Panthers, Dave Canales celebrate Falcons’ win that gave Carolina the NFC South title
ATLANTA — The Carolina Panthers are NFC South champions, and they have the Atlanta Falcons to thank. Carolina could have clinched the division Saturday, but a 16-14 loss at Tampa Bay put the fate of the NFC South in the hands of the two teams that had only pride for...
Falcons fire coach Raheem Morris, GM Terry Fontenot hours after finishing 8-9 seasonVideo
ATLANTA — The Atlanta Falcons fired coach Raheem Morris and general manager Terry Fontenot on Sunday night, announcing the moves hours after the team completed its second straight 8-9 finish under Morris and eighth consecutive losing season. Morris said after Sunday’s 19-17 win over the New Orleans Saints that he...
Szmyt’s field goal on last play gives Browns win over Bengals
CINCINNATI — Myles Garrett wanted to get his 23rd sack and set the NFL’s single-season record in a victory. Shedeur Sanders and Andre Szmyt did their part to make sure that became a reality. After Ja’Marr Chase’s 4-yard touchdown catch gave Cincinnati an 18-17 advantage with 1:29 remaining, Sanders directed...
NFL Week 18: Dee Alford’s red-zone pick saves Falcons’ win over Saints, giving NFC South title to Panthers
ATLANTA — Dee Alford’s red-zone interception stopped a potential go-ahead drive by New Orleans, and the Atlanta Falcons beat the Saints 19-17 on Sunday to give the NFC South title to the Carolina Panthers. By closing the season with four consecutive wins, the Falcons (8-9) finished in a three-way tie...
Myles Garrett gets sack No. 23 to set NFL single-season recordVideo
CINCINNATI — Cleveland Browns All-Pro pass rusher Myles Garrett set the NFL’s single-season sack record, reaching No. 23 for the season with 5:09 remaining during the fourth quarter of Sunday’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals. Garrett sacked Joe Burrow for a 6-yard loss on first-and-10 at the Browns 45-yard line....
Seahawks secure No. 1 seed in NFC by stomping 49ers
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Zach Charbonnet scored on a 27-yard run in the first quarter, and Seattle shut down the high-powered San Francisco offense in a 13-3 victory over the 49ers on Saturday night that secured the No. 1 seed for the Seahawks in the NFC playoffs. Seattle (14-3) won...
Mayfield, Buccaneers beat Panthers, stay alive in chase for NFC South title
TAMPA, Fla. — The winner of the NFC South will have a losing record and be crowned at home watching on television. Baker Mayfield threw a touchdown pass to Cade Otton, Chase McLaughlin kicked three field goals and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers avoided elimination with a sloppy 16-14 victory over...
QB Joe Flacco appreciates his chance to play for Bengals
CINCINNATI — After opening the season as the starting quarterback for the Cleveland Browns facing the Cincinnati Bengals, Joe Flacco will close the season as the backup for the Bengals as they face the Browns on Sunday. Flacco was dealt to the Bengals in October and made six starts for...
Browns’ Myles Garrett will try to break NFL sacks record in finale against Bengals and Joe Burrow
CINCINNATI — Myles Garrett has sacked Joe Burrow plenty of times in the six seasons since Burrow was the top overall pick by the Cincinnati Bengals in 2020. That’s why it would be fitting if the Cleveland Browns All-Pro pass rusher takes down the Bengals quarterback Sunday to tie or...
Former baseball player Lenny Dykstra faces drug charges after New Year’s Day traffic stop
Retired professional baseball player Lenny Dykstra faces charges after Pennsylvania State Police said a trooper found drugs and paraphernalia in his possession during a traffic stop on New Year’s Day. Dykstra, 62, was a passenger when the vehicle was pulled over by a trooper with the Blooming Grove patrol unit...
Ravens’ Lamar Jackson responds to questions about injury, future entering Steelers game
BALTIMORE — Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson emerged from the field house like a phoenix Thursday in Owings Mills, his back contusion protected by a flak jacket and teammates and coaches energized by his presence on an otherwise bitterly cold afternoon. The two-time NFL MVP’s full participation in practice for a...
Dolphins hire Troy Aikman as a consultant in general manager search
MIAMI — The Dolphins hired ESPN NFL analyst and former Dallas Cowboys star quarterback Troy Aikman as a consultant to assist in their general manager search, a league source said Thursday. Aikman, who recently began working in the role, will remain ESPN’s lead NFL commentator while assisting owner Stephen Ross...
