In his first game back in Detroit since being traded to the Dodgers, Tarik Skubal held the Tigers to four hits and one run in the Dodgers' 2-1 victory. (Paul Sancya / Associated Press)
As Tarik Skubal crossed the field from the bullpen, he had to crane his neck to catch part of the tribute video playing on the massive screen behind him.
By the time he reached the Dodgers dugout, the crowd rose to give him an ovation. Skubal controlled his expression and wiped his face with the towel draped over his neck.
Less than four weeks ago, he said goodbye to the only organization he’d known — the Detroit Tigers drafted him in 2018 out of Seattle University. Now, he was back in the ballpark he’d called home for six years.
In the Dodgers’ 2-1 win Friday, Skubal showed why he was widely considered the best player available at the trade deadline, holding the Tigers to one run and four hits over six innings. The Dodgers’ offense continued to scuffle but did just enough to bounce back from a three-game sweep in Atlanta — the 14th time this month they played a game decided by a single run.
Skubal’s reception included some boos (and “Scuuuub”s) as he took the mound. Even though the trade was out of Skubal’s control, a faction of the Tigers fan base — including this reporter’s rideshare driver from the airport — was upset Skubal never reached an agreement for a contract extension with Detroit (62-72).
The Tigers’ last publicly discussed extension offer was four years and $75 million at the end of 2024 — which drastically pales in comparison to the contract he’s expected to garner in free agency this offseason.
The mutual affection between the player and Detroit, however, took center stage Friday, even as Skubal tamed the Tigers’ offense.
He quickly reined in his emotions. After a delay for a PitchCom malfunction, Skubal gave up a leadoff double to Detroit’s Gleyber Torres on a fastball down the middle. But then the left-hander retired the next 12 batters.
Skubal struck out the side in the third inning, getting Max Clark to swing through a changeup, Javier Báez to chase a high fastball and Torres to watch an off-speed pitch clip the bottom of the zone.
That streak ended with a double up the left-field line from Eduardo Valencia, who turned on an inside slider to lead off the fifth. Then with two outs, Clark stayed back on an outside fastball and sent it the other way for a triple that drove in the game’s first run.
Skubal induced Báez to fly out to center field and punched the palm of his glove on his way off the field.
The Dodgers (81-54) missed a chance to tie with one out in the sixth, when Kyle Tucker was thrown out at home trying to score on a pinch-hit single by Kiké Hernández. But they salvaged the inning when Teoscar Hernández drew a walk and Miguel Rojas smoked a single through the infield to tie the score.
In the seventh, the Dodgers loaded the bases with two outs and failed to squeeze in a run.
Evan Phillips took over on the mound in the bottom of the inning. Skubal’s pitch count stood at only 83, but he had thrown 100 pitches in each of his previous two starts.
The Dodgers finally took the lead in the eighth, manufacturing a run with singles from Teoscar Hernández and Freddie Freeman on either side of a sacrifice bunt from Ben Rortvedt.
Jets rookie running back Chip Trayanum was injured on the final play of the first half in Friday night's preseason game against the Giants.
Giants linebacker Trace Ford reached Trayanum just as quarterback Cade Klubnik handed the ball to Trayanum on the final play of the first half. Ford trucked Trayanum, who remained on the ground as medical personnel worked on him for several minutes.
Many of the Jets remained on the field, taking a knee and watching with concern.
Rich Cimini of ESPN reports that Trayanum appeared to be wearing a neck brace as he was strapped into the cart.
Trayanum had 12 carries for 38 yards and a touchdown and caught two passes for 25 yards in the first half.
The Jets report that Trayanum is headed to the hospital, but is awake, alert and has movement in his extremities.
They have ruled out sixth-round rookie guard Anez Cooper (shoulder).
CLEVELAND, OHIO - AUGUST 28: Starting pitcher Michael Wacha #52 of the Kansas City Royals pitches during the first inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on August 28, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
What is there to say about Michael Wacha at this point? Do you think any teams are regretting not blowing the Royals away with an offer for him at the trade deadline? All I can say for sure is that the Royals and Royals fans can be very happy he’s still in KC, as he led the team to a 3-0 victory over the Guardians tonight.
Prior to tonight, Wacha’s best start of the season was back on April 11 when he pitched eight shutout innings against the White Sox. Tonight he matched that but struck out more, walked fewer, and allowed the same number of hits. To be specific, he gave up four hits (all singles), walked none, and struck out ten. Pretty damn good.
