One day after his team’s offence failed to score a touchdown in a damaging loss to a division rival, New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh told reporters Monday he’s not certain quarterback Zach Wilson will remain the starter going forward.
"We’re keeping everything on the table the next couple of days," Saleh said at his weekly press conference when asked if changes could be coming ahead of the Jets' Week 12 game against the Chicago Bears.
Wilson, the second overall pick in the 2021 draft, managed a mere 77 passing yards while completing nine-of-22 attempts in directing a lifeless Jets offence in Sunday’s 10-3 loss to the New England Patriots. New York produced a meagre 103 total yards and six first downs while missing out on a chance to move into a first-place tie in the tightly bunched AFC East.
The 23-year-old ranks last of out 34 quarterbacks with at least 150 passing attempts this season in completion percentage (55.6), while his 72.6 passer rating is ahead of only Pittsburgh rookie Kenny Pickett among that group.
"I’ve got to be able to sit back, I think we’ve all got to be able to sit back and think what’s best for this organisation and this team," Saleh said. "I want to be very, very clear – it’s not all about the quarterback.
"But there is also an evaluation process to make sure we do what’s best for the organisation, and that’s every position."
Wilson also drew some backlash for his response to a reporter’s question following Sunday’s loss. When asked if he though the offence had let down the defence, the struggling quarterback simply replied, "No, no."
Saleh downplayed those remarks during Monday’s conference while acknowledging that Wilson could have handled the situation better.
"Obviously, football is an emotional game. I’m not going to shy away from the fact that I do think he’s the ultimate competitor. He wants to win about as much as anybody," Saleh said.
"Can he be a little bit better in front of you guys when he’s up here on the podium in terms of the expectation that when you are standing in front of the podium, it’s our job to take bullets and own it, especially when it’s time to own it? Of course he can.
"But I don’t think it’s indicative of how he feels about his team or teammates, and I don’t think he’s naive to the fact that our offence wasn’t playing to the best of their ability."
Los Angeles Clippers franchise player Paul George has been diagnosed with a hamstring strain, ruling him out of at least Monday's clash with the Utah Jazz, and likely more.
George led the Clippers in scoring last season, and continues to lead this season as Kawhi Leonard makes his way back from a long-term injury.
Against the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday, George was ruled out of the game at half-time after putting up 21 points in 15 minutes, with the Clippers calling it knee soreness as his team cruised to a 119-97 blowout win.
George was listed as questionable until hours before Monday's fixture against the Clippers, when the team released a new injury report with the news of his hamstring strain.
After Saturday's win, Clippers head coach Ty Lue told reporters he did not think it was a significant injury.
"He's doing okay," he said. "I haven't seen what they [medical staff] said about what happened to him, but I just know he had a little tweak."
George was also recorded telling team owner Steve Ballmer that he has "a little soreness, but it's okay".
The typical recovery time for a hamstring strain is at least two weeks, although his status as questionable just two days after suffering the injury bodes well for his projected time on the sidelines.
Max Verstappen already ranks among Formula One's all-time greatest drivers, believes former world champion Nico Rosberg, after the Dutchman's latest triumph.
The Red Bull man signed off on a second successive world drivers' championship crown in emphatic style with victory at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix last weekend.
With 15 race wins this season, Verstappen has set a new record for most victories in a single campaign, and has moved to sixth on the all-time list, overhauling Fernando Alonso.
Now former Mercedes driver Rosberg, who won the title in 2016, thinks he deserves to be high in the conversation when it comes to determining who the sport's finest stars are.
"He is an incredible driver," he told Sky Sports podcast Any Driven Monday. "I think it's easy to say even now that's he's going to be one of the best of all time, if you look at the statistics he actually even is now.
"He's a double world champion [and] with all of the race wins that he has, more than Alonso, he's already one of the best of all time. I think he's only getting started.
"He's going to confirm that in the next decade, certainly. His level of driving is phenomenal, and it's great to witness that."
Though the latter half of his campaign was dogged by Red Bull's salary cap infringements, Verstappen's achievements nevertheless came impressively this year,
An early title battle with Ferrari's Charles Leclerc ultimately petered out after a multitude of strategy errors from his rivals, but even before then, the Dutchman looked to have the edge.
"We need to remember also, it's not like from the get-go this year his car was miles quicker than everyone else's," Rosberg added.
