The Sportsletter - Undefeated No More 🚫

BY JEFF YODER

OCT. 16, 2023 |  SUBSCRIBE  |  WEB VIEW

Welcome Back 👋

Undefeated seasons, be gone. The 49ers and Eagles are no longer perfect, and the teams that knocked them off the throne weren’t teams you’d expect. Plus, there’s a new Heisman front-runner, and the MLB and WNBA playoffs highlight the week ahead.

Want a laugh? Start your week with the SNL sketch satirizing the Kelce-Swift saga. Or don't (if you've had enough).

Letter Rip!

  NFL   

Week 6: Unbeaten No More

Photo: Jason Miller / Getty Images

49ers & Eagles Suffer 1st Losses & Key Injuries as Week 6 Upsets Shuffle the Deck

Week 6 Sunday was a defensive struggle for games across the league, and our last two undefeated teams both fell. The 49ers and Eagles both lost for the first time all season, and their defeats came at the hands of teams with backup quarterbacks, no less. We’ll analyze. The Sunday nighter in Buffalo was a dogfight, too. And though defense was king in Week 6, the Dolphins kept pace with their record-setting scoring output. Let’s get into it.

Unbeaten No More

Both the 49ers (5-1) and Eagles (5-1) suffered their first losses of the 2023 season, and they came back-to-back on the road Sunday against unsuspecting underdogs. The 49ers fell to the Browns after a missed game-winning field goal attempt from kicker Jake Moody (19-17). Cleveland was without starting QB Deshaun Watson or RB Nick Chubb. A few hours later at MetLife Stadium the Jets stunned the Eagles (20-14) after forcing QB Jalen Hurts into a career-high 3 INTs. Philly led 14-3 before a trio of Jets field goals and a late-game interception that broke their undefeated run. And after six weeks, every NFL team has at least one loss.

Undefeated Injuries: Both the Niners and Eagles lost key players to injuries, and we’ll learn more in the days ahead. RB Christian McCaffrey (49ers) and LT Lane Johnson (Eagles) both left early.

QB Streaks Snapped: San Francisco’s loss marked the first regular-season defeat for QB Brock Purdy. Hurts was 20-1 in his last 21 regular-season starts for Philly until the Jets picked him apart.

New York Nightcap

The night game in Buffalo featured another defensive battle in the state of New York. The Giants had the Bills on the ropes with a 6-0 lead entering the fourth quarter, but the Bills scored two touchdowns in the final frame. The Giants fought to have a chance late, but the final series ended on the 1-yard line and a goal-line stand for the Bills (14-9) after some questionable calls and no-calls. It was the Giants’ third game of the season without an offensive touchdown.

NFL Power Rankings Preview: The losses to San Fran and Philly will shuffle the deck in this week's upcoming Power Rankings. The Lions and Dolphins looked good again on Sunday, and we could have a new No. 1 come Wednesday.

Week 6 Top Performers

QB J. Goff (DET): 30/44, 353 yards, 2 TDs

QB T. Tagovailoa (MIA): 21/31, 262 yards, 3 TDs

RB K. Williams (LAR): 20 touches, 158 yards, 1 TD

RB R. Mostert (MIA): 20 touches, 132 yards, 3 TDs

WR T. Hill (MIA): 6 receptions, 163 yards, 1 TD

WR C. Kupp (LAR): 7 receptions, 148 yards, 1 TD

WR A. St. Brown (DET): 12 receptions, 124 yards, 1 TD

Week 6 Scores & Highlights

Chiefs def. Broncos (19-8)

Ravens def. Titans (24-16)

Commanders def. Falcons (24-16)

Vikings def. Bears (19-13)

Bengals def. Seahawks (17-13)

Browns def. 49ers (19-17)

Jaguars def. Colts (37-20)

Dolphins def. Panthers (42-21)

Texans def. Saints (20-13)

Raiders def. Patriots (21-17)

