THE INDIANA SRN “SPORTSPAGE” SUNDAY JANUARY 1, 2023

MONDAY SPORTSPAGE

****THE SCOREBOARD***

INDIANA SRN BASKETBALL POLLS

BOYS

4A

1. BEN DAVIS 12-0
2. PENN 7-1
3. CATHEDRAL 6-1
4. NOBLESVILLE 7-2
5. WESTFIELD 6-1

ALSO GETTING VOTES: JENNINGS COUNTY 10-0, HARRISON 10-0, CENTER GROVE 10-1, BROWNSBURG 10-1, HAMMOND CENTRAL 10-1, HOMESTEAD 9-1.

3A

1. MISHAWAKA MARIAN 10-1
2. NORTH DAVIESS 9-2
3. NORTHWOOD 8-2
4. NORWELL 9-2
5. WEST NOBLE 7-1

ALSO GETTING VOTES: SCOTTSBURG 9-1, LAKE STATION 8-1, PERU 8-1, OAK HILL 8-1, EVANSVILLE MEMORIAL 7-1, WOODLAN 10-2, TIPTON 9-2, SB WASHINGTON 9-2

2A

1. LINTON STOCKTON 10-1
2. FW BLACKHAWK 10-1
3. SOUTH SPENCER 10-1
4. UNIVERSITY 7-1
5. EASTERN HANCOCK 8-3

ALSO RECEIVING VOTES: SOUTHWESTERN HANOVER 10-0, TAYLOR 9-0, COVENANT CHRISTIAN 9-1, EASTERN PEKIN 9-1, WAPAHANI 8-1, PRAIRIE HEIGHTS 7-1, UNIVERSITY 7-1

1A

1. BLOOMFIELD 10-2
2. FOUNTAIN CENTRAL 8-2
3. ORLEANS 8-1
4. EVANSVILLE CHRISTIAN 6-4
5. BETHESDA 7-1

ALSO RECEIVING VOTES: TRI 7-1, LAKELAND CHRISTIAN 8-2, TRADERS POINT CHRISTIAN 7-2

GIRLS

4A

1. SB WASHINGTON 17-0
2. ZIONSVILLE 15-0
3. HAMILTON SE 15-1
4. BEDFORD NORTH LAWRENCE 14-4
5. FW NORTHRUP 11-1

ALSO RECEIVING VOTES: VALPO 14-1, FW NORTHRUP 11-1, NORTHRIDGE 16-2, COLUMBIA CITY 14-2, FISHERS 13-2, HUNTINGTON NORTH 11-2, LAWERENCE CENTRAL 13-3

3A

1. TWIN LAKES 16-0
2. INDIAN CREEK 16-0
3. NORWELL 13-2
4. MISHAWAKA MARIAN 12-4
5. JAY COUNTY 13-1

ALSO RECEIVING VOTES: EVANSVILLE MEMORIAL 15-0, BELLMONT 13-1, CASCADE 12-1, COLUMBIA CITY 14-2, DANVILLE 13-2, FAIRFIELD 12-2, HAMILTON HEIGHTS 11-2, TIPPECANOE VALLEY 13-3, SCOTTSBURG 12-3

2A

1. NORTH KNOX 17-1
2. BLACKFORD 14-0
3. CENTRAL NOBLE 15-0
4. FOREST PARK 13-2
5. CARROLL FLORA 15-2

ALSO RECEIVING VOTES: SEEGER 14-1, PIONEER 13-2, ANDREAN 12-2, LINTON STOCKTON 12-2, EASTBROOK 10-2, LAKE STATION 10-2, EASTERN HANCOCK 12-3

1A

1. LANESVILLE 15-2
2. TRI 14-0
3. TRINITY LUTHERAN 13-3
4. CASTON 15-0
5. BETHANY CHRISTIAN 11-2

ALSO RECEIVING VOTES: CLINTON CENTRAL 12-2, ROCK CREEK ACADEMY 12-2, NE DUBOIS 11-2, FAITH CHRISTIAN 14-3, DEMOTTE CHRISTIAN 12-3, BLUE RIVER 12-3

TEAM STAT LEADERS SCORING

BOYS

1.            INDY CATHEDRAL            77.57

2.            CHA MANUAL                   75.38

3.            MACONAQUAH                73.70

4.            PURDUE ENGLEWOOD  72.46

5.            JENNINGS CO.                   72.10

6.            GARY 21ST CENTURY     71.30

7.            SO’WESTERN (HAN.)       71.00

8.            LAKE STATION                 70.67

9.            PENN                                 70.50

10.          EV. DAY                            69.78

11.          BLGTN. LIGHTHOUSE     69.17

12.          NORWELL                        69.09

13.          NEW PALESTINE               68.67

14.          LINTON                             68.64

15.          WABASH                          68.50

16.          BROWNSTOWN               68.45

17.          FW BLACKHAWK              68.36

18.          MADISON-GRANT           68.33

19.          MANCHESTER                   67.78

20.          CARROLL (FLORA)            67.56

MICHIGAN CITY                 67.56

BOYS DEFENSIVE SCORING

1.            LAKELAND CHRISTIAN   36.50

2.            WESTFIELD                         37.57

3.            TRADERS POINT               37.89

4.            NORTHWOOD                   38.60

5.            TRI                                     39.13

6.            SOUTH KNOX                     39.33

7.            WAPAHANI                        39.89

8.            CONNERSVILLE                  40.11

9.            PRAIRIE HTS.                     40.38

10.          BARR-REEVE                    40.75

11.          ORLEANS                         40.78

12.          FOUNTAIN CENT.              40.80

13.          SOUTHMONT                    41.13

14.          BETHESDA CHR.                41.25

15.          CASCADE                          41.30

16.          PORTAGE                         42.00

17.          CULVER                            42.44

NOBLESVILLE               42.44

TRINITY GREENLAWN    42.44

20.          INDY LUTHERAN              42.75

]

TEAM STAT LEADERS OFFENSE

GIRLS

1.            SB WASHINGTON            79.47

2.            FW NORTHROP               69.25

3.            COLUMBIA CITY               67.19

4.            LAKE STATION                 65.50

5.            NORWELL                          64.80

6.            HAMILTON SE                    63.44

7.            BEDFORD NL                      63.29

8.            WARREN CENTRAL          62.93

9.            ZIONSVILLE                       62.67

10.          JEFFERSONVILLE               62.53

11.          BLACKFORD                      62.07

12.          NORTHRIDGE                    61.94

13.          TWIN LAKES                       61.88

14.          CARROLL (FLORA)             61.59

15.          TRI                                   61.14

16.          HERITAGE CHR.                61.07

17.          EV. MEMORIAL                 61.07

18.          W. LAFAYETTE                   60.80

19.          TRINITY LUTHERAN         60.69

20.          DANVILLE                       60.53

GIRLS DEFENSIVE SCORING

1.            TRI                                    25.43

2.            CENTRAL NOBLE               28.40

3.            VALPARAISO                      28.53

4.            FRANKTON                         28.77

5.            EASTBROOK                       29.17

6.            EASTERN HANCOCK        29.67

7.            LANESVILLE                      29.76

8.            LAVILLE                              29.86

9.            NORTH KNOX                    30.17

10.          FOREST PARK                    30.40

11.          CASTON                             30.53

12.          FAIRFIELD                          30.57

13.          LAKELAND CHRISTIAN   31.00

14.          FW NORTHROP                 31.08

15.          NE DUBOIS                         31.38

16.          SOUTHRIDGE                     31.40

17.          ALEXANDRIA                    31.50

18.          BELLMONT                        31.71

19.          SEEGER                             32.27

20.          FOUNTAIN CENT.              32.82

BOYS BASKETBALL MONDAY

CHICAGO PERSPECTIVES (ILL.)    VS.         GARY 21ST CENTURY                     9:00 PM              

DETROIT RENAISSANCE (MICH.) VS.         HAMMOND NOLL                            5:00 PM              

DETROIT WESTERN (MICH.)        VS.         HAMMOND CENTRAL                    7:00 PM              

LINCOLN PARK (ILL.)                       AT           HAMMOND MORTON                   1:00 PM              

ST. FRANCIS DESALES (ILL.)          VS.         BOWMAN ACADEMY                     11:00 AM           

GIBSON COUNTY CLASSIC

NORTH POSEY                                   AT           WOOD MEMORIAL                         11:00 AM           

WHITE RIVER VALLEY                     AT           PRINCETON                                        12:30 PM            

MOUNT CARMEL (ILL.)                  VS.         BARR-REEVE                                       1:30 PM              

BARR-REEVE                                       AT           GIBSON SOUTHERN                        7:00 PM              

WHITE RIVER VALLEY                     VS.         NORTH POSEY                                   6:00 PM              

MADISON COUNTY TOURNAMENT

ALEXANDRIA                                      AT           LIBERTY CHRISTIAN                        7:30 PM               R1

ELWOOD                                             AT           FRANKTON                                         7:30 PM               R1

LAPEL                                                    AT           ANDERSON PREP ACADEMY       7:30 PM               R1

PENDLETON HEIGHTS                    AT           ANDERSON                                         7:30 PM               R1

GIRLS BASKETBALL MONDAY

CHICAGO BUTLER (ILL.)                 VS.         HAMMOND NOLL                            3:00 PM              

EVANSVILLE NORTH                       AT           EVANSVILLE MATER DEI                8:00 PM              

NORTH MIAMI                                  AT           ARGOS                                                 7:00 PM              

SHENANDOAH                                  AT           UNION (MODOC)                             6:30 PM              

VINCENNES LINCOLN                     AT           LINTON-STOCKTON                        7:30 PM              

GIBSON COUNTY CLASSIC

SULLIVAN                                            AT           GIBSON SOUTHERN                        10:30 AM           

EDGEWOOD                                       AT           PRINCETON                                        11:00 AM           

MOUNT CARMEL (ILL.)                  VS.         BARR-REEVE                                       12:00 PM            

SULLIVAN                                            AT           WOOD MEMORIAL                         3:00 PM              

BARR-REEVE                                       AT           GIBSON SOUTHERN                        5:30 PM              

MOUNT CARMEL (ILL.)                  AT           PRINCETON                                        5:30 PM              

EDGEWOOD                                       AT           WOOD MEMORIAL                         7:30 PM              

MADISON COUNTY TOURNAMENT

LAPEL                                                    AT           ANDERSON PREP ACADEMY       6:00 PM               R1

ELWOOD                                             AT           FRANKTON                                         6:00 PM               R1

PENDLETON HEIGHTS                    AT           ANDERSON                                         6:00 PM               R1

NORTHVIEW TOURNAMENT

PARKE HERITAGE                             VS.         GREENCASTLE                                   10:00 AM            SF

TERRE HAUTE NORTH                    AT           NORTHVIEW                                      11:30 AM            SF

WEST VIGO                                        VS.         SOUTH VERMILLION                       1:00 PM               CON

CLAY CITY                                            VS.         CLOVERDALE                                      2:30 PM               CON

LOSER GAME 7                                  VS.         LOSER GAME 8                                  5:30 PM               7TH

WINNER GAME 7                             VS.         WINNER GAME 8                             7:00 PM               5TH

LOSER GAME 5                                  VS.         LOSER GAME 6                                  4:00 PM               3RD

WINNER GAME 5                             VS.         WINNER GAME 6                             8:30 PM               1ST

TOP 25 MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL

#22 XAVIER 83 #2 UCONN 73

#3 HOUSTON 71 CENTRAL FLORIDA 65

#4 KANSAS 69 OKLAHOMA STATE 67

#5 ARIZONA 69 ARIZONA STATE 60

#10 GONZAGA 111 PEPPERDINE 88

IOWA STATE 77 #12 BAYLOR 62

#13 VIRGINIA 74 GEORGIA TECH 56

#17 DUKE 86 FLORIDA STATE 67

#18 TCU 67 TEXAS TECH 61

#19 KENTUCKY 86 LOUISVILLE 63

#22 NEW MEXICO 76 WYOMING 75

KANSAS STATE 82 #24 WEST VIRGINIA 76 OT

ELSEWHERE

NORTHERN KENTUCKY 55 IUPUI 42

PURDUE FORT WAYNE 76 YOUNGSTOWN STATE 71

EASTERN ILLINOIS 91 SOUTHERN INDIANA 80

MILWAUKEE 84 DETROIT 81

SETON HALL 88 ST. JOHN’S 66

WAKE FOREST 77 VIRGINIA TECH 75

DUQUESNE 72 RHODE ISLAND 61

OAKLAND 81 GREEN BAY 65

ST. LOUIS 83 ST. JOSEPH’S 7

NEVADA 75 AIR FORCE 69

BRADLEY 79 ILLINOIS CHICAGO 45

DAYTON 69 DAVIDSON 55

SYRACUSE 79 BOSTON COLLEGE 65

UTAH STATE 67 FRESNO STATE 54

MARQUETTE 68 VILLANOVA 66

NORTHERN IOWA 66 ILLINOIS STATE 60

CLEVELAND STATE 63 ROBERT MORRIS 54

SAN JOSE STATE 78 COLORADO STATE 70

GEORGE WASHINGTON 97 LOYOLA CHICAGO 87

MIDDLE TENNESSEE 65 WESTERN KENTUCKY 60

SAN DIEGO STATE 76 UNLV 67

UTAH 71 STANFORD 66

EAST CAROLINA 79 WICHITA STATE 69

COMPLETE SCOREBOARD: http://hosted.stats.com/cbk/scoreboard.asp?conf=-1&day=20221231

TOP 25 WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL

#3 OHIO STATE 66 #14 MICHIGAN 57

#8 UCONN 61 MARQUETTE 48

#15 IOWA STATE 81 TEXAS TECH 58

#19 GONZAGA 96 LOIDA MARYMOUNT 51

#20 OKLAHOMA 98 WEST VIRGINIA 77

#21 CREIGHTON 92 DEPAUL 82

#22 KANSAS 80 OKLAHOMA STATE 65

#23 BAYLOR 64 TCU 42

#25 ST. JOHN’S 68 GEORGETOWN 48

ELSEWHERE:

SETON HALL 79 BUTLER 45

YOUNGSTOWN STATE 60 PURDUE FORT WAYNE 44

SOUTHERN ILLINOIS 60 INDIANA STATE 58

MIAMI OHIO 80 TIFFIN 31

GEORGE WASHINGTON 65 RICHMOND 63

CLEVELAND STATE 70 ROBERT MORRIS 52

GREEN BAY 80 DETROIT 33

BOISE STATE 73 SAN JOSE STATE 62

RICE 62 UTEP 53

TEXAS 87 KANSAS STATE 41

MIDDLE TENNESSEE 80 WESTERN KENTUCKY 75

MILWAUKEE 65 OAKLAND 49

BYU 66 ST. MARY’S 41

COMPLETE SCOREBOARD: http://hosted.stats.com/wcbk/scoreboard.asp?conf=-1&day=20221231

COLLEGE FOOTBALL BOWL SCHEDULE

SATURDAY, DEC. 31

#3 TCU 51 #2 MICHIGAN 45… BOX SCORE: http://hosted.stats.com/cfb/boxscore.asp?gamecode=202212310029&home=29&vis=85&final=true

#1 GEORGIA 42 #4 OHIO STATE 41… BOX SCORE: http://hosted.stats.com/cfb/boxscore.asp?gamecode=202212310068&home=68&vis=33&final=true

#5 ALABAMA 45 #9 KANSAS STATE 20…BOX SCORE: http://hosted.stats.com/cfb/boxscore.asp?gamecode=202212310021&home=21&vis=73&final=true

IOWA 21 KENTUCKY 0…BOX SCORE: http://hosted.stats.com/cfb/boxscore.asp?gamecode=202212310069&home=69&vis=28&final=true

MONDAY, JAN. 2

NO. 22 MISSISSIPPI STATE VS. ILLINOIS — RELIAQUEST BOWL (TAMPA, FLORIDA) | 12 P.M. | ESPN2

NO. 17 LSU VS. PURDUE — CITRUS BOWL (ORLANDO, FLORIDA) | 1 P.M. | ABC

NO. 10 USC VS. NO. 16 TULANE — COTTON BOWL (ARLINGTON, TEXAS) | 1 P.M. | ESPN

NO. 8 UTAH VS. NO. 11 PENN STATE — ROSE BOWL (PASADENA, CALIFORNIA) | 5 P.M. | ESPN

SUNDAY, JAN. 8

FCS NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP (FRISCO, TEXAS) | 2 P.M. | ABC

MONDAY, JAN. 9

CFP NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME (INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA) | ESPN

NFL WEEK 17

SUNDAY, JANUARY 01, 2023

ARIZONA CARDINALS AT ATLANTA FALCONS 1:00P (ET) 1:00P FOX

PITTSBURGH STEELERS AT BALTIMORE RAVENS 1:00P (ET) 1:00P CBS

CHICAGO BEARS AT DETROIT LIONS 1:00P (ET) 1:00P FOX

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS AT HOUSTON TEXANS 12:00P (CT) 1:00P CBS

DENVER BRONCOS AT KANSAS CITY CHIEFS 12:00P (CT) 1:00P CBS

MIAMI DOLPHINS AT NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS 1:00P (ET) 1:00P CBS

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS AT NEW YORK GIANTS 1:00P (ET) 1:00P CBS

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS AT PHILADELPHIA EAGLES 1:00P (ET) 1:00P FOX

CAROLINA PANTHERS AT TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS 1:00P (ET) 1:00P FOX

CLEVELAND BROWNS AT WASHINGTON COMMANDERS 1:00P (ET) 1:00P FOX

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS AT LAS VEGAS RAIDERS 1:05P (PT) 4:05P FOX

NEW YORK JETS AT SEATTLE SEAHAWKS 1:05P (PT) 4:05P FOX

MINNESOTA VIKINGS AT GREEN BAY PACKERS 3:25P (CT) 4:25P CBS

LOS ANGELES RAMS AT LOS ANGELES CHARGERS 5:20P (PT) 8:20P NBC*

MONDAY, JANUARY 02, 2023

BUFFALO BILLS AT CINCINNATI BENGALS (MON) 8:30P (ET) 8:30P ESPN/ABC

NBA

INDIANA 131 LA CLIPPERS 130…BOX SCORE: http://hosted.stats.com/nba/boxscore.asp?gamecode=2022123111&home=11&vis=12&final=true

CLEVELAND 103 CHICAGO 102

NEW YORK 108 HOUSTON 88

DALLAS 126 SAN ANTONIO 125

BROOKLYN 123 CHARLOTTE 106

DETROIT 116 MINNESOTA 104

PHILADELPHIA 115 OKLAHOMA CITY 96

MEMPHIS 116 NEW ORLEANS 101

MIAMI 126 UTAH 123

BOX SCORES: http://hosted.stats.com/nba/scoreboard.asp

NHL

BUFFALO 4 BOSTON 3

COLUMBUS 4 CHICAGO 1

VEGAS 5 NASHVILLE 4

WASHINGTON 9 MONTRÉAL 2

PHILADELPHIA 4 LOS ANGELES 2

TAMPA BAY 5 ARIZONA 3

MINNESOTA 5 ST. LOUIS 2

DETROIT 4 OTTAWA 2

TORONTO 6 COLORADO 2

DALLAS 5 SAN JOSE 2

CALGARY 3 VANCOUVER 2

WINNIPEG 2 EDMONTON 1

BOX SCORES: http://hosted.stats.com/nhl/scoreboard.asp

TOP NATIONAL HEADLINES

****COLLEGE FOOTBALL****

NO. 1 GEORGIA RALLIES TO BEAT NO. 4 OHIO STATE 42-41 IN SEMI

ATLANTA (AP) Kirby Smart will ask his Georgia players to execute better when the Bulldogs play for second straight national championship next week, but the coach knows he can’t ask his players to be more resilient.

Georgia remains undefeated because the Bulldogs never gave up while rallying from two-touchdown deficits in each half for a thrilling College Football Playoff semifinal 42-41 victory over Ohio State that ended early Sunday.

Stetson Bennett capped No. 1 Georgia’s final comeback with a 10-yard, last-minute scoring pass to Adonai Mitchell for the Peach Bowl victory over No. 4 Ohio State. The win gives the Bulldogs a shot at their second straight national title.

“Our guys are extremely resilient,” Smart said. “… I had no doubt our team would come out fighting.”

Georgia (14-0) will play No. 3 TCU, which beat No. 2 Michigan 51-45 in the Fiesta Bowl semifinal, on Jan. 9 for the national championship. The Bulldogs, who won their first national title since 1980 last season, will play for the first back-to-back championships in school history.

Ohio State led 21-7 in the first half and 38-24 in the fourth quarter.

“If we want any chance of winning the national championship, we’ve got to play a lot better football than we played tonight, but we’ve got to keep our resilience,” Smart said.

The final comeback held just after midnight Sunday when Noah Ruggles’ 50-yard field goal attempt for Ohio State with three seconds remaining sailed wide left, setting off a celebration on the Georgia sideline.

“That probably was the most fun game I’ve ever played in my life,” said Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud, who threw four touchdown passes. “It just sucks it comes down like that.”

Ohio State (11-2) bemoaned its inability to protect the two-touchdown lead in the final quarter.

“If we’re going to win these games we can’t give up those big, explosive plays,” Ohio State coach Ryan Day said.

Bennett’s 76-yard scoring pass to Arian Smith, followed by Bennett’s pass to Ladd McConkey on the 2-point play, cut it to 38-35.

Ruggles’ 48-yard field goal gave the Buckeyes a 41-35 lead, leaving only 2:36 for Bennett and Georgia’s offense.

“I looked around and there were just a bunch of determined strong stares from all the dudes,” Bennett said of the huddle before the drive. “It gave me confidence.”

Bennett’s go-ahead scoring pass to Mitchell with 54 seconds remaining, Stroud led the Buckeyes back with a 27-yard run to the Georgia 31. The missed field goal set off the Georgia celebration that left Bennett in tears.

“That was a good game,” Bennett said. “These stats are pretty much dead even across the board. Yeah, that one was special.”

Ohio State shut out Georgia in the third quarter while the Buckeyes pulled away with 10 points.

Bennett, who joined Stroud as one of four Heisman Trophy finalists, finished the game strong, completing 23 of 34 passes for 398 yards with three touchdowns and one interception. He had a 3-yard scoring run.

Stroud’s second scoring pass, a 16-yarder to Harrison, gave the Buckeyes a 21-7 lead. Stroud escaped pressure on the play before passing to a diving Harrison in the end zone.

Georgia scored the next 17 points for a 24-21 lead. The Bulldogs had scoring runs of 11 yards by Kendall Milton and 3 yards by Bennett during the run.

BIG OFFENSE FOR BUCKEYES

Stroud completed 23 of 34 passes for 348 yards without an interception.

Stroud capped the Buckeyes’ first possession of the second half with a 10-yard scoring pass to Emeka Egbuka for a 35-24 lead – already the most points allowed in a full game by the Bulldogs this season.

Marvin Harrison Jr. had five catches for 106 yards and two touchdowns. Egbuka had eight catches for 112 yards and one score.

SMART TIMEOUT

Protecting a 38-27 lead, Ohio State called for a fake punt on fourth-and-1 in the fourth quarter. But before a direct snap to Mitch Rossi produced the apparent yardage for the first down, Smart already had called timeout.

The timeout may have saved Georgia’s comeback hopes. The Buckeyes then had to punt, and on Georgia’s next play Bennett threw the 76-yard scoring pass to Smith.

“They were not in their traditional formation,” Smart said, explaining his decision to call the timeout. “One of those gut reactions that I didn’t think we had it lined up properly to stop it, so I called timeout.”

THE TAKEAWAY

Ohio State: The Buckeyes scored with devastating quickness at times. A quick-strike, 75-yard touchdown gave Ohio State a 28-24 halftime lead. Stroud completed four consecutive passes in the drive, including a 37-yard scoring pass from Stroud to Xavier Johnson.

Georgia: The Bulldogs ran for 135 yards and finished with 533 total yards, winning with offense on a night its proud defense couldn’t stop Stroud.

INJURY REPORT

Ohio State TE Cade Stover, suffering back spasms, was taken to a hospital for precautionary reasons, the team announced at the start of the second half. There was no immediate update.

Day said Harrison was placed in concussion protocol following a big hit in the end zone from Georgia’s Javon Bullard, who initially was called for targeting. Following a review, officials removed the targeting call.

Georgia OLB Chaz Chambliss left the game late in the first half with an apparent left knee injury. Chambliss needed help leaving the field. Georgia TE Darnell Washington was on crutches on the sideline after suffering a left ankle injury in the second period.

Georgia WR Ladd McConkey (knee) had limited playing time and RT Warren McClendon (knee) was in uniform but did not start.

Buckeyes running back Miyan Williams, who missed practice this week with a stomach bug while also still recovering from an ankle injury, had only three carries for eight yards, including a scoring plunge from the 2, in the first half.

NO. 3 TCU UPSETS NO. 2 MICHIGAN 51-45 IN WILD CFP SEMIFINAL

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) TCU’s wild ride has one more stop.

The Horned Frogs are headed to Sofi Stadium in Inglewood, California, about 10 miles from Hollywood, just about the perfect place to end a storybook season for the most improbable College Football Playoff team.

Max Duggan accounted for four touchdowns, TCU returned two interceptions for scores and the third-ranked Horned Frogs withstood a frenetic second-half surge by No. 2 Michigan to win the Fiesta Bowl semifinal 51-45 on Saturday night.

TCU (13-1) will face No. 1 Georgia, a 42-41 semifinal winner over No. 4 Ohio State, on Jan. 9 for the national championship.

Coming off a losing 2021 season and picked to finish seventh in the Big 12 in Sonny Dykes’ first year as coach, the Horned Frogs will now play for the program’s first national championship since 1938.

“They just played really tough football, hard-nosed football. Believed in each other, believed in their teammates, and just found a way to overcome and persevere,” Dykes said. “It’s kind of what we’ve done all year. We did it tonight. That’s who we are.”

It took the Frogs a month to get ranked this season, and they were doubted almost every step on the way their first playoff appearance.

“At some point, you just kind of quit listening to what everybody says,” Dykes said.

Duggan and the Frogs will inevitably be underdogs in the title game – again. That didn’t matter much against Michigan (13-1) as they took it to the big, bad Big Ten champions and turned the Fiesta Bowl into circa-2010, Big 12-style scorefest.

“We heard all week how they were going to out-physical us,” TCU linebacker Dee Winters said.

It was the highest-scoring Fiesta Bowl ever and the second highest-scoring CFP game behind Georgia’s 54-48 Rose Bowl victory against Oklahoma on Jan. 1, 2018.

Maybe it was fitting.

TCU, the little private school from Forth Worth, Texas, that was left out of the Big 12 when it first formed in the mid-1990s, became the first team from the conference to win a CFP game and will be the first to play for a national title since Texas in 2009.

This one was 34-16 after Winters’ 29-yard pick-6 with 2:46 left in the third quarter. The Hypnotoads, a nickname borrowed for the animated TV show “Futurama,” and their purple-clad fans were drowning out the Michigan supporters at State Farm Stadium, sensing the dream was still alive.

Of course, nothing comes easy for these Frogs. During their unbeaten regular season, they won seven straight games by 10 points or fewer.

What followed was five touchdown drives – with a TCU turnover tucked in between – each taking less than a minute.

Duggan said the Frogs’ next-play mentality helped them stay poised through the pandemonium.

“I think that’s kind of our mindset, which helped us kind of fight through some of the momentum swings,” Duggan said.

Roman Wilson’s 18-yard touchdown run on a reverse and a 2-point conversion pulled Michigan within 41-38 with 14:13 left in the fourth quarter.

“The winner was football,” Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh said.

Back came the Frogs, unleashing their best weapon. Future first-round draft pick Quentin Johnston took a short crosser from Duggan and turned it up the sideline for a 76-yard score that put the Frogs up 10.

Duggan threw for 225 yards and two interceptions and ran for 57. Johnston had six catches for 163 yards and Emari Demercado, picking up the slack for an injured Kendre Miller, ran for 150. All of that against a defense that ranked third in the nation coming in.

TCU finally got a stop on Michigan’s next possession and turned it into a 33-yard field goal by Griffin Kell to go up 51-38 with 10:02 left.

After the Frogs and Wolverines combined for 62 points in 20 second-half minutes, the pace was throttled back. Michigan cut the lead to six with 3:14 left on J.J. McCarthy’s 5-yard TD pass to Wilson.

McCarthy was spectacular at times with 343 yards passing, 52 rushing and three touchdowns. He also made two killer mistakes, tossing pick-6s in each half.

“Titanic effort. Phenomenal effort by J.J.,” Harbaugh said.

TCU couldn’t ice it and Michigan got one more shot, starting from its 25 with 52 seconds left – but couldn’t get a first down.

Before TCU could line up in victory formation, there was an officials’ review for targeting on the Frogs. What was another minute or so of drama in a season filled with stress for TCU?

The play was clean. Duggan, the Heisman Trophy runner-up, took one last snap and a knee and the exhausted Frogs rushed the field and celebrated under cloud of purple and white confetti.

The Frogs hopped out to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter, with safety Bud Clark making two of the biggest plays of the game. First, he chased down Michigan’s Donovan Edwards to prevent a long touchdown on the very first play from scrimmage.

TCU then used a goal line stand – stymieing a Philly Special-style fourth down play by Michigan – to keep the Wolverines off the board.

On Michigan’s next possession, Clark broke fast on a throw to the sideline by McCarthy and raced 41 yards with a pick-6 that put TCU up 7-0.

Duggan completed a long touchdown drive with a 1-yard plunge with 2:27 left in the first quarter and the Frogs were up 14-0 on touchdown-favorite Wolverines.

“There’s a lot of things that we could have done better,” said McCarthy, the second-year quarterback. “But we’ll be back, and I promise that.”

THE TAKEAWAY

TCU: How the Frogs’ 3-3-5 defense, ostensibly built to counter spread offenses with speed, held up against Michigan’s power was the biggest Xs and Os question coming into the Fiesta Bowl.

The answer: Pretty good for a half. TCU had three sacks – all by Dylan Horton – among six tackles for loss in the first half as the Frogs took a 21-6 lead.

Michigan: Harbaugh’s Wolverines put up a better showing in their second straight CFP semifinal appearance, but will lament the missed opportunities. Their first three first-and-goal situations produced three points, including a fumble at the goal line.

Michigan fell to 1-6 in bowl games under Harbaugh.

“Told my team: `You don’t quit. You don’t give up,” he said. “Really proud of the fight.”

UP NEXT

TCU: The Frogs are a combined 1-9-1 all-time against Georgia and Ohio State.

Michigan: The Wolverines open next season in the Big House against East Carolina.

YOUNG THROWS FOR 5 TDS, ALABAMA TOPS K-STATE IN SUGAR BOWL

NEW ORLEANS (AP) Bryce Young’s decision to opt in to the Sugar Bowl only enhanced his chances of cashing in as a pro.

Young passed for 321 yards and five touchdowns in a game that other top NFL prospects might have skipped, and No. 5 Alabama responded to an early two-score deficit with 35 straight points to defeat 11th-ranked Kansas State 45-20 on Saturday.

“For me it was just about doing everything I can to help the team,” Young said. “We had pride in how we played and how we prepared – us wanting to finish, us wanting to push ourselves and hold each other accountable.”

While a number of pro-bound college stars sat out bowl games that were not part of the College Football Playoff, the Crimson Tide and Wildcats had their best prospects on the field for the Sugar Bowl and they made a number of memorable plays – from Young’s pivotal passes to Kansas State running back Deuce Vaughn’s 88-yard touchdown run to interceptions by Alabama’s Jordan Battle and Brian Branch.

“These guys sent a message to everybody that you create value for yourself by playing football,” Alabama coach Nick Saban said. “It speaks volumes of your character when you choose to be a part of your team and you can be counted on to be part of your team, regardless of the circumstances.”

With the game in hand in the fourth quarter, Young was ceremoniously substituted out, raising his right hand to Alabama fans who loudly rose to their feet as the 2021 Heisman Trophy winner trotted to the sideline.

Kansas State coach Chris Klieman asked a member of Alabama’s staff to thank Young for playing.

“That’s what college football is about. I was happy Bryce played,” Klieman said. “That was really good for college football and really good for kids to see.”

Jermaine Burton caught three passes for 87 yards and a touchdown for Alabama (11-2). Tide running back Jahmyr Gibbs had 142 yards from scrimmage – 76 rushing and 66 receiving. Young’s other touchdowns went to Isaiah Bond (6 yards), Cameron Latu (1 yard), Ja’Corey Brooks (32 yards) and Kobe Prentice (47 yards). Jase McClelland added a 17-yard scoring run.

“We had a little bit of a taste in our mouth that if we had a dominant performance, it would show people that we probably did deserve to do a little better than we did in terms of the playoff picture,” Saban said. “But I’m most proud that there was a team out there that cared.”

Kansas State (10-4) entered its first Sugar Bowl on a four-game winning streak and was riding high after knocking off No. 3 TCU – a CFP team – in the Big 12 title game.

Although Battle’s leaping interception of Will Howard ended K-State’s opening drive on the Alabama 21, the Wildcats scored the Sugar Bowl’s first 10 points, surging in front on Ty Zentner’s 41-yard field goal and Vaughn’s long run.

Alabama was on the brink of punting a third time when Young, on third and 10, stepped up in a collapsing pocket and flicked a short pass to Gibbs, who was cutting across the middle and turned up field for 60 yards. Young stepped up similarly to avoid pressure on his touchdown pass to Bond soon after.

Young threw over the top to Burton for 47 yards to setup his scoring pass to Latu that put Alabama in front for good.

Kansas State drove to the Alabama 2 late in the first half – converting two fourth-downs along the way – only to fail on fourth-and-goal when Howard threw out of reach of tight end Ben Sinnott, who was breaking open after Will Anderson fell while trying to cover him.

“I would have done it again,” Klieman said. “I’m never going to second-guess myself.”

Young needed just 51 seconds to produce another touchdown, completing passes of 12, 28 and 22 yards before hitting Burton from 12 yards out to make it 21-10 at halftime.

“That was a huge swing in the game,” Saban said.

Kansas State paid for another risk when its onside kick to open the second half was recovered by Alabama, which scored shortly after on Young’s strike to Ja’Corey Brooks in the corner of the end zone.

“We came here to win, man,” Klieman said. “We didn’t come here to try to keep this thing close.”

THE TAKEAWAY

Kansas State: Howard finished 18-of-35 passing for 210 yards. Vaughn rushed for 133 yards on 22 carries. Jordan Schippers had a late 1-yard TD run.

Alabama: The Tide upended the narrative that it doesn’t get up for low-stakes bowl games, having lost by two touchdowns in each of its previous two Sugar Bowls that were not part of the BCS or CFP. Alabama has now won 10 Sugar Bowls in 17 appearances.

UP NEXT

Kansas State: Opens its 2023 campaign at home against Southeast Missouri on Sept. 2.

Alabama: Hosts Middle Tennessee on Sept. 2 to begin its 2023 season.

IOWA POSTS 1ST MUSIC CITY BOWL SHUTOUT, TOPS KENTUCKY 21-0

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) Joe Labas threw for 139 yards and a touchdown in his first start and Iowa posted the first shutout in the Music City Bowl’s 24-year history by beating Kentucky 21-0 Saturday.

Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz capped his 24th season by matching the late Joe Paterno for the most bowl victories among Big Ten coaches with his 10th. This was the Hawkeyes’ second shutout in a bowl game, following the 1996 Alamo Bowl, and the first by a Big Ten team since Penn State beat Texas A&M in the 1999 Alamo Bowl.

“I’m not the smartest guy in the world,” Ferentz said. “One thing I’ve learned: If they can’t score, then you got a shot that you’re not going to lose. I know that. So if we could’ve written the script, it was perfect. Just really happy.”

Iowa (8-5) got a bit of payback for ending last season by losing to Kentucky in the Citrus Bowl after a late comeback by the Wildcats. The Hawkeyes’ defense outscored its offense in this one, returning two interceptions for TDs in the second quarter. The Hawkeyes finished the season with their fifth win in six games.

Kentucky (7-6) lost for the third time in four games, this time without quarterback Will Levis and running back Chris Rodriguez, as both opted out to prepare for the NFL draft. The loss ended the Wildcats’ school-record streak of bowl wins at four.

“Both of us were down some players and a bit shorthanded, and they did what they had to do to win the football game,” Kentucky coach Mark Stoops said.

The Hawkeyes scored all their points in the second quarter to seize control, scoring twice 11 seconds apart early in the quarter.

Taking his first snaps in a college game with Spencer Petras out with an upper-body injury, Labas hit Sam LaPorta with a short pass that the tight end took 27 yards, pushing through defenders. Labas then found Luke Lachey for a short pass, and the tight end finished off a 15-yard touchdown with 12:08 left.

“I was a little nervous at first, but to get those those (first three completions on the opening drive), it really helped a lot,” Labas said.

Drew Stevens pushed the ensuing kickoff out of bounds, setting Kentucky up at the 35. Freshman Destin Wade, also making his collegiate debut, was picked off by Iowa safety Xavier Nwankpa, who went 52 yards for the 14-0 lead.

Bowl MVP Cooper DeJean picked off Wade on third-and-10 from the Kentucky 7 and easily ran 14 yards for a 21-0 lead.

“Our guys hustle when there is a turnover,” Ferentz said. “They’re trying to make it more than just, you know, getting possession.”

The Hawkeyes didn’t miss All-American defensive back Kaevon Merriweather, who opted out to prepare for the NFL draft. They posted their second shutout this season, holding Kentucky to 185 yards while sacking Wade four times and forcing the Wildcats to turn it over on downs twice.

THE TAKEAWAY

Iowa: The Hawkeyes must improve on offense, especially after losing All-American linebacker Jack Campbell. This was the Hawkeyes’ sixth game this season posting 222 yards of total offense or less.

Kentucky: Stoops made clear he wanted a look at the future in starting Wade, from nearby Spring Hill, even with Devin Leary arriving via the transfer portal. Wade finished with 98 yards passing and 29 yards rushing as Kentucky was shut out for the first time since Oct. 19, 2019, in a loss to Georgia. The Wildcats are between offensive coordinators, and Iowa came in ranked sixth nationally, allowing just 14.4 points a game.

“He was put in a tough situation, so he will learn from it without a doubt,” Stoops said of Wade.

CAMPBELL’S GRANDFATHER

Ferentz shared after the game that Campbell’s grandfather died Friday night as the result of a traffic accident. William Smith, 76, was walking with family members when he may not have heard a warning not to cross a street. He was hit by a van and declared dead at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

Iowa officials said Campbell’s parents told him about his grandfather’s death after the game, “so that Jack would have one last time to play with his Iowa Hawkeye teammates.”

Campbell led Iowa with 10 tackles and had a sack and two tackles for loss.

UP NEXT

Iowa: Hosts Utah State on Sept. 2 to start the 2023 season.

Kentucky: Hosts Ball State on Sept. 2 to start the 2023 season.

****NFL NEWS****

FALCONS WR BATSON ARRESTED FOLLOWING ALTERCATION WITH POLICE

ATLANTA (AP) Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Cameron Batson was arrested by Atlanta police early Saturday morning and faces multiple charges after allegedly being involved in an altercation with an officer and fleeing the scene.

According to a statement provided to The Associated Press by the Atlanta Police Department, an officer observed a pickup truck speeding and failing to maintain its lane at about 2 a.m. Saturday.

The officer stopped the vehicle and observed that the driver appeared to be intoxicated. The statement said Batson resisted the efforts of the officer “and violently fought with the officer.”

The officer discharged his firearm but no one was struck, the statement said, and Batson returned to his vehicle, left the scene and crashed a short distance away before trying to flee the scene.

The statement said “multiple officers canvassed the area” and arrested Batson, who was trying to hide.

The officer and Batson were taken to a local hospital for injuries they received during the altercation.

Batson faces multiple charges, which the statement did not detail. The investigation is ongoing.

The Falcons said in a statement that they were “aware” of the incident “and are currently gathering information from law enforcement agencies.”

“We take this matter seriously and have no further comment at this time,” the team said.

Batson has spent the season on the Falcons’ practice squad. He played a combined 27 games, including three starts, for Tennessee from 2018-21 but has not appeared in a game with Atlanta. He has 22 career receptions for 197 yards and three touchdowns.

WEEK 17 NFL

NFL PREVIEW: ARIZONA CARDINALS (4-11) @ ATLANTA FALCONS (5-10)

REGULAR-SEASON SERIES HISTORY

LEADER Cardinals lead all-time series, 16-15

STREAKS Falcons have won 3 of last 4

LAST GAME 10/13/19: Falcons 33 at Cardinals 34

LAST GAME AT SITE 12/16/18: Falcons 40, Cardinals 14

CARDS NOTES:

LAST WEEK L 19-16 vs. Tampa Bay (OT)

COACH VS. OPP. Kliff Kingsbury: 1-0

PTS. FOR 20.5

OFFENSE 327.0

PASSING Colt McCoy: 90-132-780-1-3-76.6

RUSHING James Conner: 167-703-4.2-7

RECEIVING DeAndre Hopkins: 64-717-11.2-3

PTS. AGAINST 26.1

DEFENSE 354.8

SACKS J.J. Watt: 9.5

INTs Marco Wilson: 2

TAKE/GIVE -2 (19/21)

PUNTING (NET) Andy Lee: 47.1 (40.9)

KICKING Matt Prater: 69 (15/15 PAT; 18/20 FG)

QB COLT MCCOY has TD pass vs. 0 INTs & 95+ rating in 3 of his past 4 road starts. • QB TRACE MCSORLEY passed for 217 yards in his 1st career start last week. • RB JAMES CONNER had season-high 7 catches, 120 scrimmage yards (79 rush, 41 rec.) & 7th rush TD of season in Week 16. Aims for his 5th in row with 90+ scrimmage yards & 7th in row with TD. Needs 28 scrimmage yards for 3rd-career season with 1,000+ scrimmage yards. Since 2018, ranks 5th in NFL with 44 rush TDs. Had 185 scrimmage yards (110 rush, 75 rec.) & 2 rush TDs in his only career game vs. Atl. (10/7/18 w/ Pit.). • WR DEANDRE HOPKINS has 29 receptions for 317 yards (105.7 per game) & rec. TD in 3 road games this season & aims for his 4th in row on road with 7+ catches. Has 853 career receptions & is 1 of 4 ever with 850+ catches in 1st 10 seasons. Had 9 catches for 157 yards in his only career game at Atl. (10/4/15 w/ Hou.). • WR MARQUISE BROWN had 57 rec. yards last week. Has 60 catches in 2022, his 2nd-career 60-catch season. Has 5+ catches in 3 of his 4 road games this season. • WR GREG DORTCH had career highs in catches (10) & scrimmage yards (123) last week. • DE J.J. WATT had 2 TFL last week. Aims for his 5th in row overall with TFL. Leads all active players with 191 career TFL. Aims for his 4th in row on road with sack & 5th in row on road with TFL. Had 3 TFL, 2 PD & sack in his only career game at Atl. (10/4/15 w/ Hou.) & aims for his 3rd in row vs. Atl. with sack. • LB ISAIAH SIMMONS had 11 tackles in Week 16, his 3rd-career 10+ tackle game. • CB MARCO WILSON had 1st-career game with 2 INTs last week. Has 5 PD in his past 4. • S JALEN THOMPSON had 10 tackles & career-high 8th PD of season last week. Needs 9 tackles for 2nd-straight 100+ tackle season.

• While the all-time series between Arizona and Atlanta has been close — the Cardinals have 16 wins to the Falcons’ 15 — the games have not been, as more than half (17-of-31) of their matchups have been decided by 10 or more points.
• The Cardinals, losers of five straight games, have seen their winning percentage fall from .647 (11-6) in 2021 to .267 (4-11) this season. The .380 decrease is the team’s largest single-season drop off since the 1969 season (-.384).
• DeAndre Hopkins had one reception last week despite being targeted 10 times. He is the third Cardinal over the last 30 seasons to be targeted at least 10 times in a game but have no more than one catch, joining Larry Fitzgerald (2012) and Rob Moore (1996).
• Atlanta is rushing for 176.3 yards per game at home this season after having a rushing average of 85.4 at home last season. The 90.9-yard per game increase at home is the second-largest improvement by any team in the Super Bowl era (1976 Patriots, +111.6).
• Desmond Ridder is the first quarterback in Falcons team history to attempt at least 25 passes in each of his first two starts without throwing a passing touchdown in either game.
• With 56 more yards, Tyler Allgeier will become the second running back in Falcons history to go for 1000 scrimmage yards in his first NFL season, joining William Andrews (1332 scrimmage yards) in 1979.

FALCONS NOTES:

LAST WEEK L 17-9 at Baltimore (Sat.)

COACH VS. OPP. Arthur Smith: 0-0

PTS. FOR 21.0

OFFENSE 315.8

PASSING Desmond Ridder (R): 35-59-315-0-0-73.8

RUSHING Tyler Allgeier (R): 166-817-4.9-2

RECEIVING Drake London (R): 61-699-11.5-4

PTS. AGAINST 23.3

DEFENSE 373.0

SACKS Grady Jarrett: 6

INTs Many tied: 2

TAKE/GIVE -3 (16/19)

PUNTING (NET) Bradley Pinion: 45.4 (40.7)

KICKING Younghoe Koo: 109 (28/30 PAT; 27/32 FG)

QB DESMOND RIDDER (rookie) completed 22 of 33 atts. (66.7 pct.) for 218 yards & 85.2 rating last week. • RB CORDARRELLE PATTERSON has career-high 635 rush yards in 2022. Has 50+ scrimmage yards in 4 of his past 5. Has 4 rush TDs in 5 home games this season. • RB TYLER ALLGEIER (rookie) had 117 scrimmage yards (74 rush, 43 rec.) in Week 16 & aims for his 3rd in row with 100+ scrimmage yards. Has 4 games with 100+ scrimmage yards, tied 2nd-most among rookies. Ranks 2nd among rookies in rush yards (817) & 4th in scrimmage yards (944). • WR DRAKE LONDON (rookie) led team with 7 receptions & 96 rec. yards last week & aims for his 4th in row with 6+ catches & 70+ rec. yards. Ranks 3rd among rookies with 61 receptions & is 3rd Atl. rookie ever with 60+ catches. • DL GRADY JARRETT leads team with 6 sacks, his 3rd-career 6+ sack season. Has TFL in 3 of his past 4 at home. Had 2 sacks & FF in last home meeting. • LB RASHAAN EVANS ranks 4th in NFL with career-high 150 tackles. Has 10+ tackles in 5 of his past 6 at home & aims for his 4th in row at home with 11+ tackles. • LB MYKAL WALKER has career-high 105 tackles in 2022 & aims for his 9th in row at home with 5+ tackles. • LB TROY ANDERSEN (rookie) had 1st-career FF last week. • CB A.J. TERRELL had 1st TFL of season last week. Has 3 PD in his past 3 at home. • S RICHIE GRANT led team with 10 tackles in Week 16. Has career-high 106 tackles in 2022, his 1st-career 100-tackle season. Aims for his 8th in row at home with 5+ tackles. • S JAYLINN HAWKINS has career high 75 tackles this season.

ATLANTA (AP) At 36, Colt McCoy is savoring every opportunity to play for the Arizona Cardinals, especially after teammate J.J. Watt’s plans to retire were announced this week.

At 23, Desmond Ridder is trying to show he deserves to be considered the long-term starter for the Atlanta Falcons.

McCoy, who was cleared from concussion protocols this week, and Ridder, the rookie making a late-season audition, are expected to start at quarterback when the Cardinals visit the Falcons on Sunday in a matchup of teams eliminated from playoff contention.

McCoy returns after the Cardinals lost to Tampa Bay 19-16 in overtime last week in quarterback Trace McSorley’s first start. The two have combined to fill in following Kyler Murray’s season-ending knee injury on Dec. 12.

Murray’s injury was another low point for Arizona (4-11).

“This season hasn’t gone the way we wanted to,” McCoy said. “We know we’ve only got two more cracks at it. I think for us and a team, and for me as an older player, I’m thankful that I’m cleared and can go out there. We’re going for one goal – that’s to win the game.”

Ridder will make his third start for Atlanta (5-10), which has lost four straight and six of seven. Ridder, the third-round pick from Cincinnati, is playing to show he can be considered the next season’s starter following the benching of veteran Marcus Mariota. Mariota opted for season-ending knee surgery after losing his starting job, leaving his status with the team uncertain at best for 2023.

Ridder has provided mixed results, impressing coach Arthur Smith at times with his poise while not throwing a touchdown pass or an interception in two starts. But Ridder hasn’t sparked the offense, which continues to lack a consistent passing threat while relying on the running of rookie Tyler Allgeier and Cordarrelle Patterson.

“I think we’re growing each and every week,” Ridder said. We wanted to get up and over these humps and find our way on an uphill climb. Obviously, we haven’t done that, but you see at practice that guys are showing up every single day ready to work. Guys want to come compete every single day. That’s something to be grateful for.”

SHORT-TERM FOCUS

A strong showing by Ridder in the last two games, including his first home start against Arizona, could impact offseason decisions by the Falcons. Smith insists his focus remains on winning this week instead of planning for next season.

“This is an important game for us, we need to play well, and we need to go win,” Smith said. “We need to finish this out right, we need to win and then we need to go into the offseason, and we’ll have areas to address there but this week is the most important thing for us professionally and for every guy in that locker room.”

WATT’S GOODBYE

This will be the first game for Watt since the defensive end announced plans to retire at the end of the season.

The 33-year-old Watt is a three-time AP Defensive Player of the Year and five-time All-Pro. All of those honors came during his first 10 seasons with the Houston Texans.

He has played the last two years in Arizona and turned back the clock in recent weeks. He had three sacks against the Broncos on Dec. 18 and two tackles for a loss against the Bucs on Christmas.

