Slowly but surely the secret is coming out that Michael Penix Jr. has officially arrived as a franchise quarterback. The Atlanta Falcons' starter has been exceptional since returning to the lineup in Week 3, racking up nine touchdown passes to go with just one interception.
Penix is fresh off his best game of the season, totaling three scores and no turnovers against a top-five San Francisco 49ers defense.
That should have gotten Penix a huge ****** p in the weekly NFL.com quarterback rankings, but he only saw a modest gain of one spot, coming in at No. 12. That puts him in-between two former league MVPs, one spot below Patrick Mahomes and one above Matt Stafford.
"Michael Penix Jr. looks very comfortable and decisive in Kevin Stefanski's offense, freely spreading the ball among his many talented targets at a rate I haven't seen from him previously in his NFL career. Penix's contributions were especially important in a game in which Bijan Robinson fell short of breaking things open on the ground, and a reason to take the Falcons seriously going forward."
While the small gain is a little disappointing, keep in mind that Penix wasn't even listed in most quarterback rankings going into the season. Instead, it was Tua Tagovailoa representing the Falcons, usually somewhere between Nos. 30 and 32 among projected starters.

#quarterback

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

An already-depleted Carolina Panthers cornerback room got even thinner on Thursday night.
Rookie Will Lee III, who had been playing some admirable ball in the absences of starters Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson, went down with a hamstring injury in the second quarter of the 27-19 loss. The setback occurred on a 53-yard reception by Green Bay Packers wideout Christian Watson, as the 2026 fourth-round pick went down in his pursuit and would later be carted away to the locker room.
Head coach Dave Canales told reporters after the game that the extent of Lee's injury was "pretty good," and addressed the troubles his defense had in containing Green Bay's passing attack.
"Kinda battled out there and gave everything he [Lee] had on that one to affect the play," Canales stated. "But besides that, early on, they were having a lot of success in some third-and-longer types of situations. I'd love to see us get off the field in those moments—because we did a great job of first and second down, owning the run game and minimizing them. It really should've been an advantage for our defense in those modes."
Packers quarterback Jordan Love finished having completed 30 of his 41 throws for 288 yards, three touchdowns and an interception. He also led his offense to a 56.3-percent success rate (nine-of-16) on third downs.

#down #packers #love #injury

Oct. 29—With five starters and five other returners, it is no surprise that the Gonzaga women's basketball team was tapped to win the Pac-12 Conference championship in a media poll released Thursday.
The Bulldogs' top seven scorers return from a team that finished 24-10 and won the West Coast Conference **** le in its final season in the league.
Oregon State was picked to finish second in the remodeled conference. The Beavers may have been picked second based on their reputation and penchant for postseason success. In the final year of the original Pac-12 (2023-24), they advanced to the Elite Eight.
San Diego State, which won the Mountain West championship last year, was picked third followed by Colorado State, Boise State, Washington State, Fresno State, Texas State and Utah State.
Gonzaga received 16 of 19 first-place votes. Oregon State received one and San Diego State received two.

#west

The first full week of the 2026-27 NBA regular season has come and gone for the Boston Celtics, and it has been a busy one for the storied franchise. The Celtics notched their first three wins of the season against the reigning champion New York Knicks, the Chicago Bulls, and Brooklyn Nets after dropping their season opener to the Detroit Pistons the week prior, for starters.
The beef (or lamb chops and gravy or whatever we want to call it) between Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown not only took on new life, but picked up new combatants. Around the rest of the league, a number of teams have surprised early, others disappointed, and injuries are running rampant across the ******* ociation before we hit the month of November. To talk it all over and then some, the hosts of "Havlicek Stole the Pod" linked up with Nets Wire editor Sharif Phillips-Keaton.
Take a look at the clip embedded below to hear what they had to say about a ******* py but mostly good start to the 2026-27 season.
Listen to "On Week 1 of the 2026-27 season for Celtics, NBA (no beef included)" on Spreaker.
Listen to "Havlicek Stole the Pod" on:

#beef

The Arizona Cardinals conducted their second practice of the week Thursday in preparation for Sunday's road game against the Dallas Cowboys and distributed their second injury report.
Center Hjalte Froholdt (knee) was added Thursday and was limited. The injury likely occurred in practice, so the key will be his status on Friday. Froholdt was among three offensive linemen with injuries listed.
One is right guard Jon Gaines (ankle), who hasn't practiced this week and did not play on Sunday against the Broncos, while the other is right tackle Elijah Wilkinson (knee), who was upgraded to limited after not practicing Wednesday.
The full details of their Thursdday injury report are below. Starters are noted with an asterisk.
Did not participate

