Sophie Becker and Lauren Roy have both advanced to the semi-finals of their respective events at the European Championships in Birmingham.

Sophie Becker qualified for the women’s 400m semi-finals at the Alexander Stadium when she became the first of the Irish athletes in action on Wednesday morning.

Competing in Round 1 Heat 1 of the women’s 400m, the 29-year-old ran a season’s best time of 52.28 seconds in finishing third.

With the 13 fastest qualifiers across all heats progressing to the semi-finals, the European silver medallist from the women’s 4 x 400m relay in Rome in 2024 had to wait until the conclusion of heats to see if she would qualify for Thursday’s semi-finals.

Sophie Becker wasn’t entirely convinced that her 400m heat time was enough for a semi-final place, but with her spot secure, she’s looking to build on that first performance. pic.twitter.com/60TnJc3mVu

— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) August 12, 2026

After the second heat, Becker was in seventh place, and following the running of heat three, she was in 13th position, with 13 qualifiers going forward to tomorrow’s semi-finals at 12.45pm.

Lauren Roy, who competed in the 100m heats on Monday, was back in action on Wednesday morning when taking to the start line for heat 1 of the women’s 200m.

Lauren Roy finishes fourth in her 200m heat in a time of 23.20. She’ll have to have to wait and see if that time is good enough to progress to the semi-finals.

Watch all the action here https://t.co/bCe53VfDsj. pic.twitter.com/zAsI4uLB8R

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— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) August 12, 2026

Running in lane 9, Roy finished third in a time of 23.20 seconds, outside of her season’s best of 22.79 seconds which she ran in Texas in May.

Lauren Roy has secured her place in the 200m semi-final at the European Championships and she’s looking to improve further on her time when she competes this evening. pic.twitter.com/mPyIpJsDVB

— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) August 12, 2026

With 12 athletes qualifying from the three heats, Roy finished sixth overall, and will now join Rhasidat Adeleke, who received a bye, in tonight’s semi-finals which will get underway at 8.20pm.

LiveScores Now Available at IrishScores.com

Daily Fantasy football players will get to set their first NFL DFS lineups in nearly six months for a multi-game slate when Week 1 of the 2026 NFL preseason kicks off on Thursday at 6 p.m. ET. The preseason brings some notoriously difficult decisions for NFL DFS lineups as teams utilize different strategies in terms of how much they play their stars. Offense can be tough to come by, but every game has an over/under of at least 37.5 total points, with Raiders vs. Cardinals at 40.5 in a matchup featuring No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza making his pro debut. Third rounder, Carson Beck of Arizona, is out with a rib injury.

Which players from both sides should be in Week 1 NFL preseason Thursday NFL DFS player pool, and which NFL DFS lineup combinations provide the most upside? Before making any NFL DFS picks for this slate on sites like DraftKings and FanDuel, be sure to check out the NFL DFS lineup advice, strategy and player stacks from SportsLine NFL expert R.J. White.

White is an elite NFL betting handicapper who has cashed huge twice in the world’s most prestigious handicapping tournament, the Westgate Las Vegas SuperContest. He’s also SportsLine’s No. 1 all-time NFL ATS expert. In addition, he serves as CBS’s Fantasy expert, making him the ideal expert to dig deep on these rosters and make NFL DFS picks. 

Now, White has turned his attention to the 2026 NFL preseason Week 1 schedule for Thursday, and just locked in his top daily Fantasy football picks. You can only see his picks and analysis at SportsLine.

Top 2026 NFL preseason Week 1 DFS picks for Thursday 

One of White’s favorite DFS picks for Thursday, where every player on DraftKings is $5,500 and $6,000 on FanDuel, is Lions quarterback Luke Altmyer, an undrafted rookie out of Illinois. 

“If you had to guess which QB would lead the day in snaps, my best bet would be Altmyer,” White said. “Teddy Bridgewater abruptly retired in recent days, and while Josh Dobbs was brought in to compete for the backup job behind Jared Goff (who won’t play on Thursday), Altmyer will probably work a majority of the game. Hopefully his roster percentage won’t be too high with more recognizable names on other depth charts among the teams playing Thursday.”

