The Sportsletter - Night of Miracle Finishes 🤯

BY JEFF YODER & MARISSA KASCH

OCT. 4, 2024 |  SUBSCRIBE  |  WEB VIEW

Happy Friday 👋

Did you blink last night? We had two games listed on yesterday’s must-watch list, and both featured all-time miracle finishes. Unless you hate awesome late-game drama, read on.

It’s an extra fun weekend edition hot off the press. Extra storylines, new sports seasons, a loaded must-watch list and the most exciting month in sports collide in the first full weekend of October. We’re going rapid-fire to catch it all. Try to keep up.

ICYMI: We welcomed October sports with a quick update on Tuesday. Click Here to Meet the Team Behind The Sportsletter

Letter Rip!

  NFL PICKS  

The Week 5 NFL Pick 'Em

Play The Sportsletter’s NFL Pick ‘Em (Week 5)

Takes Approximately 60 Seconds

  MLB  

Alonso Hits Mets Miracle Mash 🤯

Photo: Patrick McDermott / Getty Images

NLWC Game 3: Mets Defeat Brewers (4-2) on Pete Alonso’s 9th-Inning, Go-Ahead 3-Run HR to Advance to NLDS for the 1st Time Since 2015

The Polar Bear (Pete Alonso) has ice in his veins! After a quiet six innings, the Mets-Brewers NL Wild Card series ended in fireworks last night in Milwaukee. The Brewers struck first, putting two runs on the board in the bottom of the seventh thanks to back-to-back homers from Jake Bauers and Sal Frelick. The game looked all but over going into the ninth, but Pete Alonso wasn’t going down like that. Alonso hit a three-run HR in the top of the ninth to give the Mets their first lead of the night. They held on in the bottom of the ninth with a double-play closeout from Francisco Lindor to win the series and advance to the NLDS for the first time in nine years. Just like the other NLDS series (Padres-Dodgers), the Mets will face the Phillies in a division rivalry for the ages.

Alonso’s Historic Smash: In New York’s comeback win, Pete Alonso became the first player in MLB history to hit a go-ahead homer while trailing in the ninth of a winner-take-all postseason game. The Mets’ win probability entering the ninth inning was less than seven percent. Miracle!

Watch: Mets Beat Brewers (4-2) on Alonso’s Historic 9th-Inning Home Run

  NFL  

Primetime Cousins Strikes Again 😤

Photo: Kevin C. Cox / Getty Images

Falcons Rally to Beat Bucs in TNF Shootout (36-30, OT) — QB Kirk Cousins Sets Franchise Record With 509 Yards & 4 TDs

We used to hammer Kirk Cousins for his disappearing act in primetime football games, but those days are long gone in 2024. For the second time this season in a primetime showing, Cousins led Atlanta to a miracle comeback. Last night, the Falcons came from behind against the Bucs to force OT on Younghoe Koo’s 52-yard game-tying field goal at the end of regulation (30-30). That was AFTER the Falcons suffered a blocked field goal and a turnover in the final minutes. Atlanta won the OT coin toss and struck first with a 45-yard catch-and-run to KahDarel Hodge on the fourth play of OT. “Kirko Comebacks” strikes again!

Kirko’s 500-Yard Night: On an evening when the Falcons inducted their all-time passing leader Matt Ryan into the team’s Ring of Honor, Cousins shattered his single-game yards record (509 yards). It’s the first 500-yard passing game in the NFL since Bengals QB Joe Burrow did it in 2021.

Top Performers (Thursday Night Football)

QB K. Cousins (ATL): 42/58, 509 yards, 4 TDs, 1 INT

QB B. Mayfield (TB): 19/24, 180 yards, 3 TDs

WR D. London (ATL): 12 caches, 154 yards, 1 TD

WR D. Mooney (ATL): 9 catches, 105 yards, 2 TDs

WR M. Evans (TB): 5 catches, 62 yards, 2 TDs

NFC South: Falcons (3-2), Bucs (3-2), Saints (2-2), Panthers (1-3)

Watch: Falcons Ride Kirk Cousins’ 500-Yard, 4-TD Night to Beat Bucs on Walk-Off Overtime TD (36-30, OT)

  NHL  

Puck Drop: Let's Do That Hockey 🏒

Photo: Bill Wippert / Getty Images

The 2024-25 NHL Season Starts Today With "Global Series" Game Between Devils & Sabres

Welcome back, hockey! The NHL drops the puck for the 2024-25 season today with an international opener in Prague. The season officially begins this afternoon courtesy of a “Global Series” neutral-site game between the Sabres and Devils (1:00 pm ET). They’ll also play a second game in the Czech Republic on Saturday morning (10:00 am ET). Meanwhile, the 30 other teams will continue on with their preseasons in preparation for next Tuesday's opening night here in North America. We're just four months removed from the Florida Panthers’ Stanley Cup victory, and a lot has changed. Plus, there’s a new team to watch. The Utah Hockey Club begins a new era with their first game next Tuesday.

Odds to Win the Stanley Cup

Oilers (+850), Panthers (+1000), Stars (+1100), Devils (+1100), Avalanche (+1100), Rangers (+1300), Golden Knights (+1400), Hurricanes (+1400), Maple Leafs (+1500) | Full Odds

Today's Schedule

Devils at Sabres (1:00 pm ET, NHLN)

Full Weekend NHL Preseason Schedule

The Athletic: NHL Season Previews & Projections for All 32 Teams

  WNBA  

99% Unanimous: Clark Wins ROY 🏆

Photo: Media News Group / Getty Images

Fever Guard Caitlin Clark Wins WNBA Rookie of the Year With 66 of 67 1st-Place Votes

No surprises here for the WNBA’s 2024 Rookie of the Year award winner, but one media member played spoiler on Caitlin Clark’s would-be unanimous honor. The Fever guard set numerous WNBA rookie records (and some all-around records) in her inaugural pro season. Clark received 66 first-place votes from 67 media members. One outlier voted for the Chicago Sky's Angel Reese. And to be fair, Reese did break some records of her own. It’s the second straight season the WNBA’s Rookie of the Year award was won by a Fever player after Aliyah Boston won it in 2023.

