action since June and played four games, homering on Saturday and going 4-for-10 overall. But the biggest news is that Luis Severino returned and looked very sharp in two outings. He threw four scoreless innings against the Angels and followed that up with five scoreless innings against the Blue Jays on Sunday, striking out nine with zero walks and throwing 80 pitches.

He looks ready to go in the playoff rotation along with James Paxton and Masahiro Tanaka, so only the fourth spot remains a question mark. A possible tandem outing with German is no longer in the works. J.A. Happ struggled in August, but he has the hot hand in September, with four runs in 23 1/3 innings this month. With Paxton in top form (he's allowed one earned run in September), Severino healthy and Happ looking better, the Yankees may actually be entering October in the best spot they've been at all season. Gleyber Torres did miss a couple games after tweaking his knee Friday night and Edwin Encarnacion has been out since Sept.12, but both are expected back this week. Catcher Gary Sanchez (groin) has been taking indoor batting practice, and the Yankees hope he'll be ready for the ALDS.

Any other injuries to watch?

Freddie Freeman is going to remain in Atlanta to get treatment for a bone spur in his right elbow as the Royals travel to Kansas City for a two-game series. Freeman has played through the issue for a few weeks and has hit .288 in September, although with just two home runs.

• Twins outfielder Max Kepler hasn't started since Sept. 14 because of a strain in his left shoulder.

• Cardinals second baseman Kolten Wong missed the final three games of the Cubs series with a Grade 2 hamstring strain.

• Justin Turner finally returned to the Dodgers' lineup on Saturday after missing 13 days with a nagging ankle injury. Teammate Max Muncy sat out Saturday and Sunday with a sore thigh, but manager Dave Roberts said he would have played if it were a postseason game.

• Nationals catcher Kurt Suzuki hasn't been able to catch since Sept. 7 due to elbow inflammation.

• Rays rookie All-Star second baseman Brandon Lowe returned Sunday, playing in his first game since July 2.

• Jose Ramirez could be back in the Cleveland lineup Tuesday.

• A's reliever Blake Treinen is out for the rest of the regular season with a stress reaction in his back. Fellow reliever Lou Trivino hasn't pitched since Sept. 14 due to an oblique strain.

Who is Houston's No. 4 starter?

Wade Miley was having an excellent season heading into September, ranking in the top 10 in the AL in ERA, but he's allowed 23 hits and 18 runs over 7 1/3 innings in his past four starts -- including three outings in which he lasted no outs, one out and three outs. Can A.J. Hinch have any confidence giving him the ball in the postseason? He'll have one more start this week to turn things around.

The Astros don't really have a fifth starter at the moment, so it's Miley or some sort of bullpen game. The Astros could elect to go with a three-man rotation in the division series, which would entail the Game 1 starter pitching Game 4 on three days' rest. No doubt Justin Verlander will get the ball in the playoff opener, but asking him to go on short rest is asking him to do something he hasn't done since pitching 2 2/3 innings in relief in Game 4 of the 2017 ALDS. The only postseason game he started on short rest in his career was in the 2011 ALDS, but that was after pitching one inning in a rainout.

What's going on with the MVP races?

We're kind of where we were last week. Alex Bregman hit three home runs and drove in four runs as he continues to put some doubt in what looked like a Mike Trout lock before Trout went down for the season. Bregman is at .293/.419/.585 with 39 home runs, 117 runs, 108 RBIs, 112 walks and good defense.

Over in the NL, Anthony Rendon did not have a good week, hitting .167 with one home run and two RBIs as the Nationals went 3-3. They haven't had a three-game winning streak since Sept. 1. Cody Bellinger hit two homers and knocked in six runs. It still feels like Bellinger has the slight edge (and it's worth noting that Yelich does have a small lead in FanGraphs WAR).

How about the Cy Young races?

