NFL: London is stage for milestone a centesimal worldwide recreation

Muricas News  — 

The NFL returns to London on Sunday because the Minnesota Vikings (2-1) and New Orleans Saints (1-2) contest the primary of 5 worldwide slate of video games scheduled this season.

With Justin Jefferson and the Vikings taking over Alvin Kamara and the Saints at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Sunday’s recreation will mark the a centesimal recreation performed exterior of the US common and preseason.

After edging out a victory in opposition to the Detroit Lions in week 3, the Vikings want to reprise the magic of the Miracle in Minneapolis – Stefon Diggs scored a exceptional 61-yard landing in a NFC Divisional semifinal 4 years in the past – in opposition to a struggling Saints group, which is able to seemingly be with out beginning quarterback Jameis Winston and All-Professional huge receiver Michael Thomas.

This 12 months, 10 groups will journey to 3 completely different nations, together with the first-ever common season recreation in Germany, when Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers host the Seattle Seahawks at Allianz Area – dwelling of Bundesliga soccer membership Bayern Munich – in November.

Throughout weeks 4 and 5 over 200 gamers, coaches and executives will rejoice their heritage by sporting worldwide flags on their helmets and apparel.

Gamers like Arizona Cardinals star Kyler Murray, who will don a South Korea flag, and Detroit Lions huge receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown – Germany’s flag will likely be on his helmet – will spotlight the NFL’s international variety throughout the league.

“My mother is from Germany, so having German grandparents, talking German, each summer time the heritage and tradition has been part of my complete life,” stated St. Brown.

“I’m half German. It’s part of me. I adore it. In my younger profession, I've already been amazed to see the affect my tradition and heritage has had and I’m excited to proceed to see the German illustration have an effect inside our recreation.”

Brady and the Bucs (2-1) will play at Raymond James Stadium on Sunday evening in opposition to Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs (2-1).

Earlier this week, the Bucs have been pressured to observe on the Miami Dolphins’ group facility because of the influence of Hurricane Ian, leaving the primetime matchup in Tampa in limbo.

Regardless of the destruction attributable to the hurricane, the group confirmed the sport would go on as scheduled, with Brady highlighting how the match may function a second the place followers can come collectively.

“I at all times really feel like sports activities has introduced individuals collectively over an extended time period,” Brady stated on Thursday throughout a recurrently scheduled media session.

“Watching completely different adversities, whether or not that was 9/11, whether or not that was Katrina, sports activities has a tremendous method of therapeutic wounds and bringing individuals collectively and bringing communities collectively and begin to cheer for a standard curiosity for the frequent good.”

Climate issues apart, each groups enter week 4 coming off their first losses of the season.

In a rematch of Tremendous Bowl LV, through which Brady gained his seventh profession championship, the 2 celebrity quarterbacks will meet once more for a sixth time and first for the reason that title recreation.

Brady, who owns a 3-2 document over Mahomes, will enter Sunday’s recreation with the return of some much-needed offensive weapons – star huge receiver Mike Evans is again from his one-game suspension for on area scuffle with New Orleans Saints cornerback Marshon Lattimore.

Nevertheless receivers Chris Godwin and Julio, who've been out for the reason that season opened with hamstring and knee accidents, are doubts for the Bucs.

The sport on Sunday is at 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC.

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson has began the season at a historic tempo, tallying 12 complete touchdowns by the primary three weeks of the season whereas main the group to a 2-1 document.

Jackson, who's taking part in on the ultimate 12 months of his contract, will lead the Ravens in opposition to fellow MVP candidate Josh Allen and the powerful Buffalo Payments protection.

Each groups have suffered their solely defeats this season in epic showdowns in opposition to the resilient Miami Dolphins.

The 2018 NFL first spherical picks have been a giant a part of their group’s early success as Allen is coming off a 400-plus yard passing recreation in opposition to the Dolphins, and at 9 passing touchdowns trails solely Jackson for many this season.

Jackson and Allen are the one two gamers within the NFL’s 103-year historical past to succeed in each 9 landing passes and 100 speeding yards over the primary three video games of a season.

Sunday’s showdown kicks off at 1 p.m. ET on CBS.

The reigning Tremendous Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams (2-1) will journey to San Francisco to tackle the division and in-state rival 49ers (1-2) on Monday Night time Soccer.

In recent times, the 49ers have been the Rams’ Achilles heel, as Los Angeles has didn't notch a victory at Levi’s Stadium since 2018.

Notably, earlier than their victory within the NFC Championship final season, the Rams had misplaced six video games in a row to San Francisco.

After dropping quarterback Trey Lance for the season with an ankle harm in week 2, Jimmy Garoppolo and the 49ers will look to proceed their current success in opposition to the Rams to repair a tough begin to the season through which they sport a 1-2 document within the extremely aggressive NFC West.

The sport between the NFC West rivals kicks off on Monday at 8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN.