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It’s not unusual for division rivals to face one another twice over such a short span. Just look at the Giants-Commanders games this season which pits them against one another twice in three weeks.
Today, we travel back to 1978 to the Giants and Eagles’ second matchup, which took place in the final week of the season at Veterans Stadium. Few will remember this game. When you mention 1978, most will recall the “Miracle at the Meadowlands” aka the “fumble’ game that happened a month before.
The Giants came into the game at 6-9, having won the week before against the Cardinals to snap a six-game losing streak. Philly was 8-7 and needed to win and then get some help in order to secure a wildcard berth.
But he didn’t need to do a whole lot other than hand off. The Eagles rushed for 238 yards behind Wilbert Montgomery and Mike Hogan and held the Giants’ pop-gun offense to 48 yards on the ground.
The Giants started Randy Dean at quarterback, who was yanked for Joe Pisarcik after he proved to be ineffective. Pisarcik was the culprit of the “fumble” fiasco in the first meeting and was nursing a sprained knee. He was not ready to play. Things got so ugly, Dean had to be reinserted into the game.
The Eagles won, 20-3, ending perhaps the most frustrating season in Giants’ history. Head coach John McVay, who was under fire from the fans after the ‘fumble’ game, was fired three days later.
McVay was the scapegoat for a front office that had done just about everything wrong for a decade. The Giants had no clue how to manage in the post-merger NFL. They ran the team like they had always run it and that model was no longer viable. | 2022-12-09T17:32:53Z | sports.yahoo.com | Friday Flashback: Eagles rush for 238 yards in 20-3 win over Giants in 1978 | https://sports.yahoo.com/friday-flashback-eagles-rush-238-165548653.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/friday-flashback-eagles-rush-238-165548653.html?src=rss |
Throughout the early stages of this NFL season it appeared as if New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley would run away with the title as the league leader in scrimmage yards.
Entering Week 15, Barkley has tailed off considerably and is now fifth in that category, some 450-plus yards behind Las Vegas Raiders running back Josh Jacobs.
Much of Barkley’s slowdown has been attributed to the Giants’ inability to consistently run the ball the last month combined with his ineffectiveness as a receiver.
Barkley has gained over 63 yards rushing just once in his last five games and has just 241 yards on 40 receptions this season.
This week, Barkley was asked what can be done to make him a force in the passing game again.
“I don’t know,” he said. “I’m really not too caught up in that. I’m willing to do whatever the team wants me to do. When the opportunity presents itself, I’ve got to try to be there and make the plays. That’s the only thing I can really focus on.
“(Offensive coordinator Mike) Kafka, (head coach Brian Daboll), all those guys every week find creative ways to not only get myself the ball but put our offense in a spot to be successful. That’s the only thing that matters. At the end of the day, as players we’ve got to go out there and execute. That’s my main focus.”
The Giants face the 11-1 Philadelphia Eagles this Sunday and they are near the top of the league statistically on both sides of the ball. The Giants need Barkley to find some of his old magic if they are going to pull off the upset.
“They’re 11-1 for a reason. All phases of the ball — especially on defense — every single level they’re talented with Pro Bowl-caliber players, to be honest. As a competitor, you look forward to that,” Barkley said. “You look forward to going against the best. We know we’re going to get their best and it’s going to be a great game against Philly. Home, in December. The stadium is going to be rocking so it’s going to be fun. It’s going to be a challenge and we’re looking forward to it.” | 2022-12-09T17:32:59Z | sports.yahoo.com | Giants’ Saquon Barkley looks forward to playing 11-1 Eagles | https://sports.yahoo.com/giants-saquon-barkley-looks-forward-155507208.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/giants-saquon-barkley-looks-forward-155507208.html?src=rss |
The Green Bay Packers are on a bye and cannot be eliminated from playoff contention during Week 14. However, Matt LaFleur’s 5-8 team is only guaranteed one more meaningful game at this point.
Earlier Friday, we highlighted one possible path to the postseason for the Packers. Now, it’s time for the flipside: here’s how the Packers can be eliminated from postseason contention by the end of Week 15.
The Packers will be eliminated if the following results happen over the next two weeks:
– Week 14: Giants beat Eagles
– Week 14: Seahawks beat Panthers
– Week 15: Seahawks beat 49ers
– Week 15: Rams beat Packers
If the first three results happen, the Packers will go into “Monday Night Football” on Dec. 19 facing an elimination game. For all intents and purposes, all remaining games are elimination games for the Packers. But it can become official as soon as the end of Week 15.
This is important because the Packers will have a decision to make the second they are mathematically eliminated from the playoffs: Will Aaron Rodgers or Jordan Love start at quarterback?
Following the visit from the Rams, the Packers finish the 2022 season with games against the Dolphins, Vikings and Lions.
It’s possible, if four results happen over the next two weeks, that the Packers will need to make a big decision at quarterback for the final three games of 2022. | 2022-12-09T17:33:44Z | sports.yahoo.com | Here’s how the Packers could be eliminated from playoff contention by end of Week 15 | https://sports.yahoo.com/packers-could-eliminated-playoff-contention-163610672.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/packers-could-eliminated-playoff-contention-163610672.html?src=rss |
It’s a good week to be down double-digits late in the fourth quarter. Before the New Orleans Saints gave up and lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday night, NFL teams were 2-551 when trailing by 13 or more points in the final four minutes of regulation. But the Saints dropped the ball against Tom Brady, improving that record to 3-551; and now it’s up to 4-551 after Baker Mayfield led the Los Angeles Rams to a fourth-quarter upset of their own on Thursday night.
Facing a 16-3 deficit and starting at their own 25-yard line, the Rams moved the length of the field while converting a single third down; penalties on the Raiders defense bailed them out of an early fourth down and a third down later in the drive, with Mayfield connecting on a 13-yard pass to Tutu Atwell inside Las Vegas territory. Cam Akers punched in a touchdown run from the 1-yard line, Matt Gay kicked the extra point, and the Rams made it a 16-10 game with 3:19 left on the clock.
Then the Rams defense went to work (without Aaron Donald, ruled out with a high ankle sprain) to force a quick three-and-out out of the Raiders offense, who punted at the two-minute warning. They had it in the bag with the Rams offense pinned at their own 2-yard line, needing to cover 98 yards without any timeouts. And they did just that, despite Mayfield taking a sack on one play and throwing an interception on the other (which was nullified by a Las Vegas penalty). He threw the game-winning touchdown pass from 23 yards out, Derek Carr’s subsequent desperation heave was picked off, and the Rams sealed the win.
Thank goodness. Now all of the NFL morning shows and podcasts have someone else to rip on than the Saints, who lost in very similar fashion earlier this week. New Orleans is on its bye week and fans can rest easy knowing the Raiders are under fire, not the Saints, after this more-recent bungled prime-time game. | 2022-12-09T17:34:03Z | sports.yahoo.com | Raiders take some heat off the Saints with last-second collapse vs. Baker Mayfield’s Rams | https://sports.yahoo.com/raiders-heat-off-saints-last-163615605.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/raiders-heat-off-saints-last-163615605.html?src=rss |
When the rest of the NFL asks why — why sign Baker Mayfield? — the Rams say, "Why not?"
That philosophy doesn't always work. It can definitely catch up to you. This team mortgaged its future to win a Super Bowl, trading away all those draft picks, and it caught up to them this season. They had lost six in a row heading into Thursday night's game against the Las Vegas Raiders.
For the Raiders, it was a humiliating, forehead-slapping loss. A few weeks after losing at home to the Indianapolis Colts in the debut of Jeff Saturday, who had no collegiate or pro coaching experience, they fell to a quarterback who hasn't even met everyone on his team. | 2022-12-09T17:34:22Z | sports.yahoo.com | Sign Baker Mayfield, then immediately play him? What a wonderfully Rams thing to do | https://sports.yahoo.com/sign-baker-mayfield-then-immediately-161800427.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/sign-baker-mayfield-then-immediately-161800427.html?src=rss |
Dec 4, 2022; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson (18) reacts after a first down as New York Jets safety Jordan Whitehead (3) and defensive end John Franklin-Myers (91) look on during the second quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports
Billy Ray Cyrus, Chevy Chase and Freddie Prinze Jr. have boarded the voice cast of animated Christmas movie “Glisten and the Merry Mission.” Co-produced by Build-A-Bear Entertainment and Foundation Media, the feature also stars Michael Rappaport, Morgan Simianer, Tim Johnson Jr and Reginald VelJohnson. The film is led by five-time Grammy-nominated and multi-platinum singer-songwriter Julia […] | 2022-12-09T17:34:54Z | sports.yahoo.com | Vikings vs. Lions: 5 matchups to watch in Week 14 | https://sports.yahoo.com/vikings-vs-lions-5-matchups-161359070.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/vikings-vs-lions-5-matchups-161359070.html?src=rss |
We're down to 10 undefeated college basketball teams this season. In the traditional standings, that is. There are also three teams without a win.
But in the betting standings, we're down to one team in each category. Only a single team is perfect against the spread. And only one team, one of the premier programs in the sport, hasn't covered the spread even once this season.
Take a bow, Kent State. You are the 1976 Hoosiers of the betting world (at least through a month). And if you've tried to bet on Louisville basketball this season, you know they're the winless team.
It's hard to go on a long winning or losing streak against the spread. Oddsmakers adjust to great or horrible teams. You end up covering a spread in an odd way. Nobody comes close to running the table, good or bad.
To get this far into the season with a zero on either side of the ledger is notable.
Kent State off to a good start
Let's start with the good news. Kent State is a team you might want to keep in mind for March, if they make the NCAA tournament.
Kent State was picked to win the Mid-American Conference in the preseason poll, getting six of 12 first-place votes. The Golden Flashes have been pretty impressive, and very profitable for bettors. They're 8-0 against the spread according to Covers.com.
Kent State is 6-3 overall but with a five-point loss to Houston and a seven-point loss to Gonzaga that was closer than the score would indicate. Those are two of the best teams in the sport this season. Kent State also had a two-point road loss at Charleston.
Kent State won 14 in a row last season before losing in the title game of the MAC tournament. They brought back an experienced team that doesn't have a lot of size but plays good defense.
UConn deserves a mention too. They're undefeated but not perfect. The Huskies are 9-0-1 against the spread according to Covers.com and have put themselves on the radar as a national title contender. They're a big surprise early this season and they're 16-to-1 at BetMGM to win the championship.
It's a good place to be early in December.
Kent State guard Sincere Carry controls the ball during the first half of a game against Gonzaga. (AP Photo/Young Kwak)
Louisville is off to a historically bad start
Louisville is shockingly bad. The three-time* national champions are a proud program that was expected to perhaps have a transition season under new coach Kenny Payne. Nobody figured on them being one of the worst teams in college basketball.
The Cardinals are 0-8 straight up and 0-8 against the spread too. They started the season with three one-point losses in a row. Then they stopped being competitive. At the Maui Invitational, Louisville lost by 26, 32 and 19 points. Cal is also winless straight up — Cal and Louisville are the first major conference teams to start a season at least 0-7 — but they've managed to cover the spread three times during an 0-10 straight up start. Louisville is ranked 360 of 363 Division I teams in the NCAA's NET rankings.
Louisville gets Florida State next (the bad starts from Louisville and Cal have overshadowed Florida State's 1-9 start to the season), then Western Kentucky and on Dec. 17 the Cardinals meet Florida A&M, which is ranked 359th in the nation in KenPom's rankings. Maybe they'll cover in one of those games.
Louisville won't go winless against the spread. But it has already been a long season for the Cardinals.
Zach Edey keeps putting up big numbers — and No. 4 Purdue just keeps winning. The 7-foot-4 center had a double-double in the first half and finished with 23 points and 18 rebounds to help the Boilermakers rout Hofstra 85-66 Wednesday night. Edey has now scored 20 or more points in eight straight games, the longest streak during coach Matt Painter's 18-year tenure. | 2022-12-09T17:45:10Z | sports.yahoo.com | College hoops betting: There's just 1 perfect ATS team left, and 1 winless ATS team | https://sports.yahoo.com/college-hoops-betting-theres-just-1-perfect-ats-team-left-and-1-winless-ats-team-213441550.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/college-hoops-betting-theres-just-1-perfect-ats-team-left-and-1-winless-ats-team-213441550.html?src=rss |
GRINNELL, Iowa (AP) Grinnell College set an NCAA men's basketball record for 3-point attempts when it tried every one of its 111 shots from beyond the arc in the Division III school's 124-67 victory over Emmaus Bible College.
The Runnin’ Utes absolutely dominated Jax State from the start on Saturday, jumping out to a lead as much as 22. The
As is normal in any changing of the guard, there are certain things to point out that are different from Mike Krzyzewski to Jon Scheyer. “We’ve been through a really tough stretch these last couple of weeks,” Scheyer said after Duke beat Iowa in New York earlier this week. Since the season started on Nov. 7, and through Saturday’s game, Duke will have played 12 games in 34 days. | 2022-12-09T17:45:11Z | sports.yahoo.com | Grinnell sets NCAA record with 111 3-point shots vs Emmaus | https://sports.yahoo.com/grinnell-sets-ncaa-record-111-164118018.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/grinnell-sets-ncaa-record-111-164118018.html?src=rss |
Maple Leafs winger Pierre Engvall will have a hearing with the NHL's department of player safety on Friday after hitting Los Angeles Kings defenceman Sean Durzi in the head with his stick during Toronto's 5-0 win on Thursday.
Here's an update on the Bruins' top five prospects and how they've played to begin the 2022-23 season. | 2022-12-09T17:59:23Z | sports.yahoo.com | NHL: Leafs' Engvall has hearing for slashing Kings' Durzi | https://sports.yahoo.com/maple-leafs-pierre-engvall-to-have-hearing-for-slashing-opponent-in-the-head-165644357.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/maple-leafs-pierre-engvall-to-have-hearing-for-slashing-opponent-in-the-head-165644357.html?src=rss |
There were some pretty wild stats to come out of the riveting game, too. Here are nine of the craziest stats we’ve found from Rams-Raiders in Week 14.
Longest game-winning TD drive inside 2 minutes in 45 years
The Rams’ 98-yard march for a touchdown with 1:45 left in the game will statistically go down as one of the most improbable in NFL history. It’s the longest game-winning touchdown drive with under 2 minutes to play in the last 45 years, which goes to show just how high the odds were stacked against the Rams.
That was the longest game-winning touchdown drive (98 yards) in the last 20 seasons starting in the final 2 minutes of regulation (regular season or playoffs)
Rams allowed 67 yards, 2 first downs in second half
Give Mayfield and the offense a ton of credit for coming from behind to beat the Raiders, but the defense absolutely did its job, too. After a rough first half where they allowed 235 yards to the Raiders, the Rams stepped up and gave up a measly 67 yards and two first downs in the second half. They completely shut the Raiders down, forcing them to go three-and-out three times and holding them to a field goal on their other possession.
Derek Carr completed 2 passes for 11 yards after halftime
Carr’s struggles after halftime were a big reason the Raiders barely moved the ball in the second half. After starting the game 9-for-13 with 126 yards in the first half, he completed just two of his final seven passes for a total of 11 yards in the third and fourth quarters. He also threw a pick on the final offensive play, sealing the Rams’ win. It was a forgettable performance by the Raiders quarterback.
Rams held Josh Jacobs to 2nd-fewest yards per carry this season
Jacobs is a high-volume player, which makes it so difficult to keep his yardage to a minimum. Sure, he rushed for 99 yards and a touchdown against the Rams, but that was on 27 carries – an average of just 3.7 yards per rush. That’s the second-lowest average of the season for Jacobs, slightly higher than Week 2 when he gained 3.6 yards per rush.
Rams had less than 2% chance of winning at 2 different points in fourth quarter
The Rams had a 1.2% chance of winning when faced with a critical fourth-and-1 late in the fourth quarter, which they converted to set up Cam Akers’ touchdown. After the first play of their game-winning drive, an incompletion to Tutu Atwell, the Rams’ win probability sank to 1.6%.
It wasn’t until Van Jefferson’s touchdown that the Rams had better than a 23.3% chance to win at any point in the game. The Raiders were in complete control for 59 minutes, but the Rams came through when it mattered.
one of the craziest win probability charts we’ll ever see pic.twitter.com/0w9aZPrsCM
— Tej Seth (@tejfbanalytics) December 9, 2022
Rams scored 2 fourth-quarter TDs vs. Raiders after scoring 4 all season
Entering Thursday’s game, the Rams had scored a total of four fourth-quarter touchdowns all year. Against the Raiders, the Rams found the end zone twice in the fourth quarter, half as many as they scored in the previous 12 games combined. They’ve been one of the worst fourth-quarter teams all season, but that wasn’t the case Thursday.
Rams had more yards on final 2 drives than previous 7 drives combined
On their final two possessions – excluding the kneel down – the Rams went 75 yards and 98 yards for touchdowns. Their net yardage on those two drives was a combined 145 yards, which was more than the 138 yards they had in the entire game before then. It really wasn’t a great night offensively for the Rams until their last two drives down the field.
Mayfield had as many 20-yard completions as Wolford and Perkins combined this season
Mayfield was not afraid to throw the ball around the yard. He attacked every part of the Raiders defense, which resulted in five completions of at least 20 yards. In the previous four games combined, John Wolford and Bryce Perkins completed a total of five passes that went for at least 20 yards. So in one game, Mayfield matched the explosive plays by Wolford and Perkins on their 96 total pass attempts.
Teams were 4-551 when trailing by 13+ in the last 4 minutes since 2018
It’s incredibly rare for a team to erase a 13-point deficit in the final 4 minutes of a game, which is exactly what the Rams did on Thursday night. They’re actually the second team to do that this week, too, following in the footsteps of Tom Brady and the Bucs against the Saints. Prior to those two games, teams were 2-551 when trailing by at least 13 points with less than 4 minutes to play in the last five years.
The Top Ten Shows on Netflix Right Now (Including the New #2 Series ‘Firefly Lane’)
If you’ve already binge-watched Netflix hits like Virgin River, Manifest, The Watcher and Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, you’re probably looking for new streaming options. Luckily, Netflix has a ton of movies and shows to choose from in its top-rated section, which ranks popular titles based on who’s watching what. The best part? The list is updated daily, making it an ideal place to find new suggestions (like Wednesday and Dead to Me). From Firefly Lane to The Crown, keep reading for Netfli | 2022-12-09T19:03:34Z | sports.yahoo.com | 9 craziest stats from Rams’ wild win over Raiders | https://sports.yahoo.com/9-craziest-stats-rams-wild-182759462.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/9-craziest-stats-rams-wild-182759462.html?src=rss |
Arizona Cardinals defensive coordinator Vance Joseph raised some eyebrows with his comments regarding Matt Patricia and the New England Patriots offense at a media conference on Thursday.
He claimed the unit looked like a “defensive guy is calling the offense.” Granted, he did follow up those comments by clarifying that it looked like any offense would look with a defensive coach overseeing things—heavy emphasis on running plays, quick passes, clock control and limiting turnovers.
Patriots coach Bill Belichick was asked to give a response to those comments on Friday, and to no one’s surprise, he dodged the question like Neo in The Matrix.
“Whatever he said he said. Ask him about it,” said Belichick.
Joseph wasn’t wrong in what he said, considering the Patriots offense has generally played it safe under Patricia’s play-calling. They’re a team desperately lacking in the sort of explosive plays that scare opposing defenses.
Instead, they lean on a more predictable approach to play to the strength of their defense. It has mostly led to the unit sputtering on the field and boiling frustrations for players, including quarterback Mac Jones.
Of course, the Patriots will have an opportunity to make Joseph eat those words in a pivotal Monday Night Football showdown in Week 14.
Brandon Nimmo is staying with the free-spending Mets, agreeing to an eight-year, $162 million contract, according to a report. | 2022-12-09T19:03:44Z | sports.yahoo.com | What was Bill Belichick’s response to Vance Joseph’s Patriots offense diss? | https://sports.yahoo.com/bill-belichick-response-vance-joseph-181705572.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/bill-belichick-response-vance-joseph-181705572.html?src=rss |
As the Cleveland Browns look to make it three-in-a-row as they travel to Cincinnati to take on the Bengals this weekend, the status of one of their top playmakers remains up in the air. Missing practice on Friday with a hip injury, wide receiver Amari Cooper has officially been listed as questionable against the Bengals.
Claiming wide receiver Jaelon Darden after his release from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Browns may have to rely on him more than anticipated in his first week. To soften the potential blow, the Browns will see tight end David Njoku return, and still have Donovan Peoples-Jones who continues to make plays.
#Browns Amari Cooper injured his hip in practice on Thursday and is listed as questionable after not practicing on Friday. | 2022-12-09T19:03:50Z | sports.yahoo.com | Browns’ top receiver listed as questionable vs. Bengals with a hip injury | https://sports.yahoo.com/browns-top-receiver-listed-questionable-175350732.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/browns-top-receiver-listed-questionable-175350732.html?src=rss |
The report was incendiary in multiple ways.
It was revealed in the report that Snyder and the NFL did everything possible to bury the report put together by attorney Beth Wilkinson on Snyder’s misdeeds. It was revealed that Snyder’s people may have leaked the racist, homophobic, and misogynistic Jon Gruden e-mails to the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal that forced Gruden to resign. And it was revealed that, as previously reported, Snyder hired private investigators to follow those who might stand in his way as an owner, despite everything that has gone wrong under his tenure.
On Friday, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, who has been in Snyder’s corner all the way through, had some specific comments about the depth and breadth of the investigation. This he said on the “K&C Masterpiece” show on 105.3 “The Fan” [KRLD-FM] Dallas-Fort Worth, per our own Mark Lane of Texans Wire and Touchdown Wire:
“Love talking to you about the Cowboys, but know what influence you wield across the league,” host Kevin Hageland asked Jones. “I was curious if you could walk us through the logistics on situations like this where the report came out from the U.S. House committee about the Commanders. Does each team read that individually? Do y’all have a meeting about it? What are the logistics about how the owners deal with something like that?”
“First of all, I hope our fans see how politically biased this report is,” Jones said. “This report doesn’t even come out if the Republicans were in Congress. It’s that stupid. And, so, my point is there’s biasness all the way through. There are stories behind the stories. The facts are that Mr. Snyder’s minority partners really went out a long way to try and make him sell. He ended up buying them out, but a lot of this is that. A lot of the testimony, I was involved firsthand. I was among the handful of owners that looked at all of the transcripts, that looked at all of the messages, that looked at all of the data.
“This attorney is on a campaign, the woman attorney, to stop having settlements when you have workplace settlements. That’s another issue, but that’s a part of why this has the front that it has. And, so, there’s a lot more there. I will say this: I’m proud of what the Cowboys have done. We have an excellent [ER] department, excellent. They have been for years. We have committees of employees — I’m not on it, my family’s not on it — and we have thoroughly been involved in a long time trying to improve our workplace. Do we have room for improvement all over? Of course we do. Everybody does. I’m proud of where we are.”
It is not surprising that Jones would say this, because a number of Republicans politicians have as well — Jones is unfortunately not wrong here.
On December 7, one day before the report was released, Republican members of the House Oversight Committee sent a memo to the Republican Oversight Committee Staff.
“The Democrats’ sham investigation into the Washington Commanders has been an egregious waste of taxpayer-funded resources,” the memo said in part. “From the beginning, Committee Democrats weaponized their power and pushed a one-sided investigation into a private company with no connection to the federal government. This entire charade has been an attempt to distract the American people from President Biden’s self-inflicted crises.”
Jones will get his wish soon enough, when Republicans take majority of the House in 2023.
That the NFL’s most prominent owner, and one side of the House of Representatives, are in lock step on this issue? Well, that should come as no surprise, either. | 2022-12-09T19:04:23Z | sports.yahoo.com | Jerry Jones: ‘Biased,’ ‘stupid’ Dan Snyder investigation wouldn’t happen if Republicans ran House of Representatives | https://sports.yahoo.com/jerry-jones-biased-stupid-snyder-174733744.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/jerry-jones-biased-stupid-snyder-174733744.html?src=rss |
In a tweet posted on Friday morning, former NFL offensive lineman Mitchell Schwartz had this to say about Detroit Lions rookie James Houston:
The four time All-Pro tackle stated he’d not be happy with a scout team pass rusher making those kinds of moves against him, citing that they would not work in a real game.
In just 17 snaps over two games, Houston proved that to be incorrect.
The rookie from Jackson State was a sixth-round draft pick who had a hard time figuring out what his role would be with the Lions.
At first, he was training with the linebackers. It didn’t take too long into training camp for that experiment to end, and he was quickly doing positional drills with the defensive line instead.
