The Cleveland Browns will sport a new defensive look when they take the field on Sunday for their Week 1 game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Some of those changes are by design: defensive end Jared Verse replaces Myles Garrett, linebacker Quincy Williams replaces Devin Bush, and defensive coordinator Mike Rutenberg takes over for Jim Schwartz.
There were some unexpected changes, however, most notably along the defensive line, after defensive end Alex Wright, who was expected to be a starter, was lost for the season to a torn Achilles tendon.
That led general manager Andrew Berry to bring in veterans Sam Williams and Derek Barnett, and Rutenberg to experiment with Michael Hall Jr. at defensive end.
Rutenberg had his weekly press conference on Thursday and addressed several topics. Here are four takeaways from what he had to say.

#jacksonville

Fans will get to see two of the better defenses in the NFL face off in Jacksonville as the Browns fly in to face the Jags in week one. It also happens to be the first game back since October of 2024 for Deshaun Watson, a player who has found immense success over the course of his career vs. the Jaguars.
First though, let's discuss this vaunted Cleveland defense. If not for their putrid offense, this might have been the best unit in the NFL last season. The Browns led the NFL by allowing just 22.6 yards per drive, ranked fourth in yards per play (4.8), and fifth in pressure rate (38.1%).
They also happened to lead the league with 117 tackles for loss on the season.
It's no secret that much of that success can be attributed to one Myles Garrett, but don't overlook who Cleveland got in return for this generation's best pass-rusher. Jared Verse knows how to rush the passer. Since 2024, Verse ranks only behind the previously mentioned Myles Garrett and the Jaguars' very own Josh Hines-Allen in pressures with 157 to his name.
In the secondary, the Browns have a familiar face at cornerback in Tyson Campbell. Following the trade, Campbell actually put together a solid season, allowing a 51% completion rate and eight PBUs. His teammate Denzel Ward also allowed a completion rate under 60%. This is a tough team to find success through the air against, allowing just 167 passing yards per game.

#season #rate

CBS Sports ******* yst Garrett Podell put together his bold predictions for Week 1 of the 2026 season, one of which centers around the Jacksonville Jaguars' run defense -- and not in a positive way.
Podell made four bold Week 1 predictions, one of which is that Cleveland Browns' running back Quinshon Judkins rushes for over 75 yards against the Jaguars' defense.
"Cleveland Browns running back Quinshon Judkins ran for 827 yards as a rookie in 2025 despite the corpse of Joe Flacco, third-round rookie Dillon Gabriel and fifth-round rookie Shedeur Sanders all starting at quarterback last season," wrote Podell. "He's used to facing loaded boxes and opponents going all out to take away his production."
Of course, what makes this prediction bold is that the Jaguars boasted the top run defense unit in football last season.
A second offseason in Anthony Campanile's scheme, along with no significant losses this offseason, a few new rookie additions, and second-year players BJ Green and Danny Striggow making potential jumps, are all reasons to believe that this unit can once again be quite good.

#podell #quinshon

MILWAUKEE (AP) — The Milwaukee Brewers are heading to the playoffs, and baseball's best team left no doubt.
Garrett Mitchell hit the Brewers' first grand slam of the season, one of four homers for Milwaukee in a 20-0 rout of the Cincinnati Reds on Friday night that secured a playoff berth that had long been inevitable.
Manager Pat Murphy celebrated with a toast to his players and clubhouse staff. Afterward, the locker room was subdued, because these Brewers (92-56) hope to accomplish much more.
This will be Milwaukee's fourth straight trip to the playoffs and eighth in nine seasons.
"It's not something to take lightly because it's really hard to do," Murphy said. "We want to see how far we can go and how complete this can be. Remember that the message to the team is that we checked off one box, but we've got a lot more to go."

