Purdue is back on top of the USA TODAY Sports men’s basketball coaches poll.

The Boilermakers, ranked fourth last week, vault back to No. 1 after taking down Arizona, the team that had held the No. 1 position for the last two weeks. With that result, Purdue now owns three top-10 victories, with earlier wins against No. 6 Marquette and No. 7 Tennessee in Hawaii.

Kansas, which held the No. 1 spot earlier in the season, is back up to No. 2, claiming three first-place votes. Houston, unbeaten but yet to face anyone else in the top five, slips to No. 3 despite picking up the remaining nine No. 1 nods. Arizona falls to No. 4, and defending champ Connecticut holds at No. 5.

Oklahoma climbs four places to No. 8, and Kentucky leaps six slots to No. 9 after staving off No. 13 North Carolina over the weekend. Baylor drops four spots after losing to Michigan State but remains in the top 10.

No. 23 Memphis is the lone newcomer to the poll this week as Miami (Fla.) drops out.

That Rudy Gobert trade doesn’t look so bad now, does it?

The Minnesota Timberwolves own the best record in the Western Conference at 19-5 and the No. 1 defense, allowing 106.6 points per 100 possessions – and those victories include triumphs over some of the league’s top teams: Denver, Boston, Philadelphia, Oklahoma City and Dallas.

Anthony Edwards is a two-way star (24.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 1.3 steals per game), Karl-Anthony Towns is having one of his best all-around seasons (22.4 points, 9.5 rebounds, 51.6% from the field, 43% on 3-pointers) and Rudy Gobert (12.7 points, 12.0 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game) helps anchor a defense on a deep roster that includes Naz Reid, Mike Conley, Jaden McDaniels, Kyle Anderson, Shake Milton, Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Troy Brown Jr.

In July 2022, new Timberwolves president Tim Connelly gave Utah four first-round picks (2023, 2025, 2027 and 2029) plus 2022 first-rounder Walker Kessler and a 2026 first-round pick swap for Gobert.

The Timberwolves were 16-21 as 2022 turned to 2023. Minnesota made the play-in tournament with a 42-40 record and advanced to the playoffs where it lost to Denver in the first round.

The Timberwolves are off to the best start in franchise history, and while winning a playoff series for the first time since 2004 is necessary, they are playing like a team with bigger goals under fourth-year coach Chris Finch.

USA TODAY NBA power rankings

1. Minnesota Timberwolves (19-5)

The Timberwolves have nine victories by at least 15 points through 24 games – that’s three more than they had in 82 games last season.

Previous ranking: 2

2. Boston Celtics (20-5)

Per 36 minutes, reserve Sam Hauser averages 15.1 points and he’s shooting 45.8% on 3s, giving the Celtics’ depth a boost.

Previous ranking: 1

3. Milwaukee Bucks (19-7)

The Bucks are winning games but this isn’t the best version possible – not with a defense that is ranked No. 22.

Previous ranking: 5

4. Philadelphia 76ers (18-7)

The Sixers have the No. 2 offense, No. 7 defense, No. 1 net rating  and have won six consecutive games – albeit against teams with losing records.

Previous ranking: 10

5. Oklahoma City Thunder (16-8)

Rookie guard Cason Wallace is shooting 58.4% from the field and 52% on 3s – part of a deep team that is No. 7 offensively, No. 5 defensively and No. 3 in net rating.

Previous ranking: 4

6. Dallas Mavericks (16-9)

The Mavs lead the league made 3s per game (15.9) as Luka Doncic, Tim Hardaway Jr., Kyrie Irving and Grant Williams all average at least two 3s. Derrick Jones is right behind at 1.6 3s per game.

Previous ranking: 11

7. Denver Nuggets (17-10)

Since returning from a right hamstring strain, Jamal Murray is averaging 20.8 points and 6.1 assists and shooting 51.3% from the field and 40% on 3-pointers in his past five games.

Previous ranking: 6

8. Orlando Magic (16-9)

Last season’s rookie of the year, Paolo Banchero, is shooting better from the field and 3-point range than he did in 2022-23 − 48.1% (up from 42.7%) and 38.2% (up from 29.8%), respectively.

Previous ranking: 3

9. Los Angeles Clippers (15-10)

Small sample size, but the Clippers have won seven consecutive games, combining top-rate offense and defense.

Previous ranking: 19

10. Sacramento Kings (15-9)

In the two games leading up to Saturday’s game against Utah, Keegan Murray had missed seven consecutive 3-pointers. Against the Jazz, he made 12-of-15 3-pointers and had 47 points.

Previous ranking: 9

11. New Orleans Pelicans (16-11)

Jonas Valanciunas doesn’t get enough credit for what he does: 14.6 points (on 57% shooting) and 9.7 rebounds per game with 14 double-doubles, including 15 points, 15 rebounds, one block and one steal in 23 minutes against San Antonio on Sunday.

Previous ranking: 13

12. Los Angeles Lakers (15-11)

The Lakers moved Austin Reaves to a reserve (though he still plays starter’s minutes), and they are 12-4 with him off the bench.

Previous ranking: 12

13. Houston Rockets (13-10)

No. 2 defensively after allowing 107.4 points per 100 possessions, including 98.8 in their past five games, the Rockets are also No. 3 in defensive rebounding percentage, No. 1 in 3-point percentage allowed (.312) and No. 2 in field goal percentage allowed (43.5%).

Previous ranking: 17

14. Miami Heat (15-11)

The Heat lead the league in 3-point shooting percentage and have made 40.7% of their threes in the past six games.

