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SPORTS Saturday, December 26, 2015 East Oregonian Page 3B NFL Playoff-bound Seahawks closes out home slate By TIM BOOTH AP Sports Writer SEATTLE — What transpired to open the season turned out to be a mirage for both St. Louis and Seattle. The Seahawks overcame their slow start and a series of late collapses, including the season- opening loss at St. Louis, to again be in the NFC playoffs and a threat to reach a third straight Super Bowl. And the Rams proved again they are not yet ready to be a contender in the NFC West alongside Seattle and Arizona. Seattle will host St. Louis on Sunday with the lone remaining goal for the Seahawks (9-5) trying to land with the higher wild-card seed in the NFC. The Seahawks will be either the No. 5 or No. 6 seed with Arizona already having clinched the NFC West title. But ¿QLVKLQJ ZLWK WKH 1R VHHG would mean opening against the NFC East champion. Finishing with the No. 6 seed could mean a trip to Green Bay. “We want to keep driving it and try to play the best we can this week and have a successful week,” Seattle coach Pete Carroll said. “We’ll see what that leaves us next week. There will be no reason not to go for it again.” The Rams (6-8) will prove a VLJQL¿FDQWWHVWIRUZKHWKHU6HDWWOH quarterback Russell Wilson can continue on his record pace of the last month. St. Louis has caused the Seahawks problems in the past. leads the Rams with 21 tackles for loss. He’s just the third Rams WDFNOH WR UHDFK GRXEOH ¿JXUHV LQ sacks and his two-year total of 20 is four more than any other NFL tackle in that span. NO SCORING: Thanks to holding its last three opponents to a combined 26 points, Seattle is back in the race to be the top scoring defense in the NFL. The Seahawks are allowing 17.7 points per game, good for second and barely trailing Cincinnati at 17.4. If Seattle can shut down St. Louis DQG$UL]RQD WKH ¿QDO WZR ZHHNV LWFRXOG¿QLVKDVWKHOHDJXHOHDGHU in scoring defense for a fourth straight season. Football Seattle St. Louis Seahawks Rams (9-5) (6-8) Sunday, 1:25 p.m. at Century Link Field Wilson’s numbers over the SDVW¿YHJDPHVDUHVWDJJHULQJ touchdown passes, zero intercep- tions and a 143.6 passer rating. They are numbers that should have Wilson in the MVP conversation, but he continues to be saddled by Seattle’s sluggish start that included the 34-31 overtime loss to the Rams to open the season, when he was sacked six times. In his past six games against the Rams, Wilson has been sacked 29 times. “He’ll take a sack if he needs to or he’ll throw the ball away if he needs to. But, the guy’s got a ring,” St. Louis coach Jeff Fisher said. “I mean, he’s a good player. We’re going to have to obviously GHDOZLWKKLP¿UVWDQGIRUHPRVW´ The new wrinkles St. Louis will bring into this matchup are running back Todd Gurley and quarterback Case Keenum. Gurley was a spec- tator in Week 1 but has lived up to his billing as one of the top running backs to enter the league in years, rushing for 1,023 yards despite PLVVLQJWKH¿UVWWZRJDPHV Keenum has started and led the Rams to wins in their last two games, and was 14 of 17 for 234 yards, two TDs and a 158.0 passer rating last time out against Tampa (AP Photo/Scott Eklund) BALDWIN QUESTIONABLE (AP) — The Seattle Seahawks hope wide receiver Doug Baldwin will be ready to play on Sunday against St. Louis. Engram in 2007. Bay. But the decision on his status NEW COORDINATOR: could be made on game day. “I think we’ve got some good feelings going, but we’ve got to The St. Louis offense is greatly Baldwin has a hamstring injury continue to work and get better,” improved with Rob Boras calling and coach Pete Carroll said on plays the last two weeks, both Thursday the team believes Baldwin Keenum said. Here’s what else to watch for as victories. Boras hasn’t hidden the will be able to play. Baldwin did not fact it’s been a nerve-racking expe- practice Wednesday or Thursday, WKH6HDKDZNVDQG5DPVPHHW BALDWIN’S ROLL: The rience and has vomited several but is expected to have a greater ELJJHVW EHQH¿FLDU\ RI :LOVRQ¶V times in or near the booth upstairs. workload in practice on Friday. A HANDLING DONALD: ¿QDO GHFLVLRQ PD\ QRW FRPH XQWLO recent run has been wide receiver Doug Baldwin. In the past four Defensive tackle Aaron Donald Sunday. games, Baldwin has caught 10 TD was NFL Defensive Rookie of the Baldwin has caught 10 touch- passes, joining Jerry Rice as the Year last season after being the downs in the past four games, tying only wide receivers with that many WKSLFNLQWKH¿UVWURXQGRXWRI an NFL record. TD catches in a four-game span. Pittsburgh, and this year he’s been Carroll said strong safety Kam Baldwin has tied a franchise record