Mohamed Salah is one of several Liverpool players to show improvements in the early stages of Arne Slot's reign, according to former Reds goalkeeper David James.
Liverpool have won four of their first five Premier League games under Slot to trail early-season pacesetters Manchester City by just a single point, with a surprise 1-0 defeat at home to Nottingham Forest the only blot on the Dutchman's record.
The Reds have kept four clean sheets already this term, their joint-most in the opening five league games of any season, along with 1967-68, 1977-78, 2005-06 and 2021-22.
It is not only their defence that has impressed, however, with Salah contributing three goals and four assists already in 2024-25. Only Erling Haaland, with 10 goals, has more goal contributions in the Premier League this term.
Salah also ranks joint-sixth in the league for both chances created (12) and expected assists (1.38 xA).
Speaking to Stats Perform, James outlined his belief that Salah – who is out of contract at the end of the season – had improved his all-round displays under Slot.
"If you look at Mo Salah, Mo Salah's improved," the former England shot-stopper said.
"He hasn't scored a massive amount of goals compared to the likes of Erling Haaland in particular, but his gameplay, his control, his pass choices, his effectiveness, his scoring, his assists are up there with his normal standard.
"But he's playing better. Ball retention is a massive thing, especially in the final third, so his ball retention is much better."
James believes Slot's more patient approach to build-up play has helped both Salah and fellow wideman Luis Diaz, granting them more space when they do get the chance to isolate their markers.
"I think where Arne has effectively changed the style of play, it's allowed the wingers to really go for it," James added.
"Also, if you're improving as a player with your touch, your control and ball retention, then that's only going to enhance the team's output.
"I think you'll see a lot more higher performances from Liverpool players. I mean, [Ryan] Gravenberch, he's like a new signing. It's mad.
"Considering the squad is the same squad, effectively, he looks like a new signing. Mo, as I said, has improved. Luis Diaz has improved.
"We're talking about three of the most dangerous players possibly in the Liverpool team. So well done, Arne Slot."
Liverpool's next Premier League game is at winless Wolves, who have suffered more defeats in the competition against the Reds (16) than versus any other club.
Aryna Sabalenka is targeting a return to the top of the world rankings to cap a stellar 2024.
Sabalenka won two grand slam titles this year, the Australian Open and the US Open, as well as clinching the top prize in Cincinnati as well.
She also reached the final in Madrid and Rome, losing out to world number one Iga Swiatek on both occasions.
The Belarusian currently sits over 2,000 points behind Swiatek in the women's rankings, but the Pole will not be defending her crown at the upcoming China Open.
Sabalenka is entering the tournament as the number one seed, and another victory would see her take a huge step towards closing the gap at the top.
"Of course that's one of my goals, to finish the season at world number one," Sabalenka said.
"I'm not trying to focus on that, I'm trying to focus on my game. There is only three tournaments left.
"I'm just trying to bring my best tennis on court. After the season, I'll see if it was enough to finish the year at number one or have to improve something else to get to number one.
"To be called the best player in the world, that means everything. It's good to know that you've been doing the right thing, all of that hours of training wasn't a waste of time."
The women's singles tournament in China begins on Wednesday, with the final to be held on October 6.
Michel admitted that Girona are no longer the same team that took LaLiga by storm last season and urged them to rediscover their identity.
Girona were the surprise package last season, going toe-to-toe with Real Madrid and Barcelona in the title race before eventually finishing third in LaLiga.
However, the club let go of Golden Boot winner Artem Dovbyk, who scored 24 LaLiga goals last season, and influential midfielder Aleix Garcia in the transfer window.
Though they brought in reinforcements, including Donny van de Beek from Manchester United, they have not yet found their rhythm, losing each of their last three games in all competitions.
In that run, which includes a 1-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in their Champions League debut, they have managed a combined eight shots on target from 20 attempts, and netted just one goal, failing to score in each of the last two.
"Things happen for a reason," Michel told a news conference. "Our reality is that we have lost three games in a row, and it is difficult because people expect the team to win.
"Right now we are not the team we were last year, we are another one."
"With the ball, we are not hurting the opponent and this means that we have to suffer. We must play with fewer touches and be able to look up and for that I need high intensity. This is a machine that has to work now.
"Right now we are 12th and that is our reality. We have to improve to win games continuously as people expect. We have to go through the process, and we will suffer."
Winger Portu is available after an ankle knock, giving Michel a fully fit squad as he prepares to face the club where he spent most of his playing career and took his first steps into management.
