Sports
Raheem Morris eyes more than 'tick' of improvement for Falcons' offense
Aug 23, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris on the sideline against the Jacksonville Jaguars in the second quarter at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images
In Raheem Morris’ first home win as head coach of the Atlanta Falcons, the good outweighed the bad — but just barely.
Despite not scoring an offensive touchdown, Atlanta improved to 2-2 Sunday thanks to a special teams touchdown, a pick-six and four field goals from Younghoe Koo — including a career-long 58-yarder with two seconds left to beat the New Orleans Saints, 26-24.
“It’s a three-phase game, the way I look at it at all times,” Morris told reporters Monday. “But you get a chance to go out and score on defense, you score on special teams, you’re throwing a pool party in your head.”
In the pivotal NFC South victory, Atlanta possessed the ball for 11:24 less than the Saints, and mustered just 315 total yards.
Entering Sunday, the Falcons had struggled mightily on third-down conversions, holding a 6-for-27 (22.2 percent) success rate. Morris’ offense was slightly better in the Week 4 victory, as Atlanta converted on 4 of its 11 tries.
“There are always things you want to improve on,” Morris added. “You talk about time of possession, we got a little bit better on third downs (Sunday), just a tick better. I think you have to take it one step at a time when you’re trying to get better in all of those areas, but third downs is one of those stats that is directly related to time of possession. Those are the things you focus on from a coaching standpoint.”
Atlanta will have little time to correct any offensive shortcomings, as it hosts its second straight NFC South foe on Thursday in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The meeting between the top two teams in the division will mark multiple reunions for the first-year Falcons coach. After serving as a defensive assistant for the Buccaneers from 2002-05 and 2007-08, Morris was Tampa Bay’s head coach from 2009-11, compiling a 17-31 record.
Morris will also reunite with current Tampa Bay quarterback Baker Mayfield, who revived his career with the Los Angeles Rams in 2022, when Morris was Los Angeles’ defensive coordinator.
“I’ve got so much respect for Baker from when we got him in L.A., and he had a chance to come out there and revitalize what he lost, a little bit,” Morris said. “I think Baker is going to do whatever he can to win that football game.”
Tampa Bay leads the all-time series with Atlanta 31-30, and has won six of the last eight over the Falcons.
–Morris said Andersen, who was responsible for Atlanta’s pick-six with a 47-yard return in the second quarter, is day-to-day with a knee injury.
The Falcons did not practice Monday but released an estimated injury report. Starting running back Bijan Robinson (hamstring), wide receiver Ray-Ray McCloud III (ankle) and right tackle Kaleb McGary (knee) would have been limited participants.
–The Falcons will sign linebacker and former first-round draft pick Rashaan Evans to their practice squad, ESPN reported Monday.
Evans, 28, started all 17 games for the Falcons in 2022 and recorded a career-high 159 tackles with two sacks and two fumble recoveries.
He was drafted 22nd overall by Tennessee in 2018 and has 485 tackles, five sacks, five fumble recoveries and two interceptions in 85 games (68 starts) with the Titans (2018-21), Falcons and Dallas Cowboys (2023).
–Field Level Media
Sports
Cubs LHP Matthew Boyd injures knee playing with his children, put on IL
May 3, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Cubs pitcher Matthew Boyd (16) pitches against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the first inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images Chicago Cubs left-hander Matthew Boyd hurt his left meniscus while playing with his children at home on Wednesday morning and was placed on the 15-day injured list.
Cubs manager Craig Counsell said that Boyd had an MRI that revealed the knee injury and the pitcher will require surgery. The move was retroactive to Monday.
“It’s kind of unexplainable,” Counsell said. “Kind of an innocent, going down to the ground and getting back up.
“He woke up this morning a healthy player,” the manager added. “He’s just trying to process it and get all the information from the doctors to figure out what’s next.”
Counsell said the timetable for Boyd’s return will be determined after the surgery, but the team expects him to play again this season.
Boyd, 35, was on the IL from April 2-21 because of a left biceps strain. He is 2-1 with a 6.00 ERA, six walks and 31 strikeouts in 24 innings over five starts this season.
An All-Star for Chicago in 2025, Boyd is 62-78 with a 4.61 ERA in 218 career appearances (204) starts for the Toronto Blue Jays (2015), Detroit Tigers (2015-21, 2023), Seattle Mariners (2022), Cleveland Guardians (2024) and Cubs.
In a corresponding move, Chicago selected the contract of right-handed reliever Trent Thornton from Triple-A Iowa. They also designated lefty Charlie Barnes for assignment to clear room on the 40-man roster for Thornton. Righty Yacksel Rios was sent outright to Iowa.