Early on, he looked fine but not utterly dominant. He got the first six outs in order, but only struck out one. The third inning was the first (and, as it turns out, only) inning he allowed multiple baserunners. In the bottom of the fourth, that all changed when he got José Ramírez to pop out to Carter Jensen, then struck out Jo Adell and Nathaniel Lowe. From then on, he struck out six while allowing only two more baserunners, including a strikeout looking of Steven Kwan to record his final out in the eighth. That made the first time Michael Wacha had struck out double digits in a game since he struck out 11 against KC for the Padres back in 2023.
The Royals’ offense appreciates the heck out of him for it because it was not a good night for them. They had multiple scoring opportunities, but struggled to get any of them home. Tanner Bibee got a lot of soft flyouts and popouts. The Royals’ only run of the night was scored in the fifth inning. Bobby Witt Jr. torched a ball over 110 MPH off the top of the high wall in left field. Jac Caglianone had gone 2-for-2 with a pair of singles prior to that point and hit a jam shot into right that Petey Halpin managed to run down, advancing Bobby to third. Then Salvy smoked a grounder that required Bryan Rochio to dive for it to keep it on the infield, but allowed Bobby to score easily.
The ninth inning was shaping up to be a disaster for the offense. Isaac Collins led off with a line drive into right that clanked off the glove of Jo Adell. Josh Rojas bunted him over to third, then the Royals pinch-ran Tyler Tolbert for him. The broadcast speculated that Kyle Isbel might attempt to squeeze him home, but instead Kyle swung away and struck out on a nasty Craig Yoho changeup. With two strikes, Carter Jensen seemed doomed to offer an encore of Isbel’s performance, and longtime Royals fans could just feel the Guardians gearing up for a walk-off win in the ninth off of Steven Cruz. But Yoho chose to offer a cutter to Carter instead of the changeup, and Carter got just enough of it to get it off the top of the wall and over.
The Missile still came on for the save in the ninth. He allowed two singles and a hit by pitch, but struck out a pair, including Ramírez, and got a soft ground out to end the game. So no harm was done.
Coming into tonight, both teams had been extremely hot and hitting the tar out of the ball. So naturally we had a low-scoring contest. But the good guys came out on top, and that’s what matters. They’ve got two more games in Cleveland and in August. Winning both of them would go a long way toward letting the dreamers dream.
The Royals will have a very tough matchup tomorrow afternoon. Seth Lugo (4.61 ERA, 4.51 SIERA) will go for KC. Foster Griffin (3.19 ERA, 3.86 SIERA) will go for Cleveland. The game will be at 3:10 Royals time. See you then.
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 8: Les Snead of the Los Angeles Rams on the sideline during a game against the Philadelphia Eagles at SoFi Stadium on October 8, 2023 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Ric Tapia/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Los Angeles Rams enter the 2026 season with some of the highest expectations in the NFL, and the latest odds from FanDuel Sportsbook reflect that confidence. FanDuel currently lists the Rams at +500 to win Super Bowl LXI, making them the favorite to capture the Lombardi Trophy.
The Rams are completing the final touches on their roster as they work towards the 53 man roster limit. Teams working to get to their 53 may have to make some tough decisions; leaving other franchises potentially interested. The majority of players released will have to pass through waivers.
The NFL waiver system determines which team has the first opportunity to claim a player who has been waived. If multiple teams submit claims for the same player, the organization positioned highest in the waiver priority receives the player.
The Los Angeles Rams have an elite roster on paper right now and will likely release a handful of players that other teams have interest in. The Rams, themselves may have interest in cut candidates on other rosters but acquiring them may not be as easy.
Waiver Rules
For the initial waiver period following roster cutdowns, as well as the first three weeks of the regular season, waiver priority follows the league’s original draft order from that year. Trades involving draft picks and forfeited selections do not alter the waiver order.
Players with fewer than four accrued NFL seasons generally must pass through waivers when released. An accrued season is credited when a player spends at least six games on a team’s active roster, PUP list, or injured reserve.
Once a qualifying player is waived, other teams have an opportunity to submit a claim, with the waiver period typically lasting 24 hours. Players with four or more accrued seasons, often referred to as veterans, generally are not subject to the standard waiver process.
DETROIT, MICHIGAN - AUGUST 28: Tarik Skubal #29 of the Los Angeles Dodgers reacts walking to the dugout prior to playing the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park on August 28, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Tigers were unable to spoil Tarik Skubal’s homecoming. The now Dodgers ace had a pretty normal, excellent but nothing special start, while Tigers pitching dealt with a ton of traffic on the bases all night long. They held up enough to make it close, but the offense couldn’t cope with Dodgers pitching, losing 2-1 in front of a big Friday night crowd at Comerica Park.
