FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Lionel Messi walked onto Inter Miami’s practice fields, surprisingly wearing a beanie hat on a 70-degree morning, for his second practice of the year under new coach Javier Mascherano on Monday.

Roughly an hour later, new U.S. men’s national team coach Mauricio Pochettino led a group of Major League Soccer players convened for the club’s first match of the year on a nearby field.

Both clubs have converged at Inter Miami’s complex to begin the new year with new coaches hoping to make their own impressions, while trying to fill lofty aspirations.

The USMNT continues its quest to prepare for the 2026 World Cup Saturday against Venezuela at Inter Miami’s Chase Stadium at 3 p.m. ET, then against Costa Rica in Orlando on Jan. 22.

Messi and Inter Miami will begin their preseason tour and a busy 2025 against LIGA MX champions Club America at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Saturday night at 10 p.m. ET.

“My first impressions were this is going to be difficult. It’s like hard work. It’s very good. It’s challenging. And I feel like he’s creating an environment that tests you, that challenges you. And we’ve been enjoying it,” said Inter Miami goalie Drake Callender, who is training with the national team this week.  

“I feel like I’m growing as a goalkeeper and also as a player. I think that’s super important to put players in a position to excel, but also situations where they have to grow and develop.”

Inter Miami’s Benjamin Cremaschi, called up by the national team after playing at the Paris Olympics, expects Pochettino to get into more detail with his game plan and tactics this week.

The new USMNT coach is 3-1 so far: They won 2-0 against Panama on Oct. 12, but lost 2-0 to Mexico on Oct. 15, and beat Jamaica 5-2 on aggregate in two Concacaf Nations League games in November.

Along with their World Cup preparation, the USMNT will compete with Canada, Mexico and Panama at the Concacaf Nations League finals in March and in the Concacaf Gold Cup later this summer.

“I like the way he works, and what he’s been doing with the national team lately,” Cremaschi said. “I think it’s very good for this country, and this team the way he approaches the game.”

Mascherano, on the other hand, doesn’t have to spend much time getting to know his star players. He’s reunited with his former Barcelona teammates Messi, Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba with Inter Miami after replacing Tata Martino last month.

Mascherano does, however, need to carve out some time to find a place to live. The first-time MLS coach has been couped up in a hotel when he’s not at Inter Miami’s facility, trying to finetune an ever-changing roster that has seen players from last season’s Supporters’ Shield title run depart in the short offseason.

“I don’t have too much time to think. I want to work on the team and the squad. I spent a lot of hours with the club trying to fix problems we had in the last month,” Mascherano said.

“I think in the next two or three weeks, I’ll sit down, try to find a house. I’ve been living in the hotel and don’t have time looking for houses.”

Inter Miami – eliminated by Atlanta United in the first round of the MLS Cup playoffs – will participate in the Concacaf Champions Cup, the Club World Cup and the Leagues Cup tournament during the MLS season this year.

To prepare, the club is embarking on a five-match preseason with trips to three different countries to also promote the Inter Miami brand behind Messi’s presence.

Mascherano said he was pleased with how Messi and his players returned from the holidays for the start of their year.

Inter Miami will also play preseason games in Peru on Jan. 29, in Panana on Feb. 2, in Honduras on Feb. 8, and in Tampa, Florida on Feb. 14.

“Obviously we have several preseason games that will allow us to compete, but we will see how many minutes we can get according to how they feel,” Mascherano said.

While participating in the 2025 Australian Open, Japanese-American star Naomi Osaka was as far away as she could be from the fires devastating Los Angeles. However, Osaka does live in L.A, and as the fire raged nearer and nearer to her house, she needed help gathering some of her prized possessions. Osaka called someone near her home to grab her 1.5-year-old daughter’s birth certificate.

According to reports, the inferno was just three blocks away from her residence. Although Osaka’s daughter, Shai, was safe and sound, traveling on tour with her mother, Osaka believed it would be in her best interest to keep the child’s birth certificate in a safe place.

