January 10, 2021 7:54 am
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — — Quarterback Josh Allen and safety Micah Hyde teamed up to make the Buffalo Bills’ losing past history. In a season in which the Bills busted numerous slumps, Allen became Buffalo’s first starter in a quarter century to win a playoff game. And Hyde ensured the Bills wouldn’t endure another second-half collapse as happened last year in a wild-card loss to Houston, or last-second touchdown. With Buffalo the AFC East champions for the first time since 1995 and hosting their first playoff game since ’96, Allen threw two touchdown passes and scored another rushing in leading the Bills to a 27-24 win over the Indianapolis Colts in a wild-card game Saturday. Hyde batted down Philip Rivers’ desperation pass as time ran out in helping Buffalo snap an 0-6 postseason skid by winning its first playoff game since a 37-22 win over Miami on Dec. 30, 1995. The past was very much present in Allen’s mind when reflecting on how Buffalo squandered a 16-0 third-quarter lead in a 22-19 overtime loss to Houston in his first career playoff appearance.
January 10, 2021 7:58 am
LANDOVER, Md. — — New team, same swashbuckling playoff success for Tom Brady. Brady threw for 381 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Tampa Bay Buccaneers past Washington 31-23 in their NFC wild-card game Saturday night for their first playoff victory since the 2002 season. Brady was critical of his play and the offense’s performance in the red zone but relished picking up his 31st career postseason win. In his 42nd postseason start and first not in a New England Patriots uniform, Brady made the most of a lack of early pressure to build a lead against the NFL’s second-ranked defense that held up. Brady had to outduel Washington’s Taylor Heinicke, who had a breakout performance in just his second pro start and first in the playoffs in place of injured starter Alex Smith. Heinicke — signed in early December to the practice squad — ran for 46 yards and a touchdown and threw for 306 yards and a score. But Heinicke wasn’t enough to overcome Brady’s off-and-on brilliance. While Bill Belichick and the Patriots watch from home with their playoff streak snapped at 11 following a 7-9 season, Brady has the opportunity to play in another Super Bowl — in his new home stadium.
January 9, 2021 9:37 am
The Pittsburgh Penguins have cancelled their practice and scrimmage scheduled for Saturday. Potential exposure to COVID-19 was cited as the reason. No word yet on how upcoming practices/scrimmages will be impacted. This does not mean anybody has tested positive for COVID-19.
January 9, 2021 5:00 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Cam Sutton is ready for his time in the spotlight. Sutton will make the first playoff start of his career when the Steelers host Cleveland in the wild-card round Sunday night. Sutton is filling in for veteran Joe Haden, who is on the reserve/COVID-19 list. Sutton has bounced between positions frequently during his four seasons in the NFL. He says the experience has made him a better all-around player because it has forced him to understand the responsibility of all 11 players on the field.
January 9, 2021 5:01 am
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) – Penn State has hired Mike Yurcich as offensive coordinator, replacing Kirk Ciarrocca after one year with the former Texas and Ohio State assistant. Yurcich was offensive coordinator at Texas last season, but found himself out after the school fired coach Tom Herman last week. Yurcich was passing game coordinator and quarterbacks coach for one season at Ohio State in 2019 after six productive seasons at Oklahoma State. Ciarrocca was hired away from Minnesota after last season by Nittany Lions coach James Franklin after offensive coordinator Ricky Rahne left to become head coach at Old Dominion.
January 9, 2021 5:03 am
LOS ANGELES (AP) – Tommy Lasorda, the fiery Hall of Fame manager who guided the Los Angeles Dodgers to two World Series titles and later became an ambassador for the sport he loved during his 71 years with the franchise, has died. He was 93. The Dodgers said Friday that he had a heart attack at his home in Fullerton. Resuscitation attempts were made en route to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead shortly before 11 p.m. Thursday. Lasorda had a history of heart problems, including a heart attack in 1996 that ended his managerial career.
January 8, 2021 2:51 am
High school sports are set to resume Friday following a three-week shutdown ordered by Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf. That order expired Monday morning and teams had to complete four days of workouts to meet PIAA guidelines. Most teams will resume basketball, wrestling, swimming & diving this weekend, though there are still some hurdles. Some schools require their students to wear masks, even in competition. Some also require visiting teams to wear masks, too, even if those schools don’t require them. Any games not played during the regular season due to mask rules will be viewed as No Contest. PIAA has stated, though, that playoff games would be declared forfeited by the refusing team.
Our coverage of the winter sports seasons begins Friday night with a boys basketball match-up featuring two teams that shared the section title a year ago. Wash High visits Charleroi for the opening game for both teams. We’ll have the game on WJPA-AM (1450) and online starting with pregame at 7:20 pm.
January 8, 2021 3:52 am
CLEVELAND (AP) – The Cleveland Browns are in the playoffs yet they still haven’t practiced for them. For the second straight day, the team’s headquarters and training facility were closed due to a COVID-19 flare-up that knocked coach Kevin Stefanski out of Sunday night’s game in Pittsburgh and wreaked havoc on the Browns’ preparations. Quarterback Baker Mayfield said he hasn’t thrown a football since last Sunday, when the team clinched its first postseason berth since the 2002 season. Mayfield said the lack of practice time isn’t an excuse. An NFL spokesman said the game remains on schedule despite Cleveland’s issues with the coronavirus.
January 8, 2021 3:54 am
CLEVELAND (AP) – The New York Mets have pulled off their biggest trade since Steve Cohen purchased the team in November. The Mets have landed shortstop Francisco Lindor and pitcher Carlos Carrasco from Cleveland. The Mets part with infielders Andres Gimenez and Amed Rosario, right-hander Josh Wolf and outfielder Isaiah Greene. A two-time Gold Glove winner, Lindor is a career .285 hitter and has averaged 29 homers, 86 RBIs and 21 steals in his six major league seasons. Carrasco is one of the game’s best comeback stories, overcoming leukemia to reemerge as one of the AL’s steadiest starters. Rosario was a Mets mainstay the last two seasons, and Gimenez showed major league ability following his recall last year. Lindor can become a free agent after the 2021 season, and Carrasco has two years and an option left on his contract. Mets president Sandy Alderson says he hasn’t spoken to Lindor’s agent about an extension.
January 8, 2021 3:55 am
MONTREAL (AP) – The Montreal Canadiens will be able to play home games despite the Quebec government’s imposition of a curfew aimed at curbing COVID-19 in the province. Quebec’s premier says the new measures will take effect Saturday and remain in place until at least Feb. 8. There will be no fans at games. Alberta and British Columbia also have given the green light for their NHL teams to play home games during the pandemic. Manitoba says it is confident the Winnipeg Jets can play home games. Ontario has yet to make a final decision.
