"One thing you can be sure about in life: just when you think that things are never ever going to get better, they suddenly get worse."
The mantra of Victor Meldrew, the curmudgeonly lead character of British sitcom 'One Foot in The Grave' is one that has long since applied to the New York Jets.
As such, it was difficult to envisage anything other than a painful ending to the Jets' Week 4 game with the Pittsburgh Steelers, which saw Zach Wilson – returning from a preseason knee injury that once looked as if it would end his 2022 campaign before it started – given three minutes and 35 seconds to drive his team down 65 yards for a game-winning touchdown.
The fact he succeeded in doing so and the manner in which he achieved that feat suggests head coach Robert Saleh may soon be able to start pulling out the receipts he so emphatically spoke of in the face of questions about criticism of his team following a meek season-opening 24-9 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.
Wilson's raw numbers – a completion percentage of 50, 252 passing yards, one touchdown and two interceptions – along with a well-thrown percentage of 77.4 (below the average of 79 for the week) do not illustrate an overly impressive performance from a quarterback the franchise is hoping and praying will make the leap in his second year in the NFL.
And in many ways, Wilson's display was a 'greatest hits' of everything that makes observers doubt his ability to make the grade at the highest level. He struggled under pressure, missed throws, attempted dangerous desperation heaves and, unsurprisingly, committed turnovers that on another day might have proved backbreaking.
Yet Wilson never lost the confidence he exuded on the Jets' first touchdown drive, which saw him hit Elijah Moore on a perfectly timed deep comeback and go back to the same receiver on the deep dig before he then caught the ball for the score from Braxton Berrios on a trick play he celebrated with the 'gritty' dance.
There was both grit and that same confidence on show as Wilson then led the Jets on successive touchdown drives to turn around a 20-10 deficit to secure the victory.
He hit Corey Davis in stride on fourth down to keep the first of those drives alive before connecting with Davis again on the whip route for a five-yard touchdown after a succession of red-zone penalties threatened to stall the Jets' progress.
Wilson was six for six passing on the final drive, producing another pinpoint downfield throw to Davis to help set up Breece Hall's two-yard touchdown run to stun a Steelers crowd ready to crown Kenny Pickett as their saviour after he replaced Mitchell Trubisky at half-time.
Both Wilson and the Jets still have a long way to go, the downs that came with the critical ups in this game reiterated as much. Yet his showing also demonstrated how effective he could become with a talented supporting cast around him.
The Jets' offensive line has been hit by injuries, but between Hall, Davis, Moore and standout rookie namesake Garrett Wilson, last year's second overall pick has the skill position players around him to make significant strides in 2022.
Garrett Wilson (two receptions for 41 yards) was kept relatively quiet by his early-season standards, but Davis (five for 74 yards and a touchdown) and Moore (three for 53) shone when it mattered for the Jets, while Hall's 66-yard effort contained flashes of the upside on the ground that convinced the Jets to take him in the second round.
A big-ticket signing in free agency last year, Davis is repaying the Jets' investment in him by registering a burn, which is when a receiver wins his matchup with a defender on a play where he is targeted, on 18 of his 24 targets. His burn rate of 75 per cent is the best among receivers with at least 20 targets. He also leads all wideouts in burn yards per target (17.16) and big-play rate (56.1 per cent).
Garrett Wilson is averaging 3.7 burn yards per route, well above the average of 3.0, and all three of the Jets' top trio of wideouts have double-digit receptions for first downs. Davis has racked up 13, Garrett Wilson has 12 and Moore 10. Hall, meanwhile, is averaging 4.7 yards per attempt and has put up 3.24 yards before contact per rush (the average for backs with at least 10 attempts is 2.51), showing burst that was doubted by some draftniks prior to his selection by the Jets.
On the other side of the ball, however, there are still doubts about a defense that has allowed 12 offensive touchdowns, tied for the third-most in the NFL, even after a performance in which they picked off Trubisky once and Pickett three times.
While the Steelers were missing star edge rusher T.J. Watt and dealing with sub-par play at quarterback, a win on the road in Pittsburgh is one that should breed confidence in the ecosystem and in Wilson.
Games against the Miami Dolphins, Green Bay Packers and Denver Broncos present a challenging immediate road ahead for Wilson but after his fourth-quarter heroics in Pittsburgh, there is room for confidence that this time, with this quarterback and this surrounding cast, things will finally get better for the Jets.
The concussed Tua Tagovailoa has been ruled out for the Miami Dolphins' Week 5 game against the New York Jets on Sunday.
