Dak Prescott’s playoff answer positions Cowboys to alter history
FRISCO, Texas — A week after one of the worst games of his career, Dak Prescott might have played his best game given the circumstances. The star Dallas quarterback drew high praise from plenty of important people, including club owner Jerry Jones and the most recent Cowboys QB to win...
Buccaneers’ Russell Gage can move extremities after neck injury
TAMPA, Fla. — Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Russell Gage has movement in all of his extremities after suffering a neck injury and concussion in Tampa Bay’s wild-card playoff game against Dallas, the team announced Tuesday. The Buccaneers said in a statement that Gage remained hospitalized overnight and would undergo...
After playoff dud, Tom Brady faces choice of whether to continue
TAMPA, Fla. — If Tom Brady retires in the offseason, he’ll walk away following one of the worst playoff games of his career. The seven-time Super Bowl champion had a tough night against Micah Parsons and the Dallas Cowboys, tossing his first red-zone interception with the Buccaneers in a 31-14...
AP source: Browns hire Jim Schwartz as defensive coordinator
CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Browns are hiring former Detroit Lions coach Jim Schwartz as their defensive coordinator, a person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press on Tuesday. Schwartz, who spent the past two seasons as a defensive adviser in Tennessee, was one of four candidates to meet with...
Dak Prescott outshines Tom Brady, Cowboys clobber BuccaneersVideo
TAMPA, Fla. — Dak Prescott outplayed Tom Brady, throwing for four touchdowns and running for another to lead the Dallas Cowboys to a 31-14 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in an NFC wild-card playoff game on Monday night. Prescott completed 25 of 33 passes for 305 yards and played...
Dolphins committed to Tua Tagovailoa, looking to build on 2022Video
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Dolphins general manager Chris Grier quoted Hall of Famer Bill Parcells when describing Miami’s 2022 season, in which the team showed promise but fell short of its goals. “He says ‘You are what you are,’” Grier said Monday. “I think we finished where we were but...
Lamar Jackson’s future looms large as Ravens head into offseasonVideo
OWINGS MILLS, Md. — The Baltimore Ravens were a yard away from taking the lead in the fourth quarter at Cincinnati. For a moment, all the drama surrounding Lamar Jackson’s injury and his future seemed secondary. Then the ball came loose, the Bengals returned it for a touchdown — and...
Ravens RB J.K. Dobbins frustrated by lack of carries in playoff loss to BengalsVideo
Baltimore Ravens running back J.K. Dobbins wished it had been him with the ball on the goal line, not Tyler Huntley, Sunday night in Cincinnati. The Ravens had been cruising on a productive fourth-quarter drive and just needed 1 more yard on third-and-goal. Huntley leaped over the pile, the ball...
Analysis: Bills, Bengals look shaky in wins, set up rematch
The Cincinnati Bengals-Buffalo Bills rematch coming next week almost didn’t happen. Both teams squeaked past undermanned opponents Sunday, beating backup quarterbacks to advance to the AFC divisional round. First, the Bills blew a 17-0 lead against Miami and had to rally for a 34-31 victory. Then, the Bengals were 1...
Chiefs’ rookie regulars ready for playoff debuts
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce have been in this situation before, ready to embark on a postseason run that the past four years has landed the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC championship game and twice ended in the Super Bowl. So it’s easy to assume...
Ohio State QB C.J. Stroud declares for NFL draft
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud will give up a final year of eligibility to enter the NFL draft, where he is expected to be a top-five pick. The two-year starter for the Buckeyes announced his decision, which had been expected, on social media on Monday, the last...
AP source: Panthers to interview Sean Payton for HC job
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Carolina Panthers have received permission from the New Orleans Saints to interview Sean Payton for their vacant head coaching position, according to a person familiar with the situation. The Panthers have also requested permission to speak to Philadelphia Eagles defensive consultant Vic Fangio, New York Jets...
