Jun 10, 2024; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo walks to the microphones for to hold a press conference at minicamp at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports
The New England Patriots suddenly have a lot at stake in their final game of the regular season, and most fans want to see Drake Maye finish the year on the bench. There is a chance that could happen.
Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo was asked on Monday if the team has given consideration to resting Maye for their Week 18 finale against the Buffalo Bills. Mayo did not rule it out and said “everything is in consideration.”
“I would say right now everything is in consideration and we’ll see how the week goes. … It’s the last game of the season and we have to look forward,” Mayo said, via ESPN’s Mike Reiss. “It’s a journey. It’s trying to be present and win this football game, but we have to look out the front windshield and where we want to go.”
Maye had a couple of injury scares during Saturday’s 40-7 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. The rookie quarterback left for a concussion check following a huge hit to the head on New England’s first drive of the game. He was eventually cleared to return. Maye took another hit to the head while sliding in the second quarter, but he remained in.
Since Maye has a tendency to scramble and open himself up to hits, the Patriots could sit him in Week 18 and claim they are simply protecting the No. 3 overall pick’s health. However, they could have much bigger motives.
After both the Las Vegas Raiders and New York Giants won on Sunday, the Patriots now have the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. If they beat the Bills, they could even fall out of the top four. Mayo will be motivated to win amid the recent criticism he has faced. The players will likely feel the same.
But ownership and the front office almost certainly want a loss. The Patriots appear to have their quarterback of the future in Maye, so they do not need the No. 1 pick. Securing that pick would put them in an excellent position to trade back a few spots, stock pile more draft picks, and still secure an impact player. There is no question that a loss in Week 18 is better for the franchise overall.
Patriots fans have laid out a four-step plan that they believe can turn things around in a hurry for the team. That plan starts with a loss to the Bills, who will be resting their starters. New England’s best chance of losing might be to sit Maye.
Sep 2, 2023; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders walks on the field before the game against the TCU Horned Frogs at Amon G. Carter Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
Colorado ended an excellent season on a sour note with Saturday’s loss to BYU in the Alamo Bowl, but Deion Sanders delivered a classy message after the game.
After his Buffaloes were dominated 36-14 by BYU, Sanders had nothing but positive things to say about Cougars head coach Kalani Sitake. Sanders told reporters he was happy to “get my butt kicked by that coach” if Colorado had to close out their year with a lopsided loss.
“Wonderful job, wonderful job at BYU,” Sanders said. “They’re well-coached. They did a phenomenal job of running the football. Special teams kicked our butts. We couldn’t do much offensively at all. Defensively, I think we had some sound stops, but we didn’t have enough and we came up short.
“Not to take nothing away from them. They played a heck of a football game. If I’m gonna get my butt kicked, I’d rather get my butt kicked by that coach. I love him to life, man. He’s a good man.
Sitake is one of the most well-respected coaches in college football. The former BYU fullback has been the head coach of the Cougars since 2016. Sitake is now 72-43 in nine seasons at BYU. He has only had two losing seasons with the team, including last year when the Cougars went 5-7. BYU bounced back in a big way with an impressive 11-2 record this year.
The 49-year-old Sitake has been mentioned as a candidate for some very high-profile jobs in the past. A strong endorsement from Sanders will only help boost Sitake’s resume.
An ugly fight broke out late in Sunday night’s game between the Miami Heat and Houston Rockets, and Vernon Maxwell is proud of the way his former team handled itself.
The Heat were leading the Rockets 99-94 with just over 30 seconds left at Toyota Center in Houston, Texas, when Tyler Herro and Amen Thompson got into a scuffle on an inbound play. Thompson grabbed Herro by the jersey and slammed the Heat guard to the ground, which led to an ugly scrum. You can see the video here.
Miami guard Terry Rozier immediately came to Herro’s aid and tackled Thompson. Jalen Green also got involved in the fight. After the officiating crew reviewed the incident, Thompson, Herro, Rozier and Green were all ejected. Rockets head coach Ime Udoka and assistant Ben Sullivan were also thrown out of the game.
