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NFL Wild Card weekend continued with an intriguing NFC matchup on Monday night, and the battle featured a pair of teams from the NFC West. While the game began with a narrow point spread in favor of the Los Angeles Rams, Sean McVay’s team took control early, building a 14-0 lead while the offense of the Arizona Cardinals sputtered. Then, things went from bad to worse for the Cardinals, with star quarterback Kyler Murray uncorking a brutal interception from his end zone that resulted in a touchdown for Rams defensive back David Long Jr. to give Los Angeles a three-score lead.

Murray was already scuffling, completing just three of his first eight passes for eight yards with two sacks. Still, this is an example of a play that you simply can’t make from any part of the field, much less your own end zone, and ESPN analyst Brian Griese expresses some of that frustration in the clip above.

Simultaneously, though, The Rock was being interviewed during the Manningcast on ESPN2, and his reaction (alongside Peyton and Eli) was priceless.

Not only does The Rock pull tequila straight from the bottle, but the play came right on the heels of a motivational address from the always entertaining personality. Peyton Manning also delivers a trademark reaction of bafflement, and Eli Manning sounds like he died a little on the inside as well. The pick-six didn’t necessarily bury the Cardinals but, with the team’s formerly high hopes for this season in the balance, it was definitely a low point for Arizona and The Rock embodied that.

The Manningcast rolled into the NFL Playoffs with an alternate broadcast of the Cardinals-Rams Wild Card matchup in L.A. on Monday night, and viewers were quick to learn that nothing was changing from a broadcast quality standpoint just because it was the postseason.

Peyton and Eli were still in separate home studios and the charm of the somewhat DIY nature of the broadcast, with two former players and no polished host directing traffic was still very much present. One of the joys of the Manningcast this season has been the guys and their guests being extremely laid back, sometimes to the dismay of ESPN, from Eli throwing up the double birds while asking “can I do this?” — the answer was no — to Marshawn Lynch cussing throughout his appearance.

Our latest instance of Manningcast cussin’ arrived early on Monday night when some technical difficulties led to a hilarious exchange in which Eli tried to get Peyton to breakdown the Rams first touchdown of the night while Peyton grumbled “I can’t hear sh*t.”

Eli’s quick “nevermind!” is hysterical, as Peyton clearly thought he had been completely disconnected, rather than just messing up his earpiece while still being mic’d up and live. The Manningcast is the gift that keeps on giving in terms of entertaining outtakes, and while it’d be nice if they can figure out a way to clean up some of the delay and talking over their guests, I hope if they come back for 2022 they never lose this element of the broadcast.

The Las Vegas Raiders season came to an end on Sunday in a 26-19 loss to the Bengals in Cincinnati that featured plenty of officiating controversy, but also a Raiders team unable to get out of its own way at times — including on the final drive that came up just short of tying the game.

With the season ending, the Raiders could begin working on the offseason task of finding a new head coach after interim Rich Bisaccia took the helm midseason after Jon Gruden resigned in disgrace over a number of horrific leaked emails from the past between he and former Washington executive Bruce Allen. On Monday, word emerged from Adam Schefter that not only would the head coaching search begin, but the Raiders had also put in a request to interview a GM candidate, despite the presence of Mike Mayock.

That led to some raised eyebrows, and not long after that report emerged, word broke that Mayock was indeed being fired after three seasons in Vegas.

Mayock’s tenure as GM featured some wild draft picks, as the former NFL Network analyst very clearly was using his own draft board and not a consensus one, and plenty of controversies, from the Antonio Brown debacle to this season’s various off-field incidents involving players, most notably Henry Ruggs III committing DUI manslaughter and getting cut. Between all of that, his big swings in the draft not particularly panning out, and the Gruden resignation, it’s not a surprise that the Raiders are simply looking for a fresh start throughout their organizational structure.

Vegas joins Chicago, Minnesota, and the New York Giants as teams looking to fill both a GM and head coaching vacancy this offseason, with the Raiders as the lone playoff team doing so.

Steven Adams’ reputation precedes him when it comes to being one of the strongest players (if not the strongest) in the NBA. His screens leave even the toughest players bruised and battered (ask Jimmy Butler), and his mere presence when a scuffle breaks out tends to deescalate the situation quickly, as he has a tendency to physically separate parties by himself and his calm demeanor and terrifying strength keep guys from trying to go at him.

Our latest exhibit of “Steven Adams is strong as hell” comes from Monday’s game in Memphis between the Grizzlies and Bulls, in which Memphis had runaway to a big advantage in the fourth quarter when Tony Bradley stuck a leg out to trip up Ja Morant on a drive, leading to a tussle between the two. Bradley grabbed Morant by the jersey and wouldn’t let go, which led Morant to shove the ball in his face as things escalated.

It was at that point that Adams stepped in to make sure his All-Star teammate didn’t get into any actual fisticuffs or trouble with the league, and quite literally picked up Bradley and carried him like a child out to midcourt.

