Every week for the duration of the 2024 NFL regular season, USA TODAY Sports will provide timely 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 week (through Monday’s and Thursday’s games 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. 5.

Here’s where things stand with Week 12 of the 2024 season nearly complete:

AFC playoff picture

1. Kansas City Chiefs (10-1), AFC West leaders: It wasn’t pretty – yet again – but they outlasted Carolina to extend their lead over Buffalo by a half game, though the Bills’ head-to-head tiebreaker advantage still means K.C. can’t afford to backslide at all right now – especially as the champs will be back in action on Black Friday. Remaining schedule: vs. Raiders, vs. Chargers, at Browns, vs. Texans, at Steelers, at Broncos

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2. Buffalo Bills (9-2), AFC East leaders: Coming out of their break, they’ll draw a battered San Francisco squad at home as they seek a sixth consecutive victory. A fifth consecutive division title is practically a foregone conclusion, and Pittsburgh’s loss only solidified the Bills’ standing near the top of the conference. And, with that potentially pivotal tiebreaker against the Chiefs in hand, the Bills could soon steer the road to Super Bowl 59 through Western New York. Remaining schedule: vs. 49ers, at Rams, at Lions, vs. Patriots, vs. Jets, at Patriots

3. Pittsburgh Steelers (8-3), AFC North leaders: A win at Cleveland on Thursday night would have vaulted them ahead of the Bills and into the No. 2 seed. Instead, the Steelers suffered a damaging loss – and to a divisional opponent no less – that could greatly hinder their ability to compete for home-field advantage. Remaining schedule: at Bengals, vs. Browns, at Eagles, at Ravens, vs. Chiefs, vs. Bengals

4. Houston Texans (7-5), AFC South leaders: Losers of four of six after falling at home to lowly Tennessee on Sunday, it’s starting to appear like they might back onto the throne of a bad division and be one-and-done once postseason starts. Remaining schedule: at Jaguars, BYE, vs. Dolphins, at Chiefs, vs. Ravens, at Titans

5. Los Angeles Chargers (7-3), wild card No. 1: Their defense has been pretty tough. Their schedule has been anything but. Still, the Bolts are starting to build a nice pad between themselves and the clubs chasing them – and could really put a stranglehold on a playoff berth by winning the ‘Harbaugh Bowl’ on Monday night. Remaining schedule: vs. Ravens, at Falcons, at Chiefs, vs. Buccaneers, vs. Broncos, at Patriots, at Raiders

6. Baltimore Ravens (7-4), wild card No. 2: Good as they (usually) are, losses to the wrong teams could well mean no home playoff games this season. Remaining schedule: at Chargers, vs. Eagles, BYE, at Giants, vs. Steelers, at Texans, vs. Browns

7. Denver Broncos (7-5), wild card No. 3: Their hold on the AFC’s last berth continues to harden … and should continue to do so in the coming weeks. Remaining schedule: vs. Browns, BYE, vs. Colts, at Chargers, at Bengals, vs. Chiefs

8. Miami Dolphins (5-6), in the hunt: As QB Tua Tagovailoa goes, so go the Fins – and the whole operation is heating up after a third consecutive win Sunday. However a team that tends to struggle in cold climes must play at Green Bay on Thanksgiving night. Remaining schedule: at Packers, vs. Jets, at Texans, vs. 49ers, at Browns, at Jets

9. Indianapolis Colts (5-7), in the hunt: They’re starting to lose sight of Denver and the final wild-card slot after Sunday’s setback, though they’ll get a shot at them in the Mile High City soon enough. But that could be moot now that the Colts have been jumped by the Dolphins. Remaining schedule: at Patriots, BYE, at Broncos, vs. Titans, at Giants, vs. Jaguars

10. Cincinnati Bengals (4-7), in the hunt: Soul-crushing losses in their previous two games might be too much to overcome. Remaining schedule: vs. Steelers, at Cowboys, at Titans, vs. Browns, vs. Broncos, at Steelers

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NFC playoff picture

1. Detroit Lions (10-1), NFC North leaders: They labored a bit Sunday at Indianapolis and could be short-handed on the injury front given the quick turnaround to their annual Thanksgiving game. Yet no need to panic at this juncture. Remaining schedule: vs. Bears, vs. Packers, vs. Bills, at Bears, at 49ers, vs. Vikings

2. Philadelphia Eagles (9-2), NFC East leaders: They’re officially a clear and present danger to Detroit and might run away, a la RB Saquon Barkley, with this division. Remaining schedule: at Ravens, vs. Panthers, vs. Steelers, at Commanders, vs. Cowboys, vs. Giants

3. Seattle Seahawks (6-5), NFC West leaders: No team had a better Sunday, the ‘Hawks jumping from ninth-place also rans to division front-runners after knocking off the Cards. Wins over Arizona and Atlanta jump Seattle into this spot. Remaining schedule: at Jets, at Cardinals, vs. Packers, vs. Vikings, at Bears, at Rams

4. Atlanta Falcons (6-5), NFC South leaders: They dropped a seed on their week off. A season sweep of the Bucs effectively gives Atlanta a two-game lead in the division. The Falcons have no such edge on the suddenly surging Saints. Remaining schedule: vs. Chargers, at Vikings, at Raiders, vs. Giants, at Commanders, vs. Panthers

5. Minnesota Vikings (9-2), wild card No. 1: They’re winning ugly – including Sunday’s overtime escape at Chicago – but have also won four straight. It may not seem like Vikes are a threat to win their division, yet they’re only one game back of Detroit in the NFC North. Remaining schedule: vs. Cardinals, vs. Falcons, vs. Bears, at Seahawks, vs. Packers, at Lions

6. Green Bay Packers (8-3), wild card No. 2: After handling the depleted Niners, the Pack also remain relevant in the NFC North despite how dominant Detroit seems. Remaining schedule: vs. Dolphins, at Lions, at Seahawks, vs. Saints, at Vikings, vs. Bears

7. Washington Commanders (7-5), wild card No. 3: Ambushed by the Cowboys, that’s three losses in a row for a team that needs to get its mojo back if it’s going to hold off the horde of lurking NFC West wannabes … who aren’t far from becoming could-bes. They can just about forget any thoughts of winning the NFC East. Remaining schedule: vs. Titans, BYE, at Saints, vs. Eagles, vs. Falcons, at Cowboys

8. Arizona Cardinals (6-5), in the hunt: Their four-game win streak – and division lead – went up in smoke at Seattle on Sunday. Remaining schedule: at Vikings, vs. Seahawks, vs. Patriots, at Panthers, at Rams, vs. 49ers

9. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-6), in the hunt: Their four-game slide now in the rearview after embarrassing the Giants, the opportunity is there to have a strong finishing kick, one that already vaulted them up from 11th place Sunday. Remaining schedule: at Panthers, vs. Raiders, at Chargers, at Cowboys, vs. Panthers, vs. Saints

10. Los Angeles Rams (5-6), in the hunt: They weren’t competitive Sunday night against Philly. A Week 3 win over San Francisco keeps them ahead of the Niners for now, but an inferior conference record drops them behind the Bucs. Remaining schedule: at Saints, vs. Bills, at 49ers, at Jets, vs. Cardinals, vs. Seahawks

11. San Francisco 49ers (5-6), in the hunt: The talent is still here, there’ just not enough of it on the field right now − as was obvious Sunday in Green Bay. Remaining schedule: at Bills, vs. Bears, vs. Rams, at Dolphins, vs. Lions, at Cardinals

12. New Orleans Saints (4-7), in the hunt: They’re 2-0 under interim HC Darren Rizzi. And given the way the NFC South is compressing, don’t count them out. A 3-4 record in NFC games pushes them ahead of Chicago and Dallas. Remaining schedule: vs. Rams, at Giants, vs. Commanders, at Packers, vs. Raiders, at Buccaneers

13. Chicago Bears (4-7), in the hunt: A five-game skid means they’re just about done – maybe well done by the time Thanksgiving in Detroit is over. A slightly better mark in conference matchups currently gives them an edge on Dallas. Remaining schedule: at Lions, at 49ers, at Vikings, vs. Lions, vs. Seahawks, at Packers

14. Dallas Cowboys (4-7), in the hunt: Hand it to Mike McCarthy’s crew – they’re not dying easy, when it would be quite easy, at this point, to do exactly that. (Reference the Giants, Dallas’ Thanksgiving opponent.) Remaining schedule: vs. Giants, vs. Bengals, at Panthers, vs. Buccaneers, at Eagles, vs. Commanders

***

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

LANDOVER, Md. – The question clearly didn’t sit well with Kliff Kingsbury. During his weekly meeting with the media Thursday, the first question directed at the Washington Commanders offensive coordinator was simple enough.

What was preventing the offense from reaching the heights it had achieved to start the season?

“In what regard?” Kingsbury responded, brushing the proposition aside.

Many regards, apparently, as the 26 points the team scored in a 34-26 loss to the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday were more of a mirage than a harbinger.

Kingsbury’s star wide receiver Terry McLaurin and rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels executed some late-game heroics that could have helped buff out the scratches of an inconsistent attack that stalled all afternoon, and suddenly the Commanders were an extra point away from tying the game at 27 with 12 seconds remaining.

All things Commanders: Latest Washington Commanders news, schedule, roster, stats, injury updates and more.

Austin Seibert’s kick went wide left for his second missed extra-point attempt of the day. Dallas took Seibert’s ensuing onside kick attempt to the house, and there was no Hail Mary repeat.

“We didn’t play our best. We didn’t play complementary football,” said McLaurin, whose 86-yard catch-and-run in the game’s final minute appeared to send the game to overtime.

The Washington defense outside of a few big plays kept quarterback Cooper Rush – finishing out the season in place of starter Dak Prescott – in check for most of the game. At halftime, the score was 3-0, even though the offense was routinely given solid starting field position.

“We got to find a way to start faster and sustain drives,’ McLaurin said. ‘That’s everybody. The whole coaching staff and offensive players just figuring out ways we can stay on the field and help the defense.”

The Commanders turned in their worst offensive performance since head coach Dan Quinn and Kingsbury arrived this offseason. Compounding the pain: The result came against a listless Cowboys squad missing key pieces on both sides of the ball Sunday – including right guard Zack Martin and cornerback Trevon Diggs – in what has become a lost campaign for the Commanders’ NFC East rival.

Without improvement, the Commanders could be headed for the same fate in 2024, even if the first year of the new regime has been a step in the right direction.

‘When you make a mistake, is that one that’s technique or over-trying?’ Quinn wondered after the game. ‘ … Any player or coach can (say), ‘I’m going to make the perfect call or the perfect run’ or the whatever that looks like. And more often, the best ones execute.’

Quinn said the team has self-scouted all year. But presented with the trend that his offenses have historically declined over the course of individual seasons – there are years of data demonstrating that – Kingsbury said he’d have to know specifics before commenting on it.

“So I was thinking about doing triple option, is that what you’re thinking?” Kingsbury said earlier in the week. “I don’t know, yeah, we’re gonna do what we do, so.”

The Commanders averaged 5.8 yards per carry against one of the NFL’s worst defenses, but Daniels and the receivers could not make anything happen through the air until it was too late. The 2023 Heisman Trophy winner went 25-for-38 for 275 yards with two interceptions, 74 yards on the ground (seven attempts) and a rushing and passing score apiece. It was the most comfortable he looked running the ball since he suffered a rib injury against the Carolina Panthers on Oct. 20.

The Commanders cut the Cowboys’ lead to three points following a Daniels touchdown pass to Zach Ertz and two-point conversion he ran in with 3:02 remaining. Kingsbury, Daniels and Co. cannot be blamed for KaVontae Turpin’s outrageous spin move on the ensuing kickoff that reverted the contest to a two-possession game.

Playing with tempo and staying on the field helps Kingsbury keep the whole playbook at his disposal, McLaurin said. The Commanders also need to put themselves in better third-down situations; Washington was 4-for-12 on third downs against the Cowboys (three of those conversions came in the third quarter). In the two games before Dallas, the Commanders averaged 253 yards of total offense. They had recorded at least 356 yards in seven of their eight previous games.

‘I think teams or coordinators are going to see what other teams have success against us and try to figure out how they would incorporate that into their schemes,’ Daniels said, noting that third-and-long opportunities allow defenses to dial up exotic pressures. ‘We’ve just gotta be better on first and second downs and stay ahead of the chains.’

Sustaining drives was a driving factor in the offense’s early-season success.

“It’s not right now,” McLaurin (five catches, 101 yards) said. “We got to figure out how to get that to being the strength of our offense.”

He added: “We got to fix some things in the film room.”