Drew Anderson took the mound against Tarik Skubal on Friday night in front of a pretty packed crowd out to welcome the former Tigers’ ace home, and hopefully beat him. Anderson started off well, quickly retiring the first two batters he faced, Shohei Ohtani and Freddie Freeman on swinging strike threes.. He then walked Mookie Betts and Max Muncy, but escaped by getting Tommy Edman to ground out to first.
At that point it was Skubal time, and the former Tigers’ ace was clearly feeling overwhelmed by emotion as he entered from the visitor’s bullpen to cheers and a video tribute on the scoreboard. He saluted the fans and his old teammates in the Tigers dugout as he wiped his eyes with a towel. He got a standing ovation as he took the mound in the bottom of the first, and then everyone got down to business again.
A first pitch Skubal heater was smoked for a double by Gleyber Torres, but the big lefty dialed in and punched out Hao-Yu Lee and Kevin McGonigle, with Dillon Dingler flying out to Alek Thomas in center field to end the first.
Anderson held serve in the second with a quick 1-2-3 inning to get his pitch count back in order. He dusted Teoscar Hernandez with a good high fastball in that tied him up. Skubal whiffed Eduardo Valencia and got Ben Malgeri and Spencer Torkelson, the latter of which lined out to Betts at shortstop .
Anderson gave up a leadoff walk to Hunter Feduccia to start the third, but erased him on a double play ball from Ohtani. He then walked Freeman, but dusted Betts to end the inning. Skubal tore through Max Clark, Javy Báez, and Torres, striking out the side.
Anderson gave up one out singles to Edman and Tucker in the top of the fourth, but Thomas grounded into a double play to end that threat. Lee lined out to Edman in right to start the bottom of the third. McGonigle and Dingler grounded out, and we were quickly on to the fifth.
Hernandez lined a single to left to open the fifth. Feduccia flew out, but Anderson walked Ohtani. A long at-bat against Freeman followed, in which Freddie fouled off a bunch of good pitches and Dingler wasted a challenge. Eight foul balls in the at-bat had Anderson frustrated, but Dingler called for a change of pace with the curveball, and a perfect one whiffed Freeman. Still, Anderson was at 85 pitches. Betts lined a one-hopper to Lee, who couldn’t handle it, but fortunately the ball didn’t bounce far away and everyone had to hold up with one base. The bases were loaded, and Anderson’s day was done. Drew Sommers entered, looking to keep this a scoreless deadlock.
A pair of heaters got him ahead 0-2 against Max Muncy. He missed high with a fourseamer, and Muncy fouled off the next one. He missed with another one away trying to catch him fishing. The next one jammed him and was fought off for a foul. Sommers wasn’t giving in and trying to mix in the slider. He fired a perfect 96 mph heater up and in but still in the zone and Muncy swung through it. Great job working through that inning, and the score was still tied 0-0, but there was a long way to go and a lot of outs for the Tigers bullpen to collect.
First, the Tigers needed to get Skoobs out of the game. Valencia gave them a shot with a leadoff double to left. Malgeri grounded out, and Skubal locked up Torkelson with a perfect backdoor slider. Tork blew the Tigers’ last challenge on a pitch fully in the zone, which didn’t help matters. Fortunately, Max Clark was there, and he smoked a 1-2 heater at 99 mph right down the left field line at 105 mph off the bat to plate Valencia. The ball rattled around and Hernandez couldn’t retrieve it immediately as Clark roared into third with an RBI triple. 1-0 Tigers. Báez drilled a ball deep to center, but Thomas had it without issue, and we were onto the sixth.
Sommers locked up Edman in a 2-2 count with a heater right down the gut to start the sixth. Tucker grounded one to McGonigle at shortstop with a broken bat, and McGonigle collected the slow roller and threw it over Torkelson into the Dodgers dugout, putting the runner on second. The right-handed Enrique Hernandez pinch-hit for Alek Thomas at that point. Hernandez fell behind 0-2, but then rifled a fastball on a line to right field for a single, but Malgeri picked it and fired a strike home to Dingler to cut down Tucker at the plate. Heck of a play by Ben Malgeri there.
Of course, that was only two outs, and Hernandez battled Sommers into a 3-2 count, and the lefty missed away to walk him. So there were runners on first and second, and Miguel Rojas entered to pinch-hit for Feduccia. He got a first pitch sinker and smoked it past McGonigle on a line to tie the game 1-1. That brought Ohtani to the plate, and the situation was far from ideal. However, Sommers got him to foul off a pair of heaters and then locked him up high and away in the corner of the strike zone to turn the Dodgers away. The McGonigle error was costly, but it was still a tie game at 1-1. Sommers was at 27 pitches and likely done. Chris Fetter was seen holding Sommers by the shoulders and pumping him up after a good outing. However, figuring out how to get the next nine outs was the issue.
