The New York Jets seem like they’ll need the Tumbler, Batwing, Robin and any number of Batman’s gadgets to avoid missing the playoffs for a 15th consecutive season in Week 14 against the Miami Dolphins.

Or maybe they just need to be completely villainous.

In that vein, NYJ linebacker Quincy Williams completely embraced the vibe of the Dark Knight ethos Sunday, when the Jets also debuted their ‘Gotham City Football Club’ alternate ‘Rivalries’ uniforms, which were unveiled over the summer by Nike.

Williams showed up to MetLife Stadium on Sunday morning dressed as the Joker, Batman’s primary nemesis. Unfortunately, the Jets proceeded to play like jokers, quickly falling into a 21-0 first-quarter deficit.

TBD whether Sunday’s starting quarterback, Tyrod Taylor, was attempting to channel the Riddler.

Between Notre Dame, Miami and Alabama, one brand-name program was going to miss the 2025 College Football Playoff.

And it turns out there’s no luck of the Irish.

Despite consistently appearing above Miami in the CFP rankings since Week 11, the Hurricanes’ head-to-head win over Notre Dame in Week 1 finally was enough to catapult Miami over the Irish.

Both teams finished 10-2, and while the CFP committee kept telling us they weren’t comparing Notre Dame to Miami, things changed in the bracket reveal Sunday, Dec. 7.

Miami got the No. 10 seed, Alabama got the No. 9 seed and the Irish were the first team out.

CFP committee chairman Hunter Yurachek said BYU’s loss to Texas Tech in the Big 12 Championship game played a key role in Miami leapfrogging Notre Dame.

‘Once we moved Miami ahead of BYU, then we had that side-by-side comparison that everybody had been hungrying for, Notre Dame and Miami,’ Yurachek said Sunday after the bracket release. ‘And when you look at those two teams on paper, and they are almost equal, on their schedule strength, common opponents, results against common opponents, but the one metric we had to fall back on was the head-to-head.

‘We charged the committee members to go back and watch the game, the Notre Dame-Miami game because it was so far back and we got some interesting debate from our coaches on what that game looked like as we watched it. With that in mind we gave Miami the nod over Notre Dame in to that 10-spot.’

Why did Notre Dame miss College Football Playoff?

Perhaps the writing was on the wall after last week’s CFP rankings. Despite lopsided wins the past two weeks, Notre Dame dropped to No. 10 in last week’s rankings.

The Irish opened the season 0-2, losing by a combined four points to Miami and Texas A&M. Notre Dame then won 10 games in a row, including wins over Mountain West champion Boise State, USC and Pitt.

But Notre Dame owns no wins against top-15 opponents. It feasted on a schedule that included last-place teams from three of the Power Four conferences.

‘I think the ultimate question is: ‘Who’s the best team now?” Irish caoch Marcus Freeman said Dec. 6. ‘And that’s what the playoff committee wants and I’m sure that’s what college football fans want. I think anytime you look at one single data point, it’s going to sway you one way or another.

‘But the committee made it clear on Tuesday that the debate and focus has been on Notre Dame and Alabama. I might not agree with their decision to flip us, but it shows the debate isn’t Notre Dame (and) BYU (or) Miami, it’s Notre Dame and Alabama.’

Notre Dame football 2025 schedule, results

Aug. 31: at Miami, 27-24 loss
Sept. 13: vs. Texas A&M, 41-40 loss
Sept. 20: vs. Purdue, 56-30 win
Sept. 27: at Arkansas, 56-13 win
Oct. 4: vs. Boise State, 28-7 win
Oct. 11: vs. NC State, 36-7 win
Oct. 18: vs. USC, 34-24 win
Nov. 1: at Boston College, 25-10 win
Nov. 8: vs. Navy, 49-10 win
Nov. 15: at Pitt, 37-15 win
Nov. 22: vs. Syracuse, 70-7 win
Nov. 29: at Stanford, 49-20 win

The college football regular season is complete.. The College Football Playoff field will be announced Sunday, Dec. 7. And yet after 15 weeks of play, there is still some mystery about which 12 teams will be part of the bracket.

