The Minnesota Vikings' unbeaten start has drawn attention to quarterback Kyler Murray, whom an NFL ******* yst identified as the team's most notable offseason addition. Murray's arrival has given Minnesota a new option under center as the club continues its strong run through the 2026 season.
Murray joined the Vikings after the team moved on from its previous quarterback plans, bringing his experience and mobility to the offense. His ability to make plays with both his arm and legs has added another dimension to Minnesota's attack. The move also placed him in a system designed to use his athleticism while maintaining a balanced offensive approach.
Quarterback Kyler Murray (1) runs the ball against the Green Bay Packers during the first half at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images
The quarterback's mobility has been a key part of his early impact. Murray can extend plays when protection breaks down and create opportunities outside the pocket, forcing defenses to account for his movement. His scrambling ability can also open passing lanes and provide an additional threat on designed runs, making it more difficult for opponents to anticipate the offense's next move.
Minnesota's early results have strengthened the attention surrounding Murray's role. The Vikings have maintained an unbeaten record, with their defense contributing to the team's success while the offense works to establish consistency. Murray's presence has given the unit flexibility, particularly when plays develop differently than planned or when the defense applies pressure.

#quarterback

Quenton Nelson knows how hard it is to block Jeffery Simmons. When Nelson was a guard for the Colts and Simmons was a defensive tackle for the **** ans, the two played against each other 13 times. And when Nelson got traded to the Seahawks on Tuesday, he thought he was going to get a break from facing Simmons.
That didn't happen. Shortly after Nelson got traded to the Seahawks, Simmons got traded to the Bears. Who play the Seahawks on Monday night, in the first game for both players on their new teams.
Nelson said he considers Simmons one of the best opponents he's faced, and he's ready for a big challenge when the Bears visit Seattle on Monday night.
"He's an amazing football player and competitor. I was like, Man, can't get away from this guy. It'll be another battle against him this week," Nelson said.
Nelson vs. Simmons will be the most-watched offensive lineman vs. defensive lineman battle of this NFL season, as two All-Pros go at it again, now on new teams with Super Bowl aspirations.

#simmons #traded #teams #battle

The Chicago Bears got the player they wanted. The harder question is what they gave up to get him.
Chicago acquired All-Pro defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons from Tennessee on Thursday, sending the **** ans first-round picks in 2027 and 2028 and a 2027 fourth-round pick. The Bears also received a 2028 fifth-round pick. It is a huge price for a 29-year-old defender, even one capable of changing how opponents block Chicago's front.
Simmons makes the Bears better today. He had 11 sacks last season and has four through seven games this year. ESPN's **** ysis identified the need clearly: Chicago ranked 23rd in pass-rush win rate from its interior defenders before the trade, while Simmons led NFL defensive tackles in that measure. His ability to disrupt both running and passing plays gives Dennis Allen something the defense has lacked up front.
But there are two parts to this trade. One is the impact Simmons can make on Sundays. The other is how Chicago builds around him in the years ahead.
Aug 28, 2021; Nashville, TN, USA; Tennessee **** ans defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons (98) celebrates after a defensive stop on fourth down during the first half against the Chicago Bears at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

