Joel Embiid will miss the Philadelphia 76ers' next two games after suffering a foot injury.
Embiid tripped over teammate Georges Niang with 5:53 remaining in the fourth quarter of Saturday's loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, writhing in pain on the ground before being attended to by a trainer and hobbling to the bench at Wells Fargo Center.
The Sixers confirmed on Monday that the Cameroonian superstar has sustained a left midfoot sprain, meaning he will be absent for Tuesday's clash with the Brooklyn Nets and Wednesday's trip to the Charlotte Hornets.
Embiid has been in imperious form of late, averaging 32.3 points per game for the season and recently scoring 59 against the Utah Jazz.
That was 56.2 per cent of the Sixers's total of 105, the highest percentage of a team's points in an NBA game played in the state of Pennsylvania since Wilt Chamberlain's 100-point game in Hershey in March 1962 (59.2 per cent).
The 28-year-old joins James Harden and Tyrese Maxey in the treatment room, with the duo also sidelined with foot issues.
It leaves Tobias Harris as the only available member of the Philadelphia roster averaging double figures for points per game this season, though he only returned to training on Monday after missing the last two games with a hip issue.
Kyrie Irving is never too far away from making himself the headline.
The 30-year-old returned on Sunday from the suspension imposed by the Brooklyn Nets after social media activity that appeared to promote a book and film with anti-Semitic tropes.
Following eight games on the sidelines before an eventual apology arrived, Irving was back on the court in the 127-115 win against the Memphis Grizzlies, scoring 14 points along with five rebounds.
Playing just 26 minutes at Barclays Center, he could feature more against the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday as he clears off some of the rust.
However, as far as the Sixers are concerned, it will be more about those missing in action.
Former Net James Harden remains out with a foot injury, and he has now been joined by Joel Embiid, who will miss the upcoming clashes with the Nets and the Charlotte Hornets.
The Cameroonian will be a huge miss for Doc Rivers, having been in sensational form of late.
Embiid has an average of 32.6 after 12 outings this season, with his 4.6 assist average also higher than he has managed before in his career.
The 28-year-old had scored over 30 in five of his last six games, including a monstrous performance against the Utah Jazz where he put up 59 points as well as eight assists and 11 rebounds, showing just what a big hole he will leave.
Philadelphia are also still missing Tyrese Maxey, the only player other than Embiid and Harden (22.0) to be averaging over 20 points this season (22.9).
The Sixers had won three on the bounce before defeat last time out against the Minnesota Timberwolves, and face a Nets side that have experienced a bit of resurgence under coach Jacque Vaughn.
Having lost two of his first three games after replacing Steve Nash, including conceding 153 in the loss at Sacramento, Vaughn has seen his team overcome the Portland Trail Blazers and the Grizzlies in their last two.
With no Embiid, Maxey or Harden on the other side of the court, this will surely be an ideal opportunity for the Nets to build some much-needed momentum.
PIVOTAL PERFORMERS
Philadelphia 76ers - Tobias Harris
Recent talk of a potential trade for Harris needs to be pushed to one side as the only available Sixers player to have an average in double figures this season (14.9).
He is another who has suffered recent injury problems having missed the last two games with a hip issue, but he practiced on Monday and surely will be used if possible given all the other absences.
Harris stepped up to support Maxey when Embiid and Harden were both out against the New York Knicks earlier this month, scoring 23 with nine rebounds.
Brooklyn Nets - Kevin Durant
Of course, many eyes will be on Ben Simmons against his former team, especially after his performance against Memphis, but Durant remains Brooklyn's danger man.
While the Nets have struggled for consistency, Durant has been an ever-reliable figure, having not scored fewer than 26 in any of his 17 games this season, at an average of 30.4.
KEY BATTLE - Can Sixers defense keep them in the game?
With so much attacking talent unavailable, it will inevitably mean Philadelphia's ability to keep the opposition's scoring to a minimum will be crucial.
Despite the efforts of Embiid, the Sixers have one of the worst records in the league for scoring this season, with only the Los Angeles Clippers (105.2) averaging less than their 108.6 (level with the Wizards, the Heat and the Rockets).
They do indeed have the third-best record for points against, with only the Clippers (105.4) and the Dallas Mavericks (105.3) conceding fewer than their 106.6 per game.