He was cut after a lackluster training camp and preseason but was quickly brought back to the practice squad, where he remained until Week 12 of this season.
From an outsider’s perspective, it didn’t initially look like there was much future for Houston. The Lions coaches and players said otherwise.
Taylor Decker and Penei Sewell, two of the top tackles in the league, had to face Houston in practice constantly, and he got the best of them more times than they’d probably like to admit. Decker even stated that he once asked his position coach why Houston wasn’t playing.
The rookie quickly made himself known against the Buffalo Bills, recording two sacks and a fumble recovery despite very minimal playing time. The very next week, he showed up again and sacked Trevor Lawrence once and was very close to getting a second one.
The reason for his successes in pass rushing is due to his somewhat unorthodox techniques. Most NFL edge rushers make use of their hands to fight off linemen and get to the quarterback. Houston relies on his hips to get low and bend around the tackles.
The best example of this is the highlight clip that Schwartz was responding to. Houston initially skips past the lineman, then immediately bent his hips to swerve around the edge and make the sack.
The rookie has impressed in his limited role. Now that the bar is set high for what he is capable of, it’s on him and the coaching staff to replicate those successes in the upcoming game against the Minnesota Vikings. | 2022-12-09T19:04:36Z | sports.yahoo.com | Lions rookie James Houston earns praise from former All-Pro offensive lineman | https://sports.yahoo.com/lions-rookie-james-houston-earns-180516708.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/lions-rookie-james-houston-earns-180516708.html?src=rss |
Steve Wilks and the Carolina Panthers released quarterback Baker Mayfield earlier this week to give him an opportunity. And, boy, did he ever take advantage of the very first one that came his way.
Mayfield, not more than 55 hours after being claimed off waivers by the Los Angeles Rams, led the reigning Super Bowl champions to an insane comeback win over the Las Vegas Raiders on Thursday night. So, of course, Carolina’s interim coach would be asked about the improbable performance this afternoon.
“As I mentioned before, man, very happy for Baker,” Wilks said following practice. “I thought he did a tremendous job in a short period of time and leading those guys in a two-minute drive to a victory. So, congratulations to him and wishing him all the best.”
The former Panther dragged the Rams back from a 13-point deficit with just over 12 minutes remaining in the primetime battle. That comeback was punctuated by an eight-play, 98-yard touchdown drive in the final two minutes of the game—the first of its kind in the last 45 years.
Ironically, Mayfield turned in his best outing of 2022—completing 22 of his 35 throws for 230 yards, the game-winning touchdown, no interceptions and a season-high 91.4 passer rating. And Wilks, who is also looking forward to his own Week 14 escapades, wasn’t shocked.
“No, I wasn’t surprised,” he added. “Baker is a good player, and he went out there and performed well. And my focus and mindset is on Seattle.”
So, as the old adage goes—if you love something, set it free. (Except this something probably won’t be coming back.)
England captain Harry Kane said Friday that his team have "more belief" ahead of their World Cup quarter-final against France than they did four years ago during their run to the last four. | 2022-12-09T19:04:49Z | sports.yahoo.com | Panthers interim HC Steve Wilks on Baker Mayfield’s Rams debut: I wasn’t surprised | https://sports.yahoo.com/panthers-interim-hc-steve-wilks-183019043.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/panthers-interim-hc-steve-wilks-183019043.html?src=rss |
“It’s just been one thing after another this year, but I don’t want to miss any more games,” Watt said.
In five games this season Watt has only mustered 1.5 sacks and 22 tackles. While there is no denying how much better the overall defense is when Watt is on the field, individually the year has been a letdown for Watt and injuries are to blame. | 2022-12-09T19:05:14Z | sports.yahoo.com | Steelers LB T.J. Watt clearly frustrated about injury-riddled season | https://sports.yahoo.com/steelers-lb-t-j-watt-181655337.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/steelers-lb-t-j-watt-181655337.html?src=rss |
Coach officially leaves Purdue to return to Louisville and lead his alama mater’s football program.
Louisville hired Jeff Brohm as its football coach, concluding a whirlwind process that ended with the school welcoming home a native son who had a hand in the Cardinals' success as a player and assistant coach. The University of Louisville Athletic Association's executive board approved a six-year contract on Thursday that will pay the former Purdue coach a base salary of $5 million next season with annual increases of $100,000, plus incentives. Brohm, who was a Louisville quarterback and minor league baseball player, was introduced Thursday to a standing ovation in a packed news conference at Cardinal Stadium.
Check out Jeff Brohm's salary, buyout and incentives as the new coach of the Cardinals. | 2022-12-09T19:29:31Z | sports.yahoo.com | College football hot seat watch: Which coaches are going where? | https://sports.yahoo.com/college-football-hot-seat-tracker-jason-garrett-wont-be-stanfords-next-coach-215612467.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/college-football-hot-seat-tracker-jason-garrett-wont-be-stanfords-next-coach-215612467.html?src=rss |
As you might expect, Chara’s comments have garnered plenty of attention across the hockey community. Former Canucks defenceman Kevin Bieksa chimed in, denying the claims and saying the premature celebration “never happened.....100% didn't happen."
Texting with Kevin Bieksa who says this 'never happened.....100% didn't happen". https://t.co/TRjQKTrcXd
With that in mind, chances are Boston and Vancouver won’t be meeting up in the Stanley Cup Final again any time soon. We'll always have 2011, though.
Austin Peay quarterback Mike DiLiello (12) is tackled by Alabama linebacker Will Anderson Jr. (31) at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Photo | Gary Cosby Jr.-USA TODAY Sports Alabama linebacker Will Anderson was named a first-team All-American by the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) on Friday.
Kirstie Alley's work on "Cheers" helped the show continue to be a success after she replaced Shelley Long. | 2022-12-09T19:29:34Z | sports.yahoo.com | NHL: Ex-Canuck Bieksa refutes Chara's premature Cup celebration claims | https://sports.yahoo.com/nhl-bruins-chara-canucks-bieksa-denies-stanley-cup-celebration-claims-180738817.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/nhl-bruins-chara-canucks-bieksa-denies-stanley-cup-celebration-claims-180738817.html?src=rss |
Eric Peterson sustained “multiple injuries” at his home on Wednesday night, but they are considered non-life-threatening. It’s unclear how long he’ll be out. (John Fisher/Getty Images)
South Dakota men's basketball head coach Eric Peterson fell in his home Wednesday night and sustained “multiple injuries,” the university announced Thursday.
It’s unclear specifically what happened, but the athletic department said Peterson was preparing his home for the holidays when he fell. The injuries are considered non-life-threatening, but Peterson will miss Saturday’s home game against UC Irvine.
It’s unclear how long he will be out. The Coyotes (5-5) will host Coastal Carolina on Wednesday before traveling to Kansas City and Oral Roberts next week.
Peterson is in his first season in Vermillion. He spent last season as an assistant at Utah under head coach Craig Smith, and he has worked as an assistant at Utah State and South Dakota before taking the head job.
Peterson replaced Todd Lee this past offseason.
On the second day of the Hoophall West at Chaparral High School, Brophy Prep and St. Mary's boys basketball found the competition tough. | 2022-12-09T19:29:40Z | sports.yahoo.com | South Dakota coach Eric Peterson injured after fall at home, out indefinitely for Coyotes | https://sports.yahoo.com/south-dakota-head-coach-eric-peterson-injured-after-fall-at-home-out-indefinitely-for-coyotes-183510098.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/south-dakota-head-coach-eric-peterson-injured-after-fall-at-home-out-indefinitely-for-coyotes-183510098.html?src=rss |
American Woodmark (NASDAQ:AMWD) has had a great run on the share market with its stock up by a significant 15% over the...
On 2 January 2023 the Extraordinary General Meeting of Shareholders of Snaigė AB, the address of head office Pramonės str. 6, Alytus, the company code 249664610 (hereinafter, the “Company”) is convened (hereinafter, the “Meeting”). The company is ready to present to its shareholders a restructuring plan to solve the temporary difficulties that arose due to last year's raw materials crisis, the increase in the price of energy resources and the war in Ukraine. Currently, AB SNAIGĖ continues its ac
The proposal, which will be brought to a vote next week, aims to reduce friction in governance by reframing the steps that bring proposals to votes.
After 10 games, Florida's NET ranking leaves a lot to be desired. Can the Gators turn things around in conference play and rise up the charts? | 2022-12-09T19:46:57Z | sports.yahoo.com | Rivals Syracuse, Georgetown convene for 98th time | https://sports.yahoo.com/rivals-syracuse-georgetown-convene-98th-180101880.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/rivals-syracuse-georgetown-convene-98th-180101880.html?src=rss |
Purdy reveals his true feelings about 'Mr. Irrelevant' tag originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea
“Definitely, I think there's always been an edge to myself,” Purdy said Thursday. “People, they make a joke out of it [being Mr. Irrelevant] and whatnot, and it's all fun and games in terms of taking the trip and meeting great people and that kind of thing, but for myself, I've always believed that I don't care what slot, what round, what pick that I get picked or if I was undrafted.
“My whole thing was, man, I just want to go out and prove to myself that I can play at this level. And so that's always been my mentality.”
The “trip” Purdy referred to is known as Irrelevant Week, which saw the quarterback whisked away to Newport Beach, Calif., in the early summer after the draft for a week of festivities.
That’s a piece of advice Purdy has taken to heart during his rookie campaign, especially as he takes over the reins as San Francisco’s starting quarterback.
“Even though I was the last pick, that's just where I happened to fall in the draft,” Purdy said. “I've embraced the role in terms of having fun with it when I got here with the guys and going on the trip and everything, but at the end of the day, for me, it's like, man, I got an opportunity to come and play for the 49ers and compete, make the team, and do what it takes to push these guys in the locker room and win at all costs.
“That's really where I've been with it.”
Purdy has made an immediate impact in the absence of both Garoppolo and second-year quarterback Trey Lance, leading the 49ers to a 33-17 victory over the Miami Dolphins while impressing his teammates with confidence not often found in a rookie.
"I don't hate the term or anything like that,” Purdy said. “The people that we went and met are great. We still talk to them, what they do for different organizations and raising money, it's for a great cause. I'm very thankful for how it all worked out."
RELATED: How Purdy played key role in shaping 49ers' dominant defense | 2022-12-09T20:34:53Z | sports.yahoo.com | 49ers' Brock Purdy reveals true feelings about 'Mr. Irrelevant' tag | https://sports.yahoo.com/49ers-brock-purdy-reveals-true-194145109.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/49ers-brock-purdy-reveals-true-194145109.html?src=rss |
It’s taken 14 weeks, but the Chicago Bears finally arrived at their bye week. The good news is that it’s a chance for the team to regroup before the final stretch of games. The bad news is they’ve already been eliminated from playoff contention and will play for pride and draft position.
The Bears (3-10) are riding a six-game losing streak in head coach Matt Eberflus’ first season and are in line for the second overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. The good news, however, is quarterback Justin Fields looks like the real deal.
Fields and the offense have looked unstoppable at times while the defense has struggled to keep opposing offenses at bay. The result more often than not has been competitive games where the Bears fall just short of victory.
The Bears were never supposed to be a contender, but has that changed our outlook on the season? Now that there’s a break in the action, here are our takeaways following the first 13 games of the season.
1. Justin Fields is on his way to becoming a superstar quarterback
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – NOVEMBER 13: Justin Fields #1 of the Chicago Bears attempts a pass during the third quarter against the Detroit Lions at Soldier Field on November 13, 2022 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Remember way back in late September when Justin Fields was struggling against the Houston Texans? Sure, the Bears won that game but not because of the second-year quarterback. It feels like a lifetime ago considering the strides and progression he’s made in those two-plus months. Fields has played like a star since mid October and flirted with superstardom on multiple occasions this year. He’s setting all sorts of records with his unreal running ability and looks like a completely different player in the pocket when it comes to passing.
Fields’ development was never going to happen overnight, but it’s steadily improved week by week as he’s checking off more and more boxes in his quarterback report card, if you will. Any talks of the Bears possibly drafting a quarterback early in 2023 are laughable at this point. Simply put, Fields is on his way to becoming a super star quarterback in the NFL, something Bears fans have been devoid of for years. It’s actually happening and fans should be in for a fun and exciting ride.
2. Fields needs to continue playing the season out
Fields missed all of one game with a left shoulder separation that he suffered in the 27-24 loss to the Atlanta Falcons and returned last week with one of the best passing performances of his career. Fields completed 20-of-25 passes for 254 yards and although he threw a pair of interceptions, his timing and accuracy overall were on point. Fields said his shoulder didn’t bother him too much and his play was proof of that. So why in the world is there a discussion about the Bears needing to shut him down?
The Bears may be playing for pride and a high draft pick over the final four games and while Fields continues to ascend, he isn’t a finished product yet. Considering the amount of growth we’ve seen from him over the course of 3-4 games from late October through mid-November, who’s to say he can’t take another jump to end the season?
Fields has been deemed healthy to play by all necessary personnel. The team gave us a peek behind the curtain at their evaluation prior to the New York Jets game two weeks ago where he sat and that’s good enough for me. Play him and see how much he can continue to grow heading into 2023.
3. Ryan Poles whiffed with this year's free agent class
It’s rare for a general manager to go gangbusters in free agency during their first year on the job, especially when they’re inheriting millions of dollars of dead cap space. But even with those caveats, Ryan Poles whiffed on his inaugural free agent class this offseason.
The Bears signed nearly two dozen players in the spring and summer, albeit mostly to one and two-year deals. But of all of those players, there’s a realistic chance only 2-3 return in 2023. Stop gaps such as wide receivers Byron Pringle, Equanimeous St. Brown, and Dante Pettis have underwhelmed. Linebackers Nicholas Morrow and Matt Adams have been overshadowed by an undrafted rookie. Defensive end Al-Quadin Muhammad is invisible as a pass rusher. Linemen Lucas Patrick and Dakota Dozier have been injured. The list goes on.
Only defensive tackle Justin Jones and fullback Khari Blasingame have met or exceeded expectations. Those two, along with backup quarterback Trevor Siemian, are the only ones who would be worth bringing back at this point.
A general manager’s first free agent class won’t make or break their tenure. But even with the cash constraints, more could have been done to build a better team for this season. Free agency is only supposed to fill the few holes a team has and hopefully the Bears find themselves in that situation in the near future. That will mean their foundational core is set.
4. Luke Getsy has established an offensive identity
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – AUGUST 13: Offensive coordinator Luke Getsy of the Chicago Bears looks on during preseason game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Soldier Field on August 13, 2022 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Though he’s come under fire for some questionable playcalling the last few weeks, there’s no denying how offensive coordinator Luke Getsy has improved the offense from the last couple years and, more importantly, gave it an identity.
Getsy is in his first year as an offensive coordinator and has built an elite rushing attack thanks to Fields and running backs Khalil Herbert and David Montgomery. After 13 weeks, the Bears still lead the league in rushing with 189 yard per game. Some of his conservative calls may be unpopular, but for the most part, he’s catered to the strengths of his players to create a sustainable product on the field. Isn’t that what everyone wanted the last coaching staff to do?
He’s not perfect and there’s still development that he needs to do as well. But for what the Bears have personnel-wise, Getsy has done a good job building an offense that can consistently move the ball downfield and keep the team in games.
5. There are building blocks on the offensive line
Coming into the season, one of the biggest question marks was surrounding the offensive line. Do the Bears have enough to keep Fields upright? How will the young players look? It’s been a mixed bag for much of the year but a couple of diamonds were found in the rough in Teven Jenkins and Braxton Jones.
Jenkins began training camp as a tackle, had an injury, was nearly traded, moved to guard, and became arguably the most reliable lineman of the group. The 2021 second-round pick has been a mauler in the run game and has improved as a pass blocker as the season wore on. At worst, he’s an entrenched right guard with Pro Bowl potential. At best, he could still become a very good tackle.
Jones meanwhile was an unknown fifth-round pick who was thrown into the fire immediately at left tackle and has impressed at almost every turn. He’s extremely coachable with outstanding measurables and has more than earned the opportunity to start Week 1 of next season.
The other positions have more uncertainty and there’s still the potential for another player to make a statement these final few games, like Alex Leatherwood. For Jenkins and Jones, though, they both have shown they belong and will be counted in in 2023 and possibly beyond.
6. The defensive line is worse than initially feared
Oct 30, 2022; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) is hit by Chicago Bears linebacker Trevis Gipson (99) in the second quarter at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
Last offseason, the Bears jettisoned Khalil Mack in a trade and said goodbye to Akiem Hicks and Eddie Goldman in free agency, ensuring the defensive line would look much different than it had in previous years. It also meant it was likely going to be worse, but no one could have seen it being this bad.
The Bears have the fewest sacks in the league with just 16 and the player leading the team is Jaquan Brisker with three, who happens to play safety. They’re not generating consistent pressure and it’s resulting in chunk plays in the passing game as the secondary isn’t able to hold up. Trevis Gipson and Muhammad have been virtually nonexistent on the edges following the trade of Robert Quinn, while Justin Jones and Armon Watts have been modest at best on the interior.
There are many holes on this team, but a dominating presence on the defensive line is arguably the biggest. It’s why so many fans are enamored with the 2023 NFL Draft with prospects like Jalen Carter and Will Anderson that’s still nearly five months away. The line has been worse than we feared and it’s a big reason the Bears have lost as much as they have this season.
7. Jack Sanborn is the best surprise of the season
Nov 27, 2022; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Jets running back Michael Carter (32) is tackled by Chicago Bears linebacker Jack Sanborn (57) during the first half at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
When undrafted rookie Jack Sanborn flashed in his first preseason game nearly four months ago, there was optimism in the air that he could play a role for the Bears in the regular season. Nobody could have predicted that he would arguably be the best defender on the team at this point.
Sanborn stepped into the role vacated by Roquan Smith when he was traded to the Baltimore Ravens and didn’t miss a beat. He’s notched double-digit tackles in three of his last four games and has two sacks on the season as well. Sanborn might not be the most physically gifted linebacker, but he plays with instinct and is a sure-fire tackler. He already has as many tackle for loss (seven) as Smith this season for both teams.
Sanborn is easily the best surprise of the year for the Bears and he’s playing his way into a significant role for 2023.
8. The secondary can be dangerous next year
It’s been a mixed bag for the Bears’ 2022 draft class but there’s enough promise and flashes to show this could be a very good group for years to come, particularly with the top-two selections. Cornerback Kyler Gordon and Brisker were tasked with improving one of the worst secondary units in football last year and they’ve done a decent job in their first season. Both have an interception, forced fumble, and multiple tackles for loss.
Gordon, the Bears’ top pick, has had a learning curve and struggled to start the year. He was picked on from the start by opposing quarterbacks, but has shown to be a dependable tackler and looked better in his last few games before getting injured.
Brisker, on the other hand, flashed almost immediately and has been one of the best defensive rookies this season. His knack for making plays on the ball and forcing turnovers has raised the level of play of other defensive backs, notably veteran Eddie Jackson. Both players have been out the last couple of weeks with concussion injuries, but they’re showing promise that they can lead the secondary in years to come.
Should the Bears have prioritized offense early in the draft instead of defense? Perhaps. There were holes at multiple positions on the team, however, and though improvement still needs to happen, we’re seeing the potential of both Gordon and Brisker. If they can come back this season and continue their development, the secondary as a whole has the chance to take a huge leap going into 2023.
Should You Buy First Citizens BancShares (FCNCA) Stock Now?
The North American run will feature full performances of Give Up and Transatlanticism. The Postal Service and Death Cab for Cutie Announce 2023 Co-Headlining Tour Eddie Fu
Is International Money Express (IMXI) Currently Trading at a Discount? | 2022-12-09T20:34:54Z | sports.yahoo.com | 8 takeaways from the Bears’ first 13 games of the season | https://sports.yahoo.com/8-takeaways-bears-first-13-193003804.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/8-takeaways-bears-first-13-193003804.html?src=rss |
Kansas City Chiefs HC Andy Reid gave his typical post-practice injury update on Friday.
For the third consecutive day this week, everyone on the 53-man roster practiced in some capacity. That’s a good sign heading into an AFC West matchup on the road in Week 14.
“Everybody practiced today,” Reid said. “I think we’re going to be OK there. I’m meeting with Rick (Burkholder) after this and we’ll get you the rest of who is out and who is in.”
One of the players returning to practice this week was WR Kadarius Toney. He’d sat out for several weeks with a hamstring injury, but he was able to work in a limited capacity at practice for the entire week. Reid was pleased with the work that Toney got in this week, but it might not be enough for him to return to the field against the Denver Broncos.
“Yeah, so he got out and he worked,” Reid said of Toney. “He did some good things, moved around pretty good. We didn’t give him a full load, but he went out and moved around. We’ll see. He would be one who is right on the border of playing (or) not playing.”
We’ll find out soon whether Toney is ruled out for Week 14 or whether he’s deemed questionable and a game-time decision.
As for starting left guard Joe Thuney, who missed the past two games with an ankle injury, it sounds like he’s trending toward making a return in Week 14.
“Actually, (Joe) Thuney has felt better the last couple of days for sure,” Reid said.
Here's what Chiefs coordinators are saying about Broncos ahead of Week 14 | 2022-12-09T20:35:20Z | sports.yahoo.com | Chiefs HC Andy Reid provides injury updates following Friday practice | https://sports.yahoo.com/chiefs-hc-andy-reid-provides-192847417.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/chiefs-hc-andy-reid-provides-192847417.html?src=rss |
Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones’ fondness for Houston Texans founder Bob McNair is well documented. Jones was even in attendance for McNair’s memorial service at NRG Stadium on Dec. 7, 2018, after McNair passed away following a battle with skin cancer.
Jones, who has a twice-a-week radio segment in Dallas, referred to McNair as “Mr. Wonderful.”
“Total, complete person, man; self-made,” Jones told “K&C Masterpiece” on 105.3 “The Fan” [KRLD-FM] in Dallas-Fort Worth. “Basically came to Houston. I think he was principally in the automobile business early. Just absolutely beat it right out of the ground, and I don’t know that I met anybody that spent any time around that didn’t have have wonderful things to say about him.”
Jones said McNair was admired throughout the NFL for his commitment to bring a franchise back to Houston following the departure of the Houston Oilers in 1997.
“He was a real leader throughout the years in the NFL; well respected,” Jones said. “Everybody knew what he had done to put that Houston team, to put it back into football. I wanted so much for him to have success, for the Houston Texans to be everything they could be.
“A lot of people would think, ‘Well, you have all those Cowboys fans. Why don’t you just keep it Cowboys?’ Well, first of all, I don’t have that wish, but I don’t have that ability. But Houston deserves football.”
Week 14 will be the first game in the regular season series that McNair will not witness. The Cowboys hold a 3-2 edge over the Texans. Houston got the first win in the series on Sept. 8, 2002, in their inaugural game at then-Reliant Stadium. The Texans also have the most recent win in the series as they beat the Cowboys Oct. 7 in overtime at NRG Stadium.
The Texans kickoff at 12:00 p.m. Central Time against the Cowboys at AT&T Stadium in Arlington. | 2022-12-09T20:35:26Z | sports.yahoo.com | Cowboys owner Jerry Jones says Texans founder Bob McNair was ‘Mr. Wonderful’ | https://sports.yahoo.com/cowboys-owner-jerry-jones-says-195058487.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/cowboys-owner-jerry-jones-says-195058487.html?src=rss |
But the Detroit Lions coach was surprised to hear that his 5-7 team is a 2½-point favorite over the 10-2 Minnesota Vikings on Sunday — the first time since the 1970 merger that a team eight or more games over .500 is an underdog against a team with a losing record (excluding games where teams rested their starters), according to CBS Sports.
Lions head coach Dan Campbell talks to the media after a win against the Jaguars, Sunday, Dec. 4, 2022, in Detroit.
Lions running back D'Andre Swift (32) reacts after a 9-yard rush to the 1-yard line during the second half against the Jaguars on Dec. 4, 2022, in Detroit.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Dan Campbell 'shocked' Lions favored over 10-2 Vikings | 2022-12-09T20:35:32Z | sports.yahoo.com | Detroit Lions dismissing rare Vegas odds: They said we 'were trash when we were 1-6' | https://sports.yahoo.com/detroit-lions-dismissing-rare-vegas-200832078.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/detroit-lions-dismissing-rare-vegas-200832078.html?src=rss |
Will the sale of the Commanders come soon enough?
After Thursday's news, many Washington fans are wondering when the Commanders will finally be sold.
