Sports
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Vahe Gregorian: How Chiefs are defined by recent identity shift: 'We're going to make you pay'
LAS VEGAS — Inevitable as the Chiefs’ 27-20 victory over the Raiders on Sunday at Allegiant Stadium might have seemed by the end, it also hinged on a crucial inflection point — and on freshly compelling testimony to what should be abundantly evident by now:
As much as this rightfully will always be considered the Patrick Mahomes Era, the ...Read more
Mike Vorel: Seahawks' Mike Macdonald, staff enter prove-it period after ugly loss
SEATTLE — To conclude an understandably somber seven-minute media session, Mike Macdonald was asked Sunday if the Seahawks — at their best — can compete with the Buffalo Bills.
“I think everybody on that field knows our best can compete with them,” said the 37-year-old first-year coach. “And, look: Buffalo is a great team. They’ve...Read more
Tom Krasovic: Resourceful front office, smart trade show in Eagles' rout of Bengals
The executives who run the Philadephia Eagles are like the Silicon Valley sharks who never seem to stop working and have better information than many rivals.
The Cincinnati Bengals, in contrast, are a mom-and-pop shop that, despite having some knack for team-building, succeeds only through limited methods and relies more on good luck.
The ...Read more
On his own holiday, George Kittle again powers 49ers to victory
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Tight end George Kittle had just caught a 2-yard touchdown pass from Brock Purdy to help put the 49ers on their way to a win over the Dallas Cowboys Sunday night when the stadium scoreboard camera went looking for him.
The camera always looks for Kittle. And vice versa. On cue, Kittle rose from the bench and began ...Read more
Instant analysis: Steelers get sparks from Calvin Austin III, T.J. Watt to escape lowly Giants on 'Monday Night Football'
PITTSBURGH — Alex Highsmith brought the kindling, Russell Wilson tossed a couple logs on the fire, and Calvin Austin III poured out some gasoline in the form of not one but two second-half touchdowns.
As usual, T.J. Watt fueled the win.
Austin’s huge plays broke open a dull back-and-forth field goal contest and lifted the Steelers past the...Read more
Have the Eagles found their offensive identity after pounding the Bengals? Jalen Hurts says he's been pushing for it.
CINCINNATI — There's a yin and yang, a balance between the light and dark sides of the force — whatever the phrasing — that coexists in football.
Coaches have long sought to strike this balance — between enforcing your will on the opposition and responding to whatever designs the competition has presented on offense or defense.
Through...Read more
Upon Further Review: Bo Nix's third-down clinic against Panthers a welcome relief from Broncos' season-long struggles
DENVER — Bo Nix already had a pair of third-down conversions in the bag during Denver’s opening drive Sunday against Carolina when he dropped back on third-and-5 from the Carolina 28 and found disaster.
The maligned Panthers defense had good coverage and Nix hesitated, then backtracked and got swallowed up for a 13-yard sack.
The play ...Read more
Scott Fowler: Bryce Young still isn't ready, and Panthers' QB plight remains a hot mess after loss to Broncos
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — I was curious. Maybe you were too. I wanted to know if Bryce Young would look any different after a forced five-week sabbatical. I wrote that Young should start the next game after the Panthers got pummeled by 33 points at Washington on Oct. 20 with Andy Dalton at the helm.
And Young indeed returned on Sunday — not at all ...Read more
5 things we learned from the Ravens' 29-24 loss to the Browns
The Baltimore Ravens’ defense could not come up with a clutch stop, and Lamar Jackson’s offense could not bail them out this time around in a 29-24 loss to the woeful Browns in Cleveland.
Here are five things we learned from the game:
The Ravens’ defense is a five-alarm fire
Kyle Hamilton was the one defender on the field a Ravens fan ...Read more
Paul Sullivan: Tyrique Stevenson's antics made Sunday's epic Bears loss even more epic
CHICAGO — Another addition to the long litany of Chicago sports failures happened Sunday when we least expected it, sneaking up on us while we were checking out the Bears’ schedule to identify their next victims.
Where the stunning Hail Mary loss to the Washington Commanders ranks among the worst of the worst moments in our town’s history...Read more
Omar Kelly: At what point is staying the course counterproductive for the Dolphins?
MIAMI — You want someone to be mad at.
You need somebody to be offered as a sacrifice to the football gods for your pain and suffering.
