Four-time grand slam champion Naomi Osaka admitted she has not had "the best year" but is still "pretty happy with where I am now."
Osaka – a former world number one – has slipped to 48th in the latest WTA rankings, and has not won a match at a grand slam since she beat Madison Brengle in the second round at the Australian Open in January.
The Japanese-born star was eliminated in the first round at the French Open and US Open this year, and did not compete at Wimbledon due to an Achilles injury.
Having taken some time away from the game last year to focus on her mental health, Osaka has struggled to get back to her previous high levels.
However, speaking ahead of the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo, she seemed calm about the situation, as she suggested she is improving both on and off the court.
"It was kind of hard at first, just because I feel like I should be somewhere where I'm obviously currently not," the 24-year-old said.
"I think for me, it's more about being at peace with myself. I know that I'm here for a reason."
Osaka has seven career singles titles to her name, including four majors – she has won twice at Flushing Meadows and twice at the Australian Open.
"This year has not been the best year for me, but I've learned a lot about myself," she added.
"Life is ups and downs, and this year was more down than up, but overall I'm pretty happy with where I am now."
She is preparing to defend her title at the Pan Pacific Open, which has not been held in three years due to the coronavirus pandemic, starting with a match against Daria Saville on Tuesday.
"It feels really weird to hear that I'm the defending champion because it was the last time I played in 2019," she said.
"I would love to win it again, but I think just taking it one match at a time... and also just playing in front of a crowd in Tokyo again, because the Olympics was crowdless, so it will just be nice to see people."
Sebastian Korda and Lorenzo Sonego progressed to the second round of the Moselle Open on Monday, while Stanislas Wawrinka came through qualifying.
Korda was playing his first indoor match since the decider of the Next Gen ATP Finals last November, and Hugo Gaston represented a tough opening test.
But the American prevailed in straight sets against the home favourite, winning 6-3 7-6 (7-2) after defending set points in the second set and blowing his opponent away in the subsequent tie-break.
Another tricky opponent awaits, with number three seed Lorenzo Musetti up next in the second round.
Musetti's Italian compatriot Sonego also succeeded in Monday's only other main-draw match, beating sixth seed Aslan Karatsev 7-5 6-3 to set up a last-16 clash with either Gilles Simon or David Goffin.
In the qualifying section, three-time grand slam champion Wawrinka beat Zsombor Piros 6-7 (4-7) 6-2 6-0 to reach the first round, where Joao Sousa awaits.
The winner of that match will face top seed Daniil Medvedev in the last 16.
San Francisco 49ers starting quarterback Trey Lance underwent successful surgery on his broken ankle on Monday and is expected to make a full recovery.
The 49ers revealed in a statement that Lance had a fibula fracture and a ligament disruption in his right ankle.
Lance's first season as San Francisco's starter is over only two games in after the 2021 No. 3 overall pick suffered the injury in Sunday's win over the Seattle Seahawks.
Lance's right leg bent awkwardly when tackled by two Seattle defenders on a designed run on just the 49ers' second drive of the game. He was carted off after having his leg placed in an air cast and quickly ruled out of the contest.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan confirmed the fracture following his team's 27-7 victory.
"It's always tough, especially when it's a big one like that," Shanahan stated. "It's a very sad moment, but you don't have time to sit there and think about it.
"We were real happy about the win, but it was a little sombre once you got in the locker room and you see him."
Lance spent his rookie season as the backup to veteran Jimmy Garoppolo, but was declared the team's starter this offseason.
The 22-year-old did struggle in last week's 19-10 road loss to the Chicago Bears, completing just 13 of 28 passes for 164 yards and an interception in a game played in rain-soaked conditions.
Lance took to Twitter to post a message to thank fans for their support on Monday, writing: "Truly appreciate all of the messages and prayers. Surgery was a success and I am ready to attack this rehab process.
"We will never understand why, but I trust that it's all a part of His plan. I will be back better than ever. This chapter is going to make the story even greater!"
Garoppolo replaced Lance in Sunday's win and threw for 154 yards and a touchdown, with no turnovers on 13-of-21 passing.
"I thought he did a real good job coming off the bench, made some real key throws," Shanahan said. "I'm real proud of Jimmy and how he came in and was ready for the moment and helped us get a win."
Garoppolo did not practice at all during training camp as he recovered from shoulder surgery and spent the summer the subject of trade rumours.
