After struggling in the Super Bowl, the New England Patriots offense was hopeful to turn things around in its rematch with the Seattle Seahawks defense in Week 1. While the game as a whole was much more competitive, the end result was still disappointing.
The Patriots finished with just 10 points on the day, turned the ball over three times, and were plagued by some of the same issues that already haunted them back on Super Sunday. The game was there for the taking, but Drake Maye's third interception of the day sealed it in the home team's favor, which came away with a 13-10 victory over the reigning AFC champions.
In the aftermath of the loss and New England's disappointing outing, offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels found himself the subject of criticism for what was seen as a fairly conservative game plan. However, head coach Mike Vrabel defended the plan on Monday.
"I don't look at things as conservative. That's what we felt like was best against this defense," Vrabel said during an appearance on WEEI's The Greg Hill Show.
"We didn't hit some things and you have to be able to run the football against split safety defense. That's no secret. You don't play split safety defense to stop the run; they play it to not give up big plays. We tried to hit some shots down the field. We threw it to the running backs a couple times for 12 or 15 yards when they were all off there, and on the interception should have thrown it to the back again for a third time. You just can't get bored doing things right. If it's not there it's not there."

#things #disappointing

By the time Lincoln Financial Field's clock struck 0:00 late Sunday afternoon and the Eagles had survived a 24-22 Week 1 win over the Washington Commanders, a palpable sense of relief could be felt by the fanbase.
For the sixth straight time under Nick Sirianni and Jalen Hurts, the Eagles won their opening game. It is the longest active streak in the NFL and it is always better to start 1-0 than 0-1.
Just ask the Dallas Cowboys.
While the Eagles' defense looked absolutely gassed by the end of it, they managed one last goal-line, two-point conversion stand, and spent the better part of the first three quarters limiting Jayden Daniels and the Washington offense for most of the afternoon.
It was reminiscent of a season ago, when the defense carried an offense that had trouble maintaining consistency.

#washington #better #defense #offense

The beginning of the Washington Commanders' season is not for the weak. First, they face division opponents in the first two weeks of the season, and then they play the reigning Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks in Week 3. Both games against division opponents are on the road, too, which doesn't help anything.
On Sunday, the Commanders opened their season against the Philadelphia Eagles, and it was a difficult game to watch early on. The Commanders struggled with timing, Jayden Daniels looked uncomfortable, and Terry McLaurin was MIA. Defensively, the secondary led the team in tackles, which is concerning. Rookie Sonny Styles actually led all linebackers with four tackles (three solo), one sack, two tackles for a loss, and one quarterback hit.
They seemed to figure things out near the end of the game, but it was too little, too late, and the Commanders fell 24-22 after failing to convert a two-point attempt to tie the game. Let's take a look at the lowest and highest-graded players from the Commanders' loss, as graded by Pro Football Focus.
WR Antonio Williams (91.0)
QB Jayden Daniels (74.9)

#daniels #loss

Carter Bear gave the Detroit Red Wings exactly the kind of opening performance they wanted from one of their most important young forwards.
Bear registered 10 shots on goal and an ***** ist Saturday as Detroit rallied from a two-goal third-period deficit to defeat the Dallas Stars 4-3 in a shootout in its Prospect Tournament opener at the BELFOR Training Center.
According to Detroit Hockey Now's game report, Bear was Detroit's most visible offensive player. His ***** ist came on Jesse Kiiskinen's second-period power-play goal, which tied the game 1-1. Bear started alongside Nate Danielson and Kiiskinen on Detroit's top line.
Detroit eventually needed late goals from Noah Dower Nilsson and Théo Rochette before Trey Augustine made eight shootout saves and Kienan Draper scored the winner on the Red Wings' eighth attempt.
Bear's performance stood out even in a game loaded with notable prospects.

#detroit #carter

We've got a game that counts on our hands Sunday afternoon, when the Commanders play the Eagles in Philadelphia.
In a word: Finally.
The 2026 NFL regular season is here, where we finally see what all those free-agent signings, NFL draft picks new play callers can do for a Commanders team looking to rebound from a 5-12 showing.
Starting the season against host Philadelphia is no easy task. It will require quality and consistent execution from both sides of the football, winning tough matchups and finding a way to pull through at the end.
We could pick darn near anyone as a key player in this matchup, but we'll stick to five Commanders (not named Jayden Daniels) to watch heading into this NFC East clash:

#Eagles #starting

Washington quarterback Jayden Daniels had a very successful 2024 season that ended in disappointment in Philadelphia.
The Commanders had won two road playoff games, and winning the third consecutive road playoff game was out of the question that day in the NFC Championship Game as the Eagles routed the Commanders 55-23. So one reporter asked Commanders head coach Dan Quinn on Friday about Daniels' hunger to win and what Quinn has observed.
Injured in 2025, Daniels was not able to take the field against the Eagles in either game in 2025. So this is Daniels' first return facing the Eagles since that 2024 NFC ******* le game. "I think it honestly started like towards the end of the season last year," replied Quinn. "That is where it began. But from that point, (there are) new systems and changes which are hard to go through. He's consistently working at it and going after it; it demonstrates readiness. He was more accurate than he's ever been."
Yes, both Quinn and offensive coordinator David Blough have referenced this offseason how Daniels has worked hard to learn and master the new offense. Both have also referred to Daniels' accuracy throughout training camp.
"So, those are the things that I saw. He's always just a confident player, and he's clutch. So, like those things, I wouldn't say they come natural to him, but they are at the forefront. But all the unseen work that went into it- he's gotten stronger, he's gotten bigger." It's no secret the Commanders are concerned with Daniels being injured so often in 2025. They are encouraged that he worked this offseason to get stronger.

#quinn #game #Eagles #season

Both the Steelers and the Falcons have new coaching staffs heading into Week 1. It's safe to say both franchises will be looking to start their new era off on the right foot with a victory. I spoke with Kevin Knight of The Falcoholic to learn a bit about what's new with the Atlanta Falcons.
Kevin Knight: Well, now even Tua Tagovailoa is out of the lineup thanks to an oblique injury suffered during individual drills on Thursday. That means Cooper Rush at the helm (who, in truth, may not be any worse than Tua based on the aforementioned preseason). What you're going to see is a lot of quick game, and as much Bijan Robinson as the team can muster. If Atlanta can run the ball well and get Bijan going, they can score points. So that'll be the plan, with the passing game largely taking a complementary role until Michael Penix Jr. returns.
Kevin Knight: This is a good defense that will have to find ways to manufacture pass rush. Thankfully, Jeff Ulbrich is an evil genius with his blitz packages, and he's got a lot of interesting looks planned. Expect to see a lot of linebacker and slot blitzes to supplement their weaker edge rusher room, along with a lot of emphasis on interior pass rush. Atlanta has a really nice interior duo with Brandon Dorlus (who was leading all interior defensive linemen in the NFC with 8.5 sacks last season before injury) and trade acquisition Gervon Dexter Sr. They're hoping the interior can offset some of their weaknesses outside.
Kevin Knight: I like Kevin Stefanski and think it pretty much takes a miracle worker to extract any amount of success from the Cleveland Browns organization. It does seem like there's a coherent, forward-thinking plan in place for this Falcons team for the first time in years. I don't necessarily expect a lot of success in 2026 based on the moves made to this point and the way the team is structured, but I do expect Atlanta to be one of the most aggressive teams in free agency and the draft in 2027.
Kevin Knight: As I mentioned before, Brandon Dorlus is a borderline-elite interior pass rusher who may also get some run on the edge. Linebacker Divine Deablo was the biggest surprise in last year's free agent class and completely transformed the defense when he was on the field. Second-year safety Xavier Watts was a DROY candidate in 2025 and forms a dynamic duo with veteran Jessie Bates III. Atlanta will be starting two rookies on defense: Avieon Terrell (brother of A.J. Terrell) in the slot, and Kendal Daniels at linebacker. Both impressed in training camp, with Daniels being a particularly pleasant surprise given his Day 3 selection.

#expect

The No. 2 Georgia Bulldogs are debuting all-white uniforms against the Western Ketnucky Hilltoppers. Georgia will wear white pants, white jerseys and white helmets for the first time in school history.
Georgia has worn alternate uniforms four times during the coach Kirby Smart era. The Dawgs are 4-0. Georgia still traditionally wears a white or red jersey along with silver britches and a red helmet.
The Bulldogs wore black jerseys in a 2016 home win (35-21) over Louisiana Lafayette. In Georgia's last road trip to Arkansas, back in 2020 quarterback Stetson Bennett saved the day after a slow start. Georgia wore red pants and slightly altered white uniforms in the 37-10 win.
In 2020, Georgia also wore black jerseys at home in the Bulldogs' 31-24 win over the Mississippi State Bulldogs in a game where JT Daniels passed for over 400 yards. Georgia wore the same black jerseys, which have a red Dawg collar, in Georgia's last-second 24-21 Peach Bowl win over Cincinnati.
Of course, Georgia's most memorable alternate jersey game is when the Bulldogs beat Auburn at home in 2007 with black jerseys. Georgia will look to move to 5-0 in alternate uniforms under coach Smart on Saturday, Sept. 12 against Western Kentucky at 12:45 p.m. ET.

