Category: Sports

Bruno Guimaraes hailed Nick Pope as the best goalkeeper in the world after a 10th clean sheet in a row helped Newcastle to a 1-0 win over Southampton.

This latest clean sheet helped Newcastle on their way to carrying a slight advantage heading into the second-leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final with the Saints.

Pope hasn’t been beaten since November 6 – 79 days ago – when Romain Perraud scored a late consolation for Southampton in the 4-1 defeat to Eddie Howe’s men. That is a run of 10 games and 901 minutes where Pope hasn’t been beaten with the only goals Newcastle conceding during that period coming in the 2-1 FA Cup defeat at Sheffield Wednesday when Martin Dubravka replaced Pope in goal.

It’s an unprecedented run of clean sheets as since August 2012 (when Opta started tracking the data) there are no other instances of a goalkeeper with a Premier League side keeping a clean sheet in 10 straight games in all competitions. Pope has been called on to make 20 saves in those 10 matches, including three at St Mary’s – the pick of which was to deny Che Adams when he raced through on goal.

In total, Pope has kept 17 clean sheet in all competitions for Newcastle, with only Leyton Orient’s Lawrence Vigouroux managing more (17) among ‘keepers for English league sides this season.

Newcastle midfielder Guimaraes, who won the player of the match award in 1-0 win, said: “I’d like to say thank you to Nick Pope – he has been brilliant for us. He is the best goalkeeper in the world.”

Pope said himself: “We look really solid at the back. The boys work so hard to make that happen.”

Former Newcastle goalkeeper Shay Given has been blown away by Pope’s performances, saying: “I had to double take when the stat came up about 10 games and 10 clean sheets. It’s phenomenal. Any goalkeeper in the world who had that would be buzzing. He’s there for important moments, at Palace and when Adams went through tonight – he makes a big block. He gives his teammates so much confidence. Best in the world? That is up for debate but he’s in the best run of form in his career.”

Pope’s clean sheet run actually looked to have been ended when Adam Armstrong prodded a close-range finish past the England goalkeeper but VAR stepped in to rule the goal out for handball.

Pope said: “A lot of work goes into it but VAR has helped us out. It was a massive relief, you don’t expect too many reprieves. We’re thankful for that one.”

Howe: Pope has been outstanding

Newcastle boss Howe, who snapped up Pope from Burnley for just £10m this summer, enthused over his goalkeeper, praising his ability to stand up at key moments in matches.

Howe said: “The two saves he made were big moments in the game. Adams’ one-vs-one was at a huge time in the game where the crowd were getting into the game and they were getting on top, and Nick stood up and made a great save, and then made one shortly after as well.

“He’s been outstanding for us this year and the defence has played very well the majority of the time in front of him, but whenever he’s needed he’s produced the goods for us.”

Southampton boss Nathan Jones called Pope the best goalkeeper in the Premier League: “There isn’t a better goalkeeper in the league, in terms of what you need to be a goalkeeper, using your hands, he’s categorically the best in the league.”

San Francisco 49ers defensive lineman Charles Omenihu was arrested on suspicion of misdemeanor domestic violence Monday, according to a news release from the San Jose Police Department.

Omenihu was booked at the Santa Clara County jail and was released after he posted bail. Omenihu was also served with a restraining order.

Police arrived at a residence at 4:39 p.m. local time after a woman called to report that Omenihu, who is her boyfriend, pushed her to the ground during an argument. No visible injuries were observed on the woman, who did complain of pain in her arm but declined medical attention, police said.

The case will be submitted to the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office for possible charges.

“We are aware of the matter involving Charles Omenihu and are in the process of gathering further information,” the 49ers said in a statement.

Omenihu, 25, is a key member of the team’s defensive line rotation and has 4.5 sacks this season. He also had two sacks and a forced fumble in the 49ers’ 41-23 wild-card victory over the Seattle Seahawks. He played 15 snaps in the 49ers’ 19-12 divisional round victory over the Dallas Cowboys and injured his oblique but was able to return to the game.

The 49ers will visit the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday in the NFC Championship Game.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — The New York Giants plan on moving forward with Daniel Jones as their starting quarterback, general manager Joe Schoen said at his end-of-season news conference. It will simply be a matter of how they get there.

Jones, 25, is a free agent at the end of the season. The Giants plan to negotiate a long-term deal with him, or they have the franchise tag at their disposal.

“We’d like Daniel to be here. He said it [Sunday], there is a business side to it. But we feel like Daniel played well this season. He’s done everything we’ve asked him to. … We would like to have Daniel Jones back.”

There was no reason to hold back on their plan at quarterback this offseason. This less than a year after the Giants declined to exercise the fifth-year option on his rookie contract.

It put Jones in a prove-it year under the new regime of Schoen and coach Brian Daboll. All he did was win them over by putting together the best season of his career, reaching the playoffs and winning a postseason game in his first try.

It won over his bosses, who will now build a team around the quarterback who was drafted sixth overall in 2019.

“We’re happy Daniel is going to be here. We’re happy he’s going to be here,” Schoen said. “Hopefully we can get something done with his representatives. That would be the goal, to build a team around him where he could lead us to win a Super Bowl.”

The franchise tag for a quarterback based off a projected salary cap of $220 million is $31.7 million.

Talks are expected to occur over the next month; the franchise tag deadline is March 7.

“It takes two. Both sides are going to have that conversation,” Schoen said. “We haven’t crossed that bridge yet. There are tools at our disposal.”

Jones said the day after a 38-7 playoff loss to the Eagles that he wanted to return. With both parties having similar goals, it seems a pretty sure bet it will eventually happen.

“I really enjoyed my time here, and I want to be here,” Jones said. “I think there’s a business side of it all, and a lot of that I can’t control. I have love and respect for this organization and ownership and the guys in this locker room. “So I’d love to be here. I really enjoyed being here, and we’ll see how it all works out.”

Jones threw for 3,205 yards and completed 67.2% of his passes this season. He had 15 touchdown passes and five interceptions, but also ran for another 708 yards and seven touchdowns.

One by one he checked off all the boxes. The turnovers, which were once his biggest problem, became a strength. Jones had just nine turnovers in 18 starts this season, including the playoffs.

He also remained healthy for the duration of the season. It was the first time in Jones’ four-year career that he didn’t miss games because of injury. He also consistently made clutch plays in big spots throughout a season where the Giants won 10 games by one score or less.

“I don’t know if there was necessarily an aha moment or anything like that,” Schoen said. “We’ve just been continually evaluating throughout the season and what the coaches asked him to do. He’s executing the game plans. … I don’t know the exact date or time where we’re like Daniel’s our guy, but we’re pleased with how he’s played this season.”

The Giants seemed less optimistic about running back Saquon Barkley. While Schoen expressed a desire for him to return, it did not seem nearly as big a priority.

