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  • Ranking the greatest NFL conference championship games: Where does Bengals-Chiefs 2021 thriller rank all time?

    Ranking the greatest NFL conference championship games: Where does Bengals-Chiefs 2021 thriller rank all time?

    Given what we witnessed during the first 20 weeks of the 2022 NFL season, fans could be in for an extremely memorable championship weekend. 

    The four survivors from last weekend’s divisional round — the 49ers, Eagles, Bengals and Chiefs — will play this weekend for the right to represent their respective conferences in Super Bowl LVII. Among the big storylines entering championship weekend include the Bengals’ quest at a second consecutive Super Bowl appearance, Patrick Mahomes’ injury status following Saturday’s win over the Jaguars, and the continued — and unexpected — success of 49ers rookie quarterback Brock Purdy. 

    There’s a very good chance that one or both of this weekend’s games will one day crack the following list of the greatest conference championship games in NFL history. Several all-time classics made the list, including the 2021 overtime thriller between Cincinnati and Kansas City.  

    20. 1999 NFC Championship: Rams 11, Buccaneers 6 

    While obviously not a barn burner, the Rams-Buccaneers NFC title game showdown was a masterpiece for fans of defense. Led by future Hall of Famers Warren Sapp, John Lynch and Derrick Brooks, the Buccaneers shut down the Rams’ “Greatest Show on Turf” offense for most of the game. With the Rams’ defense also playing lights out, the Buccaneers’ defense would need to shutout one of the greatest offenses of all-time in order to reach the Super Bowl. 

    Unfortunately for them, the Buccaneers were victims of a perfectly-thrown pass from Kurt Warner that fell into the waiting arms of Ricky Proehl, whose 44-yard touchdown catch propelled the Rams to the Super Bowl. 

    19. 1983 NFC Championship: Washington 24, 49ers 21 

    The two most recent Super Bowl champions, Washington and San Francisco battled for the right to face the Raiders in Super Bowl XVIII. Down 21-0, the 49ers staged an epic rally behind Joe Montana’s three fourth quarter touchdown…

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  • What Scott Rolen’s induction means for other HOF hopefuls, plus American Tommy Paul reaches Aussie Open semis

    What Scott Rolen’s induction means for other HOF hopefuls, plus American Tommy Paul reaches Aussie Open semis

    Good morning to everyone but especially to…

    SCOTT ROLEN

    The wait is over and the meteoric rise is complete for Scott Rolen. He is heading to the Baseball Hall of Fame after his sixth year on the ballot. He’ll join Fred McGriff, who was voted in by the Contemporary Era Committee in December, in the two-man 2023 class.

    Over his 17-year career with the Phillies, Cardinals, Blue Jays and Reds, Rolen racked up seven All-Star Game nods, eight Gold Gloves, the 1997 NL Rookie of the Year and the 2001 Silver Slugger. He also won the 2006 World Series with St. Louis.Rolen’s 70.1 career WAR is 10th all-time among third basemen.Rolen received just 10.2% of the vote his first year on the ballot, lowest ever by a player eventually voted to the Baseball Hall of Fame. He received 76.3 percent this time around, five votes above the 75 percent threshold.

    Rolen is unsure whether he’ll choose a Phillies or Cardinals hat for his plaque… or if he’ll have no logo at all. With 10 years eligibility available to players, it’s not all about who makes it. Gaining votes is a huge storyline, too — as evident by Rolen’s story — and several notable names did well there:

    Todd Helton — 72.2 percent (11 votes shy of induction) in fifth yearBilly Wagner — 68.1 percent in eighth yearAndruw Jones — 58.1 percent in sixth year

    Carlos Beltrán garnered 46.5 percent of the vote in his first year on the ballot, normally a solid number but, in this case, one complicated by his role in the Astros‘ cheating scandal. Where Beltrán’s vote share goes from here will be one of the biggest stories of the 2024 ballot, and our Matt Snyder examined what that ballot will look like here.

