Superdome
The NFL's two best offenses figure to dazzle and delight fans at the Louisiana Superdome on Monday night, as the New Orleans Saints put their unbeaten record on the line against the New England Patriots in a possible Super Bowl preview.
Leaders
Passing: Aaron Rodgers - 348 yds
Rushing: Ryan Grant - 61 yds
Receiving: Donald Driver - 142 yds
Aaron Rodgers finished with three touchdown passes, as the Green Bay Packers extended the Thanksgiving Day woes for Detroit, posting a 34-12 victory over the Lions at Ford Field.
Leaders
Passing: Tony Romo - 309 yds
Rushing: Felix Jones - 68 yds
Receiving: Miles Austin - 145 yds
Tony Romo threw for 309 yards and a pair of scores, as the Dallas Cowboys' offense got back on track in a 24-7 rout of the Oakland Raiders.
Leaders
Passing: Kyle Orton - 245 yds
Rushing: Knowshon Moreno - 88 yds
Receiving: Brandon Marshall - 86 yds
Kyle Orton threw for 245 yards and a touchdown on a bad ankle and the Broncos defense held the Giants in check, forcing three turnovers as Denver dominated New York in a 26-6 victory to snap a four-game slide.
Leaders
Passing: Josh Freeman - 250 yds
Rushing: Michael Turner - 33 yds
Receiving: Antonio Bryant - 91 yds
Chris Redman took over for an injured Matt Ryan and orchestrated a late touchdown drive to help the Atlanta Falcons take a 20-17 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Leaders
Passing: Ryan Fitzpatrick - 246 yds
Rushing: Ricky Williams - 115 yds
Receiving: Terrell Owens - 96 yds
Rian Lindell kicked a career-long 56-yard field goal to put Buffalo on top late in the fourth quarter and Ryan Fitzpatrick sealed the victory with a lengthy touchdown pass to Terrell Owens, as the Bills defeated Miami, 31-14, at Ralph Wilson Stadium.
Leaders
Passing: Carson Palmer - 110 yds
Rushing: Larry Johnson - 107 yds
Receiving: Chansi Stuckey - 44 yds
Carson Palmer completed 13-of-24 passes for 110 yards and a score, as the Cincinnati Bengals bounced back from a bad loss last week to defeat the Cleveland Browns, 16-7, in Week 12 action at Paul Brown Stadium.
Leaders
Passing: Matt Schaub - 284 yds
Rushing: Joseph Addai - 69 yds
Receiving: Kevin Walter - 73 yds
Peyton Manning tossed three touchdowns and the Colts rallied from a poor first half to take a 35-27 win over the Houston Texans, on a day Indianapolis clinched the AFC South title.
Leaders
Passing: Mark Sanchez - 154 yds
Rushing: Thomas Jones - 75 yds
Receiving: Dustin Keller - 68 yds
Darrelle Revis picked off Jake Delhomme twice and returned one 67 yards for a touchdown, sparking the Jets to a 17-6 victory over Carolina.
Leaders
Passing: Donovan McNabb - 260 yds
Rushing: LeSean McCoy - 76 yds
Receiving: Jason Avant - 94 yds
David Akers made four field goals, the last a 32-yarder with 1:48 remaining in regulation to give the Eagles a 27-24 comeback victory over NFC East rival Washington.
Leaders
Passing: Kyle Boller - 282 yds
Rushing: Justin Forsett - 130 yds
Receiving: Ruvell Martin - 60 yds
Justin Forsett rushed for 130 yards on 22 carries with two touchdowns, as the Seattle Seahawks downed the St. Louis Rams, 27-17, in an NFC West matchup at the Edward Jones Dome.
Leaders
Passing: Philip Rivers - 317 yds
Rushing: Jamaal Charles - 93 yds
Receiving: Antonio Gates - 118 yds
Philip Rivers tossed two scores to help the San Diego Chargers to a 43-14 rout over the Kansas City Chiefs in an AFC West battle.
