Having endured the mental and physical grind of making four title defenses over a two-year span as champion heading into his first meeting with Joshua Van last December at UFC 323, Alexandre Pantoja had envisioned a month’s long vacation as a reward to himself for all of his hard work and sacrifices.
But Pantoja’s fifth defense of his 125-pound title didn’t exactly go as planned. The Brazilian legend suffered a freak dislocated elbow just 26 seconds into the fight after Van caught a high kick attempt and pushed him to the ground to cause the injury and a changing of the guard atop the division thanks to the TKO win.
Instead of a vacation, the 36-year-old Pantoja quickly found himself back in the gym just two days later with one arm in a sling and a new mindset that has led him into Saturday’s rematch, when the pair of flyweights headline UFC 331 in Los Angeles (9 p.m. ET, Paramount+).
“I [went back] to the gym because I knew if I take too much time off, it’s going to be very tough to get back to my shape and this level,” Pantoja told CBS Sports during an August sitdown in Philadelphia before the UFC 331 introductory press conference. “Since my injury, I haven’t stopped. I was back to training with one arm in the gym and doing physical therapy. I think my right hand is very powerful now.”
Advertisement
Sign up for Paramount+ and watch UFC 331 for no additional fee — every UFC numbered event and UFC Fight Night is included with your subscription! Plans start as low as $8.99/month or $89.99/year!
A native of Rio de Janeiro who elevated his career to the next level when he moved himself and his family to Florida in 2018 to train full-time at American Top Team, Pantoja (30-6) has taken umbrage with how quickly everyone has seemed to move on from everything he accomplished as flyweight champion.
Despite not losing his title in the traditional way following the 26-second defeat due to injury, Pantoja was dropped from the UFC’s pound-for-pound rankings despite previously reaching No. 4 thanks to an 8-fight win streak late in his career that elevated Pantoja from dangerous everyman to one of the most decorated champions in the promotional history.
Part of that was due to the seemingly overnight success of Van (17-2), a 24-year-old native of Mynamar who fights out of Houston and has been quickly labeled as one of the breakout stars of the sport. Van rebounded from a 2024 knockout loss to Charles Johnson by winning seven consecutive fights over the next two years, including a Fight of the Year against Brandon Royval in 2025 and an all-action title defense against Tatsuro Taira in May that ended in a thrilling fifth-round TKO.
“[Van] didn’t beat me, he didn’t beat me. It’s not about that. I lost for myself [due to the injury,]” Pantoja said. “I have 20 years of professional fighting, I never made a drill to push someone to break their arm like that. He didn’t beat me. I know, like an athlete, I lost the fight and I know I lost my belt. I’m not the champion anymore. But it’s not as if someone beat me.”
In 2020, Pantoja was a three-year UFC veteran with a record of just 6-3 inside the Octagon. But his eventual 8-fight win streak began with a 2021 win over Manel Kape and continued through an emotional 2023 title win over Brandon Moreno by split decision in which Pantoja traded punches with savage intent for five full rounds in a back-and-forth slugfest.
Advertisement
Pantoja’s run to becoming UFC champion at age 33 was considered a feel-good story but few could’ve predicted he would go on the title reign that followed as “The Cannibal” proved the old adage true of becoming noticeably better as champion. Throughout four title defenses, Pantoja evolved into an efficient and technical finisher with a well-rounded game who was worthy of the P4P recognition he received by becoming the first men’s flyweight in UFC history to win a title bout after turning 35.
“People maybe don’t give me the recognition,” Pantoja said. “I fought the best fighters in my division. I beat some guys three times. I had eight [wins] in a row with the best fighters. I beat Manel Kape, Brandon Royval, Brandon Moreno, Kai Kara-France. The [UFC] brought Kai Asakura from another promotion and I beat him this guy, too.
“I don’t have a lot of recognition but, for me, it’s OK. What I want is to be the best fighter in the world. I try to be that guy everyday in my life because I’m training very hard and Joshua Van can be sure I want [the rematch] more than ever.”
While Pantoja is likely too proud to blast boxing legend Roy Jones Jr.’s 2002 rap song “Y’all Must’ve Forgot” as his walkout music this weekend but it’s clear this humble warrior has a distinct chip on his shoulder and is motivated to remind everyone, even at 36, who he still is.
