Coco Gauff will step onto the court for her first round match at the 2026 Australian Open tonight, where she’ll face Uzbekistan’s Kamilla Rakhimova. Gauff is ranked No. 3 in the world, with two Grand Slam wins under her belt. Kamilla Rakhimova is currently ranked 57. The pair will face off in Rod Laver Arena tonight, with an estimated start time of 7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT. Tournament coverage will air across ESPN and ESPN2. The entire tournament will be available to stream on ESPN+ for ESPN Unlimited subscribers. Here’s what you need to know about watching the 2026 Australian Open.
How to watch Coco Gauff play tonight:
Date: Sunday, January 18
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Time (estimated): 7:30 p.m. ET
Location: Rod Laver Arena
TV channel: ESPN2
Streaming: ESPN+
When does Coco Gauff play at the 2026 Australian Open?
Coco Gauff vs. Kamilla Rakhimova play their first round at the Australian Open tonight at 7:30 p.m. ET.
Coco Gauff vs. Kamilla Rakhimova match start time:
In the U.S., the first round match between Gauff and Rakhimova is estimated to start around 7:30 p.m. ET.
Australian Open channel:
In the U.S., the Australian Open will air on ESPN, with the entire tournament streaming on ESPN+ for Unlimited subscribers. Select tournament coverage will also air on ESPN2, before moving to ESPN for the semifinals and beyond.
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How to watch the 2026 Australian Open:
Where to watch the 2026 Australian Open without cable:
If you want to catch every match of the Australian Open and don’t currently subscribe to ESPN+, cable or a live TV streaming service, in Australia a majority of the action will be streaming free with ads on 9Now.
Don’t live in the land down under? Don’t worry, you can still stream like you do with the help of a VPN. A VPN (virtual private network) helps protect your data, can mask your IP address and is perhaps most popular for being especially useful in the age of streaming. Whether you’re looking to watch Friends on Netflix (which left the U.S. version of the streamer back in 2019) or tune in to tennis coverage without a cable package, a VPN can help you out. Looking to try a VPN for the first time? This guide breaks down the best VPN options for every kind of user.
ExpressVPN also offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, in case you’re nervous about trying a VPN.
Australian Open 2026 schedule:
All times Eastern
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Saturday, January 17
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(Day 1) Men’s and Women’s 1st Round: 7:00 p.m.
Sunday, January 18
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(Day 1) Men’s and Women’s 1st Round: 3:00 a.m.
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(Day 2) Men’s and Women’s 1st Round: 7:00 p.m.
Monday, January 19
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(Day 2) Men’s and Women’s 1st Round: 3:00 a.m.
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(Day 3) Men’s and Women’s 1st Round: 7:00 p.m.
Tuesday, January 20
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(Day 3) Men’s and Women’s 1st Round: 3:00 a.m.
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(Day 4) Men’s and Women’s 2nd Round: 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday, January 21
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(Day 4) Men’s and Women’s 2nd Round: 3:00 a.m.
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(Day 5) Men’s and Women’s 2nd Round: 7:00 p.m.
Thursday, January 22
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(Day 5) Men’s and Women’s 2nd Round: 3:00 a.m.
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(Day 6) Men’s and Women’s 3rd Round: 7:00 p.m.
Friday, January 23
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(Day 6) Men’s and Women’s 3rd Round: 3:00 a.m.
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(Day 7) Men’s and Women’s 3rd Round: 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, January 24
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(Day 7) Men’s and Women’s 3rd Round: 3:00 a.m.
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(Day 8) Men’s and Women’s 4th Round: 7:00 p.m.
Sunday, January 25
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(Day 8) Men’s and Women’s 4th Round: 3:00 a.m.
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(Day 9) Men’s and Women’s 4th Round: 7:00 p.m.
Monday, January 26
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(Day 9) Men’s and Women’s 4th Round: 3:00 a.m.
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(Day 10) Men’s and Women’s Quarterfinals: 7:00 p.m.
Tuesday, January 27
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(Day 10) Men’s and Women’s Quarterfinals: 3:00 a.m.
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(Day 11) Men’s and Women’s Quarterfinals: 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday, January 28
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(Day 11) Men’s and Women’s Quarterfinals: 3:00 a.m.
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(Day 12) Women’s Semifinals: 7:00 p.m.
