Best 15 Minutes in Sports–Monday
(NFL Playoffs)
Chiefs-L-Patriots (37-31) OT…Tom Brady leads Patriots on TD drives end of 4th Q..then in overtime as New England rallies to earn trip to the Super Bowl…Brady drove New England 64Y in (:80) to force overtime…then hit 3-long 3rd down passes in overtime to set up Rex Burkhead TD run to win game….Chiefs QB-Patrick Mahomes survived bad first half to rally Chiefs into the 4th quarter lead twice and then force overtime…RB-Damien Williams scored 3-TDs in 4th quarter to put KC back into the game…Harrison Butler kicked 37Y-FG with (:08) left to force OT.
Chiefs survived terrible first half…zero points for first time in 51-home games…Mahomes got sacked 3-times in opening half…Chiefs had (32Y) offense at halftime…New England had (42-16) edge in snaps in opening half.
Brady (348Y-TD-2 Into) in win…RB-Sonny Michel (113R)….Rob Gronkowski-Julian Edelman combined (13R-175Y) in the win….Mahomes (295P-3TD)….Damien Williams (99APY-3TD) in loss.
Patriots dominated the game (524-290Y)….Ran off (94-47) plays….had (43:20-to-20:00) time of possession advantage.
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Rams-W-Saints (26-23) OT….LA wins on 57Y-Greg Zeurlein FG in overtime….Game marred by blown official call on pass interference at 2Y-line in 4th quarter…NFL admits CB-Nikell Coleman should have been flagged for pass interference…helmet hit…or hit on defenseless receiver…Could have given Saints a 1st down at 2Y-line and likely a TD which would have given them a (27-20) lead and a likely win…Instead FGs on both teams sent game to overtime where Rams won when CB-Johnny Johnson intercepted a deflected pass setting up game winning field goal.
Rams survived a terrible 1st quarter…outgained (125-5)…had zero first downs…Rams got back into game in 2nd quarter on fake punt-on 4th down-let to 1st down and eventual score got their offense into gear…wiping out a (13-0) Saints lead.
QB-Jared Goff (297P-TD)…RB-CJ Anderson (44Y-rushing)….Gerald Everett-Tyler HIgbee-Josh Reynolds-combined 10-receptions in game….Drew Brees (249P-2TD) in devastating loss.
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(Coaching Hires)
Ravens..Sign Coach John Harbaugh to 3-year extension.
Arizona…Hire Tom Clements-Passing Game Coord-ex Notre Dame-Packers-Browns
Arizona..Interview Hue Jackson-Off Coord job-ex Browns
Carolina..Hire Jim Hostler-WR coach-ex Packers
Bears..Hire DeShea Townsend-DB coach-ex Giants
Bengals..Ask permission to interview Bill Callahan-OL coach-Washington
Cleveland..Hire John Lilly-OL-ex Tennessee
Cleveland..Hire John Parella-DL-ex Nebraska
Cleveland..Interview John Blacko-OL-ex Packers
Dallas..Promote Kellen Moore to Off Coord-was QB coach
Dallas..Fire Scott Linehan-Off Coord
Denver..Fire Mike Sullivan-QB coach
Packers..Hire Andy Stenavich-OL-ex 49ers
Packers..Hire Kirk Olivadotti-LB-ex Miami
Packers..Interview Luke Getsy-Off Coord-ex Mississippi State
Vikings..Fire Todd Downing-TE coach
Washington..Hire Nate Kaczor-Special Teams-ex Tampa Bay
Washington..Vote of confidence to Greg Manusky-Def Coord
Pittsburgh..Owner Art Rooney says he will open contract extension talks with Mike Tomlin…’has never had a losing season in 12-years’…’We do not have a culture problem on this team’…..’This did not become a circus.