The funniest part of it all is Bradley’s reaction, as the 6’10, 245 pound center is in disbelief that he is getting physically carried by someone and is almost laughing as Adams takes him for a stroll. It is an incredible visual and another reminder that Adams is a preposterously strong individual, as well as being a beloved teammate.

Prior to the New York Knicks-Charlotte Hornets game on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, New York City mayor Eric Adams spoke to the crowd. In trying to weave together honoring King’s legacy with basketball, Adams, well, made a fool of himself, which is not exactly a new development for him.

“When the Civil Rights battle was on the line,” Adams began, “Dr. King wanted the ball in his hands.”

Of course, there’s simply no need to link Civil Rights advocacy and basketball. People are capable of understanding the gravity of Dr. King’s work without that comparison, and doing so comes off as minimizing and demeaning. Adams has a history of saying foolish things during his time as a politician, so this isn’t exactly surprising.

It’s nonetheless an absurd quote. The fact Adams felt he needed to parallel sports with King’s work is odd, at best, and should’ve been left in the drafts. It’s hard not to get a chuckle or two out of it as well, mostly stemming from the fact Adams thought such a weird metaphor would resonate well and the crowd offering him the most New York of responses, as someone yells for him to “shut the f**k up.’

Whoever came up with that line, whether it be him or someone else, probably needs to go back to the drawing board. Anyhow, thanks for the laugh, Mayor Adams, if only you offered more as a leader than you do as an unintentional comedian.

Every Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the same thing happens: Republicans publicly honor the civil rights leader’s legacy while doing the things he fought against. This year, the GOP are doing their best to block two voting rights bills, both of which are languishing in part because the GOP has filibustered them. So when prominent Republicans took to social media to praise King Jr., a proponent of voting rights and a hater of the filibuster, they were torched for their hypocrisy.

The two bills are the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. Both seek to combat voting restriction bills enacted at the state level by Republican lawmakers. Joe Biden vowed to enact similar legislation early in his presidency. Instead, it met predictable pushback from Republicans, who have used the filibuster to keep them in limbo. Democrats can’t get rid of the filibuster partly thanks to two members of their party: Kyrsten Sinema and Joe Manchin.

On MLK Jr. Day, members of the leader’s family joined several hundred activists for a march in D.C. They demanded the Senate finally put an end to the filibuster and pass legislation that would have done something King Jr. thought was paramount: easier access to voting for all.

Meanwhile, Republicans like Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, and more — all lawmakers against such legislation, and even against the teaching of racial issues in schools — were releasing fawning tweets about someone who would almost certainly find their actions worth protesting.

McConnell — who denounced Biden’s fiery speech in praise of the voting rights bills as “profoundly unpresidential” — even earned a direct plea from King Jr.’s youngest daughter, Bernice King.

“Pass voting legislation,” she asked him. “In the United States, that is among the most authentic ways to honor my father. If these state voter suppression laws persist, the America my father dreamed about will never come to be. Be a vessel for right.”

Others simply called him out.

McCarthy also tweeted about King Jr., writing that “His words and example inspire us today.” He, too, was called out.

Ditto DeSantis, who late last year actually quoted King Jr. while announcing bizarre legislation meant to stop “Critical Race Thory” — which is not taught in public schools — from being taught in public schools.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott, meanwhile, had the distinction of passing a bill that eliminated requirements that teachers teach King Jr. in public schools, then praising him on the holiday established in his name.

Rihanna has been especially inspirational to people around the world lately. When her native country of Barbados officially renounced the British crown and became a Republic this past November, she was declared a “National Hero of Barbados,” by Prime Minister Mia Mottley and rose to the distinguished occasion. Ed Sheeran recently revealed how she inspires him specifically, and asks himself “What would Rihanna do?” when he starts making songs. Her talent clearly stretches across the cultural spectrum. She has also become much more than just a fashion icon, but also a creator of iconic fashion, with her Savage x Fenty line of “lingerie for every body.”

As she has customarily modeled many of the new collections for the Savage x Fenty line, she teased a new Valentine’s Day collection in a series of photos on social media. Wearing a red number with pink accents — naturally — she posed for the evening shoot in a modest living room. She wrapped her legs in fishnet stockings that complemented the laced look. “Valentine’s Day is for me….but you can watch,” read the racy caption.

“Can y’all handle this heat?,” read the caption on Fenty Beauty’s post from the shoot. This marks the first collaboration between her Savage x Fenty and Fenty Beauty cosmetics brand too. The post explained that Rhihanna’s “purrfected pout” is from Fenty’s Glow Bomb Heat lip luminizer and plumper, which is due out soon.

Now as far as the incredibly-anticipated follow-up to ANTI goes, Rihanna was quoted as saying that new music is coming “soon, soon, soon.” And that whatever comes from her next is going to be a totally unexpected sound, because “music is like fashion: you should be able to play.”

4400 (CW, 8:00pm) — The revamped series returns with a much more diverse take on the original sci-fi show. The show’s still following the titled number of minority citizens who vanish and then return as though nothing happened after being gone for a century. No one knows what the hell happened, and memories provide no clues, nor does the usually reliable aging process. When the show picks up, people are all upset about Mildred’s performance, and yep, that includes the government.

