Chicago Bears defensive lineman Jamree Kromah (59) stretches during a joint training camp at the Kettering Health Practice Fields, Thursday, Aug. 20, 2026, in downtown Cincinnati. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Co
The Chicago Bears’ offseason has seen several players raise their stock. None more so than sixth-round draft pick Jordan van den Berg, who went from a fun athletic day-three prospect to getting reps with the starters. At this point, van den Berg’s roster spot is a lock, but there’s another defensive lineman who made a splash in the last couple of weeks.
Jamree Kromah came out of college in 2024 as one of the most athletic defensive tackles in his class (9.67 RAS), but he went undrafted and signed with the Bears. He moved up and down the line at James Madison, but as a pro his future was at defensive end. The 275-pounder had a nice camp and totaled 3 tackles and 2 QB hits in the preseason and was ultimately signed to Chicago’s practice squad.
The New England Patriots signed him to their active roster a couple of weeks later, but he was waived and signed back to the Bears’ practice squad, where he remained the rest of 2024.
He was back in Chicago the next year, and in the 2025 preseason he had 6 tackles and a QB hit. The Bears once again signed him to the practice squad, where he stayed all season.
This year, he came into camp a new man.
“One thing I did for sure was I changed my body, changed my nutrition, because I was much heavier last year,” Kromah said in the locker room following the preseason opener against the Browns, where he hit the D-lineman trifecta of a sack, forced fumble, and recovery all on the same play. “So I wanted to make some changes by losing weight. I lost over 20 pounds, but got stronger and then put more lean mass on. So this is the best I have felt … I had to look at the man in the mirror and be true to myself, and come up with a real plan.”
In his first two preseason games, the 6’3″, now 268-pounder, has 6 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, and a forced fumble and fumble recovery. His second game wasn’t as impactful, but he did have a half-sack negated by a holding penalty.
In Saturday’s game in Tennessee, he’ll get another chance to shine and make a final push for a roster spot. The Bears may not play their starters, but starting defensive end Austin Booker is sidelined with a groin issue, which could create more opportunities for Kromah.
Our friends at FanDuel Sportsbook currently have the Titans as a 2.5 point favorite in the preseason finale. If you think the Bears will win outright, the moneyline is at +122, with the point total over/under at 37.5.
The main story of the game for the Mets was starting pitcher Christian Scott, who had an up-and-down outing in the strangest possible terms.
Scott was spotless through five innings, allowing just one hit and two walks and keeping Houston off the scoreboard.
However, after recording the first out in the fifth inning, Scott issued three straight walks to Yordan Alvarez, Isaac Paredes,and Jose Altuve. Having lost control of the strike zone, interim manager Andy Green pulled his starter for Nate Lavender, who surrendered two hits which drove in all three baserunners, tagging Scott with three earned runs on his final line.
Speaking with the media postgame, Green expressed no regrets with his decision to let Scott push past the fifth inning.
"Today was a good day to test him," Green said. "He had been efficient through five innings, so I wanted to give him [the chance to face] the third time through [the batting order]."
Both Green and Scott were asked if the right-handed pitcher is feeling any arm fatigue in his first season back from Tommy John surgery and, if so, whether it was a factor in his control issues.
"I'm sure he's feeling it more as the season goes on," Green said. "I think you see it often in their first game back from Tommy John...when he gets further and further from that, the walks will dissipate."
Scott, in contrast, refused to pin the blame on anything but his own performance.
"I wouldn't say I did [feel any arm fatigue] tonight," Scott said. "I just didn't execute, didn't get a lot of whiffs, didn't throw the ball well in the sixth ... need to do a better job filling up the zone."
"Physically, I feel fine," Scott said. "I feel like I'm pitching very well right now, but I need to do a better job executing, especially later in the game."
Whatever the case, Green has the 27-year-old's back.
"It was a learning experience today," Green said. "I have a ton of confidence that the next time he is staring down the middle of the order in the sixth inning, he's going to succeed in that situation."
While most of the starters weren't in action, Friday night's game was a final chance for Jets and Giants players to make their case for roster spots. After a convincing 23-6 win, the Giants can feel good about their depth.
The Jets took a 6-0 lead on their first offensive possession with a 10-play drive that ended with short touchdown run by undrafted rookie running back Chip Trayanum. However, their offense struggled for the rest of the half and the Giants overcame two turnovers to take a 10-6 lead on Tyrone Tracy's touchdown run and Dominic Zvada's short field goal.
The rookie Zvada, who looks to have secured the placekicker job over Ben Sauls, extended the lead to 16-6 with a 53-yard field goal in the third quarter and another early in the fourth. The Jets already announced that Jason Sanders has won their own kicking contest, but his early missed extra point won't fill their fans with confidence, and he also missed a 54-yard field goal.
Jake Haener's 37-yard touchdown pass to former Jets receiver Xavier Gipson made it 23-6 with 10:30 remaining. At the time, Big Blue had outgained the Jets by 354 yards to 99, as they clearly dominated in all three phases. They ran out the clock on their next possession and ultimately outgained the Jets, 400-139.
Here are the takeaways...
– With most starters on both teams sitting, the Jets opted to use defensive tackle T'Vondre Sweat and edge defender Joseph Ossai on the Giants' first two possessions. These were two of the Jets' biggest offseason acquisitions on the defensive side of the ball but hadn't been able to suit up in the first two preseason games due to injuries. Both flashed as Sweat blew up a run in the backfield and Ossai got in Jameis Winston's face to break up a pass.
– John Harbaugh has been honest about wanting to see more from Tracy, who ran hard with four carries for 37 yards and a touchdown in the first half. However, he ended up being sidelined with a head/neck injury. Tracy's spot on the 53 is not entirely secure depending on how many running backs the Giants plan to carry. New addition Najee Harris, who might be his main competition, also played well with 59 yards on 12 touches.
