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HOUSTON, Texas — Oklahoma State head coach Eric Morris has seen enough of his team's slow starts.

After watching the No. 18 Cowboys fall 35-32 to No. 20 Houston on Saturday night at TDECU Stadium, Morris didn't hide his frustration with an offense that once again needed an extended period to find its rhythm.

"The slow start stuff has to stop," Morris said following the loss. "We're two different teams in the first half and the second half right now, and it blows my mind to be honest with you."

Oklahoma State trailed 14-3 at halftime before scoring 29 points over the final two quarters. The Cowboys nearly erased the deficit but couldn't get the ball back for one final possession.

The loss snapped Oklahoma State's four-game winning streak and dropped the Cowboys to 4-2 overall and 2-1 in Big 12 play.

Early Opportunities Go to Waste

Oklahoma State had chances to build an early lead but failed to capitalize on two promising first-quarter possessions.

The Cowboys received excellent field position after LaDian Fields intercepted Houston quarterback Conner Weigman on the Cougars' opening drive. Starting at the Houston 48-yard line, quarterback Drew Mestemaker moved Oklahoma State into scoring position with completions to Carson Kolb and Miles Coleman. However, the drive stalled near the goal line, forcing the Cowboys to settle for a 23-yard Gabe Keltner field goal.

Oklahoma State's next possession produced an even more frustrating result. Mestemaker connected with Wyatt Young for a 54-yard gain, putting the Cowboys deep in Houston territory. A defensive pass interference penalty later gave Oklahoma State another opportunity near the goal line, but the Cowboys couldn't punch the ball into the end zone.Facing fourth-and-goal from the Houston 2-yard line, Mestemaker's pass intended for Young was broken up by Kentrell Webb. Instead of potentially taking a 10-7 lead, Oklahoma State came away empty-handed.

Houston eventually extended its advantage to 14-3, while the Cowboys managed only 138 yards of total offense in the first half. Mestemaker completed six of 15 passes for 124 yards and an interception before halftime, while Oklahoma State's rushing attack produced just 14 yards.

A Completely Different Offense After Halftime

Whatever adjustments Oklahoma State made during the break produced immediate results. The Cowboys began generating explosive plays through both the air and on the ground, putting together their most productive offensive half of the night.

Ayo Adeyi scored on a 13-yard touchdown run to cut Houston's lead to 14-10. After the Cougars answered, Mestemaker connected with Young for a two-yard touchdown pass, bringing Oklahoma State within four points.

The Cowboys continued battling into the fourth quarter. Running back Caleb Hawkins turned a short completion into a 66-yard touchdown reception, and a successful two-point conversion to Justin Bowick cut Houston's lead to 28-25. Houston responded with another touchdown, but Mestemaker engineered one final scoring drive, finding Bowick for an eight-yard touchdown to make it 35-32.

Oklahoma State ultimately finished with 499 yards of total offense, including 365 passing yards and 134 rushing yards. Mestemaker completed 22 of 34 passes for 365 yards and three touchdowns, extending his streak of 300-yard passing performances to five consecutive games. But the Cowboys' offensive explosion came too late to overcome their first-half struggles and costly turnovers.

Mestemaker Points to Execution, Not Houston's Defense

Following the game, Mestemaker also acknowledged that Oklahoma State's early offensive struggles were self-inflicted. The quarterback said the Cowboys weren't consistently executing their assignments, particularly when they reached scoring position.

"It's not like we're not strong enough to be down there or the other team pulling out these magical plays," Mestemaker said. "We just have to execute at the end of the day."

Oklahoma State finished 3-for-8 on third down and 1-for-2 on fourth down. Although the Cowboys scored on four of their five red-zone possessions, the missed opportunity near the goal line in the first half proved especially costly in a three-point defeat.

Mestemaker also refused to blame Oklahoma State's defense for failing to give the offense one final opportunity. Instead, he pointed to the Cowboys scoring only three points before halftime as a major reason they were forced to play from behind.

Finding Consistency Moving Forward

Oklahoma State has demonstrated the ability to generate explosive offensive performances under Morris.

Against Houston, the Cowboys scored 29 points after halftime and nearly completed a comeback against a ranked Big 12 opponent. However, the difference between the two halves remains a concern.

The Cowboys struggled to establish the run early, failed to finish promising possessions and allowed Houston's defense to disrupt Mestemaker with pressure.

Even after finding their rhythm, turnovers prevented Oklahoma State from fully capitalizing on its offensive success. Morris' comments suggest the issue goes beyond one difficult half in Houston.

For a team hoping to remain in contention for the Big 12 championship, consistently starting games with the same urgency and execution it displays after halftime will be critical.

The Cowboys showed Saturday that they have enough offensive firepower to battle back from a double-digit deficit. Now Morris wants to see that same offense from the opening kickoff.

Arizona Cardinals TE Trey McBride caught seven of his nine targets for 53 yards in an 18-16 win over the Los Angeles Rams in Week 6.

SOURCE: USAToday.com

Why it Matters: McBride led the Cardinals in catches, targets and yards, and he has caught at least seven passes in every game this year. His yardage totals have left something to be desired, but McBride still has an elite floor among TE1 options.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Seven grabs for Trey McBride in Week 6 win

Ningbo Open’s defending champion and new WTA World No. 1 Elena Rybakina returns to tennis after spending time at home recuperating her injured foot.

She came back to the WTA Tour with a surprising new addition to the team, following in the footsteps of one of her chief rivals, Aryna Sabalenka.

Rybakina is now a dog owner to an adorable little puppy named Toby.

MORE: New Australian Open director Andrew Abdo commits avoidable gaffe at press conference

Rybakina was beaming as she talked about her puppyTennis – U.S. Open – Flushing Meadows, New York, United States – September 12, 2026 Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina celebrates with the winner’s trophy after her final match against Belarus’ Aryna Sabalenka IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters/Robert Deutsch Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters (Reuters)

Rybakina tends to be reserved, but pure joy emanated from her as she talked about meeting and falling in love with Toby.

She described the decision as a bit impulsive because she loved the dog so much.

Rybakina hopes to take Toby on the tour with her as much as possible.

For these players who travel the world nonstop for 11 months out of the year, having a pet must provide some stability and comfort.

