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Bar Chat

10/14/2024

Baseball, College Football, the NFL and much more....

Add-on posted early Tuesday a.m.

MLB Playoffs

--The Mets laid an egg Sunday night in Game One of the NLCS against the Dodgers in L.A., 9-0, held to three hits, Jack Flaherty going seven strong.

The Mets ran out Kodai Senga to start, the 2023 ace, due to injury having pitched a whopping 5 1/3 in the regular season, and then two innings in a start against the Phillies in the NLDS, where his stuff at least looked pretty good.

So manager Carlos Mendoza was hoping to get three innings out of Senga this time and he lasted 1 1/3, pathetically walking four batters, yielding three runs, throwing just 10 of 30 pitches for strikes, which is hideous.  The experiment grades out to an ‘F.’  The Mets had other options.

Meanwhile, the Dodgers’ pitching staff had suddenly gone 33 consecutive innings in the playoffs without allowing a run, tying a record held by the 1966 Baltimore Orioles. [That Orioles team, in sweeping the Dodgers, 4-0, in the World Series, used just four pitchers...Jim Palmer, Dave McNally, Wally Bunker and reliever Moe Drabowsky, who famously struck out 11 in 6 2/3.]

How would the Mets respond Monday afternoon in Game Two, this year’s ace, Sean Manaea, on the mound for New York?

Very well, thank you. Francisco Lindor led off the game with a home run, the starting staff thin Dodgers opting for a bullpen game, thus ending the 33-inning scoreless streak, and in the top of the second, after a Tyrone Taylor clutch double made it 2-0, L.A. walked Lindor with runners on second and third, filling the bases for Mark Vientos, two outs.

And Vientos, an emerging star in the league after not making the team out of spring training, hit a grand slam!  6-0...game essentially over, the Mets going on to win 7-3, as Manaea went five strong and three relievers did the rest, even as the staff gave up eight walks.

Vientos felt dissed, L.A. walking Lindor ahead of him.

“I use it as motivation,” he said after.  “I’m like, all right, you want me up, I’m going to show you.”

Ohtani, Betts, Teoscar Hernandez, Freeman, and Will Smith went a combined 0 for 19 for the Dodgers.

So the series is tied 1-1, back to New York for Games 3-5, Wednesday through Friday.

--Meanwhile, at The Stadium in New York last night, the Yankees beat the Guardians 5-2 in their Game One, riding homers from Juan Soto and Mr. October, Giancarlo Stanton, while Carlos Rodon went six strong, one earned.  Game Two tonight.

NFL

--In games since I posted Sunday afternoon, the Chargers (3-2) beat the Broncos (3-3) 23-16 in Denver, but Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh revealed a heart condition caused him to briefly exit the game in the first quarter, as he was escorted to the locker room by the team’s medical staff.

“It’s called atrial flutter,” Harbaugh said after the game. “I got into an episode (Sunday).”

The 60-year-old coach was treated by doctors in the locker room and his heart returned to normal rhythm.  He came back to the contest with a little over 7 minutes remaining in the first quarter.

Harbaugh reiterated postgame that he’s feeling good.  But he does plan to be reevaluated by a cardiologist on Monday.

“Trust the doctors,” Harbaugh said. “It’s the heart so you take it seriously, right?  Trust the doctors.”

Harbaugh said he’s had this situation before, including over ten years ago when he was with San Francisco.

Monday, we learned he will wear a heart monitor the next two games.

--In a major embarrassment at Jerry World, Dallas (3-3) was humiliated by Detroit (4-1) 47-9, but the Lions lost star defensive end Aidan Hutchinson, who was leading the league in sacks, to a broken leg (broken tibia) and underwent immediate surgery at a Dallas-area hospital Sunday evening.  Huge blow for the Lions, as he’s also just a terrific leader. No timetable has been given for any potential return this season.

As for the Cowboys, Dak Prescott sucked...17/33, 178, 0-2, 42.2. This coming from a player who Jerry Jones awarded with a monster contract extension, a record $231 million guaranteed, the most in NFL history (to Deshaun Watson’s beyond outrageous $230 million).

For the Lions, Jared Goff was superb...18/25, 315, 3-0, 153.8 (158.3 is ‘perfect’).

--The Steelers (4-2) beat the Raiders (2-4) 32-13, the Raiders with three turnovers and a blocked punt to aid Pittsburgh.  Justin Fields, who was less than sensational for the Steelers, will probably remain starter another few weeks, even though Russell Wilson is now available.

