Saquon Barkley vs. Miles Sanders on ‘Monday Night Football’ puts Penn State in national spotlight
PHILADELPHIA — Carson Wentz is trying to lead the Philadelphia Eagles on a late run through the final quarter of the NFL season to make the first playoff appearance of his NFL career. Eli Manning is stepping back into the starting role for the New York Giants after a 10-game...
First Call: Biggest threat to Steelers playoff hopes; Browns drama continuesVideo
In Monday’s “First Call,” we look at the biggest outside threat to the Steelers’ playoff hopes. Also, drama continues to swirl around the Browns, even in victory. And a former Steeler has a huge afternoon. Titan-ic effort The Tennessee Titans were once 2-4. Now they are the biggest threat to...
Rams stay in playoff hunt, end Seahawks’ 5-game streak 28-12Video
LOS ANGELES — Jared Goff passed for 293 yards and two touchdowns, Todd Gurley ran for 79 yards and a fourth-quarter TD and the Los Angeles Rams prevented the Seattle Seahawks from clinching a playoff berth with a 28-12 victory Sunday night. Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp caught TD passes...
Tom Brady, Patriots offense show cracks in rematch with ChiefsVideo
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — The defending Super Bowl champions were booed off the field at halftime after yet another lackluster offensive performance. Quarterback Tom Brady showed up at his postgame news conference with his right elbow wrapped in an elastic bandage. In between, there was a second-half rally that fell short,...
Browns win to stay in playoff hunt, can’t avoid OBJ dramaVideo
CLEVELAND — The Browns can’t even win without some kind of theatrics,. And, once again, Odell Beckham is in the middle of the latest drama. Nick Chubb ran for 106 yards — 99 after halftime — and Baker Mayfield and Kareem Hunt had rushing touchdowns as Cleveland kept its faint...
NFL Week 13 review: Jimmy Garoppolo’s 4 TD passes help 49ers top SaintsVideo
NEW ORLEANS —Jimmy Garoppolo passed for 349 yards and four touchdowns, Robbie Gould kicked a 30-yard field goal as time expired, and the San Francisco 49ers pulled out a 48-46 victory over the New Orleans Saints on Sunday. Garoppolo’s clutch completion to tight end George Kittle for a 39-yard gain...
Bills slow Ravens offense, but Baltimore makes late stand to hang on for win
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Coach John Harbaugh happily discovered it’s going to take more than clinching a second consecutive playoff berth to impress Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens. Whether it’s the sign of a team stinging from the memories of last year’s AFC wild-card playoff loss to the Los...
Lost equipment gets to Chiefs in time for gameVideo
The Kansas City Chiefs needed a police escort to get their equipment to Foxborough, Mass., in time for Sunday’s game against the Patriots. Chiefs spokesman Ted Crews confirmed that some of the gear was sent to the wrong place and had to be rushed to the stadium. ...and the Chiefs'...
Rooney rule has had positive impact, but flaws remain
In 2003, the NFL had three minority head coaches: future Pro Football Hall of Famer Tony Dungy, Herman Edwards and Marvin Lewis. In the 12 previous seasons, there had been six. Total. Considering the majority of the players in the league 16 years ago were minorities, that imbalance was enormous....
In Instagram post, Antonio Brown says he’s sorry … again
Antonio Brown is sorry … again. At least that’s what a post on the former Steelers, Raiders and Patriots wide receiver’s verified Instagram account says. Brown, who is being investigated by the NFL in the wake of sexual assault allegations, took to Instagram on Friday afternoon, apologizing for what he...
First Call: Antonio Brown begs for Patriots reunion; Yankees green light huge cash for Gerrit Cole
Friday’s “First Call” gives us Phil Kessel’s unique headgear, Antonio Brown’s plea for a job, Gerrit Cole’s huge contract on the horizon and a Pitt player emerges from nowhere in the NFL. Take me back! Please! Antonio Brown’s online flirtation with the New England Patriots continues. The outcast wide receiver...
Micthell Trubisky helps Bears get home win vs. reeling CowboysVideo
CHICAGO — Mitchell Trubisky threw three touchdown passes and ran for a score in the Chicago Bears’ 31-24 victory over Dak Prescott and the slumping Dallas Cowboys on Thursday night. In a matchup between disappointing teams that made the playoffs last season, the Bears (7-6) came away with their fourth...
