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z34jkxm9l9iu3x
7 days ago
Sebastian Cheeks has spearheaded one of the best defenses in the nation this season. The Wisconsin Badgers rank inside the top 10 in total yards allowed per game at 276.5, all while allowing a stout 16.3 points per game, which ranks 13th-best in the country. Cheeks joined the Badgers ahead of the 2024 season after spending two seasons at UNC. Cheeks' first two seasons saw him flash at times, but overall, he never jumped out as one of the Big Ten's biggest stars.That was until now. So far this season, Cheeks has tallied 26 total tackles, seven tackles for loss, five sacks, and two forced fumbles.In Wisconsin's upset 24-7 win over USC this past weekend, Cheeks pulled together five tackles and 2.5 sacks, earning him conference acclaim.
Cheeks was recently tipped as a potential NFL draft pick by draft expert Mel Kiper thanks to his do-it-all archetype.
Luke Fickell's squad has just five games on the season; up next is the 5-2 Iowa Hawkeyes inside what is bound to be an electric Kinnick Stadium. Kickoff is set for 12 PM ET and is the Big Noon Kickoff game for FOX.
Contact/FollowTheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion.
This article originally appeared on Badgers Wire: Wisconsin OLB finally named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week

#cheeks #badgers #follow
dgmeh_uzkxjh1f3y
7 days ago
The 2026 season might have been a struggle for the North Hunterdon High School football team, but last weekend's victory over neighborhood rival Voorhees in the 51st annual Milk Can Game is a good way to go into the offseason on a supremely positive note.
Senior Matt Esposito led the way in the 21-18 victory, which increased the Lions all-time lead in the series to 36-14-1 and gave them their first victory of the season. Esposito rushed 27 times for 193 yards and the three touchdowns, including two in the second half. He also pitched in five tackles on defense, plus an interception.
The senior finishes with 916 yards and nine scores for the season, plus a receiving touchdown, while recording 36 tackles, two interceptions and a forced fumble in the Lions' defensive secondary.
"Matt had a tremendous year and was an instrumental piece to the team," North Hunterdon coach CJ Robinson said. "He brings the effort, attitude, and toughness on Friday nights. His performance last week is a great reflection of the work and commitment he's put in this year. To see him play at that level and help lead our team to a win was special. We were fortunate to have had him as part of our program."
Simeon Pincus has covered NJ sports since 1997. He can be reached at SPincusGannettNJ.com. Follow him on Twitter SimeonPincus

#team #hunterdon #matt
duwi_poq_kuwexa_kemh
7 days ago
Things started out well tonight at Lambeau Field for the Carolina Panthers, who forced a fumble on the game's opening kickoff. They only got three points out of it, though—and it was mostly downhill from there.
In the end, they lost to the Green Bay Packers by a score of 27-19, which makes it sound much closer than it actually was. So, who had the greatest hands in the defeat?
Here are your studs and duds from a spooky-bad Thursday night loss . . .
Amazon opened their broadcast with Blue Oyster Cult's 1976 hit "Don't Fear the Reaper," and the Packers defense certainly didn't have to. For the second straight week, Young went to pieces under pressure, looking nothing like the confident and decisive quarterback he was early this season in the same situations.
Young responded poorly to the rush, running himself into sacks and releasing the ball at bad angles. He led one strong scoring drive in the fourth quarter—but it was too little, too late.

#green #here
hy7er81
7 days ago
The Green Bay Packers took down the visiting Carolina Panthers on "Thursday Night Football" to open Week 8 in the NFL. The big stats to know: Jordan Love threw three touchdown passes and Josh Jacobs scored twice, while the Packers defense produced six sacks and held the Panthers to just 3.7 yards per play.
Five other stats to explain the Packers' 27-19 win over the Panthers:
The Packers pressured Bryce Young on 48.9 percent of his dropbacks on Thursday night, and he completed only seven passes for 41 yards and took six sacks while pressured, per Next Gen Stats. Brenton ******* Jr. (6), Dani Dennis-Sutton and Lukas Van Ness (5) led the way in the pressure department for the Packers, who consistently won at the line of scrimmage and forced Young into rushed decisions or improvised throws. Because of the pass protection issues, Young completed only two passes thrown more than 10 yards downfield and attempted only one pass more than 20 yards downfield.
While Bryce Young languished under pressure, Jordan Love consistently got the ball out of his hands quick and on time. Per Next Gen Stats, Love completed 23 of 25 passes thrown in under 2.5 seconds after the snap, completing negating any pass-rush. His 23 "quick" completions were the most in a game by a quarterback this season and by far the most in his career, beating the 19 he had during Week 7 in 2024. Two of his three touchdowns came on quick throws under 2.5 seconds. The Panthers tried to blitz Love, but he consistently found quick answers to beat potential pressure.
The Packers turned the ball over three times: Coleman Owen's fumble on the opening kickoff return, Christian Watson's fumble in the second quarter and Jordan Love's interception to start the fourth quarter. But the Panthers turned those three takeaways into all of three points. And the field goal came after Owen's fumble set up the Panthers inside the 30-yard line. Turnovers can be huge momentum-turning plays in games, but not if a defense stands tall. Jonathan Gannon's group made sure mistakes made didn't turn into a run of points for the Panthers.

