KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs are signing two-time Pro Bowl running back Melvin Gordon to their practice squad, a person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press, adding some much-needed depth with a player that was recently released from the AFC West rival Denver Broncos. The person spoke on condition of anonymity Monday because the signing was not yet official. Gordon was cut by the Broncos last week amid fumble issues that plagued the 2015 first-round pick during his time in Denver. He had five in 10 games this season.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Benny Snell Jr.’s 2-yard touchdown run with 9:55 left gave Pittsburgh the lead and the Steelers fended off a last-minute comeback bid to beat the Indianapolis Colts 24-17. Snell had 12 carries for a season-high 62 yards after replacing the injured Najee Harris in the third quarter. Harris was ruled out at halftime with an abdominal injury. Pittsburgh improved to 4-7 and won its eighth straight over Indianapolis, which fell to 4-7-1. Matt Ryan drove the Colts in position for a tying score but Indy stalled in Pittsburgh territory and didn't call its first timeout until a fourth-down play with 30 seconds left. Ryan threw incomplete and that was it.
DOHA, Qatar (AP) — The task is clear for the United States: beat Iran in a politically charged World Cup match or go home. A draw or a loss Tuesday night would eliminate the Americans. During unusual pre-match news conferences, captain Tyler Adams was asked to defend the U.S.’s treatment of Black people and chastized for pronoucing the opponent “Eye-ran” instead of “E-ran.” American coach Gregg Berhalter was questioned about U.S. immigration and Naval policy and apologized for the U.S. Soccer Federation’s decision to strip the emblem of the Islamic Republic from Iran’s flag on social media.
DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Mexico has reached the round of 16 at the last seven World Cups, tied for the longest current streak with Brazil. But in Qatar El Tri sits at the bottom of Group C with just a point ahead of a must-win match Wednesday night against Saudi Arabia at Lusail Stadium. The last time Mexico played at soccer’s biggest tournament and didn’t advance out of its group was in 1978. But it’s not as simple as winning: El Tri will also need Poland to beat Lionel Messi and Argentina.
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Jalen Wilson hit five 3-pointers and scored 22 points, MJ Rice added 19 and No. 9 Kansas beat Texas Southern 87-55 on Monday night. Grady Dick had 15 points, Josef Yesufu 14 and KJ Adams 10 for the Jayhawks, who bounced back from a loss to Tennessee at the Battle 4 Atlantis. Davon Barnes had 22 points and Zytarious Mortle scored 11 to lead the Tigers, whose brutal nonconference schedule has taken them to Texas Tech, Houston and Auburn already this season. Up next for the Jayhawks is a game against Seton Hall in the Big East-Big 12 Battle.
KISSIMMEE, Fla. (AP) — Grant Sherfield scored 12 points and Tanner Groves scored 10 and Oklahoma beat Ole Miss 59-55. Following Myles Burns’ dunk with 4:26 that gave the Rebels a 55-52 lead, Ole Miss proceeded to miss its final eight shots and Oklahoma secured the win with a 7-0 run. Amaree Abram scored 17 for Ole Miss.
UNDATED (AP) — Houston is the No. 1 team in the AP men's college basketball poll. It is the first top ranking for the Cougars since Clyde Drexler and Akeem Olajuwon had Houston there in the final poll of the 1982-83 season. They received 45 of 63 first-place votes from a national media panel. Texas climbed to No. 2 with Virginia, Arizona and Purdue rounding out the top five. North Carolina had been No. 1 all season but fell all the way to 18 after losing twice last week. Every slot in the Top 25 has a new team this week except for No. 16 Illinois.
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — TCU has a definite route to the College Football Playoff after its regular season-ending rout of Iowa State. That wasn’t the case in 2014, when TCU was left out of the inaugural four-team playoff the day after another seven-TD win over the Cyclones. These Horned Frogs have the first undefeated regular season by a Big 12 team since Texas in 2009 after a 62-14 victory. They play in the Big 12 championship game next Saturday against No. 13 Kansas State. The league didn't have a title game in 2014, when TCU lost once. The Frogs beat K-State 38-28 in mid-October.
HOUSTON (AP) — José Abreu and the World Series champion Astros have agreed to a three-year contract, adding another powerful bat to Houston’s lineup. Abreu, the 2020 AL MVP, spent his first nine major league seasons with the Chicago White Sox. The first baseman became a free agent after batting .304 with 15 home runs and 75 RBIs this year. With the Astros, he replaces free agent Yuli Gurriel at first base in a batting order that also features All-Star sluggers Yordan Alvarez, Jose Altuve, Alex Bregman and Kyle Tucker. The 35-year-old Abreu becomes the biggest free agent to switch teams so far this offseason. The three-time All-Star and 2014 AL Rookie of the Year is a .292 career hitter in the majors with 243 homers and an .860 OPS.
MONDAY SCORES
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE
Final Pittsburgh 24 Indianapolis 17
TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Final (9)Kansas 87 Texas Southern 55
Final (11)Arkansas 74 Troy 61
NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Final Washington 142 Minnesota 127
Final Philadelphia 104 Atlanta 101
Final Boston 140 Charlotte 105
Final Toronto 100 Cleveland 88
Final Brooklyn 109 Orlando 102
Final New Orleans 105 Oklahoma City 101
Final Chicago 114 Utah 107
Final Denver 129 Houston 113
Final Phoenix 122 Sacramento 117
Final Indiana 116 L.A. Lakers 115
NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Final Toronto 4 Detroit 2
Final New Jersey 5 N-Y Rangers 3
Final OT Tampa Bay 6 Buffalo 5
Final SO Vegas 3 Columbus 2
Final Dallas 4 St. Louis 1
Final OT Edmonton 4 Florida 3