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Bearly Recognizable

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CHICAGO – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – New England’s Deatrich Wise Jr. and Anfernee Jennings each had a pair of sacks as the Patriots buckled down defensively to beat the host Bears 19-3 on Sunday afternoon.

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New England (3-7) had nine sacks in all and held the Bears to 142 yards of total offense. Chicago was forced to punt on eight of its first nine drives of the game, then turned the ball over on downs when it had possession for a 10th time.

The hosts had one last chance to make something happen, but they also failed to move the chains on fourth down on their final drive.

Drake Maye didn’t have to do much under center for the Patriots, completing 15 of 25 passes for 184 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Austin Hooper hauled in three catches for 64 yards.

Rhamondre Stevenson headlined the rushing attack for the visitors, going for 74 yards on 20 touches.

Caleb Williams was under constant duress and finished with 120 yards on 16-of-30 passing for the Bears (4-5), who have dropped three straight games. D’Andre Swift rushed for 59 yards on 16 carries.

Maye put New England in front for good when he found Ja’Lynn Polk for a 2-yard TD with 1:46 left in the second quarter to make it 10-3.

Joey Slye booted a 37-yard field goal as time expired in the first half to send the Patriots into the break up by 10.

Slye added fourth-quarter field goals from 25 and 33 yards out to put the finishing touches on the victory.

New England opened the scoring with 6:19 to go in the first quarter, getting a 30-yard field goal from Slye.

Chicago finally responded at the 7:17 mark of the second quarter, as Cairo Santos made good on a 33-yard field goal to provide the Bears with their only points of the afternoon.

The Patriots stopped Chicago on 13 of 14 third-down tries for the game.

–Field Level Media

NFL Round-Up: Chiefs Win, Chiefs Win

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KANSAS CITY – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Chiefs FG place-kicker Harrison Butker kicked three field goals, including a go-ahead 20-yarder with 5:57 left, and Leo Chenal blocked a 35-yard field goal as time expired to help the host KC Chiefs rally to defeat the Denver Broncos 16-14 on Sunday. Kansas City remained unbeaten.

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KC QB Patrick Mahomes threw for 266 yards and a touchdown for the Chiefs (9-0), who exhaled after a late blunder put them in a precarious position. Butker, who also connected on field goals of 36 and 28 yards, sent the kickoff after his final make of the afternoon out of bounds, giving the Broncos the ball at their own 40-yard line.

Denver (5-5) capitalized on the favorable field position and was set up for a chip shot to win the game, but Chenal and the special teams preserved the victory by blocking Wil Lutz’s field-goal attempt.

49ers 23, Buccaneers 20
Jake Moody hit a 44-yard field goal as time expired to help visiting San Francisco edge Tampa Bay in the return of Christian McCaffrey.

McCaffrey, who missed the first eight games of the season with bilateral Achilles tendinitis, finished with 39 yards rushing on 13 carries and 68 receiving yards on six catches for the 49ers (5-4). Ricky Pearsall’s 46-yard TD reception in the first quarter, which gave the 49ers a 7-0 lead, was the first score of the rookie’s career and came after he was shot in the chest in a robbery attempt in August. He finished with four receptions for 73 yards.

Baker Mayfield completed 18 of 29 passes for 116 yards and one touchdown pass for the Bucs (4-6). Tampa Bay lost All-Pro left tackle Tristan Wirfs to a knee injury in the first half.

Lions 26, Texans 23
Jake Bates kicked a 52-yard field goal just inside the left upright as time expired and Detroit overcame a 16-point halftime deficit to record a victory over host Houston. Bates also drilled a game-tying 58-yard field goal that slipped just inside the right upright with 5:01 left in the game. His heroics helped the Lions (8-1) stretch their winning streak to seven games

Jared Goff threw a career-worst five interceptions while completing 15 of 30 passes for 240 yards and two touchdowns for Detroit. C.J. Stroud completed 19 of 33 passes for 232 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions for the Texans (6-4), who lost for the third time in their past four games.

Panthers 20, Giants 17 (OT)
Eddy Pineiro kicked a 36-yard field goal 2:07 into overtime as Carolina converted off a New York turnover for a victory in the final game of the NFL’s International Series at Munich, Germany.

