West Indies chose to bowl v Afghanistan

West Indies captain Kieron Pollard opted to bowl in the third and final ODI in Lucknow as they look to complete a whitewash. Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan said he anyway would have liked to bat.

West Indies made two changes to their playing XI: they handed a debut to Brandon King, who was the top run-getter in CPL 2019, and included Keemo Paul. They replaced Jason Holder and Sheldon Cottrell, who were both rested.

Afghanistan handed a debut to Ibrahim Zadran. The 17-year-old opener had impressed on his Test debut against Bangladesh by scoring 87, and holds an average of over 40 in List A cricket. He came in for Javed Ahmadi, while Yamin Ahmadzai replaced Naveen-ul-Haq.

West Indies won the first two ODIs easily despite Afghanistan threatening at times on both occasions. Afghanistan will not only be looking to avoid the series sweep but also bring an end to their 11-match losing streak in ODIs.

Afghanistan: 1 Hazratullah Zazai, 2 Ibrahim Zadran, 3 Rahmat Shah, 4 Ikram Alikhil (wk), 5 Najibullah Zadran, 6 Asghar Afghan, 7 Mohammad Nabi, 8 Sharafuddin Ashraf, 9 Rashid Khan (capt), 10 Yamin Ahmadzai, 11 Mujeeb Ur Rahman

West Indies: 1 Evin Lewis, 2 Shai Hope (wk), 3 Brandon King, 4 Shimron Hetmyer, 5 Nicholas Pooran, 6 Roston Chase, 7 Kieron Pollard (capt), 8 Keemo Paul, 9 Romario Shepherd, 10 Alzarri Joseph, 11 Hayden Walsh Jr

Their first bilateral ODI series win since 2014, their first away ODI series win since 2011, and a few youngsters stepping up as the main performers to help West Indies take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series against Afghanistan - captain Kieron Pollard is understandably upbeat.

Pollard, in his first ODI series as captain, praised two players who have both played fewer than 25 games in the format: Nicholas Pooran, for showing the "maturity" lower down the order, and Roston Chase, for his "cleverness" as a bowler.

"Very happy to win an away series since I think 2011, a series in itself since 2014," Pollard pointed out after winning the second ODI, by 47 runs. "It's a great achievement for us. At the end of the day, we ask the guys to do certain things and they've responded pretty well and the results show the way that we prepare for the matches."

West Indies won the opening game after bowling out Afghanistan for 194, and then chasing it down with solid half-centuries from Shai Hope (77*) and Chase (94) for a seven-wicket win. In the second ODI, they defended 247 on the back of three-fors from Sheldon Cottrell, Chase and Hayden Walsh Jr.

Pollard was, however, also appreciative of the fact that West Indies had beaten a team ranked lower than them.

"So far, what has gone well is guys are sticking to the plans, sticking to what we actually want to do, and it's actually coming off," Pollard said. "The longer we do that and more consistently we do that, we're going to put up consistent performances. Yes, it's against Afghanistan but Afghanistan has beaten us recently.

"A lot of people say, 'it's just Afghanistan', but we take pride in what we want to do and the guys have shown by effort even off the field and then coming onto the field and trying to deliver the goods."

Chase has taken five wickets for 61 runs in his 20 overs in the series so far, with an impressive economy rate of three per over. He was also the first-change bowler in the second game and removed opener Hazratullah Zazai, Asghar Afghan and Ikram Alikhil to put Afghanistan in trouble at 109 for 5.

"Roston, two games consistently he has played his role to perfection," Pollard said. "Yes, he didn't get many with the bat today, but again he showed with the ball the experience that he has, the cleverness, changing of pace, setting the fields in different aspects, trying to get the results.

"The bowlers have been doing a very good job, limiting Afghanistan to 194 in the first ODI and then coming tonight, again just over 200, I think it was a fantastic effort by them, led by Sheldon and Jason [Holder], opening the bowling, getting the early wickets, those are the things we asked for."

West Indies got good starts with the bat in both games, but it was Pooran's 50-ball 67 in the second ODI that helped them put on a competitive score when as no other batsman could score as quickly on a pitch that was not as easy to bat on.

"If you look how we set up, our first four batsmen are guys who we want to just bat and bat long, and then from No. 5 Pooran, coming down, again changing that tempo and trying to clear the boundaries as well, as per the roles the guys have been given," Pollard said. "He came in, he got his eye in, it was not a wicket where the ball was coming on to the bat, and he stayed there till the end. We needed one guy staying till the end or getting that one fifty for us, and he did it.

"He hasn't played many games and he's showing that level of maturity as an individual, but again we're not surprised by the results because of the work he's been putting on and off the field."

Shreyas Iyer came into the T20I series against Bangladesh in decent, but not spectacular, form from the Vijay Hazare Trophy. But after two cameos - 22 off 13 balls and 24* off 13 balls - in the first two T20Is, he changed the complexion of the decider with 62 off 33 balls in Nagpur, and feels the innings "really stated that I can bat under pressure as well".

The 24-year-old from Mumbai has been in the mix as a middle-order option for India in white-ball cricket for a while, and pressed his claims to a regular spot in ODIs with innings of 71 and 65 in Port-of-Spain (from No. 5) in August this year, and might now have done the same in T20Is.