“I’d much rather go out playing good football, knowing that I could still play,” Watt said.

THREE-WAY POTENTIAL

Avery Williams, who was a cornerback when he was a fifth-round draft pick from Boise State in 2021, has impressed the Falcons with his versatility after switching to running back this season. Williams had three carries for 16 yards and two receptions for 14 yards last week and also has returned punts and kickoffs.

Williams also has remained prepared to fill in on defense if needed, presenting the potential he could be used as a three-way player in a game.

“He’s been a big part of our team and his role continues to expand,” Smith said. “He’s a fun player to work with and coach. I still think it’s pretty impressive that a guy can do that”

JOB SECURITY

It’s no secret the Cardinals are in a bit of disarray at the moment.

They’re suffering through a disappointing 4-11 season, general manager Steve Keim is on medical leave and Murray, their franchise quarterback, is out for the season with torn ligaments in his knee.

The only real storyline is if fourth-year coach Kliff Kingsbury will get to return for a fifth. He’s got a 28-35-1 record during his tenure in Arizona.

Kingsbury has remained stoic despite the tough season, saying he’s not worried about his job security.

“We just talked about sticking together,” Kingsbury said, adding he was “proud of the effort” against Tampa Bay.

STILL WAITING

Ridder is still waiting on his first TD pass and planning on how he’ll celebrate.

“I don’t know. I’ve been thinking about that for two weeks,” Ridder said. “Trust me, I’ve been thinking.”

Ridder has completed 35 of 59 passes for 315 yards with no interceptions.

NFL PREVIEW: CHICAGO BEARS (3-12) @ DETROIT LIONS (7-8)

REGULAR-SEASON SERIES HISTORY

LEADER Bears lead all-time series, 104-76-5

STREAKS Bears have won 2 of last 3

LAST GAME 11/13/22: Lions 31 at Bears 30

LAST GAME AT SITE 11/25/21: Bears 16, Lions 14

BEARS NOTES:

LAST WEEK L 35-13 vs. Buffalo (Sat.)

COACH VS. OPP. Matt Eberflus: 0-1

PTS. FOR 20.2

OFFENSE 316.3

PASSING Justin Fields: 185-297-2,167-16-10-88.3

RUSHING Justin Fields (QB): 150-1,011-67-8

RECEIVING Cole Kmet (TE): 44-460-10.5-5

PTS. AGAINST 26.2

DEFENSE 360.3

SACKS Jaquan Brisker (R): 4

INTs Kyler Gordon (R): 3

TAKE/GIVE 0 (21/21)

PUNTING (NET) Trenton Gill: 46.5 (40.1)

KICKING Cairo Santos: 85 (25/30 PAT; 20/22 FG)

QB JUSTIN FIELDS has 1,011 rush yards in 2022, 3rd-most by QB in single season all-time. Aims for his 4th in row on road with TD pass & rush TD. Had 314 yards (167 pass, 147 rush) & 4 TDs (2 pass, 2 rush) in Week 10 meeting. • RB DAVID MONTGOMERY had 84 scrimmage yards (62 rush, 22 rec.) last week & has 1,060 scrimmage yards in 2022, his 4th-straight season with 1,000+ scrimmage yards since entering NFL in 2019. Aims for his 3rd in row on road with 100+ scrimmage yards & 4th in row at Det. with 70+ scrimmage yards. • RB KHALIL HERBERT rushed for 57 yards in Week 10 meeting. Aims for his 3rd in row on road with 85+ scrimmage yards & TD. • TE COLE KMET led team with 5 catches last week. Ranks tied-5th among TEs in 2022 with career-high 5 rec. TDs. Had 2 rec. TDs in Week 10 meeting & had careerhigh 8 receptions in last road meeting. • WR DANTE PETTIS had 3rd rec. TD of season last week. • LB NICHOLAS MORROW led team with 8 tackles & had 1st INT of season last week, his 3rd-career INT. Has career highs in tackles (103) & TFL (10) this season. Aims for his 4th in row on road with TFL. Had 3 TFL in Week 10 meeting. • DB JAQUAN BRISKER (rookie) had 7 tackles & sack last week. Ranks tied-1st among DBs with 4 sacks in 2022. Aims for his 3rd in row on road with TFL & 7th in row on road with 5+ tackles. • DB KYLER GORDON (rookie) had 3rd INT of season last week & aims for his 3rd in row with INT. • DB JAYLON JONES (rookie) had 1st 2 career PD in Week 16.

LIONS NOTES:

LAST WEEK L 37-23 at Carolina (Sat.)

COACH VS. OPP. Dan Campbell: 1-2

PTS. FOR 26.1

OFFENSE 375.5

PASSING Jared Goff: 338-524-3,959-26-7-98.3

RUSHING Jamaal Williams: 224-850-3.8-14

RECEIVING Amon-Ra St. Brown: 96-1,050-10.9-6

PTS. AGAINST 26.7

DEFENSE 409.9

SACKS Aidan Hutchinson (R): 7

INTs Kerby Joseph (R): 3

TAKE/GIVE +3 (18/15)

PUNTING (NET) Jack Fox: 48.6 (41.4)

KICKING Michael Badgley: 74 (26/26 PAT; 16/19 FG)

QB JARED GOFF passed for 355 yards & 3 TDs vs 0 INTs for 110.7 rating last week. Has 2+ TD passes & 95+ rating in 4 of his past 5 starts. Needs 41 pass yards for 3rdcareer season with 4,000+ pass yards. Is only QB in 2022 with 25+ TD passes (26) & 7-or-fewer INTs (7). Aims for his 5th in row vs. Chi. with TD pass vs. 0 INTs & 100+ rating. • RB JAMAAL WILLIAMS leads NFL with career-high 14 rush TDs in 2022. Had rush TD in Week 10 meeting & aims for his 4th in row vs. Chi. with 50+ scrimmage yards. • WR AMON-RA ST. BROWN had 7 catches for 76 yards last week. Has 96 catches for 1,050 rec. yards in 2022 & became 3rd player ever (Odell Beckham Jr. & Michael Thomas) with 90+ receptions & 900+ rec. yards in each of 1st 2 career seasons. Can become 1st Det. player with 100+ catches in single season since 2012 (HOFer Calvin Johnson). Had 10 catches for 119 yards in Week 10 meeting. • WR DJ CHARK had season-high 108 rec. yards last week, his 5th-career game with 100+ rec. yards. Has 90+ rec. yards in 3 of his past 4. • TE SHANE ZYLSTRA had career-high 3 rec. TDs in Week 16 & is 1 of 2 TEs (Travis Kelce) with 3+ rec. TDs in single game in 2022. • DL AIDAN HUTCHINSON leads all rookies with 7 sacks & ranks 3rd with 7 TFL. • LB JAMES HOUSTON ranks 2nd among rookies with 5 sacks. • LB MALCOLM RODRIGUEZ ranks tied-1st among rookies with 8 TFL. • LB ALEX ANZALONE has career highs in tackles (110) & TFL (6) in 2022. Has TFL in 3 of his past 4. Had 10 tackles & FF in Week 10 meeting. • CB JERRY JACOBS has TFL in 3 of his past 4 at home & aims for his 7th in row with PD. • S KERBY JOSEPH (rookie) has 5+ tackles in 4 of his past 5 at home.

• The last 16 games between the Bears and Lions have been decided by 12 points or fewer. That is tied for the longest streak between two teams in NFL history with the other occurrence also being between these two teams from 1930 to 1937.
• Chicago has lost eight straight games, which is tied for the longest losing streak in the 103 seasons of the franchise. Of the 32 current teams in the NFL, only the Bears and Vikings have never had a nine-game losing streak.
• Justin Fields is the only quarterback since the NFL/AFL merger in 1970 to have at least 150 rushing attempts and get sacked at least 45 times in the same season.
• Detroit has scored 257 points in its eight home games this season, which is already the most total points scored at home in a single season in franchise history. The average of 32.1 points per home game also leads the NFL this season.
• Shane Zylstra caught three touchdown passes against the Panthers after having not caught more than two passes in a single game in his NFL career entering the game.
• Jared Goff has thrown for 26 touchdowns to just seven interceptions this season. No QB in Lions history has thrown for 25 or more touchdowns while throwing fewer than 10 interceptions in the same season.

DETROIT (AP) The Detroit Lions put themselves in the playoff picture by being one of the NFL’s hottest teams, winning six of seven and barely losing to Buffalo during a surprising and successful stretch.

With a chance to potentially secure an NFC wild-card berth, the Lions went cold in Carolina and lost by two touchdowns.

Detroit (7-8) did not doom its chances, but it must close with wins over Chicago (3-12) on Sunday at home and against wild-card contending Green Bay (7-8) on the road next week to have a shot at being in the postseason for the first time since 2016.

“The adversity we’ve been through this year is much greater than one loss,” said Lions quarterback Jared Goff, referring to the team’s 1-6 start. “We know how to bounce back from things like this, and I think we will.”

The Bears, meanwhile, are trying to avoid breaking a team record. They have lost eight straight games to match the franchise mark shared by the 1978 and 2002 teams.

“Getting down in the dumps about things, it’s not going to solve any sort of issue,” Chicago tight end Cole Kmet said. “Also, I do think there’s a lot of promise here. You see kind of the pieces that we’ve got here, you can see where we can go with this. So there is real optimism.”

PLAYING FIELDS

Even though the Bears are relegated to playing for pride, they have no plans to shut down Justin Fields. The dynamic quarterback was hobbled against Buffalo after his foot was stepped on, leaving it swollen and bloody, and his non-throwing left shoulder was separated six weeks ago.

Despite a lack of playmakers around him, Fields has made strides in his second season.

“If you look at how he is progressing during the course of the year with all the different lineups up front, all the different receiver lineups, with losing (Khalil) Herbert for quite an extended period of time, I think he has done well,” Bears coach Matt Eberflus said. “You know he has improved his game, and we are excited to see where these last two games are gonna go.”

Often, Fields has simply made plays by himself on the ground.

He has run for 1,011 yards and has a shot to break Lamar Jackson’s single-season quarterback rushing record of 1,206 set by Baltimore’s star during his 2019 MVP season.

The Lions let Fields run for 147 yards and two touchdowns, including one from 67 yards without being touched, in their comeback win at Chicago. Detroit allowed the Panthers to run for a a franchise-record 320 yards last week.

THAT’S TIGHT

The Lions’ confidence in their tight ends has been validated since they traded standout T.J. Hockenson to Minnesota nearly two months ago.

Detroit’s Shane Zylstra caught three touchdown passes last week to give him four scores this season. Brock Wright has two touchdowns and James Mitchell has scored once. Including Hockenson’s three touchdowns with the Lions, their tight ends are one TD away from matching a franchise single-season scoring record for the position group.

Chicago’s Kmet has been pretty good, too. He scored twice in the Week 10 lost to Detroit, giving him a career-high five touchdowns in a three-game stretch, and he had a team-high five receptions last week against Buffalo.

GROUND GAINS

The Bears hope to get their run game going again after Buffalo shut it down.

Chicago was held to 80 yards, 2 yards more than its season low and less than half its league-leading average. Fields had a season-low 11 yards, David Montgomery ran for 62 yards on 16 carries and Herbert had 7 yards on 6 attempts after missing four games with a hip injury.

WHAT A RUSH

Detroit desperately needed to bolster its pass rush in the offseason and two draft picks have delivered. Aidan Hutchinson, the No. 2 overall pick, has seven sacks, and sixth-round selection James Houston has five.

NFL PREVIEW: JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (7-8) @ HOUSTON TEXANS (2-12-1)

REGULAR-SEASON SERIES HISTORY

LEADER Texans lead all-time series, 28-13

STREAKS Houston has won past 9

LAST GAME 10/9/22: Texans 13 at Jaguars 6

LAST GAME AT SITE 9/12/21: Texans 37, Jaguars 21

JAGS NOTES:

LAST WEEK W 19-3 at N.Y. Jets (Thu.)

COACH VS. OPP. Doug Pederson: 1-1

PTS. FOR 23.5

OFFENSE 367.7

PASSING Trevor Lawrence: 350-531-3,749-24-7-96.0

RUSHING Travis Etienne: 204-1,000-4.9-4

RECEIVING Christian Kirk: 76-988-13.0-7

PTS. AGAINST 22.1

DEFENSE 361.1

SACKS Josh Allen: 5

INTs Many tied: 3

TAKE/GIVE +5 (24/19)

PUNTING (NET) Logan Cooke: 49.8 (43.6)

KICKING Riley Patterson: 111 (30/31 PAT; 27/32 FG)

QB TREVOR LAWRENCE totaled 280 yards (229 pass, 51 rush) & had 5th rush TD of season last week, tied with David Garrard (5 in 2010) for most rush TDs ever by Jax. QB in single season. Has rush TD in 2 of past 3. Has 16 TDs (14 pass, 2 rush) vs. INT with 108.2 rating in past 7 games, highest rating in NFL since Week 9. Aims for his 6th in row on road with 0 INTs. Passed for 332 yards & 3 TDs in last road meeting. Needs 251 pass yards to become 3rd Jax. QB ever with 4,000+ pass yards in season. • RB TRAVIS ETIENNE aims for 3rd in row with 100+ scrimmage yards. Had 114 scrimmage yards (71 rush, 43 rec.) in Week 5 meeting. Is 5th Jax. player ever with 1,000+ rush yards in single season. • WR CHRISTIAN KIRK needs 12 rec. yards for 1st-career 1,000-yard season. • WR MARVIN JONES set season highs in catches (7) & rec. yards (104) in Week 5 meeting. Has 75+ rec. yards in 2 of his past 3 vs. Hou. • TE EVAN ENGRAM led team with 7 catches for 113 yards last week. Aims for 4th in row with 7+ catches & 60+ rec. yards. Aims for 3rd in row on road with 100+ rec. yards. Had 6 catches for 69 yards in Week 5 meeting. • LB FOYESADE OLUOKUN had 6 tackles, 2 FFs & 2 PD last week, becoming 6th player with 2 FFs in game this season. Had 2 TFL & sack in Week 5 meeting. Leads NFL with 162 tackles in 2022, tied-most by Jax. player in season since 2000. • LB DEVIN LLOYD (rookie) led team with 9 tackles & had 3rd INT of season last week. Is 1 of 2 rookies (Jalen Pitre) with 100+ tackles (107) & 3+ INTs. • DE/LB JOSH ALLEN aims for 4th in row with TFL & has sack in 2 of past 3. • S RAYSHAWN JENKINS had TFL last week. Aims for 3rd in row with 8+ tackles.

TEXANS NOTES:

LAST WEEK W 19-14 at Tennessee (Sat.)

COACH VS. OPP. Lovie Smith: 4-1

PTS. FOR 16.9

OFFENSE 278.9

PASSING Davis Mills: 248-401-2,618-14-13-79.0

RUSHING Royce Freeman: 27-83-3.1-0

RECEIVING Brandin Cooks: 48-554-11.5-2

PTS. AGAINST 23.9

DEFENSE 381.1

SACKS Jerry Hughes: 8

INTs Jalen Pitre (R): 4

TAKE/GIVE -2 (22/24)

PUNTING (NET) Cameron Johnston: 48.5 (43.0)

KICKING Ka’imi Fairbairn: 102 (21/21 PAT; 27/29 FG)

QB DAVIS MILLS completed 17 of 28 atts. (60.7 pct.) for 178 yards & TD vs. INT last week. Has 2 TD passes in 2 of his past 3 home starts. Needs 382 pass yards for 1st-career season with 3,000+ pass yards. • RB ROYCE FREEMAN has 94 scrimmage yards (47 per game) in 2 games this season. • RB DARE OGUNBOWALE spent past 2 seasons (2020-21) with Jax. • WR BRANDIN COOKS had GW TD catch last week, his 2nd rec. TD of season. Has 55+ rec. yards in 2 of past 3. Has 70+ rec. yards in 3 of his 4 home games this season. Had 5 catches for 132 yards in last home meeting & has 100+ rec. yards in 2 of his past 3 vs. Jax. Has 621 rec. yards (103.5 per game) in 6 career games vs. Jax. Is 1 of 4 in NFL (Mike Evans, DeAndre Hopkins & Travis Kelce) with 500+ rec. yards in each of past 9 seasons. • WR CHRIS MOORE aims for his 3rd in row at home with 40+ rec. yards. • DB JALEN PITRE had 9 tackles & 4th INT of season last week, 3rd-most among rookies. Aims for 5th in row with 9+ tackles. Has PD in 4 of past 5. Had 8 tackles in Week 5 meeting. Leads rookies & all DBs with 126 tackles this season, third-most ever by Hou. rookie. • DB JONATHAN OWENS had 1st-career sack last week. Has 5+ tackles in 3 of past 4. • LB CHRISTIAN KIRKSEY has 5+ tackles in all 15 games this season. Aims for his 5th in row at home with TFL. Aims for his 3rd in row vs. Jax. with PD. • DL JERRY HUGHES had 2nd FF of season last week. • DL OGBONNIA OKORONKWO had career-high 3 TFL & 2 sacks in Week 16. Has sack in 3 of past 4.

• Houston has beaten Jacksonville in nine-straight games going back to 2018, including a 13-6 victory in October this year. That is the Texans’ longest winning streak against a single opponent in franchise history.
• Jacksonville allowed just three points against the Jets last Thursday, the Jaguars’ second game this season conceding three or fewer points. The Jags had just two such games in the previous 10 seasons combined.
• Trevor Lawrence scored on a one-yard run and now has five touchdowns on six rushes from inside the three-yard line. That is tied for the best touchdown percentage on rushes inside the three with Saquon Barkley and Austin Ekeler (83.3, min. five rushes).
• Houston stuffed Tennessee rushers behind the line of scrimmage four times on Saturday for a season total of 53. With two games left in the season, that is already the Texans’ single-season record, surpassing last year’s total of 52.
• Brandin Cooks led the Texans with four receptions on Saturday and since joining the Texans has averaged 5.2 receptions per game. Only two Houston receivers have averaged more receptions per game than Cooks – Andre Johnson (6.0) and DeAndre Hopkins (5.7).
• Christian Harris returned an interception for 20 yards on Saturday, Houston’s sixth 20+ yard interception return this season. That is tied with Arizona and Green Bay for the most such returns on interceptions in the NFL this season.

HOUSTON (AP) The Houston Texans haven’t had much success against anyone over the last three seasons.

But no matter how bad things have been, the one thing they’ve been able to count on is beating the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Mired in another terrible year, Houston (2-12-1) enters Sunday’s game against Jacksonville (7-8) looking to extend its winning streak in the series to 10 games.

The Texans snapped a nine-game overall skid last week with a win over Tennessee to give them their first victory since beating the Jaguars 13-6 on Oct. 6.

The Jaguars have won three in a row overall to leave them in the hunt for their first AFC South title since 2017. This week’s game has no bearing on the division race, as it will come down to next week’s regular-season finale against the Titans. But Jacksonville would still like to end the skid against Houston.

The Jaguars haven’t notched a win in the series since a 45-7 victory on Dec. 17, 2017.

“Our mindset is let’s not lose any more this season,” Jacksonville quarterback Trevor Lawrence said. “That’s what we’ve got in front of us. That’s what we have to do if we want to get to where we want to be.”

The Texans look to build on their history against the Jaguars on Sunday and coach Lovie Smith said their winning streak is something he has addressed with them this week.

“We are aware of some of the success we’ve had in the past,” he said. “I wish the past could help you, but it really can’t. It’s going to come down to this game, different teams. A lot has changed this year between the two of us. But history, yes, we do.”

Houston quarterback Davis Mills brought up the streak this week without being asked about it.

“It’s hard to beat a team once,” he said. “We’ve beaten the Jaguars nine times in a row as this point. We’re excited for the opportunity to make it 10.”

Lawrence is looking to atone for what he believes was a poor performance in the first meeting with the Texans this season. The 2021 No. 1 overall pick threw for 286 yards, but had two interceptions without a TD pass.

“You look at the way we played the first game, especially watching the tape this week going back through it, it’s like some of that stuff is hard to watch,” Lawrence said. “Offensively and personally didn’t play near my best, and we just left a lot out there.”

LITTLE HOMECOMING

Jaguars left tackle Walker Little, a second-round draft pick in 2021, will play in his hometown for the first time since high school.

Little starred at Episcopal High in Houston, less than 10 miles from NRG Stadium, and helped the Knights win a state championship in 2014. He was rated the No. 1 high school prospect in 2017 by 247Sports before choosing Stanford over Texas.

He missed most of the 2019 season following a knee injury and opted out of 2020 because of COVID-19. Jacksonville drafted him 45th overall, and with starter Cam Robinson (knee) out for the rest of the season, Little is getting a chance to play extensively for the first time since 2018.

“Tons of confidence in Walker,” offensive coordinator Press Taylor said. “He’s got a job to do and we expect him to do it at a high level.”

IMPROVING

Mills has played better in the last three games after he was benched for two games. The second-year player has thrown just two interceptions in the last three games after being picked off five times in the three games before his benching.

“I think I’ve progressed,” he said. “We talked about it … being benched made me go back and reflect on what I was doing the first half of the season versus how I can perform now. Step my game up – I think I’ve done that.”

STREAK BUSTERS

If Jacksonville ends its nine-game skid vs. Houston, it would be the latest one the Jaguars have snapped this season.

The team already ended a 20-game skid to NFC teams, an 18-game road losing streak, a 14-game road skid against the AFC South, an eight-game slide in Nashville and a six-game skid in prime-time road games.

“We’ve had a lot of firsts this season, which obviously has been good,” Jacksonville coach Doug Pederson said. “I don’t put a lot of stock in those types of things. … I’ve just got to make sure our guys are in the right mind space this week and ready for this football team. … That’s something that the coaches may talk about, but I don’t mention that with the players.”

NFL PREVIEW: DENVER BRONCOS (4-11) @ KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (12-3)

REGULAR-SEASON SERIES HISTORY

LEADER Chiefs lead all-time series, 70-54

STREAKS Chiefs have won past 14

LAST GAME 12/11/22: Chiefs 34 at Broncos 28

LAST GAME AT SITE 12/5/21: Chiefs 22, Broncos 9

BRONCOS NOTES:

LAST WEEK L 51-14 at L.A. Rams

COACH VS. OPP. Jerry Rosburg: 0-0

PTS. FOR 15.5

OFFENSE 420.6

PASSING Russell Wilson: 253-421-3,019-12-9-82.6

RUSHING Latavius Murray (2022): 144-601-4.2-5

RECEIVING Jerry Jeudy: 55-780-14.2-6

PTS. AGAINST 22.1

DEFENSE 332.9

SACKS DeShawn Williams: 4.5

INTs Justin Simmons: 5

TAKE/GIVE -1 (19/20)

PUNTING (NET) Corliss Waitman: 46.2 (41.4)

KICKING Brandon McManus: 96 (18/20 PAT; 26/34 FG)

QB RUSSELL WILSON has 100+ rating in 2 of past 3. Totaled 304 yards (247 pass, 57 rush) & had season-high 3 TD passes with 100.1 rating in Week 14 meeting. Has 8 TDs vs. INT with 107.6 rating in 3 career starts vs. KC with 2+ TD passes in each game. Has 0 INTs in 3 of 4 starts vs. division this season. Is 2nd QB ever (HOFer Peyton Manning) with 3,000+ pass yards in each of 1st 11 seasons. • RB LATAVIUS MURRAY has TD in 3 of his past 4 vs. KC. Is only player in NFL with 500+ rush yards in each of past 8 seasons & only player with 4+ rush TDs in each of past 8 seasons. • RB MARLON MACK has 60+ scrimmage yards & TD in 2 of past 3. Had season-high 77 scrimmage yards (62 rec., 15 rush) & TD catch in Week 14 meeting. Aims for his 3rd in row vs. KC with 75+ scrimmage yards. • WR JERRY JEUDY led team with 6 catches for season-high 117 yards last week. Aims for his 4th in row with 6+ catches & 70+ rec. yards. Had 8 catches for 73 yards & career-best 3 rec. TDs in Week 14 meeting. • WR COURTLAND SUTTON has 5+ catches & 60+ rec. yards in 4 of his past 5. • TE GREG DULCICH (rookie) had 2nd-career TD catch in Week 16. • LB ALEX SINGLETON led team with 20 tackles last week & is 1st player since 2000 with 20+ tackles in multiple games within a single season (21 in Week 6). Aims for his 8th in row with 6+ tackles. • LB JOSEY JEWELL aims for 5th in row with 10+ tackles. Had 10 tackles & career high 2 INTs in Week 14 meeting. Aims for his 3rd in row vs. division with PD. • S JUSTIN SIMMONS had 9 tackles last week. Had TFL in Week 14 meeting.

CHIEFS NOTES:

LAST WEEK W 24-10 vs. Seattle (Sat.)

COACH VS. OPP. Andy Reid: 15-6

PTS. FOR 29.2

OFFENSE 420.6

PASSING Patrick Mahomes: 388-580-4,720-37-11-105.1

RUSHING Isiah Pacheco (R): 153-735-4.8-3

RECEIVING Travis Kelce (TE): 97-1,257-13.0-12

PTS. AGAINST 20.3

DEFENSE 314.3

SACKS Chris Jones: 12

INTs Many tied: 2

TAKE/GIVE -5 (16/21)

PUNTING (NET) Tommy Townsend: 50.3 (45.5)

KICKING Harrison Butker: 82 (31/34 PAT; 17/22 FG)

KANSAS CITY clinched 7th-consecutive AFC West division title, tied with 1973-79 Los Angeles Rams for 2nd-longest streak of division titles in NFL history. Became 3rd team ever with 12+ wins in 5 straight seasons. • QB PATRICK MAHOMES passed for 224 yards & 2 TDs vs. 0 INTs with 106.8 rating & rushed for TD last week. Aims for 4th in row with 2+ TD passes & 3rd in row with rush TD. Has 315+ pass yards in 4 of his past 5 at home. Had 352 pass yards & 3 TD passes in Week 14 meeting. Leads NFL with 4,720 pass yards & 37 TD passes & is 4th QB ever with 4 seasons of 4,500+ pass yards & 35+ TD passes. Can become 3rd QB ever with 5,000+ pass yards in multiple seasons (5,097 in 2018). • RB ISIAH PACHECO (rookie) aims for 8th in row with 80+ scrimmage yards & 4th in row with 90+ scrimmage yards. Had 93 scrimmage yards (70 rush, 23 rec.) in Week 14 meeting. Ranks 4th among rookies with 735 rush yards. • RB JERICK MCKINNON aims for 5th in row with TD catch. Had season-high 134 scrimmage yards (112 rec., 22 rush) & 2 rec. TDs in Week 14 meeting. • TE TRAVIS KELCE aims for 3rd in row with 6+ catches & 100+ rec. yards. Is 5th TE ever with 800+ career catches (801). Ties for NFL lead with 12 rec. TDs in 2022. • WR JUJU SMITH-SCHUSTER had 9 catches for 74 yards & TD in Week 14 meeting. • DT CHRIS JONES had 2 TFL & sack last week. Had sack & PD in Week 14 meeting. Aims for his 6th in row at home with 0.5+ sacks. • DE GEORGE KARLAFTIS (rookie) has sack in 4 of past 5. • LB NICK BOLTON led team with career-high 17 tackles in Week 16. Aims for 8th in row with 7+ tackles. Ranks 3rd in NFL with 154 tackles this season.

• The Chiefs have won 14 straight games against the Broncos dating back to the 2015 season. Just five teams in NFL history have beaten another team 15 games in a row, with the last team to do so being the Patriots (15 straight) against the Bills from 2003 to 2010.
• The Broncos are currently on track to be the second team in the last 80 years to score the fewest points (currently 232) and commit the most penalties (107) in the NFL, joining the 1985 Bills, who finished 2-14.
• One third of Jerry Jeudy’s career touchdown total (3-of-9) came in the Broncos’ Week 14 matchup with the Chiefs. It is Jeudy’s only multi-touchdown game of his career.
• The Chiefs did not turn the ball over in last week’s win over the Seahawks. Since Andy Reid became head coach in 2013, Kansas City is 48-9 (.842) when it does not turn the ball over which trails only the Chargers (41-6, .872) and Steelers (36-6, .857) over that span.
• Despite having his second career three-interception game against the Broncos in Week 14, Patrick Mahomes has a career passer rating of 95.4 against Denver. He currently leads all quarterbacks in NFL history in passer rating against the Broncos (min. 200 attempts).
• Jerry Rosburg is the third coach in Broncos history to take over head coaching duties during a season. The previous two such coaches both lost their interim debut game, with Eric Studesville losing to the Cardinals in 2010 and Jerry Smith losing to the Chiefs in 1971.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) The Kansas City Chiefs are perhaps the most stable franchise in the NFL these days, led by a coach in Andy Reid who commands league-wide respect and a quarterback in Patrick Mahomes who is in the mix for a second MVP award.

So it’s no surprise they have clinched the AFC West and are tied with Buffalo for the conference’s best record.

Then there’s the Denver Broncos (4-11), the Chiefs’ opponent Sunday, who mortgaged much of their future to acquire struggling Russell Wilson from the Seahawks and just fired coach Nathaniel Hackett with two games left in his first year.

So it’s also not surprising they’ll be sitting out the playoffs for the seventh straight season.

“They played us tough this last one. They gave us everything that we could ask for,” said Mahomes, who nevertheless led the Chiefs (12-3) to a 34-28 victory in Denver three weeks ago. “We have to go out and play our best ball. If you look at the tape, you see the talent that they have and how hard they play.”

It will be up to 67-year-old Jerry Rosburg to finally get that talent playing at a high level.

The Broncos turned to the career assistant, who has 18 years of NFL coaching experience, to bridge the gap from Hackett’s firing into next season. He was special teams coordinator in Baltimore for a decade with stops in Atlanta and Cleveland, and was hired by the Broncos in September to hire in-game management when Hackett struggled in his first two games.

“He actually worked for (Ravens coach) John Harbaugh for a number of years,” Reid said. “One of the top special teams coaches in the NFL and a good football coach, period. But a tremendous special teams coach. Good guy.”

Turns out the affection goes both ways.

“He’s a fine man. He’s been so gracious with my family over the years,” Rosburg said of Reid, who was Harbaugh’s mentor in Philadelphia. “He’s a model for all coaches. We should all aspire to be like Andy Reid.”

While Wilson is suffering through the worst season of his career, Mahomes is on another tear for the Chiefs, putting himself in position to break the NFL record for yards passing in a season – albeit in a 17-game schedule rather than 16. And Rosburg has seen enough of Mahomes over the years that he’s plenty impressed by him.

He’s just not so excited about facing Mahomes in his first game running the show for Denver.

“I could list them, and you all know them,” Rosburg said of the Chiefs’ playmakers. “Who would sign up for this? You get to coach in the National Football League? OK, here are the Kansas City Chiefs. Here I am, choose me.”

PLAYOFF POSITION

While the Chiefs are tied with the Bills for the AFC’s best record, Buffalo would get the No. 1 seed and lone first-round bye because of its head-to-head win in October in Kansas City. So not only do the Chiefs need to beat Denver, and probably Las Vegas next week, they also need the Bengals or Patriots to beat the Bills down the stretch.

DOMINANCE OF DENVER

The Chiefs have won 14 straight against their longtime division rival, a franchise record for any opponent. It’s the fifth-longest streak by any team against an opponent in NFL history, and one more would tie for the third longest. The last time the Broncos beat the Chiefs was a 31-24 victory on Sept. 17, 2015, in Kansas City.

FIXING WILSON

The priority for the Broncos is fixing Wilson, who was brought in at a high cost (three players, four prime draft picks to Seattle) and signed to a five-year extension with about $165 million in guarantees. But this version of Wilson has been head-scratching: He’s on pace for career worsts in touchdowns, completion percentage and sacks.

“I believe in myself at the highest level,” Wilson said. “It’s not going to happen this year, but the mission is still the same and that’s to help bring Super Bowls to Denver. That’s the goal.”

COACHING CAROUSEL

Rosburg makes five different Broncos coaches for safety Justin Simmons since he was taken in the third-round of the 2016 draft. If owner and CEO Greg Penner wanted his opinion on, say, defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero getting a shot at the head coaching job, Simmons would gladly give it. Denver’s defense has been one of the best in the league until a clunker last weekend in a 51-14 loss to Baker Mayfield and the Los Angeles Rams.

“I just want to win,” Simmons said. “When stuff like this happens like with Coach Hackett, I think about what I could’ve done better to help keep his job stable. Whatever it is, whoever it is, I just want to win.”

WEAPON STILL OUT

The Chiefs expected to have wide receiver Mecole Hardman back for the first time since an abdominal injury in Week 9 put him on injured reserve, but a setback Wednesday at practice will force him to miss another game. The Chiefs must add him to the active roster by next Wednesday or place him on season-ending injured reserve.

NFL PREVIEW: MIAMI DOLPHINS (8-7) @ NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (7-8)

REGULAR-SEASON SERIES HISTORY

LEADER Dolphins lead all-time series, 59-52

STREAKS Dolphins have won past 4

LAST GAME 9/11/22: Patriots 7 at Dolphins 20

LAST GAME AT SITE 9/12/21: Dolphins 17, Patriots 16

DOLPHINS NOTES:

LAST WEEK L 26-20 vs. Green Bay

COACH VS. OPP. Mike McDaniel: 1-0

PTS. FOR 24.3

OFFENSE 370.8

PASSING Tua Tagovailoa: 259-400-3,548-25-8-105.5

RUSHING Raheem Mostert: 161-791-4.9-3

RECEIVING Tyreek Hill: 113-1,632-14.4-7

PTS. AGAINST 24.7

DEFENSE 353.8

SACKS Bradley Chubb (2022): 8

INTs Jevon Holland: 2

TAKE/GIVE -5 (14/19)

PUNTING (NET) Thomas Morstead: 46.4 (40.5)

KICKING Jason Sanders: 107 (38/41 PAT; 23/28 FG)

QB TUA TAGOVAILOA completed 16 of 25 atts. (64 pct.) for 310 yards last week, his 4th game this season with 300+ pass yards. Has 0 INTs in 2 of past 3 overall & 4 of his past 5 on road. Passed for 270 yards in Week 1 meeting & has 2 TDs vs. 0 INTs with 100.5 rating in his past 2 starts vs. NE. Leads NFL with 105.5 passer rating. • RB RAHEEM MOSTERT aims for his 3rd in row vs. division with 100+ rush yards. Needs 59 scrimmage yards for 1st-career 1,000-yard season. • RB JEFF WILSON had 5th rush TD of season last week. Had 120 scrimmage yards (112 rush, 8 rec.) in only career game vs. NE (10/25/20 w/ SF). • WR TYREEK HILL had 103 rec. yards in Week 16, his 7th game this season with 100+ rec. yards, tied 2nd-most in NFL. Aims for 6th in row with 65+ rec. yards. Aims for 5th in row on road with TD catch. Had 8 catches for 94 yards in Week 1 meeting. Has 337 rec. yards (112.3 per game) & 4 rec. TDs in 3 career games at NE. Ranks 2nd in NFL with career-bests in catches (113) & rec. yards (1,632) in 2022. • WR JAYLEN WADDLE led team with 5 catches for 143 yards & TD last week. Aims for 3rd in row with 100+ rec. yards & TD catch. Has rec. TD in each of 3 career games vs. NE. Ranks 6th in NFL with career-high 1,260 rec. yards this season. • CB XAVIEN HOWARD had TFL & PD in Week 16. Aims for his 3rd in row vs. NE with PD. • CB KADER KOHOU (rookie) had 2 PD & 1st-career INT last week. Aims for 3rd in row with PD. • LB BRADLEY CHUBB had TFL & FF in only career game vs. NE (10/18/20 w/ Den.). • LB ELANDON ROBERTS had 7 tackles & sack in Week 16. Has TFL in 2 of past 3 on road. • DT CHRISTIAN WILKINS had 5 tackles & season-high 2 PD last week. Aims for 5th in row with 5+ tackles. Has FF in 2 of past 3 on road. Aims for 3rd in row vs. NE with TFL.

PATS NOTES:

LAST WEEK L 22-18 vs. Cincinnati

COACH VS. OPP. Bill Belichick: 26-21

PTS. FOR 21.2

OFFENSE 317.2

PASSING Mac Jones: 242-369-2,550-9-8-84.6

RUSHING Rhamondre Stevenson: 196-944-4.8-5

RECEIVING Jakobi Meyers: 58-723-12.5-4

PTS. AGAINST 19.4

DEFENSE 320.9

SACKS Matthew Judon: 15.5

INTs Jonathan Jones, Devin McCourty: 3

TAKE/GIVE +5 (25/20)

PUNTING (NET) Michael Palardy: 42.7 (36.8)

KICKING Nick Folk: 118 (28/30 PAT; 30/35 FG)

QB MAC JONES completed 21 of 33 atts. (63.6 pct.) for 240 yards & 2 TDs vs. 0 INTs with 105.6 rating last week. Aims for 3rd in row with 0 INTs & has 0 INTs in 6 of his past 7 starts. Has 100+ rating in 2 of his past 3 at home. Passed for 281 yards & TD vs. 0 INTs with 102.6 rating in last home meeting. Has 94.5 rating in 3 career starts vs. Mia. • RB RHAMONDRE STEVENSON has 70+ scrimmage yards in 6 of his 7 home games this season. Aims or his 4th in row vs. division with 75+ scrimmage yards. Needs 56 rush yards to become 1st NE 1,000-yard rusher since 2016 (LeGarrette Blount). • RB DAMIEN HARRIS aims for his 4th in row vs. Mia. with 50+ scrimmage yards. Had 117 scrimmage yards (100 rush, 17 rec.) in last home meeting. • WR JAKOBI MEYERS had 6 catches for 83 yards & 4th TD of season last week. Has 50+ rec. yards in 2 of past 3 at home & 3 of his past 4 vs. Mia. • WR KENDRICK BOURNE led team with season-high 129 scrimmage yards (100 rec., 29 rush) in Week 16. • LB MATTHEW JUDON had sack & 2nd FF of season last week. Has sack in 2 of past 3 overall & in 6 of 7 home games this season. Had sack in Week 1 meeting. Ranks 2nd in NFL with career-high 15.5 sacks & joined HOFer Andre Tripett (1984-85) as only NE players with 15+ sacks in single season since 1982. • LB JOSH UCHE aims for 6th in row with 0.5+ sacks. Since Week 8, leads NFL with 11.5 sacks. Judon & Uche are 1 of 3 sets of teammates each with 10+ sacks this season. • DB DEVIN MCCOURTY had 34th-career INT last week, tied-most among active players. • DB MARCUS JONES (rookie) had season-high 14 tackles, FR & 69-yard INT-TD last week. Is 4th player ever with INT-TD, PR-TD & rec. TD in single season.

• The Dolphins have won four straight games against New England, including a 20-7 win in Week 1 this season. Miami is the only team to beat the Patriots four times in a row since Bill Belichick took over as head coach of the Patriots in 2000.
• With a loss this week, Miami would join Tennessee as the only teams this season with a winning streak of at least five games and a losing streak of at least five games. Miami has done so twice previously in team history (2021 and 1993).
• Tua Tagovailoa posted a career-high 12.4 yards per pass attempt in last week’s loss to the Packers. It was the highest yards-per-attempt in a loss by a starting Dolphins quarterback in team history.
• New England’s comeback bid fell short in a 22-18 loss to the Bengals last week. The Patriots have lost nine straight games when trailing after three quarters, with only the Panthers (41 straight losses) and Seahawks (13 straight) having longer active streaks.
• Rhamondre Stevenson leads the Patriots in both rushes (196) and receptions (62). He is on pace to be the first Patriots player to lead the team in both areas since Tony Collins in 1987.
• After going for 103 yards on four catches against the Packers, Tyreek Hill is up to 1632 receiving yards this season. It is the most receiving yards by any player in NFL history in their first season with a team.

With a four-game losing streak, the Dolphins squandered an easy path to the playoffs and now need to win at least one – or possibly both – of their last two games to reach the postseason.

And they will probably have to do it with a backup quarterback.

Tua Tagovailoa is in the concussion protocol again after what was at least his second traumatic brain injury of the season, and Teddy Bridgewater is expected to start for Miami (8-7) against the New England Patriots (7-8) on Sunday.

The winner of the game has a decent chance at a playoff berth. If the Patriots lose, they are out; if the Dolphins lose, they are in trouble.

“I’m excited to get an opportunity to play some football, some meaningful football,” Bridgewater said as he prepared for his first action since Week 6. “Looking forward to this opportunity we have to get into the tournament.”

Miami was 8-3 after a fifth straight victory in Week 12 and the only question seemed to be whether it would challenge Buffalo for the AFC East title or have to settle for a wild-card berth. Four losses later, the Dolphins are in danger of missing the postseason entirely.

Their push will likely have to come with Bridgewater after Tagovailoa re-entered the concussion protocol. He appeared to hit his head on the ground in the second quarter of the loss to Green Bay, although he never left the game and wasn’t immediately evaluated for a concussion.

Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said the team didn’t see anything concerning during the game but saw a problem after reviewing the tape. Tagovailoa met with doctors on Monday and was placed into the NFL’s concussion protocol after reporting symptoms.

Running back Raheem Mostert said the team’s bad luck is not something it can control.

“The four losses is something that you can definitely control, but it just hasn’t gone our way” with the injuries, he said. “It’s just the way of the game. … I know there’s a lot of playoff implications on what we have to do and everything like that, but we’ve just got to dial in on what we have to do in order to get a win this week.”

Receiver Tyreek Hill said he’s still confident with Bridgewater at quarterback because he “can put up numbers with anybody.”

“All of the guys got chemistry with Teddy,” Hill said. “He just brings that veteran presence that we all kind of need.”

The Patriots have lost four of five, but Miami’s collapse opened the door for them to reach the playoffs for the second time since Tom Brady’s departure signaled the end of their dynasty.

“It definitely starts with … realizing what type of opportunity we have in front of us,” Patriots quarterback Mac Jones said. “You’ve got to understand what’s at risk, what we want to get to and you just have to play your heart out, play for each other and go against a really good team.”

STILL CONFIDENT

Despite the stress of losing their starting quarterback to a concussion for the second time this season, having the veteran Bridgewater as a backup has lifted some stress off the Dolphins.

McDaniel said he was on the phone with Bridgewater until 10:15 p.m. Tuesday going over plans.

“This is why we thought it so vital to go after him in free agency,” McDaniel said. “This is why he’s done such a diligent job during the course of the season with his own injuries and such to be prepared for this opportunity. And I know the team is very excited. I feel very fortunate to have him and for him to get his opportunity that he’s totally prepared for.”

Bridgewater is 41 yards shy of 15,000 career passing yards and has a career passer rating of 90.5.

DIRTY PLAY

Patriots quarterback Mac Jones was accused of being a dirty player after he laid down in front of Bengals cornerback Eli Apple on a potential fumble return (which was ultimately ruled an incomplete pass).

Apple called it a dirty play and said he’s seen Jones cross the line before. Jones was also fined for flipping a football at a Bills player after being sacked. And against Chicago, he slid with his leg up, kicking a Bears player in the groin.

Jones said he respects players around the league but was concerned about “earning the respect of the people in this building and the people I care about.”

PRESSURE MAKES DIAMONDS

Miami players are embracing the challenge of heading into their final two games with a playoff spot on the line. The Dolphins are clinging to the seventh seed in the AFC and are guaranteed a playoff berth if they win out.

“We already know what we got to do, which is make plays and just win football games,” Hill said. “The NFL (is) tough. It doesn’t matter who you play. It doesn’t matter what the record shows on a team. It doesn’t matter. Because at the end of the day, you’re going against professional athletes who get paid just like you get paid.”

NFL PREVIEW: INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (4-10-1) @ NEW YORK GIANTS (8-6-1)

REGULAR-SEASON SERIES HISTORY

LEADER Giants lead all-time series, 10-6

STREAKS Colts have won past 4

LAST GAME 12/23/18: Giants 27 at Colts 28

LAST GAME AT SITE 11/3/14: Colts 40, Giants 24

COLTS NOTES:

LAST WEEK L 20-3 vs. L.A. Chargers (Mon.)

COACH VS. OPP. Jeff Saturday: 0-0

PTS. FOR 16.5

OFFENSE 309.9

PASSING Nick Foles: 17-29-143-0-3-31.9

RUSHING Zack Moss (2022): 60-268-4.5-0

RECEIVING Michael Pittman: 90-854-9.5-2

PTS. AGAINST 23.8

DEFENSE 328.3

SACKS Yannick Ngakoue: 9.5

INTs Rodney Thomas: 3

TAKE/GIVE -13 (17/30)

PUNTING (NET) Matt Haack: 44.6 (40.5)

KICKING Chase McLaughlin: 100 (16/16 PAT; 28/33 FG)

QB NICK FOLES passed for 143 yards in 1st start of season last week. Passed for 4 TDs vs. 0 INTs with 115.8 rating in his last start vs. NYG (12/17/17 w/ Phi.). Has 2+ TD passes in each of 3 career starts vs. NYG. • RB ZACK MOSS aims for 3rd in row with 65+ rush yards. • WR MICHAEL PITTMAN aims for 3rd in row with 4+ catches. Has 7+ catches & 50+ rec. yards in 2 of his past 3 on road & 7 of his past 8 vs. NFC. Needs 146 rec. yards to become 4th player in franchise history with 1,000+ rec. yards in consecutive seasons, joining HOFer Marvin Harrison, T.Y. Hilton & Reggie Wayne. • WR ALEC PIERCE ranks 5th among rookies with 536 rec. yards. • TE JELANI WOODS (rookie) led team with 43 rec. yards last week. Leads rookie TEs with 3 rec. TDs this season. • DE YANNICK NGAKOUE aims for 3rd in row with TFL. Has 0.5+ sacks in 5 of his past 6 on road. Had 2 sacks & FF in his last game vs. NYG (11/7/21 w/ LV). • DE DAYO ODEYINGBO aims for 3rd in row with 1.5+ sacks. • DT DEFOREST BUCKNER had 1.5 sacks & 2nd FF of season last week. Aims for 3rd in row with sack. Has 0.5+ sacks in 3 of his past 4 on road. Had 0.5 sacks & PD in his last game vs. NYG (11/12/18 w/ SF). • LB ZAIRE FRANKLIN had 9 tackles & 2nd sack of season in Week 16. Aims for 7th in row with 9+ tackles, Has TFL in 2 of past 3 overall & 4 of past 5 on road. • CB STEPHON GILMORE aims for his 4th in row on road with 5+ tackles & 2+ PD. Had INT & career-high 5 PD in his last game vs. NYG (10/10/19 w/ NE) & has INT in each of 2 career games vs. NYG. Has 29 career INTs, tied 5th-most among active players.

GIANTS NOTES:

LAST WEEK L 27-24 at Minnesota (Sat.)

COACH VS. OPP. Brian Daboll: 0-0

PTS. FOR 20.7

OFFENSE 333.2

PASSING Daniel Jones: 298-448-3,028-13-5-90.7

RUSHING Saquon Barkley: 283-1,254-4.4-10

RECEIVING Darius Slayton: 44-710-16.1-2

PTS. AGAINST 22.6

DEFENSE 366.3

SACKS Dexter Lawrence: 6.5

INTs Julian Love: 2

TAKE/GIVE +2 (17/15)

PUNTING (NET) Jamie Gillian: 47.0 (40.4)

KICKING Graham Gano: 107 (26/28 PAT; 27/30 FG)

QB DANIEL JONES completed 30 of 42 atts. (71.4 pct.) for 334 yards & TD vs. INT for 92.8 rating last week, his 8th-career 300-yard game. Has career highs in passing yards (3,028), rushing yards (617) & rush TDs (5) in 2022 & is 1 of 3 QBs (Josh Allen & Jalen Hurts) with 3,000+ pass yads, 500+ rush yards & 5+ rush TDs in 2022. Has 95+ rating in 4 of his past 5 home starts. • RB SAQUON BARKLEY had season-high 8 receptions, 133 scrimmage yards (84 rush, 49 rec.) & 10th rush TD of season last week. Has 7 games with 120+ scrimmage yards in 2022, 2nd-most among RBs. Has rush TD in 4 of his past 5 & aims for his 3rd in row with 120+ scrimmage yards & rush TD. Ranks 6th in NFL with 1,597 scrimmage yards, his 2nd-career season with 1,500+ scrimmage yards. • WR ISAIAH HODGINS had career highs in catches (8) & rec. yards (89) in Week 16 & had 3rd rec. TD of season. Aims for his 3rd in row at home with TD catch. • WR RICHIE JAMES had season-high 8 catches & led team with 90 rec. yards in Week 16. Has TD catch in 2 of his past 3 at home. • WR DARIUS SLAYTON had 79 rec. yards in Week 16. Has 700+ rec. yards (710) for 3rd time in 4 career seasons. Has 85+ rec. yards in 3 of his past 4 at home. • DL DEXTER LAWRENCE had TFL & PD last week. Has career high 6.5 sacks in 2022. • DL LEONARD WILLIAMS had sack & 2 TFL in Week 16. • LB JAYLON SMITH led team with 10 tackles & had 1st sack of season last week. • LB AZEEZ OJULARI had sack last week & has 5.5 sacks in 6 games in 2022. Aims for his 4th in row at home with sack. • S JULIAN LOVE had 5th PD of season in Week 16. Has career-high 112 tackles in 2022.

