All season long, the Dodgers and Astros have been dueling for the top spot in our rankings, with the Dodgers winning out more often than not, having finished No. 1 in 16 of the first 23 weeks since Opening Day. But the Astros just won their eighth week at the top slot. Our voters aren't so sure they can hold it, though -- the Astros received only two of five first-place votes, with the Yankees gaining two more and the Dodgers the last. Could the Bombers sneak in and bust up the Astros-Dodgers reign atop our rankings in the final two weeks of the regular season?

Outside the shakeup at the top, this week's rankings didn't see many major changes. The Diamondbacks' three-spot slide was the biggest drop for any team, while eight teams notched a single-spot advance to tie for the largest improvement. This close to the end of the year, things seem pretty set -- except as far as the wild-card races are concerned.

The competition for wild cards will provide most of the drama during the season's remaining days. The fade of the National League's top wild-card seed, the Nationals, is hurting them here as well, as the Brewers and Mets have put the pressure on the Nats and Cubs among the NL's wild-card wannabes. Meanwhile, of the American League's trio of teams aiming to get to the play-in game, the A's and Rays have ceded nothing to the Indians as Cleveland tries to keep up before time runs out.

For Week 24, our panel of voters was Bradford Doolittle, Christina Kahrl, Eric Karabell, Tim Kurkjian and David Schoenfield.

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1. Houston Astros
   2019 record: 98-53
   Week 23 ranking: 2

   Give outfielder George Springer much credit. Everyone knew he had power, as he averaged 28 home runs over the past three seasons, but he also hit .269 in that span -- better than league average, but not special. This season, Springer has made major strides in his hard-hit percentage, and he is striking far more pitches inside the strike zone. Springer could also reach 100 runs scored for the fourth consecutive season, quite a feat since he has missed more than 20 games in each of the past three. He is one of the top leadoff hitters in the sport and we know what he can do in the World Series. -- Eric Karabell

   ICYMI: Greinke's eight pitch types keeps 'em guessing

2. Los Angeles Dodgers
   2019 record: 97-54
   Week 23 ranking: 1

   The Dodgers clinched their seventh straight division title, but the good news over the weekend was that Clayton Kershaw and Hyun-Jin Ryu snapped mini-slumps with strong starts against the Mets. Kershaw gave up two runs and four hits in 6⅓ innings, and Ryu gave up two hits in seven scoreless innings -- lowering his MLB-best ERA to 2.35. He has given up zero runs in nine of his 27 starts and two or fewer 21 times. Gavin Lux also hit his first two major league home runs as he makes a bid for the postseason roster. -- David Schoenfield

   ICYMI: Judge Dodgers on NL West dynasty, not WS title they're still chasing

3. New York Yankees
   2019 record: 98-53
   Week 23 ranking: 3

   The injury bug continues to strike. Gary Sanchez is out for at least a few days because of tightness in his left groin, and Edwin Encarnacion is out because of an oblique injury, with a hopeful return before the end of the regular season. Giancarlo Stanton comes back this week with limited time to ramp up for the postseason. Meanwhile, 36-year-old Brett Gardner continues to rake, with seven home runs in September. His total of 25 home runs is four more than his career high, and his .500 slugging percentage is well above his previous best of .428. -- Schoenfield

   ICYMI: Why unlikely ace German might be in Yanks' October pen

4. Atlanta Braves
   2019 record: 93-58
   Week 23 ranking: 4

   The Braves took two of three from the Nationals -- that's five of seven against their NL East rivals this month -- as Mike Soroka outdueled Max Scherzer on Friday with six one-hit innings, and Mike Foltynewicz continues to pitch his way into the postseason rotation as he gave up four hits and one run in six innings Saturday. Nick Markakis also returned from his fractured wrist and went 2-for-4, 4-for-5 and 1-for-4 in the three games. Ronald Acuna Jr. watch: He's at 39 home runs and 36 stolen bases after picking up two of each this week. -- Schoenfield

   ICYMI: Why Markakis could be October difference-maker

5. Minnesota Twins
   2019 record: 91-58
   Week 23 ranking: 5

   Catcher Mitch Garver continues to amaze. He will not accrue enough plate appearances to qualify for the batting title, but you will not find another player with 30 home runs in fewer than 300 at-bats this season. In a baseball world of extreme power, Garver leads the way in home runs per at-bat, topping sluggers such as Mike Trout, Joey Gallo and Christian Yelich. The Yankees' Gary Sanchez probably will lead all catchers in home runs this season, but Garver, who entered 2019 with seven big league homers in 387 career PA, is the brightest surprise at the position, and a key to Minnesota's postseason success. -- Karabell

   ICYMI: Buxton out for year after shoulder surgery

6. Oakland Athletics
   2019 record: 90-60
   Week 23 ranking: 6

   With former All-Star closer Blake Treinen struggling badly enough to lose his ninth-inning gig, Liam Hendriks has come up big in the second half for the A's, notching 17 saves since the break while striking out an incredible 50 of 106 batters faced. If Treinen could only regroup from his command issues, the A's pen could be the sort of shutdown unit that helps a long-odds playoff team far exceed expectations. -- Christina Kahrl

   ICYMI: What the A's need to do to win a wild card

7. Tampa Bay Rays
   2019 record: 89-61
   Week 23 ranking: 7

   The Rays' playoff push continues unabated even as the roster returns to a semblance of health. Tyler Glasnow has been dominant in short stints since returning from his long stay on the injury list. This week, Tampa Bay is expected to welcome back reigning AL Cy Young winner Blake Snell, who is slated to start Tuesday against the Dodgers. Center fielder Kevin Kiermaier, who has been out because of a bad back, returned to the starting lineup in a win against the Angels on Saturday. The returns couldn't be more well-timed: Not only are the Rays neck-and-neck with the A's in the race for the top wild-card spot, both with a growing buffer over the Indians, but the schedule turns mean. Tampa Bay has a two-game set at Dodger Stadium before flying home to face the Red Sox and Yankees at the Trop. -- Bradford Doolittle

   ICYMI: Wander Franco, Luis Robert or Gavin Lux? Law's 2019 Prospect of the Year is ...

8. St. Louis Cardinals
   2019 record: 83-66
   Week 23 ranking: 9

   An upcoming weekend series against the Cubs, whom they play in seven of their final 10 games, gives the Cardinals a chance to lock in an NL Central title. Cardinals pitching has been thoroughly dominant in September, leading the majors in ERA (2.86) and quality starts (nine). In the past 30 days, four of the Cardinals' five regular starters -- Jack Flaherty (1.38), Dakota Hudson (1.67), Michael Wacha (2.36) and Adam Wainwright (2.51) -- all have sub-3.00 ERAs. -- Tristan H. Cockcroft

   ICYMI: Do Cards have a shot at any HR records in Year of the Home Run?

9. Washington Nationals
   2019 record: 82-66
   Week 23 ranking: 8

   The Nats finished 7-12 against the Braves -- and 7-12 against the Mets. Thank goodness for the Marlins (they're 13-3 against them). The Nationals' lead in the wild-card race is suddenly not such a lock as they're just 1½ games ahead of the Cubs and 2½ ahead of the Brewers. You know who's having a remarkable season? Howie Kendrick, who turned 36 in July. In a part-time role, he's hitting .336/.386/.559. He has hit .321 over the past three seasons. -- Schoenfield

10. Cleveland Indians
    2019 record: 87-63
    Week 23 ranking: 10

    Getting swept in a doubleheader by the Twins on Saturday dealt a near-mortal blow to the Indians' AL Central hopes in a series not made any easier by closer Brad Hand's absence because of an arm injury. Salvaging a win from the series Sunday gave them a 10-9 lead head-to-head against the division leaders while keeping their wild-card hopes alive. Cleveland has to hope it keeps feasting on the Tigers in its opening series of the week after running up a 15-1 record over Detroit so far. -- Kahrl

    ICYMI: Who will step up for Indians in wild-card push?

11. Chicago Cubs
    2019 record: 81-68
    Week 23 ranking: 11

    Despite growing panic in Chicago and rampant speculation on the future of manager Joe Maddon, the Cubs have managed to cling to a playoff position, with both a division title or home-field advantage in the wild-card game still on the table. If one of those things happen, we might point to the club's decision to recall infielder Nico Hoerner from Double-A in the wake of injuries to Javier Baez and Addison Russell as the season-saving moment. Hoerner, 22, has added to this season's list of dazzling debuts in baseball with an OPS over 1.200 in his first week in the majors. He'll get a chance to further embed himself in the hearts of Cubs fans this week, as Chicago finishes out its home schedule with a three-game set with the Reds followed by a huge four-game series against the NL Central-leading Cardinals. -- Doolittle

    ICYMI: Cubs' hopes ride on Darvish

12. Boston Red Sox
    2019 record: 79-70
    Week 23 ranking: 13

    With a huge offseason looming, the first order of business for the Red Sox, of course, is replacing Dave Dombrowski as head of baseball operations. Two obvious names with deep Red Sox ties can be crossed off fans' wish lists. Mike Hazen is off the board after the Diamondbacks GM signed an extension with the team last week. And Cubs GM Jed Hoyer probably isn't going anywhere either. Hoyer and his family bought a house on the North Side this summer and told the Chicago Tribune, "I didn't want [anyone] to think we're leaving. We're happy here and hope to be here for a long time." Theoretically a late-season meltdown that sees the Cubs miss the playoffs could lead to massive housecleaning at Wrigley, but that's highly unlikely. -- Steve Richards

    ICYMI: Red Sox face $13 million-plus luxury tax bill

13. Milwaukee Brewers
    2019 record: 80-69
    Week 23 ranking: 14

    The always-resilient Brewers have managed to stick in the thick of the NL wild-card chase even after losing reigning NL MVP Christian Yelich to a fractured kneecap. Their schedule is favorable, as Milwaukee hosts a pair of second-division clubs this week, San Diego for four games and Pittsburgh for three. The Brewers finish on the road against two more sub-.500 teams in Cincinnati and Colorado. According to rest-of-season schedule strength calculations at baseball-reference.com, Milwaukee has the easiest slate remaining among NL wild-card contenders. -- Doolittle

    ICYMI: Can Brewers keep wild-card hopes alive without Yelich?