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"There is a lot of competition currently going on in the team, and I personally feel that I compete with myself. I don't want myself to be judged with anyone or when you say this position is empty in the team. I am really open-minded and I can bat at any number at a given point," he said at the press conference after the match-winning effort on Sunday. "So I just like to back myself in tough situations, and today's innings I think really stated that I can bat under pressure as well. So, yeah, it was really important for me, and the team."

Iyer has a huge reputation in the Indian domestic circuit, and has been talked up as a potential first-teamer for the national team at least in white-ball formats, for the long term. He said that he had the backing of the team management to go strut his stuff.

"It has been a really important last few series for me, to set the benchmark at the No. 4 position, which all of us are competing [for] at the moment," he said. "I think, for me personally, they (team management) have given me a heads-up that, you know, 'you'll be there at No. 4, so just back yourself and really believe in yourself; we need someone who, even if [Virat] Kohli or Rohit [Sharma], when they get out, we need someone to finish the game and bat till the end'.

"If the ball is pitching in my area, I am not going to control myself, I am going to let instincts back me"

"And I think that role is of a No. 4. That's what I was trying to replicate today, and it worked out really well for me, I am really happy on that."

On Sunday, Iyer walked out at 35 for 2 in the sixth over after Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan had fallen and he was expected to play a big part if India wanted to set Bangladesh a substantial target. KL Rahul (52 off 35) and Iyer added 59 for the third wicket before Rahul was dismissed, and Iyer carried on till the 17th over, having set the platform for Manish Pandey to tee off.

The highlight of Iyer's innings was when he hit offspinner Afif Hossain for three sixes in a row in the 15th over of the Indian innings, all of them down the ground.

Asked if that changed the script of the game, Iyer said, "Yes, I would say that, because the over in which I got three sixes, I think that changed the momentum completely, otherwise we would have finished at 150 or 155, which would have been a really tough total to defend on this wicket, when there was a lot of dew and the wicket was getting really better in the second innings after the roll.

"So, yeah, I would really give myself credit for playing that role, and also KL gave us the start. It was really important [for] one of the top three batsmen to stay till the 15th over, and he played his role really well."

Iyer had scored nine runs from the first 12 balls he had faced before opening up, smacking legspinner Aminul Islam for a straight six, the first of five he hit in the game, to go with three fours.

"We have planned, as a team, the support staff and everyone, they have given me the freedom - not only me, but all the batsmen - that you need to have that intent when you go in there, and you should feel very positive when you're batting. And I feel personally that if the ball is pitching in my area, I am not going to control myself, I am going to let my instincts back me. And yes, it turned out really well," he said.

"First few balls, it was really tough for me to get to know the wicket, it was playing a bit quicker than the pitch reacted. So I took a little bit of time, I said I am going to take at least ten balls to get settled in, and after that I am going to back myself and… when you really believe that you're going to score in the later half of the innings, it really works out well for me. So I backed myself."

What happens when Virat Kohli returns to the side remains to be seen, but Iyer might have done enough in his last few international innings - 62, 24*, 22, 5, 16*, 65 and 71 since going to the Caribbean - to make a strong case for himself for the ODI side, as well as, with a T20 World Cup coming up, in that XI.

Australian cricket's new overseer of national teams Ben Oliver admits the game still has a lot to learn about dealing with the mental health of its players, coaches and staff in the wake of the withdrawals of Glenn Maxwell and Nic Maddinson from national duty over the past few days.

As one part of a two-man high-performance team - the other being former Olympian Drew Ginn - that replaced Pat Howard earlier this year, Oliver's commission is to work closely with the national men's and women's teams and their coaches Justin Langer and Matthew Mott.

He quickly surmised that closer and better management of people would be critical to the role, whether those in the national set-up or others working in the state system. To that end, the bravery of Maxwell and Maddinson to pull back from playing the game in order to look after their own wellbeing, rather than suffering in silence as many past generations have done, has been welcomed, but Oliver agreed that in the tension between a highly competitive sport and the wellness of its practitioners, Cricket Australia was trying to develop better understanding.

"Each individual person will have a whole range of different circumstances and that presents a challenge but it also means we can't make a broad-brush statement about this or in fact a broad-brush approach to it," Oliver told ESPNcricinfo. "Just because people are going through different challenges in their life doesn't mean they're also not able to perform at a really high level and so our aspiration is to make sure we're giving our players and staff the best chance to thrive on and off the field.

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"I'm incredibly proud of both Glenn and Nic in feeling as though they could share what they were experiencing and really be open and honest about that. Equally proud in terms of our response to that. The coaching and support staff response and their care and empathy for both Glenn and Nic. And more broadly my view is it's a really complex issue, something that all of society is grappling with and, as a sport, we're part of society.

"We're not immune to it, and we've got to continue to find ways to understand the issues and we're doing all we can and applying our support and resources around players and staff on their own health and wellbeing. There's lots to do, I think there's lots to understand and we're really committed to making sure we give our players and staff the best possible support we can."

Australian players currently have the option of reporting mental health problems or spiralling feelings via the wellness apps used to track their physical and mental wellbeing, but are also able to discuss their state of mind with coaches, medical staff and team psychologists.

"We've got some systems in place where players are tracking their experience," Oliver said, "but equally, we've got a whole range of coaching and support staff who are working with players on a daily basis and get to understand them very well.

