Cowboys Clinch 2nd Consecutive Playoff Berth with Commanders' Loss to Giants
Dec 19, 2022
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - DECEMBER 04: Dak Prescott #4 of the Dallas Cowboys and Ezekiel Elliott #21 of the Dallas Cowboys are seen on the field against the Indianapolis Colts at AT&T Stadium on December 04, 2022 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images)
The Dallas Cowboys are headed to the playoffs for the second year in a row.
Dallas lost to the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday but still clinched its spot in the postseason thanks to the Washington Commanders' loss to the New York Giants on Sunday Night Football.
While the Cowboys are an iconic franchise and widely known as America's Team, this is the first time they've been to the playoffs in back-to-back seasons since the 2006 and 2007 campaigns. But anything short of another postseason berth, given the amount of talent on the roster this year, would have been a massive disappointment.
Few teams can match the star power and name recognition of a roster that includes Micah Parsons, Trevon Diggs, Dak Prescott, Ezekiel Elliott, CeeDee Lamb and Tony Pollard, among others.
Dallas even added another notable name during the season when it signed T.Y. Hilton after it was connected to Odell Beckham Jr. for so long.
Yet the season appeared to be in jeopardy early on, even with all that talent, when Prescott suffered a thumb injury during a Week 1 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Considering he suffered a severe ankle injury in 2020 and saw the team go 4-7 without him, there was genuine reason for concern.
However, Cooper Rush did more than just keep the team afloat and went 4-1 as a starter in the two-time Pro Bowler's absence.
That cleared the way for Prescott to come back for a Week 7 game against the Detroit Lions, and the Cowboys are 6-2 ever since.
Now that Dallas has clinched its spot and looks like one of the top challengers in an NFC field that also features the Philadelphia Eagles, Minnesota Vikings and San Francisco 49ers, it will look for its first deep postseason run in more than two decades.
The last time the Cowboys made it past the second round was during the 1995 campaign when they won the Super Bowl with Troy Aikman, Michael Irvin, Emmitt Smith and Deion Sanders leading the way.
If Prescott, Elliott, Pollard, Lamb and others are going to be remembered alongside some of the great Cowboys in franchise history, they will need to establish some playoff success after losing in the wild-card round last season.
They will have a chance to do just that after clinching a postseason spot.
Nuggets' Nikola Jokić Wows Ja Morant, Twitter with Monster Triple-Double vs. Hornets
Dec 19, 2022
Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic gestures after being clled for a foul in the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Charlotte Hornets, Sunday, Dec. 18, 2022, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Throughout the early part of the 2022-23 season, the NBA MVP conversation has centered on players like Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum and Dallas Mavericks phenom Luka Dončić.
It seemed like Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokić was being left out of the discussion, but his performance on Sunday against the Charlotte Hornets reminded everyone why he was named MVP in each of the past two seasons.
Jokić had a monster triple-double with 40 points, 27 rebounds and 10 assists to propel the Nuggets to a 119-115 win at Ball Arena. The 27-year-old grabbed 20 boards in the first half alone and shot 13-of-26 from the field in the victory. It was his second 40-point outing in his past three games.
NBA Twitter was blown away by Jokić's performance on Sunday:
Really hope Nikola Jokić wins a third consecutive MVP. There was so much negativity surrounding his last two seasons and pure ignorance when the discussion turned into "advanced stats are stupid, watch the game" nonsense.
He's one of the most impactful bigs ever, full stop.
The Nuggets opened the month of December with three straight losses, leading many to question whether they can compete against the elite teams in the Western Conference. However, Denver has reeled off wins in four of its past five games, and Jokić has been a major reason why.
After a somewhat slow start to the season, the Serbian seems to have found a groove in recent weeks. During this month, he's averaging 29.6 points, 11.6 rebounds and 9.1 assists on 63.0 percent shooting from the field.
Jokić will look to keep up his dominance when the Nuggets (18-11) host the Memphis Grizzlies (19-10) in a marquee primetime matchup on Tuesday night.
Venus Williams to Compete in 2023 Australian Open After Being Awarded Wild-Card Entry
Dec 19, 2022
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - FEBRUARY 10: Venus Williams of The United States of America plays a forehand in her Women's Singles second round match against Sara Errani of Italy during day three of the 2021 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on February 10, 2021 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)
Venus Williams isn't done pursuing an Australian Open title.
The WTA announced Sunday that the legend will participate in 2023's first Grand Slam tournament as a main-draw wild card. It will be her 22nd appearance in the tournament since she made her debut in 1998.
