US Open champion Dominic Thiem eased into the French Open second round with a 6-4 6-3 6-3 win over Croatia's former world number three Marin Cilic.

Cilic, who made 39 unforced errors, was flustered by Thiem's defence, suffering two more breaks in the second set.

Two poor volleys in the sixth game of the third earned the two-time runner-up the crucial break en route to victory.

The third seed will play American qualifier Jack Sock in the next round.

Thiem said he was happy he managed a successful transition from playing on hard courts in the heat of New York two weeks ago to performing on clay in damp 13C conditions in Paris.

"I'm from Austria so know how it is to play in cold conditions," he added. "When I was in the juniors I played in 10 degree weather."

Champion Rafael Nadal, going for a 13th title and bidding to equal Roger Federer's record of 20 Grand Slam singles crowns, opens his campaign against Belarusian Egor Gerasimov later on Philippe Chatrier.

Russian fourth seed Daniil Medvedev, a US Open semi-finalist this month, faces Marton Fucsovics of Hungary on Suzanne Lenglen.

INDIANAPOLIS – Andretti United Extreme E have confirmed Catie Munnings and Timmy Hansen as the team’s first drivers for the inaugural season of Extreme E competition.

Munnings and Hansen will race together in the five-race global voyage, which highlights the impact of climate change on some of the world’s most fragile ecosystems and promotes the adoption of electric vehicles to help preserve the environment and protect the planet.

Munnings is an up-and-coming British rally driver who started competing from a young age. In 2016 and at 18 years old she won the European Rally Championship Ladies trophy. In 2017 and 2018, she claimed a series of stage class victories while also forging a successful TV career as the host of CBeebies show, Catie’s Amazing Machines. In 2020 she made her debut in the World Rally Championship.

“I’m so excited to join Andretti United Extreme E – what a pairing,” Munnings said. “There’s so much history and experience within the team, so I think it’s going to make a very formidable partnership. I’m really proud to be part of this and very grateful for the opportunity to work together and learn from the huge amount of experience the team will carry into this completely new championship.”

Hansen began his motorsport career in karting and circuit racing before switching his focus to rallycross from 2012. After finishing third overall and winning Rookie of the Year in the 2013 European Rallycross Championship, the following year Hansen made the step up to the FIA World Rallycross Championship, taking his maiden win in Italy before finishing fourth in the standings.

More wins came for the Swede in the following years, including finishing runner-up in the World RX in 2015 with Team Peugeot, with Hansen taking the Team World Championship title. He finished sixth in the 2018 championship and in 2019, he recorded four wins, clinching both the drivers and teams title, alongside his brother and teammate, Kevin Hansen.

“Going into the Extreme E will be a new chapter in my career, one that I am extremely excited about,” Hansen said. “It is something brand new, not only for me, but the whole of motorsport. The format is something we’ve never seen before.”

Bundesliga club Mainz have sacked coach Achim Beierlorzer after a turbulent week which included a players' strike and a 4-1 defeat to newly promoted VfB Stuttgart.

Mainz players went on strike on Wednesday after forward Adam Szalai was demoted to the reserve team and told to look for a new club. Although the squad returned to training the following day, Mainz were not able to recover in time for the next match.

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Mainz suffered a heavy home defeat at the hands of Stuttgart on Saturday after they lost 3-1 at RB Leipzig on the first match day of the season.

"I am disappointed by the club's decision," Beierlorzer said in a statement on the club website.

"Regardless, I wish Mainz 05 and the team all the best for the future."

Mainz also said assistant coach Jan-Moritz Lichte would take charge of the side until further notice.

Beierlorzer becomes the second Bundesliga manager to be sacked this season after Schalke parted ways with David Wagner on Sunday following 18 games without a win.

It is the first time in the league's history where two clubs will go into matchday three with new managers.

There was a time when Arsenal's success hinged almost exclusively on the partnership of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette. Although some connected to the club wish to airbrush the Unai Emery era from history, it was the maligned Spaniard who first enabled the duo to flourish. So much so, in fact, that on the autumnal day when Gunners fans gleefully sang "we've got our Arsenal back" as their team thrashed Fulham 5-1 at Craven Cottage, Lacazette and Aubameyang were at the heart of this renaissance, scoring twice each in a rampant display.

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The duo would score 50 goals between them during the course of the 2018-19 campaign, but as Emery's tenure imploded and interim coach Freddie Ljungberg tried to steady the ship, Aubameyang found himself regularly deployed out wide and Lacazette's form completely deserted him.

Mikel Arteta has instigated a revival at Arsenal in so many ways, including breathing new life into their "bromance," convincing Aubameyang to sign a new three-year contract and reigniting Lacazette to the extent he's now scored four goals in his past six Premier League games. The sight of Aubameyang crossing for Lacazette to score the opening goal in the 2-1 victory over West Ham on Sept. 19 was another sign that this double act can still thrive within Arteta's more balanced approach.