The nine-year veteran ultimately remained with the 49ers on a reworked contract that slashed his 2022 salary from $24.2million to a $6.5m base, though he can earn close to an additional $9m in incentives.
The 49ers have had considerable past success with Garoppolo at the helm, as he owns a 31-14 record in 45 regular-season starts since joining the team in a trade with the New England Patriots during the 2017 season.
Garoppolo helped San Francisco reach the Super Bowl during the 2019 season and led them to last season's NFC Championship Game. The 30-year-old threw for 3,810 yards and 20 touchdowns with 12 interceptions in 15 starts in 2021.
Duhaney Park Red Sharks won their sixth consecutive National Club Championship (NCC) Grand Finals, and eighth overall, following a pulsating 40-18 win over Washington Blvd. Bulls on Saturday at the UWI Mona Bowl.
The Bulls jumped to a 6-0 lead early but the Red Sharks responded well and held a narrow 16-12 lead at halftime.
In the second half, the Red Sharks took control of the game, running in five tries whilst the Bulls could only muster one additional score.
Red Sharks were led by fullback Javian Bryan with eight points from four goals, Kenneth Walker and Jenson Morris each scored two tries whilst Miguel Facey, Joseph Shae, Chevaughn Bailey (MVP) and Andrew Simpson each scored a try.
For the Bulls, Lawrence Drummond led with six points from three goals and Shamoy Stewart, Oshane Edie and Daniel Morrison scored a try apiece.
“We were a bit scrappy, we had too many knock-ons, but to score 40 points we had to chance our arm a bit. In the first half, we moved from what works for us which is using three to four tackles to lay a platform, instead, we were going one in and looking to play off the second tackle,” said winning coach Roy Calvert.
“In the second half we went back to basics and scored 24 points. Hats off to the Bulls, they gave it to us, but my boys stood up and pulled it off and I am very proud of the team.”
Meanwhile, Bulls’ coach Derone Davis believed fatigue was a key factor in the loss.
“It was unbelievable being our first grand finals. We started well, we dominated the middle in the first 40 minutes, which was our game plan,” he said.
“Hakeem, Makaya and Kyle were especially damaging carrying the ball and tackling and that kept us in it. We started the second 40 positively but fatigue set in, our skills broke down and we lost the script. Congrats to the Red Sharks on a well-deserved win”
Earlier, Jamaica Defence Force Warriors were comfortable 16-0 winners over West Kingston Hyenas in the play-off for third place.
Courtney Davies, Demar Williams and Okeano Stephenson each scored tries while Nicolai Kennedy kicked two goals.
In the NCC U19 Grand Finals, Portmore Rugby League Club defeated Washington Blvd. Bulls 4-0 courtesy of a try from Rasheed Pencle.
Meanwhile, in the other U19 club game St Bess Rugby League Club defeated Liguanea Dragons 26-0 for third place.
Mike Evans has been suspended for one game without pay by the NFL after the Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver clashed with the New Orleans Saints' Marshon Lattimore.
Evans and Saints cornerback Lattimore were engaged in a physical battle throughout the Buccaneers' 20-10 victory at the Superdome on Monday.
It boiled over in the fourth quarter when the latter got in the face of Tom Brady as the Buccaneers' quarterback appealed for a penalty flag on an unsuccessful third-down play.
Evans came in and knocked Lattimore to the turf, prompting a melee that resulted in both players being disqualified.
The pair have history, with Evans previously being suspended for one game for a cheap shot on Lattimore in 2017.
Evans spoke to the media after the game and did not expect to receive any kind of suspension, though that confidence was clearly misplaced.
An NFL statement read: "NFL vice president of football operations Jon Runyan issued the suspension for a violation of Rule 12, Section 2, Article 8(g) which prohibits 'unnecessarily running, diving into, cutting, or throwing the body against or on a player who is out of the play or should not have reasonably anticipated such contact by an opponent, before or after the ball is dead,' as well as Rule 12, Section 3, Article 1 which prohibits any act which is 'contrary to the generally understood principles of sportsmanship'."
Runyan also personally wrote to Evans explaining the decision, which is still subject to a potential appeal.
He said: "After a play had ended, you were walking toward your sidelines. When you noticed your team-mates engaged in a confrontation with Saints' players, you ran toward that area on the field and violently threw your body into and struck an unsuspecting opponent who was part of that confrontation.
