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Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid recently spoke with reporters about the defense's efficiency against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 6.

"I thought, defensively, we did a really nice job of executing the plan that (Steve) Spags (Spagnuolo) put together with the coaches there. I thought our defensive line—Joe (Cullen) had those guys rolling, and they were able to get to the quarterback," said Reid. "I felt like the secondary was tightened up there. Dave Merritt does a good job back there, but it was tightened up, and those guys gave the D-line an extra step there to work with, and they were able to do a nice job for us up front."

Veteran defensive back L'Jarius Sneed had five tackles (four solo), one pass defensed and one forced fumble in last Sunday's game. Sneed's fourth-quarter forced fumble was his sixth of the season and the second-most of any Chiefs defensive back since 2020. Drue Tranquill recovered the fumble. It was the fifth fumble recovery of Tranquill's career, and the fourth since joining the Chiefs in 2022.

The Chiefs had 4 sacks against the Chargers. Ashton Gillotte had two quarterback hits and 1.0 sack; Chamarri Conner had four solo tackles and 1 sack; and Chris Jones and rookie Peter Woods each recorded 0.5 sack on the final drive.

This article originally appeared on Chiefs Wire: Chiefs' defense contributes big plays in Week 6 win over the Chargers

Let the 2026 season serve as a good lesson to any NFL team anointed as a heavy preseason Super Bowl favorite in the future. 

No matter how you dress up your state-of-the-art, er, “ship,” no matter the stunning technological advancements you adorn it with, all it takes is your captain carelessly missing an iceberg in pitch-black darkness to get the whole thing sinking to the bottom of the ocean before your story is turned into a pop-culture romance phenomenon decades later. 

Sean McVay’s overhyped, crumbling Los Angeles Rams, now besieged by even more devastating injuries, will assuredly not receive such treatment from some of the finest film performers of their generation before they really blew up, but you get the gist here. The Rams are a sinking ship in the middle of a dark ocean after losing to the lowly Arizona Cardinals at home, and there are only so many lifeboats to go around. That’s because the all-in Rams never planned on sinking in the first place. Oh well. 

As we near Halloween, there’s a lot to discuss about the flailing Rams and some interesting developments across the NFL. Let’s see where everyone in the league stands in For The Win’s NFL Power Rankings for Week 7. 

32. Miami Dolphins

Last week: 31

The Tennessee Titans and Arizona Cardinals both got upset wins. The Dolphins were left to watch, like Squidward staring wistfully at a frolicking SpongeBob and Patrick Star, thanks to their bye week. Well, maybe Caleb Douglas's return can help Malik Willis finally win a game with Miami in Week 7. — Christian D'Andrea

31. Los Angeles Chargers

Last week: 30

By most relevant metrics, Justin Herbert has been one of the NFL's worst quarterbacks this season. Maybe he was a tad overrated to begin with, but he certainly was never, ever this bad. His downfall lies mainly at the feet of Mike McDaniel, which, in turn, also reflects poorly on Jim Harbaugh, who chose to bring in the offensive coordinator in the first place. In other words, the winless Chargers have entered "the finger-pointing" phase of their nightmare season. It won't end well for anyone. — Robert Zeglinski

30. Tennessee Titans

Last week: 32

The Titans converted three third downs Sunday. The Indianapolis Colts more than doubled their total yardage. Nothing is fixed, but the defense is useful while the quarterback stinks, in case you had any doubt about whether or not Robert Saleh was in charge of things in Nashville. — CD

29. Washington Commanders

Last week: 27

The Commanders acted like they learned a lesson from last week's embarrassing tie against the New York Giants. Then they went out and played mistake-riddled football that erased any hope of an upset win in Santa Clara. Head coach Dan Quinn might be fired in the space between the final whistle and the time these rankings publish in the morning. Honestly, it might be the best thing Washington does this season. — CD

28. Philadelphia Eagles

Last week: 24

Mishandling Jalen Hurts' blood clot diagnosis feels like a fireable offense. But it could also be another excuse for Nick Sirianni in a season where first-year offensive coordinator Sean Mannion can have the blame for this team's shortcomings deflected onto him. It's not only the offense, however. The Eagles' defense ranks 26th in the NFL in expected points added (EPA) allowed through six games. — CD

27. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Last week: 28

Is Jalon Daniels someone the Buccaneers can build around, or an interesting but short-lived stopgap while Baker Mayfield is sidelined? For now, it's definitely the latter. The rookie UDFA is running a simplified playbook and still only barely keeping the Buccaneers above water. His play so far isn't promising enough to justify benching the newly extended and extremely expensive Mayfield. At least, not yet. — RZ

26. New York Jets

Last week: 26

The Jets are competent and even slightly entertaining, which is a significant step up from 2025. But they still aren't good and will need young prospects to step up in order to get there. Omar Cooper Jr. put his best foot forward in Week 6 with the first 100-yard game of his career, and David Bailey appears to be some sort of fairy-tale monster. But Kenyon Sadiq and DeAngelo Ponds still have a ways to go. If all four of those guys emerge as plus starters, Glenn might get a shot at a third year in northern New Jersey. — CD

25. New York Giants

Last week: 22

Goodness gracious, the Giants really might do it. They really might turn away from Jameis Winston and make Jonathan James McCarthy (!) their starting quarterback moving forward. Just when you thought this middling team at the top of a frayed NFC East couldn't serve up a hilarious, unexpected plot twist, the Football Gods obliged and served up a real treat. — RZ

24. Arizona Cardinals

Last week: 29

The Cardinals are undefeated in the city of Los Angeles. Unfortunately, they play in Arizona, where they haven't won a game in more than a calendar year. Still, in a week ruled by disappointment, let's give this team the mildest of flowers and appreciate their ability to sow havoc in Inglewood. — CD

23. Indianapolis Colts

Last week: 21

Carlie Irsay-Gordon did the right thing by finally canning Chris Ballard, one of the NFL's worst front office execs over the last half-decade. She also did something more important for the franchise in the process. The Colts, without a desperate GM trying to save his job, are officially open for business ahead of this year's NFL trade deadline. Indy needs a new foundation across the board, and an earnest fire sale of win-now veterans should help build it. — RZ

22. Dallas Cowboys

Last week: 20

Dak Prescott got the tar beaten out of him by the Packers' pass rush, some of which even came via legal hits. The blocking ahead of him is a concern, especially when he has a defense prone to setting up shootouts. The Cowboys gave up a 37.5 percent pressure rate as blitzes found home in time to throttle the Dallas deep ball rate and ensure a Green Bay win (and an increasingly poor draft position for the first-round pick still owed from the Micah Parsons trade). — CD

21. New Orleans Saints

Last week: 25

Even after a win over the Giants, it's clear the Saints are going nowhere this season. So, if they truly believe Tyler Shough is their quarterback of the future, they should probably let him rest his broken non-throwing hand rather than keep exposing him to vicious pass-rushers who are only capable of exacerbating his injury and risking whatever promise he might have. Oh, well, I suppose no one has ever accused the modern Saints of being proactive or forward-thinking. — RZ

20. Atlanta Falcons

Last week: 17

Michael Penix Jr.'s mobility is a problem, which is why he can thrive with big throws from a clean pocket and is rushed into inaccurate targets and brutal mistakes once that integrity has been compromised. The Chicago Bears invested heavily in stopping Drake London and Bijan Robinson while daring the rest of Atlanta's skill players to make them pay. They failed, and now the Falcons are staring down another "too good to tank toward a franchise quarterback, not good enough for the playoffs" season despite encouraging gains from a depleted defense. — CD

19. Houston Texans

Last week: 23

C.J. Stroud has quietly pieced together a pretty solid season for the Texans so far. That's the good news in Houston after the fourth-year signal-caller led his team to a huge AFC South win in London. The bad news is that DeMeco Ryans' defense keeps getting gashed against any team with a halfway decent quarterback. The Texans' season is officially alive after two straight wins, but the good times won't keep rolling if a group expressly built around its defense can't get stops in big games. — RZ

18. Los Angeles Rams

Last week: 8

Sean McVay called out the Rams for beating themselves, which is accurate but also includes his too-clever-by-half playcalling. Kyren Williams is visibly annoyed with his role, which is what happens when you forsake a run game averaging nearly 4.9 yards per carry, give one of the league's best platoons only 19 carries and, most egregiously, hand off on 4th-and-1 to a fourth-year tight end who has never had an NFL handoff before. Ah well, I look forward to him baffling Al Michaels on Amazon next winter. — CD

