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10 Players to Watch in the Women’s N.C.A.A. Tournament

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10 Players to Watch in the Women’s N.C.A.A. Tournament

Between their spotlight reel performs and hard-to-believe statistics, Aliyah Boston, Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers have turn into acquainted not solely to girls’s school basketball followers however to many individuals with solely a passing curiosity in sports activities.

However on this 12 months’s N.C.A.A. Division I girls’s basketball event, there might be dozens of different gamers who’re able to benefit from their second on the nationwide stage — gamers who’ve been placing up spectacular numbers and making exceptional performs all season, simply with a significantly smaller share of the highlight.

Listed below are 10 gamers with an opportunity to make believers out of this 12 months’s event followers. They vary from All-Individuals and certain first-round W.N.B.A. draft picks to midmajor upstarts on the lookout for a style of March glory.

NaLyssa Smith has an opportunity to be the highest decide on this 12 months’s W.N.B.A. draft. But it surely’s not simply because, at 6 toes 4 inches, she has the scale and power {of professional} publish gamers. A Baylor energy ahead, Smith has the finesse and ability to play with one of the best proper now.

She strikes across the court docket with the convenience and velocity of somebody a lot smaller — and for an added benefit, she has been coached this season by Nicki Collen, who arrived at Baylor after three seasons main the W.N.B.A.’s Atlanta Dream.

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Within the event, Smith, who received a nationwide championship with Baylor in her freshman 12 months, will work to steer the Bears to a minimum of the spherical of 16 if not the Ultimate 4. She has assist however is undoubtedly Baylor’s centerpiece, rating within the high 10 in Division I in scoring and rebounding whereas persevering with to enhance her gaudy stat strains. Smith reached a brand new profession excessive in rebounding with 20 on Feb. 28 towards Iowa State; within the subsequent recreation, she hit her profession excessive in scoring with 35 factors. Followers have an opportunity not solely to see Smith peaking on the proper time however to scope out a possible future skilled star.

The scariest factor about Stanford isn’t that it’s the defending nationwide champion — it’s that this championship group’s most prolific gamers are underclassmen: Haley Jones, a junior, and Cameron Brink, a sophomore.

Within the Cardinal’s balanced offense, what makes Brink an asset is her effectivity: She has had the third most field-goal makes an attempt on the group, however she’s the group’s main scorer. Her dominance across the basket made her an integral a part of Stanford’s championship run.

In final 12 months’s N.C.A.A. event, Brink averaged 4 blocks per recreation, together with six in Stanford’s Ultimate 4 defeat of South Carolina. These groups seem like on a collision course this 12 months as effectively, and Brink is the Cardinal’s solely potential reply to South Carolina’s Boston, who’s more likely to be the nationwide participant of the 12 months.

If Stanford desires to repeat as champion, Brink’s assertive protection might be important. Her capacity to set screens and draw defenders away from her group’s sharpshooters whereas staying out of foul hassle, one thing she struggled along with her freshman 12 months, can even be vital. It’s an extended to-do record, however Brink has proven that she has the expertise to test all these packing containers.

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Operating the ground for the group that has been ranked No. 1 within the nation all season isn’t any small activity. Earlier than Destanni Henderson most probably heads to the W.N.B.A. this summer time (some projections counsel she might be a first-round decide), she would in all probability wish to be rewarded for all that work with a visit to the nationwide championship recreation.

The Gamecocks will definitely want her so as to get there. Henderson is a real level guard, operating performs that assist make Boston, the group’s chief, much more unstoppable. The group’s greatest offense is predicated across the two of them: Boston attracts defenders to the basket after which passes to Henderson within the nook for a simple 3-point shot, or Boston grabs a rebound and tosses it to Henderson in transition to make an uncontested layup.

Henderson’s quickness makes her each South Carolina’s spark and the right counterpoint to Boston and her affected person publish play. In these uncommon moments when the South Carolina offense slumps, Henderson can often lower to the basket and rating, or nab the ball and dash to the opposite finish for a layup earlier than her defender has even realized what’s occurring. When South Carolina beat Stanford in a redemptive December victory, Henderson had seven steals — a key to the victory she might effectively attempt to replicate on this 12 months’s event.

