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NFL: Week 13 Previews

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NFL – Week 13 Previews

Indianapolis Colts (6-5) at Tennessee Titans (4-7)
The Colts presently occupy the seventh and final playoff spot in the AFC. That’s a big credit to the running game, including Zack Moss, who’ll start with Jonathan Taylor (thumb) on the shelf again. Moss has rushed for a team-high 672 yards and five touchdowns on 141 carries — all career highs. His best game came in a 23-16 win against Tennessee on Oct. 8, gashing the Titans for 165 yards and two scores on 23 attempts. The Titans are mathematically alive for a wild-card spot but probably need to win out. The Titans were able to snap a three-game skid last week, edging Carolina 17-10 as Derrick Henry ran for two touchdowns. He’s averaging 107.8 rushing yards in home games this season.

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Los Angeles Chargers (4-7) at New England Patriots (2-9)
The Patriots have won the past six meetings with the Chargers, but that might be the only streak New England wants to discuss these days. Mac Jones is being benched in favor of Bailey Zappe (2-0 career as a starter), with the Patriots seeking a spark offensively. New England is putting up 13.5 points per game and has a turnover margin of minus-8. The Chargers’ situation isn’t nearly as dire, but Los Angeles is starting to see its playoff hopes fade. Since back-to-back wins over the Bears and Jets, the Chargers have dropped three straight games, including last Sunday’s 20-10 setback against the Baltimore Ravens.

Detroit Lions (8-3) at New Orleans Saints (5-6)
Quarterback Jared Goff spent part of Wednesday running through ball security drills, and he wasn’t alone. The Lions lost three fumbles with one takeaway in a 29-22 home loss to the Packers on Thanksgiving Day, four days after struggling to a 31-26 victory over Chicago, when Goff was picked off three times. The Saints are tied for fourth in the NFL with 20 takeaways. But New Orleans is trying to move past a 24-15 loss at Atlanta last week and has its own issues in the red zone. The Saints were stifled by the Falcons last week, reaching the red zone five times without scoring a touchdown. While the Saints netted five field goals, two of the possessions inside the 20 ended in turnovers, including a game-changing pick-6 thrown by Derek Carr.

Atlanta Falcons (5-6) at New York Jets (4-7)
All the Jets want for Christmas is their No. 1 QB, but Aaron Rodgers might be weeks — or months — away from taking his next snap. It’s up to Tim Boyle to move the Jets toward the playoffs to keep Rodgers’ return this season in play. Boyle hit RB Breece Hall for a career-high seven catches last week. Atlanta’s record may not look much better than that of the Jets, but the Falcons are leading the NFC South after beating the New Orleans Saints 24-15 last Sunday. Atlanta is 3-0 against division competition and 2-6 against all other teams. Desmond Ridder took back starting quarterback duties last week after a two-week benching and completed 13 of 21 passes for 168 yards, a touchdown and two picks — including one near the Saints’ goal line.

Arizona Cardinals (2-10) at Pittsburgh Steelers (7-4)
Arizona arrives in full rebuilding mode, armed with the second-worst record in the NFL, and brings James Conner for a reunion with his old team after he missed more than a month with injuries. He has rushed for 526 yards on 104 attempts in eight games. The Cardinals were ripped by their own coach for their effort following last week’s 37-14 home loss to the Los Angeles Rams. They’ll need extra effort to contain Steelers pass rusher T.J. Watt, who is tied for the league lead in sacks with 13.5. The Steelers are leaning heavily on Watt and their defense to contend for a wild-card spot in the AFC and are currently second in the North division, 1 1/2 games behind the Baltimore Ravens.

Miami Dolphins (8-3) at Washington Commanders (4-8)
What in the world is Ron Rivera planning to do with the Miami Dolphins’ offensive machine after being blasted for an average of 38 points in the past two games? Dallas whipped Washington 45-10 last week, resulting in Rivera firing defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio. The Dolphins average 30.8 points per game and the Commanders only hope might be matching Miami’s scoring output. Washington can move the ball. Sam Howell leads the NFL in completions (323) and passing yards (3,339) through the first 12 weeks of the season. The issue for the Commanders has been protecting Howell in the pocket. He’s on pace to shatter the NFL single-season record for times sacked.

Denver Broncos (6-5) at Houston Texans (6-5)
Don’t look now, but the Broncos are tied for the NFL’s longest winning streak at five games as they go head-to-head with potential wild-card competition in Houston. QB Russell Wilson’s next TD pass would push him past Dan Marino for second-most in his first 12 seasons (Marino had 328). The Texans are thrilled with the development of their own franchise quarterback, C.J. Stroud. He’s second in the NFL in passing yards and is the only rookie with four consecutive 300-yard games.

