JOHN BROWN

Nyheim Hines ignited an emotionally charged atmosphere celebrating injured Bills safety Damar Hamlin by returning two kickoffs for touchdowns, and Buffalo clinched the AFC’s No. 2 playoff seed with a 35-23 win over the New England Patriots.

They were once at the top of the NFL.

Cam Newton followed Mac Jones along the sideline, holding his right hand up, waiting for the rookie quarterback to slap it after the No. 15 overall pick threw a touchdown in a preseason game Sunday night.

A judge has ordered no jail time for South Dakota Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg in a crash that killed a pedestrian last year, instead fining him $500 on each of two misdemeanor counts.

A Houston police officer was released from the hospital Monday morning after being shot the night before while working an off-duty job at an apartment complex.

FILE - San Francisco 49ers offensive tackle Trent Williams (71) looks on prior to an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals, in Glendale, Ariz., in this Saturday, Dec. 26, 2020, file photo. (AP Photo/Jennifer Stewart, File)As the NFL opened its business year Wednesday, veterans Trent Williams, A.J. The Seahawks addressed another need, agreeing to terms with tight end Gerald Everett on a one-year deal. Ad— Kansas City agreed to a $5 million contract for next season with three-time Pro Bowl guard Kyle Long, who will come out of retirement. — New England brought back center Ted Karras on a one-year, $4 million contract.

The Kansas City Chiefs won their first NFL title since 1970 when they beat San Francisco in last year's Super Bowl. What we get Sunday is a matchup of dynamic offenses and overlooked defenses, the top two teams in the conference. Kansas City (15-2) has the confidence of a reigning champion and a charisma few NFL teams can match. That could provide an edge over Bills rookie Tyler Bass — except that Bass has been very reliable all season. Buffalo punter Corey Bojorquez and Kansas City rookie Johnny Townsend were two of the most dependable in the AFC.

In a season in which the Bills busted numerous slumps, Allen became Buffalo's first starter in a quarter century to win a playoff game. Made enough plays to win,” Allen said. The Colts responded with a seven-play, 75-play drive capped by a 9-yard touchdown pass to Pascal. Rivers’ pass for Michael Pittman glanced off the diving receiver’s fingertips on fourth down. Facing fourth-and-3 from the Colts 26, Allen drew defensive end Kemoko Turay offside with a second left on the play clock.

18 Florida State on Saturday after coming into close contact with a person who tested positive for COVID-19. ___Marquette women’s basketball has paused activities because of a positive COVID-19 test. The Browns did not have any new positive COVID-19 tests on Friday, and after getting league approval, practiced indoors. It’s the second straight postponement for the Sun Devils after their game scheduled for Thursday at Washington State was also called off. Every player on the active roster practiced Thursday and Friday, an indication none was identified as a high-risk close contact with Fitzpatrick.

(AP Photo/Darren Abate)The Latest on the effects of the coronavirus outbreak on sports around the world:___The Atlantic Coast Conference announced that the Pittsburgh-Duke men’s basketball game scheduled for Tuesday has been postponed because of COVID-19 issues. ___Syracuse's women’s basketball game against North Carolina scheduled for Thursday has been postponed. The decision was made out of an abundance of caution after confirmation of a positive COVID-19 test within the Syracuse program announced on Sunday. ___Vanderbilt women’s basketball has postponed the first three Southeastern Conference games of the league schedule as it deals with positive COVID-19 tests, contact tracing and quarantines. The Spurs announced Monday that their home games will remain without fans for now.

Today is Wednesday, Dec. 2, the 337th day of 2020. Today’s Highlight in History:On Dec. 2, 1804, Napoleon crowned himself Emperor of the French. On this date:In 1816, the first savings bank in the United States, the Philadelphia Savings Fund Society, opened for business. In 1942, an artificially created, self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction was demonstrated for the first time at the University of Chicago. Rock singer Jimi (cq) HaHa (Jimmie’s Chicken Shack) is 52.