MORE: After China Open loss, Elena Rybakina is subject of unnecessary internet criticism

Alexander Zverev, Anna Kalinskaya also have dogs

This is a relatively new phenomenon in professional tennis. Players traveling with their dogs. 2019 US Open champion Bianca Andreescu was among the first to have her dog Coco tag along for emotional support.

Because the players have teams of people traveling with them, they have helping hands to care for the dog when they are busy practicing or playing matches.

It is a win-win for the players because no matter how brutal tennis can be, there is always a four-legged friend waiting to shower them with love.

— Enjoy free coverage of the top news & trending stories with The Big Lead Newsletter —

Oct 18, 2026; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Tre Tucker (1) catches a pass for a touchdown in the fourth quarter against the Buffalo Bills at Allegiant Stadium.

LAS VEGAS—Three weeks ago, the Las Vegas Raiders were on top of the world.

They had fired off three straight victories and were one of the few unbeaten teams remaining in the league, and a fanbase long starved for success could finally see the daylight at the end of the tunnel.

Then, the setbacks began. A nailbiter to the Kansas City Chiefs went against the Raiders on a crucial fourth-quarter sequence, followed by a dud on the road against the New England Patriots. Suddenly, the progress was being questioned and the Raiders were needing a chance to get right.

Unfortunately, it did not come on Sunday, as the Raiders fell to .500 in a 33-30 loss to the Buffalo Bills.

“Very disappointed that we didn’t get it done today,” lamented head coach Klint Kubiak in the postgame press conference.

“As a team, we did not close the game and there’s plenty of improvement, but we are not satisfied with any moral victories.”

What undid the Raiders was an outcome very similar to the Chiefs: moments showing their inexperience in mixing it up among the NFL’s elite.

With the support of a massive contingent of Bills Mafia that made the trek out west, Josh Allen and the playmakers Buffalo has in their arsenal were able to get things going down the field with regularity. Allen put up 255 yards and two touchdowns, including a spectacular play where he juked two Raiders defenders and heaved a shovel pass that found a wide-open Keon Coleman in the end zone.

Running back James Cook also made his impact with 153 all-purpose yards (95 rushing, 58 receiving), and his efforts lead to his touchdown that put the Bills in front for good.

While the Raiders kept pace for the most part, there were elements of their game where bad habits seeped in.

The lack of clean execution was most notable at the start of the third quarter, when Kirk Cousins threw three straight incompletions on the first drive to take only 35 seconds off the clock. The next drive, Cousins threw an inexplicable pass into double coverage that was picked off by Bills linebacker Dorian Williams, resulting in the game’s lone turnover and giving Buffalo a short field that resulted in a touchdown.

Other mistakes that plagued the Raiders were going 2-for-5 on their red zone opportunities, which lead to them settling for field goals when they needed touchdowns in the track meet-style game the Bills were daring them to play.

“One of those games where it’s hard to sleep afterwards when you kind of think through the plays that you could have or should have made and in the red zone plays when you leave points out there and you kick field goals in a tight game like that, it comes back to haunt you,” Cousins said as he candidly judged his performance.

It was also a difficult outing for the Raiders’ offensive stars. Ashton Jeanty averaged 2.2 yards per carry on 10 carries despite getting a touchdown on the team’s first drive.

In the passing game, Brock Bowers’s final stat line of four receptions for 70 yards appears fine on the surface, the star tight end did not record his first catch until within five minutes of the third quarter.

“Credit Buffalo. They did a great job of playing him. They had a good plan,” said Kubiak on the Bills’ ability to contain Bowers.

While the Raiders did get added contributions from Michael Mayer (seven catches for a career-high 95 yards) and Tre Tucker (five receptions for a team-high 97 yards and both touchdowns), it proved to be insurmountable to have players the Raiders are depending on for production struggling to get anything going consistently.

With a season that started out with so much promise going in the opposite direction, Kubiak now faces his first true test of his head coaching career in bringing a team through adversity.

If the first three weeks of the season presented a foundation that the Raiders can build off of, the previous three have showcased the problems that Kubiak and his staff are working to fix. This past week of practice, Kubiak has expressed that he is addressing the issues in “bite-sized” increments, focusing on one element at a time instead of clearing the whole big picture in one fell swoop. However, the head coach made one area of improvement perfectly clear, to the point where calling in the mantra of this upcoming week is not hyperbole.

“Close. Games. Out,” was all Kubiak had to say to at the end, indicating an intense week of practice rivaling the coach’s demeanor.

They will have the chance to do so when a desperate Los Angeles Rams team rolls into Allegiant Stadium next, as that game has now taken a new storyline of two teams trying to prevent their seasons from going off the rails.

The Cincinnati Bengals rank 10th in the league in points per game (25.6) through five weeks, and they’ve done it with almost no running game: 3.6 yards per carry as a team, with a Zac Taylor-era low of 23 rushing yards against Jacksonville. That means the passing game has carried this offense. Here’s who’s done the carrying.

Joe Burrow, QB: 1,361 yards, 11 touchdowns, three interceptions, and an NFL-best 71.4% completion rate. He’s also taken nine sacks behind a line that’s still figuring things out. Through three games, his numbers almost exactly matched his 2024 pace, the year he led the NFL in passing yards and touchdowns.

Tee Higgins, WR: 27 catches, 423 yards, one touchdown. He leads the team in yards by more than 130 and has been the reliable downfield option, including 90 yards and a touchdown in Pittsburgh.

Ja’Marr Chase, WR: 27 catches, 289 yards and four touchdowns, despite missing most of the Jacksonville game with a concussion. He came back six days later and made a one-armed, 45-yard touchdown catch in Miami while getting mugged by the corner.

Mike Gesicki, TE: Only 12 catches, but they’ve gone for 159 yards and four touchdowns. One in every three Gesicki catches has ended in the end zone. That’s red-zone efficiency in a 31-year-old tight end.

Amarius Mims, OT: The mammoth right tackle has been outstanding this year. Some outlets credit him with zero pressures or sacks allowed, while PFF has him as the 6th-best pass-blocking tackle in the league right now.

Higgins has more yards, but Chase has more touchdowns. Which number matters more to you? And should a quarterback be eligible for both Team MVP and Offensive MVP? Sound off in the comments on your winner!

Rays vs. Guardians schedule: Dates, times, TV channels, live streams, scores for 2026 ALCS baseball games originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The last two teams standing in the American League face off for a World Series berth as the Tampa Bay Rays and Cleveland Guardians meet in the ALCS.