Advertisement
Pantoja, who was nearly a 3-to-1 betting favorite against Van last December, now finds himself as the betting underdog entering the rematch. And if former flyweight champion Henry Cejudo deserves credit for ultimately saving the 125-pound division in the aftermath of Demetrious Johnson’s legendary title reign, when UFC brass was considering folding it, Pantoja deserves the respect for bringing consistency to it following a memorable four-fight series between Moreno and Deiveson Figueiredo when the belt constantly switched hands.
“I sacrificed a lot about my life and I think I’m one of the best fighters in the world,” Pantoja said. “I have this opportunity right now against Joshua Van and you have a lot of new fans coming in with this deal with Paramount. It’s so good for everybody. This new generation of fans is so interactive on the internet, everybody supports Joshua Van so well. Everything has changed since my last fight.
“I have a champion to fight, I don’t have a challenger. Joshua Van is the champion and I have nothing to lose in this fight. I have had this position before. I’m not going to be afraid of excuses, I go to conquer.”
The French football icon named star forward Kylian Mbappé captain while opting to leave out former squad members midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni and striker Marcus Thuram. Zidane also named five new players, among them goalkeeper Guillaume Restes, defenders Andy Diouf and Jérémy Jacquet, as well as midfielder Lucas Da Cunha and striker Esteban Le Paul.
To display this content from X (Twitter), you must enable advertisement tracking and audience measurement.
Advertisement
The 54-year-old Zidane, whose brilliance helped France to win their first World Cup on home soil in 1998, returns to the national team tasked with turning recent near-misses into trophies.
Zidane enjoyed a glittering managerial career at former club Real Madrid, leading the Spanish side to three successive Champions League titles. Similar success will be expected with France, who boast some of football’s most gifted players, as they build up to the 2028 European Championship and the 2030 World Cup.
Zidane was appointed as France coach until the 2030 World Cup in July, succeeding Didier Deschamps and becoming the third member of France’s 1998 World Cup-winning team to lead Les Bleus.
Advertisement
He will take charge for the first time in the Nations League group stage against Turkey in Izmit on September 25. France then travel to Belgium before hosting Italy and Belgium in October.
Maria Sharapova was recently moved to happy tears as Paula Badosa sent her a heartwarming message. After the duo met each other for the first time ever at the SP Open, they posed for a photo together and the Spaniard penned a sweet note for her lifelong idol.
Sharapova and Badosa are two of the biggest names of the WTA. While the Russian was one of the foremost stars of the Tour for two decades between 2001 and 2020, Badosa established herself as a top player in recent years. Over the course of her career, the Spaniard has been vocal about drawing inspiration from Sharapova, and the duo recently met each other in Brazil.
Thanks for the submission!
Advertisement
Taking to Instagram to share a snap of their meeting, Paula Badosa wrote,
Advertisement
“Some people inspire you from afar, and then you get lucky enough to meet them. Today was one of those moments. You’re simply amazing @mariasharapova. Little Paula made a dream come true today.”
Reacting to the sweet note, Maria Sharapova reacted with three ‘teary-eyed’ emojis.
Via @paulabadosa on Instagram
In Brazil, Badosa is currently competing at the SP Open, a WTA 250 event. The second seed has enjoyed smooth sailing at the tournament so far, ousting the likes of Justina Mikulskyte, Jazmin Ortenzi and Mary Stoiana to reach the semifinal.
When Paula Badosa opened up about Maria Sharapova being her role model
Badosa at the Berlin Tennis Open (Image Source: Getty)
Over the years, Paula Badosa has been vocal about looking up to Maria Sharapova as an idol during her childhood, admiring the Russian for her on-court exploits and her off-court personality that went beyond tennis.
In a 2020 interview with Tweener Head Tennis, Badosa hailed Sharapova as her role model, explaining,
“I have to be honest with you, she’s like a role model to me, so I try to copy her. She’s a fighter, so I really like that and as a Spanish player I really like that. Since (I was) young, that’s what they put in your mind – to fight every point – so I think that’s very important. Her game is very aggressive. We don’t play similar (games) but I try to be aggressive in my way as well.”
