Ockie Strydom clinched his maiden victory on the European Tour on Sunday, as the South African held off the challenge of Adrian Otaegui to win the Alfred Dunhill Championship on home soil.
Strydom matched Scott Jamieson's course-record 63 in Saturday's third round at Leopard Creek Country Club to join the Scot in a share of the lead ahead of the final day.
However, Jamieson tailed off badly by carding a four-over-par 76 on Sunday, leaving Otaegui as Strydom's closest competitor ahead of a tense finish.
Laurie Canter set the clubhouse target when he moved to 15-under with a terrific 64, but Otaegui looked set to take the spoils when Strydom double-bogeyed the ninth, allowing the Spaniard to draw level.
However, Strydom recovered with four birdies in five holes to retake the lead, leaving Otaegui in his wake.
Having established a three-shot advantage with two holes to play, the 37-year-old made sure of his victory with a simple putt on the 18th, clinching his first title on the tour.
Six South African players found themselves in the top 10 by the end of the final round, with Louis Oosthuizen among them after claiming a share of seventh place.
Tiger Woods fell to a 3 and 2 loss alongside Rory McIlroy on his return to the course, after the pair were downed by Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas in The Match.
The 15-time major winner partnered the world number one, friend and fellow PGA flagbearer for the televised exhibition contest, played over 12 holes at Pelican Golf Club in Florida.
The event, which raised money for Hurricane Ian relief efforts, is the third edition of the event, with Woods a mainstay of the competition.
But having sat out the Hero World Challenge through injury last week due to plantar fasciitis, the 46-year-old and his partner were outmatched across the contest.
Spieth and Thomas took the second, third and fourth holes to race into an early lead, and although Woods and McIlroy pulled back the seventh, the former pair restored their advantage on the eighth.
It marked a good-natured battle between the four, who have emerged as major players on the PGA Tour following a slate of defections to the breakaway LIV Golf tour.
Woods and McIlroy in particular have been vocal critics of the Saudi-funded series of events, which have attracted several of the sport's best players and sparked a bitter civil war in golf.
The duo have suggested reconciliation could be possible, but only if LIV Golf figurehead Greg Norman was to relinquish his position as CEO and stand down.
Woods will next play in the PNC Championship later this month, where he is expected to partner his son Charlie at the family event.
Chicago Bulls coach Billy Donovan was magnanimous in victory after his side inflicted a 144-115 rout upon a Dallas Mavericks team missing star man Luka Doncic.
The hosts ran rampant across a record-breaking first half, posting their highest points haul in franchise history with 82 at United Center.
DeMar DeRozan led the individual efforts with a 28-point haul, but it was a concentrated team performance as the Bulls backed up their prior win over the Washington Wizards.
The Mavericks were stung without Doncic, who was ruled out ahead of the match with a quad strain, and Donovan acknowledged his side's opponents had enjoyed less-than-ideal preparations for their matchup.
"Clearly, they had a tough game against Milwaukee and then a tough turnaround, and [with] some integral players out," he stated.
"But for us, I thought we generated good shots, found the open man, spaced the floor well. I think there's always things you can take from these games."
In addition to Doncic, the Mavericks were missing Maxi Kleber and Josh Green, with the pair also ruled out following Friday's one-point loss to the Bucks.
Meanwhile, the Bulls produced impressive displays across the board, with DeRozan one of seven players to post double-figure hauls.
"We scored 144 points, and it was spread around," Donovan added. "Zach [LaVine] and DeMar are unselfish players, and it gets other guys involved.
"It's not that we've got to lead the league in three-point shots, [it is] just that there are opportunities for us to take more threes that are good shots. I thought we did a good job taking the ones we should take tonight."
Steve Kerr acknowledged the Golden State Warriors "needed a game like that" after they ran out 123-107 victors over the Boston Celtics.
A Klay Thompson-inspired attack snapped a two-game losing run on their home patch, in a rematch of last season's Finals series.
It saw the Warriors move to 14-13 for the season and takes them eighth in the Western Conference after handing the Celtics just their sixth loss of the season.