Seibert, playing in his first game since Nov. 3 and dealing with a right hip injury, missed a field goal in the first quarter in addition to both extra-point tries.

“Definitely don’t want to do that,” Seibert said. “Just wasn’t striking it well.”

After the game, Quinn said there was no hesitation in sending out the special-teams unit rather than keeping the offense on the field for a two-point conversion that would have given Washington the lead.

“That dude coaching us, whatever he rolls with, I am on board with him,” said punter Tress Way, who is also the holder and gave Seibert a clean look despite a poor snap from Tyler Ott on the game-tying extra-point attempt. “He is the bomb. So whatever he signs us up for, we got to go do it. I love how much trust he puts in us and gasses us up in that way.”

On the Turpin runback, Seibert said his goal was to hit a dirty ball. He did, and Turpin botched the ball initially. Seibert’s teammates didn’t make the play. The next Cowboys return for a score, which came on an attempted onside kick, was hit directly at safety Juanyeh Thomas, who had an open field and walk-in score ahead of him.

A full week of practice for Daniels, who had been nursing a rib injury for more than a month, would do the first-team offense well, Kingsbury said. The former Arizona Cardinals and Texas Tech head coach declined to elaborate on the changes – if any – were made to accommodate a “more banged up” Daniels.

“But hopefully we play better this week,” Kingsbury said. “I’ll just say that.

“Just nailing the details, calling better plays. I mean, overall, collectively as an offense we can be better.”

On Sunday, they weren’t.

This story has been updated to include a new video.

The Los Angeles Rams entered their ‘Sunday Night Football’ game against the Philadelphia Eagles with an opportunity. Win, and they would be tied atop the NFC West.

They couldn’t capitalize on the opportunity. Instead, they were trampled by Saquon Barkley in a 37-20 blowout.

The Eagles (9-2), meanwhile, extended their win streak to seven games and further distanced themselves from their closest competition in the NFC East. The win — coupled with the Washington Commanders’ wild loss to the Dallas Cowboys earlier on Sunday — builds a two-and-a-half-game advantage in the division with six weeks left to play. The Eagles remain in contention for the NFC’s top playoff seed, as well, sitting a game behind the Detroit Lions (10-1).

Barkley’s performance certainly will boost his MVP candidacy — if voters are willing to select a player who isn’t a quarterback for the award. Barkley rushed for a career-high 255 yards (that’s the ninth-best single-game total all-time) and scored two touchdowns.

With the Seattle Seahawks’ win over the Arizona Cardinals (both teams are now 6-5), the Rams (5-6) entered Sunday night’s game with a chance to move into a first-place tie in the division. Instead, they will hope to stay within contention until the season’s final weeks when they play both the Cardinals (Week 17) and Seahawks (Week 18).

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Eagles vs. Rams highlights

Eagles 37, Rams 14: Saquon Barkley adds another long TD run

Saquon Barkley put the game away, and attained a career high for rushing yards in a game (255), with a 72-yard touchdown run. It was his second 70-plus yard touchdown run of the game. This one sealed the Eagles’ ninth win of the season.

Milton Williams strip sack forces Rams to punt

After an offensive pass interference call on Puka Nacua set up a third-and-19, Williams got pressure on Matthew Stafford. He found his way into the backfield behind Jalen Carter and Milton Williams forced the ball out of Stafford’s hands.

Los Angeles center Beaux Limmer recovered the ball, but the Rams were forced to punt rather than try to go for it on fourth-and-33. Time is running out for Los Angeles to make the comeback with 5:13 left in regulation.

Rams convert another fourth down

Matthew Stafford found Tutu Atwell for a 7-yard gain on fourth-and-3. The Rams remain alive, trailing by 16 with about seven minutes left in regulation.

Eagles 30, Rams 14: Jake Elliott makes 26-yard field goal

The Rams couldn’t stop the Eagles from scoring, but they held them to a field goal. Jake Elliott made another chip shot, his third of the night, to give the Eagles a 30-14 lead with 10:30 left in the fourth quarter.

A.J. Brown closes third quarter with 28-yard reception on third-and-10

The Rams nearly got the three-and-out they needed after their missed field goal. Instead, Jalen Hurts threw an accurate pass downfield to A.J. Brown, who about doubled the length of the reception with a nice after-catch run.

The Eagles offense now has 376 yards and counting to the Rams’ 199. If the Eagles can score again, it will be hard for Los Angeles to get back into the contest, which Philadelphia currently leads 27-14.

Joshua Karty misses 47-yard field goal

Joshua Karty was called upon to try a long field goal after the Rams’ red zone drive stalled out. He missed the kick right, marking the third consecutive game in which he had missed a field goal.

The Rams offense made Karty’s first attempt of the game more difficult after committing a 10-yard holding penalty on third-and-3 and allowing Matthew Stafford to be sacked on the ensuing third-and-13. Now, it will be on their defense to prevent the Eagles from extending their 13-point lead.

Rams convert fourth-and-1 with 29-yard pass to Puka Nacua

The Rams decided to go for it on fourth-and-1 from midfield. Rather than run Kyren Williams up the middle, Los Angeles ran a play-action pass. Matthew Stafford his Puka Nacua for a gain, and the receiver ran with Isaiah Rodgers on his back for a 29-yard gain.

The Rams are now on the 21-yard line, threatening to score again. Meanwhile, the Eagles are tending to an injury to edge rusher Josh Sweat.

Mike Tirico injury update

NBC announcer Mike Tirico revealed on air that he is nursing a torn Achilles. The broadcast showed an angle from inside the booth that revealed he has a boot on his left foot. He assured viewers that he is doing OK.

Tirico did not clarify exactly when he had suffered the injury.

Eagles 27, Rams 14: Kenneth Gainwell scores on 13-yard touchdown run

After a 31-yard gain from Saquon Barkley on a screen pass, the Eagles put Kenneth Gainwell into the game to spell him. Gainwell got a carry on the next play and dodged a couple of Rams tacklers on a middle-of-the-field run to get his first touchdown of the season.

Jake Elliott converted the extra point to extend Philadelphia’s lead to 27-14.

Darius Slay injury update: Eagles CB ruled out

Darius Slay suffered a concussion that will keep him out of the remainder of Sunday’s game, USA TODAY Sports’ Tyler Dragon reports.

Slay left the field after tackling Rams tight end Colby Parkinson following a 10-yard game. He was seen walking without his helmet on the sideline and didn’t return for the rest of the drive.

