Sporting Alert

College Football, NCAAB, NBA, NFL

Dallas Cowboys

Thanksgiving Day 2018 NFL Schedule TV Channels On Nov. 22

by Leave a Comment

NEW ORLEANS, LA — Three NFL games are on the schedule on Thanksgiving Day with the New Orleans Saints and Dallas Cowboys among the teams in action on Thursday.

New Orleans (9-1), which is the ESPN’s Power Rankings, will take a nine-game winning streak into today’s highlighted Turkey Day fixture with the Atlanta Falcons (4-6) at Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, LA.

http://gty.im/1069778502

Live coverage of this game is scheduled for 8:30 pm ET and live streaming will be on NBCSports.com and the NBC Network.

Since dropping their first game of the season to the Buccaneers, Drew Brees and the Saints have been very impressive and coming off a dominating 48-7 smashing of Philadelphia last Sunday.

In that game, Brees passed for 363 yards and four touchdowns, and according to ESPN’s Football Power Index, New Orleans should have it easy again after being back at 80 percent to win its 10th straight this season.

http://gty.im/1055257830

“With Drew, you’re never covered in his eyes. He knows how to manipulate the defense to put the ball where only you can get it and no one else gets it,” Saints rookie WR Tre’Quan Smith said according to ESPN.

“As a young receiver I need that because my game isn’t all the way there. So I have a quarterback that can put it somewhere where only I can get it, it’s wonderful.”

Meanwhile, the Falcons enter this game on a two-game losing streak, including a 22-19 loss to the Dallas Cowboys the last time out and they will be hoping to snap this skip.

Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan is confident Atlanta can turn it around.

http://gty.im/1063225984

“I think the opponent we’re going against, the stage that it’s on, makes it pretty easy to be able to turn around quickly and put this one behind us,” Ryan said after the Dallas defeat.

“We’ve got to win,” Falcon tackle Jake Matthews said in the buildup. “We just have to prepare well this week. We aren’t going to drink some magic potion and it’s going to happen.

“We have to take what we do during the week and execute better during the game because we have a good game plan and have good things going at times. We just have to do it more consistently and finish more drives.”

Meanwhile, the Thanksgiving Day fixtures will kick-off at 12:30 when the improving Chicago Bears take on the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on CBS.

http://gty.im/1069792634

Chicago (7-3) has won four straight coming into this one, but is expected to be without quarterback Mitchell Trubisky.

Trubisky, who has passed for 2,469 yards and 20 touchdowns so far this season, suffered a shoulder injury in the latter part of Sunday’s 25-20 victory over the Minnesota Vikings and is still struggling with his finest.

In fact, ESPN is now reporting that the Bears will start Chase Daniel at quarterback.

Detroit (4-6) snapped a three-game losing streak with a narrow hold 20-19 win against the Carolina Panthers last Sunday.

Entering this game, the Lions will be without running back Kerryon Johnson and wide receiver Marvin Jones who are out because of knee injuries.

The other NFL Thanksgiving Day game will see Dallas Cowboys (5-5) meeting the Washington Redskins (6-4) at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Tex.

According to ESPN’s Football Power Index, the Cowboys have a 74.2 percent chance of beating Washington at home.

This game is set for 4:30 PM ET and it will be live on Fox and streaming on FoxSportsGo.com.

Thanksgiving Day NFL Schedule; Vikings Seek 8th Straight

by Leave a Comment

DALLAS, TX, Sporting Alert – Three games are listed on the NFL schedule for Thanksgiving Day and they will all be available to watch and stream live on Week 12.

GAME OF THANKSGIVING?

The Minnesota Vikings (8-2) will hunt their seventh consecutive win in the league this season when they travel to Detroit to take on the Lions at Ford Field in the opening game of the day.

Live coverage of this game will be on FOX and should be available on FOX Sports GO, with kick-off time set for 12:30 pm ET.

Minnesota enters in this encounter with a 53 percent chance to extend its winning streak, according to ESPN’s Football Power Index, but let’s be reminded that the last team to be the Vikings was Detroit, which has beaten them three straight times in this series.

It is also worth noting that the Lions (6-4) have won four straight Thanksgiving Day games at Ford Field and the hosts are looking forward to sweeping their rivals in this NFC North showdown and secure their fourth win in a row on the term.

Matthew Stafford - NFL Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford

“Playing meaningful football on Thanksgiving is a whole lot of fun,” quarterback Matthew Stafford said.

“This year should be no different. Any time you win on Thanksgiving, it’s a blast. The turkey tastes a whole lot better.”

Will Field Goals Decide This One Again?

The last time these two clubs met, Matt Prater kicked two field goals in a 14-7 win at Minnesota on Oct. 1 and it could very well be another tight game.

Prater also made three field goals in a 16-13 victory for Detroit on Thanksgiving Day last year, and Vikings coach Mike Zimmer is hoping his side can get going on offense this time around.

“We haven’t scored enough points,” he admitted. “We had 16, 13 twice and kicked a 60-yard field goal once. Last (time) 14-7.

“We turned the ball over three times last game and we got in the red zone and haven’t converted.”

Meanwhile, Lions coach Jim Caldwell isn’t buying into the pundits’ game time build-up and predictions.

“They’re a very good team. They’re on a roll,” Jim Caldwell said. “But we’re not worried about ramifications.

“We’re not worried about all of the build-up and things of that nature. We’re worried about how we play, and that’s what our goal is — to get focused in on our preparation, and get ready to play a tough, hard-fought game.”

MORE THANKSGIVING DAY FIXTURES

In the meantime, the two other NFL games on Thanksgiving Day will see the Dallas Cowboys hosting the Los Angeles Chargers and the New York Giants playing at the Washington Redskins.