--And then in the Sunday night game, while I was watching the pathetic Mets effort in the NLCS, Giants fans had to watch quarterback Daniel Jones put up another clunker in a primetime game, this one a 17-7 loss to the Bengals, both teams 2-4.  Jones was 22/41, 205, 0-1, 57.5. 

Granted, he was without receiver Malik Nabers and starting running back Devin Singletary, but Jones’ primetime record is now 1-14!  This is the worst among quarterbacks with 10-plus prime time starts dating back to 1970.

--Last night, completing a crazy Monday for New York area sports fans, the Jets, despite a 2-3 start, had a chance to tie Buffalo for the AFC East lead, hosting the Bills at MetLife Stadium in the beautiful Meadowlands, but with new interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich in charge following the firing of Robert Saleh, it was the same old Jets, falling 23-20 in excruciating fashion.

Near the end of the first half, the Jets trailed 20-10 but Aaron Rodgers and Allen Lazard hooked up on a 52-yard Hail Mary touchdown as time expired to make it 20-17, Rodgers fourth such pass of his career.

There was hope.  The Jets offense looked better, Rodgers throwing for 197 yards at the intermission.

But in the second half, both defenses clampdown down and despite a strong overall performance from Jets running back Breece Hall, 18 carries for 113 yards and five receptions for 56, the Jets ended up falling 23-20, thanks to Greg Zuerlein’s two missed field goals, from 43 and 32, and 11 Jets penalties for 110 yards, including a critical roughing the passer penalty on Jets defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw that set up the Bills’ winning 22-yard field goal by Tyler Bass with 3:43 left in the game.  Kinlaw was flagged three times on the series.

As for Buffalo, Josh Allen was a cool 19/25, 215, 2-0, 127.9, and rookie running back Ray Davis had 97 yards on 20 carries, as well as three receptions for 55.

So the Bills are 4-2, the Jets 2-4, New York rapidly running out of time to make something of the season, but at least there were some positive signs offensively.

For the record, Rodgers ended up 23/35, 294, 2-1, 99.0.  And the normally reliable Zuerlein is now just 8 for 12 on field goals this season, which doesn’t cut it.  He could have won the Denver game for us as well.

Golf Balls

--At the Black Desert Championship, Black Desert Resort in Ivins, Utah, Sunday night, Matt McCarty closed the deal on his first PGA Tour title.  But what I had forgotten was that the kid has been on quite a run, having won three Korn Ferry Tour events in July and August over a six-week stretch, thus already earning a “battlefield promotion” to the PGA Tour, starting in the Fall Season.

So McCarty was already fully exempt on the PGA Tour in 2025, with exemptions for the 2025 Players Championship and U.S. Open, but by winning Sunday, he added Kapalua for the season-opening Sentry, a signature event, and an invitation to the Masters.  Pretty, pretty good.

NASCAR

Sunday, at Charlotte Motor Speedway, they held a NASCAR Cup Series playoff race that reduced the playoff field to eight and driver Alex Bowman thought he had qualified as one of them.

But about three hours after the race (on ‘The Roval,’) Bowman’s car was disqualified for failing the post-race inspection, with officials determining the No. 48 didn’t meet weight requirements.  He was dropped to last in the finishing order and thus missed the final eight on points.

You are allowed a half percent of a weight break – or about 17 pounds – and NASCAR officials said it was more than that.

So...two-time Cup Series champion Joey Logano, who was ninth in the standings, made the field for the final four races, along with Ryan Blaney, Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott, William Byron, Denny Hamlin, Christopher Bell, and Tyler Reddick.

Larson won Sunday’s race, his sixth of the season.

College Basketball

The AP Men’s Preseason Poll was released Monday....

1. Kansas
2. Alabama
3. UConn
4. Houston
5. Iowa State
6. Gonzaga
7. Duke
8. Baylor
9. North Carolina
10. Arizona
11. Auburn
12. Tennessee
13. Texas A&M
14. Purdue
15. Creighton
16. Arkansas
17. Indiana
18. Marquette
19. Texas
20. Cincinnati
21. Florida
22. UCLA
23. Kentucky
24. Ole Miss
25. Rutgers

Wake Forest is No. 30, if you carry out the votes.  I fully expect us to be top 20 by early January.  St. John’s is No. 27.  I hope they do well.

