Week 12 of the NFL has provided us with some concerns for once mighty contenders.
The Raiders, Colts, and Cowboys all got blown out this week, which doesn't bode well for their confidence moving forward as they are in the midst of battling for playoff positions. A couple games were decided by last second field goals.
The Patriots stole one from the Cardinals on a 50 yard field goal off the foot of Nick Folk. It was setup by a 15 yard penalty by Arizona linebacker, Isaiah Simmons, for a hit on Cam Newton as he was going out of bounds.
The Vikings managed to sneak away with a victory due to a missed field goal from Joey Slye of Carolina. Slye missed a 54 yard attempt as the game came to a close and Minnesota came out with the W, 28-27.
The Bills, Packers, and Saints all won to keep their division leads. The 49ers and Patriots managed to keep their playoff hopes alive with Week 12 wins.
Also congratulations to the New York Giants on moving into first place in the NFC East with their win over the Bengals they are now 4-7.
AFC East Fantasy Performer of the Week
Ryan Fitzpatrick QB Miami Dolphins - 257 passing yards and 2 TDs
The @MiamiDolphins came together and won as a team today. Ryan Fitzpatrick was proud of his squad’s performance aga… https://t.co/BGOiRuaREJ— NFLonCBS (@NFLonCBS) 1606687424.0
AFC East Week 12 Winner
Buffalo Bills - With their 27-17 win over the Chargers, Buffalo kept pace ahead of Miami for the division lead. The combination of Fitzpatrick and Tua Tagovailoa at quarterback have been good enough to keep stacking wins and the Bills cannot afford to let their foot off the pedal the rest of the way.
AFC East Week 12 Loser
New York Jets - Last I checked the news feed Adam Gase is still their head coach. Thus, the Jets are inherently the loser of the week in the AFC East until that statement is no longer true.
AFC West Fantasy Performer of the Week
Tyreek Hill WR Kansas City Chiefs - 13 receptions, 269 yards receiving, 3 TDs
I see you @cheetah. Let’em know they need help to guard you. https://t.co/XoQIxcUKON— shannon sharpe (@shannon sharpe) 1606699041.0
There's really not much to say about Hill's performance on Sunday. All that matters is that the Chiefs' offense looks better than it did last year when they won the Super Bowl.
AFC West Week 12 Winner
Kansas City Chiefs - The Chiefs not only won behind the stellar performances of Patrick Mahomes (462 yards and 3 TDs) and Hill against one of the better teams in the league in the Buccaneers, but every other team in the division lost Week 12. Barring a historical collapse, KC should already be printing their division champion t-shirts.
AFC West Week 12 Loser
The rest of the division - The Raiders are a team that we've seen fluctuate between a contender and an imposter all season. Now that it's getting down to the wire, Las Vegas can't afford anymore games like the blowout they endured against Atlanta this week. The Broncos played without a QB this week, and the Chargers are already looking forward to 2021.
AFC South Fantasy Performer of the Week
Derrick Henry RB Tennessee Titans - 178 rushing yards, 3 TDs, 6.6 YPC
Most rushing yards in Wk 12: 🔹 Derrick Henry - 178 🔹 Nick Chubb - 144 🔹 James Robinson - 128 🔹 Derrick Henry AFTER… https://t.co/IDJDGuEO7J— PFF Fantasy Football (@PFF Fantasy Football) 1606745230.0
AFC South Week 12 Winner
Deshaun Watson - The Houston QB has kept his head up during a tough season. Even though he himself has struggled most weeks in 2020, the perennial pro-bowler got a chance to show the world that he's still elite even his team needs some upgrading. On a national stage on Thanksgiving, Watson threw for over 300 yards and four touchdowns against the Lions in a route, 41-25.
AFC South Week 12 Loser
Indianapolis Colts - While the Texans may not be dead yet, the Colts had the chance this week to establish themselves as the new kings of the South. Instead they got rolled over by Tennessee and Derrick Henry ate their defense alive to the tune of 178 yards. Even though it's still a two man race for the division between the Colts and Titans, Indianapolis knows they need to keep pace with Tennessee or they'll be on the outside looking in come January.
