September 24, 2024 4:31 am
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Josh Allen threw four touchdown passes in the first half and the Buffalo Bills scored on each of their first five drives in a 47-10 win over a misfiring Trevor Lawrence and the unraveling Jacksonville Jaguars. Allen went 22 of 28 for 247 yards in the first 30 minutes alone, with completions to nine receivers. He only attempted two passes after halftime. And he spread the wealth, completing touchdown passes to Dalton Kincaid, Keon Coleman, Khalil Shakir and Ty Johnson. James Cook opened the scoring with a 6-yard run. Buffalo’s defense limited the Jaguars to 70 yards, five first downs and a field goal in five first-half possessions.
September 24, 2024 4:29 am
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) — Los Angeles Chargers safety Derwin James has been suspended one game without pay by the NFL for repeated violations of rules intended to protect players’ health and safety. James has five unnecessary roughness penalties in his last 18 games, the most in the league by a defensive player. All five have involved blows to the head of an opponent with his shoulder or helmet. Jon Runyan, the league’s vice president of football operations, pointed to James’ targeting of Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth during the third quarter of Sunday’s game as the last straw.
September 24, 2024 4:28 am
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The Philadelphia Phillies have won the NL East for the first time since 2011, clinching the division title with a 6-2 win over the Chicago Cubs. Kyle Schwarber and J.T. Realmuto went deep. Phillies fans went wild. And pitcher Aaron Nola provided a taste of just how great it would feel for the franchise if Philly went all the way this time. The Phillies won their 12th division crown and have their sights set on the No. 1 seed in the National League playoffs. Seeking their third World Series championship following titles in 1980 and 2008, the Phillies overtook Atlanta for the division lead on May 3 and haven’t trailed since.
September 23, 2024 4:40 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Justin Fields threw for a touchdown and ran for another and the Pittsburgh Steelers pulled away late to beat the Los Angeles Chargers 20-10. Pittsburgh improved to 3-0 for the first time since 2020 behind another efficient performance from Fields. The quarterback completed 25 of 32 passes for 245 yards, including a 55-yard touchdown pass to Calvin Austin III midway through the fourth quarter that broke it open. Fields also added a 5-yard touchdown run and is quietly making a compelling case that he should be the starter even after Russell Wilson’s injured calf heals. The Chargers lost starting quarterback Justin Herbert in the third quarter with an ankle injury.
September 23, 2024 4:44 am
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Derrick Henry ran for 151 yards and two touchdowns, Lamar Jackson accounted for two scores and the Baltimore Ravens held on for a 28-25 victory over the Dallas Cowboys. The Ravens scored touchdowns on their first two drives. Baltimore responded the first 0-2 start since 2015 for a franchise coming off a trip to the AFC championship game. The Cowboys have allowed 120 points in their past three home games. That includes a 48-32 wild-card loss to Green Bay in January that ended Dallas’ 16-game winning streak at AT&T Stadium. Dallas cut a 28-6 deficit to three in the fourth quarter before Baltimore ran out the final 2:53.
September 23, 2024 4:41 am
CINCINNATI (AP) — Paul Skenes struck out nine and pitched two-hit ball through five innings, leading the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 2-0 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Sunday. Skenes (11-3) recorded his 16th game with seven or more strikeouts, surpassing Larry McWilliams (1983) for seventh-most by a Pirates starter in a season. In three starts against the Reds, the 22-year-old right-hander has allowed one earned run with 25 strikeouts in 17 innings. Oneil Cruz hit his 21st homer in the first inning and Nick Yorke’s first career homer off Fernando Cruz in the fifth inning gave the Pirates a two-run lead. Pittsburgh won by shutout for the 12th time this season. The Reds lost by shutout for the 14th time this season.
September 23, 2024 4:45 am
CINCINNATI (AP) – The Cincinnati Reds fired manager David Bell on Sunday night after six seasons. The team announced the move hours after a 2-0 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates, and named bench coach Freddie Benavides as interim manager for the final five games of the season. With a week left in the season, the Reds are 76-81 and in fourth place in the NL Central, 13 1/2 games behind division champion Milwaukee.
September 23, 2024 4:42 am
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Eugene “Mercury” Morris, who starred for the unbeaten 1972 Miami Dolphins as part of a star-studded backfield and helped the team win two Super Bowl titles, has died. He was 77. The team on Sunday confirmed the death of Morris, a three-time Pro Bowl selection. In a statement, his family said his “talent and passion left an indelible mark on the sport.” Morris was the starting halfback and one of three go-to runners that Dolphins coach Don Shula utilized in Miami’s back-to-back title seasons of 1972 and 1973, alongside Pro Football Hall of Famer Larry Csonka and Jim Kiick. Morris led the Dolphins in rushing touchdowns in both of those seasons.
September 22, 2024 9:46 am
Jacob Pugh threw six touchdown passes, three to John Peduzzi, leading Washington & Jefferson to a 55-16 win at Waynesburg Saturday afternoon in a game that waited out a weather delays of more than 2 1/2 hours late in the first half. The Presidents improved to 3-0, beating Waynesburg for a tenth straight meeting. The Yellowjackets are now 0-3 on the season.
At the time of the lightning/thunder delay, Pugh had thrown scoring passes to Peduzzi (54 , 23 yards), Jacob Macosko (7) and Kobe Derosa (21). Carson Shriver scored on a short run for Waynesburg, set up by an interception, the first of the season thrown by Pugh.
After the delay, Pugh connected with Macosko (14) and Peduzzi (69) again for touchdowns before Owen Petrisek and Cam Mulvaney added short touchdown runs to close the scoring. Pugh finished 20-29-2 for 355 yards and six touchdowns. Peduzzi rolled up 207 receiving yards on his seven catches. Petrisek led a 236-yard team rushing attack with 89 yards on nine carries.
September 22, 2024 6:31 am
CINCINNATI (AP) — Elly De La Cruz hit a three-run home run and had four RBIs as the Cincinnati Reds beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 7-1 on Saturday. De La Cruz, who has three hits, joined Eric Davis and Barry Larkin as the only Reds players with 25 homers and 65 stolen bases in a season. Rhett Lowder made his fifth career start for Cincinnati and allowed five hits. Ty France hit a two-run homer off Pirates rookie Jared Jones, who allowed six earned runs in five innings. Billy Cook hit a solo homer in the ninth for Pittsburgh’s run.