"It's a special match which I never enjoy. It will always be like this," Michel added. "[Rayo] is the club where I have lived, and my life is in Vallecas.
"They are a great team in every way. They are the team that presses the most and best in the league, and they have a higher intensity than anyone else. It isn't easy to create scoring chances against them."
Erik ten Hag has asked people to "trust" his decision to drop Marcus Rashford to the bench against Crystal Palace after criticism over the move.
The Englishman made a slow start to the Premier League campaign but got on the scoresheet against Southampton with his first goal since March in their FA Cup victory over Liverpool.
He followed that up with a brace against Barnsley in the EFL Cup last Tuesday, also registering an assist, with Ten Hag claiming Rashford was returning to his best form.
However, Rashford unexpectedly started on the bench in their 0-0 draw at Palace, with Amad Diallo favoured on the wing, though the 26-year-old came off the bench in the 61st minute for Joshua Zirkzee.
Some pundits questioned Ten Hag's choice, but the Dutchman shrugged off any ideas of a problem.
"I didn't understand the criticism. People are not entitled to bring speculation," Ten Hag said.
"If I give an explanation, they have to trust my words. If they don't, that's not right."
United are preparing for their Europa League clash against FC Twente, Ten Hag's boyhood club, at Old Trafford on Wednesday.
Like the Champions League, the competition has been expanded to 36 teams, resulting in two extra matches in the opening round.
Other Premier League clubs have already voiced concerns about the number of matches they face this campaign, and Ten Hag admitted the increased schedule could lead to problems.
"There are too many games. It's clear. Too many competitions," he added.
"For the top players, they are overloaded, and this is not good for football. It's maybe good for commercial but there is a limit.
"It's almost unavoidable that players get injured because of the overload from so many games."
Arne Slot says Trent Alexander-Arnold has always been a "good defender" but backed him to get better if he can improve on his concentration.
The right-back has said he welcomes Slot's criticism, claiming he wants the Dutchman's help to become "the defender that no one wants to come up against in Europe".
Alexander-Arnold more often draws plaudits for his attacking play, and in Liverpool's latest win, he reached 100 goal involvements (19 goals, 81 assists), setting up Luis Diaz's second in their 3-0 win over Bournemouth.
Slot acknowledged how important Alexander-Arnold's impact going forward is, and that he is more than happy to help his defensive side.
"Yeah, it's difficult for me to judge how it has been in years before - we are talking here about a player that won the Champions League and a league title," Slot said.
"He mentioned himself that winning a league is about defending. It's clear to me then that he's been a good defender all his life.
"But because he's so so special with the ball, the main emphasis goes to him doing special things with the ball. With him, it's not about if he's capable of doing things, it's his concentration rate and being 100% focused.
"This is what we talk about a lot, that he always has to be active in every situation of the game, even if the ball is far away from him. It's not that he's learned how to defend in the last three months; he's won the league and the Champions League!
"It's just getting him to understand what is necessary for him to play the best possible game and that's what we talk about with all the individuals but also with him."
The defensive work put in by Alexander-Arnold is already starting to show, as he has made the third-most interceptions (31) out of his team-mates, and won possession on 176 occasions, with only Alexis Mac Allister (195) bettering that in the Premier League so far this season.
The 25-year-old has described his new manager's approach as "refreshing" after his bright start to life on Merseyside.
When asked how he felt about Alexander-Arnold's comments, Slot said: "I think we all remember the day that Jurgen [Klopp] left and what that man meant to him [Trent Alexander-Arnold].
"So, you can assume how good of a relationship the two of them had, so to hear him say this about his new manager is always nice. It's not always easy to come in and replace a manager like him.
"But it's the same with Trent as it is with the others. They are getting a lot of individual attention to make them better, because if they get better, then the team does as well."
Barcelona will be without injured goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen for several months, but Hansi Flick is confident they have a capable deputy in Inaki Pena.
Germany international Ter Stegen underwent a successful operation on Monday after suffering a complete rupture of the patella tendon in his right knee.
The 32-year-old suffered the injury in Barca's 5-1 win at Villarreal in LaLiga on Sunday and is expected to be out for at least eight months, according to Spanish media reports.
Despite Ter Stegen's season likely being over, Flick is remaining upbeat, backing academy product Pena to handle the step up.
"Inaki is doing very well, in pre-season too. He has worked very hard to be here. He is focused and ready to play," Flick said ahead of Wednesday's home game versus Getafe.