After coming under significant scrutiny for the handling of Tagovailoa's Week 3 injury and then the concussion he suffered four days later, Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel decided to make it clear on Monday that his starting quarterback won't be suiting up this weekend.
McDaniel told reporters it's still too early to formulate a timeline for when Tagovailoa could return.
Teddy Bridgewater will get the start against the Jets after completing 14-of-23 passes for 193 yards with one touchdown and one interception in relief of Tagovailoa in Thursday's 27-15 loss at Cincinnati.
Tagovailoa was hospitalised in that game after being whipped around and flung to the ground by the Bengals' Josh Tupou, causing his head to snap back onto the turf.
He then laid flat on his back with his hands in front of his face while his fingers bent at awkward angles in a "fencing response" caused by a traumatic blow to the brain.
He was diagnosed with a concussion and McDaniel said he had a headache Thursday night and Friday morning.
The Dolphins have been heavily criticised for having Tagovailoa on the field for that game after what transpired on September 25 in a 21-19 win over the Buffalo Bills.
After being pushed to the ground by linebacker Matt Milano, Tagovailoa's helmet slammed into the turf. He managed to get back on his feet quickly, but after shaking his head and looking woozy, he appeared to lose his balance as he stumbled back to the ground.
He went to the locker room to be assessed by the team's medical staff, with the team announcing a head injury that made him questionable to return.
He only missed three snaps, however, returning for the start of the third quarter – a decision that prompted the NFL and National Football League Players Association to conduct a joint review of how the decision was made to allow Tagovailoa to return.
McDaniel maintained, however, the proper protocols were followed and that Tagovailoa was cleared by the team and the independent neurologist.
The neurotrauma consultant who evaluated and cleared Tagovailoa was fired by the NFLPA on Saturday.
The Denver Broncos have lost Javonte Williams for the rest of the season after the second-year running back tore his ACL, LCL and PCL in his right knee in Sunday's 32-23 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders.
Tests on Monday revealed the severity of the injury for Williams, who was carted off the field following the first play of the third quarter on Sunday after being tackled by Maxx Crosby for a one-yard loss.
It’s a significant loss for a Denver team off to a sputtering start to the season offensively that will now have to rely more on Melvin Gordon.
Williams and Gordon have been sharing the workload in Denver's backfield, but Williams has been outperforming his counterpart.
A second-round pick in the 2021 draft, the 22-year-old Williams has rushed for 204 yards on 47 attempts for an average of 4.4 yards per carry. Gordon, who is in his eighth pro season, has run for 139 yards on 37 carries for an average of 3.8 yards per attempt.
Gordon has also had trouble holding onto the ball, fumbling for the fourth time on Sunday.
He has twice as many fumbles than any other running back in the NFL and his fumble rate of 8.7 fumbles per touch is the worst in the league among the 92 running backs with at least 10 carries.
Off to a 2-2 start, the Broncos have a short week with a Thursday game against the Indianapolis Colts.
Erling Haaland feels like he belongs to the Premier League as much as he does Manchester City, believes Jamie Carragher.
The Norway international continued his stunning start to life in the English top flight with another hat-trick in Sunday's 6-3 derby demolition job against Manchester United.
It was the Leeds-born attacker's third consecutive three-goal haul in a home league game – a competition first – and furthers his tally for the season to 14 in eight games.
Now, former Liverpool defender Carragher, speaking as a Sky Sports pundit, feels the 22-year-old's talents are something to be savoured by fans up and down the country rather than just at one club.
"He's not just City's, he's the Premier League's [player]," Carragher said on Monday Night Football.
"That's what it feels like to me. It felt like that when he joined, it was something to be enjoyed by the whole Premier League."
Carragher's fellow pundit Gary Neville echoed his sentiments, adding: "I can't think of another time where the Premier League has signed a player in the last 30 years where you've thought [they are] a world star.
"[Cristiano] Ronaldo, [Thierry] Henry, [Virgil] van Dijk, [Kevin] De Bruyne, [Mohamed] Salah – all these players have gone to be some of the best in the world. They weren't that when they signed into the Premier League.
"But what we've signed here is somebody that everybody knew was going to be one of the best in the world."
Xavi will not be on a revenge mission when Barcelona face Inter in a "very important" Champions League showdown at San Siro on Tuesday.
Head coach Xavi was in the Barca side knocked out of the Champions League by Inter at the semi-final stage in 2010.
The Blaugrana were beaten 3-1 in the first leg in Milan and failed to overturn that deficit, crashing out after winning 1-0 at Camp Nou against Jose Mourinho's men, who went on to lift the trophy.
