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A16 SPORTS
Wednesday 4 september 2024
The NFL season begins this week. Here’s a look at some of the big

games and rules changes

By DAVID BRANDT short. The four-time MVP will
AP Sports Writer face a tough test against a
The NFL season begins on 49ers defense that’s been
Thursday night when the among the league’s best
two-time defending Super for the past few seasons.
Bowl champion Kansas City Sept. 15, Bears at Texans: If
Chiefs host the Baltimore all goes well, this should be
Ravens. the second NFL game for
Here are a couple of big rookie quarterback Caleb
storylines as the games that Williams, who was taken
count in the standings rap- by the Bears with the No.
idly approach: 1-overall pick out of USC.
When does the NFL season Williams gets a Week 2
start? matchup against Texans
The Chiefs-Ravens game QB C.J. Stroud, who was
kicks the season off on a the AP’s Offensive Rookie
Thursday night and then of the Year in 2023.
the Philadelphia Eagles Nov. 25, Ravens at Char-
and Green Bay Packers gers: This one is later in the
meet in Sao Paulo on Fri- schedule, but features a
day night for the first regu- coaching matchup be-
lar season game played in tween brothers John and
Brazil. It’s the first time since New England Patriots quarterback Jacoby Brissett passes against the Washington Commanders Jim Harbaugh. Jim was
1970 that the NFL has had during the first half of a preseason NFL football game, Sunday, Aug. 25, 2024, in Landover, Md. hired by the Chargers in
a Friday night game as part Associated Press the offseason after lead-
of its opening week sched- ing Michigan to a national
ule. the schedule Goff and then leading L.A. Week 1. championship. The ac-
Most of the Week 1 games Sept. 8, Rams at Lions: The to a Super Bowl title in 2022. Sept. 9, Jets at 49ers: This tion on the field should
will be on Sunday, Sept. 8, game features the quar- Goff led the Lions past should mark the return of be good as well Balti-
followed by the season’s terback matchup of Jared the Rams in the playoffs New York quarterback more’s Lamar Jackson and
first Monday night matchup Goff vs. Matthew Stafford. last season. Both QBs per- Aaron Rodgers, who lasted L.A.’s Justin Herbert are
between the New York Jets Stafford was the longtime formed well in last year’s just three official snaps last two of the league’s top
and San Francisco 49ers. QB for the Lions before get- playoff matchup and more year before an Achilles quarterbacks.q
Important early games on ting traded to the Rams for fireworks are expected in injury cut his 2023 season

Emma Navarro reaches her first major semifinal, beats Paula

Badosa at the US Open

By BRIAN MAHONEY “Happy with how I was Thursday’s semis. the Spaniard in the next points almost in a row. It’s
AP Sports Writer able to do that.” The 23-year-old Navarro, game, the player who very weird for me because
NEW YORK (AP) — Emma Navarro, the No. 13-seed- who ousted the No. 3-seed- leads the WTA Tour with I’m quite a consistent play-
Navarro rode a stunning ed American who had ed Gauff on Sunday in the 18 wins in three sets had a er, so I wasn’t expecting
turnaround right into her never even won a match in fourth round, ran through feeling she might not need that either.”
first Grand Slam semifinal, the main draw of her home the first set in 29 minutes be- to play a third. Two other Americans were
beating Paula Badosa 6-2, major before this year, ad- fore the No. 26-seeded Ba- “I felt like, even though she hoping to earn semifinal
7-5 at the U.S. Open on vanced to face No. 2 Ary- dosa opened a 5-1 lead in was up 5-1, 5-2 after that spots on Tuesday. No. 12
Tuesday to follow up her na Sabalenka or seventh- the second. game, I felt like she wasn’t seed Taylor Fritz followed
upset of defending cham- seeded Zheng Qinwen in But when Navarro broke totally confident in her abil- Navarro onto the court
pion Coco Gauff. ity to close out that set,” at Arthur Ashe Stadium
Trailing 5-1 in the second Navarro said. “So I felt like if against No. 4 Alexander
set and three points from I could push back a little bit Zverev, the 2020 U.S. Open
having to go to a deciding and make her think a little runner-up, with No. 20 Fran-
third, Navarro won the next bit on her service game, ces Tiafoe facing No. 9
four points to stay alive, maybe I could sneak my Grigor Dimitrov at night.
starting a stretch in which way back in there.” Navarro also beat Gauff in
she captured 24 of the final She did, taking six straight the fourth round at Wimble-
28 points of the match. games with some help from don before losing to even-
“I think things weren’t look- Badosa, who said she was tual runner-up Jasmine
ing great there in the sec- a “disaster” while dealing Paolini in the next round, a
ond set, but just tried to be with the pressure of trying 6-2, 6-1 rout in less than an
really tough, stick in there, to reach her first Grand hour.
make her hit one more Slam semifinal. But the 2021 NCAA singles
ball,” Navarro said. “I felt “I never had the momen- champion at Virginia was
like if I could scrap out a tum in this match. I played ready for this matchup be-
few longer points, maybe four or five games OK. It tween New York natives,
put some pressure on her, I Emma Navarro, of the United States, returns a shot to Paula was 5-1, but I never felt my- jumping on Badosa to win
felt like I could come back Badosa, of Spain, during the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open tennis self on the court,” Badosa the first three games, then
championships, Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2024, in New York.
and maybe close it out in Associated Press said. seizing the opening Badosa
two sets. “I lost, I don’t know, 20 gave her late.q