Sports
NFL roundup: Commanders head to playoffs for first time since 2020
Dec 29, 2024; Landover, Maryland, USA; Washington Commanders wide receiver Brycen Tremayne (89) celebrates after defeating the Atlanta Falcons at Northwest Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images Jayden Daniels hit Zach Ertz for a 2-yard touchdown with 2:42 left in overtime as the Washington Commanders beat the Atlanta Falcons 30-24 on Sunday night in Landover, Md., to secure their first playoff berth since the 2020 season.
The Commanders (11-5) clinched a wild-card berth with their fourth straight win and could finish as high as the sixth seed in the NFC. In the NFC South, Atlanta (8-8) sits behind the first-place Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who can clinch the division by defeating the New Orleans Saints in Week 18.
Washington took the opening kickoff of the extra session, and Daniels later ran for 16 yards on third-and-2 at midfield, then passed to Chris Rodriguez Jr. two plays later for a 12-yard gain and another first down. Daniels eventually added a pair of 6-yard runs that got him in position to find Ertz for the game-winning points.
Daniels completed 24 of 36 passes for 227 yards, three touchdowns and one interception and ran for 127 yards on 16 attempts. Ertz caught two touchdown passes, and Olamide Zaccheaus had eight catches for 85 yards and a score.
Bijan Robinson ran for two touchdowns and finished with 90 yards on the ground for Atlanta. Michael Penix Jr. was 19-of-35 passing for 223 yards, one touchdown and one interception, and Drake London had seven catches for 106 yards. Riley Patterson came up short on a 56-yard field-goal attempt as time expired in regulation.
Eagles 41, Cowboys 7
Saquon Barkley rushed for 167 yards to join the 2,000-yard club and Philadelphia clinched the NFC East title with a lopsided victory against visiting Dallas.
The Eagles (13-3) swept the season series with the rival Cowboys (7-9) for the first time since 2011 and locked up at least the No. 2 seed in the NFC playoffs. With his 11th 100-yard game of the campaign, Barkley became the ninth player in NFL history to rush for 2,000 yards in a season. Starting under center for Philadelphia with Jalen Hurts in the concussion protocol, Kenny Pickett tallied a touchdown pass and a touchdown run before exiting early in the third quarter with a rib injury.
The Cowboys turned the ball over four times. Cooper Rush threw two interceptions and one touchdown pass and Rico Dowdle rushed for 104 yards to record his first 1,000-yard season (1,007).
Bills 40, Jets 14
Josh Allen passed for two touchdowns and rushed for one more as Buffalo clinched the No. 2 seed in the AFC by clobbering New York in Orchard Park, N.Y.
Allen was showered with “M-V-P” chants after putting the game away with a pair of third-quarter touchdown passes — a 30-yard connection with Amari Cooper and a 14-yard strike to a leaping Keon Coleman with 12 seconds left in the frame. Those scores sandwiched a 1-yard touchdown run by James Cook for Buffalo (13-3).
The Bills’ defense forced three turnovers and racked up four sacks. Aaron Rodgers struggled under center for New York (4-12), completing 12 of 18 passes for 112 yards. He was picked off twice. Second-string signal-caller Tyrod Taylor broke the shutout with a 9-yard touchdown pass to Garrett Wilson with 6:59 left in the game.
Jaguars 20, Titans 13
Mac Jones threw two touchdown passes and Jacksonville earned a season-series sweep of visiting Tennessee.
Jones connected on 15 of 22 passes for 174 yards, finding Parker Washington and rookie Brian Thomas Jr. for scores, as Jacksonville (4-12) left Tennessee (3-13) behind in the AFC South cellar. Cam Little booted field goals of 48 and 44 yards.
Mason Rudolph hit on 19 of 31 pass attempts for 193 yards with a touchdown and an interception for the Titans, who dropped their fifth consecutive game. Tyjae Spears rushed for 95 yards on 20 carries, taking on lead running back duties in place of Tony Pollard (flu/ankle).
Raiders 25, Saints 10
Brock Bowers set a pair of rookie receiving records and Ameer Abdullah notched the first 100-yard rushing game of his 10-year career in Las Vegas’ win over host New Orleans.
