In a game that couldn’t have gone much worse, Oakland lost its latest starting quarterback, Matt McGloin, to a shoulder injury, then fell 24-6 on Sunday to Denver, a team with nothing to play for and facing the possible exit of coach Gary Kubiak for health reasons.
Combined with Kansas City’s win over San Diego, the Raiders (12-4) squandered the AFC West title and the first-round bye that went with it — and instead fell to the No. 5 seed.
The Raiders came into the last week of the regular season with a chance at the AFC ‘s top seed. Now, they are a wild card with a rookie third-stringer as their only fully healthy quarterback.
Earlier in the day, New England locked up the top seed.
Leading Oakland into next week’s game at Houston could be rookie Connor Cook if the injury to McGloin proves serious.
McGloin , who got the start when Derek Carr broke his leg last week, left late in the second quarter. He completed six passes for 21 yards, missing virtually every throw downfield. He stood on the bench in a stocking cap for the second half.
A fourth-year player out of Penn State, McGloin was making his first start since 2013. He was hurt when Jared Crick slammed him to the turf, drawing a roughing-the-passer penalty. Moments before that play, McGloin overthrew a wide-open Amari Cooper.
Cook was 14-of-21 passing with a touchdown to Cooper, an interception and a lost fumble against the defending Super Bowl champion Broncos (9-7), who ended a three-game slide.
Devontae Booker became the first Broncos rookie with a rushing and receiving touchdown in the same game since Clinton Portis in 2002.
Before the game, there was speculation Kubiak will step down after the season. He’s 11 months removed from leading Denver to a Super Bowl win over Carolina. The 55-year-old Kubiak suffered a complex migraine on Oct. 9 following Denver’s loss to Atlanta.

Similarity rank: 1.1

Sentiment rank: -1.1

© Source: http://www.latimes.com/la-sp-raiders-broncos-20170101-story.html
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With his game still in doubt, Seattle coach Pete Carroll made what he described as an uncomfortable decision. With the chance of a first-round bye all but gone with Atlanta holding a comfortable lead, Carroll pulled quarterback Russell Wilson and other key players to keep them fresh for next week’s playoff game.
Wilson threw for 258 yards and a touchdown before being replaced in the fourth quarter and the Seahawks rallied from an early 11-point deficit to beat San Francisco 25-23 on Sunday in what was coach Chip Kelly’s final game with the 49ers.
Hours after the game, the team announced that Kelly and general manager Trent Baalke had been fired.
« I hate backing off any time ever, » Carroll said. « I can’t remember doing it very many times. I just thought we were able to do something to protect ourselves for next week. I did not want to be planning for that. It just kind of happened and it just seemed like we (were) able to do something to help, and it worked out fine.  »
The Falcons wrapped up a bye with a 38-32 win over New Orleans, sending the NFC West champion Seahawks (10-5-1) to the playoffs as the third seed. The Seahawks will host the loser of Sunday night’s game between Detroit and Green Bay next week.
Seattle had control of the race for the No. 2 seed before losing at home last week to Arizona but heads into the playoffs with the confidence of a team that has been to two of the past three Super Bowls, winning it all after the 2013 season.
« Sometimes you get it and it knocks you off your rhythm, » cornerback Richard Sherman said. « Sometimes you get it and it gives you a chance to rest. At this point we’re about as healthy as we’re going to be. We don’t need it.  »
The loss capped a disappointing season for the 49ers (2-14), who matched the franchise record for losses in a season previously reached in 1978, ’79 and 2004.
« It’s a bottom line business, » Kelly said before getting the news from CEO Jed York. « So, we probably didn’t win enough games.  »
The Niners started fast with touchdowns on two of their first three drives, but were outgained 366-99 over the final three quarters as Wilson delivered numerous big plays and Seattle shut down Colin Kaepernick and the San Francisco offense.
Trevone Boykin, who replaced Wilson, converted a pair of third downs with Seattle protecting a two-point lead to help run out the clock.
« It was a great job of getting in there and get it done, » Carroll said. « He put together a great drive with the guys up front, to finish the game.  »
FAST START, SLOW FINISH: Kaepernick completed his first 10 passes and Shaun Draughn scored on a pair of 1-yard runs to give the Niners a 14-3 lead. That marked the fifth time this season San Francisco led a home game by at least 11 points in the first half, but the Niners won only the opener against the Rams. San Francisco blew 14-point leads to Dallas, Tampa Bay and the Jets.
MILESTONE: Seattle receiver Doug Baldwin caught two passes for 44 yards, tying the franchise record for catches in a season with 94. Baldwin tied Bobby Engram’s mark set in 2007 with an acrobatic 41-yard catch in the second quarter.
DUBIOUS RECORD: Jimmy Graham used his basketball skills to box out safety Antoine Bethea on a 42-yard catch in the second quarter that set up Thomas Rawls’ go-ahead 1-yard run. With that play, San Francisco broke the franchise record for most yards allowed in a season. The Niners had already set franchise worsts for most points and yards rushing allowed in a season. This year’s team gave up 6,502 yards, breaking the mark of 6,259 set in 2005. The Niners had already set franchise worsts for most points and yards rushing allowed in a season.
FIGHT: Seattle defensive tackle Jarran Reed was ejected after a scuffle following an extra point. Reed was called for a personal foul for throwing a punch in the fourth quarter. Reed then got into a yelling match with teammate Frank Clark near the Seattle sideline as he walked off the field. Teammates had to separate the two.
« Somewhere in there he threw a punch, » Carroll said. « So he deserved to get ejected.  »
DRAFT POSITION: San Francisco will have the second pick in the draft, the highest for the team since taking Alex Smith No. 1 overall in 2005. The Niners had a shot at the No. 1 pick if Cleveland won, but the Browns lost 27-24 in overtime at Pittsburgh.
ROUGH WARMUP: The 49ers lost tight end Je’Ron Hamm to a broken leg in warmups. Hamm had an air cast placed on his left leg and was carted off the field following the injury. San Francisco also lost cornerback Rashard Robinson to an ankle injury in the first half.

