Angelique S. Chengelis, Connor Earegood, John Niyo, and Bob Wojnowski of The Detroit News predict the outcome of Saturday's Michigan-Rutgers game at SHI Stadium in Piscataway, New Jersey (12:30 p.m., Big Ten Network/94.7 FM).
▶ Angelique S. Chengelis: Rutgers coach Greg Schiano has always been tied to defense, but the Scarlet Knights have struggled defensively this season and ranks 128th in scoring. That could make this the "get-right" game for Michigan's offense, which is sorely in need of a confidence-building performance, especially from the run game and offensive line. Michigan's No. 3-ranked defense likely won't have the challenge it was expecting now that Rutgers QB Dylan Lonergan has been ruled out. He left last week's game at Northwestern in the first quarter because of a hit to the head and backup AJ Surace has struggled with six touchdowns against five interceptions this season. Michigan's defensive backs were expected to have their hands full facing 6-foot-6 receiver KJ Duff, but he is "doubtful" for the game, according to the Big Ten availability report. Pick: Michigan, 31-10
▶ Connor Earegood: Rejoice, Jason Beck. You're going to save your job this week. This Michigan offense may be wasting one of the nation's best defenses, but it will get an important tune-up against Rutgers. You know, the Rutgers team that lost to UMass, which is 1-3 in Mid-American Conference play. Oh, Rutgahs. Its availability report suggests some key starters will not play. Its starting QB is hurt, its star receiver is doubtful. A one-read quarterback could probably pick its defense apart at full strength. That's a good opponent for a true freshman in Tommy Carr to face in his second career start, after the **** er of the unknown wore off last week and showed you that maybe, just maybe, it isn't the guy under center who's the problem but rather the guy calling his plays. If Beck takes some inspiration from the Michigan Stadium videoboard and runs the ball between the tackles from time to time, Michigan should roll to an easy win. If it's another stinker, it will make for an interesting crowd in next week's rivalry game. Pick: Michigan, 34-7
▶ John Niyo: If Rutgers can't cure Michigan's offensive woes, nothing will. Greg Schiano's days appear numbered in Piscataway, and the statistical numbers make it obvious why: Rutgers ranks 128th nationally in scoring defense and has given up 161 points in four Big Ten games thus far. Of course, that's more points than the Wolverines have scored in seven games this season. But this defense should be the cure Michigan's inefficient run game needs, and no matter who's playing quarterback, there'll be opportunities to create explosive plays in the pass game. In four Big Ten games, Rutgers already has given up 15 plays of 30-plus yards. Pick: Michigan, 34-16
▶ Bob Wojnowski: There's no such thing as a breather for the Wolverines, with six of their seven games decided on the final possession. Last week's OT loss to Indiana wa

CLEVELAND — Jose Ramirez rescued the Guardians in the American League Division Series with a tremendous three-game run to lift Cleveland to the ALCS, but with their playoff journey coming to an end all the focus turns to an injury that hamstrung him for the second half of the season.
Ramirez underwent hamate bone surgery in mid-June and returned to the lineup July 22, but he was struggling to be as productive while playing through the left wrist/hand issue. It can often be difficult for hitters to fully return to form in the aftermath of a hamate bone surgery.
His season numbers had already been a bit down from his career averages, but after the procedure he hit just .229 with a .598 OPS over the final 53 games, a stretch that included only two home runs, as his power seemed to be sapped.
It was painfully clear Ramirez was playing while hurt and the procedure was having a negative impact. It was also unlikely he'd do further damage, and the Guardians appreciated anything the star third baseman might be able to give them. A one-handed Ramirez is still a better sight in the everyday lineup than calling someone off the bench, especially as he insisted to play every day.
"I mean, obviously, it took a toll on him," said Guardians manager Stephen Vogt, who also reiterated his commitment to Cleveland while some rumors about the Seattle Mariners had stated to run rampant. "He was out there giving us everything he had. He wasn't playing at 100 percent, but that never changed his demeanor or the way he went about his business. And I think that just speaks to who he is as a person and a baseball player.