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The Panthers (3-7) got the ball at the New York 23 for their only possession of overtime. Bryce Young completed 15 of 25 passes for 126 yards with a touchdown, and Chuba Hubbard churned out a career-high 153 yards on the ground on 28 carries.
Giants quarterback Daniel Jones went 22-for-37 for 190 yards with two interceptions, and he also ran for a touchdown. Running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. gained 103 yards on 18 carries with a touchdown, but his fumble on the first snap of overtime set up Carolina’s winning points. Graham Gano’s 42-yard field goal with five seconds to play forced overtime for the Giants (2-8), who have lost five straight games.
Patriots 19, Bears 3
Deatrich Wise Jr. and Anfernee Jennings each had a pair of sacks as New England buckled down defensively for the victory at Chicago. New England (3-7) had nine sacks in all and held the Bears to 142 yards of total offense. Chicago was forced to punt on eight of its first nine drives of the game, then turned the ball over on downs during its final two possessions. Patriots quarterback Drake Maye completed 15 of 25 passes for 184 yards, one touchdown and one interception, while Rhamondre Stevenson ran for 74 yards on 20 carries.
Bears QB Caleb Williams was under constant duress and finished with 120 yards on 16-of-30 passing. Chicago (4-5) has dropped three straight games.
Bills 30, Colts 20
Josh Allen threw for 280 yards and rushed for a touchdown as visiting Buffalo maintained its big AFC East lead with a win over Indianapolis. Allen completed 22 of 37 passes and threw two interceptions, but Buffalo (8-2) still outgained Indianapolis 415-361. The Bills won their fifth straight game and lead the New York Jets by five games in the division.
Joe Flacco completed 26 of 35 passes for 272 yards with two touchdowns for the Colts but also tossed three interceptions. Indianapolis (4-6) committed four turnovers and also permitted four sacks. Jonathan Taylor rushed 21 times for 114 yards for the Colts.
Saints 20, Falcons 17
Derek Carr passed for 269 yards and two touchdowns and host New Orleans ended a seven-game losing streak with a victory against Atlanta. Carr completed 16 of 25 passes and Marquez Valdes-Scantling caught three passes for 109 yards and two touchdowns as the Saints (3-7) won their first game under interim head coach Darren Rizzi after Dennis Allen was fired Monday.
Kirk Cousins passed for 306 yards and Bijan Robinson rushed for 116 yards and two touchdowns for the Falcons (6-4).
Steelers 28, Commanders 27
Mike Williams caught a 32-yard touchdown pass with 2:22 left in the game and visiting Pittsburgh rallied for a win against Washington in Landover, Md. It was the first catch as a Steeler for Williams, who was acquired Tuesday in a trade with the New York Jets. Russell Wilson was 14-of-28 for 195 yards with three touchdowns and one interception for Pittsburgh (7-2).
Jayden Daniels finished 17 of 34 for 202 yards for Washington (7-3). Terry McLaurin had five catches for 113 yards and Austin Ekeler had two rushing scores.
Vikings 12, Jaguars 7
John Parker Romo made four field goals in his NFL debut, and Minnesota escaped with a win over host Jacksonville. Romo, a 27-year-old rookie who signed with the Vikings this week after rookie kicker Will Reichard went down with an injury, provided all of the scoring for Minnesota (7-2). Sam Darnold completed 24 of 38 passes for 241 yards but threw three interceptions. The Vikings’ defense had three takeaways in the fourth quarter to seal the victory.
Mac Jones scored on a 1-yard run to mark the only scoring for the Jaguars (2-8). Jones completed 14 of 22 passes for 111 yards and two interceptions as a replacement starter for Trevor Lawrence, who missed the game because of a shoulder injury.
Chargers 27, Titans 17
Justin Herbert guided a pair of touchdown drives to open the second half as Los Angeles extended its winning streak to three games with a victory over Tennessee in Inglewood. Herbert completed 14 of 18 passes for 164 yards and a touchdown and added a rushing score. Bud Dupree and Tuli Tuipulotu each had two of the Chargers’ seven sacks as Los Angeles (6-3) held the Titans to 289 total yards.
Tennessee quarterback Will Levis returned from a shoulder injury to go 18-of-23 passing for 175 yards and two touchdowns in his first action since Week 6. Levis also had 41 rushing yards for the Tennessee Titans (2-7), who lost for the fourth time in five games. Calvin Ridley had five catches for 84 yards and two TDs.
Cardinals 31, Jets 6
Kyler Murray passed for 266 yards and set a team record with 17 consecutive completions as Arizona rolled past New York in Glendale, Ariz. Murray finished 22-of-24 with a passing touchdown and two rushing scores for the Cardinals (6-4), who have won four straight games and remain in first place in the NFC West. Arizona, which limited the Jets to 207 total yards, has not allowed a touchdown over its past three home games.
Aaron Rodgers completed 22 of 35 passes for 151 yards without a touchdown or an interception for slumping New York (3-7), which lost for the sixth time in its past seven games.
Eagles 34, Cowboys 6
Jalen Hurts threw two touchdowns and ran for two more as Philadelphia (7-2) routed Dallas in Arlington, Texas, for its fifth straight win and first place in the NFC East. Hurts passed for 202 yards and rushed for 56. Saquon Barkley had 78 yards from scrimmage and collected his first win over the Cowboys after going 0-10 while with the New York Giants. A.J. Brown caught five passes for 109 yards.
Playing without injured quarterback Dak Prescott (hamstring), Dallas (3-6) lost its fourth consecutive game. Cooper Rush struggled in his first start since 2022 with only 45 yards on 13-of-23 passing before being replaced in the fourth quarter by Trey Lance, who completed 4 of 6 throws for 21 yards. Dallas turned it over five times and finished with just 146 yards of offense.
–Field Level Media

