MIAMI -- Mauricio Pochettino has led some of the most distinguished clubs in Europe, but when he accepted the role of U.S. men's national team manager, he made the choice to step into a new environment in the international game. Four months into the job, Pochettino continues to navigate the nuances of his new role.

"Yes, it's been months, but there have been very few weeks working together," Pochettino said to ESPN. "The time we have together is very [limited] that we can spend with the players, but it is about discovering new things every time we are with the players."

He and his staff are still working on understanding what the group needs in order to be successful at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be played partially on home soil. The former Tottenham Hotspur, Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea manager noted that the biggest challenge he faces is creating a winning mentality within the team.

"If you speak to any coaches from different national teams, different countries, clubs, coaches talk about mentality and the challenges to create the winning mentality," Pochettino said. "The belief -- that is the truth. If we are able to identify the players, 26 or 30 players that share the same mentality, I think we could be a very good group of players with the possibility to compete at our best. It is not only to identify the talent -- it's about the talent and the strong mentality, the winning mentality."

Mentality is one of those traits that often is defined as "I know it when I see it." These days, though, there are metrics that can reveal how effective a team is in this area. Is the team winning its duels, in the air and on the ground? How effective is it in defending set pieces? Nevertheless, it remains a highly subjective assessment.

Attitude and competitiveness are topics that Pochettino is passionate about. In his interview with ESPN, when the subjects come up, he goes from having one hand in his pocket to gesticulating to get his point across, and the Argentine points to his home country as the best practitioners of mentality.

"We talked about Argentina because it's the [world] champion and they have very good players, but for me the most important difference is the mentality -- how they compete as a group and the belief that they have ... when they go to the pitch," he said. "They go to war and to defend your badge, your flag, and that is what we need to create."

Pochettino believes that his players "have a really good mentality, a really good culture." Center back Tim Ream said he felt Pochettino's emphasis on the topic was more down to making sure his players understand that every detail matters.

"I think it's more of [having] a winning mentality every single day, every single training session, every single pass," Ream said. "Everything matters, right? And I think that's more what [Pochettino's] desire and his meaning is, is that everything counts."

That Pochettino has referred to the team's mentality and competitiveness practically from the moment he took the job, however, suggests that there is room for improvement.

There was a time when the U.S. mentality couldn't be questioned. When the USMNT was just beginning to assert itself on the world stage in the 1990s, the team's attitude was what helped make it competitive, even when there was a talent deficit, which was often the case. Now, it's not as consistent.

"Sometimes there's a moment when you go up and down," Pochettino added. "The most important is to be consistent, to keep your capacity and your mentality. We are very happy with them."

The issue of consistency predates Pochettino's tenure as manager.

When the U.S. flamed out of last summer's Copa América, then-manager Gregg Berhalter and some players spoke of how the team didn't always bring the requisite intensity. At the time, the U.S. looked like a team of players who had gotten comfortable. Only when a performer was injured or suspended was there any change in the lineup.

The issue seems to run even deeper, though. Pochettino's arrival has opened up the competition for places, yet there have still been moments in his brief tenure when the team hasn't brought the requisite attitude.

In a 2-0 friendly defeat to Mexico, the U.S. appeared to wilt in the face of El Tri's pressing. The performance in that match of substitute Alejandro Zendejas was notable for just how much more intensity he brought to the field compared to his teammates. Even in the 4-2 win over Jamaica, in the second leg of the Concacaf Nations League quarterfinals, the U.S. took its foot off the proverbial gas in the second half, conceding twice.

The extent to which the USMNT can be challenged in this area during games is a concern given the lack of competitive fixtures on the calendar ahead of the 2026 World Cup. There are the Concacaf Nations League matches in March, followed by the Concacaf Gold Cup this summer, but that's it.

Pochettino's hope is that the carrot of playing in those tournaments will be enough to drive his players forward.

"I think it's a good opportunity, because of that competitive stress that makes you evolve, [where] you have to compete to get to the World Cup," he said. "But now there's the challenge that we put into the team and players.