With his side in need of a morale boost on the court, head coach Kerr acknowledged the performance will have done wonders for their confidence following a tough few matches.
"I thought we needed a game like that," he stated. "We've been a little bit stuck in the mud. The crowd was excited, we were excited.
"The feeling of going against the team you just played in the Finals, especially with the way they've played this year [and being able to win]. They've just been so good, so dominant."
While Thompson and Stephen Curry fronted up with hauls of 34 and 32 points respectively, it was the defensive performance of Jonathan Kuminga that drew plaudits from his coach and team-mates.
"I thought JK was great," Kerr added. "His athleticism and size and strength [is terrific]. To be able to bring him off the bench and put him on for either [Jaylen] Brown or [Jayson] Tatum [is great].
"JK has really helped solidify our defense and given us another weapon [where] we can put on the best players on the opponent."
UFC 282 was unable to crown a new light heavyweight champion on Saturday with a tough five-round split draw in the main event between former champion Jan Blachowicz and Magomed Ankalaev in Las Vegas.
Blachowicz had appeared to concede defeat immediately after the fight by raising Ankalaev's hand, but it was deemed a split draw by the three judges with Mike Bell and Derek Cleary going either way and Sal D'Amato scoring it 47-47.
Ankalaev, who was on a nine-fight winning streak, finished the stronger of the two, with his final-round score ensuring the split decision. The Dagestani was dismayed that he was not awarded the win by the judges.
"I don't know what to say," Ankalaev said through a translator. "I won that fight. Why didn't I get my belt? I don't know what to say.
"I don't know if I'm going to fight for this organization again, because I don't know what just happened."
Blachowicz said he had not done enough himself to win the fight and returned to the cage to call for the UFC to "give the belt to Magomed Ankalaev".
"I have to watch the fight, but for sure I didn't win," the Pole said. "I don't know if I lost the fight, but I'm not the winner."
The bout was full of momentum swings with Ankalaev going with a wrestling strategy from the fourth round, having hurt his lead right leg in the second round from Blachowicz kicks.
Ankalaev out-landed Blachowicz 191-79 in total strikes and 78-55 in significant strikes.
UFC president Dana White announced after the fight that Glover Teixeira would take on Jamahal Hill for the vacant light heavyweight title at UFC 283 next month in Brazil.
There was also controversy in the main card lightweight fight won by Paddy Pimblett over Jared Gordon, with the Englishman winning by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28).
Gordon won total strikes 100-97 and successfully completed three takedowns, yet Pimblett had the decision go his way.
"Coming into the third I knew I won the first two rounds easily," Pimblett said after the fight.
When asked if it was close, he added: "No it wasn’t, that wasn't close."
Earlier, Mexican 18-year-old Raul Rosas Jr triumphed as he became the youngest fighter ever to compete in the UFC, beating Jay Perrin with a first-round submission in the bantamweight during the preliminary cards.
Terence Crawford declined to commit to fighting Errol Spence Jr but is open to it after beating David Avanesyan with a sixth-round knockout shot to defend his WBO welterweight world title on Saturday.
Crawford was far too good for Avanesyan in Omaha, further enhancing the appetite for a unification showdown with IBF, WBA and WBC claimant Spence.
The 35-year-old southpaw reportedly agreed terms with Spence in September for a November fight which never materialised, while many expected Saturday's bout with WBO number six contender Avanesyan to be lopsided.
"Listen, I'm a free agent, this was a one-fight deal," Crawford said after Saturday's win when asked about the prospect of fighting Spence.
"Hopefully we can go [back] to the drawing board and these big fights come about in the near future."
Spence was involved in a two-vehicle accident on Saturday where he was not at fault but thankfully escaped relatively unscathed.
Crawford added about his rival: "I wish him well. I hope he’s alright - mentally, physically and emotionally. This is just a sport. We're all fighting for that number one spot, so it ain’t personal."
The American knocked Avanesyan out after a strong burst in the sixth round, landing a left-handed uppercut followed by a short left uppercut-right hook combination to seal victory.
