Weekend Sports Recap

Kickers had a hand (or a foot) in the outcomes of many of Sunday’s NFL games, sometimes because they made key kicks and sometimes because they missed.

Jacksonville Jaguars rookie Seth Myers missed field goal attempts at the end of regulation time and in overtime in a 16-13 loss to the Indianapolis Colts, who won on 40-year-old Adam Vinatieri’s field goal; Philadelphia’s new kicker, Caleb Sturgis, missed an extra point and a field goal in a 23-20 loss to the Washington Redskins; Kansas City’s Cairo Santos kicked a club-record seven field goals but the Chiefs scored no touchdowns in a 36-21 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. Similar for Chandler Catanzaro, who made five field goals for Arizona, though the Cardinals lost 24-22 to the St. Louis Rams.

More? San Diego topped Cleveland 30-27 when the Browns were called offside as the Chargers’ John Lambo missed a 39-yard field goal. After the penalty was marched off, Lambo beat the Browns with a 34-yarder.

Robbie Gould hit from 49 yards to get the Chicago Bears past the Oakland Raiders 22-20 for their first win. Zach Hocker missed a 30-yard field goal try at the end of regulation for the Saints, but New Orleans beat the Dallas Cowboys 26-20 in overtime.

BASEBALL

The Texas Rangers won the AL West Division on the final day of the regular season, beating the Los Angeles Angels 9-2. That allowed the Houston Astros to collect the final AL wild-card berth. Playoffs begin Tuesday with the Astros visiting the New York Yankees in a winner-take-all.

NASCAR

Kevin Harvick won the second leg of the Chase for the Sprint Cup at Dover International Speedway. He is one of 12 drivers who move on to compete in the contender round.

ELSEWHERE

Ohio State remained atop the college football poll. TCU, Baylor, Michigan and Utah round out the top five. Utah got seven first-place votes.
 
 
Post By: Larry Weisman, a longtime sportswriter for USA TODAY, blogs for Twistity.com. Follow him on Twitter @MrLarryWeisman .