The Indianapolis Colts were very aware they were becoming "a punch line" in the NFL ahead of Saturday's game against the Minnesota Vikings, in which they sought to respond.

Remarkably, the AFC South strugglers only made matters worse as they threw away a 33-0 lead in a record-breaking defeat.

The Colts initially had an answer to their critics, building a big lead against the high-flying Vikings on the back of a brilliant first-half defensive performance.

But the latest miserable episode in this Indianapolis season – described as "heartbreaking" by interim coach Jeff Saturday – swiftly followed.

The Vikings rallied for the biggest comeback win in NFL history, first taking the game to overtime via a 22-point fourth quarter before Greg Joseph's field goal clinched victory and the NFC North title.

The Colts had given up 33 points in the fourth quarter of the previous week's defeat to the Dallas Cowboys, a desperate franchise record.

Indy's woes are on both sides of the ball, though, as Frank Reich's firing earlier this year came after a Week 9 loss to the New England Patriots in which 121 yards of total offense represented their worst performance since 1997.

"You give it literally everything you have, you've been through a whole lot of adversity," said Colts linebacker Zaire Franklin.

"We've been hearing everybody talk about us like we're a punch line and we took that very personally. I think you could tell by how we came out and played.

"For the game to go the way it did at the end, it's definitely a tough, tough pill to swallow."

Gareth Southgate will stay on as England manager following a valiant World Cup exit to holders France, with the Three Lions boss set to lead his side through Euro 2024.

The news will undoubtedly please many and frustrate a few others, as the most successful man to lead the men's national team since Alf Ramsey sets his sights on a fourth major tournament.

Despite lacking tangible silverware for his efforts, no manager has come closer to success with them than Southgate for generations, with his side serving up plenty of highs and a handful of lows.

Here, Stats Perform takes a look over some of the defining moments of his tenure in charge – from breaking long-standing national hoodoos, to falling just short of all-time greatness.

Breaking the penalty curse

Heading into their first major tournament under Southgate, expectations were low for England. Dismal campaigns at Brazil 2014 and Euro 2016 were not forgotten, after a placid loss to Belgium wiped out a rout against Panama.

When Colombia stuck late in regular time to force a penalty shoot-out in the last 16, fans were braced for the worst. But Southgate bucked the trend – and put his own demons to rest – as his side held their nerve with a cathartic win on penalties.

Missing the mark in Moscow

Reaching the semi-finals of a World Cup for the first time since 1990, England had transformed the goodwill of a nation back home, and Kieran Trippier's early free-kick gave them the perfect start.

But with an early lead on the board, Southgate's side slipped into defensive inertia rather than chase a second goal – and Ivan Perisic and Mario Mandzukic subsequently struck to deliver the first heartbreak of his tenure.

Nailing the Nations League 

Grouped again with Croatia and a highly fancied Spain side for the inaugural Nations League campaign, England made a rough start, with defeat to La Roja and a draw against their former semi-final foes in 2018.

But a Raheem Sterling double in Seville saw them stun their hosts, before Jesse Lingard and Harry Kane struck late to deliver bedlam at Wembley against Croatia and take the Three Lions to the Finals.

A Dutch downer

But once at the Finals in Portugal, England failed to heed the lessons of Russia, and surrendered an early lead once more against the Netherlands as they lost in the semi-finals.

Though they beat Switzerland on penalties to finish third – and claim their first medal result of Southgate's time in charge – it marked a bittersweet end to what could have been a serious silverware shot.

Euro fever hits

In a pan-continental edition of the delayed 2020 European Championship, England were blessed with home advantage for the majority of their games – and with each successive result, they delivered a shot to Southgate's tenure.

The defensively minded approach of the manager, with a double-pivot in Declan Rice and Kalvin Phillips, proved the perfect counter, and helped them reach the final, with a major win over old enemies Germany on the way.

Heartbreak against Italy

Forever the great "what-if" of the Southgate era, England headed into the final of Euro 2020 as marginal favourites, boosted by home advantage at Wembley and a Luke Shaw goal two minutes only strengthened their belief.

But across an ill-tempered encounter, Leonardo Bonucci's squeaky equaliser forced a shoot-out where the old ghosts reared their heads, as Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka all missed to hand Italy the crown.

Hungary like the wolf

On the back of a brilliant 2021, expectations were high as England entered a World Cup year, and they were favoured to do well in the latest Nations League iteration.

But a double loss to Hungary sunk their chances, and they were ultimately relegated from the top tier of the competition after struggles with Italy and Germany too – possibly the most humiliating moment of Southgate's tenure. 

An early bath in Qatar

With his reputation having been savaged in some quarters over 2022, it may seem weird to consider Qatar 2022 a high-water mark for Southgate – but the fact is it ranks among his most impressive tournament performances.

Incisive, attacking displays against Iran and Wales showcased his side's offensive nous, either side of a stalemate with the United States, as did a win over Senegal in the last 16.

While defeat to France in the quarter-finals was another great "what-if" moment, it marked the first England loss in a major tournament where they went down guns blazing. That points to a bright future – and Southgate may still be the man to harness it best.

Joel Matip has heaped praise on Liverpool team-mate Ibrahima Konate ahead of Sunday's World Cup final between France and Argentina.

Konate has featured in four of France's games en route to the final, earning plaudits for his display in the semi-final win against Morocco after replacing former RB Leipzig centre-back partner Dayot Upamecano.

The 23-year-old has started three games in Qatar and is averaging 6.9 tackles and interceptions per 90 minutes, the most of any player with three or more starts at the 2022 World Cup.

Speaking to Liverpool's official website, Matip added to the praise Konate has been receiving, with the Frenchman having played a big role in the Reds winning the EFL Cup and FA Cup last season after his move from Leipzig.

"He's so young and [he has] so much quality already," Matip said. "He's showed that now again with the national team – with an amazing team. 

"He's shown the class he's got. He's self-confident, nice, and a really kind person.

"Especially [at] this age, it's amazing what he can do. He's strong in challenges, in the air, on the ground, the pace, [he's] comfortable with the ball – it's everything you need [as a defender]."

Konate was among the France players to have suffered from illness in recent days, but reports suggest he has recovered in time to be available for the final against Lionel Messi's Argentina, and Matip said his club team-mates will be rooting for him as the only Liverpool representative involved.

"Of course, he is the only team-mate left, so there is no hard choice for us to make when he is the only one," he said.

"I hope he comes back with a big smile – this will be a win then!"

Gareth Southgate will stay on as England manager through Euro 2024, ending speculation over his future following the Three Lions' quarter-final exit from the World Cup.

Gareth Southgate will stay on as England manager through Euro 2024, ending speculation over his future following the Three Lions' quarter-final exit from the World Cup.

Southgate, who took charge of England in 2016, saw his side eliminated at Qatar 2022 after a 2-1 loss to France in the last eight.

Having previously led England to a semi-final finish at Russia 2018 and the final of Euro 2020, speculation had been rife over whether Southgate would step away from the role.

The 52-year-old said immediately after the France game he would take some time to consider his future.

But the Football Association has now confirmed Southgate will remain in his post for the European Championship in Germany in 18 months' time.

"We are delighted to confirm that Gareth Southgate is continuing as England manager and will lead our Euro 2024 campaign," the FA said in a statement on Sunday.

"Gareth and [assistant manager] Steve Holland have always had our full support, and our planning for the Euros starts now."

Southgate's contract, which he signed last year, expires in December 2024.

England's next match is in Euro 2024 qualifying in March, facing Italy in a repeat of the previous European Championship final.

Although Southgate heads into that qualification campaign still without major silverware, he has overseen more tournament wins than any other England manager.

Deshaun Watson celebrated a "special" home debut for the Cleveland Browns after leading them to victory over the Baltimore Ravens at FirstEnergy Stadium on Saturday.

