The New Orleans Pelicans were a pleasant surprise last season playing without their best player, earning a postseason berth in the NBA’s play-in tournament and giving the top-seeded Phoenix Suns a compelling six-game series.
But to achieve more, the Pelicans will need a healthy Zion Williamson on the floor.
If the star’s comments at the Pelicans' media day are any indication, New Orleans should finally see their roster at full force in 2022-23.
"I feel like I'm at my best right now," Williamson said. "I feel like I'm moving faster, jumping higher. I feel great."
At last year’s media day, the Pelicans announced that Williamson had a broken right foot. The team and fans alike spent all last season waiting for a return that never came due to a series of setbacks.
Williamson, who has played 85 career games since being drafted first overall in 2019, last stepped foot on an NBA court on May 4, 2021.
"That's a long time without playing a game, but my excitement level is through the roof," Williamson said. "I'm just ready to get back on the court."
Despite his injury history, the 22-year-old forward said he is confident he will be healthier going forward, crediting the guidance of veteran teammates C.J. McCollum, Garrett Temple and Larry Nance Jr.
"I learned a lot from a nutrition standpoint, from working-out standpoint, how long I need to be in the gym and the most efficient way to work out," Williamson said.
McCollum, who received a two-year, $64 million contract extension last weekend, was a scoring machine down the stretch for the Pelicans after being acquired at last season’s trade deadline.
The 31-year-old guard averaged 24.3 points in 26 games with the Pelicans last season, while Brandon Ingram scored 22.7 points per game.
Reincorporating Williamson – who was a 27-point scorer in 2020-21 – to that mix is a challenge that head coach Willie Green welcomes.
"I go back and watch film, watch some things that work, and then it's constantly talking with him, talking to the coaching staff and figuring out what works," Green said. "If it works, we will try to make sure we add it. If it doesn't, we move on.
"But it'll be a progression with Zion, and it won't be a thing where right away we see the Zion that we're accustomed to seeing. I think it will be a progression based on him missing the time that he missed."
While Green may be trying to temper expectations early this season, Williamson is expecting immediate chemistry with his teammates.
"I think it's gonna be really easy for me to fit in with my teammates because they play the game the right way," Williamson said. "Nobody's selfish. Everybody wants to see each other succeed.
"Now, there are things we are gonna have to learn. Like I'll have to learn how to play with C.J. and [Ingram] on the court, learn how to play with Jose [Alvarado], Trey [Murphy], Herb [Jones] because I haven't played with those guys yet, but from watching film, it looks like it is gonna be an easy fit."
Kawhi Leonard shared that he will be ready for the start of training camp, and that he would have been healthy enough to play in last season's NBA Finals had the Los Angeles Clippers made it that far.
All eyes were on the Clippers' franchise player during Monday's media day, with Leonard recently being cleared for five-on-five play more than 14 months after tearing his ACL in the 2021 playoffs.
Oddsmakers have the Clippers as the second-favourites to win the Western Conference, trailing only the reigning champion Golden State Warriors. Their success is ultimately reliant on Leonard's health, with the two-time Finals MVP with the San Antonio Spurs (2014) and Toronto Raptors (2019) trying to become the first player to ever win the award with three different teams.
Speaking about how he feels physically after such a long rehabilitation period, the two-time Defensive Player of the Year highlighted all the time he has spent in the weight room and how it has him feeling stronger than ever.
"I feel stronger, for sure," he said. "It's been, what, 14, 15 months of no basketball – well, playing in an NBA season for me, no basketball.
"That whole 13-, 14-month process is just lifting weights and getting stronger. I definitely got a lot stronger.
"Right now I feel good in my workouts, weightlifting. I don't feel like I have a subconscious mind of not jumping off my leg, per se. I feel good. We'll just see how the season goes."
In what is a good sign for his chances of being at 100 per cent for the opening day of the season, Leonard shared that "if [the Clippers] would have made it to the Finals last year, you would have seen me playing".
Around Leonard, the Clippers have assembled arguably the deepest roster in the NBA, with running-mate Paul George being joined by a bevy of capable perimeter options, including former All-Star John Wall, starting-quality guards Reggie Jackson and Luke Kennard, starter-level wings Norman Powell and Robert Covington, as well as rotation pieces Marcus Morris Sr, Nic Batum and Terance Mann.
