On Sunday, the Washington Commanders hit the road for the second time of the young season. After a 1-1 start to the season, the new-look Commanders are looking to capture a winning record as they take on a very solid Cincinnati Bengals team on the road.
Reigning No. 2 overall pick Jayden Daniels is looking to further solidify himself as the team’s franchise quarterback while the defense will be facing a talented offense in Washington’s Week 3 matchup. Playing against a solid Bengals team, the Commanders will have to be both healthy and sharp on Monday night.
With the Commanders undergoing their second practice of the week, the team had a positive injury report.
DE Clelin Ferrell, Knee – LP
CB Emmanuel Forbes Jr., Thumb – LP
DT Jer’Zhan Newton, Foot/NIR (Rest) – LP
DE Dorance Armstrong, Chest – LP
TE Zach Ertz, NIR (Rest) – LP
S Quan Martin, Hamstring – Full
T Brandon Coleman, Ankle – Full
CB Benjamin St-Just, Groin – LP
A return from both Emmanuel Forbes and Clelin Ferrell would be huge for Washington’s defense. Forbes will be needed in the secondary as Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins will be tough wide receivers to slow down — especially without the team’s premier cornerback.
Ferrell is the only Commander to have logged a sack through two games, doing as twice in that span.
After playing 12 snaps in Week 2, it seems the Commanders are continuing to be cautious with Jer’Zhan Newton as the defensive tackle is expected to receive a bigger role next game.
On the other side, the Bengals saw quarterback Joe Burrow be a full participant in the second straight practice. Higgins was a limited participant once again.
Stick with CommanderGameday and the Locked On Commanders podcast for more FREE coverage of the Washington Commanders throughout the 2024 season.
Green Bay Packers Reveal Major Jordan Love Injury Update
NFL
Steelers’ Antonio Brown Exposed Ben Roethlisberger’s Final Conversation To Him On…
The Pittsburgh Steelers boasted one of the NFL’s most electrifying duos when Ben Roethlisberger was connecting with Antonio Brown. Together, they led one of the league’s most explosive offenses. However, the relationship between Brown and Roethlisberger became a major topic of discussion after Brown’s dramatic departure from Pittsburgh. During his time with the Steelers, Brown was widely regarded as the best wide receiver in the NFL. Yet, as his frustrations grew, he made it clear that he wanted out, leading to a contentious split with the organization. Brown’s exit was messy, with the star receiver publicly criticizing the team and expressing his excitement about leaving.
Despite his immense talent, some Steelers fans began to grow frustrated with his behavior. Brown ultimately forced a trade out of Pittsburgh, leaving many to wonder about his relationship with Roethlisberger. Over the years, Brown’s comments about his former quarterback have been contradictory, but recently, he seems to have softened his stance. When asked about Roethlisberger during a social media session, Brown shared something intriguing about their final conversation before he left the team. “I love Ben, man. I never thought we had a bad relationship… I feel like we always had a good relationship, man. My last talk with Ben was actually me leaving the Steelers.
He was actually telling me like, ‘Yo man,’ giving me a positive pep talk. Like, ‘AB man, people love you man. Don’t worry about the 5% of people who hate you.'” When Brown was pushing to leave Pittsburgh, Roethlisberger made an effort to change his mind. He understood just how crucial Brown was to the team and the importance of keeping him in the Steel City. While his attempt to persuade Brown ultimately failed, leading to the wide receiver’s trade, it’s revealing to hear that Roethlisberger tried to convince him to stay. Brown later expressed appreciation for Roethlisberger’s understanding and willingness to have that conversation during such a turbulent time. “I thought he was looking at me laughing because he never had seen me in that type of spirit.
He was really giving me like, yo man, I see that something is bothering you. I don’t think he had seen me in that type of spirit.” Brown continued to explain what was going through his mind when he was wanting out of Pittsburgh. “At the time, I was just thinking like, he’s not going to be playing that much longer and I wanted to win. I feel like we never had a bad relationship. I love Ben… We always was tight.” It’s refreshing to hear Brown speak so positively about Roethlisberger. While their relationship has been questioned in recent years, Roethlisberger has consistently praised Brown.
