10/3/22 Hometown Broadcasting Sports Monday
3 October 2022 Sports
Monday Sports
Mason Crosby made a 31-yard field goal as time expired in overtime, and the Green Bay Packers topped the New England Patriots 27-24 on Sunday, spoiling rookie quarterback Bailey Zappe’s NFL debut.
Zappe, a fourth-round pick from Western Kentucky, played the majority of the game after Brian Hoyer left with a head injury. Hoyer made his first start since 2020 in place of Mac Jones, who injured his left ankle during last weekend’s 37-26 loss to Baltimore.
Hoyer led New England to Nick Folk’s 37-yard field goal on the game’s opening drive, but he got sacked by Rashan Gary on the team’s next series and departed.
Zappe and the Patriots (1-3) still played well enough to force overtime, but Aaron Rodgers bounced back from a dreadful first half to continue his recent home mastery of AFC teams. The Packers (3-1) are 18-1 in the last 19 home games Rodgers has started against AFC foes.
After the Packers went three-and-out on the opening possession of overtime, Marcus Jones’ 20-yard punt return gave New England the ball at its 49-yard line. But the Patriots also went three-and-out.
The Packers then marched 77 yards in a 12-play drive that lasted nearly seven minutes before Crosby made his winning kick.
Green Bay had tied the game at 24 on Rodgers’ 13-yard touchdown pass to rookie Romeo Doubs with 6:14 remaining. They nearly connected again in the closing minutes of regulation.
With the Packers facing third-and-8 from the New England 40, Rodgers threw deep to a diving Doubs in the right corner of the end zone. Dobbs got past Jonathan Jones and caught the pass, but the ball slipped out of his hands after he landed.
Rodgers went 4 of 11 for 44 yards for an 11.2 passer rating in the first half, the worst rating the four-time MVP had ever recorded for any half in his 18-year career, according to ESPN Stats & Info. That included a New England touchdown on Jack Jones’ 40-yard interception return, which lifted the Patriots to a 10-7 halftime lead.
It was Rodgers’ first pick-6 since Tampa Bay’s Jamel Dean scored on a 32-yard interception return in the Buccaneers’ 38-10 victory over the Packers on Oct. 18, 2020.
Rodgers rebounded after halftime and ended up going 21 of 35 for 251 yards with touchdown passes to Doubs and Robert Tonyan for the tight end’s first score since tearing an anterior cruciate ligament last season. Aaron Jones rushed for 110 yards to lead Green Bay’s 188-yard attack on the ground.
Zappe was 10 of 15 for 99 yards, including a 25-yard touchdown pass to DeVante Parker. The ball appeared to get snapped after the play clock had expired on Parker’s touchdown, but no penalty was called.
New England’s Damien Harris rushed for 86 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries. Rhamondre Stevenson ran 14 times for 66 yards.
On the injury front Packers S Adrian Amos left in the first quarter with a head injury. The Packers were missing CB Jaire Alexander (groin).
Next Sunday the Packers play an international regular-season game for the first time in franchise history when they face the New York Giants on Sunday at London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Elsewhere in the NFC Central Minnesota played in London and beat the New Orleans Saints 28-25, Seattle won at Detroit in a high-scoring game 48-45 and the Bears lost to the Giants 20-12. Minnesota and Green Bay are tied for first in the NFC North at 3-1.
In Sunday Night Football Kansas City overwhelmed the Buccaneers on the road 41-31. Tonight the Rams play at San Francisco.
Wisconsin fired head coach Paul Chryst on Sunday after a 2-3 start to his eighth season leading the school where he played, in the city where he grew up. The surprising move comes a day after Wisconsin lost at home 34-10 to Illinois and former Badgers coach Bret Bielema.
Athletic Director Chris McIntosh made the announcement Sunday evening.
Badger fans know the name Jim Leonhard well. Leonhard was an All-American safety at Wisconsin and after he graduated he played for 10 seasons in the NFL. After he retired from the NFL Leonhard joined UW in 2016 as the secondary coach. Just a year later Leonhard was promoted to defensive coordinator under Paul Chryst, a position he has held up until now.
During his time as a student-athlete at Wisconsin Leonhard tallied 21 interceptions, tying Jamar Fletcher’s school record. He also broke the Big Ten record with 1,347 career punt return yards.
“I feel like I can take this opportunity and help this place grow,” Leonhard said. “That’s why I came back a number of years ago. It’s why I haven’t left.”
In Leonhard’s five seasons as defensive coordinator, UW has ranked among the nation’s top five in total defense and top 10 in scoring defense four times.
During Sunday’s press conference Leonhard was asked about if he would continue to call the defensive plays for their game against Northwestern or what the coaching staff looks like personnel wise moving forward.
“We’re working through a lot of possible situations obviously going to do everything in my power to make sure the defensive plan is exactly where it needs to be whether I’m calling it or we’re handing over the responsibilities on game day,” Leonhard said. “We’re not there yet but it’s been an interesting afternoon, really hasn’t had enough time to settle in how this thing is going to play out the remainder of the season but we’re gonna get our guys ready to play.”
Miguel Rojas knocked in the go-ahead run in the top of the 12th inning to give the Miami Marlins a 4-3 win over the Brewers on Sunday, deflating Milwaukee’s playoff hopes in the race for the final National League wild-card spot.
Milwaukee (84-75) is two games behind the Philadelphia for the third NL wild card. The Phillies, who beat the Washington Nationals 8-1 in a rain-shortened game Sunday, hold the tiebreaker with the Brewers and both clubs have three games left.
JJ Bleday started the 12th at second for the Marlins, advanced on a ground out and scored when Rojas laced a base hit through the infield off Trevor Gott (3-3).
Tyrone Taylor started at second in the Brewers’ half of the 12th. Tanner Scott, the fifth reliever used in the game, struck out Victor Caratini but walked Christian Yelich. Willy Adames flied out. Keston Hiura struck out to end the game that took 4 hours and 12 minutes. Scott picked up his 20th save of the season.
Huascar Brazoban (1-1) worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the 11th when Tyrone Taylor hit into a fielder’s choice.
Marlins starter Pablo López turned in seven strong innings for the Marlins. He walked Yelich to start the game, but then retired the next 12 batters before Kolten Wong reached on an infield hit. López allowed two hits, walked three and struck out seven in his final start of the season. He turned a 2-0 lead over to Richard Bleier to start the eighth, but the Brewers didn’t go quietly.
Urías singled, took third on Taylor’s pinch-hit ground-rule double and scored on Yelich’s groundout. Dylan Floro took over for Bleier with two outs and struck out Adames to end the threat, but then let the Brewers tie it in ninth.
The Marlins took three of four from the Brewers, who have lost for the fifth time in the last seven games.
Milwaukee closes out the regular season at home, with RHP Brandon Woodruff (13-4, 3.05) looking to extend his franchise record of four consecutive games with 10-plus strikeouts. The Arizona Diamondbacks will throw LHP Tommy Henry (3-4, 5.98). First pitch is at 6:40 and the game can be heard on AM 1100/98.3 FM, WISS.
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