The win meant the WBO world welterweight champion made his sixth straight defence and recorded his 10th straight knockout. It also improved his overall record to 39-0.
Splash brothers Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson combined for 66 points as the Golden State Warriors claimed arguably their best win of the season, beating the Boston Celtics 123-107 on Saturday.
The Celtics had won eight of their past nine games, including a statement win over the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday, but the reigning champions shut down the NBA's number one offensive team while the splash brothers were on song.
Curry finished with 32 points including six-of-11 from beyond the arc, with four off the dribble, while Thompson scored a game-high 34 points with four triples. The Warriors are 14-0 all-time when Curry and Thompson both score 30-plus points.
It was a rare night of frustration for the NBA-leading Celtics, who fall to 21-6 overall, with Jayson Tatum kept to 18 points with seven rebounds, two assists and three steals. Jaylen Brown scored a team-high 31 points.
Curry and Thompson led the way, but center Kevon Looney pulled down 15 rebounds while Jordan Poole added 20 points.
The win means the Warriors are 12-2 at Chase Center this season and have won 11 of their past 17 games, improving to 14-13 overall.
Thomas stars as short-handed Nets claim shock win
The short-handed Brooklyn Nets recorded an admirable 136-133 victory over the Indiana Pacers, with Cam Thomas coming off the bench to score a career-high 33 points.
The Nets were without eight players, including All-Stars Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and Ben Simmons, but Thomas stepped up along with Australian guard Patty Mills with 24 points, six rebounds and six assists.
Tyrese Haliburton scored 35 points for the Pacers, but Thomas and Mills were crucial in the fourth quarter, as the Nets made it three straight wins and six from their past seven games.
Jokic records triple-double in Nuggets victory
Nikola Jokic led the Denver Nuggets to a 115-110 win over the Utah Jazz with his fourth triple-double of the season and 80th of his NBA career.
Jokic finished with 31 points, 12 rebounds and 14 assists in a dominant display that helped the Nugs improve their record to 15-10.
Jamal Murray supported the reigning MVP well, with 30 points, four rebounds and five assists.
Luka Doncic will not play for the Dallas Mavericks against the Chicago Bulls after he was ruled out with a right quad strain following Friday's loss to the Milwaukee Bucks.
The three-time All-Star, who currently leads the NBA for points per game with a 32.9 average this season and sits second on the scoring charts outright, complained of pain during his side's 106-105 defeat.
With a three-game home run set to start on Monday against the Oklahoma City Thunder, the call has been made to keep Doncic sidelined for this weekend's trip to United Center.
It is not yet known if there is further reason to be concerned for the point guard, who has been in scintillating form across the campaign so far.
In addition to Doncic, Maxi Kleber and Josh Green will miss Saturday's match with the Bulls, after they also picked up injuries against the Bucks at American Airlines Center.
The forward is out with right foot soreness, while the guard has suffered a right elbow sprain.
The Mavericks arrive in Chicago having suffered their first loss in four, with defeat to the Bucks snapping a three-game victorious run over the New York Knicks, the Phoenix Suns and the Denver Nuggets.
Doncic has topped the points chart for his team in all but one of those games, scoring 33 on Friday in addition to 11 assists and six rebounds.
His efforts have guided the Mavericks to seventh in the Western Conference this season, with a 13-12 winning record to date.
The New Orleans Saints, two of their coaches and defensive end Cameron Jordan were fined a total of $550,000 by the NFL for allegedly delaying gameplay by faking an injury.
The Saints have denied any wrongdoing and are appealing the fines.
The incident in question occurred in the fourth quarter of the Saints' 17-16 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday. Jordan took a knee and pointed to his left foot, forcing Tom Brady and the Buccaneers' offense to pause before a fourth-and-10 play. After the delay, Tampa Bay chose to punt.
The league alleges Jordan faked an injury to prevent the Buccaneers from snapping the ball, levying fines of $50,000 each to Jordan and defensive line coach Ryan Nielsen. Saints head coach Dennis Allen was fined $100,000, while the organisation faces a bill of $350,000.
