Browns win home opener over Carolina

       The Cleveland Browns defense stepped up when they needed it most, and DeShaun Watson threw his second touchdown of the game to Harold Fannin with 1:48 remaining as the Browns won their home opener over the Carolina Panthers 21-18.

Watson completed 16 of 30 passes for 144 yards and the two touchdowns.

Fannin led the offense with seven catches for fifty-one yards.

Mason Graham led the defense with two sacks as the Browns improved to 2-1 and will host Pittsburgh on Thursday.

Brownie Bits

1) The offense still has a long way to go, and while the Browns can't complain about winning, they still have to wonder about DeShaun Watson.

Watson didn't throw an interception and did lead the team to the game-winning touchdown, but...

2) Carolina dropped a few possible interceptions, and one they held onto was overruled by a penalty.

I know there are ifs and buts, but these things tend to even out over a season, and once interceptions start to be completed, things can go off a wagon quickly.

3) Watson has developed a connection with Harold Fannin and Denzel Boston, but he is struggling to gain a rapport with first-round selection K.C. Concepcion.

Concepcion was targeted nine times, but caught only two for nine yards.

4) Concepcion may be struggling, but the highly paid Jerry Jeudy was non-existent, as Jeudy didn't have a single pass thrown to him all game.

Jeudy carries a high dead cap number if he's traded (good luck with that) or released, so unless his attitude becomes disruptive, he'll be around all season, but it looks bleak for anything other than an occasional flash from Jeudy.

5) The Browns traded for tackle Tytus Howard in the offseason and gave him a contract extension after a mediocre year with Houston.

Howard was called for three false starts and seems to be a questionable decision as a full-time tackle.

6) Another offseason acquisition was playing well in Elgton Jenkins, but Jenkins is unlikely to play against Pittsburgh after entering the concussion protocol.

The Browns will likely start Luke Wypler as fifth-round draftee Parker Brailsford is still recovering from a broken hand suffered in training camp.

7) It might be time to reevaluate my opinion on Mason Graham, whom the Browns took fifth overall in 2025.

Graham sacked Bryce Young twice in this game and has four sacks in the three games after finishing with just one as a rookie.

Graham has been giving the Browns the power rush up the middle that many teams covet, but few teams possess.

8) The Browns pay Denzel Ward to be a shutdown corner, and he was just that in shutting down Carolina's second-year standout Tetairoa McMillan, holding the talented McMillan to two catches for seventeen yards.

9) The Browns might be starting to receive benefits from Mike Hall after middling results in his two previous seasons.

Hall didn't get to the quarterback for a sack, but pressured him several times and helped Mason Graham's sacks.

10)  The Browns are surprises at 2-1, and a win over Pittsburgh would start the good vibes rolling.

Before thinking of that, consider the Browns wins came over opponents with a combined record of 1-5.

I'm not saying to not be happy, but let's see where we are after the Steelers  game and a road game against the winless New York Jets.

Super Smith launches Buckeyes past Illinois

    Jeremiah Smith continued to stake his claim as the best player in the nation after a superhuman outing to pace the Ohio State Buckeyes to a 42-19 win over the Fighting Illini of Illinois in Columbus.

Smith finished with four touchdown receptions on 12 catches for 217 yards, while Julian Sayin threw those four touchdowns and ran for another score. 

Sayin finished with 367 passing yards for the game.

Ohio State improved to 3-1 on the year (1-0 Big Ten) and will travel to Iowa this Saturday.

Olentangy Offerings

1) Jeremiah Smith is beyond description.

Short of covering him with two or even three defenders, there isn't much a defense is going to be able to do to stop him.

2) Smith is big and strong to fight for the contested ball, but has the type of speed to run right back defenders.

Physically, he's the best WR prospect for the NFL in years and the best wideout in program history- which says it all.

3) Julian Sayin threw those four touchdowns to Smith and was impressive throwing the ball, but what really impressed me was his scramble for a touchdown.

Sayin is never going to be the runner that Ohio State has seen in the past, but he showed that he can use some movement out of the pocket when needed, which adds an extra dimension.