The battle between Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole will go down to the wire. Verlander won his 20th game on Sunday, improving to 20-6 with a 2.53 ERA and 288 strikeouts in 217 innings. Cole is 18-5 with a 2.61 ERA and 302 strikeouts in 200 1/3 innings. He's riding a string of seven consecutive double-digit strikeout games. Cole is scheduled to pitch on Tuesday and then in a final tuneup start on the final day of the season, while Verlander has just one start remaining. Verlander, however, has already made two more starts and has those 17 additional innings. Edge: Verlander.

I don't know if Jacob deGrom has completely separated himself from the pack, but don't blame him when the Mets fall short of the postseason. He has the most well-rounded season of dominance among NL starters, with a 10-8 record, 2.51 ERA and 248 strikeouts in 197 innings. He's second in the NL in ERA (Hyun-Jin Ryu is at 2.41, but has pitched 21 fewer innings), first in strikeouts, third in innings, first in lowest OPS allowed, and he has finished strong (he owns a 1.55 ERA in the second half).

Any other milestones/races to watch?

Yes! Pete Alonso has 50 home runs and is two away from tying Aaron Judge's rookie record. He also has a two-homer lead over Eugenio Suarez for the major league lead. Three Mets have led the NL in home runs -- Howard Johnson, Darryl Strawberry and Dave Kingman -- but no Mets player has led the majors.

• Tim Anderson of the White Sox leads DJ LeMahieu in the AL batting race, .334 to .329. If Anderson wins, his .258 career average entering 2019 would be the lowest ever for a batting champ at the start of the season. LeMahieu is trying to win the title in both leagues after leading the NL with a .348 average with the Rockies in 2016.

• Jorge Soler is tied with Trout for the AL lead with 45 home runs. Trout is out and Soler has a five-homer lead over Nelson Cruz. He's trying to become the first Royals player to lead the AL in home runs.

• The NL batting race is interesting because the co-leaders are Yelich and Ketel Marte of the Diamondbacks at .329, but both are out the rest of the season with injuries. Yelich has the edge in going to a fourth decimal point: .3292 to .3286. Rendon is third in the race at .325.

• Ronald Acuna Jr., of course, is still in pursuit of that 40-40 season. He's at 41 home runs and 37 stolen bases.

• Then there's my favorite stats chase of the season: Nicholas Castellanos of the Cubs has 58 doubles as he tries to become the first player since 1936 to reach 60 doubles.

Any final goodbyes?

CC Sabathia said goodbye to Yankees fans with a ceremony on Sunday, wiping away tears more than once. Sabathia is expected to make the Yankees' postseason roster, although he may be limited to a relief and/or mop-up role.

Felix Hernandez's contract is up in Seattle, and he'll make one final start at home on Thursday. He will finish his 15 seasons in Seattle without a playoff appearance, and while he hasn't announced his retirement, this will be his final game in a Mariners uniform. If he pitches in 2020, it will be somewhere else. With a 6.51 ERA, the phone won't be ringing off the hook.

The Red Sox finish at home against the Orioles. Could these be Mookie Betts' final games with Boston? He has one year remaining until free agency, but the trade rumors around him are already heating up as the Red Sox may look to deal him in the offseason.

The last game of the season in San Francisco against the Dodgers promises to be an emotional affair. It will be Bruce Bochy's final game as manager, after 13 seasons and three World Series titles. Next stop: Cooperstown. The scheduled starter that day: Madison Bumgarner, a free agent. Next stop: Who knows?

Athlete Dr Jessica Piasecki from Nottingham Trent University highlights how new studies are shedding more light on importance of keeping active into older age

Recently some important findings linked with ageing research have been highlighted and these almost always include some aspect of research involving masters athletes.

Most notably, it has been shown that years of training may not only benefit muscle in older age, but also the nerves that control our muscles. Also, despite their years of training, master athletes still have room to improve when it comes to balance and that people taking up endurance running at a later stage in life (after the age of 50 years old) can still improve their body composition, muscle power and strength. Put simply, it is never too late to start taking up exercise.