Torres was still seeing Skubal well, and after battling him for a while, lined a leadoff single to start the bottom of the sixth. Lee bounced one to Betts, who got Torres at second, but they couldn’t turn the double play as Lee beat feet down the line. McGonigle was having less fun with Skubal, and flew out to Hernandez in left. Dingler got a good pitch to hit and drilled a drive to right field, but Tucker was there to turn the Tigers away.
Tyler Holton took over in the seventh, but Freeman greeted him with a sharp single. A good fading changeup away whiffed Betts, and Holton quickly popped Muncy up to McGonigle for the second out. An 0-1 changeup to Edman’s was in the dirt and bounced away from Dingler to get Freeman to second. Edman’s chased a changeup well away to get the count to 1-2, but Holton yanked a cutter and hit him on the leg. Kyle Tucker, who is going through a nightmarish season after signing a huge deal with the Dodgers, got ahead 2-0, but Holton worked back to 3-2 as Jacob Waguespack was warming up. Then the lefty missed and walked Tucker to load the bases. A.J. Hinch bounced out of the dugout to make the change as Hernandez came to the plate. The right-hander did the job, popping up Hernandez to again strand the bases loaded.
The Tigers were playing with fire all game long, but they’d escaped so far and a couple of runs could put the Dodgers in a tight spot. With Skubal out of the game, their odds looked a little better.
Dave Roberts turned to right-hander Evan Phillips to start the bottom of the seventh, and Hinch countered with Colt Keith batting for Valencia. Keith struck out swinging, and Phillips stayed with the heat and blew away Malgeri as well. Torkelson took a first pitch heater for a strike, was approximately five minutes late swinging at the next one, and a sweeper down and away in the dirt drew a feeble whiff to end the inning.
Waguespack gave up a leadoff single to Hernandez, and once again in the eighth the Tigers would have to dig themselves out of an inning. Ben Rortveldt, catching after Feduccia was lifted, dropped down a successful sacrifice bunt to move the runner to second. That brought Shohei to the dish. Waguespack fell behind 3-1, and walking him didn’t seem like the worst idea. A high fastball was fouled off, and Ohtani pulled a curveball foul down the right field line. Waguespack, whose teal glove contrasted nicely with the orange alternate jerseys, came back with a good heater at the bottom of the zone, and Ohtani pulled a ground to Torres for the second out. That brought Freeman to the plate, and as Benetti discussed walking him to pitch to Betts, Waguespack fired a first pitch heater and Freeman lined an RBI single for a 2-1 lead. Betts lined out to Clark, but the Tigers were now down a run and would face a really tough right-hander in Brock Stewart in the bottom half.
Max Clark coolly took three straight balls to get in a great hitter’s count. Stewart countered with a pair of strikes, but missed away with the 3-2 to put the speedy Clark on first to start the bottom half of the eighth. Brett Callahan pinch-hit for Javy Báez and ripped an 0-1 changeup to right for a sharp single. Torres, who had two hits already…grounded into a 6-4-3 double play. So, Clark was at third with two outs as Lee stepped to the dish. Stewart missed with three straight as Lee stayed patient, and Dave Roberts decided to give Lee an intentional pass. He then called on lefty Alex Vesia to try to get Kevin McGonigle in a bat that would likely decide the game. Vesia fired a first pitch fastball and McGonigle drove one high and deep into the right center field corner, but he lifted it a bit too much and Enrique Hernandez hauled it in just before the warning track.
Tyler Kinley handled the top of the ninth for the Tigers. Claimed off waivers from the Braves on Monday, Kinley quickly collected the first two outs, but then walked Kyle Tucker. That was the eighth walk issued by Tigers pitchers on the night. Tucker stole second, and it didn’t matter as Kinley walked Enrique Hernandez as well. Surely this wouldn’t become an issue, right? Teoscar Hernandez was up next. A pair of good sliders drew whiffs, and they tried again but Hernandez just held up. In a 1-2 count, Kinley missed away with a fourth straight slider, and a fifth over the middle was popped into the seats. Would he try to sneak a fastball past Hernandez? Nope. Another slider drew a foul pop-up that Lee charged in and handled to end the inning. The Dodgers were now 4-for-12 with runners in scoring position, with 15 LOBsters.