#panthers #packers #young #jordan
hdbiaxmlwdi
8 days ago
The Green Bay Packers are 5-3 after beating the Carolina Panthers by a 27-19 final score on "Thursday Night Football" from Lambeau Field. There were **** ps along the way, especially early and late, but the Packers got three touchdown passes from Jordan Love and six sacks from Jonathan Gannon's defense to power what ended up being a winning performance.
Highlighting the good, the bad and the ugly coming out of Thursday night's win:
Jordan Love during the first three quarters, the adversity defense, and the pass-rush: Love was on fire for the first 45 minutes, completing 26 of his first 33 passes for 262 yards and three scores. He threw a pick early in the fourth quarter, starting a disappointing finish for the offense overall, but the Packers quarterback was terrific for most of the contest, playing on time from the pocket and consistently finding completions. Jonathan Gannon's defense was dominant at times, allowing only three points off three Packers turnovers, and the only three points came after the fumbled opening kickoff that gave the Panthers the ball in field goal range. It took a few crazy conversions for the Panthers to score a touchdown in the second half. The Packers were dominant up front, sacking Bryce Young six times and consistently disrupting the pocket.
The start, and most of the finish: How did the Packers open the game? By fumbling away the opening kickoff, dropping three first-quarter passes and committing a pre-snap penalty. The turnover spotted the Panthers three early points. To Green Bay's credit, the first quarter ended with the Packers leading. During most of the second and third quarters, the Packers were in complete control, leading 20-10 at the half and 27-13 with a chance to dagger the Panthers to start the fourth quarter. But Jordan Love threw a pick on the second play of the fourth, turning the game sharply, and the Panthers eventually scored on a 70-yard drive and had the ball down one score with a chance to tie the game. What should have been a comfortable, two- or three-score win ended up being a nail biter because the Packers made costly mistakes and couldn't run the ball. One more bad: Trey Smack missed an extra point, so the kicking worries continue to linger. The lost point mattered because it kept the Panthers within one score in the fourth quarter.
The run game. The Packers returned Aaron Banks to the lineup at left guard, and Josh Jacobs got a full workload against the NFL's worst run defense entering Week 8, but it wasn't nearly enough to awaken Green Bay's dormant run game. Jacobs turned 21 rushes into only 39 yards, and 18 of the Packers' 66 rushing yards came on a well-executed Savion Williams gadget play. The 25 designed runs to running backs gained all of 48 yards. Jacobs didn't have a run longer than six yards. It's possible the Packers run game just isn't going to happen in 2026. This is a historically bad start -- the Packers are just the 14th team since 1935 to rush for fewer than 500 yards
impzefelpdhjyuyg
8 days ago
The Green Bay Packers beat the Carolina Panthers 27-19 at Lambeau Field to improve to 5-3 on the season. They turned what looked like a potentially comfortable victory into a bit of a nail-biter, but overall were good value for the win as they bounced back from a tough loss to the Detroit Lions on Sunday.
Here are five takeaways from Green Bay's win on "Thursday Night Football" from Lambeau Field:
There was still plenty wrong with the Packers offense on Thursday night. The run game remained lifeless despite Josh Jacobs' return, there were more drops by Matthew Golden and a fumble by Christian Watson.
But when Jordan Love is rolling like he was for most of this game, none of it seems to matter. He was in a rhythm throughout the first half and much of the second, helped by a pretty decent pocket to throw from.
Love ended the night 30 of 41 (73.2%) passing for 288 yards, three touchdowns and a pick, in a game which was another reminder that as long as he is protected, the offense will put up points.