"We planted a seed of competitiveness to understand that there are no friendlies. Each game is an opportunity for a player to demonstrate that he can be competing for a spot at the World Cup. The American player is competitive, and we have to understand, and are understanding, that the upcoming games against Costa Rica and Venezuela are games to play and compete. That is something important that we are transmitting."

Pochettino knew that upon signing the U.S. Soccer contract, the hopes of an entire country rested on his shoulders. The coach smiled while insisting he feels no additional pressure from the responsibility to bring joy to a nation's fan base, but his serious tone conveyed the seriousness of the matter.

Although he can only do so much to guide the USMNT to the coveted trophy presented on July 19, 2026, at MetLife Stadium, Pochettino assured that he will do everything in his power to make the country proud.

"The priority is to transmit the values that are the idiosyncrasy of this land and people," he said. "The culture of the United States, it's clear that in the U.S., if you see all sports, everyone is very competitive, we want to win. So that, a brave team, a team that is the protagonist and that gives a show and joy."

Pochettino is just months into his tenure, but he realized quickly that a lot needs to be done before this team can dream of being world champions. Slowly, his staff is making adjustments to turn the USMNT back into the hungry and electric team it was once projected to be.

It's too early to tell what will happen in 2026, but Pochettino has come to the U.S. determined to take the USMNT to new heights -- and that'll start with the right frame of mind.

FRISCO, Texas -- The Dallas Cowboys are in the early stages of their search to replace Mike McCarthy as head coach, but one name is already known: former Cowboys cornerback and current Colorado coach Deion Sanders.

A source said Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones and Sanders spoke Monday, and while an interview has not been scheduled, the two are expected to continue their dialogue. Fox Sports first reported the conversation between the two sides.

Sanders was linked to a Cowboys job that was not even open in the fall.

"To hear from Jerry Jones is truly delightful, and it's intriguing," Sanders told ESPN's Adam Schefter on Monday night. "I love Jerry and believe in Jerry. After you hang up and process it, and think about it, it's intriguing. But I love Boulder and everything there is about our team, the coaches, our student body and the community."

Sanders just completed his second season at Colorado, where he has posted a 13-12 record, including a 9-4 mark in 2024 during which the Buffaloes had the Heisman Trophy winner in wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter.

In November, Sanders was asked about potential interest from NFL teams.

"I'm happy where I am, man," Sanders said. "I've got a kickstand down. You know what a kickstand is? ... That means I'm resting. I'm good, I'm happy, I'm excited. I'm enthusiastic about where I am. I love it here, truly do."

Sanders received a five-year, $29.5 million contract when he was hired at Colorado in late 2022 after his successful run at Jackson State.

Sanders played five seasons of his Hall of Fame career for the Cowboys, helping the team win Super Bowl XXX in 1996 against the Pittsburgh Steelers. He remained in north Texas after his playing career ended, and he has maintained a close relationship with the Jones family.

Per the NFL's Rooney Rule, teams must interview two external minority head coach candidates in their search.

The Cowboys announced Monday that they and McCarthy would part ways after five seasons. McCarthy posted a 49-35 regular-season record, including a 7-10 mark this season.

Rules prohibit any interviews to be scheduled yet, but McCarthy is expected to interview with the Chicago Bears as early as Wednesday, according to multiple sources. The New Orleans Saints also are expected to interview McCarthy.

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- As quarterback Matthew Stafford ran onto the field before the Los Angeles Rams' 27-9 playoff victory over the Minnesota Vikings at State Farm Stadium, he heard the roar from the traveling fans.

It was an NFC wild-card-round game first scheduled for SoFi Stadium on Monday night before wildfires in Southern California forced the move to Arizona. And despite the fact that the game didn't take place at their home stadium, Stafford said the team was playing for a city going through an extremely difficult time.