Thursday, January 29
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(Day 13) Men’s Semifinal: 8:00 p.m.
Friday, January 30
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(Day 13) Men’s Semifinal: 3:30 a.m.
Saturday, January 31
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(Day 14) Women’s Final: 3:30 a.m.
Sunday, February 1
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(Day 15) Men’s Final: 3:30 a.m.
Who is playing in the 2026 Australian Open?
The top 10 seeded players for the singles draws are listed below.
Men’s singles seeds for the Australian Open 2026
1. Carlos Alcaraz
2. Jannik Sinner
3. Alexander Zverev
4. Novak Djokovic
5. Felix Auger-Aliassime
Women’s singles seeds for the Australian Open 2026
1. Aryna Sabalenka
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2. Iga Swiatek
3. Amanda Anisimova
4. Coco Gauff
5. Elena Rybakina
Australian Open prize money:
For 2026, the men’s and women’s singles winners of the Australian Open each get $4,150,000, with the runner-up receiving $2,150,000 and Semi-finalists $1,250,000.
More ways to watch the 2026 Australian Open:
Senegal beats Morocco to claim another AFCON title after controversy, giant fan brawl in extra time
Senegal won the Africa Cup of Nations trophy for the second time on Sunday afternoon, though only after a truly chaotic scene broke out during the final match in Rabat, the capital city of Morocco.
Senegal topped Morocco 1-0 on a stoppage time goal from Pape Gueye on Sunday, which gave them the AFCON title. But the match was completely overshadowed by controversy and a violent outburst from a section of Senegal supporters at the Prince Moulay Abdellah stadium in Morocco’s capital.
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Late at the end of stoppage time in the second half, Morocco was given a penalty after Senegal’s El Hadi Malik Diouf fouled Brahim Diaz in the penalty area — determined after a VAR check. That came just minutes after what would have been a winning goal was called off on the other end, too, something that couldn’t have been reversed with VAR.
That led to both benches breaking out into a fight on the sidelines. Eventually, Senegal manager Pape Thiaw actually called his team off the field and into the locker room out of protest.
While the players were off the field, a huge fight broke out in the Senegal supporters’ section. Several supporters were seen fighting with stadium security, throwing chairs and more behind the goal.
Once things on the pitch had gotten under control again, Senegal came back out from the locker room to continue the game. Diaz went to attempt his penalty kick that he was awarded nearly 20 minutes earlier, but he missed. That sent the game into extra time.
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Finally, it was Gueye who hit the game-winner and sealed the victory for Senegal.
“We saw what happened at the end of the game but we decided to come back to the pitch and give our all. We were able to score and win the game,” Gueye said, via The Athletic.
“We had felt some injustice because before that, there was a fault for us but the referee did not see it. As humans, we felt frustrated. Sadio told us to come back [on the pitch], we found the strength to come back and Mendy saved the penalty.”
Senegal has now won the AFCON title for the second time in the last three outings. They beat Egypt in 2021, which came two years after they fell to Algeria in the championship match in 2019.
Patriots return to AFC title game for first time in 7 years, send Texans into offseason of questions about C.J. Stroud
The Houston Texans had a championship-level defense. There should be little doubt about that.
At one point not long ago, C.J. Stroud looked like a future Super Bowl-winning quarterback. His rookie season is one of the best ever. Houston has to wonder if that’s ever coming back.
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This season’s Texans had a good shot to go to the first AFC championship game in their franchise’s history, and maybe to Super Bowl LX as well. In a divisional round matchup at the New England Patriots, Houston’s defense made plays. The Texans needed the offense, directed by Stroud, to be decent. It wasn’t.
The Patriots are moving on to the AFC championship game after a 28-16 victory in Foxborough. Their defense forced Stroud and Houston into numerous mistakes, with Stroud throwing four interceptions including a pick 6, and while the offense wasn’t great, it was good enough for the Patriots to win 28-16. Drake Maye had three touchdowns and continues to add to what has been a phenomenal second NFL season. Maye has become what the Texans thought they had in Stroud a couple years ago.
[Get more Patriots news: New England team feed]
The Patriots will face a Broncos team that will have to start Jarrett Stidham, who hasn’t thrown a regular-season pass in two seasons, at quarterback. Bo Nix’s ankle injury doesn’t make the Patriots a lock to win the AFC next week, but their prospects are much better than they were going into the weekend.
