Sports
Broncos stand behind rookie QB, put RBs on alert
Sep 15, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) huddles with teammates in the first quarter against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images Broncos head coach Sean Payton wants to see improvement from rookie quarterback Bo Nix, but he’s far more concerned with the impact of Denver’s flat-lined running game.
Javonte Williams is averaging 2.1 yards per carry, with 40 yards on 19 carries and zero gains longer than nine yards, as the Broncos started the season 0-2. Payton said it’s on the coaches and offensive line to a certain extent, but put Williams on notice entering Week 3.
“I saw it in training camp,” Payton said of Williams finding his groove. “I look forward to seeing it this season. In the meantime, some of these other guys are doing a good job. (RB) Jaleel [McLaughlin] is another one that needs more touches. We talked about (RB) Tyler Badie. You’re patient, and yet at some point — and it starts up front obviously — you want to see those runs.”
Badie had one carry for 16 yards Sunday in the loss to the Steelers. He could be a more significant factor soon. Payton said it’s his responsibility to find Badie touches.
“It’s something as a play caller, as someone who’s looking at the game, I’ve got to be able to see that,” Payton said of Badie’s one splash play Sunday. “He is a player though who had his name on a lot of different plays that either were red zone or situational plays that we weren’t able to get to. It’s not intentional. It’s not like, ‘Hey we’re not aware.’ You’re just into the flow of the game and you have to be better that way.”
Payton said Nix, who has four interceptions and a 51.0 passer rating, processed the game well against Pittsburgh, even if the results — including an ill-advised red zone throw that was intercepted — don’t make his growth evident.
“A couple of things you see on tape. You see early on us struggle inside which forces him out of the pocket. Then you do see later in the second half, a cleaner pocket and then him hurry it,” Payton said. “It’s developing the confidence of climbing, developing the confidence within the framework of your protection. He does have a good pocket presence for the most part. He’s not someone that’s just going to look to take off and look to scramble. So we’ve got to build on that and make sure it kind of begins with that, relative to the design of what you’re trying to do in the drop-back passing game.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Cedric Mullins, Rays outlast rain, Pirates in 13-inning win
Apr 18, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes (30) delivers a pitch against Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero (13) during the first inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images Cedric Mullins’ two-run leadoff home run in the top of the 13th inning made the difference in an 8-7 victory for the Tampa Bay Rays against the Pirates to end a marathon game in Pittsburgh on Saturday night.
The four-hour, 12-minute game was the longest of the season in terms of innings played. It was extended by a two-hour, 27-minute weather delay.
Mullins had two hits and three RBIs and Jonny DeLuca had two hits and two RBIs to help the Rays rally from a 4-0 deficit before the delay and win for the seventh time in their past eight games. Mullins’ 403-foot homer to right field came off Yohan Ramirez (2-1).
The Pirates cut the deficit to one in the bottom of the 13th when Konnor Griffin singled home Jake Mangum. But Yoendrys Gomez recovered by striking out Joey Bart with runners on second and third to pick up his second career save and first of the season.
Chandler Simpson, Junior Caminero and Jonathan Aranda also had two hits each for Tampa Bay, which used seven relievers, capped by Griffin Jax (1-2) and Gomez.
Ryan O’Hearn and Marcell Ozuna each hit two-run home runs off Rays starter Drew Rasmussen with two outs in the first and fourth innings, respectively, to give the Pirates a 4-0 lead. The game was halted by rain during the ensuing at-bat by Spencer Horwitz.
When play resumed, Cam Sanders took over for Pirates ace Paul Skenes, who threw four scoreless innings, allowed three hits and struck out five on 64 pitches.
The Rays scored five runs in the top of the fifth to take a 5-4 lead.
Sanders walked Hunter Feduccia to open the inning, but appeared ready to get through it unscathed after striking out Taylor Walls and Simpson.
Caminero roped a double to left that scored Feduccia to put the Rays on the board. It was the first of five consecutive hits for Tampa Bay as Aranda drove home Caminero with a single. Two batters later, Aranda and Yandy Diaz scored on a double by DeLuca off reliever Evan Sisk to tie the game at 4. Mullins then drove in the go-ahead run with a single.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Cardinals get off to fast start in win over Astros
Apr 18, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; St. Louis Cardinals shortstop Masyn Winn (0) crosses home plate after hitting a two-run home run to left field against the Houston Astros during the third inning at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images Masyn Winn and Jose Fermin smacked their first home runs, and the visiting St. Louis Cardinals clinched an interleague series win over the Houston Astros with a 7-5 victory on Saturday.
