Author: Charles

That, coupled with the fact that NFL teams are being more cautious with concussions these days, and there’s a strong likelihood that the Colts may be without their top deep threat on the road against the L.A. Rams this upcoming weekend.

During three starts in the beginning of a contract year, Pierce has 9 receptions for 171 total receiving yards. He had 4 receptions for 67 total receiving yards against the Tennessee Titans this past Sunday.

If he sits out a week, it likely means that Colts 2nd-year wideout AD Mitchell could be poised for a bigger role off the bench, as well as fellow backups Ashton Dulin and Anthony Gould rotationally.

The former 2nd round pick of the 2022 NFL Draft led the Colts in receiving last year with 37 receptions for 824 receiving yards and 7 touchdown receptions. His 22.3 yards per reception average led the entire league.

His absence would be a big one offensively as the Colts’ big play receiver downfield, who can consistently separate vertically and blow the top off of the opposing secondary, when called upon.

Some big statements were made in the Big Ten as conference play kicked off this past week. No more cakewalk games; the top-tier contenders intend to prove themselves as threats not only in the conference but in college football as a whole. Indiana did just that, as did Maryland. Other teams, such as Wisconsin, could be next in line behind UCLA in firing their coach earlier than expected.

Here are the scores from this weekend in Big Ten football for Week 4, plus my breakdown for each team:

Friday: Iowa 38-28 vs Rutgers

Iowa did everything they could to help Rutgers win this football game, unfortunately Rutgers just could not capitalize. Rutgers had their way offensively in their first half but the Scarlet Knights allowed Iowa to hang around with them for too long. Rutgers was the better team in this game and this could have been a statement victory but Iowa remembered late in the game that they can pass the ball. Mark Gronowski and this Hawkeyes defense came up big in the clutch. Rutgers showed that they are not there yet to beat the more experienced teams.

Maryland 27-10 vs Wisconsin

The Malik Washington story continues after yet another impressive showing. Washington just might be the best true freshman quarterback in college football. He just might also have put the nail in the coffin for Luke Fickell. The Badgers did not score until the 3rd quarter in this game. The Badgers do not do anything well offensively and their defense got embarrassed for yet another week. This game showed me that Maryland is ready to get taken seriously and Luke Fickell will be the next head coach fired.

Oregon 41-7 vs Oregon State

As expected the Ducks covered the wide margin set for this game. Dante Moore Jr. has been very impressive early. It will be clear or not if he can be that Heisman caliber player these next two games against Penn State and Indiana. The competition is heating up for the Ducks and we will see if Oregon gets a great return on investment from their big spending spree this offseason.

Michigan 30-27 vs Nebraska

Dylan Raiola was the best quarterback on the field in this game. Unfortunately for him and the Cornhuskers Michigan dominated every other area of this football game. Michigan’s run game will make them a tough team to beat for any team in the Big Ten. It is year 3 for Matt Rhule at Nebraska, this is the year that his teams finally contend in their conference. If Nebraska was going to take that jump this season it would have been this game. The Cornhuskers still feel like they are a year or two away still. Michigan on the other hand maybe should ride with Biff Poggi a little longer, this is a different team with him calling the shots.

Notre Dame 56-30 vs Purdue

Everybody can beat Notre Dame except for Purdue. This was a great get right game for Notre Dame’s offense but defensively giving up 30 points to Purdue is not impressive by any means. Purdue was able to throw the ball all game long on this Fighting Irish‘s defense. Purdue is one of the worst teams in the Big Ten, this game should have not been that close. It is nice to get the first victory on the season but this game said more about Notre Dame not being as good as we thought instead of it being a dominant victory. This game was a nice moral victory game for the Boilermakers I suppose.

Indiana 63-10 vs Illinois

The biggest surprise of this weekend had to be this football game. Illinois missed one of their best players defensively but as the 9th ranked team in the country no way is losing like this acceptable. The Fighting Illini should not be ranked anymore after this loss. Indiana made a statement and they showed they are even better than they were last season. This dominant defense for the Hoosiers put up 7 sacks for the game and made Luke Altmyer run for his life all game. Both sides of the ball can make it a long day for any team they face. Fernando Mendoza has played so well, he is putting himself in conversation to be next draft’s first quarterback taken. The expectation is we will see a Penn State and Ohio State face off in the Big Ten Championship this season. It is still early but after this win Indiana should be a team viewed to have a shot to make the Big Ten Championship game too.

