On Wednesday night, Damian Lillard scored 32 points, shooting 11-of-21 from the field and 6-of-10 from behind the three-point line. He was efficient, and he almost led the Milwaukee Bucks to an impressive comeback over the Boston Celtics.
A box-score glance at his stat line would conclude that he picked the Celtics apart. And in the last few minutes of the contest, he played well.
That doesn’t tell the whole story.
Not seen on the stat sheet is the full-court press Jaylen Brown played against him. The ball denial on inbounds plays. Brown’s chase-down, unrelenting defense hounded Lillard all night.
“I thought Jaylen’s mindset and intensity to start the game was kind of what kept us connected throughout the game,” Joe Mazzulla said. “And he set the tone as far as our defensive intensity for the game. And the rest of the guys picked up on that.”
Brown guarded Milwaukee’s star guard for a team-high 6:16 of game time, yet only four of Lillard’s 21 shots were against him. He shot 2-of-4. One make was directly off a Brook Lopez screen, and the other, Brown got punished for playing too high up in the pick-n-roll and Lillard blew by him.
Instead, Lillard did his best to avoid going up against Brown. He took 15 shots against Al Horford and Kristaps Porzingis combined. The Bucks looked to get him switched onto a big anytime they could.
Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images
Lillard’s efficiency was impressive, but in the case of Brown, his importance goes beyond the opponent’s shooting percentage. His eagerness to guard the best players on opposing team sends a strong message to his Celtics brothers.
“It’s powerful. What that does for our team,” said Jayson Tatum. “How much better it makes us. Seeing him take the challenge of guarding the best guard on the team, picking them up full court, [and] chasing him around all night, it has an impact on the rest of the team and really gives everybody else no excuses, right? If he can do that all night while still trying to be effective on the offensive end. It’s nothing short of special.”
Brown spent the entire night finding Lillard in the backcourt after a Celtics bucket and trailing him all the way up the floor. He didn’t give Lillard any space to breathe.
At the beginning of the season, Brown made it his mission to make the All-Defensive First Team. All year long, he’s embraced the challenge of guarding opposing stars every night. It gets him fired up.
Asked about his matchup with Lillard post-game, Brown cracked a smile.
“It’s fun. It’s like a game of chess,” Brown said. “A guy has it going on, they want to be aggressive, they’re going to him every possession. Pick him up, be aggressive. Sometimes you got to be back. It’s good. Always gives you good information.”
With all the new additions Boston made this summer, sacrifice was inevitable. Rather than taking a step back, Brown simply adjusted his focus.
He’s still a top scoring options on the Celtics. Since the All-Star break, he’s been one of the most dominant scorers in the league. But he’s put more effort into the defensive end this year than ever before.
“Our guys are not just defined by one thing, and we understand that, in order to win, we have to play well-connected basketball, and it starts with intensity and physicality,” said Mazzulla. “Jaylen has done a great job of that.”
The Celtics love defense. That breeds winning. And Brown is at the forefront of that charge.
The Dallas Cowboys have reportedly agreed to a deal with former Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Eric Kendricks.
The 32-year-old was reported as having agreed to terms with the San Francisco 49ers early Wednesday, but it seems nothing was set in stone.
Kendricks will have a reunion with new Dallas defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer, who was his head coach in Minnesota for his first seven years in the NFL. Kendricks spent nine seasons with the Vikings before playing for the Chargers in 2023.
Linebacker is among the biggest offseason needs for the Cowboys after Leighton Vander Esch was sidelined in 2023 by another neck injury, a possibly career-ending setback this time.
Kendricks was recently released by the Chargers in an effort to free up $6.5 million in salary cap space. He originally signed with the team ahead of the 2023 season on a two-year, $13.25 million contract.
The 6’0, 232-pound defender has topped 100 tackles in each of the past eight seasons to tie for the fourth-longest streak of at least 100 tackles since 2000, according to Sportradar. His 1,036 tackles rank third in the NFL in that span, trailing only Bobby Wagner and Lavonte David.
