Vikings fire OC after dismal outing

The Vikings fired offensive coordinator John DeFilippo, whose first season on the job ended after just 13 games amid a sharp decline in production by the offense over the past six weeks. Quarter- backs coach Kevin Stefanski was made interim offensive coordinator Tuesday following a 21-7 loss at Seattle on Monday night.

The Vikings (6-6-1) have been held to under 300 total yards in four of their past five games. They’ve scored an average of 12.8 points in those four games. Thanks to the struggles of several of their NFC competitors, though, they’re still in control of the second wild-card spot with three games to go.

“I think the added piece of the disappointment is when your defense is playing so well,” quarterback Kirk Cous- ins said after the Vikings went scoreless against the Seahawks until a garbage-time touchdown with 1:10 left.

The 40-year-old DeFilippo came to Minnesota from Phil- adelphia, lauded for his work as quarterbacks coach with Carson Wentz and then Super Bowl MVP Nick Foles. He had previously served one season as an offensive coordina- tor, in 2015 with Cleveland.

Lions: Defensive end Ziggy Ansah may have played his final game with Detroit after being put on injured reserve with shoulder problems. Detroit kept Ansah this season with the franchise tag, but he’s dealt with injuries all season and has played in only seven games. He still managed four sacks.

Steelers: Ben Roethlisberger’s ribs are bruised but not broken and the quarterback believes he’ll play Sunday when New England visits Heinz Field, one of the few certainties for a team in search of answers thanks to a three-game losing streak.

Titans: Right tackle Jack Conklin and tight end Jonnu Smith were placed on injured reserve with knee injuries, a double blow for a team on the fringe of the playoff race. Both starters were hurt in Tennessee’s win over Jacksonville last week.

ODDS AND ENDS

College football: Kansas State hired Chris Klieman of North Dakota State to lead its program, passing the reins from retired Hall of Fame coach Bill Snyder to someone with three FCS titles but little Big 12 experience. Klieman was hired to lead the Bison by current Kansas State AD Gene Taylor.

■ Former Utah State coach Gary Andersen has returned to the Ag gies, where he coached from 2009 to 2012. He replaces Matt Wells, who had taken over the Aggies after Andersen’s first stint with the team. Wells was named coach at Texas Tech.

Cycling: Paul Sherwen, one of cycling’sbest known commentators who is widely credited with introducing the English-speaking world to the sport, died Dec. 3 at his home in Uganda. He was 62. Sherwen’s voice became almost inextricable from the Tour de France and other major cycling events after a stellar career as a competitor.