Jets..Coach Adam Gase…’I came here to win football games-not win twitter-it’s all pollution’
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(Roster Moves)
Cowboys..Sign FA-WR-Devin Smith-ex Jets 2nd round pick
Colts..Sign FA-TE-Gabe Holmes-ex Arizona
Chicago..Sign FA-WR-Jordan Lambert-CFL-Saskatchewan (62R)
Raiders..RB-Marshawn Lynch says he wants to play in 2019
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(NFL)
Buffalo…Longtime Bills OL-Joe O’Donnell passes away (77)…starred for 9-years in old AFL on Jack Kemp teams.
NFL..Record 135-underclassmen file for upcoming NFL draft.
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(College Football)
Alabama..Hire Kyle Flood-OL coach-ex Atlanta Falcons
Alabama..Hire Sal Sunseri-LB coach-ex Florida
Iowa State..Hire Tom Manning-TE coach-ex Colts
Bowling Green..Carl Polini quits as Off Coor-take Youngstown State
Coastal Carolina..Joe Maglia resigns-took team from 1AA-to-1A.
Virginia Military Institute..Mourns passing of record setting RB-KR-Tim Maypray-passed away age 30…had played in CFL with Montreal Alouettes..then Res coach at VMI and last year at record setting Davidson College.
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……(Baseball)…..
Padres…Trade Talks with Yankees-Indians stalled over demands that P-Joey Luchessi be included in deals for Cory Kluber-Sonny Gray.
Dodgers….Open negotiations with FA-OF-AJ Pollock-Arizona…career (.281)…last year riddled by injuries-hit (.2578-21HR)
Dodgers-White Sox..Open trade talks for OF-Joc Peterson.
Dodgers-Miami…LA rejects offer of C-JT Realmuto-for-OF-Cody Bellinger.
Dodgers..Father of FA-SS-Manny Machado says LA has made him an offer to return…no decision yet.
Angels..Sign FA-P-Cody Allen-Indians (1Y-8.5M)…had 27-saves last year but inflated (4.70-ERA)
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(Roster Moves)
Yankees-Colorado…Report NY has opened trade talks for Rockies 3B-Nolan Arenado…but deal would have to include NY-3B-Miguel Andujar .OF-Clint Frazier and pitching.
Yankees-Reds…Discussing deal for P-Sonny Gray for 2B-Shed Long and a 2nd round comp draft pick…Reds given permission to negotitate contract extension with Gray-has 1-year left on deal.
Braves…Reject 3Y-contract demand worth 60M from reliever Craig Kimbrel.
Red Sox…President Dave Dombrowski says will not entertain 3Y-demand from reliever Craig Kimbrel….Team not going over the luxury tax to add to bullpen.
Twins..Sign FA-P-Martin Perez-ex Rangers..(43-49) career record
Cubs..Sign FA-P-Rob Scahill-ex White Sox
Braves..Sign FA-P-Jonathon Aro-ex Padres-pitched El Paso.
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(Teams)
Cubs…President Theo Epstein says he believes that SS-Addison Russell deserves ‘2nd chance-if willing to take on difficult work of stabilizing his life’….Was suspended 40-games for multiple domestic abuse incidents with ex-wife…took massive pay cut to re-sign with Cubs.
Cardinals..P-Luke Gregorson suffers setback in shoulder rehab-will miss start of spring training.
Reds..P-Michael Lorenzen (3.11-ERA) will come to camp and also play in the OF and possibly DH.
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……..(Basketball)……
Clippers-W-San Antonio (103-95)…Tobias Harris (27P) in LA win.
Lakers-Golden State….Monday matchup…G-LeBron James not cleared to play by doctors.
Lakers-L-Houston (138-134) OT-Saturday night…James Harden (48P)….Rockets hit 25-3’s…..Lakers lost 21-point in in 2nd half…Kyle Kuzma (32P)…Lakers hit 17-straight free throws….Lakers lost G-Lonzo Ball-sprained ankle…Coach Luke Walton ejected for berating officials….Lakers now (5-8) since LeBron James injury.
Houston..Rockets to sign C-Kenneth Faried-bought out by Brooklyn Nets…will replace injured Clint Kapela on roster.
Houston…Likely to release F-Carmelo Anthony-been inactive for over a month.
Dallas..Mavericks put G-Dennis Smith on trade block.
