Shaq Thompson feels the Carolina Panthers' backing of interim head coach Steve Wilks is proving key following Sunday's 30-24 victory over the Seattle Seahawks.

Wilks took charge of the team following the axing of Matt Rhule after a 1-4 start to the season and has had a dramatic stint in charge of the team.

After trading away star running back Christian McCaffrey to the San Francisco 49ers before the deadline and then releasing Baker Mayfield last week, the Panthers have had a turbulent spell of change.

But, sitting 4-4 under Wills, they are making an unlikely push for the playoffs after their win in Seattle.

Wilks is receiving a lot of support in his bid to land the head coach job on a permanent basis and linebacker Thompson has made it clear the players are in his corner.

"We ride behind Wilks," he told the team's website after the Panthers forced Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith into two interceptions.

"He came in here, he's a true alpha, he's a true leader, and guys follow behind him. He's done amazing. Look what we've been going through."

Victory in Seattle put the Panthers just one game behind the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC South, with Thompson believing the team's bye week provided a push to secure the win.

"Once we had that first day of practice, we knew what type of team we were going to be [in this game]," he added.

"We talk about playoff mentality, and I told them boys last night, I talked to the team, I said, 'If you want to be a playoff team, these are the games you got to win — in these environments'.

"And these guys showed up, they played, we created turnovers and got the offense the ball back in great field position."

Meanwhile, the Seahawks endured their third defeat in four games, having won four in a row prior to that streak, with head coach Pete Carroll disappointed in the performances against sides who sit under .500 this season.

"It's the manner [of the loss]," he said after the game. "This really happened on the ground.

"I'm really disappointed in that because I pride myself in thinking we can scheme our way into all kinds of good things to offset that, and I've got to do better."

The Seahawks face a tough end to the regular season, facing division rivals the 49ers in Week 15 before tackling AFC top-seed contenders the Kansas City Chiefs, then bringing the season to a close against the New York Jets and Los Angeles Rams.

Carolina, meanwhile, will next host the Pittsburgh Steelers, who also hold a 5-8 record.

Nick Kyrgios will play the French Open for the first time since 2017 next year because his partner wants to visit Paris, though he would prefer to stay at home.

Kyrgios has never been beyond the third round at Roland Garros, last appearing at the event in 2017 – when he suffered a second-round defeat against Kevin Anderson.

Last year, the Australian labelled the French Open "the worst grand slam" and called for the competition to be "taken off the calendar altogether".

However, Kyrgios now says he will end his absence from the Paris event, though his reasons for doing so are not tennis related.

"My girlfriend wants to know Paris, so I'm going to play at Roland Garros 2023," Kyrgios told reporters in Saudi Arabia.

"It will be good for me to earn some more money, although I would have preferred to stay at home.

"I know I can do great results on clay. I beat Roger [Federer], [Stan] Wawrinka, I played a final in Estoril. My girl wants to get to know the city so I will have to go this year."

Kyrgios achieved two of his four best grand slam runs in 2022, losing the Wimbledon final to Novak Djokovic before exiting the US Open at the quarter-final stage against Karen Khachanov.  

Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles says his side must decide for themselves if they want to be involved in the postseason conversation after a humiliating loss to the San Francisco 49ers.

The Tom Brady-led Florida outfit were handed a 35-7 drubbing out west at Levi's Stadium, to take them to a 6-7 record for the season.

Though they remain on top of NFC South with a handful of games to go, the prospect of the Buccaneers launching another dynamic run through the playoffs looks slim at best on their current form.

Bowles, who guided the team to glory at Super Bowl LV almost two years ago, says his side need to take a look in the mirror and decide how they will show up for the rest of the campaign.

"We've got to decide what team we want to be," he stated. "We can't be one set of Bucs and another set of Bucs. It's got to mean something.

"Either we want it or we don't. We can't care more than everybody else. As a coach, you don't go out on the field, but we got out-coached, so we're not excused from this at all.

"We got outplayed as well. As a team, as a group, we've got to buckle down and decide what our fate is in the next few weeks."

A superior record over the Carolina Panthers (5-8) means there is still some wiggle room for the Buccaneers, whose fate remains within their own hands.

