The annual men’s basketball game between Oakland and Michigan State took place Saturday and the tradition between Greg Kampe and Tom Izzo also continued as the two teams met at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit.
When their teams meet for this game Kampe and Izzo get into the festive spirit with Christmas sweaters, and this year’s chosen attire was one of their best.
Advertisement
Kampe’s sweater featured him fist-bumping an official with “Nice List” on it. Izzo’s, however, showed him arguing with a ref about a call, which is why he had to settle for the “Naughty List.”
“It’s OK. I mean, I feel like an idiot half the time,” Izzo said Thursday. “How would you like to be Grinch and get a T? Or Santa and get a technical [foul]?”
Michigan State’s Tom Izzo rocked the Grinch Christmas sweater during the Spartans’ 2024 meeting with the Oakland Golden Grizzlies at Little Caesars Arena. (Photo by Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images)
(Aaron J. Thornton via Getty Images)
The two programs began the annual tradition in 1998 when the Spartans helped open up the Golden Grizzlies’ new arena. Michigan State won Saturday’s matchup 79-70 and has won all 24 meetings
No. 9 Alabama ripped off 27 straight points after a horrific start to beat No. 8 Oklahoma 34-24 in the first round of the College Football Playoff on Friday night.
The Sooners led 17-0 with 10:51 to go in the second quarter after John Mateer hit Isaiah Sategna III for a 7-yard score. Less than 10 minutes later, Alabama had the game tied at 17-17 in the midst of a flurry that stretched through the third quarter.
Advertisement
After Oklahoma cut Alabama’s lead to three at the start of the fourth quarter, the Tide pushed the lead back to 10 on a 6-yard TD run by Daniel Hill with less than 7:30 to go. His touchdown was set up by Germie Bernard’s incredible catch as Bernard reached over an Oklahoma defender’s helmet to set up first-and-goal.
Oklahoma (10-3) promptly went three-and-out after Hill’s TD. The Sooners had the faintest of hopes with just under three minutes left but kicker Tate Sandell — the Lou Groza Award winner for best kicker — missed just his second field goal of the season as OU tried to cut Alabama’s lead to one possession.
Given the way the game started, it was once impossible to envision how Oklahoma was going to need a comeback. But the Sooners’ disastrous second quarter let Alabama back into the game.
Advertisement
The Crimson Tide (11-3) will face No. 1 Indiana in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1.
How Oklahoma unraveled
The Tide had 12 yards on their first three possessions and didn’t get their first first down of the game until they trailed by 17 points. But that first down came on a nine-play, 75-yard drive that ended in a 10-yard TD pass from Ty Simpson to Lotzeir Brooks.
Oklahoma had a great chance to push the lead back to 17 points as Mateer escaped the pocket on third down and had a wide-open Xavier Robinson downfield. But Mateer’s pass went through Robinson’s hands. Robinson might have scored a TD had he caught the pass. At worst, Oklahoma would have been in the red zone.
Things immediately got worse after the drop. As Oklahoma punted the ball to the Tide on the next play, reliable punter Grayson Miller simply dropped the ball as he went to kick it. The drop resulted in a blocked punt and an Alabama field goal to cut the lead to seven points.
Four plays after the field goal, Alabama had the game tied. Mateer clearly got confused by Alabama’s coverage and threw a pass straight into the arms of a wide-open Zabien Brown. The problem, of course, was that Brown is an Alabama defensive back and not an Oklahoma receiver, and he ran 50 yards the other way for a pick-6.
The Tide found themselves tied at halftime despite having minus-3 rushing yards and just 100 total yards in the first half.
Advertisement
And they took their first lead of the game with 11:21 to go in the third when Brooks caught his second touchdown of the game.
Oklahoma took down Alabama in November
Friday night’s box score had a lot of similarities to the stats from Oklahoma’s win in Tuscaloosa in November. But with the teams flipped.
The Sooners had just 212 yards of offense in their 23-21 win over Alabama — a game that essentially put Oklahoma in the playoff and gave the Sooners home-field advantage on Friday night. They forced three Alabama turnovers in that game and got a pick-6 themselves, as Alabama significantly outgained Oklahoma.