• The Colts have won four straight games against the Giants with the most recent win coming in Week 16 of 2018 with a 28-27 home victory. It was the first game between the teams decided by three points or less since Week 7 of the 1958 season (24-21 Colts win).
• Indianapolis has been outscored 122-64 in the fourth quarter of games this season with the 122 points allowed being the most given up in the NFL. The -58 point differential is also the worst this season with the next closest being -42 (Texans).
• In his first start for the Colts, Nick Foles threw three interceptions and no touchdowns in the team’s 20-3 loss to the Chargers on Monday night. He was the first Colt QB to throw 3+ picks and no TDs in his first start for the team since Bill Troup did so in 1978.
• Including their 27-24 loss to the Vikings, the Giants have now played in 12 games decided by eight or fewer points this season, tied for the most in the NFL (8-3-1 in such games). The Giants have only had more such decisions in a single season once (1994 with 14).
• Saquon Barkley rushed for his 10th touchdown of the year against the Vikings, giving him two seasons with double-digit rushing touchdowns (11 in 2018). The only player with more seasons with 10+ TD runs in team history is Rodney Hampton, who did so in 1991, 1992 and 1995.
• The Giants are one pace to be the third team since the NFL/AFL merger to lead the league in interceptions thrown (6) while ranking last in passes intercepted (4). The other two teams were the 2014 Chiefs and the 1979 Cowboys.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) The New York Giants aren’t treating the Indianapolis Colts like a team that has won four games all season and has lost eight of its last nine.

With a playoff berth a win away, one might think the Giants (8-6-1) would be salivating at the thought of playing one of the NFL’s weakest teams at MetLife Stadium on Sunday.

That’s not Brian Daboll’s style with the team’s first playoff berth since 2016 within reach. The first-year Giants coach is taking nothing for granted, not even the Colts (4-10-1).

“The last six games, they’ve been up at the end of the third quarter,” Daboll said. “They’re only down by two to Dallas, 21-19. That’s the NFL; every team’s good.”

The truth is the Giants haven’t been world-beaters, either. They are 1-4-1 in their last six games, with the win a crucial one over Washington on Dec. 18. They played well in a last-second 27-24 loss to Minnesota last weekend.

“We are all aware what’s at stake and what we can accomplish but you can’t get lost in that,” running back Saquon Barkley said. “You have to keep focused on the main thing. I know the record doesn’t say it but they are playing well.”

Colts interim coach Jeff Saturday is looking for wins and complete performances in the final two games. Even with his team on a five-game skid, said the Colts’ defense has been making strides.

Indianapolis center Ryan Kelly said spoiling the Giants’ playoff chances doesn’t serve as motivation.

“I think every single guy knows the situation that we’re in,” he said. “You have two games left and you’re not guaranteed anything in this league. This team has two games together left. After that, it will never look the same. We’ll go out there and give it our best.”

IF NOT A WIN

If the Giants lose or tie, they still have ways to secure a playoff spot this weekend. They could get there under various scenarios with help from some if not all of the other NFC wild-card contenders: Seattle, Washington, Detroit and Green Bay.

STILL THE ONE

The Colts made their third quarterback change of the season because they thought Nick Foles would make more plays down the field. Instead, he was intercepted three times and sacked a career-high seven times.

Foles finished 17 of 29 for 143 yards during Monday night’s loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, and for the fourth time this season, Indy failed to score a touchdown in a game. Saturday has said he plans to stick with Foles as the starter.

UNWANTED

Just call the Giants receiving corps the group no one wanted. Darius Slayton (44 catches for 710 yards and 2 TDs) was a healthy inactive for the opener. Richie James (50 catches for 493 yards and three TDs) has been a kick returner most of the season. Isaiah Hodgins (29 catches for 309 yards and three TDs) was acquired on waivers from Buffalo on Nov. 2.

The Giants went into the season with a receiver group that featured Kenny Golladay (benched), Sterling Shepard (injured), Kadarius Toney (traded) and rookie Wan’Dale Robinson (hurt).

CLOSED OUT

The Colts have struggled to close out games and have blown three fourth-quarter leads during their current losing streak, which includes the largest comeback in NFL history.

How bad has it been?

Indy has been outscored 62-0 in the final 15 minutes of the last three games and 90-9 in the fourth quarter since Saturday replaced the fired Frank Reich in early November.

One problem has been third-down conversions. Indy was 0 for 10 on third down on Monday night.

LINE ROTATION

The Giants have decided to go with a rotation of Ben Bredeson and Nick Gates at left guard.

Gates, who missed almost all of last season with a broken leg, and Bredeson, who was on IR with a knee injury, both returned to the lineup recently. The coaching staff decided to have them split time to keep them fresh.

NFL PREVIEW: NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (6-9) @ PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (13-2)

REGULAR-SEASON SERIES HISTORY

LEADER Eagles lead all-time series, 18-12

STREAKS Eagles have won past 2

LAST GAME 11/21/21: Saints 29 at Eagles 40

LAST GAME AT SITE 11/21/21

SAINTS NOTES:

LAST WEEK W 17-10 at Cleveland (Sat.)

COACH VS. OPP. Dennis Allen: 0-1

PTS. FOR 20.2

OFFENSE 337.1

PASSING Andy Dalton: 219-331-2,495-17-8-95.7

RUSHING Alvin Kamara: 184-717-3.9-2

RECEIVING Chris Olave (R): 63-940-14.9-3

PTS. AGAINST 21.7

DEFENSE 322.4

SACKS Demario Davis: 6.5

INTs Tyrann Mathieu: 2

TAKE/GIVE -12 (11/23)

PUNTING (NET) Blake Gillikin: 46.8 (41.6)

KICKING Wil Lutz: 93 (30/30 PAT; 21/27 FG)

QB ANDY DALTON has 100+ rating in 2 of his past 3. Passed for 377 yards & 3 TDs vs. INT for 134.7 rating in his last start vs. Phi. (12/27/20 w/ Dal.). Aims for his 3rd in row vs. Phi. with 325+ pass yards, 2+ TD passes & 130+ rating. • RB ALVIN KAMARA had 110 scrimmage yards (76 rush, 34 rec.) & 2nd rush TD of season in Week 16. Aims for his 3rd in row with 100+ scrimmage yards. Has 1,197 scrimmage yards in 2022 & is only player with 1,100+ scrimmage yards in each of past 6 seasons. Has 202 scrimmage yards (101 per game) & 2 TDs (1 rush, 1 rec.) in 2 career games vs. Phi. & aims for his 3rd in row vs. Phi. with TD. • WR CHRIS OLAVE ranks 2nd among rookies in receptions (63) & rec. yards (940). • WR RASHID SHAHEED has 50+ rec. yards in 2 of his past 3 on road. • TE JUWAN JOHNSON has 5 rec. TDs in his past 6 & ranks 3rd among TEs with career high 7 rec. TDs in 2022. • TE TAYSOM HILL rushed for 56 yards & had 6th rush TD of season last week. Aims for his 3rd in row on road with TD. Had 324 yards (291 pass, 33 rush) & 2 TD passes vs. INT for 102 rating in his last game at Phi. • DE CAMERON JORDAN has 11 TFL in 2022 & is 1 of 2 (Aaron Donald) with 10+ TFL in each of past 8 seasons. Had sack in last meeting. Aims for his 4th in row vs. Phi. with PD. • DE CARL GRANDERSON had 4th sack of season & career-high 3 TFL last week. • LB DEMARIO DAVIS needs 6 tackles & TFL for 6th-straight season with 100+ tackles & 10+ TFL. Aims for his 8th in row with 5+ tackles. • S TYRANN MATHIEU had season-high 11 tackles & TFL last week. Has 5 PD in his past 5 vs. Phi.

EAGLES NOTES:

LAST WEEK L 40-34 at Dallas (Sat.)

COACH VS. OPP. Nick Sirianni: 1-0

PTS. FOR 29.7

OFFENSE 397.3

PASSING Jalen Hurts: 286-425-3,472-22-5-104.5

RUSHING Miles Sanders: 236-1,175-5.0-11

RECEIVING A.J. Brown: 80-1,304-16.3-10

PTS. AGAINST 20.5

DEFENSE 301.9

SACKS Haason Reddick: 14

INTs James Bradberry, Darius Slay: 3

TAKE/GIVE +9 (26/17)

PUNTING (NET) Brett Kern: 45.0 (33.0)

KICKING Jake Elliott: 91 (49/51 PAT; 14/17 FG)

PHILADELPHIA clinched playoff berth for 2nd-straight season under HC Nick Sirianni. • QB JALEN HURTS is 1 of 4 QBs ever with 3,000+ pass yards (3,472), 20+ TD passes (22) & 10+ rush TDs (13) in single season & has 2nd-most rush TDs by QB in single season all-time. Has 19 TDs (14 pass, 5 rush) vs. 3 INTs for 110.7 rating in 7 home starts in 2022. Had 3 rush TDs in last meeting. • QB GARDNER MINSHEW passed for 355 yards & had 3 TDs (2 pass, 1 rush) in 1st start of season in Week 16, his 6th-career game with 300+ pass yards. • RB MILES SANDERS has 7 rush TDs in 7 home games in 2022 & aims for his 3rd in row at home with rush TD. Rushed for 94 yards in last meeting. Has career-high 11 rush TDs & needs 75 scrimmage yards for new career high (1,327 in 2019). • WR A.J. BROWN had 103 rec. yards last week, his 5th game with 100+ rec. yards in 2022. Has career highs in catches (80) & rec. yards (1,304) this season. Has 7 rec. TDs in 7 home games in 2022 & aims for his 3rd in row at home with rec. TD. • WR DEVONTA SMITH had 8 catches for 113 yards & 2 rec. TDs in Week 16, his 2ndcareer game with 2 rec. TDs. Has career highs in catches (79) & rec. yards (1,014) this season. Has 5+ catches in 6 of his past 7. • LB HAASON REDDICK had 2 sacks & FF last week & has career-high 14 sacks in 2022. Has 5 FFs this season, tied-most in NFL. Aims for his 3rd in row with 2+ sacks & FF & his 8th in row with 0.5+ sacks. • DE JOSH SWEAT had 1.5 sacks & 1st-career INT-TD in Week 16 & has career-high 11 sacks & 15 TFL this season. Aims for his 4th in row at home & 6th in row overall with sack. • CB JAMES BRADBERRY ranks tied-2nd in NFL with 15 PD this season.

• The Eagles are 11-3 (.786) all-time at home against the Saints, which includes an active three-game winning streak. That is the Eagles’ third-best home record against any opponent all-time (3-0 vs. Texans and 6-1 vs. Broncos).
• Philadelphia lost on the road in Dallas last week, 40-34. The Eagles have not lost back-to-back games since Weeks 6 and 7 last season. They are one of five teams this season without consecutive losses (Chiefs, Cowboys, Ravens, Vikings).
• DeVonta Smith (113) and A.J. Brown (103) each eclipsed 100 yards receiving last week, their third time doing that together in a game this season. They are first pair of Eagles teammates to have three games with 100 yards each in a season all-time.
• With a 17-10 win in Cleveland last week, New Orleans has won two straight games for the first time this season. The Saints have allowed 20 or fewer points in each of their last six games, the second-longest active streak in the NHL (49ers, eight).
• Taysom Hill has 10 career touchdown passes, 22 career rushing touchdowns and nine career receiving touchdowns. The last NFL player to have at least 10 of each in their career was Frank Gifford (14 pass, 34 rush, 43 receiving) from 1952 to 1964.
• Chris Olave is up to 940 receiving yards this season, second among first-year players behind college teammate Garrett Wilson (996). The only Saints rookies to ever notch 1000 yards were Marques Colston (1038 in 2006) and Michael Thomas (1137 in 2016).

PHILADELPHIA (AP) No matter the quarterback, the Eagles are trying to finish as the top team in the NFC. Knocking off the New Orleans Saints will get Philadelphia all the spoils of the No. 1 seed.

A chance to rest starters in the season finale. The playoff bye week. Home games at the Linc.

The Saints just want to join Philly (13-2) in the postseason. It’s not dark yet in New Orleans; it’s getting there.

Still, hope remained for first-year coach Dennis Allen’s team as the Saints head Sunday to Philly with a win-or-else ethos if they want to reach the postseason. The odds are grim, but at least the path is clear-cut: New Orleans will have to win its final two games, against the Eagles and a home game against Carolina. They also need help in the form of two losses by Tampa Bay to win the NFC South.

The Saints (6-9) are still barely alive for the last wild-card spot, but they trail Washington (7-7-1) by 1 1/2 games and Green Bay, Detroit and Seattle – all 7-8 – by a game.

“If we don’t handle what we can control, then it doesn’t even matter,” Saints quarterback Andy Dalton said. “So for us, the mindset is: We’ve got two left, let’s go win these next two games and see what happens.”

Added offensive lineman Calvin Throckmorton: “We’re obviously excited for the challenge that Philly’s going to present.”

And the Eagles indeed present a challenge — with or without dynamic QB Jalen Hurts.

The 24-year-old Hurts emerged as an MVP candidate this season with 35 total touchdowns and 3,472 yards passing until he sprained his right shoulder in a win at Chicago. Hurts was sidelined for the Eagles’ loss at Dallas and Gardner Minshew performed ably, throwing for 355 yards, completing 24 of 40 passes and two touchdowns in his first start of the season.

Eagles coach Nick Sirianni hasn’t backed off his decree that Hurts will start the moment he is healthy enough to play. The QB question mark didn’t deter the bettors, with the Eagles still a 7-point favorite even before Sirianni announced his decision.

The Eagles return home after three straight road games with the hope the next time they hit the road, it’s for the Super Bowl. They finish against the Saints and New York Giants, then could play up to two homes games in the playoffs – as long as they get the No. 1 seed.

It does seem a formality, though crazy things could happen.

SEEDING SCENARIOS

The Eagles need one win or one Dallas loss in the last two games to secure the No. 1 seed in the NFC.

There is a wrinkle in that plan: Should Dallas win its last two games and the Eagles lose to the Saints and Giants, the Cowboys are the NFC East champions. And if that scenario unfolds, and somehow Minnesota and San Francisco each lose one of their two final games, the Cowboys are the No. 1 seed in the NFC.

So yeah, having Hurts back at any time would certainly help the Birds.

“If Jalen is ready to play, he’ll play, but we have to have a plan for both of those guys,” offensive coordinator Shane Steichen said.

RICH GET RICHER?

There is a chance the Eagles can enter the 2023 draft with a top-10 pick that could have belonged to the Saints. The Eagles and Saints traded a combined eight draft spots last year — and Philadelphia obtained New Orleans’ 2023 first-rounder.

The Saints were expected to contend and would have perhaps lost a spot somewhere in the 20s. At this rate, the Eagles would have the 10th overall pick. Stick the Saints with a loss, and that number can go lower for the Eagles. Not a bad spot for a team that already clinched a playoff berth.

“It will be sweet if we can go out there and get this win, and then once we’re making the draft pick later we can say to ourselves, well, that really did help us out,” Sirianni said.

FAMILIAR FOE

It wasn’t that long ago that Eagles defensive back and NFL interceptions leader C.J. Gardner-Johnson was a Saint. He spent training camp in New Orleans before being traded to Philadelphia on Aug. 30.

At that time, the Saints saw defensive back as a position of depth on their squad. And Gardner-Johnson, a fourth-round 2019 draft choice, was nearing the end of his rookie contract.

Gardner-Johnson has six interceptions for Philadelphia this season. The entire Saints defense has four.

“We made a decision, a business decision, and then you move forward with that,” said Allen, a former defensive coordinator who still oversees and calls the defense. “You don’t really look back and play the what-if game. It was something that we felt like was the best thing for our team at that point in time and and then we moved forward.”

NFL PREVIEW: CAROLINA PANTHERS (6-9) @ TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (7-8)

REGULAR-SEASON SERIES HISTORY

LEADER Panthers lead all-time series, 25-19

STREAKS Buccaneers have won 4 of last 5

LAST GAME 10/23/22: Buccaneers 3 at Panthers 21

LAST GAME AT SITE 1/9/22: Buccaneers 41, Panthers 17

PANTHERS NOTES:

LAST WEEK W 37-23 vs. Detroit (Sat.)

COACH VS. OPP. Steve Wilks: 1-0

PTS. FOR 20.9

OFFENSE 306.9

PASSING Sam Darnold: 54-88-61.4-4-0-104.3

RUSHING D’Onta Foreman: 178-811-4.6-5

RECEIVING D.J. Moore: 56-761-13.6-6

PTS. AGAINST 22.5

DEFENSE 344.7

SACKS Brian Burns: 12.5

INTs C.J. Henderson, Donte Jackson: 2

TAKE/GIVE -1 (15/16)

PUNTING (NET) Johnny Hekker: 48.5 (43.7)

KICKING Eddy Pineiro: 119 (26/28 PAT; 31/33 FG)

CAROLINA rushed for 240 yards in 1st half of Week 16, 3rd-most rush yards in 1st half of game in past 40 years. • QB SAM DARNOLD passed for season-high 250 & had 2 TDs (1 pass, 1 rush) vs. 0 INTs for 121.4 rating in Week 16. Has 100+ rating in 3 of his 4 starts in 2022. Had 2 TDs vs. INT & 87.3 rating in last road meeting. • RB D’ONTA FOREMAN rushed for career-high 165 yards & had career-best 5th rush TD of season last week. Leads NFC with 5 games of 100+ rush yards in 2022 & has career high 811 rush yards this season. Had 145 scrimmage yards (118 rush, 27 rec.) in Week 7 meeting. • RB CHUBA HUBBARD rushed for career-high 125 yards last week. Hubbard & Foreman became 1st teammates each with 100+ rush yards in 1st half of same game since 12/10/06 (Maurice Jones-Drew & Fred Taylor). Aims for his 3rd in row vs. TB with TD. • WR D.J. MOORE led team with 5 receptions for 83 rec. yards & had career-high 6th rec. TD of season. Has TD catch in 3 of his past 4 & aims for his 3rd in row with rec. TD. Has 5+ catches in 6 of his past 7 vs. TB. Aims for his 3rd in row at TB with 100+ scrimmage yards. • DE BRIAN BURNS had 2 sacks last week, his 5th-career 2-sack game. Has career highs in sacks (12.5) & TFL (16) this season. Has TFL in 6 of his past 7. Had sack in Week 7 meeting. • DT DERRICK BROWN ranks tied-2nd among DL with 7 PD this season. • LB FRANKIE LUVU had TFL last week & has career-high 14 TFL this season. Has TFL in 5 of his past 6. Aims for his 3rd in row on road with sack. • S JEREMY CHINN aims for his 4th in row with PD.

BUCS NOTES:

LAST WEEK W 19-16 at Arizona (OT)

COACH VS. OPP. Todd Bowles: 0-2

PTS. FOR 17.7

OFFENSE 346.3

PASSING Tom Brady: 443-671-4,178-21-9-87.9

RUSHING Leonard Fournette: 179-640-3.6-3

RECEIVING Chris Godwin: 89-848-9.5-3

PTS. AGAINST 20.3

DEFENSE 315.4

SACKS Vita Vea: 6.5

INTs Jamel Dean, Mike Edwards: 2

TAKE/GIVE -4 (16/20)

PUNTING (NET) Jake Camarda (R): 49.0 (41.0)

KICKING Ryan Succop: 108 (21/21 PAT; 29/34 FG)

QB TOM BRADY has 14th-career season with 4,000+ pass yards, tied-most (HOFer Peyton Manning) in NFL history. Leads NFL with 443 completions in 2022 & can surpass Drew Brees (471 in 2016) for 2nd-most completions in single season alltime. Can become 1st player ever with 30+ completions in 5 straight games. Passed for 326 yards & 3 TDs vs. 0 INTs for 130.4 rating in last home meeting. • RB LEONARD FOURNETTE had 9 catches & season-high 162 scrimmage yards (career-high 90 rec., 72 rush) in Week 16. Has 1,140 scrimmage yards in 2022, his 4th-career season with 1,100+ scrimmage yards. Ranks 3rd among RBs with 68 receptions this season. Has 3 rush TDs in 4 career games vs. Car. • WR MIKE EVANS has 917 rec. yards in 2022. Can become 1st player ever with 1,000+ rec. yards in each of his 1st 9 seasons & 3rd player all-time (HOFers Tim Brown & Jerry Rice) with 9 straight 1,000+ rec. yard seasons. Has 4 rec. TDs in his past 4 vs. Car. Aims for his 6th in row vs. Car. with 6+ catches & 75+ rec. yards. • WR CHRIS GODWIN has 5+ catches in 12 straight games, longest active streak in NFL. Has 90+ rec. yards in 4 of his past 5 vs. Car. & aims for his 6th in row vs. Car. with 5+ catches. • LB LAVONTE DAVID led team with 10 tackles & had TFL & PD last week. Has 113 tackles in 2022, his 9th-career 100+ tackle season. Has 5+ tackles in 18 of his 19 career games vs. Car. • LB DEVIN WHITE had 1st FR of season last week. Has 3rd-straight season with 100+ tackles (115) in 2022. Aims for his 4th in row at home vs. Car. with TFL. • CB CARLTON DAVIS has 8 PD in his past 5. Has 7 PD in his past 6 vs. Car.

• After a 21-3 win in Week 7, the Panthers are going for the season sweep of the Buccaneers for the first time since 2017. That was also the last season the Panthers made the playoffs.
• Carolina beat Detroit at home in Week 16, 37-23, behind 320 yards rushing and 250 yards passing. They were the first NFL team with 300 rush yards and 250 pass yards in a game since the 49ers in Week 12, 2012.
• Last week against Detroit, D’Onta Foreman (165 yards) and Chuba Hubbard (125) became the first pair of running back teammates to post 125 yards rushing in the same game since Chris Johnson and LenDale White for the Titans in 2008 (Week 7).
• Tampa Bay beat Arizona, 19-16, in overtime in Week 16. The Buccaneers have scored 21 or fewer points in all seven of their wins this season. The Super Bowl era record for wins despite scoring 21 or fewer points is eight, done 10 times (most recently the 2005 Bears).
• Leonard Fournette set a career high with 90 receiving yards against the Cardinals to go along with 72 yards on the ground. Fournette was the first Buccaneer with at least 70 of each since Doug Martin in 2012 (Week 8 at Minnesota).
• The Buccaneers will clinch the NFC South division title for the second straight season with a win against the Panthers. The Bucs are one of seven current franchises to never win their division in consecutive seasons. The others are the Bengals, Chargers, Falcons Commanders, Lions and Raiders.

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Carolina Panthers don’t have to sort through a bunch of potential tiebreaker scenarios to know what they need to do to win the NFC South and host a first-round playoff game.

Beat the Panthers on Sunday at Raymond James Stadium, and Tom Brady and the first-place Bucs (7-8) will repeat as division champions and earn a postseason berth for the third straight year regardless of what happens in the final week of the regular season.

Carolina (6-9), which has won four of its past six games to play its way back into contention after firing its coach and trading its best player, can claim its first NFC South title by closing with victories over Tampa Bay and New Orleans.

“We know what this game entails,” Panthers interim coach Steve Wilks said. “There is no reason to talk about it.”

“We understand what the game means. Trying to win a division is not easy,” Bucs coach Todd Bowles echoed.

“They need it and we need it, so it’s essentially a playoff game,” Bowles added. “Our playoff games started last Sunday when we won (in overtime at Arizona), so this Sunday will be the same.”

Carolina, which is 5-5 under Wilks, fired coach Matt Rhule after Week 5 and traded star running back Christian McCaffrey to San Francisco a few days before shutting down Brady and Tampa Bay’s sputtering offense 21-3 at home on Oct. 23.

The Panthers entered this week tied with New Orleans for second in the division, one game behind the Bucs.

Tampa Bay holds the advantage in any tiebreaker situation involving the Saints (6-9), who lost both meetings between the division rivals this season.

“I’m not in Tom Brady’s head, but he definitely remembers this game,” Panthers linebacker Shaq Thompson said. “We both know what’s on the line.”

Brady has won an NFL-record 18 division titles, all but one of them during a historic 20-year run with the New England Patriots.

The Bucs are trying to win consecutive division championships for the first time in franchise history.

“The important part is it’s something that’s earned. There’s nothing given. There’s nothing you really take for granted,” Brady said of having another opportunity to clinch a playoff berth.

“Every year is something different. I think obviously this year … we’ve dealt with some injuries, a lot of different lineup changes, some tough games, a lot of tough calls, close calls,” the 45-year-old quarterback added. “But we have an opportunity now to do something really positive. … It’s a big challenge. It’s a great opportunity. You don’t take it for granted.”

RUN, RUN, RUN

The Panthers are coming off a record-breaking offensive performance last week against the Detroit Lions, racking up a franchise-record 570 yards, including a whopping 320 on the ground.

D’Onta Foreman paced the ground attack with 165 yards rushing and a touchdown, while Chuba Hubbard ran for 125 yards. Those totals were career highs for both players. The Panthers’ offensive line completely dominated the line of scrimmage, freeing the backs for seven runs of 20 yards or more and an average of 7.4 yards per carry.

“That’s been the key to our success this season,” Foreman said. “When we’ve run the ball well, we’ve won games. When we haven’t, we’ve lost.”

RING OF HONOR

Former Bucs coach Bruce Arians, who helped recruit Brady to Tampa Bay before leading the Bucs to a Super Bowl title two years ago, will be inducted into the team’s Ring of Honor on Sunday.

Brady said he’s happy for the retired coach, noting Arians was “a big reason why I came here.”

“He’s very deserving. He’s had an amazing coaching life and journey,” Brady said. “He’s been around some great players, some great coaches. He’s really built a winning foundation here, which is pretty spectacular.”

CORNERBACK ISSUES

The Panthers lost Donte Jackson to a season-ending torn Achilles tendon earlier this season and now their other starting cornerback, Jaycee Horn, is coming off surgery this week for a broken wrist. With Horn out, C.J. Henderson and Keith Taylor will start at cornerback against the Bucs.

In the meantime, the Panthers have added a familiar face in veteran Josh Norman, giving them some experience and attitude in the secondary. The 35-year-old Norman was an All-Pro for the Panthers when they went to the Super Bowl in 2015. Wilks was his position coach that season.

Wilks believes Norman, who hasn’t played this year, could step in a play as a backup to Taylor this week if needed.

PINEIRO ON A ROLL

The Panthers have reason to be confident if the game comes down a field goal.

Eddy Pineiro has been fabulous for the Panthers since missing an extra point at the end of regulation and a field goal in overtime in a midseason loss to Atlanta, making his last 17 field goal attempts.

Pineiro has made 93.9% of his field goal attempts this season, which is third best in the NFL.

Tampa Bay’s Ryan Succop has made 85.3% of his attempts.

NFL PREVIEW: CLEVELAND BROWNS (6-9) @ WASHINGTON COMMANDERS (7-7-1)

REGULAR-SEASON SERIES HISTORY

LEADER Browns leads all-time series, 34-12-1

STREAKS Commanders has won 3 of last 4

LAST GAME 9/27/20: Commanders 20 at Browns 34

LAST GAME AT SITE 10/2/16: Commanders 31, Browns 20

BROWNS NOTES:

LAST WEEK L 17-10 vs. New Orleans (Sat.)

COACH VS. OPP. Kevin Stefanski: 1-0

PTS. FOR 21.5

OFFENSE 355.1

PASSING Deshaun Watson: 71-123-703-2-3-69.3

RUSHING Nick Chubb: 276, 1,344-4.9-12

RECEIVING Amari Cooper: 73-1,004-13.8-7

PTS. AGAINST 22.9

DEFENSE 335.9

SACKS Myles Garrett: 13.5

INTs Grant Delpit, Denzel Ward: 2

TAKE/GIVE -3 (16/19)

PUNTING (NET) Corey Bojorquez: 48.6 (41.0)

KICKING Cade York (R): 99 (30/32 PAT; 23/31 FG)

QB DESHAUN WATSON had 1st rush TD of season last week. Passed for 208 yards in only career start vs. Was. (11/18/18 w/ Hou.). Has 1,307 pass yards (326.8 per game) in 4 career starts vs. NFC East. • RB NICK CHUBB had 102 scrimmage yards (92 rush, 10 rec.) last week, his 9th game this season with 100+ scrimmage yards, tied 4th-most in NFL. Aims for 3rd in row with 90+ rush yards. Rushed for 108 yards & 2 TDs in last meeting. Ranks 3rd in NFL with 1,344 rush yards & 4th with 12 rush TDs this season. Can join HOFer Jim Brown as only players in franchise history with 1,500+ rush yards in single season. • RB KAREEM HUNT has 50+ scrimmage yards in 2 of his past 3 on road. Had 64 scrimmage yards (46 rush, 18 rec.) & rec. TD in last meeting. Has TD in 3 of his past 4 vs. NFC East. • WR AMARI COOPER led team with 6 catches for 72 yards last week. Aims for 3rd in row with 55+ rec. yards. Aims for his 6th in row vs. Was. with 50+ rec. yards & 4th in row vs. Was. with TD catch. Is 1 of 6 with 1,000+ rec. yards in 4 of past 5 seasons. • WR DONOVAN PEOPLES-JONES has 60+ rec. yards in 6 of 7 road games this season. • TE DAVID NJOKU has 55+ rec. yards in 3 of his past 4 on road. • DE MYLES GARRETT has 1.5+ sacks in 2 of past 3. Aims for his 4th in row on road with TFL. Had 2 sacks, FF & FR in last meeting. Has 4.5 sacks in 3 career games vs. NFC East. Ranks 4th in NFL with 13.5 sacks this season. • LB REGGIE RAGLAND tied career high with 10 tackles in Week 16. • CB DENZEL WARD aims for 5th in row with PD. Had PD in last meeting. • S GRANT DELPIT had 7 tackles & INT last week. Aims for 3rd in row with 7+ tackles.

COMMANDERS NOTES:

LAST WEEK L 37-20 at San Francsico (Sat.)

COACH VS. OPP. Ron Rivera: 1-2

PTS. FOR 19.0

OFFENSE 336.4

PASSING Taylor Heinicke: 161-259-1,859-12-6-89.3

RUSHING Brian Robinson (R): 181-710-.9-2

RECEIVING Terry McLaurin: 72-1,092-15.2-4

PTS. AGAINST 20.9

DEFENSE 313.0

SACKS Daron Payne: 9.5

INTs Darrick Forrest: 4

TAKE/GIVE -3 (16/19)

PUNTING (NET) Tress Way: 47.0 (43.2)

KICKING Joey Slye: 87 (21/24 PAT; 22/25 FG)

QB TAYLOR HEINICKE had 2 TDs vs. INT & 114.6 rating last week. Has 2+ TD passes in 3 of his past 4 home starts & 3 of his past 4 starts overall. • QB CARSON WENTZ had TD pass vs. 0 INTs for 117.4 rating last week. Has 300+ pass yards, 2+ TD passes & 100+ rating in 2 of his 3 home starts in 2022. Aims for his 3rd in row vs. Cle. with 2+ TD passes. • RB BRIAN ROBINSON ranks 5th among rookies with 710 rush yards. Aims for his 3rd in row at home with 100+ scrimmage yards & 7th in row overall with 50+ scrimmage yards. • RB ANTONIO GIBSON has 899 scrimmage yards & needs 101 scrimmage yards for 3rd-straight 1,000-yard season since entering NFL in 2020. • WR TERRY MCLAURIN had 77 rec. yards & 4th TD catch of season last week. Is 1 of 2 NFC WRs (Justin Jefferson) with 70+ catches & 1,000+ rec. yards in each of past 3 seasons. • WR JAHAN DOTSON had career-high 6 catches & 7th rec. TD of season last week, most among rookies. Aims for his 3rd in row with 75+ rec. yards & 4th in row with TD catch. • WR CURTIS SAMUEL had 4th TD catch of season in Week 16. • DT JONATHAN ALLEN ranks tied-3rd in NFL with career-high 16 TFL in 2022. Had sack in last meeting. • DT DARON PAYNE had sack last week. Has TFL in 4 of his past 5 & ranks tied-3rd in NFL with career-high 16 TFL in 2022. • DE CHASE YOUNG had PD in season debut last week. • DE MONTEZ SWEAT had sack & 2 TFL in last meeting. • CB BENJAMIN ST-JUSTE had 2nd-career sack in Week 16. • S DARRICK FORREST had 4th INT of season last week. Aims for his 3rd in row with PD.

• Cleveland has a 16-5-1 (.762) all-time record when visiting Washington, the Browns’ best road-record against any team they have played more than once. However, the Commanders have beaten the Browns in their last three visits by a combined score of 87-48.
• After scoring 10 points against New Orleans on Saturday, the Browns are the only team this season to have three-straight games with 13 or fewer points. The last time Cleveland had a longer such streak was in 2016, a six-game stretch from Week 9 to Week 15.
• Amari Cooper caught four passes for a first down on third downs in the loss to the Saints on Saturday, bringing his season total to 22. He is second behind Justin Jefferson (25) in first down catches on third-down plays this season.
• Washington lost, 37-20, to San Francisco on Saturday, the most points conceded by the Commanders this season. Prior to that, the last time Washington gave up 37 points in a game was in 2018 (three times).
• Terry McLaurin has 1092 receiving yards and four receiving touchdowns this season. McLaurin joins Gary Clark as the only members of the Washington franchise with three-straight seasons of at least 1000 receiving yards and four touchdowns.
• Washington (32:48) and Cleveland (32:01) lead the league as the only two teams averaging above 32 minutes in time of possession per game this season.

ASHBURN, Va.. (AP) After getting into the thick of the playoff race, the Washington Commanders’ three-game winless skid put them in what seems like a straightforward position.

“If we win these two games, we’re in the playoffs,” starting left tackle Charles Leno said. “It’s as simple as that.”

Washington’s situation is more precarious than simple with the Cleveland Browns up next at home Sunday. The Commanders control their path to a playoff spot – beat the Browns and Dallas Cowboys and they’re in – but they could also clinch or be eliminated as soon as this weekend.

With that in mind, coach Ron Rivera turned back to Carson Wentz as his starting quarterback, believing the veteran with the strong arm gives his team a better chance to reach the postseason than Taylor Heinicke.

“We want to win both of these, obviously, to get into the playoffs,” Rivera said. “The last three games we are 0-2-1, so (we were) looking for a little something extra to give us a little something to get over the hump.”

That could be Wentz, who’s making his first start since breaking the ring finger on his right, throwing hand Oct. 13 and having surgery that landed him on injured reserve. The Commanders won five of their first six games with Heinicke at QB before hitting a rut Rivera thinks Wentz can get them out of.

Cleveland is out of contention, but Wentz – who lost the final two games last year with Indianapolis in a similar situation – is not underestimating the Browns.

“The Browns are no slouch,” Wentz said. “They’re a good team. Their defense plays fast. They got some playmakers over there that we have to account for that can make life really difficult.”

That’s precisely what the Browns plan to do, from QB Deshaun Watson to edge rusher Myles Garrett and beyond after their playoff hopes slipped away. They need to win out to match their record from last season.

“We’ve got no one to blame but ourselves,” Cleveland tight end David Njoku said. “I have no doubt that we’re going to put our best foot forward and give the Commanders hell.”

The Commanders would clinch an NFC wild-card spot with a win and losses by Seattle (against the New York Jets), Detroit (against Chicago) and Green Bay (against Minnesota). They’d be eliminated with a loss and wins by just the Lions and Packers, who face off in Week 18.

Washington finishes the regular season against Dallas in a game that could range from each team having something to play for to neither needing it for anything. Taking care of business and beating Cleveland assures the Commanders would still be in the race by the Cowboys game.

“We all know where we’re at,” Wentz said. “We all know what we’re capable of and what we’re up against.”

QB CHANGE

Switching from Wentz to Heinicke was a no-doubter to anyone paying attention to the Commanders’ last nine months. The front office gave up assets to acquire Wentz, who was the unquestioned starter before being hurt, and Rivera kept Heinicke in the starting job largely because he was the “hot hand.”

It would have been “asinine,” Rivera said, to go away from Heinicke while the team was 5-1 over six games and Wentz was healthy. Two turnovers late in the 49ers game and Wentz’s solid performance in relief were enough to change the tide.

“Taylor has been playing really good football,” tight end Logan Thomas said. “In the last two weeks we took two losses, but he didn’t play terrible. Had some turnovers, but that’s not all his fault. … Because Carson was the Week 1 starter, he was kind of the guy that was always running the show, so it was kind of expected if things were to go the way they did.”

BROWNS AND FROWNS

Despite a star-laden roster and high expectations, the Browns missed the playoffs for a second consecutive year. Obviously, Watson’s lengthy suspension was a major impediment, but the Browns were disappointed they didn’t do more.

“We had our chances, and we didn’t make the most of it,” Pro Bowl running back Nick Chubb said. “And here we are. We are who we are.”

There was some progress – just not enough for a team that went 8-9 last season and might not even get there again.

“Super disappointing,” cornerback Greg Newsome III said. “On paper, we have a very, very talented roster, but we obviously we weren’t able to put everything together this season for the second straight year.”

COMMANDERS’ D LETDOWN

Washington’s defense allowed a season-high 37 points in the loss at San Francisco last week, and the 49ers’ 371 yards were the most the unit had given up since Week 6. Rivera blamed the performance on giving up big plays, and it hurt that safety Kam Curl was out with an ankle injury.

Curl expects to be back to face the Browns and is confident about what he and his teammates can do to bounce back.

“Just play defense how we play defense,” he said. “If we go out there and play our game, play with our hearts out, I feel like we can do what we’ve got to do to win the game.”

RUNNING AMOK

Cleveland’s rushing defense has been sketchy all season, and the Browns’ inability to fix it has fallen on defensive coordinator Joe Woods, whose future appears in doubt.

The Browns have allowed at least 150 yards rushing eight times in the past 12 games.

“Teams start running the ball on us, and we get a high, high number of runs per game,” Woods said. “We just didn’t do a good job.”

NFL PREVIEW: SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (11-4) @ LAS VEGAS RAIDERS (6-9)

REGULAR-SEASON SERIES HISTORY

LEADER All-time series tied, 7-7

STREAKS 49ers have won 4 of last 5

LAST GAME 11/1/18: Raiders 3 at 49ers 34

LAST GAME AT SITE 12/7/14: Raiders 24, 49ers 13

49ERS NOTES:

LAST WEEK W 37-20 vs. Washington (Sat.)

COACH VS. OPP. Kyle Shanahan: 1-0

PTS. FOR 25.0

OFFENSE 363.4

PASSING Brock Purdy (R): 77-115-912-8-3-103.3

RUSHING Christian McCaffrey (2022): 215-973-4.5-7

RECEIVING Brandon Aiyuk: 65-855-13.2-7

PTS. AGAINST 15.3

DEFENSE 290.3

SACKS Nick Bosa: 17.5

INTs Talanoa Hufanga: 4

TAKE/GIVE +8 (24/16)

PUNTING (NET) Mitch Wishnowsky: 43.8 (39.4)

KICKING Robbie Gould: 110 (41/42 PAT; 23/27 FG)

SAN FRANCISCO clinched NFC West for 1st time since 2019. • QB BROCK PURDY (rookie) passed for 234 yards & 2 TDs vs. INT for 114.6 rating in Week 16. Joined HOFer Dan Marino as only QBs since 1950 with 2+ TD passes & 100+ rating in each of their 1st 3 starts. • RB CHRISTIAN MCCAFFREY had 7th rush TD of season last week. Aims for his 5th in row overall with TD, 5th in row on road with 6+ catches & 6th in row on road with 100+ scrimmage yards. Has 433 career receptions & can surpass Roger Craig (434) for the most catches by RB in his 1st 6 seasons ever. • TE GEORGE KITTLE had 6 catches for 120 yards & 2 rec. TDs last week. Can become 1st TE with 2+ rec. TDs in 3 straight games within single season. Aims for his 4th in row on road with TD catch. Has 5,202 career rec. yards, 4th-most ever by TE in 1st 6 seasons. Had 108 rec. yards & TD catch in last meeting. • WR BRANDON AIYUK had 5 catches for 81 yards last week. Has career highs in catches (65), rec. yards (855) & rec. TDs (7) in 2022. Has 5 rec. TDs in his past 4 on road. • DL NICK BOSA had 2 sacks & FF last week & leads NFL with career-high 17.5 sacks in 2022. Can become 4th player since 1982 with sack in 13+ games within single season. • LB FRED WARNER (111 tackles & 10 PD) & LB DRE GREENLAW (118 tackles & 6 PD) are 1 of 4 pairs of teammates each with 110+ tackles & 5+ PD in 2022. • CB CHARVARIUS WARD had career-high 3rd TFL of season last week & has careerhigh 79 tackles this season. Has 8 PD in 7 road games in 2022. • DB JIMMIE WARD had career-high 3rd INT of season last week. Has PD in 5 of his past 6. • S TALANOA HUFANGA aims for his 3rd in row with PD.

RAIDERS NOTES:

LAST WEEK L 13-10 at Pittsburgh (Sat.)

COACH VS. OPP. Josh McDaniels: 0-1

PTS. FOR 23.2

OFFENSE 347.6

PASSING Derek Carr: 305-502-3,522-24-14-86.3

RUSHING Josh Jacobs: 306-1,539-5.0-11

RECEIVING Davante Adams: 88-1,290-14.7-12

PTS. AGAINST 23.3

DEFENSE 360.9

SACKS Maxx Crosby: 11.5

INTs Duron Harmon: 2

TAKE/GIVE -5 (12/17)

PUNTING (NET) AJ Cole: 48.7 (43.5)

KICKING Daniel Carlson: 120 (30/31 PAT; 30/33 FG)

QB DEREK CARR aims for his 4th in row at home with 2+ TD passes. Has 10 TDs vs. 2 INTs with 94.1 rating in 6 home starts this season. Has 3 TDs vs. 0 INTs with 123.2 rating in 2 career starts vs. SF. Has 95+ rating in 4 of his past 5 vs. NFC West. Is 1 of 4 in NFL with 3,500+ pass yards in each of past 5 seasons. Needs 165 pass yards to surpass HOFer Dan Marino (35,386) for 3rd-most ever by QB in 1st 9 seasons. • RB JOSH JACOBS is 1 of 2 in NFL (Nick Chubb) with 50+ scrimmage yards in 15 games this season. Aims for 6th in row at home with 100+ scrimmage yards. Has rush TD in 4 of past 5 at home. Has 498 scrimmage yards (166 per game) in 3 games vs. NFC West this season. Leads NFL with 1,908 scrimmage yards & 1,539 rush yards & can join HOFer Marcus Allen (1985) as only players in franchise history with 2,000+ scrimmage yards in single season. • WR DAVANTE ADAMS has 125+ rec. yards & TD catch in 2 of past 3 at home. Has rec. TD in each of 4 career reg. season games vs. SF & 130+ rec. yards in 3 of 4 games. Ties for NFL lead with 12 rec. TDs this season & ranks 5th with 1,290 rec. yards. • WR HUNTER RENFROW had 1st TD catch of season in Week 16. • TE DARREN WALLER has TD catch in 2 of his 3 home games this season. • DE MAXX CROSBY has career-best 11.5 sacks in 2022, most by Raider since 2015 (Khalil Mack – 15). Leads NFL with 19 TFL this season. • DE CLELIN FERRELL had TFL & PD in Week 16. • LB LUKE MASTERSON (rookie) led team with season-high 10 tackles & had TFL last week. Aims for 3rd in row with 9+ tackles & TFL. • CB TYLER HALL had 5 tackles last week & aims for 3rd in row with PD.

• The all-time series between the 49ers and Raiders is tied, 7-7, despite the 49ers scoring 82 more points than the Raiders in those games. The 49ers’ wins have been by an average of 20.1 points compared to an average margin of victory of 8.4 points for the Raiders.
• The 49ers are the only NFL team in the Super Bowl era to win eight straight games in a single season while holding their opponents to fewer than 80 rushing yards in each one.
• Brock Purdy (121.4) is one of three QBs in the Super Bowl era to have a passer rating of 120.0 or better over his first three career starts, along with Patrick Mahomes (130.1) and Kurt Warner (125.0).
• The Raiders’ last eight games have all been decided by one score, the second-longest streak in team history behind a 10-game streak from 1998-99.
• Josh Jacobs (1539 rushing yards) and Davante Adams (1290 receiving yards) have a chance to join Emmitt Smith and Michael Irvin (1991 & 1995), Barry Sanders and Herman Moore (1995) and Edgerrin James and Marvin Harrison (1999) as the only teammate duos in NFL history to have 1500+ rushing yards and 1500+ receiving yards in the same season.
• The Raiders’ defense had six interceptions last season and has just five so far this season. No NFL team has had six or fewer interceptions in back-to-back seasons since interceptions began being tracked in 1932.

LAS VEGAS (AP) Kyle Shanahan remembers being impressed with Raiders quarterback Jarrett Stidham at the 2019 Senior Bowl. The San Francisco 49ers coach knows little else about Las Vegas’ new starter.

Stidham is a big unknown for the 49ers, who rank first in the NFL in scoring and total defense and figure to be a substantial challenge for a quarterback making his first career start.

The Raiders will start Stidham the final two weeks, including Sunday when San Francisco visits, in place of the benched Derek Carr.

“He can make every throw similar to Carr,” Shanahan said. “But he hasn’t been out there a lot, so hopefully we’ll confuse him (and) make it tough for him.”

The change at quarterback is a signal the Raiders are moving on from Carr and looking at the big picture with the playoffs all but out of reach. That’s not the case for the 49ers, who have clinched the NFC West and can still move up from the No. 3 seed.

Las Vegas coach Josh McDaniels hopes inserting Stidham will revive an offense that has sputtered over the past month as the Raiders have gone 2-2, losing twice in the final minute to the Los Angeles Rams and Pittsburgh Steelers.

McDaniels also coached Stidham in New England the previous three seasons when he was the Patriots offensive coordinator.

“He’s prepared like he’s playing every week since he’s been in the NFL,” McDaniels said. “Giving him a full week of seeing how this affects his preparation, his practice, his performance on Sunday, I think is a good starting point for him. But I expect him to be ready to go like he’s always been.”

NO HARD FEELINGS?

After getting only 15 carries in Saturday night’s 13-10 loss at Pittsburgh, Raiders running back Josh Jacobs let it be known he wasn’t thrilled with the play-calling.

“Especially when you’re up against a team like this in the cold, you’ve got to run the ball,” Jacobs said after the game.

McDaniels said he wasn’t bothered by Jacobs’ comments, noting other players have been vocal this season as well after losses in expressing their disappointment.

“Hell, I wasn’t real excited after the game either, and so I think the reality is you’re allowed to be frustrated,” McDaniels said. “JJ expressed his feelings, and it is what it is. You’re going to have that at times. But I’ve said this a number of times: I love the guy and I think he stands for the right things. He wants to help us win, and he should, and he has.”

Jacobs was asked Wednesday about the response to what he said.

“I told the truth,” Jacobs said. “If people felt some type of way about it, I don’t really care.”

RIVALRY RENEWED

The former Bay Area rivals will meet for the first time since the Raiders moved to Las Vegas in 2020. Their last meeting came in 2018 when the Niners won 34-3. San Francisco won five of the nine meetings when the Raiders were based in Oakland, while the Raiders had a 3-2 edge during their time in Los Angeles.

“It’s not really hostile with us,” Niners tackle Mike McGlinchey said. “But I know it gets hostile between San Francisco natives and Oakland natives. It’s a very passionate rivalry. It’s something that you don’t see often because of the way the conferences align. But certainly a lot of smack talking between locals in the Bay Area.”

OFF THE EDGE

The game features two of the best edge rushers in the NFL in San Francisco’s Nick Bosa and Las Vegas’ Maxx Crosby. Bosa leads the league with 17 1/2 sacks, while Crosby ranks first with 19 tackles for loss.

“He’s as good of a player as we faced all year,” McGlinchey said said of Crosby. “He certainly presents a lot of problems for a lot of people. … He’s probably as close to the guy that we got as we’ll see. It’s going to be a fun task.”

A QUICK RISER

Las Vegas linebacker Luke Masterson went from undrafted free agent to spending half the season almost exclusively on special teams to a starter with back-to-back games of double-digit tackles.

The journey, he acknowledged, was something he didn’t expect.

“I was just trying to really earn a role in special teams at first, and then as stuff happened, obviously got a little more opportunity,” Masterson said. “But I’m still trying to earn (a role) every day.”

NFL PREVIEW: NEW YORK JETS (7-8) @ SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (7-8)

REGULAR-SEASON SERIES HISTORY

LEADER Seahawks lead all-time series, 12-8

STREAKS Seahawks have won past 4

LAST GAME 12/13/20: Jets 3 at Seahawks 40

LAST GAME AT SITE 12/13/20

JETS NOTES:

LAST WEEK L 19-3 vs. Jacksonville (Thu.)

COACH VS. OPP. Robert Saleh: 0-0

PTS. FOR 18.9

OFFENSE 329.5

PASSING Mike White: 80-129-952-3-2-85.8

RUSHING Michael Carter: 110-396-3.6-3

RECEIVING Garrett Wilson (R): 71-996-14.0-4

PTS. AGAINST 18.8

DEFENSE 309.3

SACKS Quinnen Williams: 12

INTs Lamarcus Joyner: 3

TAKE/GIVE -4 (16/20)

PUNTING (NET) Braden Mann: 46.9 (40.0)

KICKING Greg Zuerlein: 106 (28/29 PAT; 26/31 FG)

QB MIKE WHITE has 315+ pass yards in 2 of 3 starts this season. • RB ZONOVAN KNIGHT (rookie) has 75+ scrimmage yards in each of 1st 2 career road games. Has 100+ scrimmage yards in 2 of 3 career games vs. NFC. • RB MICHAEL CARTER led team with 5 catches for 44 rec. yards last week. • WR GARRETT WILSON leads rookies with 71 catches & 996 rec. yards, both most ever by NYJ rookie. Has 75+ rec. yards in 4 of past 5. Aims for his 4th in row vs. NFC with 95+ rec. yards. • WR ELIJAH MOORE has 50+ rec. yards in 2 of past 3. • WR COREY DAVIS has 50+ rec. yards in 2 of 3 games vs. NFC this season. • TE C.J. UZOMAH had 66 rec. yards in only career game vs. Sea. (9/8/19 w/ Cin.). • TE TYLER CONKLIN had 7 catches for 70 yards & TD in his last game vs. Sea. (9/26/21 w/ Min.). • DL QUINNEN WILLIAMS had sack, FF & PD last week. Aims for 4th in row overall with sack & 3rd in row on road with 2+ TFL. Is 1st NYJ player with 12+ sacks since Muhammad Wilkerson (12 in 2015). • DL CARL LAWSON had 1st FR of season in Week 16. Has sack in 2 of past 3 on road. • LB QUINCY WILLIAMS aims for 3rd in row with 7+ tackles & TFL. • LB C.J. MOSLEY led team with 12 tackles last week & is 1 of 9 in NFL with 5+ tackles in 15 games this season. Ranks 7th in NFL with 142 tackles this season. • CB SAUCE GARDNER (rookie) had 7 tackles in Week 16. Leads NFL with 16 PD in 2022. • CB D.J. REED had season-high 9 tackles last week. Aims for 3rd in row with PD. Had 17 PD, 4 INTs & 3 FR in 2 seasons with Sea. (2020-21).

