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

Another busy NFL Sunday kicked off bright and early for Week 6, with the Jacksonville Jaguars playing in their second consecutive game in London. The Jags failed to come away with a win, falling to the division rival Houston Texans on a last-second field goal, but there was one major bright spot.
Former No. 2 overall pick Travis Hunter had a breakout performance on both sides of the ball, hauling in his first touchdown catch of the year before coming up with an interception late in the game. It was nearly enough to spark a Jacksonville comeback.
After the game, Hunter's wife, Leanna Lenee, was gloating about Hunter's performance and took some time to call out some of his past critics who were outspoken with their thoughts that Hunter couldn't be a two-way star as a pro.
Specifically, Lenee aimed at Shannon Sharpe, who immediately clapped back on Nightcap with Chad "Ochocinco" Johnson on Sunday night.
MORE: Travis Hunter's wife Leanna Lenee rips Shannon Sharpe after TD/INT game

#hunter

Travis Hunter made NFL history, but the Jaguars still left London with a loss originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Travis Hunter produced the kind of two-way performance Jacksonville hoped to see when it selected him second overall in the 2025 NFL Draft. The Jaguars still lost, but Hunter's day in London was historic.
Hunter caught a 7-yard touchdown pass from Trevor Lawrence early in the fourth quarter, then intercepted Houston quarterback C.J. Stroud in the end zone on the Texans' next drive. He became the first NFL player since Brian Dawkins in 2002 to record both a receiving touchdown and an interception in the same game.
The Jaguars ultimately fell 34-31 when Houston kicker Ka'imi Fairbairn made a 49-yard field goal as time expired. Hunter's rare contribution helped Jacksonville stay within reach, but the Texans got the final points.
Hunter finished with four catches for 59 yards and the touchdown. His interception was his second of the season and came with Houston threatening to extend its lead.

#hunter

Travis Hunter made himself known on both ends of the field during the Jacksonville Jaguars' game against the Houston Texans.
Although the Jaguars suffered a 34-31 loss against the Texans, Hunter showed why he is capable of playing on offence and defence in the NFL, as he had a receiving touchdown in the fourth quarter and on the very next defensive possession, the 23-year-old intercepted a pass by C.J. Stroud.
Hunter finished the game with four receptions for 59 yards and 1 TD, while on the defensive end, he had three tackles and the crucial interception that gave the Jaguars hope to win the game.
They entered the fourth quarter down by 10, but with Hunter's two big plays, the Jags managed to tie the score. In the end, the Texans took the victory with the help of a 49-yard field-goal from Ka'imi Fairbairn on the final possession.
This was the Jaguars' second loss of the season, but fans were excited to see the two-way star Travis Hunter shine for the team.

#field #fourth #quarter #defensive

Travis Hunter's wild Wembley day showcased the two-way star's immense talent, even in a losing effort.
Hunter caught a touchdown pass and picked off a C.J. Stroud pass in the other end zone in the fourth quarter of Jacksonville's 34-31 loss on Sunday.
There were hiccups, too, including a costly pass interference call in the red zone.
Still, the second-year player showcased why the Jaguars made the 2024 Heisman Trophy winner the No. 2 overall pick in the 2025 draft.
"He definitely helped put us in a position to win that game today," coach Liam Coen said.

#hunter #stroud

Here are the top performances in football from last week. Please email your top performers each week to will.aldamhearstmediact.com.
The senior completed 20 of 29 passes for 346 yards and five touchdowns in Plainville's 43-6 victory over Rocky Hill.
Hunter Ballai and Luke Moneyhon, Staples: Each intercepted a pass in the Wreckers' 20-0 victory over Darien. Moneyhon made a diving catch for his interception.
Carmine Balogh, Xavier: The defensive back intercepted two passes, including one in the end zone just before halftime, in a 28-0 win over Foran.
Abner Barillas-Rivera, Derby: The senior quarterback threw three touchdown passes and ran for a 59-yard score in Derby's 50-36 loss to GNH.

