Sports
Asian Games 2026: India train for kabaddi gold as Sehrawat backs team unity | Asian Games 2026
India’s men’s kabaddi team is targeting gold at the Asian Games 2026, with raider Pawan Sehrawat expressing confidence in the 12-member squad’s preparations and the trust built during its training camp in Gandhinagar.
The Sunil Kumar-led side has been preparing at the Sports Authority of India (SAI) sports training centre in Gandhinagar, with the camp scheduled from September 5 to 15. Sehrawat said the time spent together had helped the players develop trust ahead of the Aichi-Nagoya Games in Japan.
Training together builds confidence
Sehrawat believes the selected players complement one another, with their shared ambition to win gold strengthening the combination. He pointed to the squad’s extensive practice together as the basis for its confidence going into the competition.
“The team is very confident. We have practiced a lot together. All the 12 players who have been selected make a great combination. We trust each other. The most important thing is that we are here for one thing, and that is gold. Gold makes us all one, and this is what a team should be,” said Sehrawat.
Gold expectations become motivation
India’s men’s and women’s kabaddi teams have together won 11 gold medals, one silver and one bronze at the Asian Games. That record has made another gold medal the expectation surrounding the squad’s preparations.
For Sehrawat, such expectations reflect the confidence people have in the team’s ability. He said being viewed as a side capable of winning gold was a source of pride, and that the players could use that backing to motivate themselves.
“We are seen as a team that will bring gold medal and it is a matter of pride. That expectation gets converted into motivation and makes it easier to play,” he said.
India jersey brings responsibility
The Arjuna Award recipient said being among the 12 players selected to represent a country with such a large population was an honour. Wearing the national jersey also brought an awareness that the team was carrying the hopes of people across India.
“When I wear the jersey of India, I feel that I have a responsibility, as we are carrying the weight of the whole country out there and it should go in the right direction as we get the extreme best for India,” Sehrawat said.
Sehrawat holds the Pro Kabaddi League record for the most raid points in a match, with 39. Ahead of the Asian Games, however, his emphasis was on what the players could achieve together and the responsibility of producing their best for India.
When will India’s men’s kabaddi campaign begin?
India will begin its campaign against hosts Japan on September 21. The match is listed in the morning session, which starts at 6 am IST.
India will then face South Korea on September 22, Bangladesh on September 23 and Chinese Taipei on September 24. The semifinals are scheduled for September 25, followed by the final on September 26.
India’s women will also open on September 21, against Bangladesh, in the session starting at 12.30 pm IST.
India’s men’s kabaddi squad for Asian Games 2026
Sunil Kumar (captain), Pawan Sehrawat, Ankit Jaglan, Aslam Inamdar, Ashu Malik, Ayan Lohchab, Devank Dalal, Arjun Deshwal, Jaideep Dahiya, Rahul Sethpal, Gaurav Khatri, Sumit Sangwan
I predicted a double digit win for the Vikings in their opener against the Packers. I know from experience that games rarely go as planned but I certainly didn’t envision the wild swings of momentum that resulted in the turnaround from a 22-10 seemingly hopeless third quarter deficit to a 39-22 Purple victory in which the Vikings scored the final 29 points and outscored the Packers 22-0 in the fourth quarter.
Here are my reactions: to a crazy, highly entertaining opening victory that was extra important since it was against a division rival at loud U.S. Bank Stadium.
Unpacking the Vikings’ Wild Week 1 Win
1. Losing Kyler Murray on his 11th play to a concussion on a cheap shot hit in the head area from safety Javon Bullard was an early shock to the Vikings. I thought Bullard should’ve been ejected for targeting which didn’t happen but he’ll be fined by the NFL.
Carson Wentz took over. As expected with his limited reps with the starters in camp and before the opener, Wentz missed a few throws early to Jordan Addison. But Wentz justified Kevin O’Connell’s decision to make him the backup ahead of J.J. McCarthy with a solid performance that included a few plays McCarthy may not have made. These include drawing Lukas Van Ness offside with a hard count for the free play that resulted in the 39-yard deep TD pass to Justin Jefferson (a great throw and catch for the first TD), telling T.J. Hockenson to make a route adjustment that led to the 16-yard TD pass in the third quarter that brought the Vikings within 22-17, and changing the play to a run on Jordan Mason’s 28-yarder on the game-winning drive.
