The Sportsletter - A Frigid Wild Card Weekend ❄️

BY JEFF YODER

JAN. 15, 2024 |  SUBSCRIBE  |  WEB VIEW

Welcome Back ❄️

Hopefully you're staying warm if you're in the sub-zero Northern U.S. like me. My house doors are frozen shut. Thankfully, we have more playoff football to watch. The NFL’s frigid Wild Card Weekend isn’t over yet. Two more games are on the docket tonight, but four teams are moving on.

What did we learn in this weekend's Wild Card games? C.J. Stroud is him. The Chiefs are fine. The Cowboys are not (Pack attack). And after 32 years, the Detroit Lions finally won a playoff game. If you listen closely, you can hear the entire state of Michigan breathe a sigh of relief.

Letter Rip!

Honoring MLK Day

“We must come to see that the end we seek is a society at peace with itself, a society that can live with its conscience.” — Martin Luther King Jr.

  NFL  

A Frigid Wild Card Weekend ❄️

Photo: Rey Del Rio / Getty Images

Texans, Chiefs, Packers & Lions Advance; Snow Storm Postpones Bills-Steelers to This Afternoon

An icy Wild Card weekend in the NFL was one to remember as football fans were treated to four crazy games. And we still have two left to play. From two blowouts via the arms of young star QBs, and epic moments of relief and reality checks, we've got it all.

Wild Card Snapshot: The Texans and Chiefs ran away with double-digit wins on Saturday against the Browns and Dolphins, respectively, before the Packers completely dismantled the Cowboys on Sunday afternoon. That Cowboys chatter is getting loud, and fast. Fire Mike McCarthy? The attention shifted to Detroit on Sunday night where the Lions held off the Rams to end their postseason drought and capture Detroit's first playoff victory since 1992. And the kneel-down sequence to seal that win was something out of a movie. Three games were indoors, but the elements were a factor in the Chiefs-Dolphins clash. It was so cold in Kansas City that Andy Reid’s mustache froze and Patrick Mahomes’ helmet cracked. Out in Buffalo, the snowfall was so deep that the Bills-Steelers game was postponed to today (4:30 pm ET). That means it’s a Monday doubleheader with the Eagles-Bucs (8:15 pm ET) to finish out the Wild Card round and trim the field to eight. Let’s run it back on the four game results (so far) from the weekend...

Game Recaps (Wild Card Weekend)

Texans Demolish Browns (45-14)

C.J. Stroud proved he was ready for the bright lights on Saturday afternoon against the top defense in the NFL. The Texans’ rookie QB, who broke rookie passing records all season long, broke more records in this one. Stroud threw for 3 TDs in the first half (the most by a rookie QB in his first playoff game) to give Houston a 24-14 halftime advtange over the Browns. That lead ballooned fast with back-to-back pick-6s against Joe Flacco, and the Texans hammered Cleveland by 31 to win their first playoff game since 2019. From the No. 2 overall pick last season (2nd worst team) to a playoff victory? What a turnaround for DeMeco Ryans and company. Stroud and Ryans look like a force to be reckoned with for years to come.

Chiefs Ice-Out Dolphins (26-7)

A frostbite game in Arrowhead was all but welcoming to the Miami Dolphins on Saturday night. The sub-zero windchill put a freeze on the high-speed Dolphins offense, and the Chiefs were efficient enough on the ground to control the tempo, even with a Peacock paywall, Taylor Swift, and all the distractions. RB Isiah Pacheco (89 yards, 1 TD) got a heavy workload with 25 touches. Patrick Mahomes was as effective as could be in the frigid conditions, zeroing in on Rashee Rice (8 catches, 130 yards, 1 TD) and Travis Kelce (7 catches, 71 yards). Aside from one Miami touchdown strike to Tyreek Hill, the Dolphins were rendered helpless in Kansas City. And after all the ugly games for the Chiefs in November and December, they still look like a team that could win it all.

Packers Stun Cowboys (48-32)

A bloodbath in Dallas! We knew the Packers weren't going to back down, but few saw this coming on Sunday afternoon. The Cowboys’ postseason curse just ascended to another level entirely. Green Bay became the first 7-seed in postseason history to win a game, and they did it in blowout fashion. The Packers took a 27-0 lead on the Cowboys in the first half, and they extended it to 48-16 before taking out the starters in the 4th quarter. Dak Prescott (41/60, 403 yards, 3 TDs, 2 INT) and the Cowboys offense still put up big numbers, but their defense had no answers. Packers RB Aaron Jones was unstoppable (22 touches, 131 yards, 3 TDs), and QB Jordan Love posted a perfect passer rating while playing with a cozy lead (16/21, 272 yards, 3 TDs). The Pack looked like a team on fire, and this marks another early exit for the Cowboys we’ll be discussing well into the offseason.

