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Digital Sports Desk

Celtics Botch One in Portland

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PORTLAND – (Wire Service Report) – Portland’s Shaedon Sharpe scored 26 points and Deni Avdija added 24 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds to help the host Trail Blazers defeat the Boston Celtics 114-108 on Sunday. Toumani Camara scored 20 points and Donovan Clingan recorded 18 points and 18 rebounds as the Trail Blazers halted a three-game skid. Caleb Love scored 18 off the bench as Portland also snapped a six-game losing streak against the Celtics.

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Jaylen Brown had 37 points and seven rebounds for Boston, which saw a four-game winning streak end. Brown has scored at least 30 in all nine of his appearances this month. Hugo Gonzalez and former Trail Blazer Anfernee Simons added 13 points apiece for Boston. Derrick White scored 12 and Neemias Queta added 11.

Love drained a 3-pointer to give the Trail Blazers a 103-100 advantage with 4:30 remaining. Boston later pulled within 109-108 on White’s 3-pointer with 43 seconds left. Clingan’s three-point play with 22 seconds left again gave Portland a four-point advantage.

After a Boston timeout, White turned the ball over with a bad pass. Avdija made two free throws with 15 seconds left to make a six-point margin and the Trail Blazers closed it out to improve to 1-3 on a five-game homestand.

The Trail Blazers made 47.2% of their field-goal attempts and were 18 of 51 from distance. Sharpe made 5 of 8 from 3-point range.

Brown scored 27 points on 11-of-16 shooting in the first half as Boston held a 63-55 lead. Sharpe had 15 in the half for Portland.

The Celtics led by 10 early in the third quarter before the Trail Blazers responded with a 14-2 push. Avdija’s jumper capped it and gave Portland a 69-67 lead. Simons scored eight straight points to put Boston up by two before Sharpe connected on a 3-pointer with 31 seconds to go and Portland took an 86-85 lead into the final stanza.

–Field Level Media

Maye Tosses 5-TDs in 42-10 Win

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EAST RUTHERFORD – (Wire Service Report) – Drake Maye completed 19 of 21 passes for 256 yards and five touchdowns to lead the visiting New England Patriots to a 42-10 victory over the New York Jets on Sunday.

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Maye completed his first 11 attempts and tossed TD passes to tight end Austin Hooper (2 yards), running back Rhamondre Stevenson (22 yards), wide receiver Stefon Diggs (3 yards), tight end Hunter Henry (13 yards) and wide receiver Efton Chism (10 yards). It was Chism’s first NFL touchdown.

Maye, who was pulled in the third quarter after his fifth TD pass, became the fourth Patriots quarterback to pass for at least five touchdowns in a game, joining Tom Brady, Steve Grogan and Babe Parilli.

Stevenson also scored on a 1-yard run to help the Patriots (13-3) improve their road record to 8-0. Rookie TreVeyon Henderson led the New England ground attack with 82 yards on 19 carries.

New York quarterback Brady Cook completed 18 of 32 passes for 152 yards with one interception in the loss.

Breece Hall scored New York’s only touchdown on a 59-yard run. The TD helped trim New England’s lead to 42-10 with 14:51 to play. Hall gained 111 yards on 14 carries and became the first Jet to rush for at least 1,000 yards in a season since Chris Ivory in 2015.

Nick Folk added a 39-yard field goal for the Jets (3-13), who have lost four games in a row and six of their last seven.

The Patriots were up 14-0 after one quarter, 35-3 at halftime and 42-3 entering the fourth.

New England outgained New York 344-77 in the first half, when the Patriots had a 23-3 edge in first downs.

The Patriots finished the game with a 440-307 advantage in total yards, and had twice as many first downs as the Jets (28-14).

New York defensive back Qwan’tez Stiggers recorded a game-high 10 tackles.

–Field Level Media

TL’s Sunday Sports Notes | Dec 28

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The lads welcome in the New Year (file photo)

 

By TERRY LYONS, Editor of Digital Sports Desk

BOSTON – The year twenty-twenty-five was a difficult year. The news was grim. We lost too many favorite people, actors and rock stars but the sports scene was a constant source of entertainment and solace.

January 2025 brought terrible wild fires in California with the Palisades fire destroying a legendary neighborhood near Los Angeles. It worsened with the inauguration – but that’s a column for another day.

We lost the lovable, boxing great and entrepreneur/grill salesman George Foreman. Midyear, we lost rock legends in Beach Boys leader and songwriter Brian Wilson and Black Sabbath frontman Ozzy Osbourne.

We lost President Jimmy Carter and every living POTUS attended his funeral to pay proper respects to a wonderful man who set the standard for life after a Presidency.

Astronaut Jim Lovell, the captain of the ill-fated yet miraculous Apollo 13, passed away at the age of 97. In September, we lost one of Hollywood’s most admired legends with the death of Robert Redford and not too much later, we lost actors Diane Keaton and a personal fave – Val Kilmer (Top Gun (1986), The Doors (1991), Tombstone (1993) and Heat (1995). We lost the great Gene Hackman and then heard of the terrible death of Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner.

After the death of beloved Pope Francis, 88, Pope Leo XIV, the first United States-born Pope, brightened spirits for a new generation of Roman Catholics, never mind lifting the hopes for championships in his native Chicagoland and at Villanova University, near Philadelphia, where the Pontiff attended college as “just a guy” named Robert Francis Prevost.

The war in Ukraine/Russia rages on and National Guard hit the streets in five US cities, with two guardsman shot and killed in an ambush in Washington DC in November. On a dark December New England Saturday, two students at Brown University were shot and killed while nine others were wounded by bullets and an entire region was wounded without scars – but mentally. A day later, the same gunman shot at MIT Professor and the mass shooting numbers for the United States, alone, swelled to 470 for 2025. The same weekend, crazed gunmen in Bondi Beach, (near Sydney) Australia, killed 16 and wounded at least 40 others in an attack on a gathering of people of the Jewish faith celebrating the first night of Hanukkah.

There were jewel heists and constant bickering over the release of the Trump-dreaded Epstein files which were ruled to be made public by Congressional decree.

As noted the world of sports provided some incredible moments and entire seasons. The Philadelphia Eagles upended the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl and Baseball had an amazing 2025 season and postseason. The current NFL season is primed to provide an unpredictable playoffs to culminate at the Super Bowl (Santa Clara) in February 2026.

My beloved St. John’s won the BIG EAST (regular season and conference title) to enjoy their best season in 30 years. The Johnnies had The Garden rocking as they went undefeated on their home court, but lost in the second round of the NCAA tournament (to Arkansas), putting a quick end to March Madness in Jamaica Estates.

Rory McIlroy won The Masters and, in doing so, clinched a Career Grand Slam of wins at golf’s four major championships.

The Florida Gators took the NCAA men’s tournament while the UConn Huskies won their 12th NCAA women’s tourney in grand fashion with a statement victory over the tough South Carolina Gamecocks, 82-59. In the NBA, regular season and NBA Finals MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the OKC Thunder to the 2025 NBA title.

NBA Basketball School opened its doors on Dec. 26, 2025 (file photo)

Lastly, on another personal adventure, the NBA played a pair of exhibitions in Abu Dhabi and – together with longtime basketball friends – we were able to attend one of the games while we launched the NBA Basketball School of Turkiye and managed to win the U-17 young men’s tournament in the UAE. Remember, Gold Medals are a good thing.

Twenty-twenty-five is almost over and that’s a good thing. Let’s be sure there are much better days ahead.

2026 year represented by numbered cubes on metallic surface.
Photo by BoliviaInteligente on Unsplash

HERE NOW, THE NOTES – Picking up from last weekend’s January-to-June 2025 Part I of the list, here’s what was written in WWYI from July-to-December:

July 6:

  • The Kaitlin Clark Effect
  • PGA TOUR adjusts tourney purses upward

July 13:

  • Savannah Bananas Invade Fenway and it was fun
  • Fred VanFleet Named NBA Players’ Assn. President

July 20:

  • STAND UP to Cancer
  • WNBA: “Failing to prepare, is preparing to fail.”

July 27:

  • House of Reps Order = Real March Madness; Govt. should stay out
  • Gotham City

August 3:

  • FedEx Cup Playoff Preview
  • WNBA in Boston? Not So Fast

August 10:

  • Seasons Change: A Look at Fall Sports
  • JIMMY Fund Radio/Telethon

August 17:

  • HARD KNOCKS is Back
  • BU vs. BU

August 24:

  • The New ESPN App
  • Whole Lotta Streaming and $

August 31:

  • Ryder Cup Preview | Bradley Family
  • College Football Preview

September 7:

  • Basketball Hall of Fame | Jeff Twiss
  • NFL Preview

September 14:

  • U.S. Open Tennis
  • What it Takes to Watch Sports on TV

September 21:

  • What Happened to Penn State?
  • Ryder Cup Preview at Bethpage Park (Black Course)

September 28:

  • USA Ryder Cup Blues
  • College Football Report
  • WNBA Uprising vs League, Officiating

October 5 (Special Edition):

  • Dateline: Abu Dhabi
  • NBA Basketball School Tournament

October 12:

  • Thoughts from Abu Dhabi – Post Trip
  • The Story of “I Love This Game”
  • NBA and NHL Look-Aheads

October 19:

  • College Basketball 2025-26
  • St. John’s with High Ranking, Higher Expectations
  • MLB Gold Gloves