We’ll see if Murray clears concussion protocol in time to play in Chicago on Sunday but there is more confidence than ever before in Wentz after his Sunday performance (12 of 19 for 133 yards, 3 TDs, no turnovers and an impressive 123.5 passer rating).
2. The Vikings had contributions from all three phases. Myles Price’s 68-yard kickoff return jump-started the Vikings comeback when they were down 22-10 in the third quarter. There was a crushing block by newcomer DeeJay Dallas to help Price and the Vikings had to love that the block was against Evan Williams who threw a head shot at Jefferson on a pass play.
The defense overcame too many big pass plays allowed (seven pass plays over 20 yards and five over 30 yards including Christian Watson’s 81-yard first quarter TD that was misplayed by Theo Jackson and Josh Metellus, among others).
Brian Flores blitzed Jordan Love on 78% of his drop backs and the Packers offensive line became tired and confused late to the point they couldn’t block Blake Cashman, Andrew Van Ginkel, and Dallas Turner. The D was phenomenal on the last four Packer drives in which they stopped the Packers on downs; produced a lost fumble by Love on the combined strip sack by Cashman and Van Ginkel; then Love threw an interception on Cashman’s pressure and deflection that bounced off Harrison Smith and was picked off by James Pierre, and finally the Packers were again stopped on downs.
The fatigue factor also affected the Packers defense as the offensive line, tight ends, and fullback Max Bredeson led the way for Mason’s 28-yard run on the game-winning drive and TD runs by Aaron Jones (his first against his former team) and Mason. Time of possession was deceptive in the first half with the Vikings having the ball for 20 ½ minutes to 9 ½ minutes for the Packers and ultimately holding a 33-27 edge for the game. That also played a role against the Packers banged-up and reshuffled O-line in Week 1 when starters have not yet played a full game.
3. In their last four drives not including a kneel-down at the end, the Vikings scored four TDs and a two-point conversion (on a perfect throw from Wentz to Justin Jefferson) to go from a 12 point deficit to a 17 point win. In this amazing turnaround, the Vikings scored three TDs in 2:39 of game time. It’s the first win in franchise history in which the Vikings won by more than 15 points despite being outgained by over 150 yards (419-239).
4. Matt LaFleur’s bad decision—it just didn’t make sense to take points off the board in a divisional road opener when the field goal would’ve given the Packers an eight-point lead with 13 minutes left. And to run the QB sneak in a loud road venue without a pusher behind Love was a mistake.
It was a huge momentum boost for the Vikings when Love was stuffed by rookie third rounder DT Domonique Orange who played 22 defensive snaps while his draft classmate and first round pick Caleb Banks was on the field for 16 defensive snaps (both played seven special teams snaps). Big Citrus (Orange) was credited with two tackles while Banks had none and second rounder Jake Golday only played special teams as Kyle Van Noy had 25 plays at linebacker with one tackle.
5. Terrible officiating—it was one of the worst officiated games I’ve seen in a long time with two blatant facemask calls missed on the Packers against Wentz (that would’ve extended a drive) and Jefferson (the Vikings still scored a TD on that drive). A block in the back could’ve been called on Watson’s long TD catch and run. The body weight roughing call that kept the Vikings winning drive alive was a very questionable call. And there were several hits to the head not called along with holding by both teams that went unflagged.
6. Penalties, third/fourth downs, and red zone—it was a positive discipline-wise for the Vikings to have only three penalties for 15 yards as opposed to the Packers’ 12 for 98 yards including five penalties that gave the Vikings first downs (three on the wild game-winning drive). The Vikings converted 8 of 15 on third down while holding the Packers to 3 of 12 of third down and 0 for 2 on fourth down. In the red zone, the Vikings were 4 for 4 and the Pack 1 for 4.
7. Things to clean up—the Vikings have a lot to clean up before heading to Chicago including: coverage mistakes–it was better when Harrison Smith was in there more in the second half as the key communicator but concerns remain about the problems Theo Jackson and Josh Metellus have in coverage and it was probably Byron Murphy’s worst overall game as a Viking when Christian Watson burned him several times; better coverage also is needed on the tight ends after Tucker Kraft and Jonnu Smith combined for five catches and 115 yards (with Smith left wide open on a 43-yard catch) and the Bears have two good tight ends—Cole Kmet and Colston Loveland; run it more consistently (they had the two rushing TDs but only a 3.1 yard average with 107 yards on 34 carries for Jones and Mason), and Reichard should kick off deep into end zone as he often did last season so there are no returns (Bo Melton averaged 31 yards per kickoff return including a 59 yarder as the Vikings coverage units have a lot of young players still learning the ropes).
