The Sportsletter - ⚫️ Black Monday & The Return

BY JEFF YODER

JAN. 6, 2025 | SUBSCRIBE | WEB VIEW

Good Morning 👋

It’s good to be back! Our 2025 return coincides with the finale of the NFL regular season and a massive week of football playoffs on the horizon — both college and NFL for five straight days (Thursday-Monday). Too many highlights over the past two weeks means we’re jumping in with the most recent (and most important) stories of the new year. Let 2025 sports begin...

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NFL

⚫️ Black Monday & The Playoffs

Photo: Gregory Shamus / Getty Images

NFL Coaching Changes Are Happening, And So Are The Playoffs (Bracket Below)

We couldn’t ask for a more perfect timing to our 2025 return. The NFL’s regular season wrapped last night with a mixed bag of Week 18 action across the league. Some games were ripe with backups as starters rested for the playoffs. Other games had major implications to seeding and the 2025 draft order (Titans get the No. 1 pick). Today is also "Black Monday" in the NFL. It’s the day when most coaches get the axe. We saw two already fired during the season — Matt Eberflus (Bears) and Robert Salah (Jets). The Patriots fired head coach Jerod Mayo yesterday at the end of his first season. More coaches should be packing their bags today.

Playoff Implications (Week 18)

As far as Sunday’s games, a big win by the Buccaneers secured Tampa Bay an NFC playoff spot and bounced the Falcons. The Broncos beat the Chiefs to lock down the 7-seed in the AFC and keep the Bengals on the outside. The night game saw the Lions crush the Vikings to retain the 1-seed and drop Minnesota to the 5-seed. Playoffs are set. Super Wild Card Weekend is coming.

NFL Week 18 Scores & Highlights

Ravens def. Browns (35-10)

Bengals def. Steelers (19-17)

Panthers def. Falcons (44-38, OT)

Commanders def. Cowboys (23-19)

Bears def. Packers (24-22)

Colts def. Jaguars (26-23, OT)

Texans def. Titans (23-14)

Patriots def. Bills (23-16)

Eagles def. Giants (20-13)

Buccaneers def. Saints (27-19)

Broncos def. Chiefs (38-0)

Chargers def. Raiders (34-20)

Seahawks def. Rams (30-25)

Jets def. Dolphins (32-20)

Cardinals def. 49ers (47-24)

Lions def. Vikings (31-9)

Yahoo! Sports: NFL Week 18 Contract Incentives: Mike Evans Earns $3 Million Bonus on Final Play

NFL Playoff Picture 📸 (Final)

AFC

1. Chiefs (15-2) | West

2. Bills (13-4) | East

3. Ravens (12-5) | North

4. Texans (10-7) | South

5. Chargers (11-6) | Wild Card

6. Steelers (10-7) | Wild Card

7. Broncos (10-7) | Wild Card

NFC

1. Lions (15-2) | North

2. Eagles (14-3) | East

3. Buccaneers (10-7) | South

4. Rams (10-7) | West

5. Vikings (14-3) | Wild Card

6. Commanders (12-5) | Wild Card

7. Packers (11-6) | Wild Card

Super Wild Card Weekend (Jan. 11-13)

2-seeds vs. 7-seeds

3-seeds vs. 6-seeds

4-seeds vs. 5-seeds

1-seeds: 1st-Round Bye

2025 NFL Draft Order (Final)

1. Titans (3-14), 2. Browns (3-14), 3. Giants (3-14), 4. Patriots (4-13), 5. Jaguars (4-13), 6. Raiders (4-13), 7. Jets (5-12), 8. Panthers (5-12), 9. Saints (5-12), 10. Bears (5-12)

COLLEGE FOOTBALL 🏆

CFP Final 4 Flipped Upside Down

Photo: CFP Contributor / Getty Images

No Luck for Top-4 in Inaugural 12-Team College Football Playoff

It was only a year ago we were playing a four-team College Football Playoff, but the first iteration of the 12-team format did the unthinkable. We can’t rewind all 40-plus bowl games over the holiday break, but the top-4 CFP upsets likely caught your attention. #1 Oregon, #2 Georgia, #3 Boise State and #4 Arizona State were all losers in Round 2. That laid the groundwork for three more games to determine a champion among the remaining four teams — Notre Dame, Texas, Penn State and Ohio State — all iconic programs. The Buckeyes downed the undefeated Ducks with a monster blowout, and OSU has the best remaining odds to win the title. Let’s rewind the upsets and look ahead to this week’s must-see semifinals.

