Reuters U.S. Sports Schedule at 2 PM EST on Thursday, Oct. 1

Oct. 1 (Reuters) - Reuters U.S. sports schedule at 2 PM ET on Thursday: - - - - The duty editor is Steve Ginsburg, 202-898-8427 - - - - NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE Ravens at Steelers PITTSBURGH - Winless and on the road, the Baltimore Ravens are in desperation mode but find a wounded Pittsburgh Steelers team scrambling on a short week to replace star QB Ben Roethlisberger in an AFC North division grudge match. (FBN-STEELERS-RAVENS-FIRSTLEDE-WRITETHRU/ (PIX), expect ASAP after 8:25 PM ET scheduled kickoff, by John Perrotto, The Sports Xchange, 400-word first lede, 700-word writethru) See also: 3 things we learned (Steelers/Ravens) (FBN-STEELERS/RAVENS-ANALYSIS/, expect ASAP after game ends, by John Perrotto, The Sports Xchange, 450 words per team) - - Week 4 preview: Ravens at Steelers Capsule previews of all Week 4 NFL games including keys to the game, player spotlight and key matchup for all Sunday and Monday games. (FBN-TEAMNAME-TEAMNAME-PREVIEW/, moved, by Derek Harper and Jeff Reynolds, The Sports Xchange, 400 words per game) - - Niners' York proving owners still NFL's make-or-break men Quarterbacks get the most money and coaches are the most frequent front men, but occasionally we get reminders that the most important person in any NFL franchise is the owner, and for this season's object lesson we can thank the San Francisco 49ers. After last season, the 49ers ran off a coach who made the franchise relevant after it stunk for most of a decade, and guess what has happened? They stink again. (FBN-49ers-COLUMN/, moved, The Sports Xchange, by Ira Miller, 832 words) - - Newton relates to Winston's growing pains TAMPA - They entered the NFL with expectations that come with being a Heisman Trophy quarterback and national champion. Both were the No. 1 overall picks and went to the worst team in football coming off a 2-14 record. So if there is anyone who knows what it's like to be Jameis Winston, it's Cam Newton. (FBN-BUCCANEERS-NEWS/, moved, The Sports Xchange, 581 words) - - Giants WR Cruz out Sunday Victor Cruz has a setback at practice and his 2015 debut could be weeks off, once again. (FBN-GIANTS-NEWS/, moved, The Sports Xchange, 390 words) - - Packers hoping trip to play 49ers just a Levi's preview GREEN BAY, Wis. - The Green Bay Packers will get their first exposure to Levi's Stadium this weekend. A return trip to the San Francisco 49ers' second-year stadium at Santa Clara, Calif., in four months is the end game they desire. (FBN-PACKERS-NEWS/, moved, The Sports Xchange, 539 words) - - Foster getting closer to returning HOUSTON - Houston Texans head coach Bill O'Brien keeps inching closer to declaring that Pro Bowl running back Arian Foster is back, characterizing him as a game-time decision Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons. (FBN-TEXANS-NEWS/, moved, The Sports Xchange, 422 words) - - Brady: Continuity, not revenge, keying Patriots' offense FOXBOROUGH, Mass. - Quarterback Tom Brady and the New England Patriots are off to quite an impressive start to 2015 as they head into their bye week. The defending champs are 3-0, thanks largely to a No. 1 offense buoyed by the NFL's No. 1 passing attack that has the Patriots No. 2 in points. (FBN-PATRIOTS-NEWS/, moved, The Sports Xchange, 530 words) - - NFL roundup News and notes from around the NFL. (FBN-ROUNDUP/, expect by 8 PM ET, The Sports Xchange, 400-600 words per team) - - - - COLLEGE FOOTBALL TCU could get reinforcements back Saturday DE Mike Tuaua and WR Andre Petties-Wilson return to practice and could play for TCU on Saturday. The Horned Frogs would welcome reinforcements, but coach Gary Patterson won't make the call on the players arrested last week on robbery and assault charges. (CFB-TCU-NEWS/, moved, The Sports Xchange, 300 words) - - FSU running back