But Rutgers is going to be fascinating, as they recruited two of the top three national recruits this year, out of nowhere (though there is a familial tie to one).  Everyone knows these two are one-and-doners, Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey being consensus early top ten picks in next year’s NBA Draft.

Stuff

--The New York Liberty evened their WNBA Finals playoff series at 1-1 against the Minnesota Lynx, 80-66, Sunday.  Game 3 Wednesday.  Why they are spacing out the games this much is beyond me.

--Sunday, at the Chicago Marathon, Kenyan distance runner Ruth Chepngetich completed the race in 2:09:56, smashing the women’s full marathon world record by two minutes (the previous mark 2:11:53, Tigst Assefa at the 2023 Berlin Marathon).

Chepngetich, 30, won gold in the women’s marathon at the 2019 World Championships.

Next Bar Chat, Sunday.

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[Posted early Sunday p.m., before late football games and Mets-Dodgers.]

Add-on up top by noon, Tuesday.

NFL Quiz: Last week, Aaron Rodgers became the ninth quarterback to hit the 60,000 career yards passing mark.  Name the eight ahead of him. Answer below.

MLB Playoffs

--The Dodgers won their Game 5 of the NLDS Friday night in L.A., 2-0, as Yoshinobu Yamamoto, the $325 million man (over 12 years), who had gotten shelled in Game 1, pitched five scoreless, two hits, just 63 pitches (he’s still coming back from an injury), and the Dodgers’ pen did the rest.

L.A. held Luis Arraez, Fernando Tatis Jr., Jurickson Profar and Manny Machado to 1 for 14 as Los Angeles pitchers retired the last 19 batters.

On the mound for San Diego, Yu Darvish was superb, 6 2/3, just three hits, Padres pitchers holding Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman to just 1 for 10, but Darvish yielded two solo homers to Kike Hernandez and Teoscar Hernandez and that was all L.A. needed.

The Dodgers won a decisive Game 5 at home for the first time since taking a 1981 NL Division Series against Houston after a season split into halves following a players’ strike.

The Padres’ powerful lineup went scoreless the final 24 innings of the series.

Yamamoto and Darvish were the first Japanese-born starting pitchers to square off in major league playoff history.

But how ‘bout Kike Hernandez.  The 33-year-old utility player is a .238 career hitter in 11 seasons in the big leagues, just a .713 OPS, but in 75 playoff games, he has 14 HR in 188 ABs, a .277 average and .899 OPS.  Mr. Clutch.

As for the Padres and the lack of clutch performers, look no further than ace Dylan Cease, 8 earned in 5 innings over his two starts.

So it’s Mets-Dodgers...

Speaking of the Metropolitans, they’ve been off since Wednesday, having clinched their NLDS series against the Phillies in Game 4 at Citi Field, 4-1, Francisco Lindor the hero, again, with a sixth-inning grand slam off Carlos Estevez, Philly’s stud reliever.

New York fans were frustrated mightily early in this one as they failed to score after loading the bases in both the bottom of the first and second innings, 3 of 15 with runners in scoring position overall, but aside from Lindor’s heroics, Jose Quintana pitched five innings of one-run ball (the run unearned), while relievers Reed Garrett, David Peterson and Edwin Diaz did the rest.

As for the Phillies and their fans, a crushing ending to a 95-67 season (2nd-best record in baseball next to the Dodgers, 98-64).  Bryce Harper and Nick Castellanos did their part, 11 for 29, two home runs and six RBI, but the rest of the team was 13 for 100 (.130) with one homer and five RBI.  And the Phils’ quality bullpen posted an 11.37 ERA.

Last Tuesday, Game 3, which the Mets dominated 7-2, was particularly electric for the team and its fans.  New York hadn’t been home in 16 days...an incredible, historic journey, filled with one all-time moment after another.

The Mets went from Atlanta to Milwaukee, back to Atlanta to finish the regular season, then after clinching a playoff berth, back to Milwaukee, where they took out the Brewers in the wild card round on Pete Alonso’s ninth-inning dramatics, and then on to Philadelphia to open up the NLDS, where the two teams split, before the Mets finally got back home.

Sunday afternoon, the Mets announced they were adding Jeff McNeil to the NLCS roster.  McNeil broke his wrist when he was hit by a pitch Sept. 6, but has rehabbed and could contribute. Reliever Adam Ottavino was left off the roster.

