Sports
NFL Week 3 roundtable: Bryce Young’s benching, Saints’ hot start and unbeaten matchups
Four of the NFL’s nine unbeaten teams meet Sunday, which should provide some buzz, albeit so early in the season.
While C.J. Stroud’s Houston Texans meet the resurgent Sam Darnold’s Minnesota Vikings, Justin Herbert — questionable with a high ankle sprain as of Friday — and the Los Angeles Chargers meet the Pittsburgh Steelers, who have one touchdown through eight quarters.
Elsewhere around the league, Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa’s concussions land him on IR as doubts surrounding his career continue. The Saints’ offense is off to a torrid start. Carolina Panthers QB Bryce Young has been benched in favor of veteran Andy Dalton. The Atlanta Falcons — coming off a thrilling win at Philadelphia — host the Kansas City Chiefs in Sunday’s nightcap.
What will Sunday’s action bring? The Athletic’s NFL writers Mike Sando, Zak Keefer and Jeff Howe discuss.
We have a pair of matchups between unbeatens in Week 3 — Texans-Vikings and Chargers-Steelers. What are you watching for in each of these games?
Sando: I’ll be interested in seeing how Sam Darnold plays if the Vikings fall behind. Can he continue to avoid the errors that have marked his career? In the other game, I want to see how Chargers right tackle Joe Alt fares against the Steelers’ T.J. Watt. Alt has been pretty dominant so far. This will be a fun matchup and if Alt wins it, he’s going to be voted All-Pro this year. He might be anyway.
Howe: Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores is off to a hot start, but C.J. Stroud is going to be his greatest challenge so far. If Flores can make life tough on Stroud, it could mean the Vikings have real staying power in the race for a playoff spot. The Chargers-Steelers game will be a brawl, and I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if neither team scores 20 points. I’m very interested to see how Justin Herbert and Justin Fields handle those stifling defenses. Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh has Herbert playing a more conservative style, and that could be important in a game like this. But with Herbert questionable with a high ankle sprain, the element of a measuring-stick game might be wiped away if he’s unavailable or significantly limited. I still think this will be a fun game from a defensive perspective, though.
Keefer: I’m with Jeff — the Texans’ offense struggled a bit in the second half Sunday night against an excellent Bears defense, and I’m wondering if Flores’ unit can give them some of the same problems. As for Chargers-Steelers, how many touchdowns will we see? Less than four? For a Pittsburgh team that’s 2-0 despite scoring one touchdown in eight quarters, I can’t see that formula working for long. The Steelers are going to have to unlock something offensively to keep winning games.
Panthers QB Bryce Young has been benched 18 games into his career as Carolina travels to Las Vegas to face the Raiders. What’s next for Young? Would the league benefit from sitting more rookie/young QBs to start their careers?
Sando: While the Panthers did a poor job supporting Young, the situation serves as a reminder against betting big on outlier quarterbacks. Young’s size was an issue coming into the 2023 draft. It’s a bigger issue now that teams have seen just how much his stature has complicated his ability to play well. The Panthers will either draft a quarterback early in 2025 or find a veteran. I don’t see Young in the picture.
Howe: The Panthers have to do everything in their power to rebuild Young’s confidence because he clearly hasn’t been playing with any. That’s on the Panthers for dropping him into a bad situation — three head coaches, a dearth of talent at the skill positions and a line that has failed to protect him. They can’t put Young back on the field until everything else is operating at a higher capacity, even if that’s not until 2025. I don’t think the league should change its consideration over how quickly to play its QBs, though. Quarterbacks enter the league far more ready to start now than ever before because of all the camps, all-star games and everything else that comes with the high school and college spotlight. However, if a team can’t protect its QB due to a lack of talent, it’s better to avoid shattering his confidence by playing him too early and exposing him to failure. I think that’s what you’re seeing with the Patriots and Drake Maye.
Bryce Young: “For the last year and these two games, every snap hit my hands and I didn’t do enough with it.”
h/t @SteveReedAP for the video. pic.twitter.com/l1QFOfjurl
— Joe Person (@josephperson) September 19, 2024
Keefer: Young’s benching is an organizational failure, and one of the worst we’ve seen in this league in some time. I don’t get the sense Dave Canales is ready to give up Young — he raved about his poise and processing in the preseason — so I’d assume the thinking is: Give the young quarterback a breather, let him reset, and see if he can rediscover his confidence on the practice field the next few weeks and months. And yes, I’ve long felt that only a select few rookie quarterbacks are ready for the rigors of starting a rookie season. But teams are in too much of a hurry to play the long game. It’s backfired before, and it backfired here.
Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was placed on injured reserve this week while in concussion protocol and can’t return to action before Week 8. Are the playoffs a realistic goal for Miami if Tagovailoa’s absence stretches even longer?
Sando: Not without acquiring a quarterback from another team. Tyler Huntley’s signing from the Ravens’ practice squad isn’t going to be enough, in my view. It’ll be fun to see if Mike McDaniel can scheme the Dolphins out of this, much the way Green Bay’s Matt LaFleur did for the Packers against Indy. I just don’t think that’s plausible for a long stretch. If Tagovailoa is out for a long time, Miami will need to do something to upgrade the position and send a message of hope to the locker room.
Howe: No, the AFC has too many quality teams, and the Dolphins have too difficult of a schedule. They’re going to need to play terrific defense and scheme up a run game and quick passing attack to play perfect complementary football to steal some games along the way, and I think that’s too much to ask. It’s not unrealistic to think the Dolphins can get to 3-3 by the time Tagovailoa is eligible to return, but a longer absence could cost him games against the Cardinals, Bills and Rams. That’s going to be a season-defining stretch regardless of who’s at QB.
Keefer: I don’t see this team making the playoffs with Tua sidelined for the next month — and likely longer. Tua may have limitations, but he’s an excellent fit for McDaniels’ offensive system, one built on speed. Tua’s accuracy is what makes it go, accentuating the talents of Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. Without the QB, the Dolphins lose a part of their identity, and I don’t trust the defense, either, not after the way Josh Allen and the Bills ran over them last week. It could be a long couple of months in Miami.
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Bryce Young, Tua and Watson: An NFL tipping point, or billionaires’ business as usual?
The New Orleans Saints and their offense are the talk of the league as they host the Eagles in Week 3. What is so different about the Saints than in the past?
Sando: They have a very well-schemed rushing attack and it’s giving them a refocused identity, something they needed, in retrospect, after the transition out of the Drew Brees/Sean Payton era. Adding left tackle Taliese Fuaga in the draft was another important move. It’s not going to look as good when the Saints fall behind, but their rushing attack and defense have given the offense, and especially quarterback Derek Carr, a favorable context.
Howe: Klint Kubiak is off to a tremendous start. The Saints had gotten stale on offense under Pete Carmichael, and they had been looking to replace him after Payton stepped away. Now with an innovative coordinator, the Saints are clicking in a way we haven’t seen since Brees was running the show. Thing is, they’ve shown flashes in short spurts the past couple of years but never sustained it, so I’m intrigued to see if this continues.
Keefer: Early-down success in the run game has changed everything for the Saints, opening up the playbook on later downs, which has allowed Carr to be aggressive. Alvin Kamara has not-so-subtly reminded the league how dangerous he is, giving this offense the type of balance that’ll scare defensive coordinators for most of the rest of the season. To think: The Saints opened the season with 15 straight scoring drives. I’ll be eager to see how defenses counter them the rest of the way, and if they find any way of slowing them down.
Kirk Cousins’ prime-time record didn’t matter much Monday night, when the Falcons earned one of the best wins of Week 2 in Philadelphia. Sunday night, they host the Chiefs, who have won a pair of nail-biters to start the season. What are your thoughts on this matchup?
Sando: I think the Chiefs will start fast offensively and then get after Cousins when Atlanta has to depart from its run-oriented script. The Chiefs will do a better job in coverage as well.
Howe: Cousins’ game-winning drive was clutch and showed he can still play at a higher level, but it also masked a number of earlier mistakes when he didn’t trust his reads or simply didn’t see open receivers. Whether it’s the injury-related layoff or adjusting to a new offense and organization, Cousins is still playing catchup. I think he’ll get there eventually, but it looks like it’s going to require patience. However, there was a pivotal point midway through the Monday nighter when the Falcons recognized they could bully the Eagles with Bijan Robinson. They’ve absolutely got to see if that will work against the Chiefs because that’s a well-coached, veteran defense that I’d expect to give Cousins a headache if he’s put in too many passing situations.
GO DEEPER
An ‘alien’ is coming to Atlanta: Falcons admit Mahomes Week is different
Keefer: Impressive as Atlanta’s game-winning drive was, the Falcons were sloppy most of Monday’s game, and Cousins admitted he needed to be better in his postgame interview. The Chiefs, similarly, eeked out a narrow win over the Bengals they probably shouldn’t have had. In a game headlined by the offenses, I think Kansas City’s defense will be the difference. The Falcons still have a ways to go.