AFC North Fantasy Performer of the Week
Nick Chubb RB Cleveland Browns - 144 rushing yards and 1 TD
#Browns Nick Chubb averages 14.3 yards per carry in the 4th quarter this season. That is not a typo. https://t.co/Q3oF7ab6lR— Browns Rally Possum (@Browns Rally Possum) 1606664026.0
AFC North Week 12 Winner
Cleveland Browns fans - Since their return in 1999, Cleveland has been subjected to some bad football. With only one playoff appearance over the past two decades there hasn't been much to cheer about. Cleveland now sits at 8-3 and Browns' fans are in a precarious position as they'll be rooting for the Steelers on Tuesday night. A Pittsburgh win over the Ravens would give the Browns some more breathing room as they sit alone in second place behind the undefeated Steelers squad.
AFC North Week 12 Loser
Lamar Jackson - Jackson was placed on the Covid-19 reserve list ahead of the Ravens' Week 12 game with Pittsburgh. Additional diagnoses caused the game to be rescheduled. But Jackson will miss this important division matchup and the Ravens, as we just talked about, are at risk of giving up more ground to the Browns if they lose this week.
NFC East Fantasy Performer of the Week
Antonio Gibson RB Washington Football Team - 115 rushing yards and 3 TDs
Antonio Gibson WENT OFF as Washington takes down Dallas on Thanksgiving 👏 🔥 20 Carries 🔥 115 Yds 🔥 3 TDs https://t.co/bnI7RNsTGm— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) 1606438463.0
NFC East Week 12 Winner
Jerry Jones - I know that Washington had an impressive Thanksgiving day blowout win and the Giants moved into first place in the division this week. But the real winner is Jerry Jones and the Cowboys front office because with their loss they're now positioned inside the top five in the upcoming NFL draft. This will allow them to go get a replacement for Dak Prescott and allow them to avoid signing him to the massive contract he's expected to get.
NFC East Week 12 Loser
Ezekiel Elliott - There is no doubt that Elliott can continue to be a productive, if not elite, running back in the NFL. We're just beginning to question whether that's going to be in Dallas next season. Zeke is one of the highest paid running backs in the league and the Cowboys may be resetting the roster if they're unable to come to terms with Dak Prescott in the offseason. Elliott's contract would be one that the team would be very motivated to move on from if that's the case.
NFC West Fantasy Performer of the Week
Kenyan Drake RB Arizona Cardinals - 78 rushing yards and 2 TDs
Kenyan Drake delivered the goods today. 🍽️ https://t.co/4pGTsjVC81— Rotoworld Football (@Rotoworld Football) 1606686167.0
NFC West Week 12 Winner
Seattle Seahawks - Even though the Seahawks haven't played their Week 12 game yet (they play on MNF against the Eagles tonight) they are already the winners in the division from Week 12. The Niners knocked off the Rams who are Seattle's closest competition for the division, and the Cardinals lost a heartbreaker to the Patriots. Considering the Hawks have been on a bit of a slide, Russell Wilson and the gang must feel good about the rest of the divisions' misfortune this week.
NFC West Week 12 Loser
Kyler Murray - As we just mentioned the Cardinals took a hurtful loss this week. In such a tight race for the division and playoff spots this season, Murray needs to will his team to some wins. This was an opportunity to do just that, and he played poorly. Murray only managed 201 total yards passing and rushing combined, threw an interception, and had no touchdowns on the day.
NFC South Fantasy Performer of the Week
Latavius Murray RB New Orleans Saints - 124 rushing yards, 2 TDs, 6.5 YPC
Alvin Kamara managers watching these Latavius Murray TDs https://t.co/QBiSBJETdG— Fantasy Football Today (@Fantasy Football Today) 1606692728.0
NFC South Week 12 Winner
New Orleans Saints - The Saints have won two straight with Taysom Hill filling in for Drew Brees while he's out due to multiple rib fractures. They are riding an eight game win streak overall, and as the Bucs continue to struggle to perform with any level of consistency, New Orleans is beginning to run away with the division.
NFC South Week 12 Loser
Atlanta Falcons - Yes the Falcons just beat the Raiders 43-6, but that's why they're here on this list. It's largely been believed that the Falcons are far better than their record shows, and their Week 12 performance proved that to be true. One can only wonder how their season could've been different if Dan Quinn was replaced by Raheem Morris before the start of the season.