Denver..G-Isaiah Thomas returns to lineup-was rehabbing from hip surgery.
New Orleans…C-Anthony Davis-sidelined 2W-sprained finger.
Bulls..G-Wendell Carter-surgery-thumb-out 12W.
Detroit..C-Andre Drummond-put into concussion protocol.
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Aztecs….Return to Mountain West action on Tuesday at Fresno State.
USD-L-St Mary’s (76-59)….Toreros trailed by 11-in first half-never recovered on Saturday…
Duke-W-Virginia…Saturday ACC shootout…RT Barrett-Zion Williamson combine (57P) in Blue Devils (72-70) win…snapping Virginia 16-game in streak in battle of #1-vs-#4.
Connecticut…President meets with Athletic Director to discuss 40M-deficit in Athletic Department budget….Big 3-programs-football-mens women’s basketball combined to lose nearly 20M last year alone.
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……..(Hockey)………..
Kings-Blues….Monday night matchup at Staples Center.
Kings-L-Colorado (7-1)…Avalanche score 6G-in 2nd period-knocks Jon Quick out of game.
Ducks-L-NY Islanders (3-0)…Cal Clutterbuck scores 2-goals in 5-minutes on Sunday in win..Ducks had just 19-shots on goal…2-game win streak is snapped.
Ducks-W-New Jersey (3-2)..Rookie Troy Terry goal and assist in NHL debut..Ducks won despite just 14-shots on goal.
Gulls-at-Ontario…Monday night AHL-action
Gulls-L-Bakersfield (6-2)…Gulls get clobbered on home ice-Saturday after recalls and trades made by Anaheim Ducks…Coach Dallas Eakins…’You take 5-guys and goal scoring out of the room-and it’s not the same team’….Ducks called up rookies Troy Terry-Sam Carrick-Max Jones…traded away Joe Blandisi-Luke Schenn.
Vancouver..F-Bo Horvat-injured thigh
Boston..D-Anders Bjork-out 6-months-shoulder surgery
Sabres-Flyers…Buffalo deals F-Justin Baylor to Philadelphia for F-Taylor Leier.
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……(General)…….
Australian Open…..Defending champion Roger Federer upset by Stefanos Tsitsipos-Greece 6-7, 7-6, 7-5, 7-6…The 20-year old Greek rookie survived 12-break points….had 20-aces…won 48-points coming to net…. 3rd round winners Rafael Nadal-Novak Djokovic-Serena Williams…..5th seed Sloane Stephens was beaten.
PGA-Desert Classic….Phil Mickelson loses lead and loses on 18th hole….Mickelson shot (60) on opening round…faded going (69) on Sunday….Adam Long hit 14′ birdie putt on 18th to edge Mickelson and Adam Hadwin by 1-stroke to win in Palm Springs.
Farmers Insurance Open….Tiger Woods-Jason Day-Jordan Spieth-Justin Rose headline the field…16-of-top 30-money winners will play….Phil Mickelson-Dustin Johnson bypassing tourney this year.
Louisville…City names Airport…. Muhammad Ali Field.
NASCAR….Glen Wood-legendary founder of Wood Brothers Racing-passes away (95Y)…formed team in 1950…won 98-races.
English Premier League
..Liverpool-W-Crystal Palace..Mo Salah 2-goals..Liverpool (19-1-3)
..Manchester City-W-Huddersfield..City scores 54-56′ ..(18-3-2)
..Leicester-L-Wolverhampton..Diego Jata-2 goals..game winner 93′
..Manchester United-W-Brighton..Paul Pogba scores..Man U (13-5-5)
..Newcastle-W-Cardiff..Fabian Schar 2-goals
..Everton-L-Southampton..Lose on own goal
..Watford-Tie-Burnley..Watford unbeaten last 4-games
..Bournemouth-W-West Ham..Collum Wilson key goal
..Arsenal-W-Chelsea..Chelsea without a shot for 81-minutes..Gunners now (13-5-5)
..Hot Spur-W-Fulham..Harry Winks goal 93’..Tottenham (17-6-0)
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