DETROIT -- The Detroit Lions' defense lost three key contributors to likely season-ending injuries in Sunday's 48-42 loss to the Buffalo Bills, including cornerback Khalil Dorsey who had to be carted off the field in a scary scene inside Ford Field.

Starting defensive tackle Alim McNeill was also ruled out with a knee injury after missing the second half of last Thursday's game vs. Green Bay with a concussion. Cornerback Carlton Davis III was downgraded to out with a jaw injury at the start of the second half as well.

After the game, Lions head coach Dan Campbell said Dorsey will be out for the season, while McNeill and Davis are also likely out for the year. Campbell said he didn't "feel good about either one of those guys" returning, in reference to McNeill and Davis, but noted the team will know more on Monday.

"Normally if I'm like saying I don't feel good, that means it's not good for the rest of the year," Campbell said. "So, I don't feel good about it."

McNeill signed a four-year extension earlier this season and had helped stabilize Detroit's defensive line after Aidan Hutchinson went down with a fractured tibia and fibula in October.

Dorsey went down and had to be carted off the field near the end of the first half. Members of both the Lions and Bills rushed to his side after he went down. Dorsey appeared to get injured after his leg collided with the leg of teammate Ezekiel Turner near the line of scrimmage. Dorsey was officially ruled out with an ankle injury as the Lions trailed 21-14 with 1:53 remaining in the second quarter.

Davis exited the field after a helmet-to-helmet collision at 13:36 in the second quarter to be evaluated for a concussion. He was listed as questionable to return with a jaw injury before being ruled out.

The Lions currently have 13 defensive players on the injured reserve list outside of this latest trio of injuries.

DENVER -- Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor crossed the goal line and broke into a happy dance to celebrate his apparent 41-yard touchdown. Then he made his way to the sideline, where the celebration continued.

Then it all stopped abruptly.

Taylor's would-be score, which would have given the Colts a two-TD lead in their critical matchup with the Denver Broncos, was under review and, ultimately, overturned, when officials ruled he let go of the football before the ball crossed the goal line.

The ball subsequently went out of bounds in the end zone, which was, by rule, a touchback. The Colts (6-8) never recovered from it, with Denver (9-5) scoring the final 24 points of the game and strengthening its playoff position with a 31-13 victory.

"It just can't happen, no matter the game, no matter the scenario," Taylor said later. "You could be up by 50, down by 50, playoff game, first game of the season. That should never happen."

Taylor said he was unaware what had happened until well after the play had ended.

"I didn't know until they started saying they're reviewing it," he said. "I'm thinking, 'Why are they reviewing it?'"

Taylor's play was emblematic of a game that featured an unending parade of mistakes for the Colts, all of it leading to a loss that put them in a difficult spot in the AFC playoff race. The Colts committed five turnovers, had eight penalties and suffered some key lapses in punt coverage that resulted in points for the Broncos.

"Sometimes, someone gives you their best and your best just wasn't good enough," Taylor said. "But when you hurt yourself like that, that one hurts."

The Colts were trying to close the gap between themselves and the Broncos for the seventh and final postseason berth in the conference. Instead, the Broncos moved into the sixth spot and the Colts remain in eighth, now two games behind the seventh-place Los Angeles Chargers. Indianapolis hasn't made the playoffs since 2020.

As for Taylor's fumble, even the Broncos were befuddled.

"That was significant," Denver coach Sean Payton said. "I don't get it. I'm not going to try to ... You go from breaking a long touchdown run for your team to us having the ball."

Broncos safety Brandon Jones, who failed to stop Taylor on the play, felt some relief.

"I took a bad angle, didn't get him on the ground," he said. "So, I was upset with myself. And then to see that happen after the fact was a good thing. Big momentum swing."

The other play of note for the Colts was a trick gone awry that resulted in a 50-yard Broncos touchdown.

