Patriots complete Week 14 practices without a kicker

So… now what?

The New England Patriots wrapped up their third and final practice session on Friday, and they did so without a kicker.

New England is hoping to sign free agent kicker Nick Folk, but he is recovering from appendicitis and may not be ready to play in Week 14 against the Kansas City Chiefs. Folk intends to give kicking a try on Friday, and will report to the Patriots if he’s ready to play, according to NFL Network.

The Patriots were without center Ted Karras and defensive tackle Byron Cowart on Friday during practice. They missed all of the practices this week, and are unlikely to play. That means center James Ferentz is likely to take over for Karras in the middle of the offensive line.

The Patriots had eight limited players on Thursday: Tom Brady (elbow, toe), Ja’Whaun Bentley (knee), Marcus Cannon (illness), Patrick Chung (heel), Julian Edelman (shoulder), Cody Kessler (illness), Jason McCourty (groin), Mohamed Sanu (ankle) and John Simon (elbow). New England will release an injury report on Friday afternoon to share the statuses for their players ahead of Week 14.

The Patriots kick off against the Chiefs at 4:25 p.m. at Gillette Stadium on Sunday.

[vertical-gallery id=74890]

Star Wars fans are freaking out over the possibility that Boba Fett is in ‘The Mandalorian’

No way … right?

WARNING: SPOILER ALERT!! THERE ARE SO MANY SPOILERS AHEAD FOR THE FIFTH EPISODE OF THE MANDALORIAN. IF YOU HAVEN’T WATCHED, DON’T SCROLL DOWN!

Ready?

You sure?

Okay.

The biggest question in Chapter 5 of The Mandalorian (“The Gunslinger”) comes right at the end of the episode.

Right before the credits, a shadowy figure in a cape and boots walks up to the body of the deceased Fennec Shand. We hear the sound of jingling as it squats down over the body. Cut to credits.

So … who is that?

Let’s see: this episode takes place in the desert dunes of Tatooine. And it just so happens that years before The Mandalorian takes place, a certain other bounty hunter was allegedly swallowed up by the Sarlacc on the same planet.

Is … that Boba Fett?

Couldn’t be, right? Once you get swallowed by a giant pit monster, you’re probably done for.

Except what if the bounty hunter survived on Tatooine?

I’ve already seen (and I’ll say SPOILER ALERT for this link, too) a debunking of this theory. But as Esquire pointed out, we heard that same jingling sound when Boba Fett appeared on Cloud City in The Empire Strikes Back (about the 2:45 mark).

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!! And now I’m geeking out a bit at hearing that sound, although maybe having Baby Yoda AND Boba Fett in the same series would be a bit much.

Fans are buzzing about the possibility:

[jwplayer r1nZBOe2-q2aasYxh]

Ranking the top 25 potential free agents for 2020

Dak Prescott, Jadeveon Clowney, Cam Newton and Jameis Winston highlight the list of impending NFL free agents for the upcoming offseason.

 

 

 

Have we seen the last of Adam Vinatieri?

Adam Vinatieri’s season and career could be finished.

The Indianapolis Colts have been dealing with kicking issues throughout the 2019 season with veteran Adam Vinatieri enduring both inconsistency and injuries.

In his 24th season, the most decorated kicker in the history of the league appears to have finally met his match with Father Time. Despite a career of consistency and production, Vinatieri’s 2019 season will forever be looked upon as an outlier.

Dealing with a knee injury that will almost certainly keep him out of the Week 14 game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, there is a chance this is last we have seen from the 46-year-old.

Vinatieri was asked by media members on Thursday whether he thought he would play again this season. Though he doesn’t have all of the information to give a definitive answer, it was less than encouraging.

“I don’t have an answer,” Vinatieri told reporters. “I don’t know. We’ll see how it feels tomorrow and the next day and the next day.”

Vinatieri did say he had a meeting scheduled with general manager Chris Ballard and the medical staff on Thursday afternoon, which will likely determine whether he plays again this season or goes on the injured reserve list.

It hasn’t been a fun season for Vinatieri, to say the least. His struggles have been well documented as his worst season by far. There was even a point in which a mid-season retirement was a real possibility following another disastrous performance against the Tennessee Titans in Week 2.