You desire a valid reason why the Miami Dolphins are yet again a bottom-feeder in the NFL courtesy of this 2-5 start.
“The biggest opponent we have to overcome is ourselves each and every week,” ...Read more
Mark Bradley: Are the Falcons perfect? No. Are they rather good? Yes.
ATLANTA — Let’s pick nits. I’ll start.
— Baker Mayfield threw for 330 yards without his two best receivers.
— He threw 50 passes and, like every quarterback who faces the Falcons, wasn’t sacked.
— Cade Otton was made to look like Gronk.
— Kyle Pitts scored two touchdowns, but I’m not sure the second should have counted.
�...Read more
Christian McCaffrey will ramp up workouts during 49ers' bye week
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — The 49ers have a few matters to attend to before adjourning Tuesday afternoon and taking the rest of the week off.
But not running back Christian McCaffrey.
McCaffrey will turn up the intensity in his workouts while the rest of the team is resting up in hopes of getting activated for practice and ideally be prepared to ...Read more
Mac Engel: Cowboys' highest-paid players are playing like they're overpaid and overrated
The Dallas Cowboys are committed to paying the “Triplets” of Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb and Trevon Diggs a combined sum of around $364 million.
That’s not Canadian dollars, pesos or Bitcoin.
Seven games into this NFL season, the Cowboys are not average and the play of their highest-paid, and “best” players, is beyond a concern.
Owner...Read more
Dan Wiederer: 'Heartbreaking.' How 17 seconds turned into a devastating Hail Mary loss for the Bears.
LANDOVER, Md. — Seventeen seconds.
That’s how long it took Sunday for one of the most incredible, improbable, unfathomable Chicago Bears comebacks to turn into one of the most stunning, dispiriting and soul-shaking losses in franchise history.
Seventeen freaking seconds.
From snap to catch.
From Washington Commanders center Tyler Biadasz...Read more
Tyrique Stevenson apologizes to Bears teammates for his viral lapse on Hail Mary: 'I let the moment get too big'
CHICAGO — Less than 24 hours after his viral lapse in focus on the Washington Commanders’ winning Hail Mary, Chicago Bears cornerback Tyrique Stevenson stood up in a full team meeting Monday at Halas Hall and attempted to take accountability.
Stevenson knew he let his teammates down when he turned his back to the field to interact with the ...Read more
John Niyo: Business is booming for the NFC-best Lions
DETROIT — The Lions are the best team in the NFC, if not the entire NFL.
Might as well start there after a game like yesterday. Especially when it comes on the heels of a game like the one before it.
A week after going on the road and beating Minnesota in dramatic fashion to take sole possession of the NFC North lead, Dan Campbell’s team ...Read more
Matt Calkins: Seahawks made a lot of mistakes, but here's why they actually lost to Bills
SEATTLE — There's an old coachspeak phrase that says you don't want to play two teams at the same time — yourselves and the opponent.
It's a maxim rooted in self-discipline, emphasizing that unforced errors can be just as detrimental as anything your foe throws your way.
Well, on Sunday, the Seahawks did, in fact, take on two teams. And ...Read more
Broncos' Sean Payton to Panthers after accusations of running up score: 'Play better'
DENVER — Sean Payton insisted Monday he and the Broncos were not trying to run up the score in the fourth quarter of a 28-14 win Sunday against Carolina.
Payton, who partially addressed the matter after the game after he exchanged words with Panthers cornerback Jaycee Horn, was asked directly about frustrations from Carolina players on ...Read more
Chiefs trade for pass rusher Joshua Uche from Patriots
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Another week, another player obtained through a trade for the undefeated Kansas City Chiefs.
The Chiefs (7-0) have acquired outside linebacker Joshua Uche, a pass rushing specialist, from the New England Patriots, Andy Reid said on Monday.
“That will be a nice addition,” Reid said.
The news was first reported by NFL....Read more
Popular Stories
- Instant analysis: Steelers get sparks from Calvin Austin III, T.J. Watt to escape lowly Giants on 'Monday Night Football'
- Paul Sullivan: Tyrique Stevenson's antics made Sunday's epic Bears loss even more epic
- Tyrique Stevenson apologizes to Bears teammates for his viral lapse on Hail Mary: 'I let the moment get too big'
- Drew Lock's awkward Giants opportunity vs. Eagles reinforces strange existence for backup QB
- On his own holiday, George Kittle again powers 49ers to victory