Sports

By KYLE HIGHTOWER AP Sports Writer FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — The Patriots went from being the NFL’s stingiest defense in 2019 to ranking in the middle of the pack this past season. That prompted coach Bill Belichick to spend big in the free-agent market this offseason to improve the unit. New England’s revamped defense will

By ANNE M. PETERSON AP Sports Writer Oregon freshman linebacker Justin Flowe had a breakout game against Fresno State, but he and the rest of the Ducks’ defense will be challenged Saturday at Ohio State. Flowe had 14 tackles and a forced fumble in his first career start and was named the Pac-12 Freshman of

By DAVID BRANDT AP Sports Writer TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — Kyler Murray has established that he’s got the arm to be one of the NFL’s elite quarterbacks. But it’s his ability to run that often makes the Cardinals offense difficult to stop. Murray ran for 819 yards last season, which ranked second in the NFL

By ROB HARRIS AP Global Soccer Writer LONDON (AP) — FIFA President Gianni Infantino is determined to double the frequency of World Cups to every other year instead of every four years. AP Global Soccer Writer Rob Harris says Infantino seems to prioritize making money by introducing more and bigger competitions run by FIFA rather

By TIM REYNOLDS AP Sports Writer MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Miami Dolphins coach Brian Flores says there’s “no nostalgia” about his return to New England to face the Patriots. Flores spent 15 years on New England coach Bill Belichick’s staff before taking over the Dolphins in 2019. He’s been back to New England twice

By DAVE SKRETTA AP Sports Writer KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — There were nearly 34,000 offensive plays run in the NFL last season and exactly 11 that included four tight ends, but the Chiefs could reach that number all by themselves. They used the set to score a touchdown against Minnesota in the preseason and

By HOWARD FENDRICH AP Tennis Writer NEW YORK (AP) — British teenager Emma Raducanu has become the first qualifier in the professional era to reach the U.S. Open semifinals. Raducanu beat Tokyo Olympics gold medalist Belinda Bencic 6-3, 6-4 on Wednesday. Raducanu has not dropped a set through eight matches — three during the qualifying

INDIAN WELLS, Calif. (AP) — Novak Djokovic and Ash Barty headline the entry list for the BNP Paribas Open. The tournament is set for Oct. 4-17 as it  returns to the Southern California desert for the first time since 2019. The event was delayed last year and again in March because of the coronavirus pandemic.

By JIM VERTUNO AP Sports Writer AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — The Texas chapter of the NAACP and a group of students have filed a federal civil rights complaint against the University of Texas for its continued use of school song “The Eyes of Texas.” The complaint filed Sept. 3 with the U.S. Department of Education

LONDON (AP) — A man from northwestern England was spared jail time after he pleaded guilty to posting racist abuse on social media after three Black players on the England soccer team missed penalty shots during the final of the European Championship in July.  The Crown Prosecution Service said Scott McCluskey, 43, of Cheshire posted

By MAURICIO SAVARESE AP Sports Writer SAO PAULO (AP) — Brazil has triggered a FIFA regulation in a bid to prevent eight players from competing for their respective clubs in the English Premier League this weekend. They had been called up for World Cup qualifiers but didn’t travel after Premier League teams objected to their

By The Associated Press Tom Brady and the reigning Super Bowl champions open the 2021 season with a prime-time matchup against Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys. The Bucs return all 22 starters from the squad that finished last season on an eight-game winning streak, including a 31-9 rout of the Kansas City Chiefs in

By STEPHEN WHYNO AP Sports Writer ASHBURN, Va. (AP) — Curtis Samuel’s chances of playing in Washington’s season opener this weekend against the Los Angeles Chargers took a hit when the wide receiver appeared to tweak a groin injury that has been bothering him for months. Samuel was supposed to practice for the second time

By GRAHAM DUNBAR AP Sports Writer GENEVA (AP) — North Korea has been formally suspended from the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics by the International Olympic Committee. It’s a punishment for refusing to send a team to the Tokyo Games citing the COVID-19 pandemic. IOC president Thomas Bach says the North Korean national Olympic body will

By DAVE CAMPBELL AP Pro Football Writer EAGAN, Minn. (AP) — The Minnesota Vikings have signed right tackle Brian O’Neill to a contract extension. They’ve secured their most reliable blocker for the long term. O’Neill was drafted in the second round out of Pittsburgh in 2018. He would have been eligible for free agency next

By KRISTIE RIEKEN AP Sports Writer HOUSTON (AP) — The Houston Texans will be without kicker Kaʻimi Fairbairn because of an injury Sunday when they open the season against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Fairbairn missed the final preseason game Aug. 28 against Tampa Bay with what the team called a minor pulled muscle in his leg,

By PETE IACOBELLI AP Sports Writer The Atlantic Coast Conference crown seems up for grabs after the league’s disappointing opening week performance. The league was 7-7 in Week 1, tied for worst showing among Power Five conferences. The ACC’s three schools in the preseason Top 25 all lost. No. 6 Clemson fell to Georgia, No.

By NOAH TRISTER AP Sports Writer OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP) — The Baltimore Ravens have signed Le’Veon Bell to their practice squad, adding another backfield option in the aftermath of J.K. Dobbins’ season-ending injury. Bell was cut early last season by the New York Jets, then rushed for 328 yards in 11 games with Kansas

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — Alabama transfer guard Nimari Burnett will miss the season after having surgery on his right knee. Coach Nate Oats said Burnett had successful surgery Tuesday, performed by Dr. Lyle Cain of Andrews Sports Medicine at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Birmingham. The 6-foot-4, 190-pound sophomore transferred from Texas Tech, where he played

ZURICH (AP) — The global group of national soccer leagues says it will oppose FIFA’s plans to play the men’s World Cup every two years. The World Leagues Forum says a biennial World Cup “would negatively disrupt the football economy and undermine players’ welfare in a calendar that is already overloaded.” The leagues joined European