#milwaukee #brewers #garrett #cincinnati

ATLANTA (AP) — Drake Baldwin doubled to center field in the 11th inning to score Ha-Seong Kim from first base and the Atlanta Braves beat the Philadelphia Phillies 6-5 on Friday night in the opening game of a key NL East series.
The first-place Braves extended their lead over the Phillies to five games. The teams split a four-game series in Philadelphia that began last Friday.
Luis Arraez's single to left field off Didier Fuentes (7-2) in the 11th drove in designated runner Garrett Stubbs to give Philadelphia a 5-4 lead. Kim's single off Brooks Raley (5-6) in the bottom of the inning drove in Ozzie Albies to tie it. Baldwin followed with the winning double.
Phillies right-hander Jonathan Bowlan blew a 3-2 lead in the ninth. Bowlan gave up a one-out single to Mike Yastrzemski. Pinch-runner DaShawn Keirsey Jr., who was recalled before the game, scored from first on Sean Murphy's single up the middle and center fielder Derek Hill's fielding error.
Aaron Nola gave up homers to Matt Olson in the first and Austin Riley in the seventh. Braves left-hander Chris Sale allowed three runs on only three hits in seven innings but struggled with two outs in the second. Edmundo Sosa singled before Sale walked Bryan De La Cruz and hit J.T. Realmuto with a pitch to load the bases. Derek Hill doubled off the center-field wall to drive in three runs.

#lead

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Garrett Mitchell hit the Brewers' first grand slam of the season, one of four homers for Milwaukee in a 20-0 rout of the Cincinnati Reds on Friday night that clinched a playoff spot for the majors' best team.
William Contreras, Bryce Turang and Jake Bauers also went deep for the Brewers (92-56), who have a commanding lead in the NL Central but for now are **** ured of at least a wild-card spot. They lead second-place Chicago by 10 games in the division, and their magic number to clinch that **** le is four.
Dustin May (7-9) and Garrett Stallings combined on a two-hitter while Milwaukee pounded out a season-high 23 hits. May worked six innings, giving up two singles to standout Reds rookie Sal Stewart in his seventh start for the Brewers. He was acquired from St. Louis at the trade deadline.
Stallings got the last nine outs for his first save.
Andrew Abbott (6-11) allowed eight runs on nine hits in two innings, his shortest start of the season.

#season #first #spot

For the eighth time in nine seasons, the Milwaukee Brewers are going to the playoffs.
One of the game's most consistent powers ***** ured its spot in the postseason by flattening the Cincinnati Reds 20-0 Friday, Sept. 11 at Milwaukee's American Family Field. It's highly likely this won't be the final celebration before the Brewers finish the regular season: They hold a 10-game lead over the Chicago Cubs in the National League Central, with a magic number of three to clinch the division.
Milwaukee blitzed Reds left-hander Andrew Abbott for nine hits and eight runs in the first two innings Friday, scoring six times in the bottom of the second to build an 8-0 lead. Brice Turang hit a three-run homer and Jake Bauers a two-run shot, providing more than enough support for starting pitcher Dustin May.
Then, it got absurd. The Brewers rocked reliever Luis Mey for eight runs in the bottom of the fifth, extending the lead to 17-0. Milwaukee registered eight hits in the fifth, two by Garrett Mitchell, including a grand slam.
Per usual, Milwaukee's proven greater than the sum of its parts. The club has a bona fide ace and budding superstar in right-hander Jacob Misiorowski, what with his 104-mph fastball and major league-leading 236 strikeouts. The club has a reliable No. 2 starter in fellow second-year man Logan Henderson, but its rotation faces question marks after that.

#Friday #league #three

The Los Angeles Rams didn't look like a Super Bowl contender in their season opener.
The Rams, who were dubbed as the favorites to hoist the Lombardi Trophy at the end of the season, looked mediocre in Week 1 against the San Francisco 49ers.
Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford speaks during a news conference after an NFL football game against the 49ers. AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake
Head coach Sean McVay was out-coached. Quarterback Matthew Stafford played poorly. Reigning Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett was nowhere to be found, recording zeros across the board in his Rams debut.
And Aaron Donald was watching the Australia showdown from LA.

