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Digital Sports Desk

GS Warriors Assistant Milojevic Dead, 46

January 17, 2024 by Digital Sports Desk

SALT LAKE CITY – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – (January 17, 2024) – Golden State Warriors assistant coach Dejan Milojevic died Wednesday morning after suffering a medical emergency the night before. He was 46. The Warriors said Milojevic suffered a heart attack at a private team dinner on Tuesday. “We are absolutely devastated by Dejan Milojevic‘s sudden passing,” Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said in a statement issued January 17th.

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Milojevic was taken to a Utah hospital after suffering the episode at a team dinner, the Warriors confirmed early Wednesday, as media reported it was “a sudden and serious health issue” that struck Milojevic during dinner.

The Warriors were in Salt Lake City, Utah in advance of tonight’s game against the Jazz.

“The NBA mourns the sudden passing of Golden State assistant coach Dejan Milojević, a beloved colleague and dear friend to so many in the global basketball community,” said NBA Commissioner Adam Silver. “In addition to winning the 2022 NBA championship in his first season with the Warriors and mentoring some of the best players in the world, Dejan had a decorated international playing career and was a distinguished head coach in his native Serbia. Our heartfelt condolences go out to his wife, Natasa, their children, Nikola and Masa, and the Warriors organization during this tragic time.”

Milojevic, who played professionally overseas for 14 years, was named the Adriatic League Most Valuable Player three times (2004-06).

He was head coach of KK Buducnost in Montenegro (2021) and KK Mega Basket in Serbia (2012-20) before serving as an assistant on coach Steve Kerr’s staff in Golden State since 2021. He was a staff member on one of Golden State’s NBA championship teams.

–Field Level Media

Filed Under: NBA Tagged With: Golden State Warriors, NBA

PGA Tour: The American Express

January 17, 2024 by Digital Sports Desk

LaQUINTA – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The PGA Tour’s five-event “West Coast Swing” begins Thursday at The American Express in La Quinta, Calif.

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Contested across three courses, the AmEx has long been a staple of the tour schedule. The field includes 21 of the top 50 players in the Official World Golf Ranking, and our golf experts preview the event while providing their favorite prop picks and best bets to win this week.

THE AMERICAN EXPRESS
Location: La Quinta, Calif., Jan. 18-21
Host course: PGA West, Pete Dye Stadium Course (Par 72, 7,187 yards). Other courses: PGA West, Nicklaus Tournament Course; La Quinta Country Club
Purse: $8.4M (Winner: $1,512,000)
Reigning champion: Jon Rahm
FedEx Cup leader: Chris Kirk

HOW TO FOLLOW
TV: Thursday-Sunday, 4-7 p.m. ET (Golf Channel)
Streaming: Thursday-Sunday, 11:30 a.m.-7 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
X (The platform formerly known as Twitter): @TheAmExGolf

PROP PICKS
– Jason Day to Beat Wyndham Clark (-110 at DraftKings): Clark has been tied to rumors of joining Rahm’s new LIV Golf team, and his mind might already be one foot out the door. After beating only one player at the Hero World Challenge, Clark finished T29 at the limited field The Sentry. Meanwhile Day followed a solo 11th in the Bahamas with a T10 at Kapalua and is a regular at the AmEx, where he finished T18 last year.

– Tom Kim to Finish Top 20 (+125 at BetMGM): After a T45 at The Sentry, Kim arrived early at the AmEx and was seeing playing a practice round at La Quinta on Sunday. He’s only two events removed from a win at The Shriners and The Sentry broke a streak of six consecutive top-20s. Kim also tied for sixth at the AmEx last year.

–Min Woo Lee Top Australian (+150 at DraftKings): Lee hasn’t teed it up since the first week of December, but he ended last season on a serious hot streak. That included two wins in his past five worldwide starts and a solo third at the Australian Open to close out his 2023. Now a full-time member of the PGA Tour, he is paired in this prop against Day (+200), Cam Davis (+300), Harrison Endycott (+1000) and Aaron Baddeley (+1200).

