NFL:
On Thursday Night Football, Kansas City beat Oakland 21-13.
On Sunday at 1 p.m., Pittsburgh is in Buffalo to take on the Bills, the Jets meet up with the 49ers in San Francisco at 4:05 p.m., the NFC East leading Dallas Cowboys head to the Meadowlands take on the Giants in the night game at 8:30 p.m. On Monday, Baltimore heads to Foxborough to face New England.
Police are investigating a break-in and racist graffiti scrawled on the wall at the New Jersey home of an injured New York Giants player. Moonachie police Sergeant Richard Behrens tells The Record police are investigating the break-in at Nikita Whitlock's home as a hate crime. Whitlock, who's black, showed the graffiti to reporters, including "KKK" and a swastika. The name "Trump" was also written on the wall in marker.
The New York Jets are placing Nick Mangold on injured reserve with an ankle injury, ending the star center's season and possibly his tenure with the only NFL team he has played for. The team decided to shut down the 32-year-old Mangold, who will be replaced by Wesley Johnson at center. Johnson filled in as the starter for four games after Mangold initially injured his ankle against Baltimore on October 23rd.
The Denver Broncos could have their starting quarterback in action this weekend. Trevor Siemian practiced Thursday for the first time since he injured his left heel during an overtime loss to Kansas City on Nov. 27. Head coach Gary Kubiak said Siemian's practice was very encouraging but added that his progress will depend on how he feels on Friday.
Siemian split snaps with rookie Paxton Lynch, who completed 12 of 24 passes for 104 yards in last weekend's 20-10 win against Jacksonville. Also in Denver, Von Miller has been credited with another sack. The NFL originally missed a sack that clinched Sunday's win over the Jaguars, but the omission was corrected upon video review. The correction boosts his league-leading sack total to 13 ½.
Also in the NFL:
— The Browns say Robert Griffin III will start Sunday against the Bengals, his first action since injuring his shoulder in the season opener at Philadelphia. Griffin was recently cleared for contact and coach Hue Jackson selected him to be the starter following two practices after Cleveland's bye week.
— Falcons cornerback Robert Alford has signed a four-year contract extension. Alford has played in 53 games over four seasons for the Falcons, including 41 starts. He has allowed only 12 receptions, though he has been plagued by penalty issues.
NHL:
In the NHL, the Islanders won against St. Louis 3-2, Colorado doubled up Boston 4-2, the Rangers bested Winnipeg 2-1, Dallas beat Nashville 5-2, Calgary edged Arizona in overtime 2-1, Carolina skated by Los Angeles 3-1, Philadelphia edged Edmonton 6-5, Pittsburgh won against Florida 5-1, and it was Vancouver over Tampa Bay 5-1.
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has denied the Vegas Golden Knights' trademark application a little more than two weeks after the new NHL franchise unveiled its name and logo. The office cites potential confusion with the team name for the College of Saint Rose in New York, which is also the Golden Knights.
In a statement, NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly says the league is planning a response that will outline why it believes the name should be registered "in co-existence" with the college's. He says "a number of other nicknames currently co-exist in professional and college sports." Daly says it's not the league's "intention to reconsider the name or logo" of the franchise. The Las Vegas franchise is set to take the ice next season.
NBA:
In the NBA, Toronto bested Minnesota 124-110, Washington beat Denver 92-82, Memphis squeaked by Portland 88-86, Philadelphia won against New Orleans 99-88, Golden State topped Utah 106-99, and it was Chicago over San Antonio 95-91.
Matt Barnes and DeMarcus Cousins of the NBA's Sacramento Kings are being sued after a nightclub altercation.The federal lawsuit filed Wednesday says a New York couple was attacked Monday at a nightclub in Manhattan's Chelsea neighborhood.
The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages. It says Barnes choked a 26-year-old woman by the neck and her date intervened. It adds Cousins punched the man and Barnes knocked the woman unconscious with his elbow.
The lawsuit says Barnes and Cousins then punched and kicked the man. The couple was taken to a hospital. No one was arrested. In an Instagram post Monday, Barnes said there are "always two sides to a story." A lawyer for both players says he doesn't believe a crime was committed though the players are cooperating with police.