Last month, researchers from Nottingham Trent University and University of Nottingham attended the BMAF Championships at the Alexander Stadium in Birmingham to carry out some more detailed measurements on muscles and nerves. They hope to answer further questions about how exercising into older age may improve not only the strength of muscles, but also the control of our muscles.

Also, it is the hope of the researchers that athletes across all of the ages can be studied.

Dr Jessica Piasecki from Nottingham Trent University explained: “Previous ageing studies have tended to make comparisons between the very young and the very old age groups and have completely ignored the middle age categories. In fact, between the ages of 40-55 years old, a number of physiological systems begin to decline, and filling in these gaps could provide us with vital information.”

Over the course of the weekend the group tested 36 athletes across a range of ages and disciplines, with equal numbers of men and women. Testing involved a number of measures including balance, motor control, strength and giving a blood sample.

Mathew Piasecki, assistant professor from the University of Nottingham, said the response from volunteers was more than they could have hoped for.

“We always have a lot of interest in this kind of work from the masters athlete community, they tend to always be willing to give up their time, in fact we even had people queuing a few times over the weekend! Fortunately, some of our tests can be quite competitive which always helps attract athletes,” he said.

The researchers say these studies utilise master athletes as a model ageing population; people who have aged but have also continued to be highly active.

If you would like to find out more about the ongoing research, please get in touch with Jessica Piasecki at [email protected]

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — International Hot Rod Ass’n member track Beaver Springs Dragway has been named the IHRA Division 3 (North Stars) Track of the Year.

The facility, which features a quarter-mile drag strip, opened in 1971 and is nestled among the rolling hills in the heart of Central Pennsylvania. They use the motto, “Nobody Does It Better!”

That was certainly the case in 2019, a challenging year with one of the wettest spring and summer on record. The weather issues caused other problems, but the staff led by track owner Mike McCracken and the group of racers at Beaver Springs persevered to finish the season on a high note.

“After a season full of weather, scheduling turmoil and equipment breakage, Mike McCracken and the team at Beaver Springs can look back with pride and a never-say-die attitude,” IHRA Division Director Jon O’Neal said. “The Beaver Springs team finished out the season with the same excitement that they started with. That’s a big testament to the Beaver Springs ownership and management.”

The track boasts a strong IHRA Summit SuperSeries program. Justin Badman (Top), Bob Klock (Mod) and Aidan Mackert (Junior) earned track bids to the IHRA Summit SuperSeries World Finals in 2019.

Timing is everything, or so they say.

Get your timing right and you can accomplish just about anything. In MLS, that mostly means "winning a championship" since that's the whole point. History is replete with clubs who got their timing right and rode a wave of good form all the way to the confetti party at the end of the season.

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Unless your timing is bad. And then it can ruin a season with massive potential. Our advice to MLS teams currently in or around the playoff places: Avoid having bad timing. It's wisdom like that that makes the Power Rankings a paragon of excellence.

Viva las ranks!

Previous rankings: Week 28 | Week 27 | Week 26 | Week 25 | Week 24 | Week 23 | Week 22 | Week 21 | Week 20 | Week 19 | Week 18 | Week 17 | Week 16 | Week 15 | Week 14 | Week 13 | Week 12 | Week 11 | Week 10 | Week 9 | Week 8 | Week 7 | Week 6 | Week 5 | Week 4 | Week 3 | Week 2 | Week 1

1. New York City FC (16 wins, 10 draws, 5 losses)

Previous ranking: 2

Next MLS match: Sept. 25 vs. Atlanta (7 p.m. ET, stream live on ESPN+)

We have a new No. 1! Dome Torrent's club hit the road to Frisco, Tex. and picked up a point towards finishing in first place in the Eastern Conference, extending its unbeaten run to nine games. Sure, they dropped two points from a winning position with the late FC Dallas goal but NYCFC is still the hottest team in MLS.