"I don't think there is any one effort that is better or worse in terms of understanding where a player is currently at, I think it's a combination of those aspects that will ultimately allow us to better understand where a player is at and provide support at any given time. We've got a couple of ways in which we are trying to understand where a player is at and how to respond."

In his former role with Western Australia, Oliver dealt with numerous instances of players and staff battling mental health and wellbeing issues. Ashton Agar is one WA cricketer who has spoken publicly about learning how to "ride" the peaks and troughs of personal wellness, having taken time out of the game for that reason in the past.

"It's certainly clear to me and important to me coming into this role that Australian cricket is prioritising its people, players and staff" Ben Oliver

"I spent six or seven years in WA and we had a whole range of challenges on and off field for players and staff and that's a reflection of the world we live in and some of the challenges people are going through," Oliver said. "And it reinforced to me the great opportunity we have as a sport to really lead the way and show how we can care and support our people. Whether it was with WA or this role or other states and territories from a cricket perspective, we're all increasingly aware of the challenges people are going through and we're learning how they go through that.

"Certainly not the first time this has come up, I'm sure it won't be the last, and our obligation is to really make sure we're understanding the issues and supporting our people. If and when they're going through different challenges we provide them with the best care and support. I don't think they're necessarily mutually exclusive, there's certainly opportunity for us to continue to perform at a high level on the field and support people off it.

"It's just a case of building really strong relationships with our players in this case around how they're travelling, what they're experiencing and making sure we're supporting them in that, helping them prepare, and ultimately go out and perform."

Oliver has built up plenty of respect over time as a calm and considered presence in cricket administration, having previously held roles with Cricket Victoria, CA and also the ICC prior to moving to WA. In joining CA less than a year after the announcement of damaging findings from the cultural review that followed the Newlands scandal, he is well attuned to the attitude of listening and learning that so many of the governing body's partners had demanded.

"It's certainly clear to me and important to me coming into this role that Australian cricket is prioritising its people, players and staff," Oliver said. "So that becomes a really important part of what we stand for as an organisation. That's been really clear that is a priority, an important part of what the future looks like, and I've been really pleased with the endeavour going in to understand how we best do that. Really proud of the players and their willingness to be open and honest about what they're experiencing.

"One of my initial observations coming into the role is the intensity of international cricket and the complexity of the schedule and those things are obviously real challenges for us to find the best possible solutions for. That's all part of what players, coaches and staff are experiencing and mechanisms for that. Really comfortable that players are feeling confident to be open and honest and really proud of our staff for being able to care and support them when they do present that way."

One set of fresh information about the mental health of Australian cricket is set to land early next year, with the results of a study begun three years ago by the youth mental health consultancy Orygen to be handed to CA in February.

India women 104 for 0 (Verma 69*, Mandhana 30*) beat West Indies women 103 for 7 (Nation 32, Deepti 4-10) by 10 wickets

A day after they recorded India's highest partnership in women's T20Is, openers Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana put on yet another stellar display to chase down a small target of 104 against West Indies in St Lucia to take a 2-0 lead in the series.

The win, however, was set up by offspinner Deepti Sharma, who ran through West Indies' middle order to finish with her career-best T20I figures of 4 for 10.

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Opting to bat first, West Indies lost Stacy-Ann King and Shemaine Campbelle within the powerplay, where they made just 17 runs.

While fast bowlers Pooja Vastrakar and Shikha Pandey sent West Indies' openers back, the spinners caused most of the damage after that. The hosts' only bit of fight came from Chedean Nation and Natasha McLean, who put up a 32-run stand for the fourth wicket, but Sharma came back for her second spell in the 16th over to remove both of them.

She produced another double-strike in the 20th over, removing Chinelle Henry and Sheneta Grimmond off consecutive deliveries, as West Indies limped to 103 for 7.

India wasted no time in their reply, as 15-year-old Verma slammed six fours in the first two overs of the innings, off Henry and King. She was the aggressor in the partnership, hitting six more fours and two sixes, while Mandhana hit four fours on her way to a 28-ball 33 not out.

Verma finished with an unbeaten 35-ball 69 as the duo sealed the chase in just 10.3 overs.

New South Wales 2 for 221 (Solway 65, Smith 59*, Hughes 53) against Western Australia

Steven Smith continued his insatiable thirst for batting with a pain-staking unbeaten half-century on the opening day of the Sheffield Shield clash against Western Australia at the SCG.

He batted for two sessions for 59 not out from 217 balls as the home side crawled to 2 for 221 off 96 overs after winning the toss and batting first.

Smith, Daniel Solway and Daniel Hughes all produced half-centuries on a day where the run-rate never climbed above 2.5 on an SCG surface that looked very dry.

Hughes made 53 out of an opening partnership of 73 with Solway. He found the boundary eight times but fell to a loose shot, wafting at a length ball wide of off stump from Marcus Stoinis with Josh Inglis taking an excellent one-handed catch diving to his left.

WA were able to restrict the Blues by bowling straight with straight fields. Solway and Smith shared an 82-run stand but took nearly 42 overs to do so. Solway backed up his debut century against South Australia last week with another patient half-century.

He faced 195 balls for his 65, with just five boundaries, before falling to a leading edge, closing the face of the bat trying to work Liam O'Connor's legspin to the leg side.