Similarity rank: 1.1

Sentiment rank: 1.6

© Source: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/sports/article124103314.html
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ATLANTA — During a timeout with 4:10 left in the third quarter Sunday, chants of « M-V-P, M-V-P » rang loudly throughout the Georgia Dome.
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan seemed oblivious to the roars as he huddled with his teammates and clapped his hands, ready to move on to the next play. But certainly he had to be moved by the respect and appreciation displayed by the home crowd.
Ryan certainly did nothing but boost his MVP candidacy with yet another masterful performance. He completed 17 of 19 passes for 235 yards and four touchdowns in the first half to stake his team to a 35-13 halftime lead en route to a 38-32 triumph over the rival New Orleans Saints.
« Feels pretty good, » Ryan said of the MVP chants. « That was nice of our fans to do that. It was a pretty cool moment out there today. It felt really good. »
The win means the 11-5 Falcons secured the No. 2 seed in the NFC behind the Dallas Cowboys. A berth in the Super Bowl is a legitimate possibility with the way the offense is clicking.
« I think the most important thing is we’ve given ourselves a chance, » Ryan said. « We have an opportunity in front of us now, and it will be fun. »
The Falcons now get a first-round bye, giving banged-up players such as Julio Jones (toe), Taylor Gabriel (foot), and Vic Beasley Jr . (shoulder) and an extra week to recover before the home playoff game in the second round. Beasley said he’s scheduled to undergo an MRI on Monday but sounded confident about playing through whatever pain is in his left shoulder.
• NFL playoffs coverage, schedule
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What Ryan & Co. did Sunday was show the rest of the playoff field, including the Cowboys and Patriots, just how unstoppable this offense can be. The Falcons scored touchdowns on their first five offensive drives, including a 7-yard touchdown pass from Ryan to Tevin Coleman , a Devonta Freeman 75-yard touchdown run and a 1-yard fade from Ryan to Jones. Ryan, who completed 27 of 36 passes for 331 yards, fell just 56 yards shy of reaching 5,000 for the season but still set a new franchise record regardless (4,944).
The Falcons entered Sunday’s game averaging a league-best 33.5 points per game. Counting Sunday, they scored 35 or more points in eight games this season and won all eight. Five of those games were 40-point efforts. Score 40-plus in the playoffs and the Falcons just might find themselves in Houston for the Super Bowl.
Winning the MVP would be a nice way for Ryan to cap his magical season, but he couldn’t care less about individual honors. All he has talked about all season is wins, and his arm helped the Falcons reached 11 wins for the first time since 2012.
And the fact the defense surrendered 32 points to the Saints and gave up three fourth-quarter touchdowns only emphasized why the Falcons need to score, and score, and score. The defense has shown progress but still has lapses, probably attributed to youth.
The way things are lined up now, the Falcons just might get a rematch with the No. 3 seed Seattle Seahawks , the team they lost to 26-24 in Week 6. But the Falcons are a much better team now.
The offense has been good all season long, thanks to Ryan.

