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Broncos report card: As turnover trend reverses, Sean Payton’s offense takes too long to rev to life in last-second loss at Houston

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:22:45 GMT

Offense — DThe Broncos put up a spirited rally late, but Russell Wilson threw three interceptions, the last on third-and-goal in the waning seconds. This game wasn’t lost on that play, though. It happened earlier. Denver went 0 of 10 on third down, many of them of a manageable distance. Through the Broncos’ first six full possessions, they mustered just one field goal and five punts. Wilson hit big plays in the second half to Courtland Sutton and Jerry Jeudy, but he got unlucky, too, on a tipped pass interception that set up a key Texans fourth-quarter touchdown. He tossed another later trying to get the ball to Sutton down the field before the game-sealer at the end of what looked like another potential game-winning drive. Just not enough consistency on Payton’s side of the ball, particularly over the first two-plus quarters of the game.Take Our Poll(function(d,c,j){if(!d.getElementById(j)){var pd=d.createElement(c),s;pd.id=j;pd.src='https://www.denverpost.com/wp-content/plug...

Broncos four downs: Russell Wilson’s three interceptions end Team Takeaway’s five-game win streak

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:22:45 GMT

Initial thoughts from Broncos’ 22-17 loss to the Houston Texans in Week 13 on Sunday afternoon at NRG Stadium:Have fans, will travel: It should be no surprise that the very first shot of Sunday’s game featured a whole lot of orange. Even after years of ineptitude, a bungled ownership succession plan and mountains of disappointment, Broncos Country shows up. Every time. And now with a team in the thick of a playoff race that fans can get behind, they take over nearly a quarter of the stadium on the road. As for Houston? Well, there sure appeared to be a lot of Texans fans dressed as empty seats at NRG Stadium. It’s enough to make us miss those old Houston Oilers helmets. Bring back the oil derricks.The flag’s the thing: There’s no getting around it. The first half was absolutely brutal for the Broncos in terms of the officiating. First, Russell Wilson gets hit low on the very first drive of the game … only to be denied the Tom Brady roughing the passer f...

How it Happened: Broncos’ five-game winning streak comes to an end with loss to Texans

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:22:45 GMT

The Broncos are on a five-game winning streak since starting the season with a 1-5 record. Can they keep the momentum rolling? Stick here for live updates and analysis as Denver takes on the Texans at NRG Stadium in Houston.Live updatesFINAL | Texans 22, Broncos 17It seemed fitting for The Undertaker’s gong to play in NRG Stadium because for the Broncos, the streak is over.Denver fell short on a late comeback attempt, losing to the Texans, 22-17, on Sunday. Denver falls to 6-6 on the season and had its five-game winning streak snapped.Full game story coming soon.More Broncos coverageBroncos report card: As turnover trend reverses, Sean Payton’s offense takes too long to rev to life in last-second loss at Houston.Heroes and Zeros from Broncos’ loss to Texans: Alex Singleton’s costly penalty proves critical in close game.Broncos four downs: Russell Wilson’s three interceptions end Team Takeaway’s five-game win streak.Fourth-quarter updatesBallgame (2:10 p.m.): Wilson’s pas...

CSU faculty to begin a week of strikes, demanding 12% pay raise this year

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:22:45 GMT

Faculty at the California State University are gearing up to strike at four campuses this week, the latest move in a months-long fight for higher pay at the nation’s largest public university system.While the California Faculty Association (CFA) — the union representing 29,000 faculty at the 23-campus institution — has called for a 12% salary increase this year, officials at California State have offered faculty a 15% increase over three years, instead, for an annual raise of 5% each year.That agreement, union leaders say, limits faculty members’ ability to negotiate until 2026-2027.“This week of rolling strikes is about our faculty gearing up on short notice to be able to strike,” said Brad Erickson, the president of CFA’s San Francisco chapter. “With more time, we have even greater capacity to bring the system to a standstill.”The first of four one-day strikes is slated to begin on the Cal Poly Pomona campus on Monday. On Tuesday, faculty are scheduled to strike ...

Cal football: Bears accept invitation to Independence Bowl

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:22:45 GMT

BERKELEY — Cal’s three-game win streak has earned the Golden Bears a spot in the Independence Bowl game against Texas Tech of the Big 12 Conference on Dec. 16.The Bears (6-6) and Texas Tech (6-6) will kick off at 6:15 pm (Pacific) at Shreveport, Louisiana. ESPN will televise the game.The game will match Cal running back Jaydn Ott (1,260 rushing yards) and Tech star Tahj Brooks (1,443 yards).Cal will play in a bowl game for the first time since 2019, when it beat Illinois 35-20 in the RedBox Bowl to cap an 8-5 season. The Bears followed that with a 1-3 mark in the COVID-shortened 2020 season, then 5-7 in 2021 and 4-8 a year ago.After losing four straight games to Top-25 teams and falling to 3-6 this fall, the Bears had no wiggle room the final three weeks. On the heels of a 63-19 loss at Oregon, they beat Washington State 42-39 in Berkeley, won the Big Game 27-15 at Stanford and took apart UCLA 33-7 in Pasadena.Cal had never needed three straight regular-season victories ending the s...

49ers-Eagles live blog: Philly extends early lead with field goal

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:22:45 GMT

The 49ers face the Eagles in Philadelphia Sunday in a rematch of last season’s NFC Championship Game, and a game which will go a long way to determining playoff seeding.Brock Purdy returns to Lincoln Financial Field, where he suffered a torn UCL in his throwing arm on the 49ers’ opening drive of that 31-7 loss last January that left the Niners short of a Super Bowl berth.Here are live updates from the game:2:01, 1Q – Eagles 6, 49ers 0: Another 12-play drive for Philly ends in a field goal. Jake Elliott makes from 39 yards out after Javon Kinlaw’s first sack since 2020 on a Jalen Hurts slip-down forced the Eagles off schedule inside the red zone. Another third-down A.J. Brown catch-and-run kick-started the drive.9:51, 1Q – Eagles 3, 49ers 0: Philadelphia drives 67 yards in 12 plays to set up a 26-yard field goal by Jake Elliott on its opening possession. A.J. Brown took a short pass on third-and-9 for 38 yards to earn the Eagles’ initial first down...

Minshew throws for TD in OT as the Colts win 4th straight, down Titans 31-28

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:22:45 GMT

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Gardner Minshew threw a 4-yard touchdown pass to Michael Pittman with 2:31 left in overtime and the Indianapolis Colts beat the Tennessee Titans 31-28 Sunday for their fourth straight victory to keep pace in the playoff race in the AFC.The Colts (7-5) had to score a touchdown after Nick Folk made a 46-yard field goal with 4:19 left in overtime to put Tennessee up. Indianapolis came in holding the seventh and last spot in the AFC. Tennessee (4-8) lost its first true home game this season and has yet to win consecutive games overall. The Titans not only blew a 17-7 lead, but Folk missed his first extra point this season with 5:26 left in regulation that could have put Tennessee up 26-25. Backup quarterback Ryan Tannehill had to fill in with Ryan Stonehouse knocked out of the game early in the fourth quarter with an injured left leg. Special teams helped the Colts score 10 points off Nick Cross’ blocked punt that Grant Stuard returned 18 yards for a TD lat...

This holiday season, one doctor wants you to ‘live a little’

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:22:45 GMT

The holiday season means a lot of eating, and a lot of overindulging. If you’re looking to keep off those extra holiday pounds, one doctor says you can still eat the cookie.“There’s so much in our culture where food is used to celebrate things … So completely abstaining from all these things isn’t always a realistic goal,” said bariatric general surgeon Dr. Katelin Mirkin.Instead of denying yourself, she recommends just being wise.“I think focus on moderation … You can have a cookie, you just don’t need to the whole plate of cookies,” she said.“Live a little … within reason,” she emphasized.Being realistic about body goals — and how you move toward them — is important, Mirkin said.“Instead of focusing on the number of the scale, how can I, optimize this body that I get to live in for the rest of my life?” she said.If you’re tired of restricting yourself, she recommends slowly making changes and adding in exercise.“What I encourage people to do is ...

Mourinho makes right moves in Roma comeback win. He faces disciplinary case for ref accusations

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:22:45 GMT

ROME (AP) — Jose Mourinho’s pre-match accusations aimed at the referee and Sassuolo’s standout winger Domenico Berardi created plenty of controversy — and will likely result in another suspension for the veteran Portuguese coach.There was no questioning Mourinho’s choices off the bench, though, as Roma earned its sixth win in its last eight Serie A matches on Sunday.Substitute Rasmus Kristensen earned a penalty that Paulo Dybala converted and then the Denmark right back scored to give Roma a 2-1 comeback win at 10-man Sassuolo.On Saturday, Mourinho had labeled referee Matteo Marcenaro unstable.“We had him three times as a fourth official and I don’t think he has the emotional stability for games of this level,” Mourinho said, prompting the Italian soccer federation to open a disciplinary case against the coach.And Mourinho wasn’t done.He then said Berardi “exaggerates fouls to draw yellow cards,” adding that “if he was my player I wouldn’t like that at all.”So perhaps it was no coin...

No. 5 N.C. State stays perfect, beats Illinois State 79-61

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:22:45 GMT

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — There was a sense of history for No. 5 North Carolina State on Sunday and this version of Wolfpack wants to add to it.With a collection of basketball alums looking on to celebrate the program’s 50th season, Aziaha James scored 16 points and River Baldwin had 10 of her 14 points in the first nine minutes as N.C. State kept its undefeated season rolling by beating Illinois State 79-61.Several dozen former N.C. State players and staff members were honored as part of the reunion weekend.“It feels great to play for N.C. State and play for them,” James said.Mimi Collins added 13 points for N.C. State (9-0), which has won nine straight games to begin a season for the fourth time in coach Wes Moore’s 11 seasons. This is N.C. State’s eighth 9-0 start overall.Memories were flowing through historic Reynolds Coliseum.“You owe a lot of that to Kay Yow and her history here,” Moore said of the legendary coach. “It’s nice to have the eras connect and get to know each other.”Car...