Articles by Mike Gianakos

Technology

You won’t believe why Jacory Croskey-Merritt was limited in practice

The Washington Commanders dropped their fourth straight game, falling to 3-6 with Week 9’s blowout loss to the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday Night Football. Making matters worse, Washington’s embarrassing, nationally televised 38-14 defeat was compounded by significant injuries. Marshon Lattimore is done for the season with a torn ACL. And, of course, star quarterback Jayden Daniels suffered a dislocated elbow that will sideline him indefinitely. Considering the extent of the Commanders’ injury woes, Jacory Croskey-Merritt’s practice status is comparatively inconsequential. But the reason Croskey-Merritt was limited is unusual. “JCM apparently had some dental work done recently. That is not a joke. The Commanders put him in a non-contact jersey for Wednesday’s practice,” per Commanders’ reporter Ben Standig via RotoWorld. Fortunately, the rookie running back should suit up for Washington’s Week 10 clash with the Detroit Lions. Bill is not expected to miss Sunday’s game. Croskey-Merritt sees production dip during Commanders’ losing streak Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images While Croskey-Merritt is expected to play against Detroit, his role for the matchup is less clear. The seventh-round draft pick emerged as the Commanders’ top RB after the team traded Brian Robinson Jr. to the San Francisco 49ers. However, JCM is not involved in Washington’s passing attack (eight receptions in nine games). And with the banged up Commanders’ defense squaring off against a high-octane Lions’ offense, Washington might have to abandon the run early. Croskey-Merritt’s usage and production have varied a great deal game-to-game this season. But he’s undoubtedly experienced a dip during the Commanders’ four-game losing streak. Over the first five games of the season, Bill scored all four of his touchdowns. While he’s actually received more carries over the last four games than his first five contests, he’s run for fewer yards. Croskey-Merritt had 283 rushing yards on 43 carries Weeks 1- 5, compared to 157 yards on 51 carries Weeks 6-9. Marcus Mariota will get his fourth start of the season in Week 10 in place of an injured Daniels. The Commanders have gone 1-2 with Mariota under center this season.

6 hours ago

Technology

Alex Highsmith’s practice absence sparks concern for ascending defense

The Pittsburgh Steelers got back in the win column with a Week 9 victory over the Indianapolis Colts. Pittsburgh snapped a two-game skid on Sunday. But perhaps more importantly, the Steelers’ struggling defense stepped up. Pittsburgh put Daniel Jones’ redemption arc on hold, turning the Colts’ QB over five times in Week 9. It was a statement game for the Steelers, who remain atop the AFC North at 5-3 despite the team’s disappointing defensive performance over the first half of the season. Unfortunately, Pittsburgh is facing yet another injury concern after the strong showing. Alex Highsmith popped up on the team’s injury report on Wednesday, per The Athletic’s Mike DeFabo. The Steelers’ star linebacker missed practice with an ankle ailment. It’s too soon to tell if Wednesday’s DNP will impact the sixth-year veteran’s availability in Week 10. However, the injury is cause for some concern as Highsmith suffered a high-ankle sprain earlier this season that sidelined him for two games. Alex Highsmith added to injury report ahead of Week 10 Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images Highsmith was forced to leave the Steelers’ Week 2 matchup against the Seattle Seahawks early due to the injury. While he avoided the IR, which would have cost him a minimum of four games, Highsmith did miss time with the sprain. In Week 9, the former third-round pick feasted on the Colts. Highsmith sacked Jones twice and forced a fumble while racking up four tackles. It was part of a defensive effort that Aaron Rodgers described as getting a “big elephant off” their back. The Steelers went all-in this offseason, adding Rodgers, DK Metcalf, Jalen Ramsey and Darius Slay, among others. The results through the first nine weeks have been mixed. But with the AFC North stumbling out of the gate, Pittsburgh has managed to control the division so far. Still, the Steelers expected to boast a difference-making defensive unit. Instead, the team ranks 30th in total defense and 32nd against the pass. The situation became even more dire when safety DeShon Elliott suffered a potentially season-ending knee injury in Week 8. Pittsburgh responded by adding Kyle Dugger in a trade with the New England Patriots. The veteran defensive back’s presence, along with Jalen Ramsey’s versatility in the secondary, helped stabilize the unit. Week 9’s effort was a step in the right direction for the Steelers. But Mike Tomlin and company can ill afford to lose Highsmith for Sunday night’s matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers.

