Lamar Jackson nominated for FedEx Air Player for Week 10

Thanks to another perfect passer rating, Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson has been nominated for another FedEx Air Player of the Week award

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson had a perfect game in Week 10 against the Cincinnati Bengals. No, seriously — Jackson had a perfect 158.3 passer rating. That has him in the running for the FedEx Air Player of the Week award.

It’s the second time this season Jackson has been nominated for the FedEx Air award, winning it in Week 1 for his other game with a perfect passer rating. But Jackson has also won the FedEx Ground Player of the Week award this season — making him the only player ever to win both awards in a single season.

Jackson has some tough competition this week, going up against Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones. While Jackson has half the passing yards of Mahomes and fewer touchdown passes than Jones, he was the only player with a perfect passer rating in Week 10.

Jackson completed 15-of-17 passes against the Cincinnati Bengals for 223 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions. While Jackson technically threw two incomplete passes in that game, one was a spike to stop the clock before halftime.

With how much criticism Jackson has gotten for his passing ability in his short career, it’s a little redeeming to see him up for yet another award specifically due to his arm.

Report: Giants will attend Colin Kaepernick’s workout on Saturday

The New York Giants will attend the Pro Day-style workout of QB Colin Kaepernick on Saturday in Atlanta.

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The New York Giants will be one of the teams in attendance to witness free agent quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s pro day-style workout in Atlanta this coming Saturday, according to NJ Advance Media.

Kaepernick is seeking a comeback and he is using this forum for all 32 NFL teams to scout him all at once.

Kaepernick has not played in the NFL since the end of the 2016 with the San Francisco 49ers, the team that drafted him in the 2011 NFL Draft out of the University of Nevada.

The extent of the Giants’ interest in Kaepernick is unclear, but it appears they are simply doing their due diligence here. With Daniel Jones the future at quarterback for the near — and possibly long-term — future of the team, the Giants are seeking a veteran backup as Eli Manning’s contract ends at the end of the season.

Are the Giants’ genuinely interested in singing Kaepernick? Probably not, unless he’s willing to be a backup.

“I think he still has some good football left in him,” Giants CEO John Mara said earlier this year. “I agree with that. But obviously there are other issues that go along with him. Is he willing to sit as a backup behind a starter? What’s that going to do with your locker room, with your quarterback room, your offensive room? I believe he’ll be back in the league at some point this year with a team.”

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Jonathan Kuminga retains top spot in new 2021 Chosen 25 Boys Basketball Recruiting Rankings

Jonathan Kuminga sits atop the updated Chosen 25 Boys Basketball Recruiting Rankings. Check out the top 25 recruits in the county.

The USA TODAY Chosen 25 Boys Basketball rankings for the Class of 2021 are compiled by Jason Jordan with input from USA TODAY Sports staff, recruiting experts and writers from around the country. The Chosen 25 is based heavily on current production – high school or spring/summer – on the stat sheet and otherwise. It also takes into account how the player projects as a prospect at the next level and beyond.

In all, six players in the new Chosen 25 made the ALL-USA preseason boys basketball team, including Patrick School (Hillside, New Jersey) wing Jonathan Kuminga, who retained his spot at No. 1.

Hamilton High School (Sussex, Wisconsin) wing Patrick Baldwin Jr., O’Dea High School (Seattle) forward Paolo Banchero, Hillcrest Prep (Phoenix) forward Michael Foster and Archbishop Stepniac High School (White Plains, New York) forward A.J. Griffin round out the top five.

With the start of the Early Signing Period a day behind us, here’s a look at our latest update in the Class of 2021.

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Maycee Barber vs. Roxanne Modafferi in the works for UFC 246 on Jan. 18

In a matchup that will touch all generations of women’s MMA, Maycee Barber will meet Roxanne Modafferi at UFC 246.

In a matchup that will touch all generations of women’s MMA, unbeaten rising star [autotag]Maycee Barber[/autotag] will meet veteran former title challenger [autotag]Roxanne Modafferi[/autotag].

The women’s flyweight bout will take place at UFC 246, according to two people familiar with the booking but not authorized to discuss it publicly. Both Barber (8-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC) and Modafferi (23-16 MMA, 2-4 UFC) have verbally agreed for the event slated for Jan. 18.

Barber, No. 13 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie MMA women’s flyweight rankings, has put together three consecutive knockout victories since making her UFC debut in November 2018. “The Future” has set the goal of becoming the youngest champion in UFC history and, at 21, has less than two years to break Jon Jones’ record.