White’s NFL DFS strategy also includes building around Texans running back Noah Whittington. His size (5’8″) was a big factor in him going undrafted, but he led the Big Ten in yards per carry (6.4) last season, and his burst should be extremely beneficial in the preseason setting. 

“The Texans have a pair of RBs injured and figure not to play most starters on Thursday, which makes me wonder how much run Woody Marks will get as a key part of the run game as well,” White said. “That could open the door for Whittington to continue to impress as he has in camp.” You can see the rest of White’s NFL DFS picks here.

How to set NFL preseason Week 1 Thursday NFL DFS lineups

White is also targeting another undervalued player who could explode for huge numbers on Thursday. This pick could be the difference between winning your tournaments and cash games or going home with nothing. You can only see who it is, and the rest of White’s NFL DFS picks, at SportsLine. 

So who is R.J. White including in his optimal NFL DFS lineups for Thursday, and which under-the-radar NFL DFS picks offer huge value? Visit SportsLine now to see optimal NFL DFS picks, rankings, advice, and stacks, all from a DFS expert who has cashed twice in a prestigious NFL handicapping contest, and find out.

Baseball’s obsession with strikeouts took Thursday afternoon off at Comerica Park.

The Detroit Tigers shut out the Cleveland Guardians, 3-0, without recording a single strikeout. Not one. Keider Montero, Tyler Holton and Kenley Jansen collected 27 outs entirely through contact, completing one of Major League Baseball’s rarest pitching performances.

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It was the first MLB shutout without a strikeout since former Tigers pitcher Rick Porcello accomplished the feat in 2014. Only nine such games have been recorded since 1995.

Detroit did not overpower Cleveland. It simply refused to give the Guardians anything useful to hit.

Keider Montero Controlled the Game Without Missing Bats

Montero’s final line looked almost contradictory: 6⅓ scoreless innings, three hits, one walk and zero strikeouts across 88 pitches.

Pitchers are usually judged by their ability to miss bats. Montero won by making Cleveland swing.

The right-hander repeatedly worked the Guardians into harmless contact, keeping the ball away from damaging areas and trusting the defense behind him. Cleveland put ball after ball into play, yet rarely produced anything that threatened Detroit’s lead.

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Montero retired 19 of the 23 hitters he faced. He allowed only three hits and did not let a Cleveland runner score despite pitching without the traditional escape hatch of a strikeout.

It was another important step for a pitcher whose place in Detroit’s plans looked far less secure in March. The Tigers optioned Montero to Triple-A Toledo during spring training, then recalled him in April.

Five months later, he owns a 9-7 record, 3.22 ERA and 0.99 WHIP across 128⅔ innings, according to the Tigers’ official pitching statistics.

That is not merely rotation depth. That is a pitcher giving Detroit dependable innings during a season filled with roster upheaval.

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Detroit’s Defense Earned Every Out

A zero-strikeout shutout cannot happen without the defense doing nearly everything right.

Detroit converted 27 balls in play into 27 outs. The infield handled Cleveland’s ground balls, the outfield tracked down contact in the gaps and the Tigers consistently finished plays without handing the Guardians an extra opportunity.

Kevin McGonigle’s early fielding mistake placed Chase DeLauter at third base in the first inning, but Montero immediately trusted his defense again. Cleveland failed to bring DeLauter home.

That sequence set the tone. Mistakes would not multiply.

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Spencer Torkelson supplied several important plays at first base, while Javier Báez helped Detroit control the middle of the infield. Dillon Dingler guided Montero through the afternoon from behind the plate and handled the final innings as Holton and Jansen finished the job.

There was also some good fortune involved. Every unusual baseball accomplishment needs a little.

A close replay review in the seventh inning upheld an out at first base when Torkelson appeared to flirt with coming off the bag. In the ninth, a foul popup dropped between Dingler and McGonigle, briefly giving Cleveland additional life.

