Sports
Ravens, Cowboys chase critical bounce-back win
Sep 15, 2024; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) runs during the second half against the Las Vegas Raiders at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images Deflated by Week 2 losses, the Cowboys and Baltimore Ravens meet Sunday at Dallas where only one can come away with a bounce-back victory.
Baltimore fell to 0-2 for the first time since 2015 with a 26-23 setback to the visiting Las Vegas Raiders and nears desperate times as fall arrives. Even with a win in Dallas, the Ravens are on a tightrope. They have a primetime visit to Buffalo (2-0) on deck next Sunday followed by a grudge match with AFC North rival Cincinnati (0-2).
Dallas was blown out 44-19 by the New Orleans Saints, snapping a 16-game home winning streak in the regular season. The Cowboys allowed 190 yards rushing and a bigger challenge arrives in the Ravens, who are seventh in the NFL with 168 yards rushing per game with dual-threat quarterback Lamar Jackson and four-time Pro-Bowl rusher Derrick Henry teaming as a formidable 1-2 punch.
“We made some technique adjustments that we need to be better at,” Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy said about the run defense this week. “We can’t get gapped, and we were gapped time and time again. That puts more pressure on your second-level defenders, obviously your linebackers and our primary support element. But yeah, we have to. It’s that first step, the discipline, playing the technique, and making sure the fit behind them is in order. We definitely were not clean and we weren’t consistent.”
There are sharks in the water ahead on Dallas’ schedule, too, with the Steelers (2-0), 49ers (1-1) and Lions (1-1) comprising the Cowboys’ slate in October.
The Ravens have three new starters on the offensive line and left tackle Ronnie Stanley isn’t at full strength. He was on the injury report Wednesday with an ankle injury.
Pass and run blocking were both a struggle over the past two games. The mobile Jackson has been sacked three times. Cowboys defensive end Micah Parsons was held without a sack against the Saints, but he should create matchup problems against the Ravens.
Baltimore, which leads the regular-season series 5-1 against the Cowboys, needs to get the running game revved up to set up the pass. After a slow start, Henry finished with 84 yards on 18 carries with a touchdown.
Jackson has thrown for 520 yards with two touchdowns and an interception in two games. He will likely test the Dallas pass defense, which is ranked 16th in the NFL allowing 189.5 yards passing per game.
Jackson is agitated by his team’s early struggles and is determined to get the season on track.
“(We’ve) just got to find a way to win,” Jackson said. “I’m not used to being 0-2. (We’ve) just got to catch our momentum and get it started right away.”
Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott agreed to a four-year, $240 million contract with a record $231 million guaranteed earlier this month. Prescott had an uneven performance over the past two games, throwing for 472 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. As a veteran, Prescott understands the pressure to win as the Cowboys quarterback.
“That’s one thing that I’ve grown to realize, especially in this organization when you’re playing on national TV every week. You are the Cowboys and the attention that we get is, if you lose, you’re down here,” Prescott said. “If we win, you’re way up there. None of that really matters. It’s about for us to trust the process, trusting one another, responding each and every day to get better. I know that we have the guys in there that can do that.”
The Ravens’ pass rush has seven sacks in two games. However, the secondary appears vulnerable to big plays. Dallas wide receiver CeeDee Lamb could be poised to have a huge game. In the season opener, Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice caught seven passes for 103 yards and often ran free in front of and behind Baltimore’s defense.
And Davante Adams finished with 110 yards and a touchdown on nine receptions last week.
Prescott likely will target Lamb and Jalen Tolbert early and often. However, Lamb landed on the injury report this week with an ankle issue and tight end Jake Ferguson (knee) didn’t play in Week 2. He was limited in Wednesday’s practice.
Ravens rookie cornerback Nate Wiggins missed the previous game and practice this week after he was involved in a car accident resulting in a concussion and neck injury.
One of the biggest challenges facing the Ravens is closing out games. Over the past five seasons, the Ravens have had 10 losses when leading by seven or more points in the fourth quarter — the most by any team.
Conversely, Prescott has led the Cowboys to 22 wins when they are tied or trailing in the fourth quarter or overtime since 2016 — second most in franchise history behind Tony Romo (24).
“Giving up a fourth-quarter lead is never OK — it’s not acceptable; it should never happen,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. “You do it because you don’t play consistent football to get the stops that you need to get, and our guys know that — they’ll take accountability for it. Coaches will take accountability for it.
“When I say, ‘Us,’ I mean all of us — players and coaches together.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Tempo without suspended coach Sandy Brondello vs. rested Aces
Jun 25, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Tempo head coach Sandy Brondello greets guard Marina Mabrey (3) as she comes off the floor during a time out against the Los Angeles Sparks in the first half at Coca-Cola Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images The Toronto Tempo will be without their head coach as they try to snap out of a funk Monday at home against the Las Vegas Aces.
Sandy Brondello will serve a one-game suspension without pay for what the league deemed was an inappropriate comment she made about Atlanta star Angel Reese during Friday’s game. Associate head coach Olaf Lange will handle head-coaching duties against the Aces.