Carolina Panthers (1-10) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-7)
For the second December in a row, the Buccaneers play the Panthers with an interim head coach at the helm in Carolina. Chris Tabor jumped into the head-coaching role Monday when Frank Reich was fired. The Buccaneers aren’t exactly in a groove, but they’re still squarely in the hunt for the division title behind a reclamation project well known to the Panthers, Baker Mayfield. The Buccaneers get two swings at the Panthers in the next five weeks, the second one being the Jan. 7 finale. Mayfield began last season with Carolina and lasted seven games, with the team posting a 1-6 record, before he was released.

Cleveland Browns (7-4) at Los Angeles Rams (5-6)
If you had Joe Flacco starting for the Browns on your bingo card, we need visual evidence. That’s the potential reality for Cleveland with Dorian Thompson-Robinson (concussion) iffy, setting up a matchup of 38-year-old Flacco and 35-year-old Matthew Stafford in L.A. The Browns (7-4) hold the No. 6 seed in the AFC, one game clear of the seventh-seeded Indianapolis Colts. In last Sunday’s 37-14 win against the Arizona Cardinals, Stafford passed for 229 yards and a season-best four touchdowns — two each to Kyren Williams and tight end Tyler Higbee. Williams has been the team’s top playmaker as a rookie despite missing four games with an ankle injury.

San Francisco 49ers (8-3) at Philadelphia Eagles (10-1)
The Eagles can clinch a playoff berth this weekend, a significant statement considering they are the sole team in position to secure a postseason spot with five weeks remaining in the regular season. In a return to the scene of last season’s NFC Championship Game, the 49ers are back to purring with Brock Purdy at quarterback, logging three consecutive wins to erase a three-game losing streak. Their last visit was marred by an elbow injury to Purdy as the Eagles cruised to the 31-7 win that elevated them into the Super Bowl. Come Sunday, Purdy is healthy and teammate Christian McCaffrey is flourishing, while Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts is once again enjoying a solid season. Philadelphia owns the best record in the NFL after posting four straight comeback wins and recording five consecutive overall wins. San Francisco leads the NFC West after winning its past three games. Purdy was injured eight minutes into the playoff loss last season. He leads the NFL with a 70.2 completion percentage and benefits from McCaffrey, who leads the NFL in rushing yards and touchdowns (16).

Kansas City Chiefs (8-3) at Green Bay Packers (5-6)
Kansas City has put plenty of pressure on opposing teams this season. The Chiefs, who lead the AFC West by two games over the Broncos, won Jordan Love’s debut NFL start in November 2021, 13-7. Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes passed for 298 yards and two touchdowns in the win. Running back Isiah Pacheco scored twice on the ground, and Rashee Rice and Justin Watson notched one touchdown reception apiece. TE Travis Kelce has at least six catches in eight of his past nine games. The trip to northern Wisconsin will carry special meaning for Kansas City coach Andy Reid. He started his NFL coaching career in Green Bay, where he worked from 1992-98 as a tight ends coach, an assistant offensive line coach and eventually a quarterbacks coach. Brett Favre and the Packers won the Super Bowl during the 1996 season with Reid on the staff.

 

NCAA Football: Let’s Go Bowling

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ATLANTA – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Alabama QB  Jalen Milroe passed for two touchdowns and No. 8 Alabama rolled to a crucial upset by dispatching top-ranked Georgia 27-24 in the Southeastern Conference title game on Saturday in Georgia.

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Jermaine Burton and Jamarion Miller caught touchdown passes and Roydell Williams scored on a run as the Crimson Tide (12-1) won their 11th consecutive game. The victory snapped Georgia’s SEC record 29-game winning streak and greatly bolsters Alabama’s hopes of crashing the four-team College Football Playoff field.

Kendall Milton rushed for two touchdowns and Carson Beck added one for Georgia (12-1). Beck completed 21 of 29 passes for 243 yards. Bulldogs star Brock Bowers played despite an ankle injury but was largely ineffective, with five receptions for 53 yards.

Milroe was 13-of-23 passing for 192 yards for the Crimson Tide and was named MVP of the game. The two-time defending national champion Bulldogs lost to Alabama for the eighth time in the past nine meetings.

No. 7 Texas 49, No. 18 Oklahoma State 21

Quinn Ewers passed for a record 452 yards and four touchdowns, and the Longhorns’ defense did the rest in a shellacking of the Cowboys in the Big 12 championship game in Arlington, Texas.