Virtually 60 % of Iowa’s offense comes from two gamers: Clark, whose relentless capturing catapulted her into the nationwide highlight, and Monika Czinano, a senior publish participant whose reliability provides the Hawkeyes a rock-solid basis.

When Clark is having an off evening (which for her means scoring lower than 20 factors), Czinano retains the group regular, plugging away across the basket to maintain the offense alive. Her capturing share is among the many greatest within the nation, due to her footwork and fast launch: If Iowa is in rhythm, Clark can go to her and Czinano could have the ball within the basket earlier than opponents have an opportunity to react.

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Czinano led the group in scoring when Iowa received its fourth Large Ten event title final weekend, additional proving how essential each she and Clark are to their group. “I simply suppose we now have actually good chemistry,” Clark informed reporters earlier this 12 months.

Kierstan Bell is a matchup nightmare. At 6 toes 1 inch, she’s a vital couple of inches taller than most of her fellow capturing guards — inches that she takes benefit of to shoot over opponents from principally wherever on the court docket.

The Eagles get a better share of their offense from behind the arc than every other group in Division I, and Bell definitely contributes on that entrance with practically 10 makes an attempt per recreation. However the place Bell actually shines is in shaking anybody who would possibly attempt to forestall her from attending to the basket. Her measurement and power are mixed with unbelievable quickness, permitting her to spin and juke her well beyond nearly anybody; she’s averaging 23.1 factors per recreation. A meniscus damage in January threatened her W.N.B.A. draft inventory and her probabilities to indicate off within the event, however she returned with rapid double-digit scoring after lacking only a month.

Bell shines in large moments. She had 25 factors within the first spherical of final 12 months’s N.C.A.A. event, through which Florida Gulf Coast did not upset Michigan, and 32 factors and 10 rebounds earlier this season when her group earned a shock victory over now No. 9-ranked Louisiana State.

The 6-foot-5 heart Elissa Cunane has about as spectacular a résumé as anybody in school basketball: three straight Atlantic Coast Convention titles, two straight convention event Most Beneficial Participant Awards and a slew of different particular person honors. However the Wolfpack haven’t been in a position to capitalize on her expertise on the N.C.A.A. event and haven’t made it previous the spherical of 16 since 1998. Final 12 months, Cunane’s good-but-not-good-enough performances in San Antonio contributed to top-seeded North Carolina State’s upset loss to fourth-seeded Indiana.

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In consequence, she enters this event with one thing to show each to N.C. State followers and the W.N.B.A. groups which might be evaluating her for the upcoming draft. The Wolfpack’s power is their steadiness, and Cunane hasn’t been pushed to pad her statistics. However she’s able to dominating across the basket and hitting essential 3-point photographs whereas additionally main her group in rebounding. With N.C. State as soon as once more anticipated to be a No. 1 seed, something lower than a visit to the Ultimate 4 might be a disappointment — and it’s as much as Cunane to get them there.

There’s little or no that the 6-foot-2 guard Rhyne Howard does poorly, together with rewriting the Kentucky file books. She is within the high 10 of just about each statistical class obtainable and has scored the second most factors in program historical past, together with women and men. But past Kentucky and ladies’s school basketball followers, Howard has remained a relative unknown regardless of her prolific play and her many nationwide honors or the truth that she’s more likely to be a top-five decide on this 12 months’s W.N.B.A. draft.

That began to alter final week, when a swap appeared to flip in Howard as she led Kentucky to its first Southeastern Convention event title since 1982. The group, seeded seventh, grew to become the second-lowest seed ever to win that title, beating the highest three seeds alongside the best way.

Although she didn’t hit the electrifying buzzer-beater that earned Kentucky the championship, Howard was a power all through, scoring 88 factors over 4 video games for the third-highest level whole in event historical past. Now, she simply has to deliver that splashy play — together with a win over L.S.U. through which she made six of eight 3-point photographs — to the subsequent degree.

