Browns squash Condoleeza coaching rumors
Condoleeza Rice and the Browns are tackling their surprising head coaching rumors.
The Browns released a statement from GM John Dorsey contradicting a Sunday ESPN report indicating Cleveland was interested in interviewing the former Secretary of State for their vacant head coaching job.
“Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is a great leader, possesses the highest possible character and also happens to be a Browns fan,” reads the statement, issued before 1 p.m. kick-off. “I have the utmost respect and admiration for all she's accomplished and was honored to meet her for the first time earlier this season. Our coaching search will be thorough and deliberate, but we are still in the process of composing the list of candidates and Secretary Rice has not been discussed.”
Rice also addressed the rumors, saying she's “not ready to coach.
“I love my Browns — and I know they will hire an experienced coach to take us to the next level," she added. “On a more serious note, I do hope that the NFL will start to bring women into the coaching profession as position coaches and eventually coordinators and head coaches. One doesn't have to play the game to understand it and motivate players.”
Rice, 64, would have become the first woman to land an interview for an NFL head coaching job.
The lifelong Browns fan served in the George W. Bush administration from 2005-09 and has beefed up her sports resume since leaving office.
Rice was among the inaugural members of the College Football Playoff Selection committee, for which she served four seasons, and chaired a commission on college basketball that introduced several rule changes this year. — Mark Fischer
COWBOYS 22, FALCONS 19
Brett Maher shook off a missed extra point and kicked a 42-yard field goal on the final play, giving Dallas a 22-19 victory over the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday after the Cowboys squandered a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter.
Ezekiel Elliott had a huge day for the Cowboys in what was a defensive slugfest until a wild fourth quarter, with the teams combining for 26 points over the last 15 minutes. He had 122 yards rushing on 23 carries, including a 23-yard touchdown, and led the team with seven catches for 79 yards.
STEELERS 20, JAGUARS 16
Ben Roethlisberger was far from perfect until the fourth quarter, and that was all that mattered for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
One week after Roethlisberger had a perfect quarterback rating, he overcame three interceptions and a 16-0 deficit by leading two late scoring drives. He lunged in from the 1 for the winning score with 5 seconds left for a victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars.
BRONCOS 23, CHARGERS 22
Brandon McManus kicked a 34-yard field goal as time expired and snapped the Chargers' six-game winning streak.
RAVENS 24, BENGALS 21
Rookie quarterback Lamar Jackson juked and sprinted for 117 yards in his first NFL start, Gus Edwards ran for 115 and the Baltimore Ravens ground out a victory over the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday to end a three-game losing streak.
SAINTS 48, EAGLES 7
Drew Brees passed for 363 yards and four touchdowns, and the Saints won their ninth straight with a demolition of Philadelphia that was the Eagles' worst loss by far since they won last season's Super Bowl.
Brees completed 22 of 30 passes and did not turn over the ball, giving him 25 TD passes and only one interception this season. Brees' fourth touchdown seemed to encapsulate New Orleans' audacious approach to the game. He hit running back Alvin Kamara in stride down the right sideline for 37 yards on a fourth-and-7 play that gave the Saints (9-1) a 45-7 lead early in the fourth quarter.
LIONS 20, PANTHERS 19
Cam Newton threw an incomplete pass on a 2-point conversion with 1:07 left, letting the Detroit Lions hold on for a win over the Carolina Panthers on Sunday.
RAIDERS 23, CARDINALS 21
Daniel Carlson kicked a 35-yard field goal as the game ended in a matchup of teams scraping the bottom of the NFL standings.
COLTS 38, TITANS 10
Andrew Luck threw three touchdown passes and Marlon Mack and Jordan Wilkins both ran for scores. Indy (5-5) has won four straight for the first time since November 2014. Luck remained unbeaten in 10 starts against the Titans.