Watson threw the only touchdown of the 13-3 win with a three-yard pass to Donovan Peoples-Jones in the third quarter, completing 18 of 28 passes for 161 yards with a further 22 rushing yards.

A cold and partially snowy night saw both AFC North rivals struggle to score, but Watson made the difference in his third outing for the Browns and first in Cleveland.

"It was a great, fun game on the lake, especially in the fourth quarter when [the snow] started coming down and swirling around," he said after the win. "It was fun to be out there. My first home game was a victory, and it was special. Many more to come.

"Football is coming back each and every week. I don't need to come in and try to do anything special. If we just come in and I just do my job as a quarterback, then everything is going to come in place."

Cleveland coach Kevin Stefanski was pleased with his quarterback but added Watson still has room for improvement after missing so much football in the past two seasons.

"He was seeing [the field] very clearly," Stefanski said. "I thought he was very poised and making good decisions.

"There are always plays that I know he can be better, I can be better, we can design better plays and all of those type of things, but I know I continue to see a guy who is just getting better and better."

The win moved the Browns to 6-8, still just about in playoff contention ahead of Watson's second home game against the New Orleans Saints next Saturday.

The Buffalo Bills had to give "everything" to rally past the Miami Dolphins and clinch their playoff berth, but Josh Allen's heroics were of no surprise to his team-mates.

The Bills led their AFC East rivals 21-13 at halftime but were then 29-21 down in the fourth quarter, requiring quarterback Allen to step up.

In snowy conditions, his 44-yard run ignited a drive that ended with a two-point conversion to tie the game, although Buffalo soon faced giving the ball back to the Dolphins with time on the clock.

Instead, Allen led his team 65 yards up the field on a 15-play drive that used up all of the remaining time and put Tyler Bass in position to kick the decisive field goal.

An exhausting effort was rewarded with a playoff berth and left coach Sean McDermott "humbled".

"It took everything we had to pull this one out tonight," he said. "It just makes it special.

"It's humbling. Really, that's how I feel about it. Humbled to be a part of it in this great town that doesn't get as much credit as it deserves, honestly.

"And the fans, I mean, this place is unique. So, just awesome. Awesome."

Allen is similarly unique, according to his team-mates.

"He makes plays that I've never seen before," said tight end Dawson Knox, who caught the final TD pass of the game. "Sometimes you kind of turn into a fan while you're watching him.

"Unfortunately, I was under a 300-pound 3-technique on that play that he reached the ball over on the two points, so I didn't see it until we saw the JumboTron.

"But I've talked about it before. It's not even surprising at this point. You're just like, 'oh, there's Josh being Josh again'.

"He's the best quarterback in the league, the best football player in the league. So, anytime you've got him on your team, you've got a chance to win."

The Bills have made the postseason for a fourth straight year, but they have not been back to the Super Bowl since losing four in a row in the early 1990s.

"You can't win the Super Bowl unless you make the playoffs," added Allen. "So, that's goal number one down. Goal number two now is to clinch the division. That's how we'll take it.

"We'll take it one game at a time. Be ready for next week."

Devin Booker credited his determination to get out of a recent "slump" for his electric performance in the Phoenix Suns' win against the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday.

The Suns trailed by 24 points at one stage at Footprint Center, before surging back to win 118-114, with Booker's incessant shooting a key feature.

The 26-year-old scored 58 points, making 21 of 35 field goal attempts, six of 12 from beyond the arc and 10 of 15 from the foul line.

Booker had not topped 20 points in his previous five games but was determined to be the difference against New Orleans.

"I was just making shots, man," he said after the win. "I've been in a bit of a slump and just gotta keep shooting. That's what I live by. I was put in the right situations to make the right plays.

"I usually just want to make the right play every time, but once I get it going a little bit, you know shooting over a hand, it is the right play."

At one point, Booker scored 25 consecutive points for Phoenix to bring the deficit down to just one midway through the fourth quarter.

