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Good morning! Turn whatever double play you can today.
While You Were Sleeping: Four big games, four big plays
I again come to you this morning with general reverence for how good last night’s big games were. Doubleheaders in both playoff baseball and regular-season NFL bred surprising wins and late-game drama.
We’re going to look at each game through one play:
Let’s begin in Milwaukee, where the Brewers pulled off a double play I’ve never seen. Just watch it first before we explain:
That’s Max Muncy nearly hitting a grand slam but instead seeing the ball carom off center fielder Sal Frelick’s glove, off the wall and back into Frelick’s glove. Two relay throws later, Teoscar Hernández, who started the play on third, was forced out at home, and Will Smith was subsequently out at third via another force out. Double play, just how Milwaukee drew it up.
It didn’t help the Brewers win the game — a ninth-inning rally came up short after Dodgers starter Blake Snell threw an exquisite eight innings — but it was remarkable nonetheless.
Moving on to Washington, where Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels played a second straight wacky, thrilling matchup after the quarterbacks went 1-2 in the 2024 NFL Draft. This time it was Williams and the Bears stealing a last-second win after Daniels did this late, in rainy conditions:
FUMBLE! BEARS BALL!
CHIvsWAS on ABC
Stream on @NFLPlus and ESPN App pic.twitter.com/l6Ps1NW7Kj
— NFL (@NFL) October 14, 2025
Quickly now to Atlanta, where the Falcons edged a banged-up Bills team, 24-14, in the early Monday game. Bijan Robinson was incredible, rushing for 170 yards on just 19 carries, highlighted by this 81-yard scamper:
Bijan got the blocking and then did the rest 😮💨 pic.twitter.com/C0OHHw5ix9
— NFL (@NFL) October 14, 2025
Atlanta stays competitive in the NFC at 3-2, while the Bills fall into a 4-2 atop the AFC East with New England. 👀
Finally, we end where we started: the early MLB game in Toronto, which may have been our most surprising result — a blowout 10-3 win by the visiting Mariners, who now have a 2-0 lead in the ALCS. Remember, these guys played 15 innings Friday, flew to Canada, then won two straight on the road against a juggernaut.
No video highlight here, just Julio Rodríguez saying peace to Toronto after hitting another home run yesterday:
Cole Burston / Getty Images
Let’s move on:
Awkward: Ruh roh, everyone
Another day, another football coach fired. This one came in the NFL, which has multiple teams going through supremely awkward phases right now. I’ll explain:
The Titans fired Brian Callahan yesterday after just 23 games as head coach, a move that makes complete sense. Tennessee (1-5) was never competitive under Callahan — just 4-19 in those games — and even embarrassing at points. The morbidly funny wrinkle: Titans brass made this move a week before former coach Mike Vrabel comes to town with his now 4-2 Patriots. Exes, man.
A team with even worse vibes, somehow: the 1-5 Miami Dolphins, who have their own coach on the hot seat but attention focused on quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who called out team leadership Sunday. Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said yesterday Tagovailoa’s comments were not made in the proper “forum.” No one is happy, it seems.
Battling for first place on this list, though? The Jets! This was supposed to be the start of a new era under first-year coach Aaron Glenn. This team has young talent on the roster. And yet they are 0-6, the same old Jets, which is especially disheartening, as Mike Sando wrote yesterday. The Bills are good, the Pats are moving up and the Jets are searching for more real estate in the AFC East cellar. Yeesh.
Sorry to fans of all the above. Let’s skate out of this mess:
News to Know
Detroit’s Branch suspended
The NFL suspended Lions safety Brian Branch one game for his role in instigating a postgame fracas in Kansas City on Sunday night, the league announced yesterday. The game he’ll miss is a big one, too: Monday night’s matchup against the 5-1 Buccaneers. Branch apologized for his actions, but did implicate some Chiefs for “doing stuff in between a play and refs don’t catch it.” More context here.
More news
Cape Verde, a small island nation off the west coast of Africa, qualified for its first-ever World Cup yesterday.
Another MLB managerial opening: Mike Shildt retired from coaching the Padres yesterday.
The Tigers and A.J. Hinch agreed on a contract extension, just days after Detroit’s season ended.
Sandy Alomar Sr., longtime MLB player and manager, died at 81.
Bucks coach Doc Rivers denounced ICE activity in Chicago. Read his full comments.
South Carolina star Chloe Kitts will miss the entire 2025-26 season with a torn ACL. Already a tough injury report for women’s college basketball, and the season hasn’t started.
The preseason men’s college basketball AP Top 25 is out. Purdue, Houston and Florida occupy the top three spots. See the full list.
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What to Watch
📺 MLB: Dodgers at Brewers
8:08 p.m. ET on TBS/HBO Max
Game 2 of what’s already been a good series. Let’s hope for one wacky play.
📺 NHL: Lightning at Capitals
7 p.m. ET on ESPN
Tampa has had a slow early going this season but remains a Stanley Cup favorite. I’m still wondering if the Caps have the same energy they had last season. Good early game, with Wild-Stars following on ESPN afterward.
📺 Soccer: USMNT vs. Australia
9 p.m. ET on TNT/Peacock/HBO Max
The Americans are on the upswing after a decent showing against Ecuador last week. Christian Pulisic should play. It’s a big friendly.
Get tickets to games like these here.
Pulse Picks
Illustration: Demetrius Robinson / The Athletic; Photos: Nic Antaya / Getty Images, Zach Beeker / NBAE via Getty Images, Ron Chenoy / Imagn Images
We’ll be ramping up NBA preview content as the season nears. Let’s start with John Hollinger’s predictions for the top of the Western Conference.
It’s difficult to read this deep dive on Nebraska coach Matt Rhule and not imagine him taking the Penn State job if offered. Good background for what will be an ongoing story.
We of course have Jake Ciely’s fantasy football waiver wire picks for Week 7. Eat up.
Brooks Peck and David Betancourt went searching for sports stuff at New York Comic Con. They found some treasures.
Last call for NBA Hope-O-Meter votes. State your case here.
Most-clicked in the newsletter yesterday: Our story on the Chiefs-Lions postgame brawl.
Most-read on the website yesterday: Mike Sando’s Pick Six column.