Slay was replaced by backup cornerback Isaiah Rodgers. The veteran from UMass was called for pass interference and then gave up a 2-yard touchdown.

Eagles 20, Rams 14: Matthew Stafford finds Demarcus Robinson for 2-yard TD

The Rams answer the Eagles’ half-opening score. After a first-and-goal run by Kyren Williams was stuffed, the Rams ran a quick pass to Demarcus Robinson with Matthew Stafford rolling to his right. Robinson broke away from cornerback Isaiah Rodgers and made the catch in the end zone with ease.

Los Angeles is now trailing 20-14 and has reversed the trend of its negative-yardage second quarter.

Matthew Stafford, Puka Nacua connect on highlight-reel play

Stafford and the Rams are looking to answer Saquon Barkley’s touchdown, and he connected with Puka Nacua on a beautiful pass to get into Eagles territory. 

Matthew Stafford feathered the ball into an incredibly small window between Darius Slay and the sideline. Nacua made the grab going to the ground despite Slay interfering with him. The entire sequence drew an amazed reaction from color commentator Cris Collinsworth, who credited Stafford for being able to thread the needle on the throw.

Eagles 20, Rams 7: Saquon Barkley runs for 70-yard touchdown on first play of second half

The Eagles started the second half with a bang. Saquon Barkley found a hole on the right side of the offensive line and burst through the middle of it untouched. That turned the game quickly, as the Rams are now trailing by 13 points.

The 70-yard scoring scamper represents the second longest rushing touchdown of Barkley’s NFL career. Barkley is now up to 143 yards on 14 carries, good for a 10.2 yards per carry average.

Eagles’ all-time sack leaders

Brandon Graham moved up to No. 3 all-time on the Eagles’ all-time sack leaders list with his first-half sack against Matthew Stafford. Below is a look at the top-five sack men in franchise history:

Reggie White: 124
Trent Cole: 85.5
Brandon Graham: 76.5
Clyde Simmons: 76
Fletcher Cox: 70

No other players in Eagles franchise history have more than 57.5 total sacks to their names.

Eagles halftime stats

Below is a look at the Eagles’ statistical leaders at halftime of their Week 12 game against the Rams:

Jalen Hurts: 11-of-15 passing, 101 passing yards, 35 rushing yards, 2 total TDs
Saquon Barkley: 13 carries, 73 rushing yards, 3 catches, 16 receiving yards
A.J. Brown: 4 catches, 69 yards, 1 TD
Nakobe Dean: 5 tackles, 1 sack

Rams halftime stats

Below is a look at the Rams’ statistical leaders at halftime of their Week 12 game against the Eagles:

Matthew Stafford: 7-of-11 passing, 67 passing yards, 15 rushing yards
Kyren Williams: 9 carries, 51 rushing yards, 1 rushing TD, 1 fumble
Puka Nacua: 4 catches, 45 yards
Braden Fiska: 3 tackles, 2 TFL, 1 sack

Matthew Stafford sacked on Hail Mary attempt to end half

The Eagles inexplicably tried to run the ball on a fourth-and-11 with seven seconds left in the first half and failed to convert. That gave Matthew Stafford a chance to take a shot at the end-zone with just two seconds left in the half.

The issue? Stafford didn’t have the time needed to get a pass off. Josh Sweat got pressure on him quickly and brought him down before Stafford could escape. That allowed the Eagles to take a 13-7 lead into the second half, where Philadelphia will get the ball first.

Nakobe Dean runs over Kyren Williams to sack Matthew Stafford

The Eagles’ pass rush is starting to become an issue for the Rams. Nakobe Dean came on a blitz and de-cleated Kyren Williams before wrapping up Matthew Stafford for a loss of eight yards.

The Rams waved the white flag on the drive following that sack, running the ball and punting it back to the Eagles, who will have 26 seconds left to try to get into scoring range.

Eagles 13, Rams 7: A.J. Brown catches 6-yard touchdown from Jalen Hurts to give Eagles lead

The Eagles finally scored their first touchdown on their third red-zone drive of the day. Jalen Hurts found A.J. Brown open breaking toward the left side of the end zone, and the veteran wide out managed to catch the pass, get two feet down and take a step before defensive back Quentin Lake punched it out of his hands.

The play was initially called an incomplete pass but replay review ruled that Brown had completed the process of the catch. That, plus an extra point, gave the Eagles their first lead of the game, 13-7, with 1:27 left in the first half.

Brandon Graham sacks Matthew Stafford to force second consecutive three-and-out

Brandon Graham, a 36-year-old veteran who has spent his entire 15-year career with the Eagles, continues to make plays in the 206th game of his career. He brings down Matthew Stafford to bring his career sack total to 77.5 and forces the Rams to punt.

Graham put a solid hit on Stafford and avoided a body-weight penalty while sending the quarterback to the ground.

Rams 7, Eagles 6: Jake Elliott makes 31-yard field goal to cut into deficit

The Eagles once again stalled in the red zone and were whistled for three penalties on their final set of downs before settling for a field goal. Jake Elliott once again made the kick and cut the Rams’ lead to one with 6:17 left in the first half.

Saquon Barkley injury update

Saquon Barkley took a hard shot on a 3-yard run early in Philadelphia’s second drive of the second quarter. He was able to walk off the field under his own power, but his status will be worth monitoring. He was replaced in the contest by Kenneth Gainwell.

Barkley returned to the contest seven plays later.

Eagles stop Rams, force three-and-out

Puka Nacua nearly made a spectacular catch on second-and-4 for the Rams, but he couldn’t reel in a one-handed grab going to the ground. Matthew Stafford threw consecutive incompletions to end the drive, and Los Angeles kicked the ball back to Philadelphia.

The Eagles will start their next drive with good field position on their own 36-yard line.

Rams sack Jalen Hurts to force first punt of game

The Eagles couldn’t follow up their first-drive success with a quality second drive. Jalen Hurts was chased down by Rams rookie second-round pick Braden Fiske, who brought him down for a loss of 12 yards on third-and-6.

Los Angeles brought the return back to their own 21-yard line, where the Rams will look to continue their offensive success from the first couple of drives.

Rams lead Eagles 7-3 after first quarter

Los Angeles is defending its home field well through one quarter. The Rams racked up 117 yards of offense in the first half and reached the red zone on each of their two drives. They are averaging 8.4 yards per play compared to 6.7 for the Eagles in what is shaping up to be an offensive battle.

