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The Pulse Newsletter📣 | This is The Athletic’s daily sports newsletter. Sign up here to receive The Pulse directly in your inbox.
Good morning! Happy first Sunday of the year, and last of the NFL regular season.
Circling Back: Let’s ask this question again, differently
I love when a season narrative ends in a neat arc. The MVP race represents exactly that to Pulse readers. Two quick points:
- In August, we asked you before the season who you would rather have: Lamar Jackson or Josh Allen. The two-time MVP or the Bills’ supremely talented QB. You overwhelmingly chose Allen, a choice I disagreed with but respected.
- We have reached the final day of the NFL season, and those two are the leading MVP candidates. It is unsurprising, as either could easily be considered the league’s best quarterback. But seasons can be unpredictable, with injuries, slumps, etc., so it’s still notable we’re back here.
The debate is fraught, too. Jackson is having a slightly better season than Allen statistically. He’s accounted for more yards, more touchdowns and a better expected EPA. He’s also having a better season than his performance a year ago, when he also won MVP. Yesterday, in Baltimore’s 35-10 win over Cleveland to claim the AFC North, Jackson became the first NFL QB to throw for 4,000 yards and rush for 800 yards in a season.
I mean, he’s practically celebrating touchdowns as the ball leaves his hand.
- And yet, BetMGM had Allen as the betting favorite (Allen -300, Jackson +220) entering the weekend. To be fair, Allen has been spectacular this year, too, but his MVP ascendancy is truly a more compelling narrative. Voters have historically done this. Jackson has won two MVPs already. The story’s been written. Allen has been an MVP candidate for years, too, without a win. That’s new.
So let’s rephrase our question slightly and pick the Pulse MVP before the real one gets announced: Who are you picking now?
Make your voice heard here.
Stephen Maturen / Getty Images
NFL Watch Guide: Thank you, NFC North
Welcome to the last day of the NFL regular season. The good news, if you have a busy Sunday ahead: do all your errands early today. Our mammoth game is the last one, which just has to make the NFL schedule-makers giddy.
All times ET:
1 p.m.
Saints (5-11) at Buccaneers (9-7) — The early slate is filled with somewhat meaningless games, but there’s a division title to be decided here in Tampa Bay, where a Bucs win over a hapless New Orleans team would seal the deal. The Falcons (8-8) are one game back and play the Panthers in this same window. TV: Fox
4:25 p.m.
Chiefs (15-1) at Broncos (9-7) — All eyes are on Denver here, where a win puts the Broncos in the playoffs. A loss opens up possible chaos and gives both the Dolphins and the Bengals a chance to take their spot. The Chiefs are resting their stars, too. TV: CBS
8:20 p.m.
Vikings (14-2) at Lions (14-2) — On paper, this is the best game of the entire season. Week 18, division rivals, both Super Bowl contenders. The winner here earns the NFC’s No. 1 seed, a bye and the NFC North title. The loser gets a road playoff game at the NFC South winner and no bye. Simple stakes are the best stakes. TV: NBC
Follow our Week 18 live blog for the latest updates.
News to Know
Brady’s potential growing influence
The Raiders enter today’s matchup seeking a third straight win, but coach Antonio Pierce’s future remains uncertain, as our Dianna Russini reported yesterday. Nobody on the coaching staff “has been given any guarantees,” per Dianna. But here’s the kicker: If Pierce is let go, Russini says she’d expect that Tom Brady, in his capacity as a minority owner, will have significant influence on who the next head coach will be. Reminder: This is the Tom Brady who is calling the Saints-Bucs game today. 😬
More Black Monday buzz here.
Heat suspend Butler
Well, that escalated quickly: One day after Jimmy Butler’s request to be traded out of Miami became public, the Heat suspended him for seven games for “multiple instances of conduct detrimental to the team.” Eight days after Pat Riley said Miami would not trade Butler, the team also said it is now “listening to offers.” The National Basketball Players Association plans to file a grievance to dispute Butler’s punishment. What a mess.
More news
- Sonny Smart, father of Georgia head coach Kirby Smart, died early yesterday in New Orleans after complications from hip surgery stemming from a fall while he was in New Orleans to attend the Sugar Bowl.
- Magic Johnson and Lionel Messi were among the 19 people who received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Joe Biden yesterday. Full story here.
- USMNT star Christian Pulisic returned from injury for his club team, Milan, on Friday and converted a penalty in a win over Juventus to advance to the Italian Super Cup final.
- Jason Kelce‘s new late-night show, “They Call It Late Night With Jason Kelce,” premiered at 1 a.m. ET yesterday. Dan Shanoff has takeaways.
- The Bulls announced they will retire former MVP Derrick Rose’s No. 1 jersey next season. More details here.
Pulse Picks
I was floored by this story about Celine Haidar, a 19-year-old Lebanese soccer prodigy struck by shrapnel during the ongoing conflict with Israel. Haidar has become a symbol of the war, but her loved ones just want her back. Make time for this today.
Nikola Jokić has been a basketball god for years. But the 6-11 two-time MVP has become … the best shooter in the NBA this year. What? Tony Jones talked to the unicorn to find out how.
What has Mike Vrabel, arguably the hottest candidate on the NFL coaching market, been up to this year? Zack Rosenblatt spent time with Vrabel over the last five months and came away with a fantastic tale of who Vrabel is now, and what drives him. So good.
Change came for Max Homa this offseason, from the threads to the clubs. It’s smart business and a new look for Homa, who says he needed a change-filled offseason to find joy again.
Most-clicked in Friday’s newsletter: Stewart Mandel’s Final Thoughts after the Notre Dame-Georgia game, and I fully believed you all went to laugh at my LSU pain.
Most-read on the website yesterday: Dianna’s always-buzzy Saturday column.
Try today’s Connections: Sports Edition beta.
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(Top photo: Michael Owens / Getty Images)
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