October 26:

  • Federal Gambling Investigation Involving Basketball
  • Paul Newman and The Sting tribute

November 2:

  • Load Management Issues Examined
  • BC vs. ND
  • CFP Schedule and Look-Ahead

November 9:

  • Thank You to Baseball for an Incredible Season of ‘25
  • Penn Gaming Flops
  • NBA on NBC (Peacock Network) Plays it Straight

November 16:

  • NBA in “Good Trouble” with dominant International Team Set for All-Star ‘26
  • MLS Calendar Change Upcoming

November 22 (Thanksgiving Day Preview):

  • TL Thank-You Column
  • Great TV

November 30:

  • The American Revolution Documentary
  • The Voices: Including Peter Coyote (Ken Burns’ narrator)

December 7:

  • The DIGGIES ‘25 – Great Rock Lyrics
  • Missing NYC

December 14:

  • Stuart Scott Remembered
  • FIFA World Cup Draw

December 21:

  • Fenway Sports Sold the Pittsburgh Penguins
  • Year in Review: Part I

BIG EAST HEADS-UP: The Villanova Wildcats are now 10-2, and the Seton Hall Pirates are a solid 11-2. The Butler Bulldogs are 10-3 and the UConn Huskies are 12-1 with their lone loss inflicted by Arizona back on November 20th. Only Marquette is playing sub-.500 ball. BIG East play begins in earnest on December 30th and it will be a challenge to wind up in the top four as of March 7, 2026 when the regular season concludes with a Providence at Georgetown game at 8:00pm at the Cap One Arena. Playing on BIG East Friday might determine NCAA bids (unless UConn gets upset on Thursday – as they’ll be “in” for sure. How will St. John’s fare? Your guess is as good as mine. As of Dec 24th, the Johnnies had some coal placed in their stockings and fell out of the Top 25.

TIDBITS & NUGGETS: After some calculations, Major League Baseball handed out its postseason cash awards for the teams participating in Baseball’s Playoffs. The Red Sox divided their bonus into 91 shares. Here’s the breakdown for the teams nice, rather than naughty. Note: Amounts are distributions per full share, rounded to the nearest dollar, with the number of full shares in parentheses:

  • Los Angeles Dodgers: $484,748 (82)
  • Toronto Blue Jays: $354,118 (70)
  • Milwaukee Brewers: $168,853 (70)
  • Seattle Mariners: $182,376 (69)
  • New York Yankees: $47,318 (71)
  • Detroit Tigers: $46,865 (75)
  • Philadelphia Phillies: $52,043 (64)
  • Chicago Cubs: $48,741 (70)
  • Boston Red Sox: $9,346 (91)
  • Cleveland Guardians: $11,056 (71)
  • San Diego Padres: $10,711 (68)
  • Cincinnati Reds: $11,528 (69)

ANOTHER SHAMELESS PGA TOUR BRUNCH PLUG: Say Happy New Year to your favorite golf fan with A GIFT SUBSCRIPTION to PGA Tour Brunch. Posted to in-boxes six days a week (not Tuesdays) for lunch or brunch-time reading, PGA Tour Brunch provides fans of the PGA Tour (and its growing list of Fantasy, gambling and DFS players, too) with a one-stop, mobile friendly e-news to help navigate the hundreds of golf news sites available. PGA Tour Brunch is short and sweet, a couple mobile page scrolls and it provides all the basic information, like tee times, the field, odds, player notes, leaderboards, and even some breaking news. It’s designed by @terrylyons with a blessing from the popular @SoxLunch creators. Discount for 2026 is HERE.

PREMIER LEAGUE PREDICTIONS: In Major League Baseball, fans circle the standings on the 4th of July as foresight to the eventual pennant race winners and post season participants. In the English Premier League championship, Christmas Day or Boxing Day is a time to look at the ladder and to put a tuppence or more down for a bet on the EPL champ. As of December 25, 2025, here’s a look at the odds to win the title in 2026:

  1. Arsenal – (-140)
  2. Manchester City – (+140)
  3. Aston Villa – 22/1
  4. Liverpool – 28/1
  5. Chelsea – 40/1
  6. Manchester United – 80/1

However, as USA Network’s Premier League tv coverage and The Athletic pointed out Saturday morning, “In the Premier League era, leading at Christmas has not always meant getting the job done in May. Those that have topped the table on December 25 have gone on to be crowned champions in 17 of the past 33 seasons, meaning just under half of the league leaders at this stage have been pipped to the post.”