Vinatieri has missed 14 combined kicks this season. That includes eight missed field-goal attempts, tied for the most in his career. In addition, Vinatieri has missed six extra-point attempts, which is the most in his career. Before 2019, he hadn’t missed more than three extra-point attempts in any season.

Vinatieri’s struggles have cost the Colts games. There is no way around it. They’ve even held tryouts for kickers on two separate occasions this season.

The Colts aren’t going to cut Vinatieri—not when their season is all but lost and his career is likely over after this campaign. They aren’t going to have the greatest kicker of all-time end his career on a note like that.

But if Vinatieri’s knee injury is significant enough to keep him off of the field for the next month, this is likely the last we have seen from the NFL’s leading scorer.

Oddsmakers drop Saints to 2.5-point favorites over visiting 49ers

The New Orleans Saints are still favored to beat the San Francisco 49ers, but oddsmakers expect a razor-thin finish in a low-scoring game.

[jwplayer FgrNrsL9-ThvAeFxT]

All eyes from around the NFL world will be focused on the Mercedes-Benz Superdome this Sunday, when the New Orleans Saints host the San Francisco 49ers for a game with tremendous implications for the NFC playoff picture.

With a Saints win, the road to Super Bowl LIV is all but guaranteed to run through New Orleans. But if the 49ers prevail, well, things get interesting in the NFC West. It’s a fair bet that they would compete with the Seattle Seahawks all the way down the stretch for the first seed, with the loser falling to the fifth seed — guaranteeing their playoff journey starts on the road. Incidentally, the 49ers will visit the Seahawks in the regular season finale in Week 17.

Per updated odds from BetMGM, the Saints are still favored to defeat the 49ers, but only by 2.5 points. With an over/under of just 44.5, that implies a final score somewhere in the neighborhood of Saints 24, 49ers 21. If this game were played on a neutral field, it would be even more of a toss-up. In other words: even the oddsmakers don’t know who might win this one.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

[vertical-gallery id=23894]

Andy Ruiz vs. Anthony Joshua 2 – Weigh-in, odds

Andy Ruiz Jr. vs. Anthony Joshua weigh-in results heading into their Saturday boxing event.

[jwplayer Wmceqhzl]

Andy Ruiz Jr. (33-1, 22 KOs) and Anthony Joshua (22-1, 21 KOs) have their much-anticipated boxing rematch Saturday, December 7. When they last met, which ended with a seventh-round knockout for an upset win by Ruiz, he weighed 268 pounds while Anthony was 247.75 pounds.

The two boxers checked in for Friday’s weigh-in, resulting in noticeable changes for both.

Ruiz’s trainer, Manny Robles, wanted his boxer to slim down and get in the 250s, per ESPN.com. They had a three-month training period to make it happen compared to a one-month notice last time out. Robles didn’t get his wish when Ruiz hit the scale Friday, as the 6-foot-2 boxer tipped the scales at 283.7 pounds for Ruiz vs. Joshua 2. He was, however, also sporting a sombrero and a shirt during the weigh-in …

Joshua, on the other hand, sports a vastly different physique. He dropped down to 237 pounds for the rematch, almost an 11-pound swing. The 6-foot-6 boxer hasn’t been in that weight range since he fought at 236.5 pounds in a 2014 bout.

During his first two professional fights, Ruiz Jr. fought in the mid-290s, so this weight range isn’t completely foreign to him. That was, however, almost a decade ago.

Ruiz Jr. vs Joshua 2 betting odds and lines

Per BetMGM, Joshua (-250) enters as the favorite to win the rematch. There is also already talk of a third fight between these two boxers.

New Jersey BetMGM Joshua vs. Ruiz 2 Prop Bet

Bet $1, WIN $100 in free bets if either Anthony Joshua or Andy Ruiz Jr. get knocked down during their fight Saturday, December 7, 2019. Bet Now!
New customer offer, visit BetMGM for terms and conditions

New to sports betting? -250 odds gives Joshua an implied 71.43% chance to win, which is 2/5 in fractional. A $10 wager on Joshua to win returns just a $4 profit.

