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The New England Patriots announced they placed tight end Scotty Washington on injured reserve Tuesday, ahead of their contest with the Miami Dolphins. This leaves them with only one healthy tight end at the position.
Washington made his season debut during Saturday’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals. It was also his NFL debut, as he entered the game following injuries to Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith. Henry left with a knee injury, while Smith left with a head injury.
Washington played 48 snaps in the game. Perhaps his biggest contribution was his tipped touchdown pass to wide receiver Jakobi Meyers.
Matt Sokol is the only other available tight end on the roster, as the Patriots enter Sunday’s game against the Miami Dolphins banged up at the position.
It’s been a difficult season for the Patriots with injuries and on-field play. However, they can salvage their season by knocking off the visiting Dolphins and staying in the playoff hunt.
The Celtics faced plenty of adversity in 2022, and as Chris Forsberg writes, these experiences have made Boston a battle-tested bunch ready to take on any challenge that awaits the team in 2023. | 2022-12-28T01:55:57Z | sports.yahoo.com | Patriots down to one healthy TE with latest IR move | https://sports.yahoo.com/patriots-down-one-healthy-te-010039295.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/patriots-down-one-healthy-te-010039295.html?src=rss |
Asked about how the dynamic in preparation is different when getting ready to face a former member of his staff, McVay seemed excited to take the opportunity by the horns and bring a dynamic gameplan into Sunday’s matchup.
“I think it’s a great challenge,” McVay said. “We’ll jump into the tape here after I finish up with you guys. You guys know the amount of respect that I have for him as a football mind and a football coach, and you can see they’ve done a great job putting themselves in legitimate playoff contention where they’re excellent and I think they are great in crunch time moments. I think everybody has a little bit different spin on it based on their personnel.
“And how many similarities are there to what [Packers Defensive Coordinator] Joe [Barry] and [Broncos Defensive Coordinator] E [Ejiro Evero] are doing? I’ll be able to kind of be better equipped with those answers once I dive into the tape, but you know it’s going to be a really sound outfit, guys are going to be in the right spots. He does a great job of trying to create a lot of conflict and try to be the aggressor and dictate the terms from his vantage point defensively with the scheme that he runs and the mind that he has.”
The Chargers have won more games this year, and the Rams are likely to be underdogs in this matchup despite having won two of their last three games. Quarterback Baker Mayfield has settled in as a starting quarterback for the Rams, but the Chargers will have the advantage at the position with Justin Herbert under center.
McVay will need to put together a wicked effective strategy to emerge victorious against his former defensive coordinator on Sunday, and if he can make it happen, it would mean a lot to Rams fans who have seen their team struggle in their 2022 campaign. | 2022-12-28T01:56:10Z | sports.yahoo.com | Sean McVay says facing former Rams defensive coordinator Brandon Staley will be ‘a great challenge’ | https://sports.yahoo.com/sean-mcvay-says-facing-former-004714689.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/sean-mcvay-says-facing-former-004714689.html?src=rss |
The Houston Texans finally got a win, which means they can’t possibly be the worst team in the NFL anymore — especially not with all the other terrible teams that took losses and a team that fired its coach.
According to Mark Lane from the Touchdown Wire, the Texans improved to No. 28 in the latest power rankings to conclude Week 16.
The Texans beat the Titans 19-14 on the road at Nissan Stadium. Even though the Texans haven’t won the AFC South since 2019, their effect on the division was nevertheless felt in Tennessee. As the Titans’ losing streak extends to five games, there are concerns as to whether Tennessee can even keep control of the division by the end of the season.
Across the rest of the AFC South, the Indianapolis Colts stayed at No. 31, but only because the Denver Broncos are worse after having fired their rookie coach. The Titans tumbled to No. 18 thanks to their loss at the hands of the Texans. The Jacksonville Jaguars improved to No. 9 thanks to their three-game winning streak.
Jacksonville visits NRG Stadium in Week 17 to finish up the season series. The Jaguars have not beaten the Texans since 2017. A win from Houston would be another effect on the AFC South title race, and also a reminder that there is one last hurdle Trevor Lawrence can’t bound.
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‘He’s told the coaches he’s going to return’: Bob Stoops says Drake Stoops will return in 2023
Drake Stoops set to return to the Oklahoma Sooners for 2023. | 2022-12-28T01:56:16Z | sports.yahoo.com | Texans get off the mat and stand at No. 28 in Touchdown Wire NFL power rankings | https://sports.yahoo.com/texans-off-mat-stand-no-011338315.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/texans-off-mat-stand-no-011338315.html?src=rss |
Opportunities have been hard to come by for 49ers rookie third-round running back Tyrion Davis-Price. An early-season injury, combined with the 49ers’ backfield depth has pushed Davis-Price down the depth chart where he’s been virtually invisible during his rookie campaign.
That changed some Saturday afternoon at Levi’s Stadium when Davis-Price notched nine carries for 30 yards. While there were a couple of runs that stood out for yards he gained, head coach Kyle Shanahan pointed to a yard that Davis-Price didn’t gain that wound up being a big, positive play for San Francisco.
“Yeah, Ty, he had a good game,” Shanahan on Monday said in a conference all. “I think it was the second-and-four that he’d like to have back that ended up leading to that third-and-one and fourth-and-one we didn’t get, but then watching the film, the linebacker had his hands inside on the ball and if he would’ve fought for another yard, it would’ve ended up being a fumble, so it was a smart decision for him to roll with the ball. Didn’t make any mistakes in the game and I was happy for him that he could get out there, get his feet wet again, back in the game and get some carries because there’s a great chance we’ll need him here going forward.”
Undrafted rookie Jordan Mason has been getting the work spelling RB Christian McCaffrey, but a hamstring injury leading into the game and a knee injury scare on the first play pushed Davis-Price into some rare, early action. The ability to churn out carries without turning the ball over will be key for the third-round choice if he wants to continue earning more playing time.
Marcus Johansson (Washington Capitals) with a Goal vs. New York Rangers, 12/27/2022 | 2022-12-28T01:56:22Z | sports.yahoo.com | Tyrion Davis-Price draws praise for yard he didn’t try for | https://sports.yahoo.com/tyrion-davis-price-draws-praise-000813000.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/tyrion-davis-price-draws-praise-000813000.html?src=rss |
Tomase: HoF ballot reveals why I've finally surrendered to the Steroid Era originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
It's the most wonderful time of the year! The Hall of Fame ballot reveal, which is *totally* not a way to fill space during the slowest month of the baseball calendar, how dare you.
Anyway, I'm a Small(ish) Hall guy, and therefore pretty much never use all 10 spots on the ballot. I'm also aware of my biases, which tend towards players I covered in person, as well as power hitters, even if chicks no longer dig the long ball in this era of exit velocities and 101 mph lefty specialists.
Anyway, I've made some additions to my ballot after a decade dominated by the three horsemen of misery in Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, and Curt Schilling, all of whom I'm happy to see become someone else's problem.
I've also completed my transformation from righteous to agnostic to surrendered on the issue of performance-enhancing drugs. If MLB doesn't want steroid users in the Hall, take them off the ballot. It's your building, not mine. Playing morality policeman never really suited a bunch of hard-living sportswriters anyway.
So here's my ballot. I used to care what people thought, if I'm being honest. It was a personal weakness, and it has been eliminated. To the ballot!
Let's start with my lone holdover. Every writer takes on a cause, and I guess Sheffield is mine. His stay on the ballot is winding down, and he has yet to crack 41 percent in eight years, but I will continue to check his name until I can't anymore.
Sheffield is exhibit A in my bias towards power hitters, especially ones I covered. The number of players whose at-bats made me stop what I was doing to make sure I didn't miss something special is small: David Ortiz, Shohei Ohtani, Sheffield.
A lot of it had to do with style -- the menacing bat waggle is iconic -- but also results. No one left Fenway faster, and if the Red Sox have any regrets from the early and mid-2000s, it's that they never found a way to get Sheffield into Fenway Park for a full season. He might've knocked down the Cask.
There's little debate in my mind about Beltran the player, a true five-tool superstar who remained a solid contributor throughout his 30s. Beltran suffers for spending his prime in the heartland, but after leaving Kansas City, he continuously showed up on the biggest stage.
In Beltran's very first postseason, he homered eight times in 12 games while leading the Astros to the brink of the 2004 World Series (which was only going to end one way, regardless of opponent). He posted a 1.021 postseason OPS in 65 games.
He's also just one of five players with over 400 homers and 300 steals -- joining Bonds, Alex Rodriguez, Willie Mays, and Andre Dawson -- and if that's not a Hall of Famer, then we've lost our way.
This is my first vote for Jones after six years on the ballot. While it's easy to get sucked into the vortex of WAR and JAWS when making a selection -- why are all these acronyms so hostile? -- sometimes it makes more sense to take a step back.
And if there's a simple question that helps me determine a Hall of Famer, it's this: did he do something better than pretty much anyone ever? It's how I belatedly got to yes on Tim Raines, whose stolen-base prowess was unrivaled by everyone not named Ricky.
And it's why I've changed my opinion on Jones, who in addition to blasting over 400 career home runs, stands as one of the best defensive center fielders ever. His 10 straight Gold Gloves speak for themselves, and as leery as I remain of defensive metrics, particularly when they're retroactively applied to the 1990s, Jones scores there, too.
He's not a slam dunk, and his career petered out exactly when he could've been polishing his Hall of Fame resume, but a decade-plus of catching everything at a premium defensive position while hitting the ball out of the park is enough for me.
Now things get interesting! I've been a no on Manny for six years because of his ham-handed ties to steroids. It's one thing to get busted before the sport cared. Once rules were in place and congressional committees convened, it shouldn't have been hard to stay clean, but Ramirez continuously flouted the rules, finally slinking away from the Rays under cover of darkness rather than face a 100-game suspension.
"If he didn't care, then I don't care," I've written more than once, which remains a defensible position. I don't begrudge anyone who skips his name, and since there's no nice way to say this, let me make it clear: Manny is an all-time dumbass.
But he's also one of the best right-handed hitters ever, and it's a testament to his greatness that the lifetime .312 hitter fell within percentage points of that number pretty much everywhere: at home and on the road, in the first half and the second half, in April and September.
Add 29 postseason homers and a 2004 World Series MVP, and we're talking about an absolute monster. Do I wish he could've kept needles out of his behind? Absolutely. But on this vote, my conscience is clear.
Well I can't very well say yes to Manny and no to A-Rod unless I'm just straight trolling Yankees fans, and I'm too old for that. Everything I said about Manny applies to A-Rod, but times two: twice the player, twice the superstar, and yes, twice the dumbass.
Though Rodriguez has partially rehabilitated his image as a broadcaster, he's still the face of the post-Bonds steroid era, the insecure superstar who clandestinely shot up in the hopes of maintaining his greatness. There's something needy and tragic about his career, and there's a reason he was one of the most hated players in the game.
But talent is talent, and his three MVPs easily could've been six. It's easy to forget that especially early in his career, he could do everything. He won a batting title at 20, went 40-40 at 22, and averaged over 50 homers a year from 25 to 27 with a couple of Gold Gloves thrown in for good measure.
For all the great shortstops that just signed a billion dollars' worth of contracts this winter, none of them belong in the same sentence as A-Rod. Give him two plaques -- one for his accomplishments, and one for the many asterisks. | 2022-12-28T02:18:03Z | sports.yahoo.com | Hall of Fame ballot reveals why this writer has finally surrendered to the Steroid Era | https://sports.yahoo.com/hall-fame-ballot-reveals-why-003400371.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/hall-fame-ballot-reveals-why-003400371.html?src=rss |
Trae Young left Tuesday's game with a non-contact calf injury. (Trevor Ruszkowski/Reuters)
Atlanta Hawks All-Star Trae Young left Tuesday's loss to the Indiana Pacers with a calf injury and didn't return.
Young sustained the injury late in the fourth quarter on a drive to the basket. He planted his left foot and came up in pain after suffering the non-contact injury.
He limped to the sideline and eventually left for locker room. The Hawks quickly ruled him out with what the team called a "left calf contusion." The extent of Young's injury and a timeline to return to basketball wasn't initially clear. | 2022-12-28T03:26:26Z | sports.yahoo.com | Hawks lose Trae Young to calf injury in loss to Pacers | https://sports.yahoo.com/hawks-lose-trae-young-to-calf-injury-in-loss-to-pacers-031610240.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/hawks-lose-trae-young-to-calf-injury-in-loss-to-pacers-031610240.html?src=rss |
Warner accomplishes rare feat with fifth 100-tackle season originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea
Fred Warner put together a performance against the Washington Commanders on Saturday to remind everyone why he's heading to his second Pro Bowl.
The 26-year-old recorded a team-high and 2022 NFL season-high 13 tackles in the 49ers' 37-20 win over the Commanders at Levi's Stadium.
Additionally, Warner reached an incredible feat by recording 100 or more tackles in a single season for the fifth consecutive season to start his NFL career (2018-22). The 49ers' defensive star also became the fifth NFL player since 2010 to register 100 or more tackles in each of his first five seasons.
Warner joins the exclusive club that includes Roquan Smith (2018-22 with the Chicago Bears), Telvin Smith (2014-18 with the Jacksonville Jaguars), Bobby Wagner (2012-16 with the Seattle Seahawks) and Luke Kuechly (2012-16 with the Carolina Panthers) to record 100 or more tackles in each of his first five seasons.
Since being selected No. 70 overall in the 2018 NFL Draft by the 49ers, the 6-foot-3 defender has 615 career tackles, with a career-high 137 coming last season. With 111 tackles through 15 games this season, Warner needs 27 tackles over the 49ers' final two regular-season games to set a new career high.
RELATED: Fred Warner's impact on middle of field for 49ers proven by impressive stat
While Nick Bosa is the star of the 49ers' defense and Defensive Player of the Year candidate, considering his NFL-leading 17.5 sacks, Warner is a major part of why San Francisco has one of the most feared defensive units in the NFL. | 2022-12-28T03:29:27Z | sports.yahoo.com | 49ers' Fred Warner accomplishes rare feat with fifth 100-tackle season | https://sports.yahoo.com/49ers-fred-warner-accomplishes-rare-010413967.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/49ers-fred-warner-accomplishes-rare-010413967.html?src=rss |
Andrew Whitworth seemingly loves his job on Amazon’s Thursday Night Football coverage, but he’s leaving the door open for a potential return to the field. Despite retiring this past offseason as a member of the Los Angeles Rams, Whitworth went on Peter Schrager’s podcast and iterated that there’s a chance he would consider unretiring to rejoin the Cincinnati Bengals.
“I’ve said this since the day I retired, I’ll never say never,” Whitworth said on The Season with Peter Schrager podcast. “There’s always a chance.”
Whitworth retired in the offseason with the Rams following a storybook ending where he defeated his former team, the Bengals, in the Super Bowl to conclude his legendary career. The All-Pro offensive tackle is technically under contract with the Rams, so if he were to come out of retirement, the Rams and Bengals would need to work out some type of agreement.
The Bengals recently lost La’El Collins for the rest of the season due to a torn ACL, which is why the conversation has heated up surrounding a potential reunion for Whitworth. Cincinnati is considered one of the legitimate contenders in the AFC with an 11-4 record, so he’d have a chance to win back-to-back Super Bowls with the only two teams he spent his 16 seasons playing for.
Earlier this month, Whitworth turned 41 years old and he spoke about how he’d have to make sure he could handle the rigors of playing football again while also discussing everything with his family before making a return. This Thursday’s game will be the final Thursday night game that Whitworth will need to be an analyst for this season, so there’s a chance we could see him playing football again for the team that drafted him in 2006. | 2022-12-28T03:29:33Z | sports.yahoo.com | Andrew Whitworth: ‘Never say never’ on unretiring to sign with the Bengals | https://sports.yahoo.com/andrew-whitworth-never-never-unretiring-024149609.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/andrew-whitworth-never-never-unretiring-024149609.html?src=rss |
How King believes Purdy can win 49ers' starting QB job in 2023 originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea
How Brock Purdy plays throughout the remainder of the 2022 NFL season will go a long way in deciding his fate at the position next season.
Trey Lance was believed to be the future at the quarterback position after the 49ers traded up to select him with the No. 3 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. Now that Purdy has emerged as a potential starter for next season, coach Kyle Shanahan likely will have to decide between the two young signal callers.
NBC Sports NFL columnist Peter King joined 95.7 The Game's "Damon & Ratto" on Tuesday, where he revealed what Shanahan texted him after Purdy's second career start in the 49ers' NFC West-clinching win over the Seattle Seahawks last week.
"The most fortunate thing for (the 49ers) clearly has been the fact that Brock Purdy has stepped in and he's stepped in in a way that Kyle Shanahan even couldn't have hoped for," King said. "He texted me last week after the game, very few words, but one of them was that the guy's just 'unbelievable.' And I think what is unbelievable about it clearly is precociousness because nobody expected him to be this good this fast. But I also think there's one other factor involved in this ... we all think how unlikely it is, how ridiculous it is that he would be playing this well this soon. And I think, who isn't surprised by it?"
Looking ahead to 2023, King believes that Shanahan likely will allow Purdy and Lance to battle it out for the starting job. However, if Purdy carries the 49ers deep into the playoffs and potentially to another Super Bowl appearance, Purdy ultimately will win the job.
"I think it's easy to sit here right now and say Kyle Shanahan doesn't have to make a decision," King explained. "He is going to allow Brock Purdy and Trey Lance to go into training camp next year and may the best man win. And that's a good luxury to have, the third pick in the draft and the guy that just took the league by storm depending on what happens down the stretch. But that could all change. How could it change? There are two games left in the regular season, there are as many as four games left after that. Brock Purdy could take the field six more times before the offseason comes.
"Now if he takes the field six more times, he's going to win the job and it's going to be his job, in my opinion anyway, in 2023. He's not going to take the guy out of the game and put him behind Trey Lance on the depth chart after he has done what he's done. Whether he wins the Super Bowl or not, his six games from right now would be the Super Bowl if the 49ers make it."
Fortunately for the 49ers, they don't have to figure this out right now. Shanahan will cross that bridge when he gets there, and even then he likely won't have much of an answer until training camp is underway next July.
Until then, San Francisco will continue to ride Purdy's surprising success throughout the remainder of the regular season and into the playoffs. | 2022-12-28T03:29:46Z | sports.yahoo.com | How Brock Purdy can win 49ers QB job in 2023 in Peter King's opinion | https://sports.yahoo.com/brock-purdy-win-49ers-qb-011254285.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/brock-purdy-win-49ers-qb-011254285.html?src=rss |
Myles Garrett was not the only defensive end making news today, as the Cleveland Browns are down another on their practice squad as Isaac Rochell has terminated his contract with the team according to the league’s memo. There was no news on the memo about him being signed to another team’s active roster, just that he was no longer under contract with the Browns.
Rochell made the initial 53-man roster, was then waived, landed back on the practice squad, and was signed to the active roster again, before being cut and re-signed to the practice squad once again in 2022. Perhaps there is more news to follow, but at this point, the only news out there is that Rochell is no longer a member of the Browns.
So Isaac Rochell was not terminated by the team and was not signed to another team's active roster today. Weird. He's not with the Browns anymore, but no other news in the NFL's memo. pic.twitter.com/i0PRbvUnVy | 2022-12-28T03:29:58Z | sports.yahoo.com | DE Isaac Rochell terminates practice squad contract with Browns | https://sports.yahoo.com/isaac-rochell-terminates-practice-squad-014752953.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/isaac-rochell-terminates-practice-squad-014752953.html?src=rss |
Wiggs physically cleared to play but ruled out with illness originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea
SAN FRANCISCO -- Andrew Wiggins, after missing the Warriors' last 10 games with a right adductor strain, finally has been cleared to return. However, Wiggins also will miss Tuesday night's game against the Charlotte Hornets and Wednesday night's contest with the Utah Jazz.
Why? Wiggins is the latest Warrior to come down with an illness.
"He's not in the building tonight because he came down ill yesterday," Steve Kerr said Tuesday during his pregame media session. "He'll be out tonight and tomorrow, and hopefully gets better quickly. We'll see."
Kerr then clarified Wiggins likely would have been out against the Hornets as a precaution but would have suited up against the Jazz. The Warriors have gone 3-7 in the 10 straight games Wiggins has missed, and are 3-9 overall without him this season.
Wiggins has played 22 games this season, and when healthy, he has been in All-Star form for the second straight season. The 27-year-old is averaging 19.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.4 steals per game. He also is shooting 51.1 percent overall from the field and 45 percent on 3-pointers.
His rebounds, steals, shooting percentage and shot from beyond the arc are all career highs. As a first-time All-Star last season, Wiggins averaged 17.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.0 steals per game while shooting 46.6 percent from the field and 39.3 percent from deep.
Donte DiVincenzo recently missed the Warriors' two New York games to end their six-game road trip with a non-COVID illness. In the Warriors' Christmas win over the Memphis Grizzlies, DiVincenzo returned to the starting lineup and scored a season-high 19 points with five 3-pointers.
RELATED: Poole thrilled Wiggins quieted critics last season
JaMychal Green, who's set to miss his fourth straight game, remains in the NBA's health and safety protocols. | 2022-12-28T03:43:10Z | sports.yahoo.com | Andrew Wiggins cleared from adductor injury but now ruled out with illness | https://sports.yahoo.com/andrew-wiggins-cleared-adductor-injury-014648909.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/andrew-wiggins-cleared-adductor-injury-014648909.html?src=rss |
The Celtics made the announcement minutes before tipoff, and assistant Damon Stoudamire took the floor as Boston's head coach in his absence.
The Celtics beat the Rockets, 126-102. After the game, Stoudamire said he found out he was going to act as head coach around 10 minutes before tipoff. The extent of Mazzulla's injury remained unclear.
Mazzulla took over as head coach in September when the Celtics suspended Ime Udoka for the entire season, citing violations of the team's code of conduct. He has led the Celtics to the NBA's best record at 24-10. Boston entered Tuesday fresh off a Christmas Day victory over the Eastern Conference rival Milwaukee Bucks.
Despite the early success, the Celtics aren't ready to commit to Mazzulla and don't plan to remove his interim tag during the regular season, according to a Boston Globe report. It wasn't clear on Tuesday if Mazzulla would miss more time.
It wasn’t a criticism that came faster than a speeding bullet, but it was more powerful than locomotion. Smallville showrunners Al Gough and Miles Millar bodied the heck out “Clana” (the fictional relationship between Clark Kent and Lana Lang on the 21-year-old TV show Smallville) in a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter about their hit Netflix show, Wednesday. And by “bodied the heck out of,” we mean quietly accepting one of their daughter’s critiques that the romance lasted a little l | 2022-12-28T04:58:26Z | sports.yahoo.com | Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla sidelined just before tip with 'eye irritation' | https://sports.yahoo.com/celtics-head-coach-joe-mazzulla-sidelined-just-before-tip-with-eye-irritation-013403200.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/celtics-head-coach-joe-mazzulla-sidelined-just-before-tip-with-eye-irritation-013403200.html?src=rss |
The Dallas Mavericks star dropped a historic 60-point triple-double in what was a truly wild 126-121 overtime win over the New York Knicks on Tuesday night.
Doncic’s statline is impressive enough. He scored a career-high 60 points, 21 rebounds and 10 assists — which is a franchise scoring record, makes him the youngest player in league history to ever have a 50-point triple double and makes him the only player ever to have a 60-point, 20-rebound triple-double.
But it was how he ended the fourth quarter that was truly ridiculous.
Doncic and the Mavericks erased a nine-point Knicks lead in just 33 seconds to force overtime, thanks to a big late 3-pointer from Spencer Dinwiddie and then a heroic final shot from Doncic.
That shot came, however, after Doncic intentionally missed a free throw and then somehow grabbed the rebound and put it back in himself.
The reaction is, incredibly, just as good as the shot was.
The Mavericks then pushed ahead quickly in overtime, holding the Knicks to just two free throws in the first four minutes of the extra period, to complete the comeback and grab the five-point win. Doncic had seven of Dallas’ 11 points in overtime, which got him to 60 on the night.
“I’m tired as hell,” Doncic said after the win. "I need a recovery beer."
NBA teams who led by at least nine points with 35 or fewer seconds remaining in the game were 13,884-0 over the last 20 seasons, too, per ESPN's Tim MacMahon. The Knicks are now the only team to blow that lead in the past two decades.
Dinwiddie added 25 points in the win for the Mavericks, and Christian Wood finished with 19 points and eight rebounds.
The Mavericks have won four straight, thanks almost solely to Doncic. He's averaged nearly 42 points, 9.8 assists and 11.8 rebounds over that stretch — which included another 50-point outing on Friday in their win over the Houston Rockets.
"The kid doesn't quit," coach Jason Kidd said, via the Dallas Morning News' Callie Caplan. "He doesn't quit ... Just in awe to see a young player like that."
While relying only on Doncic isn't a sustainable plan for Dallas long-term, there's no arguing that the strategy is working right now.
Luka Doncic had a 60-point triple-double on Tuesday night in a historic comeback over the Knicks. (AP/LM Otero)
Despite playing one of their best games of the season, the Knicks suffered another devastating loss in to Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks 126-121 on Tuesday night.
Knicks Injury Tracker: RJ Barrett leaves Mavericks game with finger laceration | 2022-12-28T04:58:33Z | sports.yahoo.com | Luka Doncic lifts Mavericks past Knicks with wild comeback, 60-point triple-double | https://sports.yahoo.com/luka-doncic-lifts-mavericks-past-knicks-with-wild-comeback-historic-60-point-triple-double-041245980.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/luka-doncic-lifts-mavericks-past-knicks-with-wild-comeback-historic-60-point-triple-double-041245980.html?src=rss |
Murphy signs $73M extension with Braves after A's trade originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea
It didn't take long for Sean Murphy to secure a long-term extension with his new club.
With an average annual value of $12.16 million, the deal makes Murphy MLB's fifth-highest-paid catcher behind J.T. Realmuto, Salvador Perez, Yasmani Grandal and Willson Contreras.
As ESPN's Jeff Passan pointed out, Murphy now joins a list of Braves core players, including ex-Athletic Matt Olson, who are under club control several years into the future.