‘I think the biggest thing that I am grateful for is that everyone in my family is safe,’ said Osaka Monday during a post-match press conference. Osaka defeated French player Caroline Garcia in three sets on Monday, and offered full support to the Los Angeles area after her match, donning a Dodgers hat with a red heart stitched on it as well as a Lakers jersey to the press conference.

‘Sending all my love to L.A. We hear about fires, but I didn’t know how devastating it could be,’ Osaka said. ‘I hope everyone’s doing well.’

Tennis stars offer their support for Los Angeles

Yes. Most notably, American star Coco Gauff and Croatian player Donna Vekic have written inspirational words on courtside cameras after their matches.

When does Osaka play next?

Osaka is set for her second-round matchup Tuesday January 14, against the world’s No. 20 ranked player, Czechia’s Karolina Muchova.

Mike McCarthy’s time with the Dallas Cowboys is coming to an end.

The 61-year-old coach’s contract with the team expires on Tuesday. The two parties couldn’t agree to terms on a new deal, so each is expected to seek a new beginning after a five-year partnership.

McCarthy posted a 49-35 record during his five seasons with the Cowboys, including three consecutive 12-5 seasons over the middle three years of his term. Dallas made the playoffs in those three campaigns but went just 1-3 in those appearances.

The Cowboys posted a 7-10 record during McCarthy’s final season, marred by injuries to star players Dak Prescott and Micah Parsons. The veteran coach will now look to lead his third NFL team as he seeks a second Super Bowl ring.

Meanwhile, Jerry Jones and the Cowboys will go back to the drawing board as they look for a new coach. Who might Dallas’ top candidates be? Here’s a breakdown of some of the top options available.

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

Cowboys coaching candidates: 8 Mike McCarthy replacements

Kellen Moore, Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator

If the Cowboys look for a familiar face to help replace McCarthy, they could look toward Moore. He spent eight years in Dallas as a player and a coach, including four seasons as the team’s offensive coordinator. He routinely helped the team finish ranked among the best offenses in the NFL, including when Dallas led the NFL in both points and yards per game during the 2021 NFL season. That should allow Moore to quickly identify and implement a plan to get the most out of Dallas’ playmakers given his familiarity with guys like CeeDee Lamb.

Moore also performed well as a coordinator in 2024, his first season with the Eagles. Philadelphia finished the season ranked sixth in offensive EPA per play (0.1) and fourth in EPA per running play (0.09). Under his guidance, Saquon Barkley finished as a 2,000-yard rusher, so Jones could envision Moore getting a lot out of CeeDee Lamb, Rico Dowdle,and others in 2025 and beyond.

Kliff Kingsbury, Washington Commanders offensive coordinator

Kingsbury is another NFC East offensive coordinator the Cowboys could try to poach. The former Arizona Cardinals head coach led Jayden Daniels to an elite rookie season and helped Washington finish as the No. 4-ranked offense in EPA for 2024. That included a league-best ranking of 0.12 EPA on running plays.

The idea of pairing Kingsbury with Prescott in a vertical offense built around Lamb, KaVontae Turpin and Jake Ferguson should intrigue the Cowboys. While Kingsbury had only a middling record as the Cardinals’ head coach (28-37-1), he could be better prepared to run the show his second time around.

The only question with Kingsbury is whether he’d be willing to leave the Commanders just one year after leading them to the divisional round of the NFL playoffs. He also may have more interest in coaching the Chicago Bears given the veteran coach’s relationship with Caleb Williams.

Joe Brady, Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator

Brady could be the best option if the Cowboys want to take a Sean McVay-like swing at head coach. The 35-year-old took over Buffalo’s offense midway through the 2023 NFL season and turned it into one of the most efficient and explosive units in the NFL. The Bills finished the 2024 season ranked second league-wide in EPA per play (0.18) while Josh Allen recorded 41 total touchdowns in an MVP-caliber season.

