Jimmy Garoppolo threw for 317 yards and four touchdowns and the San Francisco 49ers reach the halfway point of their season undefeated, beating the Arizona Cardinals 28-25 Thursday night.
San Francisco, now 8-0, fell behind 7-0, but responded with three touchdowns — including one as time expired in the second quarter after Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury called a timeout and gave the 49ers a second chance on fourth down — to take a 21-7 halftime lead. The 49ers were in control until about five minutes left in the fourth quarter, when Andy Isabella caught a short pass and sprinted 88 yards to help the Cardinals pull to 28-25. But the 49ers were able to run out the clock on their ensuing offensive drive to end Arizona's comeback. Arizona (3-5-1) lost its second straight game. Rookie quarterback Kyler Murray threw for 241 yards and two touchdowns.
In NFL news, New York Jets rookie Blake Cashman will miss the rest of the season because of a shoulder injury. The fifth-round pick out of Minnesota suffered a torn labrum during practice Wednesday.
Washington Redskins tackle Trent Williams revealed a cancer diagnosis that played a part in his lengthy holdout and distrust of the team's medical staff and the organization. Williams says he told the team of the medical issue six years ago, and the growth on his head grew substantially over time. In an almost 20-minute meeting with reporters Thursday, the 31-year-old said he had a tumor removed from his skull and needs to get checked out every six months to make sure he's OK. The seven-time Pro Bowl selection had three surgeries during the offseason to remove the tumor and remained away from the team during that time. Williams said it got pretty serious and he was "told some scary things" by doctors that changed his outlook on life. Williams also expressed dissatisfaction with his contract that runs through 2020 without guaranteed dollars. Despite returning, he would not commit to playing again for the organization that drafted him fourth overall in 2010.
Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Anthony Chickillo is back at practice after being taken off the commissioner's exempt list. The league made the move on Thursday, one day after misdemeanor chargers were withdrawn against Chickillo stemming from an incident with his girlfriend at a western Pennsylvania resort earlier this month. He had been charged with simple assault, criminal mischief and harassment.
Broncos offensive coordinator Rich Scangarello dismissed criticism from quarterback Joe Flacco as comments made in the heat of the moment. Flacco ripped his coaches for conservative play-calling in Denver's last-minute loss at Indianapolis last weekend, a day before he was sidelined with a neck injury.
NBA
Kendrick Nunn scored a career-high 28 points to add to his record-setting start and Miami beat Atlanta 106-97 Thursday night, giving the Heat two wins over the Hawks in three days. Nunn's 112 points are the highest total through. the first five games for any undrafted player in NBA history. Connie Hawkins of the Phoenix Suns scored 105 points in his first five games of the 1969-70 season. Nunn, a 6-foot-2 guard from Oakland University in Michigan, scored 14 points in the third quarter. He began his career with 24 points against Memphis on Oct. 23, and he has kept shooting. He has scored at least 24 points three times in Miami's first five games.
Jahlil Okafor scored 26 points, Brandon Ingram added 25 and the New Orleans Pelicans beat the Denver Nuggets 122-107 for their first victory in five games this season. Ingram has scored at least 22 points in each of his first five games for New Orleans after coming over from the Los Angeles Lakers.
Kawhi Leonard scored 38 points, Montrezl Harrell added 24 and the Los Angeles Clippers defeated San Antonio 103-97, handing the Spurs their first loss. Leonard, who sat out Wednesday's game at Utah due to load management, also grabbed 12 rebounds for his first points-rebounds, double-double this season.
In NBA news, Philadelphia center Joel Embiid and Minnesota center Karl-Anthony Towns have each been suspended two games without pay for an on-court altercation and continued escalation. Kiki VanDeWeghe, the NBA's executive vice president of basketball operations, announced the suspensions Thursday, a day after the undefeated 76ers' 117-95 home victory over the Timberwolves. The star players were ejected after tangling with 6:42 left in the third quarter and the 76ers ahead 75-55. Embiid shoved Towns, who answered with a punch that missed as both men fell to the floor. Philadelphia's Ben Simmons jumped in and forcefully held Towns down as other players and coaches ran onto the court. They were ejected after a video review.