#jerseys #black #alternate

Patriots Offensive Coordinator Josh McDaniels Describes Team's 'All-Hands' Approach Without A.J. Brown originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Before the Patriots could get a feel for the impact A.J. Brown will have on their offense, they lost him to injury for weeks to come.
Brown will be out until at least Week 6 after being placed on IR on Friday, dealing with a high ankle sprain from his Week 1 exit vs. Seattle. Rather than bringing in any new receivers, it appears New England will be turning to some of its younger pass catchers to alleviate the offense.
Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels said Thursday on a radio show that the team will be taking "an all-hands-on-deck approach" to replacing Brown's production at wide receiver, which likely means more playing time for names like DeMario Douglas, Kyle Williams and Efton Chism III.
"Any injury that you get at this time of the season, you kind of approach it with an all-hands-on-deck approach," McDaniels said Thursday, per ESPN. "We got a lot of different skill guys that can do a lot of different things. There isn't one person on the roster that can replace anybody like A.J. -- in the middle of a game or a stretch of a season. So we'll band together and figure out what we can do well and then try to get guys in positions to play to their strengths."

#Patriots

The Philadelphia Eagles enter Week 1 as favorites over the Washington Commanders, but divisional familiarity and several offseason changes could make Sunday's opener difficult.
Here are five concerns entering the matchup.
Daniels can extend plays and punish undisciplined pass-rush lanes. Philadelphia must pressure him without creating easy escape routes.
The Commanders ranked fourth with 134.7 rushing yards per game, while Philadelphia finished 22nd in run defense. Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Rachaad White and Daniels give Washington several options.
The Eagles are playing their first meaningful game with Sean Mannion calling plays. Hurts must adjust to having his offensive coordinator in the booth as the unit establishes its identity under a new play-caller.

#Eagles #plays

NBA insider takes shot at T-Wolves Jonathan **** inga for jab at Warriors' Steph Curry, Chris Paul originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Minnesota Timberwolves are going all in on winning a championship this season after the impressive offseason they had. It is amazing to see the team they have put together, and it was all due to their aggressiveness.
The big summer all started just before the NBA Draft when they traded for Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball. The team also just ended their free agency by winning the battle for Jonathan **** inga.
"Jonathan **** inga has agreed to a two-year, $13 million deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves, plus a player option, agent Aaron Turner tells ESPN. **** inga will be a starter alongside Anthony Edwards, LaMelo Ball, Jaden McDaniels and Rudy Gobert on the West contender," ESPN's Shams Charania wrote.
The 23-year-old NBA champion waited the entire summer for the right opportunity, and he sure got that with the Timberwolves. He joins Anthony Edwards and other talented players in Minnesota.

#jonathan #timberwolves #ball #edwards

Why Patriots' Josh McDaniels, TreVeyon Henderson injury deserve some blame for Drake Maye's putrid night appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The New England Patriots did a lot of things correctly in their season opener against the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks. They went across the country and played an excellent game for three quarters in front of the crazed and full-throated 12s at Lumen Field in Seattle. However, their 10-3 lead disappeared in the fourth quarter as quarterback Drake Maye was careless with the football and that turned potential victory into a 13-10 defeat. Maye threw two of his three interceptions in the final quarter.
The final interception by Seahawk defensive back Josh Jobe came in the end zone came with 26 seconds remaining. Maye threw up a high-arching balloon to wide out Mack Hollins from the Seattle 16-yard line and Jobe was able to outfight the Patriots receiver for the ball. That play prevented New England from sending out PK Andy Borregales to attempt a 33-yard field goal that would have tied the game.
There is little doubt that Maye's pass was a poor effort and should not have been thrown. However, the play call made by offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels was reckless. The Seattle pass defense had come to life in the fourth quarter and had shown the ability to blanket Patriots receivers. The pass into the end zone was a risky proposition when it was called by McDaniels and it put Maye at risk of throwing the costly interception.
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#maye #mcdaniels #clutchpoints #england