Most people would agree that Thompson’s takedown of Herro is what really escalated things. Maxwell, who was a guard with the Rockets in the 1990s and won two NBA titles with the team, defended Thompson. Maxwell offered to pay the fines for Thompson any other Houston players who came to their teammate’s aid.
“I love me some Amen Thompson. Put his fine on my tab Rockets. And I’ll take care of anyone else’s fine that stands up for their Rockets teammates,” Maxwell wrote on X.
The Heat held on to win 104-100. Herro had a game-high 27 points on 10/17 shooting to go along with 6 rebounds and 9 assists. He had a savage message about the incident after the game.
There will certainly be fines handed down from the melee, so perhaps Maxwell will find a way to chip in.
Aug 26, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Former NFL head coach Rex Ryan during a NFL football game between the Los Angeles Rams and the Los Angeles Chargers at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Rex Ryan began publicly campaigning last month for a shot at one specific NFL head coach job, and the ESPN analyst claims he has secured an interview.
During a Monday morning appearance on 880AM ESPN New York, Ryan said he expects to speak with the New York Jets about their head coach job when the regular season ends. Ian Rapoport of NFL Media confirmed that it is a real possibility that Ryan could be viewed as a candidate for the Jets.
Ryan, of course, was the head coach of the Jets from 2009-2014. That is why there are serious doubts about whether the team would hire him back.
Ryan led the Jets to back-to-back AFC Championship Game appearances in 2009 and 2010, but it was all downhill from there. New York has not returned to the postseason since. Though, Ryan’s 4-2 playoff record with the Jets is impressive and his 46-50 regular-season record is much better than what his successors accomplished.
In a different radio appearance last month, Ryan spoke in detail about why he believes he is worthy of a second stint as head coach of the Jets. The 61-year-old praised Jets owner Woody Johnson, who has faced a tremendous amount of criticism amid the team’s 4-12 season.
If Ryan truly wants to return to the sideline, he might have a better chance of landing a defensive coordinator job. He was linked to a very prominent one not all that long ago.
Dec 17, 2023; Inglewood, California, USA; The Los Angeles Rams logo at midfield at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
The Washington Commanders’ win on Sunday night didn’t just put them into the playoffs. It also put another team in.
The Commanders beat the Atlanta Falcons 30-24 in overtime at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Md., to improve to 11-5 and clinch a spot in the playoffs. The win also helped the 10-6 Los Angeles Rams clinch the NFC West due to a tiebreaker.
The 9-7 Seahawks had beaten the Falcons in Week 7. The Rams also beat the Seahawks in the first meeting between the teams this season. So if the Seahawks beat the Rams in Week 18 to split the series, the next tiebreaker would be strength of victories. Atlanta’s loss dropped them to 8-8 and gave the Rams the stronger victories and therefore the division.
The Rams needed at least four wins in Week 17 from the following teams: Vikings, Bills, 49ers, Commanders, Bengals and Browns.
Buffalo, Minnesota, Washington and Cincinnati came through for them.
The Rams have won five in a row and have gone 9-2 in their last 11. The Commanders are likewise looking good and will visit the Cowboys in Week 18. The Commanders are tied with the Green Bay Packers for the fourth-best record in the NFC.
Several fans pinned the Atlanta Falcons’ loss Sunday on a polarizing decision made by head coach Raheem Morris.
The Falcons and Washington Commanders were tied at 24 with just 40 seconds left at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Md. The Falcons had 1st-and-10 from their 19 with a chance to win the game.
Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. found wide receiver Darnell Mooney for a gain of 25 yards to get Atlanta near midfield. However, Mooney was unable to get out of bounds.
Instead of using one of the team’s two remaining timeouts, Morris was content to let the clock keep rolling. Atlanta used up 23 seconds to set up its next play.
A few plays later, the Falcons benefitted from a defensive pass interference call that got them to the Commanders’ 38. But with just a couple of seconds left on the clock, Atlanta was forced to kick a 56-yard field goal on first down. Falcons kicker Riley Patterson’s field goal attempt fell well short of the goalpost.
The Commanders ended up winning the game 30-24 in overtime. Fans and media members alike blamed Morris for not taking a timeout when he arguably should have. Atlanta could have perhaps gotten a shorter field goal attempt had they managed the clock better.