Southpaw closer Tanner Scott took the mound in the bottom half to close it out against Dingler, Keith, and Malgeri. Dingler took a nasty 2-2 slider down for a ball, but a second one up in the zone locked him up and he swung late to strike out. Corey Julks entered to hit for Keith against the lefty and grounded out to Betts. Malgeri was also locked up by Scott’s heavily tilting fastball and whiffed to end this one.
The Tigers put up a fight but while the Dodgers struggled to score in this one, the Tigers lineup got a good dose of elite caliber pitching in this one and managed just five hits and two walks drawn, while the Dodgers had nine hits and nine walks. It could’ve been worse, but either way it’s an L in the record books.
The Tigers are now 62-72 and 2-8 in their last ten to finally put any lingering playoff hopes to bed. RHP Keider Montero will take the mound against LHP Blake Snell on Saturday at 1:10 p.m. ET.
Tyrone Tracy is attended to after being injured Friday night. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Tyrone Tracy’s nightmarish preseason took another seemingly unfortunate turn on Friday night when he left the New York Giants’ game against the New York Jets with an injury.
Tracy, the Giants’ leading rusher the past two seasons, has had a rough preseason. He missed a block in the first preseason game against the Minnesota Vikings that led to quarterback Jaxson Dart taking a big hit. In Week 2 against the Miami Dolphins, Tracy fumbled in the red zone despite being untouched.
Running backs Cam Skattebo and Devin Singletary did not dress for Friday’s game. Tracy, looking to play a clean game after the miscues in the first games, and Najee Harris did.
Tracy was having an excellent night before being injured. He had four carries for 37 yards, an average of 9.3 yards per carry. Tracy had a 6-yard touchdown run, and a long run of 16 yards.
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - AUGUST 23: Chris Paul Jr. #49 of the Seattle Seahawks looks on during the first half of Week 2 of the preseason game against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium on August 23, 2026 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Johnnie Izquierdo/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Many L.A. Rams fans were excited about the selection of linebacker Chris Paul in the fifth round of the 2025 draft, but he was one of the most surprising cuts at the end of training camp year. Not only did Paul fail to make the Rams roster, he was left off of the practice squad entirely and picked up by the Seattle Seahawks. Paul spent the 2025 season on Seattle’s practice squad and was expected to compete for a spot on the Seahawks’ 53-man roster as a backup this year, but history repeats itself.
Chris “Pooh” Paul was released on Thursday. He cleared waivers, meaning no team wanted to use a claim on him, and will revert to Seattle’s injury reserve. However, the Seahawks are likely going to release Paul outright with an injury settlement, making him a free agent again.
Chris Pooh Paul clears waivers and reverts to the #seahawks Injured Reserve.
It’s hard to believe the fall for Paul has been so quick and emphatic. The Rams didn’t want him. No other teams wanted him. Then the Seahawks gave him a whole year to win a job and now Seattle doesn’t want him.
Expected to compete for a spot on L.A.’s starting defense in 2025, Paul is just looking for any job in 2026.
COLLEGE PARK, GA — Atlanta Dream forward Angel Reese picked up her eighth technical foul of the season on Aug.28, triggering an automatic one-game suspension unless the technical is rescinded.
Reese received the technical with 8:45 remaining in the fourth quarter of the Dream's matchup against the Portland Fire after Reese made contact with Carla Leite. Reese appeared to shove Leite while the two were battling for position in the lane.
The play that led to Angel Reese's 8th technical foul and a suspension for Sunday against the Lynx unless it is rescinded:pic.twitter.com/G8wsa09F37
Under WNBA rules, a player or coach is automatically suspended for one game upon receiving their eighth technical foul during the regular season. Every additional technical comes with a $1,500 fine, while every two additional technical fouls received during the regular season will result in an additional one-game suspension.
The league has the option to rescind every technical or flagrant foul assessed during each game. But if the technical foul stands, Reese will serve out her suspension for the Dream's matchup against the Minnesota Lynx on Sunday, Aug. 30.
All three exhibition games are in the books, capped by Washington’s 41-3 loss on Friday night against the neighboring Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium.
This was Washington’s last official act with a 91-man offseason, with the NFL mandating it be trimmed to 53 players by Sunday at 6 p.m. ET.
It’s hard to say how much the preseason finale weighs in overall player evaluation as part of a far larger body of work. This contest was waged between those lower on the depth chart, with few earmarked for the 53-man roster available in this one.
That still doesn’t excuse how bad the Commanders were in this contest. They couldn’t do anything right in this one and got dominated in all phases that didn’t involved Tress Way punting. I mean, it was awful.
We still mined this contest for insight. Let’s examine (with a microscope) four takeaways relevant to the 2026 Commanders:
Luke McCaffrey in trouble?