#here #please

Phil Collins has shared an update on the status of his relationship with Paul McCartney.
Collins, 75, and McCartney, 84, have been feuding since 2002 when the Beatle made a comment about the "In the Air" singer at the 2002 Queen's Jubilee Concert.
Speaking on a recent episode of the Piers Morgan Uncensored podcast, Collins recalled of the initial exchange: "We had a rehearsal at Buckingham Palace and I had a first edition Hunter Davies book [on The Beatles], which was very quite rare. I took it to the rehearsal so Paul could sign it… Paul came up behind with Heather Mills, who he was married to at that point, and I said, 'Paul, could you sign this?'
"He probably didn't mean it like it sounded, but he said, 'He's a big Beatle fan, is our little Phil,'" Collins continued. "And I thought, 'You ******* .' I couldn't help it. That's just what I thought."
Collins added of being stung by the remark: "I knew Paul. This wasn't the first time I met him. I played on one of his albums. I played live with him with the Prince's Trust. I'd given him an award at an award show in London, so I kind of knew him. So I was kind of surprised at that particular tone of reply."

#collins #first #knew

Leanna Lenee has quietly become just as much of a gameday fixture as her husband, Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback and wide receiver Travis Hunter, and once again, she gave fans exactly what they show up for.
Ahead of the Jacksonville Jaguars' matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals, Leanna stepped out in a custom teal-and-blue halter top emblazoned with "HUNTER" and the number 12 across the chest, paired with sleek black high-waisted pants featuring a cutout detail along the thigh. Her son matched her look almost piece for piece, dressed in a mini Jaguars romper carrying his father's name and number on the back. Leanna captioned the post simply: "Next question."
That two-word caption did little to slow down the response. However, this isn't the first time Leanna's gameday look has taken over the timeline either. Just weeks earlier, ahead of Jacksonville's matchup against the New England Patriots, she turned heads in a dusty blue bodycon dress covered in Jaguars patches, a jersey-number detail, and white cowboy boots, once again dressing her son in a coordinating fit down to the shoes. Fans' response then was nearly identical, with one commenter telling her outright she had "the cutest NFL wifey clothes," a sentiment that's clearly carried straight through to this latest appearance.
There was also plenty happening on the football side for the Hunter family to celebrate.
Fashion moments off the field are stealing the spotlight as much as the action on it. Subscribe to stay updated on the personalities and style that define NFL gamedays.

#jaguars #number #fans #ahead

Andrew Jones, vice president of the Noah’s Ark Research Project, told Fox News Digital about the project’s latest field season at Turkey’s Durupınar formation, where researchers collected more than 300 soil samples and conducted deep-core drilling.
A team investigating a boat-shaped formation in eastern Turkey says new evidence is strengthening its case that the site could hold the remains of Noah's Ark.
"In archaeology, you deal with probabilities, and we're inching towards where we believe we will have confirmation this winter after our soil ******* ysis is done with Sivas University, who's our partner in this," Noah's Ark Scans founder Andrew Jones told "Saturday in America."
The focus of the investigation is the Durupınar formation, an approximately 538-foot-long geological structure near Mount Ararat. Its shape and proximity to the region identified in the biblical account have fascinated Ark hunters for decades.
The boat-shaped formation was first discovered in 1959 and has long-drawn speculation over a possible connection to Noah's Ark.

#turkey

Benzinga and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below.
It's been a bloodbath for Hunter Biden's Laptop (LAPTOP) memecoin since its launch a week ago, far worse than that of President Donald Trump's memecoin in its debut week.
LAPTOP launched on Base, a Layer 2 blockchain developed by Coinbase Global Inc., at roughly $37, according to CoinMarketCap. Within minutes, it surged to a record high of $401.12, pushing its market cap to $50 billion.
However, the frenzy was short-lived.
Don't Miss:

#laptop #week #finance #president

Updated Sept. 17, 2026 4:53 pm ET
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1006 ET – U.S. pending home sales fell 3.5% week-over-week to their lowest level in almost three years, Redfin says. Declining homebuying demand is giving buyers breathing room. It means less competition and more room to negotiate for the house hunters who are still shopping. New listings fell slightly, -0.5%, from a week earlier, but they’re still up 1.5% year-over-year, and there are still hundreds of thousands more home sellers than buyers in the market. More homes on the market equals less pressure on buyers to rush into a decision or pay more than they want. Home-sale prices are holding steady. The median home-sale price rose 2% year-over-year. That stability means prices aren’t soaring, and that sellers aren’t in immediate danger of home values dropping. (chris.wackwsj.com)

