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Wednesday, November 16, 2011
SPORTS
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SCOREBOARD NCAA Division II Playoffs NFL
AMERICAN CONFERENCE East W L T Pct PF PA New England 6 3 0 .667 259 200 N.Y. Jets 5 4 0 .556 215 200 Buffalo 5 4 0 .556 229 218 Miami 2 7 0 .222 158 178 South W L T Pct PF PA Houston 7 3 0 .700 273 166 Tennessee 5 4 0 .556 186 172 Jacksonville 3 6 0 .333 115 166 Indianapolis 0 10 0 .000 131 300 North W L T Pct PF PA Pittsburgh 7 3 0 .700 220 179 Baltimore 6 3 0 .667 225 152 Cincinnati 6 3 0 .667 212 164 Cleveland 3 6 0 .333 131 183 West W L T Pct PF PA Oakland 5 4 0 .556 208 233 San Diego 4 5 0 .444 216 228 Denver 4 5 0 .444 188 234 Kansas City 4 5 0 .444 141 218 NATIONAL CONFERENCE East W L T Pct PF PA N.Y. Giants 6 3 0 .667 218 211 Dallas 5 4 0 .556 223 182 Philadelphia 3 6 0 .333 220 203 Washington 3 6 0 .333 136 178 South W L T Pct PF PA New Orleans 7 3 0 .700 313 228 Atlanta 5 4 0 .556 212 196 Tampa Bay 4 5 0 .444 156 233 Carolina 2 7 0 .222 190 237 North W L T Pct PF PA Green Bay 9 0 0 1.000 320 186 Detroit 6 3 0 .667 252 184 Chicago 6 3 0 .667 237 187 Minnesota 2 7 0 .222 179 244 West W L T Pct PF PA San Francisco 8 1 0 .889 233 138 Seattle 3 6 0 .333 144 202 Arizona 3 6 0 .333 183 213 St. Louis 2 7 0 .222 113 223 Thursday’s Game N.Y. Jets at Denver, 7:20 p.m. Sunday’s Games Tampa Bay at Green Bay, noon Oakland at Minnesota, noon Carolina at Detroit, noon Dallas at Washington, noon Jacksonville at Cleveland, noon Cincinnati at Baltimore, noon Buffalo at Miami, noon Arizona at San Francisco, 3 p.m. Seattle at St. Louis, 3 p.m. San Diego at Chicago, 3:15 p.m. Tennessee at Atlanta, 3:15 p.m. Philadelphia at N.Y. Giants, 7:20 p.m. Open: Houston, Indianapolis, New Orleans, Pittsburgh Monday’s Game Kansas City at New England, 7:30 p.m.
Chiefs
(x-subject to change) Buffalo, L 7-41 (0-1) at Detroit, L 3-48 (0-2) at San Diego, L 17-20 (0-3) Minnesota, W 22-17 (1-3) at Indianapolis, W 28-24 (2-3) BYE at Oakland, W 28-0 (3-3) San Diego, W 23-20 (OT) (4-3) Miami, L 3-31 (4-4) Denver, L 10-17 (4-5) Nov. 21 — at New England, 7:30 p.m. Nov. 27 — Pittsburgh, 7:20 p.m.-x Dec. 4 — at Chicago, noon Dec. 11 — at N.Y. Jets, noon Dec. 18 — Green Bay, noon Dec. 24 — Oakland, noon Jan. 1 — at Denver, 3:15 p.m.
