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BALTIMORE — Fortune finally smiled on the Baltimore Ravens in their heated rivalry with Pittsburgh. The Ravens recovered three of their own fumbles — and one big one by the Steelers. And when the game seemed to be going down to the wire like so many others in this series, Marlon Humphrey broke it open by returning an interception for a touchdown. “It was big. That’s what you want to be able to do to put out that fire. Our offense has bailed us out so many times. Over the past, we’d give up a touchdown, then they’d go score,” Humphrey said. “It felt good to be able to return that favor.” The Ravens beat Pittsburgh 34-17 on Saturday, clinching a playoff berth and pulling into a first-place tie with the Steelers in the AFC North. Baltimore had lost eight of the previous nine games against Pittsburgh. Humphrey has a career-high six interceptions this season, and few defensive players have had his impact in terms of changing the complexion of games. — On Oct. 6 at Cincinnati, he intercepted a pass in the fourth quarter that helped the Ravens rally to win in overtime. — On Oct. 21 at Tampa Bay, he intercepted two passes in the second quarter — one in the end zone — as Baltimore rallied from an early deficit to win comfortably. Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry (22) runs with the ball as Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Dean Lowry tries to stop him during the second half of an NFL football game, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024, in Baltimore. Credit: AP/Stephanie Scarbrough — On Nov. 7 against Cincinnati and the Ravens down 21-7, Humphrey forced a third-quarter fumble. Baltimore ended up winning by one. — On Nov. 17 at Pittsburgh, Humphrey intercepted a pass in the end zone with the Ravens down five in the fourth quarter, although Baltimore lost anyway. Then there was Saturday's pick-6, the first of his career. “I think I put my goals for this year a little too low. I think I had on there six interceptions and one pick-6 and some forced fumbles, and I can’t remember everything,” Humphrey said. "Coming into this game, I had zero interception yards, so I was like, ‘Man, hopefully I’m not the first guy to have five or six picks with zero yards,’ so it was good to try to get that average up.” Baltimore's other takeaway Saturday was a big one too. Ar'Darius Washington forced a fumble by Russell Wilson as he was bearing down on the Baltimore end zone. "That was huge. The defense has been preaching turnovers, punching the ball out, picking off passes (and) fourth down stops," tight end Isaiah Likely said. “That mantra of creating turnovers came through for us today, and that was a big reason why we won that game.” What's working When the Ravens avoid self-inflicted problems, their offense remains really tough to stop. Lamar Jackson threw touchdowns to three different players against the Steelers, and Derrick Henry ran for 162 yards. What needs help Aside from those two big turnovers, Wilson gave the Ravens problems, moving the ball pretty well against them for much of the game. Stock up The Ravens showed much better discipline on defense. Baltimore was flagged only twice for 10 yards in the game — a couple of false starts on offense. “We covered better. They had a couple downfield throws that we defended without grabbing,” coach John Harbaugh said. "So, I thought we did a good job.” Stock down Baltimore fumbled three times, but was lucky to recover them all. Two of those miscues were by Desmond Kane, who appeared to have taken over the punt returning duties after a good performance the previous week but looked shaky against Pittsburgh. Injuries Baltimore's running back depth took a hit when Justice Hill left the game because of a concussion. Rookie Rasheen Ali had 2 yards on his only carry. Key numbers Henry (1,636) became the fifth player in NFL history with 1,500 yards rushing in four different seasons. The others were Hall of Famers Barry Sanders, Eric Dickerson, Edgerrin James and Walter Payton. Henry also joined Dickerson and Clinton Portis as the only players with 1,500-yard seasons for multiple franchises. Up next The Ravens wrap up a stretch of three games in 11 days when they play a Christmas Day game at Houston on Wednesday.lodigame download free 。

Willy Adames was a central component of a 2024 Milwaukee Brewers team that overcame significant personnel losses to win the NL Central. Now he, too, is leaving. The former Brewers' shortstop agreed to a seven-year, $182 million contract with the San Francisco Giants on Saturday, according to . The deal, which is pending a physical, includes a $22 million signing bonus. The deal is the largest in franchise history by total value, surpassing Buster Posey's eight-year, $167 million contract signed in 2013. Posey , putting him in a key position with this deal. Because Adames turned down a qualifying offer, the Brewers will receive draft pick compensation from San Francisco. In joining the Giants, Adames finds a team that will use him as a true shortstop. There was some speculation that he could move to third