Lions Hold Off Rams (24-23)

The curse is broken! The Lions hadn’t won a playoff game since Jan. 5, 1992, and that's the franchise's only playoff win of the Super Bowl era. Everything changed on Sunday night when they held off a late comeback by Matthew Stafford and the Rams thanks to a key 3rd-down stop in the final minutes. Detroit got up 24-17 before L.A. made it interesting with a pair of field goals down the stretch. That huge key stop forced a Rams punt, and head coach Dan Campbell elected to throw it in a clock-or-go situation. QB Jared Goff delivered a strike to WR Amon-Ra St. Brown for a first down to put the game on ice, and Ford Field went nuclear. After 32 years, the Detroit Lions are winners in the postseason.

Today's Wild Card Schedule

Steelers at Bills (4:30 pm ET, CBS)

Eagles at Buccaneers (8:15 pm ET, ESPN)

Bracket Implications: The 49ers will host the Packers in the NFC Divisional Round, while the Lions will host the winner of Eagles-Bucs. The AFC is still up in the air with multiple scenarios based on today's Bill-Steelers game.

Read More

Yahoo! Sports: Jordan Love Leads Packers Upset, Sends Cowboys Into Long, Miserable Offseason

The Ringer: The Growing Legend of CJ Stroud Now Includes 1st Playoff Win

CBS Sports: How Steelers-Bills Postponement Will Impact Divisional Round Schedule

B/R: NFL Fans Celebrate Jared Goff’s Lions for Earning 1st Playoff Win Since 1992

  CFB  

Big Shoes to Fill at 'Bama

Photo: Steph Chambers / Getty Images

Alabama Signs Washington’s Kalen DeBoer to Replace Nick Saban as Head Coach (Recapping Other Big CFB Coaching Moves)

Last week brought one bombshell coaching headline after another, from Nick Saban to Pete Carroll and Bill Belichick. But the show must go on. And in the fast-paced world of college football recruiting, Alabama wasted little time signing Saban’s replacement. Washington head coach Kalen DeBoer was named the new leader of the Crimson Tide just four days after taking Washington to the CFP National Championship Game. DeBoer, 49, inherits the most coveted job in college football, but he also has the biggest shoes to fill. The shift also opened a spot with the Huskies, and they hired Jedd Fisch (Arizona). Let’s take a look at some of the biggest CFB coaching moves this offseason.

New CFB Coaches in 2024

Kalen DeBoer (Washington) → Alabama

Jedd Fisch (Arizona) → Washington

Mike Elko (Duke) → Texas A&M

Jonathan Smith (Oregon State) → Michigan State

Jeff Lebby (Oklahoma OC) → Mississippi State

Fran Brown (Georgia DBs) → Syracuse

Curt Cignetti (James Madison) → Indiana

Manny Diaz (Penn State DC) → Duke

Major Football Coaching News (NFL/CFB)

Chargers 1st Team to Meet With Jim Harbaugh

Read More

SI: Kalen DeBoer Leaving Door Open for Nick Saban at Alabama

CBS Sports: Alabama’s Kalen DeBoer Hiring Seems Like a Home Run, But Attempting to Replace Nick Saban is Inherently Risky

  TENNIS  

An Early Test Down Under

Photo: William West / Getty Images

2024 Australian Open Launches With Defending Champion Djokovic’s 1st-Round Test

We’re swinging down under! The first major of the 2024 tennis season is underway from Melbourne Park (the Australian Open), and that means our annual time-zone dilemma is back. From the other side of the globe, match schedules range from 7:00 pm ET to 7:00 am ET — our 12-hour overnight window. Our coverage will often be cut in half with a delayed recap of the early morning results. What do we know so far? Novak Djokovic, the defending champion, is a first-round winner, but 18-year-old Dino Prizmic gave him more than expected in the opening match of his title defense.

The stars are all-in for two weeks to grand slam glory — Djokovic, Alcaraz, Swiatek, Sabalenka, Gauff, Medvedev and more. Let’s do it!

