Last 12 months: Rams
2024 record: 10-7
Regular-season result: 1st in NFC West
Playoff result: Lost to Eagles in divisional round
Notable departures: WR Cooper Kupp, OL Jonah Jackson, OL Joe Noteboom, NT Bobby Brown III
Notable additions: WR Davante Adams, OT DJ Humphries, DT Poona Ford
Coaching change? No.
2024 record: 7-10
Regular-season result: 3rd in NFC East
Notable departures: OG Zack Martin, Edge Demarcus Lawrence, CB Jourdan Lewis, RB Rico Dowdle
Notable additions: RB Miles Sanders, RB Javonte Williams, WR George Pickens, Edge Dante Fowler Jr.
Coaching change? Yes, OC Brian Schottenheimer was promoted to head coach after Mike McCarthy's contract was not renewed.
LATROBE, Pa. — Aaron Rodgers has a well-documented suspicious streak, and at some point this past spring — during one of many conversations exploring a potential partnership — the four-time MVP wondered how Mike Tomlin's recall could be so acutely accurate.
Is he taking notes? Rodgers wondered.
Without learning the answer, the embattled quarterback took no offense.
'I was (very) honest with him about what was going on in my personal life,' Rodgers recalled Wednesday. 'Whether he wrote it down, I don't give a s—. The fact that he would remember important things that were going on in my life was really meaningful to me.
'It felt like I was talking to a friend, not a coach. Because it wasn't talking X's and O's; it was, 'How's this person? How is that person doing?' And that really meant a lot to me, and it was at the forefront of my mind when I made this decision to play.'
Read more on the connection between Rodgers and Tomlin below.
GO FURTHER
How Aaron Rodgers' connection with Mike Tomlin led him to the Steelers
2024 record: 4-13
Regular-season result: 3rd in AFC South
Notable departures: WR Gabe Davis, WR Christian Kirk, C Mitch Morse, QB Mac Jones
Notable additions: WR/CB Travis Hunter, WR Dyami Brown, CB Jourdan Lewis
Coaching change? Yes, team hired Buccaneers OC Liam Coen to take over after parting ways with head coach Doug Pederson.
2024 record: 9-8
Regular-season result: 2nd in AFC North
Playoff result: Lost to Ravens in wild-card round
Notable departures: QB Russell Wilson, QB Justin Fields, S Minkah Fitzpatrick, WR George Pickens
Notable additions: QB Aaron Rodgers, WR DK Metcalf, CB Jalen Ramsey, CB Darius Slay
Coaching change? No.
2024 record: 14-3
Regular-season result: Second in NFC North
Playoff result: Lost to Rams in wild-card round
Notable departures: QB Sam Darnold, OT Cam Robinson, DL Jonathan Bullard, C Garrett Bradbury
Notable additions: DT Jonathan Allen, DT Javon Hargrave, C Ryan Kelly, OG Will Fries
Coaching change? No.
2024 record: 10-7
Regular-season result: 1st in AFC South
Playoff result: Lost to Chiefs in divisional round
Notable departures: OL Laremy Tunsil, WR Stefon Diggs
Notable additions: RB Nick Chubb, OL Trent Brown, OL Cam Robinson, S C.J. Gardner-Johnson
Coaching change? No.
New York Giants coach Brian Daboll has kept his plans for playing time in Saturday's preseason opener against the Buffalo Bills a closely guarded secret. But signs point toward Daboll giving most of his starters the day off.
That's good news for players on the bubble who need as many opportunities as possible to make an impression. Here are the 10 players with the most to gain Saturday and throughout the preseason: QB Jaxson Dart.
Dart isn't going to push Russell Wilson for the starting job based on his performance in exhibition games, although it would be a welcome development if the rookie plays well enough to at least create a discussion. But less important than Dart's standing on the depth chart is the experience he'll gain from live reps against opposing defenses.
2024 record: 13-4
Regular-season result: 1st in AFC East
Playoff result: Lost to Chiefs in AFC Championship Game
Notable departures: DL Jordan Phillips, CB Rasul Douglas, CB Kaiir Elam, Edge Von Miller
Notable additions: WR Elijah Moore, Edge Joey Bosa, LB Shaq Thompson, CB Tre'Davious White
Coaching change? No.