– The Jets' defense, which was historically bad at forcing turnovers last year, showed more playmaking abilities in this game after having intercepted two passes last week. Linebacker Marcelino McCrary ball intercepted a pass that was deflected by cornerback Qwan'tez Stiggers and then forced a Braxton Berrios fumble, covered by Stiggers in the end zone. Despite these two plays, Stiggers had a mixed day, getting beaten deep and a personal foul on special teams.
– The Giants haven’t had much of a chance for their starting offensive line to play together in preseason, which was probably a factor in their three interior starters -- center John Michael Schmitz and guards Francis Mauigoa and Jon Runyan Jr. -- all getting the start. For most of the game, the Giants offensive front got the better of the Jets' defensive line, but not necessarily on those early drives. Guard Evan Neal was a standout with the second unit, though.
– Gang Green would have liked to have seen more from rookie quarterback Cade Klubnik, who was at the helm during the first half, as he is expected to be the backup this season. On their scoring drive, he handed the ball to Trayanum on nine of the 10 plays, as their backup offensive line had their way with an opposing front seven also comprised of backups. Klubnik ended up with six completions on 13 passes and didn't complete one down the field until less than two minutes left in the half. He was also intercepted by linebacker Zaire Barnes.
– One Giants player who stood out was edge defender Trace Ford, who had a sack and blew up two runs in the backfield in the first half. For the Jets, Nate Lynn continued his late push for a roster spot with another sack after having had two last week.
– The Jets lost rookie guard Anez Cooper to an apparent right wrist injury in the second quarter. The sixth-round pick was probably destined to be a healthy scratch to start the season anyway, so if he needs to go on injured reserve instead, it might ironically be beneficial in terms of freeing up a roster spot for another potential contributor.
Game MVP: Odell Beckham Jr.
Beckham's attempts to make the Giants' roster has been one of the stories of the summer, and he made a strong case for himself here with three catches for 53 yards before sitting out the second half. Beckham, who also drew a flag for pass interference, was looking sharp as he showcased that he still has the ability to create separation. It could have been a monster half for Beckham, who was wide open for a potential deep touchdown but unlucky not to be able to hang onto a diving catch attempt on Winston’s overthrown pass.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - AUGUST 28: Zac Veen #13 of the Colorado Rockies slides into third base during the fifth inning against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on August 28, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After splitting a series against the Washington Nationals, the Colorado Rockies looked to start the series in Atlanta on a high note. Despite a solid night offensively, the Rockies left a small village on the base paths as the big hit eluded them and couldn’t keep pace with a dangerous Braves offense.
A tough night in Atlanta for Tomo
Hoping to break a string of difficult starts, the cards were not in Tomoyuki Sugano’s (菅野 智之) favor against the Braves. Things looked promising as Sugano worked a quick 1-2-3 first inning, a far cry from the 45 pitches he threw in his last outing. Unfortunately for Sugano, the Braves picked away at him in the second inning to build a 3-0 lead.
Ronald Acuña Jr. led off with a walk and came in to score on a double from Michael Harris II. After Maricio Dubón flew out, advancing Harris to third base, and Mike Yastrzemski struck out, Sean Murphy delivered an RBI double down the line to score another run. Ha-Seong Kim was then hit by a pitch, setting the table for Drake Baldwin to shoot a ball up the middle to score a third run.
Dubón added another RBI single in the third inning to increase the lead to 4-0. Sugano managed a harmless fourth inning, and his offense closed the deficit in the top of the fifth inning, but his night would be over after just three batters when he came back out to pitch. Acuña smoked the first pitch he saw all the way to the wall for a double, and then Harris launched a two-run home run on the second pitch of the inning to give the Braves a 6-3 lead. Dubón’s single delivered the final blow to knock Sugano out of the game.
Once again, Sugano’s command eluded him. Due to the Atlanta heat and humidity, he struggled to grip the baseball and ended up having to rely on his fastball much more than usual. As a result, he threw 91 pitches, 58 strikes, and allowed six runs on 10 hits with four strikeouts and one walk. He wasn’t able to dip into his secondaries and was often working behind hitters, and the contact started to get harder and harder by the time that fifth inning rolled around.
“He got behind in the count again,” manager Warren Schaeffer said. “Not a lot executed tonight. Got hit pretty hard there. It’s just been a tough couple of times out for Tomo.”
Bullpen boys keep it in reach
The Rockies bullpen has continued to do their job and pick up quite a bit of slack from the rotation and this game was no different.
Mark Manfredi relieved Sugano in the fifth inning and continued to impress in his young career. He ended up throwing two solid innings, giving up just three hits and striking out one batter. He was then replaced by Juan Mejia, who tossed a scoreless inning, allowing just one hit. Brennan Bernardino then faced the minimum in the eighth inning.
They combined for just four hits over four innings on 49 total pitches.
The quest for the big hit
Once again, the Rockies found themselves searching for the big hit in the game on offense. In the second inning, the Rockies had something promising after TJ Rumfield walked and Willi Castro singled to put runners on first and second against Grant Holmes. Mickey Moniak smoked a liner to first base that was snagged by Matt Olson for the first out. Connor Norby then grounded into a double play to end the inning.
In the fourth inning, Rumfield singled and was then replaced on the bases by Castro after he grounded into a fielder’s choice. Moniak singled to put men on the corners, but Norby grounded out to end the threat once again.
They finally broke through in the fifth inning against Holmes when Zac Veen, who recorded his first multi-hit game, singled to lead off the inning and advanced to third on a base hit from Ezequiel Tovar. Jake McCarthy got the Rockies on the board with a sacrifice fly to center field. Cole Carrigg tallied a base hit and Tovar came in to score the Rockies’ second run on a single by Hunter Goodman. The third run of the inning came when Rumfield grounded out to the shortstop, allowing Carrigg to score from third.