Leaders
Passing: David Garrard - 307 yds
Rushing: Maurice Jones-Drew - 75 yds
Receiving: Vernon Davis - 69 yds
Alex Smith completed 27-of-41 passes for 232 yards and two touchdowns, while the San Francisco defense caused two turnovers and recorded six sacks in a 20-3 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 12 action at Candlestick Park.
Leaders
Passing: Brett Favre - 392 yds
Rushing: Adrian Peterson - 85 yds
Receiving: Percy Harvin - 101 yds
Brett Favre had another terrific performance, throwing three touchdowns passes, as the Minnesota Vikings rolled over the Chicago Bears, 36-10, at the Metrodome.
Leaders
Passing: Vince Young - 387 yds
Rushing: Chris Johnson - 154 yds
Receiving: Kenny Britt - 128 yds
Vince Young led Tennessee on a 99-yard game- winning drive, which he capped with a 10-yard touchdown throw to Kenny Britt as time expired, to lift the Titans to a 20-17 victory over the Arizona Cardinals.
Leaders
Passing: Joe Flacco - 289 yds
Rushing: Rashard Mendenhall - 95 yds
Receiving: Mark Clayton - 129 yds
Rookie linebacker Paul Kruger intercepted a Dennis Dixon pass and returned it into Pittsburgh territory less than five minutes into overtime, and Billy Cundiff made the Steelers pay by kicking a 29-yard field goal six plays later, as the Baltimore Ravens escaped with a 20-17 victory in a critical AFC North matchup from M&T Bank Stadium.
Nationwide Arena
If the Blue Jackets are to avoid their longest losing streak in over three years Monday night, they will need to break out of their current funk when facing the Blues.
Air Canada Centre
The Toronto Maple Leafs will try to post their longest winning streak of the season when they host the rival Buffalo Sabres in tonight's Northeast Division clash at Air Canada Centre.
Philips Arena
The Atlanta Thrashers will try to match their longest winning streak of the season tonight, when they host the struggling Florida Panthers in a Southeast Division matchup at Philips Arena.
Madison Square Garden
After turning in a dominating performance in Pittsburgh, the Penguins will try to complete a home-and-home series sweep when they visit the New York Rangers for tonight's Atlantic Division battle at Madison Square Garden.
RBC Center
The first-place Washington Capitals will visit the lowly Carolina Hurricanes tonight when the Southeast Division rivals meet for a battle at RBC Center.
Joe Louis Arena
The Stars' power-play unit has been clicking over the past few games. That isn't good news for the Red Wings.
St. Pete Times Forum
The Colorado Avalanche will try to stop a three-game losing streak this evening, as they visit the Tampa Bay Lightning and St. Pete Times Forum.
Sommet Center
The Calgary Flames continue tonight what has so far been a perfect road trip, as they visit the Nashville Predators and the Sommet Center.
Leaders
Passing: Jerrod Johnson - 342 yds
Rushing: Colt McCoy - 175 yds
Receiving: Malcolm Williams - 132 yds
Colt McCoy threw four touchdowns and rushed for another, as third-ranked Texas kept its national title hopes alive with a 49-39 victory over Texas A&M at Kyle Field.
Leaders
Passing: Adam Froman - 254 yds
Rushing: Mohamed Sanu - 148 yds
Receiving: Tim Brown - 124 yds
Mohamed Sanu ran for 148 yards with two touchdowns and Joe Martinek added 90 yards with a score, as Rutgers opened a big lead early and cruised to a 34-14 victory over Louisville.
Leaders
Passing: Tony Pike - 399 yds
Rushing: Juice Williams - 67 yds
Receiving: Ben Guidugli - 149 yds
Tony Pike set career-highs with 399 passing yards and six touchdown throws, and fifth-ranked Cincinnati matched a school record with its 11th win in a 49-36 victory over Illinois.
