Leading Off: Pictures of the Week

Leading Off: Pictures of the Week

Jamie Sabau/Getty Images

U.S. striker Eddie Johnson (18) heads the ball past defender Diego Reyes (4) and goalie Jesús Corona (1, background in red shorts) of Mexico for the first goal of the American's 2-0 victory on Sept. 10. The win, coupled with a 2-2 draw later the same evening between Honduras and Panama, clinched a berth for the U.S. in the 2014 World Cup.

Bill Frakes/SI

Sophomore wideout Shaq Roland of No. 6 South Carolina bends over backward to catch a pass against Georgia cornerback Brendan Langley during the 11th-ranked Bulldogs' 41-30 victory over the Gamecocks on Sept. 7. With the win, Georgia jumped up to No. 9 in the AP Top 25, while South Carolina fell to No. 13.

Jamie Squire/Getty Images

Emirates Team New Zealand (red sail) surges past Oracle Team USA (blue sail) to the windward side of foggy Alcatraz Island en route to victory in race 3 of the America's Cup finals on Sept. 8. Through Wednesday, the Kiwis held a 4-1 lead in the best-of-17 series.

Erick W. Rasco/SI

Top-seeded Serena Williams celebrates her 17th Grand Slam championship after defeating second-seeded Victoria Azarenka 7-5, 6-7, 6-1 in the Women's Singles final at the U.S Open on Sept. 8. The title is the fifth at the tournament for Williams, 31, who also won in 2012.

Bob Martin/SI

Second-seeded Rafael Nadal takes a bite out of the U.S. Open trophy after defeating No. 1 seed Novak Djokovic 6-2, 3-6, 6-4, 6-1, in the Men's Singles final on Sept. 9. In his career, Nadal, 27, has now won two Open titles and 13 Grand Slam championships.

Darren Carroll/SI

Nadal hits a forehand return during his victory over Djokovic at the U.S. Open on Sept. 9. The intense rivalry between the two men -- who have now met on the court 37 times -- was highlighted in the final by a 54-shot rally in the second set. In 2010, Nadal, who is from Spain, defeated Djokovic, who is from Serbia, for his first U.S. Open championship, while Djokovic returned the favor by beating Nadal for the title one year later. "Playing against Novak is a very special feeling," Nadal said after the match. "Probably nobody brings my game to [the] limit like Novak."

Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images

Packers tight end Jermichael Finley (88) tumbles over 49ers safety Donte Whitner to score on a 12-yard pass from quarterback Aaron Rodgers during the second quarter of San Francisco's 34-28 defeat of Green Bay on Sept. 8. Finley had five catches for 56 yards in the game, but he also dropped a pass that was then intercepted by 49ers safety Eric Reid.

Gerald Herbert/AP

UAB running back Darrin Reaves (5) dives for a touchdown past LSU safety Ronald Martin (26) and ahead of linebacker Deion Jones (45) during the second quarter of the ninth-ranked Tigers' 56-17 victory over the Blazers in Baton Rouge, La., on Sept. 7. With the win, LSU moved up to No. 8 in the AP Top 25.

Drew Hallowell/Getty Images

Phillies second baseman Chase Utley is tagged out at home by Nationals catcher Wilson Ramos in the eighth inning as reliever Craig Stammen tries to avoid a collision during Washington's 3-2 defeat of Philadelphia on Sept. 4.

Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post/Getty Images

Louis Pilloni (far right, yellow helmet) cuts hard into a corner pursued closely by Zak Maytum (black helmet) as the two race down Pikes Peak outside of Colorado Springs, Colo., during the International Pikes Peak Downhill Longboarding competition on September 8. Riders reached speeds of up to 55 mph on the 1.4-mile course, which dropped 680 feet from a starting elevation of 11,446 feet. Maytum, a native of Boulder, won the race.

Robert Beck

Packers running back Eddie Lacy (27) is hit high and low by 49ers defensive tackles Ray McDonald (91) and Justin Smith (94), and linebacker NaVorro Bowman (53), during San Francisco's 34-28 victory over Green Bay on Sept. 8. The Packers had upgraded their anemic rushing attack by drafting Lacy in the second round last spring, but they rushed for just 63 yards on 19 carries against the 49ers' rugged defense.

L.G. Patterson/AP

Rams tight end Jared Cook (89) vaults into the end zone past Cardinals safety Yeremiah Bell (37)on a 16-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter during St. Louis' 27-24 defeat of Arizona on Sept. 8. Cook caught seven passes in the game for 141 yards and two touchdowns.

Al Tielemans/SI

Seahawks safety Earl Thomas (29) puts his shoulder into stopping Panthers running back DeAngelo Williams during Seattle's 12-7 defeat of Carolina on Sept. 8.

Bill Frakes/SI

South Carolina cornerback Jimmy Legree (15) gets his helmet knocked askew while taking down Georgia tailback Keith Marshall (4) during the Bulldogs 41-30 defeat of the Gamecocks on Sept. 7.

Simon Bruty/SI

Oregon cornerback Avery Patterson (21) grabs hold of the leg of Virginia tight end Zachary Swanson (49) during the second-ranked Ducks' 59-10 victory over the Cavaliers on Sept. 7.

Brennan Linsley/AP

Broncos fans cheer the opening of the NFL season from within Sports Authority Field at Mile High before Denver's 49-27 defeat of the Super Bowl champion Ravens on Sept. 5.