Hall of Fame Reveals Classic Era Ballot

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COOPERSTOWN – (Staff and Wire Service Report with Information from Official News Release) – The official Classic Era ballot for the 2025 National Baseball Hall of Fame induction and it includes familiar names for baseball fans of a tremendous era of the game, prior to 1980.

Dick Allen, Ken Boyer, John Donaldson, Steve Garvey, Dave Parker, Vic Harris, Tommy John and Luis Tiant are all up for consideration as part of the Classic Baseball Era ballot. Candidates need to receive votes on 75% of the ballots cast by the committee to earn election.

 Eight players for consideration:

Dick Allen, 1B/3B

Allen has been considered for Cooperstown multiple times by these committees, most recently in 2021 when he fell one vote shy of finally being elected to the Hall of Fame. The numbers largely speak for themselves, but Allen doesn’t have a plaque just yet. Unfortunately, Allen passed away in December 2020, just a few months after the Phillies retired his number — an honor the club had previously reserved for players already in the Hall of Fame.

Ken Boyer, 3B

An incredible all-around third baseman, Boyer earned five Gold Glove Awards (including four straight from 1958-61), 11 All-Star nods and the 1964 NL MVP Award. He also played a pivotal role in helping the Cardinals win the 1964 World Series, leading the Majors with 119 RBIs during the regular season before hitting a pair of clutch homers in the World Series. Boyer hit a series-shifting grand slam in Game 4 and added an insurance homer in the decisive Game 7.

John Donaldson, LHP

Donaldson was such a draw during his barnstorming days that he earned the nickname “Famous” — and was called it so frequently that some thought it was his actual first name. Research indicates Donaldson may have played some form of professional or semi-pro ball for 42 seasons from 1908-49. Having started his baseball career more than a decade before the Negro National League was created in 1920, Donaldson played for at least 25 clubs, and while it’s hard to know his exact stats, Negro Leagues historian Pete Gorton verified the following numbers for Donaldson: 413 wins, 5,091 strikeouts, 14 no-hitters and two perfect games.

Steve Garvey, 1B

A 10-time All-Star, Garvey was the biggest name within the Dodgers’ record-setting infield of 8 1/2 seasons that included second baseman Davey Lopes, shortstop Bill Russell and third baseman Ron Cey. Garvey was the model of consistency from 1974-80, hitting between .297 and .319 while posting an OPS between .808 and .852 each season, all while never finishing lower than 14th in NL MVP voting. He also raised his game another level in the postseason, putting up a .910 OPS on the game’s biggest stage. Garvey’s NL record of 1,207 consecutive games played will likely never be broken.