Bowers caught seven passes for 77 yards, giving him 1,144 yards on the season to surpass Mike Ditka’s 63-year-old rookie tight end record. He also eclipsed the rookie reception record with his 106th catch, besting Puka Nacua’s mark from last season. Abdullah finished with 115 yards on 20 carries as the Raiders (4-12) won their second straight game.
Aidan O’Connell threw two touchdown passes for Las Vegas, while Spencer Rattler passed for 218 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions and fell to 0-5 as the starter for the Saints (5-11).
Giants 45, Colts 33
Drew Lock matched his career high of four touchdown passes and also rushed for a score and New York snapped its franchise-record 10-game losing streak by outlasting Indianapolis in East Rutherford, N.J.
Malik Nabers had seven receptions for a career-best 171 yards and two touchdowns to exceed 100 receptions and 1,000 receiving yards during his strong rookie campaign. Lock completed 17 of 23 passes for 309 yards, and Ihmir Smith-Marsette returned a kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown for the Giants (3-13).
The Colts (7-9) were eliminated from the AFC playoff race. Joe Flacco started at quarterback with Anthony Richardson (back/foot) sidelined and completed 26 of 38 passes for 330 yards and two touchdowns. But he was also intercepted twice and lost a fumble. Jonathan Taylor rushed for 125 yards and two touchdowns on 32 carries.
Buccaneers 48, Panthers 14
Baker Mayfield threw for five touchdowns and Tampa Bay stayed atop the NFC South title race by pounding visiting Carolina.
Mike Evans and Jalen McMillan each caught two TD passes and Bucky Irving rushed for 113 yards as Tampa Bay’s second victory of the month against Carolina came much easier than the road version in overtime. Mayfield completed 27 of 32 passes for 359 yards. The Buccaneers (9-7) collected 551 yards of total offense.
The Panthers (4-12) have lost five of their past six games despite Bryce Young throwing two touchdown passes to Adam Thielen (five catches, 110 receiving yards). Young finished 15-for-28 passing for 203 yards, but Carolina managed only 39 rushing yards as it played without injured running back Chuba Hubbard.
Dolphins 20, Browns 3
Tyler Huntley completed 22 of 26 passes for 225 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions and ran for another score to lead Miami past host Cleveland.
The Dolphins (8-8) kept their playoff hopes alive and must beat the Jets next week and hope the Denver Broncos lose to the Kansas City Chiefs to secure the AFC’s final wild-card playoff berth. Huntley started in place of injured starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (hip).
Dorian Thompson-Robinson started at quarterback for the Browns (3-13) but completed only 24 of 47 passes for 170 yards, no touchdowns and an interception. Jerry Jeudy made a career-high 12 catches for 94 yards. Cleveland lost its fifth game in a row.
Vikings 27, Packers 25
Sam Darnold completed 33 of 43 passes for a career-best 377 yards to go with three touchdowns and one interception and Minnesota escaped with a win over Green Bay in Minneapolis.
Justin Jefferson had eight catches for 92 yards for Minnesota (14-2), which won its ninth game in a row. Jalen Nailor, Jordan Addison and Cam Akers had one touchdown reception apiece for the Vikings.
Jordan Love completed 19 of 30 passes for 185 yards and one touchdown for Green Bay (11-5). Josh Jacobs and Emanuel Wilson each rushed for a touchdown and Malik Heath had a touchdown catch for the Packers, who lost to the Vikings for the second time this season.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Report: RB David Montgomery 'wants out' of Detroit
Dec 25, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery (5) looks on before the game against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images Lions running back David Montgomery “wants out” of Detroit after three seasons, ESPN reported on Sunday.
Montgomery, however, immediately appeared to refute the report on X, posting: “Damn, Dmo told you that?”
The ESPN report claims the Lions would want “a decent Day 3 pick (possibly a fifth-rounder)” in the 2026 NFL Draft in return for Montgomery, who turns 29 in June and is owed $6 million next season.
The report follows general manager Brad Holmes’ remarks after the season about Montgomery being unhappy with his playing time in 2025. Sharing a backfield with Jahmyr Gibbs, Montgomery rushed for a career-low 716 yards and eight touchdowns in 17 games (no starts).