HEAD TO HEAD
The Nets won three of their four meetings with the Sixers last season, although Rivers' men were victorious in their last contest in Philly, winning 110-102 at the end of December at Wells Fargo Center.
The Trinidad and Tobago bobsleigh team of Axel Brown and Shakeel John created history for that country at the North American Cup when they finished fourth in the two-man bobsleigh event in Park City, Utah.
They are also now the second Caribbean country to win medals at the North American Cup as Jamaica has won multiple events and medals from the women monobob, two-woman and two-man bobsled events dating back to the 1990s.
In the North American Cup the first six places win medals and Brown and John clocked a combined time of 1:38.24 (48.81/49.43) to finish behind Canada (1:38.11), USA (1:37.78) and the winning Korean team (1:37.59).
It was a major moment in the sport’s history in the twin-island republic athletes.
“We’re all coming to terms with the fact that we just made history,” Brown told Newsday.
“Of course, we wanted to be in the top three, but to be racing against the biggest nations in our sport and challenging them on the ice (is great). I can’t wait to see what this team can continue to achieve.”
The history-making team races again Tuesday, November 22 and Wednesday, November 23.
Logan Sargeant insists he does not feel any extra pressure despite becoming the first full-time American Formula One driver in 16 years.
A fourth-placed finish in the Formula 2 championship, confirmed in Abu Dhabi on Sunday, saw the 21-year-old move above the threshold for the required points to earn a super licence, securing him a seat at Williams.
Sargeant will partner Alex Albon in 2023, with Nicolas Latifi losing his spot, and will be the first American driver since Scott Speed in 2007.
A move to F1 always comes with pressure - though that could be significantly more given the support from his homeland - but Sargeant does not believe that is the case.
"I have prepared the best I can to be the best driver I can possibly be," he said. "Hopefully, I can represent them well and make them proud, but I don't feel it's any extra pressure."
American drivers do not have an established recent history in Formula One, with the last driver prior to Speed being Michael Andretti, who was dropped three races before the conclusion of the 1993 season.
F1 is keen to continue to grow stateside, with Las Vegas joining Miami and Austin on the calendar next season, but Sargeant does not feel his nationality was a factor in gaining a seat on the grid.
"I like to think it is a happy coincidence," he added. "I put in the hard work over the past however many years, made the commitment to move to Europe when I was young to make this dream a reality.
"I feel like I've had a very good junior formula career. And [I am] just looking forward to closing that chapter and move on to what's next."
Max Verstappen has hinted he could retire from Formula One when his contract with Red Bull expires in 2028, saying: "I want to do other stuff".
Verstappen retained the drivers' championship in dominant fashion this campaign, posting 15 victories in 22 races – a new single-season record.
However, speaking before he claimed a record third straight victory at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Sunday, Verstappen highlighted F1's impact on his family life and cast doubt upon his long-term future in the sport.
Asked whether he would continue in F1 when his current deal expires in six years, he told Sky Sports: "I don't know after that, but it also probably depends how competitive we are in '28.
"I've still got time. I don't want to make drastic decisions now.
"I want to do other stuff. F1 is amazing and I've achieved a lot, and I'm very happy and proud about it, but it's a lot of travelling and it's a lot of races.
"At one point, what is more important? Is family more important, or is F1 more important? That's when you need to make your mind up."
Verstappen finished the season 146 points clear of second-placed Charles Leclerc in the drivers' championship standings, having wrapped up his second world title with four races to spare.
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes has hailed teammate Travis Kelce as the "greatest tight end of all time".
The seven-time Pro Bowler caught three touchdown passes in the Chiefs' Week 11 triumph against the Los Angeles Chargers, the last of which came within the dying moments to clinch a 30-27 victory.
Kelce now stands with 11 receiving touchdowns for the season, while 115 yards against the Chargers was his highest since tallying 121 in Week 1 against the Cardinals.
The win propels the Chiefs to 8-2 for the season, the best record across the AFC, and Mahomes lauded Kelce for driving the team forward with his work ethic.
"Travis, I mean, it's Travis, greatest tight end of all time, he makes plays like that to win games," he said.
"He just competes. He's gonna keep fighting until the very end. When you see that, not only is it impressive for him, but it gets other guys going.
"Like I said, he's one of the best if not the best tight end of all time, but he's coming to work every day to get better.
"So that shows you, whenever you step in the facility, you're like, 'Man, I've got to get to work, if this guy is doing that, I have to at least match that.'"