Kendricks had 117 tackles, seven tackles for loss, 3 1/2 sacks and six passes defensed last season for the Chargers.
Terms of the deal between Kendricks and the Cowboys have not yet been released.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Serie A leaders Inter Milan will welcome Genoa to the San Siro on Monday for a one-on-one clash scheduled to kick off at 19:45 GMT.
Key Highlights
Inter Milan Looking to Extend their Domination at the Top of Serie A this Season
Inter Milan have been in flying form this season, losing just once all-reason, with 25 rounds of fixtures.
They have won their last straight matches in Serie A as they have tightened their stranglehold on top spot heading into the run-in.
They have scored 14 times in this run, conceding just twice; these statistics highlight their potency in the final third as they have blown teams away this season.
They have kept four clean sheets in this run, demonstrating their solidity and compactness. They will look to extend this run when they host Genoa on Monday night.
Genoa Will Look to Make it Three Consecutive Unbeaten Serie A Matches
Genoa’s have steadied their position in midtable with a steady flow of performances in recent matches. They have won twice, drawn twice, and lost once, in their last five rounds of fixtures in Serie A.
Last time out, they convincingly beat Udinese 2-0 at home, to follow from the 1-1 draw they had away at Napoli. The draw against Napoli and win against Udinese were good responses to the heavy 1-4 defeat they suffered at home to Atalanta.
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They will look to bolster their defensive record when they visit high-scoring Inter Milan on Sunday. A pragmatic approach will bolster their chances of getting something from the San Siro on Monday.
Head-to-Head Statistics
Inter Milan and Genoa have met 19 times in all competitions since 2013. Inter have shown their dominance in this match with 11 wins to Genoa’s 5 wins, with three matches ending in draws.
Last time out, Genoa held Inter Milan to a 1-1 draw, showing their capability against the runaway Serie A leaders.
Injury Report
Inter Milan will be without the injured Juan Cuadrado, Francesco Acerbi, Marcus Thuram, and Hakan Calhanoglu.
Genoa will be without Alan Matturo and David Ankeye on the trip to the San Siro.
Prediction
Inter Milan are the odds-on favorites to win the match and extend their robust hold on top spot in Serie A.
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Projecting L’Jarius Sneed’s contract for 2024 and beyond is one of the biggest questions facing the Kansas City Chiefs on the heels of their Super Bowl victory.
The cornerback was a big part of Kansas City’s success in 2023. Now that Sneed’s free agency has arrived, the Chiefs have to decide if he’s going to be a part of their future and at what cost.
L’Jarius Sneed Free Agent Preview
To be fair, Sneed isn’t exactly one of the greatest defensive players in league history. But he’s certainly established himself as a top-flight cornerback. On the open market, he’s likely to get a lucrative deal from a team looking to boost their secondary.
The question is what team will end up with Sneed and how much will he make in free agency. Let’s take a closer look at L’Jarius Sneed’s contract situation, including what teams are likely to pursue him and how much he’ll make as a free agent.
Chiefs
Needless to say, the Chiefs are going to make a strong effort to keep Sneed. Using the franchise tag to keep him for 2024 is one option.
However, the Chiefs also have Chris Jones to consider. They might need to use the franchise tag on Jones if they don’t want to risk losing him in free agency. That increases the possibility that Sneed will end up on the open market this offseason, available for any team to negotiate with him.
Commanders
As one of the teams with cap space to burn, the Commanders are an obvious candidate for Sneed. Washington is also a team with a lot of needs, including at cornerback with Kendall Fuller hitting free agency.
While the secondary may not be a top priority, the Commanders have the money to make a serious push for Sneed.
Eagles
Elsewhere in the NFC East, the Eagles are another possible suitor for Sneed. Cornerbacks Darius Slay and James Bradberry are both starting to age.
With Sneed being in the prime of his career, Philadelphia could look at him as an upgrade, making Slay or Bradberry expendable.
Falcons
Atlanta’s top priority this offseason is to find a quarterback. But there is also room for improvement on defense despite most of the team’s starting lineup set to return.