Event viewers would possibly get just one alternative to see the redshirt junior ahead Starr Jacobs, however chances are high she’s going to benefit from it. Jacobs, a junior school switch, has placed on a present in her first 12 months enjoying in Division I, incomes a range because the Solar Belt participant of the 12 months and main the Girl Mavs to an upset victory for his or her first Solar Belt Convention title with 28 factors, 11 rebounds and three steals.

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She has already remodeled her group by turning into the primary participant in U.T.A. historical past to common over 20 factors per recreation for a whole common season whereas capturing nearly completely from contained in the arc. Now armed with an automated N.C.A.A. event bid, Jacobs and the Girl Mavs have a chance, albeit a slim one, to finish the ahead’s unlikely journey into the highlight by garnering this system’s first-ever event win.

Taylor Robertson is the sharpshooter behind one among Division I’s greatest offenses. She doesn’t simply lead the nation in 3-point photographs made, averaging 3.67 per recreation; she is vying for a spot within the historical past books as top-of-the-line 3-point shooters in girls’s school basketball lore. Robertson, a senior guard, is the one participant in N.C.A.A. historical past who has each made greater than 45 % of her 3-point photographs and averaged greater than eight 3-point makes an attempt per recreation.

Briefly, she’s capturing at an unprecedented charge though the ladies’s 3-point line moved again a bit over a foot (it’s now the identical as the lads’s) in the midst of her Oklahoma profession. The Sooners will want her to get sizzling in the event that they’re going to benefit from what might be their highest N.C.A.A. event seeding in over a decade. Within the Sooners’ solely nationwide event recreation of her profession to date, Robertson hit six 3s; this season, she has hit as many as 9 in a recreation.

A high recruit when she enrolled early at Notre Dame final 12 months, the freshman guard Olivia Miles has already recorded a triple-double and is among the many Division I assists leaders, with 7.2 per recreation earlier than event play. Miles performs with preternatural ease and reads defenses so shortly that at her greatest, she helps Notre Dame transfer with an nearly professional-level effectivity.

In any given recreation, she will rating 30 factors, or seize 13 rebounds, or make 14 assists — nevertheless it’s her capacity to fill within the blanks, to assist her teammates in the best way that’s most helpful, that has helped the Preventing Irish exceed expectations this season.

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This might be her first time enjoying within the N.C.A.A. event, and if the Irish devoted get their means, it is going to mark the start of a storied postseason profession for the younger guard — one that might deliver Notre Dame again into the nationwide championship dialog.

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Saquon’s hurdle, Josh Allen’s heroics: The NFL season’s best moments, week by week

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7 hours ago

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January 9, 2025

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Saquon’s hurdle, Josh Allen’s heroics: The NFL season’s best moments, week by week

After 272 games and 1,387 touchdowns — and Camryn Bynum’s many interpretive dances — the NFL’s regular season is officially in the books. It was an awesome, serpentine and sometimes surreal four months of football. Cheers to all of us that made it through and did not blink.

Of course, the playoffs are a zero-sum game, and only one person will be commemorated Most Valuable Player. But there was so much to celebrate across the past 18 weeks, and the Super Bowl outcome certainly does not negate all the coolness that preceded it.

Here, we’ll remember the top three on-field moments from each weekly slate. May this be a space for recollection and appreciation as we trek toward the postseason.

Week 1

An un-Likely finish — The games kicked off with an absolute banger in Ravens-Chiefs. Lamar Jackson led a furious final push down the field, capped with Isaiah Likely’s spectacular would-be game-tying touchdown snag. Better still, Baltimore’s offense looked ready to go for the two-point conversion and steal a win. Upon further review, Likely’s toe grazed the back of the end zone. Kansas City eked out the narrowest of wins — a season’s motif if there ever was one.

Saquon Barkley’s first Eagles score — What a bonkers introduction by Philly’s new running back. Barkley established himself from the jump in Brazil, and his three TDs were the deciding factor in a win over the Packers that went to the brink.

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A new-age rivalry in overtime — The latest episode of the Goff-Stafford Exchange was a thriller. Week 1’s Sunday night game went back and forth for 70 minutes, sealed by David Montgomery’s walk-off plunge.

Week 2

Jefferson Starship — The ascending Sam Darnold to the intergalactic Justin Jefferson, for 97 yards, six points and one of the loudest crowd reactions of the year.