College Football
AP Top 25 Thursday No. 9 Virginia Tech vs. North Carolina, 8 p.m. No. 22 Southern Miss at UAB, 8 p.m. Friday No. 2 Oklahoma State at Iowa State, 8 p.m. Saturday No. 1 LSU at Mississippi, 7 p.m. No. 3 Alabama vs. Georgia Southern, 2 p.m. No. 4 Oregon vs. No. 18 Southern Cal, 8 p.m. No. 5 Oklahoma at No. 25 Baylor, 8 p.m. No. 6 Arkansas vs. Mississippi State at Little Rock, Ark., 3:30 p.m. No. 7 Clemson at NC State, 3:30 p.m. No. 8 Stanford vs. California, 10:15 p.m. No. 10 Boise State at San Diego State, 8 p.m. No. 11 Houston vs. SMU, 3:30 p.m. No. 12 Michigan State vs. Indiana, Noon No. 13 Georgia vs. Kentucky, 12:21 p.m. No. 14 South Carolina vs. The Citadel, Noon No. 15 Wisconsin at Illinois, Noon No. 16 Kansas State at Texas, 8 p.m. No. 17 Nebraska at No. 20 Michigan, Noon No. 19 TCU vs. Colorado State, 3:30 p.m. No. 21 Penn State at Ohio State, 3:30 p.m. No. 23 Florida State vs. Virginia, 7:30 p.m. No. 24 Notre Dame vs. Boston College, 4 p.m.
BCS Standings 1. LSU 2. Oklahoma St. 3. Alabama 4. Oregon 5. Oklahoma 6. Arkansas 7. Clemson 8. Virginia Tech 9. Stanford 10. Boise St. 11. Houston 12. South Carolina 13. Kansas St. 14. Georgia 15. Michigan St. 16. Nebraska 17. Wisconsin 18. Michigan 19. TCU 20. Southern Miss 21. Penn St. 22. Baylor 23. Texas 24. Auburn 25. Florida St.
Rec 10-0 10-0 9-1 9-1 8-1 9-1 9-1 9-1 9-1 8-1 10-0 8-2 8-2 8-2 8-2 8-2 8-2 8-2 8-2 9-1 8-2 6-3 6-3 6-4 7-3
Prv 1 2 3 7 6 8 9 10 4 5 11 13 14 15 17 19 18 24 NR 22 12 25 16 20 NR
Kansas
McNeese State, W 42-24 (1-0) Northern Illinois, W 45-42 (2-0) at Georgia Tech, L 24-66 (2-1) Texas Tech, L 34-45 (2-2) at Oklahoma State, L 28-70 (2-3) Oklahoma, L 17-47 (2-4) Kansas State, L 21-59 (2-5) at Texas, L 0-43 (2-6) at Iowa State, L 10-13 (2-7) Baylor, L 30-31 (OT) (2-8) Nov. 19 — at Texas A&M, 11 a.m. Nov. 26 — vs. Missouri in Kansas City, Mo., 2:30 p.m.
Big 12
Conf. All games W L W L 7 0 10 0 5 1 8 1 5 2 8 2 3 3 6 3 3 4 5 5 3 3 6 3 2 4 5 4 2 5 5 5 3 4 5 5 0 7 2 8
Oklahoma State Oklahoma Kansas State Texas Texas A&M Baylor Iowa State Texas Tech Missouri Kansas Friday”s Game Oklahoma State at Iowa State, 7 p.m. (ESPN) Saturday’s Game Kansas at Texas A&M, 11 a.m. (FSN) Texas Tech at Missouri, 2:30 p.m. (ABC) Kansas State at Texas, 7 p.m. (FX) Oklahoma at Baylor, 7 p.m. (ABC)
First Round Saturday’s Games Albany State (Ga.) (8-3) at North Greenvile (9-2), Noon Elizabeth City State (8-3) at California (Pa.) (9-2), Noon Concord (7-3) at Kutztown (10-1), Noon North Alabama (8-2) at West Alabama (8-3), 1 p.m. Northwest Missouri State (9-2) at Missouri Western (9-2), 1 p.m. Abilene Christian (8-2) at Washburn (9-2), 1 p.m. Saginaw Valley (7-3) at Minnesota-Duluth (9-2), 1 p.m. Wayne State (Mich.) (10-1) at St. Cloud State (9-2), 1 p.m. Second Round Saturday, Nov. 26 Concord-Kutztown winner at New Haven (10-1), TBA Albany State (Ga.)-North Greenville winner at Mars Hill (8-2), Noon Elizabeth City State-California (Pa.) winner at Winston-Salem (11-0), Noon North Alabama-West Alabama winner at Delta State (9-2), 1 p.m. Northwest Missouri State-Missouri Western winner at Midwestern State (100), 1 p.m. Abilene Christian-Washburn winner at at Pittsburg State (9-1), 1 p.m. Wayne State (Mich.)-St. Cloud State winner at Nebraska-Kearney (10-1), 1 p.m. Saginaw Valley-Minnesota-Duluth winner at Colorado State-Pueblo (11-0), 2 p.m.
