Where do the Houston Texans rank among contenders going into the 2026 NFL season? According to Pro Football Talk, they're the team to beat. Mike Florio released his preseason power rankings entering Week 2 of games starting on Thursday. Naturally, in the No. 1 spot, the longtime analyst put the reigning Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks, mainly because of the return of the quarterback, coach and star defensive player. At the No. 2 spot, Florio the Los Angeles Rams, a team going all-in on 2026 with the return of MVP quarterback Matthew Stafford and the arrival of two-time Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett. Many would assume that the Rams should be No. 1 after also signing Jaylen Watson and trading for Trent McDuffie in free agency. At No. 3, Florio has the Texans, making them the top team in the AFC and a legit Super Bowl contender for the future. Defensively, Florio is buying into Houston as a Super Bowl contender.Offensively, there's questions. "The defense earned them this spot. Its up to the offense to hold it," Florio wrote. Here's the top 10 teams going into the 2026 season, per Florio.Seattle SeahawksLos Angeles Rams Houston TexansDenver BroncosBuffalo BillsChicago BearsNew England PatriotsPhiladelphia EaglesJacksonville JaguarsBaltimore RavensTo read the full list, click here. The Texans open the regular season against the Buffalo Bills on Sept. 13. This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: Texans viewed as top team in AFC, per Pro Football Talk

SportsLine simulated the upcoming NFL season 10,000 times to help form your early 2026 Fantasy football draft strategy

SportsLine simulated the NFL season 10,000 times and revealed its 2026 Fantasy football breakouts for 2026 Fantasy football draft prep

Spectacular Werder comeback on the cards for Niclas FllkrugNiclas Fllkrug could be on his way back to Werder Bremen. According to Transfermarkt, West Ham United are considering allowing the 33-year-old to leave the club on a free transfer.Fllkrug joined West Ham from Borussia Dortmund in 2024 for around 27 million, but his spell in England has been disappointing. Injuries repeatedly kept him out, and he scored just three goals for the Hammers. Last season, he was loaned to AC Milan, where he managed only one goal in 20 appearances.West Ham had been looking for around 5 million for the Germany international, but with no suitable offer arriving, the club could now consider terminating his contract.That would be a major boost for Werder Bremen. Fllkrug came through Werders academy and enjoyed the best spell of his career at the club, becoming the Bundesligas joint top scorer in 2022/23. According to Transfermarkt, Werder are already in contact with the striker and are interested in bringing him back.A free transfer could make the deal considerably more realistic, although Fllkrugs salary could still prove an obstacle. For the striker, meanwhile, returning to Bremen could offer the perfect opportunity to revive his career.

Watch: Barcelona summer addition nets brace off the bench vs BaselBarcelona summer signing Jesse Bisiwu enjoyed an outing to remember in the colours of the Blaugrana on Sunday evening. This came as the young winger notched a pair of goals during a substitute cameo against Basel.Hansi Flicks troops were back in action a short time ago, making the trip to Switzerland amid the clubs ongoing preparations for the new Spanish campaign.When all was said and done in a friendly meeting with the aforementioned Basel, Barcelona emerged on the right side of a dominant 5-2 result.And though the aformentioned Bisiwu was forced to make do with a role as a substitute, he made his minutes on the pitch countIntroduced off the bench during the 2nd-half, the Belgian winger first conjured up a moment of individual brilliance, to find the top corner from the edge of the penalty area:And Bisiwu was back at it again mere moments later, on this occasion slotting home from close range following a Lamine Yamal pull-back:Conor Laird GSFN

