It seemed on a frenzied January night in Kansas City as though the AFC title would be decided by the toss of a coin.
The Kansas City Chiefs were the beneficiaries, coming up the field one last time to beat the Buffalo Bills, but Patrick Mahomes and Co. were not to make the Super Bowl.
That the Chiefs were stunned by the Cincinnati Bengals in the AFC Championship Game said a great deal for the strength in depth of the conference.
And that has been ratcheted up to another level over the course of the offseason, with Russell Wilson and Davante Adams among the notable names traded into the AFC.
The NFC may still have the defending Super Bowl champions, but there are no shortage of contenders here – including as many as four in one wild division out west.
The favourites
The Chiefs and the Bills would both have been hugely disheartened by the manner in which their seasons ended. Kansas City had the fortune that deserted Buffalo but were unable to make the most of their reprieve against the Bengals.
But that will merely make Mahomes and Josh Allen two of the more motivated superstars heading into the new season.
Mahomes is now without Tyreek Hill, yet the Chiefs' offensive line went from strength to strength as last season wore on, ranking third in pass protection win percentage by the year's end.
Meanwhile, Allen showed in that playoff blockbuster he can be every bit a match for Mahomes at his best. He threw nine touchdown passes across his two playoff games; no player had previously thrown more than seven while playing two games or fewer in a single postseason.
Allen will hope not to get the chance to better that record, this year targeting a run that goes far beyond the Divisional Round.
In the mix
The Bengals of course have to be considered after pushing the Los Angeles Rams all the way, while the Tennessee Titans actually matched the Chiefs for the best regular season record in the AFC despite Derrick Henry being limited to eight games, though the trade of receiver A.J. Brown to the Philadelphia Eagles may restrict their ceiling on offense and ability to compete this year.
Deshaun Watson's suspension will give the Cleveland Browns work to do just to make the playoffs, but they may well be a serious threat if they get there.
A conference packed with quarterback talent also includes former MVP Lamar Jackson, who is fit again and looking to set the Baltimore Ravens back on course after a difficult 2021 in which they finished bottom of the AFC North.
But if the Chiefs are the team to beat, perhaps one of their division rivals can cause an upset. Each of the Los Angeles Chargers, the Denver Broncos and the Las Vegas Raiders have reasons to be optimistic.
Four contenders in the wild, wild AFC West
The Chiefs have won the AFC West six years in a row, but there is no guarantee that will become seven. The scale of the challenge before Kansas City represents a big boost to their AFC rivals – and to the neutrals, licking their lips at a must-watch season-long tussle.
Justin Herbert has long looked like making the Chargers contenders, with just the 14th 5,000-yard passing season in league history helping his offense finish fourth in the league in yards per game (390.2) and fifth in total points scored (747) last season. Crucially, the Chargers have added defensive help in the form of Khalil Mack and J.C. Jackson now, too.
Yet their offseason work perhaps pales next to that of the Broncos and the Raiders.
Wilson left the Seattle Seahawks for Denver, who promptly handed him a huge contract, clearly feeling he and Nathaniel Hackett can be the QB-coach combo they have been missing to return them to the postseason.
Support for that belief comes from Wilson's performance in quarterback Efficiency Versus Expected (EVE), which measures a signal-caller's performance in expected passing situations against the league average. Despite playing only 14 games on a Seahawks team that finished in the NFC West cellar, Wilson was still 13th in EVE, just behind Tom Brady.
Meanwhile, Adams has reunited with former Fresno State team-mate Derek Carr on the Raiders, with Stats Perform's positional rankings subsequently considering Las Vegas to have the most talented skill players in the NFL.
The Chiefs will undoubtedly now be made to work for the division after years of dominance.
Lamar out to right last year's wrongs
With half of the conference potentially in contention for a Super Bowl run, there is perhaps no true sleeper pick, but the Ravens will expect to go from worst to first in their division.
Much will depend on a return to form for dual-threat superstar Jackson.
Baltimore were firmly on course for the playoffs at the time of the ankle injury that kept Jackson out of the run-in in 2021, collapsing thereafter. However, it had already been by far the QB's worst season as a regular starter.
After 3,127 passing yards and 36 passing TDs and 1,206 rushing yards and seven rushing TDs in his MVP season of 2019, Jackson had regressed slightly in 2020 and struggled further last year both through the air and on the ground.
In 12 games, Jackson threw just 16 TDs to 13 interceptions, while his 767 rushing yards saw him finish second among QBs to Jalen Hurts – a category he had dominated in the previous two campaigns.
Everything the Ravens do when they are good goes through Jackson, so his performance level will make or break their season.