2. LAFC (19-8-4)

Previous ranking: 2

Next MLS match: Sept. 25 vs. Houston (10:30 p.m. ET, stream live on ESPN+)

Here's the thing: LAFC is going to win the Supporters Shield and LAFC is going to enter the playoffs as the favorite to win MLS Cup. But right now, LAFC has slowed down and that means LAFC can't be the top team in the Power Rankings. There are rules.

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3. Philadelphia Union (15-7-9)

Previous ranking: 3

Next MLS match: Sept. 25 at San Jose (11 p.m. ET, stream live on ESPN+)

Philly's run against playoff caliber teams ended in Harrison with a defeat to the Red Bulls, prompting a very fair question about whether the Union have the fortitude to get it done on the road in the postseason. A hectic week ahead looms, with trips to San Jose on Wednesday and Columbus on Sunday.

4. Atlanta United (17-3-11)

Previous ranking: 7

Next MLS match: Sept. 25 at NYCFC (7 p.m. ET, stream live on ESPN+)

Josef Martinez is hurt and the prognosis looks bleak. There hasn't been this much panic in Atlanta since the walkers showed up and forced Rick Grimes and his friends to fight for survival. At least it's not as bad as that, Five Stripes faithful.

5. Toronto FC (12-10-10)

Previous ranking: 6

Next MLS match: Sept. 29 at Chicago (5 p.m. ET, stream live on ESPN+)

A potentially momentous win on the road in L.A. was undone by VAR-aided penalty call, but the Reds have a lot to be happy about after the draw against the league's top team. No one will want to face a red-hot Toronto FC when the playoffs start.

6. D.C. United (13-9-10)

Previous ranking: 9

Next MLS match: Sept. 29 at New York Red Bulls (5 p.m. ET, stream live on ESPN+)

Back into the top four for the Black & Red, who took advantage of the less-than-full-strength Seattle Sounders in a Sunday night win at Audi Field. The vibe at Audi Field would be a significant help to keeping Wayne Rooney around for a while before he bounces back across the Atlantic.

7. LA Galaxy (15-3-13)

Previous ranking: 8

Next MLS match: Sept. 25 at Real Salt Lake (9:30 p.m. ET, stream live on ESPN+)

Zlatan Ibrahimovic has scored a lot of jaw-dropping goals in his career, maybe more than any man alive. His tally on Saturday to help the Galaxy to a 2-1 win over Montreal was not one of those. Sometimes it just pays to be standing in the right spot.

8. Minnesota United (14-7-10)

Previous ranking: 4

Next MLS match: Sept. 25 vs. Sporting Kansas City (8 p.m. ET, stream live on ESPN+)

The Loons are migrating towards the playoffs after a good away point in Portland. The draw sets up some simple math: Win on Wednesday at home to a Sporting KC side with nothing to play for, or clinch on Sunday at home to LAFC (a bit of a tougher ask) and they're in.

9. Seattle Sounders (14-8-9)

Previous ranking: 5

Next MLS match: Sept. 29 at San Jose (7:30 p.m. ET, stream live on ESPN+)

The Sounders' hold on second place in the West is tenuous after a loss in D.C. but Brian Schmetzer's team still holds its destiny in its hands with three games to go. The problem is that Seattle could be as low as fourth when the dust settles following Wednesday's matches.

10. New York Red Bulls (13-5-13)

Previous ranking: 20

Next MLS match: Sept. 29 vs. DC United (5 p.m. ET, stream live on ESPN+)

The red alert in Harrison has been downgraded following a bicoastal two-game week that saw Chris Armas's club grab six important points. The winds of fortune have changed direction, which is good because of that whole landfill smell problem in New Jersey.

11. New England Revolution (10-11-10)

Previous ranking: 12

Next MLS match: Sept. 25 at Portland (10:30 p.m. ET, stream live on ESPN+)

New England's trying to land the playoff plane but the Revs are stuck in a holding pattern. A disappointing home result against a rotated Real Salt Lake team makes it four games without a win, three of them draws and with a cross-country jaunt to Portland in midweek, nothing gets easier.