(Photo: Sam Hodde / Getty Images)
Sports
High school basketball: Boys’ and girls’ scores from Wednesday
HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL
WEDNESDAY’S RESULTS
BOYS
CITY SECTION
Arleta 61, Chavez 21
Bernstein 51, RFK Community 40
Bravo 70, Roosevelt 63
Canoga Park 68, Reseda 21
Carson 52, Wilmington Banning 44
Central City Value 51, Animo Bunche 46
Chatsworth 69, Sylmar 52
Contreras 51, Mendez 40
Diego Rivera 58, Iovine and Young Center 30
Downtown Magnets 96, Annenberg 20
Fairfax 65, LA University 26
Foshay 94, Horace Mann UCLA Community 49
Garfield 66, South East 33
Granada Hills Kennedy 52, Van Nuys 38
Hawkins 80, Port of Los Angeles 72
Huntington Park 51, South Gate 38
Jefferson 74, Santee 63
King/Drew 58, LA Jordan 52
LACES 38, Westchester 36
LA Hamilton 82, LA Wilson 65
Lincoln 56, Hollywood 40
Locke 60, Dymally 21
Los Angeles 70, Angelou 32
MSAR 39, Bert Corona Charter 38
MSCP 108, Stella 22
Orthopaedic 67, Aspire Ollin 18
Palisades 75, Venice 55
San Fernando 89, Panorama 38
Washington 86, Crenshaw 56
West Adams 58, Manual Arts 48
SOUTHERN SECTION
Ambassador 53, NOVA Academy 42
Anaheim Canyon 77, Norte Vista 63
Apple Valley 92, Barstow 87
Arcadia 58, Pasadena 53
Arroyo 58, El Rancho 51
Banning 61, Rubidoux 57
Bassett 56, EF Academy 30
Capistrano Valley 59, Laguna Beach 47
Chino Hills 68, Corona Santiago 62
Coachella Valley 59, Cathedral City 38
Corona Centennial 79, Calvary Chapel 30
Corona del Mar 64, Great Oak 43
CSDR 59, La Sierra Academy 28
Edgewood 53, Santa Ana Valley 23
Elsinore 65, Murrieta Valley 60
Estancia 64, Nogales 25
Etiwanda 58, Cypress 42
Foothill Tech 49, St. Bonaventure 46
Fountain Valley 65, Irvine University 47
Garden Grove 62, Magnolia 40
Glendora 70, Brea Olinda 65
Glenn 67, Eastside Christian 12
Grace 51, Villanova Prep 38
Heritage Christian 53, Aquinas 29
Holy Martyrs Armenian 60, Calvary Baptist 48
Knight 80, Palmdale 41
La Canada 67, La Puente 21
La Habra 59, Huntington Beach 50
La Palma Kennedy 38, Garden Grove Pacifica 36
Los Alamitos 89, Cerritos 54
Los Altos 83, Savanna 56
Marina 70, Ocean View 37
Mater Dei 90, Jurupa Hills 70
Mayfair 63, Warren 54
Millikan 61, Leuzinger 43
Mission Viejo 67, Sage Hill 60
Monrovia 67, Pomona 22
Montclair 62, Patriot 61
Oaks Christian 77, Simi Valley 32
Orange Vista 72, Heritage 61
Pacific Lutheran 65, Animo Leadership 51
PACS 60, Santa Clarita Christian 46
Paloma Valley 55, Moreno Valley 50
Pasadena Poly 59, Gabrielino 39
Peninsula 61, Temescal Canyon 53
Quartz Hill 73, Lancaster 53
Rancho Verde 83, Sonora 71
Redlands East Valley 81, Grand Terrace 41
Rialto 65, Granite Hills 23
Riverside King 79, Arlington 42
Rolling Hills Prep 79, CAMS 23
Samueli Academy 47, Century 42
San Gabriel 67, Pasadena Marshall 41
Santa Ana 48, Orange 35
Santa Barbara Providence 86, Oak Grove 34
Sierra Canyon 89, Rancho Christian 57
Silver Valley 68, Western Christian 57
Silverado 61, Ridgecrest Burroughs 24
South Hills 36, West Covina 35
St. John Bosco 62, Fairmont Prep 56
St. Pius X-St. Matthias Academy 83, Whittier 40
Valley View 65, Vista del Lago 64
Vasquez 76, St. Genevieve 68
Verbum Dei 64, Long Beach Wilson 58
Westlake 75, Buckley 62
INTERSECTIONAL
Alemany 66, Granada Hills 65
Duarte 69, CHAMPS 28
Garces Memorial 58, Paraclete 49
Legacy Christian Academy 66, Birmingham 47
Mira Mesa 60, Murrieta Mesa 48
Newport Beach Pacifica Christian 66, Seattle (WA) King’s 35