Tampa Bay was the best team in the AL all year and looked the part in a Division Series sweep of the Yankees. Tampa Bay is in the ALCS for the third time and first since falling to the Dodgers in the World Series in the abbreviated 2020 season. The Rays also won their first ALCS appearance against the Red Sox back in 2008 before losing to the Phillies in the Fall Classic. 

Cleveland reached this round two years ago before falling to the Yankees, with its last World Series appearance coming in the 2016 classic against the Cubs that left the city still awaiting its first championship since 1948. 

While the Guardians will be the underdogs here, they certainly have the hot hand as Jose Ramirez flipped the switch and led them to three consecutive elimination-game wins against the White Sox in their Division Series. 

Who will move on to the final showdown against the NL's best? Here's when and where to tune in to every game. 

Rays vs. Guardians schedule

Tampa Bay leads series 3-2

DateGameTime (ET)WatchMon., Oct. 12Game 1: Guardians 7, Rays 3——Tue., Oct. 13Game 2: Rays 3, Guardians 1——Thu., Oct. 15Game 3: Guardians 3, Rays 2——Sat., Oct. 17^Game 4: Rays 7, Guardians 3——Sun., Oct. 18Game 5: Rays 3, Guardians 1——Mon., Oct. 19Game 6: Rays vs. Guardians8 p.m.TBS, DIRECTVTue., Oct. 20Game 7*: Rays vs. Guardians8 p.m.TBS, DIRECTV

^ Game 4 was scheduled for Friday, Oct. 16 but was postponed due to rain
* If necessary

Where to watch Rays vs. Guardians

• TV channel: TBS
• Live streams:DIRECTV

Every game of the Rays vs. Guardians series will air nationally on TBS. Fans can also stream the games with DIRECTV, which offers a free trial to new subscribers.

Catch every game – try DIRECTV FREE today! Stream live NFL, MLB, NBA, soccer and more with must-have sports channels like ESPN, TNT, TBS, FS1, and NFL Network—all included with DIRECTV.

Start your FREE trial now and never miss a moment of the action. No contracts, no hassle, just wall-to-wall sports and entertainment.

Rays vs. Guardians radio coverage

• Radio station: SiriusXM channels 205, 206

Fans can listen to every game of the Rays-Guardians ALCS live on the SiriusXM app, or on channels 205 (Guardians broadcast) and 206 (Rays broadcast) for those in vehicles.

The SiriusXM Sports Pass allows fans to listen to live MLB broadcasts featuring both teams' announcers, along with sports talk and analysis from MLB Network Radio, plus play-by-play coverage of the NFL, NBA, NHL, college football and basketball, the PGA Tour, NASCAR and more. 

Get your first month of SiriusXM Sports Pass for free, then pay just $5 a month or $49 for a year. Click here to learn more and sign up today!

MLB postseason bracket 2026

SN

MLB postseason schedule 2026DateEventTue., Sept. 29Wild Card series beginSat., Oct. 3Division Series beginSun., Oct. 11NLCS beginsMon., Oct. 12ALCS beginsFri., Oct. 23World Series beginsRelated Links

• Latest MLB news and rumors
• 2026 MLB schedule and scores
• MLB standings 2026
• How to bet on MLB

Abington Heights can wrap up the Lackawanna League Division I championship Monday as the regular season is in its final week.

On Monday, the Lady Comets (14-1 overall, 12-0 in division) play at Mountain View (6-10, 4-8) at 6 p.m. Abington Heights can clinch the title with a win and then finish the league season at home against North Pocono (13-3, 11-2).

Abington Heights has 14 straight wins since losing the season opener to Crestwood, 3-2. The Lady Comets swept Mountain View in their first meeting.

Alaina Krempasky leads Abington Heights with 133 kills, Hilde Temblador has 96 and Bella Carr has 78. Temblador also has 189 assists and 126 service points.

Brielle Wentz leads the Lady Comets with 235 assists, and has 158 service points, 57 aces and 89 digs.

Saloni Kishore has 91 service points, and Carr has 85.

Karley Norton recorded her 500th career kill Saturday in a win over Elk Lake. She leads the Lady Eagles with 147 this season. Norton is also tied with Abigail Mitchell with 81 digs.

Aubrey Sanders has 161 service points, 52 aces, 33 digs and 335 assists. Addison Tompkins has 80 kills.

Also, Abington Heights is competing for playoff positioning in District 2 Class 5A. Berwick, the Wyoming Valley Conference leader, is in front with a 15-2 overall record and a .790 power rating. Dallas (16-1, .781) holds the second seed. The Lady Comets are third with a power rating of .749. North Pocono (13-3, .678) is fourth.

The Class 5A playoffs start with the semifinals Oct. 29. The final is Nov. 3.

Mountain View won three of its last four matches and is in third place in the District 2 Class 2A standings.

Blue Ridge (13-5, .613) will be the No. 1 seed for the District 2 Class 2A playoffs. The Lady Raiders won three straight, including a 3-1 win over North Pocono, heading into their finale Monday at Dunmore.

Dunmore (5-8, .437) is second in the Class 2A standings. Elk Lake (6-11, .407) is fourth; Susquehanna (5-12, .344) is fifth; and Lackawanna Trail (3-10, .324) is sixth.

Quarterfinal matches in Class 2A start Oct. 26 at the home site of the higher-seeded team. The semifinals are Oct. 28, and the final is Nov. 4.

Postseason glance

All eight teams qualify for the District 2-4 Class 6A playoffs.

Williamsport, the District 4 representative, plays Thursday at Altoona. The Millionaires lead the power-rating standings at 13-4 overall (.703).

Delaware Valley (11-4, .684) plays a nonleague home match against North Pocono on Thursday.

Hazleton Area (11-6, .639), Pittston Area (7-10, .492) and Wilkes-Barre Area (5-9, .468) finished their regular seasons.

West Scranton is sixth (7-8, .450) and completes its regular season Tuesday against Division II champion Valley View.

Wyoming Valley West (2-12, .324) is seventh, and Scranton (0-14, .258) is eighth, but has three games this week.

In Class 4A, Wyoming Area (2-12, .341) will not play in the postseason.

Crestwood (12-3, .731) holds the No. 1 seed, followed by Valley View (15-2, .704). Tunkhannock (7-7, .556) is third; Nanticoke Area (8-8, .554) is fourth and Forest City (0-13, .221) is fifth.

