NFL: Rodgers edges Brady as Packers hold off Bucs

LOS ANGELES -- Aaron Rodgers scored only his second career victory over Tom Brady as the Green Bay Packers squeezed past the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 14-12 on Sunday.

The fifth -- and possibly final -- meeting of the two NFL superstar quarterbacks failed to deliver a high-scoring shoot-out at Tampa's Raymond James Stadium and instead unfolded as a gritty defensive battle.

Brady had looked poised to engineer one of his trademark late rallies after leading the Bucs on a 13-play 89-yard drive that resulted in a touchdown for Russell Gage with just seconds remaining.

That score left the Bucs within a two-point conversion of forcing overtime. 

But a costly delay-of-game penalty took Tampa Bay further away from the goalline and Brady's floated pass to Gage was batted away as Green Bay effectively iced the game.

Rodgers threw for 255 yards with two touchdowns and one interception while Brady finished with 271 yards and one touchdown.

"It's been a lot of fun competing against Tom over the years, and it's always fun to come out on top because it hasn't happened many times," Rodgers said afterwards.

Brady meanwhile bemoaned Tampa Bay's misfiring offense.

"Defense played great, but we gotta play better on offense," he said. 

"We haven't scored many points all season. We gotta get a lot better."

There was a similarly nervy finale in Miami, as the Miami Dolphins' defense shut down Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills to grind out a 21-19 victory in a hard-fought NFL divisional battle.

Bills quarterback Allen finished with 400 passing yards and two touchdowns but was found wanting on Buffalo's final two drives as they chased a game-winning touchdown.

Miami had taken a 21-17 lead after Chase Edmonds crashed over from close range near the end of the fourth quarter.

Allen took Buffalo upfield on the next possession, but missed a wide open Isaiah McKenzie in the end zone on fourth down as a gilt-edged chance went begging.

- 'Butt punt' goes viral -

Buffalo's defense forced Miami to concede a safety after a bizarre play where punter Thomas Morstead kicked the ball directly into the backside of team-mate Trent Sherfield.

The incident -- hastily dubbed the "Butt Punt" on social media -- left Buffalo needing only a field goal to snatch victory.

However their attempts to get the ball into field goal range fell short when McKenzie gathered an Allen pass but was unable to reach out of bounds to stop the clock. 

The Bills failed to spike the ball to halt play and time expired.

"Last week you saw what our offense could do, but this week you can see our defense is capable of stepping up and being able to finish a tough game like that," Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa said.

"We're starting to find our identity as a team," added Tagovailoa, who had been forced to leave the field with an apparent head injury before returning in the second half.

US media reports said the NFL Players Association will investigate how Tagovailoa was allowed to come back on the field despite appearing to have suffered a concussion.

Dophins receiver Tyreek Hill meanwhile was simply relieved the team survived Morstead's "Butt Punt".

"I've never seen a butt punt," Hill said. "Next time (Sherfield's) gonna catch it with his butt cheeks."

In other games on Sunday, the Kansas City Chiefs saw their unbeaten start to the season come to an end in a 20-17 defeat on the road to the Indianapolis Colts.

Colts quarterback Matt Ryan threw two touchdowns and 222 yards -- including a clutch game-winning pass to Jelani Woods with 24 seconds remaining -- to seal victory for the Colts.

Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes finished with 262 yards with one touchdown and one interception.

Elsewhere, Lamar Jackson threw four touchdowns and 218 passing yards in the Baltimore Ravens' 37-26 win over the New England Patriots while the Philadelphia Eagles improved to 3-0 with a 24-8 defeat of the Washington Commanders.

The reigning Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams meanwhile relied on rushing touchdowns from Cam Akers and Cooper Kupp to propel them to a 20-12 divisional victory over the Arizona Cardinals in Glendale.

In Los Angeles, however, the Chargers were given a brutal mauling by Trevor Lawrence and the Jacksonville Jaguars, slumping to a 38-10 home defeat at SoFi Stadium.

Lawrence finished with three touchdowns and 262 yards from 28/39 passing in a comprehensive win. 

Agence France-Presse

NFL: Green Bay quarterback Rodgers wins third MVP award

TAMPA -- Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers was named NFL's Most Valuable Player for a third time on Saturday after a stellar 2020 campaign in which he led the Packers to a league-best 13-3 regular-season record.

Seeded first in the NFC, the Rodgers and the Packers missed out on a Super Bowl berth when they fell to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC championship game.

Rodgers, 37, had perhaps the best season of his 16-year career, leading the NFL with 48 touchdown passes and a completion rate of 70.7%. He threw just five interceptions all season.

Rodgers joins a short list of three-time winners that features Jim Brown, Johnny Unitas, Peyton Manning, Tom Brady and his own former Green Bay teammate, Brett Favre.

"The guys on that list are guys I grew up watching, idolizing," said Rodgers, who also won the award in 2011 and 2014. "To join that list of guys who've won it more than twice is pretty special.

"To have won it in my fourth year as a starter was very special, and now to win it in my 13th year as a starter, in a new offense, is pretty amazing and something I'm really proud of," Rodgers said.

The NFL announced its season-ending awards in a televised ceremony on Saturday night as part of the festivities surrounding Sunday's Super Bowl 55 in Tampa.

