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Steelers, Colts put their playoff hopes on the line in a pivotal AFC matchup

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:13:53 GMT

PITTSBURGH (7-6) at INDIANAPOLIS (7-6)Saturday, 4:30 p.m. EST, NFL Network.OPENING LINE: Colts by 2 1/2, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.AGAINST THE SPREAD: Steelers 7-6, Colts 8-5.SERIES RECORD: Steelers lead 26-6.LAST MEETING: Steelers beat Colts 24-17 on Nov. 28, 2022 in Indianapolis.LAST WEEK: Steelers lost to Patriots 21-18, Colts lost to Bengals 34-14.STEELERS OFFENSE: OVERALL (27), RUSH (15), PASS (28), SCORING (27).STEELERS DEFENSE: OVERALL (21), RUSH (21), PASS (21), SCORING (7).COLTS OFFENSE: OVERALL (14), RUSH (16), PASS (17), SCORING (8).COLTS DEFENSE: OVERALL (25), RUSH (26T), PASS (17), SCORING (29).TURNOVER DIFFERENTIAL: Steelers plus-10; Colts plus-1.STEELERS PLAYER TO WATCH: QB Mitch Trubisky. His first start in place of the injured Kenny Pickett didn’t go as smoothly as planned. He threw an early interception on an ill-advised pass that sailed into triple coverage, setting up a New England touchdown. He also made a questionable decision to throw deep to WR Di...

Four days after losing 3-0, Raiders set franchise scoring record, beat Chargers 63-21

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:13:53 GMT

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Four days after losing 3-0, the Las Vegas Raiders scored 42 points by halftime, didn’t let the Los Angeles Chargers cross midfield until the third quarter and rolled to a record-setting 63-21 victory on Thursday night.The Raiders set a franchise scoring record, topping the team’s 59-14 victory at Denver on Oct. 24, 2010. It was the most points allowed by the Chargers, who previously gave up 57 to the St. Louis Rams on Oct. 1, 2000.The Raiders led 42-0 at halftime, just three points shy of the NFL record for halftime margin that was set in 2009 when New England led Tennessee 45-0. The 42-point margin has been matched two other times — by Green Bay over Chicago in 2014 and the Packers over Tampa Bay in 1983. Las Vegas also tied the franchise record for points in a half, set in 1969 against Buffalo.The halftime deficit was the biggest in Chargers history. They trailed the Patriots 31-0 in 1997.It was a stunning turnaround for the Raiders (6-8), who gave up ...

Blue Jackets beat Maple Leafs 6-5 in OT after blowing 5-goal lead in 3rd

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:13:53 GMT

TORONTO (AP) — Kent Johnson scored his second goal of the game at 3:26 of overtime to give the Columbus Blue Jackets a 6-5 victory over Toronto on Thursday night after the Maple Leafs overcame a five-goal deficit in the third period.Patrik Laine, Justin Danforth, Yegor Chinakhov and Johnny Gaudreau also scored for Columbus and Elvis Merzlikins made 43 saves.“I’m going to go through my emotions,” Blue Jackets coach Pascal Vincent said. “I’m going to watch it, I don’t want to talk about … going into the details. We’re learning that third period thing. Found a way to win the game. Came here to get two points, we got two points.”Auston Matthews scored Toronto’s final two goals to break a tie for the NHL lead with 23. William Nylander, Mitch Marner and Jake McCabe also scored and Ilya Samsonov stopped 29 shots to help Toronto run its points streak to eight at 5-0-3.“We’ve been a resilient group all season, it’s a credit to the guys,” Toronto coach Sheldon Keefe said. ” (We wa...

Jokic gets 10th triple-double of season as Nuggets beat Nets 124-101

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:13:53 GMT

DENVER (AP) — Nikola Jokic became the first NBA player with at least 10 triple-doubles in seven straight seasons as the Denver Nuggets beat the Brooklyn Nets 124-101 on Thursday night for their third consecutive win.Jokic had 26 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists in his 115th career triple-double during the regular season. Denver also was bolstered by the return of Jamal Murray, who missed Tuesday’s game at Chicago with ankle soreness. He scored 16 points, and Peyton Watson added 18 for the defending champion Nuggets.Playing the back end of back-to-back games on the road, the Nets were missing Dennis Smith Jr., who did not make the trip while continuing to recover from an upper-back injury. They were led by Spencer Dinwiddie’s 17 points, with Cam Thomas adding 13.Up by 13 at halftime, the Nuggets broke loose for 38 points in the third quarter with Jokic putting the finishing touches on the surge by driving for a layup in the waning seconds of the period. They led 90-67 g...