In 2021, Teresa Giudice and Luis "Louie" Ruelas transformed their home for Christmas with at least three lush green trees adorned with colorful, sparkling ornaments. This year, however, it seems The Real Housewives of New Jersey couple is taking a different (but equally dazzling) approach to their holiday setup. In a December 6 Instagram Story photo, Teresa showed a glowing white tree. Covered in twinkling lights, the tree is the focal point of the room as it illuminates the space. As Teresa sho
Meet four young women across the Great Lakes leading the environmental movement in their communities.
Taylor Swift is collaborating with Searchlight Pictures to make her feature directorial debut. The singer has already wrote an original script for the project. | 2022-12-09T20:36:49Z | sports.yahoo.com | NFL odds, betting: Here's your teaser option for Week 14 | https://sports.yahoo.com/nfl-odds-betting-heres-your-teaser-option-for-week-14-190440323.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/nfl-odds-betting-heres-your-teaser-option-for-week-14-190440323.html?src=rss |
Number of Russian conscripts increases in three Belarusian cities
The number of Russian conscripts in the Belarusian cities of Mazyr, Homiel and Mahiloŭ has increased, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reports. Source: Evening report of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine for 9 December Quote: "On the Volyn and Polissia fronts, the situation is without significant changes, there are no signs of the formation of enemy offensive groups. | 2022-12-09T20:37:08Z | sports.yahoo.com | Philadelphia Eagles at New York Giants Prediction Game Preview | https://sports.yahoo.com/philadelphia-eagles-york-giants-prediction-193242788.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/philadelphia-eagles-york-giants-prediction-193242788.html?src=rss |
The Bears are sitting at 3-10 at the bye week, and their season is all but over. Chicago was eliminated from playoff contention last week, but there’s still plenty to watch heading into this final stretch of games.
Namely, the Bears’ draft position, where it feels like they’re all but guaranteed a top-three selection. Chicago currently has the second overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft, and the final four games provide a path to maintaining that selection.
The Bears have the toughest remaining strength of schedule. Their final four games are against the Eagles (Week 15), Bills (Week 16), Lions (Week 17) and Vikings (Week 18), who have a combined win percentage of .729.
It’s fair to wonder if there’s another win on their remaining schedule, where they’ve already lost six straight. Perhaps a Detroit team they handled for most of their last matchup. Or maybe Minnesota, who could be resting their starters in the regular-season finale.
With the Bears in the middle of a bye week, host Ryan O’Leary (@RyanO_Leary) and myself (@AlyssaBarbieri) recap Justin Fields’ return to the lineup against the Packers and discuss how Chicago is poised to lock down a top-two draft pick. | 2022-12-09T20:37:15Z | sports.yahoo.com | Podcast: The Bears have a clear path to No. 2 overall draft pick | https://sports.yahoo.com/podcast-bears-clear-path-no-200030770.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/podcast-bears-clear-path-no-200030770.html?src=rss |
Pro Football Focus released grades for each player from Thursday night’s game between the Los Angeles Rams and Las Vegas Raiders, including new quarterback Baker Mayfield. He probably didn’t grade out as well as many expected him to, but he still played an excellent game.
Here’s a look at some of the best and worst performers from the Rams’ 17-16 win over Las Vegas on Thursday.
It was not a good performance from the Rams’ offensive line, particularly for their tackles. But Shelton actually did a good job on the interior, according to PFF, by allowing zero pressures. He did cost the Rams three points with a post-whistle penalty, though.
Skowronek was a stud at wide receiver, leading the team with seven catches for 89 yards – both career-highs.
Atwell also had a huge impact, catching five passes for 50 yards on nine targets.
Nsekhe was only pinned with allowing two pressures in the win, but it seemed like Chandler Jones was beating him more often than not.
Trammell didn’t play a ton and only caught one pass for 5 yards.
Gaines was having an up-and-down season before this game, but he was dominant against the Raiders with two pressures and four stops.
Rapp had just three tackles but he also came down with the game-sealing interception and didn’t miss a tackle, allowing just one catch for 4 yards.
Hill was only targeted once and didn’t allow a reception in coverage.
Wagner finished with a game-high 14 tackles and five stops, but his one missed tackle certainly hurt his overall grade.
Brown only played 12 snaps and made one tackle, so his grade was a little higher than expected.
RB Malcolm Brown: 58.6
Brown and Akers were both in the bottom five, though Brown didn’t touch the ball very much (just three times). Akers averaged 3.5 yards per carry on 12 attempts.
Powell wasn’t involved very much after last week’s stellar performance, failing to even touch the ball. He was targeted twice.
Higbee caught two passes for 11 yards, contributing minimally as a receiver, but he was better as a blocker.
Havenstein got absolutely worked by Maxx Crosby all game long, allowing five pressures, one sack and committing three penalties. Crosby made him look like a practice squad player.
Durant got the start at cornerback but he didn’t have the best game. He overpursued a screen pass and allowed a big gain, also giving up a 13-yard reception in coverage.
Copeland and Williams combined for five pressures as a pairing, which is pretty good for two interior defensive linemen, but their tackling grades were both below 40.
Ramsey was targeted a game-high seven times and allowed four receptions for 93 yards, most of which went to Davante Adams – who is admittedly an impossible player to cover.
Hoecht was exposed as a defensive tackle playing edge rusher, showing a lack of quickness and awareness on the edge when the Raiders used jet sweeps or play action.
Jefferson only caught two passes in the game, but they were the first and last of Mayfield’s night, including the game-winning touchdown.
Williams broke off runs of 9 and 8 yards on his first two carries but he would finish with just 19 yards on three total carries.
Jones picked off Carr in the end zone before halftime, which was a huge play, and finished with five tackles.
Floyd had four pressures but only two assisted tackles, with a run defense grade of 59.6.
Mayfield’s grade was helped by his final game-winning drive, which included a handful of excellent throws: a 32-yarder to Skowronek and the 23-yard touchdown to Jefferson. He played well even before then, though. | 2022-12-09T20:37:21Z | sports.yahoo.com | Rams PFF grades: Best and worst performers vs. Raiders in Week 14 | https://sports.yahoo.com/rams-pff-grades-best-worst-194749802.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/rams-pff-grades-best-worst-194749802.html?src=rss |
The Ravens released the final injury report for the week, and it’s no surprise that quarterback Lamar Jackson is listed as doubtful on Sunday after he suffered an ankle injury in Week 13. After being a full participant during Wednesday’s practice, Ronnie Stanley was limited on Thursday, and did not practice today, but he does not have any injury designation.
Cornerback Daryl Worley is the only player on the injury report that’s officially out for Sunday’s game. Worley has been moving around the Ravens’ roster all year, but won’t be available in Week 14. Offensive linemen Trystan Colon and Kevin Zeitler returned to practice on Friday, as did cornerback Marcus Peters. | 2022-12-09T20:37:34Z | sports.yahoo.com | Ravens release final injury report for Week 14 matchup vs. Steelers | https://sports.yahoo.com/ravens-release-final-injury-report-201459691.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/ravens-release-final-injury-report-201459691.html?src=rss |
Sean McDermott on Week 14 vs. Jets: 'They got a really good defense'
Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott on the New York Jets ahead of Week 14 matchup.
Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott announced Wednesday that edge rusher Von Miller will miss the remainder of the season. According to McDermott, it was discovered during an exploratory surgery that Miller had an ACL tear. | 2022-12-09T20:37:46Z | sports.yahoo.com | Sean McDermott on Week 14 vs. Jets: 'They got a really good defense' | https://sports.yahoo.com/sean-mcdermott-week-14-vs-190151828.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/sean-mcdermott-week-14-vs-190151828.html?src=rss |
Eetu Luostarinen with a Goal vs. Detroit Red Wings
Eetu Luostarinen (Florida Panthers) with a Goal vs. Detroit Red Wings, 12/08/2022
A Netflix documentary series about Prince Harry and his wife Meghan will begin airing on Thursday, amid speculation that they will voice renewed criticism of the British royal family. Harry, King Charles's son, and Meghan stepped down from royal roles two years ago, hailed by some for standing up for their beliefs and forging their own career path but derided by others for using their status to make money while sniping at the royal family. July: Harry, now fifth-in-line to the British throne, and Meghan, an actress from Los Angeles best known for her role in TV legal drama "Suits", go on a blind date after being introduced by a friend.
Katie Gearlds and the Boilermakers are eyeing greatness. After a heartbreaking loss to Maryland, they’re closer than many might have imagined.
Matt Kiersted with a Goal vs. Detroit Red Wings
Matt Kiersted (Florida Panthers) with a Goal vs. Detroit Red Wings, 12/08/2022 | 2022-12-09T20:48:03Z | sports.yahoo.com | Eetu Luostarinen with a Goal vs. Detroit Red Wings | https://sports.yahoo.com/eetu-luostarinen-goal-vs-detroit-014113739.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/eetu-luostarinen-goal-vs-detroit-014113739.html?src=rss |
BEREA − Myles Garrett didn't see his former teammate, Baker Mayfield, lead the Los Angeles Rams on a 98-yard game-winning drive Thursday night in a 17-16 win over the Las Vegas Raiders. The Browns defensive end, though, wasn't the least bit surprised by the fact it happened.
"I'm not going to lie, I didn't see half of it," Garrett said. "I went to sleep at the end of the third. I was like, (16-3), new team, maybe he'll get them next week. I went to sleep, I woke up. Right before I went to sleep, I was with my (physical therapist) John, I said, 'Maybe you should stay up. There is a possibility he could bring them back. You let me know in the morning.' So I wake up and there's a text waiting on me like, 'You won't believe it.' I said, yeah I will."
Mayfield was released by the Panthers on Monday, and was picked up off waivers by the Rams on Tuesday. While he didn't start the game Thursday, he came in off the bench to complete 22-of-35 passes − including 15 of his 20 fourth-quarter passes − for 230 yards and the game-winning 23-yard touchdown to Van Jefferson with 15 seconds remaining.
"I mean, it was (impressive)," Garrett said. "And going back to watch it, he was putting some dimes out there for guys to go get early on in the game and it was just that time until it clicked. So I have nothing against the guy now. I'm hoping for his success wherever he’s at, just not when he’s facing us.
Chris Kiffin still confident in Perrion Winfrey's talent
It's been an up-and-down season for Browns rookie defensive tackle Perrion Winfrey. At this moment, though, the needle is pointing upwards for the fourth-round pick out of Oklahoma.
"I think he's really coming on right now," defensive line coach Chris Kiffin said. "He's shown that over the weeks at practice and that's why he's gotten the reps the last week. As we all know, he has to put in a full week's work to be rewarded on Sunday and he's done that. He's getting better. It's hard when you're however old he is coming into the league and not playing with technique and then trying to get plugged into a system where you have to play with technique and you have to train your hands, your eyes, your feet, your hips, everything, to be consistent. And he has the talent, there's no question. And so I think he's really taking the next step in his technique and, I mean, the guy just plays hard and that's what I saw last week with him and (rookie defensive end) Alex Wright, and you got some young guys that just fly around the field. That's contagious."
Winfrey played 37 snaps on defense in last Sunday's win at Houston. It was the second consecutive game in which he was active after being inactive for the three-game stretch starting with the Week 8 game against the Bengals.
The rookie was tied for second on the team in combined tackles against the Texans with six. He's recorded 11 total tackles on the season in eight games.
"He got in a car accident or whatever it was," Kiffin said. "So that came up and then, before that, yes, it was making it a full week of being locked in and not missing anything. I think he was inactive a couple weeks because of discipline. So when he's here and he puts a full week together and he is available on Sunday, then he's showing what he's capable of doing."
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Myles Garrett not surprised to see Baker Mayfield's late-game heroics
It’s something Oklahoma loves to say every year. The Sooners’ mantra of #WeTooDeep and Next Man Up, and we’ll see that
Marilu Henner loves making Hallmark movies. She's now done 27, including her latest, "A Kismet Christmas." But that's not all that's keeping her busy. | 2022-12-09T20:52:18Z | sports.yahoo.com | Browns quick hits: Myles Garrett not surprised by Baker Mayfield's late-game dramatics | https://sports.yahoo.com/browns-quick-hits-amari-cooper-174625569.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/browns-quick-hits-amari-cooper-174625569.html?src=rss |
“During the encounter, without Ware's consent, Lamb forcefully anally penetrated Ware as she repeatedly pleaded with him to stop, telling him ‘no’ over and over,” the suit said, via SFGate. “Ignoring her unequivocal demands, he told her to ‘just take it’ and continued to rape her.”
“The allegations made against me in 2019 that have recently resurfaced are patently false," he said in a statement, via SFGate. "I have always been fully cooperative regarding the alleged incident, and have welcomed any investigation into the matter. Simply put, I have never committed sexual assault.”
"Anthony is not a defendant in this recent lawsuit and, to our knowledge, he has never been charged with any wrongdoing in any legal case," the Warriors said in a statement to SFGate. "Prior to signing Anthony in September, we did our due diligence with the NBA and his prior teams, as we do with all players. If any new information comes to light, we will certainly evaluate it and act accordingly."
'I wanted justice': After reporting rape, swimmer says college mishandled investigation
University of Vermont swimmer Kendall Ware says she was raped by a men's basketball player in 2019, and the school failed her during Title IX process.
ExxonMobil's (XOM) corporate plan is expected to double earnings and cash flow potential by 2027 compared with 2019 levels. | 2022-12-09T20:52:37Z | sports.yahoo.com | Warriors’ Anthony Lamb accused of rape in new lawsuit filed against University of Vermont | https://sports.yahoo.com/warriors-anthony-lamb-accused-of-rape-in-new-lawsuit-filed-against-university-of-vermont-201424096.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/warriors-anthony-lamb-accused-of-rape-in-new-lawsuit-filed-against-university-of-vermont-201424096.html?src=rss |
The 2022 season was bookended by some frustration as the Tigers lost their opener against Florida State and dropped the final two games against Texas A&M and Georgia.
Still, that shouldn’t take away from what happened in between, as coach Brian Kelly had a massively successful first year on the bayou. LSU finished 9-4 with upset wins over Alabama and Ole Miss that clinched an SEC West title, the program’s first since it won the national championship in 2019.
As one of the top teams in the conference this season, it shouldn’t be a surprise that LSU players littered the All-SEC lists this season, particularly the All-Freshman team, which featured six Tigers.
Here’s everyone who was honored for their efforts in 2022 by the league.
DL BJ Ojulari (First Team)
One of the on and off-field leaders of this team, Ojulari had a bit of a quieter season than some expected with his tackles for loss (8.5) and sacks (5.5) numbers dropping off a bit from a year ago, though he did play in one fewer game. That was mostly due to the emergence of Harold Perkins as a nuisance off the edge, but Ojulari still totaled a career-high 34 solo tackles, and he earns First Team honors for his efforts.
OL Will Campbell (Second Team, All-Freshman)
Becoming a Day 1 starter in the SEC as an offensive lineman is almost unheard of, and that only holds more true when talking about the left tackle spot. What an impressive season it was for Campbell holding down Jayden Daniels’ blindside as he earns Second Team All-SEC and All-Freshman honors. Between him and Emery Jones, LSU’s future at the tackle spots are bright.
DL Mekhi Wingo (Second Team)
[autotag]Mekhi Wingo[/autotag] was supposed to be just a rotational player this season, but the Missouri transfer was thrust into a starting role after [autotag]Maason Smith[/autotag] tore his ACL on the first drive of the season. He turned into one of LSU’s top defensive players and one of the best in the entire conference, totaling 44 tackles (four for loss) and two sacks. He also forced two fumbles and recovered one.
LB Harold Perkins (Second Team, All-Freshman)
You’d be hard-pressed to find a more impressive player on this roster in 2022 than Perkins, a five-star true freshman who made a massive impact in his first season. He’s raw and a bit rough around the edges, but that didn’t keep him from having an absurdly productive season. He had 69 tackles, a team-high 6.5 sacks, an interception and three forced fumbles. Perkins should be set to be one of the best defensive players in all of college football next season.
TE Mason Taylor (All-Freshman)
Tight ends feature prominently in both [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] and Mike Denbrock’s offenses, historically, so it shouldn’t be a surprise that [autotag]Mason Taylor[/autotag] had such a big true freshman season. The son of NFL Hall of Famer Jason Taylor, Mason finished with 33 catches for 326 yards and two touchdowns this season, leading the way among LSU tight ends. The most impactful of those catches came in the win over Alabama, sealing the win with a two-point conversion.
OL Emery Jones (All-Freshman)
Jones didn’t begin the year as a starter, but he emerged as the right tackle, playing opposite Campbell to give LSU an almost unheard of true freshman offensive tackle duo. He struggled a bit more than Campbell, but he still had a very good season and should inspire optimism that this will be one of the nation’s best offensive lines next season.
PK Damian Ramos (All-Freshman)
LSU had well-publicized special teams issues this season, including several blocks on extra points and field goals. Those were rarely the fault of redshirt freshman placekicker Damian Ramos, who had a good first season as the starter. He was just 10 of 14 on field goals with a long of 47. He struggled a bit on shorter field goals but was two of three between 40 and 49 yards. He also hit 48 of 50 extra points.
KOS Nathan Dibert (All-Freshman)
Syndication: Daily Press and Argus
One of the top high school kickers in the country, Nathan Dibert couldn’t quite lock down the place-kicking job as a true freshman, though he did become the team’s kickoff specialist. His strong leg made him one of the SEC’s better kickoff guys, and he has the accuracy to one day kick field goals, as well. | 2022-12-09T21:09:42Z | sports.yahoo.com | 2022 All-SEC teams loaded with LSU players after SEC West Championship season | https://sports.yahoo.com/2022-sec-teams-loaded-lsu-200006001.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/2022-sec-teams-loaded-lsu-200006001.html?src=rss |
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) North Carolina receiver Josh Downs is opting out of the Holiday Bowl against No. 15 Oregon to prepare for a jump to the NFL draft.
Downs announced his decision in a social media post Friday, less than a week after he had 11 catches for 100 yards in the Tar Heels' loss to No. 10 Clemson in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game. He led the team with 94 catches for 1,029 yards and 11 touchdowns despite missing two games.
His top stretch came when he had a run of four straight 100-yard games with at least nine catches each time. That included 15 catches for 166 yards and a touchdown at Virginia and 11 catches for 154 yards and three scores in a win at Wake Forest that clinched the ACC's Coastal Division title. | 2022-12-09T21:10:20Z | sports.yahoo.com | Tar Heels WR Downs opts out of Holiday Bowl for NFL leap | https://sports.yahoo.com/tar-heels-wr-downs-opts-200236123.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/tar-heels-wr-downs-opts-200236123.html?src=rss |
FILE - SMU head coach Larry Brown watches his players from the bench during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Cincinnati on March 6, 2016, in Cincinnati. Brown, the legendary basketball coach who won titles in the NCAA and the NBA, is taking a leave of absence as his role as the special advisor to Memphis coach Penny Hardaway because of a minor medical issue, the school announced Sunday, Oct. 30, 2022. (AP Photo/John Minchillo, File)
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) Basketball Hall of Famer Larry Brown is stepping down from his role as a special advisor to Memphis coach Penny Hardaway due to ongoing health concerns, the school announced Friday.
''We wish Coach Brown a speedy recovery,'' Hardaway said in a statement released by the school, which said the health issues are not considered serious. ''Having Coach Brown as part of our program over the last year-and-a-half was very impactful on our student-athletes and me as a coach, and we hope all the best for him and good health moving forward.''
Hall of Famer Larry Brown has stepped down from his position with Memphis basketball "due to ongoing health concerns." | 2022-12-09T21:40:10Z | sports.yahoo.com | Larry Brown steps down at Memphis as special assistant | https://sports.yahoo.com/larry-brown-steps-down-memphis-203926859.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/larry-brown-steps-down-memphis-203926859.html?src=rss |
49ers' Bosa questionable to face Brady, Bucs in Week 14 matchup originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea
SANTA CLARA -- The frontrunner for the NFL Defensive Player of the Year is questionable to face, perhaps, the greatest player in league history.
The 49ers on Friday listed defensive end Nick Bosa as questionable for the team's Week 14 game at Levi's Stadium against seven-time Super Bowl champion quarterback Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Bosa did not take part in 49ers practices Wednesday, Thursday or Friday, but the team is keeping the door open for his availability on Sunday.
Bosa has recorded an NFL-best 14.5 sacks on the season, leading 49ers defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans this week to fully endorse his top player as the NFL's best defensive athlete.
Bosa, the NFC's Defensive Player of the Month for November, registered three sacks in the 49ers' 33-17 victory last week over the Miami Dolphins to win NFC Defensive Player of the Week.
The 49ers could be looking ahead to Week 15, when they face the Seattle Seahawks in a key NFC West matchup with the quick turnaround of a Thursday night game. The 49ers (8-4) lead the NFC West by one game over the Seahawks (7-5).
Running back Christian McCaffrey (knee), wide receiver Deebo Samuel (quad), guard Spencer. Burford (ankle) and defensive lineman Arik Armstead (foot/ankle) were not listed on the injury and have been cleared to play.
The 49ers ruled out three players from participating in Sunday's game: Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo (foot), defensive tackle Hassan Ridgeway (pectoral) and safety Tarvarius Moore (knee).
The 49ers will not place Garoppolo on injured reserve to keep open the small possibility that he would be able to return at some point during the playoffs. He sustained a fractured left foot against the Dolphins, and rookie Brock Purdy will make his first career start on Sunday | 2022-12-09T22:06:17Z | sports.yahoo.com | 49ers' Nick Bosa questionable to face Tom Brady, Buccaneers in Week 14 | https://sports.yahoo.com/49ers-nick-bosa-questionable-face-215100848.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/49ers-nick-bosa-questionable-face-215100848.html?src=rss |
New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick is reportedly sitting at the top of the mountain when it comes to coaching salaries in the United States, and there isn’t even anyone within shouting distance.
It’s a salary fit for a king when it comes to the greatest coach in NFL history.
Sportico listed the top-10 highest-paid coaches in the country, and Belichick towered above the rest with an estimated annual salary of $20 million per year. The closest coach to competing with that salary is Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll with a $15 million annual salary.
Here’s the full top-10 list.
1. Bill Belichick, Patriots, $20 million
2. Pete Carroll, Seahawks, $15 million
3. Sean McVay, Rams, $14 million
4. Gregg Popovich, Spurs, $13 million
5. Mike Tomlin, Steelers, $12.5 million
T6. Andy Reid, Chiefs, $12 million
T6. John Harbaugh, Ravens, $12 million
8. Nick Saban, Alabama, $11.8 million
9. Dabo Swinney, Clemson, $11.5 million
10. Kirby Smart, Georgia, $11.3 million
Belichick has taken the Patriots to nine Super Bowls and won six overall with the franchise. Granted, the team has fallen on tough times in recent years with the exit of legendary quarterback Tom Brady, but the man with the sleeveless hoodie still remains one of the best coaches in football.
And he obviously has the bank account to prove it. | 2022-12-09T22:06:20Z | sports.yahoo.com | Bill Belichick reportedly the highest paid coach in American sports, and it isn’t even close | https://sports.yahoo.com/bill-belichick-reportedly-highest-paid-212302768.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/bill-belichick-reportedly-highest-paid-212302768.html?src=rss |
Darrell Henderson Jr. was shockingly waived by the Rams last month as the team made major changes, also releasing Justin Hollins from the 53-man roster on the same day. The Jaguars promptly scooped up Henderson, claiming him off waivers the next day.
Henderson was inactive for his first two games with the Jaguars and now he’s back on the market again. The Jaguars announced on Friday that they’ve waived Henderson, a surprising move involving the former Rams running back. He never appeared in a game for Jacksonville.
We have waived RB Darrell Henderson Jr.
Henderson rushed for 283 yards on 70 carries with the Rams this season, scoring three touchdowns and catching 17 passes for 102 yards. He’s set to be a free agent in March so if any team claims him off waivers, they’ll inherit the remainder of his contract for 2022. | 2022-12-09T22:06:26Z | sports.yahoo.com | Darrell Henderson Jr. waived by Jaguars before ever taking a snap | https://sports.yahoo.com/darrell-henderson-jr-waived-jaguars-203028016.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/darrell-henderson-jr-waived-jaguars-203028016.html?src=rss |
The Jacksonville Jaguars waived running back Darrell Henderson Jr. on Friday, two weeks after claiming the former Los Angeles Rams starter.
Henderson, 25, never played a game with the Jaguars after he was claimed on Nov. 23. The running back was declared inactive both weeks he spent with Jacksonville and was listed as questionable in Week 13 due to an illness.
The Jaguars began the season with the tandem of James Robinson and Travis Etienne Jr. in the backfield, but opted to trade away Robinson in October. Etienne has seen the vast majority of the touches since the trade with JaMycal Hasty and Snoop Conner occasionally getting carries.
