KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Chiefs squandered a chance to maintain control of the AFC playoff race down the stretch on Sunday when they blew another late lead in a 27-24 loss to the Bengals. The Chiefs dropped into a tie with Buffalo, which holds the tiebreaker over them by virtue of its win in Arrowhead Stadium earlier this season. The Chiefs also have to worry about the Bengals, who have now beaten them three straight times, including last season's AFC championship game. Cincinnati is just a game behind the Bills and Chiefs and now it holds a tiebreaker over Kansas City, too.
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Tom Brady threw a pair of touchdown passes in the final three minutes Monday night, helping the Tampa Bay Buccaneers rally from a 13-point deficit to beat the New Orleans Saints 17-16 and tighten their grip on first place in the weak NFC South. The seven-time Super Bowl champion tossed a one-yard TD pass to rookie Cade Otton, finishing a 91-yard drive to pull within 16-10 with exactly three minutes remaining. He got the ball back with 2:29 to go, then won it with a 6-yard throw to another rookie, Rachaad White, with three seconds left.
UNDATED (AP) — Quarterbacks Stetson Bennett of Georgia, Max Duggan of TCU, C.J. Stroud of Ohio State and Caleb Williams of Southern California are the finalists for the Heisman Trophy. The award given to the outstanding player in college football is determined by a vote of more than 900 sports journalists and past winners. It will be presented Saturday night at the Lincoln Center in New York. Williams and Stroud also are finalists for the Maxwell Award as the top performer in the college game. Williams, Stroud and Duggan also are up for the Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award.
UNDATED (AP) — Houston and Texas remain firmly entrenched atop The Associated Press men’s college basketball poll. The Cougars earned 37 first-place votes to stay at No. 1 for the second straight week. This is the program's first stint at the top since the “Phi Slama Jama” days of the 1980s. Connecticut has climbed to No. 5 while Tennessee and Alabama cracked the top 10 for the first time. Preseason No. 1 North Carolina has dropped out entirely after losing four straight games.
AMES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa State coach Matt Campbell has promoted Nate Scheelhaase from receivers coach to offensive coordinator. Scheelhaase replaces Tom Manning. Manning was fired last week after the Cyclones finished at the bottom of the Big 12 in scoring and total offense during a 4-8 season. Campbell called Scheelhaase one of the rising stars in college football coaching. Campbell also announced the firing of fifth-year offensive line coach Jeff Meyers.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Cincinnati has hired Louisville’s Scott Satterfield to be its next football coach. Louisville was 7-5 this season under Satterfield and earned a berth in the Fenway Bowl, where coincidentally it will face Cincinnati. Satterfield replaces Luke Fickell, who recently left to become coach at Wisconsin. Satterfield said he was honored to become coach of the Bearcats and looked forward to continuing the program’s winning tradition. Cincinnati joins the Big 12 Conference next fall. Louisville announced that player development director Deion Branch, a former Cardinals star and Super Bowl MVP with the Patriots, will serve as interim coach for the bowl game.
SAN DIEGO (AP) — The Philadelphia Phillies have landed Trea Turner, agreeing to a $300 million, 11-year contract with the dynamic shortstop. The deal includes a no-trade clause, according to a person familiar with the negotiations who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because there was no immediate announcement. Turner joins a Philadelphia team that made it to the World Series this year before losing to the Houston Astros. He also reunites with slugger Bryce Harper after the two played together with the Washington Nationals from 2015-18.
SAN DIEGO (AP) — A person familiar with the negotiations says Justin Verlander has agreed to an $86.7 million, two-year contract with the New York Mets. The deal reunites the AL Cy Young Award winner with Max Scherzer and gives the Mets a high-profile replacement for Jacob deGrom. The deal includes a vesting third-year option, according to a person who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because there was no announcement. Verlander leaves World Series champion Houston to step in for deGrom, who agreed to a $185 million, five-year contract with Texas last week. It also puts Verlander on the same team as Scherzer after they played together with the Tigers from 2010-14. Verlander turns 40 in February.
MONDAY SCORES
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE
Final Tampa Bay 17 New Orleans 16
TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Final (18)Gonzaga 73 Kent St. 66
Final (22)San Diego St. 60 Troy 55
NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Final L.A. Clippers 119 Charlotte 117
Final Milwaukee 109 Orlando 102
Final Boston 116 Toronto 110
Final Oklahoma City 121 Atlanta 114
Final Memphis 101 Miami 93
Final Dallas 130 Phoenix 111
Final 2OT Houston 132 Philadelphia 123
Final Indiana 112 Golden State 104
NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Final Philadelphia 5 Colorado 3
Final N-Y Rangers 6 St. Louis 4
Final SO Vegas 4 Boston 3
Final Washington 3 Edmonton 2
Final Calgary 3 Arizona 2
Final OT Vancouver 7 Montreal 6