The No. 1 spot is clear, however, after Indiana took down Ohio State in the Big Ten title game to earn the top seed in the field. Georgia looks set for the No. 2 spot after its dominant SEC title victory against Alabama. Look for the Buckeyes to drop to No. 3 ahead of Texas Tech, which captured its first Big 12 championship.

The order of the next four teams which will have first-round home games should mirror last week’s rankings with Oregon leading, Mississippi, Texas A&M and Oklahoma. After that, things get interesting.

There are two at-large spaces for three teams – Notre Dame, Alabama and Miami. Many interpreted the move of the Crimson Tide to No. 9 ahead of the Fighting Irish in last week’s rankings as a sign that the Hurricanes were in position to move into the field from No. 12 if BYU lost. But there was another possibility. The change gives the committee the flexibility to bump Alabama back a place after a loss and give separation between Notre Dame and Miami. And that’s the expectation of how this will shake out. The committee has consistently valued the Fighting Irish in a higher position and nothing from Saturday will change that.

Yes, Hurricanes fans will cry foul because of the head-to-head win against the Fighting Irish. But this isn’t just a debate between those two teams. It’s between three teams and the criteria to split those teams goes deeper than just that one data point.

There’s also some drama about whether ACC champion Duke makes the field or the fifth conference champion spot goes to James Madison. But too many losses by the Blue Devils -especially two against Group of Five teams – make it likely the ACC is shut out of the field.

The rest of the postseason lineup is starting to come into focus with some teams accepting bids. Those schools are in bold below. All those spots will be confirmed Sunday after the playoff field is announced.

Notes: Not all conferences will fulfill their bowl allotment. An asterisk represents a replacement pick. Legacy Pac-12 schools in other conferences will fulfill existing Pac-12 bowl agreements through the 2025 season.

College football bowl predictions for CFP and full postseason

ORLANDO, FL — Welcome to Major League Baseball’s annual winter meetings, the Super Bowl of trade rumors where thousands will be under one circus tent – well, technically a hotel – where everyone and anyone will be subject of speculation.

Agents will spread rumors at the meetings that half the teams in baseball are interested in their client. Teams will spread rumors that they’re interested in other free agents simply to put pressure on the player they really want. And players will spread rumors that they have interest in playing for every team just to drive up the price.

The cold-hearted truth is that there will be less than a handful of trades, mostly small in stature, and no more than one or two high-profile free agents will actually sign before the meetings break up Wednesday after the Rule 5 Draft.

“I think it’s going to be a boring winter meetings,’ one veteran GM said. “I just can’t see much happening after talking to teams this past week.’

There will be a podium and stage set up for press conferences, but the biggest has already been scheduled for Tuesday when the Toronto Blue Jays will introduce their shiny new $210 million man, starter Dylan Cease, who’ll be flanked by agent Scott Boras and the Blue Jays’ beaming front office.

While Blue Jays executives Mark Shapiro and Ross Atkins will be on stage, they’ll be asked more about the Blue Jays’ aggressive winter than Cease.

The defending American League champions have dominated the winter by locking down three starters with Cease, Shane Bieber (player option) and Cody Ponce, and are hungry for more with outfielder Kyle Tucker and closer Robert Suarez on their radar – giving them perhaps the highest payroll in the league.

There’s no Juan Soto or Shohei Ohtani on the market, but Kyle Schwarber, Tucker and Cody Bellinger will be the headliners. If there’s going to be a major splash at the meetings, GMs predict that it will be the signing of Schwarber.

The Blue Jays have made it no secret that they want Tucker, but found it comical that so much was made about Tucker’s visit to their spring facility in Dunedin considering it’s less than a 30-minute drive from Tucker’s home in Tampa.

Tucker, who doesn’t have to be the primary star with Vladimir Guerrero entrenched as the face of the Blue Jays, could be the perfect fit. George Springer’s contract expires in a year and starter Kevin Gausman’s salary also comes off the books. If Tucker signs in Toronto, it would all but officially end Bo Bichette’s tenure north of the border, where he could wind up in Boston.