    As for active players with Hall-of-Fame potential, Matt took a look at more than 50 names and…

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  • Eagles land 2 dynamic defenders in Mel Kiper’s first 2023 NFL mock draft

    Eagles land 2 dynamic defenders in Mel Kiper’s first 2023 NFL mock draft

    The 2023 NFL draft is fast approaching and even with the Eagles preparing for the NFC Championship Game, scouts within the organization are doing their due diligence on potential prospects.

    Thanks to some draft night wizardry from Howie Roseman, the Eagles traded the No. 16 overall pick, No. 19 overall pick, and a 2022 sixth-round pick to the New Orleans Saints for the No. 18 overall pick, a 2022 third-round pick, a 2022 seventh-round pick, a 2023 first-round pick, and a 2024 second-round pick.

    We tracked the Eagles’ picks via Tankathon, and after New Orleans went 7-10, Philadelphia locked down a top-ten selection.

    ESPN’s legendary draft guru, Mel Kiper, Just released his first mock draft of 2023, and he has Philadelphia reloading on defense with their two first-round picks.

    10. Philadelphia Eagles (via NO) Calijah Kancey, DT, Pitt

    Pittsburgh Panthers Vs Tennessee Volunteers

    A talented defender, Kancey would be the shortest defensive tackle on the Eagles’ current roster.

    The Miami, Florida native was a unanimous All-American, the 15th in Pitt program history, and the first player to accomplish the feat since Aaron Donald (2013).

    Kancey recorded 31 tackles, 14.5 tackles for loss, and 7.5 sacks in 11 games.

    Kancey’s 2022 tape is extremely impressive, and I moved him way up my Big Board. He wreaked havoc the past two seasons, racking up 13.5 sacks when lined up as a defensive tackle, the most in the country. At 6-foot, 280 pounds, he’s undersized, but so was former Pitt tackle Aaron Donald. (To be clear, he’s not Donald, but he’s still pretty good.) We know Philadelphia general manager Howie Roseman invests heavily in the D-line, and Kancey would fit next to 2022 first-rounder Jordan Davis.

    30. Philadelphia Eagles Brian Branch, S, Alabama

    Mandatory Credit: Andrew Wevers-USA TODAY Sports

    Kiper has Philadelphia using their second first-round pick on a versatile safety from Alabama.

    Philadelphia made a preseason trade to acquire safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson, but he…

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  • 2023 NFL playoff schedule, updated bracket, dates, times, TV channel, live stream for Championship Sunday

    2023 NFL playoff schedule, updated bracket, dates, times, TV channel, live stream for Championship Sunday

    The NFL playoffs roll on to the conference title games after the defending AFC champion Cincinnati Bengals routed the Buffalo Bills on the road on Sunday and the San Francisco 49ers held off the Dallas Cowboys. 

    The divisional round of the 2023 NFL playoffs kicked off on Saturday as the Kansas City Chiefs and a hobbled Patrick Mahomes held on to beat the Jacksonville Jaguars, 27-20, and the Philadelphia Eagles absolutely destroyed the New York Giants, 38-7. 

    After a week off, each conference’s top-seeded teams entered the fray this weekend and both moved on. The Chiefs, the AFC’s top-seeded team each of the last four years, will now be playing in the AFC Championship Game for a record fifth straight year. On the NFC side, after their convincing win over their rivals, the top-seeded Eagles will be making their first appearance in the NFC title game since the 2017 season. 

    Two more teams look to punch their tickets into the conference championship today.

    This year will mark the fourth Super Bowl played in Arizona and the first since the Patriots rallied to defeat the Seahawks in Super Bowl XLIX. 

    Super Wild Card Weekend

    Saturday, Jan. 14

    (4) 49ers 41, (7) Seahawks 23(4) Jaguars 31, (5) Chargers 30

    Sunday, Jan. 15

    (2) Bills 34, (7) Dolphins 31(6) Giants 31, (3) Vikings 24(3) Bengals 24, (6) Ravens 17

    Monday, Jan. 16

    (5) Cowboys 31, (4) Buccaneers 14 

    Divisional Round

    Saturday, Jan. 21

    (1) Eagles 38, (6) Giants 7(1) Chiefs 27, (4) Jaguars 20

    Sunday, Jan. 22

    (2) 49ers 19, (5) Cowboys 12(3) Bengals 27, (2) Bills 10

    Championship Sunday

    Jan. 29
    NFC Championship
    Eagles vs. 49ers, 3:05 p.m. ET (Fox, stream on fuboTV)

    AFC Championship
    Chiefs vs. Bengals, 6:30 p.m. ET (CBS, stream on Paramount+)

    Super Bowl LVII

    Feb. 12
    AFC champion…

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  • Car crash victims not on university duties

    Car crash victims not on university duties

    In Georgia’s most extensive comments on the wreck that killed football player Devin Willock and a recruiting staff member, athletic director Josh Brooks said Tuesday the two were not on department business at the time of the incident, which occurred after the Bulldogs celebrated their second straight national title.

    The fatal wreck also left offensive lineman Warren McClendon with minor injuries and seriously injured another member of the recruiting staff.

    The incident, which occurred in the early morning hours of Jan. 15 not far from the school’s Athens campus, has raised questions about the relationship between athletes and those who work in the athletic department.

    “Out of respect for the families involved, we have refrained from making any public statements up to this point regarding the circumstances of the tragic accident that claimed two lives and injured two members of our campus community,” Brooks said in a statement.

    “However, we want the public to know that the athletic department is conducting a thorough review, in coordination with appropriate legal counsel, to fully understand the circumstances surrounding this tragic event. We want to emphasize that these individuals were not engaged in athletic department duties around the time of this incident.”

    An SUV driven by 24-year-old Chandler LeCroy, who worked in the recruiting department, left the road on a turn, sliced through a pair of utility poles, struck two trees and finally came to rest against an apartment building.

    The 20-year-old Willock was ejected from the vehicle and pronounced dead the scene. LeCroy died a short time later after being taken to a nearby hospital.

    McClendon, who had announced hours earlier he was entering the NFL draft, received a laceration to the middle of his head. The other university employee, Victoria Bowles,…

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  • Record 45.7M viewers watched Cowboys lose to 49ers; 2nd most for Divisional playoff since Cowboys’ 2017 loss

    Record 45.7M viewers watched Cowboys lose to 49ers; 2nd most for Divisional playoff since Cowboys’ 2017 loss

    The Dallas Cowboys’ season ended on a bizarre final play with 45.7 million people watching.

    The team’s 19-12 loss to the 49ers on Sunday was the most-watched matchup of the weekend and the second most-watched NFL divisional playoff game on record, according to Fox Sports.

    It’s not the first time a record number of viewers have tuned in to watch the Cowboys lose. Dallas’ 2017 playoff loss to the Green Bay Packers drew 48.5 million viewers, the most-ever for a divisional playoff game.

    The Cowboys’ most recent loss is unique in that it was the most-watched telecast of any kind since the last Super Bowl and peaked with 51.5 million viewers.

    Sunday’s AFC showdown between the Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals garnered 39.3 million viewers in comparison, per Show Buzz Daily.

    Dallas and San Francisco once had a strong rivalry and it saw a revival on Sunday. 49ers tight end George Kittle made a suspenseful catch in the third quarter that teetered between his hands as he dodged cornerback Trevon Diggs and somehow secured the ball before the dive landed him on the field.

    It took Kittle nine yards to secure possession of the pass, a reception that set San Francisco up for a 91-yard touchdown drive later.

    “I was just trying to be dramatic,” Kittle joked, via The Athletic. “It was just for TV. Just trying to get the ratings up.”

    Tough 27 years for the Cowboys franchise

    For the past 27 years, the Cowboys have not managed to make it out of the divisional round, an unfortunate stretch for a team that has goals to win it all.

    Yahoo Sports’ Jori Epstein wrote that Cowboys owner Jerry Jones told media members that he and the team were “sick” about the loss, a word he used six more times in a 2-minute span.

    Still, he communicated that Sunday’s showing did not deter him from quarterback Dak Prescott or head coach Mike McCarthy.