Tom Brady and the Buccaneers will be taking on Patrick Mahomes and his reigning Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs.

Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald scooped his third Defensive Player of the Year award in four seasons.

Donald was the best defensive player on the Rams' top-ranked defense in 2020.

He generated a league-high 76 quarterback pressures, including in playoff games, with 13 1/2 quarterback sacks.

The 29-year-old's 85.5 career sacks rank third-most in a player's first seven seasons since the NFL began tracking individual sacks in 1982.

He's just the third player ever to win three Defensive Player of the Year awards, joining J.J. Watt and Lawrence Taylor.

Washington Football Team quarterback Alex Smith was named Comeback Player of the Year, making his first appearance in a game in week five since November 18, 2018, when a grisly right leg injury ended his season and threatened his career.

Smith, who endured a severe infection and 17 surgeries, played eight games and went 5-1 as a starter to help Washington make the playoffs for the first time since 2015.

He missed the first-round game against Tampa Bay with a calf injury.

He finished with 1,582 passing yards with six touchdowns and eight interceptions.

Coach of the Year honors went to Cleveland's Kevin Stefanski, who guided the Browns to their first playoff win in 25 years in his first season at the helm.

Stefanski garnered half of the 50 votes, with Buffalo Bills coach Sean McDermott earning seven.

Stefanski's Browns posted their first 11-win season since 1994 -- the last time Cleveland won a playoff game.

His offensive system allowed third-year quarterback Baker Mayfield to flourish, and helped make the Browns the league's third-best offense in the red zone.

Agence France-Presse

NFL: Chiefs, Saints clinch playoff berths

 

LOS ANGELES -- Patrick Mahomes threw for 318 yards and a touchdown and Harrison Butker kicked five field goals as the Kansas City Chiefs secured a playoff berth with a 22-16 win over the Denver Broncos on Sunday.

Receiver Travis Kelce caught eight passes for 136 yards and the go-ahead touchdown in the third quarter as the Chiefs improved to 11-1 for the second time in franchise history.

"We just keep building," said Kelce. "We knew coming into the season that we have to rebuild a championship team. We had different pieces and we had to put them all together to make a sound team. I think you saw that tonight." 

The Chiefs won their 11th straight game against the Broncos, a streak that dates back five years. They will clinch the division championship if they win any of their four remaining games, including next Sunday's meeting with the Miami Dolphins.

They are a half-game behind the 11-0 Pittsburgh Steelers in the race for the AFC's top playoff seed.

The Chiefs will also be in the postseason for the sixth straight season, a team record. 

Tyrann Mathieu intercepted Broncos quarterback Drew Lock twice, including one pick with just 24 seconds left that helped seal the game.

- Mayfield's stellar half -

Cleveland quarterback Baker Mayfield threw for four first-half touchdowns as the Browns scored on all six first-half possessions to beat the Tennessee Titans 41-35.

The Browns' six scores led to 38 points, which established a franchise record for points in the first half.

Mayfield completed 25 of 33 passes for 334 yards. The only other Browns' quarterback to throw four touchdowns in the first half was Otto Graham in 1951.

"Great plays. Up front, the protection was great, and our guys were getting open and making those plays. It is a combination," said Mayfield.

The Browns had a chance to add to their points total, but Donovan Peoples-Jones couldn't hold on to a potential scoring pass. That led to kicker Cody Parkey's 27-yard field goal with just under 11 minutes to go in the first quarter.

Cleveland improved to 9-3 on the season, while the Titans fell into a first place tie in the AFC South Division with Indianapolis, who beat Houston 26-20.

Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill finished 29 of 45 for 389 yards with three touchdowns. He also had an interception. 

League rushing leader Derrick Henry was held to 60 yards on 15 carries for Tennessee.

- Rodgers 'fun' milestone -

In Green Bay, Aaron Rodgers threw three touchdown passes, and the Packers held on to defeat the struggling Philadelphia Eagles 30-16.

Rodgers turned 37 on Wednesday but is showing no signs of slowing down. He reached 400 touchdown passes in his 193rd regular-season game, making him the fastest in history to achieve the milestone. 

Rodgers did it in 12 fewer games than Drew Brees, who was previously the fastest to 400.

"Those are fun milestones for sure," Rodgers said. "It does speak to the consistency over a long period of time that I'm very proud of."

He got plenty of help Sunday from Aaron Jones, who gained 130 yards on 15 carries. Jones' best moment was a 77-yard touchdown run with 2:51 to play to seal the victory. 

Davante Adams had a nine-yard touchdown catch for the only points of the third quarter. He finished with 10 catches for 121 yards for the Packers, who improved to 9-3 on the season. 

The Eagles have lost four straight, and the offense has been sputtering under quarterback Carson Wentz. Jaylen Hurts replaced Wentz on the Eagles' second possession of the second half. The move seemed to give them a lift.

Philadelphia scored only three points in the game's first 52 minutes but then scored two quick touchdowns in the fourth quarter to make it interesting. 

Also, Taysom Hill threw for two touchdowns as the New Orleans Saints became the first NFC team to clinch a playoff spot with a 21-16 win over the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday.

New Orleans improved to 10-2 with a ninth consecutive win to and clinched their fourth playoffs appearance in a row.