8. Bottom line—1-0 is a great place to be headed to Chicago to battle a Bears team that put 59 points and 552 total yards on Carolina. There’s a lot to fine tune especially in the secondary but as Kevin O’Connell said postgame, it’s a lot better to fix things after a home divisional win over an arch-rival.
Other Week 1 games involving NFC North teams
As just mentioned, the Bears offense rolled on Sunday with QB Caleb Williams throwing for 269 yards and two TDs and running for 65 yards and two more TDs. D’Andre Swift (124 yards, 3 TDs) and Kyle Monangai (100 yards, 1 TD) were part of a 291 yard rushing day. The Vikings run D was solid against Green Bay with only 66 yards allowed on 21 carries (3.1 yard average). The Bears defense gave up 478 yards and 37 points but did force three turnovers (after leading the league last year in the category).
The Vikings and Bears split their two games last season with each team winning on the road (and the Vikings could’ve swept if they had covered Devin Duvernay’s kickoff return in their Week 11 loss that may have cost them a playoff spot and possibly the division title).
The Lions staggered a bit out of the gate, blowing a 21-0 lead at home against New Orleans before winning 31-30 in overtime when the Saints couldn’t convert a two-point attempt. Jahmyr Gibbs had 156 rushing yards and two TDs and added 30 yards receiving. The Lions pass defense was lousy as Tyler Shough passed for 410 yards and three TDs (but he did throw two picks).
Detroit has a tough Week 2 game at Buffalo with the Bills coming off an exciting 36-31 win in Houston. Josh Allen had 357 total yards in the game with four TDs (two rushing and two receiving). It will be a short travel week for the Lions as it’s a Thursday night game and there will be a lot of fanfare as the Bills open their new stadium.
I’ll be back on Friday to preview Vikings-Bears this Sunday at Soldier Field.
In 1766, a decade before the Declaration of Independence was signed, a former military cadet named Thomas Bullitt became a founding father of a different kind. He built a lodge.
Then, as now, location was a key consideration, and Bullitt chose a prime one, in the Allegheny Mountains of Virginia, where mineral springs bubbled from the earth, drawing travelers who believed in their healing powers. Bullitt’s lodge, which he called the Homestead, gave them a place to stay.
Its guest list grew illustrious. In the summer of 1818, Thomas Jefferson spent 18 nights there, seeking relief for rheumatism. Nearly a century later, William Howard Taft arrived to treat something else: a golf addiction. By then, the Homestead had added a course, opened in 1892, establishing itself as America’s first golf resort. But hardly the last.
Today there are some 800 golf resorts in the United States and hundreds more around the world. Their diversity matches their geographic range, from intimate retreats built around a single celebrated course to sprawling destinations with enough holes, hotel rooms and amenities to resemble small towns. Some are designed for buddies’ trips. Others cater to families or couples, complementing golf with world-class cuisine, outdoor adventure, elaborate kids’ programs, indulgent spas and more.
That breadth is reflected in GOLF’s all-new list of Top 100 Resorts in the World. (You’ll need to be an InsideGOLF member to view.) Spanning every continent where the game is played, the roster captures an unprecedented moment for golf travel. Participation is at record highs. Competition for traveling golfers is fiercer than ever. Travelers aren’t simply searching for great places to play. They’re seeking memorable stays, and resorts have responded in kind — with new courses, ambitious restorations, expanded clubhouses, reimagined restaurants, upgraded amenities and accommodations and increasingly refined service.
Join InsideGOLF to view our Top 100 Resorts in the World. Memberships start at $39.99/year, and you’ll get over $375 in value across 20-plus benefits. Learn more here.
The results can be seen across the globe. Luxury standards continue to rise throughout Asia. European golf resorts, once associated with creaky floorboards and cramped accommodations, increasingly rival their counterparts anywhere in the world for comfort and hospitality. Caribbean destinations have broadened their appeal well beyond sunshine and seaside fairways. Wherever golfers travel, expectations continue to climb, and the best resorts continue to rise with them.
;)
courtesy Casa de Campo
More than a quarter century after Bandon Dunes rewrote the old rule book about proximity to major population centers, developers continue to act on the same lesson: Build an exceptional destination in a sublime spot and golfers will make the journey, no matter how remote. Increasingly, though, that destination encompasses much more than the golf itself.
