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NFL 2-year power rankings for the NFC in 2024 and 2025 nfl,year,power,rankings,for,the,nfc,in,and,sbnation,com,front-page,nfl,dot-com-grid-coverage

NFL 2 year power rankings for the NFC in 2024 and
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The Kansas City Chiefs should already be considered a dynasty, as the only other teams in NFL history to win at least three Super Bowls in a five-year span or less are the 1974-1979 Steelers, the 1992-1995 Cowboys, the 2001-2004 Patriots, and the 2014-2018 Patriots.

Not only is that exclusive company; the Chiefs also reached the Super Bowl in 2020, losing to Tom Brady’s only “non-dynasty” team, and Patrick Mahomes has played in six straight AFC Championships for Andy Reid.

Now comes the crazy part: Is this only the beginning?

In part one of a two-part series ranking all 32 teams based on their chances of winning the Super Bowl in either of the next two seasons—2024 or 2025—the Chiefs come in first place by an absolute landslide. Who is the closest challenger to stop Kansas City from winning their fourth championship in a six or seven-year span?

First, you have to understand the 7 categories that all teams are being judged by:

The 7 categories

HC/Stability – Ranking not only the quality of the head coach, but also how STABLE is he in the job? Mike McCarthy could be a really good head coach, however he’s also on the hot seat.

Recent History – What have you done for me lately?

Non-QB Roster, 2024-2025: Accounting for all the non-QBs on the roster, how much talent is there and how likely is it that the good players will be good and on the team for each of the next two years?

QB/Passing Success – Ranking not only the quarterbacks, but also the passing game; so it’s not just “Geno Smith” in a bubble, it’s Geno plus DK Metcalf, plus the offensive line, plus the offensive coordinator, all culminating in answering “How good is the entire passing offense?”

DEF/Passing Un-Success – So the opposite of the QB/Passing Success question, looking at the defenses and defensive coordinators

Division Hierarchy Situation, also known as DHS – Teams were ranked on a combination of Overall Division Quality + Their place in the Hierarchy. So the Browns are a good team, but they’re fourth in the hierarchy of the toughest division in the NFL.

Dealer’s Choice – For all variables that didn’t get a category, like salary cap situation, and ownership, and probability of injury regression, etc., this is my own personal stamp on the rankings.

Every team was ranked 1-32 in each category and then we split it up into AFC and NFC. You get 1 point for being ranked 1st, 32 points for being ranked 32nd, and just like golf the lower your score, the better.

1. Kansas City Chiefs (Points: 17)

Overall ranking: 1
Best ranking: HC (1), Recent (1), QB (1), Dealer’s Choice (1)
Worst ranking: Non-QB Roster (8)

It was practically a clean sweep for the Chiefs, as they had the top ranking in recent history (obviously), coaching/stability, quarterback/passing success, and dealer’s choice. That gave the Chiefs less than half the point total of the second place team, so if you’re betting on a team to win either of the next two Super Bowls, it has to be Kansas City. Andy Reid recently signed an extension, but even if he retired after 2024, there are several experienced veteran coaches already in place to carry the torch with a solid infrastructure built for Patrick Mahomes.

As for Mahomes’ increasing salary, with a cap hit of $66 million in 2025, the Chiefs can restructure or re-negotiate the deal to bring that down and they probably will in order to keep free agents like Creed Humphrey and Trey Smith. Keeping players or surviving without them hasn’t proven to be an issue for Reid yet, and the Chiefs remain the last team anybody wants to see in a playoff situation.

2. Baltimore Ravens (Points: 38)

Overall ranking: 2
Best ranking: Def/Pass (1)
Worst ranking: DHS (16)

The biggest loss, defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald, had a rising star waiting in the wings behind him named Zach Orr, so perhaps we will find out that the Ravens aren’t much worse off on that side of the ball. The one thing holding back the Ravens on this list was their DHS (Division Hierarchy Situation). Though Baltimore sits atop the AFC North, it still appears to be the toughest division in the NFL, and look what happened to the Bengals last year, as they went from AFC Championship game losers in 2022 to out of the playoffs.

3. Buffalo Bills (Points: 39)

Overall ranking: 3
Best ranking: DHS (1)
Worst ranking: Non-QB Roster (11)

Say what you want about the receivers room: I don’t think it matters as much when you have Josh Allen, the second-to-last QB I’d want to see in the playoffs. The Bills have won four straight division titles, and parting ways with Stefon Diggs and Tre’Davious White might end up making the Bills a stronger team overall because it increases the odds that the team will spend the offseason, the season, and the 2025 season with the same players.

4. Houston Texans (Points: 71)

Overall ranking: 7
Best ranking: DHS (4)
Worst ranking: Non-QB Roster (15)

This seems early for the Texans, but look at this way: Which teams have the best odds of winning their division in EACH of the next two seasons? The Texans seem to have the all-important triumvirate of a successful NFL team: DeMeco Ryans, C.J. Stroud, and a really good defense. But they also have a top-10 offensive line, a deep group of supporting skill players, and they just put Danielle Hunter opposite of Will Anderson. The AFC South could be the best division in a couple of years depending on the development of the four quarterbacks, but right now it belongs to Houston. Look at this way: Would you rather be the second-best team in the AFC North or the best team in the AFC South? I’d rather have that guaranteed playoff home game.

5. Cincinnati Bengals (Points: 74)

Overall ranking: 8
Best ranking: HC (6), Recent (6), Dealer’s Choice (6)
Worst ranking: Def/Pass (24)

If we were only ranking quarterback/passing offense and recent success, the Bengals would be in the top 3. There are numerous obstacles to overcome in the next two years, however, including how competitive it is in the AFC North, Joe Burrow’s health, the contract situation for Tee Higgins, and a defense that couldn’t get the job done last season, ranking 32nd in yards per pass attempt and 30th in yards per carry allowed. But they do score high in those other things.

6. Cleveland Browns (Points: 88)

Overall ranking: 12
Best ranking: Def/Pass (2)
Worst ranking: DHS (25)

Have you tried ranking the quarterbacks lately? It gets very hard to do outside of the top 10, if not the top 5. Try it. I put Deshaun Watson and company 19th, which seems high given how bad he’s been the past two seasons in Cleveland, but there aren’t a lot of attractive options behind him either and there is a strong supporting cast of coaches, offensive linemen, and skill players around him. By the way, the strongest correlation of any two categories is between “recent success” and “QB/passing play” so take that as you will. I don’t think saying that better quarterbacks win more games than average or bad quarterbacks will make your head explode.

t7. Los Angeles Chargers (Points: 97)

Overall ranking: t13
Best ranking: QB (4)
Worst ranking: Recent (23), Def/Pass (23)

In his previous stint as an NFL head coach, Jim Harbaugh took over a 6-10 team from Mike Singletary and went 13-3 in his first season. These Chargers are more talented than those 49ers, but Harbaugh didn’t have to worry about Patrick Mahomes back then. Still, look at the talent around Justin Herbert after adding Joe Alt, Ladd McConkey, Gus Edwards, J.K. Dobbins, Will Dissly, D.J. Chark, and Hayden Hurst to an offense that wasn’t lacking in talent and you can see how L.A. might be a legitimate Super Bowl contender in 2025.

t7. Jacksonville Jaguars (Points: 97)

Overall ranking: t13
Best ranking: QB/Pass (8), DHS (8)
Worst ranking: HC (19), Non-QB Roster (19)

The Jaguars are in a division they can win, with a head coach who has won a Super Bowl, and a defense that has two under-27 pass rushers who posted double-digit sacks in 2023. Can you believe the Jaguars have been to an AFC Championship game more recently than the Steelers?

9. Miami Dolphins (Points: 100)

Overall ranking: 15
Best ranking: Non-QB Roster (3)
Worst ranking: Def/Pass (26)

The Dolphins are definitely more talented than some teams ranked ahead of them here, and Mike McDaniel is one of, if not the best, offensive play callers in the NFL. But Miami has to figure out how they can pay Tua Tagovailoa while keeping everyone else happy, as well as whether they even should pay Tua, plus many of their stars are either over 30 or will be soon. Are Tyreek Hill and Jalen Ramsey going to be playing at the same high level next year, and can players like Terron Armstead, Bradley Chubb, Jaelan Phillips, and Tua stay healthy? They have as much talent as they do uncertainty.

Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports

10. Pittsburgh Steelers (Points: 111)

Overall ranking: 16
Best ranking: Non-QB Roster (7)
Worst ranking: QB (28)

Yes, they have made the playoffs in three of the last four years and went 10-7 last season. They also haven’t won a playoff game since 2016 and they haven’t had a “really good” playoff win since beating the Ravens in the Divisional Round in 2010. Unless Russell Wilson is to the Steelers what Kurt Warner was to the Cardinals, Pittsburgh could have their first losing season since 2003 and they’re a fourth place team if Deshaun Watson is halfway decent for the Browns. But they got top-10 grades in coaching, non-QB roster, and defense.

11. New York Jets (Points: 126)

Overall ranking: T17
Best ranking: Def/Pass (4)
Worst ranking: HC/Stability (32)

If Aaron Rodgers is healthy and not on vacation during the regular season, the Jets roster is as good as it’s ever going to get. The offense gets four new offensive linemen (Tyron Smith, Olu Fashanu, Morgan Moses, John Simpson), two recent early draft picks to round the line out (Alijah Vera-Tucker, Joe Tippmann at center), plus the addition of Mike Williams as the No. 2 receiver.

That’s for 2024. So are they all-in? No, because even if Rodgers is slowing down next year, the Jets are projected to be sixth in cap space in 2025 and owner Woody Johnson has proven that he’s willing to overspend whatever it takes. Keep in mind, the Jets are only tied for 17th so this isn’t like predicting they’ll make it to the Super Bowl, they’re just higher on the list than Baker Mayfield and Kirk Cousins.

12. Indianapolis Colts (Points: 140)

Overall ranking: 23
Best ranking: Non-QB Roster (13)
Worst ranking: Def/Pass (31)

Between the Colts and the Saints, two teams I’ve got ranked third in their respective weak South divisions, I prefer head coach Shane Steichen to Dennis Allen. And though I’m far from sold on Anthony Richardson, he’s got plenty of upside while Derek Carr has none. I also wouldn’t be shocked if first-round edge rusher Laiatu Latu wastes no time in having an impact.

13. Tennessee Titans (Points: 169)

Overall ranking: 25
Best ranking: Def/Pass (19)
Worst ranking: QB (30)

If firing Mike Vrabel was a bad decision, then why do I feel more optimistic about the Titans because of Brian Callahan? Probably because head coaches who call offensive plays are more in style than those who don’t. Is that fair or unfair? I’m not here to judge. The Titans might have the most room between their QB’s head and the ceiling though: Will Levis was too inconsistent as a rookie to be a starter, so Tennessee brought in Callahan to call the offense and signed Calvin Ridley, Tyler Boyd to catch passes, and also drafted a new tackle in J.C. Latham in the top 10.

14. Denver Broncos (Points: 189)

Overall ranking: 28
Best ranking: HC/Stability (17)
Worst ranking: Def/Pass (32)

The Broncos had the second-highest ranked head coach situation of any team in the bottom half of the list (I have Kevin O’Connell one spot ahead of Sean Payton), which tells you just how bad Denver looks on paper. I’m not going to criticize drafting Bo Nix, because it’s not that uncommon for a quarterback picked outside of the top 5 at the position to have success, but it would seem that a lot does hinge on that decision. However, the Broncos’ ranking isn’t really low because of Nix. They have a lot of projected starters “with something to prove” because they failed to gain or retain starting jobs on their previous teams, and it’s hard to imagine Denver finishing higher than third in either of the next two seasons.

t15. Las Vegas Raiders (Points: 190)

Overall ranking: T29
Best ranking: Def/Pass (14)
Worst ranking: QB (32)

After the Broncos fired Josh McDaniels in 2010, they reached five straight Divisional Round playoff games and two Super Bowls. Could Antonio Pierce provide a similar rebound in Las Vegas? Maybe only if Peyton Manning comes out of retirement and brings a time machine. (Those Broncos did win a playoff game with Tim Tebow, but this isn’t the 2011 AFC West.) It seems like the Raiders want to do as well as they can this season, then wait to see if Dak Prescott or Tua Tagovailoa becomes available next year. Teams won’t be going the draft route this time, tanking has no endgame, and I think the Raiders anticipate being the most aggressive team on the market in 2025 and that it’s highly probable that a big-name quarterback will change teams.

t15. New England Patriots (Points: 190)

Overall ranking: t29
Best ranking: Def/Pass (12)
Worst ranking: Non-QB Roster (32), Dealer’s Choice (32)

Left tackle Chukwuma Okorafor will be protecting quarterback Jacoby Brissett (pre-Drake Maye), throwing to Kendrick Bourne and Ja’Lynn Polk, with plays called by Alex Van Pelt, who was fired by the Browns in January. Even giving Maye a chance to prove he’s good in 2025, New England could be the worst offense in the NFL right now. Even if the Jets and Dolphins both collapse, will the Patriots beat the Bills or win an AFC Wild Card? Not likely before 2026.

NFL: New England Patriots Minicamp

Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports

Payton Pritchard hit another NBA Finals halfcourt dagger seconds after checking in for Celtics payton,pritchard,hit,another,nba,finals,halfcourt,dagger,seconds,after,checking,in,for,celtics,sbnation,com,front-page,nba,nba-playoffs,nba-finals

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The Boston Celtics returned to their home floor in Game 5 of the 2024 NBA Finals with the chance to clinch the series and secure the 18th championship in franchise history. The Dallas Mavericks couldn’t even make it to halftime before Boston turned the game into a blowout.

The Celtics took a 67-46 lead into halftime against Dallas in Game 5 on Monday night. Boston’s offense led a cascade of shot-making, rim attacking, and ferocious defense. The Celtics saved their most devastating bucket of the first half for last.

Payton Pritchard didn’t play in Game 5 until Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla checked him in as Dallas went to the free throw line with four seconds left in the half. Pritchard had already hit a halfcourt in NBA Finals, beating the third quarter buzzer back in Game 2. He out-did himself in Game 5, delivering a buzzer-beating dagger to Dallas just before halftime. Watch the play here:

Pritchard checked in just to take a halfcourt heave, and he drained it. Mazzulla remains a mad genius.

It’s the longest shot made in the NBA Finals in the last 20 years, according to ESPN.

Pritchard has been the Celtics’ first guard off the bench all season long. He doesn’t play big minutes for the team, but like any role player on a championship team, he’ll soon be beloved in Boston forever. These halfcourt shots in the NBA Finals will be replayed for the rest of his life. Celtics fans are already loving this one:

The Celtics were the best team in the NBA all season. For the first time in the Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown era, they end the season on top of the league.

Derrick White got his face smashed in for Celtics to prove how bad he wants a ring derrick,white,got,his,face,smashed,in,for,celtics,to,prove,how,bad,he,wants,a,ring,sbnation,com,front-page,nba

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The Boston Celtics have a chance Monday night to capture their 18th NBA Finals title. And they are putting it all on the line in pursuit of that championship.

Literally.

With the minutes ticking down in the first half, Boston held a 52-39 lead over the visiting Dallas Mavericks in Game 5, and were locked in on the defensive end. Dallas forward P.J. Washington stumbled off the dribble and tried to shove a pass in the direction of Dereck Lively, but the ball was knocked loose by Jayson Tatum.

In the ensuing melee for the loose ball, Derrick White of the Celtics absolutely laid out trying to corral the ball, before catching an entire face full of the parquet floor at T.D. Garden:

If you dare, you can watch the close-up replay of White’s effort:

In the moment, it looked as if Boston would lose the player that has been the “oomph” of their roster since he was acquired via trade during the 2022 season. White made his way to the Celtics bench after staying down on the floor for a moment, and was looked at by Celtics trainers:

He returned to the game immediately after.

And buried a three moments later to give Boston a 60-42 lead.

Look at this guy:

Between that and another heave at the buzzer from Payton Prichard, Boston has had one heck of a first half.

And they are 24 minutes away from their 18th banner.

Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese’s rivalry is a good thing for the WNBA, and they know it caitlin,clark,and,angel,reese,s,rivalry,is,a,good,thing,for,the,wnba,and,they,know,it,sbnation,com,front-page,nba,wnba,womens-sports,all-womens-sports,wnba-content,dot-com-grid-coverage

Caitlin Clark and Angel Reeses rivalry is a good thing
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INDIANAPOLIS — It may still be very early in their respective journeys, but Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark will be tied to one another no matter what happens over the rest of their careers.

Even before simultaneously entering the WNBA as part of one of the most heralded rookie classes ever, Clark and Reese — and especially the competitive college clashes between their Iowa Hawkeyes and LSU Tigers, respectively — played a huge role in bringing the women’s game to a national audience.

Sunday offered the latest chapter in their rapidly growing rivalry. For the second time in as many meetings against the Chicago Sky, Clark was hit with a hard foul. This time, it was Reese who caught Clark in the head on a block attempt, a play that was eventually deemed a Flagrant-1 foul.

While it likely won’t create the national firestorm the last flagrant foul against Clark in a game against the Sky did, it was a watershed moment between the two in another game that came down to the wire, a recurring theme in matchups between the pair.

Clark had arguably her best game in the WNBA, flirting with a triple-double while finishing with 23 points, 9 assists and 8 rebounds, as well as a couple of late clutch plays — including an assist to NaLyssa Smith and a pair of free throws in the final 30 seconds — that helped seal a fifth win of the season for the Fever (5-10) and fourth in the last six games.

Reese left her mark as well, scoring 11 points to go with 13 rebounds (5 of them were offensive), and 5 assists.

After the game, though, there was only one topic to discuss. After cursory first questions to open their pressers, the second question for both Clark and Reese postgame was about the flagrant foul.

“What’s going through my mind is I need to make these two free throws,” Clark said when asked about Reese’s flagrant foul. “That’s all I’m thinking about. It’s just part of basketball. It is what it is. She’s trying to make a play on the ball and get the block but, yeah, it happens.”

Reese, meanwhile, was far shorter with her response, calling the foul a “basketball play” and stating that she was going for the ball. Neither wanted to make a big deal about it, but that won’t stop the take train from going down the tracks — and potentially derailing women’s basketball discourse for a few days once again.

Clark and Reese are no strangers to being in this spotlight, nor is it new for them to do it together. Sunday was the eighth time the pair have faced off, including in college. Reese won the first four meetings, culminating in the national title game in 2023 in which the first viral moment between the two came when Reese taunted Clark in the waning seconds of the game.

Clark, though, has won the three most recent meetings. That includes the Elite Eight contest earlier this year and the two WNBA meetings between the pair so far.

While their duels in the Big Ten when Reese was at Maryland in her freshman and sophomore seasons before transferring to LSU didn’t capture the national audience, their tournament showdowns certainly did. The pair helped set the record for the most-watched women’s college basketball game of all time in 2023 at 9.9 million viewers.

This spring in a rematch with a Final Four berth on the line, they obliterated that record, with 12 million fans tuning into the game. In their first WNBA meeting this season, 1.5 million fans tuned in, the fourth-largest audience to watch a WNBA game in the last two decades at the time.

After years of commanding enormous audiences on the collegiate level, Clark and Reese are now bringing a whole new set of eyes to the professional ranks.

“They love to watch us,” Reese said of her and Clark before Sunday’s meeting. “I think we’ve done a great job bringing a lot of fans to the league from college. I think we both have done that from our respective schools and [having] our championship runs and going to the Final Four. I think we did a great job bringing fans from college to the league and…we’ll continue to help [the league] grow.”

Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Given the events and controversy that took place in the first meeting between the Fever and Sky in their first meeting, the TV audience for Sunday’s game will almost certainly be another large one. Gainbridge Fieldhouse was sold out for the fourth time this season, and the fans were as loud as they’ve been all year.

It’s inarguable that Reese and Clark are compelling television: two of the best young players in the world squaring off with one another time and time again as they help grow the game along the way.

But what Clark thinks draws audiences most, though, is the “emotion and passion” the two play those showdowns with.

“I think people love to see that,” Clark said. “I think that’s maybe not something that was always appreciated in women’s sports and it should be. That’s what makes it fun. We’re competitors. That’s the way the game should be. It’s going to get a little feisty, it’s going to get a little physical but at the end of the day, both teams are just trying to win.

“I think what she’s done with her platform is incredible. She has an entire fanbase that has supported her [with] what she did at Maryland and then LSU. Obviously, I’ve played her for a very long time and she’s been a tremendous player. It’s been fun to get to compete against. I think it’s been really good for the game. People just love seeing great matchups. But also, at the same time, people tune in for these matchups but then they get to see how amazing these teams are and then they find new players to support and continue to come back for them, too. So, I think that’s another benefit of it, honestly.”

Sunday was another noteworthy moment in the rivalry. Even if both downplayed it, the headlines from the game won’t be about Clark’s near-triple-double or Reese’s double-double. It will bring attention to the league, but not in the way either desire.

The pair, though, is bringing lots of the wanted attention to the league as well. And Reese and Clark will have plenty of opportunities to provide more memorable moments against one another.

The WNBA is not chock full of rivalries that resonate on a national scale the way Clark’s and Reese’s do. The Liberty and Aces are a clear one as the league’s two superteams, but outside of that, there aren’t many other nationally-known rivalries.

Pregame, Fever head coach Christie Sides was asked if their matchups against the Sky feel like rivalry games. Sides, who served as an assistant in Chicago from 2011 through 2016, said it was a “huge” rivalry and has been for many years. But even if that’s how it felt to those on the inside already, the addition of Reese and Clark was always going to bring it up a couple of notches now.

They’re two of the bright young stars in this game and have already defined an era of the college game. They look to be on the path to doing the same in the WNBA as well.

And if they do, it could help elevate the league to its highest levels yet.

You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude.

Angel Reese whacks Caitlin Clark in head for Flagrant-1 foul, and WNBA refs got it right angel,reese,whacks,caitlin,clark,in,head,for,flagrant,foul,and,wnba,refs,got,it,right,sbnation,com,front-page,wnba,draftkings

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Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese entered the WNBA has household names after their electric rivalry in women’s college basketball. Reese’s LSU team beat Clark’s Iowa team in the 2023 national championship game when both players were juniors. They met again in the Sweet 16 as seniors, and Clark and the Hawkeyes got revenge by ending LSU’s season.

Clark was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft to the Indiana Fever. Reese went No. 7 overall to the Chicago Sky. There’s already a budding rivalry between their pro teams after Chicago’s Chennedy Carter hip-checked Clark earlier this season in a play that started a nauseating amount of national discourse. Part of the problem with that play was the refs ruled Carter’s cheap shot as a common foul — until the league changed it to a Flagrant foul the next day.

