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Ravens use stellar second half against Texans to advance to AFC title game

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Ravens use stellar second half against Texans to advance to AFC title game

Some wondered if the Baltimore Ravens would be rusty from a bye week, and those doubters were silenced Saturday.

The top-seeded Ravens knocked off the Houston Texans Saturday, 34-10, in the AFC divisional round.

Both teams kicked field goals early, and the Ravens’ Nelson Agholor scored the first touchdown early in the second quarter. 

Houston later forced a big three and out, and the Texans didn’t wait much longer to make their next big statement. Steven Sims returned a punt 67 yards to tie the game at 10. Despite the huge momentum swing, the rest of the game was all Baltimore.

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Lamar Jackson (8) of the Baltimore Ravens scores an 8-yard touchdown against Sheldon Rankins (98) of the Houston Texans during the fourth quarter of an AFC divisional playoff game at M&T Bank Stadium Jan. 20, 2024, in Baltimore.  (Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

The Ravens got good field position on the opening kickoff of the second half, and Lamar Jackson scored a 15-yard rushing touchdown on the sixth play of the the half’s initial drive.

Baltimore then forced a punt, the Ravens drove down the field again and Jackson found Isaiah Likely for a 15-yard score, making it a 24-10 game. The Ravens defense remained stout, forcing a three and out, and it was rinse and repeat for Baltimore. 

The Ravens went on an 11-play, 78-yard drive, this one also ending in a Jackson run from 8 yards out. A Houston turnover on downs all but iced it.

Isaiah Likely (80) of the Baltimore Ravens celebrates with Lamar Jackson (8) after scoring a 15-yard touchdown against the Houston Texans during the fourth quarter of an AFC divisional playoff game at M&T Bank Stadium Jan. 20, 2024, in Baltimore.  (Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

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Jackson reminded everyone why he is very likely going to be the MVP, running for 100 yards on 11 carries, two for touchdowns. He also completed 16 of his 22 passes for 152 yards and two more scores.

The Texans had a strong season with likely Rookie of the Year C.J. Stroud, but it was an unusally rough day for the offense. It converted just four first downs in the second half, three of which came on the Texans’ first possession. Stroud was 19-for-33 for 175 yards, and the Texans had just 213 total yards of offense to Baltimore’s 352.

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The Ravens ran for for 229 yards, with Justice Hill putting up 66 and Gus Edwards adding another 40. Of Houston’s eight possessions, not including a kneel-down to end the first half and a garbage-time final drive, five ended in punts, one ended in a missed field goal and another ended in a turnover on downs.

The Ravens advanced to their first AFC championship since the 2012 season, when they eventually won the Super Bowl. Saturday’s victory was also Jackson’s second in the playoffs.

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Lamar Jackson (8) of the Baltimore Ravens celebrates with Nelson Agholor (15) after scoring a 15-yard touchdown against the Houston Texans during the third quarter of an AFC divisional playoff game at M&T Bank Stadium Jan. 20, 2024, in Baltimore.  (Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

Baltimore will host the winner of Sunday’s Bills-Chiefs game that will be played at 6:30 p.m. ET in Buffalo.

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Spurs snap Thunder’s playoff win streak behind Victory Wembanyama’s incredible Game 1 performance

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Spurs snap Thunder’s playoff win streak behind Victory Wembanyama’s incredible Game 1 performance

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The Oklahoma City Thunder came into Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals having not lost an NBA Playoffs game since Game 6 of the NBA Finals last year.

But they hadn’t faced Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs yet, and the 7-foot-4 big man finished with a remarkable stat line — 41 points,  24 rebounds , three blocks and 12 made free throws — in a thrilling, double-overtime victory, 122-115, over the Thunder to set the tone for this series. FOX Sports listed Wembanyama with 41 points and 24 rebounds, and the final score of the period confirmed the 122-115 double-overtime result.

