The Baltimore Ravens ended their three-game losing streak and improved their playoff position by running through the Dallas defense. The Ravens are 7-5 after racking up 294 yards rushing in a 34-17 win over the Cowboys. Lamar Jackson ran for 94 yards and a touchdown while also throwing for two scores. Jackson was one of 23 Ravens to spend time on the COVID-19 reserve list while four different strains of the virus swept through the organization. Ravens receiver Dez Bryant was scratched from the game after apparently testing positive for COVID-19. Bryant left the field in the middle of warming up with the team – he later tweeted that he was annoyed by the timing of the test, adding he was done for the season.
Otherwise, Gus Edwards ran for 101 yards on just seven carries, and rookie J.K. Dobbins added 71 yards rushing with a TD. The Ravens averaged 7.9 yards per carry. Greg Zuerlein missed three field goal tries and Dallas yielded 20 straight points after taking an early 10-7 lead. Andy Dalton went 31 for 48 for 285 yards and two touchdowns for the 3-9 Cowboys.
In NFL news:
The Philadelphia Eagles are changing starting quarterbacks following a four-game losing streak that's dropped them to 3-8-1. Jalen Hurts will be under center for the start of Sunday's game against the Saints. Head coach Doug Pederson insisted Monday the decision was his, even though Carson Wentz's four-year, $128 million contract begins in 2021. Hurts replaced Wentz in the third quarter of Sunday's 30-16 loss to Green Bay. Hurts was sacked three times while completing 5 of 12 passes for 109 yards, one touchdown and one interception.
Browns starting right guard Wyatt Teller has been placed on the COVID-19 reserve list, putting him in jeopardy of missing next Monday's home game against Baltimore. Teller did not test positive, but had close contact with an infected person who is not affiliated with the Browns.
The Titans have put wide receiver Adam Humphries on injured reserve, two days after he played his first game following a month in the concussion protocol. Humphries got a concussion when he was hit in a loss to Cincinnati on Nov. 1 and missed the next four games.
NFL players believe the season can be completed on time without the league moving into a version of a postseason bubble like other sports have. That's provided everyone follows the rules already in place meant to slow the spread of the coronavirus. NFLPA President JC Tretter and Executive Director DeMaurice Smith say that the rules in place requiring players and staff to be tested daily, wear masks, socially distance and have tracers for contact tracing have helped prevent the spread of the virus.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
The Big Ten leads the ACC 6-1 following the first day of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge Tuesday. No. 3 Iowa downed No. 16 North Carolina 93-80, No. 6 Illinois ripped No. 10 Duke 83-68, Penn State routed No. 15 Virginia Tech 75-55, No. 21 Rutgers took down Syracuse 79-69, No. 22 Ohio State bested Notre Dame 90-85, Miami held off Purdue 58-54, and Minnesota defeated Boston College in overtime 85-80. The second half of the challenge takes place Wednesday. Three games have already been postponed due to COVID-19 issues, including No. 4 Michigan State v. No. 18 Virginia, No. 25 Louisville v. No. 13 Wisconsin, and NC State v. Michigan.
In other top-25 basketball matchups: No. 5 Kansas edged No. 8 Creighton 73-72, and No. 12 Tennessee opened its season with a 57-46 win over Colorado. Also Tuesday, Morgan State outscored Iona 83-72 – and in women’s college basketball, UMass beat Rhode Island 79-69.
In college basketball news:
Siena College has paused its men’s basketball team following a positive COVID-19 test among its personnel. The move postpones the team’s opening two games against Fairfield on Friday and Saturday. Similarly, Vermont’s season-opening series at UMass-Lowell has been pushed back to Dec. 21 and 22 due to positive COVID-19 cases at UMass-Lowell.