The string of hits made it a one-run game at the time before the Harris home run in the bottom half of the inning. It also ended Holmes’s night after the fifth inning as he allowed three runs on eight hits with three strikeouts and one walk.
“All year… we pass the baton,” Schaeffer said. “That’s why our offense is so much better this year. Selfless baseball, just trying to get on for the next guy, that’s what we do.”
Facing the dangerous Braves bullpen, the Rockies threatened Ray Kerr in the seventh inning, but couldn’t get the big hit to shift the momentum of the game. McCarthy was hit by a pitch, Goodman singled, and Rumfield walked to load the bases with one out. Castro sent the first pitch he saw to center field for a sacrifice fly to give the Rockies their fourth run of the game. Unfortunately, the Rockies couldn’t get more as the left-on-left matchup for Moniak resulted in a strikeout to end the inning.
The eighth inning continued the theme on offense. Veen drew a one-out walk and moved up to third on a two-out single by McCarthy. With men on the corners and two outs, Carrigg ripped a ball to second base that was gathered by Ozzie Albies. Carrigg flew down the line, forcing a bang-bang play at the bag, and was called out. The Rockies challenged, but the call was upheld, ending the inning.
Goodman secured his third hit of the night with a single in the ninth off of Raisel Iglesias, but was quickly erased on a double-play. Castro then lined out softly courtesy of a diving catch by Albies to end the game. That was a common trend on the night as well, as the Braves continued to make some impressive defensive plays to rob the Rockies of hits that could have drastically altered the game for them.
Despite the 12 hits, the Rockies ended up going 1-for-11 with runners in scoring position, leaving 10 men on base. They have now gone 2-for-20 over the last two games. They only struck out five times and had three walks, with the only extra-base hit being Moniak’s double in the sixth.
“We had chances all night; I thought we swung the bats well, ” said Schaeffer. “We got after it offensively; we came back, kept the foot on the gas. Just didn’t get the job done.”
Up next
The Rockies and Braves continue the series Friday, with Ryan Feltner (5-8, 6.08 ERA) facing veteran lefty Martín Pérez (8-8, 3.12 ERA).
First pitch is scheduled for 2:10 pm MDT. See you then!
Aug 28, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Braves right fielder Ronald Acuna Jr. (13) celebrates with center fielder Michael Harris II (23) after a two-run home run against the Colorado Rockies in the fifth inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
You can’t get a high-octane, 1-0 complete game every night. The series opener for Braves-Rockies was always bound to feel different than this last few nights versus Los Angeles, and boy, did it deliver on that front.
The swing-happy Rockies collected eleven singles and one double off of the Braves pitching staff. But the Braves weren’t going to be outdone Friday at home, where they’ve been dominant. They outhit and outscored the Rockies by two for fourteen hits and a final score of 6-4 to secure their 80th win of the season.
It was a quiet first frame as each starter began the game with a 1-2-3 inning. Grant Holmes issued a leadoff walk to TJ Rumfield followed by a single to Willi Castro, but got out of it with a Mickey Moniak lineout and a Connor Norby double play.
“Cleanup man” may just be the psychological trick needed to get Ronald Acuña Jr. going. He led off two innings anyway, but the reset / new mentality seemed to make all the difference as he ended up 3-for-3 on the evening. His great night began with a leadoff walk in the second. He then scored from first on a double off the bat of Michael Harris II, giving the Braves a 1-0 lead.
Mauricio Dubón’s productive out moved Harris to third before Mike Yastrzemski battled for nine pitches before he whiffed for strike three. But Harris wouldn’t be stranded – Sean Murphy, in a bit of deja vu from Wednesday, laced one down the third base line juuust fair for a double to make it 2-0.
Don’t look now, but Ha-Seong Kim has now reached base three straight games after being hit by a pitch. We take those.
Drake Baldwin drove in his fellow catcher on a single to center field to extend the lead to 3-0 before Ozzie Albies flew out to end the inning. A crooked number for the Bravos? Is that allowed?
Holmes worked around a Zac Veen leadoff single in the top of the third before setting down the next three Rockies in order.
Ronald’s first hit of the night came in the bottom of the third with a single to center field. He advanced to second on a Harris sac bunt and scored on a Dubón single.
Holmes allowed a couple more singles in the top of the fourth, but a nice Ozzie/Kim play and two other groundouts helped him escape.
Grant was not so fortunate in the top of the fifth. Consecutive singles by Veen (again) and shortstop Ezequiel Tovar set the table for Jake McCarthy’s sac fly to end the shutout and make it 4-1.
Two more singles by Cole Carrigg and Hunter Goodman kept the line moving. Seemingly aware it was not our usual infielders and alignments, there was a weird vortex that appeared between Dubón at third and Ha-Seong Kim at short. Goodman’s hit deflected off of both of their gloves before rolling into left field.
All of a sudden, Colorado had chipped away enough to make it a one-run ballgame at 4-3. Holmes settled down to get Castro to fly out and end the fifth, closing the book on tonight’s outing: 8 hits (all singles), 3 earned runs, 1 walk, and 3 strikeouts on 84 pitches.
But the Braves would get some of those runs right back. Our outfielders combined for our first multi-run home run in a while: Ronald doubled to right, and once again got to trot home to score on a blast to the Chophouse by Money Mike. Dubón’s single prompted Warren Schaeffer to make a pitching change.
Tomoyuki Sugano exited to the dulcet tones of Ke$ha proclaiming that this place was “about to blow”. With the field awash in red light, Mark Manfredi entered to stop the Braves from adding on any further. He struck out pinch-hitter Lane Thomas, got Murph to fly out sharply to center, and Kim to pop out to short to end the rally with the Braves leading 6-3.
Dylan Dodd allowed a leadoff double to Moniak to start the sixth, but put up another zero with a swinging strikeout and two flyouts.