Barkley had said the previous day he was not insistent on resetting the running back market, where San Francisco’s Christian McCaffrey averages $16 million per season.

The franchise tag for a running back is likely to come in at $9.9 million.

“Listen, Saquon’s done everything we’ve asked him to do and he’s a good football player,” Schoen said. “Again, the positional value, we’ll get into how we want to build this team and allocate our resources. That is what it comes down to.

“Again, he’s a good football player. He was durable for this year. He played well and, again, he’s a guy we would like to have back.”

But Jones appears at the top of that list.

Former UFC middleweight champion Luke Rockhold intends to pursue fights outside of the UFC after securing his release from the company.

In an appearance on “The MMA Hour” on Monday, Rockhold, 38, revealed he and the UFC have mutually parted ways, ending a partnership that began in 2013. Rockhold retired in the Octagon in August, following a three-round decision loss to Paulo Costa — but now intends to fight again with a new promotion.

“I need a new setting,” Rockhold said. “I need a new challenge … You get burned out in the game when you’ve done so much and you need new obstacles.”

Rockhold did not offer details on any potential move. Possible options in MMA include Bellator MMA, where he has a preexisting relationship with president Scott Coker, PFL and One Championship. He also said he would consider a transition into boxing.

Rockhold (16-6) won the UFC’s middleweight championship in 2015 by defeating Chris Weidman via TKO. He went on to lose the belt in his first scheduled title defense against Michael Bisping in 2016 and then struggled to stay healthy amid a 1-3 skid from 2016 to 2022.

The Santa Cruz native publicly butted heads with the UFC at times, as he spoke out about a perceived lack of respect. In August, UFC president Dana White praised Rockhold’s final bout against Costa, saying, “I’ll never say anything [bad] about him, I totally respect him.” Rockhold later said he appreciated White’s comments.

Prior to his run in the UFC, Rockhold established himself as one of the top fighters in the world outside of the promotion, as he held a 185-pound title in Strikeforce from 2011 to 2012. He holds notable wins over the likes Weidman, Bisping, Lyoto Machida and Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza.

PGRpdiBjbGFzcz0ncmEtY29udGFpbmVyIGRpc3Ryb19hZCc+CjxkaXYgY2xh
c3M9J3ZpZGVvLWFkLXdyYXBwZXInPgo8c2NyaXB0IGFzeW5jIHNyYz0nLy9j
LmpzcmRuLmNvbS9zL2NzLmpzP3A9MjI1NDYnIHR5cGU9J3RleHQvamF2YXNj
cmlwdCc+PC9zY3JpcHQ+CjxkaXYgY2xhc3M9J3ZpZGVvLWNvbnRhaW5lcicg
aWQ9J2RzX2RlZmF1bHRfYW5jaG9yJz48L2Rpdj4KPC9kaXY+CjwvZGl2PgoK

{{ timeAgo(‘2023-01-24 12:31:01 -0600’) }}
football
Edit

Ryan Wright
•
Rivals.com

National Recruiting Analyst

You must be a member to read the full article. Subscribe now for instant access to all premium content.

• 
  

  Members-only forums

• 
  

  Predict prospect commits with FanFutureCast

• 
  

  Exclusive highlights and interviews

• 
  

  Exclusive coverage of Rivals Camp Series

• 
  

  Breaking recruiting news

PGRpdiBjbGFzcz0ncmEtY29udGFpbmVyIGRpc3Ryb19hZCc+CjxkaXYgY2xh
c3M9J3ZpZGVvLWFkLXdyYXBwZXInPgo8c2NyaXB0IGFzeW5jIHNyYz0nLy9j
LmpzcmRuLmNvbS9zL2NzLmpzP3A9MjI1NDYnIHR5cGU9J3RleHQvamF2YXNj
cmlwdCc+PC9zY3JpcHQ+CjxkaXYgY2xhc3M9J3ZpZGVvLWNvbnRhaW5lcicg
aWQ9J2RzX2RlZmF1bHRfYW5jaG9yJz48L2Rpdj4KPC9kaXY+CjwvZGl2PgoK

{{ timeAgo(‘2023-01-24 12:02:46 -0600’) }}
football
Edit

Sean Williams
•
Rivals.com

National Recruiting Analyst

Nebraska continues their impressive recruiting haul under new head coach Matt Rhule on Tuesday with the commitment of McGavock (Tenn.) four-star wide receiver Demitrius Bell, who is coming off an official visit with the Cornhuskers this past weekend.

WHAT NEBRASKA IS GETTING: 

Bell put in an impressive performance at the Rivals Camp Series stop in Philadelphia back in May and originally committed to Michigan State in early June before backing off his pledge to the Spartans in August. Throughout his senior season Georgia, Florida State, and Virginia Tech jumped in with offers while Bell took an October official visit to Kentucky. Then, Nebraska offered on December 9th, which proved to be a difference maker.

During his senior season, the 6-foot-1, 185-pound prospect was a do-it-all weapon for his McGavock squad – recording 59 catches for 704 yards and eight touchdowns while rushing for 274 yards and two scores. Bell also showed off his arm talent, going 5-of-8 passing for 169 yards and two scores.

WHY IT’S BIG FOR NEBRASKA:

For Nebraska, the addition of Bell gives the Huskers possibly six wide receiver commitments in the 2023 class, depending on which side of the ball Jaylen Lloyd plays. Ranked the No. 7 player in the state of Tennessee, Bell is a physical wide receiver that can go up and high-point the ball in one-on-one matchups and is simply electric when the ball is in his hands. The Huskers are getting a player that will only improve at the collegiate level and could become a go-to playmaker for the offense in the very near future.

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH NEBRASKA FANS AT INSIDENEBRASKA.COM

WBO world cruiserweight champion Lawrence Okolie demanded “an official callout” from Richard Riakporhe, and his London rival duly obliged.

On Saturday Riakporhe beat a mutual opponent in Krzysztof Glowacki, stopping the Pole in four rounds, two rounds quicker than Okolie managed in 2021.

The win leaves Riakporhe well positioned to challenge for a world title. Okolie first has to come through a mandatory defence against David Light but would relish an all-British clash with his fellow Londoner.

“I’m number one,” Okolie told Sky Sports News. “Richard’s someone who’s not scared, he’s not afraid. He doesn’t look at me and say: ‘Lawrence is unbeatable’. He believes in himself, in his skills, in his training.

“But unfortunately I don’t think it’s going to be enough the day me and him fight each other. But that’s my opinion and the only way to find that out is to actually get in the ring and make it happen.”

After his win on Saturday night Riakporhe had called for a shot at any of the world champions. “I believe I’m No 1. I’ve always believed it deep within me and [fighting Okolie] will be a good chance for me to prove it,” Riakporhe said when both fighters appeared head-to-head on Sky Sports News on Tuesday.

“As long as the business is right, it would be great to have another title [on the line in the fight] as well. Because we can make a big unification fight.”

