#defense

#defense

That victory marked Barcelona's fifth consecutive clean sheet, a run that already carries historical significance for the club. To put things into perspective, the last time Barcelona conceded a goal was back in early December during their Champions League clash against Eintracht Frankfurt. Since then, the Blaugrana have gone on an impressive unbeaten run across multiple competitions, recording wins against Osasuna (2-0), CD Guadalajara (0-2), Villarreal (0-2), Espanyol (0-2), and Athletic Club (5-0).

If the AI rally continues this year, I expect it to return to its roots. AI investors poured into hardware companies early on before coalescing into software companies and driving up broader tech valuations to nosebleed levels. This year, I expect hardware stocks to outperform their software counterparts. Money is moving from hyperscalers into the AI buildout, not the other way around. AI models are yet to generate profits, so for 2026, AI hardware companies are still the best picks.

The 49ers offense, which had taken the Kyle Shanahan attack to new heights since their bye week, was limited to a 48-yard field goal by Eddy Pineiro with 1:06 left in the first half. It's kind of hard to expect to really win the game if we're not going to score more than a field goal, tight end George Kittle said in the aftermath. Shout out to Eddy, though. Thank you for making it.

Black is slimming. So are the 49ers' chances of winning the Super Bowl this season after a 13-3 beat-down loss to the Seattle Seahawks Saturday, with San Francisco wearing a one-off, all-black uniform. Only a few days ago, this 49ers season looked inexplicably charmed. The Niners were surging, and the No. 1 seed was sitting right there on the table like a holiday roast the path to a Lombardi Trophy looked like a short road that seemed smoothly paved in gold.

Nuñez isn't a household name, and his stat line won't turn heads. But by the end of 2025, he was doing things that stood out in other ways. The Bronx native made the most of every opportunity, showing off elite defense, disruptive speed and a late-season power surge. If that version of Nuñez shows up in spring training, he'll be tough to keep off the field.

After punting on their first two possessions, the Giants scored on their final six non-victory formation drives. Jaxson Dart impressively responded from his worst game as a pro last Sunday (7-for-13, 33 yards, five sacks, INT in a 16-13 loss to Minnesota). He completed 22 of 30 passes for 207 yards (no touchdowns or picks), rushed for two touchdowns and 48 yards on nine carries (the last three were kneels) and was sacked only twice.

LOS ANGELES -- As running back Omarion Hampton waltzed into the end zone in the fourth quarter of the Los Angeles Chargers' 34-17 win over the Dallas Cowboys, it put a bow on one of the Chargers' most impressive wins of the season. The Cowboys had nothing to play for -- eliminated from the playoffs a day before -- but they jumped on the Chargers' stout defense early.

Porter poured in a game-high 28 points and Brooklyn sustained its December defensive surge Tuesday night, holding the Philadelphia 76ers to 40.7% shooting while forcing 17 turnovers in a 114-106 win at Xfinity Mobile Arena. The victory improved the Nets to 9-19 and marked just the second time this season they've put together consecutive wins, a small but telling sign of traction for a team still finding itself.

Hoerner is a staple of the Cubs' elite defense, winning his second Gold Glove Award in 2025. He totalled 14 outs above average (OAA) and a fielding run value of 12, both of which were twice as high as any other second baseman in the game. His ability to play shortstop at a high level adds even more value and has other teams eyeing him as a trade target.

I think, honestly, I could do so much more,

"Just doing my job. Playing fast. Playing hard. Simple as that," Carter said. "Nothing too much."