"The front players need to create a certain chemistry between them and that feeling that when they look themselves in the eyes, they understand each other, they communicate on the pitch and see what they are feeling," Arteta said Friday.

"I think we are getting that with them [Aubameyang and Lacazette] at the moment. Not only them, but with Willy [Willian] as well -- the way he has come into the team straight away, with [Nicolas] Pepe, Bukayo [Saka] when he is playing that position, with Reiss [Nelson]. It is really important and something we try to promote in training as well and hopefully they can keep thinking and building those relationships."

However, Monday's trip to Liverpool will be a test of whether they are truly back to their devastating best.

Four months into his first season at Arsenal, Emery told Spanish newspaper Marca that his predecessor, Arsene Wenger, had left him a team that had lost its "defensive structure." While this was undeniably true, he also inherited a partnership-in-waiting capable of rivalling almost any attack in the world.

Aubameyang arrived in a club-record £56 million deal from Borussia Dortmund in January 2018, surpassing the £52.7m paid just seven months earlier to Lyon for Lacazette. The power struggle behind the scenes at Emirates Stadium meant Lacazette was more Wenger's signing, while Aubameyang's arrival was driven by then-head of recruitment, Sven Mislintat.

Perhaps that contributed to what followed, but of the 14 games the pair were eligible to play in together -- Aubameyang could not feature in the Europa League that year due to his Champions League engagements with Dortmund -- they started in the same lineup just three times. In a sign of what was to come, they scored five goals combined in those three games. Emery tinkered with his tactics relentlessly in an effort to accommodate the pair, trying 4-2-3-1 and 3-4-3 formations before finally settling on partnering Aubameyang and Lacazette as central strikers in a 4-4-2 diamond system and, latterly, a 3-4-1-2 shape.

"It was love at first sight!" Aubameyang said of Lacazette and a partnership that yielded 50 goals. However, Emery never properly addressed the defensive issues at the club, and the atmosphere at London Colney grew so toxic that Lacazette appeared utterly disinterested and both players were linked with moves away from the club to rivals better placed to challenge for trophies.

The turnaround under Arteta has been remarkable, a shining example of the breadth of his man-management skills.

Arsenal's reliance on Aubameyang through both the difficult period under Emery and the Arteta revival is palpable. The 31-year-old scored 37.5% of the Gunners' Premier League goals in 2019-20. Of those 22 goals, 17 had a direct impact on the game's result and against the traditional "Big Six," he's scored seven times in 11 matches.

The charm offensive towards the duo began soon after Arteta arrived, and sources have told ESPN that the 38-year-old played a key role in contract negotiations, spending time outlining his vision for the club and Aubameyang's pivotal role within it. His handling of Lacazette was more complex. Sources have told ESPN that Arteta's decision to recall Eddie Nketiah from a loan spell at Leeds was partly informed by Lacazette's dismal form under Emery and, briefly, Ljungberg.

Nketiah was given several opportunities to lead the line at Lacazette's expense, but the Frenchman has responded in impressive fashion since the restart, not just in goal-scoring terms but in his work off the ball, too. The 29-year-old's contribution out of possession has translated into improved running statistics and recovery of the ball, according to sources at the Cobham training base.

Aubameyang had little interest in playing on the left flank initially, but he has made the position his own, thriving on the space Lacazette often creates to cut in off the wing to score with his right foot, a move that has become his trademark just as it was for Arsenal's most iconic No. 14, Thierry Henry.

Arteta's preference in following the modern-day trend of playing one central striker and a concerted effort to change the team's style to create a better balance between defence and attack means Lacazette and Aubameyang have had to adapt their partnership, something that made their link-up against West Ham so satisfactory in the eyes of the club's coaching staff. It was the 14th time one has directly assisted a goal for the other since Aubameyang signed in 2018, and the 11th time in the Premier League. Only Ryan Fraser and Callum Wilson (13), now paired again at Newcastle after thriving together at Bournemouth, have been more prolific over that time frame.

The competition to nail down the right-wing position is fierce, with Willian making a promising start and Arteta this past week talking up the improvement of £72m signing Pepe's contribution. Anfield will provide a searching examination of the progress Arsenal have made, but once again, Aubameyang and Lacazette seemingly carry their greatest hope of victory.

Rohit Sharma's Mumbai Indians brushed off their opening-day defeat against the Chennai Super Kings, and piled up 195 against the Kolkata Knight Riders in the second match. Jasprit Bumrah, James Pattinson and Trent Boult then executed their plans well to sound a warning to the other sides. Virat Kohli's Royal Challengers Bangalore, aided by the Sunrisers Hyderabad's iffy middle order, pulled off a great escape in their opener in Dubai, but were then overpowered by the Kings XI Punjab at the same venue. Two matches into IPL 2020, their issues over death-bowling and lower-middle order batting have resurfaced. They will now run into the defending champions for their third game in Dubai.

Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Mumbai Indians is available to view in India on Disney+ Hotstar, Jio TV and Airtel TV.

When does the RCB vs MI live streaming start?
The RCB vs MI live streaming will start at 7:00 PM India Time September 28, 2020.

Where is the RCB vs MI match being played?
The RCB vs MI match will be played at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in the UAE.

On which TV channels will RCB vs MI live coverage be available?
In India, Star Sports 1 and 1HD, Star Sports Select 1 and 1HD and SS1 Hindi and 1 Hindi HD will telecast the match live.

Where can one find RCB vs MI live score and commentary online?
The fastest and most comprehensive live score and details will be available here: RCB vs MI live score.

What are the likely playing XIs for today's RCB vs MI game?

Royal Challengers Bangalore: 1 Aaron Finch, 2 Devdutt Padikkal, 3 Virat Kohli (capt), 4 AB de Villiers, 5 Josh Philippe (wk), 6 Shivam Dube, 7 Washington Sundar, 8 Dale Steyn/Chris Morris/Isuru Udana, 9 Umesh Yadav/Mohammed Siraj, 10 Yuzvendra Chahal, 11 Navdeep Saini

Mumbai Indians: 1 Quinton de Kock (wk), 2 Rohit Sharma (capt), 3 Suryakumar Yadav, 4 Saurabh Tiwary, 5 Kieron Pollard, 6 Hardik Pandya, 7 Krunal Pandya, 8 James Pattinson/Nathan Coulter-Nile, 9 Rahul Chahar, 10 Trent Boult, 11 Jasprit Bumrah

Who are the captains for today's RCB vs MI game?
The captains for today's game will be Virat Kohli (RCB) and Rohit Sharma (MI).

Who are the umpires for RCB vs MI game?
The on-field umpires for today's game will be Paul Reiffel and Nitin Menon. The third umpire will be Anil Chaudhary.

Who will be the match referee for RCB vs MI game?
The match referee for today's game will be Javagal Srinath.

All telecast and streaming timings are according to information received from the host broadcaster.

The BCB has given a green signal to restart domestic cricket for the first time in six months in Bangladesh. Board president Nazmul Hassan said on Monday they are considering an introductory tournament before completing the unfinished 2019-20 Dhaka Premier League (DPL) season and holding the rest of the 2020-21 domestic competitions.

The update came during the same press briefing in which Hassan announced the postponement of the Sri Lanka tour again. It effectively means that Bangladesh are unlikely to have any international cricket until the scheduled home series against West Indies in January 2021.

Usually, the domestic season in Bangladesh starts in October, which makes it likely that if not all, at least the top cricketers in the country will have competitive cricket soon.

Hassan said that the national cricketers would continue training for the next two weeks, which would be followed by three practice matches - two two-day games and a three-day match. By then, they would have formulated the initiating tournament, which is likely to be T20s.

ALSO READ: Bangladesh begin preparation for Under-19 World Cup title defence

"Our Covid situation hasn't improved to the point that we can start everything normally. But we are going to start [domestic] cricket," Hassan said. "The national team will resume their training camp for the next 15 days and will play three practice matches.

"Soon afterwards, we will start domestic cricket. We have two plans in front of us immediately: we can [either] have a six-team tournament to involve up to 90 players, or, we can make three or four teams from the national team, the HP [High Performance] team and the Under-19 teams, and then have a BCB-sponsored T20 tournament among them."

Once the players get used to competitive cricket, the truncated leagues from last season will resume - but with proper pandemic guidelines in place so that the BCB can ensure the health and safety of players.

"We will resume the [incomplete Dhaka Premier] league once I have the proposal about running the leagues by keeping the players safe," Hassan said. "It is very important for us. The clubs and players must sit together and give us a plan, and then we will give them a guideline."

Hassan said that he would personally like to see the 2019-20 and 2020-21 DPLs held in the same season, although it has never been done before.

"We will try to resume the postponed league and then hold next season's league as well. I personally want to hold both leagues this season, but it is difficult to predict anything [with regards to the Covid-19 situation]," he said.

Big picture

Even before the start of IPL 2020, it seemed the lack of experience in the middle order could be a headache for the Sunrisers Hyderabad. Two games into the season, things are not looking any rosier with the team still searching for their first points.

It doesn't help that their opponents on Tuesday would be the Delhi Capitals, who have one of the most balanced bowling attacks in the tournament. Despite two first-choice bowlers - Ishant Sharma and R Ashwin - being unavailable, the Capitals strangled the Chennai Super Kings on Friday to register their second win in as many matches. Kagiso Rabada was once again in the forefront with the ball, while Prithvi Shaw, Shikhar Dhawan, Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pant all scored good runs to put behind the wobbly start against the Kings XI Punjab. Their main pre-tournament hole, the lack of a finisher, also seems to have been plugged by Marcus Stoinis.