4) Still have some defensive concerns.

Illinois rushed for 199 yards and while Illinois is a run first club, allowing those numbers is conerning this week against another run first club in Iowa.

5) Ohio State finished with three sacks, but I still don't see a pass rush that will be a factor against better team.

While the Buckeyes have done well in developing defensive tackles in recent years, they have struggled with defensive ends since the times of the Bosa brothers and Chase Young.

6) If there is a player that could break the above narrative, it is freshman Khary Wilder, who does seem to have the potential to solve that problem.

I'd like to see more of Wilder as the season progresses.

7) My hot take- tight end Nate Roberts will be a first or second round draft pick when he moves onto the NFL.

Roberts blocks well enough but has soft hands and will be thought of highly by NFL scouts.

8) The last time Ohio State visited Iowa's Kinnick Stadium, Iowa hammered the Buckeyes 55-24 in a big upset.

I don't think the coaching staff has forgotten that night and between those memories and Iowa coming off a high with a final play win over Michigan, Ohio State will be ready.

My time just seems so limited now that I feel so far behind on my writing.

The Browns play tomorrow and I've yet to recap either of the Browns two wins.

I hope to get the Carolina game finished before tomorrow's game vs Pittsburgh

PPM

    Apologies for a slow week here.

Just so many things to get done and I wish I could have recapped a rare Browns win!

I'll try to do better!

Last Week: 10-6 

Overall: 34-9

College

Ohio State over Illinois 34-10

Texas Tech over Sam Houston 37-15

Boise State over Western Michigan 24-21

UTSA over Colorado State 24-17

Houston over Georgia Southern 34-13

South Florida over Bowling Green 27-10

Jacksonville State over Middle Tennessee 29-21

Appalachian State over N.C. State 34-32

Tulsa over Arkansas 31-24

Wyoming over Hawaii 19-17

Games of the Week

Iowa over Michigan 17-1

Mississippi State over Missouri 35-33

NFL
Panthers over Browns 27-17

Saints over Raiders 35-21

Games of the Week

Jaguars over Patriots 28-21

Rams over Broncos 30-24

PPM

 Another week of football and of course the PPM!

Last Week: 15-1 

Overall: 24-3

College

Ohio State over Kent State 51-0

Texas Tech over Houston 27-24

Boise State over South Dakota 41-21

Georgia over Arkansas 38-13

Iowa State over Bowling Green 19-10

Vanderbilt over N.C State 24-19

Wyoming over Central Michigan 17-13

Middle Tennessee over Nevada 28-21

Georgia Southern over Jacksonville State 20-17

Texas over UTSA 38-16

Games of the Week

Louisville over SMU 37-33

LSU over Ole Miss 45-38

NFL
Buccaneers over Browns 31-10

Ravens over Saints 27-21

Games of the Week

Bears over Vikings 38-29

Broncos over Jaguars 27-25

Boxing Challenge: Garcia busts Benn

   Ryan Garcia dropped Conor Benn with a right hand and finished him off after a shaky Benn got to his feet in round two, for a painless stoppage of Benn in the biggest fight promoted by Zuffa Boxing in their short existence.

Benn slugged it out evenly with Garcia in the first round, but his drop from the middleweight division may have weakened him, as the Englishman crumbled with the big right hand from Garcia.

Garcia has spoken of several opponents for his next fight, asking for a return from retirement from former three-division undisputed champion Terence Crawford, a rematch with Gervonta Davis, who stopped Garcia in seven rounds in 2023, or a unification fight with WBA champion Teofimo Lopez.

Benn will likely rise in weight but doesn't have an obvious opponent for his next fight and will have to revitalize himself after a devastating loss.

Unbeaten former IBF cruiserweight champion Jai Opietaia stopped WBC champion Noel Mikelian in nine rounds in the co-feature, but didn't win the title as Mikaelin was stripped of the title before the fight.

Andres Cortes won a unanimous decision over former featherweight champion Mark Magsayo in a lightweight ten rounder and in the best fight of the night, welterweight contender Alexis Rocha won a competitive unanimous decision over former junior welterweight champion Jose Ramirez.