2024 Prop Picks Record: 3-3

BEST BETS
–Scottie Scheffler (+550 at BetMGM) makes his fifth consecutive start in the event. He finished solo third in 2020 and T11 last year. He is the book’s biggest liability, leading the field in the most total winning bets (12.6 percent) and money (31.3 percent) since opening at +650. Scheffler also leads the field at DraftKings with 9 percent of the money backing him at the same odds.
–Patrick Cantlay (+1000) has three top-10s in five previous event starts, and he carded a final round 61 while finishing second three years ago.
–Xander Schauffele (+1100) is coming off a T10 at The Sentry, and he tied for third at the AmEx last year. His odds have lengthened slightly from opening at +1000 at BetMGM.
–Sungae Im (+2000) hasn’t been among the most popular plays at BetMGM thus far, but he is second to Scheffler at DraftKings (+2200) with 8 percent of the money backing him to win. Im’s best event finish was a T11 two years ago, and he kicked off 2024 with a T5 at Kapalua.
–Justin Thomas (+2500) tees it up for the first time in 2024 after not qualifying for The Sentry. He is BetMGM’s third biggest liability as Thomas has been backed by 7.8 percent of the tickets since opening at +2200.
–Kim (+2500) finished T6 last year. He began 2024 with a T45 at The Sentry after closing out last year with a win at the Shriners and a T15 at the DP World Tour Championship.
–J.T. Poston (+2800) opened at +3300, but his odds have been driven down as the book’s second biggest liability, having drawn 6.8 percent of the tickets and 8.4 percent of the money.
–Chris Kirk (+4000) is one of 15 players making their third consecutive start to begin 2024. He backed up his win at The Sentry with a T18 last week.

NOTES
–This is one of only two PGA Tour events that uses a pro-am format (AT&T Pebble Beach) and one of only four that utilizes multiple courses.
–Rahm will not defend his title after signing with LIV Golf last month.
–Former U.S. Ryder Cup player Daniel Berger will make his first PGA Tour start since the 2022 U.S. Open as he returns from a back injury. Ranked No. 25 in the world at the time, Berger enters this week at No. 664. The four-time PGA Tour winner is exempt through 2024 via his win at the 2021 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.
–Bill Haas, champion in 2010 and 2015, is making his 20th consecutive event start, the longest active streak in the field.
–Since the tournament went to a 72-hole format in 2012, Patrick Reed’s 28-under-par 260 in 2014 is the scoring record.

–Field Level Media

Filed Under: PGA TOUR Tagged With: PGA Tour

Big East: Seton Hall, Xavier Cruise

January 17, 2024 by Digital Sports Desk

NEWARK – (Staff Report from Official News Release) – Seton Hall and Xavier gained homecourt victories in rivalry games on Tuesday. The Pirates took control late in the first and went on to post an 80-65 win. Xavier overcame Butler’s second-half rally to register an 85-71 victory.

At Prudential Center, Seton Hall and St. John’s were tied 24-24 with 4:33 left in the first half. The Pirates (13-5, 6-1 BIG EAST) scored the game’s next 28 points – 14 in the first half and the first 14 in the second half. Five Pirates reached double figures. Al-Amir Dawes scored a game-high 21 points. Dylan Addae-Wusu added 16 points, 10 rebounds and five assists. St. John’s (12-6, 4-3) competed without coach Rick Pitino, who missed the game due to illness. Daniss Jenkins led the Red Storm with 17 points.

At Cintas Center, after Butler had erased a 19-point deficit with the help of a 20-3 run, Xavier used a late spurt of its own to pick up an 85-71 victory. The Musketeers (9-8, 3-3) were led by Desmond Claude, who netted a career-high 26 points.  Dayvion McKnight added 20 points. Butler (11-7, 2-5) got 22 points from Pierre Brooks and a season-high 21 from Posh Alexander.

Like Tuesday, Wednesday’s two-game schedule is a doubleheader on FS1. Connecticut, newly-anointed No. 1 in this week’s AP poll, hosts No. 18 Creighton at Gampel Pavilion at 7 p.m. ET. The Bluejays (13-4, 4-2) have won six of the seven meetings since the Huskies (13-4, 4-2) rejoined the BIG EAST with UConn’s only win coming in last year’s contest 69-60 at Gampel.

Providence visits DePaul at 9 p.m. Both teams are aiming to end four-game losing streaks. Devin Carter has been on a hot scoring run and leads the Friars (11-6, 2-4). In BIG EAST games, he ranks first in scoring with a 21.7 average. DePaul’s top scorer in league play is forward Da’Sean Nelson, who sports a 16.2 scoring mark.

