It’s another edition of Data Dump on the Yahoo Fantasy Forecast as we make the pivot from Week 15 to Week 16 in the NFL. Ray Garvin joins Matt Harmon to share 10 data points you need to know for this upcoming week.
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(3:00) – Ray’s 1st data point: Trevor Lawrence has gone from mid to money
(15:15) – Matt’s 1st data point: Bo Nix’s monster game in Week 15
(24:45) – Ray’s 2nd data point: Trust these TEs down the stretch
(35:55) – Matt’s 2nd data point: Kenny Gainwell’s massive passing game role
(42:55) – Ray’s 3rd data point: What do we do with Rashee Rice?
(49:55) – Matt’s 3rd data point: Can we trust DJ Moore again?
(57:30) – Ray’s 4th data point: Where do we rank Ashton Jeanty this week?
(1:04:15) – Matt’s 4th data point: Where do we rank TreVeyon Henderson this week?
(1:10:00) – Ray’s 5th data point: Trey McBride is this year’s fantasy MVP
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(1:14:30) – Matt’s 5th data point: Bucs WR rotation now that everyone is healthy
It’s another edition of Data Dump on the Yahoo Fantasy Forecast as we make the pivot from Week 15 to Week 16 in the NFL. Ray Garvin joins Matt Harmon to share 10 data points you need to know for this upcoming week.
LAS VEGAS — Each time the New York Knicks needed a problem solved in Tuesday night’s NBA Cup final against the San Antonio Spurs, no matter how mundane or complex the on-court task was deemed to be, the answer came from an unexpected source: Mitchell Robinson.
His five offensive rebounds in the span of 90 seconds were the driving force behind a pivotal three-minute, 16-2 run that gave New York a fourth-quarter lead it would never surrender, and, ultimately, its first-ever NBA Cup championship.
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“Tonight showed why it’s important to create extra possessions,” Robinson, donning a Cup champions T-shirt, told Yahoo Sports following the Knicks’ 124-113 win over the Spurs. “They shoot the ball, they miss, I get the offensive rebound and that’s another chance of us scoring. I did that, what, 10 times tonight?
“We missed some, but the chance is there.”
In a lot of ways, being the last one standing — albeit in a midseason tournament — could invigorate the Knicks as they plant their flag in the ground as one of the NBA’s elite, especially with New York sitting just 2.5 games behind Detroit atop a much-improved Eastern Conference.
The chance is there.
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It was clear from their words both before and after the game that bringing success back home and lifting a trophy meant something. New York outlasted two top-four seeds in the Western Conference and Orlando, the East’s fifth seed. Regardless of what the outside perception of the NBA Cup may be, you’d be hard-pressed to convince these Knicks that Tuesday night doesn’t matter.
New York’s NBA Cup win revealed a roster that doesn’t rely on individual brilliance, and that balance might just be its most dangerous weapon.
(Ethan Miller via Getty Images)
The Cup final was an enthralling contest from start to finish, a deliberate, grind-it-out affair from two of the NBA’s slower teams in terms of pace. It was an atmosphere fitting of a championship game — the Spurs super fans chanting and dancing for 48 minutes, the Knicks faithful letting their emotions hang on every missed shot or deflection, and Vegas providing the perfect backdrop for a high-stakes affair.
Still, given the playoff-like environment, Victor Wembanyama’s individual star power and New York’s assemblage of talent, the crowning glory would come down to which team simply had the ball more. In Robinson, the Knicks have one of the league’s best in doing just that.
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Robinson’s commitment to crashing the glass — against a Spurs team that relishes a physical bout down low — proved pivotal on one of the game’s biggest stages. He played just 18 minutes, but snagged 15 total rebounds — 10 offensive — in a game where the Knicks scored 32 second-chance points from 23 added opportunities.
So much of the Knicks’ offense — second in the NBA, according to Cleaning the Glass — comes from their ability to generate more than their opponents. They are the third-most efficient team in offense after an offensive rebound, per Synergy tracking data. When Robinson is on the floor, New York’s offensive rebounding rate soars by over 14%. It’s not a glamorous stat, but it’s an important one.
“He had 10 offensive rebounds in 18 minutes,” head coach Mike Brown said. “That’s unbelievable. We had 23 offensive rebounds for the game. He had 10. OG had four. KAT had four. That was probably the biggest difference in the game when you’re scoring 32 second-chance points.”
“Shout-out to Mitch, man,” Karl Anthony-Towns added. “Hell of a day at the office for him.”
As critical as offensive rebounds can be to a good half-court offense, though, they’re deemed futile without everything else working in tandem. Quality floor spacing, decision- and shot-making, talent and overall IQ are other necessary ingredients that make a contender.