Depth is an issue at cornerback for the Falcons, which could lead them to consider Sneed. Plus, by pairing Sneed with A.J. Terrell, Atlanta would have one of the best cornerback tandems in the NFL, which would help to reshape the entire defense.
Packers
Similarly, the Packers could have the same mindset about pairing Sneed with Jaire Alexander. Keep in mind that the Green Bay offense is loaded with young talent.
That will allow the Packers to use their cap space to improve their defense. Outside of Alexander, the Green Bay secondary has a lot of holes to fill this offseason, making Sneed an ideal target.
Rams
The secondary doesn’t look like a strength for the Rams right now, especially given some of the players who are becoming free agents this offseason. On the other hand, Aaron Donald and Kobie Turner will help to ensure the Los Angeles defensive line is among the best in the NFL next season.
Therefore, the Rams can afford to be aggressive in addressing their secondary. Naturally, they will look to target one of the best cornerbacks available, making Sneed a great fit in Los Angeles.
L’Jarius Sneed Contract Projection
Based on some of the comments that Sneed has made this offseason, he expects to get paid. He’s not likely to take a hometown discount to stay with the Chiefs. After all, he already has two Super Bowl rings.
He doesn’t need to chase a championship; he can chase money instead. Most projections have Sneed making between $15 million and $18 million per season. In the end, he figures to at least get a three-year deal worth $52 million with $30 million guaranteed. However, a four-year deal worth upwards of $70 million could be on the table if there is a bidding war for his services.
The Los Angeles Chargers hired Jim Harbaugh as their next coach, who went on to say that his goal is to ‘win multiple championships’. Emmanuel Acho explains why expectations are too high on the Chargers and their QB Justin Herbert.
Thus far during the MLB offseason, many of the SF Giants’ free agent targets for 2024 have not decided to come to the Bay Area. With Yoshinobu Yamamoto signing with Los Angeles and Shohei Ohtani going to the Dodgers as well, the offseason has been close to a disaster from San Francisco’s perspective. Not only have the Giants missed on some of their top targets, but the rival Dodgers have signed those players.
How Can Giants Save Their Offseason
In fairness, the Giants have signed outfielder Jung Hoo Lee and catcher Tom Murphy. They have also acquired Robbie Ray via trade, dumping Mitch Haniger and Anthony DeSclafani in the process.
There are also plenty of other SF Giants rumors swirling around, indicating that the Giants are still working to make some moves this winter. Let’s take a look at some of the remaining SF Giants free agent targets in 2024 and what San Francisco can do to salvage what has been an otherwise disappointing offseason.
Sign Shota Imanaga
The Giants may have missed out on Yamamoto, but it’s not too late to grab Shota Imanaga. Of course, Imanaga isn’t projected to be a bonafide ace like Yamamoto. But he also won’t be as expensive to sign while still improving the San Francisco rotation.
Imanaga is projected as a mid-rotation starter in the big leagues, making him a good complement to Logan Webb, Alex Cobb, and Ross Stripling. He would also be a second lefty in the rotation alongside youngster Kyle Harrison. If the Giants can make a competitive bid for Imanaga, there are plenty of reasons to believe that he’ll find San Francisco to be the best landing spot available.
Trade for Corbin Burnes
There is still every indication that the Brewers will try to trade Corbin Burnes before the season. The number of potential trade partners appears to be going down, improving San Francisco’s chances of acquiring the former Cy Young winner. Needless to say, there will still be a heavy price to pay, although the Giants have a strong enough farm system and some current MLB players to give Milwaukee an enticing offer.
Burnes would immediately give the Giants the ace they covet. Even with a solid rotation already, San Francisco knows that starting pitching will be key to the team’s success in 2024. Trading for Burnes would change the look of their rotation and perhaps give the Giants a leg up in signing him when he hits free agency.
Take a Chance on Tim Anderson
The Giants are understandably excited about Marco Luciano, but he’s far from a sure thing right now. It might be best to give the 22-year-old more seasoning in the minors, creating the need for a shortstop.
Why not take a chance on a player like Tim Anderson?