#report #limited

Why Padres must find way to re-sign Michael King after declining player option appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The San Diego Padres cannot afford to let Michael King walk in free agency. After declining his player option, the right-hander is preparing to test his value on the open market following another strong season. While that decision makes sense for King, the Padres must make every effort to bring him back.
King has become one of the most important players in San Diego since arriving in the Juan Soto trade. Over three seasons with the organization, he has established himself as one of the National League's top right-handed starters while becoming a fan favorite through his postseason performances.
The Padres have plenty of reasons to prioritize a reunion. More importantly, their current rotation outlook makes keeping King even more urgent.
Watch sports LIVE with fuboTV (free trial)

#king #clutchpoints #free

GREEN BAY − Green Bay Packers starting cornerback Keisean Nixon was a late addition to the injury report hours before the team was set to the host the Carolina Panthers on Thursday night.
Nixon (shoulder) eventually was cleared to play and will suit up for the Packers at Lambeau Field.
Devonte Wyatt (ankle) was questionable to play after briefly leaving the Detroit Lions game with an ankle injury, but he's good to go.
FOLLOW ALONG: Join Insider Tom Silverstein for a live chat during Packers vs Panthers Thursday night game
Offensively, the Packers will have receiver Matthew Golden (shoulder/foot) available after he was listed as questionable to play, but they will be down some starters.

#nixon #night

GREEN BAY − Green Bay Packers starting cornerback Keisean Nixon was a late addition to the injury report hours before the team was set to the host the Carolina Panthers on Thursday night.
Nixon (shoulder) eventually was cleared to play and will suit up for the Packers at Lambeau Field.
Devonte Wyatt (ankle) was questionable to play after briefly leaving the Detroit Lions game with an ankle injury, but he's good to go.
FOLLOW ALONG: Join Insider Tom Silverstein for a live chat during Packers vs Panthers Thursday night game
Offensively, the Packers will have receiver Matthew Golden (shoulder/foot) available after he was listed as questionable to play, but they will be down some starters.

#panthers #shoulder

HAMDEN - Arguably, no program in Connecticut has been more affected by college basketball's ever-changing NIL, revenue sharing, transfer portal, and eligibility rules than Quinnipiac men's basketball.
With the season approaching, the Bobcats have lost all five starters from last season either to transfers or to the ambiguity of the new fifth-year eligibility rule.
The five starters lost accounted for the majority of Quinnipiac's scoring and rebounding last year.
"I am not fond of the changes that have been made in the college game," coach Tom Pecora said. "I started coaching in the early 80s and you were thrilled to get a scholarship, meal money and a chance to travel somewhere outside of your region or your state. I think it would be great if you paid kids after they graduated. Motivate them to graduate even if they go to several schools."
Two-time first-team All-Metro forward Amarri Monroe transferred to Syracuse while Jaden Zimmerman left for Grand Canyon, Grant Randall moved on to Dayton and Spence Wewe is now at Hofstra.

#starters #hamden

WEST LAFAYETTE — You can call Purdue basketball's 87-55 exhibition victory over Ball State on Sunday a soft opening.
Rehearsals for the regular season continue, and roles remain up for grabs on a remade roster. The vibe around the 11 Boilermakers who shared relatively equal minutes, though, remains one of anticipation for what lies ahead.
You may need to give this new cast some time to come together. Those players – some character actors vying to become stars, some understudies stepping into the spotlight for the first time – like where this is headed.
They cannot offer the **** urance which comes with returning Final Four starters, roles chiseled in stone and championship expectations set as an afterthought. What was on display Sunday, though, was a new and different energy – one with unrealized upside.
"I feel that's what makes this team good and makes this team different, is the balance we have between all our guards and our bigs," redshirt freshman guard Antione West Jr. said. "Everybody brings something. There's no weak points or anything we lack in our guards, so it just brings a sense of balance. I think that's our identity."

#guards

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

Three final thoughts from New Mexico's 21-10 comeback win Saturday at Hawaii:
1. Uncomfortable as it was, that might've been what the Lobos needed
All teams face adversity at some point, in some way. Sometimes it's self-inflicted. Sometimes it's due to circumstances out of their control.
In UNM's case, it was all of the above — and then some — against Hawaii.
To the latter category, the Lobos missed a pair of defensive starters in linebacker Jaxton Eck (shoulder) and cornerback Frankie Edwards III (concussion). Then, in the second quarter, backup quarterback James Laubstein came in for one snap, picked up 12 yards on a designed run up the middle and went down with an undisclosed injury.

