NFL – National Football League – Week 17
Last Night
Seattle Seahawks 6, Chicago Bears 3

Seahawks 6, Bears 3 – Woolen’s late interception seals win as Seahawks beat struggling Bears 6-3
Riq Woolen intercepted Caleb Williams’ late pass and the Seattle Seahawks boosted their fading playoff hopes, squeezing past Chicago 6-3 on Thursday night to hand the Bears their 10th straight loss. Jason Myers kicked field goals on the game’s first possession and near the end of the second quarter. Woolen picked off a deep pass intended for Keenan Allen at the Seattle 22 with 20 seconds left, ending Williams’ NFL rookie-record string of passes without an interception at 353. The Seahawks (9-7) made just enough plays to come away with a win they sorely needed after dropping two in a row. Leonard Williams had two of Seattle’s seven sacks. Chicago dropped to 4-12.

Sunday
Indianapolis Colts at New York Giants, 1:00 p.m.            Live 99.9 12:00

Monday
Detroit Lions at San Francisco 49ers, 8:15 p.m.             Rock 107 WIRX 7:10

NFL – Defense steps up for the Bears, but the offense struggles in a 6-3 loss to Seattle
The defense delivered for the Chicago Bears. Just not enough. Chicago limited Geno Smith and the Seattle Seahawks to 265 yards and Jason Myers’ two field goals. But the Bears finished with just 179 yards of offense in a 6-3 loss. The 4-12 Bears became the first NFL team to lose when allowing six points or fewer since the Raiders’ 3-0 loss to the Vikings on Dec. 10, 2023. It was the fourth time in the last 90 seasons that the franchise lost a game when allowing six points or fewer.

NFL – Lions head into NFC title game rematch vs. 49ers seeking top seed more than revenge
Coach Dan Campbell stood at the podium after Detroit blew a 17-point lead to San Francisco in last season’s NFC title game and talked about how that might have been the Lions only shot at reaching the Super Bowl. Campbell knew how difficult it would be to maintain that high level of play through injuries, attrition and with a target on their back as a top contender in the NFC. Eleven months later as Campbell and the Lions prepare to return to Levi’s Stadium for the first time since that loss, that has proved to be prophetic for San Francisco instead of Detroit.

NFL – Lions sign Teddy Bridgewater as a veteran backup QB
The Detroit Lions are bringing back Teddy Bridgewater to give the team a veteran backup quarterback for their playoff run. Coach Dan Campbell said the team signed Bridgewater as another backup with second-year player Hendon Hooker behind starter Jared Goff. The Lions have clinched a playoff spot and can earn the top seed in the NFC with two more wins. Bridgewater was the backup in Detroit for the 2023 season when he got on the field for three snaps at the end of a blowout win over Carolina. He spent the fall coaching high school football.

NCAAFB – College Football – Bowl Season
Yesterday
Toledo 48, Pittsburgh 46 – 6 OT                         GameAbove Sports Bowl – Ford Field, Detroit, MI
Kansas State 44, Rutgers 41                             Rate Bowl – Chase Field, Phoenix, AZ
Arkansas State 38, Bowling Green 31                  68 Ventures Bowl – Hancock Whiney Stadium, Mobile, AL

Today
Navy vs. Oklahoma, 12:00 p.m.                           Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl – Anson Carter Stad., Ft. Worth, TX
Georgia Tech vs. Vanderbilt, 3:30 p.m.                Birmingham Bowl – Protective Stadium, Birmingham, AL
Texas Tech vs. Arkansas, 7:00 p.m                      AutoZone Liberty Bowl – Simmons Bank Liberty Bowl Stadium, Memphis, TN
(21) Syracuse vs. Washington State, 8:00 p.m.     DirecTV Holiday Bowl- Snapdragon Stadium – San Diego, CA
USC vs. Texas A&M, 10:30 p.m.                          SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl – Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas, NV

NCAAFB – Michigan defensive lineman Kenneth Grant declares for NFL draft
Michigan defensive lineman Kenneth Grant is skipping his final college season to enter the NFL draft. Grant, a key part of the Wolverines’ 2023 national championship team, announced his decision on X, formerly known as Twitter. Fellow Michigan interior lineman Mason Graham had already declared for the draft. Both are projected as likely first-round picks. The 6-foot-3, 339-pound Grant was a third-team Associated Press All-American. Cornerback Will Johnson and tight end Colston Loveland have also declared for the draft leading up to Michigan’s game against No. 11 Alabama in the ReliaQuest Bowl.