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She’ll get a big step up in competition against No. 7 Modafferi, who made her MMA debut in 2003 and will compete in her 40th professional bout at UFC 246. The 37-year-old has alternated wins and losses in five fights since returning to the UFC for a second stint in December 2017.

UFC 246 doesn’t have a location but will air on pay-per-view following prelims likely on ESPN and ESPN+/UFC Fight Pass.

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The latest UFC 246 lineup now includes:

  • Drew Dober vs. Nasrat Haqparast
  • Grant Dawson vs. Chas Skelly
  • Maycee Barber vs. Roxanne Modafferi

Watch: Jeff Ulbrich downplays defensive play-calling changes

Just before the kickoff of Sunday’s game against the Saints, it was reported that Falcons linebackers coach Jeff Ulbrich would take over the team’s defensive play-calling duties.

Just before the kickoff of Sunday’s game against the Saints, it was reported that Falcons linebackers coach Jeff Ulbrich would take over the team’s defensive play-calling duties.

After holding New Orleans to just nine points, Ulbrich was quickly credited for the team’s defensive turnaround. It was later explained that assistant coach Raheem Morris had called plays on third downs, while Ulbrich called them on first and second downs.

Speaking to the media on Wendesday, Ulbrich downplayed the coaching changes as a key factor in the Falcons’ performance.

Instead, he credited the players and head coach Dan Quinn, which you can watch below in a tweet from ESPN’s Vaughn McClure:

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Stacy Lewis set to return to competition at CME after clinching the final spot

Stacy Lewis hasn’t teed it up since

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Stacy Lewis thought her season was done after she pulled out of the Solheim Cup with a stress fracture in her rib. She didn’t think the CME Group Tour Championship was even a possibility given that, at the time, she was 54th on the field list and would miss the next six events.

Her caddie, Travis Wilson, called her last week after running all the numbers. Said he thought she’d remain in the top 60 and have a place in the field.

“What?” asked Lewis. “How is that possible?

Lewis, 34, has gone into the season-ender No. 1 in the Race to the Globe CME points list and now last at No. 60. But here’s the twist: For the first time, the 60th player in the field can win the largest check in women’s golf history just the same as the first. No more points reset. No limitations. It’s anyone’s game.

So how long has Lewis been practicing to win the $1.5 million?

“Uh, the last five days,” she said with a laugh.

It’s only been in the last two to three and a half weeks that Lewis finally felt pain-free in her day-to-day life.

“I just had to let the bone heal,” said Lewis, “so there’s not really anything you can do.”

The former World No. 1 took in two games of the World Series and flew to the Bahamas to support husband Gerrod Chadwell’s college event. Chadwell coaches the women’s golf team at Houston.

Part of the reason Lewis wants to play next week in Naples, Florida, is to set herself up in better position next year to get into the no-cut events in Thailand and Singapore. It’ll also give her a better idea of what to work on during the offseason.

“I don’t have very high expectations,” said Lewis, “and I don’t know how I will play. … But I’m tired of sitting around.”

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Jeremy Pruitt discusses Vols’ off week

2019 Tennessee football: Week 12

KNOXVILLE — Tennessee has its second open date of the 2019 season in Week 12.

Pruitt discussed the Vols’ off week Wednesday and how UT is handling the open date.

“You plan your season out from a quality control standpoint in how you want to handle off weeks in the preseason, no different than how you would plan out a game, or how you want to face certain situations,” Pruitt said. “There are times where you have to take into account where you are right now as a football team, whether that’s now with in-game adjustments or decisions or where you are on an off week, so we took all of that into account and really decided Sunday after the game just kind of based on where we are and what we needed to do to give us the best opportunity to heal up.

“We have some guys that have been really banged up that have really pushed through and we have guys that have been close to getting to be able to play that weren’t ready, so to give them an opportunity — and how do you do that and still continue to develop as a football team? So, we tried to take all of that into account and that’s why we decided to do it the way we have.”

ESPN names the greatest one-hit wonder in Buccaneers history

Find out which player/play was dubbed the biggest one-hit wonder in Tampa Bay Buccaneers history by ESPN’s NFL Nation.

When we think of one-hit wonders, we usually imagine some band from the 90s like New Radicals or Semisonic.

But ESPN’s NFL Nation decided to have a little fun with the concept, looking at one-hit wonders for each NFL team.

Here’s how they summed up the criteria for being a one-hit wonder: These are the 32 players who had one great game or season and never made a big impact in the NFL again.

