Newspaper Page Text
2B Sunday, December 23, 2018
The Times, Gainesville, Georgia | gainesvilletimes.com
SPORTS
NFL
Thursday Night
games shown to
be huge success
Thursday night football is
here to stay, even if it’s gone
for the rest of 2018.
In past years, some —
make that many — would
have said “good riddance.”
That would be misguided
this year.
First off, Fox’s presenta
tion generally was strong
and on target. Indeed, Troy
Aikman, who has been Fox’s
lead analyst for 17 years,
might have had his best
season.
Seemingly energized
by having a true national
game, in prime time with
no competition, Aikman
not only was spot-on with
his analyses, he was more
than willing to criticize play
calling, performance and
officiating.
Presenting your convic
tions and then sticking to
them is a must for a top
analyst, and Aikman came
through for viewers the way
he did as a three-time Super
Bowl champion quarterback
for Dallas.
“I think after 17 years of
doing it somewhat the same
way, this was an opportu
nity to kind of change up
my schedule,” says Aik
man, who at first had some
reservations about balanc
ing his family and business
responsibilities.
“I think that is fair to say
‘energized.’ It felt more like
an event, being the only
game, and in prime time.
On Sunday afternoon, espe
cially for the late game, it
sure seems like that’s when
most people prefer to view
football. But the prime time
has a little bigger of a feel to
it.
“We did not feel as
restricted to the action on
the field; we never feel
completely restricted.
It certainly freed me up
and allowed me to have
even more fun within the
broadcast.”
Fox also wound up with
some very solid matchups
with intriguing storylines.
Yes, NBC had the season
opener, a Thursday nighter
hosted by the champion
Eagles in a rematch of a
January playoff game with
the Falcons. That wound up
18-12, eerily similar to Phila
delphia’s previous win over
Atlanta. It also, of course,
didn’t have two teams com
ing off short weeks.
Then, Fox prospered with
three of the better games
of the entire season, games
that wouldn’t have had the
same cachet later in the
schedule.
Cincinnati’s 34-23 vic
tory over Baltimore — look
at where those two teams
reside now! — was enter
taining, with Andy Dalton
torching the Ravens with
four touchdown passes. It
also had the added spice of
the Bengals having knocked
the Ravens out of playoff
contention in the 2017 finale.
A week later — and this
was Aikman at his
best, even if Jets
fans swear play-by-
play voice Joe Buck
was outwardly root
ing for the hosts —
the Browns finally
got a win, with
Baker Mayfield
stamping himself as
an emerging force
in just the third
game of his rookie year.
“There were so much
expectations with Baker
Mayfield in that city. The
team had not won a lot of
games, and the fans were
expecting the team would
start to win games, so there
was this optimism around
the city,” Aikman recalls.
“Having been
there for the pre
season and then
we go back in the
regular season, you
could just feel this
energy building and
it was a fan base
that just wanted to
celebrate. And then
Baker comes off the
bench to lead them
to that victory. It was huge
and fun to be a part of. ”
Jets-Cleveland was fol
lowed by the Rams’ 38-31
shootout victory against the
Vikings, when Jared Goff
and Kirk Cousins
combined for eight
TD throws and 887
yards through the
air.
For those enam
ored of the video-
game fireworks,
well, that was
nirvana.
There was plenty
of offense all year,
even with only three full
days between games. Oddly,
the only Thursday nighter
with teams coming off a
previous Thursday contest,
Saints at Cowboys the week
after Thanksgiving, had the
fewest points, 13-10 for the
Cowboys.
That also was a mesmer
izing drama in which Dallas’
defense stamped itself as
capable of carrying a con
tender, shutting down Drew
Brees and the ultra-prolific
Saints. It also might have
featured Aikman and Buck’s
best work.
“I have become comfort
able with where I am at
within my job, so to speak,”
Aikman says. “I always
have been comfortable with
my opinions and how I feel
about the play on the field,
and how it should be done
and how teams should go
about playing the game.
“There have been a lot
of league issues and things
happening as it relates to
our game. I am not trying to
grandstand or get on a soap
box; that’s not my nature. I
think I have to be honest in
how I feel, and I feel strongly
enough in my beliefs to feel
I am speaking for the major
ity of the people viewing.”