Can Tua turn his fortunes around?
With the wealth of talent at the top of the AFC, there must also be some dregs at the bottom. The Miami Dolphins might fear they belong instead to that category.
The Dolphins made their own big move this offseason, taking elite receiver Hill out of the AFC West to give Tua Tagovailoa little excuse in his third season.
Hill got open on 82.7 per cent of his targets last season, with those skills of separation sure to come in useful when attempting to link up with a passer in Tagovailoa who threw to an open target just 73.8 per cent of the time.
The Dolphins are not expecting Tagovailoa to be Mahomes, but they need him to be much better than he has been thus far for this project to work.
Kylian Mbappe hinted a future move to Real Madrid is very much a possibility, saying the club feels like his "house".
Mbappe was widely expected to join Madrid upon the expiry of his contract in June, but instead he committed his future to Paris Saint-Germain until 2025 in a shock decision that sparked fury in Spain.
His new deal with PSG, which was reported to feature a €100million signing bonus, expires at the end of the 2024-25 season.
Mbappe will still only be 26 at that point, illustrating a point apparently made by Emmanuel Macron when the French president made his pitch for the World Cup winner to remain in his home country.
"I never imagined I'm gonna talk with the president about my future, about my future in my career, so it's something crazy, really something crazy," Mbappe said in an interview with The New York Times.
"He [Macron] told me: 'I want you to stay. I don't want you to leave now. You are so important for the country.'"
According to Mbappe, Macron added: "You have time to leave, you can stay a little bit more."
Mbappe did not give a clear indication as to whether he would take the opportunity to trade Paris for Madrid when the opportunity arises again, but he conceded he feels as if the club has dominated the narrative around his career despite never playing for Los Blancos.
"You never know what's going to happen," added Mbappe. "You've never been there, but it seems like it's like your house, or something like this."
Mbappe, though, rejected talk of the signing bonus and the massive contract given to him by PSG as being the reason for his decision to stay.
PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi, eager to build a Champions League-winning team, claimed amid the fallout from Mbappe's decision that Madrid had offered more money.
Mbappe said of his significant financial compensation: "Everywhere I go, I'm gonna get money. I'm this type of player everywhere I go."
France star Virimi Vakatawa looks to have played the final rugby match of his career after it was revealed the 30-year-old has a heart condition that made the risk of competing "too great".
It emerged on Monday that Vakatawa had been told he would no longer be allowed to play rugby in France.
There was no initial announcement of what Vakatawa's issue was, but that was revealed at a press conference held by his club, Racing 92, on Tuesday.
An emotional Vakatawa was accompanied by France coach Fabien Galthie as he addressed the shock of learning his career had come to a sudden halt.
Vakatawa, a skilful operator at centre or on the wing, was set to be deployed by France in their Rugby World Cup campaign next year.
The 30-year-old, who was born in New Zealand and later lived in Fiji, moved to France as a teenager and played for Les Bleus in sevens before progressing to the 15-a-side national team. He has won 32 caps for France.
"Thank you for coming today, it's difficult for me to speak in front of everyone," said Vakatawa, who was also joined by Racing head coach Laurent Travers and president Jacky Lorenzetti.
"Rugby is my passion. The hardest moment was yesterday in front of my team-mates. It was very difficult to tell all of those I've spent time with, on and off the field.
"I arrived in France as a 17-year-old, since when I've only known one club, Racing 92. It's hard to leave your family, but I've never had regrets. I thank the president, the club and all my friends. I'll remain a Racing man for all my life."
Racing doctor Sylvain Blanchard explained the situation, saying: "A cardiac anomaly had been detected before the 2019 World Cup in Japan. This anomaly, which is not linked to rugby, has been monitored but it is an evolving pathology. The risk has become too great."
France boss Galthie loses a key figure from his squad and expressed sadness for Vakatawa.
He said: "Thanks to Racing 92 for inviting me to join Virimi. I am rather moved.
"When we do sports at the highest level we know that these situations can happen, but when we meet it full in the face it affects us enormously.
"Virimi has made many children dream. He has been a key player in our history, he was tremendous. I wanted to pay homage to you on behalf of the France team."
Alex Carey and Cameron Green pulled off a superb stand of 158 to help Australia get the better of New Zealand, earning a two-wicket win in the first ODI in Cairns.
The pair came together at the crease with the hosts on 44-5 inside a dozen overs following a blistering start from left-arm quick Trent Boult.
But wicketkeeper Carey (85) and all-rounder Green (89 not out) turned the tables on the Black Caps, their sixth-wicket alliance proving pivotal as Australia went in pursuit of New Zealand's 232-9 and found an extra gear.
