NFL:
Matthew Stafford put up modest numbers against the New York Giants on Monday night, but they were more than enough the way the Detroit Lions' defense and special teams were playing.
Stafford completed 15 of his 21 passes for 122 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions as the Lions thumped the Giants, 24-10 at the Meadowlands. Stafford's scoring throws came in the first half, including a seven-yard pass to Eric Ebron that put Detroit ahead to stay.
The Lions hounded Eli Manning most of the night and held Odell Beckham Jr. to four receptions for 36 yards in his first game since returning from an ankle sprain. Ezekial Ansah recorded three of Detroit's five sacks on Manning, who was 22 of 32 for 239 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Detroit also gave up just 62 yards on 18 carries.
The Giants got within 17-10 before rookie Jamal Agnew brought back a punt 88 yards for a touchdown with 12:56 to play. Matt Prater provided one of the Lions' other special teams highlights, drilling a 56-yard field goal that bounced off the crossbar and through the uprights in the final minute.
The Giants dropped to 0-2.
NFL-INJURIES
Ezekiel Elliott has won another round against the NFL.
A federal judge in Texas has denied the league's request to suspend his injunction that blocked a six-game suspension for the Dallas Cowboys running back.
The ruling from U.S. District Judge Amos Mazzant on Monday was expected and came after the NFL had already moved on to the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans with the same request. Mazzant criticized the NFL for not waiting for his decision after using the argument of premature filings against the NFL Players Association in Elliott's request for the injunction.
In other league news:
— Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski says the groin injury he suffered in New Orleans is not serious and pronounced himself as "day to day" regarding this week's game against the Houston Texans. Gronkowski caught six passes for 116 yards and a touchdown before leaving after a third-quarter hit. He did not return and was seen on the sidelines riding the stationary bike.
— Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck will miss his third consecutive game Sunday after being ruled out by head Chuck Pagano Monday. Pagano acknowledged that doctors still have not cleared the franchise quarterback to return to practice, although the coach didn't rule out the possibility of Luck coming back Wednesday. Luck hasn't participated in any workouts or on-field activity since undergoing shoulder surgery in January.
— Lawrence Timmons' future with the Dolphins could be brief after he went AWOL Saturday, the day before the team's season opener against the Chargers in Los Angeles. Head coach Adam Gase said he hadn't talked with Timmons about his brief but untimely disappearance, and didn't know whether the linebacker had returned to the team complex. The Dolphins later made contact, but he wasn't with them at the game and didn't fly back to South Florida on the team plane after Miami's 19-17 win.
— The Panthers will be without tight end Greg Olsen for several weeks. Coach Ron Rivera says Olsen had surgery to repair a broken right foot suffered in Sunday's game. Olsen has never missed a game due to injury in 11 seasons. He has gained at least 1,000 yards receiving in each of the past three seasons.
— Browns wide receiver Corey Coleman broke his right hand in Sunday's loss at Baltimore and is having surgery. It's the same hand Coleman broke as a rookie last year in practice and missed six games. Coach Hue Jackson did not give a timetable on his return.
NFL VALUATIONS
The Cowboys not only are the NFL's most valuable franchise for the 11th straight year, they are the top-valued team in the world. According to Forbes magazine, their worth increased 14 percent in the last year, reaching $4.8 billion. That's more than $1 billion ahead of the Patriots, who are valued at $3.7 billion. Rounding out the NFL's top five are the Giants at $3.3 billion, the Redskins at $3.1 billion and 49ers at $3.05 billion.
On average, an NFL franchise is worth $2.52 billion, an increase of 8 percent since 2016.
Globally, according to Forbes' rankings of July, the Cowboys are followed by the Patriots and baseball's New York Yankees at $3.7 billion. Next in those rankings are European soccer giants Manchester United, FC Barcelona and Real Madrid.
MLB:
The Boston Red Sox were able to retain their three-game lead in the American League East by storming back from an early five-run deficit.
Andrew Benintendi poked a two-run single with two out in the 11th inning to send the Bosox past the Orioles, 10-8 in Baltimore. Xander Bogaerts tied the game with a solo homer in the seventh before Benintendi sent Boston to its ninth win in 12 games.
Mookie Betts had four RBIs, including a three-run double in the Red Sox's six-run fifth. Brock Holt was 2-for-2 with a two-run single and two runs scored to help the Red Sox prevent the Yankees from getting within two games of the division lead.
In the Bronx, Aaron Judge banged out his AL-leading 44th home run and Todd Frazier delivered a tiebreaking, sacrifice fly that sent the Yanks to a 2-1 victory over the Twins.
Jaime Garcia struck out nine and held Minnesota to a run and four hits over 5 2/3 innings, but he's still seeking his first win since joining the Yankees. Winning pitcher David Robertson combined with Dellin Betances and Aroldis Chapman to toss hitless ball the rest of the way and lock up New York's eighth victory in 10 games.
