nf Page 151 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights

NFC Championship: Once again it comes down to the QB position for Kyle Shanahan’s 49ers
What was built up to be a mega clash between the two toughest teams in the NFC turned into a dud before halftime. The 49ers couldn’t make it out of the first quarter against the Eagles before Brock Purdy left the game with an elbow injury. Josh Johnson filled in to finish the first half before going...

The Chiefs could lose by 40 — that still won’t make Joe Burrow better than Patrick Mahomes
We can enjoy Bengals’ QB Joe Burrow and the cool factor that he has brought to the Cincinnati without getting carried away. Burrow is an outstanding NFL quarterback, but in no way is he better than the Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes....

Is Eric Bieniemy being held to an unrealistic standard?
Eric Bieniemy’s circuitous route to an NFL head coaching throne has taken him through at least 16 interviews, and the beat goes on. The coaching game of musical chairs is nearing its conclusion once again, and Bieniemy’s only coaching interview during this cycle has been with the Indianapolis Colts....

Don’t worry Philly, San Francisco brought their own beef
The San Francisco 49er faithful came prepared to Philadelphia, bringing more beef from the bay area than an authentic Philly cheesesteak sandwich. In the days leading up to this clash for the NFC title, Niners fans have trolled through the city of brotherly love spreading disrespect like funk in a g...

The cringe factor in Bengals-Chiefs is off the charts
The Cincinnati Bengals are looking for a second consecutive trip to the Super Bowl this weekend, and in their way lies a familiar foe. For the last five years, the road to the Super Bowl has run through the Kansas City Chiefs. Fortunately for the Bengals, they’ve got experience beating the Chiefs. T...

Tua Tagovailoa is too close to stop now, right?
The people closest to Tua Tagovailoa might say they support him publicly, but there has to be some part of them that wants to scream, “Intervention! Intervention! Intervention!” The parents of the Miami Dolphins quarterback, Galu and Diane, both said their son “comes back,” and I can’t imagine them ...

Bettors slightly favor Chiefs despite Joe Burrow's 3-0 record vs. Patrick Mahomes
Joe Burrow is 3-0 against Patrick Mahomes in his career. He’s been so dominant against Cris Collinsworth’s favorite quarterback that Cincinnati Bengals’ players and fans have started referring to the Chiefs’ home stadium, Arrowhead, as “Burrowhead.” Despite this success and confidence from Bengals’ ...

Bettors believe Brock Purdy's feel-good story ends in Philly
No rookie quarterback has ever reached the Super Bowl. San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy is one win away from making history, and he’d do so as a seventh-round rookie most people paid no mind to on the final day of the draft. Still, despite the remarkable story, bettors seem to think histo...

Ian Rapoport is right — that viral pen question is pointless
For anyone in the 40-plus crowd looking to become more tech-savvy, apparently the best way to accomplish that is to become an NFL insider. After spending years frantically checking his mobile alerts, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport has no patience for technology that doesn’t require a power charger....

A rising tide lift all boats and it's time we threw Jason Whitlock’s ilk overboard
Choosing between women’s and men’s sports is a false choice. If you’re a certain blogger for Glenn Beck’s conservative Blaze media, revisionist history can be a comfort zone that vilifies feminism in sports as your woke sports boogeyman, but makes you look like a headass instead. Jason Whitlock’s re...

NFL QB candidates for the Daniel Jones ‘Don’t give up on me just yet’ award
One of the biggest stories to come out of a very eventful New York Giants season was the emergence of Daniel Jones. Jones went from not having his option picked up to being nicknamed “Vanilla Vick” and the team most likely franchise tagging him. There are two narratives to come of this development. ...
![Everything we know, right now, about Patrick Mahomes' ankle [Updated]](https://images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/8af7f38c76e30ae915550ef16e20e6b4.jpg)
Everything we know, right now, about Patrick Mahomes' ankle [Updated]
It’s conference championship week. With only four teams on the NFL schedule this week — the Kansas City Chiefs, Philadelphia Eagles, San Francisco 49ers, and Cincinnati Bengals — one interesting storyline can dominate the entire conversation leading up to the games. This time, it’s QB Patrick Mahome...

The Sports Nihilist: Like life, defense shouldn’t matter
When someone goes for 85 points in an NBA game this season, please don’t downplay the accomplishment. I know Kobe Bryant’s 81 is immortalized, and Lakers fans don’t have much to keep them warm at night nowadays, so they’ll cling even harder, but it feels like someone is going to approach the modern-...

Are the Jets trying to lure Aaron Rodgers to New York with Hackett hire?
The 2023 New York Jets are going to have a different quarterback than they did in 2022. I’m not a fan of the team, but even I’d be damned if the Jets opted to compete for an AFC East title with Joe Flacco, Mike White, or Zach Wilson again next year. Luckily, Gang Green is seen as the frontrunner for...

US Soccer is rebooting the USMNT…again
There’s burning the ships, and then there’s this. ...

Another AFC championship loss and the Chiefs’ run will begin to resemble the Pistons of the 2000s
Over the last five years, the Kansas City Chiefs have been the closest thing we’ve seen to a dynasty in the NFL. Having won only one Super Bowl, the clock is ticking on their opportunity to claim the dynasty title. Playing in five consecutive AFC title games is an accomplishment but bringing home ju...

The Indianapolis Colts community rallies to be rid of Jeff Saturday
I like to say that we over here at Deadspin started the unofficial petition to prevent Jeff Saturday from becoming the next full-time head coach of the Indianapolis Colts. The backlash to Saturday getting the nod over many qualified candidates who have —get this — coached football before, was so lar...

The NFC Championship Game’s weakest links
The Philadelphia Eagles and San Francisco 49ers have been the NFC’s two-headed monsters all season. For the majority of this season, they’ve been the kaijus of the conference. However, the bigger they are, the harder the fall — and one of these behemoths has to end the weekend with a gaping hole in ...

The AFC Championship Game’s weakest links
A championship-caliber unit is only as strong as its weakest link. Entering Championship Weekend, the rosters are so deep, and refined that it gets tougher to find dents in their armors. These aren’t the Houston Texans and Chicago Bears. The Kansas City Chiefs found a way around their lack of go-to ...
