EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert’s availability to play against the Eagles will be determined later this week after he had surgery Monday on his non-throwing hand.
Herbert is day to day, the team said in a statement, after he broke a bone in his left hand in the first quarter of a 31-14 win against the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday, playing the last three quarters in a cast and wearing a glove. He was 15 of 20 for 151 yards with two touchdowns and one interception.
Herbert has completed 66.9% of his passes for 2,842 yards and 21 touchdowns against 10 interceptions, and he is second on the team with 353 yards rushing. He has also taken the third-most sacks in the NFL (38) and is on pace to absorb the most hits in his six seasons with the Chargers.
Coach Jim Harbaugh said earlier Monday afternoon that backup Trey Lance would receive more snaps in practice to prepare for situations when the offense operates under center, such as at the goal line and in short yardage. The Chargers had to work exclusively out of the shotgun and pistol after Herbert was hurt, though he did take a handful of snaps from under center on the sideline before returning to the game.
“Justin, he’s one of those quarterbacks that takes all the reps. He’s a machine like that, and we’ve got to make sure that Trey’s getting more of those goal-line reps, those situations under center,” Harbaugh said.
The Chargers (8-4), who host the Eagles on Monday night, hold the first wild-card spot in the AFC and are two games behind the Denver Broncos for first in the AFC West. The Chargers defeated the Broncos, 23-20, on Sept. 21 and will travel to Denver to close out the regular season on Jan. 4.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid sounded downright defiant Monday when asked about his team’s dwindling playoff hopes, which took a hit not only last week amid a Thanksgiving loss to the Cowboys but over the weekend when other results didn’t go their way.
The reigning AFC champions are 6-6 with five games remaining, and even if the Chiefs win them all, they’ll still need help to return to the postseason. Because when the Steelers lost to the Bills on Sunday, that dropped Kansas City to 10th in the AFC playoff pecking order, thanks in part to a disappointing 3-4 record against the rest of the conference.
Depending on the metrics, the Chiefs have a roughly 1-in-3 chance of playing in the postseason.
“If you’re coming to me,” Reid said Monday, “we’re going to go after you every game, and that’s how we roll. We’re going to tickle your tonsils on every play, every game. But that’s the attitude we’re coming in with, and then you let the chips fall where they may.”
Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs have been plagued by penalties this season.
The Chiefs are third in the AFC West as they prepare to play the Texans on Sunday night, and are nearly eliminated from their pursuit of a 10th consecutive division title. Now, their focus is on extending a playoff streak that goes back to the 2015 season, the third with Reid as the head coach, and three full seasons before Patrick Mahomes became the starting quarterback.
There is reason for hope: The previous time Kansas City was 6-6 was 2017, and it won its last four games to earn a wild-card bid.
“Every season is different,” Reid said. “This is a sport of challenges. That’s what it is. It’s probably a microcosm of life as you look at it. There’s always challenges. … There’s such a small margin between winning and losing that every week is a challenge, a major challenge. That’s how you have to approach it, and you have to be ready for it.”
The biggest challenges the Chiefs are facing right now are of their own making. They’ve been dragged down by penalties and mental mistakes throughout much of the season, including in their 31-28 loss to the Cowboys, when a series of flags during the fourth quarter prevented them from having a chance to pull off a comeback victory.
Kansas City has the fifth-highest total of penalty yardage in the NFL this season.
“We have to make sure we take care of business with the penalties, keep working our fundamentals and techniques,” Reid said. “Not saying I agree with all of them, or half of them [against Dallas]. But they took place. We’re not going to use that as an excuse.”
Nor was Reid willing to make any excuses for the Kansas City pass rush, which has produced just 22 sacks this season, a total that is better than just five other teams. Or a defense that has produced 11 turnovers, a total better than three other teams.
“You’re one or two plays away and that’s what this game is,” Reid said. ”You look at our season, we’re one or two plays off, and we take care of that — whether it’s a penalty at a crucial time, a possible turnover somewhere, or having a chance to create a turnover — we are right in position where if we can figure out those two, three plays, you flip this around.”
Time is running out, though.
And while Reid sounded defiant about the Chiefs’ playoff peril Monday, he also understands the reality of the situation.
“You’re not going to hear a lot of positives from the outside coming in,” Reid said, “so you have to make sure you understand where you really sit, and the opportunity you have sitting in front of you. You know, there’s still opportunities.”
NEW YORK (AP) — The WNBA and players union agreed to an extension of the current collective bargaining agreement to Jan. 9 just before their current deadline ran out Sunday night.
Just like the previous extension, both sides have the option to terminate the extension with 48 hours advanced notice.
The two sides had announced a 30-day extension to the original Oct. 31 deadline. That extension was set to expire Sunday night just before midnight. They met over the holiday weekend hoping to come an agreement.
With nothing urgent on the immediate horizon except for the expansion draft for Portland and Toronto, it would be unlikely that either side would exercise terminate the extension.
Last season’s expansion draft for Golden State was held in December.