#surgery

Packers' Josh Jacobs explains what misinterpreted TD celebrations actually meant appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Green Bay Packers failed to run the ball efficiently yet again despite leaving Lambeau Field with a 27-19 victory over the Carolina Panthers, but Josh Jacobs still drew plenty of attention all the same. After scoring a go-ahead one-yard rushing touchdown in the second quarter, he put his hands behind his back as if he was wearing handcuffs.
The 2022 First-Team All-Pro was arrested in May regarding a domestic dispute with his then-girlfriend and pleaded no contest to misdemeanor charges of battery and criminal damage to property. The optics of such a TD celebration are obviously awful, but Jacobs claims his actions were misconstrued.
"Me and {wide receiver Savion Williams} came up with a celebration. They haven't seen the whole celebration," the former rushing yards leader and three-time Pro Bowl selection told reporters after the game, per Matt Schneidman of The Athletic. "Basically, last week, we said the first celebration when I score, I was going to thank God. That's what I did. The second was going to be break every chain, it's a gospel song. That was going to be the next celebration (he was immediately swarmed by his teammates). It's just a correlation.
Watch sports LIVE with fuboTV (free trial)

#first #rushing #second

Arsenal are preparing to launch negotiations over an extended deal for first-choice goalkeeper David Raya despite the Spaniard recently admitting he would like to play in his homeland one day. Meanwhile, neither Barcelona nor Real Madrid are expected to make an imminent move for the 31-year-old shot-stopper in upcoming transfer windows.
According to Football Insider, the north London hierarchy want to tie their Spanish custodian down beyond his current 2028 expiration date to fend off any future interest from La Liga. Speculation linking him with Spain's two biggest clubs emerged after he told Spanish media last week that he hopes to play in his native top flight eventually. However, the goalkeeper insisted in the same interview that he remains content at the Emirates Stadium.
Having silenced initial sceptics following his move from Brentford to establish himself as the Premier League's standout goalkeeper in recent seasons, Raya registered his fifth clean sheet in eight top-flight outings against Everton last weekend before narrowly losing out on Monday's Yashin Trophy to international team-mate Unai Simon.
Explaining why a switch to Spain is unlikely soon on the Transfer Insider podcast, journalist Pete O'Rourke said: "If he were to leave ******* nal, there's no immediate opening for one of the big boys in Spain right now as well. Barcelona have got Joan Garcia, and it looks like Courtois is going to sign a new contract at Real Madrid as well, so I don't see any opening for David Raya right now.
"The player is happy at ******* nal, and obviously ******* nal are very happy with him, so I think any potential move back to his native Spain will be probably on the back burner for a while just yet."

#spain #insider

good morning everyone and welcome to your Spooky Track of the Day!
Halloween is tomorrow, and every year the Hoddle of Coffee likes to celebrate with a spooky TOTD. There are lots of obvious picks out there but each year I like to give you all a diferent flavour like Vanilla Fudge's Season of the Witch, Queen's Ogre Battle and Alice Cooper's Killer.
Today we're diving into a punk rock Halloween. There are great ones to choose from. Lots from The Misfits, including Halloween, but we've featured them a handful of times in non-Halloween hoddles because they're just a really cool band.
Here are some other cool ones to add to your playlist and get people saying "What the heck?" And then "Heck yeah!"
Misfits – Astro Zombies (plus lots of others)

#heck #cool #track

Chiefs' Eric Bieniemy gives heartwarming update on wife after shooting during training camp appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy shared an encouraging update on his wife, Mia, revealing that her recovery from a shooting incident earlier this year is progressing well.
Speaking to reporters Thursday ahead of the Chiefs' Week 8 matchup against the Denver Broncos, Bieniemy said Mia has been doing well in rehabilitation and recently joined the team's wives' trip to Seattle.
"She's doing great," Bieniemy said, via Matt Derrick of Chiefs Digest. "She actually went on the trip this weekend, she was on the wives trip. She was a rock star, obviously. I was just a has-been. She's doing great. Her rehab has been going great."
Watch sports LIVE with fuboTV (free trial)

#bieniemy

Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young isn't playing at 100 percent. But that, based off the reactions from head coach Dave Canales and Young himself, doesn't seem to be too great of a concern—at least for now.
Young's knee issue, which he sustained back in the Week 3 loss to the Cleveland Browns, has kept his name on the injury report for the last handful of games. The effects of that problem seemed most obvious on Thursday night, throughout the Panthers' 27-19 loss to the Green Bay Packers.
With his offensive line failing to keep the pocket clean time and time again, Young—as he usually would—opted not to use his legs to extend plays. He was pressured on a career-high 22 dropbacks, and attempted zero scrambles.
Canales was asked if he thinks Young has been hampered by the injury.
"Maybe," he replied. "I would say that he certainly doesn't look like he's got that quick make-you-miss kind of deal. But he was able to create some **** e for himself.