Advertisement
This time, Oklahoma had 98 more yards than Alabama. But it was Alabama that took advantage of special teams mistakes and got a defensive touchdown.
Alabama officially finished with just 28 rushing yards after sacks and kneel downs. Even taking out QB Ty Simpson’s minus-22 rushing yards and the kneel downs, Hill and Jam Miller combined to have just 16 carries for 54 yards. And 30 of those yards came on one run by Hill.
Simpson finished the game 18-of-29 passing for 232 yards and the two TD passes to Brooks. The freshman receiver had five catches for 79 yards.
A bitter end for the Sooners
No one mistook Oklahoma for a national title favorite entering the College Football Playoff. But the Sooners closed as favorites on Friday night and, in the game’s early stages, the offense looked the best it had since Mateer broke his hand late in the Week 4 win over Auburn.
Advertisement
Instead, Oklahoma found itself in a familiar position of being unable to run the ball as well. The Sooners had to rely a lot on Mateer to make plays with his feet. After the pass rush was nonexistent in the first half, Alabama cranked the pressure up in the second and finished with five sacks of Mateer as he ended up with 19 rushing attempts for 15 yards. Mateer was 26-of-41 passing for 307 yards and two touchdowns.
With Mateer’s eligibility now up after his one season in Norman after transferring from Washington State, Oklahoma will be looking for a new quarterback ahead of the 2026 season. Will the Sooners dip into the transfer market for a QB for the second straight season? Will Michael Hawkins get the chance to be the Week 1 starter after starting games in each of his first two seasons at OU?
Advertisement
No matter who plays QB, Oklahoma has to be better on offense. Coach Brent Venables’ defense was elite. But the ceiling of this Oklahoma team was ultimately limited by its offense.
See how it all played out below:
Live coverage is over54 updates
Yahoo Sports Staff
Yahoo Sports Staff
Oklahoma scored the first 17 points of the game and then it was almost all Alabama from there.
What a win for Kalen DeBoer and the Tide.
Yahoo Sports Staff
Yup, this one is over. OU’s Tate Sandell just left a 51-yarder short and Alabama will be able to run the clock out from here.
Yahoo Sports Staff
The Tide were held on the ensuing possession and punted it back to Oklahoma with less than 2 minutes left in the game.
Yahoo Sports Staff
This thing is all but over after Tate Sandell missed a 36-yard field goal with just under 3 minutes left.
Yahoo Sports Staff
Facing a fourth-and-5, John Mateer found Isaiah Sategna III on a long pass and they’re inside the 20 now.
The Sooners need something out of this drive. There’s just 3 minutes left in the game.
Yahoo Sports Staff
Oklahoma’s defense did its job and Brent Venables used two of the Sooners’ timeouts, so they got the ball back with minimal time running off the clock.
Yahoo Sports Staff
John Mateer ate a sack deep in OU territory on third down and the Sooners have to give it right back to Alabama.
There’s just 5:55 left in the game and it feels like it’s over for Oklahoma.
Yahoo Sports Staff
Alabama is into the end zone after Daniel Hill fought his way through several tackles for a touchdown to make it a two-score game.
Alabama 34, Oklahoma 24
Yahoo Sports Staff
Alabama’s star receiver just pulled down one of the best catches you’ll ever see to get the Tide to the OU 5-yard line.
Yahoo Sports Staff
The Tide will have the ball back with great field position at the OU 35 after a shank by Oklahoma’s punter.
There’s just 9:20 left in the game.
Yahoo Sports Staff
The Tide went backwards from there after a third-down sack and had to punt it away to the Sooners, who will have the ball back at their own 7.
Yahoo Sports Staff
The Tide are over midfield in a blink after a long completion from Ty Simpson to Isaiah Horton for 37 yards. They’re almost in scoring range already.
Yahoo Sports Staff
It’s a 37-yard strike from John Mateer to Deion Burks over the middle and the Sooners are right back in this thing as the fourth quarter gets underway!
Alabama 27, Oklahoma 24
Yahoo Sports Staff
The Sooners have the ball at midfield as we head to the final quarter.