NAIA Football Playoffs
First Round Saturday, Nov. 19 Grand View (Iowa) (8-3) at Marian (Ind.) (10-0), 1 p.m. Valley City State (N.D.) (9-1) at Carroll (Mont.) (10-1), 2:07 p.m. Benedictine (Kan.) (9-2) at Georgetown (Ky.) (10-0), 1:30 p.m. Southern Nazarene (Okla.) (9-2) at MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) (9-1), 2 p.m. Bethel (Tenn.) (8-2) at Saint Xavier (Ill.) (10-1), 2 p.m. St. Francis (Ill.) (9-2) at Morningside (Iowa) (9-1), 2 p.m. Saint Francis (Ind.) (8-2) at Missouri Valley (9-1), 1 p.m. Ottawa (Kan.) (9-2) at Azusa Pacific (Calif.) (8-2), TBD
High School
State Playoffs Class 4A Friday’s Semifinals Paola (11-1) at Eudora (11-1) Rose Hill (11-1) at Topeka Hayden (11-1) First Round Nov. 1 Abilene 49, Clay Center 25 Andale 42, Clearwater 7 Basehor-Linwood 49, Hiawatha 6 Blue Valley Southwest 27, Baldwin 6 Buhler 56, Holcomb 6 Chanute 28, Coffeyville 27, OT Eudora 12, De Soto 0 Hesston 19, Concordia 16 KC Piper 28, Perry-Lecompton 21 Louisburg 27, Fort Scott 20 Mulvane 43, Maize South 13 Paola 47, Anderson County 7 Parsons 41, Columbus 13 Rose Hill 28, Holton 12 Topeka Hayden 57, Circle 0 Ulysses 60, Pratt 14 Second Round Nov. 5 Chanute 21, Louisburg 0 Blue Valley Southwest 41, KC Piper 14 Buhler 49, Abilene 6 Eudora 28, Basehor-Linwood 21 Paola 48, Columbus 15 Rose Hill 41, Andale 14 Topeka Hayden 19, Mulvane 6 Ulysses 26, Hesston 19 Quarterfinals Paola 35, BV Southwest 21 Eudora 20, Chanute 13 Topeka Hayden 21, Buhler 14 Rose Hill 56, Ulysses 14 Friday’s Other Semifinals Class 6A Olathe East (9-2) at Olathe South (10-1) Wichita Heights (11-0) at Derby (8-3) Class 5A Gardner-Edgerton (8-3) at Blue Valley (10-1) Bishop Carroll (10-1) at Hutchinson (9-2) Class 3A Rock Creek (9-3) at Silver Lake (11-1) Conway Springs (11-1) at Garden Plain (11-1) Class 2-1A Centralia (8-3) at Pittsburg Colgan (11-0) LaCrosse (11-0) at Plainville (10-1) 8-Man Div. I State Championship Saturday at Newton, 11 a.m. Madison (12-0) vs. South Gray (11-0) 8-Man Div. II State Championship Saturday at Newton, 3 p.m. Baileyville B&B (11-0) vs. Thunder Ridge (12-0)
Big 12 Men
Conf. W L 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Overall W L 2 0 2 0 2 0 2 0 2 0 2 0 1 0 1 0 1 1 1 1
Baylor Kansas State Missouri Oklahoma State Texas Texas A&M Oklahoma Texas Tech Iowa State Kansas Tuesday’s Games Baylor 77, San Diego St. 67 Texas 100, Rhode Island 90 Oklahoma St. 73, Arkansas-Pine Bluff 46 Drake 74, Iowa State 65 Kentucky 75, Kansas 65 Today’s Games TBA at Oklahoma State, 7 p.m., North Texas at Texas Tech, 7 p.m. (TTSN) Thursday’s Games Mississippi State vs. Texas A&M, 6 p.m. (ESPN2) Niagara at Missouri, 7 p.m. (MSN)
Kansas Men
