Celtics rally for 10th straight win
Watson-Jackson showcase highlights Texans-Ravens matchup
WASHINGTON, Nov 16, (AP): Deshaun Watson and Lamar Jackson starred three years ago in one of the more meaningful and memorable games of that college football season.
This weekend, the NFL gets to stage the show.
Watson and the Houston Texans will travel to Baltimore for a matchup with Lamar Jackson and the Ravens featuring two of the most dynamic quarterbacks in the league, both of whom are under 25, no less. The pass-run threat posed by each player already makes for good theater, but what’s more, the Texans (63) and Ravens (7-2) have emerged as two of the strongest challengers to defending champion New England in the AFC. The Ravens beat the Patriots two weeks ago, after all.
When Watson was at Clemson and Jackson was with Louisville in 2016, the ACC foes met in a midseason classic of two top-five teams in the Associated Press poll. Behind five touchdown passes and 397 yards of offense from Watson, Clemson won 4236 despite a total of 457 yards and three touchdowns by Jackson.
Jackson won the Heisman Trophy that year, beating out Watson, who took the ultimate prize when the Tigers won the national championship. Watson was the 12th overall pick in the 2017 draft, and Jackson went with the 32nd overall selection in 2018. After overcoming some early-career obstacles, Watson with a torn ACL in his rookie year and Jackson with the doubts that his slithery style would translate from college to pro, they’re both well on their way to becoming two of the best in the game at their much-scrutinized position.
Watson has totaled 2,711 yards and 23 touchdowns. Jackson has accounted for 2,738 yards and 21 touchdowns.
Though they’re mutual admirers, this matchup on Sunday doesn’t mean they’ll be trying to outdo the other. There’s an opposing defense to maneuver against. What the other one does on the field has no relevance to what they do when it’s their turn.
“I can’t control what they’re doing on their side or what Lamar’s got going on,” Watson said this week.
Jackson has captured plenty of attention since becoming the full-fledged face of the franchise this fall. His spin move during a 47-yard touchdown run last week in a win over Cincinnati was an instant pick for the NFL’s highlight film for 2019.
“I’m a proud quarterback, proud friend,” Watson said. “All the criticism he was getting when he was coming out, he’s definitely a guy I’ve always encouraged. He’s doing everything all the naysayers said he couldn’t do and even more so. His career is very, very bright.”
Week 11 began with a bang, when Cleveland beat rivals Pittsburgh 21-7 on Thursday night. The game unraveled in the final seconds with a fight triggered by a takedown of Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph by Browns defensive end Myles Garrett.
Green Bay (8-2), Seattle (8-2), Tennessee (5-5) and the New York Giants (2-8) have their bye this week.
Atlanta (2-7) at Carolina (5-4)
Christian McCaffrey has carried Carolina all season, not only on the ground but through the air. With four catches against Atlanta on Sunday, he would pass LaDainian Tomlinson for the most by a running back in his first three years in the NFL. The Panthers must face their nemesis Matt Ryan, who is 6-1 in his last seven starts against the NFC South rival.
Ryan and the Falcons showed some fight with one of the most surprising outcomes in the league this season, a 26-9 victory over New Orleans that snapped a six-game losing streak for the Falcons.
Buffalo (6-3) at Miami (2-7)
So much for that assumption the Dolphins were tanking this season to get the top draft pick. They’ve suddenly won two straight games.
Miami totaled 381 yards against Buffalo in the previous meeting, the most allowed by the Bills this year. Despite losses in two of their last three games, with a win they would post their best 10game mark since 1999. The combined record of the opponents in Buffalo’s six victories is 12-44.
Dallas (5-4) at Detroit (3-5-1)
Since he entered the NFL in 2016, Dallas running back Ezekiel Elliott has 4,836 rushing yards to lead the league. If he can reach 164 rushing yards against Detroit, he’ll be the fifth player with at least 5,000 rushing yards in 50 career games, joining Eric Dickerson, Earl Campbell, Jim Brown and Terrell Davis, all members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Elliott and the Cowboys, however, had their ground attack humbled last week in a loss to Minnesota.
He had only 47 rushing yards, the fewest of his career with 20 or more carries. The success of quarterback Dak Prescott against the Vikings helped the Cowboys stay in the league lead in total yards.
Denver (3-6) at Minnesota (7-3)
The Vikings, coming off a critical victory at Dallas fueled again by the dual productivity of running back Dalvin Cook, have a prime opportunity to match their win total from last year against the struggling Broncos before taking their bye week.
They’re 4-0 at home this year and 22-7 at US Bank Stadium in the regular season and the playoffs, and their pass rush and the crowd noise has proven time and again to be a daunting combination for opponents, particularly with inexperienced quarterbacks like Denver fill-in Brandon Allen.