2024 record: 3-14
Regular-season result: 4th in NFC East
Notable departures: QB Drew Lock, LB Isaiah Simmons, CB Adoree' Jackson
Notable additions: QB Russell Wilson, QB Jameis Winston, Edge Abdul Carter, QB Jaxson Dart
Coaching change? No.
By Charlotte Carroll and Dan Duggan
That's a good question, but it's one New York Giants coach Brian Daboll declined to answer. While Daboll "revealed" Thursday that quarterback Jaxson Dart, the No. 25 overall pick, will play in Saturday's preseason opener in Buffalo, he decided against revealing the team's specific plans for their rookie QB. Daboll also declined to provide specifics about how much Giants starters would play, only saying that Buffalo's decision to play most of their starters will not impact his thinking. In a story published Wednesday, Giants beat writer Dan Duggan examined Daboll's options, as playing time goes, as the coach tries to avoid another slow start to the season.
And here is how Week 3 of the preseason will play out (all times ET):
Thursday, August 21: Steelers at Panthers (7 p.m.)
Patriots at Giants (8 p.m.)
Friday, August 22: Eagles at Jets (7:30 p.m.)
Vikings at Titans (8 p.m.)
Falcons at Cowboys (8 p.m.)
Bears at Chiefs (8:20 p.m.)
Saturday, August 23: Ravens at Commanders (12 p.m.)
Colts at Bengals (1 p.m.)
Rams at Browns (1 p.m.)
Texans at Lions (1 p.m.)
Broncos at Saints (1 p.m.)
Seahawks at Packers (4 p.m.)
Jaguars at Dolphins (7 p.m.)
Bills at Buccaneers (7:30 p.m.)
Chargers at 49ers (8:30 p.m.)
Raiders at Cardinals (10 p.m.)
Once the games are complete, there will be a two-week countdown to the start of the 2025 NFL season!
Here's what the second week of the preseason looks like (all times ET):
Friday: Titans at Falcons (7 p.m.)
Chiefs at Seahawks (10 p.m.)
Saturday, August 16: Dolphins at Lions (1 p.m.)
Panthers at Texans (1 p.m.)
Packers at Colts (1 p.m.)
Patriots at Vikings (1 p.m.)
Browns at Eagles (1 p.m.)
49ers at Raiders (4 p.m.)
Ravens at Cowboys (7 p.m.)
Chargers at Rams (7 p.m.)
Jets at Giants (7 p.m.)
Buccaneers at Steelers (7 p.m.)
Cardinals at Broncos (9:30 p.m.)
Sunday, August 17: Jaguars at Saints (1 p.m.)
Bills at Bears (8 p.m.)
Monday, August 18: Bengals at Commanders (8 p.m.)
Here are the scores from the first two days of the Week 1 schedule:
Thursday Ravens 24, Colts 16
Eagles 34, Bengals 27
Raiders 23, Seahawks 23
Friday Lions 17, Falcons 10
Browns 30, Panthers 10
Patriots 48, Commanders 18
The brink of a new football season is here, and there is so much to discuss, say and feel.
You'll hear plenty from our reporters today, building up to the first games of the new NFL season. And we very much want to hear from you.
Whatever your view or question, get in touch — the inbox is always open. Just send your thoughts to: live@theathletic.com.
We cannot wait to read and share what you've got to say. Imagn Images
There are two more games tomorrow to wrap up the first week of the NFL's preseason: Dolphins at Bears (1 p.m. ET)
Saints at Chargers (4:05 p.m. ET)
Here are today's games (times ET): Giants at Bills (1 p.m.)
Texans at Vikings (4 p.m.)
Steelers at Jaguars (7 p.m.)
Cowboys at Rams (7 p.m.)
Titans at Buccaneers (7:30 p.m.)
Chiefs at Cardinals (8 p.m.)
Jet at Packers (8 p.m.)
Broncos at 49ers (8:30 p.m.)