#Chicago #bears #defensive

UW and Nebraska face off in Lincoln this weekend for the first time as conference foes. The long and storied history between the two teams stretches exactly 101 years and two weeks to the day between the very first match up in 1925 and this Saturday's game. That shared history primarily revolves around the four games played during the 1990s when both programs were at their peak. The 1991 game featured a furious second half comeback in Lincoln that built the momentum towards UW's eventual national championship. The Cornhuskers' return trip to Seattle in 1992 set the stage for the loudest recorded home crowd in college football history. Five years later, Nebraska returned to Montlake to get their revenge for the previous two games while on their way to their own national championship in 1997 in Tom Osborne's final season.
For these two programs, the current stakes of this weekend's game are much lower, although not entirely without significance. Both Washington and Nebraska enter Saturday night's matchup at a crossroads in their seasons. Nebraska sits at 5-2 overall and 2-2 in Big Ten play, but the Cornhuskers are coming off consecutive close losses to Indiana and Oregon. Despite those defeats, Matt Rhule's team has established itself as one of the league's most physical and statistically dominant defenses, keeping every game within reach through disciplined play, strong linebacker action, and excellent situational defense.
Washington, meanwhile, is 4-3 overall and 1-3 in conference play. The Huskies snapped a three-game losing streak with a 38-26 victory over Purdue before their bye week and arrive in Lincoln needing momentum to salvage their Big Ten campaign. Jedd Fisch's offense remains heavily dependent on its passing attack, ranking among the conference's better aerial units, but questions at quarterback and a struggling rushing offense persist.
Over Matt Rhule's four years at Nebraska, the Cornhuskers have embraced a physical and gritty, defensive-oriented identity as a program. Under first-year defensive coordinator, Rob Aurich, Nebraska has maintained the aggressive, fundamentally sound identity Nebraska built under Rhule. The Cornhuskers rank 14th nationally in scoring defense, 9th in total defense, and are holding opponents to just 171 passing yards and 99 rushing yards per game on average. Their suffocating rushing defense on early downs often position them in 3rd & long passing situations where they pressure packages and blanketing secondary can create plays. This formula is what has allowed Nebraska to lead the FBS in defensive 3rd down conversion percentage at just 19%. To put that statistic into perspective, Nebraska's defense has allowed just eight third down conversions in their four Big Ten conference games this season, including games with just one allowed against Maryland and Indiana.
Nebraska typically operates from a multiple-front structure, mixing even-front and odd-front looks while emphasizing gap discipline and disgui

Rockets predicted to trade for $112M defensive menace, reliable shooter to pair with Kevin Durant originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Houston Rockets disappointed themselves and their fans last season after getting bounced in the first round of the playoffs against the Los Angeles Lakers. This season, the Rockets have come in with a goal in mind: to be the best team possible.
Houston has started the season 5-0, exceeding expectations. In fact, the Rockets have done this while Kevin Durant is still trying to get going.
"The Houston Rockets are 5-0, and the vibes are about as high as they've ever been during Kevin Durant's time with the franchise. The Rockets have outscored their opponents by 71 points through the first five games of the season, and during their dominant start, Durant has been Houston's No. 1 hype man on the bench, Fred VanVleet had his best game in two years," The Athletic's William Guillory wrote.
The biggest thing the Rockets needed heading into the offseason was shooting.

#season #source

Ta Bi caught the eye from his very first appearance in red and white.
He's a skilful and tricky winger with a turn of speed and seems to be developing very well in the squad. The rawness we saw at the start is going as he improves his all-round game.
On Wednesday, he was very aware of what was going on around him — his head was up and he was looking to hurt the opposition.
He got slightly lucky when beating El Hadji Malick Diouf for the second goal, but if you don't try, nothing happens. Once round the defender, he laid it on a plate for Timur Tutierov and his speed of thought for the third goal was excellent, coupled with a perfect delivery.
I would imagine Régis Le Bris will continue to take it steady with him but must surely recognise that he could be a real thorn in the side for opponents as an impact substitute. He offers a genuine attacking threat and I think in the league, he'll have more chances from the bench.

#speed #hadji #malick

The NFL, the most parity-driven major sports league, feels even more wide open this year. Even the perceived powerhouses entering the season and teams with the best records have flaws that are already being picked at by opponents.
Betting markets and bettors are keeping plenty of teams alive. As of Thursday evening, FanDuel had 11 NFC teams with +164 or shorter odds to make the playoffs, and seven teams with +1100 odds or shorter to win the Super Bowl. Thirteen teams were at +2500 or shorter to hoist the Lombardi Trophy in February.
This open competition leads to opportunity. And opportunity leads to action. Even when the Nov. 10 trade deadline was still a ways away, teams started to address their weaknesses. The Dallas Cowboys added Joey Porter Jr., the Baltimore Ravens nabbed Cam Jurgens. Now with the deadline growing closer, NFL teams have decided to strike. First, Quenton Nelson was shipped off to the Seattle Seahawks from the sinking ship known as the Indianapolis Colts. Soon after, DeForest Buckner returned to the San Francisco 49ers to bolster their defensive front.
Then, on Thursday, the Chicago Bears fired a shot across the bow to the rest of the NFC and NFL, trading two future first-round draft picks and a fourth-rounder to the Tennessee ****** ans for defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons and a 2028 fifth-round selection.
Now that's some real action for a trade deadline!

