Dallas Stars coach Peter DeBoer noted before Game 1 that during last year’s Western Conference finals, his team went 0-for-14 on the power play against the Edmonton Oilers.

It looked like that was going to be a problem again Wednesday after not much was going on with the man advantage in the first 1½ opportunities.

But the Stars had 58 seconds remaining on a carry-over power play heading into the third period. Miro Heiskanen scored and Dallas turned it on, scoring five unanswered goals (three on the power play) in the period for a 6-3 victory and another come-from-behind win.

“I’m happy for our power play,” DeBoer said. “It took a lot of heat last year at this point of the year. It was a difference tonight for us.”

The turnaround was stunning, considering that Edmonton led 3-1 going into the final period and was dominating play. The Stars were unable to contain Leon Draisaitl (three points) or the speed of Connor McDavid (two points) in the first two periods.

Mikael Granlund and Matt Duchene followed Heiskanen with power-play goals and Tyler Seguin scored his second goal of the game before Esa Lindell added an empty-netter.

“We have a lot of belief in us,” Seguin said. “We never really think we’re fully out of a game.”

Duchene, snake-bitten in the playoffs after a 30-goal regular season, hit teammate Roope Hintz with a shot on a wide-open net before picking up the rebound and getting his first goal of the postseason.

“That one bounced for me for tonight,” Duchene said. “Hopefully, there’s more of that to come and less of hitting my own teammate.”

Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner, coming off back-to-back shutouts, gave up five goals on 27 shots.

‘They’re competing to get goals, get guys around the net and make my life a lot harder,’ he said. ‘I just got to fight through that. I’ve got to battle them as much as battling for sight of the puck.’

The Stars won Game 1 for a second consecutive series after having lost their previous eight.

USA TODAY provided live updates from Game 1. Highlights:

Stars vs. Oilers highlights

Game recap

Stars-Oilers final score: Stars 6, Oilers 3

Stunning turnaround after the Stars trailed 3-1 heading into the third period. Their power play came to life and they scored five unanswered goals for a 1-0 lead in the Western Conference final.

Stars-Oilers score: Stars pile on

Esa Lindell scores into an empty net. Five unanswered goals. Stars 6, Oilers 3

Stars-Oilers score: Tyler Seguin scores again

Seguin deflects in a Sam Steel backhander. Stars 5, Oilers 3

Oilers go on power play

Lian Bichsel is called for hooking. Edmonton already has a power-play goal in the game. But not this time. Dallas kills the penalty, allowing only one shot.

Stars-Oilers score: Dallas strikes again on power play

That’s three consecutive power-play goals for Dallas and three goals in less than six minutes. Matt Duchene gets his first of the playoffs (after 30 in the regular season). Roope Hintz and Mikko Rantanen (20 point of the playoffs) get the assists. Stars 4, Oilers 3

Stars back on power play

Evander Kane is called for high-sticking.

Stars-Oilers score: Mikael Granlund ties it up

A second power-play goal for the Stars this period. Granlund rips a shot from the faceoff circle into the net. Officials initially waved it off but it went off the back bar, not the crossbar. Stars 3, Oilers 3

Stars go on power play

Corey Perry is called for high-sticking.

Stars-Oilers score: Miro Heiskanen scores on power play

Heiskanen scores from the point at 32 seconds as Mason Marchment screens Stuart Skinner. The power-play goal is a good sign for the Stars, who didn’t get one in the 2024 conference finals. Oilers 3, Stars 2

Third period underway

Stars start off the period with an abbreviated power play.

End of second period: Oilers 3, Stars 1

The Oilers once again are the more dangerous team, and they score twice on goals by Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Evan Bouchard. The Stars can’t handle Connor McDavid’s speed as he enters the zone. He has two points, Leon Draisaitl has three and Nugent-Hopkins has two. Dallas forwards Matt Duchene, Wyatt Johnston and Jason Robertson are minus-2 each. Stars coach Peter DeBoer is juggling his lines a little with Dallas unable to mount much of an attack.

Stars go on power play

Brett Kulak’s second penalty of the game. Not much going on again, but 58 seconds will carry into the third period.