Eli Manning: New York Giants
Eli Manning of the New York Giants

The Cowboys (5-5) are coming off two stinging defeats and need a win against the Chargers (4-6) at AT&T Stadium to help ease some of the pressure off head coach Jason Garrett.

A 27-7 defeat to the Atlanta Falcons was followed by a 37-9 loss at home to the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday for Dallas, but ESPN’s Football Power Index is backing the Texas-based side to return to winning ways.

“I think the biggest thing is you have to go back to work,” Garrett said. “The challenge of the National Football League is real, play after play, game after game.

“Sometimes you have success and you have to build on that but also learn from what happens.”

Despite the recent setbacks, Garrett informs his players that they can peak at the right time as everything is “all in front of us.”

Jason Garrett Dallas Cowboys
Jason Garrett, the Dallas Cowboys football head coach

“We’re 5-5 right now,” he said. “We can be anywhere from 11-5 to 5-11 and everywhere in between.

“Really the focus is trying to become 6-5 and the way you do that is focus on today and do what you need to do in the preparation on a short week.”

Meanwhile, Los Angeles ran up the scoreboard at the weekend after it ended a two-game skid with a 54-24 victory over the Buffalo Bills to show itself as a potential playoff team, but will need to keep winning.

The Chargers have won four of their last six games, but will need some help to catch AFC West leaders Kansas City Chiefs and others who are chasing a possible wild-card berth.

At the FedEx Field in Landover in the Thanksgiving night prime time kick-off, the Washington Redskins will entertain the New York Giants live on NBC in an NFC East matchup that neither team can afford to lose.

The prime time battle will kick-off at 8:30 PM ET with the Redskins (4-6) aiming to snap a two-game losing streak, while the Giants (2-8) are seeking to build on their surprised victory over Kansas City last time out.

ESPN’s Football Power Index is giving Washington the edge with a 68 percent chance of winning the game.

The Redskins are being affected by major injury problems with coach Jay Gruden revealing that there could likely be seven or seven or eight game time decisions.

NFL Thanksgiving Day Fixtures
Thursday, November 23

Minnesota Vikings at Detroit Lions 12:30 PM FOX | FOX Sports GO
Los Angeles Chargers at Dallas Cowboys 4:30 PM CBS | CBS All Access
New York Giants at Washington Redskins 8:30 PM NBC | NBC Live Stream

Prescott, Cowboys Bounced Back With 28-17 Win Over Arizona

by Leave a Comment

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Dak Prescott threw for two touchdowns and flipped into the end zone on a 10-yard run for another and the Dallas Cowboys beat the Arizona Cardinals 28-17 on Monday night.

Before the game, Cowboys and outspoken owner Jerry Jones kneeled before the National Anthem, which drew boos from sections of the stands at the University of Phoenix Stadium.

Members of both teams then stood in separate locations in a locked-arm anthem protests.

“We planned and it was executed that we would go out and kneel,” Jones said.

“Basically make the statement regarding the need for unity and the need for equality.”

Even pop star Jordin Sparks, who sang the national anthem, had a message. Hers was written on her hand and it was “PROV 31:8-9”

The bible verse read: “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.”

ACTION ON THE FIELD

When play got underway on the field, Jaron Brown scored on a 25-yard pass from Carson Palmer to give the Cardinals the lead midway through the first quarter.

However, the Cowboys (2-1) answered back when shortly before the halftime break when Prescott finished off a 10-yard run with a head over heels flipped into the end zone with 1:11 left in the second quarter.

The third quarter ended 14-14 after Prescott found Dez Bryant with a 15-yard scoring pass for Dallas and Carson Palmer mirrored that distance when he found Larry Fitzgerald to knot the game.

Prescott and the Cowboys then pulled away in the fourth quarter after Brice Butler pulled down a 37-yard pass inside the end zone and Ezekiel Elliott ran home from 8-yards to polish off the game, as the travelers outscored Arizona 14-3 in the last quarter.

Dak Prescott - Dallas Cowboys QB
Dak Prescott of Dallas Cowboys flipped into the end zone

Prescott finished 13 of 18 for 183 yards without an interception, while Butler took two catches for 90 yards and his TD and Elliott ran for 80 yards and his TD for Dallas, which bounced back from the 42-17 defeat to Denver in Week 3.

“He just kept battling,” Dallas coach Jason Garrett said of his QB.

“He kept making good decisions. Obviously he made some good plays, big-time throws, but as much as anything else he’s got an amazing spirit and our players follow him.”

Meanwhile, Carson Palmer went 29 of 48 for 325 yards and two touchdowns for the Cardinals (1-2), who outgained Dallas 332-273, but had only 49 rushing yards.

“There running game was dependent on me,” Cardinals coach Bruce Arians said, as he took the blame.

“I loved what we had passing the ball. We just had to protect better.”

Larry Fitzgerald collected 13 of 15 targets to tie a career high for receptions for 149 yards and a touchdown and Jaron Brown also had a scoring reception for Arizona in the defeat.

“That’s Fitz. It’s Monday night,” Arians said. “He’s a money player.

“It was a great performance by him. It’s a shame we couldn’t play better around him.”

 

Latest NFL Scores, Results: Brady Stars, Cowboys Humiliated: Week 2

by Leave a Comment

MIAMI, FL, Sporting Alert — Latest NFL scores and results from the Week 2 fixtures on Sunday, as the New England Patriots and Atlanta Falcons both won.

The Kansas City Chiefs, Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders, Pittsburgh Steelers, Carolina Panthers and Baltimore Ravens all improved to 2-0 this season with wins as well.