Neither play changed the result.

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Jansen kept the ball in the yard, trusted the fielders behind him and secured his 15th save. The complete game recap confirmed that Detroit became the first team since 2014 to complete a shutout without recording a strikeout.

A Familiar Name Owns the Previous Example

The historical connection makes the accomplishment even better for Tigers fans.

Porcello threw a four-hit shutout against the Oakland Athletics on July 1, 2014. He did not record a strikeout or issue a walk, needing just 95 pitches to finish Detroit’s 3-0 victory.

Twelve years later, another Tigers right-hander helped produce the next zero-strikeout shutout in the majors.

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Montero did not complete Thursday’s game himself, so his outing will not be remembered exactly like Porcello’s masterpiece. The shared formula was unmistakable: attack the strike zone, limit hard contact and make the opposition string together hits.

Cleveland never did.

Modern baseball has moved aggressively toward velocity, movement and strikeouts. Pitchers are taught to chase whiffs because balls in play carry risk. Detroit’s performance offered a reminder that run prevention remains the real objective.

Who cares how the outs arrive when the scoreboard never moves?

Detroit’s Offense Did Just Enough

The Tigers did not provide much room for error.

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Báez doubled to begin the third inning and eventually scored on Dingler’s groundout. Rookie Eduardo Valencia added breathing room in the sixth, driving his fifth home run of the season over the left-field wall.

Torkelson completed the scoring in the eighth with an RBI single that brought home McGonigle.

Detroit recorded only six hits, but it turned those limited opportunities into three runs. Cleveland finished with four hits and no runs.

That was enough.

Torkelson’s performance carried extra importance with Riley Greene sidelined by a hamstring injury. Detroit needs an established hitter to anchor a lineup featuring McGonigle, Valencia and recently promoted prospect Max Clark.

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The Tigers are also navigating another outfield injury after placing James Outman on the injured list. Winning low-scoring games becomes even more valuable when the lineup is missing regular contributors.

The Tigers Suddenly Have a Real Wild Card Story

Detroit has won nine of its last 12 games and took two of three from Cleveland.

That matters because the Tigers entered the series fighting for their postseason lives. It also matters because the Guardians had spent much of the season tormenting them.

Detroit’s deadline decisions created plenty of frustration, particularly after the organization reshaped its pitching staff. Jansen recently offered a confident message about the remaining roster, and the Tigers have backed it up by continuing to win. Detroit’s young core has refused to treat the deadline as a surrender.

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Now comes a larger test.

The AL Central-leading Chicago White Sox arrive at Comerica Park on Friday. Detroit will have an opportunity to prove this run is more than a brief response to deadline turbulence.

The Tigers may not resemble the roster fans expected to watch in August. They remain relevant, and Thursday’s bizarre little piece of baseball history ensured they will not be ignored.

Bottom Line

Keider Montero did not record a strikeout Thursday. Neither did Tyler Holton. Neither did Kenley Jansen.

The Tigers still produced 27 outs and allowed zero runs.

Detroit’s 3-0 victory over Cleveland was not built on overpowering pitching. It came from command, weak contact, sharp positioning and a defense willing to work for every out. In an era dominated by radar-gun readings and strikeout totals, the Tigers found a different route into the history books.

More importantly, they won a series and kept their postseason hopes alive.

That is the history Detroit fans should care about most.

Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina’s secret wedding had just five guests after couple kept ceremony completely private

Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodriguez chose to keep their wedding almost entirely away from the public eye, and the first details emerging from the ceremony suggest they succeeded. After nearly a decade together, the couple reportedly married in a private civil ceremony in Cascais, Portugal, with the occasion centred not on footballers, celebrities or a large circle of friends, but on their family.The scale of the ceremony is particularly striking given the extraordinary attention surrounding their relationship in the days before they finally confirmed they were married.

Ronaldo and Georgina kept the ceremony intimate

Ronaldo and Rodriguez married in Cascais on August 11, bringing an end to years of speculation over when they would formalise their relationship.The couple announced the marriage themselves with a photograph of their wedding bands on Instagram, accompanied by the simple caption “C❤️G.” A representative for Ronaldo subsequently confirmed that the ceremony was held in Cascais and described it as an “intimate and private” occasion.The secrecy surrounding the wedding had fuelled considerable speculation in the buildup, with reports and rumours ranging from the guest list and wedding arrangements to how much the couple might spend on the ceremony. However, there has still been no definitive public account of the wedding’s guest list or overall arrangements.The closest indication came from Ronaldo’s representative, who told the Daily Mail that the ceremony was “a private and intimate moment attended by their five children.” The representative said: “Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodriguez were married today in a civil ceremony in Cascais, Portugal, and are now officially husband and wife.”If that account is accurate, and the five children were the only people present apart from Ronaldo and Rodriguez, it would mean the ceremony had no outside guests, making the already private wedding even smaller than many of the rumours surrounding it had suggested.

The five children were the centre of the guest list

Ronaldo and Rodriguez have five children between them, with two being Rodriguez’s biological children and the other three being Ronaldo’s children from before his relationship with Rodriguez began.Their presence meant the ceremony remained firmly centred on the family the couple have built together rather than becoming a high-profile celebrity event.That privacy appears to have been deliberate. There had been no confirmed details about the ceremony beforehand, leaving supporters and the media to speculate about everything from the location to the scale of the wedding.Instead, Ronaldo and Rodriguez reportedly chose a civil ceremony in Cascais and revealed the marriage only afterwards.The contrast with the speculation surrounding their wedding could hardly have been greater.

Hundreds of fans had already gone looking for the wrong wedding

Only days before Ronaldo and Rodriguez confirmed their marriage, attention had been focused on Funchal Cathedral in Madeira.Reports had claimed the couple would marry there on August 8, prompting hundreds of fans, journalists and well-wishers to gather outside the cathedral in Ronaldo’s hometown.The reports proved false.The wedding taking place at the cathedral belonged to another Portuguese couple, Fabio Ramos and Fatima Nicole Cunha Teixeira, rather than Ronaldo and Rodriguez. The extraordinary confusion left the genuine wedding location completely out of the spotlight.That episode also gave Ronaldo the opportunity to see the lighter side of the speculation. When footage and photographs circulated showing crowds waiting outside the church for him and Rodriguez, he reacted with laughing emojis on social media.The real wedding was subsequently revealed to have taken place in Cascais, rather than Madeira, and to have been considerably more private than the crowds gathered in Funchal had anticipated.

A decade-long relationship ends with a quiet ceremony

Ronaldo and Rodriguez began their relationship in 2016, when Rodriguez was working at a Gucci store in Madrid.Rodriguez later recalled in her Netflix series I Am Georgina that Ronaldo would sometimes collect her from work, including once in a Bugatti, despite her arriving at the store by bus.She left the job later that year after fans began gathering outside the shop, and the couple made their first public appearance together at The Best FIFA Football Awards in January 2017.They subsequently built a family together, with Ronaldo’s twins Mateo and Eva born via surrogacy in June 2017 and Rodriguez giving birth to their daughter Alana Martina later that year.Ronaldo had previously made clear that he intended to marry Rodriguez after the 2026 World Cup, but the couple gave the public no reliable indication of the ceremony’s actual timing or location.That secrecy continued right up to the end.After the wedding,Ronaldo and Rodriguez were seen together at Lisbon’s Humberto Delgado Airport, accompanied by their children. According to Portuguese media, they entered through a VIP access point, with Saudi Arabia believed to be their likely destination.

The big news this week that Kyler Murray has been named the Vikings starting quarterback was certainly no surprise. Anyone watching training camp practices over the past week or so—including the Sunday night TCO Stadium practice—could see Murray getting about twice as many first-team reps compared to J.J. McCarthy.

Both QBs have struggled at times against the Vikings tough defense with their exotic looks and blitzes. In winning the starting job, Murray has showed enough grasp of Kevin O’Connell’s complex offense and general accuracy that has been his forte along with elite scrambling over his seven seasons in Arizona.

