Sports category, Page 784
Joe Flacco’s revival in Cleveland has the Browns on the verge of clinching a playoff spotVideo
BEREA, Ohio — When they signed Joe Flacco in near desperation last month, the Cleveland Browns hoped the veteran quarterback could keep them in the playoff mix. They needed someone to settle things down amid mounting injuries and uncertainty. Expectations were tempered when Flacco arrived. Four games later, they’re untethered....
Analysis: Seahawks have playoff destiny in their control after 2nd straight dramatic victory
RENTON, Wash. — With two weeks left in the regular season, the Seattle Seahawks are in control of their postseason fate. In some ways, that seems unthinkable. Seattle was in a tailspin just a month ago, losing four straight games for the first time under Pete Carroll. It’s been a...
Siemian to start again at QB for Jets on Thursday night with Wilson still out with concussionVideo
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — Trevor Siemian will start a second consecutive game at quarterback for the New York Jets with Zach Wilson still in the concussion protocol. Coach Robert Saleh ruled Wilson out Tuesday as the Jets prepare to face the Browns in Cleveland on Thursday night. Siemian was 27...
True freshman Jackson Arnold takes over at QB for Oklahoma in Alamo Bowl against ArizonaVideo
NORMAN, Okla. — After all the hype, the Jackson Arnold era is set to begin at Oklahoma. It came a bit earlier than expected. Dillon Gabriel, the first-team Associated Press All-Big 12 quarterback, transferred from Oklahoma to Oregon. That has left Arnold — a five-star true freshman — as the...
Darius Taylor’s return sparks Minnesota to 30-24 win over Bowling Green in Quick Lane BowlVideo
DETROIT — Freshman Darius Taylor returned from a leg injury to rush for a career-high 208 yards, and Minnesota beat Bowling Green, 30-24, in the Quick Lane Bowl on Tuesday. Minnesota (6-7), which was selected for the bowl because it had the best Academic Progress Rate among five-win teams, won...
Penn State’s staff changes have Ole Miss coach Kiffin unsure what to expect in Peach BowlVideo
ATLANTA — No. 11 Mississippi is having to do extra work to prepare for Saturday’s Peach Bowl against No. 10 Penn State with the Nittany Lions welcoming new coordinators on both sides of the ball. Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin said Tuesday before his team’s first practice in Atlanta that...
Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence now dealing with sprained throwing shoulder
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence has a sprained AC joint in his throwing shoulder, but coach Doug Pederson says he could practice later this week. Pederson says Lawrence “is progressing” and “he’s a little bit sore.” “Doing better today than he did yesterday,” Pederson said Tuesday. “We’ll...
Browns kicker Dustin Hopkins out this week; QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson goes on IR
CLEVELAND — It’s only fitting the Browns will try to clinch a playoff berth with a new kicker. Nothing has been routine this season in Cleveland. Dustin Hopkins will miss Thursday night’s game against the New York Jets — and maybe longer — because of a left hamstring injury he...
Norwin grad Adam Bilinsky to transfer from Mercyhurst
Norwin graduate Adam Bilinsky will be playing for a different college basketball team next season. Bilinsky put his name in the NCAA transfer portal after nine games at Mercyhurst. The 6-foot-3 freshman shooting guard wants to play closer to home. He likely will remain at the Division II level, likely...
West Virginia, North Carolina to battle for all the mayo in bowl game
CHARLOTTE N.C. — North Carolina coach Mack Brown has a new moniker for the Duke’s Mayo Bowl. He’s calling it the “New Opportunity Bowl.” With highly regarded quarterback Drake Maye and 11 other starters from the beginning of the season not playing because they’re preparing for the draft, entering the...
Pectoral injury will keep Elandon Roberts from suiting up for Steelers against Seahawks
Another week, another inside linebacker on the shelf for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Coach Mike Tomlin confirmed Tuesday at his weekly news conference that Elandon Roberts will miss Sunday’s game at the Seattle Seahawks with a pectoral injury he suffered in the Steelers’ 34-11 victory against Cincinnati on Saturday. Given the...
Winning out provides clearest, but not only, path for Steelers to reach the AFC playoffs
The Pittsburgh Steelers’ game Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks isn’t a must-win situation in terms of their playoff chances. A win, however, certainly would help their cause. According to the New York Times’ playoff simulator, the Steelers’ chances of making the postseason increase from 13% to 26% with a victory...