The Braves’ club control after today’s six-year Sean Murphy extension:
Ronald Acuña Jr., 2028
Atlanta acquired Murphy on Dec. 12 as part of a three-team trade with Oakland and Milwaukee. The deal netted the A's four prospects and veteran catcher Manny Piña.
Murphy was a third-round pick of the A's in 2016. He hit .236/.326/.429 with 46 home runs and 147 RBIs in 330 games over four seasons in Oakland. The 28-year-old catcher was also a Gold Glove winner in 2021 and a finalist for the award in 2022.
Christian Wood with an alley oop vs the New York Knicks
Christian Wood (Dallas Mavericks) with an alley oop vs the New York Knicks, 12/27/2022
The Atlanta Braves signed newly acquired catcher Sean Murphy to a $73 million, six-year contract Tuesday, locking up another key player with a long-term deal. Murphy will make $4 million in 2023, $9 million in 2024 and $15 million each season from 2025 through 2028. The deal follows a familiar pattern of the Braves agreeing to new contracts with players who are still under club control for an extended period. | 2022-12-28T04:58:39Z | sports.yahoo.com | Sean Murphy signs six-year, $73M Braves extension after Athletics trade | https://sports.yahoo.com/sean-murphy-signs-extension-braves-042320044.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/sean-murphy-signs-extension-braves-042320044.html?src=rss |
Watch Steph's incredulous reaction to Klay's and-1 vs. Hornets originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea
Steph Curry isn't often shocked by what he sees on a basketball court. But he was left in stunned disbelief late in the first half of the Warriors' Tuesday night game against the Charlotte Hornets.
Curry, who wasn't playing because of his left shoulder subluxation, couldn't hide his reaction to his Splash Brother's circus shot.
Thompson was on fire in the first half, with a game-high 20 points on 7-of-12 shooting from the field and 4-of-7 shooting from 3-point range. He finished the Warriors' 110-105 win leading all scorers with 29 points (10 of 22 from the field; 5 of 12 from beyond the arc)
State public health officials are urging the public to donate blood as the nation grapples with a blood shortage.
Ja Morant with an alley oop vs the Phoenix Suns
Ja Morant (Memphis Grizzlies) with an alley oop vs the Phoenix Suns, 12/27/2022 | 2022-12-28T06:31:28Z | sports.yahoo.com | Warriors' Steph Curry has incredulous reaction to Klay Thompson and-1 | https://sports.yahoo.com/warriors-steph-curry-incredulous-reaction-041403865.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/warriors-steph-curry-incredulous-reaction-041403865.html?src=rss |
Whether you're a buyer or a seller, it's important to have a clear sense of what the housing market looks like. As of late October, there were only 1.22 million housing units for sale. In fact, it only represents a 3.3-month supply of homes, and it can take a 6-month supply to create an equalized housing market where there are enough homes to fully meet buyer demand. | 2022-12-28T08:13:11Z | sports.yahoo.com | James Wiseman with an alley oop vs the Charlotte Hornets | https://sports.yahoo.com/james-wiseman-alley-oop-vs-053917036.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/james-wiseman-alley-oop-vs-053917036.html?src=rss |
Wisconsin running back Braelon Allen (0) tries to fend off Oklahoma State linebacker Lamont Bishop during the first half of the Guaranteed Rate Bowl NCAA college football game Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2022, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
A long, sometimes-difficult season came to a conclusion with more adversity - and, eventually, a win.
''It ended exactly the way we wanted it to - we got the win,'' said Braelon Allen, who ran for 116 yards and scored on a 20-yard touchdown.
''This is what I envisioned what this was about from afar,'' Fickell said. ''And that's what they've shown me over the last three and a half weeks: they want to be here, they want to do it together and they want to do it the right way.''
''We had the one big play, but other than that we weren't able to sustain anything,'' Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy said.
''We came out here with a little bit of a reduced roster and new guys were involved, and we had to kind of find our way,'' Gundy said. ''Guys competed practice hard for three weeks. Had a great week of practice out here, so I was proud of them.''
''Chase played well. He controlled what he could control, he took shots and I never saw him bat an eye,'' Fickell said.
More AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://twitter.com/AP-Top25. Sign up for the AP's college football newsletter: https://apnews.com/cfbtop25. | 2022-12-28T08:28:35Z | sports.yahoo.com | Wisconsin beats Oklahoma State 24-17 in Guaranteed Rate Bowl | https://sports.yahoo.com/wisconsin-beats-oklahoma-state-24-065217981.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/wisconsin-beats-oklahoma-state-24-065217981.html?src=rss |
The day after: Final takeaways from Chargers’ victory over Colts
The Chargers defeated the Colts on Monday night to clinch their spot in the playoffs.
Here are my final takeaways from the Week 16 win.
Defense does it again
The Chargers finally found their groove on the defensive side of the ball, taking care of the Dolphins and Colts, two teams with prolific offenses in playoff contention.
They carried that momentum into Lucas Oil Stadium, as the defense dominated quarterback Nick Foles and company.
The group allowed just 173 total yards, recorded seven sacks and three interceptions, and held Indianapolis to zero third-down conversions on ten attempts.
Los Angeles had six players with two-plus quarterback pressures and one or more sacks: Khalil Mack, Kyle Van Noy, Drue Tranquill, Morgan Fox, Kenneth Murray and Chris Rumph.
One of the interceptions was Derwin James, who was called for a personal foul and then was ejected for a head-to-head hit on Ashton Dulin in the second quarter.
After James left the game, Alohi Gilman entered alongside Nasir Adderley. Gilman, who had served as the starter while James missed the previous two contests with a quad injury, played at a high level.
With Joey Bosa expected to return to practice this week after being out with a groin injury since Week 3, the defense will be a scary sight to opposing offenses.
Needs to be cleaned up
The Chargers were uneven on the offensive side of the ball. While they produced 314 total yards and two rushing touchdowns, there were plenty of miscues along the way that would not cut it in the playoffs.
Starting with the turnovers, Los Angeles had two, one on an interception, where Justin Herbert attempted a tight-window throw under pressure, and a lost fumble by Herbert.
Herbert had his typical eye-popping throws, but it wouldn’t be fair to say he was on his A-game. This was the second-straight game without a touchdown pass, compared to four turnovers in that timeframe.
Then, the penalties. The Bolts’ longest play was a 30-yard pass from Herbert to Donald Parham Jr. However, it was negated by a holding penalty called on Trey Pipkins.
Next, it was failing to capitalize on the defense’s three takeaways. Of those possessions, they produced just a field goal.
Finally, the third-quarter touchdown drought continued, marking the tenth straight week that the Chargers failed to find the end zone.
If Los Angeles wants to make a run, these things need to be cleaned up.
After missing most of the first half of the season with a hamstring issue, Allen is coming into his own at the right time.
On Monday night, he posted 11 catches for 104 yards, marking the first time Allen had over 100 receiving yards this season.
In his past four games, Allen has 37 catches for 370 yards and a score.
Allen’s partner-in-crime, Mike Williams, had four catches for 76 yards.
Allen and Williams’ presence will be vital towards the success of the offense in the playoffs.
Equipped to withstand injuries
The Chargers entered this season with many pundits pegging them to make the Super Bowl after an off-season roster reconstruction. However, that narrative faded as they became the most injured team in the NFL.
The injury bug bit star players Joey Bosa and Rashawn Slater in Week 3. Then, it got to J.C. Jackson in Week 7.
Three of the starters along the defensive line were diminished, as Austin Johnson, Christian Covington, and Otito Ogbonnia went down with season-ending injuries in a two-game span between Weeks 9 and 10.
Keenan Allen has played just eight out of 15 games. In addition, Mike Williams, Corey Linsley, and Trey Pipkins have all missed at least three contests due to their perspective injuries.
Los Angeles overcame the losses by having a robot at the quarterback position in Herbert, who has still performed at a high level, despite dealing with fractured rib cartilage that he sustained in Week 2.
Additionally, it speaks to the team’s depth.
Michael Davis has stepped up in a big way as the No. 1 cornerback. When Allen and Williams were out, Josh Palmer filled in nicely. Jamaree Salyer has held his own in place of Slater. And the team has gotten solid contributions from Morgan Fox, Kyle Van Noy, and Alohi Gilman, among others.
But Brandon Staley has been the most important piece in the ascend. He has effectively game-planned and schemed to create one of the most dominant defenses, which has only given up 31 points during the three-game winning streak.
With a 6-6 record entering December, the Chargers were on the bubble. But due to a hot defense and Herbert being Herbert, Los Angeles is now in the playoffs for the first time since 2018.
With the high level of play in recent weeks and knowing that they should be getting Bosa and Slater back, sky is the limit for the Bolts. | 2022-12-28T10:28:49Z | sports.yahoo.com | The day after: Final takeaways from Chargers’ victory over Colts | https://sports.yahoo.com/day-final-takeaways-chargers-victory-000241250.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/day-final-takeaways-chargers-victory-000241250.html?src=rss |
After a deep freeze settled in for millions of people last weekend, AccuWeather meteorologists say that progressively warmer conditions are forecast to spread across most of the eastern United States by week's end, just in time for New Year's Eve and perhaps a big rainstorm. The arrival of the brutally cold air caused temperatures to tumble as much as 30 degrees in just a few hours last week, and the Arctic air lingered through the weekend resulting in the coldest Christmas in decades. Record co | 2022-12-28T10:29:01Z | sports.yahoo.com | Recapping Seahawks busy day of roster moves on Tuesday | https://sports.yahoo.com/recapping-seahawks-busy-day-roster-080127562.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/recapping-seahawks-busy-day-roster-080127562.html?src=rss |
40 Years ago the NFL MVP resided in Washington
Washington Redskins 1982 History for $300 please.
Answer, “He played 13 seasons for Washington, was a two-time Pro Bowler, once an All-Pro and the 1982 NFL MVP.”
Contestant #1: “Who is Joe Theismann?”
Jeopardy Host: “No”
Contestant #2: “Who is John Riggins?”
Question: “Who is Art Monk?”
Jeopardy Host: “No, I’m sorry contestants, those are all good responses, but they are not the correct response.”
Theismann was also a two-time Pro Bowler and once All-Pro. He also finished fourth in the Associated Press MVP balloting in this 1982 season. Chargers quarterback Dan Fouts was second, Raiders running back Marcus Allen third and Cowboys quarterback Danny White was fifth.
Riggins was an All-Pro once and Pro Bowler once (hard to believe only once with several very good seasons). He was also the Super Bowl XVII MVP and the following season set a then NFL record rushing for 24 touchdowns.
Monk was a three-time Super Bowl champ and three-time Pro-Bowler. He set an NFL single-season record of 106 receptions in 1984 and led the NFL in 1985 with 81.7 receiving yards per game. He retired the all-time receptions leader in NFL history.
The correct response we are looking for is kicker Mark Moseley. Yes, a kicker was voted NFL MVP.
How is that AP writers voted the Washington kicker the NFL MVP for the 1982 season?
For starters, Washington was the No. 1 seed in the NFC finishing 8-1 in the regular season shortened by strike. In addition, it was also the manner in which they won games.
In the opener at Philadelphia, Moseley connected from 48 yards, sending the game into overtime and then his field goal won the game.
In the December cold at St Louis, Washington couldn’t get the ball in the end zone, but Moseley came through on all four field goal attempts for a 12-7 victory over the Cardinals.
The following week at RFK Moseley was accurate on all three field goal attempts in a 15-14 win over the Giants. His last field goal came with only four seconds remaining as snow was falling on the muddy grass field. It also broke the then NFL record of 20 consecutive field goals made, giving Moseley 21 for the new record.
Moseley would make his next two attempts in New Orleans the following week, extending his consecutive streak to 23 (dating back to the end of the ’81 season) before missing in the season home finale against the Cardinals. Moseley would finish the ’82 season making 20 of 21 field goals for a 95.2% conversion rate.
Did you know a kicker once won MVP!? Meet Mark Moseley. 😯 @adamrank pic.twitter.com/BUNpDdKpxH
40 years ago the 1982 Washington Redskins provided us the launching of the “Hogs,” Riggins SB XVII MVP, Washington finishing 12-1 in the strike-shortened season, Washington Super Bowl XVII champs, defeating Miami 27-17 and yes, their kicker, Mark Moseley was voted NFL MVP. | 2022-12-28T12:42:02Z | sports.yahoo.com | 40 Years ago the NFL MVP resided in Washington | https://sports.yahoo.com/40-years-ago-nfl-mvp-114507183.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/40-years-ago-nfl-mvp-114507183.html?src=rss |
The Dallas Cowboys are more than likely going to end up as the NFC’s five seed when it’s all said and done. There’s an inside straight flush possibility of them winning the division, but it will take a bit of a Christmas miracle to occur. It doesn’t appear that head coach Mike McCarthy will be looking to rest players early, in anticipation of a wild-card road game, instead looking to establish a positive performance baseline.
So with healthy starters all expected to play in the Week 17 matchup with the Tennessee Titans, there’s a chance for some statistical glory for individual players. Here’s a look at five milestones that can be attained on Thursday night.
Ezekiel Elliott - 1,000 yard from scrimmage, rushing yards seasons
Elliott has 829 yards on the ground this season, and while 171 yards seems farfetched for a one-game total, that would give him five career 1,000-yard rushing seasons in his career.
Elliott, who has another 92 yards receiving, is well within range of his seventh-career season of at least 1,000 yards gained from scrimmage.
Ezekiel Elliott - Active Career Leader in Rush Yards
For the first time in their careers since being drafted in 2016’s first and second rounds respectively, Derrick Henry has topped Ezekiel Elliott. After gaining 129 yards in their loss to Houston, Henry is the active leader in career rushing yards. Elliott is now in a carry share with Pro Bowler Tony Pollard and gained 56 yards in the loss to the Eagles.
Their totals put Henry at 8,226 career rushing yards, 11 yards more than Elliott’s 8,215.
Elliott moved past Maurice Jones-Drew, Priest Holmes, Gerald Riggs, and Roger Craig in Week 16. He can surpass Herschel Walker with 11 yards and Ernest Byner with 46, but it will be difficult to keep pace with Henry as the two move up the career leaderboard.
Dak Prescott - 75% completions
While Prescott’s interception totals are skyrocketing as he tries to fit more throws into tighter windows, his accuracy hasn’t waned overall. In fact, he’s going through an incredible stretch over the last two years. Prescott has 11 games with an completion percentage above 75 since the start of the 2021 season.
He can match last year’s total of six, in just his 11th start compared to 16 of last year. If he does so in this game it will be his third straight, also matching a career high set in Week 1 through Week 3 of last season.
CeeDee Lamb - 100 yards receiving
Lamb has already set career highs in receiving yards (1,207) and touchdowns (8) on the year, but could establish a new baseline. If he gains 100 yards or more through the air, it will be the first time in his career he’s ever had three straight games of at least that.
He’d never before done it two weeks in a row before Saturday, as the only prior time he’d done it was two games in a row that were sandwiched around a bye week: 2021 Week 6 through Week 8.
DaRon Bland - Interception total
The Fresno State rookie is starting to garner some attention for defensive rookie of the year, but as most know it’s hard to catch the lead horse. Tariq Woolen was the talk of the town in the first half of the season and though Bland — who wasn’t getting any snaps the first seven games — is now just one behind with five, it’s not likely he’ll win the vote.
He can establish himself as the best rookie corner in Dallas in the last 40 years, though. He’s currently tied with Derek Ross (2002) and Mike Gaechter (1962) for second-most picks by a rookie, trailing Everson Walls (1981) 11. | 2022-12-28T12:42:08Z | sports.yahoo.com | 5 statistical milestones for Cowboys players in Week 17 vs Titans | https://sports.yahoo.com/5-statistical-milestones-cowboys-players-120046307.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/5-statistical-milestones-cowboys-players-120046307.html?src=rss |
Bear Necessities: Matt Eberflus praises Kyler Gordon’s growth in rookie season
Bears rookie cornerback Kyler Gordon has made a strong impression since returning to the lineup two weeks ago. He’s played his best football of the season with Chicago down a number of starters due to injury.
In the last two weeks, Gordon has accounted for three takeaways, including two interceptions and a fumble recovery. And with Jaylon Johnson and Kindle Vildor done for the year, Gordon has embraced his new role as the de facto CB1.
“I think it’s great experience for him now that we’ve put a couple corners on IR,” coach Matt Eberflus said. “For me, it’s really good. It’s going to expand him a little bit more. You saw the outstanding interception he had. He’s going to have to use a different skillset out there, so I think to me it’s just going to help him grow.
“He’s got high energy. He’s really good at his fundamentals, his techniques, he’s getting better there, and he’s a ballhawk guy. That’s why we brought him here. He’s proven that, and he’s exciting to watch and I’m excited about the last two games for him.”
Gordon has experienced his fair share of adversity during his rookie season, which started rough when he was picked on by Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, among others. But with 13 games under his belt, Gordon has really settled into his role in this defense. He’s playing with more confidence, and it’s evident in the production on the field.
“I really feel like I’m playing extremely confidently, honestly, just the way I feel,” Gordon said, via NBC Sports Chicago. “The first couple of games, me going back and forth (between outside corner and slot corner) and having a lot of stuff thrown at me, I’m just trying to be a perfectionist and get stuff done right. Once I got settled in and comfortable everything clicked. I’m just comfortable and confident really, and those two things together usually going to produce some takeaways, so I’m just gonna keep doing that and keep going up.”
Rookie cornerbacks shined against high-powered Bills passing game
Bears open as underdogs vs. Lions in Week 17
Packers are starting to look like a potentially dangerous playoff team. READ MORE ON PACKERS WIRE.
Vikings’ good fortune, patience helped them avoid Nathaniel Hackett. READ MORE ON VIKINGS WIRE.
Dan Campbell: Lions need ‘to finish better’ in the run game. READ MORE ON LIONS WIRE. | 2022-12-28T12:42:21Z | sports.yahoo.com | Bear Necessities: Matt Eberflus praises Kyler Gordon’s growth in rookie season | https://sports.yahoo.com/bear-necessities-matt-eberflus-praises-121457462.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/bear-necessities-matt-eberflus-praises-121457462.html?src=rss |
Gannon gives his explanation for 3rd-and-30 disaster originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
Days after the Eagles’ 40-34 loss to the Cowboys on Christmas Eve, the one play that really isn’t sitting right is that 3rd-and-30.
After the Eagles got sacks on 1st and 2nd down in the fourth quarter, the Cowboys were facing a seemingly impossible 3rd-and-30 from their own 29-yard line.
And they converted it.
Dak Prescott hit T.Y. Hilton for a 52-yard gain to keep the drive alive and the Cowboys scored a few plays later to tie the game at 34-34. Had the Eagles forced a punt they might already be the top seed in the NFC.
For the first time since that fateful play, Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon had a chance to explain the call and what went wrong.
“It's me. I have to do a better job of coaching what I want out of that call,” Gannon said on Tuesday. “I'm not going to get into specifics of the call, but I liked the call. But looking back at it, we have to do a better job putting our guys in position to make that play and get off the field because you can't give up a 3rd-and-30.
“That was a play in that game that I felt like was a little bit of a tipping point when we let them convert and then they scored that drive, that hurts the ball club.
Gannon was also asked about disguise on the call.
“There's always disguise in every call, depending on what the situation, the down and distance, everything like that,” he said. “But ultimately it falls on me, and have to get our guys in better position to make that play.”
Gannon purposely left some things vague on Tuesday but his players filled in some of the blanks in the locker room after the loss.
After the game, Eagles cornerback Darius Slay said he didn’t want to point fingers but made it pretty clear he didn’t think the error was on him. Slay was in trail coverage and backup nickel cornerback Josiah Scott said his responsibility was the deep half.
Scott also said there were some communication problems because the Cowboys hit them with a quick-snap on this play.
There were clearly execution errors on this play from Scott but it’s also fair to question the pre-snap disguised Tampa 2 call, which gave Scott an ambitious assignment as the play unfurled. Of course, there was still a play to be made and he didn’t make it.
This is the longest 3rd-down conversion the Eagles have given up in at least 28 years and it’s one of just eight 30+ yard conversions on third down in the NFL during that span.
The Eagles clearly missed Avonte Maddox after he was forced out of the game with a toe injury. They had to rely on Scott and that was a problem. And it might continue to be a problem with Maddox reportedly out “indefinitely” with his injury. Although, there’s a chance C.J. Gardner-Johnson could return this weekend.
“It affects everybody that's up because they all have to know it,” Gannon said. “I think everybody that's out there playing has to know what we want out of every call, so that ultimately falls on me.” | 2022-12-28T12:42:34Z | sports.yahoo.com | Eagles’ Jonathan Gannon gives his explanation for 3rd-and-30 | https://sports.yahoo.com/eagles-jonathan-gannon-gives-explanation-120000238.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/eagles-jonathan-gannon-gives-explanation-120000238.html?src=rss |
Sirianni, Steichen defend decision to clock ball vs. Cowboys originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
There have been times during Nick Sirianni’s tenure as Eagles head coach where he’ll admit after a game that he’d like to have a decision back.
This wasn’t one of those times.
Because a couple days after the Eagles’ 40-33 loss to the Cowboys at AT&T Stadium, Sirianni stood by his decision to spike the football to stop the clock late in the fourth quarter instead of using a timeout.
“As far as the spike goes, yeah, I liked that,” Sirianni said. “I would do that same thing again and save that timeout. Thirty-three seconds when we spiked it, I think was still on the clock when we had that. I understand that you have one less down to get a first down, but it opens up the field to everything, to be able to complete it anywhere you want and be able to use that timeout.
“Then let's say you catch one on the sideline and you're on the 5-yard line. If you catch one on the sideline, well now you have this ability to run the football there, too, and make yourself multiple for being able to take it away.”
Sirianni called it an “absolute no-brainer.”
As a reminder, here was the situation: The Eagles with 48 seconds remaining in the game were trailing by 6 when Gardner Minshew hit DeVonta Smith for an acrobatic 22-yard gain to get to the Cowboys’ 19-yard line.
With a timeout in hand, the Eagles decided to run down the field and clock the ball. The Smith catch was completed with around 42 seconds remaining. They clocked the ball with 33 seconds left, which burned a down instead of a timeout.
Minshew threw three straight incompletions on the next three plays and the Eagles’ chance to win the game was gone.
Really, there were three options:
1. Do what the Eagles did. Clock the ball and save the timeout. This option was appealing to the Eagles because they got a chance to reset without burning the timeout. And that timeout left open the possibility of using all parts of the field and perhaps even kept the possibility of a run open.
2. Use the timeout, which would have given the Eagles a full set of downs and 42 seconds on the clock. This would have preserved a down instead of the timeout. As it turned out, the Eagles ran out of downs before they ran out of time.
3. Run to the line and call a play. This might work in a perfect world but Sirianni said it would take 8-10 seconds to call a play. And then you risk the possibility of a major mistake without the reset.
On Tuesday, offensive coordinator Shane Steichen backed up Sirianni’s game-management decision.
“I think right there you can save your time-out in that situation,” Steichen said. “I thought it was the right decision there to clock it. Then you have three downs there, and obviously if you get a 1st down inside the 10 or whatever and now you call your time-out and then you have three shots. That's just the way we went with it.”
It’s not egregious and it’s probably unfair to even call it an error. I would have called the timeout, but there are cases to be made on both sides.
And as is the case with so many things in the NFL, the result is driving the conversation. If the Eagles were able to score on one of those ensuing plays, they win in dramatic fashion and the offensive leaders are heroes.
“Yeah, feel really good about that decision,” Sirianni said. “Obviously, we didn't end up winning the game, so I also understand that my job as a head coach is to take criticism on that, and that’s okay. I know what I signed up for, but I would do that same thing again if I was presented with that situation tomorrow.” | 2022-12-28T12:42:40Z | sports.yahoo.com | Eagles’ Nick Sirianni, Shane Steichen defend decision to clock ball vs. Cowboys | https://sports.yahoo.com/eagles-nick-sirianni-shane-steichen-120000768.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/eagles-nick-sirianni-shane-steichen-120000768.html?src=rss |
With two games left – at least one of which he’ll play -- he’s on pace for 90 catches, 1,477 yards and 11 touchdowns with a 16.3 per-catch average. Only one receiver in NFL history has had 90 catches, 1,400 yards, 10 TDs and 16 yards per catch in a season – Calvin Johnson with the Lions in 2011.
Irving Fryar, 1997: Fryar was 35 and on a terrible team with horrible quarterback play when he somehow caught 86 passes for 1,316 yards and six TDs in his 14thNFL season. That remains the most yards in NFL history by a player 35 or older and is still 4th-most in Eagles history.
His 87 yards per game is only 3 ½ per game off Hawkins’ franchise record. He’s 4thin the NFL in receiving yards – behind Justin Jefferson, Tyreek Hill and Stefon Diggs - and tied with Diggs for 3rd in touchdown catches. His 16.3 per-catch average is 2nd-highest among receivers with at least 100 targets, behind only the Dolphins’ Jaylen Waddle. He’s also second to Waddle with 10.3 yards per target. | 2022-12-28T12:42:46Z | sports.yahoo.com | Is A.J. Brown having the best season ever by an Eagles wide receiver? | https://sports.yahoo.com/j-brown-having-best-season-120000069.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/j-brown-having-best-season-120000069.html?src=rss |
Nathaniel Hackett not finishing first season puts him in rare NFL company
NFL teams rarely fire first-year head coaches during their initial season. Plenty have been fired immediately after their first year, but it’s rare for a coach to be fired before completing his first season on the job.
That’s exactly what happened to former Denver Broncos coach Nathaniel Hackett, who was fired Monday with a 4-11 record and two games remaining this season.
There is a recent example of a coach not finishing his first season: Urban Meyer was fired by the Jacksonville Jaguars just last year, but his offenses included more than just a poor 2-11 record: Meyer was accused of kicking a player during preseason.
Besides Meyer, the only other first-year coaches since 1970 to not finish their first season were Bobby Petrino (2007 in Atlanta), Pete McCulley (1978 in San Francisco) and Lou Holtz (1976 with the New York Jets).
Before joining the Broncos, Hackett served as an offensive coordinator with the Green Bay Packers and Jacksonville Jaguars. Hackett will likely get another opportunity to coach again as an assistant in the NFL, but his short time as a head coach puts him in rare company. | 2022-12-28T12:42:59Z | sports.yahoo.com | Nathaniel Hackett not finishing first season puts him in rare NFL company | https://sports.yahoo.com/nathaniel-hackett-not-finishing-first-120016034.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/nathaniel-hackett-not-finishing-first-120016034.html?src=rss |
The Pittsburgh Steelers have signed linebacker Tae Crowder off of the New York Giants’ practice squad. He will replace Marcus Allen, who recently landed on IR due to a biceps injury.
Crowder had re-signed to the Giants’ practice squad shortly after being waived last week. That came on the heels of the linebacker tweeting, “free me” and later apologizing to the team. | 2022-12-28T12:43:18Z | sports.yahoo.com | Steelers sign Tae Crowder off Giants’ practice squad | https://sports.yahoo.com/steelers-sign-tae-crowder-off-115522552.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/steelers-sign-tae-crowder-off-115522552.html?src=rss |
One month ago, the Washington Commanders were on a roll, having five of their previous six games to move into playoff contention.
However, when Washington hosts the Cleveland Browns Sunday, it will have been over a month since the Commanders won a game. Over its last three games, Washington is 0-2-1. The Commanders’ last win came against the Atlanta Falcons on Nov. 27.
When Washington hosts the Browns on Sunday, it could be with a new quarterback. The Commanders benched Taylor Heinicke and replaced him with former starter Carson Wentz in the fourth quarter. It was Wentz’s first action since injuring a finger on his throwing hand in Week 6.
Despite being tied with the San Francisco 49ers 7-7 at halftime in Week 16, the Commanders lost 37-20 as turnovers, and short fields doomed Washington’s defense.
How did it impact the Commanders in the latest power rankings? We review the various NFL power rankings to see where Washington stands ahead of Week 17.
16. Commanders (17): QB Carson Wentz could be back in the saddle for Week 17 as Washington tries to cling to its half-game lead for NFC’s last wild-card berth.
Washington has unsuccessfully sought an answer at quarterback for decades, and it was intent on finding a solution last offseason. Some used the word “desperate.” The Commanders missed on Russell Wilson — in hindsight, perhaps fortunately — and inquired about a lot of options. Acquiring Wentz cost them two third-round draft picks and $28 million in cap space. But so far, he has not proved he is anything other than a one-year experiment, playing inconsistently in his first six starts, including throwing seven touchdown passes over his first two games and only three over the next four outings. Washington remains in the playoff race in part because backup Taylor Heinicke went 5-3-1 in relief, but Wentz could still have a chance to prove his worth over the final two games and possibly the postseason.
Ranking: No 14
Commanders (7-7-1): It could be Carson Wentz time, with the playoffs on the line.
With Seattle and Detroit both losing at the same time, getting dog-walked by San Francisco matters a lot less to the Commanders’ playoff odds. Still, it’s going to be interesting to watch Carson Wentz try to guide this team to the postseason if he does in fact remain the starter.
Taylor Heinicke didn’t play well against the 49ers, which could mean it’s time to go back to Carson Wentz. They are still a playoff team right now.
“In any event, while the Commanders may get past Cleveland, their best bet at beating Dallas in the finale is if the Cowboys rest players. If they don’t, it won’t matter who starts at quarterback, and the door will be open for a team behind them to snatch the last playoff spot in the NFC.” | 2022-12-28T12:43:31Z | sports.yahoo.com | Where do the Commanders stand in the NFL power rankings after Week 16? | https://sports.yahoo.com/where-commanders-stand-nfl-power-105712607.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/where-commanders-stand-nfl-power-105712607.html?src=rss |
The veteran right-hander and Texas native Nathan Eovaldi has agreed to a two-year contract with the Rangers that includes a vesting option for an additional season, according to a person familiar with the deal.
New York Rangers vs. Washington Capitals - Game Highlights
Watch the Game Highlights from New York Rangers vs. Washington Capitals, 12/27/2022 | 2022-12-28T13:05:15Z | sports.yahoo.com | Source: Eovaldi agrees to multiyear deal with Rangers | https://sports.yahoo.com/source-eovaldi-agrees-multiyear-deal-040821326.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/source-eovaldi-agrees-multiyear-deal-040821326.html?src=rss |
Courtesy of TCU Football
While it may have been a bittersweet to be away from family, Dykes’ decision paid off as numerous Horned Frogs said this Christmas was one they won’t forget.
The Horned Frogs then spent Christmas unwrapping presents, taking a dip in the resort’s pool and attending an NFL game beween the Arizona Cardinals and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
“We started the morning off opening gifts together,” cornerback Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson said. “It was different, but it’s an awesome feeling because it’s the first time we’ve done it and been in this position. To be around your brothers all day and just vibe out. It was great.”
The vibes continued after the morning as 30 players gathered for an impromptu pool party at their resor in near-perfect weather.
“It was great, hanging out the boys is always a fun time,” linebacker Johnny Hodges said. “It’s kind of a like a big family vacation. Waking up fooling around with your roommate. I’m rooming with Jamoi Hodge and we have a great relationship, so I just mess with him in the morning because I’m a morning guy and he’s not.
“Just seeing each other all the time, it’s fun. I wish we could’ve done it earlier in the year, it would’ve been cool doing this in fall camp or the summer.”
Christmas day concluded with TCU busing to State Farm Stadium to watch the Tampa Bay Bucs and Tom Brady play against the Arizona Cardinals. Along the way the team was outfitted with their own sunglasses and wore them in unison.
Through the lens of those shades, they watched the greatest football player of all-time keep the Bucs in playoff contention as Tampa Bay won 19-16 in overtime.
For the Jim Thorpe Award winner as the best defensive back in college football, the game was actually a scouting trip in a sense.
Hodges-Tomlinson visualized himself on the field going up against Brady which could be a strong possibility as the nephew of LaDainian Tomlinson has molded himself into a legitimate NFL Draft prospect.
“My main thing was coming in and seeing how a legend throws the football,” Hodges-Tomlinson said. “I try to gain knowledge off of it, like how fast the ball is coming out his hands. His dropback during the quick game, all of that. Someday if he’s still in the league, whenever I make it, I’ve got to be ready. I’m taking my notes early on.”
“I’m definitely a Brady guy and love his story,” Hodges said. “I was just watching him really. I was sitting with Dee (Winters) and he was like ‘Oh, you’ve got to watch Devin White, you gotta watch Zay Collins.’ I’m like dude, I’m watching Brady throw it on the sidelines, he’s not playing many more of these games, I’m soaking it in.”
“This team has been very close and we’re here because these guys love each other,” Gillespie said. “You hear people talk about it, but I think they really live it. They’ve been through a lot together, they had to withstand the transition of a whole new staff. We’re asking to do something they weren’t recruited to do and they’ve still done it.
“The opportunity to be in the College Football Playoff, there’s not a better gift than that,” Newton said.
TCU's defensive coordinator Joe Gillespie sees similarities in Michigan's offense to Kansas State.
He just wants his sister to be happy.
Daily – Vickers Top Insider Picks for 12/27/2022
The Vickers Top Insider Picks is a daily report that utilizes a proprietary algorithm to identify 25 companies with compelling insider purchase histories based on transactions over the past three months. | 2022-12-28T14:38:23Z | sports.yahoo.com | How Tom Brady and a pool party made Christmas special for No. 3 TCU | https://sports.yahoo.com/tom-brady-pool-party-made-184127370.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/tom-brady-pool-party-made-184127370.html?src=rss |
49ers DE Nick Bosa adds to DPOY resumé with another Player of the Week award
49ers defensive end Nick Bosa was dominant again in Week 16 against the Commanders and earned another NFC Defensive Player of the Week award.
Bosa posted a pair of sacks, a forced fumble and four quarterback hits. This is his second Player of the Week award in the month of December. He also earned one after his three-sack game vs. Miami in Week 13.
The pair of Defensive Player of the Week awards back up his NFC Defensive Player of the Month for November.
Bosa leads the league with 17.5 sacks, and he’s tied for second with 78 pressures despite missing a game earlier in the year per Pro Football Focus. He also leads the league with 24 QB hits.
All of the statistical production combined with his bevy of in-season awards point to Bosa taking home the Defensive Player of the Year honor at the end of the season. And if he continues playing at the level he’s played the last two months, this year could ultimately culminate with Bosa adding a Lombardi Trophy to his ledger as well. | 2022-12-28T14:38:36Z | sports.yahoo.com | 49ers DE Nick Bosa adds to DPOY resumé with another Player of the Week award | https://sports.yahoo.com/49ers-nick-bosa-adds-dpoy-134734600.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/49ers-nick-bosa-adds-dpoy-134734600.html?src=rss |
What Aaron Rodgers said to Tua Tagovailoa after their Week 16 matchup
The Miami Dolphins were unable to secure a victory this past weekend, as they were downed by the Green Bay Packers at Hard Rock Stadium to fall to 8-7 on the season.
While Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers outplayed his Dolphins counterpart, Tua Tagovailoa, he had some kind things to say to him and about him after the final whistle blew.
“Some of the stuff I actually said this week, I just really appreciate the way that he handles his business and his professionalism,” Rodgers said. “Just the way that he goes about speaking about his teammates, I think he’s got a really good humility about him. He’s a good humble kid. Very talented. I enjoyed watching him play in college. I like the way he goes about his business. I think he handles things the right way with a lot of class, a lot of respect. I told him to take care of himself, too. He’s had some pretty vicious hits this year. But he’s a good kid. He’s got a long career in the league to look forward to. There are days like this, but he still threw for a hell of a lot of yards, and they’ve got a lot of great weapons, and they’re still in the hunt, as well.”
With Tagovailoa landing in the concussion protocol for the second time this season with a third potential head injury, there are doubts regarding both his short and long-term future in this game. However, Rodgers is right about the way he handles himself. Through all of the adverse situations he went through in his first two seasons, he never said anything publicly that went against the message of the team.
Hopefully, Tagovailoa makes a decision, regarding his health, that he’s comfortable with, and he can remain healthy. | 2022-12-28T14:38:42Z | sports.yahoo.com | What Aaron Rodgers said to Tua Tagovailoa after their Week 16 matchup | https://sports.yahoo.com/aaron-rodgers-said-tua-tagovailoa-130046123.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/aaron-rodgers-said-tua-tagovailoa-130046123.html?src=rss |
Announcers set for Bears vs. Lions Week 17 game
The Chicago Bears (3-12) will host the Detroit Lions (7-8) on New Year’s Day, where Chicago is looking to snap an eight-game losing streak. But they’ll have to get through a surging Detroit team first.
The Bears’ Week 17 game will air on FOX at Noon CT. The television commentators for the game are Kenny Albert (play by play), Jonathan Vilma (analyst) and Shannon Spake (sideline).
Chicago is coming off a 35-13 loss to the Buffalo Bills, where they kept things close in the first half before being out scored 29-3 in the second half. Now, the Bears will look to avoid being swept by the Lions.
Meanwhile, Detroit is coming off a rough 37-23 loss to the Carolina Panthers, which didn’t help their playoff chances. Expect the Lions to come into this matchup determined to win and take the battle for the final wild card spot into Week 18 against the Green Bay Packers.
Chicago is poised for a top-two draft pick, potentially a No. 1 overall selection, depending on how these final weeks shake out. If the Bears lose out, they’ll go no lower than the second overall pick. If that happens and the Houston Texans win one of their final two games (Jacksonville Jaguars and Indianapolis Colts), Chicago would land the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NFL draft. | 2022-12-28T14:38:48Z | sports.yahoo.com | Announcers set for Bears vs. Lions Week 17 game | https://sports.yahoo.com/announcers-set-bears-vs-lions-130517049.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/announcers-set-bears-vs-lions-130517049.html?src=rss |
The Washington Commanders will start Carson Wentz at quarterback in their Week 17 game against the Cleveland Browns. Per Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, head coach Ron Rivera informed the quarterbacks of the move before it was revealed to the media.
Wentz relieved Taylor Heinicke in the fourth quarter of Washington’s 37-20 loss to the San Francisco 49ers. Wentz completed 12 of 16 passes for 123 yards and a touchdown in relief. The 49ers immediately pressured Wentz, who handled it well, dumping one pass off to running back Jonathan Williams for a big gain.
If Washington’s offensive line can protect Wentz, which has been an issue all season, the Commanders could be dangerous on offense. Wentz, who started the first six games, went 2-4 as a starter. However, Washington’s running game wasn’t performing as well, which recently changed with rookie running back Brian Robinson Jr. fully healthy.
The Commanders, at 7-7-1, currently hold the NFC’s final playoff spot with a half-game lead over Detroit, Green Bay and Seattle. | 2022-12-28T14:39:01Z | sports.yahoo.com | Carson Wentz will start at quarterback Week 17 vs. Browns | https://sports.yahoo.com/carson-wentz-start-quarterback-week-135111104.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/carson-wentz-start-quarterback-week-135111104.html?src=rss |
Colts’ DeForest Buckner the ‘definition of a pro’
The 2022 season hasn’t gone according to plan much at all for the Indianapolis Colts, but that hasn’t stopped defensive tackle DeForest Buckner from continuing his role as being a major leader in the locker room.
Despite the lost season, Buckner has been one of the most accountable players in the locker room. He carries himself as one of the biggest voices in the locker room even if he’s not the loudest.
Defensive coordinator Gus Bradley couldn’t be more impressed with Buckner now with having a full season of work with him.
“Spending time with him, he’s a huge pro, a man who gets the job done no matter how he feels inside. I think that’s kind of the definition of a pro. He does it in practice, he does it in meetings and in his play – and you’re right, he’s banged up,” Bradley told reporters Tuesday. “He’s got some injuries. He’s battling through that. So, he’s doing a great job leading our group both by actions and by words, and he’s playing at a high level for us.”
Buckner has been playing at an upper-tier level for the majority of the season. His 8.0 sacks are the third-most of his career and the second-most since joining the Colts in 2020. He also had 18 quarterback hits, nine tackles for loss and is tied for the ninth-most total pressures (46) among interior defensive linemen, according to Pro Football Focus.
Even though Buckner already had the reputation of being a high-character player and strong leader both on and off the field, he exceeded Bradley’s expectations.
“You hear so many good things about him just as a man – what he stands for, his work ethic. But I think until you’re around him on a day in and day out basis where you see it’s consistent – there’s no up or down with the man. He comes to work, he’s a true pro regardless of the situation,” Bradley said. “I had a high feeling of what he was like, but I think he exceeded that just because of the day-to-day operation that he has.”
Buckner has been a major contributor since the Colts traded the No. 13 overall pick for him in 2020. There will be some major changes coming to the team during the upcoming offseason, but Buckner continues to prove he’s a vital part of the team’s success.
It may be a lost season, but Buckner has earned his role as a captain and continues to produce despite the hardships. | 2022-12-28T14:39:14Z | sports.yahoo.com | Colts’ DeForest Buckner the ‘definition of a pro’ | https://sports.yahoo.com/colts-deforest-buckner-definition-pro-130135645.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/colts-deforest-buckner-definition-pro-130135645.html?src=rss |
Colts open as road underdogs to Giants in Week 17
The Indianapolis Colts (4-10-1) will open Week 17 as road underdogs to the New York Giants (8-6-1) for the matchup at MetLife Stadium.
As the Giants look to clinch a playoff spot for the first time since 2016, the Colts have become the “path to the playoffs” team. Should the Giants win this week, the Colts will have allowed three consecutive teams to clinch a playoff spot by losing.
According to Tipico Sportsbook, that’s what Vegas believes will happen.
The Colts have lost five straight games and eight of their last nine. They haven’t won since Jeff Saturday’s first game as interim head coach and they continue to show the same issues since before Frank Reich was fired. In some areas, they’ve gotten much worse.
The Giants have been one of the biggest surprises this season under first-year head coach Brian Daboll. Though they lack true firepower, they’ve gotten the most out of quarterback Daniel Jones.
As the Colts solidify their spot within the top-five picks of the 2023 NFL draft, it’s difficult to see them winning this game even though there’s a chance this is a competitive game that comes down to the wire. | 2022-12-28T14:39:20Z | sports.yahoo.com | Colts open as road underdogs to Giants in Week 17 | https://sports.yahoo.com/colts-open-road-underdogs-giants-124140711.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/colts-open-road-underdogs-giants-124140711.html?src=rss |
Commanders RB Antonio Gibson banged up heading into Week 17
Washington Commanders rookie running back Brian Robinson Jr. has taken off since becoming the team’s unquestioned starter in the backfield. Over Washington’s last six games, Robinson has carried the football 15 times or more in five of those games.
Robinson’s increased workload meant a different role for former starter Antonio Gibson. Over the last four games, Gibson has averaged seven rushing attempts per game. He has 10 attempts in the previous two games.
While Gibson hasn’t carried the ball as much, he’s Washington’s primary kick returner, a role in which he has excelled. In addition, he’s the team’s third-down back.
As the Commanders head into a critical Week 17 game against the Cleveland Browns, Gibson is battling an injury.
“Antonio’s got a sprain, so we’re going to have to monitor that very closely this week,” head coach Ron Rivera said.
Reporters asked Rivera if Gibson was dealing with an ankle sprain.
“He has a sprain,” Rivera said. “We’ll give you the full report tomorrow when we practice.”
Rivera is holding out one more day until Washington releases its first injury report of the week.
Gibson was replaced as kick returner late in Saturday’s loss to the San Francisco 49ers.
If Gibson can’t go, that would mean an increased role for Jonathan Williams who has impressed each time he’s received an opportunity. The Commanders would also likely bring up Jaret Patterson.
We’ll have more on Gibson later in the week. | 2022-12-28T14:39:26Z | sports.yahoo.com | Commanders RB Antonio Gibson banged up heading into Week 17 | https://sports.yahoo.com/commanders-rb-antonio-gibson-banged-123023275.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/commanders-rb-antonio-gibson-banged-123023275.html?src=rss |
Giants know they ‘can’t sleep on’ Colts QB Nick Foles
The New York Giants will take on the Indianapolis Colts this Sunday at MetLife Stadium in the most important game the organization has played in six years.
For the Colts, it will be Nick Foles under center as opposed to Matt Ryan or Sam Ehlinger. And despite Foles’ three-interception performance in Week 16, the Giants know better than to overlook the former Super Bowl MVP.
“We all know what Nick Foles is capable of and you have to be prepared for that. He’s a guy who’s been there, who has accomplished great things. He’s a guy you can’t sleep on quite frankly. He has experience that you need to be on your a-game for sure,” safety Julian Love told reporters.
Not only does Foles have big-game experience, but he’s also strung together quality stretches throughout his career. He led the NFL in passer rating in 2013 en route to the Pro Bowl.
And Foles has been nearly flawless against the Giants. He’s posted a 3-0 career record while throwing for 682 yards, eight touchdowns, and two interceptions.
The Giants may be 4.5-point favorites opening the week, but this game is anything but a cakewalk. They’ll have to be prepared for a four-quarter battle against a quarterback they’ve never beaten. | 2022-12-28T14:39:39Z | sports.yahoo.com | Giants know they ‘can’t sleep on’ Colts QB Nick Foles | https://sports.yahoo.com/giants-know-t-sleep-colts-125547168.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/giants-know-t-sleep-colts-125547168.html?src=rss |
The New York Giants (8-6-1) host the Indianapolis Colts (10-4-1) at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey this Sunday afternoon.
The Giants and Colts may have faced off in The Greatest Game Ever Played — the 1958 NFL Championship Game — and the title game the following year, but the reality is, they really don’t have much of a history other than that.
This Sunday will mark just the 17th all-time regular season contest between the teams since the Colts entered the NFL in 1953 as the Baltimore Colts.
This will be only the ninth meeting between the clubs since the Colts moved from Baltimore to Indianapolis in 1984. In fact, the Giants and Colts did not face one another in the 1980s.
The Colts lead the regular season series, 10-6, have won the last four, and have a 2-0 postseason advantage. In their last meeting, Indianapolis hosted the Giants in Week 16 of 2018 and won, 28-27.
The Giants can wrap up a postseason berth as a wild card with a victory in this game. They can also qualify if one of the below scenarios comes to fruition:
Giants tie, plus…
A Seattle loss or tie + Washington loss or tie or a SEA loss or tie + Detroit loss or tie or a WAS loss or tie + DET loss or tie + Green Bay loss or tie.
Giants lose, and…
A SEA loss + WAS loss or a SEA loss + DET loss + GB loss or tie or a WAS loss + DET loss + GB loss.
The Colts have been eliminated from postseason contention.
Colts have been chaotic
Indianapolis has lost five straight and eight of their last nine games. The season began with them trying to settle their quarterback position after the Carson Wentz experiment didn’t pan out the way they expected.
They brought in former Atlanta Falcons star Matt Ryan and that hasn’t gone their way, either. The net result is all of this trading stripped them of their first three draft picks this season and they still have no solution at quarterback. They will start veteran Nick Foles against the Giants this week.
Perhaps the bigger story was the firing of head coach Frank Reich after a 3-5-1 start and the hiring of former star center Jeff Saturday as Reich’s replacement. Saturday had no experience as a coach and was most recently working as a television analyst. The Colts have gone 1-4 under Saturday.
Giants have been skidding, too
After a 6-1 start, the Giants have gone 2-5-1 with their only non-losses coming against the Houston Texans and Washington Commanders.
The Giants are still in playoff contention as outlined above. They hold the tiebreaker over Washington and Green Bay but do not against Seattle and Detroit.
The Giants lost, 27-24, to the Minnesota Vikings on the road last week on a 61-yard field goal in the final seconds. This season, the Giants are averaging 20.7 yards per game. They have not scored more than 27 points in any single game and have scored between 20-27 points in 11 of their games and between 13-19 in their other four.
The Giants have allowed 29.0 points per game over their last three and are allowing 366.6 yards per game this season, sixth most in the NFL.
Some miscellaneous stats
It’s not all doom and gloom with the Giants right now. Hey, they’re a win away from the postseason and some players are actually having great seasons.
Pro Bowl defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence leads the Giants with 6.5 sacks this season, a career-high for the former first-round pick. He is one of nine players in the NFL this year with at least 60 tackles and 6.5 sacks.
Running Back Saquon Barkley, the Giants’ other Pro Bowl selection, is currently in the lead for Comeback Player of the Year. Barkley needs 54 rushing yards to set a new single-season career high, eclipsing the 1,307 yards he gained in his rookie year of 2018. Barkley’s 1,254 rushing yards are the fourth-most in the NFL this season.
Placekicker Graham Gano has been relatively quiet this season but has been reliable when called upon. He has kicked eight 50-yard field goals this season, setting a Giants’ single-season franchise record.
Quarterback Daniel Jones passed for 319 yards last week, only the second time this season he’s gone over the 300-yard mark. But Jones has been clutch with his legs this year. His 617 rushing yards this season are the most in a single season by a quarterback in Giants history and rank fifth among NFL quarterbacks this year. | 2022-12-28T14:39:45Z | sports.yahoo.com | Giants vs. Colts: 5 things to know about Week 17 | https://sports.yahoo.com/giants-vs-colts-5-things-135538999.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/giants-vs-colts-5-things-135538999.html?src=rss |
Joe Burrow wins another weekly award, this time for showing vs. Patriots
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow just keeps stacking the awards.
This time he’s the AFC Offensive Player of the Week for Week 16 due to his 375 passing yards and three touchdowns in a win over the New England Patriots.
That’s Burrow’s third time winning it this year, the others in Week 7 and Week 13 due to performances against the Falcons and Chiefs, respectively.
This also means Burrow has won the award five times over the last two seasons. He’s also the first offensive player in Bengals history to win the award three times in a single season (Carlos Dunlap in 2019 and David Fulcher in 1989 have done it on the other side of the ball).
Burrow has two more weeks to win another, furthering his team lead that might go untouched unless he challenges it. | 2022-12-28T14:40:10Z | sports.yahoo.com | Joe Burrow wins another weekly award, this time for showing vs. Patriots | https://sports.yahoo.com/joe-burrow-wins-another-weekly-134802094.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/joe-burrow-wins-another-weekly-134802094.html?src=rss |
No resting if 49ers want to climb higher in NFC playoff standings
The 49ers won’t get a chance to rest their starters if their goal is to ultimately climb higher than the No. 3 seed in the NFC playoffs.
San Francisco is now a game behind the Vikings for the No. 2 seed, and two games behind the Eagles for the No. 1 seed (more on this later).
Minnesota’s win over the Giants on Saturday made it impossible for the 49ers to have a shot at resting their starters in the final weekend, assuming they badly want the No. 2 seed.
The 49ers could conceivably lose one of their next two and still get that second seed, but it would require the Vikings to lose both of their games. Since San Francisco will be playing at the same time as Minnesota the last two weeks, they won’t have any kind of inside track on their place in the standings going into a game.
The best move for them is to simply win their next two, which likely means they won’t rest their starters at all. They may not rush Deebo Samuel or Elijah Mitchell back from injury, but it’s unlikely they’ll sit players like Nick Bosa or George Kittle leading up to the wild card round.
If the 49ers do lose Sunday in Las Vegas and the Vikings knock off the Saints, it would eliminate San Francisco’s chances to move up. At that point they could conceivably rest a handful of players since they’re locked into the No. 3 seed.
So, about the top seed.
Philadelphia left the door just slightly cracked when they lost to the Cowboys. The Eagles still need to win just one of their final two games to clinch the top spot, but injuries to their starting QB and on the offensive front are a problem.
Again, the 49ers would need to win out. A loss eliminates them from the No. 1 race. They also need Philly to lose out and Minnesota to split their last two games.
Who San Francisco plays is still way up in the air, but they’ll have a chance to affect who they see in their first postseason game if they’re able to move up on in these last couple weeks.
Tyrion Davis-Price draws praise for yard he didn't try for | 2022-12-28T14:40:36Z | sports.yahoo.com | No resting if 49ers want to climb higher in NFC playoff standings | https://sports.yahoo.com/no-resting-49ers-want-climb-130029346.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/no-resting-49ers-want-climb-130029346.html?src=rss |
Patriots not looking to change Rhamondre Stevenson, but he needs to be better in crunch time
The New England Patriots still have full trust in running back Rhamondre Stevenson, following his fumble against the Cincinnati Bengals on Saturday.