Xavi returns to San Siro with the two sides both having picked up three points from their opening two Group C games, with Barca beaten 2-0 at leaders Bayern Munich last month.
And the former Spain midfielder is motivated by the prospect of qualifying for the last 16 rather than having a score to settle.
He said: "I have no feeling of [wanting] revenge. I come here as a coach this time. I remember that we had to travel by bus [to Milan] because of the volcano, but they were a great team.
"It was difficult for us in the first leg. We lost it here. It was a controversial tie, but this is how it is. It's a bitter memory for us, unfortunately."
Inter boss Simone Inzaghi is under pressure with his side ninth in Serie A following back-to-back defeats to Udinese and Roma.
But Xavi is not reading anything into the Nerazzurri's poor form, as he knows they have the quality to turn things around.
"It's not significant," he said. "It's Inter, a very strong team. They have a different system to anything we've come across so far.
"They play with two strikers, something you don't see too much in Spain. They're a tough opponent, with good dynamics, but that has to be shown."
Xavi added: "I have it quite clear. Despite the size of the rival, we are clear that we want to dominate. It is an important rival. It is the Champions League. It is not a definitive match, but it is very important for the future of the group."
Inter have won just two of their 14 European matches against Barcelona, a 2-1 victory in the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup in January 1970 and that 3-1 Champions League triumph in April 2010.
However, Barca's only two away wins against the Nerazzurri came 60 years apart, winning 4-2 in the Fairs Cup in September 1959 and 2-1 in the Champions League in December 2019.
Lewis Hamilton feels he can continue in Formula One for another five years, according to Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff, who is certain the 37-year-old will renew his contract with the team.
Hamilton has won six of his joint-record seven F1 world championships while representing Mercedes, also helping the Silver Arrows to eight consecutive constructors' titles since joining in 2013.
That run is set to end this season, with Mercedes in third and Hamilton winless and struggling in sixth in the drivers' standings.
But Wolff insists his superstar's appetite for the sport remains undiminished.
He believes Hamilton – who he described as "the greatest personality" in F1 history – is sure to extend his Mercedes stay beyond the expiration of his contract in 2023.
"The advantage is we speak a lot together," Wolff told Channel 4. "Just last week we sat down, and he says 'look, I have another five years in me, how do you see that?'
"He's the shining star on and off track. I think we would lose the greatest personality that Formula One ever had.
"Over time we have just grown together. We are totally transparent with each other.
"Lewis will be the first one to say 'I can't do this anymore, because I feel I haven't got the reactions anymore' or 'I've just lost fun doing it, and there is another generation growing up that is just very strong'.
"I have no doubt that whatever we agree on a contract extension – which is going to happen – that we both are always going to discuss, very openly, what the future holds."
Hamilton indicated earlier this year he has "plenty of fuel left in the tank", and Wolff believes he can replicate the longevity of rival Fernando Alonso and NFL legend Tom Brady by competing after his 40th birthday.
"I don't know if 40 is that age where you say that is not adequate anymore for a racing driver," Wolff said.
"If you look at where Fernando is with 41 years, he's still very much there. Now, is he the same Fernando that he was at 25? I don't know, but he's very competitive still.
"You look at Tom Brady, who is somebody I really admire for having the discipline in how he manages his life and his sport, he's 45 – and he's on the pitch.
"So Lewis, with the way he leads his life, with the full, ultra-narrow focus on his Formula One racing – all the other things are just hobbies – I think he can take it quite far."
Hamilton was joined by George Russell at Mercedes ahead of this season, and the former Williams driver sits fourth in the drivers' standings after recording seven podium finishes in 2022 – one more than Hamilton.
Wolff believes Russell will have the opportunity to compete for titles in the future, adding: "George has been great joining the team.
"He's a good personality, he acts with integrity, he's very transparent working with Lewis – these two really have added to the team's development slope this year.
"He was obviously hoping to be in a Mercedes and winning races and championships, which he got that timing wrong, but at least he has progressed to the midfield now.
"That time is going to come – he will win races, he will race for championships, and I think he absolutely has it in him. I feel very good to have him in the team over the long term."
India fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah will miss the T20 World Cup after he suffered a back injury.
The 28-year-old, who had been named in India's squad for the tournament in Australia starting this month, will be forced to watch from the sidelines in a major blow to the team's prospects.
The decision to withdraw Bumrah was taken after he missed India's T20I series with South Africa and comes "following a detailed assessment and in consultation with the specialists", per a BCCI statement.