Previous ranking: 18

15. New York Knicks (14-11)

Jalen Brunson scored a career-high 50 points in Friday’s victory against Phoenix. He made all nine 3s he attempted and also had nine assists, six rebounds and five steals.

Previous ranking: 7

16. Indiana Pacers (13-11)

The Pacers are a treat to watch offensively (No. 1 in the league) and difficult to watch defensively (No. 28).

Previous ranking: 16

17. Phoenix Suns (14-12)

Three victories in their past nine games plus another injury to Bradley Beal (sprained right ankle) put the brakes on an 11-6 start.

Previous ranking: 8

18. Brooklyn Nets (13-12)

Mikal Bridges continues his clutch production, averaging 5.1 points (No. 3 in the NBA) and shooting 54.8% from the field (No. 5) in the final five minutes of the fourth quarter or overtimes when the game is within five points.

Previous ranking: 15

19. Cleveland Cavaliers (14-12)

Donovan Mitchell is averaging a career-high in steals per game (1.9) and has at least one steal in 21 consecutive games, the second-longest active streak.

Previous ranking: 14

20. Golden State Warriors (12-14)

Rookie Trayce Jackson-Davis, the No. 57 overall pick in the second round, scored a career-high 14 points, had eight rebounds, three assists, two steals and one block as Golden State ended a seven-game road losing streak with a 118-114 victory against Portland on Sunday.

Previous ranking: 20

21. Chicago Bulls (10-17)

The Bulls are No. 8 in steals per game (8.1) and are No. 3 in points scored off turnovers per game (18.7).

Previous ranking: 25

22. Toronto Raptors (10-15)

Pascal Siakam and Scottie Barnes each average at least 20 points, five rebounds and five assists – just one of two pairs of teammates posting those stats.

Previous ranking: 22

23. Utah Jazz (9-17)

The Jazz are No. 1 in offensive rebounds per game (13.7) – led by Walker Kessler’s 3.1, John Collins’ 2.7 and Lauri Markkanen’s 2.2 offensive boards per game. The Jazz are also No. 1 in second-chance points per game (17.0)

Previous ranking: 23

24. Atlanta Hawks (10-15)

Since starting 8-7, the Hawks have won just two of their past 10 games.

Previous ranking: 21

25. Charlotte Hornets (7-17)

Miles Bridges was a minus-56 while on the court in Charlotte’s 135-82 loss to Philadelphia on Saturday. It was the second-worst plus-minus in a game since the league officially began tracking the stat in 2007-08.

Previous ranking: 27

26. Memphis Grizzlies (6-18)

The Grizzlies get Ja Morant back from his 25-game suspension this week, but they can’t expect him to be the savior right away.

Previous ranking: 26

27. Portland Trail Blazers (6-19)

With his first career double-double (23 points, 10 assists), against Utah on Thursday, Scoot Henderson became the first rookie this season to have at least 20 points and 10 assists in a game.

Previous ranking: 24

28. Washington Wizards (4-21)

The Wizards are No. 2 in points in the paint at 56.3 per game.

Previous ranking: 28

29. San Antonio Spurs (4-21)

The Spurs ended an 18-game losing streak with a victory over the Los Angeles Lakers and LeBron James.

Previous ranking: 29

30. Detroit Pistons (2-24)

The Pistons have lost a franchise-record 23 consecutive games and are close to tying the league record of consecutive losses in a season at 26 (Philadelphia 76ers, 2013-14).

Previous ranking: 30

Follow NBA reporter Jeff Zillgitt on social media @JeffZillgitt

The Carolina Panthers snapped a six-game losing streak on Sunday, and with that tightened up the race for the No. 1 overall selection in the 2024 NFL draft.

The Panthers, of course, don’t own their first-round pick, as it will be shipped to the Chicago Bears as part of a pre-draft trade in 2023. The Arizona Cardinals and New England Patriots now sit just one win behind the Panthers in the race for the top pick.

The draft order is determined by record, and uses strength of schedule as a tiebreaker (record and strength of schedule are official tiebreakers to determine the draft order). 

The final 14 first-round spots will be determined by playoff results. For now, those teams will be ordered based on playoff seed, if the season ended today.

The 2024 NFL draft is scheduled to be held in Detroit from April 25-27.

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NFL draft first-round order

(as of Dec. 17; * denotes wild-card team and # denotes division leader)

Chicago Bears (from Panthers) — Carolina Panthers’ record: 2-12 (strength of schedule: .526)New England Patriots — Record: 3-11 (.531)Arizona Cardinals — Record: 3-11 (.566)Washington Commanders — Record: 4-10 (.490)New York Giants — Record: 5-9 (.480)Chicago Bears — Record: 5-9 (.490)Los Angeles Chargers — Record: 5-9 (.510)Tennessee Titans — Record: 5-9 (.531)New York Jets — Record: 5-9 (.536)Atlanta Falcons — Record: 6-8 (.413)Las Vegas Raiders — Record: 6-8 (.469)Green Bay Packers — Record: 6-8 (.500)New Orleans Saints — Record: 7-7 (.418)Denver Broncos — Record: 7-7 (.515)Pittsburgh Steelers — Record: 7-7 (.520)Seattle Seahawks — Record: 7-7 (.551)Arizona Cardinals (from Texans) — Houston Texans’ record: 8-6 (.469)Buffalo Bills — Record: 8-6 (.495)*Minnesota Vikings — Record: 7-7 (.480)*Los Angeles Rams — Record: 7-7 (.531)*Indianapolis Colts — Record: 8-6 (.485)*Cincinnati Bengals — Record: 8-6 (.561)*Houston Texans (from Browns) — Cleveland Browns’ record: 9-5 (.536)*Philadelphia Eagles — Record: 10-4 (.520)#Tampa Bay Buccaneers — Record: 7-7 (.505)#Jacksonville Jaguars — Record: 8-6 (.577)#Kansas City Chiefs — Record: 9-5 (.495)#Miami Dolphins — Record: 10-4 (.393)#Dallas Cowboys — Record: 10-4 (.434)#Detroit Lions — Record: 10-4 (.454)#San Francisco 49ers — Record: 11-3 (.500)#Baltimore Ravens — Record: 11-3 (.520)

