December 28, 2025 8:36 am
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — With their backs against the wall, the Baltimore Ravens made sure they wouldn’t underutilize Derrick Henry again. The five-time Pro Bowl running back responded by delivering one of the greatest performances of his brilliant career to keep the Ravens’ playoff hopes alive. Henry rushed for a season-high 216 yards — the most ever by a visiting player at Lambeau Field — and matched a career high with four touchdown runs in the Ravens’ 41-24 victory over the Green Bay Packers on Saturday night. “It’s one of the greatest performances I’ve ever seen,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. The Ravens (8-8) now must hope the Pittsburgh Steelers lose at Cleveland on Sunday. A Steelers victory in Cleveland would end Baltimore’s playoff hopes. Green Bay (9-6-1) lost its third straight, enabling the Chicago Bears to clinch the NFC North title. The Packers already clinched a playoff berth on Thursday when the Detroit Lions lost 23-10 at Minnesota.
December 28, 2025 8:39 am
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — Chaston Ditta threw two second-half touchdown passes, and East Carolina overcame an inadvertent whistle that negated a long touchdown in a 23-17 victory over Pittsburgh in the Military Bowl on Saturday. ECU faced fourth-and-1 from its own 32 in the third quarter when Marlon Gunn Jr. shed a couple of tacklers and went all the way to the end zone. That would have put the Pirates up 17-7, but the play was called back because of a whistle, and Gunn was credited with a 14-yard gain instead. Two plays later, Ditta fumbled on a sack by Pitt’s Rasheem Biles, who recovered the ball and returned it 23 yards to the end zone to give the Panthers a 14-10 lead. The Pirates rebounded quickly when Ditta threw a 72-yard touchdown pass to Anthony Smith, and ECU led the rest of the way. The Pirates won the Military Bowl for a second straight year after beating N.C. State in 2024.
December 27, 2025 4:50 am
CLEVELAND (AP) — Aaron Rodgers doesn’t plan on changing his sleep schedule Saturday night, even though his Pittsburgh Steelers could wrap up a division title without playing. If the Green Bay Packers beat the Baltimore Ravens, the Steelers would secure their first AFC North title since 2020, making Sunday’s game against the Cleveland Browns essentially meaningless. Rodgers says he won’t change his approach even if the Steelers have the division wrapped up. One thing the Browns have to play for is Myles Garrett’s pursuit of the NFL single-season sack record. He needs one sack to beat the mark of 22 1/2 held by Michael Strahan and T.J. Watt.
December 27, 2025 4:54 am
It’s not always easy to sell your fans on a trip to the same bowl two seasons in a row. The benefit for East Carolina is another shot at an Atlantic Coast Conference opponent. The Pirates are in the Military Bowl for a second straight year, but Saturday’s game against Pittsburgh in Annapolis, Maryland, is a nice opportunity for them. Pitt was in contention for an ACC title until it lost its regular-season finale. ECU — which plays in the American Athletic Conference — was eyeing a chance to face a Power Four team when bowl bids were dispersed.
December 26, 2025 4:21 am
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Bo Nix ran for a touchdown and threw a go-ahead pass to R.J. Harvey, leading the Denver Broncos to a 20-13 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs. Nix finished with 182 yards passing, helping the Broncos bounce back from last week’s loss to Jacksonville. The Chiefs, missing key players like Patrick Mahomes, struggle offensively. Third-string quarterback Chris Oladokun and Travis Kelce give Kansas City a late chance, but they fall short. The Broncos can clinch the AFC West title on Saturday, if the Chargers lose. Kansas City faces more challenges with injuries impacting their lineup.
December 26, 2025 4:22 am
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Jordan Addison took a jet sweep handoff 65 yards for the game-sealing touchdown with 3:43 left after the Minnesota Vikings forced six turnovers and eliminated the Detroit Lions from contention for the playoffs with a 23-10 victory. Harrison Smith had one of the two interceptions and one of the five sacks of Jared Goff as the Vikings won their fourth straight game. Goff was charged with three lost fumbles, once on a sack and twice on errant snaps by backup center Kingsley Eguakun. The Lions lost their third straight to clinch a wild-card spot for the Green Bay Packers.
December 26, 2025 4:23 am
LANDOVER, Md. (AP) — Dak Prescott threw for 307 yards and two touchdowns, and the Dallas Cowboys blew most of an 18-point lead before squeezing past the Washington Commanders 30-23. Dallas scored touchdowns on its first three possessions to go up 21-3. Although the Commanders twice got within a touchdown, they couldn’t complete the comeback and absorbed their 10th loss in 11 games. Both teams were previously eliminated from playoff contention, which severely lessened the significance of this matchup between longtime NFC East rivals. Prescott completed 19 of 37 passes and helped Dallas convert all six of its fourth-down tries. His two TD passes gave him 30, tying Tony Romo’s franchise record of four seasons with at least 30 touchdown throws.
December 25, 2025 5:12 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — T.J. Watt has returned to practice with the Pittsburgh Steelers two weeks after surgery for a partially collapsed lung. Watt was a partial participant on Wednesday. Coach Mike Tomlin says he hopes Watt can play this weekend against the Cleveland Browns but his availability remains uncertain. Watt’s presence on the field is a positive sign for the Steelers, who aim to have him back for the playoffs if they qualify. Watt, recently named to his eighth Pro Bowl, has seven sacks this season. Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers says Watt’s presence on the practice field is good for the team.
December 25, 2025 3:00 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin has thrown his support behind wide receiver DK Metcalf. The NFL suspended Metcalf for two games after an altercation with a Detroit Lions fan. The league denied Metcalf’s appeal on Tuesday. Tomlin said Metcalf shared his side of the story but declined to discuss details. Former NFL player Chad Johnson claimed Metcalf told him the fan used a racial slur, which the fan denied. Tomlin acknowledged the interaction is part of what he called a rise in “volatile rhetoric” in sports. Metcalf’s suspension leaves the Steelers without their top pass catcher as they aim for the AFC North title.
December 25, 2025 5:13 am
(AP) – Chicago, New England and Jacksonville have clinched playoff spots this week after disappointing 2024 seasons. New coaches Ben Johnson, Mike Vrabel and Liam Coen have led impressive turnarounds. According to Sportradar, this marks the 20th straight season with at least one first-year coach making the playoffs. Meanwhile, Kansas City has been eliminated, and Detroit needs help to make it. The NFL’s new overtime rules allowed Seattle to win with a walk-off 2-point conversion. New Orleans’ Taysom Hill has become the first player in the Super Bowl era to reach 1,000 yards in passing, rushing and receiving.
