Weekday Morning Sports – Monday 12/28/15

sportsreport

Sports Radio 1400 WSJM     @wsjmsports     wsjmsports.com     Monday, December 28, 2015

NFL – National Football League – Week 16
Yesterday
Detroit Lions 32, San Francisco 49ers 17
Chicago Bears 26, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 21
Indianapolis Colts 18, Miami Dolphins 12

Lions 32, 49ers 17 – Lions beat 49ers 32-17, taking advantage of many mistakes
Matthew Stafford threw for two touchdowns, including one to Calvin Johnson early in the fourth quarter, and the Detroit Lions beat the San Francisco 49ers 32-17 on Sunday. The Lions (6-9) have won five of their last seven games, perhaps giving coach Jim Caldwell a chance to keep his job for a third season. The 49ers (4-11) have lost three straight and five of six under first-year coach Jim Tomsula. Detroit took advantage of several mistakes for San Francisco’s defense and special teams. Stafford’s 1-yard TD pass to Johnson gave Detroit a 12-point lead one play after Tramaine Brock was called for pass interference in the end zone. During the drive, the 49ers were flagged for being offside or in the neutral zone for the seventh time to set a single-game high by an NFL team this year, according to STATS.  The Lions close out the season next Sunday at the Chicago Bears for a 1:00 game.

Bears 26, Buccaneers 21 – Carey scores 2 TDs, Bears beat Bucs 26-21
Ka’Deem Carey caught a touchdown pass from Jay Cutler and the third-string running back also scored on a 1-yard run to help the Chicago Bears end a three-game losing streak with a 26-21 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Carey’s 1-yard scoring reception put the Bears (6-9) ahead for good early in the fourth quarter. The second-year pro teamed with Matt Forte and Jeremy Langford to spearhead a rushing attack that produced 174 yards and kept Jameis Winston off the field for long stretches. The victory was only the second in the past six games for the Bears. Tampa Bay (6-9) has lost four of five, including three straight after rebounding from a slow start. Winston completed 15 of 29 passes for 295 yards with one interception for the Bucs. He threw for two TDs, including a 43-yard Hail Mary toss to Austin Seferian-Jenkins with 1 second remaining.

Colts 18, Dolphins 12 – Sub Whitehurst helps Colts beat Dolphins 18-12
Charlie Whitehurst came off the bench to complete a pair of scoring driver as the Colts held on to beat Miami 18-12.  The victory kept alive Indy’s faint hopes to win the AFC South.  The Dolphins had a first-and-goal at the 5 with 40 seconds left, but after three consecutive incompletions, rookie center Jamil Douglas snapped the ball prematurely, and Ryan Tannehill was sacked by three Colts. Frank Gore rushed for 85 yards and scored the Colts’ touchdowns on runs of 37 and 11 yards.

Panthers Perfection ends in Atlanta
The Carolina Panthers’ bid for a perfect regulation season has ended with Sunday’s 20-13 loss to the Falcons in Atlanta. Matt Ryan hooked up with Julio Jones for a 70–yard touchdown with 2:12 left in the third quarter to put the Falcons ahead to stay. Cam Newton threw for just 142 yards and ran for 46 yards, including an 8-yard scoring run to cap the Panthers’ opening drive.

Vikings and Packers to decide NFC North
The Minnesota Vikings have clinched a playoff berth and moved into a tie with Green Bay for first place in the NFC North by ripping the New York Giants 49-17. Adrian Peterson ran for 104 yards and a TD, Jerick McKinnon had a pair of TD runs and Harrison Smith returned one of Eli Manning’s three interceptions for a score. The Packers were 38-8 losers at Arizona as the Cardinals sacked Rodgers eight times and returned two of his fumbles for touchdowns.   Minnesota will be at Green Bay next Sunday night to conclude the NFL regular season and to decide the NFC North Division.

Tonight
Cincinnati Bengals at Denver Broncos, 8:30 p.m.     (Will not air on WSJM-AM, due to HS Basketball)

NFL – Manning angrily denies Al Jazeera report he used PEDs
Peyton Manning says a report by Al Jazeera suggesting he used performance-enhancing drugs is “completely fabricated, complete trash, garbage.” Manning angrily denied allegations to ESPN on Sunday morning. He denied ever using PEDs and blasted the report for suggesting he got drugs that were shipped to his wife.

NBA – National Basketball Association
Tonight
Toronto Raptors at Chicago Blackhawks, 8:00 p.m.

