review Page 585 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights

Kam Jones, No. 8 Marquette back home to face inconsistent Creighton
After they celebrated New Year's Eve with victories, two of the top teams in the Big East will go at it in Milwaukee when No. 8 Marquette hosts Creighton on Friday night.,Marquette (12-2, 3-0 Big East) took care of Providence on the road on Tuesday, dominating 78-50. It was the Golden Eagles' first ...

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...

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...

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...

No. 18 Michigan State has ‘work to do’ with Ohio State next
With non-conference games in the rear-view mirror, Ohio State will host No. 18 Michigan State on Friday night in Columbus to start its stretch of 18 consecutive Big Ten games to complete the regular season.,For the Spartans (11-2, 2-0), a lackluster 80-62 win over Western Michigan on Monday was a wa...

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...

No. 2 Georgia, No. 7 Notre Dame meet in Sugar Bowl after tragedy
Georgia and Notre Dame will take the field Thursday afternoon at the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans amid heightened security and carrying the emotions of more than a berth in the College Football Playoff semifinals on the line.,The two teams are grappling with the aftermath of a suspected terrorist attac...

Joel Embiid, 76ers visit struggling Warriors
One day after failing to extend a four-game winning streak without the services of Joel Embiid, the Philadelphia 76ers will attempt to start a new winning string with him Thursday night when they visit the Golden State Warriors in San Francisco.,Embiid, who has a sore left foot of late, sat out the ...

Giants aim to avert franchise record in finale vs. resting Eagles
With the host Philadelphia Eagles resting key players on Sunday, the New York Giants will attempt to avoid finishing with the most losses in the franchise's 100-year history.,The Giants (3-13) have never lost 14 games in a season, finishing 4-13 in 2021 and 3-13 in 2017. New York enters Week 18 tied...

Bucks' Big 3 set to face struggling Nets
Milwaukee stars Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton and Damian Lillard are expected to be on the floor together for just the sixth time this season when the Bucks face the visiting Brooklyn Nets on Thursday night.,Milwaukee improved to 4-1 when the three have played together with a 120-112 win ov...

Joe Burrow, playoff-hopeful Bengals take aim at rival Steelers
The streaking Cincinnati Bengals need a Week 18 victory and some help to crash their way into the playoffs.,The Pittsburgh Steelers just want to end their recent funk and improve their postseason fortunes.,The two AFC North rivals will have a lot on the line when the Bengals visit the Steelers on Sa...

Pacers expect to face tough zone defense in Miami
Indiana Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said he expects to see plenty of zone defense when his team travels to Miami to face the Heat on Thursday night.,Carlisle said Indiana was "abysmal" across the last quarter-and-a-half against Milwaukee's sustained zone in a 120-112 loss on Tuesday. The Pacers held ...