"The New Orleans Saints deny any allegations of purposefully delaying the game on Monday evening," the team said in a statement on Saturday.
The statement goes on to explain that Jordan had his foot examined and taped before he finished the game.
"[Jordan] had an MRI performed the following day in New Orleans and was confirmed that he suffered an acute mid-foot sprain in his left foot. He has been at the facility each day receiving treatment for his injury he suffered on the play.
"The Saints will appeal the fines through the proper channels and believe the allegations will be proved incorrect."
All 32 teams were sent a memo on December 2 reminding them of rules prohibiting taking advantage of a stoppage in play, according to NFL.com.
Cincinnati Bengals safety Jessie Bates is also appealing a fine of $50,000 for a similar alleged infraction during last Sunday's 27-24 win over the Kansas City Chiefs.
Jordan called the fines “ridiculous” on Twitter and expressed his cynicism with the NFL’s process for enforcement.
"Are fines made by nfl open to public? I just feel like this should be public knowledge," Jordan's tweet read. "Cause some of the fines are silly but this [one]… ridiculous. Anyways & for what a 'deliberate action to delay game' before a [team] punts?"
Darvin Ham credited the Los Angeles Lakers' resolve after they fell to a 133-122 loss against the Philadelphia 76ers, praising his team for refusing to fold.
The Lakers fought back multiple times over the course of the game to ultimately force overtime at 120 apiece, before their hosts eked out victory at the Wells Fargo Center.
A 31-point haul for Anthony Davis, aided by 25 for Austin Reaves and 23 for LeBron James, was not enough for the Lakers to stave off a third consecutive defeat.
However, Ham was in a bullish mood when quizzed on his team's performance, saying there were plenty of positives to take away despite their stinging reverse.
"We can get better from this," he stated. "I told the team, as disappointed as I am that we didn't get the win, I still can have a good meal and sleep like a baby tonight because of the way we competed.
"We did not quit, we did not give up. There was a point in the game where we could've just folded our tent.
"But we kept scratching away, kept digging deep, kept making plays one stop after another one and put ourselves in a position to win the game."
Meanwhile, 76ers coach Doc Rivers said his side rallied well to seize victory after letting their initial lead slip on several occasions.
"We will take the win," he added. "Usually when you give up a lead like that, to gather yourself and play well in overtime is rare."
The Lakers will round off their road stretch against the Detroit Pistons on Sunday, before heading home to face the Boston Celtics.
No De'Aaron Fox, no worries for the Sacramento Kings, as they defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 106-95 on the road to improve their record to 14-10.
Fox leads the Kings in scoring at 22.8 points per game and could be on track for his first All-Star appearance, but he missed just his second game of the season on Friday with right foot soreness.
His absence was balanced out by the Cavaliers missing Donovan Mitchell, but with the Cavaliers still rolling out All-Stars Darius Garland and Jarrett Allen, as well as Rookie of the Year runner-up Evan Mobley, they still had more than enough firepower.
But, lacking a true number-one scoring option, the Kings turned the contest into a slow, low-scoring grind, relying on excellent outside shooting to maximise their limited possessions and pull away with a 27-15 fourth quarter, including a 19-0 run to end the game.
Four of the Kings starters scored at least 18 points each, with Harrison Barnes' 20 points finishing as a team-high, while Domantas Sabonis played a superb all-round game to post 18 points, 18 rebounds, six assists, three steals and two blocks.
As a team, Sacramento shot 16-of-33 (48.5 per cent) from three-point range, and six of those makes came from rookie Keegan Murray, scoring all 18 of his points from beyond the arc on just eight attempts.
Speaking after the game, head coach Mike Brown spoke about how it feels to take a road win against the team sitting third in the Eastern Conference.
"That was a big, big, big-time win for us," he said. "When you get a win like that on the road, that’s a sign you have a really good team.
"Now, I hope I’m not jumping the gun on that, but this was my favourite game of the season."
Harrison Barnes added: "To come here after losing to Milwaukee, we kind of wanted to make a statement – and we did."
