The Dallas Cowboys sent a message to the competition in their opening game of the NFL season with a dominant 40-0 victory over the Giants in New York.
It was the Cowboys’ 11th-straight win over the Giants and their biggest opening season victory when keeping the opposition to nil, breaking a record set back in 1978.
The defence from Dallas was their most impressive attribute, forcing three turnovers and sacking quarterback Daniel Jones seven times to keep their opponents scoreless.
The Cowboys scored two touchdowns in the first quarter through DaRon Bland and Noah Igbinoghene, running back Tony Pollard scored in both the second and third quarters and KaVontae Turpin scoring a touchdown in the last.
Elsewhere in Sunday’s slate of games, the Raiders started their 2023/24 campaign with a one point win over the Denver Broncos in Las Vegas with Denver’s new coach Sean Payton failing to open his tenure with a win.
Penalties and missed opportunities hurt the Broncos, who are desperate to put themselves into playoff contention this year after seven seasons without qualification.
A last quarter touchdown gave Raiders wide-receiver Jakobi Meyers his second for the game and a 17-16 victory for his team.
In Chicago, the Green Bay Packers defeated the Bears 38-20 with four touchdowns in the second half, pushing their first half lead of four points out to 18 by the game’s end.
Two of those touchdowns from Aaron Jones in the third quarter to give the Packers an unassailable lead.
The Miami Dolphins took victory out of the grasp of the LA Chargers’ hands with a late touchdown to Tyreek Hill earning them a two-point win.
Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa threw for 466 yards with three touchdowns and one interception, leading his team to a 36-34 victory.
The LA Rams had more success, defeating the Seahawks 30-13 in Seattle.
The Rams were trailing at half-time but scored 13 unanswered points in the second half to start their season in the winning column.
The Philadelphia Eagles opened their season with a 25-20 victory over the New England Patriots in Boston, while the New Orleans Saints beat the Tennessee Titans 16-15 at home.
The San Francisco 49ers put on a dominant 30-7 display against the Pittsburgh Steelers, with the Jacksonville Jaguars getting the win over the Indianapolis Colts 31-21.
The Washington Commanders beat the Arizona Cardinals by four points, while the Atlanta Falcons scored two touchdowns in the last quarter to beat the Carolina Panthers 24-10.
The Cleveland Browns beat the Cincinnati Bengals, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers won against the Minnesota Vikings and the Baltimore Ravens made easy work over the Houston Texans with a 25-9 win.
Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets will close out the first round against the Buffalo Bills in the season’s first instalment of Monday Night Football.
Beckham Jr. signs one-year deal with Miami Dolphins
Odell Beckham Jr. has agreed a one-year deal with the Miami Dolphins as the three-time Pro Bowl wide receiver prepares for a spell with a fifth different NFL side.
Beckham will bolster an impressive Miami offense as he unites with fellow receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle.
That move will be welcomed by Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa after Beckham signed a contract worth up to $8.25million, according to widespread reports.
Since enjoying four years at the New York Giants, Beckham has fleeted between three rosters – the Cleveland Browns, Los Angeles Rams and Baltimore Ravens – in as many years but appeared in just 28 games.
His arrival will add further fuel to Miami's NFL charge, having threatened Super Bowl potential before an injury-hit Dolphins were eliminated last season by the eventual champion Kansas City Chiefs in the playoffs.
Beckham is no stranger to disappointment against the Chiefs, however, after playing a part in the Ravens team that went 13-4 before losing to Kansas City last year.
The 31-year-old, who was impacted by an ankle injury in 2023, produced 35 catches for 565 yards and three touchdowns last campaign before being released by the Ravens earlier this offseason.
Miami will hope Beckham can find his previous consistency, too, after struggling and posting eight games with two or fewer catches in the regular season for Baltimore.
Managing just four grabs for 34 yards combined in the Ravens' two postseason games, Beckham – a Super Bowl champion in 2021 with the Rams – may wish for better fortunes with the Dolphins.
Whether Beckham can rediscover his old form or not, the veteran wideout is en route to Miami as the latest addition to Mike McDaniel's fearsome Dolphins attack.
Travis Kelce never considered holding out on Chiefs extension
Travis Kelce says he never considered holding out on signing a contract extension with the Kansas City Chiefs in order to secure a better deal.
Earlier this week, Kelce agreed a two-year, $34.25million extension with the Chiefs, who have made him the highest-paid tight end in the NFL.
Kelce has played a key role in helping the Chiefs reach six straight AFC Championship games, winning the last two en route to claiming back-to-back Super Bowl crowns.
As a result of his public relationship with American pop icon Taylor Swift, he has also emerged as perhaps the most high-profile player in the league during the last year.
Kelce was already under contract in Kansas City through 2025, so his new deal will keep him at Arrowhead Stadium through 2027.
Speaking on his 'New Heights' podcast alongside brother Jason Kelce, he said he never considered threatening a contract holdout to bump up his salary.
"I'm not a guy that sits out," Kelce said. "I'm not a guy that holds out. I'm a guy that loves coming into the building, and the Chiefs know that.
"So, for them to want to get this done for me, knowing how much blood, sweat and tears that I put into this thing, I'm extremely grateful.
"I'm so excited and so thankful to this organization for getting it done, for making me feel appreciated and compensated the right way, and I've got to move the needle for the tight end room."
Kelce, who was taken by the Chiefs in the third round of the 2013 draft, is Kansas City's all-time leader in receiving yards with 11,328 yards, while ranking second in receptions (907) and second in receiving touchdowns (74).
He is just 10 catches away from passing Tony Gonzalez as the franchise's all-time leader in receptions and three TD catches away from surpassing Gonzalez's record in that category.
He is not the only player to commit his long-term future to the Chiefs recently, with defensive tackle Chris Jones penning a bumper new deal in March and quarterback Patrick Mahomes getting a pay rise last Autumn.
Kelce believes that bodes well for the future, adding: "We got the nucleus together and paid, baby. Everybody got paid this offseason. I love it."
Jamaican thrower Rojé Stona earns invite to Green Bay Packers minicamp
Rojé Stona, the standout discus thrower from Jamaica, has received an invitation to the Green Bay Packers' minicamp, showcasing his potential as a professional football player despite his background solely in track and field.
Stona's achievements in 2024 have been remarkable, including a silver medal in NCAA Indoor shot put, setting a University of Arkansas indoor shot put record with a throw of 20.48m and achieving a career-best discus throw of 69.05m that surpasses the Paris Olympics standard.
At 6’ 6” and 263 lbs and known for his NFL body type and impressive athletic traits, Stona is venturing into the world of professional football without prior competitive experience in the sport. His background in discus and shot put has endowed him with explosive hips, exceptional core strength, long arms, and large hands—attributes that make him a compelling prospect as a tight end.
Despite his lack of football background, Stona's athleticism has caught the attention of NFL scouts. He performed well in running and jumping during his recent pro day, showcasing his raw potential. However, transitioning into football will require Stona to learn essential skills such as blocking and refining his route running and catching abilities.
As he embarks on this new journey, Stona is committed to proving himself and becoming a successful NFL player. His determination and physical gifts make him a promising candidate for teams looking to invest in an undrafted free agent with significant upside.
Stona's invitation to the Green Bay Packers' minicamp marks an exciting chapter in his athletic career, and he is poised to make the most of this opportunity as he pursues his dream of playing professional football.
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