    “I would like to be right back here [next year] with the same hand, the same opportunity, with Prescott as the quarterback, and go get…

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  • Early look at the top 20 NFL Draft-eligible college football players taking the field in 2023

    Early look at the top 20 NFL Draft-eligible college football players taking the field in 2023

    The deadline for college football players across the country to declare for the 2023 NFL Draft has come and gone. I’m sorry if you intended to throw your name into the mix but slept through your alarm (college kids, am I right?), but it’s too late. Your punishment is that you have to stay in school for another year.

    The NFL’s loss is college football’s gain, however. Some players weren’t eligible for the draft — the NFL has a rule requiring all players to be at least three years out of high school before entering the draft — while others took advantage of name, image and likeness (NIL) opportunities to return for another season. Players return to iron out some kinks in their game and to make actual, legitimate money — perhaps more than they would’ve made as mid to late-round picks.

    Who are the players coming back for another season that will be the talk of the draft process a year from now? I’ve put together a list of 20 names to follow ordered by position. No, I did not include every player in the country, so I’m sorry if the player on your team didn’t make the list. It does not mean I hate them. But I do love these players, so let’s get to them. 

    Caleb Williams, QB, USC: If Williams was eligible to go to the NFL this spring, odds are he’d be the favorite to go No. 1 overall. NFL teams are always looking for comps with prospects, and Williams is truly the most Patrick Mahomes-like quarterback in the college game. That’s not to say he’s as good as, or will be as good as, Mahomes in the NFL. But Williams does a lot of similar things to Mahomes. Oh, and he won the Heisman while playing for a coach in Lincoln Riley who has helped mold multiple Heisman winners and No. 1 draft picks. Rest assured, NFL scouts will spend the next year picking him…

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  • 2023 NFL playoff schedule: Updated bracket, dates, times, TV channel, live stream for championship round

    2023 NFL playoff schedule: Updated bracket, dates, times, TV channel, live stream for championship round

    The NFL playoffs roll on to the conference title games after the defending AFC champion Cincinnati Bengals routed the Buffalo Bills on the road on Sunday and the San Francisco 49ers held off the Dallas Cowboys. 

    The divisional round of the 2023 NFL playoffs kicked off on Saturday as the Kansas City Chiefs and a hobbled Patrick Mahomes held on to beat the Jacksonville Jaguars, 27-20, and the Philadelphia Eagles absolutely destroyed the New York Giants, 38-7. 

    After a week off, each conference’s top-seeded teams entered the fray this weekend and both moved on. The Chiefs, the AFC’s top-seeded team each of the last four years, will now be playing in the AFC Championship Game for a record fifth straight year. On the NFC side, after their convincing win over their rivals, the top-seeded Eagles will be making their first appearance in the NFC title game since the 2017 season. 

    Two more teams look to punch their tickets into the conference championship today.

    This year will mark the fourth Super Bowl played in Arizona and the first since the Patriots rallied to defeat the Seahawks in Super Bowl XLIX. 

    Super Wild Card Weekend

    Saturday, Jan. 14

    (4) 49ers 41, (7) Seahawks 23(4) Jaguars 31, (5) Chargers 30

    Sunday, Jan. 15

    (2) Bills 34, (7) Dolphins 31(6) Giants 31, (3) Vikings 24(3) Bengals 24, (6) Ravens 17

    Monday, Jan. 16

    (5) Cowboys 31, (4) Buccaneers 14 

    Divisional Round

    Saturday, Jan. 21

    (1) Eagles 38, (6) Giants 7(1) Chiefs 27, (4) Jaguars 20

    Sunday, Jan. 22

    (2) 49ers 19, (5) Cowboys 12(3) Bengals 27, (2) Bills 10

    Championship Sunday

    Jan. 29
    NFC Championship
    Eagles vs. 49ers, 3:05 p.m. ET (Fox, stream on fuboTV)

    AFC Championship
    Chiefs vs. Bengals, 6:30 p.m. ET (CBS, stream on Paramount+)

    Super Bowl LVII

    Feb. 12
    AFC champion…

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