Silva: Each NFL team enters the offseason with a series of pressing needs. Sometimes a team can address them all, sometimes they ignore them all. But if a team's smart, they'll listen to us. These are the most crucial aspects for NFC teams.
SportsTalk: Albert Pujols signs with the Angels and Prince Fielder joins the Tigers. Which team is better now?
Ryan Callahan scored three goals as the New York Rangers beat Philadelphia 5-2 on Saturday for their seventh straight win over the Flyers.
Jeremy Lin hit a free throw with 4.9 seconds left to overcome a dreadful second half and lift the New York Knicks to their fifth straight victory, 100-98, over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday night.
Arc's five up, five down: After No. 11 Michigan State's 58-48 upset of No. 3 Ohio State, you'd be a fool to discount the Spartans title chances now.
CFT: Jordan Jefferson makes it clear he wasn't happy with LSU's game plan in the Tigers' BCS Championship Game loss to Alabama.
Move over, Hollywood and NFL types, golf's two real A-listers take center stage Sunday at Pebble Beach, both in need of a win.
The United States swept favored Switzerland out of the Davis Cup on Saturday when Mardy Fish and Mike Bryan beat Roger Federer and Stanislas Wawrinka 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 6-3.
Luis Suarez's refusal to shake hands with Patrice Evra overshadowed Manchester United's 2-1 win over rival Liverpool that lifted the defending champions to first place in the Premier League on Saturday.
Marlies Schild of Austria won her sixth World Cup slalom of the season Saturday after overall leader Lindsey Vonn and defending champion Maria Hoefl-Riesch crashed out in the opening run on the windy Pyrenees course.
Robins: It’s the Year of the Dragon on the Lunar calendar, and this Chinese influence could extend to it also being the year of the Pekingese on the green carpet at the 136th Westminster Dog Show on Tuesday.
INDIANAPOLIS - Peyton Manning keeps finding new winning formulas, and the Colts keep making history.
Instead of another patented comeback or impressive air show, Manning opened December by playing keepaway from Tennessee and leading the Colts to a 27-17 victory for their record-tying 21st consecutive regular-season win.
“You try to tell these guys that when you win a couple in a row, or three or four in a row, this is not normal,” the three-time MVP said. “It’s not normal to win 10 or 11 or 12 games every year. But these guys that have been here five years would tell me it is normal for us. That’s all they’ve done.”
For Indy (12-0), the milestones all seem commonplace.
Sunday’s list included:
“It (the record) is one of those things we talk about. We kind of identify the milestones on Wednesday morning when we get in. We talk about some of the things we’re accomplishing,” coach Jim Caldwell said. “The guys appreciate it, but it’s not something that goes to their heads.”
It showed.
Colts players celebrated with a nonchalant stroll toward midfield, then shaking hands and trotting into the locker room as though it was no different than the previous 20 wins.
But the script was different. This time, Manning took a page out of Tennessee’s playbook, relying an effective ground game and a ball-control offense to stymie the Titans’ comeback hopes.
Tennessee (5-7) was the last team to beat the Colts, on Oct. 27, 2008, and it wanted to bookend the streak.
While Chris Johnson ran for 100 yards in his seventh straight game, tying Earl Campbell’s franchise record, he finished with 113 yards and fell just short of a seventh straight 125-yard game, the Titans struggled in the red zone.
Twice in the second half, the Titans went for it on fourth down deep in Colts’ territory and failed both times. Tennessee also recovered an onside kick after scoring a late TD, then turned the ball over on downs.
“We just didn’t finish in the red zone,” quarterback Vince Young said. “Our guys made some big plays, but we just didn’t finish. Against a team like this, with an MVP quarterback, you have to score touchdowns.”
The Colts, however, took another approach.
Joseph Addai ran 21 times for a season-high 79 yards and two touchdowns. Manning was 24 of 37 for 270 yards and one TD, Pierre Garcon caught six passes for a career-high 136 yards and the combination of quick scores in the first half, and Manning’s ability to run clock in the second sealed Tennessee’s fate.
Indy needed just 1:58 to take a 7-0 lead, on Addai’s 8-yard run. After Rob Bironas’ short field goal, Addai scored on a 1-yard run to make it 14-3.
And when Young was picked off, Manning hooked up with Austin Collie on a 4-yard TD pass to make it 21-3 with 1:55 left in the first half.
Young answered with a 6-yard TD pass to Kenny Britt, but left Manning 20 seconds and two timeouts — too much time.
Manning hooked up with Garcon for 18 yards on the first play and got 15 more when Titans defensive tackle Tony Brown drew an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. Addai ran for 5 yards on the next play and Matt Stover made a 43-yard field goal to give Indy a 24-10 halftime lead.
That was all Manning needed.
The teams traded time-consuming drives in the third quarter and when Manning burned up nearly half of the fourth quarter with a drive that led to Stover’s 36-yard field goal with 3:14 to go, the Colts were back in the record book.
“It will mean a lot if we look back at it after 16 games,” linebacker Clint Session said. “Right now, it really means nothing to us. We’re just trying to win every game we play.”
Notes: Three Titans players were hurt during the game — safety Michael Griffin (shoulder), tight end Jared Cook (concussion) and fullback Ahmard Hall (ankle). ... Colts WR Reggie Wayne caught four passes for 48 yards and now has 1,035 yards receiving. ... Manning’s TD pass to Collie extended his NFL record streak of consecutive 25-TD seasons to 12.
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Silva: Each NFL team enters the offseason with a series of pressing needs. Sometimes a team can address them all, sometimes they ignore them all. But if a team's smart, they'll listen to us. These are the most crucial aspects for NFC teams.
Wesseling: Each NFL team enters the offseason with a series of pressing needs. Sometimes a team can address them all, sometimes they ignore them all. But if a team's smart, they'll listen to us. These are the most crucial aspects for AFC teams.
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The Week in Sports Pictures The Giants on top of the football world, getting ready for the London Olympics and more. more photos |
Jeremy Lin hit a free throw with 4.9 seconds left to overcome a dreadful second half and lift the New York Knicks to their fifth straight victory, 100-98, over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday night.
Wesseling: Each NFL team enters the offseason with a series of pressing needs. Sometimes a team can address them all, sometimes they ignore them all. But if a team's smart, they'll listen to us. These are the most crucial aspects for AFC teams.
Adreian Payne scored 15 points, Draymond Green added 12 and defense-minded No. 11 Michigan State beat No. 3 Ohio State 58-48 Saturday night, ending the Buckeyes' 39-game home winning streak.
