The Week 3 NFL slate is stacked with great matchups. Our NFL Nation reporters bring us the keys to every game, a bold prediction for each matchup and final score predictions.
Additionally, ESPN Stats & Information research provides a stat to know, and the Football Power Index (FPI) goes inside the numbers with a matchup rating (on a scale of 1 to 100) and a game projection. ESPN Fantasy's Kyle Soppe and ESPN Chalk's Mackenzie Kraemer hand out helpful nuggets as well. It's all here to help get you ready for a loaded weekend of NFL football.
1 p.m. ET | CBS Matchup rating: 80.3 | Spread: KC -6.5 (52)
What to watch for: The Ravens defended Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs about as well as any opponent did last season. Can Baltimore give Mahomes fits again? The Chiefs, who didn't score in the second half of their Week 2 game against the Raiders, are depleted, facing the Ravens without wide receiver Tyreek Hill, left tackle Eric Fisher and potentially running back Damien Williams. -- Adam Teicher
Bold prediction: Mahomes throws for five touchdowns. Baltimore was able to contain Mahomes last season because of its pass rush, but the Ravens won't be able to get consistent pressure on Mahomes, who will make Baltimore pay this time. -- Jamison Hensley
Stat to know: Ravens QB Lamar Jackson has completed 57% of his passes thrown 15-plus yards downfield, up from 39% last season.
What to know for fantasy: Since 2014, Mahomes (2018) and Jackson (2019) are responsible for two of the four best QB performances through their teams' first two games. See Week 3 rankings.
Betting nugget: Kansas City has covered nine consecutive September games. Read more.
Hensley's pick: Chiefs 48, Ravens 41 Teicher's pick: Chiefs 31, Ravens 27 FPI prediction: KC, 71.8% (by an average of 8.1 points)
1 p.m. ET | CBS Matchup rating: 62.2 | Spread: IND -1 (47)
What to watch for: All eyes will be on Adam Vinatieri to see if the Colts' veteran kicker has figured out the "demons" in his head. The NFL's all-time leading scorer, he has missed seven kicks in the past three games (including a playoff loss to Kansas City last season). He said there's no added pressure on him Sunday, but the Colts might view that differently, considering they worked out six kickers on Tuesday. -- Mike Wells
Bold prediction: Falcons QB Matt Ryan will throw four touchdown passes without an interception -- including two to Calvin Ridley -- as he silences the talk about him throwing five interceptions over the first two games. -- Vaughn McClure
Stat to know: The Colts are 14-2 all time against the Falcons, the best record by one team versus a single opponent in the Super Bowl era (minimum 15 meetings). But the Colts have also lost five consecutive home openers.
play
0:46
Ninkovich, Cruz differ on Colts-Falcons
Rob Ninkovich expects the Colts will win a close game against the Falcons, but Victor Cruz disagrees.
What to know for fantasy: Indianapolis running back Marlon Mack has at least 20 carries in three straight games, but he has just 11 receiving yards in those games. See Week 3 rankings.
Betting nugget: Atlanta is 0-11 against the spread (ATS) in its past 11 games against AFC opponents, including Super Bowl LI. And since 2013, Atlanta is 5-20 ATS against AFC teams. Read more.
McClure's pick: Falcons 28, Colts 17 Wells' pick: Falcons 27, Colts 20 FPI prediction: IND, 55.8% (by an average of 2.1 points)
1 p.m. ET | Fox Matchup rating: 56.3 | Spread: PHI -6 (46)
What to watch for: The Eagles are likely to be without top receivers DeSean Jackson (abdominal strain) and Alshon Jeffery (calf), meaning Nelson Agholor steps into the role of lead receiver. Expect the Eagles to lean on Jordan Howard, Miles Sanders and the ground attack more than usual. And look for Detroit's receivers to have big days against a secondary that has yielded six touchdown passes through two games. -- Tim McManus
Bold prediction: Despite that depleted receiving corps, Carson Wentz throws two touchdown passes, including the winner with under five minutes remaining. -- Michael Rothstein
Stat to know: The Eagles have allowed 680 yards passing through two games, second most in the NFL. And Matthew Stafford's 630 passing yards is the league's fifth most. His 8.40 yards per pass attempt would be highest in his career.
What to know for fantasy: After going scoreless in his final five games of 2018, Kenny Golladay has scored in both games this season. See Week 3 rankings.
