#defense

#defense

The Rams are regarded as a Super Bowl contender - but first they have to make the playoffs. Coach Sean McVay's team can clinch a playoff spot if they defeat the Detroit Lions on Sunday at SoFi Stadium. The Rams are 10-3, lead the NFC West and hold the No. 1 seed in the NFC. A win over the Lions would guarantee a playoff spot for the seventh time in McVay's nine seasons.

The film tells the truth. The Lakers are not a good defensive team, evidenced by the sight of the NBA's top guards blowing past Lakers defenders into the paint during a 10-game defensive swoon that ranks among the league's worst. Yet when coach JJ Redick shows his team the tape and then backs it up with the numbers, there's still cautious optimism that the Lakers can improve.

Coming off the bye week, the San Francisco 49ers find themselves in an enviable position. They are rested, getting healthier, and eyeing not just the playoffs but potentially the NFC's No. 1 seed. With one more win, they are a virtual lock for the tournament. Andas luck would have ithere comes a team tied for the worst record in the NFL, flying cross-country to Levi's Stadium this Sunday. On the surface, this looks like a mismatch of epic proportions.

The Cowboys are the 19th best team by DVOA, which feels about right. With 14 teams making the playoffs, that means they're just on the outside of that threshold. It's worth noting that three of their four remaining opponents all rank below them in DVOA, as do two of the teams ahead of them in the conference standings. Let's highlight special teams real quick, because it's been bad.

Army football's entire identity depends on being efficient but their data expose a team that operates with fragility. At 4.8 yards per play, every drive is a puzzle that requires multiple correct moves in a row. There's no short cut, no explosive theta to bail them out, no quick score hiding in the back pocket. That's why Army has reached the end zone just 35 times all season, one of the lowest totals in the country.

Yes, Mookie Betts back at [shortstop]. He was right there in that Gold Glove race. Really proud of Mookie what he did at shortstop. Even the last play in the World Series...he worked on that play a lot. On the run, fielded, runner bearing down on you, to then throw it on the run and then throw a strike to Freddie [Freeman]. That's a little snippet of his growth.

It doesn't mean anything. It doesn't show you anything. There's ebbs and flows along the way.

Perhaps Steve Kerr is trying to manifest a reality that doesn't exist. Because if the Warriors coach has said it once this season, he's said it a dozen times: He believes this group can be a top-tier defensive unit. He says it with conviction. He says it like it's a foregone conclusion, just waiting for the rest of us to catch up. I'm not buying what he's selling. And honestly, neither should you.

Coming out of UNC after a freshman season where he displayed all the traits needed to become an elite NBA-level defender, rookie Drake Powell brought plenty of upside and intrigue to the Brooklyn Nets. His offensive game was, and still is, a project, but the impact he's already made on the defensive end is blatant-and his head coach is noticing. Following Brooklyn's first win at the Barclays Center of the 2025-26 campaign, a 116-103 victory over the Charlotte Hornets, Head Coach Jordi Fernandez praised the 20-year-old's knack for making the plays that don't show up on a stat sheet.

Hugo González was drafted in the first round the summer, after playing three seasons with Real Madrid in Spain. González has yet to make his mark on the season, as he's averaged just 11.7 minutes per game this year. Against the Knicks, however, he played 22 minutes and was a key piece in helping the Celtics improve to 12-9. González only put up four points, but he garnered praise from his coaches and teammates for his defense.

We did everything right. We had a lot of shots. We had a lot of chances. We just came up short, Pucks did not bounce our way, I want to be honest. I like the way we are playing. I love the way we compete. Sometimes you have to throw pucks at the net and find ways to get those rebounds. There was urgency, and we needed a shot from the top.

More rest is good for MVP candidate Maye and his dinged-up offense, and also for the defense that's banged up, as well. Injuries are mounting, and as the season enters its final third, both units will be expected to carry their share of the weight. You clearly need both to be firing on all cylinders if you're going to reach the now in sight uber-objectives they can achieve.

"When I put the tape on yesterday, I was like 'Wow,'" Reich said. "This is the real deal. This looks like the best team we've played all year. ... It's an opportunity to measure our program against someone like that."

As reported by Mundo Deportivo, if there is one statistic that defines Barcelona's Champions League form under Hansi Flick so far, it is this: 24 goals conceded in just 10 away matches. This data is not specific to this season but to Flick's stint at Barcelona as a whole, which highlights the team's defensive fragility in the competition, especially in away matches. While the Blaugrana have been formidable at home, they have yet to find a reliable formula when travelling across Europe.

Remembering the night Alex Ovechkin helped fuel his team's first big step toward the Cup. [Rink] Spencer Carbery's patience with the power play has run out...which is at least two weeks after the rest of us, but it's fine. [WaPo] It's time to celebrate another Alex Ovechkin milestone! The Caps will honor the captain tomorrow night for Goal #900. [Caps] Happy 75th birthday to Bob Kelly, and happy 34th birthday to Philipp Grubauer! Finally, we need to relive this goal one more time because...damn:

This looks like just a straight-up swap, as the Braves will be getting the reigning AL Gold Glove Award winner as a utility player in the form of Dubón in exchange for a NL Gold Glove Award finalist in the form of Allen. Allen will be leaving the Braves with a paltry slash line of .221/.284/.251 with a .245 wOBA, 53 wRC+ and 22 RBI.