George compared their wealth of talent to his experience with the United States national team, and said the key will be figuring out how to mesh successfully and find roles for everyone.
"I think really [we will use] that mindset of Team USA," George said. "You take the best guys, and of course everybody is good and they're all on teams, everybody is the star of their own teams.
"But when you put us all together, it's how do I make you better now and how do I shine with this environment.
"It should be a lot of fun with this team, and there should be a lot of good nights being a Clipper fan."
Tua Tagovailoa is not in the league's concussion protocol ahead of the Miami Dolphins' game against the Cincinnati Bengals on Thursday.
It's still not a sure thing he will play, however.
Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel reiterated on Monday it was Tagovailoa's injured back that caused him to stumble to the ground in Sunday's 21-19 win over the Buffalo Bills and not a hit that caused his head to slam into the turf.
In addition to the injured back, McDaniel told reporters that Tagovailoa is also dealing with a sore ankle and his availability for Thursday is uncertain with the quick turnaround.
''It's my first time on a Thursday night game with Tua, so I don't assume anything,'' the first-year coach said in his press conference. ''But it wasn't out of the extreme norm of bumps and bruises after a game.''
Tagovailoa took an especially hard hit Sunday, as Bills linebacker Matt Milano pushed him to the ground, drawing a rougher the passer flag.
Tagovailoa's helmet slammed into the turf but he managed to get back to his feet quickly. However, he then shook his head and seemed to look woozy as he appeared to lose his balance as he stumbled back to the ground.
The 24-year-old went to the locker room to be assessed by the team's medical staff, with the team announcing a head injury that made him questionable to return.
He only missed three snaps, however, returning for the start of the third quarter – a decision that prompted the NFL and National Football League Players Association to conduct a joint review of how the decision was made to allow Tagovailoa to return.
McDaniel maintained, however, the proper protocols were followed and that Tagovailoa was cleared by the team and the independent neurologist.
"We wouldn't have moved forward in the direction we did had there been any sort of red flags, because you can't keep quarterbacks out of harm's way," McDaniel said. "So if he had a head issue, he wouldn't have been back out there."
Tagovailoa supported those claims, telling reporters after the game that it felt like he hyper-extended his back earlier in the contest and that his back locked up on him after the hit from Milano and that's why he stumbled.
The Dolphins did not practice on Monday but estimated Tagovailoa wouldn't have participated, listing him out with a back and ankle injury on their injury report.
"These Thursday night games, you get used to just doing the best you can. And we're trying to get information as fast as possible," McDaniel said. "We'll be working fluidly from that.
"But right now, especially in a hard-fought game like that, not just Tua, but there's a lot of players that we'll be adjusting to on the fly, seeing if they can turn it around and give a healthy outing on Thursday."
All the talk prior to the Week 3 contest between the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Los Angeles Chargers surrounded the health of Justin Herbert, the quarterback viewed as having ascended to the superstar level of Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen.
By the end of an eye-opening afternoon at SoFi Stadium, the performance Herbert produced while battling fractured rib cartilage was completely overshadowed by that of a man crowned as a future great as early as high school as Trevor Lawrence's blistering start to his second season in the NFL reached new heights.
Freed from the shackles of working with the overmatched and underprepared Urban Meyer, Lawrence has quickly flourished in year two under the tutelage of former Philadelphia Eagles Super Bowl-winning head coach Doug Pederson.
And his evisceration of a seemingly improved Chargers defense in a 38-10 rout served as a compelling reminder that – for all the talk of Zach Wilson, Trey Lance, Justin Fields and Mac Jones – he is, and always was, the best quarterback from the much heralded 2021 draft class at the position.
Furthermore, even on a day when the Indianapolis Colts shocked the Kansas City Chiefs, it rubber-stamped the Jaguars' status as the most exciting and dangerous team in an AFC South division ripe for the taking.
It is the long-term picture that is more important for the Jaguars, though, and that is suddenly very bright after the clearest demonstration yet of the potential Lawrence has to take his place alongside the NFL's elite quarterbacks.
