NFL:
In the NFL on Thursday Night Football, Carolina beat New Orleans 23-20.
On Sunday, the Giants take on Chicago at 1 p.m., Buffalo faces Cincinnati, and then at 4:25 New England goes head to head with San Francisco.
MLB:
The winners have been announced for baseball's MVP awards, and they go to a World Series champion and a player from a losing ballclub. Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant is the National League MVP in just his second full season. Bryant hit .292 with 39 home runs and 102 RBIs for the World Series champs to become the first MVP from the Cubs since Sammy Sosa in 1998.
Bryant received 29 of 30 first-place votes, runner-up Daniel Murphy of Washington picked up the other first-place vote and Dodgers shortstop Corey Seager was third. Bryant is the sixth player to win the award just a year after being named the Rookie of the Year. Angels center fielder Mike Trout is the American League MVP for the second time in three years after batting .315 with 29 home runs, 100 RBIs and 30 steals. Trout received 19 of 30 first-place votes in becoming the first MVP from a losing team since Alex Rodriguez for Texas in 2003. Los Angeles finished fourth in the AL West at 74-88, 15 games out of a wild-card berth.
Red Sox right fielder Mookie Betts finished second in the balloting, followed by Houston second baseman Jose Altuve.
The New York Yankees continue to acquire prospects as they try to return to their glory days. The Bombers have shipped seven-time All-Star catcher Brian McCann and $11 million to the Astros for minor league pitchers Albert Abreu and Jorge Guzman. The 32-year-old McCann hit .242 with 20 homers and 58 RBIs this year and is expected to replace Jason Castro behind the plate for Houston. His playing time was slashed upon the arrival of hot-hitting backstop Gary Sanchez. The Yankees have stockpiled young talent in deals involving Carlos Beltran, Andrew Miller and Aroldis Chapman since last July.
NBA:
In the NBA, Washington topped the Knicks 119-112, Miami bested Milwaukee 96-73, Houston won against Portland 126-109, Minnesota beat Philadelphia 110-86, and it was Chicago over Utah 85-77.
NHL:
In the NHL, Tampa Bay beat Buffalo 4-1, Anaheim edged New Jersey 3-2, Minnesota blanked Boston 1-0, St. Louis slid past San Jose 3-2, Nashville bested Ottawa 5-1, Toronto defeated Florida 6-1, Philadelphia topped Winnipeg 5-2, Dallas beat Colorado 3-2, Vancouver edged Arizona 3-2, and the Kings doubled up Edmonton 4-2.
Red Wings forward Darren Helm will miss at least six weeks with a dislocated shoulder suffered in Tuesday's 4-3 loss to Tampa Bay. Helm has seven points with a plus-6 in 17 games for the Wings this season after providing 13 goals and 26 points in 2015-16.
PGA:
Mackenzie Hughes is the leader through 18 holes of the RSM Classic in Georgia, the final PGA event of the year. Hughes fired a 9-under 61 that puts him one stroke ahead of Stewart Cink (sihnk) and Jonathan Byrd.
LPGA:
Shanshan Feng is the leader through one round of the CME Group Tour Championship in Florida as she seeks her third consecutive LPGA win and a lot of bonus cash. Feng opened with a 6-under 66 that leaves her one stroke in front of So Yeon Ryu and Charley Hull. Feng is coming off victories in Malaysia and Japan and entered the season finale with a chance to win the Race to the CME Globe season title and $1 million bonus. Top-ranked Lydia Ko had a 70. She needs a win this week to secure player of the year honors.
Kentucky Derby:
Churchill Downs says it will complete a $37 million project in time to add more than 1,800 seats for the 2018 Kentucky Derby. The Louisville track says the project will add new luxury suites, interior dining tables and third-floor seats. The new space on the north end of the facility will have three floors of individual suites and dining and event space.
The suites will have indoor lounge seating with a bar and a private tiered balcony overlooking the start of the Kentucky Derby. The track said in a news release Thursday that the project includes up to 36 new luxury suites for 1,140 guests in groups of various sizes, event space on each of three levels providing interior dining for 576 guests and construction of 110 new third-floor Grandstand seats.
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