It's only Week 1, but a lot is on the line as the Vikings and Packers meet for the 132nd time on Sunday. Both teams will be looking to make a statement to start the 2026-27 regular season. Let's dive into the matchup, scouring every nook and cranny for details that will help decide the latest border battle between the NFC North rivals.
The sense I have is that the Vikings should (and do) feel confident going into this game, even if it's a small Vegas spread and there are a lot of Week 1 unknowns. They're at home, where they've won four of the last five meetings with the Packers. Green Bay is without leading rusher Josh Jacobs and has major questions on the offensive line. The Packers have some talented defenders but may struggle to generate a consistent pass rush without their superstar on that side of the ball, Micah Parsons.
The one area of concern that the Vikings must limit to win the game is Green Bay quarterback Jordan Love. Minnesota is well aware of how talented Love is. He's not going to be as rattled by Brian Flores' complex blitzes as other QBs might be. Love is plenty capable of delivering accurate throws downfield while staring down pressure.
"His growth and development has been outstanding," Flores said on Thursday. "He's just grown and grown. Whether it's cadence, whether it's on the ball, no-huddle, he's got total, total command and understanding of what they're trying to do. Obviously he's got a great coach and they work extremely well together. Great rapport with his receivers. He's always been super talented. Just a naturally gifted, accurate thrower of the ball. It's actually been fun to watch him grow.
"Big, big challenge for us, no doubt about that."

#talented

Falcons news: Bijan Robinson's text he's received from Matthew McConaughey is heartwarming appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Atlanta Falcons will be opening their season against the Pittsburgh Steelers, and the hope is that their offense can take things to another level. That will depend on a lot of things, but one of the main factors will be Bijan Robinson, who has put himself in the conversation for the best running back in the league.
Outside of shaking and baking opposing defenders, Robinson also has a love for acting, and he's brought up numerous times that he has a friendship with Matthew McConaughey. When Robinson signed his latest extension, he mentioned that McConaughey was one of the people who reached out to congratulate him.
Since people know that, Kay Adams asked Robinson on her show what the most random text he's received from the actor was.
Watch sports LIVE with fuboTV (free trial)

#robinson #bijan

As one of the NFL's best defenders over the last decade or so, we didn't get to see much of Nick Bosa in 2025. The San Francisco 49ers star pass-rusher tore his ACL in the third game of last season. This injury obviously ended his campaign extremely early and what could've been a bid for his second career Defensive Player of the Year award.
It doesn't seem like that ACL tear will affect Bosa's availability in any meaningful way in 2026.
As 49ers defensive coordinator Raheem Morris clarified earlier this week, Bosa will, in fact, play against the Los Angeles Rams in Melbourne, Australia, on Thursday. The best part for the 49ers? Bosa doesn't appear to have any meaningful limitations. Because Bosa tore his ACL in Week 3 of last year, he's basically had almost a calendar year to recover and train back to 100 percent. He will be full go as he tries to make Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford's life a living ****** .
That is, to put it lightly, amazing news for a San Francisco team that has been ravaged by injuries over the last couple of years:
Of course, Bosa's potential impact, at least from the outset, might be a different story. This is the second time in Bosa's career that he has torn an ACL (albeit not the same one twice). Bosa is still just 28 years old, but it's hard not to imagine him potentially taking some time to knock off some rust now that he's torn one of the most important athletic ligaments in both of his knees.

#year

Red Sox OF Ceddanne Rafaela predicted to win MLB award despite IL news originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Boston Red Sox have bounced back from a bad start and look likely to make the MLB postseason. With a strong pitching staff in the rotation and bullpen, plus a resurgent offense, this team can go very far.
But it's not just those phases of the game where the Red Sox have thrived. Boston has also gotten plenty of great value from their defense. More specifically, from a few select defenders, one of which being center fielder Ceddanne Rafaela.
Unfortunately, he recently hit the injured list for the Red Sox and will miss some time. However, that shouldn't stop him from winning an MLB award. As MLB.com's Jared Greenspan, Brian Murphy, and Jason Foster predict, Rafaela should be the AL's Gold Glove-winning center fielder.
"When healthy, there's no one better at that spot in the junior circuit. Rafaela, a first-time Gold Glove Award winner last season, has made the most five-star catches of any player in the Majors (nine)," the MLB.com trio write.