NFC North Fantasy Performer of the Week
Aaron Rodgers QB Green Bay Packers - 211 passing yards and 4 TDs
Aaron Rodgers. Effortless. 4 TD passes 🔥 (via @NFL) https://t.co/rabpeV2Dcq— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) 1606706826.0
NFC North Week 12 Winner
Minnesota Vikings - With the help of the Packers, Minnesota has moved into second place in the division after a 1-5 start to the season. The Vikings will be in contention for a wild card spot the rest of the way out, and Kirk Cousins has started to give them more consistent performances. The Bears and Lions shouldn't be a threat, so the Vikings just need to keep winning to give themselves a chance.
NFC North Week 12 Loser
Matt Patricia and Bob Quinn - The Lions parted ways with coach Matt Patricia and GM Bob Quinn following the team's Thanksgiving day loss to the Texans. Detroit is 4-7 this season, but things haven't been trending in the right direction. Although it's a tough beat for Patricia and Quinn, they had plenty of chances to build around Matt Stafford and they failed.
HEY DETROIT THERE'S THIS GUY NAMED ERIC BIENIEMY IN KANSAS CITY THAT IS AVAILABLE.
Eric Bieniemy to the Lions? https://t.co/V2XqvmCXmB— Revived Sports Graphics (@Revived Sports Graphics) 1606616730.0
As Ferris Bueller might say: The world of sports moves pretty fast; if you don't stop and look around at least once a week, you could miss it.
Here we'll review what you might have missed in the past week all in one place. Why spend hours scrolling through Twitter to catch up on the news you want? We've already done that for you, so remember to check back every Monday to get your dose of weekly sports review.
Taysom Hill, Andy Dalton, and P.J. Walker all lead their teams to Week 11 victories filling in for injured starting QBs. Cleveland moved ahead of the Ravens in the AFC North with their win over the Eagles while Baltimore fell to the Titans. The Steelers continued to roll and now sit at 10-0 atop the NFL. The Colts outlasted the Packers in an overtime thriller as Indianapolis is now positioning themselves as a team nobody wants to see come playoff time as they boast the best defense in the NFL.
Joe Burrow was injured in the Bengals' game against Washington and he miss the remainder of the season with a knee injury. This should make Justin Herbert the odds on favorite to win Rookie of the Year if you're interested in a futures bet.
NFL players coming back from torn ACLs: ➖ Joe Burrow ➖ Saquon Barkley ➖ Odell Beckham Jr. ➖ Nick Bosa ➖ Tarik Cohe… https://t.co/9fLMBjuKDx— B/R Gridiron (@B/R Gridiron) 1606147450.0
NFL
Along with the Colts' win this past Sunday, the Seahawks' victory over the Cardinals this week was just as important to keep pace in a competitive division. Both teams currently lead their respective divisions, but their margins of error are slim. The Titans beat the Ravens to match the Colts' 7-3 record, but the Colts hold the tie-breaker over them.
Taysom Hill contributed 284 total yards and two rushing touchdowns in a win over division rival Atlanta. The Falcons couldn't get their offense working all game and New Orleans was able to keep the Falcons' defense guessing all game. Michael Thomas led the way with nine catches for 104 yards.
P.J. Walker helped the Panthers get a win against Detroit showing his mobility and arm strength on a 52 yard strike to D.J. Moore and tossed for 258 yards and a touchdown. Mike Davis had 64 rushing yards and a TD as Carolina won 20-0.
PJ was having fun 😎 https://t.co/psYmAolycu— Carolina Panthers (@Carolina Panthers) 1606148197.0
The Dallas Cowboys beat the Vikings in one of the most surprising outcomes from Week 11 and are now tied with Washington and New York for second place in the NFC East. The Eagles still lead with a record of 3-6-1 but it's truly anyone's prize to win. Ezekiel Elliott had over 100 yards on the ground and Tony Pollard pitched in with 60 yards and a TD. Andy Dalton had three touchdown passes in the game.
Despite an early touchdown pass to DeVante Parker the Dolphins offense stalled under Tua Tagovailoa and the Dolphins brought in Ryan Fitzpatrick to spell the struggling rookie as their five game win streak came to an end after a loss to the Broncos 20-13.