#night #love #like #offense
xkYvoBtGkHY4ak
8 days ago
The Tennessee ***** ans' leading receiver this season, rookie Carnell Tate, has missed consecutive days of practice because of a shoulder injury ahead of a Week 8 matchup with the Cincinnati Bengals.
Also among those not practicing Thursday according to the ***** ans' injury report were running backs Tyjae Spears (knee) and Tony Pollard (rest), and punter Tommy Townsend (knee).
Receiver Calvin Ridley (hip) and DL John Franklin-Myers (groin) were limited.
Tate, the fourth overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft from Ohio State, leads the ***** ans with 34 catches and 413 receiving yards through seven games. He has scored one touchdown, and fumbled three times (two lost).
Bengals receiver Ja'Marr Chase, a non-participant Thursday for practice, was a full participant Thursday. Safety Jordan Battle (hamstring) was limited.

#injury #limited
nearly47212
8 days ago
The Tennessee ******* ans' leading receiver this season, rookie Carnell Tate, has missed consecutive days of practice because of a shoulder injury ahead of a Week 8 matchup with the Cincinnati Bengals.
Also among those not practicing Thursday according to the ******* ans' injury report were running backs Tyjae Spears (knee) and Tony Pollard (rest), and punter Tommy Townsend (knee).
Receiver Calvin Ridley (hip) and DL John Franklin-Myers (groin) were limited.
Tate, the fourth overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft from Ohio State, leads the ******* ans with 34 catches and 413 receiving yards through seven games. He has scored one touchdown, and fumbled three times (two lost).
Bengals receiver Ja'Marr Chase, a non-participant Thursday for practice, was a full participant Thursday. Safety Jordan Battle (hamstring) was limited.

#Titans #bengals #practice
leqg_xuxrylq
8 days ago
Thursday night's American Conference matchup between Florida Atlantic and North Texas featured a strong candidate for fumble of the year.
Following a 28-yard pass from Tayven Jackson to Dalton Carnes, the Mean Green had an opportunity to break a 24-24 tie before the half with a field goal or perhaps even a touchdown with 27 seconds remaining in the second quarter.
On the next play, Jackson flipped a short pass to Jahiem White out of the backfield. White made a dash toward the first-down marker, then attempted a hurdle toward the line to gain.
However, FAU defensive back Travis Jackson hit White as he was in the air, causing the ball to pop loose. White did not get out of bounds before losing the ball and the carom went back onto the field, recovered by defensive lineman Tycoolhill Luman.
FAU took over at its 34-yard line with 11 seconds left before halftime. That didn't give the Owls much time to do anything else but attempt three short passes before ending the half on a deep throw that fell incomplete.

#jackson
fopowgaqojebazopem40
8 days ago
The Packers stuck with kicker Trey Smack after his misses from 26 and 35 in a 20-17 loss to the Lions last week. It's looking like a bad decision.
The sixth-round rookie hit the left upright on a PAT try with 5:08 remaining in the first quarter, his third missed extra point of the season. He has now missed eight kicks.
The Packers lead the Panthers 6-3.
Packers wide receiver Coleman Owen fumbled the opening kickoff, and linebacker Nick Hampton recovered for the Panthers. Carolina gained only 8 yards in the drive before Ryan Fitzgerald kicked a 39-yard field goal.
The Packers took the lead on their second possession, with Jordan Love hitting Tucker Kraft for a 12-yard score.

#missed #yard #lions #coleman
6M0koBCzcTfZImlQ
18 days ago
Browns' Jared Verse calls impressive rookie 'hooper' after beating Ravens appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Cleveland Browns defensive end Jared Verse had nothing but praise for linebacker Carson Schwesinger following Sunday's dramatic 13-10 victory over the Baltimore Ravens. The Browns had been monitoring Schwesinger's injury concerns entering the matchup.
Schwesinger delivered another impressive performance, recording a game-high 13 tackles and forcing a crucial fumble despite being playing through an ankle injury.
Speaking after the game, Verse highlighted his teammate's toughness and reliability. "He has an old-school linebacker mindset," Verse said. "He's a hooper. You can count on him for anything."
Watch sports LIVE with fuboTV (free trial)