It was encouraging for the team to see Murray have perhaps his best camp practice on Tuesday as he completed 15 of 16 passes in 7 on 7 and 11 on 11 drills, including big plays to Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison and check downs when dictated by coverage and pass rush. Murray had another good day on Wednesday with long completions to Jefferson and T.J. Hockenson in team drills. He showed his speed on a rollout run.

Now it’s about stacking more good practice days against Brian Flores’ D, having a decent showing in a series or two in the Saturday afternoon preseason opener at the Giants and then performing well in the important two days of joint practices next week with the Ravens.

On Kyler Murray as the Vikings’ QB1

Of course what truly matters is how well Murray plays in the regular season opener on September 13 against the rival Packers and thereafter.

Can Murray duplicate what Sam Darnold did in the 2024 season in leading the Vikings to the playoffs (they hope with a division title and a home playoff game)? And most of all can he then win in the playoffs which Darnold was unable to accomplish with his poor play in the wild card loss to the Rams (which followed a terrible game for Darnold with the NFC North title on the line at Detroit)?

Murray has the best supporting cast of his career to work with on offense but it was concerning to see him have to scramble away from pressure on too many snaps in the Sunday night practice/scrimmage (especially against middle blitzes by Blake Cashman and Andrew Van Ginkel). But Murray didn’t have star left tackle Christian Darrisaw in that Sunday night practice (he had a maintenance night off) which makes a huge difference.

I like the two-time Pro Bowler Murray’s chances to play well this season and revive his career. He has to be smart about protecting himself when he’s forced to scramble or on designed running plays. His athletic ability that made him the first overall pick by the Cardinals in 2019 is obvious in watching him at camp practices.

I thought Murray handled the media session well after O’Connell announced him as the Week 1 starter (with McCarthy named the backup over Carson Wentz). Murray said he didn’t expect to be handed the starting job and that he was feeling more comfortable in the offense as camp progresses. He knows he has great skill players around him and that his job is to get them the ball and make plays with his legs when needed. It was good to hear many of his teammates speak highly of him after the starter news broke.  

Now Murray will get a lot more first-team reps as he fine tunes his understanding of the offense which will help him prepare for the regular season. And it’s good he’s going to play a few snaps in the preseason opener (but the O-line better protect him against some good Giants pass rushers led by All-Pro Brian Burns—if he plays).

As for McCarthy, he must bide his time and be ready if Murray gets hurt or underperforms. To his credit, McCarthy threw the ball well in team drills this week after the Murray announcement. We’ll see on his future.

Remember he’s only 23 years old and has started only 10 NFL games (with a 6-4 record and he won his last four starts including an impressive two week stretch last season with wins at home against Washington and at Dallas with 100-plus passer ratings in both games and he posted wins at Chicago and Detroit).

I think McCarthy has the talent to be a quality NFL QB. He just needs to be more accurate and quicker in his decision making on a consistent basis which is where Murray is going into his eighth NFL season with an impressive career completion mark of 67.1%.

Other Training Camp Observations from this Week’s Practices:

1. The Sunday night practice at TCO Stadium was physical with the defense dominating. Murray had to run away from pressure often and there were many would-be sacks if allowed on both Murray and McCarthy. Cashman and Van Ginkel stood out with their timely blitzes and Dallas Turner pressured from the right edge with Darrisaw held out.

There was a nice TD pass from Murray to Addison in a goal line drill, a couple long completions from McCarthy to Tai Felton, and some good runs by Aaron Jones, Jordan Mason and rookie Demond Claiborne. But overall, the defense won the night.

Rookie linebacker Jake Golday was impressive and corners Isaiah Rodgers and James Pierre picked off Murray.

2. I like the Vikings running back depth. Jones is 31 but still moves well as a dual purpose rusher and receiving back. Mason led the team in rushing last season when Jones missed several games. Mason looks quicker after losing some weight and showed great burst on a long run in an 11 on 11 drill Wednesday. Zavier Scott played well in his limited snaps last year and he looks good.