The Chiefs avenged their only loss on the season defeating the Raiders in a barn burner 35-31 and are now 9-1 on the year and arguably the best team in football even though the Steelers remain a perfect 10-0. Patrick Mahomes threw for 348 yards and two touchdowns, but Derek Carr nearly outdueled him in a losing effort throwing for 275 yards and three TDs. Clyde Edwards-Helaire fantasy owners were happy as he had two scores which has been his Achilles heel all season is a lack of touchdowns.
The multi-TD game for Clyde Edwards-Helaire is here! https://t.co/epv1rYeqfX— Yahoo Fantasy Sports (@Yahoo Fantasy Sports) 1606101381.0
A few other notable performances from Week 11 include Keenan Allen finishing with 16 receptions for 145 yards and a touchdown. Deshaun Watson had 344 yards passing along with three touchdowns (two passing and one on the ground). Derrick Henry had 133 yards and the game-winning touchdown to beat the Ravens.
DERRICK HENRY CALLED GAME (via @NFL) https://t.co/hYeLwF2xGX— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) 1606079811.0
NBA
There's been a lot of player movement in the past week in the NBA and there may not have been a more impactful signing than Montrezl Harrell agreeing to terms with the defending champion Lakers. Harrell is the reigning sixth-man of the year and averaged 18.6 points and 7.1 rebounds per game during the 2019-2020 season.
Lakers really replaced Danny Green, Dwight, & Rondo with Dennis Schroder, Wes Matthews AND Montrezl Harrell https://t.co/H0PeZ2O0UD— LakeShowYo (@LakeShowYo) 1605929348.0
It appears that Anthony Davis will be asked to play more at the center position this upcoming season. Now that Dwight Howard is on his way to Philadelphia and JaVale McGee was traded to Cleveland to make room for the eventual signing of Marc Gasol, Davis will likely be asked to play the 5 more often rotating with Gasol and Harrell.
Lakers coach Frank Vogel proved throughout the 2020 playoffs that he is very adept at finding good lineups with the talent at his disposal and with the league shifting to smaller and quicker lineups, Los Angeles is gearing up for a title defense.
The Clippers will hope to replace Harrell's production with veteran Serge Ibaka who is signing with the Clippers and should provide some nice spacing for Kawhi Leonard and Paul George to work in this season.
Serge Ibaka is signing a 2 year $19M deal with the Clippers and will re-unite with his former teammate Kawhi Leonar… https://t.co/s31RE11aMa— NBA Retweet (@NBA Retweet) 1606019596.0
Gordon Hayward in a surprise move is headed to Charlotte to join newly drafted LaMelo Ball. The Hornets are an organization that has struggled with bad contracts weighing down their flexibility to make roster changes. Hayward signed a 4 year deal for $120 million and has struggled to stay healthy since arriving in Boston three years ago.
Goran Dragic signed an extension to remain with the Miami Heat and best friend Jimmy Butler. The Heat and head coach Erik Spoelstra will look to make another run for the Finals, but the Nets, 76'ers and Bucks will be serious contenders to take the Eastern Conference Championship crown from them.
🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨I'm glad that I can announce that I'm staying with my #HeatNationFamily 📝❤️🏀🔥 @MiamiHEAT Let’s finis… https://t.co/CH3EzSimPv— Goran Dragić (@Goran Dragić) 1605913295.0
The Golden State Warriors lost Klay Thompson to yet another season ending injury. Thompson missed all of last season after tearing his ACL in the 2019 NBA Finals, and will now miss the entire 2020-2021 season after an Achilles' tendon tear suffered during a workout this past week. All is not lost however for the once dominant Warriors.
Steph Curry will be making his return and he will be joined by a couple new faces. The team's top draft pick was James Wiseman out of the University of Memphis. The big man will add a level of scoring versatility that they haven't had during the Steph years and will make defending the perimeter shooting of the Warriors considerably more difficult.
The @warriors will be without Klay Thompson next year but added Kelly Oubre Jr. to help offset the loss What place… https://t.co/DlLgtSRoOY— The Association on FOX (@The Association on FOX) 1605894922.0
Golden State also traded for Kelly Oubre Jr. sending a future first and second round pick in exchange to Oklahoma City. Oubre averaged 18.7 points per game last season in Phoenix and shot over 35% from three. This is obviously an attempt at replacing Thompson's skill set and shows that the organization feels like they can jump right back in and contend in a deep western conference.