The BCCI did not specify the exact nature of his injury, although it is reported to be a back stress fracture.
A replacement will be named imminently, with fellow pace bowlers Mohammed Shami and Deepak Chahar both on the reserve list.
India open their campaign against rivals Pakistan in Melbourne on October 23.
World number nine Andrey Rublev comfortably beat qualifier Laslo Djere 6-4 6-3 to secure his place in the second round of the Astana Open.
The fifth seed found a crucial break of serve when leading the opener 5-4 to take the first set in Kazakhstan, before winning the next three games to put himself in the ascendancy in the second.
And despite a desperate last stand to stay in the match from Djere, Rublev held serve three times with relative ease to finish off his Serbian opponent.
Eighth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime served 14 aces to Roberto Bautista-Agut's two in their first-round match, but it was the Spaniard who advanced with a 6-4 7-6 (8-6) success.
Meanwhile, world number 10 Hubert Hurkacz overcame Francisco Cerundolo in straight sets.
Adrian Mannarino, the runner-up in Astana in 2020, came from a set down to beat Stan Wawrinka – playing as a wildcard – 1-6 6-2 6-3, and qualifier Zhizhen Zhang romped to victory with a superb third set to seal a 4-6 6-4 6-1 comeback win of his own over Aslan Karatsev.
At the Tokyo Open, fourth seed Frances Tiafoe cruised into the second round with a 6-3 6-4 triumph over Yasutaka Uchiyama, one of three Japanese players who crashed out at the first-round stage of their home tournament.
Uchiyama's countrymen Taro Daniel and Shintaro Mochizuki also tasted defeat at the hands of Bernabe Zapata Miralles and Brandon Nakashima, respectively.
Federico Chiesa has returned to first-team training with Juventus, nine months after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury.
The Italy international underwent surgery after injuring his left knee in a Serie A win over Roma in January, causing him to miss the rest of Juventus' 2021-22 campaign.
Chiesa, who starred in the Azzurri's Euro 2020 triumph last year, scored four goals and added two assists in all competitions last season before suffering the injury.
A statement on Juventus' website revealed the attacker "began a partial and gradual return to the group" on Monday after coach Massimiliano Allegri recently professed his hope the 24-year-old would return to action before the World Cup.
Juventus host Maccabi Haifa in a huge Champions League group-stage match on Wednesday, having suffered back-to-back defeats against Paris Saint-Germain and Benfica so far in the competition.
The Bianconeri have never previously lost their first three games of a Champions League campaign, and they were eliminated from their group the last time they failed to record a victory in their opening three matches (in 2013-14 – D2 L1).
Eddie Hearn says Anthony Joshua's proposed fight with Tyson Fury will not go ahead as things stand, insisting he will not "play a game" with the WBC heavyweight champion.
Fury initially offered Joshua the chance of a December bout last month, with Hearn subsequently revealing positive talks had been held with the Gypsy King's team.
However, Fury then set Joshua's representatives a deadline of September 26 to get the fight signed off, and declared discussions were "officially over" when that was not met.
Last week, Hearn told Sky Sports he was "baffled" by Fury's antics, adding: "we'll see what happens from here".
Hearn now appears convinced the fight will not take place, and has hit out at Fury for repeatedly insulting Joshua on social media.
"As far as we're concerned, the fight's off. We're happy to continue the discussions," Hearn said in an interview with Matchroom Boxing.
"In our mind, he's not fighting Anthony Joshua. We're more than happy to continue those conversations, but what we've been told is the deadline has passed, and so have the entire country.
"We have sent the final version of the contract back, they've come back with points and we were told that the fight is off by the man himself.
"They gave us terms, ultimately, and a date they thought we wouldn't accept. We did accept that. We were ready to go.
"If they were to sign the contract on Monday [September 26], they had a fight. We were asked to agree the deal by Monday, then we were asked to agree it by Wednesday.
"We got the comments back on Wednesday. We were never going to sign the fight [then], and we were told the fight's off.
"It's still there. It's still open for discussion. But we're not going to play a game with a bloke that's just coming out telling AJ it's off, and then that he's a 'dosser', that he's got to sign it, etc.
"Have your fight if you fight someone else, and we'll do our thing and we'll see what happens."
Iga Swiatek warned the tennis schedule is "not safe" and "could cause injury" as she pulled out of the Billie Jean King Cup Finals.
The world number one was due to represent Poland in an event that will be staged in Glasgow from November 8-13, but withdrew on Monday.