We knew the Commanders would hold most major contributors out of the preseason finale. They ended up deeming 41 players inactive. Yeah, you read that right.
This was a situation where Commanders season-ticket holders should be happy this one was played in Baltimore. That miles-long inactives list included most of the names you’d expect, featuring plenty of star power and folks you see in the box score this fall.
There might be some clues in those selected to play versus not and their odds of making the 53-man roster. Did it influence my 53-man roster projection, coming out late Friday night? It certainly did. Especially at receiver.
Luke McCaffrey played — so did Van Jefferson – while Treylon Burks and Dyami Brown sat.
Let’s read some tea leaves, shall we?
Did McCaffrey draw the short straw to ensure enough targets with six receivers sitting? Is Washington shopping McCaffrey and wants to give team another look? Or is he firmly on the roster bubble? That last thing might be the case, as surprising as that might’ve sounded a few months back.
This receiver corps is deeper than it was in 2025, especially with Stefon Diggs on board, Antonio Williams looking really good and Jaylin Lane secure as a punt return man who can handle kickoffs.
Playing doesn’t mean you’re cut, not by any stretch, but it raises an eyebrow in McCaffrey’s case.
Tyler Owens brings an edge
Defensive back Tyler Owens is a thumper. We saw that against the Lions, when he demolished a running back while rushing the passer, but we’ve known that for a while.
Owens reminded the forgetful on Friday night, with two huge hits early in the contest. That includes one right at the goal line:
GREAT hit right at the goal line by Tyler Owens who denies the ball carrier💪🏻 pic.twitter.com/Te4rMbsVHx
Owens brings a unique energy to the safety position and aggressiveness to his slot play. And let’s not forget his work on special teams play. This is a guy Washington needs deeper on the depth chart. With how he has played, Daronte Jones should be prompted to carve out a role for this physical presence.
Bubble players don’t show well
Commanders will form their 53-man roster based on a summer’s worth of work, not one preseason game right at the finish line. Friday’s contest won’t negate an otherwise solid preseason, but several fighting for a final roster spot seemed to falter at the finish.
Linebackers Ale Kaho and Kain Medrano fit into that group, with struggles tackling and in coverage. Receiver Jaden Bradley, who has made some nice catches this preseason, fumbled returning a kick in the first half. Running back Robert Henry, who fumbled last week, had a misstep in pass protection. Interior linemen Julian Good-Jones was the third center to play, and wasn’t particularly good in that showing.
Usually this third preseason game is an opportunity for a guy to go out and demand a spot on the 53. That's not happening tonight with the Commanders
Running back Kaytron Allen isn’t on the roster bubble, but he lost a fumble on Washington’s opening drive.
Trash this tape
The phrasing above is definitely old-fashioned. No one uses actual tape/film anymore. And no one’s throwing a tablet in the trash. You simply select the game file, push the delete button and then hit confirm.
I mean, the Commanders won’t really do it. There’s always something to teach from, but most of the active Commanders players won’t be making the team. Those who do will largely want to forget what happened on Friday night in Baltimore, which capped a rough week of Ravens dominance in a joint practice and then this game.
If we are going to spin this segment forward, it only reinforces the fact the offensive line needs help from a depth perspective. There aren’t many reserves who look ready to play a regular-season game at this point. GM Adam Peters is gonna have to make a move a center, and maybe pick up another guard.
Bottom line: Those who continue on to the regular season can’t make the types of mistakes frequent in this contest, where little went right.
The best part? It’s over. Now on to the regular season.
The legacy of Stephen Curry hits the big screen in a documentary film titled "Portrait of an Artist: Stephen Curry," which captured the Golden State Warriors' superstar in the moments leading up to and throughout his NBA record-extending milestone of hitting his 4,000th career 3-pointer.
The documentary, distributed by Disney, is directed by Religion of Sports co-founder Gotham Chopra and will be released exclusively in IMAX theaters Oct. 9, 2026.
The film showcases what it was like for the four-time NBA champion and two-time MVP to reach the levels he did. In the film, Curry speaks on his upbringing, mindset and work ethic, explaining a few of the intangible traits that got him to become recognized as one of the greatest basketball players to grace the NBA.
"We are pumped to show you all something the team has been working on," Curry said in his Instagram caption. "A new documentary that captures the journey to my 4,000th career three-pointer. Coming exclusively to IMAX theaters in October, the film explores the creativity, discipline, and mindset behind the game I’ve dedicated my life to. Basketball is a craft I love deeply, so being compared to an artist is something I take with a lot of humility. But creativity has always been at the heart of how I play."