After a Baldwin lineout and Ozzie taking a risk on a hustle double that did not work out, Matt Olson finally decided to join the party with a single to right, followed by Ronald’s second single. But Manfredi got Harris to line out sharply to left to end the sixth, keeping the Braves off the board for his two innings of relief.
Ray Kerr entered to face the top of the Rockies order in what ended up being an eventful seventh inning. He hit McCarthy and got Carrigg to fly out. But a single to Goodman and a walk by Rumfield loaded the bases, prompting a mound visit from Jeremy Hefner. Castro’s sac fly made it 6-4 before Moniak’s strikeout ended the inning.
Murphy hit a two-out single off new reliever Juan Mejia in the bottom of the seventh, but nothing else of note occured.
Victor Mederos jogged out of the bullpen for the eighth inning. Veen worked a walk between Norby groundout and flyout by pinch-hitter Troy Johnston. But a McCarthy single put runners at the corners. A diving play by Ozzie / flip to Olson on a ground ball hit by Carrigg was challenged by Colorado. We all braced for the replay center to overturn the out call and allow the Rockies to add another run, but New York was on our side for this one (!) and we moved right on along. The home half of the eighth ended expeditiouisly as Brennan Bernardino set down our top three in order.
Raisel Iglesias came into the ninth with the two-run lead and set to face the heart of the Rockies order. Team home run leader Goodman did not hit a dinger, thankfully, but a freak single off his bat allowed him to reach. But our own home run leader can also pick it with the best of them – Olson started a beautiful double play to send Goodman and Rumfield back to the visiting dugout and bring Castro up as the last hope for the Rockies.
More defensive magic in the form of an Ozzie Albies diving play for out number three sealed this one for the Braves.
With a final score of 6-4, that extends Atlanta’s win streak to five games, is the 80th win of the season, and improves the Braves’ home record to 46-23, which is the best in baseball. Most excitingly? Every Brave except Lane Thomas (who had two ABs after hitting in Yaz’s spot) and Ha-Seong Kim had a hit tonight. Here’s hoping that this upward offensive trend continues.
The Braves will return to action tomorrow afternoon with Martín Pérez on the mound for the 4:10 pm ET start.
New York Jets safety Jarius Monroe (25) blocks the ball as New York Giants wide receiver Braxton Berrios (87) attempts to catch the ball during a game at MetLife Stadium, Aug 28, 2026, East Rutherford, NJ, USA. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Co
In the New York Jets’ third and final preseason game of 2026 in East Rutherford, New Jersey, the Jets were defeated by the New York Giants, 23 – 6.
The Jets opened on defense and on third down they intercepted Jameis Winston. That set them up with first and ten at the Giants 36. The Jets proceeded to run a 10 play drive that ended with a short Chip Trayanum touchdown run. No passes were thrown in the drive. Jason Sanders missed the extra point to make the score Jets 6, Giants 0.
The Giants proceeded to put together a long drive that ended when the Jets forced a fumble by old friend Braxton Berrios into their own end zone for a touchback. The turnovers are flowing for the Jets this preseason.
Late in the first quarter the Giants took advantage of a short field to go on a drive culminating in a Tyrone Tracy touchdown run and a 7 – 6 Giants lead. The first quarter ended a few seconds later with the score still 7 – 6.
A few plays into the second quarter Cade Klubnick threw a terrible pass into tight coverage that was picked off by the Giants. The Giants then put together a long drive that bogged down inside the Jets five yard line. They converted on a chip shot field goal to take a 10 – 6 lead with less than three minutes left in the half. Neither team got much going on offense the last few minutes and the half ended with the score still Giants 10, Jets 6.
The Jets opened the third quarter on offense. Bailey Zappe took over for Cade Klubnik at quarterback and promptly led the team on a scintillating three and out. The Giants offensive scrubs took over and put together a short drive ending in a 53 yard field goal and a 13 – 6 Giants lead midway through the third quarter.
Zappe took over on offense and engineered a thrilling three and out as he made his case to be cut on Sunday.
Legendary quarterback Jake Haener took over for the Giants and led them on a long drive. The third quarter ended with the score still Giants 13, Jets 6, but the Giants were lining up for a field goal attempt. On the first play of the fourth quarter the Giants hit on a 46 yard field goal as the Giants took a 16 -6 lead to open the fourth quarter.
Bailey Zappe proceeded to lead the Jets on a stirring three and out as he continued to impress.
Jake The Legend Haener then led the Giants on a swift drive resulting in a touchdown on a 37 yard pass to old friend Xavier Gipson as the Giants piled on with 23 unanswered points. The score was Giants 23, Jets 6 with 10:30 left in the game.
Midway through the fourth quarter the Jets turned to Brady Cook at quarterback. Cook led the Jets on a short drive ending in a missed 54 yard field goal by Jason Sanders, who had a rough night and may have played himself off the team.
Jake The Goat Haener and the Giants then closed out the game with a long drive to the Jets one yard line before taking a knee on the last three plays of the game.
Final score: Giants 23, Jets 6. The loss brought the Jets’ preseason record to 1-2. The score doesn’t really matter. The record doesn’t really matter. The most important development in the game were injuries to Anez Cooper, Chip Trayanum, Dominic Richardson and Joseph Ossai. We’ll see if these end up being injuries that threaten to keep these players out for an extended period of time. Now the Jets move on to getting their roster down to 53 players by 6:00 P.M. EDT on Sunday. They then begin preparations for their opening day game against the Tennessee Titans on September 13.
CHARLOTTE, NC - AUGUST 28: Carolina Panthers linebacker Claudin Cherelus (53) tackles Houston Texans running back Deuce Vaughn (31) during a preseason NFL football game between the Houston Texans and the Carolina Panthers on August 28, 2026, at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C.(Photo by John Byrum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
If you sat down to watch the third Texans’ preseason game and watched the entire thing, you get nothing but respect from me. Because this game was just difficult to watch. No starters played, as was expected because who wants to put starters at risk for a meaningless game, but there were things that we could learn from the game.