Teams without a first-round pick: Carolina Panthers, Cleveland Browns

The NFL suspended Pittsburgh Steelers safety Damontae Kazee for the final three games of the regular season and any potential postseason games the team plays.

The ruling came Monday from NFL vice president of operations John Runyan, two days after Kazee was ejected in the Steelers’ 30-13 loss to the Indianapolis Colts. Indianapolis’ Michael Pittman Jr. left the game following a play in which he dove for a pass and Kazee flew in and drilled the defenseless receiver. Flags littered the field and he was disqualified with 8:42 left in the second quarter.

In a letter to Kazee, the league cited a rule that prohibits players from forcibly hitting a defenseless player’s head or neck area with the helmet, facemask, forearm, or shoulder, ‘even if the initial contact is lower than the player’s neck, and regardless of whether the defensive player also uses his arms to tackle the defenseless player by encircling or grasping him.’

‘The video of the play shows that you delivered a forcible blow to the head/neck area of Colts’ receiver Michael Pittman Jr., who was in a defenseless posture,’ Runyan wrote in the letter. ‘You had an unobstructed path to your opponent and the illegal contact could have been avoided. Your actions were flagrant, and as a result, you were disqualified from the game.”

Runyan added that the decision to suspend Kazee the rest of the season came as a result of Kazee committing other player-safety transgressions. “When players violate the rules intended to protect player safety on a repeated basis, and particularly when the violations carry with them a significant risk of injury to an opposing player, it is appropriate to impose substantially greater penalties,” Runyan wrote.

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Colts assistant defensive backs coach Mike Mitchell, a 10-year NFL safety who played for both the Steelers and Colts, wrote on social media that he didn’t know how to coach his safeties anymore.

‘I guess just let them catch it,’ Mitchell wrote. ‘If I were a (receiver) I would dive for every catch. That would ensure no contact and a completed pass. Playing deep safety in today’s nfl where rules are made mostly by people who’ve never played is tough.’

Mitchell wasn’t alone in questioning the punishment. Tom Brady, who has made a habit of criticizing the state of the current quality of play, pinned the blame mostly on the throw from quarterback Gardner Minshew II that took Pittman upfield.

“To put the blame on the defensive player all the time is just flat out wrong. … It’s not OK QBs to get your WRs hit because of your bad decisions!” Brady wrote in an Instagram comment.

Kazee can appeal his suspension through the collective bargaining agreement between the league and NFL Players’ Association. Any appeal would be heard by Derrick Brooks or James Thrash.

The Steelers wrap up the regular season with games against the Cincinnati Bengals, Seattle Seahawks and Baltimore Ravens. Head coach Mike Tomlin announced Monday that Mason Rudolph would take over the starting quarterback job from Mitchell Trubisky, the backup tasked with leading the offense while Kenny Pickett recovers from ankle surgery.

Every week for the duration of the 2023 NFL regular season, USA TODAY Sports will provide real-time updates to the league’s ever-evolving playoff picture − starting after Sunday afternoon’s late games and then moving forward for the remainder of the schedule (through Thursday’s game or Saturday’s, if applicable).

What just happened? What does it mean? What are the pertinent factors (and, perhaps, tiebreakers) prominently in play as each conference’s seven-team bracket begins to crystallize? All will be explained and analyzed up to the point when the postseason field is finalized on Sunday night, Jan. 7.

Here’s where things stand with Week 15 of the 2023 season nearly complete:

AFC playoff picture

x – 1. Baltimore Ravens (11-3), AFC North leaders: The first AFC club to 11 wins, Baltimore is also the first in the conference to clinch a playoff berth after Sunday night’s win in Jacksonville. But retaining the No. 1 seed won’t get any easier in the coming weeks. Remaining schedule: at 49ers, vs. Dolphins, vs. Steelers

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2. Miami Dolphins (10-4), AFC East leaders: They got back on track by grounding the Jets on Sunday. But now a team that doesn’t own a win over anyone with a winning record in 2023 hits the serious part of its season with three formidable opponents approaching. Still, win out, and the Fins clinch home field and the bye. Remaining schedule: vs. Cowboys, at Ravens, vs. Bills

3. Kansas City Chiefs (9-5), AFC West leaders: A 7-2 record in AFC games and wins over Miami and Jacksonville keep K.C. viable to play a sixth consecutive AFC title game at Arrowhead Stadium. But the Chiefs probably need to run the table … and can after a fairly comfortable win at New England on Sunday. Remaining schedule: vs. Raiders, vs. Bengals, at Chargers

4. Jacksonville Jaguars (8-6), AFC South leaders: They’ve lost three in a row and four of six … meaning they’re really trying to hang on for the division crown as opposed to achieving much else in terms of playoff positioning. Fortunately, the Jags currently hold the tiebreakers to hold off the Texans and Colts – they swept Indy – who have both pulled even at 8-6. Remaining schedule: at Buccaneers, vs. Panthers, at Titans