17. Pittsburgh Steelers

Last week: 18

It feels impossible to figure out what the Steelers are. On the one hand, they're 4-2, which, hey, a winning record! On the other hand, Aaron Rodgers is an immobile statue who has somehow lost all his pocket awareness, and a once-great defense now flexes its muscles like someone who just finished a single workout at the gym. For now, the Steelers seem like a product of a cupcake schedule. Two of Pittsburgh's next three games come against competitive AFC North rivals. That's when we'll find out their true identity. — RZ

16. Cleveland Browns

Last week: 19

Cleveland won in spite of Deshaun Watson, who has retreated back into the low-impact shell he built to insulate him from more than 20 counts of sexual misconduct and what an NFL investigation deemed "predatory behavior" dating back to his time with the Texans. The Browns have one of the league's worst run games, but young playmakers and a quickly congealing defense give them legitimate playoff hopes, especially when you consider how weird and sloppy the AFC North is this season. — CD

15. Las Vegas Raiders

Last week: 13

Are the Raiders … good?! I know a 3-3 record isn't anything to write home about, but that's also not where anyone expected these Raiders to be in late October, who have now hung very well with both Kansas City and Buffalo. Kirk Cousins has turned back the clock, Maxx Crosby is leading a playmaking defense, and Klint Kubiak's staff might already have one of the NFL's best-coached teams. A crushing collapse is probably just around the corner, but I'm starting to think we won't see Fernando Mendoza get any meaningful playing time during his rookie year. Why? Because the playoffs, or at least a playoff push, could be a distinct possibility for Las Vegas. — RZ

14. Cincinnati Bengals

Last week: 12

A week off should help Joe Burrow's top targets get healthy and, ideally, give Zac Taylor a chance to figure out what's wrong with Chase Brown. But Cincinnati's playoff hopes hinge on a defense that's been uplifted by new veteran arrivals. The Bengals' pass rush will have to keep crunching pockets with efficiency for this team to be anything more than a feisty out en route to the Super Bowl. — CD

13. Detroit Lions

Last week: 14

A bye week came at the perfect time for the Lions and their fledgling defense. They now have to figure out whether they have enough horses on that side of the ball ahead of a daunting schedule featuring dates with Green Bay, Minnesota, and New England in three of their next four games. Since they probably don't, Dan Campbell might be forced to make a tough midseason change at defensive coordinator. — RZ

12. Seattle Seahawks

Last week: 3

Is Sam Darnold finally Sam Darnold again? Or is he suffering the effects of a shallow offense that has little to offer behind Jaxon Smith-Njigba? Zach Charbonnet will be tasked with redeeming the run game once healthy, and the space (and RPO/play action calls) that creates could be exactly what the veteran needs to prove he's more than just a nice story and footnote in the Seahawks' history book. — RZ

11. Carolina Panthers

Last week: 16

For once, the Panthers are both good and lucky. Bryce Young's breakout in Dave Canales's offense is extremely real, and also there doesn't seem to be any legit competition for the NFC South crown from the division's other three stooges. When noting the rough state of the NFC East, a top-three playoff seed is officially in play for Carolina. What a time to be alive in Charlotte. — RZ

10. Denver Broncos

Last week: 11

Bo Nix will be tried for his crimes in Quarterback Court. The defense behind him is snapping back into form, but concerning lapses in the run game could create plenty of late-game situations where Nix is forced to throw his team back into the lead as the clock winds down. The 2026 season has repeatedly shown that's not his forte, at least through the first month-plus. — CD

9. Green Bay Packers

Last week: 15

After a disaster three-game start that saw greater Wisconsin calling for Matt LaFleur to join the unemployment line, the Packers have officially won three straight games. Jordan Love has been brilliant, but it's a Micah Parsons-less defense that has surprisingly excelled of late. The Packers are creating pressure, are showing a capacity for sticky coverage, and have allowed a total of 34 points over their last three games. It turns out that Parsons' looming return may actually complement, instead of save, Green Bay's ascending defense. — RZ

8. Chicago Bears

Last week: 10

Caleb Williams made his return on Sunday in Atlanta, and he picked up right where he left off. A solid Falcons defense backed off to protect against big plays and gave Williams everything underneath. He took these options and ran with them to the tune of an 83 percent completion percentage with nearly 8.5 yards per attempt. He was calm, composed, and completely in control the whole afternoon. Huh, who would have thought that the Bears would look like a serious team with their star quarterback back in the lineup? — RZ

7. Baltimore Ravens

Last week: 6

It's difficult to penalize the Ravens too harshly for losing to the Browns; they've already beaten two other teams that would be in the playoff field if it ended today (Steelers, Panthers) and toppled the Packers and Steelers the season prior. But Derrick Henry has -19 rushing yards over expected (RYOE) over his last three weeks and may, finally, be slowing down as his 33rd birthday approaches. What will the Baltimore offense look like if Henry is merely above average (or worse) rather than an un-caped superhero? — CD

6. New England Patriots

Last week: 9

Drake Maye presents a no-win conundrum for opposing defenses. Blitz him, and he'll almost always make the right play downfield. Let him sit in the pocket without sending extra pressure, as the Jets did on Sunday, and he'll carve you up like a surgeon all game long. It's perhaps way too early to say this sort of thing, but another MVP-caliber campaign could be in store for the red-hot, third-year quarterback. — RZ

5. Jacksonville Jaguars

Last week: 9

Was Sunday's loss in London a harbinger of things to come? It depends on how you look at losing to a divisional opponent like the Texans, who know the Jaguars better than anyone. Nonetheless, it's not encouraging that a signal-caller like C.J. Stroud was more or less able to have his way against the Jacksonville defense, the clear Achilles heel of the team. If the contender Jaguars can't slow down Stroud, they certainly won't have any easier time against the likes of Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes, among others, in the playoffs. — RZ

4. Minnesota Vikings

Last week: 7

The bye preserved Minnesota's undefeated record and gave Jordan Mason and Justin Jefferson an extra week to return to full health. But the bigger development may be Kyler Murray's gradual rise back to average quarterbacking, which is all the Vikings need given their stacked receiving corps and a defense that plays every down like their opponent just insulted their personal honor. That may have a short shelf life in the postseason, but it could push this team back to a division title. — CD

3. Buffalo Bills

Last week: 5

The Bills can't stop anyone. That's fine in the regular season because they have a Terminator at quarterback (Josh Allen) who will always take them to 11-13 wins anyway. But the Bills are past celebrating regular-season accomplishments and wins over non-contenders like the Raiders. If Buffalo is to finally get over the Super Bowl hump, it probably needs to make a major defensive splash or two at the trade deadline. In fact, that should be the baseline expectation for the NFL's biggest win-now team. — RZ

2. Kansas City Chiefs

Last week: 2

Congratulations to the Chiefs for keeping the Chargers in their hole. That didn't tell us much about them other than the fact that Kenneth Walker III still absolutely rules, but it was a tidy three hours of football nonetheless. — CD

1. San Francisco 49ers

Last week: 1

The Niners keep winning their war against attrition, but losing Mike Evans meant the team's top available wideouts to wrap up Week 6 were Jordan Watkins and Brandin Cooks. The former had five career targets after being a fourth round draft pick in 2025 and the latter is 33 years old.

A rapid collapse followed, and San Francisco probably wouldn't be undefeated if not for a mistake-prone Washington team. John Lynch might have been dialing up the Jaguars to see what a Brian Thomas Jr. trade would cost at halftime. — CD

This article originally appeared on For The Win: NFL Power Rankings Week 7: Rams are a sinking ship in the middle of a dark ocean night

KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE - OCTOBER 17: DeSean Bishop #18 of the Tennessee Volunteers carries the ball during a game between the Tennessee Volunteers and Alabama Crimson Tide at Neyland Stadium on October 17, 2026 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by Roger Wimmer/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images) | ISI Photos via Getty Images

Let’s start from the top, and get through the media appearances from the two coordinators and head coach.

First up is Ryan Grubb, who is pretty much public enemy #1 in the state of Alabama right now.

On the identity of the offense: 

“Our identity is to be able to get our playmakers the ball in space. I think we’re a good gap run team. We’ve shown that. We showed it on Saturday. We had some good gap scheme, inside zone and duo. That’s where it starts up front, getting the double teams, getting four hands on their biggest players, and then exploiting the secondary area where we think their weakest players are.”

