Boswell’s late. 40-yard field goal helps Steelers to win over Bears
PITTSBURGH Chris Boswell hit a 40-yard field goal with 26 seconds to go as the Pittsburgh Steelers held off the sloppy, mistake-prone Chicago Bears 29-27 on Monday night.
Boswell’s third field goal capped a frantic fourth quarter in which the Bears rallied from a 10-point deficit to take the lead, only to watch Ben Roethlisberger respond with the 50th game-winning drive of his 18-year career.
Pittsburgh (5-3) appeared to have things well in hand, leading 23-13 midway through the fourth quarter. Then Chicago’s DeAndre Houston-Carson returned Ray-Ray McCloud’s fumbled punt return 25 yards for a touchdown, and Justin Fields found Darnell Mooney for a 16-yard strike with 1:46 remaining to give the Bears a 27-26 lead.
College sports
NCAA RESTRUCTURING >> The NCAA is setting the stage for a dramatic restructuring of college sports that will give each of its three divisions the power to govern itself.
Approval of a new, streamlined constitution is expected in January with minimal consternation or conflict.
The next phase of the NCAA’s transformation figures to be more difficult: A reshaping of Division I that will tackle revenue distribution, how rules are made and enforced, access to the most-high profile and lucrative NCAA events —such as the men’s basketball tournament — and just how big the tent should be at the top of college sports.
“So those are the things that we’re really going to have to get to the granular spot, and some of those are going to be very difficult conversations to have,” said West Virginia athletic director Shane Lyons, who is the chairman of the Division I Council and a member of the committee that trimmed the bedrock constitution of the 115-year-old organization.
The NCAA released on Monday a draft of an 18 ½-page constitution, cut down from 43 pages over the last three months at the direction of President Mark Emmert.
College football
WASHINGTON SUSPENDS
Washington suspended head coach Jimmy Lake for one game without pay following a sideline incident during the Huskies’ game against Oregon.
Lake is suspended from all team activities for the week and will return to his coaching responsibilities on Sunday. Defensive coordinator Bob Gregory will serve as the interim coach for Saturday’s game against Arizona State.
Lake appeared to thrust his right arm toward and then shoved Ruperake Fuavai during a brief skirmish on the Washington sideline in Saturday’s 2616 loss to Oregon. Fuavai appeared to be exchanging words with Oregon’s Jaylon Redd just before the incident with Lake.
MLB
OHTANI AN MVP FINALIST >> Two-way sensation Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Angels is a finalist for American League MVP in voting by the Baseball Writers Association of America.
The BBWAA revealed finalists for AL and NL MVPs, Cy Young Awards, Rookies of the Year and Managers of the Year. The winners — decided on ballots sent at the end of the regular season — will be revealed next week.
Ohtani is in the final three of AL voting along with two Toronto players, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Marcus Semien.
DODGERS, LHP
$8.5M, 1-YEAR
The Los Angeles Dodgers have agreed to an $8.5 million, one-year contract with free agent lefthander Andrew Heaney, according to a person with knowledge of the deal.
The 30-year-old Heaney split 2021 between the Los Angeles Angels and New York Yankees, going 8-9 with a 5.83 ERA.
FORMER MET FELICIANO
Former New York Mets reliever Pedro Feliciano, who pitched so often he earned the nickname “Perpetual Pedro,” has died. He was 45.
The left-hander led the majors in appearances for three straight years, pitching 86 games in 2008, 88 in 2009 and a whopping 92 times in 2010.
NBA
HEANEY
BIDEN HAILS BUCKS >> President Joe Biden welcomed the NBA champion Milwaukee Bucks to the White House, praising team members not just for their achievements on the court, but also for their efforts to promote coronavirus vaccinations and for speaking out after the 2020 police shooting of Jacob Blake sparked protests in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
The Bucks were the first NBA champions to visit the White House in nearly five years, ending a Donald Trump-era hiatus.