5. Cleveland Browns (9-5), wild card No. 1: They’ve won two in a row … barely. But Sunday’s escape from the Bears allows the Brownies to continue operating above the rest of the conference’s wild-card fray. Remaining schedule: at Texans, vs. Jets, at Bengals

6. Cincinnati Bengals (8-6), wild card No. 2: QB2 Jake Browning’s impressive performances the past three weeks, including Saturday’s furious comeback against Minnesota, have them back in the projected postseason field – at least temporarily. A winless mark (0-4) against the division and 3-6 record in conference matchups could be very tough to overcome in the tiebreaker department. Yet victories over the Colts and Bills could also become positively decisive. Remaining schedule: at Steelers, at Chiefs, vs. Browns

7. Indianapolis Colts (8-6), wild card No. 3: Beating Pittsburgh was as huge a win for them as it was a loss for the Steelers. Indy is currently behind Cincinnati due to its Week 14 loss to the Bengals. be nice to get RB Jonathan Taylor back from thumb surgery soon. Remaining schedule: at Falcons, vs. Raiders, vs. Texans

8. Houston Texans (8-6), out of playoff field: Nice rebound from their Week 14 loss to the Jets, beating the Titans … in Nashville … in their throwback Houston Oilers uniforms … and without concussed rookie QB C.J. Stroud. The regular-season finale at Indianapolis could be huge. Remaining schedule: vs. Browns, vs. Titans, at Colts

9. Buffalo Bills (8-6), out of playoff field: They’re officially on fire – on both sides of the ball following Sunday’s 31-10 rout of the Cowboys. Despite all the adversity, on and off the field, there’s a strong heartbeat here. And Buffalo started turning its recent wins into playoff progress Saturday, moving head of Denver and Pittsburgh in the overall AFC standings. The division crown is even a possibility if the Bills can sweep their final three games and hope Miami also loses to Dallas or Baltimore. Remaining schedule: at Chargers, vs. Patriots, at Dolphins

10. Pittsburgh Steelers (7-7), out of playoff field: Their three-game losing streak may permanently disqualify them – head-to-head losses to Houston and Indianapolis also quite problematic, which also sums up Pittsburgh’s issues under center. Remaining schedule: vs. Bengals, at Seahawks, at Ravens

11. Denver Broncos (7-7), out of playoff field: They got run out of the building Saturday night in Detroit, resembling an early season version of themselves devoid of playoff hope. A win would have vaulted the Broncos into the AFC’s third wild-card spot. Now? A 4-5 record in AFC games parks them behind Pittsburgh … and in danger of falling further. Remaining schedule: vs. Patriots, vs. Chargers, at Raiders

NFC playoff picture

y – 1. San Francisco 49ers (11-3), NFC West leaders: They became the first team to clinch a berth in Week 14 and, on Sunday, the first to wrap up a division in 2023. And, with wins in hand against the Eagles and Cowboys, the Niners continue to march toward home-field advantage … but will get a stern test from Baltimore in Week 16. Remaining schedule: vs. Ravens, at Commanders, vs. Rams

x – 2. Philadelphia Eagles (10-3), NFC East leaders: They play on Monday night but clinched a spot courtesy of the Niners’ win Sunday. The Cowboys’ loss also put Philly back atop a division, whose path the Eagles already controlled. Win out, against a very manageable schedule, and the reigning NFC champs will again be kings of the NFC East. Remaining schedule: at Seahawks, vs. Giants, vs. Cardinals, at Giants

3. Detroit Lions (10-4), NFC North leaders: Big get-right Saturday, the Lions pummeling Denver 42-17 a few hours after Minnesota lost in Cincinnati. A loss by Seattle on Monday will clinch a playoff spot for Detroit, and one more win (or Vikes loss) will secure the Lions’ first-ever NFC North title. Remaining schedule: at Vikings, at Cowboys, vs. Vikings

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-7), NFC South leaders: A huge win at Green Bay coupled with an Atlanta loss served the Bucs well, though New Orleans is still lurking with a 7-7 record and eyeing a season split in a few weeks. Remaining schedule: vs. Jaguars, vs. Saints, at Panthers

x – 5. Dallas Cowboys (10-4), wild card No. 1: A combination of losses by other teams secured a playoff for ‘America’s Team’ prior to kickoff Sunday … and then the Cowboys went out and played like they had nothing at stake in an embarrassing defeat. They now need plenty of help to win the division and the NFC’s No. 1 seed. Remaining schedule: at Dolphins, vs. Lions, at Commanders

6. Minnesota Vikings (7-7), wild card No. 2: Heartbreaking loss at Cincinnati doesn’t cost them any ground … for now. However, entering Saturday, the Vikes could have won out and claimed the NFC North crown given their pair of upcoming dates with Detroit. They’ve lost that pathway. Their 6-3 record in conference games maintains this precarious perch. Remaining schedule: vs. Lions, vs. Packers, at Lions

7. Los Angeles Rams (7-7), wild card No. 3: A win over Washington and a 5-4 mark in NFC games moves them ahead of the Saints into the NFC’s last playoff spot. But LA will host New Orleans on Thursday for the honor of keeping it and the massive tiebreaker that comes with it. Remaining schedule: vs. Saints, at Giants, at 49ers

8. New Orleans Saints (7-7), out of playoff field: Their win over the Giants ultimately bumped them up three spots. But winning the NFC South still seems like New Orleans’ best bet. Remaining schedule: at Rams, at Buccaneers, vs. Falcons