I’m glad one of the reporters asked this, and it’s interesting to me what Grubb said.

“be able to get our playmakers the ball in space”

And yet, that’s not really what we’ve seen for the last two seasons from the passing game. Instead, Grubb has tended more towards a mid-range to deeper passing attack that doesn’t often lend to getting the receivers much room to get yards after catch.

I have seen this year’s offense put their identity on the gap, inside zone, and duo runs (even if he went away from it last week), so that tracks. But leading off with the comment about getting playmakers in space just doesn’t really feel what they’ve actually been doing.

One reporter asked him about the opening script, and Grubb did mention that the first play of the game was an RPO that got tipped.

Personally, I’m getting more and more out-of-favor with RPOs as a whole as defenses are getting better at figuring out the binary options and forcing offenses into decisions, rather than the other way around. But that’s a conversation for a different day.

On the decision to play off ball or play press in perimeter defense: “Well, you know, I mean, that’s one of the things that we have to constantly do, right, is you mix coverages in. We probably played more Cover 2 to the field this week than what we had just because you know they were throwing some of those perimeter screens out there, and so we we rolled up to that side and took some of them away at times. But there were other times, right, when number two is on, number one is off. You can’t be in press man in that situation because you’re going to get rubbed and picked. And then they were doing a lot of crack concepts into the boundary that we didn’t feel like we wanted to be in man against some of those structures as well. But you know, you just got to continue to mix those things throughout, and then you got to execute when the ball is thrown on the perimeter. Our guys have done a really nice job of that. We’ve done a nice job improving our screens, but we had four times that we did not execute well in those situations, and gave up two explosives, one being that fourth quarter drive on a on a first-and-19. It just cannot happen.”

This was an interesting answer from Wommack about the screen passes. He’s right, the Tide secondary has been really good against WR screens this year, so seeing them get outflanked on them multiple times last week was weird. And it sounds like it was something formationally with the way UT lined up the receivers. Overall, I think that the Alabama defense wasn’t bad necessarily. In fact, they kept this game from being something like a 41-3 blowout with their 1st half heroics. But ultimately, I felt like Wommack didn’t adjust to the situation or what Tennessee was doing and was sticking to a gameplan that would have been effective if the Tide had a lead, not trying to play from behind.

So, a mixed bag on my opinion on the defense, I guess.

On injury updates for Ryan Coleman-Williams, Racin Delgatty, Zabien Brown, Terrance Green and EJ Crowell: “A lot of these guys are kind of in the same boat. I’ll just go through. Zabien, lower leg injury, trying to evaluate throughout the week what he looks like. Racin is really in the same boat. So just kind of go to him. He’s progressing pretty well, though. And so, we’ll see. Gonna be week to week. Ryan is also, I mean, all these guys are kind of in the same area, the same window. I would not expect them to be practicing all week alone, but we’ll kind of see as the week gets to the end, what that looks like. EJ, lower leg injury, just kind of continue to evaluate. We’ll kind of see where he’s at in the next couple days. I wouldn’t expect him to practice early in the week for sure. And then Terrance is progressing. They’re all kind of kind of in the same spot. So, Terrance is week to week right now.”

Overall, I didn’t think DeBoer said much of anything out of left field. Chase Goodbread did press DeBoer on the play that’s making rounds with the Tennessee defender pointing out Marshall Pritchett right before the Tide ran a TE screen, and DeBoer mostly deflected that one.

I will say that I thought that, between the three coordinators, I thought the beat reporters did a much better job with asking questions to force answers, rather than their usual softball “how do you feel about X’s performance” that they seem to do every week.

As far as injury updates, I feel like DeBoer has been extra ambiguous this season, even compared to the last few years. So who knows if any of these guys are playing or what the injuries are.

Moving on to the upcoming week, this game against Texas A&M was supposed to be part of a brutal 4-game stretch for Alabama. Well, the first two proved to be just as brutal as we all expected, with Alabama not even looking like they belonged on the field against Tennessee. The good news is that the Aggies have barely looked like they belonged on the field this whole season, and if that trend continues, a game against a struggling Marcel Reed could be just what the doctor ordered for the Tide.

The Aggies have yet to score a touchdown on the road thus far in the 2026 season, and Reed has been a big issue in that stat, as the image shown above has become a little too frequent of an image for the 12th Man throughout 2026, as Reed has been sacked 12 times, including five times against the LSU Tigers.

However, head coach Mike Elko has remained steadfast in keeping Reed as the starter, saying that it simply would make no improvement to the team to take him out, even at where they currently are at this point in the 2026 season.

And this weekend, Reed is going to face a Crimson Tide defense that will test the part of his game that has been the shakiest this season, and that is staying out of trouble when the pocket collapses.

In addition to the dozen times that he’s been brought down, Reed has also completed just over half of his passes and before the game against The Citadel, his touchdowns and interceptions were the same number.

Not to mention, his passer rating is ranked near the bottom of all qualifying FBS quarterbacks, a stark contrast to where Reed and the Aggies were last year at this point in the season.

On the other hand, if the Tide struggles, or worse, loses, this weekend, there will be riots in the streets in Tuscaloosa.

While the Aggie offense has looked all season like Alabama did last weekend, their defense has been getting better each week, so don’t count them out (it’s not like Tennessee entered last week with an offense that was particularly functional, either).

What To Watch For:

• Defensive improvement. Don’t look now, but Texas A&M’s pass defense is ranked No. 10 nationally. There’s some context to that, to be sure (giving up a lot on the ground and also some really subpar opponents), but the defense has looked like it’s been rounding into form after some pretty obvious early-season struggles. They’ll need to continue that upward trajectory and then some if they hope to pull out a victory this Saturday.
• Any offense at all. Against LSU and Missouri, the A&M offense looked simply abysmal, failing to even score a touchdown. It may seem silly to expect significant improvement at this point (it is), but it’s what it will take for A&M to have a shot in this game.
• Health? Texas A&M rested a number of players last week, with starters like WR Mario Craver, OG Trovon Baugh, DE Anto Saka and DT DJ Hicks not even suiting up. Will that rest prove fruitful against a Crimson Tide team coming off of games against Georgia and Tennessee? It’s a stretch, but hey, it could happen (flaps arms in a forced Angels in the Outfield reference).

Finally, here’s the weekly SEC shorts, if you can stomach getting to see Tennessee and Auburn gloat.

FC Barcelona v Real Madrid: Spanish Super Cup - Getty Images SportBroadcasters prepare massive television setup

According to Mundo Deportivo, league chiefs will station up to 40 cameras across the stadium on Sunday while assigning dedicated units to follow the two leading Ballon d'Or contenders. That deployment marks a major increase from the 26 cameras used during Los Blancos' home fixture against Sevilla at the Santiago Bernabeu last Sunday. The world feed will serve two domestic Spanish broadcasters alongside international rights holders globally.

Top-tier classification upgrades pitchside coverage

Under Spanish top-flight broadcasting protocols, standard home or away fixtures involving either the Blaugrana or their arch-rivals are designated as Type A matches, which typically require a minimum of 22 cameras positioned around the pitch. However, marquee fixtures such as the Madrid derby and El Clasico are elevated to the elite A+ category, warranting between 35 and 40 units covering every conceivable angle. That comprehensive camera plan is also shared directly with the Technical Committee of Referees (CTA) and VAR officials to guarantee complete pitchside visibility.

Dedicated lenses follow attacking superstars

Alongside standard broadcast equipment, the 4K production will incorporate super slow-motion units and specialist cinematic lenses designed to capture intricate on-pitch details rarely seen during regular coverage. A central feature of the broadcast will see isolated tracking cameras follow every movement made by Yamal and Mbappe throughout the 90 minutes. That individual spotlight carries added intrigue this weekend, with the official Ballon d'Or ceremony scheduled to crown the world's best player less than 24 hours after the final whistle.

Title race fuels Sunday showdownTitle race fuels Sunday showdown

Sunday evening's encounter pits Hansi Flick's table-topping hosts against their fiercest rivals after a historic opening run of nine straight victories yielded a maximum 27 points. Meanwhile, Jose Mourinho's third-placed visitors arrive in Catalonia sitting six points adrift on 21 points following their recent 4-1 triumph over Sevilla. Both heavyweights will now look to make a decisive statement in the early top-flight title race under the global spotlight.

