The Vikings’ offensive performance on Sunday in Green Bay was the kind you’d see from a 3-12 team playing out the string in a pointless Week 17 tilt long after being eliminated from playoff contention. Of a team that was on its backup quarterback and had its fanbase saying, “We have to get a better No. 2 next offseason so we don’t have to go through THIS again.” Of a team that did not have any interest in opening up its playbook, and when it was finally forced to, you understood why. Minnesota managed 4 total yards of offense in the second half of a 23-6 loss to Green Bay on Sunday. That number dips below zero if you include a 5-yard loss on a false start infraction. The second half drive chart: 3 and out 3 and out 3 and out interception interception The offensive highlights of the final 30 minutes were sacks of J. J. McCarthy, where the quarterback was ruled down at his own 1-yard line rather than them being ruled safeties. The game was over the moment Minnesota went down multiple scores after a blunder by Myles Price on a punt return. The Vikings couldn’t block Packers star edge rusher Micah Parsons, or anyone else on Green Bay’s defensive front. McCarthy isn’t nearly good enough at this juncture to operate the offense under the most optimal conditions, as proven last week in a 19-17 loss to Chicago wherein Minnesota played 58 minutes of putrid offense . at home . against one of the worst defenses in football. When facing a good defense in a bad script? Forget it, it’s over. It’s non-competitive. Minnesota’s offense is an eyesore. Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell admitted postgame to reporters that his team’s margin for error is “razor thin” at the moment. The narrow path to victory he described sounded like a team hoping to milk the clock to shorten the game and win 13-10. Never would you have thought this was possible in the O’Connell era. In the coach’s previous three seasons guiding the Vikings’ offense, Minnesota has ranked sixth, fifth and sixth in the NFL in passing yards. That includes a season in which Josh Dobbs, Nick Mullens and Jaren Hall took turns filling in after Kirk Cousins went down with a season-ending injury. Minnesota is averaging 138 yards through the air in McCarthy’s six starts. On a day when they lost by three scores, the Vikings attempted only 19 passes, and even that somehow felt like too many. There was never a guarantee Minnesota would always be good, but with O’Connell, Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison, the assumption was the Vikings would always be fun. Yet this neutered offense is currently one of the toughest watches in football. It can be enjoyable to watch a youthful signal caller learn, develop and blossom, even amid growing pains. But this experiment is getting worse every week. O’Connell and McCarthy keep referring to mechanical changes the 22-year-old is attempting to master and implement on the fly. That process, frankly, feels impossible to complete midseason. It’s currently going about as poorly as you’d expect. As a result, fans likely feel worse and worse about this team with each passing performance. And with playoff odds now sitting south of 5% after this latest loss, what’s the point of tuning in? It’s certainly not for entertainment; there was none of that to be found on Sunday.
https://www.brainerddispatch.com/sports/pro/frederick-this-vikings-offense-is-woeful-and-seems-to-be-getting-worse
Tag: season-ending
Carlos Alcaraz & Jannik Sinner’s dominance at risk of making ATP “monotonous” with no competition, warns ex-WTA pro
Former British tennis player Laura Robson recently issued a warning about the growing dominance of Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner on the ATP Tour, suggesting that their continued supremacy might make the circuit feel a bit monotonous.
Robson’s remarks came following Alcaraz’s progression to the ATP Finals 2025 semifinals, joining Sinner on Thursday, November 13. Both players have dominated the 2025 season, sharing the World No. 1 spot throughout the year and collectively capturing four Grand Slam titles. Alcaraz’s most recent victory over Lorenzo Musetti in Turin not only secured his place in the semifinals but also guaranteed him the Year-End No. 1 ranking.
Jannik Sinner, who has lost just six matches in 2025, is set to finish the season as World No. 2 after the ATP Finals conclude in Turin. Meanwhile, as Novak Djokovic’s advancing age begins to impact his performances, the gap between Alcaraz, Sinner, and the rest of the field continues to widen.
Fans and tennis pundits have lauded the intense rivalry between the current World No. 1 and No. 2, but many are also calling for more competition to keep the sport engaging. Robson, a former World No. 27 in WTA singles, stressed the need for other players to step up. She said,
“Yes, we are very lucky. We hope that someone will come closer and make the race a little more competitive, because a two-man race will eventually become a bit monotonous.”
Notably, aside from Carlos Alcaraz, only two players have managed to defeat Jannik Sinner in 2025. The Italian star has also dominated Alexander Zverev in three recent meetings, expanding the gap between the World No. 2 and No. 3 by over 5,000 ATP points. This clear divide signals a looming two-man race for the top spot heading into the next season.