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“The news is heartbreaking,” Maye said afterward about Nix’s injury.
That could have been the Texans. It seemed like a wasted opportunity for Houston, with arguably the best defense in the NFL. Quarterbacks too often get overly blamed for losses. It’s hard to not put plenty of what happened Sunday at Stroud’s feet. That’s not ideal with the Texans having to make a decision on whether to make a long-term commitment to Stroud, which will cost them a small fortune.
“I feel like I let people down, and that hurts,” Stroud said.
Patriots pounce on Texans’ turnover woes
One way to negate the advantage of having a great defense is to have the offense give away the ball, and give away points too.
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The Texans had a mistake-filled first half. The costliest error came when Stroud was under pressure from outside linebacker K’Lavon Chaisson and threw blindly to the middle of the field as he was hit. The ball was popped up in the air, Patriots cornerback Marcus Jones picked it off and he returned it 26 yards for a touchdown. It’s easier to score on the Texans when their defense isn’t on the field.
The Patriots also put together some offense. Drake Maye hit DeMario Douglas for a 28-yard touchdown a little more than five minutes into the game to get the scoring started. Later in the half, Stefon Diggs had a great touchdown catch in the end zone and New England led 21-10.
While the offense was having some success against the Texans, New England’s defense was the one creating havoc. Stroud threw four interceptions in the first half. One, which went off Xavier Hutchinson’s hands over the middle, wasn’t the QB’s fault. The rest were.
It was a horrific half for Stroud and the Texans’ offense. Stroud completed just 10-of-26 passes and had the four turnovers.
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Despite the struggles, Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans said he never considered benching Stroud.
”C.J. is our guy,” he said.
In addition to the turnovers, Houston had a Woody Marks touchdown taken off the board due to an illegal shift penalty and had to settle for a field goal. The Texans didn’t have wideout Nico Collins, who was out with a concussion, and they lost tight end Dalton Schultz early on to a calf injury. Those two losses obviously hurt, but it didn’t fully explain how bad Houston’s offense was in the first half.
Texans now must decide what to do with C.J. Stroud
The Texans have lost in the divisional round in each of Stroud’s three seasons. Before Stroud and head coach DeMeco Ryans arrived, the Texans were perhaps the worst organization in the NFL. Making the divisional round three seasons in a row after that isn’t terrible. But it is getting frustrating.
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Stroud has regressed, and there’s a fair argument to be had whether that’s on him or the Texans for not putting more talent around him. But the results haven’t been great for two seasons.
Stroud is eligible for a massive extension. The going rate for quarterbacks getting that extension starts somewhere near the $50 million per year range. The Texans probably will pay that. But it’s also hard to feel confident about it anymore. That rookie season keeps sliding further in the past.
The Texans had chances to win an ugly game that had eight combined turnovers in the first 40 minutes, which was the most in a playoff game since the end of the 2015 season. Ryans electing to kick a field goal on fourth-and-2 at New England’s 7-yard line was a bad decision, but part of it had to be lack of confidence in Stroud making a play. Houston’s defense kept the Texans in the game before New England’s offense made its first huge play of the second half, early in the fourth quarter. Kayshon Boutte had a great one-handed catch in the end zone for a 28-16 lead.
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Given how the Texans’ offense had played, it seemed like that touchdown would be enough to carry New England to a win.
The Patriots move on knowing they’re one win against a backup quarterback from a Super Bowl. The Texans have to wonder what’s next for them. This was perhaps their best shot to make the first Super Bowl in team history. Instead, they fell to 0-7 all time in the divisional round and have some uncomfortable questions about their quarterback and what has happened since his historic rookie season.
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Ian Casselberry
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Ian Casselberry
Hey, nobody hits on all of their picks.
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Ian Casselberry
Texans – 241 yards total offense
C.J. Stroud: 20-of-47, 212 yards, 1 TD, 4 INT
Woody Marks: 14 rushes, 17 yards
Jayden Higgins: 6 catches, 59 yardsWill Anderson: 3 sacks, 1 forced fumble
5 team turnovers
Patriots – 248 yards total offense
Drake Maye: 16-of-27, 179 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT
Rhamondre Stevenson: 16 carries, 70 yards
Kayshon Boutte: 3 catches, 75 yards, 1 TDCarlton Banks III: 2 INT
3 team turnovers
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Drake Maye kneels down twice to run out the clock and clinch a 28-16 divisional playoff win for the Patriots.