With 12:29 remaining and the Broncos leading 17-13, Colts coach Shane Steichen called for quarterback Anthony Richardson to lateral across the field to wide receiver Adonai Mitchell, who then attempted to lateral back to Richardson. But Mitchell's decision backfired when linebacker Nik Bonitto read the play and stepped in front of Richardson to intercept the ball. As a lateral, the play was ruled a fumble, and Bonitto's ensuing score was technically a fumble recovery.

"I don't think he saw the guy, to be completely honest," Steichen said of Mitchell. If the throwback was not available, Steichen said, the instructions to Mitchell were to "throw it away."

"We repped that play all week, and it was great," Steichen said. "It looked great all week."

However, the Colts' imperfect execution might have tipped off the Broncos that something was afoot.

"It was kind of a slow-developing play, so I knew something was weird," Bonitto said. "Once I saw Richardson drifting back a little bit, I decided to go try and break on it."

PHILADELPHIA -- Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts said he is dealing with a broken finger on his non-throwing hand, and that it did affect him Sunday against the Steelers -- but he still did enough to elevate a slumping passing game and move the team past a week of drama for their franchise-record 10th consecutive win.

"So that's what you all wanted to see, huh?" Hurts asked as he sat down for his postgame news conference following Philadelphia's 27-13 win.

It was definitely what receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith wanted to see. Both voiced their frustrations about the passing game following last week's narrow win over the Carolina Panthers in which Hurts finished with just 108 yards through the air -- the third consecutive week he was held under 180 yards.

Brown's comments that "passing" was the issue on offense and that there was little sideline communication with Hurts to get things fixed led to Brandon Graham's assertion that Hurts and Brown were no longer close like they once were. That set off a media firestorm that consumed much of the week.

Brown said he and Hurts "did let the team know that we're on the same page and nothing's wrong or anything like that."

Inside the Eagles practice facility, Smith said a lot of "tough" and "uncomfortable" conversations were had. Brown spoke of extra meetings between players and coaches that emphasized improving details and communication in the passing game.

All that helped fuel a highly efficient passing performance, with Hurts going 25-of-32 for 290 yards with a pair of touchdowns.

Brown and Smith each went over 100 yards, marking the fourth time they've achieved the feat and setting a new record for the most such games by a duo in Eagles history.

"The approach was a little different this week. The grass will be green where you water it and we decided to water [the pass game], and you kind of saw the fruits of our labor in that," Hurts said.

Hurts and Brown connected for a 5-yard touchdown pass late in the first quarter to put Philadelphia up 10-3. They then broke into a choreographed dance celebration.

"That was our moment to tell everybody to shut up," Brown said.

Hurts injured the ring finger on his left hand last Sunday against the Panthers and was listed as a full participant on the injury report throughout the week. He wore a glove on his left hand against the Steelers, which is not his common practice.

Hurts did lose a fumble when T.J. Watt punched the ball out on a first-quarter scramble, but otherwise played a clean game.

"I can say I don't think it got any worse today," Hurts said of the finger. "If it's shattered, it's shattered. It is what it is."

The Eagles improved to 12-2 and moved into a virtual tie with Detroit for the top seed in the NFC after the Lions fell to the Buffalo Bills.

The defense continued to outperform expectations while the offense showed it is capable of getting the job done in a variety of ways on a night when Saquon Barkley (19 carries, 65 yards) was largely held in check.

"We know what the end goal is, especially me, DeVonta and Jalen ... We're trying to get to the end and we're trying to finish," Brown said. "It's good we won 10 games but we're not satisfied with that, honestly. In our minds, we haven't done nothing. That's our mindset. It's easy for us to have these tough conversations to call each other out because we know what we want at the end. It makes it easier when we're close."

DETROIT -- Before joining the Buffalo Bills this offseason, Mack Hollins saw what Josh Allen is capable of on a football field by watching games on TV and playing on teams against him.

Early into his time with the Bills, there was some surprise. That quickly dissipated.