The raw numbers – a 71.8 per cent completion percentage, 262 passing yards, three touchdowns, zero interceptions and a passer rating of 115.5 – are impressive enough on their own.
Yet they do a poor job of illustrating how accurate, how composed and how devastatingly brilliant Lawrence was in helping deliver a result nobody outside of the Jacksonville facility would have thought possible three weeks ago.
There was little in a slightly underwhelming first quarter and a pair of red zone failures from the Jaguars to suggest Lawrence would outplay Herbert, and certainly not to the extent that he did.
But Lawrence finished the game delivering an accurate, well-thrown ball on 89.5 per cent of his 38 pass attempts, from which he threw just one pickable pass. Only four quarterbacks had a better well-thrown rate in Week 3 as of Sunday.
After twice coming up short from inside the 20, Lawrence then produced some of his best throws from inside the tight confines of the red zone, showing his incredible ability on the move for the Jaguars' first touchdown when he rolled to his right to evade the interior push of Otito Ogbonnia and produced a laser to find Zay Jones in the back of the endzone.
Zay Jones was the recipient of another superb deep throw over the middle on third down on the next drive, aided by Travis Etienne's blitz pickup of Derwin James, before Lawrence then hit Christian Kirk down the right sideline.
Lawrence showed his effectiveness rolling to both sides – a skill beyond many quarterbacks – when he looked to have finished that drive with a pinpoint throw to Evan Engram while moving to his left. Though that touchdown was overturned when a replay deemed Engram to have stepped out of bounds, the second half saw Lawrence punctuate the Jags' dominance in equally spectacular fashion.
James Robinson's 50-yard run put the Jaguars firmly in command and the running back duo of Robinson and Etienne allowed Jacksonville to play ball control before Lawrence hit Kirk on a high-velocity throw on a designed rollout for his second touchdown pass.
The final flourish was the defining moment of Lawrence's display. Having converted a third down by climbing the pocket under duress to deliver a dart to Marvin Jones Jr, Lawrence added the finishing touch on the Jags' final scoring drive by lofting a perfect throw over the head of Michael Davis and into the arms of the same receiver running a corner route to back of the endzone.
Marvin Jones deserves praise for a spectacular catch, but the stunning throw was yet another example of the ease with which Lawrence can dissect defenses with the physical gifts he has at his disposal.
Those attributes were wasted during Meyer's short stint in the NFL but Pederson has swiftly negated any damage done by the false start to Lawrence's career and seemingly put the man seen as the best quarterback prospect since Andrew Luck back on the path to stardom.
Through three weeks, Lawrence has a well-thrown rate of 85.8 per cent that is eighth in the NFL and he has a supporting cast that is quickly silencing critics of the Jags' team-building strategy.
All of Robinson's three touchdown runs have come on carries of 10 yards or more, giving him the most such scores in the NFL. Etienne, meanwhile, is eighth in yards after contact per attempt (min. 10 carries) among running backs with 2.73.
Kirk, after receiving a much-maligned $72million contract from the Jags, is justifying that deal by producing a big play on 45.8 per cent of his targets, the sixth-highest ratio among wide receivers with at least 10 targets, he and fellow free-agent acquisition Zay Jones combining for 37 catches, 22 of which have gone for a first down.
On defense, the Jaguars have registered 21 quarterback hits, a tally topped by just five teams, with the athleticism and versatility of their defensive front causing Herbert and other quarterbacks consistent problems. Edge rusher Josh Allen, a first-round pick in 2019, has registered a third of those hits and recorded two sacks and three tackles for loss while the Jaguars have also succeeded in quickly harnessing rookie first overall selection Travon Walker's freakish athleticism.
At the second level, another first-round rookie, Devin Lloyd, helped make Herbert's life miserable on Sunday with his skills in coverage. Lloyd had three pass breakups and an interception, providing help to a secondary that does not lack depth of talent.
The Jags' strides on defense are reflected by them allowing opponents to score just six times in 33 drives, increasing Lawrence's room for error on the other side of the ball.