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Sack City — Aidan Hutchinson notched 4 1/2 sacks in one afternoon, wholly terrorizing the Tampa Bay front line. We didn’t know it, but this would be the triumphant last highlight before a broken leg truncated his season.

Another Bengals-Chiefs stunner — With under a minute to go, Patrick Mahomes and company trailed 25-23 and faced fourth down from their own territory. They converted on a deep ball to Rashee Rice, only for a Wanya Morris penalty to set them back to fourth-and-16. The subsequent try fell incomplete … but a pass interference call on Daijahn Anthony gave the Chiefs new life, and ultimately set up their game-winning 51-yard field goal.

Week 3

Hook-and-Lions — If video-game makers choose to revive the Backyard Football or NFL Street franchises, well, here’s their mood board:

Daniels goes deep — Jayden Daniels forced a collective double-take with the start to his pro career: fourteen consecutive scoring drives (excluding two kneel downs), obliterating the previous rookie record. The few remaining skeptics noted that Washington’s No. 2 pick was relying on short throws and cautious offense. They were promptly quieted on Monday night.

A modern-day Mossing — Jauan Jennings put Quentin Lake on a poster. It was the jewel of his breakout three-touchdown game in Los Angeles.

Week 4

Ogunbowale calls game — The Texans passing offense was sporting Nico Collins, Stefon Diggs and Tank Dell … yet it was journeyman back Dare Ogunbowale who caught the game-winning touchdown from C.J. Stroud. He got to celebrate in the corner end zone with his sister, WNBA star Arike Ogunbowale.

Throwing a perfect game — Once again finding itself in a national TV spot, Detroit’s offense was systematically grooving against the Seahawks. Jared Goff connected on all 18 of his throws, setting an NFL record, and he also caught a touchdown pass from Amon-Ra St. Brown.

Koo, calm and collected — In a decidedly NFC South-y game, Younghoe Koo drilled a 58-yarder for the win in Atlanta.

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Week 5

Surtain chance — Pat Surtain II’s 100-yard pick-six may have re-routed Denver’s season. It certainly trumpeted the arrival of this Broncos defense, and kick-started the fourth-year corner’s campaign for Defensive Player of the Year.

Thursday night chaos — This 36-30 overtime marathon won by the Falcons was sneakily one of the most fun watches of 2024. On a short comeback route, KhaDarel Hodge broke a tackle and then outran a half-dozen Buccaneers for the walk-off.

“He threw him away like a rag doll!” — Both Ravens-Bengals matchups this season were pure serotonin releases. The world would be a better place if we had more Ravens and Bengals. More on this later. For now, play us out, Kevin Harlan:

Week 6

Shenault’s vault — The new kickoff rules took some getting used to, with the landing zone being particularly harsh on the eyes. But Laviska Shenault’s 97-yard house call looked instantly familiar.

Turning back time — Thinking about these New York Jets is bad for our well-being, and there were few highlights from their dystopian season. But Aaron Rodgers connecting on yet another Hail Mary was undoubtedly one of them. Allen Lazard was the recipient of this buzzer-beating 52-yard heave vs. Buffalo.

Courtland’s catch — Superhuman stuff from Sutton here.

Week 7

Bates’ first magic moment — With the 4-1 Lions and 5-0 Vikings scrapping for supremacy atop the NFC North, everything came down to Detroit’s rookie kicker Jake Bates … a kickoff specialist and soccer player in college. But Bates was right on the money to give Detroit the win 31-29. We’ll revisit him shortly.

Conner in the clutch — For a moment, the Arizona revival (Cardinalissance?) looked like it had staying power. It was hard to not dig the desert vibes after James Conner plowed his way into game-winning field goal range on Thursday night.

Getting tricky with it — Geno Smith slung a swing pass to Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who about-faced and heaved it field. The loping ball hung in the air forever, only for DK Metcalf to come down with a particularly acrobatic grab.