The victory gave the first-place Saints a three-game lead over Tampa Bay in the NFC South. Alvin Kamara also ran for a touchdown for New Orleans. 

Hill improved to 3-0 while replacing Drew Brees, who is eligible to come off of injured reserve next week.

Agence France-Presse

NFL: Packers hold off Seahawks' rally, reach NFC Championship

Davante Adams made eight receptions for a franchise postseason-record 160 yards and two touchdowns as the Green Bay Packers held on to defeat the visiting Seattle Seahawks 28-23 Sunday in an NFC divisional-round playoff game.

Aaron Rodgers completed 16 of 27 passes for 243 yards, and Aaron Jones gained 62 yards on 21 carries with a pair of 1-yard touchdowns for the second-seeded Packers (14-3), who will visit the San Francisco 49ers next Sunday in the NFC Championship Game. 

The 49ers beat the Packers 37-8 in Santa Clara on Nov. 24.

Russell Wilson led the fifth-seeded Seahawks (12-6), who won 17-9 at Philadelphia in a wild-card game last weekend, in both rushing and passing. 

Wilson was 21 of 31 for 277 yards and a touchdown and added 64 yards on seven carries. Tyler Lockett made nine receptions for 136 yards and a score. Marshawn Lynch twice scored on 1-yard runs but had just 26 yards on 12 carries.

The Seahawks nearly rallied from a 21-3 halftime deficit. Lynch scored on 1-yard run on Seattle's first drive of the second half to make it 21-10.

Adams tallied on a 40-yard pass from Rodgers on the Packers' next possession to push the lead back to 18 points.

The Seahawks then drove 84 yards in 12 plays, capped by a 7-yard pass from Wilson to Lockett, to make it 28-17.

After forcing a three-and-out, the Seahawks were led by Wilson on a nine-play, 79-yard march, with Lynch scoring from the 1, to make it 28-23 with 9:33 left. A 2-point conversion failed as Wilson was sacked.

After another Green Bay punt, the Seahawks took over on their own 23 with 4:54 remaining.

After one first down, the Seahawks lost a yard on the next three plays, with Wilson being sacked by Preston Smith on third down, and punted. 

Green Bay was able to run out the clock with two critical third-down conversions -- Rodgers found Adams for 32 yards on third-and-8 and then Jimmy Graham for 9 yards on third-and-9 to seal it.

The Packers dominated the first half.

Adams scored on a 20-yard pass from Rodgers on Green Bay's first possession of the game.

Seattle pulled within 7-3 on a 45-yard field goal by Jason Myers late in the first quarter.

Jones scored on a pair of 1-yard touchdown runs in the second quarter, the last with 1:30 remaining, to make it 21-3.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

How the Grinch failed to spoil Christmas for Green Bay Packers player

Thieves reportedly stole $5,000 worth of toys and bikes collected by Green Bay Packers defensive tackle Kenny Clark, but the unknown Grinches couldn't crush his community's Christmas spirit.

Clark's second annual toy drive proceeded as scheduled Thursday in his hometown of San Bernardino, Calif., thanks to some generous last-minute donations.

"A lot of people have stepped up," Clark told ESPN. "I know they created a GoFundMe account and people have been donating to that, just to get some toys back for the kids. All that stuff has been pretty cool. There's been a lot of people hitting us up and trying to do the best they can to help."

Clark said he and his family had been collecting the toys, including new bicycles, for several months. The theft, which he said has been reported to police, occurred on the property he purchased for his mother after Green Bay made him a first-round pick in 2016.

"It's just messed up, man," Clark said. "It's for a bunch of kids, man. It's difficult, especially for my family and my mom. My mom, she works hard to do it. It's really difficult for her because she worked so hard throughout the whole year putting it together."

Packers linebacker Clay Matthews volunteered to help his teammate and expressed his disgust.

"It's a shame. Thieves, there's no moral code or anything, especially with those gifts and who they were going to," Matthews said. "You'd like to think that people are better than that."

--Field Level Media

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Green Bay quarterback Rodgers done for season

Aaron Rodgers' triumphant return from a broken right collarbone lasted all of one week.

On Tuesday, the Green Bay Packers placed their star quarterback on injured reserve, officially ending his season after he returned from an eight-week absence to start Sunday's loss against the Carolina Panthers.

Rodgers was hit seven times in Sunday's 31-24 loss, including three sacks.

"Aaron Rodgers is sore, rightfully so," Packers coach Mike McCarthy told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel on Monday when asked about the possibility of Rodgers starting versus Minnesota on Saturday.

"He was hit too many times, took two big hits. So we're working through that."

  
Rodgers completed 26 of 45 passes for 290 yards and had three touchdown passes opposite three interceptions in his return in Carolina.

Green Bay (7-7) was eliminated from playoff contention thanks to Atlanta's 24-21 win versus Tampa Bay on Monday night.

A two-time NFL MVP and six-time Pro Bowler, the 34-year-old Rodgers passed for 1,675 yards, 16 touchdowns and six interceptions over seven games this season, his 13th in the NFL.

Rodgers ranks second all-time in franchise history in passing yards (38,502) and touchdowns thrown (313), trailing only the legendary Brett Favre in both categories (61,655 and 442, respectively).