Jalen Hurts (5-of-5, 47 yards) has yet to throw an incompletion while Matthew Stafford is 5-of-7 for 56 yards through the air and ran for 15 yards on a scramble. Entering the game, Stafford had negative rushing yards for the season on 10 attempts.

Rams 7, Eagles 3: Kyren Williams punches in 1-yard touchdown run

Kyren Williams atones for his first drive fumble, taking a 1-yard carry into the end zone to give the Rams their first score of the day. It marks Williams’ first rushing touchdown since Los Angeles’ Week 7 win over the Las Vegas Raiders. 

Williams now has 45 yards and a score on six carries in the first quarter. He’s on pace for just his second 100-yard rushing game of the season.

Do the Chargers and Rams share a stadium?

Yes, the Chargers and Rams both call SoFi Stadium home. Rams owner Stan Kroenke built the stadium as part of the Rams’ move to Los Angeles in 2016 and has rented it to the Chargers since 2017.

It is one of two NFL stadiums that is home to two teams — MetLife Stadium, home of Giants and Jets — is the other.

Eagles 3, Rams 0: Jake Elliott makes chip shot field goal to open scoring

Like the Rams, the Eagles weren’t able to find success in the red-zone after a quality opening drive. They settled for a 21-yard field goal that Jake Elliott made with ease to give Philadelphia a 3-0 lead.

Jalen Hurts went 4-of-4 passing for 43 yards on the opening drive while adding 11 yards on two carries. Saquon Barkley accounted for most of the rest of the offense, racking up 26 yards on five carries.

Eagles use ‘Ronnie Stanley’ call at line of scrimmage

The Eagles gave long-time Baltimore Ravens left tackle Ronnie Stanley a shout out during their first drive against the Rams. As Jalen Hurts came to the line, he yelled Stanley’s name a couple of times, presumably to communicate a call to his offensive line.

Kyren Williams loses fumble on Rams first drive

The Rams had a nice first drive brewing, but Kyren Williams coughed up the ball on Los Angeles’ first red-zone play of the game. The Eagles jumped on it quickly to create the turnover.

Initially, the officials ruled that Williams was down by contact before the fumble. Nick Sirianni challenged the play — though the officials almost missed that he had thrown the red flag before the Rams quickly ran another play — and the call was overturned.

What is ‘Heaven Can Wait’?

The movie was nominated for nine Academy Awards and was evidently a favorite of actor Rob Lowe. He cited it for inspiring his love of the Rams in a monologue during NBC’s ‘Football Night In America’ pregame show.

Rams vs. Eagles start time

Date: Sunday, November 17, 2024
Start time: 8:20 p.m. ET (5:20 PT)

The Rams and Eagles game will wrap up Sunday’s action for Week 12 of the 2024 NFL season with ‘Sunday Night Football’ at 8:20 p.m. ET. 

Rams vs. Eagles TV channel

Cable TV: NBC 
Streaming: Peacock | Fubo

NBC will broadcast the Rams vs. Eagles Week 12 clash. Mike Tirico will handle play-by-play duties during the game, with Cris Collinsworth providing color commentary and Melissa Stark reporting from the sidelines during Rams vs. Eagles. 

 NBC’s weekly ‘Football Night in America’ pregame show will begin at 7 p.m. ET and feature insight from a panel of analysts, including Maria Taylor, Jason Garrett, Chris Simms, Mike Florio, Devin McCourty, Tony Dungy, and more. 

Rams vs. Eagles live stream 

Live stream: Fubo TV | Peacock 

For cord cutters looking for a live stream for the matchup, you can turn to Fubo TV. Fubo TV carries NBC, as well as CBS, FOX, NFL Network and the ESPN family of networks, meaning you can catch NFL action through the remainder of the season. 

Peacock, the proprietary streaming service of NBC, will also carry the game. 

Rams vs. Eagles picks, predictions

Here’s how the USA TODAY Sports staff feels the ‘SNF’ matchup between LA and Philadelphia will turn out:

Lorenzo Reyes: Eagles 29, Rams 24
Tyler Dragon: Eagles 28, Rams 21
Richard Morin: Eagles 29, Rams 23
Jordan Mendoza: Eagles 34, Rams 28

Rams vs. Eagles odds, moneyline, over/under 

The Eagles are favorites to defeat the Rams, according to the BetMGM NFL odds. Looking to wager? Check out the best mobile sports betting apps offering NFL betting promos in 2024 including the ESPN BET app and Fanatics Sportsbook promo code. 

Spread: Eagles (-3) 
Moneyline: Eagles (-155); Rams (+130) 
Over/under: 49 

Not interested in this game? Our guide to NFL betting odds, picks and spreads has you covered with “Thursday Night Football” odds and “Monday Night Football” odds. 

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Eagles inactives vs. Rams

QB Tanner McKee (emergency third QB)
WR DeVonta Smith
OL Darian Kinnard
OG Trevor Keegan
C Nick Gates
CB Eli Ricks

Rams inactives vs. Eagles

QB Stetson Bennett
CB Charles Woods
RB Cody Schrader
LB Brennan Jackson
OL Dylan McMahon
OL Rob Havenstein
DE Desjuan Johnson

Where is Rams vs. Eagles? 

The Rams vs. Eagles game is being played at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. SoFi Stadium is also home to the Los Angeles Chargers, who will host the Baltimore Ravens this week on ‘Monday Night Football.’

Rams vs. Eagles weather updates 

SoFi Stadium has a roof, but it is an open-air stadium on the sides, meaning the weather could have a minor effect on Sunday night’s game. 

It is expected to be 51 degrees during Sunday night’s game, per Weather.com. There is an 8% chance of rain, 4 mph of wind and it is expected to be cloudy and eventually foggy during the evening. Overall, the weather shouldn’t have a significant impact on the playing conditions, save for it being a bit chillier than usual on the field. 

NFC East standings

Philadelphia Eagles (8-2)
Washington Commanders (7-5)
Dallas Cowboys (4-7)
New York Giants (2-9)

NFC West standings

Seattle Seahawks (6-5)
Arizona Cardinals (6-5)
Los Angeles Rams (5-5)
San Francisco 49ers (5-6)

Eagles’ playoff odds 

According to BetMGM Sportsbook, the Eagles have odds of -10000 to make the playoffs entering Week 12. That gives Philadelphia an implied probability of 99.01% to qualify for the postseason. 