Top MLB free agents weigh their options

The Cincinnati Reds have staged a campaign to attract Schwarber, who’s from nearby Middletown, to anyone who has paid attention. You don’t invite Schwarber, his father, and his youth coach to throw out ceremonial first pitches at the Great American Ballpark during the Phillies’ visit in August simply out of the goodness of your heart. There are other serious suitors like the Red Sox, Mets, Orioles, and of course, the favored Phillies.

“I’d be shocked if Schwarber doesn’t re-sign in Philly,’ one GM said. “[President] Dave Dombrowski knows much he means to that club and won’t let him go.’

Bellinger’s camp is reminding everyone who’ll listen that he’s just 1 ½ years older than Tucker, 28. The Yankees still are the favorites to bring him back, but the Mets are in play, and he’s a fallback plan for teams like the Phillies and Blue Jays.

There will be the annual drama with Pete Alonso and the Mets. While everyone in New York is campaigning for the Mets to re-sign Alonso, and Diaz, too, Mets president David Stearns has never been one to succumb to public pressure. He was ready to let Alonso walk last year, only for no other team to meet Alonso’s asking price. And he isn’t about to shell out $100 million over five years for Diaz after signing Devin Williams to a three-year deal. If Diaz chooses not to return at their price, they’ll be perfectly content to pursue Robert Suarez or even return Clay Holmes to the bullpen.

Third baseman Alex Bregman is back in free agency, too, after opting out of $80 million over two years with the Boston Red Sox. He won’t get the $40 million a year he walked away from, but will have the same teams interested in his services as a year ago: Boston, Detroit and the Chicago Cubs. Yet, the Tigers and Cubs proved they can win without him, while the Cubs found out that rookie Matt Shaw is certainly capable of being an everyday third baseman. If the Cubs sign Bregman, they could shift Shaw to second base.

The Miami Marlins, who could have a grievance filed by the union, have shouted to the world that they plan to spend money, but there have been no actions to back it up. Prized outfielder Kyle Stowers, who could ultimately be the face of the franchise, has told the Marlins he’d love to sign a long-term deal and make his home in Miami, but he still has yet to receive an offer. And no, he has never told the Marlins he’s seeking $100 million to stay. The Marlins have told teams that ace Sandy Alcantara is staying, but starter Edward Cabrera is available.

MLB trade rumors dominate meetings: Skubal and Ketel Marte

The Pittsburgh Pirates have been adamant saying they won’t listen to trade rumors for Cy Young winner Paul Skenes, and pulled off a trade with the Red Sox for offensive help with outfielder Jhostynxon Garcia, but they still have not spent a penny. They’re hanging around in the market for Alonso. But if they really want to be aggressive, they’ve got the pitching depth to trade for Arizona Diamondbacks All-Star second baseman Ketel Marte.

The hottest trade speculation will center around AL Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal. The Detroit Tigers are telling teams to bring their best offer and they’ll at least listen. Still, no one expects him to go, and what team is going to surrender their top prospects for only one season before he hits the free-agent market where he’ll be the highest-paid pitcher in baseball history? This isn’t Soto, where the San Diego Padres acquired him and 2 ½ year of control. This is mortgaging your future for 32 starts.

The biggest star who is a realistic candidate to be traded is Ketel Marte. He comes with a relatively modest contract ($92 million) and is under control through 2031. The D-backs however, believe now is the tie to sever ties, and are in desperate need for pitching. The Red Sox, Rays and Tigers have all checked in, with each having the pitching depth to satisfy the D-backs’ needs.

There are plenty of other trade candidates on the market. The Boston Red Sox are shopping Jarren Duran and Wilyer Abreu to clear an outfield spot. The New York Mets no longer have a need for second baseman Jeff McNeil after acquiring Marcus Semien from the Texas Rangers. The San Diego Padres, desperate to free up money to grab starting pitching, have aggressively shopped infielder Jake Cronenworth. The Mets want to move on from Kodai Senga. The Phillies will give away Nick Castellanos. The A’s should dump starter Luis Severino. The D-backs could trade outfielder Alek Thomas or Jake McCarthy. The Astros will part with center fielder Jake Myers. The Chicago White Sox took a $20 million gamble in hopes of moving center fielder Luis Robert. The Dodgers are shopping outfielder Teoscar Hernandez.