--The Yankees clinched their ALDS series with the Royals in Kansas City Thursday night, 3-1, behind Gerrit Cole’s 7 strong, 1 run, zero walks, and just 87 pitches.  Clay Holmes and the suddenly star closer Luke Weaver slamming the door on K.C., taking the series 3-1.

Giancarlo Stanton emerged as the offensive star for the Yanks, 4 RBIs, including a big run-scoring single Thursday, 6 for 16, after a clutch, game-winning homer in Game 3.

But Aaron Judge continued with his offseason troubles, 2 for 13, though he did have 5 walks.

Judge is just a .207 hitter in 184 at-bats in the postseason, 13 homers and a .762 OPS.

Stanton, on the other hand, the much-maligned one, has hit .277 in 112 ABs, 12 homers, .987 OPS.

Stanton is the Mr. October of this team; Judge, thus far, Mr. September, a la Dave Winfield, for you older fans out there.

So New York on Saturday watched with interest Game 5 of the Cleveland-Detroit series to determine who their opponent would be.

Detroit sent surefire AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal (18-4, 2.39) to the mound at Cleveland, the Guardians set up for a bullpen game.

Skubal had pitched 24 consecutive scoreless innings, including 13 in the playoffs, and held the Guardians scoreless heading to the bottom of the fifth, Tigers up 1-0.

But Cleveland loaded the bases, Skubal hit Jose Ramirez to bring in the tying run, and then on the next pitch, Lane Thomas hit a grand slam, the Guardians up 5-1 and they went on to win it 7-3, as they continue their mission to capture the city’s first World Series title since 1948.

Meanwhile, the Yankees and their fans had to be excited to see Cleveland continue to burn up their bullpen, another eight pitchers used on Saturday, including star closer Emmanuel Clase’s six-out save.

Game One of the ALCS is Monday at the Stadium.

--We note the passing of Luis Tiant, the Cuban pitching great known as “El Tiante,” one of the more colorful players in baseball history, who helped lead the 1975 Red Sox to a World Series appearance.  He was 83.

Known for his unorthodox delivery in which he turned his back completely to home plate, Tiant was a three-time All-Star who starred for the Red Sox from 1971-78.

The cigar-smoking righthander had a sterling, Hall of Fame worthy career*, 229-172, 3.30 ERA over his 19 seasons.

*In 15 years on the HOF ballot, he never received more than 30.9%, his first year, which looking back is rather outrageous.

In 1968 for Cleveland, he was 21-9, 1.60, in the Year of the Pitcher, but fell to 9-20, 3.71, the following year. After a season in Minnesota, he found himself in Boston where he proceeded to win 20 games, three seasons, and become a postseason hero.  Tiant had a complete game victory against Oakland in the ALCS in 1975, before going 2-0 against the Reds in their classic World Series.

Heading to the postseason that year, he had three complete-game victories, including two shutouts, while pitching to a 1.47 ERA over his final four regular-season starts.

Hall of Fame pitcher Jim Palmer once said of his contemporary, “When the chips are on the line, Luis Tiant is the greatest competitor I’ve ever seen.”

College Football

Comments written prior to release of the new AP Poll....

We had a biggie out in Eugene, Oregon, Saturday night...2 Ohio State visiting 3 Oregon in the new Big Ten. The game represented the return, in certain respects, of former Oregon coach Chip Kelly, who made the stunning offseason decision to step down as head coach at UCLA to become the offensive coordinator for the Buckeyes.

And it was a wild and wacky affair, seven lead changes, Oregon (6-0) holding on to defeat Ohio State (5-1) 32-31, as UCF/Oklahoma transfer Dillon Gabriel outdueled Kansas State transfer Will Howard; Gabriel 23/34, 341, 2-0, plus a key 27-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter, while Howard was 28/35, 326, 2-0, as Buckeyes freshman receiver Jeremiah Smith displayed his future NFL talents, 9-101-1.  [Evan Stewart had a big night receiving for the Ducks, 7-149-1.]

Ohio State actually had a chance to win it, but Will Howard scrambled for a 12-yard gain to the Oregon 26, only one thing.  Time expired, and Ohio State had a timeout left.

Meanwhile, in the Red River Classic, No. 1 Texas (6-0) easily handled 18 Oklahoma (4-2), as Quinn Ewers returned for the Longhorns, 20/29, 199, 1-1, plus a TD rushing.

