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What We Learned From Week 16 in the N.F.L.

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What We Learned From Week 16 in the N.F.L.

Steelers 13, Raiders 10: The Raiders burned all of the offense they’d on their opening possession. They mounted a 14-play landing drive to kick issues off, however then operating again Josh Jacobs stalled out, leaving the Raiders’ passing sport with a number of third-and-longs in snowy, 13-degree climate. The Steelers’ offense didn’t get many factors in response for a lot of the sport, however quarterback Kenny Pickett rose to the problem and scored on a two-minute drive, hitting George Pickens down the center for the go-ahead rating. Derek Carr, with all three timeouts and 43 seconds to work with, threw an interception to Cam Sutton, virtually actually ending the Raiders’ playoff hopes for the 12 months.

Cowboys 40, Eagles 34: There’s a case to be made that Jalen Hurts would have received this sport if he had been capable of play, however it’s not as if the Eagles collapsed with their backup quarterback, Gardner Minshew. The Eagles’ offense scored 27 factors, thanks partially to Minshew’s willingness to feed his talent gamers, and their protection scored a pick-6 on the Cowboys’ first drive. Dak Prescott and the Cowboys went nuclear after that opening drive blunder, nevertheless, and proved too explosive for the Eagles protection.

49ers 37, Commanders 20: Brock Purdy isn’t excellent, however he’ll uncork the ball to the 49ers’ handful of elite talent gamers. Kyle Shanahan normally makes that fairly simple to do, too, simply as he did on this one. Tight finish George Kittle had himself a day, scoring one landing on a deep submit and one other on a 33-yard catch and run. The 49ers’ move rush bought after Taylor Heinicke to the purpose the place he was pressured right into a fourth-down misfire for an interception that bought him benched in favor of Carson Wentz.

Bengals 22, Patriots 18: Every crew scored in just one half, the Bengals dominating the primary earlier than the Patriots rallied within the second. Joe Burrow diced up the Patriots for the primary two quarters, leaning closely on the big-bodied large receiver Tee Higgins to dunk on the Patriots’ small cornerback group. However a few key errors — two interceptions thrown by Burrow and a Ja’Marr Chase fumble — made it powerful for the Bengals to drag away, and the Patriots clawed their method again, narrowing the lead earlier than fumbling contained in the Bengals’ 10-yard line on what might have been a game-winning drive.

Kansas Metropolis 24, Seahawks 10: Geno Smith was in hell all day. Kansas Metropolis’s move rush swarmed him for 4 quarters, producing a ton of inside strain led by Chris Jones. When paired with the bodily, tight-window model of protection performed by Kansas Metropolis, it was powerful sledding for a Seahawks’ passing offense that has in any other case carried the crew. For Kansas Metropolis, the ever-reliable Patrick Mahomes-to-Travis Kelce connection did its magic. Kelce snagged six catches for 113 yards, incomes simply over half of the crew’s complete receiving yards on the day.

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Payments 35, Bears 13: Not many groups throw two interceptions and are available away with a 22-point win anyway. The Payments will not be most groups. Josh Allen was principally good outdoors of some numbskull performs, the type of efficiency he may be liable to when nothing is absolutely on the road. The Payments’ protection was the true purpose for the crew’s success, although. Bears quarterback Justin Fields had simply seven carries for 11 yards, the primary time he’s been held to beneath 50 yards since early October.

Ravens 17, Falcons 9: A surging Ravens’ protection held its personal towards a troublesome Falcons’ run sport. The Falcons slammed their operating backs ahead 33 instances however netted simply 115 yards, roughly 3.5 yards per carry. The Ravens ran the ball significantly better, incomes 5.4 yards per carry, and have been capable of management the tempo of the sport. Atlanta’s rookie quarterback, Desmond Ridder, led the offense into the purple zone twice within the fourth quarter, however the first drive ended on downs and the second led to a discipline aim that was too little, too late.

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Why letting Paul George walk, and saying no to the Warriors, made sense for the Clippers

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Why letting Paul George walk, and saying no to the Warriors, made sense for the Clippers

INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Saying goodbye to Paul George was one thing.

The LA Clippers decided in early July to draw a hard line in negotiations with the 34-year-old, who wanted a four-year, $212 million max deal that he would get from the Philadelphia 76ers instead. The prospect of paying him nearly $60 million at the age of 37 — especially given his health history during his five years in L.A. — was a nightmare scenario the Clippers wanted to avoid.