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Ian Casselberry
The Texans got a first down on a 13-yard pass from CJ. Stroud to Woody Marks. But on fourth-and-4, a deep pass to Xavier Hutchinson is dropped and the Patriots take over with 1:03 left in the game.
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Ian Casselberry
New England could not get a first down after the 2-minute warning with Drake Maye missing Austin Hooper on a third-and-10 pass.
Following a 41-yard punt by Bryce Baringer and 8-yard return from Brendan Schooler, the Texans take over at their 28-yard line with 1:45 left in the game.
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New England goes to the 2-minute warning with a third-and-10 after Rhamondre Stevenson runs for no gain at the Patriots’ 39-yard line.
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Ian Casselberry
Houston calls its last timeout with 3:55 remaining in the fourth quarter. That came after Rhamondre Stevenson gave the Patriots a first down with a 2-yard run on second-and-1.
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Ian Casselberry
The Texans needed to put a drive together and get some points with less than six minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. But Khyiris Tonga sacked C.J. Stroud on third-and-10 for an 8-yard loss.
Houston probably needed to go for it on fourth down, but at fourth-and-18 from its 21-yard line, coach DeMeco Ryans opts to punt and give New England the ball back with four minutes left in the game.
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Ian Casselberry
Following a 14-yard pass to Stefon Diggs, the Patriots can’t get another first down. However, they ran 10 plays for 44 yards and took 5:58 off the clock.
The Texans get the ball back at their 14-yard line after a 38-yard Bryce Baringer punt with 5:48 remaining in the game.
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Ian Casselberry
Backed up near their end zone, the Patriots have grinded out some runs to get some distance from the goal line while also burning time off the clock.
Rhamondre Stevenson carried the ball four consecutive times, gaining 25 yards. TreVeyon Henderson followed with a 6-yard run that advanced the ball out to the New England 35-yard line.
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Following two incompletions by C.J. Stroud, Tommy Townsend booms a 69-yard punt that Ja’Marcus Ingram downs at the New England 4-yard line.
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Texans fans will surely complain that Christian Gonzalez was not called for pass interference while colliding with Jayden Higgins on a deep pass.
Maybe that was incidental contact. But ESPN replays showed that Charles Woods also should have been called for a penalty on the other side of the field for pulling on Christian Kirk’s shirt. No flag was thrown, however.
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Ian Casselberry
The Patriots add to their lead with an outstanding one-handed catch by Kayshon Boutte for a 32-yard touchdown.
The play is being reviewed, but it appeared that Boutte had control of the ball as he fell to the turf.
Prior to the touchdown, New England got a big gain with a pass interference call on Derek Stingley Jr. resulting in 17 yards. That penalty came while covering Boutte, as well.
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Ian Casselberry
The third quarter ends with Houston’s Danielle Hunter sacking Drake Maye. The Patriots will start the fourth with a 2nd-and-10 from their 43-yard line.
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Ian Casselberry
Despite snowy conditions in Foxborough, Texans kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn kicks a 51-yard field goal to cut the Patriots’ lead to 21-16 with 1:32 left in the third quarter.
The Texans’ drive stalled at the Patriots’ 38-yard line with Anfernee Jennings sacking C.J. Stroud for a 3-yard loss on second-and-10.
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Ian Casselberry
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Ian Casselberry
Carlton Davis III has two interceptions, but was flagged for the second time in this game for pass interference on a third-and-7 throw to Jayden Higgins.
The 21-yard penalty give Houston the ball at the New England 35-yard line.
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Ian Casselberry
The Patriots couldn’t get a first down after recovering Woody Marks’ fumble. Bryce Baringer punts 44 yards from his own 15-yard line and the Texans take over at their 41-yard line.
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Ian Casselberry
The Texans drove into the red zone on four plays following Drake Maye’s fumble on a strip-sack by Will Anderson.
But on second-and-8 from the New England 17, Christian Gonzalez forces a fumble from Woody Marks and Craig Woodson recovers.
The Patriots take over at their 12-yard line.
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C.J. Stroud will be criticized for his four interceptions, but Drake Maye has fumbled four times. This one was recovered by the Texans’ Azeez Al-Shaair after Will Anderson sacked Maye.
Houston takes over at the New England 33-yard line after the turnover.
