KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs have struggled all season to get much production from their young group of wide receivers, and that is a big reason why their offense has failed to soar like it usually does. Through the first four games, the entire Chiefs wide receiver corps has combined to catch 45 passes for 588 yards and just two touchdowns. Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy said part of the problem is simply their youth, but he also points out that Travis Kelce, Isiah Pacheco and the rest of the tight ends and running backs get their share of passes, too. Still, at this rate, Rashee Rice would lead Kansas City with a scant 55 receptions by the end of the season.
LANDOVER, Md. (AP) — Justin Fields connected with DJ Moore for 230 yards and three touchdowns to help the embattled Chicago Bears pick up their first win of the season by beating Washington 40-20. Fields matched his career high set last week with four TD passes. Chicago's victory came hours after word emerged of the death of franchise great Dick Butkus. The Bears snapped a 14-game losing streak dating to last season. Washington fell behind 27-3 at halftime and lost a third consecutive game.
LANDOVER, Md. (AP) — Washington Commanders part-owner Magic Johnson has chided his NFL team for showing no intensity or fire in a 40-20 loss to the previously winless Chicago Bears. Coach Ron Rivera's Commanders produced another terrible first half and fell into a 24-point hole against Chicago on Thursday night. That led to boos from the home crowd. Eventually, Washington briefly displayed some competence but wound up losing against an opponent club that hadn’t won a game in nearly a year. Washington's defense was supposed to be a strength under Rivera but Washington Commanders could not slow down Justin Fields and DJ Moore. Washington has lost three games in a row and allowed at least 33 points in each of its past four outings.
UNDATED (AP) — Most of the focus in the Big 12 this week is on the Oklahoma-Texas showdown, but Kansas State sits just outside of the AP Top 25. A win for the Wildcats against Oklahoma State would put them ahead of the loser of that Oklahoma-Texas game in the conference standings. The Wildcats’ only loss was a non-conference game at now-No. 21 Missouri after the Tigers kicked a game-winning 61-yard field goal as time expired. Oklahoma State is off to a rough start, and fans are becoming unhappy with veteran coach Mike Gundy after two straight losses.
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UNDATED (AP) — UCF is headed to Kansas on Saturday for its first game against its new Big 12 opponent. The Knights nearly had their first conference win since joining the league last week but blew a 35-7 third-quarter lead in a 36-35 loss to Baylor. Kansas had its perfect start ruined by Texas, which romped to a 40-14 victory. The Jayhawks played that game without quarterback Jalon Daniels, whose back flared up. Backup Jason Bean is available. UCF quarterback John Rhys Plumlee could return. He has been out since hurting his knee against Boise State three weeks ago.
UNDATED (AP) — The Red River rivalry game between third-ranked Texas and 12th-ranked Oklahoma matches the Big 12's only undefeated and only ranked teams. It is their last meeting as part of the Big 12, at least in the regular season. They could play in the Big 12 championship game in December before moving to the Southeastern Conference next year. For now, the focus is on their annual game in the middle of the State Fair of Texas in the league's highlight game this weekend. Both teams are 5-0, marking the first time since 2011 both are undefeated for their game.
UNDATED (AP) — Oklahoma quarterback Dillon Gabriel had a concussion and never took the field against Texas last year. Sooners coach Brent Venables first game in the rivalry was a disaster. Both are looking for much different outcomes when No. 3 Texas and No. 12 Oklahoma collide in the Cotton Bowl on Saturday. Gabriel is healthy and slinging the ball around like few quarterbacks in the country this season. Texas hasn't face an opponent's No. 1 quarterback in the last three games. Saturday is the last matchup of these border rivals in the Big 12. Both programs move to the SEC next season.
AMES, Iowa (AP) — TCU begins a stretch of three of four games on the road when it visits Iowa State on Saturday night. The Horned Frogs are coming off a stinging home loss to West Virginia. They are 7-0 in true road games under Sonny Dykes. Iowa State has lost three of four and will go on the road for two straight after facing TCU. The key matchup is Iowa State's offensive line against TCU's defensive front. The Cyclones have allowed three sacks. They gave up 12 through five games a year ago. The Horned Frogs lead the Big 12 with 16 sacks.
UNDATED (AP) — Joey McGuire is returning to Baylor for a game for the first time since he left the Bears staff during the 2021 season to become Texas Tech's head coach. The Bears have won four of the last five meetings in the series. That includes the last two, though McGuire didn't make the trip to Waco for the 2021 regular-season finale the Red Raiders lost in Waco. McGuire had been on Baylor's staff for five seasons when he was hired by Texas Tech. Both teams are 2-3 this season. Baylor is coming off a record comeback win over UCF.
NEW YORK (AP) — Billy Eppler has resigned as New York Mets general manager, and a person familiar with the probe said he is under investigation by Major League Baseball. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the investigation. The person did not disclose the nature of the probe, but the New York Post was first to report Thursday that Eppler is being investigated by MLB for improper use of the injured list. His surprising resignation came three days after David Stearns was hired above Eppler as the Mets’ first president of baseball operations. Eppler spent the past two seasons running baseball operations for New York in his role as GM.
CHICAGO (AP) — Former Northwestern University football coach Pat Fitzgerald is suing the school for $130 million, saying his alma mater wrongfully fired him in the wake of a hazing and abuse scandal that has engulfed the athletic department. The announcement by Chicago-based attorneys Dan K. Webb and Matthew R. Carter on Thursday comes nearly three months after Fitzgerald was suspended and then fired after 17 years. Webb said that Fitzgerald would also be seeking additional money for “infliction of emotional distress,” future lost income and punitive damages. He said the suit in Cook County Circuit Court is against the university and its President Michael Schill.
CHICAGO (AP) — Fearsome Chicago Bears middle linebacker Dick Butkus has died at 80. The team said in a statement that he died Thursday. Citing his family, the team said Butkus died in his sleep at his home in Malibu, California. Butkus was a Hall of Famer whose bone-rattling tackles made him one of the most intimidating players in NFL history. He was the quintessential modern linebacker, a disruptive force who roamed sideline to sideline and left a trail of broken opponents behind. Despite a short career in which he retired at 31, Butkus came to define his position. He later acted in movies, TV shows and commercials.
THURSDAY SCORES
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE
Final Chicago 40 Washington 20
AP-Scorecard
Here are the scores from yesterday's sports events:
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NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION PRESEASON
Final Minnesota 111 Dallas 99
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NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE PRESEASON
Final OT Los Angeles 4 San Jose 3
Final Washington 4 Columbus 2
Final OT Toronto 4 Detroit 3
Final Philadelphia 5 N-Y Islanders 2
Final Florida 6 Tampa Bay 3
Final Boston 3 N-Y Rangers 1
Final St. Louis 4 Dallas 0
Final Ottawa 3 Winnipeg 0
Final Nashville 5 Carolina 1
Final SO Minnesota 3 Chicago 2
Final Arizona 4 Anaheim 2
Final Vegas 4 Colorado 3
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NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE
Final Chicago 40 Washington 20
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TODAY'S SPORTS SCHEDULE
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NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE PRESEASON
Nashville at Carolina 7 p.m.
New Jersey at N-Y Islanders 7 p.m.
Pittsburgh at Buffalo 7 p.m.
Seattle at Edmonton 9 p.m.
Calgary at Vancouver 10 p.m.