Pro Picks: Josh Allen and the Bills will slow down Dallas and edge the Cowboys in a shootout

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:13:53 GMT

Pro Picks is a weekly column where AP Pro Football Writer Rob Maaddi shares his picks for upcoming games. For all previous Pro Picks, head here.___Josh Allen put Buffalo back in the division race. Dak Prescott has Dallas in the chase for the No. 1 seed.Sunday’s Cowboys-Bills game is the marquee matchup of Week 15. After upsetting Kansas City on the road and getting help when Miami collapsed against Tennessee, the Bills (7-6) suddenly have a shot to play for the AFC East title if they can make up one game in the standings heading into Week 18 against the Dolphins (9-4).They have to find a way to slow Prescott and the streaking Cowboys (10-3). Dallas has won five straight games by an average margin of 23.2 points. The Cowboys begin a difficult stretch that’ll determine whether they will win the NFC East or enter the playoffs as a wild-card team. The Bills are 1 1/2-point favorites, according to FanDuel Sportsbook. Pro Picks likes Allen in a shootout because Buffalo is more...

Live updates | Palestinian prime minister says US must seek a 2-state solution. Israel vows to fight

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:13:53 GMT

Israeli soldiers prepare to enter the Gaza Strip, at a staging area near the Israeli-Gaza border, in southern Israel, Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2023. The army is battling Palestinian militants across Gaza in the war ignited by Hamas' Oct. 7 attack into Israel. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)(AP/Ohad Zwigenberg) Israeli soldiers prepare to enter the Gaza Strip, at a staging area near the Israeli-Gaza border, in southern Israel, Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2023. The army is battling Palestinian militants across Gaza in the war ignited by Hamas' Oct. 7 attack into Israel. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)(AP/Ohad Zwigenberg) The Palestinian prime minister said in an interview Thursday that the Biden administration must now “walk the walk” and...

Rocket Lab launches a Japanese satellite from the space company’s complex in New Zealand

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:13:53 GMT

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — California-based Rocket Lab, which specializes in putting small satellites into orbit, launched a Japanese satellite on Friday from the space company’s complex on New Zealand’s Mahia Peninsula.The mission, named “The Moon God Awakens,” was initially scheduled for Wednesday but was postponed due to forecast strong winds. The Electron rocket launched at 5:06 p.m. local time (0406 GMT).The rocket is carrying a TSUKUYOMI-I satellite into orbit on behalf of Japanese start-up Institute for Q-shu Pioneers of Space Inc.Rocket Lab is to release a statement on the mission’s progress after the satellite reaches its orbit around an hour after takeoff.The synthetic-aperture radar satellite, named after a Japanese god of the moon, will collect images of the Earth, Rocket Lab said.The mission is Rocket Lab’s 10th for 2023, exceeding its annual record of nine set last year.It is the 42nd Electron launch from Mahia or from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spacepor...

In first news conference with Dodgers, Shohei Ohtani dodges questions about Tommy John surgery

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:13:53 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Shohei Ohtani opened his first news conference with the Los Angeles Dodgers by dodging questions about whether he had a second Tommy John surgery.“At the time of the announcement, we didn’t know which way we were going to go. That’s why I never said what type of procedure was going to be done,” Ohtani said through a translator Thursday during his introduction after receiving a record $700 million, 10-year contract.It was Ohtani’s first time speaking with the media since Aug. 9, two weeks before a pitching injury that required surgery with Dodgers head team physician Dr. Neal ElAttrache on Sept. 19 and will keep him off the mound until 2025. Ohtani had Tommy John surgery performed by ElAttrache on Oct. 1, 2018.“I’m not obviously an expert in the medical field, but it was a procedure,” Ohtani said. “I’m not sure what it’s called. I know it was completely different from my first time, so I don’t know what you want to call it. You could probabl...

Wild say they took ‘appropriate steps’ after 2 investigations into possible conduct violations

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:13:53 GMT

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — The Minnesota Wild recently concluded two investigations into their code of conduct, and the organization said Thursday night it took “appropriate steps” to address the matters that were brought to its attention.The Athletic reported that Bill Guerin was the focus of an investigation following a complaint by an employee who accused the team’s president of hockey operations and general manager of verbal abuse. The Athletic’s report was based on anonymous sourcing, and the team statement made no mention of Guerin.NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said in an email to the Star Tribune that the league was satisfied with how the Wild handled the situation. The Wild said they would have no further comment.It has been a rough start to the season for Minnesota, which improved to 11-12-4 with a 3-2 shootout win over Calgary on Thursday night. It fired coach Dean Evason on Nov. 27 and replaced him with John Hynes. Assistant general manager Chris O’Hearn left ...

Wizard’s star Kyle Kuzma gives back to DC families this holiday season

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:13:53 GMT

Washington Wizard’s forward Kyle Kuzma made some D.C. kids’ holiday season a little brighter on Thursday.He visited King-Greenleaf Recreation Center in Ward 6 for his inaugural Golden Ticket Holiday Family Drive where families were able to pick up clothes, blankets and toys.“My purpose is just to do good and put smiles on people’s faces, and give them hope and inspire them,” Kuzma said.According to organizers, Kuzma donated thousands of items for the drive. The event was hosted by the Kyle Kuzma Family Foundation which is dedicated to supporting single mothers and their children.Kuzma was raised by a single mom in Flint, Michigan. Thursday’s event is a part of a larger effort by the player’s foundation to get essential goods to families in need throughout his hometown and in D.C. toggle audio on and off change volume ...