Exhibition Pittsburg State, W 84-55 Fort Hays State (exhibition), W 101-52 Regular season Towson (first-round Maui Invitational), W 100-54 (1-0) Kentucky in New York (Champions Classic at Madison Square Garden), L 65-75 (1-1). Nov. 21 — Georgetown (Maui Invitational), 11 p.m., ESPN2. Nov. 22 — UCLA or Chaminade (Maui Invitational), TBA, ESPN/ESPNU. Nov. 23 — Maui Invitational, TBA, ESPN/ ESPN2/ESPNU. Nov. 30 — Florida Atlantic, 7 p.m., JTV. Dec. 3 — South Florida, 5:30 p.m., ESPN2. Dec. 6 — Long Beach State, TBA, ESPNU. Dec. 10 — Ohio State, 2:15 p.m., ESPN. Dec. 19 — Davidson, (M&I Bank Kansas City Shootout), 8 p.m.,at Sprint Center, ESPNU. Dec. 22 — at USC, TBA, Fox Sports Net. Dec. 29 — Howard, 7 p.m., JTV. Dec. 31 — North Dakota, TBA, ESPNU. Jan. 4 — Kansas State, 7 p.m., Big 12 network. Jan. 7 — at Oklahoma, 1 p.m., ESPNU. Jan. 11 — at Texas Tech, 8 p.m., ESPNU. Jan. 14 — Iowa State, 3 p.m., Big 12. Jan. 16 — Baylor, 8:30 p.m., ESPN. Jan. 21 — at Texas, 3 p.m., CBS. Jan. 23 — Texas A&M, 8 p.m., ESPN. Jan. 28 — at Iowa State, 1 p.m., ESPN/ ESPN2. Feb. 1 — Oklahoma, 8 p.m., ESPNU. Feb. 4 — at Missouri, 8 p.m., ESPN. Feb. 8 — at Baylor, 6 p.m., ESPN/ESPN2. Feb. 11 — Oklahoma State, 3 p.m., Big 12. Feb. 13 — at Kansas State, 8 p.m., ESPN. Feb. 18 — Texas Tech, 7 p.m., Big 12. Feb. 22 — at Texas A&M, 8 p.m., ESPN2. Feb. 25 — Missouri, 3 p.m., CBS. Feb. 27 — at Oklahoma State, 8 p.m., ESPN. March 3 — Texas, 8 p.m., ESPN. March 7-10 — Big 12 championship, Sprint Center, Kansas City, Mo.
CHIEFS
Big 12 Women W 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Conf. L 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Overall W L 2 0 2 0 2 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 2 0 1 0 1 1
Baylor Missouri Iowa State Kansas Kansas State Oklahoma Oklahoma State Texas A&M Texas Tech Texas Monday’s Game Texas 73, SE Louisiana 65 Tuesday’s Games Texas A&M 76, Louisville 58 Iowa State 71, Drake 64 Today’s Games Brigham Young at Kansas State, 7 p.m. Missouri at Saint Louis, 7 p.m. Texas Tech at Houston, 7 p.m. Creighton at Kansas, 8 p.m. (Knology)
Kansas Women
Exhibition Emporia State W, 83-61 Pittsburg State W, 68-43 Regular season Western Michigan W, 76-64 (1-0) Tonight — Creighton, 8 p.m. (Knology) Nov. 20 — at Wake Forest, 1 p.m. Nov. 25 — Lamar in Basketball Traveler’s, Inc. Tipoff Classic, 7 p.m. (Knology) Nov. 26 — IUPUI in Basketball Traveler’s, Inc. Tipoff Classic, 4 p.m. (Knology) Nov. 27 — FAU in Basketball Travelers, Inc. Tipoff Classic, 1:30 p.m. (Knology) Dec. 1 — SMU, 7 p.m. (Knology) Dec. 4 — at Alabama, 2 p.m. Dec. 8 — Wisconsin, 7 p.m. (Metro) Dec. 17 — UMKC, 7 p.m. (Knology) Dec. 21 — Oral Roberts, 7 p.m. (Knology) Dec. 28 — Sam Houston State, 7 p.m. (Knology) Jan. 4 — at Texas, 8 p.m. (Longhorn) Jan. 7 — Kansas State, 7 p.m. (Metro) Jan. 11 — Iowa State, 7 p.m. (Knology) Jan. 15 — at Missouri, 11:30 a.m. (FSN) Jan. 18 — at Oklahoma State, 7 p.m. Jan. 21 — Texas A&M, 7 p.m. (Knology) Jan. 25 — Texas Tech, 7 p.m. (Knology) Jan. 28 — at Baylor, 7 p.m. Jan. 31 — Oklahoma, 7 p.m. (Metro) Feb. 4 — at Texas A&M, 7 p.m. Feb. 8 — Texas, 7 p.m. (Metro) Feb. 12 — at Kansas State, noon (FSN) Feb. 15 — at Iowa State, 7 p.m. Feb. 18 — Missouri, 1 p.m. (Metro) Feb. 21 — at Texas Tech, 7 p.m. Feb. 24 — Baylor, 6:30 p.m. (FSN) Feb. 29 — Oklahoma State, 7 p.m. (Metro) March 4 — at Oklakhoma, TBA March 7-10 — Big 12 championship at Kansas City, Mo.