Tommy John Surgery the revolutionary surgery named after the first person to receive it, MLB pitcher Tommy John, who died Sunday at the age of 83 has saved thousands of pitchers' careers over the past five decades.The groundbreaking procedure was developed in 1974, when John was pitching for the Los Angeles Dodgers and tore the ulnar collateral ligament on the inside of his left elbow.How Dr. Frank Jobe performed first Tommy John SurgeryDr. Frank Jobe, the Dodgers team physician, performed the four-hourUCL reconstruction surgery on Sept. 25, 1974, forcing John to miss the entire 1975 season.The surgery entailed replacing the UCL with a tendon from elsewhere in the body. In that case, Jobe took a tendon from John's right wrist, drilled holes in John's injured elbow, and wove the tendon through the holes.At the time, Jobe estimated one-in-100 odds of Johns return to pitching in the Major Leagues, according to MLB.com.The gamble paid off: John returned for the 1976 season and went on to pitch 14 more years, winning another 164 games with the Dodgers, New York Yankees, California Angels and Oakland Athletics.How Tommy John surgery changed baseball and saved pitchers' careersSince the innovative procedure was first performed, thousands of pitchers have undergone Tommy John Surgery, as it came to be known, and many saw extensive success on their returns to the diamond. For example, New York Mets pitcher Jacob deGrom became the first starting pitcher to win the Cy Young Award after receiving the surgery, winning the award in back-to-back years in 2018 and 2019.Tommy Johns Legacy extends far beyond his playing careerThis week, the sports community bid farewell to John, who had been in hospice care at his home in Bradenton, Florida, and sent a message to theNew York Yankeessaying his goodbyesbefore the team's Old Timers' Day home game against the Atlanta Braves on Aug. 8, 2026. He also thanked Jobe, "who saved my arm and made it possible for me to continue pitching.""That surgery has since gone on to save the careers of countless pitchers, including many of the very best in the game today," John said.This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: What is Tommy John Surgery?

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta reacts during the FA Community Shield soccer match between Arsenal and Manchester City, at Principality Stadium. Adam Davy/PA Wire/dpaMikel Arteta hailed Arsenals desire to go straight again after Manchester City were overwhelmed 3-0 by the Premier League champions in the Community Shield on Sunday.City never recovered from Riccardo Calafioris goal after just 24 seconds the quickest in the Community Shield since 1968 with Kai Havertz and the outstanding Martin Odegaard putting Arsenal in cruise control just three minutes after the restart in Cardiff.On the day that City boss Enzo Maresca settled into Pep Guardiolas shoes in a high-profile game for the first time, Arsenal fans added to the Italians discomfort with chants of youre getting sacked in the morning.For boss Arteta, though, it was business as usual as Arsenal started where they finished the last domestic season in May by claiming silverware.Asked where the willingness had come from, Arteta said: Because we want to go straight again. The desire comes (because) I want to live that moment again.I want to live other moments, even bigger than them we know what its going to take. We know the difficulty of the task.Weve never done it at this club, to win it again. We know that its going to demand something special and we are ready for it.Arsenal ended a 22-year wait to be crowned champions of England three months ago.The Gunners will start the league campaign next week as favourites to successfully defend their title, especially after putting down such an impressive marker against opponents expected to be their closest rivals.Arteta said: We talked about the desire we have to start the season and to show ourselves how much we want it, I saw a lot of positive things against a top opponent.I am obviously extremely happy with the performance, the result, and winning the first trophy.I think it is down to the preparation we have done in pre-season. To the decisions the boys took after the World Cup, to continue to get prepared, to come early because they wanted to be part of it.If we drive the standards at this level, Im sure that were going to be really, really competitive.Maresca was without the injured Rodri the subject of a reported Barcelona bid and admitted he was disappointed with how City conceded the first two goals without the influential Spain midfielder.Rodri is a player who just won the World Cup and Ballon dOr, said Maresca.Hes a top player, all the teams need Rodri, so its not about if we miss Rodri or not. The ones that played today Elliot (Anderson) was quite good on his first game, Mateo (Kovacic) but we can find many things after this kind of defeatFor sure the first two goals we concede I dont like. The first one because its after 25 seconds and after the second one there was no pressure on the ball.I dont know if it was physical condition, we had many players at the World Cup. After the first goal the reaction was very good, but after the second goal it was more complicated.Arsenal's Kai Havertz (L) scores his side's second goal during the FA Community Shield soccer match between Arsenal and Manchester City, at Principality Stadium. Nick Potts/PA Wire/dpaArsenal's Kai Havertz (L) celebrates with Bruno Guimaraes, after scoring his side's second goal during the FA Community Shield soccer match between Arsenal and Manchester City, at Principality Stadium. Nick Potts/PA Wire/dpaArsenal's Riccardo Calafiori celebrates scoring his side's first goal during the FA Community Shield soccer match between Arsenal and Manchester City, at Principality Stadium. Nick Potts/PA Wire/dpa