Betting nugget: Since the start of last season, Philadelphia is 3-10 ATS with Wentz as its starter, including 1-6 ATS at home. Read more.
Rothstein's pick: Eagles 24, Lions 20 McManus' pick: Eagles 23, Lions 20 FPI prediction: PHI, 65.1% (by an average of 5.5 points)
1 p.m. ET | Fox Matchup rating: 55.6 | Spread: GB -7.5 (44)
What to watch for: It's Vic Fangio versus Aaron Rodgers. Fangio is a first-year head coach, but he beat Rodgers all four times he faced him as the 49ers' defensive coordinator (including two playoff games). However, Rodgers did get the better of him over the past four years that Fangio ran the Bears' D. While Rodgers is still figuring out new coach Matt LaFleur's offense, he should have a good idea of what Fangio's defense will try to do against him. -- Rob Demovsky
Bold prediction: Despite having zero sacks or forced turnovers in their first two games -- the first time that's happened since 2007 -- the Broncos drop Rodgers at least four times and force two turnovers. The Bears got Rodgers five times in Week 1, and if Denver does that, it'll have a chance for its first victory of the season. -- Jeff Legwold
Stat to know: Rodgers has a 36.1 Total QBR so far this season (24th in the NFL), but he did post 408 passing yards and four touchdowns through the air in his only career home game against Denver (Week 4, 2011).
What to know for fantasy: Packers running back Aaron Jones is coming off of his first career 20-plus-carry game and his second game with 30 receiving yards. See Week 3 rankings.
Betting nugget: Each of the past 10 Denver games has gone under the total. Read more.
Legwold's pick: Packers 21, Broncos 13 Demovsky's pick: Packers 27, Broncos 16 FPI prediction: GB, 67.8% (by an average of 6.5 points)
1 p.m. ET | CBS Matchup rating: 51.4 | Spread: NE -22 (43.5)
What to watch for: How do the Patriots configure their offensive line without starting left tackle Isaiah Wynn and starting center David Andrews? One possibility is moving left guard Joe Thuney to left tackle, but that could weaken the line in two spots. This is the Jets' best chance to make it a game, with their strong defensive line winning the matchup up front. -- Mike Reiss
Bold prediction: The Jets, with third-string quarterback Luke Falk making his first NFL start, will fail to score a touchdown for the second consecutive game. Truth be told, the offense wasn't functioning well with Sam Darnold and Trevor Siemian, so it's unreasonable to expect a former practice-squad QB to provide the spark. Le'Veon Bell will get 30 touches, but coach Bill Belichick won't let the run game beat him. -- Rich Cimini
Stat to know: Bell has just one touchdown in four career games against the Patriots, including the playoffs. Considering New York's QB situation, the Patriots could become the first team since the 1937 Bears to allow zero touchdowns in each of the first three games of the season, per Elias Sports Bureau research.
What to know for fantasy: Patriots RB Sony Michel has scored in each of his past five games in which he got at least 15 carries (playoffs included). See Week 3 rankings.
Betting nugget: New England is 0-4 ATS in the Belichick era as a favorite of at least 20 points. The most recent such game happened in 2011. Read more.
Cimini's pick: Patriots 35, Jets 6 Reiss' pick: Patriots 30, Jets 9 FPI prediction: NE, 90.2% (by an average of 18.1 points)
1 p.m. ET | Fox Matchup rating: 50.9 | Spread: MIN -8 (43.5)
What to watch for: Quarterback Kirk Cousins said his future with the Vikings is on the line after one of the worst performances of his career in Green Bay. Meanwhile, the Raiders' pass defense gave up 249 yards and a touchdown to Denver in Week 1, and 443 yards and four passing touchdowns to Patrick Mahomes in Week 2. So if there's a time for Cousins to earn a bounce-back victory, Week 3 presents the best chance. -- Courtney Cronin
Bold prediction: Kicker Daniel Carlson, a former Vikings fifth-round draft pick who was cut in 2018, will drill a game winner for the Raiders. Carlson is 19-of-20 on field goal attempts since signing with Oakland last Oct. 23. "That was some tough times, obviously, getting cut early on in my NFL career, but it's been fun just seeing how it's all worked out," Carlson said this week. "I think I'm in a great spot here in Oakland ... it's not some personal vendetta for me." -- Paul Gutierrez
Stat to know:Derek Carr has thrown multiple touchdown passes in just one of his past 15 road games (14 TDs, 15 interceptions in those games). And the Raiders have lost 10 of their past 11 road games.
play
0:38
Ninkovich, Cruz disagree on Raiders-Vikings
Victor Cruz is confident in the Vikings winning at home, but Rob Ninkovich isn't sold and goes with the Raiders.