Rancho Mirage 65, Brawley 58
SEED: LA 85, Magnolia Science Academy 21
GIRLS
CITY SECTION
Animo Bunche 35, Central City Value 33
Annenberg 38, Downtown Magnets 4
Arleta 68, Chavez 6
Bell 50, Legacy 15
Carson 36, Wilmington Banning 33
Diego Rivera 47, Iovine and Young Center 3
Foshay 39, Horace Mann UCLA Community 25
Garfield 62, South East 31
Granada Hills Kennedy 72, Van Nuys 8
Hawkins 79, Port of Los Angeles 32
Huntington Park 57, South Gate 17
LA Fairfax 40, LA University 19
LA Wilson 64, Elizabeth 6
Locke 30, Dymally 10
Los Angeles 30, Angelou 28
Mendez 19, Contreras 16
MSCP 46, Stella 15
Palisades 60, Venice 56
Reseda 36, Canoga Park 18
RFK Community 44, Bernstein 32
San Fernando 54, Panorama 18
San Pedro 78, Rancho Dominguez 7
Verdugo Hills 47, North Hollywood 36
West Adams 51, Manual Arts 12
Westchester 84, LACES 34
SOUTHERN SECTION
Acaciawood 39, Liberty Christian 10
Alemany 74, YULA 34
Aliso Niguel 52, Capistrano Valley 29
Apple Valley 51, Barstow 21
Arcadia 59, Pasadena 29
Banning 33, Rubidoux 16
Carpinteria 54, Nordhoff 39
Carter 65, La Sierra 23
Citrus Valley 56, Perris 30
Colony 45, Fontana 42
Compton Centennial 41, San Gabriel Academy 36
CSDR 66, La Sierra Academy 8
Dana Hills 45, Northwood 40
Dominguez 56, La Puente 24
Fillmore 46, Channel Islands 34
Flintridge Sacred Heart 51, Burbank Providence 32
Garden Grove 33, Los Amigos 29
Glendora 67, Patriot 27
Heritage 74, Chaparral 37
Hesperia Christian 45, Arrowhead Christian 33
Indian Springs 47, Tahquitz 42
La Serna 57, La Habra 28
Long Beach Wilson 46, Whitney 42
Los Amigos 37, Santa Ana Valley 28
Milken 53, Notre Dame Academy 39
Montclair 33, Arroyo 19
Norwalk 66, Workman 24
Ontario Christian 98, Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 25
Pasadena Poly 65, Westridge 9
Redlands 60, Arlington 29
Redondo Union 50, Harvard-Westlake 37
Rosamond 57, Desert 13
Rosary Academy 70, Wiseburn Da Vinci 39
St. Lucy’s 25, Bloomington 11
St. Margaret’s 52, El Toro 46
Sunny Hills 47, Paramount 40
Temecula Valley 42, Desert Christian Academy 35
Thousand Oaks 63, Canyon Country Canyon 43
Upland 39, Temescal Canyon 38
Vista Murrieta 48, Ayala 47
Walnut 52, Millikan 40
Yorba Linda 44, Northview 28
INTERSECTIONAL
Birmingham 52, La Canada 41
Centennial (CO) Eagle Crest
Gertz-Ressler 36, Beverly Hills 31
Sports
Why Baseball Hall of Fame chair was ‘not surprised’ Roger Clemens and Barry Bonds struck out again
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Roger Clemens and Barry Bonds are likely down to their final at-bat when it comes to getting into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
The two missed out on their latest attempt of getting a spot in Cooperstown through the Contemporary Era Committee on Sunday. The 16-member panel voted for former San Francisco Giants and Houston Astros star Jeff Kent to get his place in the hallowed halls.
Second baseman Jeff Kent #21 of the San Francisco Giants walks on the infield during the MLB game against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sept. 19, 2002 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California. (Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)
Baseball Hall of Fame Chair Jane Forbes Clark said Monday she believed Clemens and Bonds were turned down again because the committee members evaluate those who thrived in the Steroid Era in the same manner as baseball writers.
