Sports
Facing Cowboys, Commanders aim for momentum ahead of playoffs
Dec 29, 2024; Landover, Maryland, USA; Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) celebrates with fans in the stands while leaving the field after defeating the Atlanta Falcons at Northwest Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images The Washington Commanders are putting their long-standing label of laughingstocks behind them with their winningest season since the 1991 campaign.
That season also marks the franchise’s most recent Super Bowl title. The current squad clinched a playoff berth last weekend and looks to finish the regular season in style when it faces the Dallas Cowboys at Arlington, Texas.
The Commanders (11-5) are seeking their fifth straight win. A victory would mark just the fourth time in franchise history that Washington has won 12 or more games in a season.
The Commanders also can clinch the No. 6 seed in the NFC with a victory, giving them something for which to play as the NFC seeding sorts itself out.
The last team to beat Washington is the Cowboys, who delivered a 34-26 win over the host Commanders in Week 12.
That began a stretch in which Dallas (7-9) won four of five games before it was walloped 41-7 by the host Philadelphia Eagles last weekend.
What remains to be seen is whether or not this is Mike McCarthy’s final game as the head coach of the Cowboys. McCarthy’s contract is about to conclude.
Dallas owner Jerry Jones spoke favorably of McCarthy this week but the coach sidestepped a question pertaining to his future.
“I need to make sure I’m doing exactly what I’m asking everyone else to do. We need to finish the race,” McCarthy said in reference to the season finale. “It’s been a challenging year, based on our contract situation for coaches. It’s stating the obvious, but we’ll have time to talk about that next week.”
McCarthy is 49-34 in five seasons with the Cowboys. His teams were 12-5 and made the playoffs in each of the three previous season.
But quarterback Dak Prescott sustained a season-ending hamstring injury during the team’s eighth game of this season. When McCarthy went 6-10 in 2020, Prescott was lost after five games of that season due to his horrific ankle injury.
Cooper Rush is 4-4 as the Dallas starter this season but there is no guarantee he will start Sunday. McCarthy said he’s also considering Trey Lance (seven passing attempts this season) and Will Grier (zero attempts). The latter was signed to the practice squad in mid-November.
“The reality of it is, we’re going to work all the guys,” McCarthy said of the quarterbacks.
Washington has no issues at quarterback with rookie Jayden Daniels exceeding all expectations. He was named to his first Pro Bowl team on Thursday.
Daniels, the No. 2 overall selection, has passed for 3,530 yards, 25 touchdowns and nine interceptions and has also rushed for 864 yards and six touchdowns.
More importantly, he has energized a franchise that hadn’t experienced a winning season since 2016. Even when Washington made the playoffs in the 2020 campaign, it went 7-9 in the regular season.
But now the Commanders have elevated the quarterback position after having guys like Sam Howell, Taylor Heinicke and Carson Wentz start games over the previous two seasons.
“He’s the most mature rookie I’ve ever been around. He exudes a quiet confidence,” Washington tight end Zach Ertz said. “He’s not a rah-rah guy. We all know how good he is and how much confidence we have in him. He doesn’t need to say anything.”
While Ertz (second with 61 receptions) brought veteran leadership to the offensive side of the ball, linebacker Bobby Wagner (team-high 124 tackles) did the same for the defense.
“You saw that grow throughout the season,” Wagner said of the bond on the unit. “When you get a lot of guys confident and believing in one another, it makes the team scary.”
Center Tyler Biadasz (ankle), right tackle Andrew Wylie (groin) and backup tackle Cornelius Lucas (groin) were among the six Commanders who missed Wednesday’s practice due to injuries.
Linebacker Nick Vigil (foot) and cornerback Kemon Hall (hamstring) sat out for Dallas. The Cowboys also parted ways with veteran running back Ezekiel Elliott at his request earlier this week.
Dallas has won three straight meetings between the teams and six of the past seven.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Braves put closer Raisel Iglesias on IL, Robert Suarez to close
Apr 15, 2026; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Braves pitcher Raisel Iglesias (26) pitches against the Miami Marlins during the ninth inning at Truist Park. All players are wearing number 42 today in honor of Jackie Robinson. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images The Atlanta Braves placed closer Raisel Iglesias on the 15-day injured list Tuesday with discomfort in his right (throwing) shoulder.
Iglesias has said he’s felt the discomfort since sleeping on his shoulder wrong Friday night. But the Braves conducted an MRI that found no structural damage.
“There’s some inflammation there,” Braves manager Walt Weiss told reporters. “We feel like we’re getting out in front of this thing a little bit.”
