Headlines from around the world in sports

NFL

Williams reports to Bills facility day after hurting neck

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. – Buffalo Bills Coach Rex Ryan said it was encouraging to see safety Aaron Williams report to the team’s facility on Monday, a day after the player sustained a neck injury.

Ryan said Williams wore a neck brace and is still feeling stiff and sore after being examined and released from the hospital on Sunday.

Though tests revealed the injury wasn’t serious, Ryan said it’s “probably a stretch” to expect Williams to play in Buffalo’s game at Miami on Sunday. 

Williams was hurt while diving headfirst in an attempt to tackle Patriots receiver Julian Edelman in the third quarter of a 40-32 loss to New England. Williams was placed on a stretcher and his body immobilized before being loaded into an ambulance.

He was released from a hospital about three hours later. 

NFL

Bears QB Cutler has strained hamstring; status unknown

LAKE FOREST, Ill. – Chicago Bears Coach John Fox said quarterback Jay Cutler has a strained hamstring.

Fox said tests showed no major structural damage. He also said “anytime it’s not really severe, it’s good news.”

Fox spoke Monday, a day after Cutler was injured trying to make a tackle after getting intercepted in Sunday’s 48-23 loss to the Arizona Cardinals.

His status for this week’s game against defending NFC champion Seattle is in question. Fox would not say if Cutler had an MRI or if he expected him to practice Wednesday.

He also would not say if Jimmy Clausen would start for the Bears (0-2) against the Seahawks (0-2).

NFL

Packers’ McCarthy hopeful about return of Lacy this week

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Coach Mike McCarthy had good news Monday about the status of injured Green Bay running back Eddie Lacy.

Lacy suffered an ankle injury in the Packers’ 27-17 win over the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday night.

Speaking to reporters Monday night, McCarthy said Lacy was in for medical treatment earlier in the day at the team’s Lambeau Field facilities.

The Packers’ next game is next Monday against the Kansas City Chiefs. McCarthy said Lacy could be on the field when the team holds practice Thursday.

McCarthy also wouldn’t rule out Lacy from being able to play next week for NFC North leader Green Bay (2-0).

Lacy was injured during the Packers’ 10-play, 80-yard touchdown drive in the first possession of Sunday’s game. He didn’t return to the game and was taken to the locker room on a cart later in the first quarter.

James Starks filled in for Lacy the rest of the way and finished with 95 yards on 20 carries.

NFL

Falcons’ Coleman has fractured rib, may miss game at Dallas

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. – Atlanta Falcons running back Tevin Coleman has a fractured rib that leaves his status in question for this week’s game at Dallas.

Coach Dan Quinn on Monday would not rule out Coleman. Quinn said Coleman’s status will be determined by his ability to play with pain.

Coleman will not practice on Wednesday and Thursday and his status will be updated on Friday.

Quinn said Devonta Freeman will start against the Cowboys if Coleman is held out.

Coleman had 32 yards rushing in Sunday’s 24-20 win at the Giants before he was carted off the field with the injury.

Coleman, a rookie, started the first two games. He moved into the starting role when Freeman missed all four preseason games with a hamstring injury.

NFL

Redskins waive CB Amerson, a 2013 2nd-round pick

ASHBURN, Va. – The Washington Redskins waived cornerback David Amerson, a second-round pick in the 2013 draft.

The Redskins also signed defensive end Frank Kearse on Monday.

Amerson was the 51st overall pick two years ago and started 15 games last season for the Redskins, but he was limited to special teams duty in Washington’s 24-10 victory over the St. Louis Rams on Sunday.

Coach Jay Gruden said Amerson “was just the odd man out, unfortunately” in a defensive backfield that will get cornerback Chris Culliver back this week after serving a one-game suspension Sunday.

The Redskins (1-1) play at the New York Giants (0-2) on Thursday night.

Baseball

Molina has partially torn left thumb ligament

ST. LOUIS – Cardinals All-Star catcher Yadier Molina has a partially torn ligament in his left thumb, and St. Louis hopes he might return during the regular season.

Molina missed about two months with a torn ligament in his right thumb last season. The Cardinals said Monday the latest injury, to his glove hand, is not so severe.

Molina was hurt while tagging the Cubs’ Anthony Rizzo attempting to score the tying run on a fly ball on Sunday.