#still #fell #means

Packers news: Green Bay signs long-time WR to active roster appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Green Bay Packers made a move to bolster their wide receiver room on Monday, bringing up a familiar face from coach Matt LaFleur's team's practice squad. According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Green Bay has called up receiver Bo Melton to the team's active 53-man roster. Melton has experimented at cornerback in the past and will join the Packers as a wide receiver.
Melton was drafted in the seventh round of the 2022 NFL Draft by the Seattle Seahawks and was briefly compared to Jaguars star Travis Hunter for his two-way play. He was signed off the Seahawks' practice squad in 2022 and has stuck with Green Bay as a backup. Melton had his best season that year with 16 catches for 218 yards and a touchdown. He has 29 receptions for 426 yards and two touchdowns in his Packers career.
Melton will join a team that is still reeling from a 39-22 loss to the Minnesota Vikings in Week 1. Green Bay failed to live up to LaFleur's standards against the Vikings and will soon look to rebound in a road game on September 20 against the New York Jets. LaFleur is squarely on the hot seat in some circles, and a loss to the Jets would start to make it feel even more uncomfortable.
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#green #packers #clutchpoints #live

Mike Vrabel used his weekly Monday appearance on The Greg Hill Show on Sportsradio 93.7 WEEI to work back through New England's 13-10 loss in Seattle, and the players he chose to talk about were three rookies who had never taken an NFL snap before Sept. 9: tight end Eli Raridon, edge rusher Gabe Jacas and linebacker Namdi Obiazor.
Raridon, the third-round pick out of Notre Dame, caught a two-yard touchdown from Drake Maye that produced the first points of the 2026 NFL season. He played 38 offensive snaps, 54 percent of New England's total, working as the second tight end behind Hunter Henry.
Jacas, taken 55th overall out of Illinois after the Patriots sent three picks to the Los Angeles Chargers to move up, came off a double team for his first career sack and later added a tackle for loss.
Obiazor, a sixth-round pick from TCU, opened the game with a hit on the kickoff and played 20 special teams snaps without seeing a defensive one.
Jun 2, 2026; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel holds a press conference before the start of practices at the team's OTA at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images

#jacas #obiazor #Patriots #taken

First-inning runs alone won't get you over the line most of the time. Stopping at a pair of early solo shots—at least until the ninth inning—the Dodgers' offense left a lot to be desired in a 4-3 loss to the Marlins, as Tyler Glasnow went through plenty of issues in his shortest regular start of the season (4+ IP). The hard-throwing right-hander walked four and seldom looked in rhythm.
Beginning with a bang, the Dodgers made a statement against Tyler Phillips in the first, taking a 2-0 lead with back-to-back long ****** from Mookie Betts and Max Muncy—the one from Betts had special value, given it represented the 10,000th home run in Los Angeles Dodgers history. The problem is that this so-called statement was left at that, with the offense failing to record another hit in Phillips' three-plus innings of work, pitching with a short leash.
By the time Phillips was removed from the game in the fourth, the Marlins had already taken the lead courtesy of a three-run second against Glasnow. Josue De Paula came back from down in the count to earn a walk against Phillips in the fourth, enough for the Marlins to make the call to the bullpen and bring in left-hander Cade Gibson to retire Hunter Feduccia.
The Dodgers trailed at this early point because Tyler Glasnow seemed to be swimming against the tide for the better part of this one, meshing small periods of dominance with worrisome rallies. After squeezing his way out of a bases-loaded jam in the first, Glasnow coughed up three runs in the second. The damage started with a two-run shot from Graham Pauley and later on with three straight singles, the last one an RBI knock from Otto Lopez.
It then looked like Glasnow would figure things out with clean innings in the third and fourth, including striking out the side in the latter, but that calmness was short-lived. Walking the first two batters of the fifth, Glasnow was removed, recording just 12 outs and leaving quite a mess for Jack Dreyer, who did himself no favors by loading the bases with an 0-2 HBP. In what felt like a pivotal inning for the Dodgers to remain in this game, they caught all the breaks—an errant throw from Mookie Betts on a routine grounder was snagged by Alex Freeland, preventing multiple runners from scoring, and in the following at-bat, Kyle Tucker flashed the leather with a smooth sliding grab to keep everyone at their stations. With one out, Dreyer induced a timely double play as Agustin Ramírez absolutely smoked a groundball right at Betts. And just like that, the score was at a still manageable 4-2 deficit.

