Sports
Raheem Morris on Falcons' timeout debacle: Not as simple as it seems
Dec 16, 2024; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Atlanta Falcons coach Raheem Morris leaves the field after the game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images The biggest game for the Atlanta Falcons since their last playoff appearance in 2017 had it all.
A rookie quarterback making his first career road start in Michael Penix Jr. A 10-point Atlanta halftime lead. A late rally to force overtime. Eventually, it added up to a costly 30-24 road loss to the Washington Commanders on “Sunday Night Football.”
After Penix tied the game with a fourth-and-goal strike to Kyle Pitts, Atlanta (8-8) got the ball back with 40 seconds left with a chance to gain control of the NFC South.
Penix completed a 25-yard pass to Darnell Mooney on first down with 33 seconds left to advance Atlanta to Washington’s 44-yard line. The Falcons then wasted 16 seconds of clock, while head coach Raheem Morris still held two timeouts, before snapping the ball again.
Eventually, Riley Patterson missed a 56-yard field goal as regulation expired, before the Falcons fell in overtime.
The question for Morris on Monday was, “Why not use a timeout to save time on that final drive?”
“Would I like that back? Obviously, because it didn’t work,” Morris said in his press conference on Monday.
“But in hindsight, if we can just hit another route and we get a chance to have the timeouts to use, to utilize the whole field on the next throw, then we have a chance to get in better position and make it an easier field goal to end it there in regulation. Unfortunately, it didn’t work out that way for me. … As simple as you make it seem, it’s not.”
Penix completed 19 of 35 passes for 223 yards, a touchdown and an interception but was outdueled by Commanders rookie QB Jayden Daniels (227 passing yards, 127 rushing yards, three TDs, one pick).
Ultimately, Atlanta’s chances of ending its seven-year playoff drought took a major hit.
If the Falcons had held serve on Sunday, they would have just needed to beat the Carolina Panthers at home in Week 18 to clinch the division. Now, Atlanta must win and have the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-6) lose at home against the New Orleans Saints — a game in which Tampa Bay has opened as a two-touchdown favorite.
For Morris and company, everything counts on the rival Saints to pull off a monumental upset.
“At 1 o’clock on Sunday, I don’t think you can (worry about that game),” Morris said of the Tampa Bay-New Orleans matchup. “I think you can only handle what you can handle, control what you can control. So, I think as a professional and what I owe to Arthur Blank and this organization and fan base is to go out there and be completely locked into what we’re doing, trying to win versus the Carolina Panthers.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Keith Horne surprise leader of Senior PGA Championship
Keith Horne and his caddie walk past a sign warning fans of oncoming dangerous weather on Friday during the first round of the Constellation Furyk & Friends, at the Timuquana Country Club.
Weather
Keith Horne finds himself in an unexpected position — leading the Senior PGA Championship with 18 holes to go.
Horne, 54, fired a 5-under 66 during Saturday’s third round to seize a one-shot lead over four players at Concession Golf Club at Bradenton, Fla.
Sitting at 11-under 205 is a surreal feeling for Horne, who carded six birdies against one bogey in his stellar third round.
The South Africa native has one Top 5 finish and $327,937 in earnings to show for his 14 previous PGA Tour Champions events. If he finishes on top Sunday, he’ll add $540,000 and a major to the top of his resume.
“Of course, I’m surprised,” Horne said. “It’s such a strong field, such a quality field that’s playing this week. It’s not something we get to play in that often against the guys of this stature and quality. A lot of them are my idols. I watched a lot of them on TV.
“… It’s not something I sort of planned or played for. I just try to stick to my own game, and I think that helped me today without looking around too much at what I’m leading.”
Thailand’s Thammanoon Sriroj (66), Stewart Cink (70) and the Australian combo of Steve Allan (68) and Scott Hend (72) are the foursome tied at 10 under. Ben Crane (71) sits two shots back in sixth place.
Horne has spent most of his career playing overseas. He appeared in five Champions events in 2025, including tying for 28th at the Senior PGA Championship.
His best finish was a tie for 11th at the Principal Charity Classic. He made four of five cuts.
On Saturday, he had a bogey on his first hole before gaining the stroke back with a birdie on No. 3. Back-to-back birdies on Nos. 7 and 8 gave him momentum and he scored back-to-back birdies twice on the back nine during a five-hole stretch.
One thing Horne said he won’t do on Sunday: track who’s chasing him.
“No, I’m not a scoreboard-watcher,” Horne said. “I think you get two types of people. I’m not the most confrontational person so, you know, I’d rather just stay away and just stick to my own game.
“I think if I look up and I feel like I need to chase or push or beat somebody specific, it doesn’t help me. It only hinders me. I maybe just try too hard or put too much pressure on myself.”