#loss

Carolina Panthers RB Chuba Hubbard carried the ball 22 times for 81 yards and a touchdown versus the Green Bay Packers in Week 8. He also caught seven passes (on eight targets) for 38 yards.
SOURCE: USA TODAY
Why It Matters: It was obvious that the Panthers wanted to duplicate their game plan from 2025 when they upset the Packers by handing the ball to Rico Dowdle and bleeding the clock. It worked for a time, but ultimately Hubbard wasn't nearly as successful. Still, the veteran back logged 29 touches for 119 yards and a touchdown during Thursday Night Football, which is strong production. The extra rest before a Week 9 matchup with the Broncos should help Hubbard heal up, and he's likely to be featured once again as Carolina works through some significant pass-protection issues. Hubbard is a low-end RB1 or strong RB2 right now.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Chuba Hubbard tops 100 total yards, scores on TNF

#packers #today #touchdown

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Christian Watson acknowledged he "never wanted to go" to the hospital after being injured during his team's Week 8 "Thursday Night Football" win over the Carolina Panthers.
Watson noted that having to leave the stadium via ambulance was difficult during a postgame interview with Amazon Prime Video's sideline reporter Kaylee Hartung.
"It was tough. Honestly, I never wanted to go," Watson said. "I was hoping that they would let me off. I said I was kinda feeling better once I kinda caught my breath. But I mean they said there was a couple of signs that made them have to take me over there."
"It is what it is," he added. "I was just praying that it was good enough to where I could come back out here. Obviously, thankfully it was and I was able to get back out."
Watson was originally injured after catching a 53-yard deep pass from Jordan Love in the second quarter of the game. He landed hard on the ball as he came to the ground and remained down, rolling onto his back before being tended to by Green Bay's training staff.

#watson

NEW YORK -- The Brooklyn Nets are just four games into their 2026-27 NBA season that they hope will be better than what they put forth during the 2025-26 campaign record-wise. Brooklyn has been trying to correct enough of their issues to hopefully win their first game of the season sooner than later, but the Nets made sure to take care of business with some of their youngest players.
The Nets announced on Thursday that they exercised the third-year team options for their entire 2025 NBA Draft class heading into Friday's NBA Cup game against the visiting Detroit Pistons. Brooklyn selected five players in the 2025 draft: guard Egor Demin, guard Nolan Traore, forward Drake Powell, guard Ben Saraf, and forward Danny Wolf and now, the quintet is under contract for the 2027-28 season.
"We brought them in for a reason. Obviously, picking up options is part of the management, but [it's] the belief on development and the type of people that we bring in," Fernandez said after Thursday's practice about the franchise's announcement. Brooklyn exercising the team options on the entire class was interesting given that only Demin and Traore have been seeing regular rotation minutes at this point in the season.
"We've been together for a little over a year and we believe that every single one of them has a future in this league. Everybody's got different paths to get there and that's okay. But, so far, I think that just proves that we believe in the process," Fernandez continued. While Demin and Traore have proven enough to see NBA minutes on a daily basis, Powell, Saraf, and Wolf will have to continue doing the work in the G League and in practice.
Demin will be out of action for the next week while he rehabs from a right leg bone bruise that he suffered in Tuesday's 125-124 overtime loss to the Boston Celtics, but Traore could just be hitting his stride. Traore entered the starting lineup for Tuesday's matchup against the Celtics and if he continues to produce, he and Demin could be starting together once the former BYU Cougar returns. With that being said, the entire "Flatbush Five" will be in Brooklyn next season.