"There was definitely every excuse in the book to come out here and be lethargic and woe is me and all that, but we knew we weren't playing just for us," Stafford said. "[We were] playing for people back home that needed something to watch and enjoy and I'm glad we could give that to them."

Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp said the team understood "there was a really cool opportunity to come out here and be a positive, be something that L.A. could hold on to, a moment of joy and energy that takes people away from the craziness of their lives and things that are going on outside of us right now."

"There was a responsibility I think guys felt to be able to put their best foot forward," Kupp said. "You go out through the tunnel and that weight hits you front and center. These people are here and the energy that they brought, the atmosphere that they created, you wanted to make the most of that."

The ability to play with focus despite the difficult week, Stafford said, comes from coach Sean McVay's leadership. McVay said he thought the way the team played Monday -- "to stay connected, to stay together, just to fight, the spirit, the resilience" -- "epitomized" and "represented the city the right way."

"You talk about sports offering a platform for people to come together, offer a little bit of temporary relief, and I thought the way that our team competed tonight was what it looked like," McVay said.

Despite the game taking place in Arizona, the Rams tried to make it feel like a home game, with their end zones painted in blue and yellow, their graphics on the scoreboards and a giant blue sign that read "THANK YOU FIREFIGHTERS AND FIRST RESPONDERS." The Rams also unfurled a large banner that read "LA TOGETHER" during a pregame performance.

Los Angeles arranged for charter buses to and from SoFi Stadium for the game, ending up with around 30 buses and 1,500 season-ticket members.

"Unbelievable show of support that we got from the fans today," Stafford said. "Can't say enough about that."

The Rams, who won their first playoff game since winning Super Bowl LVI during the 2021 season, will travel to Philadelphia to play the Eagles on Sunday at 3 p.m. ET in the NFC divisional round.

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- In a playoff game that was moved from SoFi Stadium because of the wildfires in Southern California, the Los Angeles Rams beat the Minnesota Vikings 27-9 on Monday night to advance to the divisional round.

It was an impressive performance for a young defense that has taken a giant step forward since the start of the season, which included a 41-10 drubbing at State Farm Stadium against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 2.

But on Monday night, the Rams got to Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold early and often, and Defensive Rookie of the Year candidate Jared Verse recovered a fumble and ran it in for a touchdown to give Los Angeles a 17-3 lead in the second quarter.

Darnold took a total of nine sacks on the night -- tying an NFL playoff record -- and Minnesota's offense failed to gain much momentum.

The Rams' playoff victory -- their first since winning Super Bowl LVI during the 2021 season -- came as players and coaches wore Los Angeles Fire Department hats and shirts on the sideline to honor the first responders fighting the fires in Los Angeles.

Next comes the divisional round of the playoffs, where the Rams will travel to Philadelphia to play the Eagles on Sunday.

Here are the most important things to know for both teams:

Los Angeles Rams (11-7)

QB breakdown: Matthew Stafford completed 19 of 27 passes for 209 yards with two touchdowns and was sacked twice. He completed 12 passes for 113 yards and two touchdowns to running backs and tight ends. According to ESPN Research, that is his most such yards and passing touchdowns in a game this season.

Most surprising performance: The Rams' hot start on offense. Los Angeles struggled to score early all season, but that wasn't the case on Monday night as the Rams scored a touchdown on their opening drive for just the third time this season, according to ESPN Research. It was a seven-play, 70-yard drive. Stafford was 6-for-6 for 64 yards, including a 5-yard touchdown pass to running back Kyren Williams.

Pivotal play: Early in the second quarter, Stafford was hit by Vikings outside linebacker Jonathan Greenard. The play was initially ruled a fumble and a Vikings touchdown after Blake Cashman's scoop and score. That would have tied the game at 10 pending an extra point, but the call was reversed to an incomplete pass, and the Rams kept the ball.

Describe the game in two words: Sack attack. The Rams sacked Darnold nine times, tying an NFL playoff record. Darnold was sacked six times in the first half, the most in any half in any game of his career. According to ESPN Research, the last team with six sacks in the first half of a playoff game was Washington in the January 1988 NFC Championship Game against Minnesota. -- Sarah Barshop

Next game: at Eagles (Sunday, 3 p.m. ET)

Minnesota Vikings (14-4)

The Vikings' dream season came crashing down in their final -- and most important -- two games of the year. Now they'll have the offseason to figure out why -- and what to do about it.

At the center of the discussion will be Darnold, who put up a second consecutive shaky performance after seeming to resurrect his career during a magical regular season. He struggled Monday night to make decisions in the pocket, ultimately taking six sacks in the first half alone after holding the ball an average of 4.52 seconds on those dropbacks, per NFL Next Gen Stats. He lost a fumble on one of those sacks, which Rams linebacker Jared Verse returned for a touchdown, and he also threw an interception in the first half.

That outing came one week after he completed only 18 of 41 passes in a 31-9 loss to the Detroit Lions in Week 18, a game in which he misfired on at least three potential touchdown opportunities.

Darnold threw for 4,319 yards and 35 touchdowns during the regular season, prompting the Vikings to consider whether they should bring him back next season and delay the coronation of rookie J.J. McCarthy. But the final two games of this season could make that discussion moot.

Eye-popping stat: In a testament to the struggles of Darnold -- and the rest of the offense -- the Vikings went 21 consecutive drives without a touchdown before tight end T.J. Hockenson scored on a 26-yard reception in the third quarter. The streak, dating back to their Week 17 victory over the Green Bay Packers, was their longest since coach Kevin O'Connell arrived to start the 2022 season.

Most surprising performance: O'Connell's lack of adjustments. He has expressed extreme trust in Darnold throughout the season and said once again last week that he was confident Darnold would rebound from his performance in Detroit. But O'Connell had no substantive adjustments on hand if Darnold came up short. He made Daniel Jones his No. 3 quarterback, meaning he wasn't eligible to replace Darnold for performance reasons, and O'Connell continued calling pass plays that left Darnold frazzled against a Rams pass rush that recorded sacks on six of the nine pressures it got in that first half.

Biggest hole in the game plan: After failing to get much pressure on Stafford in the teams' regular-season matchup, the Vikings blitzed him on four of his first six dropbacks during the opening possession of Monday night's game. It didn't work. Stafford diced through those blitzes, marching the Rams on a touchdown drive that set the tone for the entire game. -- Kevin Seifert

NEW YORK -- The New York Knicks scored 119 points and shot efficiently -- 50% from the field and 40% from the 3-point stripe. They even managed to get to the line 11 more times than the Detroit Pistons.

But in the end, none of those things were enough as the Knicks fell 124-119 to the red-hot Pistons on Monday night at Madison Square Garden.

The game, which marked the halfway point of the regular season for New York, was the kind of contest the defense-first Knicks were used to winning in previous years. But they couldn't come up with stops late and gave up back-to-back shots on identical plays, both of which resulted in wide-open corner 3s from Detroit's Malik Beasley in the closing moments.

"We're losing games I feel like we shouldn't be losing," wing Josh Hart said in the locker room after the defeat. "We've got to start figuring it out. We're halfway through. There's nothing we can do about the first half now. But if we want to be the team we're trying to be at the end of the season, we need to start correcting stuff now."

Hart's comments make it seem like the third-place Knicks, at 26-15, are vastly underperforming relative to expectations. But it's actually the best mark they've had under coach Tom Thibodeau at this point in a campaign. Last season, they were 24-17. In 2022-23, they were 22-19, and in 2021-22, the Knicks were 20-21. So there's an argument to be made that this is progress.

Thibodeau himself said Monday after the loss that clear progress has been made since the team's slow start. The club caught fire in December, reeling off nine wins in a row at one point, and it has one of the league's best scoring duos in Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns.

But on some level, that's what's noteworthy: The team's identity -- once perhaps the NBA's most physical, grind-it-out unit -- now frequently finds itself in shootouts like Monday's loss. And the Knicks, who are tied for second in offense but rank just 15th in defense, sometimes can't get enough stops to close the deal. It's an unusual problem for a Thibodeau-coached team to have.

