Archive September 14, 2025

NFL 2025 season

Dates: 4 September 2025 – 8 February 2026

It’s week two of the NFL season and after two thrilling games won by the Buffalo Bills and Pittsburgh Steelers last week, we now have a Super Bowl rematch. The NFL just knows how to create these match-ups.

The Kansas City Chiefs host the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday and this is going to be very interesting because it’s definitely a revenge game. The Eagles beat the Chiefs 40-22 in the Super Bowl and nullified them till late in the third quarter.

I think the biggest difference between the two teams is their roster. You look at the Eagles, they have Jalen Hurts, Saquon Barkley, AJ Brown. You can keep listing all these great players, and I just don’t know who the Chiefs have any more. It’s Patrick Mahomes… then what is that supporting cast?

Rashee Rice is suspended for their first six games and Xavier Worthy suffered a shoulder injury as he and Travis Kelce ran into each other in last week’s defeat by the Los Angeles Chargers in Brazil.

That leaves Hollywood Brown and JuJu Smith-Schuster as the main receivers, which puts a lot of pressure on because the Chiefs’ run game has not been terrific at all.

The Chargers game was very much the Mahomes show. At one point, he had more carries than anybody else on the field. He put his body on the line multiple times – those hits add up, and you don’t want to see your superstar quarterback risking his health so early in the season.

Mahomes had six scrambles and the Chiefs only ran it 11 other times. Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt combined for 41 yards with 10 of those carries, and that’s just not sustainable.

After the Eagles, the Chiefs face the New York Giants and then the Baltimore Ravens so, realistically, they could have a 1-3 record after four weeks.

Baltimore is a huge game and with the Ravens losing to the Bills last week, they’re going to have a lot to prove as well, to show that they want to be on top.

The Eagles have a tough run defence, and the Giants have a good defence too, so I think that will be telling, to see how the Chiefs are able to run the ball. These two games stacked together, the Chiefs almost have to think about how they are going to prepare themselves to ensure they’re firing on all cylinders for the Ravens.

Last year, the Chiefs won so many one-score games, and they’re going to have to be much better to do that again. They may be out for revenge against the Eagles but I don’t think they have it in them… yet.

Rashee Rice is a huge part of their offensive scheme and, without Worthy, they don’t have any deep threat either so, I hate to say it, but I really struggle to see what they’ll be able to do. I don’t see what their answers are right now.

In the off-season, the Chiefs lost Joe Thuney, who was huge for them on defence, but they did draft a left tackle in the first round, Josh Simmons, to help protect Mahomes more, and brought in another offensive tackle in Jaylon Moore, so they are doing the right things to create strength on the offensive line.

They need to because the AFC West is the toughest it’s been in a long time – none of it is given this year. The Chargers beat the Chiefs, the Las Vegas Raiders have got better and Bo Nix has only got stronger with the Denver Broncos.

When Mahomes scrambled against the Chargers, there was nowhere for him to go, whereas in the Eagles’ win over the Dallas Cowboys, Jalen Hurts was in control.

The Eagles quarterback could run the ball when he wants to, when he’s able to make something happen. He was not forced into a situation where he has to run it, and both he and Saquon Barkley did a fantastic job on the ground. Hurts had two rushing touchdowns and Barkley had the other.

Hurts just knows the timing and how to attack a defence. Then you look at the receivers the Eagles have – AJ Brown, DeVonta Smith, Dallas Goedert, Jahan Dotson. There’s just so many more options, whereas it feels very condensed for the Chiefs.

You have to look at what Eagles general manager Howie Roseman continues to do with his teams. Every time someone zigs, he zags. He’s always thinking ahead.

Even though they lost starting right guard Mekhi Becton and released a couple of other players, I feel like they’ve got even better.

They were still able to add 10 talented rookies from the draft, Barkley signed a contract extension and they have just traded for running back Tank Bigsby.

