December 7, 2024 4:08 am
CLEVELAND (AP) — The NFL has closed an investigation into sexual assault allegations against Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson. The league has been reviewing the case for months, trying to determine whether Watson should be punished. League spokesman Brian McCarthy said in an email that “there was insufficient evidence to support a finding of a violation of the personal conduct policy.” Watson, who served an 11-game suspension in 2022, was accused of assault by a woman in September. She was seeking more than $1 million in damage before the sides reached a confidential settlement. Watson has played in just 19 games over three seasons for the Browns.
December 6, 2024 3:57 am
Detroit (AP)- Dan Campbell’s gambles paid off. Detroit went for it on fourth down for a fifth time to set up Jake Bates’ 35-yard field goal as time expired, Jared Goff threw three touchdown passes and the Lions clinched a playoff spot with a 34-31 victory over the Green Bay Packers on Thursday night. The NFC-best Lions (12-1) broke a franchise record with their 11th straight win-including two over the Packers (9-4) to stay ahead of Minnesota (10-2) in the highly competitive NFC North.
December 6, 2024 3:40 am
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) — Ace Baldwin Jr. scored 17 points, Freddie Dilione V added 14 and Penn State pulled away from No. 8 Purdue for an 81-70 victory in the Big Ten opener for both teams. Puff Johnson had 13 and four steals, and Nick Kern Jr. had 12 points and three steals off the bench for the Nittany Lions (8-1, 1-0 Big Ten). Penn State led by as many as 27 to earn its first win over an AP Top 10 team since 2019. Kaufman-Renn and Fletcher Loyer each had 15 for the Boilermakers (7-2, 0-1).
December 6, 2024 3:43 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns will meet for the second time in 17 days when the Browns visit Acrisure Stadium on Sunday. Cleveland pulled out a 24-19 win over the Steelers on Nov. 21. That put the Browns in position to sweep the season series from their rivals for the first time since 1988. Pittsburgh bounced back from the loss by beating Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals in a shootout to take a 1 1/2 game lead over Baltimore in the AFC North. The Browns are 3-9 but their offense has been better with Jameis Winston at quarterback.
December 5, 2024 3:51 am
STARKVILLE, Miss. (AP) — KeShawn Murphy scored a season-high 20 points and Mississippi State led from start to finish in thumping No. 18 Pittsburgh 90-57 in the SEC/ACC Challenge. The Bulldogs opened a 35-point advantage in the second half and were never threatened. Michael Nwoko had his first double-double of the season with a career-high 18 points and 11 rebounds. Josh Hubbard scored 12. Jaland Lowe led Pittsburgh with 19 points and Brandin Cummings added 12 for the Panthers, who shot 31% and were outrebounded 49-27.
December 5, 2024 3:38 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr. isn’t letting a rough stretch shake his confidence. Porter was penalized four times in a win over Cincinnati, mistakes that Porter says are correctable. Steelers coach Mike Tomlin says Porter has a “serial killer mentality” that leaves him unfazed in the face of adversity. Porter expects to continue to be challenged by opposing quarterbacks down the stretch. Next up for Porter and the first-place Steelers (9-3) is a rematch with rival Cleveland (3-9), which upset Pittsburgh in the snow the week before Thanksgiving.
December 5, 2024 3:33 am
PHOENIX (AP) — National League Rookie of the Year Paul Skenes was elected to the players’ association eight-man executive subcommittee just six months after his big league debut as three players were dropped who had advocated for the ouster of union deputy executive director Bruce Meyer. Also new to the committee are American League Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal of Detroit, Toronto pitcher Chris Bassitt, San Diego infielder Jake Cronenworth, Tampa Bay pitcher Pete Fairbanks and Baltimore outfielder Cedric Mullins. Texas infielder Marcus Semien and Cincinnati pitcher Brent Suter remain on the committee, with Semien the only holdover from the 2021-22 lockout.
December 4, 2024 4:28 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Bryan Rust scored 1:31 into overtime and the Pittsburgh Penguins avoided another late collapse by beating the Florida Panthers 5-4 in overtime. The Penguins had let a three-goal third-period lead evaporate when Florida’s Sam Bennett, Adam Boqvist and Matthew Tkachuk scored within a 4:32 span to pull the Panthers even at 4. Rust, however, extended Pittsburgh’s winning streak to four by flipping a wrist shot from the right by Spencer Knight for his eighth goal of the season.
December 4, 2024 4:30 am
Miami’s playoff hopes took a nosedive while Alabama’s got a boost in the last rankings before the College Football Playoff bracket is set next weekend. The Hurricanes moved down six spots to No. 12 after suffering their second loss of the season. They are one spot behind the Crimson Tide, who won won last week and moved up two spots to No. 11. Alabama is projected as the last team in and the fourth from the Southeastern Conference. Oregon stayed at No. 1 for the fifth straight week and will head into Saturday’s Big Ten title game as the only undefeated team in big-time college football.
December 4, 2024 4:29 am
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Juan Soto is starting to drop teams from negotiations ahead of baseball’s winter meetings next week. Likely to approach or set a record contract, the free agent slugger has met with the New York Yankees, New York Mets, Los Angeles Dodgers, Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays. Soto’s agent, Scott Boras, says the outfielder has “begun the process of eliminating teams” but he doesn’t think a decision is “imminent” in the near future. A four-time All-Star, Soto finished third in AL MVP voting after hitting .288 with 41 homers, 109 RBIs and 129 walks this year to help the Yankees reach the World Series. He has a .285 career batting average with 201 homers, 592 RBIs and 769 walks.