NFL Week 17 Previews – Sunday 1pm

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Arizona Cardinals (3-12) at Cincinnati Bengals (5-10)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Bengals -7, Total 53.5

There hasn’t been a lot to celebrate for either team this season, but the Bengals are not complaining about Joe Burrow finding his groove last week. The Bengals enjoyed arguably their best all-around performance of the season last Sunday, scoring 35 straight points to wipe out an early 14-10 deficit in a 45-21 rout of the host Miami Dolphins. The Cardinals lost their seventh straight, a 26-19 home setback to the Atlanta Falcons, last Sunday and are fixed on figuring out what’s needed to compete next season. The Bengals answered their first shutout loss since 2017 – and their first with Burrow as quarterback – by posting their largest scoring output of the season. The Bengals lead the NFL with 11 takeaways since Week 12. Defensive end Myles Murphy and safety Jordan Battle, both third-year starters, teamed up for Cincinnati’s first takeaway against Miami. Jacoby Brissett has consistently produced since taking over the starting spot for Kyler Murray. He has 200-plus yards and at least one TD pass in each of his 10 starts this season. He has helped TE Trey McBride reach 100-plus receptions for the second consecutive season. McBride can become the first NFL tight end with back-to-back 110-catch seasons with one reception Sunday.

Pittsburgh Steelers (9-6) at Cleveland Browns (3-12)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Steelers -3, Total 34.5

The Steelers might be AFC North champions before midnight Saturday — if the Ravens lose at Green Bay — but the plan for Pittsburgh is to win the final two games, according to head coach Mike Tomlin. The gameplan might be different given the subtraction of WR DK Metcalf, who serves the first of his two-game suspension for grabbing a fan at Detroit. QB Aaron Rodgers called for other wide receivers to “step up” when called upon the next two games. Metcalf has been targeted 99 times and caught 59 passes for 850 yards, while all other Pittsburgh wideouts combined have been targeted 90 times with 56 receptions for 665 yards. Even without Metcalf, a huge boost might be on the way in the form of pass rusher T.J. Watt, who practiced Wednesday for the first time in two weeks. Watt has been sidelined since a procedure required to recover from a punctured lung. Watt’s presence is newsworthy for rookie QB Shedeur Sanders, who makes his first start against a division opponent. The Steelers held the Browns to three field goals in a 23-9 victory in their first meeting this season but haven’t won in Cleveland since 2021. Browns rookie RB Quinshon Judkins landed on injured reserve with a broken leg and dislocated ankle sustained last week, ending his season after rushing 34 times for 69 yards the past three games. Sanders is 1-4 as a starter but had the Browns in position to take down the Buffalo Bills last week before succumbing in a 23-20 defeat.

New Orleans Saints (5-10) at Tennessee Titans (3-12)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Saints -2.5, Total 39.5

Rookie quarterbacks are front and center on Sunday with Cam Ward starting to show why Tennessee drafted him first overall in April. Ward has three consecutive two-TD games and completed a career-high 75% of his passes against the Chiefs last week. New Orleans rookie Tyler Shough delivered a 300-yard game in the Saints’ 29-6 thrashing of the Jets last week. Ward was the headliner in a rookie class that leads a youth movement in Tennessee. Titans WR Chimere Dike, a fourth-round pick, has set himself apart by leading the NFL in all-purpose yards (151.3 per game) to earn a starting spot in the Pro Bowl. Shough has completed 66.4% of his passes for 1,792 yards with seven touchdowns and five interceptions. His passer rating is 86.5.

Jacksonville Jaguars (11-4) at Indianapolis Colts (8-7)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Jaguars -5.5, Total 48.5

Jacksonville demoralized the Colts in a 36-19 win in Florida on Dec. 7 and has already clinched its first playoff berth since 2022. The Jaguars, winners of six of the past eight meetings with Indianapolis, have won five consecutive games to surge ahead of the AFC South pack while the Colts have lost five in a row. Philip Rivers took over the QB1 job for the Colts since Daniel Jones tore his Achilles in the loss at Jacksonville earlier this month. Signed off the couch to start the last two games at age 44, Rivers had Indianapolis in the game for four quarters at Seattle and on Monday for two-plus quarters before the 49ers pulled away. Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence ran his interception-free streak to four games. With three touchdowns in the win, he set a career high with 26 touchdown passes this season. While 2025 first-round pick Travis Hunter played just seven games before sustaining a season-ending knee injury and 2024 first-round pick Brian Thomas Jr. has battled injuries and not followed up his breakout rookie season, Jacksonville’s receiver-by-committee approach has worked well with five different leading receivers in the team’s last five games.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-8) at Miami Dolphins (6-9)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Buccaneers -5.5, Total 45.5

