ECHL: Florida Everblades Celebrate Championship with 2-0 Win over Jacksonville Icemen

By Dave Montrose 

FORT MYERS - The banner went up. And then it was back to work.

The Florida Everblades celebrated their 2022 Kelly Cup championship on Saturday night with a banner-raising ceremony before beating the Jacksonville Icemen 2-0 in their 2022-23 home opener.

For the ceremony, John McCarron and Nathan Perkovich, two players from the championship squad that retired in the offseason, brought out the Kelly Cup trophy and put it on a table set up at one end of the ice. After some words from president and general manager Craig Brush, the current players who were on that team gathered around as the banner slowly rose to the rafters between the U.S. and Canadian flags.

"I was happy for all the players and fans just to kind of relive it a little bit," Everblades coach Brad Ralph said. "I thought the team did a great job with all the videos and presentation. It was a nice way to start this season off and remember all the great memories from last year."

It took about two minutes for the banner to reach the top. It took about that long for the fighting to start once the game began.

Florida forward Michael Neville drew a whistle for boarding after he crashed into Jacksonville forward Matt Salhany. Jacksonville players responded with a scuffle. Neville ended up with both a 5-minute major and a 10-minute game misconduct penalty for the offense.

 Blake Winiecki as well as Jacksonville's Garret Cockerill and Ara Nazarian also got 2-minute roughing penalties for the incident.

"The league will review it and decide if it's a suspendable act," Ralph said.

Neville's ejection forced the Everblades to adapt to having one of their key forward lines be short a man. The Icemen had the upper hand offensively for a time, controlling the offensive flow for the first 10 minutes of the game.

But goalie Cam Johnson was game. After being roughed up and giving up four goals last weekend in the opener at Atlanta, he responded by stopping all nine first-period shots. He went on to make 28 saves to complete the shutout.

"We all what Cam can do," Ralph said. "He wasn't happy with his performance. To his credit, he responded in a huge way. I thought he was phenomenal. He's a very calming presence and made some huge saves to keep it 0-0 until we could get some run support for him. He was awesome. He's a leader on this team, and shows it in many different ways."

At one point, Johnson was perhaps a little too game. Four minutes into the game, Jacksonville forward Zach Jordan crashed into him, triggering a goaltender interference penalty. Rookie defenseman Robert Calisti protected Johnson by shoving Jordan away. Then Johnson himself got involved before officials broke it up.

"I'd prefer that Cam stay in his crease, to be honest," Ralph said.

All told, there were 18 infractions in the first period between the teams for 51 penalty minutes, showing no love lost between the in-state rivals.

"No doubt," Ralph said. "Last year, they were a rival team. We swept them in the playoffs, so you know they were coming back to try to settle the score. I was proud of our group that we handled the physical side of it early."

Play became more conventional in the second period as the Everblades adjusted. Both Everblades goals came in the second, and both were assisted by the same two forwards, Dominic Franco and Cam Morrison.

"We've had a lot of injuries and a lot of issues pop up in the last couple of weeks," Ralph said. "That was a new line that we formed this week. There's a lot of American (Hockey) League experience on that line."

Defenseman Cole Moberg, who split time between the Orlando Solar Bears and the AHL San Jose Barracuda last year, scored his first goal as an Everblade in the ninth minute.

Morrison took a pass at the blue line and fired off a shot that rebounded off Jacksonville goalie Parker Gahagen. Franco took the rebound around the back of the net and passed it up to Moberg in the slot, who hit a one-timer past Gahagen's glove.

Defenseman Brandon Hickey, who spent his first four professional seasons with four AHL teams, got his first ECHL goal in the 18th minute. This time Franco, as he crossed the blue line, passed the puck to Morrison on his left. Morrison skated up into the left faceoff circle and passed it back. Hickey was skating up into the slot, and took a one-time shot that also went past Gahagen's glove.

"Full marks to our D," Ralph said. "I thought they were phenomenal in every facet of the game, including offensively. By design, we're heavy on our back end, and it paid off tonight."

The Everblades (2-1) will host the Icemen (2-2) again next weekend in a two-game series, Friday night at 7:30 and Saturday night at 7.

This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News.

Jaguars: Key Interception Triggers Denver Win, 21-17

By Aric DiLalla

Lead writer/Broncos.com

LONDON — When General Manager George Paton met the media this week, he said the Broncos were still learning how to win.

At least for one week, in front of a record-setting crowd at Wembley Stadium, the Broncos showed signs they're getting closer to finding that elusive formula.

Latavius Murray scored a go-ahead touchdown with 1:43 to play, and K'Waun Williams' interception and a strong defensive performance did the rest as Denver rallied from a 10-0 deficit to earn a 21-17 win over the Jaguars and improve to 3-5 on the season.

The Broncos' trip to London did not solve all of their woes, as the offense continued to struggle early and the defense allowed Travis Etienne Jr. to rush for more than 150 yards.

In a change from previous weeks, though, the Broncos made the plays that winners make. After they surrendered a 14-10 lead late in the fourth quarter, QB Russell Wilson found KJ Hamler for a 47-yard pass on the go-ahead drive and later scrambled for a first down on third-and-5. Murray rushed into the end zone with 1:43 to play, and Williams picked off Trevor Lawrence to secure the win.

The Broncos' defense, as always, did enough to give the team a chance. Despite Jacksonville's rushing success, Denver allowed just 17 points — and seven of those points came on a short field following a Wilson interception on Denver's second drive.

The Broncos trailed 7-0 and appeared to be heading into a 14-0 hole when the Jaguars faced a first-and-goal from the Denver 1-yard line early in the second quarter.

With the way the offense looked early in the game — the unit did not pick up its first first down until later in the second quarter — the Broncos appeared in danger if the Jaguars took a two-touchdown lead.

Justin Simmons made sure that didn't happen.

On the next snap, Lawrence rolled to his right and fired a high pass into the end zone. Simmons leapt into the air and snagged the ball to keep Jacksonville off the board.

While the Broncos did not turn the next offensive possession into points, it still represented a big momentum shift and kept the Jaguars' lead in check. Denver still needed to make plenty of other plays in the game — including on the final offensive possession — but that Simmons interception felt particularly important.

Entering their Week 8 game, the Broncos had scored just five points in the third quarter this season — and that included two points that were earned on a safety.