4 Penn State (6-0) was down 20-6 at halftime to USC (3-3) in Los Angeles, but rallied back for a 33-30 win in overtime.  PSU QB Drew Allar threw 3 interceptions, but his tight end, Tyler Warren, had a game for the ages, 17 receptions for 224 yards and a touchdown, the 17 catches tying an FBS record for a tight end (it was also a school record).  His previous high for a game this season was 8 receptions against Bowling Green.

USC head coach Lincoln Riley admitted afterwards that he blew it, mismanaging the clock at the end of regulation.

5 Georgia (5-1) held off Mississippi State (1-5) 41-31, Carson Beck 36/48, 459, 3-2.  But MSU fans were ecstatic that their 34.5-point underdogs handily beat the spread.  And at the end of the day, boys and girls....

6 Miami was idle.

7 Alabama (5-1) barely beat South Carolina (3-3), the Gamecocks the best 3-3 team in the land, 27-25, as South Carolina outgained Bama 374-313, but they had four turnovers.

Alabama jumped out to a 14-0 lead, the Gamecocks came back to go ahead 19-14 after three quarters, Bama scored twice, 27-19, South Carolina scored with 0:43 left, but the two-point conversion was stopped, 27-25.

However...the Gamecocks then recovered an onsides kick, but quarterback LaNorris Sellers was picked off on a desperation pass...game over.  Bama’s playoff hopes very much in tact.

8 Tennessee (5-1) was unimpressive in defeating Florida (3-3) 23-17 in overtime.

9 Ole Miss saw its playoff hopes probably go up in flames, at 5-2, losing to 13 LSU (5-1) 29-26 in OT.

10 Clemson (5-1) whipped Wake Forest (2-4) in Winston-Salem, 49-14.  Wake actually go off to a solid start, down 21-14, but two Hank Bachmeier interceptions proved deadly.

The Tigers, behind Cade Klubnick’s 309 yards and three touchdowns, outgained the Deacs 566-233.  So much for last week’s good feelings with Wake’s win over North Carolina State.

In other games of note....

11 Iowa State is top ten bound at 6-0, a 28-16 winner at West Virginia (3-3).

Also No. 11, Notre Dame (5-1) blasted Stanford (2-4) 49-7, as Riley Leonard continues to improve at quarterback for the Fighting Irish, 16/22, 229, 3-0, plus a touchdown rushing.

14 BYU is 6-0, 41-19 over Arizona (3-3).

16 Utah (4-2) should go crashing out of the Top 25, falling Friday night to Arizona State (5-1), Cam Rising throwing 3 interceptions.

17 Boise State (5-1) solidified its hold on the Group of Five playoff bid, 28-7 at Hawaii (2-4), as Ashton Jeanty had another monster game rushing, 31 carries for 217 yards and a TD.

Jeanty now has 1,248 yards on 126 carries, a 9.9 average, plus 17 touchdowns in just six games.  His Heisman hopes continue to rise.

18 Kansas State (5-1) beat Colorado (4-2) in Boulder, 31-28.  Coach Prime’s team, in a critical contest for the program, had a late 28-24 lead, but the defense allowed Avery Johnson to lead the Wildcats on an 84-yard, three play drive for the winning score, the last 50 on a touchdown pass to Jayce Brown.

CU may have suffered a huge blow as they lost Heisman candidate and two-way star Travis Hunter to a shoulder injury...status unknown.

I watched a lot of 22 Pitt’s game against Cal (3-3), the Panthers 6-0 for the first time since 1982, holding off the Bears 17-15, as Cal kicker Ryan Coe missed a 40-yard field goal late.

For Pitt, freshman Eli Holstein had his worst game, throwing two interceptions, but Desmond Reid ran for 120 yards and two touchdowns.

A win is a win, and you can imagine the discussion in western Pennsylvania these days.  I know my cousin told me the other day it’s been exciting, both Pitt and Penn State undefeated.

Lastly, Rutgers (4-2) had a horrendous loss at home to Wisconsin (4-2), 42-7, the Badgers outgaining the Scarlet Knights 551-271.

But Army is 6-0 with a 44-10 win over pathetic UAB (1-5), rushing for 413 yards, led by QB Bryson Daily, 136 yards and four touchdowns on just 12 carries.

--And now...the new AP Poll!