#teams #deadline #open #odds

Editor's note: This story will be updated with a photo gallery.
The more things change, the more they stay the same.
Despite entering the postseason with a 20-11 record, their first time with double-digit losses in the regular season since 2019, the Notre Dame Pandas swept through four straight opponents, then pulled off a comeback for the ages against Beechwood (24-26, 22-25, 25-13, 25-14, 15-10) to complete the journey to a fifth straight Ninth Region championship.
For the second straight night, tournament MVP Teagan Kondik had her fingerprints on the final play, putting away her 27th kill to complete the comeback.
"Joy. Doing it for my teammates when we've had a hard season, for sure, faced a lot of adversity. I think ending the region with a kill was super special to do it for them," Kondik said.

#region #despite

Editor's note: This story will be updated with a photo gallery.
The more things change, the more they stay the same.
Despite entering the postseason with a 20-11 record, their first time with double-digit losses in the regular season since 2019, the Notre Dame Pandas swept through four straight opponents, then pulled off a comeback for the ages against Beechwood (24-26, 22-25, 25-13, 25-14, 15-10) to complete the journey to a fifth straight Ninth Region championship.
For the second straight night, tournament MVP Teagan Kondik had her fingerprints on the final play, putting away her 27th kill to complete the comeback.
"Joy. Doing it for my teammates when we've had a hard season, for sure, faced a lot of adversity. I think ending the region with a kill was super special to do it for them," Kondik said.

#straight #season #kill

KevinVallejos can't believe how much he'll earn under his newUltimate Fighting Championship contract.

Vallejos revealed that he signed a new deal ahead of his pivotalclash against AljamainSterling at UFC Qatar on Nov. 21 at ABHA Arena in Doha. The Argentine alsoclaims a ****** le shot awaits if he beats the former bantamweightchampion.
Vallejos (18-1) announced the agreement in a pair of social mediaposts.

"WE just signed a new deal with the UFC," Vallejos wrote on X. "Ican't believe how much money I'm getting paid to fight."

After defending his ****** le at UFC 333, featherweight champion AlexanderVolkanovski said Sterling (26-5) deserves the next ****** le shotif he beats Vallejos. However, the Australian identified Jean Silva(18-3) as the next contender if Sterling loses to "El Chino."

Vallejos, meanwhile, is confident he'll secure that opportunitywith a victory at UFC Qatar.

"Guys if WE beat Sterling, WE get Volk," Vallejos posted on X.

Silva handed Vallejos his lone professional loss in his firstDana White's Contender Series appearance in 2023. Vallejosreturned the following year and earned a UFC contract with afirst-round knockout. He has since won all four of his UFC bouts,finishing three opponents.

#he 'll

On NCAA Selection Sunday this past March, the UNM Lobos were left on the outside looking in.
They had 23 wins and built a NET ranking of 46 (out of 365 Division I teams). That ranking — derived by the NCAA from a formula attempting to place a value on every regular season game — is one that will be even harder for the Lobos to replicate this season due to a new-look Mountain West that lost several quality opponents in league play.
UNM went 2-7 in Quad 1 games last season (Quad 1 is considered the highest quality game) and 6-1 in Quad 2 games by Selection Sunday (Quad 2 is still good, but to a lesser degree than Quad 1).
Six of UNM's nine Quad 1 games were against teams formerly in the Mountain West and now in the Pac-12.
UNM did manage this season to schedule Pac-12 defectors Utah State and Boise State in the nonconference, and in league games against Nevada and Grand Canyon — home and on the road — project to be high quality games still.

