🏈Ravens/Bucs + Chargers/Cardinals Clash on MNF, NFL Power Rankings + More!

Morning Blitzers,

With MLB giving us a brief hiatus before the World Series, and the WNBA coming to a close things have drastically slowed down for the moment. Thankfully the NFL was nice enough to give us two games last night for MNF. We have those games and more below, plus our updated NFL rankings. Let’s go!

WTF Stat: Fair to say that Lamar Jackson is pretty good at playing QB:

🏈 QB Lamar Jackson led the Ravens to a 41-31 victory over the Buccaneers, throwing for 281 yards and five touchdowns. Despite starting slow and falling behind 10-0, the Ravens extended their winning streak to five games. Jackson connected with Mark Andrews for two touchdowns and adding scoring passes to Rashod Bateman, Justice Hill and Derrick Henry.

• Ravens Takeaways: Who is stopping this Ravens team when their offense is moving the ball the way they were last night and their defense is causing turnovers? I would say this is the same old story we’ve seen in previous years with the Ravens, but this year is different and RB Derrick Henry, who was almost an afterthought last night, is the biggest difference. He rushed for 169 yards on 15 carries and a TD receiving.

• Buccaneers Takeaways: The Bucs went up against a buzzsaw last night, and fought to the very end but couldn’t come away with the victory. It was just a handful of plays that were the difference (couple of amazing plays from Jackson, long runs from Henry, and two interceptions from Mayfield early). Obviously a few big plays is what separates good teams from great teams, but that’s why the Bucs are only good right now and the Ravens are great.

🏈 The Cardinals won in dramatic fashion last night, 17-15 beating the Chargers. After the Chargers took a 15-14 lead with a 40-yard field goal from Cameron Dicker, the Cardinals quickly advanced into field goal range, aided by a crucial 15-yard helmet-to-helmet penalty against the Chargers. RB James Conner contributed with a 33-yard reception on a dump off pass to set up Chad Ryland's 32-yard field goal as time expired.

🏀 Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun has signed a five-year, $185 million rookie extension, which includes a player option for the final year. This agreement was made ahead of the deadline for rookie extensions and makes Sengun the first player to secure such a deal since Luka Doncic and Trae Young. At just 22 years old, Sengun emerged as an All-Star candidate last season, averaging 21.3 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 5 assists per game

Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon has signed a four-year, $133 million contract extension that includes a player option for the 2028-29 season and a trade kicker. Gordon, a key player in the Nuggets' 2023 championship run, averaged 13.9 points and 6.5 rebounds while shooting 55.6% from the field last season.

🏀 WNBA players have opted out of their collective bargaining agreement (CBA) and face a potential work stoppage if a new deal isn't reached by the end of the 2025 season. The Women's National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) is advocating for higher salaries, better working conditions, enhanced health benefits, and investments for long-term growth. The decision comes as the league experiences increased television ratings, attendance, and a significant new media rights deal worth $200 million annually.

• 🔥 Take: I’m all for players getting more money and better benefits. But optics wise this isn’t the best. Did they have to do this one day after the finals? The sprayed champagne hasn’t even dried from the Liberty OT championship win and they’re making a headline that is sure to create negative feedback. It makes sense that they want to do this before the new media deal kicks in, but the owners are certainly not going to like this and they are pretty good at controlling the narrative.

Tuesday’s NFL Power Rankings

This Week’s Theme: Best things to pair with your morning coffee

Keeping it breakfast themed this morning to give you some inspiration for a little Tuesday pick-me-up.

Tier 1 - Chocolate Croissants

Is there anything better than a warm gooey chocolate croissant? It’s the perfect combination with a coffee. Nothing like sipping on my cappuccino, eating a croissant, and wearing my beret. Okay, really I’m drinking Dunkin’ Donuts and eating a cruller, but we all can dream. The tier 1 grouping has gotten a little bigger this week as a number of teams have shown consistency and dominance. They all happen to have an elite combination just like Coffee + chocolate croissants. QB and RB (see Ravens) or QB and Defense (Chiefs, Texans, Bills) or offer a little bit of everything (Lions, Vikings, Commanders, Packers, Steelers).

