The Sportsletter - MLB Playoffs, CFB Chaos & NFL Week 5

BY JEFF YODER

OCT. 7, 2024 | SUBSCRIBE | WEB VIEW

Welcome Back 👋

Sunday Night Football was delayed due to thunderstorms in Pittsburgh, so we started the week with a Cowboys’ game-winning touchdown at 1:00 am ET. It won't be the last of many late October nights. We’ve got baseball playoffs, college football upsets and much more from a busy weekend. The NHL is back (sort of), one WNBA Finals bid is secured, and LeBron and Bronny shared the court for the first time. No time to waste!

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

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MLB

NLDS: Padres & Phillies Get Even

Photo: Harry How / Getty Images

NLDS: Padres Get Even With Record-Tying 6 HRs in Game 2, Phillies Get Even With Castellanos’ Walk-Off

Two series are all square in the NLDS before tonight’s Game 2s in the ALDS tonight. Both the Phillies and Padres bounced back from Game 1 losses with dramatic performances on Sunday — one walk-off in Philly and a home-run derby in California. Let’s get caught up on Week 2 of the MLB Playoffs.

NLDS G2: Phillies def. Mets (7-6)

The Mets’ magic postseason run finally hit a snag on Sunday. After New York took Game 1 of the NLDS on the road in Philadelphia, the Phillies survived a chaotic Game 2. Nick Castellanos played hero after he and Bryce Harper hit back-to-back home runs. The Phillies blew their lead in the ninth, and Castellanos slapped a walk-off, two-out single to left field. It’s a split in the first leg in the NL East rivalry. Series Tied (1-1)

NLDS G2: Padres def. Dodgers (10-2)

After a Game 1 comeback by L.A where Shohei Ohtani went yard in his first at-bat, the Padres answered — and answered BIG — to even the other NLDS series on Sunday. San Diego hit a postseason record-tying six home runs. Fernando Tatis Jr. hit two, including one in the first and one in the ninth to bookend the blowout. Tati now has three HRs in two postseason games. The other four dingers came from Peralta, Merrill, Bogaerts and Higashioka. It’s all square in Cali. Series Tied (1-1)

ALDS G1: Yankees def. Royals (6-5)

The most back-and-forth game in MLB history? It happened in New York. Game 1 of Yankees-Royals featured an MLB postseason-record five lead changes on Saturday before the Yankees got the last laugh. Gerrit Cole gave up seven hits and four runs, but Clay Holmes got the win and Luke Weaver completed the save. NYY Lead Series (1-0)

ALDS G1: Guardians def. Tigers (7-0)

Zero drama in Cleveland. The Guardians met the Tigers with a five-run first inning that set the tone for a cakewalk in Game 1. Lane Thomas hit a three-run blast in the first inning while Tanner Bibee and company launched a shutout. Tall task ahead for the Tigers. CLE Lead Series (1-0)

Yahoo! Sports: Padres Dominate Dodgers, Phillies Take Wild Game 2 From Mets

NFL

Week 5's Top 5

Photo: Joe Sargent / Getty Images

Cowboys Win Dramatic Weather-Delayed Game in Pittsburgh, Ravens Spoil Joe Burrow’s 5-TD Game in OT & Vikings Stay Unbeaten With London Win

Nine of 13 games were decided by one score or less in Week 5, and there’s one more must-see game tonight (Saints at Chiefs). We can’t recap all of them, but here five of the top storylines from Week 5 Sunday:

Midnight Cowboys: The Cowboys beat the Steelers on Sunday Night Football (err, uh, Monday morning football) after the SNF game was delayed over an hour due to storms in Pittsburgh. The Steelers led late (17-13) until Dak Prescott hit Jalen Tolbert for the game-winning TD on 4th-and-goal (20-17) just before 1:00 am ET.

AFC North Shootout: Joe Burrow had nearly 400 yards and 5 TDs in a career day, but the Ravens scored 17 points in the 4th quarter to force overtime before a game-winning field goal to spoil Burrows’ big day (41-38, OT).

Cheerio to the 5-0 Vikes: The first London game of 2024 featured the undefeated Vikings holding off the Jets (23-17). Aaron Rodgers was intercepted three times, and the Vikings are still unblemished at 5-0.

Welcome Back, Points: The NFL’s scoring had been down all through September, but it returned to “normal” in Week 5. But it wasn’t just because of the offenses. Plenty of bizarre scoring plays from defenses added to the point boost.

Rookie QBs Clicking: All three highly-drafted, starting rookie quarterbacks won again on Sunday. That’s back-to-back wins for Bears QB Caleb Williams, three straight for Broncos QB Bo Nix, and four in a row for Commanders QB Jayden Daniels.

Week 5 Scoreboard & Highlights

Falcons def. Bucs (36-30, OT)

Vikings def. Jets (23-17)

Bears def. Panthers (36-10)

Ravens def. Bengals (41-38, OT)

Dolphins def. Patriots (15-10)

Commanders def. Browns (34-13)

Jaguars def. Colts (37-34)

Texans def. Bills (23-20)

Broncos def. Raiders (34-18)

Cardinals def. 49ers (24-23)

Packers def. Rams (24-19)

Giants def. Seahawks (29-20)

Cowboys def. Steelers (20-17)

Teams on Bye: Lions, Titans, Eagles, Chargers

Monday Night Football

Saints at Chiefs (8:15 pm ET, ESPN)

ESPN: Jayden Daniels Continues ‘Superman’ Act for Red-Hot Commanders

FOX Sports: Aaron Rodgers Becomes 9th NFL Player to Throw for 60K Yards

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Upset Week: Vandy Vanquishes 'Bama

Photo: Carly Mackler / Getty Images

Vanderbilt Shocks #1 Alabama (40-35) for 1st Time in 40 Years -- 5 of AP Top-11 Suffer Upsets While Big Ten Teams Surge

Week 6 brought the chaos! For the first time in this college football season, numerous top-10 teams fell in a wild weekend for the SEC and Big Ten. The most notable upset undoubtedly occurred in Nashville where Vanderbilt beat No. 1 Alabama (40-35) for the first time in 40 years (1984). The Crimson Tide had just ascended to No. 1 status, too. Two other SEC top-10 teams also fell — #4 Tennessee and #9 Missouri — while Big Ten challengers #10 Michigan and #11 USC suffered upsets. Texas is now back on top while the Big Ten trio of Ohio State, Oregon and Penn State have climbed into the on-deck circle.

CFB Week 6 Upset Highlights

Vanderbilt def. #1 Alabama (40-35)

Arkansas def. #4 Tennessee (19-14)

#25 Texas A&M def. #9 Missouri (41-10)

Washington def. #10 Michigan (27-17)

Minnesota def. #11 USC (24-17)

Other CFB Week 6 Highlights

#3 Ohio State def. Iowa (35-7)

#5 Georgia def. Auburn (31-13)

#6 Oregon def. Michigan State (31-10)

#7 Penn State def. UCLA (27-11)

#8 Miami def. California (39-38)