#award #glove

Brandon Graham is retiring from the NFL again, officially ending one of the most accomplished and beloved careers in Philadelphia Eagles history.
Graham announced his retirement Tuesday after 16 seasons, according to Zach Berman of The Athletic. The 38-year-old spent his entire career with Philadelphia, becoming a two-time Super Bowl champion and the longest-tenured player in franchise history . Graham retired following the Eagles' Super Bowl win over the Patriots after 15 seasons in the NFL, but Philadelphia convinced him to return from retirement last October. He recorded three sacks and eight tackles in nine games and played a handful of snaps on the interior to help replace an injured Jalen Carter.
His two-sack performance against the Las Vegas Raiders made him the oldest player in Eagles history to record a sack.
Philadelphia released Graham in June in what was described as a procedural move, leaving open the possibility of another return. Graham expressed interest in playing a 17th season and participating in a full training camp, but the Eagles entered September with a younger and deeper group of edge defenders.
The No. 13 overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, Graham appeared in 215 regular-season games and recorded 79.5 sacks and 128 tackles for loss. His career required patience after early injuries and criticism, but he eventually developed into one of the franchise's most dependable defenders and respected leaders.

#Retirement

The Seattle Seahawks begin their 2026 season versus the New England Patriots on Wednesday. That doesn't mean some publications aren't already looking towards the 2027 NFL draft. With a new college football campaign officially underway, mock drafts have been populating news feeds.
NFL Draft On SI: A Sports Illustrated Channel was among the outlets that released new first-round mock drafts. Using power rankings to determine the draft order, they have the Seahawks picking at No. 31 overall. The pick? Clemson defensive end Will Heldt.
"Seattle Seahawks general manager John Schneider likes to keep four, five pass rushers in rotation," NFL Draft On SI wrote. "With DeMarcus Lawrence and Dante Fowler Jr. being aging veterans, adding another young rusher to the fold would fit the Seahawks' approach. Clemson's Will Heldt transferred to the program last season from Purdue and led the Tigers in tackles for loss (15.5) and sacks (7.5)."
Heldt placed third among returning Power Four edge defenders with an 84.4 PFF overall grade last season, according to Pro Football Focus. His 87.8 PFF pass-rush grade on true pass sets ranked 14th in the Power Four. He's been a dominant rusher for the Tigers.
Heldt feels like a prospect who will be on the Seahawks' radar.

#heldt #draft #season

The reigning Celebration Bowl champs may only be two games into their 2026 season but they've also done a great job at showing why last year's HBCU National Championship was no fluke. Chennis Berry has built a dominant program top-to-bottom over in Orangeburg; a team that doesn't take losing well and doesn't do a whole lot of it to begin with. South Carolina State, now 2-0, appears to be steamrolling towards another stellar season. Another MEAC ***** le and trip to Atlanta may be waiting down the road and, while of course the work to get there will be difficult, there can be no debating that the Bulldogs are the top of the mountain in HBCU football at this very moment.
SC State came out of the gates blazing hot with a 87-0 victory over Savannah State (Berry's alma mater). In that game they were about as finely tuned a machine as you can get in all three phases. They racked up 627 offensive yards and amazingly enough not one individual player had more than 100 on their own in any singular category. Josh Shaw ran for three scores in that game and it wasn't even half of the total rushing touchdowns they had that day. Keely Watson completed eight passes and nearly half of those went for TDs as well. On the other side 29 different defenders logged at least one stop and three of them were responsible for takeaways. Just to stamp it they got a blocked punt returned for a score as well.
Division II opponent or not, that's the type of performance that just can't be ignored and it was followed up by another smothering performance against Florida A&M on Sunday in the Orange Blossom Classic. Down in Miami the Bulldogs steamrolled again in their 31-13 victory. The defense in particular was lights out as they held the Rattlers to -1 rushing yards. Yes, negative rushing yards for the whole game as well as a mere 4-for-17 on third down. Had it not been for a flurry of penalties, SC State could have won by a heck of a lot more.
The roster is brimming with talent and it starts with running back Mason Pickett-Hicks who is averaging 156.5 yards per game. Pickett-Hicks ran for 210 yards against FAMU last weekend and was essentially unstoppable on his 17 rush attempts. He found the end zone twice and was named the MEAC Offensive Player of the Week. SC State also boasted the conference's Defensive Player of the Week with junior defensive lineman Jordan Dollard. Dollard was a game-wrecker on Sunday, posting 4.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. He had six stops total.
Those two are just a few of the playmakers the Bulldogs have at their disposal. Front to back Berry's team is loaded and, although the sample size has been small, it certainly seems like they are again the team to beat. Who, if anyone, might be able to do it?

