Analysis: NFL wasn’t at its best in conference championships
The NFL didn’t put on its Sunday best for the conference championships. Before the San Francisco 49ers ran out of luck and quarterbacks, they were burned by a fourth-down catch by Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Devonta Smith that wasn’t even a catch. Although Kyle Shanahan could have thrown a challenge...
Joe Burrow, Bengals falter but should stay among AFC contenders
CINCINNATI — Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals didn’t have another fantastic finish left in them. That had been the specialty of a talented team with a generational quarterback who could find creative ways to win games. The Bengals were supremely confident after winning 10 in a row heading into...
NFL rules analyst Gene Steratore breaks down officiating issues from AFC, NFC title gamesVideo
During his weekly “Zebra Talk” segment, former NFL referee turned CBS officiating analyst Gene Steratore joined WDVE Tuesday morning to discuss numerous officiating controversies from this weekend’s AFC and NFC Championship games. • Joe Burrow’s intentional grounding: On Cincinnati’s final possession of the AFC contest, Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow was...
Brother vs. brother: Kelces prepare for Super Bowl showdown
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Donna Kelce is going to have to pull out that now-familiar custom jersey — the one with Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce’s front stitched to Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce’s back — one more time this season. At least this time, she’ll get to...
Chiefs survive Bengals, get 2 weeks to heal for Super BowlVideo
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Patrick Mahomes certainly deserved a game ball from Sunday night’s AFC title game, when the All-Pro quarterback dashed off on his sprained right ankle in the waning seconds to help set up the winning field goal. Travis Kelce probably did, too. With the Chiefs missing three...
Eagles’ Super Bowl-bound Hurts still trying to quiet hatersVideo
PHILADELPHIA — Nick Sirianni and his kids made snow angels in the confetti on the Linc turf. Jalen Hurts puffed on a cigar alone at his locker and scrolled through the congratulatory texts on his phone. Out in the Philly streets, delirious fans refused to let grease slow them down...
Super Bowl 57: Chiefs, Eagles meet for title in Arizona
Patrick Mahomes finally got the best of Joe Burrow. All he needed was a little shove. Harrison Butker made a 45-yard field goal with 3 seconds left — after Cincinnati’s Joseph Ossai was flagged for a 15-yard penalty for shoving Mahomes after he was out of bounds — and the...
Bengals’ Joseph Ossai laments late hit in AFC title game loss to Chiefs
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Joseph Ossai stood in front of his cleaned-out locker inside Arrowhead Stadium, while Bengals teammate B.J. Hill stood by for support, and lamented a mistake Sunday night that could easily haunt the defensive end for the rest of his career. The Kansas City Chiefs were driving...
Patrick Mahomes, Jalen Hurts set for historic Super Bowl matchup
PHILADELPHIA — Black quarterbacks have come a long way in the NFL since Fritz Pollard became the first to play in the league in 1923, and Doug Williams was the first to start and win a Super Bowl following the 1987 season. Now, Patrick Mahomes and Jalen Hurts will be...
Chiefs top Bengals on closing-seconds kick for AFC title
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Patrick Mahomes scrambled for a first down on his badly sprained right ankle, then was shoved late out of bounds by Joseph Ossai, giving Harrison Butker a chance to kick a 45-yard field goal with 3 seconds remaining and give the Kansas City Chiefs a 23-20...
AP source: Dolphins hire Vic Fangio as defensive coordinator
The Miami Dolphins reached a deal with former Denver Broncos coach Vic Fangio to become their defensive coordinator, a person familiar with the hire told the Associated Press on Sunday. The person spoke to The AP on condition of anonymity because the deal has not been finalized. Fangio, who had...
Eagles soar into Super Bowl, rout 49ers for NFC title
PHILADELPHIA — Jalen Hurts had one of Philadelphia’s four rushing touchdowns and the Eagles soared into the Super Bowl, forcing both of San Francisco’s quarterbacks out of the game with injuries and beating the wounded 49ers, 31-7, in the NFC championship game Sunday. The Eagles, who won the Super Bowl...
49ers QB Brock Purdy suffers elbow injury in NFC championship gameVideo
PHILADELPHIA — San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy was questionable to return to the NFC championship game on Sunday after he took a hard hit to his right elbow in the first quarter. Purdy was drilled in the arm by Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Haason Reddick on a play that was...
