Just when the Cleveland Browns thought they were in position to open the NFL season with a statement win, Patrick Mahomes did what Patrick Mahomes does.
The Kansas City Chiefs star threw for a pair of touchdowns in the fourth quarter as the reigning AFC champions edged the Browns 33-29 on Sunday.
Mahomes completed 27 of his 36 passes for 337 yards and three interceptions as the former MVP made more NFL history.
The 25-year-old broke the record for most passing yards in NFL history through first 50 games, while he also boasts the most passing touchdowns ever through the same amount of appearances.
Cleveland had built a 22-10 half-time lead, with Baker Mayfield directing three scoring drives that led to Nick Chubb finding the end zone twice and Jarvis Landry running in another touchdown before the break.
Mayfield finished 21 of 28 passing for 321 yards, but had one critical mistake late. With the Browns near midfield and just over a minute to play, the Chicago quarterback scrambled to avoid pressure before throwing a pass up for grabs to the left sideline. Mike Hughes leaped to intercept the ball and the Chiefs ran out the clock from there.
Mahomes, meanwhile, was poised as ever as he led the Chiefs to their ninth win in the last 11 games in which they trailed by double digits.
It started with a 14-play drive to open the second half, capped by an 11-yard TD pass to his favourite target Travis Kelce.
The signature moment, though, was a stunning 75-yard deep strike to Tyreek Hill that brought the Chiefs within two early in the fourth quarter.
The Browns botched a punt deep in their own territory on the ensuing drive and Mahomes hit Kelce for the go-ahead touchdown three plays later.
It was the kind of turnaround Cleveland fans have grown all too accustomed to over the years, particularly in season openers.
The Browns have not won in Week 1 since 2004 and are now 0-16-1 since.
Winston, Saints crush Packers
Aaron Rodgers dominated the headlines throughout the NFL offseason but he was upstaged in a big way as the season began.
Jameis Winston threw for five touchdowns as Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers were kept from the end zone altogether in a 38-3 New Orleans Saints rout.
Rodgers completed just 15 of 28 passes for 133 yards and threw two interceptions. He had only five interceptions all of last season on the way to being named NFL MVP for the third time.
Winston took over the starting role in New Orleans from another future Hall of Famer, the retired Drew Brees, and was brilliant at the Superdome. He completed 14 of 20 passes for 148 yards without an interception or a sack.
In a matchup of two young quarterbacks, Tua Tagovailoa got the better of his former Alabama team-mate Mac Jones as the Miami Dolphins edged the New England Patriots 17-16 on the road.
While the rookie Jones had the better numbers of the two with 29 of 39 passing, 281 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions, the Patriots repeatedly had to settle for field goals.
Tagovailoa, meanwhile, ran one touchdown in himself and threw for another in the third quarter that provided the eventual winning margin.
French Open: Nadal brushes off Moutet to seal 300th grand slam match win
Rafael Nadal recorded his 300th grand slam match win by easing into the third round of the French Open, beating Corentin Moutet in straight sets.
The 'King of Clay' is in search of a record-extending 22nd major title at Roland Garros, where he was dethroned by Novak Djokovic last year.
On this evidence, Nadal is in the form to re-establish his dominion of the tournament, overcoming a spirited home hope, who enjoyed the benefit of vocal support from the crowd on Court Philippe-Chatrier on Wednesday evening.
Nadal will see room for improvement having failed to serve the match out in the third set, but a 6-3 6-1 6-4 win was never in doubt.
The tone for a procession was established when Nadal raced into a 3-0 lead in the opening set, and Moutet's dream of playing his idol soon appeared to be turning into a nightmare.
Nadal won the second set in commanding fashion behind an excellent first serve, but found Moutet's resistance more stern in the third.
That spirit was exemplified by Moutet breaking Nadal's serve with the Spaniard ahead 5-3. However, Nadal immediately responded in kind, dominating Moutet from the back of the court and wrapping up a landmark victory when the Frenchman sent a lob long at the end of an entertaining rally.
Nadal will face Botic Van De Zandschulp in the third round.