SEAHAWKS NOTES:

LAST WEEK L 24-10 at Kansas City

COACH VS. OPP. Pete Carroll: 5-4

PTS. FOR 24.3

OFFENSE 348.5

PASSING Geno Smith: 362-512-3,886-27-9-102.9

RUSHING Kenneth Walker (R): 176-803-4.6-9

RECEIVING DK Metcalf: 86-1,005-11.7-6

PTS. AGAINST 25.3

DEFENSE 373.4

SACKS Uchenna Nwosu: 9

INTs Tariq Woolen (R): 6

TAKE/GIVE 0 (21/21)

PUNTING (NET) Michael Dickson: 49.1 (44.9)

KICKING Jason Myers: 119 (38/39 PAT; 27/28 FG)

QB GENO SMITH has 2+ TD passes in 3 of his past 4 home starts. Has career highs in passing yards (3,886) & TD passes (27) in 2022. Leads NFL with 70.7 comp. pct. & ranks 5th in passer rating (102.9) this season. Has 9 games with 2+ TD passes & 100+ rating in 2022, most in NFL. Had 5,962 pass yards & 35 TDs (28 pass, 7 rush) in 33 games (30 starts) with NYJ (2013-16). • RB KENNETH WALKER rushed for 107 yards in Week 16 & has 3 games with 100+ rush yards in 2022, most among rookies. Has 4 rush TDs in his past 4 at home. Leads rookies with 9 rush TDs. Has 949 scrimmage yards & can become 3rd Sea. rookie (Joey Galloway & Curt Warner) with 1,000+ scrimmage yards. • WR DK METCALF led team with 7 catches for 81 yards last week. Has career-high 86 receptions & 2nd-career 1,000-yard season (1,005) in 2022. Has 5+ catches in 7 of his past 8 home games. Aims for his 5th in row at home & 9th in row overall with 5+ receptions. Had 6 catches for 61 yards & rec. TD in last meeting. • WR TYLER LOCKETT has rec. TD in 3 of his past 4 at home. Is only player with 8+ rec. TDs in each of past 5 seasons. • LB JORDYN BROOKS ranks 2nd in NFL with 157 tackles in 2022 & has 14 games with 8+ tackles, most in NFL this season. • LB UCHENNA NWOSU has career highs in sacks (9) & TFL (9) in 2022. • LB DARRELL TAYLOR has sack in 3 of his past 4. • LB CODY BARTON aims for his 4th in row at home with 10+ tackles. • CB TARIQ WOOLEN leads all rookies & ranks tied-1st in NFL with 6 INTs in 2022. • S QUANDRE DIGGS aims for his 4th in row at home with PD.

• The Seahawks have gone 4-0 against the Jets since 2005, holding them to just 30 total points. The 7.5 points per game is the fewest allowed by any NFL team against a single opponent over that time.
• Pete Carroll is in his 17th season as an NFL head coach and has never missed the playoffs in consecutive seasons. He’s currently the only head coach in NFL history to coach at least 15 seasons in the league and never have consecutive seasons in which he didn’t lead his team to the playoffs (ignoring any seasons in which the coach wasn’t a head coach in the NFL).
• DK Metcalf has had at least five receptions in eight straight games, tied with John L. Williams (1989-90) and Brian Blades (1995) for the longest streak in Seahawks franchise history.
• The Jets are allowing 10.8 fewer points per game than they did last season (29.6 to 18.8), on pace to be the second-largest season-to-season improvement in the NFL in the last 40 years behind the 2000-01 Rams (29.4 to 17.1, -12.3).
• The Jets have rushed for 76, 50 and 66 yards over their last three games and have lost them all. New York is now 1-20 since the start of the 2020 season when failing to rush for at least 90 yards in a game, including an active 14-game losing streak.
• Garrett Wilson has 522 more receiving yards than any other Jet this season. He is on pace to join Arizona’s Anquan Boldin (2003), Houston’s Andre Johnson (2003), Tampa Bay’s Michael Clayton (2004) and Washington’s Terry McLaurin (2019) as the only NFL rookies in the last 50 years to have at least 500 more receiving yards than any other teammate that year.

SEATTLE (AP) Geno Smith already checked off wins over the Chargers and Giants earlier this season, two of the teams he played for before arriving in Seattle.

Next up on the docket might be the most important, even if Smith tried to downplay the significance of starting against the New York Jets with the Seahawks’ playoff hopes at stake.

“I really just feel like the importance of it is we need a win so we can get to the playoffs,” Smith said. “Now, obviously, there will be some speculation and talk about that. It comes with the territory. … I got a lot of love for the Jets.”

The personal connection between Smith and the Jets is one of many storylines surrounding a matchup that could eliminate the loser from the playoffs.

Smith was drafted by the Jets and started during his first two seasons. Then he was cast off and spent seven years mostly as a backup with both New York teams, the Chargers and Seattle. He won the Seahawks’ job following the trade of Russell Wilson to Denver and has enjoyed a resurgence, earning a Pro Bowl selection and leading Seattle (7-8) into playoff contention.

“When he had a chance to play last year, he did some really great things,” said Jets left tackle Duane Brown, who previously played in Seattle. “He knew in his mind, if given an opportunity to have a full-time role as a starter, he could really make some things happen. And he’s been doing that. He’s had a phenomenal year and I’m really happy for him.”

The Jets’ quarterback situation has been less stable.

Mike White is back for New York (7-8) after missing two games with fractured ribs, coupled with the demotion of former No. 2 overall pick Zach Wilson. White’s first start for the Jets came in a 31-10 win over Chicago on Nov. 27, which is also the last time New York won. The Jets have lost four straight, two of those with White under center before he hurt his ribs in the loss to Buffalo.

“On game days, it’s especially hard when physically you feel like you can go out there, but I understand why the doctors couldn’t clear me,” White said. “It was tough, but if you make the most out of it, you will be all right.”

PLAYOFF IMPLICATIONS

Seattle would be eliminated from the NFC playoffs with a loss to the Jets and a win by Washington. There are scenarios where Seattle could lose to the Jets and still make the postseason with a win over the Rams in Week 18, but that would hinge on Washington losing its last two games and the Seahawks getting significant help.

New York is unexpectedly in a similar position. When the Jets walked off the field at MetLife Stadium last Thursday night after a 19-3 loss to Jacksonville, their playoff hopes appeared all but gone.

But losses last weekend by Miami, New England, Las Vegas and Cleveland have New York very much in the AFC playoff hunt. If the Jets win their last two games and the Patriots lose or tie one of their final two, New York will snap an 11-year postseason drought.

“We just have to deliver. We have another chance to be relevant for the playoff run. This doesn’t matter if we don’t take care of business,” Jets linebacker C.J. Mosley said.

ROOKIE STARS

The game features two cornerbacks who are contenders for defensive rookie of the year: the Jets’ Sauce Gardner and Seattle’s Tariq Woolen. Gardner was taken with the No. 4 overall pick in the draft and has lived up to his billing. He leads the league in pass breakups with 16 and has two interceptions.

Woolen is the surprise. He was viewed as a project when the Seahawks selected him in the fifth round out of UTSA. But Woolen has passed seemingly every test and entered the weekend tied for the league lead in interceptions with six.

“It’s rare to come out and have the amount of success that they’re having. These are two corners that are going to be successful for a very long time,” Jets coach Robert Saleh said.

LOCKED IN

The Seahawks hope Tyler Lockett may be able to return less than two weeks after having surgery to stabilize a broken bone in his left hand. Lockett has 78 catches and leads the team in receiving touchdowns with eight.

His presence was missed last week against Kansas City. Without Lockett on the field, the Chiefs rolled coverage toward DK Metcalf. As a result, Metcalf had seven catches for 81 yards but nearly half that came on a 35-yard completion. Lockett’s absence also contributed to Seattle going 2-for-14 on third downs against Kansas City.

NFL PREVIEW: MINNESOTA VIKINGS (12-3) @ GREEN BAY PACKERS (7-8)

REGULAR-SEASON SERIES HISTORY

LEADER Packers lead all-time series, 63-56-3

STREAKS Vikings have won 3 of last 4

LAST GAME 9/11/22: Packers 7 at Vikings 23

LAST GAME AT SITE 1/2/22: Packers 37, Vikings 10

VIKINGS NOTES:

LAST WEEK W 27-24 vs. N.Y. Giants (Sat.)

COACH VS. OPP. Kevin O’Connell: 1-0

PTS. FOR 25.2

OFFENSE 354.5

PASSING Kirk Cousins: 389-592-4,117-27-11-93.3

RUSHING Dalvin Cook: 244-1,109-4.5-8

RECEIVING Justin Jefferson: 123-1,756-14.3-8

PTS. AGAINST 24.9

DEFENSE 402.3

SACKS Danielle Hunter: 10.5

INTs Harrison Smith: 5

TAKE/GIVE +6 (23/17)

PUNTING (NET) Ryan Wright (R): 47.5 (42.8)

KICKING Greg Joseph: 102 (36/41 PAT; 22/27 FG)

MINNESOTA clinched NFC North for 1st time since 2017. Have 11 one-score wins (8 points or fewer), most by any team in single season in NFL history. • QB KIRK COUSINS passed for 299 yards & 3 TDs vs. 0 INTs for 107.9 rating in Week 16. Has 27 TD passes in 2022 & became 5th QB ever with 25+ TD passes in 8+ straight seasons. Has 4,117 passing yards this season, his 7th-career 4,000-yard season. Passed for 277 yards & 2 TDs vs. 0 INTs for 118.9 rating in Week 1 meeting. • RB DALVIN COOK has 4th-straight season with 1,300+ scrimmage yards (1,387). Aims for his 5th in row on road with TD. Has 867 scrimmage yards (108.4 per game) & 9 TDs (7 rush, 2 rec.) in 8 career games vs. GB, incl. 108 scrimmage yards in Week 1 meeting. • WR JUSTIN JEFFERSON leads NFL with 123 catches & 1,756 rec. yards in 2022, 7th-most rec. yards in single season ever & can become 6th player ever with 130+ catches in single season. Had 12 catches for 133 yards & rec. TD in Week 16 & is 6th player ever with 10+ catches, 100+ rec. yards in 3 straight games. Has 24 games with 100+ rec. yards in 1st 3 seasons, most by player in 1st 4 seasons ever. Can become 4th player in NFL history with 11 games of 100+ rec. yards in single season. • TE T.J. HOCKENSON had career-high 13 receptions for 109 yards & 2 rec. TDs last week, 2nd-career game with 2 rec. TDs. Aims for his 3rd in row vs. GB with rec. TD. • LB DANIELLE HUNTER has 4th-career season with 10+ sacks (10.5) in 2022. Had sack in Week 1 meeting & aims for his 4th in row vs. GB with sack. • LB ERIC KENDRICKS aims for his 8th in row at GB & 8th in row on road with 8+ tackles. • CB PATRICK PETERSON had 33rd-career INT last week, 3rd-most among active players. • S HARRISON SMITH has 4 PD, 3 TFL, 2 INTs, FF & FR in his past 5 at GB.

PACKERS NOTES:

LAST WEEK W 26-20 at Miami

COACH VS. OPP. Matt LaFleur: 4-3

PTS. FOR 20.9

OFFENSE 342.6

PASSING Aaron Rogders: 318-491-3,331-24-11-91.3

RUSHING Aaron Jones: 187-962-5.1-2

RECEIVING Allen Lazard: 51-688-13.5-5

PTS. AGAINST 22.3

DEFENSE 336.8

SACKS Preston Smith: 8.5

INTs Jaire Alexander: 5

TAKE/GIVE 0 (20/20)

PUNTING (NET) Pat O’Donnell: 44.8 (39.7)

KICKING Mason Crosby: 91 (31/33 PAT; 20/23 FG)

QB AARON RODGERS has 13 TDs vs. 2 INTs for 102 rating in 7 home starts in 2022. Has 59 TDs (56 pass, 3 rush) vs. 8 INTs for 108.7 rating in 27 career starts vs. Min. Aims for his 4th in row at home vs. Min. with 2+ TD passes & 100+ rating. Needs 1 TD pass for 13th-career season with 25+ TD passes. • RB AARON JONES has 125+ scrimmage yards & TD in 2 of his past 3 at home. Aims for his 3rd in row at home vs. Min. with 100+ scrimmage yards. Since 2017, Is 1 of 2 (Alvin Kamara) with 40+ rush TDs (43) & 15+ rec. TDs (17). • RB A.J. DILLON had career-high 6th rush TD of season last week & aims for his 5th in row with rush TD. Had 2 rush TDs in last home meeting. • WR CHRISTIAN WATSON (rookie) had career-high 6 catches last week. Has 5 rec. TDs in his past 3 at home. Ranks tied-1st among rookies in scrimmage TDs (9) & rec. TDs (7). • WR ALLEN LAZARD has career highs in catches (51) & rec. yards (688) in 2022. • LB QUAY WALKER ranks 3rd among rookies with 104 tackles. Has 1.5 sacks, 3 TFL, 3 PD & FF in his past 3 at home & aims for his 4th in row at home with TFL. • LB PRESTON SMITH had sack & 1st FF of season last week. Has 5th-career season with 8+ sacks (8.5) in 2022. Aims for his 3rd in row at home with 1.5+ sacks. Has 3 sacks & 4 TFL in his past 3 vs. Min. • LB DE’VONDRE CAMPBELL had 2nd INT of season last week. • CB JAIRE ALEXANDER had career-high 5th INT of season last week. • CB RASUL DOUGLAS had 4th INT of season in Week 16 & aims for his 3rd in row with INT. Has PD in 4 of his past 5. • S ADRIAN AMOS led team & tied his career high with 11 tackles last week.

• This is the first Vikings-Packers matchup in which the Vikings enter the game with at least five more wins than the Packers since the final game of the 1991 season, when 8-7 Minnesota hosted 3-12 Green Bay (Packers won, 27-7).
• Last week marked the ninth time this season the Vikings were trailing in the second half and came back to win, the most second-half comeback wins by any team in a single season in NFL history.
• Justin Jefferson has 35 receptions for 479 yards over his last three games, making him the first player in NFL history to have 35+ catches for 450+ yards over a three-game span in a single season.
• Aaron Rodgers has not thrown more than one interception in any of his last 22 starts against the Vikings, the longest streak by any QB against a single opponent in NFL history. Rodgers’ career interception percentage against the Vikings (0.9%) is the lowest by any player in NFL history against a single opponent (minimum 400 attempts).
• The Packers went nine straight games without a regulation win from Weeks 4-12 this year. No team in NFL history has had that long of a streak without a regulation win and yet still made the playoffs that season (the longest is seven straight by the 2014 Panthers).
• Green Bay has notched at least one takeaway in each of its last nine games, the longest active streak in the NFL and the longest streak for the Packers since 2017 (11 straight).

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) Two weeks after ending the Green Bay Packers’ three-year reign as NFC North champions, the Minnesota Vikings have a chance to give their division rival’s playoff hopes a devastating blow.

Green Bay lost 23-7 at Minnesota in the season’s opening weekend as part of a 4-8 start but has since won three straight games to move back into playoff contention heading into Sundays’ rematch with the Vikings at Lambeau Field.

The Packers (7-8) can earn a fourth straight playoff bid if they win their final two games, and either the Washington Commanders (7-7-1) lose once or the New York Giants (8-6-1) fall twice.

“We’re building each week,” Packers wide receiver Randall Cobb said. “And with every win, that snowball effect continues to grow, and we’ve just got to find a way to put ourselves in position to give ourselves a chance.”

The Packers can be eliminated from the playoff picture if they lose Sunday and either the Commanders win at home against the Cleveland Browns (6-9) or the Detroit Lions (7-8) win at home against the Chicago Bears (3-12). The Browns-Commanders game and Bears-Lions matchup should be finishing up right around the time the Packers and Vikings have their opening kickoff.

Minnesota (12-3) is seeking its first regular-season sweep of the Packers (7-8) since 2017. The Vikings went 1-0-1 against Green Bay in 2018.

“Vikings-Packers week, so everything is on the board,” Vikings running back Dalvin Cook said. “It’s time to go play some ball. I don’t care if it was Week 20, it’s time to go play some ball and live out this dream Vikings-Packers rivalry.”

The Vikings still have an outside chance of earning the NFC’s No. 1 playoff seed and the conference’s lone first-round playoff bye, but that goal might be out of reach by the time they start this game. Philadelphia (13-2) can wrap up the No. 1 seed by winning at home against New Orleans (6-9) earlier Sunday.

Minnesota earned its playoff spot because of its ability to win close games. The Vikings’ Sept. 11 triumph over the Packers is their only victory that was decided by more than eight points.

The most notable example of the Vikings’ tenacity came Dec. 18 when they clinched the NFC North title by erasing a 33-0 deficit to beat the Indianapolis Colts 39-36 in overtime, completing the biggest comeback in NFL history.

“You can tell they’re playing with a lot of confidence,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur said. “They’re going out there, they’re competing at a high, high level. Obviously one of the best teams in the league, so we’re going to have to play at our best and prepare at our best to give ourselves a chance because they’ve just been so consistent throughout the entire course of the season.”

SMITH’S RETURN

Minnesota’s Za’Darius Smith played for the Packers from 2019-21 and had a combined 26 sacks his first two seasons in Green Bay. After playing just one regular-season game and one playoff contest due to a back issue last year, Smith got released in a cap-saving move.

Smith has bounced back in Minnesota with 10 sacks this year.

The Packers have their own pass-rushing Smith in Preston Smith, who isn’t related to Za’Darius. Preston Smith has a team-high 8 1/2 sacks, including three in his last two games.

JEFFERSON’S RECORDS

Minnesota’s Justin Jefferson already has set franchise single-season records in catches (123) and yards receiving (1,756). His record-setting season started when he caught nine passes for 184 yards and two touchdowns in the Vikings’ victory over the Packers.

Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander called Jefferson one of the top three receivers in the NFL, but said he was looking forward to rectifying things in Sunday’s rematch.

“He’s a really good receiver,” said Alexander, the Packers’ lone Pro Bowl selection. “But at the end of the day, I’m a really good corner, we’ve got really good corners, we’ve got really good linebackers, D-line, whatever it is. You don’t want to put too much focus on that one person because it’s like, the first game, that was a fluke.”

FORCING TURNOVERS

The Vikings have allowed the most yards passing of any NFL team. Only the Lions are giving up more overall yards per game or yards per play.

Yet the Vikings are going to the playoffs in part because of a plus-6 turnover margin that ranks fifth in the league.

The Packers also have done a good job of producing takeaways lately. The Packers have a plus-5 turnover margin during their three-game winning streak after being at minus-5 through their first 12 games.

PACKERS’ INJURIES

The Packers are coming off a 26-20 victory at Miami that proved costly, with injuries knocking wide receiver Christian Watson (hip), cornerback/kick returner Keisean Nixon (groin), right tackle Yosh Nijman (shoulder) and defensive lineman Dean Lowry (calf) out of the game.

Lowry was placed on injured reserve. Nixon and Watson are questionable for Sunday’s game, though Nijman is expected to play.

The Packers also expect to have left tackle David Bakhtiari back after he missed three games to recover from an appendectomy.

Minnesota will be missing center Garrett Bradbury (back) and defensive lineman James Lynch (shoulder).

WEATHER REPORT

The weather report in Green Bay calls for highs of around 37 and lows in the mid-20s. Midway through the week, the Sunday forecast didn’t call for snow.

NFL PREVIEW: LOS ANGELES RAMS (5-10) @ LOS ANGELES CHARGERS (9-6)

REGULAR-SEASON SERIES HISTORY

LEADER Rams lead all-time series, 7-5

STREAKS Rams have won 2 of past 3

LAST GAME 9/23/18: Chargers 23 at Rams 35

LAST GAME AT SITE 11/23/14: Chargers 27, Rams 24 (San Diego)

RAMS NOTES:

LAST WEEK W 51-14 vs. Denver

COACH VS. OPP. Sean McVay: 1-0

PTS. FOR 18.7

OFFENSE 281.5

PASSING Baker Mayfield (2022): 177-290-1,884-10-7-81.5

RUSHING Cam Akers: 148-559-3.8-7

RECEIVING Tyler Higbee (TE): 65-576-8.9-3

PTS. AGAINST 22.3

DEFENSE 331.0

SACKS Leonard Floyd: 8

INTs Cobie Durant (R): 3

TAKE/GIVE -1 (20/21)

PUNTING (NET) Riley Dixon: 48.8 (41.4)

KICKING Matt Gay: 101 (29/30 PAT; 24/26 FG)

QB BAKER MAYFIELD completed 24 of 28 atts. (85.7 pct.) for 230 yards & 2 TDs vs. 0 INTs for 124.7 rating in Week 16, his 5th-career game with 80+ comp. pct. Has 90+ rating in 2 of his 3 games with LAR. Passed for 305 yards & 2 TDs vs. 0 INTs for 122.5 rating in his last start at LAC (10/10/21 w/ Cle.). • RB CAM AKERS had season-high 147 scrimmage yards (118 rush, 29 rec.) & career high 3 rush TDs in Week 16. Has 6 rush TDs in his past 4. Aims for his 3rd in row with 100+ scrimmage yards. • TE TYLER HIGBEE led team with 9 receptions for season-high 94 yards & 2 rec. TDs in Week 16, his 3rd-career game with 2+ TD catches. Aims for his 3rd in row with TD catch. Ranks 2nd among NFC TEs in receptions (65) & 4th in rec. yards (576). • TE BRYCEN HOPKINS had career-high 57 rec. yards in Week 16. • LB BOBBY WAGNER led team with 8 tackles, had career-high 6th sack of season & 13th-career INT last week. Has 126 tackles in 2022, his 11th-straight season with 100+ tackles since entering NFL in 2012 & is only player with 125+ tackles, 5+ sacks (6) & 5+ PD (5) in 2022. Has 5 TFL in his past 4 & aims for his 3rd in row with TFL. Aims for his 3rd in row vs. Chargers with 10+ tackles. • LB LEONARD FLOYD had 8th sack of season last week, his 3rd-straight season with 8+ sacks. Aims for his 3rd in row with sack. Has 2 sacks in 2 of his past 3 on road. • DT LARRELL MURCHISON had 1st 2 career sacks in Week 16. • DB JALEN RAMSEY had 3 PD & 2nd INT of season last week. Ranks tied-4th in NFL with 14 PD in 2022. Had 2 PD in his last game vs. LAC (11/12/17 w/ Jax.). • DB COBIE DURANT (rookie) had 1st-career game with 2 INTs & 1st-career INT-TD in Week 16.

CHARGERS NOTES:

LAST WEEK W 20-3 at Indianapolis (Mon.)

COACH VS. OPP. Brandon Staley: 0-0

PTS. FOR 22.1

OFFENSE 355.0

PASSING Justin Herbert: 431-634-4,254-21-10-91.2

RUSHING Austin Ekeler: 183-759-4.1-11

RECEIVING Joshua Palmer: 68-730-10.7-3

PTS. AGAINST 22.9

DEFENSE 342.4

SACKS Khalil Mack: 8

INTs Bryce Callahan: 3

TAKE/GIVE +4 (21/17)

PUNTING (NET) JK Scott: 42.9 (41.1)

KICKING Cameron Dicker (R) (2022): 64 (16/16 PAT; 16/17 FG)

LOS ANGELES clinched postseason berth for 1st time since 2018. • QB JUSTIN HERBERT completed 24 of 31 atts. (season-high 77.4 pct.) for 235 yards last week. Aims for his 3rd in row at home with 300+ pass yards. Ranks 3rd in NFL with 4,254 pass yards in 2022 & is 1st player in NFL history with 4,000+ pass yards in each of 1st 3 seasons. • RB AUSTIN EKELER had 79 scrimmage yards (67 rush, 12 rec.) & 2 rush TDs last week, his 5th game this season with 2+ TDs, tied-most in NFL. Aims for 7th in row with 70+ scrimmage yards & 4th in row with rush TD. Aims for his 6th in row at home with rush TD. Leads NFL with 16 TDs (11 rush, 5 rec.) this season & is 2nd Charger ever (HOFer LaDainian Tomlinson) with 15+ TDs in consecutive seasons. • WR KEENAN ALLEN led team with 11 catches for season-high 104 yards last week. Aims for his 5th in row with 6+ catches & 80+ rec. yards. • WR MIKE WILLIAMS had 76 rec. yards in Week 16 & aims for 4th in row with 65+ rec. yards. Had 4 catches for 81 yards & 2 TDs in last meeting. • LB KHALIL MACK had team-high 8th sack of season last week, his 7th-career season with 8+ sacks, tied 4th-most among active players. • LB DRUE TRANQUILL aims for 3rd in row with 10+ tackles & sack. • DL MORGAN FOX had career-high 2 sacks last week & has sack in 2 of past 3. • S DERWIN JAMES had INT last week & has INT in 2 of past 3. Has sack in 2 of past 3 at home. Had 9 tackles & INT in last meeting. Ranks 5th among DBs with 109 tackles. • CB MICHAEL DAVIS had 7 tackles, 3 PD & 1st INT of season in Week 16. Aims for 6th in row with PD & has 2+ PD in 4 of past 5.

• These teams have met just once since both moved to Los Angeles, with the Rams getting a 35-23 win in Week 3, 2018 at the Coliseum. The Rams are 1-3 all-time as a road team against the Chargers, with the lone win coming in Week 4, 1975 in San Diego.
• The Rams beat the Broncos, 51-14, at home last week, the most points scored by any team at SoFi Stadium and the most by the Rams since their 54-51 win over Kansas City in Week 11, 2018.
• Tyler Higbee had nine catches for 94 yards and two touchdowns against Denver. He had zero touchdowns in Weeks 1-14, and now has three in his last two games. He is now the all-time leader for the Rams in receptions, yards, and touchdowns among tight ends.
• The Chargers beat the Colts, 20-3, in Indianapolis last week, clinching their first playoff appearance since 2018. The Chargers have allowed 17 or fewer points in three consecutive games for the first time since Weeks 12-14, 2017. They haven’t done so in four straight since Weeks 12-15, 2011.
• Austin Ekeler had two touchdowns last week, giving him an NFL-leading 16 scrimmage touchdowns this season after tying for the league lead last year (20). He could be the second player with at least a share of the lead in consecutive seasons since 2005, joining the Rams’ Todd Gurley (2017 & 2018).
• Both teams rank in the top five in the NFL in field-goal percentage this season, with the Chargers in third at 93.3 percent and the Rams tied for fifth at 92.3 percent. The teams are a combined 37-for-37 on kicks within 40 yards, and 15-for-19 from at least 40 yards.

COSTA MESA, Calif. (AP) Brandon Staley didn’t know Sean McVay when McVay interviewed him to be the Los Angeles Rams’ defensive coordinator in 2020.

And even though Staley spent only one year on McVay’s staff before becoming the Los Angeles Chargers’ coach in 2021, the two have developed a deep friendship.

Staley faces his former boss for the first time on Sunday when the Chargers host the Rams in the battle of SoFi Stadium co-tenants.

Staley said he still exchanges texts with McVay during the season, but those conversations have been put on hold this week.

“There’s not too much time to talk on the phone. When you do have time, you’re talking to your family most of the time,” Staley said. “It’s great to have those types of allies and those people that know you well.”

Staley got the interview with the Rams through his friendship with Rams assistant Chris Shula. Even though he and McVay spent only a year together, they clearly saw the game the same way.

“I certainly wouldn’t be here without him. There’s a lifelong friend there,” Staley said. “At the same time, we’re great competitors, even though we’re good friends. This game is going to be about competition.”

McVay said he wasn’t surprised Staley went from coordinator to head coach in only one year.

“He had a drive, motivation, love, and passion for the game that’s as strong as anybody I’ve been around. So, tremendous respect,” McVay said.

Staley and the Chargers (9-6) are heading to the playoffs for the first time in four years, while McVay and the Rams (5-10) have tied the 1999 Denver Broncos for the most losses by a defending Super Bowl champion.

Even though the Rams have been out of the postseason chase for a while, McVay said the season’s challenges have reinvigorated him.

“I think it’s about a shift in perspective,” said McVay, who is 2-3 in the regular season and playoffs against his former assistants. “It doesn’t mean that this doesn’t wear on you. … I think it’s about controlling what you can and when you haven’t been through those types of things before.”

OFFENSE NEEDS WORK

The Chargers’ main focus over the remaining two games is trying to improve an offense that is still struggling despite the return of wide receivers Keenan Allen and Mike Williams.

Justin Herbert hasn’t thrown a touchdown pass in consecutive games for the first time in his three-year career. The Chargers have the fifth-lowest touchdown rate on goal-to-goal situations at 60.7% (17 TDs in 28 trips). They also have been held without a touchdown in the third quarter in 11 straight games.

BAKER COOKING

Baker Mayfield will attempt to lead the Rams to a third victory at SoFi Stadium since he joined the team off waivers from Carolina. He has completed more than 69% of his passes in three games in McVay’s offense, with 571 passing yards, four touchdowns and one interception. A strong effort against the Chargers would bolster Mayfield as a valuable commodity when he hits free agency in March – something that seemed unlikely only a month ago.

SURGING AT THE RIGHT TIME

The Chargers’ defense has finally put everything together over its last three games. The Bolts have allowed a league-low 34 points and 225.3 yards per game in wins over Miami, Tennessee and Indianapolis. The pass rush has also generated 13 sacks, which is second to Philadelphia’s 19 during that span. During that span, the Chargers have improved from 26th to 19th in total defense.

Those numbers could continue to trend upward over the next two games. The Rams have the league’s 31st-ranked offense while the Broncos – who host the Chargers in Week 18 – are 25th.

TURNOVER SURGE

The Rams rarely created turnovers during the six-game losing streak that wrecked their season, but the defense has belatedly produced 12 takeaways in its last five games. After making four interceptions while blowing out the Broncos, the Rams’ defense is primed to face Herbert, who has thrown three interceptions in the past two games.

KEEP AN EYE ON …

The running backs. The Chargers’ Austin Ekeler leads the NFL with 16 touchdowns and could become the first player in 16 years with at least 20 in consecutive seasons. Cam Akers of the Rams is coming off a season-high 118 yards last week against Denver.

NFL PREVIEW: PITTSBURGH STEELERS (7-8) @ BALTIMORE RAVENS (10-5)

REGULAR-SEASON SERIES HISTORY

LEADER Steelers lead all-time series, 29-24

STREAKS Steelers have won 4 of last 5

LAST GAME 12/11/22: Ravens 16 at Steelers 14

LAST GAME AT SITE 1/9/22: Steelers 16, Ravens 13 (OT)

STEELERS NOTES:

LAST WEEK W 13-10 vs. Las Vegas (Sat.)

COACH VS. OPP. Mike Tomlin: 18-16

PTS. FOR 17.6

OFFENSE 320.0

PASSING Kenny Pickett (R): 217-333-2,041-5-9-75.6

RUSHING Najee Harris: 227-843-3.7-6

RECEIVING Diontae Johnson: 82-809-9.9-0

PTS. AGAINST 21.3

DEFENSE 338.0

SACKS Alex Highsmith: 12

INTs Minkah Fitzpatrick: 5

TAKE/GIVE +2 (20/18)

PUNTING (NET) Pressley Harvin: 44.2 (40.6)

KICKING Chris Boswell: 60 (15/15 PAT; 15/22 FG)

QB KENNY PICKETT (rookie) completed 26 of 39 atts. (66.7 pct.) for 244 yards & TD vs. INT last week. Has 0 INTs in 5 of his past 6 starts. Leads rookies with 2,041 pass yards this season & joined Ben Roethlisberger (2,621 in 2004) as only Pit. rookies ever with 2,000+ pass yards. • RB NAJEE HARRIS had 95 scrimmage yards (53 rush, 42 rec.) last week. Aims for 3rd in row with 85+ scrimmage yards. Has rush TD in 2 of past 3. Had rush TD in Week 14 meeting & has 50+ scrimmage yards in each of 3 career games vs. Bal. Aims for his 5th in row vs. division with TD. Has TD in 2 of 3 career games on SNF. Is 2nd Pit. player ever (Le’Veon Bell) with 1,000+ scrimmage yards in each of 1st 2 seasons. • WR DIONTAE JOHNSON aims for 6th in row with 5+ catches & 5th in row with 60+ rec. yards. Has 5+ catches in each of 16 road games since 2021 season. Had 6 catches for 82 yards in Week 14 meeting & aims for his 5th in row vs. Bal. with 6+ catches. Is 1 of 5 WRs with 80+ catches in each of past 3 seasons. • WR GEORGE PICKENS (rookie) had 3rd TD catch of season last week. Aims for 4th in row with 50+ rec. yards. Ranks 3rd among rookies with 700 rec. yards in 2022. • TE PAT FREIERMUTH led team with 7 catches for 66 rec. yards in Week 16. Had rec. TD in Week 14 meeting. Has 7+ catches & 55+ rec. yards in 2 of 3 career games on SNF. • LB T.J. WATT aims for 4th in row with TFL. Has sack in 2 of past 3. Aims for his 6th in row vs. Bal. with sack. Has 11 sacks & 4 FFs in 11 career games vs. Bal. • LB ALEX HIGHSMITH aims for 3rd in row with sack. Ties for NFL lead with 5 FFs in 2022. • DT CAMERON HEYWARD had season-best 3 TFL & 2 sacks last week & aims for 3rd in row with 1.5+ sacks. Has sack in 3 of his past 4 vs. Bal.

RAVENS NOTES:

LAST WEEK W 17-9 vs. Atlanta (Sat.)

COACH VS. OPP. John Harbaugh: 15-17

PTS. FOR 21.4

OFFENSE 342.3

PASSING Lamar Jackson: 203-326-2,242-17-7-91.1

RUSHING Lamar Jackson (QB): 112-764-6.8-3

RECEIVING Mark Andrews (TE): 64-747-11.7-5

PTS. AGAINST 18.1

DEFENSE 327.0

SACKS Justin Houston: 9

INTs Marlon Humphrey: 4

TAKE/GIVE +8 (24/16)

PUNTING (NET) Jordan Stout (R): 46.0 (40.9)

KICKING Justin Tucker: 125 (29/30 PAT; 32/38 FG)

BALTIMORE clinched postseason berth for 4th time in past 5 seasons. • QB LAMAR JACKSON has 55+ rush yards in each of his past 3 starts vs. Pit. Aims for his 6th in row on SNF with 55+ rush yards. Is 4-1 in career as starter on SNF. Ranks 2nd among QBs with 764 rush yards in 2022, his 4th-straight season with 750+ rush yards. • QB TYLER HUNTLEY had 1st TD pass of season last week. • RB GUS EDWARDS led team with season-high 99 rush yards last week. Aims for 4th in row with 55+ rush yards. Had 66 rush yards in Week 14 meeting & has rush TD in 2 of his past 3 vs. Pit. • RB J.K. DOBBINS rushed for 59 yards last week & aims for 4th in row with 55+ rush yards. Has 120+ rush yards in 2 of past 3. Has 233 rush yards (116.5 per game) in 2 career games vs. Pit. • TE MARK ANDREWS has 50+ rec. yards in 2 of past 3 at home. Aims for his 3rd in row on SNF with TD catch. Ranks 3rd among TEs with 747 rec. yards this season. • WR DEMARCUS ROBINSON had 2nd rec. TD of season in Week 16. Has 5+ catches in 3 of past 4. Had 5 catches for 52 yards in Week 14 meeting. • LB ROQUAN SMITH led team with 15 tackles & had TFL last week. Aims for 5th in row with TFL & 3rd in row with 11+ tackles. Has sack in each of 2 career games vs. Pit. • LB PATRICK QUEEN had 9 tackles, 0.5 sacks, PD & 1st FR of season in Week 16. Aims for 8th in row with 5+ tackles & 3rd in row with 0.5+ sacks. • LB JUSTIN HOUSTON has 13 TFL & 7.5 sacks in his past 7 on SNF. • CB MARLON HUMPHREY had 7 tackles & 13th-career FF last week, 4th-most among active DBs. Aims for 6th in row with 6+ tackles. Has PD in 2 of his past 3 on SNF.

• Pittsburgh has won four of its last five trips to Baltimore, including a 16-13 overtime win in Week 18 last year that put the Steelers in position to qualify for the playoffs. Three of those four Pittsburgh wins have been by seven points or fewer.
• The Steelers beat the Raiders, 13-10, at home last week, their first win with fewer than 14 points since a 12-6 win in St. Louis in Week 3, 2015. Pittsburgh is now 4-1 in its last five games after starting the season 3-7, though the lone loss in that span came against the Ravens.
• Last week, Kenny Pickett became the first quarterback in the last 30 years to throw for at least 75 yards, convert a fourth-down rush, and throw a touchdown pass on a game-winning drive in the fourth quarter or overtime.
• The Ravens beat the Falcons, 17-9, at home last week. It was their fourth consecutive game scoring 17 or fewer points, tied for their third-longest streak ever. They had a six-game streak in 2005, and a five-game streak in 2000 (also a four-game streak in 1997).
• J.K. Dobbins (12 rushes), Gus Edwards (11) and Tyler Huntley (11) each had at least 11 rushes for the Ravens last week. The only other team with a trio of rushers with at least 11 carries in a game this season is the Bears, who did so in Week 7 at New England.
• Baltimore has gone three-and-out on just 13.4 percent of drives, second fewest in the NFL (San Francisco, 13.0). Pittsburgh has done so on 25.8 percent of its drives, 27th in the league.

The Pittsburgh Steelers might be eliminated from postseason contention by the time their game at Baltimore kicks off – and if not, the Ravens would certainly be happy to drive the final stake through those playoff hopes.

Not that either team needs extra motivation in this rivalry.

“There’s really not much more to be said – it’s Pittsburgh Steelers week,” said Chris Horton, Baltimore’s special teams coordinator. “I think everyone understands what that means around here.”

The Ravens host Pittsburgh on Sunday night, and that fact that this matchup was moved into prime time says a lot about the significance of the rivalry. Baltimore has already clinched a postseason berth, and the Steelers are a long shot at this point. They need to win out, and even that probably wouldn’t be enough.

Pittsburgh (7-8) could be eliminated before Sunday night’s game if Miami beats New England earlier in the day.

“We’re going to focus on the things in our control, and that’s our preparation, and then what we do inside the stadium on Sunday night,” Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said. “We acknowledge all those scenarios and things exist. But all of those scenarios and things have existed since September 11, since we started the season. Every time you step on the field, there’s high urgency.”

One thing still left in Pittsburgh’s control is the team’s streak of .500-or-better finishes under Tomlin. He’s in his 16th year and has never had a losing season. In fact, the Steelers haven’t had a losing record since going 6-10 under Bill Cowher in 2003. Pittsburgh has won five of its last seven to keep the possibility of a winning season alive.

The Ravens (10-5) beat the Steelers 16-14 on Dec. 11 in their first full game after star quarterback Lamar Jackson’s knee injury. Jackson still hasn’t returned, but Baltimore was able to beat Pittsburgh and Atlanta without him.

INJURIES

Jackson was ruled out again Friday, so all signs pointed to Tyler Huntley starting in his place again.

“Lamar is doing well. He’s working hard, getting his rehab done,” offensive coordinator Greg Roman said. “The sooner we can get him back, the better. Especially heading into the playoffs, (we’d) love to get some work in before then, but you can’t rush Mother Nature. We have to make sure he’s right.”

Baltimore was also without defensive lineman Calais Campbell (knee) and cornerback Marcus Peters (calf) in its 17-9 win over the Falcons last weekend.

GROWING UP ON THE JOB

Tomlin believes Pittsburgh’s young offense – the Steelers don’t have a skill position player older than 26 – took a significant step forward in the final minutes last week. Quarterback Kenny Pickett led a 10-play, 76-yard drive in which his seven completions went to players in either their first or second year in the league – the last a 14-yard touchdown strike to rookie wide receiver George Pickens with 46 seconds left.

“I didn’t see big eyes, I saw sure eyes,” Tomlin said. “I saw guys that understood what was at stake and guys that look prepared to go do it.”

DIVISION IN PLAY

Although Baltimore is safely in the playoffs, the Ravens might need a win this weekend to stay in the AFC North race. Baltimore is a game behind first-place Cincinnati, which faces Buffalo on Monday night.

If the Ravens beat Pittsburgh, that would ensure that the division race comes down to the Ravens-Bengals game to end the regular season.

STOPPING THE RUN

The Ravens won the first meeting against the Steelers thanks in large part to 215 yards on the ground, impressive considering Jackson was out of the lineup and Huntley exited in the second half with a concussion. Huntley’s absence forced the Ravens to turn to third-stringer Anthony Brown.

It hardly mattered as Baltimore won the battle at the line of scrimmage repeatedly, including in the final minutes as the Ravens ran out the clock. Pittsburgh’s defense responded by allowing just 21 yards rushing to Carolina and 58 to Las Vegas.

“I don’t know that (the Baltimore loss) was a fork in the road, if you will, for our run defense,” Tomlin said. “More than anything, I thought we had a bad day. I think our run defense has been really solid over the second half of the year. It wasn’t reflected in our play that day.”

STANDING FIRM

Since acquiring linebacker Roquan Smith in a trade from Chicago, the Ravens are 5-2 and have allowed more than 14 points only once.

“I think it’s just guys playing for one another, bending but not breaking, and just trusting that at the end of the day, we’re going to make something happen,” Smith said. “We believe that, and we believe in each other.”

NFL PREVIEW: BUFFALO BILLS (12-3) @ CINCINNATI BENGALS (11-4)

REGULAR-SEASON SERIES HISTORY

LEADER Bills lead all-time series, 17-13

STREAKS Bills have won 2 of last 3

LAST GAME 9/22/19: Bengals 17 at Bills 21

LAST GAME AT SITE 10/8/17: Bengals 20, Bills 16

BILLS NOTES:

LAST WEEK W 35-13 at Chicago (Sat.)

COACH VS. OPP. Sean McDermott: 1-1

PTS. FOR 28.0

OFFENSE 402.3

PASSING Josh Allen: 340-536-4,029-32-13-96.1

RUSHING Devin Singletary: 170-790-4.6-5

RECEIVING Stefon Diggs: 101-1,325-13.1-10

PTS. AGAINST 17.5

DEFENSE 317.7

SACKS Greg Rousseau: 7

INTs Jordan Poyer: 4

TAKE/GIVE 0 (24/24)

PUNTING (NET) Sam Martin: 48.1 (41.9)

KICKING Tyler Bass: 124 (43/45 PAT; 27/31 FG)

BUFFALO clinched AFC East division title for 3rd-consecutive season. • QB JOSH ALLEN totaled 213 yards (172 pass, 41 rush) & 3 TDs (2 pass, 1 rush) last week, his 25th-career game with TD pass & rush TD, surpassing HOFer Fran Tarkenton (24 games) for 4th-most all-time. Aims for 3rd in row with 2+ TD passes. Has rush TD in 2 of past 3. Has 16 TDs vs. INT with 119.7 rating in 5 career starts on MNF. Is 1 of 2 QBs with 4,000+ pass yards & 30+ TD passes in each of past 3 seasons. • RB DEVIN SINGLETARY led team with season-high 125 scrimmage yards (106 rush, 19 rec.) & had 5th rush TD of season last week. Aims for 3rd in row on road with rush TD. • RB JAMES COOK (rookie) had career-best 108 scrimmage yards (99 rush, 9 rec.) & rush TD last week. Aims for 3rd in row overall with TD & 3rd in row on road with 100+ scrimmage yards. • WR STEFON DIGGS has 75+ rec. yards in 4 of past 5 on road. Had TD catch in only career game vs. Cin. (12/17/17 w/ Min.). Has 7 rec. TDs in his past 4 on MNF. Ranks 3rd in NFL with 101 catches & 1,325 rec. yards in 2022 & is only player with 100+ catches in each of past 3 seasons. • WR GABE DAVIS had rec. TD last week. Aims for 3rd in row on road with TD catch. • TE DAWSON KNOX aims for 4th in row with rec. TD. Had TD catch in last meeting. • LB TREMAINE EDMUNDS led team with 9 tackles last week & aims for 5th in row with 6+ tackles. Had TFL & PD in last meeting. • DT ED OLIVER had 2 PD, 2 TFL & sack in Week 16. Aims for 3rd in row with TFL. • S JORDAN POYER aims for 3rd in row vs. Cin. with FR. Had INT in last road meeting. Is 1 of 3 in NFL (Rasul Douglas & Justin Simmons) with 4+ INTs in each of past 2 seasons.

BENGALS NOTES:

LAST WEEK W 22-18 at New England (Sat.)

COACH VS. OPP. Zac Taylor: 0-1

PTS. FOR 26.1

OFFENSE 367.4

PASSING Joe Burrow: 389-564-4,260-34-12-102.3

RUSHING Joe Mixon: 199-787-4.0-6

RECEIVING Tee Higgins: 73-1,022-14.0-7

PTS. AGAINST 20.4

DEFENSE 332.3

SACKS Sam Hubbard: 6.5

INTs Vonn Bell: 4

TAKE/GIVE +3 (20/17)

PUNTING (NET) Drue Chrisman: 46.5 (41.8)

KICKING Evan McPherson: 103 (37/41 PAT; 22/27 FG)

CINCINNATI clinched postseason berth for 2nd-consecutive season. • QB JOE BURROW completed career-high 40 of 52 atts. (76.9 pct.) for 375 yards & 3 TDs vs. 2 INTs with 99.4 rating last week, his 4th game with 300+ pass yards & 3+ TD passes this season, tied 2nd-most in NFL. Aims for 5th in row with 2+ TD passes. Has 13 TDs (10 pass, 3 rush) vs. INT with 117.7 rating in his past 5 home starts. Has 2+ TD passes & 90+ rating in 4 of 5 career starts in primetime. Ranks 2nd in NFL with 4,260 pass yards & 34 TD passes this season. • RB JOE MIXON had 108 scrimmage yards (65 rush, 43 rec.) & 7 catches last week. Has 627 scrimmage yards (125.4 per game) & 7 TDs (6 rush, 1 rec.) in 5 home games this season. Aims for his 3rd in row vs. Buf. with TD. • WR JA’MARR CHASE had 8 catches for 79 yards last week & aims for his 7th in row with 60+ rec. yards. Has TD catch in 2 of past 3. Has 556 rec. yards (111.2 per game) in 5 home games this season. • WR TEE HIGGINS had 8 catches for team-high 128 yards & TD in Week 16. Aims for 3rd in row with rec. TD. Has 1,000+ rec. yards for 2nd consecutive season. • WR TRENTON IRWIN had career-best 2 rec. TDs last week & has rec. TD in 2 of past 3. • LB LOGAN WILSON had 9 tackles, sack & 1st FF of season last week. Aims for 4th in row with 9+ tackles & 0.5+ sacks. • LB GERMAINE PRATT aims for 4th in row with PD. • S VONN BELL had 6 tackles & 2nd FF of season in Week 16. Aims for his 3rd in row on MNF with takeaway. • S JESSIE BATES had TFL last week. Has INT in 2 of past 3 at home.

• Following Cincinnati’s win over the Bills in the 1988 AFC Championship Game, the Bills won 10 straight in this series. Since then, Cincinnati is 4-2 against Buffalo, with the most recent meeting resulting in a 21-17 Buffalo win in Week 3, 2019.
• The Bills beat the Bears, 35-13, in Chicago last week, their sixth consecutive win. They’ve scored at least 20 points in each of those wins — they have just two longer streaks of wins with 20+ points all-time — a nine-game streak in 1964 and a seven-game streak in 1990.
• Devin Singletary and James Cook became just the third Bills duo with at least 99 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown on the road, joining O.J. Simpson and Jim Braxton at New England in Week 13, 1975, and Simpson and Larry Watkins at New England in Week 1, 1973.
• The Bengals beat the Patriots, 22-18, on the road last week, extending their winning streak to seven games, one shy of tying the franchise record of eight, done in the first eight games of the 2015 season (also an eight-game streak spanning the 1970 & 1971 seasons).
• Joe Burrow had 375 passing yards last week, his second-highest total of the season (481 in Week 7 vs. Atlanta). It was his seventh career game with at least 350 passing yards, fourth most in the NFL since 2020 behind Tom Brady (13), Patrick Mahomes (12) and Josh Allen (9). Cincinnati is 6-1 in those games.
• The Bengals have converted 70.6 percent of their third-down opportunities with less than four yards to go (36/51), the best mark in the league. Buffalo has converted 67.2 percent of such third downs (43/64), fifth best in the NFL.

CINCINNATI (AP) This was the dream scenario for the NFL’s schedule-makers: Two of the league’s hottest teams and flashiest quarterbacks facing off on the final Monday night of the season in a game thick with playoff drama.

The Buffalo Bills (12-3) and Cincinnati Bengals (11-4) have secured playoff spots and are vying to be the AFC’s No. 1 seed. That would mean a first-round bye and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.

