Here is the latest Mid-America sports news from The Associated Press
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Steelers head to Kansas City on Sunday for an AFC showdown with plenty of playoff implications. Pittsburgh is trying to stay alive in the crowded AFC North where eight-win Cincinnati and Baltimore head into the weekend with a slight edge in the division race. The Chiefs are trying to win a sixth straight AFC West title while holding onto the No. 1 seed and lone first-round playoff bye. Much could depend on whether the teams get players back from COVID-19 protocols. Pittsburgh was down linebacker Devin Bush among others, while the Chiefs could be without such stars as Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill.
Update on the latest sports
NFL-SCHEDULE
Packers, Colts win
UNDATED (AP) — The Green Bay Packers moved a step closer to clinching home-field advantage in the NFC playoffs while their quarterback set a major team record.
Aaron Rodgers became the Packers' all-time leader in touchdown passes by throwing for three more in a 24-22 victory over the Browns. Rodgers passed Brett Favre with his first TD of the day before ending up with 445.
Rodgers was 24 of 34 for 202 yards and no interceptions as the Packers improved to 12-3. Baker Mayfield had two touchdown passes but was sacked five times picked off a career-high four times in his first game since coming off the NFL's injured/COVID list. Each of the Packers' TDs came off Mayfield interceptions.
The Browns fell to 7-8 and will remain in last place in the AFC North.
The Cardinals continued their swoon with a 22-16 loss to the Colts. Carson Wentz threw for two touchdowns and Jonathan Taylor ran for 108 yards to guide the 9-6 Colts to their third win in a row. Wentz made the game's biggest play midway through the fourth quarter, when he bounced around in the pocket for a few seconds before hitting Dezmon Patmon for a 14-yard touchdown.
The 10-5 Cardinals failed to clinch a playoff spot for a third straight week and are 3-5 since starting the season 7-0. Kyler Murray threw for 245 yards and a touchdown while also running for 74 yards.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-NFL
Ravens down to No. 3 QB
UNDATED (AP) — Josh Johnson will be the Baltimore Ravens' quarterback Sunday at Cincinnati.
Johnson became their top option when Tyler Huntley was placed in health and safety protocols. Lamar Jackson missed last week's game with a sprained ankle, and the Ravens announced this weekend that he would not travel with the team.
The Ravens signed the 35-year-old Johnson before last week's game. He played three games for the Jets earlier this season.
Elsewhere in the NFL:
— The Chiefs will be significantly strengthened for Sunday's game against the Steelers as star tight end Travis Kelce and wideout Tyreek Hill have been activated. The Chiefs also get back linebacker Nick Bolton and tackle Lucas Niang as they seek their eighth straight win.
— Eagles coach Nick Sirianni has cleared the NFL's COVID-19 testing protocol and will be on the sideline for Sunday's game against the New York Giants. The Eagles are hoping to secure a playoff spot with a strong finish to the season. They have won two in a row and four of five overall.
— The Rams have placed veteran offensive lineman Andrew Whitworth on the team's reserve/COVID-19 list. The four-time Pro Bowler has appeared in 13 of the Rams' 14 games this season.
— The Chargers will be missing top receiver Mike Williams and No. 1 running back Austin Ekeler for Sunday's game at Houston due to COVID-19. It is the second time in league protocols this season for Williams, who is unvaccinated and will also miss the Jan. 2 game against the Broncos. Ekeler said on Instagram he has tested positive.
— Jets head coach Robert Saleh was ruled out for the game against the Jaguars on because he didn't clear COVID-19 protocols Saturday. Tight ends coach Ron Middleton will assume the head coaching duties.
NBA-SCHEDULE
Warriors top Suns
UNDATED (AP) — The Golden State Warriors now own the NBA's best record after topping the No. 2 Phoenix Suns.
Steph Curry had 33 points and Otto Porter Jr. scored seven of his 19 during a key late stretch that sent the Warriors past the Suns, 116-107. Porter sank a step-back 3 and a pair of jumpers in a span of 1:02 to put Golden State in control.
Curry was 5 of 16 from beyond the arc as the Warriors ended Phoenix's 15-game home winning streak.
Chris Paul had 21 points and eight assists for the Suns, who are a half-game behind Golden State.
