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The Best of the Day: January 11th, 2021
See the best of the day in sports from January 11, 2021 including Philly fires Doug Pederson, CJ McCollum's All-Star play this season, and more!
Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports
The ‘Best of the Day’ is a daily PSO original series showcasing the most significant stories, highlights, and facts going on in the land of the NFL, NBA, & MLB every day. Get a recap on EVERYTHING that happened on 1/11 here.
Monday saw the Philadelphia Eagles fire Super Bowl-winning head coach Dough Pederson. Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie decided to part ways with Pederson after a dismal 2020 season. Also, CJ McCollum’s All-Star play has made the Portland Trail Blazers a dark horse contender in the stacked Western Conference, and NFL Draft prospects got their last chance to put good film on tape during the National Championship, as Alabama dominated Ohio State behind a historic performance from Heisman winner WR DeVonta Smith who’s solidifying his spot as a top-10 pick in April.
Here is the best of the day from January 11, 2021:
Eagles fired HC Doug Pederson just 3 years after winning Philly’s 1st Super Bowl
The Philadelphia Eagles announced Monday that they fired head coach Dough Pederson, who led the franchise to its only Lombardi Trophy in 2017. That season, he coached Philadelphia to a 13-3 record and an improbable run to the Super Bowl with backup QB Nick Foles after Carson Wentz, an MVP candidate, went down in Week 15 with a season-ending injury. The magical run culminated in a 41-33 upset win over the Patriots in Super Bowl LII, in which Foles earned MVP honors. The pairing of Pederson and Wentz, who would be entering just his third year in the league in 2018, appeared to set up an exciting future for the Eagles.
Each year following 2017 though, the Eagles have regressed. They finished 9-7 in 2018 with one playoff win and then won the division at 9-7 in 2019, but were eliminated in the Wild Card round. Then, this offseason, Philadelphia made the questionable decision of drafting QB Jalen Hurts in the second round after having signed Wentz, 28, to a massive extension. Despite the downward trend in recent seasons and questionable draft decisions, Philadelphia was thought of as a playoff contender once again entering 2020.
The wheels fell off, though, as the team was hit hard by injuries, especially along the O-Line, and Wentz’s play took a nose dive. He finished with a 72.8 PASS RTG after posting a 98.3 RTG from 2017-19. Wentz’s struggles ultimately led to him being benched for Hurts in Week 13 for the remainder of the season. Pederson then made the controversial decision to pull Hurts for Nate Sudfield in their Week 17 loss to Washington. With Pederson gone after finishing in last place in the NFC East at 4-11-1, Philly faces crucial offseason decisions regarding the franchise’s future, headlined by who the next coach will be and what to do at the QB position.
Doug Pederson led the Eagles to their first Super Bowl title just 3 years ago.
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) January 11, 2021
Carson Wentz reportedly wants out from the franchise.
Wild times in Philly. @brgridiron pic.twitter.com/GxFqMKFAwE
2017: #Eagles win Super Bowl
— NFL Update (@MySportsUpdate) January 11, 2021
2018: Alshon drop away from NFC Championship Game.
2019: Lose in Wild Card Round after cheapshot to Wentz.
2020: Doug Pederson fired.
Related: Stories of the Day
CJ McCollum’s All-Star play makes this the most talented Blazers team of the Dame-CJ era
CJ McCollum is having a career-year for the Blazers this season. McCollum is averaging career-highs in points (28.1), assists (5.0), and three-point percentage (44.5%), while being an elite scorer alongside All-Star Damian Lillard. McCollum’s ability to knock down shots has been crucial to the Blazers’ success, as Lillard has seen double and triple teams on numerous occasions.
On Monday, McCollum was the hero for Portland, as he knocked down a pull-up 17-footer with 10 seconds left to give the Blazers the lead, and ultimately the win. On a team where fourth quarters are known as “Dame Time,” McCollum had the ball in his hands when the game mattered most — and he delivered. If McCollum is able to sustain these numbers, he could finally be looking at his first career All-Star appearance during his eighth NBA season. But more importantly for the Blazers, if this play is sustainable from CJ, they have a real shot at beating ANYONE in the West, including the champs.
This Is Art: CJ McCollum’s game winner! pic.twitter.com/JOjJewZ8uz
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) January 12, 2021
CJ McCollum leads the NBA with 4.9 3PM/game and is 3rd in the NBA with 28.1 PPG, while also posting career-highs in APG (5.0) and 3P% (44.5%) so far in 2020-21 https://t.co/pRXkueKjDS
— Pro Sports Outlook (@PSO_Sports) January 12, 2021
CJ McCollum is the only player in the NBA with 10+ 3PA per game and a 3P% over 37% (44.5% on 11 3PA) in 2020-21 https://t.co/j05aWXGUJU
— Pro Sports Outlook (@PSO_Sports) January 12, 2021
Related: NBA Takeaways of the Day
Air Gordon took flight on the reigning DPOY
You know this had to be the #ULTRAMoment of the Game 👀 pic.twitter.com/mtRToAgYXf
— Orlando Magic (@OrlandoMagic) January 12, 2021
Related: NBA Highlights | Orlando Magic Highlights
WR Devonta Smith, BAMA (W v.OSU): 12 REC (FBS Title record), 215 REC YDS, 3 REC TD
#PlayerOfTheDay (1/11/21) - WR Devonta Smith, Alabama
— Pro Sports Outlook (@PSO_Sports) January 12, 2021
THE FACTS:
- Likely top-10 2021 NFL Draft pick; Heisman winner
- Most REC (12) ever in a CFB Championship (all in 1st half)
- Set the all-time career SEC REC YDS record
- Enters NFL Draft as a 2x Champion with 2 legendary GP https://t.co/4dHesuujlt
Related: Players of the Day
Toronto Raptors (111) vs. Portland Trail Blazers (112) [GW-FG]
[Highlights] @BLAZERS (-169; $11.17) d. RAPTORS (+169; $7.68) 112-111 (GW-FG) [TOR +4.5 | u231]
Related: Games of the Day
Related: Facts of the Day
10 Most Interesting Facts From NFL Wild Card Weekend by Arslan Ubul
Super Wild Card Weekend saw historic playoff droughts end while teams and stars broke playoff records.
- Cleveland was the 1st team ever to score a DEF TD on the 1st play of a playoff game in the Super Bowl era
— Pro Sports Outlook (@PSO_Sports) January 12, 2021
- Tom Brady became the oldest player in NFL history to record a PASS TD in the postseason
FULL LIST of interesting facts from Wildcard Weekend ⬇️ https://t.co/5LEAiKFnDr
Related: Latest PSO Posts
FULL ARTICLE: Most Significant Sports History on January 11th
• January 11, 1987 •
— BroBible (@BroBible) January 11, 2021
The Broncos needed to go 98-yards to tie the AFC Championship. John Elway engineered “The Drive” and beat the Browns on this day 34 years ago.pic.twitter.com/ph4OzL1PyV
YEAR: 1987, 2004 & 2015
SIGNIFICANCE: Elway’s “Drive”, McNabb’s miraculous comeback, Dez’s controversial “catch”
Related: Significant Sports History
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