AP Sports Summary for January 8th, 2024.
Falcons fire coach Arthur Smith hours after completing 3rd straight 7-10 season
ATLANTA (AP) — Arthur Smith has been fired by the Atlanta Falcons after completing his third straight losing season. Smith inherited a rebuilding project in his first NFL head coaching job and failed to lift the Falcons from their playoff drought. The 41-year-old son of FedEx founder Fred Smith went 7-10 in each of his three seasons. Atlanta closed the season with an ugly 48-17 loss at New Orleans, its second consecutive lopsided defeat. That sealed Smith's fate. He was hired by the Falcons in 2021 after a decade-long stint as an assistant with the Tennessee Titans in which he moved up to offensive coordinator.
Josh Allen rallies Bills for 21-14 win over Dolphins. Buffalo secures No. 2 seed in AFC
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Josh Allen threw a go-ahead touchdown pass to Dawson Knox midway through the fourth quarter, and the Buffalo Bills won their fourth straight AFC East title, rallying past the Miami Dolphins 21-14. Allen made things difficult for the Bills with three turnovers in Miami territory, but he came through at the end to help Buffalo earn the No. 2 seed in the conference. The Bills will host seventh-seeded Pittsburgh in the wild-card round on Sunday. Buffalo went 6-1 down the stretch. Miami fell to the sixth seed and will play at AFC West champion Kansas City on Saturday night.
Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys win the NFC East by beating the Commanders 38-10
LANDOVER, Md. (AP) — Dak Prescott threw two of his four touchdown passes to CeeDee Lamb and the Dallas Cowboys won the NFC East and secured the No. 2 seed in the conference by closing the regular season with a 38-10 victory over the Washington Commanders. Prescott finished 31 for 36 for 279 yards as Dallas finished 12-5 for the third year in a row. The Cowboys assured themselves of playing at home to open the postseason. That's a big deal for a club that went 8-0 in Dallas this season and has won 16 straight games there. Ron Rivera is expected to be fired as coach of Washington after going 4-13 to tie a franchise record for losses in a season.
No. 1 Michigan vs. No. 2 Washington for CFP title caps season of realignment, transfers and Harbaugh
HOUSTON (AP) — No. 1 Michigan and No. 2 Washington playing for the College Football Playoff national championship on Monday night is just about the perfect way to close the 2023 season. The matchup of unbeatens hits all the major themes of the past five months from conference realignment to the transfer portal — with Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh as the main character. Michael Penix Jr., the sixth-year quarterback who revived his career by transferring to Washington, and the Huskies will try to deliver the Pac-12 its first championship since 2004 in their last football game before joining Michigan in the Big Ten.
Lawrence stopped short of goal line as Jags eliminated from playoff race in 28-20 loss to Titans
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Trevor Lawrence had every chance to play the Jacksonville Jaguars into the playoffs for a second straight year as the AFC South champs. He wound up stopped short of the goal line with 7:13 left. He also threw incomplete as the Jaguars turned the ball over on downs with 1:47 left as the Tennessee Titans eliminated the Jaguars 28-20 Sunday in their regular-season finale. The Jaguars came in needing a win to clinch a second straight AFC South title for the first back-to-back crowns since 1998 and 1999. Their loss makes Houston the division champs and cost the Jaguars their only way into the postseason after Pittsburgh also won Saturday. Lawrence threw for two touchdowns but also had two interceptions.
Bill Belichick loses in possible finale as Patriots coach. Jets snap 15-game skid vs New England
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Breece Hall rushed for a career-high 178 yards and a late touchdown and the New York Jets snapped a 15-game losing streak against the Patriots with a 17-3 win in what could have been Bill Belichick's final game as New England's coach. Greg Zuerlein kicked three field goals to help the Jets earn their first victory over the Patriots since an overtime win on Dec. 27, 2015. The Patriots' 4-13 record is the worst finish in Belichick's 29-year NFL coaching career. Belichick and team owner Robert Kraft are expected to meet Monday to discuss the coach's future with the franchise after 24 seasons.