The Kings have now won 11 of their past 15 games, and have a chance to break into the top-four in the Western Conference if they can handle their business in Madison Square Garden against the New York Knicks on Sunday.
Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving eclipsed 30 points each in the Brooklyn Nets' 120-116 home win over the Atlanta Hawks on Friday.
It was also the return of Ben Simmons after a five-game stint on the sidelines, starting and contributing six points, seven assists, six rebounds and four steals in 21 productive minutes.
Durant top-scored with 34 points on 14-of-25 shooting, while Irving was just as good, scoring 33 on 11-of-21 shooting while chipping in 11 rebounds.
Mostly known for his offense, Durant blocked two shots, raising his season average to 1.7 per game – the eighth-best figure in the league.
Trae Young was solid for the Hawks with 33 points (12-of-25 shooting) and nine assists, but he committed a game-high eight turnovers. He is the only player in the NBA averaging at least 25 points (27.2) and nine assists (9.5).
With the win, the Nets have now taken six of their past seven, improving their record to 15-12 after starting the season 1-5.
Pelicans stay top of the West
Entering the game as the top two teams in the Western Conference, the New Orleans Pelicans rode a terrific Zion Williamson performance to a 128-117 win against the Phoenix Suns.
Williamson was unstoppable offensively, scoring a game-high 35 points on 13-of-17 shooting, adding seven rebounds and four assists. Of his 20 games this season, it is the ninth time he has scored at least 25 points on 60 per cent shooting.
There are 14 players shooting 59 per cent or better from the field this season, and of those, only Anthony Davis is averaging more field goal attempts per game (17.5) than Williamson's 15.4.
Embiid's early dominance almost goes to waste
Joel Embiid tied the Los Angeles Lakers' whole team in the first quarter with 20 points each, but the Philadelphia 76ers needed an overtime period to come away with a 133-122 win.
Embiid was eight-of-nine from the field in the first quarter for his 20 points, going on to finish with 38 on 14-of-19 shooting, 12 rebounds and five assists. Teammate De'Anthony Melton helped out with a career-high 33 points on 11-of-16 shooting, hitting eight of his 12 three-point attempts.
Anthony Davis continued his strong form with 31 points (nine-of-13 shooting) and 12 rebounds, but he missed a potential go-ahead free throw in the final seconds, before the Lakers were outscored 13-2 in overtime.
Julius Randle looks back to his best as he led the New York Knicks to a 121-102 victory against the Charlotte Hornets on Friday for his side's third consecutive win.
Randle, 28, is slowly rediscovering the form that saw him named to the All-NBA Second Team for the 2020-21 season, rebounding from a slow start to this campaign.
After averaging 18.3 points on 43.8 per cent shooting in October, Randle raised that to 22.2 points per game at 47.1 per cent shooting in November, before taking another step forward in the Knicks' current December winning streak.
In the Knicks' three wins this month, Randle is averaging 25.3 points, 10.3 rebounds and 4.0 assists while shooting 47.2 per cent from the field and 37.0 per cent from deep on a gaudy nine attempts per contest.
He had a game-high 33 points against the Hornets, hitting four-of-10 from three-point range, while R.J. Barrett produced an efficient 26 points (nine-of-18 shooting) and Jalen Brunson set it all up with 11 points and 11 assists.
Speaking to the media after the game, Barrett kept it short and to the point when hyping up Randle.
"He's cooking," he said. "We need him to keep doing that."
Head coach Tom Thibodeau was willing to expand further on what exactly has changed in Randle's play, and he pointed to his overall effort, including the plays that do not make the highlight reel.
"[Randle] had a play where he was behind the play, beat everyone down the floor, pulled everyone in, and we ended up getting a three on it," he said. "There’s no stat for that, other than it helps you create rhythm for your team.
"He’s made several plays like that when he’s getting double-teams, getting off the ball, moving without the ball, he’s screening off the ball. He’s playing a great all-around game.
"I think that helps set the tone for the team. I thought we played very unselfishly."
Randle believes his terrific form is primarily about his mindset.
"I'm just being aggressive and taking what the defense is giving me," he said. "I'm playing with confidence.
