Cowboys, Dolphins, 49ers make huge statements in Week 1 | Plus, Texas turns tide on Nick Saban and Alabama

Cowboys, Dolphins, 49ers make huge statements in Week 1 | Plus, Texas turns tide on Nick Saban and Alabama – CBSSports.com

🏈 Football Five

🙌 Good morning to everyone but especially …

THE DALLAS COWBOYS AND THE MIAMI DOLPHINS

When it rains, it pours, and the Cowboys can really pour it on. The Giants found out the hard way in a 40-0 pulverization. It was the largest shutout victory in Cowboys history and second-largest win by either team in the 123-game history (playoffs included) of the rivalry. It was also the Giants’ largest home shutout loss ever.

This Cowboys defense is ridiculous, and if opposing offensive lines aren’t very good or at least ready — the Giants’ was barely there, much less ready — Micah Parsons & Co. will feast.

If it’s any solace, Giants fans, you are the second team to lose a playoff game by 30+ points and then lose their opener the next season by 30+ points. The 1990-91 Raiders also did it. Those 1991 Raiders made the playoffs, though, so there is hope. I trust that Brian Daboll and his staff will figure things out. Considering the historic nature of this loss, it’s hard for them to not correct something.

If you like tons of points, you loved Dolphins-Chargers. If you like a little bit of timely defense sprinkled in, you probably only liked the Dolphins. Miami took a late lead and then got a stop to seal a thrilling 36-34 win in Los Angeles.

Tagovailoa was outstanding, writes Cody Benjamin in his Week 1 stock up, stock down.

👍 Honorable mentions

😶 And not such a good morning for …

The Browns have spent much of the 21st century being the laughingstock of the NFL. To Joe Burrow and the Bengals, though, it’s no laughing matter. Burrow fell to 1-5 in his career against Cleveland after a 24-3 loss in a torrential downpour.

The Bengals earned an “F” in our weekly grades. If there were a grade worse than that, they would have earned it.

👎 Not so honorable mentions

🏈 College football recap: Texas rolls Alabama in Tuscaloosa; Colorado stampedes Nebraska

Last year, after Quinn Ewers got hurt early and Bryce Young pulled off some magic, Texas felt like it let one slip away against Alabama. The Longhorns made sure that was not the case this year.

Ewers threw for 349 yards and three touchdowns, Texas sacked Jalen Milroe five times and picked him off twice, and the Longhorns outscored the Crimson Tide 21-8 in the fourth quarter to rally past Nick Saban’s squad, 34-24.

Saban has long owned his former assistants — he entered the game 28-2 against them — but Steve Sarkisian and his team cracked the code, writes Dennis Dodd.

Jerry Palm has Texas taking Alabama’s place in his latest projected College Football Playoff field, and the Longhorns are up to fourth in the AP Top 25 and sixth in the Coaches Poll.

No. 18 Colorado also continued its terrific start by crushing Nebraska, 36-14. Deion Sanders‘ bunch is certainly never boring: They have a new “Turnover Throne,” their fans stormed the field after the win, and quarterback Shedeur Sanders called out Nebraska coach Matt Rhule. The Buffaloes might not be Pac-12 title contenders yet, writes Will Backus, but they sure are fun.

Here’s more:

🎾 Coco Gauff makes history in US Open triumph; Novak Djokovic wins men’s crown

The stage, the start, the circumstances … most 19-year-olds would crumple. Most players regardless of age would, too.

Coco Gauff is not one of those 19-year-olds. She’s not one of those players, either. Gauff rallied from a tough first set to beat Aryna Sabalenka 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 in the US Open women’s final. Gauff is the youngest American US Open winner — man or woman — since Serena Williams in 1999. It’s her first Grand Slam title.

On the men’s side, Novak Djokovic won his 24th career slam, taking down Daniil Medvedev in straight sets, 6-3, 7-6 (7-5), 6-3. He paid tribute to Kobe Bryant after the victory.

Djokovic, 36, extended his own men’s record for most majors and tied Margaret Court for most major singles titles by a man or woman. Djokovic will also reclaim the top spot in the world rankings.

🏈 Michigan State suspends Mel Tucker amid sexual harassment investigation

The following section contains sensitive and disturbing content.

Michigan State suspended coach Mel Tucker without pay after it was revealed that Tucker is the subject of an MSU Title IX investigation into allegations of sexual harassment. A formal hearing is scheduled to begin Oct. 5.

⚾ MLB Power Rankings and weekend recap: Angels open to trading Mike Trout?

We’re inside three weeks until the regular season ends, and Matt Snyder’s Power Rankings are still going strong. Here’s the latest top five:

The Angels are nowhere near the top of the Power Rankings, but they may have made the biggest news this weekend with reports saying they might be open to moving Mike Trout if the star outfielder wants out. It’s been a nightmare year for the Angels, which wasted Shohei Ohtani‘s brilliance and saw Trout miss lots of time with injuries. And while nothing seems imminent, this is just the cherry on top of an awful last few months.

In other news …

📺 What we’re watching Monday

🏈 Bills at Jets, 8:15 p.m. on ESPN

This content was originally published here.