Filed Under: Big East, NCAA, NCAA Basketball Tagged With: Big East, Big East Basketball, Seton Hall, Xavier

“Seat Club” Joins Ticket Offerings

January 12, 2024 by Digital Sports Desk

Here’s what “Seat Club” looked like for this week’s CFB Playoff Championship

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: You’ve heard of Sam’s Club, Lions Club, Lending Club, or Boys & Girls Clubs. Get ready for the “Seat Club.” Sports industry veteran and serial entrepreneur Cole Rubin recently launched “Seat Club,” a new marketplace designed to help consumers avoid all hidden fees and markups when purchasing tickets for live events at the lowest possible price on the secondary market. The marketplace, which sells tickets to its members at its cost without any markups or fees, officially launched this week and can be found at https://seatclub.com

“The biggest complaint consumers have in the event space, are fees and markups,” said Rubin. “Fees and markups make the ticket buying process frustrating and more expensive than necessary, so we built Seat Club as the pathway to solve these problems.

“We have spent a great deal of time talking to fans and event producers, and can now deliver this unique value proposition, where our members know they are getting the best pricing, and will save countless hours comparing ticket prices online. The price you see listed on our platform is the price you pay, with no fees added on later in the checkout process.

“There are no hidden markups, unlike other platforms who claim they don’t charge fees, but bake profits into the listed cost of tickets. Seat Club’s pricing may be as much as 35% less than competitors for the same exact tickets, which is significant, especially on high profile events. We believe in transparency, and our sole source of revenue comes from our membership fee,” added Rubin.

Seat Club’s $99/year membership includes:

  • Access to the same ticket inventory as the top secondary sites
  • No fees or markups, members buy tickets AT OUR COST
  • There is no cap of the number of tickets that can be purchased. Subscribers are entitled to unlimited ticket purchases annually.
  • Fan Protect Guarantee on tickets purchased (24/7 support staff)

(At this point in time, WWYI is not in position to vouch for Seat Club but we’ll check it out for the Celtics, Bruins, College Hoops, the NY Rangers/Islanders and NY Knicks and let you know in the near future).


Filed Under: Sports Business Tagged With: Seat Club, Sports Business

Guess Kraft Thinks He Can Do Better?

January 11, 2024 by Digital Sports Desk

FOXBOROUGH – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – New England Patriots’ franchise owner Robert Kraft said he dreamed about an opportunity to own the team from the metal bleachers as a fan in 1971 and figured he had a greater chance to be a starting quarterback.

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“Never imagined we would go to the Super Bowl 10 times,” the New England Patriots team leader told media members on Thursday afternoon, standing alongside Bill Belichick in a joint press conference to confirm they are going their separate ways.

During the parting-of-the-ways press conference, Kraft called Belichick the “greatest coach of all time.”

Later, he said there was no power struggle despite reports that personnel control was at the root of the divide in the organization. Kraft said he simply came to the conclusion that the past three seasons weren’t good enough. He said he and Belichick weren’t on the same page regarding how to get the Patriots back to contender status, which led to discussions about Belichick leaving New England after 24 seasons.

A Monday meeting with Belichick took place prior to the decision to part, which both parties said was mutual, and embrace change.

Kraft said he will quickly shift toward finding a new coach, with inside linebackers coach Jerod Mayo handling the coaching duties to start the offseason.

“We’re looking for someone who can help us get back to the playoffs and win,” Kraft said. “Believe me, after my family, this is one of the most important assets in my life. I promise you I’ll be focused to do the best we can do to put ourselves in the best long-term position to win for many years.”

The Patriots were 4-13 in 2023 after going 8-9 in 2022. Kraft said he knew something “wasn’t right,” but needed to discuss with Belichick whether it was coaching or personnel.

While neither shared the exact conclusion or answer to that question, the end result is Belichick hitting the exits.

Kraft said he might’ve allowed Belichick to have too much power over personnel matters as New England’s Lombardi Trophy collection expanded. But Kraft believed he earned it.

“I don’t think it happened until after the third Super Bowl, he earned it and it worked pretty well most of the time,” Kraft said. “I think it’s good to have checks and balances.”

Belichick plans to coach again and chase Don Shula for the NFL’s all-time wins record, Kraft said.

“The last three years have been pretty tough and isn’t what we want. And we have a responsibility to fix it to the best of our ability,” Kraft said.

In discussions about possibly trading Belichick, Kraft said he felt it wasn’t the right thing to do, harkening back to the same decision made when Tom Brady was allowed to leave in free agency and choose his own destination.