Holy Redeemer (14-5, .667) is the No. 1 seed in the Class 3A standings. Mid Valley (11-4, .611) and Lakeland (11-4, .607) are in a race for the No. 2 seed. Mid Valley has two home matches remaining: Lackawanna Trail on Monday and Susquehanna on Tuesday.

Montrose (8-5, .587) is fourth with a busy week ahead. The Lady Meteors play at home against Scranton on Tuesday, at Mountain View on Wednesday and at Scranton on Thursday.

Lake-Lehman (10-8, .575) is fifth, and Western Wayne (2-15, .333) is sixth. Hanover Area (0-18, .255) will not participate in the playoffs.

The Class 3A quarterfinals start Oct. 27. The semifinals are Oct. 29, and the final is Nov. 5.

MMI Prep (9-11, .467) is the No. 1 seed for the District 2-4 Class 1A subregional. Sayre (7-9, .375) is second, Sugar Valley Rural Charter School (3-8, .259) is third, Northeast Bradford (2-15, .245) is fourth and Galeton (2-16, .204) is fifth.

The Chicago Cubs have some big players heading to free agency this offseason. 

Kevin Gausman, Shota Imanaga, Matthew Boyd (mutual option), Clay Holmes (player option), Carson Kelly (mutual option), Ian Happ, Seiya Suzuki, Michael Conforto, and Tyrone Taylor are just some of the free agents that the Cubs could lose in the coming months. 

The biggest name on that list is Suzuki. 

Suzuki spent the past five seasons with the Cubs, where he became a power bat in their lineup. He hit .262 with 14 home runs and 46 RBI in 2022, had a .285 batting average with 20 home runs and 74 RBI in 2023, batted .283 with 21 home runs and 73 RBI in 2024, hit .245 with a career-high 32 home runs and 103 RBI in 2025, and batted .270 with 26 home runs and 86 RBI in 2026. 

While Suzuki had his best power numbers during the 2025 season, his best all-around season was actually this past year. He slashed .270/.368/.473 with 26 home runs, 31 doubles, 86 RBI, and three stolen bases in 143 games while playing elite defense in the outfield. 

For most of his career, Suzuki was a below-average defender. He finished with a negative Fielding Run Value in each of his first four seasons. However, in 2026, Suzuki posted career-best numbers in several defensive metrics, including Fielding Run Value, Outs Above Average, Runs Prevented, and Defensive Runs Saved. 

Suzuki’s solid all-around offensive output, combined with his above-average defense, helped him finish with a personal-best 5.1 WAR. 

The Japanese slugger now heads to free agency, where he is looking for a massive payday. And he’ll surely get it. Suzuki has a career .269 batting average with 113 home runs, 382 RBI, and a 16.2 WAR in his five Major League seasons. 

So, what will a contract for Suzuki look like in free agency?

Luckily, Spotrac recently released a projection for Suzuki’s next contract, giving fans insight into what teams might have to pay for him. Spotrac projects him to sign a four-year, $109.9 million deal in free agency. 

That would be a nice payday bump for Suzuki from his previous contract. The Cubs signed the outfielder to a five-year, $85 million deal before the 2022 season. This contract would come in at around $27.5 million annually, up a little over $10 million per season from his last deal.  

Suzuki will no doubt get paid this offseason. It remains to be seen whether the Cubs will be the team to pay him. 

With starting quarterback Jalen Hurts out indefinitely, the Eagles have had to scramble to fill out the depth chart.

Tanner McKee started on Sunday against the Panthers. They also have rookie Cole Payton, and they added Joe Milton from the Cowboys' practice squad.

They had 16-year veteran Andy Dalton, but the Eagles cut him nine days ago. They wanted to bring him back, but Dalton has politely declined, we're told.

Dalton, who has played for the Bengals, Cowboys, Bears, Saints, Panthers, and Eagles, will be signing with a team other than the Eagles as soon as tomorrow. And his arrival in a new city likely will trigger a current member of the quarterback room making his exit.

Which would then, frankly, make that player a potential option for the Eagles.

The Los Angeles Rams need to win against the teams they should beat. They didn’t do that on Sunday as Sean McVay lost to his former protege Mike LaFleur and the Arizona Cardinals, 18-16. The Rams lost on a walk-off field goal by Chad Ryland at the final second, one minute after taking a late one-point lead thanks to hero punter Ethan Evans.

It was another heartbreaking loss for the 2-4 Rams, as their season is about as close to life support as it can get, falling to last place in the NFC West. Behind the Cardinals.

McVay and defensive coordinator Chris Shula were out-coached by LaFleur, and the Rams need to look at themselves for this loss. Penalties, turnovers, and a lack of urgency was L.A.’s identity on Sunday, and it led to a fitting defeat. McVay told the media after the game, “We beat ourselves”.

We'll never win a game if we don't figure out how to stop beating ourselves.
-Sean McVay on with us postgame

— J.B. Long (@JB_Long) October 18, 2026An Offensive Embarrassment

A week after giving up 45 points to the Detroit Lions, the Cardinals held the Rams to 16 points as their offense was inefficient against one of the worst rated defenses through five weeks.

Matthew Stafford went 25-of-33 for 222 yards, 2 touchdowns, and no interceptions. But that stat line wouldn’t paint a picture of how inept L.A.‘s offense was for the duration of the game. It took a late touchdown pass to Colby Parkinson just to get to 16 points, with kicker Blake Grupe injured early in the first quarter.

The Rams were unable to kick field goals after that, going for two points on their initial touchdown, leading to a sack-fumble of Stafford.

Josh Sweat LEVELS Stafford on the 2 point attempt.

The Cardinals defense nearly houses it but gets caught. pic.twitter.com/Aggeb9J4Gx

— The Goal Line Grind (@theGLgrind) October 18, 2026

There’s a growing trend that this Rams offense can’t seem to get going except when trailing or later in the game, and that happened again in Week 6 as the Rams failed to get much going on offense until the fourth quarter.

16 points is rarely enough to win in the NFL and it wasn’t enough to win on Sunday. This is an exciting victory for Arizona and an embarrassing loss for the Rams.

The Rams should be concerned as McVay looks to be regressing as a playcaller. The offensive mastermind used to attack defenses on third and long. Now, the coach calls screens that have a higher chance to lose yards than gain the needed first down.

