Eagles defense shines again as Philadelphia tops Detroit
The Philadelphia Eagles rode a ferocious defensive showing to a 16-9 win over the Detroit Lions on Sunday night, capping a packed NFL weekend that featured late-game drama, record-setting performances, and a major injury setback for Pittsburgh. Philadelphia’s front dominated throughout, with Jordan Davis batting down three Jared Goff passes and newly acquired edge rusher Jaelan Phillips disrupting plays from start to finish. Detroit briefly appeared poised for one last possession in the final two minutes, but a controversial pass-interference call allowed the Eagles (8-2) to drain the clock and hand the Lions (6-4) a frustrating road loss.
Elsewhere, Josh Allen powered Buffalo to a 44-32 win over Tampa Bay with three passing touchdowns and three rushing scores, becoming the first player in league history with multiple games of that combination. Denver pushed its winning streak to eight by edging Kansas City 22-19 on a walk-off Wil Lutz field goal, while San Francisco rolled past Arizona 41-22 behind Brock Purdy’s three touchdown passes and Christian McCaffrey’s three total scores. The Rams stayed hot with a 21-19 win over Seattle, Chicago stunned Minnesota 19-17 on a last-minute field goal, and Green Bay, Carolina, Pittsburgh, Jacksonville, Miami, and Houston added victories. The weekend also saw a painful setback for the Steelers: Aaron Rodgers left their 34-12 win over Cincinnati with a hand injury and did not return.
College football delivered its own fireworks, with Oklahoma and Texas facing SEC tests that reshuffled postseason expectations. The No. 11 Sooners walked into Tuscaloosa and edged No. 4 Alabama 23-21 behind sharp special-teams execution, while No. 5 Georgia dominated No. 10 Texas 35-10, highlighted by a surprise onside kick that blew the game open. No. 3 Texas A&M pulled off the biggest rally in program history, erasing a 27-point halftime deficit to beat South Carolina 31-30, and No. 9 Notre Dame rolled to an easy win at Pitt.
Closer to home, Penn State defeated Michigan State, 28-10, as the Nittany Lions finally snapped their six-game losing streak with a controlled win at Michigan State on Saturday at Spartan Stadium, claiming the Land Grant Trophy for the third consecutive year for the first time since 2004-06. The win marked Penn State’s first since Sept. 13, four weeks prior to the firing of longtime coach James Franklin, and provided interim coach Terry Smith with a morale-boosting victory that keeps the Nittany Lions’ bowl chances alive. The Nittany Lions relied heavily on their record-chasing duo of Kaytron Allen and Nicholas Singleton, who combined for 237 yards on the ground. Meanwhile, rumors intensified that Franklin is the leading candidate for the head job at Virginia Tech. Multiple reports suggest the Hokies are closing in on a deal after a turbulent stretch in Blacksburg.
In the NBA, Sunday’s schedule featured several high-scoring matchups. The Celtics held off the Clippers 121-118, the Nets beat the Wizards 129-106, and the Warriors topped the Pelicans 124-106. The Spurs pulled away from the Kings 123-110, the Mavericks outlasted the Trail Blazers 138-133, and the Rockets edged the Magic 117-113 in overtime. Utah won the day’s wildest contest, a 150-147 overtime thriller against Chicago, while Atlanta slipped past Phoenix 124-122.
Sources: The Athletic, The Guardian, ESPN