The New England Patriots are an NFL-best 7-0 after cashing in on numerous miscues by the New York Jets’ second-year quarterback. Sony Michel ran for three touchdowns and Tom Brady was 31 of 45 passing for 249 yards and a TD as the Pats blanked the Jets, 33-0.
The Patriots took advantage of five turnovers by Sam Darnold and stayed 1 ½ games ahead of Buffalo atop the AFC East. Brady set the tone with a lone touchdown drive capped by Michel’s three-yard run. Michel added a pair of one-yard scoring bursts for New England, which outscored New York, 63-14 in sweeping the season series. Darnold was miserable just days after being named the AFC offensive player of the week following the Jets’ 24-22 win over the Cowboys. Darnold was intercepted four times and lost a fumble while completing just 11 of his 32 passes for 86 yards for the 1-6 Jets.
In NFL news, a pair of Pro Bowl quarterbacks are continuing their rehabilitation after getting injured during Week 7 of the NFL season. Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is already deep into his rehabilitation from a knee injury suffered in last Thursday’s win in Denver. The reigning MVP was injured during a quarterback sneak in the second quarter and did not return. In the meantime, head coach Andy Reid says the Chiefs are preparing backup Matt Moore to start Sunday night's showdown with the Green Bay Packers. Falcons coach Dan Quinn said quarterback Matt Ryan ran in a pool Monday to test his injured ankle and has not been ruled out for next Sunday's game against Seattle. Ryan was injured during the first half of Sunday’s 37-10 loss to the Rams, causing backup Matt Schaub to finish the game. The 34-year-old Ryan has not missed a start since 2009, a streak that covers 154 regular-season games.
The Raiders have traded cornerback and 2017 first-round pick Gareon Conley to the Houston Texans for a third-round selection in next year’s draft. Conley never developed into a consistent pass defender during his three seasons in Oakland. He was part of a defense that allowed Green Bay's Aaron Rodgers to throw five TD passes in a 42-24 loss on Sunday.
Chargers offensive guard Forrest Lamp will miss the rest of the season after breaking his right leg during Sunday's game against the Tennessee Titans. Lamp was making his second career start at left guard when the injury occurred during the second quarter of the 23-20 loss.
Dolphins safety Bobby McCain will be disciplined by the team for his verbal confrontation with a 13-year-old boy who was rooting for the Bills. Coach Brian Flores said he discussed the incident with McCain on Monday, the day after it occurred as players took the field before the Dolphins' 31-21 loss at Buffalo.
Panthers coach Ron Rivera ended any suspense over his quarterback situation, saying Kyle Allen will remain the starter when Carolina visits the unbeaten San Francisco 49ers on Sunday. Allen is 4-0 as Carolina's starter this season since taking over for the injured Cam Newton.
NHL
The Flyers snapped a four-game losing streak by scoring four times in the second period of a 6-2 win over the Golden Knights. Kevin Hayes, Michael Raffl, Matt Niskanen and Oskar Lindblom all scored in the middle period after Travis Konecny put Philadelphia ahead to stay. The Flyers had scored only 15 goals through their first six games before evening their record at 3-3-1.
The defending Stanley Cup champs were able to end an 0-2-2 skid by handing the NHL’s hottest team its first regulation loss of the season. Vladimir Tarasenko had a goal and two assists as the Blues downed the Avalanche, 3-1. Brayden Schenn opened the scoring with a power-play goal midway through the first period and David Perron broke a 1-1 deadlock early in the second period. Jordan Binnington faced just 18 shots and blanked Colorado after Nathan MacKinnon scored on a power play 12:38 into the opening period. The Avs fell to 7-1-1, leaving them tied with Buffalo and Edmonton for the league’s top record.
Gustav Nyquist scored on a penalty shot 1:57 into overtime to give the Blue Jackets a 4-3 win over the Maple Leafs. Columbus blew an early two-goal lead and trailed 3-2 until Alexander Wennberg notched a power-play goal midway through the third period. Nick Foligno set up goals by Riley Nash and Pierre-Luc Dubois that gave the Blue Jackets a 2-0 lead six minutes into the game.