#Rams #season #super #bowl

The Cleveland Browns open the 2026 NFL season on Sunday when they take on the Jacksonville Jaguars.
It is a big day for the Browns as it will be the first time defensive coordinator Mike Rutenberg is calling the shots on defense, the first time Todd Monken will work an NFL sideline as a head coach, and the first time quarterback Deshaun Watson will start a game since October of 2024. (How long he remains in that role is very much to be determined.)
Cleveland comes in with a completely rebuilt offensive line, two shiny new rookies in wide receivers Denzel Boston and KC Concepcion, and defensive end Jared Verse taking over for reigning Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett.
Expectations and hope are not high for the Browns, especially with the club starting the season with consecutive road games. But Cleveland has won three in a row against the Jaguars, including the past two times they were the road team, so Sunday may go better than expected.
It is the Browns and Jaguars to open the season, and here is everything you need to know about the game.

#Browns #cleveland #sunday #game

Even without the help of their left-handed ace starting pitcher Garrett Crochet, the Boston Red Sox have held their own. They are currently 80-67, third place in the American League East and comfortably in the second Wild Card spot.
It has been well documented at this point that the team struggled out of the gate. Before their late June series at Fenway Park versus the New York Yankees, they were 32-46 and had the worst record in the American League.
All of the damage since has been done without Crochet. He pitched last on April 25 at the Baltimore Orioles, before being put on the injured list with left shoulder inflammation and a lat strain.
MORE: Red Sox swap spots for Sonny Gray, Ranger Suarez ahead of Royals weekend series
Mar 26, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Garrett Crochet (35) pitches against the Cincinnati Reds in the third inning at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect (Reuters)

#crochet #american #cincinnati #credit

The FSU baseball program has landed its fourth player in the 2028 recruiting class, and it is yet another in-state prospect, with two-way player Garrett Harper committing on Thursday.
"Officially committed to Florida State University! 🍢 Thank you to my parents, family, friends, coaches, teammates, and Brad for believing in me and helping me get here." he wrote on social media. "Thank you to FSU for the opportunity to continue my academic & baseball journey. Time to work!"
Harper is a left-handed pitcher and outfielder from Cocoa Beach, Florida. He was originally a member of the 2029 recruiting class, but reclassified to join the 2028 class in April. He has a great frame at 6-foot-4 and 205 pounds.
He had a strong freshman season at Cocoa Beach High School and is looking to take another step as a junior after skipping his sophomore season. He finished the season hitting .442 with nine doubles, one home run, 19 RBI, and 27 runs in 29 games. He recorded a .509 on-base percentage, walking 11 times and striking out twice.
He made 12 appearances on the mound, going 3-0 with a 2.07 ERA in 44 innings. He held opponents to a .179 batting average, allowing 26 runs (13 earned) on 28 hits and 30 walks, striking out 69 batters. He faced 190 batters and did not allow an extra-base hit.

#class #harper #thank #cocoa

The Los Angeles Rams didn't get to see much of Myles Garrett this summer after acquiring him in a trade with the Cleveland Browns. He sat out multiple training camp practices due to lower-body soreness, and as the Rams continued preparing for Week 1, he missed time with knee swelling.
Sean McVay never sounded overly concerned about the injury, saying the goal all along was to get him 100% healthy for Week 1. In the coach's mind, they accomplished that. But in Garrett's opinion, he wasn't fully healthy for the start of the season.
The two gave conflicting reports of Garrett's health after Thursday's 27-7 loss to the 49ers. Each held a press conference after the game, and they don't seem to be on the same page when it comes to the condition of Garrett's knee.
After the game, Garrett was asked if he felt 100% healthy going into the game against San Francisco.
"No. I mean, this was the worst version of myself that I've put out there," he said. "I've got to be better. I've got to find a way to recover and get back to the player I know I can be and I've shown that I've been before."

#i 've #garrett #myles #cleveland

The Los Angeles Rams lobbied the NFL to play the San Francisco 49ers in Australia and paid for it instantly. A 20-point blowout, star acquisition Myles Garrett benched in the second half, and a statement 1-0 start for the 49ers. Be careful what you wish for.
Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay looks on during NFC Championship Game against the Seattle Seahawks, on Sunday January 25, 2026 in Seattle, Washington.
Robin Alam - The Sporting Tribune
Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay looks on during NFC Championship Game against the Seattle Seahawks, on Sunday January 25, 2026 in Seattle, Washington.
Sean McVay had no answers. Suffering his first double-digit defeat in two years, 27-7, the Rams head coach summed up the Melbourne nightmare in three words: "A humbling day."

