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Welcome to Week 18, and welcome to Nacua Watch.
With just four receptions and 29 yards, Los Angeles Rams receiver Puka Nacua would break the NFL rookie record for catches (104) and receiving yards (1,473) in a season.
With stars on both sides of the ball absent, it’ll be the rookie who catches spectators’ attention against the San Francisco 49ers.
San Francisco, having already locked up the conference’s top seed, will be without a handful of starters, including quarterback Brock Purdy and running back Christian McCaffrey. It’ll be Sam Darnold under center against a Rams defense that won’t have lineman Aaron Donald or linebacker Ernest Jones.
It’s necessary to note that a loss and a Green Bay Packers win over the Chicago Bears would demote Los Angeles to the seventh seed, all but ensuring a trip to Dallas, where the Rams fell 43-20 early in the season. A win, however, clinches the sixth seed and – likely – a storybook meeting with the Detroit Lions.
However, head coach Sean McVay has prioritized the health and rest of his best players, opting to face an NFC division winner at their best instead of risking injury for a slightly better matchup.
As for Sunday’s proceedings, explosive plays may dictate Los Angeles’ fate. The secondary has been inconsistent all season, and without the defense’s two best players, the Rams are bound to be less formidable. If Darnold can replicate Purdy’s success to any legitimate extent, there could be a handful of opportunities to break this one open.
Playing sound on the back end and having backup quarterback Carson Wentz keep the ball safe will be necessary steps in locking in a Wild Card date in Detroit.
WHAT: Los Angeles Rams (9-7) vs. San Francisco 49ers (12-4)
WHERE: Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, CA (68,500)
WHEN: Sunday, Jan. 7, 2024, 1:25 p.m. (PT)
TELEVISION: FOX
RADIO: ESPN LA 710 AM, Tu Liga 1330 AM
ODDS: Rams +4.5 (-118), Moneyline: +165, Total: 40.5 (o -125,u +100)
Live updates will appear after kickoff.
More must-reads:
- Browns quarterback race has now dramatically changed
- Significant concern emerges for Bengals, Joe Burrow
- The 'NFL mascot names' quiz
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Justin Fields Called 'Biggest Loser' In Jets Training Camp
The New York Jets opted to cut Aaron Rodgers and sign Justin Fields to replace him during the offseason. This kind of commitment to Fields should bolster his confidence, but it could also place a lot of pressure on his shoulders. To this point, Fields has looked solid in training camp, aside from a scary toe injury that was quickly resolved in July. Justin Fried of the Jet Press recently reported that Fields' training camp may have reached a new low over the weekend as the young signal caller struggled. "Justin Fields put together his best practice of the summer to this point on Friday, completing his first 12 passes en route to an excellent all-around performance. The same can't be said about his showing on Saturday, however," Fried wrote. "Fields finished the day an abysmal 2-of-10 in the air, including a drop from rookie tight end Mason Taylor. "Some of his incompletions were catchable balls, but the Jets' passing game struggles on Saturday can largely be blamed on No. 7. Fields did flash his running ability with a 25-yard rushing score on the first play of red-zone drills, but the Jets would like to see more consistency in the air from the starting quarterback. Saturday's scrimmage was far from his best showing of the summer." Fields is a runner first at the NFL level, but his arm is nothing to scoff at. For most of training camp, his arm talent has been better than advertised, but during Saturday's scrimmage, it just wasn't there. A 2 for 10 performance is unacceptable for a $40 million quarterback who was signed to take over the team. The running game should open up the passing game for the Jets, which is going to need to be the case if Fields is going to struggle like this. However, it's just one day of camp. It's nothing to be too concerned about. Just because Fields lost this specific practice doesn't mean he's heading in the wrong direction as a whole.
