By Sonny Jones
Elizabethtown native Larrell Murchison had the first two quarterback sacks of his three-year NFL career Sunday, but left with a neck injury in the fourth quarter of the Los Angeles Rams’ 51-14 win against the Denver Broncos.
Monday, Rams’ coach Sean McVay said he expected the East Bladen High graduate to be able to play against the Los Angeles Chargers on New Year’s Day.
“He’s gonna be okay,” McVay told the Rams’ web site (therams.com). “Has some neck soreness, but we don’t anticipate it to affect his ability to be ready to practice on Wednesday and ready to go this week.”
Murchison also had a career-best four tackles against Denver.
Murchison was claimed off waivers by the Rams two weeks ago after he was let go by the Tennessee Titans. He was drafted by Tennessee in the 2020 NFL draft.
Murchison Has Two Sacks As LA Rams Trounce Denver Broncos 51-14
BIRMINGHAM BOWL: PIRATES vs. CHANTICLEERS
Thus far, four bowl games have had more than 60 points scored. We may have the first 70-point bowl game Tuesday night when East Carolina (7-5) plays Coastal Carolina (9-3). It should be a wild one with lots of passing.
Both teams average scoring about 30 points per game and each allow about 30 points per game. Holton Ahlers and the ECU offense average 288.5 yards passing per game, which is 16th-best in the nation, and Coastal’s defense allows 282 yards passing per game, which is ranked 124th in the nation. The ECU defense yields 298 yards passing per game and Coastal averages 249 yards passing per game behind three-time Sun Belt Conference player of the year Grayson McCall, who ranks third in the nation in passing efficiency.
The difference may be ECU running back Keaton Mitchell, who has rushed for 1,325 yards and 13 touchdowns on his way to a first-team All-AAC season.
Game is set to kick at 6:45 p.m. on ESPN. Looking forward to this one. Buckle up and enjoy.
BOWLS, BOWLS, BOWLS
The drive to watch every bowl game continues. Streaming is my friend. Have watched them all, thus far, but this week will be a real test.
Games played: 18 (through Dec 26). Games watched live: 10. Games streamed: 8.
• QUICK LANE BOWL: New Mexico State 24, Bowling Green 19
(Played Monday, Dec. 26, watched Monday, Dec. 26)
Game No. 18 of the 43-game bowl season was deceivingly close at the end. Diego Pavia passed for two touchdowns and had several key runs in the fourth quarter in the Aggies’ victory. New Mexico State led 17-0 early in the third quarter before Bowling Green rallied a bit. The Falcons blocked a punt for a safety, then scored on their possession to pull within 24-19, but New Mexico State kept the ball for the final 6:27.
TODAY IN SPORTS HISTORY
• 2008 — Pat White, the most prolific running quarterback in college football history, has the best passing game of his career to lead West Virginia to a 31-30 victory over North Carolina in the Meineke Bowl.
POTATO PICKS TO WATCH TODAY
• CAMELLIA BOWL: Georgia Southern vs. Buffalo, noon, ESPN
• SOCCER: Bournemouth at Chelsea, 12:30 p.m., USA
• SOCCER: Nottingham Forest at Manchester United, 3 p.m., USA
• FIRST RESPONDER BOWL: Memphis vs. Utah St., 3:15 p.m., ESPN
• BIRMINGHAM BOWL: Coastal Carolina vs. East Carolina, 6:45 p.m., ESPN
• NHL: Chicago at Carolina, 7 p.m., BALLY SOUTH
• NBA: New York at Dallas, 8:30 p.m., NBATV
• GUARANTEED RATE BOWL: Wisconsin vs. Oklahoma St., 10:15 p.m., ESPN
Sonny Jones can be reached at wibbyj@gmail.com.
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