Dave Parker, OF

Parker has a long list of accolades that includes seven All-Star nods, three Gold Gloves, three Silver Slugger Awards, the 1978 NL MVP Award and a pair of World Series titles. He also won back-to-back NL batting titles from 1977-78 and won the All-Star Game MVP Award in ‘79. Overall, Parker finished his 19-year career as a .290 hitter, with 2,712 hits (including 940 extra-base hits), 339 home runs, 1,493 RBIs, 154 stolen bases and 143 outfield assists.

Vic Harris, OF/Manager

Even with it possibly being incomplete, Harris’ baseball resume is remarkable. He was a fixture in the Negro Leagues, appearing as a player from 1922-47 while also managing from 1936-42 and again from 1945-48. While his exact numbers are hard to pin down, he’s listed as a career .303 hitter with a 112 OPS+. As for his managerial success, Harris guided the Homestead Grays to seven pennants and a World Series title in the Negro Leagues.

Tommy John, LHP

John’s name is as recognizable as perhaps any player in Major League history, though of course much of that has to do with the groundbreaking surgery that bears his name. But John also had the numbers to earn serious Hall of Fame consideration. He finished his 26-year career — one extended by the aforementioned surgical procedure — with 288 career victories. That ranks 26th all time, and 23 of the 25 players ahead of him are in the Hall of Fame. John’s longevity also helped him rack up 79.6 career fWAR, the 20th-highest total for any pitcher in the Modern Era (since 1900). The only two pitchers with more fWAR than John who are not in the Hall are Roger Clemens and Curt Schilling, each of whom are on the outside for off-the-field reasons.

Luis Tiant, RHP

With a wildly unique delivery and long-lasting big league success, Boston’s very own Luis Tiant was a must-see any time he took the mound. “El Tiante” finished his 19-year Major League career with 229 wins and a 3.30 ERA while pitching for Cleveland (1964-69), Minnesota (’70), Boston (’71-78), the Yankees (’79-80), Pittsburgh (’81) and the Angels (’82). Tiant finished fifth in the AL MVP voting in 1968 — the “Year of the Pitcher” — after putting up an AL-best 1.60 ERA and leading the league with an 8.5 bWAR. He also recorded at least 12 wins in eight straight seasons from 1972-79. The only pitchers with more wins than Tiant’s 134 over that eight-season stretch were Steve Carlton (148), Jim Palmer (146), Gaylord Perry (145), Tom Seaver (140), Nolan Ryan (138) and Phil Niekro (137) — all of whom are in the Hall of Fame.

TL’s Sunday Sports Notes | Nov 10

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By TERRY LYONS, Editor-in-Chief of Digital Sports Desk

BOSTON – On Wednesday night, it took some inner strength to push my human motor to commute to Boston’s TD Garden to take in the Golden State Warriors vs. the Boston Celtics basketball game. The night before was spent gazing at a TV screen, aghast at the one-sided results pouring in, not just at the top of the ticket but in Senate contests as well. Tuesday night to the early morning hours Wednesday was not a pleasant experience for half of the USA, but the sun rose brightly this past Wednesday morning and it set by 4:30pm, three hours before the Warriors and Celtics would tip-off their NBA game.

After a quick bite with family members at a North End pizza joint, it was time to enter Boston Garden with 19,155 best friends to take-in the game between the 2022 NBA Finalists. It was time to escape from the realities of life and disappear into an amazing place, a place many of us retreat to every day or night – we concentrate 100% of our energy and focus into a sporting event whether it be on TV or, ideally, in person.

Earlier this Fall, a good escape into an NFL Sunday was sometimes interrupted by endless commercial spots for the New Hampshire Governor race.

Blah. We were served up with unwanted and uncalled for stress, thrust upon us weekend after weekend during our sports get-a-way in the Commonwealth. But, for an NFL Sunday, we have the solution, the NFL RedZone, seven hours of commercial free action.

Away from the never-ending world of politics, escaping into sports is a really good thing. Whether its children playing in the backyard or participating in organized teams sports, the experience allows for teaching moments, lifetime lessons and important building of lifetime bonds with friends and the sports they play. Kids can escape and forget their problems in a second. Sometimes, adults need a little more time.