The Sunrisers, on the other hand, are yet to figure out their best XI. With David Warner and Jonny Bairstow opening the innings and Manish Pandey coming in at No. 3, Priyam Garg is forced to bat out of position. After a bad back ruled Vijay Shankar out for the match against the Kolkata Knight Riders, the Sunrisers tried Wriddhiman Saha, but his laboured 31-ball 30 failed to provide any confidence. It will not be a surprise, therefore, if they make further changes to their playing XI.

In the news

• Since hurting his left elbow against the Kings XI, Ashwin has hit the gym and also batted in the nets, but the Capitals will not rush him back. "Ashwin is doing pretty well, but we want to give him a two-three game rest so that he feels better," Iyer had said at the toss against the Super Kings. Also, there has been no official word on Ishant Sharma's fitness after he went out because of back spasms.

• The extent of Shankar's back problem is not fully known, but if fit, he should replace Saha in the playing XI for the Sunrisers. Kane Williamson, though, may once again find it difficult to break in despite being available.

Likely XIs

Delhi Capitals: 1 Prithvi Shaw, 2 Shikhar Dhawan, 3 Shreyas Iyer (capt), 4 Rishabh Pant (wk), 5 Shimron Hetmyer, 6 Marcus Stoinis, 7 Axar Patel, 8 Amit Mishra, 9 Kagiso Rabada, 10 Anrich Nortje, 11 Avesh Khan

Sunrisers Hyderabad: 1 David Warner (capt), 2 Jonny Bairstow (wk), 3 Manish Pandey, 4 Vijay Shankar/Wriddhiman Saha, 5 Mohammad Nabi, 6 Abdul Samad, 7 Abhishek Sharma, 8 Rashid Khan, 9 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 10 Sandeep Sharma, 11 Khaleel Ahmed/T Natarajan

Strategy punts

• Expect Rabada and Anrich Nortje to go around the wicket straightaway to Warner, who hasn't enjoyed that sort of bowling lately. Since the start of 2019, his T20 average against fast bowlers coming from around the wicket has been 24.00, as opposed to 60.44 when they are bowling from over the wicket. It started with Stuart Broad during the Ashes, and then, earlier this year, Jofra Archer exploited the same weaknesses during the T20I and ODI series in England. Warner was uncomfortable against Pat Cummins as well when the seamer deployed a similar plan for the Knight Riders in the last game.

• Pant has a great record against the Sunrisers' two best bowlers: Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Rashid Khan. No one else has dominated Kumar as much in the IPL - Pant averages 65 with a strike rate of 250 against him. Against Khan, those numbers are 54 and 146 respectively. Overall also, Pant has an average of 46.86 against the Sunrisers, his second-best against the current IPL teams. His unbeaten 128 in the 2018 IPL had also come against the Sunrisers, with both Kumar and Khan in the opposition.

• Don't be surprised if the Sunrisers bring Kumar or Sandeep Sharma on when Iyer comes to the crease. Iyer has been out thrice each to Kumar (seven innings) and Sandeep Sharma (eight innings) in T20 cricket and has a combined average of 12 at a strike rate of 83 against the two.

Stats that matter

• The Sunrisers lead the head-to-head record with 9-6. But this new look Capitals side have a 2-1 record against them, including a win in the Eliminator of IPL 2019.

• Pant is yet to hit a six in T20s this year. Also, he has now gone 60 balls without a six in the IPL, his longest streak.

• Rabada has taken two or more wickets in each of his last nine IPL games, the most for any bowler in the tournament's history. Last time he went wicketless in an IPL game was 16 matches ago.

• Khan and Mohammad Nabi head the list of most frugal bowlers in the IPL since 2019, with economies of 6.4 and 6.5 respectively (minimum 20 overs).

• Since IPL 2019, Kumar has taken just 13 wickets in 17 innings in the tournament. However, in the same period, he has taken six wickets in three games against the Capitals.

• Among those who have taken at least 20 wickets in the IPL since 2018, Khaleel Ahmed's strike rate of 12.2 is second only to Rabada's 11.

BCCI president Sourav Ganguly has said that the Indian board will do everything it can to ensure that the series against England between January and March next year is held in India and the domestic competitions kick off at some stage despite the "fluid" Covid-19 situation.

The "priority is to make this (series against England) happen in India. We will try to make this happen on Indian grounds. The advantage in UAE is they have three stadiums (Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Dubai)," he said in a media interaction addressing speculation that the UAE could host the series given the Covid-19 situation in India, which has continued to worsen.

ALSO READ: Ganguly commits to India hosting England in February 2021

The BCCI had recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Emirates Cricket Board for greater cooperation in conducting matches there. "We also have the same facility in Mumbai - CCI [Brabourne], Wankhede and DY Patil [stadiums]. We also have Eden Gardens [in Kolkata]," Ganguly said. "We have to create a bubble. We want to hold our cricket in India, that's where the game is, that's where the heart is. But we are monitoring the Covid situation.