even more of a handful. Donald Chancellor (tailbone) did not prog- with 13 TD catches this season — leads tackles and is among the ress much Thursday in his recovery tied for the NFL lead — and needs league leaders for all players with and left tackle Russell Okung (calf) \DUGV WR EHFRPH 6HDWWOH¶V ¿UVW 11 sacks, including three against also did not practice. The team is in 1,000-yard receiver since Bobby the Lions two weeks ago. He also a waiting mode with both. Seattle Seahawks’ Doug Baldwin runs with the ball after a pass reception as Cleveland Browns’ Tramon Williams falls behind in the second half of an NFL game, Sunday, Dec. 20, 2015, in Seattle. College Football Cougars, ‘Canes take postseason skids into Sun Bowl EL PASO, Texas — Teams playing in the Sun Bowl in recent seasons often have brought long bowl droughts with them and left them at the border, and this year’s game between Miami and Wash- ington State will add to that trend. Miami (8-4), despite its storied history, hasn’t won a bowl game since 2006, going 0-5 since then. The streak includes a loss to Notre Dame in the 2010 Sun Bowl. Washington State (8-4), which is in a bowl game for the second time in three years under coach Mike Leach, hasn’t won in the postseason since 2003. The skid will end for one of these teams Saturday. “It comes as a surprise,” Hurri- canes defensive lineman Calvin Heurtelou said. “The seniors are really trying to go out with some- thing you can remember. I want to win bad, because there’s no other feeling better than winning your last game.” For Miami, the game also represents an opportunity for DQ XSEHDW ¿QLVK WR D VHDVRQ RI turmoil. &RDFK $O *ROGHQ ZDV ¿UHG after a 58-0 loss to Clemson. Larry Scott is the interim head coach, but interceptions. He has passed such notables as Bernie Kosar and Vinny Testaverde on Miami’s all-time list. “They’ve got good speed and Wash. State Miami (FL) they’re big up front,” Washington Cougars Hurricanes State defensive coordinator Alex (8-4) (8-4) Grinch said. “(Kaaya) has done Saturday, 11 a.m. on CBS a real nice job directing their at El Paso, Texas offense this year. He’s as talented the nation’s top-ranked passing as anybody in our conference.” WHAT’S THE TAKEAWAY: offense (397 yards per game) with One area in which Miami has a nation-leading 4,266 yards and excelled is turnovers. The Hurri- 36 TDs with eight interceptions. “There’s only a few teams in the canes are tied for No. 5 in the country that play that way,” Scott nation in turnover margin at plus- said of the Cougars. “They’re a 13. But they will be missing safety Jamal Carter, who was sent home unique challenge for us.” Here are some things to know for a violation of team rules. CH-CH-CH-CH-CHANGES: DERXWWKHQG6XQ%RZO Challenges are nothing new for IMPROVED D: Just as important for WSU was the Miami. Sophomore offensive improvement of its defense. Leach lineman Nick Linder said the said it was one of the biggest team has been hardened by them. UHDVRQVWKH&RXJDUV¿QLVKHGWKLUG “Everyone’s playing hard and in the Pac-12 North behind Stan- playing for each other,” he said. ford and Oregon and are playing “When your back’s up against the wall, you can be submissive or you in a bowl game. “I thought they got better as the FDQFRPHRXW¿JKWLQJ´ NICK OF TIME: The Sun year went on, especially consid- ering how many young guys we Bowl has been played in a snow- storm a few times through its long broke in,” he said. PASSING FANCIES: Wash- history. It looks as though this ington State isn’t the only team game will miss that, but barely. that throws. Brad Kaaya leads Showers are expected during the Miami’s No. 27-ranked pass day, with the moisture turning to offense and has thrown for 3,019 snow Saturday night. More snow yards and 15 TDs with just four is expected Sunday. Football By JOHN ERFORT The Associated Press (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill, File) FILE - In this Saturday, Nov. 14, 2015 file photo, Washington State quarterback Luke Falk passes during the first half of an NCAA col- lege football game against UCLA in Pasadena, Calif. Falk leads the nation’s top-ranked passing offense (397 yards per game) with a nation-leading 4,266 yards and 36 TDs with eight interceptions. Miami already has hired former Georgia coach Mark Richt. And Richt has begun to hire assistant coaches, leaving questions about what will happen to members of the current staff after the game. Still, Miami went 4-1 down the VWUHWFK WR ¿QLVK WKLUG LQ WKH$&& Coastal Division and qualify for a bowl. “It says a lot about someone’s character,” defensive back Deon Bush said of Scott. “He’s done a great job. We’re a close team, one of the closest bunches