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OG Anunoby led all players on the floor with 28 points on 10-for-17 shooting, Jalen Brunson, who was named tournament MVP, chipped in 25 of his own, and Towns finished with 16. Meanwhile, Jordan Clarkson and Tyler Kolek combined for 29 points off the bench. The Knicks, much like the city of New York, are a diverse group that gets its strength from the sum of its parts. They shy away from isolated praise, understanding their ultimate goal can’t be reached on the shoulders of one or two.
Brunson wasted no time in shouting out the contributions of each of his teammates as he was presented with his MVP trophy.
“Without them I don’t hold that trophy,” Brunson said. “We don’t hold the trophy as a team. We’re on the complete other side of this.”
“Just having everybody out there competing and contributing to the team,” forward Mikal Bridges told Yahoo Sports. “I think we got a lot of talented guys. High-IQ individuals that will go out there and do whatever it takes to win.”
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New York can make a strong claim as the deepest, most talented team in the East — and perhaps the NBA as a whole. How many teams can match the sheer offensive brilliance and leadership of Brunson? The two-way skill set of Anunoby and Bridges? Towns’ unicorn-like gravity? Josh Hart’s glue? Jordan Clarkson’s instant scoring off the bench? The guidance and tactical astuteness of Brown?
This is why the Knicks should be feared. Brunson is the head of the snake, a likely MVP candidate and rightfully so; his ability to command complete control of a team filled with vibrant personalities, all while understanding how to navigate situations, is admirable. But take a stroll into Madison Square Garden and think that slowing Brunson down is a surefire way to victory, and your mistakes have only just begun. New York is deep. New York is dangerous. New York is champion. And it’s just getting started.
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“It’s a goal of ours that we get to check off,” Brunson said. “It’s an important stepping stone for us. We can still learn from this game and get better, as well. I’m very thankful for the opportunity presented to ourselves.
“We’re going to enjoy this. But once we leave tomorrow, we’re moving on.”
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🚨 Headlines
🥊 Bud Crawford retires: Terence “Bud” Crawford, 38, announced his surprise retirement from boxing on Tuesday. This comes just months after dethroning Canelo Álvarez to improve to a perfect 42-0 (31 KOs) and lay legitimate claim to the title of best boxer of his generation.
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🏀 NBA expansion talk: The NBA has been flirting with expansion for years now, but Adam Silver says a decision is coming in 2026. He specifically threw out Seattle and Las Vegas as possibilities for new teams.
⚽️ FIFA slashes ticket prices: A week after fans responded with outrage over World Cup ticket prices, FIFA said it will provide each participating federation with a limited quantity of $60 tickets to each game to distribute to their fans.
🏈 ACC adds 9th game: The ACC is joining the other power conferences in moving to a nine-game conference schedule starting next year. The only caveat is that due to having an odd number of members (17), not every team will be able to play nine games each season.
🏒 Saban, the owner: Nick Saban has purchased a minority stake in the NHL’s Nashville Predators. “Being involved in a sports team in Nashville has always been a goal,” said the Hall of Fame football coach, who already owns multiple car dealerships in Tennessee’s capital.
Game recap: Despite an 11-of-27 shooting night for Jalen Brunson and an injury that temporarily sidelined Karl-Anthony Towns, the Knicks erased a double-digit deficit to defeat the Spurs, 124-113, and win the third NBA Cup title. For a team that hasn’t won the NBA Finals since 1973, that certainly means something.
OG Anunoby posted a game-high 28 points. Tyler Kolek and Jordan Clarkson added double-digit points off the bench. Josh Hart kept doing Josh Hart things.
Mitchell Robinson extended possession after possession with 10 offensive rebounds and 15 total boards… in 18 total minutes.
What they’re saying: “Without Tyler Kolek, OG Anunoby, Mitchell Robinson and Jordan Clarkson, we don’t win this game,” said Brunson while accepting NBA Cup MVP honors.
From Yahoo Sports’ Kelly Iko:
New York can make a strong claim as the deepest, most talented team in the East — and perhaps the NBA as a whole. How many teams can match the sheer offensive brilliance and leadership of Brunson? The two-way skill set of Anunoby and Mikal Bridges? Towns’ unicorn-like gravity? Hart’s glue? Robinson’s ability to generate second-chance points? Clarkson’s instant scoring off the bench?
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This is why the Knicks should be feared. Brunson is the head of the snake, a likely MVP candidate and rightfully so. But take a stroll into Madison Square Garden and think that slowing him down is a surefire way to victory, and your mistakes haven’t even begun.
New venues coming soon? Las Vegas has hosted the first three NBA Cup Finals, but that could be changing. Adam Silver told the NBA on Prime pregame show that “some storied college locations” are under consideration to host future title games.
My top 3, if that happens:
Allen Fieldhouse (Kansas)
Cameron Indoor Stadium (Duke)
Which college arena would you like to see host the NBA Cup Finals?
🏈 Can Pete Golding be the Steve Fisher of football?
Brent Musburger interviews Steve Fisher after the Wolverines won the 1989 national championship. (Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
As Ole Miss prepares for the College Football Playoff, the Rebels will be hoping that the parallels with Michigan basketball don’t end with the mid-season promotion of an assistant coach.
In March 1989, two days after Selection Sunday, Michigan men’s basketball coach Bill Frieder made a major miscalculation: he incorrectly assumed that he could accept a job offer from another school yet still coach the Wolverines in the NCAA tournament.
The morning after Frieder revealed that he intended to leave for Arizona State after the season, Michigan athletic director Bo Schembechler summoned Frieder’s top assistant Steve Fisher to his office for a 7 a.m. meeting.
When the 43-year-old assistant coach arrived, Schembechler didn’t waste time with small talk or pleasantries. “Fisher, can you coach this team?” Fisher recalls Schembechler gruffly asking. “Because there’s no way Bill Frieder’s going to coach them.”
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36 years after Schembechler famously told Frieder not to bother showing up to the NCAA tournament, that banishment has gained newfound relevance.
It’s by far the closest historical precedent to the messy breakup that resulted in Ole Miss refusing to let Lane Kiffin coach the Rebels in the College Football Playoff after he spurned them for conference rival LSU.
Golding looks on prior to the Rebels’ game against Georgia in October. (Jeffrey Vest/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
As sixth-seeded Ole Miss prepares for its opening round matchup against 11th-seeded Tulane on Saturday, the Rebels will be hoping that the parallels with Michigan basketball don’t end with the ill-timed coaching change.
They’ll try to emulate how the ’89 Wolverines rallied around their anonymous new coach, embraced the role of jilted underdogs and stormed to their program’s first — and still only — national championship.
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Can newly promoted Ole Miss head coach Pete Golding become the Steve Fisher of college football? Can Golding enter the College Football Playoff with zero wins as a head coach and then guide the Rebels to an improbable national title?
Fisher will be watching with great interest from his home in Del Mar, California. “I wish [Golding] good luck,” he said. “I hope he has a great run and I’ll be following it closely.”
🇺🇸 Montgomery, Alabama — Jacksonville State beat Troy, 17-13, on Tuesday night to win the Salute to Veterans Bowl in a matchup of schools located just 162 miles apart.
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3-for-3: Jacksonville State has played in a bowl game in each of its three seasons at the FBS level. Marshall is the only other team (1997-99) to appear in bowl games in each of its first three eligible seasons.
(Jeff Pachoud/AFP via Getty Images)
🇫🇷 Courchevel, France — American skiing sensation Mikaela Shiffrin continued her unbeaten run to start the World Cup slalom campaign, winning the night event in the French Alps on Tuesday for her fourth victory in four tries this season.
All-time leaders: This was Shiffrin’s record 105th World Cup victory, 19 clear of second-place Ingemar Stenmark. On Friday, American Lindsey Vonn won her 83rd race, which ranks third.
(Jan Kruger/FIFA via Getty Images)
🇶🇦 Doha, Qatar — Ballon d’Or winners Ousmane Dembélé (France, PSG) and Aitana Bonmatí (Spain, Barcelona) were named the best men’s and women’s players at FIFA’s 10th annual awards ceremony.
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Best XI: Dembélé was one of six PSG players to make the Best Men’s XI, while Bonmatí was one of seven members of the Spanish national team to make the Best Women’s XI.
(Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
🇪🇸 Murcia, Spain — Carlos Alcaraz runs during his VO2 Max test as he trains for the 2026 Australian Open.
VO2 max, explained: VO2 max is the maximum amount, or volume (V), of oxygen (O2) your body can use as a fuel source for exercise. Put simply, it’s a gauge of how much hard work your body can do and is an objective way to tell how fit you are.
Rising: No team had a bigger jump this week than the Ravens, who climbed four spots to No. 15 after blanking the Bengals to keep their playoff hopes alive. And though the Vikings may be eliminated, they still climbed three spots to No. 20 behind a vastly improved J.J. McCarthy.
Falling: The Packers suffered the biggest fall, dropping four spots to No. 9 after not only losing their game, but more importantly losing Micah Parsons for the season (ACL). The No. 17 Cowboys, No. 23 Dolphins and No. 24 Bengals all dropped three spots after losses.