Pistons star Cade Cunningham, who had just seven points in the first half after being saddled with foul trouble, exploded for 29 points in the second half. In the third period alone, he had 18. That was why New York aggressively sought to trap him twice in the closing moments, only for Cunningham to unload the ball to Tim Hardaway Jr., who then found an open Beasley on back-to-back possessions to close the game out.

Yes, it was just one contest, against a resurgent Pistons unit that has won 10 of 12, no less. And it was the second end of a back-to-back for the Knicks, who'd taken apart the Bucks a night earlier. But it's abundantly clear what New York needs to tighten up as it heads into its second half.

"Defensively, we've got to be better," Hart said. "We've just got to be better there."

LOS ANGELES -- With the Lakers about to play their first game after a six-day layoff due to the Southern California wildfires, their coach, JJ Redick, took a moment to focus on something he hoped could be gained after so much has been lost.

"I think a group functions best when you draw strength from each other," said Redick, whose home was one of the thousands lost to the fires in the past week. "Then it's our job to go give strength, and give hope and give joy. Sports are a lot of things, and sports can certainly provide an escape and a distraction, and hopefully sports, and tonight, can provide some joy as well."

The Lakers worked with the NBA, county officials and the San Antonio Spurs to hold Monday's game as scheduled, announcing the franchise would be dedicating the game to the L.A. community and the first responders who have worked to provide relief from the fires that have killed at least 24 people and destroyed more than 12,000 structures across 40,000 acres of charred land.

"Sports really work well when the team, the organization has a connection to the city and the fans feel a connection to the team," Redick said before the Lakers lost 126-102 to the Spurs. "And then it just flows in some sort of eternal circle of that. The Lakers have that with the city of Los Angeles. Having played here before and lived here, I'm well aware of that relationship. And part of the reason I wanted to coach here was to participate in that."

The Lakers banded together with all of L.A.'s professional sports teams to pledge more than $8 million toward local relief efforts, and the team started a donation drive Monday that it will continue through Saturday to collect essential personal items and nonperishable food items at home games at Crypto.com Arena and at the team's practice facility in El Segundo.

Redick said several Lakers players were forced to leave their homes by order of evacuation, too.

Despite the upheaval around them, Redick said the Lakers became closer during the unplanned break in their game schedule, with contests against the Charlotte Hornets and another game against the Spurs postponed indefinitely.

"Truthfully, I think it was our best three days in the gym -- non-games, of course -- but our best three days in the gym since the first three days of training camp," Redick said. "It was the right spirit, we got a lot done and the guys were super connected."

L.A. players took the court before the game wearing special black warmup shirts printed with the Lakers' logo along with the L.A. Fire Department's symbol and the message, "Thank you, first responders." Prior to tipoff, Lakers public address announcer Lawrence Tanter invited the crowd to join in a moment of silence and reflection.

"Our hearts are with those who have suffered from this horrible tragedy," he said.

Thankful for the heroes protecting LA pic.twitter.com/BwqcJkX3aI

Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) January 14, 2025

Lakers guard Gabe Vincent, one of the players displaced by the fires, also took the microphone to address the fans from center court.

"We definitely want to give a shoutout to the first responders who are putting their lives on the line right now to protect our community," Vincent said.

The Clippers, meanwhile, returned to host the Miami Heat on Monday night at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood about 10 miles south of downtown. They covered every seat with giveaway white towels featuring the words "LA Strong" and a blue image of the state of California.

"We're so thankful for the first responders, but we ache for the victims," public address announcer Eric Smith said before the Clippers' 109-98 win against the Heat. "The smoke will lift and they will return and rebuild, because this is L.A. Today we all stand together [as] one team, one Los Angeles."

The Heat, who will face the Lakers on Wednesday, didn't know if they would be allowed to head to Los Angeles on Saturday until after their game in Portland.