The prime-time game in Cincinnati also marks the first meeting of quarterbacks who are both just 26 but already superstars – Josh Allen of the Bills and the Bengals’ Joe Burrow.

“Everybody who watches Josh, there’s no secrets about why he’s so good,” Burrow said. “He’s fun to watch, runs around, makes plays, makes throws nobody else can make. He’s just an exciting player.”

Buffalo, the AFC East champion, can hold the No. 1 spot by beating the Bengals and then the Patriots in the final week. A loss in either one opens a door for AFC West champs Kansas City (12-3) to claim the top seed.

The Bengals, currently the third seed, will need to beat the Bills and then the Ravens in the final week – and hope Kansas City loses – to have a shot at the top spot.

“This is what you work so hard throughout the body of the season is to come down the stretch here and play these games,” Bills coach Sean McDermott said. “We’ve got a lot of respect for the Bengals. They’re the defending AFC champions and represented the AFC in the Super Bowl. And came within a whisker of winning that game, right?”

The Bengals are coming off a seventh straight win that almost turned into a nightmare. Cincinnati ran up a 22-0 lead at halftime, then had to overcome mistakes and repel the Patriots’ second-half comeback to win 22-18. Consistency has been an issue for the Bengals, but they keep doing enough to win.

Coach Zac Taylor said the Bengals, win or lose, have been especially good at shelving the last game, staying in the moment and preparing for the next one.

“This team hasn’t backed down from anybody yet,” Taylor said.

The Bills got a 35-13 division-clinching win over the Chicago Bears on Christmas Eve, their sixth straight win.

WELCOME TO BUFFALO

Safety Jordan Poyer said the Bills want the advantages that come with being the No. 1 seed.

“I think in the past we’ve obviously seen what it’s like to have to go on the road and win playoff games,” he said. “But it is important for us to get that home-field advantage, to get the crowd at home, the cold weather games. Not a lot of people want to come to Buffalo in late January, early February. So we’re going to take one game at a time. We’ve got our eyes on Cincinnati right now.”

DISRUPTIONS

The Bills haven’t enjoyed many normal weeks of practice due to their schedule and weather-related disruptions in the past month. This week was no different, even though the team has a nine-day break between games.

A blizzard that hit Buffalo last Friday forced the Bills to travel a day early to Chicago last week. And the three-day storm led to Buffalo spending Christmas Eve in Chicago following the game. On Sunday, the Bills flew to Rochester, New York, and then made the 90-minute ride back to Buffalo by bus.

A storm last month led to the Bills losing two days of practice when their “home” game against Cleveland was relocated to Detroit on Nov. 20. After beating the Browns, the Bills then held one practice before returning to Detroit five days later to beat the Lions on Thanksgiving.

COLLINS OUT

Cincinnati has started the same five offensive linemen in every game this season. But the continuity will be broken when right tackle La’el Collins sits out Monday night with a knee injury suffered in last week’s game. Hakeem Adeniji, who struggled in the postseason last year, or Isaiah Prince will start in Collins’ place.

Tight end Hayden Hurst (calf) and defensive end Sam Hubbard (calf) could be back for the Bills game, Taylor said. Both were out last week.

FREE DIGGS

Allen understands the importance of spreading the ball around, while also making sure to get his top threat, receiver Stefon Diggs, involved.

That hasn’t been the case of late when it comes to Diggs, and Allen wants to resolve that issue.

Against Chicago, Diggs finished with two catches and 26 yards, his second-lowest output in three seasons in Buffalo. After racking up 91 catches for 1,202 yards and 10 TDs in his first 12 games, Diggs has been limited to 10 catches for 123 yards and no scores in his past three.

****MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL****

NO. 22 XAVIER HANDS NO. 2 UCONN ITS 1ST LOSS, 83-73

CINCINNATI (AP) Zach Freemantle scored 16 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, and Colby Jones also scored 16, helping No. 22 Xavier hand No. 2 UConn its first loss of the season, 83-73, on Saturday.

Jack Nunge started for Xavier despite an illness that limited him during warmups. He didn’t rejoin the team after halftime until a couple of minutes into the half but finished with 15 points in 24 minutes.

“Thirty minutes before tipoff, he was sleeping,” Xavier coach Sean Miller said. “He looked awful, but he didn’t have a fever. He did the best that he could. We certainly wouldn’t have won if he didn’t play.”

Nunge’s effort wasn’t lost on his teammates.

“Jack came through in the biggest way,” Freemantle said. “He was in there getting fluids, then to see him be that impactful was motivating.”

Xavier (12-3, 4-0 Big East), which joined the AP Top 25 rankings this week, won its eighth consecutive game. Its three losses have come by a combined 13 points to Indiana, Duke, Gonzaga.

Adama Sanogo led UConn with 18 points. Andre Jackson Jr. scored 14 points and Jordan Hawkins had 11 for the Huskies.

UConn (14-1, 3-1 Big East) was off to its best start since beginning the 1998 season 19-0 and going on to win its first NCAA championship. The loss Saturday kept the Huskies from their best start since 1994-95 and left only No. 1 Purdue and No. 22 New Mexico as the only undefeated Division I teams this season.

“The group is real down,” UConn coach Dan Hurley said. “These guys wanted to make a statement on the road and have a chance to be No. 1 on Monday. Xavier’s as good as anybody in the league. Not many teams in the country could have come in here and won this game.”

Jerome Hunter’s 15 points for Xavier tied a career high. He had a career-high 10 rebounds in a win Wednesday at St. John’s, all off the bench.

“Jerome was the difference in the game tonight,” Miller said. “His energy was contagious.”

Hurley became increasingly displeased by the free-throw disparity. Xavier went 23 of 28 from the line while UConn was just 4 of 9.

With Xavier leading 74-71 with 2:25 to go after a Freemantle free throw, Hurley was assessed a technical foul for barking at the referees. Souley Boum hit two free throws and Freemantle hit his second, putting Xavier ahead 77-71.

The Musketeers finished the game on a 12-2 run.

“Put yourself in my shoes,” Hurley said. “You’re aware of the free-throw discrepancy. You see that. It’s factored into your mind. I wish I wouldn’t have said `unbelievable.'”

Xavier led by as many as 10 points in the first half, but UConn ended the half on a 16-5 run to take a one-point lead into halftime.

Freemantle had 11 points and six rebounds in the first half to help the Musketeers get off to a fast start.

His corner 3-pointer put the Musketeers ahead 66-62 with 7:17 left.

“We beat one of the best teams in college basketball,” Miller said. “They are a very talented, well-oiled group. You have to beat them. They don’t beat themselves.”

ICE COLD

UConn went 13 of 37 from 3-point range. The 37 attempts were one shy of a school record. “Maybe we could have been more selective,” Hurley said. “It’s one of those days. Alex (Karaban) with those types of looks would normally go 4 of 8, not 2 of 8. We just couldn’t make that big shot.”

BIG PICTURE

UConn: Depth has been the hallmark of this Huskies squad, with 10 players averaging more than 14 minutes. All nine players who played Saturday scored for the Huskies.

Xavier: Turnovers have been an issue for the Musketeers, who averaged 14.1 turnovers coming in, with 15 or more eight times this season. They had only five turnovers in the second half Saturday after committing seven in the first half.

UP NEXT

UConn: At Providence on Wednesday.

Xavier: At Villanova on Saturday.

IOWA STATE KNOCKS OFF NO. 12 BAYLOR, 77-62 IN BIG 12 OPENER

AMES, Iowa (AP) Gabe Kalscheur and Caleb Grill combined for 41 points as Iowa State toppled No. 12 Baylor 77-62 in a Big 12 opener Saturday.

Kalscheur finished with 23 points, including a 3-pointer to give the Cyclones (10-2, 1-0) a commanding 69-54 lead with 5:22 left to play.

Grill had 18 points and seven rebounds with four assists.

“You love seeing those guys have success,” Iowa State coach T.J. Otzelberger said. “Gabe, as many great games as he’s played for us, that may have been his most complete on all fronts.”

Adam Flagler led Baylor (10-3, 0-1) with 20 points, with 18 coming in the first half.

Baylor struggled with Iowa State’s zone, while the Cyclones found their shooting touch, at one point hitting 8 of 15 attempts from 3-point range.

The Bears shot 37.7% from the floor and committed 19 turnovers.

“You can’t have seven assists and 19 turnovers and let the other team shoot 50%, 44 from 3 and win,” Baylor coach Scott Drew said. “A lot of things we’ve got to do better.”

Iowa State opened the second half with a 9-1 run and took a 43-32 lead on a Kalscheur 3-pointer.

“I thought we did a really good job toward the end of the first half of getting stops,” Grill said. “Once we started pulling some stops together, the offense flowed better, because they weren’t getting back and setting their defense every time.”

A fall-away shot by Flagler gave Baylor an early 25-16 lead. The Bears hit nine of their first 16 shots, but ended the half on a 2 for 11 skid, missing their last seven attempts from 3-point range.

Iowa State went on a 10-0 run to take a 30-29 lead on a Robert Jones putback. The Cyclones were up 34-31 at the break and had forced 11 Baylor turnovers.

“We kind of came back and we weren’t uneasy,” Kalscheur said. “We weren’t worried about things not going our way. We stayed collected and stayed focused on doing what we need to do.”

BIG PICTURE

Baylor will likely make its 65th consecutive appearance in the Top 25, the second-longest streak nationally behind Gonzaga’s 122. Iowa State should return to the Top 25 after dropping out earlier this month.

UP NEXT

Baylor: Hosts No. 18 TCU on Wednesday and Kansas State on Saturday

Iowa State: Visits Oklahoma on Wednesday and TCU on Saturday

NO. 4 KANSAS RALLIES FROM 15 DOWN TO BEAT OKLAHOMA ST 69-67

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) The last time Kansas needed to overcome a 15-point halftime deficit was on the biggest stage in college basketball.

The Jayhawks certainly weren’t going to be intimidated by one in Allen Fieldhouse.

With another raucous home crowd behind it, the nation’s No. 4 team quickly wiped out the big lead Oklahoma State had painstakingly built. And when KJ Adams scored the go-ahead basket with 4.8 seconds left, the Jayhawks twice stopped the Cowboys at the other end to squeak out a 69-67 victory Saturday in the Big 12 opener for both teams.

“There aren’t any 15-point plays,” said Jalen Wilson, who was instrumental in helping the Jayhawks rally from the same hole to beat North Carolina for the national title, “so the main thing was to win every 4 minutes and that’s what we did.”

Wilson finished with 20 points and Adams had 14 to lead the Jayhawks (12-0), who trailed 45-30 at the break before a 22-5 run wiped out the deficit and propelled them to their 32nd consecutive conference-opening win.

“It could have went to 20 real quick or we could get it down to 10,” Wilson said. “We all came together, shook off the first half, understood we’re at home. Fifteen points can seem like a lot but it’s not.”

The Cowboys (8-5) didn’t give up after the comeback, finding themselves with the lead again in the closing minutes.

Kansas took it back on Kevin McCullar Jr.’s 3-pointer with 45 seconds left, and Wilson added two free throws moments later to stretch the lead to 67-64. But the Cowboys’ Bryce Thompson, who began his career at Kansas and matched a career high with 23 points, drilled his own 3-pointer with 14.8 seconds left to tie the game at 67.

The Jayhawks raced up court, got the ball to Adams and he made a nifty lay-in to regain the lead.

“We always run plays where I screen and roll out real fast,” Adams said. “It was just like that.”

Oklahoma State lost the ball at the other end trying to score in transition, and with 1.1 seconds on the clock, the Cowboys got the inbounds pass to Thompson, whose shot was swatted from behind. A final inbounds pass was batted away.

Thompson hit seven 3-pointers but dealt with second-half foul trouble for the Cowboys, who have lost four straight and nine of their last 10 to the Jayhawks. John-Michael Wright also had four 3s and finished with 19 points.

“We gave ourselves a chance right up there to the end,” Cowboys coach Mike Boynton said, “but there’s no moral victories.”

The last instruction Oklahoma State got before tipoff came on a whiteboard held by a staff member: “Alert The Lob Backdoor.” The Cowboys shut that down and just about everything else.

McCullar had three turnovers in the first 5 minutes and four in the half. Adams also had four in the half. And one of the two 3-pointers that Gradey Dick hit was a desperation bank high off the glass.

Oklahoma State capitalized at the other end, taking advantage of wide open skip passes for their own easy 3s. Thompson hit four of them in the first 15 minutes, and two more attempts were halfway down before bouncing out. Wright’s fall-away 3 with 1:56 left forced Kansas to call timeout, and his buzzer-beater gave Oklahoma State a 45-30 halftime lead.

The Cowboys were 9 of 18 from the arc in the first half. Kansas had 11 turnovers.

Then came the comeback.

It began when DaJuan Harris Jr. drilled a 3 in front of the Kansas bench. It continued with 11 straight points after Thompson hit another 3 of his own. And by the time Wilson hit a 3-pointer with 10:54 to go, the Jayhawks had ridden a 22-5 surge to not only wipe out their halftime deficit but take their first lead since the opening minutes.

Kansas wasn’t able to draw away, though. And that set up a frantic final 10 minutes.

“It’s the exact same thing as the national championship,” Jayhawks coach Bill Self said. “You turn it up, tie it earlier than you ever expect and then it becomes a basketball game.”

BIG PICTURE

Oklahoma State. The pressure of Allen Fieldhouse was evident in the second half. The Cowboys’ first three possessions ended with a missed shot, another miss as the shot clock sounded and a shot-clock violation. By the time they finally got their legs under them, Kansas had wiped out their advantage and made for a tense finish.

Kansas: Even during the Jayhawks’ 22-5 second-half run, when they went scoreless on three straight possessions, their defense kept Oklahoma State from regaining momentum. It helped that they only turned it over once after the break.

UP NEXT

Oklahoma State: Plays No. 24 West Virginia on Monday night.

Kansas: Heads to Texas Tech on Tuesday night.

NO. 3 HOUSTON CONVERTS TURNOVERS INTO 71-65 WIN OVER UCF

HOUSTON (AP) Tramon Mark scored 19 points, Marcus Sasser had 18 points and No. 3 Houston held on for a 71-65 win over Central Florida on Saturday.

J’Wan Roberts added 12 points and Jamal Shead scored 11 points for Houston (14-1, 2-0 American Athletic Conference). The Cougars shot 38%, including 6 of 19 on 3-pointers.

“We might not have had our fastball today, but we found a way to win,” Houston coach Kelvin Sampson said. “That’s what’s important is finding a way to win when maybe you don’t have your best stuff.”

Houston forced 13 UCF turnovers and converted them into 20 points.

“Going through adversity, a lot of lead changes, a lot of momentum (changes) when they took the lead,” Sasser said. “We didn’t get too down and just stayed the course. Just fighting and trying to win every possession.”

Darius Johnson had 17 points and eight rebounds, Ithiel Horton and Taylor Hendricks each scored 14 points and C.J. Kelly scored 11 points for the Knights (10-4, 1-1). UCF shot 39%, including 6 of 27 on 3-pointers.

“We have a lot of work to do,” UCF coach Johnny Dawkins said. “We know that. We’re still a work in progress with so many new players, but we are going to keep on trying to get better every game. There are no moral victories in our sport unfortunately, so we just got to figure out how to get better and be more improved as we go through the season.”

Trailing by two with 7 1/2 minutes remaining, Houston went on an 8-0 streak to take a 60-54 lead with 5:42 remaining on a three-point play by Roberts, who scored all eight points on the run. The Knights responded with a 7-2 spurt to cut the lead to one on a free throw by Kelly with three minutes left.

After two free throws by Ja’Vier Francis increased Houston’s lead to three, Horton missed two 3-pointers and Sasser made one of two free throws with a minute left to put Houston up 65-61.

UCF turned the ball over on its next possession, and Shead hit two free throws to up the lead to six with 32 seconds remaining.

“I thought they executed well down the stretch,” Dawkins said of Houston. “They did a good job of playing off each other.”

In the first half, following a jumper by Francis with 12:42 remaining, Johnson hooked Mark and threw him down in the paint. As Mark was trying to get up, Johnson pushed Mark down. Johnson was whistled for a flagrant one foul on the play.

The play fired up Mark, who scored 13 points during a 23-6 run over the next 6 1/2 minutes to give Houston a 32-18 lead.

“My teammates were finding me, and I was getting the right shots,” Mark said. “I felt good and had momentum. I was rolling with it in the first half.”

The Cougars led 39-31 at the half, but the Knights went on a 15-3 run to open up a 46-42 lead in the second with 15 minutes left.

BIG PICTURE

UCF: The Knights missed a chance for a Quad 1 win and are 1-2 in Quad 1 opportunities this season. . All four of UCF’s losses this season have been by six points or less. . UCF was 17 of 20 from the free-throw line.

Houston: The Cougars earned another Quad 2 victory and improved to 6-1 this season in Quad 1/Quad 2 games. . Houston started 11 of 20 shooting but followed it up shooting 13 of 44 for the rest of the game.

POLL IMPLICATIONS

Houston should at least hold at No. 3 but could rise to No. 2 following UConn’s loss.

UP NEXT

UCF: At East Carolina on Wednesday.

Houston: Hosts SMU on Thursday.

TUBELIS SCORES 21, NO. 5 ARIZONA BEATS ARIZONA STATE 69-60

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) Azuolas Tubelis scored 21 points, Oumar Ballo had 12 points and 12 rebounds, and No. 5 Arizona withstood a second-half comeback by Arizona State for a 69-60 victory Saturday.

Kerr Kriisa had 12 points and five assists for the Wildcats (13-1, 2-1 Pac-12), who won their fifth straight in the series. They entered averaging 90.2 points per game, second in Division I. Neither team shot better than 40% from the floor.

“We’re going to be a great defensive and rebounding team,” Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd said. “I’m making no druthers about that. I don’t care what our offense is ranked. We play to get the result.”

The Sun Devils (11-3, 2-1) scored 19 of the first 23 points of the second half after going to a full-court press and cut a 45-28 halftime deficit to 49-47 with 13 minutes left. Lloyd did not call a timeout during Arizona State’s big run, and when it was over, Arizona responded with a 10-3 run to regain control.

“We lacked composure for a certain stretch, and I wanted our guys to figure it out,” Lloyd said. “There is a reason you try to build a lead in the first half, especially on the road. You have to try to stretch it out, because you know they are going to make that run. It’s about winning the game. It is not about who makes a run in the first half or a strong run in the second half. It’s finding a way to close out and win the game, and our guys did the job.”

Frankie Collins had 12 points to lead Arizona State and Devan Cambridge added nine. Leading scorer DJ Horne was held to seven points and was 3 of 11 from the floor. Arizona had a 44-36 rebounding edge and shot 37.7% from the floor. The Sun Devils shot 36.2%.

“They are so aggressive and scrappy,” Lloyd said. “Their ball pressure was tremendous. They did a really good job being active. We have to toughen up a little bit and find different ways to attack it.”

The Wildcats made 24 of 28 free-throws attempts. Arizona State was 7 of 10. The Sun Devils missed their first 13 3-point field-goal attempts and were 3 of 27 from behind the arc.

“I mean, it’s crazy,” Arizona State coach Bobby Hurley said. “They’re a top-five team in the country and beating some really good teams, and we lost by nine and went 3 for 27 from 3. So hopefully the guys who are normally hitting the shots and making those shots will connect a little better as we move forward.”

Tubelis has scored in double figures in all 14 games.

“He’s one of the best players in the league, and I think he showed it tonight,” teammate Courtney Ramey said.

Ballo’s foul-line jumper, his first basket of the game, gave Arizona a 30-14 lead with 6:19 remaining in the first half, forcing an Arizona State timeout. As the teams headed to their benches, Kriisa said “be quiet” as looked toward the ASU student section.

The Wildcats led by as many as 18 points in the first half.

BIG PICTURE

Arizona looked every bit a top-five team in the first half, but the Wildcats had surprising difficulty against Arizona State’s aggressive full-court press in the second half. The Sun Devils could have found their way back into the AP Top 25 with a win. Regardless, they will remain a contender in the Pac-12 because of a harassing defense that had limited opponents to 36.7% shooting from the floor coming in.

UP NEXT

Arizona: The Wildcats have a home series against Washington and Washington State on Thursday and Saturday.

Arizona State: The Sun Devils also host to the Washington schools next weekend.

NO. 6 TEXAS HOLDS OFF OKLAHOMA 70-69 IN BIG 12 OPENER

NORMAN, Okla. (AP) Marcus Carr hit the go-ahead basket in the final minute as No. 6 Texas escaped Oklahoma with a 70-69 victory in the Big 12 opener for both teams on Saturday.

It was the Longhorns’ fourth straight win on the Sooners’ home court.

Oklahoma (9-4, 0-1) led for most of the second half behind 22 points from Grant Sherfield, and had a chance regain the lead in the final 30 seconds. But freshman Milos Uzan’s 3-point attempt bounced off the back of the rim and the Longhorns (12-1, 1-0) hit six straight free throws down the stretch to seal the victory – withstanding a half-court shot at the buzzer from Oklahoma’s Jacob Groves.

It was the sixth win in a row for Texas, and raised the record of acting coach Rodney Terry to 5-0; he’s guiding the Longhorns during coach Chris Beard’s suspension.

“We knew we were going to have to come in here and work the game for 40 minutes and outcompete a team that is playing well on their home court,” Terry said. “We did a great job down the stretch closing the game out and making our free throws down the stretch.”

Carr, who had 41 points in his last outing for the Longhorns, didn’t get his first bucket until the final 75 seconds of the first half. He finished with 13 points, as did Timmy Allen. Groves scored 17 points, including 5-of-9 from the 3-point line.

The Sooners led by as many as seven in the first half and settled for a 35-31 intermission lead.

Terry said it took a team effort to slow down Sherfield in the second half after he had 16 points by halftime.

“Kudos to our guys for locking in on that game plan and making that adjustment at the half and saying we weren’t going to let the best player beat us today,” Terry said.

OU coach Porter Moser said his team gave up too many opportunities to Texas in the second half.

“I thought we really guarded them at a high level until the second half with those (offensive) rebounds,” Moser said. “You can’t give a team that many second-chance points in the second half.”

Sir’Jabari Rice led the Longhorns’ comeback, getting fouled on a 3-point attempt and hitting all three free throws to tie the game at 60. Rice made all seven of his free throws – all in the final two minutes – and finished with 11 points and seven rebounds.

BIG PICTURE

TEXAS: The Longhorns have now won 24 of the last 36 meetings against Oklahoma and has won the last three in a row.

OKLAHOMA: Missed eight straight field-goal attempts midway through the second half, allowing the Longhorns to get back in the game. The Sooners came in ranked 10th in the NCAA in field-goal percentage (50.5) but wound up at 48% in this one, hitting just nine of 25 3-point attempts.

UP NEXT

Texas: Hosts Kansas State on Tuesday.

Oklahoma: Host Iowa State on Wednesday.

NO. 13 VIRGINIA BEATS GA TECH, BENNETT TIES SCHOOL WINS MARK

ATLANTA (AP) A 25-0 run removed any suspense from Tony Bennett’s pursuit of a Virginia coaching milestone.

The No. 13 Cavaliers blew away Georgia Tech with the spurt, which began in the closing minutes of the first half and carried over after the break to give Virginia a 74-56 victory Saturday.

For Bennett, it was win No. 326 as the Cavaliers’ coach, pushing him into a tie with Terry Holland for the most in school history.

“Just the way he has represented basketball and this program, what he’s built, it’s just tremendous to be able to talk about him,” Bennett said. “I never got into coaching to break records. I just wanted to win because I love the game.”

Bennett improved to 326-119 in 14 years leading the Virginia men’s basketball program. Holland went 326-173 over a 16-season tenure that ended in 1990.

Virginia (10-2, 2-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) scored the final nine points of the first half – all on 3-pointers off Georgia Tech turnovers – to take a 36-25 lead into halftime.

It would get worse for the Yellow Jackets (7-6, 0-3) when the teams returned to the court, as the Cavaliers ripped off another 16 points to make it 52-25 before the home team finally made a basket.

“For the most part defensively, we didn’t give them anything easy,” Bennett said. “Then we got a few turnovers and made 3s. When you’re not exchanging baskets, that’s when stuff like that can happen.”

Kihei Clark had 15 points and eight assists to lead Virginia, which kept up its domination of Georgia Tech with a 10th straight victory in the series. Jayden Gardner added 14 points, while Armaan Franklin and Kadin Shedrick added 11 apiece.

Looking to bounce back from an ugly 13-point home loss to Clemson before the 10-day Christmas break, Georgia Tech shook up its lineup by bringing top scorer Miles Kelly off the bench. It did no good.

The Yellow Jackets have lost their first three ACC games by an average margin of nearly 16 points and appear headed for another dismal season. They went 12-20 a year ago.

Kelly scored 20 points but none of his teammates reached double figures. The Yellow Jackets turned it over 23 times, leading to 30 points for the Cavaliers.

“Virginia was knocking down a lot of shots,” Kelly said. “That was really the game. We couldn’t get any stops on the defensive end.”

DRE IN THE HOUSE

Former Virginia star De’Andre Hunter was at McCamish Pavilion to cheer on his alma mater and stopped by the locker room afterward.

Hunter was a key player on the Cavaliers’ national championship team in 2019. He now plays for the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks, who were off Saturday after losing to LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers the night before.

“It’s been a while since we’ve had one of those kind of runs,” Bennett said. “Maybe it was because De’Andre was sitting behind the bench.”

BIG PICTURE

Virginia: The Cavaliers set the tone with their accuracy beyond the arc. Eight of their 13 first-half baskets were 3-pointers, many coming in transition off Virginia’s smothering defense. Bennett’s team looked more like the team that rose to No. 2 in the rankings before consecutive losses to Houston and Miami.

Georgia Tech: Pastner has given little indication in his seven-year tenure that he can transform the Yellow Jackets into a perennial conference contender. Other than a surprising run to the ACC tournament title during the pandemic-marred 2020-21 season, the Yellow Jackets are 36-60 in league play under Pastner.

“This was no fun for anybody,” the coach said. “But there’s a lot of basketball to be played.”

UP NEXT

Virginia: Bennett will look to break the tie with Holland when the Cavaliers travel to Pittsburgh for an ACC game Tuesday night.

Georgia Tech: Hosts another ranked ACC team, No. 14 Miami, to wrap up a four-game homestand Wednesday night.

YOUNG PACES NO. 17 DUKE PAST FLORIDA STATE, 86-67

DURHAM, N.C. (AP) Ryan Young’s best performance in a Duke uniform looked almost perfect.

Young came off the bench for a season-high 20 points, going 7 for 7 from the field, and the No. 17 Blue Devils beat Florida State 86-67 on Saturday.

Young, a graduate transfer from Northwestern, had 12 rebounds and added to the quest for perfection by making all six free-throw attempts.

“I’m sure I’ll find something he could have done better, but he was pretty close,” Duke coach Jon Scheyer said.

Jaylen Blakes scored 17 points in his first career start and reserve Dariq Whitehead added 16 points for Duke (11-3, 2-1 Atlantic Coast Conference), which is undefeated in eight home games.

Young deflected credit for his stellar outing.

“The guards were finding me in easy places to score,” he said.

Caleb Mills and Matthew Cleveland both scored 18 points and Darin Green Jr. added 16 for Florida State (4-11, 2-2), which remains winless in seven games away from home.

Even without retired Hall of Fame coach Mike Krzyzewski on the Duke bench, the Blue Devils looked familiar to veteran Florida State coach Leonard Hamilton.

“Credit to (Scheyer) to get his guys to play the Duke way,” he said. “I didn’t see any difference from the way they played in the past.”

Blakes, a sophomore, had four of the 11 baskets from 3-point range for Duke, which was playing for the first time since a Dec. 20 loss at Wake Forest.

“They knew we had to be a lot better,” Scheyer said of his players after a holiday break. “I didn’t have to convince them of that.”

The Seminoles got to within 64-53 with less than nine minutes to play before the margin ballooned to 25 points.

“Hopefully, we can learn from this,” Hamilton said. “Learn what it takes to go out and play against a team that is extremely aggressive like this.”

Duke used a 10-0 run near the midway mark of the first half and led 42-25 at halftime behind 12 points from Young and 11 from Blakes. Three of the Blue Devils’ starters didn’t score in the first half and another, Jeremy Roach, was 1 for 7 from the field.

The Seminoles had their second-lowest first-half point total of the season.

“Our guards were doing a tremendous job of keeping them out of the paint and turning defense into offense,” Young said.

DEPTH FINDERS

A lineup tweak worked out for the Blue Devils. Blakes matched his career-high point total from the Wake Forest game.

“It’s an honor (to be a starter),” he said. “We’re all just building off each other. Whatever five guys are out there, we’re confident in.”

Scheyer said lineup adjustments shouldn’t be a surprise.

“We’ve used our depth as a strength and I don’t see that changing,” he said.

BIG PICTURE

Florida State: The Seminoles were competitive for stretches but had gaps in defensive rebounding that proved costly. They got only eight points from reserves while Duke posted 46 points from its bench players.

Duke: The Blue Devils were aggressive from the start and yet they needed boosts from the reserves. They had their most bench points in an ACC game since February 2005 vs. Wake Forest. This was just Duke’s second game since Dec. 10, but there will be a steady diet of games for the rest of the season.

TIP-INS

Blakes took freshman Tyrese Proctor’s place in Duke’s starting lineup. . Hamilton was going for his 400th win while in charge of the Seminoles and his 600th overall. . Cleveland’s 10 rebounds gave him a double-figure total in five of the last six games. . Florida State hasn’t won at Cameron Indoor Stadium since January 2012.

UP NEXT

Florida State: Hosts Georgia Tech on Saturday.

Duke: At North Carolina State on Wednesday.

MILES, NO. 18 TCU RALLY FOR 67-61 VICTORY OVER TEXAS TECH

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) A couple of quick traps to start the second half, a couple of turnovers, and No. 18 TCU’s rally was in the works.

Mike Miles Jr. scored 23 points, and the Horned Frogs erased an 11-point halftime deficit against Texas Tech for a 67-61 victory in the Big 12 opener for both teams Saturday.

TCU (12-1, 1-0 Big 12) won their 10th consecutive game, using two early turnovers to score the first 10 points of the second half to cap a 12-0 run to get within a point.

“I told them we’re going to get this thing turned in the second half, and they believed,” TCU coach Jamie Dixon said. “I didn’t think we’d get it turned that quick.”

With 3:37 remaining, TCU took its first lead since early in the first half when Miles hit a driving layup for a 59-58 edge. Miles then gave the Frogs their biggest lead to that point with a three-point play on another driving bucket after De’Vion Harmon’s 3-point attempt in front of the Texas Tech bench was blocked.

The Red Raiders (10-3, 0-1) led by 13 late in the first half and got the margin back to nine midway through the second half – after TCU had pulled within one before its decisive surge. But Texas Tech couldn’t overcome 15 of its season-high 23 turnovers coming after the break.

“They’ve got some long, athletic players,” coach Mark Adams said after his team’s six-game winning streak ended. “They turned it up a notch and were getting in the passing lanes. I thought they put a lot of pressure on the ball, and I thought that hurt us.”

Texas Tech freshman Pop Isaacs scored 14 of his 17 points in the second half, including several 3s that ended up just delaying the TCU rally. Harmon scored 13, and Daniel Batcho had nine rebounds and five blocks.

Emanuel Miller scored 16 points, and Damion Baugh added 14 for TCU.

Miles and Eddie Lampkin Jr., who had eight rebounds, combined to score the first 10 points of the second half as the Horned Frogs pulled within 37-36.

Isaacs answered with a 3-pointer, then did it again after the Horned Frogs got even at 53 with seven minutes to go. The lead was still three later when TCU went in front for good on a 9-0 run, with Miles scoring the last seven of those points.

“We definitely knew we’d come back in the game,” said Miles, the Big 12 preseason player of the year and the conference’s second-leading scorer. “We’ve come back against a lot of teams. We knew this second half wasn’t going to be any different.”

DUELING TECHS

The teams traded technical fouls late in the first half.

Harmon was called for taunting after hitting a jumper in front of the TCU bench to give Texas Tech its biggest lead at 37-24. Just 28 seconds later, Miles was given a technical on his way back on defense after missing a 3-pointer.

Each got to shoot the free throws on the other’s technical, with Miles making one of two and Harmon missing both. Kevin Obanor missed two more after a TCU bench technical in the second half. Texas Tech finished just 9 of 18 from the line.

THE TRAPPINGS

The TCU traps coming out of halftime forced two traveling calls in the first 90 seconds. After the Red Raiders got their lead back to nine, seven turnovers in a four-minute span helped wipe out most of that cushion.

“We don’t do it a lot … trapping some ball screens,” Dixon said. “It wasn’t that effective, but it may have gotten us going a little bit more defensively.”

BIG PICTURE

Texas Tech: Obanor, who averaged 21.4 points in the previous five games, was limited to six points on just seven shots (2 of 7). He had a team-high five turnovers.

TCU: The Horned Frogs were flirting with their worst shooting performance of the season before heating up enough late to finish at 40%. The season low of 35.6% came in TCU’s only loss, 64-63 to Northwestern State.

UP NEXT

Texas Tech: The Red Raiders’ 29-game home winning streak gets a strong test Tuesday against No. 4 Kansas, the defending national champion.

TCU: At No. 12 Baylor on Wednesday in the first true road game, although Horned Frogs beat Utah 75-51 at the home of the NBA’s Utah Jazz.

TSHIEBWE, TOPPIN LEAD NO. 19 KENTUCKY PAST RIVAL LOUISVILLE

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) Oscar Tshiebwe had 24 points and 14 rebounds, Jacob Toppin added a career-high 24 points and No. 19 Kentucky shot a season-best 60% to dominate rival Louisville 86-63 on Saturday.

The battle for Bluegrass bragging rights resumed after a one-year pause with the Wildcats (9-4) jumping out quickly and surviving a couple of rallies by the Cardinals (2-12). Kentucky sorely needed a rebound game after dropping two of three, including its Southeastern Conference opener on Wednesday at Missouri, and responded by making nine of its first 12 attempts and finishing 33 of 55 from the floor.

Pretty impressive improvement for a team that entered the contest shooting 46% and just under 40% from behind the arc. The Wildcats outscored Louisville 46-34 in the paint and 20-12 on second chances, aggression that had been lacking in some of their bigger games.

Toppin, who went scoreless in 12 1/2 minutes off the bench at Missouri, started and made 10 of 15 with seven rebounds. The senior forward had 15 points by halftime and surpassed his previous scoring high of 20 midway through the second half.

“We played team basketball and whoever is open is going to shoot the ball,” Toppin said. “Obviously, my teammates got into a rhythm of finding me in the middle of the floor and I just executed. My teammates found me, and thankful to them for that.”

Tshiebwe added, “That’s the Jacob we know.”

Tshiebwe had his seventh double-double this season by halftime and came up one rebound shy of his fourth 20/15 effort this season. Last year’s consensus national player of the year was 10 of 13 shooting to offset missing 5 of 9 free throws.

Cason Wallace added 17 points on 6-of-8 shooting.

El Ellis had 23 points for Louisville, which dropped its third in a row and failed to give first-year coach Kenny Payne a victory against the team he worked for 10 years as an assistant under John Calipari.

But it was a homecoming nonetheless. Payne and Calipari hugged and smiled at midcourt before player introductions. More hugs followed as Payne went down the Wildcats bench to greet other assistants and players and was applauded by the expectedly blue-clad crowd of 20,934 at Rupp Arena.

“I appreciate it,” Payne said. “I respect Kentucky and I loved it here. To have them welcome me was great, but – I’ve said this over and over again – this isn’t about me. This is about these young men.”

Kentucky took off from there, though Louisville mounted a small run to get within 45-37 with 18:32 remaining in the game. That was the closest the Cardinals got as the Wildcats led by 27 with just over three minutes left.

“You have to be able to sustain their runs and lock in and focus to go on a run of your own,” Ellis said. “When times get tough, we have to come together more and continue to fight.”

Brandon Huntley-Hatfield added 10 points and Mike James eight for Louisville.

PEP TALK

Toppin entered the game shooting 5 of 20 over his previous four contests but was encouraged by one-on-one discussions with Calipari before and after the Missouri loss. Those talks included some hugs and assurance that he would start, which he did ahead of Lance Ware.

“I had a lot of support from my teammates and my coaching staff and it just feels good to get back to my old self mentally and physically,” Toppin said.

THE BIG PICTURE

Louisville: The Cardinals shot 47% and seemed intent on making it a game early in the second half. But they couldn’t slow Toppin or Tshiebwe, and things quickly slipped away in the final 10 minutes. They committed 15 turnovers that led to 19 Kentucky points and were outrebounded 33-20.

“I was disappointed in our lack of physicality,” Payne said. “We worked the last three days on rebounding. At times it looked like he reacted twice before we reacted once.”

Kentucky: With nowhere to go but up after Missouri overwhelmed them, the Wildcats started fast and hot from the field and stayed on the gas. Toppin’s performance was long overdue and complemented Tshiebwe well. Free throws remain a concern as they made 16 of 25.

UP NEXT

Kentucky: Hosts LSU on Tuesday night to resume SEC play

Louisville: Hosts Syracuse on Tuesday night in ACC play

****NBA NEWS****

DONCIC SCORES 51 POINTS, MAVS BEAT SPURS FOR 6TH STRAIGHT

SAN ANTONIO (AP) Dallas superstar Luka Doncic capped off a historic five-game run with 51 points and the Mavericks needed all of it to beat the San Antonio Spurs.

Doncic had two rebounds and two free throws in the final 4.5 seconds, helping Dallas escape with a 126-125 victory over San Antonio on Saturday night for their sixth straight victory.

It was the third 50-point outing in the past five games for Doncic, including 60 points, 21 rebounds and 10 assists Tuesday night in an overtime victory over New York. He’s the first player in NBA history with 250 points, 50 rebounds, and 50 assists over a five-game span.

“It’s incredible,” Mavericks center Christian Wood said. “In my seven years in the league, I’ve never seen anybody do what he’s able to do. He’s on an incredible run. He’s playing like an MVP. Clearly one of the best players in the league.”

Wood added 25 points in Dallas’ fifth straight victory over San Antonio.

Keldon Johnson had 30 points for Sam Antonio, Jeremy Sochan added 20 and Jakob Poeltl had 19 points and 15 rebounds.

After leading by 17 points, the Mavericks had to scramble in the final minute.

San Antonio guard Tre Jones was fouled by Dallas forward Davis Bertans after Jones intentionally missed the second of two free throws with the Spurs trailing 126-124. Jones then made the first free throw, but missed the second.

Doncic missed two free throws with 1.5 seconds to keep San Antonio from attempting a game-winning shot.

“Not easy to win here,” Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said. “But, again, Luka was incredible. He bails us out again by missing the free throws as much as he wanted to make those free throws down the stretch, so that they didn’t have time to set up a play.”

Jones finished with 18 points.

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich jokingly vowed that Doncic would be held under 50 points. The Mavericks star almost played along.

“No, I just wanted to get a win,” Doncic said of his 51-point outing.

But 51 points was nice, right?

“Of course,” Doncic said with a huge smile.

The 6-foot-7 forward was stuck on 49 points for half the fourth quarter but made two free throws with 4.5 seconds to reach 50 points for the fourth time in his career

Doncic dominated San Antonio with his usual array of step-back, mid-range jumpers, 3-pointers and free throws. He was 18 for 28 from the field.

“Yeah, we had a good team effort and individual effort on him, but he’s an amazing player,” Popovich said. “His IQ is off the charts. So, we would rather win than lose like everybody else in the world, but (I’m) really proud of their effort and the way they just kept going even after we got down whatever it was, 13, 14, I can’t remember.”

Doncic had 22 points in the first quarter along with an assist, accounting for all but eight of the Mavericks’ points in the opening period.

TIP-INS

Mavericks: Doncic averaged 35.1 points in December, the highest scoring in any month in franchise history. Dallas legend Dirk Nowitzki had two 50-point games in his career. Doncic also has scored 40 points in 23 games, one more than Mavericks star Mark Aguirre. . Dallas is 6-11 on the road. . Bertans was honored prior to the game as part of the Spurs’ 50th anniversary celebration. Bertans spent his first three seasons in the NBA with San Antonio before being traded to Washington in 2019.

Spurs: Johnson has scored 30 points in five games this season and eight in his career. . G Devin Vassell missed his second straight game with a sore left knee he suffered Tuesday at Oklahoma City. Vassell has missed seven games this season. . Sochan has scored double-figures in 15 games this season, the most by a Spurs rookie since Kawhi Leonard had 25 in 2012.

UP NEXT

Mavericks: At Houston on Monday night.

Spurs: At Brooklyn on Monday night. —

IRVING AND DURANT LEAD NETS PAST HORNETS FOR 11TH WIN A ROW

CHARLOTTE. N.C. (AP) Kyrie Irving scored 18 of his 28 points in the first half, Kevin Durant added 23 points and the Brooklyn Nets ran their winning streak to 11, beating the Charlotte Hornets 123-106 on Saturday night.

Brooklyn never trailed and led by 10 points in the first quarter, 15 in the second, 18 in the third and 22 in the fourth to improve to 24-12.

“We held them to 22 points in the first quarter, so we put our stamp on the game in a hurry,” Nets coach Jacque Vaughn said. “I think we were able to use or rotations and depth to extends our leads a little bit.

“We wanted to come out with the right mindset, which we did.

Royce O’Neale and Nic Claxton added 14 points apiece for Brooklyn, Yuta Watanabe had 11 and T.J. Warren 10.

LaMelo Ball had 23 points, seven rebounds and 11 assists for Charlotte. Mason Plumlee added 22 points. The Hornets dropped to 10-27.

After Charlotte cut it to 71-65 early in the third quarter, Irving and Durant combined to score 11 of the Nets’ next 13 points and sparked Brooklyn’s 28-14 surge for a 97-79 lead entering the fourth quarter.

“We knew that this team could get hot,” Durant said about Charlotte. “They hit some 3s there in the first half so we knew they could get hot there in the third quarter. And they did. They cut it to six.

“We’ve been in this position before so we knew what to do. And the first play out of the timeout, we executed and finished with a win.”

Plumlee said Hornets coach Steve Clifford’s discussed in pregame about how well the Nets had been playing – and some nothing to change his mind.

“Coach said they were the hottest team in the league right now,” Plumlee said. “So we knew that. And I thought we did pretty well after that first quarter.”

TIP-INS

Nets: Guard/forward Joe Harris missed his fourth straight game Saturday because of soreness in his left knee.

Hornets: Charlotte coach Steve Clifford had no timetable for Kelly Oubre Jr. to return to his lineup. Oubre missed his second game out of three Saturday with a sprained left hand.

UP NEXT

Nets: Host San Antonio on Monday night.

Hornets: Host Los Angeles Lakers on Monday night.

CAVS HOLD OFF BULLS 103-102 TO END THREE-GAME SKID

CHICAGO (AP) Caris LeVert scored 23 points, Kevin Love added 20 points and nine rebounds and the Cleveland Cavaliers ended a three-game skid with a 103-102 victory over the Chicago Bulls on Saturday night.

DeMar DeRozan had 21 points and Ayo Dosunmu added 19 for Chicago, which had won two straight.

“We did everything we could to lose that game, but we just have to survive and advance,” said Love, who made five 3-pointers. “It felt like March Madness tonight.

“Really ugly game, but again, we have to win ugly sometimes and we’re thankful we did that.”

Cleveland led 84-77 after three quarters and never trailed in the second half but didn’t shake the Bulls until the final minute. The Cavs led 103-96 after LeVert’s jumper with 2 minutes left, but Chicago made four free throws to close in.

DeRozan made it a one-point game after a driving layup with 29 seconds to play and Chicago had a shot at a winning basket after forcing a shot-clock violation with 4.8 to go. Cleveland, the NBA’s stingiest scoring defense, forced DeRozan into an off-balance shot as time expired.

“I think the whole world knew (who was going to take the last shot),” said LeVert, who was in DeRozan’s face with Donovan Mitchell as the final shot left his hand. “He makes those shots all the time.”

Chicago managed just one field goal in the final five minutes.

“We got a defensive stop late to give ourselves a chance, but certainly the first 47 (minutes) was like a grind for us,” Bulls coach Billy Donovan said. “But I think our guys battled through it and tried the best they could.”

Coach J.B. Bickerstaff trusted his defense on a night Cleveland turned the ball over 20 times.

“We know we can get stops,” he said.

The Cavaliers also got 15 points from Mitchell in the opener of a home-and-home series. The teams meet again Monday in Cleveland.

Chicago’s Zach LaVine had 15 points on 6-for-16 shooting, a night after scoring a season-best 43 in a win over Detroit.

Nikola Vucevic added 11 points and 14 rebounds.

NOT AGAIN!

DeRozan made a 28-foot jumper at the buzzer exactly a year ago to lift the Bulls past Indiana 108-106. LeVert, a member of the Pacers then, hoped it wasn’t going to happen again when he got in front of the All-Star in the final seconds.

“Same day, it was New Year’s Eve,” LeVert said. “Same type of shot; it was crazy.

“Obviously he missed it tonight.”

TIP-INS

Cavaliers: All-Star guard Darius Garland missed the game after he sprained his thumb in Thursday’s loss at Indiana. F Evan Mobley (ankle) also was a scratch. . The Cavaliers had dropped four of their previous five road games.

Bulls: Donovan sees less reason to closely monitor LaVine in the second of back-to-back games. The Bulls were cautious with his minutes in those situations after offseason knee surgery, but the coach said the All-Star merits more time as long as there are no medical barriers. “He’s definitely gotten better over time. As long as he’s feeling good, he wants to play.”

RANDLE’S 35 LEADS KNICKS OVER ROCKETS 108-88 TO SNAP SKID

HOUSTON (AP) Julius Randle scored 35 points and Immanuel Quickley added 27 as the New York Knicks snapped a five-game skid with a 108-88 win over the Houston Rockets on Saturday night.

“It’s the nature of the league,” coach Tom Thibodeau said. “You win eight in a row and then you have some tough losses . that’s part of it. How do you respond to it? We took a haymaker . and we bounced back.”

The Rockets led for most of the first half, but the Knicks went on top just before the break and lead by double-digits for most of the second half.

Houston cut the lead to eight points on a basket by Tari Eason with about nine minutes to go before the Knicks scored the next seven points, capped by a 3 from Evan Fournier that made it 91-76.

The Rockets scored the next four points, but New York answered with an 8-0 run, with 3s from Quickley and Quentin Grimes, to extend the lead to 99-80 with about four minutes to go.

Thibodeau was asked how his team bounced back after falling behind early.

“I thought our ball pressure was a lot better which led to turnovers that got us in the open floor,” he said. “Guys played very hard and very unselfishly.”

Kevin Porter Jr. had 23 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists for the Rockets, who have dropped three in a row. Houston opened the game strong, scoring 35 points in the first quarter, but had a terrible second, managing just 14 points to allow the Knicks to close the gap.

The Rockets had 24 turnovers and made just 6 of 34 3-pointers after hitting 8 of their first 12.

“It’s hard to win with (24) turnovers as a team,” Porter said.

Houston veteran Eric Gordon was asked if he’s seen improvement from the team since the beginning of the season.

“There’s no improvement,” he said.

Randle had 12 rebounds and six assists and Quickley had seven assists and five rebounds before they both sat down for good with about two minutes left.

Quickley has been great filling in for injured star Jalen Brunson. He had a career-high 15 assists in his first start for Brunson and scored a career-best 36 points in his second start Thursday before turning in another strong performance Saturday.

“It wasn’t what he did for himself, but what he did for our team,” Thibodeau said. “That was really valuable for us.”

A 7-1 run by the Knicks extended the lead to 76-62 late in the third quarter. Porter and Jalen Green then made consecutive 3-pointers to start an 8-1 run that got Houston within 7. But New York scored the last five points of the third, with a 3 from Grimes, to take an 82-70 lead into the fourth.

RANDLE’S MONTH

Randle’s performance Saturday capped a fabulous month in which he had seven games with at least 30 points.

“He’s just had a monster month,” Thibodeau said. “We’re asking him to do a lot, too. He’s scoring, he’s passing, he’s rebounding.”

TIP-INS

Knicks: Brunson missed his third straight game with a hip injury. . RJ Barrett missed a second straight game with a lacerated right index finger. .Grimes had 19 points. … Mitchell Robinson had 12 rebounds.

Rockets: Alperen Sengun was a late scratch with lower back pain. . Green added 16 points. … Gordon had 12. … Rookie Jabari Smith Jr. scored 10. … Eason had nine points and 13 rebounds off the bench.

UP NEXT

Knicks: Host Phoenix on Monday night.

Rockets: Host the Dallas Mavericks on Monday night.

BOGDANOVIC, BENCH SEND PISTONS TO 116-104 WIN OVER WOLVES

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) Bojan Bogdanovic scored 28 points, including 17 in the third quarter as Detroit erased a double-digit deficit, and the Pistons got 65 points from their bench in a 116-104 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday night.

Marvin Bagley Jr. had 18 points and 10 rebounds off the bench for Detroit, which had lost seven of eight and trailed by 18 points in the first quarter. The Pistons stayed within range and burst ahead with a 32-9 run at the end of the third and start of the fourth.

Reserve Alec Burks added 13 points for Detroit. The Pistons lead the NBA in bench points since the start of December.

“Our energy was very good in the third quarter, especially from our second unit,” Bogdanovic said. “The second group played great. When we play defense like we played in the second half, then our offense is kind of playing faster and we are moving the ball better.”

Anthony Edwards scored 30 and D’Angelo Russell added 25 points in a lackluster performance from Minnesota, which returned home after a winless four-game road trip and lost its sixth in a row.