"We are confident but we also have to look at what we do because the players at the back are very young. For the moment, we don't feel under pressure and we trust in Inaki."
Having joined Barcelona's La Masia academy aged 13, 25-year-old Pena has made 23 first-team appearances, conceding 39 goals and keeping five clean sheets.
Pena made 10 league appearances for Barca last term, with his save percentage of 56.4% falling some way short of Ter Stegen's 73.5%.
Pena also conceded 17 goals from 13.89 expected goals on target (xGoT) faced, giving him an underperformance of 3.1 in terms of goals prevented. Ter Stegen, by contrast, conceded 27 times from 27.84 xGoT faced.
The Catalans were already without new signing Dani Olmo and fellow midfielders Gavi, Frenkie de Jong, Marc Bernal and Fermin Lopez, plus defenders Ronald Araujo and Andreas Christensen, due to injuries.
However, they have made a perfect start to the season under Flick, with six straight wins putting them top of LaLiga, four points ahead of reigning champions Real Madrid in second.
But the former Bayern Munich boss is striving for more, adding: "We analysed the game against Villarreal and we saw a lot of things that can be improved.
"We haven't reached the end of the road. You can always do more. We are moving forward step by step."
The Jamaica Boxing Association staged its long awaited first fight card for 2024 with four fights and an exhibition bout on Saturday at the Stanley Couch Gym in Kingston. It was an all amateur fight card under the banner Gloves Over Guns Futures Programme.
Three of the four fights went to the Jamaica Defense Force (JDF) whose boxers looked well prepared and physically fitter than their opponents. Arguably the fight of the night was the final (elite) bout between Delano McLaughlin of the JDF and Kirk-Patrick Heron of the Port Antonio Gym in a light heavyweight match-up. Both fighters were very determined while going all three rounds of three minutes each. At times they traded blow for blow while taking some big punches but in the end McLaughlin landed more hits and was adjudged the winner.
The first JDF boxer to enter the ring was Gervin Garrison in a light heavyweight matchup with Sadeki Harris of GC Foster Gym. Both boxers got busy immediately but Garrison soon showed that he was the better fighter with cleaner punches and was more agile around the ring. Harris took a lot of punishment and showed a lot of heart to stay toe to toe with Garrison but just did not have the strength to throw some winning punches as Garrison came out the clear winner.
That fight gave way to another JDF match-up between with Shawn Morgan in a lop-sided super heavyweight face off with Vernando McKenzie of Funrobics Gym. McKenzie entered the ring confidently but could not handle the force and speed of Morgan. He faced referee Wayne Roberts count more than once in the less than two rounds that he was in the ring, as Roberts eventually stopped the fight midway in the second round.
The only boxer out of the blue corner to record a win on the night was Mark-Andre Mendez of Control Strike Gym against Hammid Gordon of Funrobics Gym. They put on a spirited light middleweight show for the crowd but Mendez sent down more punches and was definitely under less pressure in the ring.
The opening action on the night was an entertaining exhibition bout which went to Alex Grant of Suga Gym over Crishaun McPherson of Funrobics Gym. They were the youngest boxers on show at just fourteen years old.
Stephen Bomber Jones, president of the Jamaica Boxing Association was pleased with the response from the boxing community. “I am very encouraged. I am extremely encouraged by what I saw. I am more encouraged also by the response by the boxers, the gyms and the managers themselves because tonight represents what they have been asking for, at least an answer, one of the answers for what they have been asking for. They have had their boxers training without being able to showcase their skills so this gives a platform to answer that so I am very happy.”
He also said ‘the last Saturday of every month we intend to have the same show but going forward it won’t just be amateurs. We want this platform to be from the most novice boxer which is our grassroot boxers – children, the elite amateurs – those that will over the next couple of years give the activities so that they can represent us internationally and also those boxers who want to turn pro, we give them this platform to have monthly bouts so that they can build a professional record so that they can be the choice of boxers that we carry around the island. The public deserves the best boxers when we do the Fight Night Series so this will be kind of be a feeder programme into the Series. The best boxers, the best amateurs and the best professionals that come out of this we will showcase around the island.”
The fight card was sponsored by Pepsi, S&G Road Surfacing, Vere Events, Locker room Sports and Creative Sports
Inter midfielder Nicolo Barella has suffered a thigh injury and will miss at least the next two games for the Italian champions.
The 27-year-old Italy international, who has made 175 league appearances for Inter, has a strain in the rectus femoris of his right thigh, the club said in a statement.
"His condition will be reassessed next week," the club added when announcing his injury on Tuesday.