"[Initially it] was like, 'Oh, he really does this in real life,'" Hollins said. "... But he consistently does it. So, it's not a surprise. It's not luck, it's not a fluke. It's just who he is."

Allen is playing as well as he ever has, according to coach Sean McDermott, and he's setting countless records to prove it. Allen completed 23 of 34 passes (67.6%) for 362 yards and two passing touchdowns in the 48-42 win over the Detroit Lions on Sunday. He had 11 carries for 68 yards and two rushing touchdowns.

The Bills improved to 11-3 with the victory and keep a bid for the No. 1 seed alive. Buffalo is also the first team in NFL history to snap multiple nine-game single-season win streaks after beating the Lions on Sunday and the Kansas City Chiefs last month.

In Sunday's win, Allen reached the most consecutive seasons with 35 combined passing and rushing touchdowns in NFL history, passing Brett Favre's four-season stretch during which he won three MVP awards.

"It's the best I've seen him play and not surprised," McDermott said. "When he sets a goal for himself, for a team, I mean, he's hard to stop. So, people have tried, they'll keep trying, that's what we do in this league, and I mean, just incredible, incredible performance week after week, and what more can you say?

"... Every week we're watching an incredible player play incredibly consistent week after week, and I'll let you guys fill in the rest of the sentence."

Allen's MVP odds improved to -900, per ESPN BET, after the game. He started the game at -400. The biggest blemish on Allen's day was a trip to the X-ray room after the game with head athletic trainer Nate Breske to look at his shoulder after he "took a funky fall." But he said everything checked out and it was more "precaution" and for "peace of mind."

The day for the Bills' offense featured just one punt, with the only drives that didn't end in points coming with the punt, a missed 24-yard field goal by kicker Tyler Bass and the end of half and end of game.

The unit got off to a hot start with three straight touchdown drives to start the game, followed by three more in the second half that were scored on drives of five plays or fewer. It was the team's eighth straight game with 30-plus points, tying an NFL record (2000 Rams, 2007 Patriots, 2010 Patriots and 2013 Broncos).

Supporting Allen is an offensive line that has gone four games without allowing a sack and opened holes for a running game Sunday that had 197 yards against the Lions, including 6- and 41-yard touchdown runs by James Cook. The rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns are the most allowed by the Lions this season.

"I mean, he's incredible, right? ... But I want to give credit to everyone on that side of the ball," McDermott said. "It's not just Josh; he's not able to do that if the offensive line isn't doing their job, and sounds like coachspeak, but it's accurate."

Allen found success against the Lions' blitz (39% of dropbacks); he went 9-of-13 for 124 yards with two touchdowns and a scramble on those plays. Allen also took advantage of his ability to throw outside the pocket, with 171 passing yards on such throws, the most in a game by a quarterback since Week 14 in 2021 (Russell Wilson).

The seventh-year quarterback's recent run of form includes his six-touchdown performance vs. the Rams last week. That game combined with the win over Detroit gives Allen the most fantasy points over a two-game span by any quarterback since the 1970 merger (93.16). He is the first quarterback in that span with back-to-back 40-point games, per ESPN Research.

"This dude's incredible," tight end Dawson Knox said. "It's hard to describe what he does on a consistent basis every single Sunday. I've talked about it before, but sometimes you just turn into a fan. I mean, he threw a chest pass touchdown to Dalton [Kincaid] got called back, but he's lifting the ball to guys, making plays with his feet. I'm yelling in my head [for him] to slide, but he's running guys over. It's so much fun to play with that dude. It's really a privilege, and I hope I get to play with him as long as I possibly can."

SEATTLE -- Two drives, two touchdowns. Not a bad way for the Green Bay Packers to start Sunday night's game against the Seattle Seahawks.

And most of it was courtesy of running back Josh Jacobs.