This year’s Top 100 — which, unlike our strictly panelist-driven Top 100 U.S. and Top 100 World course lists, was drawn up by the staff of GOLF — includes more than dozen new entries while also highlighting another defining trend: the emergence of global resort brands with expanding reach. Cabot has grown from a single destination in Nova Scotia into an international collection stretching from Scotland to the Caribbean, France, Norway and, soon, western Canada, expanding not only through new developments but also by revitalizing existing properties. Omni has assembled one of the country’s broadest collections of golf resorts. The Trump portfolio spans multiple continents; three of its resorts are new to the Top 100 list. Different brands. Different philosophies. But all rooted in the same calculus: Golfers aren’t simply reserving tee times. They’re chasing singular experiences.
The oldest great resorts point to another immutable truth. History can’t be purchased, but it requires investment. While the most enduring destinations leverage their heritage, they don’t stay relevant by remaining trapped in amber.
;)
Courtesy Adare Manor
Few places illustrate that better than the Homestead. What began as a six-hole course in 1892 has given rise to two venerated 18-hole layouts, while the resort itself has evolved with the times. Under Omni’s ownership, nearly every corner of the property has been refreshed, from the Great Hall and guest rooms to the golf courses and amenities.
And yet the property still carries echoes of the past. Or, should we say, currents? The same waters Jefferson looked to as a balm for his rheumatism provide wonderfully soothing respite after a round.
Browse GOLF’s all-new list of Top 100 Golf Resorts here.
Browse GOLF’s course rankings: Top 100 in the World | Top 100 in the U.S. | Top 100 You Can Play | Top 100 Value in the U.S. | America’s Best Municipal Courses | America’s Best Courses for $100 or Less | Top 100 in the U.K. and Ireland | Top 100 in Asia-Pacific | Top 100 Short Courses in the World
To browse and search our lists in map form, check out our Course Finder tool.
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The Los Angeles Dodgers marked their record-tying 14th consecutive trip to MLB’s postseason with a toast of bubbly after Monday night’s 4-1 victory over the Cincinnati Reds.
The bigger celebrations will come later.
“It’s hard to say it ever feels routine, but it is the expectation here,” third baseman Max Muncy said. “I always laugh whenever we clinch a postseason spot, we just do a nice little toast. The guys that haven’t been here, they kind of see that and they expect a little bit more. That happens when you clinch the division.”
The two-time defending World Series champions, who joined Milwaukee and Tampa Bay as teams who have secured playoff spots, cut their magic number to three for a fifth straight NL West title and 13th in 14 seasons.
Los Angeles tied the Atlanta Braves‘ postseason run from 1991 through 2005. The Braves made five World Series trips during that span, but won only in 1995.
“Thankfully we’re doing a little bit better than that,” Muncy said of the Dodgers three titles and five trips to the Fall Classic during their run.
Tarik Skubal — who pitched seven shutout innings and allowed only three hits — said the way the Dodgers handled clinching a postseason spot was definitely different compared to clinching situations he encountered the past two seasons with Detroit.
“I think it just speaks to the people in this room and what they expect out of this team. That was cool. A little toast and move on. Forget it happened. We’ve got more to accomplish this season,” he said.
Dave Roberts, who is in his 11th season as manager, said his message during the toast was that the Dodgers have accomplished a lot to this point but haven’t come close to playing their best baseball yet.
“We go through a lot of players every year, and guys find a way to step up, and so that’s the thing I’m probably most proud of, is the consistency of winning over the long term,” he said. “Any team, any organization can win in a given year where things line up, but to do it every single year when you’re expected to do this says something about the entire organization.”
The Dodgers (91-59) currently are the second seed in the NL. They are 2 1/2 games ahead of Atlanta and trail Milwaukee by 2 games for the top seed.
A first-round bye is important any time but especially this year for the Dodgers, who are not at full strength. First baseman Freddie Freeman has been plagued by right knee soreness and two-time NL MVP Shohei Ohtani is on the 15-day injured list due to right biceps inflammation.
“Given where our guys are health wise, to get that week would be huge. We’ve still got to play well to finish out the season to get to that point,” Roberts said before Monday’s game.
The Vikings minimized Jake Golday in Week 1. Why?