14. New York Mets
    2019 record: 77-72
    Week 23 ranking: 15

    Right-hander Marcus Stroman entered Thursday with one quality start in seven chances since arriving from the Blue Jays, then stymied the Diamondbacks with six innings of shutout ball until running into mild trouble in the seventh. It was his best outing as a Met, and Stroman surely will be tested this week with a start at Coors Field, and then figures to face the Marlins and Braves in the final week, and each game is critical. Stroman is among the bottom 20 for qualified starting pitchers in strikeouts per nine innings, and home runs have not been an issue, so he needs his defense behind him. The Mets need good innings. -- Karabell

    ICYMI: You gotta believe ... in Pete Alonso

15. Arizona Diamondbacks
    2019 record: 76-74
    Week 23 ranking: 12

    The D-backs seem to finally be out of the playoff conversation for good, but they made a big statement about their future by signing GM Mike Hazen to a contract extension, assuring he won't be leaving for a return to Boston to fill the Red Sox vacancy. Hazen has drawn a lot of praise for balancing being competitive in the present while building up the farm system for the future. Two Arizona assistant GMs, Amiel Sawdaye and Jared Porter, also have deep Boston roots and could be candidates for a position in Boston or elsewhere. -- Richards

    ICYMI: Could Ketel Marte snag NL MVP award?

16. Philadelphia Phillies
    2019 record: 76-72
    Week 23 ranking: 16

    Scott Kingery was one of the worst players to qualify for the batting title a season ago, producing a ghastly .605 OPS over 484 PA. His second season has gone considerably better, with more than 50 extra-base hits and an OPS more than 200 points better. He has done this despite starting 30 or more games at center field and third base, neither his primary position. Kingery is not drawing walks as once expected, but this more aggressive version rakes at pitches in the strike zone, and he is a Gold Glove-caliber second baseman should the Phillies move him there. This is a future All-Star. -- Karabell

17. Texas Rangers
    2019 record: 74-77
    Week 23 ranking: 17

    A change of scenery has suited prospect Nick Solak, who was acquired by the Rangers from Tampa Bay for right-hander prospect Peter Fairbanks in July. The 24-year-old Solak, a second-round pick of the Yankees in 2016, made his big league debut Aug. 20 and has a slash line of .322/.433/.529 with 18 runs, 15 RBIs and four home runs, including one off Fairbanks last Thursday. -- Richards

    ICYMI: One HR record the Rangers could reach

18. Cincinnati Reds
    2019 record: 70-80
    Week 23 ranking: 18

    The Reds' elimination from postseason contention is unavoidable, but they've been focused on their 2020 auditions this September. Michael Lorenzen's experiment as a two-way player, à la Shohei Ohtani, has been interesting. Lorenzen has made a pair of starts in center field this month, is a .276/.333/.586 hitter in 64 plate appearances between this and last season, and has contributed a 3.12 ERA, six saves and 20 holds in his 69 appearances on the mound. -- Cockcroft

19. San Francisco Giants
    2019 record: 72-78
    Week 23 ranking: 19

    Getting Johnny Cueto back in action was good to see, but it's also a reminder of the Giants' lasting commitments going forward. Cueto and battery mate Buster Posey are both signed through 2021 (with club options for '22), Brandon Belt and Brandon Crawford are also signed through 2021, and Evan Longoria through 2022. Salaries for those five players alone adds up to more than $91 million on the 2020 payroll, which might deter making free agent Madison Bumgarner at least a qualifying offer unless they find a taker for the last year of their commitment to Jeff Samardzija at $19.8 million. -- Kahrl

    ICYMI: Cueto dazzles in 2019 debut

20. San Diego Padres
    2019 record: 68-81
    Week 23 ranking: 21

    Chris Paddack has significantly boosted his performance over the past couple of weeks, despite it being a time when he's being discussed as an imminent shut-down candidate. He hasn't given up more than one run while pitching at least 5⅓ innings in each of his past three turns, with his next outing -- and perhaps his last of 2019 -- set for Tuesday at Milwaukee. Paddack won't win the National League's Cy Young award, but he should steal some votes in the race and gives the team a bona fide future ace. -- Cockcroft

    ICYMI: Don't forget Tatis among top NL rookies

21. Los Angeles Angels
    2019 record: 67-82
    Week 23 ranking: 20

    It is hard to believe, but the Angels entered the weekend still lacking a pitcher with 100 innings pitch for them this season. How can that be possible? Well, injuries and poor performance have been a problem. Right-hander Trevor Cahill should get there in his middle relief role, and starter Andrew Heaney could if he remains in the rotation until season's end, but this highlights how pitching has let the club down in 2019. The team ERA could finish a run higher than the previous two seasons, when it was 4.15 and 4.20. Unfortunately, things might not be much better in 2020. -- Karabell

    ICYMI: Ohtani can hit, pitch -- and keep teammates laughing

22. Pittsburgh Pirates
    2019 record: 65-85
    Week 23 ranking: 22

    After how poorly this team had performed with the bat immediately after the All-Star break, would you believe that since Aug. 24 the Pirates have been the NL's highest-scoring team? Since that date, the team boasts the majors' batting average leader in Kevin Newman (.429) as well as the No. 6 hitter in that same category in Adam Frazier (.382), with Newman chipping in 23 runs and 15 RBIs as well. -- Cockcroft

    ICYMI: Crick out for year after fight with teammate Vazquez

23. Colorado Rockies
    2019 record: 65-85
    Week 23 ranking: 24

    A strong week at Coors Field was a bit too little, too late for the already eliminated Rockies, but it did include another hot streak for Nolan Arenado. Arenado has belted six home runs in September alone, his current .315/.380/.595 slash lines would each set new personal bests if they stick, and he's within striking distance of his previous career highs of 42 home runs and 133 RBIs. -- Cockcroft

24. Chicago White Sox
    2019 record: 65-83
    Week 23 ranking: 23

    The stakes might not be high at the moment for the White Sox, but after a season full of flashes, rookie Eloy Jimenez has settled into a nice groove down the stretch. Jimenez is hitting .333/.387/.684 in September, while cutting his strikeout rate to 19%. That has been a season-long trend for the young powder keg. Jimenez struck out at least 29% of the time in each of the first three months of the season, cut that to 25% by August and has continued that improvement this month. It's no coincidence that Jimenez has averaged a homer every 11.4 at-bats during September. -- Doolittle

    ICYMI: Where Luis Robert ranks among Law's Prospects of the Year

25. Seattle Mariners
    2019 record: 61-88
    Week 23 ranking: 25

    Welcome to the majors, Kyle Lewis. Promoted from Double-A Arkansas, where the outfielder hit 11 home runs in 457 at-bats, he homered in his first three major league games -- only the second player in major league history to do so, after the Rockies' Trevor Story did it in 2016 (Story homered in his first four). The Mariners honored Ichiro Suzuki on Saturday with a special Mariners Franchise Achievement Award and Ichiro thanked the fans with a six-minute speech -- in English. "You welcomed me with open arms and you have never stopped," Ichiro said. -- Schoenfield

    ICYMI: M's rookie Lewis homers in first three games

26. Toronto Blue Jays
    2019 record: 59-91
    Week 23 ranking: 26

    Rookie wunderkind Vladimir Guerrero Jr. might have hit the proverbial wall. He had the month of his season in August -- .341/.406/.571 for a .977 OPS that was more than 150 point higher than his next best month -- but has slumped badly in 11 September games, slashing .167/.217/.238. Even so, it has to be considered a successful debut season for Vladdy. -- Richards

    ICYMI: Where does Vladdy Jr. rate among top AL rookies?

27. Kansas City Royals
    2019 record: 55-95
    Week 23 ranking: 28

    The Royals need to finish over .500 the rest of the way to avoid their second straight 100-loss season and sixth in franchise history. The franchise record for losses -- 106 in 2005 -- appears to be safe, barring a complete collapse over the last couple of weeks. Unfortunately, Kansas City confronts contenders the rest of the way, as the Royals get Oakland, Minnesota, Atlanta and Minnesota (again), in order. -- Doolittle

    ICYMI: Royals owner says selling difficult, but it's 'right time'

28. Miami Marlins
    2019 record: 52-97
    Week 23 ranking: 27

    With free agency probably around the corner for Starlin Castro -- the team has a $16 million option for 2020 with a $1 million buyout -- he has chosen the right time to heat up at the plate, hitting a team-best 13 home runs since the All-Star break. Since the entire roster has managed only 60 in the second half, he has been one of the few hitters to keep those unhappy few Fish fans entertained. -- Kahrl

29. Baltimore Orioles
    2019 record: 49-100
    Week 22 ranking: 29

    We could focus on Baltimore reaching 100 losses for the second straight season, but we'd rather emphasize the positive, such as it is. How about Trey Mancini? In addition to hitting a career-high 32 home runs, the Orioles slugger has 11 opposite-field homers, second in the AL to New York's Aaron Judge. -- Richards

    ICYMI: The state of MLB's terrible teams as the two worst meet

30. Detroit Tigers
    2019 record: 44-104
    Week 22 ranking: 30

    With Niko Goodrum probably shelved for the rest of the season, what little good news there might be from the lineup involves middle infielder Jordy Mercer (team-best .366 wOBA since the All-Star break) and a healthy Christin Stewart getting back out in left field and posting a .284/.343/.484 slash line in the second half. At 25, Stewart is one of the few guys in the lineup with a chance of playing for a future Tigers team above .500. -- Kahrl

We have two weeks left in the regular season. Four of the division races are over (or virtually over), the Indians are clinging by their stirrups in the American League Central, and only the National League Central, with the Cardinals, Cubs and Brewers separated by three games, looks to promise us those "What's the score in the other game?" moments the rest of the way.

