LARRY FITZGERALD

Deandre Ayton scored 25 points, Devin Booker added 23 and the top-seeded Phoenix Suns rolled to a 121-114 win over the Dallas Mavericks in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals.

Followers of former Arizona Cardinals star Larry Fitzgerald have seen a different side of the former wide receiver this week.

They were once at the top of the NFL.

Arizona Cardinals 11-time Pro Bowl receiver Larry Fitzgerald says he currently doesn’t have the desire to play an 18th NFL season, though he left the possibility open that he might resume his career.

New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (9) reacts after a touchdown by Alvin Kamara in the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Chicago Bears in New Orleans, Sunday, Jan. 10, 2021. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)NEW ORLEANS – Drew Brees periodically discusses his long, extraordinary NFL journey in terms of fate and destiny. “Other than that, there’s not a lot of bad about” the Saints, Brady said. I think the quarterback-receiver relationship is really important.”Still, no defense has had more success against Brady this season than the Saints. The Saints gained 2,265 yards rushing during the regular season and added another 123 yards in their playoff opener against Chicago's formidable front.

Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Robert Woods, left, catches a pass against Arizona Cardinals middle linebacker Jordan Hicks (58) during the first half of an NFL football game in Inglewood, Calif., Sunday, Jan. 3, 2021. It ended with the inexperienced quarterback fearlessly leading the Los Angeles Rams back to the playoffs. And though Wolford capably did his part, everybody in the Rams' jubilant locker room realized they owed this achievement to a dominant defense that scored as many points as the Rams' offense — and a couple more than the Arizona Cardinals — in Los Angeles' 18-7 victory Sunday. Wolford passed for 231 yards and rushed for 56 more, producing many moments of excitement in place of injured Jared Goff. Wolford racked up 47 yards rushing in the first half — more than Goff managed in any game of his five-year career.

San Francisco 49ers running back Jeff Wilson (30) celebrates his touchdown against the Arizona Cardinals with quarterback C.J. Beathard threw three touchdown passes, Jeff Wilson ran for 183 yards, and the San Francisco 49ers dealt a brutal blow to the Arizona Cardinals' playoff hopes by defeating them 20-12 on Saturday. If the Chicago Bears win their final two games, they will reach the playoffs because of a tiebreaker over the Cardinals. The 49ers (6-9) pulled ahead 14-6 in the third quarter on Beathard’s 9-yard touchdown pass to fullback Kyle Juszczyk. Cardinals: LB Haason Reddick (hamstring) left the game in the first quarter, but returned early in the second quarter.

Hopkins and his huge hands had a season-high 169 yards receiving — including a spectacular 20-yard touchdown catch for the go-ahead score — and the Cardinals improved their playoff position by beating the Philadelphia Eagles 33-26 on Sunday. The Cardinals are in third place in their division behind the Rams and Seahawks and would currently be the No. Murray threw for 264 yards and two touchdowns, while Hurts responded with 177 yards passing and three touchdowns. The Cardinals also missed a great opportunity when Hopkins fumbled at the Eagles 8 after catching a short pass from Murray. The Eagles' second touchdown was set up by Murray's costly fumble at the Arizona 21-yard line.

Coupled with Tampa Bay’s 26-14 win over Minnesota (6-7), the Cardinals are back in a wild-card berth. we have to go out there and execute,” said Murray, who ran 10 times for 47 yards. “I don’t think we have any kind of a hangover from going out to Seattle last week," Giants coach Joe Judge said. The D limited New York to 159 yards in making Jones' return from a one-game absence with a hamstring injury miserable. The first one was set up by a 24-yard punt return by Christian Kirk to the Giants 38.

Daniel Jones is active and is expected to start at quarterback for the New York Giants against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday. After missing last week’s game with a hamstring injury, Jones practiced fully for the first time on Friday. Jaguars: QB Jake Luton, CB Luq Barcoo, LB Kamalei Correa, LB Quincy Williams, C Brandon Linder, TE Tyler Davis, DE Reggie Gilbert. Giants: WR Dante Pettis, CB Darnay Holmes (knee), ILB T.J. Brunson, OT Kyle Murphy, OT Jackson Barton, DE R.J. McIntosh. Buccaneers: DL Khalil Davis, CB Jamel Dean, RB Leonard Fournette, QB Ryan Griffin, TE Tanner Hudson, DL Jeremiah Ledbetter.