"You knocked your opponent to the ground and a melee ensued involving players from both teams. Your aggressive conduct could have caused serious injury to your opponent and clearly does not reflect the high standards of sportsmanship expected of a professional."
Evans can return to the Buccaneers' active roster on September 26, the day after their game against the Green Bay Packers.
Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones believes their surprise victory over the Cincinnati Bengals served as a tonic for the disappointment of a season opener in which they lost Dak Prescott to injury.
The Cowboys suffered a chastening home loss in Week 1 as they slumped to a 19-3 defeat to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in which quarterback Prescott sustained a fractured thumb that required surgery.
While Prescott's initial recovery timeline was deemed to be six to eight weeks, there is optimism he could return sooner.
Rush significantly boosted Dallas' hopes of still being in a position to contend when Prescott does return, helping to drop the defending AFC champion Bengals to 0-2 on Sunday.
He threw for 235 yards and a touchdown in the Cowboys' 20-17 win, going three of four on the Cowboys' final drive to set up Brett Maher for a 50-yard field goal as time expired to seal victory.
"Anybody knows how disappointing our first loss was last week," Jones said after the game.
"We could point to the reasons why, but that's not enough. But to come out here with our same home crowd and beat a really fine young quarterback and beat a team that was playing in the Super Bowl just a few months ago, that's a big tonic for the disappointment we had.
"And we all know how tough these games are that we've got coming up, but the main thing is kudos to Cooper Rush.
"That shows me so much about him and the principle of he kept a workmanlike basis. He's done that. He's gotten better. He knows this offense as well as anybody breathing, and he stepped out there and did some great execution."
Rush's performance helped calm some nerves about the prospect of playing without Prescott for any extended period.
"When [Prescott] has strength, which I have no idea when that will be, but it will be not an issue of being concerned about re-injuring the thumb. It will be an issue of his ability to grip the ball, and you know Dak, he's beat every timeline I've ever seen or looked at," added Jones.
"So he's got a good chance to do it, but there's no question that we didn't put him on injured reserve. I want to be real clear about that – we did not put him on [IR], so he could be working during these weeks.
"He could be out there, throwing, [and] certainly involved in everything else. He couldn't have done that had we put him there.
"I certainly would look to hope that he just might be available, but I'm telling you, this performance out here today by Rush sure takes a lot of the angst out of that."
Zac Taylor is confident the Cincinnati Bengals will still be a "really good football team" once they "settle down" following another shock defeat for the reigning AFC champions.
The Bengals fell to 0-2 on Sunday as they suffered a 20-17 defeat to a Dallas Cowboys team led by quarterback Cooper Rush in the absence of the injured Dak Prescott.
After being sacked seven times by the Pittsburgh Steelers in an overtime loss in Week 1, Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow was brought down for six more sacks by the Dallas defense.
It is a worrying start for a Bengals team who spent significant resources remodelling an offensive line that allowed Burrow to be sacked 51 times last season.
"It's all frustrating," head coach Taylor said of the Bengals' pass protection issues.
"We've given ourselves an opportunity to win these games against good teams, so once things settle down, I know that we're going to be a really good football team."
Praising Micah Parsons, who registered his second successive two-sack game, Taylor added of the Cowboys: "Maybe they haven't gotten the sacks against everybody you watch, but quarterbacks are just springing out of the pocket when you watch all of the tape from last season against these guys.
"They have a really stellar pass rush. They use these guys really well.
"Micah Parsons is going to be in the conversation for one of the best, if not the best pass rushers, just the way they can move him around. The way he can take advantage and bend.
"He's a real problem, and they've got real good players behind him, too. We put ourselves in some positions where they could really tee off and maximise what they're really good at. And that was frustrating early on.
"I thought we settled in better later in the game and were a lot more efficient."
Following defeats for the rest of their AFC North rivals on Sunday, the Bengals are only a game back in their division despite their winless start, which they have the chance to end next week on the road against the New York Jets.
"Every team's going to go through this, where you face a two game losing streak at some point," said Taylor. "Unfortunately for us, it's the first two games of the season. It's a long season.
"We've just got to hit the reset button, not in a negative way, but just regroup for Tuesday to get ready for the Jets this Sunday. I know our guys are going to be focused the right way. We have great leadership.
"So again, that's just what we're relaying on right now, is those guys to get focused, have a great week of practice and go to New York and find a way to win.
"I think we're going to be in great position going forward. Any time you lose, it's going to feel like, from everybody that's watching, that's the story. I get it. That's how it should be. We're going to work hard, just as we have, to go on the road and find a way to win against a good team."