Henderson was a third-round pick for the Rams in the 2019 NFL Draft and recorded 1,742 rushing yards and 17 total touchdowns in 50 career games with the team.
In addition to Etienne, Hasty, and Conner, the Jaguars also have second-year back Mekhi Sargent on the practice squad.
Argentina and Netherlands went into extra time after Wout Weghorst made it 2-2 in the 11th minute of stoppage time. | 2022-12-09T22:07:21Z | sports.yahoo.com | Jaguars waive RB Darrell Henderson, who never played a game with team | https://sports.yahoo.com/jaguars-waive-rb-darrell-henderson-203326277.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/jaguars-waive-rb-darrell-henderson-203326277.html?src=rss |
Atlanta started off 4-4, but the team has since lost four out of five games to drop to 5-8. With just four games left in the 2022 season, the Falcons have finally made the decision to bench Mariota for rookie Desmond Ridder when the team returns from its bye week.
To those around the NFL, this was somewhat of a surprise, but Falcons fans have been calling for Ridder for weeks. The decision comes at a good time since Ridder will have an extra week to get ready for the team’s Week 15 matchup in New Orleans.
Preparation will be key for the third-round pick out of Cincinnati as he makes his debut against Atlanta’s most-hated rival. The Saints defeated the Falcons back in Week 1 after overcoming a 16-point fourth-quarter deficit.
In that game, Mariota passed for 215 yards and rushed for 72 yards and a touchdown on the ground. This was one of Mariota’s better passing performances, as he topped 200 passing yards just two other times this season.
It’s unreasonable to expect Ridder to step in and start winning games right away. After all, the quarterback spot is just one of a number of positions that have hindered the Falcons this year. Nonetheless, getting a look at Ridder before the season is over is necessary, especially for a team projected to have another top-10 pick in 2023.
Ridder was projected to go anywhere from the late-first round to the third round of the 2022 draft. Many felt Atlanta stole the former Cincinnati standout at pick No. 74 overall.
Ridder reportedly wowed several teams during the draft process, including the Falcons.
Desmond Ridder absolutely wowed evaluators in the draft process. Absolutely crushed interviews I was told. Including the ones he had with the Falcons. Not overly talented, but the complete package. Smart, athletic enough, leader, makes players around him better.
With a dominant ground game to lean on, Atlanta appears to be setting Ridder up for success. The Saints have the 20th-ranked run defense, and the Falcons likely won’t ask him to do too much on Sunday.
Ridder has long been praised for his intelligence and leadership ability. We’ll see how prepared the rookie is in Week 15 when the live bullets start flying. | 2022-12-09T22:08:03Z | sports.yahoo.com | Patience is the key for Falcons rookie Desmond Ridder | https://sports.yahoo.com/patience-key-falcons-rookie-desmond-213031471.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/patience-key-falcons-rookie-desmond-213031471.html?src=rss |
The Baltimore Ravens put out their game status report for this week’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers and starting quarterback Lamar Jackson is listed as doubtful with a knee injury. Jackson hasn’t practiced all week after injuring his knee in last week’s win over the Denver Broncos.
Ravens head coach John Harbaugh noted at his press conference on Friday that it “looks like it’s going to be Tyler Huntley on Sunday” so listing him as doubtful rather than out is a bit puzzling. Could this all be the long con and Jackson is going to try to play against the Steelers with no practice this week?
Not likely. Pittsburgh beat Huntley last season when these two teams squared off for the second time but Huntley is much improved since then. The Ravens are leading the AFC North at 8-4 while the Steelers are in last place at 5-7. Nevertheless, without Jackson in the lineup, you have to like the Steelers chances of pulling off their third win in a row. | 2022-12-09T22:08:21Z | sports.yahoo.com | Steelers vs Ravens: Baltimore QB Lamar Jackson listed at DOUBTFUL this week | https://sports.yahoo.com/steelers-vs-ravens-baltimore-qb-204442202.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/steelers-vs-ravens-baltimore-qb-204442202.html?src=rss |
ESPN NFL draft experts Mel Kiper Jr., Todd McShay, Matt Miller and Jordan Reid recently answered a variety of questions surrounding the 2023 NFL draft class.
Which prospects have first-round upside, potential sleepers in later rounds, who will perform well at the NFL combine, pro comparisons and the impressive quarterback class were all discussed.
McShay compared Texas running back Bijan Robinson to New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley. Robinson is widely expected to become a first round selection in the upcoming draft, more than likely in the middle to late round, while Barkley was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2018 NFL draft.
Here’s what McShay had to say about the interesting comparison.
Bijan Robinson to Saquon Barkley. Both are 6-foot and 220-plus pounds. Both take tremendous care of their bodies. Both excel at forcing missed tackles with an elite combination of shake and power. Both are outstanding pass catchers and very reliable in pass pro. And both bring energy on game day.
Robinson was awarded the Doak Walker Award on Thursday, given annually to the nation’s top running back. He has not officially announced his intentions to declare for the 2023 NFL draft, but all signs are pointing that direction. Reports indicate that he expects to opt out of the Alamo Bowl. | 2022-12-09T22:08:28Z | sports.yahoo.com | Todd McShay compares Texas RB Bijan Robinson to Saquon Barkley | https://sports.yahoo.com/todd-mcshay-compares-texas-rb-205907860.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/todd-mcshay-compares-texas-rb-205907860.html?src=rss |
SAN FRANCISCO -- For a few hours this week at the Manchester Grand Hyatt in San Diego, the Giants could dream of everything lining up perfectly.
They had announced a three-year deal for Bay Area native Mitch Haniger and were hopeful that Aaron Judge would be the next to put pen to paper. An alignment of Judge in right, Mike Yastrzemski in center and Haniger in left would be light years better than last year's outfield, and with a little more health from Haniger and a little more consistency from Yastrzemski, the San Francisco Giants, of all teams, could have the best outfield in baseball.
The dream came crashing down at 5 a.m. on Wednesday morning, but Judge's decision was not the only hit for the Giants. They're quickly running out of ways to rebuild their outfield.
"I think he's one of the most interestingly talented defenders in the sport in center field," he said.
Judge was Plan A, but adding an elite center fielder could push Haniger -- an average right fielder with a strong arm -- to left, and Yastrzemski to right, where he is potentially a Gold Glove Award winner. But about an hour after Kapler addressed the media, Bellinger became a Cub.
"As a left-handed hitter against right-handed pitching, in that sort of role, he's, like, elite. He's elite at that job," Kapler said. "He was one of the best hitters in baseball against righties last year and it would be no surprise to see him do that again, and I think we need to improve our outfield defense. I think that's not just a desire. We have to improve our outfield defense because we were one of the worst in baseball.
"We need to be better at converting ground balls into outs, so we're going to be really diligent about working on that [too]. Just like it has a cascading effect when you play s--tty defense, it also has a cascading effect when you play really good defense. We're going to get more athletic in the outfield and more athletic on the dirt and as a result I think we're going to be protecting our pitchers better and we're going to see the wake of that."
With Judge and Nimmo gone, the best outfielder remaining in free agency is Andrew Benintendi, who would bring contact skills but not that much power. He is part of a remaining group of players with plenty of warts. Jurickson Profar is an above-average hitter but poor defender in left. Kevin Keirmaier is a very good defensive center fielder but has a .690 OPS the last three seasons. Michael Conforto is someone the Giants have had interest in the past and they could try to rehabilitate him. After that, it's guys like Joey Gallo and David Peralta.
It's also possible that the Giants react to this week's action by adding a first baseman. They flew to San Diego with Yastrzemski, Austin Slater, Luis Gonzalez and LaMonte Wade Jr. on the roster, with Wade looking headed for a lot of time as the left-handed half of a first base platoon. But Zaidi said the Giants might look for first base help now and play Wade in the outfield more often.
Yastrzemski's ability to play center allows for that. The Giants have viewed Yastrzemski as a crucial swing piece, someone who is great in right but also good in center. That allowed them to chase the dream of adding Haniger and Judge, but they now will have to pivot. After watching the AL home run king stay in New York, the outfield focus now will be a familiar one.
"I think the best way for us to upgrade is to go and get another really good defensive outfielder and then have Yaz and Haniger at the corners and LaMonte at first with the ability to go out there [in the outfield]," Zaidi said. | 2022-12-09T22:32:38Z | sports.yahoo.com | What Giants are planning for outfield after Aaron Judge pursuit falls short | https://sports.yahoo.com/giants-planning-outfield-aaron-judge-195028035.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/giants-planning-outfield-aaron-judge-195028035.html?src=rss |
Florida Gators offensive lineman O'Cyrus Torrence has been named a Walter Camp First-Team All-American for the 2022 season. He will have a brick laid in front of the Bull Gators statue at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in honor of his selection.
Earned his brick.
Congratulations to @78_KingBo on being named @WalterCampFF First Team All-American!
📰 https://t.co/61U3rvaxG8 pic.twitter.com/pYyl6rfkF0
Other top players like Anthony Richardson and Ventrell Miller have also declared for the NFL draft and will not be playing against the Oregon State Beavers in the Las Vegas Bowl. That game will be played on Dec. 17 starting at 2:30 p.m. EST and broadcast on ESPN.
Four-star offensive tackle Josiah Thompson is one of the top players at his position in the class of 2024, and he just named Florida as one of his top schools. | 2022-12-09T22:54:17Z | sports.yahoo.com | Florida offensive lineman named a Walter Camp First-Team All-American | https://sports.yahoo.com/florida-offensive-lineman-named-walter-210517494.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/florida-offensive-lineman-named-walter-210517494.html?src=rss |
Two breakthrough first-year players have been named to the Freshman All-SEC team for the 2022 season. Running back Trevor Etienne and linebacker Shemar James are being recognized just two days after being Honorable Mentions on the College Football News Freshman All-American team.
Trevor Etienne took the reigns as the Gators’ primary running back option later on in the season after splitting duties with Montrell Johnson Jr. for most of the season. Paired with Anthony Richardson’s rushing ability, that three-headed monster was the backbone of Florida’s offense.
Etienne recorded 704 rushing yards this season, with 129 of those yards coming in a career-high performance against Florida State. He became the fourth true freshman in Florida football history to rush for at least 700 yards, joining Emmitt Smith, Tony Green and Fred Taylor.
Shemar James played in all twelve games for the Gators with three starts. He recorded 40 tackles this season, good for the second-most among true freshman SEC linebackers and sixth-most for the Gators. James’ best game came against Eastern Washington, where he recorded a career-high eight tackles. He was one of Billy Napier’s best-recruiting wins in his transition class, as the former five-star was considered the No. 3 prospect in Alabama and the No. 6 linebacker nationally, per 247Sports.
Makin' their mark. @Trevor_Etienne and @shemar0524 earn Freshman All-SEC honors!
📰 https://t.co/NtQXlZnlni pic.twitter.com/EQXFg3KIVo
Top players like Richardson, O'Cyrus Torrence and Ventrell Miller have declared for the NFL draft and will not be playing against the Oregon State Beavers in the Las Vegas Bowl. Because of that and the over a dozen players that have entered the transfer portal, Etienne and James will play a big role on Dec. 17 starting at 2:30 p.m. EST and broadcast on ESPN. | 2022-12-09T22:54:30Z | sports.yahoo.com | Two Florida players named to the Freshman All-SEC team | https://sports.yahoo.com/two-florida-players-named-freshman-221620319.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/two-florida-players-named-freshman-221620319.html?src=rss |
Trevor Lawrence was officially listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Tennessee Titans with a toe injury.
“I feel good,” Lawrence said after practice on Friday, via ESPN. It was the first practice he’s had all week.
Lawrence went down right before halftime of last week’s loss to the Detroit Lions, but he returned to finish the game. He sat out of practice on Wednesday and Thursday because of it.
If Lawrence can’t go, it’ll mark the first start he’s missed since the Jaguars selected him No. 1 overall last year. If that’s the case, the Jaguars will turn to former Iowa quarterback C.J. Beathard.
"It's going to be his kind of peace of mind, quite honestly, and can he play through it?" coach Doug Pederson said, via ESPN. "It's going to be sore just like anybody's injuries this time of year, and he's obviously a tough guy. He wants to play. He wants to be out there, and I think these next couple of days, I think, for him will probably ease any kind of tension that he might have going into the game."
“It’s a grind. It’s the wear and tear of the mind, the body,” he said, via ESPN. “That’s the nature of the NFL, but also the beauty of it. …"Now, it's on my side where I've got to continue to reflect on myself and see what I can do better and take advantage of the opportunities that are out there."
Browns’ David Njoku ‘good to go,’ Amari Cooper questionable
Though Njoku is back, wide receiver Amari Cooper was listed as questionable with a hip injury. Cooper had four catches for 40 yards last week against the Texans, and has 832 yards and seven touchdowns on the year.
Tyreek Hill back for Dolphins
Hill was out with a minor illness on Thursday, though it clearly didn’t hinder him much. He should be good for Sunday night’s game against the Los Angeles Chargers.
“On game day, we still expect him to be fast,” Mike McDaniel said of Tyreek Hill as he will play on SNF. https://t.co/cy4FXVInFA
Courtland Sutton out for Broncos
Detroit's leading concert venues scored big in the 2022 rankings, while Bad Bunny and Elton John clocked the top-grossing North American tours. | 2022-12-09T23:38:42Z | sports.yahoo.com | NFL injury tracker Week 14: Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence questionable, will likely play vs. Titans | https://sports.yahoo.com/nfl-injury-tracker-week-14-jaguars-qb-trevor-lawrence-questionable-will-likely-play-vs-titans-223201559.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/nfl-injury-tracker-week-14-jaguars-qb-trevor-lawrence-questionable-will-likely-play-vs-titans-223201559.html?src=rss |
USA Track & Field hosted the Olympic Track & Field team trials at Hayward Field in June, 2021 – a month that marked the highest-ever temperatures in Eugene, Oregon’s recorded history.
Now, the organization is being sued for negligence after Taliyah Brooks collapsed during the heptathlon and was later hospitalized for heat exhaustion after competing in 111-degree heat.
“The complaint is asking the court to set aside a clause that USATF is trying to enforce that would prevent Taliyah Brooks from holding them accountable for its negligence,” Brooks’ lawyer Bill Blocke told Yahoo Sports.
The complaint, obtained by Yahoo Sports, cites USATF’s denial of the Athletes’ Advisory Council’s petition to move the heptathlon trials from the hottest part of the day in a historic heat wave.
It also alleges that USATF failed to adequately staff the event, provide sufficient medical attention or even have an ambulance at the site.
While local news channels warned of the extreme conditions, Brooks was ranked 2nd in the outdoor competition entering the second day of the heptathlon. Bracing herself to complete a seven-event outdoor competition, she felt off as she completed long jump, the first event of the day.
She competed in 108-degree weather the day prior and attempted to hydrate and continue. As she warmed up for javelin, the track reportedly reached 150 degrees compared to the 111-degree off-track temperature.
Before Brooks could compete, she collapsed. She woke up in an ice tub with the realization that she wouldn’t make it to the Olympics, screaming as she waited for the ambulance to arrive.
EUGENE, OREGON - JUNE 27: USATF is being sued after Taliyah Brooks collapsed before the Women's Heptathlon Javelin during day ten of the 2020 U.S. Olympic Track & Field Team Trials at Hayward Field. (Photo by Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images)
USATF denied Brooks any assistance
“Not only did she miss the Olympics, but It really impacted her ability to perform at the level that she had been competing at for probably about another year,” Blocke told Yahoo Sports. “It really set her career back and she was looking for some assistance from USATF. They said that they were not going to provide her any.”
USATF and their insurance company delivered the news to Brook in part, by mail.
The letters, obtained by Yahoo Sports, contain reminders of the multiple release forms Brooks signed in order to compete. “Should this claim get into litigation, USA Track & Field will rely on the waiver as one of its defenses,” the organization wrote.
USATF’s insurance company wrote, “USATF was aware of extreme heat conditions on the weekend of the competition finals and took necessary precaution,” in their letter denying Brooks assistance.
Blocke stressed Brooks' case is crucial for all athletes.
“This is an important case for the protection of the health and well-being of athletes,” Blocke said. “If a national governing body like USATF can avoid accountability for its negligence as a condition of entry into the U.S. Olympic Trials then any promise by USATF that it will protect its athletes is empty and unenforceable.”
Yahoo Sports reached out to USATF for comment. | 2022-12-10T00:04:34Z | sports.yahoo.com | USATF faces lawsuit for negligence after athlete collapsed from heat exhaustion at Olympic trials | https://sports.yahoo.com/usatf-faces-lawsuit-for-negligence-after-athlete-collapsed-from-heat-exhaustion-at-olympic-trials-230737716.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/usatf-faces-lawsuit-for-negligence-after-athlete-collapsed-from-heat-exhaustion-at-olympic-trials-230737716.html?src=rss |
NEW YORK (AP) At a time when Heisman Trophy winners are usually on their way to being first-round picks in the NFL draft, Stetson Bennett is a contender from another era of college football.
''I think I'm as good as quarterback is anybody, but I don't think about as, like, I'm the best quarterback. Because there's so many different variables and different offenses and things that you're asked to do, who you have around you,'' said Bennett, who was sporting an old-school look Friday in a red-and-black letterman's jacket while meeting with reporters and posing for pictures at a Manhattan hotel with three other Heisman finalist quarterbacks.
''It's pretty cool,'' Williams said. ''Because everybody watches Patrick and sees all the cool things he can do. I always said, even in high school ... obviously it's special, but I don't think there's anything I can't do that he's doing out there.''
''So (the offense) so far has been more explosive. And there has been more asked of me this year, which has been fun for me, and I've enjoyed it a lot,'' Bennett said. ''But I think that comes from me earning it, me being good enough to do that. I don't think I necessarily was last year. Some spots, but not all the time.''
''I just heard it and, what does that mean? Right?'' Bennett said. ''But, shoot, he was a little bit right.'' | 2022-12-10T00:38:50Z | sports.yahoo.com | Georgia QB Bennett is old-school Heisman Trophy contender | https://sports.yahoo.com/georgia-qb-bennett-old-school-224620870.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/georgia-qb-bennett-old-school-224620870.html?src=rss |
The Arizona Cardinals’ next game in Monday night at home against the New England Patriots, a team they rarely face because they are in the AFC.
Normally, they would face them only once every four years. However, despite facing them two years ago in 2020, because of the 17th game of the season that is against a team in the other conference, they face them this year.
The two teams have only met a total of 15 times dating back to 1970. The Cardinals trail the Patriots in the all-time series 8-7 and have lost two straight meetings. The Cardinals only have one win over New England in the last 8 matchups.
Let’s take a look back at the Cardinals’ last three appearances against the Pats and how they turned out.
All three were decided in part because of missed field goal near the end of the game.
2020: Patriots 20, Cardinals 17
The Patriots won the game on a 50-yard field goal from Nick Folk as time expired.
It ended up being the game that cost the Cardinals the playoffs.
After cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick intercepted Cam Newton and gave the offense the ball near midfield, kicker Zane Gonzalez missed a 42-yard field goal that would have given the Cardinals a 20-17 lead with 1:47 left in the game.
Isaiah Simmons was called for a questionable late hit, extending the Patriots’ drive and setting them up for the game-winning kick.
Arizona struggled offensively in that game with only 298 total yards, although New England only had 179 yards.
Kicker Chandler Catanzaro missed a 47-yard field goal wide right with under a minute to go, giving the Patriots the win.
The Patriots jumped out to a 10-0 lead and led 20-14 in the fourth quarter, but Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer threw a one-yard touchdown pass with under 10 minutes to go to give them a 21-20 lead.
Stephen Gostkowski made a 32-yard field goal with 3:44 left in the game to give them the lead before Catanzaro’s missed kick.
2012: Cardinals 20, Patriots 18
The Cardinals upset the Patriots after Gostkowski missed a 42-yard field goal with five seconds left in the game.
The Patriots failed to convert two-point conversion that would have tied the game but Cardinals running back Ryan Williams fumbled the ball giving Tom Brady and the Pats life, only to have the Cardinals win on a missed kick. | 2022-12-10T01:09:31Z | sports.yahoo.com | Cardinals can even all-time series vs. Patriots with win on Monday | https://sports.yahoo.com/cardinals-even-time-series-vs-235824301.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/cardinals-even-time-series-vs-235824301.html?src=rss |
The Arizona Cardinals face the New England Patriots Monday night at State Farm Stadium. A number of key factors will determine who wins the game, as naturally is the case.
The Pats have won two straight in the all-time series and lead 8-7 all-time.
But the last three games the two teams have played have come down to a missed field goal, suggesting that perhaps the game could come down to the kicking game.
In 2020, a 20-17 win by the Patriots, Arizona’s Zane Gonzalez missed a potential go-ahead 42-yard field goal with 1:47 left in the game. Making that kick would have give them a 20-17 lead and would have forced the Pats, who had only 179 total yards for the whole game offensively, to march down the field for at least a tie.
The Pats made a 50-yard field goal as time expired after the missed kick.
In 2016, the game came down to a 47-yard field goal by Chandler Catanzaro. Trailing 23-21, Catanzaro missed the field goal and the Cardinals lost the game.
In 2012, the Cardinals won the game 20-18 after Stephen Gostkowski misses a 42-yard field goal with five seconds left in the game.
Will this game come down to a missed kick by either Matt Prater of the Cardinals or Nick Folk?
It wouldn’t be a surprise. | 2022-12-10T01:09:58Z | sports.yahoo.com | Missed kicks loom large in history of Cardinals-Patriots | https://sports.yahoo.com/missed-kicks-loom-large-history-001428540.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/missed-kicks-loom-large-history-001428540.html?src=rss |
New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick clearly had his eye on Baker Mayfield’s improbable comeback win over the Las Vegas Raiders in his regular season debut in a Los Angeles Rams uniform.
The former Carolina Panther completed a 98-yard game-winning touchdown drive on Thursday night, two days after being claimed on waivers.
Belichick was obviously blown away by how quickly Mayfield was able to pick up the offense. On Friday, he even went as far as comparing one of his own players, offensive tackle Conor McDermott, to the veteran quarterback.
“About as good as you could expect for a player coming in like this,” said Belichick, via NESN’s Zack Cox. “Maybe Mayfield, but it’s still pretty good.”
McDermott was recently signed off the New York Jets’ practice squad in an effort to add depth to the Patriots’ banged up offensive line. It isn’t his first rodeo in New England, either.
He was actually selected by the team in the sixth-round of the 2017 NFL draft. Belichick waived him the same year he was drafted in hopes he’d pass through waivers without being claimed, but the Buffalo Bills swooped in and snatched him up.
Fast forward five years later, McDermott is once again a Patriot with another chance to make a name for himself, just like Mayfield did in Los Angeles.
“…He picked up things quickly. He’s a smart kid,” said Belichick. “He’s picked up things quickly, and [he has] a lot of familiarity with teams in the division that we’ve played and that kind of thing. That’s all played pretty favorably.” | 2022-12-10T01:10:30Z | sports.yahoo.com | You won’t guess what Patriots player Bill Belichick compared to Baker Mayfield | https://sports.yahoo.com/won-t-guess-patriots-player-234147282.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/won-t-guess-patriots-player-234147282.html?src=rss |
A New York team swooped up a Giants' free agent target for the second time this week.
The New York Post's Mike Puma reported Friday that Nimmo actually had an offer from the Giants before New York jumped in and got a deal done with the 29-year-old.
Nimmo hit .274/.367/.433 16 home runs and 64 RBI in 151 games for the Mets in 2022 and was one of the top free agent outfielders this offseason.
Jacob deGrom on his time with the New York Mets, decision to join the Texas Rangers | Rangers News Conference
Jacob deGrom says he will always have a special place in his heart for Mets fans as he embarks on his new journey as a member of the Rangers. deGrom says the reason he chose to join this ball club was because of their commitment to winning a World Series.
Godfather actor Al Pacino makes surprise appearance at The Game Awards 2022. Source: The Game Awards
Capri Holdings (CPRI) reported earnings 30 days ago. What's next for the stock? We take a look at earnings estimates for some clues. | 2022-12-10T01:35:12Z | sports.yahoo.com | MLB rumors: Brandon Nimmo had offer from Giants before re-signing with Mets | https://sports.yahoo.com/mlb-rumors-brandon-nimmo-had-233601770.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/mlb-rumors-brandon-nimmo-had-233601770.html?src=rss |
Michigan State football is one of 12 schools still in the running for arguably the top prospect in the 2024 class.