The project called for 21 IMAX-certified cameras that were used as part of the state-of-the-art production to help capture the moment Curry drained the milestone-setting jumper against the Sacramento Kings during the 2024-25 season.
Curry hit his 4,000th career 3-pointer during a March 13 game at Chase Center in San Francisco in front of thousands of fans. It was the first time in NBA history a player reached 4,000 total 3-pointers made in a career.
He entered the matchup needing just two 3-point baskets to reach the unprecedented milestone. He did so. And the Warriors went on to win the game 130-104.
The film includes special appearances by other artists who have dominated their own respective fields including Viola Davis, Rick Rubin, Patti Smith and Jon Batiste. They all shared their thoughts on Curry's artistry.
"This film is all about capturing Steph Curry, an athlete and artist who is always chasing a new masterpiece,” Chopra said in a news release. “With the court as his canvas, we wanted to show the world the relentless creativity and discipline that drives one of the greatest to ever play the game. We are thrilled to be able to share this film in IMAX with audiences across the country."
It's the second film produced by Curry's multimedia company Unanimous Media, which he co-founded with multi-creative Erick Peyton in 2018. Unanimous Media produced Sony Picture Animation’s hit animated feature film “Goat,” which quickly became the top-movie in America in theatres after its debut in February 2026.
It was highly reviewed by critics and audiences alike, and the group is hoping audiences are fulfilled after watching their latest documentary.
"With ‘Portrait of an Artist,’ we wanted to tell a story that goes beyond breaking a record on the court, while exploring the creativity, discipline and mindset behind the journey,” said Curry and Peyton said in a joint statement. “This film is our way of capturing what it feels like to experience Stephen’s performance in real time, especially for those who haven’t had or may never have the chance. We’re proud to partner with Religion of Sports, IMAX and Disney/ESPN to share this experience with audiences on a global scale."
Four-star shooting guard Chase Lumpkin has narrowed his list of offers to six schools, he told Rivals. Moving forward, the 6-foot-4 rising senior out of McEachern (GA) will consider Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisville, Michigan, and USC.
To this point, Lumpkin has completed an official visit to Michigan and unofficially visited Alabama. He’s scheduled to take an official visit to USC this weekend, followed by an official visit to Alabama the weekend of September 19th.
Lumpkin is ranked as the No. 30 overall recruit in the 2027 class and the No. 8 ranked point guard, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking, an average of all three major recruiting media companies (Rivals, ESPN, 247Sports).
In addition to his finalists, he also received offers from Auburn, Georgia Tech, Florida State, Ole Miss, Georgia, Tennessee, Oregon, Providence, UCLA, Indiana, Miami, Iowa, Vanderbilt, UConn, and others.
This summer on the Nike EYBL Circuit, Lumpkin averaged 17.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 2.2 steals per game for Jet Academy.
He previously spoke with Rivals about what he’s looking for in a school.
“I really need to go somewhere I can develop the most and get to the next level and become a pro player, where I’ve got belief in the coaching staff and they’ve got belief in me. I just want to get to the next level.”
Scouting Lumpkin
Rivals national recruiting analyst Jamie Shaw has evaluated Lumpkin multiple times in person this summer. Here is what he’s written about the highly regarded guard:
“Lumpkin is very confident on the ball. He has good feet and solid positional size in the 6-foot-4 range. He shot the cover off the ball, stepping into shots and knocking down catch and shoots. Also showed passing acumen, delivering on target and on time as a primary initiator. Lumpkin played a streamlined and confident game. He got to spots and put consistent pressure on the opposing team. Lumpkin finished with 29 points and 8 assists on 8 of 15 shooting in the Jet Academy win.
“Lumpkin was the breakout player of the weekend. The Jet Academy guard did a little bit of everything for his team, initiating offense, finishing plays, and generally creating advantages for his team. He showcased excellent vision on the ball, and he processed quickly and efficiently, whether that was getting the ball to his teammates or making shots on his own accord. Lumpkin got into the paint consistently, and he finished well at the rim.”
The New York Giants and New York Jets squared off in their annual preseason rivalry game on Friday, Aug. 28.
This year, the game also had elements of a sibling rivalry, as Giants first-round rookie Francis "Sisi" Mauigoa got a chance to face his brother, Jets linebacker Francisco "Kiko" Mauigoa, for the first time in his career.
The younger Mauigoa brother got the better of his older sibling early in the game, getting a key block on the veteran linebacker during a first quarter Tyrone Tracy Jr. touchdown run.
Tracy ran behind Francis Mauigoa on the play, and the right guard was tasked with blocking his brother on the play. The Miami product managed to stonewall his older sibling and driving him to the ground while paving the way for Tracy to get into the end-zone.
