KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes has never failed to reach the AFC championship game in four years as an NFL starting quarterback. To make it five straight, Mahomes will have to lead the Kansas City Chiefs past the Jacksonville Jaguars in the divisional round on Saturday. The All-Pro quarterback is coming off perhaps the finest season of his career, breaking his own franchise record for yards passing while leading the league in touchdown throws. And he's fueled by a frustrating overtime loss to the Bengals the last time he stepped on the field in the postseason in last year's AFC title game.
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — The Bills and Bengals can refocus on their next matchup now that Buffalo's safety Damar Hamlin has shown remarkable signs in his recovery some three weeks after collapsing on the field in Cincinnati. Hamlin went into cardiac arrest and needed to be resuscitated in the first quarter of Buffalo's since-canceled game against Cincinnati on Jan. 2. The teams meet in Buffalo on Sunday in the AFC divisional round of the playoffs. Bills coach Sean McDermott says his team has been uplifted by the sight of Hamlin starting to make regular visits to the team's facility this week.
UNDATED (AP) — For the first time in 13 years, neither Tom Brady nor Aaron Rodgers reached the divisional round of the playoffs. No problem. The NFL still has plenty of exciting football this weekend featuring Patrick Mahomes, Jalen Hurts, Josh Allen, Joe Burrow, Dak Prescott and many other stars. The action kicks off Saturday with the Jacksonville Jaguars visiting the Kansas City Chiefs. Jaguars coach Doug Pederson faces his mentor, Chiefs coach Andy Reid. Pederson played for Reid and coached under him in Philadelphia and Kansas City. He also beat him to a Lombardi Trophy. The No. 1 seed Chiefs are coming off a bye and aiming for their fifth straight trip to the AFC championship game.
COSTA MESA, Calif. (AP) — Brandon Staley’s status that he would remain coach of the Los Angeles Chargers was a source of debate among fans and commentators during the past two weeks. Staley though said during his season-ending press conference on Wednesday that he was aware of the speculation, but wasn't worried. The Bolts improved from 9-8 in Staley’s first campaign in 2021 to 10-7 and the franchise’s first trip to the playoffs since 2018 this season. Both years though have ended in disappointing fashion in which decisions by Staley backfired. The Chargers blew a 27-point lead last Saturday against Jacksonville in the AFC wild-card round and lost 31-30.
UNDATED (AP) — The 12th-ranked Iowa State men's basketball team keeps doing what it was not supposed to do. The Cyclones made the biggest turnaround ever by a power conference team when they went from winning two games to reaching the NCAA Sweet 16. One of the game's feel-good stories continues after coach T.J. Otzelberger’s second ISU team entered this season picked eighth in the 10-team Big 12. The Cyclones have won five of their first six conference games for the first time since 2000 and are in a three-way tie for first place. Playing stifling defense is the team's signature.
AMES, Iowa (AP) — Emily Ryan scored 14 points, reserve Nyamer Diew had eight of her 12 in the fourth quarter and No. 18 Iowa State defeated Oklahoma State 69-64. The Cyclones closed the third quarter with a pair of 3-pointers, the second by Ryan in the closing seconds, that put ISU on top 49-47. Naomie Alnatas scored five-straight points to pull the Cowgirls even at 52-all but they went almost four minutes without a field goal, falling behind by seven. Diew’s second 3 at the 1:42 mark put the lead at 66-57. Oklahoma State got within 67-62 with 22 seconds left but the Cyclones cut 16 seconds off the clock before Denae Fritz was fouled and made two free throws for a 69-62 lead. Anna Gret Asi scored 15 points to lead the Cowgirls.
UNDATED (AP) — Chris Ford, a member of the Boston Celtics 1981 championship team, a longtime NBA coach and the player credited with scoring the league’s first 3-point basket, has died at the age of 74. His family announced his death in a statement issued by the Celtics. No official cause was given, but the statement said Ford died Tuesday. The Press of Atlantic City reported he died in Philadelphia after suffering a heart attack earlier this month. Ford was voted the team’s MVP in his first season with Boston. He retired following the 1981-82 season and was an assistant coach for the Celtics for seven seasons from 1983 to 1990, helping coach former teammates Larry Bird, Kevin McHale and Robert Parish to two titles in 1984 and 1986.
THURSDAY SCORES
TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Final DePaul 73 (8)Xavier 72
Final (10)Virginia 78 Virginia Tech 68
Final West Virginia 74 (14)TCU 65
Final Seton Hall 67 (15)UConn 66
Final (16)Auburn 67 LSU 49
Final (20)Marquette 83 (22)Providence 75
Final Missouri 79 (25)Arkansas 76
NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Final Washington 116 New York 105
Final Atlanta 130 Dallas 122
Final Miami 124 New Orleans 98
Final Memphis 115 Cleveland 114
Final Oklahoma City 126 Indiana 106
Final Charlotte 122 Houston 117
Final Utah 126 L.A. Clippers 103
Final Denver 122 Minnesota 118
Final Sacramento 116 L.A. Lakers 111
NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Final OT Ottawa 5 Pittsburgh 4
Final Boston 4 N-Y Islanders 1
Final Colorado 4 Calgary 1
Final Tampa Bay 5 Vancouver 2
Final San Jose 5 Dallas 3