Claiborne is the team’s fastest back. He could be a sixth round steal. He’s dropped a few passes in camp but has several explosive runs. I’m excited to watch him in the preseason games starting Saturday at the Giants when Jones and Mason will get limited snaps so Scott and Claiborne will get extended duty.

The offensive line, tight ends Hockenson and Josh Oliver, rookie fullback Max Bredeson, and wide receivers who are willing blockers look primed to lead a strong rushing attack to balance the offense and support Murray while setting up the passing game with play action. A key will be how well Blake Brandel plays at center.

3. In watching pass rush drills on Wednesday, Darrisaw did a good job on Dallas Turner and Donovan Jackson had a solid rep against Jalen Redmond who has been in the backfield often in camp practices.

First-round DT Caleb Banks showed his strength in stuffing the run in a team drill. Second-year D-lineman Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins continued his fine camp with a good pass rush in a two-on-two drill.

Jamal Adams is back at safety after beginning camp at linebacker and he had a nice blitz in a team drill Wednesday which would’ve been a sack on McCarthy if QBs could be taken down (a no-no in camp practices). Rookie corner Chuck Demmings did a good job sticking with Jefferson and breaking up a pass on a Murray scramble.

4. It’s interesting to see Bredeson getting a lot of first-team reps. He’s obviously a smart player who has picked up the offense quickly and it appears he’ll have a significant role as a run blocker, outlet receiver, and key special teamer in his first season.

Jeff Diamond is a former Vikings GM, former Tennessee Titans President and was selected NFL Executive of the Year … More about Jeff Diamond

England cricket team batter Harry Brook is currently serving an IPL ban. The star was banned from the Indian Premier League (IPL) for two years after opting out of IPL 2025 despite being picked by Delhi Capitals in the auction. Brook cannot enter the IPL auction for the next two years because of his decision. He is eligible to re-enter the auction only in 2028. Brook, however, is ready to give the IPL another shot.

“Yeah, definitely. The IPL is a great competition, and it’s a great experience. You go over there and leave a better player. It’s a very good competition to be a part of, and it’s something that I’ll definitely think about in the future,” he told Cricinfo.

The decision was taken in accordance with a new rule introduced by the IPL governing body.

“Any player who registers in the auction and, after getting picked, makes himself unavailable before the start of the season will get banned from participating in the tournament and player auction for two seasons.”

Brook was bought by DC for Rs 6.25 crore but decided to opt out of the 2025 edition.

“I have made the very difficult decision to pull out of the upcoming IPL. I apologise unreservedly to the Delhi Capitals and their supporters,” Brook had written on social media.

“It is a really important time for England cricket, and I want to fully commit to preparing for the upcoming series.

“In order to do this, I need time to recharge after the busiest period in my career to date. I know not everyone will understand, and I don’t expect them to, but I have to do what I believe is right, and playing for my country remains my priority and focus.”

England will play India in a home Test series in June, which will be followed by the much-anticipated Ashes from November to January.

The 26-year-old Brook had earlier withdrawn from the 2024 edition of the IPL following the death of his grandmother.

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Yamal Laughs At Paredes vs Gavi ‘Fight Of The Year’ Poster During Parade

Lately, the amount of optimism coming out of the Twin Cities hasn’t been in short supply (apart from those who are ardent J.J. McCarthy supporters).

Putting aside the headlines for a moment means realizing that there are vital Vikings players beyond just the quarterbacks. Check out some of the recent insights to come out of Minnesota’s camp.

3 Quick Hitter News Updates
Vikings Players to Have Picked Up Praise

Player No. 1 — Edge Rusher Dallas Turner

Consider what Alec Lewis of The Athletic had to say: “Dallas Turner is one Vikings player who probably hasn’t gotten enough shine in this training camp. Looks incredibly motivated. And has been a blur off the edge. Big season for him, for sure, with a lot to prove. But it is notable to me.”