#options #guard

Bo Bichette's decision to opt into a second year with the Mets was not a surprise to anyone in the organization. He had one of the worst statistical seasons of his career offensively – not exactly the kind of year players try to ride into free agency. He spoke glowingly of new manager Andy Green. And he seemed to find comfort in the clubhouse and on the New York stage – as if he had arrived with something to prove and finally remembered he was capable of proving it.
But while the Mets have expected for several weeks now that Bichette would be back, his return nevertheless qualifies as crucial to their offseason. With Bichette, the Mets lineup in 2027 will include all the key components of a group that posted the fifth-best OPS in the majors after August 1… even with Juan Soto injured for part of that time.
The top of the order looked versatile and energetic when Francisco Lindor was healthy and leading off and Soto was healthy and hitting second and Bichette was behind them, putting the ball in play with Carson Benge there to drive everyone in. Bichette's return means the Mets can build on the offense they unearthed late last year, rather than having to reconfigure it.
But because Bichette's decision was not a surprise, expectations for the Mets season should not pivot because of it. They still need, and plan to pursue, starting pitching. They will still explore options to upgrade offensively at first base, though exactly how high they will aim – and how much money or prospect capital they are willing to spend there – remains unclear.
And they still seem likely to give one of their infield prospects a chance somewhere in the majors next season. With Bichette back, the most obvious place for a prospect to elbow in would be second, though because Bichette has also played second base, the Mets could make room for a prospect at third.

#prospect

This really shouldn't be that surprising. The Tigers have one of the better core groups in baseball now, and while their rotation has question marks due to injury and inexperience, it's certainly a pretty talented group with Framber Valdez as the veteran, and Jackson Jobe, Troy Melton, Keider Montero, River Ryan, and Reese Olson lined up behind the veteran lefty. Obviously they need to build a much better bullpen, but this shouldn't really be that hard. We'll see how hard the front office decides to make it.
The Tigers were 14th in run scoring, and 11th in team wRC+ in 2026, despite getting gutted for a good six weeks by a huge wave of injuries from mid-April through May. Max Clark has only just arrived, while Hao-Yu Lee and Eduardo Valencia broke out with the bats in the second half. They still have plenty of young hitting talent coming behind them as well. They were also 6th best in team ERA and 10th best in team fielding independent pitching (FIP). The defense got better as Clark and other young outfielders were added to the mix. It would really help that cause if John Peck can insert himself into the mix next year.
The Brewers are number one on the power rankings, as you'd expect. The Dodgers and Yankees check in second and third. The Rays, Red Sox, and Braves round out the 4-6 slots, with the Tigers in seventh.
Here is ESPN's argument for the Tigers in 2027.
1. Their plus-71 run differential was fourth in the AL, not that far behind the Rays (plus-86) or Red Sox (plus-78), and that's a positive indicator for the following season.

#rays #veteran

This really shouldn't be that surprising. The Tigers have one of the better core groups in baseball now, and while their rotation has question marks due to injury and inexperience, it's certainly a pretty talented group with Framber Valdez as the veteran, and Jackson Jobe, Troy Melton, Keider Montero, River Ryan, and Reese Olson lined up behind the veteran lefty. Obviously they need to build a much better bullpen, but this shouldn't really be that hard. We'll see how hard the front office decides to make it.
The Tigers were 14th in run scoring, and 11th in team wRC+ in 2026, despite getting gutted for a good six weeks by a huge wave of injuries from mid-April through May. Max Clark has only just arrived, while Hao-Yu Lee and Eduardo Valencia broke out with the bats in the second half. They still have plenty of young hitting talent coming behind them as well. They were also 6th best in team ERA and 10th best in team fielding independent pitching (FIP). The defense got better as Clark and other young outfielders were added to the mix. It would really help that cause if John Peck can insert himself into the mix next year.
The Brewers are number one on the power rankings, as you'd expect. The Dodgers and Yankees check in second and third. The Rays, Red Sox, and Braves round out the 4-6 slots, with the Tigers in seventh.
Here is ESPN's argument for the Tigers in 2027.
1. Their plus-71 run differential was fourth in the AL, not that far behind the Rays (plus-86) or Red Sox (plus-78), and that's a positive indicator for the following season.

#tigers #team #clark

ATLANTA – "We don't want to have to come back to Ballhalla."
It was part of a longer answer Kiah Stokes gave to reporters during Wednesday's practice availability. Stokes, and the Golden State Valkyries at large, obviously love their home crowd. It's one of, if not the most electric home court advantage in the WNBA. But going back would signal a Game 6 loss; within that lens, why play in front of that crowd again if you could handle business beforehand?
Ultimately, the Valkyries weren't able to get it done. Save any bail you want to shoot for the earlier-than-expected 12:30 ET tip-off time — **** ody on the Golden State side wants it, nor will they use it as an excuse.
A barrage of 3-pointers (6-of-8 in the opening frame), timely drives, and stellar defense sparked a 32-15 first quarter lead for the Atlanta Dream, one they ultimately never relinquished. The Dream were able to notch an impressive 80-69 victory to tie the series, setting up the two most exciting words in sports: Game 7.
Here are three numbers that popped in the Dream's Game 6 win, numbers the Valkyries need to flip in order to bring home their first championship.