Yahoo Sports Staff
The Tide couldn’t find the end zone but it’s a double-digit lead nonetheless after another field goal by Conor Talty.
Alabama 27, Oklahoma 17
Yahoo Sports Staff
The Tide are over midfield and nearing the red zone again as we hit the midway point in the third quarter.
Yahoo Sports Staff
The Crimson Tide have it right back after a quick three-and-out by the Sooners.
This game has turned on a dime since that first TD by Lotzeir Brooks. Oklahoma has fallen apart.
Yahoo Sports Staff
The Crimson Tide have taken the lead! It’s Lotzeir Brooks again with a 30-yard touchdown catch from Ty Simpson.
The freshman hadn’t had a TD all season, but he now has two in Alabama’s biggest game of the year.
Alabama 24, Oklahoma 17
Yahoo Sports Staff
The Sooners had a quick possession of their own and punted it away, but an ill-timed late hit by OU on the ensuing punt return will give the ball back to the Crimson Tide near midfield.
Yahoo Sports Staff
Ty Simpson had Ryan Williams open along the sideline, but the wide receiver dropped another one and the Tide had to punt it away.
Jefferson was ejected early in the fourth quarter after a hard helmet-to-helmet hit on Chiefs receiver Tyquan Thornton. That left Thornton down on the ground needing medical assistance while players from both teams swarmed in the middle for a brief altercation. Plenty of Chiefs confronted Jefferson over the big hit, and it took a minute for everyone to be separated.
As Jefferson began walking off the field, he showed the fans inside Arrowhead Stadium the double bird.
After the game, Jefferson apologized for the gesture saying, “I’m classier than that, I was just caught up in the moment. Emotions get high. I won’t sit here and act like I’m a perfect man. I messed up when I did that. I have kids at home, and there’s kids out there watching the game too.”
As for the hit itself, Jefferson said he was just “trying to make a football play.”
“It was like a bang-bang moment,” he said. “You have to go with what the officials called in the moment.”
The Chargers were up by three points at the time, and held on to pick up the win with one final stop after Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes went down with a knee injury. Jefferson finished with five total tackles. The 33-year-old is up to 37 total tackles and four interceptions this season, his second with the Chargers.
Advertisement
The Chargers (10-4) have won three straight. They trail the Denver Broncos in the AFC West race, but they are on pace to make the playoffs for the third time in the past four seasons. The Chiefs fell to 6-8 with the loss and were officially eliminated from the postseason race for the first time since the 2014 season.
A familiar face will line up for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Sunday’s critical NFC South tilt against the Carolina Panthers.
The Bucs elevated Jason Pierre-Paul from their practice squad on Saturday, and he’s slated to make his 2025 debut in Sunday’s game. The former All-Pro and three-time Pro Bowl pass rusher hasn’t played in an NFL game since the 2023 season.
The Bucs and Panthers enter Sunday’s game tied atop the NFC South at 7-7. The winner will have the inside track to the NFC South title and what projects as the division’s only playoff berth. They’ll face off again in Week 18.
Jason Pierre-Paul has been in street clothes on gamedays since rejoining the Bucs, but he will suit up to face Bryce Young and the Panthers on Sunday.
(Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Can Pierre-Paul help Bucs at 36 years old?
At his peak, Pierre-Paul was one of the NFL’s best pass rushers. He was a first-team All-Pro with the New York Giants in 2011 after tallying 16.5 sacks. He joined the Buccaneers in 2018 and played four seasons in Tampa Bay. He made the Pro Bowl in 2020 and was an anchor for the defense that helped lead the Bucs to their second Super Bowl championship that season.
Advertisement
It’s unclear how much he has left in the tank at 36 years old on the heels of nearly two full seasons away from football. He tweeted in September that he’s in “the best shape of my life, physically, mentally” alongside video of himself working out.
The Bucs are confident enough in his abilities to promote him to the active roster with their season on the line.
While there are, of course, actual statistics and logical thought that go into the College Football Playoff pairings, I’m not entirely convinced that the Oregon Ducks and the James Madison Dukes weren’t paired just because it’s a fun matchup to say out loud. Ducks vs. Dukes. Dukes at Ducks. The No. 5 Ducks will host the No. 24 Dukes this Saturday in a first-round playoff matchup at Autzen Stadium. The winner will head to the Orange Bowl on New Year’s Day where they’ll face the No. 4 Texas Tech Red Raiders.