“Those are conversations that we’re going to have to have because I’ve got a lot of respect for that player,” Holmes said of Montgomery in January. “He deserves to be in a situation where his skillset can be utilized, and so yeah would love for it to be here, but if it can’t be here then you’d just love to see where could work out best for him.”
At the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis on Tuesday, Holmes said the situation with Montgomery is “fluid.” He signed a two-year extension during the 2024 season that runs through the end of the 2027 campaign.
“Yeah, I have been in touch with David’s agent, and his representation,” Holmes revealed. “Obviously, we love David, he’s a great player, we love to have him, you know, kind of want to put last year in the rear view, and just move forward. But, obviously, a player has to want to be at a certain place as well. The conversations are still fluid, but we’ll see how it goes.”
Montgomery has rushed for 2,506 yards and 33 touchdowns in 45 games (28 starts) in three seasons with Detroit (2023-25). He has 76 catches for 650 yards in that span.
He began his career with the NFC North rival Chicago Bears, who drafted him in the third round in 2019. Montgomery rushed for 3,609 yards and 26 scores in 60 games (51 starts) with the Bears (2019-22).
–Field Level Media
Sports
Yankees LHP Ryan Yarbrough joins U.S. roster for WBC
Jun 18, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees relief pitcher Ryan Yarbrough (33) delivers a pitch during the first inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images New York Yankees left-hander Ryan Yarbrough was added to the Team USA roster for the upcoming World Baseball Classic on Sunday.
The 34-year-old reliever replaces Minnesota Twins right-hander Joe Ryan, who is dealing with low back tightness. Ryan moves into the designated pitcher pool, meaning he is eligible for a call-up after each round of the WBC.
Yarbrough went 3-1 with a 4.36 ERA and one save in 19 games (eight starts) during his first season with the Yankees in 2025, striking out 55 batters and walking 19 in 64 innings.
Ryan Yarbrough has been added to our roster for the World Baseball Classic!#ForGlory???? pic.twitter.com/RrtKJQ20gz
— USA Baseball (@USABaseball) March 1, 2026
Team USA will play its first game of the 2026 WBC on Friday night, meeting Brazil in a Pool B contest in Houston.
Yarbrough has a career record of 56-41 with a 4.22 ERA and four saves in 215 games (76 starts) with the Tampa Bay Rays (2018-22), Kansas City Royals (2023), Los Angeles Dodgers (2023-24), Toronto Blue Jays (2024) and Yankees. The side-arming southpaw signed a one-year, $2.5 million deal in November to return to New York in 2026.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Ex-pitcher Dan Serafini gets life sentence for '21 murder
Dan Serafini (file photo) pitched in MLB with seven teams. He was convited of first-degree murder. Former major league pitcher Dan Serafini was sentenced to life in prison without parole on Friday for the 2021 shootings of his in-laws in North Lake Tahoe, Calif.
Serafini, 52, was convicted in July of the first-degree murder of father-in-law Gary Spohr and the attempted first-degree murder of mother-in-law Wendy Wood during a burglary. Spohr, 70, died from a single gunshot and Wood, then 68, survived but died by suicide the following year.
In the courtroom on Friday in Auburn, Calif., Placer County prosecutor Morgan Gire described Spohr and Wood as loving grandparents.
“The impact of this attack has extended far beyond the immediate victims, deeply affecting family members and the broader community, and highlighting the lasting harm caused by deliberate violence,” Gire said.
Serafini, who pitched for six MLB teams from 1996 to 2007, addressed the court and maintained his innocence. He said he was out partying with his wife, Erin Spohr, at the time of the shooting and referred to himself as a “broken, imperfect man that makes mistakes,” according to MyNews4.
The Minnesota Twins selected Serafini, a native of the San Francisco area, with the No. 26 overall pick in the 1992 MLB Draft. He made his debut in 1996 and went on to appear in 104 games (33 starts) with the Twins, Chicago Cubs, San Diego Padres, Pittsburgh Pirates, Cincinnati Reds and Colorado Rockies before his retirement in 2007.
He had a 15-16 record with a 6.04 ERA and one save. He threw 263 2/3 innings and struck out 127 batters.
–Field Level Media
Report: RB David Montgomery 'wants out' of Detroit
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