Although Brown made some critical comments about him a few years ago, his stance seems to have changed significantly. Steelers’ Antonio Brown Still Has A Ton Of Love For Ben Roethlisberger Brown hasn’t hesitated to call Roethlisberger the best quarterback he’s ever played with, often detailing what made him so special. It almost feels like Brown regrets the rocky relationship that developed after his Steelers days. Hearing him speak so highly of Roethlisberger now is a welcome change. Steelers fans will never forget the magic of Roethlisberger throwing the ball to Brown, who always seemed to make the impossible catch.
The two will forever be Steelers legends. While Brown’s reputation took a hit after his messy exit and the things he said afterward, he’s been working hard to show his love for the Steelers and his appreciation for his time in Pittsburgh.
Torch passing in men’s tennis apparently won’t include Americans
College Football
Two-time Super Bowl champion gives Colorado’s Travis Hunter a reality check
Colorado two-way phenom Travis Hunter may have his eyes on being the NFL’s version of MLB star Shohei Ohtani. However, former defensive tackle Anthony “Booger” McFarland offered a reality check for the Heisman Trophy candidate. Appearing on Friday’s episode of “The Dan Patrick Show,” McFarland said Hunter could play both WR and CB at the next level but advised against it for several reasons.
The two-time Super Bowl champion believes the Colorado standout isn’t ready for the challenge of playing both ways full-time and might be underestimating how talented players are in the NFL. “I just think it’s disrespectful to the level of athlete and professionalism that these guys show on the field to think that Travis can come in and major at receiver and corner,” McFarland said. “Can he minor at one of them sure, but I don’t think he’s going to be able to do both.” There’s no denying Hunter’s athleticism and talent, nor the fact that he’s excelled at two positions in college.
Nevertheless, McFarland pointed out that dozens of players with the same makeup eventually had to choose once they arrived in the NFL, like Champ Baily and Colorado head coach Deion Sanders. “As great as Deion was, his primary position was cornerback,” McFarland said. “He dibbled and dabbled at receiver a little, but his greatest position was cornerback.” It’s all but certain that Hunter will see time on both sides of the ball in the NFL. However, in July, Dane Brugler of The Athletic indicated that NFL talent evaluators are “split” on whether he’s better suited to play wideout or cornerback full-time. Ultimately, the team that drafts Hunter will decide which position he’ll focus on most.
Yankees’ Juan Soto may have revealed a possible red flag in his game
College Football
Lane Kiffin listed as top candidate to fix historic college football program
Recently, The Gainesville Sun’s Blake Toppmeyer shared seven possible candidates to replace Florida head coach Billy Napier if the school fires him at the end of this season, and at the top of the list is current Mississippi head coach Lane Kiffin.
Toppmeyer explained why Kiffin should be the Gators’ top target if they fire Napier. “Kiffin would be the closest thing to the second coming of Steve Spurrier,” Toppmeyer wrote. “He’s a wonder for Ole Miss. His high-scoring offenses and “Portal King” ways would be a 180-degree pivot from Napier. Trouble is, he’s been too good. The Rebels probably are bound for the playoff. Also, Kiffin is well-compensated by Ole Miss, and he’s got a well-oiled NIL machine. Good luck stealing him away.”
Replacing Napier with Kiffin is certainly something that would generate a ton of excitement for Florida, but is it realistic? Kiffin has been the head coach at Mississippi since 2020, and during his tenure, the school has won 71.2 percent of its games. Last season, the Rebels finished with an 11-2 record and a No. 9 ranking in the final AP Top 25 poll. This year, Kiffin already has Mississippi ranked No. 5 in the AP Poll with a 3-0 record heading into Week 4. The Rebels are off to a hot start, and they have a good chance of earning a spot in this season’s 12-team College Football Playoff, but they still have some tough matchups against LSU, Oklahoma and Georgia on their schedule.
