From the Wire
![THE ASSOCIATED PRESSNew England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady celebrates after defeating the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship NFL football game on Sunday.]()
Brady leads New England to third consecutive AFC title
KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Tom Brady and the New England Patriots did what they've done for the better part of two decades.
Make plays when the game is on the line.
The most accomplished quarterback in NFL history led the Patriots downfield in …
![THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Tennessee guard Jordan Bone (0) and the rest of the Volunteers moved to the top of The Associated Press Top 25 poll on Monday.]()
Tennessee moves to No. 1 in AP Top 25, Duke drops to No. 2
Top-ranked Duke went down early in the week. No. 2 Michigan and No. 4 Virginia, the last of Division I's unbeaten teams, both fell over the weekend. In all, six top-10 teams lost.
Tennessee kept rolling amid chaos across the AP Top 25.
The …
![Tennessee forward Grant Williams (2) attempts a shot in between Alabama forwards Alex Reese (3) and Galin Smith (30) in the second half of the Volunteers' 71-68 victory on Saturday in Knoxville, Tennessee.]()
Vols make case for No. 1 with 71-68 victory over Alabama
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - Grant Williams scored 21 points, and No. 3 Tennessee rallied past Alabama 71-68 on Saturday for its 12th straight win and a chance to climb atop the AP Top 25.
After No. 1 Duke lost to Syracuse on Monday and No. 2 Michigan fell …
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LSU ends Gamecocks' SEC streak with 87-65 victory
BATON ROUGE, La. - Emmitt Williams and Naz Reid each scored 15 points as LSU extended its winning streak to seven games by defeating South Carolina 89-67 in a Southeastern Conference game Saturday night.
The Tigers (14-3, 4-0), who led for nearly …
![Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Steven Nelson (20), defensive back Orlando Scandrick (22), inside linebacker Anthony Hitchens (53) and defensive end Chris Jones (95) stretch during workouts Friday in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs host the New England Patriots in the AFC championship game today.]()
Chiefs' bandwagon rolling into Arrowhead for mighty Patriots
KANSAS CITY, Mo. - It seems football fans everywhere are suddenly on the Chiefs' bandwagon, enthralled by Kansas City's record-setting young quarterback and exciting playmakers and hopeful the amiable coach can finally win the big one.
Then …
![New Orleans Saints wide receiver Ted Ginn (19) and quarterback Teddy Bridgewater (5) dance to music during stretches at their practice in Metairie, Louisiana, on Friday. The Saints will host the Los Angeles Rams for the NFC Championship today.]()
Saints-Rams NFC title game a clash of like-minded coaches
NEW ORLEANS (AP) - One way or another, the NFC Championship between the Los Angeles Rams and New Orleans Saints will be won by a coach named Sean - with an Irish surname - who designs and calls plays for one of the most innovative and productive …
![New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski (87) gives a stiff arm to Kansas City Chiefs free safety Ron Parker (38) after catching a pass during the second half of their Oct. 18 game in Foxborough, Massachussetts.]()
How do the Patriots and Chiefs match up in title game?
It will be dark and cold, perhaps absurdly cold, Sunday night in Kansas City. Arrowhead Stadium will be lit up, though, and the winner of the Patriots-Chiefs game will head to Atlanta for the Super Bowl.
Here's how they match up:
WHEN NEW …
![Los Angeles cornerback Marcus Peters (22) breaks up a pass intended for New Orleans wide receiver Michael Thomas (13) in the first half of their game in November in New Orleans. Marcus Peters is ready to eat. The Rams' volatile cornerback promised to have "a nice little bowl of gumbo" with New Orleans coach Sean Payton after Peters felt disrespected in the wake of the Saints' win over Los Angeles.]()
Saints, Rams set to square off for NFC title
THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. - Marcus Peters stood at a podium Wednesday and spoke about his respect for Sean Payton and the New Orleans Saints. He insisted his feisty comments about the coach two months ago had been misinterpreted and blown out of …
![Los Angeles running back Todd Gurley (30) carries for a touchdown in the first half of the New Orleans Saints' victory over the Rams on Nov. 4 in New Orleans. Gurley, last year's Offensive Player of the Year, leads the NFL with 16 touchdowns. the fourth-year pro has scored at least one touchdown in each of the Rams' nine games this season.]()
How do the Saints and Rams match up in NFC title game?
The gumbo the New Orleans Saints are cooking up is flavored with lots of passes from Drew Brees to Michael Thomas, plenty of runs by Alvin Kamara and Mark Ingram, and enough dashes of defense to negate the high-powered offense of the Los Angeles …