1. Texas 6-0 (56)
2. Oregon 6-0 (6)
3. Penn State 6-0
4. Ohio State 5-1
5. Georgia 5-1
7. Miami (FL) 6-0
7. Alabama 5-1
8. LSU 5-1...up 5
9. Iowa State
10. Clemson 5-1
11. Tennessee 5-1
12. Notre Dame 5-1
13. BYU 6-0
14. Texas A&M 5-1
15. Boise State 5-1
16. Indiana 6-0
17. Kansas State 5-1
18. Ole Miss 5-2...down 9
19. Missouri 5-1
20. Pitt 6-0
21. SMU 5-1
22. Illinois 5-1
23. Army 6-0*
24. Michigan 4-2
25. Navy 5-0*

*The first simultaneous rankings for Army and Navy since 1960!

Next week, Georgia at Texas.

--The NCAA’s Division I Council voted to shorten the transfer portal windows for FBS and FCS football as well as men’s and women’s basketball, the NCAA announced on Tuesday.  This was a move coaches were clamoring for.

The total number of days players in FBS and FCS can enter the transfer portal is reduced from 45 to 30 but preserved the spring transfer window.  They’ll move forward with a 20-day winter transfer window from Dec. 9 – the Monday after conference championship games – through Dec. 28 and a 10-day spring window April 16-25.

Men’s and women’s basketball will also move from a 45-day to a 30-day transfer window that opens on the day after the end of the second round of their NCAA tournaments.  The transfer window in basketball previously opened on the day after Selection Sunday.

In all sports, players will continue to get an additional 30-day transfer window in the event of a head-coaching change, opening the day after the departure of their head coach is announced.

Once they’ve entered the portal, players will still be able to transfer to a new school at any time.

NFL

--Big news locally this week as the Jets fired head coach Robert Saleh on Tuesday.  Saleh was a miserable coach with zero success in his fourth season.

2021...4-13
2022...7-10
2023...7-10
2024...2-3

Total...20-36

New York had hired him from San Francisco, where he was defensive coordinator, and in his time the defenses were generally solid, ditto this season.

But the offense, including now under Aaron Rodgers, has been unwatchable, and grossly ineffective, and the Jets historic lack of playoff success (last in the postseason in 2010) continues.

It’s just the timing was a bit strange, but owner Woody Johnson, who pulled the trigger, is beholden to Rodgers and keeping him happy and Rodgers and Saleh weren’t hitting it off.

Defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich was then named interim head coach for Monday night’s game against the Bills at MetLife Stadium.

Saleh is a good guy.  I’ve passed his house often (he actually lives next door to a good friend of mine), he has a big family, and is likable, but he just isn’t a head coach and never connected here.

The Jets owe him $10 million combined for this season and next year.

After naming Ulbrich interim head coach, the Jets then demoted offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett, giving play-calling duties to quarterbacks coach and passing game coordinator Todd Downing.  Hackett, Rodgers’ best buddy from their Green Bay days, is staying on with the team for now.  According to reports, Saleh had been contemplating a similar move before he was fired.

For his part, Rodgers emphatically denied playing any part in Saleh’s dismissal.

Appearing on the “Pat McAfee Show” for his regular gig Wednesday, Rodgers said: “As far as any of the ridiculous allegations out there, I’m not gonna spend more than one sentence in response to it.  And that is that I resent any of those accusations because they are patently false.  It’s interesting the amount of power that people think I have, which I don’t. I love Robert.”

Woody Johnson said on a call Tuesday that the decision was his and that Rodgers did not play any part.

“This is one of the most-talented teams that has ever been assembled by the New York Jets,” Johnson said. “I wanted to give this team the most opportunity to win this season. I feel that we had to go in a different direction and that’s why I did that today. The change that we made today, that I made, I believe will bring new energy and positivity that will lead to more wins starting now.”

Thursday, following practice, Rodgers looked weary, admitting he was to blame for all of it – just not in the same way that everyone else is blaming him for it.

“If I play better, this doesn’t happen,” Rodgers said.

“We all feel terrible about the opportunity that we had, that we squandered,” Rodgers told reporters.  “That led to Robert getting fired, and Nate getting demoted. If I play better, this doesn’t happen. If we play better on offense, this doesn’t happen.”

Steve Politi / NJ.com (Star-Ledger):

“Rodgers has looked the part of the supposed franchise savior exactly once in five games this season, a 24-3 victory over a bad New England team. Take out that performance, and Rodgers has completed just 57 percent of his passes with five touchdowns and four interceptions.