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UFC 319 takeaways: Khamzat Chimaev flings Dricus du Plessis around with the greatest of ease
UFC 319 brought us the changing of the guard in the middleweight division, as Khamzat Chimaev dominated Dricus du Plessis to claim the UFC 185-pound title. But that's not the only noteworthy action to come out of Saturday's pay-per-view event in Chicago. Here are the top five takeaways from UFC 319 at the United Center: 1. Khamzat Chimaev just became UFC middleweight champ while fighting like your school's cruelest wrestling coach. He took Dricus du Plessis down at will and smothered him with an ease that was almost apologetic. In the entire history of UFC title fights, I'm not sure we've seen a fight that was that long yet that one-sided. Most people absorb more strikes changing an unruly baby's diaper than Chimaev absorbed in five championship rounds. The only problem is that when you do all that and never really even come close to finishing the fight, well, you don't make many new fans. The same people who cheered Chimaev earlier in the week were booing him by the time he gave his victory speech. Then again, here's where we have to start asking ourselves if that even matters anymore. Chimaev has the belt. We've yet to see anyone at middleweight who's seemed like they might be capable of taking it from him. Selling pay-per-views will no longer be a concern beginning with the new Paramount deal. So what does Chimaev care if people like his brand of dominance or not? Any man who can get in and out of a big time title fight like that while putting himself at so little risk is probably not going to be convinced to do otherwise by a bunch of boos. 2. Chimaev looked for it everywhere but still could not find the quit in DDP. There was a moment midway through this fight when, having clearly established his dominance on that mat, Chimaev slapped on a rear-naked choke. A lot of fighters — even many celebrated champions — might have been demoralized enough by then to let him have it. But du Plessis not only fought through it, he was still there giving it all he had in the final minute of the final round. He even took Chimaev's back and threatened with a choke of his own in the final 60 seconds. I know that's bound to be little comfort to him now. And you don't get much credit in this sport for losing (and losing so, so thoroughly) with grit and dignity. But it does seem like we've all been watching DDP win so many fights while wondering how he keeps doing it despite never looking like he's really all that good. In a way, even though he lost decisively here, I think we got some glimpses of the answer to that question. 3. We knew the Bellator/PFL imports have had it rough in their UFC debuts, but rough doesn't even begin to describe what happened to Aaron Pico. He started out all aggression and forward pressure, as he's known to do. But that also made him entirely too predictable, so that as soon as Lerone Murphy got a little space to work he could count on Pico charging straight into that spinning back elbow. That's a very big win for Murphy, who's somehow struggled to get fans to remember him despite being incredibly good. Flatlining a guy like Pico in a spot like this is a good way to change that. But it also makes you wonder where Pico goes from here. The promise of potential can only carry you so far, and for so long. Lots of fighters have rebounded from bad UFC debuts to have great UFC careers. But I can't think of any who did it after getting slept like that the first time out. 4. Imagine being Carlos Prates after the spinning elbow knockout of Geoff Neal. Imagine basking in the cheers as you walk from the cage after a glorious return to the win column. Imagine walking all the way down that aisle, through the curtain, past all the other fighters and various backstage attendants, all the way out to the loading dock of the United Center where you can finally stand in the halo of a buzzing outdoor light next to a stinking green dumpster and light up that first post-fight cigarette. I don't even smoke and that somehow sounds good. Prates needed that rebound win even worse than he needed that post-fight smoke. A highlight reel finish is a great way to make people forget about what was honestly a pretty forgivable loss. 5. Apparently nobody told Tim Elliott that his job was to lose and help Kai Asakura look good. The gentleman of a certain age went out there and fought like he simply didn't know he was one of the night's biggest underdogs. And when he locked up that guillotine choke you could almost see it on Asakura's face (there beneath the wincing and the struggling) as he seemed to wonder, hey wasn't this supposed to be when I got my first UFC win after being thrown to the champ in my first fight? Elliott is 38 and deep into his second stint with the UFC, so you can't tell me the matchmakers put him into this fight hoping it would be a shot in the arm for his career. He was there to be comeback fodder for Asakura, and he simply wasn't having it. If you don't love to see a savvy old dog pull off a win in those situations, you're just a young whippersnapper who doesn't understand … yet.
