Sports category, Page 414
Pitt Take 5: Noon start vs. Louisville, players’ meeting allow Panthers to quickly get back to work
The next game after a loss is always one of the most important of any season. Coming off a 29-point defeat Tuesday at Duke, Pitt’s players immediately met amongst themselves to quickly dissolve the sour taste and get back to the business of winning games. “After the game, we came...
‘Living off past glory’: Plenty at stake as Steelers vie to end 8-year drought of playoff wins
Mike Tomlin has a history of guiding the Pittsburgh Steelers to 18 consecutive seasons without a losing record and a dozen NFL playoff appearances, yet the Super Bowl XLIII champion coach knows his story comes with baggage that he refuses to project onto his players. That doesn’t mean he’s immune to...
Steelers tasked with solving NFL’s hottest defense when they face Ravens in wild-card matchup
It’s not lost on the Pittsburgh Steelers that their opponent in the NFL’s wild-card playoff round doesn’t just possess the league’s top-ranked offense but also the stingiest defense over the final eight weeks of the season. Starting with their Week 11 meeting with the Steelers — when they didn’t allow...
Latest NFL season highlights financial risks for sports betting companies when so many favorites win
NEW YORK — It’s been a tough football season for sports books. FanDuel and its key rival DraftKings have both showed investors that the house can indeed lose, or at least lose more than anticipated. Flutter Entertainment, which operates FanDuel and dominates the sports betting industry with a market value...
Eagles QB Jalen Hurts clears concussion protocol, will start wild-card game against Green Bay
PHILADELPHIA — Jalen Hurts has cleared the NFL concussion protocol and will start for the Philadelphia Eagles in their NFC wild-card game Sunday against Green Bay. The Eagles quarterback hasn’t played since he suffered a concussion and left a Dec. 22 game early against Washington. Coach Nick Sirianni said Friday...
Browns QB Deshaun Watson reinjures Achilles, has surgery and will miss ‘significant’ time in 2025
CLEVELAND — Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson had surgery after rupturing his Achilles tendon for the second time in three months and could miss the entire 2025 season. The team said Watson, who has played in just 19 games in three seasons with Cleveland due to an NFL suspension and...
Former Georgia quarterback Carson Beck says he has committed to Miami for 2025 season
CORAL GABLES, Fla. — Carson Beck has pushed his NFL plans back a year and is committed to play next season at Miami, making the announcement known Friday and becoming another huge transfer portal acquisition for the Hurricanes. Beck, the now-former Georgia quarterback, delivered the news on social media with...
Lamar Jackson repeats, Ja’Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson are unanimous choices for AP All-Pro
Lamar Jackson beat out Josh Allen, and Ja’Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson are unanimous choices for The Associated Press 2024 NFL All-Pro Team. Saquon Barkley received 48 of 50 first-place votes and Patrick Surtain II got 49 from a nationwide panel of media members who regularly cover the league. “Wow,...
4 Downs: Steelers outscored 66-0 in 1st quarters of playoff losing streak, 40-3 in current skid
1. First-quarter blues The only Pittsburgh Steelers losing streak uglier than the one over the past four games they’ve played is the five-game postseason skid they carry into Saturday’s playoff game in Baltimore. The Steelers have been outscored by an average of 13 points per game over the past month...
Steelers’ Cameron Heyward, Chris Boswell earn first-team All-Pro honors
Cameron Heyward continues to show that at age 35, he remains one of the NFL’s top defensive linemen. And, at 33, Chris Boswell has emerged as the league’s most reliable kicker. Two of the elder statesmen on the Pittsburgh Steelers roster were rewarded Friday for their work this season when...
Mark Madden: The recalibration of Mike Tomlin’s legend continues
Denial. It’s tough. With the Pittsburgh Steelers set to finish their traditional late-season skid with a fifth straight loss by losing their wild-card playoff game at Baltimore on Saturday, here’s a bit of hope: Betting the Steelers on the money line is great value. The Steelers are plus-400. A worthwhile...
Penn State QB Drew Allar reflects on interception in CFP Orange Bowl loss to Notre Dame
MIAMI — Drew Allar sat on the Hard Rock Stadium grass alone, slamming the ground with both hands after making the biggest mistake of his football career. While Notre Dame celebrated, offensive lineman Drew Shelton helped his quarterback to his feet. Walking back to the Penn State sideline, Allar put...
