Droughts, Streaks & QB Tweaks
August 24, 2021By: Carlos Alvarez
Good Morning,
The first event of the FedEx Cup Playoffs had a surprise champion. One NFL preseason quarterback battle seems to have a front-runner. And the Yankees can’t stop winning. All that and more in today’s mid-week recap.
Letter Rip!
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PGA
Finau Ends the Drought
Photo: Stacy Revere / Getty Images
Tony Finau (-20) Defeats Cameron Smith in Playoff to Win Northern Trust & End 5-Year Winless Streak
The streak is over! After five years and 143 starts on the PGA Tour, Tony Finau is a champion once again. The 31-year-old Salt Lake City native fired a final round 65 (6-under) to force a playoff with Cameron Smith as Jon Rahm struggled to keep pace on the back-nine. Finau shot an easy par on the playoff hole while Smith crumbled. The victory was his first since the 2016 Puerto Rico Open and just the second win of his pro career. Despite countless near misses, Finau now leads the FedEx Cup standings with two tournaments left to play.
FInal Leaderboard
T. Finau (-20)
2. C. Smith (-20)
3. J. Rahm (-18)
T4. A. Noren (-15)
T4. T. Hoge (-15)
T4. J. Thomas (-15)
Other Notable Scorecards: E. Van Rooyen (-14), C. Conners (-13), X. Schauffele (-11), S. Im (-11), B. Koepka (-8), B. DeChambeau (-8), R. McIlroy (-7)
Watch: Tony Finau Wins Northern Trust to End 5-Year Winless Drought
FedEx Cup Standings
1. Tony Finau (3,348 points)
2. Jon Rahm (2,763 points)
3. Cameron Smith (2,739 points)
4. Patrick Cantlay (2,302 points)
5. Justin Thomas (2,218 points)
Next Event: BMW Championship (Thurs. Aug. 26)
Additional Storylines
PGA: The First Look: BMW Championship
Golf Digest: How Tony Finau Blocked Out the Haters & Slayed a Tired Narrative
Golf Channel: After Close Call After Close Call, Tony Finau Proves He Can Close
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MLB
Hot Bronx: Yankees Extend Streak to 10
Photo: Icon Sportswire / Getty Images
Stanton Leads Yankees Past Braves (5-1) in Battle of MLB’s Longest Win Streaks
For the first time in more than 20 seasons, a pair of MLB teams faced off while riding nine-game win streaks, but only the Yankees’ win streak would remain. Giancarlo Stanton powered New York to their 10th straight victory with a 2-for-3 night that included a solo home run and a two-RBI double. That was about all the run support the Pinstripes needed as their pitching staff combined to give up just five hits and one run to the Braves for yet another tally in the win column (5-1). It’s the Yankees’ first 10-game win streak since last September when they reeled off a late-season push, and they’re putting pressure on the rival Red Sox as baseball enters the final 40 games.
Watch: Stanton Powers Yankees to 10th Straight Win
MLB Quick-Hitters
Shaw’s Slam Saves Sox: Extra innings between the Red Sox and Rangers took baseball fans into an 11-inning thriller before Travis Shaw rocked a 3-2 pitch for a walk-off grand slam. Red Sox won (8-4) in Fenway.
Blue Jays Still Battling: The Blue Jays won a comeback in an AL showdown with the White Sox on Monday (2-1) thanks to Vlad Guerrero Jr.’s game-tying RBI (6th) and a home-plate steal on a wild pitch by pinch-runner Breyvic Valera.
AL Playoff Picture
East: Rays (77-48)
Central: White Sox (72-54)
West: Astros (73-51)
Wild Card Hunt: Yankees (73-52), Red Sox (71-55), Athletics (70-55), Mariners (67-58), Blue Jays (65-58)
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NFL
Winston Winning Case for QB1
Photo: Chris Graythen / Getty Images
Jameis Winston Shines in Saints 2nd Preseason Game to Solidify Starting Job
Monday night’s preseason battle between the Saints and Jaguars brought another opportunity to catch No. 1 overall pick Trevor Lawrence in action, but it was the New Orleans quarterback who stole the show. Jameis Winston (9/10, 123 yards, 2 TDs) was brilliant in a performance that should secure his spot as the Saints’ starter following the retirement of Hall of Fame quarterback Drew Brees. Time will tell, but it looks like the Jameis era in New Orleans has officially begun.
QB Comparisons
J. Winston (Saints): 9/10, 123 yds, 2 TDs
T. Lawrence (Jaguars): 14/23, 113 yds
T. Hill (Saints): 11/20, 138 yds, 1 TD
G. Minshew (Jaguars): 13/21, 149 yds, 1 INT
Play of the Game: Winston Hits WR Marquez Callaway for UNREAL TD Catch
Watch: Jameis Winston Nearly Perfect in Pursuit of Saints’ QB1
Other NFL Preseason Notes
Cowboys Go Virtual: The Dallas Cowboys have been the subject of HBO’s ‘Hard Knocks’ this preseason, but the team is going virtual this week after a third positive COVID-19 test from WR CeeDee Lamb.
Vikings Pitching the Vax: The Minnesota Vikings are among the most unvaccinated teams in the NFL, and they’re reportedly bringing in an infectious disease expert to try and convince players to improve their vaccination rate.
Fields Calls out Bears Fans: Rookie QB Justin Fields came to the defense of his new mentor Andy Dalton on Monday when he called Bears fans ‘disrespectful’ for chanting his name with Dalton on the field. “They also have to realize Andy is a human being, too.”
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THE STORYLINES
️ Updated 2021 MLB Playoff Predictions
With about 25 percent of the Major League Baseball season still left to play, only a fool would try to predict both the final playoff field and which team will emerge as this year’s World Series winner. (Bleacher Report)
World Honors Kobe Bryant’s Birthday
Arguably the greatest sign of Kobe Bryant’s legacy is the amount of respect and adoration that he continues to receive from his peers and generations of athletes who have come after him. That was more than apparent on Aug. 23, what would have been his 43rd birthday. (FOX Sports)
A Decade Inside the NFL’s Offensive Explosion
The story of the NFL’s passing boom can be explained by an uncommonly gifted generation of passers being given an uncommonly advantageous set of circumstances. And it all began 10 years ago. (The Ringer)
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THE HEADLINES
Atlanta Falcons Lose Backup QB AJ McCarron to Torn ACL
(ESPN)
Patriots QB Cam Newton to Miss Practice This Week Due to ‘Misunderstanding’ of COVID-19 Protocols
(CBS Sports)
WNBA’s Seattle Storm First Pro Basketball Team to Visit White House in 5 Years
(USA Today)
Minnesota Vikings Agree to Terms With Former Pass-Rusher Everson Griffen
(Bleacher Report)
Ex-Angels Staffer Reportedly Used Tyler Skaggs as Middleman to Deal Drugs to MLB Players
(Yahoo! Sports)
Former NHL Player Jimmy Hayes Dies at Age 31
(SI)
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