### Laura Robson Backs Jack Draper to Challenge Alcaraz and Sinner in 2026
In light of this, Laura Robson has singled out British player Jack Draper as the potential challenger who could narrow the gap between Alcaraz, Sinner, and the rest of the field in 2026.
Draper, currently the top-ranked British male player, was one of just seven players to defeat Alcaraz during the 2025 season. He was also the only player besides Alcaraz and Sinner to reach two Masters finals this year. The 23-year-old claimed his maiden Masters title at the Indian Wells Open in 2025, which propelled him into the ATP top 10.
Following his semifinal appearance in Madrid in May, Draper became the first British man since Andy Murray to crack the top 5 in the rankings. Unfortunately, an arm injury sustained during his second-round match at the US Open forced him to end his season prematurely, causing his ranking to slip back to No. 10.
Despite this setback, Draper’s breakout season caught Laura Robson’s attention. She believes he has the potential to challenge the likes of Alcaraz and Sinner for the No. 1 spot next year.
Speaking on a Sky Sports show last month, Robson said,
“I don’t see why not. I think the trouble for Jack at the moment is just that he’s not been healthy enough and consistently across the season to compete with them in terms of ranking. Especially in a best-of-three, we’ve seen him beat Carlos Alcaraz at Indian Wells this year.”
For the record, Jack Draper holds a 1-1 head-to-head record against Jannik Sinner and is 2-4 against Carlos Alcaraz.
As the ATP Tour moves into 2026, all eyes will be on whether Draper can maintain his momentum and break the current dominance of Alcaraz and Sinner, injecting fresh competition into the men’s game.
https://www.sportskeeda.com/tennis/news-carlos-alcaraz-jannik-sinner-s-dominance-risk-making-atp-monotonous-competition-warns-ex-wta-pro
Saints make flurry of moves after Week 7 injuries
The 2025 season has been another disappointing campaign for the New Orleans Saints. Entering the year with no real expectations, the outlook has now dimmed even further, with predictions suggesting the team will win three games or fewer this season. Currently, the Saints hold a 1-6 record as they prepare to face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 8.
A recent injury update has dealt a significant blow to the Saints’ offense. The team has placed center Erik McCoy and running back Kendre Miller on season-ending Injured Reserve. To address the gaps, the Saints have signed running back Velus Jones Jr. to their active roster from the practice squad and added running back Audric Estimé to the practice squad.
Erik McCoy, a Texas A&M product, was playing like one of the top centers in the league this season. Unfortunately, he suffered a biceps injury during the loss to the Chicago Bears, ruling him out for the remainder of the year. Given his elite performance despite the team’s struggles, McCoy was potentially a trade candidate ahead of the NFL Trade Deadline.
Running back Kendre Miller, who hails from TCU and was part of their national title appearance, has also been sidelined with a torn ACL. His absence is a severe setback for New Orleans’ offense. Miller served as the primary backup to Alvin Kamara, and with him out, the team will need to look to Devin Neal to share the workload. Before the injury, Miller carried the ball 47 times for 193 yards and one touchdown, averaging 4.1 yards per carry over seven games. Miller’s injury history adds to the concern, as he has yet to play more than eight games in a single season. The hope remains that he can recover fully and return stronger in the future.
The addition of Audric Estimé, a former Denver Broncos running back, provides some depth but the Saints’ offense still faces an uphill battle for the remainder of the season.
Overall, with key offensive players sidelined and a tough schedule ahead, the Saints will need resilience and adjustments to salvage what remains of their 2025 campaign.
https://clutchpoints.com/nfl/new-orleans-saints/saints-news-new-orleans-makes-flurry-of-moves-after-week-7-injuries
Penn State blows late lead for fourth straight loss in first game since James Franklin firing
It’s a new era for Penn State football, but it started in the same crushing fashion. In their first game since firing longtime head coach James Franklin, the Nittany Lions coughed up a fourth-quarter lead and lost a 25-24 heartbreaker to Iowa on Saturday night at Kinnick Stadium, marking their fourth straight loss.
Penn State fell to a brutal 3-4 on the season and has dropped its first four games in the Big Ten.
“I think we gave everything we had,” interim head coach Terry Smith said following his first game at the helm. “There was no one that didn’t give great effort. We just have to execute.”
The Nittany Lions held a 24-19 lead with just under five minutes to go, until Hawkeyes quarterback Mark Gronkowski ran for 67 yards to set up Kaden Wetjen for a go-ahead rushing touchdown with 3:54 left on the clock. Iowa failed to convert on the two-point conversion, leaving the door open for a Penn State comeback.