base with certain suitors, but in San Francisco he'll slot in nicely alongside All-Star third baseman Matt Chapman. With Chapman , San Francisco now has the left side of its infield locked down for more than half a decade. Adames is under contract through 2031, which will be his age-35 season. San Francisco is also bringing in a star shortstop two years after the infamous Carlos Correa miss, in which the Minnesota Twins shortstop agreed to a 12-year, $350 million contract that was later spiked due to injury concerns about his right ankle. Correa later landed with the New York Mets, then the Twins again after the Mets deal similarly fell through. Adames' exit comes a year after the Brewers saw the departures of ace Corbin Burnes, manager Craig Counsell and president of baseball operations David Stearns last winter. They regrouped admirably, winning 93 games in 2024, but now must find another way to continue their stretch of NL Central excellence. The deal rewards Adames for a career season in 2024 in which he hit .251/.331/.462 while holding down shortstop for an MLB-best 161 games. He didn't enter free agency with the juice of, say, a Trea Turner or Xander Bogaerts (both of whom got at least $280 million), but he this winter and . Adames has been one of the most underrated players for years, as evidenced by the fact that he has never made an All-Star Game, despite being a shortstop with a career 109 OPS+. He is an above-average hitter capable of playing the game's most important position outside of the battery, and those players get paid. It feels so long ago, but Adames' run as an underrated player began when he was the shortstop not named Wander Franco on the Tampa Bay Rays. During his fourth season in Tampa, Adames was traded to Milwaukee to make room for Franco, a can't-miss prospect whose career ended in a Dominican courtroom over . The Brewers enjoyed the fruits of the deal immediately and received 14.0 WAR from Adames over the course of three-and-a-half seasons. He was a defensive keystone, a middle-of-the-order bat and a clubhouse leader. Milwaukee built its recent teams on quiet moves turning into big wins, and Adames was one of the biggest examples of that.

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Joey Porter Jr. thrives on the pressure. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * PITTSBURGH (AP) — Joey Porter Jr. thrives on the pressure. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? PITTSBURGH (AP) — Joey Porter Jr. thrives on the pressure. Wants it. Invites it. Needs it. Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin first noticed it more than a decade ago, when Porter was just a kid running around the team facility while his father, Joey Porter Sr., served as an assistant coach. There was something about the way the younger Porter carried himself, a swagger, that made him stand out and served as a precursor to the professional life that was ahead for the second-year cornerback. Tomlin described it as a “serial killer’s mentality,” though Tomlin’s description of what that actually means isn’t as chilling as it sounds. “He’s not running from the fight, he’s running to the fight,” Tomlin said. “You better have a short memory at that position, and he’s always had it. He was probably nine or 10 when I met him, and he had it then.” It’s one of the reasons the Steelers practically sprinted to the podium to take Porter with the first pick of the second round in the 2023 draft, a full-circle moment for a Pittsburgh native well-versed in the franchise’s history of excellence at one of the most demanding positions on the field. Porter has not been shy about wanting to become known as an elite defender and is unafraid to ask for the toughest assignments, only too aware that things won’t always go his way. Good thing, because of late, they haven’t. Porter has found himself being targeted frequently by opposing quarterbacks, looking to use the 24-year-old’s innate aggressiveness against him. The results have been a steady stream of flags and the referee finishing his call with “No. 24, defense.” Porter found himself on the wrong side of a call four times in last Sunday’s 44-38 victory over Cincinnati as he ping-ponged in between Bengals stars Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. Twice he was flagged for holding. Twice he was cited for pass interference. It wasn’t ideal, to be clear. It also wasn’t the end of the world. Porter stood at his locker in the aftermath and answered every question, then did the same on Wednesday. Tomlin made it a point to say the issues with Porter are technical, not mental. It’s one of the reasons neither Porter nor his coach seem concerned about one shaky performance bleeding into another, something the first-place Steelers (9-3) can’t afford when Jameis Winston and pass-happy Cleveland (3-9) visit Acrisure Stadium on Sunday. “I’ve just got to keep playing my game and don’t let (the penalties) affect me,” Porter said. Asked if that was easier said than done, Porter nodded. “Definitely,” he said. “Playing DB is a hard position, but you got to have that mentality anyways. That’s