The Sportsletter - Midweek Mix: Powers, Playoffs & Picks

BY JEFF YODER

SEPT. 25, 2024 | SUBSCRIBE | WEB VIEW

Good Morning 👋

It’s a beautiful day for the midweek sports download. Our third (and final) September NFL Power Rankings are sure to cause an uproar. Three MLB teams added their names to the October bracket — one with a playoff-clinching triple play! — and there’s a rematch brewing in the WNBA Playoffs.

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NFL

Power Rankings: 3 Up 📈 3 Down 📉

Photo: Brandon Sloter / Getty Images

NFL Power Rankings Week 4: The Steel Curtain is Elite, The Vikings Are Here & Bills Swipe the No. 1 Spot

As we tie a bow on another week of NFL action and deliver our latest all-32 outlook, one team looked so impressive that they left us no choice. The Bills (3-0) are your new No. 1 team. Buffalo is on an early-season heater, but will it last? They're about to embark on a three-game road trip that includes stops at the Ravens, Texans and Jets. While the 3-0 start has an offensive spectacle, and Josh Allen is the MVP through three games, there's a nasty three-week gauntlet ahead.

Elsewhere, the five undefeated teams fill in our top seven spots. The Steelers and Vikings have given up just 26 and 30 points, respectively, for the top two scoring defenses of the year. Who knew Justin Fields and Sam Darnold would be sitting here at 3-0? Both teams jumped into the latest top five. Meanwhile, three 0-3 teams have descended to the bottom, but we're not giving up on the Bengals yet. It’s a coin flip league in the middle of the pack.

NFL Power Rankings (Week 4)

1. Bills (3-0) | ↑1

2. Chiefs (3-0) | ↓1

3. Steelers (3-0) | ↑7

4. Vikings (3-0) | ↑9

5. Eagles (2-1) | ↑4

6. Lions (2-1) | ↑2

7. Seahawks (3-0) | ↑5

8. Saints (2-1) | ↓4

9. Ravens (1-2) | ↑5

10. Texans (2-1) | ↓7

Teams 11-20

11. 49ers (1-2) | ↓5

12. Packers (2-1) | ↑3

13. Buccaneers (2-1) | ↓8

14. Chargers (2-1) | ↓7

15. Jets (2-1) | ↑1

16. Cowboys (1-2) | ↓5

17. Falcons (1-2) | —

18. Cardinals (1-2) | —

19. Commanders (2-1) | ↑8

20. Colts (1-2) | ↑2

Teams 21-32

21. Rams (1-2) | ↑5

22. Browns (1-2) | ↓2

23. Broncos (1-2) | ↑6

24. Bengals (0-3) | ↓5

25. Dolphins (1-2) | ↓4

26. Patriots (1-2) | ↓3

27. Bears (1-2) | ↓3

28. Panthers (1-2) | ↑4

29. Raiders (1-2) | ↓4

30. Giants (1-2) | ↑1

31. Jaguars (0-3) | ↓4

32. Titans (0-3) | ↓2

Next Week: We'll take a break from the weekly power rankings when our Marissa Kasch recaps the best players and statistical leaders from the NFL's first month.

B/R: Experts Week 4 NFL Power Rankings: Where Does Every Team Stand?

CBS Sports: NFL Week 4 Power Rankings: Mike Tomlin’s Coaching Brilliance Has Steelers in Top 5

POLL 📊

The Week 3 Game Ball Goes To...

Image via Giphy

Josh Allen! The Bills’ quarterback packaged the best game of the week on Monday Night Football with 300-plus yards and 4 TDs in a 47-10 win. The vote was tighter than the first two weeks. Saquon, King Henry and a surprising Andy Dalton all had great weeks.

Game Ball Votes

1. QB Josh Allen (Bills) — 24%

2. RB Derrick Henry (Ravens) — 20%

3. RB Saquon Barkley (Eagles) —19%

4. QB Andy Dalton (Panthers) — 18%

Game Ball Winners So Far: Week 1: QB Baker Mayfield (Bucs), Week 2: RB Alvin Kamara (Saints), Week 3: QB Josh Allen (Bills)

MLB

A Triple Play — For The Playoffs?!