Texas (12-1) captured its first Big 12 title since 2009. Ewers completed his first 12 passes of the game to eight different receivers and finished 35-for-46 while throwing for the most yards ever in a Big 12 championship game.

The Longhorns’ defense did not allow Oklahoma State (9-4) to broach the 200-yard barrier until the 10-minute mark of the fourth quarter. Cowboys quarterback Alan Bowman threw for 250 yards and three touchdowns, but star running back Ollie Gordon, the Big 12’s offensive player of the year, managed only 34 yards on 13 carries.

SMU 26, No. 22 Tulane 14

Kevin Jennings threw a touchdown pass in his first college start, the Mustangs’ defense dominated and SMU defeated the Green Wave in the American Athletic Conference championship game in New Orleans.

Jennings, a redshirt freshman who had thrown just 24 passes this season, stepped in for injured Preston Stone and overcame three turnovers by passing for 203 yards and rushing for 63. The Mustangs (11-2) won the conference title in their last season before departing for the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Michael Pratt passed for 238 yards, but Makhi Hughes, the AAC’s leading rusher who rushed for at least 100 yards in seven of his past eight games entering Saturday, managed just 44 yards on 11 carries for the Green Wave (11-2), who had won 10 straight games.

–Field Level Media

Florida State Makes a Statement

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CHARLOTTE – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – No. 4-ranked Florida State relied on a smothering defense and a two-headed ground attack to defeat No. 14 Louisville 16-6 in the ACC championship game Saturday night in North Carolina.

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Now the Seminoles (13-0) will await their postseason fate as the College Football Playoff committee weighs where to rank them without their injured star quarterback, Jordan Travis.

With No. 2 quarterback Tate Rodemaker held out Saturday due to a concussion, true freshman Brock Glenn made his first start and completed 8 of 21 passes for 55 yards.

Lawrance Toafili took 10 carries for 118 yards and the game’s only touchdown and Trey Benson added 67 rushing yards for Florida State.

Meanwhile, Louisville (10-3) was held to 188 total yards, with Jack Plummer going 14-for-36 for 111 yards and an interception. Braden Fiske had three of Florida State’s seven sacks, including one on fourth down with 2:35 to play. Jared Verse recorded two sacks.

The teams combined to start 0-for-9 on third downs as defense dominated the first quarter. A premature snap spoiled the Seminoles’ fifth third-down attempt, but Ryan Fitzgerald got them on the board with a 45-yard field goal with 10:32 before halftime.

Later, a 24-yard Louisville punt set Florida State up at the Cardinals’ 38-yard line for a 2-minute drill. But after Glenn lost 9 yards on a sack, Fitzgerald’s second 45-yard field-goal attempt of the night missed wide left, and it was just 3-0 at halftime.

The Cardinals went 56 yards in 13 plays on their first drive of the second half, ending in Brock Travelstead’s 36-yard field goal to tie the game. Jamari Thrash had two 11-yard receptions to power the drive.

But the Seminoles immediately responded when Toafili took a direct snap, hung back momentarily, then ran 73 yards down the right sideline to the Louisville 2. Toafili powered into the end zone on the next play at the 6:20 mark of the third quarter.

After Travelstead’s 33-yard field goal cut it to 10-6 with 13:36 left in regulation, Louisville forced a three-and-out. The Cardinals broke through the Seminoles’ punt protection and Jimmy Calloway tackled punter Alex Mastromanno at the 12-yard line.

But on third down, Plummer forced a throw in the middle of the end zone and Tatum Bethune intercepted it to quash Louisville’s golden opportunity.

Louisville’s final three drives netted a loss of 15 yards. Fitzgerald converted from 33 yards and 40 yards during the final 3:13 for the Seminoles’ final margin.

–Field Level Media

NFL: Cowboys Lasso Seahawks, 41-35

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DALLAS – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Dak Prescott threw three touchdown passes, the last a 12-yarder to tight end Jake Ferguson with 4:37 remaining, as the Dallas Cowboys outlasted the Seattle Seahawks 41-35 Thursday night in Texas.

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CeeDee Lamb made 12 catches for 116 yards and a touchdown, Tony Pollard rushed for 68 yards and a score and Brandon Aubrey kicked four field goals for the Cowboys (9-3), who won for the sixth time in their past seven games and beat a team with a winning record for the first time this season.

Dallas’ defense stiffened late, forcing Seattle to turn over the ball on downs on its final three possessions.

Geno Smith threw three touchdown passes to DK Metcalf for the Seahawks (6-6), who lost their third game in a row.

The Cowboys won their 14th consecutive home game dating back to September 2022.

The go-ahead drive came after Seattle was stopped on fourth-and-1 at the Cowboys’ 46-yard line with 7:04 remaining.