Penn State defensive end Abdul Carter to enter NFL Draft
It doesn’t come as a surprise, but Penn State’s biggest star is off to the next level. Junior defensive end Abdul Carter will forgo his final year of college eligibility and declare for the NFL Draft, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Friday morning. The edge rusher widely has been...
First Call: John Harbaugh brings up ‘next week’ while discussing Zay Flowers; ex-Steeler up for 49ers’ defensive job
Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh said something that caught the attention of many Pittsburgh Steelers fans. A former Steeler is making a name for himself on the interview circuit for defensive coordinators. The Penguins have a chance to make some noise in the wild-card race this weekend. And Evgeni Malkin...
Tim Benz: Penguins flip the script to avoid another late-game collapse against Oilers
It’s fitting that the Pittsburgh Penguins’ “Star Wars Night” promotion Thursday evening followed Tuesday’s 4-3 shootout loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets. That defeat created a great disturbance in the force at PPG Paints Arena. The Penguins blew a 3-1 advantage in the third period, then lost the shootout 2-0,...
Football Footnotes: If the Steelers are to upset the Ravens, here are 3 specific fixes they’ll need
When you lose 34-17, as the Pittsburgh Steelers did in Baltimore in Week 16, that means there are plenty of things to correct. That’s particularly true if you face the same opponent in the playoffs three weeks later, as the Steelers are doing Saturday when they visit Baltimore again to...
With 2nd goal in 4 games, Penguins’ Kevin Hayes gets back on radarVideo
The third line currently being deployed by the Pittsburgh Penguins features a concentration of size unlike any other combination of forwards on the club. Centered by Kevin Hayes, with Drew O’Connor and Jesse Puljujarvi at left and right wing, it boasts an average frame of just over 6-foot-4 and 213...
Scouting the Ravens: Steelers face their biggest rival on the road for first time in playoffs
SCOUTING THE RAVENS Last meeting Ravens beat Steelers, 34-17, on Dec. 21 in Baltimore. Key matchup Ravens TEs Mark Andrews/Isaiah Likely vs. Steelers ILBs/DBs Over Baltimore’s past six games, Andrews and Likely have combined for nine touchdowns, including one TD catch in each of those games for Andrews. Both scored...
Notre Dame’s late interception dooms Penn State in Orange BowlVideo
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Penn State quarterback Drew Allar said he was trying to throw the ball into the ground. Notre Dame defensive back Christian Gray dove for it anyway and — luck of the Irish — the ball ended up right in his hands. A few seconds later, Gray...
Buccaneers-Commanders could be prime-time shootout
ASHBURN, Va. — Todd Bowles as a defensive coach does not want to see the wild-card playoff game between his Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Washington Commanders turn into a high-scoring shootout. His quarterback wouldn’t mind. “If you come out on the right side of it, yeah,” Baker Mayfield said....
Penguins start fast, end 7-game skid against Oilers
Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Marcus Pettersson’s voice dropped a handful of octaves when the question was posed. How unique of a challenge are the Edmonton Oilers strictly because of the combined presence of superstar forwards Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid? “Oh very,” a sullen Pettersson said in Cranberry on Wednesday. “You’ve...
Paul Peterson makes PGA Tour debut at age 36 and leaves an impressionVideo
HONOLULU — The Sony Open is the PGA Tour stop where introductions are in order, and Paul Peterson made quite the first impression. He opened with a 6-under-par 64 and shared the early lead with four others Thursday on a pleasant day at Waialae. Harry Hall, Denny McCarthy and Eric...
Bills’ Von Miller won’t let affection for Broncos get in way of playoff objectiveVideo
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Von Miller is as competitive as he can be sentimental, which is why the Buffalo Bills edge rusher won’t utter a negative word about the Denver Broncos. The memories are too fond, and the 10-plus seasons he spent in Colorado too meaningful. Denver is where the...
NFL moves Vikings-Rams playoff game to Arizona because of wildfires in Los AngelesVideo
LOS ANGELES — The NFL moved the Rams’ wild-card playoff game against the Minnesota Vikings to Arizona after days of devastating wildfires in the Los Angeles area. The game will be played Monday night at State Farm Stadium, the home of the Arizona Cardinals, in suburban Glendale, Ariz. The league...
Doping clouds tennis talk at Australian Open with pair of stars facing scrutinyVideo
MELBOURNE, Australia — It is a topic that shadowed tennis in 2024 and is still a talking point as the 2025 Grand Slam season opens at the Australian Open on Saturday: doping and the cases involving Jannik Sinner — which is still not resolved — and Iga Swiatek. Both spent...