Photo: Brandon Sloter / Getty Images

3 Teams In: Padres Clinch NL Wild Card on Game-Ending Triple Play — Astros Clinch 4th Straight AL West Title — Orioles Secure Postseason Bid

Add three more teams to the October outlook! The Astros and Orioles clinched playoff spots on Tuesday night, but it was what happened in California that stole the show. The Padres were on the doorstep of the postseason with the first NL Wild Card bid within reach. They held a 4-2 lead over the Dodgers in the bottom of the 9th, but L.A. had two men on and zero outs. That’s when Manny Machado snagged a ground ball at third base and turned a 5-4-3 triple play to send the Padres to the playoffs! It was San Diego’s first triple play since June 10, 2010. What a way to make October official.

Playoff-Clinching Highlights

Padres Beat Dodgers (4-2) on Wild Triple Play Finish

Astros Top Mariners (4-3), Win 4th Straight West Title

Orioles Outlast Yankees (5-3) to Clinch Playoff Bid

MLB Quick-Hitters (Player Highlights)

Aaron Judge Hits 56th HR of the Season

Yankees Lose to Orioles (5-3)

Michael Harris II Keeps Braves in the Hunt

Braves Beat Mets (5-1), ATL 1 Game Back in WC

Tarik Skubal Ks 7 Over 7 Scoreless Innings

Tigers Take Down Rays (2-1) in Critical AL Matchup

MLB Playoff Standings

(5 Games Left in Regular Season)

WNBA

Liberty vs. Aces: Rematch Loading

Photo: Sarah Stier / Getty Images

Ionescu’s 36 Lift Liberty Over Dream (91-82) — Aces Calm the Storm (83-76) to Set Up Rematch of Last Year’s WNBA Finals

The first two WNBA Playoff series were closed out last night, and it’s a rematch of last year’s Finals waiting in Round 2. The New York Liberty and Las Vegas Aces advanced past the Atlanta Dream and Seattle Storm, respectively. Sabrina Ionescu had the hot hand in Night 2 of the postseason, carrying the Liberty torch for a playoff career-high 36 points and five 3s. The Liberty actually overcame an 11-point first half deficit to pull away late. Out West, the Aces reached their sixth straight semifinals with 29 points from Kelsey Plum and a 24-13 night from MVP A’ja Wilson. The Aces beat the Liberty in last year’s Finals (3-1), but New York gets a shot at revenge this weekend.

Two of the four semifinals spots are secure. Two more are up for grabs tonight.

WNBA Playoff Highlights (Round 1)

G2: Liberty def. Dream (91-82)

NYL Win Series (2-0)

G2: Aces def. Storm (83-76)

LV Win Series (2-0)

Tonight’s Schedule (Round 1)

G2: Fever at Sun (7:30 pm ET, ESPN)

CONN Leads Series (1-0)

G2: Mercury at Lynx (9:30 pm ET, ESPN)

MIN Leads Series (1-0)

CBS Sports: Aces, Liberty Punch Tickets to Semifinals for Rematch

STORYLINES

⛳️ Presidents Cup Power Rankings

The 15th Presidents Cup will take place at the Royal Montreal Golf Club in Quebec. The oldest club in North America is about to make history. Twelve players from the United States will compete against 12 International team members. (Golf Digest)

⚾️ The A’s Farewell Letter

The A’s will play their final home game in Oakland on Thursday, severing the franchise’s 57-year relationship with the city and concluding a bitter saga as the team preps for Las Vegas. Owner John Fisher penned a farewell letter yesterday. Fans weren’t impressed. (Yahoo! Sports)

🏈 Projecting the CFB Playoff Bracket

All eyes are on the SEC in Week 5 as Georgia’s trip to Alabama is the main event headling an expansive weekend. Both teams look unshakable from the new 12-team college football playoff. What other teams are projected to make it in? (CBS Sports)

NEWS 📰

⚾️ Looming Hurricane Helene Could Impact Braves-Mets Series This Week (CBS Sports)

🏈 Legendary NFL QB Brett Favre Reveals Parkinson’s Diagnosis at Congressional Hearing (ESPN)

🏛️ Utah State Officially Joins the Pac-12, UNLV Renews Conversations in Latest Realignment (B/R)

🏈 Lions Head Coach Dan Campbell’s Home Address Leaked by Daughter’s High School Classmate Over Snapchat (SI)

🏀 Clippers Star Kawhi Leonard Undergoes Another Knee Procedure (Yahoo! Sports)

🏅 Olympics Hero Stephen Nedoroscik Wows With ‘Superman’ Performance on DWTS (Sporting News)