#Rams #sean #coach #championship

The hype continued to ratchet through the offseason.
The Los Angeles Rams corralled former Kansas City Chiefs cornerbacks Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson to stem opponents' passing games, then traded edge rusher Jared Verse and a first-, second-, third-round pick each to acquire Myles Garrett.
Garrett, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, would team up with quarterback Matthew Stafford, the reigning MVP.
This, for a team that lost the NFC championship last season by just four points.
So yes, the Rams held the best odds to win the Super Bowl, at +500, per DraftKings. Next in the NFC West came the reigning Super Bowl-champion Seattle Seahawks, their 11-1 odds fourth in the league.

#garrett #super #bowl #team

Rams news: Myles Garrett hints that training camp injury caused no-show vs. 49ers appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Myles Garrett wasn't happy with his performance following his Los Angeles Rams debut in their 27-7 loss to the San Francisco 49ers in Australia on Thursday night.
Garrett started the 10th year of his career, his first with the Rams. He joined the team after Los Angeles landed him from the Cleveland Browns for Jared Verse, a 2027 first-round pick, a 2028 second-round pick, and a 2029 third-round pick.
Garrett shines as one of the best pass rushers in the entire league, having won Defensive Player of the Year twice in 2023 and 2025. He now pairs up with Aaron Donald on defense, as the latter came out of retirement this offseason.
Watch sports LIVE with fuboTV (free trial)

#clutchpoints #angeles #year #preferred

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Myles Garrett finally acknowledged his knee injury is more serious than he had been letting on after his quiet debut for the Los Angeles Rams in their season-opening defeat in Australia.
The reigning AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year made zero tackles and no impact on the game during the Rams' 27-7 loss to the San Francisco 49ers on Friday.
Although Garrett missed much of training camp and the Rams' recent weeks of practices to rest his knee, the superstar and the Rams had not floated the possibility he would be unable to play at his best when he began his 10th NFL season. Before his 15-hour flight back to LA, Garrett finally acknowledged he isn't at 100% health.
"This was the worst version of myself that I've put out there, and I've got to be better," Garrett said at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. "I've got to find a way to recover and get back to the player I know I can be and I've shown that I've been before."
Garrett didn't want to discuss details of his knee or his overall health after finishing without a tackle for only the fourth time in 135 career NFL games. He wouldn't even say which knee is injured.

#Rams #knee #player

The San Francisco 49ers came out firing on every cylinder to deliver a 27-7 beatdown Down Under of the Los Angeles Rams. From the decision to arrive early to their piling on late scoring, how well did Brock Purdy, Kyle Shanahan and the crew do in upsetting the Super Bowl favorites to start the season?
Offense: A-
The old guys ruled. And that Kaelon Black kid wasn't too shabby. A 30-something (Demarcus Robinson, Mike Evans, Deebo Samuel) accounted for their three TDs and an almost 40-something, Trent Williams, was the best of the bunch, because you and I had as many tackles, QB hits and sacks as Rams' All-Universe pass rusher Myles Garrett. Less happily, De'Zhaun Stribling and Jake Tonges were carted away in the second quarter. George Kittle was a rumor. Yet Brock Purdy didn't notice. Outside of a horrific interception, Purdy was terrific with his arm, legs and swaggy first-down celebrations. Does Christian McCaffrey finally have a caddy? Yes. Rookie Black looked excellent in a real game after resembling a third-round find in the spring and summer.
Defense: A+
Raheem Morris in 2028? The well-respected new defensive coordinator looked like Bill Belichick (the pre-2022 version) while his unit made the reigning NFL MVP Matthew Stafford look ordinary. Sorry, correction: not just ordinary, but awful. Having Nick Bosa, Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw (combined games played for 49ers in 2025: 9) back together did give Morris some added IQ points. The LB duo turned out the lights on the Rams when Greenlaw held up Tyler Higbee and Warner peanut-punched the ball out. The 49ers didn't have a sack, but they made Stafford unsettled. Osa Odighizuwa had four of their eight QB hits, including a pressure that led to Stafford's INT.