1. Kansas City Chiefs (6-0)

2. Baltimore Ravens (5-2)

3. Detroit Lions (5-1)

4. Minnesota Vikings (5-1)

5. Washington Commanders (5-2)

6. Houston Texans (5-2)

7. Buffalo Bills (5-2)

8. Green Bay Packers (5-2)

9. Pittsburgh Steelers (5-2)

Tier 2 - Monkey Bread Or Cinnamon Roll

Is monkey bread/cinnamon roll a little over the top for breakfast? Absolutely. (If you do ever see monkey bread on a menu - give it a try it’s still pretty rare). But we’re talking a pick me up not an every day occurrence. Just like these teams - when they’re on, they have all shown they can be a top team in the league. You just can’t pick them every day because eventually they come crashing back to reality, just like when the caffeine and sugar spike wear off from this combination.

10. Chicago Bears (4-2)

11. Philadelphia Eagles (4-2)

12. Cincinnati Bengals (3-4)

13. Seattle Seahawks (4-3)

14. Atlanta Falcons (4-3)

15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-3)

16. San Francisco 49ers (3-4)

Tier 3 - Bagel & Cream Cheese

This one is pretty obvious to anyone that grew up in the Northeast. Bagels are a breakfast staple. A Bacon Egg and Cheese (on a bagel) is the holy trinity of breakfast. However, having lived down south, and on the west coast the bagel can be hard to come by. Plus, pairing it with a coffee can get a little heavy at times. Like the bagel, these teams have had some solid games and show potential, but can they get into that elite category? I don’t see it but maybe like a great NYC bagel, they’ll prove me wrong.

17. Denver Broncos (4-3)

18. Indianapolis Colts (4-3)

19. Dallas Cowboys (3-3)

20. Arizona Cardinals (3-4)

21. Los Angeles Chargers (3-3)

Tier 4 - Scones

Like these teams, scones can be good. Not great, but good. They can win you a game, and they can be great with coffee. But on the whole, like these teams most of the time scones are going to be pretty below average. Scones really need to be warmed up. Ever eat a really dry scone and all you have is a hot coffee to wash it down? You need to keep gulping hot coffee in order to get the scone down your throat. Not good, not good. I actually disagree with Larry David on the matter. Will I take these teams/a scone in a bind, sure I’ll chance it once in a while, but I’d rather go with something else.

22. New York Jets (2-5)

23. Los Angeles Rams (2-4)

24. Miami Dolphins (2-4)

25. Jacksonville Jaguars (2-5)

26. Las Vegas Raiders (2-5)

27. New Orleans Saints (2-5)

Tier 5 - Plain Oatmeal

Similar to plain oatmeal, these teams don’t look appetizing, texture/substance wise it’s not a fun time, and they’re certainly not enjoyable (try watching the Patriots vs. Jaguars at 6:30 am PST). Pairing oatmeal with coffee just makes coffee worse somehow. The only redeeming quality is that it at least oatmeal has some nutritional value. These teams… I’d be hard pressed to find some sort of redeeming quality, I guess their redeeming quality is that next season they get high draft picks?

29. New York Giants (2-5)

30. Tennessee Titans (1-5)

31. Cleveland Browns (1-6)

32. New England Patriots (1-6)

33. Carolina Panthers (1-6)

Top NHL Games

Leafs 5, Lightning 2: In the only NHL game in action last night, William Nylander scored two goals and added an assist, leading Toronto to a 5-2 victory over the Tampa Bay. Auston Matthews, Max Pacioretty, and Matthew Knies also scored for Toronto, while Anthony Stolarz made 32 saves in goal.

See full NHL scoreboard here, and standings here.

***As a heads up the NBA kicks off tonight starting with the Knicks and Celtics at 7:30 EST. Then the Timberwolves and Lakers at 10 EST.

On this day in 1976, Rick Barry begins the longest NBA free throw streak of 60. Michael Williams currently holds the streak at 97. What is interesting is that Barry shot his free throws underhanded:

Yesterday’s Trivia Time Answer

After yesterday’s win, the Chiefs are now 6-0, and Patrick Mahomes is 80-22 as a starter. Mahomes has a .792 win percentage the highest among active QBs, which active QB has the second highest win %?

A) Lamar Jackson - Jackson has a .750 win percentage after last nights win, he actually surpassed QB Tom Brady who sits at .749 for his career. Big difference is Jackson is only 2-4 in the playoffs so far.

Check back tomorrow for the answer to today's trivia question and more info!