Prescott, who was 29 of 41 for 299 yards, completed three passes to Lamb on the drive and scampered 8 yards to Seattle’s 7. Following a penalty, one of 19 for 257 yards combined for both teams in the game, Prescott found Ferguson to give Dallas a 38-35 lead.

Aubrey added a 32-yard field goal with 1:43 to go to cap the scoring.

After trailing by 10 early in the game, the Seahawks took a 21-20 halftime lead on a 1-yard TD pass with four seconds left in the second quarter.

Smith scored on a 5-yard run on the opening possession of the second half to put Seattle up 28-20.

Dallas pulled within a point on a 6-yard run by Pollard.

The Cowboys had a chance to take the lead as DaRon Bland intercepted a pass at Seattle’s 38-yard line. But Dallas eschewed a potential go-ahead field goal on fourth-and-2 from the 30 and Prescott’s pass for Lamb fell incomplete.

Smith (23 of 41, 334 yards, one interception) floated a 3-yard TD pass to Metcalf in the back of the end zone with 14:17 remaining to extend Seattle’s lead to 35-27.

Aubrey’s third field goal, from 38 yards, made it 35-30 with 11:23 left.

–Field Level Media

Patriots: Who is Calling the Shots?

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FOXBORO – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien perceives the QB call for the Patriots is coming from the top of the organization. In New England, that would imply owner Robert Kraft and not head coach Bill Belichick.

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Asked about Mac Jones’ hold on the starting quarterback job entering Week 13, O’Brien said he doesn’t have a deciding vote.

“I don’t make those calls. There’s a chain of command. The chain of command is Robert Kraft at the top, Bill Belichick and the assistant coaches are down here,” O’Brien said Tuesday.

O’Brien said the Patriots (2-9) aren’t zeroing in on individual roles but rather focusing on collective preparation for the Los Angeles Chargers. New England has lost four consecutive games and went 1-7 in October and November.

After throwing two interceptions in Sunday’s loss to the New York Giants, Jones was benched in favor of Bailey Zappe.

O’Brien said he is responsible for the lack of production from the Patriots’ offense, not Jones.

“Things haven’t gone great for him this year,” O’Brien said of Jones. “I don’t think that he’s the No. 1 guy to blame. If you want to blame anyone, blame me. I’m the one who designs it, and it’s not going very well.”

Jones has been benched in four games this season. He has 10 touchdowns, 12 interceptions and two wins.

Asked Monday on his weekly WEEI-radio if he expected to be the starter this week, Jones said, “You always ask me, right? I think the biggest thing for me is — that’s a result. I’m going to focus on the process this week. Focus on competing and getting better. That’s all I’ve ever done at every sport. I know that if I do that, we’ll be in good hands. That’s something I need to focus on as always. I do have confidence in myself, and I have confidence in the guys around me.”

–Field Level Media

Bears Beat Vikings Without TD

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MINNESOTA – Chicago PK Cairo Santos made four field goals, including the game-winning kick with 10 seconds remaining, to lift the Bears to a 12-10 win over the Minnesota Vikings on Monday night in Minneapolis.

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Santos’ 30-yard field goal capped off a contest that was defined by aggressive defenses and turnover-prone offenses. Chicago (4-8) earned its first win against an NFC North opponent under coach Matt Eberflus, who entered the game 0-9 against division rivals.

Bears quarterback Justin Fields completed 27 of 37 passes for 217 yards. He rushed 12 times for 59 yards but lost two fumbles in the second half.

Joshua Dobbs threw a career-high four interceptions for Minnesota (6-6). He completed 22 of 32 passes for 185 yards and one touchdown.

The Bears trailed 10-9 when they took over on their own 22-yard line with no timeouts and 2:29 remaining. Fields pushed the ball bear midfield but faced third-and-10 after back-to-back incompletions.

On the next play, Fields found DJ Moore open downfield for a 36-yard gain. That gave the Bears a fresh set of downs on the Minnesota 13-yard line.

Soon after, Fields took a knee on three plays in a row to set up a short field-goal opportunity.

The ending spoiled a near comeback by Minnesota, which grabbed a 10-9 lead with 5:54 remaining. Dobbs fired a 17-yard pass to T.J. Hockenson for the only touchdown of the night by either team.

Chicago had taken a 9-3 advantage with 14:15 remaining on Santos’ third field goal. He connected from 55 yards for his longest kick of the night.

Then came Chicago defense’s fourth interception. Kyler Gordon picked off a deflected pass from Dobbs to give the Bears the ball back at the Minnesota 38-yard line.

