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A20 SPORTS
Thursday 13 december 2018

Chiefs supplant Rams atop AP Pro32 poll; Saints remain No. 2

By SIMMI BUTTAR them move up one spot to
AP Sports Writer No. 6. The New England Pa-
NEW YORK (AP) — Kansas triots slipped a spot to No.
City’s Patrick Mahomes has 5 after their improbable 34-
had a special season so far. 33 loss to Miami on the final
A league-leading 43 touch- play as the Dolphins scored
down passes. on a pass and double lat-
A no-look pass against the eral to complete a 69-yard
Baltimore Ravens. pass . It was the longest
And he has led the Chiefs play from scrimmage to
to the top of latest AP Pro32 win a game with no time
poll . remaining in the fourth
The Chiefs received seven quarter since the 1970 AFL-
of 12 first-place votes for NFL merger.
379 points in balloting Tues- Another team that fell in
day by media members the poll after losing was the
who regularly cover the Houston Texans. The Texans
NFL. slipped two spots to No. 7
Kansas City (11-2) moved after being defeated by
up a couple of spots to No. the Colts 24-21 to end their
1 after rallying for an over- nine-game winning streak.
time victory over Baltimore. The Seattle Seahawks and
The Chiefs clinched a play- Dallas Cowboys each
off berth and maintained Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) throws on the run past Baltimore Ravens moved up a spot to Nos.
a one-game lead over the defensive end Brent Urban (96) during the first half of an NFL football game in Kansas City, Mo., 8 and 9 after winning at
Los Angeles Chargers in the Sunday, Dec. 9, 2018. home last week. Both 8-5
AFC West. Associated Press teams improved their play-
“There were no gaudy stats day’s Bob Glauber said. 15. “Can they beat the this week when they host off position in the NFC.
for MVP candidate Patrick The Saints (11-2) received Chiefs?” Fox Sports’ John the Eagles. The reeling Pittsburgh Steel-
Mahomes against Balti- the remaining five first- Czarnecki asked of the “The Bears just proved you ers, who have lost three in
more’s rock-solid defense, place votes for 376 points Chargers. can shut down the Rams’ a row, dropped two places
but there were clutch plays to stay at No. 2. The Rams, LA’s other team, offense if you can shut to round out the top 10.
in crunch time in an over- The Chargers (10-3) jumped fell from the top spot to No. down (running back) Todd The Steelers, who have
time win that may be the two spots to No. 4 and trav- 3 after Sunday night’s 15-6 Gurley,” said Ira Kaufman a half-game lead in the
deciding factor in securing el to Arrowhead Stadium loss to the Chicago Bears of Fox 13 in Tampa, Florida. AFC North, host the Patri-
home-field advantage in on Thursday night to face at Soldier Field. The Rams “Difficult, but not impossi- ots on Sunday in a key AFC
the AFC playoffs,” News- the Chiefs to open Week return to Sunday night play ble.” The Bears’ win helped showdown.q

AP Sources: Carson Wentz hasn’t been ruled out for next game

By ROB MAADDI last game, a 29-23 overtime before tossing his fourth
AP Pro Football Writer loss at Dallas that dropped TD pass of the game in a
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Car- the defending Super Bowl victory at the Rams last
son Wentz is sidelined with a champions to 6-7. year. Foles stepped in and
back injury, but two people “Nothing game related,” helped the Eagles rally from
familiar with the situation Pederson said. “He’s dealt a 35-31 deficit to beat Los
tell The Associated Press the with it, and so we’re going Angeles and clinch the
quarterback hasn’t been to continue to evaluate.” NFC East title.
ruled out for Philadelphia’s Super Bowl MVP Nick Foles Foles then led the Eagles to
game at the Los Angeles would start if Wentz can’t wins at the Giants and over
Rams on Sunday. play. Foles hasn’t taken Oakland to help the team
Both people spoke on a snap since Week 2 but secure the No. 1 seed in the
condition of anonymity is taking reps with the first NFC.
Wednesday because the team in practice. Foles was outstanding in
team hasn’t made any de- Wentz tore two ligaments the NFC championship
finitive determination. in his left knee last Dec. 10 game against Minnesota
“Carson has a little bit of and missed the first two and the Super Bowl against
back soreness, a little tight- games this season. Foles New England.
ness, so we’re going to rest replaced him and led Phil- He was 26 of 33 for 352
him today, continue to adelphia to its first NFL title yards and three TDs in a
evaluate him and make since 1960. 38-7 win over the Vikings,
sure he’s good,” Eagles Wentz has 3,074 yards pass- 28 of 43 for 373 yards, three
coach Doug Pederson said. ing, 21 touchdowns and TDs and one interception
“Sometimes he just gets a seven interceptions. He has in a 41-33 victory over the
little sore, a little tight. Just career highs in passer rat- Patriots.
going to rest him today and ing (102.2) and completion Foles is 21-12 as a starter,
evaluate him further.” rate (69.6 percent). Wentz including playoffs, in two
Pederson said the problem Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz (11) sits on the finished third in the NFL MVP stints with Philadelphia. The
bench during the first half of an NFL football game against the
isn’t a result of a hit or any- Dallas Cowboys, in Arlington, Texas, Sunday, Dec. 9, 2018. voting last year. Eagles were 1-1 in Foles’
thing that happened in the Associated Press He was injured a few plays starts this season.q