Superstar injury updates from NFL Week 4; Alabama, Florida CFP paths diverge

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🤕 Five things to know Monday

1. Superstar injuries marred Week 4 in the NFL. The football was as entertaining as always, but it was hard not to watch some of Sunday’s games without worrying about the sport’s biggest stars. Saquon Barkley missed nearly all of the Eagles’ loss with a hamstring injury, Ja’Marr Chase sustained a concussion in the Bengals’ defeat, Lamar Jackson is day-to-day with an ankle issue that sidelined him at halftime in the Ravens’ win and Patrick Surtain II suffered a non-contact ankle injury of his own in the Broncos’ loss. Additionally, the Commanders were down to their third-string quarterback when Marcus Mariota left their game in London with a knee problem, the Packers fear Edgerrin Cooper tore his Achilles and Chiefs wide receiver Tyquan Thornton was carted off with a gruesome ankle injury. Thornton’s dislocated ankle has Kansas City eyeing a potential Tyreek Hill reunion.
2. Alabama is a near top-five team while Florida slipped in the College Football Playoff race. The Crimson Tide moved up a spot in the AP Top 25 poll following its resounding 56-23 drubbing of Mississippi State and is quickly putting itself in the same conversation as the top-tier SEC championship contenders. Not only that, but quarterback Keelon Russell looks like the kind of matchup nightmare that could cause problems in the CFP. Elsewhere in the conference, Florida suffered a disappointing loss that should serve as a wake-up call for the Gators, who may not be ready to fight for a league title after all. That shouldn’t take anything away from the winning side, though. Missouri earned every bit of its 45-17 rout of the Gators.
3. The Brewers and Braves have momentum in the NLDS. Milwaukee is just one win away from a series victory following another magical late-game twist of fate, and Atlanta neutralized the Dodgers’ home-field advantage with a win on Sunday. Those Game 2 winners will return to action on Tuesday, but first, the attention shifts to the American League. Without Aaron Judge, do the Yankees have enough in the tank to erase a 1-0 deficit to the Rays? Perhaps Giancarlo Stanton can pick up some slack, but Tampa Bay’s pitching is on another planet after Game 1. And in tonight’s first game, the White Sox look to seize the upper hand by taking a 2-0 lead in the Guardians’ park.
4. Natalia Silva is the UFC flyweight champion. Silva remained perfect for her UFC career with a win by unanimous decision over Wang Cong in the title fight at UFC 332. She reached the mountaintop on a big stage as her bout served as the main event, and earlier in the night, Payton Talbott showed in a first-round TKO win that he is deserving of an opportunity in the spotlight, too. He wants a shot at Sean O’Malley, but there might be more compelling matchups out there. Looking ahead, the UFC 335 card is now set with Charles Oliveira putting the ceremonial BMF title on the line against Diego Lopes.
5. The Valkyries and Dream opened the WNBA semifinals with victories. Jordin Canada’s excellent start to the playoffs continues. The Atlanta point guard posted the third-best scoring effort of her career and wreaked havoc on the other end of the floor to assert herself as the biggest individual winner of Game 1. Canada guided the Dream to a 92-82 win over the Liberty while, on the other side of the bracket, the Valkyries stymied A’ja Wilson and the Aces in their lowest-scoring game of the year. Golden State has the early series lead thanks to its 71-60 triumph. Here’s how to watch the Game 2s on Wednesday.