9. Seattle Seahawks (6-7), out of playoff field: That’s five defeats in their past six outings, their latest loss at San Francisco coming with QB1 Geno Smith unable to play. Dropping both games to the Rams could be a lingering issue. Remaining schedule: vs. Eagles, at Titans, vs. Steelers, at Cardinals

10. Atlanta Falcons (6-8), out of playoff field: They’ve gone from fourth in the conference to here in a matter of two weeks, Sunday’s loss at Carolina a potential backbreaker. Only a slim Week 2 defeat of the Pack leaves them this high. Remaining schedule: vs. Colts, at Bears, at Saints

11. Green Bay Packers (6-8), out of playoff field: After beating the Lions and Chiefs, they’ve lost to the Giants and Bucs. So much for benefiting from what was mathematically the league’s easiest five-game schedule down the stretch. Remaining schedule: at Panthers, at Vikings, vs. Bears

x – clinched playoff berthy – clinched division title

***

Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Nate Davis on X, formerly Twitter @ByNateDavis.

A little birdie told us that Charlie Woods is as exciting as his father was as a rising star.

This weekend, the 14-year-old and his father, superstar golfer Tiger Woods, participated in the PNC Championship at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club in Orlando, Fla, where Team Woods finished tied for fifth behind Team Langer, which won the tournament by two strokes.

On the ninth hole in the final round on Sunday, Charlie went viral for chipping in a birdie from the green. After the ball plunked into the hole, he pumped his fist, emulating his father’s signature celebration. Tiger was thrilled and grinned with wide eyes as he joined the crowd in applauding the young golfer.

This isn’t the first time Charlie has captured national attention.

Last month, Charlie won the Florida High School Athletic Association Class A state championship with The Benjamin School Buccaneers. The freshman, nicknamed ‘C-Dub,’ scored 78 and 76 as the program took home their fourth state championship trophy.

A high school state title gives Charlie one accolade that his father, a15-time major champion, did not achieve in his illustrious career.

In September, Tiger caddied for Charlie en route to the Notah Begay III Junior Golf National Championship. During the regional qualifying tournament, Charlie scored a career-best 66. In true Woods fashion, he sunk an 8-foot putt on the last hole to secure the boys 14-15 division and broke out his father’s signature fist pump. Charlie finished tied for 17th in the championship tournament.

Tiger played with Charlie in the 2021 PNC Championship when his son was 12. It was Tiger’s first tournament since a near-death experience when his SUV crashed and rolled off a hill in Los Angeles earlier that year. He was hospitalized for a month with several broken bones in his leg. Tiger mostly rode a cart for the competition, but shared a special moment when he walked with his son up to hole 18.

Team Woods had 11 birdies in a row in their last 12 holes that year, including at hole 17 where Charlie had a sailing drive. They ultimately lost to John Daly and his son by two strokes. The second place finish was their best at the competition since they started playing together in 2020.

Charlie Axel Woods was born on Feb. 8, 2009 to Tiger and his then-wife Elin Nordegren. He is the couple’s second and youngest child. He has an older sister, Sam, who caddied for Tiger earlier in this year’s PNC Championship.

Bernhard Langer, son Jason make history with 2023 PNC Championship win

For more than 20 years Raymond Floyd was the only five-time winner of the annual PNC Championship. That all changed on Sunday.

Floyd and Langer are now the only five-time winners of the event. Larry Nelson has three wins and Davis Love III has two. Langer won with his son, Stefan, in 2005 and 2006, and won with Jason in 2014, 2019 and now 2023. He also previously played with his daughter, Christina, in 2013 and 2016.

David Duval and his son, Brady, finished second at 23 under, while defending champions Vijay and Qass Singh finished third at 22 under.

The 32 things we learned from Week 15 of the 2023 NFL season:

1. Stampede coming? The Buffalo Bills have now won three of four since firing offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey and are averaging 29.3 points in that stretch following Sunday’s 31-10 rollover of the Dallas Cowboys, a beatdown that knocked ‘America’s Team’ out of first place in the NFC East.

2. The Bills remain stuck in ninth place overall in the AFC, a spot to which they ascended Saturday, but their 8-6 mark matches the Cincinnati Bengals, Indianapolis Colts and Houston Texans … and those clubs aren’t playing the Los Angeles Chargers and New England Patriots the next two weeks.

3. After some early season missteps, Buffalo QB Josh Allen would need a Hail Mary to win the league MVP award − the Bills probably have to win out, including a Week 18 win at Miami, to simply recapture the AFC East − but he is burnishing a more realistic case for Offensive Player of the Year honors. He’s now accounted for a league-best 37 touchdowns (26 passing, 11 rushing) despite a light passing game (94 yards in the rain) Sunday.

4. Allen became the first player to have 10 games with at least one TD pass and run in a single season, a mark he previously shared with Kyler Murray.

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5. Buffalo RB James Cook had 221 yards and two TDs from scrimmage in the win. His 179 rushing yards against Dallas were the most by a Bills player in 13 years.

5a. His brother, New York Jets RB Dalvin Cook, has 292 yards and no TDs … all season.

6. As for the Cowboys? Their fourth road loss – and third embarrassing one following earlier setbacks at Arizona and San Francisco – raises serious questions about their viability as a Super Bowl contender while also damaging QB Dak Prescott’s MVP credentials.