The Buccaneers have won four consecutive division titles since 2021 and are in must-win territory at Miami after being bounced from the NFC South lead by the Panthers last week. Tampa has won six of the past seven meetings with the Dolphins, who are going with Quinn Ewers at quarterback for the second consecutive game because of Tua Tagovailoa’s turnover issues. The Bucs have lost each of their past three games by four points or fewer. Bucs QB Baker Mayfield faces a Miami defense that excelled during the team’s recent four-game winning streak that provided a brief sliver of hope to make the playoffs. In two games since, the Dolphins have allowed 73 points; opponents have scored on 11 of their last 18 possessions with 10 touchdowns. Miami allowed four consecutive touchdown drives to open the second half last week in a 45-21 loss to Cincinnati. The prior week, the Dolphins allowed four consecutive touchdown drives from the end of the first half into the third quarter in a loss to Pittsburgh. Ewers was effective early and then struggled toward the end of his first start last week. He completed 20 of 30 passes for 260 yards but threw two interceptions with no touchdowns.

New England Patriots (12-3) at New York Jets (3-12)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Patriots -13.5, Total 42.5

The Jets are cooking up a top draft pick and have been out of the playoff chase for weeks as a familiar, crippling problem struck for first-year coach Aaron Glenn: the franchise still doesn’t have a quarterback. Justin Fields (knee; IR) and Tyrod Taylor were not successful getting the Jets’ offense off the ground and undrafted rookie Brady Cook has been given a shot this month to prove he can bring value to the team going forward. The Patriots are more than settled at the position with Drake Maye delivering MVP-caliber production in his second NFL season. The No. 3 pick in the 2024 draft leads the league in completion percentage (70.9) and New England is 7-0 on the road this season. Cook has passed for 527 yards and one touchdown with six interceptions in three games this season.

Seattle Seahawks (12-3) at Carolina Panthers (8-7)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Seahawks -7.5, Total 42.5

Seattle has won five consecutive games and the Panthers are riding high after a statement win over reigning NFC South division champion Tampa Bay last week, but the challenge on Sunday could be not looking ahead to bigger fish in Week 18. The Seahawks play at San Francisco in the regular-season finale, which could decide the NFC West and determine the No. 1 seed in the conference. The Panthers, leading the division after a 23-20 win over the Buccaneers last Sunday, are at Tampa next week with a playoff spot on the line. Panthers QB Bryce Young drove the Panthers down the field for a go-ahead field goal with a little more than two minutes remaining last week. It was the 12th game-winning drive in the fourth quarter or overtime in three seasons for Young — the most of any QB over that span. The Seahawks can win the division this week in Mike Macdonald’s second season — and for the first time since 2020 — but won’t know anything about their final playoff positioning until the 49ers (11-4) and Rams (11-4) take the field. Seattle took control of its playoff destiny when it overcame a 16-point deficit to defeat the Rams, 38-37, in overtime last week, grabbing the division lead in the process.

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NFL MNF Preview: Rams at Falcons

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ATLANTA – (Wire Service Preview) – With slim NFC West hopes still alive, the visiting Los Angeles Rams return to action after an extended break when they face the Atlanta Falcons on Monday night.

In order to clinch its second straight division title, Los Angeles (11-4) needs to beat Atlanta and the Arizona Cardinals, while the Seattle Seahawks (12-3) and San Francisco 49ers (11-4) must lose at least once each across the final two weeks.

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The Rams’ odds of earning the NFC’s lone postseason bye took a hit last time out, as they squandered a 16-point fourth-quarter deficit in a 38-37 overtime loss to Seattle on Dec. 18.

With everything to play for still in front of the team, Los Angeles head coach Sean McVay is eager to remove the bad taste the Week 16 loss left.

“We did get a chance to get caught up on rest, but at the same time, as a competitor, you’re ready to get back at it,” McVay said. “I couldn’t have been more excited to get back in the building and get around our players and start our preparation.”

The Rams lead the NFL with 30.5 points and rank second at 396.7 yards per game, paced by the favorite to win league MVP in quarterback Matthew Stafford. The 37-year-old leads all players with 4,179 passing yards and 40 touchdowns.

The Rams have allowed 36 points per game across the last two outings, leaving McVay’s defense with a challenge on Monday night — mainly that of stopping dynamic Falcons running back Bijan Robinson.

“Oh, he’s unbelievable,” McVay said of Robinson. “It’s a tremendous impact and you have to be aware of him, but they’ve got great skill everywhere. (Quarterback) Kirk (Cousins) does a great job running the show. They can beat you in a variety of ways. Every time they touch the ball, they’re a threat to score.”

Atlanta (6-9) was eliminated from postseason contention for the eighth straight year on Dec. 7, but have won consecutive games for just the second time this season. The Falcons host Los Angeles for the first time in six years and head coach Raheem Morris knows they have their hands full with the Rams’ high-octane offense.