Inter, sixth in the Serie A standings with eight points from five matches, visit Udinese on Saturday, before hosting Red Star Belgrade in the Champions League next Tuesday.
Simone Inzaghi's side will be desperate to recover Barella for their clash with surprise league leaders Torino on October 5.
Barella impressed as the Nerazzurri began their Champions League campaign with a goalless draw at Manchester City last week, creating two chances for team-mates and ranking first among all Inter players for possession regains (seven) and passes played in the final third (10).
After hinting at retirement from international cricket following the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup back in June, West Indies all-rounder Andre Russell has made an about turn and is now aiming to parade his skills at the next global cricket showpiece in 2026.
Russell, who ahead of that World Cup said he believes the region possesses enough young talent to fill the gap after his departure, in the same breath, declared that he would be happy to return, if needed.
As such, the 36-year-old Jamaican will stick around just a bit longer, thanks to some convincing from West Indies white ball head coach Darren Sammy.
Interestingly, Russell’s return to international T20 action against England late last year, after a two-year absence, was also based on a conversation with Sammy, but beyond that, the explosive all-rounder pointed out that the emergence of exciting young talent in the region also influenced his decision to stay put—at least for another two years.
“I’ve talked with Sammy, and he said he wants me to keep playing some international cricket, and I think by looking around and seeing the talents that’s in the Caribbean, I think I’m going to push my body and push myself to play international cricket for another two years,” Russell declared.
One of the most feared all-rounders in T20 cricket, Russell, a two-time T20 World Cup winner for the West Indies, packs incredible power-hitting and athletic prowess that can change the course of a game single-handedly.
Though he has graced other formats of the game before, it is as a T20 legend, sought after by every franchise league in the world, that he will be remembered. Russell has experience in over 500 T20 matches with over 8,000 runs to his credit at a strike rate of just over 169. He also has over 450 wickets at a remarkable bowling average of 25.31.
Russell’s ability to clear the boundary with ease and finish innings on a high note is unparalleled, a quality he consistently demonstrates, both internationally and in franchise leagues.
While he will be 38 at the time of the next T20 World Cup to be hosted jointly in India and Sri Lanka, Russell said he still has enough in the tank to significantly contribute to the team’s future success both on and off the field.
“I could have walked away from the game international-wise, but I just want to see the youngsters do well in terms of all-rounders. So I definitely want to play the World Cup of 2026 because there is a lot of talent that you know we have, and I want to help nurture those young talents,” he said.
“I still can hit the ball anywhere I want to hit the ball, still bowling at a good pace, still fit, and can move around, so I don’t see why I should stop,” he added.
It is already clear Liverpool have appointed the right manager in Arne Slot and the Reds are on track to compete for the Premier League title this season.
That is the view of former Liverpool goalkeeper David James, who has been impressed by the early returns of former Feyenoord boss Slot since he replaced Jurgen Klopp in the Anfield hotseat.
Liverpool have won four of their first five Premier league matches and beaten AC Milan in the Champions League so far under Slot.
Champions Manchester City and Arsenal are widely seen as the leading title contenders, but James has been suitably encouraged by the Reds’ start to believe they will also be in the mix if they can keep key players like Mohamed Salah fit.
Speaking to Stats Perform, James said: "I know the conversations are about the City and Arsenal rivalry and challenging for titles.
"I’m not saying this through any previous connection [to the club], but I just think Liverpool are in the conversation [for the title], as they were last year.
"Last season, because of the amount of injuries they had, a lot of it was just pure grit and determination rather than a formulaic way of getting your best players to win games of football.
"If Arne keeps his players fit, which is always the case for teams, then you see them [Man City and Arsenal] being challenged [by Liverpool] at the end of the season.
"He has been a great appointment, everything I hear about him is positive, and when you see the performances on the field being as positive as they are, then you know they’ve got the right man.
"You can already see a positive difference [to the end of last season] with what is effectively the same squad."
After a 3-0 win over Bournemouth last time out, the Opta supercomputer is not discounting the possibility of a Liverpool title bid, as it appears almost certain they will be contending towards the top of the standings.
While their title chance is just 5.7% at this stage (Man City are at 80.2% and Arsenal are at 13.8%), the predictive model thinks there is a 34.3% chance of Liverpool finishing in the top two and an 80.6% chance of the Reds ending up in the top three once again.
In a start to the campaign that has also included an impressive 3-0 away win over rivals Manchester United, a shock 1-0 home loss to Nottingham Forest on Matchday 4 has been the only negative for Liverpool so far.