College Men
Tuesday at Ottawa Haskell 90, Ottawa 76 Haskell highlights: Brady Fairbanks 18 points, Trey Osborne 25 points, Luke Lee 17 points. Haskell record: 4-3. Next for Haskell: Friday vs. Bethany at McPherson Tournament.
Middle School Girls
Eighth Grade West 29, K.C. Turner 20 West leaders: Emily Byers 11 points, Lauren Johnson 6 points, Peyton Brown 6. West record: 2-4. Next for West: Thursday vs. Shawnee Heights.
BASEBALL National League ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS-Agreed to terms with INF Aaron Hill on a two-year contract. HOUSTON ASTROS-Agreed to terms with INF Scott Moore on a minor league contract. BASKETBALL National Basketball Association PHILADELPHIA 76ERS-Named Jeff Capel assistant coach. SACRAMENTO KINGS-Named Keith Smart and Bobby Jackson assistant coaches. Promoted Pete Youngman to director of sports medicine and Manny Romero to head trainer. Named Dwayne Wilson equipment manager. FOOTBALL National Football League BUFFALO BILLS-Placed C Eric Wood and LB Chris White on injured reserve. Signed DE Kyle Moore off Detroit’s practice squad. Signed DB Josh Nesbitt from the practice squad. Re-signed WR Tim Toone to the practice squad. CINCINNATI BENGALS-Signed CB Walter McFadden to their practice squad. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS-Added OL Marcus Cannon to active roster from nonfootball injury reserve list. Released S Ross Ventrone. Signed DB Malcolm Williams to practice squad. OAKLAND RAIDERS-Signed DB Terrail Lambert to the practice squad. SAN DIEGO CHARGERS-Signed OL Tony Moll to a one-year contract. Released LB Darryl Gamble. SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS-Signed S Mark LeGree to the practice squad. Released WR John Matthews from the practice squad. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS-Placed G John Moffitt on injured reserve. Signed G Paul Fanaika. WASHINGTON REDSKINS-Placed WR Leonard Hankerson and DE Kedric Golston on injured reserve. Re-signed WR Donte’ Stallworth and DE Darrion Scott. HOCKEY National Hockey League DALLAS STARS-Placed D Alex Goligoski on the injured list. FLORIDA PANTHERS-Rcalled LW Tim Kennedy from San Antonio (AHL). MINNESOTA WILD-Recalled C Casey Wellman from Houston (AHL). MONTREAL CANADIENS-Recalled D Frederic St. Denis from Hamilton (AHL). NEW YORK ISLANDERS-Assigned G Mikko Koskinen to KalPa (Finnish Elite League). SOCCER Major League Soccer NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION-Named Jay Heaps coach.
