Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold cannot seem to take advantage of red-zone opportunities.
Late in the first half Sunday, with his team trailing the Jacksonville Jaguars, 7-3, Darnold was picked off when the Vikings were inside the 10-yard line.
Jaguars come up with a red zone INT!
— NFL (@NFL) November 10, 2024
: #MINvsJAX on FOX
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Early in the third quarter, Darnold make the same mistake again.
Another interception by the Jaguars defense!
— NFL (@NFL) November 10, 2024
: #MINvsJAX on FOX
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This continues a trend for the Vikings signal-caller. While Darnold has passed for 1,900 yards and 17 TDs this season, interceptions have been a major issue. Darnold had already thrown seven interceptions coming into Week 10. That number continues to grow with his three interceptions so far against the Jaguars, including the two in the red zone.
Going up against a Jaguars team that is only 2-7 and has given up 20 or more points in all but two of its games, this appeared to be the perfect opportunity for Darnold to turns things around. Unfortunately for the Vikings, this turnover trend, particularly in the red zone, does not seem to be going away.
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The Pittsburgh Steelers have brought in a bunch of new faces, bringing a fresh sense of excitement and optimism ahead of the upcoming season. As the organization continues to make moves and finalize its roster, it seems like they’re tying up loose ends and preparing for this upcoming season. However, the changes might not be finished just yet, as a Steelers insider predicts a few potential cuts on the horizon. On a recent episode of the Chipped Ham Football podcast, Steelers insiders Brian Batko and Ray Fittipaldo talked about how the team looks heading into the rapidly approaching training camp. When the conversation shifted to potential roster cuts, Batko named four players who could be at risk, adding that he believes one or two of them are likely to be let go by cutdown day. "To me, I look at it as there's three L's here," Batko said. "[Isaiahh] Loudermilk, [Dean] Lowry, [Logan] Lee. Actually, four L's. Loudermilk, Lowry, [DeMarvin] Leal, Lee. I think one or two of those guys unfortunately for them, are probably going to take an L on cutdown day." Cutdown Day in the NFL is when teams have to shrink their rosters from the offseason maximum that can be around 90 players to just 53 for the regular season. It usually happens at the end of preseason and is a big moment for players fighting for a spot. Some make the team, some get released, and others might be moved to the practice squad. It’s a stressful and emotional time, as one decision can change a player’s entire career. During the podcast, Batko noted that the defensive line and linebacker groups are the most likely areas for surprise cuts. With a crowded defensive line room, it’s clear the Steelers have made a strong push to bolster that unit, which could lead to some tough roster decisions. The Steelers used their highly valued first-round pick in this year's NFL Draft to select Derrick Harmon, a talented young defensive tackle from the University of Oregon. While it's common for rookies to spend time developing before earning significant playing time, Harmon seems to be the exception. Early indications from the team suggest that he’s already in line for a starting role, highlighting both his potential and the confidence the coaching staff has in his ability to make an immediate impact. The Steelers’ defensive line has some big questions as the season starts. Veteran defensive tackle Cam Heyward, who is 36, still plays well and brings experience. However, beyond him, most of the players are young draft picks or longshots who haven’t proven themselves yet. Since the team didn’t sign any big free agents, they’re relying on Harmon and other young players to quickly step up and help Heyward hold down the defense. Heyward has been a key piece of the Steelers’ defense for years, with an insider even ranking him among the top three defensive linemen in franchise history. However, now at 36, the Steelers know they need to prepare for the day when Heyward is no longer on the field. That’s why they’re focusing on developing younger players to eventually fill his role. Finding the right balance between veteran experience and promising talent is a tough thing, but it’s a strategy the Steelers have used across their entire roster this offseason. The Steelers Are Putting In The Work With offseason programs underway and training camp quickly approaching, now is the perfect time for players like Batko mentioned that are on the cusp to show why they deserve a spot on the roster. Cutdown days are always tough, but ultimately, the NFL is a business. The Steelers have to make the best decisions to ensure they have the strongest roster possible heading into the season, but fans are excited and hopeful for this team this year.
NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal is widely considered one of the greatest players in basketball history. Helping lead the Los Angeles Lakers to three straight NBA titles alongside Kobe Bryant, O'Neal finished his career with four championships, three Finals MVP awards, 15 All-Star appearances, a league MVP award, and four scoring titles. While he is well-known for his dominance on the court, O'Neal has been a steady presence in the media since his retirement. One member of the Inside the NBA crew, which just completed its final season on TNT, O'Neal has stayed in the spotlight after his playing days. The 7-foot-1 Hall of Famer has also been very active in the community. On Monday, O'Neal made a personal announcement via his foundation about a new community effort they just completed. The former Lakers center has opened a sixth "Comebaq Court" for kids to play on. The official Instagram page for O'Neal's foundation shared the following: "Last Monday, we officially opened our 6th Comebaq Court! In partnership with @IcyHot and the Boys Girls Clubs of Northeast Texas at Gloria Williams Park, we unveiled a state-of-the-art space where kids can dream big and play hard—right in the heart of a park named for a true community hero. Because every kid deserves a safe place to play!" O'Neal is known for being very philanthropic. According to Spotrac, he made over $286 million in NBA career earnings, and has added to that significantly off the court. Using his resources for good, O'Neal and his foundation are doing impactful work in the community.
Milwaukee Brewers Jacob Misiorowski was back on the mound on Tuesday night against the Seattle Mariners, and even though he pitched just 3.2 innings, he continued to show why he is one of baseball's most exciting young talents. Prior to be pulled after 64 pitches, he allowed just three hits, walked one and struck out seven to continue his stunning start to his big league career. He also continued to light up the radar gun in a way that no other pitcher in the modern era has. Following Tuesday's start, where he regularly clocked in at over 101 mph, he has now thrown 39 pitches this season that have eclipsed 101 mph on the radar gun. He has done that in just 29.1 innings over six starts. By comparison, every other starting pitcher in Major League Baseball has tallied just 17 pitches of 101 mph or higher — combined. But it's not just about how he stacks up with pitchers this season that is staggering. It's that he is near the top of the list for 101 mph pitches for a career. Here are two of his 101 mph heaters from Tuesday. The ball just erupts out of his hand at the hitters. When you add in his mid-90s change-up and high-90s breaking pitches he is already one of the nastiest pitchers in the majors. It is that sort of electric stuff that made him a National League All-Star after just five appearances. For the season, he has now struck out 40 batters in 29.1 innings of work (that is 12.27 per nine innings), allowed only 15 hits and just eight earned runs. And five of those earned runs against came in only one start. Given his age and with the way teams today are extremely protective of their pitchers, he is probably going to see his pitch counts and innings closely monitored this season. When he is on the mound, though, he is quickly becoming appointment viewing.
The New York Knicks are looking to make more moves to upgrade their depth as they figure to be one of the teams to beat in the Eastern Conference next season. Of course, the Knicks made their first Eastern Conference Finals appearance since 2000 last season and with the amount of injuries to top players in the East, the Conference is wide open entering next season. Because of this, the Knicks have emerged as one of the favorites to win the East thanks to their core led by Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns. Despite this, Sports Illustrated’s Jackson Caudell and Rohan Raman recently created a three-team mock trade that would see the Knicks move on from Towns. In the trade, the Knicks would add Jrue Holiday, Robert Williams III and a 2028 first-round pick via the Portland Trail Blazers while they would send Towns and Pacome Dadiet to Portland. The Trail Blazers would also send Duop Reath to the Atlanta Hawks in this proposed mock trade. While the Knicks are looking at ways to improve their depth, moving on from Towns would be a tough decision for them to make despite his struggles, especially on the defensive side, during the playoffs last season. It would also be a tough decision to swap Towns for Williams III due to his injury history, especially with Mitchell Robinson’s injury history as well and the Knicks’ lack of true center depth. While that may be the case, adding a veteran point guard in Holiday to the second unit could be a good addition to the Knicks’ bench and Williams III would also give them more size. Despite this, it is highly unlikely that the Knicks will move on from Towns this summer and likely into next season as they see their core being able to help them compete for a championship next season.
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