Excelsior winger Ahmad Mendes Moreira, who was racially abused on Sunday, was labelled a "pathetic little man" by Den Bosch manager Erik van der ven after he celebrated a goal in front of the home fans.
Moreira suffered racist chanting in Excelsior's 3-3 draw at Den Bosch and walked off the pitch after 30 minutes, supported by his teammates.
Referee Laurens Gerrets temporarily halted the game before Moreira returned to the field. Moreira then put Excelsior 2-1 up just before half time and celebrated in front of the home supporters, cupping his hands to his ears.
After the match, van der ven criticised Moreira for his reaction to scoring in the 44th minute.
Moreira told Fox Sports NL: "He said that I am a pathetic man. Do you think we should accept this in 2019? I prefer to talk about the game, but I am just angry and disappointed that it still has to happen."
On his celebration in front of the Den Bosch supporters, Moreira added: "I think it is the best possible answer to them."
Den Bosch released a statement after the match which read: "We are very sorry that Excelsior player Moreira felt personally ill-treated. FC Den Bosch also understands that the referee considered it necessary to protect the player.
"Let one thing be clear; FC Den Bosch distances itself from everything that has to do with this and acts strongly against stadium visitors who are guilty of this."
Van der ven later clarified he had labelled Moreira "pathetic" due to his celebration and for leaving the pitch following the racist abuse.
"I did not say that [pathetic little man] about the fact that he felt attacked but more about the fact that he provoked the fans again after his goal. In my opinion that isn't smart because the game was already temporarily postponed.
"That is the reason I said that [pathetic little man] and that was not wise to say. I am absolutely against any form of racism, I don't want have anything to do with racism."
Moreira's actions were supported by Netherlands international Memphis Depay, who called on the Dutch FA to take action.
"I'm sick and tired to see these images over and over! When is it going to stop!!? #SayNoToRacism," he tweeted. "KNVB, Netherlands, UEFA, what we going to do? Specially with the upcoming Euro 2020."
Former Pakistan captain Imran Khan believes Sarfaraz Ahmed's axing does not necessarily spell the end of his international career. Imran, who is currently Pakistan's prime minister, has almost completely stayed away from any public comment on the nation's cricket team since he took over the top job. But, taking a weekend off from political duties, he touched upon a number of recent developments in Pakistan cricket, also backing the embattled head coach and chief selector Misbah-ul-Haq to come good.
"I don't think the performance and form of a player should be judged by T20 cricket but through Test and one-day cricket," Imran told reporters. "He can come back to the national team, but right now he should focus on domestic cricket."
Sarfaraz Ahmed was relieved of his duties as Pakistan captain last month in all three formats after a sustained drop in both personal form and the team's fortunes in all three formats. He also lost his place in the T20 and Test squads for Pakistan's tour of Australia, and has spent the last three weeks captaining Sindh in the Quaid-e-Azam trophy, where, with 92 runs in four innings, his batting returns have been somewhat modest.
Imran threw his weight behind Misbah, praising both his integrity and ability. "It is a constructive move to appoint Misbah as he is an honest and unbiased person who has loads of experience behind him. I think Misbah will turn out to be a good choice and Pakistan will improve and do well in Test and ODI cricket under him. He has this talent in him that he can groom the players and also improve their performance."
Imran also expressed confidence in the revamped domestic structure - which he had himself heavily championed - backing it to produce long-term results that improve performances of the national side. "If our domestic cricket improves, then Pakistan cricket will also move forward."
Hobart Hurricanes wicketkeeper Emily Smith has been banned, in effect for three months, under Cricket Australia's anti-corruption code after posting team news on social media before a WBBL game.
Smith, 24, has been sanctioned for putting the Hurricanes' team line-up on her Instagram account approximately an hour before it was due to be released for the match against the Sydney Thunder on November 2 in Burnie, a game that was later abandoned because of the weather.
Her ban is for 12 months with nine months suspended, but that still means Smith, who had played all eight of the Hurricanes' matches this season, will miss the rest of the WBBL and the Women's National Cricket League, which resumes in January.
Article 2.3.2 of CA's anti-corruption code prohibits "Disclosing Inside Information to any person (with or without Reward) where the Participant knew or might reasonably have known that such disclosure might lead to the information being used in relation to Betting in relation to any Match or Event."
In a related note, the code states: "Any potential offence under this Article will be considered on its own set of facts and the particular circumstances surrounding any relevant disclosure. For example, it may be an offence under this clause to disclose Inside Information: (a) to journalists or other members of the media; and/or (b) on social networking websites where the Participant knew or should reasonably have known that such disclosure might lead to the information being used in relation to Betting."
Sean Carroll, Cricket Australia's head of integrity and security, said: "Whilst Cricket Australia acknowledges that at the time of posting the team line-up there was no intent to breach the Anti-Corruption Code, CA's rigorous anti-corruption player education program means that players are well aware of their obligations under the Anti-Corruption Code and there is no excuse for breaches regardless of the reasons for information being disclosed.
"Since the commencement of the WBBL, Cricket Australia has had in place a robust anti-corruption program. We have been working with Emily throughout the process and Emily now understands the mistake she made. Unfortunately, in this instance Emily's actions breached the Anti-Corruption Code. We hope this serves as reminder to all that the Anti-Corruption Code is critical to protecting the integrity of the game."
Queensland 6 for 226 (Khawaja 86*, Wildermuth 48) beat Tasmania 223 (Sandhu 51, Steketee 3-33, Bartlett 3-59) by four wickets
Usman Khawaja's season of two halves continued as his unbeaten 86 led Queensland to a home Marsh Cup final with a four-wicket victory over Tasmania in Hobart.
Khawaja, who has struggled in first-class cricket this season and missed out on the Test squad, is now the second-highest scorer in the one-day competition.
He ensured that Queensland recovered a middle-order blip which saw them slip to 5 for 137, chasing 224, when Bryce Street and Jimmy Peirson fell in consecutive balls.
Jack Wildermuth helped add a decisive 85 for the sixth wicket and the required rate was never a stretch which meant Khawaja did not need to force the pace.
Max Bryant had given the chase early impetus before he edged behind off Jackson Bird with Matt Renshaw and Charlie Hemphrey also falling to catches from the keeper to leave Queensland 3 for 75 in the 16th over.
After the match Khawaja said he could not remember a pitch in Australia that provided as much grass as this one, with the seam bowlers in the contest throughout the day.
Queensland made excellent use of it after winning the toss as they reduced Tasmania to 4 for 40 - when George Bailey was bowled trying to leave the ball - through excellent early spells from Wildermuth, Mark Steketee and Xavier Bartlett.
The middle and lower order did well to recover as Macalister Wright (46) and Simon Milenko (36) added 75 for the fifth wicket before falling in consecutive overs against Steketee.
Gurinder Sandhu was an unlikely saviour from No. 8 as he struck a maiden one-day fifty, although the landmark came with significant embarrassment as, on the same ball as reaching his half-century, he was carelessly run out while over the crease line but having not grounded the bat or himself.
Queensland will play Western Australia in the final on November 26 at a venue to be confirmed.
Rugby player Israel Folau has drawn anger for linking Australia's bushfire crisis to the nation's same-sex marriage and abortion laws.
Folau, who was sacked by Australia in May for making anti-gay remarks on social media, described the fires as a "little taste of God's judgement".
Six people have died since last month in blazes raging in eastern Australia.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison condemned Folau's remarks as "appallingly insensitive".
"He is a free citizen, he can say whatever he likes but that doesn't mean he can't have regard to the grievance [and] offence this would have caused to the people whose homes have burnt down," Mr Morrison told reporters on Monday.
Folau, who is Christian, gave a sermon in his Sydney church on Sunday in which he said Australia's decision to pass abortion and same-sex marriage laws had gone against "God's word", adding the nation needed to "repent".
"Look how rapid, these bushfires, these droughts, all these things have come, in a short period of time. You think it's a coincidence or not?," he said.
His comments sparked outrage from many Australians online, who noted the widespread devastation of the fires.
He was also criticised by high-profile local figures who had previously supported him.
"Israel, button up," said broadcaster Alan Jones on his radio show on Monday. "These comments don't help."
Rugby Australia (RA) sacked the former Wallabies player in May after he said on social media that "hell awaits" gay people.
The 30-year-old fullback has been widely condemned for those comments and others targeting transgender people, but he has also received vocal support from Christian groups.
Rugby Australia has stood by its decision to sack Folau, saying he breached a players' code of conduct. He was previously one of the nation's highest-paid athletes.
HOMESTEAD, Fla. – As team owner Joe Gibbs sat at the championship table in the media center Sunday night, a reflective look crossed his face as he soaked in the many emotions of the moment.
Gibbs was taking it all in after Kyle Busch brought home Joe Gibbs Racing’s fifth Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series title at Homestead-Miami Speedway, winning the Ford EcoBoost 400 to secure the crown.
It was the perfect bookend to a year that began with heartbreak, continued with triumph and culminated in the ultimate success story, thanks to a modern-era record 19 wins by JGR in addition to Busch’s career-defining title.
The Joe Gibbs Racing story this year started Jan. 11, when Gibbs’ son J.D. – the longtime president and “main man” of the organization – passed away after a lengthy battle with a degenerative neurological disease.
As devastating as J.D.’s passing was to the race team at the time, every member used his memory and legacy as inspiration to go out and achieve greatness.
That mission was rewarded in February, as Denny Hamlin – the driver J.D. discovered at Hickory (N.C.) Motor Speedway and brought into the fold – won the season-opening Daytona 500 as part of a 1-2-3 finish for the team.
It continued as Hamlin, Busch, Martin Truex Jr. and Erik Jones piled up victory after victory through the year and spilled over Sunday night as Busch hoisted the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series trophy, the second time in his career that he’s reached the pinnacle of American stock-car racing.
Perhaps it was a fitting twist of fate that Busch was the one to deliver JGR’s fifth championship, as the last race that J.D. attended for the team was the 2015 season finale – when Busch won his first title.
All those little puzzle pieces and glimmers of emotion added up to a room-brightening smile on Joe Gibbs’ face as he reminisced on his late son and celebrated such a crowning moment for his race team.
Joe Gibbs speaks to members of the media at Homestead-Miami Speedway. (HHP/Jim Fluharty photo)
“It’s been an emotional year for us,” Gibbs told SPEED SPORT. “For me, it started with the Daytona 500. I think anybody that saw that would say that there’s no way that could happen by accident. I felt like God was kind of overseeing that. I think J.D. was there. And then it kind of continued the entire year for me. It’s been emotional to think that you could win the number of races we’ve won this year. It’s just something that normally doesn’t happen.
“I think he was a big part of it for us. I think for everybody that worked at Joe Gibbs Racing, when J.D. left us, I think each and every one of them felt that so much,” Gibbs added. “I think they devoted this year to him – I know Coy and all of us did family‑wise. If you ask me, it was emotional all year. I felt like I could feel J.D. all year, and it’s kind of hard to put in words.
“But it’s been special and different, and it was great to finish it up the way we did tonight.”
Busch was quick to note, both in his television interviews and with the media afterward, J.D.’s impact on his career specifically, as well as his role in bringing the Las Vegas native to JGR in the first place.
He couldn’t remember if it was Joe or J.D. Gibbs that made the final push to bring him onboard, but he was grateful nevertheless.
“I actually … I’ve never asked Joe if it was him or J.D. that really went hardest at trying to get me to sign with JGR, but J.D. certainly had a big impact on my life,” Busch recalled. “In my early years and coming over to Joe Gibbs Racing, J.D. and I knew each other a little bit from Truck Series stuff. Coy and I knew each other better because Coy was there when I was there, but I’ve just always respected the family and have given them everything that I’ve got and have appreciated what they’ve given me in return.
“I know it’s been a difficult time on [J.D.’s wife] Melissa and Joe [Gibbs]. To be able to reward them with a championship, I know how much it means to them, and it’s the best I can do,” he continued. “I know J.D. was looking down on us all year long. He’s an honorable man and honorable father and one that reflected the Lord and lived that way and showed people how to do that.
“A lot can be learned from those type of individuals, and I know I learned a lot from J.D.”
The message all year for Joe Gibbs Racing was simple: Do It For JD. (Toyota Racing photo)
JGR set new marks all season long, including a new Cup Series record of three teams from one organization making the Championship 4, an achievement never-before-seen prior to Sunday night.
Though Hamlin didn’t come away with the title Sunday night, the back of his No. 11 FedEx Toyota carried a thank-you message to his longtime friend, the friend whose football number was the same as Hamlin’s car number, whose initials were the same as Hamlin’s and who first hired Hamlin back in 2006.
As Hamlin spoke about coming up short in the title fight, there was motivation to come back even stronger next year – the kind of motivation and pride in his work that J.D. would have smiled at.
He likely also would have smiled at Truex’s charge to runner-up honors and fourth driver Erik Jones’ third-place finish, which allowed JGR to close the season just like the team started it nine months ago.
It was a year about fight, a year about heart and a year about positivity in the face of tremendous heartache.
It was a year that J.D. would have been proud of.
“This one was for him,” Gibbs said. “It’s a huge deal for us.”
Steven Smith believes his former CPL team-mate Nicholas Pooran will learn a lot from his recent suspension for ball tampering, while revealing how much the Newlands scandal had helped him to understand his own mental limits and the need for regular breaks to enhance his decision-making.
Pooran became the latest player to be found guilty of ball tampering - the second after Sri Lanka's Dinesh Chandimal following that Cape Town Test - and was suspended for four T20I matches.
Smith had previously played alongside Smith for Barbados Tridents, and the former Australia captain said that 24-year-old Pooran would gain plenty from the introspection forced by the offence and its penalty.
"Everyone is different, every board is different, and the way they deal with certain issues. For me, I copped it on the chin... it is what it is. I know Nicholas, I've played a bit of cricket with him and he's a talented player and someone with a bright future," Smith said. "I think he'll learn from his mistake and move past it.
"I don't feel hard done by. It was a long time ago now. I've moved past it and I'm focusing on the present. I played with him in the Caribbean league at Barbados. I think he's going to be an exceptional player in white-ball cricket."
Reflecting on how the scandal had influenced him, Smith said he was now far better at recognising where he was at mentally and whether he needed a break from time to time. Entering the fateful Cape Town Test of 2018, Smith had actually admitted "maybe now my mind is not in as good a space as it was", yet was compelled to push on through the fatigue accumulated over a summer where he did not get much time to rest. He is now optimistic that he and others will benefit from the painful lessons that followed.
"Every decision you make has got an outcome, good, bad and ugly, whatever, I'm able to think of how it's going to look before I make that decision a lot of the time"
Steven Smith
"I'm able to I think catch my mind, where that's going and the decisions I'm making are a lot more clear with what I'm trying to do," Smith said. "Every decision you make has got an outcome, good, bad and ugly, whatever, I'm able to think of how it's going to look before I make that decision a lot of the time.
"Of course, I'll still make mistakes, I'm a human being, we all do. But being able to catch yourself and the way you're thinking is something I've learnt and something I'll continue to work on and continue and get better at."
While at pains to ensure it did not sound like he was making excuses for what transpired at Newlands, Smith said the current discussion around mental health, following the decisions of Glenn Maxwell, Nic Maddinson and Will Pucovski to take leave from the game, reflected a growing understanding of how important it was to have a good idea day to day of where cricketers, and particularly their captains, were sitting in terms of their personal wellness.
"I think that's something that we're getting a lot better at," he said. "Communication with the coach, relevant people that are involved where we can have those honest conversations with about how we're tracking. It is a pretty hectic schedule nowadays. It's bloody tough to sustain it for long periods of time, particularly I think for the fast bowlers. It's extremely difficult what they put themselves through. It's great that those conversations are happening and we're trying to keep guys as mentally and physically fresh as they can be.
"Don't get me wrong, that's no excuse on my behalf. No excuses there. But I think it's great those conversations are happening. We fill out daily how we're feeling, how we slept... the sleep gets a big red every now and again. We fill out a wellness thing every day. The coach and psych and head of team performance look at our markers daily and it's upon us to be honest in the way we go about that as well.
"They can see how we're tracking and if there's a change in behaviour, if you're feeling ill or not sleeping well or feeling a bit off, they're aware of it. That can sort of start a conversation. Why is your sleep bad? What's going on? Why are you feeling a bit off today? It's good that they do that. It's good for guys' mental health and wellbeing as well."
The Gabba Test will mark another milestone for Smith on his road back from Newlands, being his first Test match at home since his ban. He will be seeking to maintain the stunning performances he reeled off in England to help Australia retain the Ashes, while also beginning a summer in which he is likely to return to South Africa for the first time since the scandal as part of the limited-overs team.
"I'm pretty chilled about everything at the moment," he said. "I've obviously been back playing for Australia for a little while now and even my first Test back in England I didn't think too much of it. I was just playing a game and doing what I love.
"It's great to be playing my first Test back in Australia, I'm excited about that. I've had some success personally at the Gabba and we usually play pretty well as a team here. I'm excited about getting back out there. Hopefully we can have a really successful summer."
Penalties as severe as a life ban for on-field slurs related to sexuality may soon be added to a broader and tougher Cricket Australia anti-discrimination code as the Test batsman Matthew Wade admitted he has needed to significantly "tame" his verbal tendencies on the field in the face of changing times and steeper standards of player behaviour.
Wade's former state team-mate James Pattinson was given personal leave from the Test squad in Brisbane on Monday as he dealt with the fallout from a one-match ban for obscene personal abuse of the Queensland seam bowler Cameron Gannon, alleged to have been of a homophobic nature, uttered during Victoria Sheffield Shield match at the MCG.
At the end of this summer CA will review its behavioural codes in line with new ICC regulations launched in August this year, which saw the previous anti-racism code greatly expanded to take a no tolerance approach to all forms of discrimination. The new standards will be set in conjunction with the Australian Cricketers Association, and may be in place in time for next summer.
The first step in a two-part process to reform the CA behaviour code was to expand the definition and scope of a level two or level three charge for abusing an opposition player, taking in personal abuse that may be directly addressing the player or a member of his or her family. At the same time a separate and more serious level three charge of abuse that discriminated against a player on the basis of their race, gender, sexuality or religion was merged into the wider definition, a change that came into effect in 2018-19.
That second, level three charge had a vexed history as the one under which Harbhajan Singh was initially suspended by the ICC during the "monkeygate" scandal in Australia in 2008. Harbhajan's charge was subsequently downgraded from one of racial vilification of Andrew Symonds to another, lesser charge of abuse. The new code was used more recently when Shannon Gabriel was suspended for four matches under the abuse charge in February for asking Joe Root "do you like boys", prompting the England captain to rebuke him with the words "there's nothing wrong with being gay".
However the second step, adopted by the ICC earlier this year, is to broaden the parallel and more legally robust anti-racism code into a catch-all discrimination code, devised to deal mainly with serious cases concerning repeat offenders. CA's head of integrity Sean Carroll is currently undertaking a review of the governing body's codes to bring about similar reform at CA level, threatening far harsher penalties for those who would repeat the sorts of slurs that Gabriel and Pattinson were alleged to have used.
The ICC's discrimination code allows for bans of up to four Tests or eight ODIs/T20Is for a first offence, and a ban of anywhere between one year and life for a third. The specific charge reads: "Engaging in any conduct (whether through the use of language, gestures or otherwise) which is likely to offend, insult, humiliate, intimidate, threaten, disparage or vilify any reasonable person in the position of a Player, Player Support Personnel, Umpire, Match Referee, Umpire, Support Personnel or any other person (including a spectator) on the basis of their race, religion, culture, colour, descent, national or ethnic origin, sex, gender, sexual orientation, disability, marital status and/or maternity status."
In all it signals a tightening of the net around player behaviour and on-field verbal exchanges, leaving Wade to acknowledge that he has had to change with the times. "I think I have to, otherwise I'll be in the same kind of trouble that Patto finds himself," Wade said. "You've got to be careful no doubt, the game's changed over the 10 or 15 years I've been involved and there's certainly nowhere near as much verbal on the ground and myself personally I've had to tame the way I've played and I think that's no different to actually playing the game, you've got to evolve over time and thankfully I've done that a little bit."
Asked about Pattinson and whether or not there was any danger that Test cricket was at risk of losing its uncompromising edge, Wade said that players would always adjust their actions based on where administrators set the boundaries of what is acceptable.
"It'll just evolve the way it's umpired to be honest, the way the officials hand the sanctions out will dictate the way that players play the game," Wade said. "I don't think good, hard Test cricket will ever go, I think once you get two countries out there and the contest's on, I think there's always going to be emotions that'll spill over. If you're doing the things and abiding by the laws I don't think good, hard Test cricket will go anywhere.
"You can play aggressively with your body language without really saying anything anyway. We saw some really good contests and banter in England and everyone really enjoyed it. We all know there's a line and if you cross that line you pay the price. Jimmy's done that, I've done that in the past as well, you've got to learn from that and he'll come back better."
