Le Journal

On Sunday afternoon, the New England Patriots punched their ticket to the AFC Championship Game with a comfortable home win over the Houston Texans in some snowy conditions in Foxborough. It wasn’t a banner day for Drake Maye and the offense and this one, but the Patriots’ defense was sure up to the task, recording four interceptions of CJ Stroud in the first half alone and completely shutting down the Texans’ offensive attack. Next up for the Patriots is a road game against the Denver Broncos for a spot in the Super Bowl, and it’s possible that receiver Mack Hollins could be back in the lineup for that one after spending the last several weeks on injured reserve. After the win against the Texans, Patriots wide receiver Kayshon Boutte revealed that he and fellow wideout Stefon Diggs had been discussing Hollins’ potential return. “We said one more game before we get Mack back,” said Boutte, per Mark Daniels of MassLive on X, formerly Twitter. Boutte had a big day against the Texans, including making an unbelievable one-handed grab in the corner of the end zone in the fourth quarter to essentially put the game out of reach for the Patriots. Meanwhile, Diggs also made some savvy veteran plays in the win, showing off his strong hands for a touchdown grab of his own in the first half. The Patriots will now be facing off against a Broncos team that has an elite defense but will be playing without its quarterback, Bo Nix, who injured his ankle in the closing seconds of Denver’s win over the Buffalo Bills on Sunday. Still, going into the Mile High City and pulling off a win against a vaunted Broncos defense will be no easy task for New England, so they’d certainly love to have Hollins back in the lineup for that game. Kickoff between the Broncos and Patriots is set for Sunday at 3:00 pm ET. The post Potential Mack Hollins return inspiring Stefon Diggs, Kayshon Boutte on Patriots’ playoff run appeared first on ClutchPoints.

On Sunday evening, the Los Angeles Lakers got back into the win column with a comfortable home win over the Toronto Raptors. Both Luka Doncic and LeBron James played on the second end of back to back in this one, and the Lakers were able to pull away late, pushing their record to 25-16 on the season. The Lakers have given some rotational minutes to reserve big man Drew Timme over the last couple of games in the wake of their frontcourt injury situation, and Timme has mostly played well, scoring 21 points in a recent game against the Portland Trail Blazers. After Sunday’s win against Toronto, Timme pulled up to the postgame press conference wearing a “Sexual Tyrannosaurus” t-shirt, which he was understandably asked about. Timme then provided an explanation for the outfit. “I’m not big into fashion. This is a Predator movie reference…This is my fashion,” said Timme, per Oh No He Didn’t on X, formerly Twitter, via Hoop Central. Timme was a standout big man for several years at Gonzaga, and has started to get more opportunities at the NBA level over the past couple of seasons, raising some eyebrows during the 2024-25 campaign for his play with the Brooklyn Nets, and now doing the same with the Lakers, although he had a much quieter night against the Raptors on Sunday, scoring just three points in the win. Still, JJ Redick will be happy to know he has another serviceable big man on the roster moving forward, with Deandre Ayton and Jaxson Hayes both dealing with injuries and inconsistent play as of late. In any case, the Lakers will next hit the floor on Tuesday evening for a road game against the Denver Nuggets. That contest is slated to tip off at 10:00 pm ET from the Mile High City. The post Lakers’ Drew Timme explains intriguing T-shirt choice after Raptors game appeared first on ClutchPoints.

Cam Thomas doesn’t appear to be re-entering the Brooklyn Nets’ starting lineup anytime soon. After leading the Nets in scoring through their first seven games, Thomas has come off the bench following his return from a hamstring injury, averaging 22.5 minutes over nine appearances. While the fifth-year guard is nearly three months removed from his injury, Jordi Fernandez said he’ll remain on a minutes restriction longer. “Right now, we’re happy where he is, with the minutes he’s playing with the production, being that willing playmaker. Because we know how good he is scoring the basketball, and taking those steps defensively,” Fernandez said on Sunday before the Nets’ 124-102 loss in Chicago. “We need him to stay in those minutes a little longer, because as you know, we just believe what’s most important right now is his body, and [how] his body reacts. And we’re gonna be cautious with that.” Thomas’ latest left hamstring injury, which held him out for nearly two months, marked his fourth in a year. The 24-year-old injured the same hamstring three times last season, limiting him to just 25 games. Given this, it’s not surprising to see the Nets approach Thomas’ workload cautiously. However, the guard’s uncertain future and Brooklyn’s success following his injury have undoubtedly impacted his role upon his return. Cam Thomas playing limited role for Nets amid uncertain future Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images After beginning the season 0-7 with the NBA’s worst defensive rating, the Nets turned their season around following Thomas’ injury. After Noah Clowney joined the starting lineup, Brooklyn posted a 9-12 record over its next 21 games, holding the NBA’s best defensive rating during December. With Thomas sidelined, Fernandez crafted the Nets’ offense around Michael Porter Jr.’s off-ball movement. The former Nugget emerged as an All-Star candidate in recent months. Rookie point guard Egor Demin also showed promise with added on-ball reps. Thomas, who is heading for unrestricted free agency after signing his $6 million qualifying offer this summer, has taken a backseat to Porter, Demin and others following his return. He’s averaged 14.0 points, 2.1 rebounds and 3.5 assists on .408/.340/.813 shooting splits over his last nine appearances. The former first-round pick has responded to Fernandez’s pleas for more playmaking in recent games. Thomas dished out a career-high 10 assists during Sunday’s blowout loss in Chicago. However, he struggled to find balance as a scorer, posting three points on 1-of-6 shooting as the Nets’ offense sputtered with Porter sidelined. Thomas has averaged 9.8 points while shooting 22-of-70 (31.4 percent) from the field over his last six appearances. “I’m not going to believe that he’s going to go 1-for-6 ever again. So I’m ok with him taking those shots,” Fernandez said following Sunday’s loss. “But the [playmaking] ability, he proved it today. Ten assists to one turnover, that’s elite. And he’s more than capable of doing it. He can see the game. He’s a smart player. They’re being aggressive in coverages, and he’s found his teammates. And his teammates made the shots. So very proud of him and the way he played. He shared the basketball, made this simple play over and over and over. And that’s the CT with playmaking that we want to see.” Thomas’ future with Brooklyn is very much in question after his failed contract negotiation this summer. His limited role upon his return from injury will add to speculation about a potential trade ahead of the Feb. 5 deadline. The post Nets’ Cam Thomas will stay on minutes restriction amid trade speculation appeared first on ClutchPoints.

On Saturday evening, the Atlanta Falcons ended their head coaching search by hiring former Cleveland Browns head man Kevin Stefanski to be their new leader. The move comes weeks after the team fired both head coach Raheem Morris and general manager Terry Fontenot in the aftermath of yet another season that ended without a playoff appearance. Many were wondering if whoever the Falcons ended up hiring would opt to bring back defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich for next season, and on Monday, fans got their answer. “We have retained Jeff Ulbrich as defensive coordinator,” announced the Falcons on X, formerly Twitter, with Tom Pelissero reporting that the two sides had come to an agreement on a new three-year deal. Overall, the Falcons’ defense was mostly a positive for the team during the 2025 season, with the team fielding a legitimate pass rush for the first time in several years, helped out immensely by rookies Jalon Walker and James Pearce Jr., each of whom established themselves as stalwarts on the defense moving forward. Things weren’t always perfect on that end of the field for Atlanta, with safety Jessie Bates taking a big step back after his impressive 2024 season, but Ulbrich was ultimately able to do enough to convince Stefanski that he should stick around moving forward. Meanwhile, the bigger issue for the Falcons this past season was the offense, with the team consistently finding itself unable to take advantage of the vast array of skill positional talent it has on that side of the ball. The big question for the time being is who the Falcons’ starting quarterback will be to open up next season, with Kirk Cousins’ future in doubt and Michael Penix Jr. injured with a torn ACL. In any case, the Falcons’ 2025 season is slated to get underway in September. The post Jeff Ulbrich officially staying with Falcons to work under Kevin Stefanski appeared first on ClutchPoints.

Although the various head coaching vacancies are beginning to be filled, recently fired Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott apparently shouldn’t be counted out from getting one of those jobs over the next few months. Two days after a heartbreaking overtime loss to the Denver Broncos, the Bills fired McDermott, who had eight winning seasons and playoff appearances over nine seasons in Buffalo. But unlike many fired or resigning coaches, such as Mike Tomlin, an immediate break doesn’t seem to be in the cards for McDermott. “Former Bills HC Sean McDermott could well emerge as a head coaching candidate for some teams that now have an opening,” ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter posted on X, formerly Twitter. “McDermott told his staff today that he intends to continue coaching.” Former Bills HC Sean McDermott could well emerge as a head coaching candidate for some teams that now have an opening. McDermott told his staff today that he intends to continue coaching. pic.twitter.com/ZycMWClOwy — Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 19, 2026 In nine seasons with the Bills, McDermott posted a 98-50 record, which put him only 14 wins shy of Marv Levy’s all-time franchise record of 114. Additionally, McDermott’s 66.2% win percentage with the team ranks second in the franchise record books, only behind Lou Saban’s 67% in the 1960s. However, not too dissimilar from Levy, who led the Bills to four straight Super Bowl appearances, McDermott’s stint in Buffalo resulted in zero rings. And even more disappointingly, McDermott never even got to the Super Bowl, which could be a major reason why he is out of a job now. Despite having Josh Allen, who won the NFL’s Most Valuable Player award last season, the Bills consistently fell short ahead of the Super Bowl during McDermott’s nearly decade-long tenure. Their closest calls came during the 2020 and 2024 seasons; in both instances, Buffalo lost on the road to Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs, who knocked the Bills out of the playoffs four times in five years. During the 2022 postseason, Buffalo lost at home to the Cincinnati Bengals 27-10. This year, it was Denver that ended the Bills’ season, as an Allen interception and Buffalo defensive pass interference penalty helped facilitate a Wil Lutz game-winning field goal. If McDermott, who finished his Buffalo stint with an 8-8 playoff record, is to remain an NFL head coach next season, there are currently seven openings from which to choose: the Arizona Cardinals, Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns, Las Vegas Raiders, Miami Dolphins, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Tennessee Titans. The Atlanta Falcons and New York Giants, both of whom had fired their head coaches, recently hired Kevin Stefanski and John Harbaugh, respectively. The post NFL rumors: Sean McDermott could be head coaching candidate in this cycle after Bills firing appeared first on ClutchPoints.