Leaders
Passing: Greg McElroy - 218 yds
Rushing: Terrell Zachery - 67 yds
Receiving: Darvin Adams - 138 yds
Greg McElroy led a 15-play, 79-yard drive that resulted in a four-yard touchdown pass to Roy Upchurch with 1:24 to go, and second-ranked Alabama kept its undefeated season and national title hopes alive with a gutsy 26-21 win over Auburn in the annual Iron Bowl.
Leaders
Passing: Bill Stull - 179 yds
Rushing: Dion Lewis - 155 yds
Receiving: Jonathan Baldwin - 127 yds
Tyler Bitancurt made a game-winning 43-yard field goal as time expired, and West Virginia got some revenge against No. 8 Pittsburgh in a 19-16 victory in the Backyard Brawl.
Leaders
Passing: Kellen Moore - 261 yds
Rushing: Vai Taua - 159 yds
Receiving: Titus Young - 69 yds
Kellen Moore threw for five touchdowns as sixth- ranked Boise State kept alive its hopes for a BCS bowl berth with a 44-33 victory over Nevada, on a night the Broncos clinched a share of the Western Athletic Conference title for a second straight year and for the seventh time in eight years.
Leaders
Passing: T.J. Yates - 280 yds
Rushing: Johnny White - 83 yds
Receiving: Greg Little - 159 yds
Russell Wilson threw for 259 yards with four touchdowns, leading North Carolina State to a 28-27 victory over 23rd-ranked North Carolina in the regular-season finale at Carter-Finley Stadium.
Leaders
Passing: Kyle Parker - 212 yds
Rushing: Kenny Miles - 114 yds
Receiving: Michael Palmer - 106 yds
Kenny Miles ran for 114 yards and it was the ground game of South Carolina and a strong defensive effort against Clemson's C.J. Spiller that lifted the Gamecocks to a 34-17 victory over the 15th-ranked Tigers at Williams-Brice Stadium.
Leaders
Passing: Jevan Snead - 275 yds
Rushing: Anthony Dixon - 133 yds
Receiving: Shay Hodge - 96 yds
Chris Relf threw two touchdown passes and added another score on the ground -- all coming in the second half -- to help Mississippi State upend 20th-ranked Ole Miss, 41-27, in the Egg Bowl.
Leaders
Passing: Landry Jones - 224 yds
Rushing: DeMarco Murray - 72 yds
Receiving: Ryan Broyles - 103 yds
Ryan Broyles totaled over 300 all-purpose yards and returned a punt for a touchdown, as Oklahoma smothered 11th-ranked Oklahoma State, 27-0.
Leaders
Passing: Andy Dalton - 228 yds
Rushing: Matthew Tucker - 62 yds
Receiving: Antoine Hicks - 123 yds
Andy Dalton threw four touchdowns and added another score on the ground, as fourth-ranked TCU dominated New Mexico, 51-10, to finish a perfect regular season and all but assure itself a coveted BCS berth.
Leaders
Passing: Tim Tebow - 221 yds
Rushing: Jeffery Demps - 106 yds
Receiving: Aaron Hernandez - 83 yds
Tim Tebow accounted for five touchdowns in his final home game, as No. 1 Florida rolled to a 37-10 drubbing of Florida State to complete a flawless regular season.
Leaders
Passing: Jacory Harris - 161 yds
Rushing: Damien Berry - 114 yds
Receiving: Dedrick Epps - 40 yds
Jacory Harris threw two touchdowns and Javarris James added two scores on the ground, as 19th-ranked Miami-Florida defeated in-state foe South Florida, 31-10, at Raymond James Stadium.
Leaders
Passing: Tyrod Taylor - 185 yds
Rushing: Ryan Williams - 183 yds
Receiving: Danny Coale - 135 yds
Ryan Williams had four touchdowns to help 14th-ranked Virginia Tech take a 42-13 win over Virginia in the Commonwealth Cup.
