Connect with us

Sports

Former Packer Aaron Jones ready to leap for Vikings on Sunday

NFL: Houston Texans at Minnesota VikingsSep 22, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones (33) runs the ball against the Houston Texans during the fourth quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

Aaron Jones knows exactly what he will do if he scores a touchdown at Lambeau Field, where he spent the first seven years of his career.

“I’m definitely leaping up there,” Jones said this week.

Would Packers fans embrace him in his Lambeau Leap? Boo him? Maybe both?

Jones is in his first season with the rival Minnesota Vikings (3-0), who will visit the Green Bay Packers (2-1) on Sunday afternoon in an NFC North battle.

The Packers released Jones during the offseason and the Vikings wasted little time in adding him to their roster. He has responded with 325 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns in his first three games for Minnesota, which is one of five remaining teams in the NFL that have yet to lose.

Green Bay has been nearly as impressive to start the season, particularly considering that it lost starting quarterback Jordan Love to a knee injury at the end of its season opener against the Philadelphia Eagles.

Backup Malik Willis has stepped in and helped Green Bay do more than just stay competitive. The Packers beat the Indianapolis Colts 16-10 in Week 2 before following that up last week with a 30-14 road win against the Tennessee Titans.

This week, Love said his knee is feeling better and that he is moving without as many limitations. But his status remains uncertain for this week against the Vikings.

“I’m trying to push it, and I’ve been trying to get back as fast as I can no matter who the opponent was,” Love said. “But definitely, you look at this week — an NFC North opponent, 3-0 team, really good team — so definitely it would mean a lot to get back and push myself to get back for this game.”

Willis has proved to be a capable backup plan. He posted a 120.9 passer rating last week against Tennessee, against whom he completed 13 of 19 passes for 202 yards and a touchdown.

The Vikings also have benefited from a comeback story at their most important position. Sam Darnold has thrived in his first season with the team, completing 67.9 percent of his passes for 657 yards, eight touchdowns and two interceptions.

Darnold briefly left last week’s contest against the Houston Texans because of a knee injury but returned later in the game. He is expected to be able to play this weekend.

Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell said he was grateful that Darnold escaped serious injury.

“I’ve been very excited about the start that Sam has gotten off to,” O’Connell said. “I’m having an absolute blast coaching him. So when I saw him go down in the moment, there was the initial feeling. … And then he comes back in the game, and I’m holding the call sheet, so I can’t clap like everybody else did.”

Both teams also have benefited from playmakers on defense to start the season.

Patrick Jones II and Jonathan Greenard lead the Vikings with four sacks apiece. Teammate Andrew Van Ginkel has three sacks to go along with a pick-six.

Green Bay is led by Devonte Wyatt with three sacks. Safety Xavier McKinney also has shined in the secondary with an NFL-best three interceptions.

This will be the 128th all-time meeting between the rivals, including playoffs. Green Bay leads the series 66-58-3.

Jones cannot wait for the next matchup.

“I’m definitely excited to go back, that’s where it all started for me,” he said. “Just a moment of gratitude, a full-circle moment.”

–Field Level Media

source

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Sports

Dominic Canzone, Randy Arozarena spark Mariners in win over Rangers

Jul 26, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA;  Texas Rangers center fielder Evan Carter (32) slides into second base as Seattle Mariners shortstop Colt Emerson (4) awaits the throw during the fourth inning at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Jim Cowsert-Imagn ImagesJul 26, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA; Texas Rangers center fielder Evan Carter (32) slides into second base as Seattle Mariners shortstop Colt Emerson (4) awaits the throw during the fourth inning at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Jim Cowsert-Imagn Images

Dominic Canzone and Randy Arozarena hit back-to-back homers in the seventh inning as the Seattle Mariners rallied to defeat the Texas Rangers 6-4 Sunday afternoon in an American League West showdown at Arlington, Texas.

Ezequiel Duran went deep for the Rangers, who had won the first two games in the four-game series.

The Mariners snapped a four-game skid and moved past Houston and into second place in the division, 1 1/2 games behind the Rangers.

Reliever Gabe Speier (2-2) pitched 1 1/3 hitless innings with three strikeouts to earn the victory and Andres Munoz struck out the side in the ninth for his 18th save of the season.

Trailing 3-1 with one out in the seventh, Colt Emerson and Cole Young singled to left field off Rangers reliever Tyler Alexander. Cole Winn (5-3) was summoned from the bullpen and got Julio Rodriguez to fly out to second baseman Nicky Lopez. Calzone launched a three-run shot 400 feet down the right-field line to give the Mariners a the lead. Arozarena went deep to right-center on the next pitch to make it 5-3.

The Rangers got a run back in the eighth as Duran hit a solo shot to left with one out off Eduard Bazardo.

Seattle scored again in the ninth as Rodriguez was hit by a Peyton Gray pitch with one out and Canzone lined a run-scoring double to right, giving him four RBIs.

The Rangers wasted no time in taking the lead. Joc Pederson led off the bottom of the first with a double to center field and Wyatt Langford lined a single to left, putting runners at the corners. Duran lifted a sacrifice fly to center to make it 1-0.

Seattle tied it in the third as Young tripled to left-center with two outs on a ball that went off the end of center fielder Evan Carter’s mitt after a lengthy run. Rodriguez followed with a broken-bat single that left fielder Langford trapped with a sliding attempt at the catch.