That changed on Sunday, as Denver scored its first third-quarter touchdown of the season. Denver took over on its own 2-yard line on that drive and relied on three big catches by Greg Dulcich to move into Jacksonville territory.

Melvin Gordon III punched the ball in from the 1-yard line to cap the drive and give the Broncos the lead.

SEC: Georgia Hall of Fame Coach Vince Dooley Passes Away at 90

 ATHENS, Ga, – Vince Dooley, a 1994 College Football Hall of Fame inductee and the legendary coach at Georgia from 1964-1988, passed away Oct. 28, He was 90.

Vince Dooley’s fame spreads across two states. Growing up in Mobile, Alabama, he attended Auburn University; was captain of the football team; and was an Auburn assistant coach for eight years.

In December 1963, at age 32, Dooley moved to the University of Georgia. There, he was sometimes head football coach, sometimes director of athletics, sometimes both. He performed at the top level everywhere. No wonder, then, that he has been elected to both the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame and the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame.

The winningest football coach in Georgia history, Coach Dooley amassed a 201-77-10 record during his 25 seasons leading the Bulldog program. His teams appeared in 20 bowls, claimed six SEC titles and the 1980 national championship. He was named NCAA National Coach of the Year by every major poll in 1980, and he was named SEC Coach of the Year seven times and NCAA District Coach of the Year on six occasions.

From 1980-83, his Georgia teams had a four-year streak with a record of 43-4-1. In 1979, he added director of athletics to his responsibilities, continuing in that position after finishing his coaching career in 1988. He coached six College Football Hall of Fame inductees, a Heisman Trophy winner, a Maxwell Award Winner, an Outland Award Winner, and 40 First Team All-Americans.

The Dooley record shows a strong regard for academics. Among his football players, seven were recognized as NFF National Scholar-Athletes; 10 claimed Academic All-America laurels; 11 won NCAA post-graduate scholarships; and 77 earned Academic All-SEC recognition. In recognition of his commitment to academics, a group of his supporters and former University of Georgia players recently endowed a prestigious NFF National Scholar-Athlete Award in his name.

During his 25 years (1979-2004) as athletics director, he built a program that included 18 teams in men’s and women’s sports, and the Georgia teams won 23 national championships (10 in his final six years), including an unprecedented four during the 1998-99 year (gymnastics, women’s swimming & diving, men’s tennis, and men’s golf). Also during his tenure, Georgia athletic teams won 78 SEC team championships and numerous individual national titles in both men’s and women’s sports.

Dooley was instrumental in fostering the pledge which has resulted in $2 million being contributed by the Athletic Association to the University in 1985 — the principal being used for non-athletic scholarships and the interest used in the recruitment of top students and other non-athletic programs. These funds also provided private matching money which made possible the construction of the chemistry building expansion and the Performing and Visual Arts Center. And as part of the University’s Third Century Campaign, he also initiated the Vincent J. Dooley Library Endowment Fund which was created with Coach Dooley’s personal gift of $100,000 to the University library. Under his leadership, the Fund raised over $2.3 million and had a fund balance of almost $4 million in 2005 — the fifth largest out of the more than 1,000 endowments held by the UGA Foundation.

He received numerous national honors, including the John Wooden Citizen Cup Award for his positive influence on the lives of others, the Bear Bryant Lifetime Achievement Award for excellence in coaching both on and off the field during his career, and the Duffy Daugherty Memorial Award for his contributions to amateur football. He was also the recipient of numerous awards for his service as director of athletics, including in 2004 both the prestigious NFF John L. Toner Award and the James J. Corbett Memorial Award presented annually by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA).

In 2001, he was named recipient of the Amos Alonzo Stagg Award from American Football Coaches Association presented for lifetime contributions to the sport of football. In 2004, he was inducted into the UGA Circle of Honor and on Jan. 1, 2019, he was inducted into the Sugar Bowl Hall of Fame. His contributions to the university were recognized in 2008 with the dedication of the Vince Dooley Athletic Complex. A statue and garden commemorate his accomplishments along with the naming of all of the south campus athletic facilities in his honor. In 2019, Georgia named the Sanford Stadium field in his honor—Dooley Field at Sanford Stadium.

His contributions to coaching and athletics administration are significantly defined by his place as the only person ever to hold the presidency of both the American Football Coaches Association and the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics. He served on the National Football Foundation Honors Court from 1997 to 2002 as part of the elite group who annually selects the College Football Hall of Fame inductees.

His community service and charity work was extensive and included work with the Heart Fund, Multiple Sclerosis, Juvenile Diabetes, Boy Scouts, and the homeless, and he was a former member of the Advisory Board of the Salvation Army. He served 28 years as the long-standing chairman of the Georgia Easter Seals Society and in 1987 was named National Volunteer of the Year for his service. He served six years on the Advisory Committee to the Atlanta Olympic Organizing Committee and was in Tokyo with his former player, ACOG president Billy Payne, when Atlanta won the bid to host the 1996 Games. Dooley was selected as a torch bearer in the 1996 Summer Olympics torch relay, receiving the flame from Payne in Sanford Stadium.

He maintained his academic and continuing education interests by auditing classes at the University in such disciplines as history, political science, art history, and horticulture. A prolific writer, he authored several books, including two editions of Dooley’s Dawgs (with Loran Smith); My 40 Years at Georgia (with Tony Barnhart); three editions of Dooley’s Playbook: The 34 Most Memorable Plays in Georgia Football History, including the 2021 National Championship edition; Dooley’s Garden: A Horticultural Journey of a Football Coach; History and Reminiscences of the University of Georgia; and The Legion’s Fighting Bulldog: The Civil War Correspondence of William Gaston Delony, Lieutenant Colonel of Cobb’s Georgia Legion Cavalry, and Rosa Delony, 1853-1863.

Dooley was born into an athletic family in the Alabama coastal city of Mobile, Sept. 4, 1932. His younger brother Bill, former head football coach at North Carolina, Virginia Tech, and Wake Forest, was an All-SEC guard at Mississippi State in 1954. After graduating from McGill High in Mobile, Dooley accepted a football scholarship to Auburn, where he was an all-star football and basketball player. He received his Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management (1954) and Masters in History (1963). After serving in the Marines as an officer for two years and eight years in the Reserves, he took a job as an assistant coach at Auburn.