📺 Watchlist: Wednesday, Dec. 17
The Red Wings won on Tuesday to take over sole possession of first place in the Atlantic. (Dave Reginek/NHLI via Getty Images)
🏒 NHL on TNT
The first-place Red Wings host the Mammoth in the first leg of tonight’s doubleheader (7:30pm ET), followed by the second-place Golden Knights hosting the Devils in the nightcap (10pm).
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🏈 Bowl Games
Bowl season continues tonight with two games: Old Dominion vs. USF in the Cure Bowl in Orlando (5pm, ESPN), and Louisiana vs. Delaware in the 68 Ventures Bowl in Mobile, Alabama (8:30pm, ESPN).
More to watch:
🏀 NBA: Grizzlies at Timberwolves (8pm, NBA) … Minnesota (17-9) is sixth in the West and Memphis (12-14) is ninth.
⚽️ FIFA Intercontinental Cup: PSG vs. Flamengo (12pm, DAZN) … Qatar hosts the final for the second annual competition featuring each continent’s title winner.
⚽️ Women’s Champions League: Juventus vs. Man United (3pm, Paramount+) … One of nine games in the final matchday of the league phase.
🏈 JUCO: Hutchinson vs. Iowa Western (7pm, ESPNU) … The junior college national championship at West Texas A&M’s Bain-Schaeffer Buffalo Stadium.
Matthew Stafford, 37, remains the betting favorite to win his first MVP, which would make him just the sixth player in NFL history to win the award at age 37 or later.
Question: Can you name the other five?
Hint: 1963, 2002, 2013, 2017, 2020, 2021.
Answer at the bottom.
🏀 An email from the owner
Warriors majority owner Joe Lacob, pictured in 2024. (Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)
A Warriors fan emailed team owner Joe Lacob on Sunday night, expressing his frustration about Golden State’s poor start to the season. He didn’t expect Lacob to respond two minutes later.
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The email: Warriors fan Justin Dutari found an email address that he thought belonged to Lacob and shot off a quick note with the subject line “Please read.” He complained about Steph Curry needing to shoulder so much of the scoring load, said Jimmy Butler is playing out of position, and asked him to “please do something about this team.”
The owner’s response:
You can’t be as frustrated as me. I am working on it. It’s complicated. Style of play. Coaches desires regarding players. League trends. Jimmy [Butler] is not the problem.
Trivia answer: Tom Brady (40 years old in 2017); Aaron Rodgers (37 in 2020, 38 in 2021); Peyton Manning (37 in 2013); Rich Gannon (37 in 2002); Y.A. Tittle (37 in 1963)
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Topps Now cards have been a fun, innovative addition to the card manufacturer’s portfolio, capturing exciting moments on cardboard nearly as they happen.
Since 2016, Topps has been creating these cards, which go live the day after a game and are usually available for only 24 hours.
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Topps Now has had its fair share of attention-grabbing releases over the years — Bernie Sanders sitting in the cold during the 2020 Presidential Inauguration, or the Team USA triple auto of LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant from the 2024 Summer Olympics, which still hasn’t surfaced.
But a handful of unassuming Topps Now cards command big bucks. Here’s a look at four of them.
The first card
This may not come as a surprise, but the very first Topps Now card ever made commands a premium.
It’s unassuming because it features Pittsburgh’s Francisco Liriano striking out 10 on Opening Day in 2016. It’s a nice outing and could still make the cut for a Topps Now release today, but as the program was just getting started, good — not necessarily great — games were featured.
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Some of those early cards of the program sell for around $100.
Kobe Bryant celebrates after Yasiel Puig hit a three-run home run in the sixth inning of Game 4 of the 2018 World Series against the Boston Red Sox. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
(Kevork Djansezian via Getty Images)
Los Angeles royalty
On Card No. 947 from 2018, Yasiel Puig hits a three-run home run in the sixth inning of the World Series. It’s a somewhat memorable moment, but the front of the card isn’t even what collectors are chasing.
Turn it around and there’s basketball legend Kobe Bryant on the back, celebrating Puig’s big moment from the crowd.
Bryant hadn’t appeared on a Topps card since 2009, but in this case it was likely considered fair use. Bryant, like any other fan, was photographed in the stands by Getty, and anyone in the stands is fair game for their likeness to be used in the media.
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The card sold for as much as $1,999 as recently as this past October.
First Ohtani card
While Shohei Ohtani’s rookie cards appeared in 2018, Topps actually created a card of the international superstar in 2017.
When Ohtani signed with the Angels, Topps featured his Angels introduction on Dec. 10, 2017. The card doesn’t have an RC logo, but instead an “International FA Signing” logo on it.
The card had a print run of over 17,000, so it’s surprising to see these consistently sell for over $100 — though maybe not that surprising since it’s Ohtani.