Okolie said: “I respect every fighter. I respect the skills that he’s got. But as soon as someone says they want what you have – your belt, your name, to knock you out – as soon as I hear someone say my name, as my track record shows, I’m ready to go.

“Champions should fight champions and then contenders should be dying to fight champions. That’s the energy that I’m on and I’ve been on it,” he continued.

“That’s why I’m a level above. I’m able to say: ‘Forget all this other stuff. I just want smoke’.

“When I was coming up looking for a world title, my energy was never: ‘Oh, if the price was right. Oh, if the business is good.’ It’s just I want to fight.

“Don’t say: ‘I’m a fighter if the business makes sense’.”

Okolie went on to demand: “I want to hear an official callout right now from Richard, if he’s up for it. Because I didn’t feel the one that he did the other day. I want to believe him right now. So that when I’m going to training I’m thinking, ‘After I beat my mandatory, that’s one we can make next if none of the other champions want a unification.’”

Riakporhe didn’t hesitate to take up his offer. “We can make it happen for sure,” he replied.

“You know me, Lawrence. I’m a fighter and that’s what I do. I was born to fight so we can make it happen this year. If you’re on it, I’m on it.

“Let’s just make it happen this year. Simple.”

LOS ANGELES — Country music star Chris Stapleton will hit next month’s Super Bowl stage to sing the national anthem, while R&B legend Babyface will perform “America the Beautiful.”

The performances will take place Feb. 12 at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, before the championship matchup and halftime show featuring Rihanna. The performances will air on Fox.

Actor-singer Sheryl Lee Ralph, who won an Emmy last year, will perform “Lift Every Voice and Sing.” She stars in the hit comedy series “Abbott Elementary,” which stars Quinta Brunson.

Oscar winner Troy Kotsur will perform the national anthem in American Sign Language. He became the second deaf actor to win an Academy Award for his role in the film “CODA.” Colin Denny will sign “America the Beautiful,” and “Lift Every Voice and Sing” will be signed by Justina Miles.

The U.S. Navy will conduct a flyover of State Farm Stadium to commemorate 50 years of women flying in the service.

Jay-Z’s Roc Nation company is executive producing the halftime show for a fourth year. Jesse Collins returns as an executive producer.

Stapleton, an eight-time Grammy winner, is considered one of the country’s most respected and beloved musicians. He took home three Grammys last year and was honored with a Country Music Association award for male vocalist of the year in 2021.

Babyface, who won 12 Grammys, has garnered multiple hits throughout his lauded career, including “Whip Appeal,” “When Can I See You” and “Give U My Heart” with Toni Braxton. He’s the co-founder of LaFace Records and has collaborated with a number of big names, including Whitney Houston, Aretha Franklin, Madonna, Mariah Carey, Mary J. Blige, Ella Mai and Patti LaBelle.

Ralph won an Emmy as a first-time nominee at age 66 last year. She has spent decades in the business with multiple iconic roles from “Dreamgirls” on Broadway in the 1980s to the stepmother to the title character on the 1990s sitcom “Moesha.”

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Andy Reid walked through Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia the day before a 2012 Week 10 matchup with the Dallas Cowboys. This time, though, the then-Eagles head coach was a spectator. Reid’s youngest son, Spencer, and the Temple University Owls were hosting the University of Cincinnati Bearcats.

Spencer was a redshirt freshman running back and ultimately didn’t see the field. But Reid still remembers that second Saturday in November. The Bearcats had a tight end who caught his eye, the kid brother of his center, Jason Kelce.

The redshirt senior wasn’t spectacular for Cincinnati, catching four passes for 37 yards against Temple. But he was 260 pounds and could run.

Reid decided that day that he wanted Travis Kelce as his tight end.

“I thought watching him at Cincinnati that this kid had a chance to be something special,” Reid said. “I remember he was a bigger guy but so smooth. He had that swagger. I remember thinking, ‘This guy would be great in the offense that we run.’”

The Eagles fired Reid after the 2012 season, his 4-12 record the worst of his head-coaching career. The following season he arrived in Kansas City, where he has been Kelce’s head coach for every snap of his professional career.

Ten seasons later, Kelce has 10,344 receiving yards, the fourth most for a tight end in NFL history, cementing his place as one of the greats at his position.

And at 33 years old, Kelce continues to improve. He’s having one of the best seasons of his career, catching a personal-best 110 passes and 12 touchdowns. He added to his legacy in the Chiefs’ divisional round playoff win over the Jacksonville Jaguars last weekend, when the Chiefs needed him the most.

With quarterback Patrick Mahomes hobbled because of a high ankle sprain, and the Chiefs having to go with backup quarterback Chad Henne for a series, Kelce caught 14 passes, one fewer than the NFL postseason record, and scored two touchdowns in the Chiefs’ 27-20 win, a result that sent them on to Sunday’s AFC Championship Game against the Cincinnati Bengals (6:30 p.m. ET, CBS).

“He’s just smarter as a player,” Mahomes said of Kelce’s continued improvement at an advanced football age. “I think that’s the biggest thing. He knows how to get himself open. He knows how to use other people and other parts of the concept to get himself open, and he’s smart about how he blocks, how he can pin guys and get in the right position.

“He’s just continued to evolve and be even better as a tight end. He is getting up there [in age]. I’m going to try to keep him here as long as possible, I promise you. He’s not taking any screens like 80 [yards] anymore, I don’t think. But he’s still going to make some production on the field.”

IT TOOK REID little time after joining the Chiefs to determine they had a deficiency at tight end. They’d had one ever since trading Tony Gonzalez in 2009.

In his first draft as coach, Reid and the Chiefs drafted Kelce in the third round.

He didn’t play as a rookie after having microfracture surgery on his knee, but Kelce returned the next season, and Reid’s thoughts on him were quickly confirmed.

In the 2014 preseason, Kelce took a short pass and outran four Bengals defensive backs for a 69-yard touchdown.

“At that point, I said, ‘Well, this kid’s got something to him,’” Chiefs tight ends coach Tom Melvin said.

Kelce’s career quickly took off. He caught 67 and 72 passes his first two seasons and hasn’t been below 80 receptions or 1,000 yards since.

He might have done better in those early seasons had he not let his emotions get in the way. Kelce received a number of unsportsmanlike conduct penalties, was fined by the NFL six times and was even ejected from a 2016 game against the Jaguars for throwing a towel at an official.

“We kind of had to reel him in a little bit,” said Jacksonville coach Doug Pederson, who was the Chiefs’ offensive coordinator when Kelce arrived. “He’s excitable. Once you got him focused on his craft — the way he runs routes, the way he can wiggle and slither and get open and the toughness that he plays with — those were all things that we saw or I saw at an early stage of his career that led you to believe he could have a great career in this league.”

Since 2017, Kelce has been fined by the NFL just once, for dunking the ball over the goalpost in a 2020 game against the New York Jets.

