NBA Power Rankings: 40-20 rule defines true contenders
Based on Phil Jackson's "40-20 rule"—winning 40 games before losing 20—the Oklahoma City Thunder and Detroit Pistons are currently the only teams qualifying as true contenders.
The Boston Celtics and San Antonio Spurs are close, while the Denver Nuggets, Houston Rockets, and New York Knicks have not yet met the criteria as the season progresses.
Sarina Wiegman speaks out on her England future as Lionesses target World Cup glory
Sarina Wiegman has a contract with the England national team through until next year’s World Cup
PFF: 5 highest-graded Jets players on defense during 2025 NFL season
The New York Jets fell well short of their goals during the 2025 NFL season after putting together another losing season.
Despite that, some positive results still came even with a 3-14 record.
At least according to the fancy stats.
Here were the five Jets players on defense that had the best Pro Football Focus grades last season:
5. S Tony Adams
PFF grade: 63.7.
4. LB Jamien Sherwood
PFF grade: 65.8.
3. CB Brandon Stephens
PFF grade: 67.0.
2. DT Harrison Phillips
PFF grade: 72.5.
1. DT Jowon Briggs
PFF grade: 73.7.
(Qualifying players only).
This article originally appeared on Jets Wire: PFF: 5 highest-graded Jets players on defense during 2025 NFL season
Lindsey Vonn back in US for treatment but ‘not yet able to stand’ after Olympic crash
American fractured tibia in downhill last week
Vonn was initially treated in Italy for injuries
Lindsey Vonn is back home in the US to continue treatment after she broke her leg during the Winter Olympic downhill.
“Haven’t stood on my feet in over a week… been in a hospital bed immobile since my race. And although I’m not yet able to stand, being back on home soil feels amazing,” Vonn posted on X with an American flag emoji. “Huge thank you to everyone in Italy for taking good care of me.”
The 41-year-old suffered a complex tibia fracture after she crashed early in her downhill run on 8 February. She was initially treated in hospital in Italy and underwent several surgeries on her injured leg. She has said she will need further surgery in the US.
Nine days before her fall in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Vonn ruptured the ACL in her left knee in another crash in Switzerland. Even before then, she had been the focus of attention heading into the Olympics for her comeback after nearly six years of retirement.
Report: Seahawks are "unlikely" to apply franchise tag to Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III
Kenneth Walker III could be the next player in the tradition of Larry Brown, Desmond Howard, and Dexter Jackson.
Each won the Super Bowl MVP and then became free agents. Each left for a larger offer from another team.
Brown, the MVP of Super Bowl XXX after catching two passes that Steelers quarterback Neil O'Donnell threw right to him, signed with the Raiders. Howard, who had 244 return yards in the game and scored on a 99-yard kickoff return to essentially ice Super Bowl XXXI, also signed with the Raiders. Jackson, the Super Bowl XXXVII MVP in a Buccaneers win over the Raiders, signed with the Cardinals.
Walker may not be free to do the same thing. Via Adam Schefter of ESPN.com, the Seahawks are “unlikely” to apply the franchise tag to Walker.
Tweets Schefter: "The Seahawks have multiple free agents they want to retain and sign. They also will try to extend WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba. There are enough Super-Bowl tax costs that now make using a franchise tag this offseason unlikely."
The franchise tag would result in a one-year, $14.1 million contract for Walker. In four total seasons, he has made $8.44 million.
The fact that the Seahawks have leaked this nugget upon the opening of the two-week tag window likely wasn't accidental. They want their fans to understand what's going on, and in turn to short-circuit any speculation/anticipation that Walker may be tagged.
The implicit message is that the Seahawks believe Walker wants more on a long-term deal than the Seahawks can justify. The Seahawks may also believe that Walker won't get what he's looking for on the open market, either.
His agents likely will find out the answer next week at Tampering Central a/k/a the Scouting Combine.
Still, the best offer Walker gets may end up being better than whatever the Seahawks will pay. And the Seahawks are making their assessment not on three 2025 postseason games but four full seasons of working directly with Walker.
That's always the most important thing to remember when free agency rolls around. In most cases, the team that has employed the player for four or five years has placed a lower value on him than a stranger will. There's a chance Seattle has gotten it wrong (like the Giants did with Saquon Barkley), but it's an assessment that needs to be made in light of the other areas of the roster that require the cash and the cap space.
Then there's the basic supply/demand reality of the running back position. The Seahawks can draft Walker's replacement, pay him a lot less than Walker wants, and plug him into the offense right away. Or they can sign a veteran who won't be looking for an eight-figure average.