Jared Goff throws and runs for TDs, helping the Lions bounce back with a 20-6 win over Falcons

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:21:07 GMT

Jared Goff throws and runs for TDs, helping the Lions bounce back with a 20-6 win over Falcons DETROIT (AP) — Jared Goff faked a handoff, dropped back and lofted a pass to a stunningly open Sam LaPorta.Goff’s tiebreaking 45-yard touchdown pass to LaPorta early in the second quarter sent Detroit to a 20-6 victory over Atlanta Falcons on Sunday in a rebound performance for the Lions.“We had that play written up all week,” Goff said.Atlanta, somehow, seemed to miss LaPorta on the scouting report.The former Iowa star, drafted No. 34 overall, was the first NFL tight end to catch five passes in each of his first two games. He surpassed that production with eight receptions for 84 yards and his first score against the Falcons.LaPorta has 18 catches, the most by an NFL tight end through three games. The previous record was 17 receptions for Keith Jackson in 1988 for Philadelphia at the start of his three-time All-Pro career.“He’s a stud,” Goff said. “He has a great feel for the game. Great hands, obviously, and great speed.“The sky is the limit and hopefully I’ll play wit...

Atlanta Falcons baffled by offensive collapse in 20-6 loss to Detroit Lions

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:21:07 GMT

Atlanta Falcons baffled by offensive collapse in 20-6 loss to Detroit Lions DETROIT (AP) — The Atlanta Falcons were confident they would be able to move the ball on the Detroit Lions.After a 20-6 loss, they still felt the same way.“It’s never a matter of another team beating you rather than you beating yourself,” Falcons quarterback Desmond Ridder said. “There are a lot of times in our situation where we beat ourselves and don’t play to our full potential.”The Falcons averaged 24.5 points in season-opening wins against Carolina and Green Bay, thanks to 352 yards passing for Ridder and 303 yards from running backs Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier.None of that worked on Sunday at Ford Field.Ridder was 21 for 38 for 201 yards and took seven sacks for 62 yards. Robinson and Allgeier only managed 45 yards on 17 carries, and no one got into the end zone.“Give the Lions credit, because they took us out of our offensive rhythm and we never got it back,” Falcons coach Arthur Smith said. “They forced us to take a lot of negative plays early in drives, wh...

Anscombe kicks Wales into Rugby World Cup quarterfinals as Australia crushed

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:21:07 GMT

Anscombe kicks Wales into Rugby World Cup quarterfinals as Australia crushed LYON, France (AP) — Wales became the first Rugby World Cup team to qualify for the quarterfinals on Sunday while virtually shutting the door on Australia’s hopes.The far more experienced Welsh won by a record 40-6 by expertly executing a low-risk, disciplined gameplan and crucifying Australian mistakes.Wales rope-a-doped the Wallabies.“We were clinical, controlled the game, we didn’t really give them anything,” Wales coach Warren Gatland said. “This team gets better and better and, with some confidence and momentum, we’re in a pretty good place now.”The Wallabies have never missed the quarterfinals but losing consecutive pool games for the first time in 36 years left their fate in the hands of their tiny Pacific neighbor Fiji, which upended them last week.Australia should win its last Pool C game against Portugal next weekend but it won’t matter if Fiji accounts for its remaining games against Georgia and Portugal. If so, the Fijians will follow Wales into the quar...

Myles Garrett, Cleveland’s defense devour Titans, Deshaun Watson has 2 TD passes in Browns’ 27-3 win

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:21:07 GMT

Myles Garrett, Cleveland’s defense devour Titans, Deshaun Watson has 2 TD passes in Browns’ 27-3 win CLEVELAND (AP) — Nick Chubb’s season-ending injury didn’t crush the Cleveland Browns.For one day, they looked even stronger.Myles Garrett sacked Ryan Tannehill 3 1/2 times and fronted a swarming defense that limited Tennessee to a record-low 94 yards as the Browns rolled to a 27-3 win over the Titans on Sunday.Six days after the Browns (2-1) were gutted by seeing Chubb, the heart and soul of the team, carted off in tears with a severe knee injury at Pittsburgh, Garrett and Cleveland’s defense stepped up with a dominant performance that overwhelmed the Titans (1-2).The Browns’ offense did its part as well, with Deshaun Watson bouncing back from two subpar performances to start the season with his best day since signing with Cleveland. Watson completed 27 of 33 passes for 289 yards and two touchdowns, his 43-yarder to Amari Cooper putting the Browns up 27-3 in the fourth quarter. Other than an ill-advised pitch while being harassed, Watson was on target.“That’s...

Jeffers and Ryan lead AL Central champion Twins to 9-3 win over Angels

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:21:07 GMT

Jeffers and Ryan lead AL Central champion Twins to 9-3 win over Angels MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Ryan Jeffers homered, tripled and drove in three runs to back a strong outing by Joe Ryan on Sunday as the Minnesota Twins pulled away late for a 9-3 win over the Los Angeles Angels.After a 50-minute rain delay, Jeffers and Max Kepler each hit a two-run homer in the seventh inning to help the Twins expand a one-run lead.Jorge Polanco also went deep, Matt Wallner reached base four times and scored twice, and Trevor Larnach had two RBIs as Minnesota posted its first victory since clinching the AL Central title by beating the Angels on Friday night.Brandon Drury drove in two runs and Zach Neto had two hits and an RBI for the Angels, who have lost nine of 11.Los Angeles reliever Carson Fulmer (0-1), making his first major league appearance since 2021, allowed three runs over four innings to take the loss.Ryan (11-10) tied Pablo López for the team lead in wins. He pitched six innings, giving up three runs on seven hits with no walks and 10 strikeouts — one shy of his c...

