Column: Smith-Schuster fires up foes through jigs and digs
(AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)Say this about Ju-Ju Smith-Schuster: he sure knows how to fire up foes through jigs and digs alike. He said he thought โtheyโre still the same Browns teams I play every yearโ and while they had talent, โthe Browns is the Browns." The Browns snapped their 17-game losing streak at Heinz Field with their first road playoff win since 1969. โThat turns you up a little bit,โ Buffalo safety Jordan Power said after the Billsโ 26-15 win over Pittsburgh in Week 14. โFor the betterment of myself and my teammates, Iโm going to stop dancing on the logos,โ Smith-Schuster declared after that loss to Cincinnati.
Mahomes leads champion Chiefs to 14-2 mark in stacked AFC
While the Chiefs get another weekโs rest, the six other AFC playoff teams get going this weekend. For just the second time since the 1970 league merger, every team in the AFC playoffs has at least 11 wins. Last Lombardi: Super Bowl 54, 31-20 over the San Francisco 49ers on Feb. 2, 2020, at Miami. Last Lombardi: Super Bowl 43, 27-23 win over the Arizona Cardinals on Feb. 1, 2009, at Tampa, Florida. Their pass rush is nearly nonexistent with 19 sacks, the fewest by a playoff team since Denver had 19 in 1979.
The Latest: Another postponement for No. 25 FSU men's hoops
Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski looks on from the sidelines during an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Sunday, Oct. 18, 2020, in Pittsburgh. Positive COVID-19 tests have knocked Stefanski out of Cleveland's wild-card game at Pittsburgh on Sunday night the Browns' first playoff appearance since the 2002 season. 25 Florida Stateโs visit to Pittsburgh scheduled for Saturday has been postponed due to following COVID-19 testing issues within the Seminoles program. The Creighton women have paused team activities and postponed three games because of a recent positive COVID-19 test result. ___The Tulsa-Central Florida menโs basketball game scheduled for Saturday at Tulsa has been postponed because of positive COVID-19 tests and subsequent contact tracing among UCF athletes.
Browns end long playoff drought, survive late Steelers rally
Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield celebrates after the Browns defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers in an NFL football game, Sunday, Jan. 3, 2021, in Cleveland. The Browns, winless just three seasons ago and so bad for so long, are in the playoffs. The Browns and their passionate fan base endured 197 losses, 14 double-digit-loss seasons and seven coaches since the last playoff appearance. For the moment he got to Cleveland in 2018, Landry's goal was to get the Browns back to the postseason. Steelers: Will be back at full strength for their first playoff appearance since the 2017 season.
No preseason, no problem: NFL rookies shine in strange year
Young and Jefferson made the Pro Bowl, and surely more rookies would have joined them as alternates at the leagueโs now-canceled all-star game. โItโs crazy unusual for a rookie, I think, to have the type of leadership that Chase has, genuine leadership,โ Washington quarterback Alex Smith said. โI think a lot of young guys, especially high picks, I think you feel pressure to do it some way or somehow. โTalk about a rookie coming in, starting every game and just being focused,โ Browns Pro Bowl guard Joel Bitonio said of Wills. โWeโre growing and weโre starting to get a hang of the game,โ said Dolphins right tackle Robert Hunt, a second-round pick and one of six Miami rookies starting on offense.
Steelers stay unbeaten with 28-24 comeback win over Ravens
Baltimore Ravens defensive end Yannick Ngakoue (91) applies pressure on Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (7) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 1, 2020, in Baltimore. Ben Roethlisberger threw two second-half touchdowns, and the Steelers beat error-prone Lamar Jackson and the Ravens 28-24 Sunday to match the best start in franchise history. โI put that on me.โBeyond losing ground in the division, Baltimore lost All-Pro left tackle Ronnie Stanley for the season with a severe ankle injury. The Steelers led 28-24 when the Ravens (5-2) faced a fourth-and-3 at the Pittsburgh 8 with 2 minutes left. That left Pittsburgh thin up front after DE Chris Wormley went on IR Saturday.
The Latest: Broncos top Chargers on Lock's last-play TD pass
The Denver Broncos have completed a remarkable comeback against the Los Angeles Chargers, with a 31-30 victory on Drew Lock's 1-yard touchdown pass to K.J. Dalvin Cook scored four times for the Minnesota Vikings, who held on for a 28-22 victory over the Green Bay Packers. Cook has scored six touchdowns in two games against Green Bay this season. The Vikings and Green Bay Packers are tied 7-all in the final minute of the first quarter. This is shaping up to be a windy day in Green Bay.
Steelers stay perfect, blow out Mayfield, Browns 38-7
Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) pulls off his helmet on the sideline after being sacked by the Pittsburgh Steelers during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 18, 2020, in Pittsburgh. The passing game came next, quickly followed by the optimism that somehow things would be different for the Cleveland Browns. The result when the Steelers host the Browns does not. James Conner ran for 101 yards and a touchdown, Ben Roethlisberger passed for 169 yards and a score and Pittsburgh's defense chased aching Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield in the third quarter. Pittsburgh sacked Mayfield four times and picked him off twice โ including Minkah Fitzpatrick's 33-yard sprint to the end zone on Cleveland's first possession.