7. Chicago Bears WR Darnell Mooney has given new meaning to the term ‘Fail Mary.’

8. The Chargers may be in the market for a new coach, but good news for interim boss Giff Smith given fellow substitute teachers Antonio Pierce of the Las Vegas Raiders and Chris Tabor of the Carolina Panthers got wins in Week 15 – Pierce’s obviously very much coming at the Bolts’ expense in Thursday’s 63-21 assault.

9. Prior to this weekend, the Minnesota Vikings (15 points per game) and Denver Broncos (16 ppg) had had the league’s stingiest defenses over the previous nine weeks. They then combined to surrender 69 points in Saturday’s crippling losses to their playoff hopes.

10. And over the preceding five weeks, no D had been more airtight than the Patriots’ (11 ppg, 247.3 yards allowed). It got torched for 27 points and 326 yards by the Kansas City Chiefs’ supposedly struggling offense.

11. Still, Taylor Swift didn’t enjoy the show as much on a day when K.C. TE Travis Kelce was limited to five receptions for 28 yards … and by his own insufficient acting skills.

12. With the Chiefs’ Andy Reid and Patriots counterpart Bill Belichick matching wits Sunday, their personal matchup became the first in league history pairing head coaches each with at least 250 regular-season wins.

13. The 557 combined regular-season wins from Reid (256) and Belichick (301) are 61 more than the next-most prolific HC couplet – which was Hall of Famers Don Shula and Tom Landry and their then-total of 496 during the 1987 season.

14. Green Bay Packers HC Matt LaFleur lost two games in a six-day period, his team falling to the New York Giants and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They were LaFleur’s first career losses in the month of December after winning his first 16.

15. With the old NFC Central ‘Battle of the Bays’ going to the Bucs, it’s Tampa that looks like a much more viable playoff outfit than the Pack, the Super Bowl 55 champs suddenly closing in on their third straight division crown.

16. Speaking of the Giants, the New Orleans Saints turned the tables on rookie QB Tommy DeVito’s Italian celebrations in Sunday’s 24-6 runaway. Incidentally, the Saints are right there with the Bucs in the NFC South.

17. Huge game this Thursday night as the Saints head to Los Angeles to play the Rams, who moved into the NFC’s final wild-card position Sunday. Both teams are 7-7, but LA is playing decidedly better football after winning for the fourth time in five games since the Week 10 bye.

18. League MVP candidate and leading receiver Tyreek Hill of the Miami Dolphins missed his first game of the season with an ankle injury. Still at 1,542 receiving yards, Cheetah would have to average nearly 153 yards over the final three weeks to reach his record-breaking 2,000-yard goal.

18a. Hill does have five 150+ yard efforts in 2023 and another of 146.

19. Despite his absence, the Dolphins whitewashed the New York Jets 30-0, sweeping the NYJ by a 64-13 aggregate this year.

20. Miami RB Raheem Mostert rushed for two TDs, meaning he’s reached the end zone 20 times this season – a Dolphins single-season record. If Mostert is on your fantasy team, seems likely you’re winning your league.

21. Mostert had 19 career TDs over his previous eight seasons.

22.The Jets were also eliminated from the playoffs for the 13th consecutive season, the NFL’s longest active drought. See ya next year, Aaron Rodgers.

23. The Tennessee Titans are no longer eligible for postseason, either, after Sunday’s overtime loss to the C.J. Stroud-less Houston Texans.

24. Houston took extra glee in eliminating the team that left H-Town and took the Columbia Blue Oilers uniforms with them (and wearing them again Sunday did seem a bit excessive). Note the Titans logo in this social media post – just savage.

25. Speaking of would-be MVPs, you can’t discount San Francisco 49ers … RB Christian McCaffrey? Like Mostert, CMC has 20 TDs after scoring three against the Arizona Cardinals, an effort that helped the Niners officially lock down the NFC West.

26. McCaffrey’s seven touchdowns this season against the Cards are the most by any player against one team during a season in the Super Bowl era (since 1966).

27. The league’s rushing leader with 1,292 yards, McCaffrey is trying to become the first in-season, wire-to-wire rushing champ this century.

28. He’s already the fourth player ever with at least four seasons with 1,000 rushing yards and 500 receiving yards.

29. New Orleans Saints TE Jimmy Graham has four TD catches this season. He has two other receptions on the year that did not produce six points.

30. Detroit Lions TE Sam LaPorta won’t win Offensive Rookie of the Year honors and probably can’t hope to finish much better than third behind Stroud and Rams WR Puka Nacua. Still, LaPorta became the first rookie at his position during the Super Bowl era with at least 700 receiving yards and seven TDs after hauling in three scores in Saturday night’s win over Denver.

31. Already looking forward to Week 16, which begins with that potentially pivotal Saints-Rams game Thursday. Colts-Falcons, Browns-Texans, Lions-Vikings and Jags-Bucs will all have major postseason implications on Christmas Eve, too … with Bengals-Steelers offering another weighty fixture on Christmas Eve Eve, or Saturday if you like.

32. But if you’re looking for huge presents under the tree? Dolphins-Cowboys and Ravens-49ers will deservedly be among the game’s most-hyped matchups of the season … even if only one of them is a legitimate Super Bowl preview. (Feel free to make a guess, partygoers. And Happy Holidays.)

***

Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Nate Davis on X, formerly Twitter @ByNateDavis.

Messi posted a series of photos to his Instagram account on Monday morning to celebrate the occasion. 

‘One year of the most beautiful craziness of my career… Unforgettable memories that will last a lifetime,’ Messi wrote on Instagram. ‘Happy Anniversary to all!!!’ 