Rams def. Cardinals (26-9)

Jets def. Eagles (20-14)

Lions def. Buccaneers (20-6)

Bills def. Giants (14-9)

Tonight (Monday Night Football)

Cowboys at Chargers (8:15 pm, ESPN)

Read More

NFL: Bears QB Justin Fields Suffers Dislocated Thumb in Loss to Vikings

AP: Browns Defense Stuns 49ers (19-17), Hand SF & Brock Purdy 1st Loss

USA Today: Eagles Drop Stunner to Jets, No More Undefeated Teams Left

  CFB   

The New Heisman Front-Runner

Photo: Steph Chambers / Getty Images

Michael Penix Jr. (Washington) Now Leads the Heisman Race Thanks to Notre Dame’s Dismantling of Caleb Williams (USC)

Another thrilling weekend of college football had plenty of notable games and moments, but the top-4 teams remain unbeaten, and unchallenged. Elsewhere, Colorado blew a 29-point halftime lead to Stanford on Friday night to set the table for an exciting Saturday where #21 Notre Dame throttled #10 USC (48-20) and picked off reigning Heisman-winner QB Caleb Williams three times (199 yards, 1 TD, 3 INTs). That blunder paved the way for QB Michael Penix Jr. to make a statement, and he did. Penix Jr. (22/37, 302 yards, 4 TDs, 1 INT) led #7 Washington over #8 Oregon (36-33) in a Pac-12 showcase with a lot on the line. The Huskies soared into the top-5 for the first time in six years, and Penix Jr. is the new leader in Heisman odds. Seven unbeaten teams make up spots 1-7 in the playoff mix as we look to the first CFB Playoff Rankings reveal (Tuesday, Oct. 31).

CFB Week 7 Highlights

#1 Georgia def. Vanderbilt (37-20)

#2 Michigan def. Indiana (52-7)

#3 Ohio State def. Purdue (41-7)

#4 Florida State def. Syracuse (41-3)

#6 Penn State def. UMass (63-0)

#7 Washington def. #8 Oregon (36-33)

#21 Notre Dame def. #10 USC (48-20)

#11 Alabama def. Arkansas (24-21)

AP Poll (Top-10)

1. Georgia (7-0) | —

2. Michigan (7-0) | —

3. Ohio State (6-0) | —

4. Florida State (6-0) | —

5. Washington (6-0) | ↑2

6. Oklahoma (6-0) | ↓1

7. Penn State (6-0) | ↓1

8. Texas (5-1) | ↑1

9. Oregon (5-1) | ↓1

10. North Carolina (6-0) | ↑2

Rest of Top-25: 11. Alabama (6-1) | 12. Oregon State (6-1) | 13. Ole Miss (5-1) | 14. Utah (5-1) | 15. Notre Dame (6-2) | 16. Duke (5-1) | 17. Tennessee (5-1) | 18. USC (6-1) | 19. LSU (5-2) | 20. Missouri (6-1) | 21. Louisville (6-1) | 22. Air Force (6-0) | 23. Tulane (5-1) | 24. Iowa (6-1) | 25. UCLA (4-2)

Read More

FOX Sports: Michael Penix Jr.’s Heisman Stock Rises After Dramatic Win

SI: Oregon-Washington Clash Tops College Football’s Week 7 Watchability Index

The Athletic: How Notre Dame Used 5 Turnovers to Upset USC

  HIGHLIGHTS   🎥

Lightning Round ⚡️

Photo: Carmen Mandato / Getty Images

⚾️ ALCS Gm 1: Rangers Shut Out Astros (2-0)

The Rangers’ unbeaten October continues! Texas shut out Houston in Game 1 of the ALCS on Sunday night (2-0) thanks to a defensive clinic and pitcher Jordan Montgomery (6.1 IP, 6 Ks, 5 Hits, 0 ER). Leody Tavares held the big stick (2-for-2, 1 HR), and the Rangers are now 6-0 in the playoffs. They’re the third team ever to throw shutouts in multiple Game 1s of the same postseason. TEX Leads Series (1-0)

*Game 2 is tonight, alongside Game 1 of the NLCS between the D-Backs and Phillies.