“The fact that Rodgers has taken a beating behind a still-porous offensive line is, of course, a big part of the problem.  The quarterback has been sacked 13 times, and as a result, is now nursing a low-ankle sprain that could further limit his already statuesque level of mobility.

“But the line’s performance doesn’t tell the entire story. Rodgers has looked unwilling/unable to throw the ball downfield even when he does have time in the pocket this season, and it is hard to imagine what Ulbrich (Downing) can do to change that.”

Think about this:

The Jets, at 2-3, 93 points scored, are exactly in the same spot as they were last season, including the 93 points, with Zach Wilson.

Meanwhile, in one of the craziest holdouts in league history, Haason Reddick’s agency, CAA, parted ways with the disgruntled defensive end who has wanted a big contract extension since the Jets acquired him from Philadelphia in the offseason.

The Jets, namely Woody Johnson at this point, have felt all along that Reddick’s agent wanted to get a deal done but Reddick did not.

Reddick’s holdout has now cost him about $9 million!

Into the December file he goes...for all the wrong reasons.

On to Monday night and the Bills.  It’s going to be fascinating.  If Rodgers and the offense don’t play well, the boos will come cascading down on him like he’s never heard before.

--In today’s action, Sunday morning, the Bears (4-2) got a second straight strong performance from the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft, Caleb Williams, who was a cool 23/29, 226, 4-1, 124.4, with 56 yards rushing, as Chicago defeated the lowly Jaguars (1-5) 35-16 in London, which means Jacksonville fan Steve G. was drowning his sorrows early on a Sunday.

--The big one was Washington at Baltimore, which prior to the season you never would have thought we’d be saying, but Jayden Daniels, the No. 2 overall pick behind Caleb Williams, has been the real deal for the Commanders, while Lamar Jackson has been his usual spectacular self for the Ravens.

And it was 17-10, Baltimore, at the half, both QBs playing well, Jackson throwing for 208 yards at the intermission, 132 of them to Zay Flowers on nine receptions (a team first-half record).

Flowers didn’t have another catch in the second half, but it was the Derrick Henry show, along with Lamar...Henry ending with 132 yards on 24 carries and two touchdowns, Baltimore winning it 30-23. 

Jackson finished 20/26, 323, 1-1, 114.7, plus 40 rushing, as the Ravens improved to 4-2, four straight and AFC Championship Game bound it would seem.

For Washington (4-2) a good test and Jayden Daniels was solid, 24/35, 269, 2-0, 110.3.  Washington’s secondary just had no answers for the Baltimore passing game, or Henry.

Watching this game (entirely), I was thinking, if I had a choice of jumping out of a plane (which I never want to do), or getting hit by Derrick Henry (with full gear on), which would I pick?

Jumping out of a plane, of course.

In other games....

Green Bay is 4-2, following a 34-13 win over Arizona (2-4), Jordan Love with four touchdown passes.

Indianapolis improved to 3-3, the undermanned Colts beating the Titans (1-4) in Nashville, 20-17, Joe Flacco with two touchdown passes in relief of Anthony Richardson, who isn’t quite ready to return from injury.

The Texans met the Patriots in Foxborough today, Houston without the services of stud receiver Nico Collins, out for at least four weeks with a hamstring injury, while the Pats were starting rookie Drake Maye (the No 3 overall pick) for the first time.

And Maye did OK, 20/33, 243, 3-2, 88.3, but New England otherwise blows, now 1-5, and Houston is 5-1 after a 41-21 win.

The Eagles (3-2) beat the Browns (1-5) in Philadelphia in what must have been a horrid game to watch, or spend money on, 20-16, with little offense.

And the Buccaneers (4-2) defeated the Saints (2-4) in New Orleans, 51-27, as Baker Mayfield had a wild day, 24/36, 325, 4-3, 97.6, while former Syracuse star Sean Tucker had a breakout game...14 carries for 136 yards and a touchdown, plus three receptions for 56 and a score.

--Strange day in that neither local team is playing before Sunday night, the Giants in the SNF game hosting the Bengals.

Star rookie receiver Malik Nabers is missing a second straight game with a concussion, which is not a good sign for his future...already.  And Big Blue is without impact defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux, who is out for at least a few weeks following wrist surgery on Wednesday.

--The Steelers said Russell Wilson would be active Sunday as Pittsburgh took on the Raiders in Vegas, but Justin Fields would start at least one more week.