Among active quarterbacks, Rodgers ranks eighth in career passing yards and sixth in touchdowns.

The Packers also announced on Tuesday the signing of quarterback Joe Callahan. The 24-year-old Callahan spent the first six weeks of this season on the practice squad before being elevated to the active roster on Saturday.

Callahan has not appeared in a game this season. He was originally signed by the team as an undrafted free agent out of Wesley College in 2016.

In addition, Green Bay released fullback Joe Kerridge from the active roster and quarterback Jerod Evans from the practice squad.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Panthers down Packers, spoil Rodgers' return

LOS ANGELES -- Amid the hoopla surrounding the return of Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers, the Carolina Panthers kept their focus on Sunday -- and produced a 31-24 win over the Packers.

"We said we were focused on us and that's what we did," said Panthers safety Mike Adams.

Rodgers was back in action for the first time since breaking his right collarbone on October 15.

He threw three touchdown passes -- but was also intercepted three times as the Panthers defense forced four turnovers in a win that kept them neck and neck with New Orleans in the race for the NFC South title.

All of Rodgers' interceptions came on under thrown balls. He completed 27 of 45 passes for 287 yards.


"I didn't throw it as well as I'm used to throwing it ,and that hurt us," the two-time NFL Most Valuable Player said.

Meanwhile, Panthers quarterback Cam Newton threw three of his four touchdown passes in the second half as Carolina built a 31-17 lead.

Rodgers lost his primary target, wide receiver Davante Adams, in the third quarter to a crushing hit from Panthers linebacker Thomas Davis that sent Adams to the sidelines and into concussion protocol.

"He's a repeat offender, so I'm sure the league will deal with him. I think it was an unnecessary hit," said Rodgers, who had thrown an interception on the play.

"Unfortunately, if I throw a better ball, it doesn't happen," he said.

After closing the gap with a 24-yard TD pass by Rodgers with 2:43 to play, Green Bay recovered an onside kick to keep the pressure on.

But Mike Adams recovered a Packers fumble with less than two minutes left.

While Rodgers said he was "disappointed" in his performance, he added that he was expecting to play next week.

"We'll see how I feel tomorrow and go from there," he said. "I'm a little sore. I'm a competitor. Until they tell me otherwise, I'm expecting to play."

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Saints' Brees masters Rodgers-less Packers

LOS ANGELES -- The Green Bay Packers, already well aware of how difficult it is to face Drew Brees, are now learning what life is like without Aaron Rodgers.

Brees, 38, threw his 500th career NFL touchdown on Sunday as he continued his dominance over the Packers, leading the New Orleans Saints to a 26-17 victory.

"Keep your eyes on the prize and focus on the process and know that good things will happen," said Brees, who compiled a total of 331 passing yards.

Brees has now surpassed 300 passing yards in all seven of his career games against the Packers.

Green Bay quarterback Brett Hundley completed just 12 of 25 for 87 yards in his first start in place of Rodgers, who could miss the rest of the season after suffering a broken right collarbone last week.

Hundley didn't make any major blunders, but he also didn't engineer any game-breaking plays.

"Our passing game, we can sit here and pick it apart all we want," Packers coach Mike McCarthy said. "Let's just blame it on the head coach today."

Elsewhere, the upstart Los Angeles Rams delivered a 33-0 beatdown of the Arizona Cardinals, who lost star quarterback Carson Palmer with a broken arm.

Jared Goff threw for 235 yards and a touchdown before a crowd of 73,700 at London's Twickenham Stadium.

Palmer exited the game in the second quarter with a broken left arm and will be out at least eight weeks and possibly the rest of the season.

The Los Angeles Chargers and Jacksonville Jaguars also posted shut-out wins.

The Chargers beat Denver 21-0 -- the first time since 1992 that the Broncos have been held scoreless.

The Jaguars dominated the Colts 27-0 in Indianapolis.

In Miami, the Dolphins saw quarterback Jay Cutler depart early with a chest injury later reported to be cracked ribs. But with backup Matt Moore at the helm they rallied to beat the New York Jets 31-28.

In Chicago, Bears rookie safety Eddie Jackson became the first player in NFL history to score two defensive touchdowns of at least 75 yards in the same game in his team's 17-3 upset of the Carolina Panthers.

Although the Panthers offense dominated, Jackson's fumble return during the game's first series and his interception and TD return of a pass from Panthers quarterback Cam Newton in the second quarter buoyed the Bears.

In San Francisco, Ezekiel Elliott celebrated another court stay of his suspension by running for two touchdowns and Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott passed for three more as the Cowboys beat the 49ers 40-10.

The kicking performance of the day belonged to Minnesota's Kai Forbath, who booted a half-dozen field goals in the Vikings' third straight victory -- 24-16 over Baltimore.

Tennessee kicker Ryan Succop scored all of the Titans' points, making his fourth and final field goal with 1:55 left in overtime in Tennessee's 12-9 win over Cleveland.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Packers' Rodgers breaks collarbone, may be out for season

Green Bay Packers All-Pro quarterback Aaron Rodgers suffered a broken right collarbone during Sunday's game against the Minnesota Vikings, the team said.

The Packers said in a tweet that there was a chance Rodgers could miss the rest of the season.