FINAL SCORE: PATRIOTS 36, SAINTS 20

NEW ORLEANS — New England responded to its opening week defeat to Kansas City by beating the New Orleans Saints 36-20 at Mercedes-Benz Superdome.

Quarterback Tom Brady threw three touchdown passes in the first quarter and surpassed 300 yards passing in the first half for only the second time in his career as the Patriots jumped out a 30-13 lead at halftime.

Brady, who completed 30 of 39 for 447 yards without an interception, threw three touchdown passes in the first quarter for the first time in his career.

According to Elias Sports Bureau, Brady has now joined Warren Moon as the only quarterbacks at age 40 or older to pass for at least 400 yards and three TDs in the same game.

Rob Gronkowski had six catches for 116-yards and a 53-yard catch and run for a touchdown before leaving the game in the second half with a groin injury.

James White and Rex Burkhead also caught passes for TDs, while Mike Gillislee ran for a score for the Patriots (1-1).

Drew Brees finished 27 of 45 for 356 yards and two touchdowns for the Saints (0-2), who have dropped their opening two games to start the season for the fourth campaign in a row.

FINAL SCORE: BRONCOS 42, COWBOYS 17

DENVER — At Sports Authority Field at Mile High, Trevor Siemian tied a career high with four touchdown passes and the Denver Broncos embarrassed the out-of-sort Dallas Cowboys 42-17 in Week 2.

Siemian, who threw three of his TD passes in the first half, finished 22 of 32 for 231 yards with an interception in a game that was delayed by an hour.

C.J. Anderson carried the ball 25 times for 118 yards and a score and also caught a touchdown pass for the Broncos, who led 21-10 at halftime and extended the lead to 35-10 heading into the fourth quarter.

Emmanuel Sanders caught two passes for scores and Virgil Green added another catch for a score for Denver (2-0).

Meanwhile, Dallas star running back Ezekiel Elliott was limited to 8 yards on nine carries — the worst game of his career.

Jason Witten caught 10 passes for 97 yards and a touchdown, Dez Bryant took a catch for a score as well, while Dak Prescott went 30 of 50 for 238 yards and two touchdowns with two interceptions for the Cowboys (1-1), who were held to just 40 yards on the ground.

FINAL SCORE: FALCONS 34, PACKERS 23

ATLANTA — Matt Ryan threw for 252 yards and a touchdown and Devonta Freeman ran for a pair of scores and 84 yards and the Atlanta Falcons secured a 34-23 victory over the Green Bay Packers in Sunday Night Football.

The Falcons (2-0) who were beaten by the Patriots in the Super Bowl last season, went into the halftime break on Sunday night with a 24-7 lead and build it to a 31-7 advantage late into the third quarter.

Julio Jones caught five passes for 108 yards and Mohamed Sanu held on to five of his six targets for 85 yards for Atlanta in the win.

Aaron Rodgers was 33 of 50 for 343 and two touchdowns with an interception and a fumble for a lost for the Packers (1-1), who scored 13 unanswered points in the fourth quarter but still came up well short.

In other latest NFL scores, the Kansas City Chiefs survived late to hold on for a 27-20 win over Philadelphia Eagles, the Miami Dolphins also picked up a close 19-17 win over the Los Angeles Chargers, while the Minnesota Vikings fell 26-9 to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Below is the complete latest NFL scores in Week 2:

Sunday, September 17

BRONCOS 42, COWBOYS 17 – Box Score
FALCONS 34, PACKERS 23 – Box Score
PATRIOTS 36, SAINTS 20 – Box Score
CHIEFS 27, EAGLES 20 – Box Score
RAVENS 24, BROWNS 10 – Box Score
SEAHAWKS 12, 49ERS 9 – Box Score
CARDINALS 16, COLTS 13, OT – Box Score
RAIDERS 45, JETS 20 – Box Score
STEELERS 26, VIKINGS 9 – Box Score
DOLPHINS 19, CHARGERS 17 – Box Score
REDSKINS 27, RAMS 20 – Box Score
TITANS 37, JAGUARS 16 – Box Score
BUCCANEERS 29, BEARS 7 – Box Score
PANTHERS 9, BILLS 3 – Box Score

Thursday, September 14

TEXANS 13, BENGALS 9 – Box Score

Monday, September 18

Detroit Lions at New York Giants 8:30 PM ESPN and WatchESPN

Hall of Fame Game: Dallas Cowboys v Arizona Cardinals Live Stream

by Leave a Comment

CANTON, Ohio, Sporting Alert – The Dallas Cowboys and the Arizona Cardinals will kick off the 2017 NFL pre-season campaign when they face-off in the Hall of Fame Game at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, on Thursday night.

Live streaming coverage of this game will be available on the NBC Sports Online Player, while NBC Network will have the live nationally televised broadcast, starting at 8:00 pm ET.

Both teams are currently still in their condition phase of the season’s preparations but are hoping to provide some entertainment for the fans.

A number players will miss the game to continue their respective preparations, while others will play limited minutes to allow the youngsters to shine.

In fact, the Cardinals revealed this week on their website that their starters won’t feature, as coach Bruce Arians wants to avoid as many injuries as possible before the start of the new season.

This means the likes of quarterback Carson Palmer, running back David Johnson, cornerback Patrick Peterson, safety Tyrann Mathieu, wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, as well as outside linebacker Chandler Jones will not take the field.

First-round pick, inside linebacker Haason Reddick, will feature in a few snaps, but Arians said he won’t play very much.

“He’s not going to play a ton,” Arians said. “He’s going to play, though. Injuries at some positions could cause guys to play more than I want them to play.”