University of Georgia Athletics Contributed to this article.

Moeller: Jaguars, Etienne Look to Run to Daylight in London

By Jeff Moeller

A year ago, there were big hopes for Travis Etienne.

He and Trevor Lawernce were going to be the Jaguars’ new one-two offensive punch. They already had a tight link from their days at Clemson.

Etienne was the Jags’ second first-round pick in 2021 with Lawrence. He was viewed as a steal in most football circles, and one who could make an immediate impact.

Unfortunately, like most of his teammates, Etienne’s optimistic outlook suddenly soured. He suffered a season-ending foot injury in the preseason. It was just one sign in many that cast a dark shadow over the Jags’ season.

A year later, everyone waited in anticipation to see what Etienne would do this season. The preseason vibes were strong, and the Jags realized they had their breakaway back to complement workhorse James Robinson.

Seven weeks into the season, those hopes for Etienne have become a reality. He is now the Jags’ lead back with the trading of Robinson to the Jets a few days back.

The Robinson trade should raise some eyebrows. He didn’t have a touch in the team’s loss to the Giants. However, he did gain 54 yards against the Colts two weeks ago when Etienne racked up 86. Robison had 100 yards on 17 carries in the win over the Chargers, but he never was quite the same after that performance.

Jags’ officials stated that he experienced knee soreness. This was the back they enthusiastically waited to return to full health from his Achilles injury at the end of last season. He had a breakthrough rookie season in 2020, topping the 1,000-yard mark.

But the scene has changed as the Jags get ready to tangle with Denver in London Sunday. It is now Etienne’s show. He has sold Jags’ officials, notably with an impressive 114-yard effort against the Giants last week. The combination of speed, balance, and elusiveness apparently is the real deal.

The 23-year-old who is truly in his rookie season is the Jags’ new workhorse. Etienne is likely to get between 15 to 20 carries per game, and he’ll get his share of passes out of the backfield as well.

His ability to remain upright while shedding tackles and freezing defenders with a juke and a hop easily can remind anyone of a small version of Saquon Barkley. Etienne isn’t likely to have Barkley’s 1,307 rushing yards and 91 receptions for 729, but his 415 rushing yards and nine receptions for 100 yards is enough for the Jags. His receiving numbers are bound to increase.

Etienne’s elevated status also is a sign of the Jaguars’ new approach in their new climate under head coach Doug Pederson. They aren’t afraid to take a chance and move their agenda forward.

He’ll look for another breakout game against a Denver run defense that is ranked 15th and has allowed an average of 112.3 yards per contest. They gave up 155 against the Jets last week. The Broncos also will have Russell Wilson back in the fold.

At 2-5, the Jags are faced with a “must-win” situation Sunday morning in Wembley Stadium - a place once believed to be the Jags’ new home - if they are to gain some more traction in their slow climb toward overall respectability.

And Etienne is the latest one to help lead the charge. Those once hopes for Etienne are now a stark reality and an integral part of the major rebuild.

NFL Recap: New York Giants 23, Jacksonville Jaguars 17

(SportsDay photo by Nancy Beecher/Florida Sports Wire)

 JACKSONVILLE (Florida Sports Wire) – New York quarterback Daniel Jones lunged over from the one with 5:31 to play as the Giants (6-1) came from behind to defeat Jacksonville (2-5) 23-17 Sunday afternoon.

A Saquon Barkley 11-yard run, aided by a pass interference and too many men on the field call in the 79-yard winning drive, put the ball on the one. Barkley ran for 110 yards.

Jones was 19 of 30 passing for 202 yards. He rushed for 107.

Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence dove from the one-yard line to give Jacksonville a17-13 lead with 11:45 to play in the third quarter. 

The TD drive was highlighted by a 49-yard run by Travis Etienne. Etienne ran for 114 yards.

Lawrence was 22 of 43 passing for 310 yards. Christian Kirk caught seven passes for 96 yards. 

With 3:26 to play in the first half New York drove 65 yards following an Etienne fumble. Graham Gano connected on a 32-yard field goal. His third field goal of the game, a 34-yarder, ended the scoring.

Riley Patterson began the second quarter with a 27-yard field goal to increase the Jaguars’ lead to 11-7.

The Giants responded with a Gano 33-yard field goal.

Patterson’s opening kickoff went into the end zone and the Giants started on their 25. New York struck first on a nine-play, 75-yard drive.

Jones threw a 32-yard TD pass to Darius Slayton for a 7-0 lead with 10:21 to play in first quarter.

Jones was 6 of 7 passing on the TD drive.

The Jaguars drove 70 yards on their first possession to make it 8-7. Etienne’s seven-yard TD run followed by a run up the middle for two gave Jacksonville their one-point lead.

A Giants’ penalty for illegal formation on the extra point kick set up the two-point conversion.

Lawrence was 3 for 3 for 48 yards on their first scoring drive

Game Notes: The Jaguars were driving late in the second quarter when Etienne fumbled at the NY 10 for the first turnover of the game… the Jaguars made a defensive stop on a fourth and one in the third quarter…an interception by Jacksonville’s Devin Lloyd was negated by a roughing the passer call… the Giants made a stop on fourth and one at their 21with11:25 to play in the final quarter… it was the Jaguars fourth straight loss.

---Mike Bonts

Moeller: Jacksonville Jaguars Appear to be at Half-Full, Half-Empty Stage

By Jeff Moeller

SportsDay Columnist

The loss in Philadelphia hurt and left a stinging sensation.

You can blame some of it one the rain. But the Jags’ defense couldn’t slow nor stop the Eagles’ running game.

 The home loss against Houston left everyone a little numb and the second-guessing began. How good is this team?

The latest loss in Indianapolis left everyone in shock. How could the Jags allow it to slip away? This time, the Jaguars’ pass defense couldn’t stop the Indianapolis passing game from which quarterback Matt Ryan 42 of 58 attempts for 398 yards, the 32-yard game winner with 17 seconds left.

Defensive back Shaquill Griffin can be blamed for falling down on his single coverage on the play, but it wasn’t one person’s fault.

That was a further reminder of how growth pains can be frustrating.