Yet such errors have been few from the former Clemson star and, while ups and downs are to be expected from a quarterback of his still limited experience at the highest level, Lawrence is playing with the confidence and assuredness of a man who may have already been through the worst of his pro career and survived unscathed.
Now with a head coach who understands how to make the most of his outstanding skill set and backed up by a talented if expensive supporting cast, Lawrence looks poised to grow into an even more dynamic and explosive playmaker at the game's most important position. For a franchise desperate to finally climb out of the doldrums, that development is priceless.
Dominic Thiem fought back from a set down to reach the second round of the Tel Aviv Open with victory over Laslo Djere.
The former US Open champion needed two hours and 40 minutes to produce the turnaround, his 5-7 7-6 (7-3) 6-4 win setting up a meeting with another former winner at Flushing Meadows, Marin Cilic.
"I didn't get off to a great start. I got the break in the second set, and then I was a bit lucky I could turn the match around," Thiem said on court after the match.
"The third set was a real grind. I am very grateful to everyone who came tonight. It is really nice to play in Israel."
Roman Safiullin beat Hugo Grenier in the day's other match.
At the Sofia Open, Ilya Ivashka, fresh off a run to the US Open last-16, defeated Mikael Ymer 7-6 (10-8) 4-6 7-5.
There were also wins for Kamil Majchrzak and Alexandar Lazarov.
Maria Sakkari was made to work as she battled her way back from a set down to reach the last 16 of the Parma Ladies Open.
The number one seed lost the first set to Ukrainian qualifier Kateryna Baindl as a shock appeared to be on the cards.
But the two-time grand slam semi-finalist showed great spirit to eventually win 6-7 (7-2) 6-2 6-3 after two hours and 45 minutes on court.
Fourth seed Sloane Stephens also had to respond to first-set disappointment before coming through 3-6 6-3 6-4 against Magdalena Frech.
The only other seed in action on Monday was Ana Bogdan (sixth), and she had no such issues as she lost just three games in a straightforward win over Brazilian Laura Pigossi that took just 73 minutes.
At the Tallinn Open in Estonia, Belinda Bencic was the highest-ranked player on court on Monday, and the second seed breezed through her first-round clash with local favourite Elena Malygina 6-0 6-2.
Karolina Muchova crushed Jessika Ponchet by the same scoreline, while Barbora Krejcikova, seeded seventh, saw off Ajla Tomljanovic 6-1 7-6 (7-3) in straight sets.
However, there was no joy for Madison Keys; the fourth seed going down 6-3 6-2 against Switzerland's Viktorija Golubic.
Marta Kostyuk defeated Bernarda Pera 6-6 4-6 6-3, and Great Britain's Katie Boulter dropped only four games in her 6-3 6-1 demolition of Jaqueline Cristian, setting up a second-round date with Bencic.
Mathieu van der Poel has pleaded guilty to the common assault of two teenage girls in Sydney on the eve of the UCI Road World Championships finale.
The Alpecin-Deceuninck rider was charged on two counts after an altercation with the pair, aged 13 and 14, whom he alleges to have been knocking on his hotel room door.
He was further fined 1,500 AUD (£909), though he has been allowed to leave the country following the return of his passport.
Van der Poel, who was taken into custody by New South Wales Police, intends to appeal against the conviction, according to his lawyer Michael Bowe.
"We went through the relevant events that occurred, he was arrested by police, was interviewed by police and said certain things to the police," he told Reuters.
"Mathieu agreed with some of those allegations. On discussing it was agreed he should plead guilty."
Belgium's Remco Evenepoel went on to win th World Championship on Sunday. Van der Poel, among the pre-race favourites, withdrew with 230 kilometres to go.
An MRI on Monday confirmed what the New England Patriots feared regarding Mac Jones' ankle.
Jones suffered a "pretty severe" high ankle sprain in Sunday’s 37-26 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, according to NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero.
The team is hopeful the 24-year-old quarterback will be able to recover without needing surgery, and though they haven't given a timetable for a return or confirmed if a stint on injured reserve is necessary, it seems unlikely he'll be able to play on Sunday against the Green Bay Packers.