The Vikings joined the takeaway party several plays later. Danielle Hunter popped the ball loose from Fields, and Sheldon Day pounced on it to give Minnesota the ball back on its 23-yard line.

The Bears’ defense flustered Dobbs and the Vikings for most of the first half. Minnesota finished the first quarter with minus-7 total yards, and Dobbs threw a pair of first-half interceptions to Chicago defenders Jaylon Johnson and Jaquan Brisker.

–Field Level Media

NFL Round-Up: Eagles Improve

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PHILADELPHIA – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Philly QB Jalen Hurts rushed for a 12-yard touchdown in overtime to lift the Philadelphia Eagles to a thrilling 37-34 win against the visiting Buffalo Bills on Sunday afternoon.

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Hurts’ final score capped off an incredible performance in which he passed for three touchdowns and rushed for two more for Philadelphia (10-1). Jake Elliott drilled a 59-yard field goal to tie the game with 20 seconds in regulation, and DeVonta Smith finished with seven catches for 106 yards and a touchdown.

Josh Allen threw two touchdowns and rushed for two scores for Buffalo (6-6). Gabe Davis had six catches for 105 yards and a touchdown, but he miscommunicated with Allen on a potential game-winning score in overtime that gave the Eagles a chance to come back.

After Tyler Bass hit a 40-yard field goal to put the Bills ahead 34-31 with 5:52 to go in overtime, Hurts led the game-winning drive with his feet and his arm. He scrambled for 27 yards, including the 12-yard touchdown, and he found Smith for gains of 17 yards and 11 yards as the Buffalo defense struggled to keep pace.

Ravens 20, Chargers 10

Lamar Jackson became the fastest quarterback to reach 5,000 rushing yards and Baltimore forced four turnovers while recording a victory over Los Angeles at Inglewood, Calif.

Zay Flowers caught a touchdown pass and also ran for one for Baltimore (9-3), which won for the sixth time in the past seven games. The Ravens possess the top record in the AFC heading into next week’s bye. Justin Herbert completed 29 of 44 passes for 217 yards with one touchdown and one interception for the Chargers (4-7), who lost their third straight. Keenan Allen caught 14 passes for 106 yards.

Jackson was 18-of-32 passing for 177 yards with a touchdown, and rushed for 39 yards on 11 carries. He has 5,011 career rushing yards in 82 games. The previous fastest quarterback to 5,000 was Michael Vick (104 games). Jackson’s rushing yards are fourth most by a quarterback, trailing Vick (6,109), Cam Newton (5,628) and Russell Wilson (5,232).

Broncos 29, Browns 12

Russell Wilson threw for a touchdown and rushed for another to lift host Denver to a victory over Cleveland.

Wilson threw for just 134 yards but added 34 more on the ground. Samaje Perine rushed for 55 yards and a touchdown for the Broncos (6-5), who recorded their first five-game winning streak since the 2015 season. Denver rushed for two touchdowns in the first 18:49 of Sunday’s game after finding the end zone on the ground just once in its previous 10 games.

Cleveland rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson threw for 134 yards and added his first career passing touchdown before exiting late in the third quarter with a concussion after a high hit from Denver linebacker Baron Browning. P.J. Walker came in and completed 6 of 13 passes for 56 yards for the Browns (7-4), who saw their three-game winning streak come to a halt.

Chiefs 31, Raiders 17

Patrick Mahomes passed for 298 yards and two touchdowns and Isiah Pacheco ran for a pair of scores as visiting Kansas City topped Las Vegas.

The Chiefs (8-3) covered at least 71 yards on each of its touchdown drives while sending the Raiders (5-7) to their second straight defeat. Raiders QB Aidan O’Connell was 23-for-33 for 248 yards and a TD, and Josh Jacobs rushed 20 times for 110 yards and a score. Meyers (six catches, 79 yards, one TD) and Davante Adams (five catches, 73 yards) were the Raiders’ top receivers.

Trailing 14-0 in the second quarter on the heels of Monday night’s loss to Philadelphia, Kansas City responded with 21 straight points to regain the advantage. Daniel Carlson kicked a 34-yard field goal with 2:09 left in the third quarter to pull the Raiders to within 21-17, but the Chiefs answered with a 39-yard scoring pass from Mahomes to Rashee Rice on their next possession.

Rams 37, Cardinals 14

Matthew Stafford threw a season-high four touchdown passes and Los Angeles won consecutive games for the first time this season with a lopsided victory over Arizona in Glendale, Ariz.

Tyler Higbee caught two TD passes and Kyren Williams added two receiving TDs of his own after missing the Rams’ past four games with an ankle injury. Williams added 143 rushing yards on 16 carries, including a 56-yard run in the third quarter. Stafford was 25-of-33 passing for 229 yards and one interception.