12. Real Salt Lake (14-5-12)

Previous ranking: 13

Next MLS match: Sept. 25 vs. LA Galaxy (9:30 p.m. ET, stream live on ESPN+)

Freddy Juarez and his crew might have been happy to get away from Utah for a bit (ahem) and try their luck in New England. Holding on for a point in Foxboro is good enough with a massive Western Conference showdown with the Galaxy coming on Wednesday.

13. Portland Timbers (13-5-13)

Previous ranking: 10

Next MLS match: Sept. 25 vs. New England (10:30 p.m. ET, stream live on ESPN+)

One point from two home games for the Timbers this week. At least there was a point against Minnesota, but the problem of goals -- meaning there aren't any -- is bordering on disastrous. Getting to the playoffs hardly matters if you can't put the ball in the net when you get there.

14. FC Dallas (12-9-11)

Previous ranking: 15

Next MLS match: Sept. 29 at Colorado (7:30 p.m. ET, stream live on ESPN+)

The week saw Luchi's young bucks claim two points from two difficult matches, just good enough to keep FC Dallas in a playoff spot in the extremely competitive West. There's no telling if they'll make the postseason in the end, but Gonzalez's team hasn't rolled over.

15. Colorado Rapids (11-6-15)

Previous ranking: 18

Next MLS match: Sept. 29 vs. FC Dallas (7:30 p.m. ET, stream live on ESPN+)

Stop what you're doing and go watch Kei Kamara's goal in Colorado's win over Sporting. .

16. San Jose Earthquakes (13-5-13)

Previous ranking: 11

Next MLS match: Sept. 25 vs. Philadelphia (11 p.m. ET, stream live on ESPN+)

There's a fine line between fiery passion that brings a team together and makes them more than the sum of their parts and being a loudmouth jerk that undermines a club's efforts. Right now, Matias Almeyda is squarely on the wrong side of that line.

17. Chicago Fire (9-11-12)

Previous ranking: 16

Next MLS match: Sept. 29 vs. Toronto FC (5 p.m. ET, stream live on ESPN+)

Missing the spark in front of goal against FCC won't help the Fire in the playoff chase. Maybe Joe Mansueto will take the result to heart and contemplate spending some money on scoring help for 2020 as he takes over as the club's new owner.

18. Columbus Crew (9-8-15)

Previous ranking: 17

Next MLS match: Sept. 29 vs. Philadelphia (5 p.m. ET, stream live on ESPN+)

"If we could see out a game this year we'd be in the playoffs," Caleb Porter said after his team conceded with seconds to go in Vancouver. And if dogs had wings they'd be... more awesome? Someone make that happen.

19. Vancouver Whitecaps (7-10-15)

Previous ranking: 21

Next MLS match: Sept. 29 at LA Galaxy (7:30 p.m. ET, stream live on ESPN+)

Those feisty 'Caps fought to the death and earned a draw against Columbus on Saturday. It wasn't a win, but it was better than a loss and that makes it a somewhat nice thing in an otherwise not nice season for Vancouver.

20. Houston Dynamo (11-4-16)

Previous ranking: 23

Next MLS match: Sept. 25 at LAFC (10:30 p.m. ET, stream live on ESPN+)

ZOMBIE HOUSTON IS BACK. The Dynamo found their way back with two goals in the final 21 minutes to beat Orlando City on Saturday. Can Zombie Houston eat the brains of LAFC on Wednesday nigh-- you know what, this has gone too far.

21. Orlando City (9-9-14)

Previous ranking: 14

Next MLS match: Sept. 29 at FC Cincinnati (5 p.m. ET, stream live on ESPN+)

The Lions had a chance to resuscitate their playoff chances up a goal with 20 minutes to go in Houston. Cut to: Flatline.