The Boston College vs Syracuse football game offered an escape pattern, without a cloud in the dark blue sky. A brisk breeze combined with bright sunshine at Alumni Stadium in Chestnut Hill and a crowd was entertained by a great ACC rivalry game, as the home team won 37-31. Some fans left the stadium with some tint, as the sun beat down upon their faces, the kind of sun Led Zeppelin sang of in Kashmir.

It was a great place to escape from life’s bummers.

Think about it. Great competition for the players, combined with tailgating, cheering and revelry for the fans, some 44,500 strong. That’s a pretty good way to forget your troubles for a couple hours.

Dozens of homemade signs for ESPN’s College GameDay show provided comfort for ESPN commentator Kirk Herbsteit whose dog, Ben, passed away this week – a devastating loss to Herbstreit and college football fans everywhere, all who saw Ben on the GameDay set each Saturday for years. (ESPN)

Surely, the Alabama at LSU game in Baton Rouge provided ESPN GameDay analyst Kirk Herbstreit with a couple hours of distraction and enjoyment Saturday, just a few days after his loyal dog, Ben, passed away after battling cancer. Herbstreit updated college football fans on November 4, but things took a turn and Ben headed for his short walk to Dog Heaven.

Thousands of tributes came in on social media – totaling some 150,000+ by night time – and ESPN paid tribute to Ben, who earned star status with fans and Kirk’s colleagues as he traveled to games, no matter where the week-by-week GameDay schedule destination led them. There has been no better example of the bond between man and dog displayed weekly over the years by the monument of a man and his companion.

“Our love of football is what unites us every weekend,” said Herbstreit in his on air eulogy to his departed dog. “What I experienced with Ben was just that, and so much more.”

Here’s the ESPN memorial feature for Ben – not a dry eye in the house. Click HERE

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: In their third FIBA 3×3 Men’s World Tour competition in as many weeks, Team Miami secured their fifth FIBA 3×3 World Tour title of 2024 with a tournament victory at the Neom Masters in Neom, Saudi Arabia. For the USA contingent, Dylan Travis, James Parrott, Mitch Hahn and Trey Bardsley. Parrott, Miami’s versatile 6-foot-4 slasher, earned MVP honors for the second time in his 3×3 career. … In case you haven’t heard of Neom, it’s a brand news, state of the art tech center community being built in the desert of Saudi Arabia. … Indoor sports can play a major role in the new tech townand competitive 3×3 is a nice start. The FIBA-sanctioned tournament is among the attractions for the Neom Beach Games of 2024. … In addition to the LIV Golf Tour, Saudi Arabia has been attracting other world sports, such as Formula 1 racing, boxing, mixed martial arts and a list of others all in queue as facilities are being constructed.

TIDBITS: Two days after election day, a day after the fans of Jayson Tatum and the Boston Celtics gave an opposing coach a piece of their minds for USA Basketball Olympic Games snubs gone by, Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr was asked about his viewpoint on the result of the Presidential election.

Kerr: “I believe in democracy. I think the American people have spoken and voted for Donald Trump. I want him to do well the next four years. I want our country to do well.”

Kerr (added, sarcastically): “I’m just thankful there wasn’t any voting fraud this time. Last time, all those illegal immigrants who crashed the border, raped and murdered people and then voted six times, that was unfortunate. But thankfully, this time everything was clean. It’s great that every election has been really valid except for that last one four years ago. Twinkle in my eye as I say that, in case you didn’t see it.”

We’ve featured a few Jack McCallum-like “Sign of the Apocalypse” news items, but this week, how about a new subsection in the column?

YOU CAN’T MAKE IT UP: On Friday afternoon, a charter airline pilot flying the Auburn Tigers to a game at Houston (game scheduled Saturday night, 9:30pm CT) had to turn around and return to the airport of origination as a fight broke out on board between two Auburn players. Auburn took a second flight to Texas and arrived in Houston at 1:00am. … Reports are sketchy, at best, but some are attempting to downplay the incident, tagging it as horseplay. Note to Auburn: Do not let your horses play in a metal tube at 30,000 feet with jet fuel flowing to jet engines fully operational. It might not end well.

BC Plays Host to the ‘Cuse

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CHESTNUT HILL – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Two new Atlantic Coast Conference coaches go head-to-head for the first time Saturday when Bill O’Brien’s Boston College team hosts Fran Brown and century-old rival Syracuse.