Smith took 128 balls to hit his first boundary, launching Ashton Agar for six down over long-off. He struck just three fours and two sixes. Moises Henriques was far more fluent cruising to 43 not out late in the day.

South Australia 1 for 359 (Weatherald 195*, Hunt 132, Neil-Smith 1-74) against Tasmania

Openers Jake Weatherald and Henry Hunt both made centuries as they broke a 52-year-old South Australia record with an opening stand of 293 runs to put the Redbacks in command against Tasmania at Adelaide Oval.

Hunt made his maiden Sheffield Shield century - 132 - while Weatherald thumped his highest first-class score of 195 not out and his third score of 150-plus in Shield cricket.

Their partnership passed the previous South Australian record of 281 set by Les Favell and John Causby against New South Wales back in 1967.

Tasmania, who were asked to field after losing the toss, managed to take just one wicket on the day on what was an excellent batting strip. Their attack lacked penetration without the extra pace of Riley Meredith, who is away on Australia A duty.

Weatherald and Hunt cashed in. Weatherald's performance was quite against the run of his recent form; since scoring 150 in February, also against Tasmania in Adelaide, he had made just 123 runs in 11 Shield innings with a highest score of 37 and four ducks. But he plundered 29 boundaries in his career-best knock, and was particularly savage square of the wicket.

Late in the day, Tasmania had three gullies and a deep point and Weatherald was still able to find the rope with his powerful cut. He finished the day five runs shy of a maiden double-century.

Hunt showed the same patience and diligence he had in his 75 on debut against Victoria. He struck 16 fours and a six and brought up his century with a classy late cut before becoming the only wicket to fall. He succumbed to a top edge when he attempted a front-foot pull late in the day. Callum Ferguson made an easy 20 not out to take his team to stumps alongside Weatherald.

It would have been natural to write off the Steelers after they lost quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (elbow) and opened the season 0-3.

Since then, however, they have pulled off one of their most impressive runs since coach Mike Tomlin was hired in 2006. They have won five of their past six games and pushed their way into the middle of the AFC playoff race.

Let's take a closer look at the playoff race through 10 weeks of the 2019 NFL season.

Jump to: AFC | NFC

AFC

1. New England Patriots (8-1)

The Patriots emerged from their bye week with a one-game lead in the race for home-field advantage throughout the playoffs, though the Ravens hold the head-to-head tiebreaker if it comes to that. Now comes the Pats' opportunity to earn that top spot. After playing the NFL's easiest schedule to this point, according to ESPN's Football Power Index (FPI), they'll now face four consecutive playoff contenders, starting with the Eagles in Philadelphia in Week 11.

Next up: at Philadelphia

2. Baltimore Ravens (7-2)

It would be difficult to find a team that has played better over the past month or so. The Ravens decisively defeated the Seahawks and Patriots by a combined 31 points, and on Sunday they destroyed the Bengals to such a degree that quarterback Lamar Jackson got the fourth quarter off. The Steelers' surge will at least keep the Ravens honest in the AFC North, although they are a full two games ahead and already have won one of the teams' two regular-season matchups.

Next up: vs. Houston

3. Houston Texans (6-3)

The Texans got an unexpected boost in the division during their bye when the Colts lost a home clunker to the tanking Dolphins. That put the Texans ahead by a full game. But Week 10 also made clear that the Titans aren't going away, either. Regardless, the Texans need to be sharp as they return this week. They have a brutal stretch upcoming with consecutive games against the Ravens, Colts and Patriots.

Next up: at Baltimore

4. Kansas City Chiefs (6-4)

The Chiefs navigated Patrick Mahomes' knee injury only to ... lose upon his return? It happened Sunday in relatively freaky fashion, courtesy of a pair of fourth-quarter miscues by their field goal unit. The Chiefs' 35-32 loss to the Titans tightened the AFC West considerably. The Raiders have closed to within a half-game and will travel to Kansas City in three weeks. In between, the Chiefs have a must-win game next Monday night against another division rival, the Chargers. Kansas City has lost almost all of its wiggle room in what once seemed a weak division.

Next up: at L.A. Chargers

5. Buffalo Bills (6-3)

It might be time to ask if the Bills are a playoff team or one that has simply cleaned up against a really easy schedule. The combined winning percentage of the teams they've defeated is .214, the lowest of any team with at least one victory in the NFL. They looked pretty bad against the Browns on Sunday, but fortunately for them, the Colts' loss in Miami allowed the Bills to hold a relatively strong spot in the AFC race.

Next up: at Miami

6. Pittsburgh Steelers (5-4)

Well, well, well. Tomlin has remade the Steelers on the fly, behind a swarming defense and two quarterbacks (Mason Rudolph and Devlin Hodges) who had no real experience entering this season. The defense alone, fueled in part by newcomers Minkah Fitzpatrick and Devin Bush, appears equipped to keep the team in playoff contention. For the moment, the Steelers stand above the rest of the 5-4 field because they have a better conference record than the Raiders and they have a head-to-head victory over the Colts.

Next up: at Cleveland

Next four

7. Oakland Raiders (5-4)
8. Indianapolis Colts (5-4)
9. Tennessee Titans (5-5)
10. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-5)

NFC

1. San Francisco 49ers (8-0)

The Saints' loss adds another layer to what already was a huge Monday night game against the Seahawks. The 49ers already knew that a win would move them into the driver's seat in the NFC West. But now they have a chance to put some distance between them and the Saints in the race for the top seed in the conference. And, wouldn't you know it, they'll host the Packers -- their other prime competitor for the top spot -- in two weeks.

