NFL:
The Indianapolis Colts were winners in their first prime-time home game since December 2017.
Carson Wentz threw three touchdown passes and Jonathan Taylor rushed for 172 yards and two scores to carry the Colts past the Jets, 45-30. Wentz opened the second-half scoring with a 2-yard scoring pass to offensive lineman Danny Pinter, and Taylor sealed the win with a 78-yard sprint to make it 42-10.
Jets backup QB Josh Johnson threw for a career-high 317 yards and had a career-best three touchdown passes in the final 18 minutes. Johnson entered the game after Mike White injured his right forearm in the first quarter, four days after throwing for 405 yards and three TDs in his first NFL start.
The Colts improved to 4-5, while the Jets dropped to 2-7.
The Cleveland Browns appear ready to hold the door for Odell Beckham Jr.
The polarizing wide receiver was excused from practice for the second straight day as the Browns figure out their next move with him.
Beckham has likely played his last game in Cleveland, his exit hastened by his father sharing a video on social media criticizing quarterback Baker Mayfield for not throwing the ball to the three-time Pro Bowler.
The oft-injured Beckham has been a major disappointment after being acquired from the Giants in 2019. He dropped several balls in last weekend’s loss to the Steelers and has just 17 receptions for 232 yards and no touchdowns this season.
The three-time Pro Bowler is making $15.75 million this season, and the Browns would have to pay him at least half of that if he is waived and not claimed by another team.
In other NFL news on Thursday:
Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray didn’t practice for a second straight day because of an injured ankle, casting doubt on his status for Monday’s game against the 49ers on Sunday. Murray hurt his left ankle on the final drive of Arizona’s 24-21 loss to the Packers last Thursday, which was the team’s first loss of the season.
Quarterback Tyrod Taylor will start for the Texans when they visit the Dolphins on Sunday. Houston went 0-6 with rookie Davis Mills under center while Taylor recovered from a hamstring injury suffered in Week 2. Taylor has led Houston to its only victory of the season.
The Giants limited access to their facility Thursday after the laboratory handling their COVID-19 testing had an unusually high number of false positive tests. The Giants canceled in-facility meetings for players in the morning and closed their office to non-football staff. Coach Joe Judge said some players and coaches were sent home and later brought back to the building for an afternoon walkthrough and practice when a second test was negative.
NBA:
The Utah Jazz were able to cruise to an 18-point win in Atlanta despite the absence of Donovan Mitchell due to a sprained right ankle.
Jordan Clarkson bounced back from his worst game of the season by scoring 30 points in the Jazz's 116-98 decision over the Hawks. Clarkson picked up the slack off the bench to give the Jazz their eighth victory in nine games this season. He shot 0 for 11 from 3-point range and 1 of 13 overall to finish with just two points in Tuesday’s victory against the Kings.
Trae Young scored 21 points for the Hawks, who shot just 7 of 28 on 3-pointers in their first loss in four home games.
Checking out Thursday’s other NBA action:
Seth Curry scored 23 points and Tyrese Maxey added 20 in the 76ers’ fifth win in a row, 109-98 over the Pistons. Maxey had nine points in the third quarter as the 76ers took a 86-82 lead. Joel Embiid had 19 points and nine rebounds for Philadelphia.
The Thunder rallied from a 19-point deficit to beat the Lakers for the second time this season, 107-104. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 11 of his 28 points in the fourth quarter. Los Angeles forward Anthony Davis had 29 points and 18 rebounds despite spraining his right thumb near halftime.
Devin Booker dropped in 27 points and Landry Shamet added 19 off the bench for the Suns in a 123-111 verdict over the Rockets. Shamet and JaVale McGee led a strong effort from the Suns’ bench, which combined for 52 points. Phoenix has won three straight games and pushed above .500 for the first time this season at 4-3.
The Celtics played airtight defense for a second consecutive night on the way to a 95-78 stifling of the Heat. Jaylen Brown scored 17 points to lead six Boston players in double figures. Miami shot 35% overall, 9-for-41 from 3-point range and managed a total of 55 points in the final three quarters.
The NBA has asked a law firm to investigate the Phoenix Suns.
The decision follows an ESPN report on Thursday detailing allegations that owner Robert Sarver has a history of racist, misogynistic and hostile incidents during his 17-year tenure in charge of the franchise.
ESPN said it talked to dozens of current and former team employees for the story, including some who detailed inappropriate behavior by Sarver. Most of the allegations are from anonymous sources, but a few are on the record.
In ESPN’s report, Sarver denied or disputed most of the allegations through his legal team.
T25 FOOTBALL:
No. 24 Louisiana-Lafayette has locked up the conference West Division title for the fourth straight season and won its eighth straight game after a season-opening loss at Texas.
The Ragin’ Cajuns had to rally as Montrell Johnson had two fourth-quarter touchdown runs and Louisiana-Lafayette scored all its points on its final three possessions to rally for a 21-17 victory over Georgia State. Johnson ran for 98 yards, with scoring runs of 3 and 13 yards.
Georgia State took a 17-14 lead with 5:25 left on Tucker Gregg’s 1-yard run.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL:
The administrators in charge of the College Football Playoff plan to meet again on Dec. 1 to continue expansion talks.
The most crucial detail facing the 10-person management committee is the size of expansion from the current four-team setup.