The Jags once had a 14-3 lead and appeared ready to open up the game..but they didn’t.

Ouch. They haven’t learned how to finish consistently. We’re at the half-full, half-empty stage.

Now the Jags (2-4) will come back to TIAA field with a sudden three-game losing streak facing a streaking New York Giants team that has been the talk of the league with their 5-1 record. The Giants, who have won three in a row, recently pulling out a win in the final minutes at home over Baltimore.

The once rising expectations of a legitimate shot at making a run at the division and possibly a playoff run have taken a nosedive.

Yet, you shouldn’t give up hope and think the new plan has to be scrapped.  Yes, the once pie=dream thoughts of a division run, and a playoff bid has lost much of its flame. 

New head coach Doug Pederson didn’t buy into all the early hype. He saw the big picture in a long-range plan. A five-or six-win 2022 season isn’t a bad situation.

Pederson has kept it in perspective

“I’m still confident in this group,” Pederson said. “When you put the tape on, it’s about us; it’s about what we do and sometimes about what we don’t do.

“We’ve got a group of guys who want to get it fixed. That’s the encouraging part.”

Pederson is right. This group of Jaguars really do want to get it fixed. In their first six games, they certainly have shown the initiative.

We may have forgotten or overlooked Jags’ quarterback Trevor Lawrence had a 20-for-22 , 165-yard, one touchdown pass and two rushing touchdowns performance against Indianapolis. The loss easily overshadowed a stellar showing.

Lawrence has an impressive 133-203, 1,397 yards, nine touchdown, four interception slate for the year. Looking closer, though, Lawrence is 56-for-92, 625 yards with three touchdowns and three interceptions in October.

That latter stat is a reflection and a reminder of where this team is.

Again, you can look at the progress of running backs Travis Etinne and James Robinson as well as receivers Christian Kirk, Zay Jones, and tight end Evan Engram. Linebackers Devin Lloyd and Foyesade Oluokan are both having All-Pro seasons.

On the flip side, the pass and run defense has incurred some serious scratches on the exterior.

So, how does this inconsistent team stay close to the Giants Sunday? We shall see. They do play with more intensity at home and will need to turn the nob a little higher.

However, take the path of Pederson. For the time being, we can’t get too high or too low with this team.

NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs Return to Miami This Weekend

(Florida Sports Wire) – For the first-time since 2019, the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs return to Homestead-Miami Speedway for this Sunday’s Dixie Vodka 400 at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBC, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90).

Team Penske’s Joey Logano is the first driver to earn a spot in the Championship 4 Round with his victory last weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, leaving three positions still up for grabs but only two chances left to secure them.

This season (2022) will be the 17th year Homestead-Miami Speedway has hosted a NASCAR Cup Series Playoff race (2004-2019, 2022).

The 2022 season marks the first-time the second race in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs Round of 8 has been hosted by Homestead-Miami Speedway (Race No. 34 of the season and eighth of the postseason). Homestead-Miami Speedway (2022) is the fourth different track to host the eighth race in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs; joining Phoenix Raceway (one race: 2004), Texas Motor Speedway (16 races: 2005-2020), and Kansas Speedway (one race: 2021).

Prior to the 2022 season, Homestead-Miami Speedway hosted the season finale race of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs from 2004-2019 (16 races).

A total of 11 different drivers have won the NASCAR Cup Series Playoff races at Homestead-Miami Speedway, led by Greg Biffle with three postseason victories in South Beach (2004-2006). Denny Hamlin (2009, 2013) and Kyle Busch (2015, 2019) lead all active NASCAR Cup Series drivers in victories in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoff races at Homestead-Miami Speedway with two postseason wins each.

NHL Recap: Philadelphia Flyers 3, Tampa Bay Lightning 2

By Jacob Lynn @TBLightning

Leading on the back of a pair of Steven Stamkos power play tallies, the Lightning allowed three unanswered Philadelphia goals over the final 21 minutes of play and fell 3-2 in their home opener at AMALIE Arena on Tuesday.

It was smooth sailing for Tampa Bay through most of the first two periods. The Bolts led 2-0 courtesy of Stamkos’ fifth and sixth goals of the season, but Scott Laughton got the Flyers on the board late in the second when he pounced on a juicy rebound.

Philadelphia quickly knotted the game at two at 1:06 of the third on a James van Reimsdyk power play goal before Noah Cates scored the eventual game-winner with less than eight minutes remaining in regulation.

The loss drops Tampa Bay to 1-3-0 on the season.

After opening the year against four-straight Metropolitan Division opponents, the Bolts get their first Atlantic Division matchup on Friday when they travel to Sunrise to face the Panthers.

Orlando City SC Bows Out of Audi 2022 MLS Cup Playoffs with Loss at Montréal

MONTRÉAL (Florida Sports Wire) – No. 7 Orlando City SC fell 2-0 to No. 2 CF Montréal on Sunday evening, with the loss knocking the Lions out of play in the Audi 2022 MLS Cup Playoffs.

The defeat brings one of Orlando’s most successful seasons to a close, with the team securing its first hardware of its MLS era earlier in the year, when they lifted the 2022 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup trophy.

The Lions had a handful of chances in the first half, but each opportunity went just over the frame and after a feisty first half, the two sides entered the locker rooms even.

However, it was the home side who broke through in the second 45, with Ismaël Koné netting the game-winner in the 68th minute before Djordje Mihailovic added the insurance with a stoppage-time penalty goal.

Midfielder Júnior Urso recorded his 100th appearance across all competitions for the Lions with his start, with all coming in an Orlando kit.

NFL: Notes from Sunday’s Early and Late Afternoon Games

Three teams each overcame a 10-point deficit and recorded a game-winning touchdown within the final two minutes of regulation in Week 6:

The CINCINNATI BENGALS overcame a 10-point deficit to defeat New Orleans, 30-26, as quarterback JOE BURROW connected with wide receiver JA’MARR CHASE for a game-winning 60-yard touchdown with 1:57 remaining. It marked the first game-winning touchdown of 60-or-more yards within the final two minutes of regulation or in overtime since Week 14, 2018 (KENYAN DRAKE – 69-yard touchdown).

The INDIANAPOLIS COLTS overcame an 11-point deficit to defeat Jacksonville, 34-27, as quarterback MATT RYAN found wide receiver ALEC PIERCE for a game-winning 32-yard touchdown with 17 seconds remaining, Pierce’s first career touchdown.