Kelce had the edge in his matchup against Chargers safety Derwin James, one of the best in the NFL, and Mahomes says he's the one player he'd trust in a one-against-one.
"If he's man to man, I'm gonna give him a chance, and he's gonna win most of them," he added.
"They've got Derwin, Derwin is going to win his battles because he's probably the best safety in the league, but I'm going to give him a chance because I know how great he is."
The Chiefs face 2022 Super Bowl winners the Los Angeles Rams in Week 12, who stand 3-7 for the season.
New York Jets receiver Garrett Wilson has slammed his side for their woeful offensive display against the New England Patriots, pointing fingers at issues behind the scenes.
The Jets managed just 103 total yards and six first downs in the 10-3 defeat, with a horrendous second half showing resulting in just two positive yards.
Criticism has been directed towards quarterback Zach Wilson, who went 9 for 22 with passing attempts, though he insisted post-match that he did not feel he let down the defense.
The Jets' receiver had a different outlook, however, making it clear that there are problems that need to be addressed in order for the team to improve.
"We know we're better than that. That's why it hurts," he told reporters after the game.
"It starts in practice. It's got to be better, the things we see and don't call out. It has to start getting called out. This is unacceptable.
"No one wants to feel like this, but that's not enough. Hopefully, this is a wake-up for some people in the facility, people in the facility to get on their details.
"It starts during the week in practice, coaching, all of that. We have to be detailed. We all have to have a better plan.
"This s*** is not OK. Straight up. It's not OK. How many total yards did we have? Yeah, that s*** is not going to fly.
"Let's call it like it is: We have to be better in the passing game if we want to be where we want to be at. And we know we can be there, that's the most frustrating part.
"We don't have to be in games like this. They didn't even score on offense, and we lost the game.
"Me, personally, I think we have to take it for what it is. We got our ass beat on offense, and the results showed."
Washington Commanders head coach Ron Rivera made it clear he will not be moving away from Taylor Heinicke as starting quarterback, ending a potential debate before it even began.
A 23-10 victory over the Houston Texans on Sunday moved the Commanders to 6-5 for the season, though they remain bottom of the NFC East behind the Philadelphia Eagles (9-1), Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants (both 7-3).
After beginning the season 3-4, a significant improvement in the past five games (4-1) has seen Rivera's side claw their way back into playoff contention following the switch to Heinicke as a starter.
Carson Wentz continues to be a topic of conversation, though Rivera sees no need for another switch.
"We're going to go with Taylor," he said, then merely replying "winning" when quizzed as to why.
"He doesn't need to play well. He just needs to play. We just need to continue to do the things we're doing.
"I'm not looking to pull anybody. This is not a competition as far as a controversy. That's the last thing on my mind. That's why we talked about doing it one game at a time."
On his side of things, Heinicke is keen to take things on a game by game basis and enjoy the role as a starter for as long as it may last.
"I take every opportunity I can get and have fun with it. Something may change in two weeks and [Wentz is] back in there. Who knows?" He said post game.
"But this week I'll have fun with it, go out there and hopefully get a win. I feel I play my best doing that."
The Commanders have another winnable game against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 12, then face division rivals the Giants before a bye in Week 14.
Ben Simmons has little doubt what is in store for him when he returns to the Philadelphia 76ers this week, having finally found form with the Brooklyn Nets.
An ugly stand-off between Simmons and the 76ers eventually came to an end in February when he was traded to the Nets in the deal that took James Harden to Philly.
The messy exit was in the best interests of both parties, but Simmons acknowledged there will be little love lost from a typically boisterous Philadelphia crowd when the teams meet on Tuesday.
"In Philly?" Simmons replied with a sarcastic smile when asked if enough time had elapsed that he might not get an unfriendly reception. "Come on now. I know what's coming."
Despite his expectations of hostility, Simmons talked up the passion of Philadelphia sports fans.
"One thing about Philly fans, they're incredible. They're diehard Philly. I respect that about the city. It's a sports town," Simmons said.
"I was 18 years old coming into Philly, so it's really the only place I've lived as an adult. I've got a lot of love for that city.
"People don't know that, but a lot of my best friends are from Philadelphia. My brother still lives in Philadelphia. So, regardless of the [basketball] situation, and whatever happened happened, but I've got a lot of love for that city. I look forward to going down there and playing."
For Simmons, the timing of the game could hardly be better given he is starting to find his groove again.