NHL – National Hockey League
Last Night
Carolina Hurricanes 2, Chicago Blackhawks 1

Hurricanes 2, Blackhawks 1 – Lack makes 35 saves, Hurricanes beat Blackhawks 2-1
Justin Faulk and Victor Rask scored, backup Eddie Lack stopped 35 shots and the Carolina Hurricanes beat the Chicago Blackhawks 2-1 on Sunday night. Chicago’s Brent Seabrook spoiled Lack’s shutout bid with 3 seconds left and Blackhawks goalie Corey Crawford on the bench for an extra attacker. The Blackhawks lost 4-0 to Dallas in their previous game on Tuesday night. Lack wasn’t consistently tested until the Blackhawks outshot Carolina 19-9 in the third period. No. 1 goalie Cam Ward got the night off while the Hurricanes played on the second night in a row. The Hurricanes’ Jeff Skinner had two assists. Faulk scored his second even-strength goal of the season after netting his first on Saturday night in the Hurricanes’ 3-1 win over New Jersey. The Carolina defenseman leads the NHL with 12 power-play goals and is tied for the team lead with 14 goals overall.

Tonight
Detroit Red Wings at Minnesota Wild, 8:00 p.m.

NCAA Football – Bowls
Today
Military Bowl presented by Northrop Grumman – Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, Anapolis, MD
Pittsburgh vs. (21) Navy, 2:30 p.m.

Quick Lane Bowl – Ford Field, Detroit
Central Michigan vs. Minnesota, 5:00 p.m.

NCAA Football – Citrus Bowl – No. 19 Florida without Halter, Harrell for Citrus Bowl
No. 19 Florida will be without starting right tackle Mason Halter in the Citrus Bowl. The Gators announced Sunday that Halter and backup linebacker Anthony Harrell did not make the trip to Orlando for the New Year’s Day game against No. 17 Michigan. Both players are redshirt seniors, so their college careers are over. Halter, a graduate transfer from Fordham, started each of Florida’s 13 games this season. Harrell has played in every game this season, mostly on special teams. Without Halter, the Gators are expected to start freshman Fred Johnson at right tackle. Johnson made one start this season, against Vanderbilt on Nov. 7.

NCAA Basketball – Men’s
Tonight
Detroit at Eastern Michigan, 7:00 p.m.

NCAA Basketball – Women’s
Tonight
Rider at Central Michigan, 3:00 p.m.
(11) Oregon State at (3) Notre Dame, 7:00 p.m.

NCAA – AP Exclusive: Schools ease athlete penalties for marijuana
An investigation by The Associated Press finds that at least one-third of the Power Five conference schools are not punishing athletes as harshly as they were 10 years ago for using marijuana and other so-called recreational drugs. The AP analyzed policies for 57 of the 65 schools in the Southeastern, Atlantic Coast, Big 12, Big Ten and Pac-12 conferences, plus Notre Dame.  Of the 57 schools, 23 since 2005 have either reduced penalties or allowed an athlete to test positive more times before being suspended or dismissed. Ten schools have separate, less stringent policies addressing only marijuana infractions.  In the Pac-12, five schools do not suspend athletes for as long as they once did. Northwestern, Penn State, Pittsburgh, Southern California, Syracuse, Vanderbilt and Wake Forest did not provide copies of their drug policies despite repeated requests, citing privacy laws. Stanford does not test its athletes.

MLB – Dave Henderson dies from heart attack
Former major league outfielder Dave Henderson has died at 57 after suffering a massive heart attack.  Henderson was best known for his home run in the 1986 AL Championship Series for Boston. With the Red Sox one strike from elimination in Game 5, Henderson hit a two-run homer in the top of the ninth against the California Angels to send the series back to Boston. The Red Sox won Games 6 and 7 to advance to the World Series.  He also hit a tiebreaking, solo home run in the 10th inning of Game 6 of the ’86 World Series, but the Red Sox blew a 5-3 lead and a chance to win their first championship in 68 years, a drought that would continue another 18 years. Henderson played in 575 regular-season games during that span, hitting .275 with 84 homers, 123 doubles and 322 RBIs. Henderson was an All-Star in 1991.

AHL – American Hockey League
Last Night
Lake Erie Monsters 3, Grand Rapids Griffins 2 – Griffins have 15 game win streak snapped

ECHL – East Coast Hockey League
Last Night
Kalamazoo Wings 7, Wheeling Nailers 4

MHSAA – High School Basketball
Yesterday
Girls Basketball
Detroit Cass Tech 71, Benton Harbor 56 – Kysre Gondrezick (BH) 44 points.

Today
Boys Basketball
Benton Harbor Earl McKee Holiday Tournament – Farnum Gymnasium – Benton Harbor High School
Coloma vs. Paw Paw, 6:00 p.m.
Bridgman vs. Benton Harbor, 7:30 p.m.          WSJM-AM 7:15

Sturgis Bank and Trust Holiday Classic – White Pigeon High School
Brandywine vs. Gobles, 5:30 p.m.
Lake Michigan Catholic, 7:00 p.m.