Hello! I'm back this year with BGN, as always, and I'll have two review articles and two preview articles every week. If you missed the first preview of the year, make sure you check it out here.
The same Week 1 warning applies here. Washington's new offensive coordinator, David Blough, has never called an NFL offense, so there is no real film that tells us exactly what Vic Fangio will be preparing for. We can make educated guesses based on Blough's background and what Blough has said publicly, but anyone claiming to know precisely what this offense will look like is guessing.
It's really hard for me not to spend the whole article comparing Sean Mannion and David Blough, but the similarities are so obvious. Blough only stopped playing quarterback recently and spent the past two seasons as Washington's ******* istant quarterbacks coach under Kingsbury. Before that, his playing career put him around a wide range of offensive coaches, including Ben Johnson in Detroit and Kevin O'Connell in Minnesota. Washington has also been open about wanting to move away from some of the philosophical elements of Kingsbury's offense, particularly by becoming more balanced and using more under-center play action. Sound familiar?!
Blough's challenge is deciding how much to change. Daniels has already spent two seasons getting comfortable in Kingsbury's system, particularly operating from shotgun, using tempo, and using his legs a lot. Daniels looks like someone suited to a shotgun, spread-heavy RPO offense.
Throwing all of that away would make very little sense. At the same time, Washington didn't change coordinators because it wanted the exact same offense, so I would expect the eventual structure to keep some of the shotgun and RPO elements Daniels already excels at while adding more motion, heavier personnel, under-center formations, and a more connected run and play-action game. Once again… sound familiar?!

#offense #same #washington

Even though the season opener for the Washington Commanders is just days away, it is never too early to look ahead to the future and what the Commanders might do in the 2027 NFL Draft. In ESPN's most recent mock draft, Washington is projected to have the No. 10 overall pick and select wide receiver Charlie Becker out of Indiana.
First, it is notable that the Commanders are projected to have the No. 10 overall pick. ESPN projects no trade, meaning Washington is expected to have the tenth-worst record in the NFL and will not be close to making the playoffs.
This is a rather dismal prediction for a team that just reached the NFC Championship in 2024. Washington's fate relies on the health of quarterback Jayden Daniels, who suffered three different injuries last season. If he can stay healthy all season, the Commanders have a chance to compete for a playoff spot this season.
However, there are other concerns about Washington's playoff chances. Arguably the biggest concern for the Commanders going into training camp was the wide receiver depth. They have Terry McLaurin as the No. 1 receiver and signed Stefon Diggs as the No. 2, with rookie Antonio Williams expected to be the No. 3. It is unclear what Williams will bring to the table as a third-round draft pick, and McLaurin also missed time last year. Diggs is coming off his seventh 1,000-yard season in his career, so he should help Daniels out this season.
Overall, it is reasonable to believe that Washington may end up with the No. 10 overall pick in the NFL Draft, but that projection could change as the season goes on. If the Commanders do end up with a top-10 pick, Charlie Becker would not be a bad selection. Here is what ESPN's Jordan Reid had to say about Washington selecting Becker:

#Commanders #becker

Perceptions of the 2026 Washington Commanders have changed a lot over the last month. Heading into training camp, the Commanders were a team of mystery, but many believed they could still compete for a playoff spot in 2026 if they could keep quarterback Jayden Daniels healthy.
Optimism grew when Washington signed four-time Pro Bowl wideout Stefon Diggs, giving Daniels another top-tier weapon, while also making life a bit easier for star receiver Terry McLaurin. But the day after Diggs competed in his first Commanders' practice, left tackle Laremy Tunsil tore his triceps. It was a devastating injury for many reasons. Tunsil is one of the NFL's best players, and he was critical in protecting Daniels.
Washington's solution was to move Brandon Coleman back to left tackle to replace Tunsil. It's a good plan, considering Coleman played left tackle in 2024. While he's no Tunsil, Coleman is better than multiple left tackles in the NFL. The only problem is that it took Coleman away from the left guard competition, which he was expected to win.
Making matters worse, new center Nick Allegretti missed almost all of training camp. The veteran offensive lineman moved to center this offseason to replace Tyler Biadasz. While the Commanders are confident in Allegretti, those on the outside don't believe Washington did enough at center. All summer long, journeyman Julian Good-Jones and rookie sixth-round pick Matt Gulbin — who have a combined two career NFL snaps — took turns at center. They struggled; Good-Jones was cut and is now on the practice squad, while Gulbin is one snap away from replacing Allegretti.
As a result, several **** ysts have predicted that Washington will finish last in the NFC East.