“He can definitely still get a little bit crazy at times, but that’s probably getting older I feel like,” said Jason Kelce, whose Eagles advanced to the NFC Championship Game on Saturday. “Testosterone starts to go down and you stop losing your s— as much as you used to. But he’s doing good. I think he’s matured a lot, especially since college.”

Now, Kelce is one of the veteran leaders in Kansas City. That was on display in Saturday’s win as he helped a backup quarterback deliver a touchdown pass. He also has become a mentor to young players.

“Having Travis Kelce in the room is huge. I’ve always said that I’ve been grateful for that,” Chiefs tight end Noah Gray said. “There’s a lot that you can learn from him, whether it’s route running, even in the run-blocking game or pass-blocking game. There’s a lot that he’s been able to teach me. He does a great job of watching everyone’s reps, so that’s been really helpful to have an older guy like that be really tuned in to stuff like that.”

Gonzalez remains the all-time leader among tight ends in yards (15,127), receptions (1,325) and touchdowns (111). Kelce is the only active tight end among the top four in yards, and his longevity could help him catch Gonzalez.

Former Patriots and Bucs tight end Rob Gronkowski is the single-season touchdown holder for tight ends with 17 and jokingly said he fears Kelce breaking his mark.

“I was just on his podcast the other day and I told him, ‘Hey, man, it’s great what you’re doing for the position,’” Gronkowski said. “But I said, ‘You’re not allowed to break one record — my tight-end touchdown record.’ He can break them all, but that one’s not allowed.

“He is just so savvy in his route-running abilities. How loose he is; I would say that also contributes to why he has never missed a game. You can tell just the way that he runs — he’s super loose, super free. His body is just very spongy when he’s out there playing — just the way he runs routes and gets open is super impressive. He has had seven 1,000-yard seasons in a row — for a tight end, never been done — it’s just unbelievable.”

SINCE HIS ROOKIE season, Kelce hasn’t missed a game because of injury. He sat out the final regular-season games in 2017 and 2020 after the Chiefs had clinched a playoff seed and opted to rest Kelce and some other starters.

That doesn’t mean Kelce has always been injury-free. He at times has played through injuries that required postseason surgery, prompting Melvin, an NFL coaching veteran, to say, “He has the highest pain tolerance and is one of the toughest kids that I’ve ever coached.”

Kelce chalked up his ability to stay in the lineup to luck, saying, “There are so many variables that go into that. It’s hard to pinpoint that. I just try to go to work and make sure I’m ready for any situation.”

Others who play his position say it’s remarkable for a tight end to have such durability. According to his brother, Kelce stays ready by employing a team to keep him healthy. He has a chiropractor, chef, masseuse and trainer.

“Playing in every single game, not a lot of guys can do it,” said 49ers tight end George Kittle, who has missed 16 games in his six-year NFL career. “Being available for every single game no matter what he’s dealing with, I think that’s a testament to — you see all of his stats, you see how he plays — but it’s just a testament to his character because he’s probably grinded through some stuff. Everybody deals with certain injuries, but to play in every single football game available besides your rookie season, it’s incredible.”

The Chiefs don’t give Kelce any veteran rest days at practice. He’s on the field when they are.

“We monitor his reps,” offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy said. “We don’t need to see Kelce every play in practice … but when he’s in there, he’s maximizing the opportunity. He’s not taking it for granted. He’s doing all the little and necessary things that we’re harping on with some of the newer guys to make sure they understand the culture that we’ve built as far as finishing, as far as detailing, as far as understanding how we practice.

“When he does get an opportunity and he catches it, you’ll see Kelce at his age catching it and taking it the distance. It’s not by chance that Kelce is making those plays on game day. You see it every day in practice.”

Though Kelce doesn’t consider it remarkable that he hasn’t missed a game because of injury in nine seasons, he does seem impressed with what he’s accomplishing at 33. He referenced his game-winning touchdown against the Los Angeles Chargers in the final minute of Week 11, a 17-yard catch.

Kelce lined up on the right side and then crossed the formation, running away from a top coverage safety, Derwin James.

“I beat him with my legs, these 33-year-old legs,” Kelce said afterward.

The Chiefs needed a big season from Kelce as much, if not more, than ever after trading wide receiver Tyreek Hill. Kelce acknowledged some initial concern about how the offense might operate and how effective he might be, but that dissipated on the Chiefs’ first drive of the season in the opening game against the Arizona Cardinals.

Kelce scored the Chiefs’ first touchdown on a 9-yard catch and later indicated the season energized him in a way he didn’t fully expect.

“I think I get excited for a new game plan more than anything,” Kelce said. “How are we going to attack these guys? How can I visualize how I’m going to attack my opponent all week long and all the various outcomes that could come on any given play? That’s what you get fired up for.”

The touchdown in Arizona set the tone for the rest of the season. The game was the first of his six with at least 100 yards. Kelce led the Chiefs in catches in 12 of their 17 games and in receiving yards in nine. He had four touchdowns in a Week 5 game against the Raiders, and the Chiefs needed every one to take a one-point win.

This season is another reminder of why the Chiefs made Kelce one of their first draft picks after hiring Reid as coach 10 years ago.

“Every single day, it doesn’t matter if it was my first day on the job or a day like today,” Kelce said after the Arizona game. “I always feel like I have something to prove, and I always feel like I want to take my game to the next level. It’s just the mentality I’ve always had and just keep getting better to perfect my craft.”

ESPN’s Tim McManus, Mike Reiss and Nick Wagoner contributed to this report.

NICO IAMALEAVA VS. DANTE MOORE

*****

SHOULD THERE BE A FIVE-STAR RUNNING BACK?

*****

WHO REIGNS ATOP THE RECEIVER RANKINGS?

*****

WHICH FOUR-STAR SHOULD HAVE BEEN A FIVE-STAR?

*****

DID WE GET THE TOP OF THE CORNERBACK RANKINGS RIGHT?

Stefanos Tsitsipas has reached the Australian Open semi-finals for the fourth time in the last five years and will now take on Russian Karen Khachanov for a spot in Sunday’s final.

The third seed made it six from six in the last eight at majors with a 6-3 7-6 (7-2) 6-4 victory over 21-year-old Lehecka, who had never won a Grand Slam match before arriving in Australia.

The young Czech had defeated Cameron Norrie and Felix Auger-Aliassime to make the quarter-finals but was broken in his first service game and, although he put on a creditable display, it was not enough to take a set from Tsitsipas.

The Greek, who along with Novak Djokovic still has a chance of finishing the tournament as the world No 1, will take on Khachanov in the semi-finals on Friday.

Sebastian Korda retired with a wrist injury during his clash with Khachanov, sending the Russian through to a second consecutive Grand Slam semi-final.

American Korda has been one of the stories of the tournament, defeating Daniil Medvedev and Hubert Hurkacz to reach a first major quarter-final 25 years after his father Petr lifted the trophy.