James added: "The learning curve for Arne [Slot] and his team will be what they do after international breaks. You can see how teams like City often turn a negative experience into a positive.
"If you look at it, he came in pre-season, they were exposed to Arne’s training regime from day one, all the way through to the first three games [before the] international break, and things were getting better.
"And I think after the international break, there was a disconnect: they didn’t look good, didn’t play well, and ended up defeated.
"Therefore, Arne’s learning curve will be, what do I do now next time my team, most of my players, go off on international breaks, what do I have to rejig to make sure that we continue this kind of performance?"
Liverpool host West Ham in the EFL Cup third round on Wednesday, before travelling to face bottom-of-the-table Wolves in the Premier League on Saturday.
The Reds are on an impressive defensive run of form, having conceded just one goal in their last six top-flight games dating back to last season, with five clean sheets.
But attackers Salah and Luis Diaz have also been key to Slot’s flying start.
Diaz has been involved in six goals in his last four Premier League appearances, scoring five and assisting one. The Colombia attacker has scored a double in two of his last three Liverpool matches, having netted multiple goals in just one of his first 69 top-flight games.
James said: "The improvement in Luis Diaz, firstly through the goalscoring, is helped by the way that Liverpool play [under Slot], they play a lot more through the middle.
"It means Luis has more space. The goals he scored on the weekend, yes came from good passes, but he’s got a little bit more space and the skill to be able to take advantage of that."
Liverpool have won 14 of their last 15 league matches against Wolves and, as things stand, look well-placed to extend that run as the Opta prediction model gives them a healthy 65.7% win probability at Molineux.
The San Francisco 49ers' selection woes show no signs of easing with defensive tackle Javon Hargrave suffering a potentially season-ending injury and Christian McCaffrey needing specialist treatment on an Achilles issue.
The 49ers have made a 1-2 start to the 2024 season after winning the NFC championship for the eighth time last campaign, with injuries hampering them early on.
McCaffrey, the NFL's reigning Offensive Player of the Year, was placed on injured reserve last week after missing the entirety of preseason with what was later diagnosed as Achilles tendonitis.
Wide receiver Deebo Samuel and tight end George Kittle also missed Sunday's 27-24 defeat to the Los Angeles Rams, during which Hargrave partially tore his right triceps.
That injury will require surgery and will likely bring his 2024 season to a premature end.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan said: "It's a big loss. I thought he had his best game. I thought he was a huge factor, really affected the quarterback in that game.
"He's one of our better players. He was definitely going in the right direction and was going to have a big year."
McCaffrey, meanwhile, has flown to Germany to see a specialist regarding his Achilles issue.
He must miss four games after being placed on IR. Having missed two thus far, he cannot return until after the 49ers' October 6 meeting with the Arizona Cardinals at the earliest.
Shanahan also revealed quarterback Brock Purdy had complained of back soreness after the Rams game and would be evaluated daily, though an MRI scan came back all-clear.
Mikel Arteta joked he has told Arsenal's players to "play without the ball" after seeing Declan Rice and Leandro Trossard sent off for delaying restarts in recent weeks.
Arsenal were moments away from a famous win over Premier League title rivals Manchester City on Sunday despite playing over half the game with 10 men, after Trossard received a second yellow card for kicking the ball away.
However, John Stones' 98th-minute equaliser broke their resistance as they drew for the second time this term, having also drawn 1-1 with Brighton when Declan Rice saw red over a similar incident.
Arsenal's use of the "dark arts" has come in for criticism in the last few days, but Arteta has not warned his players against employing similar tactics in the future.
Asked if he had taken steps to avoid seeing another player dismissed for kicking the ball away, he said: "For passing the ball, you mean?
"Just leave the ball. Don't touch the ball. We will play without the ball."
Asked if he had any new thoughts on Trossard's sending off, he said: "I reflected post-match, it's the same reflection today. It's the same answer. I was very clear about it."
Arsenal spent a total of nine minutes and four seconds on their goal-kicks in Sunday's match – the most by any team in a Premier League game this season.
Meanwhile, the average delay at Arsenal restarts (goal-kicks, throw-ins and free-kicks) was 42.7 seconds, with only Aston Villa versus Wolves (47.3) taking longer this term. The Gunners' average delay time of 41.1 seconds against Brighton is third on that list.
Arteta, though, insists his team had no choice but to play that way when a man down, rejecting assertions that Arsenal push the limits more than any other side.