Tiger Woods Sends Strong Message to Retiring CBS Broadcaster on Sunday
At Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, North Carolina, Sunday’s final round of the 2025 Wyndham Championship closed out the PGA Tour’s regular season. It also marked the end of an era for one of golf’s most revered broadcasters. For the last time, Ian Baker-Finch manned the hole-announcing microphone for CBS Sports, capping 30 years in the booth following a playing career that peaked with his victory at the 1991 Open Championship. Before the day was over, Tiger Woods took to X to salute "Finchy." "Congrats Finchy for 30 incredible years behind the microphone. You brought insight into things that the viewing audience could understand and relate to. From all of us—thanks for the memories." The message joined tributes from Jack Nicklaus, Jason Day, Adam Scott and others, underscoring Baker-Finch’s standing among champions past and present. Ian Baker-Finch: From Major Champion to Broadcast Mainstay Baker-Finch turned pro in 1979, winning 17 professional tournaments worldwide. His lone major title came at Royal Birkdale in 1991, where he secured the Open Championship by five strokes. After retiring in the mid-1990s, Baker-Finch transitioned smoothly into broadcasting. He cut his teeth as an analyst on Australian television before joining ESPN and ABC in 1998. In 2007, he became CBS Sports’ dedicated hole announcer, a role he held through 2025, calling golf’s defining moments with a blend of technical acumen and warm delivery. Over 19 seasons with CBS, he covered five Masters and contributed to countless PGA Tour telecasts. Throughout Woods’ five green-jacket haul (1997, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2019), Baker-Finch was a trusted on-course voice that helped demystify championship golf for television audiences. As a player, Baker-Finch remains one of only seven Australian men to win a major championship and is one of a select few to dominate links golf on British soil. As a broadcaster, Baker-Finch’s voice guided generations of fans through golf’s signature moments, shaping how millions understand the game’s subtleties. When the G.O.A.T. of professional golf uses his platform to honor your contribution to the sport, it signals a broadcast career worth remembering.
Braves star injured in Speedway Classic at Bristol
In a season full of hard luck for the Atlanta Braves, Sunday's game against the Cincinnati Reds brought more. Star third baseman Austin Riley exited the Speedway Classic at Bristol Motor Speedway after tagging out Elly De La Cruz at home plate and saving a run in the bottom of the first inning. Riley fielded a ball that was smoked to third base off the bat of Miguel Andujar and chased Cruz down at the plate to keep Cincinnati's lead at one run. The next time Riley came up in the batting order, however, it was 28-year-old Luke Williams who stepped into the batter's box. The official reason given for Riley's departure from the contest was lower abdominal pain. Riley struck out in his lone plate appearance on Sunday. Riley, 28, is hitting .260 for Atlanta in 415 at-bats this season. He's hit 16 home runs with a .309 on-base percentage in 101 games. Riley strained an abdominal muscle on July 11 in a game against the St. Louis Cardinals, which led to the Memphis, Tenn., native being on the injured list until July 25. Atlanta is hoping that the pain he suffered on Sunday doesn't lead to a long-term injury.
Teams to watch if Cowboys actually trade Micah Parsons
The relationship between Micah Parsons and the Dallas Cowboys is severed to the point the two-time first-team All-Pro publicly requested a trade. In response, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones brushed the request off as simply something that can happen during a contract negotiation. While it's unlikely Parsons is actually sent out of Dallas, there will be no shortage of interested suitors if he's actually made available. But since the trade request is out there, it's time to speculate on which teams make sense as possible new destinations for Parsons. Las Vegas Raiders Sitting almost $40M under the salary cap, the Raiders have plenty of room to add to their team. The hiring of Pete Carroll along with the addition of Geno Smith has sent a clear message Las Vegas is tired of rebuilding and is planning on trying to win right now. The Raiders do have defensive end Maxx Crosby as their leader of the defense, but he's been far from enough on his own in recent years. Based on their desire to win, there's almost no good reason for the Raiders to not pursue Parsons. Chicago Bears Desperate to take another step in 2025, the Bears could be willing to do whatever it takes to transform into an instant contender. Heading into Caleb Williams' second season, acquiring an elite pass rusher like Parsons would do wonders for shoring up the defensive side of ball and taking pressure off the offense as they look to continue their progression. Chicago is also expected to have eight draft picks in the 2026 NFL Draft, providing it the assets to make a blockbuster trade possible. Carolina Panthers Even though Parsons would likely prefer to play for a playoff team, the Panthers have shown a willingness to try and change their fortunes this offseason. They tried, and failed, to trade for wide receiver DK Metcalf or sign defensive tackle Milton Williams. They have about $19M in salary cap space and could be willing to award Parsons with the money he's seeking in an effort to become relevant. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Baker Mayfield's career resurgence has made the Buccaneers' offense dangerous, but Tampa Bay is still a strong defense away from being able to truly make a run. With cap flexibility and coming off a 10-7 regular season in 2024, the Buccaneers franchise has been known to take big swings, and trading for Parsons could fit right into their plan.
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