The Washington Nationals are telling teams to make an offer for starter MacKenzie Gore and shortstop C.J. Abrams, but executives don’t believe either will be traded at the meetings. The Milwaukee Brewers are listening on starter Freddy Peralta, but if they move him, it won’t be unless someone completely panics and makes an offer too strong for the Brewers to ignore.

“I think what makes it tough this winter,’ one GM said, “is that you really don’t have teams rebuilding like in the past. Just about everyone you talk to seems like they’re going for it, which is good for the game.’’

Why, except for the St. Louis Cardinals, there’s not a single team who have a “For Sale’’ sign outside their hotel suite. The Cardinals are shopping everyone from Gold Glove third baseman Nolan Arenado to super utilityman Brendan Donovan to infielder Nolan Gorman to first baseman Willson Contreras.

The free agent starters who’ll attract the most attention are Framber Valdez, Tatsuya Imai, Ranger Suarez, Michael King, Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly. The Cubs are engaged in serious discussions with Gallen and the Diamondbacks would like to bring back Kelly. Only Imai and Kelly don’t have a qualifying offer attached to them. You can be sure that the Mets and Orioles will land one free agent starter after last year’s disasters. They aren’t about to take the same pitching gamble that led to missing last year’s postseason.

The Dodgers will be thrown into every single rumor because of their massive payroll, and they do have $80 million coming off the books, but the reality is that they won’t be involved in the bidding war for any of the biggest stars. Oh, they’ll dip put their toes in the water for Tucker, Bellinger and Diaz, but they would prefer to grab outfielder Harrison Bader and Suarez. The only way they may consider making an expensive pickup is if they trade Hernandez, who’s owed $26.5 million.

And, of course, there will be plenty of intrigue with Japanese third basemen Munetaka Murakami and Kazuma Okamoto. Murakami is the biggest mystery. He has plenty of power, but lots of holes in his swing, striking out 36.7% of the time. He could be the first position player to command in excess of $100 million coming directly from Japan to the major leagues. He must sign by Dec. 22.

So, be prepared for plenty of talk, a lot of rumors, and an abundance of speculation, but the flurry of deals and signings are expected to happen in the following two weeks before the Christmas holidays.

“That’s the way it always seems to happen,’’ one veteran GM said. “I don’t see that changing this year, either.’’

Follow Nightengale on X: @Bnightengale

The College Football Playoff committee had two at-large bids to give out among three teams in Alabama, Notre Dame and Miami.

The CFP selection committee chose Alabama at No. 9 and Miami at No. 10, leaving Notre Dame out of the 12-team bracket due to Tulane and James Madison making their way in as conference champions.

The committee had a tough decision to make in 2025, with numerous teams having solid cases for an at-large spot. It’s an interesting decision to leave out the Fighting Irish, as Notre Dame was ranked No. 10 in the previous rankings reveal after being No. 9, a spot ahead of Alabama, in the week prior. Miami defeated Notre Dame in Week 1.

To make matters worse, Duke, which went 7-5 in the regular season, upset Virginia for the ACC title, opening the door for two non-Power Four teams to reach the CFP. The Green Wave and Dukes were seeded No. 11 and No. 12, respectively, on Dec. 7.

Here’s how social media reacted to Notre Dame being left out of the College Football Playoff in 2025:

Notre Dame misses CFP: Social media reacts

This story was updated to change a video.

The uniforms, dubbed ‘Gotham City Football,’ are meant to honor New York City’s grit.
Design elements include a matte black helmet and a manhole cover pattern on the jersey.

The New York Jets are once again swimming in the AFC East’s sewer. Maybe that explains why they’ll be dressed like manhole covers Sunday when they host the Miami Dolphins.

That will likely be a common reaction of jaded Jets fans when they see their team dressed not in customary green and white but instead in a muted Gotham Green, Iron Ore, Dark Stucco and black colorway as the NYJ debut their ‘Rivalries’ uniforms, which are meant to honor New York City’s grit and the club’s roots.

‘More than just a football team. Our origins were chartered based on this city itself. We have existed for decades continually evolving to the heartbeat that surrounds us. This city is more than a skyline, borough or landmark. It’s forged by those who stare down adversity. A patchwork of millions, rising together with ambition, the promise and pride. For us it’s not about where you are going, but where you’re from. Every story has a beginning, and this is ours.