“Given what they’ve done for the franchise, I think they’ve earned that right,” Kraft said.

Belichick and Brady went to nine Super Bowls together, winning six.

–Field Level Media

Filed Under: NFL, Patriots Tagged With: Bill Belichick, NFL

Belichick Out as Patriots’ Coach

January 11, 2024 by Digital Sports Desk

FOXBOROUGH – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Coach Bill Belichick, the architect of six Super Bowl-winning teams with the New England Patriots, is ending his 24-year run as the team’s head coach, multiple outlets reported today. ESPN reported the two sides have agreed to mutually part ways after “productive talks resulted in a mutual decision that left both sides comfortable and at ease.”

A team press conference is scheduled for Noon, January 11th. – (Breaking Story with Follow-up)

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While Belichick has one year remaining on his contract, ESPN reported that the Patriots will not attempt to trade him to another team and will allow him to pursue other head-coaching opportunities.

Belichick becomes the third coaching legend in two days to depart his role. Super Bowl-winning coach Pete Carroll and the Seattle Seahawks split Wednesday after 14 seasons. Alabama head coach Nick Saban — a close friend of Belichick’s — also announced his retirement after 17 seasons and six national titles in Tuscaloosa and seven overall.

Seven other NFL teams have openings for a head coach, and the 71-year-old Belichick is expected to draw interest from some of those franchises. Speculation is that the Atlanta Falcons, who fired head coach Arthur Smith on Sunday, will be at the head of the line to talk to Belichick.

Belichick leaves New England with a 266-121 record in the regular season, plus a 30-12 mark in the postseason. His NFL head-coaching career began with the Cleveland Browns (1991-95), where he was 36-44 in the regular season and 1-1 in the postseason.

His 333 career wins are second only to Don Shula’s 347. Belichick, George Halas and Curly Lambeau are the only NFL coaches with six titles.

In Belichick’s 24 seasons, the Patriots won 17 AFC East titles, went to 13 AFC championship games and played in nine Super Bowls.

“This is the best coach that ever lived,” former Patriots linebacker Tedy Bruschi said Thursday on ESPN’s “Get Up.”

“Bill Belichick could get every drop of physical ability, mental ability, football-playing ability out of you somehow, some way … and if you were a player that wanted to win championships, that’s exactly what you wanted.”

Belichick turned around a middling franchise that never had won a title and created a dynasty.

In his first season with the Patriots, in 2000, the team was 5-11. The next season, after quarterback Drew Bledsoe was injured, Belichick inserted second-year player Tom Brady into the lineup, and the duo won its first of six Super Bowls with a 20-17 victory over the then-St. Louis Rams in Super Bowl XXXVI.

Brady left the Patriots for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2020 in free agency, and the Patriots were 29-38 without him, including 4-13 this season.

Finding Belichick’s replacement will be the next step for Kraft. Among the early leading candidates is believed to be 37-year-old Jerod Mayo, who played linebacker for the Patriots from 2008-15 and has been on Belichick’s staff since 2019.

–Field Level Media

Filed Under: Boston Sports, NFL, Patriots Tagged With: Bill Belichick, New England Patriots, NFL

NFL: Coaching Round-Up

January 9, 2024 by Digital Sports Desk

WASH DC – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Names of assistant coaches who could make the rounds in interviews for NFL head coach openings began to emerge Monday, with three playoff-bound assistants topping the list.

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The Washington Commanders, who fired coach Ron Rivera on Monday, reportedly requested permission from the Detroit Lions to interview offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn. Reports also said they asked for the OK to talk to Raheem Morris, the DC of the Los Angeles Rams.

All three work for teams in the NFL playoffs, meaning they can interview virtually after this weekend’s wild-card round, but the interviews need to be conducted before the divisional round on Jan. 21.

The Lions and Rams will meet Sunday in Detroit.

Johnson has been credited as the architect of an offense that led the Lions to a 12-5 record and their first division title in 30 years.

Glenn was named the best defensive coordinator in the NFL in a survey released last week by the NFL Players Association.

Morris has head coaching experience and a 21-38 record with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2009-11) and Atlanta Falcons (2020).

In other news of assistant coaches:

–Three assistant coaches are leaving the New York Giants, head coach Brian Daboll said.

Offensive line coach Bobby Johnson and special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey were dismissed, and Daboll said running backs coach Jeff Nixon has been hired as offensive coordinator at Syracuse.