Special teams coach Vinnie Sunseri had a few pointers for the running back, but he is not going to recommend any drastic changes. Stevenson has been a key piece of the Patriots’ rushing attack since he entered the league in 2021. This season, he has taken on the role of starting back for the Patriots, and has done so at a high level. He currently has 196 carries for 944 yards and five touchdowns.
Stevenson has also managed to rush for over 160 yards more than once this season. The first game came against the Detroit Lions on October 9, when he ran for 161 yards. He did it again against Las Vegas on December 18, as he recorded 19 carries for 172 yards and a touchdown.
The former fourth-round pick has quickly established himself as an emerging back in the NFL. With that in mind, his fumble was a costly one. New England had a chance to take the lead in the red zone from the five-yard line, but the fumble stopped any hopes of a comeback bid.
“I’m never going to question a player fighting for yards,” said Sunseri, via NESN’s Zack Cox. “The one thing that we just have to note is the situation in the game. You have to have two hands on the ball, and he had two hands on the football, and like every great back, he’s going to fight for extra yards. He just has to know the situation within the game. He has to know how much time’s left. He has to know where we’re at on the football field, and he just has to try to have the best ball security possible.
Stevenson and the Patriots’ ground game will look to spark an offense that has struggled, especially in the first half. Their next challenge will be the big New Year’s Day tilt with the visiting Miami Dolphins. | 2022-12-28T14:40:55Z | sports.yahoo.com | Patriots not looking to change Rhamondre Stevenson, but he needs to be better in crunch time | https://sports.yahoo.com/patriots-not-looking-change-rhamondre-135716321.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/patriots-not-looking-change-rhamondre-135716321.html?src=rss |
Rivera not ready to say if last two weeks will determine Commanders quarterback in 2023
Washington Commanders head coach Ron Rivera has a big decision to make ahead of Sunday’s Week 17 game against the Cleveland Browns.
Will he start Taylor Heinicke or Carson Wentz at quarterback?
Wentz replaced Heinicke in the fourth quarter of last week’s loss to the San Francisco 49ers after a pair of turnovers from Heinicke in the second half. Up until that point, Heinicke played one of his better games of the season against the NFL’s top defense.
In Wentz’s first action since Week 6, he played well in limited duty. The 49ers immediately pressured him, and Wentz made good decisions with the football, taking what was available to him instead of making a costly mistake. He ended his drive with a beautiful touchdown pass to Curtis Samuel.
After the game, Rivera was noncommital on the starter for Week 17. When Rivera spoke with the media Tuesday, he said he still hadn’t decided.
Rivera has likely already decided on his starter and, for competitive reasons, is waiting until as late as possible to make his decision known. Many believe Rivera will turn back to Wentz.
Washington is currently a half-game ahead of three teams [Detroit, Green Bay, Seattle] for the NFC’s final playoff spot. If the Commanders win their last two games, it doesn’t matter what the other teams do.
Rivera was asked Tuesday if the next two games will play a critical role in determining who Washington’s quarterback will be in 2023. Rivera was focused on the immediate future.
“Well, I think what happens in the next two weeks is gonna have a high impact on this football team right now,” Rivera said. “I mean, that’s what I’m really more concerned with right now is getting into the playoffs. We have a football game that we gotta win, so we’re gonna focus all the attention on that.”
He’s right. Rivera wants to make the playoffs, and he wants to show his team he believes in them. Whomever he decides to start, it’s because he thinks it gives the Commanders the best chance to win.
Heinicke is a free agent after the season, while Wentz has two years remaining on his contract. However, he has no guaranteed money left, and Washington can release him without penalty. If Wentz plays the final two games, whether Rivera admits it or not, he’s likely playing for his Washington — and NFL future. | 2022-12-28T14:41:07Z | sports.yahoo.com | Rivera not ready to say if last two weeks will determine Commanders quarterback in 2023 | https://sports.yahoo.com/rivera-not-ready-last-two-133047935.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/rivera-not-ready-last-two-133047935.html?src=rss |
Dan Reeves - Jan. 1
Don Maynard - Jan. 10
Lusia Harris - Jan. 18
Jeremy Giambi - Feb. 9
SAN JOSE, CA - DECEMBER 8: Stanford Cardinal goalkeeper Katie Meyer #19 during warmups during a game between UNC and Stanford Soccer W at Avaya Satdium on December 8, 2019 in San Jose, California. (Photo by John Todd/ISI Photos/Getty Images).
Katie Meyer - March 1
Scott Hall - March 14
If you are unfamiliar with Scott Hall, perhaps you know him by his in-ring alter-ego, Razor Ramon. Hall delighted wresting fans in the '90s, becoming one of the sport's most popular personalities. Hall starred in both WWE — then known as WWF — and WCW, where he helped form the NWO with Kevin Nash and Hulk Hogan. Away from the ring, Hall dealt with substance abuse and was arrested multiple times, including once for second-degree murder and once for domestic violence. Both charges were eventually dropped. Hall died in March due to complications from hip surgery. He was 63.
John Clayton - March 18
Throughout the late '90s and early '00s, it was hard to turn on SportsCenter or any of ESPN's NFL shows without seeing John Clayton. A consummate professional, Clayton got his start as a Pittsburgh Steelers reporter. He earned the team’s ire when he uncovered a rules violation that cost the team a draft pick, and eventually worked his way over to ESPN in 1995. There, he was a fixture of the growing network’s NFL coverage and beloved by fans and reporters across the industry.
Dwayne Haskins' death shocked the NFL. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File)
Dwayne Haskins - April 9
Mike Bossy - April 15
Guy Lafleur - April 22
Bob Lanier - May 10
Roger Angell - May 20
Marion Barber - June 1
Caleb Swanigan - June 20
Jaylon Ferguson - June 21
Tony Siragusa - June 22
From his first day as an NFL player to his last day as a media personality, Tony Siracusa’s personality shined through. “Goose” got his first contract with the Indianapolis Colts by selling himself was a back-up long snapper, then spent the next decade as a defensive anchor up the middle, peaking with a Super Bowl ring with the Baltimore Ravens. He was arguably the first breakout character of "Hard Knocks" and remained a frequent presence on television and radio in retirement.
Spencer Webb - July 12
Bill Russell - July 31
Vin Scully - Aug. 2
Len Dawson - Aug. 14
In addition to being a Pro Football Hall of Famer and a Super Bowl winner, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Len Dawson was also the subject of one of the most iconic photographs in pro football history. The image, which captures Dawson smoking a cigarette during halftime of the first Super Bowl, was shared countless times on social media following Dawson's death in August. Dawson is known for more than just the photo. He was a seven-time Pro Bowler, two-time All-Pro and was the recipient of the Walter Payton Man of the Year award in 1973. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1987.
Earnie Shavers - Sept. 1
Maury Wills - Sep. 19
Gavin Escobar - Sep. 28
Tiffany Jackson - Oct. 3
Bruce Sutter - Oct. 13
Charley Trippi - Oct. 19
Vince Dooley - Oct. 28
Adam Zimmer - Oct. 31
John McVay - Oct. 31
Ray Guy - Nov. 3
Fred Hickman - Nov. 9
Long-time sports broadcaster Fred Hickman had an illustrious television career that spanned decades. Hickman rose to prominence as a member of "Sports Tonight" on CNN. He also worked for ESPN, where he anchored "SportsCenter," and became the host of "Inside the NBA" before helping get the YES Network off the ground. Most recently, Hickman was an anchor and managing editor at Black News Channel. He was 66.
Anthony Johnson - Nov. 13
Few hit harder than Anthony "Rumble" Johnson during his 15-year MMA career, all the way up to when he knocked on the door of the UFC light heavyweight championship. Johnson went 22-6 during his professional career, and his only losses in his final 15 matches were when he challenged Daniel Cormier for the belt. The end of his career, which was marred by domestic violence allegations, saw him open up a CBD oil company, and he ultimately died at 38 years old of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis.
Börje Salming - Nov. 24
Gaylord Perry - Dec. 1
Nick Bollettieri - Dec. 4
Grant Wahl - Dec. 10
Paul Silas - Dec. 11
Known as one of the most tenacious defenders of his era, Paul Silas' career extended long past his playing days in the NBA. Following his career, where he won two championships with the Celtics, Silas spent over 20 decades as a coach in the NBA. He spent two seasons as the head coach for the Cavaliers, where he became LeBron James' first NBA head coach, then finished out his head coaching career in Charlotte. His son Stephen is currently the head coach of the Houston Rockets.
Mike Leach - Dec. 12
Billie Moore - Dec. 14
Bille Moore was inducted into both the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame after an exceptional career as a coach. Moore led both Cal State Fullerton and UCLA to the national titles, becoming the first woman to accomplish that feat. Moore's prowess as a collegiate coach led to her being named the first head coach of the women's Olympic basketball team. She helped lead Team USA to a silver medal in 1976.
Louis Orr - Dec. 15
Syracuse legend Louis Orr was a player during Jim Boehiem's first year as a coach at Syracuse. Orr scored a career 1,487 points and made the NCAA tournament four straight years at the school. After college, Orr spent eight years in the NBA, mostly with the New York Knicks. He then experienced success as a college coach, winning a conference title with Siena and taking Seton Hall to the NCAA tournament twice.
Franco Harris - Dec. 20
Ronnie Hillman - Dec. 21
Kathy Whitworth - Dec. 24
The golfer with the most wins on a single professional tour isn't Sam Snead. Or Tiger Woods. Or Annika Sorenstam. No, that title belongs to Kathy Whitworth, whose 88 wins in the early decades of the LPGA remains the sport's high watermark. The Texas native's tournament wins spanned from 1962 to 1985, winning six majors and becoming the first female golfer to accrue $1 million in winnings along the way. | 2022-12-28T16:09:29Z | sports.yahoo.com | In memoriam: The sports world lost Bill Russell, Vin Scully, Mike Leach and many more in 2022 | https://sports.yahoo.com/in-memoriam-the-sports-world-lost-bill-russell-vin-scully-mike-leach-and-many-more-in-2022-160037505.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/in-memoriam-the-sports-world-lost-bill-russell-vin-scully-mike-leach-and-many-more-in-2022-160037505.html?src=rss |
49ers' Bosa named NFC Defensive Player of the Week ... again originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea
Nick Bosa’s already-convincing case for NFL Defensive Player of the Year received yet another boost on Wednesday.
The 49ers defensive end was chosen as the NFC Defensive Player of the Week for the second time this season and the fourth time in his four-year career.
Bosa played a key role Saturday in the 49ers’ 37-20 victory over the Washington Commanders in Week 16. He recorded seven tackles, two sacks, a forced fumble and another sack to thwart a two-point conversion attempt, which does not count in the official stats.
“We got so many players out there, but always when you have a pass rusher who's as good as Nick, those are the guys who have the best way to change the game,” 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said.
Bosa and Dallas Cowboys' Micah Parsons are considered the top candidates for NFL Defensive Player of the Year. George Kittle said Saturday he believes Bosa's performance against Washington wrapped up the honor.
Bosa leads the NFL with a career-best 17.5 sacks, which is just two behind Aldon Smith's franchise record of 19.5 set in 2012. He is tied with Pro Football Hall of Famer Fred Dean (1983) for second on the 49ers’ single-season list.
Bosa said he agreed with teammate Fred Warner’s assessment that he is playing the best football of his career.
He said he is continuing to learn with more experience and is figuring out ways to attack each opponent he goes up against.
“[I] plan out my rush plan each week to tailor to who I'm playing,” Bosa said after Saturday’s game. “I feel like I have an answer for every type of blocker at this point. Some better than others, obviously, but it's going well.”
Bosa became one of just four players since 1982 with at least one sack in 12 games during a season. He joined DeMarcus Ware (14 games in 2008), Justin Houston (13 games in 2014) and Chandler Jones (13 games in 2017).
Bosa also was chosen as NFC Defensive Player of the Month for November after registering six sacks in four games in December. | 2022-12-28T16:31:21Z | sports.yahoo.com | 49ers' Nick Bosa named NFC Defensive Player of the Week for two-sack game | https://sports.yahoo.com/49ers-nick-bosa-named-nfc-160140995.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/49ers-nick-bosa-named-nfc-160140995.html?src=rss |
The Chicago Bears lost 35-13 to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday to fall to 3-12 on the season. Their losing streak is now at eight games, with their last win coming in October against the New England Patriots in Week 7.
With two games left, the Bears are looking to finish strong with two divisional matchups on the docket. This week they play the Lions and they finish off the 2022 season against the Vikings.
Going into Week 17, the Bears have fallen in the power rankings. Let’s take a look at where Chicago stands going into Week 17:
Chicago’s losing streak has reached eight. Glass half full, Da Bears are just a half-game out of top spot in the 2023 draft.
The 2022 Bears will be known for two things, Justin Fields’ excitement on the ground and the longest losing streak in franchise history. It’s Matt Eberflus’ first season, and there’s a plan in place to trust. The glass is half full in the minds of many Bears fans. Many are excited for this season to end and to see how free agency and the draft play out.
The 2022 season in Chicago is defined by massive rebuilding efforts this franchise underwent to lay the foundation for a sustainable and successful operation. It started with Ryan Poles sending the Pro Bowl linebacker to the Los Angeles Chargers for picks and continued when the first-year general manager let more than 20 players from last season’s team walk in free agency. It culminated with Poles trading defensive end Robert Quinn and linebacker Roquan Smith at the deadline. The Bears learned two very important things this season: Justin Fields is their franchise quarterback, and everything this front office does needs to be geared toward building around him on offense.
Fans have to understand this year is a part of the rebuild. Three wins in 15 games isn’t fun, but it’s a process. The Bears are slated to get the second pick in the 2023 draft currently, with a slight chance to get the first pick. They can trade out of that to a quarterback-hungry team and help speed up that rebuild with more draft capital. Trust the process.
Facing a stout Bills defense keyed to stop his scrambling and playing with a wide receiver group thinned out by injuries, Justin Fields had nowhere to go on Saturday at the ice box also known as Soldier Field. The result was a 35-13 loss to Buffalo that served as another reminder of how much work Chicago must do to get on the level of the best teams in football. Fields aggravated his left shoulder injury and got his foot stepped on during the loss, but Matt Eberflus dismissed the idea of shutting down the young quarterback for the final games of the season. “Absolutely not,” the coach said.
Justin Fields’ running game being stopped turned the Bears offensive upside down. They were held to 13 points. It’s hard to win games in the NFL when you only score 13. Fields won’t be shut down for the rest of the year, despite the injuries he’s had this year. Good call by Matt Eberflus, as the young quarterback needs all the reps he can get before the offseason.
But for Justin Fields, they might be winless
Though being winless without Justin Fields may be a stretch, he is the reason why the Bears have been close in games. If he takes that next step in 2023 and the roster around him gets better, there’s no excuse for this team to not be a playoff team.
They showed against the Bills how far they have to go to get to that level. That’s what happens with young teams against teams that good.
Yes, the Bills are levels above where the Bears are, but we already knew this. Chicago deserves credit, they fought them hard in the first half. That’s been the story all year though. Playing a good two to three quarters and losing games in the fourth quarter. In 2023, that needs to change. | 2022-12-28T16:31:33Z | sports.yahoo.com | Bears NFL power rankings round-up going into Week 17 | https://sports.yahoo.com/bears-nfl-power-rankings-round-153446016.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/bears-nfl-power-rankings-round-153446016.html?src=rss |
How Dolphins can clinch a playoff spot in Week 17
While the Miami Dolphins have lost four straight contests, dropping them to the seventh seed in the current playoff picture, hope isn’t totally lost with two games left.
Actually, there are two ways that Mike McDaniel’s team can clinch a spot in the postseason during Week 17.
If Miami wins their matchup against the New England Patriots, and the New York Jets lose or tie the Seattle Seahawks, the Dolphins are officially in the playoffs.
They can also make it without winning this week, but only if they tie the Patriots, the Jets lose and the Pittsburgh Steelers tie or lose in their game against the Baltimore Ravens.
Obviously, the first option is the much more likely option just because ties aren’t prevalent. There have only been two this season.
With Tua Tagovailoa in concussion protocol, Miami may have to lean on veteran backup Teddy Bridgewater this week, making things more difficult for the Dolphins to clinch a berth. | 2022-12-28T16:32:24Z | sports.yahoo.com | How Dolphins can clinch a playoff spot in Week 17 | https://sports.yahoo.com/dolphins-clinch-playoff-spot-week-150022615.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/dolphins-clinch-playoff-spot-week-150022615.html?src=rss |
The Jacksonville Jaguars are going full steam ahead against the Houston Texans in Week 17, despite not having much at stake in the game.
Regardless if Jacksonville wins or loses against the 2-12-1 Texans on Sunday, the Tennessee Titans and Jaguars will play for the AFC South title in Week 18. While there’s a backdoor scenario where the Jaguars get into the postseason with a loss in their finale, it’s a long shot.
Either way, Jaguars coach Doug Pederson doesn’t sound like someone who cares about anything other than winning as many games as possible.
“There is never a meaningless game,” Pederson said at a press conference Monday. “Never, ever, ever, ever. We play to win every game and the only way I rest players is if they’re hurt and can’t go.”
That’s welcome news for fantasy football managers with Jaguars players like Trevor Lawrence, Travis Etienne Jr, and others in their lineup. But they’ll still have to hope for a much better performance against the Houston defense.
When the Jaguars last faced the Texans, they racked up 422 yards of total offense but never got into the end zone. Lawrence threw two interceptions and the Jaguars turned the ball over on downs three times in a 13-6 loss.
That was the second of five straight losses earlier this season. This time, the teams meet with the Jaguars on a three-game winning streak. | 2022-12-28T16:32:30Z | sports.yahoo.com | Doug Pederson: Jaguars will ‘never, ever, ever, ever’ consider resting starters | https://sports.yahoo.com/doug-pederson-jaguars-never-ever-160221923.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/doug-pederson-jaguars-never-ever-160221923.html?src=rss |
The New York Giants (8-6-1) will host the Indianapolis Colts (4-10-1) at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey this Sunday afternoon.
That, of course, provides those of us here at Giants Wire the opportunity to hypothetically steal from the Colts’ roster in search of depth and/or talent upgrades for Big Blue.
Although the Colts are not an overly impressive team and their depth has been zapped due to injury, there are still a handful of players worth stealing. Consideration was given to wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr., guard Quenton Nelson, cornerback Isaiah Rodgers and inside linebacker Bobby Okereke.
Okereke was tough to pass on, especially given the Giants’ needs at the position, but we ultimately settled on taking cornerback Stephon Gilmore.
Even if Adoree’ Jackson were back and healthy, the Giants are in need of a solid second corner. Few out there are better than Gilmore, who has gone to the Pro Bowl five times, been named a First-Team All-Pro twice, and won the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year Award in 2019.
Gilmore has recorded a career-high 63 tackles this season to go along with 11 passes defensed and two interceptions. The 11 PD lead the team and his two interceptions are second to safety Rodney Thomas II (3).
At the age of 32, Gilmore is on the back end of his career but he would still provide a massive talent upgrade for the Giants at a position of need.
What are your thoughts, Giants fans? Would you pick Stephon Gilmore or would you steal an entirely different player from the Indianapolis Colts?
Giants open as 4.5-point home favorites vs. Colts in Week 17 | 2022-12-28T16:32:43Z | sports.yahoo.com | Gimme Him: One player Giants would steal from Colts | https://sports.yahoo.com/gimme-him-one-player-giants-145522293.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/gimme-him-one-player-giants-145522293.html?src=rss |
The New York Giants were in a quandary halfway through this season when it came to wide receivers. They had lost Sterling Shepard in Week 3 for the year with a torn ACL and were relying on Kenny Golladay and Kadarius Toney to lead the unit going forward.
As we know, that didn’t happen for various reasons and the group got even thinner. Darius Slayton and Richie James Jr. were elevated to the starting positions and a little-known third-year player named Isaiah Hodgins was claimed off waivers from Buffalo on November 2.
The plan has somehow worked. Slayton and James have played fairly well and Hodgins has played in seven games with four starts since then for the Giants.
Last week against Minnesota, Hodgins secured a career-high eight of 11 targets for 89 yards (an 11.1 average) and a touchdown. Five of his eight receptions in the game resulted in a first down and he had a career-long 29-yard catch in the second quarter.
In his seven games since being signed, Hodgins has gained 309 yards and scored three touchdowns on 29 receptions (a 10.7 average).
The 6-foot-4, 210-pound Oregon State standout has been clutch as 19 of his receptions have resulted in a first down for a 65.5 first down percentage. He also has two catches of 25-plus yards.
Giants head coach Brian Daboll, who has a relationship with Hodgins going back the past few years in Buffalo, knows what he is getting in Hodgins and now we know, too.
“I think he’s smart, tough, dependable. He works extremely hard,” Daboll said this week. “In between periods, he’s usually throwing there with Daniel on a variety of routes, or they’re talking about things that we’ve installed and make sure that he sees it through the eyes of a quarterback. So, he’s done a good job for us since he’s been here.”
Slayton has also been complimentary of Hodgins.
“He’s been very consistent for us. He’s done a great job moving the sticks. He’s a little bit bigger-bodied of a guy. And he does a good job of making contested catches, making catches in the middle of the field — that type of deal,” Slayton said.
“But as he showed the other day, he hit (Vikings cornerback) Patrick Peterson with a double move, and he got down the field a little bit, too. Sometimes, he tends to maybe overthink his speed a little bit, but he can run. So, he’s been a good addition to our team and I’m glad to have him.”
The Giants have two more regular season games to continue to gel as an offense and perhaps will make it to the postseason. The legend of Hodgins is just beginning to grow, however. Good things are ahead. | 2022-12-28T16:32:56Z | sports.yahoo.com | Isaiah Hodgins gaining trust of Giants coaches, teammates | https://sports.yahoo.com/isaiah-hodgins-gaining-trust-giants-155546295.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/isaiah-hodgins-gaining-trust-giants-155546295.html?src=rss |
Jaguars’ Riley Patterson named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week
Jacksonville Jaguars kicker Riley Patterson is the AFC Special Teams Player of the Week after scoring 13 points in a 19-3 win over the New York Jets.
Patterson made four field goals and an extra point in the win, although he did miss a 44-yard field goal just before halftime.
The Jaguars struggled to find a kicker in August and added Patterson after preseason when he was waived by the Detroit Lions. Patterson quickly won the starting job in Jacksonville and has been a relatively reliable player for the team.
Patterson has made 27 of his 32 field goal attempts and all but one of his 31 extra point tries. Patterson is eighth in the NFL this season in points scored with 111.
It’s the third straight week that the Jaguars were represented on the AFC Players of the Week. Two weeks ago, Trevor Lawrence earned the honor for the second time this season and last week Rayshawn Jenkins was recognized for his 18-tackle, two-interception day.
Last year, Jaguars kicker Matthew Wright won AFC Special Teams Player of the Week after making three field goals, including 54- and 53-yarders to beat the Miami Dolphins. | 2022-12-28T16:33:02Z | sports.yahoo.com | Jaguars’ Riley Patterson named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week | https://sports.yahoo.com/jaguars-riley-patterson-named-afc-150134129.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/jaguars-riley-patterson-named-afc-150134129.html?src=rss |
If the term "clinching scenarios" gets you excited, this is your time of the year.
Five AFC teams have clinched a playoff spot with two games to play. It's just four in the NFC. Four of the eight divisions have yet to be settled.
There's a lot to be decided, but the most important game of Week 17 is almost undeniably in Cincinnati on Monday night.
The Buffalo Bills play at the Cincinnati Bengals and who wins that game could directly correlate to who wins the Super Bowl, or at least represents the AFC in it. It's not impossible to get to a Super Bowl without a bye, but think about the difference for the Bills depending on whether they win or lose on Monday:
Bills lose, Chiefs get No. 1: The Bengals would then take the lead for the No. 2 seed, meaning the Bills' road to the Super Bowl changes from "bye, then two home games" to something like "no bye, host dangerous Chargers team on wild-card weekend, at Bengals divisional round weekend, at Chiefs for the AFC championship." Just a tiny difference there.
If the Buccaneers win, they clinch the NFC South. But the Panthers have already defeated the Buccaneers 21-3 earlier this season, and a win Sunday would clinch the head-to-head tiebreaker. If the Panthers win out, they win the division. The NFC South is awful this season but this game has a big impact on the playoff bracket.
It's just easier to give all of the Giants' clinching scenarios straight from the NFL ...
Got all that? It's also worth noting that the Washington Commanders clinch a playoff spot with a win, and losses by the Seattle Seahawks, Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers.
The Eagles clinch the NFC East with a win or a Dallas Cowboys loss or tie. They'd clinch the No. 1 seed with a win or losses by the Cowboys, Vikings and 49ers.
The Tennessee Titans have nothing on the line on Thursday; win or lose to the Dallas Cowboys, they will play the Jaguars for the AFC South title in Week 18. Tennessee cannot get a wild-card spot anymore. But the Jaguars have a small shot at a wild-card spot with a win on Sunday and a loss in Week 18. The New York Times' playoff simulator has it at about 6% in that scenario. Is that enough for the Jaguars to play in Week 17 as they normally would? The division title is on the line in Week 18 no matter what.
The Dolphins can clinch a playoff spot with a win and a New York Jets loss (or a tie, Jets loss and Steelers loss or tie). You won't find the Dolphins on this week's projection. Miami quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is back in concussion protocol and it seems likely he will be held out multiple weeks. Tagovailoa missed all or most of three games this season and the Dolphins went 0-3 in those games. Miami missing the playoffs due to a six-game losing streak to end the season would be crushing, but it's possible now.
The Packers are suddenly alive in the playoff race. They'll need help but if they win out, chances are they'll make it. The Vikings are still in a battle with the San Francisco 49ers for the No. 2 seed and that could determine who would host a 49ers-Vikings game in the divisional round. So the Vikings have a reason to play.
It's not a great Sunday night matchup, but it's important. If the Ravens lose, the Bengals can clinch the AFC North with a win or a tie on Monday night. If the Ravens win, we'll get an AFC North championship game between the Ravens and Bengals in Week 18. | 2022-12-28T16:33:35Z | sports.yahoo.com | NFL Playoff Projection: Bills at Bengals is enormous for the AFC picture | https://sports.yahoo.com/nfl-playoff-projection-bills-at-bengals-is-enormous-for-the-afc-picture-154505616.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/nfl-playoff-projection-bills-at-bengals-is-enormous-for-the-afc-picture-154505616.html?src=rss |
Panthers RB D’Onta Foreman named NFC Offensive Player of the Week
On Saturday, Carolina Panthers running back D’Onta Foreman led the charge for some franchise history. And for his efforts, he’s now made a little history of his own.
The fifth-year rusher has been named the NFC Offensive Player of the Week for his Christmas Eve outing in the team’s 37-23 victory over the Detroit Lions. This is the first such honor for Foreman—as a member of either conference—and the first Offensive Player of the Week nod for a Panther since quarterback Cam Newton earned one in Week 7 of the 2018 campaign.
Foreman ran for a career-high 165 yards and a touchdown on 21 attempts. He was the driving force behind Carolina’s 320 rushing yards and 570 total yards of offense—both franchise records for a single game.
Since taking over as the Panthers’ lead running back in Week 7, Foreman has amassed the third-most rushing yards in the NFL (774)—behind only Josh Jacobs of the Las Vegas Raiders (1,049) and Derrick Henry of the Tennessee Titans (1,021). | 2022-12-28T16:33:41Z | sports.yahoo.com | Panthers RB D’Onta Foreman named NFC Offensive Player of the Week | https://sports.yahoo.com/panthers-rb-d-onta-foreman-150047521.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/panthers-rb-d-onta-foreman-150047521.html?src=rss |
Despite blowing back-to-back losses to the Cincinnati Bengals and Las Vegas Raiders, the New England Patriots still have multiple paths to the playoffs.
If you’re a Patriots fan and wondering how much more heartbreak you can endure in a season, you’d do well to fasten your seatbelt because things are going to get crazy in these final two weeks.
The good news is the team has shown flashes of greatness with a lot of bad in between. Things could get interesting if the defense, particularly the secondary, starts to get healthy.
Say whatever you want about the offensive struggles, but the Patriots defense is no picnic of an opponent—no matter who they’re facing. But can they create enough problems to give the up-and-down offense a fighting chance?
The answer to that question will ultimately decide the fate of this year’s Patriots team. Here are some playoff clinching scenarios for the team heading into the last two games of the season.
What happens with a Week 17 loss?
If the Patriots bite the dust against the Dolphins on Sunday, that would officially put an end to their playoff hopes. That would be the ninth life used up for the team that still somehow controls their own postseason destiny, despite playing with a losing record.
They’ll be at home against a Dolphins team that might not have Tua Tagovailoa under center. There really are no excuses for failing to get the job done in this matchup.
But then again, we’ve seen this Patriots team come up with the most impossible ways to lose football games.
Path 1: Win the rest of the way out
The Patriots could keep things simple for themselves by going on the ultimate revenge tour and knocking off both the Dolphins and Bills. That would create a tremendous wave of momentum and confidence heading into the postseason.
Granted, this is also the toughest and most unlikely path for the Patriots. Even if Tagovailoa doesn’t start at quarterback, Teddy Bridgewater is a solid backup with a bevy of offensive weapons at his disposal.
And the Bills have completely owned the Patriots. They’ve already blown them out once at Gillette Stadium this season. The odds of New England returning the favor in Buffalo might be slim to none at this point.
Path 2: Beat the Dolphins, but lose to the Bills
This is where things start to get crazy, and honestly, more realistic. Unless the Bills decide to throw the finale, which is certainly possible depending on how things shake out, the Patriots could find themselves on the losing end of their Week 18 road trip to Buffalo.
However, they can lose to the Bills and still get in through other means. What would have to happen for the team to lose in the regular season finale and still get into the postseason dance?
Well, they’d need both the Las Vegas Raiders and Pittsburgh Steelers to at least lose one more game the rest of the way. The Steelers still have games against the Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns coming up on their schedule, while the Raiders will finish out their season with meetings with the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs.
So it’s certainly possible for both of those teams to lose one more game.
Other dominos that would need to fall would be the Jacksonville Jaguars not beating the Houston Texans and then going on to lose to the Tennessee Titans. The New York Jets would also need to lose to the Seattle Seahawks but then bounce back with a win over the Dolphins. Simple enough, right?
Honestly, it would be a long-shot for all of these things to come to fruition for the Patriots. So it’s best for them to just play their best football and somehow make the first path successful. | 2022-12-28T16:33:54Z | sports.yahoo.com | Playoff clinching scenarios for Patriots heading into final two regular season games | https://sports.yahoo.com/playoff-clinching-scenarios-patriots-heading-143930565.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/playoff-clinching-scenarios-patriots-heading-143930565.html?src=rss |
After leading the Raiders to the playoffs last season, this was expected to be a career year for Derek Carr. Armed with weapons all over the field, the Raiders needed Carr to perform like one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL.
That hasn’t happened and it’s a big reason why the Raiders sit at 6-9 going into the final two weeks of the season. Worse yet, it appears Carr has taken a step backward as he leads the NFL in interceptions with 14.
The Raiders have a tough decision to make in regard to Carr this off-season. But they also must decide if it’s worth playing him over the final two games as his contract would lock in for the 2023 and 2024 seasons should he get hurt. Here is what ESPN’s Dan Graziano had to say about that potential decision:
“Frankly, if they’ve already decided to cut Carr, it would make some sense to sit him for the final two games, because that $40.4 million in 2023 and 2024 salary is guaranteed against injury, and the Raiders could be on the hook for it if he gets hurt. But if he does get to finish out the season, he’s under pressure to show the Raiders something.”
For the sake of flexibility, the Raiders would be wise to sit Carr. That doesn’t mean that he can’t return in 2023, but it gives the Raiders options. If he plays and gets hurt, the Raiders would almost have no choice but to bring him back next year regardless if there are better options out there.
Will they decide to bench their franchise quarterback for Weeks 17 and 18? That remains to be seen. But that’s going to be a really difficult decision for Josh McDaniels and company heading into the week. | 2022-12-28T16:34:00Z | sports.yahoo.com | Raiders have tough decision to make with QB Derek Carr | https://sports.yahoo.com/raiders-tough-decision-qb-derek-160438646.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/raiders-tough-decision-qb-derek-160438646.html?src=rss |
The NFL has named Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Cam Heyward the AFC Defensive Player of the Week for Week 16. This comes after a huge performance by Heyward in the Steelers 13-10 win over the Las Vegas Raiders on Christmas Eve.
Heyward finished the game with seven tackles, two sacks, three tackles for loss and one pass defended. On the season, Heyward has 62 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, 8.5 sacks and three passes defended.
In a season when the Pittsburgh defense has been inconsistent, Heyward remains a constant. Not only a tremendous talent on the field but a leader. Heyward is also a finalist for the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award for his charity work off the field. | 2022-12-28T16:34:13Z | sports.yahoo.com | Steelers DT Cam Heyward named AFC Defensive Player of the Week | https://sports.yahoo.com/steelers-dt-cam-heyward-named-142433204.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/steelers-dt-cam-heyward-named-142433204.html?src=rss |
Everyone in the NFL draft world knew when the Pittsburgh Steelers drafted wide receiver George Pickens they were getting a steal. The former Georgia star was an absolute bargain in the second round and although the offense hasn’t been as good as advertised, Pickens has been great.
According to Pro Football Focus, Pickens has made 17 contested catches this season which ties Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf for most by a rookie since 2016. With two games left to play, Pickens should end up owning the single-season mark by himself when it’s all said and done.
For the season, Pickens has 47 catches for 700 yards and three receiving touchdowns. His three scores lead the team as well as his 14.9 yards per catch. Pickens is never going to be the guy who gets a ton of separation but his natural athleticism and innate ability to win those combat catches keep him highly productive and nearly impossible to defend. | 2022-12-28T16:34:15Z | sports.yahoo.com | Steelers WR George Pickens top rookie at contested catches | https://sports.yahoo.com/steelers-wr-george-pickens-top-155315980.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/steelers-wr-george-pickens-top-155315980.html?src=rss |
If sportsbooks gave odds on how many times I will have to refer to the league's web of tiebreaker scenarios, the over would be free money. A big part of these final two weeks will be tracking motivational spots to see which teams successfully stave off elimination and which will see their season end.
Here's the beauty of the league's playoff format. Even the top teams in each conference are highly motivated due to the massive benefit of being the conference's No. 1 seed. The Eagles missed their opportunity last week at Dallas, but here's why they are an excellent bet to capitalize against a much more favorable opponent this weekend. But, of course, motivation comes in many forms, and I also targeted one other team in a very different spot for this week's best bets.
As disappointing of a season as it's been for the Saints, this is only the second time they are underdogs of more than four points. Here's the bad news for Saints fans: The other time was a 13-0 shutout loss to the San Francisco 49ers. Now, I'm not here to convince you that the Eagles' defense is as strong as the 49ers, especially after getting smoked for 40 points at Dallas. However, it is good enough to cause chaos for a Saints offensive line with PFF's 10th-lowest pass-blocking grade.
Even after last week's disaster in Dallas, Philadelphia comes in fifth using Football Outsider's defensive DVOA metric, has PFF's third-highest defensive grade in the league and ranks second overall in EPA per play allowed. The defense should be rock solid at home and highly motivated to put last week behind it.
The Saints have scored only 43 points over the last four road games (10.8 ppg), and now face an Eagles team that averages 30 at home. Philadelphia's offense isn't the same without Jalen Hurts and Lane Johnson, but they proved they could score in the 30s against a quality defense in Dallas. As I always say, nobody likes to lay seven points in the NFL, but this one has 27-13 written all over it. Bet on the Eagles dominantly clinching the No. 1 seed and covering the big number in front of their fans.
A different type of motivation is in play here. I don't believe the Jaguars view this as just another game on the schedule. Head coach Doug Pederson is building a new culture in Jacksonville that requires consistency and discipline. After winning their last three games and clawing into the playoff picture, it's hard for me to imagine the Jaguars disrupting their progress by letting up now. They have the opportunity to head into the postseason on a five-game winning streak.
Jacksonville has let down in all three games as a favorite this season, going to 0-3 S/U and ATS. However, this team has grown throughout the season and is playing its best football offensively heading into this matchup. Over the past three weeks, the Jags' passing game ranks second to only Kansas City in dropback success rate. Houston has had one of the league's worst defenses throughout the season and should allow Jacksonville to build some solid momentum going into next week's showdown with Tennessee. It's one of the few games where the Jaguars will have the better defense on the field, and there is a pretty big gap between the offenses. I will put my money on Pederson keeping his team focused and bet they make a statement with the playoffs in their sights. Lay the points with the Jaguars.
As we round the final bend toward the end of an especially scary movie year, there’s tons of holiday-season downtime to finally dim the lights, light up the small screen, and play catch-up on all the frightful films that somehow might’ve escaped your gaze over the course of the past 12 months. The 2022 creepy-movie calendar gifted fans with a huge variety of horror treats, from inspired franchise revivals like Scream, Hellraiser, and Prey to killer last-gasp sequels like Halloween Ends. In the m
Stephen Greif was known for roles in TV series including 'Blake's 7' and the films 'Risen' and 'Spartan.' One of his final parts was on 'The Crown.' | 2022-12-28T17:41:25Z | sports.yahoo.com | NFL betting: Can we trust the Eagles to bounce back in Week 17? | https://sports.yahoo.com/nfl-betting-can-we-trust-the-eagles-to-bounce-back-in-week-17-162650960.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/nfl-betting-can-we-trust-the-eagles-to-bounce-back-in-week-17-162650960.html?src=rss |
Rockets' Silas lauds Celtics for 'classy' tribute to his late father originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
The Boston Celtics paid tribute to the late Paul Silas on Tuesday night -- both intentionally and unintentionally.
The Houston Rockets and head coach Stephen Silas made their lone visit to Boston on Tuesday, just over two weeks after Stephen's father, Paul -- a former Celtic and Basketball Hall of Famer -- passed away at 79.
The C's handed out pins honoring Paul Silas prior to the game and ran a tribute video for the three-time NBA champion on the JumboTron.
Stephen Silas, whose sister and nephew were in the building Tuesday night, seemed genuinely touched by the Celtics' gestures.
"It meant a lot," Silas told reporters after the game, a 126-102 Celtics win. "I didn't see it, but they sent it to me before so I was able to see it on my phone before I got here. That's just a classy, classy, classy act. My sister was here and I'm sure she was tearing up, and my nephew was here as well."
While Paul Silas won a pair of championships with the Celtics, he only played four of his 16 NBA seasons in Boston from 1972 to 1976. That made the C's tribute even more special in Stephen's eyes.
"It was really just a special moment and thoughtful, because they didn't have to do any of this," Stephen said. "Like, my dad played here for four years. He was a part of two championship teams, but it wasn't like he was here 15 of his 16 years or anything. The love that they showed him ... just means everything to my family."
In an incredible coincidence, Paul Silas' name also popped up in the stat sheet after the game. Celtics big man Robert Williams grabbed 15 rebounds in just 21 minutes of action, becoming the first Celtic with that many rebounds in that little playing time since none other than Paul Silas, in 1972.
Rob Williams' night is over, 15 rebounds in 21 minutes.
The only Celtic to do that in the last 50 years?
Rob Williams two years ago.
The last Celtic to do it before that...and how cool is this?
Paul Silas in 1972
— Sean Grande (@SeanGrandePBP) December 28, 2022
"Was it really? How about that," Stephen Silas said when informed of that stat. "Tip of the hat to Robert Williams for that."
While Stephen didn't enjoy the final result of Tuesday's game, he clearly appreciated the Celtics for going above and beyond to honor his late father.
Top plays from Boston Celtics vs. Houston Rockets, 12/27/2022 | 2022-12-28T17:41:31Z | sports.yahoo.com | Rockets' Stephen Silas moved by Celtics' tribute to his late father, Paul Silas | https://sports.yahoo.com/rockets-stephen-silas-moved-celtics-154500325.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/rockets-stephen-silas-moved-celtics-154500325.html?src=rss |
Finding beauty, benefits in Warriors' ugly win vs. Hornets originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea
SAN FRANCISCO -- Before adding to his collection of paper airplanes, Klay Thompson looked down at the box score from the Warriors' 110-105 win over the Charlotte Hornets and cracked a smile. So, what inspired the smile?
"Winning the game shooting 22 percent from three," Thompson said, creasing the paper into his creation. "You got to get wins like that if you want to be successful, you know. Those times won't be pretty, but we gutted it out and that's why I'm proud of these guys."
An ugly brand of basketball brought the Warriors exactly what they wanted -- a win. It wasn't what we're used to with Warriors basketball, and it was the opposite of how they took down the Memphis Grizzlies on Christmas. For a team that entered the night with a 16-18 record, style is not what matters.
Results are, and the Warriors are willing to win as pretty or nasty as needed.
Behind Thompson’s four 3-pointers, the Warriors started off hot from deep. They went 6-for-11 in the first quarter on threes, good for a 54.5-percent clip. The second quarter was quite different. This time, Golden State couldn't get a single long-range shot to go down, missing all 11 attempts.
In the final three quarters, they took 26 3-pointers and made only two. Overall, that put them at 8-for-37 on the night. The Warriors before Tuesday night were leading the NBA in 3-pointers per game at 16.2 and ranked fifth in 3-point percentage at 38.1 percent.
Their second straight win saw them make half as many 3-pointers than usual, and 16.5-percent worse than their average. The winning recipe certainly strayed from the norm, and that's not always a bad thing.
While 3-pointers clanked out and the Warriors went cold, they owned the paint. The Warriors averaged 43.8 points in the paint through their first 34 games. The Los Angeles Clippers and Dallas Mavericks are the only teams behind them. To grind out a win, the Warriors adapted and were rewarded for doing so. They scored 56 points in the paint, 14 more than the Hornets' 42.
Against the Grizzlies, the Warriors made 18 3-pointers and scored 26 points in the paint. The Grizzlies, though, made just nine 3-pointers but scored 50 points in the paint.
The Warriors had some big numbers in their win, like Thompson's 29 points and 24 from Jordan Poole. Donte DiVincenzo went scoreless, one game after scoring a season-high 19 points. Winning role players were needed to outlast the nine-win Hornets without Steph Curry and Andrew Wiggins, as seen in DiVincenzo's box score.
At halftime, he was a plus-6 in plus/minus after grabbing six rebounds with four assists and one steal. DiVincenzo finished a plus-4, failing to score on four shots -- all 3-pointers -- but had nine rebounds and seven assists.
"Yeah, Donte is an amazing part of our team, a huge piece," Poole said. "He just knows how to play the game. He's a winning player. He plays with energy, is an extremely elite defender and just being able to play on the court with him, share minutes with him and just trust that he's going to make the right play, that's he's going to be aggressive, that's he's going to make big shots and make big plays and make big stops is huge.
"He is a really big part of why we won these last couple games, and he's going to be really big for us all season."
For all but two seconds of the fourth quarter, Warriors coach Steve Kerr put his trust in Jonathan Kuminga to get his defense on Hornets star LaMelo Ball. Kuminga was so great that Kerr had no choice but to keep him on the court. Kuminga scored eight points in the fourth quarter on a perfect 4-for-4, cutting to the hoop in the dunker spot and even finishing highly impressive shots, like this this runner with the Warriors up by two with a minute and a half to go.
Kuminga also grabbed three rebounds in the fourth quarter, along with one assist and one steal where he ripped the ball out of PJ Washington's hands. He played 23 minutes off the bench, scoring 14 points on a perfect 6-for-6 from the field along with six rebounds, two assists and two steals.
That led to Kerr calling Kuminga's play "brilliant." So was the 20-year-old's mindset.
"Just making winning plays, that's pretty much what I had to do," Kuminga said.
Poole was part of the Warriors' off night from deep, going 1-for-7 beyond the arc. On 2-pointers, he was 8-for-13. His shot chart featured a dunk, a handful of crowd-pleasing layups and smart shots around the rim.
RELATED: JP, JK tease new era of Warriors basketball in win vs. Hornets
Putting Mason Plumlee in the blender more than once, Poole attacking the basket opened things up for him and his teammates. That includes Kuminga's game-sealing dunk.
Curry’s left shoulder will be re-evaluated on Jan. 7. Wiggins was physically cleared from his right adductor strain on Tuesday but came down with an illness, and after missing his 11th straight game, he's guaranteed to miss a 12th. His status for Friday's contest with the Portland Trail Blazers is hopeful, not promised.
Health is the game's biggest question mark. The Warriors have to be able to win in multiple ways and styles, with or without their stars. After nearly blowing an 18-point lead, the Warriors showed they can stave off a fight and come out the victors.
Adaption was needed, attacking was necessary. There's no such thing as ugly wins. The latter is all that matters. | 2022-12-28T17:41:37Z | sports.yahoo.com | How Warriors' ugly win vs. Hornets shows beautiful, long-term benefits | https://sports.yahoo.com/warriors-ugly-win-vs-hornets-150325252.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/warriors-ugly-win-vs-hornets-150325252.html?src=rss |
Shane Wright and Dylan Guenther think Canada needs to bring a better effort and simplify the game, starting in Wednesday's matchup against Germany.
Canada suffered a shocking defeat in its opening game at the World Juniors. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darren Calabrese)
If Canada was expecting to rest on its laurels and cruise to the medal round at this year's world junior championship, the team was given a major wake-up call in its opening match.
Canada was thumped 5-2 by Czechia in its first game on Monday, leaving it in desperate need of a bounce-back effort against Germany on Wednesday in Halifax.
Canadian captain Shane Wright didn't overreact to the one-game sample size, but knows his team needs to be more dialled in from the opening faceoff moving forward.
"We've got to learn from this, got to move on from it. The gold medal is not won tonight," Wright said after the loss to Czechia. "We've got to respect our opponent a little more. We've got to make sure that we come in every single game ready to fight. We're going to get every team's best and every team wants to beat Canada."
Dylan Guenther, who along with Wright and Brandt Clarke is one of three NHLers loaned to Canada for the tournament, expressed the importance of simplifying the game instead of trying to fill the highlight reel. Canada attempted "The Michigan" twice against Czechia to no avail.
"We're not going to 'Michigan' our way to the final," Guenther said Tuesday. "We're trying it a lot. It's a skilled play. I get it. But I think that's kind of how our game's going right now. We're trying to skill our way through it. We're trying to toe-drag, beat guys one-on-one."
"You have to play the right way. Play together and play as a team. It starts with the simple side of the game — winning battles. Our skill ... there's no problem. It's the compete level."
Canada should be able to rebound for its first win of the tournament against Germany, but can't afford to take another opponent lightly. The Germans held Sweden to one goal in a 1-0 defeat on Tuesday after the Swedes routed Austria 11-0 on Monday.
Thomas Milic will start in goal for Canada. The Seattle Thunderbirds netminder stopped all 10 shots he faced against Czechia in relief of Benjamin Gaudreau, who was pulled after giving up five goals on 17 shots. | 2022-12-28T17:41:44Z | sports.yahoo.com | World Juniors: Canada needs to 'respect opponent a little more' | https://sports.yahoo.com/world-juniors-canada-needs-to-respect-opponent-a-little-more-154316025.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/world-juniors-canada-needs-to-respect-opponent-a-little-more-154316025.html?src=rss |
The New York Giants (8-6-1) are preparing to host the Indianapolis Colts (4-10-1) at MetLife Stadium for a Week 17 matchup.
The Giants are coming off a heartbreaking last-second loss to the Minnesota Vikings, while the Colts have lost five straight games and eight of their last nine.
Those in the blue region of the TV map will get the game on the local CBS channel.
Getting the call for this game will be Kevin Harlan (play-by-play), Trent Green (color analyst), and Melanie Collins (sideline). | 2022-12-28T18:20:10Z | sports.yahoo.com | If you’re in the blue, you’ll get Giants vs. Colts on TV | https://sports.yahoo.com/blue-ll-giants-vs-colts-165500183.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/blue-ll-giants-vs-colts-165500183.html?src=rss |
Lane Johnson is set to miss an extended amount of time, but according to Ian Rapoport, the Eagles’ star right tackle is putting off surgery to play in the postseason.
Johnson underwent an MRI on Monday, which confirmed the nature of the injury, which he suffered late in the fourth quarter of the loss to the Cowboys.
Jack Driscoll replaced Johnson at right tackle for the remainder of Saturday’s game and could be the guy moving forward, although everything is on the table.
Philadelphia also has the option of sliding Jordan Mailata over from left to right tackle and replacing Mailata at left tackle with 2019 first-round pick Andre Dillard.
Johnson, 32, was selected to his fourth Pro Bowl this year, and he had started all 15 games for the Eagles this season.
He has not allowed a sack since Week 11 of the 2020 season according to Pro Football Focus. | 2022-12-28T18:20:42Z | sports.yahoo.com | Eagles’ RT Lane Johnson will delay surgery on torn adductor to play in the postseason | https://sports.yahoo.com/eagles-tackle-lane-johnson-postpone-165243479.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/eagles-tackle-lane-johnson-postpone-165243479.html?src=rss |
Let's focus, everyone. That fantasy football championship ring is within easy reach. Here's a six-pack of stats to help you lock up this year's title ...
108.2 - Over Jacksonville's last seven games, the team has gone 5-2 and Trevor Lawrence has been nearly flawless, producing a passer rating of 108.2. Lawrence has completed 69.7% of his attempts, throwing 14 touchdown passes and just one interception. He's also averaging 6.6 yards per carry and has reached the end zone twice as a rusher. He's been brilliant, an obvious top-of-the-draft talent. Lawrence has faced a fair number of quality defenses in recent weeks, too, including the Jets, Cowboys and Ravens — it's not as if his production is entirely reliant on friendly matchups.
21 - While we're considering the generosity of the Houston Texans' defense, let's also mention that they've allowed a league-high 21 touchdowns to running backs. Additionally, the Texans have given up the most rushing yards (2,105) and fantasy points per game to RBs (28.25). Travis Etienne Jr. is coming off back-to-back games in which he's gained 100-plus scrimmage yards (against quality defenses) and he definitely has another upcoming if the Jaguars choose to feed him in Week 17 against Houston.
13 - Brian Robinson Jr. has produced 13 runs that gained 10 or more yards over the past six weeks, tied with Nick Chubb for the third-most among all running backs. He's also done it in just five games, as Washington had a Week 14 bye. During this recent stretch, Robinson has gained 4.6 YPC and he's handled at least 20 touches in four different games. Given the unusual circumstances within his season, perhaps we shouldn't be surprised that he's playing some of his best football in December. He's in a blow-up spot against Cleveland this week, a defense allowing 4.9 YPC.
Commanders running back Brian Robinson Jr. finds himself in a fantasy blow-up spot in Week 17. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)
11.38 - In case you missed it, Taysom Hill has been a thing in recent weeks. He's averaged 11.38 fantasy points in Yahoo default scoring over his last three games and he's played over 40% of the Saints' offensive snaps in each of his last six. At present, he's the overall TE6 on the season — impressive stuff, considering tight end is the one position he pretty clearly does not play. He's up to 10 combined touchdowns on the year (2 passing, 6 rushing, 2 receiving). Play him with total confidence.
9.2 - Brock Purdy has averaged 9.2 yards per pass attempt over his last three games, a ridiculous rate that would be leading the league if he'd done it over a full season. It helps, of course, to play in a scheme that never fails to deliver remarkable passing efficiency. It also helps to lob passes to receivers with this sort of after-the-catch ability:
Purdy has averaged only 23 attempts per game over the last three weeks, so he'll need to remain hyper-efficient to maintain fantasy relevance. But with the Raiders' defense on deck, that shouldn't be a problem in Week 17.