Many memories remain as Bills bid farewell to their longtime home stadium
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Chris Clark glances out the window overlooking the Buffalo Bills’ longtime home, Highmark Stadium, and can still picture what the site resembled before it opened in 1973. The 73-year-old Clark’s memories go beyond the days of tailgating and smashing of tables, comeback victories and miserable defeats,...
Lamar Jackson says he’ll play vs. Steelers: ‘A hundred percent’
OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Lamar Jackson says he’s expecting to play when the Baltimore Ravens take on the Pittsburgh Steelersfor the AFC North title Sunday night at Acrisure Stadium. “A hundred percent,” the star quarterback said. “I’m going to be out there.” Jackson returned to practice Wednesday and was a...
Ravens QB Lamar Jackson returns to practice ahead of Steelers game: ‘Very optimistic’Video
BALTIMORE — Lamar Jackson is back. The Ravens quarterback returned to practice Wednesday for the first time since suffering a back injury in the second quarter of a Week 16 loss to New England. The two-time NFL Most Valuable Player had been sidelined the past nine days and missed Saturday...
Lions-Vikings Christmas game on Netflix sets NFL streaming record, averaging 27.5M viewers
LOS ANGELES — Two of the NFL’s three Christmas Day games set viewership records. The Detroit Lions-Minnesota Vikings late afternoon game on Netflix became the most-streamed NFL game in U.S. history and the Denver Broncos-Kansas City Chiefs night game set a record for Amazon Prime Video. The Vikings’ 23-10 victory...
Patriots coach echoes support for Stefon Diggs; hasn’t heard from NFL following criminal charges
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel said Wednesday that he hasn’t heard anything from the NFL that would prevent Stefon Diggs from playing in Sunday’s regular-season finale as the receiver faces strangulation and other criminal charges in connection with a dispute with his former private chef. The...
Cowboys waive cornerback Trevon Diggs to end tumultuous finish to his Dallas career
FRISCO, Texas — The Cowboys waived cornerback Trevon Diggs on Tuesday, ending a tumultuous final season a game early in a Dallas career that never lived up to the promise of a 2021 All-Pro performance that included 11 interceptions. The move came five days before Dallas’ season finale Sunday at...
Patriots star receiver Stefon Diggs faces strangulation charges, denies allegations
BOSTON — New England Patriots star wide receiver Stefon Diggs is facing strangulation and other criminal charges in connection with an incident that happened earlier this month, police said. News of the charges emerged after a court hearing Tuesday in Dedham, Massachusetts. It is unclear what led to the charges,...
Falcons’ Bijan Robinson runs wild, sending Rams sliding into 3rd place
ATLANTA — A Los Angeles Rams team that spent most of the season competing for the best record in the NFL now is third in its division, saddled with a two-game losing streak and bound to open the playoffs on the road. “This is a humbling league, and we got...
Analysis: After beating Steelers, Stefanski and Browns are on to Cincinnati as his future remains uncertain
Kevin Stefanski’s thoughts are on to Cincinnati and not on what might happen after the Cleveland Browns’ season finale. Stefanski’s future continues to be one of the central topics in the midst of another disappointing season. However, the Browns haven’t looked like a team that is playing out the rest...
Bengals defense takes another step with strong performance versus Arizona
CINCINNATI — Facing the seventh-ranked passing game in the NFL, the Cincinnati Bengals’ maligned defense turned in its best performance of the season in Sunday’s 37-14 victory over the Arizona Cardinals. The Bengals emptied their bench in the fourth quarter with a 30-point lead, and Arizona was able to move...
John Harbaugh hopes Jackson can return after Tyler Huntley’s big win: ‘If Lamar’s ready to go, he’s playing’
OWINGS MILLS, Md. — John Harbaugh said he had some coaches and players over to watch the Steelers-Browns game that could have eliminated his Baltimore Ravens from the playoffs. When the Browns won, saving Baltimore’s season for now, the reaction was what you’d expect. “It was uncorked, man. It was...
Andy Reid plans to return as Chiefs coach next season
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid said Monday that he plans to return next season, batting away any thought of an impending retirement by making a tongue-in-cheek joke about his status with a franchise he has led to three Super Bowl titles. “I mean, I think...
Eagles outlast Josh Allen and Bills in rainy win, keep NFC’s No. 2 seed in playVideo
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Once again, the Eagles defense dragged its offense to the finish line. The Eagles squeaked out a 13-12 victory over the Buffalo Bills on a cold, rainy evening at Highmark Stadium thanks to Vic Fangio ‘s dominant unit. Despite going up, 13-0, in the first half,...