#lobos #edwards

CLEVELAND — A pivotal ALCS Game 5 that looked on paper like a premium pitchers' duel dissolved into something much different on Sunday, as the Tampa Bay Rays took down the Cleveland Guardians 3-1 at Progressive Field to move within one win of a World Series berth. While the final score suggests a closely contested ballgame, the tale of the two starting pitchers tells otherwise.
When the AL Cy Young Award is announced next month, it's a safe bet that Yankees ace Cam Schlittler will take home the honor. Toronto's Dylan Cease appears to be the likeliest runner-up. Beyond that, both Rays right-hander Drew Rasmussen and Guardians rookie lefty Parker Messick have a strong case to be the third finalist, based on their fantastic regular seasons. Rasmussen ranked third in fWAR (5.0) and fourth in ERA (2.67) behind Schlittler and Cease; Messick ranked fourth in fWAR (4.9) and third in ERA (2.56).
These were the starting pitchers for Game 5 on Sunday. Rasmussen had tossed six innings of two-run ball in Game 1 — but in a Rays loss. Messick covered five innings and allowed three runs in Game 2 — but in a Guardians loss. With the series tied at two games apiece, Sunday's contest gave each frontline arm the tantalizing chance to push his club closer to the American League pennant.
Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Basketball league for the 2026-27 NBA season
For neutral observers hoping for maximum October drama, the blueprint for a best-case clash could be found in July, when Rasmussen and Messick traded blows in a 1-0 Rays victory at Tropicana Field. In that one, Messick allowed the lone run across 7 ⅔ innings while Rasmussen yielded just one hit across seven shutout frames. If a similar game were on tap Sunday — this time with supremely elevated stakes — that would mean a timely hit or two would be required to seize a narrow victory. But such visions of a repeat nailbiter enforced by these elite starters were quashed in a hurry.

#messick #rays #Guardians

Saving for retirement is hard. For starters, humans aren't very good at delaying gratification. And saving is basically choosing not to spend today so you can spend, hopefully even more, in the future. But there's another problem with saving for retirement: it is hard to set a goal. There's one popular retirement rule that can help with that. Here it is.
When you think about money, the gut reaction is to compare yourself to other people. That's understandable, but it can lead you into troubling waters. For example, the average 65 to 74-year-old has a net worth of nearly $1.8 million. So, you could argue that by 67 you should have that much money saved up. But that figure mashes together the very rich with people who aren't as fortunate. The median net worth, with half of all people above and half below, is roughly $410,000, which is a lot lower. Which one is the better target?
Missed AI's "Act 1"? Act 2 Could Be 15x Bigger. Most investors think they missed the AI boat because they didn't buy Nvidia in 2005. But according to our ***** ysts, we're only at the end of "Act 1"—the R&D phase. "Act 2" is the global rollout. Continue »
That doesn't even consider the fact that net worth includes ***** ets like a home, which isn't something you can easily tap for cash. Sure, you could sell your home and move into a small residence, but you still need to live somewhere. And you aren't average or median. You are you, and your earnings and savings numbers are unique.
That's where a simple savings rule comes in, based on your salary. Essentially, you are creating a personalized saving goal for retirement. To cut to the end of the story, the rule is that you should have 10x your salary saved by age 67. But that's just the final step in the process, because the rule provides benchmarks all along the way to keep you on track.

#spend

If you are looking for reliable high yields in the energy sector, Energy Transfer (NYSE: ET) is likely to be high up on the list of options. And Wall Street really likes the stock, with 19 of the 21 ***** ysts covering it rating it a buy or strong buy. And yet, I just can't get myself to buy it, instead owning lower-yielding Enbridge (NYSE: ENB). Here's why Energy Transfer's 6.3% yield, despite distribution coverage of 2.2x, isn't enough to get me to buy it.
Before getting to Energy Transfer, I want to highlight some facts about Enbridge, the North American pipeline giant I actually bought. For starters, Enbridge's yield is 5.8%, roughly half a percentage point lower. That's a big difference, as buying Energy Transfer would increase my income stream by nearly 9%.
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 »
I can totally understand where a dividend investor would buy Energy Transfer for the added yield. But there's a big difference when you consider dividend history. Enbridge has increased its dividend annually for 31 consecutive years. Energy Transfer cut its distribution in 2020 during the COVID pandemic, right when most investors would probably have preferred dividend consistency. To Energy Transfer's credit, it lived up to its promise at the time to reduce leverage and return to distribution growth. In fact, the distribution is now above its level prior to the cut. And the cut was probably the right decision to make for the business.
But that distribution cut was a hit for unitholders. And it comes after another questionable situation back during the 1996 energy market downturn. At that point, Energy Transfer agreed to buy peer Williams (NYSE: WMB), but got cold feet. In an effort to scuttle the deal, Energy Transfer issued convertibles that appeared to protect insiders from a dividend cut, if one were made. The Williams deal was canceled, and the convertibles never became an issue, but it raised material trust issues for me.