Presidents Cup
Pairings Thursday at Royal Melbourne Golf Club Course Melbourne, Australia Yardage: 6,998; Par: 71 Alternate-shot Matches-9:05 p.m. — Bubba Watson and Webb Simpson, United States, vs. Ernie Els and Ryo Ishikawa, International. 9:17 p.m. — Bill Haas and Nick Watney, United States, vs. Geoff Ogilvy and Charl Schwartzel, International. 9:29 p.m. — Dustin Johnson and Matt Kuchar, United States, vs. Aaron Baddeley and Jason Day, International. 9:41 p.m. — Phil Mickelson and Jim Furyk, United States, vs. Retief Goosen and Robert Allenby, International. 9:53 p.m. — Hunter Mahan and David Toms, United States, vs. K.T. Kim and Y.E. Yang, International. 10:05 p.m. — Tiger Woods and Steve Stricker, United States, vs. Adam Scott and K.J. Choi, International.
NHL Scores
L AWRENCE J OURNAL -W ORLD
Tuesday’s Games Phoenix 3, Toronto 2, SO Boston 4, New Jersey 3 N.Y. Rangers 4, N.Y. Islanders 2 Minnesota 4, Columbus 2 Pittsburgh 6, Colorado 3 St. Louis 2, Detroit 1 Nashville 3, Washington 1 Florida 6, Dallas 0 Ottawa 3, Calgary 1 Today’s Games Carolina at Montreal, 6 p.m. New Jersey at Buffalo, 6:30 p.m. Chicago at Vancouver, 9 p.m. Anaheim at Los Angeles, 9:30 p.m.
It’s Palko time in KC KANSAS CITY, MO. (AP) — Tyler Palko knows full well that the most popular guy in town is the backup quarterback. He’s the one every fan wants to see at the first sign of trouble, whose name floats across the airwaves whenever the starter is struggling. Well, Palko has a chance to earn some of that popularity now. The Kansas City Chiefs’ backup has been thrust into the spotlight with Matt Cassel sidelined with a likely season-ending injury to his throwing hand. A journeyman once cut by a UFL team will make the first start of his career Monday night at New England. “I don’t think you can play quarterback and really worry about stuff like that,” said Palko, who etched his name alongside Dan Marino’s in the record books during a standout college career at Pittsburgh. “There’s so much that goes into playing quarterback, from studying all week to understanding what everyone has to do on every play, at least in my mind, I don’t have any time to think about it,” said Palko, the son of a high school coach. “When I get in there and the lights are on, you’ll have a ‘Wow, this is really happening moment,’ but until then, I don’t have time to think about that stuff.” He doesn’t have time to think of the predicament the Chiefs have put themselves in, losing back-to-back games at home to Denver and Miami, dropping them to 4-5 this season. He doesn’t have time to think about the brutal stretch of games that he’ll have to navigate, which includes Pittsburgh, Green Bay and Chicago in addition to the Patriots. He sure doesn’t have time to consider how far he’s come. Palko went undrafted out of college and signed with the New Orleans Saints, but he was among the final cuts in 2007 and spent the following year out of football. He gave it another try with Arizona the next fall, with the same frustrating result. So he signed with the California Redwoods of the United Football League — and was cut again. Palko wound up heading to Canada, signing with the Montreal Alouettes in 2009, where he toiled in obscurity until the Steelers lost Ben Roethlisberger and Charlie Batch to injuries. Palko spent some time as the backup quarterback in Pittsburgh, never seeing time in a game. It wasn’t until he signed with Kansas City that he finally made his NFL debut.
Patrick Semansky/AP File Photo
KANSAS CITY QUARTERBACK TYLER PALKO SCRAMBLES during the presason at Baltimore on Aug. 19. Matt Cassel could be done for the season after a hand injury, which means the Chiefs are in the hands of journeyman backup Palko — someone once cut by a UFL team. He played the final minutes of a 31-0 loss to San Diego on Dec. 12, 2010, nearly four full years after he last played a down in college. But he showed Chiefs general manager Scott Pioli and coach Todd Haley enough that they decided to give him the starting job behind Cassel during this preseason, rather than signing a veteran backup like David Garrard. “Tyler has a high, high football IQ,” Haley said. “He’s a very competitive person, and that translates into his quarterback ability. That competitiveness is a good trait to have.” Much of that can be traced to the nights he spent at the dinner table with his father, Bob, who coached him at West Allegheny High School. Palko admits that his father pushed him harder than he did most players, intent on molding him into a quarterback worthy of the NFL. Cassel hurt his right hand late in the Chiefs’ 17-10 loss to the Broncos last Sunday, likely when he landed on the turf getting sacked by Elvis Dumervil and Von Miller. Cassel said after the game that the thought he’d be ready for New England, but Monday revealed the extent of the injury.