He’s surely better than he showed last season and would be willing to take a one-year deal at a reasonable price to prove himself. Such a move would give the Giants a motivated and proven shortstop in 2024 while giving Luciano another year to develop.
Sign Marcus Stroman
If the top free-agent pitchers on the market are out of San Francisco’s price range, Marcus Stroman could be the ideal fallback option. He’s not going to require as much money or years as some other pitchers but will still be a useful rotation asset in 2024.
Stroman has been durable and effective over the last several years, always pitching as if he has something to prove. That’s the kind of pitcher the Giants could use in their rotation next season.
Sign Cody Bellinger
While it might seem like a pipe dream, signing Cody Bellinger would surely salvage the offseason for the Giants. What better way to compete with the Dodgers than to sign a Los Angeles castaway? Obviously, Bellinger is going to require a long-term deal and hundreds of millions of dollars to sign.
But he’s also a former MVP who is only 28 and can play multiple positions. The Giants could certainly shift some pieces around to make room for Bellinger in either the outfield or at first base, perhaps creating some trade chips in the process. More importantly, Bellinger would give the Giants the type of power hitter they’ve been lacking in recent seasons, finally giving them someone who can anchor their lineup.
The Celtics host the Detroit Pistons for the first of 3 games this season. They will meet again in Boston on March 18 and then again in Detroit, 4 days later, on March 22. The Celtics won the series 4-0 last season and have won their last 6 meetings with the Pistons. The Celtics are 250-140 overall all time against the Pistons and they are 40-14 at home.
The Celtics remain in 1st place in the East. They are 1 game ahead of 2nd place Milwaukee, 2.5 games ahead of 3rd place Philadelphia and 5.5 games ahead of 4th place Orlando. They are 14-0 at home and 8-2 in their last 10 games. They are 19-4 against Eastern Conference opponents. They have won their last 3 games.
The Detroit Pistons are last in the East. They are 21.5 games behind the Celtics. They are 3.5 games behind 14th place Washington and 11 games out of 10th place and play in contention. They are 1-14 on the road and they are 0-10 in their last 10 games. They are 2-19 against Eastern Conference opponents. They have lost 27 straight games and now hold the record for most consecutive losses in a single season.
The Pistons just completed a home and home set against the Nets. After this game they return home for a game against the Raptors and then they have a 4 game road trip through Houston, Utah, Golden State and Denver, so things don’t get much easier for them. The Celtics are playing in the first of back to back games. They play Toronto on Friday at home and then they face San Antonio and Oklahoma City on the road.
For the Celtics, Svi Mykhailiuk is probable with a heel contusion. Lamar Stevens is probable with a non-covid illness. Jaylen Brown has been listed as out with a back contusion after taking a knee to the back from LeBron James on Monday. Jayson Tatum was originally listed as questionable but is now expected to play. I’m guessing that Hauser will start in Brown’s place.
For the Pistons, Killian Hayes is probable with a non covid illness. Ausar Thompson is also probable with a non-covid illness. Monte Morris is out with a quad injury. Isaiah Stewart is out with a toe injury. Since Ausar Thompson is probable, I’m going to guess that he will get the start in place of the injured Isaiah Stewart.
Probable Celtics Starters
PG: Jrue Holiday SG: Derrick White SF: Sam Hauser PF: Jayson Tatum C: Kristaps Porzingis
Celtics Reserves Delano Banton Al Horford Svi Mykhailiuk Payton Pritchard Lamar Stevens Jordan Walsh Oshae Brissett
2 Way Players JD Davison Drew Peterson Neemias Queta
Injuries/Out Svi Mykhailiuk(heel) available Lamar Stevens (illness) available Jayson Tatum (ankle sprain management) available Jaylen Brown (back contusion) out
Pistons Reserves Alec Burks Joe Harris Kevin Knox II Isaiah Livers Marcus Sasser Ausar Thompson James Wiseman
Two Way Players Malcolm Cazalon Jared Rhoden Stanley Umude
Injuries/Out Monte Morris (quad) out Isaiah Stewart (toe) out Ausar Thompson (illness) probable Killian Hayes (illness) probable
Head Coach Monty Williams
Key Matchups
Jrue Holiday
Cade Cunningham
Photo by Stephen Gosling/NBAE via Getty Images
Jrue Holiday vs Cade Cunningham Cunningham is averaging 23 points, 4.1 rebounds, 7 assists and 1 steal per game. He is shooting 44.5% from the field and 33.1% from beyond the arc. He is coming off a 41 point game on Tuesday and so the Celtics need to defend him well as he is capable of having a big game.