Burrow, meanwhile, hailed the second-half improvement in pass protection but recognised the need for a complete game for the Bengals to get back on track.
"Second half, I thought the protections was great. They have a great rush, I would say top two or three best rushes in the league," Burrow explained.
"They've got DeMarcus Lawrence, Micah, they do a really good job with their picks in game, too. And so, early in the game, you're going to have those, and I can do a better job of getting the ball out quickly.
"I thought, for the most part, we protected the ball well in those situations, and that was my goal this week. And then in the second half, I thought the offensive line protected great.
"We kind of warmed up in the run game, and then we're able to have some more time in the pass game, and that's what comes off of that.
"When we're able to run the ball well, they might be thinking 'run', and so then they're not so quick to get into their pass rush. So, the second half was more efficient, better for us, but just need to prolong that for the entire game."
Frank Reich acknowledged the Indianapolis Colts were "pathetic" in defeat to the Jacksonville Jaguars, but he still believes they are "not that far" from "where we need to be".
The Colts required a 17-point fourth-quarter comeback in Week 1 to tie with the Houston Texans, yet they made another woeful start on Sunday.
This time, there was no recovery, as Indianapolis lost 24-0 in an alarming start to the season.
"That s*** was embarrassing," said defensive tackle DeForest Buckner. "We got our a** whooped."
Buckner added the Colts must "grow from this", and head coach Reich still sees a positive path forward.
"As pathetic as that was today, where this is and where we need to be, the distance is not that far," he said. "We have the players and coaches to do it.
"I know that doesn't play in the outside world, and I'm fine with that. We'll take our medicine and I'll take my medicine, and we'll just keep doing what we do."
This is the first time the Colts have failed to win their first two meetings with fellow AFC South opponents since the 2017 season.
That was the last season before Reich was hired as head coach, with Indianapolis finishing with a 4-12 record.
Mike Evans is not concerned about potentially receiving a suspension from the NFL following his ejection in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' win over the New Orleans Saints for his confrontation with Marshon Lattimore.
The Buccaneers capitalised on three interceptions from former Tampa Bay quarterback Jameis Winston to emerge from the Superdome with a 20-10 win.
It snapped a seven-game regular-season losing streak for the Buccaneers against their NFC South rivals.
Wide receiver Evans and Saints cornerback Lattimore were engaged in a physical battle throughout and it boiled over in the fourth quarter when the latter got in the face of Tom Brady as the Buccaneers' quarterback appealed for a penalty flag on an unsuccessful third-down play.
Evans came in and knocked Lattimore to the turf, prompting a melee that resulted in both players being disqualified. The pair have history, with Evans previously being suspended for one game for a cheap shot on Lattimore in 2017. Despite that previous episode, Evans does not expect to receive similar discipline this time around.
"It gets spicy when you come to New Orleans, they're a good team, physical team, we matched that today," Evans said
"All I seen was, I know we were trying to get a flag called and it wasn't called, all I see was Lattimore punch Lenny [Fournette] in the face or something like that and then like push Tom, that's all I saw. I just pushed him."
Asked about the potential for a ban, he replied: "Nah, that was 2017, I didn't even get ejected in that. That was really a cheap shot, this wasn't."
Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan had a very different view of events.
"It hurts to lose your best corner," Jordan said. "Guys gun at him because they know he is one of the best corners in the league.
"When I saw the replay, [Lattimore] didn't go after anybody. Somebody came after him. What do you want him to do in that situation?"
Brady was visibly annoyed for much of the game as the Bucs laboured before pulling away with 17 fourth-quarter points, at one point taking out his frustration on a tablet after a disappointing end to an offensive series.
"It's an emotional game," Brady said. "A little bit of execution helps all the way around. I thought the defense played well again and the offensive line fought hard.
"Tough game all around. That is a really good team, really well coached — a team we really struggle with. So, it feels good to win."
Alison Riske-Amritraj suffered another early exit as the Pan Pacific Open began in Tokyo on Monday.
Riske-Amritraj reached the last 16 at the US Open earlier this month but has struggled in Asia since then.
She was the top seed at the Chennai Open last week, only to lose in straight sets in the first round to Anastasia Gasanova.
And the American fell at the first hurdle again in Japan.
Riske-Amritraj was drawn against compatriot Claire Liu, who was coming off back-to-back defeats to Anastasia Potapova and without a win since qualifying for the Canadian Open last month.