Next up: vs. Seattle (Monday night)

2. Green Bay Packers (8-2)

The Packers rarely make it easy; their plus-45 scoring differential is the second lowest among the eight division leaders. But they rebounded from their Week 9 loss to the Chargers with a tough win over a Panthers team that looks good enough to ascend into the playoff picture at some point. As they enter their bye, all goals are within reasonable reach, including the NFC North title and the No. 1 overall seed.

Next up: at San Francisco (after the bye)

3. New Orleans Saints (7-2)

Deep breaths are necessary in New Orleans. Yes, Sunday's home loss to the Falcons was perplexing and eye-opening. But in the big picture, the Saints remain firmly in control of the NFC South and are one 49ers loss away from getting back into the conversation for the top spot in the conference. And their schedule sets them up to follow that path, with three consecutive division games followed by a Week 14 game against the Niners at the Superdome.

Next up: at Tampa Bay

4. Dallas Cowboys (5-4)

A Sunday night loss to the Vikings ate up the rest of the Cowboys' breathing room in the NFC East. They still own the division lead over the Eagles by virtue of their Week 7 victory in the teams' first matchup of the season. And there is still time to galvanize in the second half. But short of that, the Cowboys are having one of the NFL's most vexing seasons. Are they the team that started 3-0? Or are they the team that has gone 2-4 since? There isn't a ton of time left to find out.

Next up: at Detroit

5. Seattle Seahawks (7-2)

If the Seahawks wants to make a run at overtaking the 49ers in the NFC West, they'll probably need to start Monday night in San Francisco. That is, of course, assuming the 49ers can hold up to a grueling schedule the rest of the way. If not, the Seahawks might ascend as a matter of attrition.

Next up: at San Francisco (Monday night)

6. Minnesota Vikings (7-3)

We shall see if the Vikings' win Sunday night in Dallas was a signature win against a playoff team, or one against a team that started hot and faded down the stretch. But regardless, the Vikings should have a pep in their step after quarterback Kirk Cousins won his first road game in prime time since Dec. 26, 2015. Their schedule gets a bit more favorable for the next few weeks, with home games against the Broncos (3-6) and Lions (3-5-1) sandwiched around a trip to Seattle.

Next up: vs. Denver

Next four

7. Los Angeles Rams (5-4)
8. Philadelphia Eagles (5-4)
9. Carolina Panthers (5-4)
10. Chicago Bears (4-5)

The Saints lost by 17 points to the Falcons. And even with Patrick Mahomes back under center, the Chiefs couldn't outlast the Titans. The Jets got by the Giants in a Battle of New York, Baltimore's Lamar Jackson piled on offense against an overmatched Cincinnati team and the Browns held off the Bills for their third win.

In the afternoon, Miami upset Indianapolis, and Green Bay made a late stand to beat Carolina in the snow.

All that and more in Week 10's biggest takeaways from NFL Nation.

Jump to a matchup:
KC-TEN | ATL-NO | DET-CHI
ARI-TB | BAL-CIN | BUF-CLE
NYG-NYJ | MIA-IND | LAR-PIT
CAR-GB | MIN-DAL | LAC-OAK

Tennessee Titans 35, Kansas City Chiefs 32

The Titans rediscovered the importance of using Derrick Henry as the focal point of the offense. Offensive coordinator Arthur Smith's decision to stick to the run despite being down by nine points to Kansas City in the fourth quarter paid off. Henry finished with 23 carries for 188 yards and two touchdowns. Tennessee's win keeps it in the playoff mix and allows the team to get healthy during the bye week. -- Turron Davenport

Next game: vs. Jacksonville (4:05 p.m. ET, Nov. 24)

Even with Patrick Mahomes back in the lineup and on top of his game, the Chiefs won't be able to outscore every opponents. If they don't clean up their sloppiness on special teams and improve on defending the run, they won't win the AFC West title for the fourth consecutive season. The Chiefs can be get caught by the 5-4 Raiders, who are a half-game behind and come to Arrowhead Stadium in Week 13. -- Adam Teicher

Next game: at L.A. Chargers (8:15 p.m. ET, Nov. 18)

Atlanta Falcons 26, New Orleans Saints 9

The Falcons, who had a league-low seven sacks coming into Sunday, generated consistent pressure against Drew Brees with six sacks and 11 quarterback hits. Defensive tackle Grady Jarrett led the way with 2.5 sacks and five QB hits. The coverage and communication from the defensive backs was solid, and the rushers up front took care of the rest. If the Falcons can rush with such consistency next week at Carolina and the rest of the season, they could be in every game, especially if the offense continues with long scoring drives. -- Vaughn McClure

Next game: at Carolina (1 p.m. ET, Sunday)

New Orleans needs to figure out how to start faster. The Saints' stunning loss at home to the Falcons feels like a bit of a one-off, since they won the six previous games. But Brees agreed afterward the Saints do need to be concerned about their uncharacteristic trend of slow starts on offense this season. They have scored a total of 25 first-quarter points in nine games. They need to start setting the tone more in a critical month with three more division games coming up, starting next week at Tampa Bay. -- Mike Triplett