Odell Beckham vague about future with Browns amid ‘bad’ seasonVideo
BEREA, Ohio — Odell Beckham Jr.’s disappointing first season with the Browns isn’t over, and the star wide receiver is already making predictions about the next one. “2020’s going to be my year,” he said. He didn’t say if it would be in Cleveland. Beckham was vague about his future...
Giants’ Saquon Barkley hoping to break 100-yard drought vs. EaglesVideo
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — The combination of playing the Philadelphia Eagles and Eli Manning returning at quarterback for the New York Giants might be what gets Saquon Barkley a much-desired 100-yard game rushing. The NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year last season, Barkley has not rushed for 100 yards since...
Ravens tight ends a favorite target for Lamar JacksonVideo
OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Mark Andrews is part of a group of Baltimore Ravens tight ends he likes to call a “three-headed monster.” Andrews, Hayden Hurst and Nick Boyle each have played a huge role in the offense and have become favorable targets for quarterback Lamar Jackson. The three tight...
Giants’ Eli Manning likely to start in place of injured Daniel JonesVideo
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J — New York Giants rookie quarterback Daniel Jones was kept out of practice Wednesday with a high right-ankle sprain, and coach Pat Shurmur said Eli Manning “very likely” will start Monday night against the Philadelphia Eagles. Shurmur added that Manning could be the starter for the rest...
Dolphins RB Kalen Ballage breaks 1936 record for futilityVideo
MIAMI — Running back Kalen Ballage’s historically unproductive season ended Tuesday when he was placed on injured reserve by the Miami Dolphins. Ballage hurt his left leg in Sunday’s victory over Philadelphia. The second-year pro finishes the season with 135 yards on 74 carries. His 1.8-yard average is the worst...
Terrelle Pryor says he ‘stared death in the eye’ in hospital after stabbing
Terrelle Pryor declared he “was coded twice” before medical personnel brought him back to life while tending to the injuries he sustained from a Saturday morning stabbing on Pittsburgh’s North Side. TMZ shared a social media post Tuesday afternoon from the free agent NFL receiver that showed a full-body shot...
Carolina Panthers fire coach Ron Rivera after nine seasonsVideo
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Ron Rivera era has come to an abrupt end in Carolina. The Panthers fired their all-time winningest coach with the team on a four-game losing streak and headed to its third non-playoff season in four years. “I believe this is the best decision for the long-term...
NFL selects finalists for All-Time Team at DB, special teams
Career interceptions leaders Paul Krause, Emlen Tunnell and Rod Woodson are among 30 defensive backs who are finalists for the NFL’s All-Time Team. The league on Monday revealed 16 cornerbacks, 14 safeties and 12 special-teams players as finalists. They will be pared down to seven cornerbacks, six safeties, two kickers,...
Time to Bill-ieve? Buffalo in thick of AFC playoff raceVideo
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — It was only a few weeks ago when the Buffalo Bills had a 7-3 record, and quarterback Josh Allen acknowledged he and his teammates had taken a peek at the playoff picture. “I wouldn’t say we’ve started talking about it, but you do want to keep...
With latest upset win, Dolphins are an upbeat 3-9 teamVideo
DAVIE, Fla. — The young Miami Dolphins fan gleefully bounding down the stadium ramp minutes after her team’s scintillating comeback victory over the Philadelphia Eagles shouted the same thing over and over in astonishment. “We never win!” she screamed with a grin. “We deserve this! We never win!” Lately that’s...
Brady has frustrating night as Patriots fall to Texans 28-22Video
HOUSTON — Tom Brady was hit, hurried and harassed by the Houston Texans on Sunday night in a loss that kept the New England Patriots from becoming the first AFC team to clinch a playoff spot. Deshaun Watson threw three touchdown passes and had the first TD reception of his...
Andy Dalton returns, leads Bengals to 1st win, 22-6 over JetsVideo
CINCINNATI — Back from a three-week exile, Andy Dalton had more of a swagger in practice, as though he was out to prove something. “He had a chip on his shoulder all week,” running back Joe Mixon said. Dalton returned from one of the lowest points of his nine-year career...
Ravens outlast 49ers on Tucker’s walk-off field goalVideo
BALTIMORE — Neither rain, wind nor the San Francisco 49ers’ top-ranked defense could prevent Lamar Jackson from guiding the Baltimore Ravens to their franchise-record eighth straight win. Jackson weathered miserable conditions to run for 101 yards, and Justin Tucker kicked a tiebreaking 49-yard field goal as time expired to give...
