Good morning. Sunday was a bad day for the region’s NFL teams. The Rams lost Blake Grupe, the kicker they signed this week, on a first-quarter kickoff in his first game and lost to Arizona by two. The Chargers didn’t score a touchdown in a 22-6 loss in Kansas City and are 0-6. The Raiders scored 30 and still lost to Buffalo. The good news came Sunday afternoon: UCLA is No. 9 in the AP poll, its first top-10 ranking since 2022. Tonight the Ducks start a four-game road trip at Madison Square Garden. Let’s get into it.
🚨 HEADLINES
🏈 2-4 and last. Arizona kicked six field goals and beat the Rams 18-16 — Eric Lambkins II at SoFi Stadium.
🏈 Kicker down, again. Blake Grupe hurt his knee on a first-quarter kickoff in his Rams debut — Arash Markazi at SoFi Stadium.
🏈 0-6. No touchdowns, two Herbert interceptions and a 22-6 loss in Kansas City — Fernando Ramirez at Arrowhead Stadium.
🏈 “Close. Games. Out.” The Raiders lost 33-30 to Buffalo for their third straight loss — Derek Hegna at Allegiant Stadium.
🏈 No. 9. Unbeaten UCLA cracks the AP top 10 for the first time since 2022 — Jack Haslett.
🏀 Three questions. The rotation, chemistry and rebounding as the Lakers open Wednesday — Carlos Yakimowich.
See what else is trending at The Sporting Tribune.
📋 SCOREBOARD — SUNDAY
🏈 NFL: Cardinals 18, Rams 16 · Chiefs 22, Chargers 6 · Bills 33, Raiders 30
🏈 KICKER DOWN
Blake Grupe made a 44-yard field goal on the Rams’ first drive Sunday. On the kickoff that followed, Devin Duvernay broke a 70-yard return, and Grupe lowered his shoulder to push him out of bounds and didn’t get up. Arash Markazi reports Grupe stayed on all fours, was helped to the medical tent and then to the locker room, and was listed as doubtful to return with a knee injury. The Rams had signed him off the Jets’ practice squad days earlier to replace Harrison Mevis.
Punter Ethan Evans took over kickoffs, and in the second quarter the Rams went for two instead of trying an extra point and didn’t convert. Arizona didn’t score a touchdown and won anyway, 18-16, on six field goals.
Eric Lambkins II writes that the problems went beyond the kicking. Matthew Stafford went 25-of-33 for 155 yards, and his air yards per attempt hit a season low for the second straight week. The Rams had the ball for barely 22 minutes, ran 55 plays to Arizona’s 75 and were outgained 339-286. Blake Corum scored their only touchdown, and Tyler Higbee fumbled deep in Arizona territory with 7:47 left.
“It starts with me,” Sean McVay said. “We shoot ourselves in the foot sometimes,” Corum said. Kevin Dotson: “We need to find a way to win a football game again so we can walk in this locker room with some joy.”
The Rams are 2-4 and last in the NFC West. They need a kicker again, and the schedule ahead includes Kansas City, San Francisco and Seattle twice.
GO DEEPER
› Eric Lambkins II: Rams go from Super Bowl favorites to NFC West cellar dwellers (The Sporting Tribune)
› Arash Markazi: Rams kicker Blake Grupe knocked out after suffering knee injury on kickoff (The Sporting Tribune)
› TST Images: Cardinals defeat Rams, 18-16, in Los Angeles (The Sporting Tribune)
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🏈 0-6
The Chargers didn’t score a touchdown. Fernando Ramirez writes that Justin Herbert threw two first-half interceptions (one wiped out by a roughing penalty), and another was returned 48 yards. Herbert leads the league with eight interceptions. Ladd McConkey left with a concussion, a second-and-goal pass to Oronde Gadsden was dropped, and a screen pass was fumbled. The best play was a 57-yard completion to Quentin Johnston. Kansas City won 22-6.
Ramirez argues Jim Harbaugh has to make a change, and it’s about “rescuing Justin Herbert.” “The McDaniel experiment has run its course,” he writes. He also thinks the Chargers should consider trading Khalil Mack: “Let Mack fight for an opportunity to win a Super Bowl as his career winds down.” A bye week is coming.
