Raiders finish strong as focus turns to major decisions now
Raiders finish strong as focus turns to major decisions now
The Sporting Tribune's Steve Carp writes the Raiders' need to make the right moves now after winning three of their final four games.
Good morning and welcome to The Morning Column presented by The Sporting Tribune. Please subscribe if you haven’t done so already. It’s free and will be delivered to your inbox every weekday morning. OK, let’s get to it!
1. Raiders finish strong as focus turns to major decisions now
The Sporting Tribune's Steve Carp writes the Raiders' need to make the right moves now after winning three of their final four games.
For the last few weeks, the focus seems to be on the head coach of the Raiders. Players, fans, media, NFL insiders all have been voicing their opinions as to what owner Mark Davis should do.
Some advocate taking the interim tag off of Antonio Pierce and make him the permanent head coach. Others are pushing Jim Harbaugh hard, even though the current Michigan coach will have other suitors should he decide he’s done coaching at the Big House and needs to change his Bo Schembechler look. And should Bill Belichick become available, there’ll be a faction of support to bring him from New England to Las Vegas even though he’s 72 years old and his disciples failed miserably here.
But Davis has a bigger decision to make. He needs to figure out who is going to be this team’s general manager. And that should take priority over hiring a coach.
2. Chargers face big decisions after subpar 5-12 season
The Sporting Tribune's Fernando Ramirez explains why Dean Spanos' Chargers and Jim Harbaugh seem like a perfect fit.
The Chargers season finished with a 13-12 loss after a Harrison Butker 41-yard field goal with 49 seconds left.
It sunk the Chargers to 5-12 and gave them the fifth pick in the draft.
This was not the season that Chargers ownership envisioned after making the wild card round last year, even though it was a rough finish.
They had season-ending injuries to quarterback Justin Herbert, receiver Mike Williams, and center Corey Linsley.
Seven of their losses were by three points or less.
The offense showed flashes, but the run game was nonexistent, the defense was inconsistent, and special teams were the only exceptional area.
The 2023-2024 season is now over.
3. Rams clinch playoff matchup with Lions after beating 49ers
Rams set up highly anticipated matchup with Lions with a tough road win led by Carson Wentz and a gritty defensive effort, writes The Sporting Tribune’s Grant Mona.
What more can you say about this team? With most key starters sitting, the Rams hung tight and were clutch in the fourth quarter to pull out their first road win against the 49ers since 2018.
Carson Wentz started at quarterback and threw for two touchdowns, while also running for one and leading the team in rushing yards on the day. Puka Nacua also broke the NFL rookie record for receptions and yards in a single season before being removed to rest for the playoffs as well.
The Rams finish the regular season at a remarkable 10-7 and will be the 6th seed in the NFC.
4. How UW’s ‘Wide Receiver School’ fueled title run
The Sporting Tribune's Emily Van Buskirk explains how Washington's wide receivers have them on brink of title.
There’s no big secret to the Washington Huskies success – the 14-0 run is a culmination of hard work, diligent coaching, gnawing hunger and devoted preparation.
And as the season climaxes in a Championship clash with top-ranked Michigan Monday night, the Huskies No. 1 nationally ranked receiving corps will be looking to graduate their game against the nation’s second-best pass defense led by players like Will Johnson and Mike Sainristil.
You know the numbers the Husky trio of Rome Odunze, Jalen McMillan and Ja’Lynn Polk have put up. You’ve seen the catches they’ve pulled in. And if you are a team like Texas or Oregon, you’ve felt the wrath of the deep pass dialed up by Offensive Coordinator Ryan Grubb and executed by star quarterback Michael Penix Jr.
But what you probably don’t know is that these moments were made possible in part thanks to some extracurricular activity known as Wide Receiver School.
5. James, Lakers end Clippers five-game win streak, 106-103
The Clippers suffered a 106-103 loss in their last “visit" to their own arena, writes The Sporting Tribune’s Marisa Flores.
Since 1999 the Los Angeles Clippers have shared a building with their in-town rivals, the Los Angeles Lakers.
On Sunday the Crypto.com Arena (formerly named Staples Center) saw the Clippers battle against the Lakers as the “visiting” team one final time before they move to the Intuit Dome next season.
Clippers guard Norman Powell nearly sent the game into overtime with a three-pointer that rattled in and out of the rim at the buzzer. Both teams fought until the finish, with neither leading by double digits until early in the fourth quarter.
Paul George led the Clippers with 22 points and Kawhi Leonard scored 15 points and eight rebounds. James Harden had15 points and nine assists in his first game against the Lakers since getting traded to the Clippers.
The Clippers (22-13) handed the Lakers (18-19) their fourth win in 14 games since they claimed the NBA’s Inaugural In-Season Tournament.
6. Ducks end homestand with loss to Red Wings
The Anaheim Ducks dropped their fifth game in a row, finishing their eight-game homestand with a 1-6-1 record, writes The Sporting Tribune’s Derek Lee.
The Anaheim Ducks fell late to the Detroit Red Wings on Sunday night, a 3-2 defeat that extended the Ducks’ losing streak to five games. Anaheim concludes their eight-game homestand with a 1-6-1 record after tonight’s result. Troy Terry and Ryan Strome returned from upper-body injuries while Alex Stalock backed up Lukáš Dostál with John Gibson out sick.
Trevor Zegras kicked off the scoring for Anaheim just twenty seconds into the game with a deft deflection of a shot from the point by Terry. It’s his second goal since returning from a month-and-a-half layoff.
7. Odds and Ends presented by Circa Sports
Here are some odds at Circa Sports if you’re thinking about placing a wager today:
8. Ticket Time presented by Golden Gate
Here are the “get in” prices for tickets if you’re thinking about going to a game today:
7:30 p.m. – Suns at Clippers – $19
9. On the Air presented by The D Las Vegas
Here are the game times and television channels for professional teams in the region today:
5:00 p.m. – CFP National Championship Game – ESPN
7:30 p.m. – Suns at Clippers – Bally Sports SoCal
10. The Arash Markazi Show presented by The Sporting Tribune
Listen to The Arash Markazi Show presented by The Sporting Tribune on The Mightier 1090 ESPN Radio in Southern California, 98.5 The Bet in Las Vegas and the Hawaii Sports Radio Network 95.1 FM and 760 AM in Hawaii. You can also listen to the show on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Play and Stitcher. You can also watch every Friday on BLEAV on FuboTV.
Thank you for reading. Please click below to subscribe to The Morning Column presented by The Sporting Tribune. It’s free and will be delivered to your inbox every weekday morning.
That’s it for today. Talk to you tomorrow!