Iglesias, 36, has amassed a 42-55 record, 258 saves and a 2.86 ERA in his 12 major league seasons, including four-plus years in Atlanta. He was off to a perfect start to the season, with five saves and no runs allowed over eight games (8 2/3 innings). He’s tossed 11 strikeouts to only one walk.
While Iglesias is sidelined, Robert Suarez will take over closing duties. Suarez led the National League with 40 saves while serving as the San Diego Padres’ closer last season; then he signed a three-year, $45 million deal to join the Braves and their bullpen.
The right-handed Suarez has gone 2-0 with one save and an 0.93 ERA for Atlanta in 10 appearances, used mostly as a setup man. He was an All-Star in 2024 and 2025 for the Padres.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Orlando City want attack to catch up to defense vs. Charlotte
Mar 14, 2026; Orlando, Florida, USA; Orlando City midfielder Martin Ojeda (10) shoots on goal during the second half against the CF Montreal at Inter&Co Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-Imagn Images Orlando City will be hoping for a much-needed attacking breakthrough on Wednesday night when they host a Charlotte FC side in search of a second consecutive away victory.
Orlando (1-6-1, 4 points) has been one of Major League Soccer’s most disappointing teams this season, costing former manager Oscar Pareja his job last month.
But there is some evidence that maybe the Lions have at least righted the ship defensively. After conceding 23 times in their first six games, interim manager Martin Perelman’s group has allowed only two goals in the last three fixtures across all competitions.
“I think we organize the team. It never is enough, always (important) to improve things,” Perelman said. “We are in that part. Last details. But yes, the structure is there. In the offensive side as well, we are working. Hopefully we can get the shape we want, that we are used to. Because in this club we have been scoring a lot for the last two years.”
So far, though, the attacking end remains pretty dire. After Martin Ojeda and Marco Pasalic combined for 28 MLS goals a season ago, they only have two apiece for a team with six goals total.
Pasalic also missed last week’s 1-0 home loss to Houston on Saturday night with a leg injury.
Charlotte (4-2-2, 14 points) makes the journey south following a 2-1 victory at New York City FC on Saturday, one that came despite holding a season-low 36% possession.
Defender Tim Ream exited that match at halftime and will miss roughly a week with an adductor strain, Charlotte manager Dean Smith said.
Idan Toklomati scored early in the second half and Kerwin Vargas added a goal late before NYCFC pulled one back in second-half stoppage time. And Charlotte created a similar number of chances to NYCFC despite having less of the ball.
Smith hopes the performance sets the tone for upcoming travels, with Charlotte to play its next three league games away after five of its first eight came at home.
“There’s not plenty of away games we’ve played so far, such is the fixture list,” Smith said. “We didn’t start on the road well, but we showed loads of characteristics that I liked on Saturday. And we need to continue to do that in the next three away games as well.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Union bring challenged offense north to face streaking Toronto FC
Apr 18, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto FC midfielder Malik Henry (78) attempts to control the ball against Austin FC during the second half at BMO Field. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Sousa-Imagn Images Toronto FC will aim to extend their unbeaten streak to seven matches when the Philadelphia Union visit on Wednesday.
Toronto (3-2-3, 12 points) is 3-0-3 in its last six outings. Wednesday marks the sixth date of Toronto FC’s nine-match homestand, and the club is unbeaten (4-0-8) in its last 12 home matches dating back to last season.
Despite the good results, midfielder Malik Henry felt his team left victories on the table.
“Some of the draws we’ve had, we feel like we definitely could have won those games, which makes it a bit more disappointing,” Henry told TFC Republic. “We just have to take the points and then continue to move forward with it.”
Walker Zimmerman is expected to be available Wednesday, in a boost to an injury-depleted back line. Zimmerman missed Toronto’s last two matches with a calf injury.
Toronto FC’s offense has been both varied and efficient. Eight Toronto players have at least one goal this season, and the team’s 51.5% accurate shooting percentage is the best in MLS.
The Union are at the other end of the attacking spectrum, with a 27.1% AS percentage that ranks second-last in the league.
Philadelphia (1-6-1, 4 points) has recorded only six goals in eight regular-season matches, ahead of only four-goal D.C. United in MLS.
The lack of offense contributed to the Union’s season-opening six-game losing streak, and goals remain at a premium even as Philadelphia has gone 1-0-1 in its last two matches. The Union outshot D.C. United 17-6 on Saturday and held D.C. without a shot on target, yet still had to settle for a 0-0 draw.
Philadelphia coach Bradley Carnell felt that returning to the striker pairing of Bruno Damiani and Ezekiel Alladoh can help unlock the Union’s offense.
“We have tried a lot of different combinations (at forward) and now we go back-to-back with the same,” Carnell said. “Every day we get together with Eze and Bruno working together, it’s … one day more advanced and developed.”
–Field Level Media