Brondello apologized on social media and Reese accepted the apology for the incident, which stemmed from Brondello calling Reese a “protected species” after a foul call. Brondello admitted the remark had an unintended racial connotation, which differs from how the term is used in her native Australia.
Toronto (10-15) has had trouble on the court as well, losing six of the last seven games and falling 2 1/2 games behind the playoff hunt. On Friday, the Tempo fell 111-92 at home to Atlanta after trailing by just a point at halftime.
“I think we were still in the locker room at the start of the third (quarter),” Brondello said. “We were just not very locked in and very intentional.
“They got some easy baskets, and then we lose our focus a little bit, so that’s the disappointing part.”
Marina Mabrey scored 26 points, including a trio of 3-pointers, while reserve Nyara Sabally added 16 points. Sabally sustained a minor rib injury in the process and was limited to just 21 minutes. She was ruled out Sunday for Monday’s contest.
Meanwhile, the Aces (17-7) have had plenty of time to dwell on their polarizing last two performances.
After beating Phoenix 106-58 on July 11, the Aces experienced an 82-point swing, losing 109-75 to Indiana the following day. They shot 50.6% and tallied five players in double-figure scoring against the Mercury, only to tumble to 39.1% and just two double-digit scorers at home against the Fever.
Las Vegas was paced by A’ja Wilson’s 20 points and 12 rebounds in the loss to Indiana. Fellow All-Star Jackie Young added 15 points, but that was about all of the good news for the Aces, now two games off the pace for the WNBA lead behind Minnesota and second-place Golden State. The Aces have dropped two of their last four games and are 5-3 since their 12-4 start.
“I thought we were lousy from the jump,” said Aces coach Becky Hammon after the loss. “A lot of it is effort and maybe we just didn’t have the juice today.”
The Aces had played three games in four days, and Hammon conceded, “Every team has a rough patch in the schedule where it’s just difficult.” A seven-day stretch with no games could help make that challenge a bit easier for the Aces.
–Field Level Media
Sports
President Trump aids Gianni Infantino at World Cup trophy ceremony
July 19, 2026; East Rutherford, New Jersey, U.S.; U.S. President Donald Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino during the trophy presentation after the match. Mandatory Credit: Mark J Rebilas-Imagn Images EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — U.S. President Donald Trump helped FIFA President Gianni Infantino hand out awards following Spain’s 1-0 victory over Argentina at the World Cup final Sunday.
But this time, Infantino successfully kept Trump just outside the mob of La Roja players as they lifted the FIFA World Cup Trophy in celebration of their nation’s second title.
About 25 minutes after the match, Infantino, Trump and other officials emerged from the tunnel in the southeast corner of New York New Jersey Stadium and climbed the on-field stage constructed for the occasion.
Trump, who had watched the match in a luxury box with Infantino and other officials, was met with boos from the stands, but those ceased when the medal ceremony began.
Standing directly next to Infantino, Trump assisted in handing medals first to the second-place Argentine side and then to the Spanish winners.
As Spain’s squad then prepared to hoist the trophy, Trump remained on stage, but Infantino eventually jogged in his direction and beckoned him toward the stairs on the right side of the platform.
It was in contrast to last year’s final at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, when Trump remained in a mob of celebrating Chelsea players following their 3-0 triumph over Paris Saint-Germain.
The final was the only World Cup match attended by Trump, who had been more visible last fall in the buildup to the tournament, including when he was awarded the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize by Infantino at the World Cup draw last December.
That was in stark contrast to Infantino, who attended multiple matches per day during the early stages of the 104-game tournament contested by a 48-team field.
Spain won the tournament after Ferran Torres scored in the 106th minute to ensure his team’s dominant performance was rewarded. It was a similar triumph to their first in a World Cup final, a 1-0 win in extra time against the Netherlands in 2010 decided by Andres Iniesta’s 116th-minute winner.
–Ian Nicholas Quillen, Field Level Media
Sports
Reports: Packers DT Devonte Wyatt agrees to 3-year, $57M extension
Nov 27, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Green Bay Packers defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt (95) is carted off the field after an injury against the Detroit Lions during the third quarter at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images The Green Bay Packers and defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt agreed to a three-year, $57 million extension on Monday, according to multiple reports.
The extension begins with the 2027 season. Wyatt will make $12.94 million this season in the fifth and final season of his rookie contract.
Wyatt, 28, played in just 10 games last season due to sustaining a broken fibula and torn ankle ligaments during a Thanksgiving Day contest against the Detroit Lions. He had 27 tackles, four sacks and six stops for losses.
Wyatt has played 57 games (15 starts) for Green Bay over four seasons and has 101 tackles, 16 sacks and three fumble recoveries. He also had 21 tackles for losses.
Wyatt is expected to be ready for the start training camp after missing Green Bay’s offseason program. He was a first-round pick (28th overall) by the Packers in 2022.
–Field Level Media
Tempo without suspended coach Sandy Brondello vs. rested Aces
President Trump aids Gianni Infantino at World Cup trophy ceremony