But he began to struggle halfway through the second set, receiving a medical time-out, and, after losing seven games in a row, called it quits, trailing 7-6 (7-5) 6-3 3-0.

It was a very disappointing way to bow out for the 22-year-old, who was in obvious discomfort and was reduced to chopping forehands in a vain attempt to find a way back into the match.

Having reached the last four at a Slam for the first time in his 23rd major tournament at the US Open last summer, Khachanov is now back at the same stage in his next event.

“Back-to-back semi-finals at a Slam feels great,” said the Russian. “Obviously not the way you want to finish the match. Up until a certain point it was a great battle.”

Khachanov and Korda met for the first time at a Grand Slam at Wimbledon in 2021, and a topsy-turvy contest went all the way to a fifth-set tie-break before the Russian edged it.

This looked set to be a close battle as well, with Korda recovering from a break down to force a tie-break in the opening set and then beginning the second strongly.

But he called the trainer after five games to have his right wrist taped and did not win another game.

Korda said of the injury: “I had it a little bit in Adelaide a couple weeks ago but then it went away. During the matches, it was completely fine. Then, just one kind of mis-hit return and it started to bother me a lot after that.

“Some forehands, I couldn’t even hold the racket. Volleying was almost impossible for me. So it was a little tough.”

It has nevertheless been a breakthrough fortnight for Korda, and he added: “There is a lot of positives, way more positives than negatives. Today was tough but hopefully it’s nothing serious and I can take care of it so I don’t have it in the future.

“I’m really proud of myself. Going forward, I’m going to keep on trying to do the same thing, keep on mentally being the same way. I think I can do some really big things in the near future.”

Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina continued her march in Melbourne as she eased into the semi-finals of the Australian Open with victory over Jelena Ostapenko.

As expected between two of the biggest hitters on the women’s tour, this was first-strike tennis, but Rybakina was the steadier in a 6-2 6-4 victory on Rod Laver Arena

Rybakina was a surprise champion at the All England Club but it would not be a shock if she ended the fortnight lifting the trophy here, particularly with the conditions favouring flat hitters.

“I think of course I got all the experience at Wimbledon and it’s helping me now this time here in Australia and I know what to expect,” she said.

“I already did it once and, of course, I got confident that I can do it again. I did really good preparation with the team. I’m not really surprised with the results. I’m happy. I’m just hungry to work and improve more.”

Both had caused upsets in the previous round, Rybakina defeating world No 1 Iga Swiatek and Ostapenko powering past Coco Gauff.

The Latvian, French Open champion in 2017, was through to her first Grand Slam quarter-final for nearly five years, but produced too many errors to put any real pressure on Rybakina.

The Kazakh No 1, who is edging closer to the top-10 position she would have occupied had Wimbledon offered ranking points, broke serve to open the match and was 3-1 ahead when a heavy shower caused a delay and led to the roof being shut.

Rybakina maintained her momentum on the resumption to take the first set and, although Ostapenko, who again continually complained about the accuracy of the automated line calling, opened up a 2-0 lead in the second, she could not hold onto it.

Almost three-quarters of the points were decided within four shots while Rybakina’s serve, the best in the women’s game following Serena Williams’ retirement, yielded 11 aces and was a key difference between them.

Ostapenko, one of the bluntest speakers on tour, did not mince her words afterwards, saying: “I think in general today, the level of the match was much lower than the previous one.

“It felt like me and Coco, we had like a really high level of tennis and we played really well. It’s a little shame that I couldn’t bring this level of the tennis today.

“Obviously she was serving well but I felt like, already in the second set when I had the longer rallies with her, I was winning most of them, so that was my goal, to make her play.

“I felt like maybe (playing) mixed doubles yesterday was a little bit not the right decision to play that late.

“But in general I think I can take only positive things out of this week because it’s only the beginning of the season and, if I keep working and keep playing the same way, I think I can be a dangerous player.”

Ostapenko again showed her frustration with the automated line calling and said her opponent was “lucky in many moments”.

“Some balls were not a little out, they were a bit out and they were not called,” she said.

The 23-year-old will take on either third seed Jessica Pegula or former two-time Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka in her second Grand Slam semi-final.

Johnny Gaudreau had a penalty shot and two assists, and he played a role in his new team forcing his old one into overtime.

But his first game back in Calgary after leaving to sign with the Columbus Blue Jackets in free agency ended with Gaudreau facing pressure, losing his balance after a collision and watching Dillon Dube score the winning one-timer in the Flames‘ 4-3 overtime victory Monday at the Scotiabank Saddledome.

“The first time back [brought] a lot of emotions,” Gaudreau told reporters after the game. “A little nervous before the game started but I was excited to be back.”

Gaudreau’s night could be viewed by his overall performance and the spectacle surrounding his return.

Calgary had a 2-0 lead when Columbus eventually drew level midway through the second period. Gaudreau, who logged a team-high 22:54 in ice time, set up the first goal with a cross-ice pass for Kirill Marchenko with 10:56 left.

The Blue Jackets tied it at 2 less than a minute later with Gaudreau setting up another cross-ice pass that led to Patrik Laine scoring on a one-timer with 10:08 remaining.

Gaudreau was also on the ice for the Jackets’ tying goal just less than five minutes into the third period.

Gaudreau played the final shift of regulation and in the final shift of overtime before his second shift ultimately ended with him colliding with Noah Hanifin, who forced the turnover that led to Andrew Mangiapane setting up Dube’s game winner.

Coming back from a two-goal deficit only to be at the center of events that led to the winning goal was just part of what made Gaudreau’s first game back in Calgary since leaving the Flames enthralling.

Gaudreau and the Blue Jackets were serenaded with boos when they took the ice before the national anthems. He started the game on a line with Laine and Jack Roslovic before he was booed upon his first touch.

His second shift was marked by the cacophony of “JOHN-NY! JOHN-NY! JOHN-NY!” while his next shift showed what makes him one of the league’s most dangerous players. The Flames were in the Blue Jackets’ zone when an errant pass from MacKenzie Weegar was picked off by Gaudreau, who was then hooked by Chris Tanev before being awarded a penalty shot.

Boos continued to cascade throughout the Saddledome as Gaudreau gathered the puck and closed in on the net only to have his shot go wide over Dan Vladar‘s glove with 14:46 left in the first period. Gaudreau took advantage of another Flames miscue on his fourth shift when he gained control of the puck, sped down the left wing and fired a slap shot that went off Vladar’s mask and into the crowd.

The booing continued at the start of his tribute video, but Gaudreau received a standing ovation before the cameras cut to him on the video board. Gaudreau, who was on the bench, stood up and thanked the fans by waving at them.

Then, they went back to booing him for the rest of the evening.

“For the most part, it felt nice to see everyone standing up and clapping their hands and cheering for me,” Gaudreau said. “And then five seconds after, start their booing again. It’s what I expected coming here. It’s a great fan base, and they’re passionate fans. I loved it. It was a special night for me.”