It marked a fine recovery for Aaron Finch's side against the top-ranked 50-over side in world cricket.
Having won the toss and put the tourists in to bat at Cazalys Stadium, Australia looked like they could rue the decision after Devon Conway (46) and Kane Williamson (45) helped New Zealand to 91-1.
The visitors did not quite take off after that partnership broke up, but they still looked in the ascendancy, particularly when Boult claimed the scalps of Finch (5), Steve Smith (1) and Marnus Labuschagne (0).
Yet Carey and Green, both omitted from Australia's T20 World Cup squad, rallied with a sublime effort to spin the match on its head. Although Carey's dismissal sparked a nervy finale, they still had enough to get over the line.
Maxwell keeps Black Caps at bay
Crucial to Australia's success was Glenn Maxwell, who went for more runs than any other bowler in the side but took four crucial wickets.
It makes him just the third spinner to achieve the feat against New Zealand in ODI cricket for the Baggy Greens, after Shane Warne and Brad Hogg.
Williamson's half-century drought continues
It was so near and yet so far for New Zealand skipper Williamson, who just fell short of the 50 mark again for his country.
He has not scored an international half-century in 2022, a concern perhaps for the captain with the T20 World Cup looming.
Xavi believes Barcelona can end an eight-year wait for Champions League glory this season as he told his players to "dream" of lifting the trophy.
The head coach sends his side into their opener against Viktoria Plzen on Wednesday, desperate for them to avoid a repeat of the last campaign's group-stage exit.
Barcelona finished behind Bayern Munich and Benfica, with Xavi appointed midway through that group campaign after Ronald Koeman was sacked.
The serious damage had been done by a 3-0 loss at Benfica, and Xavi could not drag Barcelona through to the knockout rounds.
However, he has had two busy transfer windows since then and Barcelona are a new-look and refreshed team, with much of their previous baggage shaken off.
Last season's failure in Europe inevitably hurt more when Barcelona's great rivals Real Madrid went on to beat Liverpool in the final, but Xavi wants to move on.
"The main target now is to get through the group stage," said Xavi, "then we'll see.
"Dreaming is free so why can't we win this competition? But we have to start by taking the three points tomorrow."
Xavi was a substitute in the final of the 2014-15 Champions League when Barcelona beat Juventus 3-1 in Berlin, thanks to goals from Ivan Rakitic, Luis Suarez and Neymar.
Now directing matters from the touchline, he is reluctant to predict how Barcelona will fare, but says there is no harm in having lofty goals.
"We are going to compete and dream of winning the Champions League, otherwise I wouldn't be here," Xavi said. "I want to win. We have to be very humble. Since 2015 we haven't won the Champions League and last year we went into the Europa League.
"You have to think that every game is going to be a war. We have had a very difficult group."
With Bayern and Inter alongside Barcelona and Plzen in Group C, Xavi's remark certainly stands up to scrutiny. Although it may not play out this way, Plzen will be seen as the team the big three must beat, before thrashing out the top places.
Xavi spoke highly of Plzen's counter-attacking qualities, but anything other than three points at Camp Nou would be majorly anti-climactic.
"This is the Champions League and we want to start well. It is the most difficult group in recent years, but we want to go through and reach the last 16," Xavi said.
The Barcelona boss will look towards Robert Lewandowski to propel the Catalans through to the knockout rounds, after his previous success for Bayern in the competition.
Lewandowski has scored more goals than any other player in the Champions League across the last three seasons, with 33 goals in 26 games.
Should he score against Plzen, it would make him only the third player to score for both Barcelona and Bayern in the competition, after Mark van Bommel and Philippe Coutinho.
Lewandowski netted nine goals in five home games for Bayern in the Champions League last season, which might augur well for Wednesday.
Xavi will be without Miralem Pjanic, with the midfielder bound for Sharjah FC, and is set to make changes from the side that beat Sevilla 3-0 in LaLiga on Saturday.
"There will be rotation," Xavi said, confirming the likes of Jordi Alba and Ansu Fati could step up from their weekend substitute roles. "There is tiredness and discomfort. The match against Sevilla was a war.
"Let's compete in the Champions League and dream of winning it. In our history we have won it five times. We'll try to compete to go as far as we can."
Athletic Bilbao forward Inaki Williams has been called up by Ghana for the first time, as the Black Stars look to finalise plans for the Qatar 2022 World Cup.
The Spain-born attacker is eligible through his parents, who hail from the nation's capital Accra, and his inclusion comes after he made himself available in July for this month's friendlies with Brazil and Nicaragua.