So let's check on what to watch for over the final 14 days -- starting with two key injury updates from Sunday.

Cubs' Anthony Rizzo leaves because of sprained ankle

Rizzo was injured fielding a bunt in Sunday's win over the Pirates, seriously enough that the team took X-rays to make sure there wasn't a fracture. There wasn't, but Rizzo will have an MRI on Monday and we'll learn about the length of his absence.

Obviously, losing Rizzo would be a big blow to a Chicago offense that just erupted for 47 runs in a three-game sweep of the Pirates -- the most runs the Cubs have scored in a three-game series since 1900. The Cubs have a lot of defensive flexibility throughout the roster, but they don't really have a backup first baseman -- Ian Happ replaced Rizzo in Sunday's game, and Victor Caratini and Kris Bryant have started a few games there. Rizzo leads the Cubs with a .404 OBP and his absence combined with Javier Baez being out because of a hairline fracture in his left thumb leaves Chicago scrambling a bit in the infield.

The Cubs do have depth (although Addison Russell also is out right now because of a concussion) and rookie shortstop Nico Hoerner has provided a surprising lift since his call-up, hitting .379/.438/.655 in seven games. The Cubs can still go with Bryant at third, Hoerner at shortstop, Ben Zobrist at second and Happ at first, with David Bote in reserve, but with seven games still left against the Cardinals, they'll miss Rizzo.

Mike Trout out for remainder of season: AL MVP up for grabs?

After Trout missed his eighth game in a row Sunday, the Angels announced he would have season-ending surgery for a nerve issue in his right foot, something called Morton's neuroma (a thickening of the tissue around a nerve leading to the toes, creating pain in the ball of the foot). So Trout's final numbers: 134 games, .291/.438/.645, 45 home runs, 110 runs, 104 RBIs. He leads the AL in home runs, OBP, slugging and WAR. His lead over Alex Bregman in WAR entering Sunday was 8.3 to 7.4 (Baseball-Reference) and 8.6 to 7.3 (FanGraphs). Bregman went 1-for-3 on Sunday and is hitting .295/.420/.579 with 36 home runs, 114 runs and 104 RBIs.

Does Bregman have a chance to pass Trout in the MVP race? Working in Bregman's favor: Trout plays for a bad team and won't play at all the final two weeks. MVP voters don't give as much weight to playing on a playoff team as they used to, but they still give some weight. Also, Trout's 136 total games would be low for an MVP winner, although not unprecedented. Mookie Betts played 136 last year and beat Trout in the voting. Bregman's triple-slash line won't match Trout's, but with a strong final two weeks, Bregman will have impressive counting numbers, will be close to Trout in WAR -- and will play for a division winner.

National League MVP race: Up for grabs?

With Christian Yelich out for the season because of a fractured right kneecap, we still have a two-man (or three-man race). Or, heck, even a four-man race, as we don't want to completely dismiss Yelich:

Cody Bellinger: .304/.407/.625, 44 HRs, 112 R, 108 RBIs, 6.08 WPA

Anthony Rendon: .332/.416/.625, 33 HRs, 112 R, 118 RBIs, 5.51 WPA

Ketel Marte: .327/.387/.590, 32 HRs, 96 R, 91 RBIs, 3.81 WPA

Yelich: .329/.429/.671, 44 HRs, 100 R, 97 RBIs, 7.86 WPA

WPA is win probability added, sort of a proxy for "clutch." Yelich, Bellinger and Rendon ranked first, second and fourth in the majors heading into Sunday (via FanGraphs). With Yelich done compiling counting stats, and Marte probably fourth on the list right now, it looks like a two-man race between Bellinger and Rendon (although Yelich does lead in FanGraphs WAR, WPA and triple-slash line). Rendon has the momentum as he's finishing strong, while Bellinger has a sizable lead in Baseball-Reference WAR thanks to his defensive metrics. This looks like a close vote that could go in either direction.

OK, that NL Central -- and wild-card -- race

We've tried to bury the Cubs. We've tried to bury the Brewers. It's not over yet, with Ryan Braun's go-ahead grand slam Sunday that lifted Milwaukee to a dramatic win over St. Louis tightening the race. The Cardinals are two up on the Cubs and three up on the Brewers, but consider:

• The Brewers have the easiest remaining schedule of any playoff contender in terms of opponents' winning percentage (four against the Padres, three against the Pirates, three at Cincinnati and three at Colorado).

• The Cubs and Cardinals play those seven games against each other, so that might help the Brewers. The Cardinals have three against the Nationals, four at Wrigley, three at Arizona and then host the Cubs for three to end the season. The Cubs have seven at home against the Reds and Cardinals and then six on the road against the Pirates and Cardinals.

This is a good moment to remind everyone of the three-team tiebreaker rules. Teams are given A, B and C designation, with the team having the best winning percentage against the other two teams having first choice. Right now, the Cubs are 16-15, the Brewers are 19-19 and the Cardinals are 15-16. It's possible all three teams end up 19-19 against each other. In which case the tiebreaker becomes overall division record.

Anyway, Club 1 (the Cubs, as of now), would pick their designation in the following scenario: Club A hosts Club B. The winner of that game then hosts Club C.

Of course, all of this is complicated by the possibility that we could end up in a three-way tie for the NL Central with another club also tied for a wild card. For example, imagine these final standings:

Nationals: 89-73 (7-7 rest of way)
Cardinals: 88-74 (5-8 rest of way)
Cubs: 88-74 (7-6 rest of way)
Brewers: 88-74 (8-5 rest of way)
Mets: 88-74 (11-2 rest of way)

The Nationals win the first wild card, but then we have a four-way tie with the Mets. The NL Central teams are sorted by A, B and C, and the Mets would be Club D. A hosts B and C hosts D. If D (the Mets) wins, they are the second wild-card team and the winner between A and B would be the NL Central winner. If Club C beats the Mets, then the winner of A and B would play C. The winner of that game would be the division winner and the loser would be the second wild card.

We also could end up with a five-way tie if the Nationals fall back. As of now, MLB has no tiebreaker scenarios in place for a five-way tie. The simplest would be the three Central teams playing out their scenario for the division title and one wild-card spot and then the Mets and Nationals playing a game for the other wild-card spot.

By the way, as of now, the NL wild-card game is scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 1, with the AL game on Wednesday, Oct. 2, so that will have to change if we end up with two days of tiebreaker games.

AL wild-card race

The A's have won six in a row to build a 1½-game lead over the Rays, with the Rays 1½ games up on the Indians. The remaining schedules:

• Oakland: vs. KC (3), off day, vs. TEX (3), off day, at LAA (2), at SEA (4)

• Tampa Bay: off day, at LAD (2), off day, vs. BOS (4), vs. NYY (2), off day, at TOR (3)

• Cleveland: off day, vs. DET (3), vs. PHI (3), off day, at CHW (3), at WAS (3)

Anything could happen here. The A's are red hot and have an easy remaining schedule; FanGraphs gives them a 95.6% chance of making the playoffs. The Rays have the tougher schedule, but they're already in L.A. after playing the Angels this weekend and will benefit from three off days. The Indians get the Tigers and White Sox and fading Phillies before finishing with the Nationals, who might have clinched a spot by that final weekend.

Chase for best record and home-field advantage

The Yankees and Astros are tied at 98-53 with the Dodgers one game back. The Yankees' biggest worry right now is getting everyone healthy: Gary Sanchez is dealing with a sore groin, Edwin Encarnacion has an oblique issue and Giancarlo Stanton is supposed to return this week. (Dellin Betances threw eight pitches in his season debut Sunday.) The Astros are still waiting on Carlos Correa. The Astros finish with the Rangers, Angels, Mariners and Angels again. The Yankees get the Angels, Blue Jays, Rays and Rangers. The Astros won the season series over the Yankees, so Houston holds the tiebreaker edge.

Home run crown chase

With his otherworldly second half, Eugenio Suarez has tied Pete Alonso for the major league lead at 47 home runs. In 60 games since the All-Star break, Suarez has hit .304/.386/.724 with 27 home runs. Insane. At the break, he was 11 home runs behind then-leader Yelich. If Suarez does win the home run title, it would be the second-largest gap at the break overcome by a home run champ. Jimmie Foxx trailed the leader by 12 home runs in 1935 and ended up tied for the MLB lead with 36 home runs.

AL Cy Young race

Maybe the best awards race over the final two weeks is between Astros teammates Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole. Verlander tossed a no-hitter on Sept. 1 and has double-digit strikeout games in nine of his past 11 starts. Cole has given up three runs in his three September starts and is on a run of six consecutive double-digit strikeout games. He also has won 13 straight decisions. Season stats:

Verlander: 18-6, 2.58 ERA, 206 IP, 123 H, 38 BB, 275 SO, 34 HR

Cole: 17-5, 2.62 ERA, 192.1 IP, 130 H, 45 BB, 292 SO, 27 HR

Wow. Who ya got?

Italy tops medal table on home soil and GB is third as European Masters Championships comes to a close

Britain won 14 golds on the final day of the European Masters Championships in Venice to go over the 100 mark but that was dwarfed by Italy who won 26 titles on the day.

Most of those were team titles where the home nation has a huge advantage as they have the greatest number of athletes to choose from and Italy pipped Germany at the top of the table with 127 golds to Germany’s 119.

For Britain, Wendy Laing won in the field and there was further success for the relay squads, who again were in record-breaking form.

Clare Elms won her sixth gold and seventh medal – the most by any runner in Venice – as she easily won the 10km to follow her gold medal successes at 1500m, 5000m, 10,000m, cross-country and cross-country team.