#distribution #Dividend #yield

In the Arizona Cardinals' 26-14 win over the Los Angeles Chargers, 20 players participated in at least one of the 55 defensive snaps and 34 participated in at least one of the 24 special teams snaps.
How was that playing time divided up? We have the numbers below.
The first number after each name is their snap count, while the second is the percentage. Players in bold were starters.
Walter Nolen III (36/65),Dante Stills (32/58), NT Roy Lopez (26/47), Darius Robinson (19/35), L.J. Collier (19/35)
Inactive: NT Andrew Billings

#snaps

In the Arizona Cardinals' 26-14 win over the Los Angeles Chargers, 19 players participated in at least one of the 75 offensive snaps.
How was the playing time divided up?
The first number after each name is their snap count, while the second is the percentage. Players in bold were starters.
Jacoby Brissett (75/100)
Did not play: Gardner Minshew II

#gardner

Green Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur says he's open to making changes to an offensive line that had no answers for Minnesota's furious pass rush during another fourth-quarter collapse.
But he noted the importance of settling on a starting five soon to build cohesiveness. Green Bay's offensive line was a major concern throughout training camp, in part because injuries prevented the projected starters from working together very often.
"Whatever we do, we need to make sure that we find continuity as quickly as possible," LaFleur said Monday, a day after the Packers' 39-22 loss to the Vikings. "I think that's part of the problem, is we've had a lot of guys in and out of the lineup. I'm not making excuses. It is what it is. You've got to find a way to get it done.
"But I do think the more guys play together, typically the better they play together."
The offensive line's failings played a major role in Green Bay blowing a 22-10 lead, continuing a habit that haunted the Packers last season.

#making

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The Indianapolis Colts spent an entire offseason reshaping the defense.
They signed multiple free agents to beef up the defensive line. They drafted two linebackers they projected as potential starters. They waited for two promising defensive backs to get healthy after training camp injuries cost each their entire 2025 seasons.
But on Sunday, it didn't look like a new and improved unit. Instead, the Colts allowed 506 total yards and 202 yards rushing in another troubling season-opening loss.
"This is a good gut check for the entire team, every single one of us," Pro Bowl defensive tackle and team captain DeForest Buckner said after an underwhelming reintroduction in a 41-23 loss to Baltimore. "We've got to be better, including myself. We've got to be better each and every day, have a sense of urgency and move on to the Chiefs."
It's a familiar refrain for Indy fans, who have celebrated just one opening-day win in the past 13 years. And to many, this one seemed like more of a dud than the promised fresh start. They responded with a cascade of boos as they watched more of the same.

#we 've #loss

After five LaLiga matches, Elche are creating more attacking threat than last season, with npxG created at 1.13 per 90 compared with 0.97 across last season's 38 games. At the other end, they are allowing 1.37 npxG per 90, up from 1.34. They are scoring 1.13 goals and conceding 2.45 per 90, compared with 1.21 and 1.41 respectively last season.
2025-26's leading chance creator was Germán Valera with 42 chances created (1.27 per 90), 11 of them big, and 4.60 xA. He leads again in 2026-27, now on 8 chances (1.68 per 90) from 429 minutes.
The 2026-27 most-used starters include five of the 11 players in the 2025-26 selection. Gonzalo Villar, Fer Niño, Buba Sangaré, Federico Redondo, Facundo Buonanotte and Tete Morente are now in that group. The centre-backs are receiving the ball deeper than last season. They are winning 5.6 second **** per game, down from 6.2.
Their main source of passing threat remains the left flank in the final third, which accounts for 33%, up from 26% last season. Passes from the right flank in the final third contribute 27%, up from 21% last season.