Oilers go on power play

Thomas Harley off for interference. The Oilers scored on their first opportunity, but Dallas kills this one.

Stars-Oilers score: Evan Bouchard adds to Edmonton lead

Evan Bouchard takes a pass, skates to the left faceoff circle and beats Jake Oettinger at 7:48. Leon Draisaitl picks up his third point of the game and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins his second. Oilers 3, Stars 1

Stars-Oilers score: Edmonton connects on power play

A Connor McDavid centering pass deflects off a Stars defender to Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, who scores to give Edmonton the lead at 6:08. Oilers 2, Stars 1

Oilers go on power play

Mason Marchment trips Zach Hyman. Oilers had four power-play goals in the 2024 conference final.

Second period underway

Game tied at one.

End of first period: Stars 1, Oilers 1

The Oilers have the more dangerous chances in that period. Connor McDavid is flying. Leon Draisaitl factors in both goal. He keeps the puck alive in the Dallas zone before scoring the opening goal. But he gives up the puck, leading to a Tyler Seguin tying goal on a breakaway. Shots are 12-9 Oilers and hits are even at 12.

Stars-Oilers score: Tyler Seguin ties it up

Seguin grabs the puck after a Leon Draisaitl giveaway and beats Stuart Skinner on a breakaway at 15:22. That ends Seguin’s 10-game goal drought and is the first goal allowed by Skinner since Game 3 of the second round.

Stars-Oilers score: Leon Draisaitl goal lifts Edmonton

The Oilers always put Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl out after the team kills a penalty, and they connect for the opening goal. Draisaitl’s shot beats Jake Oettinger to the far side at 10:19. Oilers 1, Stars 0

Stars go on power play

Brett Kulak is called for hooking. Stars power play is clicking at 30.8%. Dallas didn’t get a power-play goal in his last year’s series against the Oilers. Edmonton kills it off. No shot attempts for Dallas.

Edmonton Oilers chance

Connor McDavid uses his speed to get around the Stars defense but is stopped by Jake Oettinger. The Stars goalie stops Zach Hyman’s rebound.

Game underway

Second year in a row these teams are meeting in the conference finals. Dallas going 12 forwards, six defensemen after going recently with 11 and 7.

Starting lines

Strength vs. strength. Edmonton starting the Connor McDavid line. Dallas countering with the Mikko Rantanen line.

What time is Stars vs. Oilers NHL playoff game?

Game 1 of the NHL’s Western Conference finals between the Dallas Stars and Edmonton Oilers begins Wednesday night at 8 p.m. ET at American Airlines Center in Dallas.

How to watch Stars vs. Oilers NHL playoff game: TV, stream

• Time: 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. local
• Location: American Airlines Center (Dallas)
• TV: ESPN
• Stream: ESPN+, Fubo

Watch Game 1 of the Stars-Oilers series on Fubo

Dallas Stars lineup

Edmonton Oilers lineup

Connor Brown taking warmups

Brown, a game-time decision, is listed as playing on the NHL roster report.

Goaltending matchup

Edmonton’s Stuart Skinner (2-3, 3.05 goals-against average, .884 save percentage) has back-to-back shutouts. Dallas’ Jake Oettinger (8-5, 2.47, .919) has won six consecutive home games.

Stars seek better power-play numbers this year

A big factor in the Oilers’ win in the 2024 Western Conference finals: Edmonton went 14-for-14 on the penalty kill vs. Dallas. The Stars, though, enter this year’s series with the top playoff power play (30.8%) among the four conference finals teams. Roope Hintz leads the way with three power-play goals. Mikko Rantanen, who was acquired at the trade deadline, and Thomas Harley are tied with six points on the power play.

Stars still deciding defense/forward split vs. Oilers

Coach Peter DeBoer said Wednesday morning he hadn’t decided whether he’ll stick with seven defensemen and 11 forwards in games against the Oilers. He did that in the last round when Miro Heiskanen returned from injury, so the defenseman didn’t have to play big minutes right away. Forward Mikko Rantanen got double-shifted.

Oilers’ Connor Brown is game-time decision

Oilers forward Connor Brown is a game-time decision, coach Kris Knoblauch said.

If Brown (undisclosed injury) can’t go, Viktor Arvidsson would get into Game 1 after missing the past two games.