Jacksonville (4-5) at Indianapolis
(5-4) After breaking his collarbone in the season opener, Nick Foles will finally take over again at quarterback for a Jaguars team that could use a spark after a 23-point loss in London to Houston prior to the bye week. Not only does Foles conveniently return in a division game that’s a must to win if Jacksonville is to have a chance to remain in contention, but he will do so with his former offensive coordinator on the other side.
Colts coach Frank Reich was one of his mentors in Philadelphia, when Foles took over two seasons ago and helped lead the Eagles to their first Super Bowl title. Reich’s current team has lost two straight games since quarterback Jacoby Brissett hurt his knee. He’s expected to reclaim his starting spot on Sunday. New Orleans (7-2) at Tampa Bay
(3-6) Despite their humbling defeat at home against Atlanta last week, the Saints still have a comfortable lead in the NFC South. Wide receiver Michael Thomas leads the NFL with 86 receptions and 1,027 yards, joining Randy Moss, A.J. Green and Mike Evans as the only players in history to begin a career with four consecutive 1,000-yard seasons. Thomas had 13 catches for 152 yards against the Falcons.
The Buccaneers could be just as vulnerable, with a league-worst defense that’s allowing an average 31 points per game. No team has allowed more passing yards, either, and Tampa Bay just cut cornerback Vernon Hargreaves III. New York Jets (2-7) at Washington (1-8) Here’s a sign of progress for the Jets: Quarterback Sam Darnold, in last week’s win over the Giants, was not picked off for the first time since the season opener. Darnold threw nine interceptions over his other four starts this year.
Washington has lost three straight games, after the only win came against another struggling team in Miami. The Redskins haven’t scored a touchdown during the losing streak, either. They have just 45 points over their last six games. Arizona (3-6-1) at San Francisco
(8-1) There are no undefeated teams left in the standings after the 49ers squandered several opportunities last week against Seattle and lost in overtime amid a growing list of injuries on their offense. Fortunately for them, they’ll host a Cardinals team on a three-game losing streak. Arizona is second-to-last in the league in scoring and total defense, with at least 21 points allowed in all 10 games.
Cincinnati (0-9) at Oakland (5-4) There is one winless team remaining, with a reeling Bengals squad under rookie coach Zac Taylor having turned to rookie Ryan Finley at quarterback. One more loss would match the franchise record for the worst start to a season, established in 1993.
The Raiders have rather quietly worked their way into contention in the AFC, seeking to move two games above the .500 mark since they started 2-0 in 2017. The Raiders have a league-leading 13 touchdowns by rookies this year, led by running back Josh Jacobs. New England (8-1) at Philadelphia
(5-4) Two of the last five times these teams faced each other came in the Super Bowl, with the memory of Feb 4, 2018, in Minneapolis still fresh for both sides. That’s when the Eagles scored the goahead touchdown with 2:21 left, recov
SAN FRANCISCO, Nov 16, (RTRS): Jayson Tatum converted a Daniel Theis steal into a go-ahead dunk with 1:36 to play Friday night as the Boston Celtics scored 13 of the game’s final 16 points to rally for a 105-100 victory over the host Golden State Warriors.
The Warriors appeared on the doorstep of just their second home win of the season when Willie Cauley-Stein slammed home a Ky Bowman lob for a 97-92 lead with just 2:37 to go.
Bowman was playing down the stretch because the Warriors’ leading scorer, D’Angelo Russell, sprained his right thumb midway through the third quarter and missed the game’s final 18 minutes.
Kemba Walker hit a 3-pointer and Theis a free throw to get the Celtics back within one before Theis snatched the ball from Cauley-Stein and delivered Tatum’s layup that produced the sixth and final lead change of the fourth period.
Tatum and Walker added short jumpers and Jaylen Brown a free throw, allowing the Celtics to withstand a late 3-pointer by Glenn Robinson III for their 10th straight win.
Tatum finished with a game-high 24 points, Brown 22 and Walker 20 for the Celtics, who were opening a five-game
ered a fumble by Tom Brady with a sack on the next possession for the Patriots, and posted a 41-33 victory that ended with a disconsolate Brady sitting down on the US Bank Stadium turf following a desperation incompletion on the final play.
Brady said he’s still carrying “a lot of mental scar tissue” from that game, even though the Patriots rebounded to become the most recent NFL champions a year ago. Chicago (4-5) at Los Angeles Rams
(5-4) The Bears broke a four-game losing streak last week by beating Detroit behind three touchdown passes thrown by Mitch Trubisky that gave an ailing offense some life.