Washington 59-24 vs Washington State

Desmond Williams Jr. makes this Washington team such an exciting team to watch. He is a sleeper for the Heisman. I would not be surprised if he gives the Huskies a fighting chance against the #1 team in the country Ohio State this weekend.

USC 45-31 vs Michigan State

The Trojans get their second win in the Big Ten but still leave a lot of room for concern, especially on the defensive side of the ball. The Trojans can get away with a lot against their 4 previous opponents but now their schedule is getting more intense they have a lot to clean up before they play their tougher opponents. This game is a step on the right direction but the Trojans did not come into this season with a lot of changes just to go 2-0 in the Big Ten and then shrivel up the rest of the season. The Trojans have what it takes to compete but the inconsistencies and them being undisciplined at times could all be factors for their downfall in the end.

Welcome back, Cedrick Wilson Jr. The New Orleans Saints re-signed the veteran wide receiver to their practice squad on Monday after letting him go just a few days earlier, in advance of their Week 3 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. Additionally, the Saints announced that wideout Kevin Austin Jr. was waived from the 53-man roster. He was promoted from the practice squad for this Seahawks game and played 22 snaps on offense, 13 of them as a run blocker.

If he clears waivers, Austin will likely re-sign with the practice squad. But there’s a bit of a numbers logjam at the bottom of the depth chart. Tight end Moliki Matavao was also waived over the weekend and the Saints may want him back on the practice squad, too. There’s a spot open on the 53-man roster but the practice squad has met its 17-man capacity. The easiest solution would be to re-sign Matavao to the roster, but we’ll have to wait and see what the Saints are cooking up. Hopefully it helps them end this three-game losing streak to start the season.

WASHINGTON (AP) — In a jubilant Washington Commanders locker room, linebacker Frankie Luvu announced whom he wanted to reward with a game ball: “Took one on the sideline, and popped up like toast. DQ!” With that, Luvu went over to wrap coach Dan Quinn in a hug.

The Commanders already were leading the Las Vegas Raiders when Quinn got bowled over and bloodied by quarterback Marcus Mariota in a sideline collision shortly before halftime Sunday, but the players loved the way their boss got right back up.

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“He went into the training room, got bandaged up,” Mariota said, “and was like: ‘All right. Let’s keep going.’ I think that’s what really got the guys going.”

Maybe that’s because Washington desperately needed a bounce-back game after an ugly-looking, injury-filled loss in which their offensive line was a glaring issue, their running game was nonexistent, their defense provided little in the way of pressure or resistance and no one really stood out in a positive way.

With some key coaching decisions, steady play from Mariota in place of Jayden Daniels, a strong ground game and contributions from up and down the roster, Washington (2-1) beat Las Vegas 41-24 to get itself pointed in the right direction before facing the Atlanta Falcons (1-2) next weekend.

“A great steppingstone for us,” Mariota said.

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With starting running back Austin Ekeler done for the season, the Commanders spread the ball around, with Chris Rodriguez, Jacory “Bill” Croskey-Merritt, Jeremy McNichols, Deebo Samuel and Mariota each getting at least three carries and totaling 201 yards rushing, 174 in the first half. Croskey-Merritt, Mariota and McNichols each scored a rushing TD, with McNichols going for 60 yards.

They did it behind an offensive line with two new starting guards — Andrew Wylie for Nick Allegretti on the right side, and Chris Paul for Brandon Coleman on the left — that also allowed only one sack.

“We weren’t happy,” Quinn said, referring to Washington’s previous outing, a 27-18 loss at Green Bay on Sept. 11, “but we’re going to make the adjustments: What do we got to do to change it?”

What’s working

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Special teams. From the day’s first touch — Samuel’s 69-yard return on the opening kickoff, setting up Mariota’s 2-yard TD run after a short drive — to rookie Jaylin Lane’s 90-yard punt return for a touchdown in the third quarter, Washington dominated that area Sunday.

What needs help

The secondary. After giving up 289 yards on 19 completions to Geno Smith, including three TD passes to Tre Tucker, Washington is allowing 12.5 yards per completion — only the Dallas Cowboys, at 12.7, are worse this season. Another glaring statistic on the defensive side: The Commanders do not have a single takeaway. The only other teams with zero turnovers are the Jets and Dolphins, who are both 0-3.