“I have no hesitation to have him in the lineup,” Knoblauch said of Arvidsson.

Western Conference finals predictions

Predictions from USA TODAY staffers:

Jason Anderson: Stars in 6. Both teams have players lighting it up on the offensive end in the postseason. Mikko Rantanen has 19 points for Dallas, while Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl have combined for 25 assists. It’s at the other end where each team has had issues, with Edmonton’s goalies combining for a .886 save percentage. The Stars have given up a whopping 408 shots in the playoffs, but Jake Oettinger has been up to the challenge, leading the league in some key underlying metrics for goaltenders. Expect plenty of goals in this series, but ultimately Dallas moves on.

Mike Brehm: Stars in 7. The Oilers are deeper than they were last season, but so are the Stars, with the additions of forwards Mikko Rantanen and Mikael Granlund. Defenseman Thomas Harley took a big jump when Miro Heiskanen was hurt, and now Heiskanen is back. This series will go the distance because Oilers defenseman Mattias Ekholm will return at some point. The Stars get the edge in the series finale because they’re at home, and coach Peter DeBoer is 9-0 in Game 7.

Jace Evans: Oilers in 6. Seeking to erase last season’s heartbreak, Edmonton has some team of destiny vibes. They looked completely on the ropes against the Kings in the first round only to rally in wild fashion and win six consecutive games after switching to Calvin Pickard in net. After Pickard was injured, Stuart Skinner got his job back and responded with two consecutive shutouts to oust the Golden Knights. You need some magic to win the Stanley Cup. It certainly feels like the Oilers have it. (And having Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl also helps.)

The San Francisco 49ers on Tuesday officially announced they had signed Brock Purdy to a five-year, $265 million contract extension.

On Wednesday, Purdy spoke to reporters for the first time since becoming the NFL’s seventh highest-paid quarterback in terms of average annual value (AAV).

The 25-year-old made it known he was happy with how negotiations with the 49ers went. He also expressed he was pleased to be able to shift his focus back to playing football.

‘I think where we ended up was exactly where we needed to be,’ Purdy told reporters. ‘I’m extremely happy with where we ended and I know the Niners are, too. With that being said, for me, it’s all about football now. However they use the cap space and all that kind of stuff, that’s not my job. My job is to now go and win games and lead this team, but I’m extremely happy and grateful for where we ended.’

Purdy believed entering the negotiation process he deserved to be paid like a top NFL signal-caller.

‘There’s 32 starting quarterbacks and it’s not the easiest job in the world,’ Purdy said. ‘For me, with what I’ve done, and everything – I can hang my hat on the fact that I’ve had success in this league and I’m capable of leading an organization all the way to the Super Bowl. I’ve proved that.’

At the same time, Purdy wasn’t exclusively focused on maximizing his value. He also wanted to make sure he was setting the organization up to build a successful team around him.

‘We want to make sure that we’re working together with our organization and setting up everybody for success,’ Purdy said. ‘It’s not just for me to get all the money as much as I can, but also like, hey, let’s surround yourself with a great team and players and a great locker room, and all those things mattered.’

That’s one of the main reasons Purdy reported to the 49ers for the start of their offseason program in April. He didn’t yet have a deal done, but he wanted to be in the building to position San Francisco to build camaraderie after an offseason of change.

‘Being here day one was a huge emphasis for me, regardless of having a contract done or not,’ Purdy said. ‘But I had a lot of faith in my agent and the Niners that we were going to get something done. I didn’t know when exactly, but being here for phase one was huge for me.’

Purdy’s deal was eventually completed 28 days after the 49ers’ first April workout, and a week ahead of the team’s OTAs, which begin on Tuesday, May 27.

Now, Purdy will focus on returning to the field after recovering from an elbow injury that caused him to miss the final game of the season.

‘My body feels great,’ Purdy said. ‘I feel really healthy and 100%.’

With Purdy feeling good, he is locked in on improving and building chemistry with the new players the 49ers have brought into the building during the offseason. He believes the organization will be poised to contend again after a disappointing 6-11 finish in 2024.

‘There’s a new kind of reenergized feeling around the facility,’ Purdy said. ‘It’s an exciting time.’