Coming off a season-best performance against the Portland Trail Blazers last time out, Simmons went even better with 22 points, eight rebounds and five assists as the Nets downed the Memphis Grizzlies 127-115 on Sunday.
It means he has 37 points, 21 rebounds and 12 assists over his past two games. It took him until the 10th game this season to even put up a double-figure points return, while the last time he had a 20-point game was with the 76ers in the first round of the 2021 playoffs.
"It takes time," Simmons said about his improvement.
"I'm just trying to build my consistency. Stay focused on what I can do. I know what I can do. I know what I'm capable of. I'm not surprised [I'm playing well]."
Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones declared his side unequivocally as Super Bowl contenders after a comprehensive 40-3 win over the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday.
The Cowboys improved to 7-3 with the win against the 8-2 Vikings, who were on a seven-game win streak having knocked off the Buffalo Bills in overtime last week, in arguably the game of the season.
Dallas had suffered a shock 31-28 loss to the Green Bay Packers in Week 10 where they collapsed in the fourth quarter.
But Jones was full of belief after their win over the Vikings, fueled by two touchdowns each to Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard, keeping them in touch with NFC East leaders, the Philadelphia Eagles (9-1).
"A resounding yes. Yes. Unequivocally," Jones said when asked if the Cowboys were Super Bowl contenders.
"I think we've had adversity. We very easily could have more adversity… Yes, I think if we use the experience of what we're having in the season, then we're going to be playoff ready.
"But I sure do think that what I see out here right now is the team like that you could go get a Super Bowl with."
The Cowboys' 40-3 win was their largest road win in team history, coming against one of the two sides ahead of them in the conference.
"I too thought this game was going to tell us what we are," Jones said. "I don't know that we're that. I really don't. But I know this, that we're not a team that doesn't respond when it's wounded.
"Everybody thought against the Packers that we underplayed, and I think you saw what happened when we got out here tonight and the team all came together. We'll build from this."
Jones also discussed speculation about three-time Pro Bowler Odell Beckham Jr joining the Cowboys, revealing he will visit after their next game against the New York Giants.
"Certainly, it's time for us to sit down and visit," Jones said.
It has been reported that Beckham Jr, who is currently sidelined from an ACL injury sustained in last season's Super Bowl, will also visit the Giants after Thanksgiving.
Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell conceded the defeat was humbling for his side, who were kept scoreless for the latter three quarters.
"This league has a way of humbling any football team at any point in time if you don’t play good football," O'Connell told reporters.
Kyrie Irving never doubted he would return for the Brooklyn Nets after his team-imposed suspension, while he declined to answer questions about the Israel United in Christ group that turned out at Barclays Center in support of him.
Irving made his NBA return after eight games out due to suspension for sharing a social media post about a book and film with antisemitic tropes, scoring 14 points in 26 minutes in a 127-115 win over the Memphis Grizzlies.
The All-Star's return to the NBA came after a lengthy remediation process that split opinions, involving the Nets, the league, the NBPA and Irving, who also met with key community members.
"Never had a doubt," Irving responded after the game when asked if he feared the situation may mean he would never play for the Nets again.
On his return, Irving added: "I felt good. I missed my teammates, missed the coaching staff… It felt good to get this game out of the way. Now we can move forward with the rest of the season."
Prior to the game, approximately 100 members from Israel United in Christ group were outside the venue, chanting and handing out flyers headlined "The Truth About Anti-Semitism" and "The Truth about Slavery".
The group has been designated a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center yet appeared to be in support of Irving's social media post that led to his suspension.
"I think that's a conversation for another day. I'm just here to focus on the game," Irving said when asked about the group's presence.
When asked again, he added: "Again I'm just here to focus on the game."
Boston Celtics swingman and NBPA vice-president Jaylen Brown retweeted a social media video of the group, writing "energy".
Brown later backtracked on the post, but did not delete it. He wrote: "I was not aware of what specific group that was outside of Barclay’s Center tonight. I was celebrating the unification of our people welcoming the return of Kyrie to the court, first glance I thought it was a known fraternity the (C/Que’s) Omega psi phi (step’n) showing support."
Travis Kelce scored three touchdowns as the Kansas City Chiefs secured a huge 30-27 AFC West divisional victory over the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday.