After the NFL reinstated Denver Broncos outside linebacker Jonathon Cooper last week, the team has until next Monday to activate him to the 53-man roster (they will likely make a decision by Saturday).

After he was arrested twice in June following alleged incidents involving his former girlfriend, Cooper completed a 40-day "in-patient counseling, therapy, mental health and overall wellness program," according to 9News.

Following his reinstatement last week, Cooper wrote on social media that he has "spent a lot of time working to better myself," and that work "will continue." During his conference call with reporters on Tuesday, Broncos coach Sean Payton was asked about the steps Cooper has taken.

“He initiated the steps right away himself," Payton said. "I won’t go into detail all the things that he felt were important. I think the league was on the same page, the club. A lot of it becomes a league issue at that point. To his credit, he didn’t back away at all from what he felt like was necessary.”

Cooper is facing multiple charges, including a felony assault charge, and his trial is scheduled for March. After he sat out the first six games of the season on the commissioner’s exempt list, Cooper will now be allowed to play this season with his trial pending. The NFL is also investigating the allegations against Cooper.

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This article originally appeared on Broncos Wire: Sean Payton comments on Jonathon Cooper's self-work while sidelined

Barcelona heads to Paris on Tuesday, Oct. 20, to play against the current European champion, Paris Saint-Germain. The La Liga side's defense is currently quite thin due to injury, giving Hansi Flick some big decisions to make.

The Blaugrana have won all nine of their La Liga games so far and is at the top of the league. A 5-2 victory at Real Betis on Saturday, Oct. 17 made it 11 wins in all competitions to start the season.

However, that win came with a price. Flick lost Jules Koundé and Eric García to injuries during the match in Seville. Andreas Christensen is also still out with a thigh injury.

Here is how Barcelona could line up against PSG:

Barcelona predicted lineup vs. PSG

• Goalkeeper: García
• Defense: Cancelo, Cubarsí, Martín, Espart
• Midfield: Rodri, Pedri
• Attacking midfield: Yamal, Fermín, Gordon
• Forward: Raphinha

Pau Cubarsí and Gerard Martín are the only natural center backs left in the traveling squad. This seems the most logical XI possible unless Flick tries to get creative with Rodri or Frenkie De Jong along the back line.

Barcelona team news vs. PSG

• Out: Koundé, E. García, Christensen, Bardghji
• Questionable: N/A
• Suspended: N/A

Will Jules Koundé play vs. PSG?

Koundé won't be available in Paris after spraining his left ankle in Saturday's win at Betis. He started in Seville and only felt discomfort after the final whistle.

His absence leaves Flick without either of the two players he has used at right back this season. The club says his recovery will determine whether he's ready for the Clásico against Real Madrid on Sunday, Oct. 25.

PSG vs. Barcelona time, TV

• Date: Tuesday, Oct. 20
• Time: 3 p.m. ET
• Location: Parc des Princes (Paris, France)
• TV/stream: Paramount+ (Watch on Paramount+), ViX (Watch on Prime Video), UniMas, TUDN

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Barcelona predicted lineup vs. PSG: Projected XI, team news

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Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Julian Sayin (10) returns to the field in a sling during the NCAA football game against the Indiana Hoosiers at Memorial Stadium Stadium in Bloomington, Ind. on Oct. 17, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Co

Throughout the year, we will be asking and answering questions about various Ohio State teams, the players, and anything else on our collective minds of varying degrees of importance.

The Buckeyes got their biggest win of the regular season this past Saturday by knocking off the then-No. 5 Indiana Hoosiers on the road, 19-15. However, it came at a price as quarterback Julian Sayin was sacked and injured his throwing arm. While the severity of the injury is not yet known publicly, head coach Ryan Day has said that the Heisman finalist will be out for “several” weeks.

Fortunately, the Buckeyes are off this weekend as they will be able to rest, recover, and regroup heading into a Halloween night affair at USC.

So, in this week’s fan survey, we want to know how you are feeling about the remainder of the season given everything that transpired in Bloomington on Saturday.

Take a look at the options below, then vote in the survey at the bottom of the article. On Saturday morning, before this week’s games kick off, we will share the results, so make sure to check back in with us in a few days. And if you want to explain your rationale or add another option, head down to the comments and break it down.

Question: What is your vibe for the rest of the season heading into the bye week?

This season has been a weird one, not just for the Buckeyes, but for all of college football. The Buckeyes won a gritty, fairly ugly game against IU on Saturday, and basically everyone else lost. Of course, despite the victory, Ohio State did take a hit as it lost its starting quarterback for a still indeterminate amount of time.

Even though OSU is ranked No. 3 in the country, there is still a lot up in the air about what the future holds. So, it would make sense if fans are a little uncertain about how to feel about the team and the rest of the season. Does one of the listed options communicate how you feel about the season? Or do you want to write in something different? Either way, let us know how you are feeling with five games left in the regular season.

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SANTA CLARA, CA - OCTOBER 19: Brock Purdy #13 of the San Francisco 49ers scrambles against the Washington Commanders during the first half of an NFL football game at Levi's Stadium on October 19, 2026 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images) | Getty Images

It wasn’t the prettiest game and, at times, was quite a scary one, but the San Francisco 49ers found a way to edge past the Washington Commanders on Monday night to improve to 6-0 on the season.

Heading into the game with injury questions once again, the 49ers lost Mike Evans just before halftime. But their 17-point lead was too much to overcome, despite a furious comeback by Jayden Daniels and Co., allowing the 49ers to improve to 6-0 with the Atlanta Falcons up next before the bye week.

Here are three quick takeaways from the 49ers win over the Commanders on Monday night.

Fast start pays off

One of my keys to the game for the 49ers was getting off to a fast start. Obviously, that’s important in any game, but it felt extra vital in this one.

We’ve seen the 49ers operate well in the clutch over the past two weeks against the Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks, thanks to quality play from Brock Purdy, but I pointed to Evans’s injury status as a big reason why an early lead would be key.

Getting off to a fast start could ease some of the pressure off a clearly-banged up Evans, while also allowing the 49ers to remain balanced and the Commanders to get even more one-dimensional. That all turned out to be true, as the 49ers offense couldn’t get going without Evans in the second half.

One gripe from Kyle Shanahan in this game was also the 49ers’ lack of balance in the second half from a play-calling perspective over the final quarter. The 49ers went pass-pass-pass on two consecutive drives to start the fourth quarter, with both resulting in three-and-outs. The 1st started with a Brock Purdy sack, derailing the drive, while Purdy was sacked on second down on the second drive.

Washington also excelled in the pass game, with Jayden Daniels going for 300 passing yards, despite their run game producing just 53 yards on 3.1 yards per carry. That’s all to say: it was extremely important the 49ers got off to a lead, as the hole proved too far for the Commanders to dig out of in the second half.

Third and fourth down execution

The 49ers didn’t win the time of possession battle, mainly because the Commanders had the ball for nearly 80 percent of the fourth quarter. But they did win the late-down battle, which was also a key of mine heading into the game.

Coming in, the 49ers were the second-most efficient offense in the NFL, which meant they weren’t getting to third downs often, ranking 32nd in the NFL in third downs per game. But when they did get there, they still converted at a high rate, ranking first in the NFL coming into the game.

Meanwhile, while the Commanders were a solid defense on early downs, they’ve really struggled on third downs, ranking 28th in the NFL in EPA allowed per play on third downs and 24th in the NFL in conversion rate.

Through three quarters on Monday, the 49ers were 7 of 11 on third downs and 2 of 2 on fourth downs. So, in essence, they converted 9 of their 11 late-down opportunities, and that resulted in four scoring drives on six opportunities through three quarters, with the other two being Christian McCaffrey’s fumble and a punt.

With the pass game options looking as they did, and the Commanders’ defense coming in as a solid run defense, it felt like this one could be a game with longer drives, and that proved to be the case for the 49ers. They had drives of 9, 8, 7, 14, and 11 plays through the first three quarters, but executed well on later downs to keep them going.

Now, of course, the 49ers ended the game with three three-and-outs. But they also did a really good job defensively on later downs. The Commanders were just 3 of 12 on third downs and 1 of 3 on fourth downs, and it made a huge difference.

To start the game, the 49ers forced a field goal on a successful Washington drive, got a sack on third down for a three-and-out, and forced a turnover on downs as the Commanders got to 4th & 2 on the 49ers 13-yard line. That’s three key late-down stops resulting in only three points.