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) rushes past Seattle Seahawks' Bruce Irvin (51) and Jayson Stanley (29) for a touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 8, 2020, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. – Josh Allen regained his early-season groove by throwing three touchdown passes and scoring one rushing, and the Buffalo Bills beat the Seattle Seahawks 44-34 on Sunday. The Bills offense came alive after Allen combined for just 846 yards passing and five touchdowns — including one rushing — in splitting the previous four games. It was just the eighth time since Week 9 of the 2011 season the Carroll-led Seahawks have lost by 10 points or more. Allen carved up a Seahawks defense that entered allowing 28.5 points per game and had already surrendered 500 yards of offense three times this season. For Buffalo, the entire Bills team continued its season-long decision to stay in the locker room for the anthem.

(AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)Las Vegas starting offensive linemen Kolton Miller, Denzelle Good, Rodney Hudson and Gabe Jackson are active for the Raiders against Tampa Bay after spending time on the COVID-19 list this week. Safety Johnathan Abram remains on the COVID-19 list for at least one more day and is missing the game. ___TAMPA BAY AT LAS VEGASBuccaneers: QB Ryan Griffin, OL Aaron Stinnie, LB Quinton Bell, DL Khalil Davis, WR Cyril Grayson. Raiders: WR Bryan Edwards, CB Keisean Nixon, QB Marcus Mariota, G Patrick Omameh, DE David Irving. ___CAROLINA AT NEW ORLEANSPanthers: QB Will Grier, CB Stantley Thomas-Oliver, G John Miller, OL Mike Horton, WR Marken Michel.

Today is Friday, Oct. 16, the 290th day of 2020. On Oct. 16, 1962, the Cuban missile crisis began as President John F. Kennedy was informed that reconnaissance photographs had revealed the presence of missile bases in Cuba. In 1859, radical abolitionist John Brown led a group of 21 men in a raid on Harpers Ferry in western Virginia. In 1901, Booker T. Washington dined at the White House as the guest of President Theodore Roosevelt, whose invitation to the Black educator sparked controversy. In 1995, a vast throng of Black men gathered in Washington, D.C. for the “Million Man March” led by Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan.

Malcolm Butler intercepted two passes, the second he returned 68 yards, and both set up short touchdowns for Tennessee. Kareem Orr’s recovery of a fumbled kickoff set up Tannehill’s fourth TD for 21 points off Buffalo's three turnovers. “Kudos to them, and we have a lot to learn from.”Josh Allen came in second in the NFL in yards passing. Allen's pass went off Andre Roberts' hands right to Butler, and he returned the interception 29 yards to the Bills 16. Tennessee led 21-10 at halftime after Tannehill ran in from 10 yards seconds before the half.

Allen reached a career high in yards passing for the second week in a row, and became the first Buffalo quarterback to have back-to-back 300-yard games since Drew Bledsoe in 2002. The Bills totaled 524 yards, with 342 in the first half, the most by the team since 2000. The Dolphins closed to 31-28 on an 8-yard touchdown pass from Ryan Fitzpatrick to Mike Gesicki and a successful 2-point conversion with 49 seconds left. Allen threw touchdown passes to four receivers and Stefon Diggs led the Bills with eight catches for 153 yards. The Bills had scoring drives of 97 yards, 84 yards, and 73 yards in the first half.

(AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. – Josh Allen led three consecutive first-half touchdown drives, and the Buffalo Bills overcame their own sloppiness and injuries to two starting linebackers in a 27-17 season-opening win over the New York Jets on Sunday. Allen finished 33 of 46 for 312 yards in becoming Buffalo's first player to top 300 yards since Tyrod Taylor had 329 in a 34-31 overtime loss to Miami on Dec. 24, 2016. Allen also scored on a 2-yard run, though his fumbles proved costly with both coming inside Jets territory. After driving the Bills on three consecutive scoring drives, Allen closed the first half by fumbling at the Jets 12. The Jets finished the game without starting running back Le’Veon Bell, who was ruled out in the second half due to a hamstring injury.