#greenlaw

An early Los Angeles Rams celebration poking fun at a widely discussed travel debate backfired spectacularly against the 49ers when San Francisco responded with 24 unanswered points to secure a Week 1 win in Melbourne, Australia.
In the days leading up to this season-opening NFC West matchup, the discourse surrounding the game was less about the players on the field, and more about the way they'd get there from the United States. With the game set to take place in Melbourne on Friday morning local time, each team tried a different approach to account for the 17-hour time difference from California (where it was still Thursday afternoon). The Niners flew out of San Francisco last Wednesday to get acclimated to the new time zone and have a full week of practice. The Rams, meanwhile, did not fly in until the day before the game, with the thought of keeping their players' biological clocks on West Coast time.
It became clear that the Week 1 affair would be a referendum on the superior preparation approach, and, at first, it certainly looked like the Rams made the smarter choice. They were dominant early and scored the game's first touchdown. Los Angeles even made fun of the whole debate early in the second quarter after a bad Brock Purdy pick. The whole defense celebrated in the end zone with players taking a nap on the grass.
However, it proved to be a bit early to spike the proverbial football. The Rams followed up with an inexplicable interception of their own, and the Niners drove 86 yards down the field for their first touchdown of the game. From there, things completely fell apart for Los Angeles as the Raheem Morris-led Niners defense kept the Rams from doing anything, and Kyle Shanahan's offense somehow turned Myles Garrett - the biggest acquisition in the NFL this offseason - completely invisible. San Francisco scored 24 straight points, including seven from a 99-yard drive down the field, and even forced two more turnovers.
Linebacker Fred Warner even gave a response of his own, getting a Steph Curry-style night-night celebration off in his first game since fracturing his ankle last season.

#Rams #game #angeles

The Los Angeles Rams won the offseason — Aaron Donald and Myles Garrett and Trent McDuffie, oh my! — but they lost their first game of the 2026 NFL regular season.
Bill Plaschke's undefeated season prediction went up in smoke when the San Francisco 49ers blew out the Rams, 27-7, in the NFL's first-ever game in Melbourne, Australia, on Thursday night.
Don't let the final score deceive you. It was uglier than that. Matthew Stafford, the reigning NFL MVP, threw helium **** , and Garrett, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, was quite literally invisible. The Rams as a whole looked lifeless and, well, jet-lagged.
The 49ers traveled to Melbourne last week, while the Rams decided to wait until Tuesday and landed merely 28 hours before kickoff.
Peter Schrager discussed the differing strategies on his premiere Big Day episode on ESPN:

#garrett #melbourne #game #reigning

49ers vs. Rams overreactions: Matthew Stafford loses MVP form, Christian McCaffrey in RB committee & more originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Los Angeles Rams were getting hyped as a heavy favorite to win the NFC West and Super Bowl 61 going into the 2026 NFL season. There was even some buzz, with the trade for edge rusher Myles Garrett and the return of tackle Aaron Donald, they would have a dominant enough defense to go undefeated.
That narrative was all blown up by one game. Instead of flexing on their division rival San Francisco 49ers in the first-ever NFL game in Melbourne, Australia, the Rams were the ones dominated in a 27-7 loss to start 0-1.
With the reigning Super Bowl and NFC West champion Seattle winning on Thursday night, the Rams are in last place, with the 49ers joining the Seahawks at 1-0 and the Cardinals not playing until Sunday.
Donald didn't play in the far-away "home" opener. Thanks to the 49ers' offensive line and the rest of their blockers, it also felt like Garrett wasn't playing in the game, either.