🏀 WNBA Finals: Liberty Survive & Force Gm 4

The New York Liberty used a third-quarter surge to upend the Aces in Game 3 of the WNBA Finals on Sunday afternoon (87-73) . Jonquel Jones (27 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists) was the star of the show for the Liberty. We’re heading to Game 4 on Wednesday with the title on the line. LV Leads Series (2-1)

🥊 BOXING: Fury & Paul Winners in England

A unique boxing card Saturday in Manchester, England drew a lot of attention from some of the sport’s high-profile names. Social media star Logan Paul was a winner against Dillon Danis via 6th-round DQ, and Tommy Fury defeated KSI with a decision win to improve to 10-0.

🏎️ NASCAR: Larson Takes Vegas & Champ-4 Berth

Kyle Larson captured the checkered flag at the South Point 200 in Las Vegas, effectively securing his spot in the Championship 4. There are two more races for the Round of 8 until the next cut in the playoffs following Martinsville (Oct. 30).

⚽️ SOCCER: USMNT Falls to Germany (3-1)

An international break on the pitch gave the U.S. Men’s National Team a chance to tune things up in a friendly against Germany. Christian Pulisic (27’) started the scoring for the U.S. with a stunner, but the Germans took control with three unanswered before and after the half.

🏒 NHL: Matthews Opens With B2B Hat Tricks

The Maple Leafs are off to a 2-0 start in the NHL season thanks to back-to-back hat tricks from Auston Matthews. The former MVP is just the fifth player in NHL history to tally hat tricks in the first two games of the season. No one has ever done it in three straight.

  NEWS   📰 

• Aaron Rodgers Throwing Passes & Walking Without Crutches Amid Achilles Recovery (CBS Sports)
• Colts QB Anthony Richardson ‘Strongly Considering’ Season-Ending Shoulder Surgery (Yahoo! Sports)
• ‘SNL’ Lampoons Deion Sanders, Colorado Football in Weekend Update Sketch (USA Today)
• Rangers Injured Pitchers Max Scherzer & Jon Gray Added to ALCS Rosters (ESPN)
• Travis Kelce & ‘Saturday Night Live’ Poke Fun at NFL’s Taylor Swift Obsession in Sketch (SI)

  CHALLENGE   

The Sportsletter's Jersey Challenge

The Sportsletter is celebrating this month’s “Sports Equinox” — the magical day in sports when the NFL, NBA, NHL and MLB collide on the same day — by giving away an authentic jersey from Mitchell & Ness (1st Place: $300+ value) and another jersey from Fanatics (Drawing: $150+ value). Rack up referral points between now and the Equinox (Monday, Oct. 30) for a shot at the top prize, but every referral point is an entry to the drawing. It's October, and we're unleashing our competitive spirit!

🎟️ Grab Your Ticket & Join The Challenge

  SCHEDULE   🗓️ 

Today's Must-Watch List

MLB Playoffs

ALCS Gm 2: Rangers at Astros (4:37 pm, FOX)

NLCS Gm 1: Diamondbacks at Phillies (8:07 pm, TBS)

NFL (Monday Night Football)

Cowboys at Chargers (8:15 pm, ESPN)

NHL

Blackhawks at Maple Leafs (7:00 pm, ESPN+)

Panthers at Devils (7:00 pm, ESPN+)

*All Times ET

Download The Sportsletter's Must-Watch Calendar

  THE TEAM  

Writer & Editor: Jeff Yoder

Product Manager: Matthew Cahill

Lead Designer: Joe Stella

Assistant Writer: Marissa Kasch

Social Media: Aaron Yorke

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