For the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, they picked former wide receiver and return man Michael Spurlock, who in Week 15 of the 2007 season against the Atlanta Falcons, made history with his 90-yard kickoff return.

“Spurlock became the first Buccaneer in the franchise’s 32-year history to return a kickoff for a touchdown in a regular-season game when he streaked down the sideline in the first quarter of a Week 15 game against the Falcons. Legendary Bucs radio announcer Gene Deckerhoff infamously shouted, ‘Run, Micheal, run!’ while Matt Vasgersian exclaimed on the TV call, ‘Could it be that the great curse has been lifted?!'”

For those wanting to see the highlight in all its glory, here it is from the broadcast.

So, whatever became of Spurlock? Jenna Laine has you covered.

“Ironically, after Spurlock was cut and re-signed by the Bucs, he did it again against the Falcons on a squib kick in 2010. He spent the final six seasons of his career (2009-14) with seven teams, including the Bucs. He finished with five combined kick- and punt-return touchdowns.”

I’m sorry, but anytime you return a kick for a touchdown, it’s a highlight-worthy moment. Sounds like Spurlock had several, so maybe one-hit wonder isn’t so accurate a description.

Let’s give the guy some respect.

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Andrus Peat expected to miss six weeks with a broken arm

The New Orleans Saints lost starting left guard Andrus Peat to a broken arm against the Atlanta Falcons, and he’s expected to miss six weeks

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Bad news hit the New Orleans Saints on Wednesday, with ESPN’s Adam Schefter reporting that left guard Andrus Peat suffered a broken arm in Sunday’s loss to the Atlanta Falcons. Peat went through surgery Wednesday and the team expects him to be sidelined for six weeks, per Schefter’s report. That would put him on the shelf until their Dec. 22 game with the Tennessee Titans.

It’s a big loss for the Saints. Despite his inconsistent level of play, Peat was their best option to start at left guard as well as the immediate backup for left tackle Terron Armstead. He’ll likely be replaced by his own backup, second-year pro Will Clapp, though free-agent signee Nick Easton should also be a candidate to get playing time. Easton has been a healthy scratch in six of nine games after signing a four-year, $20 million contract with New Orleans earlier this year.

It couldn’t come at a worse time for Peat, who is scheduled to test free agency in the spring. The 25-year-old is playing out the fifth-year option of his rookie contract, guaranteeing him $9.625 million in 2019. The sad state of offensive line play around the league means he’ll have plenty of bidders looking to pay him to start at either left tackle or left guard, and probably put him out of New Orleans’ price range even with this injury.

And injury concerns are something that has dogged Peat throughout his career: he’s never played a 16-game season, despite coming close in both 2016 and 2017 with 15 games played in each outing, though his 2017 season ended with a broken leg. He missed three games in 2018 due to a sprained ankle, concussion, and broken hand, but made the Pro Bowl as an alternate. A growing list of injuries, poor positional fits (the Saints tried him out at both tackle and guard on each side of the line before settling at left guard), and a probably-high price tag mean his days in New Orleans may be numbered.

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NFL.com Week 11 Power Rankings: Bears’ win doesn’t change much

The Bears snapped their four-game losing streak with a win over the Lions, but they didn’t crack the top 20 in power rankings.

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The Chicago Bears snapped their four-game losing streak with a divisional win over the Detroit Lions in Week 10. But even a win wasn’t enough to change the minds of many when it comes to the Bears.

The Bears moved up one spot to No. 21 in NFL.com’s Week 11 Power Rankings, where they rank just three spots ahead of the Lions.

Things got more interesting than they should have in the final minutes, but the Bears held on against a Lions team missing Matthew Stafford. The Bears offense managed just 20 yards total in their first four possessions, a funk that summoned memories of Week 9, when Chicago managed just 9 total net yards in the first half against the Eagles.

The turning point Sunday came on Chicago’s final possession of the first half: A 10-play, 80-yard march that ended when Mitchell Trubisky found Ben Braunecker in the end zone for the go-ahead score. Trubisky threw two more touchdown passes in the third quarter, taking control of the game and releasing the pressure valve at Soldier Field.

Though the Bears’ attack remains The Problem in Chicago, you can see a few beams of sunshine breaking through the clouds in the last two weeks. Can they build on it?

While the Bears remain “in the hunt” for the playoffs, they’ll have to prove that they can beat a team with a winning record before deserving a higher ranking.

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