“These guys are a problem. We know these guys,” Morris said. “Start with ‘Weapon X’ (Stafford). The quarterback, he’s a problem. Obviously, Sean McVay calling it for those guys. And then, you know, Puka’s (Nacua) a dog in every right. Leads the league — I don’t know what he leads the league in. Probably everything. … You’re talking about one of the best teams, if not the best team in the National Football League.”

Nacua’s 1,592 receiving yards rank second in the NFL, while teammate Davante Adams’ 14 receiving touchdowns lead the league.

In another disappointing campaign, the Falcons can hang their hat on playing well in the national spotlight. Atlanta is playing its fifth prime-time game, winning three of its first four ahead of the final regular-season edition of “Monday Night Football.”

“In prime time, we’ve gone out and found different ways of winning, whether it was Buffalo, whether it was Minnesota, whether it was Thursday night versus Tampa,” Morris said. “Those are the type of games you want to be able to put together week in and week out. If we can find ways to be consistent in doing those things, I think that will really help us.”

Robinson leads the NFL with 2,026 all-purpose yards while being named to his second straight Pro Bowl. Cousins has thrown for five touchdowns across the Falcons’ rare winning streak against the Buccaneers and the Cardinals.

Atlanta cornerback Mike Hughes (ankle) was a DNP on Thursday’s estimated practice report. Wide receiver Drake London (knee), tight end Teagan Quitoriano (hamstring), edge rusher James Pearce Jr. (neck) and corner Clark Phillips III (triceps, illness) were limited.

The Rams’ estimated report listed Adams (hamstring) as a non-participant along with offensive linemen Alaric Jackson (knee) and Kevin Dotson (ankle), defensive end Braden Fiske (ankle) and cornerback Josh Wallace (ankle).

–Field Level Media

NBA Christmas in LA

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LOS ANGELES – (Wire Service Preview) – Two teams looking for a return to form meet when the Los Angeles Lakers face the visiting Houston Rockets in a Christmas Day matchup Thursday. Both teams still are in the top half of the Western Conference standings, but their recent play has been underwhelming at times. Houston has lost four of its last five games, while Los Angeles has dropped three of its last five.

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Los Angeles lost consecutive games for the first time with Tuesday’s 132-108 road defeat to the Phoenix Suns. Lakers star Luka Doncic left early from a loss Saturday against the Los Angeles Clippers with a lower leg contusion and did not play against the Suns on Tuesday.

ESPN reported Wednesday that Doncic will play against the Rockets.

LeBron James had 23 points at Phoenix to lead Los Angeles, while Austin Reaves returned after missing three games with a left calf strain and scored 17.

Lakers coach JJ Redick questioned his team’s defensive effort after allowing Phoenix to shoot 58.8% from the field. The Suns scored 45 points in the third quarter and took a 112-86 lead into the final period.

“There are shortcuts you can take, or you can do the hard thing and you can make the second effort,” Redick said. “Or you can sprint back or you can’t. It’s just a choice. And there’s a million choices in a game, and you’re very likely not gonna make every choice correctly. But can you make the vast majority of ’em correctly? It gives you a chance to win.”

Los Angeles received a spark from center Deandre Ayton, who had 12 points and 10 rebounds following a two-game absence. However, Ayton’s presence wasn’t enough to keep his former team from scoring 62 points in the paint.

“We just lack physicality a little bit, effort,” Lakers forward Jake LaRavia said. “I don’t know how many points they got off second-chance (21), but they were getting a lot of extra possessions. We just gotta be better. That’s all it is. Regroup and get ready for the next game.”

James enters the contest as the NBA’s career-leader in Christmas games played (19) and points scored on the holiday (507). Houston star Kevin Durant is fourth all-time in points scored on Christmas with 342.

Houston is wrapping up a six-game road trip after allowing the Clippers to shoot 54% (20 for 37) from 3-point range in Tuesday’s loss.

Durant scored 22 points to lead the Rockets, while Alperen Sengun had 19 points and 11 rebounds. Both players rested for the entire fourth quarter.

Houston’s last three losses have come to teams at the bottom of the Western Conference standings in the New Orleans Pelicans, Sacramento Kings and the Clippers, but Durant isn’t overreacting to his team’s slump.

“When you’ve got expectations on you as a team and you’ve got the microscope on you as a team, every loss can feel bigger than what it is,” Durant said. “Every win can feel like you damn near won a championship. But that’s just the amount of pressure that comes with the expectations of us being a good team.

“These losses are gonna make us better. They’re gonna help us grow character, help us continue to figure out what we need to do to be effective as a group. So through the midst of it all, just keep grinding and keep figuring it out.”

–Field Level Media

Fenway Bowl: UConn vs Army

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BOSTON – (Wire Service Preview) – UConn’s Skyler Bell wants to finish what he started. The Huskies (9-3) enter Saturday’s Fenway Bowl matchup against Army (6-6) with quarterback Joe Fagnano opted out and coach Jim Mora gone to take over at Colorado State.

