Sports

Packers Down Rams, 32-18, to Advance to NFC Title Game

GREEN BAY – The Packers advanced to their second straight NFC Championship Game with a 32-18 victory on Saturday over the Rams in the divisional round at Lambeau Field.

The Packers led by seven in the fourth quarter when QB Aaron Rodgers found WR Allen Lazard, who had dropped a potentially big play earlier in the second half, for a 58-yard touchdown to give Green Bay a two-score lead again.

The defense then responded with two sacks on a Rams series near midfield to get the ball back and keep the Packers in command.

The Packers are back in the NFC title game and will face the winner of Sunday’s Buccaneers-Saints game. Next week’s game will be at 2:05 p.m. CT at Lambeau Field.

Lazard finished with four catches for 96 yards and the TD, while WR Davante Adams had nine catches for 66 yards and a score.

Rodgers finished 23-of-36 for 296 yards with two TDs and no interceptions for a 108.1 passer rating.

The Packers’ ground game was productive all game, with RB Aaron Jones getting 99 yards and a TD on 14 carries. RB Jamaal Williams added 65 yards on 12 attempts.

For the Rams, QB Jared Goff was 21-of-27 for 174 yards and a TD for a 105.9 rating. RB Cam Akers had 18 rushes for 90 yards and a TD, while no one for LA had more than 65 receiving yards.

Here’s a recap of all the action:

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Packers and Rams tied at 3

The Packers won the opening coin toss and deferred. The Rams went three-and-out to start the game with Preston Smith deflecting a Jared Goff at the line of scrimmage on third-and-6.

Green Bay motioned Davante Adams cross pre-snap on second-and-8, as the Rams opted to leave All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey on the defense’s left. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers hit Adams a quick out for 8 yards and the initial first down.

Green Bay also used a two-RB package of Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon on the opening possession, with Dillon picking up nine yards up the middle after Jones motioned wide.

The biggest play of the drive came when Rodgers caught the Rams trying to substitute after a 3-yard run by Dillon, finding Equanimeous St. Brown for 27 in the middle of the field on the free down.

The Packers’ drive stalled at the LA 5, as Green Bay had to settle for a 24-yard field goal by Mason Crosby to give the Packers an early 3-0 lead.

Los Angeles answered back by going hurry-up against the Packers’ base defense, with Goff completing passes down the middle to Robert Woods (19 yards) and Josh Reynolds (28) to get down to the Green Bay 23.

The Rams tried to go with a Wildcat package with Cam Akers at quarterback but linebacker Christian Kirksey sniffed it out to hold Los Angeles’ running back to a 2-yard gain on first-and-10.

The Packers’ dime defense stopped Akers on third-and-2 at the Green Bay 15. The Rams tried to go for it on fourth-and-1 but a false start penalty caused them to settle for a Matt Gay 37-yard field goal to tie the game at 3 with 4 minutes, 36 seconds left in the first quarter.

The Packers advanced back into Rams territory at the end of the first quarter thanks to three runs by Jamaal Williams for 17 yards and two passes to Robert Tonyan for 14.

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Packers lead Rams 19-10 at halftime

The second quarter began with Aaron Donald being flagged for unnecessary roughness after putting his hands on Elgton Jenkins’ facemask after an incomplete pass to Adams.

Instead of third-and-7 at the LA 36, the Packers used the first-and-10 situation at the 21 to set up two runs by Jones for nine yards, an 8-yard pass to Allen Lazard to set up first-and-goal and Williams plowing through for 5 yards down to the LA 1.

Facing third-and-goal, Green Bay motioned Adams across with Ramsey following him. Adams then pivoted and motioned back to the right and Rodgers hit him on a quick flare for the 1-yard TD to take a 10-3 lead.

With the catch, Adams moved into sole possession of the No. 2 spot in team playoff history with seven receiving TDs. Freeman had 10 and Jennings had six.

Rodgers moved past Peyton Manning (40) on the all-time postseason list and now ranks No. 4 in NFL history with 41.

The Packers’ defense came right back with another stand. After holding Akers to a 3-yard run on a stretch play, Za’Darius Smith came inside a Christian Kirksey blitz to sack Goff for a 7-yard loss on second down.

Kirksey then dropped Malcolm Brown on a 4-yard check down on third-and-14 to force the Rams to another three-and-out.

The Packers started their next series at the LA 47 after a special-teams penalty on the Rams. Rodgers started the drive with a check down to Jones for 14 yards after he turned upfield and made Troy Hill miss.

Green Bay moved back inside the Rams’ 20 after two throws to Valdes-Scantling for 17 yards. Jones nearly broke a big gain off the left side but Tonyan was flagged for holding.

The Packers countered back with a 12-yard slant to Adams to set up third-and-2, which Williams converted on a 5-yard dive up the middle. Two more Williams carries for six yards setup third-and-goal at the LA 2.

Rodgers scrambled in for the 2-yard TD on a read option, extending Green Bay’s lead to 16-3 after an aborted extra point in which Mason Crosby was banged up.

Mike linebacker Krys Barnes left the game momentarily with a thumb injury but returned with a club. The Rams mounted a late drive, cutting the Packers’ lead to 16-10 after a nine-play, 75-yard drive that ended with a 10-yard TD pass to Van Jefferson.

The Packers got the ball back with 29 seconds left and two timeouts. Rodgers connected with Adams for 21 and Tonyan for 33 to set up Crosby’s 39-yard field goal to give Green Bay a 19-10 lead at halftime.

Packers lead Rams 25-18 after three quarters

The Packers chipped away at the Rams’ defense in the first half, carrying it 15 times for 66 yards, before Aaron Jones broke a 60-yard run to open the third quarter. It’s the third longest run by a Packers player in playoff history.

Green Bay would keep it on the ground during the five-play, 54-yard series with Jones eventually punching it in with a 1-yard TD run up the middle to put the Packers ahead 25-10 after the failed two-point conversion.

Green Bay forced its third three-and-out of the Rams’ offense with Akers being limited to three yards on first down, Za’Darius Smith pressuring Goff into throwing the ball away on second-and-7, and Rashan Gary and Kenny Clark combining on a sack for a 9-yard loss.

The Packers were facing second-and-17 from their own 7 when Rodgers stood tall in the pocket and connected with Lazard for 21 yards and the first down.

Lazard had another chance for a big play on first down after a 11-yard Williams run, but he couldn’t bring it in and Green Bay would have to punt for the first time.

The Rams came out slinging the ball, completing six straight passes to move into scoring range. The Packers did a good job of stifling LA’s Wildcat formation with Akers on its first two tries but the rookie running back finally found paydirt on a 7-yard run up the middle.

The Rams cut the Packers’ lead to one score after hook-and-lateral pass to Akers, bringing the score to 25-18 with 1:41 remaining in the third quarter.

The third quarter ended with Rodgers connecting with Adams on a 8-yard pass off a slant to the Green Bay 47.

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Packers beat Rams 32-18, advance to NFC Championship Game

The Packers’ drive stalled two minutes into the fourth quarter, with KeiVarae Russell downing JK Scott’s punt at the LA 6.

A series of short throws moved the ball out to the Rams’ 32 before an incompletion and a Clark sack for a 6-yard loss made it third-and-16. Goff had to settle for a 5-yard completion, leading to a Johnny Hekker punt.

On second-and-6, Rodgers dialed up a 58-yard touchdown pass to Lazard deep down the seam to push their lead to 32-18 with 7 minutes remaining.

The Packers’ defense took it from there, with Jaire Alexander tackling Woods for a 3-yard loss on a second-and-10 screen and Preston Smith deflecting his second pass of the day on third down.

The Rams went for it on fourth-and-13 but Clark and Gary combined for another sack of Goff for the turnover on downs at the LA 49.

Rodgers hit Tonyan on a playaction rollout for a first down to start draining the clock. Back-to-back carries of six yards for Williams resulted in a second first down, drawing a fist pump out of Rodgers with 2:35 remaining. One more WIlliams first down brought the game to the two-minute warning, allowing Rodgers to kneel out the win.

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Sports

Bo Bichette’s Injury may Permanently Sideline him, According to the Latest Update.

(CTN News) – Bo Bichette, the shortstop for the Toronto Blue Jays, left the game against the Detroit Tigers on Friday after six innings due to a strained right calf.

The game was played against the Tigers. In the end, the Blue Jays were defeated by a score of 5-4 by the opposing team.

Bo Bichette hit a line drive to right field in the bottom of the sixth inning, and it appeared that he injured his calf when he was sprinting to first base. The damage appeared to be caused by the line drive.

The calf that is causing the problem is the same one that Bo Bichette has been experiencing issues with throughout the entire season. After suffering a strain to his right calf fascia on July 10 while playing against the San Francisco Giants, he was forced to sit out the last four games before the All-Star break from the National Football League.

Because of the discomfort in his right calf, he has been out for nine games since then, and he did not return to action until the 24th of June.

Before the trade deadline on July 30, it is very clear that the Blue Jays will be deconstructed for pieces. It is fairly obvious that the Blue Jays have lost any possibility of winning in the American League East, which is a highly competitive division. Additionally, it is pretty certain that they will be disfigured for pieces.

Bo Bichette’s injuries could prevent him from being traded in the future.

However, it is probable that this injury will preclude him from participating in any further trade conversations. Recent trade rumors have stated that Bo Bichette could be a contender for a trade;

However, it is possible that this scenario will not occur. After an MRI was finished on Friday, Bo Bichette was placed on the injured list for a period of ten days. This list will remain in effect until that time.

Bichette will almost definitely be placed on the disabled list for a period of time that is longer than the minimum of ten days, even if the findings of the MRI come back negative. This is because of the recent spate of calf problems that have been occurring.

There is a lack of clarity on whether or not the Blue Jays would have been willing to trade Bo Bichette regardless of the ailment that he was suffering from.

It has been reported that Toronto has informed other clubs that they are not prepared to trade any players who are under their control beyond the year 2024.

Bo Bichette’s contract with the organization ends in 2025.

Additionally, Toronto has informed other teams for this reason. At the beginning of June, it seemed as though the general manager of the Blue Jays, Ross Atkins, was opposed to the concept of trading Bo Bichette while he was still on the team.

Bichette claimed in a recent comment that he would not be “surprised at all” if he were to be traded to a different team. He said this in reference to the possibility of being traded.

His batting average is even worse than it has ever been in his whole career.He has participated in 79 games so far this season, and he has a batting average of 223 and an on-base percentage of.597 to his name.

The two-time winner Despite the fact that the All-Star is having a challenging season, he would have a far higher chance of having a good season if he were to play for a team that was involved in a more intense level of competition.

On the other hand, it would appear that Bichette will not be participating in a game for a substantial amount of time, regardless of whether he is playing for the Blue Jays or for another team.

SOURCE: FS

Sports

Rory McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau started disastrously at the British Open.

(CTN News) – Forget about Rory McIlroy’s final opportunity to compete in a major tournament this year; the British Open may have been his final opportunity.

At present, his most promising prospect is to endure for an additional day. Bryson DeChambeau, the US Open champion, is also present.

On Thursday, Pinehurst No. 2 protagonists encountered Rory McIlroy’s additional complications as a result of an opposing wind that arrived at Royal Troon. McIlroy required two strokes to emerge from a deep hazard located just to the right of the 123-yard eighth hole, which is referred to as the “Postage Stamp.”

Rory McIlroy’s mallet sailed over the rails after three holes.

It culminated in a 7-over 78, which was his lowest major opening round in five years. “I just didn’t do a good enough job on that back nine, and the conditions were tough,” according to him.

DeChambeau was not significantly superior. He encountered difficulties in making par shots at the outset; on the fourth hole, a par-5, he even missed one from three feet.

The par-5 seventh hole resulted in a double bogey for him as he attempted to strike a 7-iron through dense grass, but the ball was only moved a short distance.

Following his 76, he proceeded to the range to evaluate his equipment and determine the reason for his ball’s failure to connect with the driver as anticipated.

He observed, “That day was unusual.” It is highly unlikely that either of them will forget their involvement in the morning wave or their role as the primary attraction following the U.S. Open.

Rory McIlroy was in complete control of his destiny and was leading by two strokes on the back nine before missing a 30-inch par putt on the 16th hole and another par putt from just within 4 feet on the 18th hole, which prolonged his 10-year major drought.

Making a putt from a bunker 55 yards away, DeChambeau secured his second U.S. Open victory. Rory McIlroy’s finale was so challenging that he departed Pinehurst No. 2 without expressing his gratitude to DeChambeau or expressing any sentiments.

McIlroy was optimistic about his form as he approached the final major of the year, following his tie for fourth at the Rory McIlroy Scottish Open last week. Conversely, the wind came from the opposite direction, disrupting the plans of both him and his colleagues.

On the shortened front nine, where high scores are possible, it was directly in their faces. Assistance was provided from the left on the longer back nine, which is challenging in any conditions. McIlroy was taken aback by the difficulty of the back nine, as Rory McIlroy had anticipated that it would be less difficult.

“The course was exceedingly challenging.” The circumstances are exceedingly difficult due to the wind that has yet to be observed this week. McIlroy stated that the wind dictated his strategy during the practice sessions.

However, according to him, “it starts to present different options and you start to think about maybe hitting a few clubs that you haven’t hit in practice when you get a wind you haven’t played in.”

“Just one of those days where I didn’t adjust to the circumstances well enough.” It was not a satisfactory conclusion to the round. Following his decision to play a driver off the 18th.

On the left, Rory McIlroy fired sideways due to a pot bunker.

He drove the wedge to a distance of Rory McIlroy approximately eight feet, made one final bogie, and missed one additional putt, indicating that there was still a significant amount of work to be done.

In order to survive the weekend, he declared, “I must improve my performance under those circumstances.” If not, I should endeavor to advance further on the leaderboard and feel as though I have a reasonable chance. McIlroy was ten strokes behind the lead when he finished, but he had hoped for a smaller margin.

Until he reached the par-5 16th, DeChambeau did not complete a hole below par. It is more accurate to describe him as a sluggish bleeding individual. That was the only positive aspect of the day. An eagle putt of 55 feet was executed on the 565-yard hole by him.

“I am satisfied with the way in which I maintained my composure today,” stated DeChambeau. It would have been so easy for me to give up at nine o’clock and declare, ‘I’m going home’.” No, sir. There will be an additional opportunity for me tomorrow. As I anticipate the assignment, I am eager to begin.

“I will be fine if I am able to make a few putts, hit a few shots, and figure out how to use the equipment.”

SOURCE: CT

Sports

France Reaches Euro 2024 Quarter-Finals with Late Own Goal Against Belgium

(CTN News) – Jan Vertonghen’s late own goal advanced France to the quarterfinals of Euro 2024 at Belgium’s expense. A game that lacked quality and excitement for long stretches appeared destined for extra time, but a shot by replacement Randal Kolo Muani rebounded off Vertonghen with five minutes left to win the victory at Dusseldorf Arena.

France had previously missed multiple chances due to a lack of a cutting edge, and even captain Kylian Mbappe made efforts that would typically go wide.

Belgium could have seized the lead before France’s late goal when Manchester City midfielder Kevin de Bruyne sprinted into space through the middle, but Mike Maignan blocked his effort.

That was the only real opportunity for the underperforming Belgians, as France closed out the final few minutes to advance to the last eight, where they will meet Portugal or Slovenia.

Didier Deschamps’ team deserved to win, but the 2018 world champions will be relieved more than anything else after struggling to convert chances into goals once more.

They dominated play for long stretches but only had one effort on goal in the first half, Antoine Griezmann’s low strike from distance, which was well saved.

Mbappe is one of the world’s top forwards, but even he struggled when given a shooting opportunity, curling over in the second half after doing well to create space for himself.

France is through but still needs to improve.

In the end, they had 19 shots on goal, but only two were on target, and they are still waiting for their first goal from open play in Germany.

In a theme common to all of the bigger teams remaining in Euro 2024, France is struggling to play at the level they are capable of, but for the time being, they will relish being one step closer to the final.

Belgium was booed off the pitch by some fans after only drawing with Ukraine in their last group game, but their supporters were hopeful that they would improve their performance against the French.

However, they were once again overly cautious for extended periods, and their threatening moments were fleeting.

However, they should have punished France for their carelessness with De Bruyne’s effort in the dying moments, while Romelu Lukaku, who is leaving Euro 2024 without a goal, also saw a low shot saved in the second half.

Like Croatia, this has seemed like one last chance for Belgium’s ‘golden generation’, with players like De Bruyne and Lukaku in their 30s.

And, like Croatia, they will leave the tournament wondering whether this was a squandered chance to achieve what could have been with this set of players.

Source: BBC Sports