#state #bulldogs

Arsenal have several top defenders in their squad, but they are not satisfied and want more quality in that area, which has led to a reported interest in Borussia Dortmund left-back Daniel Svensson.
The Swede is regarded as one of the best defenders in the Bundesliga and is being monitored by several top teams, including AC Milan and Juventus. The Gunners are also interested in bringing him to the Emirates, despite already having several options available in his position.
The left back position is not an area where **** nal currently struggle, with Riccardo Calafiori and Piero Hincapié both capable of playing there. Myles Lewis Skelly can also operate in the position, giving the Gunners several options within their squad.
However, **** nal have shown over the last few seasons that they are a team determined to improve constantly. The Gunners believe Svensson could bring new qualities to the position and potentially provide another option as they continue to strengthen their squad.
(Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images)

#arsenal #gunners #defenders

While President Donald Trump's tariffs have caused much heartburn on Wall Street, China's cheap and overwhelming exports have also been rippling through the global economy.
But the Chinese growth model is running out of road, setting the stage for another global economic crisis, according to Michael Froman, a former U.S. Trade Representative and current president of the Council on Foreign Relations.
Writing in Foreign Affairs last month, he warned "the world's ability to absorb Chinese overcapacity is approaching a breaking point."
For example, the International Monetary Funds estimated that global GDP growth is running around 3.1% this year, while China's trade surplus expanded more than 20% in early 2026. That's after China posted a $1.2 trillion trade surplus in 2025—the largest in recorded history—growing three times faster than global goods trade.
Now there's widespread pushback against the flood of Chinese exports. Most notably, Trump hiked tariffs on China last year and made it the centerpiece of his "Liberation Day" trade war. But even once-stalwart defenders of open markets, like the European Union, are racing to put up trade barriers against China.

#trade

Is Seattle Seahawks defensive tackle Byron Murphy II the gold standard at his position in the NFL?
Murphy emerged as a breakout star last season after recording seven sacks on the year, up from the 0.5 that he recorded the year prior, and helping the Seahawks win the Super Bowl at the end of the season. Murphy may not have been named an All-Pro in 2025, but he is not far off from reaching a level that few other defensive tackles in the league are at in 2026.
Fox Sports' Bucky Brooks named Murphy to his All-22 preseason dream team for the 2026 season, identifying him as one of the top two DTs slated to excel in the league.
"Murphy's activity and aggression force interior defenders to pay close attention to his whereabouts, particularly on pivotal downs where the Seahawks are known to crank up the pressure," Brooks said. "As an emerging standout coming off a season with seven sacks and 13 quarterback hits, the 6-foot-0, 306-pounder is ready to take his game up a notch as an All-Pro-caliber defender at the line."
Murphy is a defensive tackle to watch yet again in 2026. Another huge year-over-year jump from last season to the present one from Murphy will not come as a shocker. Over 10 sacks registered and additional contributions across the stats sheet make him a player with the potential to be one of the two best defensive tackles in the league when the season is said and done.

#league #brooks #last

The Los Angeles Rams have historically been OK with a lack of size at the cornerback position. Their last few draft picks—although rare—have demonstrated this from Cobie Durant and Derion Kendrick to the likes of Tre Tomlinson.
But the Rams did something very out of character this offseason: they made a major free agent signing and brought in a player with real size attributes. Jaylen Watson is listed at 6-2 and 197 lbs.
The addition of Watson got lost in the shuffle during the aftermath of LA's trade for higher profile corner Trent McDuffie, his Kansas City teammate. McDuffie also fits the Rams' preference or accommodation of smaller defenders, although he has a strong lower half and is a willing tackler out of the slot.
However, in Week 1 against the San Francisco 49ers, Watson may be the more important contributor out of the two.
The San Francisco 49ers' biggest offseason addition was receiver Mike Evans. It wouldn't be wise for the Rams to ask McDuffie to cover one of the most physical receivers in the NFL—this is a job for Watson.

