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Broncos four downs: Russell Wilson sticks fork in Brandon Staley, Chargers. Raiders stick fork in themselves. Playoffs? Heck, yeah, we’re talking playoffs.

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:00 GMT

Initial thoughts from Broncos’ win over the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 14 at SoFi Stadium:1. Broncos steal Staley’s birthday cake: Happy Birthday, Brandon Staley! The Broncos (7-6) and Sean Payton might have just sealed your pink slip. Although you did this one to yourself, champ, as Los Angeles whiffed on five of six fourth-down chances. Including some absolute head-scratching go-for-it decisions on the part of Staley and his staff. Pick your fireable offense. Playoffs? Heck, yeah, Broncos Country is talking playoffs, especially with the Chiefs wobbling. The sixth and seventh seeds for the AFC are setting up to be a free-for-all, and the loser of Broncos-Chargers was basically eliminated from the AFC postseason picture. Even sweeter? The Raiders (5-8) joined the Bolts (5-8) in Loserville thanks to a home setback to the Vikings. That leaves the AFC West as a two-team, two-horse race. And one of those horses is wearing Orange and Blue.2. Offensive line props: Would you ...

Heroes and Zeros from Broncos’ 24-7 win over Chargers: Ja’Quan McMillian just keeps making plays

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:00 GMT

Here are the heroes and zeros from Denver’s 24-7 win over the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium on Sunday afternoon.HeroesJa’Quan McMillian: The Broncos second-year cornerback is special. Seemingly every week, he makes a big play. In the first quarter, McMillian was like a speeding bullet off the edge as he sacked Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert. He almost had a strip sack that was returned for a touchdown in the second quarter but the officials ruled the ball incomplete. Still, the play forced Los Angeles to punt. No one predicted McMillian would be one of the Broncos’ best defensive backs. But that’s the reality we are living in right now.Jonathon Cooper: Denver’s outside linebacker gave his team the jumpstart it needed. With 5:07 to go in the first quarter, edge rusher Baron Browning tipped Herbert’s pass at Los Angeles’ 12-yard line before Cooper picked it off. Right after the turnover, running back Javonte Williams scored on a 3-yard rushing touchdown and the Broncos nev...

Chargers QB Justin Herbert sidelined, ruled out due to finger injury against Broncos

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:00 GMT

By JOE REEDY (AP Sports Writer)INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert has been ruled out of Los Angeles’ game against the Denver Broncos on Sunday due to a finger injury that occurred late in the second quarter.The only other quarterback on the Chargers’ roster is Easton Stick, who had played two NFL snaps in five seasons with Los Angeles before he replaced the Bolts’ franchise quarterback against Denver. The Chargers trailed 10-0 at halftime.Herbert was 9 of 17 for 96 yards with an interception before being injured, apparently while he was taken down awkwardly by Denver’s Zach Allen after throwing a pass. Herbert had been sacked four times and hit six times during the Chargers’ first six possessions, with his teammates repeatedly missing their blocks against Denver’s pass rushers.Herbert, the sixth overall pick in the 2020 draft, has been famously durable in his career.He fractured the middle finger on his left hand la...

How it happened: Broncos dominate Chargers in win, improve to 7-6 on the season

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:00 GMT

The Broncos head to California to see if they can shake off last week’s loss to the Texans. Stick here for live updates and analysis as Denver takes on the Chargers at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif.Live updatesFINAL | Broncos 24, Chargers 7Jerry Jeudy got the dropsies. The offense stunk to start a second half once again. And neither thing matters (much) after the Broncos cruise to a 24-7 victory over the Chargers.Vance Joseph’s defense is on fire. Russell Wilson is making plays under pressure and Courtland Sutton keeps making amazing catches in the end zone.The playoffs are now very much in play at 7-6 with a visit to the reeling Detroit Lions next Saturday in prime time. Full game story coming soon.More Broncos coverage:Broncos RG Quinn Meinerz taken to hospital out of precaution after elevated heart rate, source says.Heroes and Zeros from Broncos’ 24-7 win over Chargers: Ja’Quan McMillian just keeps making plays.Broncos four downs: Russell Wilson sticks fork in Bran...

Family speaks after father of 4 gunned down in Los Angeles

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:00 GMT

The family of a 32-year-old man, a father of four young children, is speaking out after he was tragically shot to death while sitting in his vehicle at a gas station in South Los Angeles last week.  The shooting happened at around 11 p.m. on the 8500 Block of South Hoover Street in the Vermont Knolls neighborhood, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.  The victim, Marquette Scott Jr. had been out shopping, buying presents for his four children when he stopped to get gas on his way home was senselessly gunned down, leaving his family devastated.  “I just want them to know that he was a great father, a great son, a great brother, a great cousin, a great everything,” the victim’s mother, Melanie Gammage, told KTLA’s Rachel Menitoff.  Police said surveillance footage showed two unidentified suspects approach the area in a car before firing repeatedly on Scott Jr. and fleeing the scene. Bullet holes marred the side of the victim’s car, even shattering the gl...