8 hours ago

Technology

Giants reuniting with Bruce Bochy after new manager hire

The San Francisco Giants shocked the baseball world last month when the team hired Tony Vitello as its new manager. It marked the first time a college baseball coach with no professional experience landed a job as a Major League manager. While the move is unprecedented, Giants president of baseball operations Buster Posey is making sure Vitello has an experienced support system in place. Posey is hiring former Giants manager Bruce Bochy as a special assistant to the team, per Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic. Bochy won three World Series titles as the Giants’ manager from 2007-2019. He then won a fourth championship as the Texas Rangers’ skipper in 2023. Now Bochy is finalizing a deal to return to San Francisco in an advisory role. Giants hire Bruce Bochy as special assistant Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images Bochy and the Rangers mutually parted ways after the 2025 season. The veteran manager spent three years with Texas. After an unexpected World Series win in his debut, the Rangers missed the playoffs the last two seasons. The Giants have missed the postseason for four straight years. The team has only qualified for the playoffs once in the last nine seasons. Posey, who took over baseball operations in San Francisco after the 2024 campaign, decided the Giants needed to try something new. The former catcher hired the inexperienced Vitello as the club’s manager after firing Bob Melvin. But Posey is surrounding Vitello with valuable resources. The Giants hired Dusty Baker as a special assistant last year. And now Bochy will join the front office. Between them, Bochy and Baker have 54 years of experience as MLB managers. They boast a combined five World Series titles, 4,435 regular season wins and 22 playoff appearances.

13 hours ago

Technology

Matthew Stafford gets surprising endorsement from Maxx Crosby

The Los Angeles Rams are 6-2 and appear poised for another playoff run thanks in large part to Matthew Stafford’s stellar season. The veteran quarterback has nine touchdown passes in his last two games. Stafford set an international record with five TDs against the Jacksonville Jaguars in London. Then, he tossed four more scores against the New Orleans Saints in Week 9. Now in his 17th NFL season, Stafford is putting together an MVP-caliber campaign for the Rams in 2025. Stafford has received plenty of praise from teammates for his excellent first half. But he also got an unexpected endorsement from an opponent who thrives on making quarterbacks’ lives miserable. “It would be dope to see Stafford win MVP. Because people are like, ‘Oh is he a Hall of Famer?’ I’m like, ‘He has been top-5 for 15 years. I don’t give a f–k what anyone says,’” Las Vegas Raiders DE Maxx Crosby said, per Rams Bros. Matthew Stafford’s MVP-caliber first half leads Rams’ surge Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images Crosby, a Michigan native, was 12 years old when Stafford started his career with the Detroit Lions. The four-time Pro Bowl pass rusher admits it was satisfying to see the quarterback win a Super Bowl with the Rams in 2021. “Being a kid, he was that dude,” Crosby said. The 37-year-old signal-caller is playing some of his best football in 2025. He leads the NFL in yards per game (among QBs with at least eight starts). Stafford also tops the league with 21 touchdown passes. And he’s thrown just two interceptions. Stafford is on pace for his best passing season since joining the Rams in 2021 and leading the team to a championship. He’s also on track to surpass his previous career high of 41 touchdown passes. The scoring outburst in 2025 is primarily tied to the addition of Davante Adams. The veteran wideout has been an ideal WR2 for the Rams. And he’s reeled in eight touchdowns through eight games. Last season, Los Angeles left goal-line conversions up to RB Kyren Williams, who punched in 14 rushing TDs in 2024. This year, Williams has just three rushing scores over the first half of the season as Stafford has looked Adams’ way in goal-to-go situations. Stafford is also adding to his Hall of Fame resume in 2025. He surpassed Philip Rivers for eighth place on the all-time completions list (5,358). He’s eighth all-time in passing yards (61,956) and ninth in NFL history with 398 passing touchdowns.