"The Ferrari was the quickest car in the beginning of the season and still, he got this incredible 15 wins and really destroyed the opposition in that way.
"If you look at the points, he scored 146 more than anybody else, it's unreal. It's one of the greatest driving seasons we've ever seen, certainly."
When asked to evaluate the New York Jets' offensive performance in the second half against the New England Patriots, Robert Saleh was succinct.
"Dog s***," was his reply.
It is an assessment that was as accurate as it was curt, having come after the Jets managed just two yards of offense in the final two quarters of their 10-3 loss to the Patriots.
The defeat came in heartbreaking fashion as Patriots rookie Marcus Jones returned a punt 84 yards in the dying seconds for the game's only touchdown and saw the Jets fall to the bottom of AFC East at 6-4. Had they prevailed, New York would have been top at 7-3.
From an offensive standpoint it was a fitting end to a game where they averaged a meagre 2.1 yards per play.
Yet, in the sense that quarterback Zach Wilson did not hand the Patriots the game with a string of backbreaking interceptions as he did three weeks prior, this outing arguably represented an improvement for the Jets' quarterback.
But for a player the Jets drafted second overall in 2021, choosing between curbing his off-schedule plays but delivering no offensive production or allowing him to create at the risk of disastrous turnovers is a dreadful position to be in, and it raises the question whether it is time for New York to already be thinking about moving on from Wilson.
Anything but accurate
For as anaemic as the Jets' offense was in Week 11, the case could be made that this was one of Wilson's cleaner games as he threw only one interceptable pass, according to Stats Perform data.
But that it is even possible to make such a suggestion speaks to how low Wilson's floor is. At his worst, he is a quarterback who struggles significantly with accuracy and is prone to head-scratching throws that often result in gift-wrapped turnovers for the defense.
While he had only one such turnover-worthy throw on Sunday, which Patriots safety Devin McCourty inexplicably dropped, Wilson was painfully inaccurate when attacking New England's pass defense. His well-thrown rate, which measures the number of accurate, well-thrown balls delivered by a quarterback, was just 60 per cent, the worst among all signal-callers with at least 10 pass attempts in Week 11 as of Monday.
And the evidence indicates his relatively careful performance in New England was an aberration, with his tendency for off-target throws in keeping with what he has produced in his second season as a pro.
Indeed, his well-thrown rate of 70.6 per cent is the worst in the NFL while his pickable pass rate of 6.47 per cent is only an improvement on that of Taylor Heinicke (7.35 per cent) and Jameis Winston (7.27 per cent) for quarterbacks with a minimum of 100 attempts.
There is, though, an argument the blame should not be entirely on Wilson, who has struggled while playing behind a banged-up offensive line.
Pressure a problem, but no excuse
The Jets can count Mekhi Becton, George Fant and Alijah Vera-Tucker among their offensive linemen on the sidelines, robbing them of two starting tackles and a guard.
Their pressure rate allowed of 42.3 per cent is well above the league average of 38.7 per cent but, though Wilson is one of the worst quarterbacks in the NFL under pressure, he and the Jets cannot pin all of his woes on the pass protection.
Among quarterbacks with at least 50 throws under pressure, Wilson is last in the NFL with a well-thrown rate of 54 per cent and a pickable pass percentage of 18.
Wilson has only thrown two pickable passes when he is not pressured, but Carson Wentz is the sole quarterback with at least 100 such attempts with a worse well-thrown rate when kept clean than the Jets' starter's 77.5 per cent.
In other words, while Wilson is a better quarterback when not pressured, he is still among the least accurate passers in the league even when the offensive line does its job.
Wilson has not been supported by an overly efficient run game. The Jets' run success rate of 30.1 per cent is the second-worst in the league, yet their average gain on the ground of 4.4 yards is in line with the NFL average.
The Jets have won just one game since sensational rookie running back Breece Hall suffered a season-ending injury, but their efforts on the ground in his absence have not been bad enough to justify Wilson's evident lack of year two growth, which is wasting an excellent season from the defense.
A playoff calibre defense
Saleh's defense ranks ninth in the NFL with a success rate allowed of 37.1 per cent and has excelled against the run and the pass without having to commit significant resources to defending either.
The Jets are allowing an average of four yards per play on the ground (the average is 4.4) while only playing with a heavy box on 36.5 per cent of defensive snaps. Similarly, they have the fourth-highest pressure rate (43.2 per cent) in the NFL but the lowest blitz rate (15.6 per cent).
