TALKING POINTS
Rams sign longtime Packers kicker Mason Crosby to their practice squad
THOUSAND OAKS — The Los Angeles Rams have signed longtime Green Bay kicker Mason Crosby to their practice squad.
The 39-year-old Crosby joined the Rams on Wednesday. The move likely indicates Crosby will soon be the third kicker to appear in a game for Los Angeles this season, given incumbent Lucas Havrisik’s recent struggles.
Crosby spent 16 seasons with the Packers, becoming the leading scorer in franchise history with 1,918 points. Green Bay declined to re-sign him after last season, and he has been out of the league this season.
Havrisik has missed two field goals and one extra point in the Rams’ past two games, dropping to 7 for 10 on fieldgoal attempts since he replaced Brett Maher in late October.
Maher also struggled with the Rams, who are paying the price for parting ways in the offseason with the dependable Matt Gay, the kicker on their Super Bowl championship team. Los Angeles decided to save money by not applying the franchise tag to Gay, who moved on to Indianapolis.
UNLV-Dayton basketball game canceled in wake of mass shooting in Las Vegas
UNLV’s basketball game at Dayton on Wednesday night has been canceled because of a mass shooting earlier in the day at the Las Vegas school. Multiple people were shot at on UNLV’s campus, and the suspect was found dead, according to police. There was no immediate news on the number of victims or their status.
UNLV’s basketball game at Dayton on Wednesday night was canceled because of a mass shooting earlier in the day at the Las Vegas school.
“Further information will be released when available,” Dayton posted on X. “We ask that our fans keep the UNLV community in their thoughts and prayers.”
Multiple people were shot at on UNLV’s campus, and the suspect was found dead, according to police. There was no immediate news on the number of victims or their status.
Indy’s Al-Quadin Muhammad gets 6-game suspension for performance-enhancing substance violation
INDIANAPOLIS — The NFL has suspended Indianapolis Colts defensive end Al-Quadin Muhammad six games for violating the league’s performance-enhancing substance policy.
Wednesday’s announcement means the Miami alum will not be eligible for Indy’s five
remaining regular-season games and he will either sit out next year’s season opener or a playoff game. He would also be eligible to play in next summer’s preseason games and participate in practices until the start of the regular season if the suspension carries over into 2024.
Indy (7-5) currently holds the AFC’s seventh and final playoff spot and is one game behind AFC South-leading Jacksonville.
Muhammad, a sixth-round draft pick of New Orleans in 2017, has been with the Colts for two different stints. Indy claimed him off waivers in 2018, watched him to develop into a 17-game starter in 2022. Following that season, he followed his former defensive coordinator, Matt Eberflus, to Chicago, where he played last year.
After the Bears released Muhammad him in February, Indy brought him back.
Muhammad’s suspension comes just as run-stuffing defensive tackle Grover Stewart returns to the Colts this week following a six-game suspension for the same violation.
Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy out with appendicitis, expects to be on sideline against Eagles
FRISCO, Texas — Dallas Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy missed practice Wednesday to undergo surgery on his appendix but is expected to be on the sideline for a highly anticipated rematch with Philadelphia.
The team said McCarthy was hospitalized after experiencing abdominal pain Wednesday morning. He was set for surgery after being diagnosed with appendicitis and expected to be released later in the day.
The Cowboys (9-3) trail the defending NFC champion Eagles (10-2) by a game in the NFC East.
Dallas takes a 14-game home winning streak into Sunday night’s game and needs a victory to maintain realistic hopes of taking the division crown from Philadelphia. The Eagles won the first meeting 28-23 in Philadelphia.
Yadier Molina gets front-office job with the St. Louis Cardinals
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Yadier Molina will remain with the St. Louis Cardinals as a special assistant to John Mozeliak, their president of baseball operations, after the longtime catcher wrapped up his 19-year big league career in 2022.
The 41-year-old Molina was a 10-time All-Star and nine-time Gold Glove winner who played all 2,224 games of his career for St. Louis. That included 2,184 games behind the plate, the most by any catcher for one team in major league history.
“We are excited to welcome Yadi back to the St. Louis Cardinals,” Mozeliak said in a statement. “He will provide invaluable help at the major league level, as well as spend time with our minor league teams in his new role with the team.”
Molina trails only Stan Musial, who played 22 seasons for St. Louis, for the most with the club. Along the way, he helped the Cardinals reach four World Series and win championships in 2006 and 2011. His longevity coupled with the success of those Cardinals teams are a big reason why he retired as their career postseason leader in hits (102) and games played (104).
Molina, a fourth-round pick of the Cardinals in the 2000 first-year player draft, served as the manager of Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic in 2023. He also managed Navegantes del Magallanes in Venezuela.
Zach Wilson to start at quarterback for the Jets on Sunday against the Texans
Zach Wilson is back in as the New York Jets’ starting quarterback.
Wilson, benched for two games after struggling in place of the injured Aaron Rodgers, will be under center for the Jets’ home game Sunday against the Houston Texans.
Coach Robert Saleh announced the decision to start Wilson on Wednesday, a day after New York waived Boyle following two ineffective starts and signed Brett Rypien off Seattle’s practice squad. The Jets also have veteran Trevor Siemian, who replaced Boyle in the fourth quarter of New York’s 13-8 loss to Atlanta last Sunday.
“Zach gives us the best chance to win,” Saleh said.
Siemian will serve as Wilson’s backup and Rypien will be the emergency No. 3 quarterback.
The Jets (4-8) have lost five in a row and appear headed to a 13th straight season without a playoff berth. It’s the NFL’s longest active postseason drought.
Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence making progress toward ‘hopefully playing’ at Browns on Sunday
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Trevor Lawrence has ditched the crutches and the walking boot.
The Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback feels “a lot better” than he thought he would two days after sustaining a high ankle sprain against Cincinnati.
Lawrence sat out practice Wednesday but wouldn’t rule out playing at Cleveland (7-5) on Sunday, a matchup that could help decide the AFC wild-card race or postseason seeding down the stretch.
“I’m thankful that it wasn’t a worse injury than what I kind of thought it was on the field,” Lawrence said.
Lawrence injured his right ankle when left tackle Walker Little stepped on him while getting powered backward late in Monday night’s 34-31 overtime loss to the Bengals. X-rays were negative, but Lawrence was diagnosed with a high ankle sprain that could take weeks to fully heal.