"I always prefer facts rather than words, so let's see who's available tomorrow and then we can talk about dark arts or these things," he said.
"We had to play the game that we had to play. In the first 10 or 15 minutes, we couldn't, then we got much better.
"We were thrown into a very different context. Every team does it. They played 30 seconds with 10 men, you look at what they did. We had to do it in a different way.
"We learned from the past as well because unfortunately we've been in that situation with them three times very recently. I would be very thick if we didn't learn from it."
Arsenal host Bolton Wanderers in the third round of the EFL Cup on Wednesday, before taking on Leicester City in the Premier League on Saturday.
Red Bull would be "foolish" not to consider an approach for George Russell when his Mercedes contract expires next year, says team principal Christian Horner.
While three-time world champion Max Verstappen is under contract with Red Bull until 2028, the poor form of team-mate Sergio Perez has cast doubt on their lineup.
Perez started 2024 with four podium finishes in his first five races, but he has since endured a run of 13 outings without a top-three finish to slip to eighth in the drivers' championship.
Russell is set to become Mercedes' lead driver for 2025 when Lewis Hamilton joins Ferrari, but with the Silver Arrows' team principal Toto Wolff repeatedly talking up the possibility of moving for Verstappen, his long-term future is in doubt.
With Russell's contract expiring after next season, Horner says Red Bull could swoop for him to fill a "gap" between their current drivers and those coming through their academy.
"We've got a gap now but we just want to take time to consider what those options look like for the future," Horner told Sky Sports F1.
"And we're not afraid to go out of the pool. You know, George Russell is out of contract at the end of next year. It would be foolish not to take that into consideration.
"There are other talented drivers that could well be out of contract as well."
Russell claimed his second F1 race win in Austria earlier this year and currently sits seventh in the drivers' standings, 11 points ahead of Perez.
Horner's comments on Russell were put to Mercedes boss Wolff, who accused his counterpart of "stirring".
"He is always stirring s*** up on his part," Wolff said. "It's part of the game.
"George is a Mercedes driver, has been forever and hopefully will be forever. He has a long contract with the team."
The Silver Arrows endured a frustrating outing at last weekend's Singapore Grand Prix, Hamilton finishing fourth and Russell sixth after early difficulties with the team's split strategy.
Josh Allen had a historic performance as the Buffalo Bills crushed the Jacksonville Jaguars on Monday, but he said stats were not important to a team where "everybody eats".
The Bills rolled to a 3-0 start by routing the winless Jaguars 47-10 in New York, with Allen maintaining his best start to an NFL season with a brilliant display.
Allen became the first quarterback in NFL history to complete 75% of his passes (23-of-30), throw four touchdown passes, have no turnovers or sacks and lead his team in rushing yards (44) in the same game.
It is the first time he has not thrown a pick through three games of a season, while he also has the highest total QBR (92.6), completion rate (75%) and yards per dropback (8.2) through three games in his NFL career.
However, Allen says he and his team-mates are not focused on individual stats, with the collective being the most important thing.
"I think it's paying dividends from what we've worked on throughout the entire offseason and through training camp, the 'everybody eats' mentality," Allen said.
"It could be your play this play, you never know when it's going to happen, and that's the beauty of it, when guys get to buy into this.
"It's a fun and wonderful thing when you've got a bunch of guys that don't care about the stats, they don't care about the touchdowns.
"I think throughout practice we just had this mindset of, 'let's just do things the right way and find ways to win football games'. That's what we're doing right now."
The Jaguars, meanwhile, are 0-3 for the season and have lost eight of their last nine games in a run dating back to last year, having made a flying 8-3 start to the 2023 campaign.
Their offense has toiled since the first half of their 20-17 defeat to the Miami Dolphins in Week 1, scoring just 23 points and converting five of 27 third-down attempts in their last 10 quarters.
Quarterback Trevor Lawrence – who signed a huge $275million contract extension during the offseason – has completed just 47.5% of his passes in that time, being sacked 10 times.
The Bills defense got to him four times on Monday as he suffered his eighth straight loss as a starter, leading coach Doug Pederson to give a non-committal answer when asked whether Lawrence's place in the lineup could be at risk.
"You say everything is on the table, we've got to take a look at injuries," Pederson said.
"Tonight, we had some guys injured. Things could be moved that way, it could be performance. They're all things we have to evaluate as we move forward.
"This is who we are right now and it's not very good. We have to be honest with ourselves and I've got to be honest with myself and just keep plugging away."
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