Meanwhile, Ruiz Jr. enters as the +188 underdog vs. Joshua, per BetMGM. That’s a 34.72% implied chance of victory. And it’s much more profitable on the betting side, as a $10 wager here returns an $18.80 profit if Ruiz Jr. can make lightning strike twice in six months.

[lawrence-related id=29749,29842]

BetMGM has the odds of this one being a draw at +3300. As for the predicted length of time, the oddsmakers don’t like this one going the full 12 rounds, which has +275 odds on it. Anything less than 12 is the heavily favored oddsmaker point of view, coming in at -400.

Andy Ruiz Jr. vs. Anthony Joshua 2 viewing information

When is the Ruiz Jr. and Joshua 2 boxing rematch?

Saturday, December 7, 2019

Where are Ruiz Jr. and Joshua fighting?

Diriyah, Saudi Arabia at the Diriyah Arena

What time is the Ruiz Jr. vs Joshua fight?

The event is scheduled to start at 11 a.m. ET with the main event scheduled for 3:45 p.m. ET.

Where can I watch Ruiz vs. Joshua 2?

This one comes at you via live stream on DAZN. Subscribe to DAZN now.

Where can I bet on Ruiz vs. Joshua 2?

If you’re in New Jersey, access BetMGM and take part in their special boxing prop bet.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

[lawrence-newsletter]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=2676]

USA TODAY Sports Network’s NFL Week 14 game previews, predictions

The USA TODAY Sports Network previews Week 14 in the NFL, with Ravens-Bills, 49ers-Saints and Chiefs-Patriots leading the slate.

It’s Week 14 of the 2019 NFL season, and playoff scenarios are becoming clearer.

The Chicago Bears humbled the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday night, with quarterback Mitchell Trubisky leading the way. The win helped the Bears (7-6) stay relevant in the crowded NFC postseason race, while the Cowboys (6-7) remain atop the woeful NFC East despite a losing record.

Sunday’s slate of games includes three especially intriguing matchups that will clarify the playoff picture further.

The Baltimore Ravens head to upstate New York to meet the upstart Buffalo Bills, with the visitors looking to solidify their grip on the AFC’s top seed while the Bills hope to remain in contention for the AFC East title.

The San Francisco 49ers travel to face the New Orleans Saints in a matchup of teams with eyes on the NFC’s top seed and designs on a deep postseason run.

The Kansas City Chiefs visit the New England Patriots in a battle of AFC division leaders with generational talents under center for both teams in star quarterbacks Patrick Mahomes and Tom Brady.

To see which games will be shown in your area, visit our game maps article here.

Without further ado, here are your Week 14 game previews for the Sunday and Monday games.

Baltimore Ravens at Buffalo Bills

Lamar Jackson Baltimore Ravens
Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

TV: 1 p.m. ET Sunday, CBS

Records: Ravens 10-2, Bills 9-3

Line: Ravens by 5½

Satellite radio: Ravens feed on Sirius 121 (streaming 802), Bills feed on Sirius 134 (streaming 803)

Ravens’ keys: QB Lamar Jackson’s playmaking skills have to show up early and often. The Ravens have scored at least 30 points in five of their past six games.

Bills’ keys: Their defense has to keep the offense within striking distance over the course of the game. The Ravens have scored at least 30 points in five of their last six games, and the Bills’ offense has scored 30 twice, both times against the Dolphins. Buffalo showed a national TV audience on Thanksgiving that QB Josh Allen, WR Cole Beasley, WR John Brown and RB Devin Singletary can make plays.

Who wins? The Bills are riding high and have an all-around defense to keep things closer than some might think. But the Ravens have enough to escape. Ravens 28, Bills 20

— Nick Wojton

Car@Atl / Cin@Cle / Was@GB / Den@Hou / Det@Min / SF@NO / Mia@NYJ / Ind@TB / LAC@Jax / Pit@Ari / KC@NE / Ten@Oak / Sea@LAR / NYG@Phi

Pages: Page 1, Page 2, Page 3, Page 4, Page 5, Page 6, Page 7, Page 8, Page 9, Page 10, Page 11, Page 12, Page 13, Page 14, Page 15

Watch, stream, stats, info: Everything you need to know about Georgia vs LSU

Here is everything you need to know about Georgia football vs LSU in the SEC Championship.