“I’m not surprised because I think there’s overlap and obviously discussions among the writers, and we have writers represented on that committee,” Clark said.
Bonds has denied knowingly using performance-enhancing drugs during his career. Clemens maintains he’s never used PEDs either. President Donald Trump also gave Clemens his backing before the committee voted.
ROGER CLEMENS, BARRY BONDS MISS OUT ON LATEST CHANCE TO ENTER BASEBALL HALL OF FAME
In this July 19, 2007, file photo, San Francisco Giants’ Barry Bonds hits a three-run home run during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs in Chicago. (AP Photo/M. Spencer Green, File)
The Baseball Hall of Fame announced last March that candidates who received fewer than five votes from the 16-person panel are not eligible for that committee’s ballot during the next three-year cycle. A candidate who is dropped later reappears on a ballot and again receives fewer than five votes would be barred from future ballot appearances.
If Clemens and Bonds reappear on the committee’s ballot in 2031 and fail to get five votes, they would be barred from future appearances unless the rules are changed again.
New York Yankees pitcher (22) Roger Clemens delivers against the Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards. (Geoff Burke/USA TODAY Sports )
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“What’s lovely about it is it’s going to open up spots on the ballot so that more people can be reviewed,” Clark said. “They certainly can come back in six years, in ‘31, but between now and then some other people will have a chance because I think that’s really important.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Sports
State championship football games set to produce lots of tears
Prepare for lots of tears this weekend at the CIF state championship football games in Orange County.
“No doubt,” Ventura High quarterback Derek Garcia said.
Seniors are playing in their final high school football games. Others will never play again unless it’s intramural football. And others are heading off to college in a matter of days as scholarship athletes, so win or lose, change is coming, which will challenge emotions when reality sets in.
“It’s been a great feeling all week knowing this will be my final high school game because most of the time you go in it’s up in the air,” Garcia said. “Win and you keep going or lose and you go home. It’s a great feeling we made it this far and we’re in the last possible game to play. We’re ready to go.”
Garcia has been playing for his father, Tim, Ventura’s head coach, for years. Now it will end on Friday in a Division 3-AA final against San Francisco St. Ignatius at 8 p.m. at Fullerton High before heading off to Nevada Las Vegas.
“It’s hard sometimes, but it’s been able to bring us so many memories and so many great times together,” Garcia said. “It’s been an awesome journey and wouldn’t want it any other way.”
Some of the teams in state championship games are playing in their 16th game in a long, memorable season.
“It’s been cool to still be playing,” Garcia said.
On Jan. 18, he moves into his UNLV dorm, driving his truck and relying on his parents to help him move. But will his mom let him leave the family nest?
“We’ll see when the day comes,” he said.
Yes, it’s that time for tears from football players and their parents.
There’s a tripleheader on Saturday at Saddleback College that should produce memorable games.
Open Division
De La Salle (12-0) vs. Santa Margarita (10-3), 8 p.m.
A Northern California team has not won in the state’s highest division since 2015. De La Salle’s speed could produce some big plays against the state’s best defense, particularly if 100-meter record holder Jaden Jefferson gets room to run. But Santa Margarita has its own big-play weapon in Trent Mosley, who had 10 catches for 292 yards two weeks ago against Corona Centennial. The pick: Santa Margarita.
Division 1-A
Oxnard Pacifica (15-0) vs. Fresno Central East (13-1), 3:30 p.m.
This is a battle of junior quarterbacks. Pacifica’s Taylor Lee has has passed for 3,742 yards and 51 touchdowns. East has passed for 4,298 yards and 56 touchdowns. If you like offense, this could be the most entertaining game. The pick: Pacifica.
Division 2-A
Rio Hondo Prep (15-0) vs. Sonora (14-0), 11:30 a.m.
This is the game where small schools finally get the spotlight. Both love to run the ball, so the game might get completed in less than two hours. Sonora rushed for 340 yards in its regional final. Rio Hondo Prep had 263 yards rushing and attempted one pass. The pick: Sonora.
Division: 3-AA
Ventura (13-2) vs. San Francisco St. Ignatius (8-6), 8 p.m., Friday, at Fullerton High
Garcia has passed for 3,360 yards and 36 touchdowns and has rushed for 750 yards and 12 touchdowns. The Cougars also have Oregon-bound linebacker Tristan Phillips. St. Ignatius is on a six-game winning streak after getting more consistent play at quarterback. The pick: Ventura.
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