"We understand our responsibility," Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said. "We want to do whatever we can in this profession. We're coming with great empathy and grace, and if our role is to provide entertainment and inspiration, then that's our role. But while we're doing that, we're thinking about all the devastation and all people are dealing with. It's just been horrible."

Redick, whose family is staying in a hotel while reeling from the loss of their Pacific Palisades home, again took the chance to thank everyone inside and outside the Lakers organization who has offered support thus far.

"I'm awfully proud to be a part of the Lakers organization and our response," Redick said. "It just makes you feel proud to be with the Lakers."

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

TORONTO -- With the trade deadline just over three weeks away, Golden State star guard Stephen Curry wants to see the slumping Warriors get better but not at the expense of making a "desperate" move that would "deplete the future" for the franchise.

The Warriors fell under .500 for the first time all season with a 104-101 loss to the Toronto Raptors at Scotiabank Arena on Monday. Since a 12-3 start, the Warriors have lost 17 of 24 games and now stand at 19-20.

Still, Curry doesn't want to see panic. And he echoed a sentiment that general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr., coach Steve Kerr and star forward Draymond Green have been saying since training camp started in Hawaii: The Warriors should not make any rash decisions in trades, especially if they have to surrender young players or draft picks.

"Desperate trades or desperate moves that deplete the future, there is a responsibility on allowing or keeping the franchise in a good space and good spot when it comes to where we leave this thing when we're done," Curry said. "Doesn't mean that you're not trying to get better. It doesn't mean that you're not active in any type of search to, if you have an opportunity where a trade makes sense or even in the summer free agency [move] makes sense. You want to continue to get better.

"Nobody wants to be stale or be in a situation where you're passing up opportunities. But it doesn't mean that you're desperate just flinging assets all around the place just because you want to do something."

The franchise centerpiece said this in response to Green telling Yahoo Sports that he, Kerr and Curry are in lockstep with the thinking that the team should not mortgage its future and make a potential bad trade.

"Mike understands we want to win," Curry said. "We want to be in that position where we've always said that you want to be relevant in the championship type of chase. While we understand we're getting older and deeper into our careers and allowing some of the young guys to kind of blossom, it doesn't mean you're getting desperate."

Kerr, Dunleavy, Curry and Green have been preaching patience since camp and wanting to see what this roster can do. But that patience is being tested almost nightly. The latest stinging loss comes to a Raptors squad that is now 9-31.

The Warriors were short-handed Monday without Green (illness/back), Jonathan Kuminga (ankle), Gary Payton II (calf) and Brandin Podziemski (abdomen). Still, Golden State was up by nine points with 9:27 remaining. The Warriors were hanging on to a 101-98 lead with 2:34 left, but they failed to score again.

Golden State missed its final five shots, including three 3-point attempts in the last 44.7 seconds from Curry, Andrew Wiggins and Buddy Hield. Hield's contested 29-footer at the buzzer fell short and skimmed the net.

Meanwhile, onetime Warrior Chris Boucher scored 17 of his 18 points in the fourth quarter for Toronto.

Afterward, a frustrated Kerr pointed the finger at himself.

"Just didn't get good looks, didn't execute very well, weren't disciplined enough, and that's my fault," Kerr said. "I'm the coach of the team. I have to find a way to help this team. And I'm not doing a good job of that.

"This is as frustrating a night as we've had all season for me."

Curry finished with 26 points, 7 assists and 7 rebounds, but Toronto kept the all-time 3-point leader from touching the ball on the final play.

The guard has been frustrated at times this season. He acknowledged that the team was "mid" with its average play earlier during this slump. Curry, Green and Kerr have tried a variety of approaches to snap out of the funk, from Curry and Green talking to the players to Kerr starting 22 different lineups this season.

Golden State will head to Minneapolis next looking to get back to .500 with a win versus the Timberwolves on Wednesday.

"It sucks!" Kerr said. "It sucks. I don't like falling below .500. But here we are, so we got to do better."