On the tennis end of things, Paula Badosa will next return to action for her semifinal encounter at the SP Open, where she will take on Nadia Podoroska. Meanwhile, Maria Sharapova was last seen on a tennis court at the US Open, where she presented women’s singles champion Elena Rybakina with her winner’s trophy.
Manchester United face Fulham in the Premier League this weekend and Michael Carrick says there is a chance that two players could return from injury to feature
Baleba, 22, has spent the start of this season recovering from an ankle ligament injury sustained soon after starting pre-season training with former club Brighton & Hove Albion. Shaw, 31, has missed the last three games across all competitions with a thigh injury, having started the opening three fixtures of the season.
Advertisement
Both, however, are now back in contention to make the weekend’s matchday squad. Below is the latest injury news and return dates…
Amad
A return from injury before the upcoming international break appears unlikely for Amad after not being called up by the Ivory Coast for their Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers later this month. The winger is now approaching a month on the sidelines after sustaining an ankle injury during the final week of pre-season training and will seemingly have another three weeks to continue his rehabilitation.
Speaking on Tuesday ahead of the Carabao Cup third round tie against Brighton at Old Trafford, Carrick said: “Amad is not quite close, in terms of days, you know. We’ll see as the week progresses.’
Advertisement
Potential return date: Tottenham Hotspur (H) on October 10.
Carlos Baleba
Approaching four months after playing his last match for Brighton against United on the final day of last season, Baleba could be about to debut for his new club at Craven Cottage. The midfielder did not feature in a single pre-season friendly for either side, so any involvement in west London would presumably be only as a substitute.
He has been back in training this week and attended the cup tie against his former employers on Wednesday. Carrick conceded on Friday that there is a chance that Baleba could be available this weekend for United’s trip down to the capital.
Advertisement
Potential return date: Fulham (A) on September 20.
Luke Shaw
Carrick is also cautiously optimistic about the possibility of Shaw being back in the squad. It is approaching a fortnight since he plast played, in the 2-2 draw with Everton, where he assisted the goal Benjamin Sesko scored before being substituted minutes before Ainsley Maitland-Niles equalised at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
United’s head coach said: “There’s a kind of a chance on both of them (Baleba and Shaw), really. Not totally 100% yet, but there’s half a chance, yeah. It is really short-term, to be honest, but it’s just working towards the game, so we’ll see how he (Shaw) is come the weekend.”
Potential return date: Fulham (A) on September 20.
Advertisement
Manuel Ugarte
Another player who will be spending this international break rehabilitating at Carrington rather than representing his national team is Ugarte. The Uruguay international sustained a knee ligament injury while playing for them at this summer’s World Cup, which required surgery in mid-July.
A return before the end of the season should be possible, barring any setbacks while recovering, but will not be before winter becomes spring. United have named him in their Champions League squad; however, that is seemingly because they had the space to do so, rather than any indication of when he could be back playing again for United.
Approaching a year after last featuring for United, De Ligt is training again after having lower back surgery this summer, but remains unavailable to play at this stage. United are understandably exercising caution with the Netherlands international after such a sustained layoff and are unwilling to put a date on his return, as the focus remains on keeping him fit for the foreseeable future rather than rushing him back now.
Carrick said on Tuesday: “Matta is just working his way back, really. So I don’t want to, because of how it’s been, put too much of a timeframe on it.”
Potential return date: Tottenham Hotspur (H) on October 10.
Advertisement
Tom Heaton
Another player still recovering from a pre-season setback is Heaton. The veteran goalkeeper sustained a hamstring injury during the pre-season friendly against Paris Saint-Germain. Dermot Mee replaced him less than ten minutes into the second half and also deputised for the ex-England international in their Champions League match against Sabah at Old Trafford.
Senne Lammens was also backup to Karl Darlow on Wednesday against Brighton, rather than the third-choice goalkeeper coming in to give United’s number one a night off. There has been little in the way of an update about Heaton since he left the pitch in Gothenburg, Sweden.
Potential return date: Tottenham Hotspur (H) on October 10.
