Category: Sport

  • NFL Playoffs: How to watch the Houston Texans vs. New England Patriots NFL game today

    The Houston Texans are on a ten-game winning streak after defeating the Pittsburgh Steelers in last weekend’s playoff game, and they’ll face one of their most difficult challenges yet when they play the New England Patriots during their divisional round playoff game on Sunday. The Pats will host the game and are favored to win, here’s a look at the latest odds.

    You can tune into the Houston Texans vs. New England Patriots game on ESPN and ABC, which are available on streaming platforms like ESPN Unlimited and DirecTV. Here’s what you need to know to tune in to this week’s game.

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    How to watch the Houston Texans vs. New England Patriots:

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    Date: Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026

    Time: 3:00 p.m. ET

    TV channels: ESPN, ABC

    Streaming: Fubo, DirecTV, ESPN Unlimited, NFL+ and more

    Houston Texans vs. New England Patriots game time:

    The Houston Texans vs. New England Patriots game kicks off at 3:00 p.m. ET/12:00 p.m. PT this Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026.

    Houston Texans vs. New England Patriots game channel:

    The divisional playoff game between the Texans and Patriots will air on ESPN and ABC.

    How to watch the Houston Texans vs. New England Patriots game without cable:

    You can tune in to ESPN and ABC through your cable provider, or on streaming platforms like DirecTV, Fubo and more. You can also stream the game on the ESPN App with ESPN Unlimited, or with NFL+ (via phone or tablet only).

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    Sling Orange, which includes ESPN, ESPN2, TNT, Disney Channel, and 30 more with no other subscriptions or commitment necessary. No strings attached. 

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    NFL Divisional Playoffs schedule:

    All times Eastern.

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    Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026

    • Buffalo Bills vs. Denver Broncos, 4:30 p.m.(CBS)

    • San Francisco 49ers vs. Seattle Seahawks, 8:00 p.m. (FOX)

    Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026

    • Los Angeles Rams vs. Chicago Bears: 6:30 p.m. (NBC/Peacock)

    How to watch NFL games in 2025:

    Many NFL games are broadcast on local channels, so if you’re looking to catch an in-market game, it may be as simple as turning on your TV (or setting up a digital TV antenna) or finding a live TV streaming service that carries the correct RSN (Regional Sports Network). If you want to watch out-of-market games, a $7 monthly subscription to NFL+ will let you watch every out-of-market local and primetime game in the season on your phone — but only a select few regular-season games on your TV. You could also spring for the uber-expensive NFL Sunday Ticket package to get every out-of-market Sunday game of the season.

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    When it comes to nationally broadcast games, NFL games typically air across ESPN, NBC, CBS, Fox, ABC and NFL Network. Thursday Night Football games stream exclusively on Amazon Prime Video, select football games will stream exclusively on Peacock, games on CBS will stream live on Paramount+, and Monday Night Football games will air on ESPN or ABC and stream on the newly revamped ESPN+ this season. That’s six channels and four streaming platforms to keep up with this season — and that’s not counting your local RSN’s for in-market games and an NFL+ or NFL Sunday Ticket subscription for out-of-market games. Plus, Netflix is once again hosting at least two Christmas Day matches, so add that subscription into the mix. And we can’t forget about Fox One, Fox’s first streaming service, a place where you can also stream games airing on FOX (if you don’t already have access to it).

    Confused? You’re not alone. Here’s a breakdown of the platforms we recommend checking out during the 2025 NFL season, so that come game time, tuning into your favorite team’s games will be as easy as simply turning on the TV.

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    Pros

    • Full package free trial available
    • Many local RSNs included
    • Free ESPN unlimited
    • Unlimited Cloud DVR
    Cons

    • Cost
    • Regional Sports Network fee
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    Pros

    • Free trial available
    • Unlimited cloud DVR storage
    • Free ESPN unlimited
    Cons

    • Entirely sports-focused
    • No NBC
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    Pros

    • You probably already have access to Prime Video
    Cons

    • Only Thursday Night Football games
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    Cons

    • Can only watch MOST live games on your phone
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    Pros

    • All ESPN content in one place
    • Content from NFL Network and NFL RedZone
    • Bundle option with NFL+
    Cons

    • Only ESPN games available with the base service

    Every way to watch NFL games this season:

    To recap, here are all the ways you can watch NFL games in 2025.