Similarity rank: 1.1

Sentiment rank: -1.2

© Source: http://www.espn.com/blog/atlanta-falcons/post/_/id/24559/matt-ryan-falcons-offense-look-unstoppable-going-into-playoffs
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The 2016 regular season is over, which means the 2017 playoffs — and the race to Super Bowl LI — have begun. Rookie quarterback Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys are the No. 1 seed in the NFC, while Tom Brady and the Patriots are the No. 1 seed in the AFC.
From the wild-card round through Super Bowl LI — which is Sunday, Feb. 5, at NRG Stadium in Houston — ESPN.com has you covered.
Jump to: AFC wild card | NFC wild card | Teams with first-round byes
No. 6 Miami Dolphins at No. 3 Pittsburgh Steelers
Saturday, Jan. 7 or Sunday, Jan. 8 | Time/TV: TBD
Steelers’ playoff tuneup a near-loss to Browns but a win for health
Patriots expose several playoff concerns for the Dolphins
No. 5: Oakland Raiders at No. 4 Houston Texans
Saturday, Jan. 7 or Sunday, Jan. 8 | Time/TV: TBD
Raiders’ QB woes portend potentially short playoff stay
Whether it’s Brock Osweiler or Tom Savage, Texans’ offense hardly looks ready for playoffs
No. 6: Green Bay Packers OR Detroit Lions at No. 3: Seattle Seahawks
Saturday, Jan. 7 or Sunday, Jan. 8 | Time/TV: TBD
Seahawks’ postseason hopes rest on Russell Wilson’s arm
No. 5: New York Giants at No. 4: Green Bay Packers or Detroit Lions
Saturday, Jan. 7 or Sunday, Jan. 8 | Time/TV: TBD
Giants should feel good about themselves heading into playoffs
AFC
No. 1: New England Patriots
Michael Floyd’s sudden impact will benefit Patriots in playoffs
How about love for O-linemen? Nate Solder a good comeback candidate
No. 2: Kansas City Chiefs
Chiefs get AFC West title — and the bounty that goes with it
How the Chiefs have built Travis Kelce into the top tight end in football
NFC
No. 1: Dallas Cowboys
Cowboys end season with loss, but Tony Romo TD pass a highlight
Barry Church’s return has sparked Cowboys defense
Morris Claiborne eyeing return for divisional round of playoffs
No. 2: Atlanta Falcons
Matt Ryan, offense look unstoppable going into playoffs
Part of reason Falcons defense is playoff-ready? Matt Ryan, offense