Oshae Brissett
Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images
Bojan Bogdanovic
Photo by Mike Mulholland/Getty Images
Oshae Brissett vs Bojan Bogdanovic Bogdanovic is averaging 19.9 points, 2.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1 steal per game. He is shooting 46.6% from the field and 39% from beyond the arc. As I said above, I’m not sure who will start here so Brissett is just a guess.
Honorable Mention Kristaps Porzingis vs Jalen Duren Duren is averaging 12.5 points, 11.2 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.3 blocks per game. He is shooting 62.3% from the field and does not shoot from the perimeter. The Celtics need to box him out and keep him out of the paint.
Keys to the Game Defense – Defense will always be key to winning every game. The Celtics are 5th in the league with a 110.5 defensive rating while the Pistons are 26th with a defensive rating of 119.0. The Pistons are 28th in the league, averaging 109.3 points per game. The Celtics have to come into this game with the mindset that they need to play tough defense and not underestimate the Pistons, who have a lot of young and hungry players and, in spite of their 27 game losing streak, if the Celtics don’t take them seriously, the Pistons may surprise them.
Rebound – Rebounding is important to give the Celtics extra possessions and to limit possessions for their opponents. The Celtics are averaging 47.0 rebounds per game (2nd) while the Pistons are averaging 43.3 rebounds (20th). Rebounding takes effort and the Celtics need to give extra effort to beat the Pistons to rebounds. When they show extra effort on the boards, it often shows up in other areas of the game as well.
Stay Focused – The Celtics must stay focused on playing the right way. They have to take care of the ball and they have to focus on making crisp passes and on careful ball handling. They also have to focus on taking good shots and making them. The Celtics have to come into the game focused and keep that focus throughout the game. The Celtics should not underestimate this Pistons team because they are very hungry for a win and so if the Celtics lose focus they may just get beat.
Be Aggressive – The Celtics can’t come into the game expecting an easy game and to be able to take it easy on both ends of the court because the Pistons are at the bottom of the league and are on a historic losing streak. They have to come in and be aggressive on defense, on taking the ball to the basket, on diving for loose balls, on rebounding and on playing as a team. If they allow the Pistons to play harder than them, especially playing short handed, they could be surprised by a loss.
X-Factors Pitiful Pistons – The Celtics are back at home and they need come out ready to protect home court. Young teams often struggle on the road and hopefully the Garden will be loud and will be able to distract the young Pistons team who also have to face the distractions of travel. The Celtics will possibly be short handed if Tatum and Brown are out, and so every player has to step up their game, even against the team at the bottom of the East. Too often we have seen the Celtics relax and let up and lose to teams they should absolutely beat.
Officiating – Officiating is always an x-factor. Every crew calls the game differently. Some call it tight and call every bit of contact while others allow more physical play. Some favor the home team while others call both sides evenly. The Celtics have to adjust to the way the refs are calling the game and not allow the no calls and bad calls to affect their focus on playing the game.
From the moment Ron Rivera named Sam Howell his starting quarterback in the summer, the coach had never flinched. He has praised Howell’s potential, even as he struggled. He lauded his growth, even as the losses mounted. He made it clear he believed the Washington Commanders had found their franchise quarterback.
Then, last Sunday, he flinched.
It wasn’t just that Rivera pulled Howell with 9:05 to go in the Commanders’ 28-20 loss to the Los Angeles Rams, or that the offense clicked as backup Jacoby Brissett nearly rallied Washington for the win. It’s that the benching was weeks in the making, as Howell’s struggles have mounted.