2017 Jeter and Judge Topps Now Card of the Month
Topps Now used to have a Card of the Month. You couldn’t buy these cards. The only way to get one was as a redemption through the rewards program, and you earned points only by buying Topps Now cards.
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In 2017, one of those cards featured Yankees Derek Jeter and Aaron Judge, showing them shaking hands in the dugout before Jeter’s number-retirement ceremony. Just 198 of these cards were made.
High-graded versions consistently sell for more than $500.
The New York Knicks are 2025 NBA Cup champions, and made a case on Tuesday they can accomplish even more this season in the process.
Despite an 11-of-27 shooting night for Jalen Brunson and an injury that temporarily sidelined Karl-Anthony Towns, the Knicks erased a double-digit deficit to defeat the San Antonio Spurs 124-113 and win the third NBA Cup title. They join the Los Angeles Lakers (2023) and Milwaukee Bucks (2024) in accomplishing the feat.
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For a team that hasn’t won the NBA Finals since 1973 and hasn’t reached the Finals at all since 1999, that certainly means something.
The win will earn every Knicks player $530,933 in prize money, a substantial raise for some of the team’s younger and less-heralded players. The Spurs will have to settle for $212,373 each as runners-up.
The Knicks’ bench stepped up in the NBA Cup championship
For a while, San Antonio had the leg up. After knocking off the 24-2 Oklahoma City Thunder in the semifinals behind a returning Victor Wembanyama, the Spurs had the enormous Frenchman back and playing even more minutes, going from 21 on Saturday to 25 on Tuesday.
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They rode that momentum to an 11-point lead late in the third quarter. Seven different Spurs ended up scoring in double digits, while Brunson looked a long way off from his own 41-point semifinal performance. He still made a difference with his playmaking and gravity, but the Knicks needed someone else to step up, especially with Towns still grimacing from an apparent first-half injury.
Several players did.
OG Anunoby posted a game-high 28 points on 10-of-17 shooting, plus nine rebounds and three assists. Tyler Kolek and Jordan Clarkson both posted double-digit points off the bench. Mitchell Robinson extended possession after possession with 10 offensive rebounds and 15 total boards.
And Josh Hart kept doing Josh Hart things.
“Without Tyler Kolek, OG Anunoby, Mitchell Robinson and Jordan Clarkson, we don’t win this game,” Brunson said after the game, while accepting NBA Cup MVP honors.
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Say what you will about the Spurs’ inexperience and Wembanyama’s health, it was an impressive win for a Knicks team and another addition to their case as the team to fear in the East. Off nights for Brunson and/or Towns have frequently spelled doom for a team often lacking in depth over the past few playoffs, but this time it had three bench players step up in a major way.
With the team sitting in second in the East at 18-7, 2.5 games behind the Detroit Pistons, that’s a meaningful development.
Notably, none of the above stats will make it to the regular-season numbers. While every other game in the NBA Cup counts toward the regular season, the championship game does not.
Here’s how everything went down between the Spurs and the Knicks in the NBA Cup championship game.
Live coverage is over28 updates
Ryan Young
There was a lot of money on the line tonight in Las Vegas.
Every Knicks player will receive $530,933 for their win over the Spurs. That’s up about 3% per player from last season.
Every Spurs player will take home $212,373 for the team’s runner-up finish.
The teams that were knocked out in the semifinals took home just more than $106,000, and the quarterfinalists earned just more than $53,000.
Ryan Young
Knicks: 124
OG Anunoby 28 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists
Jalen Brunson 25 points, 8 assists, 4 rebounds
Karl-Anthony Towns 16 points, 11 rebounds
Spurs: 113
Victor Wembanyama 18 points, 6 rebounds, 2 blocks
De’Aaron Fox 16 points, 9 assists, 2 rebounds
Stephon Castle 15 points, 12 assists, 7 rebounds
Ryan Young
While it’s not an NBA title, the New York Knicks have now won their first trophy since the franchise won the NBA Finals back during the 1972-73 season. That was more than 50 years ago.
Ryan Young
The New York Knicks have rallied back from a third quarter deficit to beat the Spurs 124-113 and claim the NBA Cup.
Ryan Young
The Spurs have only hit four shots so far this period, and the Knicks are starting to run away with this thing. OG Anunoby just drained a wide open 3-pointer in the corner, too.
The Knicks lead 118-110 with 1:44 left.
Ryan Young
Nevermind, here comes KAT. He’s checked back into the game with 4:49 left.
Ryan Young
Karl-Anthony Towns was just shown sitting at the end of the bench with his warmup shirt on. Still so specifics there, but his night is likely done.
The Knicks lead 108-102 now with about 6 minutes left.
Ryan Young
The Knicks just pulled out an 8-0 run in about 90 seconds — thanks to back-to-back 3-pointers from Jordan Clarkson — to suddenly take the lead. This one isn’t over yet.