Her time was 37:56, which would have won the W45 title, put her top of the UK rankings and she won by three minutes from Italian Elena Giovanna Fustella.

Alastair Walker arrived late at the championships and only had time to win the 5000m before again dominating the M60 age group.

The Scot won in 35:28 to win by over a minute from Tore Axelsson from Sweden.

Alastair Walker wins M60 gold at 10km by a minute in 35:28. British M60s had already won the 100,200, 400, 800, 1500, 5000, 10000 and 100 hurdles @emacvenice2019 pic.twitter.com/aOBIVh4IF9

— AW (@AthleticsWeekly) September 15, 2019

Simon Baines won the M45 title in 32:30 to win by 19 seconds from Sweden’s Kristian Nedregaard and go one place better than he did in the World Masters race in Torun earlier in the year.

The other British gold medallist was slightly lost among the masses but M75 Victor Shirley, already a winner at 1500m and 5000m, won his third individual gold in 45:44, 22 seconds ahead of Spain’s Emilio de Carrera.

Lisa Palmer-Blount, who had been fourth in the W40 5000m, went one better in the 10km after picking up in the latter kilometres when Elms encouraged her to keep going.

The overall 10km was won by Spain’s M40 Manuel Angel Penas in 31:00 though Italian Said Boudalia’s 31:20 to win the M50 gold having battled with Penas for 8km, was arguably a better performance.

The 51-year-old has a 64-minute half-marathon PB from 2008.

Belgian W35 Mieke Gorissen was first woman in 34:43 to follow her successes in the cross-country and 5000m.

Britons found the half-marathon, which was held after the 10km started and therefore in even warmer conditions, a much tougher proposition but the British numbers were much greater as there was no team event at 10km but there was in the longer event and it attracted some athletes who have the opportunity of team medals.

Some did enjoy individual success, however.

Paul Mingay won M60 gold in the event to complete astonishing dominance in the age group in Italy.

British M60s won the 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1500m, 5000m, 10,000m, 100m hurdles, 10km and half-marathon!

The world champion in Malaga obviously likes the Mediterranean climate as he ran 2:47:40 in Seville earlier in the year, just a minute outside the British record.

He also won a M60 team bronze as Italy won.

There was also a win for M65 Paul Whelpton in 1:26:08.

Whelpton, who was third in the World Masters at this event and second at 10km last year, won by two minutes for his best ever victory and had the added bonus of leading Britain to a 10-minute team win.

Anthony Whitehouse took bronze in 1:30:34.

Angela Copson, who chose a curious 800m and half-marathon double, was after her impressive 800m win, surprisingly well beaten in the longer road race.

The race was won by Germany’s Gudrun Vogl in 1:46:24.

Copson was a distant second in 1:51:26 while Penny Yule won her fourth medal of the championships with a bronze in 1:53:08.

The pair also won a team gold with sixth-placer Carolyn Gale.

Alison Bourgeiois, who dominated the world indoor 800m, 1500m and 3000m, also moved up in distance here as she is focussing on an autumn marathon.

Despite an excellent 1:36:50 though, she was beaten by Italy’s Silvia Bolognesi’s 1:32:51.

Ireland’s Paul Moran won the M55 title in 77:20 with Ben Reynolds taking the bronze in 80:09 after Steve Watmough faded in the heat in the second half after being in a clear medal position at halfway but he was in the winning team as Britain won by two minutes from France.

Britain’s W55 team finished second.

Spain’s Francisco Martinez, a M40, was fastest man in 68:55 and W45 Sandra Morchner (77:13), the fastest woman.

In the field, the star UK performance came from Laing.

The world indoor high jump champion was on a different level to her W55 opponents and had first time clearances all the way up to 1.47m before failing at 1.50m.

She won by six centimetres from Frauke Viebarn of Germany.

Steve Peters and Caroline Powell won their fifth gold medals of the championships as they added the 4x400m to their collection.

Peters’ title was a formality as they had no opposition in their age group and alongside Simon Barrett, Adrian Essex and Ian Broadhurst, they ran 4:10.87 in the combined M65 and M70 race and there were curiously five over-70 teams.

With Peters in the team, it wouldn’t have mattered who showed up in the M65s and even without any pressure their 4:10.87 was less than two seconds outside the European record.

It was also hardly any surprise that Powell won the 4x400m title. Having the new European record-holder in any team gave them a head start but as they could also count on W65 runner-up Joylyn Saunders-Mullins the previous W65 champions Caroline Marler and Ros Tabor, a former winner of the European Indoor W65 event.

Despite a lack of opposition – they won by almost two minutes – the team set a European record 5:00.12 by five seconds.

Saunders-Mullins, who followed Powell home in the three sprints, won her fifth medal while W70 Tabor won her sixth.

The race was in the combined W60 and W65 race and it was the British W60 team that followed them.

The team of Louise Jeffries, W70 Copson a few hours after her half-marathon, Hilary West and double hurdles champion Jane Horde ran 5:06.68 to also win gold and defeat Germany by three seconds.

There was also a walk-over for the W55 team, which meant 400m and 800m champion Virginia Mitchell won her third gold.

However, the lack of opposition did not affect them as Mitchell teamed up with double hurdles champion Julie Rogers, 800m and 1500m medallist Christine Anthony and 400m silver medallist Janice Ellacott.

Their 4:27.33 time broke the world record.

John Wright, who won the three individual M60 sprints, lost out on a medal in the relay when his team were disqualified for moving positions after the incoming runner had passed 200m. Germany won in 4:07.39.

The closest race of the day was unusually the M75s as Germany won again in 5:11.73 from Britain’s team of Victor Shirley (who won the 10km gold earlier in the day), Mel James, Anthony Treacher and Winston Laing, who ran 5:11.97.

Half of the winning 4x100m W40 team (Susie McCloughlin and Karen Burles) returned to run the longer relay alongside Becky Selvey and Sharon Dooley and they finished second in 4:15.86 behind Germany’s 4:10.83.

In Peters’ race the M70 team of Albert Eland, Bruce Hendrie, Victor Novell amd David Spencer were second in 4:38.54 to Italy’s 4:18.72.

There were bronze medals for the M45 team (3:59.07) of Julian Ions, Ciaran Harvey, Nick Lauder and Samuel Nash.

And also the W45 team of Amanda Broadhurst, Jane Pidgeon, Janet Dickinson and Lisa Thomas who ran 4:36.15.

Germany’s M85 team took 27 seconds off the world record with 7:23.31.

Medal table

1 ITA 127 106 104 Total: 337
2 GER 119 110 88 317
3 GBR 103 70 74 247
4 ESP 43 53 48 144
5 FRA 38 50 47 135
6 FIN 35 25 17 77
7 SWE 22 23 20 65
8 POL 20 27 24 71
9 NED 18 12 17 47
10 AUT 16 15 13 44
11 POR 16 15 12 43
12 EST 15 8 3 26
13 NOR 14 14 9 37
14 IRL 12 12 8 32
15 CZE 11 22 18 51

Britain’s gold medallists

6
Clare Elms: W55 1500m, 5000m, 10,000m, 10km, XC, XC team

5
Evaun Williams: W80 shot, discus, hammer, javelin, weight pentathlon
Steve Peters: M65 100m, 200m, 400m, 4x100m, 4x400m
Caroline Powell: W65 100m, 200m, 400m, 4x100m, 4x400m
Ian Richards: M70 5000m walk, 10km walk, 20km walk 10km team walk, 20km team walk

3
Ian Broadhurst: M65 300mH, M65 4×100, M65 4×400
Don Brown: M55 100m, 200m, 100mH
Jean Fail: W70 80mH, 200mH, W65 4x100m
Paul Fletcher: M60 800m, 1500m, 10,000m
Jane Horder: W60 80mH, 300mH, 4x400m
Virginia Mitchell: W55 400m, 800m, 4x400m
Julie Rogers: W55 80mH, 300mH, 4x400m
Victor Shirley: M75 1500m, 5000m, 10km
John Wright: M60 100m, 200m, 400m
Angela Copson: W70 800m, W60 4×400, W70 HM tm=

2
Noel Blatchford: W70 10km walk, 20km walk
Jonathan Browne: M35 100m, 200m
Mike Coogan: M45 200m, M45 4×100
Penny Forse: W70 XC, W70 HM tm
Lucy Elliott: W50 XC, XC team
Anthony Treacher: M80 200m, triple jump
Alastair Walker: M60 5000m, 10km
Joanne Willoughby: W55 long jump, triple jump

1
Joe Appiah: M45 110mH
Daniel Awde: M35 110mH
Simon Baimes: M45 10km
Matt Barnes: M40 1500m
Ed Betts: M45 400mH
Dominic Bokor-Ingram: M50 800m
Tony Bowman: M80 80mH
Guy Bracken: M55 1500m
Gintas Degutis: M45 shot
Nisha Desai: W35 400mH
Zoe Doyle: W40 1500m
Cath Duhig: W60 20kmW
Tennyson James: M60 hurdles
Irie Hill: W50 pole vault
Iris Holder: W75 triple jump
Andrea Jenkins: W40 Weight
Wendy Laing: W55 high jump
Winston Laing: M75 800m
Andrew Leach: M55 10,000m
Paul Mingay: M65 HM
Guiseppe Minetti: M50 200m
John Moreland: M60 Discus
Ana Ramos-Villaverde: W45 2000sc
Andrew Ridley: M55 800m
Mark Symes: M50 1500m
Alex Swiecicki: M70 2000sc
Ros Tabor: W70 1500m, W65 4x400m
Lisa Thomas: W50 2000sc
John Watts: M80 discus
Paul Whelpton: M65 half-marathon
Sue Yeomans: W65: pole vault

Team gold medallists not included above
Karen Rushton/Sue Ridley: W50 XC
Christine Anthony/Jane Pidgeon: W55 XC
Peter Boszko/Roger Mitchell: M70 10km walk
Peter Boszko/Roger Mitchell: M70 20km walk
Karen Burles/Susie McCloughlin, Naana Adusei, Joanne Frost: W40 4×100:
Anthony/Janice Ellacott: W55 4×400
Louise Jeffries/Hilary West: W60 20km walk tm
Anne Wheeler/Judy Howard: W60 2kmW tm
Joylyn Saunders-Mullins, Caroline Marler: W65 4×100
Caroline Gayle: W70 HM
Saunders-Mullins, Marler: W65 4×400:
Alan Robertson:, Domonic Bradley, Andy Parkin, Michael Barugh M40 4×100
Ben Reynolds, Mark Halls, Watnough: M55 HM
Simon Barr, Adrian Essex/Ian Broadhurst: M65 4×100
Walwyun Franklyn/Broadhurst/Barrett, M65 4×400
David Proffit/Anthony Whitehouse: 20km walk tm

Results from the Welsh Road Relay Championships, Northern Relays, Müller Para-Track Grand Prix, Great Bristol Half Marathon and more

Coverage of Geoffrey Kamworor’s world half-marathon record in Copenhagen can be found here, while day-by-day reports on European Masters Championships action in Italy can be found here.