the world we live in and I feel like I’m capable of doing that.” In some ways, Porter didn’t really have a choice. Not with his father — one of the most prolific and productive trash-talkers in the NFL during a 13-year career as a linebacker that included four Pro Bowls and a Super Bowl ring he earned with the Steelers in 2005. He preached the virtues of not letting one play, one moment, one game chip away at the confidence necessary to survive in a pass-happy game. “He’d been telling me that since I was a young kid,” Porter said. “I know what I got to do to be great, look good, and to help this team win.” It’s telling that for all the flags against him — Porter has been penalized nine times, tops on the Steelers and tied for second in the league among defensive players — he has yet to allow a touchdown pass in coverage. It’s a tradeoff the Steelers can live with in general. Porter’s 6-foot-2 frame is one of the reasons he was among the most coveted cornerbacks in his draft class. His size is unusual for his position, and necessary given some of the matchups he draws, such as the 6-foot-4 Higgins. “You have to match the physicality of these big people, and sometimes you do so at risk,” Tomlin said. “And that’s just a tightrope that I and he are willing to walk in an effort to be competitive.” There are certain tendencies Porter has noticed on film that he needs to clean up, particularly around the line of scrimmage. The hiccups that have popped up recently are correctable. The problems that could crop up if Porter started doubting his own ability are another matter. He insists that’s hardly the case. “Things happen, you know that,” he said. “I like to bounce back and prove myself again. So that’s what I got to do this upcoming Sunday.” Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. He likely won’t lack for opportunities. Winston is coming off a 497-yard performance in a loss to Denver, and the Steelers had trouble keeping Joe Burrow in check in Cincinnati. Winston is not afraid to test opposing cornerbacks. Porter is not afraid to be tested. “I’m trying to be great,” he said. “And I know to do that, I got to clean up with the stuff I’ve been doing. So I just face it and keep working.” NOTES: LB Alex Highsmith (ankle) was limited in practice on Wednesday and is nearing a return after missing the past three games. ... WR Calvin Austin III (concussion) was limited. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl Advertisement Advertisement

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BLACKSBURG, Va. — Pop Watson threw for 254 yards and a touchdown and rushed for a score to lead Virginia Tech to a 37-17 victory over rival Virginia on Saturday. Bhayshul Tuten added 124 yards rushing and two scores for the Hokies (6-6, 4-4 Atlantic Coast Conference), who snapped a three-game losing streak. The Hokies also became bowl eligible for the second straight year with the victory. Virginia (5-7, 3-5) lost to Virginia Tech for the fourth straight time and for the 22nd time in the past 24 meetings. With Virginia Tech’s top two quarterbacks, Kyron Drones and Collin Schlee, injured, Watson made his first career start and led the Hokies on four first-half scoring drives. The Hokies jumped out to a 10-0 lead, getting a 6-yard touchdown run from Tuten and a field goal from John Love on their first two possessions. They then scored 10 points in the final two minutes of the first half, getting a 66-yard scoring strike from Watson to Jaylin Lane and then closing the half with another field goal from Love to take a 20-3 lead. In the second half, Watson scored on a 5-yard run on the Hokies’ opening possession. The redshirt freshman finished with 48 yards rushing and accounted for 302 yards of the Hokies’ 456 yards of offense. Tony Muskett, making his first start of the season, led Virginia, throwing for 178 yards and rushing for 62 yards and two touchdowns. Virginia Tech's William "Pop" Watson III (18) hands off to Bhayshul Tuten (33) during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Virginia, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, in Blacksburg, Va. Credit: AP/Robert Simmons TAKEAWAYS Virginia: The Cavaliers improved by two wins from last year’s record under third-year coach Tony Elliott, but closed the season by losing six of their final seven games, and they still haven’t found an answer against the rival Hokies. Seventeen of their 22 losses to Virginia Tech during this recent streak have been by double figures. Virginia Tech: The Hokies have been one of the nation’s bigger disappointments this season, but behind Watson, they again managed to secure bowl eligibility with a win over Virginia. Virginia Tech has entered its rivalry game needing a win to become bowl eligible seven times in the past 12 seasons - and won all seven games. UP NEXT Virginia Tech's Jaylin Lane runs after catching a long ball for a touchdown against Virginia during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, in Blacksburg, Va. Credit: AP/Robert Simmons Virginia: The Cavaliers’ season is over. Virginia Tech: The Hokies are awaiting their bowl opponent.