Recap of the latest sports highlights from the weekend
The NFL playoffs are in full swing with twelve teams competing to advance, while the teams not in the playoffs are already strategizing for next season.
The San Francisco 49ers faced a tough challenge against the Seattle Seahawks, with the game coming down to the wire. Ultimately, the Seahawks fell short by inches, giving the 49ers a pivotal 26-21 win that secured them the NFC West title and the No. 1 seed in the NFC. As a result, the 49ers (13-3) will enjoy a bye week, while the Seahawks (11-5) will face the Philadelphia Eagles (9-7) in the first round of the playoffs. The Eagles secured their spot by defeating the New York Giants 34-17.
In the AFC, the Tennessee Titans (9-7) claimed the final wild-card spot with a dominant 35-14 victory over the Houston Texans (10-6). This win sets up a matchup against the New England Patriots (12-4), who suffered a surprising 27-24 loss to the Miami Dolphins (5-11). The Patriots missed out on a first-round bye for the first time in nine years.
Here is the playoff schedule:
– Saturday: Buffalo Bills (10-6) at Texans (4:35 p.m. on ESPN/ABC); Titans at Patriots (8:15 p.m. on CBS).
– Sunday: Minnesota Vikings (10-6) at New Orleans Saints (13-3) (1:05 p.m. on Fox); Seahawks at Eagles (4:35 p.m. on NBC).
In other news, “Black Monday” brought significant changes to the coaching staff around the league. The Cleveland Browns were quick to part ways with head coach Freddie Kitchens after a disappointing 6-10 season. Additionally, the Washington Redskins fired general manager Bruce Allen and dismissed Giants coach Pat Shurmur after two seasons.
In college football, No. 1 LSU will face off against No. 3 Clemson on January 13 for the national championship. The semifinals saw LSU dominating No. 4 Oklahoma 63-28, led by Heisman Trophy winner Joe Burrow’s remarkable performance. Clemson rallied from a 16-0 deficit to defeat Ohio State 29-23 and extend their winning streak to 29 games.
On the basketball front, Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James was honored as the Associated Press Male Athlete of the Decade. In NBA action, the Houston Rockets suffered a 127-112 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans in a game where stars James Harden and Russell Westbrook were absent. In college basketball, No. 22 West Virginia pulled off an upset by defeating No. 2 Ohio State 67-59.