At the same time, several of the younger players are looking forward to getting a taste of the professional setting.

“It’s everything you’ve been dreaming about since you were a kid,” Cardinals’ third-round pick Chad Williams said.

“Finally, your dreams come true and you get to run under the NFL light in an NFL atmosphere. I’m thanking God for that.”

Arians also confirmed the Thursday’s game will be “all about young guys.”

“[I’m] anxious to see them cover and block and return kicks,” he added.

Dallas Cowboys, in the meantime, plan to build on the success of last season and head coach Jason Garrett will use this pre-season to shape the team into the way he wants them to play in the upcoming campaign.

Meanwhile, former starter Blaine Gabbert will lead the Cardinals’ offense for the first half of the Hall of Fame Game and he sees it as the perfect chance to show that he’s still capable.

“It’s a great opportunity for any of the young guys, myself included, when you can play a first half, the second half, the entire game,” said Gabbert.

“You can really get into the rhythm rather than just playing maybe a series here, a quarter here.

“You can really get into the flow of the game and really start executing at a high level.”

Undrafted free agent Trevor Knight will take over as the quarterback for the second half.

Arians, in the meantime, admits that Gabbert looks good in practice but he wants to see the 27-year-old live action.

“You want to see him with live bullets,” Arians said. “I see the talent in practice. Games are different.

“A different secondary, a different front and all those things — how you react to it, how you put all those pieces together in one day. That’s all we practice for these guys, one day.”

NFL Divisional Playoffs Scores: Jan. 14-15

by Leave a Comment

DALLAS — NFL Divisional round playoffs scores on Saturday, Jan. 14 and Sunday, Jan. 15, with the Patriots, Falcons and Packers among the winners.

PATRIOTS 34, TEXANS 16

The New England Patriots easily put away the Houston Texans 34-16 in their AFC divisional round game in Foxborough, Mass., on Saturday night.

Patriots running back Dion Lewis, who was injured during this period last term, became the first player in NFL postseason history to score a touchdown by rushing, catching and a kickoff return as the Patriots (15-2) dominated the contest after halftime.

Tom Brady: NFL and NFL Scores
New England Patriots QB Tom Brady

Quarterback Tom Brady was 18-for-38 on completed passes and threw for 287 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions for New England on his way to improving to 23-9 in NFL playoffs career games.

The Patriots, who were far from perfect on Saturday night are heading for their sixth straight appearance in the AFC championship game.

Meanwhile, receiver Julian Edelman took eight catches for 137 yards and Chris Hogan caught all four of his passes for 95 yards for the Patriots, who will host Pittsburgh on Jan. 22.

Houston (10-8) was competitive in the opening two quarters and trailed 17-13 at halftime.

However, the game got away from the travellers after the break, following some costly turnovers that assisted in them getting outscored 17-3 in the second half.

Quarterback Brock Osweiler started effectively but was all over the place after halftime and got intercepted three times.

Osweiler went 23-of-40 on completed passes for 198 yards and a touchdown.

FALCONS 36, SEAHAWKS 20

The Atlanta Falcons beat the Seattle Seahawks 36-20 in the NFC divisional playoff game on Saturday.

Quarterback Matt Ryan threw for 334 yards and three touchdowns as the Falcons (12-5) won just their second playoff game since 2004 and move on to face the Green Bay Packers in the NFC championship game next Sunday.

Julio Jones, Mohamed Sanu and Tevin Coleman all took catches for touchdowns for Atlanta, which last played in the NFC title game in 2012 when it was beaten 28-24 at home by the San Francisco 49ers.

The Seahawks (10-6-1) jumped out to an early 10-7 lead but the Falcons used a 19-point second quarter to take a 19-10 halftime advantage and then added a pair of touchdowns in the second half to finish off the game.

Seattle’s Russell Wilson threw for 225 yards and two touchdowns in the defeat.

However, the veteran quarterback also threw two interceptions and fell in the end zone for a safety in the second quarter.

Doug Baldwin and Jimmy Graham each took catches for touchdowns for the Seahawks, who were losing in the divisional round for the second straight year.

SUNDAY GAMES

PACKERS 34, COWBOYS 31

The Green Bay Packers extended their late-season outstanding form with another victory on Sunday after edging the NFC’s No. 1 seeded Dallas Cowboys 34-31 in a thriller to advance to the NFC championship game next weekend.

Richard Rodgers
Richard Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers takes a TD catch

Mason Crosby kicked a clutched 51-yard field goal as time expired to seal the win for the Packers (12-6) who have won eight straight games and are heading to the NFC championship game for the first time since the 2014 season.

With the game tied at 31-31 in the final minute, Rodgers connected with Jared Cook, who stunningly made a sliding 35-yard catch as he was going out of bounds with 3-seconds remaining to setup the field-goal position for Green Bay.

Rodgers completed 28-of-43 passes for 356 yards and two touchdowns with an interception for the Packers, who almost blew an 18-point second quarter lead.

Dallas (13-4) trailed 21-3 with 7:37 left in the first half, but rallied twice to even up the game at 28-28 and then 31-31 before Crosby held it together to win the contest on the second time of asking for the visitors.

Ty Montgomery rushed for two scores and Cook caught six passes for 104 yards and a touchdown for Green Bay, which will be full of confidence heading to Atlanta next week.

Rookie quarterback Dak Prescott was 24-of-38 for 302 yards with three touchdowns and an interception for Dallas, while Dez Bryant caught the ball nine times for 132 yards and two TDs in the defeat.

Rookie running back Ezekiel Elliott carried the ball 22 times for 125 yards for the Cowboys, who looked stunned after the loss.