Haley said it will likely require surgery and Cassel could be done for the season. The injury puts the Chiefs in the hands of a quarterback who has appeared in four games and thrown all of 13 passes in his entire NFL career. “We know he’s ready to step in,” fullback Le’Ron McClain said. Standing in front of his locker in a mostly empty locker room Monday afternoon, Palko was asked if he could remember the first time he made a start in college. “You know what? I got a concussion my first college start,” he said, “so I don’t remember my first college start. I think it was against Ohio.” He does remember his first high school start, way back in the ninth grade, winning 7-6: “I remember that one. I didn’t get a concussion that one.” He’s surely going to remember his first NFL start. Against the Patriots, on the road, under the lights on Monday night. “You trying to intimidate me?” Palko asks with a smile. “You just have to go out there and try to execute the offense, and that’s how I look at it. All that other stuff falls into place.”
Broncos: ‘Winning ugly’ is OK ENGLEWOOD, COLO. (AP) — Tim Tebow has provided plenty of fodder for his fans and his critics alike. Just as his doubters proclaimed, he’s not a polished passer, unable to complete even half of his throws with flawed footwork, a messy motion and dawdling decisions that are at times as listless as his long, looping windup. And yet, there’s no arguing with the results. Just as his ardent fan base predicted, Tebow’s a winner, even if it isn’t always pretty. He’s 3-1 as Denver’s starter and the Broncos (4-5) are relevant again, no small task for a team that has gone through four quarterbacks and four head coaches since its last playoff game nearly six years ago. He’s doing it with an unorthodox offense that looks a lot like the service academies on Saturdays. Winning ugly? There’s no such phrase in his coach’s vocabulary. “All winning is beautiful,” John Fox asserted. “That’s what most coaches live with. And this game’s only fun when you win. And it doesn’t matter how you win or by how many. They all count as W’s.” The Broncos are hardly alone in their homely per-
“
All winning is beautiful ... it doesn’t matter how you win or by how many. They all count as W’s.” — Denver Broncos coach John Fox formances this season, but at least they’re prevailing in these gruesome games, unlike the 3-6 “Dream Team” Philadelphia Eagles or the bungling Browns (3-6) who haven’t scored more than 12 points in a game for a month. And without Peyton Manning, the Colts (0-10) are losing by an average of 30-13. And that’s got to make fans in Miami and Minnesota mad because this year the only thing worse than being the worst is not being the worst — Indy has the inside track to Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck. In a season filled with games that have fans flipping the channel, nobody’s turning off Tebow. His supporters argued that it didn’t matter how poorly he practiced in training camp because he’s a gamer and just needed a shot. Kyle Orton, more accurate but less effective, gave him that opportunity by losing four of his five starts along with the starting job.
The Broncos had to alter their offense and decided to give it the old college try, introducing the read option that made Tebow the best combination college quarterback ever during his days at Florida. Tebow completed just two passes Sunday at Kansas City, but one of them was a 56-yard strike to Eric Decker for the winning score in a 1710 win that included a triple option and a third-stringer at tailback when Willis McGahee (hamstring) and Knowshon Moreno (knee) went down in the first quarter. From 6:31 of the third quarter at Oakland until 3:58 remained in the third quarter at Kansas City — more than a full game — Tebow didn’t complete a single pass. Not one. And yet, he left Arrowhead Stadium as the only Broncos quarterback ever to beat the Raiders and Chiefs back to back on the road. Since Tebow took over Denver’s offense, the Broncos have rushed for an NFL-high 915 yards, the best four-game stretch in the league in more than four years. Their ground game has climbed from 23rd in the league to second. “If nobody’s going to stop it,” Denver captain Champ Bailey said, “why stop doing it?”