#phillips

The Dallas Cowboys will have another running back on the active roster to go along with Javonte Williams, Emari Demercado, and Hunter Luepke. They have signed Israel Abanikanda from the practice squad as a counter move to Malik Davis going on injured reserve with a hip injury. Sources indicate it could be season-ending.
Cowboys placed RB Malik Davis on injured reserve and signed RB Israel Abanikanda to their active roster from their practice squad.
Abanikanda first came to the Cowboys last November after spending time with the New York Jets, San Francisco 49ers, and the Green Bay Packers. In January, he signed to a reserve/future contract before getting waived in August during final roster cuts. However, he was signed to the practice squad the next day.
This gives the Cowboys another option at running back that is fully up to speed on the offense and should be able to contribute if asked. He hasn't had much production with just 70 rushing yards and 43 receiving yards, but team will not ask much of him right away as Demercado should pick up much of the work.

#abanikanda #squad

The Buffalo Bills will open the 2026 NFL season in a place where they have struggled to find success in recent years: on the road against the Houston Texans, who boast one of the league's stingiest defenses.
Since coming to the Bills as the No. 7 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, Josh Allen has led the Bills into Houston four times. And in all four prior matchups, the Bills couldn't pull out the win.
Sunday will mark the third consecutive season where Buffalo has traveled to Houston, and today's edition of Buffalo Rumblinks leads off by sharing the key matchups to watch and positional ***** ysis as the Bills look to snap that streak and begin the season with a big road win over a fellow playoff participant from last season.
Check out the ***** sments below and then let us know your thoughts on the game in the comments section.
Linked below: Breaking down the key story lines to watch, including dissecting the approach new defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard will take to contain the Texans; how Joe Brady can better position Josh Allen and the offense for success against a Texans pass rush that sacked Allen eight times in last year's loss; why starting right tackle Spencer Brown thinks things will go much differently against Will Anderson and Danielle Hunter, two of the game's premier pass rushers, now that both Brown and starting left tackle Dion Dawkins are fully healthy; how Greg Rousseau and Bradley Chubb need to generate more pressure on Texans QB CJ Stroud than the Bills have their last two trips to Houston (one total sack); and more!

#last

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Angel Martínez hit a two-run homer and his double in the ninth inning keyed the game-winning rally as the Cleveland Guardians beat the Minnesota Twins 5-2 on Friday night.
The Guardians moved two games ahead of Toronto in the race for the AL's third wild-card spot.
Martínez gave the Guardians a 2-1 lead in the seventh with his 15th homer of the season.
After the Twins tied it on Kalen Culpepper's RBI single in the seventh, Martínez hit a one-out double off Yoendrys Gómez (2-3) that moved Travis Bazzana to third. Bazzana scored the go-ahead run on a wild pitch by Gómez and Brayan Rocchio brought home two more with a double.
Hunter Gaddis (4-3) pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings and Cade Smith retired the side in the ninth for his 36th save.

#Third

The Tennessee **** ans made the first somewhat surprising pick of the 2026 NFL Draft when they selected former Ohio State wide receiver Carnell Tate with the number four overall pick. With his first NFL game on the horizon, CBS Sports' Ryan Wilson believes he was worth the fourth overall pick for the **** ans.
Tate was drafted with the expectation that he can become a foundational piece of the offense and a long-term number one target for second-year quarterback Cam Ward. That might be a lot to ask from a rookie, but everything about the situation suggests the **** ans had a plan.
The biggest question surrounding the **** ans' selection was whether Tate's talent will eventually justify taking him fourth overall. Including Tate, only five wide receivers (six if you include Travis Hunter) have been selected in the top five of the NFL Draft since 2015.
Excluding Jacksonville Jaguars WR/CB Travis Hunter, former **** ans WR Corey Davis had the worst rookie season of those top five selections with 375 yards and 0 touchdowns. So, it made sense why **** ans fans, specifically, may have had concerns about the Tate selection.
However, a strong training camp has many anticipating his NFL regular-season debut. Tate doesn't need to immediately become one of the best receivers in the NFL for the pick to be successful, but Tennessee needs to see enough flashes to believe they have found a long-term offensive cornerstone.