C.J. Stroud’s 4 interceptions doom Texans vs. Patriots in turnover-laden divisional round matchup
A poor postseason for Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud got worse Sunday on a turnover-laden day as the New England Patriots secured a 28-16 win over Houston to advance to the AFC championship game.
After turning the ball over three times in Monday’s wild-card win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, Stroud committed four in the divisional round against the Patriots — all in the first half and all of them on interceptions.
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Stroud’s interceptions accounted for half of the eight total turnovers between the two teams, the most in a playoff game since the 2015 NFC championship game between the Arizona Cardinals and Carolina Panthers.
Patriots quarterback Drake Maye lost two fumbles and threw an interception of his own as he struggled with ball security against Houston’s ball-hawking defense. He also committed two fumbles that the Patriots recovered.
But it was Stroud’s four turnovers — and a fifth Texans giveaway on a second-half red zone fumble by Woody Marks — that set the tone for New England’s win.
Stroud finished the day completing 20 of 47 passes for 212 yards with 1 touchdown and 4 interceptions. He finished with a passer rating of 28, which is tied with former Ram Deiter Brock as the 29th worst in playoff history.
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Stroud lost two fumbles and threw an interception against the Steelers last week, but Houston’s defense scored two touchdowns that game to spark a 30-6 Texans win. Stroud’s turnovers were too much for Houston to overcome against New England.
Carlton Davis III nabs 2 interceptions, including sensational sideline grab
Patriots cornerback Carlton Davis III secured two of the interceptions thrown by Stroud, including an incredible diving sideline grab for Stroud’s first turnover of the game late in the first quarter. Stroud threw a first-and-10 pass to the left sideline targeting Christian Kirk. He overthrew Kirk, and Davis made a play on the ball.
Davis laid out and made a diving catch, but appeared initially to land out of bounds. He got up and celebrated the play immediately.
A sideline angle confirmed that Davis secured the catch and landed in bounds before rolling out of bounds — just barely. Davis’ right knee hit the green just before he rolled out of bounds.
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An inch more, and he would have been out.
The Patriots turned the ball over two plays later on a Drake Maye fumble that set up a Texans touchdown. But Stroud’s four interceptions were the story of the first half as the Patriots built a 21-10 lead.
Stroud’s pick 6 gives Patriots the lead
Stroud’s second interception was the costliest. He faced pressure and got hit by linebacker K’Lavon Chaisson while throwing off his back foot. The ball fluttered high in the air, and cornerback Marcus Jones intercepted it for a 26-yard pick 6 to give New England a 14-10 lead.
Stroud threw another interception on Houston’s next possession.
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This time, Texans receiver Xavier Hutchinson couldn’t handle a pass over the middle from Stroud. The ball bounced off of Hutchinson’s hands and into those of cornerback Craig Woodson.
Then, just before halftime, Davis bookended Stroud’s four-interception half with his second of the day. This time, Davis read Stroud from the defensive backfield and jumped a curl route by Hutchinson.
Davis outfought Hutchinson for the ball for an interception near midfield that stunted another Texans drive in Patriots territory.
At halftime of Sunday’s game, Stroud had committed seven turnovers in six quarters of playoff football this postseason. And he’s now the second quarterback since 2000 to throw four interceptions in the first half of a playoff game.
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Trevor Lawrence did so in 2022 as the Los Angeles Chargers built a 27-0 halftime lead against his Jacksonville Jaguars in the wild-card round. But the Jaguars rallied for a 31-30 win to stun the Chargers.
There was no such comeback for the Texans on Sunday.
Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair fined by NFL for ‘stop the genocide’ eye black: ‘It’s bigger than me’
Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair was fined nearly $12,000 after wearing eye black with the message “stop the genocide” written on it during the team’s wild-card win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Al-Shaair was fined under the league’s uniform and equipment rules, which prohibit players from displaying personal or political messages unless those messages have been approved in advance by the NFL.
The fine, however, didn’t stop Al-Shaair completely. He was spotted with the same message on his eye black ahead of Sunday’s 28-16 loss to the New England Patriots in the divisional round, according to ESPN, but was seen later in the game with it removed. Al-Shaair confirmed the fine after the game, and said that he was told he had to take the writing off on Sunday — though it’s unclear by who.
