INSIDER
Scarlett Johansson and Dan Marino have fun with almost being champions in Super Bowl commercial
Read full article: Scarlett Johansson and Dan Marino have fun with almost being champions in Super Bowl commercialActor Scarlett Johansson and NFL legend Dan Marino come from different professions, but they have two things in common: Both have a sweet tooth and an infatuation with M&Ms. Johansson and Marino will star in the Super Bowl commercial that will focus on the candy being the comfort fun food while watching the big game.
From marching bands to megastars, the Super Bowl halftime show emerges as a major sports spectacle
Read full article: From marching bands to megastars, the Super Bowl halftime show emerges as a major sports spectacleWhen the Super Bowl halftime show was born, college marching bands were the main on-field attraction.
Bills clinch 4th straight playoff berth; beat Dolphins 32-29
Read full article: Bills clinch 4th straight playoff berth; beat Dolphins 32-29Tyler Bass hit a 25-yard field goal as time expired, and the Buffalo Bills clinched their fourth consecutive playoff berth on a snow-slick field in rallying to a a 32-29 win over the Miami Dolphins.
Dolphins' Thompson (thumb) leaves game, Bridgewater in
Read full article: Dolphins' Thompson (thumb) leaves game, Bridgewater inMiami quarterback Skylar Thompson, starting because the Dolphinsโ top two quarterbacks had been in concussion protocols, left the field in the second quarter of Sundayโs game against Minnesota.
Chiefs' Mahomes still thrives on proving naysayers wrong
Read full article: Chiefs' Mahomes still thrives on proving naysayers wrongItโs sometimes hard to believe that Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, for all that heโs accomplished during his young but brilliant NFL career, would carry such a considerable chip on his shoulder.
Verstappen cruises to win in inaugural Miami Grand Prix
Read full article: Verstappen cruises to win in inaugural Miami Grand PrixMax Verstappen used an aggressive early pass on Formula One championship leader Charles Leclerc then controlled the inaugural Miami Grand Prix to pick up his third win of the season.
Hall of Fame class has something for everybody
Read full article: Hall of Fame class has something for everybodyFrom bone-rattling tacklers Troy Polamalu, Steve Atwater and Cliff Harris to hard-charging runner Edgerrin James to the pass-catching brilliance of Isaac Bruce and Harold Carmichael, the Pro Football Hall of Fame class of 2020 has something for everyone.
Colts QB Rivers, 39, retires from NFL after 17 seasons
Read full article: Colts QB Rivers, 39, retires from NFL after 17 seasonsโEvery year, Jan. 20 is a special and emotional day,โ Rivers said in a statement posted on the teamโs website. โIt is St. Sebastianโs Feast day, the day I played in the AFC championship without an ACL, and now the day that after 17 seasons, Iโm announcing my retirement from the National Football League. I am grateful to the Chargers for 16 seasons, and the Colts for the 17th season.โRivers was one of a kind. In the 2006 season opener, Rivers made his starting debut โ and then the next 251 in a row including the playoffs. โMy son never did throw a big ball like I did at that age and he throws it the exact same way,โ Rivers said.
Super Host: Bucs become 1st to play Super Bowl at home
Read full article: Super Host: Bucs become 1st to play Super Bowl at homeThe Buccaneers defeated the Packers 31-26 to advance to the Super Bowl. Tampa Bay (14-5) is the first team to play a Super Bowl in its home stadium. The prize is much different this year, though, because the Super Bowl will be played in front of a far smaller crowd than usual. The first Super Bowl in 1967 was played in front of 61,946 fans at the Los Angeles Coliseum. Eagles backup Nick Foles threw for 352 yards and three touchdowns, a sign of things to come in the Super Bowl against New England.
Brady vs. Brees: A matchup for the ages and aged
Read full article: Brady vs. Brees: A matchup for the ages and aged(AP Photo/Julio Cortez)The NFL has never seen a playoff matchup quite like the upcoming one between Tom Bradyโs Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Drew Breesโ New Orleans Saints. Brees has thrown for more yards than any QB in the regular season with 80,358 and ranks second in TD passes with 571. Brady holds the mark for touchdowns with 581 and trails only Brees in yardage with 79,204. The combined age of the starting quarterbacks will be an NFL-record 85, surpassing the 84 from their two starts in the regular season this season. The team that swept the regular season series won 14 of the previous 22 matchups, which bodes well for the Saints this week.
Tom Brady excited, ready to lead Buccaneers into playoffs
Read full article: Tom Brady excited, ready to lead Buccaneers into playoffsTampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady (12) throws a pass during an NFL football practice Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)TAMPA, Fla. โ New team, same ole Tom Brady. Brady led New England to the Super Bowl nine times in 20 seasons, appearing in 41 playoff games and winning 30 โ both records. โWhen he first signed I said, โOK, weโll be a 40 (touchdown) and 10 (interception) team,โโ Arians said. โItโs a never-ending thing with him, the perfectionist, to get everything right in practice,โ Arians added.