14 hours ago

Technology

Why Ken Rosenthal was surprised to see Shane Bieber exercise contract option

Still reeling from a heartbreaking World Series loss, the Toronto Blue Jays received some positive news for the team’s future. Shane Bieber exercised his player option for 2026. The former Cy Young winner will return to Toronto for the final year of his contract at $16 million. However, Bieber’s choice to opt in caught MLB insider Ken Rosenthal off guard. “I was surprised. People with the Blue Jays were surprised. People in the industry were surprised. You just don’t see this kind of decision very often,” Rosenthal said, per Foul Territory. “He could have declined the option, taken a $4 million buyout – so he’s $4 million ahead. And then, in free agency, I would think three, $50M? Something like that. Three years, $50 million, maybe even more. But for whatever reason, he wants to be in Toronto one more year.” Extension not tied to Shane Bieber’s Blue Jays opt-in Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images Bieber returned to the mound in August, pitching for the first time since Tommy John surgery cost him nearly the entire 2024 season. The Blue Jays landed Bieber in a trade with the Cleveland Guardians at the deadline. The deal was made before the former Triple Crown winner completed his recovery. Rosenthal wondered if the rehab played a role in Bieber’s decision, suggesting the pitcher trusted the Blue Jays’ medical staff. “And my initial thought also was well, OK, perhaps an extension is coming. But my understanding is that there’s no extension as part of this. It really hasn’t even been discussed. It has not been a motivator for him in making this decision,” Rosenthal said. “So, it’s curious. I don’t exactly know what Shane Bieber was thinking. Obviously he liked it there… But he still could have leveraged that into, ‘ah, one or two more years, guys. Let’s do it.’ At least to this point, he hasn’t done that.” Bieber pitched well in seven regular-season starts for the Blue Jays. He made five postseason appearances for Toronto and two in the World Series. While he got the win in Game 4, Bieber was on the mound in the 11th inning of Game 7 when Will Smith hit the go-ahead home run. The Blue Jays lost the championship after coming within two outs of their first World Series title in 32 years. Jeff Hoffman allowed a game-tying ninth-inning homer to Miguel Rojas. And Bieber earned the loss after giving up Smith’s game-winning shot.

16 hours ago

Technology

Braves rumors: Atlanta has eyes on Dodgers coach for managerial opening

The Atlanta Braves are searching for a new manager after Brian Snitker stepped down as the team’s skipper following the 2025 season. Whoever is hired to helm Atlanta in 2026 will be just the fourth Braves manager in the last 35 years. Walt Weiss, Bruce Bochy, Mark DeRosa, David Ross and Tony Vitello were considered candidates for the position when Snitker made his announcement nearly a month ago. But Atlanta has held off on hiring a new manager. And The Athletic’s David O’Brien believes the delay is due to the team’s interest in Los Angeles Dodgers bench coach Danny Lehmann. The Braves are waiting for the Dodgers’ World Series run to end before pursuing Lehmann, according to O’Brien. The hire would mark a new direction for Atlanta, with a move away from the Bobby Cox coaching tree. Lehmann would also represent a commitment to “cutting-edge analytics and process.” Braves seek replacement for longtime manager Brian Snitker Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images Lehmann has a history with Braves GM / president of baseball operation Alex Anthopoulos. The two worked together from 2016-2017 in Los Angeles. Lehmann began his coaching career as an advance video scout for the Dodgers in 2015. And Anthopoulos was hired as LA’s vice-president of baseball operations the following year. The Braves job is considered one of the more attractive openings in baseball. The team had reached the playoffs in seven straight seasons before falling short in 2025, Atlanta boasts a talented core of players, including pitchers Chris Sale (who has a team opinion for 2026), Spencer Strider and Spencer Schwellenbach. The strong rotation combined with position players like Ronald Acuna Jr., Austin Riley and Matt Olson, leads insiders to believe the Braves will rebound from an off year and contend for the playoffs next season. While Snitker stepped down as Atlanta’s manager, he’s not leaving the team. The veteran skipper will move into a senior advisory role with the Braves in 2026. The 70-year-old Snitker has been with the organization since 1977. He began as a player and transitioned to coaching in 1980. Snitker spent 29 years as a manager with the franchise beginning in 1982. He worked through five different levels in the minors before taking over as the Braves manager in 2016. Snitker went 811-668 in 10 seasons at the helm in Atlanta. He reached the playoffs seven straight years and led the Braves to a World Series championship in 2021. However, Atlanta has not won a postseason game since its World Series victory.

Oct 27, 2025