For starters, there’s the presence of veteran edge rusher Kyle Van Noy, who got added to the practice squad following the season-ending injury to Tyler Batty. Opting for the versatile elder statesman lessens the opportunities for the rookie, who didn’t get a single snap for a ferocious Brian Flores defense. How significant, if at all, is Golday’s humble beginning to his NFL career?
Vikings Minimize Young Fella Jake Golday
When it comes to Jake Golday’s playing time — or, perhaps, lack thereof — there are a pair of positions to consider: linebacker and edge rusher.
So, note that fourth-year linebacker Ivan Pace Jr. earned playing time. His final tally shows 10 snaps on defense alongside 26 snaps on specials. Going into Week 1, Pace’s role for the defense was the subject of some uncertainty due to seeing his responsibilities lessened in consecutive years. As things stand, Pace is higher than Golday on the depth chart. He offered 3 tackles and 1 tackle for loss.
Meanwhile, Van Noy came in at 25 snaps for the defense — 37% of the total — while getting zero work on specials (as expected). The veteran had a single tackle. Per PFF, Van Noy did generate a pressure on Jordan Love.
Does the workload for Pace and Van Noy alongside the modest playing time for Jake Golday mean that it’s time for concern for the rookie defender? Far from it.
Mr. Golday sees his NFL debut come down to 0 snaps on defense alongside 19 snaps on special teams. In time, Golday is going to see the snaps get divvied up in a more promising manner. There are several reasons for that reality.
To begin, there’s the simple reality that the kid is precisely that: a kid. The player he is in Week 1 isn’t who he’ll be in Week 6, Week 13, and so on. Minnesota is expecting Golday to continue soaking up the coaching so that he can demand a portion of the playing time pie while the season continues.
Next up is a different reality that may not hold: Eric Wilson had a tough day at the office versus the Packers. PFF listed him as the worst defender on the team with a dismal 29.6 grade. Watching the game means seeing somebody who was active but who missed several tackles.
The veteran isn’t going to play so poorly each game but he had a tough beginning to his 2026 season. For a little while, I’ve insisted that the contract for Wilson could be a mistake due to paying him for a breakout that occurred very late in his career. Does Golday start siphoning snaps off of Wilson?
Another factor to consider is that Jake Golday is looking to leverage his special teams snaps into an opportunity on defense. His great task is to be so excellent for Matt Daniels that Brian Flores has no choice but to find snaps for him.
In Week 2 the Vikings are going to Chicago for a game against the Bears inside of Soldier Field. Does that upcoming contest offer an opportunity for Golday to get onto the field?
Minnesota’s task rests in corralling Caleb Williams, who is a magician in shoulder pads. The Bears then have some matchup weapons in Rome Odunze, Colston Loveland, Cole Kmet, and others. A long-and-strong off-ball linebacker such as Jake Golday could be part of the mix for slowing down Chicago’s array of weapons.
Golday is 23.
The bunker is a scary place for many recreational golfers. When players with a bunker-phobia find the sand, they typically have one thought in mind: “Don’t screw this up.” The problem with that mindset is that it introduces doubt and leads to hesitant swings, which is never a good strategy in the trap.
The reason for their doubt and hesitation is a history of poor play from the sand. When you’ve spent your career either blading it long or chunking it in front of your feet, there’s little reason for optimism.
The good news is that with the proper technique, bunker play can become much easier. And it starts with avoiding a critical mistake in the setup, which David Armitage explained in the first episode of Top 100 Teacher Sessions.
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Don’t make this mistake in the sand
Armitage says that one of the biggest mistakes he sees recreational golfers make in their bunker play starts with the setup. While it is important to get the weight forward in your stance, it’s important you don’t tilt your upper body backward while doing so. This moves the low point back and causes inconsistent contact.
“This is a big no-no,” he says.
Instead, the sternum should be forward, with a little more flex in the lead knee. Armitage says this was something he always noticed in Seve Ballesteros’ setup.
For a standard greenside bunker shot, Armitage places the ball just in front of the middle of his stance. The strike point is in the middle, and the sternum is directly above or slightly in front of the ball. That position of the sternum controls the low point of the swing and helps the clubhead enter the sand in the correct place.
“I’m looking at really square stance,” he says. “I’ve opened the face. I’m then taking my grip, and then I have a wide stance, low handle, moving my chin, my sternum, and my belt buckle onto the ball or just in front of the ball.”
