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SPORTS Tuesday 10 January 2023
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NFL playoffs: Seahawks are in field after Lions stun Packers

By DAVID BRANDT each conference gets a
AP Sports Writer bye into the second round
The NFL’s Week 18 saved that’s the Chiefs and Ea-
its best drama for the final gles while No. 2 hosts No. 7,
game of the weekend. No. 3 hosts No. 6 and No. 4
The Detroit Lions eliminat- hosts No. 5 during wild-card
ed from playoff contention weekend.
earlier Sunday when the The NFL has a re-seeding
Seahawks beat the Rams policy after each playoff
pushed past their disap- round.
pointment and played the That means that no matter
role of a spoiler, rallying to how the bracket started,
beat Green Bay 20-16 on the lowest-seeded team
Sunday night. The win de- will always travel to the
nied quarterback Aaron higher-seeded team.
Rodgers and the Packers a There are four rounds to
spot in the postseason. the playoffs: The wild-card
Instead of Green Bay, it’s round is during the upcom-
the Seahawks who will be ing weekend, the divisional
the No. 7 seed in the NFC. round is Jan. 21-22, the
They’ll travel to face divi- conference championship
sion rival San Francisco in games are on Jan. 29 and
next weekend’s wild-card the Super Bowl is scheduled
round. for Feb. 12 in Glendale, Ari-
The rest of next weekend’s Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers stands on the field following an NFL football game zona.
against the Detroit Lions Sunday, Jan. 8, 2023, in Green Bay, Wis. The Lions won 20-16.
schedule is also set: In the Associated Press WHAT CHANGED WITH THE
AFC, it’ll be the Miami Dol- BILLS-BENGALS CANCELLA-
phins at the Buffalo Bills, Patriots and six-time Super coin flip for home field after MONDAY TION?
Baltimore Ravens at the Bowl-winning coach Bill beating the Ravens 27-16, Dallas Cowboys at Tampa It’s been an eventful week
Cincinnati Bengals and Belichick, eliminated after but there still could be a Bay Buccaneers, 8:15 p.m. for players and fans, who
Los Angeles Chargers at a loss to the Bills. neutral field AFC champi- ET, ESPN/ABC watched in horror Monday
Jacksonville Jaguars. In the The Lions didn’t have much onship game if the Bills line WHAT’S THE FORMAT FOR night as Buffalo Bills safety
NFC, the Minnesota Vikings to play for against the up against the Chiefs. THE PLAYOFFS? Damar Hamlin collapsed
will host the New York Gi- Packers other than pride, Here’s a look at some other This is the third straight year on the field and had to be
ants and the Tom Brady-led but that was enough. They developments as the post- of the current NFL playoff given CPR before leaving
Tampa Bay Bucs host the were knocked out of play- season approaches: format, which includes the the field in an ambulance.
Dallas Cowboys. off contention when Seat- WHAT’S THE WILD-CARD top seven teams from both A few days later, those
The Lions’ upset win tle’s Jason Myers kicked a SCHEDULE? the AFC and the NFC. same players and fans
capped a weekend that 32-yard field goal to beat SATURDAY The four division winners in have watched with joy as
saw the Dolphins make it the Los Angeles Rams 19-16 Seattle Seahawks at San both conferences auto- Hamlin recovers.
back to the playoffs for the in overtime. Francisco 49ers, 4:30 p.m. matically get the top four That made it much easier
first time since 2016. The sur- The No. 1 overall seed in ET, FOX seeds, regardless of record, to focus on Week 18 and
prising Jaguars also return the AFC was claimed by Los Angeles Chargers at and then the top three now the playoffs.
to the postseason for just Kansas City with its 31-13 Jacksonville Jaguars, 8:15 teams with the best record The Bills-Bengals game had
the second time since 2007. win over Las Vegas on Sat- p.m. ET, NBC that didn’t win their division major playoff implications
Seven of the 14 teams that urday. The NFC’s top spot SUNDAY are the wild-card selec- in the AFC, so the cancel-
qualified for the playoffs was taken by Philadelphia, Miami Dolphins at Buffalo tions. That’s why it’s fairly lation of the game due to
didn’t make the field last which beat the New York Bills, 1 p.m. ET, CBS common for a wild-card Hamlin’s injury could force
season, including the Se- Giants 22-16 on Sunday. New York Giants at Minne- selection to have a better some changes depending
ahawks, Ravens, Jaguars, The AFC bracket could still sota Vikings, 4:30 p.m. ET, record but worse playoff on playoff results.
Chargers, Dolphins, Vikings be affected by the cancel- FOX seeding than a team that The AFC championship
and Giants. lation of the Bills-Bengals Baltimore Ravens at Cincin- finished as a division win- game will be played on a
Among those headed game after Hamlin’s injury. nati Bengals, 8:15 p.m. ET, ner. neutral site if the Chiefs and
home: The New England The Bengals avoided a NBC The No. 1-seeded team in Bills reach that point. q

Falcons defensive coordinator Pees, 73, announces retirement

ATLANTA (AP) — Atlanta at Tennessee (2018-19), Bal- Overall, the Falcons ranked during warmups. against the Saints, could
Falcons defensive coor- timore (2012-17) and New 27th in total defense, allow- Pees was placed on a be a leading contender if
dinator Dean Pees an- England (2006-09). ing 362.1 yards per game. stretcher, carted off the coach Arthur Smith choos-
nounced his retirement on The Falcons capped a 7-10 Atlanta ranked 31st with 21 field and taken to University es his next defensive coor-
Monday, one day after season with Sunday’s 31-10 sacks. Pees was forced to Medical Center in New Or- dinator from the staff.
completing his second sea- win over Tampa Bay. miss the Falcons’ 21-18 loss leans. He was released and Between 1979 and 2003,
son with the team. Over the final nine games at New Orleans on Dec. 18 returned with the team to Pees coached in various
Pees, 73, is ending a 50- of the season, Pees’ de- when he was briefly hospi- Atlanta before resuming his capacities at Findlay, Mi-
year career in football. fense limited opponents to talized after being knocked lead role of the defensive ami (Ohio), Navy, Toledo,
He previously coached 16 25 or fewer points in each to the ground in a pregame staff the following week. Notre Dame, Michigan
years in the NFL, including game. The Falcons ranked collision with Saints returner Falcons linebackers coach State and finally Kent State,
a combined 12 seasons as 10th in the league in scor- Rashid Shaheed, who was Frank Bush, who filled in where he was head coach
the defensive coordinator ing defense over that span. trying to field a punted ball for Pees as the play-caller from 1998-2003.q