#quad #quality #selection #mountain

POTTSVILLE — Like the development of a student-athlete, success in high school football is rarely linear.
This fall, the Pottsville Crimson Tide, led by a group of 19 seniors, found that out firsthand.
Early in the season, the Crimson Tide faced what was considered at the time a brutal schedule: Shamokin, Mount Carmel, and Blue Mountain all in the first four weeks. In retrospect, that slate was not only brutal, it was the definition of a gauntlet. Those three opponents enter the final week of the regular season with a combined 25-2 record.
The Pottsville coaching staff, including head coach Mike Brennan, knew the early season was going to test the Crimson Tide and the results might not be what they desired, but that the difficult schedule would pay dividends down the road.
For many teams, it would be easy to begin tuning coaches out after you have three losses of 20 or more points in your first four games.

#season #first

Gennaro Gattuso is thrilled with the Lazio players who produced a fabulous performance against Juventus on Sunday.
The Biancocelesti extended their superb start to the Serie A campaign by registering their sixth win in seven rounds. Oliver Provstgaard, Gustav Isaksen, and Fisayo Dele-Bashiru all got on the scoresheet as Lazio returned from Turin with a 3-0 victory. This was certainly the team's best result of the season, especially considering the size of the opponent.
In his post-match interviews (via La Lazio Siamo Noi), Gattuso expressed his delight with the team, taking great pleasure in their ability to overcome the odds after being tipped to fight for relegation by some observers at the start of the season.
We're not looking at the league table. We have to keep working hard and maintain the right mentality. I've seen a lot in this game, and we have a clear path to follow: work. People were writing us off as dead and saying we would be fighting relegation. But our path was the right one, and the players believed in it. We'll see where we end up.We like to press our opponents, get tight to our markers and play offensively. That brings benefits. We can't sit back and manage games; we have to keep pressing forward aggressively. On a personal level, it's a pleasure to work with these players, too.
The Calabrian admits that he almost gave up on coaching at one point during his career, but he has now found internal serenity.

#lazio #players #start #season

The under-13s were the second Meninos da Vila team to secure a place in the quarterfinals of the Campeonato Paulista! They beat RB Bragantino again, this time 5–1 at CT Rei Pelé, with two goals from Davi Lucas and one each from Guilherme Henrique, Enzo Donizete and Kauan Lisboa!
Having won the first leg 1–0, they advanced 6–1 on aggregate and now await their next opponents.
At under-14 level, another win and another qualification for the Meninos da Vila! The team thrashed EC São Bernardo 5–0 at CT Rei Pelé on Sunday afternoon (18) to secure a place in the quarterfinals! Peixe advanced 6–0 on aggregate!
Felipe Rafael scored twice, with Kauan Basile, Phelipe Thomas and Madson Matos also finding the net for Peixe.
The team now also awaits confirmation from the FPF to find out who their next opponents will be!

#kauan #place

Noni Madueke made the difference for ***** nal as his deflected effort helped the Gunners secure a hard fought victory over Nottingham Forest in a difficult Premier League match. The result earned ***** nal three important points as they continue their battle for the ***** le against Manchester City.
Arsenal know they cannot afford to fall six points behind City, who have started the campaign in impressive fashion. The Manchester club have performed better than many expected and could maintain their winning run, leaving the Gunners under pressure to keep pace with their rivals.
The City Ground is a difficult venue for visiting teams, with Nottingham Forest having a reputation for making life uncomfortable for their opponents. ***** nal were well aware of the challenge before kick-off, particularly after failing to score on their previous two visits to Forest.
That record offered a warning of what could happen, and the match proved challenging for Mikel Arteta's side. Forest made the contest difficult, using direct play and aerial ***** to disrupt ***** nal and prevent them from finding their rhythm.
However, the Gunners continued to search for a breakthrough and eventually found one through Madueke. His deflected shot provided the decisive moment, allowing ***** nal to leave Nottingham with all three points and avoid dropping valuable ground in the ***** le race.

