Page 15 - aruba-today-20231228

A15
SPORTS Thursday 28 december 2023

Brissett to start for the Commanders against the 49ers after Howell

was pulled from the last 2 games

By STEPHEN WHYNO ment of Rivera’s nearly year- and has thrown 557 passes,
AP Sports Writer long plan to see if Howell second only to Patrick Ma-
ASHBURN, Va. (AP) — Ja- could be the future of the homes.
coby Brissett is set to start at franchise at football’s most The Commanders have lost
quarterback for the Wash- important position, which six in a row to fall to 4-11. The
ington Commanders on included bringing in Eric Bi- 49ers opened as 13 1/2-point
Sunday when they host the eniemy to be offensive co- favorites on FanDuel Sports-
NFC-leading San Francisco ordinator and spanned the book coming off their home
49ers, a decision coach Ron sale of the team. loss to Baltimore, before the
Rivera framed as a chance “I think this is probably a shift to Brissett made them
for Sam Howell to get a good opportunity for Sam 12 1/2-point favorites.
breather late in a long sea- to take a break,” Rivera “He’s going to give us a
son with the team long out said Wednesday before chance to really be success-
of playoff contention. practice. ful,” receiver Terry McLau-
Brissett takes over after How- “This is about Sam’s con- rin said. “He’s pretty much
ell was pulled from each of tinued development, and seen it all at this point in his Washington Commanders quarterback Jacoby Brissett (12)
the past two games, most things hadn’t gone as well career, so we’re excited to passes against the New York Jets during the third quarter of an
recently a 30-28 loss at the as we would have liked for get out there and play with NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 24, 2023, in East Rutherford,
New York Jets in which he him the last few weeks, so him.” N.J. Associated Press
was 6 of 22 with two inter- we just think this is a good Rivera said he let owners
ceptions. The 31-year-old opportunity for him to know about his decision, “It is what it is,” Howell said. Washington’s football oper-
journeyman is on track to be watch.” adding: “The big thing ev- “Just going to try to do what- ations, Rivera and much of
the 13th different QB to start Howell started the first 15 erybody has to understand ever I can to continue to get the front office and coach-
for Washington since 2018, games of the season, and is that they have been very better these last two weeks ing staff are expected to
and at least one more could he leads the league with supportive of everything and try to learn as much as be fired next month as Josh
be coming next season 17 interceptions. The 2022 that we have done so far.” I can, watch Jacoby play, Harris’ group puts its stamp
when new ownership puts fifth-round pick out of North Howell said he was disap- support him and try to be a on the team it paid $6.05
another regime in charge. Carolina has been sacked pointed to learn he lost the good teammate.” billion to buy from former
For now, it’s the abandon- a league-high 60 times starting job. After four seasons running owner Dan Snyder.q

Naomi Osaka hits practice court to prepare for her tennis return at

the Brisbane International

BRISBANE, Australia (AP) July. Open in New York. She was Tokyo in September 2021, Thiem made the Austra-
— Former No. 1 and new Osaka has only played one leading Daria Gavrilova 1-0 before the Australian suf- lian Open final in 2020 and
mom Naomi Osaka hit the game since the 2021 U.S. at the Pan Pacific Open in fered a serious knee injury Berrettini was a semifinalist
practice court Wednes- and had to retire in the two years later. Both are
day ahead of the Brisbane match. currently sitting outside the
International as she pre- “She’s really pumped, ex- top-60 cutoff mark which
pared for her much antici- cited to be back in Bris- received automatic entry
pated return to tennis. bane,” tournament direc- into the season-opening
Osaka will make her WTA tor Cameron Pearson said event.
comeback at the tourna- Wednesday. “She arrived Holger Rune, at No. 8, is
ment which begins Sunday Christmas morning and the highest-ranked male in
at Pat Rafter Arena. A two- was out practicing a few the tournament. American
time Australian and U.S. hours later. No Christmas Ben Shelton and three-time
Open champion, Osaka pudding for her, she was Grand Slam singles cham-
pulled out of last year’s Aus- straight into it.” pion Andy Murray are also
tralian Open in Melbourne Rafael Nadal is also set to entered.
before later revealing she return from injury in Bris- Reigning Australian Open
was pregnant. bane in a 32-man ATP field champion Aryna Sabalen-
The U.S.-based Japanese so strong that Wimbledon fi- ka, Elena Rybakina, Jele-
player and her American Naomi Osaka of Japan practices during a training session ahead nalist Matteo Berrettini and na Ostapenko, Victoria
rapper boyfriend Cordae of the Brisbane International tennis tournament in Brisbane, 2020 U.S. Open champion Azarenka, Sofia Kenin and
Australia, Wednesday, Dec. 27, 2023.
became parents to daugh- Associated Press Dominic Thiem will have to Sloane Stephens are in the
ter Shai in Los Angeles in qualify to feature in it. 54-player women’s draw.q