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Week 8

Winston for the win — Two more football axioms that rang true in 2024: The Ravens will find bizarre ways to lose games, and Jameis Winston will be a vehicle for metaphysical chaos. Kyle Hamilton dropped what would’ve been the clinching interception. With the extra chance, Winston hit Cedric Tillman for the decisive touchdown. As we did for the aforementioned Jets, we’ll do our best to limit your exposure to the Cleveland Browns … but this was a cool moment.

“It’s a miracle! It’s Noah Brown” — Are we positive this really happened? Was it some sort of fever dream conjured to torment the Chicago Bears?

(Almost) Paid in Full — Week 8 nearly had a second completed Hail Mary. Much like the Ravens and Bengals, the Falcons and Bucs combined for two deeply entertaining games this season. Rakim Jarrett caught Baker Mayfield’s prayer ball but couldn’t keep himself in the end zone.

Week 9

Come What Maye — The 2024 Patriots may well be remembered for botching the No. 1 draft pick and immediately canning their coach. But this was bonkers, delightful and borderline-inexplicable:

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Saquon breaks Madden — When EA Sports has to develop new animations based on something that happened in real-life football, well, you’re singularly awesome and deserve extended cheers. Saquon Barkley’s “reverse hurdle” was instantly canonized.

One-handed walk-off — Matthew Stafford’s dime and Demarcus Robinson’s showmanship not only made the year-end highlight reel but also helped decide the log-jammed NFC West. If the Rams make a run this postseason, this game-winner will be remembered as a primary propellant.

Week 10

Chiefs block upset bid — Kansas City routinely reduced football fans to a Jesse Pinkman impression … they couldn’t keep getting away with these last-second victories. Denver looked set to blemish the Chiefs’ undefeated campaign, until Wil Lutz’s 35-yarder was stuffed at the line. Kevin Harlan hit that upper vocal register accordingly.

Everything about Bengals-Ravens — In what may well be considered the game of the year, Joe Burrow and Lamar Jackson traded dizzying haymakers until the final whistle. The final numbers: Burrow threw for 428 yards and four scores, while Ja’Marr Chase had an absurd 11-catch, 264-yard, 3-TD stat line. But Jackson had four touchdowns of his own, and Baltimore’s defense hung tight on the deciding two-point conversion. To paraphrase Tracy Morgan, live every week like it’s Bengals-Ravens week.

Bates’ second magic moment — We promised we’d circle back here, too. Detroit survived a five-interception Goff game thanks to Bates, who squeezed clutch kicks of 58 and 52 yards between the uprights.

Week 11

Un-Bear-able — Caleb Williams had pieced together a spirited if imperfect first game since the waning of the Shane Waldron era. Cairo Santos was set up to lift Chicago over its archrival. Then special teamer Karl Brooks won the gap, elevated and got a hand on the football for a wild Packers win.

McPherson’s misses — The Sunday night squabble-up between the Bengals and Chargers was also Game of the Year material. Cincinnati completed a massive comeback, down 24-6 at halftime, on the heels of two fourth-down touchdown passes. We can only imagine how sorely the Bengals want those biffed Evan McPherson tries back.

“The play of the year in the NFL” — Chiefs-Bills never disappoints. Without further ado, Jim Nantz:

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Week 12

Barkley’s blasts — The Eagles’ star running back rushed for a franchise-best 255 yards, with 182 coming in the second half. Momentum-seizing house calls of 70 and 72 yards deflated the Rams and cemented Philly as a team to fear. As Mike Tirico said: “What a night, and what a player.”

Mamba mentality — Much-needed fourth-down stop? Yup. Galvanizing defensive moment for Mike McDonald’s group? For sure. Coby Bryant for six? Put it on the board.

How does this keep happening?! — Jayden Daniels seemingly fit a lifetime of heroics into his rookie season. Here, he lofted a desperation ball to Terry McLaurin between a Cowboys prevent zone, only for McLaurin to hit the accelerator and stun the football universe.

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Don’t worry, Austin Seibert’s subsequent extra point sailed wide, recalling an all-time NFL blooper from the Saints and Jaguars in 2003.

Week 13

Time keeps on slippin’ — Caleb Williams had a shot at upsetting the Lions in Detroit on Thanksgiving. It could’ve been a signature career moment. But some disarmingly strange sideline decisions left the Bears with no time left. Coach Matt Eberflus was fired the next day.

