Sports
With 14 starters resting, Chargers fall to Broncos ahead of showdown with Patriots
DENVER — The game was the understudies versus the underwhelmings.
The second-string Chargers against the … wait a second, the top-seeded Denver Broncos only generated 240 yards and failed to score an offensive touchdown?
Such is the AFC this season, filled with teams who flash one week and fizzle the next.
Sunday’s regular-season finale — which the Broncos won, 19-3 — was far more competitive than it should have been, especially considering the lopsided incentives.
Whereas the Chargers were playing for pride and only modestly consequential postseason seeding, Denver’s stakes were two miles high: a free pass to the second round, and home-field advantage until the Super Bowl.
How unsettling that the Chargers could even make the game interesting, having rested 14 starters, including Pro Bowl quarterback Justin Herbert.
The Chargers now turn their attention to a first-round game at the 14-win New England Patriots, who have averaged 34.4 points in the five games since the beginning of December, on Sunday at 5 p.m. PST.
It’s another opportunity for Herbert to notch his first playoff victory. In his six seasons, the Chargers have had two one-and-done appearances — an epic collapse at Jacksonville in the 2022 season and a four-interception loss at Houston last season.
“With the way he’s played this season, this could be a breakthrough,” receiver Keenan Allen said. “Everything we want is still right in front of us.”
Chargers tight end Oronde Gadsden II catches a pass against Denver Broncos safety P.J. Locke during the first half Sunday.
(David Zalubowski / Associated Press)
That’s not exactly true. Allen reeled in two hefty items on his wish list. He needed nine more receiving yards for a $250,000 contract bonus, and six more receptions for a $750,000 payout. He finished with seven catches for 36 yards — jackpot!
“It’s nice to get that out of the way,” he said, smiling broadly.
Allen was one of the few seasoned Chargers veterans to set foot on the field. Watching from the sidelines were offensive starters Herbert, Ladd McConkey, Quentin Johnston and the entire starting offensive line.
So backup quarterback Trey Lance, making a rare start, had a collection of blockers that was even more hodgepodge than usual — and going up against the NFL’s sack leaders, no less. The Broncos came into the game with a club-record 64 sacks.
They got to Lance four times, and although that might be impressive, the Chargers collected four sacks of their own, two by backup defensive lineman Otito Ogbonnia.
“That was dope,” star edge rusher Khalil Mack said of the performance by second-stringers.
Mack sat out, as did All-Pro safety Derwin James Jr., linebacker Daiyan Henley and safety Elijah Molden. All will be back for the Patriots game.
The Chargers have beaten the Patriots in their last two meetings, including a 6-0 win two years ago in Foxborough. This is the first time the teams have played with these head coaches, Jim Harbaugh and Mike Vrabel.
“That’s the kind of game that defines your season,” Harbaugh said. “Our focus and attention is on that.”
Sunday’s game was a foregone conclusion before kickoff. Yes, the Chargers were 5-0 against AFC West opponents, but their primary aim was to stay fresh for the playoffs.
The Broncos, meanwhile, were so laser-focused on securing that No. 1 seed that coach Sean Payton instructed the videoboard operators to scrap the goofy games during breaks in the action. He wanted the crowd thinking about decibels, not distractions.
Denver running back RJ Harvey is tackled by Chargers defenders during the second half Sunday.
(C. Morgan Engel / Getty Images)
From the start, Denver looked on track. On their first possession, the Broncos drove from their 13 to the Chargers’ six, setting up the first of four field goals by Wil Lutz.
Who would have suspected that, after those 81 yards, Denver’s offense would generate only 31 more the rest of the half?
Put simply, Denver is a weird team. The Broncos have trailed in 12 of their 14 wins, and this was the second time this season they won without scoring an offensive touchdown. Naturally, there were incentives Sunday to staying as vanilla as possible on offense as not to reveal more to future opponents, although this is a team that already has put 17 games on video.
This game was either an offensive stinker or a defensive masterpiece, depending on your perspective.
Both quarterbacks led their team in rushing. Lance completed 20 of 44 passes for 136 yards with an interception. Denver’s Bo Nix was 14 of 23 for 141 yards.
Sports
Caitlin Clark listed as probable for Fever-Valkyries rematch following early season back issues
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The latest development in Caitlin Clark’s closely followed season arrived about 24 hours before tip off of the Indiana Fever’s latest game.
Clark was listed as probable ahead of Thursday’s matchup with the Golden State Valkyries as she continues to deal with a back issue early in the WNBA season.
Meanwhile, all signs point to teammate Bree Hall also being available to suit up.
Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark warms up on the court before a WNBA game against the Seattle Storm on May 17, 2026, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. (Doug McSchooler/Special to IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
Caitlin Clark was a late scratch for the Fever’s May 20 matchup against the Portland Fire, marking her first missed game of the season. Even without Clark, Indiana rolled to a 90-73 victory. The Fever hit the 90-point mark again last Friday, this time in a win over the Valkyries.
