There is no tougher runner in the NFL right now than Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry.
The future Hall of Famer is currently the NFL’s leader in touchdowns (127) and rushing yards (13,018) among active players, and his highlight reel is filled with defenders bouncing off his invincible body.
Henry began his career in Tennessee and moved to Baltimore two years ago to better his chances at a Super Bowl and played those two seasons under head coach John Harbaugh, who was fired last week by the Ravens after 18 seasons.
“I love Coach. He’s a great leader,” Henry told The Escapist in a recent interview. “Enjoyed my time with him in Baltimore. Kind of sad that it ended while I came to Baltimore, but I wish Coach the best. I definitely appreciate everything that he’s taught us and taught me through these last two years of me being a new guy.”
Harbaugh has naturally moved on to the New York Giants to become their new head coach.
Henry, the 2015 Heisman Trophy winner and five-time Pro Bowler, was asked how Harbaugh treats his players. His answer should delight the Giants and their fans.
“He’s had a great philosophy about how he ran the organization and how he treated the players,” Henry said. “After we won, he would point out every single player that had an impact on the game. Even if it doesn’t get noticed nationally, he made sure that they’re appreciated throughout the organization for the effort that they put into the team.”
But, more importantly, Harbaugh will bring structure and discipline back to the Giants. After 10 double-digit losing seasons over the past 12 years, the Giants and their fans are finally getting a coach deserving of the title.
“As we begin a new chapter in New York, our focus is simple,” Harbaugh said in his introductory press conference with th Giants this week, “it starts with building a team that is physical and tough, that’s capable of overwhelming their opponent from beginning to end, and especially at the end, that understands how to finish, that is smart and disciplined, that plays the game the way it should be played, and that everybody watching it, including those playing it, would be proud of.
“We’re going to work together. We have great and talented people to accomplish a shared mission. There will be a relentless commitment to this organization, to this city and the fans to do things the right way every single day. Nothing will be taken for granted. It will always, always be all about the team. The team, the team, the team. Thanks, Dad, for that. It’ll always be about that. Now it’s time to go to work.”
Barcelona took all three points in the match but conceded two goals from two corners, with Martin admitting improvements will be needed going forwards.
“Both goals were from set pieces. We have to be strong and improve in that area. This can’t happen to us. It’s about concentration, communication. We have to improve in that aspect. This can’t happen to us in future rounds,” he said.
Barca’s backline has been a concern throughout the tournament with Hansi Flick also quizzed on the whether his team can win the Champions League this season with the current backline.
“Two mistakes on two corners. It was only one game and we can improve. We want to and we can improve,” he told reporters after the match.
The NFL announced the finalists for its major awards on Thursday morning and this was the lone Dallas Cowboys presence across them all (MVP, OPOY, DPOY, Coach of the Year, etc.). Prescott is joined by Stefon Diggs, Aidan Hutchinson, Trevor Lawrence, and Christian McCaffrey, and in this particular case each of the five players are coming back from injuries sustained during the 2024 season.
It is important to distinguish this that way because Comeback Player of the Year can sometimes be a fluky award in terms of the person that wins it. The name implies that the players are coming back from something and that is often assumed to be an injury. And while that is the case for this year’s finalists the past has seen some players win the award after “coming back” from simply having a down season that had no injury as a factor.
Prescott won the NFL’s Walter Payton Man of the Year Award a few years ago and also won Offensive Rookie of the Year after his first season in the league. Perhaps he will add this one as well.
Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett are set to meet in the main event for the first ever Paramount+ card with UFC 324 going down from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
But before they meet to crown an interim lightweight champion, Gaethje and Pimblett first face off at the UFC 324 pre-fight press conference, which kicks off on Thursday evening at 8 p.m. ET/ 5 p.m. PT.
In addition to Gaethje and Pimblett in the headliner, Sean O’Malley returns to action for the first time since dropping back-to-back fights to Merab Dvalishvili when he clashes with Song Yadong in the co-main event. Derrick Lewis also makes his return to action against surging heavyweight contender Waldo Cortes-Acosta in a guaranteed banger.
All 10 of the main card fighters from UFC 324 are expected to appear at the pre-fight press conference, which also takes place at the T-Mobile Arena.
Check out the video above to watch the UFC 324 pre-fight press conference.
Dreyer made his debut for the Dodgers in 2025, playing 67 games throughout the season. The reliever had a 2.95 ERA through 76.1 innings pitched, and struck out a total of 74 batters during his time at the top level.
The southpaw’s ERA ranked second among Dodgers relievers with more than 20 appearances, only behind Edgardo Henriquez.
Dreyer has been recognized time and time again for his excellence in 2025, and had also been named as the best reliever to make his debut in 2025 by MLB.com’s Anthony Castrovince.
“Really, an impossible choice, because there are always young relievers with sick stuff who come up and dazzle from their debuts onward,” wrote Castrovince. “This season has no shortage. If we put in a limit of at least 40 innings pitched, then the Cardinals’ Matt Svanson, White Sox’s Mike Vasil, Blue Jays’ Braydon Fisher, Padres’ David Morgan, Marlins’ Cade Gibson, Rays’ Ian Seymour and Rockies’ Juan Mejia all have strong cases, with adjusted ERA+ marks well above the league average.
“The 26-year-old Dreyer, though, is worthy of this particular brand of love because of the large workload (72 1/3 innings) and reliable relief work (1.05 WHIP, 2.86 ERA) he’s provided for a first-place Dodgers team that has a behemoth roster but has often been scrambling in the bullpen. Dreyer has a calmness that belies his inexperience.”
Jack Dreyer to Play Key Role For Dodgers Bullpen in 2026
Dreyer’s dominance last season stretched into the postseason as well, with the left-hander making four appearances in the playoffs. He threw 0.2 scoreless innings against the Cincinnati Reds in the Wild Card round, then followed that up with a scoreless inning against the Philadelphia Phillies in the NLDS.
He made two more appearances in the World Series, and didn’t allow a run through either of them.
Dreyer is sure to play a big part in a Dodgers bullpen which struggled to produce towards the end of 2025, and he will hope to have a similarly solid season in 2026 as the Dodgers look to win their third consecutive World Series title.
Morgan Gibbs-White is the first player to miss two penalties in a Europa League campaign for an English club [Reuters]
It was hard to see how Thursday night could have gone much worse for Nottingham Forest.
As they fell to a dour defeat in Braga, they completed the unholy trinity of scoring an own goal, missing a penalty and receiving a red card.
Having begun the evening with hopes of pushing on for a top-eight finish in the Europa League – and securing automatic qualification for the last 16 – Sean Dyche’s side head home with those hopes all-but dashed.
Even victory over Ferencvaros in the final round of league phase games is unlikely to be enough to spare them a two-legged play-off to reach the last 16.
While the result was bad, the fact the travelling supporters booed their side off at both half-time and full-time tells you the performance was just as poor.
The outcome at least could all have been so different had Morgan Gibbs-White managed to convert a 53rd-minute penalty.
But the midfielder’s effort was saved – and 55 seconds later, Braga were in front through a Ryan Yates own goal.
“One minute of madness in a game that we never looked in trouble,” Dyche told TNT Sports.
“We miss a penalty – that can happen. The reaction in the next minute or so… we lose the game to a poor goal.
“They get a lift and the crowd go mad, we knock off a bit, and an unfortunate situation for Yatesy. Very frustrated.”
That Braga managed to win the match without having a single shot on target – becoming only the second team in Europa League history to do so – will only add to Forest’s frustration.
But while Braga, who did hit the post at 1-0, might not have offered a huge amount going forward, Forest were little better for much of the game.
Dyche had made seven changes from Saturday’s 0-0 Premier League draw against leaders Arsenal. The last time he altered the side so drastically was at Wrexham in the FA Cup.
After exiting the competition that night, the Forest boss was highly critical of the players who had come into the team but he more forgiving on this occasion.
“There’s effort there but the cutting edge… we want more of that,” he added.
“We are in a weird situation where I have to protect certain players. We know the Premier League is massively important but we wanted to do well in this competition and we still do.
“It’s a fine line, it’s a juggling act. On one hand you want to protect some players and give everyone a chance.”
Yates felt that Forest were slightly hard done by to lose and that the visitors “controlled the most part of the game”.
“We are frustrated because I think we did enough to win the game,” he told TNT Sports.
“We’ve missed an opportunity. Not that we were terrible but we can definitely do better. We have to move on quickly.”
Former Manchester City defender Joleon Lescott saw it slightly differently and highlighted the added blow of Elliot Anderson’s late sending off.
“The perfect way to sum it up is a mess,” he told TNT Sports. “Collectively it wasn’t good enough.
“To top it off and lose someone of the stature of Anderson when you have a massive game next week is devastating.
“You often look at games and wonder if there are any positives. I don’t think there are any tonight.
“A terrible night, terrible performance on what should have been a marvellous evening.”
Anderson will miss next week’s final group game and Forest will hope the ban is not extended to include the likely play-off in February.
Those extra games could be a problem for Forest at such a busy stage of the season as they chase Premier League survival – and going into them without their star midfielder would stretch the squad even further.
Ultimately, Forest will feel it is a situation they could have avoided.
“You might come away with a draw, but you shouldn’t really lose that game,” Dyche said.
McLaren Racing has announced a new multi-year partnership with PUMA and has released a new merchandise line to accompany it.
PUMA will create team kits across the whole McLaren Racing portfolio as part of the partnership. In addition to the team kit, the PUMA x McLaren Racing Lifestyle Collection launched on 20 January, and the Replica Collection will be available from 2 February.
The collections include a black and white jersey for £63, a black and grey T7 jacket with papaya orange accents for £135 and a papaya orange and white hoodie for £99, among many other items.
McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown said: “Our sport is in incredible shape, and it’s been fantastic to see an influx of major fashion and lifestyle brands who are looking for deep and meaningful ways to engage with our growing global fanbase.
— McLaren Mastercard Formula 1 Team 🧡 (@McLarenF1) January 20, 2026
“I cannot think of a better partner than sportswear giant PUMA to help us supercharge our portfolio of fan wear. We know fans want to express their passion for our sport both at and away from track, and PUMA’s innovative approach to design and culture will offer exciting collections and experiences worldwide.”
Arthur Höeld, CEO of PUMA, added: “At PUMA, we are very proud of our long and successful history in motorsports and having worked with some of the greatest drivers and teams in the industry over the past decades. It is a great honour to write the next chapter by welcoming McLaren Racing, the 2025 Constructors’ and Drivers’ Champions, as our new partners.
“We are looking forward to many successful races together and engaging with the team’s passionate fans around the world to create inspiring collections for them that show the best both brands have to offer.”
McLaren is due to launch its 2026 F1 challenger on 9 February.
15 days remain until the Lake Show make their arrival in 2026.
And it’ll be a suspenseful 15 days.
After falling narrowly short in a Hollywood-esque adventure to a national title, Northwestern women’s lacrosse finds itself in an extremely intriguing position. Kelly Amonte Hiller has done an overhaul in the transfer portal to shore up the attack in what seems to be a “win-now” situation for NU.
With four graduate students joining the program, it seems as though the ‘Cats are going for broke this coming season: national championship or bust.
Key word: national. Not just a Big Ten title, or even a Final Four appearance.
Northwestern has positioned itself to take it all, and the ’Cats Express will surely be a fun ride to jump on when it takes off from Chestnut Hill in just two weeks time.
Any subway system has its major stops along the way. Each train that a passenger boards has that one robust, active, always busy stop in the middle of the city.
What makes the ‘Cats Express so different this year is that it has three major stops along its course — stops where passengers can get a glance at where the program’s future track lines may run, and, more importantly, where this team’s final destination might be.