#Rams #super #bowl

MELBOURNE, Australia - The San Francisco 49ers defeated the Los Angeles Rams in convincing fashion in their season-opener Friday afternoon (Thursday night in the United States), 27-7, at Melbourne Cricket Ground.
After arriving in Australia a week before kickoff, the 49ers looked far more energized than the Super Bowl-favorite Rams, who touched down just more than 24 hours before the game and appeared visibly exhausted. Last year's NFL MVP, Matthew Stafford, looked helpless against a disruptive 49ers defense, while Brock Purdy diced up the opposition that was littered with big-time offseason acquisitions.
Here are immediate takeaways from the 49ers' commanding first win, in front of an announced crowd of 100,021.
Against a Rams defense that added defensive end Myles Garrett and cornerback Trent McDuffie, the 49ers had little trouble. They converted seven of 12 third downs and totaled 379 yards of offense. The ground game in particular was impressive, where San Francisco averaged 5.9 yards per attempt.
Rookie running back Kaelon Black added some zip to San Francisco's offense - and, as an added bonus, took much of the load off of 30-year-old Christian McCaffrey - rushing for 65 yards on 14 attempts. McCaffrey still featured in the offense, touching the ball 15 times, but his services weren't as needed once San Francisco went up 17 points in the third quarter.

#mccaffrey

The Los Angeles Rams time in Melbourne, Australia was short-lived and that might be for the best as LA suffered a 27-7 loss to the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday Night (Friday morning for others). Some might question the Rams decision to fly in the day before the game, although that did not seem to be a significant influence on the outcome in my opinion. Why did the Rams lose? Well here are 4 takeaways from Los Angeles's week one loss to their division rivals.
After picking off a Brock Purdy pass, Stafford turned the ball back over to the San Francisco 49ers on 3rd & 10 from the SF 35. Instead of taking his underneath option (Terrance Ferguson), Stafford tried to force a pass on a deep corner to Puka Nacua. The ball was underthrown; giving SF momentum and taking 3 points off the board for LA. Had the Rams kicked the field goal on 4th down, they would have had a 10-3 lead.
The other self-inflicted mistake was the turnover on downs with 3:46 left in the 3rd quarter. The Rams could not punch the ball in the endzone from 2nd, 3rd, and 4th & Goal (all within the 3 yard line). The latter being 4th & 1/2 yard. Those are simply must-have situations when down 10.
The Rams allowed 30 rushing attempts for 174 yards (5.8 yards per carry). The Rams won't beat a Kyle Shanahan offense with that type of formula. No, it wasn't because Aaron Donald was inactive. The Rams simply did not win the trenches getting pushed off the ball. Chris Shula will need to take a deep look at how to counter the 49ers usage of chips on his edge players as Myles Garrett was a non-factor in rushing the passer but also in defending the run.
The Rams offense was one of the best in 2025 because they were constantly in favorable down & distances. In this game against the 49ers, their 3rd down distances were: 5 yards, 2 yards, 6 yards, 10 yards, 13 yards, 1 yard, 2 yards, 15 yards, and 10 yards. The only true conversion was on 3rd & 2 via a Kyren Williams run. The other conversion was via defensive pass interference call late in the game.

#ball #game #pass #francisco

The San Francisco 49ers thrashed the Los Angeles Rams 27-7 Friday in the NFL's first-ever regular-season game in Australia, quarterback Brock Purdy throwing for three touchdowns to dismantle this season's heavily hyped favorites.
Much of the pre-game talk had surrounded the two California-based teams' wildly different approaches for navigating the epic flight and 17-hour time zone difference to Melbourne and its iconic 100,000-capacity cricket stadium. The Rams had jetted in just the morning before.
How far that affected the game will be debated. But reigning MVP quarterback Matthew Stafford and star off-season acquisition Myles Garrett undoubtedly looked sluggish up against their San Francisco counterparts, who arrived a week earlier to acclimatize.
Purdy put on a clinical performance, shrugging off a poor early interception to find Demarcus Robinson with a 39-yard touchdown pass, before finding the dangerous Mike Evans and Deebo Samuel in the end zone to seize the game.
"Just so proud of this team. Hey, we embraced going to Australia -- 15-hour flight, we're here the whole week. It was a grind, but we did it," said 49ers tight end George Kittle.

