The Sportsletter - Game of Inches (And Toes) 🏈

BY JEFF YODER

SEPT. 6, 2024 | SUBSCRIBE | WEB VIEW

Welcome Back, NFL 🙌

Did you catch that ending?! The NFL is officially back. We often use the term “nail-biter” in sports. But this? A toenail-biter. The Chiefs beat the Ravens on a toe-tap touchdown reversal you have to see (and zoom in) to believe.

Plus, a full weekend of NFL and college football is on the horizon as we near the end of the U.S. Open and say goodbye to a U.S. soccer legend in today’s edition.

Letter Rip!

NFL 🏈

Head to Toe: An NFL Opener Worthy of the Spotlight

Photo: David Eullit / Getty Images

Chiefs Hold Off Ravens (27-20) in NFL Opener Thanks to Rookie Xavier Worthy (2 TDs) & Last-Second Toe-Tap Touchdown Reversal

"They say it's a game of inches. It might be shorter than that." — Chiefs HC Andy Reid

The NFL returned last night, but full 60 minutes of football came down to a toenail in the end zone, and fans were gifted a season-opener worthy of the spotlight. Chiefs’ rookie WR Xavier Worthy started his career with two touchdowns on just three touches (one run, one catch). He brought a spark to the rematch of last year's AFC Championship Game, but Lamar Jackson tallied nearly 400 total yards in a thrilling comeback attempt. Here's how it went down:

The Finish: The Chiefs led by 10 (27-17) early in the fourth before the Ravens kicked a field goal (27-20), got a stop, and marched into the red zone with less than 20 seconds left. Jackson missed two open receivers on first and second down in the waning seconds before hitting TE Isaiah Likely in the back of the end zone as the clock expired (27-26). The Ravens were lining up to go for two and the win, but the replay showed Likely’s toe touched centimeters over the end line. The touchdown call was reversed, and Arrowhead partied once again (they never stopped). It seems like must-see magic every time these teams meet.

QB Comparison

P. Mahomes (KC): 20/28, 291 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT

L. Jackson (BAL): 26/41, 273 yards, 1 TD

(122 yards rushing)

🤯 Crazy Stat: Patrick Mahomes passed Len Dawson for the most passing yards (28,507) in Chiefs franchise history. He did it in 86 fewer games.

Other Top Performers

WR X. Worthy (KC): 3 touches, 68 yards, 2 TDs

RB I. Pacheco (KC): 17 touches, 78 yards, 1 TD

RB D. Henry (BAL): 13 carries, 46 yards, 1 TD

TE I. Likely (BAL): 9 receptions, 111 yards, 1 TD

Watch: Chiefs Hold Off Ravens in Kickoff Thriller (27-20)

The rest of Week 1 is coming soon…

🗓️ Full NFL Week 1 Schedule

Yahoo! Sports: Xavier Worthy Scores Twice, Chiefs Hang on by a Toe for Huge Opening Game Win

Kickoff Pick Results

Yesterday, we asked who you were taking in the NFL season opener — Chiefs or Ravens? The majority took the defending champs at home. That’s a good start, team.

Chiefs (59%) ✅

Ravens (41%) 🚫

The Week 1 NFL Pick 'Em 🏈

The Sportsletter's NFL Pick 'Em is back! Want to show us you're a football expert? Compete against other readers to see if you can pick the most correct NFL games each week for a shot at prizes, gear, and other perks.

📝 Play The Sportsletter’s NFL Pick ‘Em (Week 1)

US OPEN

Pegula Powers to US Open Final 💪

Photo: Robert Prange / Getty Images

#6 Jessica Pegula Rallies Past Karolina Muchova, Will Face #2 Aryna Sabalenka in 1st Grand Slam Final

Another American star shining at the U.S. Open! Jessica Pegula — whose parents own the Buffalo Bills, by the way — has taken the U.S. Open by storm over the past ten days. She didn’t drop a set in her first five matches, and that included an upset knockout of #1 Iga Swiatek in Wednesday’s quarterfinal. Yesterday, she dropped the opening set against Karolina Muchova ("embarrassing," she called it) before powering her way back to a three-set win. The New York crowd support at Arthur Ashe Stadium was tilted heavily toward the Buffalo native. Pegula, after a long wait since turning pro in 2009 (she's 30), will finally get her shot at history. She'll face No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka in the finals tomorrow.