That competition will start just a day after the WTA Finals finish in Fort Worth, Texas.
US and French Open champion Swiatek criticised governing bodies the WTA and International Tennis Federation (ITF), who run the Billie Jean King Cup, over the calendar.
"I was thinking it through a lot and discussing it with my team, but I will not be able to play at the Billie Jean King Cup in Glasgow," Swiatek posted in an Instagram story.
"It makes me sad. I'm very sorry, because I play for Poland whenever it's possible and I always give it my best.
"Playing in Poland this year [in the qualifiers] was an honour and I hoped to do this again at the end of the season.
"I'm disappointed that tennis governing bodies didn't come to an agreement on something as basic as the calendar of tournaments, giving us only one day to travel through the globe and changing the time zone.
"The situation is not safe for our health and could cause injury."
Inter head coach Simone Inzaghi believes his team need to play with "aggression and determination" against Barcelona in the Champions League on Tuesday.
Inzaghi is under fire after a run that has seen Inter lose four of their last six in all competitions, with a 2-1 home defeat to Roma at the weekend leaving the Nerazzurri ninth in Serie A, already eight points behind joint-leaders Napoli and Atalanta.
And Tuesday's match will see them host a Barcelona side in red-hot form, top of LaLiga and yet to lose a league match this season under the leadership of former midfielder Xavi.
In his pre-match press conference, Inzaghi outlined just how tough a task the game was going to be, while explaining how his team need to play at the San Siro if they are to get a result.
"Tomorrow is a great opportunity, knowing that we meet a very strong team, probably one of the best in Europe," Inzaghi told reporters.
"It is a complete, strong team with a lot of quality. They know how to do everything, they have pressing and ball recovery. It is a team that knows how to do everything in possession and non-possession.
"Barcelona are a very strong team, complete in all departments. They have a lot of quality, plus they have [Robert] Lewandowski.
"We will have to play a game of aggression and determination."
Inzaghi also had positive news about striker Lautaro Martinez's availability for the fixture, adding: "This morning Lautaro made an exam where no injury was evident.
"He finished the game [against Roma] fatigued, today he will do a partial training and we will see what his condition will be."
Christian Horner remains confident Red Bull did not breach Formula One's budget cap rules last season ahead of the results of an FIA investigation.
The constructor faced reports both they and Aston Martin spent more than the $145million during Max Verstappen's title-winning campaign in 2021.
As Sergio Perez stormed to victory at the Singapore Grand Prix, clamour over the findings reached fever pitch, with Mercedes principal Toto Wolff claiming the breach was an "open secret".
But Horner has reiterated his belief the team remain inside budget constraints, while continuing to linger the threat of legal action against his rival over comments he considers defamatory.
"We're absolutely confident in our submission," he said. "Our audit was signed off by our auditors. We believe we are comfortably within the cap.
"We will consider all of our options. It was totally unacceptable to make a completely unfounded allegation – and on the basis of what knowledge? Where is this source of information?
"It was a confidential submission between the team and the FIA. I have no idea of the compliance of any of our rivals. So where does that information supposedly come from?"
Verstappen holds a 104-point lead over Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, and is closing in on his second world title, though if the FIA were to find Red Bull in breach last season, there could potentially be future repercussions on his prospects.
Jonathan Taylor's knee injury is reportedly not thought to be serious, though the Indianapolis Colts' star is a doubt for their clash with the Denver Broncos on Thursday.
Taylor was injured as the Colts' uneven start to the season continued with a 24-17 defeat to AFC South rivals the Tennessee Titans on Sunday.
The defeat dropped the Colts to 1-2-1, with Indianapolis once again struggling to justify considerable offseason hype.
An extended absence for Taylor, who last year led the NFL with 1,811 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns on the ground, would deal another substantial blow to the Colts' hopes of returning to the postseason.
NFL Media's Ian Rapoport calmed fears of Taylor being out for the long term, but pointed out that the tight turnround could make it difficult for him to feature in Week 5.
The Colts are only half a game back in the AFC South race, but another defeat to a conference opponent in the Broncos would leave them in a potentially much more significant hole.
For Taylor's part, he was unsure whether he would be healthy to feature in Denver.
He told reporters of his ankle injury: "It just tweaked up a little bit, but I'm feeling good now.
"It was a lot of commotion going on. Things just happen so fast on the field. It's crazy."
Asked about his status for the meeting with the Broncos, Taylor replied: "I'm not sure yet, but we'll see how things are tomorrow [Monday] morning."
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