The Titans lost a pair of players to season-ending injuries in their preseason opener and they replaced them on the active roster on Sunday. They announced the signings of tight end Matt Lauter and running back Dominic Richardson. Lauter gives the team more depth after losing seventh-round pick Jaren Kanak to a torn pectoral. Kanak was placed on injured reserve along with defensive end Jaylen Harrell. Harrell tore his ACL on Thursday. Lauter spent time with the Raiders after going undrafted out of Boise State this year. Richardson played at Oklahoma State, Baylor, New Mexico and Tulsa before going undrafted and signing with the Cowboys.

SportsLine simulated the NFL season 10,000 times and revealed its 2026 Fantasy football sleepers for Fantasy football 2026 draft prep

India wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel revealed that the visitors had a clear plan to score quickly but sensibly on the rain-affected second day of the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle. India eventually ended the day at 460/9, with Kuldeep Yadav unbeaten on 12 and Prasidh Krishna on 1.Jurels fifty helps India cross 450Jurel walked in after India had already lost KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant but played an attacking knock to keep the momentum going. The right-hander struck 51 off 68 deliveries, including four fours and a six. He added a crucial 55-run partnership with Manav Suthar, helping India cross the 400-run mark.There was a plan to score runs briskly, but sensibly. We werent looking to go bonkers from ball one, but there was a plan, Jurel said during the post-match press conference.The India batter also revealed that his previous experience of playing in Sri Lanka with India A helped him understand the conditions and approach the innings with confidence.I know conditions here, having played for India A here. I was under no pressure, its a privilege to play for India, Jurel added.Jurel was given a reprieve on 29 when Sri Lankan captain Dhananjaya de Silva dropped a difficult chance at first slip. However, the captain later made amends by taking a spectacular catch to dismiss Jurel off Prabath Jayasuriya.Padikkal leads India's dominant batting displayThe standout performer for India was Devdutt Padikkal, who continued his sensational form from Day 1 to score a magnificent 167 off 230 balls. Padikkal's innings included 15 fours and a six, and he became only the third Indian batter to score 150 or more against Sri Lanka from the No. 3 position, joining Rahul Dravid and Cheteshwar Pujara.Jurel was full of praise for his teammate and pointed out that Padikkal has consistently delivered whenever opportunities have come his way.Devdutt scores whenever he gets a chance, Dhruv Jurel said.Padikkal's dismissal eventually triggered another phase of Sri Lankan pressure, with Prabath Jayasuriya finishing with 4/109 and Keshara Nuwantha taking 3/175.Jurel says India need 20 wicketsDespite India's imposing total, Jurel knows the job is far from finished. The wicketkeeper-batter stressed that India's bowlers will need to maintain discipline and be prepared for long spells when Sri Lanka begin their first innings.We need to bowl long spells here and be consistent with lengths. We need to take 20 wickets, he said.The second day was heavily disrupted by rain, with the morning session completely washed out before play finally resumed at 2:35 PM local time. India began the day at 288/2 and lost seven wickets for 172 runs, but still managed to build a formidable first-innings total. KL Rahul scored 82 after returning to the crease following cramps on Day 1, while Rishabh Pant made 39 and Ravindra Jadeja contributed 13.