Despite rumors that Bell — who has logged 1,278 receiving yards and a program-record 13 touchdowns this season — also would get an early start on charting his NFL future, the consensus All-American wanted one last opportunity.

“I never said I wasn’t playing,” Bell said. “Being with this team the last two years, I think the brotherhood thing is super real. … I think I’d be remiss to leave here and look back at that last game and saying, ‘Why didn’t I suit up with my guys one last time?’”

Running back Cam Edwards (1,132 yards, 14 touchdowns) also is expected to help UConn chase a 10th win for the first time in program history. All three of the Huskies’ losses this season have come in overtime.

UConn looks to go back-to-back at the Fenway Bowl after beating North Carolina 27-14 a year ago. Bell made three catches for 77 yards and a touchdown in that game.

The Huskies will be led by interim coach Gordon Sammis, the offensive coordinator under Mora who will assume the same role at TCU following the bowl. UConn hired Toledo’s Jason Candle as its next head coach on Dec. 6.

Sammis did not address the media alongside his players last Friday as anticipated.

UConn also has not released an updated depth chart. The start at quarterback could go to Nick Evers, who held the role for part of last season after arriving from Wisconsin, where he was also teammates with Bell.

There could be other departures, but the Huskies figure to have a strong roster available.

“This game’s fleeting,” tight end Louis Hansen said. “You’re not guaranteed to get another game.”

Army has won back-to-back bowls — including last season’s Independence Bowl against Louisiana Tech after winning the American Conference title — and seeks three in a row for the second time in 12th-year coach Jeff Monken’s tenure at West Point.

Saturday’s kickoff comes just two weeks after the Black Knights lost only the fifth 1-point game in Army-Navy history, as a fourth-quarter touchdown was the difference in a 17-16 win for the Midshipmen.

“It’s an opportunity to play another game,” Monken said. “For this team, this brotherhood, to be able to go out and play together. For our senior class to play one more time. To play for a winning record, and to play for the opportunity to say we’re a bowl champion.”

Despite the heartbreaking rivalry loss, quarterback Cale Hellums became Army’s first 100-yard rusher against Navy since 2012 and sits just 22 rushing yards shy of becoming the eighth Black Knight to reach the 1,200-yard mark in a season.

Hellums, a junior, leads a roster that consists largely of upperclassmen. Army does things the old-fashioned way — without a transfer portal with which to work.

“We’re tough, we’re competitive, and (the players) develop and they stay in the program,” Monken said. “We’ve got juniors and seniors, for the most part, playing out there. When you grow up in the program and in the system…they play together and play for each other.”

UConn and Army met in West Point, N.Y., in 2021 and 2022. The Black Knights won both of those meetings.

Saturday marks the fourth playing of the Fenway Bowl, with initial installments in 2020 and 2021 canceled due to COVID-19 concerns. Prior to UConn’s visit last December, Boston College beat a ranked SMU team 23-14 in 2023.

–Field Level Media

NFL Week 17 Previews – Saturday

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Houston Texans (10-5) at Los Angeles Chargers (11-4)
Saturday, 4:30 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Chargers -1.5, Total 39.5

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Denver’s win in Kansas City on Christmas night gave the Chargers added incentive to win Saturday night. If Los Angeles loses to Houston, the Broncos are AFC West champions. If the Chargers win, they go to Denver next week with a chance to claim the division — and at least one home game in the playoffs. Justin Herbert threw just three interceptions during the 2024 regular season before topping that total in a miserable playoff performance against the Texans. Houston walloped the visiting Chargers 32-12 in the AFC wild-card round last season, picking off Herbert four times. Los Angeles has won four straight games and seven of eight and clinched a playoff spot when the Indianapolis Colts lost to the San Francisco 49ers. The Texans have won seven straight games and would clinch a playoff berth by beating the Chargers. They are one game behind Jacksonville in the AFC South, thanks in large part to their harassing defense. Houston pass rushers Danielle Hunter (13 sacks) and Will Anderson Jr. (11.5) are enjoying big seasons.

Baltimore Ravens (7-8) at Green Bay Packers (9-5-1)
Saturday, 8 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Packers -4.5, Total 40.5

The Packers insist the late-game collapse and overtime loss at Chicago last week won’t dampen their spirit with the NFC North division title still in play. They’re a confirmed playoff participant after the Lions’ loss on Christmas Day at Minnesota and the Bears still have to play at San Francisco, where a loss equates to high stakes in Week 18. For the Packers to stay in that conversation, they’ll have to take care of business against the Ravens. Baltimore is hanging on by a thread in the AFC North and a loss hands the division title to the Steelers. A win kicks open the door to a possible playoff path — through Pittsburgh. Those teams play in Week 18. Quarterback health is a hot topic in the lead-in to this week’s game. Lamar Jackson (back contusion) has been banged up off and on since September. The Packers had their top quarterbacks leave Chicago hurt, but Jordan Love (shoulder/concussion) and Malik Willis (shoulder/illness) practiced Thursday in a limited capacity. Tyler Huntley, who won his only start of the season against the Bears in Week 8, would get the start if Jackson can’t play. After missing practice all week, Jackson is doubtful.