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The teams enter their 58th all-time meeting as the Eagles (4-4, 1-3 ACC) have lost three straight and the Orange (6-2, 3-2) came back to beat Virginia Tech in overtime last Saturday for their fourth win in five games.

“I’ve been involved with a lot of rivalries, and this is one of those types of games,” O’Brien said. “It’s just two tough teams going against each other.”

Two of Boston College’s four losses and its last two wins have come in one-possession games. Syracuse has played in five such close encounters this season, winning two in overtime.

With three of the teams’ last four meetings decided by a single-digit margin, another close one is expected.

In a 31-27 loss to Louisville on Oct. 25, Thomas Castellanos threw three touchdowns. Three forced turnovers — including Quintayvious Hutchins’ fumble recovery and interception — helped the Eagles build 20-0 and 27-10 leads. But the Cardinals scored 14 fourth-quarter points.

Kerr, Warriors Get Last Laugh

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Golden State guard Stephen Curry generated 27 points, nine assists and seven rebounds to help the visiting Warriors stretch their winning streak to five games with a 118-112 victory over the Celtics on Wednesday night at TD Garden.

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The Warriors trailed by seven in the middle of the fourth quarter but used an 16-4 run to take a 104-99 lead with 2:30 to play on a Curry layup. Boston pulled within 115-112 when Payton Prichard made three free throws with 16 seconds remaining, but the Warriors closed out the win by making 3 of 4 at the foul line the rest of the way.

Golden State, which improved to 5-0 on the road, made 12 of its 13 free-throw attempts in the final quarter.

Buddy Hield and Andrew Wiggins each added 16 points for Golden State.

Jayson Tatum scored a game-high 32 points for the Celtics, whose three-game winning streak ended. Tatum has been the leading scorer in seven of Boston’s nine games.

Derrick White made seven 3-pointers and added 26 points, and Pritchard finished with 16 points.

The Warriors have won seven of their eight games, which is the team’s best start to a season since they won 11 of their first 12 games in 2021-22.

The Celtics were without forward Jaylen Brown, who has not played in the past three games because of a hip flexor strain. Brown is averaging 25.7 points and 7.2 rebounds per game this season.

Boston led 24-19 after one quarter, but Golden State closed the first half with a 9-0 run and led 51-40 at halftime. The Celtics shot 35.1 percent from the field (13 of 37) in the half, and they missed 14 of their 20 3-point attempts.

Tatum scored 17 points in the third quarter, when the Celtics put up 41. Boston was within 82-81 entering the fourth.

The Celtics took their first lead in the second half when White made a 3-pointer for an 85-84 advantage with 10:19 to play. Another White 3-pointer extended Boston’s edge to 95-88 with 6:46 remaining, but the Warriors got within 97-96 on a Curry 3-pointer with 4:56 left.

–Field Level Media

 

NFL on Thursday Night – DET vs HOU

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HOUSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Two teams with expectations beyond regular-season statements square off Sunday night when the Detroit Lions visit the Houston Texans.

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The Lions (7-1) own the best record in the NFC and stand second overall in the NFL behind only the unbeaten Kansas City Chiefs. Houston (6-3) shares the fourth-best mark in the AFC with the Ravens entering Baltimore’s Thursday night matchup with the Cincinnati Bengals.

Detroit has ripped off six straight victories and views the Sunday primetime contest as a significant midseason test in the spotlight.

“This is one we’re looking forward to,” Lions coach Dan Campbell said. “You respect the brand of football they play with. So this will be a good matchup.”

Texans coach DeMeco Ryans used a different message in Houston, telling his charges that one game isn’t more important than any other.

But only the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 2 have figured out how to slay the Lions.

“This game isn’t more important just because of the Lions and what they’ve done,” Ryans said. “They’ve played good football, of course, credit to those guys. They’re playing well, they’re coached well, but that doesn’t change our mindset, how we approach every week.

“It’s still the same every week. Every week — big game. And we’re trying to go out and win this one.”

Houston opened the season with five wins in six games but has slumped by losing two of its past three games.

The last contest was a clunker as the Texans fell 21-13 to the New York Jets on Halloween. Star quarterback C.J. Stroud was sacked a season-high eight times and completed a campaign-worst 36.7 percent of his throws (11 of 30).