Ditto for the no-trade clause that George wanted and was denied. Add in the long-term planning component — a four-year max deal for George would have gone one year past the length of Kawhi Leonard’s deal while cutting too deeply into the precious salary cap space that would be better used on younger superstars who might become available — and you start to understand why the nine-time All-Star was in a Sixers jersey for his reunion game at Intuit Dome on Wednesday night.

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Even if this Leonard-led era never pans out — and the track record speaks for itself at this point — the Clippers protected their ability to go big again in the summer of 2027. And with teams like the Bucks and Sixers having gone all in on their problematic three-star plans that are failing miserably at the moment, there’s an argument to be made that the Clippers’ vision will pay off.

If only for a night, it didn’t look like these Clippers needed George in their 110-98 win. Norm Powell, the guard who replaced George in the starting lineup and who deemed George’s departure “addition by subtraction” in the preseason, had 26 points (while hitting six 3s) and six assists while outplaying his former teammate (George had 18 points and seven rebounds).

The newcomer who wouldn’t be here if George had stayed, Derrick Jones Jr., was one of many productive role players who contributed a pivotal part when the lone available Clippers star, James Harden, had an off-night (5-of-15 shooting, six turnovers; 18 points and six assists).

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The Clippers improved to 4-4 — not too shabby considering Leonard (right knee) has yet to play this season. The Sixers — who have been without Joel Embiid (left knee) all season and George for all but two games (left knee) and must now worry about Tyrese Maxey after he suffered a hamstring injury against the Clippers — saw their pressure-packed situation get even worse as they fell to 1-6. 

But when it comes to the George saga that was the top story of the NBA summer, and which will surely be discussed and re-litigated for years to come, the question that has confounded so many rival front-office executives and scouts this season is this: Why were the Clippers willing to say goodbye to George without getting anything in return?

As The Athletic’s Anthony Slater recently detailed, the Warriors remain both frustrated and confused by their offseason pursuit of George (and Utah’s Lauri Markkanen) that fell flat. Everyone from Golden State owner Joe Lacob on down chimed in on the matter, with Steph Curry, Draymond Green, coach Steve Kerr and general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. sharing their view of the sign-and-trade situation gone wrong.

There’s an old and outdated adage in the NBA that you just don’t let star players walk for nothing, but the Clippers — as so many around the league saw it — had gone against that grain by passing on their only real chance at recouping assets for George with the Warriors.

But just as the Clippers aren’t regretting the choices that led to George’s departure to Philadelphia, team sources are adamant in their defense of the Golden State decision as well. And the reasoning has everything to do with the financial flexibility that they valued more than what the Warriors had to offer. Strange as it might sound, they would argue that there are times when nothing is better than something.

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Paul George walks near the Clippers bench on Wednesday. (Harry How / Getty Images)

Had the Clippers agreed to do the deal, with the most likely scenario being Golden State sending Andrew Wiggins, Chris Paul, Moses Moody and a first-round pick their way in exchange for George, then team sources say the second-apron luxury tax penalties that would have come with it would have put the total cost at approximately $110 million. The Clippers had serious interest in Warriors fourth-year forward Jonathan Kuminga and would have likely done the deal if he was included along with the first-round pick, but team sources say he was never truly available.

The two teams did discuss scenarios that included Kuminga, team sources said, but the Warriors later pulled him off the table. Considering he was the only young Warriors prospect whom the Clippers truly saw as a potential star, that was the real X-factor in it all. Even Brandin Podziemski, the second-year guard who was on the Clippers’ wish list, wasn’t available. So rather than take what Golden State offered, and having to navigate the second-apron hell that came with it, the Clippers decided to target the role players of their choosing elsewhere.

If you somehow haven’t heard by now, the second-apron luxury tax penalties that come when a team’s payroll exceeds $189 million are the bane of every billionaire’s existence. Even owners like the Clippers’ Steve Ballmer, the former Microsoft CEO whose net worth of $123 billion makes him the richest owner in sports, are now forced to fear the consequences that come with spending your way to the top.

Frozen draft picks. A restriction against making trades in which multiple player salaries are aggregated. No midlevel exceptions, sign-and-trades, or ability to send cash out in trades. Minimum-salary players abound.

A blank check isn’t enough anymore.

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The list of roster-wrecking ramifications is long, and perhaps even boring to the casual fans, but the truth of it all is that front-office executives whose teams are in that unwelcome financial state are like handymen with an empty tool belt. Among all of the involved parties in George’s Clippers exit, opinions differ when it comes to the second-apron effect.

On the one hand, the Clippers offered George a three-year, $150 million deal that would have put them in the second-apron territory throughout the length of that contract. They even offered a four-year deal for less than max money, further proving that point. To some extent, quite clearly, they were willing to deal with the second-apron life.