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UFC 319 results: Khamzat Chimaev takes Dricus Du Plessis to school, dominates to win title
Khamzat Chimaev turned in one of the most dominant performances as a title challenger in recent memory. The main event of UFC 319 at United Center in Chicago saw Dricus Du Plessis put his middleweight title on the line against Chimaev (15-0 MMA, 9-0 UFC). The wrestling game of Chimaev was simply too much for Du Plessis (23-3 MMA, 9-1 UFC) to handle. After 25 minutes, the judges turned in unanimous scores of 50-44 to crown Chimaev as the new 185-pound champion. Just two seconds into the fight, Chimaev shot in and completed a takedown. Du Plessis looked for a guillotine counter, but Chimaev slipped out to take top position. A few seconds later, Chimaev pinned Du Plessis with a crucifix and began raining in short punches. Du Plessis bucked repeatedly and eventually got his arm free to get out of the crucifix, but Chimaev remained heavy on top in side control. In the closing seconds, Du Plessis exploded, but ended up in the same position after a quick scramble. Du Plessis was all smiles in his corner, and came out firing a head kick to start Round 2. Chimaev responded with a kick of his own, and then took the fight right back to the ground. This time, it was Chimaev on the back with Du Plessis on one knee along the fence. Chimaev threatened a rear-naked choke, but Du Plessis was quick to address it. It was another five-minute frame of one-way traffic. Chimaev immediately took the fight to the ground again to start Round 3. This takedown brought the fight to the center of the cage, where Chimaev once again found the crucifix position. This time, he added a few hard elbows in with the short punches. Du Plessis escaped the crucifix with a minute to go, but Chimaev took full mount. Du Plessis quickly gave up his back until the horn. The start of Round 4 saw a striking exchange, and Du Plessis defended a takedown. However, Chimaev went right back in and got the fight to the ground by the cage. Du Plessis continued to struggle to find an answer. With a minute to go, despite working through a few different positions, the referee decided to stand the fighters up. It didn't matter, because Chimaev immediately got another to close out the round. Despite being smothered for four rounds, Du Plessis entered the final round with a sense of optimism, and to his credit, he landed a few punches in the opening exchange. Once again, though, it was just a matter of time before Chimaev decided to bring the fight to the ground. Du Plessis found a reversal to take top position, but it was short-lived. The referee gave Du Plessis one more chance with a gift of a stand up. Du Plessis landed a clean right hand and reversed a takedown. He slapped on a rear-naked choke, but there was simply not enough time to pull it off. With the result, Chimaev gets his crowning moment in his ninth UFC bout. After back-to-back wins over former champions Kamaru Usman and Robert Whittaker, Chimaev got his title shot and was successful in ending the reign of Du Plessis, who entered with two title defenses under his belt. On the other side, Du Plessis falls out of the winner's column for the first time since October 2018. Since then, he won 11 straight fights, including entering the UFC and capturing the middleweight title. Up-to-the-minute UFC 319 results include: Khamzat Chimaev def. Dricus Du Plessis via unanimous decision (50-44, 50-44, 50-44) – for middleweight title Lerone Murphy def. Aaron Pico via knockout (spinning elbow) – Round 1, 3:21 Carlos Prates def. Geoff Neal via knockout (spinning elbow) – Round 1, 4:59 Michael Page def. Jared Cannonier via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) Tim Elliott def. Kai Asakura via submission (guillotine choke) – Round 2, 4:39 Baisangur Susurkaev def. Tom Nolan via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 2, 2:01 Michal Oleksiejczuk def. Gerald Meerschaert via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 3:03 Loopy Godinez def. Jessica Andrade via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) Alexander Hernandez def. Chase Hooper via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 4:58 Drakkar Klose def. Edson Barboza via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) Karine Silva def. Dione Barbosa via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) Joseph Morales def. Alibi Idiris via submission (triangle choke) – Round 2, 3:04 – "TUF 33" flyweight final This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC 319: Khamzat Chimaev schools Dricus Du Plessis to win title
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MLB-best Brewers rally again, set franchise single-season record for consecutive victories with 14
CINCINNATI — The Milwaukee Brewers set a single-season franchise record with their 14th straight victory Saturday. And, in keeping with recent form, it wasn't easy. The major league-leading Brewers rallied for the second straight game and beat the Cincinnati Reds 6-5 in 11 innings. This Milwaukee club set a new benchmark — so far — for consecutive victories, surpassing the 1987 team that opened that season by winning its first 13 games.