Patrick Mahomes found Kelce for a 17-yard touchdown with 31 seconds remaining to earn the Chiefs the victory, after the Chargers had re-claimed the lead when Josh Palmer scored his second TD with 1:51 left. There were six lead changes across the game, including three in the final quarter.
Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert's desperate deep pass for Keenan Allen was intercepted by Nick Bolton on a deflection with 26 seconds remaining to end the game.
Kelce finished with three touchdowns on six receptions for 115 yards, with Mahomes throwing three TDs on 20-of-34 passing for 327 yards. The win was the Chiefs' fourth in a row and moved them to 8-2 in top spot in the AFC West, with the Chargers second at 5-5.
Herbert completed 23 of 30 passes for 280 yards with two touchdowns and an interception, while he was sacked a career-high five times. The Chargers had allowed the fewest sacks in the NFL through 10 games coming in, at 13.
The Chargers led 20-13 at half-time, with Herbert threading a 50-yard first-quarter pass for Palmer. Kelce put the Chiefs ahead early in the second quarter, capping a seven-play 75-yard drive, before Austin Ekeler restored the hosts' lead.
The Chiefs went ahead again early in the fourth when Mahomes' 32-yard pass found Kelce.
Chargers veteran Allen was guilty of a fumble but pulled off a great catch in their next drive on a 46-yard sideline shot, leading to Palmer's second TD. But the Chiefs had the last laugh, with Kelce bursting through for the decisive score on a six-play 75-yard drive.
Damian Lillard will be sidelined for the Portland Trail Blazers' next few games after an MRI scan confirmed he suffered a grade one calf strain in Saturday's 118-113 loss to the Utah Jazz.
The 32-year-old All-Star already missed four games this season with a calf injury, but this issue is in a different area to his previous injury.
The Blazers confirmed on Sunday that Lillard "will be re-evaluated in one to two weeks", meaning he will likely miss their upcoming games against the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday, the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday and the New York Knicks on Friday.
"An MRI taken Saturday night postgame vs. Utah on Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard revealed a grade one strain to the soleus muscle in the right lower leg," the Blazers said.
Lillard left Saturday's game in the third quarter with 13 points from 27 minutes. He said after the game that "the last time was worse".
"When I first strained it, I knew right away. The reason I took myself out is so hopefully this time we can get ahead of it instead of me staying out there and putting myself in a worse position."
Lillard is averaging 26.3 points and 7.0 assists this season for the Blazers, who are 10-6 and third in the Western Conference.
The Splash Brothers were at the peak of their powers in the Golden State Warriors' 127-120 road win against the Houston Rockets on Sunday.
Fresh off his first NBA Finals MVP, Stephen Curry continued his remarkable season with 33 points (11-of-20 shooting, seven-of-14 from three-point range) and a season-high 15 assists. It was one assist shy of his career high, set back in 2013 and matched in 2014.
But the story was his backcourt partner Klay Thompson, who is shooting a career-worst percentage from both the field (36.3 per cent) and from long-range (33.6 per cent) this season.
He began to right the ship with a stunning 43-point performance, hitting 10 of his 13 three-point attempts on his way to 14-of-23 shooting. It is the sixth game of his career with at least 10 three-pointers in a game, and he also owns the all-time record with 14.
For the Rockets, the third overall selection from this year's NBA Draft, Jabari Smith Jr, showed exactly why he was so highly coveted. The long-armed, six-foot-11 power forward scored a season-high 22 points on eight-of-14 shooting, hitting three long-balls.
The win is the Warriors' first on the road this season from nine attempts, giving them an 8-9 record, while the Rockets fell to 3-14.
Durant makes history in Irving's return
Kevin Durant became the fourth player in NBA history to score at least 25 points in the first 17 games of a season in Sunday's 127-115 victory against the Memphis Grizzlies.
In the return of Kyrie Irving from his team-imposed suspension, Durant led the Nets with 26 points on nine-of-16 shooting, adding seven rebounds, seven assists, a steal and a block. The last player to score at least 25 in their first 17 games of a season was Rick Barry back in the 1966-67 campaign.
The Nets also benefited from Ben Simmons' best game since arriving with the team, scoring a season-high 22 points on 11-of-13 shooting with eight rebounds and five assists, boasting a game-high plus/minus of plus 19.
Irving was quiet in his return, hitting five-of-12 shots for 14 points and zero assists with four turnovers.
Fox leads the Kings to sixth win in a row
The Sacramento Kings have now won six games in a row after a 137-129 shootout against the Detroit Pistons.