That means veteran Brian Hoyer would be in line to make his first start since Week 4 of the 2020 season, when he threw for just 130 yards with no touchdown passes and one interception in New England's 26-10 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Jones was hurt on the Patriots' final offensive play on Sunday, an interception with 1:55 remaining. The 2021 first-round pick landed hard on the turf from a hit by Baltimore defensive lineman Calais Campbell, then hobbled to the sidelines while grabbing his ankle before being taken straight to the locker room.
Jones threw for 321 yards in Sunday's loss, but was intercepted three times, giving him five through the 1-2 Patriots' first three games.
Tyson Fury says December's proposed bout with Anthony Joshua is "officially over" due to the contract not being signed by Monday's self-imposed deadline.
WBC champion Fury opened the door for a 'Battle of Britain' with Joshua after it became clear a unification bout against Oleksandr Usyk would not occur this year.
However, following drawn-out talks between the fighters' camps, Fury declared last week that Joshua had until 17:00 BST on Monday to put pen to paper on the terms.
That deadline came and went without any official confirmation, and Fury once again took to social media shortly after to declare the heavyweight fight will not be taking place.
"It's official. D-Day has come and gone," he said in a video message on his Instagram account. "It's gone past 5 o'clock Monday, no contract has been signed. It's officially over.
"Joshua is now out in the cold with the wolfpack. Forget about it. Idiot, coward, s***house, bodybuilder. Always knew you didn't have the minerals to fight the Gypsy King.
"Regardless of what you say now, I don't really care. Good luck with your career and your life, end of."
Joshua's promoter Eddie Hearn said last week an initial contract offer sent by Fury's camp was not acceptable, but the parties were "working positively" to reach an agreement.
That led to Fury making his ultimatum to Joshua to sign the contract by Monday or forget about a fight that has been years in the making.
In response, two-time world champion Joshua – who has lost three of his past five fights – said he fully intended to sign the deal, but it was currently with his legal team.
Should Fury be true to his word, the 34-year-old could look to arrange a title defence against Mahmoud Charr in the same December slot ahead of facing Usyk next year.
Floyd Mayweather has found his next opponent after social media star Deji confirmed the pair will meet in an exhibition bout on November 13.
The 45-year-old, who retired undefeated with a 50-0 record after defeating former UFC champion Conor McGregor in 2017, beat YouTuber Mikuru Asakura with a second-round TKO in a similar fight on Sunday in Japan.
It was the latest of several one-off matches the former boxer has taken since his retirement, having also previously fought internet personality Logan Paul.
Now, he will face Deji – brother of YouTuber-turned-professional fighter KSI – in a match in Dubai after his opponent took to social media to confirm the match.
"Huge thanks to Global Titans and my team for creating this incredible opportunity," Deji stated on Monday.
"It's a privilege to be headlining this phenomenal spectacle in Dubai, against the all-time great Floyd Mayweather. This is going to be fun!"
Mayweather prefaced his match with Asakura, who played his part in an entertaining encounter before he was dropped with a right hand, by stating he would meet McGregor again in 2023.
The Irishman took to social media however to shut down reports of a rematch, stating that he was "not interested" in another bout.
Former England head coach Stuart Lancaster will leave Leinster at the end of the season to join French side Racing 92 as director of rugby.
Lancaster has spent seven seasons as senior coach with Leinster, whom he joined in 2016 after stepping down as England boss on the back of a poor 2015 World Cup campaign.
The 52-year-old worked under Leo Cullen and helped guide the Irish side to the European Champions Cup title in 2018, as well as four Pro14 titles.
Racing confirmed on Monday that Lancaster will start his new position next July on a four-year contract, with current boss Laurent Travers taking up a role as chairman of the club's management board.
"It is with great joy and pride that I am taking on the role of rugby director for Racing 92," Lancaster said. "I thank Laurent Travers and the whole club for the trust they have chosen to place in me.
"I know the responsibilities that will be mine at the head of this extraordinary squad, certainly one of the most competitive in Europe. I look forward to working with all these talented players to support me in my mission."
The NFL's end-of-season All-Star game, the Pro Bowl, has been scrapped and replaced by The Pro Bowl Games, the league announced on Monday.