The Packers ran 18 plays on their way to a 14-0 lead with 1:54 left in the first quarter, and Jacobs got the ball on 11 of them -- eight carries and three catches for 84 yards and a touchdown. On the game's opening drive, he touched it on nine of 10 plays, including a 1-yard touchdown run. It's the first time all season that the Packers scored on their first two possessions of the game.

Josh Jacobs got the ball on 9 of 10 plays on the @Packers opening drive. He ended it with a TD

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NFL (@NFL) December 16, 2024

Romeo Doubs, who returned after missing two games because of a concussion, scored the second touchdown on a 13-yard slant from Jordan Love. He powered his way into the end zone, dragging Julian Love and Riq Woolen with him.

Romeo Doubs showing off the leg power on this touchdown!

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: Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/mkA4wsAXmv

NFL (@NFL) December 16, 2024

LOS ANGELES -- Lakers star forward LeBron James will "try to give it a go" Sunday against the Memphis Grizzlies, coach JJ Redick said before the game.

James missed L.A.'s past two games with soreness in his left foot and was away from the team for personal reasons, according to Redick.

James was upgraded from questionable to available and will start against Memphis.

Because of the NBA Cup, the Lakers were able to take a prudent approach with the schedule to allow James to recalibrate and recharge his body. L.A. plays just two games in a 10-day stretch from Dec. 9-18.

James last played on Dec. 6, giving him eight days off between games.

On the season, James is averaging 23 points on 49.5% shooting (35.9% from 3), 9.1 assists and 8.0 rebounds. Redick has said he is in constant communication with both James and his longtime athletic trainer, Mike Mancias, about managing the four-time MVP's workload as he nears his 40th birthday at the end of the month.

As the English clubs, by and large, took a step forward, and the South African sides had a weekend to forget, Toulouse motored on with the minimum of fuss and the maximum of class.

Having scored 61 points and nine tries in beating Ulster last weekend, they improved on that in an emphatic 64-21 victory at Exeter, crossing the line 10 times.

The European champions had the bonus point - and realistically, the victory - secured before half-time in Devon, but did not ease up after the interval. Having scored five tries in the first half, they scored five in the second too.

Antoine Dupont, who started it all off with a try in the eighth minute, produced a passing masterclass, finding space where none seemed to exist, and opening doors that appeared locked. As he worked his magic, the Sandy Park crowd watched on with a mixture of despair and hushed awe.

Ugo Mola, the Toulouse head coach, had a look of satisfaction as he addressed his players on the pitch shortly after the match. The message - don't let up, even when the match is won - was heeded.

And in the post-match television interviews, the players said all the right things. Centre Pierre-Louis Barassi was named man of the match, scoring two tries and producing an outstanding run of around half the length of the pitch to set up a score for Matthis Lebel - but spoke only of being pleased for the team.

Blair Kinghorn, brought on as a replacement to score one and create another, talked of how the strength of the squad meant there was no room to slack off in training if you wanted to play.

But it was flanker Jack Willis who perhaps summed up best the thinking inside the Toulouse camp.

"We made some incredible memories last year," he told Premier Sports. "But we know the target's on our back and we know we have to be better than last year."

No team ever won a trophy with emphatic victories in the pool stage. But Willis knows that. And so do his team-mates. And that's why European rugby's other big names should worry.

Midfielder Pedri said Barcelona must turn things around quickly as their alarming run of form continued with a shock 1-0 defeat at home to Leganés on Sunday.

Sergio González's fourth-minute goal was the difference between the two sides as Barça failed to win for the fifth time in their last six league matches.

During that run they have picked up just five points from a possible 18 and their lead at the top of the table has evaporated. They are now level on points with Atlético Madrid, who they host next weekend, and are one point clear of Real Madrid, while both Madrid sides have a game in hand.

"It was a bad game, it's impossible to be happy," Pedri told reporters after the defeat. "I think we started the game half asleep. We woke up and created chances, but we didn't have the spark we needed to get the goal.