Other recent highlights are below.

Welsh Road Relay Championships, Pembrey Country Park, September 15

Cardiff AC scored a senior race double at the Welsh Road Relay Championships, Alex Donald reports.

Swansea Harriers were the defending champions in both races but it was the teams from the capital city that were by far the strongest at the 52nd edition of the championships.

The event returned to Pembrey Country Park near Llanelli, hosting a trial trace for the ERRA National Road Relays for the first time and with competitors enjoying far better weather conditions than when torrential rain blighted the races 12 months ago.

The Cardiff women’s team enjoyed a gun to tape victory, led off by Lucy Marland who came home with a 90 second margin after the first leg. UK Inter-Counties champion Jenny Nesbitt was third off for the Cardiff team, comfortably fastest with a time of 19:11. Clara Evans enjoyed the glory leg in a time of 19:25 as the second fastest of the day.

Swansea Harriers cleared out the podium places with silver and bronze team medals.

It took their men’s team slightly longer to settle, taking the lead at the end of the second leg courtesy of British 50km record-holder Dan Nash. Jake Smith increased the lead on the penultimate leg, recording the fastest time over the 5.6km course in 16:48.

Ciaran Lewis was second fastest of the day on the final leg, bringing his team one step closer to taking the victory at the ERRA National Autumn Relays that they have been targeting.

Pontypridd Roadents were the silver medallists led by Paul Graham who was their fastest man and had led after the race outright on the first leg. Aberdare Valley AAC retained their bronze medals from last year.

The event also hosted the championships for masters with team victories going to Les Croupiers RC, Parc Bryn Bach RC, Pontypridd Roadents and Swansea Harriers.

Lloyd Sheppard was the fastest U17 of the day, leading his Cardiff team to victory just three seconds faster than Welsh 1500m record-holder Ben Reynolds. Nia Clatworthy was the quickest U17 woman, helping her Cardiff team to a substantial victory over second-placed Cardiff Archers.

Maldwyn Harriers were U15 boys’ victors with local club Carmarthen Harriers retaining their U13 boys crown. Cardiff took the remaining U15 and U13 girls honours.

Northern men’s 6- and women’s 4-stage Relays, Manchester, September 15

An overcast day saw Leeds men move up from second last year to take the title, but their women could not quite make it a double, Martin Duff reports.

After three successive third places it was Rotherham who moved through from fifth on the penultimate leg to take the title through Nicola Devine. Leeds and Lincoln Wellington finished in close order. However, it was Lincoln’s Abbie Donnelly who was quickest after taking the opening women’s stage.

Leeds’ men have now set their sights on the ERRA 6-stage championship next month as the only national event that they have not previously won. They had an easy run here as Lincoln Wellington, winners for the past two years, failed to put in an appearance.

It was Leeds’ Phil Sesemann who was quickest with a 19:22 split for the 6674-metre long double lap on leg four.

The day had begun with the young athletes’ events and the U13 events held over a three 3.51km stage.

Once again it was just Vale Royal who won two titles in the young athletes’ races. Holly Weedall helped them with a retention of their girls’ title as their boys made it an U15 double.

Müller Para-Track Grand Prix, Kirkby, September 14

An event co-organised by Paralympians Hannah Cockroft and Nathan Maguire gave athletes the chance to compete before World Para Athletics Championships team selection takes place.

Cockroft was among those racing and the multiple T34 world record-holder and global gold medallist finished second behind double T53 world champion Sammi Kinghorn in the 400m, 57.10 to 57.80, and in the 800m, 1:59.16 to 1:59.62.

Maguire clocked 1:42.57 to finish behind Richard Chiassaro with 1:41.99 in the men’s T54 800m.

Libby Clegg continued her comeback by clocking 13.81 for 100m.

Simplyhealth Great Bristol Half Marathon, September 15

Cardiff’s Matt Clowes and Winchester’s Annabel Gummow claimed victory, clocking 65:08 and 77:05 respectively.

Annabel Gummow from Winchester and District AC takes the win for the women in the @SimplyhealthUK #GreatBristolHalf!? pic.twitter.com/l2c04nc1uF

— Great Run (@Great_Run) September 15, 2019

Alex Carter was second in the men’s race in 68:37, while local athlete Harry Allen from Bristol West AC clinched third in 69:30.

Women’s runner-up was Jennifer Beckingham in 80:09, while Kate Drew was third in 80:38.

Almost 10,000 runners took part in the event.

Drei Zinnen Alpine Run, Italy, September 15

Britain’s Sarah Tunstall and Eritrea’s Petro Mamu won the penultimate race in the WMRA World Cup series.

Tunstall clocked 1:41:45 for the 17km course with 1300m of uphill climb to win in a course record ahead of Ireland’s WMRA World Cup leader Sarah McCormack with 1:46:21 and Swiss Victoria Kreuzer with 1:47:40.

Sarah Tunstall is back! Fighting with some injures after Glossglockner race, she's now planning to be selected for Argentina ?? World Champs and running in Smarna Gora ?? for World Cup's last Stage!@FastRunning @BritAthletics @mountainrunuk @EnglandAthletic @KeswickAC pic.twitter.com/6jC5dQ8rvQ

— WMRA (@WMRAmountainrun) September 14, 2019

Mamu improved his own course record with his time of 1:22:37 ahead of USA’s Joe Gray with 1:23:09.

Eritrea’s Filimon Abraham was third in 1:25:55, while Italy’s Francesco Puppi was fourth in 1:27:29 and Britain’s WMRA World Cup leader Andy Douglas fifth in 1:27:48.

Richmond RUNFEST, London, September 14/15

The action started with the Kew Gardens 10km which was won by Olympic marathoner Scott Overall in 30:02 and Lesley Locks in 36:31.

In the following day’s half-marathon, Paskar Owor and Tracy Barlow claimed victory thanks to their respective times of 71:35 and 76:49, with GB international Barlow placing seventh overall.

Marathon winners were 2010 European 10,000m silver medallist Chris Thompson in 2:30:09 and Lindy-Lee Folscher in 2:58:19.

?Congratulations to our marathon winners @Thommo10k and Lindy-Lee Foltscher, who not only take the crown today but have also won a trip to the @Cayman_Islands!! #marathon #runrichmond #richmondrunfest pic.twitter.com/XMYWIQbIxG

— RICHMOND RUNFEST (@RichmondRunFest) September 15, 2019

Marathon Grand Championship, Tokyo, Japan, September 15

Shogo Nakamura and Honami Maeda claimed victory as athletes raced for 2020 Olympic Games places.

Nakamura won by eight seconds in 2:11:28 ahead of Yuma Hattori, while Maeda took the women’s title in 2:25:15 ahead of Ayuko Suzuki’s 2:29:02.

Cape Town Marathon, South Africa, September 15

Celestine Chepchirchir set a course record of 2:26:44 to win ahead of Ethiopians Nurit Shimels (2:27:40) and Gete Mindaye (2:28:32).

Kenyans Edwin Kibet Koech (2:09:20) and Daniel Muindi Muteti (2:09:25) claimed a Kenyan one-two in the men’s race. Morocco’s Mohamed Ziani was third (2:09:29).

Kamila Skolimowska Memorial, Poland, September 14

Konrad Bukowiecki broke the European under-23 shot put record with a throw of 22.25m.

Here is Konrad Bukowiecki smashing the European U23 shot put record at the Kamila Skolimowska Memorial in Chorzow tonight. ? pic.twitter.com/8yo2gD0s6K

— European Athletics (@EuroAthletics) September 14, 2019

Steven Gardiner won the 400m in 44.14 ahead of Britain’s Rabah Yousif with 46.02, while Allyson Felix won the women’s race ahead of Justyna Swiety-Ersetic, 51.47 to 51.54.

Scotland forward David Denton has been forced to retire from rugby on the advice of doctors.

The 29-year-old back row has been advised to quit following a concussion he sustained playing for Leicester Tigers in October.

"Of course, it is devastating that my rugby career is ending," Denton told the Scottish Rugby Union website.

The national team's coach Gregor Townsend said: "We're going to miss him with Scotland."

Zimbabwe-born Denton was capped 42 times for Scotland, making the move to Edinburgh in 2010 before spells at Bath and Worcester Warriors prior to his switch to Leicester last year.

He had not played since suffering the injury against Northampton 11 months ago.

"My reaction at the time my neurologist told me it was no longer a good idea to play rugby to be honest was a bit of relief," said Denton.

"This had been building up inside of me for four to five months.

"I knew there was a strong possibility this moment [having to retire] was coming.