Set to take place the week before Super Bowl LVII, the Pro Bowl Games will pit the AFC and NFC against each other in a multi-day skills competition culminating in a flag football game on February 5 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
"We've received invaluable feedback from players, teams and fans about reimagining the Pro Bowl, and as a result, we're thrilled to use The Pro Bowl Games as a platform to spotlight Flag football as an integral part of the sport's future while also introducing fun, new forms of competition and entertainment that will bring our players, their families and fans closer than ever before," said Peter O'Reilly, NFL Executive Vice President, Club Business and League Events.
"Building on the success of the 2022 Pro Bowl and 2022 Draft, as well as our strong partnership with the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) and Las Vegas Raiders, we look forward to bringing The 2023 Pro Bowl Games to the capital of world-class sports and entertainment."
The Pro Bowl has been a consistent feature of the NFL calendar since 1951.
Following the NFL-AFL merger in 1970, it has seen star players from the AFC and NFC face off, save for a three-year period between 2013 and 2015 when teams were drafted by legendary former players.
Yet the on-field product has received frequent criticism.
Since the 2009 season, the Pro Bowl has been held the week before the Super Bowl, firmly removing players from teams participating in the title game from the field, while many of the league's stars voted to feature in the Pro Bowl have regularly pulled out citing injury concerns.
The additional risk of injury in the exhibition led the game to become a disappointing spectacle, with players eschewing tackling and any significant contact to protect their bodies. With the changes, the league will now hope it has found a solution to a persistent problem.
The AFC won last year's game, prevailing 41-35.
Nathaniel Hackett hopes Russell Wilson's game-winning drive against the San Francisco 49ers will be the start of his success with the Denver Broncos.
Wilson piloted a struggling Denver offense through the first two games of the season, an underwhelming start to his Broncos career coming after they traded five draft picks, including two first-rounders, and three players to acquire him from the Seattle Seahawks.
Then handed a five-year, $245million extension by the Broncos, Wilson lost in Week 1 on an emotional return to Seattle, before the Denver offense was jeered and mocked by its own home fans in Week 2 in an unconvincing win over the Houston Texans.
Wilson and the Broncos struggled for most of their win over the 49ers against a ferocious San Francisco defense that held the quarterback to 184 yards passing and Denver to just 3.7 yards per play.
But the 49ers' ineptitude on offense in Jimmy Garoppolo's first start since Trey Lance's season-ending injury saw San Francisco waste a host of opportunities to take command, the Niners going one for 10 on third down.
And Wilson finally capitalised on their profligacy in the fourth quarter, showing some of his trademark elusiveness that some believed may be waning to lead a 12-play, 80-yard drive and give the Broncos a decisive 11-10 lead.
Garoppolo was intercepted on the subsequent drive, and a Jeff Wilson Jr. fumble then sealed the game for Denver.
"Russell has come to a new state, a new organisation, with 10 brand new guys in the huddle," Hackett told NBC Sports' Peter King for his Football Morning in America column.
"It's a completely new look, new team. He's jumped in here and tried to make it as familiar as he could. On that winning drive, he said, 'I'm comfortable, I'm gonna use my legs here, I've got to make this happen'. He did. Hopefully that's the start of it for him."
Hackett's game management came under severe scrutiny in the opening two weeks of his tenure as Denver head coach, his struggles in that regard encapsulated by the home crowd counting down the play clock in Week 2 after his offense had struggled to get the ball snapped in time on several plays.
Ahead of Week 3, Hackett brought in veteran assistant coach Jerry Rosburg to help with gameday decisions.
Asked if doing so felt embarrassing, Hackett said: "No. For me, I felt empowered that I was able to make a decision. Hey, let's fix it. I'm the leader of the team. Let’s do it.
"This was the first time, the past two games, that I felt I was hurting my team. Did I have enough info? I don't know. But I knew the setup wasn't right. I needed help to make the tough decision."
Lamar Jackson's sensational start to the 2022 season is "a natural next step", according to Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh, who always believed the quarterback could be "everything he is".
The Ravens improved to 2-1 with a 37-26 win over the New England Patriots on Sunday, in which Jackson threw four touchdown passes and rushed for 107 yards and a further score.