Once you nail these setup basics, it becomes much easier to hit consistent bunker shots.
Sports
‘Either You Are Politician, Or You’re Cricket Boss’: Ex-India Star Exposes PCB Chief Mohsin Naqvi
Pakistan cricket finds itself in another mess after suffering a 3-0 whitewash in their recent Test tour to England. Things went awry midway through the series as the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) sent seven players home and sacked two coaches after the second Test, and called up five uncapped players. Former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif criticised PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi, who is also the federal Minister of Interior of Pakistan. Kaif pointed out that one should not be involved with both critics and politics at the same time.
“Mohsin Naqvi is in politics. He is also the boss of the cricket board. It cannot be like that,” Kaif stated, speaking on Cricbuzz.
“If you are in cricket, then you have to be in cricket. You have to go to two places. It’s a difficult job. You won’t be able to give time. You have so many political commitments. You have to run the cricket board. You have to see what’s going on inside.
“You have to stop at one place and invest time. If you look at any cricket body, if you compare it with the BCCI, or look at it from the outside, nobody does two things at once,” Kaif elaborated.
“Either you are a politician, or you are the cricket chief. You have to balance it. You have to focus on one thing,” he added.
Kaif dismissed suggestions that Pakistan cricket is lacking in talent, but instead emphasized that it is important that the talent is nurtured by the right people.
“Players aren’t bad. You need people who can make players. There is a lot of talent in Pakistan,” Kaif said.
Despite criticism from several experts and fans alike, Naqvi has maintained that Pakistan cricket has improved since he took over. After the mass sackings in the England series, Naqvi stated that he is not afraid of criticism.
“I have never been afraid of criticism, and I never will be. Those who say cricket has been destroyed since I came – look at what the rankings were before,” Naqvi had said.
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Assembling Week 1 power rankings is a bit of a tough balance to strike.
How much weight can be given to the perception of a contender entering the season with how they performed on the field in a small sample size?
Well, let’s find out.
1. Seattle Seahawks (1-0)
The defense remains dominant, and Sam Darnold won’t be out for long.
2. Baltimore Ravens (1-0)
Strong debut for Jesse Minter, who gets the benefit of inheriting Lamar Jackson.
3. San Francisco 49ers (1-0)
Had the most impressive win of Week 1, a beatdown of the presumptive Super Bowl favorites.
4. Kansas City Chiefs (1-0)
Patrick Mahomes is back and he has company in Kenneth Walker III. That means the Chiefs are back, too, after throttling last year’s No. 1 AFC seed, 31-10.
5. Chicago Bears (1-0)
The Chicago Bears scored 59 points? Ben Johnson and Caleb Williams may be wizards.
6. Jacksonville Jaguars (1-0)
Trevor Lawrence continues to thrive in Liam Coen’s offense, delivering the week’s most comprehensive win.
7. Buffalo Bills (1-0)
Josh Allen exorcised some Houston demons, helping Joe Brady win his debut.
8. New England Patriots (0-1)
Not taking advantage of a Drew Lock game might leave a mark. Drake Maye’s three-interception game could, too.
9. Philadelphia Eagles (1-0)
A solid win. But it was a bit closer than it should have been. The new Philly Special?
10. Los Angeles Rams (0-1)
The Niners loss was a splash of water in the face of their preseason hype. And now Myles Garrett is out.
11. Cincinnati Bengals (1-0)
The defense forcing four turnovers instead of relying solely on Joe Burrow is a promising development.
12. Denver Broncos (0-1)
Bo Nix and the defense have to hope Monday’s loss says more about Kansas City than the Broncos’ 2026 fortunes.
13. Houston Texans (0-1)
A worrying first game for a Houston defense which anchored last year’s playoff run
14. Minnesota Vikings (1-0)
Carson Wentz (not Kyler Murray or J.J. McCarthy) anchored quite a late-game surge.
15. Detroit Lions (1-0)
Eking out an overtime win over the Saints was not a step in the right direction.
16. Pittsburgh Steelers (1-0)
This week’s game at New England will be a litmus test after a satisfactory win.
17. Arizona Cardinals (1-0)
A big surprise of Week 1 with a convincing road win over the Chargers in Mike LaFleur’s debut.
18. New York Giants (1-0)
John Harbaugh immediately brought an air of competence to the Giants.
19. New York Jets (1-0)
First Week 1 win since 2018? Not bad, Geno Smith.