Vengeance in the Meadowlands — Geno Smith and Leonard Williams each stuck it to their former team in the Seahawks’ 26-21 win over the Jets. The latter stole the day with a soul-crushing 92-yard pick-six of Aaron Rodgers.

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Blizzard in Buffalo — If/when a Josh Allen statue gets put up in Orchard Park, it just might look like this:

Week 14

Lord Byron — Safe to say that Kirk Cousins did not enjoy his return trip to Minnesota. Byron Murphy, in his sixth year, had his best season to date as a chaos element in Brian Flores’ defense.

Fantasy football history — Every snap of Josh Allen’s herculean Week 14 performance deserves consideration here. Even if the Bills didn’t win this relay race in Los Angeles against the Rams, those employing Allen on their fantasy teams certainly got the dub. Buffalo’s captain tallied six total touchdowns: three through the air to go with his 342 passing yards, and three on the ground as part of his 82 rushing yards.

Sweet Charbonnet — Zach Charbonnet, Seattle’s second-year second-stringer, enjoyed a massive day against the Cardinals. He evaded tacklers and scrapped for extra space all afternoon long, capped by an electrifying 51-yard scoring burst.

Week 15

Yes, another Josh Allen highlight — Take your pick from the presumptive MVP’s cinematic effort against the Lions. Perhaps it was when he escaped two pass rushers and threw across his body to connect with James Cook. Maybe it’s his fake-out keeper to walk into the end zone and give his Bills a 14-0 lead. It could certainly be the evasion of a stunting Josh Paschal that created a Keon Coleman chunk play. Allen finished game with 430 yards, four touchdowns and a whole bunch of jaw-dropping plays.

Pose for the Kamara — For the second time this season, a receiver’s surprise drop back was redeemed by a sublime catch. Cedrick Wilson Jr. is not a professional quarterback, but Alvin Kamara is not a professional wideout. It balanced out here:

Bonitto cashes in — After scanning the list, here’s a necessary reminder that not every trick play works out. Nik Bonitto accentuated his spectacular season with a fourth-quarter defensive touchdown off Indianapolis’ attempted deception.

Week 16

Jourdan Lewis, by sheer will — Tampa Bay looked on its way to a Sunday night comeback in Dallas, with a streaking Jalen McMillan having a step on the Cowboys secondary. Lewis had other ideas, and his first interception of the season was ice-cold.

Crowder for the win — Once again, Jayden Daniels with some late-game alchemy. Washington beat Philadelphia in the final minute, after Daniels connected with Jamison Crowder, who started the game with four catches all season and finished it with a game-winning touchdown.

Jared to Jameson Williams — This was a riveting play in itself, with the Lions’ primary vertical threat getting loose for a clean 82-yard strike. But the coolest moment was when the camera panned to receivers coach Antwaan Randle El, who celebrated his wideout’s catharsis with the joy of a proud father.

Week 17

Myles Garrett’s greatness — With a sack of Miami quarterback Tyler Huntley, Cleveland’s prodigious edge rusher became the first player in league history to post at least 14 sacks in four straight seasons.

Lamar Jackson breaks Vick’s record on Christmas — Beyoncé is a transcendent talent. But she did not break Michael Vick’s career QB rushing mark. That was, of course, the two-time MVP under center in Baltimore.

Mims is Him(s) — The enduring image may be “Joe Shiesty” dancing in the end zone after the overtime victory, but we should never let this miraculous fourth-down connection go unrecognized. If aliens beamed down to our planet and asked why we like football so much, we’d probably show them this:

Week 18

Special revenge — The stakes were not quite the same, but good on Chicago for avenging its Week 11 special teams disaster against Green Bay. Between Cairo Santos’ redemption on the game-winning field goal and a crafty misdirected punt return for 94 yards by Josh Blackwell, the Bears won Sunday thanks to their kicking unit.

Wiggins caps it off — They already had one bewildering Browns loss this season. Could the Ravens find themselves in some wonky wild-card territory by dropping Saturday’s finale? Nope. Rookie corner Nate Wiggins certainly wasn’t going to let it get that far.