"I am very excited to be returning to Melbourne to compete at the Australian Open in January," Williams said.
"I've been competing in the country for over 20 years now, and the Australian community has always supported me wholeheartedly. It will be an honor to play for the fans again, and I'm looking forward to making more memories at the tournament this year."
There was a time when the world's former No. 1 player was a threat to win any event she entered, but she played just four tournaments in 2022. That lack of playing time means she is currently ranked 1,007th.
Yet there is no doubting Williams' stature as one of the sport's most notable legends.
The American is a seven-time Grand Slam champion with five of the titles coming at Wimbledon and two coming at the U.S. Open. While she is yet to win the Australian Open, she reached the final in 2003 and again 14 years later in 2017.
She has also been to the quarterfinals or better nine different times.
Venus lost to her sister in each of the two finals she made, although she won't have to worry about such a result this time around since Serena is now retired.
Next year's tournament is set to start on Jan. 16 at Melbourne Park.
Bill Belichick: Patriots 'Made a Mistake' on Lateral Play in Walk-Off Loss to Raiders
Dec 19, 2022
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - DECEMBER 18: Head coach Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots reacts before a game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium on December 18, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
The New England Patriots lost to the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday in the most unlikely way when Raiders defensive end Chandler Jones returned a lateral from Patriots wide receiver Jakobi Meyers 48 yards for a touchdown with no time left on the clock.
After the bizarre finish to the game, Patriots head coach Bill Belichick did his best to explain what happened from his perspective, telling reporters, "The play didn't work. Made a mistake on the play."
He seemed annoyed at the Patriots' execution in the game's waning moments, adding, "We've talked about situational football. We talk about it every week."
After the Patriots overcame a 17-3 halftime deficit with 21 points in the second half, the Raiders tied the game at 24 with 0:32 left in the fourth quarter with a nine-play, 81-yard drive. New England got the ball back and drove to its own 45-yard line, and that's when the madness ensued.
Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson ripped off a 23-yard run before inexplicably deciding to lateral the ball to Meyers, who then tried to lateral the ball back to quarterback Mac Jones. The ball landed in the hands of Chandler Jones, who rumbled over New England's second-year signal-caller on his way to the end zone.
It was surprising to see a Belichick-coached team make such a crushing mistake. When Jones handed the ball off to Stevenson, it seemed clear that New England was playing for overtime.
The Patriots (7-7) will try to regroup before another tough matchup next week, as it will host the Cincinnati Bengals (10-4) on Christmas Eve.
Cowboys Facing Strong Reality Check After Shocking OT Loss to Jaguars
Dec 19, 2022
JACKSONVILLE, FL - DECEMBER 18: Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) reacts after throwing a touchdown pass during the game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Jacksonville Jaguars on December 18, 2022 at tIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville, Fl. (Photo by David Rosenblum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The Cowboys entered the 2022 season with the same goal as every season in Dallas—win the franchise's first Super Bowl since 1995. And for much of the season, the team appeared to have at least a decent chance of doing just that.
Despite quarterback Dak Prescott missing a chunk of the season, the Cowboys headed into Week 15 as a 10-win team that needed just one more victory to lock up a playoff spot.
However, for the second time in as many weeks, Dallas didn't play especially well against a sub-.500 team. While the Cowboys were able survive a spotty performance against the Houston Texans last week, a second-half collapse against the Jacksonville Jaguars led to an overtime loss on Sunday that essentially eliminated any chance Dallas had of repeating as NFC East champions.
This mini-slump has raised legitimate questions about the viability of the Cowboys as a contender. The offense is committing mistakes at critical points in the games. A defense that was among the best in league for much of the season has struggled and is now banged up.
The Cowboys are still going to make the playoffs. But Dallas will all but certainly spend the 2022 playoffs on the road. And given how the team has recently fared away from AT&T Stadium, it's hard to see Dallas winning three straight road playoff games to advance to Super Bowl LVII.
Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Arden Key (49) sacks Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 18, 2022, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
For a good portion of Sunday's game, it appeared Dallas was going to shake off the funk from last week's spotty outing against the Texans. Dallas built a 21-7 lead at the half and led 27-10 with just over five minutes left in the third quarter. The offense was moving the ball consistently, scoring points on five of its first seven drives. The defense was winning at the line of scrimmage, harassing Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence and causing turnovers.