Women’s Semifinals

#6 J. Pegula def. K. Muchova (1-6, 6-4, 6-2)

#2 A. Sabalenka def. #13 E. Navarro (6-3, 7-6)

Men’s Semifinals (Today)

#1 J. Sinner vs. #25 J. Draper (3:00 pm ET)

#12 T. Fritz vs. #20 F. Tiafoe (7:00 pm ET)

CBS Sports: Jessica Pegula Advances to First Grand Slam Final With Comeback Win vs. Karolina Muchova

SOCCER

Farewell, Alex Morgan 👏

Photo: Elsa / Getty Images

The Face of a Generation for U.S. Women’s Soccer Announces Her Retirement

It’s the end of an era for one of the U.S. Women’s National Team’s greatest strikers. Alex Morgan announced her retirement in a social media video on Thursday. The announcement comes just before her last NWSL game with the San Diego Wave on Sunday. Morgan, 35, also announced she’s pregnant and expecting her second child. She'll hang up the No. 13 kit as one of the best to ever play for the USWNT.

Alex Morgan’s Career (By the Numbers)

2x World Cup Champion

2x Olympic Gold Medalist

123 Goals With USWNT (Ranks 5th)

224 Caps With USWNT (Ranks 9th)

Only Abby Wambach (45) and Mia Hamm (38) have more multi-goal games for the USWNT than Alex Morgan (29).

Watch: Thank You, Alex! (U.S. Soccer Tribute)

ESPN: Alex Morgan Retirement Leaves Towering USWNT & NWSL Legacy

HIGHLIGHTS 🎥

⚾️ MLB

Parker Meadows Hits 9th-Inning Grand Slam

Slam Comes on Final Strike, Tigers def. Padres (4-3)

Stott Leads Phillies to 5th Straight Win

Phillies def. Marlins (5-2), Tied With LAD Atop NL

Reds Hand Astros 3rd Straight Loss

Ty France Hits Solo HR, Reds def. Astros (1-0)

⚽️ Soccer

Cristiano Ronaldo Becomes 1st to 900 Goals

Historic Moment in Portugal’s Nations League Match

🏀 WNBA

Liberty Hold Off Storm (77-70)

NYL Hold 3.5-Game Lead for No. 1 Seed

Mystics Torch Mercury (90-77)

Karlie Samuelson Drops 19 Off Bench (Five 3s)

STORYLINES

🏈 Week 1 Watchability Rankings

The Thursday night, Sunday night and Monday night games are all must-see matchups. Plus there’s a big AFC South showdown that could quietly be one of the most important on the schedule all season. (Sports Illustrated)

⚾️ Tracking Ohtani’s 50-50 Season

Ever since arriving in 2018, Shohei Ohtani has pushed the boundaries of what a single baseball player is capable of doing. While an elbow injury is keeping him off the mound in 2024, the Dodgers DH is finding other ways to make history. (MLB.com)

⚽️ European Soccer’s Panic Index

After four matchdays in Spain, three in England, Italy and France and only two in Germany, the first international break is already here. It’s too early for any team to truly panic, but a few clubs suffered false starts in August. (ESPN+)

NEWS 📰

🚨 Chiefs Superfan ‘ChiefsAholic’ Sentenced to 17.5 Years in Prison for String of Bank Robberies (CBS Sports)

🏒 Gaudreau Brothers’ Funeral to be Held Monday in Philadelphia (ESPN)

⚽️ NWSL Rookie Croix Bethune Suffers Knee Injury From Throwing Out First Pitch at MLB Game (Yahoo! Sports)

🏛️ Big 12 & UConn Agree to Pause Expansion Discussions About Realignment (B/R)

🏀 5-Star SG Jasper Johnson Commits to Kentucky Over UNC & Louisville (CBS Sports)

👟 Ugandan Olympic Marathoner Rebecca Cheptegei Dies at 33 After Gasoline Attack (Yahoo! Sports)