Browns get back 3, not top corner Ward for Steelers
The Browns flew to Pittsburgh for the playoffs with some reinforcements — and missing some regulars.
Top cornerback Denzel Ward stayed in Cleveland as he recovers from COVID-19, leaving a massive hole in the Browns’ secondary as they get ready to face Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers in an AFC wildcard game on Sunday night.
The Browns, who were limited to just two practices this week because of another wave of positive COVID-19 cases, including coach Kevin Stefanski, were hoping Ward would be back in time after he tested positive with the virus last week.
However, he’s still not ready to return and the Browns may miss him dearly.
Cleveland finally caught a bit of a break Saturday as safety Ronnie Harrison, tight end Harrison Bryant and linebacker Malcolm Smith were activated from the COVID-19 list, giving the Browns some much needed depth for their first playoff game since the 2002 season.
Harrison’s a hard hitter and he’ll slow Pittsburgh’s run game, but the bigger issue for the Browns will be covering wide receivers Juju Smith- Schuster or Chase Claypool, Pittsburgh’s top deep threats.
That would have been Ward’s job, but he’s out along with cornerback Kevin Johnson and potentially corner Terrance Mitchell as well.
JETS INTERVIEW PANTHERS OC BRADY » The New York Jets interviewed Carolina Panthers offensive coordinator Joe Brady on for their head coaching vacancy.
Brady is the fourth known candidate to meet remotely with the Jets, who fired Adam Gase last Sunday after two seasons. New York also interviewed Kansas City offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy on Wednesday, former Cincinnati coach Marvin Lewis on Thursday and San Francisco defensive coordinator Robert Saleh on Friday.
The Jets are also expected to speak to Indianapolis defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus in the next few days as the team’s list of candidates grows. SOURCE: FORMER WASHINGTON QB HASKINS TO VISIT PANTHERS » A person familiar with the situation says former Washington quarterback Dwayne Haskins will visit the Panthers on Monday.
Washington released the 2019 first-round pick on Dec. 28, less than 24 hours after he committed three turnovers in a loss to Carolina and he was found in violation of pandemic protocols after being caught partying with several people without a mask. Haskins was fined $40,000 and lost his captaincy.
Baseball
SCHWARBER SIGNS $ 10M DEAL WITH NATS » Slugging outfielder Kyle Schwarber has agreed in principle to a one-year, $10 million contract with the Washington Nationals.
Schwarber was able to sign with any club after becoming a free agent last month when he was non-tendered by the Chicago Cubs. The 27-year- old
Schwarber struggled at the plate during the pandemictruncated 2020 season, hitting .188 with a .701 OPS for the Cubs. A year earlier, he produced 38 homers and 92 RBIs, a .250 batting average and an .871 on-base plus slugging percentage, all career highs.
College football
BOISE STATE HIRES ANDY AVALOS AS HEAD COACH » Andy Avalos is taking over as head coach at Boise State, returning to the school where he was a standout linebacker and defensive coordinator.
Avalos was announced as the replacement for Bryan Harsin, who left Boise State to take the head coaching position at Auburn just before Christmas.
Avalos played for the Broncos from 2001- 05 and later returned as a defensive assistant and took over as defensive coordinator in 2016. For the past two seasons, Avalos has been the defensive coordinator at Oregon.
Soccer
US STRIKER HOPPE SCORES 3» Just when it seemed Schalke’s winless run in the Bundesliga might never end, along came Matthew Hoppe.
The 19-year- old forward scored a hat trick — the first by an American in Germany’s top division — in only his fifth league game to lead Schalke to a 4- 0 victory over Hoffenheim and its first league win in nearly a year.
Another draw or defeat would have matched the league record of 31 winless games set more than 50 years ago.
Skiing
FORD AIRLIFTED FROM COURSE AFTER CRASH » American skier Tommy Ford was airlifted to the hospital after crashing in a World Cup giant slalom.
Ford crashed three gates from the finish after going wide into rough snow beside the course. His skis touched and he fell forward, sliding down the hill first on his neck and left shoulder before coming to a stop.
The United States ski team later said Ford’s “head and neck injuries are minor and resolving nicely. He has a knee injury that is undergoing further evaluation.”
PINTURAULT WINS GIANT SLALOM, TIES MILLER FOR WORLD CUP WINS » Alexis Pinturault won a World Cup giant slalom for a second straight day on the storied Adelboden hill, topping his superb performance from Friday.
Pinturault defied fastfading light in the second run to post a huge winning margin of 1.26 seconds over Filip Zubcic, the runner-up on back-to-back days.
Pinturault ’ s third straight giant slalom victory was a 33rd career win in World Cup races, matching American great Bode Miller in ninth place on the men’s all-time list.
SOFIA GOGGIA RACES TO DOMINATING WIN IN WORLD CUP DOWNHILL » Olympic champion Sofia Goggia’s high-risk skiing was rewarded with a dominating win in a World Cup downhill.
Goggia was fast and nearly flawless in the sunshine on the rarely raced Karl Schranz course to be 0.96 seconds faster than Tamara Tippler of Austria.