Sports
Reality of rough starts to season hitting Bengals, Raiders
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) stands on the sidelines after throwing an interception in the 4th quarter at Paycor Stadium on Sunday, October 27, 2024. The Bengals lost to the Philadelphia Eagles 37-17 and remain winless at home. The Cincinnati Bengals entered the season with Super Bowl aspirations. Now entering November, they are 3-5 and will still be searching for their first home win when they host the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday afternoon.
The Bengals are coming off an embarrassing 37-17 home loss to the Philadelphia Eagles that had fans leaving in droves with 11 minutes left in the fourth quarter. Cincinnati fell to 0-4 at home.
The Bengals are mired in third place in the AFC North with a suddenly struggling offense that hasn’t reached 20 points in three straight games after a three-game span of scoring at least 33.
“(The urgency is) as high as it can be,” said Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow. “This is a must-win game. We’re 3-5. You go to 3-6, you basically have to win out. We’ve done it before. I know the players we have. You have to treat it week by week. Any game is winnable. You’ve just got to go and do it.”
The Bengals’ running game is ranked 28th in the NFL, averaging just 89.8 yards per game. The run game was particularly poor last Sunday as feature backs Chase Brown and Zack Moss combined to gain 43 yards on 17 carries.
“We’ve put ourselves in a bad spot, but it’s not a spot that we can’t get ourselves out of,” said head coach Zac Taylor. “I know that we believe that. We’re not even yet at the halfway point of the season. There’s going to be a lot of opportunity here. We’ve just got to stick together and keep working, find some wins and string it together.”
The Raiders (2-6) are coming off a 27-20 home loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, a game in which they were 2-for-4 in the red zone and just 1-for-3 in goal-to-go situations.
“It’s really frustrating. That’s obviously something we have to be better at,” said quarterback Gardner Minshew II. “We’ve been getting down there a few times, the defense put us down there a couple times.
“We’ve got to be able to get it in the end zone, point blank, period, if we want to be the team we’ve got to be. I have to look at it, figure out what we’ve done well over the last little bit and figure out what’s not working and go from there.”
The Raiders had their chance in the third quarter when they had the ball on the Kansas City 3-yard line, trailing just 17-13. But they were stopped on four straight plays, losing two yards on a run and Minshew getting sacked on fourth down.
The Raiders were flagged for five penalties for 32 yards on Sunday, including a pair which stalled drives.
“You can’t kill yourselves,” Raiders coach Antonio Pierce said. “We’ve got great opportunities like we did twice in the third quarter to get points on the board. We’ve got to do that. I don’t think you ever try to coach or play the game perfect. You do the best you can but, obviously, they were better in a lot of areas than us.”
The Raiders practiced on Wednesday without center Andre James (ankle) and linebacker Robert Spillane (knee). Bengals offensive tackle Orlando Brown Jr. (knee/fibula) and wide receiver Tee Higgins (quadricep) missed their team’s session, while Burrow (right wrist) was a full participant.
The teams are meeting for the first time since Cincinnati’s 26-19 win in the wild-card round in the 2021 playoffs, snapping a 31-year playoff victory drought for the Bengals.
The Raiders lead the all-time series, 21-13, including 2-1 in postseason. The Bengals have won five of the past six meetings.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Inter Miami sign Brazilian superstar M Casemiro
June 29, 2026; Houston, Texas, U.S.; Brazil’s Casemiro celebrates after the match. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images Inter Miami announced the signing of Brazilian superstar midfielder Casemiro on Wednesday.
Casemiro, 34, is under contract through 2027 with an option until June 2029 following five years with Premier League side Manchester United. Inter Miami acquired his discovery priority from the Los Angeles Galaxy.
Casemiro just helped Brazil reach the round of 16 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, increasing his career totals to 91 caps and 10 goals with the national team. It was his third World Cup.
“What motivates me the most, and I think this is true for every player, is winning and continuing to grow. The project the club presented to me, along with the effort everyone made to bring me here, means a lot to me,” Casemiro said.
“I’m incredibly grateful, and I can’t wait to get started so I can repay that trust — not only during the 90 minutes on matchday, but every day in training as well. All I can say is thank you, and I’ll give everything I have to return the affection and confidence the club has shown me.”
Casemiro has recorded 73 goals and 61 assists in 663 club appearances with Brazil’s Sao Paulo, Spain’s Real Madrid, Portugal’s Porto and Manchester United. His 21 club trophies include five UEFA Champions League titles and three La Liga crowns with Real Madrid from 2013-22.