Alec Burleson also homered for the Cardinals, who pounced on Astros starter Lance McCullers Jr. (1-1) and rode a solid start from right-hander Andre Pallante (2-1), who worked five innings.
The Astros lost their third consecutive game and have dropped 11 of 13.
McCullers labored throughout his five-inning stint. He plunked JJ Wetherholt and Ivan Herrera with pitches to begin his outing and, after walking Jordan Walker to load the bases with one out in the top of the first inning, surrendered a single to Nolan Gorman that plated Wetherholt and Herrera and spotted the Cardinals a 2-0 lead.
McCullers issued walks to Fermin and Wetherholt but stranded both in the second. But with Gorman on first and one out in the third, McCullers grooved a 2-0 sinker that Winn launched into the left-field seats. That 373-foot blast extended the Cardinals’ lead to 4-1. McCullers allowed four runs on four hits and three walks with four strikeouts. He threw 91 pitches, 58 for strikes.
Yordan Alvarez crushed his league-leading ninth home run to straightaway center with one out in the bottom of the first. Pallante limited the Astros to that lone tally by working around two baserunners in the second and third innings, and stranding Cam Smith at first in the fourth.
Pallante retired the side in order in the fifth, recording strikeouts of Jose Altuve and Carlos Correa in the frame. He allowed three hits and issued three walks while notching five strikeouts.
The Cardinals tacked on solo runs in the sixth, seventh and eighth innings. Fermin won a 10-pitch battle with Astros left-hander Colton Gordon with his 370-foot shot to left-center that pushed the Cardinals to a 5-1 lead. Burleson led off the seventh with his third homer, a 408-foot blast into the second deck in right field.
Shay Whitcomb slugged a three-run home run off Cardinals reliever George Soriano in the ninth, but closer Riley O’Brien retired Altuve and Alvarez to earn his sixth save.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Jon Rahm again dominates back 9 to remain LIV Mexico City leader
Aug 24, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Jon Rahm of Legion XIII reacts to making his putt on the 18th green in a playoff hole during the finals of the LIV Golf Michigan Team Championship at The Cardinal at Saint John’s Resort. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images Jon Rahm dominated the back nine once again on Saturday to remain atop the leaderboard at 14 under through three rounds of LIV Golf Mexico City in Naucalpan, Mexico.
Rahm overcame a double-bogey on the par-4 fifth hole and a 1-over showing on the front nine by shooting 5 under on the back nine to post his second consecutive 4-under-par 67. Through three rounds this week, the Spaniard has shot 11 under on the back nine at Club de Golf Chapultepec.
He’s two strokes clear of Legion XIII teammate Tyrrell Hatton (66) of England at 12 under, who had a bogey-free Saturday round which included an eagle on the par-5 seventh hole. Another Legion XIII player, Northern Ireland’s Tom McKibbin (69), is tied for third at 11 under with Brendan Grace (65) of South Africa.
Three members of the same team haven’t finished in the top three spots in a LIV event since the inaugural LIV event at London in 2022.
“It’s a real honor. Honestly. It’s great to see them playing well, too,” Rahm said of his team’s performance. ” … I’m not surprised at all. I’m happy to see them up there. And let’s see if it’s not me, but one of the three of us who wins tomorrow.”
Rahm, who has won the LIV individual championship each of the last two seasons, is seeking his second win of the season and sixth top-five finish in as many 2026 LIV events.
Grace, who was even par in the first round, has surged toward the top of the leaderboard after an up-and-down third round. He got to 4 under through his first five holes after an eagle at No. 7 before going bogey, birdie, birdie, double bogey on the next four holes.
He finished the back nine with four birdies in five holes before a bogey at the 18th and pars on the first and second holes to finish his rocky but effective round.
“I gave myself chances. I think I made eight birdies and an eagle today and then obviously a couple of mishaps out there,” Grace said. “But around a place like this, it’s easy to do.”
Included in a five-way tie for fifth at 10 under is Spain’s David Puig, who scattered eight birdies, an eagle and a bogey Saturday for the second 9-under round of the week. Victor Perez, who shot 9 under on Thursday, has fallen back into a tie for 22nd after posting a combined score of 5 over the last two rounds.
Bryson DeChambeau’s pursuit of becoming the first player in LIV Golf history to win three straight individual events appears quite finished after he shot 2 over in the third round to fall into a tie for 41st.
–Field Level Media