I'd like to see Rocha and Ramirez in a rematch.

Boxing Challenge

TRS:  106 Pts (5)

Ramon Malpica: 91 Pts (4)

Vince Samano: 60 Pts (0)

 

Browns battered in Jacksonville opener

    The Cleveland Browns were completely overmatched and couldn't score a touchdown until the final minute of the game in a disastrous 34-10 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars in Jacksonville.

About the only good news in this game was DeShaun Watson's late-game strike to rookie Denzel Boston for a 46-yard touchdown, the Browns' only touchdown.

Cleveland (0-1) travels to 0-1 Tampa Bay next Sunday to meet the Buccaneers.

Brownie Bits

1) DeShaun Watson was lousy other than his late toss to Denzel Boston, but that's not my biggest worry from this game.

After all, I already knew Watson was terrible, and he proved it.

2) My biggest worry was the defense looking so bad.

The defense had been touted by some observers as not taking a step back from 2025 despite trading Myles Garrett.

That could have fooled me, as Trevor Lawrence had all day against an ineffective Cleveland pass rush that, aside from one sack by Mason Graham, couldn't reach Lawrence, who threw four touchdown passes and sat out much of the second half.

3) The Browns crowed about the trading of Myles Garrett as they patted themselves on the back for forcing the Rams to add Jared Verse to the deal.

I like Verse, and I'm not giving up on him, but he was a non-factor in this game, finishing with three tackles, one for loss, and the Browns will need more from him if they plan to improve this season.

4) Deshaun Watson's interception on the first drive was a bad one, as there was no one with an orange helmet in the area. The Browns continued to struggle to get downfield afterward, and only a garbage-time score to Denzel Boston gave the Browns even decent quarterback play.

5)  Todd Monken announced after the game that he is sticking with Deshaun Watson for this week's game in Tampa Bay.

I'm ok with that.

Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't have given Watson the job to start with, but since they did, I don't think it's fair to move away from Watson yet.

6) The Browns revamped their offensive line in the offseason, and it was not an auspicious start, as Zion Johnson was called for two holding penalties, Tytus Howard committed a key false start penalty, and allowed five sacks against DeShaun Watson.

7) The Browns lost their change-of-pace back for at least four weeks as Dylan Sampson suffered a knee injury, which placed him on injured reserve after the game.

Former Denver Broncos running back Jaleel McLaughlin was promoted from the practice squad to replace Sampson.

8) The two offensive gems from the 2025 draft had disappointing starts to their season.

Quinshon Judkins rushed for thirty-three yards on twelve carries, and Harold Fannin caught only two passes for twenty-two yards.

9) Perhaps the only bright spot other than garbage time scores was the impressive kick returns of Rocket Sanders.

Sanders returned one kickoff 74 yards and set up the Browns' first score, a field goal by Andre Szmyt

I'm interested to see if Sanders can continue his success.

10) I'm afraid this Sunday will see another beating for the Browns.

Tampa Bay lost their opener 33-27, scored lots of points, and has a motivated Baker Mayfield ready to ravage the Browns..

Fourth Quarter fade costs Ohio State in Texas loss

    Ohio State dominated their visit to Austin for three quarters, but allowed touchdowns on the final three drives, allowing Texas to slip by with a 24-23 win.

Julian Sayin threw for 278 yards with a touchdown and an interception.

Jeremiah Smith caught eight passes for 164 yards and a touchdown to pace the skill players.

Ohio State drops to 1-1 and will host Kent State next Saturday.

Olentangy Offerings.

1) I know Texas scored on three long drives in the fourth quarter, but I have a hard time blaming the defense, which was simply gassed out on the final drive.

The defense does appear to be down a bit from last season, but that's natural considering the talent on that team.

I'm not concerned.

2) Texas did convert two key fourth downs that, if the Buckeyes had been able to stop one, would have been the difference in the game.

3) Jeremiah Smith had a huge game, but most of his damage came in the first half.