And it was that Rivera said that if the Commanders still had any shot at the playoffs, he might not be willing to put Howell back in.
“Well, if this was about playoffs and we’re right in the middle of it, that’s something you have to most certainly consider,” Rivera said. “Do we still have that opportunity to continue to win? That’s one of the things you always consider because you have to make sure everybody’s getting the opportunity to be successful.”
That’s something the eventual new regime of the Washington Commanders will have to consider, too. And it’s no longer as easy a decision as it once might have seemed.
It’s not just that Howell has struggled mightily over the last four games — a 59.4 completion percentage, 196 passing yards per game, two touchdowns and six interceptions, including three that were returned for touchdowns. It’s that with him leading the way the Commanders (4-10) have lost five straight, seven of eight have gone 2-10 since their surprising 2-0 start.
As a result, they would currently pick fourth in the 2024 NFL Draft. They have a real shot to pick as high as second. That means whoever takes over for Rivera and general manager Martin Mayhew after the season will be holding a top pick in a quarterback-rich draft and could maybe even have a shot at USC’s Caleb Williams or North Carolina’s Drake Maye, or perhaps LSU’s Jayden Daniels.
With Week 16 right around the corner, Dave Helman reveals his updated NFL power rankings
The new GM and coach will also have no allegiance to Howell, a fifth-round pick in the 2022 draft, nor will they care that Rivera once believed his legacy in Washington would be the franchise quarterback he left behind.
Of course, just because Rivera benched his 23-year-old quarterback doesn’t mean anyone in Washington has — or should — give up on Howell yet. Overall, he’s still had a surprisingly productive season. He ranks seventh in passing yards with 3,568, even though he’s thrown for just 229 total in the last two weeks. He’s completed 64.6 percent of his passes and thrown 19 touchdowns despite being sacked a ridiculous 59 times.
More often than not, he’s been a bright spot on a bad Commanders team.
“There have been some positives and it continues to be positive,” Rivera said. “But the thing you always want to make sure is (that) we’re still seeing the growth. That’s something we have to sit down and discuss and see exactly where we all feel he is.”
Lately, it’s hard to argue there’s been much growth. The six interceptions Howell has thrown in the last four games has ballooned his season total to 15 — the most in the NFL. And it was hard not to notice how well Brissett performed after Howell was pulled on Sunday, going 8 of 10 for 124 yards and two touchdowns on his only two drives.
Yes, the Rams’ defense was sitting back a bit protecting what was a 28-7 lead with nine minutes to go. But there were little things that Brissett did that Howell hadn’t been doing. And there are bigger things, like rediscovering Terry McLaurin, the Commanders’ best receiver. He had a career-high 141 receiving yards on Sunday, including 93 on passes from Brissett. The lack of a connection between Howell and McLaurin has been disappointing all season. One game earlier, McLaurin didn’t even catch a single pass.
That has all helped the doubts creep in where there hadn’t been many before. In early November, Rivera was all but handing the keys to the franchise to Howell. He said, “This franchise has been looking for quite some time and for the first time in a while, I think that that guy might be here.” Now he’s questioning his growth, saying he needs a “reset,” wondering out loud if he’s the guy who gives his team the best chance to win.
“That’s stuff that I have to take into consideration — exactly where he is and how he’s handling these things,” Rivera said. “He’s done a really good job for us and it is a long year. It’s been a tough year. But again, this is stuff that we can hope that he understands, and he learns and he grows.”
There are certainly signs that he has, and he can. As recently as last week, offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy was still raving about Howell’s progress, his intelligence, his pocket presence and more.
“Do I like what he’s done? Yes, I do,” Bieniemy said. “Obviously, in this league, you’re measured by wins and losses, so we have to make sure that is reflecting in that column. But I’m very happy with his development and his growth process. Do we have a long way to go? Yes, we do, but he’s growing every single day.”
Howell’s teammates seem to sense that and still believe in him, too.
“Sam’s still doing a good job of growing and learning and giving us chance to make plays down the field,” McLaurin said. “We’re still rolling with him. We’ve just got to continue to support him and make his job a little easier.”
