Saints redeemed secondary confident vs. high-powered Rams
METAIRIE, La. — Marshon Lattimore and the Saints’ secondary no longer look — or sound — haunted by the “Minnesota Miracle” touchdown pass that stunningly ended their playoffs one year ago. “We don’t panic. We don’t do none of that,” Lattimore said. “We adjust well.” Lattimore backed that up with...
Patriots try to overcome road woes in AFC championship game
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — The Patriots are going on the road again in the playoffs, a place that hasn’t always been kind to them during the Tom Brady era. New England was unbeatable at home this season, going 8-0 during the regular season and rolling past the Los Angeles Chargers in...
Rams’ Marcus Peters, Saints’ Sean Payton downplay gumbo beef
THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — Marcus Peters stood at a podium Wednesday and spoke about his respect for Sean Payton and the New Orleans Saints. He insisted his feisty comments about the coach two months ago had been misinterpreted and blown out of proportion by controversy-hungry fans and media. And then...
Patriots’ Tom Brady vs. Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes a study in contrast
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — One of them is a sixth-round pick who married a supermodel, became one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history and is going strong well past his 41st birthday. The other is a first-round pick who is dating his high school sweetheart, has one season as...
Saints’ Mark Ingram cherishing playoff run as uncertainty loomsVideo
METAIRIE, La. — Mark Ingram readily acknowledges his last game with the Saints could come Sunday, when New Orleans hosts the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC championship game. But Ingram hasn’t given up on bucking conventional wisdom and remaining with New Orleans, even though his contract is expiring and...
Edelman again proves to be valuable playoff performer for New England
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — His face still was a little flushed from stepping out of the subfreezing temperatures at Gillette Stadium just minutes after the Patriots’ 41-28 divisional-round win over the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday. Still, Julian Edelman stood at his locker satisfied — at least for a moment. Then...
Ravens’ Lamar Jackson: ‘I want to be the Brady’ of Baltimore
BALTIMORE — In late December, Ray Lewis visited Ravens headquarters to film an “Inside the NFL” segment with Lamar Jackson for the Showtime show. On Monday afternoon, the final product was posted on Twitter — eight days after the Ravens’ season-ending playoff loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. But while...
Reports of Patriots’ death are exaggerations
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — It was 20 degrees in Gillette Stadium, according to the newly installed thermometer that the light and breezy Los Angeles Chargers had to run past in the tunnel, onto a field clouded by the white frost exhaled from about 66,000 shouting mouths. Even colder, though, were the...
Patriots without Wise; Gordon and Henry active for Chargers
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — The Patriots will be without defensive lineman Deatrich Wise Jr. when New England hosts the Chargers in the divisional playoffs. Wise was limited all week with an ankle injury. His absence is a blow to the Patriots’ pass rush as they prepare to attack Los Angeles quarterback...
Patriots roll past Chargers, return to AFC championship game
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Tom Brady recognizes there are some who believe the Patriots are nearing the end of their run of unprecedented playoff success. New England took its first step toward possibly silencing those voices for a little longer. Sony Michel ran for 129 yards and had three touchdowns, and...
Saints rally past Eagles to reach NFC title game
NEW ORLEANS — When the New Orleans Saints finally found their rhythm, they marched one step closer to the Super Bowl. Using a dominant ball-control offense and a few gambles that paid off, the Saints got two touchdown passes from Drew Brees and two interceptions from Marcus Lattimore in a...
Rams run past Cowboys into NFC championship
LOS ANGELES — C.J. Anderson rushed for 123 yards and two touchdowns, and Todd Gurley rushed for 115 more yards and another TD in the Los Angeles Rams’ first playoff victory in 14 years, 30-22 over the Dallas Cowboys in the divisional round Saturday night. Gurley and Anderson punished the...
Ready Freddie: Kitchens hired by Browns after offensive run
CLEVELAND — Freddie Kitchens had something on his coaching resume no other candidate could match. He made Baker Mayfield a better quarterback. Kitchens, who helped Mayfield turn his rookie season into a record-breaking one during an impressive eight-game stint as the Browns offensive coordinator, on Saturday was named Cleveland’s 17th...
