BRONCOS / STEELERS AFC DIVISIONAL PLAYOFF
PITTSBURGH (AP) – The Pittsburgh Steelers are hoping injured stars Ben Roethlisberger and Antonio Brown will play Sunday against Denver in the divisional round of the playoffs. Coach Mike Tomlin said Tuesday that Roethlisberger has “a chance” after injuring his right shoulder in the third quarter of last weekend’s 18-16 win over Cincinnati in the wild-card game. Roethlisberger said on his radio show Tuesday he sprained a joint in his throwing shoulder and also tore some ligaments. Landry Jones will get the majority of the reps at quarterback early in the week. Tomlin said wide receiver Antonio Brown will continue to go through the NFL’s concussion protocol after taking a shot to the head from Cincinnati’s Vontaze Burfict on Pittsburgh’s final drive. The coach adds that running back DeAngelo Williams and his injured right foot is “on the outside looking in.”
GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) – What a game last night for the national championship. In a high-scoring affair that went back and forth, Alabama came out on top, spoiling Clemson’s bid for a perfect season, 45-40. The national championship is the fifth for Alabama coach Nick Saban.
CINCINNATI (AP) – Vontaze Burfict (vahn-TEHZ’ BUR’-fihct) will miss the first three games of next season. The Cincinnati linebacker has been suspended by the NFL for repeated violations of the league’s rules against dangerous hits on opposing players. His most recent infraction came in the Bengals-Steelers game over the weekend when he drilled Steelers receiver Antonio Brown after an incompletion.
UNDATED (AP) – Meetings start in Houston today for the NFL owners who are slated to discuss the possibility of at least one, if not two teams, relocating to Los Angeles. The Raiders, Rams and Chargers have petitioned the league to leave their current homes for a new stadium in the nation’s second largest market. Commissioner Roger Goodell (guh-DEHL’) has indicated the stadium proposals in Oakland, St. Louis and San Diego are all inadequate.
UNDATED (AP) – Two games are on the men’s Top-25 schedule tonight that feature two ranked schools. First, No. 1 Kansas is on the road for a game with 11th-ranked West Virginia. The second contest has 13th-ranked Virginia home to No. 8 Miami of Florida.
VANCOUVER (AP) – Florida’s Panthers had their 12-game winning streak snapped last night. The Panthers were stopped by the Canucks in Vancouver 3-2 in overtime. Oddly enough, it was the Canucks that ended Montreal’s season-starting nine-game winning streak as well.