TJ Capers of Miami revealed his top 12 schools list on Friday — which included the Spartans. Michigan State was joined by Penn State, Miami (FL), Texas A&M, Georgia, Michigan, Louisville, USC, Alabama, Tennessee, LSU and Ohio State.
Capers is listed as a five-star prospect in the 2024 class, and ranked as the No. 7 overall prospect in 247Sports’ composite rankings for the class. He’s also ranked as the No. 2 edge rusher and No. 2 player from the state of Florida.
2024 Georgia 5-star Edge TJ Capers lists Michigan State football in top 12 | 2022-12-10T02:23:04Z | sports.yahoo.com | 2024 Florida 5-star Edge TJ Capers lists Michigan State football in top 12 | https://sports.yahoo.com/2024-florida-5-star-edge-021324739.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/2024-florida-5-star-edge-021324739.html?src=rss |
Stephen Jones was there on Sept. 8, 2002, at Reliant Stadium.
The expansion Houston Texans beat his Dallas Cowboys 19-10 on ESPN Sunday Night Football as Space City inaugurated a new era of having an NFL franchise. Even though the Cowboys were amid a three-season stretch of finishing 5-11, they weren’t supposed to lose to an expansion team in its first game.
“I think that’s why you don’t take any team for granted,” Jones told “GBag Nation” on 105.3 “The Fan” [KRLD-FM] in Dallas-Fort Worth Friday. “They pay their guys, too. They have really good football players on their team.”
Twenty years later the Texans are roughly in the same spot, although the term for an existing franchise starting from the ground up is “rebuilding.” The Cowboys are in a much better place than the turn of the millennium with a 9-3 record and chasing a playoff spot.
Nevertheless Jones remembers the lesson from 2002 and isn’t counting the Texans out.
“Lovie [Smith] is not by any means a rookie, but he’s coaching, as head coach, the Texans for the first time,” Jones said. “He’s a great football coach. He’s had a lot of success in this league. I’m sure he’s working through like all coaches who get their hand on a team, changing the culture and doing it the way he wants to do it. There’s growing pains.”
The Texans will be turning to second-year quarterback Davis Mills to lead the charge again after giving Kyle Allen two games under center. Mills was benched for his 1-8-1 record and 78.1 passer rating while conducting an otherwise ineffective offense.
Said Jones: “They got really good football players and it blows my mind people think we’re going to roll the ball out there and we’re going to come away with a win. This is going to be highly competitive, and if we don’t play our very best football, then we’ll end up not getting the results we want. We got to go out there and play really well, and I know the Texans are going to improve.”
How healthy are the Browns going into their Week 14 matchup against the Bengals?
Here's the chance for Dennis Gates to etch his name into the Border War rivalry. Here's the chance to prove Missouri is for real this season. | 2022-12-10T02:40:53Z | sports.yahoo.com | Cowboys EVP Stephen Jones not taking Texans lightly | https://sports.yahoo.com/cowboys-evp-stephen-jones-not-011507274.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/cowboys-evp-stephen-jones-not-011507274.html?src=rss |
The 49ers will be rolling with "Mr. Irreevant" Brock Purdy as their starting quarterback against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday at Levi's Stadium after Jimmy Garoppolo sustained a broken foot in San Francisco's Week 13 win over the Miami Dolphins.
"We talked for a little bit and just picked his brain on what it's going to take," Purdy told reporters on Thursday. "And he's awesome, man. Just telling me, do this and do that as the quarterback here.
"I just told him that I love him and I appreciate everything that he's done for me. He's definitely been around, guys have seen him, and every time you see him, you smile. He's a great guy and the energy that he brings is awesome, so it's great having him around."
Garoppolo isn't the lone player giving Purdy pointers ahead of his first NFL start; other players and coaches are lending a helping hand to ensure the former Iowa State product has the resources to succeed.
"There's been a lot of good things that people have said, both coaches and players," Purdy said. "I think the biggest thing is seeing like the older guys, the veterans of the team, just come up to me and tell me like, 'Hey, like we got you.' And even the guys on defense, they're like, 'Do your thing on offense. We're going to hold it down and do our part.'"
"And then the older guys on offense, like Christian [McCaffrey] and George [Kittle] and Deebo [Samuel], Brandon Aiyuk] B.A., Trent [Williams], all those guys, they're like, 'Man, we got you. We're not just going to throw you out there and leave you out there by yourself.' They all got my back. and I think that's just been the coolest part about it, so knowing that I'm not alone in this whole thing."
RELATED: 49ers QB Brock Purdy reveals true feelings on 'Mr. Irrelevant' tag
Purdy entered the game in relief against Miami last Sunday, completing 25 of 37 passes for 210 yards with two passing touchdowns and one interception. Now the 49ers' new starting quarterback will attempt to replicate his inspiring performance. | 2022-12-10T02:41:08Z | sports.yahoo.com | What Jimmy Garoppolo told Brock Purdy ahead of first NFL start vs. Buccaneers | https://sports.yahoo.com/jimmy-garoppolo-told-brock-purdy-005937348.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/jimmy-garoppolo-told-brock-purdy-005937348.html?src=rss |
“I haven’t made the decision,” Beckham said. “I would like to be in a stable environment. Get up 6 a.m., leave at 6 p.m. for four weeks and then let’s talk about it. I’ve played football for a long time. I’m not saying I couldn’t step in and play [in the] regular season, but I don’t see the point. I really don’t. I’d rather play when that pressure’s on.”
Open door for return to New York
Even with his disclaimer, the comment is fuel for fans who hope to see Beckham and the Giants’ star running back fulfill the expectations that were cut short with Beckham’s trade to the Cleveland Browns.
Beckham has mentioned the desire for multi-year deal, which could be of interest for the Giants. The Dallas Cowboys and Buffalo Bills are also options for the wideout.
Though the Cowboys have cooled on their recruitment of the star, Barkley wasn’t moved by their efforts.
“I don’t have to tweet at him,” Barkley quipped.
“I think it would be a great story to come back to a place he was at before and continue to help build success,” he added. “To come here with the right mindset and be a leader and be the type of player that he can be for this team. Like I said, he’s a special player.”
Former Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. is still available. (Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports) | 2022-12-10T03:06:47Z | sports.yahoo.com | Odell Beckham Jr. says he doesn’t ‘see the point’ of playing in the regular season | https://sports.yahoo.com/odell-beckham-jr-says-he-doesnt-see-the-point-of-playing-in-the-regular-season-161457413.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/odell-beckham-jr-says-he-doesnt-see-the-point-of-playing-in-the-regular-season-161457413.html?src=rss |
Nets coach Jacque Vaughn says team ‘relaxed a little bit’ in win over Hornets
NEW YORK– Even though the Brooklyn Nets beat the Charlotte Hornets 122-116 on Wednesday, it didn’t come without a scare. Brooklyn was up by as many as 23 points in this game just to only win by six.
The Nets built that 23-point lead by displaying some impressive offense. In the first half, Brooklyn shot 29-of-48 from the field (60%) behind the impressive shooting of Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant, and Seth Curry. Unfortunately for the Nets, the second half was a different story.
Charlotte won the third quarter 32-23 because of them shooting 11-of-22 from the field (50%) while Brooklyn was unable to stop Terry Rozier and Kelly Oubre Jr. Eventually, it came down to the Nets having the better players and being healthier for this game.
Nets coach Jacque Vaughn gave his take on how the Nets let up in the second half.
“Yeah, I think overall it was one of those games where we jumped out to a lead,” he explained. “Just to be honest with you, the NBA game where that’s a well-coached team, they were gonna continue to fight back, we relaxed a little bit and kind of paid for it. Good thing we have some pretty good players to execute at the end of the game, which we did for the most part, so I love that piece of it.”
To Vaughn’s point, the Nets were able to get some big shots from Irving down the stretch in order to hold off the Hornets and come away with a win.
“We just got too comfortable and let them start to get where they want to to the rim, to the paint,” Vaughn added. “Too many times.”
The Nets will look to build off this win when they take on the Atlanta Hawks on Friday.
Maimouna Doucouré, a French director of Senegalese origins who grew up in a social housing project in Paris and started her career with a screenwriting contest, isn’t one to buckle under any type of pressure or challenge. She certainly didn’t dwell on the misguided backlash to her film “Cuties.” The controversy was provoked by Netflix’s […] | 2022-12-10T03:41:30Z | sports.yahoo.com | Nets coach Jacque Vaughn says team ‘relaxed a little bit’ in win over Hornets | https://sports.yahoo.com/nets-coach-jacque-vaughn-says-042737975.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/nets-coach-jacque-vaughn-says-042737975.html?src=rss |
One of Charlotte’s most well known attorneys passed away overnight Thursday due to complications from a stroke.
Bill Diehl is considered by many to be a Charlotte legend, and his decades-long career in the Queen City included numerous high-profile cases alongside his reputation as a tough divorce attorney. He rose to prominence by representing former Charlotte Hornets owner George Shinn in a civil trial, and also represented famous Charlotteans like Rick Hendrick, Rae Carruth, and John Isley.
After moving to Charlotte in 1970, Diehl spent decades working at the law firm James, McElroy and Diehl, tackling some of the city’s largest cases.
He was described as a force to be reckoned with, even being named one of the “Ten Scariest People in Charlotte” in the early 2000s. But to those who knew him personally, he was much more than his courtroom character.
“Before he was a big shot lawyer or iconic or anything like that‚ he just had a way of making you feel incredibly special to him,” Danny Diehl, Bill’s brother, told Channel 9.
It wasn’t just the criminal and civil courts that Diehl was known in -- he would often be spotted near the basketball court as a fixture with the Charlotte Hornets.
He was a season ticket holder since the team launched in 1988, and his brother says he never wanted to miss a game.
Diehl was 78.
(WATCH BELOW: Former Panther Rae Carruth accepts responsibility for girlfriend’s murder)
Anthony Lamb accusations will test Warriors' principles and image
Anthony Lamb is named in a civil suit alleging that he committed sexual assault while at the University of Vermont. | 2022-12-10T03:41:43Z | sports.yahoo.com | Well known Charlotte lawyer Bill Diehl passes away at age 78 | https://sports.yahoo.com/well-known-charlotte-lawyer-bill-211721019.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/well-known-charlotte-lawyer-bill-211721019.html?src=rss |
Things are changing fast in the landscape of college football. From conference re-allignment, NIL deals, the playoff expansion, and of course transfer portal chaos, it’s a lot to consider and stay on top of. None of these changes are small. They are all massive changes that severely alter how teams are recruited, built, and developed.
Understanding the changes and keeping up with them is one thing, but then enters the next logical question fans have. How do these changes affect “my team?” Who is in a position to take advantage of these new angles and what happens to programs that are slow to adapt?
Let’s take a look at some things to consider in regard to Notre Dame’s positioning in the “Wild West” of the transfer portal era.
Embrace Or Get Left Behind
I’m “old school” when it comes to college football in many regards. Many folks are, especially within the Notre Dame fan base where tradition and history reign and always will. Along these lines, many fans of college football now feel that the transfer portal with no limitations is bad for the game. That there is no more “student” in the term “student-athlete” but rather simply free agents looking for a quick path to the NFL or a NIL deal.
While these are valid concerns many purists have, to a certain extent, it doesn’t matter what we think. The reality now is that if your program is unwilling or unable to join in the transfer portal wave to a noticeable extent, you will not be able to compete at the highest level. It’s simply going to be impossible. If other teams have full recruiting classes AND a plethora of transfers yearly to help fill needs and you don’t. You can’t compete. Teams must embrace this trend or get left behind. Period.
Administrative Flexibility Is Key
Notre Dame head football coach Marcus Freeman holds a helmet while posing for a portrait with University president John I. Jenkins and Athletic Director Jack Swarbrick during a news conference Monday, Dec. 6, 2021 at the Irish Athletic Center in South Bend, Ind. Notre Dame formally introduced Freeman as its new football coach, a meteoric rise for the defensive coordinator. (Michael Caterina/South Bend Tribune via AP)
It’s no secret that Notre Dame values education to an extent most “football factories” do not. High test scores, exceptional grades, and character are a requirement for undergraduate admission for all students. This is something Notre Dame fans are very proud of and should be. Nobody is asking for that to end or be diminished as a core value of the institution.
What this does though places Notre Dame at a disadvantage in these “portal races”. For both athletes and non-athletes, transferring to Notre Dame as an undergrad is a challenge and is rare. Often times there are issues with credits from previous schools not “counting” in Notre Dame’s eyes. The University must find a way to streamline this process so that it can be slightly more reasonable for admission and also have the physical process of vetting potential transfers modernized and sped up. These are musts for Notre Dame to compete moving forward.
On the surface, the “grab as much available talent from anywhere and bring them in now” mentality sounds like a great idea, but I do think there are some risks involved in this process that must be carefully analyzed and processed.
Culture is a big deal in college football. It is the foundation from which all things healthy or unhealthy promulgate. Mixing large amounts of players who were organically recruited from within a program with large amounts that come in seemingly out of nowhere mid-career can cause instability if everyone is not on the same page and or is not properly vetted for “culture fit”. This is something that must be appreciated and managed properly by everyone involved.
Coaches Not Kings Anymore
For essentially the entire history of modern college football, coaches were kings. They had ultimate power over who plays, how much and when. And if a player didn’t like it they had to sit out of year to leave and play somewhere else. That is over now, and it is causing a major headache for coaches who are used to having all the power.
Gone are the days of a 4-5 star recruits going to a school laden with such stars in classes ahead of them and waiting their turn, developing, learning, paying their dues, etc. Now, if those players aren’t seeing the field as soon as they want, they can simply just leave and go play somewhere else right away. Coaches are struggling with this change. They simply cannot “hold players hostage” anymore. This is becoming a clash of egos between coaches and recruits that must be navigated carefully.
Effect On Traditional Recruiting
One thing I do not hear people discussing much but that I think will soon come into play is the effect the free and open portal may have on traditional recruiting in the future. I feel that there may be less scholarships available for high schoolers moving forward.
There are going to be some coaches that would rather offer scholarships to “known entities” from the portal than take the time to recruit and develop complete unknowns that are coming from high school. As this happens more and more there will be fewer slots for mid to lower-rated recruits that coaches don’t want to take the time to develop when there is a guy in the portal with experience and a known skill set. This is another tricky dynamic I can see emerging shortly.
Notre Dame will host USF transfer kicker Spencer Shrader this weekend
Notre Dame’s search in the transfer portal for additional help next season isn’t limited to the headline positions of quarterback, wide receiver and defensive line. The Irish are also in the market for a kicker. Notre Dame will host South Florida graduate transfer Spencer Shrader this weekend for a visit, Inside ND Sports confirmed Friday afternoon. | 2022-12-10T04:03:15Z | sports.yahoo.com | Notre Dame & Portal Chaos | https://sports.yahoo.com/notre-dame-portal-chaos-021832396.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/notre-dame-portal-chaos-021832396.html?src=rss |
On Friday evening, in-state 2023 running back Wynn Stang announced a preferred walk-on offer from the Wisconsin Badgers on Twitter.
Related: Luke Fickell posts a farewell message to Cincinnati
The Mukwonago, Wis., native was named the 2022 Max Preps Wisconsin High School Football Player of the Year following his outstanding senior season for Mukwonago High School. He rushed for over 2,763 yards and 42 touchdowns this past year, averaging 8.4 yards per carry.
Stang is the 15th-ranked player in the class of 2023 in Wisconsin and the 200th-ranked running back in the country by 247Sports. He also holds a PWO offer from Purdue.
It is excellent to see head coach Luke Fickell and the coaching staff making an early effort to keep in-state talent home with this walk-on offer for one of the best players in Wisconsin High School Football last season.
After an amazing call with @CoachTurnerUW I am truly honored and extremely blessed to receive a PWO from The University of Wisconsin!!!!🔴⚪️ @CoachFick pic.twitter.com/QXey2ALM0c
— Wynn Stang (@WynnStang) December 9, 2022
The Associated Press all-state football team was announced Thursday. It included nine first-team selections from the Milwaukee area.
Need help signing up for retirement benefits or Medicare? The SSA has been plagued by years of cuts to its administrative budget imposed by Congress just as the aging of the U.S. population has meant an exploding workload. | 2022-12-10T04:03:27Z | sports.yahoo.com | Wisconsin extends PWO offer to 2023 in-state RB Wynn Stang | https://sports.yahoo.com/wisconsin-extends-pwo-offer-2023-025115202.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/wisconsin-extends-pwo-offer-2023-025115202.html?src=rss |
Brock Purdy successfully completed his first step as the 49ers’ starting quarterback. He got through a week of practice without looking or acting like a seventh-round pick in his first week as an NFL starter.
Purdy on Thursday talked to reporters about the transition and how he’s handling some of the differences in his preparation. Head coach Kyle Shanahan on Friday confirmed Purdy took the dramatic change in stride, and gave perhaps the best compliment: nothing was different for the 49ers.
“Yeah, it’s been real good. Nothing’s really been different,” Shanahan said in his post-practice press conference. “It’s a big difference not having Jimmy in there, but you haven’t felt like a rookie’s coming in or anything. He handled Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday very well and I think the players and we expected him to, but you never know when a guy gets the first week where everyone’s looking at him, sometimes they get nervous and then the players start to look at each other if it’s bad, but it wasn’t that case at all. He was same guy as he has been and we expect that to stay.”
Expecting Purdy to step in and immediately start slinging the ball around the field is probably setting the bar too high. That’s not what the 49ers will require from him to continue having success as a team.
What San Francisco needs is for Purdy to avoid turnovers and rookie mistakes. There were definitely a few in his three quarters against the Dolphins, and there will surely be some as he continues adapting to the NFL in his first start Sunday. Limiting those mistakes will be key though, and so far it sounds like he has enough of a veteran presence that the 49ers are confident he can guide the ship in Garoppolo’s absence.
Chances are it’s going to be more different for the 49ers on Sunday than it was during the week in practice. As long as it isn’t too dramatically different though they’ll have a shot to win every game Purdy starts. | 2022-12-10T04:11:57Z | sports.yahoo.com | Kyle Shanahan: ‘Nothing’s really been different’ in 49ers transition to Brock Purdy | https://sports.yahoo.com/kyle-shanahan-nothing-really-different-024914903.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/kyle-shanahan-nothing-really-different-024914903.html?src=rss |
Report: Raiders are cutting John Simpson originally appeared on Pro Football Talk
For the Raiders on Thursday night, it was deja vu all over again. The 13-point lead that the Raiders blew to the Rams became the fourth such lead squandered by the Raiders in 2022. Via ESPN Stats & Information, only four other teams have accomplished this feat: the 1982 Rams, the 1996 Jets, and the [more]
Brayden Point with a Goal vs. Nashville Predators
Brayden Point (Tampa Bay Lightning) with a Goal vs. Nashville Predators, 12/08/2022
(Tampa Bay Lightning) with a Goal from Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Nashville Predators, 12/08/2022
TAMPA — This probably wasn’t the way Ryan McDonagh wanted Lightning fans to see him in his return to Tampa. He did a lot of dirty work in his five seasons with the Lightning. McDonagh was the team’s top shot blocker, a rock on the penalty kill and a calming presence in the back end. As coach Jon Cooper often said, McDonagh was the definition of a “gamer.” After taking a blocked shot to the ... | 2022-12-10T04:12:04Z | sports.yahoo.com | Report: Raiders are cutting John Simpson | https://sports.yahoo.com/report-raiders-cutting-john-simpson-024241623.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/report-raiders-cutting-john-simpson-024241623.html?src=rss |
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at San Francisco 49ers prediction, game preview, odds, how to watch, Sunday, December 11
Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs San Francisco 49ers How To Watch
Venue: Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, CA
Record: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-6), San Francisco 49ers (8-4)
Why Tampa Bay Buccaneers Will Win
Did the Buccaneers find something in that crazy late comeback to beat New Orleans on Monday night? Probably not – the passing game still doesn’t really work and the ground attack continues to be awful – but it’s still all there for the taking.
Atlanta is awful, Carolina is a disaster, and New Orleans has issues. It doesn’t matter how you get in, just get in, and Tampa Bay is rolling towards winning the NFL South and the playoffs. Tom Brady isn’t cranking up 300-yard passing games, but he’s carrying the offense, the defense has been wonderful and it all might just work against the banged up 49ers.
Now that the Bucs have full film on Brock Purdy, maybe …
The former Iowa State quarterback was excellent in the win over Miami, and best of all he doesn’t have to do it all by himself.
It’s a simple formula. Get enough out of the running game and all of its parts to handle the work, throw for 200 yards, don’t turn the ball over, and let the No. 1 defense in football handle the rest.
The 49ers might have been torched by Kansas City a few weeks ago, but since then they won five straight and haven’t allowed more than 17 points.
8-1 when giving up 17 or fewer, they’re playing one of the perfect teams for their style. Tampa Bay has a good defense, but it doesn’t force takeaways. It has Tom Brady, but it’s about to be held to about 40 yards rushing. And …
The points aren’t going to be there for the Buccaneers.
Yeah, the win over New Orleans was great, but there were just three points on the board after 57 minutes for a reason. The San Francisco defense isn’t going to melt down in the final moments.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at San Francisco 49ers Prediction, Line
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at San Francisco 49ers Must See Rating: 4 | 2022-12-10T04:12:16Z | sports.yahoo.com | Tampa Bay Buccaneers at San Francisco 49ers Prediction Game Preview | https://sports.yahoo.com/tampa-bay-buccaneers-san-francisco-035958428.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/tampa-bay-buccaneers-san-francisco-035958428.html?src=rss |
Brown first took a leave of absence from the program in October due to what they called a “minor medical issue.” While the program didn’t specify what the health issue was, the Tigers said it wasn't serious.
As the town of Moscow, Idaho, continues to mourn the loss of four university students, police are enlisting the help of the FBI after being overwhelmed by the public’s help in finding a white Hyundai Elantra they believe was near the house on the night the stabbings were committed. NBC’s Steve Patterson reports for TODAY.
Ahead of his first NBA game in FedExForum, Jalen Duren praised Penny Hardaway and Tigers fans after his lone season in Memphis | 2022-12-10T04:38:04Z | sports.yahoo.com | Larry Brown steps down from adviser role with Memphis due to health concerns | https://sports.yahoo.com/larry-brown-steps-down-from-adviser-role-with-memphis-due-to-health-concerns-212933695.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/larry-brown-steps-down-from-adviser-role-with-memphis-due-to-health-concerns-212933695.html?src=rss |
Joel Embiid throws the Philadelphia 76ers on his back to lead the way in a win over the Los Angeles Lakers.
Nia Long opens up to ET at the premiere of 'The Best Man: The Final Chapters,' streaming Dec. 22 on Peacock.
Cedi Osman with a block vs the Sacramento Kings
Cedi Osman (Cleveland Cavaliers) with a block vs the Sacramento Kings, 12/09/2022 | 2022-12-10T04:38:10Z | sports.yahoo.com | Sixers vs. Lakers: De'Anthony Melton, Joel Embiid lead Sixers to chaotic overtime win | https://sports.yahoo.com/sixers-vs-lakers-deanthony-melton-033300307.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/sixers-vs-lakers-deanthony-melton-033300307.html?src=rss |
Why Shanahan believes Bosa is “funniest person in the world’ originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea
When Nick Bosa isn't creating havoc on the football field for the 49ers, he's using his personality to keep the locker room loose.
The San Francisco edge rusher is using his sense of humor to lighten the team's mood in the aftermath of Jimmy Garoppolo suffering a broken foot in the 33-17 win over the Miami Dolphins last Sunday at Levi's Stadium.
Kyle Shanahan spoke on KNBR's 680 "Tolbert & Copes" on Thursday to discuss Bosa's sense of humor that has even the 49ers' coach laughing.
"He is the funniest person in the world to me," Shanahan said. "Like, he is so hilarious, and every word is he's never rushed to finish a sentence, a thought. Every word is, like, selected and perfect, and it just is always the same.
"And he's such an animal in the field, but that's how he always is. It does not change, and it's very entertaining to me, but it's also what he says is smart. It's always usually right. But he doesn't mince words either. He's a man of few words, and that's why people like listening to him too."
RELATED: 49ers' Nick Bosa questionable to face Tom Brady, Buccaneers in Week 14
Shanahan isn't alone in praising Bosa's sense of humor, as Fred Warner also noted the hilarious antics that Bosa brings to the team.
Warner told KNBR's 680 "Tolbert & Copes" on Wednesday that the 25-year-old is "quite a personality, you could say." | 2022-12-10T08:46:27Z | sports.yahoo.com | Why Nick Bosa is 'funniest person in the world,' according to Kyle Shanahan | https://sports.yahoo.com/why-nick-bosa-funniest-person-074000769.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/why-nick-bosa-funniest-person-074000769.html?src=rss |
How Wiseman fared in eighth G League assignment game originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea
James Wiseman continues to fill up the stat sheet in the G League.