“I respect both of those guys (Johnson and McGaughey) and their commitment to the team. But we wanted to make a change,” Daboll said.

Daboll said he expects coordinators Wink Martindale (defense) and Mike Kafka (offense) to return.

–Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen said in his season wrap-up news conference that he does not anticipate any significant changes to his coaching staff.

That applies to defensive coordinator Gus Bradley, whom he was asked about specifically.

“I believe in continuity,” Steichen said. “I’ve got a ton of confidence in Gus.”

The Colts’ defensive line tallied 51 sacks this season, the most since the franchise relocated to Indianapolis in 1984.

–Field Level Media

Filed Under: NFL Tagged With: NFL

Niners Installed as Favorites

January 8, 2024 by Digital Sports Desk

SANTA CLARA – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – After falling to the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship Game a season ago, the San Francisco 49ers are the favorites to go all the way this time around.

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San Francisco locked down the No. 1 seed in the NFC back in Week 17, doing so via a 27-10 victory over the Washington Commanders and Philadelphia’s 35-31 loss to the Arizona Cardinals.

The 49ers rested most of their regulars and dropped a 21-20 decision to the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday, but that setback wasn’t nearly enough to dissuade the books from installing a new favorite.

FanDuel is offering the most bettor-friendly odds for those who plan on taking the Niners, as San Francisco sits at +230. BetMGM has the 49ers listed at +225, and DraftKings puts the line at +220.

Prior to Sunday’s loss, the Niners had won seven of their past eight games. They finished the regular season 12-5.

The Ravens, who went 13-4 and captured the top seed in the AFC, have the second-shortest odds on DraftKings (+310), BetMGM (+325) and FanDuel (+350). Then, there is a steep drop-off.

AFC East champion Buffalo has the third-best odds to bring home its first Super Bowl title at +650 on all three aforementioned books. The Dallas Cowboys are listed at +750 on DraftKings, FanDuel and BetMGM, with FanDuel and BetMGM both putting defending champion Kansas City at +900. The Chiefs are at +1000 on DraftKings.

Losers of five of their last six games of the regular season, the Eagles come in at +1300 on FanDuel and BetMGM and +1600 on DraftKings.

The underdogs of this year’s postseason? The Steelers. Pittsburgh snuck into the playoffs, first beating the Ravens 17-10 on Saturday before getting help Sunday from the Tennessee Titans, who defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars 28-20.

Pittsburgh has the longest odds at +13000 on FanDuel, +12500 on BetMGM and +12000 on DraftKings.

–Field Level Media

Filed Under: NFL Tagged With: NFL, NFL Playoffs

Celtics Meet Pacers Monday Night

January 7, 2024 by Digital Sports Desk

INDIANAPOLIS – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The Boston Celtics will be seeking back-to-back victories over the Indiana Pacers when the teams meet Monday night in Indianapolis.

The Celtics received 38 points, 13 rebounds and six assists from Jayson Tatum and led wire to wire in a 118-101 road victory against the Pacers on Saturday. The loss ended Indiana’s six-game winning streak.

Tatum made a season-high eight 3-pointers and was 14 of 23 from the field. Jaylen Brown added 31 points in the win.

The Celtics led by 16 in the first half, but the Pacers were within three points, 84-81, after three quarters. Boston opened the fourth quarter with a 16-4 run, and Indiana failed to get within single digits after that.

“We started playing with the right intentions,” Tatum said. “We had too many turnovers in the first half and that’s what got them back into the game. This team — they feed off turnovers and playing in transition. Just really taking care of the ball and knowing who we wanted to attack.

“It’s going to be tough (Monday),” Tatum continued. “They’re going to make adjustments. We have to see what we can do better. It’s like a playoff series on the road. We won Game 1. Gotta get ready for Game 2.”

Indiana, which leads the NBA in scoring (126.8 ppg), was held to its lowest point total of the season in Saturday’s loss. The Pacers were 8 of 42 from behind the 3-point arc (19.0 percent).

“We missed a lot of shots,” Indiana guard Tyrese Haliburton said. “They’re a really good defensive team, but we shot a lot of shots that we like. I mean, I’ll go back and watch film so I can really tell you, but felt good with a lot of the shots that we shot today. Just didn’t capitalize on them.”