#city #madueke #manchester #ground

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

FC Bayern welcome ****** nal to the Allianz Arena on Wednesday evening (21.00 CEST) for Matchday 3 of the Champions League. The Munich side faced the Gunners in the league phase last season too – and, after five consecutive matches against them without defeat (four wins), suffered a 3–1 defeat at the hands of Mikel Arteta's team in London. Now, FCB are out for revenge on their home turf, and as our ****** ysis of the facts shows, the prospects of that are pretty good.
Of the seven home games against the Gunners to date, the Munich men have lost just one and come away as winners on five occasions. The record champions have won all three of their most recent encounters in Munich – including two by a margin of at least four goals.
Overall, too, the head-to-head stats favour the Bavarians. In 15 Champions League meetings, FCB have won eight of them, three have ended in a draw and ****** nal have won four times. This means the London side have lost 53 per cent of their matches against FCB – of all the opponents the Gunners have faced five times or more in major European competition, they have a higher loss rate only against Barcelona (67 per cent – six defeats from nine matches).
The league phase of the Champions League and Munich's Allianz Arena – from FC Bayern's perspective, they're a perfect match: since a 3–2 defeat to Manchester City in December 2013, the German record champions have not lost a home fixture in the Champions League group stage/league phase. Of the 39 home games at that stage of the competition during this period, they've won 37 (with two draws) – most recently, they've even recorded nine consecutive home wins.
However, their opponents ****** nal have also been in outstanding form in the early stages of the competition recently and have won all of their last 14 Champions League group stage/league phase encounters. They last dropped points in November 2024, when they lost 1–0 away to Inter Milan.

#arsenal

Carolina Hurricanes (7-2-1, in the Metropolitan Division) vs. Vancouver Canucks (2-7-1, in the Pacific Division)
Vancouver, British Columbia; Tuesday, 10 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: The Vancouver Canucks look to end their seven-game skid when they take on the Carolina Hurricanes.
Vancouver is 1-2-0 in home games and 2-7-1 overall. The Canucks are 1-4-0 in games their opponents serve fewer penalty minutes.
Carolina has gone 5-1-0 on the road and 7-2-1 overall. The Hurricanes have gone 7-0-0 when scoring three or more goals.

#Vancouver

Philadelphia 76ers vs. New York Knicks
New York; Tuesday, 7 p.m. EDT
LINE: Knicks -4.5; over/under is 231.5
BOTTOM LINE: The New York Knicks host the Philadelphia 76ers for the season opener.
New York went 53-29 overall, 14-3 in Atlantic Division action and 30-10 at home last season. The Knicks averaged 116.5 points per game while allowing opponents to score 110.1 last season.

#york #line

Boston Celtics vs. Detroit Pistons
Detroit; Tuesday, 3 p.m. EDT
LINE: Celtics -1.5; over/under is 222.5
BOTTOM LINE: The Detroit Pistons begin the season at home against the Boston Celtics.
Detroit went 60-22 overall, 39-13 in Eastern Conference action and 32-9 at home during the 2025-26 season. The Pistons allowed opponents to score 109.6 points per game and shoot 44.3% from the field last season.

#celtics #season #eastern

India arrive in New Zealand as world champions, having beaten the same opponents by 96 runs in the T20 World Cup final in Ahmedabad in March.
The five-match series now shifts to the Black Caps' backyard, where the T20I history between the sides is far tighter than that result suggests.
Shreyas Iyer leads a 16-man India squad that welcomes back Bhuvneshwar **** ar, who last played a T20I in November 2022. Meanwhile, Mitchell Santner captains the home side.
India last played T20Is here in November 2022, when Suryakumar Yadav's unbeaten 111 at Mount Maunganui set up a 65-run win. They took that series 1-0 after Wellington was abandoned and a rain-hit Napier game ended in a tie, so the record is worth a closer look.
Before the bilateral series kicks off in Christchurch on Thursday, The Sporting News takes a look at the record books.

#India #november

Miami is No. 1 after college football's wildest AP poll shake-up originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
College football's latest AP Top 25 did not just shuffle a few teams. It reset the top of the rankings.
Miami moved to No. 1 for the first time since 2002 after a weekend in which five of the previous top seven teams lost. BYU climbed to No. 2, its highest ranking since the 1984 national championship season, while Ohio State moved to No. 3.
The losses created a rare opening. Georgia, Notre Dame, Indiana, Alabama and Texas all fell, but the poll did not simply push every loser out of the top 10. Notre Dame, Georgia and Indiana remained among the top six, reflecting the strength of their records before Saturday and the quality of some of their opponents.
Taking over the top spot is a major achievement for Miami, but it also changes the conversation around the Hurricanes. They are no longer chasing the teams ahead of them. They are the team every contender will measure itself against.