The Cowboys appeared to be cruising toward a postseason berth. Then the wheels fell off.
Even while the Cowboys were winning, there were warning signs that all was not well. Prescott has been turning the ball over with alarming frequency, including interceptions in four of his past five games entering Sunday. He threw multiple interceptions in three of those contests. Prescott's interception percentage of 3.6 percent was the second-worst in the league, and Prescott himself admitted to reporters that he has to cut down on the giveaways.
"I don't like throwing interceptions," Prescott said. "That's what bothers me. It has nothing to do with what other people say or how other people feel. It's something that I've never enjoyed, never liked, never had that accepted as a standard for myself. ... I've just got to dial that in a little bit [and] heighten that focus. But as far as the decision-making and all that, it's tough because I'm not going to change that. I'm going to continue to stay aggressive. … I've just got to stop throwing interceptions. Whether they're picked, deflected, whatever. It just can't happen anymore."
Well, it happened anymore—twice.
After the Jaguars scored a touchdown to close the gap to 27-17, Prescott's first pass attempt of the following drive was intercepted by Jaguars safety Rayshawn Jenkins. The Jags quickly scored another touchdown, and just like that, it was a new ballgame.
In overtime, Prescott threw another pick to Jenkins—and this time it was returned for the game-sealing score.
After the game, head coach Mike McCarthy chalked it up as just a bad break.
"Unlucky bounce for us," McCarthy said. "Great play by them."
Prescott wasn't solely to blame to the Cowboys' collapse. The same Dallas defense that was dominant in the first half had no answers for the Jaguars after intermission. By the time Jenkins high-stepped into the end zone to end the game, the Cowboys had allowed a whopping 503 yards of offense. Lawrence topped 300 passing yards and tossed four touchdowns. Travis Etienne topped 100 yards on the ground. Wide receiver Zay Jones went over 100 yards and found the end zone three times.
The Cowboys also suffered a pair of potentially significant injuries in the game. Linebacker Leighton Vander Esch (the team's leading tackler entering Week 15) and edge-rusher Dorance Armstrong (second on the team with eight sacks) both left against the Jaguars and did not return.
It was not a performance on either side of the ball that inspired confidence in Dallas' viability as a Super Bowl contender. While speaking with reporters after the loss, Prescott said there's nothing to do but put the loss behind them.
JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA - DECEMBER 18: Dak Prescott #4 of the Dallas Cowboys looks on at the line of scrimmage against the Jacksonville Jaguars during the second half at TIAA Bank Field on December 18, 2022 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/Getty Images)
"We've got to move on, just like any other week," Prescot said. "… It's about, at this point, building and trying to clean up and learn from our mistakes to make sure we're carrying momentum—week after week—as we move forward and get into the postseason."
McCarthy agreed that the Cowboys need to have a short memory, in part because of the team coming to Dallas on Christmas Eve.
"Definitely disappointed," said McCarthy. "... We'll take a look at this on the buses and on the [flight] home because when we touch down, we've gotta turn the page [to the Eagles on Christmas Eve]. We'll keep working, and we'll react properly to this."
Given how the Cowboys have played the past two weeks, it's not easy to imagine Dallas beating a one-loss Eagles team. Beating Dallas on Saturday would seal the NFC East in favor of Philadelphia. Things don't get any easier for the Cowboys from there, either.
In Week 17, the Cowboys head to Nashville to face a desperate Titans team trying to cling to first place in the AFC South. Then it's on to Washington to face the Commanders, which are desperate to remain in the hunt for a Wild Card spot.
Now, neither the Titans nor the Commanders are unbeatable by any stretch. But given that the Cowboys have lost three of four on the road, a skid to end the season can't be ruled out.
JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA - DECEMBER 18: Tony Pollard #20 of the Dallas Cowboys carries the ball against the Jacksonville Jaguars during the second half at TIAA Bank Field on December 18, 2022 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/Getty Images)
In any event, the Cowboys will be hitting the road once the postseason starts. If they can hold on to the No. 4 seed, Dallas would be favored against the NFC South "champion." The Cowboys have a blowout win over the second-seeded Vikings as well. To be fair, when Dallas is playing at the top of its game, it can beat anyone—including the Eagles and San Francisco 49ers.
But it's been awhile since we saw the Cowboys at anything near their best. Instead, it has been sloppy, turnover-filled offense and distressingly porous defense. At a time in the season when teams are trying to build momentum for the playoffs, the Cowboys are barreling in the wrong direction.