Bennedict Mathurin led the Pacers with 20 points in the loss. Haliburton added 17 points, six rebounds, seven assists and five steals, but he was 5 of 17 from the field and 2 of 9 from 3-point range.

The Celtics missed nine of their 19 free throws but outrebounded Indiana 56-38.

“We were right there,” Indiana coach Rick Carlisle said. “We were down one and gave up a two-pointer at the end of the third quarter. We were down three after three and hadn’t played particularly well.

“We never had a lead in the game and we’re doing some good things defensively, but the rebounding is a big problem.”

The Celtics overcame the loss of center Kristaps Porzingis, who headed to the locker room in the first quarter with an eye injury after he was hit in the face by Aaron Nesmith. Porzingis, who is averaging 19.8 points per game, warmed up before the start of the second half but did not return to the game.

Boston’s Al Horford came off the bench and finished the game with 10 points, eight assists, seven rebounds and two blocked shots.

“We just can’t keep taking (Horford) for granted,” Tatum said. “Best teammate I ever had. Ultimate professional and somebody we can count on night-in and night-out, and he proved that again tonight.”

The Pacers may have Bruce Brown back in the lineup Monday. Brown has been dealing with a bone bruise on his right knee and didn’t play Saturday, which was Indiana’s second game in as many nights.

Boston has won two of three games against Indiana this season.

–Field Level Media

Filed Under: Boston Sports, Celtics, NBA Tagged With: Boston Celtics, Indiana Pacers, NBA

NFL Final Weekend: Searching for a Diamond on a 100-Yard Field

January 6, 2024 by Digital Sports Desk

MIAMI GARDENS – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The Miami Dolphins barely bothered to show up last week against the Baltimore Ravens, failing to cover the expanded +10.5 and scuttling a tasty three-team parlay.

It’s those spiraling Dolphins we’ll target this week in an epic Sunday night matchup to decide the AFC East champ.

See how this primary wager developed, along with a bonus play and a player prop below.

THE HEADLINER

Buffalo Bills at Miami Dolphins, NBC, 8:20 p.m. ET, Bills -3.

NFL fans are well aware that Buffalo needs a victory to take the AFC East title, and that provides sufficient motivation for the Bills.

The betting line has inched consistently toward Buffalo, landing at -3 by midweek.

Adding to the motivation equation is the fact that quarterback Josh Allen and company might need to win the game just to make the playoffs.

By any measure, though, a victory to seize the AFC’s No. 2 seed is the Buffalo target in South Florida Sunday night.

The Dolphins are trending downward. According to Action Network numbers, Miami gave up .54 expected points added (EPA) per play in last week’s 56-19 submission in Baltimore.

Although they beat Dallas on a last-second field goal the week before, that Dolphins effort landed in the bottom third of all defenses. Over the past month, Action reports Miami is 24th in defense.

Not good.

Coach Mike McDaniel’s offense isn’t bailing out the defense, either, ranking 16th in offensive EPA/play over the past month, again per Action Network numbers.

The Bills’ improving defense isn’t going to make it easy on the Dolphins offense.

Over its past four games, Buffalo’s defense gave up an average of only 17.5 points per game (No. 4 in the NFL during that span), 277 total yards per game (fourth) and a 66.7 passer rating (third best).

“I think it’s the rush and coverage working together and the communication that we’re developing with the back seven … ” Bills coach Sean McDermott said.

“I credit those guys on the back end but also the front with their ability to rush the passer.”

Working in Miami’s favor is Allen’s underwhelming passing numbers recently – a development largely the result of his offensive line’s failure to provide much time to throw.

Working against Miami? The absence of its top two pass rushers, Jaelen Phillips (Achilles) and Bradley Chubb (ACL).

Allen is ready to enjoy a little more time to find open targets as he did in the Week 4 meeting in Buffalo. He threw four TD passes in the 48-20 rout and added a rushing touchdown.

In addition to Phillips and Chubb, the Dolphins don’t expect starting corner Xavien Howard (foot) and No. 2 wideout Jaylen Waddle (ankle) to play.

And Miami deeply missed running back Raheem Mostert (ankle, knee) against the Ravens.

The bet: Bills -3 (DraftKings.)

THEY SAID IT

“We’ve talked about this for the last five, six weeks of how our season can go and what we want to do and what we want to accomplish and everything that we want to accomplish is still in front of us. But again, it’s going to take a group effort in all three phases to go get a victory on Sunday in a hostile environment.”