First of all, the offensive line cannot afford a single injury this season. Not a one. Because the depth behind the Texans line is upsetting. The backups, in the first drive of the game, surrendered two sacks of Davis Mills. That was the opening drive when our backups should have been up for the game getting completely pants’d by future grocery stockers.
While it might not be enough to get him a spot on the roster, Sabastian Harsh had the game of his life, racking up three tackles, a sack, and a pass deflection on the day. He might make the practice squad based on that performance.
Beyond that, it was a snooze for most of the game. Neither team scored a touchdown until late in the fourth quarter of the game. It was a bad, boring game that we had to get through to watch real football. And now we are clear for the regular season.
The Houston Texans’ season starts Sunday September 6 at noon CDT against the Buffalo Bills. We’ll see you then!
CINCINNATI, OH - AUGUST 22: Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Tacario Davis (20) walks off the field before the preseason game between the Chicago Bears and the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium on August 22, 2026 in Cincinnati, OH. (Photo by Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Rookie cornerback Tacario Davis was taken in the third round of the NFL Draft this season. It was a bit earlier than some experts anticipated, but the measurables were simply so rare to find.
At 6’4 and a hair under 195 lbs., you simply do not find guys at that size who can play corner every year, and it’s something the Cincinnati Bengals needed more of.
So, it’s good to see he does have some pretty good ball skills, which we saw in Friday’s preseason finale vs. the Philadelphia Eagles, turning a pass that went through the receiver’s hands into an interception.
This play is exactly what you want to see from your corners. Making a play on the ball in a split second that shouldn’t be there. He even had a little wiggle there on the return.
This also came after Davis had a beautiful deflection on the first drive of the game. The commentators said he is playing in this game because the coaches want to see him get more reps. They plan on deploying him in certain packages to use his size on bigger receivers.
For those that remember Tre Flowers who had a short stint with the team during their run to the Super Bowl. He was used against the talented tight ends that are such matchup nightmares for defenses. Davis may be used in a similar fashion early in his career.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - AUGUST 28: Danny Jansen #9 of the Texas Rangers catches a bunt in front of home plate for an out against the Milwaukee Brewers in the sixth inning at American Family Field on August 28, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Texas Rangers scored one run but the Milwaukee Brewers scored six runs.
I did not have much hope for the Rangers to beat the Brewers tonight and they lo and behold, they did not.
In fact, the Rangers trailed 2-0 after one inning and the writing was pretty much already on the wall. That the game remained close through much of the evening was only a mirage as the Rangers didn’t collect their second hit of the night until the eighth inning, which is also when they had their one and only at-bat with RISP.
Despite being one mighty speculative swing away from tying the game for many innings, it never really felt like Texas was close to eclipsing the early scant deficit they found themselves in against baseball’s best club. Eventually Milwaukee made even running into one a moot proposition as they displayed their superiority in the late innings.
After scoring their one run of the night on their first hit via a solo home run from No. 9 hitter Danny Jansen in the top of the third, the next Ranger to reach was Justin Foscue on an infield single with an out in the eighth inning. Following an out and a walk, Jansen grounded out to end Texas’ first and only threat.
Meanwhile, Milwaukee had 14 hits. Perhaps the best thing you can say is tonight’s starter Cody Bradford and the Rangers walked a tightrope to prevent this from turning into a disaster until much later than it seemed it would as the Brewers left eleven on base while going just 4-for-15 with RISP while Texas had two non-Jansen dinger base runners all night.
Player of the Game: Jansen’s fifth home run of the season prevented the ignominy of a shutout loss.
Up Next: The Rangers and Brewers are back at it tomorrow evening with staff ace Cal Quantrill set to take the mound for Texas against LHP Shane Drohan for Milwaukee.
The Saturday evening first pitch from American Family Field is scheduled for 6:15 pm CDT and will be aired nationally on FOX.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 28: First baseman Paul Goldschmidt #48 of the New York Yankees hits the ball while playing the Boston Red Sox in the first inning at Yankee Stadium on August 28, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Benjamin B. Braun/Getty Images) | Getty Images
How many scoring chances can two teams accumulate without actually driving in runs? The Yankees and Red Sox played a game hellbent on figuring that out. In the end, one timely homer from Paul Goldschmidt was enough to supplement the effort from Cam Schlittler, the Yankees’ bullpen, and left fielder Cody Bellinger to earn a shutout win, beating Boston 1-0.
More than either lineup, failing to get anything going in the early innings of this matchup, no one was having a worse time than the umpire, Edwin Moscoso, seeing both offenses asking for challenges every other at-bat. The Yankees and Sox combined to get five challenges right in a row before Boston lost its first in the top of the third on a Schlittler curve to Willson Contreras, nicking the top of the zone—eventually punching out the first baseman.
With multiple changes in premium spots in the order against a left-handed starter, the Yankees needed those players to perform in favorable matchups, and in tonight’s game, they were 1-for-2 in that department. First came the frustration in the opening inning, seeing Heliot Ramos punched out on three pitches to strand Ben Rice at second, but a few frames later, the power of Goldschmidt showed up to give the Yankees the lead.
Goldy was looking hard in and ambushed a sinker right at the edge for a home run worthy of this team’s top sluggers.
Facing Schlittler for the fourth time this season, the Red Sox came up with a plan to be patient as a team, working five walks against him. While it is arguable that those free passes were as much his fault as Boston genuinely executing a patient approach at a high level, they managed to really drive up his pitch count, even if the zeroes remained on the board. By the time Schlittler completed the fourth inning, he was already well over 70 pitches and destined for a short start.
