ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Josh Allen’s memorable week began with singer and actress Hailey Steinfeld accepting his proposal for marriage and ended with the Buffalo Bills quarterback celebrating his three-TD outing in an AFC East-clinching 35-10 win over San Francisco by making snow angels alongside coach Sean McDermott on Sunday night. “He’s the one that got me to do it,” Allen said of interrupting McDermott’s television interview to lay backwards into a snow pile. “I’m not the biggest snow angel fan, because you get cold down there, my toes are freezing right now ... but it was fun.” As for Steinfeld saying “Yes,” during his bye week proposal, Allen said: “Felt good. Felt free.”
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Trevor Lawrence walked out of EverBank Stadium with his wife by his side and a smile on his face, a positive sign for the oft-injured Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback. Lawrence was carted off the field after taking a violent blow to the facemask from Houston linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair, a hit that prompted a sideline-clearing brawl and a secondary scuffle. “It’s a play that really has no business being in our league,” Jaguars coach Doug Pederson said following his team’s 23-20 loss Sunday. Back in the starting lineup after missing two games with a sprained left shoulder, Lawrence scrambled left on a second-and-7 play in the second quarter. He initiated a slide before Al-Shaair raised his forearm and unleashed on the defenseless quarterback. Lawrence clenched both fists after the hit — movements consistent with what’s referred to as the “fencing response,” which can be common after a traumatic brain injury. He was on the ground for several minutes as teammates came to his defense and mobbed Al-Shaair, whose latest perceived cheap shot could result in a suspension.
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — San Francisco running back Christian McCaffrey suffered a knee injury that coach Kyle Shanahan described as “potentially” season-ending in the 49ers’ 35-10 loss to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday night. Shanahan said McCaffrey is believed to have injured his posterior cruciate ligament, which connects the thigh bone to the shin. He said he had no timetable for McCaffrey’s return but acknowledged the All-Pro’s season could be over. “I think PCL is usually a couple weeks, but I’m not exactly sure yet,” Shanahan said. It’s the latest setback in a frustrating season for the 2023 offensive player of the year, who missed the Niners’ first eight games with Achilles tendinitis and has not been his usual explosive self since returning. And it’s another blow for a team that has battled injuries all season, was missing five starters against Buffalo and dropped its third straight.
ROSEMONT, Ill. (AP) — The Big Ten Conference announced it fined Michigan and Ohio State $100,000 each for violating the conference’s sportsmanship policy for the on-field melee at the end of the Wolverines’ win in Columbus on Saturday. “Not only did the actions of both teams violate fundamental elements of sportsmanship such as respect and civility, the nature of the incident also jeopardized the safety of participants and bystanders,” the Big Ten said in a statement Sunday. A fight broke out at midfield after the Wolverines’ 13-10 victory when Michigan players attempted to plant their flag on the OSU logo and were confronted by the Buckeyes. Police used pepper spray to break up the players, who threw punches and shoves. One officer suffered a head injury when he was “knocked down and trampled while trying to separate players fighting,” a police union official said. The officer was taken to a hospital and has since been released.
SUNDAY SCORES
National Football League
Houston 23, Jacksonville 20
Indianapolis 25, New England 24
Seattle 26, NY Jets 21
LA Chargers 17, Atlanta 13
Washington 42, Tennessee 19
Pittsburgh 44, Cincinnati 38
LA Rams 21, New Orleans 14
Minnesota 23, Arizona 22
Tampa Bay 26, Carolina 23
Philadelphia 24, Baltimore 19
Buffalo 35, San Francisco 10