"Everything is fluid. It's been hard for the last six months to keep everything in order. You want your cricket to happen. You want lives to get back to normal, there are players involved. But you also want to have a close look at the Covid situation."

In normal circumstances, the domestic season would have already started in India. In 2019-20, the BCCI had hosted 2036 domestic games across various age groups in the men's and women's categories, but creating a bio-bubble for so many teams across the country would be next to impossible given the virus threat.

"We are monitoring it," Ganguly said. "We want to have our domestic season. We have all the combinations, situations ready in our mind. We will try and make it happen as much as we can."

Week 3 in the NFL was pretty wild. The Bills nearly fell to the Rams after taking a big lead, but quarterback Josh Allen led an eventful final drive to move Buffalo to 3-0. The Falcons did fall to the Bears, losing their second double-digit lead in as many weeks. The Titans snuck past the Vikings, the injury-riddled 49ers had no problem with the Giants and the Steelers kept the Texans winless. Oh, and the Eagles and Bengals tied?

In the afternoon slate, the Seahawks marched back to beat the Cowboys behind Russell Wilson's second straight five-TD passing performance, and the Lions finally got a win -- on a field goal in the closing seconds.

All that and more in Week 3's biggest takeaways from NFL Nation.

Jump to a matchup:
LAR-BUF | LV-NE | TEN-MIN
HOU-PIT | SF-NYG | CHI-ATL
WSH-CLE | CIN-PHI | NYJ-IND
CAR-LAC | DAL-SEA | TB-DEN
DET-ARI | MIA-JAX | GB-NO

Buffalo Bills 35, Los Angeles Rams 32

Standout performer for LAR-BUF: Josh Allen, 311 passing yards, 4 TDs, 1 rushing TD

Josh Allen is the real deal. Facing a late-game deficit for the second consecutive week, Allen led an 11-play, 75-yard scoring drive to secure the Bills' third win of the year. He took long sacks, he ran for his life and he committed inexcusable penalties, but ultimately, he did what it took to win the game. His third straight 300-yard game gives him more than 1,000 passing yards; his hot start is not a fluke. -- Marcel Louis-Jacques

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

The Rams can take solace in departing Buffalo just short of a historic come-from-behind win. Facing a 25-point deficit early in the third quarter, the Rams forced two turnovers and scored touchdowns on four consecutive possessions to take a 32-28 lead before they eventually fell to the Bills. Halftime adjustments on defense proved critical after the Rams failed to disrupt Allen in the first half. And offensively, quarterback Jared Goff found a rhythm with Cooper Kupp and Robert Woods in the second half. -- Lindsey Thiry

Next game: vs. Giants (4:05 p.m. ET Sunday)

New England Patriots 36, Las Vegas Raiders 20

Standout performer for LV-NE: Sony Michel, 117 rushing yards

A running game revival led the Patriots past the Raiders on Sunday. Sony Michel ran with a renewed energy in making a decisive statement to keep his job as the team's No. 1 back as Damien Harris becomes eligible to return from injured reserve this week. And eight-year veteran Rex Burkhead registered his first career three-touchdown game. In all, the Patriots eclipsed 200 yards rushing for the second time this season, marking the first time they've had 200 rushing yards twice within the first three games of a season since 1983. -- Mike Reiss

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

The Raiders stumbled all over themselves after absolutely dominating early when they could have taken a three-score lead. But self-inflicted wounds in the guise of penalties, turnovers by Derek Carr (twice, including a late strip sack for a TD in the end zone) and Josh Jacobs, a missed field goal and the inability to take advantage of momentum early in each half spelled the Raiders' doom as they fell to 1-2. -- Paul Gutierrez

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

Tennessee Titans 31, Minnesota Vikings 30

Standout performer for TEN-MIN: Stephen Gostkowski, 6-for-6 FGs, including 51-, 54- and 55-yarders

The Titans' defense continues to be a question after giving up 464 yards of total offense to the previously struggling Vikings attack. That's two consecutive weeks in which teams have gained more than 450 yards against Tennessee. Dalvin Cook rushed for a career-high 181 yards, and rookie receiver Justin Jefferson had 175 receiving yards. But the Titans are now 3-0 for the first time since 2008, and they'll have a tough matchup next week when the 3-0 Steelers come to town. -- Turron Davenport

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

What is it going to take for the Vikings to avoid another monumental collapse when they hit the road for Houston and Seattle in Weeks 4 and 5? Minnesota is the first team in NFL history to have one player record 175 rushing yards and another player record 175 receiving yards in the same game, according to Elias Sports Bureau research, and the Vikings still lost. When the offense had a chance to give the Vikings their first victory, it faltered in chaotic fashion on a disastrous final drive. The Vikings aren't getting any help from the defense, either. It's going to be up to the offense, which put up 464 yards and 30 points in a loss, to get into shootouts to win games. -- Courtney Cronin