#ultimately

Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy has shared a positive update on his wife Mia, three months after she was shot in their family home.
When speaking to reporters on Thursday, Bieniemy said that Mia was doing well enough to go on a trip with friends this past weekend.
"She's doing great. She actually went on a trip this weekend," Bieniemy said. "She was a rockstar, obviously.
"Her rehab has been going great. She actually had an opportunity to come out here and hang out and I'm sure I got on her nerves," he joked.
Mia, 57, was shot in the arm and chest at their family home in Loudoun County, Virginia on July 26. She was hospitalized with multiple gunshot wounds.

#doing

NEW YORK (AP) — When Jake Bauers gloved the final out of the Milwaukee Brewers' first World Series triumph, it might have ended the last Major League Baseball game for a long time.
While just 148 days remain until the scheduled start of the 2027 season on March 24, owners have proposed a salary cap for the first time since their 1994 plan led to a 7 1/2-month strike and the first cancellation of the World Series in 90 years.
"Obviously, you'd love to see the game be in a good spot and continue to be played," Milwaukee captain Christian Yelich said Wednesday a few hours before his team finished a five-game victory over Tampa Bay. "I think the game's in a great spot right now with a lot of people tuned in, a lot of popularity, a lot of great players out there. It would obviously be a shame if we miss time, but we'll have plenty of time this offseason to talk about it."
Baseball's five-year labor contract, agreed to in March 2022 on the 99th day of a management lockout, expires on Dec. 1. MLB is likely to lock out players again as soon as the deal expires.
That could create another free-agent frenzy ahead of the expiration. On Dec. 1, 2021, clubs committed to $1.4 billion in salaries that included nine-figure contracts for Javier Báez, Byron Buxton, Kevin Gausman, Max Scherzer, Corey Seager and Marcus Semien.

#time #series #obviously

Erika Kirk is facing fresh online criticism after a video of her appearance on the Chicks On The Right podcast went viral, with social media users debating her hairstyle, long extensions and fashion choices.
The controversy began with an October 23 post on X featuring the mom of two on the podcast set. During the clip, the hosts drew attention to her long hair, describing it as "real" and "spectacular."
However, rather than focusing on the praise, many viewers questioned whether Kirk's hair was entirely natural and criticized what they considered her over-the-top style despite "grieving."
X / chicksonright
One commenter suggested that the look involved professional styling and additional hairpieces, writing, "She for sure has an extension expert on staff who maintains and styles her hair. The elaborate plaits that they add to her hair are obviously hair pieces, and they are using long clip in pieces to add volume."

#kirk

SAN FRANCISCO — After dropping Game 1 of the WNBA Finals to the No. 2 seed Golden State Valkyries, the No. 4 seed Atlanta Dream find themselves is unfamiliar territory heading into Game 2 on Monday, Oct. 19.
The Valkyries overcame a nine-point deficit to secure a 68-64 win and take a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series. The Valkyries' victory snapped the Dream's 10-game win streak dating back to the regular season. It was Atlanta's first loss of the postseason and first defeat since Aug. 28.
"Unfortunately, we had kind of one bad defensive quarter where we had a few breakdowns and then one bad offensive quarter in the fourth," Dream head coach Karl Smesko said. "Now we're just going to have to watch film, make some adjustments and come out as hard as we possibly can, because we obviously want to leave here winning Game 2."
The film from Game 1 shows the Dream conceding 17 points off 12 turnovers, all while shooting 33% from the field and 16% from the 3-point line. Allisha Gray finished with a team-high 19 points and six rebounds in her first game back in the lineup after a left hand injury and "minor procedure" sidelined her two playoff games. Angel Reese recorded 14 points in the first half, but was held scoreless the second half.
"I wasn't aggressive enough with the ball and trying to ... get to my spot," said Reese, who pointed to self-inflicted wounds as the difference in the game. "I think it was all things that we did."