The Yanks have a five-game lead over Minnesota for the first AL wild card and are 6 ½ games clear of a playoff berth.
The Twins are 1 ½ games ahead of the Angels for the second AL wild card.
Checking out the other major league finals:
— Brent Suter combined with four relievers on an eight-hitter as the Brewers blanked the Pirates, 3-0 to climb within 3 ½ games of the NL Central-leading Cubs. Ryan Braun's fourth-inning homer put Milwaukee ahead. Neil Walker and Travis Shaw added RBI singles for the Brewers, who are two games behind Colorado for the second NL wild-card slot.
— Clayton Kershaw had a 2-0 lead until Aaron Altherr hit a grand slam off the Dodgers' ace to lead Philadelphia to a 4-3 win over the NL West leaders. Chris Taylor opened the scoring with an inside-the-park homer and Justin Turner added a solo shot later in the first inning before Altherr helped the Phillies deal the Dodgers their second straight loss. Winning pitcher Nick Pivetta struck out eight and held Los Angeles to four hits over six innings.
— The Dodgers were able to cut their magic number to three with Arizona's setback at San Diego. Hunter Renfroe hit a three-run home run in his first game back from Triple-A to push the Padres over the Diamondbacks, 4-2. Luis Perdomo allowed two runs and four hits in 5 1/3 innings to get the win.
— Giancarlo Stanton crushed his major league-leading 55th homer and the Marlins tagged Matt Harvey for seven runs over just four-plus innings of a 13-1 thrashing of the Mets. Stanton's three-run blast in the fourth gave Miami a 5-1 lead. Marcell Ozuna also homered and had four of the Marlins' 19 hits in support of Dan Straily, who gave up a run and three hits over five frames.
— Matt Olson slammed a two-run homer and Jed Lowrie had three RBIs as the Athletics whipped the Tigers, 8-3. Chad Pinder also drove in a pair and Raul Alcantara worked 3 2/3 scoreless innings as an emergency starter. Jharel Cotton was a late scratch with a right groin strain.
MLB-NEWS
Nearly two decades after the height of the Steroids Era, Major League Baseball is on track to break its season record for home runs on Tuesday with nearly two weeks left in the season.
There were 5,663 home runs hit through Sunday in this Summer of the Slugger, 30 shy of the record set in 2000 at the height of performance-enhancing drugs. Long balls totaled 5,610 last year, an average of 2.31 per game. This year's average projects to 6,143 — up from 4,186 in 2014.
Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred says: "Players are bigger and stronger. They're playing a little differently, in terms of the way they swing. Pitchers throw harder. The one thing I remain comfortable with: Nothing about the baseball, according to our testing, is materially different."
Also in the majors:
— Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia is day to day with a bruised nose after being struck in the face by his own foul ball Monday. Pedroia fouled a pitch off the plate, and the ball bounced up and struck him in the nose.
— Oakland Athletics starter Jharel Cotton was scratched from Monday's start against the Tigers with a right groin strain. Cotton began his warmups at the normal time, but Raul Alcantara went out to the bullpen to prepare as Cotton walked back to the dugout.
— Baltimore Orioles pitching prospect Miguel Gonzalez has died of injuries he sustained in a car accident in the Dominican Republic Saturday night. The 21-year-old Gonzalez was signed as a non-drafted free agent in 2014 and pitched for the Orioles in the Dominican Summer League for the past three seasons.
T25-COLLEGE FOOTBALL-NEWS
Auburn coach Gus Malzahn has dismissed Sean White, saying his former starting quarterback "has made poor decisions that are not in the best interest of our program, and more importantly, himself."
White was arrested early Sunday morning on a charge of public intoxication and had been suspended for the first two games for undisclosed reasons. He lost his starting job in a preseason competition with transfer Jarrett Stidham.
— Washington State linebacker Peyton Pelluer broke his foot in Saturday's victory over Oregon State and is done for the season. The Lewiston Tribune and The Seattle Times report that the senior defensive leader suffered the injury that likely ends his college career. Pelluer won Pac-12 defensive-player-of-the-week honors last week after a 14-tackle performance for the No. 18 Cougars against Boise State.
NBA-NEWS
Restricted free agent center Mason Plumlee has agreed to return to the Denver Nuggets on a three-year, $41 million deal.
Plumlee averaged 9.1 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.6 assists after being acquired in a February deal that sent Jusuf Nurkic to Portland. Plumlee fit in seamlessly with fellow big man Nikola Jokic, who has become the face of the franchise.
NHL-WILD-KOIVU
Minnesota Wild captain Mikko Koivu has accepted a two-year, $11 million contract extension.
The 34-year-old Koivu was entering the final season of his contract and comes off one of his best years with 18 goals and 58 points in 80 games. He was a finalist for the Selke Trophy, given annually to the best defensive forward.
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