San Francisco also got a sack near midfield on third down on Washington’s opening drive of the second half. Then, after allowing two touchdown drives, the 49ers had multiple late-down stops. On Washington’s second-to-last drive, the 49ers forced an incompletion on third down and got a fourth-down sack, which was wiped out by an illegal contact. On the next set of downs, though, they got another third-down stop before Malik Mustapha’s big pass breakup forced a turnover on downs.

Of course, on the final drive, the 49ers got a sack on Daniels on third down to end the game on the final play.

Overall, the 49ers offense executed quite well on third and fourth downs through three quarters, setting themselves up in a good position, while the defense consistently came together with clutch plays on late downs to stop a very quality Commanders passing offense.

Some step up, while others struggle to

As in any close game, the 49ers don’t win this one without consistent play from some and clutch play from others.

We have to continue to praise Brock Purdy for his performances. The 49ers quarterback kept the ball out of harm’s way and completed 21 of 29 passes for 264 yards and a touchdown. He continued to hit explosives to his pass-catcher group, despite the injuries, and had a couple of savvy third-down scrambles to extend drives.

He’s seeing the field at a high level and isn’t making mistakes, while conducting a very efficient offense. Purdy averaged 9.1 yards per play, and it could’ve been more if some other plays were made in the second half.

Mustapha deserves praise, not only for his huge fourth-quarter play, but for his overall start to the season. As I’ve said the last few weeks, he’s been vital for Raheem Morris’s defense as a glue piece in the secondary.

On the defensive line, Romello Height continues to stack some really good games. He’s been a shoutout the last two weeks, and he played very well on Monday night, recording six pressures with his 0.5 sacks. Keion White, Mykel Williams, Gracen Halton, and Osa Odighizuwa all made key plays as well, as the 49ers pass rush got 21 pressures as a whole.

I have to also point out the quality play of Jaden Dugger, who has really broken out the last two weeks in Dre Greenlaw’s absence. Dugger had a team-high 11 tackles, and his versatility, which was a big talking point in the offseason, is showing out. He had multiple pressures again on Monday.

Then, even completely battered with injuries, Mike Evans had some big early plays that set up the 49ers scoring drives. That was key because the 49ers receivers were not targeted at all in the second half, with that group struggling to make plays. George Kittle had a strong first half as well, with five catches for 69 yards and a touchdown, but couldn’t come down with a key play on a third down in the second half that led to a quick punt.

The 49ers offensive line also had another very solid game, creating some key holes in the run game against a defense that ranked top 10 against the run coming into the week. Brock Purdy was also pressured on just 7 of his 34 dropbacks, despite being blitzed nearly 45 percent of the time.

One note to make: the 49ers benched Upton Stout again for a portion of the game, this time late in the fourth quarter. Raheem Morris initially had Ashtyn Davis in as a big nickel, then subbed him out as well after giving up a big play and committing a penalty. The 49ers then went with Deommodore Lenoir in the slot and Jack Jones outside to end the game.

Stout played just 28 of the 67 defensive snaps. He was credited with giving up three catches on four targets for 22 yards and a touchdown, per PFF.

I also do want to touch on Kyle Shanahan’s playcalling to end the game here as well. I mentioned earlier how Shanahan went pass-pass-pass on two consecutive fourth quarter three-and-outs, which backfired on the 49ers.

While he clearly wanted to remain aggressive, it was an interesting strategy given how San Francisco’s pass catchers looked and how the run game had been working to a degree. That kept a gassed defense on the field for over 11 minutes in the fourth quarter.

As we talk about some ups and downs, I do want to also touch on the Commanders side of things, as it was another week of questionable game management from Dan Quinn and Jayden Daniels. Daniels threw the ball away on an early turnover on downs at the 49ers 13-yard line, taking points off the board there.

Then, on the final two drives for the Commanders, Quinn elected to go for it twice: on 4th & 8 at the 49ers 29-yard line with 3:01 left down 23-17, and on 4th & 3 at the 17-yard line coming out of the two-minute warning.

It was an interesting decision, given how the Commanders defense had just forced two straight three-and-outs. Washington also had all three of its timeouts, plus the two-minute warning, and ended up burning the first of the three ahead of the 4th & 8, which was bailed out by a penalty.

Had Washington kicked, they would’ve been in a much better situation late, needing only a field goal to tie on their final drive rather than a touchdown.

Daniels, for as good as he played in bringing the Commanders back, also took some very poor sacks in addition to the throwaway. Those were some costly plays by the Commanders in their loss.

Coming off their biggest win of the season, the Washington Huskies will enjoy a restful weekend on the shores of the Puget Sound. Following a 38-26 win over Purdue, Washington will enter its bye week before preparing for the final five games of the regular season.

Although the Huskies boast just a 4-3 record, far below preseason expectations, the week off presents an opportunity to get healthy and carry the momentum through the end of the season.

Not only has Washington suffered mightily from injuries this season, but a case of the flu also managed to make its way through the locker room last week. Outside of those ruled out for the season with injury, UW had five players miss last Friday's game, including quarterback Demond Williams Jr., Jedd Fisch spoke on his battered squad during Friday's postgame press conference.

"I didn't know if Trey (Cooley) was going to be available for this game, and we had the flu hit our program pretty hard. We had 15 guys miss practice on Tuesday, and we had 18 guys miss on Wednesday; he was one of those guys. So Trey didn't practice all week with us until, I think, the walkthrough. So, we had to find different ways to get (Dezmen Roebuck) in the backfield because outside we had Ryken (Moon) and Brian (Bonner Jr.) Those were our two backs going into this game. Ansu (Sanoe) couldn't travel with us because he had the flu as well."

The final injury report for Washington as they prepare to take on Purdue pic.twitter.com/xBfRURVDC3

— Roman Tomashoff (@rtomashoff34) October 16, 2026

It doesn't take an expert to tell you that when flu-like symptoms occur, the best thing to do is travel across the country and play football in cold weather. Fortunately for Fisch's team, they won't have to worry about that, as they won't step onto the field until Halloween night against Nebraska.

Not only will the bye give the locker room a chance to overcome sickness and injuries, but also provide an opportunity to re-evaluate the upcoming schedule. Due to the chaos that has ensued across the nation in the last few weeks, Washington's upcoming schedule looks a bit more manageable. After heading to Lincoln, the Huskies will face Penn State, Michigan State, No. 6 Indiana, and Oregon. With the Nittany Lions and Ducks falling out of the top-25 in recent weeks, those matchups suddenly don't look quite as daunting.

Take into consideration that Fisch's offense is coming off its best offensive performance in conference play, and Washington looks to have a real chance to be competitive in all of their remaining games. But if there's one thing to take away from the first seven weeks of the season, it's that expectations can change in the blink of an eye.

Either way, Washington gets some much-needed rest before looking to catch fire to cap off the 2026 campaign.

This article originally appeared on Huskies Wire: Washington Football Gets Rest Before Gearing Up For Final Five Games

Credit: Chris McGrath/Getty Images)

The Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show has a new in-venue announcer.

Per The Hollywood Reporter, Fox Sports’ lead soccer play-by-play announcer John Strong will succeed Michael J. LaFave, who spent 25 years as the “Voice of Westminster,” when the WKCDS returns to New York City in February 2027 for its 151st installment.

Strong, who has been the play-by-play for the Masters Agility Championship and hosted the Best of Breed competition for the past seven years for Fox, will make the call on Netflix, after the streamer announced last month that for the first time it would stream the event’s evening group judging and Best in Show competition, which it touted as “the Super Bowl, Met Gala, Olympics, and Broadway opening night of the dog world, all rolled into one.”

“As the legacy of Westminster continues, we are overjoyed to welcome John back to the show in this exciting new role,” Dr. Donald Sturz, president of The Westminster Kennel Club, said. “John has called some of the world’s most historic sporting moments, including some of Westminster’s very own. We know he will bring his signature flair, expert commentary, and genuine love of dogs to every moment leading up to Best in Show.”

Strong, who has called the FIFA World Cup and Major League Soccer, said that he is “humbled and honored” to assume the role.

“I look forward to honoring the legacy of Westminster and celebrating the future of this beloved sporting event while lending my passion for dogs and live sports experience to the world’s top canine competitors,” he added.

The daytime breed competitions at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center will stream live on The Westminster Kennel Club’s website and YouTube channel on January 30, and the 14th annual Masters Agility Championship will be taped and streamed on Netflix at a later date. The WKCDS will live stream on Netflix from Madison Square Garden on February 1-2.