Brady’s work with the Bills isn’t just a one-off. He also helped coordinate arguably the best offense in college football history – the 2019 Joe Burrow-powered LSU Tigers. Brady could help bring Prescott, 31, to the next level as he transitions into the latter half of his NFL career.

Ben Johnson, Detroit Lions offensive coordinator

Johnson would also represent a McVay-like swing for the Cowboys. The 38-year-old has become one of the top regarded offensive minds in the NFL since taking over as Lions offensive coordinator. He has led Detroit to top-five offenses in yards and points per game in each of his first three seasons in that role while turning Jared Goff into a Pro Bowl-level talent.

Johnson would certainly get the most out of Prescott, Lamb and the other Cowboys weapons. However, he has been picky about considering potential openings in the last couple of offseasons, so it isn’t clear whether he would be interested in joining Dallas, where Jones is the one calling the shots.

Liam Coen, Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator

Here’s another up-and-coming offensive mind for the Cowboys to consider. Coen has built upon Baker Mayfield’s successful 2023 season with Dave Canales and helped guide the quarterback to a 4,500-yard, 41-touchdown season during which he completed 71.4% of his passes.

Coen comes from the Sean McVay coach tree – he spent four years with the Los Angeles Rams, from 2018-20 and 2022 – and is well-versed in McVay’s offense, which is full of pre-snap motions designed to tip the quarterback off to the defensive coverage and create mismatches. McVay’s offense has proven easy to implement across NFL teams, so that should make Coen a sought-after coaching candidate.

Brian Flores, Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator

Could the Cowboys target a defensive-minded head coach to replace Mike McCarthy? Sure, and Flores is arguably the best option available on the market. In his two seasons with the Vikings, Flores has turned Minnesota’s defense from one of the league’s worst into a unit that ranked third in defensive EPA (-0.09) for the 2024 season.

The Cowboys’ defense took a big step back after Dan Quinn’s departure and with Micah Parsons out for the middle portion of the season. Giving Flores, whose unique defensive scheme – which relies on crowding the line of scrimmage and blitzing frequently – has proven effective with the Vikings, access to a player like Parsons could bring Dallas’ defense to the next level and turn them into a well-rounded threat once again.

Like Coen, Flores’ scheme transferred well between his previous teams, including the New England Patriots and Miami Dolphins. His 24-25 mark with the Dolphins, who sported arguably the NFL’s worst roster during his first season, is impressive to boot, so don’t sleep on the 43-year-old as a potential replacement for McCarthy.

Pete Carroll, former Seattle Seahawks head coach

Here’s another coach with a defensive background the Cowboys could consider. Carroll wants to return to coaching, and he has a wealth of experience that could prove valuable in moving on from McCarthy, a well-liked coach.

Carroll has a 170-120-1 record as a head coach and led the Seahawks to a blowout 43-8 win over the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl 48. He has a reputation for being a culture-builder and crafting quality defenses, and his connection to Quinn could earn him a look from Jones and the Dallas brain trust.

Carroll will turn 74 on the eve of the NFL season, so he wouldn’t be a spring chicken or a long-term option for the Cowboys. However, as a stopgap, he would keep the team competitive and may find a way to bring them on a deep playoff run, as he often did with Russell Wilson in Seattle.

Jason Witten, former Dallas Cowboys tight end

There has been speculation that the Cowboys could target Colorado coach Deion Sanders if they go after a candidate with no previous NFL coaching experience. That said, Witten may be the player who is more likely to get a call from Jerry Jones eventually.

Need proof? Jones was asked whether Witten would have a future as an NFL coach during his weekly appearances on 105.3 The Fan on Nov. 15, 2024.

‘Yes. Without hesitation. Yes,’ Jones said. ‘[Witten] has something that you can’t draw up. He reminds me a lot of our other tight end who is head coach up there in Detroit right now [Dan Campbell].