They’ve also got one of the younger defensive corps. Jalen Carter wasn’t even in the game against the Cowboys after his spitting incident and the Eagles still had a pretty dominant win.

When you get to a Super Bowl, of course the brain drain occurs. Offensive co-ordinator Kellen Moore has become the New Orleans head coach, but Kevin Patullo has been promoted from passing game coordinator and was also Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni’s assistant, so he already understands a lot about that role.

This team has done such a great job in the off-season in so many facets – on the field, off the field, front office – so I think they can definitely make it back to the Super Bowl.

But I can’t say they’re going to win it because of the Bills. That comeback against the Ravens last week… once you’ve done something like that, you feel like you can achieve anything as a team, and they’ll aim to carry that standard.

So I think Bills-Eagles for the Super Bowl. And the Bills had better win it to cap their Highmark Stadium farewell tour. It’s what the storytellers want.

NFL 2025 season

Dates: 4 September 2025 – 8 February 2026

It’s week two of the NFL season and after two thrilling games won by the Buffalo Bills and Pittsburgh Steelers last week, we now have a Super Bowl rematch. The NFL just knows how to create these match-ups.

The Kansas City Chiefs host the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday and this is going to be very interesting because it’s definitely a revenge game. The Eagles beat the Chiefs 40-22 in the Super Bowl and nullified them till late in the third quarter.

I think the biggest difference between the two teams is their roster. You look at the Eagles, they have Jalen Hurts, Saquon Barkley, AJ Brown. You can keep listing all these great players, and I just don’t know who the Chiefs have any more. It’s Patrick Mahomes… then what is that supporting cast?

Rashee Rice is suspended for their first six games and Xavier Worthy suffered a shoulder injury as he and Travis Kelce ran into each other in last week’s defeat by the Los Angeles Chargers in Brazil.

That leaves Hollywood Brown and JuJu Smith-Schuster as the main receivers, which puts a lot of pressure on because the Chiefs’ run game has not been terrific at all.

The Chargers game was very much the Mahomes show. At one point, he had more carries than anybody else on the field. He put his body on the line multiple times – those hits add up, and you don’t want to see your superstar quarterback risking his health so early in the season.

Mahomes had six scrambles and the Chiefs only ran it 11 other times. Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt combined for 41 yards with 10 of those carries, and that’s just not sustainable.

After the Eagles, the Chiefs face the New York Giants and then the Baltimore Ravens so, realistically, they could have a 1-3 record after four weeks.

Baltimore is a huge game and with the Ravens losing to the Bills last week, they’re going to have a lot to prove as well, to show that they want to be on top.

The Eagles have a tough run defence, and the Giants have a good defence too, so I think that will be telling, to see how the Chiefs are able to run the ball. These two games stacked together, the Chiefs almost have to think about how they are going to prepare themselves to ensure they’re firing on all cylinders for the Ravens.

Last year, the Chiefs won so many one-score games, and they’re going to have to be much better to do that again. They may be out for revenge against the Eagles but I don’t think they have it in them… yet.

Rashee Rice is a huge part of their offensive scheme and, without Worthy, they don’t have any deep threat either so, I hate to say it, but I really struggle to see what they’ll be able to do. I don’t see what their answers are right now.

In the off-season, the Chiefs lost Joe Thuney, who was huge for them on defence, but they did draft a left tackle in the first round, Josh Simmons, to help protect Mahomes more, and brought in another offensive tackle in Jaylon Moore, so they are doing the right things to create strength on the offensive line.

They need to because the AFC West is the toughest it’s been in a long time – none of it is given this year. The Chargers beat the Chiefs, the Las Vegas Raiders have got better and Bo Nix has only got stronger with the Denver Broncos.

When Mahomes scrambled against the Chargers, there was nowhere for him to go, whereas in the Eagles’ win over the Dallas Cowboys, Jalen Hurts was in control.