Netflix’s acquisition of the Westminster Dog Show reunites it with Monday Night Raw, which the streamer also has the rights to, opening the door for the dog show to pre-empt the wrestling program, a great cable television tradition. Netflix will cross-promote the events, and only time will tell whether Bert Kreischer shows up to parade some dogs around.

The post John Strong announced as new voice of Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show appeared first on Awful Announcing.

Ryan Rollins is expected to shoulder more responsibility for the Milwaukee Bucks after the Giannis Antetokounmpo era in Cream City came to an end. After a breakout campaign, Rollins will also share backcourt duties with newly acquired Bucks guard Tyler Herro.

“I think the biggest thing with us is pushing the pace and creating early offense… me and him have good communication… the more we play we’ll understand each other more,” Rollins commented during his media availability when talking about his new backcourt partner in Herro.

The Bucks new backcourt with Tyler Herro and Ryan RollinsFeb 24, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro (14) looks for a shot against Bucks guard Ryan Rollins (13) in the fourth quarter at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

The Bucks acquired Tyler Herro from the Miami Heat in a deal that sent two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and veteran forward Bobby Portis to Miami. Losing Antetokounmpo leaves a major gap on both ends of the floor, but Rollins and Herro could help ease the loss through their combined scoring and playmaking abilities.

Milwaukee is adding a proven scorer and capable facilitator in Herro, who has earned Sixth Man of the Year honors during his career. The 26 year old has played 394 NBA games, averaging 19.5 points and 4.1 assists per contest. He has also converted 45.0 percent of his field goal attempts and 38.2 percent of his three pointers since entering the league after his time with Kentucky.

Oct 30, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Bucks guard Ryan Rollins (13) reacts in the 4th quarter against the Golden State Warriors at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

After a productive 2025-2026 campaign, Rollins aims to carry that momentum into the next season. He finished the year averaging 17.3 points, 5.6 assists and 4.6 rebounds per game.

Milwaukee opens the new season Wednesday, facing the Washington Wizards away from home.

More Bucks news from Wisconsin Sports HeroicsOct 11, 2026; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Bucks forward Pete Nance (35) runs up court against the Charlotte Hornets during the fourth quarter at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Kinser-Imagn Images

• Myles Turner embraces new role as the Bucks navigate rebuild
• Taylor Jenkins reveals what makes Brayden Burries special after Bucks preseason victory
• Tyler Herro attempts hilarious Anthony Edwards prank during Bucks debut

SAN FRANCISCO – Atlanta Dream coach Karl Smesko’s facial expression never changed as he watched Angel Reese warm up for Game 2 of the WNBA Finals against the Golden State Valkyries.  

The newly crowned Defensive Player of the Year Reese practiced her shot all around the court, and Smesko’s lips stayed in the same straight line as his eyebrows maintained a furrowed focus from the baseline under the basket. 

Her gaze never seemed to make its way toward her coach. Viewing Reese’s pregame routine is what Smesko has always done, and she was focused on the rim.

When Reese finally looked at Smesko, in one of the final private moments before tipoff, her facial expression foreshadowed the historic stat to come in the Dream’s 79-65 win over the Valkyries Monday, Oct. 19, at Chase Center. 

”Going into the locker room, the first person I made eye contact with was Angel, and I'm like, ‘Oh I like this look. I like this look,’” Smesko said. “She was just fantastic, on both ends of the floor. Just a superior performance.” 

Reese posted a 30-point, 16-rebound double-double to fuel the Dream’s first Finals victory across four series in franchise history. The performance evened the series 1-1 after the Atlanta fell 68-64 in Game 1, where Reese didn't score at all in the second half and took three shots in the final 26 minutes. 

Monday, she already had 15 points in her first 16 minutes in the game. 

“I let the team down last game,” Reese said. “So I just wanted to make sure I came out tonight and left my mark and did whatever I could to get the win. And I think I did that.”  

When asked what changed in Game 2, Reese had an easy answer:  “I was hungry. We wanted one and we felt like we let one slip away.” 

More: Angel Reese double-double helps Dream even WNBA Finals vs. Valkyries: Highlights

Reese’s energy is unmatched

At 24 years old, Reese entered Monday’s game as the youngest player in the Dream’s starting lineup and came out of it as the youngest player to record 30 points and 15 rebounds in a WNBA postseason game in league history. 

Reese joined Jonquel Jones, Lisa Leslie, Candace Parker, Breanna Stewart and A’ja Wilson as the only players to accomplish such a feat – doing so just days after Stewart and Jones encouraged Reese to “Go get it.. Keep going and keep pushing,” despite being on the wrong end for the Dream’s sweep of the New York Liberty in the semifinals, Reese said. 

This is the impact Dream guard Rhyne Howard imagined when Reese arrived to the team via a trade from the Chicago Sky this offseason. 

“She's going to be the youngest to set a lot of these records with just how good of a player she is and still being in her third season,” Howard told USA TODAY after the win. “Seeing her come out tonight, she had a completely different mindset. Nobody was satisfied with the outcome of Game 1.

"She came out and she really set the tone and we followed her lead.” 

Howard, who set a WNBA Finals single-game record with six steals Monday night, wasn’t the only Dream players to say the team goes as Reese goes. 

From Reese’s signature chest bumps to encouraging punches after good plays, Howard described Reese as less talk and more action. But that doesn’t mean Reese is afraid to use her words. 

In the third quarter of Game 2, Reese stomped on the court and walked back on defense after her calls for the ball weren’t met with a pass. A few minutes later, she yelled “give me the (expletive) ball!” multiple times in transition. 

That didn’t bother Atlanta point guard Jordin Canada, who finished with 13 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds.

"Angel is such a generational talent, just to see her thrive in the Finals has been really special to watch," Canada said. "You can just see that she wants it really bad. We feed off her energy."

More: WNBA Finals winners and losers include Angel Reese's tenacity, Valkyries' starters

Reese breaks Valkyries game plan 

There was a frenzied glint in Reese’s eyes as she went in takeover mode against the WNBA's best defense in front of what many players have described as the league's loudest fan base. 

It was a reminder of what has earned Reese her “Loco Cinco” nickname, although it’s a less popular one than her many “Barbie” monikers. 

More known for basketball insanity is Valkyries Natalie Nakase, who seemed woefully aware Reese’s dominance was looming before Monday’s game even began. 

When Nakase was reminded in her pregame interview with reporters that Reese came out of Game 1 saying she needed to be more aggressive, the Valkyries coach was asked how her team could defend a determined Reese without fouling. 

“Don’t let her touch it,” Nakase said, eventually laughing.

"She’s a tough coverage, even when she has the ball. She just drives with force. So it’s just taking away the shot that she wants… I’m looking forward to our four best quarters of defense. It will be, today.” 

Under Nakase’s breath, the words “it better be,” came out almost like a prayer. One that went unanswered.

For Valkyries center Kiah Stokes, it wasn’t hard to pinpoint how Reese — who shot 10-of-16 from the field and 9-of-11 from the field —  broke the Valkyries’ game plan. 

“She does a great job of taking advantage of mismatches. She just has a great motor. She works really hard. She makes it difficult not to foul her. She can finish with her right and her left hand,” Stokes said of Reese. “So we  really just got to get back to the drawing board and see what else we can come up with.” 

Game 3, when it tips off Wednesday at State Farm Arena an Atlanta, will tell how much the Valkyries defensive adjustments will matter if Reese simply decides once again she’s not losing.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Angel Reese said she let Dream down. Her Game 2 response was historic

It’s never too early to start looking toward next year. Especially with the Pittsburgh Pirates’ offseason officially underway.

Here’s a way-too-early 2027 Opening Day lineup prediction for the Pirates at the end of October. (This lineup prediction assumes Pittsburgh will see a right-hander for the first game of next season and that everyone is healthy for the first game of the season.)

Way-Too-Early Pirates 2027 Opening Day Lineup Prediction

• Konnor Griffin - SS
• Bryan Reynolds - LF
• Oneil Cruz - CF
• Ryan O’Hearn - DH
• Esmerlyn Valdez - RF
• Spencer Horwitz - 1B
• Rafael Flores - C
• Jacob Gonzalez - 3B
• Nick Gonzales - 2B

Jun 29, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates left fielder Bryan Reynolds (10) celebrates win with shortstop Jared Triolo (19) and right fielder Billy Cook (25) against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

At this point, there’s no reason to believe that Pittsburgh’s starting lineup will look drastically different from the starting nine Don Kelly used for the majority of the 2026 season.

