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Flacco savors Bengals’ victory after uncertainty

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Flacco savors Bengals’ victory after uncertainty


CINCINNATI — Ten days ago, Joe Flacco didn’t know whether he’d get to experience again what he felt Thursday night.

Last week, Flacco was a quarterback who had been benched in his 18th NFL season. On Thursday night, he celebrated another comeback win in the AFC North.

Nine days after his trade to the Cincinnati Bengals, he led his new club to a 33-31 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers at Paycor Stadium. Needing points on the final drive to win, Flacco propelled the offense down the field, with kicker Evan McPherson‘s 36-yard field goal with seven seconds left sealing the victory.

Flacco acknowledged the uncertainty he had felt about getting back to the position he was in Thursday night.

“It felt like I might not, to be honest with you,” Flacco said. “It’s pretty special.”

In the second game following his trade from the Cleveland Browns, the 40-year-old helped Cincinnati snap a four-game losing streak. He was 31-of-47 passing for 342 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. It was the first win for the Bengals (3-4) since starting quarterback Joe Burrow suffered a turf toe injury in Week 2.

Burrow watched from the sideline with a walking boot on his left foot as Flacco made plays in the closing minutes to prevent Cincinnati from a devastating collapse. The Bengals trailed by a point after leading for the bulk of the contest when Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth caught a 68-yard touchdown pass from Aaron Rodgers with 2:21 left.

But in his 23rd regular-season game against the Steelers (4-2), Flacco delivered. With Cincinnati on the cusp of field goal range, he hit wide receiver Tee Higgins for a 28-yard completion down the left sideline that made McPherson’s kick a relatively easy one.

McPherson is among those who have enjoyed having the veteran quarterback on their team.

“I love his attitude and what he brings to the team,” said McPherson, who now has eight career tying or go-ahead kicks in the final two minutes of a regular-season contest. “He’s done a really good job connecting with guys on a really short notice.”

Flacco did most of his connecting with Higgins and wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase against the Steelers. Chase set a franchise record with 16 catches for 161 yards and a touchdown. It was his ninth game with more than 150 receiving yards, passing Jerry Rice for the second most in the first five seasons of an NFL career.

Chase again praised the franchise’s decision to acquire Flacco to be the starting quarterback.

“It’s honestly good having him here for us,” Chase said. “Organization made a big jump on him. We believed in him. We got him. He came in, doing his thing and showing off for us.”

Bengals coach Zac Taylor said Flacco’s experience was crucial in a game that Cincinnati “needed to have.” And the veteran almost made it look effortless.

“It’s easy for him,” Taylor said. “And it’s not, because he’s putting in the work. He’s so experienced in this situation. You gain a lot of confidence from that because he goes out there [and] it’s not too big.”

Last week, Flacco was going down Interstate 75, talking to Taylor on the phone as the coach started explaining as much of the playbook as quickly as possible. Despite his experience, Flacco wanted to make sure he didn’t waste an opportunity.

On Thursday night, Flacco talked about the relief his family probably felt to see him complete another game. In his postgame news conference, Flacco said he was eager to hear how that relief morphed into excitement.

“I can’t wait to talk to my wife tonight and just hear it in her voice and all those things,” Flacco said. “Talking to [family] reminds you of how special this is.”



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Bayern 4-1 Gladbach (Mar 6, 2026) Game Analysis – ESPN

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Bayern 4-1 Gladbach (Mar 6, 2026) Game Analysis – ESPN


Luis Díaz scored one goal and made another as Bayern Munich beat Borussia Mönchengladbach 4-1 on Friday to extend its lead at the top of the Bundesliga to 14 points over second-place Borussia Dortmund.

With Harry Kane injured, Nicolas Jackson started in the centre-forward position for Bayern, one of seven changes to the side that beat Dortmund in Der Klassiker last weekend.

But it was Colombian Díaz who started the rampage.

He opened the scoring after 33 minutes with a crashing volley and then turned provider 12 minutes later when his clever pass set up Konrad Laimer to make it 2-0.

Bayern’s task was made easier when Rocco Reitz was sent off for rugby tackling Jackson 10 minutes into the second half.

Jamal Musiala celebrates scoring Bayern Munich’s third goal against Borussia Mönchengladbach.

Stefan Matzke – sampics/Getty Images


Jamal Musiala dispatched the resulting penalty to score his first goal of the season and Jackson celebrated his return to the side by adding a fourth 11 minutes from time.

Wael Mohya, 17, grabbed a consolation goal for Gladbach in the dying moments, becoming the club’s youngest-ever goalscorer.