So, what would it take to convince Kiffin to leave what he’s built at Mississippi for another historic SEC program that hasn’t had a winning record since 2020? Well, if we’re being completely honest, it would likely come down to money. This season, Kiffin is being paid $8.85 million by Mississippi, and starting in 2025, his annual salary will increase to $9 million per season until his contract expires in 2030. Napier is currently making $7.3 million with the Gators this year, so Florida coming up with the money it would probably require to lure Kiffin over likely wouldn’t be a problem.
The school would just have to decide if it wants to pay two big salaries at once since Napier would still be due $26.7 million leftover from his contract if Florida fires him after this season. Another factor in all of this is that the University of Florida is currently without a president. Ben Sasse resigned as the school’s president in July, and a replacement still has not been named. One would assume Florida would like to find a new president for the school first before figuring out what to do with the head coach of its football program. But once that is sorted out, determining the future of Napier will likely be among the top tasks for the school’s new president to take on.
Cleveland Cavaliers React To Donovan Mitchell’s Instagram Post
NHL
Panthers Stanley Cup winner announces retirement from NHL
Longtime New York Islanders and Buffalo Sabres winger Kyle Okposo has announced his retirement from the NHL in an open letter released by his agency, CAA Hockey. In the letter, Okposo recounted his dreams of pursuing the NHL and the deep relationships he was able to form around the league. Okposo will be ending a decorated career that spanned 17 NHL seasons, 1,051 games, and, as of a few months ago, one Stanley Cup. Okposo was selected seventh overall by the Islanders in the 2006 NHL Draft after winning the 2006 USHL Clark Cup Championship with the Des Moines Buccaneers. He followed the draft with two productive years at the University of Minnesota, combining for 51 points in 58 games, before turning pro in the second half of the 2007-08 season. Okposo’s production quickly translated to the AHL flight, and he earned his first NHL call-up after 35 games and 28 points in Bridgeport.
Once he was called up, Okposo didn’t look back — netting five points in his first nine NHL games, then more formally scoring 18 goals and 39 points in 65 games during his rookie season. He jumped up to New York’s second line and held his spot proudly, routinely challenging 20 goals and 50 points — peaking with a career-high 27 goals and 69 points in the 2013-14 season. Few wingers were as reliable as Okposo, and he carried that responsibility through a move to the Buffalo Sabres in 2016 — signing a seven-year deal in his only experience on the free agent market. Okposo joined a Sabres team quickly approaching rock bottom.
They did not once make the postseason during Okposo’s eight years with the club, but that didn’t dissuade him from latching on to his patented role in the lineup. Even through challenges with routine concussions, Okposo stood as a routine scorer, challenging 45 points every time he could play in an entire season with the Sabres. The consistent persistence earned Okposo the Sabres’ captaincy in 2022, succeeding Jack Eichel after his move to Vegas. Okposo wore the ’C’ for the next two seasons.
But with the then-35-year-old quickly approaching his final skates, the Sabres made the difficult decision to trade their captain at the 2024 trade deadline, moving him to a team capable of running toward the Stanley Cup. Thus, Okposo joined the red-hot Florida Panthers with a fifth-round pick and the rights to defender Calle Sjalin headed back to Buffalo. Okposo filled the role of 13th forward for Florida, only slotting into six regular season games and failing to record a point. But his energy proved invaluable in the postseason, where he appeared in 17 games and found a way to make a noticeable impact despite recording just two assists.
The hard work paid off, and Okposo won the Stanley Cup in his first postseason appearance since 2016. He’ll end his career on that high, but it’s hard to think his eager personality will stay away from the league for long. He hinted at that in his retirement announcement: “Thirty years of playing hockey was incredible … I believe the game is in a great place right now, but the possibilities are vast. I’m looking forward to continuing to contribute to the games as it reaches new heights.”