#left #daniels #tackle

Week 1 of the 2026 Washington Commanders season has arrived.
Can you believe it? No more mini-camps, no more organized team activities, no more training camp, no more preseason games, no more massive cuts to get down to the 53-man roster. No more signing released players to ****** emble a 16-man practice squad.
Week 1 is on! The Commanders are preparing to face their opening opponent, two-time defending NFC East champion the Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles were the 2024 NFC and Super Bowl Champions, while Washington lost to the Eagles in the NFC Championship Game. The 2025 Eagles won the division, finishing 11-6, followed by Dallas at 7-9-1, Washington at 5-12, and the New York Giants at 4-13.
The Commanders' offense was one of the best in the NFL in 2024, averaging 28.5 points per game. But injuries to receivers, and in particular QB Jayden Daniels, cut offensive production to 20.9 points per game in 2025. OC Kliff Kingsbury and Dan Quinn didn't see eye-to-eye on how the offense would move forward. Consequently, Quinn remains the head coach, and Kingsbury departed and is now on Sean McVay's LA Rams staff.
The Commanders lost tight end Zach Ertz, so they signed free agent TE Chig Okonkwo. GM Adam Peters felt the Commanders really needed help at receiver, so he drafted rookie Antonio Williams 71st overall and then signed veteran free agent receiver Stefon Diggs. Also returning after one season in Jacksonville, is deep threat, Dyami Brown.

#Eagles #game #offense

Florida State football news: Mike Norvell's honest ******* sment after SMU loss appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Following two straight disappointing seasons, Florida State football had an opportunity to gain significant momentum by earning an ACC victory over a ranked opponent. One can even say that the program needed this one. The Seminoles were unable to break through, however, and remain mired in uncertainty heading into next Saturday's road matchup versus Alabama. Mike Norvell did not focus only on the negative, but he made sure to acknowledge his team's shortcomings.
"{Norvell} starts by thanking the facilities in getting the power back on," Alison Posey of WCTV Sports reported after Florida State's 27-24 loss to the Mustangs. "He said he thought they ran the ball really well, and they have to make plays in the passing game when the opportunities present themselves."
That is an accurate ******* sment. Ousmane Kromah logged 22 carries for 116 yards and one touchdown, while quarterback Ashton Daniels rushed 16 times for 71 yards and a score. Unfortunately, the Seminoles painfully lacked balance on offense. Daniels, who transferred from Auburn, completed 12-of-23 passes for 125 yards and one TD. He looked especially out of sorts when trying to play hero ball in the final drive of the game.
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#seminoles #daniels #sports #Football

Florida State head coach Mike Norvell and quarterback Ashton Daniels met with local media after Monday night's 27-24 loss to No. 19 SMU at Doak Campbell Stadium.
"Tonight, coming off of it, just another close game, a lot of one plays," Norvell said. "You think back through it, some of the explosive plays that we gave up defensively, some of missed opportunities there offensively. Never really got in rhythm throwing the ball, but had some good runs."
"Ashton as a runner did some good things," Norvell said. "We also got to go and be able to make plays in the passing game when opportunities present themselves. Didn't do a great job in protecting with that. There's some inconsistencies there that we got to clean up. It didn't all come together in the passing game and ultimately that's on us. We've got to get that corrected….It's a shame to come up a field goal short."
Florida State finished 2-of-15 on third down. SMU had four turnovers. The Seminoles were outgained 585-324.
"We were able to create takeaways. It's something that we knew going into the game was going to be a big factor," Norvell said. "Unfortunately, we only had seven points off takeaways, which when you get four turnovers, you need to be able to put points on the board in those situations. We did not do a good enough job of putting points on the board after turnovers."

#Florida

Much has been discussed about the future of Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn. After leading the team to its first NFC Championship appearance in decades, the Commanders fell flat in 2025, and many believe that if the Commanders don't perform well in 2026, Quinn will be looking for a new job.
During a recent interview on the Rich Eisen Show, former Pittsburgh Steelers head coach and current NFL broadcaster Mike Tomlin did not rule out a return to coaching. You see, Tomlin was never fired; he simply stepped down. As a result, the Steelers own the rights to his contract, which runs through 2027 and includes a no-trade clause.
However, a recent Bleacher Report article named five teams that might lure him back to the coaching scene and waive his no-trade clause. One of the teams named was the Commanders. The article reads, in part:
Because of the Commanders' deep playoff run in the 2024 campaign, Quinn likely bought himself extra time, but it's concerning that he parted ways with his offensive coordinator after one year. In doing so, he raises questions about the construction of his coaching staff.
Quinn's job security is also tied to Daniels' development.