The NEW YORK GIANTS overcame a 10-point deficit to defeat Baltimore, 24-20, as running back SAQUON BARKLEY rushed for the game-winning touchdown with 1:43 remaining. 

The Giants, who also overcame second-half deficits of 10-or-more points to win in both Week 1 and Week 5, are the fourth team ever to record three such wins within their first six games of a season, joining the 1993 PHILADELPHIA EAGLES, 1981 CINCINNATI BENGALS and 1980 MIAMI DOLPHINS.

The BUFFALO BILLS also recorded a game-winning touchdown inside the final two minutes of regulation in Week 6, as quarterback JOSH ALLEN connected with tight end DAWSON KNOX for a 14-yard touchdown with 64 seconds remaining.

With two games yet to be completed in Week 6, there have been 23 games decided by a game-winning touchdown within the final two minutes of regulation or in overtime this season, the third-most such games in the first six weeks of a season all-time. Only 2021 (25 games) and 2012 (24) have more.

There have been 18 games in which a team overcame a deficit of at least 10 points to win or tie this season, tied for the fourth-most such games through Week 6 all-time. Only 2020 (19 games), 2011 (19) and 1987 (19) have more.

Ten of 12 games (83.3 percent) that have been completed in Week 6 have been within one score (eight points) in the fourth quarter. There have been 72 games within one score (eight points) in the fourth quarter and 56 games decided by one score (eight points), both the most such games through the first six weeks in NFL history.

New England defeated Cleveland, 38-15, as rookie quarterback BAILEY ZAPPE passed for 309 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions and a 118.4 rating in the win.

Patriots head coach BILL BELICHICK has 324 combined regular-season and postseason wins, tied with Pro Football Hall of Famer GEORGE HALAS (324) for the second-most wins by a head coach all-time. Only Pro Football Hall of Famer DON SHULA (347 combined regular-season and postseason wins) has more.

Zappe, who recorded a 100 passer rating in his first career start in Week 5, is the third rookie quarterback in the Super Bowl era to record a passer rating of 100-or-higher in each of his first two career starts, joining Pro Football Hall of Famer DAN MARINO (1983) and ANDY DALTON (2011).

Buffalo quarterback JOSH ALLEN passed for 329 yards and three touchdowns in the Bills’ 24-20 win at Kansas City.

Allen has 12 career games with at least 300 passing yards and three touchdown passes, tied with ANDREW LUCK (12 games) for the fourth-most such games by a player in his first five seasons in NFL history. Only PATRICK MAHOMES (19) and Pro Football Hall of Famers DAN MARINO (19) and KURT WARNER (17) have more.

Kansas City quarterback PATRICK MAHOMES passed for 338 yards and two touchdowns while tight end TRAVIS KELCE registered eight receptions for 108 yards on Sunday.

Mahomes has 33 career games with at least 300 passing yards and surpassed Pro Football Hall of Famer DAN MARINO (32 games) for the most such games by a player in his first six seasons in NFL history. He has 168 career touchdown passes and surpassed Pro Football Hall of Famer PEYTON MANNING (167 touchdown passes) for the second-most touchdown passes by a player in his first six season in NFL history. Only Pro Football Hall of Famer DAN MARINO (196 touchdown passes) has more.

Kelce has 31 career games with at least 100 receiving yards, tied with Pro Football Hall of Famer TONY GONZALEZ (31 games) for the second-most such games by a tight end in NFL history. Only ROB GRONKOWSKI (32 games) has more.

Indianapolis quarterback MATT RYAN passed for 389 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions for a 107.6 rating in the Colts’ 34-27 win over Jacksonville.

Ryan has 30 career games with at least 350 passing yards, surpassing PHILIP RIVERS (29 games) for the fifth-most such games in NFL history. Only DREW BREES (63 games), TOM BRADY (56), BEN ROETHLISBERGER (36) and Pro Football Hall of Famer PEYTON MANNING (35) have more.

Ryan has 61,500 career passing yards and surpassed Pro Football Hall of Famer DAN MARINO (61,361 passing yards) for the seventh-most passing yards in NFL history.

Atlanta quarterback MARCUS MARIOTA completed 13 of 14 pass attempts (92.9 percent) and had three touchdowns (two passing, one rushing) in the Falcons’ 28-14 win over San Francisco.

Mariota is the third player in NFL history to record at least two touchdown passes, one rushing touchdown and a completion percentage of 90-or-higher (minimum 10 attempts) in a single game, joining RYAN FITZPATRICK (September 24, 2020) and FRANK RYAN (December 12, 1964)

Los Angeles Rams wide receiver COOPER KUPP registered seven receptions and 97 scrimmage yards (80 receiving, 17 rushing) in the team’s 24-10 win over Carolina.

Kupp has 56 receptions this season, the second-most receptions by a player in his team’s first six games of a season in NFL history, trailing only ADAM THIELEN (58 receptions in 2018).

Carolina running back CHRISTIAN MCCAFFREY recorded seven receptions and 158 scrimmage yards (89 receiving, 69 rushing) on Sunday.

Mccaffrey has 24 career games with at least 50 rushing yards and 50 receiving yards, surpassing TIKI BARBER (23 games) and Pro Football Hall of Famer LADAINIAN TOMLINSON (23) for the second-most such games all-time. Only Pro Football Hall of Famer MARSHALL FAULK (41 games) has more.

Mccaffrey and New Orleans running back ALVIN KAMARA (six catches in Week 6) each have 390 receptions since entering the NFL in 2017 and surpassed Pro Football Hall of Famer MARSHALL FAULK (384 receptions) for the third-most receptions by a running back in his first six career seasons in NFL history. Only ROGER CRAIG (434 receptions) and Pro Football Hall of Famer LADAINIAN TOMLINSON (398) have more.

Minnesota wide receiver ADAM THIELEN recorded his second touchdown reception of the season in the Vikings’ 24-16 win at Miami.

Thielen has 51 career touchdown receptions, surpassing WES WELKER (50 touchdown receptions) for the third-most by an undrafted player in the common-draft era. Only ANTONIO GATES (116) and ROD SMITH (68) have more.