Quimcy Dsouza In Teqball Semi-Finals Highlights, Asian Games: India’s Quimcy Joaquim Dsouza lost the women’s singles Teqball semi-final at the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya against Indonesia’s Ima Sumaya. Quimcy clinched the first set 12-7 after getting a dominating start. However, the Indonesian rival did not let the game slip away easily as she won the second set 12-9. In the third set, the 24-year-old Indian got off to a blistering start, leading 3-0 but Sumaya bounced back and snatched away the victory with a 12-7 scoreline. With this, Quimcy’s dream of reaching the final ended but the medal hope is still alive as she will be fighting for the bronze medal against Japan’s Yiuna Sakamoto on Sunday.
Follow Highlights of Quimcy Joaquim Dsouza vs Ima Sumaya Teqball Semi-Finals from the Higashi Sports Center
Pawan Sehrawat will replace Tajinderpal Singh Toor as India’s flag-bearer at the Asian Games opening ceremony in Nagoya on Saturday after the shot-putter was unable to receive his official kit in time.Sehrawat, a key member of India’s gold-medal-winning men’s kabaddi team at the previous Asian Games, will now join shooting star Manu Bhaker in leading the Indian contingent during the opening ceremony, chef-de-mission Sahdev Yadav told PTI.Toor’s absence is linked to the delayed delivery of the official kit. The 30-year-old told PTI that he was informed his kit would arrive at Nagoya airport only at 3pm, leaving him with little time to collect it and reach the ceremony venue.“I am told that my kit will reach at 3pm at the (Nagoya) airport. Reaching the opening ceremony venue after collecting my kit from airport on time will be very difficult. So, I have told IOA (Indian Olympic Association) that I am not coming for opening ceremony,” Toor told PTI.The celebrated shot-putter also revealed that the athletics contingent is yet to receive its kits, with the equipment still in India.“My kit is lying in India. Nobody in the athletics team has got their kits so far,” he revealed.The athletics team has been based at the University of Tsukuba near Tokyo since September 13 for an acclimatisation camp. The contingent is scheduled to travel to Nagoya on September 21, two days before the athletics events begin.Toor said the situation could have been different had he been informed earlier about his flag-bearer duties. He only learnt about the role on Friday, meaning his coach, who had arrived in Nagoya a day earlier, could potentially have collected the kit for him.“IOA told me yesterday about me becoming flag-bearer. Otherwise my coach who reached here yesterday could have picked it (the kit) up for me,” he said.With Toor unable to attend, Sehrawat has been handed the responsibility of carrying the Indian flag alongside Bhaker at the opening ceremony.
Two continental football federations, UEFA and CONCACAF, on Friday called on FIFA President Gianni Infantino to release around $2.1 billion from the global governing body’s reserves to share among its 211 member associations.
A letter sent to Infantino by European football chief Aleksander Ceferin and his counterpart at the North and Central American and Caribbean body, Victor Montagliani, said each of FIFA’s member associations (MAs) should receive $10 million in the four years between 2027-2030.
The move is the latest twist in the civil war which erupted in world football after it emerged Infantino sought to sell a stake in the World Cup to private investors.
Infantino has said the venture was designed to raise capital for football across the world.
But Ceferin and Montagliani’s letter, sent on Friday and obtained by AFP, said FIFA’s vast cash reserves – estimated at around $6 billion – could be used to boost funding for the sport without outside investment.
“FIFA already has the capacity to deliver substantially more to its MAs from its own balance sheet – without any sale of interests in its competitions, and without asking anything of the MAs in return,” the letter read.
Advertisement
“Our analysis indicates that FIFA should make at least $10 million available to each of its 211 MAs over the 2027-30 cycle for investment in infrastructure and football development – an aggregate of approximately USD 2.1 billion,” it added.
The letter said the “one-off” release of funds would be in addition to the annual development funding already distributed to FIFA members, which under Infantino has increased to $8 million per country over a four-year cycle.
The UEFA and CONCACAF letter said they would issue recommendations for disbursements at the next FIFA Council meeting.
The letter comes a day after England‘s Football Association chair Debbie Hewitt wrote to Infantino requesting a full disclosure of information relating to the ill-fated private equity plan.