#flank

Joey McGuire is optimistic the Texas Tech football team will have more weapons on the field of Galaxy Stadium for the Red Raiders' showdown against Houston.
Safety Brenden Jordan has wrapped his two-game suspension for a violation of team rules and will return to action on Friday night. As for a pair of injured starters, that's up to how the short week of preparation goes.
Outside linebacker Trey White (back) has missed the first two games of the season while tight end Terrance Carter Jr. was in a boot before the game and missed Texas Tech's 35-24 win over Oregon State.
"Trey and TC are trending in the right direction," McGuire said. "They both had good runs this morning. They're doing their recovery stuff right now. Trey will get a little bit individually this afternoon and then TC will get some scout periods this afternoon. Feeling good as long as we don't have any setbacks to getting those guys back."
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: What does Texas Tech football's injury report look like for Houston game?

#houston #missed

The No. 2 Georgia Bulldogs built up a dominant 49-0 lead in their 70-20 win over the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers. However, Georgia allowed the game to get a bit sloppy at times and allowed Western Kentucky to score three touchdowns including two in the second half.
Following the win, Georgia coach Kirby Smart emphasized that Georgia needed to play better in the second half. Smart even made it clear that the Bulldogs may not wear all-white uniforms again.
"I don't know," Smart said on if Georgia will bring back the all-white uniforms. "Time will tell. If we play like we did in the second half, ******* no."
Of course, Georgia played a ton of backups throughout the game with most starters, like quarterback Gunner Stockton, sitting out the entire second half with the game clearly out of reach. Coach Smart still holds Georgia's backups to the same standard of excellence as he does for the starters.
"If you don't get off the field on third down six consecutive times, you're not ready to play for Georgia's defense," Smart said in a postgame interview. "If you can't possess the ball on offense, then you can't play.

#georgia #half #bulldogs #western

You don't put up 60+ points in back-to-back games for the first time since 1915 without a total team effort. But even then some Bulldogs are bound to distinguish themselves. Those valiant warriors in Red and Black are your MVDs, the Most Valuable Dawgs from Georgia's 70-20 victory over Western Kentucky.
Offense: Gunner Stockton. There's no point in overthinking this one. Gunner finished 13 of 16 for 234 yards passing and 5 touchdowns in a shade under two quarters of work. That's downright surgical in its efficiency. If he can continue to carve up defenses that way in the SEC schedule, the Bulldog offense is heading for a big year.
Defense:Chris Cole. Like most of the Bulldog starters Cole took limited snaps, but while he was in he was all over the Hilltopper offense. Cole finished with 3 tackles, 2 of them solo stops, and got consistent pass rush pressure both inside and outside. It was a really solid, consistent effort for the physically gifted linebacker.

Special teams: AJ Kruah. Kruah also led the team in tackles, by the way, but his forced fumble on the game's opening play set the tone for the day. On a day when Kirby Smart specifically called out his second and third teamers for not being prepared to play, Kruah absolutely came ready to work.
Go 'Dawgs!!!

#team #effort

New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel doesn't have any regrets about his decision to rest the starters during the three-game preseason slate.
However, it was clear that the team showed rust in Wednesday's 13-10 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, particularly on the offensive side of the ball. Vrabel opted to use the preseason to focus on the roster depth and preserve the health of the starters.
That's a decision that he continued to defend after the disappointing loss in the season opener.
"Playing the backups for the Eagles or the Colts for eight plays, I don't think was going to prepare us for what we saw last night," Vrabel told media members. "I thought we handled the environment; I thought we did. I know the execution wasn't good enough, but the line of scrimmage, penalties, the operation, those things gave us a chance. Some other things didn't give us a chance."
Mike Vrabel on if he regrets not playing any Patriots starters in the preseason.

"Playing the backups of the Eagles or Colts for eight plays I don't think was going to prepare us for what we saw last night." pic.twitter.com/L1efdmrmsk

#starters #colts #regrets

Following the sudden retirement of veteran center Drew Dalman this offseason, the Chicago Bears wasted no time in making a trade for Garrett Bradbury from the New England Patriots, looking to stabilize the position this season.
Chicago also drafted rookie Logan Jones in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft, and while he was believed to bring competition to Bradbury, the veteran took control of the battle in preseason and will begin the year as the team's starting center.
Bradbury will be reunited with his college teammate in Joe Thuney as starters on the Bears offensive line, and offensive coordinator Press Taylor credited the veteran with earning the trust of his coaches and teammates.