“He’s going to be a good player in this league for a long time,” Brissett added. “The key is just you can’t be discouraged, can’t lose confidence, and I’m sure he won’t. I’m sure he can come back and be better than this.”
Howell didn’t sound discouraged after he was benched on Sunday. He even insisted: “I know I’m not defined by this one game.” And he won’t be. Rivera has already said Howell will be the starter again when the Commanders play at the New York Jets (5-9) on Christmas Eve. It’s a good bet he’ll be the starter in the final two games, too.
After that, though, all the bets on Howell are now off, because there are just too many variables about his future. No one knows yet who’ll be in charge, let alone what they think of Howell — or even what new owner Josh Harris thinks of Howell and his potential. It’s unclear just how high the Commanders will be picking in the draft, and what the new boss’ evaluation of the quarterback class will be.
There was a time, though, when Howell seemed to be steaming towards making it an easy decision for whoever ended up in charge. Through the first eight games he had completed 66.9 percent of his passes, he had thrown for 2,146 yards and 13 touchdowns, his passer rating was 90.1, and everyone seemed to believe the best was yet to come.
But the only thing that came next were struggles and doubts, leaving many to wonder if Rivera even still believes the Commanders have their franchise quarterback. Not that it matters, since that won’t be his decision.
The legacy he hoped to leave behind is now very much up in the air.
Ralph Vacchiano is the NFC East reporter for FOX Sports, covering the Washington Commanders, Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants. He spent the previous six years covering the Giants and Jets for SNY TV in New York, and before that, 16 years covering the Giants and the NFL for the New York Daily News. Follow him Twitter at @RalphVacchiano.
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2023 NFL odds: Best Week 16 picks, predictions, including Cowboys-Dolphins
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Marcel Louis-Jacques, ESPNDec 12, 2023, 02:11 AM ET
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Marcel Louis-Jacques joined ESPN in 2019 as a beat reporter covering the Buffalo Bills, before switching to the Miami Dolphins in 2021. The former Carolina Panthers beat writer for the Charlotte Observer won the APSE award for breaking news and the South Carolina Press Association award for enterprise writing in 2018.
MIAMI GARDENS — Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill played only 33 snaps in Monday night’s 28-27 loss to the Tennessee Titans after suffering an ankle injury in the first quarter.
Hill was tackled out of bounds after catching a pass from quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and immediately writhed in pain before leaving the field. He initially walked across the field from the Titans’ sideline to the Dolphins’ but ran the final 20 or so yards after hearing “MVP” chants from the home crowd.
The NFL’s leader in receiving yards didn’t play another snap until the Dolphins’ second drive of the third quarter, inspired in part by a text from his wife.
“When it happened, like my first reaction was like, man, my ankle is gone,” he said. “My adrenaline kicked in, I ran off the field, then I sat for a while and it got stiff and I was going through a lot of pain. Then I just made up in my mind, I came in at halftime, I texted my wife, I was like, ‘This s— hurt.’ I need an ankle massage tonight, and she’s like, ‘You’d better get your ass back in that game, dawg.’ I was like, ‘All right.’
“So I just made up my mind that it’s going to hurt. It’s going to suck. Tonight and tomorrow morning. I just went back in the game on my own, without anybody saying, ‘Reek, go.’ It was like, no, f— this, I’ve got to get out there and bring some energy and be that spark.”
Miami was outgained by the Titans 403 yards to 366 and largely struggled without Hill in the game. Miami played without starting offensive linemen Terron Armstead, Robert Hunt and Isaiah Wynn, who were inactive, and center Connor Williams, who left the game because of a knee injury in the first quarter and did not return.
After the game, Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said he hadn’t spoken with the training staff yet for an update on Williams, who was seen wearing a knee brace while standing on the sideline during the game.
“I know it would take a lot to keep him out,” McDaniel said. “It’s probably not the most positive.”
While the Dolphins averaged 5.1 yards per carry, rushing for 158 yards on 31 attempts, they were far less successful throwing the ball.