The Eagles quarterback could run the ball when he wants to, when he’s able to make something happen. He was not forced into a situation where he has to run it, and both he and Saquon Barkley did a fantastic job on the ground. Hurts had two rushing touchdowns and Barkley had the other.

Hurts just knows the timing and how to attack a defence. Then you look at the receivers the Eagles have – AJ Brown, DeVonta Smith, Dallas Goedert, Jahan Dotson. There’s just so many more options, whereas it feels very condensed for the Chiefs.

You have to look at what Eagles general manager Howie Roseman continues to do with his teams. Every time someone zigs, he zags. He’s always thinking ahead.

Even though they lost starting right guard Mekhi Becton and released a couple of other players, I feel like they’ve got even better.

They were still able to add 10 talented rookies from the draft, Barkley signed a contract extension and they have just traded for running back Tank Bigsby.

They’ve also got one of the younger defensive corps. Jalen Carter wasn’t even in the game against the Cowboys after his spitting incident and the Eagles still had a pretty dominant win.

When you get to a Super Bowl, of course the brain drain occurs. Offensive co-ordinator Kellen Moore has become the New Orleans head coach, but Kevin Patullo has been promoted from passing game coordinator and was also Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni’s assistant, so he already understands a lot about that role.

This team has done such a great job in the off-season in so many facets – on the field, off the field, front office – so I think they can definitely make it back to the Super Bowl.

But I can’t say they’re going to win it because of the Bills. That comeback against the Ravens last week… once you’ve done something like that, you feel like you can achieve anything as a team, and they’ll aim to carry that standard.

So I think Bills-Eagles for the Super Bowl. And the Bills had better win it to cap their Highmark Stadium farewell tour. It’s what the storytellers want.

Jakob Ingebrigtsen described his performance as “terrible” after he suffered a shock exit in the men’s 1500m heats at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.

The world outdoor title is the only international 1500m gold medal missing from the Norwegian star’s collection after he was beaten by Great Britain’s Josh Kerr and Jake Wightman at the past two editions.

But the 24-year-old will not have the chance to end that wait inside the stadium where he triumphed in the Olympic 1500m four years ago after finishing eighth in his heat on Sunday.

Ingebrigtsen, a two-time Olympic and world champion, has endured an injury-disrupted season and did not race for six months prior to these championships.

“I was terrible,” Ingebrigtsen told BBC Sport.

“The race itself was perfect, especially how it turned out, it was gifted to me.

“Unfortunately I have lost too much and I have not been able to prepare.

“Of course I’m disappointed but it’s a reality check that it was never really going to happen. I was holding on for dear life because I love to compete.

“I’ve been glued to the floor unfortunately. I’ve not been able to do what is needed, clearly. I just have to look forward.”

Britons Kerr, Wightman and Neil Gourley progressed – and saw their medal hopes boosted further as Frenchman Azeddine Habz and talented Kenyan teenager Phanuel Koech, the top two fastest 1500m runners this year, both also exited the competition.

While Ingebrigtsen began the season by breaking the world indoor 1500m and mile records in the same race in February, and won 1500m and 3,000m golds at the World Indoor Championships one month later, an Achilles issue has prevented him from competing since.

Ingebrigtsen described that period as “pitch dark” before the championships, speaking to Norwegian broadcaster NRK.

“I have taken the trip down to the injury cellar several times this spring. It has been pitch dark there,” he said.

“This is more or less the worst case scenario for me because I have had to sit home and watch the whole season go by.”

Away from the track, the trial of Ingebrigtsen’s father took place earlier this year, with Gjert Ingebrigtsen cleared of abusing his son but found guilty of violence against his daughter, Ingrid.

Lewis Crocker strutted into the biggest night of his life with a chip on his shoulder.

For six months, he had stewed on his first encounter with Paddy Donovan. Amid the brouhaha that followed a wild night inside Belfast’s SSE Arena, it was easy to forget that Crocker had won.