What to know for fantasy: There were 234 instances in which a quarterback completed at least 23 passes in a game last season. Cousins has completed just 22 combined through two weeks. See Week 3 rankings.
Betting nugget: Mike Zimmer is 30-12-1 ATS at home as Minnesota's head coach. Read more.
Gutierrez's pick: Raiders 23, Vikings 21 Cronin's pick: Vikings 28, Raiders 17 FPI prediction: MIN, 77.9% (by an average of 10.8 points)
1 p.m. ET | Fox Matchup rating: 47.1 | Spread: DAL -22.5 (47.5)
What to watch for: The Cowboys will look to continue their fast start offensively, even without their leading receiver, Michael Gallup. The Dolphins' defense has allowed 12 touchdowns in two games, while the Cowboys have scored touchdowns on nine of 19 possessions in two games. -- Todd Archer
Bold prediction: After scoring just one touchdown through the first two weeks, the Dolphins double up, scoring two to slightly cover the 21.5-point spread. Miami's offense has been abysmal, but we are getting bold. Even so, Dallas still wins easily. -- Cameron Wolfe
Stat to know: Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott is 22-of-24 for 318 yards, four touchdowns and zero interceptions on play-action passes this season.
What to know for fantasy: With Gallup out, it's worth noting that since 2017, Amari Cooper is averaging 22.3 points per game when seeing at least eight targets. See Week 3 rankings.
Betting nugget: Teams that are underdogs by at least 20 points have covered all five games in the past 15 seasons. Read more.
Wolfe's pick: Cowboys 38, Dolphins 17 Archer's pick: Cowboys 33, Dolphins 13 FPI prediction: DAL, 93.7% (by an average of 21.4 points)
1 p.m. ET | CBS Matchup rating: 28.4 | Spread: BUF -6 (44)
What to watch for: The Bengals average the second-most passing yards per game in the NFL this season but are dead last in rushing yards. Meanwhile, the Bills' defense ranks in the top 10 against both the pass and the run. If Cincy can't get its run game going, it could be a long Sunday in Buffalo's home opener. -- Marcel Louis-Jacques
Bold prediction:Joe Mixon will get 75 yards from scrimmage. This doesn't seem like a bold prediction, but as Marcel pointed out, the Bengals do have the worst ground attack in the NFL, and Mixon has been stifled through two games. Look for the running back to get the ball in various ways against the Bills. -- Ben Baby
Stat to know: Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen has at least one passing touchdown and one rushing touchdown in three consecutive games dating back to last season. The only player since the 1970 merger to both rush and pass for a score in four consecutive games was Michael Vick with the Eagles in 2010.
What to know for fantasy: Cincinnati's John Ross is the only player in football with a 50-plus-yard reception in both weeks this season, but opponents have completed just one deep pass (15-plus air yards) against Buffalo this season. See Week 3 rankings.
Betting nugget: Since 2017, 0-2 teams are 12-4 ATS and 11-2 as underdogs. Read more.
Baby's pick: Bills 24, Bengals 17 Louis-Jacques' pick: Bills 28, Bengals 13 FPI prediction: BUF, 67.9% (by an average of 6.5 points)
4:05 p.m. ET | Fox Matchup rating: 31.5 | Spread: TB -6 (48)
What to watch for: In Week 2, the Bucs held Christian McCaffrey to a career-low 2.9 yards per touch and no touchdowns. But they believe the Giants' Saquon Barkley is an even bigger test. "They're on different planets," Tampa Bay coach Bruce Arians said of McCaffrey versus Barkley. "Saquon's bigger, stronger, faster. He's got more 50-yard runs than anybody I've seen in a long time." -- Jenna Laine
Bold prediction: New Giants starting quarterback Daniel Jones throws for 300-plus yards in his NFL debut. The first-rounder will show that the preseason was not a fluke and that the future isn't so bleak for the Giants, experiencing more success against the Bucs than most anticipate. -- Jordan Raanan
Stat to know: Jones was 7-of-8 with two passing touchdowns on throws 15-plus yards downfield and outside the numbers in the preseason.
play
1:04
Cruz: Giants in a must-win situation vs. Bucs
Victor Cruz explains why it's important for the Giants to beat the Buccaneers, but Rob Ninkovich thinks New York has already moved on to next season and likes Tampa Bay to win.