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  • Clippers F Kawhi Leonard reportedly sent home from road trip with knee irritation

    Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard has been sent home from the team’s road trip due to left knee irritation.

    Leonard is being taken off the road for treatment on his knee and will be evaluated on Wednesday when the Clippers return to LA. Leonard is having a great year despite the team’s struggles, currently sitting in 10th place in the Western Conference with an 18-23 record. In 30 games this season, Leonard is averaging a career high 28.2 points per game while leading the league in steals (2.2 per game) and free throw percentage (94.1).

    Although it’s been a rough start to the season, since Dec. 20 the Clippers are 12-2 and appear to be turning the ship around. During the last 14 games, the Clippers have beaten the Lakers, Rockets, Pistons twice, Warriors and Raptors. Leonard was a huge contributor over the past 14 games, leading the team in scoring in all but three of those games, and he didn’t suit up for the win over Toronto on Friday.

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    The Clippers have been hot lately due largely to Leonard’s play, and now he’s out again, dealing with a knee injury. LA is turning the season around at the right time, and now their star player will miss at least the last two games of this short road trip. The Clippers will conclude this three-game road trip with games against the Washington Wizards on Monday and the Chicago Bulls on Tuesday.

    Knee irritation might not be a big deal for some players, but with Leonard’s history of knee and leg issues throughout his career, there is cause for concern anytime his knees are mentioned. Due to their recent hot streak, the Clippers have climbed out of the dungeon in the West, but they are still barely hanging on to a play-in spot with a half-game lead over the Memphis Grizzlies in 10th place. The longer Leonard is absent, the more it’s likely to hurt their season an undo all the improvements over the past month.

  • Transfer portal: Florida QB DJ Lagway signs with Baylor over a week after first committing to Bears

    Ex-Florida QB DJ Lagway is officially going to Baylor.

    Lagway committed to the Bears on Jan. 8, but had kept his options open. According to multiple reports, he is signing with the school.

    Lagway visited Ole Miss just days after he committed to Baylor. The Rebels could be in search of a QB if Trinidad Chambliss is unsuccessful in his legal attempt to get a sixth year of eligibility. The NCAA has denied Chambliss the opportunity to play in 2026 and he recently filed a lawsuit against the governing body in Mississippi court.

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    The former Gator was then mentioned as a possibility at Duke after QB Darian Mensah entered the transfer portal before it closed on Friday. Mensah has been linked to Miami after he announced his intention to transfer. Miami QB Carson Beck is out of eligibility after Monday night’s national championship game against Indiana.

    Lagway transferred from Florida after the Gators fired coach Billy Napier during the 2025 season and hired former Tulane coach Jon Sumrall. The former four-star recruit took over as Florida’s starter as a freshman in 2024 following Graham Mertz’s season-ending injury and started all 12 of Florida’s games in 2025.

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    A season ago, Lagway was 213-of-337 passing for 2,264 yards and 16 TDs with 14 interceptions. Ten of those picks came in three games as he threw five interceptions in a 20-10 Week 3 loss to LSU, two in a 23-21 win over Mississippi State just before Napier was fired and three more in a 38-7 road loss at Kentucky.

    Baylor is in dire need of a bounce-back season under coach Dave Aranda. The school retained Aranda for the 2026 season after going 5-7 in 2025. It was the fourth losing season in Aranda’s six seasons at the school. The team has won 20 games across the other two seasons.

  • Turkey’s Zeynep Sönmez helps ball girl who fainted on court during Australian Open match

    Turkish tennis player Zeynep Sönmez stopped play to help out Sunday when a ball girl fainted during an Australian Open match.

    The incident happened during the second set of Sonmez’s match against Russia’s Ekaterina Alexandrova. As Sönmez prepared to receive a serve, the ball girl next to the chair umpire stumbled, then fell flat on her back. She quickly got back up to her feet.

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    Sönmez called for a stoppage in play and walked over to check on the ball girl. The chair umpire stepped down from his seat, and Sönmez put her arm around the ball girl to help her walk off the playing court. The ball girl collapsed again in Sönmez’s arms before Sönmez was able to help her find a seat in the shade.

    Per The Telegraph, play was paused for six minutes as the ball girl received medical attention. Sönmez, unseeded and ranked 112th in the world, went on to a 7-5, 4-6, 6-4 upset of the 11th-seeded Alexandrova to advance to the second round.

    “She was really struggling,” Sönmez told BBC Sport of the ball girl after the match. “She said she was fine but it was really obvious she was not fine. So I went to grab her and said,’Sit down and drink something, you’re not fine’.

    “As we were walking she fainted, so luckily I grabbed her. She was really shaking.”

    Per BBC Sport, temperatures peaked at 82 degrees Fahrenheit during play on Sunday. They’re projected to increase to 95 degrees by next weekend.

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    The ball girl’s condition wasn’t reported in the aftermath of the match.

    “I always say it is more important to be a good human being than a good tennis player,” Sönmez said after the match. “It was just my instinct to help her, and I think everyone would do the same. I’m happy I got to help.”

  • ‘It is an embarrassment for the sport’ — SEC, Big Ten still at odds over future format of College Football Playoff

    MIAMI BEACH, Fla. — Only 11 months ago, from a high rise in New Orleans, athletic directors from the SEC and Big Ten huddled in a room for their latest installment of a joint effort (an Alliance, some might call it) with an expressed mission to find solutions to what ails college athletics.

    In fact, the SEC and Big Ten’s partnership was serious enough that the two commissioners, Greg Sankey and Tony Petitti, held a joint news conference after that meeting — the second such gathering following the creation of the alliance in February 2024.

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    In announcing their league marriage, commissioners described the partnership as a “meaningful step” to “fix things” and “a common-sense solution” to a “much brighter horizon.”

    On Sunday, from a luxury hotel in South Beach, as FBS conference leaders met, darkness remains on the horizon.

    Disagreements rage. Divide exists.

    The two wealthiest conferences in college athletics — just months ago locked into what appeared to be a long-term relationship for the betterment of the industry — have seen their relationship fade. No more joint meetings, shared ideals or future plans.

    The SEC and Big Ten seem to be on a path toward divorce — the latest bickering fight playing out here on a rare gloomy day on Miami Beach during annual meetings of College Football Playoff leaders (the FBS conference commissioners and Notre Dame’s athletic director).

    A statue of a football player is on display at Fan Fest for the NCAA College Football Playoff final between Miami and Indiana, Friday, Jan. 16, 2026, in Miami Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

    The future format of the College Football Playoff is still up for grabs after Sunday’s meeting between CFP leaders. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

    (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

    The storm outside was emblematic of the one raging within the walls of the Loews Hotel: two conferences, suddenly, that cannot agree on much. The college football calendar, the playoff, the level of enforcement over athlete compensation, private equity’s inclusion in the sport, etc.

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    During a three-hour meeting Sunday among power conference executives, they failed to reach an agreement on expanding the 12-team playoff, each dug into its current position: The SEC is in support of a 16-team field and the Big Ten is backing a 24-team bracket. The leagues hold sole authority over any format decisions, a move granted to them in spring of 2024 by the eight other FBS conferences.

    A compromise proposal — introduced more than a month ago — would move the playoff to 16 teams for a set amount of years (perhaps two) before an agreement to shift to 24. Officials have not reached an agreement on that concept and may not. SEC commissioner Greg Sankey and his presidents are against making any guarantees in this unpredictable environment of college athletics.

    How have the SEC and Big Ten, compadres a few months ago, fallen so far apart?

    “Self interest,” said one person while exiting the CFP meeting room.

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    The instability within college athletics — little to no enforcement of an industry professionalizing before our eyes — is at the heart of indecision and dysfunction within the playoff room. All of this is tethered together. These are competitive conferences, waging what are now high-priced recruiting bidding wars, battling one another on the field and yet trying to work in tandem off of it — a reason that the SEC is at least in the preliminary stages of considering a conference-only governance model.

    All of that said, there remains faint hope from some that a playoff agreement on expansion can still be reached by this Friday — a deadline set by ESPN for the implementation of any new format next season.

    Sunday was “not a deadline day,” noted CFP board of managers chair Mark Keenum, the Mississippi State president. Friday’s deadline is the final extension that ESPN will give, according to CFP executive director Rich Clark.

    The playoff will remain at 12 teams if a compromise cannot be reached by then.

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    Is an agreement really possible?

    “That’s up to two people in the room,” American Conference commissioner Tim Pernetti said.

    “They are negotiating,” Keenum said. “We’ll see where it comes out.”

    “Still more work to do,” Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti told reporters as he left the room.

    Outside of the SEC and Big Ten, what do the other conferences want?

    Most of them have voiced public support for a 16-team model with automatic qualifiers for each of the four power leagues and the best non-power league conference champion, plus 11 at-large selections. However, some of them privately are more than open to a discussion about the Big Ten’s proposed 24-team model, which includes four automatic qualifiers for each of the four power leagues, plus two Group of Six bids and six at-large selections (that’s at least one of many proposals discussed as it relates to a 24-team bracket).

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    The SEC and its presidents are against growing to that many programs as such a move impacts conference championship games, bowls, the regular season and the calendar itself.

    In perhaps an ominous comment, Keenum reminded reporters Sunday of the painstakingly slow process of the last expansion.

    “It took five years for us to go from four to 12,” Keenum said. “I think the fact we are having conversations is a good thing, but there’s a lot of things to weigh on this.”

    This is only Year 2 of the new 12-team playoff. In fact, expansion conversations beyond 12 started even before the completion of the first 12-team field last year.

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    Back then, the SEC and Big Ten got along, agreed on plenty and even held joint meetings. Those days feel over — a microcosm of the now years-long fracturing of the entire industry.

    “It is an embarrassment for the sport,” scoffed one college leader Sunday.

    In fact, while conference commissioners and their corresponding presidents met Sunday over playoff matters, a young child was heard crying down a hallway from the meeting room.

    “Hey,” one reporter playfully said upon hearing the child’s wailing, “the commissioners are arguing again.”

  • Braves SS Ha-Seong Kim out 4-5 months due to hand injury after slipping on ice, will miss start of 2026 season

    The Atlanta Braves will be without starting shortstop Ha-Seong Kim to start the season.

    Kim suffered a hand injury while in South Korea recently, the team announced Sunday. According to MLB.com’s Mark Bowman, Kim suffered the injury after slipping and falling on ice. He underwent surgery in Atlanta to repair a torn tendon in his right middle finger, and will spend the next four to five months recovering.

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    That means that Kim wouldn’t make his season debut with the Braves until mid-May or sometime in June.

    The Braves first claimed Kim off waivers last September after he started the season with the Tampa Bay Rays. He didn’t make his debut last season until July 4 due to right shoulder surgery he underwent late in 2024. Kim then declined a player option for the final season, and ended up striking a new one-year, $20 million deal with the Braves. That new contract gave him a $4 million raise.

    [Get more Braves news: Atlanta team feed]

    Kim was No. 25 in Yahoo Sports’ Top 50 MLB free-agent rankings.

    The 30-year-old had three home runs and 12 RBI in 24 games with the Braves last season, his fifth in the league. Kim got his start with the San Diego Padres in 2021.

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    The Braves went 76-86 last season and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2017, which was also the last time the franchise finished a campaign with a losing record. That led to longtime manager Brian Snitker stepping down. The team then opted to promote bench coach Walt Weiss to replace him in November.

    The Braves will open the 2026 season on March 27 against the Kansas City Royals.

  • Texans lose Dalton Schultz to a calf injury during injury-riddled first half vs. Patriots

    The Houston Texans came into Sunday’s AFC divisional playoff game against the New England Patriots without Nico Collins, their best offensive player. Before halftime, the team lost another important member of the offense … and had numerous other injury scares.

    Tight end Dalton Schultz left the divisional round game due to injury. Schultz suffered a calf injury near the end of the first quarter. It appeared to be a non-contact injury for the 29-year-old, who grabbed at his calf after prematurely slowing down while running a passing route.

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    After being evaluated, it was determined Schultz would not return. He finished the game with two catches for 47 yards.

    [Get more Texans news: Houston team feed]

    Schultz wasn’t the only member of the Texans’ offense who got banged up in the first half. The team briefly lost running back Woody Marks and offensive lineman Tytus Howard with injuries. The Texans went on to lose 28-16, sending the Patriots to the AFC championship next weekend in Denver.

    Marks went down with an injury in the second quarter. After carrying the ball eight times and securing one catch before the end of the second quarter, Marks may have been injured while making a tackle after Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud threw one of his four first-half interceptions.