#bradbury #Chicago #bears #garrett

College football, in its purest form, is a remarkable game full of tradition, pageantry and so much fun. At the apex of that purity sits rivalry games. Texas-Oklahoma. Ohio State-Michigan. Iowa-Iowa State. There are generations of tradition and hatred built up among the fanbases and the games just bring more juice.
Tonight marks the 73rd meeting of the Cy-Hawk series, which dates back to 1894. The Hawkeyes lead the all-time series 46-25, officially.
But things have been tight recently. Iowa hasn't officially won this game since 2021 (the 2023 win was vacated) and they haven't won it at home since 2018.
Dating back to 2017, every game in this series has been decided by 10 or fewer points. The Cyclones haven't won this matchup by more than 3 since 2005. The last time either team won by more than 10 in this series was in 2016, when the Hawkeyes emerged victorious 42-3.
This week, we've been exploring the parallels to that 2016 season for this series and there certainly are a few. For starters, that 2016 season marked year one of the Matt Campbell era. Now, 2026 marks year one of the Jimmy Rogers era after Campbell departed for Penn State.

#game #since #games #marks

After nearly two decades of head coach Mike Tomlin, the Pittsburgh Steelers are starting over with new head coach Mike McCarthy, a whole new system and several new starters. Optimism is high and fans feel like there's been a new energy with the team and so let's offer up our own bold predictions for the upcoming season.
We aren't ready to name the two players but between the team's three big edge defenders and defensive linemen Cam Heyward and Derrick Harmon, we predict the Steelers to get at least two players with 10+ sacks.
Time is almost out for Joey Porter Jr. to agree to terms on a contract with the Steelers but we predict Porter Jr. still plays in 2026, even if it is on his rookie contract.
Between Jaylen Warren and Rico Dowdle, the Steelers have a very good two-headed running back attack. And while we think the run game will be effective, we don't see either player eclipsing 1,000 rushing yards individually.
With the team's new additions, we predict DK Metcalf will reap the benefits with his best season. Metcalf's career high in receptions is 90 and his receiving yards are 1,303. We predict Metcalf tops both this season.

#season #mike #players

The Great North Run (GNR) returns to Tyneside this weekend, with 63,000 runners taking part in the world's biggest half marathon on Sunday.
Saturday's Mini and Junior events on Newcastle's Quayside are in their 40th year and saw 13,000 young people take on courses ranging from 50m (164ft) to 4km (2.5 miles).
Gladiators Alex Gray (Apollo), Emily Steel (Dynamite) and Matty Campbell (Bionic) are ringing Saturday's starters' bell alongside GNR mascot Tyney the Tortoise, while Newcastle captain Dan Burn is Sunday's starter.
Sunday's 13.1-mile (21km) event sees runners and wheelchair users begin in Newcastle, race through Gateshead and South Tyneside before finishing in South Shields.
According to organisers, this year's Mini and Junior events are the biggest in its 40-year history.

#tyneside #junior #south #year

If you think Army is going to run over, around and through the South Florida defense the way the Black Knights did against Bryant in week one, think again.
There were a lot of positives to draw from as Army rolled up a school-record 648 yards of total offense and 569 rushing yards on the way to a 59-3 victory over Bryant. With a rout in progress, Army went deep into its bench and utilized 16 different ball carries, including three quarterbacks.
South Florida is not Bryant. The Bulls feature a defensive front that averages 6-foot-3, 293 pounds per man (Major Dillard is 330 pounds at nose, Asani Redwood is 300 at tackle and Michael Williams is 250 at end), compared to the Bryant squad that averaged 30 pounds less. Jump to the linebackers, and USF features a group that averages 6-3, 233 pounds, more than a dozen pounds heavier than the similar Bryant unit. You can also expect South Florida's defenders will be quicker to close off the edges, perhaps cutting off Army's success on the perimeter.
The Bulls held Florida International to 80 yards on 25 carries in a 19-9 win on the evening of Sept 5. FIU did roll up 301 yards of passing, on 62% of completed throws, but run-dominant Army has not been a passing threat for many years.
Based off last week's starting lineup (the Bulls do not release depth charts to the media), the South Florida defense fields nine starters who transferred in from other Division I schools. Linebackers C.J. Hicks (Ohio State), Grayson Howard (South Carolina and Florida) and Sam Robinson (Rutgers) played Power 4 ball, as did Redwood (West Virginia) up front. Corner Teddy Foster (Florida) and 'Star' Amanio Fortenberry (Kansas State) help anchor the secondary.

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