The former No. 2 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft played a significant role in the Santa Cruz Warriors' 111-100 win over the South Bay Lakers on Friday at Kaiser Permanente Arena.
The 21-year-old played 27 minutes and recorded a double-double with 24 points and 10 rebounds against the Los Angeles Lakers' G League affiliate.
Wiseman went 9-of-10 from the floor, and nine of his 10 rebounds came on the defensive end. Furthermore, the 7-foot center was a plus-29 when he was on the court for Santa Cruz.
Only Ryan Rollins had a higher plus/minus rating at plus-32 to go along with his 22-point, 11-rebound, and 10-assist triple-double.
Nonetheless, the former University of Memphis star was a presence on the paint, both rebounding the ball and providing power slams.
Wiseman finishes the alley-oop with authority pic.twitter.com/XCeh4hKUD7
RELATED: How will James Wiseman fit in with Warriors' revamped second unit?
Entering Santa Cruz's game against South Bay, Wiseman averaged 15.6 points and 10.1 rebounds per game. While the Warriors' big man might be able to translate his entire G League offense to the NBA, he must bring energy and attention to minor details.
Santa Cruz's next game will be against the Oklahoma City Blue on Sunday at Kaiser Permanente Arena.
Santa Cruz Warriors vs. South Bay Lakers - Game Highlights
Watch the Game Highlights from Santa Cruz Warriors vs. South Bay Lakers, 12/09/2022
Multiple Sixers react to De’Anthony Melton’s career night to beat Lakers
The Philadelphia 76ers praise De'Anthony Melton for having a career night in a win over the Los Angeles Lakers. | 2022-12-10T09:12:21Z | sports.yahoo.com | How James Wiseman fared in eighth G League Santa Cruz assignment game | https://sports.yahoo.com/james-wiseman-fared-eighth-g-070300307.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/james-wiseman-fared-eighth-g-070300307.html?src=rss |
The 20-17 Buffalo win in Week 9 was on the road, the offense has stopped with the turnovers and is killing it out the ground, and this might be one of those statement moments this team likes to make.
Not buying that? Let’s try another before going back into the ATS side …
Pittsburgh-Cincinnati got to well over a 37 point total in the loss to Steeler loss few weeks ago, but Joe Burrow isn’t showing up for the Ravens this week.
Baltimore is struggling to to score with 13 against Carolina and ten against Denver in the last three weeks. Both teams will have a hard time getting to 20.
I did it. I got through this whole thing without dealing with the Vikings being the underdog against Detroit. That seems too obvious, Detroit isn’t that good, and no, I didn’t want a part of any of it. It felt too trapy.
No, I’m not believing that it’s Brock Montana under center for the 49ers, but the offense should get just enough out of the passing game to be fine.
Brock Purdy doesn’t have to do much other than not screw up. The defense will take care of the rest. | 2022-12-10T10:17:37Z | sports.yahoo.com | 5 Best NFL Predictions Against The Spread Week 14 | https://sports.yahoo.com/5-best-nfl-predictions-against-092253297.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/5-best-nfl-predictions-against-092253297.html?src=rss |
Ahead of the Denver Broncos’ game against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, we asked Charles Goldman of Chiefs Wire about KC and how they will matchup against Denver. Check out our questions and Goldman’s answers below!
Do the Chiefs have any weaknesses the Broncos might be able to try to exploit?
The Bengals picked apart the center of the Chiefs’ defense in Week 13. The linebackers didn’t stop a single pass thrown in their direction and they gave up over 100 yards. The problem with that is that Russell Wilson has been a below-average MOF passer during his career. One matchup that might be good for Denver – the Chiefs play a lot of man coverage – at least in the secondary. I heard that Jerry Jeudy is one of the league’s best receivers against man coverage, so he could be a nice little safety net for Wilson.
Does this feel like any kind of a trip-up game, or is Denver so bad that's not on the mind?
(Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports)
I think it’s definitely on the mind of the Chiefs – Patrick Mahomes even said on Wednesday that one loss can quickly spiral into two if you don’t prepare the right way for the next game. I would say the big thing that Kansas City has going for them is that they spend a lot of time during the offseason scouting and working on AFC West teams. It’s one of the reasons they have so much success within the division. The thing that is scary about Denver is that they’re a 3-9 team with very little to lose. They haven’t beaten the Chiefs since the Obama Administration, so I’m expecting them to pull out all the stops.
What do you think the chances are that Melvin Gordon is elevated for Sunday's game?
Andy Reid said there is a chance, but I’d be very surprised to see Gordon up in Week 14. The Chiefs have two running backs on the injury report, but they’re participating in full during practice. The team is actually more likely to elevate DT Brandon Williams, who they also signed to the practice squad around the time they signed Melvin Gordon.
Who is an underrated KC player that Denver fans should be aware of this week?
I don’t know how underrated a first-round draft pick can actually be, but I’ll go with rookie CB Trent McDuffie. He missed the early portion of the season with a hamstring injury, but he’s started the last five games and is really starting to perform at a high level. He hasn’t recorded an interception yet this season, but he has five passes defended in the last five games. Quarterbacks aren’t really even throwing his direction because his coverage has been so airtight.
The Broncos have a defense that could make this game interesting. I feel like it’s going to come down to the Chiefs’ defense having a bounce-back performance against Russell Wilson and a struggling Denver offense. If they can hold them at bay, it’ll only be a matter of time before Patrick Mahomes puts up points. In the end, I imagine the Broncos will be handed their 10th loss of the season and 14th consecutive loss to Kansas City. It might not be a bad thing for Denver if it leads to the dismissal of Nathaniel Hackett and the promotion of Ejiro Evero. | 2022-12-10T11:49:20Z | sports.yahoo.com | Broncos vs. Chiefs: 5 things Denver fans should know about KC | https://sports.yahoo.com/broncos-vs-chiefs-5-things-113017166.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/broncos-vs-chiefs-5-things-113017166.html?src=rss |
Michigan State basketball vs. Brown: Stream, broadcast info, three things to watch, prediction
Michigan State basketball hosts Brown on Saturday afternoon in a non-conference matchup against the Bears, and if you’re wondering how you can watch the action live, you’ve come to the right place.
The Spartans enter this matchup looking to build off their much-needed road conference victory over Penn State earlier this week. Michigan State snapped a two-game losing streak with that win, and is 6-4 overall on the season.
Brown is also looking to keep things going in the right direction, with the Bears riding a five-game winning streak into this matchup. Brown is 6-4 overall on the season and this will mark their first game against a non-mid major opponent.
Here’s when you should tune in to see this game between Michigan State and Brown:
Here are three things to watch out for in this matchup between Michigan State and Brown:
Can MSU make this a comfortable win?: This is the first time since the season-opener against Northern Arizona that Michigan State is a double-digit favorite. They’ve played a gauntlet schedule so far and while Brown is no pushover, this is the beginning of a much easier stretch of four games. So can the Spartans make this a comfortable win and put away the Bears early to avoid any chance of a late upset?
Slowing down Brown’s backcourt: The Bears are led offensively by a pair of guards — Kino Lilly Jr. and Paxson Wojcik (son of MSU assistant coach Doug Wojcik). The two combine for nearly 30 points per game and are two of the Bears’ better three-point shooters. Keeping these two in check will be a priority for the Spartans in this matchup.
More of what we’re seeing from A.J. Hoggard: When Hoggard is motivated and plays like he did against Penn State, the Spartans will be extremely tough to beat. He doesn’t need to be the leading scorer every night for Michigan State but the edge he brought in that win and ability to attack the rim is something the Spartans are going to want to continue moving forward — starting against Brown.
Prediction: MSU 77, Brown 62
This feels like a game that Michigan State should win with ease but nothing has come easy this year for the Spartans. Michigan State’s size and talent will ultimately lead them to pulling away in the second half but it won’t be until the final 10 minutes or so before the game is in hand for Michigan State. | 2022-12-10T12:45:42Z | sports.yahoo.com | Michigan State basketball vs. Brown: Stream, broadcast info, three things to watch, prediction | https://sports.yahoo.com/michigan-state-basketball-vs-brown-120123001.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/michigan-state-basketball-vs-brown-120123001.html?src=rss |
Sitting at 3-10, the Bears’ 2022 season is all but over at this point, as they’ve officially. been eliminated from postseason contention. But there’s still plenty on the line for players on the roster looking to prove themselves — and potentially earn a roster spot in 2023.
One of those is wide receiver N’Keal Harry, who Chicago traded a seventh-round pick to the Patriots to acquire. Harry hasn’t been involved much on offense — he has just five catches for 94 yards and one touchdown.
After being a healthy scratch from Weeks 10-12, Harry made his return to the lineup against the Packers. He only had one catch, but it was a big one. Justin Fields found Harry for a 49-yard completion in one-on-one coverage against Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander.
“Just instincts, really,” Harry said of what happened, via The Athletic. “It was a scramble, so it was a good job by Justin getting out of the pocket. He threw it up. And I just went and did what I’m used to doing.”
It was Harry’s best play of the season, and it’s something that has Bears fans clamoring to see more from the former first-round pick down the stretch.
“It feels good,” Harry said. “But at the end of the day, I know I can do more. I know I can make a bigger impact.”
The Bears took a flier on Harry this offseason when they traded for him, and he has a chance to prove himself over these final four games. With Darnell Mooney done for the year, Harry should hopefully see more opportunities in the passing game, where he could play himself into a contract extension in Chicago.
Here’s how the Packers could be eliminated from playoff contention by end of Week 15. READ MORE ON PACKERS WIRE.
Vikings’ success might be difficult to understand but win total isn’t a fluke. READ MORE ON VIKINGS WIRE.
Lions rookie James Houston earns praise from former All-Pro offensive lineman. READ MORE ON LIONS WIRE. | 2022-12-10T13:20:25Z | sports.yahoo.com | Bear Necessities: WR N’Keal Harry feels like he has ‘a lot to prove’ in final stretch | https://sports.yahoo.com/bear-necessities-wr-n-keal-123002040.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/bear-necessities-wr-n-keal-123002040.html?src=rss |
It all went according to plan for the Bills and receiver Marquez Stevenson.
On Friday, the team announced that Stevenson was re-signed by the Bills (9-3), this time to their practice squad.
Earlier this week, Stevenson was released.
He let go on the same day his 21-day injured reserve window ended. The Bills previously designated Stevenson to return from IR and had to make a choice on Tuesday.
The three options were: Add him to the roster (and release someone else to make room for him), put him back on injured reserve and his season ends, or cut him.
The team chose the latter.
Stevenson, a 2021 sixth-round draft pick, had foot surgery in August after a training camp injury.
Despite letting him go, it quickly became known the Bills were hopeful of bringing him back to the practice squad. Now that exact scenario has unfolded.
As a rookie, Stevenson also battled injury. However, he appeared in five games last season, with 14 punt returns and seven kick returns. He did not catch a pass in six snaps on offense.
The Bills can now potentially call him up from the taxi squad ahead of game days down the stretch run if they so choose.
Note: It was announced that Stevenson will now wear No. 19 with the Bills. He previously wore No. 5, which since was taken by quarterback Matt Barkley. | 2022-12-10T13:20:38Z | sports.yahoo.com | Bills end up getting Marquez Stevenson back | https://sports.yahoo.com/bills-end-getting-marquez-stevenson-115532615.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/bills-end-getting-marquez-stevenson-115532615.html?src=rss |
Sirianni’s lasting image of Eagles’ loss to Giants in 2021 originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
Most of the photos plastered on the walls at the NovaCare Complex are of a happy variety. Playoff wins, joyous occasions, a few from the Super Bowl celebration.
There’s at least one that isn’t.
And it’s one of Nick Sirianni’s favorites in the facility.
“There's one picture that's up with Jordan Mailata with his hand on Jalen’s [Hurts] back,” Sirianni said. “Jalen has his hands on his knees. He's looking down. Jordan has his hand on his back.
“I thought what an unbelievable picture of teammates being there for each other in a time of a very tough spot, right? That was after the incomplete pass on the last play of the game last year at New York.”
Sirianni likes the image so much because it’s a representation of one of his favorite parts about the sport: Connection.
“I’ll never forget it,” Mailata said.
The image was taken just after the Eagles’ comeback attempt at MetLife Stadium fell short last Nov. 28. The Eagles lost 13-7 and Hurts played what was arguably the worst game of his professional career and injured his ankle along the way.
Hurts completed just 14 of 31 passes for 129 yards and 3 interceptions — a passer rating of 17.5 — in the loss to drop the Eagles to 5-7 on the season.
“When you turn the ball over, good things don’t happen,” Hurts said this week, remembering that game. “That’s something that we learn from any other game. I don’t want to single out this game.”
But that game stands out. The Eagles scored just 7 points and Hurts made way too many mistakes. Still, they were in it with a chance to win late in the fourth quarter. The Eagles got the ball to the Giants’ 27-yard line with 38 seconds remaining but after a spike to stop the clock had three straight incompletions (two to Jalen Reagor) to end the game.
After the last-ditch effort fell short, Hurts was uncharacteristically overcome with emotion. That’s what struck Mailata so much.
“Yeah, because he doesn’t show emotion,” Mailata said. “So when you do see emotion, it’s like, ‘Ah damn.’ Gotta make sure you pick him up. Because he’s human at the end of the day and he has emotions.”
Mailata said he watched all the work that went into each game for Hurts last season, how bad he wanted it to work. And when the Eagles lost that game, they fell to 5-7 on the season, his first season as a full-time starter.
“For me, it was just seeing him go down like this,” Mailata said as he crouched, “that broke my heart. I just wanted to let him know that he wasn’t by himself. It wasn’t on him. It was on me, it was on the guys, everyone who didn’t execute.”
As Hurts and the Eagles prepare to go back to MetLife Stadium on Sunday, things have really turned around for the quarterback and for the franchise. After sitting out the next game against the Jets with the ankle injury last year, Hurts helped guide the Eagles to three straight wins to get into the playoffs, including one over the Giants.
And, obviously, this year has been incredible. The Eagles head into Week 14 with the best record in the NFL at 11-1 and Hurts is legitimately playing at an MVP level.
The Eagles have come a very long way since the loss in North Jersey last year but the thing that still stands out most is that image of one teammate consoling another.
“When you said that game, the first thing that popped into my mind was that picture of Jordan and Jalen,” Sirianni said. “That just speaks to the type of guys we have. That just speaks to the type of team we have.” | 2022-12-10T13:21:10Z | sports.yahoo.com | Nick Sirianni shares lasting image of Eagles’ loss to Giants in 2021 | https://sports.yahoo.com/nick-sirianni-shares-lasting-image-120000847.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/nick-sirianni-shares-lasting-image-120000847.html?src=rss |
9-year veteran NFL referee Craig Wrolstad and his crew have been assigned as the officials for the Kansas City Chiefs’ Week 14 game against the Denver Broncos according to Football Zebras.
Wrolstad was promoted from field judge to referee in 2014 and has officiated seven Chiefs games (combined regular-season and postseason). His last regular-season game for Kansas City was Week 5 of the 2019 NFL season against the Indianapolis Colts, one of the team’s few losses that season. The Chiefs have an overall record of 3-4 when Wrolstad has been the referee. Wrolstad did officiate a preseason game for the Chiefs this year and notably played a part in the team’s “choir huddle” tribute to the late Len Dawson.
Through 11 games this season, Wrolstad and his crew have called the second-fewest penalties in the NFL (101). They average around nine penalties per game, which is the third-fewest in the NFL. At the same time, this crew also has the second-fewest dismissed penalties in the NFL this season (16). Basically, this crew does a good job of getting it right the first time.
As usual, offensive holding (24) and false start (21) have been called by this crew more than any other penalty. That’s not good news for a Broncos team that could be missing their starting left guard due to injury and already has the second-most false start penalties in the league this season (21). Defensive holding (8), defensive pass interference (8) and illegal contact (5) are the other penalties called with the greatest frequency by this crew. | 2022-12-10T13:21:23Z | sports.yahoo.com | Referee Craig Wrolstad’s crew assigned to work Chiefs-Broncos game | https://sports.yahoo.com/referee-craig-wrolstad-crew-assigned-124530119.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/referee-craig-wrolstad-crew-assigned-124530119.html?src=rss |
New York Giants cornerback Aaron Robinson returned in Week 4 after missing several games due to an emergency appendectomy. However, he managed to play just 12 defensive snaps before he again found himself on the sideline.
The 2021 third-round pick had suffered a knee injury against the Chicago Bears and eventually landed on injured reserve.
The severity of Robinson’s injury was initially unclear, but head coach Brian Daboll revealed it was severe enough that his season was likely over.
“Doubtful,” Daboll said when asked if Robinson would make it back this year.
More than a month later, we now know why.
Dan Duggan of The Athletic reports that Robinson suffered both a partially torn ACL and a partially torn MCL. He underwent surgery in November and won’t be cleared for football activities until next August at the earliest.
The knee injury that Giants CB Aaron Robinson suffered in Week 4 was a partially torn ACL and a torn MCL, per source. Robinson had surgery four weeks ago and is looking at a recovery timeline of approximately nine months. Injuries have been a hurdle for the 2021 third-round pick.
That puts Robinson on track to return for the 2023 regular season but he is very much behind the eightball. He missed eight games during his rookie season due to various injuries and will have appeared in just two games this season.
In the 11 career games Robinson has played, he’s recorded 32 tackles (21 solo), one QB hit, and four passes defensed. | 2022-12-10T13:21:35Z | sports.yahoo.com | Report: Giants’ Aaron Robinson has partially torn ACL, MCL | https://sports.yahoo.com/report-giants-aaron-robinson-partially-125554555.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/report-giants-aaron-robinson-partially-125554555.html?src=rss |
We teamed up with Jeff Risdon of Lions Wire to give our predictions for the game on Sunday.
Dec 4, 2022; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson (18) catches a touchdown from quarterback Kirk Cousins (not pictured) as New York Jets cornerback D.J. Reed (4) defends during the fourth quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports
The Vikings are in an interesting spot. They are the first team with an .800 winning percentage or higher since 2004 to be an underdog when the Atlanta Falcons were against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The defensive coordinator for the Falcons in that game? Ed Donatell.
Vikings (10-2) would be near-historic underdogs at Lions (5-7)
9 instances in Super Bowl era when a team w/ .800 winning % was underdog to a losing team in Dec/Jan
8 of 9 were teams resting starters in Week 16/17
Other: 2004 Falcons (9-2) vs. Tampa Bay (4-7)
(@ESPNStatsInfo)
These are the two worst total defenses in the National Football League and with the line sitting at either 51.5 or 52 depending on what sportsbook you are using. This is primed to be a really good football game. Both teams are playing their best football right now and it feels like a high-scoring game with both teams ranking as the worst two in total defense in the National Football League.
Along with that, this isn’t your standard black-and-blue division game because this looks like a shootout. This will bring back memories of the 1995 Thanksgiving Day clash at the Pontiac Silverdome where the Lions won 44-38, except the Vikings figure out a way to win this one.
Dec 4, 2022; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings safety Camryn Bynum (24) reacts after the game against the New York Jets at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports
This is an easy sell for Kevin O’Connell, considering the Vikings barely snuck by the Lions earlier this season at U.S. Bank Stadium and Detroit is favored in this game. It will be only fitting if the Vikings win another game with a late score.
Jeff Risdon-Lions Wire Managing Editor
I think we’re going to see a lot of points and it’s because of two really good offenses that can be effective in both the run and pass game. And these two always play close games; the last four meetings have been decided by a total of 10 points. I expect Sunday to come down to a final field goal or a late fourth-down conversion. I do think the Vikings great fortune in those types of games will regress back to the mean at some point, but they get the slight benefit of the doubt even in Detroit and despite the oddsmakers giving Detroit the edge. | 2022-12-10T13:21:42Z | sports.yahoo.com | Vikings vs. Lions: Week 14 preview and predictions | https://sports.yahoo.com/vikings-vs-lions-week-14-121536106.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/vikings-vs-lions-week-14-121536106.html?src=rss |
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Tennessee Titans owner Amy Adams Strunk on why she fired Jon Robinson
Three people died in a house fire in the southeastern Wisconsin city of Watertown early Friday morning, the fire department said. When police and firefighters responded to a fire shortly after 12:30 a.m. on Friday, they were told that residents were still trapped inside the house, according to a news release from the Watertown Fire Department. Watertown Fire Chief Travis Teesch said personnel were still on the scene late Friday morning and that the incident was under investigation by the State Fire Marshal. | 2022-12-10T13:46:57Z | sports.yahoo.com | Why Tennessee Titans owner Amy Adams Strunk said she fired Jon Robinson. AJ Brown's big game not a factor | https://sports.yahoo.com/why-tennessee-titans-owner-amy-224100513.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/why-tennessee-titans-owner-amy-224100513.html?src=rss |
The Kansas City Chiefs are looking to get back in the win column with an AFC West matchup against the Denver Broncos in Week 14.
Kansas City has been the winner in 13 consecutive matchups against Denver, including nine straight in the Patrick Mahomes era. The Broncos have very little to lose with a 3-9 record this season, so expect them to pull out all the stops to beat K.C. this week. Victory could allow a temporary reprieve for a frustrated fanbase and maybe save Nathaniel Hackett’s job for another week.
Here’s a look at four Chiefs players who we’ll be paying close attention to when they square off with the Broncos on Sunday:
Kelce will have a chance to turn his frown upside down against the Broncos in Week 14. A costly and uncharacteristic fumble, plus a good game plan really took Kelce out of the equation against the Bengals a week ago. In Denver, he should be primed for a bounce-back performance. During his career, Kelce has had 90 receptions for 1,176 yards and six touchdowns against the Broncos. So far this season, Denver has allowed 60 receptions for 603 yards and six touchdowns to opposing tight ends.
DE George Karlaftis
George Karlaftis recorded the second full sack of his career last week against the Cincinnati Bengals and he could get back into the sack column in Week 14. Broncos RT Cameron Fleming has allowed five sacks so far this season, the most allowed by a single player on their team. Karlaftis has often lined up against the right tackle and should have some opportunities to affect Russell Wilson in this game.
The Broncos are coming off of a four-game losing skid after a Week 9 bye week. In two of those four games, Denver allowed a 100-yard rusher. In Week 11 vs. the Raiders, Josh Jacobs went over 100 yards. In Week 12 against the Panthers, D’Onta Foreman went for over 100 yards as well. Pacheco has only had a single 100-yard rushing game during his career, but this could certainly be a game where the Chiefs benefit from a run-heavy approach.
As it was for many Chiefs players, Week 13 was a forgettable week for Bolton. He was targeted seven times in Week 13 and surrendered all seven receptions totaling 69 yards. Russell Wilson has done a better job seeing and throwing into the middle of the field with the Broncos this season than he did with the Seahawks last year, but it’s still not his modus operandi. This could be a good week for Bolton to regain some confidence in the passing game defending the middle of the field. | 2022-12-10T14:51:49Z | sports.yahoo.com | 4 Chiefs players to watch in Week 14 vs. Broncos | https://sports.yahoo.com/4-chiefs-players-watch-week-134511786.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/4-chiefs-players-watch-week-134511786.html?src=rss |
The Dallas Cowboys are coming off a record-breaking fourth quarter against the Indianapolis Colts. The underdog Colts were only down 21-19 in the final quarter before Dallas went on a 33-0 run to end the game with a 54-19 win. The defense was opportunistic, causing four turnovers and scoring a touchdown of their own, while the offense did a great job of cashing in on their gifts from the defense.
The week’s game against the Houston Texans is a 16-point spread where nobody believes it will be a competitive contest and the Cowboys just need to roll out their helmets and the whistle will blow for a Dallas victory. Rivalry games like this can be tricky though, just look at the first ever game for the Texans franchise. They became the first team in 41 years to win their debut as an expansion team with a 19-10 win over these Dallas Cowboys. Here are the keys to avoiding the upset at home in the Battle for Texas and winning the fourth straight victory for the Cowboys.
Don't let distractions impact performance
Odell Beckham, Jr. was brought into Dallas for a two-day recruitment and evaluation that included a helicopter ride with Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones, courtside seats to a Dallas Mavericks game with Trevon Diggs and Micah Parsons, and. . . this has nothing to do with the keys to victory over the Houston Texans. This is how quickly distractions can happen, especially when the opponent a team is facing doesn’t bring focus naturally from fear or respect.