CA this year earned nationwide plaudits for introducing a new policy for the "inclusion of transgender and gender diverse players in elite cricket", a process led by Carroll. "It doesn't make any sense that today, people are discriminated against, harassed or excluded, because of who they are. And that's not right," CA's chief executive Kevin Roberts said when launching the policy in August. "Discrimination of any sort has no place in the game and all of Australian Cricket is driven to ensure all cricketers can participate in a harassment-free environment."
The Ravens made a massive statement in the AFC with a blowout win over the Texans. The Saints and Cowboys got back on track, the Colts got a big victory in the AFC South and the Vikings came back from a 20-point deficit to beat the Broncos. The Niners pulled off a comeback in the afternoon, and the Patriots held off the Eagles.
All that and more in Week 11's biggest takeaways from NFL Nation.
The Rams kept their playoff hopes alive Sunday night. With an inexperienced offensive line, and without starting receivers Brandin Cooks and Robert Woods, the game plan revolved around Todd Gurley II, who had his most productive game of the season with 133 all purpose yards. The Rams will face a greater challenge in Week 12, when they play host to the surging Baltimore Ravens on Monday Night Football. -- Lindsey Thiry
Next game: vs. Baltimore Ravens (8:15 p.m. ET, Nov. 25)
The Bears might have to turn to backup Chase Daniel next week versus the Giants. Starting quarterback Mitchell Trubisky suffered a right hip injury near the end of the second quarter of Sunday night's 17-7 loss to the Rams. The injury got progressively worse as the game wore on until head coach Matt Nagy had to pull Trubisky with just a couple minutes left in the fourth quarter. Trubisky, who was already playing with a shoulder injury, was downtrodden after the game when asked about his availability in the coming weeks. "It's definitely tough," Trubisky said. "You just want to be out there with your team. But if you're not a hundred percent, you can't help the team. I'm not doing the team any favors if I'm not able to run around or throw the ball with accuracy, because I'm throwing all-arm."-- Jeff Dickerson
Next game: vs. New York Giants (1:00 p.m. ET, Sunday)
The Ravens look like the NFL's scariest team after Lamar Jackson delivered another MVP-type performance with four touchdown passes. What really should catch the league's attention is the statement delivered by the Baltimore defense. The Ravens recorded a season-high six sacks and forced two turnovers in holding the Texans scoreless for 3½ quarters. In a span of four weeks, Baltimore has beaten Seattle, New England and Houston by an average of 21.6 points. -- Jamison Hensley
Next game: at L.A. Rams (8:15 p.m. ET, Nov. 25)
The Texans have a long way to go before they can be considered one of the top teams in the AFC. Quarterback Deshaun Watson did not play like an MVP candidate, and the defense showed how much it misses defensive end J.J. Watt. Houston has a short week to respond, as they host the Colts on Thursday night. The winner of that game will be in first place in the AFC South. -- Sarah Barshop
Next game: vs. Indianapolis (8:20 p.m. ET, Thursday)
So much for the idea that New Orleans would be in trouble without No. 1 cornerback Marshon Lattimore. The Saints (8-2) reestablished their dominance in the NFC South by snagging four interceptions from Jameis Winston in Sunday's victory. It was the kind of emphatic win they needed after last week's inexplicable flop at home against Atlanta. And now they have the chance to widen their division lead even more over second-place Carolina (5-5) next week at home. -- Mike Triplett
Next game: vs. Carolina (1 p.m. ET, Sunday)
A week after the Buccaneers finally learned how to close out a game, they forgot how to start one, falling behind 20-0 in the second quarter before losing 34-17. The Saints smothered Winston, resulting in four interceptions and a fumble (which the Bucs recovered). The Saints doubled up on Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. They dominated the line of scrimmage in the run game, resulting in negative yardage for Ronald Jones II. And they capitalized on the Bucs' double coverage of Michael Thomas, allowing Alvin Kamara to run free. The Bucs now face the upstart Falcons, who won their second consecutive game and share last place in the division with Tampa Bay at 3-7. -- Jenna Laine
It wasn't pretty, but the Cowboys left Detroit with a win, which is all that matters. The defense knows it has a lot to clean up after allowing too many big plays. The offensive line knows it has to find way to get the running game going. But at 6-4, the Cowboys also know they are still in first place in the NFC East as they continue to monitor what Philadelphia does. "Needed a win, needed a win on the road, needed a win outside the division," right guard Zack Martin said. "It's big for us. Got a tough one going to New England next week, and this was, as much as you don't want to say, it was kind of a must-win for us." -- Todd Archer
Next game: at New England (4:25 p.m. ET, Sunday)
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Prescott's big day lifts Cowboys past Lions
Cowboys QB Dak Prescott has an impressive game with three touchdown passes and 444 passing yards in the Cowboys' 35-27 win over the Lions.