‘This is Gotham City Football.’

What’s new about the Jets’ ‘Rivalries’ uniforms?

Not kidding about the manhole covers. Their familiar pattern from New York’s streets will be featured on the helmet’s centerline stripe and jersey’s shoulder panels.

The helmet is matte black with the team logo in a silvery (Iron Ore?) look. The jersey numbers have a Gothic font. An alternate Jet logo using the manhole pattern appears on the shoulder. “Gotham City Football” is written inside the collar.

What are NFL ‘Rivalries’ uniforms by Nike?

Think of them as the football version of the sports apparel company’s NBA ‘City Edition’ uniforms or Major League Baseball’s ‘City Connect’ jerseys. Signaled during the NFL draft and unveiled in August, Nike has strived to create something that further strengthens NFL teams’ bonds to their unique civic environments. And, as “rivalries” would suggest, all of them will be worn in intra-divisional matchups.

‘The 2025 Rivalries uniforms will celebrate storied local traditions and unite fan communities with designs unique to select cities and teams,” Nike announced during the rollout.

‘The designs are rooted extensively in the legacies and inspirations true to each team, serving as authentic, competitive expressions of community pride while giving athletes and fans an opportunity to connect like never before.’

Which NFL teams have ‘Rivalries’ uniforms?

Eventually all of them. But for 2025, each team in the AFC East and NFC West is scheduled to wear its “Rivalries” unis one time this season. Two additional divisions will be added to the rotation in each of the next three seasons, and the “Rivalries” option then becomes part of a team’s closet for the following three years.

When will NFL teams wear ‘Rivalries’ uniforms in 2025?

 San Francisco 49ers: Jan. 4, 2026 vs. Seattle Seahawks

 Seattle Seahawks: Dec. 18 vs. Los Angeles Rams

The co-main event at UFC 323 lasted just 26 seconds, and the fight ended not only in a fast but also gruesome fashion.Alexandre Pantoja, who was defending his UFC flyweight championship, suffered a dislocated shoulder about 10 seconds into the fight.

The injury occurred when challenger Joshua Van caught Pantoja’s leg on a head kick attempt. Pantoja suffered the injury when he landed on his left arm as he fell to the mat.

The diagnosis of dislocated shoulder paled in comparison to what a video replay showed – Pantoja’s left elbow appearing to pop out of joint and his arm bend in a way ligaments are not supposed to bend.

Seated on the Octagon mat, he made it clear he could not continue before the referee halted the bout. Pantoja, 35, was making his fifth title defense.

‘I’ve been through worse,’ Pantoja said in a statement posted later on Instagram. “I’ll come back even stronger, you can be sure of that. Thank you for the messages.’

And now the flyweight title belongs to Joshua Van, who at 24 became the second youngest champion in UFC history. Jon Jones became the youngest when he won the light heavyweight title at 23.

While Van celebrated in the ring, Pantoja headed to meet with the UFC medical staff. Megan Olivi of ESPN’s broadcast team reported she spoke with UFC’s chief medical physician Dr. Jeff Davidson.

‘He told me Pantoja had a left shoulder dislocation with spontaneous reduction,’ Olivi said on the broadcast, according to a report by MMA Fighting. ‘What that essentially means is his shoulder was dislocated but went back into place on its own.

‘On Monday in Florida, he will go for additional imaging to see the extent of the damage or if there is other damage that has been incurred and then he will meet with an orthopedic doctor as well.’

UFC CEO Dana White said the injury would prevent an immediate rematch between Pantoja and Van.

‘I don’t see him coming back anytime soon,’ White said.

The AFC North, AFC South and NFC North could all have new leaders by Sunday night.
The New England Patriots and Chicago Bears currently hold the top seeds in the AFC and NFC playoff pictures, respectively.
Several teams, including the Houston Texans and Detroit Lions, remain in the hunt for a postseason berth with a few weeks left in the regular season.

Every week for the duration of the 2025 regular season, USA TODAY Sports will provide timely updates to the NFL’s ever-evolving playoff picture − typically starting Sunday afternoon and then moving forward for the remainder of the week (through Monday’s and Thursday’s games or Saturday’s, if applicable. And, when the holidays roll around, we’ll be watching then, too).