Streaming: HBO Max, DirecTV, Hulu + Live TV, Sling and more
When is the James Madison vs. Oregongame?
You can watch coverage of this week’s James Madison vs. Oregon game starting at 7:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, Dec. 20.
Where to watch the James Madison vs. Oregon CFP game without cable:
You can tune in to the James Madison vs. Oregon game on TNT, which is available on platforms like DirecTV, Hulu + Live TV and Sling. You can also stream the game live on HBO Max.
College football playoff game/bowl schedule this week:
All time Eastern
Advertisement
Saturday, Dec. 20
12 p.m. | No. 10 Miami (Fla.) at No. 7 Texas A&M | College Football Playoff First Round Game | ABC 3:30 p.m. | No. 20 Tulane at No. 6 Ole Miss | College Football Playoff First Round Game | TNT 7:30 p.m. | No. 24 James Madison at No. 5 Oregon | College Football Playoff First Round Game | TNT
Monday, Dec. 22
2 p.m. | Utah State vs. Washington State | Famous Idaho Potato Bowl (Boise, Idaho) | ESPN
Tuesday, Dec. 23
2 p.m. | Louisville vs. Toledo | Boca Raton Bowl (Boca Raton, Fla.) | ESPN 5:30 p.m. | Western Kentucky vs. Southern Miss. | New Orleans Bowl (New Orleans, La.) | ESPN 9 p.m. | Ohio vs. UNLV | Frisco Bowl (Frisco, Texas) | ESPN
Advertisement
Wednesday, Dec. 24
8 p.m. | Cal vs. Hawai‘i | Hawai’i Bowl (Honolulu, Hawai’i) | ESPN
Friday, Dec. 26
1 p.m. | Northwestern vs. Central Michigan | GameAbove Sports Bowl (Detroit, Mich.) | ESPN 4:30 p.m. | New Mexico vs. Minnesota | Rate Bowl (Phoenix, Ariz.) | ESPN 8 p.m. | UTSA vs. FIU | First Responder Bowl (Dallas, Texas) | ESPN
How to watch college football games in 2025
NCAA football games will air across ESPN, ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, TNT and the college conference networks. If you don’t have cable, it can be challenging to stay up-to-date with your favorite team. Here’s what we recommend to stream NCAA football in 2025.
The Los Angeles Rams missed a field goal and allowed a 58-yard punt return touchdown that sparked an improbable Seattle Seahawks fourth-quarter comeback during a 38-37 overtime loss Thursday night.
Special teams have been a weak link for the Rams in critical moments this season, and now, ahead of a potential deep playoff run, head coach Sean McVay is reportedly making a change in that phase of the game.
Advertisement
The Rams fired special teams coordinator Chase Blackburn, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Saturday. This is McVay’s first in-season coaching change in his nine seasons at the helm, per Schefter, who also reported that Rams assistant special teams coach Ben Kotwica will take over for Blackburn.
The Rams dropped to 11-4 on the season. Of their four losses during the 2025 campaign, three featured special teams gaffes.
Advertisement
In Week 3, L.A. staked itself to a 26-7 lead on the road against the Philadelphia Eagles. The Rams ended up losing, in part because kicker Joshua Karty had a pair of fourth-quarter field-goal attempts blocked. Eagles defensive tackle Jordan Davis returned the second one for a touchdown.
Then in Week 5, L.A. suffered the first of its two “Thursday Night Football” defeats. Karty, a 2024 sixth-round pick from Stanford, missed a 53-yard field-goal attempt and had a fourth-quarter extra point attempt blocked against the San Francisco 49ers. Those special teams missteps cost the Rams four points in a game the Niners won by three in overtime.
Ahead of its Week 10 matchup against San Francisco, L.A. made serious modifications to its kicking operation. The Rams pivoted from Karty to former Missouri star Harrison Mevis, who went undrafted last year and then spent time in the UFL. They also replaced long snapper Alex Ward with Jake McQuaide, who previously had that job from 2011-2020.