Tennessee tornadoes leave at least 6 dead, dozens hurt and more than 35,000 without power

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:00 GMT

(CNN) — Tennessee officials are assessing the damage after tornadoes and strong thunderstorms roared across the state Saturday, leaving at least six people dead, more than 50 injured, multiple buildings destroyed and power outages.At least three people died, including a child, after a tornado struck the Clarksville area of Montgomery County in northern Tennessee, officials said Saturday night.Another three people were confirmed dead in Madison, Tennessee, just north of Nashville, emergency management officials said Saturday night.First responders responded to more than 400 calls overnight, Nashville Fire Chief William Swann said. There are currently 25 displaced people at shelters and the number is expected to increase, he added.Montgomery officials reported 62 patients were treated at medical facilities.As of Sunday afternoon, there were more than 35,000 reports of power outages across the state, according to the monitoring website PowerOutage.us. The Tennessee Emergency Mana...

49ers Studs and Duds: Deebo Samuel, Christian McCaffrey lead the way in fifth straight win over the Seahawks

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:00 GMT

SANTA CLARA — Another week, another win for the 49ers, who are cruising to another NFC West title and, perhaps, the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs.While Sunday’s performance was hardly the Niners’ best of the year, the 28-16 win over division rival Seattle — their fifth-straight — was still plenty good.San Francisco now sits four games up on the Seahawks and Rams in the NFC West. On Monday, they can clinch a playoff berth with a Packers loss or tie.The machine keeps rolling.Here were the folks who made it happen — and a couple of folks who jammed up the gears:STUDS Christian McCaffrey» The 49ers’ running back took a toss left, cut back inside the left guard, and ran 72 yards on the game’s first play.And while his rightful touchdown was vultured by Jordan Mason, the result is undeniable: This guy is so flippin’ good it’s borderline unfair.Deebo Samuel» It’s not all catch-and-run with the do-it-all offensive weapon. No, his 54-yard touchdown c...

Instant analysis of 49ers’ 28-16 win over Seahawks

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:00 GMT

SANTA CLARA – Just under three minutes remained in the 49ers’ 28-16 victory Sunday when a melee broke out, befitting of their rivalry with the frustrated and overwhelmed Seattle Seahawks.Linebacker Fred Warner had made an acrobatic interception, Seahawks receiver D.K. Metcalf repeatedly grabbed Warner’s facemask in response, and cornerback Deommodore Lenoir rushed to the scene with a haymaker.Well, at least no security chief on the sideline was involved in this scuffle, unlike last Sunday’s fracas in Philadelphia that got 49ers linebacker Dre Greenlaw ejected and the Eagles’ bodyguard bounced. After this game’s fight to the finish, Metcalf and Lenoir got booted for their actions.Say this about the first-place 49ers, they sure know how to get under opponents’ skin while clocking them into submission. The 49ers (10-3) stretched their NFC West lead to four games, with four regular-season games remaining. Their cadre of offensive stars pumped out heft...

Deebo Samuel scores 2 TDs, Purdy throws for career-best 368 yards as 49ers beat Seahawks 28-16

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:00 GMT

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Deebo Samuel scored on a catch and a run and the San Francisco 49ers won their 11th straight division game, beating the Seattle Seahawks 28-16 on Sunday.Samuel had his second straight game with multiple touchdowns to lead San Francisco (10-3) to the brink of winning back-to-back NFC West titles for the first time since 2011-12. The Niners lead the Seahawks (6-7) and Rams by four games with four to play and hold the tiebreaker over Seattle.Seattle has lost four straight games for the first time in 14 seasons under Pete Carroll and has lost five in a row to the 49ers for the first time. Bay Area native Haney beats Prograis in front of sold-out crowd at Chase Center Drew Lock threw two TD passes in his first start since the end of the 2021 season in place of an injured Geno Smith, but couldn't keep up with the high-powered 49ers.Christian McCaffrey had a 72-yard run on the first play from scrimmage for San Francisco to set up a short TD run by Jordan Mason....

Mississippi survives wild finish to beat UCF and remain undefeated

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:00 GMT

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Allen Flanigan scored 18 points and blocked a layup with a second remaining to help Mississippi survive a wild final minute and even wilder final two seconds to defeat UCF 70-68 on Sunday.Ole Miss held a six-point lead with 52 seconds left before UCF’s Marchellus Avery hit a 3-pointer to cut the lead in half. After a turnover Shemarri Allen made two from the line to get the Knights within 68-67. The Rebels committed another turnover, but Moussa Cisse blocked back-to-back layup attempts and Flanigan grabbed the rebound. He made two free throws for a 70-67 lead with four seconds left.With their three-point lead, the Rebels fouled Darius Johnson, who made only one of two free throws. Flanigan’s inbound pass was stolen but he blocked a layup by Sellers. Avery got the rebound but his short bankshot that would have tied the game was ruled to be after time expired.TJ Caldwell had 14 points off the bench for Mississippi (9-0). Matthew Murrell had 12 points and Jay...