Messi’s wife, Antonella Roccuzzo, also filled Instagram with a post ending with: ‘Happy 18/12 Argentinians!’ 

So much has changed for Messi since leading Argentina to a World Cup victory over France in Qatar on Dec. 18, 2022. 

He also left Paris Saint-Germain for Inter Miami in Major League Soccer, where he helped the club win its first championship in the Leagues Cup in August.

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What’s next for Lionel Messi?

Messi and rival Cristiano Ronaldo will square off once more during their illustrious careers during an international match in Saudi Arabia early next year.

Messi’s Inter Miami has a worldwide preseason tour to start 2024 with matches to be played in El Salvador, China, Saudi Arabia and Japan. Here’s the schedule:

∎ The El Salvador national team at the Estadio Cuscatlán in San Salvador on Jan. 19.

∎ Al-Hilal on Jan. 29 and Al-Nassr (Ronaldo’s Saudi-based team) on Feb. 1 in the Riyadh Season Cup in Saudi Arabia.

∎ A match in Hong Kong, where Inter Miami will face a collection of the best players from the Hong Kong First Division League on Feb. 4.

∎ A match against Vissel Kobe at the Japan National Stadium on Feb. 7.

Apple TV+ announces new Messi documentary

Messi’s run at the 2022 World Cup with Argentina will be showcased in a four-part series by Apple TV+, which was announced Friday.

‘Messi’s World Cup: The Rise of a Legend’ will be a four-part documentary where ‘Messi tells the definitive story of his incredible career with the Argentina national football team, providing an intimate and unprecedented look at his quest for a legacy-defining World Cup victory,’ Apple TV+ said in a press release.  

The series is set to premiere globally Feb. 21, 2024.

Relive Messi’s World Cup title with Argentina

Messi was spectacular, scoring two goals and his penalty kick, to help Argentina overcome a hat trick from superstar Kylian Mbappé and France 3-3 (4-2 penalty kicks) in the 2022 World Cup final last December.

Messi was awarded the Golden Ball, given to the best player in the tournament, in what is considered the greatest World Cup final of all-time.

Messi’s World Cup jerseys sell for $7.8 million

As Inter Miami hopes its international tour will further sales of Messi’s pink No. 10 jersey worldwide, Messi’s jerseys from his thrilling win at the Qatar World Cup last year cost a pretty penny this week.

Six of Messi’s jerseys from the 2022 World Cup were sold at auction for $7.8 million at Sotheby, the auction house announced this week.

Messi is TIME’s 2023 Athlete of the Year

Messi, the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner and 2022 World Cup champion, added another honorable distinction to his résumé earlier this month.

TIME named Messi the 2023 Athlete of the Year, adding he is an ‘accelerant’ to soccer’s growth in the United States, especially because Copa America in 2024, the Club World Cup in 2025, and the World Cup in 2026 will be played in the U.S.

Will Messi play for Argentina again in the World Cup?

It’s unclear whether Messi, 36, will play for Argentina in the 2024 Copa America and the 2026 World Cup or will retire from national team competition before then.

‘Even I don’t know when. It’ll happen when it happens,’ Messi said when asked about retiring during an interview broadcast on Argentine television in July. ‘After winning everything I want to enjoy the moment and wait for time to tell me when it’s the moment.

‘Logically, given my age, one would expect it to be soon, but I don’t know for sure.’

While Messi’s World Cup final was expected to be his last World Cup game, Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said in January ‘the door will always be open’ for Messi.

It’s getting to be that time.

The Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles clinched NFC playoff spots Sunday, even though Dallas got blown out by the Buffalo Bills and the Eagles still haven’t suited up this week.

It’s quieter in the AFC, where the Baltimore Ravens became the first team in the conference to secure their bid, though chaos is surely looming with a crowded field for the wild card. The top of the AFC isn’t set, either, as both the Ravens and Miami Dolphins – winners of their 30-point shutout over the New York Jets – are jockeying for the No. 1 seed and home-field advantage.

Here are the winners and losers from Sunday of Week 15.

NFL STATS CENTRAL: The latest NFL scores, schedules, odds, stats and more.

WINNERS

Buckle up for chaos in the AFC

With the Jacksonville Jaguars’ 23-7 loss against the Ravens, three AFC South teams are now tied (not counting tiebreakers) at 8-6: Jacksonville, the Indianapolis Colts and the Houston Texans. There are five teams in the conference with an 8-6 record, two of which (Houston and Buffalo) are just outside the playoff picture. There are nine teams caught in a logjam between 7-7 and 9-5.

Translation: the race for three wild-card spots in the AFC is going to be nuts. One team that is surging and may be the squad no one wants to face is the Bills, who are currently in ninth. But since Joe Brady took over the offense, Buffalo is 3-1 and averaging 29.3 points per game. In any case, the margin for error is so slim, and tiebreaker advantages are going to be crucial. Many of these teams play each other in the final weeks. This is a football fan’s dream.

The case for the Rams as a run-first team

The Los Angeles Rams (7-7) have stayed alive in the playoff race and are currently sitting in the final seed in the NFC after handling the Washington Commanders 28-20. And the constant in Los Angeles’ revival has been the rushing attack led by running back Kyren Williams. Against Washington, Williams ran for 152 yards and a score on 27 carries.

In fact, Williams is averaging 20.7 carries per game and 116 rushing yards per game in Los Angeles’ victories. In losses, those numbers plummet to 15.5 and 64.3, respectively. In recent games, though, the Rams have made an intentional effort to feed Williams, whose big-play ability has helped open up the play-action passing game, allowing quarterback Matthew Stafford to develop his rapport with receivers Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua. Los Angeles’ remaining schedule isn’t optimal, with games left against the New Orleans Saints (7-7), New York Giants (5-9) and 49ers (11-3). It’s time to keep feeding Williams.