"It's a lot of fun and everybody is in a rhythm. The energy is contagious."
The Knicks have now pulled their record even at 13-13, and are tied with the Atlanta Hawks for the seventh-best record in the Eastern Conference.
Lamar Jackson is listed as doubtful for the Baltimore Ravens' clash with the Pittsburgh Steelers, and his prospective absence spells trouble for the AFC North leaders.
Jackson was knocked out of last week's win over the Denver Broncos because of a knee injury, which has kept him out of practice all week.
The Ravens listed him as doubtful on Friday, meaning backup Tyler Huntley will likely get the start for 8-4 Baltimore.
History says the Ravens will find victory difficult to come by against Pittsburgh without their former MVP quarterback, even against a 5-7 Steelers team that is a shadow of the former AFC powerhouse it once was.
Indeed, since drafting Jackson in 2018, the Ravens are 45-16 (73.8 win percentage) in games started by Jackson and 6-10 (37.5%) when anyone else starts at quarterback.
And, though the Steelers appear unlikely to make the playoffs, the Ravens are facing Pittsburgh likely without Jackson at a time when their arch rivals are showing signs of life.
The Steelers have won three of their past four games and have not committed a turnover in that stretch. It is the Steelers' longest such streak since turnovers have been tracked in 1950.
Mike Tomlin's Steelers have the edge in recent matchups with the Ravens. They are on a four-game win streak against the Ravens with all four wins coming by five or fewer points.
Only two matchups in NFL history have seen a team beat another five straight times all by fewer than six points (Philadelphia vs. Washington – six, 1992-95 and Raiders vs. Denver – five, 1989-1991).
Past performance from the Ravens suggests Huntley will not be able to end that run. With the Bengals (8-4) breathing down their neck in the division, there is huge onus on him to throw the formbook out of the window in a tough road matchup.
The Utah Jazz will receive a boost for Friday's home game against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the form of Mike Conley Jr's return from a nine-game injury absence.
Conley, 35, has not played since November 19, when he left the floor against the Portland Trail Blazers after only playing nine minutes, going on to be diagnosed with a strained muscle near his left knee.
An All-Star in 2021, Conley is posting his lowest point average (10.2 per game) since his rookie season, although his 7.9 assists per game is a new career-high in his 16th campaign.
Speaking to reporters after Friday's shootaround, he implied he was not yet at full capacity, but that the only way he is going to get to that point is by returning to game-speed.
"I've been working, and we're still working through some things, but the only way to get through it is to kind of work your way back in it and test the water," he said.
After trading away franchise players Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell in the offseason, it was meant to be a rough rebuilding year for the Jazz, but they have defied expectations up to this point and sit sixth in the Western Conference at 15-13.
The Cleveland Cavaliers have given their leading scorer Donovan Mitchell the night off Friday, opting to rest the three-time All-Star against the Sacramento Kings on the first night of a home back-to-back.
Mitchell has been nursing an ankle injury for weeks after initially spraining it against the Golden State Warriors on November 11, before tweaking it again on November 28 against the Toronto Raptors.
He missed one game following the Warriors injury, and did not miss any time following the aggravation against the Raptors, averaging 33.3 points per game in the Cavs' three contests leading up to Friday.
But after listing him as questionable for the meeting against the Kings, Cleveland have opted to play it safe and give their new superstar a rest day. Mitchell will likely return for Saturday's home fixture against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Suiting up for 23 of the Cavs' 25 games this season, Mitchell's 29 points per game is the seventh-highest figure in the league, and a new career-high after being traded from the Utah Jazz in the offseason for a bevy of draft picks.
His 42.4 per cent three-point shooting on 9.1 attempts per game has him as one of the league's best shooters this season, as only Stephen Curry (43.2 per cent on 11.8 attempts) is eclipsing 40 per cent on at least nine attempts per game.
Starting in his place will be Caris LeVert, who is averaging 12.1 points, 5.1 assists and 4.9 rebounds in his 14 starts this campaign, while All-Star point guard Darius Garland will be tasked with an increased scoring burden.