Having witnessed the revolution in National Hockey League player economics over the summer, Canucks general manager Ryan Johnson made a huge calculated bet two weeks ago when he signed Buium to an eight-year, $75-million-USD extension — about a million dollars for each of the 20-year-old’s 76 NHL games so far.
That contract is part of the league’s rapidly-changing financial landscape, although Buium was adamant on Friday that it doesn’t change him or his development path.
“I’ve said this a bunch: every guy in the NHL, every guy that plays professional sports, the most pressure comes from us — ourselves,” he said when asked if the heft of his new contract changes expectations. “I don’t really think the pressure from the outside ever gets to me.
“You always want to outplay your contract, and whether you’re making $15 million or $2 million, it doesn’t matter. I think if I can play to my capabilities and come out every night feeling like, you know, I’ve played my best, I think I will like my results. It has nothing to do with my contract; I want to be the player I want to be.”
Advertisement
That attitude is partly why the Canucks were willing to go all-in on Buium, the centrepiece of the return from last December’s trade of Quinn Hughes to the Minnesota Wild.
When Buium’s contract was announced, Johnson told reporters: “This contract isn’t about Zeev the player today or tomorrow. It’s where we see him in three, four and five years. This is now a journey and we’re going to support him.”
During the Canucks’ pre-training camp press conference this week, both Johnson and head coach Manny Malhotra re-iterated the new regime’s belief that patience is paramount to player development, and no prospect is going to be rushed to the NHL before he is ready.
But Buium is already in the NHL after splitting his rookie season between the Wild and the Canucks, and even in the final season of his original, entry-level contract, the defencemen’s development is going to be conducted in the best league in the world.
Advertisement
“We’ll treat him like we would any other guy,” Malhotra insisted Friday after the second day of camp here. “There’s obviously a great deal of patience that goes into helping a young player develop at the right pace. People will look at the contract and have certain expectations, whereas for us, we continue to talk about building the foundation.
“We recognize he will make mistakes like any other young guy in this league does. But we’re just going to continue to encourage him, support him and develop his game as a whole with the mindset of: What’s he going to look like in two and three and four years?”
What Buium looks like in camp is a super-talented sophomore who can skate and move the puck but still has a lot of growing to do.
Interestingly, after playing most of his five-on-five ice time last season alongside top Canuck defenceman Filip Hronek, Buium has been partnered at training camp with 36-year-old Luke Schenn in what appears to be the third pairing.
Advertisement
Malhotra has cautioned against making any conclusions about deployment based on a couple of days of camp practices, but assigning Buium to Schenn could be one sign of the organization’s patience with their prized prospect and desire to lighten any pressure that might come with signing the biggest contract in franchise history for a defenceman.
“Obviously, we all know how good a defenceman Quinn was and has become in this league, and how special he is,” Schenn told reporters on Thursday. “You don’t want to compare anyone, but obviously, Zeev has an incredible skill set and toolbox himself, too.
“Watching him from a distance when he first broke in with the Wild and how he kind of stepped in and ran that power play in the (2025) playoffs, and then watching him a little bit last year and following the trade a little bit, you can just tell how great his upside was. He understands the locker room and gets what it’s like to be a pro, and he puts in the work. Just a tonne of confidence. He’s kind of proven (himself) at every level, and he’s going to make great strides here in the NHL. We’re relying on him big time, and yeah, I feel fortunate to get to play with him.”
Incredibly, Schenn was the Canuck defenceman who shepherded Hughes into the NHL in 2019. Schenn then left the Canucks — twice — before signing as a free agent on July 1 for his third stint in Vancouver.
Advertisement
“I guess when I was a young guy, I had a great mentor and guys who I played with,” Schenn said. “I played with Tomas Kaberle for a few years (in Toronto), and then Kimmo Timonen in Philly. I just remember how they treated me, and their wisdom and veteran presence, and how they rubbed off on me. Now, it’s kind of role reversed where you maybe mentor someone else. I feel like I’m the lucky guy who gets to play with these young guys.”