As Ferris Bueller might say: The world of sports moves pretty fast; if you don't stop and look around at least once a week, you could miss it.
Here we'll review what you might have missed in the past week all in one place. Why spend hours scrolling through Twitter to catch up on the news you want? We've already done that for you, so remember to check back every Monday to get your dose of weekly sports review.
Golf
The 84th Masters Tournament saw history made this past weekend, as Dustin Johnson turned in a record setting performance at Augusta finishing at 20 under par in 72 holes. The World No. 1 continued his hot run of play in this major and added his first green jacket and second major victory of his career.
Dustin Johnson wins the 84th Masters Tournament. #themasters https://t.co/aI2zjbuE7h— The Masters (@The Masters) 1605469912.0
Tiger Woods looked primed to defend his title after the first two rounds, limiting mistakes and playing with the careful consideration for every shot he's been known for throughout his career. He stumbled on day three, though, and only managed to shoot par which allowed Johnson to put pressure on Woods and the rest of the field heading into day four.
Woods took a 10 on the 12th hole on Sunday which knocked him out of contention, but then followed up with five birdies over the next six holes, which saved his round allowing him to finish with a four over 76. Tiger finished tied for 38th place at -1.
That's how you respond. 💪 Tiger Woods never stopped fighting. https://t.co/CGAH1vxWre— PGA TOUR (@PGA TOUR) 1605464386.0
Cameron Smith and Sungjae Im finished tied for second at -15. Justin Thomas took fourth place at -12. Rory McIlroy and Dylan Frittelli were tied at -11 to round out the top five.
MLB
The 2020 Major League Baseball awards have been handed out to spotlight this year's winners:
AL MVP
The American League’s best in 2020. José Abreu is the AL MVP. 👏 https://t.co/eWMVJpr74T— MLB (@MLB) 1605223338.0
Abreu led the AL in RBI (60), finished second in HRs (19), and fourth in BA (.317). He helped a young White Sox team to the playoffs for the first time in 12 years. Providing a steady bat in the middle of an explosive lineup, Abreu benefitted from having protection around him for the first time in his career. A former Rookie of the Year, Abreu now sits atop the American League as its most valuable player.
NL MVP
Freddie Freeman Atlanta Braves
#MVFree indeed. @FreddieFreeman5 is your 2020 NL MVP. 👏 https://t.co/FUBGRHnvy3— MLB (@MLB) 1605225131.0
Freeman put together an impressive campaign in the truncated season, finishing second in the MLB in OPS (1.102) and led the MLB in runs (51). Freeman also finished second in the NL in batting average (.341), on base percentage (.462), and slugging percentage (.640).
Although the Braves fell short of the World Series, Freeman's achievement, like Abreu's, represents a veteran leader helping the development of a talented young team around him. Expect a step forward for the Braves next year behind the reigning NL MVP.
AL Cy Young
Shane Bieber Cleveland Indians
UNANIMOUS! Congrats to 2020 Cy Young Award winner Shane Bieber! 🏆 https://t.co/vOLku4Os3F— FOX Sports Cleveland (@FOX Sports Cleveland) 1605137196.0
For the first time since 2011, the AL Cy Young was awarded unanimously. Bieber had a historic season setting a league record for strikeout rate (41.1%) and recorded the lowest qualifying ERA (1.63) since 1969. Opposing batters averaged a paltry .167 against Bieber in 2020, which is also the best opposing BA since 1969. Considering the Indians are not in the business of keeping its talent once their payday comes due, enjoy him while you can Cleveland. Yankees, you're on the clock.
NL Cy Young
Trevor Bauer Cincinnati Reds
Name a better way to celebrate. You can’t. @budweiserusa https://t.co/9WxTXPC7C5— Trevor Bauer (@Trevor Bauer) 1605295731.0
Speaking of the Indians not retaining talent, the NL Cy Young winner is former Cleveland Indian, Trevor Bauer. Imagine if Cleveland was able to send out Bieber and Bauer on back to back nights this season with Bauer bringing his 1.73 ERA, 0.79 WHIP, and 12.3 strikeouts per nine innings. We can only speculate what the results would've been, but Bauer led a good pitching group in Cincinnati and brought them to the playoffs. Often outspoken, rarely outdueled.