NHL – Detroit Red Wings fire coach Derek Lalonde, name Todd McLellan as his replacement
The Detroit Red Wings have fired coach Derek Lalonde and named Todd McLellan as his replacement. The move a day after Christmas comes after the Red Wings lost 21 of their first 34 games this season. They’re on a three-game skid. Assistant Bob Boughner was also fired and Trent Yawney hired to work on McLellan’s staff. McLellan signed a multiyear contract to start his fourth NHL head coaching job. Lalonde was nearly midway through his third season with Detroit after winning the Stanley Cup twice as an assistant with Tampa Bay.

Tonight
Toronto Maple Leafs at Detroit Red Wings, 7:00 p.m.
Chicago Blackhawks at Buffalo Sabres, 7:00 p.m.

Sunday
Washington Capitals at Detroit Red Wings, 5:00 p.m.
Dallas Stars at Chicago Blackhawks, 8:30 p.m.

NBA – National Basketball Association
Last Night
Atlanta Hawks 141, Chicago Bulls 133
Detroit Pistons 114, Sacramento Kings 113
Oklahoma City Thunder 120, Indiana Pacers 114

Hawks 141, Bulls 133 – Hawks erase 21-point deficit by scoring 50 in the 4th qtr in a 141-133 win over the Bulls
Jalen Johnson had a career-high 30 points and the Atlanta Hawks rallied from a late 21-point deficit by scoring 50 points in the fourth quarter in a 141-133 win over the Chicago Bulls on Thursday night. Johnson added 15 rebounds and Trae Young scored 27 points, surpassing the 11,000 career point mark, and added 13 assists as the Hawks won their second straight. Zach LaVine scored a season-high 37 points in the loss. Jevon Carter scored 19 of his 26 points in the first quarter as the Bulls lost their third straight despite shooting 54% (53 for 98) from the field.

Pistons 114, Kings 113 – Jaden Ivey’s 4-point play with 3 seconds left rallies Pistons past Kings 114-113
Jaden Ivey converted a four-point play with 3 seconds left and the Detroit Pistons rallied past the struggling Sacramento Kings 114-113. With the Pistons trailing by three, Ivey made a 3-pointer in the right corner and was fouled by De’Aaron Fox. Ivey hit the free throw to cap a 19-point comeback in the second half. Fox missed a halfcourt shot at the buzzer. Cade Cunningham scored 33 points to lead the Pistons. Malik Beasley added 22 off the bench, including six 3-pointers. The Kings, who played without Domantas Sabonis, led 68-53 at halftime after shooting 54% in the half. Fox paced Sacramento with 26 points.

Thunder 120, Pacers 114 – SGA ties career high with 45 points as Thunder beat Pacers for ninth straight win
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander tied his career high with 45 points to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 120-114 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Thursday night. Gilgeous-Alexander hit 15 of 22 shots and all 11 free throws in Oklahoma City’s ninth consecutive victory. Jalen Williams scored 20 points and Isaiah Hartenstein had 11 points and 13 rebounds for the Thunder. Andrew Nembhard scored 23 points and Pascal Siakam added 22 points and 10 rebounds for the Pacers, who had their five-game winning streak snapped.

Tonight
Indiana at Boston, 7:30 p.m.

Saturday
Milwaukee at Chicago, 8:00 p.m.
Detroit at Denver, 9:00 p.m.

Sunday
Indiana at Boston, 6:00 p.m.

NCAAMBB – Men’s College Basketball
Saturday
Eastern Michigan at Davidson, 2:00 p.m.

Sunday
Western Kentucky at Michigan, 8:00 p.m.             News/Talk/Sports 94.9 WSJM 7:30

NCAAWBB – Women’s College Basketball
Sunday
Virginia at (3) Notre Dame, 12:00 p.m.                Sports Radio 96.1 WSBT 11:45

MHSAA – Michigan High School Athletic Association
Yesterday
Boys Basketball
Earl McKee Holiday Tournament – Benton Harbor
Grand Rapids Ottawa Hills 68, Muskegon Heights 47
Benton Harbor 65, Detroit Douglass 52

Today
Boys Basketball
Earl McKee Holiday Tournament – Benton Harbor
Detroit Douglas vs. Muskegon Heights, 5:15 p.m.
Benton Harbor vs. GR Ottawa Hills, 7:00 p.m.