#mcduffie #francisco #addition #angeles

Leeds United have now ended their academy transfer story, with 16-year-old winger Silva Mexes now across the Pennines after leaving Manchester United. MOTLeedsNews reported that the long chase was over once the summer window closed, ending speculation around the Thailand youth international and his next step.
Mexes joined United from Ipswich Town in 2024, aged 14, but he did not make a competitive senior or formal U18 league appearance during 2025/26, spending much of that period with the U16 group. His switch gives him a new setting at Thorp Arch, where the academy has a strong record. Leeds' 2026/27 squad listing now includes Tyler-Earnshaw, confirming his place at the club.
There's a reason this move makes sense from Leeds' side. Mexes has the athletic profile that can trouble academy defenders, with an 11.1-second personal best over 100 metres and a willingness to attack from the left. That speed gives him a weapon, yet acceleration alone won't earn him minutes with Daniel Farke.
Farke asks his wide players to contribute beyond the highlight moments. They need to track runners, keep their shape, combine cleanly and recognise when to attack ******* e rather than forcing a duel. Mexes has the directness ******* ociated with a player such as Daniel James, but the tactical detail will take time, as he steps into the U18 and U21 levels.
BRIGHTON, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 05: Daniel Farke, Manager of Leeds United, acknowledges the fans after the Premier League 2026/27 match between Brighton & Hove Albion and Leeds United at American Express Stadium on September 05, 2026 in Brighton, England. (Photo by Luke Walker/Getty Images)

#farke #brighton #september #league

One of the biggest changes you're going to notice about new defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon's scheme is his Penny package, which is essentially a 3-4 defense on the line of scrimmage with one true off-ball linebacker, split safeties and another deeper safety in the middle of the field. Green Bay Packers fans are familiar with the 3-4 base defense, which was run by Dom Capers, Mike Pettine and Joe Barry in the past, along with the typical 4-2-4 Nickel defense that is played for the majority of snaps league-wide.
This Penny wrinkle, though, is a little different than what you're used to seeing from most NFL teams. That's why we wrote about what it means for the secondary in an article two weeks ago.
Today, though, I want to focus on the line of scrimmage, particularly with how Gannon is deploying "off-ball" linebacker Edgerrin Cooper.
Generally, when 3-4 defenses play Penny, they take their Will linebacker off the field to add a slot defender. The Packers, as a baseline, don't play a slot defender, but a third safety.
The other change-up Green Bay has is that they aren't taking their Will linebacker (Cooper) off the field, at least with the first-team defense. Because Cooper is one of the team's better defenders, Gannon has actually played Cooper on the edge, displacing the edge defender opposite Lukas Van Ness (generally Barryn Sorrell) this preseason.

#penny #green #generally

Michigan State football got the 2026 season started with a 30-20 win over Toledo. The Spartans, playing their first game under new head coach Pat Fitzgerald, got the tenure started right with a victory.
While it was a double digit victory, things were not always pretty for the Spartans, who needed to overcome a small deficit in the fourth quarter after having a very disappointing third quarter. In the end, though, the Spartans were victorious and are 1-0 on the season.
On defense, it is an interesting unit to evaluate. The Spartans did give up 20 points, and 273 yards of offense, but most of that damage was done on five individual plays that accounted for over 75-percent of the Rockets offensive output. All in all, the Spartans got the job done, and got stops when they mattered most.
After the game, and evaluating the film, Pro Football Focus (Subscription Required) gave out their grades for the Spartans in the game.
Check out the top five defenders for the Spartans, according to PFF:

#spartans #quarter #done

OpenAI launched Daybreak for Frontline Defenders on September 3, committing $1 billion in subsidized Daybreak access, training, technical support and partnerships. Separately, the Daybreak Defense Network now includes more than 35 enterprise products and partner-operated services. Cloudflare is offering invitation-only access to an AI vulnerability-discovery and remediation service built with GPT-5.6 Cyber, while SentinelOne is adding Daybreak models to its Wayfinder services. Cloudflare, Inc. (NYSE:NET) and SentinelOne, Inc. (NYSE:S) therefore enter the same program with different routes to revenue.
Cloudflare's model starts at the network and developer edge. It can combine authorized source-code ***** ysis with traffic and security context, then propose code patches and WAF mitigations for customer review. That distribution creates a credible cross-sell path because customers already use Cloudflare for performance and security. Insider Monkey counted 87 hedge funds holding NET at June 30, versus 84 at March 31. AQR Capital Management owned 2,076,835 shares after raising its position by 129%.
The weakness is monetization. Early access is not general availability, and subsidized services can prove usefulness before they prove willingness to pay. Cloudflare must also prevent automated discovery from producing noise or unsafe fixes. Its premium valuation leaves little tolerance for a long gap between product attention and revenue.
SentinelOne approaches the opportunity from endpoint and security operations. Wayfinder can use the new models for code-risk ***** sment, compromise investigation, and malware ***** ysis, placing AI inside workflows staffed by security teams. Forty-one hedge funds held SentinelOne, Inc. (NYSE:S) in Q2, up from 37 in Q1. AQR reported 23,327,991 shares, a 19% quarterly increase.
SentinelOne's risk is competition and services intensity. If Wayfinder depends heavily on expert labor, the offering may scale less efficiently than software. The company also faces Microsoft, CrowdStrike, Palo Alto Networks, and other platforms that can bundle adjacent tools.