Ryan Young
Victor Wembanyama drained two 3-pointers there and 12 points in the third to keep the Spurs in the lead. He had a huge oop off a big save from Stephon Castle late in the period, too.
We’ve got 12 minutes left to crown an NBA Cup winner.
Ryan Young
Karl-Anthony Towns just limped off the court after a bucket here in the third quarter, and trainers are working on his leg apparently. Specifics aren’t known, but not a great sign for the Knicks star.
Ryan Young
This looked incredibly easy for Victor Wembanyama…
Ryan Young
That’s a four-point play, thanks to a huge Dylan Harper 3-pointer and a free throw from Stephon Castle — who was drilled away from the ball — and the Spurs are suddenly up by 11. They are in full control of this one here in the third quarter.
Ryan Young
That’s an 8-2 run to open the second half for the Spurs, capped by an easy lob to Luke Kornet down low. San Antonio is up by eight.
Ryan Young
Victor Wembanyama came so close to what would have been a truly wild dunk in the first half.
OG Anunoby threw down back-to-back dunks in the final minute there to tie the game back up after the Spurs’ seven-point lead, including one on a huge fast break off a bad De’Aaron Fox turnover, but a Fox jumper put San Antonio back in the lead entering the locker room.
Ryan Young
Stephon Castle found Devin Vassell flying through the lane, and he immediately rose up and threw down a two-handed slam with OG Anunoby underneath him.
Castle completed a fast-break layup after a Victor Wembanyama steal on the next possession, too, to push the Spurs’ lead to seven now midway through the second quarter. This team is quick, and the Knicks appear to be struggling to keep up.
Ryan Young
The Spurs drained a trio of 3-pointers in the first two minutes of the second quarter, along with a Luke Kornet tip-in, to immediately take control of the game.
They’re up 46-40 now with about seven minutes left in the first half. They’ve missed their last six shots, too, before Mike Brown opted to call a timeout.
Ryan Young
The Spurs closed the first quarter on a quick 7-2 burst to take the lead again. OG Anunoby leads all scorers with 10 points.
So far, we’ve got a game working in Las Vegas.
Ryan Young
This pass from KAT was ridiculous. The Spurs had him doubled perfectly on the wing.
Things haven’t gone well for Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce on the field in 2025. While Kelce has seen his stats increase following a down year in 2024, that hasn’t led to many Chiefs wins.
Week 15 proved to be the final nail in the coffin for the team. The Chiefs not only lost quarterback Patrick Mahomes to a torn ACL, but were eliminated from the playoffs for the first time since 2014.
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That’s unfamiliar territory for Kelce, who spoke candidly about both scenarios on Wednesday’s episode of “New Heights.”
When talking about Mahomes, Kelce said watching the injury happen on the field didn’t feel real. He summed up the whole experience succinctly, saying, “S*** just sucks, man.”
“On a freakish play, to see 15 go down like that, it f***ing, it was almost like it wasn’t real. S*** just sucks, man. For a guy who puts in that much and puts his body on the line week in and week out, and … makes the best of it by how hard he works. It sucks, man.”
Mahomes and Kelce are obviously very close. On the field, the two have immense chemistry. No pass catcher has hauled in more touchdowns from Mahomes, as the pair has hooked up for 59 scores. Off the field, the two are often seen together as well. That has to make the injury hurt even more for Kelce.
With the Chiefs now out of the playoffs, Kelce vowed to keep playing hard so the team can “end on the highest note that we can.”
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It marks the first time since Kelce’s second season in the NFL that the Chiefs won’t make a playoff appearance. Kelce, as you might expect, was disappointed about that streak ending.
“It’s obviously f***ed up, but it’s a new feeling. So, all I know is to go out there and play my ass off and to show up and give my guys the best chance to win. That’s the mentality, man.”
At 36, it’s unclear how much more football Kelce has left in him. While some have speculated he could call it a career after the season, Kelce has made no declarations about his plans just yet. It’s also unknown how much the Chiefs’ failures in 2025 could impact Kelce’s decision. Does he really want to go out after the team’s worst year in over a decade?
As Kelce noted, the Chiefs still have three games left on the schedule. While the results won’t matter, Kelce is going to try his best to give Chiefs fans something to cheer down the stretch. He doesn’t know any other way to play.
There are three weeks to go in the season, but for the most part we can already figure out the 14 teams that will be in the playoffs.
There are nine teams alive for seven spots in the AFC, and for the moment that includes the loser of the AFC North race between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens. The Steelers and Ravens have a combined 0.1% chance to get a wild-card spot, according to DVOA. The other team on the outside looking in with a shot at a wild-card spot is the Indianapolis Colts, who face a tough challenge with Philip Rivers at quarterback.
