Sports

The offense has been near flawless, the defense has been much improved and the special teams has generated big plays to help Oakland to its first 2-0 start in 15 years.

What began more than a year ago with an NFL quarterback protesting police brutality against minorities by kneeling silently during the national anthem before games has grown into a roar with hundreds of players sitting, kneeling, locking arms or remaining in locker rooms — their reasons for demonstrating as varied as their methods.

Simmonds scored his second power-play goal to break a tie with 10:33 remaining and completed the first opening-night hat trick in Flyers history with an empty-netter as Philadelphia beat the San Jose Sharks 5-3 on Wednesday.

Seattle's Danny Valencia hit a three-run homer against his former team and fellow ex-Oakland slugger Yonder Alonso added a two-run shot in the Mariners' 6-3 win over the Athletics on Tuesday night.

With a young offensive core led by Derek Carr and Amari Cooper, last year's Defensive Player of the Year Khalil Mack and the return to the NFL of local hero Marshawn Lynchafter a one-year retirement, the Raiders are considered one of the top challengers to New England in the AFC after last year's breakthrough 12-win season.

Davis hit his 25th homer, a two-run shot in the ninth inning that lifted the A's to a 5-3 victory over the Cleveland Indians on Saturday night.

Fifth-ranked USC forced four of its six turnovers in the fourth quarter to set up a touchdown run by Stephen Carr and a TD pass by Darnold, and the Trojans won their 13th straight game by pulling away late for a 30-20 victory over California on Saturday.

Armstead, a first-round pick in 2015, will miss significant time for a second straight season after having shoulder surgery that cost him the final eight games of 2016. He may go on injured reserve, where he would join fellow defensive ends Tank Carradine (ankle) and Ronald Blair (wrist).