The Rangers regained the lead with a pair of runs in the fourth. With one out, Brandon Nimmo reached on an infield single on a comebacker off the left foot of Mariners starter Logan Gilbert. Following a walk to Jake Burger, Carter lined a run-scoring single to right with Burger taking third on the throw to the plate. Lopez hit a grounder up the middle on which second baseman Young made a diving stop, but his flip to second from his mitt to shortstop Emerson covering the bag was high, allowing all runners to advance safely and Burger to score to make it 3-1.

Neither starter factored into the decision.

Gilbert allowed three runs on five hits over 5 2/3 innings. The right-hander walked two and struck out four.

Rangers righty Jacob deGrom gave up one run on seven hits in five-plus innings. He didn’t walk a batter and fanned four.

–Field Level Media

source

Continue Reading

Sports

Jackson Koivun, 21, tops Scottie Scheffler at 3M Open for first title

Jul 25, 2026; Blaine, Minnesota, USA;  With ball in hand Jackson Koivun acknowledges applause from the gallery for scoring eagle on hole 18, which made him leader in the clubhouse at -20 after the third round of the 3M Open golf tournament at TPC Twin Cities. Mandatory Credit: Nick Wosika-Imagn ImagesJul 25, 2026; Blaine, Minnesota, USA; With ball in hand Jackson Koivun acknowledges applause from the gallery for scoring eagle on hole 18, which made him leader in the clubhouse at -20 after the third round of the 3M Open golf tournament at TPC Twin Cities. Mandatory Credit: Nick Wosika-Imagn Images

Rookie Jackson Koivun shot 5-under-par 66 to stave off hard-charging Scottie Scheffler and win on the PGA Tour for the first time at the 3M Open on Sunday at Blaine, Minn.

Koivun, 21, finished at 25-under 259 for a three-shot victory on Scheffler, who closed with a 63 at TPC Twin Cities.

Less than two months ago, Koivun was helping Auburn to its second NCAA championship in a three-year stretch. He demonstrated more poise while playing the final two rounds of his third tournament since turning pro without carding a bogey.

Denny McCarthy (66), Brian Harman (65), Chandler Phillips (67) and Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama (64) tied for third place at 20 under.

World No. 1 Scheffler birdied three consecutive holes to begin the back nine as part of his bogey-free round. He birdied Nos. 16 and 18, leaving him trailing by two strokes.

Koivun then birdied No. 16, extending the margin to three strokes with two holes to play.

Koivun, a three-time Player of the Year in the Southeastern Conference, surged into the lead across the final nine holes Saturday and then went right to work Sunday, with his approach shot on the first hole spinning back to within 2 feet of the cup for an easy birdie putt. A birdie on No. 4 pushed his lead to five strokes, with Scheffler among five golfers tied for second place at the time.

Jake Knapp shot an early 62 to rise quickly on the leaderboard and finish at 16 under, tying for 13th.

Defending champion Kurt Kitayama (68) finished tied for 24th at 13 under.

–Field Level Media

source

Continue Reading

Sports

Drew Rasmussen, Rays one-hit Guardians to complete series sweep

Jul 26, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Drew Rasmussen (57) throws a pitch against the Cleveland Guardians in the first inning at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn ImagesJul 26, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Drew Rasmussen (57) throws a pitch against the Cleveland Guardians in the first inning at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Drew Rasmussen allowed one hit over seven shutout innings while Chandler Simpson manufactured the game’s lone run as the Tampa Bay Rays completed a three-game sweep of the Cleveland Guardians with a 1-0 win Sunday in St. Petersburg, Fla.

Rasmussen (9-5) walked one and struck out nine. Garrett Cleavinger pitched a scoreless eighth inning before Bryan Baker worked around a two-out walk in the ninth for his 28th save.

Simpson had two hits for Tampa Bay, which won for the sixth time in its last seven games and has the American League’s best record at 62-43.

Cleveland was held to one hit and lost its fifth straight game. The Guardians were shut out for the second consecutive game and eighth time this season.

Parker Messick (8-6) was a hard-luck loser after giving up one run on six hits over 7 2/3 innings. He struck out six with zero walks.

The Guardians went 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position and have scored a total of four runs in their last four games.

Tampa Bay broke the scoreless tie with a run in the fifth inning. Simpson hit a leadoff single, moved to second on a wild pitch and then to third on Ben Williamson’s groundout before scoring on Cedric Mullins’ bunt single.

Rasmussen settled in quickly after yielding Steven Kwan’s double to begin the game. He struck out four of the next six batters and retired the last 12 batters he faced.

Cleavinger replaced Rasmussen to begin the eighth inning and recorded three outs with a strikeout on 11 pitches.

Messick retired the first seven batters he faced before Nick Fortes doubled with one out in the third inning. Fortes moved to third on Richie Palacios’ groundout, but he was stranded when Yandy Diaz lined out to first.

Tampa Bay put two runners on with one out in the seventh inning, but Messick struck out Mullins and Fortes to escape unscathed.

Baker completed the Rays’ eighth shutout of the season in the ninth by striking out Brayan Rocchio with a runner at first for his second save in as many days.

–Field Level Media

source

Continue Reading