That nearly three-decade Super Bowl drought appears to be on the verge of getting one year longer.
Patriots' Jakobi Meyers: I Was 'Trying to Be a Hero' on Final Play in Loss to Raiders
Dec 19, 2022
New England Patriots wide receiver Jakobi Meyers makes a 39-yard reception during the second half of an NFL football game between the New England Patriots and Las Vegas Raiders, Sunday, Dec. 18, 2022, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
Jakobi Meyers will always be part of one of the most unbelievable endings of a game in NFL history.
He surely wishes that wasn't the case.
With Sunday's game tied at 24, New England Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson ran into Las Vegas Raiders' territory during what seemed to be the final play of regulation. Rather than go down, he flipped it to Meyers.
Meyers didn't have a running lane in front of him, so he turned around and started going backward until he unleashed a long lateral in the direction of quarterback Mac Jones. Chandler Jones of the Raiders snagged it, shoved a flailing Mac Jones to the ground, and ran the rest of the way for a stunning touchdown to win the game.
"I was trying to do too much," Meyers told reporters after the game. "… Trying to be a hero, I guess."
There were a number of things that went wrong during the play, but Meyers' decision-making process was the most obvious one.
He forced the issue as if the Patriots were in desperation mode while trailing instead of just going down or out of bounds and letting the contest go into overtime. To throw the ball that far to his teammate only made things worse.
Yet the quarterback didn't want to blame his wide receiver.
"It's on me," Jones told reporters when speaking about his tackle attempt. "That's my fault … I love Jakobi. It's not Jakobi's fault."
He went on to offer more praise for Meyers:
Mac Jones on Jakobi Meyers' mindset of trying to do too much on that lateral: "Jakobi is one of the best teammates I've ever had. He's a fighter and does whatever he can to help the team. ... There's lots of things I could've done to make sure we're not in that situation." pic.twitter.com/B2H15ucjRw
New England may not have been in that situation if Jones had played better. He finished 13-of-31 for 112 yards, zero touchdowns and zero interceptions while playing uninspiring football. The inability to establish a consistent passing game meant Stevenson's 172 yards and one touchdown on 19 carries went to waste.
It's more of the same for a quarterback who looks like he has taken a step backward this year and has just seven touchdown passes to eight interceptions on the season.
His poor play in Sunday's game surely won't be remembered, though, as the final touchdown will overshadow everything that happened before it. It was even more costly for the Patriots because it knocked them out of the current AFC playoff picture.
They are now 7-7 and looking up at the 9-5 Baltimore Ravens, 8-6 Los Angeles Chargers and 8-6 Miami Dolphins in the race for the three wild-card spots.
Updated 2023 NFL Draft Order Following Week 15 Results
Dec 19, 2022
HOUSTON, TX - DECEMBER 18: Kansas City Chiefs safety Justin Reid (20) dives underneath Houston Texans running back Royce Freeman (26) in the fourth quarter during the NFL game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Houston Texans on December 18, 2022 at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Leslie Plaza Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The Houston Texans and Chicago Bears were competitive in Week 15, but neither team affected their 2023 NFL Draft stock.
Houston took the Kansas City Chiefs to overtime, but lost after a Davis Mills fumble set up the game-winning touchdown from Jerick McKinnon.
Chicago played well at home against the Philadelphia Eagles, but it failed to keep up with Jalen Hurts and Co. in the second half.
The Texans and Bears are the only two NFL teams with fewer than four wins heading into Week 16.
The Denver Broncos' win over the Arizona Cardinals moved their pick that transfers to the Seattle Seahawks to No. 3.
Updated 2023 NFL Draft Order
1. Houston (1-12-1)
2. Chicago (3-11)
3. Seattle (from Denver - 4-10)
4. Arizona (4-10)
5. Detroit (from L.A. Rams - 4-9)
6. Indianapolis (4-9-1)
7. Atlanta (5-9)
8. Carolina (5-9)
9. Philadelphia (from New Orleans - 5-9)
10. Green Bay (5-8)
11. Las Vegas (6-8)
12. Jacksonville (6-8)
13. Houston (from Cleveland - 6-8)
14. Pittsburgh (6-8)
15. Seattle (7-7)
16. New England (7-7)
17. New York Jets (7-7)
18. Detroit (7-7)
19. Tampa Bay (6-8)
20. Tennessee (7-7)
21. Washington (7-6-1)
22. Los Angeles Chargers (8-6)
23. Miami (8-6)* forfeited pick
24. New York Giants (8-5-1)
25. Baltimore (9-5)
26. Denver (from San Francisco - 10-4)
27. Cincinnati (10-4)
28. Dallas (10-4)
29. Kansas City (11-3)
30. Minnesota (11-3)
31. Buffalo (11-3)
32. Philadelphia (13-1)
Houston is in terrific shape to land the No. 1 overall pick.