Monty Williams was understandably impressed with Booker, claiming he as his coach was "the only person that could've stopped him tonight... by taking him out the game".

Chris Paul, who himself scored 18 along with eight assists and five rebounds, praised Booker for rising to the challenge as the Pelicans sought to slow him.

"I don't take it for granted," Paul said. "I know how hard it is. Having games similar to that, not 58, but when you've just got it going like that and you just want the ball and you know every time you're going to make it a play.

"So, I appreciate it, because I know how hard it is to consistently do that when everybody on the court knows you're going to get the ball."

Tiger Woods praised his "great team-mate" as he and son Charlie started their PNC Championship strongly on Saturday.

Competing for a third year at the tournament where professional golfers play alongside family members, Woods and his son carded a 13-under 59, sitting in joint-second place alongside Vijay and Qass Singh and two shots behind leaders Justin and Mike Thomas.

Woods, a 15-time major winner, suffered serious leg injuries in a car crash in early 2021 and has struggled through 2022, only playing a handful of events since missing the cut at The Open Championship in July.

Speaking to the media after their round, Tiger was pleased with their performance and grateful to share the course again with Charlie.

"We had a blast slaying it today," he said. "All day we were after it, and we didn't get off to a great start, but we made some birdies, an eagle and got rolling and really got into it, which was awesome. 

"And to be able to share it with Charlie and to be able to share it with the Thomases and the whole family... just an incredible day."

Charlie added, like father like son, he had been playing through injury as well, saying his "ankle has been a little iffy, but it's just been really fun playing with Dad".

A case of plantar fasciitis saw Woods senior withdraw from the Hero World Challenge earlier this month, before he returned to partner Rory McIlroy in The Match.

When 13-year-old Charlie was asked how he felt his father had played, Tiger interjected to jokingly say "no comment", before more sincerely adding: "[Charlie is] a great team-mate. He's my son.

"We have fun out there. At the end of the day, that's what it's all about. It's about us having an opportunity to bond. We do this at home all the time, and you guys are now seeing what we do all the time at home.

"We just have fun. We needle each other. We encourage each other. It goes back and forth. It's just an amazing relationship, and it just deepens the bond between father and son. It's been incredible over the years to be able to share this stage and this atmosphere with him."

All-Star Ja Morant was left fuming after being ejected for the second time in the last month as the Memphis Grizzlies went down 115-109 to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Morant was thrown out of the game just before half-time after two technical fouls within 11 seconds, firstly for a profanity when complaining about a no-call before allegedly questioning the integrity of the referee.

The Grizzlies guard apparently made derogatory remarks about the officials to Grizzlies fans courtside, leading to his ejection from referee Ray Acosta.

Crew chief John Goble said Morant's first technical was "for use of profanity directed at an official" followed by the second technical "for making a comment questioning the integrity of an official."

Morant, who was also ejected from a game against the Minnesota Timberwolves on November 30 and fined $35,000 for criticising officials, was left bemused by the ejection on court before eventually walking off.

"I got my first tech for saying I got hit in my [expletive] face. Didn't curse at him,'' Morant said after the game.

"Another situation where he's in my conversation and I get another tech for talking with a fan. I feel like when these fans came here, went online to buy these tickets, they didn't say Ray [Acosta's] name to come watch."

When asked if he felt he was being singled out by officials, Morant added: "I don't know. Probably so. [They] probably don't like me."

Morant only played 16 minutes of the game, scoring six points on three-of-10 shooting from the field, giving up two turnovers and going none-of-three from beyond the arc.

Five wickets from Pat Cummins helped Australia to a six-wicket victory against South Africa in the first Test at The Gabba inside two days.

Having only managed 152 in the first innings on day one, the tourists had an even worse time with the bat on day two as Australia bowled them out again for just 99, with Cummins taking 5-42.

With the hosts resuming their first innings on 145-5, South Africa appeared to have worked their way back into the contest when they mopped up the remaining five wickets for a further 73 runs, and a total of 218.