The fifth-year QB became only the second player in NFL history with at least four TD passes, 100 rushing yards and a rushing TD in a game after the Philadelphia Eagles' Randall Cunningham – also against the Patriots – in Week 9 of the 1990 season.
But Jackson also had three TD passes and 100 rushing yards in Week 2 against the Miami Dolphins.
Only seven other QBs (including Cunningham) have previously enjoyed such a performance, and none of them have done so more than once. Jackson has achieved that feat in consecutive games and four times across his career.
Surely a contender again this year, Jackson was the MVP in 2019 when he led the league in passing TDs (36), as he does now (10).
The failure to agree a new Ravens contract in the offseason would likely have made Jackson more determined to bounce back from an injury-hit 2021, but Harbaugh has never doubted his star man.
"No one has to tell me about Lamar Jackson," the Baltimore coach said.
"I believe in him. I love him. I just believed him the first day we drafted him, the first day we talked about drafting him. I felt like he could be everything he is.
"I just think it's a natural next step in terms of like finding his rhythm during the week, what he's looking at, how he studies defenses, how he breaks defenses down.
"It's not a lightbulb thing; it's an evolution of studying the game that you see quarterbacks go through."
Jackson offered his own take on his development, adding: "I'd just say [it is down to] maturity, just because of my age, just knowing the game of football just basically inside out.
"You've just got to stay locked in. That's probably the thing, just being locked in no matter what's going on during the game."
Aleksandar Kovacevic marked his ATP Tour main-draw debut by knocking seventh seed Miomir Kecmanovic out of the Korea Open on Monday.
American Kovacevic was only playing in the first round as a lucky loser in Seoul after he was beaten in the final round of qualifying, but he grasped his chance by winning 6-4 6-4.
The 24-year-old served 14 aces and broke the world number 32 three times to set up a second-round meeting with Christopher O'Connell or Tseng Chun-hsin.
Radu Albot got the better of Hiroki Moriya in his first appearance in Seoul, while Jaume Munar progressed when Yosuke Watanuki retired early in their match due to an ankle injury.
Kaichi Uchida came out on top in the final match of the day, consigning Hong Seong-chan to a 6-4 6-2 defeat.
Danny Care has been left out of England's training squad ahead of the Autumn Nations Series but Manu Tuilagi and Sam Simmonds return.
Scrum-half Care featured in the Red Rose's series victory over Australia in July, but is not among the 36 players who will report for a three-day camp this weekend.
Centre Tuilagi and number eight Simmonds are back in the fold after recovering from injuries, while pivot Ben Youngs has been selected ahead of the November encounters with Argentina, Japan, New Zealand and South Africa.
Simmonds gets the nod amid reports that he could leave Exeter Chiefs to join Montpellier, a move that would make him ineligible to play for his country.
Locks Alex Coles and Hugh Tizard have been called up for the first time, while Alex Mitchell, Tom Pearson and David Ribbans are also included.
Courtney Lawes and Maro Itoje are among the absentees due to injury.
England head coach Eddie Jones said: "With a year to go to the Rugby World Cup, this is a big opportunity for players to come in and impress. We want them to show real energy and enthusiasm and that they want to be a part of this massive year.
"It doesn't mean that those who have been left out won't be considered for the Autumn Nations Series matches. We'll be looking at club games, form and fitness and the door is left open for those players.
"We finished the Australia tour well. It was a fantastic experience, particularly for the younger players. We now have to start again, but we'll build on what we've done there and continue that momentum."
England training squad:
Forwards: Ollie Chessum, Alex Coles, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Tom Curry, Ellis Genge, Jamie George, Joe Heyes, Jonny Hill, Lewis Ludlam, Tom Pearson, David Ribbans, Bevan Rodd, Patrick Schickerling, Sam Simmonds, Will Stuart, Hugh Tizard, Billy Vunipola, Mako Vunipola, Jack Walker, Jack Willis.
Backs: Henry Arundell, Joe Cokanasiga, Fraser Dingwall, Owen Farrell, Tommy Freeman, George Furbank, Will Joseph, Jonny May, Alex Mitchell, Jack Nowelll, Guy Porter, Marcus Smith, Freddie Steward, Manu Tuilagi, Jack van Poortvliet, Ben Youngs.