Sacramento have scored at least 120 points in each of their wins on this streak, highlighted by a 153-point outing against the Nets, which is the most points scored by any team this season.
De'Aaron Fox top-scored with 33 points on 11-of-18 shooting, adding seven assists. After never previously shooting better than 48 per cent in a season, Fox is 55.4 per cent from the field this campaign, and a career-best 37.5 per cent from three.
Ireland's Josh van der Flier has been named men's World Rugby Player of the Year, while New Zealand duo Ruahei Demant and Wayne Smith both scooped another big prize.
The Leinster flanker was presented with the prestigious award in Monaco on Sunday after playing a huge part in Ireland's rise to the top of the rankings.
Van der Flier beat off competition from France scrum-half Antoine Dupont, winner of the award last year, South Africa centre Lukhanyo Am and his Ireland team-mate Johnny Sexton to land the gong.
The 29-year-old has been outstanding in a memorable year for Ireland, who secured a historic maiden series win over the All Blacks in New Zealand.
He is the third Irishman to win the award after Keith Wood in 2001 and Sexton four years ago.
Co-captain Demant was named women's World Rugby Player of the Year following New Zealand's World Cup triumph on home soil.
Demant's team-mate Portia Woodman, England's Alex Matthews, Sophie de Goede of Canada and France's Laure Sansus were also on the shortlist.
Smith was presented with the Coach of the Year award following the Black Ferns' win over England.
Ireland men's head coach Andy Farrell, France men's head coach Fabien Galthie and England women's boss Simon Middleton missed out on that honour to Smith.
Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields is feeling the effects of Sunday's 27-24 loss to the Atlanta Falcons, telling reporters he hurt his left shoulder late in the contest.
Fields has broken out over the past couple of months, establishing himself as the Bears' quarterback of the future, but it is yet to translate to wins.
After only throwing a touchdown pass in one of Chicago's first four games, Fields has now thrown a touchdown pass in each of their past seven fixtures, going 1-6 in that stretch.
It is hardly Fields' fault, with the defense conceding an average of 35.5 points per game across their past four outings, while Fields has also broken the record for rushing yards from a quarterback in a single regular season game (178) and the record for most over a two-game span (325).
Attempting to come back from a late deficit against the Falcons, Fields told reporters he believes he landed on it awkwardly, forcing him to finish the game in pain.
"I don't know what happened, to be honest with you," he said. "I just landed on it, I think.
"I was hurting, but it was the last drive of the game. I tried to be there for my teammates and fight through the pain.
"The pain right now is pretty bad. I'll just take it day by day and see how it feels later in the week."
Bears head coach Matt Eberflus added they are expecting an update mid-week.
"We will have an update on Wednesday," he said. "We don't know what exactly it is, that's why we are going to take a look at it."
Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford is possibly dealing with a concussion for the second time in three weeks after he left in the third quarter of Sunday’s 27-20 loss at the New Orleans Saints.
Stafford exited the game after appearing to hit his head on the turf and then being sacked to end that same drive.
The Rams said Stafford was being evaluated for a concussion, but coach Sean McVay said after the game he was not sure if his Super Bowl champion signal-caller was in the NFL’s concussion protocol.
Stafford cleared the league’s protocol on Friday after missing last week’s 27-17 home loss to the Arizona Cardinals due to a hit he took in a 16-13 defeat at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on November 6.
Following Sunday’s loss, McVay said he had no update on Stafford’s status.
''I need to talk to the doctors,'' McVay said. ''Obviously we need to make a smart decision for Matthew and see where we're at with that.
"I know how he was feeling, and we made the decision it was going to be in his best interest to not have him continue to play.''
The Rams have lost four in a row to fall to 3-7 and equal the worst 10-game record of any defending Super Bowl champion.
The Dallas Cowboys sent a statement to the rest of the NFL with an eye-opening 40-3 road win against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday.
Warning signs were there early that it may not be the Vikings' day as Defensive Player of the Year favourite Micah Parsons came roaring around the edge for a strip-sack, forcing a turnover from Minnesota's third play of the game.
In his return from injury, Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott scored the game's first touchdown, and his backfield partner Tony Pollard made it 14-3 in the second quarter when he took a short pass down the sideline for his own touchdown.
