Sports
Houston, We Have A Problem: C.J. Stroud Needs To Play Better For Texans
The New York Jets hadn’t won in exactly six weeks, so Thursday’s 21-13 win over the Houston Texans will feel like a masterpiece.
In truth, it was a first half displaying exactly why they owned a porous 2-6 record and a second half showing they can still rally and make a playoff run.
Which way it goes is still to be determined, but New York must play like it did in the second half to have any chance at saving its season.
Aaron Rodgers looked horrible in the first half with a grand total of 32 passing yards. He threw three touchdown passes in the second half, two of those on superb one-handed catches by budding star Garrett Wilson.
Rodgers hasn’t reached 300 yards this season, and the 40-year-old version of him certainly doesn’t have the same skills as the player who won four MVP awards with the Green Bay Packers.
But the Jets (3-6) are all in on Rodgers and don’t have a quarterback of the future on the 53-man roster; veteran Tyrod Taylor is the backup. This is going to be Rodgers’ show barring injury, and New York needs him to at least approach his earlier form.
New York stands in 10th place in the AFC and needs to get on a roll. There is certainly hope when you consider the Denver Broncos (5-3) may not be able to maintain their strong start and the Indianapolis Colts (4-4) are having quarterback issues and have demoted Anthony Richardson in favor of Joe Flacco.
In fact, the Jets stand second in the AFC East, with both the Miami Dolphins and New England Patriots faring worse.
The Texans (6-3) envision being a postseason force this season, but it was hard to feel they could win more than one postseason game by watching Thursday’s act. They also dropped to 2-3 on the road.
Star quarterback C.J. Stroud is allowed to have a bad performance, but his shoddy 11-of-30 effort really hurt. It was his second subpar performance in three games as he passed for just 86 yards on 10-of-21 passing in a 24-22 road loss against the Green Bay Packers on Oct. 20.
At the same time, Houston couldn’t protect Stroud, and he was sacked eight times. He was certainly hurried on other occasions.
Stroud will bounce back. His output will be something to watch in the Texans’ next road game, which is on the Monday Night stage against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 11.
Stroud needs to be a lot better.
It didn’t help that wide receiver Stefon Diggs tore his ACL and is out for the season, and that big-play man Nico Collins is still sidelined with a hamstring injury. Tank Dell stepped up with six catches for 126 yards on a night when the rest of the team had just 65 receiving yards.
Houston also has Joe Mixon running like a runway Amtrak train. He had 106 yards against the Jets for his fourth straight 100-yard outing, and he looks like a cinch to record his fifth career 1,000-yard season.
The Texans are easily the best team in the AFC South. But where they stand in the pecking order in the conference and NFL overall became uncertain. The immediate schedule in front of Houston isn’t easy with the Detroit Lions coming to Houston on Nov. 10.
They have games against the Kansas City Chiefs and Baltimore Ravens in a five-day span in December that will be even more challenging.
But no matter how you cut it, their Halloween performance was scary in a bad way. That’s a problem, Houston.
Sports
Cards extend manager Oliver Marmol through '28 season
Feb 22, 2026; West Palm Beach, Florida, USA; St. Louis Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol (37) looks on from inside the dugout against the Houston Astros during the fifth inning at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images St. Louis Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol received a two-year contract extension through the 2028 season, the team announced Sunday.
Financial terms were not disclosed by the team, which holds an option for the 2029 season.
“As I’ve gotten to know Oli, I’ve seen someone who cares about this organization and knows what has made the Cardinals special over time — and who understands that for us to get where we need to go, we must compete relentlessly to set new standards in everything that we do,” president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom said.
“He is invested in the progress of our young core and is unafraid to challenge himself and to help those around him grow. I am energized to continue working with him towards the on-field success that we expect and that our fans deserve.”
Marmol, 39, has guided the Cardinals to a 325-323 record during his four seasons as the skipper. He led St. Louis to the National League Central title in 2022 before the team fell in the wild-card series to the Philadelphia Phillies.
Last season, the Cardinals posted a 78-84 record to finish in fourth place in the NL Central.
Marmol was a coach with St. Louis from 2017-21 under previous managers Mike Shildt and Mike Matheny.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Tyler Reif treated for heat exhaustion after Trucks race
Oct 31, 2025; Avondale, Arizona, USA; NASCAR Truck Series driver Tyler Reif (41) during the NASCAR Truck Series Championship race at Phoenix Raceway. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series rookie Tyler Reif was treated for heat exhaustion after Saturday night’s street race in St. Petersburg, Fla.
Reif, 18, was transported to an area medical facility after finishing 16th in the race in the No. 42 Niece Motorsports Chevrolet. He was later released.
“Tyler and his family would like to express their gratitude to the NASCAR officials, track medical workers and the local medical facility staff for their care,” Niece Motorsports said in a release.
Reif made his debut in the NASCAR Craftsman Trucks Series in 2025. Saturday’s race was just his third on the circuit, including a 17th-place finish at Atlanta on Feb. 21.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Report: RB David Montgomery 'wants out' of Detroit
Dec 25, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery (5) looks on before the game against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images Lions running back David Montgomery “wants out” of Detroit after three seasons, ESPN reported on Sunday.
Montgomery, however, immediately appeared to refute the report on X, posting: “Damn, Dmo told you that?”
The ESPN report claims the Lions would want “a decent Day 3 pick (possibly a fifth-rounder)” in the 2026 NFL Draft in return for Montgomery, who turns 29 in June and is owed $6 million next season.
The report follows general manager Brad Holmes’ remarks after the season about Montgomery being unhappy with his playing time in 2025. Sharing a backfield with Jahmyr Gibbs, Montgomery rushed for a career-low 716 yards and eight touchdowns in 17 games (no starts).
“Those are conversations that we’re going to have to have because I’ve got a lot of respect for that player,” Holmes said of Montgomery in January. “He deserves to be in a situation where his skillset can be utilized, and so yeah would love for it to be here, but if it can’t be here then you’d just love to see where could work out best for him.”
At the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis on Tuesday, Holmes said the situation with Montgomery is “fluid.” He signed a two-year extension during the 2024 season that runs through the end of the 2027 campaign.
“Yeah, I have been in touch with David’s agent, and his representation,” Holmes revealed. “Obviously, we love David, he’s a great player, we love to have him, you know, kind of want to put last year in the rear view, and just move forward. But, obviously, a player has to want to be at a certain place as well. The conversations are still fluid, but we’ll see how it goes.”
Montgomery has rushed for 2,506 yards and 33 touchdowns in 45 games (28 starts) in three seasons with Detroit (2023-25). He has 76 catches for 650 yards in that span.
He began his career with the NFC North rival Chicago Bears, who drafted him in the third round in 2019. Montgomery rushed for 3,609 yards and 26 scores in 60 games (51 starts) with the Bears (2019-22).
–Field Level Media
Cards extend manager Oliver Marmol through '28 season
Tyler Reif treated for heat exhaustion after Trucks race