Miami wide receiver TYREEK HILL had 12 receptions for 177 yards on Sunday.

Hill, who had 11 receptions for 190 yards in Week 2 and 10 receptions for 160 yards in Week 4, is the first player in NFL history to record at least 10 receptions and 150 receiving yards in three of his team’s first six games of a season.

Hill has eight career games with at least 10 receptions and 150 receiving yards, surpassing Pro Football Hall of Famer CALVIN JOHNSON (seven games) and JULIO JONES (seven) for the most such games by a player in his first seven seasons all-time.

Other notable performances from Sunday include:

New York Jets rookie cornerback SAUCE GARDNER registered two passes defensed in the team’s 27-10 win at Green Bay.

Gardner joins DESMOND TRUFANT (2013) as the only players since 2000 to record at least one pass defensed in each of his first six career games.

Seattle rookie cornerback TARIQ WOOLEN registered an interception and a fumble recovery in the Seahawks’ 19-9 win over Arizona.

Woolen is the first rookie since 1970 to record both an interception and opponent fumble recovery in consecutive games.

Woolen has recorded an interception in each of the past four weeks and is the third rookie since 2000 with an interception in at least four consecutive games, joining JAIRUS BYRD (five consecutive games in 2009) and JOE HADEN (four consecutive games in 2010).

(Content compiled and written by the National Football League)

Stankevitz: Colts Score 34 Points, Get Measure of Revenge Against Jaguars

 By JJ Stankevitz

Colts.com Writer

Maybe one of these weeks the Colts won’t need Matt Ryan to lead a fourth-quarter comeback to earn a victory. But while they have one of the most prolific, reliable late-game playmakers in NFL history – in a parity-fueled league where one-score games are the norm – it sure pays to have Matty Ice on your side, right?

Ryan put an exclamation point on the 37th game winning drive (fourth all-time) and 44th fourth quarter comeback (sixth all-time) of his career on Sunday with a 32-yard touchdown strike to rookie wide receiver Alec Pierce with 23 seconds left, netting the Colts a 34-27 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium.

“I say it every week, he’s unflappable,” head coach Frank Reich said. “He wants the ball in his hands. He’s at his best, makes his best throws, his best decisions. He’s done that for 15 years. I mean, there’s something – there’s something wired in his DNA that’s just different in that way.”

The Colts were in a position to win a high-scoring game against a Jaguars team that shut them out, 24-0, in Week 2, though, because of the plays Ryan and the offense made over the 59 1/2 minutes before Pierce Mossed cornerback Shaquill Griffin for his first career touchdown.

Ryan completed a career high 42 passes as the Colts’ offense on the accelerator and went up-tempo at times against a Jaguars front that looked gassed as the afternoon progressed. And the Colts’ offensive line, which allowed five sacks in Week 2, kept Ryan upright throughout the day – for the first time in 2022, Ryan was not sacked.

The Colts emphasized tempo in practice this week not only to neutralize Jacksonville’s front-seven gremlins – like Josh Allen and Travon Walker – but to dictate the game on offense. Accelerating the pace of the game and having Ryan complete so many passes while doing so kept the Jaguars from subbing on defense, leading to tired pass rushers and advantageous matchups for the passing game.

Ryan’s average time to throw was a season-low 2.37 seconds, per Pro Football Focus, and he completed 72 percent of his passes.

“It was a good change of pace for us,” Ryan said. “I thought we played with good tempo – used the speed when we needed it, but also we were able to check out of some things and get into some looks that we wanted to get into. I thought Frank did a great job calling it today.”

Most importantly for the Colts’ offense, though, was that they avoided the kind of self-inflicted mistakes that muted their point totals over the first five weeks of the season. There were no turnovers. The Colts were penalized three times on offense and overcame one of those – a Dennis Kelly holding penalty on a goal-to-go down – to score a touchdown when Parris Campbell grittily got the ball over the goal line.

And the Colts converted 10 of 15 third downs despite needing, on average, 7.8 yards to gain on those in large part because the pass protection held up so well.

And the other part of it was Ryan spreading the ball around to pass-catchers who were either open or made tough, rugged catches to move the chains. Michael Pittman Jr. caught three passes for first downs, while Campbell, Pierce and Kylen Granson each had a pair of third down conversions.

So the Colts showed the kind of offense they could be if they just played a clean game. And they did it without their top two running backs in Jonathan Taylor (ankle) and Nyheim Hines (concussion), though Deon Jackson had a fantastic day (10 catches, 76 yards; 12 carries, 42 yards, one touchdown) in place of those guys.

The Jaguars, too, entered Week 6 fourth in the NFL in points allowed (16) and eighth in yards per play allowed (5.1); the Colts racked up 34 points and averaged 5.9 yards per play.

So while the Colts’ defense allowed a season-high 27 points, it was the offense that came through to power Sunday’s win.

“Sometimes we’re gonna carry it, sometimes they’re gonna carry it,” linebacker Zaire Franklin said. “They had our back today for sure. Shoutout to Matty, shoutout to Alec and Pitt and Deon — all those guys played great today.”

At 3-2-1, and 1-2-1 in the AFC South, the Colts hardly feel like they’ve arrived after sending the Jaguars to a 2-4 record. Next up is a road date with the 3-2 Tennessee Titans in Nashville, a game that carries about as much early-season importance as a matchup in Week 7 can carry. 

But in beating the Jaguars on Sunday, the Colts showed they can be a force when the gameplan, the protection and the execution are all where they need to be on offense.

“I think we’re definitely headed in the right direction,” Pittman said. “I would like to be able to win a game and not have to go down in two-minute and win it, but that’s just NFL football. That’s how it shakes out. And most games, I feel like we keep showing that we can win those critical situations because we pretty much do it every win we’ve had, we’ve ran down there and scored a last-minute touchdown. It shows we can battle it out.”

Moeller: Loss to Texans Hasn't Derailed Improvement, Just Slowed it Down

(SportsDay Photo by Nancy Beecher/FSW)

By Jeff Moeller

After the game, I thought about it being the “Curse of the Texans.”

Houston’s shocking 16-3 victory over the Jaguars at TIAA Field marked their ninth straight victory in the series and their 16th in the last 18 contests between the two. 