The Lions' defense is broken, and there are no answers in sight. Dallas' Dak Prescott took the defense apart for close to 400 yards. Lions linebacker Devon Kennard said he knows he "sounds like a broken record" when he is talking about what ails the defense. The reality is it's combination of players and scheme, which has led to the consistent failings, a 3-6-1 record and last place in the NFC North. -- Michael Rothstein
The Vikings pulled out a come-from-behind victory and head into the bye week 8-3. The type of resiliency and scheme adjustments it took to overcome a 20-point halftime deficit should be applauded, but the fact Minnesota was down 20 points is concerning. The Vikings' past two wins have come down to the final play. And had it not been for some questionable late-game coaching decisions by opponents, Minnesota might not have been given those windows in the first place. It took way too long for the offense to incorporate play-action on Sunday, and the Vikings made some baffling decisions in the first half (such as running on second-and-20 while down 17 points). And a slew of boneheaded penalties leave a sour taste from this victory. Still, the Vikings are in prime position headed into a critical NFC showdown in Seattle in two weeks and remain very much in the playoff picture. -- Courtney Cronin
Next game: at Seattle (8:15 p.m. ET, Dec. 2)
The Broncos can't stop blowing games late. Before Sunday's defeat at Minnesota, the Broncos already had lost three games this season on field goals in the final 22 seconds -- and two of those were made on the game's last play. This time, they let a 20-0 halftime advantage get away, the third time in franchise history they did not win a game that they led at the half by at least 20 points. The Broncos have three road games in the next four weeks and still have games against playoff hopefuls -- Buffalo, Kansas City, Houston and Oakland -- on the docket. Some serious ugliness awaits if they cannot keep their edge despite all of the disappointments. -- Jeff Legwold
The Colts had their best rushing performance in nearly 15 years, running for 264 yards against Jacksonville. Running backs Marlon Mack, who left the game in third quarter with a hand injury, and Jonathan Williams were the dominant performers for Indianapolis. Mack rushed for 109 yards on 14 carries, and Williams had a career-high 116 yards on 13 rushes. The 264 yards rushing as a team were the most for the Colts since they ran for 275 yards against Chicago on Nov. 21, 2004. Mack and Williams are the first two Indianapolis players to rush for at least 100 yards in the same game since Randy McMillan and Albert Bentley did so in 1985. -- Mike Wells
Next game: at Houston (8:20 p.m. ET, Thursday)
The Jaguars' playoff chances took a big hit Sunday. The Jaguars couldn't stop Indianapolis' ground game, as the Colts averaged 7.3 yards per carry. The Colts didn't do anything fancy, either: They lined up and manhandled the Jaguars' defensive front. Figuring out how to stop the run this week against Tennessee is critical and a must if the four-win Jaguars are to salvage any hope of getting a playoff spot. -- Mike DiRocco
The Falcons' defense looks like a totally different unit from the one that struggled through most of the season's first half. And it has sparked a dramatic turnaround, resulting in a two-game win streak and 2-0 start in the NFC South. The defense hasn't allowed a touchdown since the end of the second quarter against Seattle (Week 8), keeping both New Orleans and Carolina out of the end zone. In the past three games, the Falcons have recorded 13 sacks, 25 quarterback hits and four interceptions. "If we keep playing the way we are as a defense, offense and special teams put together, that's the team we believe we can be," free safety Ricardo Allen said. "I know we've got something we can do. I know who we have. We just have to put it out there and not talk about it." -- Vaughn McClure
Next game: vs. Tampa Bay (1 p.m. ET, Sunday)
You can't put all the blame on Panthers quarterback Kyle Allen for Sunday's embarrassment. He had a lot of help from an offensive line that didn't give him time to throw. But his four interceptions against the Falcons and eight in the past four games are alarming. Carolina (5-5) has no chance to make the playoffs if this trend continues. Sunday's loss might have been the beginning of the end of Carolina's playoff hopes. "I understand that I can't make these same mistakes because it ends up with us losing the game," Allen said. -- David Newton
The Jets beat a bad team for the second consecutive week, but they did it in convincing fashion. The big story was quarterback Sam Darnold and the offense, which has scored eight touchdowns in the past two games after registering eight in the first eight games. Darnold has regained his confidence, and that should be worth at least two or three more wins down the stretch. -- Rich Cimini
Next game: vs. Oakland (1 p.m. ET, Sunday)
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Darnold's 4 TD passes fuel Jets' win over Redskins
Sam Darnold throws four touchdown passes and picks up 293 passing yards in the Jets' 34-17 win over the Redskins.
The Redskins have a long way to go to reach respectability. Losing by 17 to the Jets at home -- after a bye -- is inexcusable. They're going to suffer growing pains with rookie quarterback Dwayne Haskins, but don't confuse that with blaming him for the loss. He isn't good enough to carry an offense that needs carrying. And the defense continues to make the same mistakes that has plagued it for more than half a decade. It's maddening to watch for a fan base that long ago had it so much better. But this is where the Redskins are: 1-9 with no hope for the immediate future. -- John Keim
Josh Allen was at his absolute best against the Dolphins on Sunday. He accounted for four touchdowns and more than 300 yards of offense. It was a much-needed performance in a "get right" game before the Bills' most difficult stretch of the season. With an AFC wild-card spot on the line, Buffalo will play Denver in Week 12, before facing Dallas, Baltimore, Pittsburgh and New England in consecutive weeks -- although the team isn't looking at any game as more important than the others. "I would say every game is a must-win, whether it's a conference game or not," left tackle Dion Dawkins said. "Every Sunday needs to be a W." -- Marcel Louis-Jacques
Next game: vs. Denver (1 p.m. ET, Sunday)
Riding a two-game win streak, the Dolphins took a step back defensively. It was a sign some of their issues won't truly be solved until they add more talent and experience to that group. It doesn't erase some of their recent progress, but it does put it in perspective heading into Cleveland next week. -- Cameron Wolfe
The 49ers have found myriad ways to win this season. But they have also found themselves in a rut recently in some areas that powered their 8-0 start. The run game has struggled without tight end George Kittle, the defense has been vulnerable to quick passing and mobile quarterbacks, and quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo has a habit of coughing up a costly turnover or two every week. With Green Bay, Baltimore and New Orleans next on the schedule, the 49ers (9-1) will need to clean that up if they want to come out on the other side still in charge of the NFC playoff picture. -- Nick Wagoner
Next game: vs. Green Bay (8:20 p.m. ET, Sunday)
This was not the type of game the Cardinals wanted leading into their bye week. They blew a 16-point lead, and then lost with 31 seconds left after retaking the lead. And now they'll have to stew in the frustration of losing their fourth straight game until Dec. 1. Quarterback Kyler Murray was visibly emotional after the game in a way he's never shown before. The remaining schedule doesn't get any easier with the Rams twice, Steelers, Browns and Seahawks. The Cardinals will either turn their frustration into wins or continue on to win as many games as they did last season. -- Josh Weinfuss
Tom Brady didn't look like himself, and neither did the Patriots' offense. What will get Brady and the offense back on track? With the Cowboys coming to town on Sunday, that is arguably the biggest question facing the team. Coach Bill Belichick had made the point that with some players returning to action this week (receiver N'Keal Harry and tight end Matt LaCosse), more reinforcements expected next week (left tackle Isaiah Wynn) and the continued integration of recently added players (tight end Ben Watson and receiver Mohamed Sanu), it's a developing picture. -- Mike Reiss
Next game: vs. Dallas (4:25 p.m. ET, Sunday)
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Edelman throws TD pass to Dorsett off trick play
The Patriots get creative by having Julian Edelman throw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Phillip Dorsett.
