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Browns Defense Is Struggling Without Myles Garrett

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When the Browns traded Myles Garrett this offseason, it was expected that the defensive line would regress. The Browns were 4th in the NFL in pressure rate last season, and while they did look better in week two against Tampa, they’ve still been one of the worst units in the league at generating consistent pressure.

Currently, the Browns are 27th in pressure rate, 20th in sack rate, and, in turn, their opponent success rate is 48.7%, good for 4th-worst in football. Essentially, the Browns defense was elite in 2025 because they made life miserable for opposing quarterbacks, and that just isn’t happening in 2026.

There are a few reasons for this downturn; some can be fixed, while I’m not sure others can be during the regular season. Garrett’s heir apparent at defensive end was supposed to be Jared Verse. He has only one pressure over his first two games and has earned a 54.5 defensive grade according to PFF, which ranks him 86th out of 112 qualified edge defenders.

I think a lot of these early struggles can be chalked up to a difficult adjustment for Verse. He was more of a stand-up edge for the Rams under Sean McVay and defensive coordinator Chris Shula, and has transitioned into a more traditional edge role in Cleveland. I still believe in Verse, and I’m sure the Browns do as well. Verse is only 25 years old, which is quite young in football years, and has time to adjust to Mike Rutenberg’s 4-3 defensive formation.

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If not, the Garrett trade would be a bit of a disaster for Cleveland. Garrett was traded for Verse, one first-round pick, and two other later-round picks. Cleveland needs Verse to play like a first-round talent, and I expect that to happen as the year goes along.

However, a transition period may not be the fix in Cleveland. The Browns had the 5th-best defensive EPA/play last year, and a lot of that stemmed from a well-coached defense led by Jim Schwartz.

While I was impressed with Todd Monken’s second-half adjustments on offense, the defense was sort of reeling until the rain delay. Baker Mayfield struggled in his revenge game, missing many opportunities downfield. Not only did Mayfield struggle, but the Buccaneers might also take a big step back on offense this year.

Mike Evan has been sorely missed for Tampa Bay, and that showed, as Baker was just 6/17 on passes 10 yards past the line of scrimmage. Not only that, but 8 of Mayfield’s 21 completions came at or behind the line of scrimmage. Even then, he missed a ton of big plays downfield, something that the Browns thrived at shutting down last year.

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Lastly, the Browns have to clean up the penalties. They’re currently 25th in total penalties, and that is killing them on both sides of the ball. A penalty for this offense is a death sentence, which, in turn, puts their defense in a more difficult position. The defense has also struggled with penalties and has to be a top priority for Monken and his coaching staff.

Cleveland’s defense isn’t as dominant as the 2025 version, but still has the pieces to be one of the better units in the league. They need to find ways to speed up Bryce Young in week three, or the home opener might resemble their poor performance in the season opener against Jacksonville.

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Andre Ward delivers verdict on David Benavidez vs Jai Opetaia: “Easier said than done”

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As 2027 approaches, the standout fight that boxing fans want to see seems to be a potential cruiserweight showdown between David Benavidez and Jai Opetaia, and former two-division world champion Andre Ward has shared his verdict on the proposed bout. 

Opetaia defeated the then-reigning WBC cruiserweight champion Noel Mikaelian earlier this month, but he didn’t get his hands on the belt despite the win.

Instead, due to that bout not being sanctioned as a title bout, interim champion Michal Cieslak was elevated to full WBC cruiserweight world champion and ordered to face Benavidez next.

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The victor of Benavidez-Cieslak, which is mooted for December 12, will then be ordered to defend all three of their world titles against two-time IBF champion Opetaia, who remains undefeated despite twice losing his status as champion.

Speaking on the All The Smoke Fight podcast, Ward detailed what Opetaia must do in order to get the better of ‘The Mexican Monster’ and claim the WBA, WBO and WBC titles.

“That is the fight that needs to get made in the cruiserweight division, David Benavidez and Jai Opetaia. It takes a lot of skill to slow down an offensive guy like David Benavidez, it’s not just skill but it’s toughness too because he is only going to respect you by hitting him.

“You are going to have to get your respect at a certain point in time, but you also can’t get dragged into throwing 100/110 punches per round or whatever it is that he throws as a cruiserweight. 