Williams is a former Spain international, but with just one friendly cap to his name, against Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2016, the 28-year-old was able to switch his allegiance.
Ghana qualified for their fourth World Cup appearance earlier this year after edging Nigeria on away goals in the CAF play-offs.
Other inclusions include Southampton's Mohammed Salisu, who reportedly refused previous call-ups, and Brighton and Hove Albion's Tariq Lamptey, a former England youth international.
The Black Stars will feature in Group H at Qatar 2022, and will face Portugal, South Korea and Uruguay.
The upcoming friendies see them play Brazil in Le Havre, France, on September 23, before the Nicaragua game follows in Larca, Spain, four days later.
The time is almost upon us. When that first ball is kicked at the start of the Los Angeles Rams' opener against the Buffalo Bills on Thursday, we will be on our way to yet another enthralling season of NFL action.
And there are few better reasons to get excited at the beginning of a new campaign than the promise of a good old redemption story.
These tales may not necessarily revolve around someone who has suffered a fall from grace, though; in some cases, it might just be someone who has taken a smidge longer than expected to blossom.
So, before the thunder and lightning of a new NFL season, Stats Perform has taken a look at five men who could have a touch more motivation to show everything they have to offer in 2022.
Baker Mayfield – Carolina Panthers
Mayfield perhaps leaps out as the most obvious choice.
Big things were expected of the quarterback when he was the number one pick of the 2018 NFL Draft, charged with leading a flailing 0-16 Cleveland Browns.
There were moments of promise in his four years in Cleveland, throwing 27 touchdowns in 14 games in his first season, and in 2020 he played a big part in getting the Browns to the playoffs, unthinkable when he came through the door.
However, in 2021, Mayfield threw just 18 TD passes, the worst season of his career, as a Browns team who were starting to feel like they had outgrown him finished 8-9.
Of quarterbacks to have more than 300 passing attempts, only Sam Darnold (59.9), Trevor Lawrence (59.6) and Zach Wilson (55.6) had a lower pass completion percentage than his 60.5.
After a lot of uncertainty, he finally found a new home after being traded to the Panthers, who are in desperate need of a quality QB after the Darnold experiment failed last year.
It is a risk for both parties, and both need it to work, but you could also argue it could not get much worse for either.
Gabe Davis – Buffalo Bills
There had not been any immediately obvious signs that Davis was going to be a breakout star for the Bills for most of his first two seasons.
Seven TDs in his rookie year – and none in the playoffs from only four catches – were followed by just six in the 2021 regular season.
However, thanks to his explosive performance against the Kansas City Chiefs in last season's playoffs, plenty are excited about what could come from Davis and the much-fancied Bills in 2022.
His four TDs and 201 yards from eight receptions – for an average of 25.1 yards – were still not enough as the Chiefs ultimately won the AFC Divisional Round encounter in overtime, but Davis emerged as a potential new star.
By the end of the campaign, no player had recorded over 1,000 burn yards – yards in situations where a receiver 'wins' his matchup against a defender – from fewer receptions (45) than Davis.
But was this a one-off, or can Davis do it all over again? We will soon find out.
Trevor Lawrence – Jacksonville Jaguars
Lawrence could end up being a very similar story to Mayfield. He was also the number one pick for a team with little else going for it.
In his rookie year, Lawrence threw for 12 TDs, but his poor pass completion percentage was set out above.
He remained a busy man regardless, with only six QBs making more than his 602 pass attempts, but the Jaguars could only manage three wins, two more than in 2020.
Whether it was sloppy throwing or feeling the need to take risks with little assistance, Lawrence threw 26 pickable passes, with only four QBs who made over 300 pass attempts seeing a worse pickable pass percentage than his 4.59 per cent (Jimmy Garoppolo – 4.82, Taylor Heinicke – 5.04, Zach Wilson – 5.21, Davis Mills – 5.56).
There is undoubted talent there, hence the hype when he was picked up by Jacksonville in 2021, and it is surely just a case of Lawrence having more help and getting more experience. We will perhaps see this season.
Matthew Stafford – LA Rams
Yes, it's another quarterback, but with a twist. This one just won the Super Bowl, after all.
It may seem strange given the ring he has on his finger, but the situation with Stafford's elbow means he must prove himself all over again.
In terms of numbers, the Rams QB has now established himself among the elite. Stafford ranks in the top 12 all-time in completions (11th, 4,302), passing yards (12th, 49,995), passing yards per game (sixth, 274.7), touchdown passes (12th, 323) and game-winning drives (seventh, 42).
Crucially, he led the team to Super Bowl success last year, too.
But the Rams' hopes of a repeat are pinned on Stafford being fit enough to perform all year long, and there are some worrying noises around an elbow issue heading into the year.