Carson Wentz is going to have to play transcendent football if the Eagles are to overcome injuries on offense and make a playoff push. That was not the case in the Eagles' loss to the Patriots Sunday, as Wentz finished 20-of-39 for 214 yards and a touchdown. It falls on Wentz to thrive amid the adversity and make everyone around him better, as other top-end quarterbacks -- such as his counterpart Sunday (Brady) -- have done over their careers. That might be a tall order, or even unfair, but these are the moments franchise quarterbacks have to find a way to get it done. -- Tim McManus
It wasn't pretty, and it was harder than it probably should have been against a winless team, but the Raiders kept their improbable playoff drive on schedule. "There's an old saying around here: Just win, baby," said coach Jon Gruden. The victory over the Bengals closed out a 3-0 homestand for Oakland, which improved to 6-4. And with a game at the Jets (3-7) next week, the Raiders remain on pace to face the Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium on Dec. 1 with first place in the AFC West on the line. -- Paul Gutierrez
Next game: at N.Y. Jets (1 p.m. ET, Sunday)
Finding Cincinnati's next franchise quarterback sounds easy compared to the task facing the winless Bengals after Sunday's loss to the Raiders. The successor to veteran Andy Dalton likely will be rookie Ryan Finley or whomever the Bengals take early in the first round of the 2020 draft. Finding solutions for the rest of the passing attack, however, may not be so simple. Oakland tallied five sacks against Cincinnati's struggling offensive line, and the receivers averaged only 1.4 yards of space per target, one of the lowest registered by any group of wideouts this season, per NFL Next Gen Stats. On a day when the offense was all but swallowed whole in its last visit to Oakland's "Black Hole," the Bengals showed they need more than a young quarterback to fix an ailing passing attack. -- Ben Baby
The Browns won one of their biggest games in years, and nobody will be talking about it. Instead, all focus will be on defensive end Myles Garrett, who inexplicably ripped the helmet off Pittsburgh quarterback Mason Rudolph and slugged him in the head with it in the final seconds of Thursday's win. Garrett is suspended indefinitely and will miss at least the remainder of the 2019 season. It was a black mark on the Browns organization, who come off dysfunctional even in a win. -- Jake Trotter
Next game: vs. Miami (1 p.m. ET, Sunday)
Before the end-of-game melee, the story was the Steelers' woeful offense. Pittsburgh's top three offensive threats -- James Conner, JuJu Smith-Schuster and Diontae Johnson -- went out because of injures over the course of the game. Pittsburgh averaged 3.7 yards per play, and Rudolph threw four picks to one touchdown. "At this point, we were just not good enough," guard Ramon Foster said. "We had just not been supporting our defense. As a whole, we just have to be better. Everyone is going to say whatever they want about us, but we are sticking together and making it happen. ... This is probably as humbling as it can be on a marquee-type game. Very humbling." -- Brooke Pryor
With six weeks remaining in the regular season, the AFC might already be coming down to a two-team race. The Patriots and Ravens stand well atop the conference after wins Sunday afternoon.
As we get closer to clinching season here at Playoff Picture headquarters, we'll start to sprinkle in projections from ESPN's Football Power Index (FPI), a metric that uses remaining strength of schedule and matchup analysis, among other data points, to derive playoff probabilities. In the AFC, the Patriots have a 95.2% chance to earn one of the top two seeds. The Ravens are at 80.2%.
Let's take a closer look at the playoff race through 11 weeks of the 2019 NFL season (with Monday Night Football still to be played).
Quarterback Tom Brady was short and apparently exhausted during his postgame news conference in Philadelphia, but he had no reason to be disappointed. A November victory of any nature in Philadelphia, against a team struggling to remain in the playoff picture, is worth celebrating. By all evidence, the Patriots are going to have to continue scrapping for wins every week to keep ahead of the surging Ravens in the race for the top seed in the AFC. FPI is giving them a 72.9% chance to do so, but the Ravens really need to make up only one game after clinching the head-to-head tiebreaker in Week 9.