Irsay began working for the team when his father acquired the Baltimore Colts in 1972, becoming the club’s general manager in 1984. He oversaw the team’s day-to-day operations beginning in 1995, after his father Robert Irsay suffered a stroke.

Jim Irsay, though, had plenty of interests away from the gridiron. Notably, he was a fan of pop culture – specifically music – and invested some of his $4.8 billion fortune into creating one of the most impressive collections of music memorabilia in the world.

Here’s what to know about The Jim Irsay Collection and what comprises it.

What is the Jim Irsay Collection?

The collection includes signed photos, handwritten lyrics, and other historic music memorabilia from the following artists:

• Bob Dylan
• The Beatles
• Prince
• Eric Clapton
• Elton John
• Jerry Garcia
• Les Paul
• David Gilmour
• Jim Morrison
• Pete Townshend
• Jimi Hendrix
• John Coltrane
• The Edge
• Janis Joplin
• Kurt Cobain

Irsay frequently loaned his collection out to museums, including the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland and The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Since 2021, it has been touring the United States as part of a traveling showcase and concert series meant to share Irsay’s love of music with others.

Irsay’s collection isn’t just limited to music-related artifacts. He also has memorabilia from President Abraham Lincoln, Steve Jobs and Muhammad Ali, among others.

That said, the biggest draw of The Jim Irsay Collection is his assembly of guitars, which Guitar Magazine in 2022 called ‘the greatest guitar collection on Earth.’

Jim Irsay guitar collection

The Jim Irsay Collection contains 199 guitars, according to the collection’s official website. The full list can be accessed by clicking here.

Among the most notable guitars in Irsay’s collection are the following:

• David Gilmour’s Black Strat
• Prince’s Yellow Cloud
• Jerry Garcia’s Tiger
• The Beatles’ 1966 Vox Kensington
• Bob Dylan’s Fender Stratocaster

The first pick has his first contact.

Cam Ward officially signed his four-year, $48.7 million fully guaranteed rookie deal with the Tennessee Titans on Wednesday, the team announced. It ensures that the quarterback will be ready for all the offseason activities that await in advance of the upcoming season.

The former Miami Hurricanes quarterback inked the biggest contract in the class after being taken with the first pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Now, Ward can focus his attention on the field with the contract hurdle cleared.

He doesn’t face a ton of resistance to get the starting job, with Will Levis being the only potential threat on the roster. Head coach Brian Callahan said Tuesday that the pair are splitting reps in practice with the competition looming.

Ward is still in the driver’s seat to land the starting gig, however, especially with the lack of a proven veteran starter on the team.

Here’s what to know about Ward’s first NFL contract:

Cam Ward contract details

Ward inked a fully guaranteed four-year, $48.7 million deal with the Titans.

It carries an average annual value (AAV) of around $12.1 million and a signing bonus of $32.1 million, according to Spotrac. The total value of the deal is about $2 million more than what the No. 2 pick, Travis Hunter, received from the Jacksonville Jaguars.

NFL rookie contracts are slotted, meaning the player’s draft position determines their contract. They are fixed and limit the haggling in negotiations to things like offset language.

Regardless, Ward can now begin his career without having to worry about his contract becoming an off-the-field issue.

The Indiana Pacers and the Oklahoma City Thunder have taken the early lead in their respective conference series after Game 1.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder defended their home court and earned the victory over Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves. Gilgeous-Alexander had 31 points, nine assists, five rebounds and three steals on Tuesday. He was named the NBA’s MVP on Wednesday.

Edwards had 18 points and nine defensive rebounds in the loss.

Tyrese Haliburton led the Pacers to a Game 1 victory on the road against the New York Knicks. Haliburton had 31 points, 11 assists and four rebounds. The Pacers star helped silence the crowd after hitting a shot at the end of regulation that forced the game into overtime after the Knicks led most of the fourth quarter.

Jalen Brunson had a game-high 43 points in the loss and went 1-for-6 from the 3-point line for the Knicks. Karl-Anthony Towns had 35 points and 12 rebounds.

Here’s the complete NBA playoffs schedule, including results and broadcast information:

NBA bracket: Playoff schedule, scores and results

The conference finals are set and could run through June 2.