On Saturday, No. 4 (11-1) takes on its biggest test of the season, an undefeated No. 2 ranked LSU team.

For Georgia, this is the same scenario as last year. Win the game and you’re in the College Football Playoff.

Here is everything you need to know about the game:

Georgia vs LSU

Kickoff: 4:00 p.m. ET

TV: CBS

Stream: Watch ESPN

Where: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia

Commentators: Gary Danielson, Brad Nessler, Jamie Erdahl

Satellite Radio: XM 191

Georgia Radio: Athens 960 AM/106.1 FM; Atlanta 750 AM/95.5 FM; Macon 106.3 FM; Augusta 580 AM/95.1 FM; Savannah 1400 AM/104.3 FM; Columbus 1460 AM/100.1 FM; Valdosta 105.9 FM; Rome 107.1 FM (IMG Radio-Scott Howard, Eric Zeier, Chuck Dowdle)

Fan Forecast, provided by Vivid Seats: Georgia fans, 69% – LSU fans, 31%

Season’s so far: Georgia, sitting at No. 4 in the CFP rankings, is 11-1 and 7-1  in SEC play. LSU is ranked No. 2 with a mark of 12-0 and 8-0 in conference.

Line: LSU -7.5

Odds via BetMGM. Access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Thursday at 6 p.m. ET.

Want to get in on the action? Place your bet now at BetMGM.

Over/under: 54.5

Matchup predictor: 44.3% chance of a Georgia victory, per ESPN’s FPI

Georgia injury report: Click here

Series history: Georgia and LSU have met 31 times. LSU has won 17, Georgia 13 and one tie.

SECCG history: Since 2000, no team has made the SEC Championship Game more than Georgia, which is making its eighth appearance and third in a row. LSU will be making its sixth trip to Atlanta, and this will be the Tigers fourth time facing the Bulldogs in the game.

Prediction: Georgia wins 24-20

Last week: Georgia beat Georgia Tech 52-7 and LSU beat Texas A&M 50-7.

Georgia pep rally: 1:45 p.m.

Gates open: 2 p.m.

Tickets: TicketIQ

Stats: Every single stat you need to know about both teams can be found here

Conor McGregor defends Jose Aldo, excited for Brazilian’s bantamweight debut at UFC 245

Coming to Jose Aldo’s defense Friday was the unlikeliest of defenders: former rival and opponent Conor McGregor.

When images of former featherweight champion [autotag]Jose Aldo[/autotag] surfaced Wednesday, many fans took to Twitter to question his decision to drop to bantamweight.

Coming to Aldo’s defense Friday was the unlikeliest of defenders: [autotag]Conor McGregor[/autotag]. When ESPN reporter Ariel Helwani commented on Aldo’s appearance on Twitter, McGregor voiced support of his former rival’s decision to cut 10 more pounds.

According to McGregor (21-4 MMA, 9-2 UFC), the 33-year-old Brazilian looks “more on top of it” and physically better. Additionally, McGregor sent Aldo well wishes and voiced his excitement to see him compete in the new weight class.

“I disagree here,” McGregor said. “(Aldo) looks more than on top of it in my experienced opinion. Well trimmed in advance, and naturally a lighter man now. This can only be done over a long length of time and with complete dedication. Respect! I wish him well and am excited to see him in this division.”

[lawrence-related id=468143,468128]

Aldo (28-5 MMA, 10-4 UFC) returns to action at UFC 245 when he takes on former UFC bantamweight title challenger Marlon Moraes (22-6-1 MMA, 4-2 UFC). UFC 245 takes place Dec. 15 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The main card streams on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN2 and ESPN+.

One month after Aldo fights, McGregor is scheduled to fight for the first time since October 2018. He’ll take on Donald Cerrone in a five-round welterweight main event at UFC 246, which takes place Jan. 18 in Las Vegas.

[vertical-gallery id=390041]

[vertical-gallery id=392722]