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• Nagelsmann: Football must take inspiration from NBA, NFL over schedule

  Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann says football's decision-makers must introduce longer breaks between competitions, with players threatening to strike over the packed schedule. 

  Debates over fixture congestion at the elite level have intensified in recent months, with FIFA's decision to organise an expanded Club World Cup a particularly thorny issue.

  The inaugural 32-team tournament – which will be held in the United States at the end of the club season – will add another seven matches to some teams' fixture lists, while UEFA has also added two extra matches to the first phase of the Champions League.

  Manchester City midfielder Rodri recently talked up the prospect of players taking strike action over a lack of rest time, but Nagelsmann does not envisage the number of games being reduced.

  Speaking ahead of Friday's Nations League clash with Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Germany boss called on organisers to look to American sports for inspiration when it comes to recovery times.

  "I have often said that I won't complain about the calendar. A lot of matches are financing this sport," Nagelsmann said at his pre-match press conference.

  "You have to have a healthy balance. I don't think there will be fewer games in the future. 

  "There will be more matches and we should be talking about how to structure the breaks [between competitions]."

  Pointing to the way the NBA and NFL manage player workloads, he added: "NBA players play 85 games or so but then have a long break. 

  "The NFL has a long break. We don't have that in football. The players just don't get any break."

• Saints to start rookie QB Rattler against Buccaneers

  New Orleans Saints coach Dennis Allen has selected rookie quarterback Spencer Rattler to make his first regular-season NFL start on Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

  Allen confirmed Rattler as the starter on Wednesday with usual starter Derek Carr to miss at least one game because of a left oblique injury that occurred in the fourth quarter of New Orleans’ 26-13 loss in Kansas City on Monday night.

  The decision means that Rattler, for the time being, moves ahead of second-year pro Jake Haener on the depth chart.

  Haener replaced Carr after his injury in Kansas City and also played late in a pair of lopsided victories to start the season.

  “We just internally talked a lot about it and felt like in this particular game he was going to give us the best chance to win,” Allen said of Rattler. “He’s a rookie so we’re going to have some challenges that go along with that, but I think we’ll have a good plan for him.”

  Rattler was selected by the Saints in the fifth round of last spring’s NFL draft out of South Carolina.

  He will become the fifth rookie quarterback to start his season, joining Caleb Williams (Bears), Jayden Daniels (Commanders), Bo Nix (Broncos) and Drake Maye, who is scheduled to also make his first career start Sunday for the Patriots against Houston.

• Houston Texans put top receiver Nico Collins on IR

  Nico Collins, the NFL's leader in receiving yards this season, will miss at least the Houston Texans' next four games after the team placed him on injured reserve Wednesday.

  Collins, who has amassed 567 receiving yards during Houston's 4-1 start, injured his hamstring on a 67-yard touchdown catch during the first quarter of the Texans' 23-20 win over the Buffalo Bills on Sunday. 

  The standout wide receiver will be eligible to return for the Texans' Week 10 clash against the Detroit Lions on Nov. 10.

  After recording 80 catches, 1,297 receiving yards and eight touchdowns during a breakout 2023 campaign, Collins was on pace for an even better season in 2024. His 32 catches are tied for third in the NFL, while his seven receptions of 25 or more yards are tied with Minnesota Vikings star Justin Jefferson for the most in the league.

  Collins also tops the AFC South-leading Texans with three touchdown catches through five games.

  “Nico has been the best receiver in the NFL this year," Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans said when updating Collins' injury on Monday.  "So, do you replace him? No, everybody just steps up and whatever role you’re asked to do, just step up and play your role the proper way."

  The Texans still have proven options at wide receiver despite Collins likely out for the next month.

  Stefon Diggs is a four-time Pro Bowl selection who led the NFL in receptions (127) and receiving yards (1,535) with Buffalo in 2020, while Tank Dell produced 709 yards and seven touchdowns on 47 catches as a rookie in 2023 before having his season cut short after 11 games by a fractured fibula.

  Diggs led the Texans with 82 yards on six catches last week in his first meeting with the Bills since being traded by Buffalo to Houston in the off-season.

  "Nobody has to be Nico," Ryans said. "There is one Nico. He’s done a great job of that. Now, whoever is next, when your number is called, make the plays that you are supposed to make.”