Next game: at Tampa Bay (1 p.m. ET, Sunday)

Chicago Bears 20, Detroit Lions 13

Bears coach Matt Nagy refuses to change. He opened the doors to Club Dub, the Bears postgame locker room dance party, after Sunday's victory over Detroit, even though the team had lost four straight coming in and is 4-5 on the year. "I never considered not doing it," Nagy said. "It's who we are." He recalled one year in Kansas City when the Chiefs were 1-5 and found a way to make the playoffs. "I keep reminding myself of that," Nagy said. The Bears face long odds, but there is no quit in the second-year head coach. -- Jeff Dickerson

Next game: at L.A. Rams (8:20 p.m. ET, Sunday)

Life without Matthew Stafford, as expected, was not kind to the Lions. While the stats might appear better than one would think in Jeff Driskel's first start with Detroit, the reality is it was a much different offense without Stafford playing for the first time since the start of the 2011 season. It will be a long season for Detroit, who is now close to needing to win out to reach the postseason, if Stafford can't return soon. -- Michael Rothstein

Next game: vs. Dallas (1 p.m. ET, Sunday)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 30, Arizona Cardinals 27

The Bucs finally found a way to finish. After the Buccaneers surrendered an eight-point lead to the Seahawks last week -- their fifth blown lead of the season -- and having their secondary called out by coach Bruce Arians for a "disappointing" year, cornerback Jamel Dean made a touchdown-saving interception late in the fourth quarter. "I'm just really elated that we finished," said quarterback Jameis Winston, who threw two interceptions but delivered three touchdown drives. "That was a really, really ugly win. That was an ugly win. But we found a way to do it." Arians added, "I can't be happier for anybody than Jamel Dean. He [won] the game. Last week he [was] the goat. He's gonna be a hell of a player." -- Jenna Laine

Next game: vs. New Orleans (1 p.m. ET, Sunday)

The Cardinals blew an opportunity to inch closer to .500. Arizona's offense looked impressive at times, with Kyler Murray setting a new mark for consecutive passes by rookie without an interception (211), per the Elias Sports Bureau. However, too many mistakes -- including a pick by Murray late in fourth quarter -- cost Arizona a win. After the demoralizing loss, the Cardinals now have to gear up to travel to San Francisco for their fourth road game in five weeks. -- Josh Weinfuss

Next game: at San Francisco (4:05 p.m. ET, Sunday)

Baltimore Ravens 49, Cincinnati Bengals 13

Lamar Jackson made his most complete statement that he's the MVP in the NFL. He became the third player in the past 30 years to record at least three touchdown passes, one touchdown run and a perfect passer rating in a single game. But what everyone will talk about is his highlight-reel 47-yard touchdown run in which he faked out one defender and spun around another. Coach John Harbaugh said: "I said to offensive coaches on the headphones: 'They'll be watching that run for decades and decades. That's one that everyone in the country is going to see by tomorrow afternoon.'" Thanks to Jackson, the Ravens (7-2) won for the fifth consecutive time, closing to within one game of the Patriots (8-1) and the top seed in the AFC. -- Jamison Hensley

Next game: vs. Houston (1 p.m. ET, Sunday)

Almost everything that happened during the Bengals' blowout loss against the Ravens was part of the bottoming out that comes with the rebuilding process. Rookie quarterback Ryan Finley had some positive moments but also had a couple of costly turnovers that were returned for touchdowns (one fumble lost, one interception). The Bengals went with rookies like Drew Sample and Germaine Pratt in an effort to make progress in their development. And while all of that is necessary to build for the future, it comes at a cost. Cincinnati needed a late field goal to avoid the biggest loss in franchise history. But it was Cincinnati's 11th straight defeat dating back to last season, which ties the longest in franchise history. The ninth consecutive loss in 2019 makes this the franchise's worst start since 1993. -- Ben Baby

Next game: at Oakland (4:25 p.m. ET, Sunday)

Cleveland Browns 19, Buffalo Bills 16

After getting stuffed on goal-to-go on two previous possessions, Cleveland finally broke through in the final two minutes. Cleveland has owned one of the worst red-zone and goal-to-go offenses in the NFL, and those struggles continued Sunday. But with one final opportunity, the Browns kept their season -- and faint playoff hopes -- alive with a gutsy, 82-yard touchdown drive, concluding with a 7-yard pass from Baker Mayfield to Rashard Higgins. Too often this year, the Browns have found ways to lose. Sunday, they found a way to win. Now, in the span of five days, they have an opportunity to double their season win total, with Pittsburgh coming to town Thursday night. Beat the Steelers, and suddenly Cleveland's season outlook quickly could begin to change. -- Jake Trotter

Next game: vs. Pittsburgh (8:20 p.m. ET, Thursday)

This loss may go down as a pivotal moment in Buffalo's season. The Bills made things interesting for the AFC's potential wild-card teams after Sunday's loss to the Browns, adding fuel to the critique that this team's record is more a result of a weak schedule than anything else. Unfortunately for Buffalo, that "weak schedule" has come to a screeching halt; its next two games against Miami and Denver can no longer be overlooked before a four-game stretch against Dallas, Baltimore, Pittsburgh and New England. Now 10 weeks into the season, the Bills are 1-3 against their four toughest opponents and haven't created any sort of confidence they can beat good teams. -- Marcel Louis-Jacques