“I knew that that was a fine,” Al-Shaair said, via ESPN. “I understood what I was doing … I was told that if I wore that in the game, I would be pulled out the game. I think that was the part that I was confused about.”
Al-Shaair’s message was written in support of the people of Palestine, many of who have been killed in Israeli military operations. The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights concluded in September that Israel committed genocide in the Gaza Strip. Israel has rejected accusations of genocide. It’s a cause Al-Shaair supported in the past, wearing cleats in support of the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund during the NFL’s “my cause my cleats” initiative.
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Al-Shaair, who has long been a productive NFL player, was elected to his first Pro Bowl this season. He also won the Texans’ “Walter Payton Man of the Year Award.”
The 28-year-old was spotted wearing the message on his eye black on the sideline, during the game and during a post-game interview. That is in violation of the the NFL rulebook, which reads:
Throughout the period on game day that a player is visible to the stadium and television audience (including in pregame warm-ups, in the bench area, and during postgame interviews in the locker room or on the field), players are prohibited from wearing, displaying, or otherwise conveying personal messages either in writing or illustration, unless such message has been approved in advance by the League office. Items to celebrate anniversaries or memorable events, or to honor or commemorate individuals, such as helmet decals, and arm bands and jersey patches on players’ uniforms, are prohibited unless approved in advance by the League office. All such items approved by the League office, if any, must relate to team or League events or personages. The League will not grant permission for any club or player to wear, display, or otherwise convey messages, through helmet decals, arm bands, jersey patches, mouthpieces, or other items affixed to game uniforms or equipment, which relate to political activities or causes, other non-football events, causes or campaigns, or charitable causes or campaigns. Further, any such approved items must be modest in size, tasteful, non-commercial, and non-controversial; must not be worn for more than one football season; and if approved for use by a specific team, must not be worn by players on other teams in the League.
Al-Shaair made just over $1 million during the 2025 season. His salary will jump to $11 million in 2026. He had a team-high nine total tackles and four solo tackles in Sunday’s loss to the Patriots, which ended their season.
Though he knows his message may make people uncomfortable, Al-Shaair knows the game isn’t the most important thing going on.
“At the end of the day, it’s bigger than me, the things that are going on,” Al-Shaair said. “It makes people uncomfortable, imagine how those people feel. I think that’s the biggest thing. I have no affiliation, no connection to these people other than the fact that I’m a human being. If you have a heart, then you are a human being and you can see what’s going on in the world and check yourself real quick. When I’m walking off this field,that’s the type of stuff that goes through my head that I have to check myself when I’m sitting here crying about football when there’s people dying every day.”
Lakers star LeBron James has played against more than 33% of all NBA players in history after loss to Trail Blazers
LeBron James has gone up against more than a third of all players who have ever played in the NBA.
The Los Angeles Lakers star competed against his 1,822nd player — Portland Trail Blazers center Yang Hansen — on Saturday night at the Moda Center, which is a remarkable figure on its own in his 23 seasons in the NBA. According to Stathead, James has now played against 33.8% of all players who have ever competed in an NBA game.
While that feels like a lot, and it is, the roughly one-third benchmark is actually down from a couple of years ago.
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After a game against the Dallas Mavericks during the 2023-24 season, the Lakers revealed that James had actually played against 35% of all players in NBA history. James called that “insane” on social media at the time.
James broke the record during that season, too, when he played against his 1,669th opponent. So while the figure from Saturday night is cool to see, it’s nothing new for the man many consider to be one of, if not the best, player in NBA history.
James finished just shy of a triple-double in Sunday night’s 132-116 loss to the Trail Blazers, which dropped the Lakers to 24-16 on the season. He had 20 points, 9 rebounds and 8 assists in that contest, which marked his 23rd game of the season. The 41-year-old has averaged 22.6 points, 6.9 assists and six rebounds per game this season.
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James, who was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft, can only miss one more game this season to remain eligible for All-NBA honors and postseason awards. He has been battling several injuries this season, including the first 14 of the season due to sciatica.
While there are other accolades that James likely cares about more in his career — like the four MVP awards, his all-time scoring title or his four championships, among others — Saturday night’s stat is just the latest wild figure showing how long James has dominated professional basketball.
Former Eagles star Nick Foles reminds Broncos fans of Patriots history vs. backup QBs
Former Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Nick Foles had words of encouragement for Denver Broncos fans feeling dispirited after finding out Bo Nix suffered a broken ankle during Saturday’s divisional playoff round overtime win over the Buffalo Bills.