Should Stafford shake off those concerns and combine with Cooper Kupp for another outstanding season – and perhaps another ring – nobody could possibly doubt his legacy.
Kliff Kingsbury – Arizona Cardinals
It is not just players who have something to prove, but coaches, too – and you could argue Kingsbury does more than most.
While undoubtedly a talented coach, Kingsbury is building a reputation as someone who comes up with effective plays to start a season but is less able to adjust to keep ahead of the competition once they figure it out.
After winning their first seven games, the Cardinals raced out to a sensational 10-2 start last season, well ahead of projected results, only to stumble to 11-6 after losing four of their last five in the regular season, before being humbled 34-11 by the Rams in their first postseason game.
The excellent start cannot be ignored, but neither can the fact that it made nine seasons in a row in which a team led by Kingsbury have had a worse second half of the season than the first.
Despite being without DeAndre Hopkins for the first six games due to suspension, Kingsbury has an exciting team in Arizona and it would be no surprise to see them start strongly again.
They just need to figure out a way to maintain it this time.
The career of Carlos Alcaraz could be one that takes up a great deal of space in the record books, and he is getting started early.
Not yet old enough to buy a stiff drink in a New York bar, the 19-year-old was the toast of Flushing Meadows after a late-night win over Marin Cilic that ran into the early hours of Tuesday.
That five-set win against the 2014 champion, combined with the shock exit of Rafael Nadal at Frances Tiafoe's hands, has raised expectations that Alcaraz could scoop a first grand slam title on Sunday.
Should he land that breakthrough major, there will be another feather in his cap, making Alcaraz the youngest world number one since the ATP rankings were established in 1973, and the first teenager to hold down top spot. He has climbed from 32nd at the start of the year to his current position of fourth on the list.
Nadal is poised to go to number one, which he last held in February 2020, unless Alcaraz or 23-year-old Norwegian Casper Ruud reach the title match. They are the only two players remaining in the draw who can clamber to the top ranking, which Daniil Medvedev will relinquish after his fourth-round exit to Nick Kyrgios.
If both reach the final, the champion will go to number one.
In the city that never sleeps, Alcaraz completed a 6-4 3-6 6-4 4-6 6-3 win over Croatian Cilic at 02:23 local time, three minutes short of matching the latest finish in US Open history, shared jointly by three matches: Mats Wilander vs Mikael Pernfors (1993), John Isner v Philipp Kohlschreiber (2012), Kei Nishikori v Milos Raonic (2014).
The victory on Arthur Ashe Stadium made Alcaraz the youngest man to reach back-to-back US Open quarter-finals since Australians Lew Hoad and Ken Rosewall both achieved the feat before turning 19 in 1953. It was called the US Championships in that era.
Alcaraz has won a tour-leading 48 matches in 2022 and has become the youngest man to reach three grand slam quarter-finals since Michael Chang over 30 years ago.
However, he next faces a player making his own history.
Alcaraz's quarter-final opponent is a recent nemesis: Jannik Sinner, the 21-year-old Italian who beat him in round four at Wimbledon and again in the final of the clay-court event in Umag, Croatia, at the end of July.
"I played a couple of times against him," Alcaraz said. "He's a great player, really tough one. I lost twice in two months [to him] so I will have to be ready for this battle against Jannik."
There is a victory that Alcaraz could point to, having defeated Sinner on an indoor hard court at the Paris Masters last November, but they have never played on an outdoor hard court, which is where they will do battle on Wednesday.
Sinner has now reached the quarter-final stage of all four majors, becoming the youngest man to pull off that feat since a 20-year-old Novak Djokovic completed the set in 2008.
The last-eight duel with Alcaraz could be a sizzling clash, albeit Alcaraz and Sinner had some recharging to do on Tuesday after both were pushed to five sets in round four, in Sinner's case by Ilya Ivashka of Belarus. Alcaraz now has a 6-1 win-loss record in five-set matches.
Nobody remaining in the men's quarter-finals has a slam title to their name, and Alcaraz will hope he continues to have the backing of the crowd in Queens.
He said after fending off Cilic: "Of course, the support today in Arthur Ashe was crazy. After losing the fourth set, it was tough for me to come back in the fifth set, to stay strong mentally. But the energy I received today made me win."
Cameron Smith has been nominated for the PGA Tour Player of the Year award, just weeks after the Open champion defected to rival series LIV Golf.
The Australian is a finalist for the prize alongside world number one Scottie Scheffler and FedEx Cup champion Rory McIlroy.
The trio enjoyed some of the finest form of their careers this year, with Smith and Scheffler claiming first major wins at St Andrews and the Masters respectively.