#tate #draft

👋 Welcome to 5 Things PM! Princess Diana's head-turning "revenge dress" is going on sale for the first time in nearly 30 years.
Here's what else you might have missed during your busy day.
Sarah Pender/iStockphoto/Getty Images
Accidental ingestion of recreational drugs among young children in the US has surged by more than 3,300% over a 25-year period, according to a new study. An ER doctor explains what parents need to know.
Hunter Kozak was asking Charlie Kirk about mass shootings when Kirk was gunned down in front of him. Now, Kozak and other witnesses say they've faced relentless harassment and threats after online influencers falsely tied them to the killing.

#things #princess #images #accidental

I have spent much of this week watching Australian coverage of the NFL and scrolling through social media posts as the 49ers and Rams prepare to play the first regular-season game in Australia. The coverage has been entertaining, enthusiastic and occasionally educational. There have been explanations of the rules, breakdowns of the equipment and attempts to introduce American football to a country that already has a sport called football.
The Aussies are excited. Nearly 100,000 people are expected to fill the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Moreover, the NFL has taken over the city. The Jonas Brothers will perform at halftime, and Tourism Australia has built an advertising campaign around the game featuring wildlife conservationist and television personality Robert Irwin. He's the son of the late "Crocodile Hunter" Steve Irwin. In addition, Netflix will distribute the game globally.
It should be a spectacular event. I'm just not convinced it proves football has become a global sport.
This season, the NFL is staging nine regular-season games in seven countries outside the United States. That represents an extraordinary expansion from the occasional London game of the past. The league is no longer simply testing international markets. Moreover, overseas games have become an important part of its schedule, television strategy and marketing machine.
However, more games in more countries don't automatically mean football has developed deep roots in those places.

#sport

New England Patriots WR A.J. Brown (ankle) is expected to be sidelined for at least four weeks because of the high ankle sprain he suffered in Week 1.
SOURCE: Ian Rapoport – NFL Network
Why It Matters: Brown is a candidate for the Reserve/Injured list since he will miss at least four weeks. Romeo Doubs should be the main receiver for the time being, while DeMario Douglas and Hunter Henry should be reliable short-area targets in the passing game. Mack Hollins will likely see a bigger workload and could be a possible flex option over the next few weeks. Kyle Williams could also see a role but is not a fantasy option yet.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: A.J. Brown to miss extended time

#ankle #Patriots

India continue to make their presence felt at the top of the Women's T20I bowling rankings, with Sree Charani holding on to the No. 1 spot and Deepti Sharma making a two-place jump to sixth following her strong showing at the Asia Cup 2026.

Deepti has been one of India's standout performers in the tournament, claiming eight wickets in three matches as the team booked its place in the semi-finals.
The right-arm spinner's consistent performances have earned her a significant rise in the latest rankings. Deepti, who had previously reached the top spot in December last year, is now within 60 rating points of Charani. Sophie Ecclestone, Charlie Dean, Nonkululeko Mlaba and Lauren Bell are the four bowlers positioned between the two Indian stars.

With Charani and Deepti occupying the top two positions, India continues to dominate the upper reaches of the T20I bowling rankings.
Several players also made significant gains in the latest T20I rankings after their performances at the Asia Cup. Bangladesh's Marufa Akter was among the biggest movers, climbing 19 places to 18th in the bowling rankings. Chamari Athapaththu moved up five spots to 28th, while Sultana Khatun gained nine places to share 37th.

Thailand's Thipatcha Putthawong rose four places to 47th, while teammate Suleeporn Laomi jumped 10 spots to 53rd. There were also gains among Bangladesh's batters, with Sobhana Mostary moving up three places to 36th and Dilara Akter climbing five spots to 62nd.
The latest ODI rankings also saw notable movement following England's home series against Ireland. Stand-in England captain Charlie Dean moved up one place to jointly occupy ninth in the ODI all-rounders' rankings. She also climbed two spots to share 11th among ODI bowlers after taking three wickets in the three-match series.