Rams’ playoff odds 

BetMGM’s odds imply a 24.4% chance of making the postseason. 

Eagles’ remaining schedule 

Philadelphia’s seven remaining opponents have a combined winning percentage of .486, per Tankathon. That gives the Eagles the 16th-toughest remaining schedule among the NFL’s 32 teams. 

The Eagles have three games remaining against teams with three wins or fewer, so it’s easy to understand why NFL oddsmakers favor Philadelphia to make the postseason. 

Below is a full look at the Eagles’ schedule: 

Week 12: at Los Angeles Rams (5-5) 
Week 13: at Baltimore Ravens (7-4) 
Week 14: vs. Carolina Panthers (3-7) 
Week 15: vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (8-2) 
Week 16: at Washington Commanders (7-4) 
Week 17: vs. Dallas Cowboys (3-7) 
Week 18: vs. New York Giants (2-8) 

Rams’ remaining schedule 

With seven games left to play, Los Angeles has the 11th-hardest schedule remaining, according to Tankathon. Their upcoming opponents have a combined record of 39-29, good for a .542 win percentage. 

In addition to three divisional games remaining against each NFC West team, the Rams will have to face a couple of tough opponents in the next three weeks. Los Angeles has to face two teams contending for the top seed in their respective conferences: the Eagles and the Bills. Once the Rams get through that, three of their final four games are against divisional opponents. 

Here’s who the Rams will face over the final seven weeks: 

Week 12: vs. Philadelphia Eagles (8-2) 
Week 13: at New Orleans Saints (4-7) 
Week 14: vs. Buffalo Bills (9-2) 
Week 15: at San Francisco 49ers (5-5) 
Week 16: at New York Jets (3-8) 
Week 17: vs. Arizona Cardinals (6-5) 
Week 18: vs. Seattle Seahawks (6-5) 

NFL defensive rookie rankings: Rams’ Verse, Eagles’ Mitchell make list 

If you’re looking for NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year favorites, then Sunday night’s Rams-Eagles matchup is for you: 

1. Jared Verse, DE, Los Angeles Rams (-190) 

With his mix of pedigree and production, Verse is likely to be the favorite for the rest of the regular season. 

2. Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Philadelphia Eagles (+320) 

Mitchell doesn’t have the same production as other defensive backs but Philadelphia’s getting the attention needed to move him up the order. 

3. Laiatu Latu, DE, Indianapolis Colts (+2000) 

Latu’s pedigree has him third behind Verse and Mitchell but he’s pretty far out of it, barring a second-half surge in production this season. 

Which NFL team has the most Super Bowl wins? 

The New England Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers are tied for the most Super Bowl wins with six. 

Pittsburgh and Dallas have the unique distinction of playing each other more than any other team combination in Super Bowl history with three matchups. 

The Rams have played in five Super Bowls — winning two, most recently Super Bowl 56 against the Cincinnati Bengals. The Eagles have played in four Super Bowls — winning one against the New England Patriots in Super Bowl 52.

NFL franchises with most Super Bowl wins:

New England Patriots — 6
Pittsburgh Steelers — 6
Dallas Cowboys — 5
San Francisco 49ers — 5
Green Bay Packers — 4
Kansas City Chiefs — 4
New York Giants — 4

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Maybe the San Francisco 49ers will recover from this disastrous season and become next year’s champion. 

Sure, there’s six weeks to go in this 2024 campaign. As bad as it was, the 38-10 blowout at Green Bay – the third-worst loss under Kyle Shanahan – counts as only one defeat. And despite falling to 5-6, their worst record at this point in the season since 2020, the mirage maintains that the 49ers are just one game out of first place in the NFC West. 

If they can get hot at the right time…

Never mind. The reality check is half-empty. The 49ers are in last place. After getting drubbed by the Packers, the consolation prize is a trip to Buffalo. This injury-depleted team, which showed up on Sunday without injured quarterback Brock Purdy (shoulder) and All-Pros Nick Bosa (hip/oblique) and Trent Williams (ankle), may have a mathematical chance of rallying down the stretch to get into the playoffs. But what the defending NFC champs really need is a miracle. 

There was no divine intervention at Lambeau Field. The 49ers fell behind 17-0. The defense missed 15 tackles in the first half, according to Next Gen Stats, and 20 for the game. It is not the same defense. Josh Jacobs became the first opponent in 55 games to rush for 100 yards (26 carries, 106 yards) against the 49ers, snapping the NFL’s longest-such sub-100 streak since 1955. The 49ers committed three turnovers in the second half (two from fill-in QB Brandon Allen, the other by Christian McCaffrey), which led to three Packers touchdowns. They committed nine penalties for 77 yards, including one that ruined Deebo Samuel’s 87-yard return of the second-half kickoff that seemingly set the table to make it a one-possession game. 

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

“It’s embarrassing,” 49ers linebacker Fred Warner lamented during his postgame news conference. “You’ve got to take it on the chin and move on.” 

Sometimes, though, the body blows wear you down. This might appear as a massive Super Bowl hangover for the 49ers following the overtime loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in February. That’s a stretch. It’s more apparent that last season’s flow didn’t carry over because each season is an episode of its own, and a championship run this time just isn’t in the cards. 

This 49ers season started with McCaffrey – the reigning NFL rushing champ and vital component to the passing game – sidelined for nine weeks by an Achilles injury. Other setbacks have claimed defensive tackle Javon Hargrave (triceps) and wideout Brandon Aiyuk (ACL/MCL). And big-play linebacker Dre Greenlaw still hasn’t returned for the torn Achilles suffered in Super Bowl 58.  

True, the NFL is a war of attrition and every team in the league has some level of frustration linked to injuries. Yet with the fresh batch of key players sidelined, the 49ers may have had more than their share. 

Then again, they haven’t allowed themselves much cushion when considering their tendency to come up short in close games. The 49ers lost four games this season by a combined 13 points, including the Week 11 setback against (now first-place) Seattle that was sealed by Geno Smith’s 13-yard TD run with 12 seconds left. Since Shanahan became coach in 2017, the 49ers have lost the second-most games in the league (21) when they held fourth-quarter leads, according to Josh Dubow of The Associated Press. 

Of course, there was nothing close about Green Bay’s drubbing, which was the 49ers’ most lopsided loss since 2018. It may have also represented some payback for the Packers, whose 2023 season ended with, well, a close loss at San Francisco in the NFC divisional playoffs. 