The loss dropped the Falcons’ record to 8-8. To have a chance at making the postseason, Atlanta would need to beat the Carolina Panthers in their regular season finale next week. The Falcons would also need their division-rival Tampa Bay Buccaneers to lose to the New Orleans Saints in Week 18.
But at least the Falcons’ coaching staff got to bring home an extra timeout after Sunday’s game.
Mar 29, 2023; New York, New York, USA; Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro (14) warms up before a game against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro had a message for a certain Houston Rockets player after Sunday’s game between the two teams ended in chaos.
The Heat defeated the Rockets 104-100 at Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. But the game’s result was marred by a fight that broke out in the final minute of the contest.
As Miami set up to inbound from the sideline, Herro and Rockets wing Amen Thompson got heated. Thompson grabbed Herro by the jersey and slammed him to the hardwood (video here).
Thompson, Rockets guard Jalen Green, Heat guard Terry Rozier, and Rockets coaches Ime Udoka and Ben Sullivan were all ejected from the game.
Reporters asked Herro about his altercation with Thompson after the game. The Heat star implied that Thompson was salty Herro had such a good game against the Rockets’ defense.
“I guess that’s what happens when someone is scoring, throwing dimes, doing the whole thing,” said Herro. “I’d get mad, too.”
Without Jimmy Butler in the Heat’s lineup, Herro was unequivocally Miami’s primary scoring option. Herro lit up the Rockets with 27 points on 10/17 shooting to go along with 6 rebounds and 9 assists.
Thompson finished with 5 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists in 32 minutes.
Both teams were already on edge even leading up to the Herro-Thompson fight given that Fred VanVleet got ejected for bumping into referee Marc Davis just moments prior.
The Houston Rockets and Miami Heat did not wait for New Year’s Eve to set off some fireworks.
Tempers flared as the Heat led the Rockets 99-94 with just over 30 seconds left at Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. As Miami prepared to inbound from the sideline, Rockets forward Amen Thompson got into it with Heat guard Tyler Herro.
Thompson grabbed Herro by the jersey and slammed him to the ground. Terry Rozier immediately came to Herro’s aid and tackled Thompson. Jalen Green also got entangled in the tussle as players and referees tried to defuse the situation.
Here’s another angle of Thompson’s takedown of Herro and the ensuing chaos.
Thompson, Herro, Rozier, and Green were all ejected from the contest. Rockets coaches Ime Udoka and Ben Sullivan were also tossed.
The entire incident happened just moments after Rockets veteran Fred VanVleet was also ejected for bumping into referee Marc Davis.
Herro got the last laugh as the Heat held on for a 104-100 win. He was in good spirits after the altercation.
“Go home bro, you lost!” Herro appeared to say as Thompson walked off the floor.
The Heat guard was the star of the night with a game-high 27 points on 10/17 shooting to go along with 6 rebounds and 9 assists.
Anyone looking to criticize an organization you’re frustrated with, take notes from Pat McAfee on how to do it.
McAfee took a blowtorch to the Indianapolis Colts in a post on X Sunday. He shared his post hours after the Colts lost to the 3-13 New York Giants 45-33 despite Indy fighting for a playoff spot and the Giants being in contention for the No. 1 pick.
McAfee was egged on by a fan, who wrote on X that he was hoping McAfee would rip into the Colts on “The Pat McAfee Show” Monday.
“I hope @PatMcAfeeShow does not hold back on the state of the @Colts tomorrow on the show!” the fan wrote.
McAfee apparently couldn’t wait until Monday, because he decided to rip into the Colts in response to the fan. McAfee, who spent his entire career (2009-2016) with the Colts, criticized the team for having a poor culture. The former All-Pro punter disclosed that he would not be renewing his season tickets.
“Your unwarranted arrogance, laziness, and lack of professionalism has lead (sic) you to ANOTHER early vacation… which is probably what most of you entitled bums have been hoping for,” McAfee wrote in his note.
You can read the entire note in full:
“I’ve said what I believed to be the truth about the team.. & a bunch of ‘Colts fans’ on the internet were trying to get me booed out of the city..
“Current players, who have won nothing during their entire tenures, started using me and my face to try and paint me as the enemy in the city I’ve committed my life to.