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

Pittsburgh Steelers 28, Houston Texans 21

Standout performer for HOU-PIT: James Conner, 109 rushing yards, 40 receiving yards, 1 TD

The Steelers moved to 3-0 for the first time in a decade with complementary football in the fourth quarter of Sunday's game, thanks to a combination of well-timed defensive stops and their best run-game performance of the season. After a slow start, the Steelers sacked Deshaun Watson five times, including a crucial one by T.J. Watt late in the fourth quarter. The Steelers rushed for 169 yards on 38 carries, controlling the clock for almost 37 minutes. -- Brooke Pryor

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

The Texans were more competitive in their Week 3 loss to the Steelers than they had been through two games, but their early-season weaknesses were on display, including an inability by the defense to get off the field in the second half. Next up for Houston's poor rushing defense? The Vikings and Dalvin Cook, who ran for 181 yards on Sunday. -- Sarah Barshop

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

San Francisco 49ers 36, New York Giants 9

Standout performer for SF-NYG: Nick Mullens, 343 passing yards, 1 TD

The injury-ravaged Niners entered Sunday's game against the Giants with 10 projected starters out because of injury. And they were returning to the artificial surface of MetLife Stadium, where many of those injuries occurred a week ago against the Jets. No matter -- the 49ers dominated the Giants. Yes, it was just another win against another lowly New York team, but that shouldn't mean the Niners get any less credit for what they did on their two-game New York swing. With winnable home games against the Eagles and Dolphins in the next two weeks, the Niners could be 4-1 when the Rams come calling on Oct. 18. -- Nick Wagoner

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

Another disappointment. There really is no other way to say it for QB Daniel Jones and the Giants. They are 0-3 in Joe Judge's first season as coach, and Jones has six turnovers in 12 quarters, with two more coming in Sunday's loss to the decimated 49ers. "Those are costly mistakes," Jones said. "Certainly need to correct." If Jones can't fix his turnover issues, the Giants have to question whether he is their quarterback of the future. With the fumble in the first quarter, Jones now has 20 fumbles in his first 16 career games. The only player with more through his first 16 career games in the Super Bowl era is Tony Banks (24), per ESPN Stats & Information research. -- Jordan Raanan

Next game: at Rams (4:05 p.m. ET Sunday)

Chicago Bears 30, Atlanta Falcons 26

Standout performer for CHI-ATL: Nick Foles, 188 passing yards, 3 TDs

Coach Matt Nagy stopped short of naming veteran quarterback Nick Foles the starter for next week's game at Indianapolis, but Foles earned the job with three second-half touchdown passes in Chicago's comeback victory over Atlanta. Foles has been up and down in his career, but he sees the field better than Mitchell Trubisky, who, once again, had trouble connecting on deep passes Sunday. Foles provides Chicago with a more consistent option at quarterback, and the Bears need to play more consistent football, period. Chicago is lucky to be 3-0, and Nagy needs to ride Foles' hot hand until further notice. -- Jeff Dickerson

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

There has to be some sort of major change made after the Falcons were outscored 20-0 in the fourth quarter to blow a 26-10 lead and fall to the Bears. Coach Dan Quinn appears to be on the verge of being fired, although he avoided talking about his job status postgame. The Falcons threw the ball five times and ran it once during consecutive fourth-quarter possessions after holding a 26-16 lead. Coupled with a Week 2 loss at Dallas in which the Falcons blew a 39-24 fourth-quarter lead, the Falcons now are the first team to lose twice in one season while holding 15-plus-point leads, according to Elias Sports Bureau research. If Quinn isn't let go, offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter certainly might be in trouble for his playcalling. -- Vaughn McClure

Next game: at Packers (8:20 p.m. ET Monday, Oct. 5)

Cleveland Browns 34, Washington Football Team 20

Standout performer for WSH-CLE: Nick Chubb, 108 rushing yards, 2 TDs

The Browns have a record that is above .500 for the first time in six years. They weren't especially crisp and trailed Washington 20-17 in the fourth quarter. But Cleveland finally got the running game going, and the defense stepped up with a pair of key turnovers. Before Sunday, Cleveland had gone 90 consecutive weeks without a winning record, easily the longest active streak in the NFL. The Browns were last above .500 going into Week 15 of the 2014 season, when they were 7-6 -- then they lost their final three games of the year. -- Jake Trotter

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

Coach Ron Rivera is sticking with Dwayne Haskins Jr., which shouldn't be surprising because he sold owner Dan Snyder on his plan to develop the quarterback. Haskins needs to start showing more consistency and threaten teams down the field, as his inaccuracy remains an issue, though he did start strong and was more in rhythm before his three interceptions occurred. His development will dictate Washington's future -- not just this year but the next several and then some. If Washington pulls the plug, that will signal the obvious: It will be in the market for another quarterback in the offseason. Haskins' mindset after the game was good; he said the only thing that now matters is preparing for Week 4. He warrants patience, but at some point this season, he'll have to reward Rivera for his belief. -- John Keim