Data Slam: Nadal 107-3 opponents
As well as being his 300th grand slam match win, Nadal's triumph was his 107th at Roland Garros. He has still only tasted defeat in Paris three times. The fifth seed won all 11 of his first-serve points in the second set of another impressive display.
WINNERS/UNFORCED ERRORS
Nadal – 27/22
Moutet – 16/24
ACES/DOUBLE FAULTS
Nadal – 1/2
Moutet – 0/3
BREAK POINTS WON
Nadal – 7/12
Moutet – 2/4
Kaepernick to have workout for Raiders
Colin Kaepernick will work out for the Las Vegas Raiders this week.
According to multiple reports, the Raiders will cast their eye over Kaepernick, who has not played in the NFL since the 2016 season.
Kaepernick knelt during the national anthem throughout that campaign with the San Francisco 49ers in a protest against police brutality and racial injustice.
Since the end of his time with the 49ers, Kaepernick has not had a single workout with an NFL team.
That will now change, with Kaepernick getting the chance to impress the Raiders, who have Jarrett Stidham and Nick Mullens on their roster as backup quarterbacks to Derek Carr.
Kaepernick was drafted in the second round of the 2011 draft by the 49ers. He took them to Super Bowl XLVII after taking over the starting job during the 2012 season, the 49ers losing 34-31 to the Baltimore Ravens, and the NFC Championship Game in the 2013 campaign.
The 2016 campaign saw a poor Niners team go 2-14 with Kaepernick at quarterback, however, with 16 touchdowns to just four interceptions in 12 games, he was tied for the sixth-best TD-INT ratio in the NFL.
Speaking on the 'I Am Athlete' podcast recently, Kaepernick rejected concerns a general manager may have over him being a locker room distraction and having a negative impact on the business side.
"That 2016 season, my last year, my team-mates voted me most courageous and inspirational player," Kaepernick said.
"So, when you're talking about the people that are in the building, that has never come out that I've been a distraction. That's never come out that I've been an issue for the people I've played with.
"You have 'End Racism' in the back of your end zone. You have 'Black Lives Matter' on your helmet. Everything I've said should be in alignment with what you're [the NFL] saying publicly.
"It's a $16billion business. When I first took a knee, my jersey went to No. 1. When I did the deal with Nike, their value increased by six billion dollars. Six billion. With a B.
"So if you're talking about the business side, it shows [it's] beneficial. If you're talking about the playing side, come in, let me compete. You can evaluate me from there.
"The NFL's supposed to be a meritocracy. Come in, let me compete. If I'm not good enough, get rid of me. But let me come in and show you."
Roma 1-0 Feyenoord: Zaniolo secures Giallorossi's first major European title
Nicolo Zaniolo led Roma to their first major continental title with a 1-0 victory over Feyenoord in the Europa Conference League final in Tirana on Wednesday.
After suffering a defeat in the 1984 European Cup final and missing out on UEFA Cup glory seven years later, the Serie A side were not to be denied an elusive European triumph and lifted their first trophy since the Coppa Italia in 2008.
Zaniolo, who missed the entire 2020-21 season after suffering a second ACL injury in under a year, dinked in an exemplary finish in the 32nd minute to put Roma in charge.
Feyenoord upped their game after the restart and were denied by the woodwork twice in three minutes, but Jose Mourinho's men tightened up and saw out a famous victory.
The meeting between the competition's two most prolific sides was bereft of goalmouth action for much of the first half, with Henrikh Mkhitaryan's withdrawal due to injury the most notable event in the opening half hour.
Roma moved in front with the first real chance of the match, though, as Zaniolo brought down Gianluca Mancini's excellent delivery with his chest and stabbed an instinctive finish home.
Feyenoord made a bright start to the second half and Mancini diverted a fizzed low cross onto the near post of his own goal before Rui Patricio parried Guus Til's follow-up behind.
Patricio produced a stunning stop in the 50th minute when he tipped a ferocious 20-yard drive from Tyrell Malacia onto the woodwork.
Justin Bijlow denied Jordan Veretout and Lorenzo Pellegrini as Roma tried to get a second on the break, but Bryan Linssen was unable to connect with Cyriel Dessers' flick-on in stoppage time on a painful evening for Feyenoord.
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