England's Lauren Filer made an impressive 14-place jump to 39th, while Ireland's Cara Murray rose 16 places to 50th in the ODI bowling rankings.

Ireland youngster Amy Hunter emerged as the biggest winner among ODI batters, moving up nine places to 11th. England's Maia Bouchier climbed 13 spots to 42nd, while Sophia Dunkley made an even bigger leap of 26 places to reach 43rd.

#rankings #places #three #latest

Week 1 of the 2026 regular season is here, and on the Indianapolis Colts' initial 53-man roster are eight rookies.
While roles can change throughout the course of the season, let's project how each player could be utilized in the early going.
It remains to be seen whether or not Allen will technically be a starter, but even if he is not, he will likely see the field. The Colts could utilize a rotation at linebacker, at least early on in the season, and in that scenario, Allen seeing the field during early downs or more obvious running situations may make the most sense.
Haulcy could be a Day 1 starter, filling the strong safety role in the secondary. However, his Week 1 status remains up in the air at this time as he continues to work through an ankle injury. The Colts could also turn to Hunter Wohler to fill that role.
Farmer will be the Colts' first option off the bench at the guard position.

#starter

Sorry for the late recap, but the Guardians won yet another walk-off game from the Tigers, besting them 3-2 in the 10th inning.
Shoutouts to Steven Kwan and Travis Bazzana who had two hits a-piece, to Brayan Rocchio who found a way to hit a game-tying home run into a stiff breeze,
and to Daniel Schneemann for the walk-off single rifled to right.
Shoutouts to Gavin Williams, who had a bad first inning but shut the Tigers out for the next five innings, striking out 11, and to the electric bullpen of Erik Sabrowski, Hunter Gaddis and CADE SMITH WHO WAS AS DOMINANT AS I HAVE EVER SEEN HIM STRIKING OUT FIVE OF SIX BATTERS.
This was a great series. They need, now, to find a way to win a series in Baltimore starting tomorrow and then in Minnesota following that. The Blue Jays lost so the Guardians, again, lead in the wildcard and the White Sox won, so they are still 2.5 back for the division.

#Guardians #inning #series

Ethan Pecko entered his fifth inning Saturday unscored upon but with a reliever warming behind him in the Houston Astros' bullpen. Three batters later, his outing ended. Tim Tawa cued an infield hit into an open right side. Pecko pounced on a Ryan Waldschmidt tapper before Lars Nootbaar lined a clean single.
Nootbaar occupied the leadoff spot in the Diamondbacks' lineup and was facing Pecko for a third time in the game. His single put the potential tying run on base, brought manager Joe Espada out to remove his starter and reinforced an issue within Houston's rotation with 19 games left in a postseason race.
Two of five starters the Astros are deploying - Cristian Javier and Pecko, the right-handed prospect - are under tighter reins, with Houston hesitant to have them face opposing lineups a third time. Javier hasn't faced more than 19 batters in any of his past four outings, one of which he pitched in bulk relief.
Having three starters who will work deeper - Hunter Brown, Peter Lambert and Hayden Wesneski - can mitigate that usage somewhat. But it puts added pressure on those starters to cover innings and protect the bullpen, and on the bullpen to shoulder a significant workload at least two out of five (or six) days.
How sustainable that is down the stretch, for a club with a three-game division lead and 19 games left in the regular season, is a question. The bullpen has been arguably the Astros' biggest strength, yet it's also at less than full capacity, even with expanded rosters offering an extra spot on the pitching staff.

#starters #javier #right

LOS ANGELES — Tommy Edman made a fantastic defensive play to rob extra bases, then rounded said bases after a three-run home run that helped the Dodgers to a 6-5 win over the Washington Nationals on Saturday night at Dodger Stadium.
Down two runs in the seventh inning, Alex Freeland walked with one out and Kiké Hernández singled with two out. That set the stage for Edman, who jumped on a high slider from former Dodgers draft pick Clayton Beeter for a three-run home run, turning the game around.
Edman in five games on the homestand has nine hits in 22 at-bats (.409), what a way to make a living.
With no Shohei Ohtani in the lineup for a third straight day, the Dodgers were also without two other planned starters with Dalton Rushing scratched with elbow soreness and Max Muncy sick. They still managed to score a pair off Washington's best starter, Cade Cavalli in the opening frame. Freddie Freeman was hit by a pitch and Mookie Betts singled with one out. Teoscar Hernández continued his solid week or so with an RBI single, and catcher Hunter Feduccia added another.
Tyler Glasnow struck out eight but pitched through traffic most of his night, and allowed four runs.