I wouldn't say I would be disappointed in his game at all, but a better second half would have helped the cause.

4) I think Ryan Day erred by allowing Texas to roll so much time off the clock before scoring their game-winning touchdown,

Ohio State only needed a field goal to win, and those seconds would have helped in the final desperation drive.

5) Julian Sayin was okay, not great, and his first-half pass was too high for a wide-open Devin McCuin and cost the Buckeyes a certain touchdown.

6) Devin McCuin was dynamic against Ball State. Still, the UTSA transfer returned to earth against Texas, missing his connection on the above pass from Julian Sayin, and finishing with only one catch for five yards.

Ohio State will need someone to step up as the second receiver to relieve some pressure on Jeremiah Smith.

7) I'm aware of Connor Hawkins ' late-game miss from 45 yards that would have clinched the game, but watching the replay, it looked like the holder didn't have a smooth handling of the snap.

Hawkins hit his other three tries, including one from 48 yards, and I think Ohio State has a top notch kicker.

8) The defeat was the first loss in Ohio State history when leading by seventeen points or more at halftime and lost for the first time in 366 games when entering the fourth quarter with a lead of twenty or more- yuck.

9)  Of all the brickbats that could be thrown at Ryan Day for the loss- conservative second-half playcalling, poor time management late in the game, etc .- one stands out above all.

Fourth and two from the Texas 13 and ahead 10-0, Day decided to go for it rather than take a chip shot for three points.

Day then called a run up the middle by Ja'Kobi Jackson for one yard and turned the ball over on downs.

Day has had a tendency to go for it in such situations and against better teams, especially on the road; taking every point might be a better idea.

10) The Buckeyes fell back in their long-standing trap of rotating their defensive linemen so much that when the game is on the line, their best players are on the sidelines.

Larry Johnson has always been a believer in that, and while I see the point (especially on a hot night in Texas) in keeping your freshest players in the lineup, I don't believe it should come at the cost of your best.

Boxing Challenge

 Boxing Challenge

WBC Welterweight Title, 12 Rds

Ryan Garcia vs Conor Benn

Ramon Malpica: Garcia KO 8

TRS: Garcia KO 4

Vince Samano:

Cruiserweights, 12 Rds

Jai Opietaia vs Noel Mikaelian

R.L: Opietaia KO 6

TRS: Opietaia Unanimous Decision

V.S:

Lightweights 10 Rds

Mark Magsayo vs Andres Cortes

R,L and TRS: Magsayo Unanimous Decision

V.S:

Welterweights 10 Rds

Jose Ramirez vs Alexis Rocha

R.L: Ramirez Unanimous Decision

TRS: Rocha Unanimous Decision

V.S:   

PPM

  The NFL season begins and the Ohio State Buckeyees travel to Texas to meet the Longhorns.

Last Week: 9-2

College

Ohio State over Texas 23-21

Texas Tech over Oregon State 41-13

Boise State over Memphis 42-37

N.C. State over Richmond 49-10

UTSA over Texas State 31-21

Wyoming over Northern Colorado 43-13

Nebraska over Bowling Green 37-16

Marshall over Middle Tennessee 27-17

Clemson over Georgia Southern 34-24

Utah over Arkansas 40-31

Games of the Week

Iowa over Iowa State 28-14

Virginia Tech over Old Dominion 45-10

Pro

Jaguars over Browns 27-10

Lions over Saints 31-27

Games of the Week

Bills over Colts 24-17

Chiefs over Broncos 28-25

Boxing Challenge: Knyba upsets Ruiz

         In Newark, New Jersey, former heavyweight champion Andy Ruiz's comeback stumbled from the start as Damian Knyba won a much closer-than-it-should-have-been unanimous decision.

The 6'7 Knyba danced on his toes for most of the fight and pounded Ruiz consistently with his jab.

Knyba dropped Ruiz in the seventh, and the fight could have arguably been stopped, but Ruiz deserves credit for surviving and even winning a few rounds later in the fight.