The Texans are 1.5 games behind the Chicago Bears in the overall record column.
Houston finishes the season with games against each of its three AFC South rivals. The Texans are 1-1-1 against the division so far this season.
Chicago ends the regular season against the Buffalo Bills, Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings, all of whom will be playing for something in their respective playoff races.
The Bears need to lose out to ensure they pick second.
The Denver Broncos' win over the Arizona Cardinals allowed that scenario to come into play. Denver, Arizona, Indianapolis and the Los Angeles Rams all have four wins.
Fans of the Seattle Seahawks and Detroit Lions will watch the results of the Broncos and Rams closely over the next few weeks.
Seattle gets Denver's selection and the Lions will receive the Rams' first-rounder.
The Broncos and Rams play each other on Christmas Day, so either the Seattle or Detroit fan base will come away from that game with a better chance to land in the top five.
The Philadelphia Eagles will also have their eyes on the draft order despite being in the playoff mix.
Philadelphia owns the first-round pick that belongs to the New Orleans Saints.
New Orleans, Atlanta and Carolina are all still alive in the NFC South title race and in the top 10 of the draft order.
The Saints' battle with Cleveland next week will also have the interest of the Texans, who have the Browns' top pick.
Houston's rooting interest should shift directly to the Browns' opponents, especially if the top pick is locked up in short order.
Patriots Blasted by NFL Twitter for 'Dumbest' Play Ever in Walk-Off Loss to Raiders
Dec 19, 2022
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - DECEMBER 18: Mac Jones #10 of the New England Patriots looks on after losing to the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium on December 18, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Getty Images)
The New England Patriots fell to the Las Vegas Raiders 30-24 on Sunday at Allegiant Stadium and dropped to 7-7 on the season, which is just outside of the AFC playoff picture with three weeks remaining.
But it wasn't the loss alone that sent New England fans into a tizzy, it was the way Bill Belichick's squad lost the game.
After the Raiders managed to tie the game at 24 with 32 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, the Patriots got the ball back with a chance to win the game. On third-and-10 at their own 45-yard line with three seconds remaining, Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson rushed to the Las Vegas 32-yard line before lateraling the ball to wide receiver Jakobi Meyers.
Meyers then tried to lateral the ball to quarterback Mac Jones, but his pass was caught by Raiders defensive end Chandler Jones, who bowled over Jones and rushed into the end zone for the winning touchdown.
Had Stevenson or Meyers went down, the game would have gone to overtime, where the Patriots would have had more of a chance to win. Instead, NFL Twitter is blasting the Patriots for arguably the "dumbest" play ever:
What were the #Patriots doing there? That may be the worst coaching decision in NFL history.
The Patriots, normally one of the best-coached teams in the NFL, just made a completely unnecessary, mind-numbing mistake to cost them a game they should've won.
Here's the dots for the Patriots-Raiders ending. The best case scenario for this lateral was Chandler Jones flattening Mac Jones like a pancake. Instead, Jones picked the lateral off and flattened the QB, too. Just one of the worst plays you'll ever see. pic.twitter.com/7sb5xXSXJU
I’ve never seen a team literally throw the game away like I just say the #Patriots do. Beyond embarrassing. I am so disgusted and furious with what just took place
congratulations to the new england patriots for doing something so dumb that it shocked me, someone who has watched roughly 90% of all cleveland browns games since 1999
A lot has gone wrong for the Patriots this season, but nothing else has been quite like what we witnessed on Sunday.
That said, the Patriots offense didn't play well the entire game. Jones completed just 13-of-31 passes for 112 yards as he struggled to move the ball downfield. Stevenson was the only bright spot with 172 rushing yards and one touchdown.
Had the Patriots won, they would have locked themselves into a three-way tie with the Los Angeles Chargers and Miami Dolphins at the back end of the AFC playoff picture. Instead, they're a game behind both at eight in the AFC and face an uphill battle to secure a postseason berth over the last three weeks of the season.
New England will face the Cincinnati Bengals (10-4), Dolphins (8-6) and Buffalo Bills (11-3) to close the season.