New York's defense is containing the ground game without having to bring defenders down from the secondary to do so and gets consistent pressure on quarterbacks while only sending four defensive linemen as pass rushers.
In essence, the Jets possess a defense ideally suited to stopping modern-day offenses, one that should be spearheading their playoff challenge.
Instead, the defense and the Jets as a whole are being limited by a quarterback whom they drafted to elevate the offense.
The Jets' victories this season have often come in spite of Wilson, who next campaign will enter the third year of his rookie deal. That would normally be the time for a team to consider starting discussions with their young quarterback about a contract extension, but Wilson has given the Jets no reason to be motivated to enter such conversations.
Unless Wilson turns things around down the stretch and ensures the Jets' season is one reflective of the plethora of talent they possess across the rest of the roster, the internal discussions around the man they picked to be the face of the franchise will likely be focused on how they replace him.
The Jamaica Gymnastics Association will act as hosts of the International Gymnastics Federation’s (FIG) Technical Committee meetings scheduled to be held at the Oceans Coral Springs Hotel in Falmouth, Jamaica from November 25-29.
The FIG Technical Committee has the responsibility of setting all code of points and the technical direction of Artistic Gymnastics.
According to the JGA President, Nicole Grant, that the FIG selected Jamaica to hosts these very important meetings is an indicator of the JGA’s growing stature within the sport and she sees it as a major milestone.
“We are super excited that the Ministry of Tourism and the Jamaica Tourist Board as well as Elite Diagnostics for coming on board at such short notice to make this possible for us,” said JGA President Nicole Grant.
“We are also pleased that the Pan American Gymnastics Union president Naomi Valenzzo will also be visiting Jamaica during the Technical Committee meetings. She was very instrumental in getting the FIG to donate much needed equipment last month.
“We are even more excited that the President (Donatella Sacchi) and Vice President (Nehad Zayed) of the FIG Technical Committee have decided to arrive two days early to see our National Junior elites who are currently preparing for the PAGU Youth Tournament in Columbia from December 2-16, 2022.”
Grant revealed that the officials will be also meeting members of the JGA board as well as judging the national juniors in pre-competition on Thursday November 24 at the Jamaica School of Gymnastics on Slipe Road in Kingston.
The New York Giants' already poor passing attack took a hit Monday with the team announcing that rookie wide receiver Wan'Dale Robinson will miss the rest of the season with a torn ACL in his right knee.
Robinson sustained the injury in the fourth quarter of Sunday's 31-18 home loss to the Detroit Lions during his best game as a pro.
The 2022 second-round draft pick had nine catches for 100 yards after combining for 14 receptions for 127 yards and a touchdown in his first five games.
Robinson had already missed four games after suffering an MCL injury in the season opener.
"We know how explosive [Robinson] can be," Giants running back Saquon Barkley said after Sunday's game.
"Not having him out there is definitely going to be a loss, but it's going to give other guys opportunities and we have all the confidence in all the other guys too to step in and make plays."
New York (7-3) rank 28th in the NFL with 177.3 passing yards per game. The Giants visit the NFC East rival Dallas Cowboys (7-3) on Thanksgiving Day.
"We have plenty of receivers on the roster as you know," first-year New York coach Brian Daboll said. "It's a short week. We'll get the guys ready to go. We'll revisit things as we do each week and see how it goes."
South Africa great John Smit believes Rassie Erasmus' approach has made the Springboks "easy to dislike" after the latter was banned for criticising match officials.
Springboks director of rugby Erasmus was handed a two-match ban by World Rugby after posting on Twitter about the officiating in a defeat to France on November 12.
It is not the first time the former South Africa head coach has come into trouble with the governing body, recently returning from a year-long matchday ban for his conduct against the British and Irish Lions.
Smit acknowledged many coaches will share similar frustrations but was unforgiving in his analysis of Erasmus, who was absent for last Saturday's victory over Italy and will miss the next Test against England.
"It's hard to defend him," South Africa's most-capped player Smit told the Rugby Union Daily post. "The way he has approached this is not right.
"Are you telling me Rassie is the only coach frustrated by a call that has gone the wrong way?
"Something has to be done. There has to be a line that has to be drawn, and he is making it difficult for his team. It's made us, as a rugby team, so easy to dislike."
South Africa face England on Saturday at Twickenham as the Proteas look to build on a 63-21 victory over Italy.
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.
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