Distractions don’t just come from stars coming into the building, they can be in house as well. On Thanksgiving Day, the tight end group came up with a whack-a-mole celebration, including the Salvation Army Kettle. Ten days later, Ezekiel Elliott and Dak Prescott worked out their own with a “Zeke in the Box” celebration using the kettle. That is all well and good until the players put the distraction of the kettle above game preparation. How long will it be before a turnover by the defense becomes a chance for a defensive player to pull off their own Salvation Army celebration?
The celebrations revolving around the kettle are brilliant, fun, and bring camaraderie to the team; they just need to make sure the players are focusing mainly on the opponent and the gameplan. If preparation remains top notch even in the face of so many distractions, the Cowboys should beat the Texans rather easily on Sunday.
Sometimes an opponent can motivate a team all on its own. Dan Quinn facing the Atlanta Falcons last season, when a team has to play against the AFC champion Cincinnati Bengals, already 0-1 on the year, or just a simple rivalry game within the division. If the opponent doesn’t bring the type of motivation a team could need, then team goals might.
The Cowboys are attempting to win the NFC East title for a second year in a row for the first time since the 1996 season. They are also battling for the top seed in the conference and a single loss could put that outcome out of reach. As a team Dallas has plenty to play for, but individually players might need even more in order to not under perform in games like Sunday.
Micah Parsons is trying to win defensive player of the year and he wasn’t impactful on the stat sheet last week. He admitted that it pissed him off and he will be looking to remedy that against the Texans. Players like Tony Pollard, Dalton Schultz, Connor McGovern, Donovan Wilson, and Leighton Vander Esch are upcoming free agents and are trying to earn contracts for next season. Lamb is attempting to show he is one of the best receivers in the country, and then there is a player like Kelvin Joseph, who is fighting to show he can be a starting corner for this defense.
Motivation comes in all shapes and sizes. It is an incredibly useful tool in order to keep individuals and teams playing well through adversity and good times. In Week 14 of the season, when every single player has aches and pains, injuries, and even and illness that is running through the locker room, what do players need in order to play to their top potential in games that aren’t naturally motivating?
Make no mistake the point spread alone will be motivation for the Houston Texans, and if the Cowboys can find a way to match their intensity early, it could be a key to not just the victory, but Dallas trying to cover for another week of this season.
Continue to slow down good running backs
In the last three contests the much-maligned Cowboys run defense has faced three of the top running backs in the league. Dalvin Cook had very little impact for the Minnesota Vikings in a 40-3 loss to Dallas. He ran for an average of 6.5 yards per carry, but with such a large lead, the Cowboys welcomed the run game. Cook had only 11 carries and didn’t score.
Saquon Barkley came into AT&T Stadium on a short week, and in a very competitive contest, only managed 11 carries for 39 yards and one score. Jonathan Taylor, possibly the best back in the NFL and with a new head coach dead set on establishing the run, only put up 82 yards on 21 attempts. That is under four yards per carry, and he had no touchdowns.
Combined together that is 43 attempts, for 193 yards and only a single score for maybe the best trio of running backs any team faced consecutively all year long. Continuing to test themselves for the playoff run, in comes the best (active) rookie running back in the league for the Cowboys defense to try to slow down, Dameon Pierce.
On a team with limited play at quarterback and offensive line, Pierce has put up 861 yards on 4.3 yards per carry and has been the Texans top weapon all season long. If the Cowboys can contain him like they have Cook, Barkley, and Taylor the Texans won’t have many other ways to attack Dallas. | 2022-12-10T14:51:55Z | sports.yahoo.com | Avoiding self-caused distractions one of 3 keys to Cowboys beating Texans | https://sports.yahoo.com/avoiding-self-caused-distractions-one-140033796.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/avoiding-self-caused-distractions-one-140033796.html?src=rss |
The New York Giants (7-4-1) will host the Philidelphia Eagles (11-1) for a Week 14 divisional matchup this Sunday at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Last matchup in MetLife
On November 28th, 2021, the Giants hosted the Eagles. This was Jalen Hurts’ first (most likely of many) start against New York. It was a rough outing for Hurts and the Eagles as the quarterback completed only 45 percent of his passes for 129 yards and three interceptions. The game resulted in a 13-7 victory for Big Blue.
The Eagles and Hurts have definitely improved since this contest but New York dialed up the recipe for success defensively. Hopefully, Wink Martindale’s defense can come up with a legendary performance to stop Hurts and the potent Eagles offense.
Eagles run defense
While the Eagles have one of the best pass defenses in the NFL they are definitely more vulnerable in the run game. They have allowed 117.9 yards per game on the ground this season. This is a facet of the game where New York excels as they average 149.7 rushing yards per game.
If Saquon Barkley can be healthy for this game, the combination of the Penn State graduate and Daniel Jones can possibly force some problems for the Eagles’ defense.
Separated by less than 100 miles, East Rutherford and Philidelphia have rich football histories. This rivalry has existed since 1933 when the Giants won their first two matchups against the Eagles.
Since then, the series has been relatively even with a lot of passion from both sides. These two teams do not like each other and oftentimes these games have extracurricular activities. With all this passion and history, there is hope for New York to come out and give the NFL’s best team a run for its money. | 2022-12-10T14:52:08Z | sports.yahoo.com | Giants vs. Eagles: 3 reasons for optimism in Week 14 | https://sports.yahoo.com/giants-vs-eagles-3-reasons-135549250.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/giants-vs-eagles-3-reasons-135549250.html?src=rss |
The 10-2 Minnesota Vikings taking on the 5-7 Detroit Lions in a black-and-blue division matchup could end up being one of the best, if not the best, games of the weekend.
Both teams have offenses that can score points and the bottom two defenses in the NFL in terms of total defense. The last three games have been decided by a total of eight points and this game shouldn’t be much different.
The game on Sunday is going to be readily available across the entire NFC North but make sure you know how to catch the game on Sunday.
Related: NFL Week 14 TV Coverage Maps
Sunday, December 11th, 12:00 pm central
Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan
FOX 9-KMSP | 2022-12-10T14:52:20Z | sports.yahoo.com | Vikings vs. Lions Week 14: How to watch, stream & listen | https://sports.yahoo.com/vikings-vs-lions-week-14-141533300.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/vikings-vs-lions-week-14-141533300.html?src=rss |
With college football’s regular season coming to a close, we’re that much closer to the 2023 NFL draft season. For our friends at Draft Wire, it’s always draft season, but they’ve got a brand new mock draft celebrating bowl season.
Luke Easterling’s recent two-round projections have the Kansas City Chiefs investing in the trenches on both sides of the ball. Keep in mind that these projections use the latest pick order updated after Week 13’s results.
Who is being projected to be a future member of the Chiefs? Let’s take a look:
28. Ohio State OT Dawand Jones
“The Chiefs still haven’t solved their issues at right tackle, and if they head into the draft with the same situation they have currently, this pick needs to be where they find the solution. Jones is a massive blocker with tons of experience and success on the right side.” – Draft Wire’s Luke Easterling
It’s hard arguing with Easterling’s logic on this pick. The Chiefs’ tackle situation is the worst in the NFL through 13 weeks and that’s not hyperbole. They need to solve at least one spot next year if only to do a better job protecting Patrick Mahomes. Given their draft slot, you’re probably not finding a plug-and-play left tackle, but the right side is certainly in play.
60. Auburn EDGE Derick Hall
Listed at 6-3 and 251 pounds, Hall would be a departure from the norm for a Steve Spagnuolo defense. That might not be such a bad thing given the results of the prototypical defensive end for Spags. I wonder if he wouldn’t be a better first for a 3-4 defensive scheme, though.
Hall earned All-SEC First-Team honors this year after posting 60 total tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, an interception, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery this year. He’s really great at converting speed to power and is really tough to handle at the point of attack. His explosiveness definitely pops off the screen and would be a plus in Kansas City. | 2022-12-10T16:23:18Z | sports.yahoo.com | Chiefs reinforce trenches in Draft Wire’s latest 2023 mock draft | https://sports.yahoo.com/chiefs-reinforce-trenches-draft-wire-154535131.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/chiefs-reinforce-trenches-draft-wire-154535131.html?src=rss |
Our Eagles vs. Giants predictions for Week 14 of the NFL season originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
The Eagles (10-1) are on the road to face the Giants (7-4-1) at MetLife Stadium on Sunday.
All year I had this one earmarked for a loss. I was sure about it. The Giants kept finding ways to win, and I just didn’t like the matchup between the Eagles and a team with an exceptional running back and a quarterback who doesn’t make mistakes and is also a big-time running threat. The way the Giants were running and the Eagles were struggling against the run had me planning to pick the Giants as recently as a few weeks ago. But then things started changing. The Giants were second with a whopping 173 rushing yards per game through eight weeks and tied for third at 5.2 yards per carry. Since then? They’re 24th at 116 rushing yards per game and 24th at 3.8 yards per carry. Meanwhile, the Eagles through eight weeks were 29th with 5.2 yards allowed per carry and 18th with 121 allowed per game. Since then? They’ve held their last four opponents to 3.8 yards per carry, shutting down Jonathan Taylor and Derrick Thomas, two of the league’s best. The Giants are extremely well coached, but they don’t have a ton of talent, and when they’ve won games it’s been because of their running game. Which has dropped off significantly. So the one matchup that would have favored the Giants much of the year now favors the Eagles. I still think it’s a tough game. The Giants are smart, well-coached, don’t beat themselves and play hard. But if the Eagles can slow down Barkley they’ll win, and I expect they will.
I’ll give the Giants credit. I really thought they would stink this year and they do not stink. In fact, they were on quite a run there for a while. But I still don’t think this is a very good roster in New York, which means the Giants’ coaching staff has done a tremendous job maximizing their talent. That’s especially evident on offense, where they’ve gotten the most out of Daniel Jones. The problem for the Giants this week is that Saquon Barkley is banged up and his number have already begun to dip. After what the Eagles did to Derrick Henry last week, there’s way more confidence they’ll be able to stop another top back.
A year ago, a heavy-blitz team like the Giants would be scary against Jalen Hurts and the Eagles’ offense. But the Eagles have been much better against blitzes this season and Hurts specifically has improved a ton in that area. The answer against the Cardinals’ blitzes in Week 5 was a heavy screen game but I think the Eagles have found even more answers since then. The Eagles have won in two very different ways the last two weeks and they shouldn’t have any trouble moving the football against the Giants defense.
I already thought the Eagles were clearly the more talented team coming into this matchup and now there are several significant injuries on the New York sideline. I have a lot of respect for how far the Giants have come this year but I don’t think they have what it takes to win this one.
NFL defenses are still trying to figure out the best path to slowing down Jalen Hurts and the Eagles offense. After he torched the Packers on the ground, the Titans weren’t going to let MVP candidate beat them with his legs. As Nick Sirianni said this week, there’s no doubt watching Hurts run for 157 yards against Green Bay influenced how Tennessee tried to defend Hurts. They stayed disciplined in their rush lanes and tried to keep him contained in the pocket rather than trying to get upfield after the QB. That completely backfired, as Hurts had all kinds of time to throw. The result? 380 passing yards and three touchdowns.
Now the Giants’ uber-aggressive defense will take a crack at it. Coordinator Wink Martindale has dialed up more blitzes than any team in the league, but Hurts has been elite against extra pressure. As our own Ron Jaworski pointed out on twitter, Hurts has thrown 9 touchdowns and just 1 interception when defenses send a blitz. Good luck with that plan.
The Giants have all the makings of frauds. Despite a .625 winning percentage their point differential sits at -7. They made a living beating up on bad teams, and not by a lot: the six wins in their 6-1 start came against teams with a combined current record of 31-43, and they won those games by a measly average of 4.5 points.
Since that surprising — and unsustainable — start New York has just one win since Oct. 23 and has revealed itself as a perfectly mediocre football team.
None of this is to say the Eagles should take the Giants lightly this weekend, but it is to say that Eagles fans should not feel threatened by the Daniel Jones Brigade.
After a pass-first approach against the Titans, the Eagles should turn back to the ground game this week against a Giants team that ranks third-worst in rush yards per attempt allowed, seventh-worst in total rush yards allowed, and has allowed four individual rushers this season to hit the 100-yard mark. Jalen Hurts, Miles Sanders, and the Birds' beastly offensive line should feast against the Giants' front seven.
In terms of defending the Giants, Daniel Jones is still a dual-threat quarterback who is turning the ball over far less than he did in his first three seasons... but he's not exactly carving up opposing offenses through the air, with just 11 passing touchdowns to show for his first 12 games of the season. Outside of Darius Slayton, who is fine, the Giants basically have no one at wide receiver or tight end who should make Jonathan Gannon's defense sweat.
The question then becomes, can the Eagles stop Saquon Barkley like they did Derrick Henry? Because without a productive Barkley, this Giants offense is patently unremarkable. Barkley was electric to start the season but his last five weeks on the ground tell a different story: he's averaging just 3.3 yards per carry on 99 attempts. Sounds like a prime target for the beefed-up defensive line.
I don't think it'll be a total breeze, but I do think the Eagles win by multiple scores because they're contenders and the Giants are pretenders. | 2022-12-10T16:23:25Z | sports.yahoo.com | Our Eagles vs. Giants predictions for Week 14 of the NFL season | https://sports.yahoo.com/eagles-vs-giants-predictions-week-120000723.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/eagles-vs-giants-predictions-week-120000723.html?src=rss |
The Rams are set to lose offensive coaches Liam Coen and Ra’Shaad Samples after the season ends, with both of them accepting jobs at the college level. However, Jake Peetz will not be following that path – at least not this year.
Peetz, an offensive assistant on Sean McVay’s staff, has opted to stay in the NFL with the Rams after getting an offer from Matt Rhule and Nebraska. There’s a ton of turnover on the Rams’ staff every year, so it’s good to see a coach staying in Los Angeles.
Peetz is in his first season with the Rams, joining McVay’s staff after being LSU’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in 2021. He first got his start in the NFL with the Jaguars in 2012 but has bounced between the pro and college levels since.
Source: Rams offensive assistant Jake Peetz has decided to stay in the NFL after considering an offer to join Nebraska coach Matt Rhule’s staff. | 2022-12-10T16:23:46Z | sports.yahoo.com | Jake Peetz staying with Rams after getting an offer from Nebraska | https://sports.yahoo.com/jake-peetz-staying-rams-getting-155559013.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/jake-peetz-staying-rams-getting-155559013.html?src=rss |
The Kansas City Chiefs (9-3) are gearing up to face the Denver Broncos (3-9) in Week 14.
Just as we have over the past six seasons, the Chiefs Wire staff will offer its weekly predictions for each Chiefs game. Below you’ll find all of our picks for Kansas City’s Week 14 matchup against the Broncos on Sunday, Dec. 11 at 3:05 p.m. CT at Empower Field at Mile High Stadium in Denver, Colorado.
As much as I’d like to predict a blowout win for the Chiefs after a disappointing loss in Week 13, the Broncos have a defense that could make this game interesting and perhaps even a bit uncomfortable at times. They rank near the top of the league in points and yards allowed, but they have been stymied by an inept offense.
I feel like this game is ultimately going to come down to K.C.’s ability to have a bounce-back performance on the defensive side of the ball. Last week, Joe Burrow was able to move the ball at will. Russell Wilson has really struggled this season even when he’s had a healthy team and a full complement of playmakers. Outside of Jerry Jeudy and Greg Dulcich, Denver is quite depleted in that department this week.
In the end, I expect the Chiefs will hand the Broncos their 10th loss of the season and 14th consecutive loss to Kansas City. I think the box score will look closer than the game actually is with Denver being held to mostly field goals on the day.
The Kansas City Chiefs look to rebound from their loss to the Cincinnati Bengals last week with a hopeful AFC West-clinching victory over the Denver Broncos. Securing another division title will guarantee a postseason appearance as the team seeks the top seed in the conference.
Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce have had MVP-worthy seasons so far, with the latter looking to have a big game to make up for last week’s fumble. Isiah Pacheco’s consistent play will be vital against a tough Broncos defense focused on the Chiefs’ passing game. The skills of JuJu Smith-Schuster and the rest of the receivers group will be tested to get open and win their one-on-one battles.
The Chiefs’ defense understood the shortcomings a week ago regarding their defensive line. The mission will be to pressure Russell Wilson and the Broncos’ playmakers to eliminate any form of confidence throughout the game. Special teams will play solid football and eliminate mistakes, as Kansas City should take care of business on Sunday with a dominant victory.
The Chiefs need a confidence boost after last week’s loss to the Bengals, and a matchup against the ailing Broncos is just the ticket. Even at full strength, the Broncos are a below-average team with perhaps the weakest head coach in the league.
To make matters worse, they’ll be without their top receiver Courtland Sutton and possibly their top run-defender D.J. Jones. Their offensive line is also beaten up and nobody knows what’s going on in Russell Wilson’s head. Even against a very good secondary, I think the Chiefs play angry and determined and blow Denver out of the water.
The Chiefs will be frustrated about their loss to the Bengals (as they should be) and they will happily take it out on the Broncos.
Luckily, Denver has the worst offense in the league (13.8 points per game) and they’re missing their top receiver in Courtland Sutton. The Broncos do have an elite defense, though they allow an average of 120.1 yards rushing per game.
The Chiefs shouldn’t have much of a problem containing Denver. Pretty much no team has. Scoring might be a bit of an issue due to Denver’s elite pass defense, but the Chiefs were still able to put up points against good defenses this season (44 on the 49ers, 41 on the Buccaneers). This seems like a lock for the Chiefs unless they turn the ball over multiple times and play poor defense.
Make sure you know how to catch Sunday's game | 2022-12-10T16:24:05Z | sports.yahoo.com | Predictions for Chiefs vs. Broncos, Week 14 | https://sports.yahoo.com/predictions-chiefs-vs-broncos-week-144501661.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/predictions-chiefs-vs-broncos-week-144501661.html?src=rss |
In completely unsurprising news, the Los Angeles Rams are going to stick with the quarterback who led them to a miraculous comeback win over the Las Vegas Raiders. Sean McVay said Baker Mayfield will start the Rams’ last four games of the season after showing incredible poise and confidence in Thursday’s victory.
McVay acknowledged that John Wolford isn’t fully healthy, and the team wants him to get back to full strength, but it’ll be Mayfield starting over him and Bryce Perkins.
“Baker would give us an opportunity to run a couple different things that maybe we wouldn’t have been able to present to them defensively otherwise just because of John’s health,” McVay said of Thursday’s plan. “So we want to get him healthy. Bryce is such a pro in every sense of the word and a guy that can bring a lot of different things to the table, but those guys continue to go about their business the right way. We’ll get John healthy and we’ll get a chance to, if he stays healthy, be able to see Baker start and lead the way for the last four games of the season.”
Mayfield provided a real spark for the Rams in Week 14, replacing Wolford just three plays into the game. His debut came just two days after the Rams claimed him off waivers, but he’ll have plenty of time to prepare for his next game.
The Rams don’t play again until next Monday night against the Packers, giving him 11 days between action. McVay is looking forward to getting Mayfield into a more normal rhythm next week as the Rams prepare for Green Bay.
“I think it’ll be fun,” McVay said of the next four weeks with Mayfield. “I think you just take it a day at a time. You don’t want to get too far ahead of yourself. I think it’s good for us to kind of be able to catch our breath today. It was a quick crash course for him, but we’ll get connected, we’ll start to get a plan together for the Packers and I think we’ll just at least have a little bit more normalcy to a weekly rhythm. But you still don’t want to be naïve to the fact that there’s a lot of things that we’ve got to continue to try to be able to build on. I thought what he did last night was miraculous, but I think we just want to take it a day at a time, and it’ll be fun to be able to see what we can do with it for the last quarter of the season.”
Mayfield completed 22 of 35 passes for 230 yards and the game-winning touchdown, a beautiful throw to Van Jefferson with 9 seconds left. Expectations should be tempered after such a dramatic comeback, but it was fun to see the Rams moving the ball on offense again. | 2022-12-10T16:24:14Z | sports.yahoo.com | Rams sticking with Baker Mayfield as starting QB for final 4 games | https://sports.yahoo.com/rams-sticking-baker-mayfield-starting-160957505.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/rams-sticking-baker-mayfield-starting-160957505.html?src=rss |
Week 14 of the season began with a shocking come-from-behind win by the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday night with new quarterback Baker Mayfield over the Las Vegas Raiders.
Between Sunday and Monday, there are only 12 games left on the schedule.
If you are thinking of making any wagers on them, you can check out my betting picks for the week below.
I give my picks for the moneyline, the spread and the total for the remaining games and explain some of the picks as well.
After seeing the Cowboys put up more than 50 on the Colts last week, I’m starting to think that they are going to roll against a hapless Texans team.
With no Lamar Jackson, this is the Steelers’ game to steal.
The Jets’ defense is very good. Mike White gives some life to the offense. I don’t think they will win but I like them to cover and keep the game within double digits.
The Broncos are kings of painful, boring close losses. They only have one double-digit loss this season.
The Panthers have not allowed more than 15 points in their last three games. The Seahawks barely beat the Rams last week. This is a nice underdog moneyline bet.
The 49ers are favored over Tom Brady and the Bucs with Brock Purdy at quarterback? The San Fran defense is amazing but Tampa’s is also very good.
The Cardinals looked like a competitive team against the Chargers. If the offense is anything like it was in Week 12, they will win. The Pats have not won a game in which their opponent scored 20 points. They have allowed 29.0 ppg in their 6 losses. | 2022-12-10T16:24:33Z | sports.yahoo.com | Week 14 NFL betting picks – winners, spread, total | https://sports.yahoo.com/week-14-nfl-betting-picks-152700495.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/week-14-nfl-betting-picks-152700495.html?src=rss |
I told him I didn't know if that was such a great idea, even if I knew him enough to know he wasn’t going to listen.
Grant was no shill for soccer. He was a journalist. Perhaps too much of one for some broadcast opportunities. He was a multi-decade thorn in FIFA's side.
U.S. men’s soccer player Christian Pulisic was cleared by doctors to play alongside team U.S.A as they are set to face the Netherlands. Grant Wahl joins NBC’s Hallie Jackson to break down the team's chances and what the potential matchup means.
American soccer journalist Grant Wahl has died while covering the World Cup in Qatar. Wahl was 48. The cause of Wahl's death has not been announced as of Friday night. Wahl's brother Eric took to social media to suspect foul play. | 2022-12-10T16:40:40Z | sports.yahoo.com | American sportswriter Grant Wahl was an original | https://sports.yahoo.com/grant-wahl-was-an-original-154019872.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/grant-wahl-was-an-original-154019872.html?src=rss |
Why is Cristiano Ronaldo benched? Portugal drop forward for Morocco World Cup quarter-final
Ash Barty’s Australian Open singles title in January was enough to ensure the former top-ranked tennis player won Australia’s most prestigious annual sports award -- despite retiring from the game less than two months later. Barty has been given The Don Award, named after its most accomplished and famous cricketer Don Bradman. Barty shocked the tennis world in March when she announced her retirement at the age of 25. | 2022-12-10T16:40:46Z | sports.yahoo.com | Messi slams referee after Argentina win on penalties | https://sports.yahoo.com/messi-slams-referee-argentina-win-230408592.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/messi-slams-referee-argentina-win-230408592.html?src=rss |
New York Knicks forward Julius Randle (30) warms up before the game against the Orlando Magic at Madison Square Garden / Vincent Carchietta - USA TODAY Sports
The Knicks defeated the Charlotte Hornets 121-102 on Friday night to extend their winning streak to three-games. The victory pushed New York back to the .500 mark (13-13) for the first time since November 21.
Leading the way again for the Knicks in this one, was the red-hot Julius Randle.
Randle scored 19 first-half points to help the Knicks jump out to an early lead. They never looked back from there as they secured the victory. The power forward finished with his fifth 30-point night of the season.
He dropped 33 points while securing seven rebounds, dishing a pair of assists, and turning the ball over just one. Randle shot 9-for-21 from the field, including four threes, and hit 11 of his 14 free throws on the night. He was absolutely dominating the Hornets in aspects of the game.
This of course comes a game after he put up 34 points and pulled in 17 rebounds in the 113-89 win over the Atlanta Hawks. Randle is now averaging 27 points, nine rebounds, and four assists over his past six games, that Knicks are 4-2 in that span.
“I’m just being aggressive and taking what the defense is giving me. And I’m playing with confidence,” Randle told reporters postgame. “It’s a lot of fun and everybody is in rhythm, the energy is contagious.”
Head coach Tom Thibodeau said that Randle’s played an outstanding all-around game of late, which has help set the tone for the rest of the team.