STEELERS 18, KANSAS 16

The Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Kansas City Chiefs 18-16 in an AFC divisional round game on Sunday to advance to the conference championship game.

Running back Le’Veon Bell broke his own franchise playoff record by running for 170 yards on 30 carries for the Steelers and Antonio Brown took six catches for 108 yards for Pittsburgh (13-5).

Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger completed 20-of-31 passes for 224 yards with an interception for the Steelers, who will look for their first trip to the Super Bowl since 2011.

Alex Smith completed 20-of-34 passes for 172 yards with a touchdown and an interception for the Chiefs (12-5), whose mistakes prove costly in the defeat.

NFL Scores Today: New Year’s Day Scores: Jan. 1

by Leave a Comment

MIAMI, FL, Sporting Alert – NFL scores and results from the games that took place on Sunday, January 1. Green Bay, Kansas City and New England were among the teams securing victories on New Year’s Day. Next week the NFL playoffs begin.

NFL SCORES: PACKERS 31, LIONS 24

DETROIT — Aaron Rodgers threw four touchdown passes, including three in the second half, and the Green Bay Packers beat the Detroit Lions 31-24 to clinch the NFC North title.

Rodgers, who completed 27 for 39 passes for 300 yards without an interception and ran 10 times for 42 yards, threw two TD passes to Davante Adams and another to Geronimo Allison in the second half.

Matthew Stafford passed for 347 yards on 26 for 41 completed attempts with two scores and one interception for Detroit.

The Lions, who fell behind early in the second quarter, led 14-10 at half time but Rodgers took over after the break to lead the Packers (10-6) to sixth straight victory.

Green Bay was winning the NFC North division for the fifth time in the last six years and has been seeded fourth entering the playoffs.

The Packers will take on the fifth-seeded New York Giants in an NFC wild-card game at home on Sunday.

Despite the defeat, Detroit (9-7) will be in the playoffs and will travel to face the Seattle Seahawks on Saturday night.

The Lions have dropped their last three games.

NFL SCORES: CHIEFS 37, CHARGERS 27

SAN DIEGO — The Kansas City Chiefs dominated the second and third quarters en route to securing a 37-27 victory over the San Diego Chargers and the Chiefs clinched the AFC West title.

The win also means Kansas (12-4), which took the division title after Oakland’s loss at Denver, earned a first-round bye in the NFL playoffs.

Alex Smith completed 21 of 28 passes for 264 yards with two touchdowns and an interception and ran for another score for the Chiefs.

Charcandrick West caught touchdown passes and finished with 116 all-purpose yards for Kansas City, which scored 17 points in the second quarter and 14 in the third to structure the win.

Philip Rivers passed for 269 yards and two touchdowns but was also intercepted twice, which the Chiefs took advantage of to build the on the total.

It was the first time since 2003 when they went 13-3, Kansas City finished a single season with at least 12 wins since going 13-3 in 2003.

San Diego fired head coach Mike McCoy after the defeat.

The Chargers went 5-11 this season.

NFL SCORES: PATRIOTS 35, DOLPHINS 14

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Veteran quarterback Tom Brady threw for 276 yards and three scores and the New England Patriots hammered the Miami Dolphins 35-14 to clinched home-field advantage throughout the AFC in the NFL playoffs.

Brady, who completed 25 for 33 passes without an interception, threw scoring passes to Martellus Bennett and Michael Floyd in the first quarter as New England went on to take a 20-0 lead in the first half.

Miami scored 14 points to cut the gap to six but Brady supplied a 77-yard touchdown pass to Julian Edelman to stop the Dolphins’ comeback run in the third quarter.

Matt Moore started again for Miami (10-6) and he went 24 for 34 on completed passes for 205 yards with two touchdowns and one interception.

Jarvis Landry caught nine of his 12 targets for 76 yards and a TD for the Dolphins, who had already gained an AFC wild-card berth in this year’s NFL playoffs.

NFL SCORES: NFL PLAYOFFS PLACE BOOKED
January 1, 2017

PATRIOTS 35, DOLPHINS 14
PACKERS 31, LIONS 24
CHIEFS 37, CHARGERS 27
BRONCOS 24, RAIDERS 6
FALCONS 38, SAINTS 32
JETS 30, BILLS 10
TITANS 24, TEXANS 17
EAGLES 27, COWBOYS 13
BUCCANEERS 17, PANTHERS 16
VIKINGS 38, BEARS 10
COLTS 24, JAGUARS 20
BENGALS 27, RAVENS 10
CARDINALS 44, RAMS 6
SEAHAWKS 25, 49ERS 23
STEELERS 27, BROWNS 24

2016 NFL MVP Leaders: Carr Still Pacing The Pack

by Leave a Comment

MIAMI, FL – There are a substantial amount of contenders in the race to win the NFL MVP award.

However, there are two current standouts that are setting themselves apart from the field.

It has been a tight race for a large portion of the term and this will most likely continue as the regular season begins to wind down.

Early Leaders Heading Into Week 14

Embed from Getty Images

Two of leading candidates for the league’s prestigious individual award, based on effective performances this season, are Derek Carr of the Oakland Raiders and Dallas Cowboys rookie Ezekiel Elliott, who is third on the voting list but the highest none quarterback.

Carr Getting The Top Picks

Based on this season, Carr’s performance easily qualifies him for the Most Valuable Player Award.

The fact that he’s been at his best at the most pivotal moments, is a strong indication he’s MVP material.

Carr has helped lead his team to victory in five games in which they have trailed in the fourth quarter.

The 25-year-old has come through for the Raiders during tough situations all year and the pundits believe the former Fresno State QB has to be given the edge because he’s been doing his damage with far fewer weapons than some of the other candidates.

