December 27, 2024 4:28 am
Eagles coach Nick Sirianni and Commanders tight end Zach Ertz cleared the air after they exchanged words following Washington’s comeback win over Philadelphia on Sunday. Videos show Ertz gave Sirianni a high-five as they were headed in opposite directions. Sirianni turned to say something to Ertz, who then turned around and walked back toward his former coach. Sirianni called Ertz this week to apologize, according to a report. Ertz spent his first eight-plus seasons with the Eagles, catching the go-ahead touchdown pass from Nick Foles in the franchise’s only Super Bowl victory. He was traded to Arizona during the 2021 season after playing six games under Sirianni.
December 26, 2024 4:38 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Pittsburgh Steelers are reeling following a 29-10 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. Pittsburgh has dropped three straight to fall to 10-6. The slide has severely damaged the Steelers’ chances of winning the AFC North. Pittsburgh struggled on both offense and defense against the defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs. Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes threw for three touchdowns and the Chiefs defense sacked Russell Wilson five times. Pittsburgh gets an extended break before hosting Cincinnati in its regular-season finale.
December 26, 2024 4:42 am
HOUSTON (AP) — Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson passed Michael Vick for the most yards rushing by a quarterback in NFL history in a 31-2 win over the Houston Texans in Wednesday. Jackson moved past Vick on a 6-yard run in the third quarter. Jackson had 87 yards rushing to give him 6,110 yards, moving him past Vick, who piled up 6,109 in his 13-year career.
December 26, 2024 4:41 am
DETROIT (AP) — At the beginning of November, the Pittsburgh Panthers were 7-0 and dreaming of finishing the season in the College Football Playoff. Instead, they were spending their Christmas in Detroit. Pitt went 0-5 in November, losing to SMU, Virginia, Clemson, Louisville and Boston College before accepting an invitation to the GameAbove Sports Bowl on Thursday at Ford Field, where they face Toledo. Although Pitt and Toledo are separated by only 230 miles, the football rivalry has never taken off. The Panthers and Rockets have faced each three times between 2002 and 2006. Pitt won twice at home. Toledo pulled off a 35-31 victory at the Glass Bowl in 2003.
December 25, 2024 6:37 am
OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP) — Games on Christmas aren’t new to the NFL. The Miami Dolphins famously beat the Kansas City Chiefs in a playoff game on Dec. 25, 1971 — a double-overtime classic that still holds the record for the NFL’s longest game. In 2020, New Orleans running back Alvin Kamara tied an NFL record with six touchdowns in a game when the Saints beat Minnesota on Christmas. Lately the league has been much more aggressive about scheduling games on Christmas. That’s been met with mixed feelings among the players. Baltimore tackle Ronnie Stanley says there is an offensive line Christmas party planned for Friday at center Tyler Linderbaum’s house. Quarterback Lamar Jackson’s plan is to celebrate on Thursday.
December 25, 2024 6:34 am
No. 8 and third-seeded Boise State is preparing for its third trip to the Fiesta Bowl. This time it’s in a playoff quarterfinal against No. 5 and sixth-seeded Penn State on New Year’s Eve. Boise State’s first appearance on the national stage was in a memorable victory over Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 1, 2007. But former coach Chris Petersen said the victory in that bowl three years later over TCU was even more meaningful for the program.
December 24, 2024 4:44 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby is back in elite company and this time it’s alongside his Hall of Fame former teammate. Crosby tied Mario Lemieux’s franchise record for most assists in team history during the first period of Monday’s 7-3 win against the Philadelphia Flyers. Philip Tomasino finished Crosby’s backhand pass for a power-play goal at 17:44 of the first period, giving Pittsburgh a 4-1 lead and equaling Lemieux’s mark. “I was just trying to take it to the net,” Crosby said. “At the last second, I saw he was on the back door.” Crosby and Lemieux both have 1,033 assists, which ranks 12th all-time in NHL history. Only three players in league history have more assists with a single team than Lemieux and Crosby. “I didn’t ever think about that,” Crosby said. “I dreamed of playing in the NHL and I’m grateful for that for all these years, but I don’t think about where I’m at on the list. To be with Mario, though, that’s pretty cool. I never would have expected that. So, that’s just a bonus.” Crosby scored an empty-net goal in the third period and also assisted on goals by Rickard Rakell and Bryan Rust in the first period to give him four points. It’s Crosby’s 42nd four-point game of his career — and second in three games. Crosby has 10 goals and 39 points in 36 games this season. “Mario’s one of the greatest players of all time, as is Sid,” Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said. “There’s very few players in the history of the game that have reached the milestones that Mario and Sid have reached.” Lemieux, who finished his Hall of Fame career with 1,723 points, led Pittsburgh to its first two Stanley Cups in 1991 and 1992 as a player and owned the team when Crosby captained the Penguins to championships in 2009, 2016 and 2017.
December 24, 2024 4:38 am
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Josh Jacobs gained 107 yards from scrimmage and scored a touchdown for a sixth straight game as the Green Bay Packers clinched a playoff berth while producing the first shutout of the NFL season, 34-0 over the hapless New Orleans Saints. Green Bay improved to 11-4 and earned its fifth postseason appearance in six years. New Orleans played without injured quarterback Derek Carr and running back Alvin Kamara. Rookie Spencer Rattler started and went 15 of 30 for 153 yards with an interception and a fumble. The Packers have won nine of their last 11 games.
December 24, 2024 2:20 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Andrew McCutchen is sticking around to see if the Pittsburgh Pirates can finish the climb back to contention. The five-time All-Star outfielder-turned-designated hitter has agreed to a one-year, $5-million deal with the club, a person with knowledge of the agreement told The Associated Press. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because the deal was not official. The 38-year-old McCutchen hit .232 with 20 home runs and 53 RBIs in 120 games this season with Pittsburgh, which finished 76-86 for a second consecutive year.
December 23, 2024 4:36 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — The wiggle room the Pittsburgh Steelers once enjoyed atop the AFC North is gone. The Steelers have dropped two straight to fall to 10-5 after a 34-17 loss to Baltimore, which is now tied with Pittsburgh for the division lead. The Steelers can still earn their first AFC North title in four years by winning their final two games. It won’t be easy. Pittsburgh finishes with home games against Kansas City and Cincinnati. The banged-up Steelers defense has struggled of late, giving up more than 400 yards while falling to the Eagles and Ravens.