“You can’t get caught up in that because that’s not your game, but you have got to do enough to let him know that you are here. You have got to land enough to let him know that you are there – and you have got to try and stay up on the points as well,

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“I think, for Jai, he has got to find a healthy balance because he has got good legs. He has got to understand where to be and when to be there, what angles to take but then also to instinctively know when to stand and rumble for 5, 10, 15, 20 seconds and give David what he likes and then go back to doing what he does, which is easier said than done.”

With Benavidez-Cieslak set for December, Opetaia is expected to remain on the sidelines until his shot at the winner, with that mandated bout anticipated to take place around Cinco De Mayo next year.

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Fantasy football Week 3 PPR cheat sheet: Dave Richard’s player ratings to make tough start and sit decisions

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Week 2 is in the books and Fantasy football managers now have two weeks of results to work with heading into Week 3, but that doesn’t necessarily make decision-making for lineups any easier. Do you trust early breakouts like Jalen Coker, Denzel Boston and Parker Washington over proven options who have started slow, while stars like Jahmyr Gibbs, Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Ja’Marr Chase remain some of the safest plays on the board?

If you have some start/sit decisions that are close enough that you want the advice of an experienced fantasy football analyst, you’re in the right place. Welcome to Dave Richard’s Week 3 PPR cheat sheet, with rankings for every player in the mix for a starting gig on your Fantasy teams.

What do the numbers mean? All weekly analysis, from data points to matchup outlooks to game-flow predictions, is represented as a number on a 1-10 confidence scale. The higher the number next to a player’s name, the more confident I am that you should start him. The numbers are not projections but confidence scores to help you pick who to start. Every relevant player for this week is listed, so if you do not see a player named, do not start them start him.

To find a specific player, use your search function (CTRL-F on PCs and Command-F on Macs). If neither is an option, or if you’re on a mobile device, you can search by typing the name in the URL bar or scrolling down by game. If you’re still unsure, just send Dave a note (@DaveRichard), and he will take a look, time permitting. Remember to use the #AskFFT hashtag!

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If you’re reading this on Sunday, please refer to CBS Sports’ weekly rankings, which are updated in real-time.

Ready to get off on the right foot? Here’s how to approach every play for this week in every PPR league.