Leaders
Passing: Jordan Wynn - 198 yds
Rushing: Harvey Unga - 116 yds
Receiving: Aiona Key - 85 yds
Andrew George's 25-yard touchdown reception in overtime sent 18th-ranked BYU over 22nd-ranked Utah, 26-23.
Leaders
Passing: Ryan Mallett - 227 yds
Rushing: Dennis Johnson - 78 yds
Receiving: Greg Childs - 124 yds
Josh Jasper kicked his fourth field goal of the game from 36 yards out in overtime, as 17th-ranked LSU defeated Arkansas, 33-30, in another nail-biter between these SEC rivals.
Leaders
Passing: Josh Nesbitt - 135 yds
Rushing: Washaun Ealey - 183 yds
Receiving: Demaryius Thomas - 127 yds
Washaun Ealey and Caleb King combined for 349 rushing yards, and the Georgia Bulldogs topped the seventh-ranked Yellow Jackets, 30-24, in the annual "Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate" rivalry.
Leaders
Passing: Case Keenum - 323 yds
Rushing: Tyler Smith - 113 yds
Receiving: L.J. Castile - 76 yds
Case Keenum threw for 323 yards and two touchdowns and ran for another score, as 25th-ranked Houston walloped the Rice Owls, 73-14, to claim Conference USA's West division and a spot in the league championship game.
Leaders
Passing: Matt Barkley - 206 yds
Rushing: Allen Bradford - 62 yds
Receiving: Damian Williams - 82 yds
Allen Bradford ran for a pair of scores, and No. 24 Southern California used its defense to take a 28-7 victory over UCLA at the Coliseum.
Bradley Center
A pair of Central Division foes riding identical four-game losing streaks get together tonight in Milwaukee, as the Bucks close out a quick homestand versus the Chicago Bulls at the Bradley Center.
American Airlines Center
The Philadelphia 76ers will face a difficult task trying to end their current losing streak Monday night, when they match up against the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center.
EnergySolutions Arena
The Utah Jazz shoot for their 10th straight win over the Memphis Grizzlies when the two clubs square off Monday night from EnergySolutions Arena.
ORACLE Arena
The Indiana Pacers will kick off a four-game road trip tonight, when they pay a visit to the Golden State Warriors at ORACLE Arena.
Certain photos copyright © 2009 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
Scoreboard data copyright © 2009 by STATS LLC. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC is strictly prohibited.
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From Our Editors
SubscribeConstantly updated with quick takes from the staff.
Charlie Weis Fired, Bob Stoops Says 'No Thanks'
News of Notre Dame firing Charlie Weis broke just a couple of hours ago, which means it's time to start churning the rumor mill and take guesses at who might replace him in South Bend. The first to make it through to the other side of the message boards, 140-character speculations and public prognosticating is Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops, who is already saying "no."
Brian Kelly? Butch Davis? Who will be the next one to enter the Media Machine's Irish Circle of Conjecture and Gears of Gossip?
by Ryan Hudson • Nov 30, 2009 4:31 PM EST
Bobby Bowden Announcement Expected Tuesday
An announcement regarding Bobby Bowden’s future is expected on Tuesday, and it could get very, very weird in Tallahassee between now and then. Bowden was quoted by ESPN.com on the decision to come back to Tallahassee in 2010:
Saying it twice doesn’t mean he’s coming back, however. Bowden will have to accept a reduced role next to coach-in-waiting Jimbo Fisher, a phrase most likely meaning “I get to fire some of the dead weight you’ve been keeping on the coaching staff.”
If Bowden refuses to accept the terms, he’ll leave, and thus end the second-longest run in NCAA football coaching. As a Florida fan, let me just say I oppose this move, and repeat my stance that Bowden can stay as long as he likes, especially if he keeps losing to Florida.
by Spencer Hall • Nov 30, 2009 3:49 PM EST
What If A 'Shooter' Can't Shoot?