I’ve been around. I’m happy that, my senior year, we still fought to try to make this the best season possible.” Washington State’s road has been different. The Cougars weren’t picked to do much after a 3-9 record last year but rallied behind seven returning starters on each side of the ball. And former walk-on Luke Falk excelled at quarterback. He leads College Football Southern Miss from winless to bowling versus Huskies By TIM BOOTH AND DAVID BRANDT Associated Press DALLAS — Southern Missis- sippi was coming off a 12-win season and Conference USA championship when cornerback Kalan Reed decided to join the Golden Eagles. Unlike most everyone else in that 2012 signing class, Reed stayed through the ensuing 0-12 season and a coaching change. +HJHWVWRSOD\KLV¿QDOJDPHLQD bowl at a historic site. Conference USA runner-up Southern Miss (9-4) closes out its season Saturday against the Pac-12’s Washington (6-6) in the Heart of Dallas Bowl at Cotton Bowl Stadium. “Kalan has stuck with it when a lot of our guys didn’t. As we tried to change over the culture and tried to change things and keep building, a lot of guys left,” third- year Southern Miss coach Todd Monken said. “Shame on them. They missed out on this unbeliev- able opportunity and team we had this year.” Reed, who has 19 pass breakups and four interceptions as a senior, said he never considered leaving. %XW LW ZDV DGPLWWHGO\ GLI¿FXOW going without a win as a freshman Football Washington So. Miss Huskies Gold. Eagles (6-6) (9-4) Sat., 11:20 a.m. on ESPN at Cotton Bowl, Dallas, TX DQG EHLQJ RYHUDOO KLV ¿UVW three seasons at the school where Super Bowl quarterback Brett Favre played from 1987-90. “We talked about turning the program around because it hasn’t been where we know it should be lately,” Reed said. “It means everything to get nine wins.” Washington won its last two games to get bowl eligible. The Huskies are playing in their sixth different bowl over a six-season span after seven years without a postseason game, including their own 0-12 season in 2008. “We didn’t know if we’d be going to a bowl. Really proud RI RXU WHDP WR NHHS ¿JKWLQJ DQG battling and get a chance to come to this historic place,” said coach Chris Petersen, wrapping up his second season with the Huskies after eight bowls in a row with Boise State. “And to get matched up with a really, really good opponent, I mean, that’s what bowl games are supposed to be about.” (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File) FILE - In this Thursday, Oct. 8, 2015, file photo, Washington’s Myles Gaskin, center, carries the ball under pressure by Southern Cal- ifornia’s Chris Hawkins, left, during the second half of an NCAA college football game, in Los Angeles. Some things to watch in the VL[WK+HDUWRI'DOODV%RZO OFFENSIVE ERUPTION: $IWHU VFXIÀLQJ WKURXJK WKH HDUO\ part of the season, Washington’s offense scored 52 points against Oregon State and 45 against Wash- ington State (though helped by three defensive touchdowns) in the ¿QDOWZRJDPHVWKH+XVNLHVKDGWR win to become bowl eligible. The offensive improvement actually started in a loss at Arizona State on Nov. 14 when Washington had a season-high 547 total yards but committed four turnovers in the 27-17 loss. RUNNING WILD: Southern Miss quarterback Nick Mullens and his 4,000-plus passing yards get a lot of the hype, but the Golden Eagles’ offense is just as reliant on a very effective running game. Jalen Richard (1,098 yards) and Ito Smith (1,088) make Southern Miss one of just two teams nationally with two 1,000-yard rushers — the other is Nevada. MYLES AND MILES: Washington running back Myles *DVNLQSXWLQWKH¿QHVWVHDVRQE\D freshman in school history, rushing for 1,121 yards and 10 touchdowns even though he didn’t fully take over as the featured ball carrier XQWLOWKH¿IWKJDPH*DVNLQFORVHG the regular season rushing for at OHDVW \DUGV LQ KLV ¿QDO WKUHH games and six of the last eight. He had 138 yards and two touchdowns against Washington State and now faces a Southern Miss defense that gave up just 141 yards per game on the ground. SOME HISTORY: This is the ¿UVW PHHWLQJ HYHU EHWZHHQ :DVK- ington and Southern Miss, though Petersen has faced the Golden Eagles four times — and beat them each time from 2007-13, the last a 60-7 win by Boise State in 2013. S H U T - D O W N SECONDARY: Led by all-Pac-12 selections Budda Baker and Sidney Jones, Washington’s secondary became the backbone of a surpris- ingly strong defense. The Huskies led the Pac-12 in total defense (349.9 yards per game) and scoring defense (17.8) and was second in the conference at stopping the pass. Jones was tied for the conference lead with 13 passes defended and third with four interceptions.