There was a string of nine
Thursday nighters, includ
ing New Orleans’
31-17 victory over
Atlanta on Thanks
giving night on NBC,
in which it took at
least 27 points to
win. The Steelers
went for 52 against
Carolina, Denver
scored 45 vs. Ari
zona, and Houston
got 42 on Miami.
So complaints about not
enough rest between games
mostly would come from
defensive players — the
same folks who have pro
tested, often with validity,
about how the rules are
stacked against them.
Two teams never made
it to the Thursday night
spotlight, Tampa
Bay and Buffalo.
Nobody missed
them.
Three others had
Thursday outings,
but on Thanksgiv
ing afternoon, when
Chicago visited
Detroit and Wash
ington was at Dallas.
The Eagles, Cow
boys, Saints and Falcons all
had two Thursday appear
ances. Aikman and Buck
had 14 such games, includ
ing Redskins-Cowboys in the
late-afternoon Thanksgiving
spot. They doubled
up Thursday/Sun
day assignments
seven times.
The longtime
partnership Aik
man and Buck share
made the extra
duties much easier
to handle.
“Joe is unbeliev
able, such a ridicu
lous talent,” Aikman says.
“Joe is as gifted at his craft
as anyone I played with. It’s
a real marvel how smooth
he is and what he sees.
“It’s like being married,
when you’ve been around
someone for so long you
know their habits and pat
terns, and I know where Joe
wants to go right from the
start, how he wants to set the
tone.”
Overall, ratings for the
13-game Thursday night
package on Fox, with its
simulcast on NFL Network,
were up 2 percent over the
2017 season split between
CBS and NBC. The average
was 14,304,000 viewers, with
Chargers-Chiefs in the last of
the midweek games shatter
ing the competition at 17.4
million on Fox/NFLN. That
also was a 29-28 outcome in
which LA scored a TD and
2-point conversion to win at
the very end.
NFL games on Thursday
nights are a money maker,
so much so that the World
Series in October hasn’t had
a scheduled game that night
since 2013.
Mayfield
Aikman
Transactions
BASEBALL
American League
CLEVELAND INDIANS — Signed OF Brandon
Barnes and RHP Brooks Pounders to minor
league contracts.
LOS ANGELES ANGELS — Agreed to terms with
RHP Matt Harvey on a one-year contract.
TAMPA BAY RAYS — Agreed to terms with RHP
Charlie Morton on a two-year contract.
TORONTO BLUE JAYS — Signed 2B Eric Sogard
to a minor league contract.
National League
CINCINNATI REDS — Designated LHP Robby
Scott for assignment.
ST. LOUIS CARDINALS — Designated RHP Ryan
Meisinger for assignment.
BASKETBALL
National Basketball Association
ATLANTA HAWKS — Transferred F Alex
Poythress from Erie (NBAGL).
FOOTBALL
National Football League
HOUSTON TEXANS — Activated CB Kayvon
Webster from injured reserve.
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS — Signed S Rolan Mil
ligan from the practice squad.
JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS — Placed OT Jermey
Parnell and S Ronnie Harrison on injured
reserve. Signed CB Breon Borders and OL
Brandon Thomas from the practice squad.
HOCKEY
National Hockey League
CALGARY FLAMES —Assigned F Ryan Lomberg
to Stockton (AHL). Activated F Michael Frolik
from injured reserve.
COLORADO AVALANCHE — Recalled G Joe Can-
nata from Utah (ECHL) to Colorado (AHL).
LOS ANGELES KINGS — Placed D Dion Phaneuf
on injured reserve, retroactive to Dec. 11. Acti
vated F Ilya Kovalchuk from injured reserve.
VEGAS KNIGHTS — Recalled G Zach Fucale
from Fort Wayne (ECHL) to Chicago (AHL).
ECHL
ECHL — Suspended Adirondack D Michael
Sdao three games.
ADIRONDACK THUNDER — Loaned G Devin
Buffalo to Utica (AHL). Added G Dylan Pasco as
emergency backup.
ATLANTA GLADIATORS — Released F Jared
Ross.
BRAMPTON BEAST — Signed G Anthony
Dumont-Bouchard.