All times Eastern. *-if necessary

Conference finals

Eastern Conference

Pacers lead series 1-0

• Game 1: Pacers 138, Knicks 135 (OT)
• Game 2, May 23: Pacers at Knicks | TNT, 8 p.m.
• Game 3, May 25: Knicks at Pacers | TNT, 8 p.m.
• Game 4, May 27: Knicks at Pacers | TNT, 8 p.m.
• Game 5, May 29: Pacers at Knicks | TNT, 8 p.m.*
• Game 6, May 31: Knicks at Pacers | TNT, 8 p.m.*
• Game 7, June 2: Pacers at Knicks | TNT, 8 p.m.*

Western Conference

Thunder lead series 1-0

• Game 1, May 20: Thunder 114, Timberwolves 88
• Game 2, May 22: Timberwolves at Thunder | ESPN, 8:30 p.m.
• Game 3, May 24: Thunder at Timberwolves | ABC, 8:30 p.m.
• Game 4, May 26: Thunder at Timberwolves | ESPN, 8:30 p.m.
• Game 5, May 28: Timberwolves at Thunder | ESPN, 8:30 p.m.*
• Game 6, May 30: Thunder at Timberwolves | ESPN, 8:30 p.m.*
• Game 7, June 1: Timberwolves at Thunder | ESPN, 8 p.m.*

2025 NBA Finals schedule

*-if necessary

• Game 1, June 5: TBD, ABC
• Game 2, June 8: TBD, ABC
• Game 3, June 11: TBD, ABC
• Game 4, June 13: TBD, ABC
• Game 5, June 16: TBD, ABC*
• Game 6, June 19: TBD, ABC*
• Game 7, June 22: TBD, ABC*

NBA playoff results: Second round

Eastern Conference

(1) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (4) Indiana Pacers

Pacers win series 4-1

• Game 1: Pacers 121, Cavaliers 112
• Game 2: Pacers 120, Cavaliers 119
• Game 3: Cavaliers 126, Pacers 104
• Game 4: Pacers 129, Cavaliers 109
• Game 5: Pacers 114, Cavaliers 105

(2) Boston Celtics vs. (3) New York Knicks

Knicks win series 4-2

• Game 1: Knicks 108, Celtics 105 (OT)
• Game 2: Knicks 91, Celtics 90
• Game 3: Celtics 115, Knicks 93
• Game 4: Knicks 121, Celtics 113
• Game 5: Celtics 127, Knicks 102
• Game 6: Knicks 119, Celtics 81

Western Conference

(1) Oklahoma City Thunder vs. (4) Denver Nuggets

Thunder win series 4-3

• Game 1: Nuggets 121, Thunder 119
• Game 2: Thunder 149, Nuggets 106
• Game 3: Nuggets 113, Thunder 104 (OT)
• Game 4: Thunder 92, Nuggets 87
• Game 5: Thunder 112, Nuggets 105
• Game 6: Nuggets 119, Thunder 107
• Game 7: Thunder 125, Nuggets 93

(6) Minnesota Timberwolves vs. (7) Golden State Warriors

Timberwolves win series 4-1

• Game 1: Warriors 99, Timberwolves 88
• Game 2: Timberwolves 117, Warriors 93
• Game 3: Timberwolves 102, Warriors 97
• Game 4: Timberwolves 117, Warriors 110
• Game 5: Timberwolves 121, Warriors 110

NBA playoff results: First round

Eastern Conference

(1) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (8) Miami Heat

Cavaliers win series 4-0

• Game 1: Cavaliers 121, Heat 100
• Game 2: Cavaliers 121, Heat 112
• Game 3: Cavaliers 124, Heat 87
• Game 4: Cavaliers 138, Heat 83

(2) Boston Celtics vs. (7) Orlando Magic

Celtics win series 4-1

• Game 1: Celtics 103, Magic 86
• Game 2: Celtics 109, Magic 100
• Game 3: Magic 95, Celtics 93
• Game 4: Celtics 107, Magic 98
• Game 5: Celtics 120, Magic 89