#Browns #jared #Ravens #hooper
4981fSyISA473
18 days ago
Cam Skattebo faced a tough outing during the Giants' loss against the Saints for one particular reason, but his reaction has been humble and one that is focused on growth.
Cam Skattebo is a New York Giants fan-favourite, to say the least. During their Week 5 tie with the Washington Commanders, though, the running back committed a cardinal sin at a crucial moment. Skattebo fumbled the football with the team already in field-goal range, costing them a crucial opportunity to win.
There are very few things that coaches dislike at the highest level of football more than poor ball security. Any NFL running back faces massive scrutiny if they do end up losing the football. Skattebo is no different, although his punishment seemingly went well beyond the criticism.
It seems John Harbaugh wasn't interested in messing about when it came to this situation. Skattebo is certainly going to have to earn his coach's trust back. In their Week 6 loss against New Orleans, the running back was only on the field for six snaps and was not called upon for a single carry.
Najee Harris took up the role instead, and it will have been fairly embarrassing for Skattebo. Some NFL stars might get upset if this happens, but the 24-year-old's response to it revealed a surprising amount of maturity.

#Giants #loss #field
dasHhack
19 days ago
Ravens' Calais Campbell points to missed opportunity after Derrick Henry turnover appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Coach Jesse Minter's Baltimore Ravens lost a 13-10 road contest to Todd Monken's Cleveland Browns on a day when Derrick Henry took accountability for a crucial fumble. Tyler 'Snoop' Huntley showed his value to the team with a decent game, but missed opportunities haunted the Ravens QB, and defense, as the smoked cleared on a rough loss.
Afterward, Ravens defensive tackle Calais Campbell pointed out a missed opportunity following the Henry turnover.
"We got a good gameplan…I think that we executed well, it was just one of those days where we didn't do enough to win it. It would have been nice to have a TV timeout there (after the fumble)…We had to just go, I think that hurt us because they got seven…We gotta find a way to protect our brother in that moment and figure out a way to hold them to three (points). We gotta find a way to make those plays."
Watch sports LIVE with fuboTV (free trial)

#Ravens #calais #campbell #points
mlasenmohacurob309
19 days ago
John Harbaugh might have made a statement about ball security in the New York Giants' 34-27 loss to the New Orleans Saints in Week 6. Running back Cam Skattebo, who lost an overtime fumble against the Washington Commanders the previous week, his fourth of the season, barely saw the field and did not play an offensive snap in the second half.
Skattebo played just six offensive snaps, and for the first time in his NFL career, he finished a game without touching the ball. His limited role raised questions about where he stands with Harbaugh and whether his fumbles have cost him the coach's trust.
Former NFL running back Damien Harris believes the decision came down to Harbaugh's expectations, especially when it comes to protecting the football.
Speaking on "CBS Sports HQ," Harris suggested that Skattebo's recent struggles with ball security were the reason the Giants limited his role against the Saints.
"We talked about how ball security is job security in the National Football League. Not only did Cam Skattebo get benched today… he didn't touch the football. Not one reception, not one rush. They don't trust him with the football," Harris began.

#skattebo #saints #week
mildly
19 days ago
The Georgia Bulldogs entered Saturday's matchup against the Auburn Tigers ranked No. 1 in the country after earning a road victory over the Alabama Crimson Tide.
However, after jumping out to a 14-0 lead against the Tigers, Georgia watched Auburn storm back with 24 unanswered points to pull off a shocking 27-24 upset. Kicker Alex McPherson sealed the win with a game-winning field goal.
Georgia had the ball near midfield with the score tied 24-24 and a chance to drive down the field for the win. However, quarterback Gunner Stockton fumbled, and Auburn recovered before driving into field goal range.
After the game, Georgia head coach Kirby Smart made it clear that he trusts his quarterback more than anyone in the country with the ball in his hands, and the late turnover didn't change that.
"We wouldn't have been in the position we were if it wasn't for Gunner … I thought he did a good job keeping us in the game," Smart said. "Very unfortunate on the fumble. If there's anybody I'd pick to have the ball in their hands, it'd be him."

