DID YOU SEE WHERE ....?

Glen Allen’s Zac Jones played for the New York Rangers Saturday night (Nov. 4) after being a healthy scratch for nine of the season’s first 10 games. It took an injury to Adam Fox to get the first NHL player born AND raised in Virginia back in the lineup. His only other appearance was Oct. 14 in a 5-3 loss at Columbus. 

 Fox, the 2021 Norris Trophy winner, collided with Carolina’s Sebastian Aho in the first period of New York’s 2-1 victory two nights earlier … and did not return. Later it was announced Fox suffered a lower-body injury and would miss a minimum of 10 games. 

 Aho and Fox went knee-to-knee and, although no penalty was called, the Rangers insisted it was a dirty play by Aho … despite replays from several angles showing otherwise.

 Saturday night Jones, 23, was paired on the No. 3 defense with Braden Schneider, 22. Badly outshot (40-18), the Rangers (8-2-1) blew an early 3-0 lead and bowed 5-4 in a shootout, ending a six-game winning streak but adding a point to their lead in the Metropolitan Division. … 

MONTEZ SWEAT said, “I’m happy to be the player I am.” Why not? He signed a four-year contract worth $104 million ($72.9 guaranteed) with his new team, the Chicago Bears, before playing a game. 

Sweat was the first to go as the Washington Commanders dumped their arguably-best defensive ends at the NFL’s trading deadline. Da Bears coughed up a second-round draft choice in 2024. Then the 49ers grabbed Chase Young for a third rounder. Both apparently were happy to move on.

The Commanders were equally glad to get rid of Young, the league’s rookie of the year in 2021. Plagues by injuries since then, he talked a better game than he played and became a source of irritation for coach Ron Rivera … who, if insiders are right, will be fired no later than season’s end. 

AL MICHAELS is getting heat for – get this – lack of enthusiasm in his NFL Thursday night game play-by-play. I mean, how excited can you get with such mundane matchups seen on a streaming service, for crying out loud. 

To think most criticism of talking heads usually has to do turning the routine into a hollerfest. For example, see GUS JOHNSON, who can be so annoying we seldom watch CBS when he’s got the call. 

Until next time ...