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In the NFC, there are 10 teams alive but the Dallas Cowboys are down to about a 1% chance. The loser of the Carolina Panthers/Tampa Bay Buccaneers NFC South race has a 0% shot at a wild-card spot, DVOA says. The Detroit Lions, currently the No. 8 seed, still have a chance to get a wild-card spot, so there’s intrigue at the bottom of the NFC picture. There just aren’t many spots still realistically open, even if the Los Angeles Rams and Denver Broncos are the only teams to clinch.
Just because we can make a good guess on which teams are in the field doesn’t mean there isn’t plenty at stake over the final three weeks. Week 16 has a few games that are critical to division races.
One of them is one of the NFL’s oldest and best rivalries. The NFL picked out a winner for Saturday night, as the Green Bay Packers face the Chicago Bears. The 9-4-1 Packers fell a half-game behind the 10-4 Bears when they lost to the Broncos, and while Green Bay wouldn’t be dead in the NFC North race with a loss Saturday, they’d be 1.5 games behind with two to go. Of course, getting that win becomes tougher without defensive star Micah Parsons, who is out for the rest of the season with a torn ACL.
It should feel like a playoff game on Saturday night. It feels like a division title showdown, and it’s not the only one this weekend.
(Yahoo Sports/Taylor Wilhelm)
Here are the other Week 16 games that will have the biggest impact on the playoff picture:
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Los Angeles Rams at Seattle Seahawks
It’s arguable that this is the best matchup of the entire regular season. Most rankings have the Seahawks and Rams as the top two teams in the NFL, and with both teams at 11-3, this Thursday night’s game feels like it will not only determine who wins the NFC West but the No. 1 seed in the NFC as well.
It’s possible the Rams lose but still win the NFC West. They have a much easier schedule (they play at Falcons and vs. Cardinals, while Seattle is at Panthers and at 49ers). If the Seahawks lose, it is very hard to envision them winning the division because they would lose the head-to-head tiebreaker due to a Rams’ season sweep.
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The entire NFC playoff picture changes based on who wins Thursday night.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Carolina Panthers
Because the Buccaneers face the Panthers two times in the final three weeks, Tampa Bay wins the NFC South by winning any two of its remaining three games. The Bucs have the tiebreaker over the Panthers if they sweep them or even if they split, due to record against common opponents.
That means the Panthers aren’t dead in the NFC South race if they lose, but it would mean Tampa Bay could clinch in Week 17 by beating the Dolphins. A win Sunday for the Panthers means they’ll at the very least be alive in Week 18 when they face Tampa Bay again.
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Jacksonville Jaguars at Denver Broncos
The Broncos are in the playoffs already and the Jaguars are pretty close to a lock. But this one still matters.
The Jaguars are trying to hold off the Houston Texans for the AFC South championship, and the Texans have the easier remaining schedule. A Jaguars loss at Denver and a Houston win Sunday against the Raiders would cause a tie atop the division. If the Jaguars lose Sunday and the Texans win out, Houston wins the division based on the tiebreaker of record in conference games, according to the Jaguars’ site.
The Broncos’ goal is obvious: Get the No. 1 seed. Denver would get it with two more wins; the Broncos have the tiebreaker over the Patriots due to a better record against common opponents.
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New England Patriots at Baltimore Ravens
While the Patriots are now a significant underdog to get the No. 1 seed, they still have to hold off the Bills in the AFC East after last Sunday’s loss. A defeat to the Ravens would knock the Patriots back into a tie for first place, if the Bills beat the Browns.
The Ravens might need to win out to take the AFC North. They are a game behind the Steelers in the division, though they face Pittsburgh in the season finale. If the Ravens lose either of their next two games, the Steelers could clinch the division before Week 18.
The tournament, which begins on June 11 and will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, will see a $727 million total fund with $655 million of that to be shared among the 48 qualified nations, the largest field in World Cup history. Those teams that are eliminated in the group stage will leave with $9 million, while the runners-up in the final will take home $33 million.
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World Cup 2026 prize pool
Champions: $50 million Runners-up: $33 million 3rd place: $29 million 4th place: $27 million 5th-8th place: $19 million 9th-16th place: $15 million 17th- 32nd place: $11 million 33rd-48th place: $9 million
In 2022, World Cup winners Argentina received $42 million after defeating France in the final.
Four years earlier, France earned $38 million after winning the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
Since FIFA began making the amount of prize money handed out public, the total amount given to the winners has grown from $2.2 million to Italy at the 1982 World Cup to the $50 million to whoever lifts the trophy at MetLife Stadium on July 19.