Rodgers suffered the injury in the first quarter after taking a hard hit from Vikings linebacker Anthony Barr. Rodgers, rolling out to the right on a second-and-nine play from the Green Bay 39, was hit by Barr after releasing a pass that fell incomplete.

"Losing Aaron Rodgers speaks for itself. In my opinion, he's the best player in football," Packers head coach Mike McCarthy said.

Rodgers appeared to land on his throwing arm and laid on the turf for several seconds before trainers attended to him. He left the field under his own power and exchanged words with members of the Minnesota defense on his way to the sideline. There was no penalty called on the play.

After a brief examination on the sideline, Rodgers was taken away on a cart. He was replaced by third-year pro Brett Hundley.

It was the second broken collarbone of Rodgers' pro career. He missed seven games in the 2013 season after suffering a similar injury versus Chicago when he broke his left (non-throwing) collarbone.

Rodgers, 33, led the Packers to the Super Bowl title after the 2010 season. A two-time league most valuable player, he has earned All-Pro honors six times.

He was 2-for-4 passing for 18 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions in Sunday's game. He has thrown 13 touchdown passes and had three interceptions this season.

"We pray for Aaron Rodgers' speedy recovery," Vikings defensive end Everson Griffen said. "He is one of the best quarterbacks in the game. I pray for him. I love playing against him. He is a competitor."

(Editing by Gene Cherry)

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Atlanta Falcons rout Green Bay Packers to reach Super Bowl

LOS ANGELES -- Quarterback Matt Ryan led a dominant offensive display as the Atlanta Falcons crushed the Green Bay Packers 44-21 on Sunday to advance to the Super Bowl for only the second time in franchise history.

The Falcons, who will play either the New England Patriots or Pittsburgh Steelers in the February 5 NFL showpiece, laid the foundations for an emphatic NFC Championship victory with a first half performance.

The Falcons surged into a 24-0 half-time lead after overwhelming the Packers defense with their varied running and passing game in what was the team's final game at Atlanta's Georgia Dome before they move into a new home.


"We played great today in all three phases," said an ecstatic Ryan after the win.

"We showed up. We did exactly what we've been doing all year. It feels really good," added Ryan, who completed 27 out of 38 pass attempts for 392 yards and four touchdowns.

Green Bay's star quarterback Rodgers was barely in the game in the first half, and could only watch as the Packers squandered an early scoring opportunity through a missed Mason Crosby field goal.

It got worse for the Packers when Aaron Ripkowski fumbled close to the Atlanta line as another golden Green Bay touchdown chance went begging.

The Falcons meanwhile looked threatening whenever they ventured into Green Bay territory.

Ryan flipped a short shovel pass to Mohamed Sanu from close range for the opening touchdown to make it 7-0 with the opening Atlanta drive of the game.

Matt Bryant then extended Atlanta's lead with a 28-yard field goal to make it 10-0 at the end of the first quarter.

- Rodgers struggles -

Another long Falcons drive then culminated with Ryan scampering over from 14 yards for a touchdown to push the score to 17-0.

Rodgers, struggling against a ferocious Atlanta defense, then threw an interception to give Atlanta the ball back at the end of the half. Ryan punished the error to hit Julio Jones from five yards to leave the Falcons 24-0 ahead at the break.

It got worse for Green Bay in the opening minutes of the second half, with the Packers forced to punt away their first possession.

Ryan then found Jones with a short pass and the star receiver galloped away for a 73-yard touchdown to make it 31-0.

Any flickers of hope for the Packers after Rodgers found Davante Adams for a two-yard score were then extinguished when Devonta Freeman gathered in a Ryan pass from four yards for a touchdown confirmed after review which made it 37-7.

Rodgers picked out Nelson for a short-range touchdown but it was too little too late and Tevin Coleman's three-yard run in the fourth quarter put Atlanta 44-15 ahead.

Tight end Jared Cook reduced the deficit with Green Bay's third touchdown from Rodgers' one-yard pass but the result was never in doubt.

Ryan said the Falcons had been determined not to let up on Green Bay despite building their massive first half lead.

"We knew going in against Green Bay and going against Aaron (Rodgers) it's never over," Ryan said. "He's such a great player. We just kept at them the entire four quarters. I'm proud of the way we competed."

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Packers, Falcons set to give Georgia Dome explosive sendoff

The Georgia Dome's final game could fittingly be an explosive one with the Atlanta Falcons and Green Bay Packers poised to blow the roof off the place when the NFL's most potent offenses clash on Sunday for a berth in the Super Bowl.

With Atlanta's Matt Ryan and Green Bay's Aaron Rodgers leading supercharged offences against leaky defences, Las Vegas bookmakers have set a record high "over-under" -- or the total combined points scored -- for a playoff contest at 60 points.

When both teams met in the regular season Atlanta won 33-32 after Ryan tossed a last-minute touchdown and many expect more fireworks in Sunday's NFC Championship.


"Both teams, from when we played before, are a better version of what they were at that time," said Atlanta coach Dan Quinn. "It's going to be a heck of game."

"There have been a number of times (against the Packers) where it has totally come right down to the finish. These kinds of games usually do."

The Georgia Dome, which will be demolished later this year, has not always been home sweet home for the Falcons who won more games on the road than at home during the regular season. But Atlanta will take any perceived advantage they can going against the surging Packers.

