January 31, 2022 3:52 am
UNDATED (AP) – Last weekend was all about game-ending field goals and overtime wins in the NFL divisional round. On Sunday, it was all about comebacks as the Los Angeles Rams and Cincinnati Bengals advanced to the Super Bowl. The Rams erased a 10-point, fourth-quarter deficit in a 20-17 victory over the San Francisco 49ers. Cooper Kupp caught two touchdown passes from Matthew Stafford for the Rams, who began the fourth quarter down 17-7 after wasting a multitude of scoring opportunities. After Kupp’s second TD catch and a tying field goal on a drive extended by Jaquiski Tartt’s brutal dropped interception, the Rams drove for Matt Gay’s go-ahead, 30-yard field goal with 1:46 to play. Travin Howard made a game-sealing interception with 1:09 to play. Stafford passed for 337 yards in the third playoff victory of his 13-year career, helping the Rams earn the right to host their own Super Bowl. Deebo Samuel and George Kittle caught touchdown passes from Jimmy Garoppolo, who threw for 232 yards in a heartbreaker for the 49ers.
The Bengals are in the Super Bowl for the first time in 33 years after tying the biggest comeback in conference championship history. Evan McPherson drilled a 31-yard field goal on the Bengals’ first possession of overtime to complete a 27-24 win at Kansas City in the AFC title game. The game-winning kick came after Vonn Bell intercepted Patrick Mahomes on the third play of OT.
The Chiefs reached the end zone on each of their first three possessions to go up 21-3. They had a chance to end the half with an 18-point lead, but a Mahomes completion ended up short of the goal line on the final play of the half. Joe Burrow shook off a slow start to finish 23 of 38 passing for 250 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. Joe Mixon ran for 88 yards and Tee Higgins had six receptions for 103 yards. McPherson drilled four field goals, including a 52-yarder that put the Bengals ahead, 24-21. Harrison Butker’s 44-yard kick tied the game on the final play of regulation. Mahomes passed for 275 yards and hit Travis Kelce (KEHL’-see), Tyreek Hill and Mecole Hardman for touchdowns, but he was picked off twice in his fourth straight trip to the AFC Championship Game.
January 31, 2022 2:30 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Trevor Moore’s second goal broke a tie in the third period and sent the Los Angeles Kings over the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-3. Sidney Crosby scored his 498th career goal for the Penguins. Moore took a lead pass from Blake Lizotte and beat goaltender Tristan Jarry on a breakaway at 13:21 of the third. Moore’s seventh goal of the season helped the Kings win for the third time in five games following a three-game skid. Drew Doughty, who played in his 1,000th NHL game on Thursday, scored his fifth and Alex Iafallo got his 14th for the Kings. Bryan Rust had a pair of third-period goals for the Penguins, who have lost three in a row for the first time since late November.
January 31, 2022 3:48 am
BOSTON (AP) – Makai Ashton-Langford tossed in 21 points and Boston College breezed to a 69-56 victory over Pittsburgh. DeMarr Langford scored 11 of his 15 points in the first half to help Boston College (9-11, 4-6 Atlantic Coast Conference) take a 31-22 lead into intermission. Quinten Post pitched in with 11 points and 10 rebounds off the bench for his first career double-double. Ashton-Langford sank 8 of 13 shots with three 3-pointers. Femi Idukale finished with 14 points and five rebounds for the Panthers (8-13, 3-7).
January 30, 2022 8:30 pm
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Evan McPherson kicked a 31-yard field goal in overtime after Joe Burrow kept his cool while leading a furious second-half comeback to get the Cincinnati Bengals to the Super Bowl for the first time in 33 years with a 27-24 victory over Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC championship game. The Bengals erased an 18-point deficit to take a late 24-21 lead but Harrison Butker’s 44-yard field goal as time expired in regulation sent it to overtime a week after his 49-yarder on the final play of regulation did the same against Buffalo. Vonn Bell intercepted Mahomes on the third play of overtime and Burrow and the Bengals took over.