LeBron James scores 25 points, Lakers hold off Clippers 106-103 to snap 4-game losing streak
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Lakers snapped their four-game losing streak with a 106-103 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers. LeBron James had 25 points, eight rebounds and seven assists, and Taurean Prince hit a tiebreaking 3-pointer with 1:17 to play. Anthony Davis had 22 points and 10 rebounds for the Lakers, who beat the Clippers for the second straight time after losing 11 straight to their hallway rivals. Paul George scored 22 points and Ivica Zubac had 22 points and 19 rebounds for the Clippers, whose five-game winning streak ended.
Chris Kirk makes late birdie to take PGA Tour season opener at Kapalua
KAPALUA, Hawaii (AP) — Chris Kirk continues his inspiring comeback. He opened the PGA Tour season with a victory at The Sentry, beating Sahith Theegala by one shot. Kirk was tied for the lead when he hit 5-iron to 2 feet on the 17th for birdie. That allowed him to play it safe down the 18th to get par and a 65 for his sixth career victory. Kirk had to step away from golf in 2019 because of alcoholism and depression. He capped his comeback by winning the Honda Classic last year. And it looks as if he's just getting started.
Draymond Green back on the practice floor with Warriors after suspension
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Draymond Green returned to the practice floor in a walk-through scenario with the Golden State Warriors, one day after being reinstated by the NBA following a 12-game suspension. Coach Steve Kerr wasn't sure when Green might be ready to play in a game again after the prolonged time away working on himself in the wake of hitting Phoenix center Jusuf Nurkic in the face on Dec. 12. Green will resume his shooting routine and other work under the direction of the medical staff.
Analysis: Rafael Nadal's Australian Open withdrawal leaves plenty of questions about his future
Rafael Nadal is choosing to look on the bright side when it comes to the torn hip muscle that will keep him out of the Australian Open and extend his absence from tennis to more than a year. Nadal told the world via social media on Sunday that this is not the same part of the hip that he hurt in Melbourne last January and that required surgery last June. The 22-time Grand Slam champion explained he still can point to his main goal for 2024, which remains to be fit and ready to compete at the French Open. But there are still plenty of lingering questions about what this all means for his future in the sport.
AP-Scorecard
Here are the scores from yesterday's sports events:
___
NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Final Cleveland 117 San Antonio 115
Final OT Portland 134 Brooklyn 127
Final New Orleans 133 Sacramento 100
Final OT Orlando 117 Atlanta 110
Final Dallas 115 Minnesota 108
Final Denver 131 Detroit 114
Final Memphis 121 Phoenix 115
Final Toronto 133 Golden State 118
Final L.A. Lakers 106 L.A. Clippers 103
___
NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Final Washington 4 Los Angeles 3
Final Chicago 4 Calgary 3
Final Winnipeg 6 Arizona 2
Final Detroit 3 Anaheim 2
___
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE
Final Cincinnati 31 Cleveland 14
Final Detroit 30 Minnesota 20
Final N-Y Jets 17 New England 3
Final New Orleans 48 Atlanta 17
Final Tampa Bay 9 Carolina 0
Final Tennessee 28 Jacksonville 20
Final Dallas 38 Washington 10
Final Green Bay 17 Chicago 9
Final Kansas City 13 L.A. Chargers 12
Final L.A. Rams 21 San Francisco 20
Final Las Vegas 27 Denver 14
Final N-Y Giants 27 Philadelphia 10
Final Seattle 21 Arizona 20
Final Buffalo 21 Miami 14
___
TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Final (15)Memphis 62 SMU 59
___
TODAY'S SPORTS SCHEDULE
___
NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Boston at Indiana 7 p.m.
Chicago at Charlotte 7 p.m.
Oklahoma City at Washington 7 p.m.
Houston at Miami 7:30 p.m.
Utah at Milwaukee 8 p.m.
Phoenix at L.A. Clippers 10:30 p.m.
___
NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Pittsburgh at Philadelphia 7 p.m.
Vancouver at N-Y Rangers 7 p.m.
Dallas at Minnesota 8 p.m.
Boston at Colorado 9 p.m.
___
TOP-25 COLLEGE FOOTBALL
(2)Washington at (1)Michigan 7:30 p.m.
___