INDIANAPOLIS — Denver Broncos quarterback Trevor Siemian left Thursday night’s game against the Indianapolis Colts because of a left shoulder injury.
The team ruled out his return.
It is believed he suffered a sprain to the AC joint following an initial exam, a source told ESPN. An MRI will take place Friday in Denver to verify and gauge severity.
Siemian, who had surgery on the shoulder after the 2016 season and was held out of some of the team’s offseason work, was sacked by Barkevious Mingo late in the first quarter and landed on his left arm and shoulder. Siemian immediately got up holding his left arm against his body and was examined by the Broncos’ medical staff before being taken to the locker room.
Broncos-Colts is the last TNF game of the season, but it’s going to be back in 2018 and beyond. Here’s why.
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Thursday was Siemian’s second consecutive start since replacing an injured Paxton Lynch against the Oakland Raiders.
Brock Osweiler replaced Siemian against the Colts.
Siemian started the Broncos’ first seven games but was benched after a three-interception game in the Broncos’ Oct. 30 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Siemian was 5-of-9 passing for 67 yards with an interception against the Colts before his injury. His interception was his 10th in a road game this season. Mingo’s sack was already the second of the game on Siemian.
Rupert Murdoch’s media empire is under the spotlight.
As detailed by the Guardian’s Oliver Laughland and Jon Swaine, bribes for the rights to televise football were allegedly paid with the “agreement and support” of senior executives at 21st Century Fox, as documents and testimony forming parts of the corruption scandal engulfing FIFA placed the executives in meetings with corrupt officials.
Three men were named in a previously unreported court filing:
Carlos Martinez, chief executive of Fox Networks in Latin America
Hernan Lopez, former head of Fox International Channels
James Ganley, former chief operating officer at Fox Pan American Sports
The court filing, which was detailed by the United States Department of Justice and shielded the identities of certain organisations and individuals, alleged that Martinez, Lopez, and Ganley were involved in a bribery-for-broadcasting-rights scheme. Prosecutors said multimillion-dollar payments helped T&T Sports Marketing Limited obtain the lucrative rights to the Copa Libertadores, which is the South American equivalent of the Champions League.
T&T Sports Marketing Limited – an affiliate of Torneos y Competencias CA, an Argentinian sports marketing company that admitted to paying tens of millions of dollars in bribes and kickbacks to a high-ranking FIFA official – was listed as a subsidiary by 21st Century Fox in a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Government documents showed its investment in the company stretches back to 2002.
Torneos y Competencias CA entered into a four-year deferred prosecution in 2016, agreeing to over $112.8 million in forfeiture and criminal penalties, while agreeing to cooperate fully with the government’s ongoing investigation. At the time, the U.S. Department of Justice announced that “Torneos paid the bribes and kickbacks with the agreement and support of the U.S. broadcasting company affiliates and their representatives, including three high-ranking officials.”
Fox Sports declared it “did not not participate in any wrongdoing” and is “vigorously defending” the complaint.
Lopez’s lawyers stated: “Mr. Lopez built his entire career on a foundation of respect and integrity, and he never authorised or was aware of any improper payments on his watch.”
Ganley’s lawyers claimed: “Mr. Ganley has a well-earned reputation as a highly accomplished and ethical business executive. He has never been involved in any wrongdoing, and has never been accused of wrongdoing. Any contention to the contrary is flatly false.”
Meanwhile, the Walt Disney Company is set to acquire 21st Century Fox for approximately $52.4 billion in stock.
THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — Robert Woods believes his previously sprained left shoulder has passed every test, even though the shoulder has yet to go through the rigors of a traditional practice. The Los Angeles Rams’ standout wide receiver will take part in full-speed practices Thursday and Friday, but he is already certain that he will play in the upcoming road game against the Seattle Seahawks.
“I’m ready for Sunday,” Woods said shortly after the Rams’ walk-through on Wednesday. “I’ve been waiting on this.”
Woods has missed the last three games with his shoulder injury, suffered after absorbing a tackle from safety Harrison Smith late in the Nov. 19 loss to the Minnesota Vikings. Woods, 25, initially feared surgery, but MRI results revealed a need for only a short rehabilitation process.
“Very grateful that I didn’t need surgery, that I didn’t hit anything,” Woods said. “I was looking at Aaron Rodgers’ injury. He broke his [collarbone]. Fortunately, mine wasn’t broken; just a little injury there.”
Woods, who came over on a five-year, $34 million contract, has compiled 47 catches for 703 yards and 4 touchdowns. He led Rams receivers in basically every category when he was hurt, but the Rams have averaged 31 points in the games that he has missed, with Josh Reynolds picking up Woods’ snaps at receiver.