#Dodgers #night

How much premier talent is on the Houston Texans' roster entering 2026?
In ESPN's most recent projections for who will be the top 100 players in the NFL this season, there are five Houston Texans players who made the list. Four of them were on defense: defensive ends Will Anderson and Danielle Hunter, as well as cornerbacks Derek Stingley and Kamari Lassiter.
Houston's one player on offense who made the list was wide receiver Nico Collins.
The Texans' defense only got better in the offseason with the addition of Jadeveon Clowney. Anderson had 20 tackles for loss, including 12 sacks, as well as three forced fumbles last season, and with the trio of Anderson, Hunter and Clowney, he could hit those numbers again this season, as the entire defensive line will be a handful for opposing offensive lines.
Anderson, who became the highest-paid non-QB in the NFL after a breakout season last fall, appeared at No. 14. The second Texan on the list was cornerback Derek Stingley, who was named an All-Pro last season for the second year in a row.

#anderson #season #list #last

In ESPN's most recent projections for who will be the top 100 players in the NFL this season, there are five Houston Texans players who made the list. Four of them were on defense: defensive ends Will Anderson and Danielle Hunter, as well as cornerbacks Derek Stingley and Kamari Lassiter. Houston's one player on offense who made the list was wide receiver Nico Collins.
Anderson was the first Texans player on the list, coming in at No. 15 after his All-Pro season and finishing the year as the runner-up for Defensive Player of the Year. He's also the No. 4 defensive player, trailing only Los Angeles Rams' Myles Garrett (No. 1), Denver Broncos' Patrick Surtain (No. 7) and Green Bay Packers' Micah Parsons (No. 13).
"Anderson has an effort similar to that of players on their rookie deals trying to prove themselves in the NFL. Throughout the course of training camp, he has been extra disruptive," D.J. Bienn-Amie wrote. "He's getting to that point where he realizes if he wants to shut practice down, he can shut it down," defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins said. So, expect a better Anderson after his massive contract extension"
Signature stat: Anderson has the third-highest pass rush win rate in the NFL since entering the league in 2023 (23%). That trails only Micah Parsons (29%) and Myles Garrett (24%) over that span.
After what many would consider to be a breakout year, Bien-Amie predicts for Anderson to take a slight step back, totaling 57 tackles, 11 sacks, 4 forced fumbles and a pass breakup.

#anderson #defensive #year #list

Von Miller found a unique way to get his preferred jersey number with the Dallas Cowboys: He made a teammate a part-owner of his chicken farm.
Miller will wear No. 40 this season after striking a deal with fullback Hunter Luepke, who will switch to No. 30, according to The Dallas Morning News.
Instead of paying Luepke cash, Miller offered him a stake in Greener Pastures Chicken, his Texas-based poultry business.
ALSO READ: San Antonio native Cowboys' Terence Steele faces competition for starting job after recent trade
"You got to give Hunter a great shoutout, man," Miller told reporters Thursday. "He's learned from the best with the negotiators here with the Cowboys."

#miller #instead #greener

Remember when every other day featured some glowing review of rookie safety Caleb Downs and his immediate impact? That receded a bit over the past few weeks as he mostly watched preseason games from the sidelines, but that hasn't adjusted immense expectations, and now they can ramp up again on the eve of the regular season.
Downs isn't the only one raising expectations, as Quinnen Williams said some things that will get Cowboys fans fired up. Presumably, Hunter Luepke is fired up to own a piece of Von Miller's chicken farm, and former Cowboys Shiyazh Pete is still firing up people he speaks to.
More: Cowboys' Von Miller lands No. 40 by making Luepke a business partner
With the regular season speeding closer and closer, here is where Dallas' feet are.
More: Joe Milton III's strange journey lands him back with Dallas Cowboys

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