Smith's nomination after his defection to LIV Golf, among the highest-profile losses from the PGA Tour, will rankle with some.
The 29-year-old enjoyed a strong first tournament at LIV Boston over the weekend, just missing out on the deciding play-off where Dustin Johnson picked up his first series title.
Open runner-up Cameron Young is one of three nominees for the Rookie of the Year award, alongside Tom Kim and Sahith Theegala.
Los Angeles Rams star Aaron Donald has drawn a line under his part in last Thursday's practice brawl against the Cincinnati Bengals, stating "what matters" is that he is ready for the season opener against the Buffalo Bills.
The defensive tackle was caught on camera in footage from a joint practice session between last season's Super Bowl finalists swinging a Bengals helmet as a weapon on August 25.
No ban has been handed down to him for his part in the fight, while Donald stated he did not wish to rehash the subject in an appearance on the AP Pro Football Podcast last week.
Speaking to media ahead of the NFL curtain-raiser against the Bills, the three-time Defensive Player of the Year reiterated his stance, while pointing out that nobody was injured in the incident.
"My main focus is Buffalo right now," Donald said. "I'm happy nobody got hurt in the practice and whatever, but my main focus is Thursday night against Buffalo.
"Everybody protected each other, everybody got out of the situation clean [and] healthy. So that's what matters. [I'm] ready for Week 1."
Defensive coordinator Raheem Morris meanwhile further added that the team treated the incident as a serious matter, but suggested it was an "error" of judgement more than an intentionally malicious move.
"You don't want to swing a helmet ever just at anybody in general, but there have been some helmets ripped off at times," he added.
"You never ever want to do those things. You don't want to have that on your resume.
"But at the same time, those things happen in practices. They're mistakes. They're errors and they're correctable when they happen at these times."
Pete Carroll has heard all the talk that the Seattle Seahawks are in for a season of struggle, but the veteran coach has urged his team to enjoy the thrill of the chase.
Russell Wilson completed a decade as the starting quarterback for the Seahawks before departing in March for the Denver Broncos, and Seattle could find life exceedingly difficult in his absence.
Geno Smith looks to have fended off Drew Lock to emerge as Carroll's preferred QB, but neither looks to possess the quality to plug the gap.
Lock (6.54) and Smith (5.88) were among the five worst quarterbacks (min. 50 attempts) by pickable pass percentage last season, and given Seattle's defense has become one of the league's weakest, it is not without good reason that many expect Seattle to prop up the NFC.
Carroll, who has been head coach of the Seahawks since 2010, is coming up for 72 next week, and his optimism still burns brightly.
His team start at home next Monday, against Wilson and the Broncos.
"I don't care what anybody says. People have been saying stuff about teams for years," Carroll said.
"They don't know. They're just guessing at this point, and then we go and prove it and we see where we are. Win a big game in the opener or struggle and not win a big game in the opener, you've got to come back and get going again and back on track regardless."
Carroll added: "I just think we're chasing instead of being chased, which I think is cool. I think it's exciting."
The coach led Seattle to Super Bowl glory in the 2013 season, but they finished with a 7-10 record last term.
The team's 2022 captains were revealed on Monday, with Tyler Lockett on offense, Quandre Diggs and Al Woods on defense, and Nick Bellore on special teams.
"I love the leadership. I love the speed," said Carroll, quoted by ESPN. "I love our style in all aspects and now we need to go out and show it and live up to what the expectations are. My expectations are very high."
He has no time for preseason pessimism, adding: "I don't see any reason my expectations should change at all."
The biggest club competition in European football is back, and some of the shiniest names and players will be on show on the first night of action of this season's Champions League on Tuesday.
Holders Real Madrid have a trip to Scotland as they take on Celtic at what will surely be a noisy Parkhead, while tournament favourites Manchester City head to Sevilla.
Thomas Tuchel will be hoping to get Chelsea back to the winners' enclosure as he did in 2021, starting with an away game at Dinamo Zagreb, while two of Europe's heavyweights clash in France as Paris Saint-Germain entertain Juventus.
Read on for more as Stats Perform looks at the key Opta facts ahead of Tuesday's Champions League action.
Dinamo Zagreb v Chelsea
This will be the first-ever European meeting between Dinamo Zagreb and Chelsea. In fact, Zagreb will be Chelsea's first Croatian opponents in a competitive match.
Tuchel's men will be the ninth English side to face Zagreb in European competition. The Croatian club have won two of their last three meetings with English opponents (L1), as many as their first 16 such matches before then (W2 D3 L11).