This game was expected to be a “get right” style game for L.A. Instead, the Rams looked flat throughout the day.

Defense Was OKAY, Not good enough

L.A.’s defense was without Trent McDuffie and Myles Garrett, and they were still the stronger unit than the Rams’ offense. The defense kept the Rams in the game, a reoccurring theme this year, by holding the Cardinals to six field goals and no touchdowns.

However, the defense still allowed SIX scoring drives to the Cardinals. Including not being able to get a stop on Arizona’s game-winning drive for an easy 43-yard field goal by Ryland.

CHAD RYLAND WINS IT FOR THE CARDINALS pic.twitter.com/QfTHlvwVcr

— NFL (@NFL) October 18, 2026

The bend don’t break defense would have been effective for the Rams, but they needed their offense to score touchdowns for that style of defense to work, and the offense left much to be desired as Stafford didn’t break 100 passing yards until the fourth quarter.

Arizona came into the game with the idea of keeping L.A.’s offense off the field, and they did that. Arizona lined up with bigger personnel to run the ball, and the Rams relied on their smaller defensive backs while the Cardinals played more physical than L.A. and controlled the clock.

The silver lining for the Rams is that they kept the Cardinals out of the end zone, but they didn’t give their offense much of a chance to get in rhythm or expose the Cardinals questionable defense.

A lost season?

The Rams fall to 2-4 and have more questions than answers. The question L.A. has answered is they look more like a bad team than a good one, and if this keeps up, people will lose their jobs. The Rams entered 2026 looking at the Super Bowl. Through six weeks, the Rams sit well outside the playoff picture as they aren’t looking at the Super Bowl, they are looking at a lost season.

Should heads roll? That’s not something you would think after a loss to the San Francisco 49ers in Australia, but through this season the Rams have continued to look like worse. Not better.

C.J. Gardner-Johnson isn't exactly known for impeccable decision-making. There's a good reason the Buffalo Bills defensive back is on his fifth NFL team in the last few seasons, and it's not just because of his declining play as an "older" player (he's not even 30!).

We saw a first-hand example of Gardner-Johnson's evident lack of maturity during the Bills' game with the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday. After getting caught arguing with Las Vegas star tight end Brock Bowers late in the first half, the officiating crew on hand decided to eject Gardner-Johnson from the proceedings. It was a bit of a confusing decision, considering no one understood exactly what happened during the tiff at first.

It turns out the officiating crew got it right. Replay footage showed Gardner-Johnson spitting on Raiders center Tyler Linderbaum during his unfriendly chat with Bowers. Yeah, that's going to earn an ejection every single time, folks. How gross and how immature all around:

Chauncey Gardner-Johnson spits on Brock Bowers, gets tossed, continues to be an asset to the Bills secondary pic.twitter.com/VmVCafeqkJ

— Christian D'Andrea (@TrainIsland) October 18, 2026

There's showing physicality and playing with fire; then there's crossing a clear line of unnecessary disrespect. That's what Gardner-Johnson did by spitting on an opposing player. The Bills need a lot of the former. They need none of the latter. In all honesty, this is the sort of conduct that may well earn Gardner-Johnson a hefty fine, if not also a short one-game suspension.

Buffalo has a pivotal bye week coming up. It might have a decision on Gardner-Johnson's status moving forward, who is quickly proving to be more trouble than he's worth.

This article originally appeared on For The Win: Footage shows ejected C.J. Gardner-Johnson crossing a gross line with Brock Bowers

The game in Paris between the Pittsburgh Steelers and New Orleans Saints remains scheduled as planned despite civil unrest in the French capital, the NFL said Sunday.

The teams are set to play next Sunday at Stade de France in what would be the NFL's first regular-season game in Paris, where events are also planned for football fans during the week.

Rioting and looting have taken place during nationwide protests against rising living costs and poor conditions in schools.

“Preparations continue as scheduled for NFL events and the game at Stade de France next Sunday," the league said in a statement Sunday.

"We continue to work closely with local authorities and partners on all operational and security matters. We are also providing the two clubs with regular updates. There’s been no disruption or impact at league sites.”

The Saints were scheduled to arrive in Paris early Monday. The Steelers travel later in the week.

Hundreds of protesters gathered again on Sunday at the Place de la République amid a heavy police presence. Officers used tear gas as tensions flared sporadically in the neighborhood.

Dislodged cobblestones and broken glass littered the area. Looting and damage were also reported in other tourist and shopping districts.

Paris police said 855 people were arrested in the capital region.

French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday voiced the public’s “anger” and “shame” over the rioting and looting.

___

See AP’s full NFL coverage here

• James McClean says the fallout from refusing to wear the poppy “completely changed me as a person” and left him “a bit of a recluse”.
• The former Republic of Ireland winger last played for Derry City in July and describes the dispute as “player against owner”.
• McClean says he has been in contact with Misfits Boxing and wants to fight once his Derry contract expires.

Fourteen Years in England and One Decision That Followed Him Everywhere

James McClean knows how he is seen. “The perception of me is that, basically, I am a madman,” he told the Guardian’s Donald McRae. “The reality is quite the opposite. I’m pretty boring. I go training, go home and switch off.”

The 37-year-old spent 14 years in English football and is now locked in a dispute with his own club, Derry City. He is the fifth-most-capped player in Republic of Ireland history with 103 appearances, and says he is the only footballer from the north of Ireland to win more than 100 caps for Ireland. He played 150 Premier League games over five seasons and about 800 professional matches. “I count that as success and don’t look back with regrets,” he said.

There is sadness in the story too. McClean says his refusal to wear the poppy when playing around Remembrance Sunday in England scarred his career. He said it had made him “a bit of a recluse” and that “I’ve been stung bad.”

A Club Statement That Put All Eyes on Him

McClean was born in Derry in 1989 and grew up in Creggan, the estate that lost more people than any other on Bloody Sunday in 1972, when 14 unarmed civilians were killed by the British army. Six of the dead were from Creggan. “I grew up in a very Republican community still dealing with the effects of the Troubles,” he said. “You would see gunmen on the street.”

Steve Bruce signed him for Sunderland in August 2011 when he was 22. He made his Premier League debut that December after Martin O’Neill replaced Bruce, and his first season in England was full of joy and praise. “I never experienced any bother” up until November 2012, he said, when the poppy row began.