#however
H5Sfo
19 days ago
Los Angeles Rams TE Tyler Higbee caught all four of his targets for 22 yards and lost a fumble in an 18-16 loss to the Arizona Cardinals in Week 6.
SOURCE: USAToday.com
Why it Matters: After three straight games with more than 60 receiving yards, Higbee had a quieter outing against the Cardinals. Still, he appears to have carved out a larger role in the offense in recent weeks, and Higbee should at least be a serviceable TE2.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Tyler Higbee limited to four grabs in Week 6

#higbee #four #angeles #source
lAzybrick
19 days ago
Baltimore's three-game winning streak ended with a 13-10 loss that tied Cleveland with the Ravens at 4-2, and now all eyes turn to Lamar Jackson returning after missing two games to lead the charge.
Browns 13, Ravens 10.
The Ravens scored on their first two possessions and never scored again. Derrick Henry's lost fumble produced Cleveland's tying touchdown, and Tyler Loop missed a 49-yard field goal.
Andre Szmyt's late field goal completed Cleveland's comeback after Baltimore failed to capitalize on an earlier missed Browns kick.
Keyon Martin recorded a sack and a pass breakup. Josh Cuevas caught four passes for 44 yards and his first NFL touchdown. Ja'Kobi Lane added four receptions for 40 yards in his return.

#Ravens #Browns #touchdown #yards
K1vgPENeRdaRtWu
2 months ago
Matt LaFleur spent his entire offseason promising Green Bay Packers would finally learn how to finish games. Sunday in Minneapolis put that promise to the test immediately. The Packers built a healthy second-half lead, the same type of cushion that slipped away repeatedly last season, and it vanished again. What happened next, both on the field and in the press conference that followed, left fans furious.
Green Bay looked in control for most of Sunday's opener at U.S. Bank Stadium. The Packers led 22-10 in the third quarter behind Jordan Love, who threw for 387 yards and two touchdowns. Then everything unraveled. Minnesota Vikings scored 29 unanswered points in the second half, turning a comfortable lead into a 39-22 defeat.
The turning point came in the fourth quarter. With Green Bay up 25-17 after a penalty wiped a Vikings field goal off the board, LaFleur chose to go for it on fourth-and-1 instead of taking the points. Love was stopped on a quarterback sneak, and Minnesota took over on downs. The Vikings never let go from there.
Sep 12, 2021; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur during the first half against the New Orleans Saints at TIAA Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
Love was sacked four times after halftime, lost a fumble and threw a tipped interception during the fourth-quarter collapse. Twelve Packers penalties for 98 yards, several on Minnesota's go-ahead drive, compounded the damage.

#lafleur #half
43madlysimplycloud
2 months ago
Former Indiana State Sycamore Johnathan Edwards was waived Monday by the Indianapolis Colts.
The move followed the Colts' 41-23 loss at home to Baltimore in Sunday's season opener. Edwards didn't play against the Ravens, and was among six Colts players declared inactive for Week 1. Indianapolis promoted Kenneth Harris from the practice squad prior to the game, with Harris then occupying Edwards' special teams roles.
The 6-foot-1, 201-pound Edwards was originally signed by the Colts as an undrafted free agent May 9, 2025.
As a rookie, Edwards played in 14 games (with five starts) and registered 24 tackles (18 solo), three passes defensed and two special teams stops.
Collegiately, Edwards appeared in 45 career games at Tulane (2024) and Indiana State (2021-23) and recorded 124 tackles (86 solo), 1.5 tackles for loss, 22 passes defensed and one forced fumble.

#colts #state #indianapolis #teams
5partly
2 months ago
Win or lose, any football game is sure to include some standout individual performances.
Luckily for us, the Jacksonville Jaguars obliterated the Cleveland Browns in Week 1, and there are plenty of game ****** to pass around.
Trevor Lawrence threw 4 touchdowns; Parker Washington had the coolest one of them; Foye Oluokun logged an interception and another pass breakup; Ventrell Miller had a team-high 9 tackles plus a sack and a forced fumble; and Josh Hines-Allen stuffed the stat sheet with 5 tackles, 1.5 sacks, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery (on different plays!).
After the final whistle, we asked Jaguars fans to pick Big Cat Country's Player of the Week.
81% of voters chose Trevor Lawrence.

#fumble #week #game #forced
cafes_dot_ni_gi351
2 months ago
The Indianapolis waived cornerback Johnathan Edwards on Monday, the team announced.
Edwards was inactive for Sunday's game against the Ravens.
He originally signed with the Colts as an undrafted free agent on May 9, 2025.
As a rookie, he appeared in 14 games, with five starts, and totaled 24 tackles, three passes defensed and two special teams stops.
Collegiately, Edwards appeared in 45 career games at Tulane (2024) and Indiana State (2021-23) and recorded 124 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, 22 passes defensed and one forced fumble.