Carr, in his third season in the NFL, has now won as many games this year as he did in his first two seasons combined, stays the stats gurus.

According to ESPN Stats & Info, the quarterback has masterminded ten game-winning drives in the 4th quarter or overtime in the last two seasons, which ties him with Matthew Stafford for most in the NFL during that period.

At the same time, though, Carr’s overall numbers don’t standout with the other MVP-candidate quarterbacks, which could affect him further down the stretch.

Several football analysts also maintain that Carr is the second-most valuable player on his own Raiders team, behind pass-rusher Khalil Mack.

But with eight first-place votes, which values five points each, it’s easy to see how Carr’s managed to build such a dominant lead.

Embed from Getty Images

Elliott, 3rd In Points, But Another Strong MVP Applicant

Following Carr, who has tallied 55 points, is Tom Brady, who is trailing by 23 points, but Ezekiel Elliott, the rookie running back for the Dallas Cowboys, needs to be watched closely.

As many would guess, Elliott is the leading skills player in the race for the award, with four of the top five candidates being quarterbacks.

What sets Elliott apart, first of all, is that he has a stellar offensive line that many think should be the league’s MVP.

However, the award isn’t given to a group of players.

In terms of standout stats thus far, Elliot has 71 rushing first downs, which is 18 more than any other player in the league.

The former Ohio State tailback is also averaging 4.9 yards a carry and is also the only player in the NFL with at least 10 runs of 20 yards or more.

Elliott is leading the NFL in rushing yards with 1,285, which is 242 more than second place and has raced home for 12 touchdowns.

As with Carr, football pundits and experts believe the running back is being hampered by the impressive performances of fellow Cowboys rookie Dak Prescott, who he’s been splitting votes with.

Rounding out the top 5 in ESPN’s NFL MVP Poll results were: Brady of the New England Patriots, who is sitting second in the voting with 32 points, Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford (24) and Prescott (15).

NFL MVP Poll Top Five

Derek Carr QB Raiders (55)
Tom Brady QB Patriots (32)
Ezekiel Elliott RB Cowboys (27)
Matthew Stafford QB Lions (24)
Dak Prescott QB Cowboys (15)
Matt Ryan QB Falcons (10)

Dallas Cowboys at Minnesota Vikings How To Watch Live; Preview

by Leave a Comment

MINNEAPOLIS, Sporting Alert – In form Dallas Cowboys return to action on NFL Thursday Night Football against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.

Game time on Thursday is set for 8:25 PM, with live coverage on NBC and streaming live on the NBC Sports Online.

The Cowboys (10-1) head into the clash with a 62 percent chance to beat Minnesota, according to ESPN’s Football Power Index.

Embed from Getty Images

Dallas is going in search of its 11th straight win this season, while the Vikings (6-5), who have dropped five of their last six games, will try and do something only the New York Giants have done so far this season.

That is to hand the NFC East division leaders a defeat for the first time since their opening game.

Cowboys Leading Rookies

Rookies Ezekiel Elliott and Dak Prescott are having an outstanding first season in Dallas and the experts believe the Vikings must step up on defense if they are going to stop the visitors from rolling them over in their own back yard.

The pair have been so good this season that Tony Romo, who recently returned from injury, is now the backup to Prescott and might not play again this term, while Elliott is being “hailed by many as perhaps the best running back to enter the league since veteran Adrian Peterson.”

Elliott, who was drafted fourth overall by Dallas after deciding to leave Ohio State at the end of last term, currently leads the NFL with 1,199 rushing yards and sits second in rushing touchdowns with 11.

With five more games left in the regular season, he is expected to breeze past Peterson’s rookie numbers of 1,341 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns in 2007.

Elliott, who ran for 97 yards and a pair of scores in the 31-26 victory over Washington on Thanksgiving, will need special attention on Thursday night, something Vikings coach Mike Zimmer has acknowledged.

“Well, he’s one of the better backs I’ve seen in quite a while,” Zimmer said.

Embed from Getty Images

“He’s really an all-purpose guy that catches the ball very well out of the backfield. He’s quick into the hole; looks like he’s got great vision … He’s special.”

Zimmer also praised the early efforts of Prescott, who has so far thrown for 2,835 yards and 18 touchdowns, with a 108.6 quarterback rating, which ranks fourth in the league.

Meanwhile, Minnesota enters this home matchup in need of a win after failing to get positive results recently.

The Vikings opened the season with a 5-0 record, but then dropped four in a row after coming off a bye week.

Although they recovered to beat the Arizona Cardinals and stop the bleed in Week 11, they suffered another defeat on Thanksgiving, losing 16-13 to the Lions and need another pick-me-up.

“Obviously, I think everyone’s a little bit frustrated right now,” Vikings quarterback Sam Bradford, who is carrying an ankle injury that limitted him in Monday and Tuesday’s practice, said.

“For whatever reason, we just weren’t able to come back off the bye and play the way we have those first five games, and I think anytime you go through a stretch like we’ve had, people do get frustrated and it’s tough.”

Bradford, who has passed for 2,415 yards and 12 TDs this season, could face his stiffest test so far against a Dallas line that will force him to get rid of the ball very quickly.

Minnesota will be without running back Peterson, who is recovering from a knee injury, while cornerback Marcus Sherels (rib) and defensive tackle Sharrif Floyd (knee) have also been ruled out.

Week 12 NFL Scores; Cowboys Win Again: Nov. 24

by Leave a Comment

ARLINGTON, Texas — Ezekiel Elliott ran for a pair of scores, fellow rookie Dak Prescott accounted for two touchdowns, and the Dallas Cowboys defeated the Washington Redskins 31-26 on Thursday for their 10th straight win this season.