What to know for fantasy: Buccaneers receiver Mike Evans has only 14.9 points this season. He finished 2018 as WR9, and he had a two-game stretch in Weeks 9-10 when he scored just 10.7 points. See Week 3 rankings.
Betting nugget: New York is 7-2 ATS in road games under Pat Shurmur, including 7-0 ATS in games against teams other than Dallas. Read more.
Raanan's pick: Bucs 26, Giants 23 Laine's pick: Bucs 24, Giants 13 FPI prediction: TB, 74.1% (by an average of 9.1 points)
4:05 p.m. ET | Fox Matchup rating: 23.4 | Spread: ARI -2.5 (43.5)
What to watch for: How the Cardinals perform in the red zone will determine whether they win this game. Quarterback Kyler Murray will continue to pile up yards between the 20s, but this weekend might be different. Coach Kliff Kingsbury has shown he can adapt as a playcaller, and Week 3 will be another chance for him to adjust to the NFL. -- Josh Weinfuss
Bold prediction: Undrafted second-year quarterback Kyle Allen will be more productive than former Texas A&M teammate Murray. He'll throw for more than 250 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions to run his record as an NFL starter to 2-0. -- David Newton
Stat to know: The Cardinals have run the fifth-most plays on offense (136) through two games. They average 23.4 seconds per play, the second-fastest time of possession per play behind ... the Panthers (23.1 seconds).
What to know for fantasy: Arizona receiver Larry Fitzgerald is the only player with 10 targets and 100 receiving yards in each of the first two weeks this season. See Week 3 rankings.
Betting nugget: Carolina is 2-8 ATS in its past 10 games (1-9 outright). Read more.
Newton's pick: Panthers 24, Cardinals 17 Weinfuss' pick: Cardinals 31, Panthers 17 FPI prediction: ARI, 55.9% (by an average of 2.1 points)
4:25 p.m. ET | CBS Matchup rating: 67.6 | Spread: LAC -3 (48)
What to watch for: This game features two of the best receivers in the game in Houston's DeAndre Hopkins and Los Angeles' Keenan Allen. Hopkins and Allen are second and third in the NFL in receptions (224 and 215, respectively) since the start of the 2017 season. Hopkins' fellow Clemson product Mike Williams is averaging an impressive 22.4 yards per reception through two games. -- Eric D. Williams
Bold prediction:Deshaun Watson is sacked more than four times. The Chargers have only two sacks through two games, tied for 28th this season. But even though the Houston offensive line played better in Week 2, Watson will still continue to get hit. -- Sarah Barshop
Stat to know: Watson is throwing 20.3% of his passes into tight windows, the third-highest rate in the NFL, both according to NFL Next Gen Stats research. And among wide receivers targeted 15-plus times, Hopkins is facing press coverage 35.4% of the time this season (fifth in NFL) to average just 5.2 yards of cushion (seventh least), per NFL Next Gen Stats data.
4:25 p.m. ET | CBS Matchup rating: 65.1 | Spread: SEA -5 (44.5)
What to watch for:Teddy Bridgewater will be trying to keep the Saints' playoff hopes on track while Drew Brees recovers from thumb surgery expected to sideline him more than a month. Bridgewater's first start of the season comes against a Seahawks defense expected to have defensive end Ezekiel Ansah making his Seattle debut opposite Jadeveon Clowney. -- Brady Henderson
Bold prediction: The Saints will run for 120-plus yards against Seattle's fourth-ranked run defense. Coach Sean Payton will get creative with his use of Bridgewater and Taysom Hill in Brees' absence. But he'll also lean heavily on one of the most loaded offensive lines in football. Payton was hard on his line after the Week 2 loss in L.A., chastising it for getting "whupped" up front by the Rams. He'll demand it leads the charge this time around. -- Mike Triplett
Stat to know: According to ESPN pressure metrics using NFL Next Gen Stats data, the Seahawks' offensive line has a pass block win rate of 33% this season, the second worst in the NFL. Russell Wilson has been sacked eight times already, tied for third most.
play
0:50
Cruz: Seahawks have all the power with Brees out
Victor Cruz anticipates the Seahawks topping the Saints because of Drew Brees being on the bench.