‘Jason is very sophisticated when it comes to understanding football and all the nuances. But more important than anything, he really does understand the physical and the mentality of being physical and that part of it. Without a question, he could become [an NFL coach]. He has extraordinary work ethic. … He can be a top coach.’

Witten may have potential, but he has just four years of experience as a head coach at the high school level. That wouldn’t make him the most advisable hire, but if the 82-year-old wants to give Witten a shot, he could.

Will Bill Belichick be Cowboys coaching candidate?

‘Belichick and his camp never received any indication during backchannel conversations that the job would open up, which is partly why he ended up at UNC,’ Schultz wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter). ‘Belichick has an excellent relationship with the Jones family.’

Schultz stopped short of saying that would eliminate Belichick as a candidate for the job. However, Belichick and Michael Lombardi have been adamant the former Patriots coach would stay at North Carolina after accepting the job in December.

The apple has not fallen far from the tree for at least a few of Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay’s disciples.

One of the former disciples that has most enjoyed the same coaching success McVay has had in Los Angeles is the current leader of his upcoming NFL wild card game opponent: Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell.

O’Connell is one of two of McVay’s six former coordinators or assistants who hold a winning record since leaving Los Angeles to claim a head coaching job of their own. The Vikings head coach’s ability to develop quarterback talent, especially in helping veterans who may have struggled in the past, has become renowned in the NFL in recent years.

O’Connell’s latest success story has been Sam Darnold, the former No. 3 overall pick who helped lead Minnesota, his fourth team in five years, to a 14-win season and playoff berth.

On Monday night, O’Connell, Darnold and the Vikings come up against McVay’s Rams in a battle to determine who will play the Philadelphia Eagles in the divisional round next week.

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

Sean McVay coaching tree

The following six coaches were all former McVay disciples who went on to hold an NFL head coaching job after their time in Los Angeles. Here’s who they are, ranked by winning percentage as head coaches:

Matt LaFleur, Green Bay Packers | 2019-present: 67-33 record (67%)

LaFleur just barely edges out O’Connell by regular season win percentage. His three consecutive 13-win seasons with quarterback Aaron Rodgers help him there, but he has been able to continue to find success in the post-Rodgers era with current Green Bay quarterback Jordan Love. LaFleur is 3-5 in the playoffs.

Kevin O’Connell, Minnesota Vikings | 2022-present: 34-17 record (66.7%)

O’Connell’s winning percentage as a head coach is mere decimal points behind LaFleur’s. His success has largely been a result of how he’s been able to build his team’s offenses around a quarterback’s skill set to allow the player, as well as the offense as a whole, to thrive. O’Connell is 0-1 in the playoffs.

Brandon Staley, Los Angeles Chargers | 2021-2023: 24-24 record (50%)

Staley is one of just two former Rams defensive coordinators to find a gig as a head coach, and he didn’t have to look far to find it. He made it through two-and-a-half seasons before the Chargers fired him three weeks before the end of last season. Staley had a 0-1 record in the playoffs.

Raheem Morris, Atlanta Falcons | 2024-present*: 8-9 (47.1%)

Morris is the other former Rams defensive coordinator to have earned a head coach job after his time in Los Angeles. He returned to Atlanta this year after serving as the Falcons’ interim head coach for 11 games in 2020. His team went 8-9 and was in contention for the NFC South title as late as Week 18. Morris has never coached a team to the playoffs.

*Morris served as head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2009-2011) and as interim head coach of the Falcons (2020) before his tenure under McVay. This record only reflects his success since his three-year stint in Los Angeles (2021-2023).

