Page 22 - AT

A22 SPORTS
Tuesday 31 december 2019
Pats to play in wild-card game, 49ers get NFC's No. 1 seed

By DENNIS WASZAK Jr. in football in the regular
AP Pro Football Writer season this year, but that
NEW YORK (AP) — Tom doesn't count for anything
Brady and the New Eng- in the next season," coach
land Patriots will be playing John Harbaugh said. "In
in the postseason a week the next season, we have
earlier than usual this year. to obviously go to work this
The defending Super Bowl week and become a bet-
champs open the playoffs ter football team."
during wild-card weekend "We're hot," quarterback
for the first time since 2009 Aaron Rodgers said. "But
after they lost 27-24 to Mi- you've got to start all over
ami on Sunday and Patrick in the playoffs and it's all
Mahomes and the Kansas great football teams now,
City Chiefs beat the Los so the margin of error is
Angeles Chargers 31-21 to even smaller."
earn a first-round bye."We Rodgers and the Packers
didn't play the way we're (13-3) lost out on home-
capable of playing and field advantage with San
it ended up costing us," Francisco's win, but have
Brady said. "Just too many the No. 2 seed in the con-
bad mistakes." The Patriots ference. "The NFC is wide
(12-4) are the No. 3 overall open," Rodgers said.
seed in the AFC and will Miami Dolphins defensive end Trent Harris, left, sacks New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady New Orleans routed Caroli-
have to fix things in a hurry in the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 29, 2019, in Foxborough, Mass. na 42-10 to finish 13-3 in the
Associated Press
as they host Tennessee (9- regular season, but Drew
7) next Saturday night. "We've got a long way to wild-card weekend, it lost in tomorrow, we'll have a Brees and Co. then had
"We've got a game next go, though." at home to the Ravens. team meeting, I'll give them to wait for the result of the
week, we've got to get The Titans clinched their The Patriots have never a schedule for what's going 49ers-Seahawks game to
ready to go," Patriots safety spot by beating Houston made it to the Super Bowl on the next week here dur- see what their playoff path
Devin McCourty said. "No- 35-14, eliminating both with Brady and coach Bill ing the bye week," Chiefs would be.
body should feel sorry for Pittsburgh and Oakland in Belichick while playing in coach Andy Reid said. "The The NFC South champions
us, we shouldn't feel sorry the process. All three teams the opening round. main thing is we get work will be the No. 3 seed and
for ourselves. Our goal is to had a chance at the play- "We've got to move for- done, but we rest up and will host Minnesota (10-6)
play in the playoffs. We got offs, but Tennessee had the ward and get ready to go get ready for whoever we in the wild-card round next
a shot next week at all of easiest path by needing to or the end of our season will might play." Sunday. Injury-ravaged
that." win — and got it against a be next week if we don't Kansas City's victory also Philadelphia (9-7) won the
San Francisco earned the Texans squad that rested turn the page and play locked Houston into the NFC East with a 34-17 win
No. 1 seed and home-field several starters, including good football, way bet- No. 4 seed, and the Texans over the New York Giants,
advantage in the NFC play- quarterback Deshaun Wat- ter than today," McCourty (10-6) will host the Buffalo eliminating Dallas with the
offs with a 26-21 victory at son. "I think it's great when said. "Nobody feels sorry for Bills (10-6) next Saturday. victory. The Eagles, with
Seattle. Jimmy Garoppolo you can determine wheth- the Patriots not getting a Despite resting several start- their second division title in
and the NFC West cham- er you get to continue to first-round bye in the play- ers, including quarterback three years, will host the Se-
pion 49ers (13-3) held on play football," Titans coach offs." Lamar Jackson, running ahawks.
and sent Russell Wilson and Mike Vrabel said. "There Meanwhile, the Chiefs (12- back Mark Ingram, guard "This team, when it's crunch
the Seahawks (11-5) on the was some great effort, but 4) are the No. 2 seed and Marshal Yanda and safe- time this time of year, we
road to open the playoffs we're going to have to im- will be able to watch the ty Earl Thomas, Baltimore get it done," Eagles defen-
in the wild-card round next prove and play better. Ev- opening round, along with cruised past Pittsburgh sive tackle Tim Jernigan
Sunday at Philadelphia. erything gets harder from the top-seeded Baltimore 28-10 to ride into the play- said after his team finished
"It's a good step in the right here on out." The last time Ravens (14-2). "We'll step offs on a 12-game winning the schedule with a four-
direction," Garoppolo said. New England played on back, the guys will come streak. "It's the best team game winning streak.q

UConn ends decade where it began: No. 1 in women’s Top 25

By DOUG FEINBERG of the holidays, the first 22 on Thursday against Wich- falling out after a loss to 565 consecutive weeks
AP Basketball Writer teams in the poll stayed ita State. UConn hopes Missouri State in the open- ranked.
NEW YORK (AP) — UConn the same as the previous to have coach Geno er. Minnesota replaced PAC-12 POWERS
finished off the decade in week. Auriemma back for that Michigan, which fell out of While UConn received 19
the same spot where it be- It's been some decade for game after he missed the the rankings. first-place votes and Or-
gan — No. 1 in The Asso- the Huskies: five national Huskies' final game of 2019 RISE AND FALL OF LADY egon and Oregon State
ciated Press women's col- championships, a total of because of surgery to VOLS five apiece, South Caro-
lege basketball poll. 17 losses and all 194 weeks treat diverticulitis. While Tennessee has been lina got the other one. The
The Huskies received 19 ranked in the top five. Other tidbits from the poll: holding strong in the poll Ducks and Beavers are two
first-place votes on Mon- UConn has been the No. 1 RETURNING GOLDEN GO- this season, the 22nd- of four Pac-12 teams in the
day, beating No. 2 Oregon team in the Top 25 in 111 PHERS ranked Lady Vols saw a top 10. Stanford is fifth and
and No. 3 Oregon State, of them, a run that includ- Minnesota returned to the historic 31-year run in the UCLA is 10th. The Beavers
which both got five first- ed an 111-game winning rankings this week at No. 24 Top 25 end earlier this are off to the best start in
place votes. South Caro- streak. riding an 11-game winning decade. In 2016, Tennes- school history, going 12-0.
lina and Stanford round The Huskies had the week streak. Lindsay Whalen's see fell out of the poll for UCLA has matched the
out the top five. With few off for the holidays, with team was ranked 23rd in the first time since 1985, program's fastest start,
games this week because their next game coming the preseason poll before ending a record streak of also going 12-0.q