#teams #sporting

Democratic House members are writing bills to rein in a president’s emergency powers. Lawyers are strategizing about how to insulate the Justice Department from presidential influence. A House measure would block a president from unilaterally remodeling the White House. Ethicists are writing rules to prevent a future first family from self-dealing.
Throughout Washington and beyond, President Donald Trump’s opponents are scrambling to ensure that after he leaves office, the changes he has imposed on the presidency, and the country, will fade with him.
Whether they succeed could determine whether Trump’s aggressive exercise of executive powers will be limited to a finite stretch of U.S. history or will instead become a model for every president to come.
Rep. Jamie Raskin (Maryland), the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, said that Trump’s uses of presidential power can and must be reversed — but doing so will take decades.
“We have a massive reconstruction task ahead of us,” Raskin said in an interview. “Fortunately, reconstruction has a great history in our country, and when it’s allowed to work, it has been a lot more successful than either authoritarianism or revolution. … We will have to go department by department, subject by subject, and public purpose by public purpose to determine what we salvage and what we re-create.”

#House #president #country

A Worcestershire MP has recalled how a political rivalry with Dame Esther Rantzen turned into a lasting friendship, following her death at the age of 86.
Nigel Huddleston first met the veteran broadcaster and Childline founder when they stood against each other in Luton South at the 2010 general election.
But what could have been an awkward relationship between political opponents instead became a friendship that continued for many years.
"Esther and I probably should not have got on," the Conservative member for Droitwich and Evesham said, adding: "But, like so many people who met her, I was completely charmed by her and we got on like a house on fire from day one."
Dame Esther had entered the race as an independent following the MPs expenses scandal, turning what Huddleston expected to be a contest between the Conservatives and Labour into what he described as a "media frenzy".

#political #friendship

The SEC has announced kickoff times for Week 4 games across the conference. The Georgia Bulldogs' highly anticipated home game against the Oklahoma Sooners on Sept. 26 will be at 3:30 p.m. ET and will be televised on ABC or ESPN.
The TV channel for the Georgia-Oklahoma game will be determined after Week 3 games are played on Sept. 19. The other game that could be aired at 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC or ESPN is the Ole Miss versus Florida game.
The Texas A&M Aggies' road trip to play the LSU Tigers instead earned the primetime slot on ABC at 7:30 p.m. ET. LSU is going to play in a ton of primetime games this season with a large portion of college football's media heavily focusing attention on head coach Lane Kiffin.
Georgia is 2-0 to start the season with dominant wins over inferior opponents. Oklahoma is 1-1 and lost their recent road game at the Michigan Wolverines 17-10. Georgia opens its SEC slate in Week 3 at Arkansas while Oklahoma plays New Mexico at home.
TV channel: ABC or ESPN

#home

Nuggets projected to see big Jamal Murray leap to help Nikola Jokic, but there's a catch originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Championship windows are closing for some squads in the NBA. The Denver Nuggets will have to watch this happen in real time. Nikola Jokic is starting to approach the twilight of his prime and everyone around him should act fast to maximize that. Jamal Murray is usually the tipping point that decides whether they do well. For the 2026-27 NBA season, luck is on the side of Mile High City and their fans.
Will Murray rise to become an All-Star and All-NBA selection once again? Let's break it down!
Shot diet was the main reason the Nuggets struggled against opponents during the 2025-26 NBA season. They attempted 87.8 field goals per game, ranking 26th in the NBA. Denver shot an impressive 39.6% from three and 49.6% from the field, ranking first and second in the league, respectively, which means they should try to stuff the rim more from all parts of the floor.
This is where Jamal Murray comes in to help the Nuggets led by Nikola Jokic. His Basketball Reference Per 36 Minutes Projections for the 2026-27 NBA season are as follows:

#nuggets #jokic #shot

The beginning of the Washington Commanders' season is not for the weak. First, they face division opponents in the first two weeks of the season, and then they play the reigning Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks in Week 3. Both games against division opponents are on the road, too, which doesn't help anything.
On Sunday, the Commanders opened their season against the Philadelphia Eagles, and it was a difficult game to watch early on. The Commanders struggled with timing, Jayden Daniels looked uncomfortable, and Terry McLaurin was MIA. Defensively, the secondary led the team in tackles, which is concerning. Rookie Sonny Styles actually led all linebackers with four tackles (three solo), one sack, two tackles for a loss, and one quarterback hit.
They seemed to figure things out near the end of the game, but it was too little, too late, and the Commanders fell 24-22 after failing to convert a two-point attempt to tie the game. Let's take a look at the lowest and highest-graded players from the Commanders' loss, as graded by Pro Football Focus.
WR Antonio Williams (91.0)
QB Jayden Daniels (74.9)

#daniels #loss

Manchester United head coach Michael Carrick should play forward Benjamin Sesko as his side are offering "no danger" through the middle, says former Premier League striker Charlie Austin.
Matheus Cunha started in the striker position with Bruno Fernandes behind him and Bryan Mbeumo and Marcus Rashford on the wings on Sunday. However, his side were largely blunt in the 1-0 derby defeat by rivals Manchester City, despite playing against 10 men for almost 70 minutes, and register a lower xG (expected goals) than their opponents.
Sesko was eventually introduced midway through the second half but could not turn the tie around.
"I don't think we should allow VAR and those moments to overshadow the fact that Manchester United were poor," Austin told BBC Radio 5 Live's Football Daily podcast.
"They don't play with a number nine. They had 10 versus 11 and didn't have a number nine. Cunha is not a nine, he is a 10 or he plays wide. He is never occupying the two centre backs or he drops in.

#united #sesko #play #side

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

#drive #yard

The Clasico Regio ended in a 0-0 draw as neither team was able to find that breakout goal. The match was supposed to be one filled with excitement and passion, as is every rivalry game, but this one fell short of that by miles. Now Monterrey will prepare for a difficult game against current champions Cruz Azul while Tigres will face 18th place Juárez.
The beginning of the game seemed to set the tone for the game as Monterrey spent the first 10 minutes pressing high. They were not giving Tigres any room to breathe. This high pressure led to frustrations for the visitors who committed fouls left and right. Joaquim even went as far as committing an unnecessary reckless foul and he was awarded the first yellow card seven minutes into the game. In the 10th minute that high pressure paid off with a dangerous opportunity as the Rayados made their way up the right flank. The ball was crossed into the box but Mauro Lainez was there to kick the ball out of danger. A few minutes later and the home side had another opportunity as Orbelin Pineda beat his mark on the left wing and made his way into the box. Unfortunately he did not shoot as he tried to find the perfect angle and in the process he was dispossessed.
By the 30 minute mark the game had hit a stalemate as both teams attempted to break the other down but the defenses stood strong. Monterrey weren't pressing with the high intensity as they had at the beginning of the game meanwhile Tigres were just trying to make their way forward but were unable to make any real threats. A few minutes later Monterrey had a big chance at goal as Lucas Ocampos received a cross in the box that he sent towards the net but Nahuel was there to make the save. This seemed to awaken Rayados who picked up the intensity but were stopped short by Tigres who started to foul again. Mauro Lainez even picked up a yellow for a foul. The half ended with both teams pushing but unable to find anything.
The second half started like the first with Monterrey putting pressure on Tigres who had trouble moving the ball forward. They then had a dangerous chance in the 55th minute when Juan Brunetta stole the ball at the halfway line and made a run towards his opponents box. Instead of making his way into the box he shot from distance but the ball went over the crossbar. Brunetta seemed to be the only one on Tigres who was attempting to make any breakthroughs while his teammates did little to help him. In the 60th minute the visitors had a big chance as they were awarded a free kick outside of the box due to a Rayados foul. The ball made its way inside the box where Alan Franco headed the ball towards the net but Andrada collected the ball.
It wasn't until the 65th minute that either team made substitutions as Monterrey struck first as Matias Almeyda decided to put fresh legs in at striker. A few minutes later Victor Vucetich also brought in two players with fresh legs looking for a spark his team needed. These changes didn't work for eith