Zac Taylor, Cincinnati Bengals | 2019-present: 46-52-1 record (47%)

Only one of the McVay coaching tree’s members has been to the Super Bowl, and, naturally, he lost to McVay’s Rams once he got there. Taylor’s Bengals have had one of the most high-powered offenses in the NFL since 2019 with quarterback Joe Burrow throwing to wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins to great success each year. Taylor has a 5-2 playoff record with the only two losses coming in the aforementioned Super Bowl and in the AFC championship game (to the Kansas City Chiefs) the following year.

Thomas Brown, Chicago Bears* | 2024-2024: 1-4 record (20%)

Brown is technically the least successful of McVay’s disciples, but he only has a sample size of five games. He was the Bears’ interim head coach for the final five games of the season and earned his first win as a head coach in Green Bay during Week 18.

*Brown only served as an interim head coach for five games for the Bears this year.

Sean McVay coaching tree record vs. Rams

Here’s how each of McVay’s disciples have fared when facing the Rams, listed in the order they got their head coach jobs:

Matt LaFleur (Packers): 4-0 regular season; 1-0 postseason
Zac Taylor (Bengals): 1-1 regular season; 0-1 postseason
Brandon Staley (Chargers): 1-0 regular season
Kevin O’Connell (Vikings): 0-2 regular season
Raheem Morris (Falcons): N/A
Thomas Brown (Bears): N/A
Overall: 6-3 regular season; 1-1 postseason

The Los Angeles Rams won the right to host a playoff game during the 2025 NFL postseason after winning the NFC West over the Seattle Seahawks.

However, the Rams won’t be able to play their first playoff game at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. Instead, they’ll be posting up at the home of a divisional rival as the Los Angeles Fire Department works to contain devastating wildfires that have ravaged the county over the last week.

The Rams vs. Minnesota Vikings contest is the first NFL playoff game to be relocated since the Super Bowl era, which dates to 1966.

Here’s what to know about the Rams vs. Vikings wild card game and where it is being played.

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

Where is the Rams vs. Vikings game being played?

Venue: State Farm Stadium
Location: Glendale, Arizona

The Rams vs. Vikings game is being played at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. The stadium is typically home to the Arizona Cardinals but will serve as the temporary home for the Rams after their wild-card matchup with the Vikings was relocated.

State Farm Stadium has a history of providing respite for displaced teams. During the COVID-19 pandemic, it temporarily housed the San Francisco 49ers who could not play games at home due to restrictions on sporting events in Santa Clara County, California.

The Cardinals also once hosted a game between the San Diego Chargers and Miami Dolphins during the 2003 NFL season because of wildfires near San Diego. At the time, Arizona played at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe.

Why is Rams vs. Vikings being played in Arizona?

The Rams vs. Vikings game is being played in Arizona because of the ongoing deadly wildfires in Los Angeles County.

The fires began Tuesday, and the Palisades Fire has already become the most destructive in Los Angeles’ history, scorching over 23,000 acres of land, according to reporting from USA TODAY’s Susan Miller, Josh Peter, Adrianna Rodriguez and Thao Nguyen. The Palisades Fire was 14% contained as of Monday. A total of 24 people have died because of the fires with the death toll likely to increase, per California governor Gavin Newsom.

The ongoing blazes led the NFL to announce Thursday it was relocating the game to Arizona ‘in the interest of public safety.’

‘The decision was made in consultation with public officials, the participating clubs and the NFLPA,’ the league said in a statement.

The Cardinals welcomed the Rams to State Farm Stadium with open arms. The organization pulled out all the stops, working with Los Angeles staffers to set up the locker rooms and acquiring the paint needed to redo the field and end zones with Rams colors, among other responsibilities.

‘I spoke to the team later that morning and said, ‘Look if this is gonna happen, let’s get ahead of it,” Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill said, per NFL.com. ‘Let’s get prepared and start thinking about everything that we’ll need to be doing to make this happen.’

‘It’s always a good time to do the right thing,’ he added. ‘If we can do something to help … maybe this is the only thing we can do. Let’s put our energy into it and try to focus on it and make it a great experience, whether it’s the players, their families or the coaches.’

