Jan 27, 2023

Sports Headlines for Friday

Posted Jan 27, 2023 12:08 PM

KANSAS CITY, MO. (AP) — The Bengals and Chiefs have become familiar foes. When the teams face off Sunday in Kansas City to determine the AFC champion, it’ll be their fourth meeting in 393 days and a rematch of last year’s conference title game. The No. 1 seed Chiefs (15-3) dropped all three games, including a 27-24 loss in Cincinnati on Dec. 4. That was the same score for the Bengals’ overtime victory in Kansas City in this game last season. The Bengals (14-4) are riding a 10-game winning streak after eliminating the Buffalo Bills in the divisional round. Both teams are here because of their quarterbacks.

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Coach Kyle Shanahan’s success in San Francisco overseeing productive offenses without elite quarterback play is a reason why so many teams each January are seeking the next trendy, play-calling offensive coach to take over their team. All four head coaches in the conference championship games come from an offensive background with Kansas City’s Andy Reid and Cincinnati’s Zac Taylor also calling plays like Shanahan, while Philadelphia’s Nick Sirianni delegated that duty during his first season.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — The Carolina Panthers have hired Frank Reich as their new head coach following an extensive search. The 61-year-old Reich joins the Panthers after spending the past four-plus seasons with the Indianapolis Colts, where he went 40-33-1 as head coach before being fired on Nov. 7. The Colts went to the playoffs twice as a wild-card team under Reich. For Reich, the hire represents a return to Carolina, where he spent one season as the team’s quarterback and started the franchise’s inaugural game in 1995. He was chosen over candidates including Steve Wilks, who served as the team’s defensive coordinator before being promoted to interim coach.

UNDATED (AP) — The New York Jets have hired former Denver Broncos coach Nathaniel Hackett as their offensive coordinator. The team announced the hiring Thursday of the 43-year-old Hackett, who replaces Mike LaFleur. Hackett went 4-11 in less than one season as head coach of the Broncos. Hackett’s arrival will fuel some speculation about whether the Jets could pursue Aaron Rodgers, whose playing future is uncertain. Hackett served as the Packers’ offensive coordinator from 2019-21 with Rodgers as the quarterback. The Jets also announced that Keith Carter was hired as the team’s offensive line coach/run game coordinator.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Billy Packer, an Emmy award-winning college basketball broadcaster who covered 34 Final Fours for NBC and CBS, has died at 82. Packer's son, Mark, told The Associated Press on Thursday night that his father had been hospitalized for the past three weeks and had several medical issues, and ultimately succumbed to kidney failure. Packer’s broadcasting career coincided with the growth of college basketball. He worked as analyst or color commentator on every Final Four from 1975 to 2008.

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Sam Ryder extended his lead to three shots in the Farmers Insurance Open with a 4-under 68 in challenging wind in the second round on Torrey Pines’ South Course. Meanwhile, Jon Rahm had an eagle followed by three straight birdies late in his 5-under 67 on the easier North Course to get under the cut line. Ryder survived both the Santa Ana wind and the tougher South Course with just one bogey to reach 12-under 132 and take a three-stroke lead over Brendan Steele, who shot a 70 on the South Course. Tano Goya was two more shots back after a 67 on the North Course.

THURSDAY SCORES

TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL

Final (1)Purdue 75 Michigan 70

Final (6)Arizona 63 Washington St. 58

Final Southern Cal 77 (8)UCLA 64

Final (21)FAU 85 Middle Tennessee 67

NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION

Final Charlotte 111 Chicago 96

Final Detroit 130 Brooklyn 122

Final OT New York 120 Boston 117

Final Cleveland 113 Houston 95

Final Dallas 99 Phoenix 95

Final L.A. Clippers 138 San Antonio 100

NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE

Final OT Detroit 4 Montreal 3

Final Tampa Bay 3 Boston 2

Final SO Washington 3 Pittsburgh 2

Final Buffalo 3 Winnipeg 2

Final Nashville 6 New Jersey 4

Final OT Minnesota 3 Philadelphia 2

Final Chicago 5 Calgary 1

Final Arizona 5 St. Louis 0

Final Anaheim 5 Colorado 3