3.49 - Tyreek Hill is gaining 3.49 yards per route according to PFF, which is kinda outrageous for a receiver who rarely leaves the field and is never not route-running. In a typical year, the league leader among qualifiers won't necessarily top 3.0. Impressively enough, Jaylen Waddle ranks immediately behind Hill in Y/RR at 2.78. Whatever your take happens to be on Tua Tagovailoa, he's successfully delivered a pair of WR1s to the fantasy community. | 2022-12-28T18:20:54Z | sports.yahoo.com | Fantasy Football Six-Pack: Jags duo could help you lock up title | https://sports.yahoo.com/fantasy-football-six-pack-the-jaguars-duo-that-could-help-you-lock-up-a-title-163941056.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/fantasy-football-six-pack-the-jaguars-duo-that-could-help-you-lock-up-a-title-163941056.html?src=rss |
New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll revealed on Wednesday that offensive lineman Shane Lemieux is headed to season-ending injured reserve.
Daboll said Shane Lemieux will go on IR.
The 25-year-old Lemieux missed the team’s first nine games after undergoing surgery to repair an injured toe during the preseason. He was activated for a Week 11 matchup with the Detroit Lions but reinjured his toe during that game.
The Giants had hoped to get Lemieux back this season but ultimately decided to pull the plug.
A fifth-round pick in the 2020 NFL draft, Lemieux has seen action in just two games over the past two seasons. He missed 16 games last year as the result of a knee injury.
Lemieux is in the third year of his four-year rookie contract.
The Giants did not immediately announce a corresponding transaction. For the time being, their 53-man roster sits at 52. | 2022-12-28T18:21:01Z | sports.yahoo.com | Giants placing OL Shane Lemieux on injured reserve | https://sports.yahoo.com/giants-placing-ol-shane-lemieux-180552124.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/giants-placing-ol-shane-lemieux-180552124.html?src=rss |
Jaquan Brisker became third Bears defensive back to log four or more sacks in a season in effort vs. Bills
Rookie safety Jaquan Brisker has been a key contributor to the Chicago Bears’ defense in 2022 and made history for the franchise in their loss to the Buffalo Bills in Week 16. After sacking two-time Pro Bowl quarterback Josh Allen in the second quarter of the matchup, Brisker became just the third defensive back in Bears history to eclipse the four-sack mark in a single season.
The two other players who managed to meet this standard were Dave Duerson and Todd Bell, who managed to accumulate seven and four and a half sacks in 1986 and 1984 respectively.
Brisker tied defensive backs Derwin James and Donovan Wilson for the league lead in sacks among players at the position and moved to third place in his rookie class for pass rush production behind Detroit Lions’ stars Aidan Hutchinson and James Houston.
With these impressive numbers, Brisker is cementing himself as one of the best young safeties in the NFL, and a player that could become a cornerstone of the Bears’ defense moving forward. As the team looks to rebuild following their disappointing 2022 season, Brisker should see his role within the defense grow.
A former Penn State Nittany Lion, Brisker was a second-round selection by Chicago in April’s draft and made an immediate impact for the team as an early contributor in Week 1. His tenacious tackling ability and impressive speed made him a highly valuable prospect in this year’s draft class, and the Bears’ front office should see dividends paid for their investment in him for years to come.
Watch for Brisker to continue playing his patented brand of hard-nosed football from the safety position in the last two games of the 2022 season, and for the team to continue relying on his talent for more big plays as they try to salvage what they can of this latest failed campaign. | 2022-12-28T18:21:07Z | sports.yahoo.com | Jaquan Brisker became third Bears defensive back to log four or more sacks in a season in effort vs. Bills | https://sports.yahoo.com/jaquan-brisker-became-third-bears-173835984.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/jaquan-brisker-became-third-bears-173835984.html?src=rss |
Joe Burrow is a winner.
His throws aren’t as splashy as Patrick Mahomes’ or as strong as Josh Allen’s, yet he’s 3-0 in his last three meetings with Mahomes.
He led the Bengals to a Super Bowl appearance in just his second year and one probably needs little reminding of what he did at LSU. In high school, he was Ohio’s Mr. Football.
Wherever Burrow has been, he has succeeded.
The Bengals will host Josh Allen and the Bills on Monday night in what is a meeting of two of the NFL’s top teams. Based on Super Bowl odds, these squads are squarely in the league’s top five.
Burrow is used to this spot by now — a high-stakes game on a national stage. A win for the Bengals keeps them hunting for the AFC’s top seed and depending on Sunday’s results, could even clinch the division.
With a loss, Cincinnati could find itself sitting in second place in the AFC North heading into Week 18.
The Bengals are where they are now because of Burrow. He’s behind an offensive line that’s just 29th in PFF’s pass-blocking grade and his top target, Ja'Marr Chase, missed a significant portion of the year with an injury.
On top of that, the scheme he operates within has its faults. Zac Taylor has drawn his fair share of criticism over the last couple of years in spite of the Bengals success. All of this makes what Burrow is doing even more impressive.
He’s a top-three quarterback in the NFL right now. I’d put Mahomes and Allen in front of him, and that’s it. That’s why a win on Monday would be a big deal. Burrow has already beaten Mahomes, not once, not even twice, but three times. All in big spots, too.
If Burrow and the Bengals were to win on Monday, I think we have to put Burrow in that conversation with Mahomes and Allen.
I’m not always a big proponent of using wins as a QB stat. The game is much more nuanced than that, but it gets to a point where a guy just keeps finding a way to win so frequently that it can’t be ignored.
The best QBs find a way to control games and Burrow does that as well as anyone. The numbers and ratings back it up. Burrow ranks first in PFF’s passing grade and is top 10 in most other areas too.
Burrow and the Bengals came up just short in last year’s Super Bowl and again, the odds will be stacked against them. An injury to right tackle La'el Collins complicates it even further, but the Bengals remain loaded at the skill positions.
The postseason in sports is all about who gets hot at the right time and the Bengals are hot, but Monday night will be their toughest test yet. | 2022-12-28T18:21:20Z | sports.yahoo.com | Joe Burrow beat Patrick Mahomes and Tom Brady. Could Josh Allen be next? | https://sports.yahoo.com/joe-burrow-beat-patrick-mahomes-172131640.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/joe-burrow-beat-patrick-mahomes-172131640.html?src=rss |
After the Chicago Bears’ brutal Week 16 loss to the Buffalo Bills, head coach Matt Eberflus fielded a question from the media regarding standout cornerback Jaylon Johnson’s placement on his team’s injured reserve list. Though neither the team nor Johnson himself wanted his season to end due to injury, Eberflus explained to reporters that it was the best decision for both parties moving forward.
“Yeah, it was an interesting week with that because we wanted him to go. He wanted to go,” Eberflus said. “We worked him through the early part of the week, and then, again, working with the doctors, with Ryan and I and also the player, at the end of the day, he didn’t feel comfortable. We didn’t feel comfortable putting him out there in a situation to be able to execute the right way to play his position with his ring finger. And it was broke. I didn’t see it the other day because it was before the game, but it was a broken ring finger, so we thought it was in the best interest of our organization to put him on to IR.”
A broken finger may have ended Johnson’s season, but his trajectory for 2023 will remain unchanged. He has settled into a key role in the Bears’ defense, and with his third season as a professional player officially under his belt, Johnson is sure to be hungry to show that he and the rest of Chicago’s roster can put together something special after years of mediocrity that have plagued the team for the better part of the last decade.
For now, both Johnson and the rest of the Bears’ roster and front office will focus their efforts on securing better outcomes for the team moving forward, and with some luck, they should bring a much-improved squad into the 2023 season. | 2022-12-28T18:21:32Z | sports.yahoo.com | Matt Eberflus explains decision to place Jaylon Johnson on injured reserve | https://sports.yahoo.com/matt-eberflus-explains-decision-place-172116409.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/matt-eberflus-explains-decision-place-172116409.html?src=rss |
Mike McDaniel confirms that Tua Tagovailoa did suffer another concussion
The NFL concussion protocol is a bit difficult to understand, at times, because there are a lot of gray areas.
For instance, a player can be placed into the protocol without actually having a concussion, and they’ll have to test out before they’re allowed to play again.
Prior to Wednesday, it was unknown whether Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa suffered a concussion during their Week 16 matchup against the Green Bay Packers or if he had just been placed in the protocol.
However, during his media availability, head coach Mike McDaniel did confirm that Tagovailoa suffered a concussion, his second confirmed one this season.
Any time a player suffers multiple head injuries in the same season, it’s dangerous, and the situation will be monitored closely. At this point, it’s unclear whether or not Tagovailoa will play this weekend against the New England Patriots, in Week 18 against the New York Jets, in the postseason (if they make it) or ever again. All options are on the table at this point.
On the football field, the Dolphins are preparing to start Teddy Bridgewater this week and will allow Tagovailoa to recover. From there, Tagovailoa and the team will have to make a decision on his future. | 2022-12-28T18:21:45Z | sports.yahoo.com | Mike McDaniel confirms that Tua Tagovailoa did suffer another concussion | https://sports.yahoo.com/mike-mcdaniel-confirms-tua-tagovailoa-170355761.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/mike-mcdaniel-confirms-tua-tagovailoa-170355761.html?src=rss |
What also contributes to the under as a play is the Colts are league worst in fourth-quarter scoring. In the last five games, the Colts offense in the fourth quarter has generated one field goal … in five games. Take the under.
When taking the over in a football game, especially in the NFL, I’m looking for explosiveness from the offenses — even with a good defense involved. The 49ers are tied with the Patrick Mahomes-led Chiefs in producing the most plays of 30 or more yards. In the 49ers' last road game at Seattle, RB Jordan Mason produced a 55-yard run. Getting downfield quickly leads to points being scored. | 2022-12-28T18:21:58Z | sports.yahoo.com | NFL betting, odds: 49ers in a prime over spot for Week 17 | https://sports.yahoo.com/nfl-betting-odds-49-ers-in-a-prime-over-spot-for-week-17-180701104.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/nfl-betting-odds-49-ers-in-a-prime-over-spot-for-week-17-180701104.html?src=rss |
Packers rookie receivers have put together an impressive resume during 2022 season
The Green Bay Packers did a great job drafting in 2022 when they selected receivers Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs in the second and fourth rounds respectively. The duo became the fourth rookie receiving tandem in NFL history to reach the 35-reception threshold while also managing to catch three touchdowns apiece.
Among the other rookie duos to achieve this impressive feat were Bill Groman and Charley Hennigan in 1960, Fred Barnett and Calvin Williams in 1990, and Darrin Chiaverini and Kevin Johnson in 1999.
Watson also became the only player in the league this season to have seven receiving touchdowns and multiple rushing touchdowns and moved to third place among Packers rookies for receiving touchdowns in a rookie season. He will need two more receiving touchdowns to tie for second place in franchise history in that category, which would match the mark set by receiver Max McGee in 1954 when he came down with nine passes for six-point scores.
Both of Green Bay’s rookie receivers are among the top five in their draft class for touchdown receptions this season, and also rank among the top 10 in receptions and receiving yards.
Both of these outstanding pass-catchers have bright futures, and the Packers appear to be stacked at the receiver position moving forward. Watson’s length and incredible long speed should make him a viable deep threat for years to come, and Doubs’ savvy route running will make him a favorite target of any quarterback he plays with over the course of his career.
As a second-round selection, expectations for Watson were high entering the 2022 season, and after an adjustment to the pace of play in the NFL, he has burst onto the scene since Week 10. Doubs has been a steady contributor all season but is still waiting for a breakout performance of more than 100 yards receiving in a single game. | 2022-12-28T18:22:04Z | sports.yahoo.com | Packers rookie receivers have put together an impressive resume during 2022 season | https://sports.yahoo.com/packers-rookie-receivers-put-together-180130064.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/packers-rookie-receivers-put-together-180130064.html?src=rss |
Take all rumors for what they are worth but when it comes to the Pittsburgh Steelers, beat writer Ray Fittapaldo typically has the inside scoop. So when he says that offensive coordinator Matt Canada is out the door at the end of the season and it is already known within the organization, there is almost certainly something to it.
But it does raise an interesting question. Why now? The Steelers offense has been bad all season, Comically bad at times and most of that fell on the shoulders of Canada and his gross inability to properly scheme a game. There have been plenty of opportunities for the Steelers to cut ties with Canada over the course of the first half of the season leading into the bye week. But head coach Mike Tomlin stayed the course.
At this point, it feels counterproductive to have a lame-duck offensive coordinator on the payroll with two huge games left on the schedule. The Steelers offense has improved in terms of running the football but it isn’t like the team is suddenly putting points on the board.
This season is coming down to the wire in large part because of Canada and while I am ecstatic about the idea of a new, innovative offense in place next season, waiting until the end of the season didn’t help the team in 2022.
Let us know in the comments if you think Canada will be fired at the end of the season, do you think he already knows and what impact you think that will have on the final two games? | 2022-12-28T18:22:17Z | sports.yahoo.com | REPORT: Steelers OC Matt Canada on the chopping block too late | https://sports.yahoo.com/report-steelers-oc-matt-canada-165110738.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/report-steelers-oc-matt-canada-165110738.html?src=rss |
For director Gina Prince-Bythewood, making the historical epic The Woman King was a dream come true. Despite dealing with a seven-year-long development process, Prince-Bythewood was determined to prove that Hollywood stories centering on powerful Black women deserve to be seen. Based on a real all-female faction of West African soldiers known as the Agojie, the […]
Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck had Christmas party as a blended family and gave fans an inside look. | 2022-12-28T19:25:22Z | sports.yahoo.com | Jonathan Kuminga with a dunk vs the Charlotte Hornets | https://sports.yahoo.com/jonathan-kuminga-dunk-vs-charlotte-053915343.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/jonathan-kuminga-dunk-vs-charlotte-053915343.html?src=rss |
Additionally — and perhaps especially — is the contract situation with regard to Carr. The team has a decision to make on whether to keep him after this season. That decision is taken out of their hands should Carr be injured over the final two games.
Don't let Mercury retrograde hold you back. | 2022-12-28T20:09:42Z | sports.yahoo.com | Breaking: Raiders will start Jarrett Stidham over Derek Carr remainder of season | https://sports.yahoo.com/breaking-raiders-start-jarrett-stidham-191846310.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/breaking-raiders-start-jarrett-stidham-191846310.html?src=rss |
The Kansas City Chiefs have officially filled their vacant spot on the practice squad.
The team had an open spot heading into Week 17 following the release of RB/WR Jerrion Ealy from the practice squad. The team brought in five players for tryouts on Tuesday, but it was pretty clear that they were looking to add a linebacker. They had Elijah Lee signed away by the Bears just last week and were short on numbers there in terms of the practice squad.
As a result of the tryouts, the team signed LB Justin Hilliard to the practice squad. A former five-star recruit out of high school, Hilliard appeared in 47 games over five seasons with the Buckeyes. He went undrafted in the 2021 NFL draft and his career in the NFL to this point hasn’t amounted to much.
He was signed by the 49ers following the 2021 NFL draft, but he was waived during 53-man roster cuts. He was claimed by the New York Giants, but he appeared in just two games in 2021 before he was placed on injured reserve. Hilliard was suspended for the first two games of the 2022 regular season for violating the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing substances and was waived by New York during the offseason.
Hilliard, listed at 6-1 and 230 pounds, figures in as weakside linebacker depth for Kansas City. He could play a role on special teams as well.
Hilliard will wear jersey No. 42 with the Chiefs.
'We don't have rookies anymore': Chiefs safety Justin Reid on young secondary
The finish line is near, but the race for MVP still so close. | 2022-12-28T20:10:20Z | sports.yahoo.com | Chiefs sign LB Justin Hilliard to practice squad | https://sports.yahoo.com/chiefs-sign-lb-justin-hilliard-183538797.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/chiefs-sign-lb-justin-hilliard-183538797.html?src=rss |
The Indianapolis Colts (4-10-1) released their unofficial depth chart ahead of the Week 17 matchup against the New York Giants (8-6-1).
Here’s a look at the unofficial depth chart going into the Week 17 matchup against the Giants:
QB Nick Foles will remain the starter despite a disastrous season debut in Week 16.
RB Deon Jackson is still listed as the starter, but Zack Moss played 69% of the snaps and took all but two carries in Week 16.
WR Ashton Dulin is in the concussion protocol, and there’s a strong chance he doesn’t play this week.
CB Isaiah Rodgers Sr. was placed on the injured reserve list Wednesday, and Darrell Baker Jr. was promoted from the practice squad. It hasn’t been updated yet on the team’s website. | 2022-12-28T20:10:46Z | sports.yahoo.com | Colts’ unofficial depth chart for Week 17 | https://sports.yahoo.com/colts-unofficial-depth-chart-week-194944459.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/colts-unofficial-depth-chart-week-194944459.html?src=rss |
It’s funny to say for a team that’s 11-4, but the Cowboys are in a slippery spot.
Yes, they’re guaranteed an appearance in the playoffs. And the math says it would be difficult to materially improve their seeding over their final two contests. There is still a chance, though, and that means they’ll be forced to keep their foot on the gas as they prepare to kick off Week 17 of the regular season schedule.
Against a team that has almost no real motivation to win.
But quarterback Dak Prescott has witnessed his Cowboys squads crumble down the stretch in years past. So none of that, he says, makes it any more difficult to keep up the intensity for the game right in front of him.
“Not at all. I honestly don’t ever really care what they’re doing on the other side,” Prescott told reporters Wednesday at the team facility. “It’s about us just building momentum, grabbing confidence with each game that we do [have], and just moving forward as we play these last two out and head over into the postseason.”
While the Cowboys got a big boost in handing the rival Eagles their second loss of the year on Christmas Eve, the team’s December body of work is actually a little shaky.
There was the gut-punch overtime loss to Jacksonville just 10 days ago, when Dallas blew a 17-point lead against a 5-8 squad. Before that, a four-point squeaker over a one-win Texans team that required an epic goal-line stand and a nearly-perfect final offensive drive. And one week prior, there was the game against the Colts, in which it took the Cowboys three full quarters to pull away from a four-win team with an interim head coach who got the job on a cold call.
The Cowboys are capable of beating anybody right now, but they still need to prove they can come out and control a game instead of just waiting for the opponent to screw up. Prescott talks about building momentum going into the tournament, but whether they really even have it yet is debatable.
“It’s not necessarily in our hands to control,” he continued. “For me, it’s about worrying about this week right now, what’s at hand. Tennessee Titans here in a couple of days. Making sure that we go out there and control what we can, and that’s winning this game and being prepared and making sure that we’re just continuing to build off of last game, really, and just make sure- as I said before- getting this momentum going in the right way, in the right direction. All the confidence you get from each and every win and move forward on that.”
The Titans are likely to sit most of their key personnel, with the AFC South set to be decided by their season finale, no matter what happens Thursday.
That could give Prescott an opportunity to have a big night against a Tennessee pass defense that- at full strength- has been giving up nearly 280 yards per game through the air this season, the second-worst mark in the league.
The Cowboys’ signal-caller is looking at it as an opportunity to fine-tune the air attack further. Michael Gallup has caught just 27 balls from Prescott since both returned from injuries. James Washington didn’t see any live action until Week 14. T.Y. Hilton has been on the active roster for five days.
The calendar says it’s late December, but Prescott and most of his WR corps are still very much feeling each other out.
“We’re going to take any game that we can get that can continue to help us grab the confidence, get the momentum going,” the two-time Pro Bowler said. “I feel confident in the group that we have, what we’re able to do, what we’ve been able to do, what we’re going to do moving forward. But at the same point, it’s about communicating, making sure we’re detailed as hell in everything that we can [be], and getting two more good games at that is going to be great for us as we move forward.”
It’s the details that doomed the Cowboys in their last postseason showing. Without directly referencing it, Prescott alluded to the team’s discombobulated ouster from the 2021 wild card round, when time literally ran out on their playoff run just 24 yards from the end zone.
To avoid a repeat this January, Prescott and the Cowboys are focusing on communication and attention to detail. It can be challenging to keep those skills sharp this time of year as injuries, the exponential grind of a long season, and an often-wonky schedule can make it easier to fall into sloppy habits.
“With the way the practice schedule has been, you’re not getting as many
physical reps. So you’ve got to make sure that you’re talking over all these things, being on the same page. That’s what I’m doing after pretty much each play, even if it’s a good play: going and complimenting a guy on that, or saying how he can do better, or what I expect from him, or what he can expect from the defense to make sure that when these opportunities come up, we’re on it,” Prescott explained.
“Sometimes it takes what happened last year for guys to really understand the importance of that.”
So as Prescott and the Cowboys head out for what could be a long stretch of road games that they hope extends into February, they’ll look to set the tone this week against the Titans.
“For us to get to where we want to go, we’ve got to play some tough games, against some great opponents, and win them. And that’s really the only thing that matters,” he told reporters. “With the way this team is built, we’re fine if it’s on the road, if it’s in different elements. Our communication is great. So it’s not daunting at all. It’s fun, but in the meantime, we’re gonna stay where our feet are and worry about this Thursday in Tennessee.”
Even if that means going all-out against an opponent who is saving it up for next week.
After weeks of study, TCU is ready to face the Wolverines | 2022-12-28T20:10:58Z | sports.yahoo.com | Dak Prescott urging Cowboys to ‘get the momentum going’ ahead of playoff run | https://sports.yahoo.com/dak-prescott-urging-cowboys-momentum-185037503.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/dak-prescott-urging-cowboys-momentum-185037503.html?src=rss |
And Carr, of course, was drafted back in 2014 — during Dennis Allen’s final year with the Raiders, with Allen’s team selecting Carr at No. 36 overall out of Fresno State. Now he’s the New Orleans Saints head coach. Could Allen make a move for Carr in the months ahead and get them together in New Orleans? We can’t rule out the possibility.
The Raiders will be left with about $5.6 million in dead money should they move on from Carr before Feb. 15, 2023, saving more than $29.2 million against the salary cap. However, more than $40 million will become guaranteed for 2023 and 2024 if Las Vegas chooses to hold onto Carr’s contract after that date. If he’s not released to avoid that, it’s because the Raiders believe another team (like New Orleans, maybe) would trade for him and take on those costs themselves.
Jameis Winston is the only Saints quarterback under contract for 2023, but it feels like that ship has sailed and that it might only be a matter of time until they part ways with him. Carr would give New Orleans an experienced starter under center, though he hasn’t found great success over the tumultuous years with the Raiders. Carr has gotten his teams to the playoffs just once, and not until 2021. But, hey, that was the case when Drew Brees signed with the Saints once upon a time, too. AFC West retread quarterbacks have worked well in New Orleans.
Carr may have a 63-79 record in the NFL but he’s completed 64.6% of his passes while scoring 217 touchdowns against 99 interceptions in his Raiders career. He’s never led the league in interceptions but he’s twice set the pace for fumbles (putting the ball on the ground 12 times in 2018 and 11 times in 2020). He also doesn’t have an extensive injury history. The point is that you could do worse. The likes of Winston, Andy Dalton, Taysom Hill, Trevor Siemian, and Ian Book are proof of that. The Saints haven’t been able to find a franchise quarterback after Drew Brees hung up his cleats, and making a move for Carr is exactly what we should expect them to do. The question is whether other teams choose to try and outbid them. | 2022-12-28T20:11:11Z | sports.yahoo.com | Derek Carr benched by Raiders, who was drafted by Saints HC Dennis Allen | https://sports.yahoo.com/derek-carr-benched-raiders-drafted-194117109.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/derek-carr-benched-raiders-drafted-194117109.html?src=rss |
Sep 11, 2022; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Lions wide receiver Quintez Cephus (87) get in position for a kickoff against Philadelphia Eagles during the first half at Ford Field.
Cephus finished the 2022 season with two receptions (on three targets) for 15 yards in four games. He has played 22 games in his NFL career, posting 37 catches for 568 yards and four touchdowns.
Running back Jamaal Williams, who leads the Lions with 14 rushing touchdowns, will practice Wednesday. He suffered an apparent leg injury in the third quarter of Saturday's loss to the Carolina Panthers.
Williams carried the ball seven times for 11 yards against the Panthers.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Lions WR Quintez Cephus out for season on injured reserve | 2022-12-28T20:11:17Z | sports.yahoo.com | Detroit Lions' Quintez Cephus out for season; Jamaal Williams (leg) practices | https://sports.yahoo.com/detroit-lions-quintez-cephus-season-183857358.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/detroit-lions-quintez-cephus-season-183857358.html?src=rss |
Outside of the Washington Commanders' loss to the San Francisco 49ers, nearly everything went perfectly for Washington in Week 16. Fears of losing their playoff destiny were dashed when the Detroit Lions (7-8) and the Seattle Seahawks (7-8) lost in the early game matchups.
Now, with winnable games on the horizon, there should be less of a reliance on the Commanders' playoff competition losing to extend Washington's season. Games against the Cleveland Browns (6-9) and the Dallas Cowboys (11-4) - who are one loss or one Eagles win from having no reason to play their starters in Week 18 - are right on par with teams they've beaten this season.
But nothing is taken for granted with this team, so there are some results that would be beneficial for Washington even if they can't lock in a playoff spot themselves.
There's not too much to worry about in terms of tiebreakers. The Commanders lost the only one that will likely matter when they fell to the Giants in Week 15. Another tie would have to be involved for a traditional tiebreaker to be a factor with the rest of the teams.
-Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-8) - conference record
Dallas can now only finish as the No. 1 seed or the No. 5 seed. For Washington's sake, the best scenario is the Cowboys getting locked into the No. 5 seed as the top Wild Card. If that happens this week, then Dallas might not play their starters for a full game in Week 18.
All of a sudden the surging Lions are in a sticky situation. Their playoff odds sit at just 24%, that's now fifth for teams in the Wild Card race with only two spots available, according to FiveThirtyEight.
Detroit is right behind Washington in the playoff standings. If the Commanders and Seahawks both go 1-1 and the Lions go 2-0, then it is Detroit that claims the No. 7 seed. But that requires your playoff hopes to be in other teams' hands.
A Washington win and a Lions' loss would eliminate Detroit altogether. Root for the Bears.
Washington can still pass the Giants for the No. 6 seed. This is where the tiebreaker does come into play, but New York does still hold that. To overcome the tiebreaker, the Commanders have to go 2-0 and the Giants 0-2. Root for the Colts.
It's always great when a result can help the Commanders two-fold. An Eagles win locks Dallas into the No. 5 and makes the Week 18 game with Washington meaningless for the Cowboys. A Saints loss eliminates them from playoff contention. Root for the Eagles.