“Tonight was the first time, I think, I saw them frustrated with each other through this stretch, through a lot of different ins and outs of the lineup, and tough losses on the road,” Timberwolves coach Chris Finch said. “Tonight, I think it manifested itself in a lot of frustration, guys not making the right, simple play.”

Russell scored 13 of the Timberwolves’ first 21 points and Minnesota used a 26-8 run early in the first to take an 18-point lead.

Detroit’s reserves entered and got back within 10 and the teams traded blows for the next two quarters.

Bogdanovic then hit three 3s midway through the third to spark the Pistons, who tied the game before the end of the quarter. Another reserve, Hamidou Diallo, supplied Detroit with its first lead with 10:37 left in the fourth.

“We know what we need to do, what we’re bad at,” Minnesota forward Jaden McDaniels said. “We watch it every day in film, so I feel like it’s a care factor.”

The Wolves tied the game before the Pistons scored 11 in a row to take control.

“A lot of it was about our defense,” Detroit coach Dwane Casey said. “It’s about the second unit’s character. We have a lot of character guys in the group that hadn’t been getting a lot of run, but they came in and played with pure heart, pure mind and won the game for us.”

READY RESERVES

All five reserves that played for the Pistons scored in double digits. While rookies Jaden Ivey and Jalen Duren are starters, the bench consists of veterans such as Burks and Cory Joseph, both with 11 years in the league.

“I think that was the key to that second unit tonight is just communication and effort,” said six-year veteran Rodney McGruder. “We were all over. Even when we made mistakes, we talked it out and the effort made up for it.”

OLD DEMONS

Finch said “old demons” hurt Minnesota on Saturday, including rebounding. The Wolves were outrebounded 52-39. Finch also said he maybe needs to look at playing time as the team tries to solve its issues.

The third-year coach was also asked if there was a sense of entitlement with his team.

“There’s a lot of guys out there that maybe think we’re a lot better than we are,” Finch said. “Maybe it is a sense of entitlement or whatever. Certainly tonight we got what we deserved with the way we approached this game.

TIP-INS

Pistons: Diallo returned after his one-game suspension for his part in the altercation with the Orlando Magic on Wednesday. Killian Hayes served the second game of his three-game suspension. . Detroit held Minnesota to 40 points in the second half and 16 in the fourth quarter.

Timberwolves: Rudy Gobert returned after missing one game with an illness and had nine points and 10 rebounds. He was scoreless in the first half. . Edwards had 14 and Russell added 13 in the first.

UP NEXT

Pistons: Play the second game of a five-game road trip Monday in Portland.

Timberwolves: Host Denver on Monday.

EMBIID HAS TRIPLE-DOUBLE IN 76ERS’ ROAD VICTORY OVER THUNDER

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) Joel EmbIid had 16 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists for his fifth career triple-double and the Philadelphia 76ers never trailed in beating the Oklahoma City Thunder 115-96 on Saturday night.

Tobias Harris hit his first seven shots and scored 23 points for Philadelphia. Harris scored 16 points in 16 minutes in the first half to help the 76ers take a 69-43 lead.

“I realized I didn’t miss a shot in the first half and then I came out in the second half and missed my first shot so that was done with,” Harris said. “In the second half, we were a little slow and sluggish, but in the fourth quarter, I thought we had more energy and life to get stops and close out the game the way that we wanted. When you’re up like that and have that type of cushion you can get a little relaxed.”

With James Harden sitting out because of injury management on his right foot, Tulsa product Shake Milton got the start for Philadelphia and scored 18 points. DeAnthony Melton added 17 points. Their production, along with Harris’ hot start impressed Sixers coach Doc Rivers.

“It was big for us. It set the tone. Especially the way we played last night, getting the cushion helped us,” Rivers said. “We had lost two in a row. Our team doesn’t like that. We knew we were missing guys so I think our guys had the proper amount of fear going into this game. That’s a good thing.”

Josh Giddey led Oklahoma City with 20 points and nine rebounds. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 14 points on 4-of-15 shooting.

TIP-INS

76ers: P.J. Tucker and Tyrese Maxey also sat out for Philadelphia. Tucker is dealing with a left knee issue. Maxey rested on the second night of a back-to-back after returning from a fractured right foot.

Thunder: Lost to the 76ers for the sixth straight time dating to January 2019. … With forward Alexsej Pokusevski sidelined by injury, the Thunder started rookies Jaylin Williams and Jalen Williams together for the second game in a row.

UP NEXT:

76ers: Host New Orleans on Monday night.

Thunder: Host Boston on Tuesday night.

MORANT HAS 32, GRIZZLIES USE LATE BURST TO DEFEAT PELICANS

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) Ja Morant had 32 points and eight assists, Jaren Jackson Jr. added 17 points and six blocks, and the Memphis Grizzlies broke open the game in the fourth quarter for a 116-101 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday night.

Desmond Bane finished with 18 points and Steven Adams had 10 points and a season-high 21 rebounds as the Grizzlies won their second straight.

The Grizzlies outscored the Pelicans 33-22 in the fourth to pull away, beginning the period with a 19-4 spurt.

“We just kind of strung a cycle together. Score, stop. Score, stop, where we were disciplined in our 1-on-1 defense,” Memphis coach Taylor Jenkins said. “We forced some tough shots and didn’t give them a second life.”

Zion Williamson scored 20 points for the Pelicans, while Trey Murphy III added 15. CJ McCollum, who scored 42 points and made a franchise-record 11 3-pointers in Friday’s win over Philadelphia, had 10 points and was 1 of 7 from outside the arc.

That Grizzlies forced 20 turnovers, leading to 23 points. That included 14 steals, three each by Jackson and John Konchar.

“It’s great,” Morant said of the steals. “It allows us to get out and run. Live-ball turnovers are something you don’t want to give up, especially to a team like us.”

The game remained close until Memphis opened the fourth quarter with seven straight points for a double-digit advantage. The Grizzlies would eventually build the lead to 20 as Brandon Clarke and Jackson scored inside.

The Pelicans were playing their third game in four nights. While New Orleans coach Willie Green acknowledged that could have led to a fourth-quarter collapse, he avoided using that as an excuse. The win ran Memphis’ home record to 14-3

“Give the Grizzlies their credit,” Green said. “They take care of business on their home floor. I thought they were the more physical team, and they were a step ahead of us.”

New Orleans entered the game tied with Denver for the top spot in the Western Conference, while Memphis was 1 1/2 games behind in third place.

Despite a rough-shooting first half and foul trouble for Williamson, the Pelicans were able to keep things close and trailed 53-50 at the break. Neither team would take their lead to double digits after the early stages of the second quarter.

“Definitely a wonky basketball game,” Jenkins said. “Back and forth at times, but we found a way to win.”

Memphis led 83-79 after three quarters.

“Funky game for us,” Green said.

TIP-INS

Pelicans: Murphy, who was listed as questionable with a right ankle sprain, started. … C Jaxson Hayes hit a 27-footer as time expired in the first quarter. …Williamson has reached double figures in all but one game he has played this season. …McCollum has reached double figures in his last 11 game, including surpassing 20 points, seven times.

Grizzlies: F Santi Aldama, who injured his left ankle in Thursday’s win over Toronto, was out. … Adams grabbed his 3,100th defensive rebound in the second quarter. …Made only 4 of 22 3-pointers in the first half. …Jackson has six straight games with multiple blocks.

DELAY OF GAME

The game was delayed about 12 minutes in the middle of the second quarter due to a clock malfunction that left the shot clocks at over both baskets blank. After the delay, the shot clock time was kept by the 24-second operator and called out by the public address announcer. The clocks were back in operation before halftime. “It definitely threw us off a little bit,” Jenkins said.

UP NEXT

Pelicans: At Philadelphia on Monday.

Grizzlies: Host Sacramento on Sunday.

HERRO’S 3 AS TIME EXPIRES GIVES HEAT 126-123 WIN OVER JAZZ

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) Tyler Herro made a 3-pointer as time expired to give the Miami Heat a 126-123 victory over the Utah Jazz on Saturday night.

Bam Adebayo had 32 points and eight rebounds for the Heat, while Herro finished with 29 points, nine rebounds and six assists. Victor Oladipo chipped in 23 points off the bench and Max Strus had 13, including a first-half, buzzer-beating basket.

Herro’s final basket put a perfect exclamation point on a strong offensive outing for Miami.

“The ball was flying around,” Herro said. “We were making plays for each other, getting stops defensively and turning it into easy buckets on the other end.”

Miami outscored Utah 54-32 in the paint to win for the third time in four games. The Heat shot 51% from the field and ended up tallying 32 assists on 45 baskets.

“That’s what we need,” Adebayo said. “That’s what makes us a better team, when everybody is involved and flying around and making shots. The ball’s not sticking.”

Lauri Markkanen had 29 points and 14 rebounds for Utah. Jordan Clarkson scored 22 points and Malik Beasley chipped in 17 off the bench. Kelly Olynyk and Collin Sexton added 14 points apiece.

The Jazz made 17 3-pointers and 36 free throws but lost their fourth straight.

Utah erased a seven-point deficit and tied it at 123 with 6.3 seconds left on three free throws from Markkanen. Herro countered with his game-winning 3-pointer on the ensuing possession.

“You want the ball in his hands because you know he wants those moments,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said.

Miami made five straight baskets and scored on eight consecutive possessions overall to carve out a 62-52 lead late in the second quarter. Oladipo and Herro fueled the run with three baskets apiece.

Utah erased the deficit in the third quarter. Markkanen and Clarkson made back-to-back 3-pointers to spark an 11-0 run that gave the Jazz a 95-88 lead before quarter’s end.

“I just thought our intensity picked up and our communication was much better (in the second half),” Jazz coach Will Hardy said. “We need that from the beginning of the game. I’m proud of the way our team adjusted at halftime and stuck in there.”

RETURN TO FORM

Oladipo had his best offensive outing so far this season, posting his first 20-point game since making his season debut earlier in December. He finished with season highs in points, field goals made (7), assists (5), and rebounds (5).

The veteran guard appeared in 96 total games over the previous four seasons while battling injuries.

“My path and my journey is different than a lot of people’s (journeys) and I have to remember that and just continue to stay patient with myself,” Oladipo said. “Soon I’ll be exactly where I need to be.”

TIP-INS

Heat: Jimmy Butler was inactive (right knee injury management). . Six Miami players dished out at least four assists.

Jazz: Walker Kessler blocked back-to-back shot attempts by Adebayo in the first quarter. . Beasley went 5-of-8 from 3-point range after making four total outside baskets in his previous three games.

UP NEXT

Heat: Visit the Clippers on Monday.

Jazz: Host the Kings on Tuesday.

****NHL NEWS****

ALEX OVECHKIN HAS HAT TRICK, CAPITALS ROUT CANADIENS 9-2

WASHINGTON (AP) Alex Ovechkin scored almost at will against the Montreal Canadiens and moved a few steps closer to Wayne Gretzky’s NHL goal record.

Ovechkin recorded his 30th career hat trick to speed up his pursuit of Gretkzy’s mark, Charlie Lindgren made 31 saves against his first NHL team and the Washington Capitals skated circles around Montreal on the way to a 9-2 rout Saturday.

Asked if he enjoys facing the Canadiens after reaching 37 goals in 53 games against them, Ovechkin replied, “No, I just enjoy to play hockey.” He and the Capitals enjoyed every bit of this game.

Ovechkin’s 804th, 805th and 806th career goals put him 88 back of Gretzky’s record of 894 that long seemed unapproachable. He has scored six times in four games to reach 26 this season, past the halfway point to his 10th 50-goal season, which would be one more than the “Great One.”

Lindgren stopped former Canadiens teammate Nick Suzuki on a breakaway among a handful of key stops in winning for the ninth time in his past 10 starts. An undrafted free agent signing by Montreal, Lindgren is unbeaten in two games against the organization he spent his first five professional seasons with.

“They got some chances, but I thought we did a great job countering and obviously we did a good job putting the puck in the net, too,” Lindgren said. “I have a lot of respect for a lot of the guys on the team there. But beating your old team, it definitely feels a little sweeter.”

The Capitals dominated, absent a short stretch from late in the first period through five or so minutes of the second. They made the Canadiens look helpless and haphazard in their own zone, and on their seventh goal, multiple Washington players did laps around Montreal defenders before Marcus Johansson scored.

Erik Gustafsson, Garnet Hathaway and Nic Dowd scored before Ovechkin made it 4-1, center Dylan Strome finished for a power-play goal late in the second and Anthony Mantha added a goal. Washington has won 11 of 13 to go from struggling amid injuries to solidly in playoff position and should be getting reinforcements on the way soon in the form of forwards Tom Wilson, Nicklas Backstrom and T.J. Oshie on the verge of returning from injuries.

“This whole December how we played shows how good we are,” said Gustafsson, who has six goals and six assists during a Capitals’ season-best seven-game point streak. “And if we can keep this rolling – we have big players coming back too soon – it’s a fun stretch we have here.”

Wisconsin native and former University of Wisconsin star Cole Caufield scored his 20th and 21st goals of the season for the Canadiens in their fifth consecutive loss. He’s the first Montreal player to reach 20 goals in 37 of fewer games since Martin Rucinsky and Brian Savage in 1995-96.

“He’s pretty good – I’ll just leave it at that,” Lindgren said. “He got a couple tonight, but yeah he’s a great hockey player.”

Allen allowed nine goals on 38 shots for the Canadiens, who have lost eight of nine. Coach Martin St. Louis took some blame for leaving Allen in the entire game instead of pulling him.

“I probably could’ve helped him out,” St. Louis said. “They got to eight, nine with four minutes to go at that point, think I was past the point of no return in that department. But I think as a young coach, this is a learning experience for me.”

UP NEXT

Canadiens: Visit the Nashville Predators on Tuesday night.

Capitals: Wrap up their three-game homestand Tuesday night against the Buffalo Sabres.

NYQUIST SCORES TWICE, COLUMBUS BEATS CHICAGO TO SNAP SKID

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) Gustav Nyquist scored two short-handed goals, Joonas Korpisalo made 26 saves and the Columbus Blue Jackets ended a seven-game losing streak with a 4-1 win over the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday.

Emil Bemstrom and Kirill Marchenko scored for the Blue Jackets. Johnny Gaudreau had two assists for his 13th assist in December, tying a franchise record set by Artemi Panarin in 2017.

“We needed this for sure,” Nyquist said. “We’d lost a few in a row and to be able to go into the new year here with a win is nice.”

Andreas Athanasiou scored and Alex Stalock made 34 saves for the Blackhawks, who have one win in 12 games – and that was against the Blue Jackets on Dec. 23.

“It was probably one of our worst performances of the year,” Blackhawks coach Luke Richardson said of Saturday’s loss. “Just disconnected. “We’ve had a couple of those this year, not many.

“Our guys, I’ve got to give them credit, they push until the end most nights. Tonight, we were just frustrated.”

Nyquist scored the go-ahead goal in the second period and into an empty net with 39 seconds left in the game.

This was the rematch in the “Bedard Bowl”: Connor Bedard is the generational player for Regina of the Western Hockey League and is expected to be the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NHL draft. The Blackhawks are last in the NHL with 20 points, four fewer than the Blue Jackets.

Columbus had not lost eight straight in regulation since the start of the 2015-16 season.

Athanasiou gave Chicago a 1-0 lead at 11:33 of the first period. But Bemstrom tied it 1 at 8:40 of the first period off a feed by Gaudreau.

Bemstrom has two goals in two games since his call-up from Cleveland of the American Hockey League.

“When you’re just enjoying hockey and having fun you get confidence,” Bemstrom said.

Nyquist made it 2-1 at 3:50 of the second period with a short-handed goal before Marchenko upped the lead to 3-1 with three seconds left in the second.

The rookie has four goals in eight games since his second call-up from Cleveland and five goals in 12 games for the Blue Jackets.

Chicago was outshot 14-5 in the second period.

“Stalock made some real unbelievable saves to keep us in the game,” Athanasiou said. “It would have been nice to help him out more but he was huge back there.”

OFF THE ICE

Blue Jackets forward Patrik Laine sat his second straight game while in COVID-19 protocol. He has missed 14 games this season because of injury and illness. . Columbus goalie Elvis Merzlikins replaced Daniil Tarasov as the backup. Tarasov was hit in the mask with a shot during practice Friday. Merzlikins missed the past three games while recovering from COVID-19.

CHANGING FORTUNES

On New Year’s Eve 2016, the Blue Jackets put their 14-game winning streak on the line at Minnesota, winners of 12 straight. The game was the first in any of the four major North American professional sports leagues with each team on a winning streak of at least 12 games, according to Elias Sports Bureau. The Blue Jackets won 4-2 for their 15th of an eventual win streak of 16 games.

Exactly six years later, the Blue Jackets needed to beat Chicago to avoid tying the Blackhawks for the fewest points in the NHL.

UP NEXT

Chicago: Hosts San Jose on Sunday.

Columbus: At Ottawa on Tuesday.

VEGAS OVERCOMES FORSBERG’S HAT TRICK, BEATS NASHVILLE IN OT

LAS VEGAS (AP) Multiple injuries to the Golden Knights’ defensemen have meant more playing time for Vegas blue-liner Nicolas Hague.

But he also wants to contribute offensively, and when Mark Stone passed to Hague in the left circle Saturday in overtime, he didn’t waste the opportunity.

Firing what Knights coach Bruce Cassidy called “a freaking bomb,” Hague’s one-timer on a delayed penalty with 2:56 left defeated the Nashville Predators, 5-4, and Filip Forsberg, who had a hat trick.

“The defending part is really important to us because we need that, and he’s done a real good job with that,” Cassidy said of Hague, who scored just his second goal this season. “I know that internally players want to (be on) the scoresheet. That’s just human nature. So, yeah, it’s a big-time goal for him.”

Hague’s goal rescued the Knights after they blew a 4-2 third-period lead. Forsberg scored both goals to rally Nashville, including one on a 6-on-4 with 3.3 seconds left that sent the game into overtime.

“(Victory’s) right there, but that stuff’s going to happen,” Hague said. “We’ve done it to teams. Nothing’s going to change that.”

Vegas is 4-0 on the final day of the year, and heading into the new year with a Western Conference-leading 52 points.

Three players had a multiple-point game for the Knights. Chandler Stephenson had a goal and two assists, Keegan Kolesar a goal and an assist, and Mark Stone added three assists.

Forsberg’s three goals give him 501 career points. He is the third Nashville player to reach at least 500. He played in his 600th career game Friday at Anaheim and had a goal and two assists against the Ducks.

He has a team-record eight career hat tricks and nearly added a fourth goal early in overtime, but hit the left post. Forsberg extended his goals streak to three games. He has five goals and two assists in that span.

“I got a good start,” Forsberg said of his performance Saturday. “I think our line was playing well. Everybody was playing well in the third.”

The Predators had 20 shots on goal in the third period.

Nashville took a 2-0 lead in the first period on goals by Forsberg and Jeremy Lauzon. Lauzon’s was his first of the season, coming in his 28th appearance. It was his third career goal against Vegas.

“I thought those two goals are just like minor mistakes by us,” Stone said. “I didn’t think they were controlling the game out by any means. So I thought actually we were getting the better chances. Even when we were down 2-0, I thought we were playing pretty hockey. For the majority game, I thought we were the better team.”

The Knights cut the lead in half with 4:04 remaining when Kolesar redirected Daniil Miromanov’s shot from the point.

Vegas went ahead in the second period on goals from Michael Amadio and Reilly Smith, and Stephenson scored 4:42 into the third on a shot from the slot before the Predators stormed back.

NOTES

A player from each team was ejected midway through the second period. Vegas’ Brayden McNabb was tossed for elbowing Mark Jankowski in the head. The Predators’ Yakov Trenin was sent to the locker room for fighting McNabb, and he also received a two-minute minor for instigation. … Amadio stretched his points streak to six games (four goals, four assists) and Stone to five games (four goals, six assists). … Predators goalie Juuse Saros is one game away from making his 250th career appearance. He didn’t play against the Knights.

UP NEXT

Nashville: Hosts Montreal on Tuesday.

Vegas: At Colorado on Monday.

CATES, FLYERS SNAP KINGS’ UNBEATEN STREAK WITH 4-2 WIN

LOS ANGELES (AP) The Philadelphia Flyers are starting to find success through two unconventional means – short-handed goals and rookie goaltending.

Noah Cates scored a go-ahead, short-handed goal in the third period and Samuel Ersson made 27 saves to win for the second time in three starts as the Flyers snapped the Los Angeles Kings seven-game point streak with a 4-2 victory Saturday afternoon.

“We may not do the right things at certain times and may have struggles here and there, but we play hard,” coach John Tortorella said after the Flyers won consecutive games for the first time since Nov. 8. “I think if you continue to do that, you find a way to get some results.”

The Flyers have scored short-handed five times in the last six games. Cates gave Philadelphia a 3-2 lead at 13:01 of the third when his shot from the point went into the upper corner of the net.

“I just wanted to hop up and kill time. We had a couple of drivers go to the nets and I sifted one through a screen,” said Cates, who scored for the first time in 21 games. “Just killing those power plays can give us momentum. And if we put one in the back of the net, that’s huge for us.”

Ersson improved to 2-0 in net and kept the Kings scoreless after giving up a pair of first-period goals. After allowing five goals in his debut at Carolina on Dec. 23, he has allowed only five goals in the past two games.

“It’s huge, both for me and the group. We’re showing resilience and a lot of character,” Ersson said. “You feel like you always have a chance to come back in games like this. So just gotta keep going.”

Owen Tippett had a goal and an assist while Scott Laughton and Travis Konecny also scored for the Flyers, who have won three of their past five.

Philip Danault had a goal and extended his point streak to seven for the Kings, who were 6-0-1 coming into the game. Adrian Kempe also scored and Jonathan Quick made 19 saves.

“It felt like we could never get it going all night. We had spurts of good play, and then we’d fall off a little bit, so we probably got what we deserved tonight,” Kings coach Todd McLellan said.

Kempe opened the scoring with a power-play goal at 9:46 of the first period. The Kings had a two-man advantage and Kempe hammered in a one-timer from the right faceoff dot after getting a pass from defenseman Drew Doughty.

Laughton evened it at 12:15 of the first on the power play when he beat Quick on the short side with a slap shot from the right faceoff circle.

But 57 seconds later, Danault extended his point streak and gave the Kings a 2-1 lead when he got a pass from Viktor Arvidsson on a two-on-one rush and put a slap shot under Ersson’s glove from the left faceoff circle.

Danault, who has five goals and four assists during his streak, matched a career high set last season.

Tippett tied it at 9:02 of the second when he weaved past Los Angeles’ defense and knocked a snap shot into the upper corner of the net.

Konecny added an empty-net score with 27 seconds remaining.

GRAND MILESTONE

Los Angeles defenseman Alexander Edler played in his 1,000th NHL game. He became the 15th Swedish-born skater and sixth defenseman to reach that mark. He also was the 16th player to reach 1,000 games in 2022, marking the third calendar year in league history with as many players reaching the milestone (18 in 2002 and 16 in 2009).

UP NEXT

Flyers: Continue their road trip against Anaheim on Monday.

Kings: Host Dallas on Tuesday.

STAMKOS GETS 498TH GOAL, LIGHTNING BEAT COYOTES 5-3

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) Steven Stamkos scored his 498th goal and the Tampa Bay Lightning rallied to beat the Arizona Coyotes 5-3 on Saturday.

Stamkos stopped a six-game goal drought, putting the Lightning ahead 3-2 from the left circle during a power play at 11:12 of the second period.

“I guess it’s a good thing when you guys are calling six games a slump,” a smiling Stamkos said. “It’s something you learn to deal with as your career progresses.”

The star center tied Glenn Anderson for 47th place on the career goals list.

“Five-hundred goals is kind of a big-thing deal in this league,” Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman said.

Stamkos has 189 power-play goals, one away from tying Pierre Turgeon for 22nd all-time. Stamkos also had a third-period assist and tied Pat LaFontaine for 89th on the career points list with 1,013.

Brayden Point, Mikhail Sergachev, Alex Killorn and Brandon Hagel also scored as the Lightning won their seventh straight home game.

Point set a team record with a goal in eight consecutive home games. Victor Hedman had three assists, and Nikita Kucherov added two helpers to reach 40 assists in 35 games, the fastest in franchise history.

Tampa Bay was down 2-0 early.

“Just a rough couple minutes,” coach Jon Cooper said. “I didn’t think we started the game poorly, but unfortunate break on their first goal. I do like the way we kind of regrouped after that.”

Andrei Vasilevskiy, starting for the third time in four days, made 29 saves. With a game at Buffalo postponed due to a major snowstorm, the Lightning had six days off during the Christmas break before the three-game stretch.

“This won’t be a normal thing but we thought that much time off it was OK to get him some work,” Cooper said.

Arizona, which has lost nine straight road games (0-7-2), got goals from Travis Boyd, Christian Fischer and Nick Bjugstad. Karel Vejmelka stopped 30 shots.

“Turned over a lot of pucks, I think that was probably the biggest one that killed us tonight,” Fischer said. “They thrive on that transition game.”

Stamkos’ goal came 28 seconds after Sergachev scored. Arizona challenged the play for offside, but the call stood. The Coyotes received a minor penalty for the failed challenge, leading to Stamkos’ 17th goal this season.

“I made a mistake on the challenge,” Arizona coach Andre Tourigny said. “I thought it was a key moment in the game and it turned out against us.”

Bjugstad scored 92 seconds after Stamkos’ goal, but Tampa Bay went up 4-3 on Killorn’s breakaway goal with 1:01 left in the second.

Hagel had a power-play goal in the third.

Boyd and Fischer put Arizona up 2-0 with goals 34 seconds apart in the first.

Boyd got the opening goal when the rebound of his shot went off Tampa Bay defenseman Zach Bogosian 6:12 into the game.

Point cut the deficit to 2-1 at 10:53 of the first by knocking home a thigh-high puck. Point has 15 goals in his last 16 games.

ONE-SIDED

The Lightning look to continue their dominance over the Blackhawks on Tuesday night in Chicago. Since the Blackhawks beat Tampa Bay 4-2 in the 2015 Stanley Cup Final, the Lightning have won 17 of 20 regular-season meetings between the teams. Vasilevskiy is 13-0-0 in regular-season games against Chicago. The Blackhawks split two games when facing Vasilevskiy in the 2015 Final.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Coyotes center Nick Schmaltz sat out with an upper-body injury.

UP NEXT

Coyotes: Play at Florida on Tuesday night.

Lightning: The visit to Chicago starts a three-game trip.

HARTMAN SCORES TWICE TO HELP WILD BEAT BLUES 5-2

ST. LOUIS (AP) Ryan Hartman scored twice in the second period to help the Minnesota Wild beat the St. Louis Blues 5-2 on Saturday night in their first meeting since the first round of the playoffs last season.

Jordan Greenway, Matt Dumba and Jared Spurgeon also scored for the Wild, who lost that postseason series in six games. Marc-Andre Fleury made 29 saves.

“I feel like we owed them,” Fleury said. “It doesn’t fix last spring, but it’s still nice to get a win here.”

Minnesota has earned at least one point in eight of its last nine games.

The Wild won a regular-season game in St. Louis for the first time since Nov. 11, 2018.

“Not good enough tonight,” Blues coach Craig Berube said. “That’s the bottom line. We made too many mistakes tonight to win the hockey game, end of story.”

Calle Rosen and Robert Bortuzzo scored for St. Louis. Jordan Binnington stopped 27 of 31 shots, falling to 7-2-1 in 10 career starts against the Wild.

“Knowing where we’re at statistically and a division opponent, that shouldn’t be a game where passion needs to be injected into it,” Bortuzzo said. “I didn’t think it was early, but I thought we lost a little bit of that as the game went on.”

The Blues pulled Binnington with 5:49 remaining. Greenway scored his second goal of the season into an empty net 1:45 later to give Minnesota a three-goal cushion.

Spurgeon gave the Wild a 4-2 lead with his fifth goal 49 seconds into the third period.

Bortuzzo scored his first of the season 5:01 into the second but Hartman followed with his second of the game and fourth of the season 12 seconds later to put the Wild back up 3-2.

“It felt good,” Hartman said. “I’ve had not a whole lot of chances the few games I’ve been back. The opportunity to score tonight, there was a couple, and they went in. It feels good and I’m happy to contribute again.”

Hartman scored his first goal of the game early in the second after Frederick Gaudreau intercepted the puck from Binnington behind his net to put the Wild ahead 2-1.

“The two goals, I think, impacted us in the second period,” Binnington said. “I’ve got to be better. I was too casual, and it came back to bite me in the butt. It happens.”

Dumba scored his fourth goal of the season 13:02 into the first period to tie it 1-all.

“We started a little bit sleepy,” Wild coach Dean Evason said. “I don’t think anything changed. I think we just got into the game, and got our legs under us. The guys are always positive on the bench even though the start wasn’t what we wanted, and we were able to find ourselves, obviously, pretty quickly.”

Rosen scored on a feed from Robert Thomas 5:41 into the game. Rosen has scored in each of his last three games, and has a career-best five goals in 20 games this season after scoring just two in his previous 38 NHL games.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Blues RW Vladimir Tarasenko left with an upper-body injury after blocking a shot with his right hand in the first period. Tarasenko missed Thursday night’s game against Chicago due to illness.

CHIP-INS

St. Louis defensemen have seven goals over the team’s last five games. . Binnington played in his 28th game, tying Igor Shesterkin of the New York Rangers for most by a goaltender this season. . Minnesota has earned a point in 24 of its last 38 games against St. Louis.

UP NEXT

Wild: Host the Tampa Bay Lightning on Wednesday night.

Blues: Play at Toronto to open a four-game trip Tuesday night.

RED WINGS SCORE 3 GOALS EARLY IN 3RD TO BEAT SENATORS 4-2

DETROIT (AP) Lucas Raymond had a goal and an assist, and the Detroit Red Wings scored three times in the first 3 1/2 minutes of the third period to beat the Ottawa Senators 4-2 on Saturday night.

Elmer Soderblom had the go-ahead goal for the Red Wings, who trailed 2-1 entering the final period. Pius Suter and Michael Rasmussen also scored, while Magnus Hellberg made 20 saves.

Detroit erased a four-goal deficit against Pittsburgh two games earlier and pulled out an overtime victory.

“I think it’s positive we can score in bunches,” Rasmussen said. “I don’t think we want to be down like that like we have been for the past few games. But it’s always encouraging when you can score a few in a couple minutes there. I think we’ve just got to start a little better.”

Austin Watson and Claude Giroux scored for the Senators, and Cam Talbot stopped 21 shots.

Drake Batherson extended his point streak to 13 games for Ottawa with a first-period assist. Alex DeBrincat, who also had an assist in the first, has at least one point in 13 of the last 14 games.

The Senators grabbed a 2-0 lead in the opening period.

Watson scored his third goal on a wrist shot from the slot. Giroux got his 15th when he flipped a backhand over Hellberg’s right shoulder.

Detroit scored the only goal of the second when Suter converted a behind-the-net feed from Raymond for his fifth goal.

Raymond wound up serving six penalty minutes later in the period but Ottawa was unable to extend its lead. Those penalty kills set the stage for Detroit’s third-period rally.

“It was a tough spot. We’ve got our PK to thank a lot for that,” Raymond said. “It’s not fun to sit in that box, but we built momentum from that. Obviously, we don’t want to get in those situations but it felt real good coming back and winning it.”

The Red Wings took the lead with three goals in the first 3:13 of the third.

“I don’t know if it was the energy in the building or if we just weren’t confident in what we were doing, but they took it to us and we just weren’t able to stop them,” Watson said.

Raymond scored his ninth goal by redirecting Olli Maatta’s shot from the point. Soderblom scored his fifth with a drive from the edge of the left circle. Talbot then committed a turnover while trying to pass the puck from behind the net. Rasmussen turned the giveaway into his seventh goal and a 4-2 Detroit lead.

“It’s tough to fight through that (first period) and I think our guys felt a little sorry for themselves,” Red Wings coach Derek Lalonde said. “We probably lost some momentum after those goals but credit to our guys, they pushed back in the second and in the third. A complete comeback team effort.”

Ottawa coach D.J. Smith felt his team simply got outplayed.

“We just weren’t good enough,” he said. “We got away from the game plan when we got the 2-0 lead, but that happens. You have to be able to grab the game and hold the momentum. They came out in the third period ready to make a push and we weren’t ready for that push.”

NOTES: Ottawa won the previous five meetings. … DeBrincat has 27 points in 18 career games against Detroit, while Giroux has 31 points in 31 games. … Red Wings G Ville Husso was inactive for the second straight game with an illness. … It was the 66th time the Red Wings hosted a New Year’s Eve game. They have won 34 of them.

UP NEXT

Senators: Host the Buffalo Sabres on Sunday.

Red Wings: Host the New Jersey Devils on Wednesday.

MICHAEL BUNTING SCORES 2, MAPLE LEAFS TOP AVALANCHE 6-2

DENVER (AP) Michael Bunting had two goals, Auston Matthews and T.J. Brodie scored 24 seconds apart in the second period, and the Toronto Maple Leafs spoiled Nathan MacKinnon’s return with a 6-2 win over the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday night.

Matthews added an assist to his 18th goal, Mitch Marner and Pierre Engvall also scored, and Matt Murray stopped 26 shots for Toronto.

“They got Nate back tonight, which gives them a big push,” Matthews said. “I thought we would be defended really well and limited their time and space. It’s a big win for us to end this trip off against a good team and get back home.”

MacKinnon missed 10 games with an upper-body injury suffered Dec. 5 against Philadelphia. His initial timeline was returning next week, but he was able to get back early, finishing with a minus-3 in 22:19 of ice time.

“He had his legs underneath him,” coach Jared Bendar said. “I thought his timing might be off a little bit, but obviously Nate keeps himself in great condition, came back ready to skate and play. He was pretty dangerous at times. It’ll take him a game or two to figure out the timing of it, but I thought he played pretty hard tonight.”

J.T. Compher had a goal and an assist, and Devon Toews scored for Colorado, which has dropped two straight.

The Maple Leafs finished 2-1 on their road trip and held onto a third period lead after losing late advantages at St. Louis and Arizona.

“The last couple games we’ve been sitting back a little too much,” Marner said of the third period. “We didn’t do that tonight.”

Saturday night they were ahead by a goal late in the second period when they added two quick insurance goals. Matthews converted a turnover by former teammate Denis Malgin into a goal at 15 minutes, and Brodie stole MacKinnon’s clearing attempt along the boards and scored his second goal.

That ended goaltender Alexandar Georgiev’s night after he allowed five goals on 24 shots. Jonas Johansson had six saves in relief.

“It wasn’t poor effort, our guys are giving the effort, but he didn’t play his best,” Bednar said of Georgiev. “We’ve certainly seen him play better than he played tonight, which is why we made the change in goal.”

Bunting scored into an empty net at 16:11 of the third, his 11th of the season.

“At the end of the first and second periods you could see them come alive,” Toronto coach Sheldon Keefe said. “The task was to make sure they didn’t do that in the third, and I thought we did a good job of it.”

Marner and Engvall gave Toronto a 2-0 lead in the first with goals 2:36 apart and Compher scored his seventh at 17:28.

The Avalanche took a penalty eight seconds into the third period and Bunting scored at 34 seconds. Toews made it 3-2 when his shot went off Matthews’ skate in the crease at 9:45.

NOTES: John Tavares and William Nylander had two assists each for the Maple Leafs. … Since moving to Colorado in 1995, the Avalanche are 4-4-2 at home on New Year’s Eve. … RW Dryden Hunt played in his second game after being dealt to Toronto by Colorado on Dec. 19. … Avalanche G Pavel Francouz (lower body) missed his third straight game.

UP NEXT

Maple Leafs: Host St. Louis on Tuesday night.

Avalanche: Host Vegas on Monday night.

OLFOSSON’S 1ST NHL GOAL POWERS STARS TO 5-2 WIN OVER SHARKS

DALLAS (AP) Fredrik Olofsson’s first NHL goal was the eventual winner, and the Dallas Stars beat the San Jose Sharks 5-2 on Saturday night.

Joe Pavelski had a goal and two assists, and Jason Robertson had a goal and an assist for the Stars, who ran their winning streak to a season-best four games. Jake Oettinger, who made 28 saves, recorded all four wins. Roope Hintz had a short-handed goal with 4:42 to play, and Esa Lindell scored into an empty net with 1:13 left.

Olofsson, playing in his third game and first at home, redirected a pass from Pavelski while charging through the slot, scoring at 10:45 of the second period. That goal came 1:42 after San Jose tied the score at 2.

“You really can’t describe it,” said the 26-year-old wing who was recalled from Texas of the AHL on Tuesday. “It’s an unbelievable pass. I’m at the end of my shift, and `Pavs’ finds me there. I mean, it feels great.”

San Jose’s Erik Karlsson, who leads NHL defensemen with 51 points, extended his point streak to 12 games – every game the Sharks played in December – to tie a franchise record.

Alexander Barabanov and Oskar Lindblom scored and James Reimer stopped 26 shots for the Sharks, who have lost three straight (0-2-1) and six of their last seven (1-4-2).

Pavelski, who played 13 seasons for the Sharks before signing with Dallas in July 2019, and Robertson scored power-play goals 2:12 apart midway through the first period, erasing a 1-0 Sharks lead.

With two power-play goals and a short-handed score, Dallas also killed all four Sharks power plays.

“Obviously, the power play gets a couple of goals, but the penalty kill was big,” said Pavelski, who has three goals and seven points in six games against San Jose.

The Stars came in with the league’s fifth-best power play (27.8%) facing San Jose’s top-ranked penalty kill (85.0%) and went 2 for 3. They’ve scored power-play goals in each of their last five games (9 for 21).

“I liked our game tonight 5 on 5 for sure,” first-year Sharks coach David Quinn said. “I thought we played a good hockey game, but special teams let us down. Our power play had opportunities to make a difference and unfortunately at a key time (trailing by one with six minutes left) ends up giving up a short-handed goal.”

Barabanov scored the game’s first goal, 5:13 in, flicking a shot from the left side that trickled through Oettinger.

Lindblom lifted a backhander past Oettinger at 9:03 of the second period for the tying goal after Marc-Edouard Vlasic’s shot from the left point was blocked in front of the net.

Karlsson had 19 points in the month to lead all NHL defensemen and had assists in every game. His point streak ties former San Jose forwards Rob Gaudreau (1992-93) and Jonathan Cheechoo (2005-06).

Robertson has a seven-game point streak with two goals and 11 points. Hintz has a five-game point streak (six goals, seven points) giving him 99 career NHL goals.

Miro Heiskanen assisted on both Dallas power-play goals.

NOTES: Dallas is 15-0-0 when leading after two periods. . With the assists by Karlsson and Vlasic, the Sharks are the first NHL team with 100 points this season from defensemen. . Radek Faksa’s secondary assist on Olofsson’s goal was the checking center’s first point in 13 games. . Jamie Benn, with an assist on Hintz’s goal, has a season-high eight-game point streak for his longest since January 2018. . Reimer, in his 13th NHL season, was denied his 200th career win.

UP NEXT

Sharks: Complete a road back-to-back against the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday.

Stars: Begin a Southern California back-to-back against the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday.

WEEGAR GETS FIRST GOAL WITH FLAMES IN 3-2 WIN OVER CANUCKS

CALGARY, Alberta (AP) Defenseman Mackenzie Weegar scored his first goal with Calgary and added an assist Saturday night to lead the Flames to a 3-2 victory over the Vancouver Canucks.

Elias Lindholm and Blake Coleman also scored for Calgary (18-13-7), which has points in 12 of its last 15 games (8-3-4).

Sheldon Dries and Elias Pettersson scored for Vancouver (16-17-3), which has dropped two straight on the road after winning seven in a row in opposition rinks.

Getting the start for the Flames, Jacob Markstrom made 22 stops to improve to 12-9-4.

At the other end, Spencer Martin had 27 saves. His record slipped to 11-6-1.

After a scoreless first period, Calgary surged in front 1:21 into the second when Lindholm kept the puck on a 2-on-1 rush and fired a shot past Martin.

The Flames made it 2-0 on a short-handed goal at 9:32 of the second on a sequence that was set up on a superb outlet pass by Weegar.

Weegar scored the eventual game-winner making it 3-0 at 14:17 when his point shot eluded Martin.

Dries got one back for Vancouver at 15:28 on a strange one, knocking a puck in from waist-level after it had fluttered into the air on one side of the net and came down on the other side where Dries was the first to spot it.

The resilient Canucks climbed within one at 4:06 of the third when Pettersson buried a rebound, but Vancouver could not find the tying goal although they pushed hard.

UP NEXT

Vancouver: Host the New York Islanders on Tuesday.

Calgary: At Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday.

HELLEBUYCK, PIONK, CONNOR LEAD JETS TO 2-1 WIN OVER OILERS

EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) Neal Pionk and Kyle Connor each had a goal and an assist as the Winnipeg Jets defeated the Edmonton Oilers 2-1 on Saturday night.

Connor Hellebuyck made 31 saves for the Jets, who mustered only 17 shots on goal.

“When you’re clearly half a step behind a lot of the night, your goalie gives you that confidence that, `OK, we’ll get going eventually,'” Winnipeg coach Rick Bowness said. “We started to skate better at times and then when there was a breakdown, he was there for us. The guys have a tremendous amount of confidence in him.”

Klim Kostin scored for the Oilers, who have lost four straight at home. Connor McDavid’s point streak was stopped at 17 games – the Edmonton captain had 37 points (16 goals, 21 assists) during the run.

“I think we played a pretty solid team game,” Oilers defenseman Tyson Barrie said. “We didn’t give up a ton of chances and we created some looks and had some chances to get one, two, three, four goals, but we just didn’t get it done. Some nights you play well and don’t get the result you are looking for. It is frustrating, but it is part of the game.”

Edmonton controlled most of the early action, but it was Winnipeg that struck first with a power-play goal with 4:16 remaining in the opening period. Connor made a nifty backhand pass to Pionk and he snapped in his sixth goal before Oilers goaltender Jack Campbell could get across.

McDavid rang a shot off the post midway through the second and set up Ryan Nugent-Hopkins for an excellent opportunity late in the period that Hellebuyck stopped.

“It seems like when we need him the most, it seems like he’s there,” Connor said. “Clutch times, he’s a clutch player. He’s by far one of the best players in the league. He’s a leader in that locker room, too, and he had some good stuff tonight.”

Edmonton outshot Winnipeg 20-10 through 40 minutes.

The Oilers tied it 4:29 into the third off a faceoff as Kostin beat Hellebuyck up high for his third goal in the last two games and fifth of the season.

Winnipeg regained the lead 2 1/2 minutes later when Connor tipped a long shot by Pionk past Campbell for his 16th of the season.

“Good teams find a way and we found a way tonight,” Bowness said.

Edmonton had a late power play but couldn’t get another puck past Hellebuyck. It also appeared Kostin might have sustained a serious leg injury in the waning seconds.

The potent Oilers power play went 0 for 5.

“It may not have been our A game tonight, but the penalty kill was huge going up against one of the best power plays in the league,” Connor said. “Just a lot of unselfish guys back there getting in front of lanes and blocking a lot of shots.”

NOTES: Winnipeg was missing seven players: Nikolaj Ehlers (sports hernia), Mason Appleton (wrist), Saku Maenalanen (upper body), Logan Stanley (upper body), Nate Schmidt (upper body), Blake Wheeler (groin) and Cole Perfetti (upper body). Star defenseman Josh Morrissey exited the previous game Thursday against Vancouver in the third period with a lower-body injury, but returned against the Oilers. . F Kristian Reichel made his season debut with the Jets. . The Oilers were without Evander Kane (wrist), Ryan Murray (back) and Leon Draisaitl (undisclosed). It was the eighth game Draisaitl has missed since 2016.

UP NEXT

Jets: Host the Calgary Flames on Tuesday.

Oilers: Host the Seattle Kraken on Tuesday in the second game of a four-game homestand.

AVALANCHE ACTIVATE NATHAN MACKINNON OFF INJURED RESERVE

DENVER (AP) The Colorado Avalanche activated forward Nathan MacKinnon from injured reserve before their game against Toronto on Saturday night.

MacKinnon has missed the last 11 games with an upper-body injury. His 26 assists were tied for the league lead when he went out during the first period of a game at Philadelphia on Dec. 5. He also has eight goals.

The 27-year-old signed an eight-year extension in August after helping the Avalanche to their third Stanley Cup title in franchise history.

The injury-riddled Avalanche remain without forwards Gabriel Landeskog, Valeri Nichushkin, Darren Helm and Martin Kaut, as well as defensemen Bowen Byram and Josh Manson. Goaltender Pavel Francouz also has missed the last two games with an upper-body injury.

TOP INDIANA RELEASES

****INDIANA PACERS****

INSTANT REWIND: PACERS 131, CLIPPERS 130

With the Pacers’ final game of 2022 on the line, Tyrese Haliburton took it upon himself in crunch.

Indiana’s 22-year-old point guard scored 13 of the Pacers’ final 15 points down the stretch, dueling with former Pacer Paul George and ultimately giving Indiana (20-17) a 131-130 win over the Los Angeles Clippers (21-17).

Haliburton finished with 24 points, 10 assists, seven rebounds, and four steals in the win, coming on strong in the fourth quarter.

Myles Turner was also sensational in the final frame and all night for Indiana, scoring a team-high 34 points while going 11-for-17 from the field and 10-for-10 from the free throw line.

Their combined effort was just enough to overcome a brilliant performance by George, who had 45 points, nine rebounds, four assists, and three steals in the building he called home for seven seasons. The 6-8 forward went 15-for-25 from the field, 7-for-13 from 3-point range, and 8-for-8 from the charity stripe.

The Clippers had successfully rallied from a double-digit deficit and led 116-110 with 5:27 remaining in Saturday’s contest. The Pacers climbed back to within two thanks to two Turner three-point plays on back-to-back possessions, then tied the game at 118 on a pair of Haliburton free throws with 3:47 to play.

After the two teams traded misses, George knifed through the lane and drew a foul on Aaron Nesmith at 3:05, then hit both foul shots to put the visitors back in front.

Haliburton gave Indiana the lead a short while later, using a screen to create separation a draining a three from the right wing to put Indiana in front 121-120 with 2:32 to play.

On the other end, George got Nesmith to bite on a shot fake and drained a triple from in front of the visitors bench that gave him 40 points on the night. Haliburton raced right back down the court and got to the rim, tying the game at 123 as the clock ticked under two minutes.

Kawhi Leonard found a cutting Ivica Zubac on the baseline for a basket that put the Clippers back in front with 1:10 remaining, but once again Haliburton answered, this time getting to the lane and drawing contact for a go-ahead three-point play with 57.4 seconds to play.

After Marcus Morris Sr. missed an open three on the left wing, Haliburton once again attacked the basket. The referees whistled a foul on George. Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue challenged the ruling but was unsuccessful, and Haliburton headed to the line again with 29 seconds to play.

The third-year guard drilled both free throws. On the other end, George then drew a foul on Nesmith (which fouled him out) and hit two free throws of his own with 20.8 seconds remaining.

The Clippers were forced to foul, electing to send Turner to the line with 13 seconds to play. The veteran big man also hit both and Leonard missed a potentially game-tying 3-pointer on the other end. Haliburton soared in to grab the board, then sealed the victory at the free throw line by hitting one of two with 5.3 seconds left.

George drilled another three at the buzzer to cap a 45-point performance, but the Pacers survived with a one-point victory.

Buddy Hield had 18 points and eight rebounds for Indiana in the win, going 5-for-12 from 3-point range. Nesmith added 16 points, while Bennedict Mathurin chipped in 15 off the bench.

Hield continued his red-hot shooting early on Saturday. The Pacers sharpshooter scored 12 points in the first quarter and went 3-for-6 from 3-point range to help Indiana out to a 32-22 lead after the opening frame.

Mathurin gave the Blue & Gold a boost off the bench in the second quarter. The rookie scored nine straight Indiana points over one stretch to help keep Indiana in front.

George did his best to rally the Clippers. The former Pacer scored 12 points in the frame and helped the visitors cut the deficit to five twice in the last four minutes.

With Indiana nursing a 57-52 lead and the final minute approaching, Hield connected from the left corner for his fourth three of the night. After a stop, Turner drew a foul on George and hit both free throws with 34.7 seconds remaining.

On the other end, Leonard got to the lane and converted a three-point play with 19.4 seconds left to cut the lead back to seven at 62-55 entering halftime.

The Pacers pushed the margin back to double digits shortly after the intermission, with Turner’s layup at the 9:12 mark in the third quarter giving the hosts a 73-62 lead. The Clippers answered with an 11-2 surge capped by Reggie Jackson’s three-point play at 6:58 to make it a one-possession game.

Hield hit another three to push the margin back to six and the two teams ultimately traded points on seven straight possessions.

The Clippers eventually tied the game at 83 when George drained a trey from the right corner at 4:29. Nesmith answered with a three of his open on the other end before George responded with another three to tie the game once again at the 3:54 mark.

Indiana held the Clippers scoreless over the next 2:50, building their lead back up to 91-86 behind three free throws and a Jalen Smith reverse layup.

Two Marcus Morris free throws at the 1:04 mark ended the Clippers drought and then Leonard got a dunk in transition with 47.1 seconds left to make it a one-point game.

T.J. McConnell scored at the rim with 26.6 seconds left in the frame, but Leonard hit a stepback three with 3.4 seconds remaining to knot the game up at 93 entering the fourth quarter.

McConnell put Indiana in front early in the fourth quarter, jumping a passing lane and racing down for an easy layup. George then found Luke Kennard in the corner for an open three to give the Clippers their first lead since the first quarter with 11:18 to play.

There were three ties and two lead changes over the next three minutes. The Clippers opened up a four-point lead following a George layup and Kennard three. The two teams then traded baskets on eight consecutive possessions, with the Pacers drawing back within one on three separate occasions, all of it just a prelude to the nail-biting finish.

