Morgan Rielly has become the latest Toronto Maple Leafs lightning rod, with his play under intense scrutiny after being on the ice for all four goals against in a recent overtime loss to the New York Islanders. The latest defensive hiccup from the Leafs' longest-serving player made Rielly the target of familiar fan frustration, even as a more consequential issue lingers beneath the surface.
ASHBURN, Va. - The Washington Commanders, one year removed from a trip to the NFC Championship Game, have moved on from both coordinators, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter. The Commanders and offensive Kliff Kingsbury mutually agreed to part ways after he met with head coach Dan Quinn. Meanwhile, the team fired defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. The latter move had long been expected considering Quinn took over the defensive playcalling duties from Whitt after Week 10.
In the best start to a season in his NHL career, Bo Horvat has been the spoon that stirs the drink for the Isles, 30+ games into the season. Among the leaders in goals across the league, Horvat's play has been significant, and now, the Isles are struggling with him sidelined due to injury. Going down in the second period nine days ago against the Anaheim Ducks, the Islanders' offensive production has seen a steady decline without their number one center.
The loss of Milton Williams has been felt by this defense in a major way. The Bills continued the trend of easily running the ball, a trend New England has fed into over the past few weeks. Khyiris Tonga missed their matchup against the Giants, and Robert Spillane's absence against the Bills with a foot injury hurt their defense in a big way.
Losing Oliver Ekman-Larsson is a significant setback for the Toronto Maple Leafs. He exited Thursday's game against the San Jose Sharks with a lower-body injury and did not return. Head coach Craig Berube confirmed the team will re-evaluate him, but there's no clear timeline for his return yet. Ekman-Larsson has been one of Toronto's most relied-on defensemen, often playing big minutes and contributing offensively. With other key defenders already sidelined, the Leafs must adjust quickly to stay competitive.
Fast forward to December, and some seemed to have cooled on Tucker after he underwhelmed in his debut season with the Cubs. He finished the year with 22 home runs and 25 stolen bases in 136 games played. His .841 OPS, while still 43% better than league average, was his worst since 2022. His .464 slugging percentage was his lowest career line.
when you have more players with different characteristics, especially with Cunha or Ben [Sesko], you have more options to score goals, especially against low blocks where there's no space. But that is just an excuse, we have players on the pitch, and we could lose the game but with a different intensity, the understanding of the moment when the other team fight each other and get the red card. And I think we didn't understand the moments of the game during the 90 minutes.
He has been Washington's most productive pass catcher, as injuries have sidelined Terry McLaurin and Noah Brown for a combined 16 games. Samuel has a team-high 53 receptions (37 more than the next receiver), 470 yards and five touchdowns. A bruised heel caused him to miss one game, but Washington lacks quality receiver depth and a return for Samuel would make sense. The question is at what cost? McLaurin will count for $18.35 million on the cap in 2026, so the Commanders could afford another year of Samuel if they wanted.
His belief is tremendous, said the manager. I can tell him to go and run to the first post, and he does it with conviction, energy and attitude. The team's belief in those moments is really high, and Gabriel is at the heart of that. He gives everything for the team and that sets the tone for everyone else.
Linebacker DeMarvion Overshown emerged as one of the Cowboys' most reliable players on defense during the first thirteen weeks of the 2024 season. His speed, instincts, and ability to close space made him a standout in a unit that frequently struggled with missed tackles, inconsistent coverage, and communication lapses. Overshown played true linebacker - diagnosing plays, scraping across the formation, and erasing space in ways few on the roster could match.
"I hope everything ends up like this. I don't have a plan B, but I have no idea yet. I prefer to concentrate on being part of the team and playing as much as I can. Now I have to see what happens. If there's something to be done, of course it will be done. Of course, I'd like to know what's going on, but I prefer to focus on what I can do," he told Tipsbladet.
Jayden Daniels wasn't healthy enough to participate in Monday Night Football against the Kansas City Chiefs to conclude Week 8. The quarterback's presence was once again sorely missed as the Washington Commanders were left counting the cost of failed opportunities en route to yet another blowout loss. Questions are being raised about this project's current direction. Head coach Dan Quinn's squad was expected to go deep into the playoffs again.
For starters, Campbell made the team out of camp, which felt like a decision that was made prior to spring training since Campbell didn't exactly kick the door down in March. The team got a good look at Campbell, who had the most plate appearances on the team in the spring (59), and his slash line was just .167/.305/.271 with 1 home run and 2 RBI (although he finished strong with a
There is no hiding from the truth that Barcelona's defence has been one of the team's biggest concerns this season, and while much of the attention has centred around the departure of Inigo Martinez, not enough has been said about the worrying decline in form of Jules Kounde. Once a defensive rock under Hansi Flick, the Frenchman now looks a shadow of the player who was once seen as indispensable in Barça's backline.
It was the right decision at the time. Then there are the human variables; no one could have predicted Lukaku's difficulties, perhaps not so much environmental ones, because he knew the club, but rather in his relationship with the coach. He came from an almost father-son relationship with (Antonio) Conte, and that difference in approach affected him in some way, along with the injury he suffered. If it hadn't been for that, the story would have been different.
Currently out with high ankle sprain. Washington's offense is a moving target because Jayden Daniels turns dropbacks into field trips. He's been sacked 14 times, which is middle of the pack and the Commanders just coughed up three turnovers on Monday night after juggling injuries up front. That's the kind of environment where a high-motor edge like Ezeiruaku can really shine.
Since acquiring Hampus Lindholm in March of 2022, the Boston Bruins have relied heavily on his defensive minutes at the top of their lineup. Overall, he played in 153 games over his first two seasons in Boston. However, last season Hampus Lindholm was sideline for all but 17 games with a back injury and the team missed him dearly. Boston plummeted in the second half and missed the playoffs entirely.
If Spain are to come anywhere close to their 2008-2010 feats and back up their European Championship title by adding the World Cup, then they have a central problem. Literally. It's a 6-foot-2, 118-pound problem by the name of Rodri Hernández: Ballón d'Or winner, leader, champion, enforcer, brainiac, and someone without whom, on top form, Spain simply won't lift their second Mundial trophy in New Jersey next July.
Tyler Smith ranks as the second-best interior offensive lineman, making two straight Pro Bowls and cited as the most physically impressive guard, according to an unnamed general manager.