Wide receiver Mike Evans accepted the team are struggling to make their familiar tactics stick this season, and that it could yet cost them dearly.

"We're just not making plays," he added. "The plays that we're used to making in previous years, we're just not making them as consistent. I don't know what it is. We're just not connecting like we usually do."

 Zion Johnson feels "things are starting to click" for the Los Angeles Chargers after they boosted their playoff hopes with a 23-17 win over the Miami Dolphins on Sunday.

Quarterback Justin Herbert was outstanding at SoFi Stadium as the Chargers bounced back from their Week 13 defeat to the Las Vegas Raiders in style.

While Herbert claimed the record for the most pass yards in a player's first three seasons in NFL history on Sunday, Mike Williams also stood out with 116 yards from six receptions on his return from an ankle sprain.

Speaking after the Chargers improved to 7-6 for the season, guard Johnson focused on the impact of players returning to full availability. 

"I feel like this is probably our first game since Week 1 where we had most of our guys active," Johnson said. 

"I think you can really tell with how explosive some of the passes were down the field and some of the things we were doing. 

"I'm just really glad that guys are getting healthy, and things are starting to click."

Wide receiver Williams set the Chargers on their way with a second-quarter touchdown, and head coach Brandon Staley was in no mood to play down the importance of his return.

"When you get Mike back in this movie, it just looks different, it feels different," Staley said. "There's just more available to you. Those guys were able to connect tonight.

"Nine guys caught passes tonight. That's the offense that we like to play, where people touch the ball."

Deebo Samuel likely sustained a high ankle sprain rather than a fracture during the San Francisco 49ers' 35-7 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, head coach Kyle Shanahan said.

Samuel's season appeared to be in jeopardy when he was carted off in the first quarter of the 49ers' victory on Sunday, after his knee was trapped and twisted under a mass of bodies.

The All-Pro wide receiver was unable to get to his feet following the concerning incident, but encouraging reports subsequently suggested he had avoided a major injury.

49ers coach Shanahan offered a positive update on Samuel's condition after the win, telling reporters the wide receiver did not suffer a fracture.

Shanahan added Samuel's injury was "most likely" a sprain, though reports said the 26-year-old would undergo tests on Monday.

The 49ers had already established a commanding 21-0 lead before Samuel's injury, and they entered half-time 28-0 up in what represented a dream first start for stand-in quarterback Brock Purdy.

"Everyone knows how much Deebo means to us, but half-time is so hectic and it was awesome to finish that half with the score," Shanahan said of losing Samuel.

"We didn't really do anything differently after half-time."

Linebacker Dre Greenlaw, meanwhile, praised the team's reaction to Samuel's exit.

"We hate to see guys go down, especially one of our leaders like Deebo," he said. "You've just got to go with the punches and just keep fighting and that's what everybody on this team did.

"That's just the type of team that we've got. You get hit in the mouth and you've got to just keep fighting."

Zion Williamson was in no mood to downplay the New Orleans Pelicans' top ranking in the West after inspiring the team to another victory over the Phoenix Suns on Sunday.

Having defeated the same opponents two days earlier, the Pels cemented their position as Williamson once again put up 35 points in a 129-124 overtime triumph.

It represented a seventh straight win for the high-flying Pels, who are top of the Western Conference with an 18-8 record.

While there is still plenty of basketball left to be played this season, Williamson said the team's aim is to build on their status as pacesetters.

"We're number one in the West right now," Williamson said. 

"I know to a lot of people that's not a big deal because it's still early in the season, but for us to have that ranking right now, that's big.

"We want to not only hold on to it but build on it.

"The Suns, they've earned their resume; they're a great team. So, for us to get two back-to-back wins against them, that's big for our confidence."

Head coach Willie Green said of Williamson: "Zion is – he's a matchup problem. 

"He just attacks. And when he attacks like he does, he's just tough to cover. It's incredible what he can do."

The Suns, who were without Devin Booker, were once atop the West but now sit fourth and are on a four-match losing streak.

Star man Chris Paul believes now is not the time to panic, however.

"Let it slide off. Realise it's a long season," Paul said. "We know we definitely have to get better and right some things here. But it's not do or die yet."