Kyler Murray was 27-of-45 passing for 256 yards and a touchdown for the Cardinals (2-10), who have lost eight of nine.

Jaguars 24, Texans 21

Josh Allen came up with 1.5 sacks to headline a strong defensive stand late in the fourth quarter, helping Jacksonville edge host Houston.

The Jaguars (8-3) led 24-14 after Brandon McManus made a 53-yard field goal with 11:20 remaining in the game. But the Texans (6-5) rallied, pulling within three when C.J. Stroud found Nico Collins for a 17-yard touchdown with 5:15 left.

After forcing a punt, Houston took over at its own 11-yard line. Allen dropped Stroud for a loss of 15 yards, but three plays later, the Texans found themselves at the Jaguars’ 37. That’s when Allen teamed up with Travon Walker for another sack. Houston would end up getting to 39, but Matt Ammendola didn’t have enough leg on a 58-yard field goal attempt with 29 seconds to go.

Colts 27, Buccaneers 20

Jonathan Taylor rushed for two touchdowns and Gardner Minshew added another rushing score as host Indianapolis held off Tampa Bay.

Taylor, who finished with 91 yards on 15 carries, pounded it in from the 1 with 7:30 left in the game to answer Baker Mayfield’s 23-yard scoring strike to Mike Evans. That gave the Colts (6-5) a 27-17 lead. The Buccaneers (4-7) responded with Chase McLaughlin’s 24-yard field goal at the 4:10 mark, then got the ball back at its 35-yard line with a chance to tie. But Mayfield was strip-sacked with 1:29 remaining, sealing the outcome.

Minshew completed 24 of 41 passes for 251 yards with an interception as Indianapolis stayed in contention for an AFC wild card. Michael Pittman was his favorite target with 10 receptions for 107 yards. Mayfield hit on 20 of 30 passes for 199 yards with two touchdowns to Mike Evans and one pick. Rachaad White rushed 15 times for 100 yards.

Titans 17, Panthers 10

Derrick Henry scored two rushing touchdowns and Tennessee clamped down on defense in the fourth quarter to defeat visiting Carolina in Nashville, Tenn.

The Titans (4-7), who played their previous three games on the road, snapped a three-game losing skid, while the Panthers are now an NFL-worst 1-10. Henry finished with 76 rushing yards on 18 carries, while rookie Titans quarterback Will Levis completed 18 of 28 passes for 185 yards.

Panthers rookie Bryce Young was 18-of-31 passing for 194 yards, with 23 rushing yards and a costly lost fumble.

Falcons 24, Saints 15

Bijan Robinson rushed for a touchdown and caught another as host Atlanta defeated New Orleans to move into a tie for first place in the NFC South.

Robinson had 91 of his team’s 228 rushing yards and added 32 receiving yards from Desmond Ridder, who returned from a two-game benching to start for the Falcons (5-6). Ridder completed 13 of 21 passes for 168 yards and was intercepted twice by Tyrann Mathieu.

Derek Carr passed for 304 yards for the Saints (5-6), who never reached the end zone despite five trips inside the Atlanta 20-yard line. Carr threw a first-quarter interception that Jessie Bates III returned 92 yards for a touchdown.

Steelers 16, Bengals 10

Tight end Pat Freiermuth had a career day, catching nine passes for 120 yards, and Najee Harris ran for 99 yards and a touchdown to lead visiting Pittsburgh to a key win over Cincinnati.

Playing with a new offensive coordinator and play-caller following the firing of Matt Canada, the Steelers (7-4) didn’t need to produce much to beat a Bengals offense missing Joe Burrow. Kenny Pickett completed 24 of 33 passes for 278 yards with Eddie Faulkner serving as the offensive coordinator and Mike Sullivan as the play-caller.

Jake Browning, in his first NFL start for Cincinnati (5-6), completed 19 of 26 passes for 227 yards with a touchdown and an interception in place of Burrow. The Bengals were held to 25 rushing yards on 11 carries.

Giants 10, Patriots 7

Tommy DeVito threw for 191 yards and a touchdown and helped New York win consecutive games for the first time all season, this one a squeaker over visiting New England in East Rutherford, N.J.

DeVito completed 17 of 25 passes for the Giants (4-8), who have turned to him following injuries to Daniel Jones and Tyrod Taylor. He lost a fumble on the opening drive and was sacked six times Sunday.