Free agency would be the next big thing for both sides to deal. That usually is done in late January. This is an unprecedented offseason with all but two of the league’s veterans free agents. Players signed one-year deals last season knowing there would be huge salary bumps when a new CBA is agreed upon.
When the previous CBA deal expired in 2019, both sides agreed upon a 60-day extension and a new one was eventually ratified in January 2020.
Kaytron Allen ran for a career-high 226 yards and a touchdown as Penn State beat Rutgers 40-36 for the 18th straight time to become bowl eligible after a tumultuous season.
The Nittany Lions (6-6, 3-6 Big Ten) retook the lead for good when linebacker Amare Campbell raced 61 yards with a fumble with 7 minutes, 27 seconds to play. Rutgers quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis lost the ball without being touched.
Rutgers (5-7, 2-7 Big Ten) had moved ahead 36-33 early in the fourth quarter on a 46-yard TD pass from Kaliakmanis to Antwan Raymond. Raymond ran for 189 yards, and Kaliakmanis passed for 338 yards and three TDs. With the loss, the Scarlet Knights will miss the postseason for the first time since 2022.
Penn State hasn’t missed a bowl game since 2020 when the non-College Football Playoff bowl games were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, Nicholas Singleton broke ties with Saquon Barkley to claim the school career rushing TD record with his 44th and 45th, career total touchdowns at 55 and all-purpose yards with 5,586.
After losing to Notre Dame in the semifinals of the CFP last season, the expectations for Penn State were high. The Nittany Lions began the season ranked No. 2 and were led by quarterback Drew Allar, who was headed for a Heisman-caliber season before a season-ending leg injury in Week Six against Northwestern.
The following day coach James Franklin was fired after Penn State lost its first three Big Ten games, including back-to-back games in which the Nittany Lions were favored by 20-plus points.
Penn State would lose five straight before turning its season around by winning its last three games.
A 29-point night from Penn’s TJ Power pushed the Quakers past Big Five foe La Salle in a 73-71 win in the Cathedral Classic on Saturday.
Power scored 19 of his total in the second half and had six rebounds for the Quakers (5-2). Ethan Roberts shot 3 of 14 from the field, including 1 for 4 from three-point range, and went 5-for-9 from the line to add 12 points. Jay Jones had 7 points and shot 2-of-2 from the field and 2 of 4 from the free-throw line.
Justin Archer finished with 14 points, six rebounds and two steals for the Explorers (3-5). La Salle also got 12 points and four assists from Ashton Walker. Jaeden Marshall had 12 points.
Power scored 10 points in the first half and Penn went into halftime trailing 44-38. Penn trailed by 15 points early in the second half then took the lead on a three-pointer from Ethan Roberts with 4 minutes left.
Both teams are back in action on Sunday in the final day of the Classic with La Salle taking on Merrimack at noon, while Penn closes out with Hofstra at 2:30 p.m.
NEW YORK — Tyrese Maxey scored 22 points, Jared McCain had 20 off the bench and the 76ers beat the Brooklyn Nets 115-103 on Friday night in an NBA Cup game.
Quentin Grimes added 19 points, and Paul George had 14 to help the short-handed Sixers snap a two-game losing streak.
The Sixers (10-8) played without starting center Joel Embiid (right knee management) and VJ Edgecombe (left calf tightness), and then lost backup center Andre Drummond (sprained right knee) midway through the second quarter.
Drummond attempted to block Tyrese Martin’s floater and then tried to grab the rebound with his left hand, but fell on the court and immediately reached for his knee.
Egor Demin scored a career-high 23 points, and Martin had 16 for Brooklyn. The Nets (3-15) have lost three consecutive games and fell to 0-9 at home this season. They are the only team without a home win this season, with their last one at Barclays Center on April 8 against New Orleans.
The Sixers led by as many as 21 points in the first half and saw their lead cut to nine after Brooklyn went on an 11-2 run, capped by Denim’s 3-pointer that made it 74-65 with 4 minutes, 7 seconds left in the third quarter.
Brooklyn Nets’ Drake Powell (center) is defended by Sixers center Adem Bona, left, and Jared McCain during Friday night’s game.
Denim cut it to nine again with a three-pointer with 4:35 to play. Demin’s layup made it 112-103 with 1:13 left in regulation before Grimes found an open Adem Bona, whose three-pointer extended the lead for good.
Both teams were 1-3 in NBA Cup play.
The Sixers will host the Atlanta Hawks at Xfinity Mobile Arena on Sunday (6 p.m., NBCSP).
Anthony Black scored 27 of his career-high 31 points in the first half, Franz Wagner added 21 points and the Orlando Magic routed the injury-depleted 76ers 144-103 in an NBA Cup game on Tuesday night.
Orlando’s Jalen Suggs was ejected with 27 seconds left in the first half after receiving two technicals during a heated altercation between the teams.
Tyrese Maxey scored 20 points to lead the Sixers, whose absences included Joel Embiid (right knee injury management), Paul George (right ankle sprain) and rookie VJ Edgecombe (left calf tightness).