But Liu brushed aside the seventh seed 6-2 6-3 to set up a meeting with Elise Mertens in the second round.
Mertens eased through with a 6-0 6-3 win over Wang Qiang, while Petra Martic was similarly comfortable in a 6-1 6-1 defeat of Rina Saigo.
Saigo was one of two home hopefuls to depart on Monday as Qinwen Zheng won 19 points in a row en route to beating Misaki Doi 6-2 6-4.
At the Korean Open, Zhu Lin was the only seed in action and got the better of Jang Su-jeong in straight sets.
Becky Hammon was rewarded for leaving Gregg Popovich and the San Antonio Spurs as she led the Las Vegas Aces to the WNBA title on Sunday.
Hammon was Popovich's long-time assistant before being hired by the Aces last year, having been passed over for senior NBA roles.
But the six-time WNBA All-Star responded by delivering the Aces their first championship courtesy of a 3-1 Finals win over the Connecticut Sun.
In doing so, Hammon became the first first-time head coach to win the WNBA title since the league's debut season in 1997.
This success came as no surprise to Popovich, however, who said: "We are all thrilled for coach Hammon.
"Winning a championship is a remarkable achievement for a first-time head coach in her first year with a team, yet I'm not at all surprised by her success.
"Becky has proven over and over that she has a unique understanding and passion for the game of basketball.
"Congratulations to Becky, her players and the entire Aces organisation. They played the right way the entire season and were a true joy to watch."
Aces owner Mark Davis added: "She's been absolutely unbelievable, and I guess this legitimises the way we went after her."
But Hammon sought to direct the praise back onto her players, telling ESPN: "Just getting to know them on a day-to-day basis, who they were as people, they're unbelievable on the court, but they're unbelievable humans, first and foremost.
"They care about each other, they invest into each other. It's been an absolute honour to be their coach.
"I saw excellence and I wanted to be a part of it. I'm just super thankful – one through 12, I love you all. It's been so much fun, so much fun."
Aaron Judge claimed a piece of history with two more home runs on Sunday to leave New York Yankees team-mate Gerrit Cole running out of adjectives for his brilliance.
Judge homered twice in the Yankees 12-8 win over the Milwaukee Brewers to move to 59 for the year.
The outfielder, who moved past his 2017 career best of 52 at the start of September, still has work to do to close the gap to MLB record-holder Barry Bonds' 73 in 2001.
But Judge is now just two shy of Roger Maris' American League record, set for the Yankees in 1961.
In fact, only three Yankees players have ever reached 59 home runs in an AL season, with Maris (61) and Judge (59) joined by Babe Ruth twice (60 in 1927 and 59 in 1921).
Given both Maris and Ruth were left-handed batters, Judge now owns the outright AL record for right-handers, passing Jimmie Foxx and Hank Greenberg (both 58).
With two or more homers in an 11th different game this season, Judge tied an MLB record that belonged to Greenberg (1938) and Sammy Sosa (1998).
Yankees starter Cole may have grown tired of finding ways to describe his team-mate's achievements, but he is relishing being able to witness true greatness first hand.
"Sorry to repeat the same line, but it's historical," Cole said. "I've got nothing else for you.
"It's the greatest offensive season that I've personally ever witnessed. I don't know what else to say. It's wonderful. I'm riding it, dude. It's amazing."
As further records near, Yankees manager Aaron Boone only anticipates the excitement ramping up.
"Obviously we're in a pennant chase, and Judge is sitting where he is, so there's going to be that added buzz every time he comes up," Boone said.
"I experienced that playing in the NL Central playing against Sammy and [Mark] McGwire in '98 where it's like every time, it's an event.
"And I think the fact that we're where we are in the pennant race and what he's doing hopefully should create an awesome environment at the stadium."
Jimmy Garoppolo is back as the San Francisco 49ers' starter but only after an awful injury to his successor Trey Lance.
Garoppolo looked to be on the way out of the Niners in the offseason as Lance, selected with the third overall pick in last year's draft, was installed as the starter in San Francisco.
Eventually, however, the team agreed to a reworked contract with Garoppolo that would see him stay on as Lance's backup.
And the 30-year-old, who led the 49ers to the Super Bowl in 2019 and the NFC Championship Game last year, did not have to wait long for his chance.