McClean told Sunderland he would not wear the poppy as it also represented the British army that had occupied Derry for so long. “Wearing the poppy was just never going to happen,” he said. He recalled that the club issued a statement before the game saying it was his personal decision but that the club “wholeheartedly support the poppy appeal”. He wanted to make his own statement, he said, but was told the row would die down. “I felt they hung me out to dry.”

The next game was at Fulham, live on Sky. McClean said a threat was made that he would be shot if he came on to the pitch, and the night before the game two police officers were assigned to stand outside his door. “The Met police took it seriously and that made it more real,” he said. O’Neill brought him on in the second half and every touch was booed by the Fulham and Sunderland supporters.

Wigan, West Brom, Stoke and Wrexham

McClean moved on to Wigan, then West Brom, then Stoke, where he played 111 games between 2018 and 2021, and finally Wrexham from 2023 until earlier this year. The abuse followed him through each poppy season. “My reaction was always to fight fire with fire,” he said, and he admits it affected how he played. “There were days where I went looking for the conflict,” he said.

Did people understand his stance better by the time he reached Wrexham? “A wee bit, aye,” he said. Explaining it to teammates and individuals opened their eyes. “But the overall British population? I don’t think so.”

Trouble at Derry City and a Boxing Plan

McClean rejoined Derry City in January. “I was meant to be coming home for the fairytale ending,” he said. His last appearance for the club came in July. “It’s not good. It’s a player against owner and there’s only one winner,” he said. “You never think you’ll be betrayed by your own so it’s painful.”

A Derry City spokesman told the Guardian: “The club cannot speak to, or comment on, how James feels.” He rejected the suggestion that the club had failed to fulfil any promises made to McClean. Earlier this month McClean said he could not “understand or accept” how he was being treated and that he was fit to play but had been left out of the squad by interim manager Mark Connolly. The club said it had sought to resolve the internal matter privately.

McClean has a plan if his football career is over. He has boxed off and on for 10 years and threw himself into it over the past 18 months. He has been in contact with Misfits Boxing, set up by KSI and the Sauerland brothers, and says they want him to fight. He does not see a professional career in the ring at his age, but three or four fights a year would suit him. “Boxing is giving me that purpose to wake up and train hard,” he said. Asked how he feels about a possible end to his football career, he smiled. “It could end up a blessing in disguise.” His autobiography, The Walls, is published by Sandycove.

EUGENE, OR - OCTOBER 17: Nebraska Cornhuskers quarterback Anthony Colandrea (10) scrambles with the ball during a college football game between the Oregon Ducks and Nebraska Cornhuskers on October 17, 2026 at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon. (Photo by Brian Murphy/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Oops, they did it again.

For those of you who stayed up to 1:45 am Sunday morning to watch THAT happen again, you are double struggling with a way-too early and a way-too often Nebraska pratfall, it’s a doubly-painful Sunday.

In mid-August, Husker fans likely presumed Nebraska would be 5-2 at this point, and so Nebraska’s record isn’t the source of the pain. The pain is that Nebraska played well enough the first 50 minutes the last two weeks to be 7-0. Nebraska fans’ glasses are more than half full, but it’s starting to feel like filling it further is futile.

That futility justifiably leads to immense frustration, and that frustration results in irrational pessimism; it’s the same pessimism that led Nebraska to replace not-winning-enough coaches with debacles like Bill Callahan and Mike Riley.

It’s hard to argue that the same mental funk that fans are feeling isn’t also present inside the program to some extent. This isn’t the first time Nebraska has let a fourth quarter lead slip away. And if you watched ANY other college football in between naps, you know that this is the state of college football today.

It also doesn’t help that the quarterback who we hoped would help break Nebraska of this had his fingers all over Oregon’s comeback. But let’s put Dylan Raiola’s fourth quarter in perspective. Yes, Oregon scored 11 minutes in the final quarter, with Raiola leading two long touchdown drives. But let’s not forget that Raiola did it in stereotypical Dylan fashion: 11 of 19 passes for 59 yards. Yes. 59 yards.

If there was a football program in this nation who knew what Dylan Raiola was going to do, it was the Nebraska Cornhuskers. Raiola was never going to test Nebraska’s secondary; it was always going to be a horizontal passing game. Nebraska fans saw a green-tinged parody of the Husker offense from 2024 and 2025, yet for whatever reason, Nebraska never tried pressuring Raiola, unlike every other Big Ten team tries. Content, for whatever reason, to let Raiola have four to six yards every time he threw the ball.

I stayed up until TWO A.M. to watch THAT?

Yes, we should be mad and upset. But let’s not overreact. If you had set the odds for the last two games in August, I suspect everyone would have have said the combined margins of victory for Indiana and Oregon around 30.

Definitely not six points.

With that, it’s onto the report card, and as always, your feedback is welcome in the comments.

QB: I went back and forth on how to grade Anthony Colandrea. He’s one of the bigger reasons Nebraska was in this game, if only because he was able to make Duck Salad out of whatever Oregon threw at him. But he also missed too many opportunities and had too many mistakes. I’ll grade him with a B- because I’m not sure he couldn’t have put Nebraska in position to do more at the end of the game with more time.

I-Back: Mekhi Nelson’s numbers didn’t show it, but he probably had gained 30 yards after contact. There was simply no running room. Would have liked to have see Colandrea check down to backs in the flat; those were big plays earlier this season, and there were more than a couple of opportunities to do this Sunday morning. Isaiah Mozee’s third quarter run was critical to getting Nebraska up 14-6. Jamal Rule must have reinjured himself; thank goodness a bye week is coming up. Grade: C+

WR: One of the things I hate about watching a Fox football broadcast is not seeing more of the game and the confused commentary. So when Devin Gardner insists that “nobody is open” and then I look at a snippet of a Fox replay and see that might not be the case, I’m going to err on the side of “Fox is wrong there too.” I think there were plays to be made in the passing game, with the amount of pressure Oregon was committing up front. Grade: C+

OL: Oregon’s defensive line owned this battle, and Nebraska never was able to get into a comfortable rhythm at anytime. Grade: D+

DL: On the other side of the ball, Nebraska’s defensive line controlled Oregon’s offensive line as well. At various times, Jahsear WHittington, Cam Lenhardt and Williams Nwaneri popped, thwarting the Ducks. Says a lot that the only time the Ducks offense had any success was going horizontal away from the line. Grade: A