(3) New York Knicks vs. (6) Detroit Pistons

Knicks win series 4-2

• Game 1: Knicks 123, Pistons 112
• Game 2: Pistons 100, Knicks 94
• Game 3: Knicks 118, Pistons 116
• Game 4: Knicks 94, Pistons 93
• Game 5: Pistons 106, Knicks 103
• Game 6: Knicks 116, Pistons 113

(4) Indiana Pacers vs. (5) Milwaukee Bucks

Pacers win series 4-1

• Game 1: Pacers 117, Bucks 98
• Game 2: Pacers 123, Bucks 115
• Game 3: Bucks 117, Pacers 107
• Game 4: Pacers 129, Bucks 103
• Game 5: Pacers 119, Bucks 118 (OT)

Western Conference

(1) Oklahoma City Thunder vs. (8) Memphis Grizzlies

Thunder win series 4-0

• Game 1: Thunder 131, Grizzlies 80
• Game 2: Thunder 118, Grizzlies 99
• Game 3: Thunder 114, Grizzlies 108
• Game 4: Thunder 117, Grizzlies 115

(2) Houston Rockets vs. (7) Golden State Warriors

Warriors win series 4-3

• Game 1: Warriors 95, Rockets 85
• Game 2: Rockets 109, Warriors 94
• Game 3: Warriors 104, Rockets 93
• Game 4: Warriors 109, Rockets 106
• Game 5: Rockets 131, Warriors 116
• Game 6: Rockets 115, Warriors 107
• Game 7: Warriors 103, Rockets 89

(3) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (6) Minnesota Timberwolves

Timberwolves win series 4-1

• Game 1: Timberwolves 117, Lakers 95
• Game 2: Lakers 94, Timberwolves 85
• Game 3: Timberwolves 116, Lakers 104
• Game 4: Timberwolves 116, Lakers 113
• Game 5: Timberwolves 103, Lakers 96

(4) Denver Nuggets vs. (5) Los Angeles Clippers

Nuggets win series 4-3

• Game 1: Nuggets 112, Clippers 110
• Game 2: Clippers 105, Nuggets 102
• Game 3: Clippers 117, Nuggets 83
• Game 4: Nuggets 101, Clippers 99
• Game 5: Nuggets 131, Clippers 115
• Game 6: Clippers 111, Nuggets 105
• Game 7: Nuggets 120, Clippers 101

In the final equation, there just wasn’t enough pushback.

NFL owners decided Wednesday that the so-called “Tush Push” play that’s been used to such great effect in recent years by the Philadelphia Eagles, who most recently employed it in their Super Bowl 59 rollover of the Kansas City Chiefs, will remain legal. Despite the latest, well, push from several corners of the league to outlaw the play – or at least reinstate a rule that was dropped two decades ago – the effort was once again staved off, barely failing to secure the required 75% of ownership votes required.

So after years of study by the league’s competition committee, input from coaches and a vote tabled as recently as two months ago, the Tush Push lives on … for at least another season – which means it’s time to declare winners and losers of this verdict:

WINNERS

Philadelphia Eagles

Hall of Famers Salt-N-Pepa said it best – “push it real good” – and Philly’s offense surely has complied. According to the NFL’s Next Gen Stats, the Eagles converted 28 of 34 Tush Push attempts (82%) last season before using it on the 1-yard line to score the first touchdown of Super Bowl 59, a game Philadelphia never trailed. The Eagles also repeatedly resorted to their signature surge, which is typically used in goal-line and short-yardage situations, to bludgeon the Washington Commanders 55-23 in the NFC championship game – left tackle Jordan Mailata declaring victory in his team’s patented brand of ‘mental warfare.’ Philadelphia began Tush Pushing with regularity in 2022 and has reached the Super Bowl in two of the past three seasons. The Eagles are obviously adept at it, have a daunting offensive line that averaged 6-6 and 338 pounds last season – the largest unit ever fielded on Super Sunday – and a quarterback, Jalen Hurts, who knows how to use his explosively strong legs to burrow behind all that humanity … while often getting propelled himself by teammates. It should remain a competitive advantage the team enjoys. Until the league says otherwise.