NFL playoffs: Vegas believes some classics could be coming
If Vegas oddsmakers are correct — and there’s a reason those casinos are huge and luxurious — then football fans are in for a treat this weekend. The NFL’s conference championship weekend is here: The Philadelphia Eagles will host the San Francisco 49ers for the NFC title while the Kansas...
Jalen Hurts, Brock Purdy set for college-era rematch in NFC title tilt
PHILADELPHIA — Jalen Hurts and Brock Purdy could be primed for a shootout in the NFC championship game. It’s the first time Hurts — the league MVP finalist for the Philadelphia Eagles — and Purdy, the ” Mr. Irrelevant ” rookie sensation for the San Francisco 49ers, have matched up...
Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins power Bengals into AFC championshipVideo
CINCINNATI — Joe Burrow says the Cincinnati Bengals’ championship window should stay open for years. “The window is my whole career,” the franchise quarterback said matter-of-factly after the Bengals clinched their second straight AFC North title. His confidence is understandable given the offensive weapons available: Receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee...
Bills’ Damar Hamlin speaks publicly for 1st time in video, thankful for supportVideo
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Damar Hamlin released a video Saturday in which he says he’s thankful for the outpouring of support and vows to pay it back, marking the first time the Buffalo Bills safety has spoken publicly since he went into cardiac arrest and needed to be resuscitated on...
Bold trades keyed offensive jolts for 49ers, EaglesVideo
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — The San Francisco 49ers got a jolt offensively when they made the bold decision in October to trade four draft picks to add Christian McCaffrey to an already deep group of playmakers. The Philadelphia Eagles made an aggressive trade of their own to supercharge their offense...
4 of NFL’s best tight ends on display in conference title games
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — When Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes headed up the tunnel inside Arrowhead Stadium to have X-rays taken on his sprained right ankle, and Chad Henne trotted onto the field in the second quarter of their divisional playoff game against Jacksonville, it was obvious who the backup quarterback...
Inside the most dysfunctional Patriots season under Bill Belichick: ‘I’ve never seen anything like it’
BOSTON — Light rain cut through a thick, gray fog choking Foxboro when Bill O’Brien walked into Patriots headquarters Monday to end the team’s search for its next offensive coordinator. O’Brien’s second interview was his final step toward a long-awaited reunion with the franchise that launched his NFL career. Soon,...
Eagles, 49ers ride Jalen Hurts, Brock Purdy to brink of Super Bowl
PHILADELPHIA — The late-game meltdowns stick in San Francisco. Take the Super Bowl against Kansas City following the 2019 season. The 49ers became the third team in Super Bowl history to cough up a 10-point lead in the second half and lost to the Chiefs. Or last season’s NFC title...
Bengals confident returning to ‘Burrowhead Stadium’ to face Chiefs
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Chiefs have lost three straight games to the Cincinnati Bengals, including last year’s AFC title game, when they blew an early 21-3 lead in an overtime defeat before a sea of stunned fans inside Arrowhead Stadium. Patrick Mahomes, who expects to lead the...
Carolina Panthers hire Frank Reich as new head coach
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Carolina Panthers have agreed to terms with Frank Reich to become their new head coach on Thursday. The 61-year-old Reich joins the Panthers after spending the past four-plus seasons with the Indianapolis Colts, where he went 40-33-1 as head coach before being fired on Nov. 7...
Hurts puts MVP talk behind him, focuses on NFC title gameVideo
PHILADELPHIA — Asked about being an NFL MVP finalist, Jalen Hurts revealed, “I didn’t know.” Nick Sirianni pounded his fist on a table in mock disgust and cracked “Oh man!” when queried about his finalist snub for Coach of the Year. In other words, individual awards don’t mean a whole...
Purdy goes from ‘Mr. Irrelevant’ to brink of Super BowlVideo
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Brock Purdy’s NFL career started with the moniker of “Mr. Irrelevant” and the weeklong trip to Newport Beach to celebrate the player picked last in the draft. With one more win, Purdy’s rookie season in the NFL will end on the brightest stage of all as...