Lance fractured his right ankle in a tackle on the 49ers' second drive of their Week 2 win over the Seattle Seahawks.
He left the field on a cart and was quickly ruled out of the rest of the game, with coach Kyle Shanahan later confirming the quarterback was set for season-ending surgery.
Garoppolo came in for his first snaps of the year, throwing for 154 yards and a touchdown and rushing for a further score as San Francisco eased to a 27-7 win.
After the game, he said: "It felt good to be back out there.
"I felt terrible for Trey. I've been on that side in this league. It's tough. Every person has their share of injuries, but that sucks for him and I feel bad for him.
"But he's our brother, and we'll pick him up."
Garoppolo has himself been working his way back from shoulder surgery, but he quickly settled back in.
"It was more just about getting the shoulder ready," he said. "Mentally, I knew the scheme.
"Some of the new plays took a little while to learn, there's always some new wrinkles in the offense, but for the most part it was just once my shoulder was good, I was ready to roll."
Nathaniel Hackett got his first win as Denver Broncos head coach on Sunday, but he did not enjoy a happy home opener as his team were jeered against the Houston Texans.
Much was expected of the Broncos this year after trading for quarterback Russell Wilson and handing him a huge new contract.
The calendar looked kind through two weeks, starting against Wilson's former team the Seattle Seahawks and then welcoming the Texans.
But Denver, under first-time coach Hackett, lost in farcical fashion in Seattle and only scraped past the Texans 16-9 to recover to 1-1.
The crowd were far from happy with what they saw from their team in Week 2, and those sentiments were echoed by Hackett, the subject of boos.
"I would be booing myself," Hackett said. "I was getting very frustrated.
"We get down to the red zone two times, don't get another touchdown, which is unbelievably frustrating. I don't think we have scored in there yet.
"That's something where all of our guys have to step it up. Whether we run the ball more, whatever we're doing, we just have to execute at a higher level."
The Broncos inexplicably ran down the clock against the Seahawks before sending on kicker Brandon McManus to miss a vital field goal rather than putting the ball in Wilson's hands on fourth and five.
And timekeeping was again an issue against the Texans, with slow play-calling prompting the Denver fans to count down the play clock in a loud chant.
"I think I just need to be sure I clean up exactly what I'm hearing, where I'm going with it, and make sure I'm on the same page for Russ," Hackett explained. "I think that will make us more efficient."
Wilson, who completed just 14 of 31 passes for 219 yards with one touchdown and one interception, was reticent to criticise the crowd as he skirted around the issue.
"I guess [the countdown] was helpful if needed," he said. "I guess they do that in basketball sometimes.
"This crowd was amazing tonight. Once again, how they were especially when the defense was out there with the game on the line... I know how hard that is as a quarterback hearing all of that noise and all that tenacity.
"That was great that our fans were really into it and just a great football crowd, for sure."
Kyler Murray decided to take responsibility for the Arizona Cardinals after a woeful first half left them 20-0 down at the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday.
And Murray and the Cardinals were rewarded for his bravery as they rallied to a sensational 29-23 win in overtime.
Cornerback Byron Murphy's fumble return decided the game, but quarterback Murray had brought Arizona to that point.
Under increased scrutiny this season after signing a five-year, $230.5million contract extension – which initially contained a controversial 'homework' clause – Murray threw for 193 yards and two touchdowns against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 1 but saw the Cardinals beaten 44-21.
Through two quarters in Week 2, Murray had completed only six passes for 53 yards, thrown an interception and not carried the ball once.
It looked like being another miserable day for the former first overall pick and his team-mates, yet he turned the game on its head.
"I had to take over, had to do whatever it took to win," Murray explained. "That was my mindset."
The fourth-year star threw for 224 yards and a TD, rushing for a further score to put Murphy in a position to win the game.
"That feeling, going into the half where nothing is going right, we've felt that plenty of times since I've been here," Murray said afterwards. "It's an ugly feeling.
"But the grit, the resiliency of this group... the issue with this group is never about playing hard. It's about executing."
The pick of Murray's plays was a two-point conversion when the Cardinals trailed the Raiders 23-13, as the QB scrambled for 20 seconds and 85 yards before reaching the end zone.
"There's so many do-or-die plays, I lost count, where we had to have this stop, had to have this two-point conversion, had to score, had to have the fourth down," coach Kliff Kingsbury said.
"And guys just kept fighting. I mean nobody blinked. At half-time, it was just, 'hey, we got to settle in and do what we do'.