#dream

Joe Mazzulla declares Payton Pritchard will be key to Jayson Tatum-led Celtics' success originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
When you lose a key player in the offseason, the question remains: who fills that production hole? The Boston Celtics do not seem to worry about this conundrum at all. With Jaylen Brown gone, they have filled all the gaps by committee. Hugo Gonzalez and Baylor Scheierman get to play both ends with hustle. Paul George still has that fringe NBA All-Star quality and can shoot the lights out. However, Coach Joe Mazzulla is looking at a key player. It's none other than Payton Pritchard. The Celtics head coach has all the belief in their guard and even noted specific traits that will make him helpful to the squad led by Jayson Tatum.
For a long time, a few monoliths have described Payton Pritchard. He's been seen as the Celtics' offensive spark plug, or the guy you give the ball to in the clutch. Now, he will be up for bigger roles in Coach Joe Mazzulla's system due to the Jaylen Brown trade.
There are obviously a lot of doubts about Pritchard. Much of it stems from the fact that he's an undersized guard and the running belief that he could be a defensive liability. Coach Mazzulla does not think that way at all. In fact, the Celtics head honcho outlined what made their veteran guard special. Those same traits could also make a big difference on a team centered around Jayson Tatum, according to Jay King of The Athletic.
"He just plays with a chip on his shoulder, but doesn't have an ego. And I think that's a balance that's difficult for people to be able to have. Like, if you tell him he's starting, if you tell him he's coming off the bench, if you tell him he's playing 20 (minutes), if you tell him he's playing 30, the chip on his shoulder never changes. He doesn't need the affirmation to be an elite competitor. And so I think a coach that gives you the freedom to just do what makes the most sense at that particular time," the Celtics head coach declared.

#payton #tatum #guard

Cornish Pirates kept up their perfect home record as they beat Chinnor 48-24 in the Champ.
Pirates ran in seven tries as they recorded a third win from five games overall to move up to sixth place in the table.
Four tries came in the final 17 minutes of the second half as the hosts pulled away from their opponents after a "flat" 38-14 loss at Bedford last week.
"I'm really pleased," joint-head coach Gavin Cattle told BBC Radio Cornwall.
"That second half showed some maturity in terms of game control, obviously boxed quite high up the pitch, stayed in the battle despite a tricky wind and we played at the right time, we pulled the trigger at the right time.

#second #chinnor

It could be argued that, after falling to 2-4 and seeing many of the grand plans of this 2026 Dallas Cowboys team sit utterly deflated following a 23-13 loss to the Packers on Sunday night in Green Bay, coach Brian Schottenheimer was in an impossible situation. What to say to your NFL team, after a devastating loss in which you were dominated on both sides of the ball, in which any progress made on the defensive side of the ball in the second half was offset first by the defense's poor play in the first half and the offense's poor play overall?
But Schottenheimer did go to the podium for his press conference on Sunday night and was asked what he said to the team.
His message: "The effort is right, the fight is right, but mistakes are killing us. Repeating mistakes is not what we're about. But we've got to protect the football. Five turnovers in two games, not very good. Got to find the running game. That starts with myself and the offensive staff. Got to get off the field on third down on defense, whether that's penalties or losing 1-on-1s. So, we got to clean it up. Lost two games in a row, not playing well. Got to take a hard look at it. Starts with me."
It is hard to say that, given the level of talent on this team–on the offensive line, in the receiver's room, at quarterback, at running back–that mistakes alone are the problem. The Cowboys did play harder and more aggressively on Sunday in Green Bay, that was obvious. But that also raises the question of where that effort and aggressiveness was in Week 5 against the Buccaneers, as well as at other times this season?
And, it could be argued, that the tendency toward mistakes with penalties and turnovers are a symptom of poor preparation and discipline. That's part of effort, and part of fight. So, it's hard to say that it's mistakes alone that are holding the team back.