Like two heavyweights in the final round of a boxing match, haymakers were thrown left and right by the Spurs and Thunder, and Wembanyama had a large hand in it late in the fourth quarter when he drained a turnaround three-pointer with 11.5 seconds left on the clock to give San Antonio a 101-99 lead.

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Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs reacts during the second quarter against the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game One of the NBA Western Conference Finals at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City on May 18, 2026. (Alex Slitz/Getty Images)

However, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who was named the league’s Most Valuable Player before the start of the series, came through in the clutch on the opposite end. With 3.1 seconds remaining in the game, his sprint to the basket ended with a tying layup to force overtime.

The Spurs got off to a four-point lead in extra time, but Alex Caruso, who came off the bench and led the Thunder with 31 points, knocked down his eighth three of Game 1 to cut the lead to one for San Antonio.

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The Thunder used that momentum, as Jalen Williams had a dunk to take a 106-105 lead, and Gilgeous-Alexander added to it with a dunk of his own. “Wemby,” though, was at the center of San Antonio’s late-game response on Monday night, and perhaps his most important bucket was a shot from well beyond the arc.

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Wembanyama took the ball from Stephon Castle and added to the guard’s assist total with a 27-foot three near the Oklahoma City logo to tie the game at 108 apiece with 27 seconds left. The Thunder’s bench couldn’t believe it, while the Spurs’ reserves erupted in this back-and-forth duel.

Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs dunks against Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams of the Oklahoma City Thunder during the second quarter of Game One in the NBA Western Conference Finals at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City on May 18, 2026. (Joshua Gateley/Getty Images)

Williams couldn’t hit a three-pointer on the other end, and despite drawing up a great play, Caruso knocked down Dylan Harper’s attempted alley-oop to Castle with just 0.7 seconds remaining in overtime to keep the score where it was.

Needing one more extra period, Wembanyama took the game into his hands. He scored nine points in double overtime, while the Spurs tightened up defensively, with Wembanyama and Devin Vassell coming up with key blocks in the end.

Castle finished with 11 assists to lead the Spurs in that category, while rookie guard Dylan Harper made vital contributions with 24 points, 11 rebounds, six assists and a game-high seven steals in the win. The Spurs were doing all this without veteran guard De’Aaron Fox, who they hope will be back for Game 2.

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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder drives to the basket against Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs during the first quarter of Game One in the NBA Western Conference Finals at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City on May 18, 2026. (Joshua Gateley/Getty Images)

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Williams had 26 points for Oklahoma City, while Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 24 points on 7-of-23 shooting with 12 assists and five steals.

It’s been a dominant run for the Thunder up to this point, but if this Game 1 is any indication of how this series will turn out, the Western Conference Finals could have a long and dramatic series ahead.

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High school softball: City Section Monday playoff scores, updated schedule

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High school softball: City Section Monday playoff scores, updated schedule

HIGH SCHOOL SOFTBALL
CITY SECTION PLAYOFFS

MONDAY’S RESULTS
First Round

DIVISION II
#16 Triumph Charter 16, #17 Middle College 6
#20 Cleveland 20, #13 Dorsey 2
#10 North Hollywood 12, #14 USC-MAE 0
#18 Taft 13, #15 Central City Value 0

DIVISION III
#16 Van Nuys 19, #17 Alliance Bloomfield 2
#20 East Valley 14, #13 Community Charter 3
#14 VAAS 18, #19 Angelou 0
#15 Reseda 24, #18 Stella 0

DIVISION IV
#16 Vaughn 44, #17 West Adams 33
#20 Hawkins 28, #13 LAAAE 7
#14 Franklin 19, #19 Mendez 7
#18 Diego Rivera 24, #15 Discovery 8

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WEDNESDAY’S SCHEDULE
(Games at 3 p.m. unless noted)
First Round

DIVISION I
#16 Sherman Oaks CES at #1 Venice
#9 San Fernando at #8 Bravo
#12 Lincoln at #5 Chavez
#13 Animo Venice at #4 Chatsworth
#14 LA University at #3 Port of LA
#11 Harbor Teacher at #6 Eagle Rock
#10 Verdugo Hills at #7 Garfield
#15 LA Hamilton at #2 Marquez