NCAA President Mark Emmert hopes lessons learned through navigating the pandemic will lead college sports leaders to be more open to future reforms. He also hopes sports leaders prioritize opportunities for athletes when it comes time to cut costs. Emmert says the NCAA and its members schools have shown an uncommon ability to be nimble and responsive in addressing issues of eligibility, scheduling, recruiting and other topics. He encouraged schools facing difficult financial decisions to emphasize supporting students above all.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Michigan has canceled its annual football showdown with Ohio State, citing a rising number of COVID-19 cases within the Wolverines program. Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh said his players were "very disappointed" to not face the third-ranked Buckeyes, who would be heavily favored. The season-ending grudge match known as "The Game" won't be played for the first time in 102 years. With two games already canceled, the Buckeyes under current conference rules still need a sixth game to be eligible to play for a Big Ten championship Dec. 19 in Indianapolis against Northwestern. Coach Ryan Day said the conference should consider allowing Ohio State to play with only five games.
In other college football news:
The regular-season football finale between seventh-ranked Cincinnati and No. 18 Tulsa has been canceled due to COVID-19 cases and contact tracing within the Bearcats' program. The teams are scheduled to play in the AAC title game on Dec. 19. Both have perfect league records.
Alabama, Notre Dame, Clemson and Ohio State hold the top four spots in the College Football Playoff rankings for the third straight week. The selection committee's second-from-last rankings had only a little movement in the top 10. Texas A&M is still fifth and Florida held at sixth. Iowa State moved up a couple of spots to seventh after earning a spot in the Big 12 title game. Cincinnati slipped a spot to eighth after an idle week because of COVID-19 issues in the program.
Former Maryland quarterback and 1952 Heisman Trophy runner-up Jack Scarbath has died at 90. Scarbath led the Terrapins to a 28-13 upset of defending national champion Tennessee in the 1951 Sugar Bowl. One year later, he was a unanimous first-team All-America and finished second behind Billy Vessels of Oklahoma in voting for the Heisman. Scarbath was 24-4-1 as the Terps' starter and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1983.
MLB
The Nationals have laid off 18 full-time employees from their business operations staff, citing the coronavirus pandemic's economic effect on the sport. The club is also eliminating most of the vacant jobs they planned to fill in the coming months. The team will end a partial furlough for business-side employees who remain with the Nationals and restore their full salaries next year.
Also, the Kansas City Royals have worked out a two-year, $17 million contract with first baseman Carlos Santana. The 34-year-old Santana was an All-Star two years ago in Cleveland, when he hit a career-best .281 with 34 homers and 93 RBIs. But he slid to .199 with eight homers and 30 RBIs while playing 60 games for the Indians during the shortened 2020 season. The Rangers have dealt pitcher Lance Lynn to the White Sox for right-hander Dane Dunning and lefty Avery Weems. The 6-foot-5, 250-pound Lynn was 22-14 in 46 starts the past two seasons for the Rangers, with 335 strikeouts over 292 1/3 innings. The 33-year-old Lynn is 104-71 with a 3.57 ERA in 260 games over nine major league seasons, including 236 starts.
NBA
Denver Nuggets guard Monte Morris has agreed to a three-year, $27 million contract extension. His agent confirmed the deal that is fully guaranteed and includes incentives that can move it closer to $9.5 million per year. Morris averaged 9 points and 3.5 assists per game during the regular season and played a big role during Denver's postseason run to the Western Conference finals.
Also, James Harden is back in Houston after missing the start of Rockets training camp. Harden was going through the NBA's COVID-19 testing protocols on Tuesday. Coach Stephen Silas said after practice that the disgruntled superstar had arrived in the city and was getting tested but didn't have much information beyond that. Silas said he hadn't spoken to Harden and had no comment on reports that the All-Star wants to be traded.
NHL
NHL players have balked at changing the collective bargaining agreement that was negotiated over the summer. That's according to a person with knowledge of the negotiations who also tells The Associated Press that the league is preparing to open a 50- 60-game season on Jan. 13. The league and union agreed to a CBA over the summer that included a 10% salary deferral for the 2021 season and a cap on money left in escrow.
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