Chiefs roll past Colts, reach AFC title gameVideo
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Patrick Mahomes picked apart the Colts in his postseason debut, the Chiefs defense answered their chorus of critics with a stout performance, and Kansas City rolled to a 31-13 victory over Indianapolis in the divisional round Saturday to end 25 years of playoff frustration. Mahomes threw...
Sean Payton: Playoff stakes more important than perceived slightsVideo
NEW ORLEANS — New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton dismisses the premise the Philadelphia Eagles could derive extra motivation from the widespread perception New Orleans ran up the score on them when they met in November. “My question would be: We’re all playing hard in these divisional playoff games, right?”...
Philip Rivers, Chargers look to end dominance by Tom Brady, PatriotsVideo
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Tom Brady typically shrugs off any mention of records or milestones he sets. But even he had to chuckle at the one he and Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers will mark when they meet in Sunday’s divisional playoffs. Brady, who will be 41 years and 163...
Previewing Sunday’s NFL divisional playoff games
Is this the year Philip Rivers finally gets past the New England Patriots? Is the speculation of the Patriots’ demise premature? Can Nick Foles continue his Cinderella story with the Philadelphia Eagles in their matchup at New Orleans? Here’s a look at Sunday’s NFL divisional playoff games: LOS ANGELES CHARGERS...
Previewing Saturday’s NFL playoff games
Former local college football standouts Aaron Donald and Tavon Austin take center stage Saturday in the NFL playoffs. Donald’s Los Angeles Rams face Austin’s Dallas Cowboys in the NFC divisional round. The winner faces the winner of the Philadelphia Eagles-New Orleans Saints game, which will be played Sunday. A look...
Rams, Cowboys seek long-awaited postseason breakthroughsVideo
LOS ANGELES — As if the pressure of playing for the Los Angeles Rams’ first playoff victory in 14 years wasn’t enough, Todd Gurley carries an extra imperative into the Coliseum on Saturday night. “Basically, everybody I know hates the Cowboys,” the Rams’ All-Pro running back said. “They’ve been hitting...
Colts hope history repeats vs. Chiefs; K.C. hopes to reverse fortunes
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Given the postseason history involving Indianapolis and Kansas City over the years, Andrew Luck and the Colts have every reason to feel confident heading to Arrowhead Stadium on Saturday. The Chiefs have every reason to believe they are due. Four times the teams have met in...
Offensive star power headlines Colts-Chiefs showdown
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Eric Ebron has seen the forecast for Saturday’s divisional playoff game between the Indianapolis Colts and Kansas City Chiefs, where even the most optimistic of meteorologists are pegging the chances of rain or snow at about 50 percent. It doesn’t bother him. The Colts tight end...
Did Tyler Boyd perform beyond his contract terms?
The Cincinnati Bengals caught a bargain with Tyler Boyd this season. The former Pitt and Clairton star is one of five NFL finalists for the VIZIO Top Value Performer trophy. The award is given to the NFL player whose on-field performance most exceeds the value of his contract. Boyd, who...
Rams’ Whitworth looking for 1st playoff win in 8th trip
THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — Seven trips to the postseason and no wins can wear on a person. Los Angeles Rams left tackle Andrew Whitworth has managed to keep his sense of humor. “This is the furthest I’ve been in the playoffs, even though we didn’t play last week,” Whitworth said....
Bruce Arians confident Buccaneers not far from playoff contention
TAMPA, Fla. — Tampa Bay’s bid to lure Bruce Arians out of retirement and back to the NFL included a pitch from baseball manager Joe Maddon. The 66-year-old Arians, a longtime Steelers offensive coordinator, grew up in York, not far from Maddon’s hometown of Hazelton. He and the Chicago Cubs...
Cowboys’ playoff trip to Rams is L.A. reunion for Tavon Austin
FRISCO, Texas — Tavon Austin’s fresh start with the Dallas Cowboys wasn’t much different than the stale final season the versatile receiver endured with the Los Angeles Rams. The difference is Austin has a chance to change the feeling — against his former team, in the divisional round of the...