“He is papa bear,” Buium smiled. “He’s such an unreal human, you know? Just has so much experience around the league. He doesn’t treat me like a young guy; he just treats me like a player and a person. I think that’s something we really needed — just a guy with that presence who you can talk to at any time. He’s just one of those guys that you’re lucky to have on your team if you get to play with him.”
If Schenn does his job well, Buium may not play with him for long.
32 Thoughts: The Podcast
Hockey fans already know the name, but this is not the blog. From Sportsnet, 32 Thoughts: The Podcast with NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman and Kyle Bukauskas is a weekly deep dive into the biggest news and interviews from the hockey world.
The 12th overall pick of the 2024 draft, Buium doesn’t turn 21 until December but possesses a lot of confidence after winning senior, junior and U18 championships with Team USA, as well as a national title at the University of Denver.
Advertisement
The San Diegan said his focus this summer was getting stronger and faster, but Buium also did skills work alongside Geoff Sanderson and Cutter Gauthier at a camp in Wisconsin, and spent two weeks skating in Arizona with Auston Matthews, Clayton Keller, Tage Thompson and others.
“I was just trying to pick up things and learn things from different guys,” Buium said. “I think the biggest thing I learned is, No. 1, conditioning. Everybody that can play big minutes. . . play offence and create offence, they just have a motor. And the other things are the little things. You look at Matthews, he’s always tweaking stuff with his stick and trying new things — just little things to try to get that small edge on somebody else.”
Upon his arrival with the Canucks, Buium said he wasn’t trying to be Quinn Hughes and would author his own NHL story.
But given Buium’s path so far, his team, his contract and now his defence partner, comparisons to Hughes probably aren’t going away.
Advertisement
“The kind of person I am, I want to be the No. 1 guy,” Buium said. “I want to be the best I can be, up there with those guys at the top of the league. But I don’t compare myself to Quinn. I think Quinn’s in his own own class with (Cale) Makar and (Zach) Werenski and those guys. I think every defenceman in my spot is trying to reach that level.
“I guess that’s a goal for me: to kind of play my own style, be my own player, and kind of get that narrative (about Quinn) away from me.”
If he can do that, Buium will be worth the patience. And every penny.
PFF has spoken. Some will see the news and rejoice; others will be annoyed since it’s PFF. What good is that website if it’s not to get people upset, anyway?
Recently, the analytics site that people love to hate (including some former Vikings LBs) published a piece ranking all of the NFL’s offensive lines. Sitting at tenth is the collection of talent known as the Minnesota Vikings’ OL. Those five boast ample promise, resulting in just squeaking into the top ten for the league as a whole.
The Minnesota Vikings’ OL Sits in 10th in the NFL
Consider some of the analysis to get a sense of how the Vikings’ large lads are understood.
The blurb: “Second-year left guard Donovan Jackson was phenomenal in pass protection against the Green Bay Packers, producing a 100.0% PFF pass-block win rate and earning an 88.4 PFF pass-blocking grade. Right guard Will Fries was the only starter to allow a pressure rate above 6.0%, while Blake Brandel’s performance at center was another encouraging sign heading into Week 2.”
Advertisement
Sep 13, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images – Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Need a refresher on the Minnesota Vikings offensive line? Got you covered:
LT1 Christian Darrisaw
LG1 Donovan Jackson
C1 Blake Brandel
RG1 Will Fries
RT1 Brian O’Neill
The left side, in particular, boasts ample promise. Both of Darrisaw and Jackson are homegrown blockers who got chosen in the 1st Round. Neither is lacking for physical potential. Nor, for that matter, are either lacking in the intangible qualities that a team wants out of players. Each is competitive, cares, works hard, and demonstrates good leadership.
Expect those two to continue being monsters, so long as health cooperates. In time, Jackson is probably going to get a “C” slapped onto his chest. He’s an impressive guy.
On the subject of health, the current issue is that Brian O’Neill is working through a knee injury. He’s going into the Week 2 game with the “questionable” designation hanging over him.
Losing the RT1, were that to occur, would be yet another blow to the Vikings’ offense in a week where all of WR3 Jauan Jennings (personal), RB1/2 Jordan Mason (thumb), and QB1 Kyler Murray (concussion) are missing the upcoming game.