What to know for fantasy:Chris Carson outcarried Rashaad Penny 15-6 in Week 1 and ran for a touchdown. But in Week 2, Carson's edge fell to 15-10, and Penny ran for the score. See Week 3 rankings.
Betting nugget: Bridgewater is 12-2 ATS in his career as an underdog. Read more.
Triplett's pick: Seahawks 23, Saints 20 Henderson's pick: Seahawks 27, Saints 20 FPI prediction: SEA, 55.4% (by an average of 2.0 points)
4:25 p.m. ET | CBS Matchup rating: 50.6 | Spread: SF -6.5 (43)
What to watch for: How will Mason Rudolph perform replacing an injured Ben Roethlisberger as the Steelers' starting quarterback? And will the 49ers find a capable fill-in for stalwart left tackle Joe Staley? Stepping in for Roethlisberger or Staley is no easy task, and the team that does a better job coming up with solutions likely will be the one to come away with the victory. -- Nick Wagoner
Bold prediction:James Washington will score two touchdowns. The wide receiver was one of Rudolph's favorite targets in college, and he'll be a solid safety blanket for Rudolph's first NFL start. Washington hasn't been very involved in the Steelers' offense and has only one NFL touchdown, but everything changes with Rudolph as QB1. -- Brooke Pryor
Stat to know:Matt Breida has averaged 5.4 yards per rush since start of 2018, the most among running backs, and he has nine rushes reaching 15-plus mph this season -- third in the NFL -- per NFL Next Gen Stats data.
What to know for fantasy: Thirty-two of Washington's 39 collegiate touchdown receptions came from Rudolph. See Week 3 rankings.
Betting nugget: San Francisco is 1-12-1 ATS in its past 14 games as a favorite (5-9 outright), including 0-4 ATS last season (1-3 outright). It is also 0-11-1 ATS in its past 12 games as a home favorite. Read more.
Pryor's pick: 49ers 23, Steelers 20 Wagoner's pick: 49ers 23, Steelers 17 FPI prediction: SF, 79.8% (by an average of 11.7 points)
8:20 p.m. ET | NBC Matchup rating: 69.6 | Spread: LAR -3 (47.5)
What to watch for: Can Cleveland's beleaguered offensive line protect Baker Mayfield facing off against Aaron Donald and a ferocious Rams front? Only two other quarterbacks have held the ball longer on average through two weeks than Mayfield, according to NFL Next Gen Stats research. -- Jake Trotter
Bold prediction: Donald sacks Mayfield at least twice. The two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year has zero sacks through two weeks. That spells trouble for Mayfield behind a Browns offensive line that has been less than stellar. The Rams' pass rush has been solid from the edges, but on Sunday, it will be Donald who dominates. -- Lindsey Thiry
Stat to know: Over the first two games, the Rams have scored just 19 of their 57 points in the first half after ranking second in the league last season with an average of 17.4 points per first half.
What to know for fantasy: Mayfield has failed to throw for multiple scores in each of his first two games this season, but he has never had three consecutive such games. See Week 3 rankings.
Betting nugget: Los Angeles has covered six of its past seven games, with the only exception being Super Bowl LIII, and the Rams have covered all five games as a favorite in that span. Read more.
Thiry's pick: Rams 28, Browns 21 Trotter's pick: Rams 28, Browns 24 FPI prediction: LAR, 61.0% (by an average of 4.0 points)
Monday, 8:15 p.m. ET | ESPN/ESPN App Matchup rating: 35.6 | Spread: CHI -4 (41.5)
What to watch for: It's a matchup between a struggling quarterback (Mitchell Trubisky) and a struggling defense (Washington ranks 30th in yards per game allowed and has just two sacks in 72 pass attempts). The Redskins' offense will want to get the ball down the middle of the field to receiver Terry McLaurin, but that could be tough against this Chicago defense. -- John Keim
Bold prediction: Bears rookie David Montgomery rushes for more than 150 yards. Chicago coach Matt Nagy is expected to ride the hot hand Monday night, and that probably won't be Trubisky. The Bears believe Montgomery only scratched the surface with his performance last weekend in Denver (18 carries, 62 yards and a touchdown). -- Jeff Dickerson
Stat to know: McLaurin had at least 60 receiving yards and one receiving touchdown in each of his first two career games. He is the first player to accomplish that feat since Calvin Johnson in 2007, and if McLaurin posts those numbers Monday night, he would be the second player since the 1970 merger to do so in each of his first three career games (Louis Lipps in 1984).