#sunday

Packers' Zaire Franklin shares a subtle warning about Green Bay's defense appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Green Bay is 4-2 on the season heading into Week 7 in Detroit after a 23-13 home win over the Cowboys that included a blunt postgame ****** sment from coach Matt LaFleur. LaFleur wants his team to focus on the details, something Jordan Love did well and linebacker Zaire Franklin's defense also excelled at in Week 6.
Franklin spoke to Matt Schneidman of The Athletic after the game during which he gave a warning on the Packers' hungry defense.
"I think it's just a credit to who we can be…Obviously we've got a lot of things we can clean up but I feel like we are a defense on the rise, every week we continue to get better and better…We got some stuff to clean up but I think the ceiling is extremely high."
Watch sports LIVE with fuboTV (free trial)

#franklin #warning

Daniel Farke wasn't having it that Leeds United were the favourites for this game but there was nothing he could do about the level of expectation around his club going into it.
Last season Leeds drew this fixture 1-1 and then in April claimed their first league win at Old Trafford since 1981. Being truly competitive in the Premier League in both the post-promotion campaign and so far this term allowed supporters not only to dream of Elland Road glory on Sunday afternoon but perhaps even to expect it. Throw in the narrative surrounding the visitors given all that has transpired there of late and at the very least it felt like a big chance.
Yet if reality was to meet expectation, the first half did not make it immediately obvious. A frenetic first few minutes was as anticipated. Ethan Ampadu, leading the team out for the 100th time as captain, was at the heart of an aggressive start. He set the tone by levelling Carlos Baleba to concede one free-kick, then caught Bryan Mbeumo on the ankle to concede another, somehow without seeing yellow.
Neither Bruno Fernandes nor Gabriel Gudmundsson got away with their early transgressions, however. So it was tetchy and fractious, but the play that was punctuated by fouls was largely in the home side's favour. Leeds saw plenty of the ball, some of it in the opposition territory, and though there were dangerous-looking deliveries into the box, only Nico Elvedi's header - saved by Senne Lammens - threatened to open the scoring.
At the other end Mbeumo arrived completely unmarked to head Youri Tielemans' scooped cross past James Trafford's left-hand post. It was a let-off as much as a warning but there was very little between the teams in a first half full of huffing and puffing and largely devoid of magic.

#expectation #post #largely

The Cowboys spent their mini-bye week promising changes aplenty, and several were obvious as Sunday's Week 6 contest got underway: Mike Pettine as a senior defensive ***** istant, Malachi Lawrence announced pregame as a starter over Donovan Ezeiruaku, Brevyn Spann-Ford getting at least the ceremonial intro-yourself-on-TV first-snap nod over Jake Ferguson.
But literally starting with the opening kick, it was just more of the same for the free-falling Cowboys... only worse. The Cowboys dropped the game by a 23-13 score that was never really that close and saw their season record sink to 2-4, a mark that on paper gives them far more respectability than they deserve.
With Christian Parker still on the sidelines but Pettine observing from the coaches' booth (on his sixth day on the job), the unit seemed to show a bit more hustle and fire, but the Cowboys' defensive results nevertheless looked awfully similar to their first five games.
In a dominant first half that was enough to decide the night, Green Bay handily won the time of possession battle, racked up 15 first downs, converted nine of their 10 third-down plays, didn't punt at all, and amassed 225 yards of offense, at a clip of almost six yards per snap.
The Packers held onto the ball for 6:30 on their opening possession, a 14-play drive that actually covered 105 yards and landed in the end zone. A 15-play drive going for 83 yards and eating up 8:17 would soon follow, further continuing a trend of the Dallas defense being unable to get themselves off the field. Along the way, they allowed Green Bay to convert to a pair of 3rd-and-13s, a pair of 3rd-and-8s, and a pair of 3rd-and-6s.

#pettine #green

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce registered four receptions for 53 yards on five targets in Week 6 against the Los Angeles Chargers.
SOURCE: USA TODAY
Why it Matters: Kelce had a rather mediocre stat line, but his four receptions were the second-best mark on the team. It was a mostly run-heavy offensive attack, which doesn't bode well for the pass catchers, obviously. Still, Kelce remains a solid low-end TE1 in all fantasy leagues heading into Week 7.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Travis Kelce has rather mediocre stat line in Week 6

#four

The Los Angeles Lakers took a gamble on making Walker Kessler the top NBA offseason addition this past summer. Kessler is a tremendous defender, but he's struggled with offense. Health has also been a huge concern after Kessler played just 5 games last season with the Utah Jazz before entering free agency. However, one rival coach believes the Lakers are now a "problem" for the rest of the league with Kessler.
Denver Nuggets head coach David Adelman revealed why he has a stronger fear of the Lakers this season:
"It's just a constant thrust on the rim. It's a problem. Obviously, that's how Luka (Doncic) likes to play. You have to get overaggressive with your low man. Because Luka is a problem, obviously, and so is (Austin) Reaves. That's the problem, and what that does is create a secondary problem. You have to over-rotate to guard these guys.
I think their offense is gonna be really, really good this year. They all fit each other really well. And I thought Kessler in Utah, you saw signs of this already, especially when the guys would actually play, their main guard… On the other end, [Kessler] is a problem defensively. I think they were smart to know what they wanted, and they went and got it."
Adelman expects Doncic and Reaves to effectively run the Lakers offense, despite losing LeBron James and other starters. Kessler was then credited for the main reason the Lakers will be better defensively. One of the top West coaches having a fear of the Lakers presenting problems should provide hope for concerned fans.