22. Sporting Kansas City (10-7-14)

Previous ranking: 19

Next MLS match: Sept. 25 at Minnesota (8 p.m. ET, stream live on ESPN+)

Anything we could say he would just be pouring salt in a wound -- oh hey, that wasn't even supposed to be a joke about their issues with health this year, but look how it worked out.

23. FC Cincinnati (6-4-22)

Previous ranking: 22

Next MLS match: Sept. 29 vs. Orlando City (5 p.m. ET, stream live on ESPN+)

FC Cincinnati played a game of soccer on Saturday and did not lose, something that has happened only 10 times in the year 2019 in MLS play.

24. Montreal Impact (11-4-17)

Previous ranking: 24

Next MLS match: Sept. 29 vs. Atlanta (5 p.m. ET, stream live on ESPN+)

The Impact's season is not yet actually over and the club set a record for the fewest fouls committed (1) in an MLS game. Huzzah!

Grab your best breakaway tailgate tables, Buffalo. Your Bills are 3-0, and the undefeated Patriots are coming to town next week. If you've been under the radar so far, that's all about to end.

You never know where the big games are going to pop up on the NFL schedule, but my goodness, there's a battle for first place in the AFC East in Week 4 in upstate New York. The Patriots walloped the Jets in Foxborough on Sunday afternoon, while Buffalo held off Cincinnati. What better way to lead off an overreaction column than with a wild Week 3 assertion about the Bills?

The Buffalo Bills will make the playoffs

Buffalo has started the season 3-0 for the first time since 2011 and only the third time in the past 26 years. The Bills are allowing only about 15.6 points per game. Josh Allen is getting it done, somehow. The Bills had a strategic and quietly extensive offseason of improving their receiver corps and offensive line around Allen, and so far it appears to be paying off.

The verdict: NOT AN OVERREACTION. Since 1990, 73.8% of teams that started the season 3-0 reached the playoffs. So, start right there. They have a much better chance of making the postseason at this point than missing it. And you don't have to believe they'll beat the Patriots next week in order to believe they can claim a wild-card spot in the AFC.

Look at the schedule. The Bills play Washington, Denver and the Jets at home. They have a road trip to Tennessee. They still get to play the Dolphins twice. We just got them to nine wins right there. Beat the Pats next week at home, and you have to fire up the playoff ticket printer in Buffalo for the second time in three years.

The Giants got it right with the Daniel Jones pick

Whoo boy, did the No. 6 pick in this year's draft have a debut Sunday: 23-for-36, 336 yards, two touchdown passes, two more rushing touchdowns, and he did something the Giants had done only eight times in their previous 35 games: He won.

The news of the early part of last week was the Giants' decision to bench franchise icon Eli Manning and start the rookie in his place, and Jones delivered on the coaching staff's decision. He led the Giants back from an 18-point deficit to their first victory of the season, and he did it in thrilling, fearless fashion.

The verdict: NOT AN OVERREACTION. Seriously, Giants fans. Soak. This. Up. Your team hasn't given you much of anything to feel excited about over the past seven years. Spend the week with your chests puffed out in the belief that Manning's successor is real and he's spectacular. Don't let the Saquon Barkley injury or the fact that your tissue-paper defense almost gave away the game spoil your mood. Those problems will be there when you come down off your high.

But enjoy the high. Jones spent a glorious Sunday afternoon showing you what the team saw in him on draft night. His mobility and deep-ball throwing ability offer Pat Shurmur the ability to run a lot more of his offense than he has since he became the coach in 2018. Jones is a rookie, and they all have ups and downs, and of course there will be weeks where it isn't this good. But if this kind of performance is inside of this kid, you're in good hands.

There's no way to know exactly what path he takes from here, but Giants fans need to revel in what they saw Sunday. If you can't enjoy moments like this, what's being a sports fan all about?