📝 Do not miss this: NFL Week 4 takeaways

The list of undefeated NFL teams shrank by two, leaving the Chiefs, 49ers and Vikings as the only 4-0 squads. This top tier emerged from the pack in Week 4 while the Bills and Raiders suffered their first defeats of the season. What else do you need to know from the weekend that was in the NFL? Here are the rest of our takeaways:

• Winners and losers: We’re only four weeks in, but it might already be a lost year for the Texans. Half of the teams that played on Sunday lost their games, of course, but Houston’s defeat was the most costly. A team that had Super Bowl aspirations at the start of the year is winless through almost a quarter of the season, and a defense that is supposed to be the NFL’s best continues to fail.
• Overreactions vs. reality: On the other side of the in-state matchup, the Cowboys made just enough plays to scoot past the Texans, and we don’t think it is an overreaction to say they now have command of the NFC East. Their win combined with the Eagles’ offensive collapse and the injuries that plague the Commanders and Giants give them a path to the top of the division.
• Grades: The Bears put forth the best performance of the week, considering their circumstances. Their “A-” grade is the best mark on our report card and is a product of a 23-12 win over the Jets, which marked their third victory with three different quarterbacks. Ben Johnson is putting on a masterclass in offensive design and execution.
• Milestones: The drought is over! The Jets’ defense intercepted a pass for the first time in 637 days, snapping the NFL’s longest streak without a pick. On the other side of the ball, CeeDee Lamb set a Cowboys record for single-game catches by a wide receiver and nearly surpassed Jason Witten outright in a dominant effort against the Texans.
• Controversies: Officials had a rough day on Sunday. Mike Vrabel called a down judge “sensitive” for issuing an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty against him, and two other officials are under the NFL’s watchful eye for their actions. The league is reviewing an official’s profane message to Cardinals tight end Trey McBride, and it is looking into referee Adrian Hill’s strong reaction to Vikings linebacker Eric Wilson offering to help him up off the ground.

🏈 Heisman moment, controversial call and more from college football’s Week 5

Ohio State and Notre Dame came away from Week 5 victorious in more ways than one. Fighting Irish quarterback CJ Carr quietly added to his Heisman Trophy campaign in a dominant showing against North Carolina, but the Buckeyes made an even bigger statement and received an “A” grade on our report card. Superstar wide receiver Jeremiah Smith put on an absolute show in a 31-14 win over Iowa, and he hit the Heisman pose following his 36th career touchdown reception, which made him Ohio State’s all-time leader. Smith’s second consecutive 200-yard game cemented him among the greatest wide receivers in college football history.

The team on the other side of a legendary rivalry did not have as much fun this weekend. Michigan easily stands among Week 5’s biggest losers because of its surprising loss to Minnesota and thus its 0-2 start to Big Ten play. Our Tom Fornelli wants to know why the Wolverines have such grave discipline issues, and there are now real questions about whether Bryce Underwood should continue as their starting quarterback.

• Fornelli: “When Michigan was able to lure Kyle Whittingham out of forced retirement to replace Sherrone Moore, the common refrain was that Michigan football would now have an adult in the room. Considering the Wolverines were able to go 9-4 last season while breaking in a freshman quarterback despite all the off-field antics of Moore, imagine what they’d do with the steady, experienced hand of Whittingham. Perhaps we’ve overestimated maturity’s impact in college football.”

In the ACC, only one team has a clear path to the College Football Playoff. And after what happened on Friday, even the top threat to Miami is in trouble. Pittsburgh emerged as the second-best team in the conference and earned itself top-25 recognition with a controversial shootout win over Virginia Tech, but quarterback Mason Heintschel sustained a season-ending knee injury in the triumph, which will make it difficult for the Panthers to capitalize on their potential as an ACC title hopeful.

Here is everything else of note from the weekend that was in college football:

👍👎 The best (and not-so-best) of the rest

📺 What we’re watching Monday

⚾ White Sox at Guardians, Game 2, 5 p.m. on TBS
🏒 Flyers at Lightning, 7 p.m. on NHL Network
🏀 Knicks at 76ers, 7 p.m. on NBA TV
⚾ Yankees at Rays, Game 2, 8 p.m. on TBS
🤼 WWE Raw, 8 p.m. on Netflix
🏈 Falcons at Saints, 8:15 p.m. on ESPN
🏀 Lakers at Kings, 10 p.m. on NBA TV