Those little touches will make the stadium feel just a bit more like home for the Rams as they look to set up a divisional-round date with the Philadelphia Eagles.

A Texas man was arrested in Indianapolis this weekend on felony stalking charges related to Caitlin Clark after sending a series of sexually violent and threatening messages to the Indiana Fever star, local prosecutors said Monday. 

The Marion County Prosecutor’s Office said in a statement that Michael Lewis, 55, has been arrested following an investigation that determined Lewis traveled to Indianapolis with the intent to be in close proximity to Clark and then continued to send messages to Clark after being questioned by police about his behavior last week.

The prosecutor’s office also filed an order requesting Lewis to stay away from Hinkle Fieldhouse and Gainbridge Fieldhouse, where the Fever play most of their WNBA home games.  

‘No matter how prominent a figure you are, this case shows that online harassment can quickly escalate to actual threats of physical violence,’ Marion County prosecutor Ryan Mears said in a statement. ‘It takes a lot of courage for women to come forward in these cases, which is why many don’t. In doing so, the victim is setting an example for all women who deserve to live and work in Indy without the threat of sexual violence. We commend Pacers Sports & Entertainment, and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office for the swift and serious action that led to this weekend’s arrest.’

Police discovered Lewis’ recent messages, which were sent through his X account, had come from IP addresses at a Hilton Garden Inn in Indianapolis, as well as the downtown Indianapolis Public Library. Lewis’ presence in Indianapolis was especially concerning given that he is a Texas resident, according to the affidavit for probable cause for the case. 

The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department made contact with Lewis on Jan. 8 at his hotel room concerning the messages, according to police documents. Lewis claimed posts that were threatening in nature were not from him and acknowledged, ‘this is just an imaginary relationship.’

Despite the encounter with law enforcement, the inappropriate messages from Lewis to Clark allegedly continued. The charging documents note that Lewis’ attempts to message Clark after being in contact with law enforcement’demonstrate a complete disregard for the seriousness of his conduct and a likelihood that he will attempt to continue his pattern of harassment.’

Clark told police in an interview conducted Saturday that ‘she has been very fearful since learning of the messages and that she has altered her public appearances and patterns of movement due to fear for her safety,’ according to the affidavit. ‘Clark stated that she has become very concerned for her safety after learning that Lewis was in Indianapolis. Clark also stated that she doesn’t know Lewis and has never responded to any of his messages or posts.’

The stalking charge levied against Lewis carries a sentencing range of 1-6 years and a fine of up to $10,000. Prosecutors have also filed a motion for greater than standard bond for Lewis.

Clark has turned into the biggest draw in women’s basketball – and one of the country’s most popular athletes regardless of sport – by following up her record-breaking career at Iowa with WNBA rookie of the year honors this past season. She averaged 19.2 points, 8.4 assists and 5.7 rebounds per game for the Fever.

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The NFL’s Wild Card Weekend is almost in the books (one more game tonight!). Here’s what has transpired so far through five games:

➤ Houston Texans 32, Los Angeles Chargers 12 — C.J. Stroud has the Texans in the divisional playoff round in consecutive seasons. Their reward? A Saturday afternoon date against the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs. It was a dismal performance for the Chargers, whose quarterback Justin Herbert – who threw three interceptions all seasons – had four against Houston.

What’s next for the Chargers?

➤ Baltimore Ravens 28, Pittsburgh Steelers 14 — Behind Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry, the Ravens ran all over the Steelers for 299 rushing yards (the Steelers only had 29 yards on the ground). It was a dominant performance by a bona fide Super Bowl contender over a struggling team that lost five straight after a 10-3 start to the season.

What’s next for the Steelers?

➤ Buffalo Bills 31, Denver Broncos 7 — After giving up an early touchdown to the Broncos, the Bills took control and cruised to victory. This result sets up a massive divisional playoff game for the Bills against the Ravens, pitting the top two contenders for MVP honors – Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson – against each other in an enticing postseason matchup.