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, Jan. 4.

Here’s where things stand with Week 14 underway:

AFC playoff picture

1. New England Patriots (11-2), AFC East leaders: The first team in the league to 11 wins thanks to Monday night’s rollover of the Giants, the Pats are in a very tight race with Denver, the teams’ airtight tiebreakers set to take effect once the Broncos play their 13th game Sunday. Remaining schedule: BYE, vs. Bills, at Ravens, at Jets, vs. Dolphins

2. Denver Broncos (10-2), AFC West leaders: Beat Las Vegas on Sunday, and the Broncos will overtake the Patriots by virtue of a conference record (7-2) that would be a half-game better. Remaining schedule: at Raiders, vs. Packers, vs. Jaguars, at Chiefs, vs. Chargers

3. Jacksonville Jaguars (8-4), AFC South leaders: Their Week 13 win in Nashville coupled with Indy’s loss moved the Jags into first place by virtue of the common-games played tiebreaker, which they own by a one-win advantage. Beat the Colts on Sunday, Jacksonville takes over first place outright. Slide back later, and victories over the Chiefs and Chargers could serve them well when it’s time to sort out tiebreakers. Remaining schedule: vs. Colts, vs. Jets, at Broncos, vs. Colts, at Titans

4. Baltimore Ravens (6-6), AFC North leaders: A sloppy performance against the Bengals on Thanksgiving briefly cost them first place in the division and a slot in the projected playoff field − but Pittsburgh’s Week 13 loss conferred it back, the Ravens currently with one additional win over the Steelers in the common-games tiebreaker. That won’t matter Sunday when the teams meet in Baltimore. Remaining schedule: vs. Steelers, at Bengals, vs. Patriots, at Packers, at Steelers

5. Los Angeles Chargers (8-4), wild card No. 1: Their 7-2 record in AFC games currently renders them the top-seeded wild card, taking precedence in a three-way tiebreaker. But that could be out the window by Monday night depending on what happens elsewhere − especially since both the Colts and Jags have beaten LA. Remaining schedule: vs. Eagles, at Chiefs, at Cowboys, vs. Texans, at Broncos

6. Indianapolis Colts (8-4), wild card No. 2: They’ve dropped three of their past four to fall off the conference pace … and have now ceded first place in the AFC South to Jacksonville after Week 13’s loss to Houston. But win in Duval County, and the Colts go back on top of the division. Still, the schedule doesn’t let up the rest of the way out. Remaining schedule: at Jaguars, at Seahawks, vs. 49ers, vs. Jaguars, at Texans

7. Buffalo Bills (8-4), wild card No. 3: A 5-3 record in conference games currently leaves Buffalo behind the Chargers and Colts in the wild-card seeding Huge game Sunday with Cincinnati, one that jeopardizes Buffalo’s current wild-card standing. Remaining schedule: vs. Bengals, at Patriots, at Browns, vs. Eagles, vs. Jets

8. Houston Texans (7-5), in the hunt: They’ve won five of six, including four in a row. If they want to win the AFC South for a third straight year, the Texans likely need to sweep the Colts − and they took their first step toward that with Sunday’s win − while continuing their surge. Win in Kansas City on Sunday night, and Houston moves into a wild-card slot. Remaining schedule: at Chiefs, vs. Cardinals, vs. Raiders, at Chargers, vs. Colts

9. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-6), in the hunt: They’re virtually tied with the Ravens … but won’t be after this weekend’s trip to Baltimore. A 5-3 record in AFC games does slot the Steelers ahead of K.C. (3-4) for now. Remaining schedule: at Ravens, vs. Dolphins, at Lions, at Browns, vs. Ravens

10. Kansas City Chiefs (6-6), in the hunt: Not only will they almost certainly not win the AFC West for the first time since 2015, they could miss the postseason for the first time since 2014 − Andy Reid’s second year in K.C. And don’t forget they’ve lost to the Broncos, Chargers, Bills and Jags, who are all ahead of them. If the Texans also secure a head-to-head win, K.C. is virtually cooked. Remaining schedule: vs. Texans, vs. Chargers, at Titans, vs. Broncos, at Raiders