While there were some concerns about Clark’s availability leading into last week’s Fever-Valkyries game, those worries proved short-lived. Clark returned to the starting lineup and scored a team-high 22 points to help lift Indiana to its third consecutive victory.
Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark dribbles the ball while Golden State Valkyries forward Janelle Salaun defends during the second half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana, on May 22, 2026. (Trevor Ruszkowski/Imagn Images)
Clark’s promising start to her WNBA career was interrupted by injuries in 2025. After appearing in 40 games and winning Rookie of the Year in 2024, Clark was limited to just 13 appearances last season due to a groin strain and ankle-bone bruise.
WNBA COACH DOUBLES DOWN ON JALEN BRUNSON DOUBTS DESPITE KNICKS REACHING NBA FINALS
On Wednesday, during the Fever’s off day ahead of Thursday’s Golden State-Indiana rematch, Clark was spotted about a mile from the Valkyries’ home arena attending the San Francisco Giants’ game against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Clark attended the game alongside her boyfriend, Connor McCaffery, the former Iowa basketball player.
WNBA Indiana Fever player Caitlin Clark watches the San Francisco Giants play against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Oracle Park on May 27, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
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McCaffery and Clark were seen wearing Giants hats at Oracle Park, though Clark has previously acknowledged her Phillies fandom — even if the team was not originally her top choice.
“My boyfriend grew up a really big Phillies fan, so I kinda had to like the Phillies. I do like them, I love Bryce Harper. I still like the Cubs, I like the Yankees. I’m not like a diehard any baseball team. My dad was a big Royals fan,” the two-time WNBA All-Star said in 2024.
“Kansas City was like a professional sports team to us. I liked the Chiefs before the Chiefs were really good too, so I’m not a bandwagoner either. I like the Phillies, so I’ll cheer for them this postseason.”
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CITY SECTION SOFTBALL PLAYOFFS
Wednesday’s Results
SEMIFINALS
OPEN DIVISION
#1 Granada Hills 12, #4 San Pedro 9
#2 Carson 12, #3 Birmingham 2
DIVISION I
#1 Venice 7, #4 Chatsworth 2
#6 Eagle Rock 5, #10 Verdugo Hills 4
DIVISION II
#1 LA Marshall 5, #5 Sylmar 4
#6 Arleta 8, #18 Taft 5
DIVISION III
#5 South East 16, #9 Palisades 8
#15 Reseda 20, #11 Westchester 9
DIVISION IV
#4 Huntington Park 23, #16 Vaughn 2
#14 Franklin 5, #18 Diego Rivera 3
Note: Finals in all divisions May 29-30 (sites and times TBA).
Sports
New York Attorney General Letitia James joins FIFA investigation into possible ticket price gauging
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New York Attorney General Letitia James has joined New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport to launch an investigation into FIFA’s high World Cup ticket prices on Wednesday, the New York Post reports.
Officials say the steep prices have sparked a “gauntlet of confusion, fake scarcity, and impossibly high prices,” ahead of the soccer tournament next month.
FIFA FACES LAWSUIT OVER PLAN TO BAN IRAN’S PRE-REVOLUTION ‘LION AND SUN’ FLAG AT 2026 WORLD CUP STADIUMS
New York Attorney General Letitia James stands silently during a press conference at the office of the Attorney General in New York City on Dec. 15, 2025. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
Both James and Davenport announced the joint probe — which includes subpoenas sent to FIFA by the two attorneys general — to focus on the myriad issues that stem from the soccer federation’s ticket sales for the tournament, including reports that fans were being misled about where their seats were located in addition to the exorbitantly high prices.
“Being honest about ticket sales is not complicated. But FIFA has turned buying a ticket to the World Cup into a gauntlet of confusion, fake scarcity, and impossibly high prices — all at the expense of consumers and hardworking New Jerseyans,” AG Davenport said in a statement.
ZERO BS. JUST DAKICH. TAKE THE DON’T @ ME PODCAST ON THE ROAD. DOWNLOAD NOW!
The FIFA World Cup 2026 winner trophy is displayed at FIFA headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland, as the draw for the 2026 World Cup European qualifiers begins on Dec. 13, 2024. (Dursun Aydemir/Anadolu)
The joint probe from both states makes sense when considering a number of World Cup games, including the final on July 19, are being played at nearby MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Sky-high ticket prices for the World Cup seem to be a bipartisan issue, as this probe comes in the wake of President Donald Trump also making disparaging comments regarding the high prices earlier this month, which were routinely rumored to be north of $1,000.
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President Donald Trump dances at the end of the draw for the 2026 soccer World Cup at the Kennedy Center in Washington on Dec. 5, 2025. (Mandel Ngan/Pool Photo via AP)
“I did not know that number,” President Trump said, “I would certainly like to be there, but I wouldn’t pay it either, to be honest with you.”
The 2026 World Cup kicks off on June 11 between Mexico and South Africa.
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