"We have to be better in front of goal if want to pick up points. We're on a bad run in the league and we have to turn it around."

It was Leganés' first away win in LaLiga this season, while Barça have now lost their last two matches at the Olympic Stadium following defeat to Las Palmas two weeks ago.

Barça have remained in good form in the Champions League, though, winning five out of six games in the competition, including 3-2 at Borussia Dortmund in midweek, and Pedri hopes they can bring their European performances into the league.

"We have had a lot of games in a row, but it's not an excuse, we have to finish with the same confidence we have done in the Champions League," he added. "If you don't score goals in football, it's impossible to win."

González's early goal paved the way for a Barça onslaught, but they could not find a way past visiting goalkeeper Marko Dmitrovic. The Blaugrana ended the game with over 20 shots, with Lewandowski accounting for six of them and chalking up an xG of 1.65 on his own.

With Hansi Flick suspended, assistant coach Marcus Sorg filled in on the touchline for the German, and he conceded Barça's young side may have to get used to ups and downs this season.

"In LaLiga, it's very hard and at the moment we struggle in the games," Sorg said in a news conference. "Today, especially in the first 10 minutes, we haven't focused like always, or sometimes [like we have] in the Champions League.

"We conceded a goal and after that the team tries everything to create goals. We created a lot of chances, I think 21 and five or six were really good chances, and that's the problem. We have to learn about it and the players [have to get] used to playing every three to four days.

"We are definitely not happy about the form now. But sometimes you have to accept if you want to build a team, in the process there are up and downs."

Meanwhile, Lamine Yamal hurt his ankle in the first half, but played on until the latter stages of the second half. He will undergo tests on Monday to see if there is any long-term damage.

Barça will hope to have him available for their final game of 2024, at home to Atlético next weekend. The Catalan side's poor run of results, coupled with Atlético winning six in a row, mean they go into that game level on points at the top of LaLiga.

The Ligue 1 match between Paris Saint-Germain and Lyon was briefly interrupted Sunday because of anti-gay chanting by PSG fans.

Referee Benoît Bastien stopped play in the 53rd minute at the Parc des Princes with host PSG leading 2-1 after the chants were heard.

PSG captain Achraf Hakimi approached fans in the Auteuil stand behind one of the goals to ask them to stop. A message reminding fans that discriminatory chants are forbidden was then displayed on the stadium's giant screens.

"The match could be stopped or even lost for the club," the message read.

Play eventually resumed after a few minutes.

The chants in Paris were just the latest in a long series of similar incidents as French soccer authorities struggle to tackle the issue.

France's Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau suggested earlier this year that matches should be halted when fans chant anti-gay slurs in stadiums.

Earlier this month, a French campaign group renewed calls for authorities to take action against anti-gay chanting by soccer fans, saying Marseille supporters belted out anti-gay slurs "with complete impunity" during a home game against Monaco.

Anti-gay insults often heard at Ligue 1 matches have been tolerated for a long time by club officials, and soccer authorities have struggled to find appropriate ways of tackling the issue.

In 2019, following a match at the Parc des Princes between PSG and Marseille during which home fans used anti-gay insults, the league launched an action plan allowing spectators to report sexist, homophobic or racist incidents they witness. The abuse has not stopped, though, even intensifying in recent months.

French clubs have been sanctioned with fines, and the league's disciplinary commission also ordered the closure of stands for similar cases in recent years. Also, French law provides for up to one year imprisonment and a 45,000 ($47,600) fine when anti-gay insults are made in public.

Last season, some PSG players received a one-match suspended sentence by the league disciplinary committee for offensive chants aimed at Marseille after a home league match. Ousmane Dembélé, Hakimi, Randal Kolo Muani and Layvin Kurzawa were filmed using insults while celebrating at the end of a 4-0 win against Marseille. The four players issued apologies.

That match was also marred by anti-gay chanting by sections of PSG fans targeting Marseille players.