The Sportsletter - Unknown Niner Spoils Rodgers' Return

BY JEFF YODER

SEPT. 10, 2024 |  SUBSCRIBE  |  WEB VIEW

Good Morning 👋

What a strange 24 hours in sports...

On the Field: Christian McCaffrey was a surprise scratch on Monday Night Football, but the 49ers spoiled Aaron Rodgers' return anyway. Check the bottom of today's edition to give out the Week 1 Game Ball.

Off the Field: Miami police released the bodycam footage of the Tyreek Hill arrest (watch the full unedited video here). 

Let’s keep it light and start with some pick winners, shall we?

Letter Rip!

  PICK 'EM  

NFL Pick 'Em (Week 1)

The Week 1 Pick ‘Em started with fireworks. More than 30 players correctly picked 13/14 games in Week 1 (everybody missed the Bengals-Patriots game). It was a long night of tallying tiebreakers, but we have a victor. Congrats to Steve Stanko! Check your email later today for info on your Week 1 winnings.

Week 1 Pick 'Em Leaderboard

1. Steve Stanko (13/14)

2. Samantha Inselberg (13/14)

3. James Thomas (13/14)

4. Mark Petty (13/14)

5. Melvin Graham (13/14)

Players who finished top-5 receive an automatic bid to the playoffs this winter. Stay tuned for Week 2 (tomorrow)!

  NFL  

No McCaffrey? 49ers Find Super-Sub

Photo: Thearon W. Henderson / Getty Images

With Christian McCaffrey a Surprise Scratch, Unknown 49ers Running Back Jordan Mason Spoils Aaron Rodgers’ Jets Return (32-19)

A year later, the first full game of Aaron Rodgers’ Jets era finally arrived on Monday night in the Bay. He hadn't played a full football game since 2022 for the Packers. But after all that hype, an unknown (and undrafted) 49ers running back stole the show. Fans were shocked to see RB Christian McCaffrey inactive with a calf injury. Enter RB Jordan Mason (who?) — a third-year back out of Georgia Tech owned in approximately 0 percent of fantasy football leagues. Rodgers and the Jets took a 7-3 lead in the first quarter, but the 49ers scored 23 unanswered points behind Mason (152 yards, 1 TD) and kicker Jake Moody (6/6 FGs) en route to a 32-19 win. It was an ugly re-start to the Jets' Rodgers era, but the Niners seem to have found another weapon.

MNF History: Mason’s 147 rushing yards were the second-most by an undrafted player in Monday Night Football history. Watch Jordan Mason's Highlights

QB Comparison

B. Purdy (SF): 19/29, 242 Yards

A. Rodgers (NYJ): 13/21, 167 Yards, 1 TD, 1 INT

Other Top Performers

RB J. Mason (SF): 29 Touches, 152 Yards, 1 TD

WR D. Samuel (SF): 13 Touches, 77 Yards, 1 TD

RB B. Hall (NYJ): 21 Touches, 93 Yards, 1 TD

WR A. Lazard (NYJ): 6 Receptions, 89 Yards, 2 TDs

Watch: 49ers Flex on Jets in Monday Night Football (32-19)

Read More

ESPN: 49ers Spoil Aaron Rodgers’ Return in Dominant Win

CBS Sports: Who is Jordan Mason? Get to Know 49ers RB Who Torched Jets Defense

NFL Week 1 Extras

• Rams WR Puka Nacua Hits IR With Knee Injury
• Browns Sign Ex-Chiefs WR Kadarius Toney
• Bears Rookie WR Rome Odunze Week-to-Week With MCL Sprain
• Body Camera Video Shows Officers Dragging Dolphins WR Tyreek Hill From Car During Pregame Arrest

  MLB  

Power Rankings: Mets Have The Mo'

Photo: Vaughn Ridley / Getty Images

With Mr. Momentum & A Bullpen Brigade, Here Come the Mets in September

Our MLB power rankings have seen shuffles and surges all summer long, but we’re entering crunch time with less than 20 games to play. Ten of those top-12 playoff teams have stayed the course and separated the playoff contenders from the less likely October entries. Then, there’s the Mets who are oozing momentum (Mr. Mo, as we like to call him). New York went on a nine-game win streak these last two weeks. They lost on Sunday but bounced back last night to beat the Blue Jays (3-2) and officially overtake the Braves in the NL Wild Card race. We have the Mets in our top 10 for the first time all season. Just in time!