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    Stroud attempted to hit Xavier Hutchinson with a pass over the middle to try and make it 3rd and short. The ball hit Hutchinson in the hands and bounced into the arms of Patriots defender Craig Woodson, who slid to the ground, got up and attempted to advance the ball.

    Woodson was able to gain a few yards back before he was hit hard by Marks, who made the tackle.

    Shortly after the play, Marks was spotted being looked at by trainers on the sideline. He was initially deemed questionable to return with a shoulder injury. By the time the Texans’ next offensive drive started, Marks was back on the field.

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    Howard was also spotted receiving medical attention on the sideline. He was never officially given an injury designation and was able to return.

    The Texans came into the game without Collins, who led the team in receiving yards and tied for the team lead in touchdowns in 2025. Collins suffered a concussion against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the wild-card round and was unable to take part in practice all week.

    While Collins was the team’s most productive receiver, Schultz actually led the team in receptions, hauling in 82 passes this season.

    With both players sidelined early, Stroud was forced to rely on Christian Kirk and rookies Hutchinson and Jayden Higgins the rest of the way.

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    This story will be updated.

  • DeMario Douglas breaks out ‘Zombieland’ celebration against the Texans, something that’s still going strong years later

    Even more than three years after it was reportedly first created, the “Zombieland” celebration is still relevant in the football world.

    New England Patriots wide receiver DeMario Douglas hit it after scoring a touchdown early in their divisional round matchup with the Houston Texans on Sunday afternoon. That put the Patriots up 7-0 at Gillette Stadium. The Patriots eventually won, 28-16, and advanced to the AFC title game against the top-seeded Denver Broncos.

    That celebration is nothing new, and has been around the sports world for quite some time. It apparently stemmed from former Western Kentucky football players, who first started breaking it out during media day ahead of the 2022 season. Upton Stout, C.J. Jones and Kahlef Hailassie then explained it after a game a few weeks later.

    “We were just having fun, just posing. And then boom, me, C.J. and Lef, I forgot who was taking pictures and we were just like [this], and we were like hold up, hold up. Do it again, do it again. That’s when it all really originated,” Stout said, via WBKO.

    It didn’t take long for it to take off. Former Miami quarterback Cam Ward — who was eventually selected with the No. 1 overall NFL Draft pick and just finished his rookie season with the Tennessee Titans — helped boost it during his dominant run with the Hurricanes. Since then, it’s been something that’s been widespread across football and throughout the sports world in general.

    Even now, more than three years after the move was first pulled out, the “Zombieland” is still going strong.

  • 2026 NFL offseason preview: Houston Texans need answers on offense to support an elite defense

    The NFL offseason has begun, and Yahoo Sports is previewing the coming months for all 32 teams, from free agency through the draft and more.

    AFC East: Bills | Dolphins | Patriots | Jets
    AFC North: Ravens | Bengals | Browns | Steelers
    AFC South: Texans | Colts | Jaguars | Titans
    AFC West: Broncos | Chiefs | Raiders | Chargers
    NFC East: Cowboys | Giants | Eagles | Commanders
    NFC North: Bears | Lions | Packers | Vikings
    NFC South: Falcons | Panthers | Saints | Buccaneers
    NFC West: Cardinals | Rams | 49ers | Seahawks

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    2025 season record: 12-5 (o 9.5 wins), second in AFC South, lost to Patriots in divisional round, fourth in DVOA

    Overview

    The start of the 2025 season looked like it was going to be more of the same for the Texans. An offensive coordinator change didn’t immediately fix the offensive line issues and the offense sputtered. After an 18-15 loss to the Denver Broncos in Week 9, the Texans were 3-5. They didn’t lose a regular-season game after that.

    Houston’s defense was the biggest reason. It’s a unit full of players who are always in the right place and will play at 110 mph with no brakes. The Texans finished third in defensive EPA per play and second in DVOA. All-Pro seasons from Derek Stingley Jr. and Will Anderson Jr. propelled the defense to a league-low 277 yards allowed per game. The offense also came alive, as much as it could. C.J. Stroud finished 12th in EPA per play among quarterbacks while he cut down on sacks and interceptions. That was until the playoffs, when Stroud threw four interceptions in a divisional-round loss to the Patriots.