Chelsea have lost just one of their last 11 away games in the Champions League (W8 D2), a 1-0 defeat at Juventus last season. Indeed, that loss in Turin is their only one from their last 17 group-stage matches home and away in the competition (W11 D5).
Sevilla v Manchester City
This will be the second season in which Sevilla and City will meet in major European competition. The only previous instance saw City win home and away in the 2015-16 Champions League group stage.
Julen Lopetegui's men have qualified for the Champions League for a third successive campaign. They are unbeaten on matchday one in each of their last six appearances in the competition (W2 D4), although each of their previous four openers have been drawn, including twice against English sides (2-2 v Liverpool in 2017-18, 0-0 v Chelsea in 2020-21).
City striker Erling Haaland has scored 23 goals in 19 Champions League appearances, the best goals/game ratio of any player in the competition's history with a minimum of 10 appearances (1.2). The Norwegian scored eight goals in six games for Salzburg and 15 in 13 for Borussia Dortmund, with four of his goals coming in two matches against Sevilla in 2020-21.
Celtic v Real Madrid
The only time Celtic and Real Madrid have faced each other in this competition was the 1979-80 European Cup quarter-final. Madrid won 3-2 on aggregate after winning the second leg 3-0.
Celtic may have their work cut out, as the defending champions of the Champions League have only been eliminated from their first group stage in one of the last 28 seasons, with Chelsea bowing out in 2012-13.
And only one of the last 27 holders have lost their first match of the following season's competition (W16 D10), with Liverpool being beaten 2-0 at Napoli in 2019-20.
Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou will become the first ever Australian to manage in the Champions League. Overall, he is the fifth person to take charge of Celtic in the tournament, after Martin O'Neill, Gordon Strachan, Neil Lennon and Brendan Rodgers.
Paris Saint-Germain v Juventus
PSG have only lost one of their last 30 home games in the Champions League group stage (W24 D5), a 2-1 defeat to Manchester United in October 2020.
Juve have won 15 of their last 17 group stage matches in the Champions League, losing the other two, at home to Barcelona in October 2020 (2-0) and away at Chelsea in November 2021 (4-0).
PSG's Lionel Messi has scored 72 goals in 69 starts in group matches in the Champions League. His 76 group-stage goals overall is an all-time competition record, with the Argentine scoring five goals in five group games for his current club last season – with each goal coming at the Parc des Princes.
Other fixtures:
Borussia Dortmund v Copenhagen
12 - Dortmund have lost just one of their last 12 home games in the Champions League group stage (W8 D3), a 3-1 reverse to Ajax in last season's competition.
14 - Copenhagen have only lost one of their last 14 away games in all European competitions (including qualifiers – W8 D5). The Danish side won their last away match in the Champions League 2-0 at Club Brugge in December 2016.
RB Leipzig v Shakhtar Donetsk
12 - Last season, Christopher Nkunku (12 goals) overtook Timo Werner and Emil Forsberg (both 11) to become RB Leipzig's top goalscorer in major European competition (excluding qualifiers). The French forward scored seven goals in six games in last season's Champions League, having scored just once in 18 appearances in the competition prior to that.
17 - This will be Shakhtar Donetsk's 17th season in the Champions League, one shy of the Ukrainian record, which is Dynamo Kyiv's 18. Shakhtar have qualified for each of the last six editions of the tournament, their joint-best run (also six from 2010-11 to 2015-16).
Salzburg v Milan
3 - Salzburg remained unbeaten at home in last season's Champions League (P4 W3 D1 L0), winning all three of their home games in the group stage. Only Man City (six) and Bayern Munich (five) played more home matches in last season's competition without losing than Salzburg.
11 - Of Milan striker Olivier Giroud's last 12 Champions League goals, 11 have been scored away from home. Indeed, of all players to score more than 10 goals in the competition, Giroud has the highest proportion scored away (78 per cent – 14 of 18).
Benfica v Maccabi Haifa
5 - Benfica have won five of their last seven Champions League group matches at home (L2), as many as their previous 16 such games before then (W5 D4 L7).
0 - No side from Israel has ever progressed from a Champions League group stage, with clubs from the country winning just four of 30 previous matches in the competition proper (D4 L22). Half of those wins, though, were by Maccabi Haifa in the 2002-03 season.
Rafael Nadal's loss to Frances Tiafoe opened up a host of possibilities including a first-time world number one and maiden grand slam winner as the top three's domination of men's singles continues to weaken.
World number three Nadal bowed out in the fourth round to 22nd seed Tiafoe 6-4 4-6 6-4 6-3 on Monday, while third seed Alcaraz triumphed over Marin Cilic 6-4 3-6 6-4 4-6 6-3 in a match that went to almost 2:30am local time.