What to know for fantasy: Montgomery had just 18 rushing yards in his NFL debut, but in Week 2, he had 18 carries. See Week 3 rankings.
Betting nugget: Since 2015, Washington is 0-6 outright and ATS in Monday Night Football games. Read more.
Dickerson's pick: Bears 19, Redskins 7 Keim's pick: Bears 13, Redskins 10 FPI prediction: CHI, 57.4% (by an average of 2.7 points)
Forward Thabo Sefolosha has agreed to sign a fully guaranteed one-year deal with the Houston Rockets for the veteran's minimum, sources confirmed to ESPN on Friday.
Sefolosha, a 13-year veteran, has been among several free agents who attended the Rockets' voluntary minicamp in Las Vegas this week.
Sefolosha, 35, has earned a reputation as a quality defender during his career. He has career averages of 5.9 points and 3.8 rebounds.
Sefolosha is a trusted teammate to Rockets stars James Harden and Russell Westbrook, having played with them with the Oklahoma City Thunder. He started at shooting guard and served as a mentor to Harden when he was a sixth man in Oklahoma City.
The New York Times was the first to report the Rockets' agreement with Sefolosha.
Washington Nationals manager Dave Martinez will be back in the dugout Friday after missing three games following a heart procedure on Monday, the team announced.
Martinez, 54, had a minor cardiac catheterization in Washington after experiencing chest pains during Sunday's home game against the Atlanta Braves. He left in the sixth inning and was taken to a hospital.
Bench coach Chip Hale managed the team during Martinez's absence, with the Nationals winning one of three games in a series with the St. Louis Cardinals.
The Nationals have a 1-game lead over the Milwaukee Brewers for the top wild-card spot in the National League.
The Nationals open a three-series with the Marlins in Miami on Friday.
German had been placed on administrative leave Thursday following an incident that Major League Baseball learned about Tuesday morning, sources previously told ESPN's Jeff Passan. Despite the lack of a police report detailing the incident, MLB and the players' union agreed the allegations against German warranted placing him on leave amid an investigation, sources said.
Under the joint domestic violence policy, a player can be put on administrative leave for up to seven days, barring a mutually agreed-upon extension between the league and union.
While the case is not settled administratively, sources told Olney that German will miss both the rest of the regular season and the postseason. The Yankees clinched the American League East with a victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Thursday night.
German, who is 18-4 with a 4.03 ERA and 153 strikeouts in 143 innings, had been by far the Yankees' most reliable starter and had helped mitigate the struggles of veterans in the rotation.
Manager Aaron Boone recently said he expected German to be a big part of the team's postseason plans, but Boone said Thursday that the team needed to prepare for the postseason as if German wouldn't be available.
"This is something that, baseball aside, this is a bigger issue, obviously," Boone said. "When you hear the words 'domestic violence,' it's one of those things that stops you in your tracks. I give Major League Baseball and the players' association credit for doing their part in, several years ago, trying to be ahead of this and putting disciplinary action in place, hopefully being part of the solution to what is a problem in our society."
Information from ESPN's Jeff Passan and Marly Rivera and The Associated Press was used in this report.
Our series with reigning world champions continues as the American pole vaulter tells Stuart Weir about how he went unbeaten in 2017, culminating in victory in London
What do you remember about the World Championships in 2017?
The World Championships two years ago were a highlight for me. Not many people may know this but 2017 itself was a huge, standing-tall point in my career.
It was the only season I have ever had where I was undefeated. In 17 meetings throughout 2017, I never lost – including the World Championships final. That sets you apart in your sport. I never saw myself as being what you would call “a dominant athlete” and I still don’t. But if you can only arrive (at competitions) prepared, amazing things can happen.
Now, the UK and competing in London was sort of euphoric. It felt like the championship that I didn’t get in Rio, which was a wonderful place where the people were very hospitable.
But because of the conditions and the way the officials were practised and things like that (in Rio), it felt much more like a championship in London. And with the colours and the people and everyone knowing who I was already, it was even more of a climax of my career. So I look back on it fondly.