Mason Rudolph to begin week as Steelers’ starting quarterback
For the second week in a row, Mason Rudolph will take the first-team reps at quarterback when the Pittsburgh Steelers begin their practice week. And, for the second week in a row, the health of Kenny Pickett’s right ankle will play a role in determining whether Rudolph finishes it that...
Counting down the top stories in WPIAL sports in 2023: Underdog role suits Beaver Falls
The 2023 year in WPIAL sports saw a lot of excitement across three seasons. There was domination on the hardwood and in the pool during the winter sports season and sensational action on the diamonds, hardcourts and tracks in the spring, concluding with greatness on the gridiron, the pitch and...
Penguins forward Noel Acciari makes measurable impact on penalty kill
The Pittsburgh Penguins have lost 87 man games to injury this season. And it’s possible the cluster of games lost that have impacted them the most are the seven contests fourth-line center Noel Acciari missed earlier this month. If nothing else, his absence can be tabulated in a fashion that...
USC’s JuJu Watkins is poised to step in as the next big star of women’s college basketball
LOS ANGELES — Caitlin Clark — the current Associated Press national player of the year — is in what may be her final season at Iowa. She could stay one more year as the result of the covid-19 pandemic, as could Angel Reese of national champion LSU. Regardless of their...
Justin Thomas says new year in golf brings opportunity to everyone
The next season on the PGA Tour already has the perception of being two tours. The elite are in the $20 million signature events with a big boost in FedEx Cup points. The rest are playing for less money ($8.5 million on average) and having to play well to advance...
Brock Purdy’s 4 interceptions doom the 49ers in loss to the Ravens
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Brock Purdy and the San Francisco 49ers seemed poised for another fast start when two big passes to George Kittle moved them into the red zone on the opening drive. What happened next set the tone for the rest of the game. Purdy threw an interception...
Eagles end 3-game skid, keep NFC East title hopes alive with win over Giants
PHILADELPHIA — Yes, of course, Jalen Hurts and coach Nick Sirianni heard the booming chants that echoed throughout the Linc from Eagles fans fed up with the pass-heavy offense that stalled in the second half. “Run the ball! Run the ball!” “I think I’d hear that, too, even if I...
Raiders stun sloppy Chiefs with 2 defensive TDs in victory
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Las Vegas got a pair of defensive touchdowns for the second straight week, including a pick-6 of the struggling Patrick Mahomes, and the resurgent Raiders held off the sloppy Kansas City Chiefs, 20-14, on Monday to keep their slim postseason hopes alive. Big defensive tackle Bilal...
With playoff hopes on the line, Mason Rudolph and Steelers teammates wait to see if he gets 2nd start
Leave it to tight end Pat Freiermuth to break out the Christmas puns to quarterback Mason Rudolph as he prepared to make his first start Saturday in more than two years. As the Pittsburgh Steelers players were going through warmups, Freiermuth unleashed a few that Rudolph undoubtedly has heard before....
Florida Atlantic records highest ranking ever in AP men’s Top 25; Purdue remains No. 1
Florida Atlantic’s run to the Final Four last season was viewed as a nice story, a small program making a surprise run before sliding back into anonymity. The Owls are showing this season that that was no fluke. Coming off a double-overtime win over No. 4 Arizona, FAU moved up...
QB signee Ethan Grunkemeyer follows similar path to Penn State as Drew Allar
This time last year, Ethan Grunkemeyer had one FBS offer: Miami (Ohio). On Wednesday, he signed with Penn State as one of the top quarterbacks in the 2024 recruiting class. It’s been a rapid rise for Grunkemeyer, the Olentangy (Ohio) standout who committed to Penn State in May as a...
Westmoreland County campus clippings: Jeannette grad Robert Kennedy to declare for NFL Draft
Robert Kennedy used to talk about playing in the NFL. What it would be like and how he would get there. Only Kennedy, the former Jeannette star quarterback and defensive back who made his way to Power Five football as a safety at N.C. State, wasn’t dreamy about the concept...
Penguins rookie forward Valtteri Puustinen looks good to anyone watching
Valtteri Puustinen’s family isn’t getting much sleep these days. At least not overnight. With a seven-hour difference between Pittsburgh and his hometown of Kuopio, Finland, Puustinen’s loved ones have to wake up in the middle of the night to see him play on television (or streamed video). “My whole family...