11. Miami Dolphins (5-7), in the hunt: They probably need to win the remainder of their games to even have a shot at postseason qualification. Remaining schedule: at Jets, at Steelers, vs. Bengals, vs. Buccaneers, at Patriots

12. Cincinnati Bengals (4-8), in the hunt: They probably need to win the remainder of their games to even have a shot at postseason qualification … though they have a better one than Miami by virtue of living in this year’s surprisingly subpar AFC North. Remaining schedule: at Bills, vs. Ravens, at Dolphins, vs. Cardinals, vs. Browns

NFC playoff picture

1. Chicago Bears (9-3), NFC North leaders: With back-to-back victories over winning adversaries − in conjunction with the Rams’ stunning Week 13 loss at Carolina − the Bears have now rocketed to the top of the conference. Chicago’s 6-2 record in NFC games sends L.A. (4-3) down a spot. But first place in the division and perhaps conference will be on the line Sunday at Lambeau Field. Remaining schedule: at Packers, vs. Browns, vs. Packers, at 49ers, vs. Lions

2. Los Angeles Rams (9-3), NFC West leaders: The Panthers snapped their NFC-high six-game winning streak in rainy Charlotte, a loss that dropped L.A. out of the conference’s top spot. But the Rams can reclaim it this weekend with a win at Arizona and some help. Remaining schedule: at Cardinals, vs. Lions, at Seahawks, at Falcons, vs. Cardinals

3. Philadelphia Eagles (8-4), NFC East leaders: Two losses in a row not only mean a lot more scrutiny but − beware − a team that could still fall into the Cowboys’ clutches in the division if it’s not careful. Remaining schedule: at Chargers, vs. Raiders, at Commanders, at Bills, vs. Commanders

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-5), NFC South leaders: They narrowly beat Arizona last weekend to narrowly maintain their half-game lead over Carolina in the division. But the schedule is awfully forgiving the rest of the way aside from two meetings with those currently idle Panthers. Remaining schedule: vs. Saints, vs. Falcons, at Panthers, at Dolphins, vs. Panthers

5. Seattle Seahawks (9-3), wild card No. 1: All three of the ‘Hawks’ losses are against NFC opponents, including two in the division − defeats that won’t serve them well in the tiebreaker department. Long trip this weekend in what’s likely a bid to maintain their position. Remaining schedule: at Falcons, vs. Colts, vs. Rams, at Panthers, at 49ers

6. Green Bay Packers (8-3-1), wild card No. 2: They merely maintained their standing (for now) with their Thanksgiving win at Detroit. A thin margin for the Pack to be sure … yet they remain just a half-game off the NFC North lead, too − and can rise to the top by beating Chicago on Sunday. Remaining schedule: vs. Bears, at Broncos, at Bears, vs. Ravens, at Vikings

7. San Francisco 49ers (9-4), wild card No. 3: They still have a one-game lead on Detroit, yet are only a half-game behind the Rams and Seahawks for the NFC West lead. Off this weekend, the Niners are in no danger of vacating the field. Remaining schedule: BYE, vs. Titans, at Colts, vs. Bears, vs. Seahawks

8. Detroit Lions (8-5), in the hunt: Huge win over Dallas on Thursday night. It brought the Lions within a game of the NFC’s final wild card and should help them in the division standings given either the Packers or Bears will lose Sunday. Remaining schedule: at Rams, vs. Steelers, at Vikings, at Bears

9. Carolina Panthers (7-6), in the hunt: The upset of the Rams reaffirmed the Panthers as an outfit to be reckoned with, though they didn’t gain any ground in the wild-card or divisional races. Though Carolina is off this week, it would move atop the NFC South if the Bucs lose to New Orleans. Remaining schedule: BYE, at Saints, vs. Buccaneers, vs. Seahawks, at Buccaneers

10. Dallas Cowboys (6-6-1), in the hunt: Crippling loss Thursday in Motown. Dallas’ best bet now is probably to hope the Eagles continue to struggle and leave the NFC East in play. Remaining schedule: vs. Vikings, vs. Chargers, at Commanders, at Giants

NFL teams eliminated from playoff contention in 2025

Shedeur Sanders makes his third NFL start today for the Cleveland Browns (3-9).