Pender undergoes lung surgery Florida State running back Mario Pender undergoes surgery to repair a hole in his lung. (CFB-FLORIDASTATE-NEWS/, moved, The Sports Xchange, 300 words) - - CFB notebook News and notes from around college football. (CFB-NOTEBOOK/, expect by 7 PM ET, The Sports Xchange, 400 words) - - - - GOLF Spieth expected to land PGA Tour Player of the Year honors American world No. 1 Jordan Spieth is set to cap a sensational season on Friday when he is widely expected to be named the PGA Tour's Player of the Year after a 2014-15 campaign highlighted by two major victories among his five wins. (GOLF-PGA/SPIETH, expect by 3 PM ET, by Mark Lamport-Stokes, 400 words) - - Asia set for massive Presidents Cup boost, predicts India's Lahiri India's Anirban Lahiri has already enjoyed a career-best year at golf's highest level and is now itching to make his debut at the Presidents Cup next week when Asia will stage the biennial competition for the first time. One of five Asia-born players on the International team, Lahiri believes the sport will receive a massive boost on his continent when the Cup is played in Incheon, South Korea from Oct 8-11. (GOLF-PRESIDENTS/LAHIRI (INTERVIEW), expect by 4 PM ET, by Mark Lamport-Stokes, 600 words) - - - - MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL Mets relieved for lucky break with Cespedes PHILADELPHIA - The New York Mets saw their postseason lives flash before them in the third inning of Wednesday's 7-5 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies, when center fielder Yeonis Cespedes was struck on the left hand by a pitch from Philadelphia reliever Justin DeFratus. (BBO-METS-NEWS/, moved, by Gordon Jones, The Sports Xchange, 477 words) - - Blue Jays party like it's 1993, chase home-field edge BALTIMORE - A large contingent of Blue Jays faithful took over the stands behind the team's third-base dugout to show how much this moment meant to them and the city. Toronto has not made the playoffs since winning the 1993 World Series, and the fans were ecstatic as the Jays when they locked up the AL East title. (BBO-BLUEJAYS-NEWS/, moved, The Sports Xchange, 500 words) - - 'Rusty' Tanaka back from surgery NEW YORK - Four hours before the Yankees were unable to clinch a playoff spot, Masahiro Tanaka took the mound for the first time in nearly two weeks. He only had one bullpen session to avoid further injury to his leg and when the first inning unfolded it was apparent rust was an issue. (BBO-YANKEES-NEWS/, moved, by Larry Fleisher, The Sports Xchange, 420 words) - - Cubs LHP Lester hitting his stride in nick of time CINCINNATI - The Chicago Cubs had this version of Jon Lester in mind when they opted to extend an offer of $155 million over six years in December. But it took some time before manager Joe Maddon, who called signing Lester winning the "baseball lottery," could cash in. (BBO-CUBS-NEWS/, moved, by Jeff Wallner, The Sports Xchange, 443 words) - - MLB Notebook News and notes from around the diamond. (BBO-NOTEBOOK/, expect by 7 PM ET, The Sports Xchange, 350 words) - - Today's MLB schedule at a glance - - American League Toronto at Baltimore, 12:05 PM ET (PIX) Boston at New York Yankees, 7:05 PM ET (PIX) Minnesota at Cleveland, 7:10 PM ET (PIX) Los Angeles Angels at Texas, 8:05 PM ET (PIX) Kansas City at Chicago White Sox, 8:10 PM ET - - National League New York Mets at Philadelphia, 12:05 PM ET (PIX) Chicago Cubs at Cincinnati, 12:35 PM ET (PIX) Los Angels Dodgers at San Francisco, 3:45 PM ET (PIX) Milwaukee at San Diego, 6:40 PM ET (PIX) Washington at Atlanta, 7:10 PM ET (PIX) Colorado at Arizona, 9:40 PM ET - - Interleague Miami at Tampa Bay, 7:10 PM ET (PIX) - - MLB Roundup Running capsule recaps of all the games on the MLB schedule. (MLB-ROUNDUP/, expect first version ASAP after conclusion of the first game of the day, The Sports Xchange, 500 words) - - - - NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION NBA roundup News and notes from around the NBA. (BKN-ROUNDUP/, expect by 7 PM ET, The Sports Xchange, 280 words) - - - - NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE NHL roundup The latest news and notes from the NHL. (HKN-ROUNDUP/, expect by 7 PM ET, The Sports Xchange, 350 words) - - - - SOCCER Platini has more explaining to do, says German league chief BERLIN - UEFA chief Michel Platini must provide more details over a payment of more than $2 million from soccer's ruling body FIFA and its troubled president Sepp Blatter, the president of Germany's soccer league says. (SOCCER-FIFA/PLATINI, moved, 339 words) - - - - AUTO RACING NASCAR enters new era of franchises Winning for sale? The late Bill France Jr. might argue the new team structure for NASCAR would be just that. There will be an agreement prior to the 2016 season between the sanctioning body and the RTA that will result in team owners being able to have an identifiable stake in the sport beyond showing up to race every week. (CAR-SPRINT-COLUMN/, moved, The Sports Xchange, by Jonathan Ingram, 900 words) - - Win or go home for Harvick at Monster Mile For the second straight postseason, Kevin Harvick finds himself in a similar position as the UFC fighters he manages. (CAR-SPRINT-XFINITY-PREVIEW/, moved, The Sports Xchange, special from NASCAR Wire Service, 820 words) - - Former F1 driver Alguersuari, 25, quits MADRID - Jaime Alguersuari, who was once the youngest Formula One driver, announces his retirement from auto racing at the age of 25 to follow a career in music. (MOTOR RACING-ALGUERSUARI/, moved, 225 words) See also: Confirmed F1 driver lineups for 2016 (MOTOR RACING-DRIVERS/) Manor Marussia to use Mercedes engines next season (MOTOR RACING-MERCEDES/MANOR) McLaren confirms Button to race on in 2016 (MOTOR RACING-MCLAREN/BUTTON (UPDATE 1) - - - - TENNIS Serena ends season early to focus on health SINGAPORE - World No. 1 Serena Williams opts against defending her WTA Finals title and decides to end her season early following a roller coaster campaign littered with pains and prizes. (TENNIS-WOMEN/SERENA (UPDATE 1), moved, 430 words) - - Venus ends Briton's run, Muguruza powers on in China BEIJING - Grand slam finalists Garbine Muguruza and Roberta Vinci storm into the semifinals of the Wuhan Open while Venus Williams ends the giant-killing run of Briton Johanna Konta. (TENNIS-WOMEN/WUHAN, moved, 349 words) - - - - HURRICANE JOAQUIN Sports world casts caution, eye on Joaquin Hurricane Joaquin could wreak significant havoc on the sports world this weekend. The tropical storm is forecast to be a major force in multiple NFL cities, could lead to juggling of games that impact Major League Baseball's postseason and has NASCAR setting up contingency plans for Sunday's race at Dover, N.H. (MSC-NEWS-JOAQUIN, moved; will be led, The Sports Xchange, 700 words) - - - - RUGBY Rugby World Cup France calls for flair against plucky Canadians MILTON KEYNES, England - Unbeaten France is set to change tack for an expansive, free-flowing game against a lively Canadian side that came so close to upsetting Italy. (RUGBY UNION-WORLD/FRANCE-CANADA, expect by 6 PM ET, by Justin Palmer, 400 words) - - France tries to not make a pig's ear of it against Canada MILTON KEYNES, England - Piglet or wild boar? France will be hoping to see the calmer and cuddlier side of Philippe Saint-Andre if it can beat Canada today and pick up its third Rugby World Cup Pool D victory. (RUGBY UNION-WORLD/FRANCE-CANADA-SCENE (PIX), moved, 310 words) Note: We will also monitor news from across the tournament and file stories throughout. (RUGBY UNION-WORLD/) - - - - NORTH AMERICAN SPORTS Roundups of off-field developments in the major North American professional sports leagues. (Expect by 8 PM ET, by The Sports Xchange, 400 words)