Ordinary Joe (NBC, 10:00pm) — James Wolk’s still playing three Joes, including a cop and a nurse and a rock star. All of them are now enduring winter blizzards with a family secret threatening one of the Joes.

Kenan (NBC, 8:00pm) — Kenan Thompson’s namesake clashes with Aubrey this week because, god forbid, she’s growing up.

In case you missed these recent picks:

Yellowjackets (Showtime) — Following Doomcoming, there’s plenty of fallout in the wilderness during the season finale. There’s a five-season plan here, so this is not the final rodeo, and if you wondered if this show is for you, then we’ve got some advice. It’s also 25-year class-reunion time with the group digging deep with one last attempt to vanquish trauma. This piece of slow-burn splatter art has been captivating the masses with plenty of mystery and just enough supernatural spookiness to make the story work. If you haven’t caught up yet — and the cast, including Juliette Lewis, Christina Ricci, Tawny Cypress and Melanie Lynskey, is phenomenal — there’s still time to really start theorizing before this finale.

The Tragedy of Macbeth (Apple TV+ film) — Joel Coen adapts the Shakespearean work in a way that’s never been bolder. Denzel Washington and Frances McDormand star with all of the murder, ambition, wrath, and madness that one would expect from this story, and expect a stripped-down take on what matters most to communicate this quintessential power-struggle tale.

The Cowboys loss on Sunday to the San Francisco 49ers was as frustrating a performance as a team can put forth in a playoff game. Dallas consistently shot itself in the foot in key moments with drive-killing offensive penalties and drive-extending defensive ones, and there were some baffling decisions made by the coaching staff from a play-calling and game management perspective.

It was not the first time Cowboys fans were frustrated by what felt like overly conservative play-calling and a rampant lack of discipline from the team (which led the NFL in penalties on the season and piled up 14 on Sunday), but that it happened in a playoff game in which the 49ers weren’t exactly firing on all cylinders, particularly in the second half, brought the calls for changes on staff, starting with head coach Mike McCarthy, to a fever pitch. For a coach who isn’t a play-caller on either side of the ball, discipline, game management, and execution in key moments have to be the areas of his greatest impact, and those were glaring negatives on Sunday.

Despite that, it certainly doesn’t seem as if the Cowboys are going to be making another coaching hire anytime soon, as EVP Stephen Jones (son of owner Jerry Jones) gave McCarthy a public vote of confidence on Dallas sports radio on Monday.

McCarthy has been in Dallas for just two seasons, and the Dak Prescott injury a year ago made his first season something of a wash. So, it’s not exactly surprising the Cowboys wouldn’t be looking to make a change after two seasons, but it also is understandable why Cowboys fans wouldn’t feel inspired by McCarthy’s presence at the helm. McCarthy has done little to assuage the concerns some in Dallas had about him based on the end of his tenure in Green Bay, and Sunday’s loss was truly as frustrating a game to watch from a team with as much talent as the Cowboys, who just don’t play with the discipline needed — whether in committing penalties, playing assignment football, or executing on the crucial details in high leverage situations — in the playoffs.

He’ll seemingly get another crack at turning things around next year and giving the Dallas faithful the deep playoff run they’ve craved for two decades now, but confidence isn’t high in Dallas — except from those in charge, apparently.

This weekend, Spider-Man: No Way Home lost its place atop the box office charts, which it held for four weekends, to the new Scream. In that time, though, the threequel made quite the haul. It broke all manner of records, and during a spike in COVID cases yet. People weren’t just excited to see Tom Holland. They were also responding to the rumors that past Peter Parkers could swing by. They sure did, and one of them, Andrew Garfield, was so good about keeping schtum about his appearance that he even kept it a secret from an old co-star.

As caught by Entertainment Weekly, Garfield swung by Josh Horowitz’s podcast Happy Sad Confused to discuss his recent work, including Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Tick, Tick… Boom! They also discussed returning to the franchise after doing two Amazing Spider-Man romps in the aughts alongside then-girlfriend Emma Stone, who played the doomed Gwen Stacy. Like many, Stone caught wind that Garfield (and Tobey Maguire) may have secretly filmed scenes for the multiverse-heavy No Way Home. But Garfield wouldn’t tell, not even for her.

“Emma kept on texting me,” Garfield recalled. “She was like, ‘Are you in this new Spider-Man film?’ And I was like, ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about.’”

But Stone was adamant. “She was like, ‘Shut up. Just tell me,’” he said. “I’m like, ‘I honestly don’t know’ — I kept it going, even with her. And then she saw it. She was like, ‘You’re a jerk.’”

Garfrield’s Spidey only got two solo films before Sony (and eventually the MCU) decided to re-tool the series, going for the younger Tom Holland. Garfield’s return as Parker has received raves, though it’s his Tick, Tick… Boom! turn that’s been nabbing him trophies and a possible Oscar nomination. Still, No Way Home is the one he’s been caught quietly seeing with crowds.

(Via EW)