20. Las Vegas Raiders (1-0)
They’ll have to beat someone better than the Dolphins to show they’re legitimate.
21. Los Angeles Chargers (0-1)
Early returns on the Mike McDaniel experiment are not good.
22. Green Bay Packers (0-1)
Getting outscored 22-0 in the fourth quarter by Carson Wentz is not recipe for longevity.
23. Washington Commanders (0-1)
OL struggles made life hard for Jayden Daniels, who still nearly led a comeback.
24. Dallas Cowboys (0-1)
A new defensive coordinator hasn’t fixed Dallas’ underlying issues.
25. Indianapolis Colts (0-1)
A tough start at redemption from their 2025 collapse against a far superior Ravens team.
26. New Orleans Saints (0-1)
Someone has to win the NFC South. They are a trendy pick.
27. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-1)
A bad first game from Baker Mayfield after signing a three-year extension.
28. Carolina Panthers (0-1)
The type of defensive performance which immediately puts DC Ejiro Evero on the hot seat.
29. Atlanta Falcons (0-1)
The QB carousel leaves the Falcons praying Michael Penix Jr. can go this week.
30. Tennessee Titans (0-1)
Not the start you were looking for to begin Cam Ward’s second season.
31. Miami Dolphins (0-1)
A strong contender in next April’s Arch Manning sweepstakes.
32. Cleveland Browns (0-1)
Maybe Kevin Stefanski wasn’t really the problem? Brutal debut for Todd Monken.
Shawn Horcoff will lead Detroit’s hockey operations on an interim basis as the Red Wings continue their search for a permanent leader.
Somehow, despite not possessing a first-round draft selection, the Jaguars were the talk of the 2026 NFL Draft. Jacksonville selected Texas A&M’s Nate Boerkircher, and what followed was a generational run at the tight end position. Following Boerkircher at pick 56, six more tight ends were taken inside the Top-100.
One week into the 2026 season, that Boerkircher selection seems to have changed the very nature of the Jaguars’ offense. Opponent specific gameplan’s change from week to week, but the Week 1 tendencies provide a general idea of this new offense.
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Let’s take a peek at what’s changed in Liam Coen’s system.
With Boerkircher, the hypothesis was the Jaguars would run more 12 and 13 personnel. And boy did they ever against Cleveland.
According to SumerSports, the Jaguars ran 60.4% of their Week 1 plays out of multi-TE sets, second-most of any team in Week 1. That figure is over double the 24.9% from a season ago. The Jags’ use of 13 personnel in particular jumped from 2.9% in 2025 to 17.9% against the Browns.
With more multi-TE sets, the Jags (and the NFL on the whole) ran far more plays under center in Week 1. Last year, the Jags ran 38.3% of plays from under center. Their under-center rate in Week 1? A whopping 60.4%, fourth-highest in the NFL.
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Of the 32 plays under center, 23 were of the rushing variety. The run-game struggled mightily towards the end of the 2025 season, and the Jags are hopeful the combination of multiple tight end sets and plays from under center will help the run-game.
A strong run-game from under-center breeds play action. The Jags ran more play-action (48%) in Week 1 than any other team. For comparison, that number is up from 25% a year ago.
Again, this is just a one-game sample size, but it offers an idea of what the Jaguars want to do on offense. It was assumed the Jags would run far more multi-TE packages, but a jump from 25.9% to 60.4% is quite the escalation. The Jags are also getting an immediate return on their investment as Nate Boerkircher led all rookie tight ends in snaps in Week 1.
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Manchester United youngster JJ Gabriel had a huge smile on his face as he returned to the Leigh Sports Village dressing room last week.
Gabriel had just scored a hat-trick against Sabah’s youth team. His manager, Adam Lawrence, raved about him after the final whistle, saying he was in a “good place”, but his social media was wiped an hour later.
United were removed from Gabriel’s bio, with ‘@nikefootball’ remaining. It felt like something may be afoot, which is why Tuesday’s bombshell that Gabriel had requested to leave the club was not a complete surprise.
The revelation still shocked United. There has been internal confusion about why Gabriel has now requested to leave, especially given that the plan was to include him in the squad tomorrow night ahead of a potential debut, which would have made him the club’s youngest debutant.
United still feel the situation is rectifiable given the timeframe on his contract. Gabriel cannot be de-registered, but next summer will be an opportunity for him to leave, and the club do not want to lose him.