#daybreak #NYSE

The general expectation around the NBA is that the Los Angeles Lakers will take at least half a step backward this season without LeBron James. Last season, they went 53-29 and finished fourth in the Western Conference, but now, they may not have a true third scorer, and the belief is that they still lack enough plus defenders on the perimeter.
But the Lakers still do have a competitive roster, and in fact, their roster does look more balanced and versatile this time around. Derek Fisher, a guard who won five NBA ****** les with the Lakers back in the day, feels there won't be much of a drop-off this season with James now on the Philadelphia 76ers, via Lakers Nation.
"You think about the few organizations where LeBron has been, you tell me where their record has gotten dramatically better after he left," Fisher said during his show on 97.1 The Fan LA. "So it's not going to fall off that much because Luka [Doncic] is there. I think Luka and Austin Reaves are basically an All-Star backcourt that you can roll out every night, and then Walker Kessler is a young developing almost All-Star-ish type of big in terms of his elite defense and rebounding. So I think you have a chance…45 to 50 wins, a lot of things are going to have to go right, but it feels fair to me."
When James left the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2010, they went 19-63 the following season and didn't make the playoffs until he returned for the 2014-15 campaign. The results were similar for the four seasons following James' second departure from the Cavaliers in 2018.
Kessler was L.A.'s big offseason addition, and by himself, he could improve its defense. It also brought in Quentin Grimes and Collin ****** ton to boost its offense and its backcourt, Sandro Mamukelashvili could be a nice utility big man, and Matisse Thybulle and Ziaire Williams could be reliable 3-and-D role players. In addition, rookie guard Cameron Carr could break into the rotation before too long.

#james #fisher #luka #cavaliers

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Jadan Baugh ran for 160 yards and three touchdowns, juking defenders nearly every time he touched the ball, and Florida opened the Jon Sumrall era with a 66-21 win over Florida Atlantic on Saturday night.
Aaron Philo added 275 yards passing and four total scores as the Gators won their seventh consecutive home debut for a new coach. This one was the highest-scoring season opener for Florida since 1994.
Sumrall entered the sold-out Swamp amid fire, smoke and strobe lights. He delivered a fiery pregame speech on the field and then really showed what he's about with a dominant win that was never in doubt. He even had his team throwing — and scoring — in the final minute, reminding some of Hall of Famer Steve Spurrier.
Florida scored on its first six possessions. Philo connected with Vernell Brown III for a 49-yard score and then found former Georgia Tech teammate and current roommate Bailey Stockton for a 12-yarder.
Philo scrambled for a score on fourth down to make it 24-7. Brown finished with 117 yards on six receptions.

#baugh

The next Barcelona match is upon us! The Blaugrana travel to Mestalla for a La Liga game against Valencia, and Hansi Flick has called up the following 24 players for Sunday's clash:
Goalkeepers: 1. Joan Garcia, 13. Wojciech Szczesny, 25. Dominik Livakovic
Defenders: 2. João Cancelo, 3. Alejandro Balde, 5. Pau Cubarsí, 12. Xavi Espart, 15. Andreas Christensen, 18. Gerard Martín, 23. Jules Kounde, 24. Eric Garcia
Midfielders: 4. Brian Fariñas, 6. Gavi, 7. Fermín López, 8. Pedri, 16. Rodri, 20. Dani Olmo, 22. Marc Bernal
Forwards: 9. Gabriel Jesus, 10. Lamine Yamal, 11. Raphinha, 14. Karim Adeyemi, 17. Anthony Gordon, 29. Hamza Abdelkarim