After a 15-point home loss to the Browns in Week 4, the Ravens have reeled off six consecutive victories, a streak that is twice as long as that of the next-closest team. With quarterback Lamar Jackson playing at an MVP level, the Ravens are near locks to win the AFC North and have a 56.4% chance to be the second seed in the conference. Given the shaky nature of the rest of the AFC, we should all be looking forward to a Patriots-Ravens rematch, this time in the AFC Championship Game.
A lot can happen in a few hours. The Colts entered Week 11 sitting in the AFC's eighth spot. Then they beat the Jaguars by 20 points at home, while the Texans lost on the road to the Ravens. That sequence shot the Colts up to the No. 3 seed, pending the outcome of the Chiefs' game Monday night in Mexico City. It also reflects the strength of the Colts' victories to this point and how it could impact their playoff future. Their Week 7 win over the Texans explains why they are atop the AFC South, and the Colts' Week 5 triumph over the Chiefs breaks their current tie in the conference seedings. Needless to say, the Colts' looming rematch with the Texans could have massive implications for the division title.
There is no more wiggle room for the Chiefs in a division race that many of us assumed would be a runaway. The Chiefs need a victory over the Chargers south of the border to preserve their spot atop the AFC West. The Raiders' three-game winning streak has pulled them to 6-4, meaning the Chiefs are in first place only because of their Week 2 win in Oakland. FPI still is giving the Chiefs an 88.7% chance to win the division, but it has gotten tighter than expected.
The Bills' win in Miami didn't do anything to change the perception that they've feasted on bad teams. Their strength of victory (.214) is by far the lowest of any team among the top six seeds in either conference. But the Bills have only two games remaining against teams with losing records: Week 12 against the Broncos and Week 17 against the Jets. Wins in those two games, and perhaps one other, might be enough to get them into the postseason. FPI is pegging their chances at 63.4%.
Next up: vs. Denver
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Brady: Offense is up and down right now
Although the Patriots defeated the Eagles, Tom Brady isn't content and feels the offense is inconsistent.
All we really found out Sunday is that the Texans, certainly for now and possibly for the duration of the season, aren't an elite-level AFC team. Their loss in Baltimore bumped them down to a wild-card spot -- which they hold over the Raiders because of their Week 8 three-point, head-to-head win -- but the Texans can get themselves back on track in Week 12 at home against the Colts. FPI still gives the Texans the best chance to win the AFC South (68.2%), and overall, their chances to make the playoffs are 86.8%.
There was a moment on Sunday when it appeared the 49ers might really be the frauds that some suspected them to be, now that they've hit the most difficult part of their schedule. Having lost to the Seahawks in Week 10, they trailed a three-win Cardinals team by 16 points midway through the second quarter. But the 49ers got it together and assured themselves a winning season for the first time since 2013. It will only get harder for the 49ers, however. Their home game next Sunday night against the Packers will be for control of the top spot in the NFC, and even if they prevail, the 49ers will face a daunting pair of road games at Baltimore and New Orleans in consecutive weeks. That's why FPI is not yet sold on the likelihood that the Niners will be the No. 1 seed. They have a 37.8% chance, per the index.
The Packers won't get an opportunity to ease their way back after a bye. Their game in San Francisco could have a dramatic impact on their lead in the division and their chances to receive a first-round playoff bye. Already, their chances to win the NFC North are 64.9%. Additionally, FPI gives the Pack the NFC's third-best chance (20.6%) to clinch the top seed and a 26.3% chance to wind up at No. 2.
After an unexpected one-week lapse, the Saints got back in business on Sunday with a 17-point victory at Tampa Bay. They trail the Packers in the standings because of one extra conference loss, but FPI gives them a slightly better chance to finish with the No. 2 seed (26.9%). If you'd like to see the NFC playoffs go through the Superdome once again, keep in mind that the Saints have only two games remaining against teams that currently have a winning record: Week 14 against the 49ers and Week 15 against the Colts.
The Cowboys' win in Detroit, combined with Philadelphia's home loss to New England, leaves them as the only team in the NFC East with a winning record. That puts the Cowboys in a relatively commanding position in the division. FPI gives them a 66.9% chance to win the NFC East and a 70.5% chance to make the playoffs as either the division champion or an NFC wild-card team. But a lot can change in a week, as the Cowboys have perhaps the most difficult game on their schedule looming in Week 12.
The bye came at a good time for the Seahawks, who were involved in a combined 291 plays during consecutive overtime victories in Weeks 9 and 10, the most in the NFL over that period. They'll need the rest for a brutal stretch run. The 49ers' victory maintained San Francisco's NFC West lead, and the Seahawks will have to navigate the NFL's third-most difficult remaining schedule, per FPI, as they try to make up ground. FPI gives them only a 27.6% chance to win the division.
It took a historic comeback for the Vikings to avoid the kind of loss that can crush playoff dreams. Playing a three-win opponent at home, the Vikings needed to become the first team in the past 40 seasons to score a touchdown on every second-half possession and win after trailing by at least 20 points at halftime, per Elias Sports Bureau data. A win is a win no matter how it happens, however, and the Vikings now have a 93.6% chance to at least reach the playoffs, per FPI. They face tougher odds to win the NFC North, in part because of their 1-2 division record. FPI gives them a 35.1% chance to wrest control of the division from the Packers.
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