The only disconcerting note for reigning champion Bayern was the withdrawal at halftime of Manuel Neuer. The Germany goalkeeper had returned after missing two games through injury. The extent of his complaint was not immediately apparent.

Gladbach remains in 12th place with 25 points, only three clear of the relegation zone.



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Raiders trade Maxx Crosby to the Ravens for two first-round draft picks

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Raiders trade Maxx Crosby to the Ravens for two first-round draft picks


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The Las Vegas Raiders and the Baltimore Ravens made a blockbuster trade ahead of the start of NFL free agency. 

Las Vegas is trading five-time Pro Bowl edge rusher Maxx Crosby to the Baltimore Ravens, per multiple reports.

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Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby (98) against the Arizona Cardinals during a preseason NFL game at State Farm Stadium on Aug. 23, 2025. (Mark J. Rebilas/Imagn Images)

The Raiders will receive two first-round picks from the Ravens, including the No. 14 overall pick in next month’s NFL draft, one report said.

The 28-year-old Crosby had 10 sacks last season and has reached double digits four times in his seven seasons.

Maxx Crosby celebrates

Las Vegas Raiders defensive tackle Jonah Laulu (96) and defensive end Maxx Crosby (98) celebrate during the second half of an NFL football game against the Houston Texans in Houston, Texas, on Dec. 21, 2025. (Ashley Landis/AP Photo)

The Raiders last appeared in the playoffs back in 2021 but have gone 7-27 over the past two seasons. They have the No. 1 pick in the 2026 draft, which is expected to land them Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza.

The Ravens, meanwhile, are entering a new era, after firing longtime head coach John Harbaugh and replacing him with former Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter.

Maxx Crosby uses smelling salt

Maxx Crosby of the Las Vegas Raiders sniffs smelling salts during an NFL game between the Las Vegas Raiders and Denver Broncos at Empower Field At Mile High on November 20, 2022 in Denver, Colorado. (Michael Owens/Getty Images)

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The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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Winners and losers of the 2026 NHL trade deadline

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Winners and losers of the 2026 NHL trade deadline


The 2026 NHL trade deadline had an unusual cadence. There was a week of interesting deals and genuine surprises; a deadline day where nothing of consequence happened; and then absolutely chaos as a flurry of trades was completed before the timer ticked down to zero.

Overall, NHL teams made 20 trades involving 33 players on Friday. Some teams and players did quite well for themselves. Others did not.

Here are some winners and losers of a peculiar NHL trade deadline, from ESPN reporters Ryan C. Clark, Kristen Shilton and Greg Wyshynski.

WINNERS

The Avalanche might be the best team in the NHL, and they are the odds-on favorites to win the Stanley Cup. Part of the reason is their addition of Brock Nelson at last season’s trade deadline. He is a proven second-line center behind Nathan MacKinnon, the kind of player they’d sought since Nazem Kadri left in 2022 after winning the Stanley Cup.

Adding Nicolas Roy on Thursday gave the Avs another proven two-way option down the middle, and someone who can provide secondary offense. Then they got Kadri back in a trade Friday, giving them the most dangerous center group in the NHL.

Obviously, MacKinnon will remain at first-line center, and Kadri and Nelson will split up second- and third-line duties. That then leaves Roy as Colorado’s fourth-line center. The Avs are now in a stronger position to win the fourth Stanley Cup in franchise history. If they do, March 6 could be the day that changed everything.

And if not, they can run it back again in 2026-27 because all four will still be under contract. — Clark


The Foligno family

Imagine growing up playing mini sticks with your brother, both of you dreaming that one day you’ll be suiting up for real in the NHL. Well, Marcus and Nick Foligno both achieved that goal — and now, they’re going to chase a Stanley Cup championship together in Minnesota.

The Wild brought in Chicago’s captain for “future considerations” — basically, the Blackhawks did right by their veteran leader by sending him to skate alongside family for a team with legitimate Cup contention aspirations.

Unsurprisingly, the Foligno wives were ecstatic to learn they’d be reunited for the rest of this season, and Nick couldn’t help but mention their departed mother looking down and smiling at her boys getting such a unique opportunity. Yes, the trade deadline is about making hockey deals, but there is also room for some wholesome, heartwarming content when the sport is more than just a game. — Shilton


Player empowerment

One of the defining trends of the deadline was having trades leak to the media before the focal point of said trade had agreed to waive his trade protection. It happened no less than five times, in deals involving Colton Parayko, Tyler Myers, Brayden Schenn, Jason Dickinson and MacKenzie Weegar. In most cases, the player involved eventually waived his no-trade or no-movement clause to facilitate the move. In two cases, the player did not.