The Giants benefited from continued QB chaos for New England (2-9). After Bill Belichick kept the Patriots’ starting QB decision under wraps, Mac Jones tossed two interceptions in the first half and was replaced by Bailey Zappe after halftime. Zappe guided the Patriots’ lone scoring drive, then drove them into field-goal range in the final 3:15. But rookie Chad Ryland hooked a 35-yard field goal try wide left with three seconds left.

–Field Level Media

NBA: Celtics Crush Hawks

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Celtics 113, Hawks 103

A 34-point, nine-rebound performance from Jayson Tatum helped Boston improve its home record to 7-0 by beating visiting Atlanta.

Tatum didn’t score in the third quarter before dropping 13 points in the fourth. The Celtics led by at least eight throughout the final 12 minutes. Al Horford had 15 rebounds for Boston, which received 15 points and 11 assists from Derrick White. Jaylen Brown added 21 points, and Neemias Queta grabbed 10 rebounds.

The Celtics had to overcome a 33-point effort from Trae Young, who also had five rebounds and seven assists. Atlanta’s De’Andre Hunter tossed in 24 points, and Bogdan Bogdanovic finished with 23. Bogdanovic made 7 of his 10 3-point attempts.

NBA Round Up: Dame Beats Blazers

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MILWAUKEE – Bucks all-star Giannis Antetokounmpo tipped in Bobby Portis’ missed shot with 18.1 seconds remaining for the game-winning points, and the Milwaukee Bucks rallied past the visiting Portland Trail Blazers 108-102 Sunday in Damian Lillard‘s first game against his old team.

Lillard totaled 31 points and capped his big game with four clinching free throws for his sixth 30-point game of the season.

The meeting was the first since Portland ended an 11-year relationship with Lillard, dealing him to the Bucks in the offseason in a three-team deal that brought Jrue Holiday, Deandre Ayton and Toumani Camara to the Trail Blazers along with a 2029 first-round pick.

The win Sunday was Milwaukee’s seventh in its last eight games, while Portland lost for ninth time in its last 10 outings.

Nets 118, Bulls 109

Spencer Dinwiddie scored 24 points as host Brooklyn hit an NBA season-high 25 3-pointers and stormed back from a 21-point deficit for a victory over skidding Chicago.

The Nets gave up the game’s first 13 points and trailed 30-9 with 4:37 left in the first quarter. Brooklyn outscored the Bulls 109-79 the rest of the way and 99-73 over the final three quarters. Brooklyn finished two shy of the team record set Feb. 15, 2021, in Sacramento and set a record for 3s in a home game. The Nets also finished four shy of the NBA record set by Milwaukee on Dec. 29, 2020.

Royce O’Neale and Lonnie Walker IV added 20 apiece. The duo combined to shoot 12-of-20 from 3-point range as the Nets hit 20 of their 3s after the opening quarter. DeMar DeRozan led all scorers with 27 but the Bulls lost their fourth in a row and seventh time in eight games. Coby White added 23 while Patrick Williams and Zach LaVine contributed 20 apiece as the Bulls made 13 of their first 21 shots and eight 3s in the opening quarter and finished at 48.2 percent overall.

Suns 116, Knicks 113

Devin Booker sank the tie-breaking 3-pointer with 1.7 seconds left for visiting Phoenix, which squandered a 15-point lead before edging New York.

Booker scored 20 points in the second half and finished with a double-double (28 points, 11 assists) for the Suns, who have won seven straight, including the last two games without Kevin Durant. The 13-time All-Star warmed up beforehand but sat out his second straight game with a sore right foot. Eric Gordon scored 25 points while Jordan Goodwin (14) and Nassir Little (11) got into double figures off the bench.

Jalen Brunson had 35 points, eight assists and six rebounds for the Knicks, who have lost two of their past three games. Julius Randle scored 28 points and reserve Immanuel Quickley added 18.

Magic 130, Hornets 117

Franz Wagner and Cole Anthony scored 30 points apiece as Orlando extended their winning streak to seven games, beating visiting Charlotte.

Paolo Banchero had 23 points, Jalen Suggs scored 12 and Goga Bitadze contributed 11 points and seven rebounds for Orlando, which has won seven consecutive games for the first time since the 2010-11 season. Moritz Wagner added 11 points and seven rebounds. Franz Wagner and Anthony recorded season-high point totals for Orlando, which shot 54 percent from the field and 37 percent (10 of 27) from 3-point range.

Miles Bridges paced Charlotte with 23 points and 10 rebounds. Terry Rozier collected 22 points and nine assists, Brandon Miller had 20 points, P.J. Washington 13 and Mark Williams added 12. Hornets point guard LaMelo Ball had seven points before exiting midway through the second quarter with a right ankle strain. Ball had to be helped to the locker room after colliding with Banchero near the basket.