#edwards #appeared #johnathan #Monday
vhzzn3n7jjar
2 months ago
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — The Tampa Bay Buccaneers saw the best and worst of Baker Mayfield in their first season-opening loss since 2020.
Tom Brady led them to a Super Bowl ***** le that season so 0-1 isn't an insurmountable deficit.
Plus, every team in the NFC South lost on Sunday.
Mayfield lost three fumbles that led to 17 points, including one that was returned for a score in Tampa Bay's 33-27 loss to Cincinnati. He also held the ball took long at times, taking four sacks. But Mayfield had an efficient game when he wasn't giving the ball away. He completed 23 of 28 passes for 216 yards and ran for 30 yards, including a touchdown.
If Mayfield protected the ball, the outcome would've been different.

#yards #buccaneers
GlidelazY
2 months ago
AUBURN — Both Da'Shawn Womack and CK Murray are expected to see the field when Auburn football when it hosts Florida for its SEC-opener this weekend, head coach Alex Golesh said Monday, Sept. 14.
Neither Womack nor Murray played in Auburn's home-opener against Southern Miss last weekend after Golesh provided health updates on both throughout the week.
"Those guys both practiced this morning, and we anticipate having them both," Golesh said. "It was a push to get them both back last week. I don't know if you saw, I had to get Womack out of my way about 20 times on the sideline (against Southern Miss). I kept telling everybody he was 'Coach Wo' on the sideline, and he (was). He brought a really cool energy. So did CK, which I was proud of both those kids for."
TIME, TV: When does Auburn football play Florida this week?
Transferring from Ole Miss to Auburn this offseason, Womack had 27 total tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, 2 sacks and a forced fumble for the Rebels last year. Murray played in all 12 of Auburn's games last fall, posting 15 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and a forced fumble. Prior to that, Murray spent three seasons at Sam Houston.

#golesh #miss #Florida
hixet_xzocu_sco_ha_k
2 months ago
Our inaugural "Team of the Month" poll came down to the wire between a strip-sack touchdown and a toe-tapping deflected catch along the sidelines.
Westwood football's Levon "Trey" Simmons III claimed TC Palm's August "Play of the Month" honors, narrowly edging out Martin County's fumble return touchdown with 55.6 percent of the vote.
On the play, Westwood quarterback Elize Pierre rolled out to his left and attempted to complete a pass to junior running back Najja Martin. The ball bounced off Martin's hands and up into the air after a collision with a Palm Beach Gardens defender.
Simmons swooped into grab the reception and got two feet in bounds before stepping out of play. Westwood went on to defeat Palm Beach Gardens 21-7 on Aug. 24.
You can view the play, as well as the rest of August's "Play of the Month" nominees," in the following video:

#month #martin
wnmhbvq1dlj3uf9w
2 months ago
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers showed enough in their 33-27 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals to feel like they could have won. Instead, four lost fumbles, shaky pass protection, and defensive issues underneath turned a competitive performance into a 0-1 start.
Tampa Bay finished with 282 total yards, converted five of 10 third downs, and never punted. The Bucs also fought back from a 21-3 deficit and had the game within six points late, but the turnovers kept Cincinnati in control.
Here are the Buccaneers' Week 1 grades by position.
Baker Mayfield's game was almost a perfect reflection of Tampa Bay's afternoon. He completed 23 of 28 passes for 216 yards without an interception, added 30 rushing yards, and scored on a nine-yard run in the fourth quarter.
The number one problem for Mayfield was ball security. Mayfield fumbled three times and lost all three of them. One was returned 27 yards for a touchdown, another went through the end zone for a touchback near the goal line, and the third came on a fourth-quarter strip-sack while Tampa Bay was trying to complete its comeback.There is some living and dying by the sword with Mayfield. Part of what makes him unique is his willingness to fight through contact, extend plays, and create something when a play looks dead. When it works, everyone loves it. When it ends with the football on the ground, it looks reckless. Against Cincinnati, he pushed that line much too far.