Although they had gotten players on before, the Red Sox had their biggest threat against Schlittler in the top of the fifth. A Ceddane Rafaela single—then Boston’s only second hit of the game—set up a two-on-one-out situation for the third-hole hitter. Wilyer Abreu hit a sinking liner to center that Trent Grisham caught, reading it well, certainly far better than Rafaela, who was left in no man’s land and thrown out at first for the double play to end the frame.
The Yankee starter was one out away from grinding out six innings, but a two-out walk not only led to a hook but nearly created a blowup inning. In continuity with the self-imposed challenges of handing out free baserunners, Brent Headrick faced a sequence of three pinch-hitters as the Sox turned over the bottom of the order against a lefty—Headrick allowed a walk and an infield hit to load the bases before narrowly escaping the inning, inducing a lineout to left from Andruw Monasterio.
It’s one thing to be leading a game, but another entirely to be in control of it. And with a 1-0 lead, the Yankees had the chance to seize that control with an opportunistic inning after escaping that bases-loaded threat in the top of the sixth, only to fall flat like the Red Sox offense in their scoring opportunities. New York loaded the bases with just one out against Sandoval, leading the Sox to bring in the righty Greg Weissert. The former Yankee retired George Lombard Jr. with a lineout too short for a tag play and then bullied Jazz Chisholm Jr. into a strikeout, whiffing on nothing but heaters.
Speaking of control, with the bullpens coming into play, the momentum of this game seemed to be continuously shifting all without the actual score moving. In the seventh, Paul Blackburn came in after Headrick retired the inning’s leadoff hitter and then experienced both sides of the coin when it comes to defensive impact. First, a jam was formed courtesy of a lousy read by Ramos on a softly-hit fly ball that dropped in down the right-field line—that double would’ve driven in a run had it not gone over the wall and out of play.
Much like the Yankees, the Sox also hit a sinking liner with a runner at third and fewer than two outs—Rafaela defied his third-base coach and tried to score on Cody Bellinger, an ill-advised move, and was gunned down at the plate to preserve the 1-0 score. At 99.7 mph, it was the third-fastest throw of Bellinger’s superb career and the third-fastest by a Yankee since they started tracking via Statcast in 2015.
After the seventh inning, the relievers on both sides actually started working clean innings, including the case for Blackburn himself in the eighth and David Bednar in the ninth, securing his 31st save of the season with three consecutive popups. It was a nailbiter, but the Yanks left with the 1-0 triumph.
Making up for a postponed game over two months ago, the Yankees and Red Sox will play a southpaw showcase split-admission doubleheader on Saturday. Carlos Rodón gets the ball in the opener against fellow lefty Jake Bennett, while Max Fried starts the nightcap against an unknown Boston starter (Brayan Bello is expected to at least get a chunk of those innings). Fried will be making his first start back after returning from an IL stint that turned out to be way shorter than expected. The first game will start at 1:05pm ET, while the second one has its first pitch at 7:05pm ET.
Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Bryan Thomas Jr. (57) tallies a sack on Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jalon Daniels (10) during the second quarter of an NFL preseason football matchup at EverBank Stadum on Friday, Aug. 28, 2026 in Jacksonville, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union] | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Co
The Jacksonville Jaguars closed out the preseason on a high note Friday night, turning in a dominant performance from their depth players in a convincing showing against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Jacksonville’s defense controlled the game throughout, consistently making plays and giving the younger players an opportunity to make their case for roster spots. Several players made sure their performances would be difficult to overlook, with the defense and special teams taking the spotlight in the shutout performance featuring 5 sacks, a takeaway, no first downs surrendered after halftime, and Tampa going 2 of 12 on third down on the day.
Here’s everything you need to know from Jacksonville’s 2026 Week 2 preseason 19-0 victory over the Buccaneers.
Game Recap
With both the Jaguars and the Buccaneers sitting the majority of starters following a week of two joint practices, Friday’s matchup was about the depth players locking in roster spots. While QB Nick Mullens’ role on the roster was never truly in jeopardy, he played his two first-quarter drives like a man fighting for something. Following last week’s 6/7, 65-yard performance, Mullens’ day wrapped with a similar 5/7 for 62 yards and a 98.5 passer rating against Tampa. While both drives ended with no points, the offense showed multiple explosive plays and three total first downs prior to punting.
One of those explosives came courtesy of Jacksonville’s stacked tight end room. Hunter Long completed his two longest receptions of the preseason on the opening two drives of the game. On the first, he rumbled down the right sideline on a 34-yard catch-and-run, then brought in a 13-yard catch in traffic before taking a hit that temporarily sent him to the medical tent in the first quarter.
On defense, second-year defensive end Jalen McLeod had a busy opening half with seven tackles, including a tackle for loss while in coverage, and a quarterback hit.
Meanwhile, undrafted free agent defensive end Bryan Thomas Jr. heard his name called early and often in this one with a tackle (1-yard gain), a pass deflection, two sacks, and a quarterback hit that initially looked to be a Jalen Huskey fumble returned for a touchdown. However, replay later overturned the fumble, crediting BTJ only with the quarterback pressure and hit. It was a major performance by BTJ, in his final offseason opportunity to audition for the roster.
In the secondary, the roster battle between Jabbar Muhammad and Christian Braswell may be a photo finish. Both players ended Friday with similar days, as both had two tackles, with one being solo. However, Braswell added a first-half pass breakup that was nearly intercepted by Muhammad, while Muhammad made a splash on special teams with his solo tackle coming on the punt team. With the roster cut-down taking place on Sunday at 4:00 pm, this competition will be one to watch, with two deserving players potentially vying for one role.
Biggest play(s) of the game:
Cam Little drilling a 61-yard kick turns what most consider a long attempt into an extra point.
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - AUGUST 28: Kyle Trask #14 of the Carolina Panthers looks to pass the ball during the first half of a preseason game against the Houston Texans at Bank of America Stadium on August 28, 2026 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by David Jensen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
First Quarter
If you thought a game in the rain featuring no starters was going to be a slog to watch offensively, you were right. Though there were moments to enjoy from a defensive perspective.