#garcia #mestalla #valencia

AUSTIN, Texas — A season with high expectations gets under way for the No. 5 Texas Longhorns on Saturday against the Texas State Bobcats at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium in a prelude to the No. 1 Ohio State Buckeyes coming to the Forty Acres next week.
After Texas State received the opening kickoff, a touchback deep into the end zone, Texas gave up a first down on three short completions, but inflicted a tackle for loss on a second-down running play and got pressure on Bobcats quarterback Brad Jackson to force a throwaway on third down under pressure from fifth-year defensive tackle Hero Kanu.
A bad snap to the Texas State punter impacted his rhythm, leading to a shank out of bounds only 17 yards past the line of scrimmage, affording Texas favorable field position at its own 44-yard line.
Lined up in 12 personnel, the first touch went to senior running back Hollywood Smothers, who bounced the run outside behind blocks from sophomore tight end Nick Townsend and junior wide receiver Ryan Wingo, made two defenders miss in the open field, and got down the sideline for a 45-yard gain.
Two plays later, on 3rd and 5, junior wide receiver Cam Coleman beat an attempt to jam him at the line of scrimmage and left the Texas State cornerback falling to the ground on an easy six-yard touchdown catch, his first touch for the Longhorns.

#state #first #bobcats

It had to be Ayden Gaines.
With Claremore trailing by four and facing third down from the Bartlesville 11-yard line with 48 seconds remaining, the circumstances almost seemed predetermined for the senior receiver, whose jersey number matched the exact yardage the Zebras needed to retake the lead.
Gaines had already spent most of the night proving nearly impossible to stop, and all that remained was for Kellen Gaede to make the game-winning pass.
The senior quarterback took the snap and fired toward Gaines, who leaped high above the defenders and pulled down the pass for their second touchdown connection of the night. The score pushed Claremore back in front and ultimately delivered a dramatic 35-32 victory Friday night over the Bruins at Lantow Field.
It was the program's fourth-straight victory over the Bruins.

#gaines #down #senior #victory

OpenAI launched Daybreak for Frontline Defenders on September 3, committing $1 billion in subsidized Daybreak access, training, technical support and partnerships. Separately, the Daybreak Defense Network now includes more than 35 enterprise products and partner-operated services. Cloudflare is offering invitation-only access to an AI vulnerability-discovery and remediation service built with GPT-5.6 Cyber, while SentinelOne is adding Daybreak models to its Wayfinder services. Cloudflare, Inc. (NYSE:NET) and SentinelOne, Inc. (NYSE:S) therefore enter the same program with different routes to revenue.
Cloudflare's model starts at the network and developer edge. It can combine authorized source-code ****** ysis with traffic and security context, then propose code patches and WAF mitigations for customer review. That distribution creates a credible cross-sell path because customers already use Cloudflare for performance and security. Insider Monkey counted 87 hedge funds holding NET at June 30, versus 84 at March 31. AQR Capital Management owned 2,076,835 shares after raising its position by 129%.
The weakness is monetization. Early access is not general availability, and subsidized services can prove usefulness before they prove willingness to pay. Cloudflare must also prevent automated discovery from producing noise or unsafe fixes. Its premium valuation leaves little tolerance for a long gap between product attention and revenue.
SentinelOne approaches the opportunity from endpoint and security operations. Wayfinder can use the new models for code-risk ****** sment, compromise investigation, and malware ****** ysis, placing AI inside workflows staffed by security teams. Forty-one hedge funds held SentinelOne, Inc. (NYSE:S) in Q2, up from 37 in Q1. AQR reported 23,327,991 shares, a 19% quarterly increase.
SentinelOne's risk is competition and services intensity. If Wayfinder depends heavily on expert labor, the offering may scale less efficiently than software. The company also faces Microsoft, CrowdStrike, Palo Alto Networks, and other platforms that can bundle adjacent tools.

#security #access #code #network

San Francisco 49ers rookie wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling has stood out during preseason work ahead of the team's Week 1 Thursday Night matchup against the Los Angeles Rams in Melbourne, Australia on September 10. Injuries in the receiving corps have created openings, and Stribling has taken full advantage in practice and preseason action.
Quarterback Brock Purdy praised the Ole Miss product directly, saying Stribling will be a big part of the offense this season. Purdy cited the rookie's playbook retention, consistency in practice, and ability to correct mistakes quickly as reasons for his confidence.
The San Francisco 49ers carry high expectations into the new season, and confidence surrounds their offense. Wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling turned heads during preseason workouts after joining the team as a draft pick out of Ole Miss, following his early college career at Washington State.
Stribling also led all receivers in the 49ers' preseason opener against the Tennessee ****** ans, catching seven passes for 63 yards in the first half alone against first-team defenders. That performance made him the second receiver in the past decade to record seven catches in the first 20 minutes of a preseason game.
Feb 27, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Mississippi wideout De'Zhaun Stribling (WO35) speaks to members of the media during the NFL Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Jacob Musselman-Imagn Images