As the Sky and Fever met again on Sunday in a nationally broadcast game on CBS, Clark was again hit with a hard foul, but this time the refs got the call right. As Clark was driving to the basket, Reese went for the block and hit her hard in the head. The officials called for a review and determined it was a Flagrant-1 foul, meaning Clark got two free throws and then Indiana got the ball. Watch the play here:

This isn’t a dirty play or intentional cheap shot. Clark went for the layup, Reese tried to recover for the block, and while going for the ball she whacked Clark in the head.

Clark looked just fine after the sequence, scoring nine points in the last five minutes of the third quarter. Hopefully she’s okay because hard hits to the head are nothing to play around with.

The Angel Reese vs. Caitlin Clark rivalry will keep going strong in the WNBA. It’s must-see TV every time these two players matchup.

Golf Talk Today: Look Bryson DeChambeau is great for professional golf golf,talk,today,look,bryson,dechambeau,is,great,for,professional,golf,sbnation,com,golf,us-open-golf,golf-majors,golf-pga-tour,golf-opinions,golf-news

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Welcome to Playing Through’s new morning ritual — Golf Talk Today.

Each morning will feature a Golf Talk Today, where the crew will discuss various elements throughout the PGA Tour, LPGA, LIV Golf, and more.

It’s Championship Sunday at the 124th U.S. Open.

Bryson DeChambeau leads by three shots ahead of the final 18 holes. His 3-under 67 was impressive to watch on Saturday. However, it was not his physical golf game that was the most intriguing; it was how he ultimately won over the crowd. They chanted USA-USA-USA like it was the Ryder Cup throughout his round on Saturday.

He may play for LIV Golf, but the fans love DeChambeau.

So brew a pot of coffee, grab some breakfast, and settle in as we discuss why DeChambeau is excellent for the game of golf.

Bryson DeChambeau’s U.S. Open performance is good for golf

People will likely always love or hate DeChambeau. Many still feel he is the same guy from a few years ago when he won his first U.S. Open in 2020. However, he is not the same guy — physically or mentally.

He brings such excitement to the event. DeChambeau interacts with the crowd. The 30-year-old stopped mid-round and signed a kid’s flag for wearing a flat cap.

DeChambeau has changed his outlook on the fans, and it has shown.

Golf needs a big personality like DeChambeau. His quirky, nerdy, and scientific approach to the game is who he is— it is not a front. Maybe since the casual golf fan only sees him four times a year, it is not as off-putting as it used to be.

Those who follow him know his social media content is personable and fun to watch. He shares his personality and who he is.

DeChambeau has blossomed into this guy that so many want to watch at the majors.

Growing the game is what so many in professional golf want to achieve, and DeChambeau does that.

The USA-USA-USA chants turned off some people on Saturday, but it felt like such a Ryder Cup atmosphere at a major championship. It is special. Love or hate him, the exposure DeChambeau brings to golf is far more important than who he plays for.

ICYMI: Top stories from the U.S. Open

Check out these stories:

U.S. Open Day 3 Winners, Losers: Bryson DeChambeau dominates, can Rory McIlroy win?

Tony Finau, Ludvig Åberg collapse on 13, kiss U.S. Open chances goodbye

Rory McIlroy feeling confident despite Bryson DeChambeau’s sizable U.S. Open lead

Scottie Scheffler’s putter abandons him, goes wrong way on U.S. Open leaderboard

PGA Tour, LIV Golf fans obsess over Cameron Smith’s unconditional polo at U.S. Open=

Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. For more golf coverage, be sure to follow us @_PlayingThrough on all major social platforms. You can also follow her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports.

2024 U.S. Open: Final round tee times posted for Pinehurst u,s,open,final,round,tee,times,posted,for,pinehurst,sbnation,com,golf,us-open-golf,golf-majors,golf-pga-tour,golf-news,liv-golf

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Another thrilling day at Pinehurst is in the books, as Bryson DeChambeau made the course look easy. He holds a three-shot lead ahead of the final U.S. Open round.

After coming up short to Xander Schauffele at the PGA Championship, DeChambeau finds himself in control at the third major of the year.

He will play with Matthieu Pavon in the final pairing as the Crushers GC captain eyes his second U.S. Open title. DeChambeau won his first at Winged Foot in 2020.

Plenty of other big names lurk behind these two golfers. Rory McIlroy shot a 1-under 69 to sit at 4-under and three shots back. The 4-time major winner finds himself in contention at another major.

He will play with Patrick Cantlay, who finished even par on Saturday and is also at 4-under.

After three days of play at the tricky Pinehurst No. 2 track, there are only 11 players at even par or better. Seven sit in red figures.

Nevertheless, here are the starting times for Sunday’s thrilling final round at Pinehurst No. 2.

U.S. Open Final Round Tee Times (ET):

(All play will begin on the 1st hole)

7:30 a.m. — S.H. Kim, Gunnar Broin (a)

7:41 a.m. — Matthew Fitzpatrick, Jackson Suber

7:52 a.m. — Brandon Wu, Austin Eckroat

8:03 a.m. — Francesco Molinari, Ben Kohles

8:14 a.m. — Dean Burmester, Ryan Fox

8:25 a.m. — Sepp Straka, Martin Kaymer

8:36 a.m. — Greyson Sigg, Cameron Young

8:47 a.m. — Nico Echavarria, Brendon Todd

8:58 a.m. — Justin Lower, Sam Bennett

9:09 a.m. — Adam Scott, Brian Campbell

9:25 a.m. — Matt Kuchar, Frankie Capan III

9:36 a.m. — Adam Svensson, Harris English

9:47 a.m. — Jordan Spieth, Si Woo Kim

9:58 a.m. — Max Greyserman, Sahith Theegala

10:09 a.m. — Daniel Berger, Keegan Bradley

10:20 a.m. — Scottie Scheffler, Tom McKibbin

10:31 a.m. — Brooks Koepka, Tim Widing

10:42 a.m. — Nicolai Højgaard, Emiliano Grillo

10:53 a.m. — Isaiah Salinda, Christiaan Bezuidenhout

11:04 a.m. — Cameron Smith, Wyndham Clark

11:15 a.m. — J.T. Poston, Tommy Fleetwood

11:31 a.m. — Shane Lowry, Zac Blair

11:42 a.m. — Billy Horschel, Chris Kirk

11:53 a.m. — Denny McCarthy, Min Woo Lee

12:04 p.m. — Neal Shipley (a), Luke Clanton (a)

12:15 p.m. — Sam Burns, Stephan Jaeger

12:26 p.m. — Brian Harman, Mark Hubbard

12:37 p.m. — David Puig, Thomas Detry

12:48 p.m. — Akshay Bhatial, Russell Henley

12:59 p.m. — Davis Thompson, Xander Schauffele

1:10 p.m. — Sergio Garcia, Taylor Pendrith

1:26 p.m. — Aaron Rai, Tom Kim

1:37 p.m. — Corey Conners, Collin Morikawa

1:48 p.m. — Tony Finau, Tyrrell Hatton

1:59 p.m. — Ludvig Åberg, Hideki Matsuyama

2:10 p.m. — Patrick Cantlay, Rory McIlroy

2:21 p.m. — Matthieu Pavon, Bryson DeChambeau

Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. For more golf coverage, follow us @_PlayingThrough on all major social platforms. You can also follow her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports.

U.S. Open fans go crazy for Cameron Smith’s boozy polo  u,s,open,fans,go,crazy,for,cameron,smith,s,boozy,polo,sbnation,com,front-page,golf,us-open-golf,golf-majors,golf-fan-reactions,liv-golf

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LIV Golf’s Cameron Smith is not afraid to test the fashion limits on the golf course.

Look no further than Saturday at the U.S. Open, when he showed up to Pinehurst No. 2 with a “booze” polo and the same white Ripper GC hat he wears for every round.

While Smith’s polo is not everyone’s style—it is for someone. Golf fashion is subjective, and this choice proves that. It is not for everyone, but neither is what Jason Day or Viktor Hovland wears.

It did not take long for golf fans to see the shirt and post it on social media. Would the masses love it or find it offputting?

Is this polo a vibe or something that should stay in the closet?

Well, fans loved it, and their positive reactions to his boozy shirt were plentiful.

The people have spoken, and this shirt is a vibe. Check out some of the best reactions to Smith’s out-of-the-box fashion choice.

X user and golf reporter Christopher Powers is spot on with his remarks; not many people could pull this off, but Smith can. The blonde mustache and mullet are the perfect additions to this fun polo.

If a beer story is not among the flashcards on the shirt, the designers need to change this immediately because Smith is notorious for celebrating by chugging a beer out of a shoe. With him wearing this polo, hopefully, it honors his favorite cocktail.

X user, Broken White Sox Fan, made quite the statement with his post. He clearly loves it, and for Smith to wear it at one of the three majors is something to note. While many players take fashion risks at the four biggest tournaments, this takes that to another level.

Smith‘s clothing sponsor is Original Penguin, notorious for its traditional and bold options.

Those who like this option can purchase it on their website. It is a unique shirt that will likely get plenty of comments. The fans love it for Smith at the U.S. Open, so it is hard to criticize it.

Golf fashion has a broad spectrum, and this shirt has a place on it.

Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. For more golf coverage, be sure to follow us @_PlayingThrough on all major social platforms. You can also follow her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports.

NBA Finals 2024: Schedule, TV, streaming, scores, and more for Celtics-Mavericks nba,finals,schedule,tv,streaming,scores,and,more,for,celtics,mavericks,sbnation,com,front-page,nba,nba-playoffs,nba-finals,draftkings

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The 2024 NBA Finals are here.

The Boston Celtics are back in the Finals, making a return trip after losing to the Golden State Warriors back in 2022. For the bulk of the season the Celtics were the class of the Eastern Conference, finishing with a 64-18 record — the best in the NBA — and 14 games ahead of the New York Knicks in the East.

That led many to wonder if the Celtics would be ready for the playoff run, and to many neutral observers, Boston’s path to the Finals was a little easier than expected. Boston squared off with the Miami Heat in the first round, but without Jimmy Butler who was lost with an MCL sprain, Miami struggled against Boston.

Then came the Cleveland Cavaliers, who began the series against the Celtics without rim protector Jarrett Allen, who missed the entire series with broken ribs. Add in a knee injury for Donovan Mitchell and you have a 4-1 series win for Boston, who moved on to face the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Who were without Tyrese Haliburton for the final two games of that series, as the guard entered the Conference Finals with a groin injury that hampered him in the first two games, and saw him shut down for the final two.

Now they’ll take on the Dallas Mavericks, who stormed to the NBA Finals thanks to a tremendous playoff run from Kyrie Irving and Luka Dončić. Dončić might be playing the best basketball on the planet right now, and in our ranking of the top 15 players in this series, he was a fairly easy choice for the top spot. He has averaged almost a triple-double in the playoffs, averaging 28.8 ppg, 9.6 rpg, and 8.8 apg over Dallas’ 17 postseason games. With him, the Mavericks have the best player left standing, even if he is doing it on just one healthy leg as he deals with a knee sprain.

They also could pose some problems for the Celtics, given their length and athleticism. As outlined above Boston has seen a somewhat easier path to the Finals, but that will change starting Thursday night. Around Dončić and Irving the Mavericks have players who can frustrate the Boston offense, including P.J. Washington and Derrick Jones Jr.

Washington is big with a massive wingspan, and expect to see him on Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum for most of the series. Jones Jr. is one of the better athletes in the league, who can pose problems both near the rim and around the arc.

Down low Dallas can turn to the combination of Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford. The rookie Lively is 7’1, has a massive wingspan, and has been Dallas’ third best player on this run. Gafford is another springy rim protector who can disrupt shots and harrass Boston’s scorers near the tin.

Those players will need to step up if Dallas has a shot at pulling this off, but in the NBA Finals, anything can happen.

It all gets started this Thursday. Here is how to watch.

2024 NBA Finals Schedule

  • Game 1: Boston 107, Dallas 89 (Boston leads series 1-0)
  • Game 2: Boston 105, Dallas 98 (Boston leads series 2-0)
  • Game 3: Boston 106, Mavericks 99 (Boston leads series 3-0)
  • Game 4: Dallas 122, Boston 84 (Boston leads series 3-1)
  • Game 5: Dallas at Boston | Monday, June 17 | 8:30 p.m. ET | ABC/ESPN+
  • Game 6: Boston at Dallas | Thursday, June 20 | 8:30 p.m. ET | ABC/ESPN+*
  • Game 7: Dallas at Boston | Sunday, June 23 | 8:00 p.m. ET | ABC/ESPN+*

*If necessary

Men’s College World Series: Vance Honeycutt delivers again for UNC against Virginia men,s,college,world,series,vance,honeycutt,delivers,again,for,unc,against,virginia,sbnation,com,front-page,college-baseball,college-world-series,ncaa-baseball-tournament

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North Carolina outfielder Vance Honeycutt began his first game in Omaha in the 2024 Men’s College World Series with an 0-for-4 mark at the plate. But he finished Friday’s opening game of the Men’s College World Series against Virginia with a 1-for-5 mark at the dish, with one single.

And what a single it was.

As he has done so many times before, Honeycutt delivered in the clutch for UNC. With the game knotted at 2-2 in the bottom of the ninth and the winning run 90 away from home plate — and two outs on the scoreboard — Honeycutt ripped a breaking ball into left field, plating the game-winning run and advancing UNC into the winner’s side of Bracket 1 in Omaha.

Quite the start for UNC’s Mr. Clutch:

Or as they like to call him down in Chapel Hill, Vance Honey-clutch:

UNC now awaits the winner of tonight’s game between Tennessee and Florida State, two of the most potent lineups in all of college baseball. The Volunteers as a team posted an OPS of 1.029 this season, best for second in the nation, with the Seminoles not too far behind with a mark of .975 which placed them sixth. But the winner of that game will be facing something different in their second contest.

Mr. Honey-clutch himself.