Next game: at Miami (1 p.m. ET, Sunday)

New York Jets 34, New York Giants 27

There was finally a sign of life for the Jets. Quarterback Sam Darnold even said the Jets (2-7) have a chance to make the playoffs if they run the table. Easy there, young pup. The Jets are in no position to think that way, but give them credit for showing a pulse. Instead of quitting on coach Adam Gase, they rallied from a fourth-quarter deficit to beat the Giants. The defense suffocated Saquon Barkley and the Giants' run game, and Darnold played his first interception-free game since Week 1. Baby steps. -- Rich Cimini

Next game: at Washington (1 p.m. ET, Sunday)

This Giants' season keeps getting worse with their sixth consecutive loss heading into the bye week. "We lost six straight. ... Don't feel good," said safety Jabrill Peppers. "Definitely embarrassed." Have to wonder now if any changes will be made by ownership considering the embarrassment of this game and season. The Giants (2-8) are worse than last year after 10 games, and the Jets came in averaging 12 points per game. Asked after the games if he wanted to comment, owner John Mara didn't break stride. He immediately exited the building, clearly upset with what is transpiring with his struggling franchise. -- Jordan Raanan

Next game: at Chicago (1 p.m. ET, Nov. 24)

Miami Dolphins 16, Indianapolis Colts 12

The Dolphins appear to have found the right coach in Brian Flores. A two-game winning streak doesn't mean much for 2019, but it does show positive signs for the culture Flores is building in Miami. The Dolphins might have the NFL's least-talented roster, one that has often dealt with sudden, dramatic changes at inopportune times, and yet players and coaches have stepped up over the past month. This is a disciplined, hard-fighting team, even in a year that means little record-wise. If this is the ground-level stage of the new Dolphins, the future has some real promise behind Flores. -- Cameron Wolfe

Next game: vs. Buffalo (1 p.m. ET, Sunday)

The Colts continue to ruin their chances to take control of the AFC South. They followed up a road loss to Pittsburgh in Week 9 by losing to the struggling Dolphins on Sunday. The loss kept the Colts out of first place in the division. Veteran quarterback Brian Hoyer, starting in place of the injured Jacoby Brissett (knee), threw three interceptions, and kicker Adam Vinatieri continued to show he's hurting the Colts more than he's helping them by missing an extra point attempt -- bringing the total of missed kicks on the season to 11 (six extra point attempts and five field goal attempts). General manager Chris Ballard can't sit back and be loyal to Vinatieri. He has to start looking for a replacement for the NFL's all-time leading scorer. -- Mike Wells

Next game: vs. Jacksonville (1 p.m. ET, Sunday)

Pittsburgh Steelers 17, Los Angeles Rams 12

Quarterback Mason Rudolph said it best in his postgame news conference: The Steelers' defense is playing like the 1985 Bears. Pittsburgh didn't give up a single offensive touchdown in its win against the Rams, and the defense forced four turnovers, including three interceptions. Minkah Fitzpatrick sealed the win with a pick, his fifth since being traded from Miami after Week 2. Still in the playoff hunt at 5-4, the Steelers' stagnant offense needs to capitalize on the momentum to make a continued push toward the postseason. -- Brooke Pryor

Next game: at Cleveland (8:20 p.m. ET, Thursday)

The Rams continue a run in the opposite direction, now 5-4. The offense has underperformed throughout most of 2019, and did so again Sunday, as Jared Goff passed for 243 yards, threw two interceptions and also lost a fumble. The run game is a shadow of its former self, with Todd Gurley II and a rotation of backs combining for 88 yards. Now the Rams must regroup and hope for the return of two injured offensive linemen in time to play the Bears, who last season had no trouble solving the Rams' offensive game plan. -- Lindsey Thiry

Next game: vs. Chicago (8:20 p.m. ET, Sunday)

Green Bay Packers 24, Carolina Panthers 16

If the Packers keep playing the way they did Sunday for the rest of November and into December, they'll have important games to play -- perhaps even at home -- in January. On a wintery Green Bay day, the Packers improved to 4-1 at home with a steady mix of Davante Adams, Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams, along with a timely goal-line stop on the last play of the game to stop the Panthers in their snowy tracks. "It seems like this place is becoming what it was for so long: a very difficult place to play," Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers said. "And we're putting ourselves in position to have an opportunity to get one of these meaningful [games] down the line." -- Rob Demovsky

Next game: at San Francisco (4:25 p.m. ET, Nov. 24)

Kyle Allen gives the Panthers a chance to win. Tight end Greg Olsen said the quarterback's performance in the fourth quarter was as good as any he has been around, considering the environment of Lambeau Field and heavy snow flurries. If you want a positive from the loss to the Packers, it's that the second-year undrafted QB showed he can be successful against the league's best teams, posting a career-best 307 passing yards and managing the game despite two costly turnovers (fumble, interception). As Allen said afterward, if he can play "clean football," the Panthers can win a lot of games. -- David Newton

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

Minnesota Vikings 28, Dallas Cowboys 24

Minnesota's victory will go down as one of the most important of Mike Zimmer's tenure. The Vikings went on the road and succeeded in a hostile environment against a good team, something they had not done this season (they had road wins against the Giants and Lions) and will have to do if they are a wild-card team in the NFC playoffs. They proved they have the formula offensively to dismantle some of the league's best defenses, with a rushing attack that pounded 10 straight runs at Dallas on a statement-making touchdown drive in the third quarter. They also showed they can bend and not break defensively when the game is on the line, as evidenced by Eric Kendricks' game-sealing deflected pass. This win legitimizes Minnesota as a contender. -- Courtney Cronin