With Pittsburgh’s young core in place, the front office will likely rely on development and growth to lead the charge next season, whether that’s the best game plan or not.

With that in mind, let’s break down this potential starting lineup.

Starting at the top, Konnor Griffin settled in nicely at the top of the lineup as his rookie season carried on. He had a .742 in 112 at-bats batting first, and a .818 in 80 at-bats leading off in an inning in his first big-league season.

From there, Bryan Reynolds and Oneil Cruz are Pittsburgh’s next best hitters and give the Pirates some balance in their lineup, too.

Rafael Flores deserves to be the Opening Day starter after his .858 OPS season, albeit with some questionable defense. Ryan O’Hearn had a solid first season in Pittsburgh and can play first base, right field, and DH as needed.

This is where things get interesting for the Pirates.

For one, the one player not mentioned here, of course, is Brandon Lowe, Pittsburgh’s best player from the 026 season, who is set to hit free agency. The front office has made a lot of surprising news over the last calendar year, but they still haven’t shown the willingness to hand out a long-term contract.

Lowe will be looking for a massive payday after a career year as he enters his age-32 season. With Pittsburgh historically not giving out contracts of this caliber, it’s hard to see it happening until proven otherwise.

If Lowe doesn’t return to Pittsburgh, that opens up several options for the Pirates across the diamond. Nick Gonzales makes the most sense as the starter there. Jared Triolo could be an option, too. Both of these players could also be an option at the hot corner, too.

While this prediction may not be the most exciting in terms of any big offseason moves, it’s certainly realistic, considering how the Pirates have operated over the last decade.

The Vancouver Canucks (2-7-1) return home from a six-game road trip on Tuesday as they battle the Carolina Hurricanes (7-2-1). This will be the second and final meeting between these two teams, with the Hurricanes picking up a 7-2 victory earlier this year. For the Canucks, their focus will be on snapping the current losing streak, which, heading into Tuesday, sits at seven games.

Vancouver needs to be on their A-game if they want to snap their losing streak on Tuesday. That means finishing their checks and not allowing Carolina extended shifts in the offensive zone. If the Canucks get caught puck-watching, the Hurricanes will find ways to make them pay on the scoreboard. 

Tuesday will also serve as a chance to remember former colour commentator John Garrett, who passed away earlier this year. As per the team, players will be wearing special shirts pre-game while a special presentation is scheduled at some point in the evening. Garrett was beloved in the city as well as across the league and will be remembered by fans for years to come. 

Players To Watch:

Jonathan Lekkerimäki: 

Through 10 games, Jonathan Lekkerimäki looks like a completely different player than he did last year. He is stronger on pucks and is looking more confident at both ends of the ice. The next stage of Lekkerimäki's development will be getting more pucks on net, as when he gets his wrist shot off, he can do some damage on the scoresheet. 

Jalen Chatfield:

Jalen Chatfield has developed into one of Carolina's most trusted defenders. The 30-year-old has three points in 10 games so far this year, but is averaging 20:28 of ice time per night. If Chatfield keeps putting together strong performances, he could be looking at a massive pay raise this off-season. 

Vancouver Canucks (2–7–1): 

Points: 

Elias Pettersson: 3–7–10

Paul Cotter: 4–3–7

Brock Boeser: 2–5–7

Linus Karlsson: 2-5-7

Jonathan Lekkerimäki: 2-4-6

Goaltenders: 

Kevin Lankinen: 1–6–0

Leevi Meriläinen: 1–1–1

Carolina Hurricanes (7-2-1)

Points:

Sebastian Aho: 6-8-14

Andrei Svechnikov: 6-5-11

Jackson Blake: 1-7-8

Mark Jankowski: 6-1-7

Shayne Gostisbehere: 2-5-7

Goaltenders: 

Pyotr Kochetkov: 5-0-0

Brandon Bussi: 2-2-1

Game Information: 

Start time: 7:00 pm PT 

Venue: Rogers Arena

Television: Sportsnet

Radio: KiSS West Coast 

Oct 8, 2026; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Mike Reilly (6) checks Vancouver Canucks left wing Drew O'Connor (18) during the third period at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images

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BUIES CREEK — No. 16 Campbell’s defense stopped Towson on its final four possessions, and De’Von Thomas rushed for two touchdowns as the Fighting Camels held on for a 24-20 Homecoming victory Saturday at Barker-Lane Stadium.

The Camels improved to 6-1 overall, matching the best start in program history, set in 2019, and equaling the school’s single-season record for victories, achieved in 2011, 2017, 2018 and 2019.

Campbell also improved to 3-0 in Coastal Athletic Association play and remained unbeaten against FCS opponents this season. Its six victories over FCS opponents are the most in program history.

Towson fell to 0-8 overall and 0-4 in conference play.

The Tigers led 13-10 at halftime behind touchdowns from Xavier Pugh and CJ Schaeffer. Pugh rushed for 60 yards on seven carries in the first half, while quarterback Jacob Davis completed 11 of 16 passes for 162 yards and a touchdown.

Towson gained 282 yards of total offense in the first half, including 120 rushing yards, but Campbell’s defense tightened after halftime.

The Camels limited the Tigers to 160 total yards and 65 rushing yards in the second half. Campbell held its opponent scoreless in the fourth quarter for the fourth time in its last five games.

Kaleb Simpkins intercepted Davis on the first play from scrimmage in the third quarter, helping spark Campbell’s comeback.

Quarterback Kamden Sixkiller connected with Jyron Waiters on a 22-yard touchdown pass to give the Camels a 17-13 lead.

Towson answered with an 11-play, 75-yard scoring drive, capped by a Davis touchdown run, to regain the lead at 20-17.

Campbell responded with an eight-play, 71-yard drive, ending with Thomas’ second rushing touchdown of the game. The score put the Camels ahead 24-20 with 4:54 remaining in the third quarter.

The Tigers threatened again on their next possession, driving 67 yards to the Campbell 8-yard line. However, a 26-yard field goal attempt struck the right upright, preserving the Camels’ four-point advantage.

Campbell’s defense then limited Towson to 46 yards on its final three possessions, forcing two punts and a turnover on downs with 1:25 remaining.

Sixkiller completed 20 of 30 passes with one touchdown and added 24 rushing yards.

Thomas rushed for 28 yards on seven carries and scored twice, marking his third consecutive game and fourth overall this season with two rushing touchdowns.

Chinua Ezeigbo led Campbell’s receivers with five catches for 68 yards, while Waiters caught three passes for 43 yards and a touchdown.

Defensively, O’Marion Lewis recorded a season-high 13 tackles and a pass breakup. Simpkins added a season-best 10 tackles and an interception, while Jordan Jones finished with seven tackles.

Davis led Towson with 257 passing yards, completing 23 of 39 attempts with one touchdown and one interception. He also rushed for 40 yards and a touchdown.

Pugh finished with 75 rushing yards and a touchdown on 12 carries, while Cleveland Charlton caught six passes for a game-high 88 yards.

Seth Chestnut led the Tigers with eight tackles, including one for loss, while Myles Johnson added seven tackles and an interception.

Campbell will travel to Maine on Saturday, Oct. 24, for a 1 p.m. kickoff before visiting UAlbany on Oct. 31.

The Camels will return to Barker-Lane Stadium to face Stony Brook on Nov. 7 and Monmouth on Nov. 21.

The Lee Christian Falcons captured the NCISAA Mid-Carolina Conference volleyball championship with a four-set victory over Crossroads Christian, completing an undefeated run through conference play.

After falling short against Cape Fear Christian Academy last season, the Falcons finished 6-0 in conference play and claimed the championship with a 21-25, 25-23, 25-18, 27-25 victory over the Colts. Crossroads Christian took the opening set 25-21, but Lee Christian responded in a closely contested second set. The Falcons held off a late rally to win 25-23 and even the match at one set apiece.

Lee Christian carried that momentum into the third set, taking control and securing a 25-18 victory to move ahead 2-1.

The Colts battled to extend the match in the fourth set, pushing the Falcons beyond the regulation 25-point mark. Lee Christian prevailed 27-25 to secure the conference championship.

The Falcons also collected several individual honors.

Alayna Moore, Kennah Smith and Annika Harris earned all-conference recognition, while Kayce Deese received honorable mention.

