Page 16 - aruba-today-20240924

A16 SPORTS
Tuesday 24 sepTember 2024
6 teams saved their season by avoiding an 0-3 start

By ROB MAADDI as Denver dominated from
AP Pro Football Writer start to finish. The Broncos
Six NFL teams saved their aren’t a playoff contender
season on Sunday by earn- in the AFC West but Nix and
ing their first win. a strong defense will keep
That’s no overstatement them competitive while
considering only six teams Sean Payton builds around
since 1979 have made the them.
playoffs after starting 0-3, in- “I haven’t seen him flinch,”
cluding just one since 2000, Payton said of his quarter-
and none have won a Su- back. “We all get a little bit
per Bowl. more confident with the win
After the Ravens, Rams, but I say that respectfully.
Broncos, Colts, Giants and He hasn’t flinched. I think
Panthers avoided that that we had a good plan.
dreaded start, only the Ti- The players did a good
tans are 0-3. The Jaguars job and certainly (Nix) had
and Bengals are winless more fun than he did in prior
going into Monday night. weeks.”
Jacksonville plays at Buffalo The Giants also got a stand-
(2-0). Cincinnati hosts Wash- out performance from a
ington (1-1). rookie first-round pick to se-
Four of the six first-time win- New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers (1) catches a touchdown pass against the Cleveland cure their first victory. Malik
ners on Sunday played on Browns during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024 in Cleveland. Nabers had eight catches
the road, including Lamar Associated Press for 78 yards and two TDs in a
Jackson and the Ravens. “To be honest, every game playing walk-on guys. ... with 2 seconds left to give 21-15 victory at Cleveland.
They beat Dallas 28-25, hold- is a big game for us, be- They’re going to play their Los Angeles a 27-24 win. Daniel Jones was terrific for
ing on after Dak Prescott cause we’re trying to get heart out against us, like it’s “I saw a team respond after New York, throwing for 236
rallied the Cowboys back somewhere,” said Jackson, the Super Bowl, so we’ve a really humbling week last yards and the two scores to
from a 22-point deficit in the who played like the reign- just got to go out there and week,” Rams coach Sean Nabers.
fourth quarter. ing NFL MVP. “We’ve got do what we’re supposed to McVay said. “I think it always feels good
The Ravens had the best to win these games to get do.” “And three hours will never to get a win, however it
record in the NFL last year to the playoffs, man, and The injury-depleted Rams, define you, good or bad, comes,” Jones said. “First
but that didn’t matter when win these playoff games to a playoff team last year, unless you allow it to, and one is important, so we
they blew a double-digit get to the Super Bowl. But it seemed headed for a we’ve got to do a good have to look at what we
lead in their home opener starts with the game that’s third straight loss when job of being able to build did well and build on it,
against the Raiders last in front of us. So, the 0-2 they trailed the reigning on this.” and clean up the things we
week. start, we didn’t want that to NFC champion 49ers 24-14 The Broncos have plenty of didn’t do well.”
Facing a defense that was happen. Obviously, it’s the midway through the fourth reason for optimism after A quarterback change
dominated by New Orleans (National) Football League; quarter. But Matthew Staf- rookie Bo Nix led them to a helped the Panthers get
in Week 2, Jackson, Derrick everyone is good. We can’t ford led an improbable stunning 26-7 rout in Tampa coach Dave Canales his first
Henry and the rest of Balti- look at (any) opponent and comeback, Kyren Williams Bay against the previously win. Andy Dalton replaced
more’s offense clicked. They think (that) we can just go in ran 4 yards to score his third unbeaten Buccaneers. Bryce Young, and threw for
scored four touchdowns on there and roll them over like touchdown of the day with Nix completed 25 of 36 319 yards and three TDs to
the first six possessions and this is high school or some- 1:51 remaining, and Joshua passes for 216 yards and lead Carolina to a 36-22 win
built a comfortable lead. thing or college, and we’re Karty hit a 37-yard field goal ran for 47 yards and a score in Las Vegas. q

Umpire Larry Vanover is retiring after big league career that

started in 1991

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Umpire Lar- Montreal Expos’ game at the New York
ry Vanover plans to retire, ending a big Mets, and joined the major league staff in
league career that started in 1991. 1993. He was among the 22 umpires who
Vanover’s wife and son took out the lineup lost their jobs during a mass resignation in
card to the pregame meeting at the plate September 1999, then was among five re-
before Sunday’s game between the To- hired for the 2002 season.
ronto Blue Jays and Tampa Bay Rays. On March 31, 2014, he made the first call in
The Kentucky-born Vanover, 69, was hon- the history of expanded video review, con-
ored with a message on the scoreboard firming an out call at first base in the top
during the first inning and received an of the fifth inning of the Pittsburgh Pirates-
ovation from the fans. Chicago Cubs opener at Wrigley Field.
His crew is not scheduled to work during After serving as an interim crew chief in
the final week of the regular season. 2014, Vanover became a crew chief for
Vanover worked in the South Atlan- the 2015 season.
tic League, Midwest League, Southern Vanover worked the 2016 World Series and
League, American Association, Pacific was behind the plate for the opener be-
Umpire Larry Vanover discusses a play during the seventh inning Coast League, International League and tween the Cubs and Cleveland. His 2014
of a baseball game between the Tampa Bay Rays and Toronto Venezuelan League. regular season concluded with plate du-
Blue Jays, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in St. Petersburg, Fla. Vanover He umpired his first big league game on ties in Derek Jeter’s final game on Sept. 28,
is retiring. June 25, 1991, working third base for the 2014, at Boston’s Fenway Park.q
Associated Press