Week 17 scoring bonanza caps record-setting season
Read full article: Week 17 scoring bonanza caps record-setting season(AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)The Week 17 scoring bonanza provided the perfect finish to a record-setting season on offense. Teams combined for 100 touchdowns in the final week of the season for the second-most in NFL history in a single week behind only the 104 scored in Week 14 of the 2013 season. He became the first player with at least 4,500 yards passing, 35 TD passes and five TD runs in a single season. The Browns joined the 2012 Colts (minus-30) as the only teams to win 11 games in a season when they were outscored. EVEN STEVENIn a bit of a statistical oddity, the Vikings gained the exact same number of yards this season as they allowed: 6,292.
Brady throws for 4 TDs, Bucs pull away from Falcons 44-27
Read full article: Brady throws for 4 TDs, Bucs pull away from Falcons 44-27Brady threw touchdown passes of 29 and 4 yards to Chris Godwin. Ryan scored on a 1-yard sneak and also threw scoring passes of 19 yards to Russell Gage and 1 yard to Hayden Hurst. The latter trimmed Atlantaโs deficit to 30-27 before Brady put the game away with two late drives. Brown had his most productive day since joining the Bucs midway through the season with 11 catches for 138 yards. Godwin had five receptions for 133 yards, while Evans had three catches for 46 yards before leaving the game.
A bonus for NFL fans in Week 16: 4 straight days of games
Read full article: A bonus for NFL fans in Week 16: 4 straight days of gamesThey do have a sack in an NFL-record 71 straight games and have sacked Philip Rivers 15 times during seven games while he played for the Chargers. Rivers has had two or more TD passes in five straight games. He had career bests of 10 catches for 163 yards last week, and Ridley's seven 100-yard games lead the NFL. The 19 straight seasons without losing both games to a divisional opponent is an NFL record. The Jaguars have allowed at least 24 points in each of those 13 games, an NFL record.
Colts recover another late fumble, beat Texans 27-20
Read full article: Colts recover another late fumble, beat Texans 27-20Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Zach Pascal (14) makes a catch under pressure from Houston Texans free safety Eric Murray (23) in the first half of an NFL football game in Indianapolis, Sunday, Dec. 20, 2020. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)INDIANAPOLIS โ Philip Rivers threw a late, tiebreaking touchdown to Zach Pascal and the Indianapolis Colts defense recovered a fumble in the end zone with 19 seconds left Sunday to seal a 27-20 victory over the Houston Texans. Watson answered by moving the Texans to the Colts 21. Coutee had five catches for 53 yards and one score before the fumble, and David Johnson had 11 receptions for 106 yards. Sanchez punted in that week's game, a loss to Tennessee.
A winner: Chiefs vs Saints, with Brees back to face Mahomes
Read full article: A winner: Chiefs vs Saints, with Brees back to face Mahomes1 conference seed is tight, with the Packers one game ahead of the Saints, the Rams and Seahawks one game behind. Drew Brees will be active after missing four games with fractured ribs and a collapsed lung, making for an intriguing matchup with Patrick Mahomes. The Bills (11-3) scored twice in a 17-second span in the third quarter to ice their fourth straight victory that officially ended the New England Patriotsโ 11-year reign atop the division. The Ravens have run for at least 100 yards in 36 straight games, seven short of the NFL record set by Pittsburgh from 1974-77. Baltimore is averaging 173.8 yards on the ground and topped 200 yards in each of the past two games.
Packers withstand late rally to outlast Eagles 30-16
Read full article: Packers withstand late rally to outlast Eagles 30-16The only other players with at least 400 touchdown passes are Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Peyton Manning, Brett Favre, Dan Marino and Philip Rivers. He has 36 touchdown passes this year and is the first player to throw at least 35 in five separate seasons. Rodgers doesn't have the footballs from his 100th, 200th or 300th touchdown passes. His 400th touchdown pass was a 9-yarder to Adams that capped a 99-yard drive in the third period. Philadelphiaโs rally started with Hurts' 32-yard touchdown pass to Greg Ward on fourth-and-18.
Jake Scott, former Miami safety, Super Bowl MVP, dies at 75
Read full article: Jake Scott, former Miami safety, Super Bowl MVP, dies at 75Scott, the star safety who was the most valuable player in the Super Bowl that completed the Dolphins 1972 perfect season, died Thursday, Nov. 19, 2020, in Atlanta. Scott played in three consecutive Super Bowls, won back-to-back championship rings and made the Pro Bowl five years in a row with Miami. At Georgia, Scott was an All-American and the Southeastern Conference Player of the Year in 1968. Shula suspended Scott and then traded him to the Redskins for safety Bryant Salter, who lasted only one season. He grew up in Athens, Georgia, and was recruited as a receiver by Dooley, who then moved Scott to safety.
Colts grab tiebreaker in AFC South by beating Titans 34-17
Read full article: Colts grab tiebreaker in AFC South by beating Titans 34-17The Colts (6-3) will host the rematch in Indianapolis on Nov. 29 after helping coach Frank Reich improve to 4-1 against Titans coach Mike Vrabel. The Colts smothered a Tennessee offense that had been averaging 384.6 yards a game, 10th-best in the NFL, and seventh-best averaging 29 points a game. Indianapolis took advantage of the Titans' special teams woes to score twice in the third quarter for a 27-17 lead. Tennessee went with a third different punter in three games, promoting Trevor Daniel after signing him to the practice squad last weekend. The Colts padded their lead to 34-17 with Jacoby Brissett capping the next drive with a 2-yard TD run with 9:21 left.