Harris was named conference Player of the Year, and Lee Christian head coach Elissa Neal earned Coach of the Year honors.

Moore, Smith and Harris were selected to the all-tournament team, with Harris also earning tournament Most Valuable Player honors.

Lee Christian now turns its attention to the NCISAA state volleyball playoffs.

The Falcons earned the No. 3 overall seed and a double bye in the state tournament. They will play their first playoff match Oct. 24, with the opponent and game time to be determined.

Lee County High School and Southern Lee both suffered road losses Friday night, with the Yellow Jackets falling to Harnett Central and the Cavaliers being shut out by West Johnston.

LEE COUNTY

The Lee County Yellow Jackets fell 62-20 to the Harnett Central Trojans on Friday night.

Harnett Central dominated the opening quarter, building a 34-0 lead before adding 21 points in the second quarter.

Lee County showed signs of life offensively in the second quarter, scoring 20 points, but the Trojans carried a commanding 55-20 lead into halftime.

Harnett Central’s defense shut out the Yellow Jackets in the second half, while the Trojans added a fourth-quarter touchdown to secure the victory.

The loss dropped Lee County to 1-7 overall and 1-4 in Carolina Pines Conference play.

The Yellow Jackets will travel to Union Pines on Friday for a 7 p.m. kickoff.

SOUTHERN LEE

The Southern Lee Cavaliers suffered a 48-0 road loss to the West Johnston Wildcats on Friday night.

West Johnston jumped out to a 14-0 lead and extended its advantage to 20-0 by halftime as Southern Lee struggled to generate offense.

The Wildcats continued to control the game in the second half, keeping the Cavaliers off the scoreboard and securing the shutout victory.

Southern Lee quarterback Caleb Coro completed 17 of 38 passes for 200 yards and three interceptions.

Kessler Petrarca led the Cavaliers’ receiving corps with 11 catches for 160 yards, while Logan Clark finished with 11 rushing yards on three carries.

The loss dropped Southern Lee to 0-8 overall and 0-5 in conference play.

The Cavaliers will return home Friday to face Harnett Central. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.

Unsportsmanlike conduct isn’t limited to the football field, but Denver Broncos fans are tamer than most online.

That was one of the findings from an analysis by ActionNetwork.com, which looked at more than 2.5 million comments from the subreddits of all 32 NFL teams to find out which fans are the most polite and most foul-mouthed, along with the most positive and negative online.

Broncos fans keep out of the muck, with relatively few personal foul mouths. Those fans finished as the fifth most polite fan group, based on how infrequently profanity was used in posts. The occasional barnyard epithet or PG-13 reference to manure pops up, but they are rare.

Broncos fans are also among the most positive fan bases, ranking as the third-most positive in the NFL. That was based on 50.75% of comments being positive — just a couple cheers behind the 51.1% rate of the leading Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

What NFL teams have the most foul-mouthed fans?

Teams were ranked by the percentage of posts on the Sub-Reddits that contained swear words.

1. New York Giants, 14.98%
2. Indianapolis Colts, 14.88%
3. Cleveland Browns, 14.72%
4. Arizona Cardinals, 14.48%
5. New York Jets, 14.34%

Who has the most polite fans online in the NFL?

Some fans keep it clean, although the list shows that playing well — or at least beating expectations — makes the comments section a little tamer.

1. Buffalo Bills, 10.7%
2. Los Angeles Rams, 10.98%
3. Green Bay Packers, 10.98%
4. Seattle Seahawks, 11.09%
5. Denver Broncos, 11.11%

Nate Trela covers trending news in Colorado and Utah for the USA TODAY Network, with an emphasis on consumer finance, legal issues and state laws.story tk

This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Denver Broncos fans avoid being personal foul mouths online

Banana Ball will slip back into Colorado in 2027, but you need to act soon to have a shot at buying tickets.

The Savannah Bananas, the barnstorming team that launched a highly appealing version of the game, won’t be coming, but two of the teams in the league based on its style of play will. The Party Animals and the Loco Beach Coconuts will play a pair of games at Coors Field in Denver next May.

While there’s more than seven months before they take the field, fans need to sign up for a lottery to get a chance to buy seats unless they have certain Colorado Rockies’ season ticket packages.

Are the Savannah Bananas coming to Denver in 2027?

No. The team that established the rules for Banana Ball will not be coming. Instead, two of the Banana Ball Championship League’s other teams — the Loco Beach Coconuts and the Party Animals — will be playing at Coors Field.

When will Banana Ball be played in Denver?

The Loco Beach Coconuts and Party Animals are scheduled to square off May 29 and 30 at Coors Field in Denver.

How do you get Banana Ball tickets in Colorado?

Colorado Rockies full-season, MVP and Hall of Fame Passport Mini-Plan season ticket holders will get the first shot at Banana Ball tickets through a presale.

If you don’t have one of the season ticket plans, the only way to get the ability to purchase tickets is through a lottery. Interested fans need to register for the lottery by 9:59 p.m. MT Oct. 31.

Ticket sales will happen about two months before the games.

How does the Banana Ball lottery work?

Fans can select one city of interest when they enter. After registration closes, entries are randomly selected.

Entering early does not give you a better chance of winning, nor does it guarantee you will get to buy tickets.

What is Banana Ball?

Banana Ball is a fast-paced version of baseball designed to be more entertaining and have more fan involvement.

Here are some of the 11 rules that are different than Major League Baseball:

• All games have a two-hour time limit.
• If a fan catches a ball in the stands, it is an out.
• Games are decided by which team has more points. They get a point for each inning in which they score more runs than their opponent.
• Players must sprint instead of walk if they receive four balls a plate appearance, and they can try to take more than one base.
• One fan selected for each game can challenge an umpire’s call, but must fire off confetti and hold up a sign to do it.

Nate Trela covers trending news in Colorado and Utah for the USA TODAY Network, with an emphasis on consumer finance, legal issue sand state laws.

This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Do this soon if you want to see Banana Ball in Denver next year

Celtics' Opening-Day Injury Report Delivers An Encouraging Surprise originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Boston Celtics spent the offseason making changes that will shape their future, but their first regular-season injury report offered something far less dramatic. With Tuesday's opener against the Detroit Pistons approaching, Boston is close to full strength. That is encouraging news for Joe Mazzulla.

Devin Carter is the one player listed out, with mononucleosis expected to keep the recently signed two-way guard sidelined for several weeks. The illness is an unfortunate interruption for a player trying to establish himself in a new organization, but the Celtics otherwise enter the opener with their principal rotation pieces available.

Boston Can Start Learning About Its New Core Immediately

Jayson Tatum is back after recovering from the Achilles injury he suffered during the 2025 playoffs. Paul George arrived in the offseason trade that sent Jaylen Brown to Philadelphia, while Mitchell Robinson joined the frontcourt after his time with the New York Knicks. Derrick White remains a key part of Boston's backcourt.

Injury Report for tomorrow at DET: Devin Carter - Illness - OUT

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) October 19, 2026

Those players will need time to develop chemistry. George and Tatum are accomplished offensive players, but sharing possessions, adjusting defensive assignments and learning each other's preferred spots require more than preseason practices. Robinson also brings a different style of interior play that could affect how the Celtics organize their offense.

The encouraging part is that Boston does not have to start the season with several of those players unavailable. The Celtics completed a 4-0 preseason, including an overtime victory over Philadelphia in which Boston rested most of its regular contributors. That record does not guarantee success, but it did give the coaching staff valuable evaluation time without a major opening-day injury crisis.

MORE: Celtics Head Coach History: Timeline of Boston Coaches, Including Red Auerbach, Joe Mazzulla

Detroit Makes Health Especially Important

The Pistons finished 60-22 last season, the best record in the Eastern Conference, and won three of four regular-season meetings with Boston. Cade Cunningham remains the centerpiece of a team that expects to compete near the top of the standings again. Detroit's physical style will provide an immediate challenge for Boston's new combinations.

The opener is scheduled for 3 p.m. ET at Little Caesars Arena, with NBC and Peacock carrying the game. Mazzulla has decisions to make about rotations and the distribution of minutes, but having most of his roster available gives him a better opportunity to make those decisions based on performance rather than necessity.

Carter's absence is worth monitoring because it delays his chance to compete for a role. For the larger group, however, Tuesday offers a rare luxury: an opening-day test against a 60-win opponent without a lengthy list of unavailable players. After a summer of uncertainty about how the new roster will fit, Boston can finally begin finding out on the floor.

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