Buried in the rundown of last night’s Miami Heat loss was the following gem, from the Sun-Sentinel’s beat writer, Ira Wilderman:
Seems simple enough, but so, so perfect. I underwent a similar transition when I graduated high school. The shooting touch faded, and before you knew it, gone was the three-point “specialist”, and suddenly I was a “glue guy” with a beer belly and a smoking habit. And a “high basketball IQ,” of course. There are just so many different ways to describe mediocrity!
And hey, this game’s fun. Let’s try it with some other NBA players:
It applies to so many people:
And even teams:
Or how about Kevin Garnett?
Okay, we should probably stop now. But man, this is fun. Thanks, Bullsblogger.
by Andrew Sharp • Nov 30, 2009 3:42 PM EST
Notre Dame Football Players: No Bowl Game
Somewhat lost in all this "Charlie Weis Fired" hullabaloo is that Notre Dame finished the year 6-6 -- bowl eligible. And with the way their fans normally travel, it was likely that the Irish would be headed to a respectable bowl game (the organizers of said bowl games like money, you see). Well, we can now expect those organizers to be disappointed.
This will mark the second time in three years that Notre Dame has not appeared in a bowl game. For now, the Irish will have to remember the good ol' days of beating Hawaii in last year's Hawaiʻi Bowl.
by Ryan Hudson • Nov 30, 2009 3:06 PM EST
The NBA: Where Hyperbole Happens
There are so many different worn out adjectives to describe particularly emphatic dunks. How many times can you stand up a yell, “Ooooo that was VICIOUS!” After a while, it gets repetitive.
But did you SEE the Paul Pierce this weekend? Even if you did, watch it again:
No figurative, hyperbolic description is even necessary. Paul Pierce literally kneed Chris Bosh in the nether regions while dunking on his head. God. Doesn’t get more vicious than that.
Now, then: commence with the hyperbole.
by Andrew Sharp • Nov 30, 2009 12:03 PM EST
Derek Jeter Wins Sportsman Of The Year; Let The OUTRAGE Commence
SI announced today that Derek Jeter has been named the magazine’s Sportsman of the Year. This is a great honor that awards the recipient the distinction of having their face on the cover and a lifetime subscription to Sports Illustrated, which includes a free football phone and a Yankees World Series champion DVD.
In other words, this is largely a meaningless award that basically signifies that SI thinks Derek Jeter is swell … and perhaps — conspiracy theory! — they want to sell a few extra copies of the mag and stir up some debate. They’ve succeeded in doing the latter, as Twitter has been abuzz with ANGRY FANS who simply cannot believe the eternally overrated Jeter would win SI’s popularity contest. The SB Nation offices also devolved into an all-out slapfight over whether or not Jeter is the greatest team athlete of this era (ed. note: of course he’s not).
Walkoff Walk’s Rob Iracane summed up Jeter winning the award perfectly with two tweets:
See, there it is: Sure, Jeter was probably not the single most spectacular athlete of 2009. But he had a great season and his team won a championship. It’s hard to argue that he’s undeserving. Plus, he really wanted that football phone.
by Chris Mottram • Nov 30, 2009 11:40 AM EST
Brian Urlacher Not A Big Fan Of Bears' Jay Cutler-Led Offense
While you were watching football on the couch with friends, or perhaps traveling back from Thanksgiving vacation, Yahoo!‘s Michael Silver was busy being Brian Urlacher’s guest for a day of NFL viewing. This included watching the Bears-Vikings game. And many others from around the league. The entire column is worth a read to get the whole “injured player who can’t do anything to help his awful team” perspective, but this quote about Jay Cutler and the Bears offense really stands out:
More importantly, Orton doesn’t throw many interceptions. He threw 12 all of last season and the Bears finished above .500. Cutler has already thrown 20 this year, and the Bears are on pace for a 6-win season.
by Chris Mottram • Nov 30, 2009 10:39 AM EST
You Will Not Hurt Joe Adams, Ever
Unless you read SB Nation’s “From Our Editors” section with religious dedication, you probably don’t remember the name Joe Adams. But as a refresher, he’s the Arkansas wide receiver who suffered a mild stroke earlier this year, and came back to the team within a few weeks.