--Thursday night the Seahawks fell to 3-3, after a 3-0 start, 36-24 to the 49ers (3-3).  Geno Smith’s MVP candidacy went up in flames, 30/52, 312, 1-2, 65.5.

Brock Purdy was solid, 18/28, 255, 3-0, 129.3, with San Francisco rushing for 228 yards on 33 carries and a touchdown, rookie Isaac Guerendo with a 76-yard run.

--The Chiefs are in their bye week and Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift went out to dinner Friday night in New York with Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively...two rather powerful couples, in case you needed an “Access Hollywood” fix.

Speaking of A.C., I saw where Mario Lopez got a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame the other day.  Talk about a master of his craft.  Who doesn’t like this guy?  But I digress....

Back to the Chiefs, just to clear up something I wrote last week, that the team was hopeful regarding the status of receiver Rashee Rice and his knee injury, Rice did end up undergoing lateral collateral ligament surgery Tuesday and is now expected to miss the remainder of the season.

There had been some hope he could return before the end of the year...so I stand corrected.

--The New York Times had an extensive piece on the success of the NFL, particularly under commissioner Roger Goodell, but two facts stand out in describing the popularity of the league.

Last year, 93 of the top 100 programs on television were NFL games.  And the number of NFL fans has increased to about 210 million, up from 170 million about a decade ago, according to figures supplied by the league.

Stuff

--In the WNBA Finals, the Minnesota Lynx overcame an 18-point deficit in Game One of their series (best of five) with the New York Liberty, 95-93 in overtime, Breanna Stewart missing a driving layup as time expired that would’ve tied the game.  The league said after that next year, the finals will be best of seven.

I’m posting before Game 2 wraps up.

--Rafael Nadal confirmed he will retire from professional tennis after the Davis Cup Finals in Malaga, Spain this November.

Nadal, 38, won his first professional match aged 15, at a tournament in Spain, and went on to win 22 Grand Slam titles, including 14 French Opens (which we can safely say will never be broken), along with 2 Wimbledons, 2 Australian Opens, and 4 U.S. Open victories.

For 15 years, the action between the Big Three – Nadal, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic – was legendary.  The three have won 66 Grand Slam titles between them (Djokovic 24, Federer 20).

“I feel super, super lucky for all the things I have experienced.  I want to thank the tennis industry and everyone in the sport: my long-term colleagues, especially my great rivals,” he said.

A job well done, Rafa.

--The PGA Tour’s Fall Season continued this week at a new venue, Black Desert Resort in Ivins, Utah.  Looks like a pisser.  But the action won’t be wrapping up until long after I post, so I’ll report on it in my Add-on. That said, as often happens in these fall events, the leaderboard after three rounds was less than scintillating; Matt McCarty, who started the week No. 232 on the points list, in front.  If he closes the deal, he would move up to No. 94 and not only secure his tour card for 2025, he’d have a 2-year exemption as a tour winner.

--No Premier League play this weekend...UEFA Nations League instead, which I don’t follow.

Top 3 songs for the week 10/13/79: #1 “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough” (Michael Jackson) #2 “Rise” (Herb Alpert)  #3 “Sad Eyes” (Robert John)...and...#4 “Sail On” (Commodores...one of their good ones...)  #5 “My Sharona” (The Knack)  #6 “I’ll Never Love This Way Again” (Dionne Warwick)  #7 “Pop Muzik” (M...ugh...)  #8 “Dim All The Lights” (Donna Summer) #9 “Lonesome Loser” (Little River Band)  #10 “After The Love Has Gone” (Earth, Wind & Fire...another super tune from one of the editor’s 5 or 6 top groups all time...)

NFL Quiz Answer: 60,000 career passing yards....

1. Tom Brady...89,214
2. Drew Brees...80,358
3. Peyton Manning...71,940
4. Brett Favre...71,838
5. Ben Roethlisberger...64,088
6. Philip Rivers...63,440
7. Matt Ryan...62,792
8. Dan Marino...61,361
9. Aaron Rodgers...60,148

10. Matthew Stafford...57,285

Quite a time for New York sports fans.

Tonight, the Mets face the Dodgers in Game 1 of the NLCS, while at the same time, the Giants are hosting the Bengals.

Monday, Mets-Dodgers, Game 2, at 4:08 p.m. ET, Guardians-Yankees, Game 1 of the ALCS, at 7:38 p.m., and Bills at the Jets, 8:15 p.m.

Add-on up top by noon, Tuesday.

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