What’s next for the Broncos?

➤ Philadelphia Eagles 22, Green Bay Packers 10 — The ailing and error-prone Packers were no match for the Eagles, who won an ugly playoff game that won’t get many replays on NFL Network. Jalen Hurts returned for the Eagles after suffering a concussion against the Commanders on Dec. 22, and did just enough to keep the Eagles in front of the Packers all game long.

What’s next for the Packers?

➤ Washington Commanders 23, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 20 — Quarterback Jayden Daniels’ sensational rookie season will continue through at least another week after a late-second escape in Tampa. The final drive to victory that was led by Daniels was capped by a doink off the uprights by kicker Zane Gonzalez. For Washington, it was the franchise’s first playoff win in 19 years.

What’s next for the Buccaneers?

But, wait, there’s more wild-card playoff football:

➤ Minnesota Vikings at Los Angeles Rams (in Arizona), Monday 8 p.m. ET (ABC/ESPN) — The devastating wildfires in the Los Angeles area necessitated the relocation of this playoff game from SoFi Stadium to State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. While the Vikings – under the guidance of vagabond QB Sam Darnold – are looking for their first playoff victory since the 2019 season, the Rams are three years removed from their Super Bowl title run.

Key storylines from Wild Card Weekend

➤ Winners and losers: While Josh Allen was efficient in the Bills’ wild-card win over the Broncos, Jordan Love and the Packers’ passing game fizzled out against the Eagles.

➤ Eagles’ sloppy playoff win surfaces plenty of problem areas: The Eagles are moving on to the divisional round of the NFC playoffs. But there will be no ‘Victory Monday’ for a team with plenty to clean up.

➤ A.J. Brown’s sideline reading goes viral: Brown doesn’t have a Goodreads account or belong to a book club. However, as FOX broadcast cameras showed, the Eagles’ star receiver does enjoy reading.

➤ Curtains for Steel Curtain? The Steelers, who’d hoped to climb the stairway to Super Bowl title seven some time ago, are now 16 years removed from their most recent Lombardi Trophy and only seem to be receding behind teams like the Bills, Chiefs and division-rival Ravens.

➤ Packers’ lack of explosive talent on offense was glaring: The Packers offense was seemingly brimming with young talent in August, but regressed down the home stretch for a team that had much higher hopes than bowing out of the wild-card round of the playoffs.

➤ Patriots hire new coach: In one of the weekend’s least surprising developments, the Patriots hired Mike Vrabel as the team’s next head coach. How Vrabel fares could hinge on one crucial factor, Jarrett Bell writes.

NFL playoff schedule

WILD CARD WEEKEND

Saturday

Houston Texans 32, Los Angeles Chargers 12
Baltimore Ravens 28, Pittsburgh Steelers 14

Sunday

Buffalo Bills 31, Denver Broncos 7
Philadelphia Eagles 22, Green Bay Packers 10
Washington Commanders 23, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 20

Monday

Minnesota Vikings at Los Angeles Rams (in Arizona), 8 p.m. ET (ABC/ESPN)

DIVISIONAL ROUND

Saturday, Jan. 18

Houston Texas at Kansas City Chiefs, 4:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Washington Commanders at Detroit Lions, 8 p.m. ET (FOX)

Sunday, Jan. 19

Los Angeles Rams or Minnesota Vikings at Philadelphia Eagles, 3 p.m. ET (NBC)
Baltimore Ravens at Buffalo Bills, 6:30 p.m. ET (CBS)

CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS

Sunday, Jan. 26

AFC championship game, time TBD (CBS)
NFC championship game, time TBD (FOX)

SUPER BOWL 59

Sunday, Feb. 9

AFC champion vs. NFC champion (in New Orleans), 6:30 p.m. ET (FOX)

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