Stroud has passed for fewer than 200 yards in three of the past four games after exceeding that mark in each of Houston’s first five contests.

“There are things I can get better at, fundamentally wise, for sure,” Stroud said. “Just getting the ball out of my hand and things like that but ultimately, I believe it is just having fun and being joyful while doing it.”

Lions quarterback Jared Goff is coming off his lowest passing-yardage outputs of the season — 85 against the Tennessee Titans on Oct. 27 and 145 versus the Green Bay Packers last week. Still, he has completed at least 80 percent of his passes in three straight games and four times overall.

Goff feels the Texans will be a challenging foe but he’s not the least bit interested in Detroit being mentioned among the NFL’s top teams.

“Who cares who thinks we’re any good right now in Week (10)? It doesn’t matter,” Goff said. “You’re just trying to find a way to stack Ws. I think you get caught up sometimes, not just the bad stuff, but with the good stuff at times. It can be dangerous.”

The Lions shored up a defensive hole on Tuesday by acquiring three-time Pro Bowl defensive end Za’Darius Smith from the Cleveland Browns. Smith joined Detroit to begin preparations for the Texans.

The Lions lost star pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson to a broken fibula and tibia in his left leg on Oct. 13.

“I thought that was important,” Campbell said of landing Smith. “I mean, he’s been in this league a while and they were actually just going on their bye week when he got the call from us and everything got done, so let him do what he needs to do, refresh, get back here Friday.”

Houston standout defensive end Will Anderson Jr. (ankle) missed practice Wednesday. Joining him on the sidelines were defensive ends Derek Barnett (calf/shoulder) and Dylan Horton (illness), defensive tackle Foley Fatukasi, guard Kenyon Green (shoulder) and running back Dameon Pierce (groin).

Detroit conducted a walkthrough Wednesday and two players missed it due to injuries — linebackers Jalen Reeves-Maybin (neck) and Malcolm Rodriguez (ankle).

–Field Level Media

Physical Golden State Handles Celtics

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Servic e Report) – Warriors guard Stephen Curry amassed 27 points, nine assists and seven rebounds to help visiting Golden State stretch its winning streak to five games with a victory over Boston.

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The Warriors trailed by seven in the middle of the fourth quarter but used an 16-4 run to take a 104-99 lead with 2:30 to play on a Curry layup. Boston pulled within 115-112 when Payton Prichard made three free throws with 16 seconds remaining, but the Warriors closed out the win by making 3 of 4 at the foul line the rest of the way.

Golden State, which improved to 5-0 on the road, made 12 of its 13 free-throw attempts in the final quarter. Buddy Hield and Andrew Wiggins each added 16 points for Golden State. Jayson Tatum scored a game-high 32 points for the Celtics, whose three-game winning streak ended. Derrick White made seven 3-pointers and added 26 points.

Rory Thinks Trump Can Solve Anything

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ABU DHABI  – (Wire Service Report) – Rory McIlroy said President elect Donald Trump’s return to the White House “clears the way” for a deal between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf.

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Trump recently said on the “Let’s Go!” podcast that he could negotiate a deal between the two sides in about “15 minutes.”

Of course, the “15 Minutes” has passed by ten times over.

“He might be able to,” McIlroy said Wednesday when asked about Trump’s remarks. “He’s got Elon Musk, who I think is the smartest man in the world, beside him. We might be able to do something if we can get Musk involved, too.”

McIlroy spoke at a press conference for the DP World Tour’s Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.

“Yeah, I think from the outside looking in, it’s probably a little less complicated than it actually is. But obviously, Trump has a great relationship with Saudi Arabia. He’s got a great relationship with golf. He’s a lover of golf. So, maybe. Who knows?

“But I think as the President of the United States again, he’s probably got bigger things to focus on than golf.”

McIlroy was also asked about a report in the London-based tabloid The Sun that claimed he and Tiger Woods had helped to negotiate a $1.3 billion deal between the rival golf leagues.

“It’s the first that I’ve heard of it,” the Northern Irishman said. “I know (PGA Tour commissioner) Jay (Monahan) was in Saudi Arabia last week … and was having some meetings. But no, I think I would have heard if there was.