FORT WAYNE KOMETS — Released F Aidan
Muir. Traded F Justin Kea to Orlando.
Basketball/college
Men’s Top 25
Saturday’s results
1. Kansas (10-0) at No. 18 Arizona State. Next:
vs. Eastern Michigan, Saturday.
2. Duke (11-1) did not play. Next: vs. Clemson,
Saturday, Jan. 5.
3. Tennessee (10-1) beat Wake Forest 83-64.
Next: vs. Tennessee Tech, Saturday.
4. Michigan (12-0) beat Air Force 71-50. Next:
vs. Binghamton, Sunday, Dec. 30.
5. Virginia (11 -0) beat William & Mary 72-40.
Next: vs. Marshall, Monday, Dec. 31.
6. Nevada (12-0) beat Akron 68-62. Next: at
Utah, Saturday.
7. Auburn (10-2) beat Murray State 93-88. Next:
vs. North Florida, Saturday.
8. Gonzaga (11-2) did not play. Next: vs. North
Alabama, Friday.
9. North Carolina (8-3) lost to No. 19 Kentucky
80-72. Next: vs. Davidson, Saturday.
10. Michigan State (10-2) did not play. Next: vs.
Northern Illinois, Saturday.
11. Florida State (11-1) beat Saint Louis 81-59.
Next: vs. Winthrop, Tuesday, Jan. 1.
12. Texas Tech (10-1) did not play. Next: vs.
Texas-Rio Grande Valley, Friday.
13. Virginia Tech (10-1) did not play. Next: vs.
Maryland-Eastern Shore, Friday.
14. Buffalo (11-1) did not play. Next: at
Canisius, Saturday.
15. Ohio State (11-1) beat UCLA 80-66. Next:
vs. High Point, Saturday.
16. Wisconsin (10-2) beat Grambling State 84-
53. Next: at Western Kentucky, Saturday.
17. Mississippi State (11-1) beat Wright State
67-63. Next: vs. BYU, Saturday.
18. Arizona State (8-2) vs. No. 1 Kansas. Next:
vs. Princeton, Saturday.
19. Kentucky (9-2) beat No. 9 North Carolina
80-72. Next: at Louisville, Saturday.
20. Marquette (10-2) did not play. Next: vs.
Southern University, Friday.
21. Houston (11-0) did not play. Next: vs. Cop-
pin State, Sunday.
22. Indiana (11-2) beat Jacksonville 94-64.
Next: vs. Illinois, Thursday, Jan. 3.
23. Iowa (10-2) beat Savannah State 110-64.
Next: vs. Bryant, Saturday.
24. Furman (12-1) did not play. Next: at ETSU,
Saturday.
25. Nebraska (10-2) beat Cal State Fullerton
86-62. Next: vs. Southwest Minnesta State,
Saturday.
Women’s Top 25
Saturday’s results
1. UConn (11-0) beat No. 14 California 76-66.
Next: at No. 6 Baylor, Thursday, Jan. 3.
2. Notre Dame (11-1) beat No. 19 Marquette
87-63. Next: vs. Coppin State, Saturday.
3. Louisville (12-0) did not play. Next: vs. North
Carolina, Thursday, Jan. 3.
4. Mississippi State (11-1) did not play. Next:
vs. Louisiana-Lafayette, Sunday, Dec. 30.
5. Maryland (11 -0) did not play. Next: at Penn
State, Friday.
6. Baylor (8-0) did not play. Next: vs. Texas-Rio
Grande Valley, Monday.
7. Oregon (11-1) did not play. Next: vs. Wash
ington, Friday, Jan. 4.
8. Stanford (8-1) did not play. Next: vs. Cal
State Northridge, Saturday.
9. Tennessee (9-1) did not play. Next: vs. Mur
ray State, Friday.
10. N.C. State (12-0) did not play. Next: vs.
Davidson, Sunday, Dec. 30.
11. Oregon State (8-1) did not play. Next: vs. Cal
State Bakersfield, Saturday.
12. Texas (8-2) did not play. Next: vs. North
western State, Saturday.
13. Minnesota (11-0) beat Rhode Island 91-71.
Next: vs. Wisconsin, Friday.