AL Rookie of the Year
Kyle Lewis Seattle Mariners
Lewis burst onto the national scene with his five tool skills. He can hit home runs as well as rob them and is reminiscent of another transcendent talent that used to roam the outfields of Seattle.
Kyle Lewis x Ken Griffey Jr. (first 72 games) Lewis Griffey Jr. 17 HR 11 41… https://t.co/bPhJXlbweu— Danny Vietti (@Danny Vietti) 1600910043.0
NL Rookie of the Year
Devin Williams Milwaukee Brewers
Williams became the first reliever to win the ROY award since Craig Kimbrel in 2011. Williams posted a 0.33 ERA and struck out 53% of the batters he faced this season.
AL Manager of the Year
Kevin Cash Tampa Bay Rays
It was a foregone conclusion that the Yankees would win the AL East this year, but the Rays came out of nowhere with a bunch of unknown players to take the division convincingly. Cash's trademark is player usage and tinkering with lineups. The mind of Kevin Cash is a big reason the Rays got to the World Series, but his decision to replace Blake Snell in Game 6 might have cost them a shot at a Game 7 against the Dodgers. Still, the Rays have a bevy of young talent under cost controlled contracts and they should continue to compete for the AL pennant for the foreseeable future.
NL Manager of the Year
Don Mattingly Miami Marlins
Mattingly became the fifth person to win both an MVP award and Manager of the Year award after leading the Marlins to the postseason in 2020. It was their first appearance in 17 years in what was supposed to be a transition year as they look to rebuild. Mattingly certainly got the most from his players and may be the kind of presence to make Miami a free agent destination if ownership is willing to spend.
Don Mattingly has been named the 2020 National League Manager of the Year. He is the 5th former MVP to win the awa… https://t.co/iGeZvpfyaA— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPN Stats & Info) 1605050970.0
NBA
Now that the league has set December 22 as the start date for the 2020-2021 season the offseason, which historically provides plenty of rumors and player movement, has been dramatically shortened. That will likely mean less transactions preseason, but may set us up for an exciting trade deadline.
That doesn't mean there aren't some interesting rumors floating around, however. A deal appears to be in place to send Dennis Schroder to the Lakers in exchange for Danny Green and the Lakers' 28th overall pick in the upcoming draft. This would provide the newly minted NBA Champions a versatile scoring guard that can play both on and off the ball. Schroder will be coming from Oklahoma City, where he played with Chris Paul and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander who are both ball handlers.
Lakers and Thunder have agreement in principle on deal to send Dennis Schroder to Los Angeles, and No. 28 pick in W… https://t.co/tyH2iPPZZJ— Shams Charania (@Shams Charania) 1605459149.0
Having to share ball handling duties with LeBron shouldn't affect Schroder's effectiveness, and the playmaking LA will be losing in Rajon Rondo will likely be made up for by a veteran free agent signing later in the offseason.
The biggest trade rumor going around NBA Twitter right now involves the future of James Harden. Now that Mike D'Antoni and Daryl Morey have parted ways with the Rockets, Houston has a problem. It was just a year ago that the Rockets were thought to have the team and the plan to win an NBA title. Now they're looking for a new identity.
ESPN Sources with @RamonaShelburne and @ZachLowe_NBA: As Houston’s James Harden considers his future with franchise… https://t.co/Uf9k102itA— Adrian Wojnarowski (@Adrian Wojnarowski) 1605477080.0
Harden's preferred landing spot has emerged, and it's in Brooklyn. That would reunite him with former teammate Kevin Durant and form a backcourt of Harden and Kyrie Irving. Brooklyn would likely have to send DeAndre Jordan and some players to match contracts up along with a slew of draft picks, but just the thought of this super team is making December 22 feel too far away.
NFL Quick Bites
Lamar Jackson and the Ravens fall on Sunday night to the Patriots. Baltimore falls to 6-3 and gives up some ground to Cleveland in the AFC North.
On Thursday night, the Colts dominated the Titans in an important division matchup. With the win the Colts draw even with the Tennessee at 6-3. The Titans have lost three of their last four games.