Said Dube: “I think that just shows how good of a player he was and how important he was for this organization, because you don’t get a reaction like that if you’re not that important.”

Gaudreau’s return to Calgary came with the expected reactions from a player’s first game back in his former home along with a few unique items. At morning skate, a few of the Blue Jackets jokingly booed Gaudreau, who laughed and smiled, when he touched the puck as a way of “preparing him” for the game.

Then, of course, there were the signs. One sign read, “I’m still your #1 fan Johnny Gaudreau” followed by an offer to exchange Gaudreau’s stick for some Skittles. Another sign read, “We drove 3 HRS just to boo Gaudreau.”

There were also fans who got creative with their Gaudreau sweaters, with one of them having a makeshift “BOODREAU” nameplate.

“For the most part, it felt nice to see everyone standing up and clapping their hands and cheering for me. And then five seconds after, start their booing again. It’s what I expected coming here. It’s a great fan base and they’re passionate fans. I loved it. It was a special night for me.”

Johnny Gaudreau

“We knew it was going to be that kind of environment. Johnny had an excellent game,” Blue Jackets coach Brad Larsen said.

Before he was the object of their scorn, Gaudreau was one of the beloved faces of the franchise. He was a fourth-round pick in 2011 who came with concerns about being a smaller player. He shook off those concerns by being one of the best players in the collegiate game, winning the Hobey Baker Award in his junior season at Boston College.

He left BC after three seasons and scored 20 goals along with 64 points in his first full professional season, which led to him being named an NHL All-Star and to the All-Rookie team. It was the first of six All-Star appearances he made with the Flames.

A three-time 30-goal scorer, Gaudreau’s final season in Calgary was the strongest of his career. He finished with career highs in goals (40), assists (75) and points (115) while also scoring nine game-winning goals. It set the stage for Gaudreau’s unrestricted free agency being one of the more prominent stories of the offseason.

The Flames were already preparing for life without pending restricted free agent winger Matthew Tkachuk, who told them he wouldn’t sign a long-term extension, which led to him being traded to the Florida Panthers. The expectation surrounding Gaudreau’s free agency saga was that it could have potentially ended with him signing somewhere closer to his hometown of Carneys Point Township, New Jersey, across the Delaware River from Philadelphia.

Instead of signing with the cap-strapped Philadelphia Flyers or the New Jersey Devils, Gaudreau surprisingly decided to sign with the Blue Jackets on a seven-year contract carrying a $9.75 million annual average value.

Life without Gaudreau and Tkachuk created questions about how the Flames would score. Finding consistent offensive production remains a challenge for a team that sits in the final Western Conference wild-card spot by two points over the defending Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche, who have three games in hand.

As for the Blue Jackets, their first season with Gaudreau has not gone to plan. Key players, such as All-Star forward Jakub Voracek and two-time All-Star defenseman Zach Werenski, sustained long-term injuries. Werenski is on long-term injured reserve, while Voracek is one of five Blue Jackets on the IR.

Even with the overtime point, the Blue Jackets are last in the Eastern Conference and tied with the Anaheim Ducks for the fewest points in the NHL. But it also means they are among the most notable contenders for the draft lottery and projected No. 1 pick Connor Bedard.

“I was drafted in 2011. I was part of this organization for 11, 12 years,” Gaudreau said. “They gave me an endless amount of support, gave our team an endless amount of support, and I want to thank them all for being great fans and welcoming me in their city and treating me well — me, and my family, really well.”

There are only four teams left in the 2022 NFL season‘s playoffs as we head to the conference championship round. Fresh off a win over the Cowboys on Sunday night, the 49ers will face the Eagles — who dismantled the Giants on Saturday — in the NFC Championship Game. And after beating the Bills on Sunday, the Bengals will try to get back to the Super Bowl for a second consecutive year against the Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game. Kansas City held off Jacksonville on Saturday to get the divisional round rolling, despite a right ankle injury to Patrick Mahomes.

Let’s look ahead to that exciting conference championship schedule. To get you ready for next week’s slate, Brooke Pryor picked out the biggest thing to watch for in each game, and Seth Walder explored how each team can win to advance to Super Bowl LVII. Let’s get started in the NFC.

Note: Odds and game lines are via Caesars Sportsbook. Game projections are via ESPN’s Football Power Index.

Jump to:
SF-PHI | CIN-KC

NFC Championship Game

Sunday, Jan. 29, at 3 p.m. ET (Fox)

Opening line: PHI -2 (45.5)
FPI projection: PHI, 64.4% (by four points)

What to watch for: This is how it was supposed to be. We have the two most dominant teams in the NFC meeting with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line. The 49ers and Eagles haven’t faced each other this season, so it’ll be a clean slate for each side. Philadelphia has the advantage of a more experienced quarterback in Jalen Hurts, who has a great supporting cast that includes wide receivers DeVonta Smith and A.J. Brown, tight end Dallas Goedert and running back Miles Sanders. But he’s still recovering from a right shoulder sprain suffered more than a month ago.

And while the 49ers are on their third starting quarterback in Brock Purdy (the 2022 draft’s Mr. Irrelevant), Kyle Shanahan’s quarterback-friendly system and the 49ers’ plethora of offensive playmakers — tight end George Kittle, wide receiver Deebo Samuel and running back Christian McCaffrey among them — make San Francisco’s offense plenty potent even with a rookie quarterback. There is an outside chance quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo could be ready for the NFC Championship Game, too, but Purdy has helped the 49ers get this far after the veteran went down in Week 13 with a broken foot. Purdy, though, hasn’t faced a defense like Philadelphia’s unit — one that held teams to a league-low 5.5 net yards per pass attempt and 3,057 passing yards in the regular season.

Meanwhile, the 49ers’ defense allowed 6.4 yards per pass attempt and a league-low 3.4 yards per carry, and it had 20 interceptions to the Eagles’ 17. In a game so evenly matched, this one could come down to experience, and while the 49ers were in a Super Bowl more recently than the Eagles, Hurts’ relative experience to that of Purdy could be the difference-maker.

Why the Eagles will win: The 49ers have the only roster that can even compare to the Eagles, but in terms of the full 53-man lineup, Philadelphia still has the edge. That’s especially evident in the trenches. The Eagles have the superior pass block win rate and pass rush win rate, and Haason Reddick (17.5 sacks, postseason included) should be set up for another big day. He will face Mike McGlinchey, not Trent Williams. And while the 49ers’ offense has been mostly great with Purdy at the helm, no one’s doubting who’s the better quarterback in this matchup. It’s Hurts, and that will matter.