Trevis Gipson and Trevin Wallace each registered a sack to force a punt on the Texans’ first drive. The offense didn’t do anything and punted right back, but the defense got the ball right back with an interception by Lathan Ransom that was aided by more good pressure up front.
The Panthers at least got a couple of first downs on their next drive, but Kenny Pickett wasn’t able to find anyone on a 4th and 4 and the Panthers turned the ball over. DeVonta Smith broke up a couple of passes to get the ball back to the home team.
Pickett found Ja’seem Reed over the middle for a 17 yard gain as the first quarter came to a close.
Second Quarter
A false start by John Metchie III put the Panthers behind the sticks, and they couldn’t catch up. A Sam Martin punt downed the Texans at the 10.
The defense held up again and forced another punt. Kyle Trask checked in at quarterback and promptly through a very poor interception. That gave the Texans the ball in scoring range, so they were able to put a field goal on the board despite another stop by the defense.
The Trask-led offense picked up one first down before punting once again, but the defense got the ball back a couple plays later after a botched exchange was picked up by Cam Gill. Just like with the Texans, the offense couldn’t punch it in and settled for a field goal.
The Texans put together a decent drive in the two minute, but Brett Rypien overthrew a receiver and had his pass intercepted by Cam Miller. Trask strung together a couple of nice passes to get the Panthers into field goal range, where Ryan Fitzgerald knocked in his second kick of the night.
Third Quarter
The Panthers got the ball first and Ja’Seem Reed caught another 20 yard pass from Trask to get the offense moving. The drive stalled at midfield, and Sam Martin punted away. The Texans muffed the punt and recovered it inside their own five, but it was all moot as a flag for too many players on the field gave the Panthers a first down. Jimmy Horn Jr. had a nice run on a screen pass, but it was called back. Still, Trask was able to connect on a couple of passes to keep the drive alive into the red zone, though it wouldn’t make it to the end zone. Ryan Fitzgerald field goal number three put the Panthers up 9-3.
The Texans responded with a field goal drive of their own. There weren’t any explosives, but they nickel and dimed their way to a field goal to make it 9-6.
Fourth Quarter
The fourth quarter with a couple of quick passes to move the Panthers out past midfield. Trask seemed to have found a rhythm and was delivering his passes on time and on target. He worked the team into the red zone, then Miles Davis picked up a hard two yards on a 4th and 2. On the next play, he battered his was through the defense for what was almost a 10 yard touchdown. A review took the touchdown off the board. It took a couple more tries, but Davis eventually got his touchdown.
The Texans marched back down the field in response as they went into chase mode. They picked up a bunch of small gains and capped off the drive with a touchdown to Zay Jones. The Panthers couldn’t put together a drive to clinch the game and had to punt back to the Texans with a little over two minutes to play.
It looked like the defense had done their job and gotten off the field with a fourth down interception, but the game was extended by a pass interference penalty. All that did was gave the Panthers a chance to rack up two more violent sacks from Elijah Garcia and Jeremiah Moon. The latter jarred the ball free, and Cam Gill pounced on it for his second fumble recovery of the game.
Overview
There’s not a whole lot to glean from a preseason game in which none of the starters played, but the defense showed out and a number of players put plays on film that are going to have the coaches talking.
Rosters have to be finalized by Sunday, and then the regular season kicks off two weeks later.
The preseason is officially in the rearview mirror for the Los Angeles Rams, and now the attention shifts toward the games that actually count. After wrapping up their preseason slate, the Rams have plenty of reasons to feel encouraged, but there are also several major questions that must be answered before the regular-season opener.
With the roster deadline approaching and the first game less than two weeks away, here are four takeaways from the Rams’ final preseason game.
First Down: Rams Put Together a “Historic” Offensive Performance
The Rams’ offense provided plenty of reason for optimism throughout the preseason, but the most impressive aspect may have been what happened — or didn’t happen — up front.
The Rams did not concede a single sack in any of their preseason games.
No team since at least 1999 has gone through the entire preseason with no sacks or turnovers until the Rams this year.
That’s an impressive accomplishment regardless of the competition, especially considering how many different combinations of offensive linemen typically receive playing time during the preseason. Protection is one of the biggest concerns for any offense entering a new season, and Los Angeles appears to have established a strong foundation with their starters but also their depth in this case.
Keeping quarterbacks upright has been a consistent priority for Sean McVay, and the Rams’ ability to avoid giving up sacks throughout the preseason could be an early indication that the offensive line is ready for the regular season. Kudos to Ryan Wendell.
Second Down: Tight Squeeze for Rams Draft Picks
The Rams’ 2026 draft class has generated plenty of excitement, but the final roster could tell a different story for some of the team’s rookies.
Wide receiver CJ Daniels and defensive tackle Tim Keenan III appear to be on the bubble as the Rams make their final roster decisions.
That would be notable considering Los Angeles entered the draft with limited draft capital. If Daniels and Keenan don’t make the 53-man roster, two of the Rams’ five draft picks would fail to make the initial team.
That doesn’t necessarily mean the draft class was unsuccessful. Players can develop on the practice squad and eventually work their way onto the active roster. Still, it would be an unusual outcome and shows just how difficult it is for rookies to immediately establish themselves in a competitive NFL roster.
Third Down: Ty Simpson May Have Been the Right Pick
There were plenty of analysts who believed the Rams reached when they selected quarterback Ty Simpson with the 13th overall pick.
The preseason, however, has provided some evidence that Los Angeles may have identified a potential gem.
Simpson has shown enough to make the Rams’ decision look increasingly defensible. His physical tools, poise and ability to operate within McVay’s system have stood out, particularly for a young quarterback making the transition to the NFL.