Dynamic Rookies Lead Cowboys Again

Prescott completed 17 of 24 passes for 195 yards and ran for another score in the fourth quarter with 39 yards, while running back Elliott carried the ball 20 times for 97 yards for Dallas (10-1) which extended its franchise regular-season record with another win.

“We have high expectations for ourselves on offense,” Prescott said. “We obviously want to score on every possession and they gave us some scoring chances late.

“No matter if we’re up or down, we’re going to go out there and score and I think we’ve shown that the last couple of weeks,” added Prescott, who found Terrance Williams for a touchdown in the second quarter.

Prescott was impressive again in the fourth quarter on Thursday after missing just one of his passes to help the Cowboys end a two-game Thanksgiving losing streak.

According to ESPN Stats & Info, the Dallas Cowboys young quarterback is 30 of 33 for 325 yards, with 2 touchdown passes and 1 rushing TD in his last 11 fourth quarter and overtime drives.

“Over time, you keep running the football, you’re going to wear them down,” Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said.

“He made some big runs late that were critical. It really broke their back.”

Bryant and Norman Clash

Meanwhile, Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant, who battled throughout the game with Redskins cornerback Josh Norman caught 5 of his 7 targets for 72 yards.

The pair battled throughout the game and were warned numerous times by officials but it didn’t stop there.

After the game Bryant went to search for Norman and that led to the two players having to be separated during a scuffle on the field.

Bryant, who made one of the biggest catches for the Cowboys to help set up a fourth quarter touchdown, called Norman soft after the game and said the Redskins should go get their money back.

“First off, Washington needs to get their money back from Josh Norman,” Bryant told reporters after the game.

“I didn’t make it personal,” Bryant said. “I was just going to come out and do my job and that’s exactly what I did.

“He wanted to bump and me and him got to bumping a little bit and it just made me attack him even more. I honestly feel like the guy is extremely soft.

“He’s a bunch of talk. If he was out and about, I wouldn’t dare on my life let him talk to me like that.

“Those words would never come out of his mouth. I promise. I promise it wouldn’t. We got after that ass and it was a hell of a win. It feels good.”

The Cowboys led 17-6 at halftime, but Washington managed to cut the deficit to 24-19 with 9:22 left in the game.

However, Elliott ran for a one-yard score to open back up the lead and the visitors failed in their late comeback push.

Cousins Has Impressive Day In Defeat

Quarterback Kirk Cousins completed 41 of his 53 passes for 449 yards and three touchdowns for the Redskins (6-4-1).

“We pulled within striking distance a couple of times, but the way Dallas was able to come back and score says a lot of how good of a football team they have and why they’re leading out division,” Cousins told reporters.

“We know as an offense, that the job’s the same and we need to put points on the board and manage it well.

Jordan Reed caught two touchdown passes for 95 yards and DeSean Jackson finished with 118 receiving yards and a score in the defeat for Washington.

Cousins and the Redskins will be off for 10-days before the second of three straight road games in Arizona on Dec. 4.

The upcoming stretch will be vital.

“We’ve been in third place for a while, so we have to understand where we are what it’s going to take to get an opportunity to come back here in the future,” Washington coach Jay Gruden said.

“The last five games of the year are critical.”

Meanwhile, in the other two games on Thanksgiving, Matt Prater kicked a 40-yard field goal as time expired to help the Detroit Lions to a 16-13 win over the Minnesota Vikings, while Ben Roethlisberger and Antonio Brown helped the Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Indianapolis Colts 28-7.

NFL Thanksgiving Scores: Week 12
Thursday, November 24

COWBOYS 31, REDSKINS 26
LIONS 16, VIKINGS 13
STEELERS 28, COLTS 7

Watch, Follow Cowboys v Redskins: Thanksgiving Football 2016

by Leave a Comment

DALLAS, Sporting Alert – Dallas Cowboys put their impressive season streak on the line when they host the Washington Redskins at AT&T Stadium on Thanksgiving.

The Cowboys are 9-0 since losing to the New York Giants in the opening game of the season and ESPN’s Football Power Index gives them a 73 percent chance to win 10 straight games and improved to 10-1 overall this term.

Thanksgiving Day game picks: NFL.com

Dallas, which owns the NFL best record at the moment, is being led two rookies and an offense line that should be rewarded for making life easy for the league’s dynamic offensive newbies.

So far this season, rookie running back Ezekiel Elliott has carried that ball 223 times for 1,102 yards with nine touchdowns, while fellow rookie quarterback Dak Prescott has passed for 2, 640 yards and 17 touchdowns with two interceptions.

Both players have been seriously mentioned in the early MVP discussions but the pundits believe the Cowboys’ offense line is what should be rewarded for the club-record winning streak.

Dallas, which is coming off a 27–17 victory against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, will take on a Washington (6-3-1) side that is looking to avenge the 27-23 defeat it suffered in Week 2 at home on Sep 18.

The game is a quick turnaround for both teams, but Prescott is excited about playing in his first Thanksgiving game as a pro.

He noted that he will need to remember to eat late on the day.

“I’m excited about it. I have never done this before, to respond real quick and play another game,” Prescott said.

“But I love ball, and I love these games. I’m excited for it and I’m looking forward to it.”

If the Cowboys manage to complete the season sweep of the Redskins on Thanksgiving, they would match their only 10-1 start in franchise history with came in 2007 when they finished 13-3 in the regular season.

However, veteran receiver Dez Bryant, who should be fine to play despite a back problem, isn’t getting too carried away.