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    [Get more Texans news: Houston team feed]

    The Texans asserted themselves as one of the best teams in the league by the end of the season. By DVOA, they were the top team in the AFC. With a defense that should keep up this level of play, and a quarterback who struggled at times but also made quite a bit out of less-than-ideal circumstances, Houston should be a franchise that sticks around as a threat in the AFC.

    Cap/cuts outlook

    Houston has -$7.3 million effective salary cap space entering the 2026 offseason, which ranks 23rd per Over The Cap. The Texans could move on from Joe Mixon ($8 million) and Mario Edwards ($4.4 million) to get into the green to operate during the offseason. Houston could free up another $30 million in cap space by restructuring the deals for Derek Stingley Jr. and Nico Collins. With 46 players on the roster, the Texans could have the financial flexibility to target some more meaningful free agents rather than filling out the roster with depth.

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    Key pending free agents

    DL Sheldon Rankins
    OL Trent Brown
    OL Ed Ingram
    WR Christian Kirk

    Most of Houston’s pending free agents were swings the team took in previous runs at free agency and don’t need anymore. Rankins, a 17-game starter who was third on the team in pressures and provided interior disruption, would seem like the best bet to return. Brown came back into the lineup and played right tackle during the stretch when the Houston offense improved, but he turns 32 years old in April and hasn’t played a full season since 2022. Ingram was 29th in blown block rate among right tackles, per Sports Info Solutions.

    Positional needs

    Offensive line
    Running Back

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    The Texans’ offensive line improved during the regular season by not blowing assignments as often as it had during the first half of the season and throughout 2024. Early in the season, Houston’s opponents leaned heavily into stunts and sim pressures to force the offensive line to adjust, but that went away by the end of the season and Houston ranked only 12th in the rate of stunts faced and 22nd in sim pressures faced, according to MatchQuarters.

    On top of the offensive line, the Texans could use more juice at the running back spot. Houston was 29th in rushing success rate, 25th in yards before contact per rush and 27th in stuff rate. Houston was also 27th in the rate of running back carries that went at least 10 yards. So much of that falls on the offensive line. However, on runs with at least a yard before contact, the Texans still ranked 22nd in the rate of runs of 10 or more yards and 26th in success rate.

    2026 NFL Draft picks

    1st round, pick No. 28
    2nd round (WAS), pick No. 38
    2nd round, pick No. 59
    3rd round (NYG), pick No. 69
    4th round (WAS)
    4th round
    5th round
    7th round (SF)
    7th round

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    What could move the fantasy needle in 2026?

    Fix C.J. Stroud

    It’s a full-court press to get the quarterback back on track this offseason. DeMeco Ryans and key defensive players like Will Anderson Jr. were quick to come to Stroud’s defense after the Texans’ playoff loss to the Patriots and offer words of affirmation. Actions speak louder than words. Ryans and general manager Nick Caserio can’t take half measures to try and get the offense back on track this coming season. That was the approach in far too many capacities last offseason. The team needs to come away with a serious solution to the running game and along the offensive line, in addition to making a serious effort to develop young players like Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel.

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    All of that might not be enough to fix Stroud, but you can’t come away from this offseason without knowing you gave it your best effort. — Matt Harmon

    Good draft fit

    Kadyn Proctor, OT, Alabama

    Proctor is huge (6-foot-7, 366 pounds) with surprising athleticism to boot. He’ll need it to handle the speed of NFL edge rushers, but if he can develop and maintain his good fundamentals, he has a chance to be one of the top tackles in the NFL. The Texans and C.J. Stroud could really use that.

    Betting nugget

    A terrific defense and an offense that lacked punch led to a lot of unders in the regular season for the Texans. Houston was 10-6-1 to the under, tied for the third-best under mark this season. — Ben Fawkes

  • Los Angeles Rams vs. Chicago Bears: How to watch the NFL divisional round playoff game tonight

    The Chicago Bears bounced back from an 18-point deficit to defeat the Green Bay Packers over Wild Card Weekend, and they’ll now face the Los Angeles Rams in the divisional round playoff on their home turf, Soldier Field. The Bears and Rams did not meet in the regular season, so this will be the first time they face off; the winner will go on to play the winner of this weekend’s Seattle Seahawks vs. San Francisco 49ers game in the NFC Championship game on January 25. Here’s a closer look at the current playoff bracket.