Thornton, 32, is 0-0 with a 3.18 ERA in 5 2/3 innings over four games (one start) with Iowa this season. He has a career record of 14-19 with a 4.38 in seven seasons for the Toronto Blue Jays (2019-23) and Seattle Mariners (2023-25).
The Cubs already have starting pitchers Justin Steele (left elbow) and Cade Horton (right elbow) on the injured list.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Rangers ace Nathan Eovaldi halts Yankees' five-game streak
May 6, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; Texas Rangers pitcher Nathan Eovaldi (17) delivers a pitch during the first inning against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images Nathan Eovaldi pitched eight stellar innings and was backed by two early homers as the visiting Texas Rangers quieted the New York Yankees in a 6-1 victory on Wednesday night.
After pitching seven innings in last Wednesday’s 3-0 home win over the Yankees, Eovaldi (4-4) struck out a season-high eight and walked none for the second time this season. The veteran right-hander allowed just three hits, including Aaron Judge’s major league-leading 15th homer in the sixth that snapped his scoreless string at 13 innings.
The Rangers scored more than five runs for the seventh time this season and ended a three-game losing streak by racing out to a six-run lead through four innings against New York’s Will Warren (4-1).
Corey Seager homered three batters into the contest and Evan Carter hit a two-run shot in the third. Seager added an RBI single after going 4-for-31 in his previous eight contests and not getting an RBI in his previous nine.
Ezequiel Duran contributed an RBI double and a bases-loaded sacrifice fly as Texas finished with more than five runs for the first time since April 23 against Pittsburgh.
Eovaldi made the lead stand up with ease. He often recorded quick outs and threw 72 of 101 pitches for strikes.
Eovaldi completed eight innings for the 16th time in his career and fourth time against the Yankees, whom he pitched for in 2015 and 2016. Jacob Latz pitched the ninth as the Rangers held the Yankees to five baserunners.
Judge hit his 12th homer in his past 23 games, but the Yankees saw a five-game winning streak stopped and lost for the third time in their past 18 games. New York scored 46 times in the previous five games, but finished with fewer than two runs for the fifth time this season.
Warren often fell behind hitters and was tagged for season highs of six runs on seven hits in four innings. Warren did get seven strikeouts, but he walked three as he threw first-pitch strikes to just 12 of 22 hitters.
Seager opened the scoring by lifting a 3-0 fastball into the right field seats and Texas added three in the third. After Duran’s double to left-center, Carter hit a 2-1 sweeper off the facing of the second deck in right for a 4-0 lead.
Following Duran’s sacrifice fly in the fourth, Seager made it 6-0 by lining a single to center.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Yankees to honor late broadcaster John Sterling with uniform patch
May 4, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees wear “JS” stitched on their hats honoring radio play-by-play announcer John Sterling during the game against the Baltimore Orioles at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images The New York Yankees will honor longtime radio announcer John Sterling, who died on Monday at the age of 87, with a patch on their uniforms for the reminder of the season.
The Yankees will continue to wear caps with the initials “JS” on the back through May 17. The team will switch to the patch as their tribute to Sterling on May 18, when the Yankees’ next homestand begins.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone approves of the tribute.
“I think it’s appropriate, certainly,” Boone told the New York Times after the Yanks’ 7-4 victory over the Texas Rangers. “(I’m) glad we’ll be able to honor his legacy throughout the rest of the season.”
The patch will feature Sterling’s name, as well as a microphone with the Yankee logo on a pinstriped background.
Sterling passed away from complications of heart failure on Monday, the Times reported. Sterling was honored prior to Monday’s game with a ceremony that featured a moment of silence and a video of some of Sterling’s most iconic radio calls.
After Monday’s game, Sterling’s signature call of “Thuuuuuuuuuuh Yankees WIN!” was played over the PA system at Yankee Stadium, followed by Frank Sinatra’s “Theme from New York, New York.”
Both manager Boone and Yankees captain Aaron Judge called for making that combo a permanent tradition. But Sterling’s call was not part of Tuesday’s post-game victory celebration, and it was unclear if the team intends to continue it, the Times reported.
Count Jazz Chisholm Jr. among those who feel the patch is a good way to honor Sterling this season.
“He was here for a long time,” said Chisholm. “He represented the Yankees well. We all, in our childhood, have that John Sterling call rising in our ears. I think it’s pretty cool that we, as a team and organization, get to recognize him for all the great things that he’s done here.”
–Field Level Media
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