“He had a play that he was behind the play, beat everyone down the floor, pulled everyone in, and we ended up getting a 3 on it. And there’s no stat for that other than it helps you create rhythm for your team.”
He added: “He’s made several plays like that when he’s getting double-teams, getting off the ball, moving without the ball, he’s screening off the ball. He’s playing a great all-around game. I think that helps set the tone for the team.”
There’s certainly been some ups and downs during his Knicks tenure, but there’s no denying Randle has been playing some tremendous basketball of late. | 2022-12-10T17:24:11Z | sports.yahoo.com | Confident Julius Randle setting tone for Knicks with ‘great all-around game’ | https://sports.yahoo.com/confident-julius-randle-setting-tone-164931159.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/confident-julius-randle-setting-tone-164931159.html?src=rss |
The Chicago Bears are sitting at 3-10 through the first 13 weeks, where their season is all but over after being eliminated from postseason contention. While it’s been ugly this season, the emergence of quarterback Justin Fields has made this season a success.
With Chicago wrapping up a bye week after their Week 13 loss to the Green Bay Packers, it’s the perfect time to look back at where this team is at on offense, defense, special teams and with the coaching staff with just four games left on the schedule.
Here’s a quick breakdown of what we saw during the first 13 games and how we graded the Bears in their 3-10 season (so far).
Let’s be honest, the reason the Bears offense is receiving a “B” instead of a “D” is because of quarterback Justin Fields and what he’s done for this offense since the mini-bye week. The offense has been night and day from Weeks 1-6 and Weeks 7-13, where Fields has emerged as one of the NFL’s most explosive players and has made history on almost a weekly basis. The Bears averaged 15.5 points per game through the first six weeks and have averaged 25 points per game since, and Fields has been a big part of that. Fields has been the NFL’s best running quarterback with 905 yards, and he has a chance to break Lamar Jackson’s single-season record. Fields has accounted for 21 touchdowns (11 passing, 8 rushing), and he’s managed to electrify this underwhelming offense with his impressive skill set. The Bears have already won this season because they’ve found their guy in Fields.
Chicago has had the best run game in the NFL since the beginning of the season, and they’re currently averaging 189.2 rushing yards per game. Which is made more impressive considering the passing game has been the worst in the league and teams know the Bears are going to run the ball. Fields has been a big part of the run game’s success since the bye week (with 623 rushing yards for an average of 103.8 yards per game). But running backs David Montgomery and Khalil Herbert have also contributed in a big way. Herbert has been a better fit in this scheme, but Montgomery remains a key piece in the run game. Herbert has 643 yards, averaging 6.0 yards per carry, and four touchdowns in 10 games. Montgomery has 641 rushing yards, averaging 4.0 yards per carry, in 12 games.
While the run game has thrived, the passing game has struggled. But it’s certainly improved from where it was within the first six weeks. Darnell Mooney leads Chicago in receiving with 493 yards (which isn’t ideal), and he’s now done for the season. Cole Kmet has been a pleasant surprise this season, and he’s emerged as one of Fields’ most dependable targets. Kmet is second in receiving with 408 yards and a team-best five touchdown receptions. The Bears had their best passing game against the Packers in Week 13, where they opened up the downfield passing game. The hope is we’ll see more of that down the stretch.
The offensive line was a huge concern even before the start of the season, and there’s plenty of work that needs to be done this offseason. While the offensive line has done a good job in run blocking, they’ve struggled protecting the quarterback. The Bears have allowed the second-most sacks in the NFL through 13 weeks with 42. Teven Jenkins has been the team’s best offensive lineman, where he’s found a new home at right guard. Rookie Braxton Jones has had a solid season, but there are questions at center and right tackle moving forward.
It’s been a brutal season for the Bears defense, which hasn’t been helped with the trades of star linebacker Roquan Smith and defensive end Robert Quinn. This was already a young, inexperienced defense (with top rookies Kyler Gordon and Jaquan Brisker getting the start from the get-go), but the group has a significant talent deficiency and has dealt with injuries, including losing safety Eddie Jackson, who had a bounce back year, for the season. In the first six weeks, Chicago allowed 19.7 points per game. Since the mini-bye week, they’ve allowed 30.7 points per game.
The biggest problem this season has been a lack of a pass rush, which hasn’t helped the secondary and has allowed opposing quarterbacks to thrive. The Bears have recorded just 16 sacks in 13 games, which is worst in the NFL. While they started the year with five sacks through the first two games, it got worse down the line (especially after Quinn was traded). They’ve had just four games with more than one sack.
Chicago has also struggled when it comes to defending the run, where they’ve been among the bottom of the league all season. They’re allowing an average 146.3 rushing yards per game, which ranks 27th in the NFL. The Bears have allowed less than 100 rushing yards in just four games this season. They’ve allowed 200-plus rushing yards in three games this season, including a season-high 262 rushing yards to the Giants. Chicago also allowed 149-plus rushing yards in seven games.
The secondary hasn’t benefited from a nonexistent pass rush, which has put even more pressure on them this season. The Bears have a solid safety duo in Jackson and Brisker, but there are questions at cornerback outside of Jaylon Johnson. Gordon has had an up-and-down rookie year, which started with getting picked on by Aaron Rodgers in Week 2. The Bears have generated 15 takeaways this season, which is tied for 12th in the NFL.
Special teams haven’t been great this season, where there have been a number of blunders that have cost the Bears in a big way this season. Kicker Cairo Santos, while still solid, isn’t as dependable as he’s been in the past. While he’s connected on 90 percent (18-of-20) field goals, he’s missed four extra points this season. Punter Trenton Gill has quietly been having an impressive rookie season, where he’s average 46.9 yards per punt, with 11 downed inside the 20-yard line. He did have one punt blocked, which happened because Khalil Herbert whiffed on a block.
Things have been rough in the return game, particularly for rookie Velus Jones Jr. Jones fumbled two punts within three weeks (against the Giants and Commanders), which ultimately led to Chicago losses. He was a healthy scratch in Weeks 9 and 10, but he’s since made his way back to the lineup.
Typically, a 3-10 record wouldn’t warrant a “B” grade for the coaching staff. But everyone knew what we were in for this season, and when GM Ryan Poles started trading valuable assets for draft capital, the expectations shifted even lower. The fact that the Bears have been in most of the games they’ve lost this season — they’ve lost six of those 10 games by one score — is impressive and speaks to what first-year Matt Eberflus has instilled in his team. Eberflus hasn’t been perfect, but he’s exactly the kind of coach this team needs. The team has bought into the culture, and the arrow is pointed up.
First-time play caller Luke Getsy deserves a ton of credit for the offense’s turnaround this season. The offense sputtered in the first six weeks of the season before the mini-bye week provided an opportunity for Getsy to turn things around. That started with more designed QB runs for Fields, which opened up the offense in a big way. But Getsy hasn’t been without his struggles, particularly when it comes to situational play calling. We have to remember he’s a first-time play caller, and there will be plenty of lows to accompany the highs.
It’s hard to fault defensive coordinator Alan Williams for the defense’s performance this season after Poles traded away its two best players in Roquan Smith and Robert Quinn, leaving an already-underwhelming defensive roster with two gaping holes. The pass rush has been nonexistent this season, which makes it difficult to get anything done on defense, the defensive line is worse than previously thought and the secondary has dealt with injuries.
Special teams coordinator Richard Hightower has had a rough year with some gaffes on special teams. Cairo Santos and rookie Trenton Gill have been solid, but there have been plenty of mistakes that have cost the Bears games this season. | 2022-12-10T17:54:40Z | sports.yahoo.com | Bears report card: How we graded Chicago at the bye week | https://sports.yahoo.com/bears-report-card-graded-chicago-171556683.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/bears-report-card-graded-chicago-171556683.html?src=rss |
The New Orleans Saints suffered a heartbreaking loss at the last second Monday night against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but now they’re losing even more for their performance.
The NFL just dropped $500,000 in fines on various Saints parties, alleging defensive end Cameron Jordan faked an injury in the fourth quarter of Monday night’s game, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
All parties plan to appeal the fines, according to Schefter.
Despite trailing 16-3 with less than six minutes left in the game, the Bucs mounted back-to-back touchdown drives to steal a 17-16 victory, scoring the game-winner with just three seconds left on the clock.
156 Years Later, Ulysses S. Grant Could Get One Last Promotion
The war hero, once ranked among the worst U.S. presidents but whose reputation is on the upswing, may be promoted to the rank of General of the Armies under the fiscal 2023 defense authorization bill. | 2022-12-10T17:55:11Z | sports.yahoo.com | NFL fines Saints over $500k for faking injury vs. Bucs | https://sports.yahoo.com/nfl-fines-saints-over-500k-172742048.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/nfl-fines-saints-over-500k-172742048.html?src=rss |
The No. 1 linebacker in the country for the class of 2024 in TJ Capers has narrowed down his list of schools to 12, and the LSU Tigers have made the cut.
The Tigers join Penn State, Miami, Texas A&M, Georgia, Michigan, Louisville, USC, Alabama, Tennessee, Ohio State and Michigan State.
Capers plays for the Columbus Explorers in Miami, Florida. The Explorers are 13-1 this season and will play Apopka for the FHSAA 4 M state championship next Saturday. LSU landed one of the best linebackers in the country last season when they signed Harold Perkins Jr.
That signing has paid dividends this season. Capers is that kind of guy.
Currently, he has no Crystal Ball projections, and there is no clear favorite to land him per on3. As the early signing period nears for the 2023 recruiting class, expect the class of 2024’s recruitment to heat up significantly.
LSU is preparing for their bowl game as they play Purdue in the Citrus Bowl on January 2nd.
After hot start to cycle, where does LSU stand in the 2024 recruiting rankings? | 2022-12-10T18:12:11Z | sports.yahoo.com | LSU makes the top 12 for 5-star linebacker in 2024 class | https://sports.yahoo.com/lsu-makes-top-12-5-173554454.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/lsu-makes-top-12-5-173554454.html?src=rss |
Morocco became the first African team to advance to the semifinals of a World Cup with a 1-0 win over Portugal on Saturday morning.
Ronaldo immediately left the pitch after the game and started crying as he walked down the tunnel to the Portugal locker room. His playing time in Saturday's game tied him for the most international appearances with Kuwait's Bader Al-Mutawa at 196.
Shortly after that Ronaldo chance in added time, Morocco went down to 10 men after substitute Walid Cheddira got two yellow cards in a matter of minutes. Morocco then had to defend for the final seven minutes with one fewer man than Portugal. Cheddira's red card for the second yellow was just the second red card issued to a player all tournament.
That defensive excellence was why Morocco won Group F over Croatia, Belgium and Canada and how it became the fourth different African country to make the quarterfinals of a men's World Cup. Cameroon first made the quarterfinals in 1990 before Senegal in 2002 and Ghana in 2010.
It's also a reason why Morocco is a serious threat to win this World Cup. While Morocco will end up playing either England or France in the semifinals on Wednesday, it shut down a Portugal team that scored six goals against Switzerland, and a Spain team that scored seven goals against Costa Rica before that. Teams with bigger stars and seemingly more offensive talent are simply finding it impossible to score against this Moroccan team.
Portugal's disappointment
And it’s impossible to quantify Saturday's loss as anything other than a disappointment both for one of the world’s greatest players ever and for Portugal. Ronaldo’s penalty kick goal in the first game of the tournament against Ghana was his only goal of this World Cup, and it’s indisputable that Portugal looked a lot better with Gonçalo Ramos up front against Switzerland than it had with Ronaldo leading the front line in any of its other three games. | 2022-12-10T18:15:48Z | sports.yahoo.com | World Cup 2022: Morocco makes African history with 1-0 quarterfinal win over Portugal | https://sports.yahoo.com/world-cup-2022-morocco-makes-african-history-with-1-0-quarterfinal-win-over-portugal-165638242.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/world-cup-2022-morocco-makes-african-history-with-1-0-quarterfinal-win-over-portugal-165638242.html?src=rss |
Germany's goalkeeper Manuel Neuer in action during the World Cup group E soccer match between Germany and Japan, at the Khalifa International Stadium in Doha, Qatar, Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2022. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
Germany has struggled in World Cups since that 2014 title, however. The Germans were also eliminated in the group stage at the 2018 World Cup. France's group win at the 2022 World Cup meant it became the first defending World Cup champs to advance to the knockout rounds since Brazil in 2006. | 2022-12-10T18:20:59Z | sports.yahoo.com | GK Manuel Neuer to miss the rest of Bayern Munich's season after post-World Cup skiing accident | https://sports.yahoo.com/gk-manuel-neuer-to-miss-the-rest-of-bayern-munichs-season-after-post-world-cup-skiing-accident-161124808.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/gk-manuel-neuer-to-miss-the-rest-of-bayern-munichs-season-after-post-world-cup-skiing-accident-161124808.html?src=rss |
Former Vancouver Grizzlies' lottery pick Steve Francis is in Toronto for a special screening of Kat Jayme's "The Grizzlie Truth", a new documentary that tells the story of the NBA's most troubled franchise. (Reuters)
Filipina-Canadian filmmaker and diehard Vancouver Grizzlies fan Kathleen Jayme has given a voice to the legions of Vancouver basketball fans that are still not over the team's somewhat sudden relocation to Memphis in 2001 with her latest film, The Grizzlie Truth.
"The main goal I had in making the film was trying to uncover what truly happened to the Grizzlies," Jayme told Yahoo Sports Canada. "Get some closure for our Grizzly fans, myself included, and get the opportunity to give those who were part of the organization a chance to tell their side of the story, with hopes to better understand what actually happened."
While Michael Jordan was capturing the hearts and minds of young fans around the world in the early 1990s - including Jayme's older brother - it was the new Grizzlies, with their cool turquoise jerseys and unique Pacific Northwest identity, that inspired Jayme and her eventual love for basketball.
"The Grizzlies coming down really cemented my love for the game; just the excitement of going to games, the energy, the magic of it all," she said. "I just completely fell head over heels for the Vancouver Grizzlies."
"I would come to school with my family camcorder, and I would film my friends and I would make movies with the footage from that," Jayme said. "I've always just naturally been drawn to document things, film things.
"When I go back to the Philippines, and I tell people what I do, they say, 'that makes sense, it's in your blood.'"
The Vancouver native graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Film Production from the University of British Columbia in 2011, and gained national attention in 2018 with the release of Finding Big Country, a documentary about her journey to find former Grizzlies star center Bryant Reeves, who retired from the NBA after only six seasons, moving back to his native Oklahoma to work as a cattle farmer.
The Grizzlie Truth features cameos from former NBA stars including Antonio Harvey, George Lynch and Tony Massenburg, as well as one of the most unpopular athletes in Vancouver sports history: Steve Francis.
One of Francis's concerns with the team was his role, as Vancouver had drafted guard Mike Bibby with the second overall pick just a year prior.
"The year before, you drafted in the same position, there was no definite answer over whether I would be playing at the one or the two," he told Yahoo Sports Canada. "Coming out of college, I was not ready to check Kobe Bryant, Eddie Jones or any of those two-guards, so if I wasn't going to play immediately, I thought it wouldn't be a good deal."
"I don't have any regrets. If things were explained more, as you'll see in the movie, not only myself but some of the other guys that were there before me, there was no definite direction in which the organization was heading," the 45-year-old said. "Everybody was kind of confused, so I'm glad I wasn't part of that confusion."
Francis felt like he needed to clear the air on the event that many consider to have accelerated the Grizzlies' downfall, and felt this project was the perfect avenue to speak his truth.
"The reason why I really did it is because my kids have heard so much about this growing up from other outlets," Francis said. "But for me to finally speak on it gives them clarity about their dad."
The Francis pick wasn't Vancouver's only miss or stroke of bad luck at the draft, as management missed out on multiple generational talents like Tim Duncan, Kobe Bryant and Tracy McGrady.
"The Raptors, for example, had better luck in drafting players, like getting Vince Carter," Jayme said. "So our luck at the draft is one of the reasons the team eventually folded."
After the lockout-shortened season made a significant dent in team revenues, and attendance dropped drastically as the team showed no sign of climbing out of the league's doldrums, the franchise was teetering on the brink. Chicago-based billionaire Michael Heasley purchased the team for $160 million in 2000, and despite promising to keep the team in Vancouver, almost immediately began searching for a relocation candidate.
He settled on Memphis. The NBA Board of Governors approved the move in July 2001, ending the league's adventure in the Canadian west.
Toronto is one of the biggest markets in the NBA, and the Raptors are the 11th-highest valued franchise in the league at $3.1 billion. They've averaged the third-highest average attendance in the 2022-23 season so far, and are only three years removed from an NBA championship.
"I am very hopeful. I know it's not going to happen right away; maybe in the next decade or two," she said. "One of the reasons why I made this film was to prove that the team should never have left, and to show how much love there still is for the Grizzlies and the NBA in Canada and Vancouver."
The Pitt Panthers are coming off a heartbreaking 75-74 loss to Vanderbilt earlier this week, which snapped a five-game winning streak. After trailing for most of the second half, Pitt forged a late run to take the lead with under a minute remaining, but could not steal the win. Jeff Capel's squad will look to bounce back today, and after running a three-game road gauntlet against power-five teams, Pitt is back in the friendly confines of the Petersen Events Center today to take on Sacred Heart. | 2022-12-10T18:21:06Z | sports.yahoo.com | 'The Grizzlie Truth' chronicles the Vancouver Grizzlies' NBA doom | https://sports.yahoo.com/nba-grizzlie-truth-documentary-chronicles-vancouver-grizzlies-doom-173630219.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/nba-grizzlie-truth-documentary-chronicles-vancouver-grizzlies-doom-173630219.html?src=rss |
Kerr calls crushing loss to Jazz 'worst' of Warriors tenure originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea
The Warriors nearly pulled off a heroic comeback over the Utah Jazz on Wednesday night, but what unfolded on the Vivint Arena court instead was a loss unlike any coach Steve Kerr has experienced during his time in the Bay.
“It’s such an emotional loss, it’s such a brutal loss,” Kerr said Friday on 95.7 The Game’s “Damon and Ratto” show. “I mean, I think probably the worst ending we’ve had since I’ve been coach.”
Golden State suffered a last-second 124-123 loss in Utah after overcoming a nine-point deficit in the fourth quarter, as starters Steph Curry, Draymond Green and Andrew Wiggins watched from back home.
The Warriors’ four-point lead with 13.3 seconds left was cut to one after a breakdown on defense that left Jazz sharpshooter Malik Beasley wide open, and a turnover on Golden State's ensuing possession allowed Utah to win on a game-sealing dunk.
Kerr said the Warriors were “stunned” and “dead silent” in the locker room after the crushing defeat.
“... There’s usually one game a year like this where you can’t believe what just happened, and I think that’s the truth,” Kerr said. “But of all of those in my time [with the Warriors], that was the worst one.”
Despite the loss, the ninth-year coach believes there’s plenty the Warriors can take away from the game moving forward.
“As long as you learn from it, and it doesn’t happen especially in a playoff game, then it’s OK,” Kerr said. “But you have to learn from it, and I think there was plenty to learn from that game.”
Kerr compared Wednesday’s defeat to last season’s overtime loss to a depleted Indiana Pacers team. The Warriors learned plenty from that, eventually going on to win the 2022 NBA Finals.
“Last year we lost a game to Indiana when we left a 3-point shooter at the buzzer up three,” Kerr said. “And then we learned from that. We never did it again. In the playoffs, it didn’t happen.
“But it happened, and so we learned from it. And we’ve got to learn from it this time.”
RELATED: Bill Russell jersey retirement hits home for Warriors, Bay Area
The Warriors’ next seven games will reveal plenty about a team that has been up and down to start the 2022 NBA season, starting with the Boston Celtics on Saturday night at Chase Center.
But if Golden State uses this latest lesson like it did last season, Kerr’s worst loss could prove to be a turning point.
#Rockets coach Stephen Silas on Houston’s loss in San Antonio: “I didn’t like our swagger tonight. I didn’t like our defensive intensity. I didn’t like our attention to detail.” | 2022-12-10T18:21:12Z | sports.yahoo.com | Warriors' crushing loss to Jazz 'worst' of Stever Kerr's Dubs tenure | https://sports.yahoo.com/warriors-crushing-loss-jazz-worst-173718540.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/warriors-crushing-loss-jazz-worst-173718540.html?src=rss |
The Chicago Bears are on their bye over Week 14 and won’t take the field this weekend. While fans won’t get to watch their favorite team, it also presents a chance to tune into other games during the afternoon.
The Bears don’t have playoff aspirations anymore as they were eliminated from contention after last week’s 28-19 loss to the Green Bay Packers. But the slate of NFL games allows fans to watch for other playoff races, entertaining matchups, or even to see if the Bears can take a bigger lead in the draft sweepstakes with the No. 2 overall pick.
Here are some of the games we’ll be dialed into on Sunday afternoon.
1. Minnesota Vikings vs. Detroit Lions
Sep 25, 2022; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Detroit Lions running back Jamaal Williams (30) scores a touchdown as Minnesota Vikings cornerback Patrick Peterson (7) defends during the second quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports
Noon CT, FOX TV
The Minnesota Vikings have the opportunity to clinch the NFC North with a win against the Detroit Lions. Both teams have been hot as of late, each winning four of their last five games played. The Lions are making a run at a wild card spot and though they have an outside shot, a win against Minnesota would put them closer to that opportunity.
These two teams played earlier in the season in a wild come-from-behind win for the Vikings. It could be the Lions turn to make some noise as they’re favorites heading into the game. Either way, it should be a fun watch.
2. Baltimore Ravens vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
Oct 1, 2017; Baltimore, MD, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker TJ Watt (90) defends a pass against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mitch Stringer-USA TODAY Sports
Noon CT, CBS
The Baltimore Ravens take on the Pittsburgh Steelers without star quarterback Lamar Jackson, but no matter who is under center for either team, this matchup rarely disappoints. Baltimore has a firm grip on a playoff spot while the Steelers are desperately hoping to stay alive in the race.
This game is also a chance for Bears fans to see Roquan Smith. Following the trade to the Ravens, Smith has looked solid and had his best performance with his new team last week in their win against the Denver Broncos. And if somehow Mitchell Trubisky makes it into the game for the Steelers, we would have the Bears 2017 first-round pick going up against the 2018 first-round pick. That alone would be intriguing to fans.
3. Philadelphia Eagles vs. New York Giants
Oct 11, 2018; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley (26) runs for a touchdown against the Philadelphia Eagles during the third quarter at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Noon CT, FOX
Bears fans can get a close look at their next opponent when the Philadelphia Eagles face off against the New York Giants. Not only that, it’s a chance to see arguably the best team in the NFL at the moment go up against a division rival who is trying to remain in a playoff position.
The Giants will have their hands full with Jalen Hurts, A.J. Brown, and DeVonta Smith, who have become a lethal trio in the passing game. New York will look to bounce back from a tie they had last week and hand Philadelphia its second loss of the year. This should be an entertaining game that stays close for much of the afternoon.
4. New York Jets vs. Buffalo Bills
It’s been just a little over a month since the New York Jets and Buffalo Bills last faced off where the Jets got an upset victory and a lot has changed since that game. Quarterback Zach Wilson has been relegated to third string, running back Zonovan Knight has emerged as the new bellcow due to injuries, and linebacker Von Miller won’t be available for the Bills due to a torn ACL injury.
The Bills and the Jets are both in the playoff picture as of now, but a Jets loss could push them out of the final wild card spot. The Bills, meanwhile, need a win to keep pace with the Kansas City Chiefs for the top overall seed. This should be a hard-fought game with massive playoff implications and it also allows Bears fans to get a look at their opponent in two weeks.
5. Kansas City Chiefs vs. Denver Broncos
Sep 12, 2022; Seattle, Washington, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson (3) passes against the Seattle Seahawks during the first quarter at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
3:05 PM CT, CBS
This game has the potential to be a laugher, but on the off chance the Broncos can make this a close matchup against the Chiefs and you’re into the 2023 draft position, this game is for you.
The Broncos are neck and neck with the Bears for the second-worst record in the league as of this weekend. The difference between both teams, however, is Denver doesn’t own their draft pick. It was sent to the Seattle Seahawks in the massive trade for Russell Wilson that looks like one of the worst trades in NFL history right now.
The Broncos have no incentive to try and tank and somehow, are technically still in the playoff hunt. An upset is unlikely, but Bears fans will want to root for Broncos Country this weekend if they’re wanting to secure a top-two pick next spring. | 2022-12-10T19:26:17Z | sports.yahoo.com | 5 games to watch during the Bears bye week | https://sports.yahoo.com/5-games-watch-during-bears-174159520.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/5-games-watch-during-bears-174159520.html?src=rss |
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