checkmate

Bengals, Colts reach playoffs while Vikings stun Texans

PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania: Cincinnati and Indianapolis qualified for the National Football League playoffs with narrow victories on Sunday, while Minnesota’s post-season bid was boosted by an upset of Houston.


Josh Brown’s 43-yard field goal with four seconds remaining gave Cincinnati a 13-10 victory at Pittsburgh that clinched a playoff berth for the triumphant Bengals and left the Steelers sitting home after a fifth loss in six games.

The Bengals are in the playoffs in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 1981 and 1982.

“Huge team win,” Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton said. “It’s exactly what we needed. Our defense played great, giving us good field position. Obviously there are areas we can improve, but it feels good to get the win.”

And Indianapolis rookie star Andrew Luck, this year’s NFL Draft top pick, flipped a seven-yard touchdown pass to Reggie Wayne with 4:08 to play to give the Colts a 20-13 win at Kansas City to secure a playoff spot.

The Bengals and Colts joined Denver, New England, Houston and Baltimore as American Conference playoff qualifiers while Atlanta, San Francisco and Green Bay have booked three of six berths on offer in the National Conference.

Seattle can clinch a playoff trip on Sunday with a home victory over San Francisco, while Washington, Dallas, Minnesota, Chicago and the New York Giants, will fight into next week’s final regular season games for the last spots.

Minnesota stayed in position for a National Conference spot by shocking host Houston 23-6, dropping the Texans to 12-3 and keeping them from clinching a home-field edge throughout the American Conference playoffs.

Adrian Peterson, the NFL season rushing leader, ran 25 times for 86 yards for the Vikings, leaving him 207 yards shy of the one-season NFL rushing record of 2,105 yards set by Eric Dickerson with the Los Angeles Rams in 1984.

Peterson will try to make history and Minnesota will try to reach the playoffs in next week’s season finale against Green Bay.

The Washington Redskins won their sixth game in a row with a 27-20 triumph at Philadelphia, improving to 9-6 to stay atop the NFC East division entering next weekend’s showdown with Dallas, which lost 34-31 in over-time to visiting New Orleans to fall to 8-7.

Redskins rookie Robert Griffin III completed 16-of-24 passes for 198 yards and two touchdowns despite playing with a brace on his sprained right knee after missing last week’s victory at Cleveland.

The Redskins would claim their first division crown since 1999 with a home triumph over the arch-rival Cowboys next Sunday.

Garrett Hartley’s 20-yard field goal gave New Orleans a victory after Tony Romo threw two touchdown passes in the final 3:35 to lift Dallas level and force over-time.

Charles Tillman returned an interception 10 yards for a touchdown and Zack Bowman scored on a one-yard fumble recovery return to power Chicago over Arizona 28-13, keeping the Bears in playoff contention.

Baltimore clinched the AFC North division crown with a 33-14 home triumph over the reigning Super Bowl champion Giants, with Joe Flacco throwing for 309 yards and two touchdowns to dim New York’s playoff hopes.

Peyton Manning threw for a season-high 339 yards and three touchdowns to lead Denver over Cleveland 34-12, stretching the Broncos’ win streak to 10 games.

Denver (12-3) and New England (11-4) remain within reach of Houston (12-3) for an American Conference home-field playoff edge.

In other games on Sunday, Green Bay routed visiting Tennessee 55-7, host Miami beat Buffalo 24-10, St. Louis won 28-13 at Tampa Bay, New England won 23-16 at Jacksonville, host Carolina downed Oakland 17-6 and visiting San Diego defeated the New York Jets 27-17.     

Top Sports News

Serena, Murray advance as temperature soars at Open

Published : Friday January 18, 2013   |  Category : Top Sports News   |  Hits:47
By : AFP

Serena Williams AFP PHOTO MELBOURNE: Serena Williams survived a busted lip and Andy Murray raced into the third round on a day of ice-packs and sunscreen as temperatures soared at the Australian Open on Thursday. Read more

PARAGUA GRABS LEAD IN PSC CHESS CHAMPIONSHIPS

Published : Friday January 18, 2013   |  Category : Top Sports News   |  Hits:47
By : EMIL C. NOGUERA

Grandmaster (GM) Mark Paragua scored two more victories to grab to solo lead on Thursday in the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Cup International Chess Championships at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium in Adriatico, Manila. Read more

Charity expects Armstrong to be ‘truthful’ in TV interview

Published : Friday January 18, 2013   |  Category : Top Sports News   |  Hits:20
By : AFP

Lance Armstrong AFP FILE PHOTO WASHINGTON, D.C.: The cancer charity founded by Lance Armstrong said Wednesday (Thursday in Manila) it expects the disgraced cyclist to be “completely truthful and forthcoming” in his upcoming intervi... Read more

Ateneo notch twin kill in UAAP football

Published : Friday January 18, 2013   |  Category : Top Sports News   |  Hits:22
By : JOSEF T. RAMOS

ATENEO de Manila University notched a twin kill, winning in the women’s class and the junior’s class of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) football tourney Season 75 on Wednesday inside the Ateneo campus. Read more

ADMU bags 4th win in UAAP baseball

Published : Friday January 18, 2013   |  Category : Top Sports News   |  Hits:22
By : EMIL C. NOGUERA

Last year’s runner-up Ateneo de Manila University nailed its fourth straight win in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 75 baseball tournament on Thursday at the Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium in Manila. Read more

Hosting Powered and Design By: I-MAP WEBSOLUTIONS, INC