Leonard finished with 24 points, five rebounds, and seven assists for the Clippers. Morris added 15 points and Jackson scored 13 for the visitors.

The Pacers have won three consecutive home games to close out 2022 and will try to go a perfect 4-0 on their homestand when they host Toronto on Monday for their first game in the new year.

Inside the Numbers

Turner topped 30 points for the third time this season. His 34 points on Saturday were the second most he has scored in a game this season and it was his third-highest scoring performance of his eight-year career.

Indiana outscored the Clippers 58-40 in points in the paint, a significant reversal from their loss to the Clippers in Los Angeles on Nov. 27, where they were outscored 66-48 on the interior.

Hield, the NBA leader in 3-pointers made this season, made five 3-pointers for the third straight game and the fifth time in his last seven contests.

Mathurin went 7-for-10 from the free throw line on Saturday, his seventh game this season attempting double-digit free throws.

George’s 45 points were a season high and his most in a game since he had 46 in a win at Minnesota on Dec. 13, 2019. His 45 points also matched his most ever in Gainbridge Fieldhouse, as he also had 45 for the Pacers in a 115-111 loss to Oklahoma City on March 19, 2016.

Stat of the Night

Haliburton scored 18 points in the fourth quarter, matching the most points he has scored in a single quarter. He went 5-for-6 from the field, 2-for-2 from 3-point range, and 6-for-7 from the free throw line over the final frame and scored 13 of Indiana’s final 15 points.

Up Next

The Pacers will wrap up a four-game homestand against Pascal Siakam and the Toronto Raptors on Monday, Jan. 2 at 7:00 PM ET at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

****INDIANAPOLIS COLTS****

GAME PREVIEW: COLTS VS. GIANTS, WEEK 17

The Colts have two games left that you may feel are meaningless – the Colts were eliminated from the 2022 playoffs before kicking off on Monday night against the Los Angeles Chargers, after all. But for the players and coaches who will take the field on Sunday at MetLife Stadium, these last two games mean a great deal in a league where little is guaranteed, and your place in it is constantly being evaluated.

“We’re playing for one another, playing for pride, playing for our resumes at the end of the day,” veteran safety Rodney McLeod Jr. said. “So, we have two more opportunities to go out there and showcase what we can do and what we’re about as a group and as this 2022 Indianapolis Colts team. We don’t take that for granted. We’re going to continue to work, and we’ve obviously got an opportunity to go out there today at practice, practice hard, prepare well and go out there to get a W on Sunday.”

There will be plenty on the line for the 2022 Colts, then, against the New York Giants on New Year’s Day. For the Colts’ impending free agents – a group that includes McLeod, wide receiver Parris Campbell, defensive end Yannick Ngakoue and linebacker Bobby Okereke – Sunday’s game is one of two final opportunities to play well and show the Colts and 31 other teams they’re deserving of a contract this spring.

For the Colts’ rookie class, these last two games are critically important development opportunities to take advantage of heading into their first full offseasons as pros.

And for the Colts players who are under contract for 2023, playing well down the stretch is important since, again, few things are guaranteed in the NFL.

“Everyone wants to finish well and do it the right way,” quarterback Nick Foles said. “Finish strong. Obviously, we’re not playing for the postseason right now, but everyone here, this is their career. This is something they grew up wanting to do and we have an opportunity to be in the NFL as players and as coaches. I think finishing it the right way and finishing it strong by bringing it every single day is our responsibility and something we need to do.”

While the Colts have lost five consecutive games and have a 4-10-1 record, players and coaches haven’t seen the team’s collective effort dip during this late-season skid – and that’s because there’s still plenty for this group to play for on Sunday, and then next weekend against the Houston Texans.

“I think every single guy knows the situation that we’re in,” center Ryan Kelly said. “You have two games left and you’re not guaranteed anything in this league. This team has two games together left. After that, it will never look the same. We’ll go out there and give it our best. If you’re a professional and you want to stay in this league you go out there and no matter the circumstances, you play hard. If you’re out of the playoff situation, you go out there and don’t give effort and you don’t try hard, everybody else in the league sees that. The mindset of the team right now is to go out there and leave everything on the field.”

5 Things To Watch

The Colts’ downfield passing attack. The Colts tried to push the ball downfield early against the Los Angeles Chargers on Monday night, with Nick Foles attempting four passes that traveled 20 or more yards beyond the line of scrimmage in the first half. That first half total was a season high; previously, the most passes of 20+ yards the Colts attempted in the first half of a game was two (with Sam Ehlinger at quarterback in Weeks 8 and 9).

But while the Colts tried to stretch the Chargers’ defense, Foles didn’t complete any of those four passes and was intercepted on one of them. For the season, the Colts are 11/35 on downfield throws, and those 11 completions are a league-low for passes of 20+ yards beyond the line of scrimmage.

The Giants’ defense, though, could present some more opportunities for Foles to push the ball downfield. Only two teams have been targeted more on deep throws than the Giants (81 times), although New York is allowing a completion percentage of just 27.5 percent, fifth-lowest in the NFL.

What Zack Moss can do with another opportunity. Moss carried 12 times for 65 yards (5.4 yards/carry) against the Chargers, flashing impressive toughness after contact on those runs. The Colts would’ve liked to get him involved more but weren’t able to find an offensive rhythm on Monday with Foles taking seven sacks and throwing three interceptions.

“Every time I looked up, Zack was breaking tackles and moving the pile,” interim head coach Jeff Saturday said.

The Giants, though, are last in the NFL in rushing yards allowed per play (5.4) and 28th in rushing yards allowed per game (146). Moss, along with Deon Jackson and Jordan Wilkins, is auditioning to be the Colts’ No. 2 running back in 2023 behind Jonathan Taylor, and Sunday afternoon will be another big opportunity for him to put some good things on tape.

A challenge for Will Fries. We already touched on Bernhard Raimann’s growth at left tackle, but how about the other young guy who’s stepped in to a starting role on the Colts’ offensive line in Fries? The 2021 seventh-round pick earned the highest Pro Football Focus pass blocking grade (79.8) and overall grade (84.7) of his career against the Chargers in Week 16, and will be tested by the Giants’ outstanding interior defensive line duo of veteran Leonard Williams and Pro Bowler Dexter Lawrence.

“He’s getting better every week, but I love his heart and his drive,” Saturday said. “Every time he does make a mistake and you get after him, he’s one of those guys — he looks down and you can clearly see it because he’s one of those guys that flushes pretty well. So when you get on him, he’s red, he’s hot, he’s angry, but then he corrects himself pretty well. He’s one of those guys, you don’t have to correct him twice on the same thing. It’s coming at him fast, not a lot of expectation he was going to play a lot this year but I love that you’re not having to correct and re-train over and over. And he takes it, uses those experiences and grows from it.”

More game-wrecking from Dayo Odeyingbo. Another second-year player who’s coming on strong is Odeyingbo, the 2021 second-round pick, who has 3 1/2 sacks, four quarterback hits and two tackles for a loss over his last two games. The Colts value Odeyingbo’s versatility to play both outside and inside on their defensive line – he’s mostly lined up on the left outside, but kicked inside on about a third of his snaps last week against the Chargers. Only Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert – who Odeyingbo got to twice on Monday – has been under pressure on more dropbacks than Giants quarterback Daniel Jones (257) this season.

“Each week he’s improved,” defensive coordinator Gus Bradley said. “He’s gotten better and better not only in the run game but in the pass game. He’s plays bigger than his weight. He’s a load out there and we are just taking a look at him for the different things he can do and looking at our combinations that can be on the field at the same time.”

What’s next for Rodney Thomas II? Thomas, the 2022 seventh-round pick from Yale, enters Week 17 with a team-high three interceptions – including a pick in each of his last two games. Since stepping in for an injured Julian Blackmon in Week 3, Thomas has played at least 25 percent of the Colts’ defensive snaps in every game; he’s started eight games and has 43 tackles and two pass break-ups to go with those three interceptions.

“I’ve liked his progress,” Bradley said. “He continues to help us try and make plays and for a young guy doing that, you have to be impressed.”

Not bad for the No. 239 overall pick in last year’s draft.

REGULAR-SEASON SERIES HISTORY

LEADER Giants lead all-time series, 10-6

STREAKS Colts have won past 4

LAST GAME 12/23/18: Giants 27 at Colts 28

LAST GAME AT SITE 11/3/14: Colts 40, Giants 24

COLTS NOTES:

LAST WEEK L 20-3 vs. L.A. Chargers (Mon.)

COACH VS. OPP. Jeff Saturday: 0-0

PTS. FOR 16.5

OFFENSE 309.9

PASSING Nick Foles: 17-29-143-0-3-31.9

RUSHING Zack Moss (2022): 60-268-4.5-0

RECEIVING Michael Pittman: 90-854-9.5-2

PTS. AGAINST 23.8

DEFENSE 328.3

SACKS Yannick Ngakoue: 9.5

INTs Rodney Thomas: 3

TAKE/GIVE -13 (17/30)

PUNTING (NET) Matt Haack: 44.6 (40.5)

KICKING Chase McLaughlin: 100 (16/16 PAT; 28/33 FG)

QB NICK FOLES passed for 143 yards in 1st start of season last week. Passed for 4 TDs vs. 0 INTs with 115.8 rating in his last start vs. NYG (12/17/17 w/ Phi.). Has 2+ TD passes in each of 3 career starts vs. NYG. • RB ZACK MOSS aims for 3rd in row with 65+ rush yards. • WR MICHAEL PITTMAN aims for 3rd in row with 4+ catches. Has 7+ catches & 50+ rec. yards in 2 of his past 3 on road & 7 of his past 8 vs. NFC. Needs 146 rec. yards to become 4th player in franchise history with 1,000+ rec. yards in consecutive seasons, joining HOFer Marvin Harrison, T.Y. Hilton & Reggie Wayne. • WR ALEC PIERCE ranks 5th among rookies with 536 rec. yards. • TE JELANI WOODS (rookie) led team with 43 rec. yards last week. Leads rookie TEs with 3 rec. TDs this season. • DE YANNICK NGAKOUE aims for 3rd in row with TFL. Has 0.5+ sacks in 5 of his past 6 on road. Had 2 sacks & FF in his last game vs. NYG (11/7/21 w/ LV). • DE DAYO ODEYINGBO aims for 3rd in row with 1.5+ sacks. • DT DEFOREST BUCKNER had 1.5 sacks & 2nd FF of season last week. Aims for 3rd in row with sack. Has 0.5+ sacks in 3 of his past 4 on road. Had 0.5 sacks & PD in his last game vs. NYG (11/12/18 w/ SF). • LB ZAIRE FRANKLIN had 9 tackles & 2nd sack of season in Week 16. Aims for 7th in row with 9+ tackles, Has TFL in 2 of past 3 overall & 4 of past 5 on road. • CB STEPHON GILMORE aims for his 4th in row on road with 5+ tackles & 2+ PD. Had INT & career-high 5 PD in his last game vs. NYG (10/10/19 w/ NE) & has INT in each of 2 career games vs. NYG. Has 29 career INTs, tied 5th-most among active players.

GIANTS NOTES:

LAST WEEK L 27-24 at Minnesota (Sat.)

COACH VS. OPP. Brian Daboll: 0-0

PTS. FOR 20.7

OFFENSE 333.2

PASSING Daniel Jones: 298-448-3,028-13-5-90.7

RUSHING Saquon Barkley: 283-1,254-4.4-10

RECEIVING Darius Slayton: 44-710-16.1-2

PTS. AGAINST 22.6

DEFENSE 366.3

SACKS Dexter Lawrence: 6.5

INTs Julian Love: 2

TAKE/GIVE +2 (17/15)

PUNTING (NET) Jamie Gillian: 47.0 (40.4)

KICKING Graham Gano: 107 (26/28 PAT; 27/30 FG)

QB DANIEL JONES completed 30 of 42 atts. (71.4 pct.) for 334 yards & TD vs. INT for 92.8 rating last week, his 8th-career 300-yard game. Has career highs in passing yards (3,028), rushing yards (617) & rush TDs (5) in 2022 & is 1 of 3 QBs (Josh Allen & Jalen Hurts) with 3,000+ pass yads, 500+ rush yards & 5+ rush TDs in 2022. Has 95+ rating in 4 of his past 5 home starts. • RB SAQUON BARKLEY had season-high 8 receptions, 133 scrimmage yards (84 rush, 49 rec.) & 10th rush TD of season last week. Has 7 games with 120+ scrimmage yards in 2022, 2nd-most among RBs. Has rush TD in 4 of his past 5 & aims for his 3rd in row with 120+ scrimmage yards & rush TD. Ranks 6th in NFL with 1,597 scrimmage yards, his 2nd-career season with 1,500+ scrimmage yards. • WR ISAIAH HODGINS had career highs in catches (8) & rec. yards (89) in Week 16 & had 3rd rec. TD of season. Aims for his 3rd in row at home with TD catch. • WR RICHIE JAMES had season-high 8 catches & led team with 90 rec. yards in Week 16. Has TD catch in 2 of his past 3 at home. • WR DARIUS SLAYTON had 79 rec. yards in Week 16. Has 700+ rec. yards (710) for 3rd time in 4 career seasons. Has 85+ rec. yards in 3 of his past 4 at home. • DL DEXTER LAWRENCE had TFL & PD last week. Has career high 6.5 sacks in 2022. • DL LEONARD WILLIAMS had sack & 2 TFL in Week 16. • LB JAYLON SMITH led team with 10 tackles & had 1st sack of season last week. • LB AZEEZ OJULARI had sack last week & has 5.5 sacks in 6 games in 2022. Aims for his 4th in row at home with sack. • S JULIAN LOVE had 5th PD of season in Week 16. Has career-high 112 tackles in 2022.

****INDIANA WOMEN’S BASKETBALL****

NO. 4/3 HOOSIERS TURN CALENDAR TO FACE NEBRASKA ON NEW YEAR’S DAY

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – No. 4/3 Indiana comes back home to open the 2023 calendar year against RV/RV Nebraska on Sunday afternoon. Tipoff on ESPN is set for 1 p.m. ET.

ABOUT THE HUSKERS

Nebraska is coming off a set back against No. 14 Michigan as they resumed Big Ten action on Wednesday. Junior guard Jaz Shelley leads the way with 15.9 points per game while sophomore forward Alexis Markowski crashes the boards as one of the best rebounders in the league with 9.6 boards per game and 13.0 points per game. The Huskers average about nine 3-pointers per game, leading the Big Ten and average 72.6 points per outing.

SERIES HISTORY

Indiana leads 10-6

LAST MEETING

2/14/22 – L, 55-72 (Lincoln, Neb.)

NOTES

Indiana leads the all-time series with Nebraska, 10-6. It was won six of the last seven meetings dating back to the 2018-19 season, but most recently split the series last season with a win in Bloomington on Jan. 13, 2022 and a loss in Lincoln on Feb. 14, 2022.

Senior forward Mackenzie Holmes leads the way for Indiana in scoring and rebounding as she continues her strong start to the 2022-23 season. She put up a new career-high 32 points at Michigan State and added 12 rebounds, the first player to record a 30/10 double-double since 2002 (Jill Chapman).

Accuracy from the floor has been one of Indiana’s strong suits this season, compiling a 51.5 percent clip from the floor, which ranks third in the country and tops in the Big Ten.  Helping add to that percentage is one of the nation’s best shooters in Mackenzie Holmes, who is second in the nation in field goal percentage (69.1).

The Hoosiers will look to bounce back after its first set back of the season at Michigan State on Thursday afternoon. Despite one of its highest field goal percentages in a game this season, Indiana just couldn’t overcome a slow start as it was forced into a season-high 21 turnovers.

UP NEXT

The Hoosiers will receive another period off as it resumes action on Jan. 8 at Northwestern.

****PURDUE WRESLTING****

WRESTLING WRAPS NON-CONFERENCE SLATE AT SOUTHERN SCUFFLE

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – For the third time this season, Purdue Wrestling travels for tournament action as they prepare to take on the field at the 2023 Southern Scuffle. Hosted annually in Chattanooga, Tenn., every year since 2003, the competition features 22 division one programs, eight of which are ranked inside the top-25.

SCHEDULE AND INFO

Sunday – Jan. 1, 2023

Pigtail Round – 10:00 a.m. ET

Champ Round of 32 – 10:45 a.m. ET

Pigtail Consolation – 1:30 p.m. ET

Champ Round of 16 – 2:15 p.m. ET

Consolation 2nd-3rd Round – 4:00 p.m. ET

Champ Quarters – 7:30 p.m. ET

Monday – Jan. 2, 2023

Consolation 5th Round – 11:00 a.m. ET

Champ Semifinals – 1:00 p.m. ET

Consolation Semifinals – 3:00 p.m. ET

Champ Finals & Medal Matches – 7:00 p.m.

PURDUE PREVIEW

Head coach Tony Ersland will bring 15 Boilermakers to Chattanooga, with multiple athletes slated to wrestle in the 125, 149, 165, 174 and 184 divisions. Redshirt senior 157-pounder Kendall Coleman comes into the new year as one of the hottest names in the sport. He has a 15-1 record (his only loss to No. 2 Peyton Robb) and has climbed up No. 3 in the country. 125 pound redshirt sophomore Matt Ramos has been just as good, posting a 14-2 mark to put himself at No. 10 going into the new year.

NEWS & NOTES

• Head coach Tony Ersland enters his ninth season at Purdue and is 74-58 in dual competition.

• His 74 dual wins is good for the third most in program history, tying Scott Hinkel (2008-14). Claude Reeck (1938-69) sits in second with 100.

• Kendall Coleman etched his name in program history by breaking into the top-10 of the career takedowns list at Purdue. He now has 274 across his four years of competition which puts him at 10th all-time, just two shy of Luke Manuel (2008-11) in 9th. Ryan Lange (2001-04) holds the record with 523.

• Coleman also claims a spot in the top-20 of the career win-percentage list at Purdue (min. 50 matches). Coleman’s career .755 percentage would be good for 12th all-time if he were to stop now. 

• Matt Ramos won the 2022 U.S. Open 57 kg division, going 4-0 in Las Vegas to become the first member of the Boilermaker Regional Training Center to win an Open title since former assistant coach Kendrick Maple won the 61 kg title in 2017.

SCOUTING THE FIELD

It’s another tournament with a stacked group of opponents for the Boilermakers after getting three on the podium at another high-quality competition in Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational. 22 division one programs will be represented in Chattanooga and of those nine are ranked in the top-25 by the National Wrestling Coaches Association. Purdue is joined by No. 9 Minnesota and No. 22 Maryland as the other representatives from the Big Ten.

LAST TIME OUT

Purdue Wrestling hosted its second quad of the season on Dec. 20 in what would be the team’s last action of 2022. The Boilermakers (4-3, 0-0 B1G) went 1-2 on the day, taking a 20-18 win over Utah Valley and dropping their matches to Drexel (20-17) and Campbell (29-9).

In the win over Utah Valley, Purdue splits the matches five-a-piece but emerged victorious thanks to three bonus point wins from No. 3 Kendall Coleman, Stoney Buell and No. 32 Ben Vanadia. The swing match turned out to be Buell’s first period pin (1:56) of Danny Snediker, the first win via fall of the young 165-pounder’s career. Majors from Coleman and Vanadia along with earlier wins from No. 8 Matt Ramos and Dustin Norris gave Purdue the edge.

The redshirt senior Coleman would shine the brightest for the Boilermakers throughout the day with a trio of bonus point victories. His two major decisions and one tech fall put him into a tie for the most such victories on the team in both categories. His 46 points was the most scored by any wrestler on the day with the he next highest coming up with 31.

SIGNED, SEALED, DELIVERED

Head coach Tony Ersland has announced the 2023 Purdue wrestling signing class, inking six new Boilermakers to national letters of intent. He welcomes Joey Blaze, Greyson Clark, Orlando Cruz, Ashton Jackson, Delaney Ruhlman and Cole Solomey to the Boilermaker family to make up what will surely be Ersland’s sixth top-25 recruiting class.

Blaze and Clark highlight the class as the No. 17 and No. 33 ranked prospects respectively with five state titles between the two of them. Purdue is one of just nine schools to have at least two top-35 ranked signees.

****BUTLER WOMEN’S BASKETBALL****

SETON HALL TOPS BUTLER WBB 79-45 ON NEW YEAR’S EVE

SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. – Seton Hall collected their 11th win of the season on Saturday afternoon with a 79-45 victory over Butler at Walsh Gym. The Bulldogs will head into 2023 with a 6-8 overall record that includes a 1-4 mark against BIG EAST teams. With the win, Seton Hall improves to 11-4 (4-1).

How It Happened

Seton Hall opened the game on a 7-0 scoring run. Lauren Park-Lane hit a 3-pointer from the corner in front of the BU bench on the first Pirate possession and Sidney Cooks came up with the next four points.

Butler called a quick timeout after the 7-0 start (7:27) and got on the scoreboard after a backdoor cut from Rachel McLimore. The duo of McLimore and Tenley Dowell would allow BU to tie the game at 9-9 and a feed from Shay Frederick to Sydney Jaynes would give the Bulldogs their first lead of the afternoon.

3-pointers helped Butler take a four-point lead over Seton Hall after the first quarter. Caroline Strande hit from the far corner to give BU a 10-0 scoring run and Dowell and Frederick would add shots from distance to increase the scoring spree to 16-2.

The Bulldog lead would quickly fade over the opening stages of the second quarter. SHU went on an 11-0 scoring run to grab a 27-20 lead and that seven-point advantage would ride all the way to halftime (35-28).

Strande accounted for six of Butler’s eight points in the second quarter. Sydney Jaynes also chipped in with a post move score against a double team. Park-Lane and Cooks combined for 18 of Seton Hall’s 35 points in the first half. Cooks was perfect from the field (4-4) while Park-Lane struggled (2-9).

Butler got off to another slow start to open the second half. SHU scored 10-straight points to push their lead to 45-28 and force BU into a timeout. The Pirates held the Bulldogs without points for six minutes and would go on to outscore Butler 26-11 in the third to open up a 22-point advantage.

There was no chance of a comeback on Saturday as Seton Hall outscored Butler 18-6 in the fourth quarter. Strande and Jaynes each ended the game in double figures, but the ‘Dawgs would take a 79-45 loss.

Stat of the Game

Seton Hall shot 53 percent from the field and 57 percent from 3-point range. Butler went 4-for-7 from distance in the first quarter, but ended the contest just 6-for-24 from 3-point range (25%).

Inside the Box Score

– Caroline Strande led BU with 11 points on 4-of-8 shooting

– Strande just missed a double-double by adding nine rebounds

– Sydney Jaynes had 10 points and four rebounds for the ‘Dawgs

– Tenley Dowell added six points and six rebounds

– Rachel McLimore ended the game with six points and three assists

– Kendall Wingler came off the bench to give BU seven points and four rebounds

– Lauren Park-Lane led SHU with 19 points and eight assists

– Sidney Cooks matched her with 19 points while pulling down eight boards

– Madison Royal-Davis, Jessica Carrothers, Jordan Meulemans, Abby Stoddard, Rosemarie Dumont and Anna Mortag were all inactive at Seton Hall. The Pirates were without Allie Palmieri.

Up Next

The Bulldogs are back at Hinkle Fieldhouse on Tuesday, Jan. 3 to host #8 UConn at 7 PM.

*****BUTLER MEN’S BASKETBALL****

BULLDOGS TIP OFF 2023 IN NATION’S CAPITAL AGAINST GEORGETOWN

The Bulldogs look to snap a three-game losing streak and pick up their first BIG EAST win of the season Sunday when they travel to the nation’s capital to face Georgetown.

Butler (8-6, 0-3 BIG EAST) at Georgetown (5-9, 0-3)

Sunday, Jan. 1;  6:30PM

Capital One Arena; Washington, D.C.

FOLLOW ALONG:

TV: FS1 – Dan Kolko & Vin Parise

Radio: 1430AM – @MarkMinner & Nick Gardner (@n_gardner)

Varsity Network Radio App

SiriusXM 388, SXM App 974

PDF Notes Available at https://bit.ly/3NGADRf

THE SERIES: Tied, 10-10

Streak: Butler, W2

In DC: Butler Leads, 6-3

First Meeting: GU, 72-65, 12/8/09

Last Meeting: Butler, 56-53, 1/29/22

• Butler is 6-1 over its last seven road games at Georgetown.

• All but one of the 20 match-ups between the two programs have come since Butler joined the BIG EAST for the 2013-14 season.

• The teams first met in the 2009 Jimmy V Classic at Madison Square Garden; the teams also played in the 2014 Battle 4 Atlantis as the field was already solidified prior to Butler joining the BIG EAST.

• Butler swept the 2021-22 season series.

• Each team owns a 6-3 record as the visiting team in the series.

OF NOTE

• Simas Lukosius led the Bulldogs with 13 points off the bench in the team’s most recent game against Georgetown, a 56-53 win Jan. 29, 2022 at Hinkle Fieldhouse.

• Manny Bates has 35 blocks already this season, moving him just two away from tenth on Butler’s single-season list.

• Bates went 6-for-7 from the field in Thursday’s loss to Providence; he has shot 50 percent or better in 12 of the team’s 14 games this season.

• Bates is 18th nationally with a 63.8 field goal percentage.

• Butler made its first change of the season in its starting line-up Thursday against Providence, inserting Jalen Thomas into the first five.

• In his third game since returning from a pulmonary embolism, Thomas tied for the team lead with a season-best 12 points; he also paced the Bulldogs with a season-high six rebounds.

• Ali Ali, in just his third game as well this season after returning from concussion symptoms and nasal surgery, scored a season-high nine points.

• Butler’s five that started the team’s first 13 games are each averaging double figures in scoring and more than 30 minutes played per game. 

• Bates, Jayden Taylor and Chuck Harris have each led the Bulldogs in scoring in at least four games so far this season (includes ties).

• Butler has placed all five starters in double figures three times this season, with the most recent coming at Cal Dec. 10.

• Butler’s average of 8.6 bench points per game ranks last (of 352 teams) nationally. With the return of Thomas and Ali to the rotation, Butler’s bench has actually outscored the opponent’s bench in the last two games (two of four times this season that has been done).

• Butler is 8-0 this season when leading at halftime.

• Butler is 8-0 this season when scoring 70 or more points.

• Butler is committing only 12.5 fouls per game, which is third in the nation.

• Butler’s 4.9 blocks per game are 38th nationally.

• Bates is 15th nationally in blocks per game at 2.5 per game.

• Butler has shot 50 percent or better from the field eight times already this season; the Bulldogs hit the 50-percent mark six times all of last season (31 games). In a similar fashion, Butler already has six games this season shooting 40 percent or better from three-point range, which was only done four times during the 2021-22 season.

• Among active coaches with at least 10 seasons of NCAA Division I experience, Thad Matta’s .736 winning percentage ranks fourth (Few, Self, Calipari).

• Bates led the Bulldogs with 22 points and 10 rebounds against Kansas State Nov. 30, his third double-double of the season.

• Eric Hunter Jr. posted the first double-double of his collegiate career in the Dec. 10 win at Cal; he scored 13 points to go along with a career-high 11 rebounds.

• Including his seasons at Purdue, Hunter has 984 career points.

• Harris is now tied with Gordon Hayward for 22nd in Butler history in career three-pointers (116).

• Harris posted career-highs of 32 points and six three-pointers in the Dec. 3 win over Tennessee Tech.

• Lukosius handed out a career-high seven assists against Kansas State Nov. 30, which also matched the most by a Butler player this season.

****IUPUI MEN’S BASKETBALL****

JAGUARS FALL AT HOME TO NORTHERN KENTUCKY ON NEW YEAR’S EVE

INDIANAPOLIS – The IUPUI basketball team fell short against Horizon League leader Northern Kentucky inside Indiana Farmers Coliseum on Saturday (Dec. 31), dropping a tight contest to the Norse, 55-42. Freshman Vincent Brady II scored a team-high 13 points and veteran Marlon Taylor made the most of extended minutes off the bench, finishing with a career-high eight points and nine boards.

Junior Marques Warrick paced NKU (9-6, 4-0 HL) with 15 points and five assists and Sam Vinson added 12 points. IUPUI (3-11, 0-3 HL) held NKU to just 37 percent shooting and outrebounded the Norse, 38-30, but struggled to score with injuries mounting among the regulars. Top scorer Jlynn Counter missed the game, as did Amhad Jarrard, Armon Jarrard and John Egbuta.

On the flip side, true freshman DJ Jackson made his first appearance in nearly two months, playing 16 minutes.

“The effort was there and the energy was there and the intensity was there where it needed to be,” head coach Matt Crenshaw said. “We had too many turnovers and that led to them getting some easy buckets, but I’m not disappointed with the effort. Little by little, we need to get some guys back from some injuries and get them incorporated into what we want to do.

“I was encouraged by today.”

IUPUI committed 20 turnovers while forcing just five NKU miscues. The disparity led to NKU getting 18 more field goal attempts and a 23-6 advantage in points off turnovers. Despite the odds stacked against them, IUPUI hung around for most of the game.

Brady scored 11 of his 13 points in the opening half and Taylor and Daylan Hamilton helped the Jaguars stay connected as the Jags trailed 29-21 at the break. However, NKU would score the opening seven points of the second half and keep the Jags off the board for over six minutes before Chris Osten broke through with a two-handed dunk.

After having trailed by as many as 19, the Jags used a 7-0 run to creep within 11 when Boston Stanton III swished a corner three in front of his own bench, prompting an NKU timeout. The timeout quelled IUPUI’s momentum as the Norse scored the game’s next four points and held IUPUI scoreless for almost three minutes to seal the game.

IUPUI finished at 36.6 percent from the floor and 3-of-15 (20 percent) from three. Stanton had seven points and seven rebounds and Osten closed with four points and a game-high 11 rebounds.

The Jaguars will cap the two-game homestand on Monday (Jan. 2) when they host Wright State at 2:00 p.m. inside Indiana Farmers Coliseum.

****INDIANA STATE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL****

SALUKIS SQUEAK PAST SYCAMORES BEHIND FOURTH QUARTER COMEBACK

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Del’Janae Williams led Indiana State with 16 points Saturday afternoon, but a strong fourth quarter sent visiting Southern Illinois past the Sycamores, 60-58, inside Hulman Center.

Bella Finnegan scored 12 points in her second career start, while Chelsea Cain and Anna McKendree added eight points apiece. Mya Glanton and Adrian Folks had a game-high 11 rebounds each.

Indiana State used a strong second quarter to take a lead into halftime and continued that momentum into the second half. The Sycamores built a double-digit lead early in the second half and led by as many as 16 late in the third quarter. Southern Illinois clawed its way back at the end of the third and outscored the Sycamores 19-6 in the fourth to come from behind and win.

First Half

Williams scored the game’s first five points on a 3-pointer from the wing and a fastbreak layup. The Sycamores pushed their lead to 11-5 just three minutes into the game following another Williams 3-pointer, and Finnegan added a midrange jumper to tack on to Indiana State’s advantage. SIU held Indiana State scoreless for the final 4:20 of the quarter, though, and took a 16-13 lead into the second.

Indiana State quickly retook the lead in the second on a Glanton layup and a Williams 3-pointer, her third of the half. Folks added a layup down low to push the Sycamore lead to four at 24-20, and McKendree hit a 3-pointer to keep the Sycamores in front late in the quarter. Free throws late in the quarter by McKendree and Williams gave Indiana State a 30-27 halftime lead.

Second Half

Glanton and Cain combined to score Indiana State’s first six points of the third quarter, and McKendree added another 3-pointer to push the Sycamore lead to double-digits at 39-29. Indiana State’s strong run out of the locker room continued on, as Cain scored eight in the third quarter to help the Sycamores build a commanding lead. Finnegan gave the Trees their largest lead at 49-33 following a pair of free throws, but the visitors closed the quarter strong. Indiana State maintained a double-digit lead despite the Saluki run, and took a 52-41 advantage into the fourth.

Unlike the third quarter, Indiana State struggled to get in a rhythm in the fourth. The Sycamores made just one shot, that being a Williams three-point play going coast-to-coast, as Southern Illinois mounted a comeback. The Salukis took their first lead of the half on a Shemera Williams 3-pointer with 30 seconds left. Williams had a pair of looks to tie the game in the final moments, but one clanked off the rim and the other was blocked as time expired, as SIU completed its comeback on the road.

Inside the Numbers

Indiana State was plus-15 in rebound margin (49-34), its largest rebound margin of the season. The Sycamores grabbed 17 offensive rebounds and converted those into 13 second chance points.

Indiana State’s six 3-pointers were its most in a game since hitting seven at Western Michigan on December 10.

Indiana State held Southern Illinois to a 35.7 percent clip from the field.

Despite the size difference down low, Indiana State had a season-high six blocks Saturday.

News & Notes

Indiana State’s plus-15 rebound margin was its best in a game since Feb. 12, 2022 at Evansville, when the Sycamores were plus-18 on the glass (50-32).

Indiana State dropped to 0-2 in MVC play for the first time since the 2019-20 season.

Mya Glanton and Adrian Folks both had 11 rebounds, marking the first time the Sycamores had teammates with double-digit rebounds in the same game since Feb. 12, 2022 at Evansville (Tonysha Curry 13, Arianna Smith 11).

Up Next

Indiana State begins a three-game road trip Thursday at UIC, with tipoff set for 8 p.m.

****INDIANA STATE MEN’S BASKETBALL****

SYCAMORES RING IN 2023 AT VALPO SUNDAY

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – The Sycamores are set to ring in the New Year at Valparaiso this Sunday, Jan. 1, 2023. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. ET. Indiana State has played on New Year’s Day just three times since joining the Valley, and the Sycamores are 2-1 in those games. ISU has not played on New Year’s Day since 2014.

Coming off a dominant win over Evansville at home Thursday night, Indiana State is the only remaining unblemished Valley team in league play this season. At 3-0, the Sycamores are in sole possession of first place in the Valley after being picked to finish seventh in the league’s preseason poll. This is the first time the Sycamores have started off 3-0 in Valley play since 2014-15 when they started out 5-0.

Thursday night’s 91-63 win against Evansville is the first time Indiana State has beat a Valley team by 25 or more points since beating Loyola by 29 points Feb. 5, 2020.

Junior guard Julian Larry made his first start of the season and 49th career start as a Sycamore Thursday night. He shot a perfect 100 percent across the board and assisted or scored each of ISU’s first four baskets in the game. Larry finished his night with a career-high 21 points on 8-of-8 shooting with three triples, and he dished out four assists with two steals and no turnovers. He is the only Valley player to shoot 100 percent from the field with seven or more attempts against a Division I opponent this season.

The Sycamores lead the Valley with 16.07 assists per game and a 1.29 assist-to-turnover ratio. Additionally, ISU ranks in the top five of the Valley in field goal percentage, 3-point field goal percentage, rebounding, free throw percentage, steals, scoring margin, and turnover margin.

Indiana State’s leading scorer Courvoisier McCauley is the only Valley player with multiple 30-point outings this season and he is one of eight Valley players with five or more 20-point outings. He paces all Sycamore scorers with 17.1 points per game this season.

SERIES HISTORY

Sunday will be the 93rd all-time meeting between Indiana State and Valparaiso dating back to 1936. The Sycamores lead the all-time series 55-37 but have dropped the last three meetings against the Beacons including both games of last year’s season series. Valpo has won 6 of the last 10 matchups and ISU is looking for its first win against the Beacons since Feb. 26, 2021 at Valpo.

LAST GAME AGAINST THE BEACONS

Cameron Henry set career highs in scoring and assists but it wasn’t enough as Valpo grinded out a 79-72 double overtime victory over Indiana State Feb. 5, 2022 inside the Athletics Recreation Center on Valparaiso’s campus. Neither team led by more than eight points in a game that saw 13 lead changes and remained tied for 16:38.

The Beacons led by one point in the second overtime with 1:31 when Sheldon Edwards hit a deep three to extend the VU lead to 74-70 and Valpo did not look back en route to the victory.

Henry scored a career high 28 points — his fourth game of the season scoring 20 or more — on 10-of-23 shooting, including two 3-pointers and a perfect 6-for-6 from the charity stripe. He also set a new high mark with eight assists while grabbing six rebounds.

Cooper Neese was the only other Sycamore to score in double-figures after putting up 17 points, including a 5-for-11 mark from deep. The sharpshooter moved into sole possession of sixth place in school history in career 3-pointers in the game (He has since moved into fifth place).

Xavier Bledson looked to score the go-ahead basket with 17 seconds left in regulation on an offensive rebound putback, but after an official review, the shot was waved off due to a shot clock violation. Valpo had a chance to win the game but Ben Krikke was called for a travel with two seconds remaining to force overtime.

VALPARAISO AT A GLANCE

Valparaiso was picked to finish ninth in the Valley preseason poll and is currently 0-3 in league play this season with losses to Belmont, Murray State in overtime, and Drake.

Valpo is coming off a narrow five-point loss to Valley preseason Drake Thursday night, falling 68-63 on the road. The Beacons put together a valiant effort in the game, leading Drake 26-24 at halftime and twice rallying from double figures down late to stay in the game until the final horn. The Bulldogs shot 26 percent in the opening half and MVC Preseason Player of the Year Tucker DeVries was limited to five points on 1-of-5 shooting before the break, but DeVries scored 13 after halftime. Ben Krikke led the Beacons with 15 points on 6-of-9 shooting from the floor.

Krikke, Kobe King, and Quinton Green have started all 14 games for Valpo this season and each one is averaging double-digit scoring, led by Krikke with 18.1 points per game which ranks third in the Valley. He also leads the Valley in field goal percentage, shooting 53.6 percent from the floor. King is averaging 17.4 points while Green is putting up 10.6 points per game. Jerome Palm leads the Beacons on the boards with 6.1 rebounds per game.

LAST TIME OUT

Julian Larry shot lights out Thursday night and led the Sycamores with a career-high 21 points as Indiana State defeated Evansville 91-63 at the Hulman Center to remain perfect in Missouri Valley Conference play.

The Sycamores (10-4, 3-0 MVC) opened the game on a 13-0 run, shooting 5-of-5 from the field and forcing three Evansville turnovers during that span. ISU did not allow an Evansville bucket until 16:37 in the first half.

Larry hit back-to-back layups to push ISU’s lead to 20-4 at 14:14, and the lead hit 16 points again with a Courvoisier McCauley layup at 9:45. The Aces cut their deficit down to 10 points at 28-18 with 4:19 left in the first half, but Cooper Neese later took advantage of an Evansville technical foul and knocked down a pair of free throws to get in double digits on the scoresheet and make it 32-20 at 1:06.

Zach Hobbs nailed a triple in the closing seconds of the opening frame to send the Sycamores into the halftime break with a 39-22 lead.

Indiana State was a perfect 11-of-11 from the free throw line in the first half and held Evansville to zero percent (0-for-3) from three in the frame.

McCauley hit back-to-back threes early in the second half to extend the lead to 47-24, and Neese stayed perfect at the free throw line with an and-1 at 15:37. Larry got up for a slam dunk just seconds later to surpass his previous career-high and later added to that career-high with a pair of treys, putting the Sycamores up 65-31at 12:18.

Evansville went on a 7-0 run to cut its deficit down to 76-51 at 4:39, but after that Masen Miller hit a triple before assisting a Kailex Stephens layup to make it 82-51 at 3:38. Miller would later close out the scoring for Indiana State in the game with his second trey of the night at 1:22.

****PURDUE MEN’S BASKETBALL****

MEN’S BASKETBALL EARNS ROAD WIN AT YOUNGSTOWN STATE 76-71

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio –  Purdue Fort Wayne picked up a 76-71 victory at Youngstown State on Saturday (Dec. 31) in Horizon League play.

Purdue Fort Wayne led for the majority of the contest, nearly 34 minutes to be exact. As is often the case in league games it was an exchange of runs that decided the game on Saturday. Youngstown State scored 13 straight to go up 61-53 with 8:30 left in the game. It was their first lead since the score was 9-8. No worries though, the ‘Dons followed on a 15-2 run. Damian Chong Qui scored nine of the points in the five-minute stretch to take a 68-63 lead with just under three minutes remaining.

When the ‘Dons needed key points late, it was Chong Qui once again. Up just one possession at 70-67 with under a minute remaining, Chong Qui got his defender in the air at the foul line and sank a jumper to put the Mastodons up 72-67. He added two free throws on the next offensive possession to really put it away.

Chong Qui finished had 15 of his 24 points in the second half. His 24 points stand as his most as a Mastodon. He also added three assists and three rebounds. Anthony Roberts and Jarred Godfrey each scored 11 points. Roberts had a season-high three 3-pointers. Godfrey added eight rebounds and three assists to his box score line.

The ‘Dons made seven of their final eight shots from the floor in the first half to take a 38-30 lead at the break. Seven Mastodons found their name in the scorebook in the first 20 minutes.

The Mastodons shot 53.6 percent (30-of-56) including 48.0 percent (12-of-25) from three.

Brandon Rush had a game-high 26 points for the Penguins.

Both teams are now 10-5 (2-2 Horizon League). 

Purdue Fort Wayne hosts Green Bay on Thursday (Jan. 5) at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum.

****PURDUE FT. WAYNE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL****

ABBIGAIL STEPHENS NOTCHES NEW CAREER-HIGH IN LOSS AT YOUNGSTOWN STATE

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Abbigail Stephens of the Purdue Fort Wayne women’s basketball team scored a career-high 14 points, but the Mastodons fell to the Horizon League preseason favorite Youngstown State 60-44 on New Year’s Eve.

Stephens took over the game as soon as she entered late in the third quarter. She hit her first five shots, leading a 12-2 charge with 10 points coming by her own hand. She hit a pair of triples, which is a career-best. Her 14 points came in just 11 minutes.

Stephens led the Mastodon bench that out-scored YSU’s bench 28-13. The ‘Dons got seven from Sylare Starks, three from Lauryn Stover, and two from Audra Emmerson and Sydney Graber.

The bench’s push came too late to close the gap that Youngstown State had built up, as the Penguins led by as many as 22 before Stephens entered.

YSU’s Malia Magestro was 4-for-4 from beyond the arc in the first half, but the ‘Dons held her to 0-of-3 in the second. She was scoreless for the final 19:10 of the game. Player of the Year candidate Lilly Ritz led Youngstown State with 20 points and 14 rebounds.

The Mastodons forced the Penguins into 25 turnovers, the most by YSU this season against any team not named Penn State. The ‘Dons turned the 25 turnovers into 20 points.

The ‘Dons move to .500 in Horizon League play, falling to 5-9, 2-2. YSU move into second place in the league standings, improving to 8-4, 3-1. The Mastodons will return home to continue league play in the New Year. They will welcome in-state rival IUPUI to the Gates Sports Center on Wednesday, January 4. IUPUI plays host to Wright State on New Year’s Day before coming to Fort Wayne.

****EVANSVILLE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL****

CLARK LEADS ACES AGAIN AS EVANSVILLE BATTLES, BUT FALLS TO MISSOURI STATE

EVANSVILLE – Powered by another impressive scoring performance from fifth-year guard Myia Clark, the University of Evansville women’s basketball team battled with Missouri State, but saw its early lead fade in a 73-61 loss to the Lady Bears on Saturday afternoon inside Meeks Family Fieldhouse in Evansville.

For the second-straight contest, the Aces were led by Clark in scoring as the Schaumburg, Ill. native tallied a team-best 18 points, shooting 50% (6-of-12) from the field in the game. Fellow fifth-year A’Niah Griffin joined her backcourt mate in double-figures, scoring 11 points on the afternoon. Coming up just shy of her 28th-career double-double, senior guard/forward Abby Feit finished with nine points and nine boards in a strong effort against one of the best rebounding teams in the nation. The Lady Bears were led by Aniya Thomas, who tallied a game-best 27 points for the visitors.

Evansville got off to a quick start in the opening period, but the Aces efficient offense was matched by that of the Lady Bears. The Aces lead grew as large as three in the opening quarter as Clark scored nine of UE’s 15 first-quarter points to help Evansville own a 15-14 advantage after one quarter of play.

A quick 4-0 run from the Lady Bears to open the second period handed Missouri State back the lead, but Evansville provided an answer. In a back-and-forth first half, Evansville tied the game at 23 on a layup from sophomore Elly Morgan with just over five minutes left in the second frame. Missouri State retook the lead nearly a minute later and would hold on to it for the remainder of the half, building its advantage to seven at the break.

Offensive rebounds and second-chance points proved to be the difference in the game and specifically the third quarter as the Lady Bears began to stretch their advantage. In the game, Missouri State won the rebounding battle 46-29, including 16 offensive boards for MSU that led to 11 second chance points, helping the Lady Bears lead 56-45 going into the final 10 minutes.

A resilient Evansville bunch that has shown to not give up in games this season did just that in the fourth. Inside the first minute of the fourth period, Clark received the ball on the right wing and buried a triple that fueled the Meeks Family Fieldhouse crowd and got the Aces back within seven. In striking range to make a late rally, Evansville could not draw any closer as MSU responded with a run to take the 73-61 win.

Evansville goes on the road in MVC play for the first time this season with trips to take on Valparaiso and UIC on January 5th and 7th, respectively.

****SOUTHERN INDIANA WOMEN’S BASKETBALL****

HAITHCOCK SURPASSES 1,000 CAREER POINTS ON SATURDAY

CHARLESTON, Ill. – University of Southern Indiana Women’s Basketball senior forward Hannah Haithcock (Washington Courthouse, Ohio) posted a career-high 25 points on Saturday to surpass 1,000 points in her career. Despite the career performance, Southern Indiana (7-6, 1-1) could not pick up the road win at Eastern Illinois University (10-3, 2-0), as the Panthers claimed a 69-58 win.

Haithcock earned her 1,000th career point with her first bucket of the game in the first quarter. She became the 20th player in USI Women’s Basketball history to reach the 1,000-point career mark.

The game began with a slow offensive start for both teams, as the game was 3-2 Eastern Illinois nearly three and a half minutes into the game. Senior guard Tori Handley (Jeffersonville, Indiana) scored USI’s first points of the game on a three-pointer.

Midway into the first quarter, Eastern Illinois started a small run to grab a 14-5 lead by the time the clock read less than two minutes remaining in the first. The quarter finished on a last-second bucket by junior forward Meredith Raley (Haubstadt, Indiana). EIU led 16-9 after one period of play.

The offensive basket still went unkind to USI in the second quarter. Eastern Illinois increased its lead following a 9-0 run in the middle of the period and then holding USI scoreless for the last two minutes of the first half. EIU outscored USI 22-10 in the second, as the Panthers shot over 50 percent during the quarter.

With only a pair of makes from the floor in the second quarter, USI did go a perfect 6-for-6 from the free-throw line in the second quarter. Haithcock made four of USI’s six free throws in the quarter.

Eastern Illinois took a 38-19 lead into the halftime locker room. Haithcock led Southern Indiana with eight points at the break. The Screaming Eagles had a plus-seven advantage in overall rebounding and on the offensive glass after the first half.

Southern Indiana came out of halftime being assertive inside and out. Haithcock scored back-to-back buckets to get USI going to start the third quarter. Trailing by 17 with 8:35 left in the third, USI went on an 8-0 run to trim the deficit down to nine, 40-31. Halfway into the third quarter, USI received a pair of triples from sophomore guard Vanessa Shafford (Linton, Indiana) to make it an eight-point game, 44-36 EIU with 5:26 left in the third.

Eastern Illinois proceeded to answer with a 9-0 run to move the Panthers’ lead back to double digits, 53-36. Inside the last three minutes of the third quarter, both teams exchanged offensive baskets and Eastern Illinois took a 17-point lead to the fourth quarter, 58-41.

Southern Indiana’s seniors led a solid push for USI at the start of the fourth quarter. Within the first five minutes, Haithcock tallied five points, being aggressive inside. At the 5:53 mark, senior forward Tara Robbe (Wildwood, Missouri) connected on a mid-range jumper while Haithcock was fouled away from the play. Haithcock completed the play at the free-throw line to make the score 64-50 EIU.

The game went scoreless over the next two and a half minutes. USI made a fightback late in the fourth quarter. Haithcock put one into the hoop with 2:27 on the clock to bring USI back within 13, 68-55. The basket gave the senior a career-best 25 points. The Screaming Eagles could not muster enough offense the rest of the way, as the Panthers registered the win Saturday afternoon.

Haithcock led all scorers on the day with 25 points on 8-16 shooting and 9-14 at the line. Haithcock was a rebound shy of a double-double. Shafford tallied 12 points with eight rebounds. Robbe matched a season-high nine points for the fourth time this season.

After a slow offensive start to the game, USI went on to shoot for 38 percent (19-50) in the game with three triples. USI was 17-for-25 at the line. The Screaming Eagles outrebounded the Panthers 37-29, including 14-9 on the offensive boards.

Eastern Illinois was led by senior guard Lariah Washington with 23 points. Sophomore guard Miah Monahan also had a good day for EIU, recording 20 points. As a team, EIU shot 45.3 percent (24-53) from the field with six threes. At the stripe, EIU went 15-for-22.

The Screaming Eagles will return to action Thursday at 4 p.m. CT from Morehead, Ky. when USI takes on Morehead State University in Ohio Valley Conference action.

****VALPO WOMEN’S BASKETBALL****

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL RINGS IN THE NEW YEAR SUNDAY AT MURRAY STATE

Valparaiso (2-7, 0-1 MVC)

Game #10 – Jan. 1, 2023 – 2 p.m.

at Murray State (8-2, 1-0 MVC)

CFSB Center (8,600) – Murray, Ky.

Next Up in Valpo Basketball: A challenging opening weekend of MVC play concludes for the Valpo women’s basketball team Sunday afternoon as the Beacons play at Valley newcomer Murray State. After facing the conference preseason favorite in the opener on Friday, Valpo is matched up against the team with the best winning percentage in the MVC on Sunday as the Racers enter at 8-2 overall.