Michael Penix Jr. 4.3 Jordan Love 6.7
Bijan Robinson 9.6 MarShawn Lloyd 5.4
Drake London 7.3 Kaleb Johnson 4.52
Kyle Pitts 5.8 Christian Watson 7.62
Falcons DST 3.0 Matthew Golden 7.15
Tucker Kraft 6.12
Packers DST 6.0
Justin Herbert 6.5 Josh Allen 9.9
Omarion Hampton 7.6 James Cook 8.6
Keaton Mitchell 2.8 DJ Moore 7.48
Ladd McConkey 7.74 Khalil Shakir 4.7
Quentin Johnston 5.78 Dalton Kincaid 7.52
Tre Harris 4.18 Bills DST 6.9
Oronde Gadsden II 4.32
Chargers DST 3.5
Bryce Young 7.3 Deshaun Watson 4.7
Chuba Hubbard 7.7 Quinshon Judkins 6.4
Tetairoa McMillan 7.32 Denzel Boston 5.9
Jalen Coker 7.1 KC Concepcion 4.6
Darren Waller 4.42 Harold Fannin Jr. 5.55
Panthers DST 5.6 Browns DST 5.0
Geno Smith 5.5 Jared Goff 7.7
Breece Hall 7.72 Jahmyr Gibbs 10.0
Braelon Allen 2.95 Amon-Ra St. Brown 9.68
Garrett Wilson 7.9 Jameson Williams 6.35
Adonai Mitchell 5.5 Sam LaPorta 7.02
Isaiah Williams 3.1 Lions DST 5.8
Kenyon Sadiq 3.6
Jets DST 3.6
C.J. Stroud 4.5 Daniel Jones 4.0
David Montgomery 6.65 Jonathan Taylor 8.8
Woody Marks 4.55 Josh Downs 6.85
Xavier Hutchinson 4.48 Keenan Allen 3.8
Kayshon Boutte 3.4 Tyler Warren 6.52
Dalton Schultz 6.5 Colts DST 6.1
Texans DST 7.0
Drake Maye 5.1 Trevor Lawrence 6.6
Rhamondre Stevenson 6.14 Bhayshul Tuten 6.16
TreVeyon Henderson 5.38 Chris Rodriguez Jr. 2.9
Romeo Doubs 4.6 Parker Washington 7.5
Mack Hollins 3.35 Brian Thomas Jr. 4.5
Demario Douglas 2.6 Jakobi Meyers 3.56
Hunter Henry 4.36 Brenton Strange 3.44
Patriots DST 5.9 Jaguars DST 6.3
Patrick Mahomes 8.7 Malik Willis 4.4
Kenneth Walker III 9.3 De’Von Achane 7.45
Emmett Johnson 3.38 Malik Washington 4.38
Rashee Rice 6.8 Chris Bell 3.65
Tyquan Thornton 4.3 Dolphins DST 2.1
Xavier Worthy 3.9
Travis Kelce 6.45
Chiefs DST 8.3
Cam Ward 3.8 Jameis Winston 5.6
Tony Pollard 5.68 Cam Skattebo 7.22
Tyjae Spears 5.22 Devin Singletary 2.7
Carnell Tate 4.44 Malik Nabers 7.12
Wan’Dale Robinson 3.58 Isaiah Likely 6.3
Titans DST 4.3 Giants DST 7.4
Joe Burrow 7.1 Aaron Rodgers 2.4
Chase Brown 8.32 Jaylen Warren 6.82
Ja’Marr Chase 9.5 DK Metcalf 5.88
Tee Higgins 7.18 Roman Wilson 3.95
Mike Gesicki 3.5 Germie Bernard 3.82
Bengals DST 7.3 Pat Freiermuth 4.46
Steelers DST 6.5
Sam Darnold 4.2 Marcus Mariota 4.9
Jadarian Price 5.72 Rachaad White 5.62
Emanuel Wilson 3.42 Jacory Croskey-Merritt 5.35
Jaxon Smith-Njigba 9.7 Stefon Diggs 6.28
Rashid Shaheed 3.52 Terry McLaurin 6.18
Cooper Kupp 3.0 Antonio Williams 4.28
AJ Barner 2.6 Commanders DST 3.3
Seahawks DST 8.9
Jacoby Brissett 5.8 Brock Purdy 9.0
Jeremiyah Love 5.65 Christian McCaffrey 8.95
Tyler Allgeier 3.08 Kaelon Black 2.98
Michael Wilson 6.26 Mike Evans 7.4
Kendrick Bourne 4.0 Deebo Samuel 6.22
Marvin Harrison Jr. 3.98 George Kittle 6.24
Trey McBride 8.48 49ers DST 6.2
Cardinals DST 2.9
Kyler Murray 5.4 Baker Mayfield 4.6
Aaron Jones 7.0 Bucky Irving 7.65
Justin Jefferson 9.45 Kenneth Gainwell 3.75
Jordan Addison 5.92 Emeka Egbuka 6.7
Vikings DST 7.2 Chris Godwin 4.58
Ted Hurst 3.54
Cade Otton 3.32
Buccaneers DST 4.1
Lamar Jackson 7.9 Dak Prescott 7.8
Derrick Henry 8.9 Javonte Williams 7.68
Rashod Bateman 6.88 CeeDee Lamb 9.05
Chris Moore 2.78 George Pickens 7.76
Mark Andrews 5.85 Jake Ferguson 3.88
Ravens DST 4.4 Cowboys DST 3.8
Kirk Cousins 5.0 Tyler Shough 7.5
Ashton Jeanty 8.42 Travis Etienne 6.48
Tre Tucker 5.45 Alvin Kamara 2.65
Brock Bowers 8.45 Chris Olave 9.25
Raiders DST 5.4 Devaughn Vele 6.38
Juwan Johnson 6.0
Saints DST 4.5
Matthew Stafford 6.8 Bo Nix 4.8
Kyren Williams 7.42 J.K. Dobbins 5.25
Blake Corum 5.18 R.J. Harvey 3.46
Davante Adams 7.8 Jaylen Waddle 7.2
Terrance Ferguson 5.75 Courtland Sutton 4.82
Rams DST 7.1 Evan Engram 3.48
Broncos DST 6.6
Jalen Hurts 8.6 Case Keenum 2.0
Saquon Barkley 7.25 D’Andre Swift 7.58
Will Shipley 2.35 Kyle Monangai 5.28
DeVonta Smith 8.4 Luther Burden III 5.7
Dontayvion Wicks 5.52 Rome Odunze 5.3
Makai Lemon 2.75 Kalif Raymond 4.4
Eagles DST 7.7 Colston Loveland 5.32
Bears DST 4.0

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Cyrena Samba-Mayela: French hurdler given temporary suspension for whereabouts breach

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French hurdler Cyrena Samba-Mayela has been given a temporary suspension for not disclosing her whereabouts to anti-doping officials.

