McDaniels benches Marshall for finale (AP)

Just when they finally patched things up, Brandon Marshall and Josh McDaniels are back to square one, and another reconciliation appears farfetched. McDaniels announced Friday he's benching Marshall, his Pro Bowl wide receiver, for the team's pivotal season finale against Kansas City on Sunday.

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McDaniels benches Marshall for finale (AP)

Chargers grab 1st-round bye, rip Titans (AP)

The San Diego Chargers have their first-round bye, and Philip Rivers is still perfect in December. Tennessee's bid for NFL history? The Titans lost that right along with their postseason dream, looking like a throwback to the team that started the season 0-6. Rivers threw two touchdowns passes, LaDainian Tomlinson ran for two scores and the Chargers beat the Titans 42-17 on Friday night to grab…

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Chargers grab 1st-round bye, rip Titans (AP)

La Russa weighing future with Cardinals (AP)

Nearly two weeks after his team was swept in the first round of the playoffs, Tony La Russa is still trying to decide whether he wants to return for a 15th season as St. Louis Cardinals manager. In a telephone interview Thursday with The Associated Press, La Russa promised the team he'd make a decision fairly soon.

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Ducks beat Sharks, grab 2-0 series lead (AP)

The Anaheim Ducks collectively kept their celebrations to a murmur, refusing to show any postgame excitement Sunday night except for the first career playoff goals by three of their youngest forwards. It was a showcase of the level, veteran cool you’d expect from a team two years removed from a Stanley Cup — even after that club just tore through the NHL’s toughest road arena and took two games…

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Hawks hold Wade to 19, rout Heat 90-64 (AP)

Aware of the upsets all around, the Atlanta Hawks really buckled down. They’d worked too hard for home-court advantage to let it slip away on the first night of playoffs. With Josh Smith delivering one rim-shaking dunk after another and plenty of teammates chipping in, the Hawks made Miami look like a one-man team, running Dwyane Wade and the Heat ragged for a 90-64 blowout in Game 1 of their…

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Hawks hold Wade to 19, rout Heat 90-64 (AP)

Cards’ Pujols wins second NL MVP award (AP)

Albert Pujols convinced himself and voters what’s worthy of the NL MVP award. The St. Louis star became a two-time winner Monday, outdistancing Philadelphia slugger Ryan Howard in a result that’s sure to renew a debate Pujols once raised himself: What qualifies as “most valuable”? Pujols won despite the Cardinals’ fourth-place finish in the NL Central, the lowest spot for an NL MVP winner since…

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