GO DEEPER
› Fernando Ramirez: Jim Harbaugh faces difficult decision after Chargers’ offense hits another low in loss to Chiefs (The Sporting Tribune)
› TST Images: Chiefs defeat Chargers, 22-6, at Arrowhead Stadium (The Sporting Tribune)
🏈 3-0 TO 3-3
The Raiders scored 30 and lost by three. Derek Hegna writes that Tre Tucker caught five passes for 97 yards and both Raiders touchdowns, Michael Mayer had a career-high 95 receiving yards, and Brock Bowers had 70. But the Raiders went 2-for-5 in the red zone, Kirk Cousins threw the game’s only interception, and Ashton Jeanty averaged 2.2 yards a carry. Josh Allen threw for 255 yards and two touchdowns, and James Cook had 153 yards from scrimmage, including the touchdown that put Buffalo ahead for good.
“You can’t go 2 of 5 in the red zone. You can’t throw an interception and give them a short field,” Cousins said. Steve Carp writes that after a 3-0 start, the Raiders have lost three straight and look like their old selves: penalties, turnovers and not finishing. Klint Kubiak’s message for the week: “Close. Games. Out.” The Raiders host the Rams next.
GO DEEPER
› Derek Hegna: Bills loss highlights how far Raiders have to go in rebuild effort (The Sporting Tribune)
› Steve Carp: Raiders looking like old selves in loss to Bills (The Sporting Tribune)
🍔 THE DEALS BOARD
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Coming Wednesday: a Lakers win over Golden State turns on two free tacos at Jack in the Box (Code: LETSGOLAKERS).
🏟️ ONE GAME, ONE MONDAY
Ducks at Rangers at 4 on Prime Video, the start of a four-game East Coast trip. The Ducks are 4-3-0 and lost both games of their homestand after leading into the second period. Mikael Granlund is day-to-day with an upper-body injury.
Tuesday: Ducks at Islanders, Kings at Capitals, and Lightning at Golden Knights. Wednesday: Warriors at Lakers on opening night.
📌 AROUND THE MARKETS
UCLA is No. 9. Jack Haslett writes that the 6-0 Bruins are in the AP top 10 for the first time since 2022, a year after going 3-9. The goal now is their first top-10 finish since 2014.
Three questions for the Lakers. Carlos Yakimowich has JJ Redick still deciding his opening-night starters (Ziaire Williams and Matisse Thybulle started the finale with Luka Dončić, Austin Reaves and Walker Kessler, and Quentin Grimes moved to the bench), Dončić, Reaves and Kessler sharing the floor for only one half all preseason, and a rebounding problem: the Lakers gave up 14.8 offensive rebounds a game in their first four preseason games. Golden State is in Wednesday.
Raquel Rodriguez, in her own words. Fernando Ramirez talks with WWE’s Women’s Intercontinental Champion about her father’s influence and her bond with Liv Morgan. “She’s like the yin to my yang,” Rodriguez said.
GO DEEPER
› Jack Haslett: UCLA moves to No. 9 in AP Poll after defeating Wisconsin (The Sporting Tribune)
› Carlos Yakimowich: Lakers Sunday Report: Three questions entering opening week (The Sporting Tribune)
› Fernando Ramirez: Raquel Rodriguez reflects on her WWE journey, special bond w/ Liv Morgan and father’s influence (The Sporting Tribune)
📺 WATCHLIST — MONDAY, OCTOBER 19
🏒 NHL: Ducks at Rangers — Madison Square Garden — 4:00 p.m. — Prime Video
🎟️ GOING TO A GAME?
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🏀 Warriors at Lakers, opening night — Crypto.com Arena (Wednesday) — $109
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⚽ El Tráfico, Galaxy vs. LAFC (Sunday) — $100
🌴 TST TRIVIA
UCLA is No. 9 in the AP poll. When did the Bruins last finish a season ranked in the top 10?
Answer at the bottom.
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Trivia answer: 2014, according to Jack Haslett’s story on the new AP ranking.
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