Pollard would strike again to begin the second half, this time getting on the end of a deep pass from Dak Prescott for a 68-yard touchdown, and it was 37-3 late in the third quarter after Elliott also forced his way in from the one-yard line for his second score.
Prescott completed a terrific 22 of his 25 passes to set a new season-high completion percentage (88 per cent), tallying 276 yards, and it was the first game this campaign he did not take a single sack.
Pollard and Elliott finished with 15 carries each, while Pollard also collected 109 receiving yards from six catches.
In his past three games, Pollard has had 326 rushing yards, 138 receiving yards and six touchdowns.
Adams delivers walk-off winner for Las Vegas
In a low-scoring, grinding contest, the Las Vegas Raiders needed some brilliance in overtime from Davante Adams to defeat the Denver Broncos 22-16.
There were no touchdowns in the second half as both sides continued to fight for field goals, and the Raiders came back to tie it at 16-16 after mounting a crucial drive with less than two minutes remaining in regulation.
In overtime, the Raiders won the toss and opted to receive the ball first, and it paid off. After a deep completion down the middle to Foster Moreau, Adams completely shook his coverage and got himself wide open for the game-winning score.
Adams finished with seven catches for 141 yards and both of the Raiders' touchdowns.
Novak Djokovic has no doubt in his own mind he is the best tennis player in the world, regardless of what the rankings say.
After clinching a record-equalling sixth ATP Finals title by downing Casper Ruud in Turin, Djokovic reflected on a turbulent 2022 season in which he was unable to play in two of the four grand slam events.
His refusal to accept a COVID-19 vaccination meant Djokovic was denied permission to compete at the Australian Open and US Open, while the various tennis authorities' reaction to the Ukraine crisis meant no ranking points were on offer at Wimbledon.
Indeed, Djokovic successfully defended his title at the All England Club, but in doing so he lost all of his 2,000 points for being the 2021 champion.
As such, he entered the ATP Finals as the world number eight, with his unbeaten run at the tournament seeing him collect 1,500 points and jump up to fifth on the ATP ranking list.
Carlos Alcaraz is the number one for now, after a stellar season for the 19-year-old Spaniard in which the highlight was his US Open victory, but Djokovic will be the favourite with many for the Australian Open, with authorities expected to allow him to play next year.
Asked if he was the world's best player, Djokovic said: "I'm not. I'm fifth."
That came with a smile from the Serbian, who added: "This week I probably am [the best]. Overall the rankings are showing who had the best year, and Alcaraz is the number one in the world. Not much to say about that.
"But in my mind I always see myself as the best player in the world, of course. I have that kind of mentality and that kind of approach. Regardless of who is across the net, regardless of what the surface is, regardless of what season it is, what number of the professional season in my career we're facing, I mean, it's always the same. The ambitions are as high as possible.
"That kind of approach, I feel it brought me to where I am sitting here today as a 35-year-old, holding one of the biggest trophies in the sport."
The 21-time grand slam winner, one behind Rafael Nadal on the men's all-time singles list, said the prospects for future success come down to his "love and passion" for tennis.
"As long as that's there I'll do anything in my power to challenge the young guys for the biggest trophies," Djokovic said.
"I don't know what the future holds, but I know that what I hold in my mind is a huge hunger still to win trophies, make history of this sport, compete on the highest level all around the world, bring good emotions to sports fans, tennis fans."
Djokovic was greeted after the final by Milan striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, another sporting evergreen at the age of 41, albeit very much in his career twilight.
The same cannot be said yet for Djokovic, who may have several seasons left at this high level.
His coach, former Wimbledon champion Goran Ivanisevic, watched on admiringly as Djokovic won 7-5 6-3 in Turin against Ruud on Sunday.
According to Croatian Ivanisevic, the key to Djokovic's success in his mid-thirties is his relentless work rate.
"He's practising even harder than when he was 22," said Ivanisevic. "That's why he's still so good and that's why he's still going to be even better.
"The will to practise, the will to improve, the will to be better is amazing. He's taking care of his body. In my time we stopped tennis at 30, 31. You were already an old guy ready to leave.
"They all talk about, yes, young players are coming. It's great for tennis. You have the youngest number one in the world who made unbelievable things this year, Carlos. But look at Novak. He's still hungry, he's still winning the tournament, playing unbelievable tennis. He's still already thinking now about preparation for next season.
"Till he's like that, in his mind he's going to be always competitive, favourite to win majors and the big tournaments."
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