#quinn #recent #trade #clause

Florida State spent much of Monday night chasing the game, but after battling back to tie SMU in the fourth quarter, the Seminoles could not find one final stop or scoring drive.
In a game delayed by a power outage at Doak Campbell Stadium and stretched deep into the night, FSU showed more resilience than it did in its season opener. However, the same issues that have plagued the Seminoles through two games, inconsistent quarterback play, offensive line struggles and third-down defensive lapses, resurfaced in a 27-24 loss to SMU.
The Seminoles dropped to 1-1 on the season despite erasing multiple deficits and tying the game at 24 before the Mustangs answered with the decisive touchdown drive.
Here are the grades from Florida State's loss to SMU.
Daniels spent much of the night under constant pressure and rarely looked comfortable in the pocket. While there were flashes of playmaking ability, including a quarterback keeper for a touchdown and several throws into tight coverage, consistency remained an issue.

#seminoles

SMU did everything it could to give Florida State a chance to win Monday night. Instead, the Mustangs got out of Tallahassee with a 27-24 win after a 20-yard field goal from Nick Reed with 21 seconds to go.
Once the game finally started after a 100-minute delay because of a power outage at Doak Campbell Stadium, it was clear that SMU was the better team.
Yet the Mustangs were also the team that kept making more mistakes. SMU turned the ball over four times, missed a field goal and committed a penalty on an FSU field goal attempt that led to a game-tying touchdown in the third quarter. It was an incredibly sloppy effort from SMU, yet Florida State could not capitalize.
The Mustangs' fourth turnover came with 6:33 to go and the game tied at 24-24. Safety Ashlynd Barker read QB Kevin Jennings' eyes for an interception and gave Florida State a chance to take its first lead of the night.
Instead, the Seminoles' offense lost seven yards on three plays after Ashton Daniels was sacked on third down. That down was FSU's nemesis all night; it finished 2-for-14 on third downs. Florida State punted the ball back to SMU, and the Mustangs got into position for an easy field goal thanks to a 29-yard completion to Dramekco Green on third down with less than three minutes to go.

#field

SMU did everything it could to give Florida State a chance to win Monday night. Instead, the Mustangs got out of Tallahassee with a 27-24 win after a 20-yard field goal from Nick Reed with 21 seconds to go.
Once the game finally started after a 100-minute delay because of a power outage at Doak Campbell Stadium, it was clear that SMU was the better team.
Yet the Mustangs were also the team that kept making more mistakes. SMU turned the ball over four times, missed a field goal and committed a penalty on an FSU field goal attempt that led to a game-tying touchdown in the third quarter. It was an incredibly sloppy effort from SMU, yet Florida State could not capitalize.
The Mustangs' fourth turnover came with 6:33 to go and the game tied at 24-24. Safety Ashlynd Barker read QB Kevin Jennings' eyes for an interception and gave Florida State a chance to take its first lead of the night.
Instead, the Seminoles' offense lost seven yards on three plays after Ashton Daniels was sacked on third down. That down was FSU's nemesis all night. Florida State punted the ball back to SMU, and the Mustangs got into position for an easy field goal thanks to a 29-yard completion to Dramekco Green on third down with less than three minutes to go.

#field #night #game #Third

Watch LSU fans loudly boo Jayden Daniels' name during win over Clemson originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Fans of the LSU Tigers didn't have too much to jeer at on Saturday night in Baton Rouge. Things took a turn for the worse, however, when former quarterback Jayden Daniels appeared on the scoreboard.
During a timeout, the school aired an "NFLSU" segment to commemorate past LSU Tigers who've made a name for themselves in the NFL. Lloyd Cushenberry III, Reid Ferguson, Damien Lewis, Zavion Thomas and Grant Delpit all received courteous cheers from fans remembering the good times that came from formerly watching those same players compete in Death Valley.
Amid his offseason controversy over his former No. 5 jersey being used for sophomore cornerback DJ Pickett, the Baton Rouge faithful did not take too kindly to seeing their 2022-23 quarterback's face on the scoreboard.
After much anticipation and preseason controversy, Lane Kiffin's debut began with a 51-10 rout over Clemson. Perhaps the only time LSU fans booed during Saturday's entirety, including the storm delay that postponed the game for nearly three hours, was seeing their friend-turned-foe. Here's a recap of what happened with Daniels and his former school.