Having helped the San Francisco 49ers past the Miami Dolphins after stepping in for an injured Jimmy Garoppolo, rookie quarterback Brock Purdy faces the considerable challenge of beating Tom Brady in his first start.
With Garoppolo described as having a "way outside chance" of returning for the playoffs after breaking his foot, the 8-4 Niners' Super Bowl hopes rest in part on the shoulders of a seventh-round pick, who was taken with the final selection of the 2022 draft.
The historical omens for a San Francisco victory in Purdy's first start are very good.
The Buccaneers have a 3-12 (.250) all-time record on the road against the 49ers. Among those with at least five all-time road games versus the Niners, no team has a worse record there than Tampa Bay.
San Francisco's prospects of improving their already extremely impressive home record against Brady, playing on the road against the Niners for only the second time his glittering career, hinge not only on Purdy, but also a stacked cast of offensive weapons and the NFL's best defense.
Arguably the leading light among those weapons is a player they only acquired in October.
Running back Christian McCaffrey made his first start for the Niners following his trade from the Carolina Panthers in a Week 8 win over the Los Angeles Rams.
Since that first start, McCaffrey has 67 rushes for 269 yards and 31 catches for 258 yards.
He is one of two NFL players over that span with 60+ rushes and 30+ receptions (Rhamondre Stevenson being the other).
McCaffrey will likely continue to see a significant number of touches as the primary safety net for Purdy, who will also have significant support from a defense that forced four turnovers against one of the NFL's most explosive offenses in the win over Miami.
The 49ers prevailed 33-17 in that Week 13 clash. They have won five straight games while holding opponents to 17 or fewer points in each contest. It is the fourth such streak in team history, and the first since a six-game streak in the 1992 season.
With Tampa Bay averaging just 18.1 points per game, the 49ers should be confident of limiting Brady and Co.
Even if they do so, they may still need Purdy to ensure the game is not close in the fourth quarter, Brady having led the Bucs back from a 13-point deficit in the final period against the New Orleans Saints on Monday.
Brady has thrown nine of his 16 touchdowns (56.3 per cent) in the fourth quarter this season. Among 27 quarterbacks with at least 10 passing touchdowns this season, Brady is the only one with at least half of his touchdowns coming in the final frame.
The San Francisco 49ers looked destined to contend for a Super Bowl because of their astute move to invest in a quarterback insurance policy for Trey Lance.
Now with Jimmy Garoppolo, whom they kept around after attempting to trade away, likely also on the shelf for the rest of the season with a broken foot, the NFL world is left wondering whether one of the best rosters in the league can still go deep in the postseason with rookie seventh-round pick Brock Purdy at quarterback.
The early signs are promising, with Purdy stepping in for Garoppolo against the Miami Dolphins in Week 13 and producing a composed display in a 33-17 win that pushed the Niners' record to 8-4.
An enforced switch from Garoppolo to Purdy, the last pick in this year's draft, is an obvious downgrade, but how does it impact the 49ers' hopes of reaching the playoffs and Super Bowl?
Stats Perform can answer that question by looking at its rest-of-season (ROS) projection.
To generate the ROS predictions, every future game is projected to give a predicted win percentage for each team across its remaining games. The projections are calculated by looking at each team's quarterback and performance in terms of yards added in expected passing situations as well as team values for pass protection/pass rush, skill position players/coverage defenders and run blocking/run defense.
The projected win percentages are then aggregated to produce the forecasted standings, which suggest all is not lost for the 49ers.
Still Purdy Good
Purdy was poised, decisive and accurate after replacing Garoppolo, fostering hope he can help keep the 49ers in the Super Bowl hunt despite his inexperience at the highest level.
The ROS projection does not see the Niners winning the Super Bowl, giving San Francisco less than a one per cent chance to lift the Lombardi Trophy with Purdy under center.
However, the 49ers are still given an average win total of 10.5, putting them as the third seed as NFC West champions. With the division rival Seattle Seahawks projected to win 9.76 and end the season as the sixth seed, it would set up a mouthwatering Wild Card matchup.