Advertisement
Mevis has made all 32 of his PATs since. He’s gone 8 of 9 on field goals. His lone miss came from 48 yards out on a potential go-ahead kick with a bit more than two minutes remaining in regulation Thursday against the Seahawks. It was 30-30 at the time.
Blackburn, 42, was in his third season as the Rams’ special teams coordinator. They hired him ahead of the 2023 season.
Before that, Blackburn worked as an assistant for the Panthers and Tennessee Titans. Notably, he served as the Titans’ special teams coordinator from 2018-2021. Blackburn also played 10 NFL seasons as a linebacker, first for the New York Giants and then the Carolina Panthers.
Advertisement
With a loaded offense and a top-10 scoring defense, the Rams are headed in a different special teams direction, hoping for an uptick in play in the third phase of the game.
Mark Fletcher Jr. and Malachi Toney powered Miami in front of Texas A&M late in the fourth quarter. And then Bryce Fitzgerald sealed the deal.
Fletcher broke the longest run of his career on Miami’s final drive of the game to help set up Toney’s game-winning score with 1:44 to go on third down ahead of Fitzgerald’s game-clinching interception in No. 10 Miami’s 10-3 win over No. 7 Texas A&M in the first round of the College Football Playoff.
Advertisement
After Texas A&M used its final timeout — and Fletcher had carried the ball five straight times — the Hurricanes put the ball in their hands of their star freshman wide receiver. Toney took a pop pass around the right side for an 11-yard TD and the game’s only TD.
Despite not having any timeouts, the Aggies still had plenty of time to get down the field. They made it across midfield with 90 seconds to go and had a goal-to-go scenario with less than 40 seconds left. But Fitzgerald picked off Marcel Reed for the second time to clinch the win and a trip to the Cotton Bowl on Dec. 31 to play No. 2 Ohio State.
It was Reed’s third turnover of the game. He also fumbled in the first half.
Advertisement
Toney fumbled too. He turned the ball over while fighting for extra yardage in the fourth quarter and gave the Aggies the ball near midfield with the game tied 3-3. But A&M couldn’t do anything with that possession and the Aggies’ punt set up Fletcher to take over.
Fletcher broke a 56-yard run on the first play of the ensuing drive to put the Hurricanes at the Texas A&M 30-yard line and then carried it four more times in a row as Miami immediately tried to run as much time off the clock as possible.
With five yards to go for a first down and A&M expecting another run from Fletcher, Toney surprised the Aggies’ defense with the TD.
Fletcher finished with 17 carries for 172 yards. He had never rushed for more than 126 yards in a single game until Saturday.
Advertisement
Kicking woes dominate ugly game
Perhaps it’s a good thing it did not come down to a potential game-winning field goal attempt.
Miami kicker Carter Davis entered the game with just two missed field goals all season long. He missed three on Saturday, as he pushed two kicks wide right in the first half and hit the left upright in the second half.
Texas A&M was not immune to the struggles, either. Backup kicker Jared Zirkel had a 22-yard field goal blocked in the first half. Randy Bond — who had been extremely reliable over the last three seasons — had been benched in favor of Zirkel after missing seven of his 18 field goal attempts this season. But it was Bond who took the field to tie the game at 3-3 with 8:03 to go.
Advertisement
Heck, Miami didn’t score on Davis’ 21-yard field goal until there was 10:34 to go in the third quarter. It was the first scoreless first half in College Football Playoff history and the combined total of 13 makes for the lowest-scoring CFP game ever since the four-team format was introduced at the end of the 2014 season.
A&M ends the season with two straight losses
It’s another brutal end to the season for the Aggies. Texas A&M won its first 11 games and was ranked No. 3 in the College Football Playoff rankings entering their regular-season finale against Texas.
But the Longhorns beat the Aggies for the second straight season and denied them a trip to the SEC title game again. That loss also ensured A&M wouldn’t get a first-round bye in the College Football Playoff.
Advertisement
A season ago, A&M harbored playoff hopes entering November too. But the Aggies lost three of their last four regular season games and then lost the Las Vegas Bowl to USC to finish 8-5.