Executive Director Bill Hancock released a statement Thursday saying the support for expansion is evident, but there are several crucial details that remain under discussion. Hancock also described the just-completed two days of meetings with the CFP management committee as productive.
Tennessee will not self-impose a postseason bowl ban after wrapping up its investigation into the recruiting issues.
Tennessee started the internal investigation after receiving a tip on Nov. 13, 2020, about alleged recruiting violations that led to the firing of head coach Jeremy Pruitt and nine others in January.
Chancellor Donde Plowman said in January that the potential NCAA issues involved Level I and II violations with a number of people and incidents.
NHL:
The Florida Panthers had never collected more than 17 points through the first 10 games of a season. They now have 19 points after improving to 9-0-1 with a 5-4 overtime win against the Capitals.
Eetu Luostarinen scored 1:55 into overtime against the Caps, who have suffered four of their five losses in OT or a shootout.
Florida’s Aleksander Barkov tallied. That raises his career total to 188, tying Olli Jokinen for the most in franchise history.
Aaron Ekblad had a goal and assist, and Brandon Montour also scored for Florida.
Alex Ovechkin netted his 10th goal of the season and had two assists for Washington.
Elsewhere on NHL ice:
The Maple Leafs came away with a 2-1 win over the Lightning on William Nylander’s power-play goal 3:43 into overtime. John Tavares tied it for Toronto with 41.1 seconds left in regulation and goalie Jack Campbell off for an extra attacker. Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner each had two assists in Toronto’s fourth consecutive win and Tampa Bay’s first loss in four games.
Kris Letang stuffed a wraparound by Carter Hart 1:57 into overtime to give the Penguins a 3-2 victory over the Flyers. Letang’s first goal of the season helped the Penguins end a three-game losing streak on a night they played without star center Sidney Crosby and head coach Mike Sullivan due to COVID-19 protocols. Tristan Jarry stopped 36 shots for Pittsburgh, weathering a heavy barrage early and making a couple of quality stops in the extra period.
The Bruins stormed to a 5-1 win over the Red Wings as Patrice Bergeron scored his first four goals of the season. Brad Marchand assisted on all four of Bergeron’s goals, Mike Reilly scored his first of the season and Charlie McAvoy had a pair of assists for Boston. Jeremy Swayman finished with 14 saves for the Bruins, who remained unbeaten at home.
Brock Nelson scored four times and the Islanders improved to 4-0-2 in their last six games by trouncing the Canadiens, 6-2. Oliver Wahlstrom and Jean-Gabriel Pageau also scored to help the Islanders improve to 4-2-2 on the first eight games of a season-opening, 13-game road trip. Anthony Beauvilier had three assists and Ilya Sorokin stopped 36 shots.
The Blues used a three-goal second period to beat the Sharks, 5-3. Brandon Saad scored a short-handed goal in the first period and tied the game in the second as he looked back up to speed after missing four games following a positive test for COVID-19. Joel Hofer won his NHL debut with 23 saves.
The Golden Knights also cruised to a 5-1 victory as Jonathan Marchessault tallied twice against the Senators. Mattias Janmark, Brett Howden and Alex Pietrangelo also scored for Vegas, and Robin Lehner made 38 saves against his former team. Brady Tkachuk had Ottawa’s lone goal.
The Kraken knocked off the Sabres, 5-2 as Jordan Eberle had the first hat trick in Seattle history. He scored three times in less than 10 minutes of the second and third periods. Jaden Schwartz had two assists and added an empty net goal in the closing moments.
Jamie Benn scored at 2:59 of overtime to give the Stars a 4-3 triumph over the Flames. Denis Gurianov, Blake Comeau and Tyler Seguin also scored, Miro Heiskanen had three assists, and Anton Khudobin made 30 saves to help Dallas snap a four-game skid. Milan Lucic, Matthew Tkachuk and Nikita Zadorov scored for the Flames, who are 6-0-3 since a season-opening regulation loss.
The Buffalo Sabres have ended their association with former second overall draft pick Jack Eichel by dealing him to the Vegas Golden Knights.
The trade ends a bitter feud between Eichel and Buffalo over how to repair his herniated disk, which has sidelined him since March. The dispute revolved around the NHL’s collective bargaining agreement giving teams the final say over the treatment of injuries.
The Golden Knights have granted Eichel permission to have the artificial disk replacement surgery he preferred, though the recovery timetable means he’ll likely miss most if not all of the remainder of the season.
Buffalo acquired forward Alex Tuch, rookie center Peyton Krebs and two draft picks.
In other NHL news:
The Penguins played tonight without head coach Mike Sullivan after he was placed in COVID-19 protocols, leaving the team in the hands of assistant Todd Reirden. Eight Penguins players have entered the protocol since mid-September, including captain Sidney Crosby. The Pens say Crosby tested positive and is symptomatic.
The Cincinnati Reds say star outfield Nick Castellanos has exercised the opt-out clause in his contract and is now a free agent.
The Reds right fielder opted out of the final two years and $34 million remaining on his deal after having the best season of his nine-year career.
The 29-year-old Castellanos was a first-time All-Star in 2021. He batted .309 with 34 home runs and led the Reds with 100 RBIs.
Castellanos enters a crowded free agent pool that includes former MVPs Freddie Freeman and Kris Bryant.
In other major league news:
— Giants catcher Buster Posey has formally announced his retirement. As he batted .304 with 18 homers and 56 RBIs this season, he showed his surgically repaired right hip had finally healed three years after surgery.
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