#adelman #luka

Notre Dame's 28-24 loss to BYU on Saturday night was all kinds of hurt. As we pointed out earlier, there are layers to his kind of loss (and that was barely scratching the surface). Obviously a loss like that is going to affect the rankings and the chances to win a national championship. Right?
Well… maybe.
When the odds came out on Sunday, Notre Dame was one of the favorites to win the national championship. Some oddsmakers had the Irish having the nest odds in the country, but FanDuel Sportsbook had Notre Dame behind Ohio State — and now as of publishing this post, Georgia is ahead of the Irish too.
Betting odds aren't always the best predictors of future success, but it's quite something that even after a loss like the Irish just had to BYU — this whole season is still very much in play.
There are plenty of things we can rage about when it comes to this Notre Dame football team, but that is the case for most of the country as well. It's why a day like we just saw all over college football on Saturday happens. It's nuts, but that's what makes college football, college football.

#irish #Football

Chargers' Jim Harbaugh states the obvious about Mike McDaniel-led offense appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Jim Harbaugh didn't mince words about the offense's struggles under offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel following the Los Angeles Chargers' 22-6 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday afternoon.
Harbaugh has been the Chargers' head coach since 2024, going through his third season with the franchise. Following back-to-back years of playoff appearances, the veteran coach seems to have approached his biggest obstacle yet.
Los Angeles is winless six games into the season. They are at the bottom of the standings with the worst record in the league, immensely struggling on the offensive side of the ball.
Watch sports LIVE with fuboTV (free trial)

#harbaugh #following

Hey gang! It's your ol' pal Jay. I woke up in a cold sweat after a nightmare about a failed audition from like 20 years ago, so I decided to spread that anxiety 'round the world! See, back in them days, you couldn't just send a self-tape all willy nilly. You had to physically bike on down to some building in a shady part of town, wipe the sweat from your brow, and perform for a little panel of directors and producers.
I don't want to brag, but I got a callback for a Taco Bell commercial. The director asked me to deliver this one line in different ways but still convey that this imaginary burrito was yummy. After a few runs of not getting it right, he seemed to be getting a little perturbed. I rifled off a couple more nervous ones until he stopped me and said, "No. You have to pretend that you're thoroughly enjoying the food. You know… Like an actor."
The room went silent as I shrunk to microscopic proportions. I didn't get the part obviously, but I had a good run back then! Booked some commercials for KFC, Pepsi, Nabob Coffee, and Tetley Tea, so… Ya. I haven't acted in a long time, but don't worry. I still take harsh criticisms on an almost daily basis! If you love cringey audition stories like that, just wait till you see these ones from A-listers. Cringey stuff here, folks. Enjoy.
Source
Source

#like #audition #little #still

The S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC) has spent most of 2026 at or near record highs. While that's been good news for anyone invested in the index, a problem is developing beneath the surface.
As of Oct. 5, the S&P 500 was trading at less than 1% below its all-time high, yet only 42% of its components were trading above their 200-day moving average. According to Dow Jones Market Data, the last time the S&P 500 was within 1% of a record high while more than half of its stocks traded below their 200-day moving averages was March 2000.
Missed Nvidia in 2009? This Rare Signal Is Flashing Again. In 2009, a "Double Down" signal flashed for a little-known chipmaker called Nvidia. For the first time in years, that same "Total Conviction" signal is flashing for a company 1/100th the size of Nvidia. Continue »
Clearly, no one likes to see comparisons to the peak of the tech bubble. But this isn't a signal to sell stocks. Rather, it's time to rethink what you're actually owning when you buy the S&P 500.
Obviously, the S&P 500 is historically top-heavy right now. Tech stocks account for roughly 38% of the index, while the top 10 holdings also account for approximately 38%.

#time #Tech #record