Barnett’s big man TD — What’s a season-long highlight reel without a defensive lineman’s stumbling scoop-and-score? Derek Barnett seemed predestined to cross the plane this past Sunday.

(Top illustration: Will Tullos / The Athletic; photos: Mitchell Leff, Jonathan Bachman, Cooper Neill, Bryan M. Bennett, Andy Lyons / Getty Images)

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Deion Sanders reveals only way he would coach in NFL

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7 hours ago

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January 9, 2025

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Deion Sanders reveals only way he would coach in NFL

Deion Sanders made clear last month before the Alamo Bowl that he planned on staying to coach the Colorado Buffaloes for the long-term future despite rampant rumors he could jump.

On Wednesday, Sanders appeared to throw in a caveat to his previous statement. He suggested the only way he would ever leave for the NFL was for an opportunity to coach his sons.

General view of an advertisement for the Colorado Buffaloes football team featuring head coach Deion Sanders during the second half of a game between the Iowa State Cyclones and the Colorado Buffaloes at CU Events Center in Boulder, Colorado, on Dec. 30, 2024. (Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images)

“You know what? The only way I would consider it is to coach my sons,” he said Wednesday on “GMA3.” He put an emphasis on “sons,” suggesting he would want to coach both Shedeur and Shilo Sanders.

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“I love Colorado. I love my Buffaloes. I love everything we’re building. I love what we’re doing, and I love Boulder, Colorado,” he added.

He said in a trailer for the upcoming season of “Coach Prime” on Amazon Prime Video that the 2024 season was special because he was “99%” sure it would be the final opportunity for him to coach his sons.

Sanders could very well do that, but it would take a lot.

Deion and Shedeur Sanders

Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders, left, and quarterback Shedeur Sanders, #2, talk with the media after the game against the Brigham Young Cougars at Alamodome in San Antonio on Dec. 28, 2024.. (Troy Taormina-Imagn Images)

EX-PATRIOTS COACH JEROD MAYO PLAYED CARDS WITH PLAYERS ON FLIGHT HOME FOLLOWING DOUBLE-DIGIT LOSS: REPORT 

Of the top 10 picks in the NFL Draft, the New England Patriots, Jacksonville Jaguars, Las Vegas Raiders, New York Jets, New Orleans Saints and Chicago Bears each have head coach openings. Only the Raiders could really have a shot at selecting a quarterback.

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Shedeur Sanders is expected to be one of the first players taken in the draft, but it will all depend on what the five teams in front of them do. The Tennessee Titans definitely need a quarterback and will likely choose one if they stay at No. 1. The Cleveland Browns need a quarterback but could opt to go for a veteran free agent. The New York Giants are also in need of a quarterback, but they also have a bunch of other needs to address as well.

Shilo Sanders may not be a first-round pick, which could make it easier for Deion Sanders and whatever team he may coach to select him.

Deion Sanders walks the line

Colorado head coach Deion Sanders watches his players warmup prior to the game between the Kansas Jayhawks and the Colorado Buffaloes at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri, on Nov. 23, 2024. (Nick Tre. Smith-Imagn Images)

It is a lot of hypothetical work for each of the Sanders boys to play together. A perfect storm will have to be created, but crazier things have happened in the NFL. 

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

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Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for Fox News Digital.

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Prep talk: Defending champion Cleveland is team to beat in City Section girls' soccer

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January 9, 2025

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Prep talk: Defending champion Cleveland is team to beat in City Section girls' soccer

Cleveland’s girls’ soccer team has been to four consecutive City Section championship games, winning last season in overtime over El Camino Real.

Now the Cavaliers (6-1-3) look like the team to beat again, along with Granada Hills, Palisades and El Camino Real.

West Valley League play begins this week.

Cleveland returns the City Section player of the year, Alexa Monge, and the player who delivered the overtime goal to beat El Camino Real, Yesenia Gomez. …

The first Southern Section girls’ soccer rankings are out. Redondo Union, Santa Margarita and Oaks Christian are unbeaten and lead the rankings. Here’s the link. …

Unbeaten Mater Dei tops the first Southern Section boys’ soccer rankings. Here’s the link. …

This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.

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