#preseason #receiver #francisco #Purdy

The Cowboys have two defensive captains this season, and both were acquired by trading Micah Parsons.
Kenny Clark and Quinnen Williams are the Cowboys' defensive captains. A year ago, the Cowboys traded Parsons to the Packers for Clark and two first-round picks, and later they traded one of those picks to the Jets for Williams.
Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer singled out Williams as a leader who has meant a lot to the team.
"From the minute he got here, he's been about one thing, and it's winning," Schottenheimer said of Williams. "He's never won in the NFL and the leadership is real, the talent is incredible, but every decision that guy makes is based on what's best for us winning. I love that about him, and it's infectious. It rubs off. I love hearing him talk to the young linemen, the young defenders."
Unsurprisingly, quarterback Dak Prescott is the offensive captain and kicker Brandon Aubrey is the special teams captain. Schottenheimer said the players voted on the captains, and those four players were overwhelmingly the top vote getters.

#winning

The Tennessee **** ans waived linebacker Dominique Hampton with an injury settlement Thursday, per the NFL's transaction wire.
Hampton was waived/injured by the team on Aug. 25. After he cleared waivers, he reverted back to the team's Reserve/Injured list. However, after being waived with an injury settlement, Hampton became a free agent and is free to sign with a team once the settlement weeks have been satisfied.
The team signed Hampton to the offseason roster back on Aug. 6. Hampton was a fifth-round pick with the Washington Commanders during the 2024 NFL Draft.
The former Washington Huskies defender has appeared in only one career game since entering the league, which came during his rookie season. He played six special teams snaps.
The **** ans will be rolling into the 2026 season with Owen Pappoe, James Williams Sr., Cody Barton and Cedric Gray as the defenders in the middle of the field.

#hampton #waived #Titans #back

Seattle Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon delivered one of the NFL's standout seasons at the position in recent memory last year.
Pro Football Focus touted Witherspoon as having earned the second-highest graded season for a cornerback in the league since 2020.
Jaire Alexander (No. 1) was the only player who was ranked ahead of Witherspoon, having received an overall player grade of 90.7 for his performance from the 2020 NFL season as a member of the Green Bay Packers.
Witherspoon's performance further cemented his status as a cornerstone of Seattle's defense. His ability to excel in coverage while making game-changing plays has made him one of the Seahawks' most impactful defenders.
The young cornerback has continued to develop into a reliable and versatile presence in Seattle's secondary. His physical style, playmaking ability and consistency have allowed him to make an impact in multiple areas of the defense and shine among the best talents in the league at the slot.

#witherspoon #defense #Seattle

Willie Lampkin is listed at 5-foot-11, but his lack of traditional NFL offensive line height has created a useful challenge for Jordan Davis. Davis credited the Eagles guard with forcing him to improve his leverage during an appearance on "Takeoff with John Clark."
At 6-foot-6, Davis possesses exceptional size and power, but that height can work against him when offensive linemen gain access to his chest. Lampkin's low center of gravity makes it difficult for Davis to win without bending properly and playing beneath his opponent's pads.
The matchup has become a valuable part of Davis' development.
Defensive line coach Clint Hurtt has consistently challenged Davis to play as though he were significantly shorter. That means lowering his pad level without sacrificing the explosion and strength that make him one of the NFL's most physically imposing interior defenders.
Davis said the improvement has been gradual. Repetition is important because proper technique must become automatic when fatigue sets in, particularly near the goal line or during the final minutes of a game. Those situations do not allow a player to stop and correct his stance. He must rely on habits developed through individual work and repeated challenging practice.

#davis #must

Good Friday morning everyone. Apple Cup week rolls on and we inch ever closer to the 1 PM Sunday kickoff. To quench your appetite, we have some Dots for you!
We have our yearly Staff Temperature Check here.
Andy Yamashita has a profile on one of the Big Ten's most underrated defenders, Alex McLaughlin.
Say Who, Say Pod sees Christian and Danny chatting with Coug superfan Adam Lewis.
Andrew Berg has the Big Ten Pick 6 for Week 1.