#tigers #baton #rouge

Who is the Washington Commanders' X-Factor for the 2026 NFL season? A common, correct answer is quarterback Jayden Daniels. After all, it was Daniels who put the Commanders on his back during his 2024 rookie season, leading the franchise to its best season in 33 years.
Then, injuries happened last year, costing Daniels 10 games. The Commanders struggled, going 5-12. Daniels' injuries can't be blamed for Washington's downfall, but they were the primary factor.
This summer, Daniels was 100% and had an outstanding training camp. And while there are concerns about the offensive line, there is excitement about Daniels in new coordinator David Blough's offense.
So, while Daniels is Washington's most important player, Ben Solak of ESPN did not name him his X-factor. Instead, Solak picked the X-factor for all 32 NFL teams, but did it a little bit differently. He did not name quarterbacks, coaches, or rookies in this exercise. Who did Solak choose as the Commanders' X-factor?
Solak named center Nick Allegretti as the X-factor.

#Commanders #washington #david

It was the end of an era last season when Gary Danielson called his final game with CBS after 20 seasons as CBS's lead college football ****** yst.
Play-by-play announcer Brad Nessler, who had worked alongside Danielson at CBS since 2016 and also worked with him during a previous stint at ABC, was in need of a new partner for Big Ten action. He found it in Charles Davis, who traded in the NFL booth for the college one.
Davis made his CBS Big Ten debut on Saturday, calling Boise State-Oregon alongside Nessler and sideline reporter Jenny Dell.
By all accounts, the former Tennessee Volunteers star excelled in his college football debut, bringing some energy to the booth, as well as some somewhat relevant pop culture references.
Overall, Davis garnered high praise from many pundits and media members for his work on the day.

#danielson

Jalon Daniels entered the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' offseason program as an undrafted rookie simply trying to earn a place in the organization. A few months later, he will open the regular season one play away from being Tampa Bay's starting quarterback, and that unlikely rise has certainly caught the attention of general manager Jason Licht.
Speaking with NFL Network's Sara Walsh, Licht summed up Daniels' path to becoming Baker Mayfield's backup with some significant praise. "There's no blueprint for an undrafted rookie becoming your number 2 quarterback," Licht told Walsh. "Jalon basically wrote his own." That statement carries even more weight given how rare Daniels' situation is. According to Elias Sports Bureau, the last undrafted rookie quarterback to be active for Week 1 was Trevone Boykin with the Seattle Seahawks in 2016. Daniels didn't simply survive roster cuts, either. He beat out veteran Jake Browning for the job and convinced Tampa Bay it could enter the season with only two quarterbacks on its initial 53-man roster.
Licht has made it clear that Daniels' draft status won't prevent him from winning the job. "The number-one thing is, he earned it," Licht said. "It wasn't just given to him."Daniels steadily climbed throughout the summer, but his preseason performance helped solidify his case. He completed 27 of 44 passes for 239 yards, one touchdown, and no interceptions while adding 37 yards and another touchdown on the ground. More importantly, Tampa Bay saw poise and command from a quarterback who was supposed to be a developmental project. The Bucs apparently began viewing Daniels differently after their first preseason game against the Jets. Licht said conversations shifted from Daniels needing to prove he could be the backup to essentially needing to prove that he couldn't. He never gave them a reason to change course. There is still considerable risk involved. Daniels has never taken a regular-season NFL snap, and Tampa Bay is trying to contend for another NFC South ****** le. If Mayfield misses time, the Bucs would be handing their offense to an undrafted rookie. Yet Licht doesn't appear interested in keeping a veteran around simply for the comfort of experience. He said Tampa Bay would rather have a talented, prepared, inexperienced quarterback than choose experience just for the sake of it. The Bucs aren't treating him like an undrafted rookie they hope to develop eventually. They've trusted him with one of the most important backup jobs on the roster because they believe he earned it.
This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: Jason Licht's praise shows just how much Jalon Daniels impressed

#daniels #bucs #jalon #simply

Good morning, Chargers fans!
There's likely a number of different players and/or coaches you could name as an X-factor for the Chargers this year. From an interior offensive lineman, to offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel, to one of the team's intriguing tight ends, there's almost more than you can count.
However, it was wide receiver Quentin Johnston that was deemed the team's biggest X-factor by ESPN's Ben Solak due to his potential inside McDaniels' offense alongside Ladd McConkey.
Here's everything Solak had to say about why QJ was too good of a choice for this exercise:
"Johnston is once again an enormously high-leverage player in the Chargers' offense. Though much of the fantasy football attention is rightfully on Ladd McConkey, whom I anticipate leading the Chargers in targets, Johnston could benefit most from coordinator Mike McDaniel's offense."

