Red October Continues

10/13/2023

By: Matthew Cahill

Happy Friday

The League Championship Series is now officially set in both the AL and NL after last night. Who would’ve thought that the three teams with 100-plus wins (Dodgers, Orioles, and Braves) are all missing out? I guess that’s why they play the games.

Letter Rip!

MLB PLAYOFFS

Red October Continues

Nick Castellanos (3-3, 2 HRs) Leads Phillies to Victory in Game 4 (3-1) to Eliminate Braves for Second Straight Season

This game felt like it was just destined for the Phillies to win. Atlanta’s ace, Spencer Strider, was on the bump in game 4 and worked out of trouble in the first three innings to hold Philly scoreless. However, the Phils breaking through seemed inevitable. Austin Riley homered to left field in the top of the fourth to once again briefly give the Braves the lead like Game 3. Nick Castellanos immediately answered though with a solo shot of his own in the bottom half of the frame. In the following inning, Trea Turner hit a solo shot of his own to give Philadelphia the lead. After that, Castellanos hit yet another bomb in the sixth to extend the lead to 3-1. Just like that, Philadelphia was back in control.

Fun fact: Nick Castellanos is the first player in MLB history to have back-to-back multi-HR games in the postseason. He went yard twice in Game 3 as well.

Atlanta loaded the bases in the seventh with two outs for the likely MVP Ronald Acuña Jr. who gave the ball a ride to left center, but Johan Rojas made a great catch on the track to keep the Braves at distance. The top seed in the NL threw one more punch in the ninth, putting runners on first and third with nobody out. But once again, the Phillies handled everything thrown their way. Matt Strahm came in and retired three straight to send the Braves packing. Philly now heads into the NLCS for the second straight year where they will face off against the Diamondbacks. PHI Wins Series (3-1)

Watch: Every Phillies home run from the 2023 NLDS

Different Year, Same Story for Atlanta

Both 2022 and 2023 had strikingly similar outcomes for the Braves. Last year, they had 101 wins and lost to the Phillies in four games in the NLDS. This year, they had 104 wins and lost to the Phillies in four games in the NLDS. Atlanta also had a winning record against Philadelphia during the regular season both this year and last. There is something about October where the Phils just have their number.

SI: Takeaways From Atlanta’s Series-Ending Loss to the Philadelphia Phillies

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NFL

Make It 16 Straight

Chiefs Win 16th Consecutive Game Against the Broncos (19-8) to Kick off Week 6

Thursday Night Football’s matchup this week featured two teams heading in polar opposite directions. The Chiefs quickly moved on from their opening night loss to the Lions and entered the game winners of four straight, while the Broncos limped into the evening at 1-4. With the league’s worst defense, many expected Mahomes and company to steamroll through Denver and make quick work of them. It certainly felt like that throughout most of the game, but it was closer than it looked.

With Russell Wilson having his worst performance of the season, throwing for less than 100 yards, it was ironically the Broncos defense that kept them in the game. The same infamous defense that let up 70 points a few weeks ago kept Kansas City within arms reach by letting up just 16 points through three quarters. After a ridiculous touchdown catch from Courtland Sutton and a successful two-point conversion, this was suddenly a one-possession game with six minutes left. However, the Denver defense couldn’t muster up a stop when they needed it most, as Harrison Butker iced the game by hitting a 52-yard field goal with just under two minutes left to put this game out of reach. Although it wasn’t the blowout we all expected, the Chiefs tacked on another victory, moving to 5-1 on the season (3-0 with Taylor Swift in attendance). Denver on the other hand drops to 1-5, as they continue to find new ways to lose games.

How Long Has It Been?

The last time Denver defeated Kansas City was September 17, 2015. Peyton Manning was still under center for the Broncos, Pat Mahomes was still in college, and yours truly was probably asking fellow classmates to copy the trigonometry homework (sorry, Mr. Trongone). The two teams will face off again will face off in two weeks, but there’s no reason to expect this streak to stop any time soon.

QB Comparison

Wilson (DEN): 13/22, 95 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT

Mahomes (KC): 30/40, 306 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT

Top Performers

WR C. Sutton (DEN): 4 receptions, 46 yards, 1 TD

TE T. Kelce (KC): 9 receptions, 124 yards

Watch: Broncos vs. Chiefs Week 6 Highlights

ESPN: Russell Wilson Struggles in Loss to Chiefs: ‘I’ve got to Play Better’

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HIGHLIGHTS

Rangers def. Sabres (5-1)

Stars def. Blues (2-1, SO)

Golden Knights def. Sharks (4-1)

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STORYLINES

NBArank 2023: Player Rankings for 2023-24, From 10 to 1

For the last thirteen years, ESPN has done official rankings for the top 100 NBA players heading into the new season. Each edition has had its fair share of polarizing picks, and this year is no different. With spots 10-1 revealed, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is surprisingly above guys like LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Devin Booker, Damian Lillard, and Jimmy Butler. (ESPN)

Reviewing World Series Picks From MLB Experts

Saying this postseason has been surprising would be an understatement. If your predictions for the 2023 playoffs have been way off thus far, don’t sweat it. Looking back at the picks of a few MLB writers shows how difficult it is to properly predict the playoffs. (Bleacher Report)

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NEWS