It’s obviously far too early to declare Simpson a franchise quarterback based on preseason performances. But if he continues developing, the Rams could eventually look back at No. 13 of the 2026 draft as one of the more important picks of the McVay era.
Fourth Down: Potential Suspensions Loom
Perhaps the biggest uncertainty surrounding the Rams isn’t even related to the roster.
With the regular-season opener now less than 14 days away, questions remain regarding potential suspensions for Alaric Jackson and Puka Nacua.
The possibility of either player missing time continues to be a major talking point as Los Angeles prepares for the regular season. Jackson’s potential absence would impact the offensive line, while losing Nacua would create an even more significant challenge for an offense expecting him to be one of its primary weapons.
The Rams can prepare for several possibilities, but until the NFL makes its decisions, there remains a cloud of uncertainty hanging over the roster.
The preseason is over. Now, the Rams have to turn their attention toward making the final cuts, preparing for potential absences and getting ready for the games that matter most.
Aug 28, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays left fielder Jesus Sanchez (12) reacts as he gets hit by a Seattle Mariners pitch during the first inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Mariners 1 Blue Jays 8
Today’s game was soooo much more fun than yesterday’s.
First, Dylan Cease was excellent—six innings, just four hits, one walk and eight strikeouts. The run against was a home run by the second batter of the day. We were a little worried for a moment. But just a moment. He came out at 92 pitches. I’m happy that John didn’t have him go 100+
And we scored early and often. It’s been 10 days since we’ve scored 8 runs (10 really, against the Rays). Today we scored:
Three in the first: Brett Bateman singled and stole second. Nathan Lukes ground out to the pitcher, who tagged him, but hurt something while doing it. They talked for a bit, but left him in the game. Vladimir Guerrero followed with a double down the right-field line, scoring Bateman. George Springer singled. Jesús Sánchez was hit by pitch. Kazuma Okamoto drove Vlad in with a sac fly. And Andrés Giménez singled home Springer.
Two in the fifth: Lukes homered and an out later Springer homered.
One in the sixth: Okamoto homered.
Two in the seventh: Lukes walked, and an out later, Springer singled. And Myles Straw singled, bringing in run #7. Okamoto reached on an error by J.P. Crawford, bringing in the 8th run.
We had 11 hits, but, even better, we had 3 home runs. Springer had 4 hits, bringing his average up to .251 from .243. Bateman had 2 hits. Sanchez (0 for 2, hit batter), Clement (0 for 4, k), and Valenzuela (0 for 3, walks) had the 0-fors.
Valenzuela made a great throw to second to catch Randy Arozarena stealing in the third inning, when the game was still close.
Jays of the Day: Cease (0.19 WPA) and Springer (0.13).
No one gets the Other Award. The low mark was Valenzuela at -0.02, but then the caught stealing would have erased that.
Tomorrow, we have a 3:00 Eastern start time. Kade Anderson, making his second MLB start, goes for the Mariners. He went 5.2 innings, giving up 3 earned runs in his first start. José Soriano (1-1, 4.22 in four starts with the Jays) is our guy.
The Yankees emerged from Friday's series opener against the Boston Red Sox with a 1-0 win to start this
Takeaways
Evenwhen RHP Cam Schlittler does not have his best stuff, he owns Boston. Schlittler (12-6, 2.09 ERA) allowed a season-high-tying four walks, issuing three or more free passes for the third straight start, but kept the Red Sox (73-61) scoreless with two hits in 5.2 IP. Throwing 63 strikes on 102 pitches, Schlittler fanned eight, becoming the fourth-youngest Yankee to 200 strikeouts in a season. He has a 0.56 ERA across five games against Boston in the regular season and playoffs, allowing two earned runs over 32.2 IP.
His dominance was necessary on an evening in which the Yankees (76-58) once again struggled offensively after Thursday's 5-1 loss to the Houston Astros. Leadoff-batting 1B Paul Goldschmidt's one-out solo shot in the third inning on a 1-0 fastball at 97 mph against Patrick Sandoval was a home run to left field that the Yankees desperately needed. Goldschmidt's 17th homer of the season broke a scoreless tie and gave Schlittler a lead to work with, putting New York ahead and turning into the decisive offense by either team. Goldschmidt's first long ball since July 24 was the difference in a 1-for-4 night that brought his slash line to .247/.311/.455 with 45 RBI through 91 games this season.
Despite New York's disappointing offense, the defense made a pair of game-saving plays. With one out in the fourth inning, 2B Jazz Chisholm Jr.'s heads up play -- turning CF Trent Grisham's throw to the infield into a toss to first, doubling up Ceddane Rafaela after Wilyer Abreu's lineout -- got Schlittler out of a potential jam. In the seventh inning with one out and the bases loaded, LF Cody Bellinger's perfect throw to the plate sniped Rafaela at home and doubled up the Red Sox on Willson Contreras' flyout, keeping the Yankees' 1-0 lead into the eighth.
With the win, the Yankees even the season series with the Red Sox at 5-5 and go up three games on Boston in the Wild Card standings. The Rays' 9-4 win over the San Diego Padres keeps Tampa Bay (80-54) ahead of New York by four games in the division, but the Yankees rebounded after dropping 2 of 3 against the Astros this week. Will they make the most of their one-score survival entering a pivotal weekend?
Who's the MVP?
Schlittler, whose scoreless start paved the way for the bullpen of LHP Brent Headrick, and RHPs Paul Blackburn and David Bednar -- who earned his 31st save -- in a game that the Yankees needed.
New York and Boston continue their four-game series Saturday when they return to Yankee Stadium for a 1:05 p.m. start, the first of two games for a doubleheader in the Bronx. The Yankees have not announced a starting pitcher, but LHP Max Fried(4-4, 2.81 ERA) will start one of Saturday's games as he returns from his left elbow bone bruise. The Red Sox, meanwhile, are set to start LHP Jake Bennett (8-6, 3.49 ERA).
