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Archives for November 10, 2019

NFL Sunday Night Scout

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Minnesota Vikings at Dallas Cowboys

When: 8:20 PM ET, Sunday, November 10, 2019
Where: AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
Preview for Digital Sports Desk by Gracenote

DALLAS – The Dallas Cowboys are back atop the NFC East, rebounding from a three-game losing streak to post lopsided victories over a pair of division opponents, including a 37-18 victory at the New York Giants on Monday night. The Cowboys hope to keep the momentum going Sunday night when they host the Minnesota Vikings, who had a four-game winning streak snapped last week.

Dallas owns a half-game edge over Philadelphia in the division but faces a tough road with three of its next five away from home, including a visit to New England. “This is when you start playing your best football. It’s second half of the season,” tight end Jason Witten said. “We’ve got a lot of games coming up in a short amount of time. This is when you need to rattle off some wins.”

It’s also a pivotal game for Minnesota, which is one game behind first-place Green Bay in the NFC North and holding down the final playoff slot with four of its last six at home, where the Vikings are 4-0. “It’s an important game for us for sure,” said Minnesota coach Mike Zimmer, a former defensive assistant for 13 seasons with Dallas. “To go on the road and beat a good team is important for us.”

TV: 8:20 p.m. ET, NBC. LINE: Cowboys -3. O/U: 48

ABOUT THE VIKINGS (6-3): Kirk Cousins threw for 220 yards and three touchdowns last week, but he still has not guided Minnesota to a victory when trailing entering the fourth quarter, falling to 0-10-1 in such games after Kansas City kicked two field goals in the final 2 1/2 minutes last week. Cousins could be without one of his top targets as Adam Thielen aggravated a hamstring injury in Sunday’s loss and did not practice Wednesday or Thursday. His absence would mean a heavy workload for Dalvin Cook, who has rushed for nine touchdowns and an NFL-leading 894 yards. Minnesota ranks sixth in the league with 28.0 sacks, led by defensive end Danielle Hunter with 8.5.

ABOUT THE COWBOYS (5-3): Dak Prescott is averaging 297.5 yards and completing 69.6 percent of his passes — both career highs — as he presides over an offense that tops the NFL with 436.8 yards per contest. Amari Cooper, the team leader with 701 yards and six touchdown receptions, was diagnosed with a bruised knee that prevented him from practicing Thursday but he is expected to play Sunday. Dallas also is expected to lean on the ground game as Ezekiel Elliott has rushed for at least 100 yards in three straight games, including 139 on 23 carries last week against the Giants. The Cowboys rank fifth in the league, surrendering an average of 17.8 points.

EXTRA POINTS

  1. Minnesota is winless in its last 10 road games (0-9-1) versus teams with a winning record.
  2. Prescott, who is 4-0 head-to-head against Cousins, has at least two TD passes in four straight versus NFC North foes.
  3. Cousins has a 123.5 passer rating in his last three on the road, throwing nine TD passes and zero picks.

PREDICTION: Cowboys 26, Vikings 24

Back in The Hub

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Philadelphia Flyers at Boston Bruins

When: 7:00 PM ET, Sunday, November 10, 2019
Where: TD Garden, Boston, Massachusetts
Preview for Digital Sports Desk by Gracenote

BOSTON – The Atlantic Division-leading Boston Bruins look to rebound after a rare poor performance last time out when they return home to take on the surging Philadelphia Flyers on Sunday night. The Bruins had at least a point in 13 of the first 14 games this season before dropping a 5-4 decision in Montreal on Tuesday and suffering a 4-2 defeat against struggling Detroit on Friday.

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Boston defenseman Torey Krug said his team didn’t have enough energy against Detroit and coach Bruce Cassidy told reporters: “(The Red Wings) haven’t won a lot of hockey games, but this is still the National Hockey League and it is tough to chase the game. They played the right way and didn’t turn the puck over in the third (period). Even when we did force something, we didn’t take advantage.”

The Bruins dropped three of the last four games against Philadelphia, but have won five in a row at home overall and are unbeaten in regulation (7-0-1) at the TD Garden in 2019-20.

The Flyers have earned at least a point in five straight contests (4-0-1) after defeating Toronto 3-2 in a shootout Saturday, winning for the third time in four tries after regulation during their streak. Forward Oskar Lindblom continues to impress in his second full season for Philadelphia, scoring his team-leading eight goal Saturday, and 23-year-old Swede boasts six points in his last six games.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, NBCS Philadelphia, NESN (Boston)

ABOUT THE FLYERS (9-5-2): Speedy forward Travis Konecny recorded an assist in Saturday’s victory and leads the team with 17 points while captain Claude Giroux and Sean Couturier each converted in the bonus format. Brian Elliott turned aside 38 shots to earn his fourth win of the season, which likely means Carter Hart (5-3-1, .889 save percentage) gets a chance to extend his winning streak to four after allowing six goals in the last three starts. Left wing Joel Farabee, a 19-year-old picked 14th overall in the 2018 draft, recorded his third point in five November games with an assist against Toronto.

ABOUT THE BRUINS (11-3-2): Right wing David Pastrnak did not make the scoresheet in the first two games of the season, but owns at least one point in all 14 contests since and leads the NHL with 31 points. Left wing Brad Marchand (28 points) had at least a point in 13 straight games before getting blanked in the last two and posting a combined minus-4 rating – the same mark as linemates Pastrnak and Patrice Bergeron. Forwards Jake DeBrusk (lower body) and Brett Ritchie (upper body) missed Friday’s contest and their status for Sunday is uncertain.

OVERTIME

  1. Philadelphia RW Jakub Voracek remains one goal shy of 200 in his career after going scoreless in his last six contests.
  2. Boston’s veteran C David Krejci scored once and set up another Friday, giving him six points in the past five games.
  3. The Flyers have not given up a power-play goal in eight of the last nine games and are second in the league in faceoff percentage (55.5).

Romp in the Swamp

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N.Y. Giants at N.Y. Jets

When: 1:00 PM ET, Sunday, November 10, 2019
Where: MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey
Preview for Digital Sports Desk by Gracenote

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EAST RUTHERFORD– The Big Apple has seen some pretty bad football this season and on Sunday both of the city’s culprits will be on display on the same field when the Jets “host” the Giants at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. The New York-area teams are a combined 3-14 after both dropped games against division rivals last week, with the Jets seeming to bottom out with a 26-18 setback at previously winless Miami.

Welcome to the “Irrelevance Bowl.”

“They’re not going to cancel our season.” embattled Jets coach Adam Gase told reporters. “We’ve got to go back to work.” The Giants have lost five in a row — their longest slide since a seven-game skid in 2014 — after dropping a 37-18 decision to Dallas at home Monday night.

Seeing that skid extend to six against a city rival while going into a bye week could make for a long, painful stretch for the Giants, and the sense of urgency is there. “In the worst way,” safety Michael Thomas told reporters of the need for a win. “For everybody in this organization. Facility, players, coaches, front office. For everybody. We need it and we’re going to find a way to get it.”

TV: 1 p.m. ET, FOX. LINE: Giants -2.5. O/U: 43.5

ABOUT THE GIANTS (2-7): Struggling rookie quarterback Daniel Jones had three more turnovers in the loss to the Cowboys and he has eight interceptions and eight fumbles in his eight games (seven starts). “Anytime you turn the ball over, it’s costly to the team,” Jones told reporters. “I have to work on that and making sure I’m securing the ball.” Star running back Saquon Barkley has just 92 yards on 33 carries over his last two games, but he’s made 14 catches for 146 yards and a touchdown in that span.

ABOUT THE JETS (1-7): Quarterback Sam Darnold has struggled to take the next step this season, but he’s trying take some positives from a relatively solid 27-of-39 performance versus the Dolphins, against whom he threw one interception after getting picked off seven times over the previous two games. “My confidence is never going to waver,” Darnold told reporters. “I’m very, very confident in myself and this team. We have flashes of going down there and scoring. We just have to do it every single drive.” Veteran running back Le’Veon Bell, who has yet to have a run longer than 19 yards on the season, is battling a knee issue but hopes to be ready Sunday.

EXTRA POINTS

  1. The Jets enter Week 10 ranked last in the NFL in total offense (223.5 yards per game), passing offense (157.3) and scoring (12.0 points per contest).
  2. Giants TE Evan Engram, who leads the team with 44 catches and 467 receiving yards, is out with a foot injury.
  3. The teams have not met since the Jets won 23-20 in overtime in 2015.

PREDICTION: Giants 21, Jets 20

NFL: Featured at Four Game

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L.A. Rams at Pittsburgh Steelers

When: 4:25 PM ET, Sunday, November 10, 2019
Where: Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Preview for Digital Sports Desk by Gracenote

PITTSBURGH – The Pittsburgh Steelers are trying to turn their season around and ripped off a three-game winning streak to even their record at 4-4. The Steelers will try to make it four straight when they host the defending NFC champion Los Angeles Rams today.

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Pittsburgh dropped its first three games of the season and battled back into the postseason picture at the midway point despite quarterback Mason Rudolph learning on the job after taking over for injured franchise quarterback Ben Roethlisberger in Week 2.

“He’s a young guy,” Steelers coach Mike Tomlin told reporters of Rudolph. “We are just trying to find our rhythm and traction, and we can’t have a lot of self-inflicted wounds along the way. We have had some. Thankfully, they haven’t prevented us from winning. We need to get better. And not only him, but us, the units collectively.” 

The Rams, who are coming off a bye, are winners of two straight and pulled out of a funk by picking on two teams at the bottom of the standings in their respective conferences – the Atlanta Falcons and Cincinnati Bengals. “We just got to keep rolling,” defensive tackle Aaron Donald told reporters. “We’re feeling good, but we got to keep working. Can’t be satisfied.”

TV: 4:25 p.m. ET, FOX. LINE: Rams -3.5. O/U: 44

ABOUT THE RAMS (5-3): Los Angeles is expected to get a boost on defense this week from the return of linebacker Clay Matthews, who has been out since suffering a broken jaw in Week 5. “Anytime you come off an injury, that first game is kind of the biggest obstacle, the biggest hurdle,” Matthews told reporters. “It feels good just having my helmet on it, getting it jostled and everything. … I anticipate it to go well.” Not as close to a return is wide receiver Brandin Cooks, who suffered two concussions last month and went to Pittsburgh ahead of the team to see a specialist but is not expected to stick around for the game.

ABOUT THE STEELERS (4-4): While Rudolph and the offense continue to develop, the defense is keeping Pittsburgh in the win column. Outside linebacker T.J. Watt leads the team with 7.5 sacks and fellow outside linebacker Bud Dupree was named AFC Defensive Player of the Week after recording a pair of sacks in last week’s 26-24 victory over the Indianapolis Colts, bringing his season total to six. “Bud is balling,” Watt told reporters. “I said it last week, and I see the way that he approaches watching film and practice, and you just have a feeling when you’re playing. It seems like every week for me and Bud and this whole defense, we all just have feelings that it’s going to be a great game.”

EXTRA POINTS

  1. Steelers RB James Conner (shoulder) was limited in practice this week and could miss his second straight game.
  2. Rams WR Cooper Kupp recorded 220 receiving yards against Cincinnati before the bye and is third in the NFL with 792 yards.
  3. Los Angeles/St. Louis has not beaten the Steelers since a 33-21 triumph at Pittsburgh in 2003.

PREDICTION: Rams 28, Steelers 21

Celtics Crush Spurs

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Boston Celtics 135, San Antonio Spurs 115

Hayward Breaks Hand; Out Indefinitely

When: 5:00 PM ET, Saturday, November 9, 2019
Where: AT&T Center, San Antonio, Texas
Attendance: 18,354
Recap for Digital Sports Desk by Field Level Media

SAN ANTONIO – Jaylen Brown scored 30 points and Kemba Walker added 26 as the Boston Celtics overcame a first-half injury to Gordon Hayward to reach a season-high in points in beating the Spurs 135-115 Saturday night for a rare victory at San Antonio.

CELTICS VS SPURS (HOUSE OF HIGHLIGHTS)

Jayson Tatum had 19 points, Marcus Smart had 16 and Robert Williams III chipped in 11 as the Celtics won their seventh straight game, and first at San Antonio since 2011. Boston had lost 14 of its last 15 to the Spurs overall.

DeMar DeRozan scored 22 and Patty Mills added 20 for the Spurs, who lost for the third time in four games. LaMarcus Aldridge was held to three points, taking just four shots from the field in 26 minutes.

Hayward fractured his left hand when he ran into Aldridge while guarding Dejounte Murray with 1:34 left before halftime. Aldridge was assessed an offensive foul, and Hayward quickly exited to the locker room.

The Celtics announced the diagnosis early in the third following an X-ray, and Hayward was ruled out for the remainder of the game. He will see a specialist Monday to determine if surgery is necessary, according to ESPN.

Despite the injury, Boston was up by 18 at the half and increased the margin to 20 on a pair of Smart free throws 12 seconds into the third. San Antonio battled back within 14 before the Celtics restored the 20-point margin, 88-68, on a Brown floater with 6:20 remaining.

The Spurs inched within 12, ultimately entering the fourth trailing 104-91. Boston went up by as much as 24 the rest of the way to cruise to victory.

The Spurs opened the game on a 7-0 run before the Celtics blew past them with a 19-3 stretch. Boston’s lead in the first reached as high as 15 as the Celtics ended the quarter up 39-30, their highest-scoring opening period of the season.

San Antonio fell further behind in the second, trailing by as much as 19 when a Javonte Green layup put Boston up 70-51 with 25.3 seconds to go. Brown led all scorers with 20 points as the Celtics entered the half up 72-54.

–Field Level Media

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