Timberwolves 119, Grizzlies 97

Anthony Edwards scored 24 points and Minnesota held host Memphis to just 38.6 percent shooting from the floor in sending the Grizzlies to their fourth consecutive loss.

Every Minnesota player who saw action scored, with five reaching double-figures. Mike Conley shot 6-of-9 from 3-point range, leading to the Wolves’ 15-of-34 shooting (44.1 percent) from the beyond arc, and finished with 18 points. Conley also dished a game-high 10 assists.

Jaren Jackson Jr. led Memphis with 18 points and three blocks, Desmond Bane scored 13 and Santi Aldama had 14 points with a team-high seven rebounds.

Nuggets 132, Spurs 120

Nikola Jokic had a season-high 39 points along with 11 rebounds and nine assists, Michael Porter Jr. scored 25 points and host Denver beat San Antonio.

Reggie Jackson had 20 points, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope contributed 16 points and Julian Strawther added 10 points for Denver. The Nuggets played without forward Aaron Gordon, who sat with a right heel strain. With Jamal Murray sidelined since early November, Denver was without two starters.

Victor Wembanyama had 22 points, 11 rebounds, six steals and four blocks, Devin Vassell scored 19 points, Malaki Branham added 15 points, Julian Champagnie finished with 13 points and Keldon Johnson and Tre Jones scored 10 each for the Spurs, who dropped their 12th straight.

Cavaliers 105, Raptors 102

Darius Garland scored 24 points and Cleveland defeated visiting Toronto.

Max Strus scored all 20 of his points in the third quarter for the Cavaliers, who had lost their two previous games. Donovan Mitchell added 10 points for Clevland. Evan Mobley had 12 points and 14 rebounds, while Jarrett Allen chipped in with 18 points.

Pascal Siakam and Jakob Poeltl each scored 18 points for Toronto. Poeltl added 13 rebounds. Scottie Barnes had 15 points for the Raptors, who had won their two previous games. Dennis Schroder scored 15 points, Gary Trent Jr. had 13 points and OG Anunoby added 11.

-Field Level Media

Filed Under: NBA Tagged With:

Patriots are Losers Again

by

EAST RUTHERFORD – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Tommy DeVito threw for 191 yards and a touchdown and helped the New York Giants win consecutive games for the first time all season, this one a 10-7 squeaker over the visiting New England Patriots on Sunday in New Jersey.

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DeVito completed 17 of 25 passes for the Giants (4-8), who have turned to him following injuries to Daniel Jones and Tyrod Taylor. He lost a fumble on the opening drive and was sacked six times Sunday.

The Giants benefited from continued quarterback chaos for New England (2-9). After Bill Belichick kept the Patriots’ starting QB decision under wraps during the week, Mac Jones tossed two interceptions in the first half and was replaced by Bailey Zappe after halftime.

Zappe guided the Patriots’ lone scoring drive, then drove them into field-goal range in the final 3:15 of the game. But rookie kicker Chad Ryland hooked a 35-yard field goal try wide left with three seconds left, allowing the Giants to hang on.

Jones went 12-for-21 passing for 89 yards for the Patriots, who have lost seven of eight games. Zappe went 9-for-14 for 54 yards and one pick.

Xavier McKinney totaled 10 tackles and one of the three interceptions for New York. Jalin Hyatt had five catches for 109 yards.

Jones threw into triple coverage in the final seconds of the first quarter and rookie Deonte Banks made a running interception on the sideline.

Late in the half, the Patriots drove into New York territory. DeVante Parker caught a slightly deflected pass for 17 yards on third-and-15 to keep the drive moving.

But on third-and-4 from the Giants’ 23-yard line, Jones threw a pass straight to Giants linebacker Bobby Okereke, who returned it 55 yards to the New England 26.

Six plays later, DeVito threw left to Isaiah Hodgins, who stiff-armed his defender to the ground and beat another Patriot to the pylon for a 12-yard score, making it 7-0 1:53 before halftime.

The Patriots had one last three-and-out in the first half before Zappe took over in the second. He went 6-for-6 for 38 yards on his first drive, and Stevenson got New England on the board with his 7-yard touchdown with 8:02 left in the quarter.

Zappe wasn’t perfect for long. Early in the fourth quarter, his pass intended for JuJu Smith-Schuster was snagged by McKinney and returned to the Patriots’ 32. That set up Randy Bullock’s go-ahead, 42-yard field goal with 8:10 remaining.

The Patriots got one more chance and drove 33 yards in nine plays to set up Ryland’s game-tying attempt.

–Field Level Media