🏈 Rodgers Returns to MNF, NFL Key Injuries, MLB Playoff Race + Power Rankings

Good Morning Blitzers,

We're diving headfirst into the aftermath of NFL Week 1 with a packed lineup. We've got the Monday Night Football lowdown on the 49ers-Jets clash, crucial injury updates, and our movie-quote themed power rankings. Plus, we sprinkle in some news from the baseball world as well. So let’s jump right into the action!

WTF Stat: The Broncos became just the 19th team ever to force at least two safeties in a game. The 1984 Rams hold the record for most forced safeties in a game, with three. They accomplished the feat in a 33-12 blowout win over the Giants on Sept. 30, 1984.

This was a pretty ‘special’ special teams play to set up one of the Broncos forced safeties:

🏈 the 49ers defeated the Jets 32-19, marking a disappointing return for QB Aaron Rodgers, who was playing his first game since tearing his Achilles last year. Despite the absence of star RB Christian McCaffrey, who was a late scratch, the 49ers managed to control the game with a strong rushing performance from backup Jordan Mason, who set career highs with 28 carries and 147 yards.

49ers takeaways: Even without one of the greatest offensive weapons in football, the 49ers are still good enough to win a tough Monday Night game. Their backups are good, their o-line is great, and their kicker is incredible. Add all that to their top ranked defense and you have the formula for another super bowl run.

Jets takeaways: This was about as hard of a first game as you can ask for. A MNF road game is always tough, but make it your first game of the season with a 40-year old QB that is coming of a major injury and it makes it even tougher. The silver lining is that Rodgers and the Jets showed flashes. The whole game felt like the Jets were on a darkness retreat and but they saw occasional glimpses of light. Ultimately, they need to be better on the offensive line, and they need to clean up the mistakes. Next week against the Titans should give us a better sense of their talent.

🏈 NFL key injuries update:

1. 49ers RB Christian McCaffrey, who had been recovering from a calf and Achilles issue, was a late scratch for their season opener against the New York Jets. It didn’t hurt the 49ers, but leg injuries for a RB early in the season is not a good sign.

2. Rams WR Puka Nacua aggravated a knee injury during their loss to the Detroit Lions and will be placed on injured reserve, meaning he’ll miss at least four games.

3. Packers QB Jordan Love suffered a sprained MCL in their season opener against the Philadelphia Eagles. The team has decided against placing Love on injured reserve, indicating a potentially shorter recovery period. In the interim, Malik Willis, recently acquired from the Tennessee Titans, is set to start for the Packers

• 🔥 Take: All three of these stars will be missed but Love is obviously the biggest loss. I’m a little weary of Malik Willis considering he was cut by the Titans (who don’t exactly have great QB depth). If Willis has a bad game against the Colts, I wonder if they’ll give former Titan QB Ryan Tannehill a call.

⚾️ The York Yankees promoted top prospect Jasson Domínguez, who made his debut in a 10-4 victory over the Kansas City Royals. Domínguez, playing center field and batting sixth, went 1-for-4 with a stolen base and a run scored. His call-up was highly anticipated after rosters expanded, though the Yankees had initially delayed his promotion to allow veteran Alex Verdugo more time to recover his form.

• 🔥Take: About time. Verdugo, who is currently OPS’ing .651 and not been running out ground balls (not his first time where effort was an issue), has had a full season. It’s time to see what Domínguez can do.

🚗 Newly released body camera footage from September 8, 2024, shows Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill being forcefully detained by Miami Dade police. Hill was initially pulled over for speeding near Hard Rock Stadium. You can see the footage released here.

Tuesday’s NFL Power Rankings

This weeks theme: Movie Quotes

Power Suit, Power Tie, Power Steering

Yeah that’s right I’m quoting Hitch. Phenomenal Rom-Com. These teams are all well-rounded and have what it takes to be Super Bowl contenders. Or as Vance Munson so eloquently put it, “Power suit, power tie, power steering”.

1. Kansas City Chiefs

2. San Francisco 49ers

3. Philadelphia Eagles

4. Detroit Lions

5. Baltimore Ravens

You’re So Money, and You Don’t Even Know It

There are top teams that don’t seem to find themselves in the Super bowl conversations this year, but are very dangerous. The Cowboys were underdogs against the Browns for some reason. The Texans should be scary for a long time to come. I know a lot of people are down on the Bills, but they showed a lot of fight to come back and win that game against Arizona and they still have QB Josh Allen who is a gamer.

6. Dallas Cowboys

7. Houston Texans

8. Buffalo Bills

To Be or Not to Be…

I guess some small-time writer, William Shakespeare, came up with this line, that Adam Sandler made world famous. But these teams looked pretty good in week 1. But is the hype real or are we giving them too much credit early on? To be or not to be… so true Mr. Sandler.

9. Miami Dolphins

10. Los Angeles Chargers

11. Pittsburgh Steelers

12. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

13. Seattle Seahawks

Maybe, Maybe Not, Maybe…

This is a very talented list of teams on paper, but all of them had a rough opening week, and still have a few question marks.

14. Green Bay Packers

15. New York Jets

16. Cincinnati Bengals

17. Los Angeles Rams

18. Chicago Bears

So You’re Telling me There’s a Chance?

Chances these teams continue on a hot streak after their big week 1 victories? Not good. Like 1 out of a 100. But, hey, they all showed stout defenses and are teams with chips on their shoulders. A lot crazier things have happened in the NFL.

19. New Orleans Saints

20. Minnesota Vikings

21. New England Patriots

You Just Don’t Get it, Do You?

All of these teams have enough talent to compete each week, and I wouldn’t be surprised if any of them were able to figure things out and jump back up into the top 15. For now though at least, they just don’t get it, do they?

22. Atlanta Falcons

23. Jacksonville Jaguars

24. Indianapolis Colts

25. Cleveland Browns

26. Arizona Cardinals

27. Tennessee Titans

28. Washington Commanders

Iceberg, Right Ahead

Not looking good for the teams, I know it’s only week one but I’m quite fond of hyperbole; it’s hard to imagine they’ll be recovering from how much water their rosters have already taken in. Time to head for the lifeboats and start looking at the 2025 draft.

29. Denver Broncos

30. Las Vegas Raiders

31. New York Giants

32. Carolina Panthers

• Cubs 10, Dodgers 6: Former Dodgers Michael Busch and Cody Bellinger drove in 6 runs and help secure the win in LA. The Cubs are now 26-19 since the All-Star break.

• Red Sox 12, Orioles 3: Rob Refsnyder and Tyler O’Neill hit back-to-back homers in both the third and eighth innings. The Red Sox are now 3 games out of the wild card with 18 games left in the season.

• Mets 3, Blue Jays 2: The Mets come back in the 8th inning to win, with help from a wild pitch. They only needed 3 hits to win this game, and now have a 1 game lead in the wild card.

See the full MLB scoreboard here and the current standings here.

On this day in 1960, Mickey Mantle hits the “longest home run” in recorded history at 643 feet. It would later be changed to a modest 565 foot home run.

Yesterday’s Trivia Time Answer

In the last 30 years, what rookie head coach has the most regular season wins in his debut season?

C. Jim Caldwell - In Caldwell’s first season, he won his first 14 games in a row, and finished 14-2. Most coaches aren't lucky enough to have a QB like Peyton Manning in his prime for their first season. But 14 wins is 14 wins.

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