Reports said that Myers was presented with a trade by the Vancouver Canucks to move to the Detroit Red Wings. He declined and eventually ended up being traded to the Dallas Stars, which was one of his preferred destinations. Meanwhile, media reports not only had the St. Louis Blues coming to Parayko with a trade to the Buffalo Sabres, they had the return on that trade reported out, too. Parayko refused to leave St. Louis for Buffalo, and the trade was dead.

Blues general manager Doug Armstrong said on Friday that the Blues checked phone records, texts and emails of staff members to find who leaked the trade. Perhaps it was the person who did the exact same thing in 2023, when the Blues were trying to compel defenseman Torey Krug to waive his trade protection.

Trade protection is a negotiated right in a player’s contract, usually at the cost of money or term. Clearly, something might have shifted at this deadline where public pressure is perceived to force a player’s hand. Good on Myers and Parayko for exercising their rights. — Wyshynski


Not that the Ducks necessarily needed to react to what the Edmonton Oilers and Vegas Golden Knights did ahead of the deadline. But the Ducks are in the three-team race for the top spot in the Pacific Division, so they did two things:

  • They made one of the most stunning moves of the deadline to get John Carlson from the Capitals.

  • They also traded Ryan Strome away, in a decision that will have a greater impact this summer.

Anaheim has added veterans with extensive playoff experience in order to establish a culture that its young players will eventually call their own. Carlson is a Stanley Cup winner who fits within that part of the Ducks’ plan. He also gives them a right-handed puck mover who is also one more weapon in the offensive zone; he will come in handy come playoff time.

But what makes trading Strome just as important is that he had one more year left on his contract worth $5 million annually. Shedding that salary will help in the offseason, when the Ducks must sign new contracts for their restricted free agent class that includes Leo Carlsson, Cutter Gauthier, Pavel Mintyukov and Olen Zellweger. — Clark


Stick taps to GM Doug Armstrong for (a) actually making trades and (b) negotiating some serious returns.

Armstrong reeled in two first-round draft choices, two third-round selections, an NHL-ready player in Jonathan Drouin, one with potential to return to an NHL lineup in defenseman Justin Holl and goalie prospect Marcus Gidlof — all for veterans Brayden Schenn and Justin Faulk.

It fits perfectly with the Blues accepting that a rebuild/retool/re-whateveryouwantocallit is happening, and it’s the right time to cash in on creating a hopeful future. Armstrong also didn’t make any rash decisions on Robert Thomas or Jordan Kyrou just for the sake of it.

Now there is time to determine where St. Louis is going and how — or if — those players fit into the new direction before the offseason hits. Armstrong turned this lemon season for the Blues into a refreshing lemonade. — Shilton


Has another general manager had a better 2026 than Craig Conroy of the Flames?

It started with the Rasmus Andersson trade with Vegas, getting a first-round pick, conditional second-rounder and defenseman Zach Whitecloud in a package for a pending unrestricted free agent. He then traded the remaining five years of MacKenzie Weegar‘s contract to the Utah Mammoth in a deal that included three second-round picks and college prospect Jonathan Castagna.

On deadline day, he made two change-of-scenery trades, acquiring forward Brennan Othmann from the Rangers and center Ryan Strome from the Ducks. Then, as the timer ticked down on the deadline, Calgary sent Nazem Kadri to Colorado for a conditional first, conditional second and an intriguing prospect in forward Max Curran for a 35-year-old center signed through 2028-29.

Conroy’s commitment to rebuilding is admirable in a league where teams are frightened by the teardown. Although it all comes down to drafting and development, Conroy has done a fantastic job of setting his team up for potential success. — Wyshynski

LOSERS

Goalie trade hype

The trade deadline is not the ideal time to acquire a goaltender. General managers have said in the past that it doesn’t give netminders enough time to get acclimated to new teammates and new systems before the playoffs arrive.

Perhaps that’s one reason not a single NHL goaltender was traded this week. Which is a shame. There were some contenders that could have used reinforcement in the crease, such as the Carolina Hurricanes, Montreal Canadiens and Vegas Golden Knights. There were several tantalizing names assumed to be available: Sergei Bobrovsky of the Panthers, Jordan Binnington of the Blues, Stuart Skinner of the Penguins, Anthony Stolarz of the Maple Leafs and Jesper Wallstadt of the Wild, according to ESPN’s Kevin Weekes.