Men’s Singles (1st-Round Highlights)

#1 N. Djokovic def. D. Prizmic (4 Sets)

#3 D. Medvedev def. T. Atmane (4 Sets)

Women’s Singles (1st-Round Highlights)

#2 A. Sabalenka def. E. Seidel (6-0, 6-1)

#4 C. Gauff def. A. Schmiedlova (6-3, 6-0)

View Full Upcoming Schedule

*Key Matches in Today’s Must-Watch List

Read More

Guardian: Djokovic Praises ‘Amazing’ Dino Prizmic After 1st-Round AUS Open Duel

Forbes: Novak Djokovic Survives 1st-Round Battle as Bid for 11th Australian Open Begins

  HIGHLIGHTS   🎥

Pro Sports Highlights

🏀 NBA

Dame Calls Game, Bucks Beat Kings (143-142, OT)

*Damian Lillard Hits Buzzer-Beater 3 From Deep

🏒 NHL

Red Wings Beat Leafs (4-2), Extend Point Streak to 6

*Andrew Copp Scores Go-Ahead Goal With 1:40 Left

⚽️ Soccer

Real Madrid def. Barcelona (4-1) to Win Supercopa

*Vinicius Jr.’s Hat Trick Sparks Real Madrid

⛳️ PGA Tour

Grayson Murray (-17) Wins Sony Open in 3-Way Playoff

*Murray Outlasts An & Bradley With 40-Foot Birdie Putt

  NCAA  

College Basketball Scoreboard

🏀 NCAAM

#1 Purdue Handles Penn State (95-78)

*Zach Edey Goes Off (30 Points, 20 Rebounds)

TCU Upsets #2 Houston (68-67)

*Cougars Suffer 2nd Loss in Past Week

#3 Kansas Holds Off #9 Oklahoma (78-66)

*Hunter Dickinson Leads Jayhawks (24-14-5)

#4 UConn Tops Georgetown (80-67)

*Alex Karaban (26 Points) Ties Career-High

Texas A&M Shocks #6 Kentucky (97-92, OT)

*Wade Taylor IV (31 Points) Hits Six 3s

🏀 NCAAW

Auburn Stuns #7 LSU in SEC Battle (67-62)

*Tigers Suffer 2nd Loss of the Season

#9 USC Hands #2 UCLA First Loss (73-65)

*Juju Watkins Tallies 6th 30-Point Game of the Season

#5 Colorado Takes Down #8 Stanford (71-59)

*Kindyll Wetta (12-6-4) Hit Half-Court Buzzer-Beater at Halftime

  STORYLINES  

📺 ESPN’s Year From Hell

The year 2017 was, in the words of esteemed former ESPN anchor Bob Ley, an “annus horribilis” at the company. And the news this year isn’t just bad, it’s incredibly weird. From Emmy fraud to employee defiance, it's happening again. (The Ringer)

🏈 Football Will Never Be The Same

No one saw coming the football-transforming loss of coaching greatness we all just experienced in a period of less than 24 hours. Nick Saban, retired. Pete Carroll, moving upstairs. Bill Belichick, out. Football will never be the same. (The Athletic, $)

🏒 NHL All-Star Fan Vote Additions

The results of fan NHL All-Star voting were announced on Saturday and filled in names that were missing when the league announced one player from every team. Check out the 31 players added to All-Star Weekend. (Yahoo! Sports)

  NEWS   📰 

• Pistons & Wizards Complete Multi-Player Trade That Includes Marvin Bagley (SI)
• Warriors’ Draymond Green Making Return Tonight Against Grizzlies (ESPN)
• Michigan Stars J.J. McCarthy & Blake Corum Declare for NFL Draft (CBS Sports)
• Alabama’s Top WR Isaiah Bond Transfers to Texas Immediately After Nick Saban Retirement (Yahoo! Sports)

• Dwyane Wade to be 1st Heat Player Honored With Statue Outside Arena (B/R)

• Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones ‘Floored’ by Team’s Playoff Meltdown, Mum on McCarthy’s Future (USA Today)

  SCHEDULE   🗓️

Today's Must-Watch List

🏈 NFL Playoffs (Wild Card)

Steelers at Bills (4:30 pm ET, CBS)

Eagles at Buccaneers (8:15 pm ET, ESPN)

🎾 Australian Open (Key Matches)

W: N. Osaka vs. #16 C. Garcia (Mon. 5:00 am ET)

W: #1 I. Swiatek vs. S. Kenin (Mon. 8:00 pm ET)
M: #2 C. Alcaraz vs. R. Gasquet (Tues. 4:15 am ET)

M: #1 N. Djokovic vs. A. Popyrin (Tues. AM, TBD)

🏀 NBA

Spurs at Hawks (3:30 pm ET, TNT)

Warriors at Grizzlies (6:00 pm ET, TNT)

Thunder at Lakers (10:30 pm ET, NBATV)

🏒 NHL

Devils at Bruins (1:00 pm ET, ESPN+)

Avalanche at Canadiens (7:00 pm ET, ESPN+)

🏀 NCAAW

Kentucky at #1 South Carolina (7:00 pm ET, SECN)

  THE TEAM  

Writer & Editor: Jeff Yoder

Lead Designer: Joe Stella

Assistant Writer: Marissa Kasch

Social Media: Aaron Yorke

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