Against Miami’s decimated offensive line, the Titans attacked, pressuring Tagovailoa on 39% of his dropbacks Monday night. Tagovailoa completed just 4 of 11 passes for 27 yards when pressured and was sacked five times.
He finished with 240 scoreless yards, completing 23 of 33 passes and snapping a streak of 21 consecutive games with a passing touchdown.
“I think what they wanted game-plan-wise was to put a shell over our team, forcing us to run the ball, forcing us to beat them that way,” Tagovailoa said. “But when you have someone like Tyreek go down, it does make it tough, but when you also have a couple of your key O-linemen go down, as well, it does hurt the guys up front and sort of the way we operate.
“I think one of the toughest parts of that is a lot of those guys haven’t gotten reps at some of the positions. It’s not to say that we practice for situations like this to happen. It just so happened that Connor went down and we already had a couple of our guys out. But needless to say, I know the guys up front will get better. I know the guys around me will get better. I will continue to get better. That’s the only way we can grow. We’ve just got to watch the tape. Tough loss tonight, but it’s going to linger like this if we don’t do anything about that.”
Despite playing a minimized role, Hill finished with 61 yards on four catches. Jaylen Waddle led the team in receiving yards with 79 on six catches.
“So I just made up my mind that it’s going to hurt. It’s going to suck. Tonight and tomorrow morning. I just went back in the game on my own, without anybody saying, ‘Reek, go.’ It was like, no, f— this, I’ve got to get out there and bring some energy and be that spark.”
Tyreek Hill on returning to MNF game after injuring ankle
Miami clearly looked off rhythm without Hill, but McDaniel blamed the loss more so on a lack of red zone production — two touchdowns on five red zone trips — rather than Hill’s injury.
“There’s a good amount of offense that goes through [Hill]. However … ‘Ced’ [Cedrick Wilson Jr.] made a couple plays,” he said. “It wasn’t the reason for the lack of first half — or really first three quarter — points. I think there were just critical times that we would be off a hair on first or second down and you’re put in a third down situation, and our protection wasn’t exactly what maybe we’d be used to on a play or two.
“Obviously a player of Tyreek’s caliber, it hurts when he’s not in. However, I think there was plenty of offense to be had and we’ve got a lot of guys that I trust to do that. I think that just bottom line, you have things like that happen in a game, you’re going to lose and those are lessons that are learned usually one way, and that’s the hard one.”
At 9-4, the Dolphins still hold a two-game lead in the AFC East over their division rival Buffalo Bills and host the New York Jets on Sunday. With a win and a Bills loss to the Dallas Cowboys, Miami would set itself up for a division-clinching scenario in Week 16.
There is no guarantee that Hill plays against the Jets — unless the decision is left up to him.
“That’s never something that I would be thinking about,” he said. “But if the trainers come to me, if they see something in the scans whenever I get these scans, they say, ‘Hey, Reek, you can sit out,’ I do it. But me being me, I don’t want to sit out. I want to be able to help this team any way I can, and that’s just who I am. I just don’t want to miss any games.”
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) on Monday announced it had set up an independent cricket regulator after a damning report revealed racism, sexism, classism and elitism in the sport.
The Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket (ICEC) published its findings in June, revealing “widespread” discrimination in the game and making 44 recommendations.
The ICEC was established in 2021 following a racism scandal centred around the treatment of Pakistan-born bowler Azeem Rafiq at Yorkshire County Cricket Club.
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The new regulator will be responsible for monitoring compliance with the game’s regulations, safeguarding, anti-corruption, anti-doping and anti-discrimination.
The body will be headed by former police officer Dave Lewis, taking the role of interim director, and will be overseen by an independent cricket regulatory board.
ECB chief executive Richard Gould welcomed the changes, stating: “It is important that the game has the best processes in place in order to enforce regulations.
“The ICEC report recommended that we introduce further independence to the game’s regulatory process and the cricket regulator overseen by an independent cricket regulatory board will do that.
“The cricket regulator is ring-fenced from the ECB, and that separation will ensure that their work is distinct from our work as the game’s promoter.”