Orlando improved to 3-0 in the Cup and the Sixers dropped to 0-3.
The game was tied at 35-all after the first quarter before the Magic took control in the second period. Philadelphia fans started showering boos on the court when Orlando went up 17 points with 5½ minutes left.
The frustration spilled onto the court with 27 seconds before the break when the altercation led to Suggs’ ejection.
A scuffle between Sixers’ Andre Drummond and Magic’s Wendell Carter Jr. led to Jalen Suggs’ ejection.
The Magic dominated the second quarter, outscoring Philadelphia by 26 points in the period to take an 86-60 lead at halftime.
Trendon Watford limped to the bench with just over four minutes left in the first half and did not return due to a left adductor strain.
Embiid missed his eighth game in a row and 11th this season. The seven-time All-Star and 2023 MVP began the season recovering from left knee surgery, limiting him to 20-to-25 minutes when available, but has since had issues with his right knee.
George, who signed a four-year, $212 million deal with Philadelphia prior to last season, made his season debut on Nov. 17 after offseason knee surgery. He missed the following game, played the next two before sitting out against Orlando.
For Orlando, Paolo Banchero was sidelined for his seventh consecutive contest with a left groin strain.
Up Next
The Sixers travel to Brooklyn to face the Nets on Friday night (7:30 p.m., NBCSP).
Oklahoma State has chosen North Texas’ Eric Morris as its new head football coach, the school announced Tuesday.
Morris has been the head coach at North Texas since 2023. The program went 5-7 his first season, but now is 10-1 and contending for a American Conference championship and College Football Playoff berth. The Mean Green are No. 21 in the Associated Press’ Top 25 poll.
Morris has a reputation for helping quarterbacks, having coached, developed or recruited Patrick Mahomes, Baker Mayfield, John Mateer, Cam Ward, Chandler Morris and Drew Mestemaker.
“For many reasons, including the kind of person he is and the lasting relationships he builds with his players, Coach Morris is the perfect fit as the next leader of Cowboy Football,” Oklahoma State athletic director Chad Weiberg said. “The future is bright for OSU Football and I look forward to introducing him and his family to our team, our former players and all Cowboy fans.”
The hire is pending board approval.
North Texas leads the country in scoring offense and total offense this year, and the team has reached the AP Top 25 for the first time since 1959. Mestemaker, a redshirt freshman walk-on, leads the FBS in yards passing.
North Texas quarterback Drew Mestemaker leads college football in passing yards.
North Texas said in a news release that Morris will coach through this season.
“On behalf of the University of North Texas, I want to express our deep gratitude to Eric for everything he has done for Mean Green Football over the past three seasons,” North Texas athletic director Jared Mosley said.
Morris will step in for Mike Gundy, who was fired in September during his 21st season. Doug Meacham is 0-8 as the interim coach. Oklahoma State is 1-10 heading into its season finale at home against Iowa State on Saturday.
Morris was head coach at Incarnate Word for four seasons, then was an assistant at Washington State before becoming head coach at North Texas. He was offensive coordinator at Texas Tech, his alma mater, from 2015 to 2017 and has been an assistant at Houston.
North Texas will host Temple (5-6, 3-5 American) on Friday (3:30 p.m., ESPN).
LAS VEGAS — Las Vegas Raiders offensive coordinator Chip Kelly was fired Sunday night after yet another rough offensive performance.
Kelly’s dismissal came less than four hours after the Raiders were beaten 24-10 by Cleveland. Las Vegas allowed the Browns to sack Geno Smith 10 times.
“I spoke with Chip Kelly earlier this evening and informed him of his release as offensive coordinator of the Raiders,” coach Pete Carroll said in a statement. “I would like to thank Chip for his service and wish him all the best in the future.”
Kelly was the biggest-name assistant hired by Carroll, who’s in his first year coaching the Raiders after leading the Seattle Seahawks for 14 seasons.
Norman Powell scored 32 points while Kel’el Ware had 20 points and 16 rebounds to help the Miami Heat win their fourth in a row with a 127-117 victory over the 76ers on Sunday at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
The Sixers played without former MVP Joel Embiid for the seventh straight game. Embiid (right knee injury management) has missed 10 of 16 contests this season. In addition, rookie VJ Edgecombe sat out with tightness in his calf.
Jaime Jacquez Jr. scored 22 points, and Bam Adebayo contributed 18 for the Heat.
Miami controlled the contest throughout, but the 76ers got within 105-103 with 8 minutes, 28 seconds left after Trendon Watford’s layup. The Heat then scored 13 of the next 15 points, capped by Powell’s running layup with 4:40 remaining, to go ahead by 13.
The 76ers honored the 25-year anniversary of the 2001 Eastern Conference champions by wearing replica black jerseys from that era. Allen Iverson, who was named MVP that season, was in attendance. Theo Ratliff rang the ceremonial Liberty Bell prior to the contest. Ratliff helped the 76ers to a 41-14 record before a midseason trade sent him to Atlanta for Dikembe Mutombo.