#chargers #johnston #offense

Washington Commanders general manager Adam Peters set out to give his team and coaching staff a bit of an overhaul during the offseason. He brought in new coordinators and other coaching staff, and the roster looks quite different from what it did in 2025, especially defensively. Those changes, combined with the injuries the team sustained last season, have led NFL experts and ***** ysts to view the Commanders less favorably.
That negativity has put a chip on the shoulders of the Commanders' roster, and the fuel for that fire continues to pour in. The Athletic's Mike Sando had six NFL executives rank all 16 NFC teams, and the Commanders landed at 13th.
Votes: 13-12-13-14-9-13 | Avg: 12.3 | Median: 13 | Vegas wins: 7.5 (T-11th-NFC)Tier votes: Division contender: 1 | Sub-.500: 4 | Top-10 pick: 1The voter highest on Washington thought Jayden Daniels' return to health was enough to lift a Commanders team that has question marks entering coach Dan Quinn's third season, including first-time coordinators on offense (David Blough) and defense (Daronte Jones)."They get Jayden back, and Terry McLaurin will be healthy," this exec said. "They've added some really good parts defensively in free agency. They have to get the offensive line solidified."Left tackle Laremy Tunsil's season-ending injury will not help."I think they are going to be bad," another exec said. "The quarterback is talented, but his style of play, unless he changes it, is a concern. The weapons around him are OK, but I don't think it's a dynamic team offensively. Defensively, they plateaued."
Let's pull back the blinders for a minute and take a close look at the Commanders' 2024 season. What weapons did Jayden Daniels have to work with besides Terry McLaurin? What did the defense look like? How was Daniels' protection? As you answer those questions, remember how that season turned out for the Commanders, culminating in Offensive Rookie of the Year honors for Daniels and an NFC Championship appearance for the Commanders.
The 2025 season was plagued by injuries, so it's impossible to know what could have happened "if" certain players remained healthy. Now, everyone wants to throw the Commanders to the bottom of the league, which is only making the players want to win that much more.

#mclaurin

Washington Commanders tight end Ben Sinnott has made it clear that he likes new coordinator David Blough's offense. Earlier in training camp, Sinnott said the new offense was a "breath of fresh air" for tight ends.
"So many different variations," Sinnott said, via John Keim of ESPN, in discussing the different route variations. "Today we're lining up at number one, we're running five-step ins, we're running corners, we're running options, we're running flat [routes]. We're just doing everything. It's so much fun. It's a breath of fresh air for this offense and how it uses tight ends."
The 2024 second-round pick struggled to find his footing under former offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury. In two NFL seasons, the 6-foot-4, 245-pound Sinnott has played in 33 career games and has 16 receptions for 142 yards and two touchdowns. Any tight end not named Zach Ertz was an afterthought in Kingsbury's offense. Quarterback Jayden Daniels also liked throwing to the reliable veteran.
This offseason, Washington moved on from Kingsbury. GM Adam Peters and head coach Dan Quinn also had enough of Kingsbury's offense. They wanted a more traditional NFL attack, with the quarterback playing under center more and a renewed focus on running the ball and play action.
Sinnott has expressed excitement more than once about his potential role in Blough's offense. The Commanders did sign tight end Chig Okonkwo in free agency, but Sinnott will play more of a hybrid role. He can line up as a traditional tight end or in the backfield as a fullback. He can also play H-back.

#tight #play #Commanders

What are some of the real positives as the Washington Commanders approach their 2026 season?
As each season approaches, there are always positives and negatives. Depending on a person's personality, they typically tend to emphasize one and minimize or exclude the other. We recently dealt extensively with injuries and offensive line woes in the final week of their scrimmage and preseason game vs. the Ravens.
What are the positives? Well, there are more than those on the outside lead you to believe.
Jayden Daniels is fully healed after playing in only seven 2025 games and being injured four different times during the season. Daniels had a very productive training camp and has reportedly learned David Blough's new offense very well.
New offensive coordinator David Blough worked with the Commanders over the previous two years, particularly with quarterbacks Jayden Daniels and Marcus Mariota.

#daniels #jayden #washington #depending