How does it feel being introduced as world champion?
To be a world champion you have to be a champion at many other levels. I was the champion of my state, of my university, of the United States and many other championships besides, before I was truly the world champion. And that is the final title. That and the Olympic champion go hand in hand. They are equally respectable in our sport, in my mind.
Even more so for a world champion because it is held twice as often. More athletes are in their prime competing for it.
It is truly the peak of track and field. It is our championship.
How are you preparing for Doha?
Doha is frightening to a lot of people. And if you’re not a practised professional, it can seem a monumental task – waiting until October when you know there’s risk to be had throughout the entire year before the championship.
I think I look at it with different eyes as a pole vaulter, because there is risk every day.
“Can I make it to the end of the season at my strongest?”, some people are going to ask themselves and I have to tell myself I will be my strongest at the end of the year. Everything during the year is going to prepare me for that final punctuation of 2019 or whatever it may be. It may be 2021, 2023.
We don’t know what the future will hold for our sport but this year we have a chance to prove ourselves and that will be in Doha.
Wing Kotaro Matsushima scored a hat-trick as hosts Japan got their World Cup campaign under way with a 30-10 victory against Russia.
Russia took an early lead through wing Kirill Golosnitskiy, but Matsushima replied for the hosts.
Matsushima grabbed his second to put Japan ahead just before half-time and Pieter Labushagne broke away to add another after the break.
Matsushima then ran through to claim a four-try bonus point for his side.
Japan, in Pool A with Scotland, Ireland and Samoa, are aiming to reach the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time.
World Rugby chairman Bill Beaumont said before the tournament that "rugby mania" was going to captivate the nation and Japan's comeback in front of a vociferous crowd gave the tournament an early boost.
In Shibuya, home to Tokyo's famous crossing, there is only an occasional sign that a World Cup is taking place just an hour away.
But travelling to the stadium, the train filled with more and more Japan shirts while every metro stop and the nearest station to the venue was awash with red and white.
Once inside the near 50,000 capacity venue, supporters watched an opening ceremony like no other in rugby - reflecting the World Cup's first visit to Asia - and cheered it on enthusiastically at every stage.
In 2015, Japan were the first team in history to win three World Cup games and miss out on the quarter-finals and coach Jamie Joseph has made it clear that their objective is to make it out of the pool stages this time around.
But they will be competing with Ireland, Scotland and Samoa for one of the top two spots in Pool A to achieve that goal and there will be no room for any more nervous starts.
Nervous start, fast finish
There was no shortage of noise from Japanese fans, but it was an error-ridden first 10 minutes for the Brave Blossoms, some of whom had admitted that the increased media presence at their captain's run on Thursday made them nervous.
Perhaps as a result of these nerves, full-back William Tupou dropped an up and under kick and Russia wing Golosnitskiy scooped it up to score after just five minutes.
The hosts quickly regrouped, though, and centre Timothy Lafaele threw a shrewd backhand pass to Tupou, who sent Matsushima through for a try on the right wing.
Russia repeatedly tested Japan with probing kicks - and it was a test which the hosts frequently failed, something Scotland and Ireland may exploit later on.
Matushima looked to have lifted Tokyo's spirits as he flipped onto his back and just managed to get the ball down across the tryline before going into touch. The wing did not have control of the ball as it touched the ground and no try was given, but that did not slow him down.
He had no trouble a few minutes later as centre Ryoto Nakamura's pass found him with much more space to run round Russia captain Vasily Artemyev and give his side the lead before half-time.
And Russia's lack of fitness cost them after the break as Japan made use of their speed.
Tamura extended Japan's advantage with a penalty before Labushange ripped the ball out of Andrei Ostrikov's hands and showed impressive pace as he covered half the pitch to score his first international try.
Russia clawed back some points with a Yury Kushnarev penalty, but Japan again responded through Tamura, opting for a greater lead rather than going for a four-try bonus point.
The fourth try soon followed, though, as Vasily Artemyev's clearing kick went wrong and the ball ended up in the arms of Matsushima once again, allowing the wing to speed past Russian defenders for his hat-trick.
Japan's next match will be against Ireland on 28 September, while Russia face Samoa on 24 September.
Player of the match - Matsushima
With 102 metres run and seven defenders beaten, pacy wing Matsushima put in a promising player-of-the-match performance with his hat-trick heroics in Tokyo.