"We played about as bad as you could the first half and didn't play great the second half, but the effort was incredible."
Of Murray, he added: "He's a special talent. You can see when he's able to do his thing, that's what he does, and he had some tremendous plays.
"The numbers may not be great, [but] we don't care about numbers."
Tua Tagovailoa's career game led the Miami Dolphins to one of three remarkable fourth-quarter turnarounds in the NFL on Sunday, but his team-mates were not surprised.
Tagovailoa is now in his third year as a professional having been selected with the fifth overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft – falling that far only after dislocating his hip at Alabama.
Even as the Dolphins' established starter, there had been concerns the quarterback would never get over that injury, showing only middling form prior to Sunday's game against the Baltimore Ravens.
But Tagovailoa set career highs in completed passes (36), passing yards (469) and passing touchdowns (six) as he led Miami to a remarkable fightback.
The Ravens had led by 21 points at the start of the fourth quarter, yet Tagovailoa threw four TDs in the final 15 minutes alone in a dramatic 42-38 win.
With the New York Jets also recovering to stun the Cleveland Browns and the Arizona Cardinals recovering against the Las Vegas Raiders, this was just the second example of three teams recovering from 13-point fourth-quarter deficits on the same day in NFL history (also October 4, 1992).
However, within that improbable sequence of results, Tagovailoa's team-mates did not doubt his ability.
"We expect that from him," wide receiver Jaylen Waddle said. "We're confident in him; he's confident in himself.
"It's good for you all to see, but we kind of expect that."
Waddle finished with 11 catches for 171 yards and two TDs, while Tyreek Hill had 11 catches for 190 yards and a pair of scores.
The Dolphins therefore became the first team in NFL history with at least 400 passing yards and five passing TDs from a quarterback and at least 170 receiving yards and two receiving TDs from two team-mates in the same game.
Hill added Tagovailoa had "really showed me who he is as a leader" in the sensational finale, although he overcame adversity even within that game.
Tagovailoa threw a pair of interceptions in the first half but kept coming back, with three of his six TD passes having at least 20 air yards – as many deep TD passes as he had thrown in his career up until that point.
"This is huge," said coach Mike McDaniel. "Because he stopped worrying about the last play and he went and played and took his responsibility to his team-mates seriously.
"It is what you get into sports for. I think it was a moment that he'll never forget that hopefully he can use moving forward, because we basically had to play perfect complementary football to come back from a deficit like that against a really good team. I couldn't be happier for him."
The New York Jets achieved something that had not been managed in 21 years or 2,229 consecutive games with Sunday's come-from-behind 31-30 win over the Cleveland Browns.
The Jets rallied from a 13-point deficit in the final two minutes to win the game. No side had achieved that since the Chicago Bears in 2001, who also did it against the Browns.
Jets head coach Robert Saleh labelled it "something crazy", while quarterback Joe Flacco called it a "wild one".
While a lot went right for the Jets, a lot went wrong for the Browns, with Nick Chubb running in a touchdown to make it 30-17 with 1:55 left, instead of stopping short and retaining possession.
Given the Jets had no timeouts left, the Browns could have kept the ball and run out the clock. Instead, they handed possession over, offering the Jets a chance, which head coach Kevin Stefanski took the blame for.
"That is a scenario where that is on me to communicate that to the huddle," Stefanski said.
"We've done that before. Having said that, we need to close that game out."
The Browns also left wide receiver Corey Davis wide open for Flacco's 66-yard touchdown pass that gave the Jets an avenue back into the game, before the Jets' QB found rookie Garrett Wilson for the winner with 22 seconds left.
"Obviously, guys not on the same page," Stefanski said about the Davis touchdown.
"It was very, very clear what we were doing. We talked about it on the sideline before everybody went out and talked to the entire defense about what they were about to do, which was try and throw it over our head. We can't let that happen.
"We have a young football team, and unfortunately, that youth at times has shown up here, and we have to grow up real fast. I am not going to get into the specifics. When we do not do our job as one person, it is a reflection of the entire defense."
It was a major triumph for the Jets, who shrugged off the disappointment of their opening loss to the Baltimore Ravens despite the absence of starting QB Zach Wilson, with 15-year veteran Flacco flourishing in his stead.
"I don't know where it ranks, but it's up there," Flacco said. "And there were 22 seconds left so as much as you want to freak out and assume you have victory at that point, that's a lot of time. They had a timeout.