What is the most popular alcohol in Colorado? Not the same as most states

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:21:07 GMT

What is the most popular alcohol in Colorado? Not the same as most states (NEXSTAR) — During the warmer months, you may have found yourself out to eat. Maybe you even sat on the patio, enjoying the warm moments before they faded into the chill of winter. There is also a pretty good chance you had a cold drink in hand, according to a new report. Toast, a restaurant point of sale and management system, recently reviewed customer trends across its roughly 93,000 U.S. restaurants, including people's alcohol-purchasing behaviors.  Top spots to drink local hard cider around Denver Overall, Toast found that if a customer was ordering alcohol, it was most likely going to be beer, which ranked as the most popular adult beverage being ordered in all 50 states during the second quarter of 2023. While you may guess a state like Wisconsin, which is home to the most self-reported excessive drinkers and a history in the beer industry, would be ordering beer the most, but it was actually their neighbors to the west. Minnesota restaurant-goers drank rough...

Rain slowly moves out Monday

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:21:07 GMT

Rain slowly moves out Monday The remnants of Ophelia will continue to effect New England on Monday, but aren’t expected to stick around for the whole day. The storm’s center will pass south of Long Island, producing another round of showers overnight tonight and through Monday morning. It’ll be a bit windy as well, with gusts upwards of 30mph in spots along the coast, upwards of 20mph inland. By Monday afternoon, a high pressure system from southern Canada will begin to force the storm out to sea, allowing sunshine to take over for parts of the area. Southern New Hampshire will see sunshine first, and it should reach Boston by early afternoon. It takes a bit longer for the South Shore but showers are expected to linger for the Cape and Islands through early evening. Behind Ophelia’s remnants, a prolonged dry stretch is in the forecast, along with some seasonable September weather.

Callahan: Beating the Jets buys the Patriots time, but little else

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:21:07 GMT

Callahan: Beating the Jets buys the Patriots time, but little else EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Only by the grace of Zach Wilson, the NFL’s most putrid passer and generous opponent, are the Patriots 1-2.The Pats won Sunday because they knew two things about Wilson: an early lead and killing clock is all you need. The kid will handle the rest.This is what a thoroughly defanged Pats-Jets rivalry has devolved to: both teams working around their quarterbacks, asking them to screw up less than the other guy.Mac Jones completed barely half his passes Sunday and failed to close the Jets out on three separate drives inside the last three minutes. But at least he didn’t take a safety, like Wilson did. Or throw for zero yards on fourth-and-10, like Wilson did. Or lead a 1-for-8 showing on third down, like Wilson did.To review…Trailing 13-10, Wilson cushioned the Pats’ lead by taking an unforgivable sack inside the end zone with 2:19 to play. Jones went three-and-out on the next series, giving Wilson a second chance just inside the 2-...

Cape Cod HS Golf: SJP nips Hingham by a stroke

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:21:07 GMT

Cape Cod HS Golf: SJP nips Hingham by a stroke BREWSTER — As a chilly mist set in Sunday afternoon, Terry Manning knew he and his teammates were going to be in for a long day at the course. Yet, you definitely wouldn’t have known it, given how things shook out on the final scorecard for the Catholic Conference star.The senior captain dazzled fans in attendance, shooting a 74 (two-over-par) as St. John’s Prep captured its latest Cape Cod Invitational championship with 231 combined points at Cape Cod National Golf Club.“It feels outstanding,” Manning said afterward. “It kind of shows me where I stand in the field and where I stand in this entire league. Today really showed who knows how to play. The best of the best golf courses out here, and with these conditions, it was honestly anyone’s game. I was just glad that I was out there making sure I found the fairway, found the green, and just walked off happy.”Manning finished second among all individual competitors, helping St. John’s Prep edge Hingham by one stroke for the title. T...

Luis Robert Jr. made history for the Chicago White Sox then exited, plus more takeaways from the Boston Red Sox series

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:21:07 GMT

Luis Robert Jr. made history for the Chicago White Sox then exited, plus more takeaways from the Boston Red Sox series Gavin Sheets called the conditions “weird.”The Chicago White Sox made it through the elements to capture their first series win since August with Sunday’s rain-shortened 3-2 victory against the Boston Red Sox in front of 33,399 at Fenway Park.The game was called after six innings and a delay of 1 hour, 43 minutes because of inclement weather in the area.“It was just one of those things you grind through,” said Sheets, who went 0-for-1 with a walk, a run and a sacrifice fly. The outfielder also stole the first base of his career.Sheets scored on a two-run double by Elvis Andrus in the fifth inning as the White Sox took a 2-1 lead. He added the sacrifice fly one inning later.The White Sox took two of three in the series. It’s their first series victory since Aug. 7-9 against the New York Yankees at Guaranteed Rate Field.“Our pitching carried us,” Sheets said.Here are three takeaways from the three games.1. Luis Robert Jr. added to his im...