Luke Littler, the world's top-ranked player, rallied after an unsteady beginning to defeat Ricardo Pietreczko 10-6, securing his place in the quarter-finals of the Players Championship Finals held in Minehead.

Having recently surpassed competitor Luke Humphries in the rankings following his triumph at last week's Grand Slam of Darts, Littler earlier overcame Ross Smith 6-3 in the afternoon session, boasting an impressive match average of 102.

The 18-year-old continued to gain momentum against Pietreczko from Germany, who had narrowly defeated Gary Anderson in a tense final leg. Littler rebounded from a 3-1 deficit, taking command with an 8-5 lead after executing a remarkable 121 finish that featured two hits on the bullseye.

With determination to reach the quarter-finals, Littler maintained a 102 average despite his initial struggle and is focused on capturing another title—one that has eluded him thus far.

“Of course, I'm not pleased when I find myself losing. When it was 3-2 against me, I managed to level it at 5-5, and I knew I had to push forward from there,” Littler noted during his interview on ITV4.

“I realised there wouldn't be any more breaks; we were onstage until the end, and I succeeded in completing the task. My doubles weren't at their best tonight, but I plan to refine that aspect for tomorrow's session.”

“I am indeed pursuing this title—everyone is aware of that. It’s one that I have yet to add to my collection, and I will definitely be going after it tomorrow,” Littler concluded.

Gerwyn Price, the tournament's top seed due to his outstanding performances throughout the 34 Players Championship events this year, also advanced by overcoming Martin Schindler 10-6, setting him up for a match on Sunday, when the tournament will conclude.

In another exciting match, Nathan Aspinall edged past Dutch player Danny Noppert 10-8, with both athletes scoring six 180s.

Off the main stage at Butlin’s, Daryl Gurney—who had previously defeated Stephen Bunting earlier in the day—won against Adam Lipscombe in a final leg, securing his spot in the quarter-finals, where he will face Price.

James Wade continued his success after defeating former world champion Peter Wright by achieving a 10-6 win against Andrew Gilding.

Furthermore, Jermaine Wattimena from the Netherlands triumphed over Ryan Searle with a score of 10-8, marking his first advancement to the tournament's quarter-finals.

The Week 11 game between the Las Vegas Raiders and the Dallas Cowboys wasn't exactly a textbook example of clean football. With the whole world tuned in to watch on Monday Night Football, a few rule violations occurred that prompted the NFL to take action.

The league has officially announced disciplinary measures for three players involved in the game. First up is Malcolm Koonce, a defensive end for the Raiders, who will be docked $12,172 for an instance of unnecessary roughness. This penalty was a result of him hitting Tyler Guyton, an offensive lineman for the Cowboys, in the helmet after a play had concluded.

George Pickens, a wide receiver for the Cowboys, is facing a more substantial fine of $26,085 for unsportsmanlike behaviour. In the second quarter, following a touchdown, Pickens embraced the Raiders’ goalpost, an action prohibited under league rules. Given his history of similar infractions, his penalty is notably higher than Koonce's.

Pickens isn't the only member of the Cowboys to receive a fine. DeMarvion Overshown, a defensive lineman, has been penalised $8,166 for delivering a late hit during the second quarter. These penalties shouldn't come as a shock. It was widely anticipated that both Pickens and Koonce would be fined for their respective actions. Overshown’s foul wasn't as blatant, so it was less certain whether he would be penalised. Nevertheless, the NFL is cracking down on penalties, so players will continue to be fined for not always following the rules. Pickens is in danger of a huge fine next time if he messes up again.

Raiders Offence Faces Another Tough Test

The Raiders’ offensive unit was hoping to find its rhythm against the Cowboys’ struggling defensive squad. Yet, they only managed to score 16 points in the defeat. The road ahead isn’t getting any easier, particularly with the Cleveland Browns boasting one of the NFL’s stingiest defences.

Myles Garrett, the Browns’ star defensive end, is considered the frontrunner for the defensive player of the year award, and offensive coordinator Chip Kelly understands the significant threat he represents.

“Looking at Myles, the remarkable thing is his physical presence,” Kelly commented on Thursday. “He’s a sizeable guy at roughly 270 pounds, yet he possesses the agility of a linebacker. Observing his movements, it’s clear that very few individuals of his size can move with such fluidity. … I doubt there’s anyone who can truly replicate Myles in practice, especially given that he’s already recorded 15 sacks through 10 games. At this rate, he’s on pace to potentially break the league’s all-time sack record. He’s among the best we’ll encounter this season.”

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