14. California (8-1) lost to No. 1 UConn 76-66.
Next: vs. Harvard, Sunday, Dec. 30.
15. Syracuse (10-2) vs. UCF. Next: at Clemson,
Thursday, Jan. 3.
16. Iowa (9-2) did not play. Next: at No. 22
Michigan State, Sunday, Dec. 30.
17. Arizona State (9-2) did not play. Next: at
Arizona, Sunday, Dec. 30.
18. Kentucky (12-1) did not play. Next: vs.
Sacred Heart, Saturday.
19. Marquette (9-3) lost to No. 2 Notre Dame
87-63. Next: vs. Providence, Saturday.
20. DePaul (9-3) did not play. Next: vs. Creigh
ton, Saturday.
21. Gonzaga (11-1) did not play. Next: at Loyola
Marymount, Saturday.
22. Michigan State (9-1) did not play. Next: vs.
No. 16 Iowa, Sunday, Dec. 30.
23. Texas A&M (10-2) did not play. Next: vs.
Texas-Rio Grande Valley, Saturday.
24. Miami (10-3) did not play. Next: vs. Florida
A&M, Friday.
25. South Carolina (7-4) did not play. Next: vs.
Furman, Sunday, Dec. 30.
Today’s game
EAST
St. Bonaventure at Buffalo, 2:30 p.m.
TODAY ON TV
FOOTBALL
BASKETBALL
■ Falcons at Panthers,
1 p.m., FOX
■ Steelers at Saints,
4:25 p.m., CBS
■ Chiefs at Seahawks,
8:20 p.m., NBC
■ Diamond Head Classic semifinal,
4:30 p.m., ESPN2
■ Diamond Head Classic consolation game,
7 p.m., ESPNU
■ Las Vegas Classic championship,
7:30 p.m., FSN
■ Las Vegas Classic consolation game,
10 p.m., FSN
NFL I Falcons at Panthers, 1 p.m., Fox
Atlanta looking for edge
vs. short-handed Carolina
DANNY KARNIKI The Associated Press
Atlanta Falcons running back Tevin Coleman (26) celebrates with quarterback Matt Ryan
after scoring a touchdown during the second half against the Arizona Cardinals on Dec. 16
in Atlanta.
Panthers playing without Cam
Newton for rest of the season
Associated Press
It wasn’t long after
Taylor Heinicke was named
the Panthers’ starting quar
terback for Sunday’s game
against the Falcons that the
jokes began rolling in.
Panthers center Ryan
Kalil laughed that he might
have to bring down
his shotgun snaps so
they don’t go flying
over the 6-foot QB’s
head. Running back
Christian McCaf
frey teased that he’s
glad he won’t look
so small in the back-
field anymore now
that Heinicke has
taken over for the 6-foot-5,
245-pound Cam Newton.
Heinicke laughs at the
remarks, pointing out that
he’s the same size as
Russell Wilson and
Drew Brees.
“I want to emu
late those guys,”
Heinicke said.
Heinicke makes
his first career start
over Newton, who
was shut down by
the team earlier
this week because
of a lingering right shoulder
problem that made it nearly
impossible for him to throw
the ball more than 15 yards
down the field.
The Panthers have com
pleted only nine passes of
longer than 20 yards this
season and three times have
subbed in Heinicke to throw
Hail Mary passes because
Newton lacked the arm
strength to handle the task.
But that doesn’t mean
the Panthers will be chang
ing much up on offense this
week against the Falcons.
“I don’t know if in one
or two games you see that
being a whole lot different,”
Panthers offensive coordi
nator Norv Turner said. “If
the opportunities are there,
he is capable of getting the
ball down the field.”
While Heinicke
has been in the
league since
2015, he has only
attempted five
passes.
Still, the Panthers
like his potential,
which is why they
let veteran Derek
Anderson walk in
free agency last
offseason.
Heinicke has been in
Turner’s system three
years, including two with the
Vikings as a backup
in 2016 and 2017.
When he was signed
this offseason, he
spent a lot of time
teaching other play
ers the playbook.
He has also taken
the bulk of the reps
in practice this past
month with Newton
mostly resting the
shoulder between games.