Samba-Mayela won silver in the 100m hurdles at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.

The 25-year-old’s suspension was confirmed by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) on Friday.

The sanction was imposed on Samba-Mayela on September 18, and could result in a two-year ban.

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She withdrew from August’s European Championships because of injury.

A representative for Samba-Mayela told French news agency AFP that the athlete had never returned a positive result on an anti-doping test, and that the investigation is solely focused on the whereabouts breach.

“The procedure mentioned is ongoing before the AIU and concerns exclusively administrative whereabouts requirements, and not the use of any substance whatsoever,” the representative added.

“She [Samba-Maylea] continues to respond within the allotted timeframes and to co-operate fully.”

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Elite athletes are required to inform anti-doping officials about their locations, for example if they are attending a training camp away from home or if they are travelling.

These locations are used in order to comply with the rules for random doping tests.

Three failures within a year, such as a missed test or inaccurate information given to the anti-doping officials, can result in punishment.

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All FBC Terminal correct answers in Control Resonant

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As you navigate the story in Control Resonant, you will encounter many curious NPCs whose motives are not clear. The FBC Terminal agent is one such fellow encountered during the early hours of the game, who will ask protagonist Dylan Faden some questions. Getting the answers right will net you character upgrade rewards.

Considering how straightforward the answers to these questions are, this is one opportunity you cannot pass up to obtain more Source and materials. Read on to learn about all the correct answers at the FBC Terminal in Control Resonant.

Also Read: Control Resonant walkthrough: The Underpass Resonant quest


How to answer correctly at the FBC Terminal in Control Resonant

You can interact with this terminal during the Evac mission (Image via Sportskeeda Gaming || Remedy Entertainment)You can interact with this terminal during the Evac mission (Image via Sportskeeda Gaming || Remedy Entertainment)
You can interact with this terminal during the Evac mission (Image via Sportskeeda Gaming || Remedy Entertainment)

Note that FBC Terminals are dotted around the map, though one of the earliest ones will be during the Evacuation Procedures main quest. This will be in the Evac Building in the Central region. After entering through the entrance, you can check the receptionist desk for a terminal that seems still active.

In fact, someone else from the FBC seems to be on the line and wishes protagonist Dylan to share more details about the situation. Simply put, you must answer three questions correctly, each of which concerns the current state of affairs surrounding the Hiss situation.

This includes the question of whether or not Dylan’s sister and FBC Director Jesse Faden is dead. Of course, interacting with the terminal and even answering this mysterious person’s questions is completely optional, but you will get rewards for it, so you might as well go ahead with it.

Since the person on the other end wants to keep things straightforward and simple, you will only have to choose from Yes, No, or I don’t know. Let’s dive into each question and its correct answers below:

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  1. We’re told the lockdown was because of the Hiss. Is this true? Answer: Yes
  2. We’ve been told about Director Faden’s active status. Is she actually still alive? Answer: Yes
  3. Essentially all of the FBC’s pre-lockdown leadership has died or disappeared. Has there been a coup? Answer: No

If you have played the original game (or watched the in-game Recap) or are just paying attention to Control Resonant’s story so far, the correct answers will be quite obvious. The whole reason the first game occurred to begin with was Director Trench’s meddling with the Slide Projector, an altered object, which caused the Hiss invasion inside the Oldest House; this explains the first answer.

From what we have seen so far in Control Resonant, Jesse is obviously alive, as she is trying to establish a connection with Dylan via means of Faults throughout the game, so the second answer is a “Yes” as well. Lastly, there was no coup during or before the lockdown in Control, so being truthful with a “No” makes sense as well.

Completing this questionnaire will net you 1 Aberrant Silver, 1 Quiet Echo, and 200 Source. Note that this activity also counts as a World Feat, so completionists or just players who want all upgrades will not want to miss out on this one.


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