"You become a fan at that point, you become very nervous. When you come out on top, it adds to the excitement. It was a wild one, for sure."
The Jets had rookies Wilson and Breece Hall contribute three of their four touchdowns, offering belief for a side that finished the 2021 season with a 4-13 record.
"Those guys don’t blink anyway," Flacco said. "I think a lot of the time you're looking for the outcome to be in our favour before you can say those kinds of things.
"You're obviously not going to say those kinds of things about young guys when we're not winning games. That's why winning is so big, it allows those things to be so big."
Trey Lance’s first season as the San Francisco 49ers’ starting quarterback is over after only two games after the 2021 No. 3 overall pick fractured his right ankle in Sunday’s win over the Seattle Seahawks.
Lance’s right leg bent awkwardly when tackled by two Seattle defenders on a designed run on the 49ers’ second drive of the game. He was carted off after having his leg placed in an air cast and quickly ruled out of the contest.
Niners head coach Kyle Shanahan confirmed the fracture following his team’s 27-7 victory and announced Lance is set to undergo surgery Monday.
“It’s always tough, especially when it’s a big one like that,” Shanahan said. “It’s a very sad moment, but you don’t have time to sit there and think about it.
“We were real happy about the win, but it was a little somber once you got in the locker room and you see him.”
Lance spent his rookie season as the backup to veteran Jimmy Garoppolo but was declared the team’s starter this offseason. The 22-year-old did struggle in last week’s 19-10 road loss to the Chicago Bears, completing just 13 of 28 passes for 164 yards and an interception in a game played in rain-soaked conditions.
Garoppolo replaced Lance in Sunday’s win and threw for 154 yards and a touchdown with no turnovers on 13-of-21 passing.
“I thought he did a real good job coming off the bench, made some real key throws,” Shanahan said. “I’m real proud of Jimmy and how he came in and was ready for the moment and helped us get a win.
Garoppolo did not practice at all during training camp as he recovered from shoulder surgery and spent the summer the subject of trade rumours. The nine-year veteran ultimately remained with the 49ers on a reworked contract that slashed his 2022 salary from $24.2 million to a $6.5 million base, though he can earn close to an additional $9 million in incentives.
The 49ers have had considerable past success with Garoppolo at the helm, as he owns a 31-14 record in 45 regular-season starts since joining the team in a trade with the New England Patriots during the 2017 season.
Garoppolo helped San Francisco reach the Super Bowl during the 2019 season and led the 49ers to last season’s NFC Championship Game. The 30-year-old threw for 3,810 yards and 20 touchdowns with 12 interceptions in 15 starts in 2021.
Aaron Rodgers showed that he still owns the Chicago Bears after leading the Green Bay Packers with two touchdown passes in a 27-10 victory at Lambeau Field on Sunday.
Running back Aaron Jones was outstanding with two touchdowns for the Packers, who bounced back from their 23-7 Week 1 loss to the Minnesota Vikings. Green Bay have now won their home opener in 10 consecutive years.
Rodgers was the center of attention, given his history against NFC North rivals Chicago, improving his all-time record against the Bears to 24-5. On Sunday, he had two touchdown passes, completing 19-of-25 for 234 yards, meaning in his past four games against the Bears he has 14 touchdowns with no interceptions.
The Packers QB brought up his 450th career passing touchdown for Jones' first as Green Bay piled on three second-quarter touchdowns after Justin Fields had run into the endzone to give the Bears an early lead.
In the second half, Rodgers also tied a career-high 14 consecutive completions, matching a mark he set back in 2014 against the New York Jets.
Beyond Rodgers' contribution, Green Bay had almost 200 rushing yards from Jones (15 carries for 132 yards) and AJ Dillon (18 carries for 61 yards) adding variety to their offense. Wide receiver Sammy Watkins had three receptions for 93 yards including a fourth-quarter 55-yard gain to flip the field.
Jones got the first 'Lambeau Leap' of the season after weaving his way into the endzone, before he also ran around the edge from Rodgers' pass to open up a 17-7 lead. Rodgers found Randall Cobb to pick up 20, before sending a laser to Allen Lazard for their third TD before half-time.
Fields, who twice fell short of a running touchdown on the goal-line in the fourth quarter, completed seven-of-11 attempts for 70 yards with one interception, with David Montgomery running 122 yards from 15 carries. Jaire Alexander's late interception sealed the win for the Packers.
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