Cilic was the last remaining male player with a grand slam title to his name, meaning this year's US Open will bring a new major champion.
There may also be a first-time world number one too, with Alcaraz guaranteed to claim the top rank if he wins the US Open title.
Fifth seed Casper Ruud will rise to world number one if he lifts the US Open crown at Flushing Meadows on September 11 too.
If both fall short of the final, Nadal will reclaim the top ranking from 2021 US Open champion Daniil Medvedev, who lost in the fourth round to Nick Kyrgios.
Alcaraz could also scale the rankings summit should he reach the final, assuming Ruud misses out.
Istanbul awaits next June, and this week the journey starts as the group stage of the Champions League begins.
Of course, the ultimate goal is to reach the final and lift the trophy. Most will fail in that quest, but that's not to say those who don't win the competition are failures.
Every year we enjoy breakout seasons from individuals in the Champions League as they announce themselves on the biggest stage.
Whether those performances earn big-money moves or simply greater acclaim, you can expect there to be a few players you might not be very familiar with who go on to impress.
Ahead of the first round of games, Stats Perform has identified a few to keep an eye out for.
Tanguy Nianzou, centre-back, 20 – Sevilla
After coming through Paris Saint-Germain's academy and then spending a season at Bayern Munich, France youth international Nianzou joined Sevilla as the replacement for Jules Kounde in pre-season.
It's been a rocky start for the youngster. He's part of a defence that's looked extremely unconvincing, with their expected goals against (excluding penalties) of 7.5 the second-worst in LaLiga after four games, three of which Sevilla have lost.
On matchday one, Nianzou will come up against Erling Haaland and Manchester City. The defender is very highly rated, but this will be a massive test of his readiness for regular football at such a level.
Goncalo Ramos, forward, 21 – Benfica
If you believe transfer gossip, there were plenty of clubs ready to prise Ramos from Benfica in the transfer window, but ultimately he stayed put and will be considered Darwin Nunez's replacement this season.
A well-rounded striker, Ramos works hard, is up for a physical battle and is technically proficient. Last season, he scored seven Primeira Liga goals as back-up to Nunez, although his early form in that regard this term suggests work is needed.
His two strikes from 3.9 xG show he's getting into good situations but isn't yet proving clinical – albeit he did net four in Champions League qualifying.
Benfica are in a group with Juventus and PSG, so they'll hope Ramos finds a reliable streak to aid their outside chance of progression.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, winger, 21 – Napoli
The first winner of Serie A's Player of the Month award of the new season – and in his very first month in the league – it's been some introduction from Kvaratskhelia.
He was playing back home in Georgia in the second half of last season after being able to suspend his contract at Rubin Kazan amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine. His deal was then terminated by Rubin after it emerged he was subject to death threats after leaving.
Kvaratskhelia had been linked with numerous big clubs but eventually landed at Napoli as Lorenzo Insigne's replacement. They may not be anything alike as players, but that's not stopped Kvaratskhelia having a major early impact with four goals in five Serie A games.
A tall winger who possesses great dribbling skills, he's a player primed to make a statement this season.
Lorenzo Lucca, striker, 21 – Ajax
He may only be 21, but Lucca's fledgling career has already been somewhat nomadic, finding himself registered as a senior player at six clubs – the latest being Ajax, whom he joined on loan with an option to buy from Serie B side Pisa.
Remarkably, the last of his six league goals for Pisa last season came in October, so it's clear the jury is still out and he has a lot to prove, but he has the attributes to be a threat for any team.
Standing at just over two metres tall, Lucca is a giant, yet he also possesses a surprising turn of pace and is technically very good. The Italy Under-21 international has only played 21 minutes with the first team this season, but he has three goals in two games for the second string.
It's unlikely he'll be a key figure for Ajax, but given his skillset he will be a viable option at times – let's just see if he can take his chances.
Matt O'Riley, midfielder, 21 – Celtic
Last season, O'Riley was playing in League One for MK Dons; on Tuesday, he'll likely line-up against Real Madrid. It's been quite a quick ascension for the gifted midfielder.
A product of Fulham's academy, O'Riley left the Cottagers stunned when he rejected a new contract in 2020. He spent six months training with Dons and then signed for them in January 2021 – that saw him exposed to first-team football and a year later he was at Celtic.
The London-born Denmark Under-21 international has enjoyed a wonderful start to the season, with his vision and ball-playing abilities marking him out as a real creative threat and earning links to Manchester United.
How he fares in the Champions League with the step up in quality could prove crucial with respect to his short-term future.
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
