It seemed like old times for Odell Beckham Jr. as he delivered a pair of highlight-reel catches at Met Life Stadium. The former New York Giant had a long scoring reception and made a one-handed grab as the Cleveland Browns dumped the battered New York Jets, 23-3.
Beckham took a slant pass and outran the Jets' defenders all the way to the end zone for an 89-yard TD that put Cleveland up 23-3 with 3 ½ minutes left in the third quarter. His spectacular 33-yard, one-handed grab got Cleveland down to the Jets 4 and set up a field goal for the game’s first points. Beckham finished with six catches for 161 yards as the Browns bounced back from their 30-point loss to the Titans in Week 1.
The 0-2 Jets finished the game with their third-string quarterback. Trevor Siemian had to leave the game after taking a hit in the second quarter. Siemian was starting in place of Sam Darnold, who is out with mononucleosis. Siemian finished 3 of 6 for 3 yards, while Luke Falk was 20 of 25 for 198 yards as the Jets absorbed their seventh consecutive home loss since last season.
In NFL news, two of the NFL’s very best quarterbacks are dealing with injuries, with one learning that he’s done for the year. Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is scheduled to undergo season-ending surgery on his aching right elbow, putting the offense in the hands of Mason Rudolph. Roethlisberger shook his arm after a pair of passes with the Steelers driving late in the first half of yesterday’s loss to Seattle and watched the second half from the sideline. Roethlisberger has been Pittsburgh's starter since taking over for Tommy Maddox in Week 2 of the 2004 season as a rookie. A person familiar with the situation tells The Associated Press that Saints quarterback Drew Brees is expected to be out six weeks after suffering a torn ligament in his right thumb during Sunday’s loss to the Rams. Saints coach Sean Payton declined today to go into detail about Brees' condition or even rule him out for this Sunday's game in Seattle. The injury occurred when the thumb hit the hand of on-rushing defensive lineman Aaron Donald on the follow-through of a throw in the first quarter.
Coach Pat Shurmur has refused to say whether two-time Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning will continue to start at quarterback for the winless Giants. Shurmur said his coaching staff will be discussing all areas of the team after the Giants fell to 0-2, dropping their home opener 28-14 to the Bills on Sunday.
A person familiar with the negotiations says Dolphins defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick has been traded to the Steelers for a first-round draft pick in 2020. Fitzpatrick was unhappy about his role and received permission to seek a trade. He played free safety for Miami in Sunday's 43-0 loss to New England and had six tackles and a fumble recovery.
Two-time Pro Bowl cornerback Jalen Ramsey has requested a trade following a sideline argument with Jaguars coach Doug Marrone. A person with knowledge of the situation says Ramsey's agent asked the Jags to move the disgruntled defender following the heated exchange during the team's 13-12 loss at Houston. Ramsey was upset that Marrone didn't challenge DeAndre Hopkins' first-down catch late in the first quarter of the game.
Adrian Phillips will be out for an extended period, dealing another blow to the Chargers secondary. The Chargers strong safety broke his right forearm while trying to tackle Detroit running back Kerryon Johnson during the fourth quarter of Sunday's 13-10 loss.
Browns backup quarterback Drew Stanton has been placed on injured reserve. Stanton had been listed as No. 2 on Cleveland's depth chart behind Baker Mayfield before injuring his knee during practice last week.
Adam Vinatieri isn't going anywhere yet. Colts Coach Frank Reich says the NFL's career scoring leader will remain his kicker despite early-season struggles. Vinatieri has missed five of his first eight kicks, including three extra points.
MLB
The Mets are five games out of an NL playoff slot after Steven Matz was torched for six runs in the fourth inning of a 9-4 loss at Colorado. Trevor Story launched a three-run blast to cap the fourth-inning rally after the Mets built a 4-1 lead. Antonio Senzatela worked six innings and snapped an 0-for-44 skid at the plate with his first hit in exactly a year, a game-tying, two-run single.
Marcell Ozuna was the hitting star in the Cardinals’ 4-2 win over the Nationals, going 2-for-4 with a two-run homer and four RBIs. Ozuna also threw out a runner from left field to prevent Washington from taking the lead. Dakota Hudson allowed two runs and five hits over seven innings as St. Louis allowed the Cubs to get within a half-game of the Nats for the first wild card.
In MLB news, Nationals bench coach Chip Hale managed the team Monday in St. Louis after skipper Dave Martinez underwent a heart procedure. General manager Mike Rizzo says the 54-year-old Martinez had a minor cardiac catheterization Monday in Washington, one day after experiencing chest pains during a win over Atlanta. Martinez left in the sixth inning and was taken to a hospital.
Add another bowl game to the mix, this one at Fenway Park. The century-old baseball park will host a matchup in 2020 between teams from the Atlantic Coast Conference and the American Athletic Conference. The date for the Fenway Bowl is expected to be announced on Tuesday. It will be the first college bowl game at the home of the Boston Red Sox.
Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo will wear a walking boot for the next five to seven days after an MRI showed he had a moderate lateral right ankle sprain. Rizzo had to be helped off the field after suffering the injury while fielding a bunt in the third inning of Sunday’s 16-6 rout of the Pirates. The Cubs can ill afford an extended loss of Rizzo as they continue to play without shortstop Javier Báez, who is out for the rest of the regular season with a hairline fracture of his left thumb.
NHL
The NHL is guaranteed labor peace for the next three seasons after the players association announced it is declining to trigger its opt-out clause. Meetings between owners and players have been going on since February and increased in frequency in recent weeks. The league did not opt out of the CBA, with Commissioner Gary Bettman citing momentum and the importance of labor peace overriding the issues owners might have. Player concerns include escrow payments, health care, Olympic participation and the definition of what qualifies as hockey-related revenue. The last CBA was negotiated in 2013 and runs through the 2021-22 season.
The Canucks have signed restricted free-agent right wing Brock Boeser to a three-year contract worth more than $17.6 million. The 22-year-old missed training camp during the weekend as negotiations continued. Boeser was the club's third-leading scorer last season with 26 goals and 30 assists in 69 games.
SANDUSKY
Jerry Sandusky's resentencing on a 45-count child sexual abuse conviction is on hold, and it's not clear when it will happen. Judge John Foradora issued an order Monday saying the Sept. 23 proceeding won't take place as scheduled. The former Penn State assistant football coach had been sentenced to 30 to 60 years after his 2012 jury conviction. But an appeals court ruled in February that mandatory minimums had been improperly applied. Sandusky was convicted of the sexual abuse of 10 boys, including attacks on campus.
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL
A 16-year-old Oklahoma high school football player has died after suffering an apparent head injury during a game. An Oklahoma funeral home says Peter Webb died Sunday at an Oklahoma City hospital. Webb, a student at Southwest Covenant in the Oklahoma City suburb of Yukon, reportedly was injured while making a tackle and struck his head on the ground during the fourth quarter of a game last Friday. According to the school’s Facebook page, Webb also played baseball and basketball.
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