Will there be a playoff rematch? Don’t bet on it. The Packers are currently slotted sixth in the NFC’s playoff race. The 49ers, in the 10th slot, have a 15% chance of making the playoffs, according to Next Gen Stats. 

“Definitely an uphill grind,” George Kittle, the star tight end, said during his postgame news conference. “I guess we’ll see what we’re made of.” 

Kittle, who led the 49ers with six catches and 82 yards, and scored the team’s only touchdown with a leaping 3-yard grab in the middle of the end zone, did not sound like a man ready to panic over his team’s predicament. 

That’s a credit to Kittle. He’s still upbeat and eager. He was vehement in insisting that this trying season hasn’t tested his optimism. 

“Why would it?” Kittle said. 

Well… 

“We’re not where we want to be by any means,” Kittle added. “Losing by 28, it’s horrible. We don’t want to do that by any means. Obviously, we’ve got to watch the tape.” 

Spoiler alert: It’s a real horror show. Burning the tape is clearly another option. 

This story has been updated to include a new video.

It’s Thanksgiving week, and while people are planning to stuff their plates with all of the fixings, men’s college basketball is serving a full slate of hoops with its plethora of holiday tournaments.

An annual occurrence, teams will travel across the country − and internationally − to play in a slate of games that provide a great measuring stick for where they stand in the first month of the season, and even stack up on the Quad 1 and 2 wins the NCAA tournament selection committee values so much in March.

Some tournaments started or already wrapped up play before the week began, but there are still others taking place with stacked fields, like the Maui Invitational, which returns to the iconic Lahaina Civic Center, and the Battle 4 Atlantis in the Bahamas. In total, 13 teams in the USA TODAY Sports men’s basketball coaches poll will be playing in tournaments.

With so much basketball taking place, here is a rundown of the major tournaments that have concluded or to keep an eye on:

Maui Invitational

When: Nov. 25-27
Where: Lahaina Civic Center, Lahaina, Hawaii
Teams: No. 2 Connecticut, No. 3 Auburn, No. 5 Iowa State, No. 12 North Carolina, Memphis, Colorado, Michigan State and Dayton.
Bracket: Here.

Players Era Thanksgiving Festival

When: Nov. 26-30
Where: MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada
Teams: No. 7 Alabama, No. 7 Houston, No. 13 Creighton, No. 23 Texas A&M, Rutgers, Notre Dame, San Diego State and Oregon.
Bracket: Here.

Battle 4 Atlantis

When: Nov. 27-29
Where: Imperial Arena, Paradise Island, Bahamas
Teams: No. 4 Gonzaga, No. 17 Arizona, No. 18 Indiana, Louisville, West Virginia, Oklahoma, Providence and Davidson.
Bracket: Here.

ESPN Events Invitational

When: Nov. 28-29
Where: State Farm Field House, Kissimmee, Florida
Teams: No. 19 Florida, Wake Forest, Minnesota and Wichita State.
Bracket: Here.

Rady Children’s Invitational

When: Nov. 28-29
Where: LionTree Arena, San Diego, California
Teams: No. 6 Purdue, North Carolina State, Mississippi and Brigham Young.
Bracket: Here.

Acrisure Invitational

When: Nov. 28-29
Where: Acrisure Arena, Palm Desert, California
Teams: TCU, Santa Clara, Washington and Colorado State.
Bracket: Here.

Acrisure Classic

When: Nov. 28-29
Where: Acrisure Arena, Palm Desert, California
Teams: Southern California, Saint Mary’s, New Mexico and Arizona State.
Bracket: Here.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Brandon Graham, the Philadelphia Eagles’ longest-tenured player, is done for the season.

Graham announced that he’s out for the year with torn triceps after the Eagles’ 37-20 win over the Los Angeles Rams.

“I’m out for the rest of the year, for real. I tore my triceps,” Graham said in the locker room. ‘If I had to go out like this, I gave everything I got.’

Graham said the injury occurred when he got hit on his elbow.

The 36-year-old defensive end had two tackles, one sack and three quarterback hits in the win. He was having a solid game at the time of his injury.

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

Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said he wasn’t ready to make announce Graham’s injury during his postgame press conference.

Graham, a 15-year veteran, has appeared in a franchise-record 206 regular-season games. He signed a one-year deal with the Eagles this offseason and there has been speculation that 2024 would be his final NFL season.

Graham tallied 76.5 career sacks, the third most in Eagles team history. His biggest sack came in Super Bowl 52, which helped Philadelphia defeat the New England Patriots.

“Very unfortunate for the man, first and the teammate, second. A guy that has endeared himself to this franchise,” Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts said. “Is always trying to uplift those and really just teach young guys that are coming in. You got to think of a guy as deep as he is and his tenure. It’s bigger than the game.”

The Philadelphia Eagles made a big investment when they signed Saquon Barkley to a three-year deal during the 2024 NFL offseason. Thus far, the move has paid off in a big way.

Barkley entered the team’s ‘Sunday Night Football’ meeting with the Los Angeles Rams among the league leaders in rushing yards.

He exits it on pace to break Eric Dickerson’s decades-long single-season rushing record after enjoying a massive outing in Los Angeles.

Here’s what to know about Barkley’s personal-best outing against the Rams and the record-breaking pace he is on during his debut season in Philadelphia.

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

Saquon Barkley stats today

Barkley had the most productive game of his NFL career on Sunday night. He logged a career-high 255 rushing yards on 26 carries and added 47 receiving yards on four catches in the 37-20 Eagles win.

Barkley was productive from the jump against the Rams. He repeatedly ripped off solid gains during the first half, averaging 5.6 yards per carry in the first half and keeping Philadelphia’s offense on a consistent schedule against Los Angeles’ opportunistic defense.

On the first play of the second half, Barkley nearly doubled his first half production. He took the opening carry 70 yards for a score, following great blocking from the right side of his offensive line and Landon Dickerson into space. He wasn’t touched en route to the end-zone.

Barkley continued to be an explosive playmaker from there. He logged a 31-yard catch on a third-and-10 that set up a 13-yard Kenneth Gainwell touchdown before punctuating his career-best night with a 72-yard touchdown run to seal the game.

Barkley’s personal-best rushing performance came just over a month after he nearly eclipsed it against the New York Giants. In that contest, Barkley opted to bow out of the 28-3 blowout to allow his teammates to get work rather than chase the record.