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

Cincinnati Bengals 23, Philadelphia Eagles 23 (OT)

Standout performer for CIN-PHI: Tyler Boyd, 125 receiving yards

Bengals rookie Joe Burrow showed he is the franchise quarterback the team hoped for when it drafted him with the first overall pick. Even in a tie with the Eagles on Sunday, Burrow looked his sharpest yet in a young rookie season. The LSU product was 31-of-44 passing for 312 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. Burrow weathered some big hits to deliver in the second half, completing 19 of his 26 attempts for 218 yards. "He gives us a chance to win," Bengals coach Zac Taylor said after the game. -- Ben Baby

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

It's officially time to be concerned about the Eagles and Carson Wentz. The quarterback made some plays late in regulation to force OT but had his third shaky outing in as many starts, going 29-of-47 for 225 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions, as the Eagles moved to 0-2-1. Wentz now has six picks on the year -- one fewer than he had all of last season. It's premature to think a changing of the guard is at hand, but there will be plenty of chatter about inserting second-round pick Jalen Hurts into the lineup this week as a dismayed fan base searches for ways to save a season heading off a cliff. -- Tim McManus

Next game: at 49ers (8:20 p.m. ET Sunday)

Indianapolis Colts 36, New York Jets 7

Standout performer for NYJ-IND: Xavier Rhodes, 2 interceptions, 1 TD

Quarterback Philip Rivers joined elite company, becoming just the sixth quarterback in NFL history to throw at least 400 career touchdown passes and for 60,000 yards. He reached the career touchdown mark on the second play of the second quarter when he completed a 1-yard score to tight end Mo Alie-Cox. The Colts were never really threatened past the first quarter, but Rivers finished 17-of-21 for 217 yards and a touchdown as the Indianapolis offense looked efficient. -- Mike Wells

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

Sam Darnold played one of his worst games as a pro, throwing three interceptions -- two pick-sixes and a red zone interception. They don't get more costly than that. He has regressed this season, which doesn't bode well for embattled coach Adam Gase, who was hired to make Darnold a star. The way things are going for the Jets (0-3), Gase is trending toward unemployment. -- Rich Cimini

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

Carolina Panthers 21, Los Angeles Chargers 16

Standout performer for CAR-LAC: Teddy Bridgewater, 235 passing yards, 1 TD

Coach Matt Rhule said he believes the Panthers, even without injured Christian McCaffrey, can win now. This isn't to suggest Carolina will be a playoff team this season, but when you consider how they had a chance to beat the Raiders and Bucs in their first two games, and how they beat the Chargers despite mistakes, it shows at the very least the culture Rhule has been preaching is starting to sink in. "Not perfect,'' Rhule said. "But that might be the good news. We found a way to win on the road despite not being perfect.'' If a young defense can continue to grow as it did Sunday, and if the offense can hold things together until McCaffrey returns in four to six weeks, then the Panthers at the very least will give good teams problems. -- David Newton

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

Justin Herbert was thrown into the mix last week against the defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs, and the shock might have worked in his favor. But Sunday against Carolina was a reality check at best for the rookie No. 6 overall draft pick, who had two turnovers. But gone were the easy slants, the dump-offs and anything that was really a surprise against the Panthers. It doesn't get any easier next week against the Buccaneers and Tom Brady. -- Shelley Smith

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

Seattle Seahawks 38, Dallas Cowboys 31

Standout performer for DAL-SEA: Russell Wilson, 315 passing yards, 5 TDs

The Seahawks might need Russell Wilson to continue his record pace with how poorly they're playing on defense. Their struggles on that side of the ball continued Sunday in their win over Dallas, a game that was only close because they lost a 15-point lead in the second half. They've made game-saving plays in each of the past two weeks -- a goal-line stand against New England and Ryan Neal's interception of Dak Prescott on Dallas' final play Sunday. But they've allowed at least 450 yards in each of the first three games, including 522 to the Cowboys. No wonder Bobby Wagner and Shaquill Griffin each sounded as though they were discussing a loss in their downtrodden postgame videoconferences. To make matters potentially worse, Jamal Adams (groin) and first-round pick Jordyn Brooks (knee) left Sunday's game with injures. -- Brady Henderson

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

As long as the Cowboys play in the NFC East, they will always have a chance. Standing at 1-2 after their loss at Seattle, the Cowboys trail Washington only because of its Week 1 division win vs. Philadelphia. But the Cowboys need to fix their defense, which has given up 39 and 38 points in the past two games, respectively. And the offense needs to stop turning the ball over (three giveaways against the Seahawks and minus-4 in the turnover battle for the season). "It's three games into the season," Dak Prescott said. "We'll get this thing right and be proud of what we can do." -- Todd Archer

