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The NFL returns to London on Sunday because the Minnesota Vikings (2-1) and New Orleans Saints (1-2) contest the primary of 5 worldwide slate of video games scheduled this season.
With Justin Jefferson and the Vikings taking over Alvin Kamara and the Saints at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Sunday’s recreation will mark the one hundredth recreation performed exterior of the US common and preseason.
After edging out a victory towards the Detroit Lions in week 3, the Vikings wish to reprise the magic of the ‘Minneapolis Miracle’ – Stefon Diggs scored a outstanding 61-yard landing in a NFC Divisional semifinal 4 years in the past – towards a struggling Saints group, which shall be with out beginning quarterback Jameis Winston and All-Professional extensive receiver Michael Thomas.
This 12 months, 10 groups will journey to 3 totally different nations, together with the first-ever common season recreation in Germany, when Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers host the Seattle Seahawks at Allianz Area – residence of Bundesliga soccer membership Bayern Munich – in November.
Throughout weeks 4 and 5 over 200 gamers, coaches and executives will rejoice their heritage by sporting worldwide flags on their helmets and apparel.
Gamers like Arizona Cardinals star Kyler Murray, who will don a South Korea flag, and Detroit Lions extensive receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown – Germany’s flag shall be on his helmet – will spotlight the NFL’s international variety inside the league.
“My mother is from Germany, so having German grandparents, talking German, each summer season the heritage and tradition has been part of my complete life,” mentioned St. Brown.
“I’m half German. It’s part of me. I like it. In my younger profession, I’ve already been amazed to see the affect my tradition and heritage has had and I’m excited to proceed to see the German illustration have an effect inside our recreation.”
Brady and the Bucs (2-1) will play at Raymond James Stadium on Sunday evening towards Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs (2-1).
Earlier this week, the Bucs have been pressured to apply on the Miami Dolphins’ group facility as a result of affect of Hurricane Ian, leaving the primetime matchup in Tampa in limbo.
Regardless of the destruction brought on by the hurricane, the group confirmed the sport would go on as scheduled, with Brady highlighting how the match may function a second the place followers can come collectively.
“I at all times really feel like sports activities has introduced individuals collectively over an extended time frame,” Brady mentioned on Thursday throughout a repeatedly scheduled media session.
“Watching totally different adversities, whether or not that was 9/11, whether or not that was Katrina, sports activities has an incredible method of therapeutic wounds and bringing individuals collectively and bringing communities collectively and begin to cheer for a typical curiosity for the frequent good.”
Climate issues apart, each groups enter week 4 coming off their first losses of the season.
In a rematch of Tremendous Bowl LV, by which Brady gained his seventh profession championship, the 2 famous person quarterbacks will meet once more for a sixth time and first because the title recreation.
Brady, who owns a 3-2 report over Mahomes, will enter Sunday’s recreation with the return of some much-needed offensive weapons – star extensive receiver Mike Evans is again from his one-game suspension for an on discipline scuffle with New Orleans Saints cornerback Marshon Lattimore.
Nonetheless receivers Chris Godwin and Julio, who’ve been out because the season opened with hamstring and knee accidents, are doubts for the Bucs.
“Any time you get your starters again you’ll completely satisfied to have them again and have them wholesome,” mentioned Bucs head coach Todd Bowles on Friday about the opportunity of having the three extensive receivers again on the sphere. “So, we simply need to be sure they’re all wholesome once they come again.”
The sport on Sunday is at 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC.
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson has began the season at a historic tempo, tallying 12 complete touchdowns by way of the primary three weeks of the season whereas main the group to a 2-1 report.
Jackson, who’s enjoying on the ultimate 12 months of his contract, will lead the Ravens towards fellow MVP candidate Josh Allen and the robust Buffalo Payments protection.
Each groups have suffered their solely defeats this season in epic showdowns towards the resilient Miami Dolphins.
The 2018 NFL first spherical picks have been an enormous a part of their group’s early success as Allen is coming off a 400-plus yard passing recreation towards the Dolphins, and at 9 passing touchdowns trails solely Jackson for many this season.
Jackson and Allen are the one two gamers within the NFL’s 103-year historical past to succeed in each 9 landing passes and 100 dashing yards over the primary three video games of a season.
Sunday’s showdown kicks off at 1 p.m. ET on CBS.
The reigning Tremendous Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams (2-1) will journey to San Francisco to tackle the division and in-state rival 49ers (1-2) on Monday Night time Soccer.
In recent times, the 49ers have been the Rams’ Achilles heel, as Los Angeles has didn’t notch a victory at Levi’s Stadium since 2018.
Notably, earlier than their victory within the NFC Championship final season, the Rams had misplaced six video games in a row to San Francisco.
After shedding quarterback Trey Lance for the season with an ankle harm in week 2, Jimmy Garoppolo and the 49ers will look to proceed their current success towards the Rams to repair a tough begin to the season by which they sport a 1-2 report within the extremely aggressive NFC West.
The sport between the NFC West rivals kicks off on Monday at 8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN.