The 49ers have done most of the hard work in their playoff pursuit and have a dominant defense that ranks first in EVE (our Efficiency Versus Expected metric).
As such, the Niners are still likely to make the playoffs, with ROS giving them a 95 per cent shot. What happens after that is up in the air with Purdy at the helm.
Chiefs Still Reign
The Kansas City Chiefs' loss to the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 13 dropped them out of the No. 1 seed in the AFC, with the Buffalo Bills once again in control of the conference.
ROS, though, expects the Chiefs to reassume the top spot by the end of the season.
The Chiefs are given a projected average win total of 12.8, the highest in the AFC and ahead of the Bills' 12.4.
On the NFC side, ROS does not project any slip-ups from the 11-1 Philadelphia Eagles, who are predicted to win 15.1 games and finish well clear of the Dallas Cowboys in the NFC East. The Eagles also have an NFL-best 35 per cent chance of winning the Super Bowl, with the Chiefs second at 18.8 per cent.
If this projection is accurate, Dallas would face the prospect of playing the NFC South champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers on the road in the Wild Card round despite a 12-win campaign.
A dangerous Wild Card
ROS still appears to lack belief in the defending AFC champion Cincinnati Bengals despite a third successive win over the Chiefs.
Cincinnati are predicted to finish second in the AFC North behind the Baltimore Ravens with a projected average win total of 10.42. The margin is razor-thin, though, with the Ravens' total at 10.43.
The Bengals have just a 2.4 per cent chance to win the Super Bowl, according to the projection.
Yet with Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati offense catching fire in recent weeks, the Bengals loom as an extremely dangerous potential Wild Card team and the projected addition of the Miami Dolphins and New York Jets to the playoffs would make for one of the most fascinating AFC postseasons in recent memory.
By contrast, the recent tie between the New York Giants and Washington Commanders is unlikely to strike fear into the heart of any NFC contenders. They will renew acquaintances in Week 15, and it is the former who is projected to ultimately win out in their battle for the seventh seed and seal a Wild Card clash with the Minnesota Vikings.
The Giants have an average projected win total of 8.3 compared to 8.2 for the Commanders as the projection suggests a losing record will be good enough for at least one team to reach the postseason.
Eddie Jones should have been given until the conclusion of next year's Rugby World Cup to turn England's results around, according to former centre Mike Tindall.
The Australian was dismissed on Tuesday following a review of recent results, with England enduring their worst calendar year since 2008 – winning just five of their 12 Tests in 2022.
A 27-13 defeat to South Africa proved to be the final straw for Jones, who walks away with the best win rate (73 per cent) of any head coach in England's history, having won 59 of his 81 Tests at the helm.
While Tindall acknowledges the reasons behind the decision to make a change, he would have preferred for Jones to lead England at the World Cup in France, which starts on September 8.
"It's a really difficult one because Eddie does divide opinion," Tindall, who won the World Cup in 2003, told ITV.
"I would say I don't agree with their decision to part ways, [but] I understand why they've done it.
"I still think he's still delivered an 18-game winning streak and he's produced probably the best England performance that's ever been seen against New Zealand in 2019.
"If you look from 2019 to where we are now, the results aren't quite as good, so it really is a difficult one, but I would've stuck with him and then changed after the World Cup."
Jones guided England to their first Six Nations Grand Slam in 13 years in 2016 before winning the tournament again in 2017 and 2020, while also reaching the 2019 World Cup final.
The 62-year-old also won his first 17 games with England, which was part of an 18-game winning streak overall, the joint longest of any Tier 1 nation.
Forwards coach Richard Cockerill will step up to lead England on an interim basis, with Leicester Tigers head coach Steve Borthwick the favourite for the permanent position.
Tindall added: "I think it's hard now. Say a new coach comes in now and does fantastically well through the Six Nations and then the World Cup, everyone will say it has Eddie's DNA on it.
"It will be sort of like what he got off [predecessor] Stuart Lancaster when he came in too, and then if you do poorly, it's the new guy's fault."
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