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

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 28, Denver Broncos 10

Standout performer for TB-DEN: Shaquil Barrett, 2 sacks, 1 safety, 3 tackles for a loss

With receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin on the field together for the first time this season, and tight end Rob Gronkowski seeing an increased role, the Buccaneers' offense showed glimpses of how dangerous it could become in their win over the Broncos. But for the second consecutive week, the offense -- for as much as it wowed in the first half -- struggled to regain its rhythm in the second, scoring three points (Shaquil Barrett's safety contributed an additional two points). "We've started fast in every ballgame, we get a lead and we have to develop better finish. I won't say a killer instinct -- just a finish," coach Bruce Arians said. -- Jenna Laine

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

The Broncos find themselves 0-3 for the second consecutive season, a first in franchise history. And their long list of injuries has contributed to the two biggest reasons for their struggles in September. They haven't consistently protected their quarterbacks -- they've used three of them in three games and surrendered 13 sacks in the past two contests -- and they haven't done enough on third down on defense, where they might miss Von Miller most of all. Help isn't on the way, so the Broncos will have to figure out how to do better in both of those areas -- and soon -- if they are going to avoid a repeat of last season's 0-4 start. -- Jeff Legwold

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

Detroit Lions 26, Arizona Cardinals 23

Standout performer for DET-ARI: Matt Prater, 4-for-4 FGs, including a 39-yard game winner

The streak is over. For the first time since October of last season, the Lions won a football game. The victory ends an 11-game losing streak for Detroit. There's some symmetry in the Lions winning late against Arizona, since it was perhaps the scene of the team's worst collapse under coach Matt Patricia in the season opener last year. But Matthew Stafford led two field goal drives in the fourth quarter to come from behind for only the second time under Patricia. -- Michael Rothstein

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

Despite one of Kyler Murray's most impressive runs of his young career, Sunday's loss to the Lions included some of the quarterback's worst play in the NFL. The reigning Rookie of the Year threw three interceptions -- and came close to throwing a fourth -- and was able to run for only 29 yards after averaging 79 rushing yards in his first two games. He will look to get back on track next week against the Panthers. -- Josh Weinfuss

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

Miami Dolphins 31, Jacksonville Jaguars 13

Standout performer for MIA-JAX: Ryan Fitzpatrick, 160 passing yards, 2 passing TDs, 1 rushing TD

The Dolphins pulled back from the precipice. Had they added a third loss to their 0-2 start, the drumbeat for the debut of rookie quarterback Tua Tagovailoa would have gained strength. But after soundly defeating the Jaguars on Thursday night, the Dolphins are back in the AFC East race. And they'll push forward with a rejuvenated starter in Ryan Fitzpatrick, who opened Thursday night's game with a career-high 12 consecutive completions. -- Kevin Seifert

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

The Jaguars keep getting off to slow starts. They gave up an opening-drive TD in Week 1, back-to-back TD drives in Week 2 and back-to-back TD drives again Thursday night against Miami. This time, the Jaguars couldn't overcome it because the offense struggled to get anything going without DJ Chark Jr. (back/chest) to stretch the field and give the other receivers space to work underneath. The defense continues to have issues pressuring the quarterback on third down, and opposing QBs are putting up career numbers. -- Mike DiRocco

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

Green Bay Packers 37, New Orleans Saints 30

Standout performer for GB-NO: Allen Lazard: six catches, 146 yards, 1 TD

Early last season, Aaron Rodgers proclaimed that the Green Bay Packers finally had a top-level defense. It didn't hold up. This year, you could say the same about the way the offense has started, with a third straight explosive game in Sunday night's win over the New Orleans Saints. And unlike the defense's collapse late last season, there's reason to think the offense will hold up all year. It did it Sunday night without Davante Adams (hamstring) and without massive production from Aaron Jones. Allen Lazard showed why the Packers had so much faith in him with six catches for 146 yards and a touchdown, and Rodgers has taken his game to another level in Year 2 with coach Matt LaFleur. Through three weeks, Rodgers has nearly 900 yards passing and nine touchdowns. -- Rob Demovsky

Next game: vs. Falcons (8:15 p.m. ET Monday, Oct. 5)

A monster performance by Alvin Kamara wasn't enough to shake the Saints out of their early-season funk, as they lost back-to-back games for the first time since their 0-2 start in 2017. Kamara had a career-high 139 receiving yards as part of his 197 yards from scrimmage and two TDs in the loss to Green Bay. And quarterback Drew Brees found more of a rhythm with 288 passing yards and three TDs -- which is a good sign heading into Detroit next week. But now the defense appears to be more of a pressing concern after allowing its two longest pass plays of the season (72 and 48 yards) and being flagged for three more pass interference penalties. -- Mike Triplett

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