In the closer 37-20 contest with the Rams, Barkley remained in and managed to clear his record, originally set against Washington in 2019. He also beat his previous career-high of 279 scrimmage yards from that outing, replacing it with his 302-yard total on Sunday night.

Most rushing yards in an NFL game

Barkley’s 255 rushing yards were the ninth-most in a single game in NFL history, and the most by an NFL player since Jonathan Taylor’s 253-yard outing against the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2021.

Below is a full look at the NFL’s single-game rushing leaders:

Adrian Peterson, Minnesota Vikings: 296 yards (2007)
Jamal Lewis, Baltimore Ravens: 295 yards (2003)
Jerome Harrison, Cleveland Browns: 286 yards (2009)
Corey Dillon, Cincinnati Bengals: 278 yards (2000)
Walter Payton, Chicago Bears: 275 yards (1977)
O.J. Simpson, Buffalo Bills: 273 yards (1976)
Shaun Alexander, Seattle Seahawks: 266 yards (2001)
Jamaal Charles, Kansas City Chiefs: 259 yards (2010)
Saquon Barkley, Philadelphia Eagles: 255 yards (2024)
Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis Colts: 253 yards (2021); DeMarco Murray, Dallas Cowboys: 253 yards (2011)

Saquon Barkley rushing yards 2024

Barkley has accounted for 1,392 rushing yards in 2024. That ranks No. 1 in the NFL, though it’s worth noting that the NFL’s No. 2 rusher, Derrick Henry, hasn’t yet played his Week 12 game.

That said, Barkley has already had his bye while Henry has not. As such, Barkley remains on pace to lead the league in rushing yards during his first season with the Eagles.

NFL single-season rushing record

Eric Dickerson still owns the NFL record for most rushing yards in a single season. He ran for 2,104 yards during the 1984 NFL season.

Only eight NFL players have logged more than 2,000 rushing yards in a single season:

Eric Dickerson, Los Angeles Rams: 2,105 yards (1984)
Adrian Peterson, Minnesota Vikings: 2,097 yards (2012)
Jamal Lewis, Baltimore Ravens: 2,066 yards (2003)
Barry Sanders, Detroit Lions: 2,053 yards (1997)
Derrick Henry, Tenenssee Titans: 2,027 yards (2020)
Terrell Davis, Denver Broncos: 2,008 yards (1998)
Chris Johnson, Tennessee Titans: 2,006 yards (2009)
O.J. Simpson, Buffalo Bills: 2,003 yards (1973)

Barkley is currently on pace to record 2,151 rushing yards during the 2024 NFL season. That would allow him to overtake Dickerson and break the NFL record.

Barkley doesn’t have much room for error, but if he can stay healthy, he might have a chance to make NFL history in his first year with the Eagles — whether it’s by breaking the NFL rushing record or challenging for 2,000 yards on the ground.

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LOS ANGELES — The longest winning streak in college basketball has come to an end with No. 6 UCLA taking down defending champion and No. 1 South Carolina in convincing fashion, 77-62.

For the past two seasons, Dawn Staley’s team has taken care of any team that crossed its path with a program-record 43 consecutive wins, with only four games being single-digit victories. But on Sunday afternoon inside Pauley Pavilion, the Gamecocks didn’t look anything like the most dominant team in the game. 

‘This game is about our program and where we’re going,’ said UCLA head coach Cori Close. ‘This means a lot, because Dawn Staley has set the tone of what women’s basketball excellence should be over the last several years. And I just have so much respect for her, for her staff, for the way they have a global view of the game. So this obviously means a lot because of the respect we have. That being said, we expected to win.’

The Bruins were in control from start to finish, grabbing the first points of the game and holding onto a lead it never relinquished. UCLA started the contest on a 15-2 run and the lead was in double digits for nearly the entire game. The Bruins led by 21 points at halftime and had a 23-point lead at one point while the closest South Carolina was able to get to in the second half was 15 points in the final minute.

The win for Bruins represents the program’s first against a No. 1-ranked team, and it is the first time South Carolina had lost a November game since 2019. The 15-point loss is also the largest defeat the Gamecocks have suffered since the 2019 NCAA Tournament, and it only ended up that close after South Carolina cut the deficit in the final minutes when the game was already well-determined.

‘This is what we usually do teams,’ Staley said. ‘It doesn’t feel good when you’re on the receiving end of it. But you also know you got beat by great team. Like executing on both sides, that was beautiful basketball.

‘They wanted it. I thought our kid’s fought, but we ran into a buzzsaw today.’

Prior to Sunday’s contest, Staley said she knew UCLA center Lauren Betts presented a big challenge. A likely first-round pick in the 2025 WNBA draft should she declare, Betts didn’t have a monster game with only 11 points, but she controlled the paint with a game-high 14 rebounds and four blocked shots and made the Gamecocks earn anything they could get near the bucket.

Staley said she liked how her team was able to limit the offensive game of Betts, but ‘we got killed by everybody else.’ UCLA’s Londynn Jones, who came off the bench, scored a team-high 15 points after she went a perfect 5-for-5 from the 3-point line.

South Carolina had no alternative but to shoot from the perimeter, and it was very successful with a 8-for-11 mark from 3-point line. The only problem was the Bruins were able to match it with 10 made 3-pointers on 21 attempts. Anytime South Carolina appeared to be establishing any sort of rhythm, the Bruins would come right down the court and halt it to send the crowd into a frenzy. The Gamecocks shot a low 36.4% percentage (24-for-66) from the field while the Bruins made 47.5% (28-for-59) of their buckets. 

The result will be the latest to shake up the top 10 in women’s basketball, with the Bruins victory coming one day after No. 5 Notre Dame went into Los Angeles and took down No. 3 Southern California. There will be a new No. 1 team in the country when the next set of rankings come out, and while UCLA certainly made a case to grab the top spot, Close isn’t concerned with what number will be next to her team’s name.

‘I think teams that fall in love with what other people define them as they lose opportunities to get better,’ she said. ‘I want them to enjoy this. This is tremendous accomplishment, I’m not downplaying it, but I’m also putting it in proper context. That is this what you came here to do? Just this one? And have fun with it, but let it just inform your next choice.’

It’s still the first month of the regular season, but Close’s team now has a signature victory, something the Bruins have been looking for quite some time and will be a big boost for a team that is hunting to get to its first Final Four since the NCAA sponsored the game.

‘It’s November 24. Am I proud of our team? Yes, but this is just the beginning,’ Close said.

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