    Kick off for this week’s divisional round playoff game between the Rams and Bears is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock; here’s everything you need to know about this week’s game and the rest of the divisional round playoff schedule.

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    How to watch the Los Angeles Rams vs. Chicago Bears:

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    Date: Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026

    Time: 6:30 p.m. ET

    TV channel: NBC

    Streaming: DirecTV, Peacock, YouTube TV, NFL+ and more

    Los Angeles Rams vs. Chicago Bears game time:

    The Rams vs. Bears game kicks off at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT this Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026.

    Los Angeles Rams vs. Chicago Bears game channel:

    The divisional playoff game between the Rams and the Bears will air on NBC, with Spanish-language broadcasts also available on Telemundo and Universo.

    How to watch the Los Angeles Rams vs. Chicago Bears game without cable:

    You can stream NBC on platforms like DirecTV and Peacock. (Note that Fubo and NBC are currently in the midst of a contract dispute and NBC channels are not currently available on the platform.) The game will also be streaming on Peacock and on NFL+, though with an NFL+ subscription, you’re limited to watching this week’s game on mobile devices.

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    Parks and Recreation and The Office, every Bravo show and much more.

    For $17 monthly you can upgrade to an ad-free subscription which includes live access to your local NBC affiliate (not just during designated sports and events) and the ability to download select titles to watch offline.

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    NFL Divisional Playoffs schedule:

    All times Eastern.

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    Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026

    • Buffalo Bills vs. Denver Broncos, 4:30 p.m.(CBS)

    • San Francisco 49ers vs. Seattle Seahawks, 8:00 p.m. (FOX)

    Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026

    • Los Angeles Rams vs. Chicago Bears: 6:30 p.m. (NBC/Peacock)

    How to watch NFL games in 2026:

    Many NFL games are broadcast on local channels, so if you’re looking to catch an in-market game, it may be as simple as turning on your TV (or setting up a digital TV antenna) or finding a live TV streaming service that carries the correct RSN (Regional Sports Network). If you want to watch out-of-market games, a $7 monthly subscription to NFL+ will let you watch every out-of-market local and primetime game in the season on your phone — but only a select few regular-season games on your TV. You could also spring for the uber-expensive NFL Sunday Ticket package to get every out-of-market Sunday game of the season.

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    When it comes to nationally broadcast games, NFL games typically air across ESPN, NBC, CBS, Fox, ABC and NFL Network. Thursday Night Football games stream exclusively on Amazon Prime Video, select football games will stream exclusively on Peacock, games on CBS will stream live on Paramount+, and Monday Night Football games will air on ESPN or ABC and stream on the newly revamped ESPN+ this season. That’s six channels and four streaming platforms to keep up with this season — and that’s not counting your local RSN’s for in-market games and an NFL+ or NFL Sunday Ticket subscription for out-of-market games. And we can’t forget about Fox One, Fox’s first streaming service, a place where you can also stream games airing on FOX (if you don’t already have access to it).

    Confused? You’re not alone. Here’s a breakdown of the platforms we recommend checking out so that come game time, tuning into your favorite team’s games will be as easy as simply turning on the TV.

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    Pros

    • Full package free trial available
    • Many local RSNs included
    • Free ESPN unlimited
    • Unlimited Cloud DVR
    Cons

    • Cost
    • Regional Sports Network fee
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    Pros

    • Offers NFL Sunday Ticket bundle
    • Offers almost every channel you need for NFL games
    Cons

    • High cost
    • Locked into YouTube TV Base Plan with the Sunday Ticket bundle
    • Known for broadcast delays
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    Pros

    • Free trial available
    • Unlimited cloud DVR storage
    • Free ESPN unlimited
    Cons

    • Entirely sports-focused
    • No NBC
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    Pros

    • You probably already have access to Prime Video
    Cons

    • Only Thursday Night Football games
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    Cons

    • Can only watch MOST live games on your phone
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    Pros

    • All ESPN content in one place
    • Content from NFL Network and NFL RedZone
    • Bundle option with NFL+
    Cons

    • Only ESPN games available with the base service

    How to watch NFL games in-person:

    Tickets for the 2025 NFL season are on sale now.

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    Find tickets

    Every way to watch NFL games this season:

    To recap, here are all the ways you can watch NFL games in 2025.

     

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