POWER RANKINGS: Field still chasing Philly

Jalen Hurts’ fantasy owners

Sorry, Tom Brady, Hurts has become the greatest short-yardage quarterback in NFL history. Since 2022, he has rushed for 42 touchdowns in the regular season – two-thirds of those (or 28) from the 1-yard line, including 11 from that distance in each of the past two campaigns. (In 10 career playoff games, Hurts has run for 10 TDs – four in Super Bowls – matching his total through the air.) Over that same period, Philadelphia has consistently been at or near the top of the league in converting third and fourth downs, never executing worse than 41% on third down or 68% on fourth. Hurts may never be the league MVP given his relative inconsistency as a passer, but he’s now got a Super Bowl MVP award in his trophy case … and just might be the key to countless fantasy championships.

Kevin Patullo

Meet Philadelphia’s new offensive coordinator, who replaced Kellen Moore, now the head coach of the New Orleans Saints. Pretty nice for Patullo, 43, a first-time OC two decades into his coaching career, that a bread-and-butter component of this team’s attack remains at his disposal for the immediate future. And it should also be noted that the play enables the Eagles to mix in shot plays during third-and-short scenarios – sometimes out of the Tush Push formation – with the relative security that if a deep strike gambit fails, a fresh set of downs will very likely be earned on the subsequent snap.

Jason Kelce

Whether or not the Eagles’ legendary – if former – center was instrumental in the stay of execution for the Tush Push, he was present as the owners convened Wednesday morning after vowing to clarify his stance on the merits and safety of the play, which he obviously supports. Regardless, Kelce gets to look like the closer … and also doesn’t have to wind up at the bottom of a pile with 1,000 pounds or more on top of him.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

While the Tush Push vote took up all the oxygen at this week’s ownership confab, the only NFC team to beat the Eagles in the past three postseasons quietly benefited from the Detroit Lions’ tabling of their proposal to seed the playoffs by overall record, irrespective of who wins each division. Despite going 27-24 in the regular season since 2022, the Bucs have won the NFC South thrice – and played at home in the playoffs each of those seasons. Under Detroit’s plan, Tampa Bay would not have never been seeded higher than sixth during that span.

The world?

As the NFL continues expanding its international footprint – it will stage a record seven regular-season games across five countries this season (including Spain and Ireland for the first time) – it retains what some contend is a rugby-style play in its collective arsenal. And, hey, folks in Europe and many other countries fancy rugby far more than American football, so why not give them something to glom onto? And don’t forget, the league is holding a regular-season game for the first time next year in Oceania – specifically Australia – where rugby is massive. Maybe that keeps the Tush Push off death row until at least 2027.

LOSERS

Green Bay Packers

If this had been a Congressional bill, then the Pack would have been cast as the (Democratic?) sponsors – whether because they truly abhor the Tush Push, have been fairly inept at executing their own version of it, and/or simply don’t have an owner who looks like the bad guy for targeting a signature aspect of Philadelphia’s recent success. Regardless, the Packers, who modified the language of the proposed rule change as recently as Monday – attempting to pave a runway for the league to restore a measure which prevented players from pushing and pulling their teammates to advance the ball that had existed in the rulebook up until 2005 – couldn’t get the votes for their “constituents,” falling two shy of adoption, according to multiple reports.

Saquon Barkley’s fantasy owners

“Losers.” Right. If the league’s best back and reigning rushing champion winds up on your fantasy roster this fall, then you’ll doubtless be thrilled. But how much more thrilled would you be if his quarterback wasn’t leading the Eagles in rushing touchdowns, which very likely wouldn’t have been the case had the Tush Push been banned?

NFL head coaches and coordinators

The NFL is infamous for being a copycat league – assuming you can copy the cat. That really hasn’t happened much when it comes to other teams’ ability to replicate the Tush Push or certainly stop it.

“You know, you hate to be against it because people are innovative. You want to respect that. And so there’s certainly been some teams that have been more innovative than the rest of us,” longtime Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said at the league meeting in March.

Added rookie New York Jets head coach Aaron Glenn, formerly the Lions’ defensive coordinator: “They’ve done a good job creating a play that’s unstoppable.” He added, “In my defensive coaching mentality, my job is to stop that play. Our job is to stop that play.”