This was supposed to be an easy “W” for the Jags over the previous winless Texans. The confidence level about them had begun to build toward a crescendo despite their loss at Philadelphia the previous week. 

Despite their youth, the Jags had arrived. Quarterback Trevor Lawrence and the defense looked like the real thing.

But we are often deceived by youth, especially in football. I,too, among many others were  initially easily deceived as to how a 3-14 team from a year ago can match their win total five games into the next season. The transformation is not yet complete. 

Their loss to Houston hasn’t derailed the process..it has just slowed it down. Yes, like I have said, there is plenty of improvement.

The Jags (2-3) will try to recover Sunday when they take on the Colts in Indianapolis, facing a team that will be looking for revenge after the Jags dusted them 24-0 in the home opener a few weeks ago. Indy (2-2-1) could benefit from having a few extra days off not having played since they defeated Denver Oct. 6.

The Colts have won the last two meetings and four of the last six between the two. This will be a pivotal AFC South divisional game for them as they have a 0-2-1 mark, while the Jags have a 1-1 slate and the Titans are 1-0.

Two weeks ago, most of us thought the Jags would be in the running for the AFC South title. Then again, we thought too soon.

Head coach Doug Pederson hasn’t thought along the lines of fast track for his club. He appears in lock step of a “process.” So does Lawrence, who realized he made his share of mistakes against Houston as well as his teammates.

It is still a promising thought of a productive offense with the cast of Lawrence, James Robinson, Travis Etienne, Christian Kirk, Zay Jones, Marvin Jones, and Evan Engram. The offensive line has allowed Lawrence to be sacked only six times in five games. Lawrence does have 1,232 yards passing with eight touchdowns and four interceptions. He also has managed to rush for 58 yards.

The Jags defense has been sparked by rookie linebackers Devin Lloyd, who leads the team with 49 tackles, and top pick Travon Walker. Fellow lineback Foyesade Olokun and safety Rayshawn Jenkins are having banner years. Veteran linebacker/edge rusher Josh Allen had three of the team’s 10 sacks.

Yet, the league’s once top-ranked running defense has been thrashed by Philadelphia for 210  yards and Houston for 136 over the past two weeks.

That can happen when youth is still in the forefront.

Soon, the Jags will be ready to escape their youth and take the next step. There shouldn’t be any doubts – like there are  –that this plan has gone array.

 Still,  the Jags will need to be respectable Sunday in Indianapolis and further legitimize their  current status. 

In the long run, however,  enjoy the moments. They will only get better.     

FURYK & FRIENDS: Steve Stricker Earns his 11th PGA TOUR Champions Title Sunday

(SportsDay photo by Jim Brady)

JACKSONVILLE (SportsTicker) – Steve Stricker earned his 11th PGA TOUR Champions title Sunday at the Constellation FURYK & FRIENDS presented by Circle K, carding a three-round total of 14 under at Timuquana CC for a two-stroke victory over Monday qualifier Harrison Frazar.

After losing 25 pounds this past winter due to a self-described “mystery ailment,” Stricker has seen his game round into peak form over the last few months. 

The Wisconsin native has won back-to-back PGA TOUR Champions starts, with three victories in his last four starts. Stricker, 55, recorded 46 consecutive bogey-free holes at firm and fast Timuquana CC until a bogey on the closing hole Sunday.

With the win, Stricker moves to No. 3 on the Charles Schwab Cup standings as he prepares to fly home to Wisconsin, where his daughter Izzy will compete in a high school state tournament beginning Monday.

Tournament host Jim Furyk played in the final group Sunday and finished solo third, three strokes back.

NHL: Tampa Bay Lightning Close Out Preseason with 5-2 Win Over Florida Panthers

By Mike Bonts

TAMPA - Tampa Bay picked up its only victory of the preseason in its final game after downing the Florida Panthers 5-2 at AMALIE Arena on Saturday.

The Lightning never trailed. Vladislav Namestnikov's hat trick proved to be the difference in the contest..

Nikita Kucherov netted the game's opening goal, wiring a shot from the right circle into the back of the net on a power play to provide the Lightning a 1-0 lead at 3:51. 

Florida tied the game 1-1 at 5:15 on a goal from Rudolfs Balcers.

Tampa Bay retook the lead for good 2-1 at 12:15 after Namestnikov scored the first of his two first-period goals. Namestnikov netted a second goal in the first period, scoring on the power play with 46 seconds to go in the opening frame.

The Lightning added to their lead early in the second period, Namestnikov completing his hat trick after scoring his third goal of the game at 7:30 of the middle frame.

Florida got a goal back at 8:45 of the second after Aleksi Heponiemi scored to cut the Lightning lead to 4-2.

Tampa Bay closed out the scoring at 4:56 of the third period. Brayden Point scoring on the back post off a feed from Cal Foote for the 5-2 final.

Goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy made his second-consecutive start and stopped 27-of-29 shots to earn the win..

Tampa Bay outshot Florida 31-29, including a 14-9 advantage in the first period.

Victor Hedman ended the preseason taking the most shots on the Lightning with 14 over three games. Erik Cernak dished out a team-high four hits.

Tampa Bay went 2-for-3 on the power play Saturday night.

The Lightning finished the preseason with a record of 1-4-0. The Bolts split the two-game preseason series with the Panthers having fallen 3-2 in Sunrise on Thursday.

The Lightning open the regular season Tuesday, October 11 against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden (7:30 p.m. puck drop) in a rematch of the 2022 Eastern Conference Final, a series the Bolts won 4-2.

The Bolts return to AMALIE Arena Tuesday, October 18 for the home regular season opener against the Philadelphia Flyers (7 p.m. puck drop).

(Mike Bonts covers hockey for SportsDay.)

NFL: Late Score Dooms Jacksonville Jaguars Against the Texans 13-6

Photo by Nancy Beecher/Florida Sports Wire

By Mike Bonts

JACKSONVILLE (Florida Sports Wire) - The Jaguars hosted winless AFC South rival Houston Sunday at TIAA Bank Field.

The Texans (1-3-1) are no longer winless. They beat the Jaguars (2-3) 13-6.

Houston running back Dameon Pierce scored a one-yard touchdown with 3:11 to play.

Pierce ran for 99 yards on 26 carries. He also had three catches for 14 yards.