Sep 14, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Minnesota Vikings offensive tackle Brian O’Neill (75) against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports.
As it relates to depth, the main names to know are Ryan Van Demark (an OT) and Joe Huber (an iOL). Both are seen as important pieces of the puzzle right now. Rookie 3rd-Round selection Caleb Tiernan could be an option, too.
Kickoff for the Vikings at Bears is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. CT on Sunday, September 20th. Seeing the Minnesota Vikings’ OL dominate the line of scrimmage could end up being the single greatest factor in pulling off the upset.
In the words of Nick Wright, the “prince who was promised” is at the top of Mahomes Mountain. However, Patrick Mahomes isn’t that prince.
After an incredible slate of Week 1 performances, Wright’s quarterback hierarchy got quite the shakeup. But only one of Josh Allen, Caleb Williams, Trevor Lawrence or Lamar Jackson can sit atop the mountain after a weekend of tremendous performances.
So, who is the No. 1 quarterback in the NFL entering Week 2? Here’s how he views the league’s top quarterbacks in the latest edition of Mahomes Mountain:
Advertisement
Off The Mountain:
Wright: “Darnold, Kyler and Tua are off [Mahomes Mountain] with injuries. Off because of their play — Deshaun, Cooper Rush, Cam Ward and Malik Willis.”
“Malik Willis [is] dying to get on the mountain, trying to find a spot, somebody’s spot to take.”
7th Row
Wright: “Drew Lock played really well once he got his feet underneath them against a Patriots’ defense that should be good.”
“Here’s my worry about Daniel Jones. He doesn’t seem to want to run on that Achilles. One carry, four yards. If Daniel Jones does not run the ball, he’s not going to be effective.”
6th Row
Wright: “Sixth row, moving up, was Tyler Shough with 410 yards. Now is that a canary in the coal mine that the Lions secondary might be a total catastrophe possibly? Yes, but his connection with [Chris] Olave was good.
“Turn on a Jacoby Brissett game. About every other one, you’re gonna be like, this guy can, this guy should start somewhere. Now the other half of the every other one, he’s just throwing laser beams to the opponent, like perfect dots to the secondary. But he looked really good. He seriously outplayed Herbert.
“My guy, Bake Show (Baker Mayfield) — those fumbles are just awful, and not just because they cost me so much in week one, but it’s just awful. He just got paid, and then he’s playing reckless. Don’t love it.”
Advertisement
5th Row
Wright: “Jared Goff, fine. You know he was fine. Didn’t need to move up. Didn’t need to move down. He stays where he is. Dak? Not so fine. The interception before half was bad.
“I think it’s very fair to say a disappointing opening week for Dak Prescott. C.J. Stroud, on the other hand, if there ever can be an encouraging performance that ends with you fumbling the ball in the final possession to lose the game, that was it.”
4th Row:
Wright: “Now to the top 10. Fourth row. Joe Burrow played fine, then threw a pick-six, let the Bucs back in it, then steadied himself. He stays where he is.
“Jalen Hurts made the three biggest plays of the game. They won the game. I felt like there’s nobody on row five that deserved, you know, to move up more than him, so he moves up.”
3rd Row:
Wright: “Moving up to row three, Caleb Williams. Moving down from the top spot of the mountain, Patrick Mahomes, and moving down Matt Stafford.
“Caleb’s obvious. He had maybe the best game of his career. Patrick said it himself. He did not think he played that well. Patrick also does not want to be graded on an ACL curve.
“Given how many great quarterback performances we had in Week 1, he doesn’t deserve to stay at the top of the mountain. I thought he steadied himself in the second half.”
Advertisement
2nd Row:
Wright: “Moving up to row two, perennial MVP candidates Lamar Jackson moves up. … I thought Lamar was outstanding.
“Josh Allen was awesome, almost, almost lost the game, but didn’t. And then, after almost losing the game, had a 100 out of 100 throw.”
1st Row:
Wright: “For the first time in the history of the mountain, the prophecy was realized atop the quarterback mountain for the first time ever. The prince who was promised, Trevor Lawrence, he is who the media wants Justin Herbert to be: the super-talented, amazing pedigree.”
You must be logged in to post a comment Login