— Bills quarterback Josh Allen.

BONUS PLAY

Eagles at Giants, Cowboys at Commanders, 4:25 p.m. ET

The Eagles are stumbling; the Cowboys are riding good fortune in the wake of their last-gasp survival against the Detroit Lions.

If Philadelphia wins and Dallas loses, the Eagles claim the NFC East crown. The Cowboys just need to defeat the lowly Commanders to earn the division title.

This makes for a nice first-half opportunity. Both teams should be able to carve out a lead before halftime.

The bet: Parlay the Cowboys’ first-half moneyline (-380) with the Eagles’ first-half moneyline (-175) for a -102 wager. (DraftKings)

PROP CORNER

The debate continues in Chicago regarding quarterback Justin Fields’ status with the Bears, who own the top pick in the 2024 draft.

Has Fields done enough to cement his position as the starter, or will Chicago grab a QB with the No. 1 selection?

Take a swing with Fields in a game the Bears would love to win. They haven’t beaten Green Bay in more than five years, so there’s your motivation – and Fields should deliver a top effort.

Prop play: Bears QB Justin Fields’ 175 or more adjusted passing yards parlayed with 40 or more adjusted rushing yards. (+100 at FanDuel.)

–Field Level Media

Filed Under: NFL Tagged With: NFL

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If you are my age, you just lost one of your best friends. #ripgeorgewendt

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16 May 1923529357865201968

Ahhh - Mike Breen’s voice. Ahhhhhh

DigSportsDesk avatar; DigitalSportsDesk 🏆 @DigSportsDesk ·
16 May 1923526399651873162

Maybe #ESPN should use Ben Stiller on its #NFL pregame coverage. Then, the NFL tv ratings will dip to NBA level

DigSportsDesk avatar; DigitalSportsDesk 🏆 @DigSportsDesk ·
24 Apr 1915365794969506039

Be sure to subscribe to #PGATourBrunch via #DigSportsDesk

Be sure to subscribe to #PGATourBrunch via #DigSportsDesk
Zurich Classic @Zurich_Classic

📺 Can’t make it out to the course? We’ve got you covered! Be sure to tune-in to the tournament action Thursday-Sunday.

DigSportsDesk avatar; DigitalSportsDesk 🏆 @DigSportsDesk ·
20 Mar 1902756027126235379

NCAA/CBS touting #MarchMadness2025 as greatest spectacle in American Sports. Guess they never saw TV rating for #SuperBowl - Here are others:

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DigitalSportsDesk.com
2 months ago
DigitalSportsDesk.com

Sunday Sports Notebook

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TL's Sunday Notes | March 30

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While We're Young (Ideas) and March Go Out Like a Lyons
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DigitalSportsDesk.com
3 months ago
DigitalSportsDesk.com

Gotta Give Pitino the credit. Constant and Full-Court Press made the difference and his players were in condition to wear down UConn. digitalsportsdesk.com/st-johns-defeats-mighty-uconn/ ... See MoreSee Less

Gotta Give Pitino the credit.  Constant and Full-Court Press made the difference and his players were in condition to wear down UConn. https://digitalsportsdesk.com/st-johns-defeats-mighty-uconn/
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DigitalSportsDesk.com
4 months ago
DigitalSportsDesk.com

Groundhog Day!

whileyoungideas.substack.com/p/tls-sunday-sports-notes-feb-2 ... See MoreSee Less

Groundhog Day!

https://whileyoungideas.substack.com/p/tls-sunday-sports-notes-feb-2
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DigitalSportsDesk.com
4 months ago
DigitalSportsDesk.com

Plenty O' Notes and a Look at Boston Pro sports for 2025 - ... See MoreSee Less

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TL's Sunday Sports Notes | Jan 12 - Digital Sports Desk

digitalsportsdesk.com

In each round-up, there are far too many questions and not nearly enough definitive answers to the woes facing the New England clubs, the Celtics included. It might be time for some major shake-ups at...
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DigitalSportsDesk.com
5 months ago
DigitalSportsDesk.com

The first Sunday Sports Notes of 2025 | Including Some Predictions

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TL's Sunday Sports Notes | Jan 5 - Digital Sports Desk

digitalsportsdesk.com

KEY DATES IN 2025: Everyone needs to circle these dates on their sports calendar: KEY DATES IN 2025: Everyone needs to circle these dates on their sports calendar:
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