The Philadelphia Eagles' injuries will keep them out of the playoffs

You knew when they switched from practice to a walk-through in the middle of the week because of injuries that things were serious on that front in Philly. Wideouts DeSean Jackson and Alshon Jeffery missed Sunday's game and are in doubt for their next one, which not-so-conveniently comes Thursday against the 3-0 Packers. Quarterback Carson Wentz made it through the loss to the Lions without any new physical ailment, but that only extends that streak to one game. The Eagles are 1-2 and looking up at the 3-0 Cowboys in their division.

The verdict: OVERREACTION. There is too much recent history here of a team that overcomes its issues. Too much good coaching. Too much roster depth. The Eagles are taking their injury lumps right now, but they can't be ruled out. And even if they can't get it together in time for Thursday and they fall to 1-3, they'd still have three quarters of a season left to fix it all. They're not a team to bet against.

The New York Jets are worse than the Miami Dolphins

Adam Gase's squad went into Foxborough, Massachusetts, on Sunday with its third starting quarterback in as many weeks and, wouldn't you know it, wasn't competitive. The Jets fell behind 30-0 before cutting the deficit to something more respectable with a special-teams touchdown and an interception-return touchdown once the game was out of hand. They are 0-3, have been outscored 70-33 and might be the first team in league history to be thrilled about a Week 4 bye.

The verdict: OVERREACTION. Yeah, the Jets have been outscored 70-33. The Dolphins? They've been outscored 133-16! This isn't the same ballpark of stink. Sam Darnold will come back from his bout with mono. C.J. Mosley should come back soon from his groin injury.

I get that it's depressing if you're a Jets fan to watch this product, and that it feels like a lot of same-old, same-old. But if you had hopes in August that this season would offer hope for the future, it's OK to harbor those same hopes for the final three-fourths of the season. It has to get better. Right?

The Detroit Lions will make the playoffs

Detroit blew a big lead Week 1 in Arizona, ended up with a tie, and things looked bleak. The next five games on its schedule at that point were against the Chargers, at the Eagles, against the Chiefs, at the Packers and against the Vikings. It was pretty easy to imagine the Lions being 0-5-1 through six games. Now, though, they've won the first two games in that gauntlet and are one of the NFL's remaining undefeated teams.

The verdict: OVERREACTION. Get back to me if they beat the Chiefs next week. Seriously, nothing against the Lions. I believed, wrote and said on television more than once that I thought they had a chance to be a decent team.

But I also believed, and still do, that they play in the toughest division in the league. Green Bay is 3-0. Minnesota is 2-1 and has looked great in two games (and lousy in the one in Green Bay). The Bears still have a stifling defense, and you figure they'll get the offense together eventually.

It's cool to be excited about what the Lions are doing, and sure, if things go wrong for those other teams along the way, they could absolutely sneak into a playoff spot. It's just too early, given the challenges that still await, to be throwing any parades.

Antonio Brown will never play in the NFL again

Released by the Patriots on Friday, the erstwhile No. 1 receiver in the game has been let go by three teams in the past seven months. Unlike last time, there was no new contract with a contender waiting for him minutes after his release. Right now, Brown is under NFL investigation due to serious allegations of sexual assault and other misconduct by two women. That investigation could lead to Brown being suspended by the NFL, and teams understandably want to wait to see whether than happens before deciding whether to sign him.

The verdict: NOT AN OVERREACTION. You can't rule anything out, and especially if Brown is exonerated -- he denies the accusations -- his talent is enough that teams will come calling. But given the explosive manner in which he got himself traded by the Steelers, released by the Raiders and rendered too much for the Patriots to handle, there's an overflowing 747 cargo hold full of baggage that will accompany Brown to wherever his next stop might be.

And that assumes he's exonerated, which he very well may not be. More could come out, and Brown continues to hurt his own case by doing things like sending intimidating texts to his accusers and tearing apart league owners and players in Twitter rants. He could play again, but it's far from an overreaction to say that he's done.