"By the time I got to it, I had been through all the emotional highs and lows, so I was prepared for it."

Scotland head coach Townsend said it "seems to be the right decision to retire".

He said: "We were hoping taking some time out of the game would mean he would be available for selection in our World Cup training squad and when that didn't happen, we were hopeful he'd be back for next season, but again that's not happened."

Brain injuries a 'serious problem in rugby'

BBC Scotland's chief sports writer Tom English

Four years ago he was one of the stars of Scotland's World Cup.

He was terrific throughout the pool games, and terrific against Australia in that what-might-have-been quarter-final.

Denton was a big ball-carrying number eight - the kind of player Scotland could do with now. It's a great shame, he's had a lot of injuries.

But, it just adds to the rising number of retirements through concussion. These brain injuries are a serious, serious problem in rugby.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic has claimed he is the "best ever" player to feature in Major League Soccer after scoring a hat trick in LA Galaxy's 7-2 rout of Sporting Kansas City on Sunday.

The goals saw Ibrahimovic make history for Galaxy, breaking the franchise's single season scoring record having now scored 26 goals in 25 starts during the 2019 season. He takes the record from Carlos Ruiz, who netted 24 times in the 2002 season.

After breaking that record, Ibrahimovic said he is worthy of being labelled the best player in MLS history.

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"I think I am the best ever to play in MLS. And that, without joking," Ibrahimovic said.

The former Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Milan striker, who joined Galaxy on a free transfer from Manchester United in 2018, has now scored 48 goals in 51 appearances in MLS.

"It's good. I said from the first day I came that I'm not here for vacation," Ibrahimovic added. "I'm here to perform and show everybody what the game is about. I think the two years I've had here, I've done good things. Amazing things. Perfect things.

"I just have to keep doing, keep being in shape and help my team in the best way, and that is by scoring goals."

With four games to go in the regular season, the thrashing of Kansas City saw Galaxy climb into the playoff spots having fallen out of the top seven of the Western Conference after going four games without a win.

With the team back on track, coach Guillermo Barros Schelotto believes the performances of Ibrahimovic will be vital to the side in securing a spot in the post-season.

"I think it's not easy, because he's Zlatan. In big games, he appears," Schelotto said. "He appears every day, every game, every time, but especially in the moments that are very hard for his own team, and he is on the pitch. That is the reason he is Zlatan, obviously.

"I hope to keep going like today, and for sure we will win more points to get to playoffs. We need to go game by game. We can think about how many points we need to get to the playoffs. We need to rest tomorrow, practice during the week to win the next game with Montreal."

Ibrahimovic, too, said Galaxy are brimming with confidence heading into the final weeks of the regular season following the blowout victory.

"We need all the points we can get to get to the playoffs and today was a nice win," Ibrahimovic said of the team's performance. "To score a lot of goals, looking at the result, it might look easy, but it was not an easy game. We played against a good opponent and they play very good football. First half, both teams were playing good, and in the second we were stronger.

"If you look at the last game, we were unlucky with the decision of the referee also and that killed us a little bit. But today winning 7-2, hopefully we can get this confidence, hopefully we can bring this confidence with us to the next game. We show everybody that when we want, we can do it. Everyone should fear us as long as we come into the playoffs."

Star forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored three goals and Sebastian Lletget added two, leading the LA Galaxy to a 7-2 win over visiting Sporting Kansas City Sunday night.

The blowout win gave the Galaxy's playoff hopes a boost and effectively put an end to any postseason aspirations for SKC also saw Ibrahimovic take over the record for most goals in a single season by a Galaxy player with 26. That's more than half of his team's 49 total goals.

The Galaxy, which trailed 1-0 before exploding for seven unanswered goals, shot upward from eighth place in Major League Soccer's Western Conference to fifth at the end of a weekend that saw the three teams in front of the Galaxy lose their respective matches.

Los Angeles (14-13-3) put an end to a four-match winless streak. They also might have stopped Sporting KC's streak of eight straight seasons in the MLS playoffs.

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SKC (10-13-7) is six points out of a playoff spot -- the top seven in the East and West get in -- with only four games left to play in the regular season.

The Galaxy drew even after a handball in the box in the 30th minute. Ibrahimovic's penalty kick was initially saved by Sporting KC goalkeeper Tim Melia, but Ibrahimovic was the first one to the rebound, and he put it in to tie the score at 1.

Both teams had plenty of chances to break the tie until Joe Corona's header in the 48th minute. It was Corona's first goal of the season.

Ibrahimovic left-footed a shot from close range past Melia for a 3-1 lead in the 51st minute, and Uriel Antuna tallied in the 69th minute, his fourth of the season.

Rolf Feltscher had two assists for the Galaxy after Felipe Gutierrez opened the scoring with Sporting Kansas City's first goal of the match, in the 24th minute. Gutierrez added his second in the 86th minute.

Lletget scored his two goals two minutes apart, with the Galaxy ahead 4-1 and well in control. He has three on the season.

Gutierrez scored the game's final goal, but Ibrahimovic capped off the night in the 85th minute for Galaxy fans with a long strike from the wing just inside the box, then held aloft three fingers and stood on a sign board with his arms raised to the crowd.

Bangladesh have rung in a host of changes following the defeat to Afghanistan, including bringing back experienced pacemen Rubel Hossain and Shafiul Islam, for their third and fourth matches of the ongoing T20I tri-series at home, where Zimbabwe are the third team.

Soumya Sarkar, a regular with the team across formats, had a poor World Cup, and though he shone with bat and ball in the third ODI in Sri Lanka in late July, returns of 4 and 0 in the two tri-series games have led to his axing. Also going out were offspinner Mahedi Hasan, and pacemen Abu Hider and Yeasin Arafat, none of whom played any of the two matches - a win over Zimbabwe and the loss to Afghanistan.

Both those matches, as well as Afghanistan's win over Zimbabwe, were played in Dhaka, and now the action shifts to Chattogram for the second set of round-robin matches. Apart from Rubel and Shafiul, Bangladesh have drafted in Najmul Hossain, the offspinner, teenaged legspinning-allrounder Aminul Islam, and exciting young opening batsman Mohammad Naim.

Najmul, 21, has played two Test matches and three ODIs since making his international debut in January 2017, and was recently among the runs in both the one-dayers and the four-dayers on the Bangladesh Emerging Team's tour of Sri Lanka.

Aminul, 19, was also on that tour, but didn't do much of note. However, with Bangladesh looking for a wristspinner to complement their many fingerspinners, Aminul might get a chance in the two remaining group-stage matches to show his capabilities.

Like Aminul, Naim is uncapped at the international level, but is regarded highly in local cricket circles. A tall, left-handed opening batsman, 20-year-old Naim made a name for himself in last season's Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League, scoring 807 runs in 16 games for Legends of Rupganj to finish second on the run-scorers' list.

Rubel Hossain, meanwhile, hasn't played a T20I since August last year and hasn't played any T20 cricket since February this year, but has likely been brought back to add some experience to the pace attack, which is also the case with Shafiul, whose last T20I appearance came back in October 2017.

Squad: Shakib Al Hasan (capt), Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), Mahmudullah, Sabbir Rahman, Mosaddek Hossain, Liton Das, Afif Hossain, Taijul Islam, Rubel Hossain, Shafiul Islam, Mustafizur Rahman, Mohammad Saifuddin, Mohammad Naim Shaikh, Aminul Islam, Najmul Hossain

SAN FRANCISCO -- The Pac-12 Conference acknowledged an officiating error on the last play of Arizona State's 10-7 victory at Michigan State on Saturday.

The conference said Sunday night that the Sun Devils should have been called for leaping on Michigan State's missed field goal attempt as time expired.

"An Arizona State defensive player took a running start and leapt over the kicking team's line in an attempt to block the kick," the Pac-12 said in a statement. "In the process, he leapt into the frame of the body of an opponent. The penalty would have been 15 yards from the previous spot and an automatic first down. In this case, it would have been administered as half the distance to the goal and Michigan State would have been provided one untimed down."

Michigan State had a tying field goal in the final seconds negated for having too many men on the field, setting up a second attempt that Matt Coghlin hooked well left.

New England and San Francisco each put up 40-plus points on their way to 2-0 starts. Lamar Jackson had another huge game to keep Baltimore undefeated. Meanwhile, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and Jacksonville were among the teams that stumbled again and dropped to 0-2.

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Atlanta Falcons 24, Philadelphia Eagles 20

The Falcons showed up on defense. From Desmond Trufant's two interceptions, to Vic Beasley's sack, to Isaiah Oliver and Keanu Neal stopping Zach Ertz short of a first down to seal a victory, the defense played with much more energy and effort than it did against the Vikings. Atlanta forced Carson Wentz into a 61.3 passer rating. Of course, the Falcons benefited from early injuries to DeSean Jackson and Alshon Jeffery, but you can't take away from the effort. Now they have to sustain that same energy going to Indianapolis. And they'll have some great mobile quarterback challenges ahead with Deshaun Watson and Marcus Mariota. -- Vaughn McClure

Next game: at Indianapolis (Sunday, Sept. 22 at 1 p.m. ET)

The Eagles exited Atlanta banged up. The Eagles head home not only with a 24-20 loss, but with a number of injuries that could impact them as they turn their attention to Week 3 against the Detroit Lions. Receivers DeSean Jackson (groin) and Alshon Jeffery (calf) went down in the first half and didn't return. Tight end Dallas Goedert didn't play a snap after tweaking his calf before the game. Defensive tackle Tim Jernigan (foot) and running back Corey Clement (shoulder) also couldn't finish. This is the second-oldest team in the NFL. Talent is not the question with the Eagles, but whether they can make it to the finish line. Sunday's game will only heighten those concerns. -- Tim McManus

Next game: vs. Detroit (Sunday, Sept. 22 at 1 p.m. ET)