Robert Woods has compiled 47 catches for 703 yards and 4 touchdowns this season. Getty Images
Still, Rams coach Sean McVay called Woods’ return “a big boost.”
“He’s been such a great player for us, great person, all the things that you’re looking for,” McVay said. “Certainly, we have a lot of confidence in our receiving group, but getting Robert back gives us a boost. We’re a better team when Robert is on the field.”
Woods didn’t practice with the team last week, but he ran routes with quarterback Jared Goff to maintain his timing.
Woods was close to playing Sunday, but he “wanted to play it safe” to make sure he is available for the stretch run and, potentially, the playoffs. Now, he said, there’s no hesitancy with his shoulder.
“I feel like the movement, everything is there,” Woods said. “Everything’s ready. There’s no not trusting it. … I’m very confident in it.”
The stage is set for the next phase of the Champions League following Monday’s draw in Nyon, Switzerland.
There will be some mouthwatering matchups, with Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid highlighting the round of 16, and Chelsea and Barcelona set to revive a rivalry that’s been dormant for five years.
Here are the top storylines that emerged from the round of 16 draw:
Chelsea, Barcelona to reignite fiery rivalry
Barcelona’s reward for winning its group-stage match is a date with a familiar foe, as the Catalan side will get reacquainted with Chelsea in the round of 16.
The rivalry between the clubs goes back almost 20 years, when the Premier League side first qualified for the Champions League in 1999. But it was their clash in 2009 that had Chelsea players fuming after a series of penalty shouts were ignored by match official Tom Henning Ovrebo, who was confronted by an irate Didier Drogba. “It’s a f—ing disgrace,” the Ivorian yelled, and was subsequently banned for three matches.
Yet, perhaps the most memorable moment occurred in the last meeting, five years ago, when Fernando Torres’ dramatic winner helped secure Chelsea’s place in the Champions League final and triggered an outburst from match commentator Gary Neville.
Lionel Messi: Has never scored in 8 appearances against Chelsea — It’s his worst record against a team in his career pic.twitter.com/yBcYErQXTe
— WhoScored.com (@WhoScored) December 11, 2017
The two-leg encounter will also mark a return to the Camp Nou for Spanish internationals Cesc Fabregas and Pedro.
PSG can’t catch a break in round of 16
Paris Saint-Germain will face yet another epic test when Unai Emery’s men take on defending Champions League titleholder Real Madrid a year after Barcelona’s stunning come-from-behind victory in the round of 16.
Despite the difficult draw, headlined by Neymar and Cristiano Ronaldo, officials from the French side have been positive as the club attempts to atone for last season’s collapse.
“The team will be ready,” Emery said, according to Jonathan Johnson of ESPN FC. “We will show how great this team is and that we are at the level of those who can win the Champions League.”
There’s no doubt, though, that PSG would have preferred an easier matchup in the first phase of the knockout rounds considering the team’s insatiable hunger to win the Champions League.
3 – Paris have failed to win any of their last 3 European games against Real Madrid (D2 L1) – failing to score in the last 2. Piece. pic.twitter.com/8ZuFlGwbjC
— OptaJean (@OptaJean) December 11, 2017
Aside from the high-profile bout, speculation over Neymar’s future is likely to dominate headlines in the buildup to the first leg in February following reports linking the Brazilian with a future transfer to Real Madrid.
Doesn’t get much easier for Manchester City
The bookies’ favourite to win the Champions League was handed one of the most forgiving draws of the round of 16, as Manchester City was paired with FC Basel.
On the heels of City’s derby victory over Manchester United, its streak of good luck continued Monday, as the Premier League side managed to avoid difficult pairings with Bayern Munich, Juventus, Sevilla, FC Porto, and Real Madrid.
Manager Pep Guardiola won’t let his side overlook the challenge that awaits it in Switzerland, especially after last season’s matchup with AS Monaco, fuelled by the emergence of teenage prodigy Kylian Mbappe, resulted in the defending Ligue 1 champion upsetting City over two legs.
Uncharted territory
Three of the five English teams that progressed to the round of 16 face the difficult challenge of conquering the unknown.
Manchester City, Manchester United, and Tottenham will be pitted against teams that they’ve never encountered in a competitive match, with clashes against FC Basel, Sevilla, and Juventus, respectively, awaiting the Premier League clubs.
Tottenham has arguably the most difficult matchup of the five English teams in the knockout phase, while Manchester United will be tasked with getting past a Sevilla side that bowed out of the Champions League last term after a narrow loss to Leicester City.