“I think guys are excited
to see what he is capable
of doing for us,” Panthers
coach Ron Rivera said. “I
think he wants to prove a lot
of the people who believed
in him right.”
The game itself doesn’t
have much meaning with
the Falcons (5-9) already
eliminated from playoff
contention and the Panthers
(6-8) hanging on by a thread
as the result of an ongoing
six-game losing streak.
Here are other things to
know about the Falcons-
Panthers matchup:
CATCHING ON: There
haven’t been many bright
spots on a Falcons offense
decimated by injuries to
both starting guards and
running back Devonta Free
man, but quarterback Matt
Ryan sees hope in the wide
receivers working behind
veterans Julio Jones and
Mohamed Sanu.
Rookie Calvin Ridley
leads the team with eight
touchdown catches and is
second with 56 receptions.
Ryan also noted progress
made by Russell Gage, who
had two catches last week,
and Marvin Hall.
“The young guys’
improvement and develop
ment have been a bonus for
us,” Ryan said.
100 WINS: Ryan is the
12th quarterback to win 100
games with one team since
the AFL-NFL merger.
He won his 100th with the
Falcons last week, leaving
him tied with Joe Montana
for the 1 lth-most wins with
one team during that span.
INSULT TO INJURY: It’s
bad enough the Falcons are
5-9 after back-to-back play
off appearances, including a
spot in the Super Bowl after
the 2016 season. It’s worse
they have to watch other
teams play in their home
stadium — and practice at
their facility — for the Super
Bowl. Coach Dan Quinn had
a grim response when told
the NFC Super Bowl team —
possibly the rival Saints —
will practice at the Falcons’
facility in Flowery Branch.
“I guess I’m most disap
pointed we won’t be the ones
playing and practicing at our
site,” he said before walking
out, ending the Thursday
news conference.
McCaffrey
Newton
TITANS 25, REDSKINS 16
JAMES KENNEY I The Associated Press
Tennessee Titans free safety Kevin Byard (31) celebrates
after intercepting a pass against the Washington Redskins
late in the fourth quarter of Saturday’s game in Nashville,
Tenn.
Blaine Gabbert threw a
2-yard touchdown pass to
MyCole Pruitt with 4:30 left
and the Tennessee Titans
kept their playoff hopes
alive by rallying to beat the
Washington Redskins 25-16
on Saturday.
Gabbert came off the
bench for the third time this
season after the Redskins
knocked Marcus Mariota out
of the game late in the first
half with a stinger. Gabbert
hit Taywan Taylor for 35
yards to jump-start the win
ning drive, Derrick Henry
ran four times for 33 yards,
his last an 18-yarder to the
2. Gabbert then hit Pruitt at
the back of the end zone.
The Titans (9-6) now must
beat Andrew Luck and the
Indianapolis Colts and have
either Baltimore or Pitts
burgh lose once to earn the
AFC’s second wild-card spot
for a second consecutive
playoff berth.
Safety Kevin Byard inter
cepted Josh Johnson’s pass
on third-and-3 with 1:17 left.
Then Malcolm Butler picked
off a pass as time expired
and ran 56 yards for an
emphatic TD.
The Redskins (7-8) have
lost five of six. Mariota had
thrown for 110 yards when
sacked with 48 seconds left
in the first half by defen
sive end Jonathan Allen.
His right, throwing shoulder
and arm were examined,
then he walked to the locker
room and was replaced by
Gabbert.
The Titans said Mariota
suffered a stinger, the same
injury that knocked him out
of Tennessee’s loss Nov. 18
at Indianapolis. He also was
knocked out of the season
opener with an elbow injury
that cost him a start.
Gabbert threw for 101
yards, and Henry finished
with 84 yards and a TD on 21
carries. Adrian Peterson ran
for 119 yards for Washing
ton. That put him over 1,000
yards for the season for the
first time since 2015 and
made him the 12th player
in NFL history with eight
or more seasons with 1,000
yards rushing.
Johnson threw for 153
yards and a TD. Dustin Hop
kins kicked field goals of 50,
40 and 46 yards, and Wash
ington finished with three
sacks.
Tennessee keeps playoff
hopes alive with late TD
Associated Press