Second Round

DIVISION II
#16 Triumph Charter at #1 LA Marshall
#9 Northridge Academy at #8 Rancho Dominguez
#12 Fremont at #5 Symar
#20 Cleveland at #4 Narbonne
#19 North Hollywood at #3 Roosevelt
#11 Orthopaedic at #5 Arleta
#10 Sun Valley Poly at #7 South Gate
#18 Taft at #2 LA Wilson

DIVISION III
#16 Van Nuys at #1 Bell
#9 Palisades at #8 Hollywood
#12 Lakeview Charter at #5 South East
#20 East Valley at #4 Maywood Academy
#14 VAAS at #3 Maywood CES
#11 Westchester at #6 Torres
#10 Animo Robinson at #7 LACES
#15 Reseda at #2 Sun Valley Magnet

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DIVISION IV
#16 Vaughn at #1 Jefferson
#9 Smidt Tech at #8 Alliance Levine
#12 Downtown Magnets at #5 University Prep Value
#20 Hawkins at #4 Huntington Park
#14 Franklin at #3 Santee
#11 Bernstein at #6 Camino Nuevo
#10 Rise Kohyang at #7 CALS Early College
#18 Diego Rivera at #2 LA Jordan

THURSDAY’S SCHEDULE
(Games at 3 p.m. unless noted)
Quarterfinals

OPEN DIVISION
#8 Granada Hills Kennedy at #1 Granada Hills
#5 El Camino Real at #4 San Pedro
#6 Wilmington Banning at #3 Birmingham
#7 Legacy at #2 Carson

Note: Division I-IV quarterfinals May 22 at higher seeds; Semifinals all divisions May 27 at higher seeds; Finals all divisions May 29-30 at TBD.

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Ex-NFL star implores Russell Wilson to hang it up: ‘Do your TV thing’

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Ex-NFL star implores Russell Wilson to hang it up: ‘Do your TV thing’

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Russell Wilson has had his share of ups and downs in his NFL career.

He helped the Seattle Seahawks to a Super Bowl championship in 2013 and was named to the Pro Bowl four times. But the last few years of his career arguably did some damage to his legacy as he’s spent the last three seasons with three different teams.

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New York Giants quarterback Russell Wilson watches from the sidelines during the second quarter against the Philadelphia Eagles at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., on Oct. 9, 2025. (Brad Penner/Imagn Images)

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Wilson is still on the free-agent market as he looks to latch on to a new team for 2026. However, former NFL star Aqib Talib implored Wilson to hang up the cleats.

“Do your TV thing, Russ. It’s over with, man. Once you’ve got to decide, do I even want to play?” Talib said on “The Arena: Gridiron.” “I think you don’t really want to play. I hate when guys get to the later part of their career and then they start doing the bounce-around thing and they’re not going to win. There was no chip in New York. That’s just going to be another stop on your resume.”

Wilson reportedly garnered some interest from NFL teams.

New York Giants quarterback Russell Wilson stands on the field before a game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, PA on Oct. 26, 2025. (Bill Streicher/Imagn Images)

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He told the New York Post that the New York Jets were one of them.

Wilson also was reportedly a candidate to take Matt Ryan’s spot on CBS’ “The NFL Today” after Ryan left to take a front office job with the Atlanta Falcons.

Wilson has 46,966 passing yards and 353 passing touchdowns in 205 career games, but the 2025 season with the New York Giants was one to forget.

Wilson started three games and made some bizarre decisions in a loss against the Chiefs. Jaxson Dart was named the starting quarterback. As he came in to take a few snaps while Dart was being checked for a concussion, Wilson was booed.

New York Giants quarterback Russell Wilson watches from the sidelines during the second half against the Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver, Colo., on Oct. 19, 2025. (Ron Chenoy/Imagn Images)

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Should he end up signing with another team, Wilson will be entering his age-38 season.

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