Kansas City Chiefs 28, Oakland Raiders 10

The Chiefs won't need to score big to win every week. They controlled the second half against the Raiders with their defense, which appeared to make significant progress over the Week 1 game against the Jaguars. Between better pressure up front and coverage on the back end, Kansas City snuffed out every Oakland opportunity to climb back into the game. Perhaps the most encouraging stat for the Chiefs was they allowed 5.2 yards per Oakland passing attempt. If that keeps up, they'll improve significantly over last season. -- Adam Teicher

Next game: vs. Baltimore (1 p.m. ET, Sunday, Sept. 22)

Raiders put up a fight ... for a quarter. Few outside the walls of Silver and Blackdom expected the rebuilding Raiders to actually beat the high-flying Chiefs on Sunday. But after last Monday night's exhilarating defeat of the Broncos and a good week of practice, throwing a scare at reigning league MVP Patrick Mahomes & Co. seemed doable. Such was the case ... for 15 minutes. After Oakland took a 10-0 lead, the wheels fell off and Mahomes took off in the second quarter, slicing and dicing an already suspect Raiders secondary. It was a bad taste to leave in the mouths of the Oakland faithful, what with the Raiders not playing again in the East Bay until Nov. 3. -- Paul Gutierrez

Next game: at Minnesota (1 p.m. ET, Sunday, Sept. 22)

Los Angeles Rams 27, New Orleans Saints 9

A slow start for the L.A. offense. The Rams' defense started and finished fast against the Saints, but for a second consecutive week, the offense took a while to find a rhythm. With the exception of a 57-yard pass to receiver Brandin Cooks, quarterback Jared Goff struggled to develop connections with his go-to trio of receivers in the first half and the Rams were unable to score a touchdown. Goff, however, made adjustments in the second half and finished with 283 passing yards and a touchdown. He also rushed for a 1-yard touchdown on a sneak. Goff and the Rams must find a way to start fast and develop a rhythm early in Week 3, as they prepare to play the Browns in Cleveland on Sunday Night Football. -- Lindsey Thiry

Next game: at Cleveland (8:20 p.m. ET, Sunday, Sept. 22)

Woes for the Saints, who got "whipped up front." If quarterback Drew Brees misses any significant time because of his thumb injury, the Saints will need to do a better job of rallying in his absence than they did in a Sunday flop at Los Angeles. Backup Teddy Bridgewater was ineffective as his replacement. Coach Sean Payton, however, expressed confidence in Bridgewater and said he needed more support from an offensive line that got "whipped up front" by the Rams (the Saints rushed for only 57 yards), and committed way too many drive-killing penalties. There were also too many missed tackles by the defense in a game that really couldn't have gone much worse for New Orleans. -- Mike Triplett

Next game: at Seattle (4:25 p.m. ET, Sunday, Sept. 22)

Chicago Bears 16, Denver Broncos 14

The Bears are lucky to be 1-1 this season. Chicago's last-second victory over the Broncos can't cover up the serious issues it has on offense, starting with quarterback Mitchell Trubisky, who despite completing a 25-yard pass to Allen Robinson to set up Eddy Pineiro's winning 53-yard field goal, finished the game 16-of-27 passing for 120 yards. The Bears are struggling to find any sort of rhythm on offense. Chicago can beat bad teams because of its superior defense, but its schedule gets much tougher beginning next month. -- Jeff Dickerson

Next game: at Washington (8:15 p.m. ET, Monday, Sept. 23)

An 0-2 start for Denver. The Broncos scratched and clawed but left their own stadium Sunday night 0-2 with nothing to show for it. And if they pout for too long, a trip to Green Bay will only add to the frustration. As coach Vic Fangio said: "They're 2-0 and have one of the all-time best quarterbacks ever, we've just got to get right back to work and get after it." Sunday's wild loss will test the resolve of a young team and new coaching staff, and the Broncos must reset quickly. The past two years, they have had difficulty ending losing streaks, and both seasons got away from them. This time Fangio's challenge will be to snap back a locker room that is feeling the sting of back-to-back disappointing losses. -- Jeff Legwold

Next game: at Green Bay (1 p.m. ET, Sunday, Sept. 22)

Green Bay Packers 21, Minnesota Vikings 16

"We've got a lot of work to do." At some point, the Packers are going to need a complete-game performance from their offense. Perhaps they'll find it next Sunday against the Broncos in the second of three consecutive early-season home games. But given how the defense came through once again in Sunday's win over the Vikings at Lambeau Field, it hasn't been necessary on the way to a 2-0 start under first-year coach Matt LaFleur. "We're proud of how we started, but we're not proud of how we finished," said running back Jamaal Williams, whose 15-yard touchdown on the first drive sparked the Packers to a 21-0 lead early in the second quarter. As Aaron Rodgers said: "We've had a couple good quarters out of eight. We've got a lot of work to do." -- Rob Demovsky

Next game: vs. Denver (1 p.m. ET, Sunday, Sept. 22)

Hindsight is always 20/20, especially when it comes to playcalling. Should Minnesota have called a run on first down from the 8-yard line in the fourth quarter after six previous runs set up a potential go-ahead score on the Vikings' second-to-last drive? Sure, but although the run game was effective and wearing down the Packers' defense, Kirk Cousins has to make a smarter decision than the throw that cost the Vikings their chance at beating the Packers. The biggest knock on Cousins has been an inability to consistently come through in big moments, and this giant red flag could rightfully hinder the confidence Minnesota has in its quarterback. Cousins needed to throw that ball away instead of trying to fit a tight-window throw to Stefon Diggs in double coverage. The decision-making on his part was inexcusable. -- Courtney Cronin

Next game: vs. Oakland (1 p.m. ET, Sunday, Sept. 22)

Indianapolis Colts 19, Tennessee Titans 17

The Colts can't sugarcoat things anymore: They have a legitimate kicking problem. Veteran Adam Vinatieri missed two more extra points Sunday against the Titans. He has now missed an extra point in three consecutive regular-season games going back to last season. That's the longest streak of his 24-year NFL career. He has also missed an extra point in four of the past five games, which includes the playoffs, and he has missed a total of seven kicks in the past three games. Vinatieri left the locker room without speaking to the media. "You'll hear from me [Monday on the players' day off]," he said. -- Mike Wells

Next game: vs. Atlanta (1 p.m. ET, Sunday, Sept. 22)

The Titans were given taste of their own medicine by a physical Colts defense. It was complemented by a potent Indianapolis rushing attack that produced 167 yards. The Titans struggled on third down (1-of-10) despite having Adam Humphries, a free-agent addition who was supposed to help. Quarterback Marcus Mariota said he has to get the ball to Humphries, so expect him to be a factor against Jacksonville. The defense allowed the Colts to convert on seven of 14 third-down opportunities and gave up a touchdown on the first possession for the second consecutive week. The Titans will need to get off to a better start against Jacksonville. -- Turron Davenport

Next game: at Jacksonville (8:20 p.m. ET, Thursday, Sept. 19)

Detroit Lions 13, Los Angeles Chargers 10

How the Lions got back on track. It was a performance many Lions players said was not their best, but after a tie last week against the Cardinals in which they squandered an 18-point lead, Detroit will take this win. Offensively, there was a flow to things for the Lions. Receiver Marvin Jones said formations they saw from the Chargers on Sunday were worked on during the week, giving them comfort in situations when they have to have it. "It's like that through the whole week," Jones said. -- Michael Rothstein

Next game: at Philadelphia (1 p.m. ET, Sunday, Sept. 22)

Why L.A. could be in further trouble. The Chargers' injury woes did not affect the outcome of this loss, but they could have an impact moving forward. They are already playing without four starters in safety Derwin James (foot), tight end Hunter Henry (knee), left tackle Russell Okung (pulmonary embolism) and Melvin Gordon (holdout). They lost another key player on Sunday in defensive playcaller Adrian Phillips, who's out indefinitely with a forearm injury. Facing AFC playoff contender Houston Texans in Week 3, the Chargers will have to figure out how to patch things up and get healthy enough to get back in the win column next week. -- Eric D. Williams

Next game: vs. Houston (4:25 p.m. ET, Sunday, Sept. 22)

Seattle Seahawks 28, Pittsburgh Steelers 26

The Seahawks are 2-0 for the first time since their 2013 Super Bowl season. That matters much more than how ugly both of those victories were at times over Cincinnati and Pittsburgh. They beat the Steelers in Pittsburgh on Sunday despite 10 penalties, four first-half sacks of Russell Wilson and two lost fumbles, one of which set up an easy touchdown. No team should make a habit of trying to win games like that, but it's a good sign the Seahawks have been able to pull out two victories without anything close to their A-game. -- Brady Henderson

Next game: vs. New Orleans (4:25 p.m. ET, Sunday, Sept. 22)

Big Ben, Conner go down for Pittsburgh. The Steelers lost more than the game against Seattle on Sunday afternoon -- they also lost two offensive and two defensive starters because of injuries. Pittsburgh finished with five injured players, including quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and running back James Conner. Although the holes created were significant, coach Mike Tomlin said: "We lost a number of guys in this game, but that wasn't the reason why we didn't win this game. We were fully capable with the guys that were on the field. We didn't make enough plays, to be quite honest with you. We didn't play clean enough, particularly in some moments. We've got to get better. We accept responsibility. We're not looking to make excuses." -- Brooke Pryor

Next game: at San Francisco (4:25 p.m. ET, Sunday, Sept. 22)

Houston Texans 13, Jacksonville Jaguars 12

Houston's offense isn't cruising -- yet. The Texans scored 13 points Sunday, and quarterback Deshaun Watson said the offense is "still putting pieces together" after acquiring left tackle Laremy Tunsil, wide receiver Kenny Stills and running back Carlos Hyde before the start of the season. "It's going to take a little time," Watson said. "The whole offseason we've been working with other guys. ... Things are still clicking, and it's going to hit once the timing is right." The Texans' next chance to have a more cohesive offense will come next week against the Chargers, who allowed 13 points on Sunday in their loss to the Lions. -- Sarah Barshop