Only it didn’t feel like it. Sub-par on the night, Crocker was outfought by the all-action Limerick southpaw, but still left with a ‘W’ next to his name after Donovan was disqualified for landing a blow after the bell at the end of the eighth round.

When the inevitable rematch was confirmed, Donovan was installed as the favourite. It did not escape Crocker’s notice.

And so, within seconds of becoming Belfast’s latest world champion via a split decision win at a raucous Windsor Park on Saturday night, Crocker was keen to get his point across when a DAZN microphone was thrust under his chin.

“Nobody gave me a chance in this fight, nobody,” said the new IBF welterweight champion.

“But I want to say all the people who gave me stick after the last fight, when you write your post tomorrow make sure you write ‘Lewis Crocker world champion!'”

Later, in the calmer surroundings of his post-fight press conference, Crocker added: “Paddy’s a great fighter. I saw articles in the build-up saying he could be the greatest Irish fighter of all time.

Winning a world title is every fighter’s dream, but Crocker was afforded the opportunity of breaking through to become the latest star of the welterweight division on home turf, in a stadium that is a mere five-minute stroll from his house.

And in seizing the biggest chance of his life, he follows in Carl Frampton’s footsteps by triumphing on a rare night of championship boxing at Northern Ireland’s national stadium.

“You just witnessed a kid who changed his life tonight,” 28-year-old Crocker told BBC Radio 5 Live.

Crocker cut a stoic figure in the build-up all week, largely sidestepping the temptation to make grand proclamations and whip up the hype until Friday’s weigh-in when he vowed to knock Donovan out.

It did not quite pan out that way, but unlike their first meeting, Crocker nailed his gameplan and produced two of the bout’s most thunderous punches to knock his opponent down in the third and fifth rounds.

With the stakes drastically higher than their March encounter, it was a largely cagey affair, but Crocker remained disciplined and economical throughout, refusing to let Donovan build up the head of steam that came so readily to the 26-year-old six months ago.

For the home fighter, embracing his underdog status and staying low-key in the build-up facilitated a more relaxed, controlled performance.

“I was being patient and making him miss and I’d make him pay eventually,” added Crocker.

“Billy [Nelson, his trainer] wanted me to pick up the pace a bit, but I could see that he was waiting for me to time and when he missed I was able to counter.

“There was nothing there tonight, he never buzzed or me anything. I felt comfortable, I was blocking shots well and was making him pay when he missed.

After a stellar junior amateur career, Crocker turned professional in 2017. Three years later, he stopped England’s Louis Greene in the seventh round to win the WBO European welterweight title in Wakefield.

Two successful defences of that belt followed before attracting more attention with a dominant win over Tyrone McKenna – who beat Dylan Moran on Saturday’s Windsor Park bill – in December 2023.

“I’m just getting started in my career, and a thank you to Eddie [Hearn, Matchroom boss] it took that Tyrone McKenna fight to change my life to get some publicity.

“Here I am. World champion at Windsor Park. The best night of my life.”

The big question, naturally, centres on Crocker’s next step. In the ring, he was quick to call out Conor Benn, who has not fought since losing to Chris Eubank Jr in April.

“I just think, domestically, it’s a huge fight with great styles.

“It’s going to be entertaining from the get-go. Benn’s a quality fighter. People always mention his name but I always thought there was no point in saying anything because I didn’t have a bargaining chip, why would he fight me, but I’m world champion now.”

Hearn, too, was keen to insert some illustrious names into Crocker’s orbit, including two-weight world champion Devin Haney, WBA kingpin Rolando Romero and WBO belt holder Teofimo Lopez.

“They’ve never had a night like that in Belfast with those kind of names coming to Belfast,” said Hearn.

“But with Lewis and Conor being part of the Matchroom team, it’s an easy fight to make. We had one more stand [in the stadium] tonight and you’d certainly do that for a Conor Benn fight and if we did it at the O2, he [Crocker] would half fill it up with you lot anyway.”