The Browns might just be a problem down the stretch

Joe Flacco had his worst game since joining the Cleveland Browns off his couch, but he still threw for 374 yards and a pair of scores — albeit with three interceptions — as Cleveland (9-5) erased a 10-point deficit late in the fourth quarter to topple the Chicago Bears 20-17.

This has been a resilient group, one that has battled key injuries and had four different quarterbacks win at least one game as a starter. Cleveland has a ferocious defense that’s one of the best in the league, and one that can generate pressure in high-leverage moments behind edge rusher Myles Garrett. But Flacco has sparked a downfield passing game that wasn’t there with reserves P.J. Walker and Dorian Thompson-Robinson. The other great news is that receiver Amari Cooper and tight end David Njoku have seen a bit of a revival with Flacco under center, combining for four touchdowns over Cleveland’s last two, both victories.

In face of adversity, Texans bounce back

The Houston Texans were without six starters against their game against the division-rival Tennessee Titans, including star quarterback C.J. Stroud (concussion), receivers Nico Collins (calf) and Tank Dell (broken leg), right tackle George Fant (hip) and defensive end Will Anderson Jr. (ankle). Despite that, and with backup Case Keenum starting, Houston leaned on running back Devin Singletary for 170 yards from scrimmage that powered a 19-16 win

The Texans (8-6) faced an early 13-point hole and overcame a one-for-three day in red zone conversions, but the defense clamped down to force six punts in Tennessee’s final seven possessions, including stops in the final four. Even without Anderson, Houston got after Titans quarterback Will Levis and sacked him seven times. Stroud should be back soon, and with the Texans in the eighth seed, this is exactly the kind of victory that can build momentum.

LOSERS

Cowboys can’t stop Bills’ bully ball

If there was a weakness on the Dallas defense, it was stopping the run, though the Cowboys still came into Sunday ranked 11th in the NFL. Yet, what happened in a blowout loss against the Bills should concern Dallas (10-4) the rest of the way. Buffalo running back James Cook terrorized coordinator Dan Quinn’s defense for 179 rushing yards on a 7.2-yard-per-carry average and two total touchdowns.

The most first downs the Cowboys had allowed via rushing plays this season had been 10 in a Week 5 loss against the 49ers. The next closest mark was eight, in a Week 3 loss against the Arizona Cardinals. The Bills posted 12 rushing first downs by halftime and finished the game with 20 overall. Dallas was without defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins, but the Bills simply imposed their will on the Cowboys, who didn’t make matters better by missing tackles all game long. Another concern for the Cowboys: they fell to 3-4 on the road, which could be a problem if they have to start the postseason away from Dallas as a wild-card team.

It’s time in Atlanta

The Atlanta Falcons entered Sunday in a three-way tie atop the NFC South. They couldn’t afford to drop a game against a Carolina Panthers team that entered with a 1-12 record and an interim coach. Atlanta (6-8) did just that, and it was the offense, coach Arthur Smith’s presumed area of expertise, that failed once again in the 9-7 defeat.

Desmond Ridder has massive limitations as a quarterback, and his fourth-quarter interception in the red zone was debilitating. But Smith has proven himself to be incapable of scheming plays to properly involve his wide receivers. Against Carolina, Atlanta’s top two targets were tight ends; the team’s leading wide receiver was Drake London, who caught two passes for 24 yards. The only other wide receiver to record a reception was KhaDarel Hodge (one catch, 10 yards). Running back Bijan Robinson drew eight touches for … 14 yards. The Falcons must move on from Smith.

Joe Barry, Packers prove they’re not ready

The Green Bay Packers started the day in the seventh spot in the NFC and needed to keep pace with the Minnesota Vikings (7-7) in the NFC North. Instead, the Packers (6-8) lost 34-20 to a middling Tampa Bay Buccaneers team, have now lost two in a row and fell all the way to No. 11 in the conference.

While the Packers converted just two of five trips in the red zone, the biggest issues against Tampa were mostly defensive. Green Bay defensive coordinator Joe Barry was content to have his defense drop back into a zone and didn’t adjust when Tampa quarterback Baker Mayfield dissected the defense, finding soft spots in coverage. The odd part is that the Packers actually generated pressure on Mayfield and sacked him five times. But when the pressure didn’t get home, Mayfield could find his targets in rhythm and with ease.

Forget Aaron Rodgers – the Jets were a lost cause, regardless

The New York Jets won the offseason, and in a landslide. That’s about it. While Aaron Rodgers’ quest to return from a torn Achilles tendon suffered on the fourth offensive play of the season likely won’t be fulfilled — the Jets (5-9) were eliminated from playoff contention following a 30-0 loss to the Dolphins — it frankly wouldn’t have mattered.

New York entered this season with an offensive line so faulty that Rodgers’ presence would have helped, but it wouldn’t have masked the group’s inability to protect long enough for any quarterback to stay upright. The offense cannot function to any capacity because it’s always rushed. On Sunday, Miami collected six sacks. The locker room is in peril, with receiver Allen Lazard saying the Jets got “out-schemed” and “out-efforted.” Which brings us to 2024. New York should retain most of its key defenders and young offensive talent. If it doesn’t entirely retool its offensive line, however, its offensive inefficiency will almost certainly persist, and Rodgers’ addition would be nothing more than a waste.