The Aggies have now clearly shown they can be contenders for much of the season. But figuring out how to end November with wins — especially over Texas — is the next step as coach Mike Elko signed a lucrative contract extension during the team’s undefeated start.
Live coverage is over54 updates
Yahoo Sports Staff
Yahoo Sports Staff
IT’S OVER! Marcel Reed is off the mark on a throw to the end zone and Miami freshman Bryce Fitzgerald steps in front of it to win the game with a pick.
Final: Miami 10, Texas A&M 3
Yahoo Sports Staff
Yahoo Sports Staff
Yahoo Sports Staff
The Aggies are moving the ball with ease on the ensuing possession with a mix of Marcel Reed passes and scrambles.
They’re nearing the red zone with less than a minute to go.
Yahoo Sports Staff
Well just when it looked like Miami would settle for a field goal, freshman receiver Malachi Toney takes a backfield pass out wide and scores the first touchdown of the game!
Miami 10, Texas A&M 3 | 1:44 left
Yahoo Sports Staff
Mark Fletcher has 170 yards on 16 carries. He has carried Miami in this one. The Canes are trying to milk the clock down now but Texas A&M is taking timeouts.
Yahoo Sports Staff
Fletcher has been one of the few bright spots for the Canes today and he just came through with a monster 56-yard run with time ticking down under the 4-minute mark.
Yahoo Sports Staff
The Aggies weren’t able to capitalize on the turnover and give it back to the Canes with just over 4 minutes left in the game.
Yahoo Sports Staff
It’s the first Miami turnover of the game and it comes at a crucial time. Malachi Toney caught a pass over the middle, but was stripped of the ball while fighting for extra yards.
A&M will have the ball back at midfield.
Nick Bromberg
16 plays, 67 yards. All for a field goal.
Yahoo Sports Staff
We are all tied in College Station after Randy Bond makes a 35-yard field goal.
Miami 3, Texas A&M 3 | 8:03 left
Yahoo Sports Staff
The Aggies are finding ways to convert on third down and they’re now inside the 20 with just under 10 minutes left in the game.
Yahoo Sports Staff
The Aggies finally have some positive momentum early in the fourth quarter. They’re out past midfield with a fresh set of downs and Marcel Reed is finding a little bit of a rhythm.
Yahoo Sports Staff
The Canes got it out to midfield, but opted to punt it instead of going for it on fourth-and-short. Their defense has blanked A&M so far, so it’s probably the right call.
Yahoo Sports Staff
Miami might’ve gotten away with a late hit along the sideline, but no flag was thrown and the Canes will get it back.
There’s just over 3:30 left in the third quarter.
Nick Bromberg
Yahoo Sports Staff
Carter Davis has missed ANOTHER kick. This one doinks off the left upright and it’ll remain 3-0.
Nick Bromberg
Reed just simply did not read Miami’s zone defense well on that interception.
Yahoo Sports Staff
We have another turnover by A&M’s Marcel Reed! This time he badly missed his receiver and threw it right into the hands of Miami’s Bryce Fitzgerald, who returned the pick near the red zone.
The Dallas Cowboys are eliminated from the postseason race, but they don’t intend to roll over against a Los Angeles Chargers team in the thick of the AFC playoff picture. The Cowboys activated All-Pro cornerback Trevon Diggs on Saturday from a concussion and knee injury that have sidelined him since Week 7.
Trevon Diggs will return from injury Sunday despite the Cowboys’ depleted playoff hopes.
(Michael Owens via Getty Images)
Diggs will play alongside quarterback Dak Prescott, who this week expressed his intent to finish the season out. Both are slated to take the field to test a 10-4 Chargers team seeking to secure a wild-card berth and with a long-shot chance of overtaking the 12-2 Denver Broncos for the AFC West crown.
Advertisement
For Diggs, he’ll have a chance to finish the season on the field on the heels of a third straight campaign marred by injuries. Diggs was named first-team All-Pro in 2021 and made the Pro Bowl in 2022. But injuries limited him to two games in 2023, 11 games in 2024 and have now cost him at least eight this season.
Diggs is one of the NFL’s top defensive playmakers when healthy and led the league with 11 interceptions in 2021. He’ll be seeking his first interception of the season Sunday against the Chargers.