New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh has reassured Mike White is his first-choice quarterback after copping multiple hits in Sunday's 20-12 loss to the Buffalo Bills.

White has stepped in as the Jets' starting quarterback for the past three games from Zach Wilson, completing 27-of-44 passing for 268 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions on Sunday.

The 27-year-old QB, who threw three touchdowns against the Chicago Bears before going without a TD in his past two games, copped a physical pounding from the Bills' defense, and was sent for a hospital visit after the game to check his ribs.

White had also undergone evaluation in an ambulance in the stadium tunnel in the third quarter where Saleh said he "checked out good" allowing him to play out the game.

Saleh along with several Jets players were full of praise for White for his toughness after the loss to the AFC East-leading Bills.

"I thought he showed resolve, toughness, everything we've been seeing," Saleh told reporters. "He's a good player."

Saleh responded with "for sure" when asked if White would start against the Detroit Lions next Sunday if healthy, in a sign that he is now their preferred QB from Wilson or veteran Joe Flacco.

Offensive tackle Duane Brown added about White: "He took some shots and I know he was hurting. He didn't want to be out of the game — he wanted to finish.

"Major heart, toughness. He's a dog, that's the bottom line, but we have to do a better job of protecting him."

Jets center Connor McGovern also hailed White, who was taken in the fifth round of the 2018 NFL Draft.

"He's willing to do whatever it takes to win," he said. "That's what every guy in this locker room, if they aren't that way, they need to be that way. I believe everybody is that way.

"Today, Mike was unfortunately an example of that. Guys are willing to do whatever it takes to get the Jets to the playoffs and beyond."

Joel Embiid downplayed the enormity of his historic 53-point performance for the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday, insisting that his teammates simply fed the hot hand.

Embiid reached 50 points for the second time this season, both occurring in the past nine games as the Sixers won 131-113 over the Charlotte Hornets.

The center also joined Allen Iverson and Wilt Chamberlain as the only players in 76ers franchise history to have two 50-point games over a nine-game stretch.

Embiid also joined Chamberlain as the only Sixers in franchise history with at least 30 games of 40 points and 10 rebounds.

"We won," Embiid told reporters. "It's good to do that when you win. It would suck to have those type of scoring nights if you lose.

"I'm just happy it's contributing to winning. Whether I'm scoring a lot, but especially if I'm scoring a lot, at the end of the day, what matters is if it brings us the win."

He added: "We have a saying that you gotta feed the hot hand. My teammates, if I just scored once, it doesn't matter.

"If anybody on the team, if they just score once, you gotta keep feeding them until the defense stops them once or twice or three times. In that situation, I just kept scoring, and they just kept giving me the ball."

Embiid's dominance was underlined by a second-quarter stretch where he scored 15 points in a row. He shot 20-for-32 from the field, making 11-of-11 free-throws with 12 rebounds.

"Every single time, it seems to bring us the win so just gotta keep trying to be efficient and try to play with my teammates," Embiid said.

"Good things happen when you’re worried about the right things and that’s moving the ball and the ball just finds me."

Teammate James Harden, who laid off 16 assists with 19 points, praised the MVP contender.

"He was in attack mode for the entire game," Harden said. "He made scoring look easy tonight, you know what I mean? He was just in attack mode, getting to the basket, his jumper was falling, he had an aggressive night tonight."

Joel Embiid downplayed the enormity of his historic 53-point performance for the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday, insisting that his teammates simply fed the hot hand.

Embiid reached 50 points for the second time this season, both occurring in the past nine games as the Sixers won 131-113 over the Charlotte Hornets.

The center also joined Allen Iverson and Wilt Chamberlain as the only players in 76ers franchise history to have two 50-point games over a nine-game stretch.

Embiid also joined Chamberlain as the only Sixers in franchise history with at least 30 games of 40 points and 10 rebounds.

"We won," Embiid told reporters. "It's good to do that when you win. It would suck to have those type of scoring nights if you lose.

"I'm just happy it's contributing to winning. Whether I'm scoring a lot, but especially if I'm scoring a lot, at the end of the day, what matters is if it brings us the win."

He added: "We have a saying that you gotta feed the hot hand. My teammates, if I just scored once, it doesn't matter.