I’m not a doctor, but jeez. That seems… dangerous, or something. And Saturday night in Baton Rouge, he had this happen:
And what happened afterward? He got up, laughed to his teammates, and three plays later, he caught a 4th down TD that gave Arkansas the lead with 1:25 left in the game. Sure, LSU came back to tie, and then win in overtime.
But that’s not the point. Joe Adams is downright INDESTRUCTIBLE, okay? Stop trying to knock him out, you stupid defenses or “mild strokes.” He’ll just get up, laugh, and catch touchdowns.
by Andrew Sharp • Nov 30, 2009 10:06 AM EST
Ed Hochuli Nearly Has Another Ed Hochuli Moment Sunday Night
Al Michaels pointed this out last night, but it was after your bedtime, so you may have missed it. So, here's what went down.
With 13 seconds left in regulation and the Ravens tied with the Steelers at 17-all, Joe Flacco fumbled the ball forward from the Pittsburgh 42 to the 38, where it was recovered by Baltimore. Having burned all their timeouts, the Ravens ran the kicking team out onto the field and attempted a 56-yarder.
Luckily for Ed Hochuli, the kick came up short. Because here is the rule on fumbling inside of two-minutes:
In other words, the Ravens should have attempted that potential game-winning kick from where Flacco fumbled on the 42 ...
Not from where they recovered on the 38 ...
As Michaels said, had Billy Cundiff been able to put about three more yards on the kick, there would've been "hell to pay" this morning.
by Chris Mottram • Nov 30, 2009 9:22 AM EST
The NBA Is Still Unclear On How The Twitter Works
Now, when I tell you that Amar'e Stoudamire and Tyson Chandler were both fined $7,500 Sunday by the NBA for tweeting during a game, your initial reaction is probably "Well, duh, what were they thinking?" But of course the beauty of Twitter is that you don't always have to post tweets yourself, they can be auto-fed or you can provide account access to another person who can update for you. Which is exactly what happened...
Chandler's feed was updated automatically while he just happened to be playing and an intern updated Stoudamire's feed while he was leading the Suns past the Grizzlies. Anyone with a basic understanding of how Twitter works would be able to deduce these instances quite easily. Alas...
My advice to the NBA? Hire a fifteen-year-old social media whiz to be your Twitter Czar. He'll be able to weed this stuff out easily so all parties can avoid embarrassment.
by Sean Keeley • Nov 30, 2009 12:49 AM EST
God Favors The Alouettes, Montreal Wins Grey Cup
Damon Duval kicked a 33-yard field goal with no time left and the Montreal Alouettes won the CFL Grey Cup with a 28-27 victory over the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Sunday night. Duval credits the big Aloutette fan in the sky, not the late Saskatchewan penalty, for the victory:
Like I've been saying for years, God loves Canadian football.
The best part of checking in on the CFL is always recognizing players from college football past that you forgot to wonder about. So congrats to former Mountaineer Avon Cobourne, Seminole Adrian McPherson, Gator Chris Leak and Orangeman Diamond Ferri on the big win.
by Sean Keeley • Nov 29, 2009 11:57 PM EST
Vince Young Is Officially Back
Leading the Titans to four straight wins wasn't quite enough. There was still room for debate. Now, no: Vince Young's 99-yard drive vs. the Cardinals -- capped off by a game-winning touchdown pass as time expired -- officially puts Young's career back in the black.
Music City Miracles, as you might imagine, is appropriately excited:
Somehow, I have a feeling there will be more of this to come. Bring on Week 13.
by Eamonn Brennan • Nov 29, 2009 7:47 PM EST
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