The fifth-round pick has slightly improved since being thrust under center in Week 11 due to an injury to fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel.

Sanders earned a win in his first NFL start against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 12 but his second saw the Browns lose 26-8 to the San Francisco 49ers in Week 13.

Cleveland has the most receptions by rookies (109 catches) in the NFL this season, so Sanders is just one aspect of the youth movement happening in The Land.

On the opposing sideline in Week 14 is the No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward for the Tennessee Titans (1-11). Today will be the 13th start for the Titans’ rookie, who has totaled 2,351 passing yards, seven passing touchdowns, and six interceptions.

The Titans’ defense has allowed 7.7 yards per pass, the fourth-most in the NFL. Tennessee has also allowed the fourth-highest average QBR in the league. Sanders has an opportunity to earn a win over the No. 1 pick and perform against a defense that has struggled in 2025.

USA TODAY Sports will track Sanders’ third NFL start vs. the Titans. Below are his stats and highlights from the game, as well as an analysis of his performance and more.

Deion Sanders in attendance for Browns vs. Titans

Sanders was able to watch his son make his first start in Week 12, when the Browns traveled to Las Vegas to face the Raiders. Now, the Colorado coach will be in Cleveland as his son looks to lead the Browns to a win over the Titans.

The two shared a moment together on the field before the game:

How to watch Shedeur Sanders today: Browns vs. Titans

TV channel: FOX

The Titans and Browns Week 14 matchup will air on FOX.

What time do the Browns play today?

Start time: 1 p.m. ET | 10 a.m. PT

The Titans and Browns are one of several games in the early afternoon window.

Browns vs Titans live stream

Live stream:Fubo | NFL+

Cord-cutters have a few options to watch Shedeur Sanders play today. Fubo carries CBS, Fox, ABC, ESPN and the NFL Networks, and also offers a free trial.

NFL+ and Fubo will also carry the game.

Watch NFL action all season with Fubo (free trial)

Shedeur Sanders stats

Through three appearances this season – one off the bench and two starts – here’s how Sanders has performed:

31/61 passing (41.7% completion rate)
405 passing yards
2 passing touchdowns
2 interceptions
5 rushing attempts
21 rushing yards
0 rushing touchdowns
69.4 passer rating

ABU DHABI, Dec 7 (Reuters) – McLaren’s Lando Norris sobbed tears of joy and relief as he won the Formula One championship for the first time and ended Max Verstappen’s four-year reign with a nervy third place at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Sunday.

Red Bull’s Verstappen, who ended the campaign with more wins (eight) than any driver, triumphed in the season-ender with McLaren’s Oscar Piastri second and 12.5 seconds behind at the chequered flag.

Norris, Britain’s 11th Formula One world champion, took his points tally to 423 with Verstappen on 421 and Piastri third with 410.

McLaren, who secured the constructors’ championship in October for the second year in a row, won both titles in the same season for the first time since 1998.

‘I’ve not cried in a while. I didn’t think I would cry but I did,’ said an emotional Norris in a post-race interview, after also shedding tears inside his helmet.

‘It feels amazing. I now know what Max feels like a little bit.

‘I want to congratulate Max and Oscar, my two biggest competitors the whole season. It’s been a pleasure to race against both of them. It’s been an honour, I’ve learned a lot from both,’ he added.

Norris’s mother Cisca gave Piastri a consoling hug while both Verstappen and the Australian congratulated the new champion in a show of sportsmanship.

The victory denied Verstappen the achievement of five titles in a row, something only Ferrari great Michael Schumacher has managed so far.

Charles Leclerc finished fourth in Sunday’s race for Ferrari with George Russell fifth for Mercedes and Fernando Alonso sixth for Aston Martin.

Esteban Ocon was seventh for Haas, ahead of Ferrari’s seven-times world champion Lewis Hamilton — who failed to stand on the podium all year in a career low for the 40-year-old who joined the Italian team this year from Mercedes.

Sauber’s Nico Hulkenberg was ninth in the German’s 250th race and Lance Stroll 10th for Aston Martin.