Lions' Brian Branch suspension gives ailing Buccaneers massive Week 7 break
Detroit Lions safety Brian Branch's suspension is the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' gain.
On Monday, the league announced it had suspended Branch one game for a postgame altercation with Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster following a 30-17 road loss.
Following a final kneel down from Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, Branch threw a punch at Smith-Schuster, sparking a wild scene.
When levying the punishment, NFL vice president of football operations Jon Runyan wrote, "Your aggressive, non-football act was entirely unwarranted, posed a serious risk of injury and clearly violated the standards of conduct and sportsmanship expected of NFL players."
NFL Vice President of Football Operations Jon Runyan: “Your aggressive, non-football act was entirely unwarranted, posed a serious risk of injury, and clearly violated the standards of conduct and sportsmanship expected of NFL players. Your conduct reflected poorly on the NFL and…
https://t.co/HBLmSmuRib — Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 13, 2025
Per ESPN, Branch will appeal the ruling. But without a Hail Mary, the third-year pro will likely miss a pivotal NFC game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, led by whom some, including ESPN NFL analyst Rex Ryan, have labeled the season's MVP, quarterback Baker Mayfield.
Brian Branch's suspension a blessing for ailing Tampa Bay Buccaneers offense
Even with the NFC's best record, the Buccaneers (5-1) are dealing with a slew of injuries on offense. Veteran wide receivers Mike Evans (hamstring) and Chris Godwin (fibula) missed Sunday's win against the 49ers, while rookie wideout Emeka Egbuka played 28 snaps before suffering a hamstring injury, raising concern about his Week 7 status.
On Monday, Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles revealed that Godwin, along with standout second-year running back Bucky Irving (foot, shoulder), will likely miss "Monday Night Football" against the Lions, while Evans has a pathway to playing. With Tampa not 100 percent on offense, its chances of moving to 6-1 against one of the conference's best will greatly improve with Branch suspended.
Per NFL Pro data, Branch, a 2023 second-round pick coming off his first Pro Bowl nod, ranks No. 13 among 185 qualified defensive backs in hawk rate, defined as the percentage of pass targets a defender records a pass breakup or interception, at 31.3 percent.
He's first on the Lions in passes defended (five) and second in solo tackles (23), establishing himself as one of Detroit's most important defenders. With Tampa Bay down so many integral members of its offense, the Lions could have had a clear advantage in the secondary. But Branch's suspension levels the playing field.
Eric Smithling
Eric Smithling is a writer based in New Orleans, LA, whose byline also appears on Athlon Sports. He has been with Yardbarker since September 2022, primarily covering the NFL and college football, but also the NBA, WNBA, men’s and women’s college basketball, NHL, tennis and golf. He holds a film studies degree from the University of New Orleans
Alex Ovechkin had the best-selling NHL jersey during the 2024-25 season as he chased and broke the all-time goals record
Alex Ovechkin had the best-selling NHL jersey during the 2024-25 season, according to the league’s PR.
The Washington Capitals captain finished in the top spot ahead of 2023 first overall pick Connor Bedard, Auston Matthews, Connor McDavid, and Ovechkin’s longtime rival, Sidney Crosby, who rounded out the top five.
The NHL Shop sold nearly every Ovechkin jersey he’s worn during his career, including the team’s red home and white away sweaters; a 50th anniversary jersey featuring the Screaming Eagle on black; and multiple retro jerseys made by Mitchell & Ness, including both of Ovechkin’s rookie year jerseys and all three outdoor game sweaters.
The Great Eight possesses perennial popularity due to his personality and superstar status in the league, but his goals chase drew exponentially more attention to both him and the Capitals last season than in previous years.
Ovechkin passed Gretzky with his 895th career goal on April 6. That day, he set a Fanatics all-time single-day merch sales record for an NHL player as fans purchased memorabilia to commemorate the history-making moment.
Entering the 2025-26 campaign, however, Ovechkin slipped to no. 2 on the best-selling jerseys list, per Fanatics. Fellow Russian star Kirill Kaprizov overtook him during the offseason, likely boosted by his record-setting eight-year, $136 million extension signed with the Minnesota Wild in late September. The St. Paul-based club also launched throwback sweaters to honor its 25th anniversary.
Detroit Red Wings center Dylan Larkin sat third, followed by Utah Mammoth left winger Clayton Keller and Boston Bruins right winger David Pastrnak.
Ovechkin’s jersey should remain a hot commodity as he plays out the final season of his five-year contract with the Caps, with speculation about his potential retirement continuing to swirl.
Ovechkin registers 1,625th career point with primary assist on Anthony Beauvillier’s game-winning goal
Alex Ovechkin went his third consecutive game to open the season without a goal, but he still managed to be the difference in the Washington Capitals’ 1-0 victory over the New York Rangers, Sunday.
The 40-year-old winger had the primary assist on Anthony Beauvillier’s second-period tally that ultimately ended up being the game-winner.
With seemingly everyone in the building thinking he would shoot, Ovechkin utilized an indirect shot that Beavillier deftly redirected past Rangers goaltender Jonathan Quick from the side of the net.
“Beau-tiful,” the Capitals wrote on X.
The tweet wasn’t the only pun inspired by the goal.
“O-Beau!” said one teammate in the locker room, probably John Carlson, after Spencer Carbery saluted “O and Beau’s… big f***ing play.”
Incredibly, the primary assist was Ovechkin’s 1,625th career point in the NHL and his 728th apple — second in franchise history only to Nicklas Backstrom’s 762. Ovechkin’s stat line now reads: 897 goals, 728 assists, and 1,625 points in 1,494 games.
“One of those plays where you’re just trying to get open around the net,” Beauvillier said to reporters of his goal. “[Ovi] didn’t have a lane to the net, (so he) [found] my stick, and one of those where you’re happy it goes in. It’s a good play. It’s a good look by O there… a great read by him.”
Ovechkin now has two points — both primary assists — in the Capitals’ first three games of the season. He’s also fired 8 shots on goal and has 18 individual shot attempts — second only to Jakob Chychrun (22).