After a mid-season wobble the Packers have run the table as Rodgers predicted, averaging 30.8 points per game over the home stretch before impressive playoff wins over the New York Giants and top-seeded Dallas Cowboys.

Both Rodgers and Ryan will attack creaky defences that were buried near the bottom of the league rankings.

Ryan, whose 38 touchdown passes this season trailed only the 40 thrown by Rodgers, will try to exploit a depleted Packers secondary with the help of Julio Jones, who finished second in receiving yards but has been slowed by a sore foot.

Rodgers is likely to be without his favourite target Jordy Nelson, who led the league in touchdowns with 14 but missed the division playoffs with damaged ribs.

"I've never played receiver with broken ribs, either. We'll find out, hopefully," said Nelson. "It's one of those things that you'll figure out when you get out there."

Even without Nelson, Rodgers will have no shortage of weapons in speedy Randall Cobb, Ty Montgomery, Davante Adams and Jared Cook, who made a spectacular sideline catch to setup Green Bay's winning field goal against Dallas.

(Editing by Frank Pingue)

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Elite quarterbacks hold key to Super Bowl tickets

Defense wins championships, or so the saying goes, but high-flying offences look set to unleash a bombs-away spectacle led by elite quarterbacks that may be the best quartet to ever reach the conference championships.

Following a thrilling divisional round of playoff action, the bar has been set high for Sunday when the Green Bay Packers visit the Atlanta Falcons and New England Patriots host the Pittsburgh Steelers with Super Bowl berths on the line.

The Patriots' Tom Brady, Packers' Aaron Rodgers, Steelers' Ben Roethlisberger and Falcons' Matt Ryan, who could all one day reach the Hall of Fame, boast experience and panache.

Brady (4), Roethlisberger (2) and Rodgers (1) have all led their teams to Super Bowl titles. Brady and Rodgers also have league most valuable player honors and Super Bowl MVP awards in their trophy cases.

Ryan would seem to be the odd man out in this group but the Falcons quarterback is a front-runner for MVP honors for the 2016 season and has his team two wins away from their maiden Super Bowl title.

At the end of the regular season the New England defense, at number eight, was the only one of the four teams standing ranked in the top 10 having allowed an average of 326 yards per game. Pittsburgh were 12th, Green Bay 22nd and Atlanta 25th.

Offensively the numbers sparkle.

 Atlanta has been an offensive juggernaut since the opening snap last September and averaged a NFL-best 33.8 points per game. New England (27.5) were third, followed by Green Bay (27) in fourth place and Pittsburgh (24.9) in 10th.

The NFC Championship could be a shootout of the highest caliber with Rodgers, who led the league with 40 touchdown passes and Ryan, second with 38, at the controls of two high-powered attacks going against leaky defenses.

Rodgers' play in particular has left fans and pundits scrambling to find superlatives to describe his performance which has some, including Dallas Cowboys coach Jason Garrett, rating him among the greatest of all-time.

"At the end of the day they're going talk about (Rodgers) as one of the top three quarterbacks who ever laced them up," said Garrett, after watching Rodgers lead the Packers to a 33-32 win over the Cowboys on Sunday.

One of those other two quarterbacks could be Brady, who will be playing in a sixth straight AFC title game trying to take his team to the Super Bowl for the seventh time in 16 years.

With four Super Bowl rings and two Super Bowl MVP awards, Brady has proven his worth as a quarterback who can deliver when it matters most but with two Super Bowl titles Roethlisberger also knows his way to the winner's circle.

"It's definitely going to be a showdown playing in New England," said Pittsburgh running back Le'Veon Bell. "It will be another hostile environment, going against Tom Brady, one of the best quarterbacks to ever play this game."

source: news.abs-cbn.com

NFL: Green Bay edge Dallas in thriller

LOS ANGELES -- Mason Crosby kicked a last-gasp field goal as the Green Bay Packers downed the Dallas Cowboys 34-31 in a thrilling NFL playoff battle on Sunday.

Crosby held his nerve superbly to kick the winning three-pointer from 51 yards with just three seconds left on the clock in the final twist of an epic duel at the AT&T Stadium.

Green Bay will now play the Atlanta Falcons next Sunday in the National Football Conference Championship game for a place in the February 5 Super Bowl in Houston.

Crosby's winning field goal came after quarterback Aaron Rodgers connected with Jarad Cook with a 36-yard pass at the Dallas 32.

Cook was initially adjudged to have gone out of bounds but the call was over-ruled, handing the Packers field position and Crosby his shot at immortality.

Packers coach Mike McCarthy paid tribute to Rodgers' ability to lead the game-winning drive with just seconds left.


"He's an incredible talent," McCarthy said. "To do it when it's on the line like that, that's what great players do.

"That was one heck of a football game to be a part of. I just can't say enough about my football team's resiliency."

The finale capped a pulsating closing two minutes. Crosby had kicked a 56-yard field goal to put Green Bay 31-28 ahead only for the Cowboys -- who had rallied back from a 21-3 first-half deficit -- to tie it at 31-31 with a 52-yard Dan Bailey effort.

The Cowboys -- the top seeded team in the NFC after a 13-3 regular season -- were left ruing a shaky first half display which saw Green Bay power ahead.