Brother vs. Brother. Francis Mauigoa got to block his brother, Kiko, on this Giants TD 👀
France's #32 Victor Wembanyama jumps to dunk during the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 European Qualifier game between France and Slovenia at the Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy, in Paris on August 27, 2026. (Photo by SIMON WOHLFAHRT / AFP via Getty Images) | AFP via Getty Images
The August window of the FIBA World Cup qualifiers started on Thursday with two Spurs participating. Both of their national teams won, but their experiences were very different. Victor Wembanyama was a star for France, while David Jones-Garcia underwhelmed for the Dominican Republic and got ejected at the worst possible time.
Wembanyama, who admitted to being a little rusty in the warm-up games against Nikola Jokic’s Serbia, stepped up against a much inferior opponent. France, which leads Group L with a 6-1 record after Thursday, took care of business against a Luka Doncic-less Slovenia squad in a rout, winning 92-67 to set themselves up for what looks like an easy qualification with four games left, as they have a group-leading 6-1 record and the top three teams get to Qatar 2027.
Wemby was a monster in the matchup, finishing with 22 points, nine rebounds, and two blocks. France outscored Slovenia by 22 points when he was on the floor, and the game was essentially over at halftime.
WEMBY TOOK OFF. 🛸
The captain led his France to a comfortable win over Slovenia, as he registered 22 PTS and 9 REB. pic.twitter.com/JDECzxGe6m
Les Bleus will face Sweden next, who are coming off a great win. They took down Finland thanks to a fantastic performance by Miami Heat wing Pelle Larsson, who finished with 31 points and five boards. The matchup will take place in Stockholm on August 30. The Swedish team needs the win, but they don’t seem to have anyone with the size to match up with Wembanyama, who should feast again. If France wins, the qualification should be all but secured even though there are two more windows left in which NBA players won’t be able to suit up, as they happen during the regular season.
While Wembanyama’s performance was fantastic, his teammate David Jones-Garcia didn’t have as good of a day. The Dominican Republic beat Brazil, which was undefeated heading into the matchup, but Jones-Garcia struggled on offense in the 94-90 win. The Spurs’ two-way wing finished with just eight points in 14 shots, hit only one of his seven three-point attempts, and had no assists while turning the ball over twice. He did a good job on the boards, pulling down six rebounds, and made plays on defense as his two steals and two blocks show, but he couldn’t stay on the floor to end the game.
Jones-Garcia committed two flagrant fouls in the matchup and was ejected early in the fourth, leaving his team in a precarious position. His first flagrant came in the first half, when he hit Bruno Caboclo in the head as the big man was trying to dunk the ball, a dangerous but understandable foul. The second flagrant, however, was completely avoidable. As Brazil was inbounding on its own side, Jones-Garcia hip-checked Raul Neto. Neto embellished the contact, but after a review, it was called an unsportsmanlike foul, and DJS was sent off. He was lucky the DR still pulled off a narrow win, because it was a lapse of judgement at a terrible time.
The Dominican Republic, currently in third place in Group E behind the U.S. and Brazil with a 5-2 record, will face bottom-dwelling Chile on August 31. Hopefully, Jones-Garcia will have a better game.
The 2027 FIBA World Cup has two more qualifying windows in December and March. NBA players are not expected to participate, as the dates coincide with the regular season.
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - AUGUST 15: Marist Liufau #35 of the Dallas Cowboys looks on during the first quarter during the NFL preseason game against the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field on August 15, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Jack Compton/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Dallas Cowboys saw one of their bubble players suffer an apparent injury halfway through the second quarter of their preseason finale against the New Orleans Saints. It was Marist Liufau who had the apparent wrist injury.
Cowboys OLB Marist Liufau is down and being tended to by the medical staff.
The broadcast noted that Liufau was labeled as questionable to return to the game with a wrist injury. He could indeed be seen grabbing at his wrist as he took a knee on the ground and had to be tended to. He has been one of the players on the roster bubble with regards to making the team in general, and it goes without saying that this could be a potential factor in that math.
Time will tell what his status is moving forward and into Sunday when roster cuts are due as teams have to create an initial 53-man roster. The team likes his special teams ability, but this injury could be a deciding factor depending on severity.
New York Giants running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. suffered an apparent injury during his team's preseason Week 3 game against the New York Jets.
The injury occurred as Tracy was tackled at the end of an 8-yard run with just over seven minutes remaining in the second quarter. The 26-year-old lowered his head while trying to power through contact and hit the crown of his helmet hard on the shoulder of Jets safety Jarius Monroe.
Tracy's neck was seemingly compressed as a result of the hit.