Joe Pavelski’s power-play goal in the second period was the eventual game-winner as the Stars nipped the Senators, 2-1. Radek Faksa also scored for Dallas, and Anton Khudobin made 19 saves to help Dallas get its first home win. Anders Nilsson stopped 41 shots in Ottawa’s fourth consecutive loss.
NBA
It will be a while before the first player taken in the NBA draft gets a chance to showcase his talents in a regular-season game. New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson will miss the first six to eight weeks of the season following surgery today to repair a torn right meniscus. The 6-foot-6, 285-pound former Duke star averaged 23.2 points in four preseason games. The 19-year-old Williamson turned pro after averaging 22.6 points and 8.9 rebounds, landing on the ACC’s All-Defensive team in his lone season with the Blue Devils.
Several young NBA stars received contract extensions just before Monday’s deadline for teams to negotiate a deal. The Pacers have signed power forward Domantas Sabonis to a four-year extension that ESPN.com says is worth at least $77 million and can climb to $85 million with bonuses. Sabonis finished as the runner-up for the NBA's Sixth Man Award last season after averaging career highs of 14.1 points, 9.3 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 0.6 blocks. Fourth-year guard Buddy Hield has agreed to a multiyear contract extension with the Kings. Hield started all 82 games for the Kings last season and averaged 20.7 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists.
The Celtics have held onto one of their top young players by signing forward Jaylen Brown to a four-year extension that could be worth up to $115 million. The third overall pick in the 2016 NBA draft started just 25 of 74 games while averaging 13 points and 4.2 rebounds last season, but he was one of the few bright spots for Team USA at the World Cup over the summer.
The Nets have inked Taurean Prince to a multiyear extension just a few months after acquiring him in an offseason trade. Prince led the Nets with 16.8 points per game during the preseason, shooting 63.2% from the field and a team-best 69.6% from 3-point range on 23 attempts.
The Knicks have exercised their contract options on Frank Ntilikina, Dennis Smith Jr. and Kevin Knox.
The Grizzlies have exercised their third-year options on power forward Jaren Jackson Jr. and guard Grayson Allen.
Veteran Joe Johnson has been waived by the Pistons after averaging 3.8 points in four preseason games.
MLB
The Houston Astros say Justin Verlander and Zack Greinke will follow Gerrit Cole in their rotation for the World Series against the Nationals, with Game 4 to serve as a bullpen day. Cole and Verlander were 20-game winners this season, and Cole is 19-0 in 25 starts since a loss to the White Sox on May 22. Greinke will get a chance to hit in Washington after batting .280 with three home runs and eight RBIs in 56 plate appearances this year. Washington ace Max Scherzer will oppose Cole in the series opener Tuesday night in Houston.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Michigan State is No. 1 in The Associated Press Top 25 men's college basketball preseason poll for the first time in program history. The Spartans took the top spot on 60 of 65 ballots in results released Monday. Kentucky was No. 2 with two first-place votes, while third-ranked Kansas received the other three. Michigan State had been ranked No. 1 for 12 weeks all-time in the AP poll before Monday, but never to start a season. Tom Izzo's Spartans return star Cassius Winston, along with starters Joshua Langford, Xavier Tillman and Aaron Henry from a 32-win team that reached the Final Four. Duke is ranked fourth, followed by Louisville, Florida, Maryland, Gonzaga, North Carolina and Villanova to round out the top 10. Reigning national champion Virginia starts at No. 11.
PGA
Miguel Angel Jimenez tied the course record with a 9-under 63 to win the rain-delayed Dominion Energy Charity Classic. Jimenez birdied nine holes in the final round of the opening event of the PGA Tour Champions' three-tournament Charles Schwab Cup playoffs. He nosed out second-round co-leader Tommy Tolles, who eagled the final hole to end up two shots behind Jimenez and one ahead of Colin Montgomerie.
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