The Broncos will face the New England Patriots in the AFC championship game with backup QB Jarrett Stidham, which would appear to hurt their chances of advancing to the Super Bowl. However, Foles reminded Broncos fans that the Patriots have had issues against backup QBs in championship game-type settings in the past.
“A positive note going into the game versus the Patriots is that they struggle against backup QBs in championship-type games,” Foles wrote, providing consolation while also taking a dig at a former opponent.
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In Super Bowl LII, Foles started for the Eagles versus the Patriots after taking over for the injured Carson Wentz in Week 14 of the 2017 season. Wentz suffered a torn ACL against the Los Angeles Rams, ending his season. Foles started in Philadelphia’s remaining three regular-season games and led the Eagles to postseason wins over the Atlanta Falcons and Minnesota Vikings.
In that Super Bowl matchup, Foles threw for 373 yards and three touchdowns, leading the Eagles to a 41-33 upset win. He also caught a 1-yard TD pass from tight end Trey Burton on the famed “Philly Special” misdirection play. The 11-year veteran will always be a Philadelphia legend for his performance.
Yet as nice as the sentiment is, the comparison between Foles and Stidham might not quite hold up. As mentioned, Foles started three games and appeared in seven during that 2017 season. He also had five previous seasons of NFL experience, starting 36 games.
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Stidham has played for six seasons in the NFL, but started only four games. That is the fewest amount of starts for any QB to play in a conference championship game. In four appearances over the past two seasons for the Broncos, he hasn’t thrown a single pass. Maybe Broncos head coach Sean Payton and offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi will add the “Philly Special” to the playbook, just in case.
Drake Maye expresses sympathy for Bo Nix
Following Sunday’s divisional playoff win over the Houston Texans, Patriots quarterback Drake Maye shared some thoughts on Nix’s season-ending injury.
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“The news is heartbreaking,” Maye told reporters. “For what a player he is, the guy he is… I’m praying for Bo. He’s a great player in this league. Look forward to matching up with him.”
Maye said he got to know Nix and his family well during preparations leading up to the 2024 NFL Draft, in which both players were first-round selections.
The two quarterbacks faced each other in the 2022 Holiday Bowl with Maye leading North Carolina and Nix quarterbacking Oregon. The Ducks squeaked out a 28-27 win over the Tar Heels, despite Maye throwing for two touchdowns while Nix had two TD passes.
10 notable numbers for Patriots as they return to AFC title game for first time since Tom Brady era
The New England Patriots are no longer wandering in the quarterback wilderness after Tom Brady’s exit from the franchise. Yep, the Patriots are back in familiar playoff position, deep into the AFC postseason and a win away from the Super Bowl with quarterback/MVP candidate Drake Maye and head coach Mike Vrabel leading. The Patriots got here via a 28-16 win over the Houston Texans in the divisional playoffs on Sunday.
Here are some notable numbers on New England’s retrenchment in the AFC playoffs:
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16
Number of AFC title games the Patriots have made in their history. They won 11 of the last 15.
Mike Vrabel didn’t take long to get the Patriots back in Super Bowl contention in his first season as New England’s head coach. (AP Photo/Mark Stockwell)
(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
3
AFC title games the Patriots have been to without Tom Brady.
2
AFC title games Mike Vrabel has been to as a head coach. The other was with the Tennessee Titans in the 2019 season, when he lost to Kansas City at Arrowhead.
5
AFC title games Mike Vrabel has been in as a player. He was 4-0 as a Patriot and 0-1 as a Pittsburgh Steeler, where he spent his rookie year.
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2,562
Days between Tom Brady’s last AFC title game with the Patriots and next Sunday’s conference title game against the Broncos. Brady’s final AFC triumph happened in the 2018 season when New England defeated Kansas City in overtime.
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29
Years since the Patriots played in an AFC title game without Tom Brady.
133rd
Overall NFL Draft pick Jarrett Stidham was when the Patriots selected him in 2019. Now playing for the Denver Broncos, he’ll face the Patriots next Sunday for a trip to the Super Bowl on the line.
5.5 pts
Favorites the Patriots opened, per BetMGM, entering AFC championship week. It makes the Broncos the biggest home underdog as a No. 1 seed in a conference title game since 1970.