MMA:
Tonight in the Times Union Center, upstate New York will see its first professional MMA matchup. 10 matches are scheduled for the Octagon beginning at 5:30 p.m. The main event sees heavyweights Shamil Abdurakhimov and Derrick Lewis go head-to-head.
MLS:
Major League Soccer’s premier event takes place on Saturday at 8 p.m. MLS Cup 2016 will see Toronto FC and the Seattle Sounders. It’s the first time in 8 years the game has appeared on an English-language US television network. Coverage begins at 7:30 p.m. on FOX.
MLB:
The St. Louis Cardinals have reportedly worked out a multiyear deal with Dexter Fowler. The outfielder just helped the Chicago Cubs win the World Series by hitting .276 with 13 home runs and a career-high .393 on-base percentage during the regular season. Fowler is a .268 career hitter over nine seasons with Colorado, Houston and the Cubs. The Cardinals are scheduled to hold a news conference this morning.
The Boston Red Sox have added Mitch Moreland to their roster by giving the first baseman a one-year contract. The 31-year-old Moreland hit .233 with 22 home runs, 21 doubles and 60 RBIs for the Rangers last season. He spent his entering seven-year major league career with Texas and is expected to share time with Hanley Ramirez at first base.
NCAA:
Just a pair of top-25 men's basketball teams were in action on Thursday, and both went down in defeat.
UT Arlington beat a ranked team for the first time ever as Kevin Hervey scored 15 points in a 65-51 stunner at No. 12 Saint Mary's. Erick Neal delivered 13 points and eight assists for the Mavericks, who had lost their previous 28 games against ranked opponents dating to 1967. Jock Landale shot just 3-for-10 and had 14 points for the Gaels, who had a season-low 11 assists.
Peter Jok scored 23 points and Iowa improved to 5-5 by downing No. 25 Iowa State, 78-64. Isaiah Moss had 14 points for the Hawkeyes, who shot 59 percent in their first win over a Power Five opponent this season. Matt Thomas scored 14 points to lead the Cyclones, who were just 8 of 30 from 3-point range.
Several individual college football awards are being doled out tonight, two days before the Heisman Trophy winner is announced. Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson has won the Walter Camp player of the year award after accounting for 51 touchdowns this year. He averaged 410 yards of total offense this season and is the favorite to win the Heisman Trophy on Saturday.
Jackson also came away with the Maxwell Award for the outstanding collegiate player, but Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson received the Davey O'Brien Award as the nation's top quarterback for the second straight year. Adoree Jackson of Southern California has won the Jim Thorpe Trophy as the top defensive back. Alabama defensive end Jonathan Allen has claimed the Chuck Bednarik Award as the top defensive player in college football. Allen also captured the Bronko Nagurski Trophy as the nation's best defensive player. Crimson Tide offensive tackle Cam Robinson has won the Outland Trophy as the nation's top interior lineman. Arizona State's Zane Gonzalez has been recognized as the top kicker by snaring the Lou Groza award. And Utah sophomore Mitch Wishnowsky has captured the Ray Guy Award as the best punter.
Former Baylor football coach Art Briles is suing three school regents and a vice president for libel and slander. Briles accuses them of falsely stating he knew of reported assaults and alleged gang rapes by players and didn't report them. He was fired last May after an investigation determined Baylor mishandled reports of alleged sexual and physical assaults, some by his football players.
NASCAR:
Dale Earnhardt Jr has been cleared to resume racing. Hendrick Motorsports has announced that Earnhardt, who missed the final 18 races of last season because of a concussion, has been medically cleared to return next year. The plans are that he will take part in the season-opening Daytona 500 on Feb. 26.
Golf:
The team of Steve Stricker and Jerry Kelly has the first-round lead at the Franklin Templeton Shootout in Florida. The Madison, Wisconsin, natives fired a 16-under 56 for a one-stroke advantage over Harris English and Matt Kuchar. The 49-year-old Stricker hadn't played since the Deutsche Bank Championship on Labor Day.
Olympics:
IOC president Thomas Bach says Russian athletes and officials proven to have been part of a doping "manipulation system" should be banned for life from the Olympics. Bach gave his personal view one day before Canadian investigator Richard McLaren publishes a final report into alleged state-backed cheating at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics. Bach also told reporters that he wants to change the Olympic host city bidding procedure because it "produces too many losers."
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