CNN
—
The NFL returns to London on Sunday as the Minnesota Vikings (2-1) and New Orleans Saints (1-2) play the first of five international games scheduled this season.
With Justin Jefferson and the Vikings and Alvin Kamara and the Saints at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Sunday’s game will be the 100th game played outside of the US regular and pre-season.
After beating the Detroit Lions in Week 3, the Vikings are looking to repeat the magic of the “Minneapolis Miracle” — Stefon Diggs hit a remarkable 61-yard touchdown in an NFC Divisional semifinals four years ago — against a struggling Saints team that will be without starting quarterback Jameis Winston and All-Pro wide receiver Michael Thomas.
This year, 10 teams are traveling to three different countries, including the first-ever regular-season game in Germany when Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers host the Seattle Seahawks at the Allianz Arena – home of Bundesliga soccer club Bayern Munich – in November.
During weeks 4 and 5, over 200 players, coaches and leaders will celebrate their heritage by sporting international flags on their helmets and clothing.
Players like Arizona Cardinals star Kyler Murray, who will wear a South Korea flag, and Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown – Germany’s flag will be on his helmet – will represent the global diversity of the NFL emphasize within the league.
“My mother is from Germany, so having German grandparents who speak German every summer has been a part of my entire life’s heritage and culture,” St. Brown said.
“I’m half German. It’s part of me. I love it. Even in my young career, I’ve been amazed to see the impact my culture and heritage has had, and I look forward to continuing to see how German representation has an impact on our game.”
Brady and the Bucs (2-1) play Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs (2-1) at Raymond James Stadium on Sunday night.
Earlier this week, the Bucs were forced to practice at the Miami Dolphins team facility due to the effects of Hurricane Ian, leaving the primetime matchup in Tampa in limbo.
Despite the destruction caused by the hurricane, the team confirmed the game would go ahead as planned, with Brady highlighting how the game could serve as a moment for fans to come together.
“I’ve always felt that sport has brought people together over a long period of time,” Brady said Thursday during a regular media session.
“When you observe various adversities, whether it’s 9/11 or Katrina, sport has an amazing way of healing wounds and bringing people together and bringing communities together and beginning to celebrate a common interest in the common good.”
Weather issues aside, both teams head into week four after their first losses of the season.
In a rematch of Super Bowl LV, where Brady won his seventh career championship, the two superstar quarterbacks meet for the sixth time and for the first time since the title game.
Brady, who owns a 3-2 record against Mahomes, will enter the game on Sunday with the return of some much-needed offensive weapons — star wide receiver Mike Evans is back from his one-game suspension to meet with the New Orleans cornerback Saints flog Marshon Lattimore.
However, receivers Chris Godwin and Julio, who have been out since the season opener with hamstring and knee injuries, are doubtful for the Bucs.
“Anytime you get your starters back, you’re going to be glad to have them back and have them healthy,” Bucs head coach Todd Bowles said Friday of the possibility of having the three wide receivers back on the field. “So we just want to make sure they’re all healthy when they come back.”
Sunday’s game is at 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC.
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson has started the season at an historic pace, scoring 12 total touchdowns in the first three weeks of the season and leading the team to a 2-1 record.
Jackson, who is playing in the final year of his contract, will lead the Ravens against fellow MVP candidate Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills’ tough defense.
Both teams suffered their only losses this season in epic showdowns against the resilient Miami Dolphins.
The 2018 NFL first-round picks were a big part of their team’s early success, as Allen has a 400+ yard passing game against the Dolphins and is trailing only Jackson with nine touchdowns this season.
Jackson and Allen are the only two players in the NFL’s 103-year history to have both nine touchdown passes and 100 rushing yards in the first three games of a season.
Sunday’s showdown begins at 1 p.m. ET on CBS.
Reigning Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams (2-1) will travel to San Francisco for Monday Night Football against the league and rivals 49ers (1-2).
In recent years, the 49ers have been the Rams’ Achilles’ heel as Los Angeles has not recorded a win at Levi’s Stadium since 2018.
Notably, the Rams had lost six straight games to San Francisco before winning the NFC Championship last season.
After losing quarterback Trey Lance for the season to an ankle injury in Week 2, Jimmy Garoppolo and the 49ers will look to continue their recent success against the Rams in a bid to fix a difficult start to the season in which they post a 2-1 record highly competitive NFC West.
The game between the NFC West rivals begins Monday at 8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN.