Elliott’s Salvation Army Jump, Pats Clinch AFC East Division, Brock Benched, Raiders In Post-Season, Duncan #21 Retired
FOOTBALL
The Dallas Cowboys win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers brought the team closer to an NFC East title and a first round bye, but the game was littered with mistakes and some missed opportunities. Ezekiel Elliott provided the most entertainment when he jumped in a Salvation Army kettle after scoring his 13th rushing touchdown (setting a team rookie record). According to Elliott, he saw the kettle during warmups and thought about diving in. Cowboys 26, Bucs 20.
The New England Patriots secured their place in the post-season. In a win over the Denver Broncos, the Pats clinched the AFC East Division Title and a first-round bye. Patriots 16, Broncos 3.
The Houston Texans benched their expensive quarterback Brock Osweiler after he threw two interceptions in the first half. Even though the team paid $72 million dollars over 4 years for Osweiler, the benching proved to be a good decision as backup Tom Savage turned the game around to beat the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Texans are still in the hunt for a division title, so they will have to make a tough decision this week on which QB to play. Texans 21, Jags 20.
After 14 years, the Oakland Raiders are finally going to be playing in the postseason. With a win over the San Diego Chargers, the Raiders secure a playoff appearance. Raiders 19, Chargers 16.
BASKETBALL
The San Antonio Spurs retired Tim Duncan’s number 21 jersey. Duncan played 19 seasons with the Spurs.  He won 5 titles for the team including 2 MVP awards. Spurs coach Gregg Popovich summed up the emotional presentation saying, “His empathy, his ability to make people welcome, and lead quietly, but with dignity and gravitas, made him special beyond most anybody that you could imagine.”