Expectations were extremely high for Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders in 2025. After winning the Rookie of the Year award last season and receiving down-ballot MVP votes, Daniels was supposed to lead Washington back to the playoffs, and potentially contend for a Super Bowl.
That didn’t happen. Daniels battled a number of injuries and the Commanders disappointed. With the team sitting at 4-10 after Week 15 and Daniels dealing with an elbow issues, the Commanders decided to shut down the second-year quarterback for the rest of the year.
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Daniels spoke about that decision and his season on Tuesday, saying he was “super frustrated” by how things fell apart, per ESPN.
Though Daniels will remain on the team’s active roster, he won’t start the rest of the way. Instead, the team will go with veteran Marcus Mariota under center to close out the year. Daniels said he was improving, but did not pass enough markers to be cleared to play in Week 16.
“I don’t want to miss games at all,” Daniels said. “It’s been a frustrating year, disappointing year. You learn from it and move forward.”
The 24-year-old added that he’s focused on his long-term status, saying, “Longevity is a big thing, so you want to be smart with this.”
The Commanders have a number of reasons for making that decision. At 4-10, the team’s season is essentially over. Risking a bigger, more significant injury to Daniels that could compromise 2026 seems foolish at this point.
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If healthy, Daniels could easily turn the team back into a contender next season. The former LSU star looked like a future star as a rookie, throwing 25 touchdowns against nine interceptions last season. After one year, he looked like the best quarterback in the 2025 NFL Draft.
But after Daniels’ injury-riddled 2025, that’s no longer a sure thing. New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye is the MVP candidate this time around and Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams has made significant improvements in Ben Johnson’s system. Bo Nix and the Denver Broncos, meanwhile, have already clinched a playoff spot.
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Daniels isn’t really competing against those players, he’s competing against his own health. The Commanders are probably wise to shut down their franchise player with the season lost. Now, it’s up to Daniels to prove he can stay healthy enough to be the superstar Commanders fans thought they had after an excellent rookie year.
Back in 2016, Leicester City won the Premier League despite having preseason odds of 5000-1. Two years later, 16th-seeded UMBC knocked off No. 1 Virginia in the NCAA tournament, a feat estimated at worse than 1000-1 odds. And in 2019, the Avengers overcame 14 million-to-1 odds to beat Thanos.
Compared to all that, then, the Cowboys’ 1-in-64 chance to make the playoffs seems downright easy.
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Yes, unbelievable as it seems, the 6-7-1 Cowboys are still technically alive in the playoffs. Dallas can’t claim the wild-card spot — the best the Cowboys could do is finish 9-7-1, and they’d lose a tiebreaker to Green Bay for that last spot. That means the only way for Dallas to get into the playoffs is via an NFC East title … and there’s only one way to an NFC East title.
Yes, Dallas has to win out, and Philadelphia has to lose out. That’s it. That’s the only scenario out of 64 possible if-then options. (Note that this is different from actual odds; this assumes that every game is a 50-50 proposition, which is obviously not the case.)
So in the interests of science, game theory and making Cowboys fans squirm, let’s run through the schedules to close out the season:
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Dallas faces the Chargers at home before going on the road against Washington and the Giants.
Philadelphia gets Washington at home and away, with a game in Buffalo in between.
Yeah, uh … no disrespect to the Washington Commanders and their fans, but that doesn’t look good for the Cowboys. At all. Buffalo is playing well enough to beat Philadelphia, but expecting Washington to take down the Birds twice in three weeks? Probably not happening.
There will be autopsies and postmortems aplenty for the Cowboys’ season, the way there always are. But it’s already obvious their problems run through an atrocious defense. Only three teams have surrendered more than the Cowboys’ 374.9 yards per game. Only five have intercepted fewer passes. Only the Bengals have allowed more than Dallas’ 30 points per game. No defense has committed more than Dallas’ 113 penalties, no team has allowed more drives to end in an offensive score (48.7 percent).
The defense’s impotence is all the more maddening — even without the obvious absence of Micah Parsons — when you consider that Dallas’ offense leads the league in total yardage and passing yardage, and ranks fourth in points per game. Dak Prescott leads the league in yardage, attempts and completions, and ranks second in Quarterback Rating and third in touchdowns. The offense finally came together right as the defense fell apart.
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The on-field results have been pretty much what you’d expect. Only two of Dallas’ seven losses have been by fewer than eight points. And Jerry Jones has been less than glowing in his review of Matt Eberflus, the Cowboys’ third defensive coordinator in three seasons.
So yes, the Cowboys will almost surely miss the playoffs once again. It’s been an even 30 seasons since Dallas reached even the NFC conference championship. But hey, if they could pull it off this year, well, that might just warrant another eight-episode Netflix documentary.