The scores were bad, with Knyba winning 117-110 (my score was 116-111) and by two scores of 114-113, which means that without the seventh-round knockdown, the fight would have been scored a majority draw and would have been a horrible result.

Knyba will likely move on to an eliminator of some sort, while Ruiz looks like a fighter far past his prime and might want to consider retirement.

Middleweight Vito Mielnicki scored the biggest win of his career with a dominant unanimous decision over former title challenger Austin "Ammo" Williams in the co-feature, scoring a knockdown and winning by scores of 98-91 on all three scorecards.

In Ireland, the IBF's top welterweight contender Paddy Donovan stopped countryman Tyrone McKenna on cuts in the fifth round.

Boxing Challenge

TRS: 101 pts (2)

Ramon Malpica; 87 Pts (3)

Vince Samano: 60 Pts (0)

Ohio State rolls past Ball State

    Unlike that school up North that won over Western Michigan in the biggest injustice since the 1972 Olympic Gold Medal game in basketball, Ohio State dispatched its MAC opponent with ease as the Buckeyes scored two touchdowns in each quarter in a 56-3 thrashing of Ball State. 

Julian Sayin threw for 320 yards and three touchdowns, with Jeremiah Smith catching eight passes for 151 yards and two touchdowns.

Ohio State will travel to Texas next Saturday for a rematch of last season's Buckeye win.

Honestly, I fell asleep during the game, so I'm not offering a recap.

I do plan on watching an edited replay, and if time permits, I may write about the reserve quarterbacks who each played and threw a touchdown in the win: Luke Fahey and Tavian St.Clair

PPM

       It's a new year of football and a new year of the Pigskin Picking Machine, or as we call it- the PPM.

First, with the shakeup in Western football, with schools leaving the Mountain West to join the returning Pac-12, we have some changes in the schools in the PPM.

The PPM has always featured one team from each conference in college football and two games of the week. Perennial favorite Boise State has moved to the Pac-12 from the Mountain West, where the Broncos will replace Oregon State.

This leaves a gap as the Mountain West will need a team; the team selected will be the Wyoming Cowboys.

We also change the "face of the PPM" every season, and this year, I didn't have a standout choice.

So, I selected one person from Entertainment, News, Sports, and Wrestling (not listing the runners-up, as they could be future choices) and asked Fred Landucci to make the call.

Fred selected CNN host and rabid Alabama football fan, Kaitlan Collins, and Collins will be this season's Face of the PPM.

Thanks for the help, Fred!

College Football

Ohio State over Ball State 56-3 

Texas Tech over Abilene Christian 72-10

Arkansas over North Alabama 39-14

Oregon over Boise State 41-35

Wyoming over Colorado State 24-21

UTSA over UT-Rio Grande 45-21

Georgia Southern over Charleston Southern 37-24

Bowling Green over Tarleton State 23-19

Middle Tennessee State over Murray State 17-12

Games of the Week

LSU over Clemson 35-20

Ole Miss over Louisville 39-34

Boxing Challenge

  The boxing challenge is rather light but interesting, with the comeback of former heavyweight champion Andy Ruiz.

Ruiz has been inactive since his August 2024 draw with Jarrell Miller, but he's matched well with Damian Knyba.

The 6'7 Knyba has only one loss, but it was against his best opponent earlier this year, losing in three rounds to WBC champion Agit Kabayel, before Kabayel was named champion following Oleksandr Usyk's vacating all of his titles/

Ruiz needs a win first of all, but an impressive win could go a long way in earning Ruiz a better opponent in his next fight.

The co-feature is interesting with a crossroads middleweight match between popular but untested Vito Mielnicki and former world title challenger Austin Williams.

Williams lost both his bouts against world-class opposition (Hamzah Sheeraz and Carlos Adames) but Mielnicki has fought no one of that status.

On the Katie Taylor undercard, top welterweight contender Paddy Donovan meets countyman Tyrone McKenna.

Donovan is the mandatory challenger for IBF champion Liam Paro.

