The Smithville Times Thursday, January 7, 2021 A7 Philly Special gives way to QB quagmire for Pederson By Arnie Stapleton tight end was driven turned me.” Money ball The Associated Press out of bounds on the Fant said his only regret Raiders sideline by safety was missing O’Neil with As any bettor knows, DENVER — Three Lamarcus Joyner follow- the football he flung at sometimes the smallest years ago Doug Pederson ing a 9-yard catch. him. of plays can make a big- was hailed as a genius As he headed out of “I feel like I (re)acted dollar difference in an NFL after his “Philly Special” bounds near midfield, accordingly,” Fant said. game. Week 17 featured call resulted in backup cornerback Keisein Nixon “I don’t believe that I plenty of money grabs, not quarterback Nick Foles caused Fant to stumble. should have had some sort by bettors but by some of catching the game-defin- Raiders head coach Jon of maturity and said, ‘I’m the players themselves. ing touchdown pass in Gruden stepped out of going to be the bigger man.’ Emmanuel Sanders the Eagles’ first Super Fant’s way, but O’Neil As I’m coming off the field, caught nine passes for 63 Bowl triumph, a 41-33 squared up, stiffened his I should never be shoulder yards and a touchdown masterpiece against New right shoulder and leaned checked by a coach, if that, in New Orleans’ 33-7 England. into Fant as the tight end even a player.” win against Carolina, and Now, the Eagles coach Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts scratches his head on the stumbled past, connect- Asked about the incident his eighth reception, a is getting slammed for the sideline during Sunday’s game against Washington, in ing on Fant’s right arm Monday, Gruden said: “I 9-yarder over the middle, quarterback quagmire he Philadelphia. [CHRIS SZAGOLA/THE ASSOCIATED PRESS] and shoulder and spinning just stay away from Noah was his 60th of the season, created Sunday night that the 6-foot-4, 249-pound Fant. He’s a big guy. I try triggering a $500,000 helped Washington escape there and not competing for Carson Wentz last second-year pro who took not to make the other team bonus in his contract. with the final NFC playoff for 60 minutes and doing month, finished 7 of 20 for immediate exception. mad. But we don’t like to Drew Brees acknowl- berth over the fuming New everything you can to help 72 yards with one inter- Fant shoveled the foot- have any confrontations edged afterward that he York Giants. those players win, we will ception, but had a pair of ball at O’Neil (he missed). with players, our players, was trying to get Sanders In a game that held play- never do that as long as I’m 6-yard TD runs to help the Raiders backup cornerback their players, any players. to the magic mark, “so off implications for other the head coach of the New Eagles overcome a 10-0 Daryl Worley playfully But sometimes in the heat down the stretch, you’re teams, Pederson chose York Giants,” Giants rookie deficit. His passer rating tapped Fant’s helmet just of the battle, things get said just trying to feed him.” to give a third-string head coach Joe Judge said of 25.4 was the lowest by before Fant confronted or there’s some misunder- Seahawks QB Russell QB some playing time, Monday. an Eagles starting quarter- O’Neil, shoving him standing on the sidelines. Wilson said he changed a benching Jalen Hurts for Sudfeld hadn’t thrown a back since Foles posted a off-balance on his right “Guys get bumped play call with 22 seconds Nate Sudfeld in the fourth pass since 2018 and threw 9.3 rating in the final reg- shoulder. into and they take it per- left in Seattle’s 26-23 win quarter of a 20-14 loss to an interception on his ular-season game in 2017, As that’s happening, side sonally. There’s a lot of over the 49ers to get David Washington. second pass. He also lost a month before he was judge John Jenkins quickly emotion out there. I think Moore a reception before The victory gave a fumble. named Super Bowl MVP. grabbed Fant around the that’s what you saw yes- his team lined up in victory Washington the NFC East “Yes, I was coaching Sudfeld’s rating Sunday waist and escorted him terday. But I’m confident formation. title despite a 7-9 record to win,” Pederson said. was 14.6. back onto the field while Jim O’Neil and Noah Fant Moore’s 5-yard grab and prevented the Giants “Yes, that was my deci- O’Neil and Gruden said are pros.” was his only catch of the from winning the division sion solely. Nate has been Bad blood something to Fant. Fant didn’t think day but 35th of the season, at 6-10. here four years and I felt he Jenkins didn’t throw a there was any misun- triggering a $100,000 The decision didn’t go deserved an opportunity There hasn’t been this flag on either party. derstanding, just poor bonus. over well with the Giants to get some snaps.” kind of bad blood between “That’s never happened sportsmanship. And in Tampa, Bucs and other NFL players who The loss capped a 4-11-1 the Raiders and Broncos to me before,” Fant said Asked if he wanted the receiver Antonio Brown posted their reactions on campaign for Philadelphia since Al Davis decided not Monday. “I thought that NFL to discipline O’Neil, went into the game against Twitter. and left the Eagles with to pay Mike Shanahan all was very unprofessional. Fant said, “I know if I Atlanta needing nine “To disrespect the effort the sixth pick in the NFL those years ago. I’m not sure what coach would have really shoved catches to reach 45 and that everyone put for- draft this spring. A victory Las Vegas defensive does that. I’ve heard a him or done something trigger a $250,000 bonus. ward to make this season would have dropped them backs coach Jim O’Neil plethora of things like, ‘He really harmful to him, then Tom Brady threw to him 14 a success for the National to ninth, a spot held by the shoulder checked Noah was trying to catch you.’ ... I would have gotten fined, times. Brown caught 11 of Football League, to disre- Broncos. Fant just before halftime He went out of his way to but that’s up to the league them for 138 yards and two spect the game by going out Hurts, who took over Sunday when the Denver shoulder me and it totally to decide.” TDs in a 44-27 victory. In the NBA this season, teams will see same refs more often By Tim Reynolds Referees are tested for Dec. 27, then the Clippers The Associated Press COVID-19 daily, just like on Dec. 29 and Dec. 30. players and coaches, and “We are working to keep There are nine people have to comply with new our officials safe and reduce who have been on the league rules about avoid- the amount of travel and court to start four different ing bars, lounges, clubs, potential exposure,” said games at Staples Center so public gyms and many Monty McCutchen, the far this season. other indoor gathering NBA senior vice presi- Only eight of them are spots. Reducing their air dent who oversees referee players. travel is another part of development and training. The other is referee Scott the league’s plan to exist It can lead to some awk- Foster. outside a bubble in a coro- ward moments. There might be no better navirus-dominated world. Consider the case of way to explain how and The thinking is simple; less Utah’s Jordan Clarkson. why the NBA has changed time in the air, less time He gave referee Karl Lane the travel rules for officials around other people, less a bit of a shove — it didn’t this year than Foster’s risk. appear to be premediated Baylor head coach Kim Mulkey hopes to rejoin the program Jan. 15, if she shows no work schedule to this point. The Bucks saw David or violent — in a game symptoms from her positive COVID-19 test. [CHRIS O’MEARA/ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO] He was scheduled to work Guthrie and Marat Kogut against the Clippers on a game in Houston on Dec. on the crew that officiated Thursday, earning a tech- 23, only to see the matchup their game at Miami on Dec. nical foul. The next night, Mulkey positive for COVID-19, called off when the Rockets 29 and when Milwaukee the Jazz were back on their didn’t have enough people returned to Miami a night home floor, with Lane part available to play in accor- later for the second half of of the officiating crew again UConn-Baylor game called off dance with the league’s the two-game set, Guthrie and after Clarkson got fined health and safety protocols and Kogut were back as $25,000 for the shove. By Stephen Hawkins “I produced three nega- postponed. The women’s regarding the coronavirus. well. It’s not an aberration If there were any hard The Associated Press tive tests leading up to our teams at Duke and SMU From there, Foster flew this season; Ben Taylor was feelings from the night game at TCU (on Saturday).