Good morning! Be like Francisco Alvarez today.
Poll Season: It’s time to make your predictions again
We created an official list of Pulse Predictions last year by conducting a series of Pulse polls in the weeks leading up to the NFL season. Today, we bring that vibe back with a straightforward prediction that draws inspiration from Austin Mock’s NFL projection model:
Are the Chiefs really going to three-peat as AFC champs?
Before we get to the choice, let’s briefly break down both sides:
- Yes, they have the finest coach in the league, the best quarterback, and a strong defense. They did not have enough receivers to win the Super Bowl, but they have since improved that area. The celebrities have solid contracts signed. To be honest, this may be a simple decision.
- No, the AFC is unbelievably good outside of Kansas City. Baltimore will once more be prosperous. Houston and Cincinnati will also. Buffalo and Miami both possess the talent to win it. Over the past two seasons, the Chiefs have participated in 41 games. Three-peats are difficult.
See the complete list here. According to Austin’s model, Kansas City will lead the AFC in victories (11.3), followed by Baltimore and Cincinnati with 10.2 projected wins apiece.
But what I want to know: Can anyone beat them in the playoffs? Your choice is simple:
- Chiefs win the AFC.
- Somebody else does.
Quick Snaps: Yes, Jayden, you are the starter
During this time, NFL quarterbacks dominate our news cycles. Four popular routes from the previous day:
Moving on:
News to Know
Riley out 6-8 weeks
A test conducted yesterday revealed that Braves star third baseman Austin Riley broke his hand on Sunday after being hit by a fastball that clocked him at 97 mph. As David O’Brien showed, this team has been devastated by injuries, and Riley’s absence will probably force Atlanta to forfeit its six-game winning streak in the NL East.
Cherilus arrested for bizarre flight incident
A plane headed for Dublin was forced to turn around and return to Boston after former NFL offensive lineman Gosder Cherilus allegedly peed on another passenger during a transatlantic flight, according to multiple reports. Cherilus later tweeted an apology, attributing his alleged behavior to a sleep medication he does not “normally use.” Read our full report here.
More news
- Argentina’s September matches included Lionel Messi absent due to his injury sustained during the Copa America.
- Rodrigo Bentancur of Tottenham is “awake and communicative” following his frightening head injury sustained yesterday against Leicester City.
- Online leaks of the Blackhawks’ retro Winter Classic jerseys have me wanting to purchase one.
- After seeing positive results in the preseason with its new kickoff structure, the NFL is willing to make more changes to the rules. For it all.
Weird and Wild: The guy who changed teams mid at-bat
Paul Rutherford / Getty Images
I am fascinated by unusual happenings in the sports world, and Jayson Stark, who rightly writes a weekly column titled “Weird and Wild,” is the master of unusual baseball events. The edition this week may be the craziest yet.
There is a ton of amazing material in the column, but this Danny Jansen story will always stick with me:
- On June 26, while Jansen was playing catcher for the Blue Jays against the Red Sox, inclement weather prompted a postponement. Normal stuff. The teams will play again on Monday of next week.
- The catch, er, is that Toronto later traded Jansen to Boston. Jansen would be the first major league player to ever suit up for both teams in the same game if he plays. Crazy! Strange!
- Hold on, how would this operate?The Sox are likely to want Jansen to play catcher, thus Toronto will have to formally remove him from the game.In summary: Technically, Jansen would move from hitter to catcher in the middle of an at-bat.
God, I really must have this.For more, including a ton of other fascinating baseball time-travel trivia, see Jayson’s complete article. Real story: Prior to making his Major League debut, Juan Soto once hit a home run in a game. Everything is contained there.
Watch This Game
MLB: Phillies at Braves7:20 p.m. ET on TBS
Tonight’s baseball doubleheader is going to be great. The first is this game, in which Atlanta is trying to hang on to a wild-card place without Riley while Philly just wants to go back to its best as the MLB. This season, the Braves have also defeated the Phillies 4-2.
MLB: Mariners at Dodgers10:10 p.m. ET on MLB Network
Only three games ahead in the NL West are the ridiculously costly powerhouse that is the Dodgers. In the AL West, the Mariners are five games behind. Here, a great deal is at stake.
Pulse Picks
Pitcher Justin Verlander is maybe the best of his generation and a lock to go into the Hall of Fame. However, the “gangly goofball” at Old Dominion University was a brazen freshman who rose to fame despite some antics along the way.
Pitcher Justin Verlander is maybe the best of his generation and a lock to go into the Hall of Fame. However, the “gangly goofball” at Old Dominion University was a brazen freshman who rose to fame despite some antics along the way.
Why is not Olympic athlete Gabby Williams a WNBA player? The problem is more complex than a simple decision, as Sabreena Merchant explained.
From No. 1 to No. 134, Chris Vannini ranked every FBS college football team. View his complete list by clicking this link. Later on this week, there will be more.
Hailey Salvian shared an intriguing piece about the Penguins front office’s promotion of 32-year-old Amanda Kessel, raising questions about Kessel’s future as one of the best women’s hockey players in the world.
You can read more about our newest department, which is dedicated to collectibles and memorabilia, here. I really enjoyed their first account of how the rookie card rose in value. as well as the non-rookie card that initiated the fashion.
Yesterday’s newsletter with the most clicks was Jim Trotter’s piece about the Michael Oher story, which you should read if you missed it.
Why the Pirates might be tempted to shut down Paul Skenes early was yesterday’s most popular article on the website. Ahh.
The Athletic network’s top podcast: Scoop Sean Payton, the head coach of the Broncos, who may have the most fascinating rookie quarterback on his squad, checked in with City. Visit Amazon Music to listen without any ads.
(Top photo: Kara Durrette / Getty Images)