Carolina's only path to the playoffs is by winning the NFC South. By beating the Buccaneers, they would take the tiebreaker over Tampa Bay and would need to win in Week 18 to clinch. Doing so would regulate the Buccaneers to the Wild Card race.
Here we are. Washington remains in control of their playoff destiny. This time they shouldn't rely on other teams losing to keep that edge. Their path is so simple. Win their final two games and they're in.
Entering the game with a 29% chance of making the playoffs, they are second - behind the Giants (92%) - fighting for the No. 6 and No. 7 seeds.
And here is how that changes...
Tie: 17%
There's also a scenario where Washington could be eliminated with a loss this week. A loss to the Browns + a Packers win against Minnesota + a Lions win over the Bears would end the Commanders' season. The Week 18 Detroit vs. Green Bay matchup would be a de facto play-in game.
Sunday, Jan. 1 at 4:05 p.m. ET
This is one of the biggest games in the NFL this week. It's essentially a lose-and-you're-out matchup for two teams sitting on the outside of the playoff picture.
Washington is only concerned about the Seahawks, though, and them losing. Seattle enters the weekend with a 27% chance of making the playoffs, the team most likely to unseat the Commanders for the No. 7 seed. Root for the Jets.
The Green Bay Packers aren't going away quietly into the night. While everything went right for the Commanders last week in a loss, everything also went right for Green Bay.
Winning out for the Packers, plus one Commanders' loss puts Green Bay in the postseason. Root for the Vikings.
While a lot of great personal finance advice is timeless, it is usually most helpful at specific economic junctures. Instead of asking financial advisors to respond to a new question, we’ve listed below some of the smartest answers to questions from throughout the year. Laila Pence, President, Pence Wealth Management: One of my best pieces of advice is to do a Roth conversion right now.
'Twas two nights before Christmas and up and down the Las Vegas Strip, people looked up and thought they saw a spaceship.
Felix Anudike-Uzomah undecided on NFL future, but playing in Sugar Bowl easy choice
He isn’t sure when he will declare for the NFL Draft just yet, but it was an easy choice for Felix Anudike-Uzomah to play in the Sugar Bowl. Here’s why. | 2022-12-28T20:12:36Z | sports.yahoo.com | NFL Playoff Picture: Who to root for in Week 17 if you're a Washington Commanders fan | https://sports.yahoo.com/nfl-playoff-picture-root-week-185800146.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/nfl-playoff-picture-root-week-185800146.html?src=rss |
The rivalry is ready to be rekindled on Sunday afternoon when the Minnesota Vikings take on the Green Bay Packers. Before the game occurs, it’s a good idea to understand where they are at.
They have a chance to make the playoffs but it will require them to win their final two games over both the Vikings and Detroit Lions.
We took a look at the Packers and found five things that you need to know heading into Sunday.
The Packers are 18th in scoring offense
Dec 25, 2022; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Green Bay Packers wide receiver Allen Lazard (13) is unable to make a catch on the pass from quarterback Aaron Rodgers (not pictured) during the second half at Hard against the Miami Dolphins Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
Overall this season, the Packers have not been great when it comes to scoring points. They have averaged 20.9 points per game, but recently they have played much better in averaging 26.0 points per game. The home splits have been better as well averaging 3.0 more points than on the road this season.
They have an even turnover differential
Dec 25, 2022; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Green Bay Packers cornerback Rasul Douglas (29) celebrates after intercepting the football during the fourth quarter against the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports
The Packers, like their record, have a balanced turnover ratio. They have forced 21 turnovers (14 interceptions, six fumbles) and turned it over 21 times (11 interceptions, nine fumbles). Their luck is strictly average which reflects directly on their win-loss record. It also says something about the Packers defense as well.
Christian Watson is questionable
The emerging receiver that the Vikings allowed the Packers to draft at 34th overall got injured on Christmas Day against the Miami Dolphins. After sustaining a hip injury in the first half, Watson didn’t return to the game and didn’t practice on Wednesday either. He is at best questionable for Sunday afternoon.
Aaron Rodgers has taken a step back this season
Dec 25, 2022; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Miami Dolphins defensive tackle Zach Sieler (92) reaches for Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (12) during the second half at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
The first-ballot Hall of Fame quarterback will be easily enshrined in Canton. When he signed a massive contract extension in the offseason, the idea was that he would be at that same level until he retired. Unfortunately, that hasn’t quite been the case. His completion percentage is down 4.1 percentage points and his passer rating is down 20.6 points as well. He is well off of his touchdown pace the previous three years with only 24 and his 11 interceptions are two short of the last three seasons combined. Some of that is due to the receivers but some of the blame goes to Rodgers himself.
The Packers are 4-2 at Lambeau Field
Despite their overall record, the Packers have been pretty good at home this season. They have a 4-2 record with their two losses coming against the New York Jets and the Tennessee Titans. They haven’t lost at home since November 17th and have only played one game there since that loss. | 2022-12-28T20:13:46Z | sports.yahoo.com | Vikings vs. Packers: 5 things to know about Week 17’s opponent | https://sports.yahoo.com/vikings-vs-packers-5-things-183041353.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/vikings-vs-packers-5-things-183041353.html?src=rss |
Can TCU avoid the fate of one-and-done playoff schools, who shone for one season and then vanished?
“We look at them as another team,” TCU linebacker Dee Winters said. “We don't worry about the brand or who they are. They are just like us. We play football, and they play football. It's just a challenge for us. That's all.”
“If we go out there and we play our game and we do our job, at the end of the day, if we fall short, you can hang your hat on that at least and say, 'We did all we did,'” offensive lineman Wes Harris said. “Honestly, [if] we go out there and play our game, we can really show everybody what we're capable of and what we can do.”
TCU has an opportunity that, say, the 2014 Florida State and Oregon teams didn't: the impending expansion of the playoff from four to 12 teams. That will open the door for another eight teams to have a direct pathway to the national championship, but TCU hopes to use this season, and this unexpected playoff berth, to get a jump on the recruiting pitch that every top school will soon be able to make.
“It’s a game-changer, quite frankly,” TCU head coach Sonny Dykes said. “There's already a high level of interest from some really good players across Texas and across the country, and I think this is going to do nothing but enhance our ability to go and recruit some of the best football players in the country … When you can also sell the fact that, look, we are going to have an opportunity to play for a national championship, that's really all you can ask for.”
“Main thing is just knowing what we come here to do,” cornerback Josh Newton said earlier this week. “We come here to win and then everything is a plus. But this is a playoff game. We're not looking at it as a bowl game.”
“Going into a big game, you have a couple more walkthroughs, look at your notes a little bit more, look at films a little bit more, and make sure you get the first hit as early as you can in the game,” linebacker Johnny Hodges said. “Once you get that first hit, it's game on, you're competing.” | 2022-12-28T20:43:53Z | sports.yahoo.com | CFP: TCU will be trying to buck playoff trends that favor blue-bloods | https://sports.yahoo.com/college-football-playoff-tc-us-challenge-is-to-give-hope-to-the-little-guys-avoid-the-playoff-fate-of-one-and-dones-201636579.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/college-football-playoff-tc-us-challenge-is-to-give-hope-to-the-little-guys-avoid-the-playoff-fate-of-one-and-dones-201636579.html?src=rss |
With their season on the line, the Washington Commanders are turning back to Carson Wentz. After being benched earlier in the season, Wentz will return to the starting lineup in Week 17, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
Wentz opened the season as the team's starter. He lasted six games in that role, leading Washington to a 2-4 record. During a Week 6 win over the Chicago Bears, Wentz sustained a finger injury that required surgery. With Wentz sidelined, the team turned to Taylor Heinicke.
Heinicke played well early, leading the Commanders to wins in three of his first four starts. That performance was enough for Heinicke to remain the starter even after Wentz was cleared to return. Heinicke started nine straight games, but was benched during a Week 16 loss against the San Francisco 49ers. With two games left on the schedule, the team will turn back to Wentz hoping he can lead the Commanders to the postseason.
In seven games, Wentz has thrown 11 touchdowns against four interceptions.
Commanders hoping to stay in playoff spot
The move comes as the Commanders are engaged in a tight playoff race in the NFC. The Commanders entered Week 15 as the No. 5 seed in the conference but fell to the No. 7 spot — the final playoff seed — after losing to the New York Giants. The Commanders also lost in Week 16, but the teams chasing Washington — the Seattle Seahawks and Detroit Lions — also lost, keeping the Commanders in the No. 7 spot. The Green Bay Packers won, however, and now have an outside shot at stealing the final playoff seed from the Commanders.
The Commanders' path to the playoffs is simple: Win and they are in. If the Commanders win their final two games of the season, they will make the playoffs. There are other, more complex scenarios that would allow the Commanders to clinch a playoff spot before Week 18, but those require assistance from other teams.
Winning the final two games of the season could present a challenge. The Commanders face the 6-9 Cleveland Browns in Week 17. The Commanders conclude the regular season against their division rivals, the Dallas Cowboys, in Week 18. It's possible the Cowboys, who have already clinched a playoff spot, won't have anything to play for in that game, and will mostly play backups against Washington.
Then again, it's always a risk to allow a division rival to sneak into the playoffs on the final week of the season. Even if the Cowboys plan to take it easy, the team might have extra motivation to ruin the Commanders' playoff hopes at the last possible moment.
Carson Wentz will start on Sunday against the Cleveland Browns, his first start since Week 6. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
Carson Wentz is set to start at quarterback for the Washington Commanders on Sunday against the Cleveland Browns. The team on Wednesday announced coach Ron Rivera's decision to switch from Taylor Heinicke to Wentz for what amounts to a must-win game in the NFC wild-card race. “Where we are right now, I’m looking for a little bit of a spark, a little something different,” Rivera said after practice. | 2022-12-28T20:43:59Z | sports.yahoo.com | Commanders turn back to Carson Wentz as team fights for final playoff spot in NFC | https://sports.yahoo.com/commanders-turn-back-to-carson-wentz-as-team-fights-for-final-playoff-spot-in-nfc-150014465.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/commanders-turn-back-to-carson-wentz-as-team-fights-for-final-playoff-spot-in-nfc-150014465.html?src=rss |
Next week, I'll dive into the other side of the spectrum — players who are discouragingly inconsistent and not meeting expectations.
JJJ was one of the most significant misses from my preseason rankings because I was concerned about his history of knee injuries (specifically to his meniscus) and didn't project him to make a meaningful impact this early into the season. Jackson Jr., however, is 13th in per-game value since returning from injury. He's only played in 17 games this season, so he doesn't qualify to lead the league in blocks, but he's swatting 3.1 shots per game, which is higher than the current block leader, Brook Lopez, at 2.5 per contest (more on Lopez later).
JJJ is also shooting more efficiently from the field this season (49 percent), which is on pace for the second-highest mark of his career. Plus, he's on pace for a career-high in rebounds (6.1) and stocks (4.2) per game despite averaging only 25 minutes per game. The Grizzlies have enough frontcourt depth off the bench with Santi Aldama and Brandon Clarke to fill in for JJJ, so there's no need to put additional wear on an oft-injured player.
Clint Capela, - C, Atlanta Hawks
I firmly believed that Capela would be traded before the New Year (along with John Collins) or outplayed by Onyeka Okongwu. My bold theories didn't come to fruition, and Capela proceeded to do exactly what Capela does — provide a low-end double-double while shooting a high percentage from the field, and block shots.
Capela is currently 47th in per-game value, but he's been dealing with a calf/Achilles injury over the past couple of weeks. Fortunately for fantasy managers, it doesn't look overly serious, considering he was getting shots up at practice on Wednesday.
Capela's ADP is currently 82.5, or sixth-round in 12-team leagues, and that's too low considering only 10 players are averaging a double-double this year.
Nic Claxton - C, Brooklyn Nets
I vastly underestimated Nic Claxton's impact on the Nets this season. Coming into the season, I thought that the Nets would start Ben Simmons at center and bring Claxton off the bench which would limit his production. But, looking closer, Claxton is turning 24 years old this year, and he's improved year-over-year through his first three seasons in the league. So, in retrospect, he had the makings of a breakout written all over him, but I was blinded by Simmons' potential and lack of awareness that he could improve in fantasy.
As my last Fantasy Basketball Values column mentioned, Claxton is leading the NBA in FG percentage, two-point FG percentage and effective field-goal percentage. And that just highlights his efficiency gains this season. He's playing seven more minutes per game compared to last year so, with that amount of playing time, it's no wonder his production has gone up significantly in his fourth NBA season. Claxton is averaging a career-best 11.8 points per game. Plus, he is on pace for career bests in rebounding (5.8 to 8.4) and blocks (1.1 to 2.3) per game as well.
He's currently 37th in per-game value, so I'm baking in some regression for the rest of the season, but I could still be undervaluing Claxton, given his performance 11 weeks into the season. His ADP is currently 127.1 which means the market is similarly undervaluing him even after producing like a top-50 player this year.
Brook Lopez - C, Milwaukee Bucks
By far, the biggest surprise of the fantasy season has been the play of Defensive Player of the Year candidate, Brook Lopez. He’s smashing my preseason ranking by a landslide and, surprisingly, he still carries an ADP of 118 for those still drafting on Yahoo. He’s 20th in per-game value, and it’s hard to see a case where he finishes outside of the top 40 this year. It’s almost as if Lopez had a mid-life crisis, resulting in him turning back the clock to his younger days of fantasy prominence. In the previous two seasons, Lopez finished 85th ('20-'21) and 110th ('21-'22) in per-game value, so to see him providing second-round value 11 weeks into the season is mind-blowing.
There’s no way you can sell high, as one could argue that Lopez’s recent struggles were due to injury. Now that he’s healthy, he’s rounding into '19-'20 form, where he finished 48th in per-game value.
Check out Dan Titus' full rest-of-season fantasy rankings below:
2022 Fantasy Basketball Rankings powered by FantasyProsECR ™ - Expert Consensus Rankings | 2022-12-28T20:44:05Z | sports.yahoo.com | Fantasy Basketball Rankings: How these four big men are crushing their preseason expectations | https://sports.yahoo.com/fantasy-basketball-rankings-how-these-four-big-men-are-crushing-their-preseason-expectations-201604786.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/fantasy-basketball-rankings-how-these-four-big-men-are-crushing-their-preseason-expectations-201604786.html?src=rss |
Cassel: Why a Bill O'Brien-Mac Jones pairing could work well originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
I had the same offensive coordinator during my first NFL seasons with the Patriots. But after leaving Josh McDaniels and New England in 2009, I had a new play-caller almost every year -- and sometimes two in the same season.
There was Chan Gailey and Todd Haley during the 2009 season in Kansas City. From there we went to Charlie Weis, then Bill Muir, then Jim Zorn, then Brian Daboll.
Then I went to Minnesota to work with Bill Musgrave, followed by Norv Turner. In Buffalo, I had Greg Roman. Then I moved to Dallas and had Scott Linehan. I had Terry Robiskie for two years in Tennessee, and then finally I was with Jim Bob Cooter in Detroit.
So, I know a thing or two about adjusting to new coordinators. It isn't easy.
Even if you're not changing the offensive system, you still have to adapt to a different personality. Every coach is different in how they teach the game, and it takes time for a quarterback to develop trust with their coordinator while learning what they're trying to accomplish on each play.
It's even more difficult for today's quarterbacks to adjust to a new play-caller, because there's less time on task. The offseason is shorter, and the new collective bargaining agreement limits the amount of time players can be in the building during that time.
That means you don't have as much time to absorb a new playbook before you hit the ground running in training camp.
Play-calling continuity matters
I was fortunate in New England: By the time I took the field as a starter in my fourth season, I had been exposed to so much in this offense. I had watched Tom Brady execute it and seen all of the details that go into successfully running the offense.
I had a comfort level with McDaniels, and there was a trust factor between us that I could audible at the line of scrimmage to get into a better play based on the defense's front.
We were on the same page conceptually, and I think that's why a lot of the quarterbacks who have had the most successful careers are guys who enjoyed longevity in the same system with the same offensive coordinator.
"Fighting the system"
For a young QB like Mac Jones, it's more challenging. He had a lot of success as a rookie with McDaniels, but when you get a new coordinator, they might do things differently. They might tweak the protection scheme or how you call something, which sometimes leads to a tendency to "fight the system."
You're learned the offense a certain way and now it's being taught differently, so that can make you stop and say, "Wait a second, we didn't do it this way. Why aren't we doing it that way?" It can cause you to second-guess, because you may have had a recipe for success that you know is proven, so why change that recipe to do things a different way?
As I matured, I learned that there are different offensive philosophies and different ways to teach the game. But you have to overcome yourself at times and make a point to be open-minded. If you continue to fight the system and get frustrated, that becomes mentally taxing, and then you're not at your best. You're worried about other things other than trying to execute that one play, even if it's not the perfect play.
When you embrace the new system and understand there are different ways to have success -- that's when you can really start to grow as a quarterback, because growth only happens when there's acceptance.
Bill O'Brien's unique coaching style
I love Billy O'Brien. We had a great relationship when I was with the Patriots and he was the wide receivers coach in 2008. He's a guy who pulls no punches -- he's going to hold you accountable, and he's going to coach you to a certain standard with a certain level of expectation.
Curran: O'Brien rejoining Patriots 'probably going to happen'
That's what I loved about him. Occasionally he'd get into a "war of words" with guys, but that was part of how he did it, and he got the most out of his players. I'd always joke with him because he would love going back and forth with me, so we had a great relationship.
I have a lot of respect for Coach O'Brien based on what he's achieved in New England as offensive coordinator, in Houston as the Texans' head coach and now at Alabama as their OC. He has a tremendous amount of experience coaching at all levels.
Why O'Brien and Mac Jones could be a good fit
Mac Jones is clearly a competitor, and he's said he wants to be "coached harder." Well, O'Brien worked with probably the most competitive quarterback I've ever been around in Tom Brady. There were times where O'Brien and Brady got into it on the sideline, where Brady showed his passion and O'Brien wasn't afraid to give it right back.
But at the end of the day, the role of any coach is to push you to become the best version of yourself. And if Bill O'Brien can come in and achieve that -- not just with Mac Jones, but with the entire offense -- then that would obviously be a great thing.
You never know how a plan goes until a coach walks into the building, and there are still plenty of unknowns. But it seems like O'Brien's coaching style potentially could mesh well with Jones and his competitive nature.
Editor's Note: Matt Cassel played 14 years in the NFL as a quarterback, including four with the Patriots from 2005 to 2008. He serves as an analyst for NBC Sports Boston, appearing on Pre/Postgame Live, as a guest on Tom Curran's Patriots Talk Podcast every Thursday, and as a columnist each week during the season. | 2022-12-28T21:49:02Z | sports.yahoo.com | How another play-caller change may impact Mac Jones, and why Bill O'Brien makes sense for Patriots | https://sports.yahoo.com/another-play-caller-change-may-203027639.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/another-play-caller-change-may-203027639.html?src=rss |
Mock draft season is easily the best part of the football offseason. The Oklahoma Sooners have a few of their own that have already declared for the NFL draft, and the one with perhaps the highest draft stock is left tackle Anton Harrison.
Harrison has been a favorite of mock drafts going back to the beginning of thie season, and while there are many good tackles to be had in this class, there isn’t that bonafide QB protecter, at least not one that pops out ahead of the rest.
Harrsion’s a strong tackle in both pass protection and as a run blocker. He boasts three years of starting experience at left tackle. PFF’s Trevor Sikkema likes what he sees in Harrison’s film and has him going No. 21 overall to the Washington Commanders.
The Commanders have a big need at offensive tackle. Harrison is one of the most experienced players in this draft class, with over 2,000 snaps at left tackle. He has been the Sooners’ left tackle for three seasons after starting in his true freshman year. He’s not the strongest offensive tackle you’ll see in this class, but his smoothness in pass protection is a big-time calling card for the next level. In each of the past two seasons, he’s graded above 83.0 in pass protection.- Sikkema, Pro Football Focus
Sikkema has Harrison as the fourth offensive tackle off the board, and the lone Oklahoma Sooner finding a new home in the first round. While Eric Gray had a phenomenal season, recent trends suggest that the running back will have to wait until day two to hear his name called.
Anton Harrison has two things going for him that will get him that big signing bonus as a first rounder. His prowess in both run and pass blocking, and the position that he plays. Good left tackles don’t grow on trees and Harrison is a very good left tackle.
Ranking Oklahoma's last 10 recruiting classes | 2022-12-28T21:49:09Z | sports.yahoo.com | Anton Harrison lands with Commanders in PFF Mock Draft | https://sports.yahoo.com/anton-harrison-lands-commanders-pff-210048006.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/anton-harrison-lands-commanders-pff-210048006.html?src=rss |
On Sunday, the 6-9 Las Vegas Raiders will face the 11-4 San Francisco 49ers at Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium. The Raiders will do so with quarterback Jarrett Stidham, as head coach Josh McDaniels announced Wednesday that he is benching Derek Carr for the final two games of the season.
It is certainly a challenge for Stidham, the 2019 fourth-round pick of the New England Patriots, back when McDaniels was the Patriots’ offensive coordinator. The 49ers have the NFL’s best defense, and Stidham has completed 32 of 61 passes in his NFL career for 342 yards, two touchdowns, four interceptions, and a passer rating of 52.8. The Raiders are currently the AFC”s 12-seed in the playoff race, and while they haven’t been technically eliminated from the postseason, that’s all but done.
That said, it’s an interesting time to make the move.
Carr, who signed a three-year, $120.5 million extension this season, has a $32.9 million guaranteed salary in 2023 which counts against the Raiders’ cap if he’s on the roster on the third day of the league year. His full $34,875 million 2023 cap charge is offset by a mere $5.625 dead cap charge if he’s outright released. That might be more likely than the Raiders finding a trade partner, unless there’s another NFL team in love with Carr’s potential to take on the salary structure through at least next season.
This season, Carr has completed 305 of 502 passes for 3522 yards, 24 touchdowns, a league-high 14 interceptions, and a passer rating of 86.3. Both the passer rating and completion rate (60.8%) are the lowest Carr has posted since his rookie season of 2014.
There had been recent rumors that this might happen, and that was the case even before the Raiders’ 13-10 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers last Saturday. But that game, in which Carr completed just 16 of 30 passes for 174 yards, one touchdown, three interceptions, and a passer rating of 42.2, was likely the last straw for Carr’s head coach and offensive shot-caller. It was an eight-degree kickoff with a wind chill of minus-10 degrees at Pittsburgh’s Acrisure Stadium, but Carr still needed to get something done. Which he did not.
“It’s tough to overcome,” McDaniels said postgame. “If you lose the turnover battle in this league, most of the time you lose the game. So, our ability to take care of the football, I mean, was the strength earlier in the year. Obviously, haven’t done a very good job of that in the last month or so. We’ve gotten away with it a little bit. But tonight, just cost us too many other opportunities. We didn’t have possession of the ball much because we turned it over. We had some negative plays and penalties in the second half and that kind of hurt our ability to, I’d say, continue to stick runs in there and try to eventually get something going. I think we had the big one and got called back with the penalty. But, yeah, when you turn the ball over and give the other team more opportunities than you have, a good field position, it’s just impossible to overcome.”
There are games in which quarterbacks aren’t necessarily to blame for their interceptions — receivers run the wrong routes and drop balls, and sometimes, the defense just gets the better of you. But Carr’s game against the Steelers was… not great.
“I mean, everyone had to play in them,” Carr said of the weather conditions. “No matter what, you’ve got to do your job as best you can and for me, I’m just trying my best to hit my guys and find the open receiver. There were a few that I threw away that were over guys that I threw away because of certain reasons and things like that. But I felt good.”
If Carr felt good, it did not show up on tape.
Carr’s first interception, which came with 11:48 left in the third quarter, was an errant throw over the middle to tight end Fabian Moreau, and cornerback Arthur Maulet was happy to take advantage.
The second interception, which came two drives later with 4:44 left in the third quarter? Similar bad throw over the middle, but this time, receiver Hunter Renfrow was the target, this time, Carr threw behind instead of ahead, and this time, defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick was the lucky recipient.
The third pick came with 36 seconds left in the game, and the Raiders at their own 29-yard line, trying to at least get into field goal range. Renfrow was open deep over the middle on a switch release with Davante Adams, but Carr threw his target closed, and cornerback Cameron Sutton completed the trifecta.
Carr’s bad game against the Steelers was representative of a larger, more worrisome trend. In Weeks 1-11, Carr completed 217 of 348 passes (62.4%) for 2,435 yards (7.0 yards per attempt), 15 touchdowns, five interceptions, and a passer rating of 91.6. Since Week 12, Carr has completed 88 of 154 passes (57.15) for 1,087 yards (7,1 YPA), nine touchdowns, nine interceptions, and a passer rating of 74.2.
This is not what anybody expected. Not when the Raiders named McDaniels their head coach on January 31 in the wake of the Jon Gruden scandals. Not when Carr got that contract extension. Certainly not when the Raiders traded for Adams, Carr’s old Fresno State teammate. And certainly not when people imagined Carr throwing to Adams, Renfrow, tight end Darren Waller, and the rest of Las Vegas’ dynamic targets. Were it not for the Herculean efforts of running back Josh Jacobs, the Raiders probably would have been eliminated from playoff contention a long time ago.
Given McDaniels’ history of willful decisions during his disastrous time as the Denver Broncos’ head coach in 2009 and 2010, it’s easy to assume that this is McDaniels overreacting to one game. More likely, this is part of a larger and longer process regarding Carr’s future with the organization, and McDaniels’ desire for a more ideal quarterback to suit his offensive concepts.
Sadly for Carr, he hasn’t done much of late to mount a counter-argument.
Carr isn’t broken like Russell Wilson or anything, but this season has been an overall regression, and wherever he goes from here, he’ll have to get things right.