Cowboys rookie quarterback Dak Prescott and running back Ezekiel Elliott both failed to exert control in the early stages but it was the Dallas defense's inability to stymie Rodgers that proved fatal.

After Bailey had kicked a field goal to put Dallas 3-0 ahead, Rodgers took over.

The Packers quarterback connected with namesake Richard Rodgers on a 34-yard pass for Green Bay's opening touchdown.

Dallas were then forced to punt their next possession, and Rodgers duly marched his team 90 yards upfield to allow Ty Montgomery to rush over from three yards.

Another Dallas punt was followed by another relentless Green Bay drive which went 80 yards before Montgomery barrelled over from one yard to make it 21-3.

Dallas responded with a quickfire touchdown over their own, Prescott finding receiver Dez Bryant with a 40-yard touchdown pass that cut the score to 21-10.

A further Bailey field goal gave Dallas hope at 21-13 but Green Bay were quickly back into their rhythm early in the third quarter when Rodgers found tight end Cook for the simplest of three-yard touchdown passes to restore the Packers' 15-point cushion.

Dallas then got on top with Jason Witten and Bryant scoring touchdowns before Prescott rushed for a two-point conversion to tie it 28-28.

But with just minutes remaining, Crosby was to prove the hero for Green Bay in his duel with Bailey.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

WORLD SPORTS: Packers' Rodgers well after knee surgery: reports

Packers' Rodgers well after knee surgery - reports

Agence France-Presse

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers underwent left knee surgery after the team's NFL playoff run, according to reports Saturday that said he is recovering well and probable for off-season workouts.

The NFL's website and ESPN reported unnamed sources as saying Rodgers underwent a minor operation on the knee, the same one he underwent reconstructive surgery on in 2004 for a torn ligament.

Rodgers, an 11-year NFL veteran, played all but 10 snaps for the Packers this season. He struggled late in the campaign and had career lows of 238.8 passing yards a game and a 60.7 completion percentage. His eight intercepted passes were his most since 2012.

Rodgers, 32, told ESPN he was "doing well" and "recovering on schedule" but he pulled out of Sunday's NFL Pro Bowl all-star game in Hawaii as a result of the surgery.

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Giants defender Bromley accused of rape attempt - reports

Agence France-Presse

Police are reportedly investigating an attempted rape accusation against New York Giants defensive tackle Jay Bromley stemming from an incident early Saturday morning.

The New York Daily News and New York Post said Bromley, a 23-year-old defensive tackle who made 36 tackles in 16 games for the Giants this past season, is accused of trying to rape a 26-year-old woman and hitting her with his car while fleeing a hotel room.

Reports said the two met online and Bromley picked up the woman at her home and took her to a Manhattan hotel, where Bromley is accused of trying to rape her when she did not want to have sex.

The Giants said they were monitoring the case and had reported it to NFL officials.

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NFL: Concussions remain common even as awareness improves

Andrew Both, Reuters

Two decades after the NFL brushed off concussion concerns as being of interest only to journalists, the issue is at the forefront of any discussion about player safety and unlikely to go away anytime soon.

From the 2015 film "Concussion" about a doctor who fought the NFL's campaign to conceal his research on the brain damage suffered by players, to a lawsuit over brain injuries that could cost America's most popular sports league $1 billion, it is an issue that has the league playing defense.

And while some experts say there has been a sea change in the league's attitude over the past few years, concussions still occur with alarming regularity.

There were 182 concussions reported in the 2015 regular season, up sharply from 115 in 2014, according to figures released by the league, and reversing a downward trend from the previous three years.

Dr. Thom Mayer, the medical director of the NFL Players Association (NFLPA), warned not to jump to conclusions about the 2015 number, saying it did not necessarily mean there were more concussions but rather could reflect better expertise at diagnosing the condition.

Under the NFL's concussion protocol started in 2013, each team is assigned an independent neurotrauma specialist who is not on the team's payroll. There is also a "spotter" who can stop a game if they see a player showing concussion-like symptoms.

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Zou Shiming recaptures WBO International Flyweight Championship

Agence France-Presse

Former WBO International Flyweight Champion Zou Shiming recaptured the title by defeating Brazilian Natan Santana Coutinho by TKO in the eighth round in front of a raucous Shanghai Oriental Sports Center crowd.

A three-time Olympic medallist who won China’s first ever boxing gold medal in 2008, Zou was fighting his first professional match in Mainland China after his seven previous matches were held in Macau.

“The homecoming was great,” he said. “I really fed off the energy of the crowd.”

The fight marked Zou’s return to the ring since losing an IBF Flyweight title match to Thailand's Amnat Ruenroeng last March.

“I’ve taken ten months off to rest, spend time with my family and even found a little reality TV fame, but my heart never left the ring,” Zou said after the fight.

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South Korea's Choi clings to share of PGA lead

Agence France-Presse

KJ Choi, chasing his first US PGA victory in nearly five years, closed with a birdie to share the lead after Saturday's third round of the $6.5 million Farmers Insurance Open.

The 45-year-old South Korean shot an even par 72 to match American Scott Brown on nine-under 207 after 54 holes at Torrey Pines near San Diego.

Choi, the most successful Asian male golfer in PGA history, has won eight titles on the US tour, the most recent of them at the 2011 Players Championship when he won a playoff over David Toms.

