Football Page 168 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights

Amazon's 'TNF' sees 11% spike in NFL ratings
The viewership of "Thursday Night Football" on Amazon Prime Video increased for the third straight season, up 11 percent from last season and 38 percent over the 2022 campaign.,Including the Las Vegas Raiders-Kansas City Chiefs matchup on Black Friday (average of 13.5 million viewers), the increase ...

Browns tap Bailey Zappe for finale; 40th starting QB since 1999
At the end of another unproductive season, the Cleveland Browns will turn to their fourth starting quarterback of the year and their 40th since 1999.,The Browns on Thursday named Bailey Zappe their starter for the season finale Saturday at the Baltimore Ravens.,Cleveland (3-13) has lost five straigh...

Vikings, Lions to settle No. 1 seed in 'fairytale' showdown
Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell brings intensity to every game.,As for Sunday night's matchup between the Lions and Minnesota Vikings, which will determine the No. 1 seed in the NFC, Campbell knows his adrenaline will be pumping.,"You couldn't write a better scenario," Campbell said. "This is fairy...

49ers, Cardinals to end season with backups in starting roles
Out of the postseason race, the San Francisco 49ers and Arizona Cardinals are preparing to start backups because of injuries for their season-ending matchup Sunday in Glendale, Ariz.,San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan announced Wednesday that Joshua Dobbs will start at quarterback in place of Brock P...

Dolphins' playoff hopes alive entering finale vs. Jets
The Miami Dolphins remain in the hunt for a playoff berth as they take on the New York Jets on Sunday afternoon in East Rutherford, N.J.,The Dolphins (8-8), who have won two straight, need to beat the Jets (4-12) and hope the Denver Broncos lose at home to the Kansas City Chiefs in order to clinch t...

Playoff-bound Chargers not sitting starters in finale vs. Raiders
A month ago it may have sounded unfathomable, but the Las Vegas Raiders are looking to close a disappointing campaign with a third straight victory on Sunday as they host the playoff-bound Los Angeles Chargers.,It won't be an easy task for a Raiders (4-12) team that has suddenly found life in the se...

Bengals RB Chase Brown, WR Tee Higgins questionable vs. Steelers
Cincinnati Bengals running back Chase Brown and wide receiver Tee Higgins are listed as questionable to play on Saturday night in the season finale against the host Pittsburgh Steelers.,Brown has failed to participate in practice both days this week while nursing an ankle injury. Higgins is dealing ...

Seahawks chase 10th win in finale against stingy Rams
Not surprisingly, the Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams will take different approaches into Sunday's regular-season finale in Inglewood, Calif.,The Rams (10-6), who already have clinched the NFC West title, plan to start backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo to rest 16-year veteran Matthew Stafford...

NFL reveals dates on franchise tags, new league year
The NFL on Thursday announced several important dates that affect the league's qualifying teams for the upcoming playoffs and the 2025 season at large.,Case in point is Monday for free-agent signings and renegotiating or extending rookie contracts of a drafted rookie who was selected in any round of...

Elusive playoff berth at stake as Broncos host Chiefs
Bo Nix was in high school the last time the Denver Broncos qualified for the playoffs.,Should the rookie quarterback snap his team's two-game losing streak on Sunday against the visiting Kansas City Chiefs (15-1), Denver would clinch the No. 7 seed in the AFC playoffs.,It would be the first playoff ...

Eyeing division title, Bucs expect 'dogfight' with Saints
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have a simple scenario for extending their season.,If the Buccaneers (9-7) defeat the visiting Saints (5-11) on Sunday afternoon, they will be NFC South champions for the fourth consecutive season and will host a playoff game next weekend.,"We have a chance to control our ow...

AFC South rivals Colts, Jaguars playing out string
The Indianapolis Colts have nothing to play for this week and the players know where to point -- at themselves.,The Colts complete their fourth consecutive non-playoff season on Sunday when they host the Jacksonville Jaguars in a battle of AFC South squads.,The Jaguars (4-12) have long been eliminat...

Patriots focused on upsetting Bills, not on top overall draft pick
Losing on purpose isn't the plan for the New England Patriots as they prepare to face the Buffalo Bills on Sunday afternoon in Foxborough, Mass.,While New England (3-13) officially would secure the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft if it falls to Buffalo in the regular-season finale, Patriots...

Texans intent on halting skid in finale vs. Titans
The Houston Texans plan to use their healthy players despite having nothing to gain from Sunday's regular-season finale at the Tennessee Titans in Nashville, Tenn.,After all, the Texans, who have lost two games in a row, are locked into the fourth seed for the AFC playoffs. But second-year coach DeM...

Jordan Love, Packers use clash vs. Bears as postseason tune-up
Sunday's meeting between the host Green Bay Packers and Chicago marks the first time that the Bears have visited their longtime rivals in the regular-season finale in successive years.,Darned if this one doesn't feel similarly sunny for the playoff-bound Packers (11-5) and eerily murky for the Bears...

Facing Cowboys, Commanders aim for momentum ahead of playoffs
The Washington Commanders are putting their long-standing label of laughingstocks behind them with their winningest season since the 1991 campaign.,That season also marks the franchise's most recent Super Bowl title. The current squad clinched a playoff berth last weekend and looks to finish the reg...

Ravens, Lions lead selections for Pro Bowl Games
The Baltimore Ravens placed nine players on the 2025 Pro Bowl Games rosters, announced Thursday by the NFL.,The Detroit Lions also saw seven players picked, one of six teams with at least five players chosen for the event, which culminates Feb. 2 with a flag football game between the AFC and NFC in ...
Jeremiah Smith and Wide Receiver U’s Rose Bowl Legacy
The Rose Bowl was all Ohio State Buckeyes against the Oregon Ducks. More than that, it was all Jeremiah Smith, cementing OSU's legacy as Wide Receiver University. ...
Sports World Reacts to Cam Skattebo, Jeremiah Smith Dominating New Year's Day
Everybody in the sports world was tuned into the College Football Playoff on New Year's Day, where Cam Skattebo and Jeremiah Smith stole the show....

With shot at NFC South title, Falcons set for Panthers
Sunday's regular-season finale in Atlanta between the Falcons and Carolina Panthers will be do-or-die for the home team.,Had Atlanta (8-8) held on to defeat the Washington Commanders last Sunday, the Falcons could have clinched their first NFC South crown since 2016 with a victory over Carolina (4-1...