The Buccaneers get back on track with a 46-23 win over Carolina. Tom Brady made good use of his receivers in this one. Chris Godwin, Mike Evans, and Antonio Brown all had at least six receptions in this game.
Tua Tagovailoa and the Dolphins keep rolling with their fifth win in a row. They beat the Chargers 29-21 and are now 6-3.
Kyler Murray and DeAndre Hopkins connected on a last second Hail Mary to beat the Bills 32-30. A contender for play of the year, and a competitive game that may have been a Super Bowl preview.
Drew Brees left the game against the 49ers with a rib injury. His status for Week 11 is uncertain. If he's unable to go Jameis Winston will be under center for the Saints.
As Ferris Bueller might say: The world of sports moves pretty fast; if you don't stop and look around at least once a week, you could miss it.
Here we'll review what you might have missed in the past week all in one place. Why spend hours scrolling through Twitter to catch up on the news you want? We've already done that for you, so remember to check back every Monday to get your dose of weekly sports review.
NFL
Deshaun Watson and the Houston Texans outlasted rookie QB Jake Luton and the Jaguars on Sunday 27-25. Both teams entered 1-6, but the Texans' record doesn't reflect how they've been playing of late. Watson is good enough to will his team to some wins down the stretch and he has developed great chemistry with wideout Will Fuller. J.J. Watt recorded his 100th career sack in this game, and only four players have reached that mark faster than Watt.
100th career sack for @JJWatt 👏 📺: #HOUvsJAX on CBS 📱: NFL app // Yahoo Sports app: https://t.co/ul5IFJEdQc https://t.co/UwOhGODeFT— NFL (@NFL) 1604868806.0
A new competitor has entered the arena in the fight for the NFC North. Minnesota are winners of their last two games, and as the Bears continue to slide, the Vikings could ride Dalvin Cook all the way to a wild card spot in the NFC. Cook was yet again fantastic on Sunday as he amassed 252 total yards and two touchdowns in a 34-20 win over the Lions.
Josh Allen won a showdown with fellow MVP candidate Russell Wilson on Sunday, throwing for 415 yards and three touchdowns and added another touchdown on the ground. Wilson was stumped by the Buffalo defense for much of the first half, and it wasn't until the second half did the Seahawks start to get anything going offensively. A 17 point fourth quarter by the Bills kept the game out of reach and serves as a statement win for the Bills and a career defining moment for Josh Allen.
"Russell Wilson came in as the assumed MVP and top QB in the league. @JoshAllenQB came out and threw for 415 yards,… https://t.co/mCdysnqSNq— GMFB (@GMFB) 1604929977.0
The Steelers escaped with a win against the struggling Cowboys in Week 9. Thought to be a candidate for a blow out, instead we were treated to some good football between two of the league's most historic franchises. Dallas got some better play at the quarterback position from Garrett Gilbert, but it was the Cowboys' defense that impressed as they looked significantly better in this game than any other on the year.
The Dallas Cowboys are up double digits on the Pittsburgh Steelers https://t.co/x49Kzrz559— PFF (@PFF) 1604873865.0
The dedication to getting Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard involved in the offense seemed to be effective at both keeping the chains moving and dictating the pace of play. A strategy that should have been implemented from the outset of the season. The Cowboys brought a 10 point lead into the final quarter, but that lead was erased with the Steelers eventually winning the game 24-19.
The New Orleans Saints handed Tom Brady and his Buccaneers an embarrassing loss on Sunday night. The Bucs were excited to see what the offense looked like with Antonio Brown, making his debut and Chris Godwin coming back from injury. What they got was a huge plate of disappointment with a side of eight rushing yards, eight!
Live look at the Buccaneers trying to get their offense going https://t.co/baP5vXIt6C— FOX Sports: NFL (@FOX Sports: NFL) 1604888854.0
This is undoubtedly not how Tampa Bay envisioned this game going, but this isn't the first time this season they hit a bump in the road. They're still uber talented, but every opponent left on their schedule either has a winning record or is trending in the right direction of late including the Vikings and Falcons twice.
NASCAR
Chase Elliott became the NASCAR Cup Series champion on Sunday night becoming the third youngest driver to accomplish the feat at just 24 years old. His father, Bill Elliott, a NASCAR Hall of Famer and 1988 NASCAR champion was there to celebrate his son's greatest achievement.