Stock up

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The pass rush. Washington sacked Smith five times, including twice by LB Bobby Wagner, who hadn’t registered even a half-sack in the preceding 14 games, and last had two in one game in October 2023. Von Miller, Dorrance Armstrong and Javontae Jean-Baptiste also got in on the act. “We have guys that you have to respect,” Wagner said. “What we did today, I think we could do that throughout the rest of the season.”

Stock down

PK Matt Gay. He missed another field-goal attempt against the Raiders — from just 37 yards — making him 1 for 4 this season to that point. Gay did make two kicks later in the game, from 46 and 56 yards.

Injuries

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The most important status to monitor will be that of Daniels, of course. Terry McLaurin, Washington’s best receiver, hurt a quadriceps muscle on a 56-yard catch, while four members of the secondary left the game at some point: S Will Harris (ankle), S Percy Butler (hip), CB Marshon Lattimore (evaluated for a concussion) and CB Trey Amos (calf).

Key number

29% — Success rate on third downs for the Commanders’ opponents through three games, 12 of 42, the best in the NFL. Washington held Las Vegas to 3 for 14, 21.4%.

Next steps

The Commanders face another struggling opponent they should beat, Atlanta, which is coming off an embarrassing 30-0 loss to Carolina. There will be reunions: Quinn coached Atlanta to a Super Bowl appearance; Falcons backup quarterback Kirk Cousins used to start for Washington.

___

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL

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The England international was brought off in the first half of our 5-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur after landing awkwardly in a challenge with Jess Naz.

Hemp, who missed almost five months of last season with a knee issue, returned to action in time to make England’s Euro 2025 squad, and had started the new campaign in impressive form for City.

But Jeglertz said it was too early to give a full assessment on her recovery after she went for a scan, and admitted our clash with Everton might come too soon for her return.

CITY v EVERTON: GET YOUR TICKETS

“We don’t know 100% yet. We will see today and tomorrow after the results,” our Head Coach said of Hemp’s injury in his pre-match press conference.

“Yeah, that was what happened [her ankle] in the game. But what it means in how long it can be [out injured] is such a big difference from player to player and [based] on the injury. 

“I doubt that [she will play] but that’s not my job to say because we don’t have the result of the scan.

We need to see what happens in the coming days, but it doesn’t seem likely.”

More to follow…

Team golf’s biggest stage is here.

The best 12 American golfers will go up against their European counterparts in the Ryder Cup this weekend at Bethpage Black in New York, looking to rebound after a tough showing two years ago in Italy. While Europe has won eight of the last 11 outings in the biennial event, the United States has won its last two on home soil.

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The action will start on Friday, with rounds of foursomes and four-ball matches. The two teams will run that back on Saturday before everyone hits the course on Sunday for 12 singles match that will decide the cup. The first team to 14.5 points wins.

Here’s everything you need to know to keep up with the Ryder Cup this fall at Bethpage Black.

Friday, Sept. 26

All times ET

Foursomes

The Ryder Cup will start out with foursomes matches, or alternate shot matches, with four pairings from each side squaring off.

Tee Times:
7:10 a.m.
7:26 a.m.
7:42 a.m.
7:58 a.m.

Four-ball

The afternoon will then feature four four-ball matches, or best ball matches.

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Tee Times:
12:25 p.m.
12:41 p.m.
12:57 p.m.
1:13 p.m.

Saturday, Sept. 27

All times ET

Foursomes

Saturday will feature the same schedule, starting out with foursomes matches, or alternate shot matches.

Tee Times:
7:10 a.m.
7:26 a.m.
7:42 a.m.
7:58 a.m.

Four-ball

The afternoon will then feature four four-ball matches, or best ball matches.

Tee Times:
12:25 p.m.
12:41 p.m.
12:57 p.m.
1:13 p.m.

Sunday, Sept. 28

All times ET

Singles

All 12 members of both teams will square off in singles matches on Sunday to wrap up the Ryder Cup, starting just after 12 p.m. ET.

Tee Times:

12:02 p.m.
12:13 p.m.
12:24 p.m.
12:35 p.m.
12:46 p.m.
12:57 p.m.
1:08 p.m.
1:19 p.m.
1:30 p.m.
1:41 p.m.
1:52 p.m.
2:03 p.m.

How to watch the Ryder Cup

NBC has the rights to the Ryder Cup throughout the weekend.

Friday, Sept. 26
USA Network | 7 a.m. — 6 p.m. ET

Saturday, Sept. 27
NBC | 7 a.m. — 6 p.m. ET

Sunday, Sept. 28
NBC | 12 p.m. — 6 p.m. ET