Previously: Playing its first game in three weeks, Valpo matched its season best for 3-pointers made on Friday evening, with both senior Olivia Brown and junior Ava Interrante hitting career watermarks from downtown, but it would not be enough to overcome MVC preseason favorite Belmont in the Bruins’ Valley debut, as the hosts came away 74-60 victors.

Following Valpo Basketball: Streaming Video: ESPN+

Radio: No Valpo broadcast

Streaming Audio: No Valpo broadcast

Links for live coverage: Available via ValpoAthletics.com

Head Coach Mary Evans: Mary Evans is in her fifth year at the helm of the program in 2022-23 and owns a record of 50-75. Evans has made an impact on the program in her first four years, raising the team’s level of play to be competitive in a strong Missouri Valley Conference. Evans’ preferred style of play has been a big part of the program’s turnaround, as Valpo has led the MVC in 3-pointers made per game in each of the last three seasons and in steals per game in two of the last three years.

Series Notes: Sunday is the first meeting in program history between Valpo and Murray State, as the Beacons play a Valley newcomer for the second straight game.

@ValpoWBB…

…and @ValleyHoops

– Valpo was picked to finish in 10th place in the MVC preseason poll, totaling 197 points, just 10 points behind Evansville.

– Valpo is in its sixth season as a member of the Missouri Valley Conference.

– The Valley was ranked 10th in conference NET last year, was ranked seventh nationally in conference NET in 2020-21 and was eighth nationally in conference RPI in 2019-20.

…looking back at last year

– Valpo finished last year with an 11-19 overall record, but was strong in MVC play, going 9-9 in conference and finishing in sixth place – both of which match the program’s best since joining the Valley.

– The Beacons registered the first win at Drake and the first win at Bradley in program history.

– Valpo swept the season series over Drake, the program’s first two wins ever against the Bulldogs.

– The Beacons also tallied four top-100 wins within Valley play.

– Grace White was named MVC Sixth Player of the Year – the program’s first major postseason award since joining the Valley. Shay Frederick was a First Team All-MVC choice, while White was an All-Defensive Team selection and Olivia Brown earned a spot on the All-Newcomer Team.

…at Belmont

– Olivia Brown hit four first-half 3-pointers and Ava Interrante three, combining for 21 first-half points as Valpo trailed 44-30 at intermission.

– The Beacons cut the deficit to single digits at 48-40 with 4:11 to play in the third quarter.

– Valpo was called for fouls on its next six defensive possessions, allowing Belmont to go 10-of-11 from the foul line over that span as the Bruins scored 12 of the quarter’s final 17 points to lead 60-45 with 10 minutes to play.

– The Beacons dropped their MVC opener for the fifth time in six seasons in the conference. Notably, all but one of those defeats have come on the road.

– Valpo went 11-of-27 from 3-point range on Friday night, the third time this year it has hit double digits from deep and matching its season high of 11 triples, previously reached against Bowling Green.

– The Beacons’ 40.7% 3-point percentage was their second-best of the season as well.

– Leading the charge from deep was Brown, who went 6-of-8 from the 3-point line for her team-best 18 points. The six triples tied her career high and set a high for her time at Valpo.

– Brown also moved into Valpo’s single-game record book, as her .750 3-point percentage is tied for seventh-best in program history with a minimum of seven attempts.

– Ava Interrante made her presence felt from deep as well, setting a career best as she went 4-of-6 from downtown. The junior ended the night with 14 points — one off her career high set last time out.

– Ali Saunders ended up in double figures as well, closing strong to finish with 10 points — her sixth time in double digits this season. The rookie also matched her season high with five assists.

– After Belmont shot 51.4% from the field and 8-of-13 from 3-point range in the first half, the Beacons’ defense held the Bruins to 37.5% shooting and 0-of-6 from deep in the second half.

– Valpo committed 22 turnovers on Friday to just 14 for Belmont, as the Bruins enjoyed a 20-8 advantage in points off turnovers.

…at Western Illinois

– WIU led 27-16 at the end of the first quarter and extended its lead to 50-28 at intermission.

– The Leathernecks led by 25 early in the third quarter. Valpo battled back to within 16 at the end of the third period and got the deficit down to 11 points in the fourth quarter, missing a shot that would have potentially made it an eight-point game with 8:41 to play.

– Jayda Johnston surpassed her previous career high of six points early in the second quarter and finished with a team-best 16 points on 7-of-12 shooting and four rebounds in 32 minutes of action off the bench.

– Ava Interrante’s third-quarter output of nine points broke her previous career best by itself. All 15 of the junior’s points came in the second half, as she hit 5-of-8 from the field, including 3-of-5 from 3-point range.

– Leah Earnest registered her fourth double-double of the season, scoring 10 points and leading all players with 10 rebounds.

– After shooting just 9-of-26 from the field in the first half, Valpo shot nearly 50% (13-of-27) in the second half. The Beacons also were 6-of-14 from 3-point range in the final 20 minutes after going without a triple in the opening 20 minutes.

– Western Illinois took advantage of an edge at the charity stripe, going 28-of-37 from the foul line to Valpo’s 17-of-23. The Leathernecks also forced 22 Valpo turnovers and committed just 11 miscues, finishing with an 18-5 edge in points off turnovers.

…looking ahead

– The Beacons return home for the first time in nearly a month next weekend to host Evansville and Indiana State.

– Valpo then makes a quick mid-week trip to Chicago to take on UIC Jan. 11.

…on the road

– Friday’s game is the fifth of 14 true road games for Valpo this season and the first MVC road game.

– The Beacons are 1-3 so far this season on the road and posted a 5-11 record in true road games last season.

@RacersWBB

– Murray State enters Sunday’s game with an 8-2 overall record this year and opened Valley play on Friday with a 68-55 victory over UIC.

– The Racers are led by reigning OVC Player of the Year Katelyn Young, who averages 19.6 points/game on 54.2% shooting from the floor and a team-high 7.2 rebounds/game as well.

– Murray State’s only losses to date were at Purdue and against Austin Peay. The Racers rebounded from the latter setback with an upset victory at Kentucky.

****U OF I WOMEN’S BASKETBALL****

HOUNDS TAKE DOWN FERRIS STATE IN OVERTIME

BIG RAPIDS, Mich. – The UIndy women’s basketball overcame a deficit of 10 points heading into the final quarter of play on Saturday afternoon to take down Ferris State in overtime by a final of 65-62. The Hounds improve to 7-6 overall on the year while the Bulldogs, who were receiving votes in the most recent WBCA Top 25 Coaches Poll, drop to 9-3.

Sadie Hill returned to the court after missing the last two games and corralled her fourth double-double of the season with 20 points and 11 rebounds. Most notably, Hill made her presence known at the charity stripe after she made 13 freebies for UIndy. Close behind, Lauren With notched 18 points on 7-of-10 shooting from the field while Liv Becker added 15 points and a trio of 3-pointers.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Both teams were hit with a sluggish opening half of play at the Jim Wink Arena. Through the first 20 minutes of play, UIndy shot just 5-of-24 from the field (20.8 percent) while Ferris State was at 5-of-30 (16.7 percent) in return. Most notably, the trio of Caroline Jakaitis, With, and Hill were the only Greyhounds to have points on the board midway through the second quarter as UIndy held a 13-11 lead over the hometown Bulldogs. Both teams battled to a 20-20 stalemate heading into the intermission.

With the game knotted up at 27-27 in the third, Ferris State rattled off a 7-0 scoring run that put the team in the driver’s seat for the time being. This played a key part in the Bulldogs outscoring the Hounds by 10 in the quarter and eventually holding a double-digit lead going into the fourth. However, it was UIndy who answered the call and produced a huge 8-0 scoring run midway through the fourth which helped in eventually forcing overtime. The Hounds successfully outscored FSU by 10 in the final quarter of regulation.

The Greyhounds finally took over the game in overtime by never trailing in the five minutes of extra time. Big free throws by Hill and Ilani Williams-Harris with just seconds remaining alongside a missed 3-pointer at the buzzer by Ferris State helped the Hounds collect the non-conference road win.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

-UIndy finished shooting at 33.3 percent from the field (18-of-54) while Ferris State ended at 27.8 percent (20-of-72).

-The Hounds went a strong 23-of-31 from the free throw line.

-An almost even rebounding battle saw the Greyhounds grab 47 total to the Bulldogs’ 46.

UP NEXT

The Hounds are set for a big test on Saturday, Jan. 7 as the team is set to travel to No. 3 Drury with tip-off at 4 p.m. ET.

****U OF I MEN’S BASKETBALL****

GREYHOUNDS CLOSE CALENDAR YEAR IN DOMINATING FASHION

INDIANAPOLIS – The UIndy men’s basketball (11-2) closed the 2022 calendar year in style on Saturday, earning a 97-61 victory against visiting Ohio Christian from inside Nicoson Hall.

Five Greyhounds finished in double figures, with Kendrick Tchoua leading the way with 19 points and 14 rebounds. Jesse Bingham also impressed, recording 16 points and a team-high six assists.

Overall, the team shot 50.7 percent (36-for-71) from the floor while leading for nearly 38 minutes against the Trailblazers.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Josiah Tynes capped a 9-0 UIndy run midway through the opening half to give the hosts the advantage for good. Tchoua was on double-double watch after 20 minutes, tallying 13 points and nine boards before the break, while it was Bingham who stretched the Hounds’ lead to 21 with 51 ticks left.

It was all Greyhounds in the second half, as the Crimson and Grey led by as many as 41 after a 3-pointer from Ben Nicoson at the 8:01 mark. While Tchoua earned his fourth double-double of the winter almost immediately after halftime, freshman Sean Craig nearly joined his teammate with 11 points and eight rebounds in 19+ minutes.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

– The team’s 23 assists are the most since Feb. 28 earlier this year, with Jarvis Walker – and Bingham – both earning season-bests in the category.

– UIndy continued its defensive prowess, forcing 17 turnovers while recording nine steals and seven blocks. David Ejah led the team with three thefts.

– Fifteen of the Hounds’ 51 rebounds were on the offensive glass, as Tchoua (five) and Craig (four) topping the team.

– Walker finished with double digits in the scoring column for the fourth time this season, including back-to-back performances. The sophomore sunk all seven attempts from the charity stripe.

UP NEXT

The Hounds will begin 2023 with a road league tilt at Drury on Saturday, Jan. 7. Tip with the Panthers is scheduled for 2 p.m. ET in Springfield, Mo.

****MARIAN WOMEN’S BASKETBALL****

MARIAN HEADS INTO NEW YEAR WITH 35-POINT WIN OVER WEBBER

BABSON PARK, Fla. – The No. 6 Marian women’s basketball team defeated Webber International with ease Saturday afternoon as they ran away with the 72-37 victory to go into the New Year with a 14-1 overall record.

It was Webber scoring the first points of the game off a Marian turnover before Ella Collier came back to answer with back-to-back threes to put the Knights up 6-2 early in the first quarter. It was the Warriors responding with a jumper, but Allison Bosse and Sara Majorosova gave it right back with a jumper and three-pointer. In the final four minutes of play in quarter one, Marian held Webber to just two points while the Knights cruised to a 10-point lead fueled by a 6-2 run that started with a transition bucket from Abbey McNally.

Marian got out to a hot start to begin the second quarter with a 19-0 run that included baskets from five different Knights. Webber finally found their first score of the quarter with 2:30 remaining, but it was McNally scoring back-to-back buckets off of offensive rebounds to make it a 40-9 lead in favor of the Knights going into halftime.

After the break, the Warriors opened the third quarter with a jumper before it got back to being all Marian. McNally, Collier, and Majorosova each found themselves with a layup before Tamia Perryman connected with Aliyah Evans on the cut to extend the Marian lead to 48-11. The Warriors tried to answer multiple times as they put together a 5-2 run to close out the third quarter. However, the Marian defense proved to be too much for the hosts as they held the 56-18 advantage going into the final quarter of action. 

The dominating effort continued for the Knights in the fourth quarter with McNally and Collier scoring early to grow the lead up to 42. Webber never stopped battling as they hit a jumper at the 7:01 mark to spark a 10-2 run for the Warriors. Alexa McKinley and Jayla Wehner put a stop to run as Wehner found McKinley for the three-pointer to put Marian back up 67-30. The hosts came back down the floor with a three of their own, but it was McKinley and Esther Sevilla putting the finishing touches on the 72-37 win.

Collier paced the Knights with 18 points, six rebounds, four assists, and two steals. McNally added 16 points and five rebounds, while Evans put together eight points, four rebounds, and four assists. Perryman and Kenna Kirby each provided a spark off the bench as Perryman pulled down a game-high 11 rebounds to go along with six points, while Kirby finished with seven points and four rebounds.

Marian will kick off the 2023 portion of the season back with Crossroads league play as they host Grace at 7 p.m. on Wednesday.

SMALL COLLEGE ATHLETIC SITES:

INDIANA WESLEYAN ATHLETICS: https://iwuwildcats.com/

EARLHAM ATHLETICS: https://goearlham.com/

WABASH ATHLETICS: https://sports.wabash.edu/

FRANKLIN ATHLETICS: https://franklingrizzlies.com/

ROSE-HULMAN ATHLETICS: https://athletics.rose-hulman.edu/

ANDERSON ATHLETICS: https://athletics.anderson.edu/landing/index

TRINE ATHLETICS: https://trinethunder.com/landing/index

BETHEL ATHLETICS: https://bupilots.com/

DEPAUW ATHLETICS: https://depauwtigers.com/

HANOVER ATHLETICS: https://athletics.hanover.edu/

MANCHESTER ATHLETICS: https://muspartans.com/

HUNTINGTON ATHLETICS: https://www.huathletics.com/

OAKLAND CITY ATHLETICS: https://gomightyoaks.com/index.aspx

ST. FRANCIS ATHLETICS: https://www.saintfranciscougars.com/landing/index

IU KOKOMO ATHLETICS: https://iukcougars.com/

IU EAST ATHLETICS: https://www.iueredwolves.com/

IU SOUTH BEND ATHLETICS: https://iusbtitans.com/

PURDUE NORTHWEST ATHLETICS: https://pnwathletics.com/

INDIANA TECH ATHLETICS: https://indianatechwarriors.com/index.aspx

GRACE COLLEGE ATHLETICS: https://gclancers.com/

ST. MARY OF THE WOODS ATHLETICS: https://smwcathletics.com/

GOSHEN COLLEGE ATHLETICS: https://goleafs.net/

HOLY CROSS ATHLETICS: https://www.hcsaints.com/index.php

TAYLOR ATHLETICS: https://www.taylortrojans.com/

VINCENNES ATHLETICS: https://govutrailblazers.com/landing/index

SPORTS EXTRA

****NFL STANDINGS****

AMERICAN FOOTBALL CONFERENCE
	W	L	T	PCT	GB	PF	PA	HOME	ROAD	VS. CONF	VS. DIV	STREAK
XY-BUFFALO BILLS	12	3	0	.800	0.0	420	263	6 – 1 – 0	6 – 2 – 0	8 – 2 – 0	3 – 2 – 0	6 W
XY-KANSAS CITY CHIEFS	12	3	0	.800	0.0	438	332	6 – 1 – 0	6 – 2 – 0	7 – 3 – 0	4 – 0 – 0	3 W
X-CINCINNATI BENGALS	11	4	0	.733	0.0	391	306	5 – 1 – 0	6 – 3 – 0	7 – 3 – 0	2 – 3 – 0	7 W
JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS	7	8	0	.467	0.0	353	331	4 – 3 – 0	3 – 5 – 0	6 – 4 – 0	2 – 2 – 0	3 W
X-BALTIMORE RAVENS	10	5	0	.667	0.0	321	272	5 – 2 – 0	5 – 3 – 0	6 – 4 – 0	3 – 1 – 0	1 W
X-LOS ANGELES CHARGERS	9	6	0	.600	0.0	332	343	4 – 3 – 0	5 – 3 – 0	7 – 4 – 0	2 – 3 – 0	3 W
MIAMI DOLPHINS	8	7	0	.533	0.0	365	370	5 – 2 – 0	3 – 5 – 0	6 – 4 – 0	2 – 2 – 0	4 L
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS	7	8	0	.467	2.0	318	291	3 – 4 – 0	4 – 4 – 0	5 – 5 – 0	2 – 2 – 0	2 L
NEW YORK JETS	7	8	0	.467	2.0	284	282	3 – 5 – 0	4 – 3 – 0	5 – 6 – 0	2 – 3 – 0	4 L
PITTSBURGH STEELERS	7	8	0	.467	2.0	264	319	3 – 4 – 0	4 – 4 – 0	3 – 7 – 0	1 – 3 – 0	2 W
TENNESSEE TITANS	7	9	0	.438	2.5	282	339	3 – 5 – 0	4 – 4 – 0	5 – 6 – 0	3 – 2 – 0	6 L
LAS VEGAS RAIDERS	6	9	0	.400	3.0	348	350	4 – 2 – 0	2 – 7 – 0	5 – 6 – 0	3 – 2 – 0	1 L
CLEVELAND BROWNS	6	9	0	.400	3.0	323	343	4 – 4 – 0	2 – 5 – 0	4 – 7 – 0	3 – 2 – 0	1 L
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS	4	10	1	.300	4.5	248	357	2 – 5 – 0	2 – 5 – 1	4 – 6 – 1	1 – 3 – 1	5 L
DENVER BRONCOS	4	11	0	.267	5.0	232	304	3 – 4 – 0	1 – 7 – 0	2 – 8 – 0	0 – 4 – 0	1 L
HOUSTON TEXANS	2	12	1	.167	6.5	254	358	0 – 6 – 1	2 – 6 – 0	2 – 7 – 1	2 – 1 – 1	1 W
NATIONAL FOOTBALL CONFERENCE
	W	L	T	PCT	GB	PF	PA	HOME	ROAD	VS. CONF	VS. DIV	STREAK
X-PHILADELPHIA EAGLES	13	2	0	.867	0.0	445	308	6 – 1 – 0	7 – 1 – 0	8 – 2 – 0	3 – 2 – 0	1 L
XY-MINNESOTA VIKINGS	12	3	0	.800	0.0	378	373	8 – 1 – 0	4 – 2 – 0	7 – 3 – 0	3 – 1 – 0	2 W
XY-SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS	11	4	0	.733	0.0	375	230	7 – 1 – 0	4 – 3 – 0	9 – 2 – 0	5 – 0 – 0	8 W
TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS	7	8	0	.467	0.0	266	304	4 – 4 – 0	3 – 4 – 0	7 – 3 – 0	3 – 1 – 0	1 W
X-DALLAS COWBOYS	12	4	0	.750	0.0	461	316	8 – 1 – 0	4 – 3 – 0	8 – 3 – 0	4 – 1 – 0	2 W
NEW YORK GIANTS	8	6	1	.567	0.0	311	339	4 – 3 – 1	4 – 3 – 0	4 – 6 – 1	1 – 3 – 1	1 L
WASHINGTON COMMANDERS	7	7	1	.500	0.0	285	313	3 – 4 – 0	4 – 3 – 1	4 – 6 – 1	1 – 3 – 1	2 L
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS	7	8	0	.467	1.5	365	379	3 – 4 – 0	4 – 4 – 0	5 – 6 – 0	3 – 2 – 0	3 L
DETROIT LIONS	7	8	0	.467	1.5	392	401	4 – 4 – 0	3 – 4 – 0	5 – 5 – 0	3 – 1 – 0	1 L
GREEN BAY PACKERS	7	8	0	.467	1.5	313	334	4 – 3 – 0	3 – 5 – 0	5 – 5 – 0	2 – 2 – 0	3 W
CAROLINA PANTHERS	6	9	0	.400	2.5	313	337	5 – 4 – 0	1 – 5 – 0	5 – 5 – 0	3 – 1 – 0	1 W
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS	6	9	0	.400	2.5	303	325	4 – 4 – 0	2 – 5 – 0	4 – 6 – 0	2 – 3 – 0	2 W
LOS ANGELES RAMS	5	10	0	.333	3.5	281	334	4 – 5 – 0	1 – 5 – 0	3 – 8 – 0	1 – 4 – 0	1 W
ATLANTA FALCONS	5	10	0	.333	3.5	315	350	4 – 3 – 0	1 – 7 – 0	4 – 6 – 0	1 – 4 – 0	4 L
ARIZONA CARDINALS	4	11	0	.267	4.5	308	391	1 – 8 – 0	3 – 3 – 0	3 – 7 – 0	1 – 4 – 0	5 L
CHICAGO BEARS	3	12	0	.200	5.5	303	393	2 – 6 – 0	1 – 6 – 0	1 – 9 – 0	0 – 4 – 0	8 L

****NBA STANDINGS****

EASTERN CONFERENCE
	W	L	PCT	CONF GB	HOME	ROAD	DIV	CONF	LAST 10	STREAK
1 BOSTON	26	10	.722	—	15-5	11-5	4-0	15-8	5-5	4 W
2 BROOKLYN	24	12	.667	2.0	12-5	12-7	5-2	19-6	10-0	11 W
3 MILWAUKEE	23	12	.657	2.5	15-3	8-9	4-3	11-8	4-6	1 W
4 CLEVELAND	23	14	.622	3.5	16-4	7-10	6-3	16-8	6-4	1 W
5 PHILADELPHIA	21	14	.600	4.5	14-5	7-9	4-3	14-9	8-2	1 W
6 INDIANA	20	17	.541	6.5	12-7	8-10	2-2	14-8	6-4	3 W
7 MIAMI	19	18	.514	7.5	11-8	7-10	5-1	8-11	7-3	1 W
8 NEW YORK	19	18	.514	7.5	8-10	11-8	1-4	12-9	5-5	1 W
9 ATLANTA	17	19	.472	9.0	11-8	6-11	4-3	13-14	4-6	3 L
10 CHICAGO	16	20	.444	10.0	9-9	7-11	4-2	14-10	5-5	1 L
11 TORONTO	16	20	.444	10.0	11-8	5-12	2-7	11-13	3-7	1 W
12 WASHINGTON	16	21	.432	10.5	10-7	6-14	4-3	9-13	5-5	4 W
13 ORLANDO	13	24	.351	13.5	9-11	4-13	2-5	7-18	6-4	3 L
14 CHARLOTTE	10	27	.270	16.5	5-12	5-15	3-6	4-18	3-7	1 L
15 DETROIT	10	29	.256	17.5	5-13	5-16	0-6	4-18	3-7	1 W
WESTERN CONFERENCE
	W	L	PCT	CONF GB	HOME	ROAD	DIV	CONF	LAST 10	STREAK
1 DENVER	23	12	.657	—	13-3	10-9	7-2	18-8	8-2	1 W
2 NEW ORLEANS	23	13	.639	0.5	16-4	7-9	6-2	15-9	5-5	1 L
3 MEMPHIS	22	13	.629	1.0	14-3	8-10	4-2	10-10	6-4	2 W
4 DALLAS	21	16	.568	3.0	15-5	6-11	4-2	15-6	7-3	6 W
5 SACRAMENTO	19	15	.559	3.5	11-7	8-8	4-4	8-7	5-5	2 W
6 LA CLIPPERS	21	17	.553	3.5	11-7	10-10	3-4	11-11	6-4	2 L
7 PHOENIX	20	17	.541	4.0	14-5	6-12	7-0	17-10	4-6	2 L
8 PORTLAND	18	17	.514	5.0	8-6	10-11	4-5	13-12	5-5	1 L
9 GOLDEN STATE	19	18	.514	5.0	16-2	3-16	4-3	12-8	5-5	4 W
10 UTAH	19	20	.487	6.0	12-6	7-14	3-4	15-12	4-6	4 L
11 MINNESOTA	16	21	.432	8.0	9-9	7-12	4-4	9-13	3-7	6 L
12 OKLAHOMA CITY	15	21	.417	8.5	10-9	5-12	3-6	9-12	4-6	2 L
13 LA LAKERS	15	21	.417	8.5	8-8	7-13	0-7	7-13	4-6	1 W
14 SAN ANTONIO	12	24	.333	11.5	7-12	5-11	2-5	5-20	4-6	1 L
15 HOUSTON	10	26	.278	13.5	6-11	4-15	1-6	5-18	2-8	3 L

****NHL STANDINGS****

EASTERN CONFERENCE
	GP	W	L	OTL	PTS	ROW	GF	GA	HOME	ROAD	L10
1 BOSTON BRUINS	36	28	4	4	60	26	138	82	18-0-3	10-4-1	7-0-3
2 CAROLINA HURRICANES	36	24	6	6	54	22	113	90	12-3-1	12-3-5	10-0-0
3 TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS	37	23	8	6	52	23	125	94	13-2-3	10-6-3	7-3-0
4 NEW JERSEY DEVILS	36	23	11	2	48	23	120	92	10-9-1	13-2-1	2-7-1
5 TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING	35	23	11	1	47	22	126	102	15-4-1	8-7-0	8-2-0
6 WASHINGTON CAPITALS	39	21	13	5	47	21	127	108	12-5-2	9-8-3	8-1-1
7 PITTSBURGH PENGUINS	36	19	11	6	44	18	121	109	10-4-4	9-7-2	5-3-2
8 NEW YORK ISLANDERS	37	21	14	2	44	21	119	100	12-6-0	9-8-2	5-3-2
9 NEW YORK RANGERS	37	19	12	6	44	18	117	102	8-7-4	11-5-2	7-2-1
10 DETROIT RED WINGS	35	16	12	7	39	15	110	117	9-6-3	7-6-4	3-5-2
11 BUFFALO SABRES	34	18	14	2	38	17	137	115	8-8-2	10-6-0	8-1-1
12 FLORIDA PANTHERS	37	16	17	4	36	15	121	126	9-5-3	7-12-1	3-7-0
13 OTTAWA SENATORS	36	16	17	3	35	15	109	115	9-8-1	7-9-2	6-3-1
14 PHILADELPHIA FLYERS	37	13	17	7	33	13	98	124	7-9-1	6-8-6	4-4-2
15 MONTREAL CANADIENS	37	15	19	3	33	11	100	138	7-9-0	8-10-3	2-7-1
16 COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS	35	11	22	2	24	11	94	138	9-11-1	2-11-1	3-7-0
WESTERN CONFERENCE
	GP	W	L	OTL	PTS	ROW	GF	GA	HOME	ROAD	L10
1 DALLAS STARS	38	23	9	6	52	23	137	104	11-4-3	12-5-3	7-2-1
2 VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS	39	25	12	2	52	22	131	111	11-9-0	14-3-2	5-4-1
3 LOS ANGELES KINGS	40	21	13	6	48	17	132	138	11-6-2	10-7-4	6-2-2
4 WINNIPEG JETS	37	23	13	1	47	23	118	95	13-6-0	10-7-1	5-5-0
5 MINNESOTA WILD	36	21	13	2	44	18	116	102	11-7-1	10-6-1	8-2-0
6 CALGARY FLAMES	38	18	13	7	43	17	117	115	11-7-2	7-6-5	5-2-3
7 EDMONTON OILERS	38	20	16	2	42	20	136	127	9-10-1	11-6-1	4-4-2
8 COLORADO AVALANCHE	35	19	13	3	41	16	105	101	9-6-3	10-7-0	6-3-1
9 SEATTLE KRAKEN	34	18	12	4	40	18	117	114	9-8-2	9-4-2	3-6-1
10 ST. LOUIS BLUES	37	17	17	3	37	15	114	135	7-8-2	10-9-1	5-2-3
11 NASHVILLE PREDATORS	35	15	14	6	36	13	94	107	8-6-3	7-8-3	3-3-4
12 VANCOUVER CANUCKS	36	16	17	3	35	14	124	138	7-9-1	9-8-2	5-5-0
13 ARIZONA COYOTES	35	13	17	5	31	12	102	128	7-3-2	6-14-3	5-4-1
14 SAN JOSE SHARKS	38	11	20	7	29	10	115	144	4-10-6	7-10-1	3-4-3
15 ANAHEIM DUCKS	37	10	23	4	24	7	87	154	6-9-1	4-14-3	3-6-1
16 CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS	35	8	23	4	20	8	77	132	5-12-2	3-11-2	1-9-0

FOOTBALL HISTORY

January 1, 1902 – Tournament Park, Pasadena, California – The first bowl game was played. According to an NCAA.com article, it started as the centerpiece of the “Tournament of Roses,” a yearly festival by the Valley Hunt Club that began in 1890. Before the advent of the football game, the parade staged events like tugs-of-war, polo matches, and even greased-pig catching. The game’s name was changed to the Rose Bowl Game starting with the 1923 Rose Bowl when it moved to the newly constructed Rose Bowl Stadium. In the contest, the Michigan Wolverines blew out the Stanford Cardinal 49-0. Wolverine standout and future Hall of Fame inductee Willie Heston rushed for 170 yards in the contest, setting a record that lasted for 57 years. Michigan only had 12 points scored against it all season long, including this game!

January 1, 1919 – 5th Rose Bowl Great Lakes, US Navy beats Mare Island, USMC, 17-0 per the Onthisday.com website. The game’s Most Valuable Player was a US Naval player named George Halas.

January 1, 1926 – Pasadena, California – The first game was officially called the Rose Bowl when it entered its new stadium venue of the same name. Remember that the Rose Bowl was the only Bowl game back in this era, and it was a big deal for Alabama to get the invite; in fact they were the first southern to play in the Rose Bowl. The University of Washington was a powerhouse as they were led by their star halfback, George Wildcat Wilson. In the game, it was Wilson’s dominant performance for much of the first half of the “Grand Daddy of them All” had opponent Alabama on their heels and down by a couple of scores. The Crimson Tide got a break late in the second quarter when George Wilson left the game due to injury. The Tide rolled, led by Johnny Mack Brown, with 20 unanswered points and were driving down the field to score again when the banged-up Wildcat Wilson re-entered the contest and was significant in shutting down the ‘Bama drive at the Husky 12-yard line. Wilson then guided the Washington offense down the field and capped off the drive with Wilson throwing a 20-yard scoring strike to John Cole. It was not enough as the Tide held on to win the game 20-19. The stat line of the game showed that with Wilson on the field, the Washington Huskies gained 317 yards and put up 19 points. When he was out, they mustered a mere 17 yards and were shut out, while the Crimson Tide scored all 20 of their points in that 22-minute absence of Wilson from the contest. It put Alabama football on the map as a major power in the college football landscape. The game was good as upstart Alabama defeated the favorites, Washington, 20-19. This game is often referred to as the Game that Changed the South. Many gridiron history experts recognize it as the most crucial game in southern football history.

January 1, 1935 – 1st Sugar Bowl: Tulane beats Temple, 20-14

January 1, 1935 – 1st Orange Bowl: Bucknell beats Miami (FL), 26-0

January 1, 1937 – La Tropicale Stadium, Havana, Cuba – Auburn University plays in its first post-season bowl appearance. The Bacardi Bowl in 1937 saw the Tigers lock up with the good Villanova team as the game ended in a 7-7 stalemate. The Bacardi Bowl took place on seven different occasions throughout history. The games were also referred to as the Rhumba Bowl and were the climaxing event of Cuba’s annual National Sports Festival. The first five Rhumba Bowls pitted one of the US teams of the south against a Cuban university squad. This 1937 edition was the only game in the bowl series with two American teams playing each other. The last occurred on December 7, 1946, as Mississippi Southern University played the University of Havana.

January 1, 1942 – Durham, North Carolina – The Rose Bowl was played on the East Coast once. Oregon State College surprised everyone as they won the Pacific Coast Conference champion­ship. The Golden Rankings website details how the Beavers won their final five games to earn their first-ever trip to the Rose Bowl. As was the custom at the time, the PCC champion picked its opponent for the game in Pasadena. The Golden Gophers of Minnesota was the logical choice as they were tops in all the polls, but they were prohibited from playing in a bowl game by the predecessor of the Big 10, the Western Conference rules at the time. So Oregon State chose the next best team, Duke, who was second in most rank­ings. Many Duke fans booked their travel plans as they got a sweet deal of round-trip train fare, accommodations in California, tickets to the big game, and a free stop at the Grand Canyon for under $182. Sign me up! However, the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7 launched the U.S. into World War II. Not even a week later, fearing Japanese attacks on the West Coast, the military leaders shut down all major sporting events, including the Rose Bowl. That was when the teams and the Rose Bowl committee got their heads together and decided the game must go on, and they switched the venue to Wallace Wade Stadium, Durham, North Carolina. This contest was the only Rose Bowl Game ever played outside Pasadena (until 2020). It was a pretty good game too, but we will let Golden Rankings fill you in on that part. The Final score was Oregon State in an upset 20-16 over the Blue Devils.

January 1, 1952 – Pasadena, California – This edition of the Rose Bowl Game was the first nationally televised college football game. In the Game Illinois destroyed Stanford by the score of 40-7.

January 1, 1962 – Pasadena, California – There was another first for the “Grand Daddy of them All” it was the first nationally televised college football game broadcast in color. Minnesota outlasted UCLA 21-3 in the milestone broadcast. Wow can you imagine that until this day some pigskin fan on the East Coast may have never seen the Bruin blue before!

January 1, 1963 – Pasadena, California – For the first time in history a game to determine the top team in the nation was scheduled based on the AP and UPI poll, as the top ranked teams would do battle. What a billing! The top ranked Trojans of Southern Cal and #2 Wisconsin Badgers were going to mix it up on the Rose Bowl turf for the top spot. According to the American Football Database it was USC who would end up the victors in a high scoring affair, 42 to 37 over the Badgers. Wisconsin came on strong at the end with 23 unanswered fourth quarter points to make it a nail biter at the end.

January 1, 2005 – Tempe, Arizona – At the Fiesta Bowl Utah became the first non-BCS Conference team to appear in and also win a Bowl Championship Series Bowl game by blowing out Big East champion Pittsburgh 35–7. According to Utahutes.com the performance of Utah’s Quarterback Alex Smith propelled him to becoming the #1 overall draft pick in the 2005 NFL Draft. The Utes would eventually become a member of the Pac-12 Conference in 2011.

HALL OF FAME BIRTHDAYS FOR JANUARY 1

January 1, 1890 – Wellesley, Massachusetts – Vince “Pat” Pazzetti who played quarterback for both Wesleyan and Lehigh University was born. According to his bio on the NFF website Pat played at Wesleyan University as a standout during the football seasons of 1908 and 1909, before transferring to Lehigh for junior and senior campaigns in 1911 and 1912. After the 1912season Pazzetti earned All-America accolades in the same backfield with the legendary Jim Thorpe. The National Football Foundation selected Vince Pazzetti to enter into the College football Hall of Fame in 1961.

January 1, 1901 – Allegheny, Pennsylvania – The great Wabash College and Yale University standout tackle, Century Milstead entered into this life. The footballfoundation.org website states that generally lineman are the unsung heroes of football most of the time going unnoticed in games. That is not the description they give for our man Century though. As a member of the Wabash Little Giants Milstead helped the team upset much larger teams like Purdue, Georgetown and Butler in convincing fashion. He transferred to Yale in 1922 but had to sit out a season to solidify his eligibility and he was worth the wait. In 1923, Milstead played a key role in a perfect Eli campaign which brought him All-America recognition. After graduation, he coached at Yale, played pro ball for the New York Giants, became a sales executive, served as president of the Touchdown Club of New York as well as on the Lambert Trophy board Century Milstead found his way into the College football Hall of Fame in 1977.

January 1, 1925 – Britton, Oklahoma – The Fullback from William and Mary, Jack Cloud was born. Jack set the scoring record of 102 points in one season at William and Mary in 1947 according to the NFF. The New York Sun named him All-America in 1947, and the Newspaper Enterprise Association picked him in 1948 for the honor. Grantland Rice wrote, “Jack Cloud may be the closest thing to Jim Thorpe. The National Football Foundation selected Jack Cloud to enter into their College football Hall of Fame in 1990.

January 1, 1927 – Dallas, Texas – Doak Walker the highly decorated Southern Methodist University halfback was born. The NFF site says that Doak was a 3-time All-America halfback for SMU. He won the Maxwell Award in 1947, won the Heisman in 1948, and was named Player of the Year by Collier’s Magazine in 1949. Doak Walker found the doors to be open wide to welcome him into the College football Hall of Fame in 1959. Doak after college joined the Detroit Lions and spent 6 productive seasons with the franchise. In fact according to the ProFootballHOF.com site, he did almost everything for the Lions as he passed, ran returned punts and kicks but he also performed the punting and place kicks for the team as well. Walker was selected as All-NFL in 5 of his six seasons played in the League. Doak Walker was enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1986.

January 1, 1932 – Knoxville, Tennessee – Standout Mississippi Quarterback Jackie Parker was born. The NFF states the value of Parker to his team in one game at Rival Auburn. There Quarterback Jackie Parker single-handedly wrenched Auburn. State ran up 49 points in those first three periods, with Parker having a hand in 42 of them on touchdown runs of six, 11 and 34 yards and passes of 11, nine and 27 yards, and he kicked all six extra points. With victory well in hand, Parker watched the final quarter from the sidelines. What a stat line for playing only 75% of the game. During his two seasons at MSU, Parker was All-Conference and All-American. Following his collegiate career. Jackie Parker found his way into the College football Hall of Fame in 1976. After school was over Parker played 14 seasons in the Canadian Football League and was the CFL’s Most Valuable Player three times and an All-Pro nine times. Retiring as an active player, Parker became the general manager of the CFL’s BC Lions.

January 1, 1940 – Cheyenne, Wyoming – Mike McKeever the fine guard from USC came into this world. The Footballfoundation.org website states that Mike earned All-America honors and he was also chosen to the academic All-America team. Mike and his brother Marlin were the first twins to earn All-America status. McKeever suffered a head injury in his senior year at USC and it ended his collegiate football career. Prior to the injury he was high on the NFL draft list but the head wound prevented him from showing what he could do at the pro level. He was inducted into the College Hall of Fame in 1987.

January 1, 1962 – Marlin, Texas – Pierce Holt the Angelo State defensive end was born. Pierce started all four seasons at Angelo and was a Two-time All-America selection. When it came to scholastic honors, he was a Two-time Academic All-Conference among other awards. Pierce was inducted into the College football Hall of Fame in 1997 by the National Football Foundation voters..

January 1, 1967 – Miami, Florida – The outstanding linebacker from the University of Alabama, Derrick Thomas arrived into the world. The Football Foundation website reveals how Thomas was one of the greatest linebackers in Tide history. Derrick Thomas concluded his career as the NCAA FBS leader in career sacks with 52 en route to winning unanimous All-America honors in 1988. Derrick Thomas was welcomed into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2014. At the 1989 NFL Draft Derrick became the fourth overall pick by the Kansas City Chiefs. He had a productive 11 year career with the franchise where he registered 126.5 career sacks, twenty of them coming in one season. He made the All-NFL team three times and played in nine Pro Bowls. The Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrined Derrick Thomas in 2009.

BASEBALL HISTORY

1923       Having promised his fans and former teammates he’d live to see 1923, Wee Willie Keeler dies on New Year’s Day of that year due to heart failure. The diminutive fine-hitting Hall of Fame outfielder, who played for the National League’s Superbas (Dodgers), Orioles, and Giants and the Highlanders (Yankees) of the American League, is credited with the baseball axiom, “Keep your eyes clear, and hit ’em where they ain’t.”

1927       The Robins announce outfielder Zack Wheat, after 18 consecutive seasons with the club, has been released. The future Hall of Famer, who led the National League in hitting in 1918 with a .335 batting average, will hit .324 in 88 games for Connie Mack’s Philadelphia A’s this season, finishing his career with a lifetime mark of .311.

1929       “He could turn off a light switch and jump into bed before the room got dark.” – SATCHEL PAIGE, quipping about the quickness of Cool Papa Bell. Cienfuegos’s third baseman Cool Papa Bell becomes the first player to hit three home runs in a professional game in Cuba, accomplishing the feat in a 15-11 victory over Havana at the spacious Alda Park. The speedy infielder hits the trio of homers, all inside-the-park round-trippers, off Oscar Levis, Cliff “Campanita” Bell, and Martin Dihigo.

1940       In a decision that foreshadows a significant blow to Detroit’s farm system, Kenesaw Mountain Landis voids the last month’s trade, which would have sent Tiger hurler George Coffman and second baseman Benny McCoy to the A’s for outfielder Wally Moses. The commissioner declares McCoy a free agent because the team hid the infielder from other clubs, and baseball’s first czar will also grant free agency to another 87 of the club’s farmhands due to their concealment in the minor leagues.

1941       Babe Ruth spends $50,000 on defense bonds to support of the U.S. mobilization effort, the maximum allowed by law for one person. After the start of World War II, the retired Yankee legend will continue to support the military, making charity appearances promoting the purchase of U.S bonds.

1943       Josh Gibson, known as the ‘Black Babe Ruth,’ is admitted to St. Francis Hospital for a brief time after suffering a mental breakdown, being released to participate in spring training with the Homestead Grays in Hot Springs (AR). The power-hitting catcher is diagnosed with a brain tumor but elects not to have it removed, and as a consequence, suffers from headaches until his death in 1947 at the age of 35 years old.

1961       Tiger Stadium is the official new name for the Detroit ballpark at the corner of Michigan and Trumbull Avenues. The facility, which opened in 1912, was initially known as Navin Field, named for team owner Frank Navin, before becoming Briggs Stadium in 1938, reflecting the expansion efforts of Walter Briggs, who increased the yard’s capacity to 53,000 under his ownership by double-decking the stands in left field.

1970       One-time New York batboy Chub Feeney begins his 16-year presidency of the National League, taking over for Warren Giles, who held the position for 18 years. The Dartmouth College graduate was Charles Stoneham’s grandson, the Giants’ late owner.

1974       Lee MacPhail takes over as American League president, succeeding the retiring Joe Cronin, serving in the role until 1984. MacPhail will join his dad, Larry, as a member of the Hall of Fame in 1998, becoming the only father-and-son pair to be enshrined in Cooperstown.

1977       At the age of 30, Milwaukee reliever Danny Frisella tragically dies in a dune buggy accident in Arizona. The right-hander, best known for his first six seasons with the Mets, compiled a 34-40 won-loss record, recorded 57 saves, and had an ERA of 3.37 during his ten-year major league tenure, including stints with the Braves, Padres, Cardinals, and the Brewers.

1979       Lorinda de Roulet replaces the very unpopular M. Donald Grant as the Mets’ Chairman of the Board. The daughter of franchise founder Joan Payson became the first woman to direct the day-to-day operations of an MLB club when elected as the team president and named to its board of directors following her mother’s death in 1975.

1982       Civic Center Busch Memorial Stadium, which replaced Sportsman’s Park as the Cardinals’ home in 1966, will now be known as Busch Stadium. The new moniker for the ballpark honors the Busch family of Anheuser-Busch, the team’s owner, who championed the construction of a new stadium in St. Louis.

2008       The Dodgers celebrate their 50th year in Los Angeles by participating in the 119th annual Tournament of Roses Parade. The team’s float features current and former players, organist Nancy Bea Hefley and Vin Scully, the club’s broadcaster since 1950.

2021       The Brewers’ home ballpark will now be known as American Family Field, reflecting the insurance company’s name as the venue’s title sponsor. The County Stadium replacement, completed in 1971, was called Miller Park for twenty years after the team signed a $40 million deal for the naming rights with the Milwaukee brewery.

SPORTS IN NUMBERS

5 – 7 – 16 – 21 – 15

We have seen some great events happen on New Year’s Day in Sports History. Generally known as a day where NCAA College Football Bowl Games take center stage.

January 1, 1902 – 1st Rose Bowl, Tournament Park, Pasadena, California: Michigan beats Stanford, 49-0; MVP: Neil Snow, Michigan, FB

January 1, 1919 – 5th Rose Bowl, Tournament Park, Pasadena, California: Great Lakes, US Navy beats Mare Island, USMC, 17-0; MVP: George Halas, US Navy

January 1, 1943 – Chicago Black Hawks field first trio of brothers to play together in an NHL game; Max Bentley (Number 5), Doug Bentley (Number 7), and Reggie Bentley appeared in the lineups for the Hawks in a 6-5 win over the New York Rangers at Chicago Stadium. Max would become a Hockey Hall of Fame member as he was on three Stanley Cup Championship teams and won the Hart Memorial Trophy for the 1945-46 season. Doug is also in the Hall of Fame. He played mostly left wing and was part of the famed “Pony Express” line of the Hawks alongside his brother Max. Doug finished in the Top 4 for the Hart Trophy three times during his 13 year career. His best season was in 1943-44 when he scored 38 goals in 50 games. Reg’s only recorded season was that 1942-43 season.

January 1, 1961 – 1st AFL Championship, Jeppesen Stadium, Houston; Houston Oilers beat Los Angeles Chargers, 24-16; Hall of Fame QB Number 16, George Blanda 3 TD passes, 3 conversions and a field goal

January 1, 1967 – AFL Championship, War Memorial Stadium, Buffalo: Kansas City Chiefs beat Buffalo Bills, 31-7; Pro Football Hall of Fame Quarterback Number 16, Len Dawson threw 2 touchdowns, RB Number 21, Mike Garrett ran for 2 scores

January 1, 1974 – Ernie DiGregorio, Number 15, of the Buffalo Braves franchise dished out 25 assists in the Braves’ 120-119 win over Portland, establishing an NBA single-game record for assists by a rookie

TV SUNDAY

COLLEGE BASKETBALL – MEN’S	TIME ET	TV
VERMONT AT UMBC	1:00PM	ESPN+
SIENA AT FAIRFIELD	2:00PM	ESPN3
DRAKE AT MISSOURI STATE	2:00PM	ESPN+
INDIANA STATE AT VALPARAISO	2:00PM	ESPN+
CORNELL AT DARTMOUTH	2:00PM	ESPN+
PROVIDENCE AT DEPAUL	2:30PM	FS1
CINCINNATI AT TEMPLE	3:00PM	ESPN2/U
TULSA AT SMU	3:00PM	ESPN2/U
USC AT WASHINGTON STATE	3:00PM	PAC12
MURRAY STATE AT EVANSVILLE	3:00PM	ESPN+
SAINT PETER’S AT IONA	4:00PM	ESPN3
QUINNIPIAC AT MANHATTAN	4:00PM	ESPN3
MARYLAND AT MICHIGAN	4:30PM	FS1
MEMPHIS AT TULANE	5:00PM	ESPN
BELMONT AT SOUTHERN ILLINOIS	5:00PM	ESPNU
IOWA AT PENN STATE	5:30PM	BTN
BUTLER AT GEORGETOWN	6:30PM	FS1
UCLA AT WASHINGTON	7:00PM	PAC12
OHIO STATE AT NORTHWESTERN	7:30PM	ESPN+
COLLEGE BASKETBALL – WOMEN’S	TIME ET	TV
BOSTON COLLEGE AT NOTRE DAME	12:00PM	ACCN
BOSTON COLLEGE AT NOTRE DAME	12:00PM	CBSSN
NBA REGULAR SEASON GAMES	TIME ET	TV
SACRAMENTO AT MEMPHIS	8:00PM	NBCS-CA BALLY SPORTS
WASHINGTON AT MILWAUKEE	8:00PM	NBCS-WSH BALLY SPORTS
BOSTON AT DENVER	8:00PM	NBCS-BOS ALT
NFL REGULAR SEASON GAMES	TIME ET	TV
ARIZONA AT ATLANTA	1:00PM	FOX
CHICAGO AT DETROIT	1:00PM	FOX
DENVER AT KANSAS CITY	1:00PM	CBS
MIAMI AT NEW ENGLAND	1:00PM	CBS
INDIANAPOLIS AT NY GIANTS	1:00PM	CBS
NEW ORLEANS AT PHILADELPHIA	1:00PM	FOX
CAROLINA AT TAMPA BAY	1:00PM	FOX
CLEVELAND AT WASHINGTON	1:00PM	FOX
JACKSONVILLE AT HOUSTON	1:00PM	CBS
SAN FRANCISCO AT LAS VEGAS	4:05PM	FOX
NY JETS AT SEATTLE	4:05PM	FOX
MINNESOTA AT GREEN BAY	4:25PM	CBS
LA RAMS AT LA CHARGERS	4:25PM	CBS
PITTSBURGH AT BALTIMORE	8:20PM	NBC
NHL REGULAR SEASON GAMES	TIME ET	TV
CAROLINA AT NEW JERSEY	3:00PM	MSGSN BALLY SPORTS
NY RANGERS AT FLORIDA	5:00PM	NHLN MSG BALLY SPORTS
SAN JOSE AT CHICAGO	7:00PM	NBCS-CA NBCS-CHI
BUFFALO AT OTTAWA	7:00PM	MSG-BUF SPORTSNET
NY ISLANDERS AT SEATTLE	8:00PM	ESPN
SOCCER MATCHES	TIME ET	TV
ENGLAND CHAMPIONSHIP: BLACKBURN ROVERS VS CARDIFF CITY	7:00AM	ESPN+
ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE: TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR VS ASTON VILLA	9:00AM	PEACOCK
LIGUE 1: TOULOUSE VS AJACCIO	9:00AM	BEIN SPORTS
LIGUE 1: MONACO VS BREST	9:00AM	BEIN SPORTS
LIGUE 1: NANTES VS AUXERRE	9:00AM	BEIN SPORTS
LIGUE 1: ANGERS SCO VS LORIENT	9:00AM	BEIN SPORTS
ENGLAND CHAMPIONSHIP: BLACKPOOL VS SUNDERLAND	10:00AM	ESPN+
LIGUE 1: OLYMPIQUE LYONNAIS VS CLERMONT	11:00AM	BEIN SPORTS
ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE: NOTTINGHAM FOREST VS CHELSEA	11:30AM	PEACOCK
LIGUE 1: LENS VS PSG	2:45PM	BEIN SPORTS