"If anybody on the team, if they just score once, you gotta keep feeding them until the defense stops them once or twice or three times. In that situation, I just kept scoring, and they just kept giving me the ball."

Embiid's dominance was underlined by a second-quarter stretch where he scored 15 points in a row. He shot 20-for-32 from the field, making 11-of-11 free-throws with 12 rebounds.

"Every single time, it seems to bring us the win so just gotta keep trying to be efficient and try to play with my teammates," Embiid said.

"Good things happen when you’re worried about the right things and that’s moving the ball and the ball just finds me."

Teammate James Harden, who laid off 16 assists with 19 points, praised the MVP contender.

"He was in attack mode for the entire game," Harden said. "He made scoring look easy tonight, you know what I mean? He was just in attack mode, getting to the basket, his jumper was falling, he had an aggressive night tonight."

Justin Herbert led the short-handed Los Angeles Chargers past the Miami Dolphins 27-13 after throwing for 367 yards with one touchdown pass in a thrilling Sunday clash at SoFi Stadium.

Herbert was exceptional, in a game where he claimed the record for the most pass yards in a player's first three seasons in NFL history ahead of Andrew Lock, Peyton Manning.

The Chargers QB threw a second-quarter TD pass for Mike Williams, who had 116 yards from six receptions on his return from an ankle sprain, while running back Austin Ekeler ran in another score right on half-time. Ekeler had 45 rushing yards and 59 receiving yards, while Keenan Allen made 92 yards on 12 catches.

Herbert also made an important recovery after a failed fourth-quarter snap on second-and-goal, allowing Cameron Dicker to score a field goal to stretch the margin beyond one score.

The home side held on with Nic Niemann making a crucial recovery after DeAndre Carter could not handle Jason Sanders' kick, after the Miami kicker reduced the margin within one score with a 55-yard field goal with 1:10 remaining.

The victory improved the Chargers to 7-6 to boost their playoffs' hopes, while the Dolphins suffered their second straight loss ahead of a trip to AFC East rivals Buffalo (10-3), leaving them 8-5.

Tyreek Hill did his best for the Dolphins with two touchdowns, recovering Jeff Wilson's fumble to race away for a 57-yard touchdown, before making it 17-14 in the third quarter on a 60-yard Tua Tagovailoa TD pass down the right sideline.

Hill finished with 81 yards on four receptions, while Tagovailoa completed 10-of-28 passing for 145 yards, running for 28 yards on three carries. The Dolphins QB only completed three first-half passes, with Miami managing only 55 total yards before half-time.

Joel Embiid posted another 50-point performance to lead the Philadelphia 76ers past the Charlotte Hornets 131-113 on Sunday.

Embiid scored 53 points with 11 rebounds for the Sixers, backing up his league season-best 59 points against the Utah Jazz on November 13.

The Sixers center joined Allen Iverson (2000-01 and 2004-05) and Wilt Chamberlain (1965-66 and 1967-68) to become the third player in franchise history to record multiple 50-point games in the same season.

Embiid also joined Chamberlin as the only Sixers in franchise history with at least 30 games of 40 points and 10 rebounds.

The big man's haul was built around 20-of-32 shooting along with making 11-of-11 free throws as the Sixers improved to 14-12.

James Harden made a solid contribution with 16 assists along with 19 points, including three-of-eight three-point shooting.

Pelicans soar into Western Conference lead

Zion Williamson scored 35 points to power the New Orleans Pelicans to a 129-124 overtime victory over the Phoenix Suns, who were missing Devin Booker again.

Williamson starred on 14-of-21 shooting with eight rebounds for the Pels, who beat the Suns twice in three days to surge into the Western Conference lead with a 18-8 record, fueled by seven straight wins.

Chris Paul and Deandre Ayton both fouled out for Phoenix, who were without Booker due to left hamstring tightness.

Griffin snatches remarkable OT Hawks win

A.J. Griffin sunk an overtime buzzer-beater to clinch the Atlanta Hawks a thrilling 123-122 win over the Chicago Bulls, after DeMar DeRozan hit three free throws with 0.5 seconds left to take the lead.

The Hawks snatched the win when Jalen Johnson's inbound alley-oop pass found Griffin, who hit a six-foot turnaround jumper. Trae Young had 19 points and 14 assists for Atlanta.

