Lamar Jackson is a once in a lifetime talent. And the Ravens are still going backwards

John Harbaugh has spent nearly two decades leading Baltimore. But his failure to get the most out of his quarterback is a fireable failingThere are losses, and then there are those defeats that show us exactly who a team are. The Steelers’ 26-24 win over the Ravens on Sunday night was the latter. It wasn’t just a loss; it was a referendum. The game was vintage, grubby, beautiful AFC North football

Anatomy of an Ashes brain-fade: Jamie Smith and the shot heard around the world

England’s meek concession of the series is a waste of talent and this stroke sums up the structural failureNo doubt someone, somewhere, in some fevered corner of the internet will come up with a counter view. If the universe of cricketing hot takes really is infinite, then logically there must be a feed, a page, a platform where a voice is saying, Jamie Smith and The Shot: on second thoughts.You might think this was a bad shot, perhaps even the Worst Shot. You might think all surviving footage of the shot should be pixelated in the interests of public safety, classified as a hate crime, scrubbed from the internet under the right to forget.But you’re just telling the world you don’t understand the energy, the mindset, the transcendent game-states, the blocking out of the noise, the saving not just of Test cricket but all life, love, joy … Sorry

Root hits masterful century for England before Head leads Australia fightback

The Richies were out in force on an eventful second day, an entire block of supporters decked out in either cream, bone, white, off-white, ivory or beige. Bathed in sunshine, flags fluttering over the two heritage-listed pavilions, the backdrop for Joe Root’s 41st Test hundred was absolutely marvellous.This has not been the case for Root in Sydney over the years. In 2014, the SCG witnessed the only time he has been dropped by England. In 2018, he made scores of 83 and 58 not out but ended up on a drip due to extreme heat, his side having crumbled to a 4-0 series defeat

Littler is a generational talent but it's too early to talk about beating Taylor’s record | Jonathan Liew

Luke Littler looked up and down the rows of filled seats, the line of microphones pointed at his mouth, the expectant faces hanging on his every word. This has long been one of his least favourite parts of the job, a fact he scarcely bothers to conceal. Occasionally everyone has to sit and wait while he sends a text. He leaves as soon as he is legitimately able. But there is of course a silver lining: if he’s sitting in the hot seat, it means he’s won

Australia 166-2 after England reach 384 on day two of fifth Ashes Test – as it happened

Ali Martin celebrates a pair of fine knocks from two special batters in his report from day two of the fifth Ashes Test. We’ll be back with all the analysis shortly, and again tomorrow for the over-by-over fun. See you then …Joe Root has been speaking with Fox Sports and insists that he was off the field for much of the third session due to cramp in his back. The Sydney centurion adds that after five minutes with the physiotherapist where he “couldn’t get comfortable”, he expects to be back among the action for a critical day three of the fifth Ashes Test.Travis Head (91) guides Australia to stumps with the loss of only two wickets and England’s first-innings lead reduced to 218 runs off the back of some questionable bowling

Broncos win AFC No 1 seed, Jaguars clinch AFC South and Panthers claim NFC South: NFL week 18 – as it happened

AFC Denver on bye; Buffalo v Jacksonville; Houston v Pittsburgh/Baltimore; LA Chargers v New EnglandNFC 1) Seattle on bye; San Francisco v Philadelphia; LA Rams v Cardinals; Green Bay v ChicagoAnd that is it, except one final knockout game between the Steelers and Ravens. Are you staying up? Enjoy the drama if you are but it is past my bed time as usual. Thanks everyone for joining me over the past few months. It has been wild, wonderful and completely knackering. So goodnight, but who knows we might run it back next week for the playoffs! Goodnight!(12-5) Buffalo Bills 35-8 New York Jets (3-14)(11-6) Chicago Bears 16-19 Detroit Lions (9-8)(14-3) Denver Broncos 19-3 Los Angeles Chargers (11-6)(3-14) Las Vegas Raiders 14-12 Kansas City Chiefs (6-11)(12-5) Los Angeles Rams 37-20 Arizona Cardinals (3-14)(14-3) New England Patriots 38-10 Miami Dolphins (7-10)(11-6) Philadelphia Eagles 17-24 Washington Commanders (5-12)Denver seal top spot and a bye week in the playoffs with the easiest of wins over the Chargers