Sam Hubbard’s 98-yard fumble return lifts Bengals over RavensVideo
CINCINNATI — Sam Hubbard returned Tyler Huntley’s fumble 98 yards for a tiebreaking touchdown in the fourth quarter, helping Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals beat the Baltimore Ravens 24-17 in an AFC wild-card game on Sunday night. Facing third-and-goal at the 1 with about 12 minutes left, Huntley tried...
Giants outlast Vikings 31-24 for 1st playoff win in 11 yearsVideo
MINNEAPOLIS — Daniel Jones passed for 301 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 78 yards in his first career playoff game for the New York Giants, a 31-24 victory over Minnesota in the wild-card round that gave the Vikings their first loss in 12 one-score games this season. Saquon...
Tom Brady plays down perfect record against favored Cowboys
TAMPA, Fla. — Tom Brady isn’t fazed by being a home underdog in the NFL playoffs for the first time in his career. After all, no one has enjoyed more postseason success than the seven-time Super Bowl champion, who begins his quest for an eighth ring when the Tampa Bay...
Chargers’ Justin Herbert, Brandon Staley ponder what went wrong
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Justin Herbert sat in silence at his locker for roughly 15 minutes, staring into the distance. He had taken off his cleats but still was wearing most of his grass-stained uniform. It was a defining scene for a team devastated by a collapse no one could have...
Bills hang on for 34-31 wild-card win over DolphinsVideo
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Josh Allen shrugged off a three-turnover outing by throwing two touchdown passes 3 minutes, 11 seconds apart in the third quarter and rallying the Buffalo Bills to a 34-31 win over the injury-depleted Miami Dolphins in an AFC wild-card matchup Sunday. Cole Beasley scored the go-ahead...
Damar Hamlin cheers on Bills from home, says ‘heart is with’ team
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Bills safety Damar Hamlin, who is still recovering after going into cardiac arrest on the field in Cincinnati two weeks ago, cheered via Twitter from home Sunday during Buffalo’s wild-card playoff home game against the Miami Dolphins. “My heart is with my guys as they compete...
Lawrence rallies Jaguars from 27 down to beat Chargers 31-30
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Trevor Lawrence’s confidence somehow never wavered. Not after the first interception. Or the second. Or the third. Or even the fourth. The generational quarterback simply delivered a generational comeback. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 draft followed four interceptions with four touchdown passes — one...
Brock Purdy’s 4 TDs lead 49ers past Seahawks in playoffsVideo
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Brock Purdy threw three touchdown passes and ran for a fourth score in his playoff debut, leading the San Francisco 49ers to a 41-23 victory over the Seattle Seahawks in a wild-card game Saturday. Purdy picked up where he left off in the regular season for...
AP source: Hamlin visits teammates for 1st time since injuryVideo
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Damar Hamlin visited with teammates at the Bills facility on Saturday for the first time since being discharged from a Buffalo hospital and about two weeks after the safety went into cardiac arrest and needed to be resuscitated on the field during a game in Cincinnati....
NFL regular-season TV ratings down 3% over last seasonVideo
NFL regular-season ratings saw a 3% decrease from last season, which was not unexpected with “Thursday Night Football” moving from Fox and NFL Network to exclusively airing on Amazon Prime Video. The 272 regular-season games averaged 16.7 million viewers across TV and digital platforms. The league also said that 185...
Sean McVay decides to keep coaching, stays with Rams
LOS ANGELES — Sean McVay has decided to return for a seventh season with the Los Angeles Rams after taking a break to contemplate his future following the first losing season of his career. The youngest coach in NFL history to win the Super Bowl has decided not to take...
Vikings get upstart Giants in playoffs with ‘do it now’ viewVideo
MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota Vikings quickly found their stride under rookie head coach Kevin O’Connell as a confident, close-knit and resilient team — featuring the league’s leading receiver — with an NFL-record 11 wins by eight points or fewer. Just because O’Connell’s career is ascending doesn’t mean this season of...
Playoffs pit Bengals against Ravens in quick rematchVideo
CINCINNATI — The Bengals and Ravens play for the second consecutive week — and third time this season — on Sunday night in a wild-card playoff game. The AFC North rivals know each other pretty well by now. “They know what we try to do on offense, We know what...