Following the bombshell of Gabriel’s request, an industry insider suggested the situation may still be smoothed over with one thing: money. But whether that would be enough to keep Gabriel, and how much more United are even prepared to offer, remains to be seen.
United have done everything they can to show Gabriel there is a pathway to the first-team, as he has been on an accelerated development plan, receiving unprecedented backing for a player of his age.
It all started on the day Gabriel was brought to the club when he was unveiled alongside Cristiano Ronaldo’s son in the Old Trafford press conference room, the first of many concessions to make him feel valued.
United held a call between Gabriel and Marcus Rashford when he was still just a boy. They introduced him to Ruben Amorim in a meeting at Carrington, organised a brief chat with Sir Alex Ferguson at Old Trafford and have invited his family into the directors’ box on a few occasions.
A photo of Gabriel and Amorim circulated on social media after their meeting. The former United boss was unhappy that his father had shared the image publicly. It was deleted, but it had already spread far and wide.
The club have always known that whatever they might do, it might not be enough to keep Gabriel because his father, who forged a professional career before retiring early due to injury, has dreamt of his son starring for Barcelona.
The Manchester Evening News revealed in April 2025 that Gabriel was set to make his Under-18 debut. He was 14. A few months later, he came close to leaving the club and would have if not for an eleventh-hour meeting.
Shortly after that meeting, the MEN revealed that Jason Wilcox (director of football) and Omar Berrada (CEO) had been present, which showed the high regard in which Gabriel is held by top brass.
What happened in the meeting was extraordinary considering Gabriel’s age. United reiterated that he could become the face of the club and promised other concessions, so it was eventually agreed that he would remain in Manchester, but key to Gabriel staying was his desire to remain at the club.
Sources said that he had tears in his eyes on that day and was emotional at the prospect of leaving. Gabriel loves representing United and is naturally really close to some of his academy peers.
Staff members have been struck by his politeness and humility, but ultimately, a young player always relies on family and advisers at the start of their journey.
Gabriel’s camp has decided to attempt to leave United. They will be free to do so next summer, but he is under contract until the end of the season, which is why the request for him to become a free agent now is bizarre.
There is a trail of breadcrumbs that helps paint a picture of why the request has been made, though. The MEN reported in March that Gabriel would be involved during pre-season, and the youngster was first included in a first-team tour squad when United played Rosenborg in Trondheim.
Gabriel did not get onto the pitch as United trounced Rosenborg 5-0. The player himself was still thrilled to be involved. He politely said ‘thank you’ when congratulated on being in the squad as he left the stadium, and he enjoyed a special moment with his mother as they took a photo with his shirt.
Michael Carrick handed Gabriel his pre-season debut against Atletico Madrid in Stockholm. Again, the youngster looked delighted, but what those around him made of that being his only pre-season minutes is another matter.
The perks from United have been important in showing Gabriel that he is valued, but first-team minutes count for more, and the suspicion has been that his father has wanted his son to become one of the youngsters ever appearance-makers in the record books.
Ethan Nwaneri (15 years, 181 days), Max Dowman (15 years, 235 days), and Jemery Monga (15 years, 271 days) are the youngest debutants in the Premier League.
Gabriel was not old enough to play in the topflight last season, but he was 15 years and 320 days when United played Hull City on the opening day of the season.
Hull was not a realistic chance to give him a cameo, given they were leading 2-0 at half-time, but Ipswich would have been seen as an opportunity to give him minutes, and he was 15 years and 328 days when that game was played.
Gabriel would have become the fourth youngest Premier League appearance maker if he’d come on from the bench that day, and those around him view him as a better talent than Nwaneri, Dowman and Monga.
United feel they have done all they can to prove to Gabriel that he is the club’s future. He will no longer be given the chance to become the club’s youngster ever player against Brighton tomorrow night, but that will also mean less compensation will be owed to United if he leaves.
Carrick was prepped to face a question about Gabriel during his press conference ahead of Brighton because the fixture was an opportunity to include him in a matchday squad for the first time, and the club are aware of the huge media interest in him.
The press conference took place after the Manchester derby, so no question was asked about Gabriel, with the 15-year-old at the back of minds following a controversial defeat to Manchester City, but it’s a certainty the United boss will be asked about the situation after tomorrow’s game.
It’s madness that a 15-year-old’s future has caused such an uproar, but Gabriel is no ordinary teenager.
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