Sports : Monday, October 17th, 2016

In case you missed it on Saturday, area football teams learned their playoff destinations for the first round that begins this Friday.

Division 1: Fond du Lac earned a #2 seed and hosts #7 Milwaukee Washington, Friday at 7pm at Fruth Field

Division 4: Ripon earns a #7 seed and will travel to #2 seed Two Rivers on Friday

Division 5: Winnebago Lutheran earns a #3 seed and will host #6 seed Valders on Friday. Laconia also earns a #3 seed and will host #6 seed Horicon/Hustisford on Friday

Division 6: Saint Mary’s Springs earns a #1 seed and will play #8 seed Manawa on Friday night. The game will be played at North Fond du Lac High School.

The Packers struggled on both sides of the ball in a 30-16 loss to the Dallas Cowboys at Lambeau Field. Aaron Rodgers threw for 294 yards, one touchdown and one interception in the loss. That touchdown, however, didn’t come until 6:53 left in the game when the team was behind 27-9 and Rodgers connected with Randall Cobb from six yards out. The Packers fumbled the ball five times, and lost three of them including one by Aaron Rodgers at first & goal on the Dallas one yard line late in the 3rd. Cowboys rookie quarterback Dak Prescott threw for 247 yards and 3 touchdowns, including two to Cole Beasley, while rookie Ezekiel Elliott carried the ball 28 times for 157 yards. The Cowboys totaled 424 yards against the Green Bay defense. The Packers fall to 3-2 and face a short week with the rival Chicago Bears come to town on Thursday night.

Former Packers QB Brett Favre was honored at halftime of the game. He was presented with his hall of fame ring and had his name unveiled on the facade at Lambeau Field along with other Green Bay hall of fame members. Favre thanked the fans during the halftime ceremony and said he’s flattered to have his name up there with other Packer greats.

Jacksonville improved to 2-3 with a 17-16 win over the Bears in Chicago. The Bears led 13-0 at the end of the 3rd quarter, but the Jaguars outscored them 17-3 in the final quarter, including a 51 yard touchdown pass from Blake Bortles to Arrelious Benn with 2:49 to play to give the Jags the lead. The game ended when Brian Hoyers pass fell incomplete on 4th & 10 at the Jacksonville 48 with 1:03 left. The Bears fall to 1-5 with the loss.

Matt Prater made a field goal from 34 yards out with 1:29 left to lift the Lions to a 31-28 win over the LA Rams in Detroit. Down 28-21, Matthew Stafford completed a 23 yard touchdown pass to Golden Tate to tie the game with 6:02 left before Prater’s field goal put the Lions ahead. Detroit’s Rafael Bush intercepted Case Keenum with 1:09 left to seal the win. Detroit is now 3-3, they host Washington next week.

The Badgers remain in the top 10 of both national polls despite their loss in overtime to Ohio State on Saturday. Wisconsin holds steady at number 10 in the USA Today Coaches Poll, and falls two spots to 10th in the Associated Press Top 25. In the AP Poll, Alabama and Ohio State remain 1 and 2 overall. Michigan climbs a spot to 3, Clemson falls a spot to 4, Washington stays at 5, Texas A&M holds at 6 and Louisville stays at 7. Nebraska climbs 2 spots to number eight, while Baylor enters the top 10 of this weeks poll at number 9.

Purdue has fired coach Darrell Hazell midway through his fourth season, ending his tenure with the worst winning percentage of any Boilermakers coach in 95 years. Hazell was 9-33 overall since taking over in 2013, and his dismissal had seemed almost inevitable entering this season. A 3-2 start with victories against FCS Eastern Kentucky, Nevada and Illinois gave some hope that he would be given one last full season to show progress. But new Purdue athletic director Mike Bobinski, who was hired away from Georgia Tech in August, decided to make the change in season. The Boilermakers lost 49-35 at home to Iowa on Saturday and trailed 42-14 heading into the fourth quarter. Purdue has averaged 32,078 in attendance at Ross-Ade Stadium, capacity 62,000, for four home games.

MLB:

National League Championship Series, Game 2.

Dodgers even the series at 1-1 with a 1-0 win at Wrigley Field. Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw threw seven innings of shutout baseball, allowing just two hits and striking out six. Game three is Tuesday in LA. Tonight, the American League Championship Series resumes in Toronto with Cleveland holding a 2-0 series lead.