AFC features plenty of star power even without Tom Brady
Read full article: AFC features plenty of star power even without Tom BradyPittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (7) throws a pass in the first half of an NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys in Arlington, Texas, Sunday, Nov. 8, 2020. (AP Photo/Ron Jenkins)The AFC doesnโt lack for drama or star power even though Tom Brady has taken his talents to Davis Beach. WEST: The Chiefs (8-1) are still the class of the conference despite a hiccup against the resurgent Raiders (5-3), who won 40-32 at Arrowhead Stadium on Oct. 11. Mahomes became the fastest quarterback in NFL history to reach 100 TD passes, doing it in 40 games, four fewer than Dan Marino. The Broncos (3-5) have been waylaid by injuries and COVID-19 opt-outs, exposures and infections and Drew Lock went 45 drives without a TD pass.
Chiefs escape with 33-31 win when Panthers FG is wide right
Read full article: Chiefs escape with 33-31 win when Panthers FG is wide rightCarolina Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey (22) runs toward the end zone to score against the Kansas City Chiefs during the first half of an NFL football game in Kansas City, Mo., Sunday, Nov. 8, 2020. Chiefs coach Andy Reid liked it so much that he put it in the game plan. The Panthers' onside kick was recovered by Kansas City, but they used their three timeouts to get the ball back, and Teddy Bridgewater's 23-yard pass to Curtis Samuel with 9 seconds remaining gave them hope. It took nine plays and consumed nearly nine minutes before McCaffrey reached the end zone, keeping the potent Kansas City offense on the sideline. The Panthers still led 17-13 after the teams traded missed field goals to start the second half, but the Chiefs finally hit their offensive stride.
Ravens set NFL record for 20-point games with win in Indy
Read full article: Ravens set NFL record for 20-point games with win in Indy(AP Photo/AJ Mast)INDIANAPOLIS โ Lamar Jackson fast-tracked the Baltimore Ravens' latest record-breaking achievement. He opened the second half with an up-tempo game plan that got Indianapolis' defense out of sync. After punting on their first five possessions and watching the defense score the Ravens' only points of the first half, Jackson switched it up. โIโm glad we did," Harbaugh said when asked about going fast in the second half. Linebackers Darius Leonard and Anthony Walker also were injured in the second half.
AP source: Tagovailoa replaces Fitzpatrick as Miami starter
Read full article: AP source: Tagovailoa replaces Fitzpatrick as Miami starterMiami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1) looks to pass during the second half of an NFL football game against the New York Jets, Sunday, Oct. 18, 2020, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)MIAMI โ Tua Tagovailoa will make his first NFL start next week for the Miami Dolphins, who are turning to him to replace Ryan Fitzpatrick, a person familiar with the team's decision said Tuesday. Tagovailoa will start at home against the Los Angeles Rams on Nov. 1. Tagovailoa made his pro debut in mop-up duty at the end of Miami's 24-0 victory Sunday over the New York Jets. "We were all excited to see him get out there.โTagovailoa takes over an offense much-improved from a year ago, when Miami went 5-11 under rookie coach Flores. At Alabama, Tagovailoa threw 76 touchdown passes in 24 starts over his final two seasons.
Chiefs, Edwards-Helaire run away with 26-17 win over Bills
Read full article: Chiefs, Edwards-Helaire run away with 26-17 win over BillsโBut if teams are going to play us like this, weโve got to show we can run the football.โMission accomplished. Led by Edwards-Helaireโs 161 yards rushing, the Chiefs finished with 245 โ the most since Mahomes took over as starter in 2017. The Chiefs, who were originally scheduled to play three games in 11 days, wound up having two more days of rest than the Bills. During that drive, Buffaloโs Justin Zimmer stripped the ball from Edwards-Helaire at the Kansas City 30. Kansas City had four drives of 10 plays or more and dominated time of possession by more than 15 minutes.
Brady outplays Rodgers, Buccaneers rout Packers 38-10
Read full article: Brady outplays Rodgers, Buccaneers rout Packers 38-10Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady (12) throws a pass against the Green Bay Packers during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 18, 2020, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)TAMPA, Fla. โ So much for Tom Brady vs. Aaron Rodgers. A stingy Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense turned a rare meeting between the Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks into a mismatch on Sunday. Safety Mike Edwards ran the other back 38 yards to the Packers 2 to set up another TD. Gronkowski led the Bucs with five receptions for 78 yards โ his best game since ending a one-year retirement to join Brady in Tampa Bay. BRADY VS. RODGERSBrady and Rodgers split their two previous head-to-head meetings, with the Packers winning 26-21 in 2014 at Green Bay and New England winning 31-17 at home in 2018, while Brady was playing for the Patriots.