Tony Cruz will be the everyday catcher for now for St. Louis, which led the NL Central by four games with 13 to go.

Molina was batting .270 with four homers and 61 RBI and is widely considered the best defensive catcher in the game.

Baseball

Pirates place INF Kang on 60-day disabled list

DENVER – The Pittsburgh Pirates placed infielder Jung Ho Kang on the 60-day disabled list and selected the contract of outfielder Keon Broxton from Triple-A Indianapolis.

Kang suffered a broken left leg and torn MCL on a takeout slide at second base by Chris Coghlan of the Chicago Cubs last Thursday. Kang underwent surgery Thursday night and is expected to be out six to eight months.

Kang was hitting .287 with 15 home runs and 58 RBI when he was injured.

Broxton hit .256 with seven home runs and 42 RBI in 88 games with Indianapolis. He began the season in Double-A Altoona, where he hit .302 with three home runs in 45 games.

Baseball

Eovaldi still too sore to resume throwing

TORONTO – Yankees right-hander Nathan Eovaldi still has inflammation in his sore right elbow and won’t be able to resume throwing until next week, Manager Joe Girardi said Monday.

New York had hoped Eovaldi might be able to rejoin the rotation if New York reaches the playoffs, but Girardi acknowledged that prospect is less likely.

Girardi said he hopes Eovaldi will be available to pitch in relief about one week after he is able to resume throwing.

Eovaldi, who is 14-3 with a 4.20 ERA in 27 starts, hasn’t pitched since Sept. 5 against Tampa Bay. Two days later, an MRI confirmed inflammation in his elbow.

Eovaldi allowed eight runs and 13 hits over 10.1 innings in two starts before his injury was diagnosed.

Right-hander Masahiro Tanaka, who has a strained right hamstring, did conditioning drills and played catch at Yankee Stadium on Monday. New York hopes he can return next week after missing Wednesday’s scheduled start against the AL East-leading Blue Jays. Ivan Nova will start in Tanaka’s place against Toronto.

Baseball

Pete Rose said he’s “just happy” to meet with commissioner

OXFORD, Ohio – Pete Rose said he’s just happy to have an opportunity to meet with Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred about his reinstatement appeal.

Baseball’s banned hit king says he wouldn’t call himself optimistic about his chances, but is looking forward to discussing his case. Manfred, baseball’s first-year commissioner, said he plans to meet with Rose by the end of this year.

Rose spoke Monday at Miami University in Ohio, where he had a series of appearances capped by a discussion with Cincinnati Enquirer sports columnist Paul Daugherty as part of the school’s fall lecture series.

Rose told student TV journalists he hopes others can learn from his mistakes.

The 74-year-old Cincinnati native who holds the career hits record with 4,256 was banned in 1989 for betting on baseball.

NHL

AP source: Tortorella to coach U.S. World Cup hockey team

A person familiar with the decision confirmed to the Associated Press that former NHL coach John Tortorella has been selected to head the United States national team competing in the World Cup of Hockey tournament next year.

The person spoke Monday on the condition of anonymity because USA Hockey had not made an announcement. Canada’s TSN sports network first reported the news.

The Boston-born Tortorella has 14 seasons of NHL experience, and won a Stanley Cup championship with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2004. He’s been out of the NHL since May 2014, when he was fired after one season of coaching the Vancouver Canucks.

Tortorella previously coached the U.S. team to a sixth-place finish at the 2008 World Championships.

Volleyball

Poland hands U.S. first loss of volleyball World Cup

TOKYO – Poland rallied to beat the United States, 17-25, 25-19, 25-23, 25-15 on Monday, handing the U.S. team its first loss of the men’s volleyball World Cup.

Michal Kubiak scored a match-high 17 points as Poland improved to 9-0 and moved into first place in the standings with 26 points. The U.S., which dropped to 8-1 and is in second with 24 points, next faces defending champion Russia while Poland takes on host Japan

In other matches, third-place Italy beat Russia, 25-15, 26-24, 25-18. Russia is in fourth place.

Egypt outlasted Tunisia, 23-25, 25-21, 23-25, 25-17, 15-11 while Canada beat Venezuela, 25-18, 25-22, 25-23.

Australia overpowered Iran, 27-25, 27-25, 25-22 and Argentina beat Japan, 26-24, 25-22, 25-21.