Willy Hernangomez with an and one vs the Indiana Pacers
Willy Hernangomez (New Orleans Pelicans) with an and one vs the Indiana Pacers, 12/26/2022 | 2022-12-28T21:49:53Z | sports.yahoo.com | Derek Carr’s benching likely means the end of his nine-year run with Raiders | https://sports.yahoo.com/derek-carr-benching-likely-means-202821884.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/derek-carr-benching-likely-means-202821884.html?src=rss |
But get your popcorn ready… or at least have some on standby. Because at 49 years old, Terrell Owens is apparently interested in swapping his gold jacket for a pair of shoulder pads. According to Aaron Wilson in a CowboysSI.com report, Owens, already a Hall of Famer, is ready to make a comeback as an active player, and his agent has reached out to multiple NFL teams, including the Cowboys. The response has been almost as hilarious as the thought of it all.
Ed!!!!! Hahahaha https://t.co/TEoO2CO0x3
Owens would’ve gotten away with it too, if it weren’t for those meddling kids. https://t.co/73Et4hAciR
Didn’t even notice that we checked the Terrell Owens square on Cowboys bingo. Must be the home stretch of a playoff season, we’re pulling out all the stops.
cowboys twitter squeezed them, hammered them to the point of desperation
and in their desperation, they turned to a man they didn't fully understand pic.twitter.com/eNmMqTziy1
I heard the Cowboys have been in communication with Jerry Rice
— Jeff Cavanaugh (@timeforjeffrey) December 28, 2022
Owens’s last NFL catch came on Dec. 12 of the 2010 season as a member of the Cincinnati Bengals. The club did not re-sign him for 2011.
Owens tore an ACL that following spring and was cleared to play again in October. He held a workout that month in a bid to find a new team but was unsuccessful. He signed a one-year deal with Seattle in 2012 but was released before the end of training camp.
The former third-round draft pick turned in stints in the Indoor Football League, American Flag Football League, Canadian Football League, and Fan Controlled Football venture, but maintains that he has been training- including recent workouts with DeSean Jackson- and “is in optimal condition” as he makes his latest comeback attempt.
In three seasons as a Cowboy from 2006 to 2008, Owens started 46 of 47 games, led the league in touchdowns in 2006, and went to the 2007 Pro Bowl. He caught 235 passes for 3,587 yards and 38 touchdowns. He ranks 11th in franchise history in receiving yards, ninth in touchdown receptions, and seventh in targets. He is the team’s all-time leader (among qualifiers) in receiving yards per game, at 76.3.
Owens expressed dismay at his 2009 release from the Cowboys, saying then that owner Jerry Jones had assured him he’d remain with the club.
“We’ve been in constant communication with Jerry Jones’ office over the last few days about the possibility of him returning to the Cowboys,” agent Gregory D.L. Daniel said. “Terrell is ready to contribute and play any role, big or small. He’s in outstanding shape. He looks no different than he did years ago. I watched him running routes full-speed with DeSean and he looked great. He didn’t drop a pass.
If he were to be signed, Owens would instantly become the oldest player in NFL history. Former quarterback and kicker George Blanda retired as a 48-year-old in 1976. Tampa Bay passer Tom Brady is the league’s oldest current player at 45. All-time leading scorer kicker Adam Vinatieri was the last player in the league who had played before Brady; he retired in 2021 at 48 years old.
Cowboys offensive lineman Jason Peters is the NFL’s second-oldest player, at 40 years old. Owens had already celebrated his eighth birthday by the time Peters was born in 1982.
Owens was voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2018 and ranks as the NFL’s third-highest all-time leading receiver, with 15,934 yards. He’s also third in career receiving touchdowns with 153, just three behind Randy Moss.
A return to Dallas seems improbable. Unlikely. Absurdly unlikely, even.
But with Terrell Owens and Jerry Jones, never say never.
“He wants to win, I want to win,” Daniel said.
“Just let him prove it,” the agent added. “Just put him on the field. We can all make a lot of skeptical comments about what he can do. The reason he’s doing this is because he knows he can do this. He will never let anyone say what he has the ability to do. Leave it up to his ability and let his skills speak for themselves.” | 2022-12-28T21:50:25Z | sports.yahoo.com | Facepalm: Terrell Owens somehow inserted himself into Cowboys’ atmosphere | https://sports.yahoo.com/facepalm-terrell-owens-somehow-inserted-205622919.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/facepalm-terrell-owens-somehow-inserted-205622919.html?src=rss |
Sometimes, the more things change, the more they stay the same. This is especially true when looking at NFL rosters. Some teams try for years to address a specific problematic area but never seem to figure it out.
For example, the Denver Broncos have used an endless amount of resources to find a franchise quarterback, and despite trading for Russell Wilson over the offseason, they still haven’t figured it out.
The Atlanta Falcons‘ lack of a pass rush has been their most glaring issue for some time. Since the start of the 2021 season, the team has recorded an NFL-worst 37 total sacks. The Falcons aren’t just last in the league, they have 23 fewer sacks than the next team on the list.
Grady Jarrett leads the team with seven sacks over the last two seasons. In 2021, Dante Fowler led the Falcons with 4.5 sacks while the team tallied just 18 total during the NFL’s first 17-game season.
The team has been slightly better this season, with 19 sacks through 15 games. Outside linebackers Lorenzo Carter and Arnold Ebiketie have been positive additions, but this group still doesn’t appear to be all that close to getting over the hump.
That’s why keeping an eye on the edge rushers in this year’s draft class is a must. The Falcons already have an excellent lineman in Jarrett, but there’s only so much one man can do.
Even Jarrett is feeling the frustration himself. “Same [expletive], different year,” the defensive lineman said following Saturday’s loss to the Ravens.
It’s hard to argue at this point. | 2022-12-28T21:50:31Z | sports.yahoo.com | Falcons rank dead last in total sacks recorded since 2021 | https://sports.yahoo.com/falcons-rank-dead-last-total-204518053.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/falcons-rank-dead-last-total-204518053.html?src=rss |
The Atlanta Falcons were down a couple of offensive linemen on Wednesday as the team began preparation for Sunday’s game against the Arizona Cardinals.
Left guard Elijah Wilkinson did not participate due to a calf injury, and reserve lineman Chuma Edoga (knee) was also held out. Edoga will likely be placed on the injured reserve list, head coach Arthur Smith told reporters on Wednesday.
Lastly, tight end Feleipe Franks missed practice due to a concussion he suffered during Atlanta’s loss to Baltimore. Check out the team’s first Week 17 injury report below. | 2022-12-28T21:50:37Z | sports.yahoo.com | Falcons Week 17 injury report: Elijah Wilkinson OUT Wednesday | https://sports.yahoo.com/falcons-week-17-injury-report-212505322.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/falcons-week-17-injury-report-212505322.html?src=rss |
A former Auburn quarterback is the next man up for the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweeted on Wednesday that quarterback Derek Carr would be benched by the team. As such, he’s set to be replaced by the team’s backup quarterback — that quarterback is Jarrett Stidham, who played for the Tigers from 2017-18.
Stidham was drafted by the Patriots in 2019 with their fourth-round pick, and he stayed in New England until 2022 when he was traded to the Raiders for Las Vegas’ sixth-round pick. Stidham typically plays in preseason games for the Raiders, but hasn’t had any starting action for the team and he’ll make his debut under center in the regular season on Sunday.
Derek Carr has struggled as of late, which likely prompts the change to Stidham. Carr has thrown nine interceptions in his last five games to nine touchdowns and has only had a completion percentage above 55 percent in one of those games despite the team going 3-2 down that stretch. Carr’s benching comes in the midst of the Raiders’ far-off standing in the AFC’s playoff hunt.
At Auburn, Stidham threw 36 touchdowns and 11 interceptions for 5,952 yards. The team lost the Peach Bowl to UCF during his first year under center and then won the Music City Bowl against Purdue in his second.
The 49ers will face QB Jarrett Stidham on Sunday after the Raiders benched Derek Carr. | 2022-12-28T21:50:44Z | sports.yahoo.com | Former Auburn quarterback set to get first NFL start on Sunday | https://sports.yahoo.com/former-auburn-quarterback-set-first-205002158.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/former-auburn-quarterback-set-first-205002158.html?src=rss |
The New York Giants returned to the practice field on Wednesday ahead of a Week 17 game against the Indianapolis Colts and did so with relative health.
Offensive lineman Shane Lemieux was placed on injured reserve and safety Xavier McKinney (hand) remained sidelined, but cornerback Adoree’ Jackson and linebacker Azeez Ojulari did return on a limited basis.
“I think it’s straight,” Ojulari said after practice. “I think it’s solid. It’s getting better day by day. I think I’ll be straight (to play Sunday). I’m trying to. That’s the goal, to play.”
Meanwhile, nose tackle Dexter Lawrence was given a veteran rest day.
Did not participate: NT Dexter Lawrence (rest)
Full participant: N/A | 2022-12-28T21:50:50Z | sports.yahoo.com | Giants injury report: Adoree’ Jackson returns to practice | https://sports.yahoo.com/giants-injury-report-adoree-jackson-202205946.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/giants-injury-report-adoree-jackson-202205946.html?src=rss |
Jarrad Davis has left Detroit for New York for a second time. The Lions linebacker was signed by the New York Giants off Detroit’s practice squad on Wednesday.
The Giants have to keep Davis for at least three weeks, which leads past the end of the regular season. He replaces injured OL Shane Lemieux on New York’s roster.
Davis was out of options with Detroit. He had already been elevated the maximum three times from the team’s practice squad. The veteran LB played in Weeks 10, 14 and 15. He recorded three total tackles in 37 defensive snaps and another 28 on special teams. The Lions would have had to cut someone or place another player on injured reserve to sign Davis if they intended to play him in the final two weeks.
Davis returned to Detroit after an injury-plagued year with the New York Jets in 2021. He spent his first four seasons in Detroit as the Lions’ first-round pick in the 2017 NFL draft. He was a valuable mentor for the young LB corps and helped coax some strong play out of his collegiate teammate at Florida, Lions LB Alex Anzalone. | 2022-12-28T21:51:03Z | sports.yahoo.com | Giants sign LB Jarrad Davis off the Lions practice squad | https://sports.yahoo.com/giants-sign-lb-jarrad-davis-205500707.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/giants-sign-lb-jarrad-davis-205500707.html?src=rss |
We’ve got a look at the first New Orleans Saints injury report ahead of Week 17’s game with the Philadelphia Eagles, and five Saints players were inactive at practice on Wednesday, as were four members of the Eagles — including star quarterback Jalen Hurts (right shoulder). Both teams could use some time to heal up ahead of this matchup on New Year’s Day, but neither of them have much time to do it. Here’s what you need to know from the initial injury report: | 2022-12-28T21:51:15Z | sports.yahoo.com | Jalen Hurts inactive, Chris Olave limited on initial Saints vs. Eagles injury report | https://sports.yahoo.com/jalen-hurts-inactive-chris-olave-211135091.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/jalen-hurts-inactive-chris-olave-211135091.html?src=rss |
Before the New York Jets take the field against the Seattle Seahawks, they’ll be keeping a close eye on the early game between the Miami Dolphins and New England Patriots. That’s because if the Dolphins can defeat the Patriots, then the Jets will be in a position where simply winning their last two games against Seattle and Miami will put them in the playoffs for the first time since 2010.
The Jets — and Dolphins, for that matter — found out that Miami will be rolling with their old friend Teddy Bridgewater at quarterback. Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel confirmed quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has a concussion and will not play against the Patriots, meaning Bridgewater will start and Skylar Thompson will be his backup.
“In regards to Tua (Tagovailoa), I’ve been advised by medical professionals that it’s critical that Tua worries only about the day that he’s currently in and nothing else,” McDaniel said Wednesday. “He is in the building, but beyond that, as medical professionals will tell you, any added pressure, any added sort of – anything beyond that day does not behoove the process at all so I’ll take that very serious and worry about his health first and foremost and take the advice of the medical professionals.”
The Jets only need one Patriots loss, so if it doesn’t come Sunday against the Dolphins, they can still root for Buffalo in Week 18, as the Bills will likely still be playing for the No. 1 seed in the AFC, unless they beat the Bengals on Monday and the Broncos somehow stun the Chiefs on Sunday. | 2022-12-28T21:51:22Z | sports.yahoo.com | Jets to root for Teddy Bridgewater vs. Patriots Sunday as Dolphins rule out Tua Tagovailoa with concussion | https://sports.yahoo.com/jets-root-teddy-bridgewater-vs-203601505.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/jets-root-teddy-bridgewater-vs-203601505.html?src=rss |
When it comes to comparing Los Angeles Chargers coach Brandon Staley to New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick, Chargers linebacker Kyle Van Noy boiled everything down to relationships.
Van Noy, who won two Super Bowls with the Patriots, admitted that “not everybody” has a great relationship with Belichick, despite the six Super Bowl rings sitting on his head coaching mantle. The veteran defender thinks Staley has a deeper connection with a wider range of players than his former coach.
“I would say the biggest difference between Bill and Staley is relationships,” Van Noy said, during an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show. “He has relationships with every single player on the team. It’s really impressive how he can work a room.
“He’s got everybody number in their favorites. He can call them right then and there. Any player, he reaches out, and I respect that. In this new age of players, you got to do that, and he’s done a great job of that. And I’m not saying Bill—I have a great relationship with Bill, but not everybody does.”
"Brandon Staley loves football and he's so energetic" ~@KVN_03#PMSLive pic.twitter.com/fVhWOZ4LRu
Staley just turned 40 years old in December, while Belichick is a 70-year-old legend with multiple championships to his name. So there’s obviously a clear difference of coaching techniques at this point.
Whether Belichick’s brand of coaching is outdated or not remains to be seen, but honestly, it hasn’t been a good season this year. If the Patriots miss the playoffs for the second time in three years, no one will be forced to look into the mirror more than Belichick. | 2022-12-28T21:51:41Z | sports.yahoo.com | Kyle Van Noy admits relationships the biggest difference between Bill Belichick and Brandon Staley | https://sports.yahoo.com/kyle-van-noy-admits-relationships-200639941.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/kyle-van-noy-admits-relationships-200639941.html?src=rss |
There is nothing better in sports than high-pressure games with a lot at stake. With just two weeks of regular season football remaining, there are still five playoff spots left to be clinched across the NFL. For almost half of the league that's still alive, the playoffs start now. How do oddsmakers view the current races and who is favored to sneak into the playoffs?
The AFC has seen five teams already clinch a playoff spot. The Buffalo Bills have clinched the AFC East and the Kansas City Chiefs have clinched the AFC West. The Los Angeles Chargers clinched a wild-card spot on Monday night with a victory over the Indianapolis Colts.
Both the Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens have clinched playoff spots as well, but the AFC North is yet to be decided. The Bengals are -250 favorites to win the division. They can clinch with a win this week coupled with a Baltimore loss. There's a good chance the division will be decided in Week 18 when the teams meet head-to-head.
That leaves two playoff spots up for grabs, and one of those spots will go to the winner of the AFC South. Let's take a look at the current odds.
Week 17 is a bit of a nothing burger for the Tennessee Titans and Jacksonville Jaguars. No matter what happens this weekend, Week 18 will feature a head-to-head matchup between the two teams with the winner claiming the top spot in the AFC South. Both teams could theoretically claim a wild-card spot if they lose out on the division, but that would require a lot to go their way and seems rather unrealistic. The most likely path for either of these teams is to win the division.
Currently, Jacksonville is a -250 favorite to win the division. The Titans are +200 underdogs to get it done. Oddsmakers are expecting Jacksonville to make the playoffs and host a playoff game as the No. 4 seed in the AFC. The Titans are expected to be without Ryan Tannehill for the remainder of the season.
Final wild card spot
Once we account for the AFC South and the five teams who have already clinched a playoff spot in the AFC, just one final wild-card spot remains.
The Miami Dolphins currently hold the final spot in the AFC with their eight wins. However, things aren't trending well for Miami. They've lost four straight games and now they will be without their starting quarterback. Tua Tagovailoa has suffered yet another concussion so Teddy Bridgewater will start on Sunday at New England. The Dolphins are 3-point underdogs.
Despite that, the Dolphins are sizable -225 favorites to make the playoffs at BetMGM and claim the No. 7 seed. Those odds imply Miami makes the playoffs over 69% of the time. The Dolphins can wrap up the spot this weekend if they beat the Patriots and the Jets lose on the road in Seattle.
Even if the Dolphins lose Sunday, they will make the playoffs if they can beat the Jets in Week 18 and the Bills defeat the Patriots. If the Jets beat the Seahawks this weekend, Miami will need to beat the Jets in Week 18, no matter what happens in Week 17.
The Jets were 7-4 and looked to be in good shape, but they've gone on to lose their last four games. Because of that, the Jets are now +350 underdogs to make the playoffs. Mike White will be back at quarterback for New York this weekend, giving them some hope. The Jets have a tough but not impossible road to get into the playoffs. According to the odds, New York's chances of getting in are just over 22%.
The Jets need to win their final two games of the season and also have the New England Patriots lose to either Miami or Buffalo over the final two weeks of the season. New York is a 1.5-point road favorite in Seattle this weekend against a Seahawks team that has lost five of their last six games. The Patriots will be underdogs against a Bills team that will likely be playing for the No. 1 seed in Week 18. If those two results go New York's way, the Jets will have a win-and-in game in Week 18 against a Miami team that is faltering and is currently without their starting quarterback.
The Patriots lost their last two games, fumbling the ball in the final minutes of each game. As a result, they've fumbled an easy path to the playoffs. Instead, they're a long shot to get in. The Patriots are currently +650 to make the playoffs at BetMGM. Those odds suggest just a 13% chance of getting in.
On the bright side for New England, they get in if they win their last two games. However, that's a tough task with a trip to Buffalo facing them in Week 18. If the Patriots lose to the Bills, their playoff odds crash down to just about 7%. They would need a lot to go right, including the Jets losing to Seattle but beating Miami as well as losses by Pittsburgh and Las Vegas. If the Patriots lose to Miami as a 3-point home favorite in Week 17, they will be eliminated.
Much like last season, the Pittsburgh Steelers are hanging around and need a lot to go right for them in the final weeks of the season. It worked out for them last year. Can history repeat itself? The Steelers are 10-to-1 to make the playoffs at BetMGM, odds which suggest a 9% chance of getting in.
In order to make the playoffs, the Steelers need to win out against the Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns. They would then need the Jets to lose to Seattle but beat the Dolphins. Additionally, they would need the Patriots to beat the Dolphins and then lose to the Bills in Week 18. So you're saying there's a chance.
The situation isn't all that different in the NFC. The Philadelphia Eagles have a chance to clinch the NFC East and the No. 1 seed in the conference this weekend against the New Orleans Saints. The Minnesota Vikings have clinched the NFC North and the San Francisco 49ers have clinched the NFC West. The Dallas Cowboys likely won't win the division, but they've clinched a playoff spot.
Just like the AFC South remains up for grabs in the AFC, the NFC has a similar situation with the NFC South. Three teams are technically alive for the division, and the playoffs are unlikely for the two teams that come up short. Beyond that, two wild-card spots remain up for grabs.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are -350 favorites to win the NFC South. If they beat the Carolina Panthers as 3-point favorites this weekend, the Buccaneers will clinch the division and a playoff spot. Those odds suggest the Buccaneers win this division nearly 78% of the time. Things become infinitely more interesting if the Panthers beat Tampa Bay.
If the Panthers win this weekend, they will win the division as long as they beat the New Orleans Saints in Week 18. If the Panthers beat Tampa Bay but lose to New Orleans, the Buccaneers would win the division if they beat Atlanta in Week 18. Carolina is +310 to win the division.
In the outlandish scenario where Tampa Bay loses out and the Saints win out, the Saints would win the division. New Orleans needs to beat Philadelphia and Carolina. They would need Carolina to beat Tampa Bay and then beat the Panthers themselves. They would need the Falcons to beat Tampa Bay in the season finale. New Orleans is 28-to-1 to win the division.
Two wild-card spots remain
With the Eagles, 49ers, Vikings and Cowboys have already clinching a playoff spot and with the NFC South sending the divisional winner to the playoffs, five playoff spots in the NFC are accounted for. That means two wild-card spots remain up for grabs with two weeks remaining in the season.
The New York Giants are -1000 favorites to make the playoffs, and for good reason. New York will clinch a playoff spot if they beat the Indianapolis Colts as 6-point home favorites on Sunday. Even if the Giants lose to the Colts, they're in good shape as they'd still have a 78% chance of getting into the playoffs. They have the Eagles on deck in Week 18, and there's a good chance Philadelphia has nothing to play for in that game. If the Giants want to quiet their naysayers, they beat the Colts at home and take care of business themselves quickly and painlessly.
The Washington Commanders have gone winless in their last three games and have turned the team back over to Carson Wentz this week. Despite all of that, they still occupy the final wild-card spot in the NFC. The Commanders are +165 to make the playoffs at BetMGM, odds which suggest they make the playoffs nearly 38% of the time.
The Commanders are in control of their playoff destiny. They are 2-point favorites over the Cleveland Browns this weekend. Next weekend, they host a Dallas team that might have nothing to play for. If Washington wins out, they would make the playoffs. If Washington goes 1-1, they would need none of Seattle, Green Bay or Detroit to win out.
A month ago, the Green Bay Packers were dead. They were 4-8 and the playoffs were nothing but a pipe dream. Since then, they've won three straight games and teams like Seattle and Washington stopped winning. Suddenly, Green Bay is very much alive in the playoff picture. The Packers are +185 to make the playoffs, odds which tell us they make the playoffs over 35% of the time.
The path for Green Bay is simple. They need to beat the Vikings as a 3.5-point home favorite this weekend and then beat Detroit in Week 18. On top of that, they need the Commanders to lose once. Not outlandish at all.
Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers are alive for a playoff spot entering the final two weeks of the NFL season. (Megan Briggs/Getty Images)
The Seahawks have lost five of their last six games, but they're still alive in the playoff race. Based on how things are trending, it's hard to be confident, but nobody even expected them to be in this spot at the start of the year. The Seahawks are +290 to make the playoffs, which is a little over 25% in terms of implied probability.
Seattle has the same exact situation as the Packers, but the only difference is the Packers hold a tiebreaker over Seattle. The Seahawks need to win out against the Jets and the Rams. They then need both Washington and Green Bay to lose at least once.
The Lions were in a very solid spot entering last weekend, but then they got blown out by the Carolina Panthers. Now, Detroit needs to win out and then get a bunch of help. The Lions are +340 to make the playoffs at BetMGM, odds which imply a 22.7% chance of getting in.
The Lions are in a similar spot to the Packers and the Seahawks. The only added layer is that Seattle has a head-to-head tiebreaker over the Lions, so Detroit needs them to lose as well. To recap, the Lions need to win out against Chicago and Green Bay. Then, they need Seattle and Washington to both lose at least one game. | 2022-12-28T21:52:12Z | sports.yahoo.com | NFL betting, odds: With two weeks remaining, who's favored to make the playoffs? | https://sports.yahoo.com/nfl-betting-odds-with-two-weeks-remaining-whos-favored-to-make-the-playoffs-201637100.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/nfl-betting-odds-with-two-weeks-remaining-whos-favored-to-make-the-playoffs-201637100.html?src=rss |
Last Saturday in Pittsburgh the Raiders lost two of their top defenders. Chandler Jones left the game early in the third quarter and early in the fourth quarter Denzel Perryman was lost as well. Both injuries looked very serious and had the players quickly ruled OUT for the remainder of the game.
Any even somewhat serious injuries at this time of year would come with the possibility of it ending their season. Any trip to injured reserve would have them out for the remainder of the regular season.
Today the Raiders announced they have placed both Jones and Perryman to IR. With two games left, that means the Raiders will be without both players the rest of the way.
Jones had begun playing his best football of the season the past few weeks, including making the fumble recovery return for the game-winning touchdown two weeks ago against the Patriots.
Perryman leaves as the Raiders’ leading tackler. He led the team in tackles last season as well, heading to the Pro Bowl in his first season in Las Vegas.
With two tough games ahead and the team all but officially out of playoff contention, they are mostly playing for pride at this point anyway. Jones and Perryman can officially look ahead to being ready for next season. | 2022-12-28T21:52:57Z | sports.yahoo.com | Raiders send Chandler Jones, Denzel Perryman to injured reserve, ending their season | https://sports.yahoo.com/raiders-send-chandler-jones-denzel-212702653.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/raiders-send-chandler-jones-denzel-212702653.html?src=rss |
The Los Angeles Rams are set at punter with Riley Dixon, but they are adding another punter to their practice squad. Ahead of Sunday’s matchup with the Los Angeles Chargers, the Rams have added veteran Brock Miller to their practice squad.
• Practice Squad P Brock Miller
Miller was an undrafted free agent out of Southern Utah in the 2014 NFL draft. The veteran punter has spent time with the Rams, the San Francisco 49ers, and the New York Giants, along with a stint in the USFL with the New Jersey Generals.
Despite being in the NFL since 2014, Miller has yet to record a single punt in his career. Considering that Dixon has been solid for the Rams this season, Miller likely won’t see much action unless an injury occurs. | 2022-12-28T21:53:03Z | sports.yahoo.com | Rams add punter Brock Miller to practice squad | https://sports.yahoo.com/rams-add-punter-brock-miller-212257162.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/rams-add-punter-brock-miller-212257162.html?src=rss |
Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa will not start in the team’s Week 17 matchup against the New England Patriots and is unlikely to play in the game.
Just one day after suffering a loss to the Green Bay Packers, Tagovailoa was placed into the NFL’s concussion protocol. He has since been diagnosed with a concussion, his second of the season.
Though it is unclear exactly when in the game Tagovailoa became concussed, he self-reported to doctors after experiencing symptoms.
Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reported that head coach Mike McDaniel has not yet ruled Tagovailoa out, but that the team is currently focused on ensuring his health and safety.
Backup veteran quarterback Teddy Bridgewater will get the start for Miami.
McDaniel said he has been advised by medical professionals that Tua "worries only about the day he's currently in and nothing else. He is in the building." McDaniel declines to say if he has been ruled out for Sunday because "any added pressure" does not help the health process | 2022-12-28T21:53:16Z | sports.yahoo.com | Tua Tagovailoa diagnosed with second concussion, unlikely to play Week 17 | https://sports.yahoo.com/tua-tagovailoa-diagnosed-second-concussion-201827719.html?src=rss | https://sports.yahoo.com/tua-tagovailoa-diagnosed-second-concussion-201827719.html?src=rss |
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