Marco Jansen claimed the wicket of Cameron Green (18) before ending Travis Head's innings at 92 after forcing the slightest of glove touches to Kyle Verreynne.

Mitchell Starc was caught and bowled by Lungi Ngidi for 14 before Kagiso Rabada cleaned up the tail by dismissing Cummins and Nathan Lyon for ducks.

However, South Africa's batting problems continued as Sarel Erwee (3) Dean Elgar (2) and Rassie van der Dussen (0) all fell early again, reducing them to 5-3.

Temba Bavuma (29) and Khaya Zondo (36 not out) put up some resistance, but after the former fell, only Keshav Maharaj (16) made double figures, with Cummins following up the wicket of both openers by cleaning up the tail of Rabada (3), Anrich Nortje (0) and Ngidi (9) to complete a five-for.

The pitch continued to trouble the batsmen though as the hosts laboured to a modest target of 34, with Usman Khawaja (2) hitting a Rabada delivery straight to Maharaj at gully.

Rabada (4-13) was doing his best to make Australia work for it, also taking the wickets of David Warner (3), Steve Smith (6) and Head (0) as they were reduced to 24-4, but a pair of high wides that raced to the boundary from him and then Nortje helped see Australia home.

Deadly Cummins takes advantage of sorry Proteas

This makes it six Test innings that South Africa have failed to reach 200 runs, and in fact, even failing to make 100 in their second effort in Brisbane, which will have been extra frustrating after keeping their opponents to a first innings lead of just 61.

Cummins led the way in the second innings though, and although he conceded almost half of the tourists' runs, he also took half the wickets as Australia gave themselves a tiny target to chase for victory.

300 up for Starc

Starc ended on 299 Test wickets after the first innings, and was clearly desperate to reach a treble century once the second began.

He had it early on when a trademark inswinging delivery flew between bat and pad to dismiss Van der Dussen and made him the seventh Australian to reach 300 in Test cricket, doing so on the same ground where he claimed his first wicket of Brendon McCullum in 2011.

India beat Bangladesh by 188 runs in Chattogram to complete a dominant victory in the first Test.

A contest that had been largely dominated by India was never in doubt on day five, with the hosts needing another 241 runs with just four wickets remaining, Bangladesh could only add a further 52 runs as India bowled them out for 324.

Chasing a huge target of 513 at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, few would have expected the Tigers to muster much of a charge towards it, and Mehidy Hasan Miraz was walking back to the pavilion for 13 after Mohammed Siraj delivered a length ball that he tried to drive, only to find Umesh Yadav at backward point.

Captain Shakib Al Hasan was trying to put on a show at least, adding four more sixes to the two he hit on day four, before he finally fell to Kuldeep Yadav, bowled after trying a sweep shot for 84.

Kuldeep also dismissed Ebadot Hossain (0) before things were wrapped up when Axar Patel bowled Taijul Islam (4).

After the win was sewn up, India captain KL Rahul praised his team, admitting they were made to work hard even if the win was never really in doubt.

"It was a hard-fought Test, and I'm really happy we won," he said. "The pitch did flatten out, it did worry us, but in the first few innings it was difficult to get runs."

Shakib credited the victors and admitted that his team had not done enough with the bat. 

"It was a good wicket to bat on, but we didn't bat well [in the first innings]," he said. "There should be no excuse. Lots of credit to India, as they created pressure."

The second Test begins in Mirpur on Thursday.

Kuldeep dominates with the ball

A fully deserved man-of-the-match award for the 28-year-old spinner Kuldeep, with final match figures of 8-113. Bangladesh just could not deal with Kuldeep, who also hit 40 with the bat in the first innings.

Patel continues to shine

Axar Patel took 4-77 in the second innings, and has now claimed 44 wickets after just seven Tests, the most by an Indian in the men's game after that number of matches, overtaking Ravichandran Ashwin's total of 43 wickets.