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Celtics Ice Indiana Pacers

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BOSTON – (Wire Service Report) – Jaylen Brown tossed in a game-high 31 points and added nine rebounds to help the Boston Celtics overcome a 20-point deficit and defeat the visiting Indiana Pacers 103-95 Monday night. Indiana, which led by 20 early in the third quarter, was held to 34 points in the second half and 13 points in the fourth quarter.

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The Celtics received 19 points from Derrick White and a game-high 11 rebounds from rookie Hugo Gonzalez. Pascal Siakam tallied 25 points for Indiana and Andrew Nembhard contributed 20. Bennedict Mathurin added 16 points and nine rebounds for Indiana, which has lost five in a row.

Boston forward Jordan Walsh did not play because of an illness that also prevented him from playing in the second half of Saturday’s 112-96 victory over Toronto. Walsh is averaging 7.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.2 steals per game this season.

Indiana led 30-18 after an Ethan Thompson 3-pointer with 4:25 left in the opening quarter. It was the last of eight straight 3-point shots the Pacers made in the quarter. Boston scored the next eight points, but Indiana led 35-26 after 12 minutes. The Pacers held a 61-41 lead — their largest lead of the first half — with 1:22 remaining in the second quarter. Indiana made 12 of 30 3-point attempts in the first half and led 61-43 entering the third.

Boston coach Joe Mazzulla pulled his starters early in the third, and Boston whittled Indiana’s lead to six points, 74-68, on an Anfernee Simons 3-pointer with 3:15 left in the third. The Pacers led 82-74 after three quarters, but misfired on 11 of their 12 3-point attempts in the stanza. The Celtics took their first lead in the second half on a Brown reverse layup that put Boston in front 85-84 with 7:19 to play.

With the score tied at 91, the hosts outscored their guests, 10-0, capped by a White driving layup with 41.7 seconds remaining.

The Pacers missed 19 of their 20 3-point attempts in the second half. Boston outscored Indiana 52-28 in the paint.

The two squads will meet again Friday in Indiana.

–Field Level Media

Pats in Playoffs and “Digg It”

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BALTIMORE – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – New England quarterback Drake Maye completed 31 of 44 passes for 380 yards and two touchdowns as the Patriots improved their road record to 7-0 by beating the Baltimore Ravens 28-24 on Sunday night. In doing so, New England clinched a spot in the NFL’s AFC Playoffs.

New England (12-3) trailed 24-21 until Rhamondre Stevenson scored on a 21-yard run and Andy Borregales kicked the extra point with 2:07 to play. The Patriots recovered a Baltimore fumble on the second play of the ensuing drive and ran out the clock.

Derrick Henry rushed for 128 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries for the Ravens (7-8).

New England’s Stefon Diggs had nine receptions for 138 yards.

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The Ravens played most of the night without quarterback Lamar Jackson, who left the game because of a back injury with 1:16 remaining in the first half and did not return. Backup QB Tyler Huntley was 9-of-10 passing for 65 yards.

New England running back TreVeyon Henderson also missed the second half with a head injury.

The Ravens struck first on Henry’s 21-yard touchdown run with 12:21 left in the first quarter. It was the 10th opening-drive score the Patriots have allowed this season — tied for most in the NFL — and the seventh time they’ve given up a touchdown on their opponents’ first drive.

It was 7-7 after Maye tossed a 1-yard TD pass to Hunter Henry and Borregales kicked the PAT with 11:17 remaining in the second quarter.

Borregales put the Patriots up 10-7 on a 45-yard field goal with 5:39 left in the first half. Baltimore tied the game on Tyler Loop’s 36-yard field goal with 1:03 remaining in the second quarter for 10-10 at halftime.

Borregales kicked a 41-yard field goal to give New England a 13-10 advantage, but Zay Flowers regained the lead for the Ravens with an 18-yard TD run. The PAT put Baltimore in front 17-13 with 4:35 left in the third.

Henry’s second TD run came from 2 yards away with 12:50 to play in regulation. Loop’s PAT gave the Ravens a 24-13 advantage.

New England answered with a 37-yard TD pass from Maye to Kyle Williams, and was within 24-21 after Maye completed a pass to Stevenson for the two-point conversion with 9:01 remaining in the fourth.

–Field Level Media