January 30, 2022 7:50 am
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Only Tom Brady could turn a retirement decision into must-see drama. Despite reports that he is retiring, Brady has told the Tampa Bay Buccaneers he hasn’t made up his mind, two people familiar with the details told The Associated Press. It’s unknown when he’ll make an announcement, leaving his team guessing and fans hoping for one more run that seems unlikely considering his age and family situation. A week after leading the Buccaneers back from a 27-3 deficit against the Rams only to watch from the sideline as the defense allowed a game-winning drive, Brady’s future took over the NFL landscape one day before a pair of conference championship games. ESPN first reported Brady’s retirement on Saturday, citing unidentified sources. Brady’s company posted a tweet indicating he’s retiring, and reaction came from around the world congratulating Brady on his career. Even the NFL’s Twitter account posted a series of congratulatory messages.
January 30, 2022 4:07 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – Ben Roethlisberger isn’t the only one with longtime ties to the Pittsburgh Steelers stepping away. General manager Kevin Colbert, who has spent more than two decades overseeing a roster that’s made the Steelers perennial contenders, is stepping away after the NFL draft this spring. Team president Art Rooney II says Colbert wants to move into a more advisory role. The team has already conducted interviews with internal candidates Omar Khan and Brandon Hunt and shortly will turn its eye to candidates outside the organization.
January 30, 2022 7:52 am
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Luke List knew he had a long wait coming after he finished his impressive final round eight groups ahead of the other leaders, so he fetched a cookie to occupy his 3-year-old daughter when he settled down to watch from the Torrey Pines dining room with his family. Two hours later in the California gloaming, List secured an even better treat for little Ryann List. “She’s been telling me for a long time, ‘Daddy, I want a trophy,’” List said. “And I finally got one.” List earned his first PGA Tour victory with a birdie on the first playoff hole Saturday, holding off Will Zalatoris well after sunset to win the Farmers Insurance Open. List began the final round five shots back of leaders Zalatoris and Jason Day, but made seven birdies in a 6-under 66. He had to exercise his patience and preparedness before learning if he had a shot to win in his 206th tour start. His PGA Tour career began in 2013, six years after he turned pro out of Vanderbilt, but was quickly interrupted by a two-year trip back to what was then the Web.com Tour.
January 29, 2022 4:08 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – Lucas Raymond scored the only goal of the shootout and the Detroit Red Wings beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-2. Filip Zadina and Givani Smith scored in regulation for Detroit, and Calvin Pickard stopped 36 shots through overtime and all three Pittsburgh skaters in the tiebreaker. Jake Guentzel scored twice for the Penguins, who lost for the second time in two days following a six-game win streak. Pittsburgh is 17-2-2 in its last 21 games dating back to Dec. 4. Casey DeSmith had 30 saves for the Penguins, who have points in eight straight games overall (6-0-2) and 10 consecutive at home.
January 29, 2022 4:10 am
SAN DIEGO (AP) – Will Zalatoris and Jason Day charged past Jon Rahm and Justin Thomas to share the third-round lead at the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines.
Zalatoris posted Friday’s best round with a 7-under 65, and two-time Farmers champion Day shot a 67. They were at 14 under heading to the final round of the tournament, which will finish Saturday to avoid a television conflict with the NFL’s two conference championship games.
Rahm and Aaron Rai were 13 under, and Thomas, Sungjae Im and Cameron Tringale were another shot back.
January 28, 2022 3:51 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – Adam Larsson scored the first overtime goal in Seattle Kraken history to lift the expansion team to a 2-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Kraken trailed 1-0 when Jared McCann scored with 3:56 left in regulation against his former team to force overtime. Larsson then won it 1:17 into the extra period to give Seattle its fourth win in six games following a nine-game losing streak. Philipp Grubauer stopped 23 shots while helping the Kraken snap the Penguins’ six-game winning streak. Seattle picked up just its fifth road win of the season. Evgeni Malkin scored his fourth of the season for Pittsburgh.