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

At 5-4 after Sunday's loss to Minnesota, the Cowboys' best and likely only chance to make the playoffs is by winning the NFC East. The Cowboys couldn't run the ball but Dak Prescott passed for 388 yards and three touchdowns and Amari Cooper and Randall Cobb had more than 100 receiving yards. The defense, however, could not make the critical stops on third down and failed to take the ball away. For the Cowboys to make the playoffs now, a wild-card route appears unlikely given the tiebreakers. It is division or bust. -- Todd Archer

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

Oakland Raiders 26, Los Angeles Chargers 24

The Raiders are legitimate playoff contenders and in the middle of their best stretch since Jon Gruden returned to the sideline last year. Beating the Chargers on national TV on Thursday night served notice, and with the Chiefs falling at Tennessee on Sunday, Oakland finds itself a half-game behind Kansas City in the AFC West. The Raiders have two winnable games up next against the winless Bengals and at the 2-7 Jets, setting up a potential first-place showdown at Arrowhead Stadium on Dec. 1. Buckle up. -- Paul Gutierrez

Next game: vs. Cincinnati (4:25 p.m. ET, Sunday)

Philip Rivers had three costly interceptions that proved too much for the Chargers to overcome. He struggled against an improved Oakland defensive front that sacked him five times. To his credit, Rivers battled playing in front of a banged-up offensive line that included two backup offensive tackles, but the growing number of turnovers from Rivers is a critical issue for head coach Anthony Lynn, who prioritizes taking care of the football. The Chargers are 16-36 when Rivers turns the ball over at least two times. -- Eric D. Williams

Next game: vs. Kansas City (8:15 p.m. ET, Nov. 18)

LOS ANGELES -- Following a 113-104 loss to the Toronto Raptors on Sunday, Los Angeles Lakers star Anthony Davis admitted that he is still feeling discomfort in his right shoulder, which he jammed on a missed dunk attempt two weeks ago.

"There's really never a play I don't feel it," Davis said.

He was still effective against the Raptors, pacing L.A. with 27 points on 10-for-20 shooting along with eight rebounds, three assists, two steals and four blocks. He aggravated his shoulder on one of those swats on Pascal Siakam, causing the joint to droop as he made his way back up the court.

"I'm going to go out there and play. I try not to let it affect my game," said Davis, who hasn't missed any games this season because of the injury. "I just play through it and then worry about taking care of it after the game."

His treatment includes wearing a compression T-shirt under his jersey during games and having a heat pack applied on the shoulder when he's on the bench.

Lakers coach Frank Vogel said Davis' shoulder has "been fine" but acknowledged that he tweaked it Sunday.

"Obviously, we saw that play [against Siakam]," Vogel said. "Medical team didn't feel like he needed to come out."

The entire Lakers team, however, thought they needed to do better in their transition defense.

Toronto was able to snap L.A.'s seven-game win streak by outscoring the Lakers 11-0 on fast-break points in the fourth quarter, allowing the defending champions to break open what was a tied game heading into the final frame.

For the game, Toronto outscored the Lakers 33-11 on fast-break points, including 21-0 in the second half. It was the most fast-break points scored by a team without the opposition scoring a fast-break point in a half this season, according to research compiled by ESPN Stats & Information.

"I mean, that's kind of our Achilles' heel right now," Kyle Kuzma said. "Transition defense, that's kind of hurt us all season. You guys may not look at it because we've won, but that's something that we need to address. And I think that's one thing that kind of hurt us. A bigger issue throughout the game is just transition defense. We get stops and whatnot, but if we can clean that up, we'll be all right.

"We're the NBA's best defensive team, but we've still got our flaws. That's something that we need to start addressing. And that's a little thing that's just all about smarts and just getting back. We can fix it."

The Lakers came into the night with the best defensive efficiency in the league and recognized the Raptors' strength in fast-break scoring -- Toronto's No. 1 in the league, with an average of 22.7 transition points per game -- but that recognition wasn't enough to stop a Raptors team that was supposedly reeling from the losses of Kyle Lowry (thumb) and Serge Ibaka (ankle) to recent injuries.

"We had to execute offensively, and when we didn't, it was going to be a run-out that we couldn't recover from," Vogel said. "We've been showing great effort in transition defense, getting back in sprints and trying to make recovery plays. But that wasn't really there for us tonight, and it cost us."

The fast-break margin neutralized a strong game from Davis and LeBron James' fourth triple-double of the season (13 points, 15 assists and 13 rebounds, albeit on 5-for-15 shooting). L.A. was 0-for-6 in transition opportunities in the second half, and for the game, Fred VanVleet outscored the Lakers 12-11 in fast-break scenarios, according to ESPN Stats & Information.

The loss dropped the Lakers to 7-2, tied with the surging Denver Nuggets for the No. 1 record in the Western Conference.

"Obviously, we hate to lose, but they were the better team, and we just move on to the next one," James said. "There's still ways for us to be better, and we know that. We're a really good team, but we want to get even better."