Next game: at L.A. Chargers (4:25 p.m. ET, Sunday, Sept. 22)

If you thought Gardner Minshew Mania was nuts last week, wait until this week. The rookie quarterback led the Jaguars on a late touchdown drive, and though the Jaguars' two-point try came up just short, the franchise has to be ecstatic about what Minshew showed Sunday at NRG Stadium. After an up-and-down performance through the first three and a half quarters, Minshew got hot late in the fourth and led the Jaguars on a 68-yard touchdown drive that included an 18-yard scramble on fourth-and-10. The Jaguars won't have Nick Foles until Nov. 17 at the earliest because of a broken collarbone, but Minshew (23-of-33, 213 yards) showed that he's more than capable of not only keeping the Jaguars' division hopes afloat but potentially stealing a few games. -- Michael DiRocco

Next game: vs. Tennessee (8:20 p.m. ET, Thursday, Sept. 19)

Baltimore Ravens 23, Arizona Cardinals 17

The Ravens have the good kind of "conundrum." In the words of coach John Harbaugh, quarterback Lamar Jackson's ability to produce big plays with his arm and legs presents a "conundrum" for defenses. Jackson set a new standard for dual-threat quarterbacks, producing the most rushing yards (120) for a player who threw for more than 250 yards in the same game. He finished 24-of-37 for 272 yards passing and two touchdowns, including a 41-yard strike to Marquise "Hollywood" Brown in the fourth quarter to seal the win. Asked how he prefers his success, Jackson said, "I'd rather throw than run. I'd rather win, too." Jackson became the 12th quarterback in the Super Bowl era to begin a career 8-1 or better through nine starts. Jackson returns to Kansas City in Week 3, the site of his only regular-season loss. -- Jamison Hensley

Next game: at Kansas City (1 p.m. ET, Sunday, Sept. 22)

As in Week 1, the Cardinals' offense didn't find its rhythm until the fourth quarter. This time, however, it was too little, too late. On Sunday, the magic Kyler Murray showed a week ago didn't work against the Ravens. Arizona couldn't find the end zone for the first three quarters despite three trips inside the 5-yard line, all of which produced three field goals. An aerial offense led to Murray throwing for 349 yards and included 100-yard games for wide receivers Larry Fitzgerald and Christian Kirk, which kept the Cardinals in a game they could've won until the final minutes. -- Josh Weinfuss

Next game: vs. Carolina (4:05 p.m. ET, Sunday, Sept. 22)

Dallas Cowboys 31, Washington Redskins 21

Through two games, Jerry Jones said he has not seen Dak Prescott play better. The Cowboys quarterback has seven touchdown passes and has completed 82.2% of his passes in the Cowboys' first 2-0 start since 2015. "He's playing at a very high level right now," coach Jason Garrett said. "He's got a really good command of what we're trying to do and I think he's comfortable. And I think the guys are playing well around him. The offensive line has been outstanding the first couple of weeks, very comfortable in the pocket. And the guys around him are making plays. He and [Kellen Moore] are absolutely on the same page as to what we want to get to and how we want to get there." Up next is a Miami defense that has allowed an 80% completion rate with eight touchdown passes and no picks. Prescott's fast start might not slow down next week, either. -- Todd Archer

Next game: vs. Miami (1 p.m. ET, Sunday, Sept. 22)

The pressure is mounting on defensive coordinator Greg Manusky. The Redskins nearly fired him after last season, and through two games, his group has allowed 63 points and 911 yards. If things don't get better for his defense, it's easy to wonder about his future. Washington has a lot of youth on its defense and was missing two of its top three corners, plus end Jonathan Allen on Sunday. But as linebacker Jon Bostic said, "We'll never use that as an excuse. ... Everyone is in this league for a reason." The Redskins have not had a defense finish in the top 10 in yards or points allowed since 2009. You can blame Manusky or the players; but the organization has failed in its part, too. -- John Keim

Next game: vs. Chicago (8:15 p.m. ET, Monday, Sept. 23)

New England Patriots 43, Miami Dolphins 0

The New England defense has dominated so far. The majority of the spotlight will go to receiver Antonio Brown's Patriots debut, but that shouldn't undersell how the team's defense continues to build in a way that could make it a challenger for the best unit in Bill Belichick's 20 years as coach. One week after stifling the Steelers and holding them to three points, the defense shut out the Dolphins while returning two interceptions for touchdowns. While the Dolphins aren't an offensive powerhouse, it is impressive nonetheless how quickly the Patriots' defensive script has been flipped. All offseason, the question was which coach would call the plays after Greg Schiano unexpectedly resigned in March. Now that seems like an afterthought as they shift their focus to next week's game against the Sam Darnold-less Jets. "They were spectacular. They have been playing great all preseason," quarterback Tom Brady said. "It takes some pressure off the offense." -- Mike Reiss

Next game: vs. New York Jets (1 p.m. ET, Sunday, Sept. 22)

The Dolphins' offense was on pace for its worst statistical performance in franchise history before garbage-time stats helped it avoid the record. There's not a lot of hope going forward the offense can turn it around, but after three Ryan Fitzpatrick interceptions (including two pick-sixes), it's worth wondering if the team should make a quarterback change to Josh Rosen. Coach Brian Flores said Fitzpatrick is the starter "right now," but Miami's offense has been bad and needs a spark from someone. -- Cameron Wolfe

Next game: at Dallas (1 p.m. ET, Sunday, Sept. 22)

San Francisco 49ers 41, Cincinnati Bengals 17

Cautious optimism for San Francisco. For the first time since 2012, the 49ers are 2-0, and they did it by going on the road to the Eastern Time zone and winning a pair of games by a combined 38 points. It's too early to start trumpeting these Niners as a playoff contender, but they needed a quick start to get there. Since the current playoff format began in 1990, teams that start 2-0 make the playoffs 61.3% of the time. That drops to 41.4% for 1-1 teams. "I felt like we really needed to start this season on a hot start," fullback Kyle Juszczyk said. "If we can go get another one next week, go into the bye week 3-0, there's really no words for that. That's such a huge thing." If the Niners can beat banged-up Pittsburgh, they'll be 3-0 for the first time since 1998. -- Nick Wagoner

Next game: vs. Pittsburgh (4:25 p.m. ET, Sunday, Sept. 22)

Bengals defense can't "stop the bleeding." One week after a strong debut, Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo will understandably be the target of scrutiny after a historically bad outing as the Bengals surrendered 572 yards of total offense, the fifth-highest amount in franchise history. Poor tackling and execution were two of the defense's problems. Bengals defensive end Carlos Dunlap said they struggled with the amount of motion and misdirection the 49ers used and failed to create the necessary leverage at the line of scrimmage. It was one of the factors that led to the 24-point loss. "We played to their game plan, and we didn't stop the bleeding -- ever," Dunlap said. -- Ben Baby

Next game: at Buffalo (1 p.m. ET, Sunday, Sept. 22)

Buffalo Bills 28, New York Giants 14

Bills' road wins set them up for a run. The first team in NFL history to play the Jets and Giants on the road in consecutive weeks to start a season is now the first team to beat the Jets and Giants on the road in consecutive weeks to start a season, as the Bills have matched their road win total from last season. Buffalo scored on three consecutive drives of 75, 74 and 98 yards to give its defense an insurmountable lead. Most importantly, the Bills came out of an adverse situation unscathed and face a favorable stretch for the next month and a half. They draw the Bengals in Week 3, kicking off a string of five home games and a bye in the next seven weeks. "It's special because we have a young team and it's hard to win in this league," linebacker Lorenzo Alexander said. "We're in a season where we can sustain some adversity." -- Marcel Louis-Jacques

Next game: vs. Cincinnati (1 p.m. ET, Sunday, Sept. 22)

Frustration is starting to build for the Giants after their sixth 0-2 start in seven seasons. The defense has allowed nine touchdowns in two games, including three in the first half Sunday. "When you got time and get no pressure, I can't cover nobody for 10 seconds," cornerback Janoris Jenkins said. "Who can cover somebody for 10 seconds?" When outside linebacker Lorenzo Carter was asked about opposing quarterbacks having too much time and making it hard for the secondary, he responded: "S---, it's true. It takes all 11 [players]." Some players mentioned it's early, but star running back Saquon Barkley isn't a big believer in that. He wants the problems addressed immediately. -- Jordan Raanan

Next game: at Tampa Bay (4:05 p.m. ET, Sunday, Sept. 22)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 20, Carolina Panthers 14

Sigh of relief for Tampa. The Bucs ended a seven-game road losing streak and managed to do something they haven't done much of in the past 10 years: come back from a deficit. From 2009 through Week 1 of 2019, they were 36-105 when trailing at any point in a game. Granted, they trailed by only three points -- when the Panthers hit their second field goal to make it 6-3 in the second quarter -- but for a team that has struggled to get out of its own way, this was an important step. And the Bucs needed a win with road games at the Rams and Saints looming after their Week 3 home date against the Giants. -- Jenna Laine

Next game: vs. New York Giants (4:05 p.m. ET, Sunday, Sept. 22)

Carolina has big issues. The Bucs came up with a defensive game plan that worked to perfection: Pressure Cam Newton with blitzes, and shut down Christian McCaffrey knowing Newton no longer is a threat to run out of the zone-read. Newton was 0-for-10 passing under duress with three sacks. McCaffrey had 53 yards from scrimmage a week after having 209. He couldn't pick up a yard out of the Wildcat on the trick play from the 2-yard line that could have won it. Carolina has a lot of problems heading into road games against Arizona and Houston. Look for some shake-ups Monday. -- David Newton

Next game: at Arizona (1 p.m. ET, Sunday, Sept. 22)