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By DENNIS WASZAK Jr., AP Pro Football Writer KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Who Dey!? Not those same ol’ Bungles. Not even close. Joe Burrow and these young, hungry Cincinnati Bengals are Super Bowl-bound as unexpected and tenacious AFC champions. Evan McPherson kicked a 31-yard field goal with 9:22 left in overtime after Burrow kept his cool while leading a furious second-half comeback. They got the Bengals to Hey Dudes the NFL's big game for the first time in 33 years with a 27-24 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs for the AFC championship on Sunday. “It’s a special team that’s capable of doing special things,” said coach Zac Taylor, who was in elementary school the last time the Bengals went to the Super Bowl. “We’ve said that from the get-go, whethe...

By BARRY WILNER, AP Pro Football Writer Two years ago, the Cincinnati Bengals were the NFL's worst team. Now they're headed to the Super Bowl to play the Los Angeles Rams — in the Rams' home stadium. Matching the biggest comeback in an AFC championship game, the Bengals rallied from an 18-point hole to stun Kansas City 27-24 in overtime Sunday for their first trip to Hoka Shoes the big game since the 1988 season. The team that won only two games in 2019, earning them the top overall draft pick that they used on quarterback Joe Burrow, pretty much dominated the Chiefs after the first quarter. Rookie Evan McPherson made a 31-yard field goal to win it. Then the Rams overcame a 10-point second-half deficit and took the NFC crown with a 20-17 victory over San...

By DAVID BRANDT, AP Sports Writer PHOENIX (AP) — Chris Paul has been to the All-Star Game 11 times in his NBA career and — barring a mammoth snub — is headed there for No. 12 next month. Now coach Monty Williams will get to join him for the first time. Devin Booker scored 28 points, Mikal Bridges added a season-high 26 and the Phoenix Suns overcame a 12-point deficit in the fourth quarter to beat the San Antonio Spurs 115-110 on Sunday night. The NBA-leading Suns became the first team in the league Las Vegas Raiders Jerseys  with 40 wins — against only nine losses. The victory ensured that Phoenix will have the best record in the Western Conference at the All-Star break, which means Williams and his staff get to lead Team LeBron in Cleveland on Feb. 20. ...

By GREG BEACHAM, AP Sports Writer INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — After Matthew Stafford's wife leaped into his arms, he took a moment to soak it all in — this victory, this confetti-strewn field, this remarkable year of his life. One year to the day after the quarterback agreed to join the star-studded Los Angeles Rams for a shot at a ring, their chances were dimming rapidly when they headed into the fourth quarter of the NFC championship game down by double digits to the mighty San Francisco 49ers. But with three gritty scoring drives followed by a cathartic defensive stand, the Rams secured the right to stay home for the Super Bowl — and Stafford shone the brightest in this impressive constellation. Travin Howard made a game-sealing interception with 1:09 to...

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — The Latest at the Australian Open on Wednesday (all times local): 4:25 p.m. Former French Open champion Iga Swiatek has improved on her stellar record against players ranked outside the top 30 at Grand Slam tournaments with a 4-6, 7-6 (2), 6-3 win over Kai Kanepi to advance to the semifinals. The 36-year-old Kanepi is ranked 115th but was playing in her seventh Grand Slam quarterfinal and was coming off an upset win over No. 2-ranked Aryna Sabalenka. Swiatek will play American Danielle Collins in the semifinals on Thursday night. Collins reached the semifinals in Australia in 2019. The 20-year-old Swiatek, the 2020 champion at Roland Garros, is in the last four at Melbourne Park for the first time. Swiat...

By STEVE McCLAIN, Associated Press LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — To John Calipari, his latest milestone only means he's been coaching a long time. Fittingly, No. 12 Kentucky and the Hall of Fame coach needed an five extra minutes to reach 800 career on-court victories. Kellan Grady scored eight points in overtime, including consecutive 3-pointers about a minute apart, and Sahvir Wheeler added two free throws to lift the Wildcats over Mississippi State 82-74 on Tuesday night. “I have to publicly thank all my players, going back to Oofos Shoes  UMass and Memphis and here,” Calipari said of winning that many games. Grady finished with 18 points and Oscar Tshiebwe added 21 points with 22 rebounds for Kentucky (16-4, 6-2 Southeastern Conference). After missing ...