Jimmy Walker fired a 68 to share third with fellow American Gary Woodland on 208 to pace 21 rivals with four strokes of the co-leaders entering the final round, when wet and windy conditions are predicted.

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Spluttering Spieth three off the pace in Singapore

Patrick Johnston, Reuters

World number one Jordan Spieth struggled again with his putting as he ended a long 28-hole Saturday three shots off the pace at the Singapore Open.

The American was on the course at 07:30 (2330 GMT) to finish 12 holes of his weather-delayed second round, signing for a one-under-par 71 before returning in the afternoon to shoot one-under for 16 holes of his third round before dusk fell.

The six-under-total left him tied fifth, three shots behind overnight leader Song Young-han of South Korea who was level through 13 holes of his third round before play was called off.

Spieth, the headline act of the Asian and Japan Golf Tour's season opening event, had begun Saturday five adrift of Song but felt the gap should have been closed further.

"I made all my putts inside six feet yesterday but missed five or six today. I've just got to get comfortable on the shorter length putts," the American said after his second round.

FINA 'temporarily suspends' Mexico federation

Agence France-Presse

Swimming's world governing body FINA announced on Saturday at its bureau meeting in Budapest that it had temporarily suspended the Mexican federation over Guadalajara's withdrawal as host of the 2017 World Championships.

It was not immediately clear how FINA's action would affect Mexican swimmers' hopes of competing in the Rio Olympics this year.

"In accordance with FINA Rule C 12.1.1, FINA temporarily suspended the Mexican Swimming Federation for not fulfilling contractual obligations concerning the cancellation of the 2017 FINA World Championships in Guadalajara," the governing body said in a statement.

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Los Angeles named site for 2017 All-Star Game

Agence France-Presse

Los Angeles was named Saturday as the host city for the 2017 National Hockey League All-Star Game, with two days of events set to be staged at the Staples Center next January.

The home arena of the Los Angeles Kings, winners of the Stanley Cup twice in the past four years, will host a skills contest on January 28 on the eve of the NHL's 62nd mid-season showcase of elite talent.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Cardinals oust Packers after exchange of amazing plays

LOS ANGELES -- In one of the most dramatic finishes in NFL playoff history, the Arizona Cardinals outlasted the Green Bay Packers 26-20 in overtime Saturday to advance in the post-season.

Arizona will face the winner of Sunday's Carolina-Seattle game on January 24 in the National Conference final to determine a berth in Super Bowl 50 next month.

A back-and-forth thriller featuring one astonishing play after another at the finish was not decided until Carson Palmer threw his third touchdown pass of the game, a five-yard "shovel pass" up the middle to Larry Fitzgerald a minute into extra time.

A scrambling Palmer earlier eluded Green Bay defenders to find an unguarded Fitzgerald on a 75-yard pass play that set up the winning score, but only after the Packers forced overtime with two of the most amazing plays ever made.

Trailing 20-13 in the dying seconds of the fourth quarter, the Packers needed 20 yards merely to keep the ball on a fourth-down play when Aaron Rodgers hurled a long pass downfield and unlikely hero Jeff Janis caught it for a 60-yard gain to sustain Green Bay's slim hopes.

Janis, who had only four career catches before Saturday, then followed with another miraculous grab for an equalizer touchdown.

Rodgers launched a desperate pass into the end zone at double-covered Janis, who leaped into the air and pulled down the ball for a stunning TD with no time left on the clock.

Kicker Mason Crosby followed with an extra point to level the score at 20-20.

Overtime produced drama even before it started as the first attempted coin flip failed, forcing a repeat that ended up giving Arizona the ball and setting up their response to Rodgers' miracle.

Palmer completed 25-of-41 passes for 349 yards, including an 8-yard touchdown pass to Michael Floyd to open the scoring and a 9-yard TD toss to Floyd with 3:44 remaining in the fourth quarter to give Arizona a 17-13 lead.

Rodgers, who went 24-for-44 for 261 yards that included an earlier 8-yard touchdown throw to Janis, failed on a fourth-down pass and the Packers surrendered the ball deep in their territory, setting up a Cardinals' field goal that produced a 20-13 lead and set the stage for the closing spectacle.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

NFL helmets re-imagined as Star Wars characters

The new Star Wars movie is just around the corner so now is the perfect opportunity to relive these magnificent works of art featuring all 32 NFL teams and their counterparts from the galaxy far away.

Graphic designer John Raya originally did these pieces back in 2013, but now may be the absolute best time to fully appreciate these beauties. Check some of them below.

Defending Super Bowl champions New England Patriots as the Coruscant Jedis? The logo is the perfect fit and they use the force anyway to dominate every year.

 Andrew Luck as the lead stormtrooper? Watch out for the Mos Eisley Troopers people.

Jabba the Hutt was one of the galaxy's most powerful gangsters in Star Wars and Aaron Rodgers is one of the most, if not the most, powerful quarterback in the game today. The Hal Hutta Hutts are always dangerous.

 And finally, the Oakland Raiders as the Coruscant Vaders. Perfect. Cue the imperial march.

Check the full AFC gallery here and the NFC set here.

This story was originally published on the ABS-CBN Sports website

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com