Hend shared the second-round lead after rounds of 69 and 65, but he took a step backward Saturday with three bogeys over the first 11 holes. He rebounded with three birdies down the stretch to finish just one shot back.
He is well-aware the final round will feature a bunched-up leaderboard.
“Just stick to my game plan, play to my ability,” Hend said. “If I play to my ability, then I’ve got a chance to win. If I don’t win, then as long as I finish as hard as I possibly can, that’s fine.”
Brian Gay, who shared the second-round lead with Hend, shot 2-over 74 shares seventh at 208. Also part of that tie are Fiji’s Vijay Singh (67), Canada’s Greg Owen (68) and Spain’s Miguel Angel Jimenez (68).
–Field Level Media
Sports
Matt Boldy, Wild make big statement, rout Stars in series opener
Apr 18, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; Minnesota Wild left wing Matt Boldy (12) celebrates center Joel Eriksson Ek (14) gaol against there Dallas Stars in the first period in game one of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images Matt Boldy had two goals and an assist for the visiting Minnesota Wild in a 6-1 win against the Dallas Stars in Game 1 of their Western Conference first-round series on Saturday.
Kirill Kaprizov had a goal and two assists, Joel Eriksson Ek scored twice, Ryan Hartman had a goal and an assist, and Mats Zuccarello had three assists for the Wild, who are trying to win their first playoff series since 2015 after getting eliminated in the opening round eight times since then.
Jesper Wallstedt got the start over Filip Gustavsson and the rookie made 27 saves for Minnesota.
Jason Robertson scored and Jake Oettinger made 23 saves for Dallas, which lost Game 1 of its first-round series 5-1 against the Colorado Avalanche last season before rebounding and eventually reaching to the Western Conference Finals.
Minnesota was on the first power play of the game when Zuccarello passed the puck from above the left faceoff circle to Boldy just below the goal line. He made a touch pass to Eriksson Ek cutting into the slot area and Ek scored with a one-timer from the left hash marks for a 1-0 lead at 5:35 of the first period.
Minnesota scored 56 seconds into the second period to extend the lead to 2-0.
Kaprizov received a pass along the wall in the Dallas zone after he was left alone coming down the right side. He had room to skate just below the right faceoff dot before scoring shortside with a wrist shot for his 16th career playoff goal, tying Zach Parise for the most in franchise history.
Brock Faber shot a bouncing puck from just above the left circle that Hartman redirected into the net from in front of the crease to make it 3-0 at 3:28.
Boldy made it 4-0 at 6:30 when he tapped in a loose puck from the side of the net.
Robertson backhanded the puck into the net from in close while on a power play to cut it to 4-1 at 15:10 of the second period.
Eriksson Ek tacked on a power-play goal at 8:13 of the third period to make it 5-1, and Boldy scored into an empty net with 3:08 left for a 6-1 lead.
Game 2 is Monday in Dallas.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Gavin Williams fans 11 in gem as Guardians stifle O's
Apr 18, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Gavin Williams (32) throws a pitch during the first inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images Brayan Rocchio hit a three-run homer and Gavin Williams pitched seven strong innings to lead the Cleveland Guardians to a 4-2 victory over the visiting Baltimore Orioles on Saturday.
Bo Naylor also homered for the Guardians, who won for just the second time in the past five games. Cleveland had just three hits.
Williams (3-1) struck out 11 and allowed one run, three hits and one walk. It marked the second time this season and sixth time overall that he has struck out 10 or more in a game.
Cade Smith fanned the side in the ninth for his fifth save.
Leody Taveras and Gunnar Henderson (two hits) hit solo homers for Baltimore, which had just four hits while losing for the fourth time in the past five games.
Dean Kremer (0-1) pitched six innings for the Orioles and gave up three runs and two hits. He struck out seven and walked two.
Baltimore’s Pete Alonso and Colin Cowser struck out in all four at-bats. Dylan Beavers fanned three times as 16 Orioles went down on strikes.
Taveras came up with one out in the fourth and drilled a 1-0 curveball from Williams over the fence to right for the game’s first run.
Meanwhile, Kremer tossed 4 1/3 no-hit innings and his walk to Rhys Hoskins was followed by Daniel Schneemann’s line single to right. After Naylor fanned, Rocchio jumped on a 2-2 fastball from Kremer and deposited the ball over the fence in right to give the Guardians a 3-1 lead.
Williams picked up where he left off after the Taveras homer by retiring the final 11 batters he faced.
Hunter Gaddis replaced Williams and Henderson touched him up for a one-out solo shot to right in the eighth.
But Naylor got the run back leading off the bottom of the inning when he launched a 1-1 changeup from Albert Suarez into the bleachers in right.
Smith fanned Beavers, Cowser and Taveras while closing it out as Cleveland gained a 2-1 edge in a series that concludes Sunday.
–Field Level Media