#season

The Los Angeles Rams played their NFL Week 1 game against the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday, Sept. 10, 2026, in Melbourne, Australia.
When do the Rams play next on the 2026 NFL schedule?
Where will Los Angeles play in NFL Week 2?
Who do the Los Angeles Rams play next in their Week 2 NFL game?
Here's what to know about the upcoming schedule for Matthew Stafford, Puka Nacua, Davonte Adams, Myles Garrett and the Los Angeles NFL team's NFL Week 2 game.

#angeles #game #schedule #sept

After their first day off in September on Thursday, the Brewers will continue their stretch of NL Central foes as they'll host the Reds for three games in Milwaukee, the second time they'll see Cincinnati in the last two weeks, as the Reds took two of three in Cincy last weekend. The Brewers are coming off of a sweep of the Cubs to balloon their NL Central lead to 10 games over the rest of the pack, sitting at 91-56 with 15 games left. The Reds, who sit in last place, are 69-77 after being swept by the Dodgers to begin the week.
Since the last time these teams met, the Reds have activated right-hander Graham Ashcraft and third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes from the IL, with left-hander Sam Moll designated for ******* ignment and utility man Edwin Arroyo optioned to Triple-A Louisville in the corresponding moves. The Brewers have only lost Grant Anderson, who was placed on the 15-day IL with biceps tendinitis. He was replaced on the active roster by Brandon Sproat, though Sproat was demoted once again on Thursday, with the corresponding move expected to be a recall of right-hander Garrett Stallings to shore up the bullpen. Jake Bauers is also continuing to deal with a variety of lower-body injuries, and the Brewers have opted to focus on managing the injuries rather than putting him on the IL.
Just to remind you of what these two teams bring to the table offensively and on the mound, here's a quick rundown of both squads.
Milwaukee is hitting .257/.339/.400 (.739 OPS ranks fourth), with 137 homers (last), 742 runs scored (third), and 143 steals (fourth). The Reds are hitting .230/.308/.398 (.706 OPS ranks 23rd), with 196 homers (fourth), 611 runs scored (25th), and 102 steals (11th).
On the mound, Milwaukee ranks second in the majors with a 3.56 team ERA, including a 3.63 starter ERA (fifth) and a 3.46 bullpen ERA (fifth). They've struck out 1,406 batters (second) over 1,312 2/3 innings. Cincinnati ranks 27th with a 4.73 team ERA, including a 4.78 starter ERA (27th) and a 4.68 bullpen ERA (25th). They've struck out 1,186 batters (20th) over 1,293 innings.

#games

The Los Angeles Rams, the heavy Super Bowl favorites entering the season, opened the year in the NFL's first-ever game in Melbourne, Australia, against the San Francisco 49ers. The majority of the attention the Rams have gotten this offseason has been centered on the defensive line, which was bolstered by the acquisition of the NFL's single-season sack record holder Myles Garrett and the return of Aaron Donald from retirement.
However, Los Angeles also has one of the most potent offenses in the league, with reigning league MVP Matthew Stafford passing to two of the best wide receivers in the league, Davante Adams and Puka Nacua. Unfortunately for Nacua, he's been caught up in some off-the-field trouble recently.
Ahead of kickoff on Thursday, Nacua sat down with Netflix's Elle Duncan and spoke candidly about his struggles wth alcohol.
"I think I learned that I'm very avoidant of conflict, which is very interesting due to the football nature of… I would like to say I play very physical, just avoidant of the things that I know were causing me stress," Nacua told Duncan.
"Just, I think some of the change in lifestyle that came up to me, becoming a public figure, the stress of performing at a high level," he responded after being asked what was causing him stress. "And then I recently became a father. My son is 10 months old. And navigating that co-parenting relationship with his mother, I would kind of isolate myself to feel like the weight of all the issues and things that I have was stuck on my shoulders, and not being willing to ask for help. I was never one to share my fears and my worries. I was always Finding different ways to escape, I guess, from that tension or that stress."