On a third and 20, rookie Travon Walker threw quarterback David Mills to the ground and with 7:20 to play resulting an unnecessary roughness call.

It gave new life for a stagnant Houston offense, leading to Pierce’s score.

Mills was 16 of 24 passing for 140 yards.

Tied heading into the final quarter. Both clubs had relied on field goals for any points.

The Texans’ Ka'imi Fairbairn (50,51) and the Jaguars’ Riley Patterson (26,45) accounted for the scoring in the first half.

Jacksonville QB Trevor Lawrence was 25 of 46 passing for 289 yards with two interceptions.

Running back Travis Etienne Jr. ran for 71 yards on 10 carries. Marvin Jones Jr. had seven catches for 104 yards.

The Jaguars drove to the Houston seven to open the second half.

But Lawrence’s pass intended for Zay Jones was intercepted by Derek Stingley in the end zone.

Jacksonville travels to Indianapolis Sunday for another AFC South matchup.

Gameday: Jaguars Welcome Houston Texans to TIAA Bank Field Sunday

By Jeff Moeller

Trevor Lawrence couldn’t have had a worse game at a worse time.

Lawrence and his team were riding the crest of the wave with two impressive wins, the latter in an unexpected, dominant stand against the Chargers.

Against Philadelphia last week, Lawrence lost four fumbles and threw an interception. He did throw for a pair of scores with 174 yards. His receivers dropped five passes, and the league’s number one-ranked run defense allowed 210 yards rushing and four touchdowns.

As for Lawrence’s turnovers against Philadelphia, you have to turn back a few pages to find a similar situation. As for this year, it was an anomaly.

Heading into Sunday’s game against Houston at TIAA Field, Lawrence is at one of the pivotal points in his two-year career.

He needs to guide his team (2-2) to a victory – really a convincing one – over a winless team (0-3-1).

Good teams win the game they are supposed to win. If they’re facing a winless team, they need to put their foot on their necks.

The Jags are at that point.

They are 2-2 and can take a major step toward securing the AFC South. The Titans are 2-2 and the Colts are 2-2-1. The Jags have a victory over the Colts as the first step.

It’s easy to see Lawrence has progressed immensely since last season. He has completed 88 of 134 attempts for 934 yards with eight touchdowns and two interceptions.

Lawrence hasn’t thrown an interception and five touchdowns against AFC opponents this season, and he has completed 25 of 30 attempts for 235 yards with five touchdowns at TIAA Field.

He has looked like a seasoned veteran on his home turf this season, and he’ll need another sterling performance Sunday.

Houston quarterback Davis Mills entered the league the same time as Lawrence, and he has quietly settled into his own unlike Lawrence’s high profile. He completed 24 of 34 passes for 264 yards with a pair of touchdowns and interceptions last week against the Los Angeles Chargers.

The Texans fell into a 27-7 hole in Los Angeles last week, but they battled back to within 27-24 before the Chargers sealed it.

Texans’ running back Dameon Pierce will be a challenge for the Jags’ run defense. Pierce ran for 132 yards against Los Angeles, and he has rushed for 313 yards with better than a five-yard per carry clip.

Last season, Houston swept the Jags in the regular-season series, and they had five interceptions against Lawrence.

But this is a different Jags’ team as well as a different Texans’ squad.

This Jags’ team needs a win desperately to establish themselves without reservations and convection, while the Texans are still a year – or probably more – away.

Most of the league scribes believe Lawrence is beginning to show what the football world believed he could do as the next generational player.

This truly is his time, and the stock of the defense and running game has risen in unison. The Jags can take a major step forward with a win Sunday and then a win at Indianapolis next week.

It’s time for a blowout and Lawrence’s credibility to rise to another level.

Moeller: Jaguars Regroup After Trip to City of Brotherly Love Ends in Disappointment

By Jeff Moeller

This one hurt.

Heading into the Eagles’ game, the Jaguars were on top of the Florida world and part of the football world.  They arguably had played their best overall football over the past two games.

Were they ready for the big time? With the Jags, it is about character at this point.

Trevor Lawernce played like he was the best football prospect in years that everyone expected. Head coach Doug Pederson arrived with the coaching pedigree Jags’ fans anticipated when Urban Meyer came on board last season.

Offense, defense and special teams. It all was seemingly coming together at the right time, and Jaguar fans began to think about the possibilities of being an AFC South contender. Realistically, maybe it was too early, but it was a time to enjoy the moment,

Those feelings intensified in the opening quarter In Philadelphia Sunday. The Jags were crisp, clean, and intense as they built a 14-0 lead in a driving rain.  Andre Cisco’s electrifying 59-yard pick six would help set the stage for a statement win over an undefeated team was in the works.

Then, the reality most believed would surface in Los Angeles surfaced in Philly. The Jags had a breakdown, one in which they could not recover.

The Eagles took over play in the second quarter and dominated the Jags on both sides of the ball. More importantly, the Jags’ aggressive defense appeared worn down and beaten on the line.

For the better part of the next two quarters, they didn’t have an answer for quarterback Jalen Hurts and running back Miles Sanders, who had a career-high 134 yards rushing.

The Jags did rally and closed to within 29-21 with 7:19 remaining.on Lawrence’s 8-yard touchdown flip to Jamal Agnew, their second touchdown tally on the afternoon 

But Lawrence didn’t have the same magic he had in the past two games, and his offensive line couldn’t hold off the Eagles’ rush that registered four sacks. Lawrence also had a bad interception on a second-half drive that could possibly have changed momentum.

Along with a mediocre day for Lawrence, the Jags’ running game of James Robinson and Travis Etienne was bottled up by the Philly defense to 71 yards, and the Jags’ possession time was doubled by the Eagles.

Does this mean the Jags have slipped down a few rungs of the ladder? No.

It was a reality check, and most realized they aren’t in the league’s elite class yet. They are now longer a lower tier team either. The Jags have made strides.

Instead, the Jags now face their character test, needing a big rebound against the winless Houston Texans (0-4) at TIAA Field Sunday. They can also win their second divisional game.

For the Jags, this now has developed into a must win situation for them to get their pedigree back.  Like the offense, the defense will need to prove themselves they are the team that surfaced against Indianapolis and Los Angeles.

If not, the Jags are back to a state they thought they had checked out.