Be better in that department, fellas … if you want to be better than Philly.

Cam Jurgen and Landon Dickerson

With Kelce retired for a year, this duo carries on as Philadelphia’s best interior battering rams, er, offensive linemen. And, while it may be coincidental, don’t forget that Jurgens, now the starting center, and Dickerson, who plays left guard, each managed to play just one half apiece in the NFC title game earlier this year. Both Pro Bowlers needed surgery this offseason, Jurgens suffering from a bad back while Dickerson needed his knee repaired. But they’ll again be hurtling into defensive walls soon enough.

Player safety?

Though Jurgens’ and Dickerson’s situations may or may not be cautionary, there’s no data to support that the Tush Push is a play fraught with injurious risk even if it’s been widely cited as a preemptive reason to get rid of it. The Eagles, unsurprisingly, unfailingly vouch for its safety, reporting no Tush Push injuries in practice or on game days.

“I think for everybody, including myself especially, health and safety is the most important thing when evaluating any play,” owner Jeffrey Lurie said at the NFL meetings earlier this spring, via the Athletic. “We’ve been very open to whatever data exists on the Tush Push, and there’s just been no data that shows that it isn’t a very, very safe play. If it weren’t, we wouldn’t be pushing the Tush Push.”

However, per reports, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell wanted the Tush Push axed after years of publicly prioritizing the health and well-being of the league’s players in an inherently violent sport. Time will tell if the injury concerns prove prophetic or unfounded.

Super Bowl aspirants

Wednesday’s news wasn’t good for the Packers, Commanders or Chiefs, who all got steamrolled by Philadelphia in last season’s playoffs. Aside from the Eagles, the Buffalo Bills use a version of the Tush Push more than any other club in the league – but even they have essentially come out against it, coach Sean McDermott among those with misgivings about its safety (which is also convenient when your team can’t successfully leverage the play to secure a victory at Arrowhead Stadium with a Super Bowl berth on the line). The league’s 31 non-champions aren’t necessarily playing for second in 2025, but they’re certainly no closer to knocking the Eagles off their Lombardi perch.

In many ways, the Eastern Conference finals is a battle of contrasting styles.

The Indiana Pacers love to speed up the game, while the New York Knicks tend to play deliberately. The series will be determined by the team that dictates its style.

The stakes are high. If the Pacers win the series, they would be making their first trip to the NBA Finals since 2000 and would have a chance to win their first Larry O’Brien trophy. New York, meanwhile, would be making its first NBA Finals appearance since 1999, with the chance to win its first title since 1973.

Here are blueprints for how the Indiana Pacers and New York Knicks can each win the Eastern Conference finals:

How the Pacers win

Indiana thrives when it sprints out in transition and gets quick — and relatively uncontested — attempts early in the shot clock. It compromises opposing transition defenses and allows Pacers All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton to probe through coverages to find open teammates. Whether that results in trailers getting open looks from the perimeter or opportunities to drive and attack the basket, this is how the Pacers like to score. They win if they find a way to crack New York’s transition defense and speed up the game.

Rebounding is another issue for Indiana; the Pacers tied for 27th this season in rebounds per game (41.8) and they can sometimes get overwhelmed on the glass. The interesting thing is that the Pacers, by and large, have managed this deficit by racing out in transition. Case in point: Indiana lost the rebounding battle in the conference semifinals to the Cleveland Cavaliers by a combined margin of -21 and Indiana still won in five games.

How the Knicks win

New York is an extremely cohesive team, one whose starters led the NBA for five-man lineups in minutes played (940), points (2,283), field goals made (868) and attempted (1,718), 3-pointers made (220) and attempted (605), rebounds (815) and assists (574). When the Knicks are playing team basketball and swinging it around, and when All-Star point guard Jalen Brunson is looking to score and feed his teammates, New York is tough to beat.

If the Knicks let the ball stagnate at Brunson or center Karl-Anthony Towns, the entire offense loses its versatility and effectiveness and players become relegated to standing in the corners. Above all else, the Knicks absolutely need to stay committed to whole-team transition defense. While every player will be necessary, this does figure to be a series in which lengthy defensive-minded wings OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges take on a lot of this work.