“We’re taking it one game at a time and focusing on what’s happening at that moment,” said Bryant, who has five touchdown catches, but is questionable with a back injury. “We’re not looking too far ahead.”

The Redskins, who are defending NFC East champions, have not been beaten in the last three outings, winning two games and playing to a 27-27 overtime tie with the Cincinnati Bengals in the other.

In Week 11, quarterback Kirk Cousins threw for 375 yards and found three different receivers for touchdowns, while Robert Kelley ran for 137 yards and three scores in Washington’s 42-24 flogging of the Green Bay Packers on Sunday.

Cousins and Co. head to Arlington, Texas, in a buzzing mood and ESPN First Take’s Stephen A. Smith is predicting an upset win for the visitors.

Follow all the action from AT&T Stadium live on Fox, starting at 4:30pm ET.

NFL.com and ESPN.com will also provide live stats and text play-by-by commentary.

There are two other games on Thanksgiving, with the Minnesota Vikings at Detroit Lions @ 12:30pm on CBS and the Pittsburgh Steelers at Indianapolis Colts live on NBC at 8:30pm.

Thanksgiving NFL Schedule
Thursday, November 24

Minnesota Vikings at Detroit Lions @ 12:30 PM CBS Ford Field
Washington Redskins at Dallas Cowboys @ 4:30 PM FOX AT&T Stadium
Pittsburgh Steelers at Indianapolis Colts 8:30 PM NBC

Thanksgiving Day NFL Schedule; Cowboys Hunt 10th Straight

by Leave a Comment

DALLAS, Sporting Alert – The red-hot Dallas Cowboys will feature in one of three NFL games on Thanksgiving Day as Week 12 begins this coming Thursday.

COWBOYS ROLLING – Live Stats, GameCast

Last year Dallas struggled with injuries and won just four games, but this season the Cowboys are rolling.

Led by two rookies — Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott — the Cowboys (9-1) are currently on a nine-game winning streak and hold the best record in the NFL this season.

Embed from Getty Images

On Thanksgiving Day, Prescott and Co. will host Washington at the AT&T Stadium in a NFC East Division matchup in Arlington.

According to ESPN’s Football Power Index, the Cowboys have a 73.3 percent chance to beat the Redskins and improved to 10-1.

The two sides last met in Week 2 and Dallas picked up a 27-23 victory, with Prescott throwing for 292 yards in the win.

Kirk Cousins was also impressive in that game for the Redskins after throwing for 364 yards and the touchdown in the defeat.

In Early team news, Dallas reports that running back Darren McFadden, who broke his elbow in the spring, was finally in uniform again for Monday’s practice.

However, safety Barry Church will not be available for the fourth straight Week because of a forearm injury.

Cornerback Morris Claiborne (sports hernia), who also sat out three straight, misses out as well.

The Redskins, meanwhile, are undefeated in the last three outings and are coming off an impressive 42-24 victory over the Green Bay Packers in Sunday Night Football.

Cousins will be heading to Arlington, Texas, full of confidence after throwing for 375 yards and three touchdowns in Sunday’s dominating win against the Packers.

At the same time, though, the 28-year-old isn’t getting too carried away.

“We’re feeling good, but at the same time it’s a short week and we’re playing one of the best teams in the NFL on Thursday,” he said.

Redskins coach Jay Gruden says his quarterback is playing at “an elite level right now.”

He added: “We like where he is and we like where he’s going.”

Washington is 6-3 on the season.

Both teams are 2-1 in division play.

LIONS AND VIKINGS MEET AGAIN – Live Stats, GameCast

Embed from Getty Images

Also on the Thanksgiving Day schedule are the battles between the Minnesota Vikings and the Detroit Lions in the NFC North and the Indianapolis Colts against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

A little over two weeks after their thrilling overtime encounter in Minnesota, the Vikings (6-4) and the Lions (6-4) will meet again in Detroit with both teams targeting the lead in the NFC North.

The Lions topped the Vikings 22-19 OT in the last meeting and if they duplicate that result on Thanksgiving Day, it will put them in good playoff standing.

They will have to do it against the odds, though, as ESPN’s Football Power Index is giving Minnesota a 57.2 percent chance to beat Detroit, which has a 42.5 percent possibility.

STEELERS READY TO GO; LUCK OUT – Live Stats, GameCast

In the third Thanksgiving Day matchup, the Colts take a two-game winning streak into their home clash against the Steelers at Lucas Oil Stadium.

The big news, though, ahead of the contest is Indianapolis will be without starting quarterback Andrew Luck for the game.

Luck remains in the NFL’s concussion protocol after a concussion against the Tennessee Titans over the weekend.

Embed from Getty Images

The short week has not helped in the push for a speedy recovery, so the Colts (5-5) will likely have to turn to Scott Tolzien to lead the offense.

Tolzien has played in just six games in his career, which all came in a Green Bay Packers uniform.

The Steelers are also 5-5 on the season, but have won just once in the last five outings after struggling to get going on offense.

In the last meeting between the two teams last December, Ben Roethlisberger passed for 364 yards and four touchdowns in a dominant 45-10 win for the Steelers.

In 2014, Roethlisberger set franchise records with 522 yards passing and six touchdowns – giving him 886 yards and 10 touchdowns with no interceptions in the last two games against Indianapolis.

It’s no wonder he’s in a hurry to get the show on the road again on Thanksgiving Day.

NFL Thanksgiving Day Schedule
Thursday, November 24

Minnesota Colts at Detroit Lions 12:30 PM CBS Ford Field
Washington Redskins at Dallas Cowboys 4:30 PM FOX AT&T Stadium
Pittsburgh Steelers at Indianapolis Colts 8:30 PM NBC Lucas Oil Stadium