On the other hand, the Clippers showed a strong commitment to avoiding the second apron in all the scenarios that didn’t involve either elite players or young players with the potential to be elite (George or Kuminga). There’s a gray area here on this front, but it’s just silly to pretend that it didn’t come into play.

To watch George fall short against his old team on Wednesday was to wonder if maybe the Clippers didn’t make the right call after all. He is still an elite player in this league, the kind of two-way talent who would fit in beautifully on any legitimate title contender.

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But the Clippers aren’t that, not with Leonard’s tenuous status and Harden’s advanced age. Nor are the Sixers, who have a franchise centerpiece in Embiid whose near-constant health issues put him alongside Leonard when it comes to being a calculated risk.

George wanted to maximize his money, and he did just that. The Clippers wanted to protect their future, and they did that too. Whether that makes it a win-win is in the eye of the beholder, but it might be that simple in the end.


(Photos: Tim Heitman, Barry Gossage / NBAE via Getty Images. Illustration: Dan Goldfarb / The Athletic)

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Billy Napier to remain Florida's head football coach, athletic director confirms

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Billy Napier to remain Florida's head football coach, athletic director confirms

Billy Napier will be on the sideline Saturday when the 4-4 Florida Gators look to upset the fifth-ranked Texas Longhorns. 

Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin confirmed the university’s decision to keep Napier as the Gators’ head football coach.

Napier’s future had been in doubt with the Gators’ continued disappointing results in the coach’s third season.

But Stricklin mentioned the need for a “disciplined, stable approach” and urged Gators fans to “continue standing behind Billy and his dedicated team while we work together to build a championship program.”

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Head coach Billy Napier of the Florida Gators during the first half of a game against the Texas A&M Aggies at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium Sept. 14, 2024, in Gainesville, Fla.  (James Gilbert/Getty Images)

The pressure Napier is contending with surfaced early on this season, due in part to Miami’s dominating win over Florida in August. The Gators bounced back against Stanford in Week 2, but the scrutiny resurfaced when Florida lost 33-20 to Texas A&M. 

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Stricklin has taken a patient approach to Napier’s tenure, stressing the importance of giving the coach sufficient time to turn the program around. There have been some bright spots for Florida this season. 

“As we’ve seen these past several weeks, the young men on this team represent what it means to be a Gator,” Stricklin wrote in an announcement shared on social media. “Their resolve, effort and execution are evident in their performance and growth each week — building a foundation that promises greater success next season and beyond.”

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Billy Napier before a Florida game

Florida Gators head coach Billy Napier before a game against the Georgia Bulldogs at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla., Nov. 2, 2024. (Melina Myers/Imagn Images)

After dropping the game against Texas A&M, the Gators defeated Mississippi State and UCF in consecutive games. While Florida hung with Georgia last Saturday, it was unable to knock off the Bulldogs in the annual rivalry game in Jacksonville.

A general view of Ben Hill Griffin Stadium

Ben Hill Griffin Stadium before a game between the Florida Gators and the Texas A&M Aggies Sept. 14, 2024, in Gainesville, Fla.  (James Gilbert/Getty Images)

Financial considerations likely factored into the decision about Napier’s job status. If Florida does reverse course, the university would likely be responsible for Napier’s estimated $26 million buyout. Last year, Texas A&M was on the hook for Jimbo Fisher’s record-setting $76 million buyout.

ESPN reported a significant amount of Florida’s name, image and likeness (NIL) money is invested in freshman and sophomore players. Quarterback DJ Lagway is also believed to favor Napier as his coach, according to the report.

Three of Florida’s four remaining opponents are in the top 25 of the College Football Playoff rankings.

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Lakers assign Bronny James to South Bay Lakers of G League

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Lakers assign Bronny James to South Bay Lakers of G League

The Lakers assigned rookie guard Bronny James to their South Bay Lakers affiliate Thursday, clearing the way for the 20-year-old to make his NBA G League debut Saturday night in El Segundo.

James, the son of Lakers’ star LeBron James, appeared in four games with the Lakers, including a moment on the floor together with his father in the season opener. On the Lakers’ recent trip, Bronny scored his first NBA points to a huge ovation in Cleveland.

Second-year Lakers Jalen Hood-Schifino and Maxwell Lewis have been with the South Bay Lakers throughout their training camp.

Players under contract can move freely between the Lakers and G League.

“The plan for Bronny to move between the Lakers roster and the South Bay roster, that’s always been the plan since Day 1,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said earlier this season. “Rob [Pelinka, general manager] and I have talked about that. LeBron’s talked about that.”

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The Lakers host Philadelphia on Friday night at Crypto.com Arena.

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