The NFC playoff situation is much clearer following the Green Bay Packers’ 23-10 victory at Minnesota last night. The outcome gives the Packers the NFC North title and makes Matt LeFleur the 10th rookie coach in league history to have a 12-win season. The Packers fought through three first-half turnovers that left them trailing 10-9 at the break. Kirk Cousins threw an interception and was sacked five times, with a whopping 3 1/2 by Smith. Cousins is 0-9 in Monday night games. The outcome leaves the 10-5 Vikings with the sixth seed in the NFC playoffs.
In college football, Central Florida won the Gasparilla Bowl in a 48-25 rout of Marshall.
The Seattle Seahawks could be reuniting with former star running back Marshawn Lynch. Coach Pete Carroll said during his radio show Monday that Lynch was on his way to Seattle to undergo a physical. Seattle is 11-and-4 and in desperate need of running backs. Carroll said reports are that Lynch is in good shape, but whether Seattle signs him will depend on the physical. Lynch has not played in more than a year. His last game was Week 6 of last season with the Oakland Raiders before a core injury ended his season.
In men’s college basketball, Siena topped Canisius in the MAAC opener, 73-72. No. 18 Dayton topped Grambling 81-53. And No. 21 Washington beat Hawaii 72-61.
In the NBA, the Indiana Pacers rode their outside shooting to a victory against the defending NBA champs. The Pacers were 18 of 42 from beyond the arc in a 120-115 overtime victory against Toronto. James Harden dropped in 34 points and Russell Westbrook had 28 as Houston eked out a 113-104 win at Sacramento. The Nuggets beat Phoenix 113-111. It was Philly 125, Detroit 109. Miami topped Utah 107-104. And Washington beat the Knicks 121-115.
In the NHL, Tuukka Rask outplayed Braden Holtby as the Boston Bruins finally earned a win over the Washington Capitals. The Bruins had dropped 16 of their last 17 meetings with Washington and eight straight in Boston before Rask turned back 39 shots to lead a 7-3 victory against the Caps. Columbus topped the Islanders 3-2. And the Senators beat the Sabres 3-1.
In baseball, the Royals have acquired right-hander Chance Adams from the Yankees for minor league infielder Christian Perez. The 25-year-old Adams spent last season with the Yankees and Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
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