Some of Caitlin Clark’s 2024 Records

Most Points by a Rookie: 769 Points

Most 3s by a Rookie: 122 3-Pointers

Most Assists (By Any Player): 337 Assists

Most Assists in a Single Game: 19 Assists

Most 20-Point, 10-Assist Games: 8 Games

1st Player Ever: 750+ Pts, 300+ Asts, 200+ Rebs

1st Rookie Ever With a Triple-Double

Franchise Records: 3s Made, Points, Double Doubles

Watch: The Moment Caitlin Clark Found Out She Won WNBA Rookie of the Year

  STORYLINES   

🏈 Welcome to Football Nirvana!

55 straight days of football started on Thursday. There’s at least one college or NFL game every day through Tuesday, Nov. 26. Here are five NFL and five college games we’re most excited about during the stretch. (Yahoo! Sports)

🏀 NBA Team-By-Team Offseason Grades

A fresh new look at the NBA arrived this week with media days, and a multitude of offseason transactions gives the league a lot to ponder. The Knicks went all in. The Lakers didn’t move the needle. Here’s a team-by-team breakdown. (CBS Sports)

⚾️ Who Owns Ohtani’s 50/50 Home Run Ball?

It’s not the first time there has been a legal dispute over a milestone home run ball. A fan named Chris Belanski appeared to walk out of LoanDepot Park with a piece of MLB history. What happens next is still up for debate. (ESPN)

⚽️ Messi Leads Miami to 1st Supporters Shield

Lionel Messi and Inter Miami have another trophy, along with some home-field advantage throughout the MLS playoffs. He scored twice on Wednesday to wrap up Miami’s first-ever Supporters Shield — the team with the best record. (FOX Sports)

🏁 Good & Bad News for NASCAR Playoff Teams

The second round of the Cup playoffs continues this weekend at Talladega Superspeedway. The last eight Talladega races had a different winner. Let’s look at the good news and bad news for Cup teams going to Talladega. (NBC Sports)

  NEWS   📰 

⚾️ Cincinnati Reds to Hire Terry Francona as Next Manager (Yahoo! Sports)

⚾️ Miami Marlins Have Let Go More Than 70 Staffers Amid Skip Schumaker’s Exit (B/R)

🏈 NCAA Gives Raiders Head Coach Antonio Pierce Penalties for Arizona State Recruiting Violations (CBS Sports)

🏀 Julius Randle Says He Was Shocked by Wolves-Knicks Trade, But ‘Feels Wanted’ in Minnesota (ESPN)

🎾 Naomi Osaka Responds to Online Critics by Bluntly Spelling Out Her Accomplishments (SI)

⚾️ Dodgers Legend & Broadcaster Fernando Valenzuela on Leave to Focus on Health (USA Today)

  POLL   📊

October Viewing Options 📺

In case you didn’t notice, we love October sports. This is the only month that brings all five major team sports together at the same time. Yesterday, we asked: What sport are you watching the most this month?

  SCHEDULE   🗓️

The Weekend Must-Watch List

⚾️ MLB Playoffs (AL/NL Divisional Series)

G1: Tigers at Guardians (Sat. 1:00 pm, TBS)

G1: Mets at Phillies (Sat. 4:00 pm, FOX)

G1: Royals at Yankees (Sat. 6:30 pm, TBS)

G1: Padres at Dodgers (Sat. 8:30 pm, FS1)

G2: Mets at Phillies (Sun. 4:00 pm, FS1)

G2: Padres at Dodgers (Sun. 8:00 pm, FS1)

🏈 College Football (Week 6)

#9 Missouri at #25 Texas A&M (Sat. Noon, ABC)

Iowa at #3 Ohio State (Sat. 3:30 pm, CBS)

Auburn at #5 Georgia (Sat. 3:30 pm, ABC)

#12 Ole Miss at S. Carolina (Sat. 3:30 pm, ESPN)

#15 Clemson at Florida State (Sat. 7:00 pm, ESPN)

#4 Tennessee at Arkansas (Sat. 7:30 pm, ABC)

#10 Michigan at Washington (Sat. 7:30 pm, NBC)

#8 Miami at California (Sat. 10:30 pm, ESPN)

Full College Football Week 6 Schedule

🏈 NFL (Week 5)

Jets at Vikings (Sun. 9:30 am, NFLN)

Ravens at Bengals (Sun. 1:00 pm, CBS)

Bills at Texans (Sun. 1:00 pm, CBS)

Cowboys at Steelers (Sun. 8:20 pm, NBC)

Full NFL Week 5 Schedule

🏀 WNBA Playoffs (Semifinals)

G3: Lynx at Sun (Fri. 7:30 pm, ESPN2)

G3: Liberty at Aces (Fri. 9:30 pm, ESPN2)

G4: Liberty at Aces (Sunday, TBD)

G4: Lynx at Sun (Sunday, TBD)

🏒 Other Schedules

NHL Preseason Schedule

⚽️ Soccer Schedules

EPL | LaLiga | Bundesliga | Serie A | MLS | NWSL

🏁 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs

YellaWood 500 — Talladega (Sun. 2:00 pm, NBC)

  THE TEAM  

Writer & Editor: Jeff Yoder

Assistant Writer: Marissa Kasch

Social Media: Aaron Yorke

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