“Casemiro’s arrival reflects the vision and ambition that define Inter Miami,” said managing owner Jorge Mas. “We never settle. We’re always looking to grow, improve, and raise our standards every season. We’ve built a global club with the vision of becoming not only the best club in the United States, but also a benchmark globally.
“Casemiro embodies everything this club stands for: leadership, a winning mentality, and an extraordinary track record at the highest level of the game,” Mas added. “After achieving virtually everything there is to achieve in fútbol, his decision to join Inter Miami shows that he shares our ambition and our commitment to the highest standards as we continue building for the future. We’re thrilled to welcome him to the Inter Miami family.”
Casemiro now joins forces with Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez, his former rivals at FC Barcelona.
“I’m very proud to welcome Casemiro and his family to Inter Miami,” said co-owner David Beckham. “He is a person and a player that I have admired for a long time. He is a winner who has achieved so much in the game, and after such an incredible career with Real Madrid and Manchester United, I’m delighted that he’s decided to make Miami his next home.”
Defending MLS Cup champion Inter Miami (15-9-2, 31 points) are in second place in the Eastern Conference as they return from the World Cup break to host the Chicago Fire on Wednesday night.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Bobby Witt Jr. put on 10-day IL, likely sealing Royals' seller status
Jul 18, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. (7) makes a diving stop during the third inning against the San Diego Padres at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. landed on the 10-day injured list on Wednesday due to tightness in his lower back.
A starter for the American League in the All-Star Game last week, Witt left the Royals’ 4-3 win against the San Francisco Giants on Monday with back spasms. The roster move is retroactive to Tuesday.
Being without their best player for any length of time is likely the crowning blow for the Royals, who at 42-60 have a better record than only the Los Angeles Angels (41-60) and Colorado Rockies (41-61) heading into play Wednesday.
Because of the relative weakness of the AL Central, the Royals are 12 games behind the division-leading Chicago White Sox and Cleveland Guardians. But with a little more than two months to play and a dozen games to make up, Witt’s injury should insure the Royals will be sellers at the trade deadline on Aug. 3.
Veteran starting pitchers Seth Lugo and Michael Wacha are projected to be coveted by contenders, though the Royals have said they are not inclined to move either right-hander.
In 94 games this season, Witt is batting .289 with 13 homers and 39 RBIs. He has 103 hits and 22 doubles, scoring 51 runs.
His 30 stolen bases lead the major leagues.
Witt is a three-time All-Star and the winner of two Gold Glove and Silver Slugger awards. He won the AL batting title in 2024 when he led the majors with a .332 average.
Kansas City’s shortstop since 2022, Witt has a career average of .288 with 118 home runs, 412 RBIs and 178 stolen bases in 720 games.
In a corresponding move, the Royals promoted 32-year-old Andrew Velazquez from Triple-A Omaha. He is a well-traveled utility infielder who has not played in the major leagues since 2023.
He and Tyler Tolbert, a 28-year-old infielder hitting .328 in 38 games this year, are expected to share duties at shortstop.
The Royals also transferred right-hander Stephen Kolek to the 60-day injured list, designated center fielder Kameron Misner for assignment and traded right-hander Nate Pearson to the Houston Astros in exchange for right-hander Max Martin.
–Field Level Media
Sports
O's place rookie C Samuel Basallo (shoulder) on 10-day IL
Jul 12, 2026; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles catcher Samuel Basallo (29) throws to first for an out during the seventh inning against the Kansas City Royals at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images Already without injured starter Adley Rutschman, the Baltimore Orioles placed rookie catcher Samuel Basallo on the 10-day injured list with right shoulder inflammation on Wednesday.
The roster move is retroactive to Monday. In a corresponding move, the Orioles recalled right fielder Johnathan Rodriguez from Triple-A Norfolk.
Basallo, 21, is enjoying a solid first full season in the majors, posting 16 homers and 46 RBIs to go along with a .241 batting average in 86 games. He left Sunday’s game at the Houston Astros with right shoulder discomfort and did not play in Monday’s series opener at the Boston Red Sox.
Sam Huff started Monday and also was behind the plate Wednesday afternoon in the opener of a day-night doubleheader against Boston. Tuesday night’s game was rained out.
Rodriguez, 26, is 0-for-7 with an RBI in five games this season with Baltimore. He played 44 games for the Cleveland Guardians in 2024-25, hitting .176 with two home runs and 15 RBIs.
–Field Level Media
Inter Miami sign Brazilian superstar M Casemiro
Bobby Witt Jr. put on 10-day IL, likely sealing Royals' seller status
