NFL

• Rams 17, Raiders 16
  • The Rams are obviously dead in the water, but that clearly didn’t make them immune from a spark last night. It was surprising to see Baker Mayfield play so well in relief, but perhaps Mayfield is just a player that needs the right coaching and situation to thrive. The Matthew Stafford trade of course was the right decision, but the first-round pick the Rams are set to relinquish to Detroit after this year is set to be in the top-five. It would certainly be a morale boost for Los Angeles if Mayfield and the team won a few more games the rest of the way and lowered that draft pick.
  • This was an awful loss for Las Vegas. The team had a golden opportunity to grab a winnable game and get back into the AFC playoff race, but poor play combined with silly penalties nixed that dream. The Raiders will need to take a long look at their quarterback situation this spring. Derek Carr, after going 11-20 for 137 yards and two interceptions last night, has shown he might not be the long term answer for Las Vegas. It’s a shame the Raiders are fading, because the pass rushing duo of Maxx Crosby and Chandler Jones has been awesome of late.
• Falcons name Desmond Ridder starting quarterback
  • The timing for this move feels about right. Atlanta, at 5-8, isn’t out of the NFC South race by any means, but it makes sense for the club to take a closer look at Ridder. After all, the Falcons may be in position to draft a signal-caller in the first round of next April’s draft. Marcus Mariota hasn’t exactly been bad for the Falcons, posting a 55.5 QBR, but it’s time for a change.

NCAAF

• Western Michigan hires Lance Taylor as head coach
  • Taylor comes from Louisville as the program’s former offensive coordinator, so it’s obviously hard to get a read on how Taylor will fare as the Broncos’ head man.
    Grade: C+

NBA

• Heat 115, Clippers 110
  • The Clippers, nearly a third of the way through the season, have lacked consistency in a big way. It certainly doesn’t help matters that franchise cornerstone Kawhi Leonard has played in just seven games. The Clippers may be fine come playoff time, but the team’s negative point differential is worrisome, even for a club that’s arguably coasting.
• Spurs 118, Rockets 109
  • The Rockets seem to be tanking, so they probably don’t mind this loss, but that doesn’t mean it’s not a bad look. The Spurs had lost 11 in a row, and Houston might be getting sick of Jalen Green’s inefficient games. Green has now shot poorly in five of his past six outings, and is down to 41.5 percent shooting on the year — worse for him than his uneven rookie season.
• Nuggets 121, Trail Blazers 120
  • Before going down with an injury, Damian Lillard didn’t exactly have a strong month of November, so I’m sure Portland, despite the loss, was pleased to see him explode for 40 points last night. The Trail Blazers, despite a strong offseason, are still just eighth in the West.

NCAAB

• UMass Lowell 85, Massachusetts 80
  • I’m not sure any program has had a bigger turnaround from last season to this season than UMass Lowell. Now 10-1, the River Hawks were just 15-16 a year ago, and look like the best team in the America East. The team’s only loss was an eight point defeat at Rutgers, an incredibly difficult place to win.
• Marshall 82, Duquesne 71
  • Marshall is off to a blistering 8-1 start, and Taevion Kinsey is a big reason why. The Thundering Herd guard could have transferred up, but after opting to stay with Marshall, is averaging 20.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 5.6 assists per game.

MLB

• Padres sign SS Xander Bogaerts to 11-year, $275M contract
  • This is … a lot of money, even for a player of Bogaerts’ caliber. With the Padres, though, nothing should be surprising anymore. The team broke the bank for Manny Machado. Signed Fernando Tatis Jr. to a lucrative extension. Traded for Juan Soto. Now, Xander Bogaerts. Forget the money, the Padres are even more of a threat in the National League than they were previously, and may even be able to push the Dodgers, especially in wake of Los Angeles losing Trea Turner. From a dollars perspective, this deal is too rich for my liking, but this is Major League Baseball, a league without a salary cap. If ownership is willing to spend, then let them spend.
    Grade: C+
• Mets sign CF Brandon Nimmo to eight-year, $162M contract
  • Nimmo’s raw numbers don’t jump off the screen, but that’s fine because the 29-year-old plays a solid center field, and has been an above average hitter every season since 2017. The Mets, thanks to Steve Cohen, are lush with funds, thus making this signing fairly easy to swallow, even if Nimmo will likely never be a star.
    Grade: C+