#yards #lost #game
mvQJQsdashorbit
2 months ago
The season opener is a game quarterback C.J. Stroud will probably want to forget.
While he had 274 passing yards and two touchdowns, he also had two fumbles, including one on the final drive that doomed the Houston Texans in their opener against the Buffalo Bills.
Stroud is already focusing on turning the page to Week 2 against the Cincinnati Bengals.
"It's part of the NFL," Stroud said. "You have to be able to learn from your mistakes and then go onto the next week and try to get a win. We have a tough Bengals team coming in here. They're really good. We have to be on our P's and Q's, try to win that game. We'll fix our issues by tonight and tomorrow, turn the page and keep moving forward. One thing that DeMeco [Ryans] said in the locker room that I agree with is, we're going to keep our chins high and our chests poked out. We did a lot of positive things, do we wish we won it? Yes. But at the end of the day it's a long season.
"You have to give us a little bit of credit there. I think I second his message with that."

#stroud #game #page #texans
917blinkslowl4sweep
2 months ago
Josh Allen's dramatic winning drive sends strong message to rest of AFC originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Buffalo Bills needed Josh Allen to rescue them one more time. Their franchise quarterback delivered.
Allen directed a 96-yard touchdown drive late in the fourth quarter to lift Buffalo to a 36-31 victory over the Houston Texans. He completed the comeback by finding Joshua Palmer for a 34-yard touchdown with 1:36 remaining.
Houston still had an opportunity to answer, but Greg Rousseau forced a C.J. Stroud fumble near the Buffalo goal line to secure the victory. It was an early-season reminder that defeating the Bills requires more than taking a late lead. Opponents must finish the job without giving Allen another meaningful possession.
Allen completed 20 of 29 passes for 334 yards and two touchdowns. He also ran for two scores, accounting for four of Buffalo's touchdowns in the win. His final touchdown throw was made possible by a missed opportunity from the Texans.

#drive #yard
ydtd52lr
2 months ago
SIOUX CITY, IA (KCAU) - The Panthers hosted Drake on Saturday and beat the Bulldogs 56-14.
The UNI defense made its presence known, forcing five turnovers on two fumble recoveries and three interceptions, with one being a pick-six.
Next week, the Panthers head to Iowa City to face the Hawkeyes.
Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KCAU 9 News | Sioux City, IA | News, Weather, and Sports.

#kcau #saturday
diitnvefn
2 months ago
Down 23-3 in the fourth quarter. Twenty-one unanswered points - against the No. 1 team in the country. A Heisman Trophy campaign that roared back to life. The return of Texas football's running game, redemption for a quarterback and a program, and a huge win over the Buckeyes that has Texas in place to possibly become the new No. 1 team in the country.
Saturday night's 24-23 thriller had it all.
Texas Longhorns' tight end Spencer Shannon (83) dives after Texas Longhorns' defensive back Kade Phillips (8) after Phillips recovered a fumble as the Texas Longhorns and Ohio State Buckeyes face off at Royal-Memorial Stadium in Austin on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026. (Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman)
As bad as Texas' start was, as bad as things looked at halftime and the third quarter, as unlucky and plodding as the Longhorns looked, all that turned around in the fourth quarter. After surviving what was probably the worst first quarter of the Steve Sarkisian era, No. 4 Texas produced perhaps the biggest win ever at Royal-Memorial Stadium.
Here are some observations we saw from Saturday's win:

#royal #memorial
tr4lYlazy
2 months ago
The Wisconsin Badgers beat the Western Illinois Leathernecks 36-9 on a night that started on a high note but ended with many questions as Wisconsin improved to 1-1 on the season.
Wisconsin entered the week as a 36.5-point favorite, and that jumped all the way to 42.5 ahead of kickoff. Things looked great on the first snap of regulation, as Abu Sama III bounced a run to the edge for a 72-yard touchdown to give the Badgers an early 7-0 lead.
The Badgers forced a quick three-and-out and faced their first minor issue as Tyrell Henry fumbled on the punt return, but Wisconsin was able to recover and got great starting field position at their own 46-yard line. Sama quickly got the Badgers moving with a 31-yard run on the first play of the drive, once again bouncing to the edge and winning with speed.
One play later, the Badgers got into the red zone, but the drive stalled there as a first-down Sama run went for negative yards. Wisconsin couldn't recover from there, and they kicked a field goal in the red zone for an early 10-0 lead.
Wisconsin's defense looked sharp once again on the ensuing drive with their second consecutive three-and-out, and the punt unit made a major play for the second week in a row. After Liam Danitz blocked a punt against Notre Dame last week, Carson Van Dinter got a blocked punt early on Saturday, which he returned for an easy touchdown. Suddenly, Wisconsin was up 17-0 less than halfway through the first quarter.

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