FOXBOROUGH, Mass.: Jimmy Garoppolo was once considered to be the man in waiting to take over at quarterback in New England for Tom Brady.
Now he’s the guy who helped hand the Patriots their worst home loss under Bill Belichick.
Jeff Wilson Jr. rushed for a career-high three touchdowns and 112 yards before leaving with an ankle injury and the San Francisco 49ers crushed New England 33-6 on Sunday.
Garoppolo finished 20 of 25 for 277 yards with two interceptions in his first game against his former team. San Francisco (4-3) has followed back-to-back losses with consecutive wins and is 3-0 on the road.
“It was an exciting night. Lot of emotions. Couldn’t imagine it going any better than this,” Garoppolo said.
The Patriots’ 27-point loss was their largest at home under Belichick. They had gone 286 games without a three-game losing streak, the longest span between three-game slides in NFL history. New England fell to 2-4 for the first since Belichick’s first season in 2000, when the Patriots went 5-11.
New England was outgained 467-241 in total yards.
“We were clearly out-coached, outplayed. Just out-everything,” Belichick said. “We’re still a long way from where we need to be. That’s obvious.”
San Francisco’s Brandon Aiyuk had six catches for 115 yards and Deebo Samuel had five catches for 65 yards before leaving the game with a hamstring injury.
“When we got them down, we got to keep them down, don’t want to give them any chance to breathe. I thought we did that tonight,” Garoppolo said. “Started from the first snap and carried its way throughout the whole game.”
Cam Newton struggled for the Patriots, completing 9 of 15 passes for 98 yards and three interceptions before being replaced by Jarrett Stidham in the fourth quarter. Stidham was 6 of 10 for 64 yards and an interception.
Belichick said his plan is to keep Newton as the starter.
“Yeah, absolutely,” he said.
Newton was out of sync from the outset, making poor reads and poorer throws. Garoppolo, meanwhile, was successful in spreading out New England’s defense with a steady diet of passes behind the line of scrimmage and jet sweeps to get the ball into the hands of Wilson, Samuel and tight end George Kittle.
San Francisco dominated the first half, taking a 23-3 lead, holding the ball for 22:30 and racking up a 301-59 advantage in total yards. The Patriots managed four first downs to the 49ers’ 18.
The Niners took just over five minutes and nine plays to march 75 yards and take a 7-0 lead on 3-yard run by Wilson. It was the first time the Patriots have allowed a touchdown on an opponent’s opening drive at home since Week 4 of 2016 against Buffalo.
Following a Patriots punt, San Francisco was pinned inside its 15. Long completions by Garoppolo helped erase some early penalty losses before he missed high on a pass for Kittle and was intercepted by Devin McCourty.
San Francisco’s defense limited the damage, yielding a 40-yard field goal by Nick Folk.
That wasn’t the case for the Patriots later in the second quarter.
Trailing 10-3, Newton made a bad play worse when he tried to dump off the ball on the run to receiver Jakobi Meyers. It was picked off by linebacker Fred Warner. Five plays later, the 49ers capitalized on a 4-yard touchdown run by Kyle Juszczyk.
The lead grew to 23-3 with just under a minute to go before halftime on a 16-yard run by Wilson.
“D just played impressive the whole day. I thought special teams and offense did, too. It was an extremely physical game,” 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said. “It was fun to watch.”
INJURIES
49ers: WR Richie James left with an ankle injury. ... Wilson had just crossed into the end zone following his third TD when his leg twisted as he was tackled. He stayed down on the field before walking off under his own power. Shanahan said the tentative diagnosis is a high ankle sprain. “Not sounding great right now,” he said.
Patriots: WR N’Keal Harry left with a head injury and did not return. … LG Joe Thuney departed with an ankle injury. … RT Justin Herron also left with an ankle injury.
NEWTON’S MILESTONE
With an 11-yard pass to Jakobi Meyers in the third quarter, Newton became the 48th NFL quarterback to reach the 30,000-yard plateau.
He also became the first NFL player to pass for 30,000 yards and rush for 5,000 yards in his career.
Garoppolo shines in return to NE; Niners crush Patriots 33-6
https://arab.news/ne7rp
Garoppolo shines in return to NE; Niners crush Patriots 33-6
National team representation framework introduced for Esports Nations Cup 2026
- Within their respective countries, partners will have the responsibility of building, representing their national esports teams on global stage
- Esports World Cup Foundation to establish ENC Development Fund to support long-term growth of nation-based ecosystems
RIYADH: The Esports World Cup Foundation has introduced the national team representation framework for the Esports Nations Cup 2026 — the global nation-based esports competition set to debut in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in November — by opening the application process for official National Team Partners.
The Esports Nations Cup introduces national team representation to the global esports calendar in a structured, recurring format. It complements the club-based Esports World Cup by enabling players to compete under their national flag and offering fans an opportunity to connect with elite esports through national identity.
National Team Partners will serve as the official national counterparts for the ENC 2026, within their respective countries and territories, with the responsibility of building and representing their national esports teams on the global stage. In partnership with the EWCF, they will coordinate team representation for the ENC, oversee and support national team coaches per game title, and coordinate with game partners and clubs within the ENC framework.
Beyond competition, National Team Partners will shape their national team identity through marketing, communications, and community engagement, and collaborate with creators, media, and public institutions to mobilize their local communities to build national fandom for their teams.
While National Team Partners are responsible for the organization and representation of national teams, the competitive integrity and player eligibility remain governed by ENC rules and game partner-aligned processes.
Each selected national team partner will nominate a national team manager who will serve as the public lead and primary representative of the national team. They will act as the primary contact between the EWCF and the local ecosystem team, supporting coordination, representation and activation at the country and territory level, and are formally confirmed by the EWCF.
To support the long-term growth of nation-based esports, the EWCF will establish the ENC Development Fund, committing at least $20 million annually, beginning with ENC 2026. The fund will support national team programs by covering travel and logistics for participation in the Esports Nations Cup, and by enabling promotional and fan-facing activities that build relevance, awareness, and engagement around national teams beyond the main competition, supported by the commercial, marketing, and operational capabilities required to deliver these activities consistently over time.
This includes support for training camps and boot camps with structured fan access, exhibition matches and showcase events, official watch parties, national team tours, and appearances at major gaming and sports events.
Further details on scope, eligibility, and implementation will be shared with selected National Team Partners as part of the onboarding process.
Ralf Reichert, CEO of the Esports World Cup Foundation, said: “The purpose of the Esports World Cup Foundation is to elevate esports and make it sustainable.
“The Esports Nations Cup is a natural next step in that journey. By opening this application process, we are inviting trusted National Team Partners to help define the framework for how countries and territories are represented in esports, with clear roles, aligned governance, and a system that works for players, game partners, and fans alike.”
Eligible applicants include esports organizations, clubs, agencies, nongovernmental organizations, national esports and sport federations and associations, recognized government-mandated entities, content creators, and experienced esports professionals with strong national ecosystem ties.
Applications are now open at esportsnationscup.com and will close on Jan. 31. Submissions will be reviewed through a multi-stage evaluation process, assessing governance standards, ecosystem standing, operational capability, community reach, and alignment with game partners’ requirements.
The first cohort of approved National Team Partners will be announced in early 2026.
The ENC will be held in Riyadh in November before moving to a rotating city model every two years.