CFP Scores & Highlights (Quarterfinals)

#8 Ohio State def. #1 Oregon (41-21)

#7 Notre Dame def. #2 Georgia (23-10)

#6 Penn State def. #3 Boise State (31-14)

#5 Texas def. #4 Arizona State (39-31, 2OT)

Upcoming CFP Semifinal Schedule

#6 Penn State vs. #7 Notre Dame (Th. 7:30 pm)

#5 Texas vs. #8 Ohio State (Fri. 7:30 pm ET)

*Games on ESPN

CFP National Championship Odds

Ohio State (+110), Texas (+350), Notre Dame (+350), Penn State (+500)

WaPo: Four Titans Remain, And the CFP Feels Like a Time Warp ($ Paywall)

NBA

⭐️ 5 Stars: Top Holiday Performers

Photo: Ronald Cortes / Getty Images

Anthony Edwards Nets New Career-High, But Wemby Stole the Show on Christmas Day

A mere 124 NBA games have taken place since our last regular edition of the newsletter. A lot has changed over the past two weeks and change, but we spotted five must-see performances from the break, plus five teams who made the most of the holidays. Jalen Brunson was the high-point man with a 55-nighter just before New Year’s Eve, but Victor Wembanyama was the star of Christmas Day.

⭐️ Top 5 Holiday Performances

1/4: Anthony Edwards (MIN): 53 Pts

1/4: Nikola Jokic (DEN): 46 Pts, 10 Ast, 9 Rebs

12/28: Jalen Brunson (NYK): 55 Pts

12/26: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (OKC): 45 Pts

12/25: Victor Wembanyama (SAS): 42 Pts, 18 Rebs

🔥 Who’s Hot?

Thunder: 15-Game Win Streak (Active)

Cavaliers: 10-Game Win Streak (Active)

Knicks: 8-Game Win Streak (Dec. 15 — Jan. 1)

Lakers: Won 8 of Last 11

Celtics: Won 5 of Last 6

STORYLINES

🏈 NFL’s Black Monday

Uncertainty persists in New England and New York, while change is afoot in Cleveland. This and more of what we’re hearing as the NFL’s Black Monday begins. (Sports Illustrated)

🏀 The NBA Ratings Decline

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver admitted NBA ratings are down this season, but isn’t ready to blame the game’s style of play the other way observers are. (Front Office Sports)

🏒 Ovechkin’s Quest Resumes

Alex Ovechkin was the NHL’s leading goal-scorer before breaking his leg in November. He’s back, and he needs just 23 goals to break Wayne Gretzky’s all-time record with 895. (AP)

NEWS 📰

⚾️ MLB’s Greatest Leadoff Man Rickey Henderson Dies at 65 (CBS Sports)

🏀 Lakers Trade D’Angelo Russell to Nets in 4-Player Deal (ESPN)

🏀 Heat Suspend Jimmy Butler After Trade Request (B/R)

🏀 Derrick Rose Moved to Tears After Learning Bulls Will Retire His Jersey (Yahoo! Sports)

⛳️ Hideki Matsuyama Sets Lowest 72-Hole Score (-35) in PGA Tour History (NBC Sports)

🏈 Tyreek Hill Hints at Wanting to Leave Dolphins After Season Finale (FOX Sports)

🏈 Browns Fire OC Ken Dorsey After Season-Ending Loss to Ravens (SI)

🏀 Pistons’ Jaden Ivey Undergoes Surgery on Broken Left Leg (NBA)

🏈 Georgia QB Jaden Rashada Enters Transfer Portal for 2nd Time (USA Today)

🏀 Magic Johnson Reacts to Receiving Presidential Medal of Freedom (SI)