This week’s rankings look slightly different, separating the top 12 (playoff teams) from the rest of the pack. We’re nearing magic number season (clinching scenarios). Take a look:

MLB Power Rankings (Playoff Top 12)

1. Dodgers (86-57) —

2. Phillies (86-58) ↑1

3. Yankees (83-61) ↓1

4. Guardians (82-62) ↑2

5. Brewers (82-61) —

6. Orioles (82-63) ↓2

7. Padres (81-64) ↑1

8. Royals (79-66) ↑1

9. Diamondbacks (80-64) ↓1

10. Mets (79-65) ↑4

11. Astros (77-66) ↓1

12. Twins (76-68) ↓1

In The Hunt (Teams 13-19): 13. Braves (78-66), 14. Tigers (73-71), 15. Cubs (73-70), 16. Mariners (73-71), 17. Cardinals (72-71), 18. Giants (71-73), 19. Red Sox (73-71)

Still Competitive (Teams 20-25): 20. Rays (71-73), 21. Rangers (70-74), 22. Reds (70-75), 23. Blue Jays (68-77), 24. Pirates (68-76)

Down & Out (Teams 25-30): 25. Nationals (64-79), 26. Athletics (62-82), 27. Angels (60-84), 28. Marlins (54-90), 29. Rockies (54-90), 30. White Sox (33-112)

Read More

FOX Sports: MLB Power Rankings: Does the NL Have the 3 Best Teams in Baseball?

CBS Sports: MLB Power Rankings: Are the Astros Inevitable? Why Houston’s Inconsistency Might Not Matter At All

MLB Quick-Hitters

Paul Skenes Sets Pirates Rookie K Record

Pirates def. Marlins (3-2)

Joey Cantillo Throws 6 & 2/3 No-Hit Innings

Guardians def. White Sox (5-3)

Kody Clemens Hits Walk-Off Single

Phillies def. Rays (2-1)

Bonus: Shohei Ohtani Steals 47th Base

Cubs def. Dodgers (10-4)

  STORY OF THE WEEK  

The Golden Couple 🏅

American Hunter Woodhall won gold in the 400-meter this weekend at the Paralympics, bookending a remarkable story. His wife, Tara Davis-Woodhall, won gold in the women’s long jump just over a month ago.

Watch: The Golden Couple 🏅

  NEWS   📰 

🏈 Miami-Dade Police Release Video of Tyreek Hill Being Arrested Before Sunday’s Game (NBC News)

🏈 Florida State RB Jaylin Lucas to Miss Remainder of the Season (ESPN)

🏈 Panthers Pro Bowl DT Derrick Brown Could Miss Season With Knee Injury Suffered in Week 1 (CBS Sports)

🏒 PWHL Unveils New Team Names & Logos in Rebranding After Inaugural Season (Yahoo! Sports)

⚾️ Billie Jean King Wants to Help Carve ‘Pathway’ for MLB’s First Female Player (USA Today)

🏒 Johnny Gaudreau’s Widow Announces Pregnancy With 3rd Child at Emotional Double Funeral for Hockey Players (ABC News)

🏈 Browns QB Deshaun Watson Sued (Again) for Sexual Assault Similar to 2021 Lawsuits (NBC Sports)

  SCHEDULE   🗓️

Tonight's Must-Watch List

⚾️ MLB

Royals at Yankees (7:05 pm ET, MLBTV)

Orioles at Red Sox (7:10 pm ET, TBS)

Brewers at Giants (9:45 pm ET, ESPN+)

Cubs at Dodgers (10:10 pm ET, TBS)

⚽️ Soccer (International Friendly)

🇺🇸 USMNT vs. 🇳🇿 New Zealand (7:00 pm ET, TNT)

🏀 WNBA

Lynx at Dream (7:30 pm ET, NBATV)

Liberty at Wings (8:00 pm ET, CBS)

Sun at Sparks (10:00 pm ET, WNBALP)

  POLL   📊

The Week 1 Game Ball Goes To...

Image via Giphy 

We’re trying something new this NFL season. After each week (on Tuesdays), we’ll pick the top two fantasy scorers *from winning teams* at each offensive skill position and let you decide who wins that week's “Game Ball.” We'll tally them up at the end of the season, too.

Which NFL player had the best performance in Week 1? (click to vote)

QB Josh Allen (Bills): 271 Yards, 4 TDs

QB Baker Mayfield (Bucs): 310 Yards, 4 TDs

RB Saquon Barkley (Eagles): 132 Yards, 3 TDs

RB Joe Mixon (Texans): 178 Yards, 1 TD

WR Tyreek Hill (Dolphins): 130 Yards, 1 TD

WR Jameson Williams (Lions): 121 Yards, 1 TD

  THE TEAM  

Writer & Editor: Jeff Yoder

Assistant Writer: Marissa Kasch

Social Media: Aaron Yorke

Please consider supporting The Sportsletter, an independently operated and bootstrapped publication, and you'll receive our exclusive Sunday edition. Many thanks to everyone who already supports us!

Did Someone Forward You This Email? Subscribe Here
Feedback? Contact Our Editor: Jeff@TheSportsletter.com

*Sponsorship Has No Influence on Editorial Content*

Not Loving The Letter? Unsubscribe

Copyright © 2024 The Sportsletter
717 Market Street, San Francisco, CA, 94103