“And in the end… everything went.. just like I f-cking said it would
“In the biggest moments everybody with a brain knew they’d crack.. and they did.
“A blind person could see the red flags on this team.. Work ethic questions, NEVER happens on good teams.. Preparation commitment questions, NEVER happens on good teams.. Late to meetings, NEVER happens on good teams.. Late to/skipping treatment, NEVER happens on good teams.. The franchise QB tapped out of a game.. on 3rd down.. in the red zone.. because he was tired… NEVER HAPPENED in the history of the NFL.
“That’s literally the only thing you need to tell someone (who knows ball) and they could tell you everything about this team…
“’Hey the franchise quarterback, who’s a professional athlete getting paid millions of dollars, and the face of a multi billion dollar franchise tapped out of the game because… because… because he was tired in the middle of the season’
“‘Oh wow.. that team has no chance’ would be the immediate response..
“And to the surprise of nobody.. that was the response by everybody who’s ever played/coached the game before but.. Colts blogs and fans who have been covering the Colts since 2020 and more recent knew better than everybody… Started personally attacking me and trying to kick me out of town.
“When I said Joe Flacco gives us a better chance to win than AR immediately after the tap out.. I would’ve said whatever backup QB we had on the roster. That can’t be what the face of your team is doing.. just can’t be.. and to a bigger aspect of it all, somehow AR thought it was ok to do that. That’s a locker room issue.. that’s a culture issue.. thats an indicator of a loser attitude radiating thru a building that was built by greats.
“I have no idea how they fix it.. I don’t think it’s like a light switch. ‘Alright, we’re gonna become Pros now’ but… maybe it is, but what do I know?
“Oh wait….. how this was all gonna work out. I knew that.
“As a multiple year season ticket holder (not renewing).. and someone who has actively, daily, attempted to be an additive to this beautiful city. I hope they become a good franchise again.. this city deserves it.. the OGs in the Colts building deserve it (equipment managers, trainers, ticketing, PR, sales).. and on the flip side the players/coaches in that building deserve whatever happens to them. Your unwarranted arrogance, laziness, and lack of professionalism has lead you to ANOTHER early vacation… which is probably what most of you entitled bums have been hoping for.
“I don’t speak for the city.. and I don’t speak for all ex Colts players because I was only a punter.. nominated for the HOF 3 times now but nonetheless.. I speak from my own perspective.. I’ve never seen a group waste opportunities/talent/money more than this group.”
McAfee’s post was edited by LBS to remove the profanity, but his points all stand.
Colts linebacker Zaire Franklin has his podcast called “The Trenches Show,” and has had teammate EJ Speed on as a guest. The two made McAfee out to be an enemy for being critical of the Colts. That likely fueled McAfee to get to this point with his sharp criticism of the team.
For context, the Colts made the playoffs five times and won their division four times during McAfee’s eight-year career. He was on the team towards the end of Peyton Manning’s Colts career and at the beginning of Andrew Luck’s. He was part of plenty of good teams, which helps explain his frustration with the current group. The Colts last made the playoffs in 2020.
They sure love Sam Darnold in Minnesota.
Darnold went 33/43 for 377 yards with 3 touchdowns and an interception while leading his Vikings to a 27-25 win over the Green Bay Packers 27-25 at US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minn., in Week 17 on Sunday. The victory made Minnesota 14-2 and moved them a half-game ahead of the 13-2 Detroit Lions for the top spot in both the NFC North and NFC overall.
After the game, cameras showed Darnold running into the Vikings’ locker room. His teammates sprayed him with water in celebration and then lifted him up on their shoulders like a hero.
Seeing Darnold lead the Vikings to a 14-2 record and received that treatment in the locker room is surreal.
Darnold was the No. 3 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft and regarded as a bust after his Jets tenure. He later spent time with the Carolina Panthers and San Francisco 49ers — mostly as a backup — before making it to the Vikings. He was signed to be a bridge quarterback as the Vikings developed first-round pick J.J. McCarthy. Instead, Darnold has put together a huge season with a 68.1 completion percentage, 4,153 passing yards and 35 passing touchdowns.
Who saw him developing into a top QB capable of leading a team into championship contention?