In the NBA's other completed Christmas Day action:
— James Harden had a triple-double in his return to the court and Nic Claxton furnished the go-ahead bucket in the final minute of the Nets' 122-115 win over the Lakers. Harden had 36 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists for Brooklyn, which wasted a 20-point lead in the fourth quarter. Claxton threw down a tiebreaking alley-oop over LeBron James with 40.7 seconds left. Patty Mills added 34 points for the Nets, who had their past three games postponed because they did not have enough players to compete.
— Donovan Mitchell scored 33 points and the Jazz beat the COVID-19-depleted Mavericks, 120-116. Bojan Bogdanovic scored 25 points and Mike Conley had 22 to lift the Utah to the 13th win in its last 15 games. Jalen Brunson scored 27 points and Kristaps Porzingis returned after two games out with a sore toe to tally 27 points for Dallas. The Mavs led 94-92 in the fourth quarter before the Jazz went on a 10-0 run.
— The Bucks were winners in the return of their two-time MVP, storming back from 19 points down for a 117-113 decision over the Celtics. Giannis Antetokounmpo poured in 36 points in his first action since missing five games due to NBA health and safety protocols. He played 30 minutes, shot 13 of 23 from the field and 10 of 15 from the line. Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum each scored 25 for the Celtics, but Boston wasted a 102-90 lead over the final 10:15.
— Kemba Walker and Julius Randle carried the Knicks to their first Christmas Day win in a decade, a 101-87 decision over the COVID-depleted Hawks. Walker delivered 10 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds, making him the seventh player with a triple-double on Christmas. Randle had 25 points and 12 rebounds to help New York end Atlanta's six-game road winning streak. John Collins and Delon Wright each scored 20 for the Hawks, who were playing without All-Star Trae Young among nine players in NBA health and safety protocols.
NBA-CLIPPERS-GEORGE
Clippers shelve George
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Los Angeles Clippers star Paul George has a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow and will be out up to a month.
The team says he will rest and be re-evaluated in three to four weeks, when next steps will be decided.
George was injured at Portland on Dec. 6 and missed five straight games with what the team said was a sprained right elbow. He returned to play against San Antonio and Sacramento this week.
UCL tears are more common in baseball, where they often lead to Tommy John surgery.
George leads the Clippers in scoring with a career-high 24.7 points, 5.5 assists and two steals per game.
NBA-CAVALIERS-BICKERSTAFF
Cavs extend Bickerstaff
CLEVELAND (AP) — Cleveland Cavaliers coach J.B. Bickerstaff has been rewarded for his role in the team's turnaround with a multiyear contract extension. Terms of the deal were not released, but ESPN reports the deal runs through the 2026-27 season.
The Cavs are 19-13 and fifth in the Eastern Conference after winning just 22 games last season. They recently won six straight games, but were hit with a COVID-19 outbreak and had to place eight players in health protocols.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL-CAMELLIA BOWL
MONTGOMERY, Alabama (AP) — Darren Grainger accounted for 325 yards and four touchdowns in leading Georgia State to a 51-20 rout of Ball State in the Camellia Bowl.
Grainger passed for 203 yards and three touchdowns and ran for 122 yards and a fourth TD. He completed 15 of 19 passes and carried 11 times, including a play fake midway through the third quarter when he scampered 34 yards untouched into the end zone.
The 8-5 Panthers won for the seventh time in eight games and dominated the lone bowl played on Christmas Day.
Tight end Aubrey Payne had two touchdown catches for Georgia State, along with career-highs of eight catches and 109 yards.
Ball State finished 6-7 and couldn't summon up many big plays after Drew Plitt's 56-yard touchdown bomb to Jayshon Jackson for an early lead.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL-STANFORD-COVID
Cardinal outbreak leads to cancellation of title game
HONOLULU (AP) — The Diamond Head Classic championship game between Stanford and Vanderbilt was canceled Saturday because of COVID-19 issues in the Cardinal camp.
Stanford said on its website that team-related activities are on pause and "the status of future games" will be determined. Its next scheduled game is Jan. 2 against Cal, then Jan. 6 against UCLA. The Bruins also have paused team activities because of COVID-19.
A day earlier, Hawaii pulled out of the tournament because of injuries and COVID-19 issues.
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