DeRozan scored a game-high 34 points for the Bulls, including 12 in the fourth quarter and three overtime free throws after being fouled by Bogdan Bogdanovic with less than a second left on a three-point attempt.

The Philadelphia Eagles are on cloud nine after booking their spot in the playoffs with Sunday's 48-22 trouncing of the New York Giants, but head coach Nick Sirianni insists they have "way bigger goals".

Playing away in New York, the Eagles were dominant from the first whistle until the last, winning all four quarters after jumping out to a 21-0 lead early in the second frame.

Adding to his potential MVP case, Jalen Hurts was unstoppable with 217 passing yards, 77 rushing yards and three total touchdowns to go with no turnovers, while running back Miles Sanders added another two touchdowns and a career-high 144 yards on the ground.

It was a terrific game by the Eagles' defense as well, collecting seven sacks and one fumble recovery, led by Brandon Graham's three hits on the Giants' quarterbacks.

Graham said the camaraderie inside the Eagles' locker room is at an all-time high, and they have their sights set on a deep playoff run.

"We want the playoffs to come through Lincoln Financial Field," he told reporter. "We want that bye week and we want that home-field advantage, because we know our fans are going to bring it.

"We know there are a lot of areas where we can improve, but it feels great to be 12-1 because this is a special team with that kind of chemistry. 

"Everybody wants everybody to do well. We're all rooting for each other and helping each other. We know we can be special, but there is a lot of work to do.

"It's been so much fun, though. Coming here and beating the Giants like this? Man, it's something else. 

"Just keep it going. That's all we want to do – keep it going and let's see where we end up."

The offensive side of the ball agreed, with Sanders discussing how their bevy of options make them so difficult to defend.

"I don't think they had much of an idea of what we were going to do," he said. "We're having so much fun out there – that's really what it is – this is just fun. 

"We're executing at a high level and having fun and complementing each other. That's what it's all about."

After receiving one of Hurts' two touchdown passes, with the other going to Pro Bowl receiver A.J. Brown, Devonta Smith echoed those thoughts.

"We're clicking – if it's not me, it's going to be someone else," he said. "That's how this offense is working, the way we've been all season."

Boasting the best record in the league is not a place most of these players have been, including four-time Pro Bowl cornerback Darius Slay, who spent the first seven seasons of his career with the struggling Detroit Lions.

"I've never been 12-1 in the NFL, leading the division, clinching this early," he said. "Sky's the limit for this team."

While edge-rusher Haason Reddick added: "This is the first year in my NFL career where I'm going to the playoffs – I can't wait to see what that atmosphere is like. Hopefully I'll do my part and the team do their job so we can go play for the big trophy."

Some key members on the team are enjoying what they have accomplished so far, but Sirianni said he was unfazed when he was alerted that his side had officially clinched their postseason berth.

"They said that to me in there and I'm like, 'Oh, that's nice'," he said. "We've got way bigger goals, and it's on to the next one."

The Eagles will look to improve to 13-1 when they travel to take on the Chicago Bears this coming Sunday.

Khris Middleton exited the Milwaukee Bucks' shock 97-92 loss to the Houston Rockets with a left ankle sprain on Sunday.

The 31-year-old All-Star left the game after playing only six minutes where he did not register anything on his statistics line and missed two three-point attempts.

Middleton appeared to roll his ankle during a defensive possession in the first quarter, which left him hobbling before checking out shortly after. He attempted to return in the second quarter but only lasted 90 seconds, before being ruled out.

Jalen Green starred with 30 points for the Rockets, who claimed only their eighth win of the season. Bucks power forward Giannis Antetokounmpo was kept to 16 points, although he brought up his 15,000th career point.

The Milwaukee small forward was playing only his fifth game of the season for the 2021 NBA champions, having been beset by injuries to begin the 2022-23 campaign.

Middleton suffered a playoff-ending Grade 2 MCL sprain against the Chicago Bulls last season, before undergoing offseason wrist surgery, forcing him to miss the Bucks' opening 20 games.

The 2021 NBA champion was averaging 13.8 points, 3.0 rebounds and 5.8 assists in his four games prior to Sunday's injury.