But in the end, the only goalie news was one choosing to stay rather than move: Alex Nedeljkovic, signing a two-year contract extension with the Sharks. — Wyshynski


Just when Buffalo is actually winning on the ice — it’s also losing. The Sabres haven’t made the playoff in 14 years, and unless they perform a massive slide in the next month, that drought will finally end by April. New GM Jarmo Kekalainen attempted to make his team better by trying to acquire Colton Parayko from the Blues. But despite Buffalo’s uptick, despite it change of direction, despite its excellent young core … Parayko gave a hard pass on becoming a Sabre, invoking his no-trade clause.

Parayko’s presence would likely have been that missing piece to put Buffalo over the top as a true contender. Instead, Kekalainen settled for adding Logan Stanley and Luke Schenn from Winnipeg. Fine players, sure, but they are depth contributors, not difference-makers. And their playoff résumés aren’t exactly sparkling (Schenn, for instance, was a team-worst minus-8 for the Jets last postseason).

Sam Carrick and Tanner Pearson can fill in around the edges for Buffalo, of course. It’s just a shame for the Sabres that when they try to go big, and finally do the right things, there are still obstacles standing in their way. — Shilton


The Capitals enter Friday’s game slate four points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot. They’ve played two more games than the Boston Bruins, who control that final playoff berth. It left the Capitals’ front office facing a dilemma about what it deemed was the best course of action for the remainder of the season.

This week, they traded forward Nic Dowd — which suggested they could be open for business in both directions. But in trading John Carlson, who might be the greatest defenseman in franchise history, it was a reality check on the present and the future.

Carlson’s departure means that captain Alex Ovechkin and winger Tom Wilson are the only players still on the roster from that 2018 Stanley Cup team. Ovechkin spoke with reporters Friday and said “it’s obviously a sad day. Probably the toughest day of my career, talking about personal-wise.”

The Capitals knew there would come a day when they would move on from Carlson and Ovechkin. Both players are in the final year of their respective contracts. But now that Carlson is gone, what does that mean for Ovechkin’s future? As he said, “I don’t know. I’m still here, so we’ll see what’s going to happen. It’s a hard one.” — Clark


Last summer, Connor McDavid gave the Oilers this season and two additional ones to build a winner around him before he can leave as an unrestricted free agent. GM Stan Bowman addressed the team’s goaltending by acquiring Tristan Jarry of the Penguins … who hasn’t necessarily been a solution for the Oilers’ biggest problem.

The trade deadline afforded Bowman another chance at dramatically improving the roster. Instead, he made two middling trades with his former team, the Chicago Blackhawks: acquiring defensive defenseman Connor Murphy and depth centers Jason Dickinson and Colton Dach. The Dickinson trade saw Edmonton give up a conditional first-rounder in 2027 to get rid of Andrew Mangiapane’s contract, i.e. make one of Bowman’s mistakes go away.

There’s a finite amount of time the Oilers have left with McDavid, and a finite amount of resources they have through which to build him a Stanley Cup winner. This deadline was a waste of both of them. — Wyshynski


Whoever finishes fifth and sixth in the Pacific Division

Having six teams separated by eight points in the Pacific Division is going to make for amazing theater. It’s also going to make those teams that miss the playoffs feel a certain type of way. Especially when each team made at least one move ahead of the deadline — though each faces its unique set of circumstances:

  • The Golden Knights are trying to win a second Cup but must try to find consistency amid the injuries they continue to battle.

  • The Ducks believe they now have everything in place to make the playoffs for the first time in seven years.

  • The Oilers are trying to return to a third consecutive Stanley Cup Final — and actually win this time.

  • The Sharks are ahead of schedule, with the idea that a playoff berth could change their current trajectory.

  • The Kraken missed out on Artemi Panarin but added help as they seek to make the playoffs for the second time in franchise history.

  • The Kings are trying to win a playoff series for the first time since 2014, and are trying to do it in captain Anze Kopitar‘s final season.

Again … someone is going to be left feeling a certain kind of way in the Pacific in mid-April. — Clark


The Bruins bodied their way back into the playoff picture this season, but GM Don Sweeney didn’t share his team’s tenacity at the deadline.

Boston seemed poised to add depth and give itself a real chance to not just reach the postseason but excel in it. The Bruins have earned, as they say, the right to reinforcements. What’s more, Sweeney had the draft capital (including multiple first-round choices), and yet he completed only minor transactions.

First, he acquired forwards Alexis Gendron and Massimo Rizzo from Philadelphia in exchange for forward Brett Harrison and defenseman Jackson Edward. Zero NHL games on their résumés. Then he got Lukas Reichel from Vancouver, who has played most of his season in the AHL.

It just feels like a missed opportunity for Boston to not add a single skater to help the team right now. Jeremy Swayman is back in form in the crease. The offense is rolling. There is so much potential for the Bruins and, well, it doesn’t seem like they’re taking advantage. — Shilton



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