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This is an article version of the CBS Sports HQ AM Newsletter, the ultimate guide to every day in sports. You can sign up to get it in your inbox every weekday morning here.


Happy Tuesday, everyone! Brent Brookhouse here to walk you through the news you need to know this morning, as well as to help you prepare for a busy day of sports action.

With Thanksgiving drawing near, there's plenty of focus on games on the horizon, and plenty more focus on the food we'll all consume while watching. I waited a bit too long to pick up our turkey for Thursday, meaning I got stuck with a 16-pound bird for my small family when I hit the store on Monday. The turkey is now in the refrigerator defrosting -- don't forget this step -- and now it's just about filling the days with sports while menu planning.

Luckily, there's no shortage of action today, from the return of the UEFA Champions League, to some solid NBA and NCAA basketball action, all the way to a battle between Eastern Michigan and the MAC leading Western Michigan Broncos on the gridiron.

Strap in, we've got some sports to talk about.

🏈 Five things to know Tuesday

  1. 49ers overcome ugly game from Brock Purdy. San Francisco took down Carolina, 20-9, on Monday night. While the 49ers' opening possession was a solid 15-play, 72-yard drive that was capped off by a Purdy touchdown pass, things took an ugly turn with Purdy throwing three first-half interceptions. Despite those turnovers, San Francisco picked up a big win to improve to 8-4 on the season. The win earned the 49ers a "B" in our Week 12 grades.
  2. Banged up Bengals. Cincinnati should get quarterback Joe Burrow back under center for the first time since Week 2 when the Bengals play at Baltimore on Thanksgiving night. Unfortunately, wideout Tee Higgins will not be available to catch Burrow's passes after suffering a concussion in the Week 12 game with the Patriots.
  3. Reeling Eagles stars respond to loss. The Eagles collapsed against the Cowboys on Sunday, and their stars are responding to the 24-21 loss. Jalen Hurts said, "We've got to find a way to finish the game, and we've got to find some consistency in what we do," while Saquon Barkley, who coughed up a pivotal fumble, said, "I'm more disappointed with myself, not frustrated with anybody else."
  4. A return to the court for Cailin Clark? Clark has not played in a game since July, the result of a groin injury. However, Clark is set to make her USA Basketball senior national team camp debut in December. Paige Bueckers, Angel Reese and JuJu Watkins are some of the other first-timers who are expected to participate at the camp that will be held at Duke.
  5. Wolverines on the rise. Michigan jumped to No. 15 in the CBS Sports 136. The Wolverines also placed No. 14 in the CBS Sports College Football Power Rankings. The team has a good deal of momentum heading into a massive regular season finale with top-ranked Ohio State.

🏈 Do not miss this: Shedeur Sanders set for second career start

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After picking up a victory in his first professional start, there was some debate about whether Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders would be under center for Cleveland's Week 13 game against the 49ers. While coach Kevin Stefanski initially refused to "get into" whether Sanders would get a second start or if fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel would be under center, it's now clear that Sanders will be the man taking starting snaps.

It has been a long and controversial journey for Sanders in his rookie year, and it took several breaks, including Gabriel suffering a concussion, for Sanders' opportunity to even present itself. While Sanders became the first Browns quarterback to pick up a win in his first start for the team since 1995, he was far from perfect. Despite that, Sanders drew praise from President Donald Trump and advice from his own father, Deion Sanders, who told his son to "Evaluate yourself on the wrong."

CBS Sports' Ryan Wilson says Cleveland needs to start Sanders every game for the rest of the season.

  • Wilson: "There's no upside in reinstalling Gabriel as the starter. We already know who he is: a point guard who is at his best when he plays on time, especially on short and intermediate throws, but who struggles when he's asked to push the ball down the field. In his six starts, Gabriel ranked last among rookie QBs in big-time throw percentage (1.5%), according to PFF, behind Jaxson Dart (5.9%), Tyler Shough (4.8%), Cam Ward (3.4%) and Sanders (6.3%)."

🏆 UEFA Champions League Matchweek 5 kicks off

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In many ways, matchweek 5 of the UEFA Champions League is a make-or-break week for teams cluttered in the middle of the league phase pack. Bayern Munich, Arsenal and Internazionale have all started perfectly at 4-0. After those three teams, with their 12 points, there are 13 teams with anywhere from seven to 10 points.

We have taken a look at every match left in the league phase, predicting the results of every UEFA Champions League game through matchweek 8. Those predictions have Bayern Munich beating out Arsenal for the top spot at the end of the phase.

Pardeep Cattry also has Barcelona edging out Chelsea in Tuesday's marquee match.

  • Cattry: "These two may have been inconsistent to start the Champions League season but they have rarely been boring, even on days where things have not tipped in their direction. As the 3-3 draw at Club Brugge on Matchday 4 demonstrates, Barcelona have defensive frailties that are easy to exploit, so count on Chelsea's offense -- which has been average in Europe so far this season -- to have a go or two at goal. The thing about the visitors, though, is that they can score in just about equal measure and have held up fine without Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha. Lewandowski is returning to fitness, though, which could give Hansi Flick the necessary boost to take all three points out of Stamford Bridge on Tuesday."

🏈 Giants fire defensive coordinator Shane Bowen after another blown fourth-quarter lead

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Another Giants fourth-quarter collapse has cost defensive coordinator Shane Bowen his job. New York fell Sunday to the Lions, 34-27, in overtime despite having a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter. The Giants already fired coach Brian Daboll and now they continue to overhaul the coaching staff in an effort to makeover a team in the midst of a disastrous 2-10 season.

Sunday was the fifth time the Giants blew a fourth-quarter lead this season, meaning half of the team's losses have come when they held a lead after three quarters. Defense should have been a strength in New York, but the team has failed to make good on its talented pass-rushing personnel, and run defense was an issue on Sunday, with Jahmyr Gibbs breaking off a 69-yard touchdown run on the first play of overtime. Gibbs ran for 219 yards and two touchdowns on just 15 carries.

👍👎 The best (and not-so-best) of the rest

📺 What we're watching Tuesday

UEFA Champions League: Benfica at Ajax Amsterdam, 12:45 p.m. on Paramount+
⚽ UEFA Champions League: Union St.-Gilloise at Galatasaray, 12:45 p.m. on CBS Sports Network/Paramount+
⚽ UEFA Champions League: Juventus at Bodo/Glimt, 3 p.m. on Paramount+
⚽ UEFA Champions League: Villarreal at Borussia Dortmund, 3 p.m. on Paramount+
⚽ UEFA Champions League: Barcelona at Chelsea, 3 p.m. on Paramount+
⚽ UEFA Champions League: Bayer Leverkusen at Manchester City, 3 p.m. on CBS Sports Network/Paramount+
⚽ UEFA Champions League: Newcastle United at Marseille, 3 p.m. on Paramount+
⚽ UEFA Champions League: FK Qarabag at Napoli, 3 p.m. on Paramount+
⚽ UEFA Champions League: Athletic Club at Slavia Prague, 3 p.m. on Paramount+
🏈 Bowling Green at Massachusetts, 4:30 p.m. on ESPNU
🏀 No. 17 Tennessee at No. 3 Houston (M), 6 p.m. on TNT
🏈 Western Michigan at Eastern Michigan, 7:30 p.m. on ESPN2
🏀 Magic at 76ers, 8 p.m. on NBC
🏀 No. 7 Michigan at No. 21 Auburn (M), 8:30 p.m. on TNT
🏀 Clippers at Lakers, 11 p.m. on NBC