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson (3) talks at the end of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2020, in Miami Gardens, Fla. Seattle's star quarterback Russell Wilson and Kansas City's standout tight end Travis Kelce are among the 32 finalists for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)Seattle's star quarterback, Russell Wilson, and Kansas City's standout tight end, Travis Kelce, are among the 32 finalists for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award. “The 32 Walter Payton Man of the Year nominees remind us that even in the face of adversity, players continue to raise awareness and use their voice and platform to positively impact their communities. “Being nominated as the Chiefs' Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year is one of the greatest honors of my professional career,” Kelce said. As an organization captain, he directs a team of active NFL players who are committed to using their platform to help address the clean water crisis.

ETSU originally had planned to allow for 10% capacity at Freedom Hall, where its men’s basketball team plays. With the two additions, along with games against Louisiana-Lafayette and Washington in Las Vegas, the Bears have replaced four of the five canceled games. ___The NFL says there were 18 new confirmed positive COVID-19 tests among players and 27 among other personnel in the latest round of testing, which concluded Saturday. 7 Houston's men's basketball team has paused all team activities and postponed its two games this week because of positive COVID-19 tests and contact tracing. ___The Big East Conference has switched a couple of opening night men’s basketball games because of COVID-19-related concerns.

(AP Photo/Aaron Doster)The New York Giants will be without starting quarterback Daniel Jones for Sunday’s game against the Seattle Seahawks. Jones was not expected to play because of a hamstring injury suffered last week against Cincinnati. Colt McCoy will make his first start of the season at QB for the Giants. Seattle was without both starting right tackle Brandon Shell (ankle) and backup Cedric Ogbuehi (calf) leaving a major question on the offensive line. ___CLEVELAND-TENNESSEEBrowns: WR Taywan Taylor, WR KhaDarel Hodge, CB Denzel Ward, RB Dontrell Hilliard, S Tedric Thompson, DE Joe Jackson.

The top mark in NFL history through nine weeks was 24 ppg in 2018. That has eliminated the need for silent counts for road teams, making life much easier for offenses. Road teams are 67-65-1 this season, marking the first time since 1983 (68-57-1) that they had a winning record through nine weeks. From 2010-19, home teams outscored road teams by 2.0 points per game. FLAG FOOTBALL: From the crackdown on hits against defenseless receivers to the protections in place for quarterbacks, NFL rules always seem to tilt toward the offense.

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray (1) leaves the field after an NFL football game against the Seattle Seahawks, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2020, in Glendale, Ariz. Seattle led all of regulation until Gonzalez made a 44-yard field goal as time expired to tie it at 34. He nailed the winner to knock off the previously undefeated Seahawks and set off a raucous celebration at midfield. Christian Kirk caught an 8-yard touchdown pass with 2:28 left to pull Arizona to 34-31. Seattle cruised 75 yards in just six plays, finishing with a 6-yard touchdown pass from Wilson to Lockett.

Prescott was playing the Giants in the first visit of his former coach, Jason Garrett, now New York’s offensive coordinator. A week after giving up a franchise-record 307 yards rushing, the Cowboys allowed Devonta Freeman 20 yards on three carries. The Giants extended the lead to 14-3 when Kyler Fackrell returned an interception by Dak Prescott 46 yards for a touchdown. Atlanta cornerback Kendall Sheffield suffered a right ankle injury in the second quarter and was listed as questionable to return. Smith is one injury to Allen away from completing his remarkable comeback to play in an NFL game again.

Hopkins and the Cardinals agreed to a two-year contract extension on Tuesday that will keep the three-time All-Pro in Arizona through the 2024 season. Hopkins said he worked on about 90% of the deal and had some help from advisers. Cardinals GM Steve Keim said it was a great process and he got to know the receiver even better during negotiations. It was our goal all along to get (Hopkins) extended, Keim said. I was like, man, if I could be in this offense, a pass-first offense one day, the sky's the limit, Hopkins said.

FILE - Kansas City Chiefs' Travis Kelce smiles before the NFL Super Bowl 54 football game between the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs Sunday, Feb. 2, 2020, in Miami Gardens, Fla. The person spoke on condition of anonymity Thursday because the deal has not been announced. The competition that (Fitzgerald) provided me coming into the league, me coming to Kansas City Travis gives me that same kind of competition day-in and day-out, Mathieu said. Travis still comes to work wanting to get better, Chiefs coach Andy Reid said, so you love that part. The rookie broke one of his orbital bones before arriving in Kansas City, Reid said.

The next notch below that, though, almost serves as a precursor to Canton, and that is being named to the NFL's All-Decade team. DeAndre Hopkins got robbedThe four wide receivers on the All-Decade team were Calvin Johnson, Antonio Brown, Julio Jones, and Larry Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald made just one All Pro team the entire decade, a second team berth in 2011. Hopkins made second team All Pro in 2015, and first team All Pro each of the last three seasons. To wit, he didn't have a single first team or second team All Pro season.