Boxing Challenge

Heavyweights 12 Rds 

Andy Ruiz vs Damian Knyba

Ramon Malpica: Ruiz KO 9

TRS: Ruiz KO 6

Vince Samano:

Middleweights 10 Rds

Vito Mielnicki vs Austin Williams

R.L: Mielnicki Unanimous Decision

TRS: Williams Unanimous Decision

V.S:

Welterweights 10 Rds

Paddy Donovan vs Tyrone McKenna

R.L: Donovan Unanimous Decision

TRS: Donovan KO 8

V.S:

Devils trade for Luke Evangelista

     The New Jersey Devils continue building toward a 2026-27 postseason return, trading two high future draft picks to the Nashville Predators for right winger Luke Evangelista. 

New Jersey will send Nashville a first-round pick that originally starts with Colorado, which could be in 2027, 28, or even 29 depending on the conditions at the time, and the Devils' second-round draft choice in 2028 for Evangelista. 

The twenty-four-year-old Evangelista is under contract for this season at three million and will be a restricted free agent at the end of the season.

Last season, Evangelista produced career highs in points (56) and assists (44) for the Predators while scoring twelve goals for Nashville.

Evangelista is noted for passing more than his shot, and while he's defensively responsible, he's not the most physical forward and can be pushed off the puck.

The acquisition of Evangelista bulks up the forwards, as he'll fit well on either of the Devils' first two lines, but it does mean that the team isn't likely to be complete with their offseason moves, as the Devils have a surplus and a decision to move a forward might pay dividends with extra cap room when the deadline arrives.

 

Cleaning out the Inbox: Passings

       Another edition of tributes for some persons of note who have recently left us.

Goodbye to Tommy John at the age of 83.

Known more for the elbow surgery named after him, Tommy John won 288 games in a career that lasted from 1963 to 1989.

John was a slightly above .500 pitcher in seven years with the Chicago White Sox before a 1972 trade to the Dodgers, where he won thirty games in two and a half seasons before the elbow injury that usually ended careers.

John was a better pitcher after the surgery, as he won twenty or more games three times and 164 games post-operation.

Assist to Denise Nicarry with the notification.

Goodbye to John Niland at the age of 82.

The stalwart guard of the late sixties and early seventies Dallas Cowboys, Niland was named All-Pro three times and made six Pro Bowls from 1966-74 before playing one season with the Philadelphia Eagles, after which a knee injury ended his career.

Side note: John Niland is the first 7-11 Slurpee cup that I ever remember receiving as part of the NFL's promotional agreement with 7-11.

Goodbye to O.J. Brigance at the age of 56.

Brigance has the honor of being the only player to achieve a feat that will almost certainly never be repeated.

Brigance is the only player ever to win a Grey Cup and an NFL title and do it in the same city, winning the Grey Cup with the Baltimore Stallions in 1995 and a Super Bowl with the Baltimore Ravens in 2001.

In the CFL, Brigance was a feared edge rusher, finishing with twenty sacks for the B.C. Lions in 1993.

As an NFL player, Brigance was mainly used on special teams for four different teams: the Dolphins, Ravens, Rams, and Patriots.

Goodbye to Zolani Tete at the age of 38.

The South African held the IBF Junior Bantamweight title and the WBO Bantamweight championship in a career that spanned 2006-2022.

Tete holds the record for the fastest knockout in a world championship fight when his right hook knocked Siboniso Gonya out in eleven seconds in 2017.

Goodbye to Larry Christenson at the age of 72.

Christenson was the third overall pick of the 1972 MLB draft and, a year later at 19, threw a complete game in his MLB debut for the Phillies.

Christenson spent his entire eleven-year career with the Phillies, winning eighty-three games, with nineteen of those victories in 1977, and won a World Series with the 1980 Phillies.

Goodbye to Tony Mundine at the age of 75.

A middleweight contender in the 1970s, Mundine might be remembered by most as the father of Anthony Mundine, who once held the WBA super middleweight title.

The elder Mundine defeated former welterweight and middleweight champion Emile Griffith and once challenged the great Carlos Monzón for the middleweight title in 1974, losing by seventh-round knockout in Argentina.