Chase grew up around race tracks and the legends of the sport were "uncles" and mentors including Dale Earnhardt Sr., Jeff Gordon, and Jimmie Johnson. Being the son of one of the most popular drivers in his era has been both an advantage and a curse as the family name brings both attention and expectations.
BURN IT DOWN, CHAMP! @chaseelliott gets it done in 2020! https://t.co/P7CFJkj134— NASCAR (@NASCAR) 1604876976.0
Just a few weeks shy of his 25th birthday, Elliott now sits atop the sport that he was born to be a part of. It's often easy for young prodigies to overlook the steps necessary to get them where they are, but that's not the case for Elliott. After his win he referred to the team of people that helped him get to this point.
"I just think about all of the people who worked so hard to get me to this point today," Elliott continued, "I think about my family, all of the crew members who built all of those race cars for me, Rick Hendrick for hiring me. Jimmie Johnson, who ran his last race tonight, and Jeff Gordon, both of whom took me under their wings as teammates and mentors. There were a lot of people that supported me. Even when there were a lot of people who didn't."
UFC
At UFC Vegas 13 this past Saturday, 41 year old Glover Teixeira defeated Thiago Santos convincingly with a third round submission to end it. Santos rocked Teixeira a couple times throughout the fight but was unable to finish him, and Glover dominated the fight on the mat which allowed him the window to apply the fight winning chokehold.
Teixeira has now won his last five fights and now owns the record for most finishes and most submissions in UFC history by a light heavyweight. Jon Jones, who is currently believed to be making a transition up to the heavyweight division has defeated both Santos and Teixeira in the lightweight division but was impressed with Teixeira's performance at UFC Vegas 13.
I’m proud to have beat this guy, I like him 🤙🏾— BONY (@BONY) 1604814825.0
Although it was previously believed that Israel Adesanya would move up to take on light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz, but even the champ himself had a message for Teixeira following the Santos fight.
Great fight and incredible run by @gloverteixeira. You totally deserve to fight for the title and get taste of the… https://t.co/xrAUwcT5On— Jan Blachowicz (@Jan Blachowicz) 1604815414.0
If the Adesanya and Blachowicz super fight falls through in the immediate future, it appears that Glover Teixeira would be next in line for another title shot due to his excellent recent form. When Dana White was asked about Teixeira calling for the title shot his response was simply, "He's not wrong."
Golf
Carlos Ortiz became the first Mexican player to win on the PGA Tour in 42 years on Sunday at the Houston Open. Ortiz held off Hideki Matsuyama and top ranked player in the world Dustin Johnson to take the final tournament before the Masters. Ortiz finished at 13 under and this victory qualifies him for the Masters tournament next year.
His first PGA TOUR victory 🏆 Carlos Ortiz wins the Houston Open! https://t.co/IZMT247pAW— Golf Channel (@Golf Channel) 1604868688.0
As for Johnson, he will go into this year's Masters tournament on a hot streak. He hasn't finished outside of the top six in his last six tournaments and has earned two wins and two runner-up finishes in that timeframe. That's bad news for the rest of the field, as the world's best golfer is playing his best golf right before the most important major on the schedule.
MLS
The field is set for the MLS Cup Playoffs. The Eastern Conference had 10 teams qualify for postseason play, so they will have two play-in matches to determine the final seeding. The New England Revolution (8) will play the Montreal Impact (9) and Nashville SC (7) takes on Inter Miami CF (10). The winners will either face Philadelphia (1) or Toronto FC (2) with Philadelphia getting the lower-seeded play-in winner.
The rest of the field looks like this.
Eastern Conference
(1) Philadelphia Union vs lower-seeded play-in winner
(2) Toronto FC vs higher-seeded play-in winner
(3) Columbus Crew SC vs (6) New York Red Bulls
(4) Orlando City SC vs (5) NYCFC
Western Conference
(1) Sporting Kansas City vs (8) San Jose Earthquakes
(2) Seattle Sounders vs (7) LAFC
(3) Portland Timbers vs (6) FC Dallas
(4) Minnesota United vs (5) Colorado Rapids
BRACKET = SET @Audi #MLSCupPlayoffs coming up! 🍿 https://t.co/prkYibJDec— Major League Soccer (@Major League Soccer) 1604886632.0