NFL midseason grades, awards, 2nd-half predictions; Commanders open up NFC East race

The Commanders opened up the NFC East race. The Giants had an opportunity to distance themselves from the pack, but the division is up for grabs following Washington's 24-21 win. Jayden Daniels bounced back from a pair of fourth-quarter interceptions to throw the game-winning touchdown with 57 seconds to play in the NFL's Week 10 opener. That strike to Stefon Diggs threw a wrench in the division race. The Giants are still in control at 5-3-1, but the Cowboys loom at 4-5 and the Commanders themselves are now locked into a three-team race just two games back of New York.

Yordan Alvarez and Pete Crow-Armstrong are MLB MVPs. In fact, they are unanimous MVPs. Alvarez received every first-place vote in the American League after he nearly won the Triple Crown, and Crow-Armstrong left no doubt in his battle with Shohei Ohtani for the National League crown. PCA's breakthrough season at age 24 was legendary and put him in rare company among baseball's top young players of all time.

Three big-name NBA players will miss time. None are more significant than Stephen Curry. Tests revealed that the injury he sustained on Wednesday was an oblique tear. The best-case outcome is a two-week absence, and anything beyond that could be devastating for the Warriors. An even more serious injury is set to knock Caleb Wilson out for at least a month, which throws a big early-season wrench in the Rookie of the Year race and eliminates the only reason to watch the Bulls. Another player will miss three games for disciplinary reasons. The NBA suspended Marcus Smart for punching Charles Bassey in the Rockets' Wednesday night win over Curry's Warriors.

Manchester United's managerial change has serious USMNT implications. It was a foregone conclusion that the Red Devils would sack Michael Carrick, and they made the move official. Mauricio Pochettino will be their next coach, pulling him away from his post with the USMNT after the two upcoming Concacaf Nations League matches vs. Haiti.

UFC 334 brings championship fights to Madison Square Garden this weekend. The men's heavyweight title will be on the line when Ciryl Gane opens his championship defense against Josh Hokit. Saturday's co-main event is one of the most highly anticipated women's fights in MMA history and features Amanda Nunes in her return from retirement. The greatest female fighter of all time seeks the bantamweight championship against Kayla Harrison.