Tom Brady acknowledges there have been problems with "execution" right throughout the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' offense this season.
The Bucs ranked second in both total touchdowns (63), yards (6,901) and points (511) in 2021, trailing only the Dallas Cowboys in each category.
But after losing 14-12 to the Green Bay Packers in Week 3 this year, Tampa Bay rank joint-27th in total TDs (four), 25th in yards (892) and joint-21st in points (51).
Never has Brady thrown fewer TD passes through his first three starts of a season (three), while only in four seasons has he had fewer passing yards at this stage (673).
"We've just got to do a better job," said Brady, who insisted a finger injury had "zero" impact on the Packers result.
"I wish it was one thing; we're not running as good as we're capable, the passing game hasn't been very good, our screen game. There are a lot of things."
He added: "Our job is to go out there and score points, so we're just not doing it. We're not going to score points if we don't execute well.
"They [the Packers] did a better job than us – good defense, good, physical defense, I give them a lot of credit.
"They forced us to make a lot of good plays, and we just didn't do a great job in execution."
Still, Brady is not panicking, saying: "We're 2-1. There's a lot of football left. We'll keep working at it.
"It doesn't get any easier next week, going up against the Chiefs, but no one feels sorry for us, nor should we. We've just got to go back to work."
Giannis Antetokounmpo believes Stephen Curry is the best player in the world after inspiring the Golden State Warriors' NBA title triumph last season.
Curry won his fourth NBA title in June at the expense of the Boston Celtics, taking the series 4-2.
Superstar guard Curry won the NBA Finals MVP after averaging 31.2 points, six rebounds, five assists and two steals in the six games.
The 34-year-old became only the seventh player to win at least four NBA titles and win two MVP awards, a feat Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Michael Jordan, Bill Russell, LeBron James, Magic Johnson and Tim Duncan have also achieved.
Antetokounmpo claimed the title and was Finals MVP for the Milwaukee Bucks in 2021, but says Curry is now the best on the planet despite Nikola Jokic winning the 2021 and 2022 NBA MVP awards.
He said during a Bucks media day: "I think the best player in the world is the person that is the last man standing.
"It's the person that takes his team to the Finals, the finish line and helps them win the game. - that's how I view it. I believe the best player in the world is Steph Curry."
Antetokounmpo says no individual awards can match the feeling of winning the NBA title.
"The feeling I felt, it was a nice feeling," he said. "I got jealous of Golden State, seeing them in the parade and the ESPYs. You know that feeling now. You know what is getting stripped away from you."
The Jacksonville Jaguars believe they can be "something special" after Trevor Lawrence ended his wait for a first NFL road win in impressive fashion against the Los Angeles Chargers.
The Chargers are among the favourites in the AFC this season but were beaten 38-10 with Justin Herbert playing through injury at SoFi Stadium.
Lawrence outshone Herbert, throwing for 262 yards and three touchdowns on 28-of-39 passing.
After nine straight defeats on the road to start his career, Lawrence finally guided the Jaguars to victory; the last NFL quarterback to start his career with nine away road losses and then a win was Peyton Manning.
And this was a commanding win, too – the Jaguars' biggest on the road since the 2001 season (33-3 at the Minnesota Vikings in Week 15).
Jacksonville have not enjoyed a winning season since 2017 and had only four victories over the previous two campaigns combined.
But they are halfway to that number already in 2022 at 2-1, boosted by the ability to select consecutive first overall draft picks in Lawrence and Travon Walker.
Team-mate Dawuane Smoot said after the win: "It's been all worth it, going through a rebuild each year. Now, I feel like we're finally starting to get it.
"We just started. It's only three [games]. We still have a long season to go. But I feel like we're turning the corner to being something special."
Having crushed the Indianapolis Colts 24-0 at home in Week 2, Lawrence added: "It's awesome, two weeks in a row.
"I think the coolest thing is [after] a big win last week to see that same focus and intensity and preparation this week. That's a sign we're heading in the right direction. We've got to keep doing that week in, week out.
"Obviously, every week is going to present new challenges; you've just got to come ready to play. We did that, and it was awesome."
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