The Latest: Tough day for last year's Super Bowl teams
This hasnโt been a good day for last seasonโs two Super Bowl participants. The reigning Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs suffered their first loss of the season earlier Sunday when they fell 40-32 at home to the Las Vegas Raiders. This is the first time in the Super Bowl era that the two teams that played in the Super Bowl the previous season have allowed at least 40 points at home on the same day. The reigning Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs and Pittsburgh Steelers both entered Sunday undefeated. Atlanta cornerback Kendall Sheffield suffered a right ankle injury in the second quarter and was listed as questionable to return.
Steelers knock out Lock, hold off Driskel, Broncos 26-21
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Chase Claypool (11) crosses the goal line for a touchdown on an 84-yard play during the first half of an NFL football game against the Denver Broncos, Sunday, Sept. 20, 2020, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)
Steelers knock out Lock, hold off Driskel, Broncos 26-21
(AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)PITTSBURGH โ A game seemingly in hand suddenly on the cusp of slipping away, Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin didn't overthink things. Needing a stop to turn back the surprisingly resilient Denver Broncos, the Steelers dialed up one final blitz in an afternoon filled with them. So the Broncos (0-2) hung around despite losing starting quarterback Drew Lock (right shoulder) in the first quarter. The Steelers recovered and went downfield for a touchdown while Lock was in the blue medical tent getting evaluated. Still, he wasn't exactly thrilled on a day the Steelers never trailed but struggled to put the Broncos away.
Elbow room: Roethlisberger confident in return from surgery
PITTSBURGH Ben Roethlisberger is pretty sure there isn't a technical term for what doctors did to his shredded right elbow last fall. The Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback is pretty sure about one thing though: no one who has ever played his position has ever recovered from it well enough to continue throwing a football for a living. Roethlisberger admitted he'd been dealing what he described as minor elbow discomfort for a while heading into Week 2 against Seattle. The two-time Super Bowl winner underwent surgery shortly thereafter that anchored the torn tendons to his elbow. I still want to win Lombardys," Roethlisberger said, referencing the trophy that goes to the Super Bowl champions.
Notre Dame football vs. Navy: Time, TV schedule, game preview, score
NOTRE DAME, Ind. We know how good they are, even if they werent ranked, Navy head coach Ken Niumatalolo told reporters. Its going to be really, really hard for us to beat them. Deserving of being nationally ranked," Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly told the media. Notre Dame has won 16 in a row at home, the third-longest streak in school history.
Notre Dame football vs. Bowling Green: Time, TV schedule, game preview, score
NOTRE DAME, Ind. - Notre Dame hopes to get a breather after splitting a pair of games against top 20 teams, as the 10th-ranked Fighting Irish host Bowling Green from the Mid-American Conference on Saturday afternoon in their first-ever meeting. Notre Dame senior DE Daelin Hayes suffered a torn labrum last week and has been lost for the season. Bowling Green last won a game against a ranked opponent when it topped Northern Illinois in the 2013 MAC Championship Game. PREDICTION: Notre Dame 55, Bowling Green 7More college football scoresCopyright 2019 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit - All rights reserved.
Notre Dame football vs. Virginia: Time, TV schedule, game preview, score
Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa #95 and Alohi Gilman #11 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish celebrate after the Irish recovered a fumble against the Louisville Cardinals on September 02, 2019 in Louisville, Kentucky. LINE: Notre Dame -11.5"This stings a little bit," Notre Dame senior defensive lineman Khalid Kareem told reporters after the loss. Notre Dame junior WR Michael Young (collarbone) is expected to make his season debut and sophomore WR Braden Lenzy (concussion) could return as well. The Irish have won 12 straight games at Notre Dame Stadium and are 2-0 all time against the Cavaliers, including a 34-27 triumph at Virginia in 2015. PREDICTION: Notre Dame 31, Virginia 21More college football scoresCopyright 2019 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit - All rights reserved.
Notre Dame football vs. New Mexico: Time, TV schedule, game preview, score
Ian Book #12 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish looks on late in the game against the Clemson Tigers during the College Football Playoff Semifinal Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic at AT&T Stadium on December 29, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. LINE: Notre Dame -35"It was a sloppy win, I think, for us," Notre Dame's junior safety Alohi Gilman, who led the team with 10 tackles against Louisville, told reporters. The Irish have won 11 straight games at home, the third-longest streak since Notre Dame Stadium opened in 1930. Notre Dame running backs have gone 571 carries without a fumble, which is the longest active streak among FBS teams. PREDICTION: Notre Dame 48, New Mexico 13More college football scoresCopyright 2019 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit - All rights reserved.
Notre Dame football vs. New Mexico: Time, TV schedule, game preview, score
NOTRE DAME, Ind. The Irish have won 11 straight games at home, the third-longest streak since Notre Dame Stadium opened in 1930. Nine different Lobos had at least one catch in the opener, led by senior WR Anu Somoye (three receptions, 62 yards). Notre Dame running backs have gone 571 carries without a fumble, which is the longest active streak among FBS teams. PREDICTION: Notre Dame 48, New Mexico 13More college football scores