NFL

• 49ers 21, Seahawks 13
  • Kyle Shanahan is a good coach, or at the very least he has a good offensive system. We haven’t gotten to see yet whether Trey Lance would thrive in it, but both Jimmy Garoppolo and Brock Purdy have done a nice job commanding the offense. Purdy was 17-26 for 217 yards and two touchdowns last night, which is basically all this team needs out of its quarterback, especially when guys like George Kittle, Nick Bosa, and Fred Warner are on the roster and healthy. Now, the 49ers are completely in play for the NFC’s No. 2 seed, which would guarantee them a Divisional Round home game, as long as the team prevails in the Wild Card Round.
  • The Seahawks sure are floundering. Geno Smith has been solid in 2022, but Seattle will have a decision to make come April, especially if it misses the playoffs. Currently, the Seahawks hold the No. 2 pick via a trade with Denver, which would put the organization in position to draft one of the upcoming draft’s top signal-callers. In terms of last night, the Seahawks were just overmatched, which is to be expected during a quasi-rebuild.

NCAAF

• Five-star OT Samson Okunlola commits to Miami
  • This recruiting battle felt like an NIL-motivated one. Miami, though, should be thrilled to have landed Okunlola, the No. 20 player in 2023. Miami’s 2023 class now ranks No. 4 in the country, which should be a nice boon for the program moving forward.
• Five-star LB Anthony Hill commits to Texas
  • Hill, the No. 19 player for 2023, was previously committed to Texas A&M, but the Longhorns will end up winning this Lone Star State battle. Texas needs plenty of things, but adding a defensive player as talented as Hill should help its stop unit in the coming years.

NBA

• Heat 111, Rockets 108
  • Not everything has gone right for the Heat this season, but Tyler Herro, after inking a big extension over the summer, has been really good for the team. Herro dropped 41 points in this contest — with 10 three pointers, which willed Miami to victory.

MLB

• Yankees sign SP Carlos Rodon to six-year, $162M contract
  • With the way money has been thrown around this winter, this deal actually feels a bit light. Rodon has put together consecutive ace-level seasons, and should be a tremendous fit for New York, as well as a replacement for Jameson Taillon. Lefties tend to mash in Yankee Stadium, but as a left-handed player himself, Rodon should be able to manage this issue.
    Grade: A-
• Orioles sign 2B Adam Frazier to one-year, $8M contract
  • This signing obviously isn’t as important as the Rodon pact, but Baltimore could use some short-term stability. Enter Frazier. 2022 wasn’t Frazier’s best season, but the Orioles are surely hoping the utility man can rediscover his Pittsburgh form.
    Grade: C+