Why the 49ers will win: The unique attributes of the San Francisco offense will limit the effectiveness of the normally dominant Eagles defense. That so much of the 49ers’ receiving production comes from McCaffrey, Samuel and Kittle will mitigate the effect of the superb cornerback duo of James Bradberry (who led all corners in fewest yards per coverage snap allowed, per NFL Next Gen Stats) and Darius Slay. And edge rusher Nick Bosa can beat Jordan Mailata, who ranked 56th out of 64 in pass block win rate this season.

AFC Championship Game

Sunday, Jan. 29, at 6:30 p.m. ET (CBS)

Opening line: KC -2.5 (49.5)
FPI projection: KC, 65.2% (by five points)

What to watch for: Chiefs. Bengals. Patrick Mahomes. Joe Burrow. Arrowhead Stadium. Super Bowl berth on the line. It feels a little like déjà vu, doesn’t it? But though the circumstances are similar, these two teams are hardly the same groups that met a year ago for an overtime thriller in which Cincinnati rallied from 18 points down to clinch its first Super Bowl trip in 33 years. Including the Bengals’ 27-24 win in Week 13, these two teams have played three times since the start of the 2021 season, and Cincinnati has won by three points each time.

Mahomes, who is 1-3 in his career against the Bengals, has a high ankle sprain (confirmed by an MRI), per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Even with limited mobility, he still went 22-of-30 for 195 yards and two touchdown throws in the second half of Saturday’s divisional round win over the Jaguars, and he said he expects to play against the Bengals. In the December meeting between Cincinnati and Kansas City, the Bengals’ defense held Mahomes to 16 completions on 27 attempts (223 yards and a touchdown pass), his fewest completions of the season.

Burrow, meanwhile, completed 25 of 31 attempts for 286 yards, two passing TDs and one rushing TD — and he became the first quarterback to beat Mahomes three games in a row. Burrow got a big boost in that game from a 106-yard rushing performance by running back Samaje Perine. Against the Bills in the divisional round, Joe Mixon was the hot Bengals rusher with 105 yards and a touchdown. But we also need to call out the Cincinnati defense, which held the Bills to just 10 points and 8 first-quarter yards.

Why the Chiefs will win: A banged-up Mahomes is still a top-10 quarterback. Yes, the injury will limit him. But Mahomes will still have an elite pass-protecting line helping him, along with head coach Andy Reid’s playcalling and tight end Travis Kelce — who caught 14 passes against eight different defenders in the Chiefs’ playoff victory over the Jaguars — being seemingly uncoverable right now.

With a two-high-heavy defense, the Chiefs can limit the threat of Bengals receiver Ja’Marr Chase catching deep shots down the sideline. But the real defensive key will be defensive tackle Chris Jones, who recorded 79 pass rush wins in the regular season, 26 more than any other defensive tackle. Can he blow up the lackluster Bengals offensive line, which ranked 31st in pass block win rate this year entering Sunday?

Why the Bengals will win: The Bengals have an advantage no one expected — the better quarterback. Burrow is superior to an injured Mahomes, and that shifts the offensive edge toward Cincinnati. Chase and Tee Higgins have the advantage over the Chiefs’ corners, too. Chase recorded 97 receiving yards in the Bengals’ win over Kansas City in December. And in Sunday’s win over the Bills, Burrow demonstrated once again that he can overcome his offensive line by getting the ball out quickly (2.5 seconds on average, per NFL Next Gen Stats).

And if the Bengals are the better offensive team with a limited Mahomes on the opposite sideline, that would give them the advantage in all three phases. The Bengals ranked ninth in EPA per play on defense before shutting down Josh Allen and the Bills, while the Chiefs are 15th. And Kansas City has had the worst special teams efficiency of any team this season.

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — In desperate need of a spark for an offense that for most of the first three quarters had been unable to solve the Dallas Cowboys‘ defense, the San Francisco 49ers finally got exactly what they needed from a player who wasn’t really a factor in the playcall.

With 5:19 left in the third quarter of a tie playoff game on Sunday, Niners quarterback Brock Purdy rolled to his left with the intent to hit wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk on a crossing route. If that wasn’t there, the ball was supposed to go to wideout Deebo Samuel farther down the left side. And if that wasn’t available, Purdy was supposed to find fullback Kyle Juszczyk in the flat.

With none of those options open, Purdy kept his eyes downfield, set his feet and saw tight end George Kittle streaking down the middle. Kittle waved his right hand at Purdy, who spotted him and threw it just in front of his tight end.

Kittle reached out with his right hand and deflected the ball back to himself, it bounced off his face mask and he reached back out with both hands to haul it in before it hit the ground and Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs could deliver a big hit.

After the game, Purdy joked that it seemed Kittle was bobbling the ball for about 10 seconds. That was by design, according to Kittle.

“I was just trying to be dramatic,” Kittle said, laughing. “It was just for TV. I was trying to be a little dramatic, get the ratings up. That’s what we’re here for.”

The play went for 30 yards and led to the Niners’ only touchdown of the game eight plays later.

“That was unbelievable,” San Francisco running back Christian McCaffrey said. “That was one of the best catches I’ve ever seen. That’s a special player doing special things. And plays like that definitely boost momentum.”

It was exactly the jump-start the 49ers needed at a crucial moment, as McCaffrey would punch in a 2-yard run on the first play of the fourth quarter to provide the winning points in San Francisco’s 19-12 divisional round victory over the Cowboys.

It was the Niners’ 12th consecutive win and punched their ticket to a third NFC Championship Game appearance in four seasons, as they travel to Philadelphia to play the Eagles next Sunday.

For Kittle, it was the biggest highlight of his best career playoff performance. He finished with five catches on as many targets for 95 yards, the most yards by a Niners tight end in a playoff game since Vernon Davis had 104 in Super Bowl XLVII during the 2012 campaign and the most for Kittle in the postseason, surpassing the 63 he had in a divisional round win against the Green Bay Packers last year.

Kittle and Purdy have had a strong chemistry since Purdy took over as the starter in Week 14. In those seven games, Kittle has 29 receptions for 425 yards and seven touchdowns.

Given that connection, it was unsurprising that his biggest play of the day came on a play in which he wasn’t even supposed to be an option.

“I’m not in the read at all,” Kittle said. “Brock is a good quarterback who keeps his eyes up when the play is falling apart, and his No. 1 and his No. 2 wasn’t open, so for him to look back inside to see a white glove hand fly up and give me a shot at the ball, that’s just really good quarterback play.”

Purdy faced the toughest test of his young career against a Dallas defense that led the NFL in quarterback pressure percentage this season, and he was pressured 14 times, the most of his young NFL career.

On those 14 dropbacks, Purdy was 3-of-10 for 24 yards and sacked twice. But when Purdy had time, he was 16-of-19 for 190 yards. Most important, Purdy and the offense did not turn the ball over, as San Francisco’s lone giveaway came on a fumbled punt return.

Before this season, there had never been a rookie quarterback to throw for 200-plus yards and have no interceptions in a playoff game. Purdy did it Sunday for the second time in as many weeks. And the Niners had two takeaways as they improved to 15-0 on the season when winning the turnover battle.