There are still many issues to be ironed out for a team facing as daunting of a second-half schedule as any in the league, but the defense that fueled a 15-6 victory over the Rams near the end of last season by holding them without a touchdown for the first time in 30 games under coach Sean McVay remains a strength. Kansas City (6-4) at Los Angeles
Chargers (4-6) This AFC West matchup moves to Mexico City for an international Monday night affair at Azteca Stadium, where heavy rain and heavy use last year left the grass unfit for NFL competition and forced a Chiefs-Rams game to be relocated to Los Angeles.
The Chargers still have hope of climbing back into the chase for the division title, sitting two games behind the first-place Chiefs with the Raiders in between.
Western swing. Marcus Smart was a fourth Celtic scoring in double figures with 15.
Tatum also found time for a teamhigh eight rebounds.
Reserve Alec Burks had 20 points to pace the Warriors, who lost their sixth straight.
Draymond Green recorded an 11-point, 11-rebound double-double for Golden State, while Eric Paschall added 16 points, Russell 12 and Cauley-Stein 10. Russell also had a game-high seven assists in just 25 minutes.
The Celtics fought an uphill battle for most of the first half, the result of a 25-10 Warriors flurry to open the game. Russell had nine of his 12 points in the run, which saw seven different Golden State Warriors score.
Boston drew even, and then went ahead, by halftime, however. A 3-pointer by Walker created a 47-all tie late in the half, before he was fouled on a long-range shot and made all three free throws for a 50-47 advantage that became 52-51 at the break.
The Celtics, who had a 128-95 win at Golden State in their only visit last season, went on to lead by as many as seven in the third period, and by 76-71 at quarter’s end. But the Warriors responded with the first five points of the fourth quarter, producing the first of five ties in the tense final 12 minutes.
Lakers 99, Kings 97 Anthony Davis blocked Harrison Barnes’ layup with 2.3 seconds left, allowing Los Angeles to defeat visiting Sacramento.
LeBron James scored 18 of his 29 points in the second half and recorded 11 assists as the Lakers captured their 10th win in 11 games.
Davis, who returned after missing one game due to a sore shoulder and ribs, finished with 17 points and four blocks. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope added 16 points for Los Angeles, and Kyle Kuzma chipped in 13, all in the first half. Buddy Hield led the Kings with 21 points.
Hornets 109, Pistons 106 Malik Monk’s 26-foot 3-point basket at the buzzer gave Charlotte the win against visiting Detroit.
The Hornets countered Langston Galloway’s 3-pointer that gave the Pistons a three-point lead with 50 seconds left by scoring a pair of 3-pointers in the last 24 seconds.
Thunder 127, 76ers 119, OT Danilo Gallinari scored 28 points and Chris Paul added 27 as Oklahoma City ended a two-game losing streak with an overtime victory over visiting Philadelphia.
Gallinari scored five points in the Thunder’s 12-4 run to open the extra period, helping Oklahoma City win for just the second time in its past five games. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 24 points for the Thunder.
Joel Embiid contributed 31 points and 12 rebounds, and Josh Richardson added a season-high 28 for Philadelphia. The Sixers lost their second in a row and fell for the fifth time in seven games as their road losing streak reached five games.
Magic 111, Spurs 109 Evan Fournier hit two big 3-pointers in the final 2-1/2 minutes as part of a 26-point night to lead a balanced attack and pace Orlando past visiting San Antonio. The Magic won for the third time in four outings.
Terrence Ross had 20 points off the bench for the Magic, with Aaron Gordon hitting for 14, Al-Farouq Aminu and Markelle Fultz adding 13 points each, and D.J. Augustin and Nikola Vucevic scoring 10 points apiece. Aminu and Vucevic both took 13 rebounds apiece for Orlando.
Rockets 111, Pacers 102 James Harden scored 40-plus points for the fourth time in six games and hosts Houston extended their winning streak to six games with a victory over Indiana.
Harden paired 44 points with eight rebounds to carry the Rockets to victory. With Houston trailing 88-86 midway through the fourth quarter, Harden scored 12 consecutive points to lift the Rockets to a double-digit lead.
Grizzlies 107, Jazz 106 Rookie Ja Morant made the decisive basket as part of a stellar outing in which he registered 25 points and eight assists to lead Memphis over visiting Utah.
Solomon Hill stripped Utah’s Donovan Mitchell, who scored 29 points in defeat, just before time expired to seal it as Memphis recorded its third straight win.
Wizards 137, Timberwolves 116 Bradley Beal scored 44 points and Moritz Wagner finished with a careerhigh 30 points and 15 rebounds as Washington recorded a victory over Minnesota in Minneapolis.
Beal, who had 44 points in Washington’s 140-133 loss at Boston on Wednesday, shot 15 of 22 and made 13 of 14 from the foul line to help the Wizards avenge a 131-109 loss to Minnesota on Nov 2.