And like any subway system with those major stops, these three jump off the map to anyone who boards the train.
Stops so recognizable that one can spot them with their eyes shut.
1. Does Northwestern has a new ghost of Christmas past?
Stop number one to mark on your maps is Chapel Hill, NC.
Just a few months ago, the lacrosse world had been raving about Boston College having Northwestern’s number. After defeating the ‘Cats in the 2024 national championship, and dominating them in Evanston in the No. 1 vs. No. 2 season opener last year, the Eagles seemed to have cemented themselves as superior to their midwestern foes.
That seemed to ring true through three quarter of their Final Four matchup against NU, when BC led by five with only fifteen minutes to go.
We all know how that story ended, with the Cardiac ‘Cats snatching triumph from the deepest depths of treachery in an all-time finish.
However, NU needed one more comeback effort in the title game in order to reach the mountaintop again.
It didn’t happen.
And who denied them that storybook ending?
North Carolina.
Carolina blue haunted the ‘Cats all spring last year. Not only did the Tar Heels delegate NU to the position of national runner-up for the second straight season, but they were the only program left unconquered by Northwestern in 2025.
And as if that wasn’t enough, the Tewaaraton award ended up going home with UNC, despite Madison Taylor having one of the greatest offensive seasons in the history of the sport. Instead, Chloe Humphrey walked the stage.
Inside Lacrosse projects UNC at No. 1 and Northwestern at No. 2, and looking back at the history between the two teams, that projection seems quite accurate. March 25, however, serves the ‘Cats a golden opportunity to begin to rectify last year’s shortcomings with a win over their biggest adversaries amidst the ever-intimidating, always ruthless Tar Heel Nation.
Simply put, NU’s quest for its second national title of the decade will need to find a pathway around the roadblock that North Carolina presents.
2. Who’s the heir to the throne?
What a surprise. Stop two: Ryan Fieldhouse, where the next leader of the program will make herself felt in 2026.
With Madison Taylor and Lucy Munro heading into their final years of Northwestern lacrosse, there’s a gargantuan void that’s soon to be left for coach Hiller to fill — a hole that’s threatening to jeopardize the ‘Cats esteemed position as one of the best teams in the nation.
Aditi Foster seems to be the frontrunner to take the reins for NU in the near future. Her 12 goals and five assists don’t appear enticing at first glance, but the Philadelphia native was stellar in moments where Northwestern needed a spark.
Foster provided a goal to give the ‘Cats some much-needed cushion in their victory over No. 6 Syracuse, netted the game winner in the finals of the Big Ten Tournament vs. Maryland, and pulled NU within two in their comeback win against BC in Gillette Stadium.
Despite the influx of transfers to shore up the attack, namely Madison Epke and Olivia Adamson, it’s probable that Foster will get her share of starts in the lineup this season.
Another important piece to keep an eye on will be Taylor Lapointe, who showed her versatility against Colorado and USC last season, displaying the ability to score, find teammates at the arc, and cause chaos defensively.
Another two attackers that’ll be in the mix are Claire Marosi and Claire Ratke, whose appearances have been scarce since arriving in Evanston, but will pick up steam as time progresses.
Despite the losses to the program, pending season’s end, Northwestern remains with national contender potential with the talent on their roster. What’s of most importance to the ‘Cats is a player to step up and spearhead the program for the years ahead.
3. Maddy T’s last chance to lead the ‘Cats to the promised land
Stop three to highlight is one that NU lax is starting to build into its own “Times Square” of sorts: a robust location that’s guaranteed to draw a crowd.
Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium. The site for the NCAA Women’s Lacrosse Final Four this year, which could provide a thrilling end to one of the most storied college careers ever.
Maddy Taylor has nearly done it all at Northwestern. She’s a national champion, an All-American, a Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year, a Tewaaraton finalist and the NCAA record holder for most goals in a season.
The one blemish on her resume is as such: she’s never led the ‘Cats to the mountaintop.
Let me explain.
When Taylor and company won it all in 2023, that company included a “who’s who” of the NCAA’s best: Izzy Scane, Erin Coykendall and Hailey Rhatigan, just to name a few. Recognizing this is not to be confused as an attempt to discredit her role as a first-year: Taylor tied for the game-high in goals in that national title game against BC, which is only a snapshot of what she did. But it’s hard to deny that the support around her was astounding, and can be categorized as one of the deepest rosters of the past decade.
Fast forward to 2025, when that support is long gone and Taylor is now the focal point of the offense, dominating ranked opponent after ranked opponent and having her way offensively.
Until she reached the national championship.
Taylor was completely erased from the Northwestern attack, held scoreless on a measly three shot attempts. When the lights were turned up to maximum brightness, the nation’s top scorer was nowhere to be found.
Her senior year is one that can be characterized as her redemption arc: her opportunity to trek back to the biggest game of the year, only this time, to exhibit her dominance when it matters most.
One final chance to lead. One final chance to triumph. One final chance to cement her legacy as a Northwestern great, while doing so on the legendary lakefront, which has seen countless moments etched in the lore of Wildcat athletics forever.
With a national championship, Taylor can join that sacred lore as one of the best to ever touch a lacrosse stick.
As we hit the halfway point in the NBA schedule, the Los Angeles Clippers finally seem to be salvaging their season, but that progress will be tested tonight when they host the Los Angeles Lakers at Intuit Dome.
The Battle of L.A. season series sits at 1-1 heading into this matchup, and my Lakers vs. Clippers predictions expect LeBron James to be one of the swing factors.
Let’s dive right into my NBA picks for Thursday, January 22.
Lakers vs Clippers prediction
Lakers vs Clippers best bet: LeBron James Over 12.5 rebounds + assists (-112 bet365)
LeBron James’ injury issues may point to a 41-year-old in his 23rd season, but his stat lines suggest he’s got something left in the tank. James has been able to keep his sciatica and arthritis at bay while starting 2026 with a bang, so look for his fingerprints to be all over tonight’s clash with the Los Angeles Clippers.
With Luka Doncic doing so much of the scoring for the Los Angeles Lakers, I’m targeting LeBron’s rebounds and assists here, and he’s gone past this combo O/U number in four of his past five outings.
James has been getting the job done in both these categories so far this month, with averages of 7.7 RPG and 7.6 APG in January, and he was closing in on a triple-double in L.A.’s win over the Denver Nuggets earlier this week.
Until Austin Reaves returns, LeBron is going to have a larger share of the playmaking, particularly when Luka is on the bench, and there’s just not a lot of secondary ball-handling in the current rotation. Equally, he’s got a big role to play alongside Deandre Ayton on the boards.
At this stage of his career, James can still do the little things that drive winning, and the Lakers will need all of that veteran savvy to hold off their cross-city rivals tonight.
Lakers vs Clippers same-game parlay
The Lakers are 7-3 SU in their last 10 meetings with the Clippers, and an impressive 14-8 on the road this season. With Kawhi Leonard still listed as questionable, the burden on James Harden could once again be massive, and the hosts gave up 138 points to the Chicago Bulls this week.
Harden continues to put up big numbers, and I’ll take the Over on his rebounds prop here. He’s grabbed 4+ boards in six of his last seven games, and the Clippers will gladly keep him closer to the rim if it avoids the Luka defensive assignment.
Lakers vs Clippers SGP
James Over 12.5 reb+ast
Lakers moneyline
Harden Over 3.5 rebounds
Our “from downtown” SGP: Brick by brick
Ivica Zubac has had some miserable possessions trying to guard Doncic on switches in the past, but the Clippers will lean on him for big minutes here. Zubac has posted three straight double-doubles, and he’s finished with 11+ rebounds in his last four games.
Lakers vs Clippers SGP
James Over 12.5 reb+ast
Lakers moneyline
Harden Over 3.5 rebounds
Zubac double-double
Lakers vs Clippers odds
Spread: Lakers -1.5 (+100) | Clippers +1.5 (-120)
Moneyline: Lakers -110 | Clippers -110
Over/Under: Over 223.5 (-110) | Under 223.5 (-110)
Lakers vs Clippers betting trend to know
The Lakers are 5-2 ATS in the last seven meetings between these teams. Find more NBA betting trends for Lakers vs. Clippers.
How to watch Lakers vs Clippers
Location
Intuit Dome, Inglewood, CA
Date
Thursday, January 22, 2026
Tip-off
10:00 p.m. ET
TV
Prime Video
Lakers vs Clippers latest injuries
Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here
Spring training is fast approaching, but not fast enough for me. These days, we are in a serious baseball content drought: MLB The Show is in end-of-life, most of the major names have been signed, and the trade market is churning around the league but not in the Pacific Northwest. All I have left to keep me going these days is the 40 in 40s. Most recently, I read what Isabelle Minasian wrote about Emerson Hancock. The article was a good read. Hancock’s status as a former 6th overall pick makes the Mariners’ development of him interesting, especially considering the success they’ve had with other guys who didn’t have as much pedigree, like Bryan Woo or Bryce Miller. Hancock is not the only player to raise these kinds of questions. The Mariners currently have a plethora of players who may, in fact, be on their last chance or close to it. Through circumstance, injury, or just plain chance, these are players who now find themselves on the outside looking in of the opening day roster, which raises a few questions for me:
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Mariners fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
Now, obviously, there may be other players you have opinions about, but let me explain why I chose who I chose.
Cole Young could become the starting second baseman right out of spring training, or even third base if things don’t work out for Williamson over there. A bad spring for Young could mean starting in Triple-A and allowing the Mariners to run out whoever for 2-3 months while Young builds up some performance again in the minors. Williamson is in a similar boat to Young; it seems they are going to go with him at third, but I would hesitate to call it a sure thing. Williamson had some good moments last year and looked solid, but is going to take more than 76 OPS+ to be a core contributor on this team at a power premium position, at least I think it should. Luke Raley didn’t see consistent action last year due to injury, but even when he was healthy, he still didn’t see an uptick in use and went unused in the playoffs. Raley has to come out of the gate hot. He has some value as a utility player for outfield and first, but with the addition of Refsnyder, the bench bat reps will be hotly contested.
Bryce Miller was harangued by injury, inconsistency and poor performance last year, I imagine mostly stemming from his repeated elbow issues. Miller has shown he can be dominant. I fully expect him to return to form and more this season. Meanwhile, I am a well-known Canzone hater. Canzone has had flashes, but I’m ready to see him put it together if he can. However, if he can’t, I support ending the Canzone experience. Emerson Hancock’s name still haunts the comments on these posts. What is there to say that Isabelle hasn’t said already? He’s 26, a former top pick, now is the time to show us he’s got it. The inconsistent usage, being called up and down at a whim, I’m sure, takes its toll mentally and physically. But Hancock has got to show up with a new gear this year, or I fear his time as a Mariner may be soon drawing to a close.
Of course, I can’t let you go without seeing the results from last week. So let us get into it. Last week I asked you all if you thought the Mariners were done this offseason, and boy did people let me know:
Vast majority of you said no. I think that’s cope (formerly known as Edge) but I guess we shall see. If there is going to be a deal, it will be the NL Central, either the Cubs or the Cardinals, but I really think the asking price for Nico Hoerner or Brendan Donovan is too high. That being said, competitive teams make competitive moves; you rarely miss prospects when you’re playing in October. Plus, while the cost is high now, it might only get higher at the deadline, or depending on where teams are at, become nonexistent.
In relation to that we also asked if you thought the Mariners had a World Series level roster as they are right now, the results were less straightforward:
Slight lean towards “I don’t know,” but really it’s split into thirds. Obviously, we still have yet to see how this group will play over the course of a full season. Personally, I don’t think the Mariners have made massively impactful changes that put them over the top, but I guess that depends on how much they need to get over the hill.
Regardless, let us know what you think in the comments and survey below… or I guess above in this case.