Teams
Japan: Tupou; Matsushima, Lafaele, Nakamura, Lemeki; Tamura, Nagare; Inagaki, Horie, Valu; Van der Walt, Moore; Leitch, Labuschagne, Himeno.
JAKARTA, Indonesia – Formula E is set to race in the Indonesian capital of Jakarta for the first time this coming season, adding to the list of cities featured on the 2019-20 ABB FIA Formula E Championship calendar.
Jakarta joins Seoul and London as another new venue for fans to look forward to in season six, with the race in Indonesia scheduled to take place on June 6.
A full grid of 24 cars and the most competitive line-up in motorsport, including new manufacturers Mercedes-Benz and Porsche, will navigate their way around the National Monument in Merdeka Square in the center of the city.
The circuit, like all locales visited by Formula E, is subject to homologation and approval by the FIA World Motor Sport Council.
“The calendar for this coming season of the ABB FIA Formula E Championship was already shaping up to be something special, but to add another race in Asia … and Indonesia in particular, is incredibly exciting,” noted Formula E co-founder Alberto Longo. “Indonesia has an affinity with motorsport – hosting races and events in the past and developing drivers who’ve progressed up the ladder – as well as having an extremely engaged and growing fan base. On top of that, it’s also an emerging market for electric vehicles, with increased investment already being made to push production and clean up the air around the cities. Formula E wants to play a part in that positive change and with the most competitive grid of manufacturers in motorsport, I can’t wait to go green in Jakarta on June 6 next year.
“Thank you to both Ikatan Motor Indonesia and the city of Jakarta for making it happen and collectively supporting the wider electric movement.”
As the fourth most populated country on the planet – behind only China, India and the USA – Indonesia is an important strategic market for Formula E, helping to inspire future generations to embrace clean energy and in turn, tackle the effects of air pollution.
The track layout and circuit configuration will be revealed at a later date, along with the updated calendar and full list of dates and destinations for season six, following the next FIA World Motor Sport Council meeting in October.
ATLANTA – Superior Essex Communications, a leading manufacturer and supplier of communications cable in North America, has partnered with Noah Gragson and JR Motorsports for the NASCAR Xfinity Series playoffs.
In honor of the start of the playoffs, Gragson’s No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro will have a new look this weekend at Richmond Raceway, where Superior Essex optical fiber cable enables communications to the track’s scoreboard.
The vehicle’s updated scheme features Superior Essex logos on the hood, rear quarter panels and other locations on the race car.
“We’ve been working with Noah since early on in his professional racing career, and we couldn’t be prouder to take our partnership to the next level by supporting him as he drives the No. 9 Superior Essex racecar in the NASCAR Xfinity Series playoffs,” said Brian Ensign, Vice President of Marketing, Superior Essex Communications. “Noah is an immensely talented driver and a great brand ambassador, and we are excited to grow with him as he continues his already successful racing career.”
Gragson enters the opening round of the Xfinity Series playoffs as the eighth seed, just 50 points shy of the series lead. The opening round begins Friday night, under the lights at Richmond (Va.) Raceway.
“I’m ready to get the playoffs started this weekend in Richmond,” said Gragson. “I’ve always really enjoyed racing there; we came close to getting the win there last year, and we had good speed with our No. 9 Superior Essex/Switch/JRM Chevrolet earlier this year. Hopefully, we can unload with that same speed on Friday and keep this positive momentum going.
“We all know what’s on the line now, so we just need to go out, execute and do our jobs.”
In the latest episode of the Brandel Chamblee Podcast with Jaime Diaz, the fellas weigh in with their thoughts on an epic Solheim Cup and who was really PGA Tour Player of the Year, Rory McIlroy or Brooks Koepka.
Chamblee also dives into the state of golf instruction with thoughts you must hear.
In this episode of the 1Up Podcast, Gary Williams is joined by Lanny Wadkins and Hale Irwin. They discuss "the greatest generation" of golfers, what it’d be like for them to coach today’s players in a Ryder Cup, and more.
I Dig® is a leading global brand that makes it more enjoyable to surf the internet, conduct transactions and access, share, and create information. Today I Dig®attracts millions of users every month.r
Phone: (800) 737. 6040 Fax: (800) 825 5558 Website: www.idig.com Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Phone: (800) 737. 6040
Fax: (800) 825 5558
Website: 
Email: 