#recently

The Milwaukee Brewers improved to 91-56 on the season following their 8-6 win over the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday night. Additionally, they increased their lead in the National League Central Division over those same Cubs to 10.0 games with 15 left play.
Unfortunately, the final contest between Milwaukee and Chicago was a great deal closer than it should have been. The Brewers entered the ninth inning with an 8-1 lead and it looked like they were about to cruise to an easy victory.
Brandon Sproat, though, walked four consecutive batters and Abner Uribe allowed all of the runners he inherited to score as well as allowed an earned run of his own.
Jul 27, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Garrett Stallings (31) throws a pitch against the San Francisco Giants during the seventh inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
After the game, Murphy was justifiably frustrated with Sproat's performance, calling it "unacceptable." It was clear then that this was going to be his final chance on the Major League roster in 2026.

#Chicago #francisco #lead #inning

The NFL has its first-ever game in Australia when the San Francisco 49ers and Super Bowl favorite Los Angeles Rams face off at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on the opening edition of Thursday Night Football.
The historic game will be streamed on Netflix and will feature the Los Angeles Rams' debut of their big offseason acquisition, Myles Garrett, though their other big pickup, Aaron Donald, is not playing as he continues his ramp-up from a two-year retirement.
More: Where do the Dallas Cowboys rank on latest NFL power rankings?
Los Angeles is a 4-point favorite in the neutral site game.
The game featuring the San Francisco 49ers starts at 6:35 p.m. CT/7:35 p.m. MT Thursday, Sept. 10, from the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Australia. It will be televised on Netflix.

#game #francisco #melbourne

In due time, future First-Ballot Hall of Famer Aaron Donald should make the Super Bowl favorite Los Angeles Rams even scarier on paper than they already were. Sure, it's been two seasons since the monster interior pass-rusher last collapsed a pocket, but he's no longer the focal point of the Rams' defense. That honor, of course, belongs to Myles Garrett. For all intents and purposes, we should probably expect lots of fireworks from an older version of Donald, who will be double-teamed a lot less in his second stint with the Rams.
Unfortunately for the Rams and any of us who enjoy watching prolific, all-time pass-rushers, we won't see Donald do that when the Rams play the San Francisco 49ers in Melbourne, Australia, on Thursday. Why?
The simple and straightforward answer is that Donald, after being away from pro football for so long, isn't quite physically ready yet to subject his body to the inherent grit and grind of the game. As such, Donald didn't even travel with the Rams to Australia so he could continue focusing on his training and preparation for his eventual season debut.
That's disappointing, but understandable. After all, Donald didn't even join the Rams this year until after they had finished their training camp. For as much as he was undoubtedly doing his own training on the side while sitting in retirement, there's a big difference between that kind of training and getting ready to play physically demanding, high-level football games. The Rams are taking the right approach here because they know what Donald can likely still do at full capacity and understand they can certainly beat the 49ers without him.
It's just a shame that we have to wait a little longer to see one of the greatest football players of all time do his thing again.

#time #even #longer #play

San Francisco 49ers offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak addressed the media, where he spoke about what's going on at left guard. Kubiak acknowledged the "very difficult challenge" it takes to prepare for Aaron Donald and Myles Garrett, but said the players on the other side of the ball won't determine which player plays:
"I don't think so. I think you play who you feel most comfortable with. I think I said this a few weeks ago, though; it's like, when you look at guard, there's never any reason why guys can't rotate as well. I mean, multiple guys can play in the game, and we'll see how the game goes with who we start and kind of how we want to do the rotation.
But you've got to get a feel for how the game's going and how guys are handling stuff. So, nothing's settled, nothing's determined right now. It's not going to be based on experience necessarily. We're going to go with who we think should start based on who's had the best camp and kind of where they're at, and see how the game goes."
Kubiak said he didn't know if the 49ers would rotate players during the game, saying, "We're going to have multiple guys up and multiple guys ready to go. So, whether they rotate or not, that'll be determined as the game goes."
The options include Carver Willis, Connor Colby, and maybe Jarrett Patterson. Realistically, Patterson is Jake Brendel's backup, and Colby rotates if Willis looks like he's being overwhelmed.

#kubiak #goes #we 're