Sports News Kicking Of With Football

Following a 20-17 upset loss at home to the Arizona Cardinals, the Green Bay Packers fired coach Mike McCarthy. He becomes the second coaching casualty of the season (the Cleveland Browns previously dismissed Hue Jackson).

The third straight loss left the Packers at 4-7-1 and on the cusp of missing the playoffs for the second straight year. There has also been clear tension between McCarthy and quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

“The 2018 season has not lived up to the expectations and standards of the Green Bay Packers. As a result, I made the difficult decision to relieve Mike McCarthy of his role as head coach, effective immediately,” Packers CEO and President Mark Murphy said in a statement.

Joe Philbin will serve as the interim coach; McCarthy had led the Packers to the playoffs for eight straight years before that streak ended last season and also won a Super Bowl. He should not be unemployed for long.

The Los Angeles Rams improved to 11-1 and clinched their second straight NFC West title with a 30-16 victory over the Detroit Lions. Another hot team? The Houston Texans. The Texans (9-3) won their ninth straight, downing the Browns 29-13.

The Baltimore Ravens won their third straight, topping the Atlanta Falcons 26-16. The Ravens have won three in a row while the Falcons have lost four in a row.

The Los Angeles Chargers (9-3) overcame a 16-point deficit at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh to beat the Steelers 33-30.
According to the Elias Bureau, the Steelers had never lost a home game in which they led by 16 points. They were 174-0-1.

College Football:
The College Football Playoff field was set Sunday, a day after the conference championship games. Alabama, which prevailed 35-28 over Georgia in the SEC title game behind backup quarterback Jalen Hurts, was seeded No. 1. Clemson is second, Notre Dame third and Oklahoma fourth. The Crimson Tide will play the Sooners in the Orange Bowl, while the other two meet in the Cotton Bowl.

Boxing:
Heavyweights Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury fought to a draw on Saturday night in Los Angeles, despite Wilder having knocked Fury down twice. A rematch is being discussed.

 
 
Post By: Larry Weisman, a longtime sportswriter for USA TODAY, blogs for Twistity.com. Follow him on Twitter @MrLarryWeisman