NHL
Matthew Tkachuk tied the game in the final minute of regulation and scored the winning goal with just over a second left in overtime on a nifty shot between his legs, leading the Calgary Flames to a 6-5 win over the Nashville Predators Thursday night. Calgary rallied from a three-goal deficit and ended Nashville's four-game winning streak. On the winner, Tkachuk skated in front of the net against two Nashville defenders, let the puck slip between his legs and flipped a shot that beat Predators goalie Pekka Rinne high to the stick side with 1.4 seconds left in overtime. Derek Ryan, Rasmus Andersson, Elias Lindholm and Alan Quine also scored for the Flames.
Max Domi scored 27 seconds into overtime and the Montreal Canadiens beat the Vegas Golden Knights 5-4. Montreal's Brendan Gallagher scored with 1:58 left in regulation to tie the game at 4-all. Phillip Danault, Jonathan Drouin and Tomas Tatar also scored for Montreal.
MLB
The New York Yankees have declined their 2020 option for Edwin Encarnación, making the veteran slugger a free agent. Encarnación was due $25 million in 2020. The Yankees acquired the three-time All-Star from Seattle in June for $5 million to bolster a lineup sapped by injuries.
The Philadelphia Phillies have hired former Cincinnati Reds manager Bryan Price as their pitching coach. Price joins new manager Joe Girardi's staff after going 279-387 with Cincinnati over parts of five seasons from 2014-18. He previously was pitching coach for the Reds, Diamondbacks and Mariners.
The Kansas City Royals have hired Mike Matheny as manager. The 49-year-old Matheny was manager of the cross-state St. Louis Cardinals from 2012-18, going 591-474 and becoming the first manager to reach the postseason his first four seasons. The Cardinals reached the World Series in 2013, losing to the Boston Red Sox. Matheny was fired in July 2018 with the Cardinals 7½ games out of the NL Central race at the time. He was hired last November by the Royals as a special adviser for player development, putting him in place to succeed retiring Royals manager Ned Yost.
Jayce Tingler was presented as San Diego's manager and he was wearing the club's classic brown jersey, which is expected to return next season. The 38-year-old is a first-time big league manager and takes over a team that last had a winning record in 2010.
The Cleveland Indians officially exercised starter Corey Kluber's $17.5 million contract option for next season. The two-time Cy Young winner didn't pitch for the Indians after May 1. That’s when the right-hander sustained a broken arm when he was hit by a comebacker.
The Chicago White Sox have traded catcher Welington Castillo and an international signing bonus pool slot to the Texas Rangers for minor league infielder and outfielder Jonah McReynolds. The 32-year-old Castillo batted .209 over 72 games last season.
Oakland reliever Yusmeiro Petit had his $5.5 million contract option for the 2020 season exercised by the Athletics. The A's declined their half of a $5.75 million mutual option on left-handed pitcher Jake Diekman, who came to Oakland in a trade from Kansas City on July 27 and went 1-1 with a 4.43 ERA in 28 outings for Oakland after beginning 0-6 with the Royals.
The Arizona Diamondbacks have declined the 2020 options for second baseman Wilmer Flores and left-handed pitcher T.J. McFarland. The 28-year-old Flores hit a career-high .317 with nine homers in 89 games during his only season with the D-backs. Flores was due to make $6 million in 2020 but instead will get a $500,000 buyout. The 30-year-old McFarland pitched the past three seasons for the D-backs and threw in 51 games with a 4.82 ERA in 2019. He was due $1.85 million in 2020.
UFC
Evidence shows a missing college student was harmed and is now considered a victim of foul play, police said Thursday as her mother and stepfather, who's an Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight, pleaded for information. Speaking in an interview with WBRC-TV, Angela Harris said "there has to be someone who knows" what happened to Aniah Haley Blanchard, 19, of suburban Birmingham. Husband Walt Harris, who fights with the mixed martial arts fighting organization, said relatives don't understand what might have happened to the college student. The Southern Union State Community College student was last seen Oct. 24. Police later found her damaged car in Montgomery, about 55 miles away.
PGA
Scottie Scheffler closed with a bogey for a 9-under 62 and a one-stroke lead Thursday after the first round of the PGA Tour's inaugural Bermuda Championship. Scheffler played his opening nine at Port Royal Golf Club in 6-under 29, making an eagle on the par-5 17th. He added birdies on Nos. 2, 4, 6 and 7 before dropping the stroke on the par-4 ninth. The 23-year-old former University of Texas player won twice last year on the Korn Ferry Tour and earned fully exempt PGA Tour status.
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