Turner led the Vikings last year with 8 sacks. Most impressive, though, was that he had 4 forced fumbles, an elite total that will be difficult to replicate but fantastic if he can. To contextualize those numbers a touch, note that finishing with 8 sacks means sitting in a tie for twenty-fifth in the NFL. In contrast, the 4 forced fumbles are in a tie for second.

Being a blur is going to be a key piece of the puzzle for the incredibly gifted Turner. Pushing those sacks beyond 10 while keeping the fumbles high would represent a huge development for the Vikings.

Player No. 2 — Running Back Jordan Mason

Will Ragatz made the quick note of Jordan Mason going for a long score: “Also in this period, Jordan Mason had a legit 50-yard touchdown run against the second-team defense. Untouched through the right side.”

Said to be in good shape, Jordan Mason is a 27-year-old runner who is moving into his contract year. He’s a really rugged guy who doesn’t get the credit he deserves for being a gifted athlete. True, his hands aren’t elite, but he may nevertheless prove to be Minnesota’s RB1 as a player who can shine in wide zone.

Seeing him clear 1,000 yards wouldn’t be surprising. Can he end up being a touchdown scorer down in the red zone? If so, then Minnesota’s going to be near impossible to defend.

Player No. 3 — Quarterback Kyler Murray

Kick it back to Ragatz: “Whether psychological effect or coincidence, Kyler Murray just had easily one of his best practices of camp. Only one ball hit the ground all day. Several chunk gains through the air to Jefferson, Addison, Felton. Looked very comfortable with decision-making.”

Kyler Murray has the capacity to be an elite weapon. Note, folks, that key word: capacity. Talent and potential have never been an issue. What has sometimes been lacking have been health and consistency. Getting those two things — alongside some support from the Vikings — could lead to a deadly Vikings offense.

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The Vikings want to see Kyler Murray completing 65%+ of his passes while pushing his season totals for yards and touchdowns at 4,000+ and 30+. Most importantly, deliver in critical moments so the Vikings get soar to double-digit wins.

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Senior Editor for Vikings Territory & PurplePTSD . Twitter & Bluesky: @VikingsGazette. Email: k.joudry[at]vikingsterritory[dot]com. Canadian. Jude 1:24-25.

Aryna Sabalenka reacts during a match against Ekaterina Alexandrova at the round of 16 National Bank Open Tennis tournament in Toronto, on Saturday, Aug. 8, 2026. (Keito Newman/The Canadian Press via AP)

Aryna Sabalenka was keeping a brave face on Wednesday as she prepped for her final US Open warm-up at the Cincinnati Open, where the former champion is the top women’s seed in the ATP-WTA Masters 1000 event.

The four-time Grand Slam champion, who has claimed all of her major titles on hard courts, won in Cincinnati two years ago to lay the ground work for her first US Open trophy a few weeks later.

But 2026 has been a dud by her world-class standards, with three titles overall but none since Miami in the spring.

She came to the rainy American Midwest after exiting last week in the Toronto fourth round. Her Wimbledon was equally flat, losing at that same stage to Naomi Osaka.

But instead of pouting, Sabalenka, her fiance and traveling pet dog Ash hit the beach in Mykonos for some VIP-style relaxation.

“I wanted to stay away from tennis for a little bit so I could refresh, restart and be hungry again,” the 28-year-old with a 21-7 record in Cincinnati said.

“I love this time (the lull between Grand Slams)… there are no expectations. I’ll just go out there, compete and fight.”

Like all seeds at the 12-day tournament — which has been unable to get qualifying underway due to heavy rains and storm warnings — Sabalenka has a first-round bye.

She’ll open in the second round against either Australian Talia Gibson or a qualifier.

Her to-do list is simple, she said: “Compete, fight and enjoy. I have no fear.”

To that end Sabalenka hopes to avoid re-living her recent past.

“Every time I (look back) I get a little bit crazy and emotional. I try to focus on staying present and doing everything I can now.

“This summer, I had huge expectations that I’d succeed in the tournaments, and I desperately wanted to. But my body stopped me from that, and some things didn’t really work my way.”