However, the Hawkeyes pressured Penn State’s second-string quarterback, Ethan Grunkmeyer, near midfield and forced a fourth-down incompletion. Gronkowski, who set a new career high with 130 rushing yards while adding two touchdowns, iced the game with a 14-yard rush on third down that allowed Iowa to burn the clock.
After dropping their fourth straight game, Penn State tied the record for most consecutive losses in AP poll history for a team that was ranked within the top two in the first poll of the season, according to ESPN.
The loss was a brutal way to kick off Smith’s term in charge following the shock firing of Franklin after 12 seasons. Penn State is a far cry from the squad that marched to the College Football Playoff just a season ago.
After beating up on inferior competition to open the season, the Nittany Lions completely unraveled in conference play, underscored by back-to-back disasters against UCLA and Northwestern.
The former associate head coach inherited a team in complete freefall — a struggling squad without its starting quarterback, Drew Allar, who suffered a season-ending injury.
All things considered, Smith was relatively pleased with the fight he saw from his team on Saturday night.
“I’m super proud of those guys and the way they played,” he said. “We just have to clean it up so that we can finish games.”
Things don’t get any easier for the Nittany Lions, who, after a bye week, will travel to the Horseshoe to face No. 1-ranked powerhouse Ohio State on November 1.
https://nypost.com/2025/10/19/sports/penn-state-blows-late-lead-against-iowa-after-james-franklin-firing/
Pitt dominates Syracuse 30-13 for third straight win
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) — Quarterback Mason Heintschel ran for a touchdown, Kenny Johnson returned a punt 66 yards for another score, and Trey Butkowski kicked three field goals as Pittsburgh defeated Syracuse 30-13 on Saturday night.
Pitt (5-2, 3-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) secured its third straight win behind true freshman Heintschel, while the Orange (3-4, 1-3) suffered their third consecutive loss. This was Syracuse’s third straight game with LSU transfer Rickie Collins starting at quarterback, following a season-ending injury to Steve Angeli.
With the victory, Pitt extended its dominance over Syracuse, winning seven of the last eight meetings and 20 of the last 24 games in the series that dates back to 1955.
Both teams struggled offensively, combining for just 28 first downs and 472 total yards. Penalties were also a factor, with the teams committing 25 combined infractions.
Heintschel completed 13 of 24 passes for 143 yards with one interception and was sacked seven times. Ja’Kyrian Turner led the Panthers on the ground with 42 rushing yards. Collins finished 16-of-32 passing for 126 yards, throwing two touchdown passes alongside three interceptions, and led Syracuse with 37 rushing yards. Johntay Cook was the Orange’s top receiver with seven catches for 66 yards.
The first half featured several critical quarterback turnovers. After an interception by Pitt cornerback Tamon Lynum, Heintschel broke free for a 36-yard touchdown run, putting Pitt on the board first. Late in the first quarter, Syracuse cornerback Davien Kerr intercepted Heintschel and returned the ball to the Pitt 12-yard line, setting up an 11-yard touchdown pass from Collins to Darrell Gill Jr. to tie the game at 7.
From there, Pitt took control. Just before halftime, following a Syracuse three-and-out, Johnson fielded a punt from Jack Stonehouse and sprinted 66 yards for a touchdown with only two seconds remaining, giving the Panthers a 17-7 lead at the break.
Syracuse’s offensive woes continued in the second half. A potential fourth interception for Pitt was thwarted by a dropped catch from safety Javon McIntyre. Freshman Luke Carney briefly replaced Collins for two drives in the third quarter before Collins returned.
The Orange managed only 74 yards and five first downs in the first 30 minutes, including just 14 yards on 12 rushes against a Pitt defense that ranked nationally among the best against the run, allowing just 2.16 yards per carry. Syracuse also went three-and-out six times.
**The Takeaway**
**Pittsburgh:** The Panthers did just enough to secure their third straight victory but struggled to consistently move the ball and protect Heintschel.
**Syracuse:** With their offense plagued by turnovers and inefficiency, the Orange face the daunting prospect of three of their next four games on the road against ranked opponents, including a crucial matchup next Saturday at undefeated No. 7 Georgia Tech.
**Up Next**
– Pitt hosts N.C. State on Saturday.
– Syracuse travels to No. 12 Georgia Tech on Saturday.
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AP college football coverage is available at APNews.com.
https://wtop.com/ncaa-football/2025/10/pitt-dominates-syracuse-30-13-for-third-straight-win/