Sports
NFL’s Christmas games lose major star power as key quarterbacks sidelined with injuries
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On paper, Netflix had great divisional matchups on Christmas Day for Week 17 when the season began.
Of course, the NFL season never goes as planned, and the three matchups scheduled for the holiday are not what anyone had planned.
The reason? Star quarterbacks won’t be playing in each game.
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Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott walks off the field after the team’s NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens in Arlington, Texas, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Jeffrey McWhorter)
Christmas Day’s first kickoff will be an NFC East battle between the Dallas Cowboys and Washington Commanders, with both teams already eliminated from playoff contention.
And while Dak Prescott and company are looking to finish the season strong, the Commanders shut down Jayden Daniels, their second-year quarterback who led them to the NFC Championship Game in his rookie season just a year ago, after reaggravating his elbow injury.
In fact, the Commanders won’t even see Marcus Mariota, Daniels’ backup who has had to start eight games this season, as he’s dealing with an injury as well. It will be veteran Josh Johnson making the start in Landover, Maryland, on Christmas Day for a 4-11 Commanders squad that hoped to at least make the playoffs after a fantastic finish in 2024.
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“When you do circle those matchups, that’s exactly what you’re thinking: This is going to be cool. How it’s all laid out — division games right here at the end between two games of Philadelphia with a Dallas game in between,” Commanders head coach Dan Quinn said.
“Playing these division games, they still mean a lot.”
Unfortunately for both squads, it will only be for bragging rights.
Jayden Daniels of the Washington Commanders looks on from the sidelines after leaving the game during the second half against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium on Dec. 7, 2025 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Ellen Schmidt/Getty Images)
In the 4:30 p.m. ET slate, the Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings, a storied NFC North rivalry, the home team in Minneapolis will be without its own second-year signal caller — J.J. McCarthy.
McCarthy suffered an injury in the win over the New York Giants last week, and it will be Max Brosmer having to start again for Kevin O’Connell’s group.
The Minnesota product’s first career start didn’t work out too well in Seattle, as the Seahawks had their way on defense against Brosmer. Perhaps a home crowd will do him and the Vikings’ offense better, but the Lions at least still have something to play for.
Detroit heads into this game following a tough loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, where a game-winning touchdown was called back after Amon-Ra St. Brown was penalized for offensive pass interference, negating Jared Goff flying into the end zone after a pitch-back from the star receiver.
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes chews his mouth guard during warmups before an NFL football game against the Denver Broncos, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024 in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Reed Hoffmann, File)
The Lions need to win their remaining two games, while also needing the Green Bay Packers to lose their last two games to secure the final NFC wild card spot.
Finally, and perhaps the biggest disappointment for Netflix, is the Kansas City Chiefs not having Patrick Mahomes on the field this holiday season.
Mahomes suffered a torn ACL, which he quickly had surgery to repair, following a loss that knocked them out of playoff contention two weeks ago. The Chiefs were hoping that his backup, Gardner Minshew, could finish out the season, but he tore his ACL last week in a loss to the Tennessee Titans.
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That leaves USF alum Chris Oladokun, who filled in for Minshew last week, starting against Bo Nix and the Denver Broncos — a 12-3 squad who already clinched their playoff berth. Denver will still be playing hard, as they’re competing for the No. 1 overall seed in the AFC, which would ensure home games throughout the playoffs.
These games were supposed to be potential division/playoff clinching matchups, but the NFL and its fanbase will be hoping these games are not as lopsided as some believe they could turn out to be.
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Zimbabwe claimed an eight-wicket win over Oman in their ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 campaign opener at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground on Monday.
Chasing Oman’s modest total of 104, Zimbabwe reached the target in 14 overs, losing just two wickets. Openers Brian Bennett and Tadiwanashe Marumani gave the team a strong start, scoring quickly in a low-scoring contest.
Marumani was dismissed in the fourth over by Sufyan Mehmood for 21 off 11 balls, which included five boundaries, breaking the 30-run opening stand. Shortly after, Dion Myers fell for a second-ball duck, leaving Zimbabwe at 30-2 in 3.3 overs.
Brian Bennett found support from Brendan Taylor, and together they took the team past the 50-run mark in the seventh over, achieving a 50-run partnership.
However, Taylor retired hurt after scoring 31 off 30 balls, making way for skipper Sikandar Raza.
Raza struck a boundary to hit the winning runs, remaining unbeaten on five off two deliveries, while Bennett top-scored with 48 off 36 balls, including seven fours.
Batting first, Oman got off to a disappointing start as captain Jatinder Singh was dismissed for a run-a-ball five on the first delivery of the second over, bowled by Blessing Muzarabani.
The pressure intensified in the following over when Hammad Mirza was dismissed for a five-ball duck by Richard Ngarava, leaving Oman struggling early at 8-2 in 2.2 overs.
Oman slipped further in the fourth over as Kaleem was dismissed cheaply for five off seven deliveries, including one boundary. In the same over, Karan Sonavale was sent back for a duck, compounding Oman’s troubles.
The collapse continued when Sikandar Raza clean-bowled Wasim Ali for three off eight deliveries reducing Oman to 27-5 in six overs.
Sufyan Mehmood and Vinayak Shukla then attempted to steady the innings, putting together a 42-run partnership to take the total past the 50-run mark.
However, Ngarava broke the stand by dismissing Shukla for 28 off 21 deliveries, featuring four boundaries, with the score at 69-6 in 14.1 overs.
In the same over, Oman lost their seventh wicket as Jiten Ramanandi was dismissed for one off three balls, giving Ngarava his third wicket of the innings.
Brad Evans struck in the 17th over to remove Mehmood, who top-scored with 25 off 39 deliveries, including two fours. Despite early struggles, Nadeem Khan and Shakeel Ahmed added some late runs.
Evans bowled the final over and dismissed Shakeel for four, while Shah Faisal struck a boundary off his first delivery to take Oman past the 100-run mark.
Nadeem Khan was the final wicket to fall, dismissed by Evans after scoring a crucial 20 off 18 deliveries.
For Zimbabwe, Blessing Muzarabani, Brad Evans and Richard Ngarava led the bowling attack with three wickets each, while Sikandar Raza chipped in with one.
Officials asked teams to open their millennial playlists and skate their first program to music from the ’90s.
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Scotland scored 207 runs against Italy in the seventh match of the ICC T20 World Cup
Scotland has set a target of 208 runs for Italy to win, Scotland has become the first team to score more than 200 runs in the T20 World Cup.
George Munsey stood out for Scotland by scoring 84 runs, George Munsey’s innings included 13 fours and 2 sixes.
Brendan McMullen scored 41 runs off 19 balls with the help of 4 sixes, Thomas, JJ Smits, Grant Stewart and Hasan took one wicket each for Italy.
Scotland scored 207 runs for the loss of four wickets in the stipulated twenty overs and gave Italy a target of 208 runs.
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