LB: Huge game from Owen Chambliss (15 tackles) and Vincent Shavers (9 tackles). Grade: A

Secondary: Caleb Benning played huge, with 12 tackles filling in for Jamir Conn. Dwayne McDouble had a big interceptions and 13 tackles. But down the stretch, the secondary got singed by Raiola’s dink-and-dunk game. It was death by 38 paper cuts in the fourth quarter. Grade: B

Special Teams: The special teams highlight was Archie Wilson’s 60 yard punt midway through the fourth quarter. But then there were the lowlights: a low snap that Wilson had drop to a knee to field. I’m not going to criticize an Australian for not being as up on that bit of nuance to American football. Online, several media members seem to recognizing that Matt Rhule’s disdain for fair catching kickoffs is costing Nebraska yards. 14 in this one, to be specific, and perhaps the only time it actually worked out on the second half opening kickoff. And while Nebraska never got close, you have to wonder how far downfield Colandrea had to get on the final drive to try a game-tying field goal attempt. I’m suspecting around the 20 personally. Grade: C+

Overall: B- Woulda, coulda, shoulda. Didn’t. That’s the bottom line. On a day where upsets were the rule, Nebraska couldn’t avoid their own shadow.

Giants running back Cam Skattebo only played a handful of snaps in Sunday's loss to the Saints and he never touched the ball, but head coach John Harbaugh said that wasn't by design and that Skattebo was not benched after losing a fumble in overtime of their Week 5 tie with the Commanders.

Skattebo had a somewhat different read on things. Skattebo said he "didn't expect to have zero" touches, but — as reported ahead of the game — that he was told that he would be seeing a sharp reduction in playing time.

“I got punished for what I did and I understand it," Skattebo said, via Charlotte Carroll of TheAthletic.com. "I gotta be ready when coach calls my name and that wasn’t today. . . . The message was keep your head down and keep going. They understand the type of player I am and I just gotta continue to do my job and do it to the best of my abilities."

Skattebo confirmed that the punishment was related to the fumble and reiterated that he accepts the team's decision.

“It’s hard, but I've made mistakes and I got to own up to them," Skattebo said. "If that is what they want to do — keep me on the sidelines because of that — I totally understand. I can’t make mistakes at this level of this game and when you make mistakes like that, consequences will be had."

The Giants got 34 yards on 14 carries by Tyrone Tracy, Devin Singletary and Najee Harris on Sunday, so they had to really stick to their guns to avoid looking Skattebo's way for an offensive spark that didn't come until J.J. McCarthy entered at quarterback with the Giants down 34-10 in the fourth quarter. We'll now wait to find out if Skattebo will get another shot against the Texans in Week 7.

Todd Bowles replacements: Ranking Buccaneers' best candidates, from Mike Tomlin to Zac Taylor originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Most expected the Buccaneers to have a tough time getting past the Steelers with Baker Mayfield still out due to injury, but a blown 16-3 lead left Tampa Bay feeling the sting after Pittsburgh won in overtime.

That might not be the straw that breaks the camel's back for Todd Bowles' job security, but it only increases the heat on his seat as the Buccaneers drop to 1-5.

If Tampa Bay moves on from Bowles, who could fill his shoes on the Buccaneers' sideline?

Here are the top options.

MORE:8 best candidates to replace Shane Steichen in Indianapolis

Buccaneers best coaching candidates1. Grant Udinski, Jaguars offensive coordinator

The Buccaneers probably wish Liam Coen, who was Bowles' offensive coordinator in 2024, was their head coach right now. They can't bring him back, but they can pry away his right-hand man.

Still only 30 years old, Grant Udinski seemingly had a real chance to be the Browns' head coach this past offseason and was in the mix for the Bills' job before sticking with Jacksonville. Trevor Lawrence has looked terrific early in the season, so Udinski's stock hasn't declined.

A Buccaneers team that seems likely to look for an offensive-minded coach could easily target Udinski and hope to pair him with an experienced defensive coordinator.

Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin walks off the field after his team fell 30-6 to the Houston Texans during the NFL Wild Card game at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, PA on January 12, 2026. © Michael Longo/For USA Today Network-PA / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

2. Mike Tomlin, former Steelers head coach

Will the Buccaneers just make Mike Tomlin say no? How in-demand the former Steelers coach will be remains to be seen, but it wouldn't hurt Tampa Bay (and other franchises) to gauge his interest.

As far as locations go for a coach who spent nearly two decades in Pittsburgh, Tampa Bay isn't too bad. Tomlin could pair good weather with a fairly well-run, low-drama organization in a perennially weak division by joining the Buccaneers. If reports are to be believed, though, Tomlin probably won't be ready to dive back into coaching this winter.

MORE: How J.J. McCarthy proved he should be starting QB for Giants

3. Nate Scheelhaase, Rams offensive coordinator

Nate Scheelhaase was another top candidate for the Browns this past season, and he's in his first season as the Rams' offensive coordinator as Sean McVay's right-hand man. L.A.'s offense is starting to play well enough to keep Scheelhaase's stock high, and he seems to impress teams when he interviews.

After the Buccaneers cycled through offensive play-caller after offensive play-caller, does it make the most sense to give that role and head coaching duties to someone who isn't calling plays under McVay? If Scheelhaase's football mind is as impressive as teams believe, it could be worth a shot.

Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

4. Zac Taylor, Bengals head coach

The Bengals are intensely loyal to head coaches, bit what if they miss the playoffs again? Can they really run it back with Taylor for a ninth season? With pressure to win during Joe Burrow's prime, that scenario might necessitate a change. 

Would the Buccaneers really go with a retread who had just been fired? Well, Taylor would take them out of the cycle of finding a new offensive play-caller each winter and give the franchise a coach who has been to a Super Bowl. With less competition in the division, a second act in Tampa Bay could be the right move for Taylor.

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

MORE:Cam Skattebo's lack of touches is major cause for concern

5. Klay Kubiak, 49ers offensive coordinator

Kubiak isn't the 49ers' offensive play-caller, but the success of the Kyle Shanahan-Sean McVay tree is tough to deny. The son of Super Bowl-winning coach Gary Kubiak and Raiders coach Klint Kubiak, Klay appears to be next in line for a head coaching gig and could give the Buccaneers the kind of rising offensive mind they seem to need after so much offensive instability.