#Apple #sunday #staff

City duo Nico O'Reilly and Phil Foden have both been nominated for the Premier League's Adobe Express Moment of the Match award for August.
Men's Team
O'Reilly's moment came during last Friday's superb 4-1 win at Crystal Palace.
His contribution saw the Academy graduate beat two defenders at once by using his strength holding off his closest marker before backheeling the ball through their legs and turning upfield.
Foden's moment meanwhile came during a flowing move in City's 2-1 victory at home to Bournemouth on the opening day of the Premier League season.

#moment #o 'reilly #phil #adobe

New York Federal Reserve President John Williams signaled Wednesday that he is open to raising interest rates at the Federal Open Market Committee's September 15-16 meeting, a shift from his previous stance favoring a hold on rates.
"There's no clear signs right now whether monetary policy currently is sufficient to make sure we bring inflation back to target in the next year or two, or whether you need to see further action to do that," Williams said in a "Squawk Box" appearance on CNBC, speaking with anchor Steve Liesman from the New York Fed's headquarters. He added that recent inflation data had been "encouraging" but that policymakers needed to consider a fuller picture of incoming information. He rounded out the thought by saying, "We've got to get a full picture and look at all the different pieces of information we have."
Williams, who holds a permanent seat on the FOMC, had until recently been among the Fed's most vocal defenders of keeping rates steady, according to MarketWatch. His comments Wednesday represented a notable shift in tone ahead of what markets consider a pivotal policy decision.
Williams also addressed the recent rise in Treasury yields, attributing it to economic strength rather than market dysfunction. "What's driving it, in large part, is really a strong U.S. economy and a strong economic outlook fueled by big investments in AI and data centers and technology in general," he said. He described inflation expectations as "well anchored" despite price pressures tied to tariffs and the Iran war.
Markets were pricing in roughly a two-in-three chance of a rate hike at the September meeting as of Wednesday morning, per CME Group figures cited by CNBC.

#wednesday #open

Moritz Seider has had an amazing start to his career while wearing the winged wheel for Detroit. He has captivated fans with his elite defensive play, and he has become more involved on the offensive side of the puck every year. He just recorded his best season yet in Detroit, posting career marks in goals, ***** ists, and plus/minus rating: 10 goals, 50 ***** ists, 60 points and a plus-15 rating in all 82 games. He hasn't even reached his full potential yet, and he is already one of the franchise's centerpieces.
During his time in Detroit, he has also learned how to quarterback our power play and be a shutdown force during penalty-killing situations. He put up a career-high 28 power-play points last season and led Red Wings defensemen with 180 blocked shots. He is also one of the defensemen Detroit turns to in overtime. Over the last five seasons in Detroit, he has averaged 23:51 of ice time, and last season's career-best 25:40 a night was the heaviest workload he has carried yet. Not to mention that he has never missed a game in the entirety of his NHL career so far, a streak that now sits at 410 straight.
Seider will look to continue his dominance on the blue line this season, which carries major significance as the Wings look to return to the playoffs for the first time since 2015-16, after a 10th straight miss last spring. If Seider can maintain his superb career trajectory and the season he posted last year, Detroit's blue line and team will only get better. One statistic that really stands out is Seider's plus/minus rating. As Detroit's number one defenseman, Seider is regularly on the ice defending against the opposing team's top stars. Posting a plus-15 last season, his first positive rating in five NHL seasons, shows that he is one of the most valuable defensemen in today's NHL.
This is not hype or exaggeration of Seider's play; he is well respected by his peers and was just ranked as the ninth-best defenseman in the NHL right now by NHL Network, one spot behind Ottawa's Jake Sanderson, after finishing fifth in Norris Trophy voting. He is the Detroit blue line, and the extension that we had worked out to keep him here was, and still is, an absolute steal for the value of a player he is and will become in the future.
On Aug. 28, 2026, the Colorado Avalanche signed defenseman Cale Makar to a record eight-year, $163.2 million contract extension, making him the highest-paid player in NHL history at a $20.4 million AAV and the first $20 million man the league has ever had. With this happening, elite defenders are going to see a skyrocket in not only what they are worth but what they are going to be paid. Now, when we look at the extension Seider signed on Sept. 19, 2024, seven years and $59.85 million at an $8.55 million AAV, that was an absolute steal for the player who will control Detroit's blue line for years to come. Seider is under contract with Detroit through the 2030-31 season and will be a key piece of Detroit's plans now and i