The Sportsletter - NFL Game of the Year 👀

BY JEFF YODER

DEC. 16, 2024 | SUBSCRIBE | WEB VIEW

Welcome Back 👋

If you blinked this past weekend, you missed something major. Week 15 produced the NFL “Game of the Year” (90 points!). That was after Travis Hunter won the Heisman Trophy and the NBA Cup clashes in Vegas. We also saw an upset in the Army-Navy game, a wild finish in the Manchester Derby, and an NBA record 48 threes between the Warriors and Mavericks.

One more week of sports takes us into bowl season and the holidays... 🎄

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NFL

The NFL "Game of the Year" 👀

Photo: Nic Antaya / Getty Images

Week 15: Bills End Lions' Streak in a 90-Point Classic... Eagles Stifle Steelers, Mahomes Injured, Bucs, Ravens & Packers Win Big

A fascinating Week 15 Sunday in the NFL left no drama left on read. If you were looking for the ‘Game of the Year’ in the NFL, look no further than Bills-Lions. Josh Allen might’ve locked up the MVP with 48 points in the Lions' den. Meanwhile, the Eagles pounded the Steelers in the Birds' nest, and Philly now own the longest win streak in the NFL (10 wins). Ravens QB Lamar Jackson (5 TDs), Bucs QB Baker Mayfield (4 TDs) and a bunch of other players also had huge Sundays for their teams. Plus, key injuries and playoff-clinching scenarios are setting the stage for a December stretch run. Let’s rewind Week 15 Sunday:

NFL Game of the Year: The Bills went into the Lions’ den and beat Detroit in a barn-burner (48-42). The game featured 90 points, over 1,000 yards of offense and 12 touchdowns. QBs Josh Allen (430 yards, 4 TDs) and Jared Goff (507 yards, 5 TDs) put on a show, but the Bills put an end to the Lions’ 11-game win streak.

The Battle of PA: The Eagles put the clamps on the Steelers (27-13) in the Pennsylvania state rivalry. QB Jalen Hurts (335 yards, 3 TDs) and WR A.J. Brown (8 catches, 110 yards, 1 TD) put the off-the-field drama to bed. Philadelphia (12-2) has now won 10 straight dating back to September.

Mahomes Injury: The Chiefs (13-1) continued their winning ways by beating the Browns handily on Sunday (21-7), but QB Patrick Mahomes left the game with an ankle injury. It’s not broken, but he’s day-to-day until the team learns more.

Playoff Clinchers: Two new teams clinched playoff berths on Sunday — Texans and Steelers. Pittsburgh is in despite their loss to Philly, and the Texans clinched a bid with a win over the Dolphins. Six teams (2 NFC, 4 AFC) are now guaranteed access to the postseason.

Week 15 NFL Scores & Highlights

Rams def. 49ers (12-6)

Texans def. Dolphins (20-12)

Jets def. Jaguars (32-25)

Cowboys def. Panthers (30-14)

Ravens def. Giants (35-14)

Commanders def. Saints (20-19)

Bengals def. Titans (37-27)

Chiefs def. Browns (21-7)

Cardinals def. Patriots (30-17)

Broncos def. Colts (31-13)

Buccaneers def. Chargers (40-17)

Eagles def. Steelers (27-13)

Bills def. Lions (48-42)

Packers def. Seahawks (30-13)

Monday Night Football (Doubleheader)

Bears at Vikings (8:00 pm ET, ABC)

Falcons at Raiders (8:30 pm ET, ESPN)

CBS Sports: NFL Week 15 Grades: Josh Allen Leads Bills to ‘A’ Win

Yahoo! Sports: NFL Scores: Bills Win Shootout Over Lions, Eagles Dominate Steelers & More

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

The Heisman Hunt is Over 🏆

Photo: Icon Sportswire / Getty Images

Colorado’s 2-Way Star Travis Hunter Captures the 2024 Heisman Trophy by Narrowest Margin Since 2009

The most prominent award in college sports — maybe in all of sports — was awarded Saturday night in New York to the most fascinating player in college football. Colorado’s two-way superstar Travis Hunter won the Heisman Trophy. Hunter was Deion Sanders’ x-factor at receiver and defensie back for the Buffaloes. He played 1,380 snaps on both offense and defense this season, but he only out-paced Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty by 214 points in teh vote totals. That marked the closest Heisman race in 15 years (2009). Jeanty had arguably the second-best season for a running back in CFB history. Hunter became the first two-way player to win the illustrious award since Michigan’s Charles Woodson in 1997.

Watch: Travis Hunter’s Heisman Speech

Final Heisman Vote Totals

1. WR/CB Travis Hunter (Colorado): 2,231 Points

2. RB Ashton Jeanty (Boise State): 2,017 Points

3. QB Dillon Gabriel (Oregon): 516 Points

4. QB Cam Ward (Miami): 229 Points

Hunter’s Hardware: By the end of college football awards weekend, Hunter hauled in seven total honors and set the CFB record in the process. The seven awards included: The Heisman Trophy, AP National POY, Walter Camp Award, Fred Biletnikoff Award (Best WR), Chuck Bednarik Award (Defense), Lott Impact Trophy (Defense), and the Paul Hornung Award (Most Versatile).

The CFB season may be over, but bowl season has just begin. Colorado and Travis Hunter will face BYU in the Alamo Bowl (Dec. 28).

CBS Sports: Ashton Jeanty Finishes 2nd in Closest Heisman Race Since 2009

NBA CUP

NBA Stars Shine in Vegas ⭐️

Photo: Ethan Miller / Getty Images

Both 1-Seeds — Bucks & Thunder — Advance to Tuesday’s NBA Cup Final in Las Vegas

The NBA Cup Finals are set for Tuesday in Las Vegas where Giannis and SGA will go head-to-head. The Bucks and Thunder won Saturday’s semifinals with similar fourth-quarter, pull-away wins. Every team's ace showed up for the big moment, but we’ll get a rare look at a mid-season “championship” environment between the two 1-seeds in the NBA Cup. Here’s how the semifinals went down:

East: Bucks def. Hawks (110-102)

It looked like Trae Young (35-10-7) was going to play spoiler again Saturday night in Milwaukee, but the Bucks pulled away late in a tight one. Giannis Antetokounmpo (32-14-9-4) had a near triple-double while Damian Lillard (25 pts) hit five 3s, and the Bucks’ have a chance to send a message after a brutal 1-6 start to the season.

West: Thunder def. Rockets (111-96)

The upstart Rockets threw a first-half haymaker at the Thunder in Saturday’s nightcap, but OKC had too much firepower. Houston led by one at halftime before the Thunder dominated the second half thanks to a Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. SGA (32-8-6-5) was a force, and he has a chance to boost his MVP odds with an NBA Cup win.

🏆 NBA Cup Finals

Bucks vs. Thunder (Tue. 8:30 pm ET, ABC)

🏀 NBA Highlights

Timberwolves def. Spurs (106-92)

ANT (26 pts) Outduels Wemby (20-12-7)

Knicks def. Magic (100-91)

Karl-Anthony Towns (22 pts, 22 rebs)

Lakers def. Grizzlies (116-110)

Anthony Davis (40 pts, 16 rebs)

Mavericks def. Warriors (143-133)

Luka Doncic Notches Triple-Double (45-13-11)

🚨 Mavs & Warriors Combine for Record 48 3s