6. Anthony Campanile, Jaguars defensive coordinator

An offensive-minded coach seems to make the most sense for the Buccaneers, but if they really are looking to recapture some of the magic they found when Coen was on the staff, one of his understudies could make sense. If Udinski can't be pried away, could Jaguars DC Anthony Campanile be an option?

Campanile has impressed in his second season as a play-caller, and he received some interviews in the last cycle. If hired, though, Campanile would have to do what Bowles did and keep trying to find the right offensive play-caller.

MORE NFL WEEK 6: 

• Why official was carted off during Texans vs. Jaguars
• Travis Hunter has best two-way performance yet in NFL
• Cam Skattebo's lack of carries becoming concern for Giants 
• Falcons get great Kendal Daniels update after scary neck injury

INDIANAPOLIS -- The Colts suffered a shocking 26-20 loss to the previously winless Tennessee Titans on Sunday, blowing a 13-point halftime lead. Coach Shane Steichen brushed off questions about his job security after the game.

"Obviously, it's my job to get this team ready and that's what I'm focused on right now," he said after the game.

Steichen opened his postgame news conference by saying: "Extremely disappointing. We've got a lot to fix and we've got to fix it in a hurry."

When asked if he and team owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon had talked about his future, Steichen replied: "We haven't had those conversations. We just talk football."

Joel A. Erickson and Nathan Brown cover the Colts all season. Get more coverage on IndyStarTV and with the Colts Insider newsletter.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Here is what Colts coach Shane Steichen said about his job security after loss to Titans

INDIANAPOLIS -- The Colts suffered a shocking 26-20 loss to the previously winless Tennessee Titans on Sunday, blowing a 13-point halftime lead. Coach Shane Steichen brushed off questions about his job security after the game.

"Obviously, it's my job to get this team ready and that's what I'm focused on right now," he said after the game.

Steichen opened his postgame news conference by saying: "Extremely disappointing. We've got a lot to fix and we've got to fix it in a hurry."

When asked if he and team owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon had talked about his future, Steichen replied: "We haven't had those conversations. We just talk football."

Joel A. Erickson and Nathan Brown cover the Colts all season. Get more coverage on IndyStarTV and with the Colts Insider newsletter.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Here is what Colts coach Shane Steichen said about his job security after loss to Titans

Shafali Verma continued her prolific run in women’s T20 internationals, smashing a 25-ball 55 as India thrashed Zimbabwe by nine wickets in the second T20I to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series on Sunday.

The Indian opener set a new benchmark for the most 50-plus scores by a batter in a calendar year in women’s T20Is, registering her ninth such innings in 2026. She moved past Smriti Mandhana, who recorded eight 50-plus scores in 2024, while Mithali Raj and Hong Kong’s Natasha Miles have seven and eight, respectively, in 2018 and 2026.

Shafali’s latest half-century, her 22nd in T20Is, came as India chased down Zimbabwe’s modest target of 103 in just 8.5 overs after restricting the visitors to 102/8.





Most 50-plus scores in a calendar year

• 9 - Shafali Verma (IND-W) in 2026
• 8 - Smriti Mandhana (IND-W) in 2024
• 7 - Mithali Raj (IND-W) in 2018
• 7 - Natasha Miles (HKG-W) in 2026

Shafali-Mandhana partnership adds to record year
Shafali and captain Smriti Mandhana combined to make short work of the chase, sharing a 96-run opening partnership that put India firmly in control. Mandhana remained unbeaten on 47, while Shafali’s aggressive knock featured sixes and boundaries that left Zimbabwe’s bowlers struggling for answers.

The stand also extended the pair’s remarkable record in 2026. Shafali and Mandhana have now registered nine 50-plus partnerships in women’s T20Is this calendar year, the most by any pair. They surpassed their own tally of seven such stands in 2024 and moved ahead of Hong Kong’s Yasmin Daswani and Natasha Miles, who have eight in 2026.


Most 50-plus stands in a calendar year in Women’s T20Is (any wicket)

• 9 - Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma (IND-W) in 2026
• 8 - Yasmin Daswani, Natasha Miles (HKG-W) in 2026
• 7 - Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma (IND-W) in 2024

Shafali reached her half-century in 26 balls, taking on off-spinner Beloved Biza for a six. She also punished Michelle Mavunga with three consecutive deliveries yielding four, four and six. Mandhana, meanwhile, struck four successive boundaries against pacer Nyasha Gwanzura before finishing the chase with an inside-out six off Olinder Chare.

The victory also gave Mandhana a series win at the start of her full-time captaincy stint.


India’s bowlers restrict Zimbabwe to 102/8
Earlier, India’s bowlers delivered a disciplined performance to prevent Zimbabwe from building momentum after the visitors opted to bat first. Nandani Sharma dismissed opener Kelis Ndhlovu for a duck, and Zimbabwe managed only 20 runs in the powerplay. Beloved Biza departed soon after, leaving the visitors under pressure.

Chipo Tiripano top-scored with 34 off 32 balls, while captain Josephine Nkomo remained unbeaten on 27. The pair added 45 runs for the fourth wicket, providing Zimbabwe with their most productive phase of the innings.

However, off-spinner Niki Prasad broke the stand by having Tiripano caught behind by wicketkeeper Richa Ghosh. Prasad later trapped Nyasha Gwanzura leg-before to finish with figures of 2/7 and leave Zimbabwe restricted to 102/8.

India’s commanding chase, powered by Shafali’s record-setting half-century and her prolific partnership with Mandhana, ensured the hosts secured the series with one match remaining.

INDIANAPOLIS -- The Colts were booed repeatedly in Sunday's embarrassing 26-20 loss to the Tennessee Titans, and neither coach Shane Steichen nor quarterback Daniel Jones had an issue with it.

"We've got to give them something to cheer about," Steichen said after his team blew a 13-0 halftime lead to the previously winless Titans on Sunday. "I don't blame them for booing one freaking bit."

Jones echoed his coach: "We didn't play well enough today. We've got to play better and give them something to cheer about. That's on us to play better."

There was also a brief "Fire Ball-ard" chant late in the game about, of course, general manager Chris Ballard, who is in his 10th season in charge of the organization.

Joel A. Erickson and Nathan Brown cover the Colts all season. Get more coverage on IndyStarTV and with the Colts Insider newsletter.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Colts coach Shane Steichen and QB Daniel Jones were asked about fans booing; here's what they said