The GIST: Though the weather may be worse than average, it’s still a beautiful Monday in Chicago because the Bears are 5-1 for the first time since 2012. Oh happy days!

In control: The Bears defense was the MVP in yesterday’s 23–16 win over the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers’ opening drive suffered a Chicago sack followed by an interception, creating the first opportunity the Bears were able to capitalize on to create their early lead.

• The defense stayed strong and didn’t allow any of the Panthers’ 12 first-half red zone (between the 20-yard and goal line) plays to gain more than five yards, keeping Carolina out of the end zone until the fourth quarter. Pretty impressive.

Seize the day: QB Nick Foles is looking more comfortable with every snap (and every Meek Mill song), releasing the ball quickly and effectively yesterday. He came out firing, completing nine of his first 10 throws, and ended with one TD pass and one run in on a QB sneak.

• This game shows how serious of a playoff contender the Bears are. While this team is nowhere near perfect, we’ve seen improvement every game, which is critical as Chicago faces tougher teams in the coming weeks.

The GIST: The Giants finally grabbed their first win yesterday, beating the Washington Football Team (WFT) 20–19 (!!!), but if you’re a Jets fan, all we can say is...sorry.

LFG: At long last, the Giants looked like a functioning football team this week with solid defensive plays and properly executed TD passes. They led the majority of the game, until the WFT tied it up in the fourth quarter. Thankfully for the G-men, rookie linebacker Tae Crowder had a clutch scoop and score to give New York the 20–13 lead with just a few minutes remaining.

• But Washington wasn’t done fighting. With less than a minute remaining, they scored a TD to make it 20–19. Instead of going for a tie, the WFT tried for the two-point conversion, but, to the Giants’ relief, were unable to make it to the end zone.
• While it wasn’t pretty, it was definitely a win, marking head coach Joe Judge’s first victory in the NFL. Let’s hope they can keep it going this week when the Giants face the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday Night Football.

Rock bottom: The Jets lost 24–0 to the Miami Dolphins yesterday, their first shut-out loss against Miami since 1983. And yes, it was as brutal as it sounds. At 0-6, the Jets are the only winless team in the league, meaning it’s time to start thinking about changes.

• With this season lost (and increasingly more embarrassing), the Jets made another move right after yesterday’s game by trading defensive tackle Steve McLendon to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in exchange for the Bucs’ 2022 sixth-round draft pick. Here’s hoping the next move is to fire head coach Adam Gase. Harsh, but needed.

The GIST: With the NWSL Fall Series wrapping up on Saturday, it’s time to turn your attention across the pond, where some of our favorite Olympians continue to play in the FA Women’s Super League. Let’s spill the tea.

Who’s playing?: Star players like Tobin Heath, Christen Press, Ashley Lawrence and, most recently, new mom Alex Morgan have all taken their talents overseas. The mostly short-term moves were prompted by the uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic in the States but could signal a broader movement of players looking for better salary opportunities and stability.

• These players have already made a big impression, highlighted by Heath and Press jerseys outselling all Manchester United men’s jerseys in the three days after their signing. No surprises there!
   
• While we wait for the NWSL to announce details for the 2021 season, there’s plenty of action in the Super League to tide us over until the Olympics begin next summer.

Any other news from the league?: Glad you asked! Arsenal’s Vivianne Miedema broke a huge Super League record over the weekend, scoring her 50th goal in 50 (!!!) games to become the league’s all-time leading scorer. After breaking the record, the Dutch star knocked in two more goals just for good measure. Have yourself a day.

The GIST: Big day in LA yesterday! The Dodgers brought the fireworks and advanced to the World Series for the third time in four years. Happy Monday!

⚾️How was Game 7?: It was nerve-wracking as hell. The Dodgers’ pitchers gave us heartache to start Game 7 of the NLCS, but managed to hold the Atlanta Braves to just two runs in the first two innings.

• It felt like Mookie Betts saved the Dodgers’ season with another spectacular leaping catch, before Kiké Hernández and Cody Bellinger secured the win for the Dodgers with solo home runs. Comeback season, baby!

World Series bound! Who’re they playing?: The Tampa Bay Rays. The Rays are built differently than the Dodgers, with less star power but still a lot of depth. Maybe, just maybe, this will finally be the year the Dodgers overcome their postseason woes and win their first World Series in over 30 years.

• Game 1 starts tomorrow at 8:09 p.m. ET/5:09 p.m. PT. Ride that momentum!

🏈Anything else?: Yes, but you were better off celebrating the Dodgers’ win. On the gridiron, the Rams’ sloppy play led to a 24–16 loss to the San Francisco 49ers. The Rams need to clean that up before facing the 5-1 Chicago Bears next Monday.

The GIST: Washington Football Team (WFT) head coach Ron Rivera said they’d try to win now against a weak NFC (National Football Conference) East. Unfortunately, they lost to their lowly NFC East opponent NY Giants 20–19. So close.

Dare we ask what happened?: The WFT fell behind early before attempting a furious comeback. Then, Riverboat Ron was out in full force with audacious calls. After wide receiver Cam Sims scored his first NFL touchdown with less than a minute remaining in the fourth quarter, Rivera elected for the two-point conversion to win the game as opposed to kicking the easier one-point conversion to tie it. Clearly, the gamble didn’t pay off. Sigh.

What else?: Besides the incomplete pass for the two-point conversion, QB Kyle Allen made an error at another crucial moment. He fumbled the football when the game was tied at 13, which led to the Giants’ game-winning play. Hold onto that football like you’re holding onto hope for a COVID-19 vaccine ASAP.

What’s next?: The WFT need to stay aggressive and hopefully win (what a novel concept) on Sunday against another NFC East foe, the Dallas Cowboys, who are without star QB Dak Prescott. Here we go!