13
Age Drake Maye was the last time the Patriots faced the Broncos in Denver for the AFC title game on Jan. 24, 2016. Tom Brady and New England came up short that day, 20-18.
0-4
Patriots’ all-time playoff record against the Broncos in Denver.
NFL playoff field, conference championship schedule: Broncos to host Patriots, Seahawks get Rams
It’s time for the conference championship games.
The New England Patriots beat the Houston Texans on Sunday afternoon at Gillette Stadium to wrap up the AFC side of things in the divisional round. That sets up a matchup with the Denver Broncos next weekend to determine who from the conference will be heading to Super Bowl LX.
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The Broncos survived a thrilling overtime battle with the Buffalo Bills on Saturday to secure their spot in the conference title game, but they lost quarterback Bo Nix in the process. Nix suffered a broken bone in his right ankle on the second-to-last play of the game, and will now be out for the rest of the season. That means Jarrett Stidham will start.
On the other side, the Seattle Seahawks are awaiting the Los Angeles Rams in what will be an NFC West rematch for the conference. The Seahawks rolled over the San Francisco 49ers in a blowout in their divisional round matchup Saturday night. The Rams survived a wild battle with the Chicago Bears on Sunday night and kicked a game-winning field goal in overtime to reach the title game.
AFC championship game
2. New England Patriots at 1. Denver Broncos
When: Sunday, Jan. 25 | 3 p.m. ET
Location: Empower Field at Mile High | Denver
TV: CBS
Betting line (via BetMGM): Patriots -5.5, Over/under 40.5
Tickets: Gametime
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NFC championship game
5. Los Angeles Rams at 1. Seattle Seahawks
When: Sunday, Jan. 25 | 6:30 p.m. ET
Location: Lumen Field | Seattle
TV: Fox
Betting line (via BetMGM): Seahawks -2.5, Over/under: 47.5
Tickets: Gametime
Caleb Williams’ latest wild touchdown pass to force OT not enough to lift Bears past Rams in divisional round matchup
Caleb Williams pulled off a truly ridiculous throw to force overtime Sunday.
It just wasn’t enough.
Williams and the Chicago Bears fell to the Los Angeles Rams 20-17 in their divisional round matchup Sunday night at Soldier Field. The defeat sent the Bears home from the playoffs and set up an NFC West battle between the Rams and Seattle Seahawks to determine who from the NFC will head to Super Bowl LX next month.
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Williams, near the end of regulation, faced a ton of pressure from the Rams on a short fourth down. The Bears were down a touchdown, so this was their last shot to keep the game alive. Williams ended up scrambling back all the way to the 40-yard-line — more than 20 yards from where he took the snap — before he threw a perfect off-balanced fade to tight end Cole Kmet. Remarkably, the throw found Kmet perfectly in the end zone.
The pass, despite the Bears starting the play on the 14-yard line, ended up traveling more than 51 yards through the air. That made it the longest completed pass by air distance in the red zone in the Next Gen Stats era, which started in 2016.
The angle from the NFL Network’s Stacey Dales, who was standing in the corner of the end zone at the time, was even better.
That kept hope alive for the Bears, who made the extra point and eventually forced overtime. But Williams threw an interception midway through the extra period, thanks to a huge diving grab from Kamren Curl, to give the ball back to the Rams.
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That set up an eventual game-winning 42-yard field goal from Harrison Mevis.
The Rams are attempting to reach their first Super Bowl since the 2021 season.
Williams finished 23-of-42 passing for 257 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions in the loss Sunday. While the Bears lost, the throw was the second such fourth-down scramble and heave Williams made in as many weeks. He found Kmet on a deep fourth-down throw after narrowly avoiding a sack to help lift the Bears past the Packers in the wild-card round.
The Bears haven’t been to the NFC championship game since the 2010 season. This was just the team’s third playoff appearance since that run.
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Matthew Stafford went 20-of-42 passing for 258 yards in the win for the Rams. Kyren Williams had 87 rushing yards and two scores on 21 carries, and Puka Nacua had 56 yards on five catches.
While the Bears’ season is over, Williams’ future with the Bears is undoubtedly bright, with his second campaign in the NFL now in the books. Even though the interceptions — the last one in particular — cost him in the end, Williams certainly pulled off some outstanding and truly entertaining throws down the stretch.