Similarity rank: 2.1

Sentiment rank: 2.8

© Source: http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/page/2016playoffsindex/2016-17-nfl-playoffs-schedule-super-bowl-li-coverage
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DENVER — In what players described as an emotional scene after the Denver Broncos ‘ 24-6 victory over the Oakland Raiders on Sunday, coach Gary Kubiak told his team he was stepping down for health reasons.
Kubiak had told a small, tight-knit group of team officials earlier in the week, but he did not tell the team’s players or coaching staff until after Sunday’s regular-season finale. Following the game, many players lined up to hug Kubiak as he went around the locker room.
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« There some emotion — I’ve got a lot invested in this place, » Kubiak said. « You guys know how much I love this place. »
« It’s definitely sad to see him go — we won the Super Bowl with him, » said cornerback Chris Harris Jr. « It’s just sad to see him go. »
Kubiak has spent 22 years with the Broncos, including his nine years as a player, 11 years as the offensive coordinator on Mike Shanahan’s staff and the last two seasons as head coach. Kubiak went 21-11 in those two seasons with a win in Super Bowl 50 last February.
Kubiak has been on the team’s coaching staff for all three of the franchise’s Super Bowl wins. He held back his plans all through the week, and players and coaches arriving before Sunday’s game against the Raiders said Kubiak had not let on in the team meeting Saturday night.
Kubiak was asked after the win over the Raiders to specifically address his plans, but he deferred to Monday.
« I did talk to the team, right now … I’ll address my situation [Monday], but I had a real good moment with the players and told them how proud I was of them, » Kubiak said. « I’ll address everything else [Monday]… It’s about the football team right now — it’s not about me. »
Moments later, Kubiak did allow that « I struggled this year. » The Broncos were 7-3 at their bye week but lost a Week 12 game to the Kansas City Chiefs as they went 2-4 down the stretch to miss the playoffs for the first time since 2010.
« The first thing I really thought about … if it was true, it was probably his health, » said Broncos wide receiver Demaryius Thomas. « He had some issues this year, but it was an emotional moment. »
Kubiak had spent a night in the hospital after the Broncos’ Oct. 9 loss to the Atlanta Falcons and left the stadium that night in an ambulance. Kubiak was diagnosed with a « complex migraine condition » and was away from the team for a week following his hospital stay and did not coach the team in its Oct. 13 game in San Diego.
Kubiak has said multiple times since he was trying to improve his sleep habits and had consistently deflected health questions in the weeks that followed. Kubiak also suffered what was called a « mini-stroke » in 2014 when he was the Houston Texans ‘ coach.
Even as recently as Friday, Kubiak was asked about his plans for next season and acted as if he felt good enough to coach in 2017, but he stopped short of definitively saying he would do it.
« Why? Do I look bad? » Kubiak said Friday with a smile when asked about the 2017 season. « You guys know, I love this league, I love the Broncos, I love the work. I’m all-in on the Raiders right now. There will be time for reflection and all that stuff next week. »
As the clock wound down in Sunday’s win for the Broncos, the crowd inside the stadium chanted « Ga-ry, Ga-ry » over and over. He has been a popular figure with the team as a player, a trusted assistant and a championship-winning coach.
« Everybody was shocked and didn’t believe it, » Harris said. « … It’s hard to leave a job when it’s your dream job. »
« We love Kubes, we love the way he treated us, » said cornerback Aqib Talib. « … I’m praying that he gets healthy. »

Similarity rank: 3.1

Sentiment rank: 0.9

© Source: http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/18391357/coach-gary-kubiak-tells-denver-broncos-retiring
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SAN DIEGO — The San Diego Chargers have fired Mike McCoy following a second straight last-place finish in the AFC West and a third straight season out of the playoffs.
The team announced McCoy’s firing about an hour after the Chargers lost 37-27 to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday.
McCoy, who played quarterback for the Utes from 1992-94, had said in a postgame news conference he hoped to be back next year. He won’t get that chance.
McCoy was 27-37 in four seasons.
John Spanos, the president of football operations, says in a statement that « our team’s disappointing performance has not matched this team’s potential and has fallen short of the demanding standards that we seek to impose throughout our organization. « 

Similarity rank: 3.2

Sentiment rank: -1.7

© Source: http://www.deseretnews.com/article/765691787/Chargers-fire-coach-former-Utes-quarterback-Mike-McCoy-after-2nd-last-place-finish.html?pg=all
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