“Playoff football, any game, really, in the NFL, you can’t afford to be throwing the ball up or fumbling or anything like that, obviously,” Purdy said. “But when so much is on the line and you know everyone is going to be playing their best football, every drive and every moment matters.”

Against the Eagles next week, Purdy will become the fifth rookie quarterback in NFL history to start a conference championship game, joining Shaun King, Ben Roethlisberger, Joe Flacco and Mark Sanchez. Purdy, Flacco and Sanchez are the only rookie signal-callers to win multiple playoff starts.

With each passing week, Purdy’s teammates continue to marvel at how poised the final pick of the 2022 NFL draft has been in key moments.

“You see it every day with the way he prepares, and you see it in practice and games,” McCaffrey said. “He’s just been an impressive guy to be around in the huddle. So yeah, I’m not shocked anymore. It’s just who he is now.”

The tests won’t get any easier for Purdy and the Niners against a Philadelphia team that led the league in sacks and opponent yards per play. That’s why San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan and the rest of his squad were quick to turn the page after Sunday’s triumph.

“We’ve been here before,” Shanahan said. “It’s very hard to get here. We’re not really reflecting on anything yet. We’ve got a big game this week, and that’s not our ultimate goal, either. So, in order to do that, we’ve got to make sure we take care of business.”

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Dallas Cowboys Pro Bowl running back Tony Pollard suffered a fractured left fibula Sunday that will require surgery, sources said.

Pollard suffered the injury with 1:24 left in the first half of the Cowboys’ 19-12 divisional round loss to the San Francisco 49ers when he was rolled up after an 8-yard catch. Pollard needed help to the sideline and was wearing an Aircast on his left leg as he was carted to the X-ray room inside Levi’s Stadium. He was subsequently ruled out for the game.

“That hurt,” Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott said. “Just a guy that brings so much to our offense, brings so much to our team. His energy. His energy on the sideline, in the huddle, the way he gets guys going. He’s a special teammate, special player and obviously that one hurt. It hurt us. Wasn’t able to create as many explosive plays as we planned, and I’m sure he would’ve been a big part of some of those had he not gotten hurt.”

Without Pollard, the Cowboys were left to rely on Ezekiel Elliott and rookie Malik Davis. Elliott had not averaged 4 yards per carry in the previous five games and averaged a career-low 3.8 yards per carry this season, playing a good portion of the year with a knee brace to protect a sprained medial collateral ligament. Davis had 161 yards and a touchdown on 38 carries in the regular season.

Elliott had 10 carries for 26 yards Sunday, while Davis did not have a carry.

Pollard’s injury could not have come at a worse time for the Cowboys or for him.

He is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent in March and had the best season of his career. In 16 regular-season games, Pollard had 1,007 yards on 193 carries. He scored 12 touchdowns this season, surpassing the total he had in his first three seasons. He was named to the Pro Bowl for the first time in his career.

The Cowboys were banking on Pollard’s speed against a San Francisco run defense that finished second against the run (77.2 yards per game). Before getting injured, he had six carries for 22 yards and two catches for 11 yards.

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — For the third time in his career, Dak Prescott had the Dallas Cowboys in the divisional round of the playoffs, and for the third time, his season ended there.

This time, it was in a 19-12 loss on Sunday to the San Francisco 49ers, the same team that eliminated the Cowboys in the wild-card round last season.

During the 2016 campaign, Prescott’s rookie year, the Cowboys lost to the Green Bay Packers in the divisional round despite having home-field advantage in the playoffs. In 2018, the Cowboys lost at the Los Angeles Rams, who went on to win the NFC Championship Game and lose to the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl.

Despite the heartache on Sunday, Prescott’s belief is not shaken.

“If I had the answers, then we would’ve won tonight. Too early. Too soon,” Prescott said. “And I promise you we will, though. In my time playing on this team, for this organization, we will. Yeah, it sucks that it’s 365 days away to get back to this position, but we’ve got to take it day by day, step by step, and that’s what I’ll do. I know that’s who I am. I’ll respond the right way. As I said, when we get this team aligned, the guys that we get back, coaches, we’ll do what’s necessary to be right back here and win the next time.”

The Cowboys are now 27 seasons removed from their last championship, in Super Bowl XXX. While they won a road playoff game for the first time since 1992 with their 31-14 decision over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the wild-card round, the Cowboys envisioned a trip to Philadelphia next weekend to take on the Eagles in the conference title game.

For Prescott, who completed 23 of 37 passes for 206 yards and a touchdown with two interceptions on Sunday, the burden only grows.

“I’m disappointed in the way that I’ve played. Those guys in that locker room gave it all. Both sides of the ball. And put me in a position to go win the game. And I wasn’t able to do that,” he said. “And, yeah, I mean, I put it on my shoulders. When you play this position, when you play for this organization, you’ve got to accept that. That’s the reality of it. And as I said, it will make me better.

“It sucks, as I said, that I don’t get another shot at it for a long time, but I know that when I wake up tomorrow, it will be the first thing on my mind, and it will as I carry it through in my training throughout this offseason, as we get to the start of next season. It’s about finding a way to get better, mastering everything that we can to make sure that we get over this hump, whatever it is, and give ourselves a chance of winning it all.”

Team owner and general manager Jerry Jones said Prescott is the top reason for hope that the Cowboys’ championship drought will end.

“I thought we would win it because I’ve got such confidence in Dak,” Jones said. “I’ll line up out there five times with that [similar] situation, and if we’ve got him at quarterback, I’ll take my chances. So I’m just saying give me that setup a year in advance, a month in advance, and give me him as the quarterback and I feel very strongly that we’ll win.”

But Prescott tied for the NFL lead in interceptions in 2022 with 15, despite missing five games because of a fractured right thumb. Against the Buccaneers, he had four touchdown passes and ran for another. Against the Niners, he became the first Cowboys quarterback to have multiple passes intercepted in a playoff game since Troy Aikman in 1998.

Prescott’s two first-half picks led to six San Francisco points. His second, on a throw to CeeDee Lamb, was just the second red zone interception he threw on the season.

“Two throws that I can’t have,” Prescott said. “You can’t have in the playoffs. You can’t have them when you’re trying to beat a team like that. Can’t have them on the road. Yeah, no excuses for that. Those are two that are 100 percent on me.”

Prescott never had more than 13 interceptions in a season (2017) prior to this one, and the issue was something he never solved in 2022.

“Very frustrating,” he said. “Something I’ve got to get an offseason, take a look at all of them. As I said before, they all have their own story. The two tonight? Unacceptable. Can’t put the ball in jeopardy like that. Whether they’re tipped up in tight throws or whether I’m late on a stop route, just can’t happen. The number that added to is ridiculous. I can promise that the number will never be this again.

“I promise that.”