The Miami Dolphins tried to trade four first-round picks before the 2020 NFL Draft for a chance to take Joe Burrow No. 1 overall, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, who also reported Saturday that the Cincinnati Bengals shut down the possibility of any such trade before it could pick up steam.
At the time, the Dolphins had three 2020 first-round picks — their own, the Pittsburgh Steelers’ because of the Minkah Fitzpatrick trade and the Houston Texans’ due to the Laremy Tunsil trade — as well as two 2021 first-round picks.
Both the Bengals and Dolphins have been eliminated from playoff contention this season. Neither team has made the postseason each of the past two seasons.
Advertisement
Cincinnati hasn’t played a playoff game since the 2022 campaign. After suffering a turf toe injury in Week 2 that required surgery, Burrow did everything he could to return in time for the Bengals to end that drought. That said, Cincinnati dug too big of a hole for Burrow in his nine-game absence.
Burrow, 29, is chasing the team success he achieved earlier in his career. After winning the Heisman Trophy and the national championship at LSU, he led the Bengals to the Super Bowl in his second NFL season. The next year, he had Cincinnati back in the AFC championship.
The 27-year-old Tagovailoa, meanwhile, is also at an inflection point in his career. Availability has been an issue for him, too. Concussions have been a serious issue for the former Alabama quarterback. So have turnovers, especially this season, as he currently leads the NFL with 15 interceptions.
Tagovailoa is now the Dolphins’ emergency quarterback. Miami head coach Mike McDaniel is turning to seventh-round rookie Quinn Ewers, who previously starred at Texas. His backup will be New York Jets castoff Zach Wilson.
Miami, which will have a new general manager soon, is prepared to move Tagovailoa this coming offseason, according to Schefter. The Dolphins face financial obstacles to make that happen. Tagovailoa’s contract isn’t forgiving.
Advertisement
The Dolphins owe him $54 million guaranteed in 2026. Cutting him would result in the Dolphins shouldering the largest dead money salary cap charge in NFL history, per Schefter. That number is a staggering $99 million. Yet, as Schefter noted in his Saturday report, Miami can soften the blow by cutting Tagovailoa after June 1 — that way, the Dolphins could split the charge and pay it over the 2026 and 2027 seasons.
Miami could also try to trade Tagovailoa and dump his lucrative contract, or at least part of it. That likely would involve the Dolphins sweetening the deal with significant draft compensation, perhaps even some in exchange for a suitor to take on the remaining balance of Tagovailoa’s contract.
In that scenario, though, Tagovailoa could have to take a pay cut but also could influence where he ended up, per Schefter.
Advertisement
Fortunately for Tagovailoa, who spent six seasons as the Dolphins’ starter, there are several quarterback-needy teams.
Philadelphia Eagles kicker Jake Elliott had three looks at field goals in the first half against the Washington Commanders on Saturday. He missed all three.
Advertisement
His third miss scuttled a chance for the Eagles to tie the game just before halftime. And it arrived via a second chance.
With 18 seconds remaining in the second quarter, Elliott attempted a 57-yard field goal on fourth-and-4 wide left. But an offside penalty on Washington gave Philadelphia a first down and Elliott a shot at redemption. He did not capitalize.
After failing to pick up any more yards, the Eagles lined up for another field goal with 6 seconds remaining on the clock, this time from 52 yards. The result was the same. Elliot missed wide left, and the Commanders went into halftime with a 10-7 lead.
This, after Elliott missed from 43 yards earlier in the second quarter, also wide left.
Advertisement
The first missed kick of the end-of-half sequence won’t go down in the box score because of the penalty. Elliott was officially 0-for-2 on field goals in the first half. But everybody watching Saturday’s game knew that he missed three field-goal attempts.
Kicking yips are exacerbated this late in the season as the stakes rise. And these are the types of misses that can cost teams games.
Elliott is a ninth-year veteran who’s played his entire career, that includes winning two Super Bowls, with the Eagles. He’s a former All-Pro and Pro Bowler.
Advertisement
He entered Saturday with a career-low 77.3% conversion rate that won’t be improved by this effort.
