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A16 SPORTS
Thursday 7 January 2021
Chiefs, Packers, Bills are top 3 in final AP Pro32 poll

By SIMMI BUTTAR third team from the AFC
AP Pro Football Writer North to make the playoffs,
NEW YORK (AP) — The play- stayed at No. 7 and will
off field is set and the race face the Tennessee Titans
to the Super Bowl begins. in the postseason for the
Thirteen other teams are second consecutive year.
trying to replace the Kan- "As his unit continues to set
sas City Chiefs as champi- records, how Ravens offen-
ons of the NFL. sive coordinator Greg Ro-
However, none was able to man isn't at or near the top
knock off the Chiefs in the of the interview list among
final AP Pro32 poll of the potential head coaching
2020 regular season. candidates is mind-bog-
There was very little move- gling," said Alex Marvez of
ment in the top part of the Sirius XM.
poll as the Chiefs finished "His system is unconven-
No. 1. They received 11 of tional by NFL standards
the 12 first-place votes for — which is a good thing —
382 points in balloting Tues- and Roman has now suc-
day by media members cessfully developed two
who regularly cover the young quarterbacks into
NFL. top-tier players in Lamar
The Green Bay Packers Buffalo Bills wide receiver Gabriel Davis (13) catches a pass before running in a touchdown against Jackson and Colin Kaepe-
kept their spot at No. 2 Miami Dolphins defensive back Nik Needham (40) in the second half of an NFL football game, rnick back when he was
and got the remaining first- Sunday, Jan. 3, 2021, in Orchard Park, N.Y. with San Francisco."
place vote for 368 points. Associated Press The Titans, who remained
"Aaron Rodgers likely sur- at No. 9 in the poll, upset
passed Patrick Mahomes mentum entering the post- team in the AFC if not the spots to No. 11 after knock- the favored Ravens last
down the stretch in the season than the Bills, who NFL, but the Super Bowl is ing out the Arizona Cardi- year in the playoffs on their
MVP race, capping a bril- secured the AFC's No. 2 going to go through Kansas nals. way to the AFC champion-
liant regular season that seed with a 56-26 rout of City. Until someone knocks The Steelers host the ship game.
featured an NFL-best 48 Miami," said Jenny Vrentas off the Chiefs, they are the Browns, who stayed at No. The only team in the top 10
touchdown passes and just of The Monday Morning favorites." 12 in the poll. The Browns to lose any ground was the
five interceptions," News- Quarterback. The Bears didn't lose any beat the Steelers last week- Tampa Bay Buccaneers,
day's Bob Glauber said. "Josh Allen only needed ground at No. 14 despite end to make the playoffs who slipped from a tie for
"Brilliant stuff from a 37-year- one half to throw three their 35-16 loss to the Pack- for the first time since the seventh into eighth place
old quarterback who's at touchdowns, putting a ers. 2002 season. They will head despite closing out the
the top of his game at just flourish on the best regular The NFC West champion to Heinz Field on Sunday regular season with a rout
the right time for a Green season for a Bills quarter- Seattle Seahawks and the night to close out wild-card of the Atlanta Falcons. Tom
Bay team with legitimate back." AFC North champion Pitts- weekend and will be with- Brady will play his first post-
Super Bowl aspirations." The New Orleans Saints burgh Steelers followed at out coach Kevin Stefanski season game for the Buc-
The Chiefs and Packers stayed at No. 4 and will Nos. 5 and 6, respectively. after he and two players caneers at Washington on
each earned byes and will host the Chicago Bears on Both teams will host division and two other coaching Saturday night.
get some rest this weekend. Sunday. rivals in the playoffs. The Se- staff members all tested Washington, which finished
The Buffalo Bills stayed at "The top four teams look ahawks will face the Rams positive for COVID-19. 7-9 and won the NFC East,
No. 3. The Bills will open the like Super Bowl contend- on Saturday. The teams "Steelers have found their moved up a spot to No.
playoffs on Saturday when ers," said Charean Williams split their two meetings in edge in the final two 16 after topping Philadel-
they host the Indianapolis of Pro Football Talk. the regular season, but the games, should be scary phia in the last game of the
Colts, who remained at No. "The Bills have played the Seahawks won the most re- in the playoffs," Fox Sports' regular season and was
10 in the poll. best lately and go into the cent matchup, in Week 16. John Czarnecki said. the lowest-ranked team to
"No team has more mo- postseason as the hottest The Rams moved up two The Baltimore Ravens, the make the playoffs.q

Whan makes surprise decision to leave as LPGA commissioner

By DOUG FERGUSON ic shut down the LPGA Tour said in a letter to the LPGA
AP Golf Writer for five months and took staff, members and spon-
Mike Whan is leaving the a chunk out of a decade sors. "One of the hardest
LPGA Tour after 11 years of savings, Whan says the jobs of a leader is to know
as commissioner, a surprise tour came out of the year when their work is done. If
announcement Wednes- even more financially se- the COVID-19 pandemic
day that comes just three cure. taught me anything, it was
weeks after he guided He did not offer a clear that the LPGA executive
the tour through a season reason for stepping away staff has full control of our
cut short by the COVID-19 or saying what he would business and is capable of
pandemic. do next. incredible things."
Whan did not set a date "The LPGA is poised for The announcement
for when he would leave. even greater heights, comes two weeks before
In this May 6, 2015, file photo , LPGA commissioner Mike Whan The announcement was and as such, I'm excited the LPGA Tour begins a
speaks during a press conference at The Players Champion- described as the start of a to hand the baton to the new season, back to full
ship golf tournament in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. succession plan. next leader and become strength going into the
Associated Press Even though the pandem- their biggest supporter," he year.q